The Challenge Dirty 30
Episode 1 Recap — Thirty Rotten Scoundrels

God damn I love Challenge season! With the NBA over, the NFL not started, and the White Sox in total rebuild mode, this is the one sport I’m fully behind and dedicated to. There really might not be another sport more exciting, especially for this season: The Dirty Thirty. That’s right, it’s the thirtieth season of MTV’s hit reality/competition show. Talk about putting numbers on the board! For this occasion they gathered together 30 contestants — some the dirtiest to ever play, and others who are competing for the first time but their dirtiness is just too noticeable to ignore — to compete for ONE MILLION DOLLARS. Yeah man, I could hardly contain myself watching the first episode. It was another level of hype.
Here’s a list of the few things that are noteworthy for this season:
- Derrick Kosinski, aka Big Diesel, aka the OG Challenge pit bull is back in motherfuckin’ action. The show has needed his presence and he’s back just in time.
- The cast list is honestly just insane and brutal. The eliminations are going to be so intense and it’s anyone’s game.
- They don’t know they are playing for a million dollars… Host TJ Lavin is keeping that one a well kept secret for the time being. Classic Teej.
- Any time CT is on the Challenge you know it’s worth watching.
Episode one did not disappoint. The only real let down was that CT didn’t show up, because apparently there was a passport issue. This was interesting though to see how relieved people were that he was unable to show up. I mean CT is a monster and the defending champ (I personally do not count Champs vs. Pros as an official season, so Invasion still is the last official scoring) so that’s understandable. But hearing Leeroy talk about it so much was a bit shocking. He should know there’s no easy way out in these games, and he’s a pretty solid competitor, so c’mon. To be the best you gotta beat the best. This just shows how much fear CT strikes into the hearts of all these kids. It’s like a Bob Ross painting — absolutely beautiful.
We do know that CT shows up here in episode two so there’s no worries of him being a possible no show. This wasn’t the biggest news of the night either, as good ol’ Ashely M., the defending champ from Invasion, decides to bail out from the competition on night one of being in the house. Granted, she didn’t have any of her bags yet because they got lost on the plane or something. That’s what I gathered from her meltdown. Cara Maria, being the smart cookie that she is, doesn’t try to convince Ashley to stay and lets her make up her mind to leave. Which is a great call. Ashley has proven herself the last few Challenges so that’s one less competitor to have to beat out.
Leaving on night one though Ash? That’s hard to live down. If you hadn’t already won a ring you’d be catching some pretty bad heat from The Challenge Gods. Myself included.
The Purge
The first text from TJ gets the crew of contestants ready to participate in the Purge, which is basically an all out massacre where six people get sent home right off the bag. They really are taking no prisoners this year.

First stage of the Purge was to run down to a big ass barrel and then roll it all the way back up to the top of this Rome like castle structure. The top four guys and the top four girls would be safe.
The top guys in order: Bananas (killed it), Hunter (ugh), Derrick K, Jordan
The top girls in order: Kailah, Camila, Tori, Aneesa (ATTA GIRL)
For stage two TJ drew names out of a hat to divide up the remaining challengers into two teams. Blue vs pink. The goal here is to run down and retrieve two giant cannons and carry them back up to the top. So the strategy in who is on each cannon was important, as it didn’t matter if you got there first, but the first to get both their cannons was safe. In the end the blue team was victorious, leaving the pink team to fight for their lives in stage three.
Stage three challengers: Cory, Shane, Tony, Devin, Darrell (what??), Jenna, Simone, Amanda, Latoya, and good ol’ Jemmye.
Once again, from the top you had to run down and retrieve a cannonball, then run with it back to the top. The catch here — only the person who gets first is safe, and then they choose who goes home. Now that’s dirty!

So for the guys, in a surprising defeat Cory dominates the field. And Jenna dominated for the girls as well. Now if you’re smart here you get rid of some of the tough competition, and try to leave yourself an ally with the one you save.
Cory decides to eliminate Shane, Devin — which was a real buzz kill, and frickin’ Darrell! Darrell is one of the best competitors of all time and Cory played this surprisingly well. Tony will be a strong ally for him. It was just crazy to see Darrell go home on challenge one! I would have never saw that coming. That’s like the Warriors getting bounced round one in the NBA playoffs. Jenna then eliminated Simone, Latoya, and Amanda, which was the most satisfying of them all. The farther she is from the final the better. Jenna made a boss move.
However, *insert plot twist here* at the end of the episode we come to find out that these six “eliminated” challengers are actually in the redemption house!!!! With a chance to play on. There’s still no explanation on if everyone gets to come back or just a few, but either way, that look on Darrell’s face when he finds new life spells trouble for Cory. That man is on a mission. A murder mission.
Things to Note
- CT didn’t show up for the first challenge, but he’ll be back for episode two.
- The AYTO cast is stronger than it’s ever been, with Tori looking like one of the top girl competitors. Could this be the year?
- With Ashley bailing early it all seemed too easy. Which is why Bri, from AYTO, shows up with CT next episode. Dundundun.
- This season is going to get heated real fast. The alliances will probably be surprising.
Awards
MVP
This has to go to Cory for winning that last heat and eliminating Darrell.
Big Loser
This also goes to Cory. For eliminating Darrell. Because he’ll come back for his revenge pie. This is a split award this week though, as Ashley M takes the bigger percentage of this by quitting early before it all even started. You know we hate quitters, right?
Episode two is shaping up to be a good one with CT’s arrival and hopefully the first elimination. It can only get dirtier from here.
