The Challenge: Every Spinoff from the 30s Ranked

With Season 40 on the horizon, we will likely enter a new era of The Challenge. I’ve already ranked every season of the flagship series in the 30s, but this era was also packed with spinoffs — 13 to be exact.

So, I will rank every spinoff we saw during this period, including the bookends (Champs vs. Pros and All Stars 4). This list will include All Stars, the Champs spinoffs, and international adaptations.

Keep in mind, this is subjective, and it’s all in good fun. The breakdown will be a bit less scientific than my ranking of the flagship series because I have less knowledge of international players before their Challenge appearances and many of the competitions we saw are repeated across seasons.

13. The Challenge UK

This season feels rushed — because it is. Across its five episodes, there really isn’t a lot for viewers to look forward to. All of the challenges are repeats from The Challenge USA or Ride or Dies, and there’s very little character development. Neither Kaz nor Tristan ever went into elimination, even though Tristan never won a daily Challenge, making this season and its winners quite forgettable.

12. The Challenge Argentina

While the Challenge UK feels like a shortened version of The Challenge, the Challenge Argentina is drawn out. Apparently, the season used different producers because it isn’t filmed in English (meaning English-speaking viewers will need to read subtitles), and the show’s pace is very different than any US version. Much of the show is narrated with scheduled events (akin to international Big Brother seasons), and there’s only one competition per episode — either a daily challenge or elimination. It’s a bit underwhelming because they’re all reused competitions from Ride or Dies or The Challenge USA. But, you do get to know the competitors really well, which can be interesting because the casting pool is so different than any other Challenge season.

11. Champs vs. Stars

While this season did give us a few notorious moments (like CT’s fight with TO and Camila’s infamous exit), it wasn’t much of a Challenge. The majority of the Stars team didn’t want to be there, and the Champs won every single challenge. Plus, fans were disappointed at the time because the show decided to loosen the definition of “Champ” to include finalists in the mix.

10. Champs vs. Pros

I wouldn’t discourage anyone from watching this season, but I also wouldn’t expect them to remember much. It was a good concept, but it was clear that most of the Pros weren’t there to play schoolyard games. The silliness of this season trivializes its best moments (like the Wes vs. Bananas elimination or Bananas argument with CM Punk), but this season did encourage some people to renew their interest in The Challenge, leading to Veronica and Jordan’s return on Dirty Thirty.

9. The Challenge USA 1

On the surface, the idea of uniting CBS’ reality shows for a Challenge should work. In practice, it wasn’t as effective. The algorithm kind of made the game sloppy, and it felt like there were so many filler players that we didn’t get many memorable eliminations until the end of the game. But, this season is mostly knocked for its sloppy final that made underserving people get penalized, and allegedly, Sarah won by default because every other girl quit in the final.

8. The Challenge Australia

Out of all the international adaptations of The Challenge, this one feels like it did the best job making a show. There were hookups, drama, and alliances in the game. The winners were fairly satisfying, and at 10 episodes long, it feels like it’s a good length. However, you are still watching the same competitions as Ride or Dies and The Challenge USA, the algorithm dictates the game, and there is a random “no elimination” twist that just feels like production manipulation.

7. All Stars 1

If you go back and rewatch this season, you’re likely going to watch it because it’s filled with beloved legends from The Challenge, The Real World, and Road Rules. The competition isn’t the most intense, and many people volunteer for eliminations to avoid drama or straight-up quit the game. While the competitiveness does build throughout the season, it leads to an unsatisfying final where only one person wins.

However, I am judging this season from a 2024 rewatch lens. The excitement it brought when it premiered in 2021 cannot be understated, and fans were shocked to see the All Stars concept actually come to fruition.

6. World Championship

While some of the international spinoffs flopped, producers still went through with the World Championship — and it actually worked out pretty well. Many of the international players were capable of playing a sneaky, strategic game, and they brought their own alliances into the competition. Early into the season, it felt like Tori and her friends would dominate the game. However, the Australian alliance threw a wrench in this plan, and then the CBS competitors tried to dismantle Tori’s alliance. In the end, Jordan won, but it was well-earned because the victory wasn’t handed to him.

5. All Stars 3

This season had a really cool concept. It united all finalists (and Nia) and upped the intensity of the competition. While this did mean allowing younger and more recent cast members onto All Stars, it did make the game tougher. Some fans have noted a lack of drama on the season and the reduced number of true old-schoolers, but the season does a great job of being an individual game. Plus, Jonna and Wes’ victories were well-earned, leaving viewers satisfied with the ending.

4. Champs vs. Stars 2

After the first Champs vs. Stars, it felt like this season was deviating further away from the show’s original premise. In some regards, it did (we had fewer real Champs and the teams were divided awkwardly), but this season worked way better than anyone expected. The Stars actually seemed to be a united force, and at times, they outperformed or outsmarted the Champs. The season is filled with game-related drama, and it culminated with Stars who actually stood a chance at defeating the Champs.

3. All Stars 4

It took production way too long to air this season, but it was worth the wait. Initially, the cast felt like a hyper-competitive female side mismatched with a moderate male side. However, this season excelled in providing viewers with a balanced competition, which was a good thing because the season only had one winner. It was also a season packed with drama, but it also gave unexpected competitors moments to shine. While some people aren’t satisfied with Laurel’s win, there are satisfying storylines like Cara Maria’s redemption after War of the Worlds 2, Jay shaking his layup reputation, and Kefla’s overdue return.

2. The Challenge USA 2

While The Challenge USA 1 gave us an underwhelming format, this season reset the playing field with three teams and the “hopper.” It also injected six Challenge veterans into the competition, giving fans a reason to watch, but not making it too easy for the vets to dominate. As a result, we had a season that gave underdogs a chance to win. The Survivor players showed how cohesive they were, and two of them won. Meanwhile, the champs actually had to work to stay in the game, and the pseudo-veterans (like Josh, Faysal, or Michaela) were torn between their CBS family and the Challenge legends.

1. All Stars 2

This season excelled for all the right reasons. It reunited fans with many old-school Challengers, some expected (like Tina or MJ) and others were completely out of the blue (like Steve and Ayanna). It was also more competitive than the original All Stars, and early into the competition, we saw strong contenders like Derrick get eliminated. Viewers were able to connect with competitors on a more personal level, but this season also allowed some people to completely reinvent themselves. By the end, Nehemiah was a mastermind, Casey was a formidable competitor, and Melinda was a force to be reckoned with.

So, how do all of the seasons rank? Merging this list with the list of flagship seasons we have:

23. The Challenge UK
22. The Challenge Argentina
21. Champs vs. Stars
20. Champs vs. Pros
19. The Challenge USA 1
18. Battle for a New Champion
17. The Challenge Australia
16. Ride or Dies
15. Double Agents
14. Spies, Lies and Allies
13. Total Madness
12. All Stars 1
11. World Championship
10. All Stars 3
9. Vendettas
8. Champs vs. Stars 2
7. War of the Worlds
6. All Stars 4
5. The Challenge USA 2
4. War of the Worlds 2
3. All Stars 2
2. Final Reckoning
1. Dirty Thirty