When the cast for Battle of the Eras dropped, most Challenge fans were hyped. We had many of the most well-known competitors, and it had the largest cast we’ve ever seen.
Some people considered this the “Super Bowl” of The Challenge, and it was meant to be a milestone season. There’s no doubt that Battle of the Eras was filled with memorable moments, but looking at the season over a year later, was it really a Super Bowl-level production?
Super Bowl level
- Battle of the Eras had 40 competitors, more than ever before
- The season opened with a high-paced and exciting Eras Invitational that shed 20% of the cast, making the game seem very cutthroat.
- Teams had distinct jerseys, making it clear which era the teams represented.
- Some of the best performers on the season were unexpected, like Derek C., proving that success wasn’t dependent on pre-season reputations.
- While some of the top competitors were missing, production did a great job getting a lot of the most notable Challenge names. We had Bananas, CT, Jordan, Rachel, Laurel, Cara Maria, and even newer players like Jenny.
Not Super Bowl level
- The season ended with a tie for the female winners — the Super Bowl would never
- That tie happened because of karma points, an unnecessary twist that muddied the outcome (though some long time viewers were happy to see Rachel get another win).
- Some teams had underwhelming casting choices — particularly the Era 2 men (aside from Bananas) and the Era 3 women.
- The final was basically all swimming, an odd choice for The Challenge because the show is meant to test many skills.
- Most of the daily challenges were unremarkable. If there was ever a time for high-budget missions (like the ones on Total Madness or Spies, Lies and Allies), this was it.
Was Battle of the Eras ‘Super Bowl’ level?
I doubt Battle of the Eras will really go down in history as the “Super Bowl” of The Challenge, but it does deserve recognition for a strong effort. We also need to remember that MTV never called this season a Challenge Super Bowl — that nickname was given by viewers and cast members.
But from a casting perspective, Battle of the Eras was monumental. The 40-person roster made the season feel special, and the intro episode helped fans get ready by reintroducing viewers to all of the noteworthy faces on the season. If you weren’t excited by this cast, there’s probably no pleasing you. It was an undeniable upgrade from season 39, but looking deeper, Battle of the Eras probably gave us the best cast since Dirty Thirty.
The problem with the season was the structure and the competition. The game probably peaked on episode 2 with the Era Invitational, and it felt like the show got progressively less competitive as it went on. There was a merger at the midway point (and let’s face it, we all saw this coming), but that wasn’t a bad thing. The real issue with the second half was the fact that we lost competitors at a rate of one person per week. This meant some weeks the women could take it easy and some weeks the men had less pressure.
In the end, we saw a final where the best swimmer was rewarded. Then, Karma Points sealed the victory. These random elements left viewers with something to be desired, because they don’t test skill in the way The Challenge should.
There is a place for the social game on The Challenge, but this was overkill. It gives Battle of the Eras a questionable ending, so most people won’t view it as the greatest season ever. However, I do think this season will look better with time. As we watch The Challenge evolve, we’ll look back at how stacked the Eras cast was and how much effort was put into the show.
Stop Being Polite 