The Challenge: USA
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The Challenge: USA
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Challenge: USA, a contemporary installment of The Challenge franchise, features cast members from popular reality competitions (e.g., Survivor, Big Brother) vying for cash and a chance to participate in a future international tournament. The competitions are intense and often feature risky activities (safety gear is worn). There's also lots of strong language (curses are bleeped) and tensions between cast mates from previous series, including failed love matches, are often discussed. The logo for Under Armor is prominently featured, and the Paramount+ network is plugged. Viewers should never try any of the featured challenge activities at home.
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What's the Story?
THE CHALLENGE: USA, a contemporary spin-off of the popular reality competition that originated on MTV, features 28 contestants from four unscripted primetime series competing in Argentina for a chance to win cash. Hosted by T.J. Lavin, each episode features contestants from Survivor, The Amazing Race, Big Brother, and Love Island, all of whom have been given $1000 in seed money, randomly put in co-ed pairs and set out to win the day's challenge in order to bank an additional $5000. The winning pair also chooses the duo who has to face the losers of the challenge during the elimination round. The team that survives it keeps any cash the booted team managed to accumulate during the competition. But no matter how good a team is, or how long players stay in the game, they can only compete in the final round if they have a minimum of $5000 in their accounts. The pair who wins the last challenge gets $500K and earns a spot in a future Global Challenge tournament.
Is It Any Good?
The energetic, semi-formulaic series features cast members from various seasons of primetime competitions pushing themselves for a chance to win cash. Despite some twists, it follows a pattern of extreme activities and competitive behavior one has come to expect from these types of shows. Meanwhile, there are conversations about things that happened in prior competitions (accompanied with limited archive video), and lots of underhanded strategizing as players try to figure out how to negotiate the game, avenge former cast mates, and protect their own interests. If you're a fan of the franchise, or follow the reality shows these cast members hail from, you'll find The Challenge: USA very entertaining.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what makes The Challenge franchise so popular. Are the reboots intended to attract fans of the original 1998 series? Or are they geared to a new generation of viewers?
Is the main draw of The Challenge: USA the physical competitions? Or is it the way players rehash old reality series conflicts? Why do you think players were selected for the game?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 6, 2022
- Cast: T.J. Lavin
- Network: CBS
- Genre: Game Shows
- Character Strengths: Perseverance, Teamwork
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: July 8, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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The Challenge: All Stars
Nostalgic MTV competition reboot has cursing, risky stunts.
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Survivor
Plotting and scheming in paradise for $1,000,000.
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The Amazing Race
Stressful global race features tense moments, teamwork.
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