Ranking the 8 Best Themes from MTV's The Challenge

Some of the best themes a reality show has seen.

By Dylan DeckardPublished 8 months ago • 4 min read

Bananas and Sarah / Photo by MTV

The Challenge has had 40 seasons and has had some amazing themes across various. From Rivals to Exes to Battle of the Eras there have been some amazing set ups for the season. This will be a list of some of the best themes from 8 to 1.

8. War of the Worlds II

War of the Worlds II Cast / Photo by MTV

Theme: 2 Teams - United States vs UK

Winners: 4

Jordan Wiseley
Dee Nguyen
Chris "CT" Tamburello
Rogan O' Connor

This was one of my favorite seasons of The Challenge just because of how crazy it was. These people geniunly hated each other. It was Jordan and Tori Deal's side vs Cara Maria Sorbello and Paulie Calafiore's side. This showed two different sides. One from the US battling against one from The UK. For some reason I love 2 team seasons. They did add 4 special "VIPS" in Chris "CT" Tamburello, Turbo Camkiran, Dee Nguyen, and Natalie "Ninja" Duran. I would have probably put Laurel as a VIP over Ninja but they wanted Laurel and Cara Maria together.

7. Battle of the Seasons II

Battle of the Seasons (2012) Cast / Photo by MTV

Theme: 8 Teams of 4. All 4 members of the team are from the same season of The Real World. One team from Fresh Meat.

Winners: 4

Frank Sweeney
Zach Nichols
Sam McGinn
Ashley Kelsey

This was the better version of Battle of the Seasons in my opinion. This season was great and I'd love to see them do it again. I really wish Portland and Ex-Plosion / Back to San Francisco would have been on this season too but they weren't filmed yet. They could do this again with Big Brother 20, Survivor: Millennials vs Gen X and add some Real World and Road Rules seasons. The reason this is so low is because I didn't like once 2 people from a team left it was 2 vs 4.

6. Ride or Dies

Theme: Pairs that are based on "Ride or Dies." Best friends, couples, etc...

Winners: 2

Tori Deal
Devin Walker

This season had potential to be amazing but the partnerships were awful. Jordan and Aneesa? Colleen and Kim? A lot of these were reaches. Kailah and Sam, Bananas and Nany, Amber and Chauncey, Devin and Tori were all great pairs. I would have liked to see some of the following pairs...

- Nia Moore and Jordan Wiseley

- Cara Maria Sorbello and Paulie Calafiore

- Derek Chavez and Jonna Mannion

5. Battle of the Eras

Theme: 4 Teams of 10. Each team is from a different era of The Challenge.

Winners: 3

Jordan Wiseley
Jenny West
Rachel Robinson

I was so excited for this theme when it was first announced but again they dropped the ball with casting. I know Paula Beckert, Evelyn Smith and Wes Bergmann wouldn't have returned but they were all huge in Era 2. We should have had Ashley Mitchell on Era 3. I liked Kyland Young on the season but that spot should have went to Turbo Camkiran in my opinion. There was also too many people on this season. The purge at the beginning was upsetting.

4. Free Agents

Theme: Solo Season with dailies being solo, partner or team.

Winners: 2

Laurel Stucky
Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio

This was the best solo season of all-time. The fact that they had to adapt with working with each other for dailies sometimes but every elimination was by themselves was great. Even the name "Free Agents" was cool. I wish they would bring this back for a 2nd season.

3. Inferno II

Theme: 2 Teams. Heroes vs Villains.

Winners: 4

Jamie Chung
Landon Lueck
Darrell Taylor
Mike "The Miz" Mizanin

I've wanted a Heroes vs Villains season of The Challenge for years now. This was a "Good Guys vs Bad ____" theme. Like I said previously I love 2 teams on a season and this theme is iconic. It brings me back to Survivor: Heroes vs Villains.

2. Exes & Exes II

Theme: Exes paired together.

Winners: 4

Camila Nakagawa (Exes)
Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio (Exes)
Sarah Rice (Exes II)
Jordan Wiseley (Exes II)

This is the one that really surpised me. I'm shocked they haven't done an Exes III yet. This is always a big season. The first one we saw Diem and CT fight until the end and CT couldn't keep up. The second exes we saw Sarah and Jordan take Bananas and Nany out at the end to win. This theme always delivers.

1. Rivals

Theme: Rivals paired together.

Winners: 10

Evelyn Smith (Rivals)
Paula Beckert (Rivals)
Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio (Rivals)
Tyler Duckworth (Rivals)
Emily Schromm (Rivals II)
Paula Beckert (Rivals II)
Chris "CT" Tamburello (Rivals II)
Wes Bergmann (Rivals II)
Sarah Rice (Rivals III)
Johnny "Bananas" Devenanzio (Rivals III)

This has to be #1. When they first announced it was crazy. Now I do think some of the partnerships are reaches but Adam and CT from Rivals I or Bananas and Sarah from Rivals III really hated each other. This theme is just the best of all-time.

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