Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins

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The Ruins
Season 18
Theruins 281x105.jpg
Presented by T. J. Lavin
No. of contestants28
Winners
Location Phuket, Thailand
No. of episodes12 (Special & Reunion Included)
Release
Original network MTV
Original releaseSeptember 30 (2009-09-30) 
December 23, 2009 (2009-12-23)
Season chronology
 Previous
The Duel II
Next 
Fresh Meat II
List of episodes

Real World Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins is the 18th season of the MTV reality television game show, The Challenge (at the time known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge). This is the last season to use Real World/Road Rules in the on-screen title, before being shortened to The Challenge in the 19th season.

The Ruins took place in Phuket, Thailand, with cast members from The Real World , Road Rules and The Challenge competing. This season featured two teams: Champions and Challengers. Contestants on the Champions team had won at least on one previous season, while players on the Challengers team had never won a final or were new to the series.

The season premiered on September 30, 2009 and concluded with the "S#!t They Should Have Shown" special on December 23, 2009. [1]

Format

This season of the Real World/Road Rules Challenge puts the Champions against the Challengers. The two teams compete in numerous missions, typically called challenges, in order to win cash, prizes and advance in the overall game. The winning team in each challenge receives a cash prize of $20,000, which is split evenly among the team members and placed in their individual bank accounts, as well as a bonus prize for each member of the team. [2] [1]

Before every challenge however, the Champions and the Challengers each select three players of each gender within their team to be nominated for elimination. After the challenge, the six nominees from the winning team pick one guy and one girl among themselves, as well as a male-female pair from the losing team's nominees to battle against in the Ruins. [2] [1]

In the Ruins, there are two events — one battle for each gender. The winners from each event get to stay in Phuket, and have a chance to compete for a share of $120,000 in the final challenge. The losers are eliminated from the game, and lose all of their prize money in their individual bank accounts to the event winners, though their bonus prizes are not affected. [2] [1]

Contestants

ChampionsOriginal seasonFinish
Derrick Kosinski [A] [B] Road Rules: X-Treme Winner
Evan Starkman [C] Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh Meat Winner
Johnny Devenanzio [B] The Real World: Key West Winner
Kenny Santucci [A] [B] Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh MeatWinner
Susie Meister [D] Road Rules: Down Under Winner
Darrell Taylor [E] [F] [G] [H] Road Rules: Campus Crawl Episode 8 [a]
Johanna Botta [I] The Real World: Austin Episode 7
Veronica Portillo [J] [E] [F] Road Rules: Semester at Sea Episode 6
Syrus Yarbrough [K] The Real World: Boston Episode 6
Ibis Nieves [D] Road Rules: X-TremeEpisode 5
Wes Bergmann [L] The Real World: AustinEpisode 5
Katie Doyle [F] Road Rules: The Quest Episode 4
Tonya Cooley [A] The Real World: Chicago Episode 4 [b]
Evelyn Smith [A] [B] Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh MeatEpisode 2
ChallengersOriginal seasonFinish
KellyAnne Judd The Real World: Sydney Runner-up
Sarah Rice The Real World: Brooklyn Runner-up
Casey CooperReal World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh MeatEpisode 9
Dunbar MerrillThe Real World: SydneyEpisode 8/9
Kimberly Alexander The Real World: Hollywood Episode 8/9
Brad Fiorenza The Real World: San Diego Episode 8 [a]
Cohutta GrindstaffThe Real World: SydneyEpisode 7
Danny JamiesonThe Real World: AustinEpisode 4
Adam King The Real World: Paris Episode 3
Brianna Taylor The Real World: HollywoodEpisode 3
Nick BrownThe Real World: HollywoodEpisode 2
Shauvon TorresThe Real World: SydneyEpisode 2 [c]
Diem Brown Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh MeatEpisode 1
Chet CannonThe Real World: BrooklynEpisode 1
Champion of
  1. 1 2 3 4 The Inferno 3
  2. 1 2 3 4 The Island
  3. The Duel II
  4. 1 2 The Gauntlet 2
  5. 1 2 The Gauntlet
  6. 1 2 3 The Inferno
  7. The Inferno II
  8. Fresh Meat
  9. The Gauntlet III
  10. Challenge 2000
  11. Extreme Challenge
  12. The Duel

Gameplay

Challenge games

Ruins games

Final challenge

Each team begins by racing to the first checkpoint, "Bizarre Buffet," where each player must completely eat a series of five bizarre foodsbeetles, fried frog legs, stinky Thai fruit, red chilies and crickets & grasshoppersin order to collect a Thai artifact and advance to the second checkpoint. At "Junction," teams are faced with choosing one of four different colored paths, collecting an artifact at the end of each path and placing each artifact into their team stone that will open a secret door. The other checkpoints consist of a jigsaw puzzle, crawling through a mud pit and back, walk through an "Shortcut" obstacle course with bamboo poles and solving a difficult Building Blocks puzzle. If any player falls of the bamboo poles while trying to complete the Shortcut course, the entire team must restart the Shortcut course. If a team does not complete the Building Blocks puzzle within a 30-minute time limit, each player must carry a block with them to the Junction. The team that makes it to the finish line first after opening the secret door with all five artifacts wins an additional $160,000 to be split amongst their team members. [11]

Game summary

EpisodeWinnersRuins contestantsRuins gameRuins outcome
#ChallengeChampionsChallengersWinnerEliminated
1Chain GangChampionsDarrellKennyWesChetCohuttaNickShoots and LaddersWesChet
JohannaSusieTonyaDiemSarahShauvonTonyaDiem
2Swing on ByChampionsDerrickJohnnyWesCohuttaDannyNickShadow FighterWesNick
EvelynKatieSusieCaseyKellyAnneShauvon [c] KellyAnneEvelyn
3Repo RaceChallengersIbisSusieVeronicaBriannaCaseyKimberlyBurnoutSusieBrianna
EvanKennySyrusAdamBradDannySyrusAdam
4Burning BridgeChampionsKatieSusieTonya [b] CaseyKimberlySarahOh RingSarahKatie
DarrellDerrickJohnnyCohuttaDannyDunbarDarrellDanny
5Block PartyChampionsEvanKennyWesBradCohuttaDunbarSpoolCohuttaWes
IbisJohannaVeronicaCaseyKellyAnneKimberlyKimberlyIbis
6Fruits of Your LaborChampionsDerrickJohnnySyrusBradCohuttaDunbarHog TieCohuttaSyrus
JohannaSusieVeronicaCaseyKellyAnneSarahKellyAnneVeronica
7Rotary ClubChampionsJohannaSusieCaseyKimberlySarahCrunchSarahJohanna
DarrellEvanKennyBradCohuttaDunbarDarrellCohutta
8/9 [a] On the FenceChampionsSusieCaseyKellyAnneKimberlyRag DollSusieKimberly
DerrickJohnnyKennyDunbarJohnnyDunbar
9Wall WalkerChampionsSusieCaseyKellyAnneSarahMuay Thai [d] SusieCasey
10Final ChallengeChampions

Elimination progress

ContestantsChallenges
12 [c] 34 [b] 5678/9 [a] 9 [d] Finale
DerrickSAFERISKSAFERISKSAFERISKSAFERISKSAFEWINNER
EvanSAFESAFERISKSAFERISKSAFERISKSAFESAFEWINNER
JohnnySAFERISKSAFERISKSAFERISKSAFEELIMSAFEWINNER
KennyRISKSAFERISKSAFERISKSAFERISKRISKSAFEWINNER
SusieRISKRISKELIMRISKSAFERISKRISKELIMELIMWINNER
KellyAnneSAFEELIMSAFESAFERISKELIMSAFERISKRISKLOSER
SarahRISKSAFESAFEELIMSAFERISKELIMSAFERISKLOSER
CaseySAFERISKRISKRISKRISKRISKRISKRISKOUT
DunbarSAFESAFESAFERISKRISKRISKRISKOUT
KimberlySAFESAFERISKRISKELIMSAFERISKOUT
BradSAFESAFERISKSAFERISKRISKRISKDQ
DarrellRISKSAFESAFEELIMSAFESAFEELIMDQ
CohuttaRISKRISKSAFERISKELIMELIMOUT
JohannaRISKSAFESAFESAFERISKRISKOUT
VeronicaSAFESAFERISKSAFERISKOUT
SyrusSAFESAFEELIMSAFESAFEOUT
IbisSAFESAFERISKSAFEOUT
WesELIMELIMSAFESAFEOUT
DannySAFERISKRISKOUT
KatieSAFERISKSAFEOUT
TonyaELIMSAFESAFEDQ
AdamSAFESAFEOUT
BriannaSAFESAFEOUT
EvelynSAFEOUT
NickRISKOUT
ShauvonRISKQUIT
DiemOUT
ChetOUT
Teams
  The contestant is on the Challengers team
  The contestant is on the Champions team
Competition
  The contestant's team won the final challenge
  The contestant's team lost the final challenge
  The contestant was safe from the Ruins
  The contestant was nominated for the Ruins, but was not chosen to go in and was safe
  The contestant was put into the Ruins and won
  The contestant was put into the Ruins and was eliminated
  The contestant was disqualified from the competition due to disciplinary reasons
  The contestant withdrew from the competition due to medical reasons

Bank progress

PlayerEpisodes
12345678/9910
Derrick$1,400$2,800$2,800$4,400$6,220$8,440$11,300$15,300$19,300$50,970
Evan$1,400$2,800$2,800$4,400$6,220$8,440$11,300$15,300$19,300$50,970
Johnny$1,400$2,800$2,800$4,400$6,220$8,440$11,300$17,300$21,300$52,970
Kenny$1,400$2,800$2,800$4,400$6,220$8,440$11,300$15,300$19,300$50,970
Susie$1,400$2,800$4,800$6,400$8,220$10,440$13,300$25,520$31,520$63,190
KellyAnne$0$2,800$4,800$4,800$4,800$13,300$13,300$13,300$13,300$13,300
Sarah$0$0$2,000$6,400$6,400$6,400$17,700$17,700$17,700$17,700
Casey$0$0$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000
Dunbar$0$0$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000
Kimberly$0$0$2,000$2,000$8,220$8,220$8,220$8,220
Darrell$1,400$2,800$2,800$6,400$8,220$10,440$31,960$31,960
Brad$0$0$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000$2,000
Cohutta$0$0$2,000$2,000$8,220$18,660$18,660
Johanna$1,400$2,800$2,800$4,400$6,220$8,440$11,300
Veronica$1,400$2,800$2,800$4,400$6,220$8,440
Syrus$1,400$2,800$4,800$6,400$8,220$10,440
Ibis$1,400$2,800$2,800$4,400$6,220
Wes$1,400$2,800$2,800$4,400$6,220
Danny$0$0$2,000$2,000
Katie$1,400$2,800$2,800$4,400
Tonya$1,400$2,800$2,800$4,400
Brianna$0$0$2,000
Adam$0$0$2,000
Evelyn$1,400$2,800
Nick$0$0
Shauvon$0$0
Diem$0
Chet$0

Final Prize: $158,350

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleOriginal release dateUS viewers
(millions)
2311"Wes Side Story"September 30, 2009 (2009-09-30)1.699
2322"The Booby Trap"October 7, 2009 (2009-10-07)N/A
2333"The Road to Ruins"October 14, 2009 (2009-10-14)N/A
2344"Girls Gone Wild"October 21, 2009 (2009-10-21)N/A
2355"Reversal of Fortune"October 28, 2009 (2009-10-28)N/A
2366"Ruining On Empty"November 4, 2009 (2009-11-04)N/A
2377"Silence of the Ruins"November 11, 2009 (2009-11-11)N/A
2388"Thai Me Up! Thai Me Down!"November 18, 2009 (2009-11-18)N/A
2399"Muay So-Called Ruins?"December 2, 2009 (2009-12-02)N/A
24010"Good Thai and Good Luck"December 9, 2009 (2009-12-09)N/A

Reunion special

The reunion aired on December 16, 2009 and it was hosted by Maria Menounos. Cast members that attended were: Wes, KellyAnne, Brad, Sarah, Evan, Dunbar, Kenny, Johanna, Johnny, Veronica, Susie & Katie. First topic was the weather in Thailand, how hot it was and how it affected the competition. Next topic was the final challenge, Sarah and KellyAnne said that until the final puzzle they thought they had a shot at the money, Susie said that she considered making a deal with the Challengers but at the end it's better to win the money yourself than get it from a deal, Evan then added that he had no doubt about Susie's performance in the final challenge because the night before she told him "nothing funny" was going to happen but Johnny said he had doubts. Susie was pointed to be as manipulative as Kenny and Evan. [12]

The Brad/Darrell fight was shown and Brad talked about his trip to the hospital and his recovery process. Brad talked about how Tori reacted to the fight and their upcoming wedding, and he added he probably would not come back for another Challenge without Tori. Footage of Wes' multiple fights with the cast was shown. The love pentagon (Cohutta, KellyAnne, Wes, Johanna & Kenny) was also discussed, Johanna explained her side on the story and why she felt so down during the season. KellyAnne and Evelyn's elimination round was discussed next, Wes said he now understands that putting KellyAnne against Evelyn was the smartest decision for the Champions team and that it was not a personal attack, but KellyAnne said she still doesn't understand why her teammates wanted her out. Sarah then talked about how Kenny, Evan and Johnny made her feel and why she cried after Johnny's comments. Johanna said she exploited with Johnny's comments and not with Kenny's because they both had a "third grade crush" on each other but Sarah explained it was because Kenny and Evan make fun of so many people that it's normal, Wes said that it was time for the "I'm mean to everyone so I can be mean to you" excuse Kenny uses ends, Johanna added she was in Sarah's position with Kenny and Evan a while ago but it eventually gets better. Johnny and Katie talked about the fight with Sarah. [12]

Maria Menounos commented on how this season broke the record of challengers being disqualified and the Veronica/Tonya fight was shown, Veronica said that up until the day of the fight she and Tonya were good on the challenge, that she didn't walk away because she did not think Tonya would hit her. Veronica said Tonya shouldn't have been on the show because she's not stable enough. Some footage of "The S#it They Should Have Shown" is played, as well as a preview for The Real World: D.C. [12]

Sexual assault controversy

In October 2011, two years after The Ruins season aired, contestant Tonya Cooley filed a lawsuit against fellow contestants Kenny Santucci and Evan Starkman, MTV, and Bunim/Murray Productions, claiming that she was sexually assaulted during filming. Cooley claimed in the lawsuit that Santucci and Starkman inserted a toothbrush into her vaginal canal while she was passed out from heavy drinking, and stated that she was subjected to an environment in which degrading and harassing behavior was directed at female contestants, including bathing suits stripped off their bodies. The lawsuit was settled out of court one year later. [13] [14]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Prior to the "On The Fence" challenge in Episode 8, Brad and Darrell were disqualified from the competition after Brad instigated Darrell into punching him multiple times. Brad ended up suffering a swollen eye and the money they earned was added to the final challenge total. [9]
  2. 1 2 3 Tonya was disqualified from the competition in Episode 4, after she slapped Veronica multiple times during a heated argument. The money that Tonya earned was added to the final challenge total. [5]
  3. 1 2 3 Shauvon withdrew from the game in Episode 2 after sustaining a severe chest injury during the "Swing On By" challenge. She did not earn any money prior to her departure. [3]
  4. 1 2 3 No male Ruins was held at the end of Episode 9, after all the men from the Challengers team had already been eliminated. [10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins at MTV.com". Archived from the original on September 7, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Episode 1: "Wes Side Story" – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on October 4, 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 "Episode 2: "The Booby Trap" – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on October 11, 2009.
  4. 1 2 "Episode 3: "The Road to Ruins" – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on October 18, 2009.
  5. 1 2 3 "Episode 4: "Girls Gone Wild" – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on October 24, 2009.
  6. 1 2 "Episode 5: "Reversal Of Fortune" – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on October 31, 2009.
  7. 1 2 "Episode 6: "Ruining On Empty" – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on November 8, 2009.
  8. 1 2 "Episode 7: "Silence Of The Ruins" – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on November 15, 2009.
  9. 1 2 3 "Episode 8: "Thai Me Up! Thai Me Down!" – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on November 22, 2009.
  10. 1 2 3 "Episode 9: "Muay So-Called Ruins" – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on December 6, 2009.
  11. "Episode 10: "Good Thai and Good Luck" – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on December 13, 2009.
  12. 1 2 3 "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins Reunion – Video at MTV.com". Archived from the original on January 7, 2010.
  13. McKay, Hollie (November 4, 2011). "Tonya Cooley 'Confused and Frightened' After Alleged Sexual Assault on MTV Show, Source Says". Fox News . Retrieved November 4, 2011.
  14. Andy Dehnart (October 25, 2012). "MTV settles with Tonya Cooley over Challenge rape lawsuit". Reality Blurred. Retrieved October 25, 2012.

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