RW/RR: The Gauntlet 3 (1/23/08)

The Gauntlet is back and getting things started with a one hour premier of The Gauntlet 3. Missed it? No problem, here's a recap:

The Teams:
Veterens-
CT (RW Paris)
Brad (RW San Diego)
Adam (RW Paris)
Evan (Fresh Meat)
Johnny (RW Key West)
Kenny (Fresh Meat)
Danny (RW Houston)
Eric (Fresh Meat)
Beth (RW Los Angeles)
Coral (RW Back to NY)
Paula (RW Key West)
Katie (RR The Quest)
Diem (Fresh Meat)
Ev (Fresh Meat)
Casey (Fresh Meat)
Robin (RW San Diego)

Rookies-
Ryan (Fresh Meat)
Zach (RW Key West)
Frank (RW Las Vegas)
Derek (RR Viewer's Revenge)
Tyler (RW Key West)
Tyrie (RW Denver)
Alex (RW Denver)
Nehemia (RW Houston)
Janelle (RW Key West)
Angel (RR Viewer's Revenge)
Rachel (RW Houston)
Brooke (RW Denver)
Melinda (RW Houston)
Tori (RR Viewer's Revenge)
Jillian (RR Extreme)
Johanna (RW Houston)

The Host- TJ Lavin

The Prize- $300,000 to be split amongst the winning team members (no team bank accounts this time, only the final prize as well as some prizes to be earned throughout the challenge)

The first competition is a tug-of-war to determine where the teams will sleep. One team will have the choice of the usual lush surroundings in a beautiful (soon to be beer-strewn) abode. The other team will be banished to a small room crammed with bunk beds and sporting only one bathroom. The Veterans pull off the win and claim the nice rooms. Personally, I don't think those bunk beds look sturdy enough to support Tyrie! Keep an eye out, Coral and Beth are sharing a room which should make for some interesting fireworks.
The first challenge is a take-off on musical chairs, with knee-deep muddy water. The teams have to race in and grab a ball (orange for girls, green for guys). If a challenger doesn't get out of the mud pit with a ball, they are disqualified. There are fewer balls each round until one team wins. The veterans managed to pull off the first win.
The way the game works this season is that the winning team gets to pick one person from the losing team to go into the Gauntlet. They also get to pick a member of the losing team who is immune from the Gauntlet. The losing team then gets to pick their own team member of the same sex to throw into the Gauntlet. Being able to pick a person from the opposite team to protect from the Gauntlet adds an interesting angle. For the first time, we may see really weak players at the end of a challenge.
Nehemia and Alex went into the Gauntlet this week and since he was physically no match for Nehemia, Alex essentially gave up.
The castmates are already hooking up. Tori and Brad; Jillian and Frank; Paula and Derek;
Paula and Adam; Tyler and Ryan; oh, and Ev and BROOKE! (According to Brooke, she doesn't need a man now, just needs a woman with a-- uh, well, you figure it out).
As for the couples: Johanna and Wes have apparently moved in together; CT and Diem are still together; and Danny and Melinda are still engaged (is it just me or does he do a lot of talking about marrying her without ever sealing the deal? )
As we leave our challengers this week, CT is drunk and starting sh*t with everyone, including Diem. And...did Coral call him a crack-head?? Funny, nobody said anything in his defense.