5 Things We Learned in ‘The Challenge: Untold History’
The 24-year-history of MTV’s longstanding reality competition series was told in the seven-part docuseries The Challenge: Untold by the cast and crew. Here’s what we learned in the documentary.
The birth of ‘The Challenge’
According to Bunim/Murray Productions President Julie Pizzi, the reality competition show The Challenge was formed due to the success of The Real World and Road Rules.
Therefore, they tested it with Road Rules: All Stars with a returning cast. Jon Bunim said they noticed viewers enjoyed watching the competitors come back together and decided to continue with The Challenge.
‘The Challenge 2000’ broke the highest bungee jump from a building world record
Producer Rick de Oliveira suggested the cast bungee jump off the Las Vegas-based Stratosphere Tower, which is one of the tallest free-standing structures.
The show had to hire engineers to pull it off, with Pizzi noting it was their most expensive event yet. Kat Ogdon of The Challenge 2000 broke the highest bungee jump from a building record. As the show became another hit, the producers began to realize the potential of the competitive series.
Costume parties came to be due to a hurricane
During season 5’s Battle of the Seasons (2002), Category 4 Hurricane Juliette devastated the Mexico area where the crew filmed, and they couldn’t receive much help as everyone was still dealing with the effects of the September 11 attacks.
Therefore, the cast decided to throw a toga party which was featured in the show. Legend Mark Long believes it gave way to the staple costume parties where the competitors attempted to take a break from the game.
This season also incorporated eliminations. The Real World’s Norman Korpi encouraged everyone to target contenders instead of whoever placed last, and Road Rules’s Yes Duffy and Veronica Portillo became the first eliminated.
She believes his theory started the trend of The Challenge featuring “cutthroat” gameplay. Additionally, Battle of the Seasons featured hosts. They decided to appoint Eric Nies and Long but never did it again as their friendships proved to be a conflict of interest.
A river wiped away ‘The Challenge’ Season 33 set
Season 33’s War of the Worlds was filmed in western Namibia and marked the first season production designer James McGowan took over the show’s design. He spent four weeks building the set with little resources only to discover it and their cars washing down a river.
Therefore, McGowan sketched out another place to hold eliminations, and they built it with container sets. Executive producer Justin Booth still considers it one of the “coolest” sets they’ve had for the show.
Cast sneak items into the house
During the docuseries, The Challenge: Untold, confessionals revealed that cast members have attempted to hide sex products around the house.
Laurel Stucky confessed to sneaking in a phone so that she could receive updates but got caught and slapped with a hefty fine. Veteran Aneesa Ferreira agreed, adding competitors have tried to conceal cellular devices inside mattresses.
How ‘The Miz’ got his name
Michael Gregory Mizanin debuted on The Real World: Back to New York and competed in five seasons of The Challenge, making it to four finals and winning twice.
He went on to become a successful professional wrestler and currently stars in his own reality series USA Network’s Miz & Mrs, alongside his wife, Maryse Mizanin.
He revealed that he got his name during The Real World as he used “The Miz” to connect with his castmates.
The reality star also used the $130,500 he earned during the show to launch his wrestling career.
The Challenge Season 38: Ride or Dies airs Wednesdays on MTV.
