Total Madness is the 35th season of The Challenge. The season features various reality stars competing for a share of $1 million. The season was filmed in Prague, Czech Republic and the Austrian Alps from October to December 2019.
Description[]
The war is over, but the madness is only just beginning. Returning to the solo format in which every man and woman is competing solely for themselves, The Challenge: Total Madness will pit 21 veterans and seven rookies against one another in the most insane challenges ever devised in the show's 22-year history. Who will take home the $1 million prize, and who will succumb to madness?
Format[]
Each challenge will be played in either teams, pairs, or individuals, followed by elimination rounds known as "Purgatory". The winners of the challenge will form a Tribunal, who will be safe from elimination. The rest of the house will vote in one player of the designated gender to go into Purgatory. The Tribunal will then nominate three players as possible opponents. In Purgatory, the Tribunal will vote in one of the three nominees, or one member of the Tribunal can nominate themselves into elimination. The winner stays in the game, while the loser goes home.
Prize money splits as follows:
- First place: $500,000 each
Twists[]
- Tribunal: The challenge winners will have power and safety. They will determine the elimination matchup. They can also volunteer themselves into elimination to possibly earn a Red Skull.
- During individual and pair challenges, the two winning players will pick one other player to be in the Tribunal.
- During team challenges, the entire team will make up the Tribunal.
- Brands: Each competitor will have brands on their helmets.
- Dagger: The player is a Champion.
- Skulls: Previous elimination wins.
- Red Skull: The player won an elimination. In order to compete in the Final Challenge, the player must have a Red Skull.
Contestants[]
Game Summary[]
Episode | Challenge Winners | Purgatory Contestants | Purgatory game | Purgatory outcome | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Challenge | Winners | The Tribunal | Gender | Voted In | Tribunal's pick | Winner | Loser | |
1 | Battle Lines | Rogan | Jenny, Rogan & Cory | Male | Asaf | Jay | Air Strike | Jay | Asaf |
Jenny | |||||||||
2 | Airdrop Extraction | Team 1 | Cory, Dee & Swaggy C | Female | Jenn | Jenny | Flip the Switch | Jenny | Jenn |
3 | Decode and Detonate | CT | Bayleigh, CT & Swaggy C | Male | Jay | N/A | Take Shelter | Jay | CT |
Bayleigh | |||||||||
4 | Cold War | Team 4 | Aneesa, Bananas, Bear, Big T & Kaycee | Female | Ashley | Dee | Code Breaker | Dee | Ashley |
5/6 | Bomb Squad | Team 4 | Jenny, Josh, Kaycee & Swaggy C | Male | Jay | Rogan | Fire Ball | Rogan | Jay[1] |
6/7 | Fast & Furious[2] | Jordan & Nany | Jordan, Nany & Jenna | Female | Tori | N/A | Dust to Dust | Jenna | Tori |
8 | Decontamination | Mattie | Mattie, Wes & Bananas | Male | Fessy | Jordan | Pole Wrestle | Fessy | Jordan |
Wes | Nelson | Bear | Nelson | Bear | |||||
9[3] | Tunnel Rats | Team 3 | Bayleigh, Cory, Dee, Nany & Wes | Female | Kaycee | Kailah | Bombs Away | Kaycee | Kailah |
Aneesa | Jenna | Aneesa | Jenna | ||||||
10 | Throne Off | Dee | Dee, Wes & Rogan | Male | Bananas | N/A | Charge the Wall | Bananas | Wes |
Wes | |||||||||
11 | Flag Down | Josh | Josh, Melissa & Bananas | Female | Mattie | Dee | Tunnel Vision | Dee | Mattie |
Melissa | |||||||||
12 | Tanks A Lot | Team 5 | Bayleigh, Dee & Fessy | Male | Cory | Swaggy C | Launch Button | Cory | Swaggy C |
13 | Bloc'd In | Team 1 | Aneesa, Bananas, Cory, Jenny, Josh, Nany & Rogan |
Female | Melissa | N/A | Off with Your Heads | Melissa | Nany |
14 | Running Out of Time | Fessy | Fessy, Jenny & Josh | Bayleigh | Aneesa | Knots of War | Bayleigh | Aneesa | |
Jenny | Kyle | N/A | Kyle | Josh | |||||
15 | Crash Course | Bananas | Bananas, Kaycee & Kyle | Jenny | Dee | Hall Brawl | Jenny | Dee | |
Kaycee | Rogan | Nelson | Rogan | Nelson | |||||
16 | Final Challenge | Bananas | 2nd: Kyle, 3rd: Cory, 4th: Fessy, 5th: Rogan | ||||||
Jenny | 2nd: Kaycee, 3rd: Bayleigh[4], 4th: Melissa[5] |
Tribunal players in bold indicate that the player volunteered to compete in Purgatory.
Episode Progress[]
Contestants | Episodes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5/6 | 6/7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Finale | ||||||||||||||||
Bananas | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | WIN | WINNER | |||||||||||||||
Jenny | WIN | ELIM | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | WIN | ELIM | WINNER | |||||||||||||||
Kaycee | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SECOND | |||||||||||||||
Kyle | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | SECOND | |||||||||||||||
Cory | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | THIRD | |||||||||||||||
Bayleigh | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | THIRD | |||||||||||||||
Fessy | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | FOURTH | |||||||||||||||
Melissa | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | SAFE | FOURTH | |||||||||||||||
Rogan | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | ELIM | FIFTH | |||||||||||||||
Nelson | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||||||
Dee | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | WIN | ELIM | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||||||
Josh | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | WIN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
Aneesa | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||
Nany | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||
Swaggy C | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||
Mattie | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wes | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | WIN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||
Jenna | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Kailah | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Big T | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | DQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Bear | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Jordan | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Tori | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jay | ELIM | SAFE | ELIM | SAFE | DQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ashley | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CT | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jenn | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Asaf | OUT |
- Competition
- The contestant finished the Final Challenge and won.
- The contestant finished the Final Challenge and lost.
- The contestant won the challenge and was part of the Tribunal.
- The contestant did not win the challenge but was selected for the Tribunal.
- The contestant was not selected for Purgatory.
- The contestant was nominated by the Tribunal to go into Purgatory.
- The contestant won in Purgatory and earned a Red Skull.
- The contestant was in the Tribunal, but threw themselves into Purgatory and won.
- The contestant won the elimination by default and won a Red Skull.
- The contestant was eliminated in Purgatory.
- The contestant was in the Tribunal, but threw themselves into Purgatory and lost.
- The contestant was removed from the competition due to injury or illness.
- The contestant withdrew from the game.
- The contestant was eliminated at the Final Challenge.
Voting Progress[]
Voter | Episodes | Total Votes Received | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | ||||||
Bananas | Jay | Big T | Jay | Dee | Jay | Tori | Jordan | Cory | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Dee | Kyle | N/A | Kyle | Bayleigh | Nelson | Dee | 20 |
Jenny | Jay | Jenn | N/A | Ashley | Rogan | Tori | N/A | Nelson | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Mattie | Kyle | N/A | N/A | Aneesa | Rogan | Dee | 9 |
Kaycee | Asaf | Jenn | Nelson | Dee | Rogan | Tori | N/A | N/A | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Mattie | Cory | Melissa | Kyle | Bayleigh | Nelson | Dee | 14 |
Kyle | Jay | Jenn | Jay | Ashley | Jay | Tori | Fessy | Nelson | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Mattie | Kyle | Melissa | Kyle | Bayleigh | Nelson | Dee | 14 |
Cory | Jay | Jenny | Jay | N/A | Bear | Tori | N/A | Bear | Kailah | Jenna | Bananas | Mattie | Cory | N/A | Kyle | Bayleigh | Rogan | Jenny | 9 |
Fessy | Asaf | Jenn | Bananas | N/A | Bear | Tori | Bear | N/A | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Mattie | Swaggy C | Bayleigh | N/A | Melissa | Rogan | Dee | 7 |
Bayleigh | Asaf | Jenn | N/A | N/A | N/A | Tori | N/A | N/A | Kailah | Jenna | Bananas | Mattie | Swaggy C | Bayleigh | Kyle | Bayleigh | Rogan | Melissa | 13 |
Rogan | Jay | Big T | Jay | N/A | Jay | Tori | N/A | N/A | Kaycee | Aneesa | N/A | Mattie | Cory | N/A | N/A | N/A | Rogan | Jenny | 12 |
Melissa | Asaf | Jenn | Jay | Ashley | Jay | Tori | N/A | Nelson | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Bayleigh | Kyle | Melissa | Kyle | Bayleigh | Rogan | Bayleigh | 6 |
Nelson | Asaf | Jenn | Bananas | N/A | Bear | Tori | Bear | Bear | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Mattie | Cory | Bayleigh | Kyle | Bayleigh | Rogan | Jenny | 19 |
Dee | Asaf | Jenny | Bananas | Ashley | Jay | Tori | N/A | N/A | Kailah | Jenna | N/A | Mattie | Kyle | Melissa | N/A | N/A | Rogan | Jenny | 12 |
Josh | Asaf | Jenn | Nelson | N/A | Rogan | Tori | Nelson | Nelson | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Dee | Cory | N/A | Josh | Aneesa | 1 | ||
Aneesa | Asaf | Jenn | Jordan | Dee | N/A | Tori | Nelson | Nelson | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Mattie | Cory | N/A | Kyle | Bayleigh | 16 | ||
Nany | Jay | Jenn | Nelson | Ashley | Jay | N/A | Fessy | N/A | Jenny | Jenny | Bananas | Mattie | Cory | Nany | 1 | ||||
Swaggy C | Asaf | Jenny | N/A | N/A | Rogan | Tori | N/A | Nelson | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Mattie | Cory | 2 | |||||
Mattie | Asaf | Jenn | N/A | Ashley | Jay | Tori | Jordan | Bear | Kaycee | Aneesa | Bananas | Mattie | 13 | ||||||
Wes | Asaf | Jenn | Jay | N/A | Kyle | Tori | Jordan | Bear | Kailah | Jenna | Wes | 2 | |||||||
Jenna | Jay | Jenn | Nelson | N/A | N/A | Jenna | Fessy | N/A | Kaycee | Aneesa | 5 | ||||||||
Kailah | Jay | Jenn | Nelson | N/A | Jay | Tori | Fessy | Nelson | Kaycee | Aneesa | 4 | ||||||||
Big T | Asaf | Jenn | Bananas | Dee | N/A | Tori | N/A | Nelson | 4 | ||||||||||
Bear | Asaf | Jenn | Jay | Dee | Jay | Tori | Fessy | Nelson | 10 | ||||||||||
Jordan | Jay | Jenn | Jordan | N/A | Jordan | N/A | Fessy | Jordan | 7 | ||||||||||
Tori | Jay | Jenn | Jay | Ashley | Jay | Tori | 20 | ||||||||||||
Jay | Asaf | Jenn | Bananas | N/A | Bear | 30 | |||||||||||||
Ashley | Asaf | Jenn | Bananas | N/A | 7 | ||||||||||||||
CT | Jay | Big T | CT | 1 | |||||||||||||||
Jenn | Jay | Big T | 21 | ||||||||||||||||
Asaf | Wes | 15 |
- Bold indicates the contestant was in the Tribunal
Notes[]
- ↑ Jay was medically disqualified from the "Fire Ball" elimination after taking a hard hit and showing signs of a concussion.
- ↑ Due to the odd number of men during the "Fast & Furious" challenge, Jordan was randomly selected to compete twice with Nany and Bayleigh.
- ↑ Big T was medically disqualified in Episode 9 prior to the "Tunnel Rats" challenge after lacerating her toe the previous episode.
- ↑ Bayleigh withdrew from the Final Challenge after injuring her knee and feeling unable to continue.
- ↑ Melissa quit the first stage of the Final Challenge after feeling unable to beat Jenny and Kaycee.
Episodes[]
Episode | Air date | Viewers (in millions) | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | "Mad World" | April 1, 2020 | 1.06 |
2 | "Sweet Dreams Are Made of Dee" | April 8, 2020 | 0.93 |
3 | "A Hard Jay's Night" | April 15, 2020 | 0.92 |
4 | "Karma Chameleon" | April 22, 2020 | 1.02 |
5 | "Break Up with Your BF, I'm Bored" | April 29, 2020 | 1.00 |
6 | "Love Will Tear Us Apart" | May 6, 2020 | 0.93 |
7 | "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" | May 13, 2020 | 0.85 |
8 | "Live and Let Die" | May 20, 2020 | 1.02 |
9 | "Backstabber" | May 27, 2020 | 0.93 |
10 | "The Final Countdown" | June 3, 2020 | 0.91 |
11 | "You Ain't Right" | June 10, 2020 | 0.88 |
12 | "Pictures of You" | June 17, 2020 | 0.90 |
13 | "Victim of Love" | June 24, 2020 | 0.94 |
14 | "Your Time is Gonna Come" | July 1, 2020 | 0.85 |
15 | "Crash Into Me" | July 8, 2020 | 0.94 |
16 | "It's the End of the World As We Know It" | July 15, 2020 | 0.98 |
Reunion[]
The reunion was filmed via Zoom chat due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was hosted by NFL champion Vernon Davis. The contestants who attended the reunion were: Aneesa, Ashley, Bananas, Bayleigh, Big T, Cory, CT, Fessy, Jay, Jenna, Jenny, Josh, Kailah, Kaycee, Kyle, Melissa, Nany, Nelson, Swaggy C, Tori, and Wes.
Trivia[]
- The working title for the season was The Challenge: Battle for Independence. The title can be heard during the commercial break of the season premiere.
- This is the first individual season to feature an uneven number of finalists (five men and four women).
- Total Madness is the first season to feature contestants from So You Think You Can Dance, Survivor US, and The Amazing Race.
The Challenge Series |
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Road Rules: All Stars • Real World vs. Road Rules • Challenge 2000 • Extreme Challenge • Battle of the Seasons (2002) • Battle of the Sexes • The Gauntlet • The Inferno • Battle of the Sexes 2 • The Inferno II • The Gauntlet 2 • Fresh Meat • The Duel • The Inferno 3 • The Gauntlet III • The Island • The Duel II • The Ruins • Fresh Meat II • Cutthroat • Rivals • Battle of the Exes • Battle of the Seasons (2012) • Rivals II • Free Agents • Battle of the Exes II • Battle of the Bloodlines • Rivals III • Invasion of the Champions • Dirty 30 • Vendettas • Final Reckoning • War of the Worlds • War of the Worlds 2 • Total Madness • Double Agents • Spies, Lies & Allies • Ride or Dies • Battle for a New Champion |