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The Best Episodes of The Challenge

Every episode of The Challenge ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Challenge!

Binge this in 17d 19h•Peaking at 9.6/10

Each Challenge pits numerous cast members from past seasons of reality shows against each other, dividing them into two separate teams according to different criteria, such as gender, which show they first appeared on, whether

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Challenge Season 14 Episode 12 - Match Point
    9.6/10(15 votes)

    #1 - Match Point

    S14:E12

    Players from each team have to transfer hand-carved wooden giraffes across a lake, to one of 15 cages that contains an identical twin giraffe. There are numerous giraffes on the shore across the lake that are in different shapes and sizes, and before advancing across the lake, each player has to randomly uncover one of 15 cages at the start of the course that are covered with white tarps, then memorize the details of the caged wood-carved giraffe inside, then swim across the lake to find the identical matching twin, with a key that will unlock a player's designated cage at the start of the course. Each player will have a 30-minute time limit, and the team that completes the challenge in the fastest average time wins.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. The Challenge Season 31 Episode 10 - Rumor Has It
    9.6/10(50 votes)

    #2 - Rumor Has It

    S31:E10

    When a secret hookup is exposed, two romances are shattered and the entire house is turned upside down. Tony struggles with making a huge game decision.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The Challenge Season 15 Episode 8 - Cold Blooded
    9.4/10(18 votes)

    #3 - Cold Blooded

    S15:E8

    With only two gauntlets left before the final challenge backstabbing and fighting abounds on both teams.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The Challenge Season 18 Episode 11 - Reunion
    9.4/10(13 votes)

    #4 - Reunion

    S18:E11

    The reunion was hosted by Maria Menounos and was taped at the MTV Studios. Cast members that attended were Landon, Evan, Rachel, Brittini, Aneesa, Kim, Dunbar, Brad, Tori, Diem, Mark, Jenn & Paula. The many relationships/hookups, fights & missions were discussed.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The Challenge Season 31 Episode 8 - Mercenaries of Mayhem
    9.4/10(38 votes)

    #5 - Mercenaries of Mayhem

    S31:E8

    Challenge legends continue to wreak havoc on the game. One player uses the power of the grenade to threaten the competition, creating a powerful vendetta in the process.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The Challenge Season 35 Episode 10 - The Final Countdown
    9.4/10(33 votes)

    #6 - The Final Countdown

    S35:E10

    Bananas and Wes' alliance comes to a crossroads as players realize that they may not have much longer to earn a Red Skull to make it into the finals. Players must compete in TJ's favorite game of each season: trivia.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Challenge

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  7. The Challenge Season 20 Episode 9 - Always a Bridesmaid
    9.3/10(27 votes)

    #7 - Always a Bridesmaid

    S20:E9

    Johnny and CT face off in the Gulag; Sarah and Laurel hatch another plan to get rid of Cara Maria.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The Challenge Season 30 Episode 17 - One in a Million
    9.3/10(28 votes)

    #8 - One in a Million

    S30:E17

    The Finalists brave the elements and extreme altitude as they race through the mountains of Argentina with a million dollars in prize money at stake. At the finish line, TJ has one last dirty trick up his sleeve

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The Challenge Season 36 Episode 17 - True Lies
    9.3/10(29 votes)

    #9 - True Lies

    S36:E17

    An "introverted" player makes a big, public announcement about their future as the finals draw near. TJ shows up at headquarters with a shocking request. Two players battle it out in the final elimination of the season.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The Challenge Season 36 Episode 19 - The World Is Not Enough
    9.3/10(33 votes)

    #10 - The World Is Not Enough

    S36:E19

    after a disastrous start to the final, one team worries if they can even continue on in the game. the remaining agents must persevere through mental and physical exhaustion in order to win their share of the one million-dollar prize.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Challenge Season 41 Episode 16 - Am I Being Bamboozled?
    9.3/10(30 votes)

    #11 - Am I Being Bamboozled?

    S41:E16

    The challengers must navigate a harrowing and pitch-black cave in hopes of earning safety. The teams in elimination must cram into a replica airplane bathroom - and it's not even close to the mile high club.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The Challenge Season 14 Episode 7 - Sour Grapes
    9.2/10(17 votes)

    #12 - Sour Grapes

    S14:E7

    Players from each team have to fill up a series of team-designated glass bottles with grape juice on one side of a course, by transferring handfuls of grapes from the bed of a classic truck to a wine tub, then smashing the grapes, which will send juice through a spigot, where players have to transfer the juice with their mouths to the glass bottles. The team that transfers the most juice into their designated bottles within 30 minutes wins.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. The Challenge Season 14 Episode 9 - Bouncing Back
    9.2/10(16 votes)

    #13 - Bouncing Back

    S14:E9

    Players have to advance on a series of five platforms, with trampolines located in between. Each platform decreases in size as each team tries to advance to the end. To start, one player at a time will jump from a trampoline to a platform, without their hands or arms coming in contact with the platform, which would result in a player having to start over. Once players from a team have made their way to the final platform, their team time will stop when they hold their pose for three seconds. The team that advances o the last platform in the fastest time wins. Note: Aneesa was prohibited from participating in this challenge due to a knee injury. As a result, the Good Guys were forced to sit out one player (Paula) in order to even out the teams.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. The Challenge Season 14 Episode 11 - Workin' on the Railroad
    9.2/10(15 votes)

    #14 - Workin' on the Railroad

    S14:E11

    Teams have to race on a 300-yard railroad track on a "hand car." To start, two players per team will pump their hand car from one end of the track to the other and pick one teammate, then race back to the opposite end of the tracks and pick up another teammate, and the process will continue, until each team picks up all of their teammates, and reaches the stop zone. A hand car must come to a complete stop within the stopping zone before a teammate can climb into the hand car, and each player is required to pump the hand car least once throughout the challenge. The first team to pick up all of their teammates and reach the stop zone wins. Note: Since the Bad Asses had one more player than the Good Guys, one player from the Bad Asses team (Jenn) sat out this challenge.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The Challenge Season 14 Episode 13 - High Voltage
    9.2/10(15 votes)

    #15 - High Voltage

    S14:E13

    Players from each team are asked a series of ten trivia questions regarding information related to the Inferno 3 challenge. One girl from each team is designated by the opposing team as the "Captain," and will be strapped into an African throne, and be connected to designated electric shock boxes. T. J. Lavin will ask the remaining players from each team trivia questions. Each player will write down an answer on an oversize card, and if a player is correct, he/she accumulates points for their team, but if an answer is wrong, the captain will get "zapped." The team that accumulates the most points wins, and a team wins if the captain from the opposing team decide that she can no longer handle the shocks.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. The Challenge Season 14 Episode 15 - Team Girl Squad
    9.2/10(15 votes)

    #16 - Team Girl Squad

    S14:E15

    Players from each team have to climb up a cargo net that is hanging from a platform above water, retrieve one team flag, then unhook a rope in order to swing themselves toward another cargo net and retrieve another flag. The process continues until a player retrieves four flags. If a player falls off the rope or the net into water, he/she will be imposed a time of 15 minutes. Each player will have a 15-minute time limit to retrieve four flags, and the team that completes the challenge in the fastest average time wins. Note: Tonya received a medical exemption from this challenge due to dehydration, and did not participate.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The Challenge Season 15 Episode 7 - What Goes Around
    9.2/10(18 votes)

    #17 - What Goes Around

    S15:E7

    Coral catches wind of the Vets plan to throw her into the Gauntlet and decides to take the game into her own hands.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. The Challenge Season 18 Episode 12 - The S#!t They Should Have Shown
    9.2/10(12 votes)

    #18 - The S#!t They Should Have Shown

    S18:E12

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Challenge Season 26 Episode 10 - Lovers in the Dark
    9.2/10(21 votes)

    #19 - Lovers in the Dark

    S26:E10

    The first night time challenge brings the teams to new heights; a power couple tears apart their alliance.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. The Challenge Season 30 Episode 15 - A Million More Reasons
    9.2/10(24 votes)

    #20 - A Million More Reasons

    S30:E15

    The remaining Redemption House players compete in a winner-take-all challenge, sending a bunch of heavy hitters packing. TJ blows everyone's minds when he reveals he's been lying to them all along, and they're really competing for one million dollars

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The Challenge Season 30 Episode 19 - Finale (2)
    9.2/10(22 votes)

    #21 - Finale (2)

    S30:E19

    Our scandalous Dirty 30 cast members continue to dish out and discuss rivalries, salvaged friendships, hottest hook-up's, and secret alliances. And our four finalists find out who is getting their dirty hands on their share of one million dollars!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. The Challenge Season 31 Episode 9 - Baskets of Deplorables
    9.2/10(30 votes)

    #22 - Baskets of Deplorables

    S31:E9

    One player's humiliating performance may cost her the game when she gets shamefully stuck in a basket; Devin vows to wage war against his enemy, Bananas.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The Challenge Season 33 Episode 16 - This is the End
    9.2/10(37 votes)

    #23 - This is the End

    S33:E16

    Those who remain battle it out for their share of the $1,000,000 prize purse. One player will be crowned champion of War of the Worlds.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Challenge Season 35 Episode 7 - Should I Stay Or Should I Go
    9.2/10(38 votes)

    #24 - Should I Stay Or Should I Go

    S35:E7

    Tori believes that she is ready to earn her red skull. Nany's budding crush on one player causes tension in her friendship with Aneesa. Two players face off in the Dust-to-Dust elimination.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. The Challenge Season 35 Episode 18 - Behind The Total Madness
    9.2/10(17 votes)

    #25 - Behind The Total Madness

    S35:E18

    The Challengers are pulling back the curtains on the behind-the-scenes madness, hookups, and fails the fans didn’t know they were missing.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Match Point" is the best rated episode of "The Challenge". It scored 9.6/10 based on 15 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 6/5/2007. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Rumor Has It".