As you’ll remember from last week, we didn’t actually get to the Arena and instead ended with Devyn throwing herself in against the Fresh Meat team which consists of Camila and her Challenge boyfriend Easy. I gotta say, after being relatively bored with last week’s episode and the general pointlessness of the challenges considering they were all getting gamed, I dug this episode. Thanks to this one having two Arenas, one less couple to worry about and a pretty fun challenge, it actually moved along at a surprisingly fast clip. I understand that the drama and the hook-ups are important to the show, but it really does feel strange zeroing in such a small group when so many other people have barely made a dent or a sound bite. Heck, even someone like CJ who came out swinging on the first episode when he campaigned to send Wes in, has barely made a peep (and I’ve heard on various podcasts that he was actually playing the game pretty hard and possibly dirty behind the scenes).

I’ll also say that it’s far less interesting watching these episodes and knowing that so many weak ass players are having their bacons saved from the fire just because the one or two teams not in the alliance don’t win. It’ll make for good TV in a few episodes when the alliance has to start eating itself, but for now it’s kind of boring. Still, this was a pretty cool episode. Hit the jump if you want my particular brand of play by play. * So we left off with Devyn throwing herself in to the Arena against Camila and Easy. Who will the boy be? It’s JD.

* They worked it out because Sarah and Chet had already gone in.

* Water Torture. Two big puzzles and two big water tanks. The girls are on one end of a pulley system, the guys on the other. The guys pull themselves down into the tank of water which puts the women up on one half of the memory game. The girl then goes down to arrange the puzzle the right way while the guy drip dries.

* This is pretty damn insane. JD says the water’s freezing. He has to deal with Devyn’s weight.

* As Chet points out, Camila looks to be going a lot faster. Camila and Easy are in a lot better synch. Oh, there goes that. Easy’s telling her he’s only got 5 seconds and she wants him to stay down longer. Now they’re arguing. She only has 2 rows left.

* Whoa, he’s saying he’s done, “This isn’t healthy.” HE QUIT?!

* Camila’s understandable pissed. She’s climbing the board, “I’m not losing because of him.” “You’re a disgrace to the human kind.”

* Easy tells Devyn that no one was cheering for him and he didn’t feel like going on. She tells him that she’ll come see him right away after the Challenge. This is cute, but I’m bored with it and the obvious target on their backs.

* TJ says he’s disappointed. Easy said he was tired of all the nonsense. Man, Easy is just continuing to make himself look bad on these Challenges.

* That night they get a clue already. Glad they’re moving things along. Ah, right, this is going to be the over-water-trivia challenge.

* Chairman of the Board. Sarah LOVES trivia.

* Platform suspended over water. One player from each team sits in a char leaning back over the water. You get the question wrong, TJ pulls a lever and you fall in. Whoever lasts longest is the Power Couple.

* I like this one because it can’t be gamed.

* Whoa, Trishelle’s not feeling well and has to get an IV. The medics tell her she can’t participate. Alton’s not happy with this.

* Marie does not like heights.

* Challenge Trivia is first. Sarah gets asked about the location of her first Challenge. Marie is asked who the host of the Gauntlet was. Nope. Once again, Marie fails at life and almost all things Challenge. Damn, she falls like crazy.

* Dustin’s up for Vegas, he does not get it and kind of smashes his face.

* Now it’s McKenzie is asked for a country and she says “Europe.”

* Oh, now it’s Frank. He gets it!

* “If looks could kill, I’d be so dead.” – TJ

* Jasmine’s asked who won Fresh Meat II and gets it right! Only three teams got right answers.

* Round 2 is geography. Sarah gets it right. Laura guesses and gets it right. So does Alton. Jesus, these are easy. Knight gets his right, so does Frank. Jasmine says she’s feeling confident because she took AP geography, but says that Liverpool is the capital of England.

* Round 3 Pop Culture. Sarah gets hers wrong, but does a nice backflip as she goes into the water. Laura, Alton and Knight get theirs wrong. Frank gets his right, but CJ does not.

* Round 4 Sports. JD, Robb get theirs right. Nany’s the last one up for Vegas. She’s asked where the Red Sox are from and gets it…(commercial)…right. Preston is asked a basketball question and falls. New Orleans is down to one now. Frank gets his right. Jonna gets hers right.

* Round 5 Currency. JD gets his wrong. Robb gets his wrong. Nany gets hers right and keeps Vegas alive! Jemmye’s the last for NO and doesn’t get it right and is definitely going in. Frank gets his wrong, that’s the first wrong one for San Diego. Jonna gets hers wrong. Cancun’s down to one.

* Round 6 Challenge Trivia. Devyn gets hers half right and falls! Trey gets his wrong and St. Thomas is out. Nany – “Was I alive when the Duel II was on?” She falls, they’re out. Ashley thinks their are 21 continents. JD falls, Cacun is out.

* Round 7 Spelling. Brooklyn vs. San Diego. This could be bad for the alliance. It’s Chet and Sam left. San Diego has two more people. Chet’s asked to spell narcissistic (for the record, I just typed it correctly on the first try). He gets it wrong, so San Diego wins. Zach didn’t even have to play.

* San Diego is talking with New Orleans (Jemmye and Knight) about who they should go against. Jonna wants to send in Vegas because they’ve been a little shady previously. Frank wants to throw someone else in. Jemmye doesn’t want to go in.

* Frank basically says that if they want to make themselves look good, they should go in and take out Vegas. If they don’t care, they’ll send McKenzie and Preston in against Brooklyn and see what happens. He thinks they’re an easy team to take out.

* Sam goes up to rep the team at the calling out ceremony. As ALWAYS, we get treated to a lovely commercial before finding out. They’re throwing in Brooklyn. I think this is a foolish move.

* Mental, Physical, Strategy, Endurance. Sam chooses Endurance.

* The next day Chet says he bets if they win tonight all the other teams will realize they’re good and won’t send them in. It’s hard to tell if he’s kidding.

* Preston and McKenzie talk. Man, they have hardly been on this season, have they? She says they knew it would be the two of them and Knight and Jemmye. She says she feels confident.

* I’m digging the pace of this episode. We’re already to the Arena. It’s the ball one.

* New Orleans sends McKenzie and Preston in. Brooklyn: Sarah and Chet. BK really does have good team unity.

* Balls Out. Whoever has the fewest balls after 90 seconds wins. This one’s different because there are three heats. Interesting. McKenzie and Preston are pretty tall. BK don’t give a poop that no one supports them.

* Wouldn’t be surprised if McKenzie and Preston got easily flummoxed.

* McKenzie and Preston lost the first heat by one ball.

* It’s really impossible to tell who’s doing well when watching this. Chet says he’s getting tired. McKenzie’s really slowed down.

* The round ends and everyone looks pretty wiped. Sarah and Chet got that one. Brooklyn won! Totally read the numbers incorrectly the first time and thought Preston and McKenzie did well.

* BOOM! COUNT IT! BK BACK IN THE BUILDING!

* Well considering McKenzie and Preston had no importance in the game up to this point, no surprise they’re gone and no one cares. Wah wah.

* Now Knight says he feels stupid for not going in and winning because he’s part of a two person team now.