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MTV's Gauntlet 3, Featuring Coral the Bionic Reality Star

by Meredith Roberts
02.07.2008

Since Real World New Orleans, aka the prehistoric age of Reality Television (back when any writers strike would completely devastate all of television), hordes of young adults have been suddenly magnetized to their TVs when any type of Real World, Road Rules, Gauntlet, Infernoesque drama goes down. The latest competition series between Real World and Road Rulers is The Gauntlet 3, set in Mexico, in which (once again) the Rookies and the Veterans face off. What that means is that Coral has another chance to prove she may very likely be the bionic reality woman, appearing in every possible opportunity to infiltrate American airwaves. Other fembot reality veterans this season include: Beth, Robin and Katie.

For me, as I suspect is the case with many MTV viewers, the magic is in the drama. The actual challenges provide the perfect amount of time for any one viewer to 1. Brush their teeth, 2. Eat some Corn Flakes, 3. Rearrange the alphabet magnets on their fridge to say something stunningly clever. (Hints as to what I do during these times of ultimate boredum).

So what keeps me coming back to the Gauntlet? The fact that in between seasons, cast members suddenly have a complete identity overhaul, or in the cause of Brooke from Real World Denver, a change in sexual preferences. Though according to Coral, Brooke is not even a “real lesbian.

In this weeks episode, Brooke says goodbye to her first on-air female lover, Evelyn, after Jillian beats Brooke the ultimate test of physical and mental endurance: running to pick up a ball, crossing a line with it, and entering an end zone to score points. While the Gauntlet refers to this sport as “Ball Brawl” this concept may or may not be a good idea for an American sport if blown up to a larger scale. Say with a 100 yard playinf field. Maybe on a national and collegiate level. I am willing to personally organize some teams if anyone wants to play. The largest game could be called Super-something. Just throwing that out there.

Anyway, Coral (once again) best describes the Brooke/Evelyn goodbye in saying that the last time she saw such a long/emotional goodbye she was watching the final scene of Titanic. Also in this episode Tyrie willingly goes home after hearing his girlfriend needs open-heart surgery. The Veterans are disappointed with this opportunity for the Rookies to “trim the fat”  of their team.

            This season the Gauntlet is an hour long and both a male and female are eliminated in one episode. The second challenge in this week’s Gauntlet required Johanna and Coral to verbally lead their blindfolded team members through a maze. Perhaps the most satisfying element of the entire episode was to see not only Johnny Bananas but Tori run at full speed into a wooden pole.  Evan and Johnny Bananas eventually went into the gauntlet, with Evan remaining as Veteran team member.

Another new feature of the Gauntlet reality show this season is the cast member’s profiles on www.iamonmtv.com where they can interact with fans and put up a bio. The site offers cast members a place to be more candid than they may be able to be under the heavy editing hand of MTV – such as where Casey proclaims that she is a pro-choice woman, and her choice was to buy herself some new boobs.

Next week’s episode promises some inter-team back stabbing where the Veteran boys try to throw the missions to send some of their girls into the gauntlet.

At the very end of the preview, viewers get a sneak-peak at Tyrie’s replacement, running across the horizon line on the beaches of Mexico. Who could it be? Some blogging fans are guessing it is either MJ or Landon from Real World Philly, though I doubt either. A throwback to 2004...