The Challenge Season 38 brought fans another new theme to the show, with Ride or Dies, which some loved and others loathed. However, the final two episodes of the regular season finished relatively strong for MTV’s competition franchise.
Those episodes were the second and third parts of a three-part final, which featured four teams facing a grueling 100-hour event in Argentina.
Viewers watched as several individuals struggled with difficult injuries, one of which ousted a team from the game early into the final.
Ultimately, the Ride or Dies team of Devin Walker and Tori Deal outlasted the competition, battling through a swamp swim, multiple puzzles, long treks down the road, and a final battle with Johnny Bananas and Nany Gonzalez to win the season.
With the win, they received $1 million in prize money, and in a nice gesture, the duo opted to give $38,000 to each of the other finalists: Bananas, Nany, Jordan Wiseley, Aneesa Ferreira, Horacio Gutierrez, and Olivia Kaiser.
As with most finals, the episodes featuring this portion of the season had a high viewership for MTV’s The Challenge, with another few episodes still on the way, thanks to the season reunion.
The Challenge Season 38 ratings finish strong with final
The Ride or Dies final began airing with Episode 17 and continued with Episodes 18 and 19 of MTV’s latest Challenge season. According to Showbuzz Daily, Episode 19, which aired on Wednesday, February 15, had 671,000 viewers watching as winners were decided.
The episode scored a 0.33 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, giving it a third-place finish for the evening’s cable telecasts. Ahead of it was an NBA regular season doubleheader on ESPN, which aired starting at 7:44 p.m. EST.
The Challenge Season 38, Episode 18, was the penultimate episode of the season and had 669,000 viewers with a 0.32 rating in the key demo.
As mentioned, the 17th episode saw the start of the final. It had 551,000 viewers watching and a 0.27 rating in the 18-49 demo for the episode.
A look at the estimated viewership numbers via Fandom’s Wiki page for The Challenge: Ride or Dies indicates the last two episodes had the highest viewership of the season. However, Episode 11 was also strong, with 660,000 viewers.
By comparison, the Spies, Lies & Allies final episode, where Chris “CT” Tamburello and Kaycee Clark got the win, had 720,000 viewers watching. The Double Agents season’s last episode, where CT won alongside Amber Borzotra, had 990,000 viewers, per Wiki listings.
The Challenge: Ride or Dies reunion and spinoffs on the way
Diehard Challenge fans will have no shortage of shows on the way featuring their favorite franchise. Now that the final is officially over with winners crowned, it’s time for the Ride or Dies reunion.
A Season 38 reunion teaser trailer arrived after Episode 19 and teased some of the drama on the way involving castmates Michele Fitzgerald and Laurel Stucky. There were also teases of arguments involving rookies Nurys Mateo and Ravyn Rochelle, as well as special appearances from Turabi “Turbo” Camkiran and Amber Borzotra.
The first part of the episode is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, February 22, in the 8/7c slot on MTV. A second part is anticipated for Wednesday, February 29, at the same time slot.
After that, fans will have just a few weeks until the next Challenge spinoff arrives. The Challenge: World Championship will feature Legends and MVPs from MTV and the international spinoff shows. One duo will get to call themselves World Champions by winning the global competition.
Among the stars in the show will be Tori, Bananas, Jordan, Theo Campbell, Nelson Thomas, Darrell Taylor, and Jonna Mannion. It officially premieres on Paramount Plus on Wednesday, March 8.
If that wasn’t enough, fans will likely get the fourth All Stars season on Paramount Plus by mid-2023, as episodes have concluded filming in South Africa. As of this report, there’s no rumored or official premiere date.
The Challenge: Ride or Dies Reunion Part 1 airs Wednesday, February 22, at 8/7c on MTV. The Challenge: World Championship premieres Wednesday, March 8, on Paramount Plus.
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Why isn’t CT in any of these challenges? He is the BEST of the BESt.