The Challenge Season 12

Right now you can watch The Challenge Season 12 on and — and it is more addictive than the premise lets on. Across 1 season, the show has had time to find its rhythm and keep it. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. T.J. Lavin anchors the format, but the whole cast makes it watchable. Put it on tonight and see for yourself.

The Challenge Season 12 arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The Challenge Season 12 has the format that countless others have tried to copy since. Fresh Meat is the 12th season of the MTV reality game show, The Challenge. Fresh Meat is a season that made history on The Challenge by being the first season to include previously unknown contestants as part of the cast. Previous to Fresh Meat, all seasons functioned solely by the program's trademark: strictly using contestants that were previously cast on past seasons of The Real World or Road Rules. T.J. Lavin leads a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 2006. What keeps The Challenge Season 12 from feeling stale is a production that knows when to get out of the way. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

The Challenge Season 12 is impossible to watch casually — expect strong opinions. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single week. T.J. Lavin is a big part of why it works, but the format itself is the real star. The kind of thing that generates strong opinions in every room it is watched in.