American Grit Season 2, Episode 5: Camp Love
Competitors are anxiously waiting to see who will be returning from the double elimination. Richard is pacing the dock. Carla makes her way across the bridge to reveal herself as the loan competitor returning from elimination. Team Riki is ecstatic! The rest of the teams realize the loss of Shermon and Will. Janessa and Alison begin to strategize how they will up their game now that they are the only team of two. At Cadre Compound, Cena drops a hint that the next challenge will be based on priorities. Burk promises to “unleash his wrath” on Team Grady.
Melanie and Herman’s relationship is growing rapidly. Gorge is skeptical of this relationship as he thinks it may hinder the challenge at hand.
The Cadres gather their teams to discuss the upcoming event. Grady takes his team on a walk and questions Gigi on what her priorities are. She confesses that she isn’t so good a prioritizing as she used her rent money to purchase a Chihuahua. Burks team decided to do group stretching, where Hannah confuses her left and right. (She’s so very special.)
Team Challenge: Money, Power or Love
In a soccer field sized competition area, each team will begin in an archway. There they will have to spin a triangular shaped puzzle piece until it releases. Team members will then run down the field where they will have to put the puzzle pieces in order on stakes. They have the options to spell out “Love,” in which the winning team will receive a visit from family members. “Power,” where they are granted the power to move members of the other teams around, or “Money.” Where $1,000 will be awarded to each member of the winning team.
George believes that his team will have the advantage; having all four team members intact. Chloe is hoping her team of two will end up the victor. Riki is feeling good about Team Yellows chances. Stating that team moral should be high considering her strongest competitor has just returned from elimination. Blue team whispers to each other positive affirmations.
Cena gives the go, and the teams begin to spin their puzzle pieces. Gigi from Team Grady is the first to have her puzzle piece out. She dizzily runs to the other side of the field. The rest of the teams follow suit. Hannah, surprise, takes a tumble but gets back up to join her Team and begin their puzzle. Team Chloe and Team Burk have decided that Love conquers all, and are quickly trying to assemble their puzzles. Riki’s team chooses Power. Team Grady sticks with the color green and goes for Money. The Teams seem to be evenly stacked until Janessa places the final piece in the puzzle. Spelling out “Love.” Janessa and Alison sprint to the finish line. Team Grady finishes second, Riki comes in 3rd. Burkes finishes last.
The teams return to Camp Grit. Janessa and Alison discuss their victory. The other teams begin to wonder who Chloe will be chosen for elimination.
Later that Evening
Chloe decides to forego asking the other Cadre who they would like to see go to elimination, as has been the tradition the last four episodes. She decides she will not be sending the strongest competitor. Instead, she will be choosing the competitor who she believes is the glue that binds the teams.
In Team Riki’s bunk; Gigi, Richard, and Scarlett discuss who Chloe will be choosing. Richard dumbfounds the girls by stating that if he were eliminated, he wouldn’t be upset. Gigi and Scarlett think this is a cop-out. Scarlett tells Carla of what Rich said. She’s disappointed. Gigi states that the “Bell is right there, go ring it.”
Chloe arrives at Camp Grit to make her selection. She praises Carla for proving herself in the last elimination but then chooses her again to compete for her place at Camp Grit. Herman is chosen from Team Grady. The one person Herman does not want to compete against is Melanie. No surprise, Chloe strategically chooses Melanie from Team Burk to compete in the Elimination. Melanie and Herman do not wish to leave Camp Grit as they believe they need more time to grow their relationship. Carla calls out Richard for mentally throwing in the towel. Richard responds with a slew of swear words in an attempt to defend himself.
Day before Elimination
The families of Alison and Janessa arrive! Alison’s baby girl and husband make their way across the bridge. Alison is brought to tears at the sight of her family, realizing how much she has missed them. Janessa’s daughter, son, and mother, arrive. The families get to meet the competitors and Cadre. As well as John Cena. Janessa’s daughter is almost as excited as Cam Zagami was to meet John Cena.
Gigi has an internal struggle. Being happy for Team Chloe, but thinking that if her team had been the victors, she wouldn’t have people who would be there for her. Herman reminds her that she has 16 new friends who would be more than happy to give her the world.
Herman and Melanie are trying to spend some quality time together when Burk breaks up the party. He is concerned that Melanie will be unable to put her feelings aside during the challenge. He knows Melanie has been going through a heartbreak and understood her feelings for Herman. He gives her a long hug, asking that she not tell Hannah. Melanie does not want her and Herman’s adventure to end. Burk doesn’t think it would be such a bad thing if Herman were to be eliminated in the upcoming challenge.
Elimination Challenge: Who Has Time on Their Side?
There are three ”hourglass” bins filled with sand. At the start, the sand will begin to drain. Competitors will cross a balance beam to retrieve more sand, either in a small bag, which will require more trips. Or a large bucket riddled with holes, that will cause the sand to fall. Competitors will return over the balance beam with their sand and attempt to maintain the sand levels in their hour glass. If a competitor falls behind, Cena has graciously provided an emergency bucket of sand. This can be used to buy a few extra seconds. If the hourglass is to run out, that will signal elimination and the end of the challenge.
The caps of the hour glasses are released, and the sand begins to spill. Herman dumps the reserve bucket right off the bat. Carla struggles several times in an attempt to cross the balance beam. Melanie chooses the bag as her way of transporting the sand, as does Carla. Herman chooses the bucket with holes. Burk instructs Melanie to switch to the bucket to see if it will help. Unlike Herman, who balances his bucket to the side, Melanie holds the bucket in front of her. The falling sand covers the balance beam, making for a slippery path. Melanie takes a spill and loses her entire bag of sand. Carla and Melanie’s hour glasses are beginning to get low. Carla uses her reserve, Melanie’s hourglass is way down. Burk instructs that Melanie uses her reserve. This feels like too little too late. Burk begins to get stressed out and is projecting his panic on Melanie. Carla and Herman are keeping sand levels comfortable. The last piece of sand from Melanie's hourglass falls. Herman realizes that his best friend has just been eliminated. They have an emotional embrace. Burk is furious, wondering how Carla’s missteps, in the beginning, didn’t cause her the loss. Melanie rings out, requests one last hug from Herman, and is eliminated from American Grit.
Enjoyed your recap, as usual! For me, personally, this was the hardest elimination to handle! Melanie was (is) an amazing spirit!