User blog:Curshburger/Total Drama World Tour Review

Please note: This review is a work in progress.

Introduction
After proving they still had what it takes to make TV history, 18 contestants now get to compete in challenges all around the world for yet another million dollars. They must also sing at any given time that Chris demands it. As usual, the last contestant standing wins the season, the money, and the fame.

Total Drama World Tour. A season that is beloved by many, due to the unique locations, crazy as ever challenges, dozens of earworms, and fan-favorites returning. Do I enjoy this season as much as most other fans? Let’s find out!

'''WARNING: This review contains major spoilers. If you haven’t seen the season yet, and you are uncomfortable with spoilers, I would suggest watching the season before reading this review.'''

Walk Like an Egyptian - Part 1


Episode Number: 55

Original airdate: June 21, 2010

The episode in a nutshell: Season three is now underway, and the contestants are introduced to the setting this time around: the Total Drama Jumbo Jet, and their first song. Chris unfairly eliminates Ezekiel, but he shows away in the cargo hold. After landing in Egypt, the contestants partake in their first challenge. Three teams are formed, and a frustrated Duncan quits the show.

Fun Fact: In Aftermath: Bridgette Over Troubled Water, Geoff would claim Duncan was the first Total Drama contestant to ever quit. However, this is false, seeing as how DJ did so in The Sand Witch Project.

My favorite part: Cody and Noah back in the competition for the first time since Island

Quote: “Season three, folks!” -Chris

My thoughts: This is how you start a season! We get to see contestants that weren’t in Action return, the setting is real cool, and they manage to make Come Fly With Us nowhere near as cringy as some might expect from a musical season (since a lot of people were skeptical about this season being a musical). The lyrics are real easy to memorize and it’s the first of many good earworms this season. Since I kinda like Duncan, I can’t say I was big on him quitting, but he’s gotten so much screentime over the first two seasons that I guess it only makes sense for him to go this early. This is the first season premiere that I can safely call a good episode. The number of moments that a smile wasn’t on my face while watching this can probably be counting on two hands at the most.

Walk Like An Egyptian - Part 2


Episode Number: 56

Original airdate: June 28, 2010

The episode in a nutshell: The three teams must use their respective rewards to race to the Nile. Once there, they must weave baskets in order to cross said Nile. Sierra and Izzy both swap teams in order to be with the boy they each like. Ultimately, Ezekiel loses his team’s reward. As a result, Team Victory faces elimination and Ezekiel is voted off, and Duncan leaves the plane shortly after.

Fun Fact: This is the first time in the series where DJ is in the bottom two.

My favorite part: Rowin' Time

Quote: ”The president of Cody’s fan club foesn’t Know a thing about me. No one does. And I intend to keep it that way. Because compared to me? Heather’s a saint.” -Alejandro

My thoughts: This is a somewhat entertaining episode. You got two catchy songs, a neat challenge, and some funny gags here and there (RIP unnamed intern). However, there is one major complaint that I have with this episode. I, like many people, don’t appreciate the fact that the writers had Ezekiel be voted off first again. According to Tom McGillis, the plan was to initially turn Ezekiel into a running gag and do this every season, but loyal Ezekiel fans got tired of this really fast and wanted to get to know more of his character. Mr. McGillis claimed it was his biggest regret while working on the show, and I’m glad he saw the error of his ways. But other than Ezekiel’s treatment, this is for sure a good episode. It wouldn’t have taken much for this episode to descend into average territory, but I still find it fun to watch.

Super Happy Crazy Fun Time Japan


Episode Number: 57

Original airdate: July 5, 2010

The episode in a nutshell: The contestants arrive in Japan for their second stop. There, they must face a life-sized Japanese pinball machine and make their own commercial for candied fish. Courtney, Gwen, and Heather disagree on what to do for the commercial and concede, and DJ continues to do more ha to animals. Despite appearing to be done for, Team Amazon’s winning streak stays alive thanks to Cody and Sierra. Team Victory agrees to vote off DJ, but Harold steps up and quits the show.

Fun Fact: This is the only episode of the season where all of the teams have the same number of contestants remaining.

My favorite part: Before We Die

Quote: “We still have our honor. And girls. Especially those of Leshawna’s caliber. They love guys with honor.” -Alejandro

My thoughts: There’s some pretty neat stuff here. In my opinion, this is one of Harold’s funniest appearances, there’s yet another earworm, and Cody helps his team win (I say this because I don’t think a lot of people give him enough credit). I didn’t like seeing Harold quit so early in the season, especially after all the development he went through last season, but since he was on Team Victory, I guess he wouldn’t have lasted long anyway. Plus, the writers used Alejandro to potential I didn’t think he even had here, which is impressive. Yet another good episode.

Anything Yukon Do, I Can Do Better


Episode Number: 58

Original airdate: July 12, 2010

The episode in a nutshell: The three teams head to the Yukon and are forced to race to the finish line in the freezing temperature. Tyler makes an effort to make Lindsay remember him, and Sierra assists Cody after the latter falls into ice-cold water. Afterwards, Bridgette is charmed by Alejandro and the former is eliminated for getting stuck to a pole.

Fun Fact: Harold’s exclusive clip is shown in the recap

My favorite part: Alejandro manipulating Bridgette

Quote: “I have a boyfriend!” -Bridgette

My thoughts: Other than Alejandro’s role in all of this, as well as Stuck to a Pole, this episode isn’t a very memorable one in my eyes. Mostly because of the fact that outside of Alejandro and Bridgette’s plot, there isn’t much happening. You’ve got characters like Tyler and Sierra playing a somewhat big role in this episode, but those aren’t particularly characters that I like. This episode doesn’t do anything wrong, but it’s also not the first episode that I think of when I think of a good World Tour episode. Wanna know my opinion? This is the first average episode of the season.

Broadway, Baby!


Episode Number: 59

Original airdate: July 19, 2010

The episode in a nutshell: The three teams go to New York City. Sierra’s knowledge about Chris leads to Heather devising a plan. However, that plan is ruined thanks to Alejandro. Meanwhile, Courtney and Gwen agree to an alliance in order to vote off Heather. After another win for Team Amazon and the first loss for Team Chris Is Really Really Really Really Hot, the contestants find out that the challenge is the first reward challenge of the season.

Fun Fact: The scene involving Cody falling into Lady Liberty’s breasts is deleted in America due to the scene being too desecrating and inappropriate.

My favorite part: Heather and Alejandro’s schemes

Quote: “I love when people call me baby!” -Lindsay

My thoughts: Wow! I believe this one was pulled off pretty dang well. Seeing Heather manipulate Sierra, it makes for a really neat plot, and the way Heather and Alejandro mess with each other is always a fun experience. I really like their rivalry! Plus, Sierra is focused on someone other than Cody for once, which is SUCH a breath of fresh air! It’s a good episode.

Aftermath: Bridgette Over Troubled Water


Episode Number: 60

The episode in a nutshell: With the first aftermath of the season underway, Geoff returns and Blaineley is now a host as well. Everybody else who didn’t qualify for the season returns as the peanut gallery. We discover that the first two eliminated contestants, Duncan and Ezekiel, went missing after their respective eliminations in Egypt. Harold reunited with Justin and Trent, and they sing about Leshawna. Bridgette performs a ballad in an attempt to apologize to Geoff, and is successful, much to Blaineley’s anger.

Fun Fact: This is the only aftermath of the season that doesn’t affect the game at all.

My favorite part: Blaineley’s rage

Quote: “That’s it? I was on the show for three seasons and all I get is a nanosecond?” -Harold

My thoughts: After last season, I was beginning to think there was no such thing as a “meh” Aftermath. But after watching this, I was left feeling kinda empty. Firstly, we see Blaineley from Celebrity Manhunt return. I already talked about how much I like that special in my review on Action, so you’d think I’d be happy about pretty much anything that reminded me of it. However, like many others, Blaineley is not a character that I like. I’m pretty sure not a whole lot of people wanted to see her start hosting the Aftermaths alongside Geoff. Then there’s also Harold and Bridgette making appearances. Neither of them do much of anything that interests me here, and each of their songs are probably two of my least favorite of the season. Nothing against them (and I know a lot of people are fans of I'm Sorry), but if you ask me, they just pale in comparison to a lot of the other ones in terms of catchiness and memorability. So, for the first time, I’m calling an Aftermath an average episode.

Slap Slap Revolution


Episode Number: 61

Original airdate: July 26, 2010

The episode in a nutshell: Chris takes the contestants to the German Alps. Alejandro begins to charm Leshawna, which makes Heather suspicious. Meanwhile, Lindsay is able to remember Tyler. Team Victory loses yet again and votes off Leshawna for challenge-throwing.

Fun Fact: Leshawna is the first Screaming Gopher to be eliminated this season.

My favorite part: The jokes

Quote: “YEEEEEEEEEEEEES!” -Tyler

My thoughts: Huh. I had no idea the writers had it in them to make an episode as funny as this! There were several gags that had me cracking up, from Lindsay’s forgetfulness, to the gag about Cody’s sausage, to DJ’s curse staying alive. It’s definitely the funniest episode of the season so far, and I do believe that it is a good episode.

The Am-AH-Zon Race


Episode Number: 62

Original airdate: August 2, 2010

The episode in a nutshell: The three teams arrive in the Amazon and must race to Machu Picchu. Team Amazon falls behind and loses, while Team Victory ironically wins. Meanwhile, Owen begins to believe Alejandro might not like him, but after the latter rescues the former, he is reconvinced. After Chris reveals the votes, Sierra falls into a depression, and Heather is spared due to the episode featuring the first ever fake-out elimination challenge.

Fun Fact: Heather’s final confessional of the episode foreshadows her outlasting all of her teammates and winning the season.

My favorite part: Team Victory’s victory

Quote: “Did we win?” -Gwen

My thoughts: Thing is, I don’t find this to be a very memorable episode. Other than what Team Amazon gets into, I don’t recall a whole lot of interesting moments here. Team Chris isn’t focused on much more than the challenge, and neither is Team Victory. It’s an <font color="Gray">average episode, but at least we get Gypsy Rap out of it, which makes for a good song.

Can’t Help Falling in Louvre


Episode Number: 63

Original airdate: August 9, 2010

The episode in a nutshell: The next stop is Paris, and the three teams must each piece together their own statue. Sierra is still upset over the fact that Cody voted for her, and DJ attempts to either vote himself off or eliminate his curse. However, in a surprising turn of events, Lindsay is eliminated via a tie-breaker, which Tyler isn’t happy about.

Fun Fact: This episode features the first sudden-death elimination since The Very Last Episode, Really!.

My favorite part: Noah in this episode

Quote: “Awwww....still don’t care.” <font color="Teal">-Chris

My thoughts: <font color="Red">Warning: Rant incoming. GOODNESS. GRACIOUS. ALIVE! Sierra is insufferable in this episode. Where do I even start? Well, for starters, my youngest sister acts more mature than Sierra here, and she’s not even four yet! Sierra acts like it’s literally the end of the world just because Cody voted for her in The Am-AH-Zon Race, but it shouldn’t even be that big of a deal in the first place, because not only was that the only vote she got in that episode, but even if she didn’t get the most votes against here there, she wouldn’t have gone home! In addition to that, she seems to be so shocked by the fact that’s it happened, but in reality, even someone who’s only watched one episode of the season could see it coming from a mile away. Sierra has done nothing but harass Cody to no end this whole season, and Cody’s friends with everybody on Team Amazon (apart from Courtney, but that was kinda after all this). Poor Cody. He’s taking so much heat for something I honestly would’ve done if i was in his shoes. Instead of yelling at Sierra to put a sock in it and get her head back in the game, the rest of Team Amazon gets ticked off at Cody and blames him for everything. And at the end of it all, we find out that Sierra was only pretending to act the way she did so that Cody would pay attention to her. Are you dead serious? Instead of helping Team Amazon team win, she basically sits out of the challenge and get some treated to a dinner in Paris by the boy of her dreams for acting like a brat that nobody wants to be around.