Squid Game: The Challenge – A Nail Biting Odyssey to the Edge of Sanity. I have to admit, when I first heard that there would be a reality survivor style series based on the original Squid Game television show, I was 100% against it. Why? Because it was hypocritical. The whole point of the original TV show was to call out the rich for using the poor… the horribly in debt, for their own pleasure. Rich people payed for the right to watch people play to the death. Bread and Circuses. It was a great show just for that reason. But then I watched the first episode – just to be able to call Netflix out, and nope. I was hooked. I was completely wrong. But I’m also an enormous Survivor fan. Have been since episode 1 of season 1 decades ago. But Netflix has put Jeff Probst on notice, Netflix now owns the crown for best survivor television series in the world. No doubt.
So, yeah – welcome, brave souls, to the ultimate reality roller-coaster that is “Squid Game: The Challenge”! With over 456 contestants vying for a jaw-dropping 4.56 million bucks, you can bet it’s not your average game night. And while you won’t die if you play – you might just be humiliated along the way. So let’s dive into this whirlwind of chaos and cunning, let me walk you through the madness and mayhem that unfolded in each spine-chilling challenge.
Red Light, Green Light Challenge: In the original series, the game of red light, green light lead to people being machine gunned if they moved. It was a bloody challenge. Similarly, the real life challenge turned a seemingly innocent kids game into a nightmare. Contestants raced against a killer robot girl, holding poses for what felt like an eternity. Little did we know, the ‘five minutes’ was a theatrical ruse; the reality was a grueling 7-hour ordeal, with poses lasting up to 30 minutes. A whopping 259 players fell victim to the Red Light. Over half. Leaving 197 players.
Decision Test Challenge: Amidst carrot-peeling downtime, players 101 and 134 faced a carrot-or-stick choice: give an advantage or eliminate a comrade. They chose the dark path – elimination, and choice one player to eliminate.
Dalgona Challenge: In the original show, contestants were given cookies to scratch the shape out of. If they cracked the shape, they would be shot. It was exactly the same in the reality TV series. There were 4 players that failed to pick a shape for their lines, and they were eliminated. Then, the only thing left was the competition… and the stressful needle etching that followed. As the challenge concluded, we said goodbye to 69 more.
Phone Test Challenge: Between battles, a phone rang with promises of survival. He was told to get someone else to pick up the phone, but Player 198’s persuasion attempts failed, and as a result, he was eliminated.
Warship Challenge: One of the craziest challenges of the series, a massive game of Battleship. A massive divergence from the original television series. As they played Battleship, they took potshot after potshot against the other teams, and they sunk player after player as the challenge proceeded. Forty-five players met their watery demise in the Warship Challenge.
Vote Test Challenge: In this challenge, everyone voted, and the three players with the highest vote count were voted off the island… I mean, were removed from the game. Democracy took a dark turn.
Jack-in-the-Box Test Challenge: The voice on the PA then gave several individuals a chance to play for their fates. Volunteers turned their jack-in-the-box’s cranks in order to either gain a challenge, or be eliminated. Ultimately, the only player that gained an advantage was then summarily voted out, advantage in hand as he left the game.
Marbles Challenge: In possibly the rudest moment of the series, players were invited to select individuals to have a picnic with. Obviously people chose their favorites. Sons picked mothers, besties chose each other… all for the purpose of sharing a lovely bit of food together. But as they were looking through their baskets, they discovered marbles, indicating that they would need to play to eliminate each other. The game proceeded to eliminate 32 players.
Allegiance Test Challenge: This allegiance test was not seen in the original series. The remaining players are tasked to decide on a captain. The captain was then instructed to select someone to bring with them. It basically because a kickball team selection process from hell. All players unselected were removed from the game. Item of note? The women chose to band together and only select women. And the women followed through. At the end of the test, the 11 players not selected were eliminated.
Glass Bridge Challenge: This was a perfectly realized challenge from the original show. A bridge of glass, with tiles that the players must select between. Left, or Right? The players with lower numbers are selected to go first, almost guaranteeing their demise. The players decided that everyone should only be required to select once, and then everyone would pass them by. Eight are eliminated at the bridge – which now left us with twelve players remaining.
Die Test: Rolling dice became a gamble of names. Anyone that roles a six? Eliminated. Three unlucky players meet an untimely demise. But Mai, she attempted to get retribution for the one player that didn’t follow the internal rule during the glass bridge challenge, of everyone taken a random turn at 50/50. But it comes back to bite Mai in the butt.
Circle of Trust: The remaining nine is it? All seated at desks. Everyone blindfolded, and a random player gets tapped. When tapped, the player needs to move the gift in the middle and place it on a player’s desk. The gifted player must guess who chose them. Basically? The game is heads up seven up. With this game, six players are eliminated, and three remain. The three remaining players are: 016 – Sam, 287 – Mai, & 451 – Phill.
Button Test: The game comes to a head with the button test. First, the final three feast, and then they must select a button at random. Red meant elimination, green meant salvation, and gray meant a nerve-wracking standstill. Sam is eliminated. Which leaves us with Phill and Mai. Phill being innocent, and almost way too trusting. And Mai? A really manipulatively cunning player.
Rock Paper Scissors – Final Challenge: In a squid-shaped grid, Rock, Paper, Scissors decided fates. Phill and Mai play the basic game of Rock Paper Scissors – and every game they win, they get to try a key in a lock. Mai wins game after game after game… Phill having no strategy at all whatsoever. Mai picked him apart game after game. And so, Mai, the puppet master of Rock, Paper, Scissors, clinched victory, proving brains triumph over brawn.
Personal Thoughts on the Entire Season of Squid Game the Challenge
The show can only get better from here. There were many many chances for the show to improve, but even so? It was a fantastic first season. Do you remember what the first season of The Survivor was like? Oh, my heavens… you wouldn’t even recognize it from the show they play today. My issues? There was way too much in the way of random dumb luck. I’m okay with strength challenges. Or cunning challenges. But don’t let it just be random dumb luck. The dice rolls, the random button pushing… no thanks. But really, in the grand scheme?? This was a really amazing first season. Netflix and the Squid Games: The Challenge production team should be really proud of themselves. They put on an amazing reality TV series. Kudos.
The Future of Squid Game: The Challenge
But wait, the thrill isn’t over! Netflix has officially given the green light for a second season, ensuring that more laughter, tears, and heart-stopping moments await. So, gear up, future contestants, because “Squid Game: The Challenge” is here to stay, and we’re all strapped in for the wild ride.
Edited by: CY