The Seven Challenge Moments You Always Can Count On

True or false: The more things change, the more they stay the same. The premiere of The Challenge: Total Madness definitely made a convincing argument. While the latest season’s first episode introduced new players, tweaked gameplay and recommended delectable twists, it also included some classic Challenge totems that viewers can habitually plan on from their preference franchise.

Check out the seven most reliably familiar moments you could plan on from the Total Madness premiere below, and tell us what you thought of the opening look at the brand-new season.

$1 million is up for grabs

after the trend of Final Reckoning and War of the Worlds, TJ informed the Total Madness cast that a cool million bucks was on the line for the game’s eventual champions, though he avoided getting specific about final mission proceedings.

There’s a wonderful fitness center in the house

Sure, most of this season’s housing looks like a underground bomb shelter, although at least the cast learned they could plan on one familiar luxury: a fitness center that looked fit for Olympic training trials. A track?! Seriously?!

A new contender emerges

Jenny’s habitually looked like a solid athlete, yet her efficiency came into question last season any time Tori sent her packing right after delivering one of the most punishing hits in Hall Brawl (or elimination round) history. Jenny completely redeemed herself in “Battle Lines,” Season 35’s first mission, though, if she destroyed the game’s ladies for a decisive first-place finish. Let’s remember that eventual legends Johnny Bananas, Evelyn and Cara Maria were each bounced first on their original seasons, and some days, it takes a minute for true competitors to come through.

Old companions reunite

It’s been awhile since Jenna has been on a show with her best buds, Nany and Kailah, and once because the father, son and holy spirit (their words, not ours) claimed their preferred beds in the game’s expansive underground lair, they made it clear that they were a united front and would fight tooth and nail to survive the game as a trio.

Exes find themselves at a crossroads

Dee absolutely lost her mind on War of the Worlds 2 once Rogan, whom she thought a proper boyfriend, flipped the script and hatched a plan to oust her from the game in back of her back, no far less. The two seemed to reconcile at the reunion, however Dee — who never quite got her revenge — mentioned she had no plans to stand by and let Rogan go right after another girl on Total Madness. So she staked her claim, joining a long line of scorned Challenge exes.

An unlikely alliance takes shape

Beth and Wes? Cara and Johnny Bananas? Thirty-five seasons into game, the emergence of unlikely alliances has become almost as routine a piece of the game as implicit treaties. So although it was shocking that avowed enemies Wes and Bananas let go of their contradictions to form an alliance nearly 15 years immediately after their first meeting, the fact that the game kicked off with a truce between former nemeses seemed imminent.

TJ reveals a super twist

As if the rest of the game didn’t sound intense enough, TJ shocked the residence right after Jay’s conquer of Asaf in Purgatory if he reported that — for the opening time ever — players would only be eligible to compete in the grand finale if they first won at least one elimination round. Yup, while a twist, itself, is a curveball, the introduction of a twist has become as routine as rainfall in the Challenge universe.