Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes Episode 15: Passing the Franc

Emily has her head over the tank, telling James not to give up. She interviews that he wants to stay in the game. Antoine is still laughing. "I'm in a world of frickin' pain," James interviews, "and this guy's just laughing and having a good time." Antoine yuks it up some more. He interviews that James is not having a good time. Emily starts yelling at Antoine to knock it off. She's got a smile, but I think she's serious. Antoine: I can feel that the more I talk to him, the more I laugh, the worse he feels." Emily is still talking when James bolts up (3:23:25). With the win, Antoine slowly gets up after 3:23:25. "I would like to enjoy this moment to the full," he says as Ellen towels him off. "Okay, so what are the names of these girls?" The redshirt ladies smile.

Jonny takes about 20 minutes to announce that Antoine won the prize package and the Ion Lifesaver. He interviews that it feels great for him. Genesis interviews that he deserved to win for the team, and she hopes that the girls will strive harder.

Scoreboard. Genesis points her bottom-dwelling score to Ruthie, indicating that it's her time to go. This is out of sequence, since I can see the men's scores. Ruthie interviews that everybody knew Genesis was going home.

Ruthie (365), Ellen (347), Emily (317), Lori (309), Melissa (278), Genesis (248)

Now we get a production assistant putting up the men's scores. Lo and behold, there's a tie: James and Shane each have 349 points. Shane interviews that he did the math wrong, thinking he'd be up by one if Antoine beat James. "We've gone through the hell," James drones, "gone through the gauntlet, and we're just trying to survive."

Mark (376), Colin (372), Jamie (372), Antoine (355), James (349), Shane (349)

Jonny announces the Inner Circles: Ruthie, Ellen, and Emily; Mark, Colin, and Jamie. Antoine has the Ion Lifesaver. He gives both teams one hour to deliberate. Melissa interviews that there's no deliberation on the female side, since they're voting off the lowest score. Mark tells us Shane and James are tied. We know, Mark! Colin interviews that the Inner Circle has to make a decision as a team. Jamie notes that this had to happen sooner or later. Colin interviews that this is what the women went through in the past twelve missions. You mean they had to break a tie every week? Shut up, Colin.

After the commercials, all six guys have a meeting. Colin interviews that it's been easy to not make a decision in the past. James says he wants to stay. Shane says he wants to stay. Mark asks how the Inner Circle can make a fair decision, and Colin suggests a coin toss. What if it lands on edge, man? What then? James thinks he'd lose in a toss. I'm not going to lecture him on probability, since I have the same way about 50/50 odds. Colin notes than both James and Shane have won prizes for the team, and he doesn't want to make a decision that isn't cool. Enough waffling! Make a choice! Mark points out that Antoine has the Ion. In an interview, Mark confesses that the IC has been reduced to giving Antoine the choice. Fellas, it's not a hard thing to do. Write down a name on some paper. Put it in a box. Count the names. People do it all the time. Antoine says he would save Shane since, "I think I feel closer to him." Make of that what you will. Antoine also brings up James, who would be the "most pained" to leave.

Now James has something to say. He declares that he should stay, since he's worked for it, overcoming a zero to make it this far. I can't blame him for speaking up. I'd be restraining myself from lying about what Shane would do to the IC should he get the boot. James interviews that he thinks Shane's going home. Colin tells James and Shane to leave the room so the rest of the team can make a decision. Shane interviews that James has won two missions, and he feels he's going home.

Now it's time for the Men's Inner Circle, plus Antoine, who is still on the fence. He interviews that he wants to hear from the IC. Colin says that he's been amazed by James' performances. Mark suggests that they might need calmness, which Shane has. Antoine brings up "something grander," whatever that means. Mark says that Antoine has the right to save somebody, and Colin agrees. Antoine interviews that he feels comfortable in his decision.

Judgment. Since the women are lacking drama, Jonny invites their Inner Circle up. Ruthie calls Genesis awesome, but adds, "today is your time." Ruthie laughs, saying this is the second time she's had to say goodbye to Genesis.

Men's Inner Circle. Colin tells Jonny that things are different, and he calls up Antoine. James and Shane link arms in anticipation. Antoine doesn't drag it out, giving the Ion to Shane. James nods, apparently okay with going home. Emily has a sad look on her face. "Something bothered me in the way that James approached facing our decision," Antoine voiceovers, as the guys hug James. "I find Shane's attitude more ad-meer-able in that he sold me much better than James not facing the music." Lori hugs Emily. James and Shane hug. James thanks the IC, telling them, "I don't bear any hard feelings, dude." He said it again!

Personally, I would have gone with James to stay. He got next to squat in Extreme Challenge, and he's a lot fiercer than Antoine and Shane. If something were to happen to the IC, James would fill in with little fuss. I have nothing against Shane: any guy who gives Emily crap about her IC decisions deserves affection. But Shane's a relative newbie, and he was hell-bent on going home last week before he won Spidermon.

Jonny recaps: James and Genesis are departing. Here comes Emily, with a small smile on her face. "Hey, guys?" she says to the girls. "That changes my decision to stay." Even though I've known about this for a while, it was still a breathtaking moment. Genesis has the best follow-up reaction: "Huh?" Emily: "That changes my decision to stay. Sorry." Let's review: Emily railroaded the Inner Circle to vote out two of the strongest competitors, Rachel and Veronica. And now that her boyfriend is going home, she's going with him. Unbelievable. Genesis in interview: "What the hell are you talking about?" Lori in interview: "Our biggest 'We're tough, we're independent' cheerleader is now saying, 'Well, my boyfriend is leaving, so I'm going to go, too.'" Graphic: "To Be Continued."

Next week: Emily's addressing everybody, saying that James has been her moral support. Lori: "Tell me one situation where it's cool where a girl bails out on the rest of the girls because of her boyfriend." We'll overlook that her boyfriend is Kyle. Genesis: "What the [bleep] are you talking about?" Cut to the next mission: Razor's Edge. It has a scooter, a narrow beam, and a really panicky Melissa. A helmet cam shows one contestant falling off. The big question: will Emily come to her senses, or will she deserve to be scorned and ridiculed in my very first Reality TV Hall of Shame article?

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