It’s timeThe Challengegot some Emmys love.
And35 seasons in, it continues to hit ratings highs.
So why hasn’tThe Challengegotten awards recognition like fellow competition showsSurvivorandThe Amazing Race?
Credit: MTV
That’s exactly what executive producer and showrunner Emer Harkin wants to know.
And we kind of have fallen between the cracks."
But she believes that season 35 could be the spark they need to finally break into the awards race.
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“I really think that this is our time,” she says.
“The Challengeis big and bad and bold, and the ratings show that this season.
“Hopefully this is our time to shine.”
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ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How long have you been working onThe Challenge?
EMER HARKIN:I actually started on the franchise back in 2008.
I was backpacking on a one-year trip around the world, and I was in Queenstown, New Zealand.
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I didn’t know what an executive producer was, I knew nothing.
And he still hired me as an [associate producer] for that season, and it was incredible.
It wasDual II, one of my favorite seasons.
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It was a very different beast back then and very different from what we do now.
To now executive-produce on my own is a dream come true.
I’m so proud to be a part of it and to be pushing the envelope season after season.
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It’s a very, very well-produced beast.
That’s where my passions lay: trying to emulate a world that we create.
How did you go about creating that immersive world?
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It elevated it creatively and it elevated their experience as cast members.
Coming into this season, what goals did you want to accomplish with the new format?
Our big thing was the red skull.
It’s a twist that we have never engaged in before and it completely blew the game open.
But ultimately it rewards performance and it rewards excellence, and that’s what we’re all about.
We think it largely worked.
That’s certainly that we’re looking at for this coming season, so stay tuned.
We attempt to reimagine formats across the board.
And I’m sure it’s something that will definitely reappear in the years to come.
Whether it’s something we do season after season, it remains to be seen.
How did you go about creating this new era ofThe Challenge?
I believe we have one of the best crews on the planet.
We have really creative masterminds who come up with wonderful concepts.
Justin and I sat down and said, “What world do we want to create?”
What we started withWar the Worlds, we create this cinematic experience.
Our production designer, James McGowan, is massively important in imagining our vision in that respect.
Director Jason “Ninja” Williams is also a massive component in stylistically imagining our vision.
We always look to increase our technology.What can we do a little bit better?
What kind of cool tricks or new gadgets and technology can we integrate to make things feel edgier?
But like with last season, even every music cue was perfect for the world we created.
It takes a lot of time and planning, but the payoff is massive when you see season 35.
It’s really exciting.
What can you tell us about the decision to also increase the physical nature of the games?
Because the challenges and finals now are some of the most physically grueling marathon relays TV has seen.
We regard our cast largely as being pseudo-professional athletes.
That is a massive part in what setsThe Challengeapart from other shows.
It’s about really having to show up and perform.
And you’re free to see how seriously our cast takes it.
Every challenge, every elimination, it’s no joke.
Everybody steps up to the plate because there’s such a genuine rivalry within the cast.
We absolutely pride ourselves on being a serious sport.
I know, it’s so crazy!
[Laughs] Our cast, they push themselves to the limit for us.
They want to win.
Everybody’s desperate to beThe Challengechampion.
It’s a really valuable mantle to hold.
What are your thoughts on the increased level of risk on the show in recent years?
Well, we take everything super-seriously, obviously.
We have safety coordinators, safety consultants on set.
We test every game, we see to it that every inch of our environment is very safe.
We certainly can’t guarantee that no one is ever going to get injured.
That’s when injuries can occur.
You will just burst through it so you can succeed.
Our cast, they don’t want anything to stop them.
And that instills a real sense of security for us.
What do you have planned for season 36?
We’re getting ready to head to location for season 36 imminently.
We’re very heavy in development in what our next world and our next season is going to embody.
It’s definitely something that’s going to be forward-thinking, that’s fresh and fun.
It’s going to be an exciting next season.
I think that a common misconception is that anybody is guaranteed a place onThe Challenge.
Every single position on our cast is highly coveted and up for grabs.
And it’s a very complicated puzzle and a very long, drawn-out process.
The season finale ofThe Challenge: Total Madnessairs July 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
