What is up with The Challenge's artful shots? Did Chernobyl inspire this season?

The Ringer

The Challenge: Total Madness seems like it's inspired by HBO's Chernobyl, particularly with its bunker full of gas tanks and pipes that are marked with a Slavic language, says Andrew Gruttadaro. This season, he adds, is also visually stunning. "The Challenge has always been a heavily edited show—the main thing that keeps it from feeling like an actual sport is the fact that every elimination challenge comes with about 600 camera cuts," says Gruttadaro. "But I can’t remember The Challenge ever being this boosted in post-production. Total Madness is flying through camera filters and low-grade graphics; it’s taking HUGE swings from the editing room. It’s, quite simply, astonishing. I can’t get enough of it."