Tough as Nails
Tough as Nails is an American reality competition television series that premiered on CBS on July 8, 2020. The show is hosted by Phil Keoghan and features contestants competing in challenges at job sites that test their toughness, with one participant eliminated in each episode. On August 12, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season.
| Tough as Nails | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Reality competition |
| Created by |
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| Presented by | Phil Keoghan |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
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| Production company(s) |
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| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Original release | July 8, 2020 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
| Production website | |
Format
The contestants are tested in competitions at real-world job sites with tasks that test their strength, endurance, life skills and mental toughness. Contestants compete in 6-on-6 team challenges, individual competitions, and elimination battles, referred to as 'Overtime'. Unlike other reality competitions, contestants who lose elimination challenges do not leave the game and still have the opportunity to win additional prizes during team competitions. Each team competition gives the winning team $12,000 ($2,000 per member) and earns the team that challenge's Badge of Honor. The team that has collected the most Badges of Honor by the end of the season receives an additional cash bonus of $60,000 ($10,000 per member).
In each episode, contestants compete in individual challenges in order to stay in the running for the grand prize. The lowest performers in each individual challenge are sent to Overtime, with the loser of the Overtime challenge eliminated from the individual competition (referred to in the show as 'punching out'). At the end of the season, one contestant is crowned the Tough as Nails champion and wins the grand prize of $200,000 and a Ford Super Duty truck.[1][2]
Cast
| Contestant[3] | Job | Age | Hometown | Team | Money Earned | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Callie Cattell | Fisherman | 28 | Bend, Oregon | Dirty Hands | $8,000 | Top 6 |
| Danny Moody | Drywaller | 33 | Spokane, Washington | Dirty Hands | $8,000 | Top 6 |
| Kelly "Murph" Murphy | Marine Corps Veteran | 47 | Paragon, Indiana | Savage Crew | $4,000 | Top 6 |
| Linda Goodridge | Deputy Sheriff | 29 | Marion, New York | Dirty Hands | $8,000 | Top 6 |
| Myles V. Polk | Forestry Tech | 28 | Tuskegee, Alabama | Dirty Hands | $8,000 | Top 6 |
| Young An | Firefighter | 36 | Alexandria, Virginia | Savage Crew | $4,000 | Top 6 |
| Michelle S. Kiddy | Gate Agent | 62 | Alexandria, Kentucky | Savage Crew | $4,000 | Punched out sixth |
| Luis Yuli | Scaffolder | 35 | The Bronx, New York | Savage Crew | $4,000 | Punched out fifth |
| Tara Davis | Ironworker | 30 | Elk Plain, Washington | Savage Crew | $4,000 | Punched out fourth |
| Lee Marshall | Roofer | 61 | St. Louis, Missouri | Dirty Hands | $8,000 | Punched out third |
| Melissa Burns | Farmer | 27 | Milford Center, Ohio | Dirty Hands | $8,000 | Punched out second |
| Linnett Key | Welder | 34 | Lecanto, Florida | Savage Crew | $4,000 | Punched out first |
Cast progress
| Contestant | 1/2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Callie | SAFE | SAFE | LOW | SAFE | LOW | LOW |
| Danny | SAFE | HIGH | WIN | WIN | WIN | HIGH |
| Murph | SAFE | WIN | WIN | SAFE | WIN | WIN |
| Linda | HIGH | LOW | SAFE | HIGH | LOW | SAFE |
| Myles | LOW | SAFE | HIGH | SAFE | HIGH | BTM2 |
| Young | BTM2 | BTM2 | LOW | BTM2 | HIGH | SAFE |
| Michelle | SAFE | SAFE | BTM2 | SAFE | BTM2 | ELIM |
| Luis | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | LOW | ELIM | |
| Tara | LOW | SAFE | HIGH | ELIM | ||
| Lee | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | |||
| Melissa | WIN | ELIM | ||||
| Linnett | ELIM | |||||
- The contestant won Tough as Nails.
- The contestant was a runner up.
- The contestant placed the highest in the individual competition and won the challenge.
- The contestant placed the second highest in the individual competition and was ultimately declared safe.
- The contestant was safe from elimination.
- The contestant placed the second lowest in the individual competition but was ultimately declared safe.
- The contestant placed the lowest in the individual competition and competed in the overtime challenge but ultimately survived.
- The contestant was the loser of the overtime challenge and eliminated from the individual competition.
Team progress
| Team | Money Earned | 1/2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dirty Hands | $48,000 | LOSS | WIN | WIN | WIN | WIN | LOSS |
| Savage Crew | $24,000 | WIN | LOSS | LOSS | LOSS | LOSS | WIN |
- Won the team challenge.
- Lost the team challenge.
Production
On October 3, 2019, it was announced that CBS had ordered Tough as Nails with a 10-episode order. Phil Keoghan hosts the series and serves as executive producer alongside his wife, Louise.[4] In early November, a nationwide casting search took place in the cities of St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, Cincinnati, and Las Vegas.[5] On April 29, 2020, it was announced that the series would premiere on July 8, 2020,[6][7][8] later making it a two-hour premiere.[9][10]
On August 12, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season.[11][12]
Episodes
| No. | Title [13][14] | Original air date [13][14] | Prod. code [13] | U.S. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Redefining Toughness" | July 8, 2020 | TAN101 | 4.09[15] |
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Individual Challenge #1: Each contestant was tasked with transporting 24 bags of mortar by wheelbarrow across a set of narrow beams. If at any point a contestant's wheelbarrow fell off a beam or they dropped their bags, they had to forfeit the bags they were currently carrying and return to the start of the course. The winner would earn the right to select team members for the Team Challenges and get first pick of the contestants.
Individual Challenge #2: Contestants had to build a brick wall as high as possible within a 1-hour time limit. Points were awarded based on the number of bricks correctly laid and deducted for mistakes. The winner would earn the right to select team members for the Team Challenges.
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| 2 | "Get the Job Done" | July 8, 2020 | TAN102 | 4.09[15] |
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Team Challenge: Teams had to move sections of steel rails to a marked area, secure it with rail joints and railway spikes, and pull a train caboose down the completed track to the finish line. The first team to crossing the finish line would win the challenge.
Individual Challenge: Contestants shoveled the equivalent of 3x their body weight of coal into a basket. The last to finish from each of two heats would be forced to compete in the Overtime elimination challenge.
Overtime Challenge: Contestants raced by handcar down a stretch of track to collect three tools they used in the team challenge. Each tool was tied down with rope or chains which had to be untied before it could be retrieved. The first contestant to rack all of their tools at the starting line would be safe and the other would be eliminated from the individual competition.
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| 3 | "Heavy Metal" | July 15, 2020 | TAN103 | 3.45[16] |
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Team Challenge: Teams were given a junked sedan and a selection of tools and given the task of chopping up the vehicle as quickly as possible. The first team to successfully fit the pieces of their car into the provided container would win the challenge.
Individual Challenge: Contestants were tasked with retrieving an alternator from any vehicle in the junkyard. The first to successfully remove an alternator and return with the part would receive an advantage in the next individual challenge. The last two to finish would be forced to compete in the Overtime challenge.
Overtime Challenge: Contestants had to remove the tires from three vehicle rims using a selection of tools. The first contestant to remove all three tires would be safe and the other would be eliminated from the individual competition.
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| 4 | "Release the Bull!" | July 22, 2020 | TAN104 | 3.44[17] |
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Team Challenge: Teams had to construct part of a large fence by installing posts and a gate and securing the perimeter with barbed wire. The first team to get their fence completed properly would win the challenge.
Individual Challenge: Contestants were paired up into teams of two and tasked with connecting 8 sections of pipe to create a working field irrigation system. As the winner of the last individual challenge, Murphy earned the power to assign each of the teams. The last team to successfully get their irrigation system working would be forced to face each other in the Overtime challenge. The pairs selected for the challenge were Murph & Danny, Myles & Tara, Callie & Young, Michelle & Lee, and Luis & Linda.
Overtime Challenge: Contestants had to untie and move hay bales weighing 1/2 of their body weight and stack them high enough to reach a bell attached to the rafters of the barn. The first contestant to ring their bell would be safe and the other would be eliminated from the individual competition.
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| 5 | "Mind Over Matter" | July 29, 2020 | TAN105 | 3.46[18] |
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Team Challenge: Teams were instructed to grab 3 tons of gravel and sand, which they had to collect from various locations around a sand quarry. Each material had to be packed in a specific way. One ton of pea gravel needed to be put into a big super sack, one ton of rock gravel had to be sealed into plastic bags, and one ton of sand had to be poured into large bags and tied off. The first team to pack the correct amount of each material would be declared the winners of the challenge.
Individual Challenge: Contestants were each given a slab of concrete and a sledgehammer and were tasked with breaking pieces small enough to fit through a designated opening. In order to complete the challenge they had to get all of their concrete through the opening, into their dumpster, and clean their job site. The first to complete the challenge would have an advantage in the next individual challenge.
Overtime Challenge: Contestants had cross a balance beam with buckets of sand to replenish the sand pouring out of a large funnel on the other side. The contestant whose hourglass ran out first was eliminated.
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| 6 | "Game of Telephone" | August 5, 2020 | TAN106 | 3.64[19] |
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Team Challenge: Each team was tasked with retrieving 18 colored and numbered barrels, which had to loaded into a truck and trailer according to a provided diagram. The first team to load all their barrels in the correct order would be declared the winner.
Individual Challenge: Contestants had to complete a lineworker training exercise by scaling an electrical pole, securing a dummy, and lowering it to the ground. Players competed in two heats, which were selected by Danny as his reward for winning the previous individual challenge. The last one in each heat to complete the challenge would be sent to Overtime.
Overtime Challenge: Each contestant was given a section of house framing with a light bulb and electrical outlet at either end, along with the materials for installing electrical conduit. The last contestant to install the conduit, thread their wire through to the outlet, and turn on their lightbulb would be eliminated from the individual competition.
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| 7 | "Trash Day" | August 12, 2020 | TAN107 | 3.05[20] |
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Team Challenge: Each team was tasked with packing a garage full of furniture into a moving van. The first team to fit all their items and close the trailer would be declared the winner.
Individual Challenge: Contestant were required to race a garbage truck down a suburban road, picking up trash bags along the way. Each bag successfully tossed into the back of the truck scored a point. The contestant with the most points would earn an advantage for the next individual challenge. The two lowest-scoring contestants would be forced to compete in the Overtime challenge.
Overtime Challenge: Each contestant was given a set of brick pavers and were tasked with correctly fitting the bricks into a designated arrangement. The last to finish would be eliminated from the individual competition.
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| 8 | "Trust Your Gear" | August 19, 2020 | TAN108 | TBD |
| 9 | "Cut It Up" | August 26, 2020 | TAN109 | TBD |
References
- Mike Bloom (May 28, 2020). "Meet the Cast of the New Reality Show Tough as Nails". Parade. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
- Dalton Ross (July 6, 2020). "Pint-size ticket agent inspires fear in Tough as Nails premiere". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
- "Meet the 12 Tough as Nails Challengers Who Are Set to Compete, on the New Reality Series Premiering Wednesday, July 8 on CBS" (Press release). CBS. May 28, 2020. Retrieved July 7, 2020 – via The Futon Critic.
- "CBS Orders New Competition Series Tough as Nails, From Emmy Award-Winning Executive Producer Phil Keoghan and Louise Keoghan" (Press release). CBS. October 3, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2020 – via The Futon Critic.
- "Nationwide Casting Search Begins For Tough As Nails, Hosted By Phil Keoghan On CBS". CBS. October 24, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
- Joe Otterson (April 29, 2020). "Amazing Race Season 32 Premiere Pushed Back as CBS Sets Game On, Tough as Nails Dates". Variety. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- Peter White (May 5, 2020). "CBS Pushes The Amazing Race To Later In 2020, Sets Premieres For Reality Series Game On! & Tough As Nails". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- "CBS Announces Premiere Dates for Two New Reality Series, Game On! and Tough as Nails" (Press release). CBS. April 29, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020 – via The Futon Critic.
- "Tough as Nails Premiere Moves to 8:00-9:00 PM, Wednesday, July 8" (Press release). CBS. June 15, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020 – via The Futon Critic.
- "CBS Program Advisory - Tough as Nails Will Now Have a Two-Hour Series Premiere on Wednesday, July 8" (Press release). CBS. July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2020 – via The Futon Critic.
- Peter White (August 12, 2020). "Tough As Nails Renewed At CBS For Season 2". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
- "CBS Renews Competition Series Tough as Nails for a Second Season" (Press release). CBS. August 12, 2020. Retrieved August 12, 2020 – via The Futon Critic.
- "Tough as Nails Episode Listings". The Futon Critic.
- "Tough as Nails Episode Guide". Zap2it.
- Mitch Metcalf (July 9, 2020). "Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.8.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- Mitch Metcalf (July 16, 2020). "Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.15.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- Mitch Metcalf (July 23, 2020). "Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.22.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- Mitch Metcalf (July 30, 2020). "Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.29.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
- Mitch Metcalf (August 6, 2020). "Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.5.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- Mitch Metcalf (August 13, 2020). "Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.12.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved August 13, 2020.