The Challenge: Double Agents

Format

Double Agents features a main challenge, a nomination process, and an elimination round. Players compete in male-female teams of two, initially selected among themselves at the conclusion of the opening challenge. These teams frequently changed throughout the season. In the daily challenge, the winning team becomes the Double Agents.

Players besides the Double Agents vote for one pair to participate in the elimination round; the team receiving the most votes is 'compromised,' and the player of the designated gender competes. The Double Agents are shown the nominated team and the individual votes, then at the Crater they vote for a second team to compete against the nominated team, or may volunteer for elimination. The player of the designated gender from the nominated team competes against the same-gender player from the selected team or the volunteer.

The loser is eliminated; the winner receives a Gold Skull. Winning an elimination earns a Gold Skull, a requirement to compete in the Final Challenge. Only ten skulls are available—five per gender. Once all five skulls for a gender are obtained, the only way to get a skull is to defeat a player who possesses one.

A player without a partner at any point is a Rogue Agent, ineligible to compete in the next daily challenge or be selected for elimination. The winner of an elimination may select any player of the opposite gender (excluding the Double Agents) as their partner; if that player was in an existing pair, their former partner either chooses a new partner, pairs with the agent without a partner, or becomes a Rogue Agent.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Double Agents was filmed in Iceland amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Cast and crew were tested every three days and quarantined before filming. Preparation took over ten months; filming locations were scouted virtually due to international travel restrictions. International crew occupied a hotel, while hired Icelandic locals returned home daily to maintain a bubble, kept separate from the cast through a tiered system represented by colored bands.

Production wore PPE and remained six feet from cast members. An on-premise club separate from the house was built as an alternative to local venues. During nine weeks of filming, none of the 3,000 COVID-19 tests returned positive.

Did You Know?

• Cast members who attended the reunion included CT, Nany, Kam, Cory, Leroy, Amber B., Kaycee, Josh, Devin, Tori, Aneesa, Fessy, Jay, Ashley, and Amber M.
• Big T, Kyle, Nelson, Nam, Gabby and Darrell appeared via satellite at the reunion.