I believe Battle Camp is a fun show, but the elimination format made it frustrating at times

Battle Camp premiered on Netflix and wrapped its first season on April 23, 2025. The show brought together former reality stars from Too Hot to Handle, The Circle, The Mole, Cheer, and more, placing them in a camp environment where they competed in challenges for a $250,000 prize. It was fast-paced, competitive, and featured shifting team dynamics, betrayals, and emotional moments.

I believe Battle Camp is a fun show. The mix of physical tasks, social strategy, and cast chemistry made it entertaining from the start. However, as the season progressed, one aspect of the game became frustrating to watch — the elimination format. The spinning wheel, used to decide who leaves the competition, was based on performance, votes, and chance.

Contestants could excel in challenges yet still face elimination simply because of how the wheel turned. This randomness created suspense, but it also led to outcomes that didn’t feel earned. Watching players who had done everything right still get eliminated made me question how much control they really had. Even though the format stood out, I often found myself wishing it relied more on merit than luck.

Disclaimer: This Battle Camp article is based on the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.

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The elimination wheel of Battle Camp made the game hard to predict

From the start, Battle Camp established a layered elimination system. Each day, teams competed in challenges, with the winning team being safe. The losing teams had to nominate three players for a punishment round, two of whom went on the wheel. Then, the worst-performing team had all its players added to the wheel, and finally, the campers voted for one more name.

This process meant someone could have their name added multiple times — through challenge loss, poor performance, and team votes. In theory, it rewarded effort and teamwork, but once the wheel spun, luck took over.

I found it hard to stay invested when eliminations came down to chance. A camper could be on the wheel three times and still remain, while someone with just one name slot could be sent home. It didn’t always feel fair. I remember thinking, “Do I even root for someone if their fate’s just random?”

Episode after episode, strong players—those who were strategic, social, and solid in challenges—were eliminated. Meanwhile, others persisted despite contributing little. In an exclusive interview with ScreenRant on April 24, Louis said:

"I’ve got bad luck. So when I heard that wheel, I was like, ‘there’s nothing I can do."

It wasn’t about how well you played — it was about whether the wheel landed on your name. The unpredictability was exciting, sure, but it also made it feel like effort didn’t count. For me, a reality show is strongest when players earn their wins and losses; here, the wheel undercut that.

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The finale format worked better, but not enough to fix the flaw

Despite my frustration with the eliminations during the season, I thought the finale handled the wheel better. The last six campers had to redo challenges. Based on their performance, names were added to the wheel. Then, each remaining camper voted for who they wanted to win. More votes meant more name entries.

This system felt more earned. It balanced gameplay, strategy, and social dynamics. When the host said, “The final vote will help decide who deserves to win,” it made sense — it was the only time when the wheel felt like a conclusion to everything that came before.

But even then, chance still played a role. A strong contestant could get the most votes and still lose if the wheel didn’t land on them. That idea — that everything could come down to luck — didn’t sit well with me. To be fair, the wheel is what sets Battle Camp apart from other reality shows. It’s memorable, it creates tension, and it led to some wild twists.

However, I believe suspense shouldn’t come at the cost of fairness. If there’s a second season, I’d want to see more ways for players to earn safety or remove their names. Maybe reward wins more. Maybe allow players to trade or block wheel slots.

The randomness of life might make for good TV, but I’d rather see a competition where skill, loyalty, and decisions matter more than luck. Battle Camp was definitely fun — I binged it quickly — but it left me conflicted.

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Battle Camp season 1 episodes are currently streaming on Netflix.