Welcome to your new favorite game show, Floor is Lava.
In this episode, two teams battle each other
and the forces of nature
to claw and scratch their way to the exit of the Basement: Level Two.
Only one team will come out on top as long as they follow the rule:
Don't fall.
Why?
Because the floor is lava.
[cackles maniacally]
This is awesome.
It's a knockdown, drag out,
don't-embarrass-your-mama, head-to-head competition.
[bell dings]
[Rutledge narrrating in voiceover] First up, the Battling Bros.
Two military siblings and their 6'6" older brother.
If I'm goin' in that lava, I'm not getting messy.
The lava's gonna get messy. So, hey.
You hear that, lava?
Better watch out. Comin' for you.
[laughs]
And their challengers, the Retail Co-Workers,
who are very speedy behind a cash register.
Adrenaline is a crazy drug, so we'll see what happens.
[Anna chuckles]
Okey dokey.
Only one team will win the coveted Volcano of Victory,
an artifact that would fit into our collection
of knickknacks in the Basement.
This room is where we keep the creepy stuff, the shocking stuff,
and the stuff that will plain mess you up.
There are many ways to get from the entrance
to the cargo net that carries you to the exit,
and a few hidden secrets to help you on the way.
But almost every path crosses
the twisted heart of this room, the pyramid.
They say the pharaohs' tombs were cursed,
but our pyramid has doomed more contestants
than any obstacle ever.
And in this episode, we're making things even harder for our two teams
by removing one of the room's most useful items,
a painting of a bridge that you could use as a bridge.
Bye-bye!
May the best team win in "The Basement Strikes Back."
Let's meet the first team in this head-to-head competition.
They are three rough and ready brothers
who work in the church and serve in the military.
Meet Jordan, Nick and Christian.
I served four years in the US Navy.
I was a hull technician.
I'm currently in the US Marine Corp Reserve.
I'm a youth pastor at a church. I run the high school ministry.
We've been training for this thing our whole life.
We set up an insane obstacle course at our church.
We've been up this alley before.
I think we're ready.
The worst possible thing I think that can happen if we don't score any points
is going home to our mother and having her just rip us a new one for, you know...
She'll probably disown us.
I'm already out of the house, but these two are in trouble.
[Jordan] Oh, my gosh.
[Christian] Freakin' lava, man. Are you serious?
-[Nick] Look at this. -[Christian] That's from Easter Island.
Oh, my gosh.
Say, what's goin' on here?
[Rutledge on PA] Hello!
Your mission is to get as many of you to the exit as quickly as possible.
You score a point for each successful exit.
Concealed within this room are objects that can assist you, so be vigilant.
Most importantly, don't fall because the floor is...
[all] Lava!
[all cheer]
[Jordan] Oh, my God.
Wow!
This is freaky.
-We can't go home to Mom losers. -[Christian] We can't.
That's the biggest thing, here. She won't accept us.
[Rutledge narrating] They fear their mother
more than 80,000 gallons of lava?
-I must meet this woman. -[Nick] Go for it.
Christian, you're goin' this way.
-Make sure I don't fall off. -[Nick] You got that?
The brothers have devised a flanking maneuver.
Baby brother Jordan, bugging out on the wall.
-How you goin'? There you go. -There he is.
-You pull that rope. Get it. -[Nick] Yank that.
Yeah!
[all exclaim]
[Jordan] I knew that was a... I knew they were building it.
I knew they built the pyramids.
[Christian] You got this. There you go.
Take it slow, baby. Take it slow.
[Nick] Christian. Go, I'll spot you.
-You spotting? -Yeah.
-There you go! Attaboy! -[grunts]
And Christian's in the game, taking the route along the crates.
[Jordan exclaims]
Looks like Jordan is heading the hard way to Easter Island.
Why? Is it because he's a Marine? Or because he has mummy issues?
-[Nick] There you go. -Push yourself off the wall.
-[Christian] Let's do it. Yeah.
[Nick] There you go!
Whoo-hoo! I'm on your head! What's up? What's up?
That second head, looking displeased with Jordan's bragging.
-[Nick] That's a yeet, man. -No, don't do that. Don't do that.
I'm gonna watch from here. I'm gonna watch from here.
-I'm goin'. -Jordan, make it. Go ahead.
Careful. Watch your step.
-Watch your step, Jordan. -Ooh, hey there. What's your name?
His name is Frank, but he likes to be called Frank.
Let's see you, bro. Come on, you got this.
You got it, bro. Come on. It's just a big step.
Sure, it's a big step. A six-foot step over unforgiving lava.
Last time in the Basement,
the players had a painting to use as a bridge for easier gameplay.
That painting is now a Vincent van Gone
and players need more artful ways to cross.
Commit, dude. Full commit.
Throw your body at it. Come on, Christian.
[Jordan] Whoo! Whoo!
This sailor, having second thoughts. Good on water, scared on lava.
On three, all right? Ready?
Three...
Two...
One. Go, go, go.
[shoes squeak]
-[Jordan] There you go! -[Nick] Whoo!
Now that's what I call a crash landing.
Christian nearly slid into the lava, but as Chuck Yeager said,
"Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing."
-[Nick] All right. Let's do it. -[Jordan] All right. Here we go.
All right, Nick. That's all you. That's all you.
Jordan, you got this. Right here.
Nice and easy, Jordan.
It's like at home, but we don't get in trouble if we break stuff.
Like home? I don't have lava at home!
The Marines train for every scenario,
but from the Halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli,
you can bet this Marine has never had to conquer an Easter Island head or lava.
[Nick] Easy, boy. Easy, Christian.
There you go. There you go.
Navy man Christian puffing out his chest like a seaman on furlough.
All right. Here we go.
Let's go, Jordan!
[Nick] Here we go.
It's all you, bro.
Everybody's ready for Jordan, but Jordan is not ready to jump.
I'm goin' for it.
All right. Just don't be afraid to land like an idiot. [chuckles]
Oldest brother Nick about to make his first big move!
[Christian] You can do it!
[grunts]
Bro-dacious! That is a lot of man flyin' through the air.
All right, I'm just gonna go for it.
Just embrace the head with your body.
Go for the head!
[Nick] You just gotta full send yourself, bro.
Perfect.
-[Christian] All right. -Jordan, that's the launch point.
You got it, dude. You got it.
[Christian] Let's go!
[thumps]
-[Christian] He got it! Baby, let's go! -Let's go!
Whoa, he made it!
An incredibly difficult move. Now he just...
Oh, no! Brother down!
I'm drowning!
My brother!
Jordan manages to complete the tough face-to-face leap,
but he trips up on the move to the crate and is devoured by the lava.
Ugh.
Mom will not be happy her baby boy was left behind.
Semper fi, Jordan.
-Just try to position yourself to that. -Yeah.
Nick, looking at a nearly eight-foot trip to the pyramid tip.
Whoo! Here goes nothin', bro.
-Count me down, Christian. -Okay. To the light. All right.
Three...
Two...
-One. Let's do it! Yeah! -[grunts]
[grunts]
Dude, this is slippery.
Argh!
Check out this sweet stick I found.
Christian found the staff!
I got it!
Whoa, Nick knocks over the obelisk.
Now Christian can bring the staff to Nick
and together they can get to the ark to take a cargo net ride to the exit.
Will Christian deliver thy brother thy staff?
[Christian] Here you go. Hey, you're doin' great, bro.
Argh!
Just...
Oh, no!
But the staff is bobbing on the lava crust.
They could still use it. It's a miracle!
Easy step. Easy... There you go. There you go.
Christian, heading towards Nick
who cannot be comfy perched on that pyramid.
[Nick] Oh, perfect land. Good job. Way to be smart. Whoo, whoo, whoo!
Way to be smart, bro.
[Christian] The staff.
Okay.
Can you get to the ark?
Here, hand me that. Pass. Yeah, yeah.
Here, I'll take it. All right, go for it, dude.
I'll hand it back once you're on.
-Just jump? -Yeah, dude.
Just yeet yourself on top. Get high.
Get high. Jump high and forward.
It's a three-foot distance, but Christian has to leap up and over.
-[Nick] Get your feet up. -I'm tryin' to jump vertical.
-Or make yourself horizontal. -Just roll onto it?
Make it horizontal, yeah. You got it.
You got it, dude. You got it.
There you go!
There you go. Now do the thing. Do the thing.
Christian did the thing.
He inserted the staff into the ark
which means the lid of the ark has been unlocked.
-[Christian] All right. -I'm gonna help you out.
Once he fully extends that lid
it becomes a platform to reach the cargo net,
but the brothers can't dawdle
because that first step is about to go down,
along with their odds of reaching the exit.
Christian, can you get to the wheel?
You might have to send me across first.
That's fine.
Now Nick just needs to get off that pyramid.
Simple, right?
Argh, I don't know how do I get down from this thing.
-I don't know how. -Get onto that.
Nick's best option is the obelisk,
but so far, the pyramid has wiped out all who climb it.
You're gonna launch yourself so you land onto the obelisk.
-You're right. Here we go. -Right.
[grunts]
Nickolas! My last brother!
I'm sorry, Mom!
Nick tried with all he had, but he is no match for the pyramid.
I told you the pyramid is cursed.
Mom's firstborn is done.
There are no brothers left to crank the cargo net
for Christian to reach the stairs.
The cargo net swings, but not much.
Christian will have to use the momentum while the net is still swinging.
This is hard.
No, argh!
Oh! Into the lava, the last brother goes.
Jordan had a Good Friday on the Easter Island heads,
but the holiday ended early when he graced the lava with his presence.
[Nick] My brother!
Older brother Nick made the epic leap to the pyramid
and was able to knock down the obelisk,
but ultimately failed to overcome the curse of the pyramid.
Christian soldiered on, but couldn't swing it on the cargo net
and went into the lava.
When it comes to being the best at falling in the lava,
we've won that for sure.
And with that abysmal run,
the Battling Bros will have to find a new place to live
because Mom doesn't allow zeros in her home.
The next team in this head-to-head competition
comes from the world of retail.
Two of them are currently dating, the third is the boss,
and the dog stayed back to run the store in their absence.
Say hello to the Retail Co-Workers.
Karl and I met at school.
For an entire semester, he was tryin' to talk to me
and I was not up for it.
I kinda just stalked her, honestly.
He literally rode past her on Heelys.
-I had my Heelys on. -That's how he picked her up.
Persistence is key.
[chuckles]
[Ariane] Anna and I met at work. Karl...
I started working for the same company. They were both my bosses at some point.
I mean, she's my boss every day,
-pretty much. -Yes.
I'm the mom of the group.
I get that experience from being a manager.
I've always been a strategist.
It's very easy for me to just quickly strategize a plan.
When I was in high school, I was voted biggest klutz
because I couldn't go a day without hurting myself.
Yeah.
With the brothers failing to score,
this team will only need to get one of their three teammates
across the exit to win.
-We're like in Indiana Jones. -[Ariane chuckles]
Let's see how they deal with only one angry customer today.
First name, "la." Last name, "va."
[Rutledge on PA] Hello, Co-Workers!
Good luck making it across the Basement,
and remember, don't touch the floor because the floor is...
[all] Lava!
Oh, my God!
No! I do not like that.
[Anna] Okay.
Okay, let's have Karl go that way first and figure everything out from there.
While you and I just hang out?
We'll hang out and wait and see what's up.
All right, let's go.
Karl makes the first move since he's the strategist.
And I feel like if he pulls, maybe that'll fall?
You got it, Karl.
How will this physically smaller team do,
compared to those bigger bros?
Can't do worse.
[Karl] Oh, my God. That has more than two legs.
[Ariane] Just... I think, if you pull the rope, it might bring that down,
and we can use it to get across.
-Pull it? -[Anna] Yeah.
-Ew, ugh! -Okay.
[Anna] Okay.
Ew, look at that little dude.
Mummy's the word and the easier way onto the Easter Island head.
Should we also go that way?
I don't like that sound.
A piece of me wants to go this way.
Me, too, but...
-He made it. He made it. Okay. -[Karl] I made it.
It's gooey.
Should Anna and I go this way with you,
-or go that way? -Should we try to go this way?
This way. It's easier.
It's easier to grab.
Careful with the lava.
Should I start traversing?
-If you want. -You can try.
Just be careful and go slow.
I'm stepping on the...
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We come in peace.
Karl, apologizing to the alien mummy for stepping on her.
He's a strategist and a gentleman.
[Karl] Careful.
Anybody looking at this...
God, I almost... Oh, my God. That's gross.
[Ariane] Sorry, alien mummy.
[groans]
[Anna] Okay, I'm good, I'm good.
She's on the mummy!
And horrified.
You know, stepping on a mummy is bad luck...
-Reach with your hands, here. -...for the mummy.
...and then just kind of try and, like, come up.
All right, this one's really, really, really slippery...
-[exclaims] -[Karl] ...and the lava's very aggressive.
[Ariane] If you don't think you can do it, we'll go back the other way.
Climbing the head's mouth and nose puts Karl seven feet in the air.
[Ariane] It's all right. You can do it.
I think we have to jump.
-Do you think you can land? -Yeah.
Should I try?
-It's up to you. -Up to you.
-Do you think you can do it? -Can you do it?
The girls look nervous, and they should be.
Every landing onto that head has been at best an eyesore and a bodsore.
Let's go!
If he falls, we're screwed.
-Yes! -I made it.
Listen how excited he is!
Oh, my God. You are a freakin' spider monkey.
-[Ariane] All right, yes. -That one's very tricky.
We're going to have to go that way.
[Ariane] I don't think I can do that.
Okay. Okay.
-I'm scared. I really am. -I can go first.
Boyfriend Karl, showing off to impress girlfriend Ari.
Much more graceful than Jordan's jump.
Ari's impressed, and now scared to take that path.
The girls head back to the start to figure out a route that's less terrifying.
[Karl] I'mma try this one first, so I can watch you guys.
Karl, making the move that put Jordan in the lava.
He makes it!
[Ariane] I'm gonna hold you to reach.
The girls are back at the start. Take two.
[Ariane] Push. Okay.
[Anna] How am I gonna do this?
-Reach. Can you reach? -Yeah.
-[Anna grunts] -Okay, go up there.
The teamwork with these two is tremendous.
-[Karl] Okay. -All right.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
[Ariane] You got this. I'm goin' down.
I'm gonna move to this corner. Just so that if you need room to run.
[Karl] Ari, can you try?
-Do you want me to go first? -I think so. [chuckles]
Okay.
Just don't fall in the lava.
"Don't fall in the lava." Solid advice from boyfriend Karl.
[groans]
Nice!
[Ariane groans]
-It's slippery. -You can do it. You can do it.
Once you get to the corner, leap like a ballerina.
Anna, the boss, staring at the jump
like an employee she's afraid to fire.
-[Anna] Oh, my God! -[chuckles]
Nice.
-Nice. -I'm so proud right now.
Anna hot-foots it with an arabesque
like there's a chocolate fountain at the holiday party.
Makes the sailor's landing look like a bum's rush on a newly swabbed deck.
I think if we push that, it might tip over.
Does that fall?
Why the hell not?
[Anna] Do you think you can get to this pyramid or no?
I could try.
Because if you can, then you can push that thing.
Ari and I can go that way.
Karl, considering Anna's notion of using the pyramid.
That hasn't worked out well so far.
The pyramid claimed multiple victims from the last episode,
and Nick from just a couple minutes ago.
Uh, hello! Cursed much?
[Anna] Can you reach it from there?
Okay, Mr. Cool.
Don't get too confident.
[Anna and Ariane exclaim]
-[Anna] Yeah! -[Ariane] Okay!
-What's up? -[Karl] Okay.
That limp obelisk was no match for the powerhouse that is Karl.
Just try to survive, and don't get burned, okay?
Now that the obelisk is down,
the girls can use it as a bridge to join Karl on the ark.
[Anna] Just grab onto the box.
[Karl] Nice. Yeah, like that. Just like that, Anna.
Apprehension sets in on boss Anna...
[Anna groans]
...now that it's her turn to make a move.
I'm scared.
You can do it. You can do it!
[Karl] You got this, boss. You got it.
Just use the elephant so you don't tip over.
-Yeah. You got this. -[Ariane] You got this.
[Karl] Nice! Just like that.
Ew, okay.
Looks like Anna swallowed some lava.
That's gonna leave a bad taste in her mouth.
Grab this corner or do you want me to pull you up?
I'm kinda short. I can't reach.
-I got it. -You got this. You good?
-Yeah, I got it. Thank you, though. -Okay.
Holy hell, what's this?
I see a hole right here. Yeah.
-It looks like it fits. -[Ariane] Okay.
[Karl] Can you grab it?
Perfect.
Okay.
-[Karl] Nice. -[Ariane] Now what?
-Let Anna hold it. -[Ariane] Here you go.
[Karl] And then come to other side.
You got it? You got it?
Come down, I'll hold this.
[Anna] All right.
You can't come down with this.
[Karl] We need to hurry. We're running out of time.
[Ariane] You good?
[Karl] All right, give it back to Anna as she comes down.
Nice. Just like that.
You think you can pass over the staff to--
[Anna] Probably.
You got it? It's kinda slippery.
Lava may be flapping these co-workers, but it ain't stoppin' them.
[Karl] Okay.
-Stick it in. Okay. -[Anna] Do it.
[click]
[Karl] Okay.
That light is a sign. They're gonna let it shine.
[Ariane] There you go, Karl.
All right, grab onto this. Like, lean over.
Perfect. Come.
Okay.
That didn't look very...
-Come on right here. - ...sturdy.
Remember, they only need one point to win,
but they're looking at three!
You got this. Grab here, if you can, while keeping your feet still there.
-Kind of like a bridge. -Okay. Yeah.
And then like, step kind of over here. It's sturdy. It'll hold ya.
-You got this. -[Karl] Cool.
Get on top of it. Just get on top of it. Perfect.
Do you want to go first, or should I go first?
I can go first.
I'll do something first for once 'cause I--
All right, you got this.
-Steady your grip. -Can you do this?
-Yes. -I don't know how long I can hold myself.
[Karl] You got this.
You need to help me spin it?
-[Karl] I got it. -[Ariane] You got it?
-[Anna] All right, Karl. -[Karl] All right. Hang.
[Ariane] Go.
These co-workers are doing great.
Only one of the Battling Bros got this far.
This team is still intact.
-[Karl] Hold on. You got it. -[Ariane] You got it.
-[Karl] You got it. -[Ariane] Keep gripping.
You've got it.
-[Karl] You got it. -I'm up, I'm up, I'm up.
-[Karl] Spin it. -Because you can't reach?
-Do you want to go second? -[Karl] Yeah.
This is the only team to have gotten all three teammates to the ark,
and they only need one point to win!
-[Ariane] You got this, Anna! -[Karl] You got this.
[Anna grunts]
-[Karl] Just lean forward when you land. -[Ariane] You got it. Use your momentum!
Oh, God.
[effort grunts]
[Anna gasps]
-No! -Oh, no!
No!
Boss overboard.
Anna finally does something first,
but instead of ringing up a sale, the retailer checks out.
Karl the strategist, but more importantly, Ari's boyfriend, is up next.
[Karl] Oh, my God.
Ari has the fate of her boyfriend in her hands.
I'm losing steps.
It's descending.
You got this! You got this!
Twisting his body like a contortionist at the carnival,
can Karl writhe above it all?
You got it! You got it!
[Karl grunts]
Oh, no!
Karl tried with all his might,
but he had no plan to outsmart 80,000 gallons of strategist-eating lava.
Not much of a strategy there, buddy.
And then there was one... co-worker.
What is Ari doing?
It looks like she's avoiding the cargo net.
Where's she goin'?
[hisses]
Hissing at the lava to assert her dominance.
How is she gonna get to the exit?
No one's ever attempted this path, not once in Floor is Lava history.
[grunts]
If she can score one point, her team will win this competition!
Shoot. Okay.
It all comes down to this one jump.
-[thump] -[grunts]
Ari arrives!
The biggest klutz in high school is now the biggest clutch performer!
Ari's heroic drive deserves a spot in the Floor is Lava hall of fame.
No ifs, ands or buts about it.
With an astonishing seven-foot jump, Ari takes it home for her team.
The Co-Workers have won!
Their prize, ten grand and the Volcano of Victory.
Retail value, $10,029.
[all cheering]
-[all screaming] We won! -Congratulations! $10,000.
-[Karl] Wow! -[Ariane] Oh, my God.
I think that it brought us really close as friends in general,
not just as a team.
-That was the ultimate goal. -Though I hated the lava...
The lava texted me that it loved you. That's weird.
-Yeah, blocked. No. -[Rutledge] Totally blocked. Fair enough.
Congratulations. Enjoy.
-[Ariane] Thank you. -[Karl] Bye-bye.
[Ariane] Let's go buy all the stuff.
Well, they're headed back to the lava-free world.
I'll be here stokin' the fires and gettin' the lava angry
for the next mere mortals who think they can take it on.
All-new teams. All-new rooms.
The Floor is Lava.