Stephen Baldwin Exits 'Special Forces' After Just One Episode of Treacherous Challenges

No one expects every cast member on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test to make it all the way to the end. But the military training exercises and challenges are meant to test the contestants in a way they never have been to see how long they can stick it out. For Stephen Baldwin, that answer is one episode, because he left Special Forces during the Season 3 premiere.

But why did Stephen Baldwin leave Special Forces? He made the decision on his own, based on his health, a long with a few other factors. And he did explain during the episode why he felt the need to tap out so early. But it was also after he successfully completed the first major challenge, so some viewers were left wondering why he made that decision so early on in the season.

The first challenge in Season 3 of Special Forces involved jumping from a moving boat to a helicopter. That alone would probably be enough to cause some contestants to quit on the spot. However, everyone accomplished the task, including Baldwin. Later, he told the show's doctor that he needed to leave early for medical reasons.

The doctor was willing to examine Stephen after he listed off a series of complaints following that first test.

"I smashed my meniscus on the helicopter today and my back is in knots and I can't turn my head past there," Stephen told him.

However, Baldwin's reason for leaving after just one day appears to have been about a potential injury and another opportunity that, according to Baldwin on the show, stood to pay him a lot more money.

In a strange line of questioning with the doctor, Baldwin asked him if he would leave if he had a job lined up to pay him "10 times more" than being on Special Forces did. Apparently, Baldwin valued that opportunity far more than the one on this reality competition show. Because by the end of the premiere, he was the first one to willingly leave.

The contestants are led through each of their challenges by ex-members of the military. The challenges they face are real, and the danger and risk of injury is certainly legitimate, especially since most of the contestants each season don't have actual training experience.

One of the things that sets Special Forces apart from other reality competition shows is that there are no weekly eliminations. None of the players are given a special power to nominate others, and there is no dramatic vote either. Instead, the contestants test themselves and they typically decide when they can no longer continue with the military-style tests presented to them.

Whether they choose to leave for a person reason or a medical one, cast members can make that decision for themselves. They can also be disqualified by the staff. But there are no formal or scheduled eliminations each episode.

Watch Special Forces: World's Toughest Test on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Fox.