Posted on December 6th, 2009 by Princess Kitty in Amazing Race
Aired 11-15-09
We picked back up in Stockholm, Sweden. After a mandatory rest period, first place team and Harlem Globetrotters Flight Time & Big Easy departed at 2:23AM. The teams had to travel by ferry 236 miles across the Baltic Sea to Tallinn, Estonia. Once there, they had to sort through keys to open the door at a building called Mustpeade. The Trotters seem to be viewing Sam & Dan as the biggest competition left in the race. They were hoping to get a good lead on the brothers but, at the ferry dock, they learned that the next boat to Estonia wasn’t going to leave until 5:45PM. It was looking like we’d get a race reboot.
The second team to depart was dating couple Meghan & Cheyne at 4:12AM. They had some trouble making decisions in the last leg but were now just focused on staying in the lead. They were followed by married couple Brian & Ericka at 4:37AM. They weren’t getting hung up on the fact that they had yet to win a leg of the race. Brian said the only leg that matters is the final one.
The brothers, Sam & Dan, were the 4th team out at 5:04AM. Sam was hopeful that they’d learned their lesson in the last leg and would be able to keep their bickering under control. The last team to depart was father and son duo, Gary & Matt, at 6:29AM. Gary said he’d been apprehensive about the race and, specifically, about son Matt seeing his flaws. He was grateful that Matt has been accepting. I’m not sure what those flaws were supposed to be. Together they’ve been one of the calmest and most likeable of teams.
They all made the 5:45PM ferry boat. The trip took about 16 hours but they did get sleeper cabins - that were about the size of a closet. Once they docked, the Trotters lead the charge off the ferry (with a fair amount of trash-talking) but it was Meghan & Cheyne who were the first to get a taxi. They were also the first to arrive at Mustpeade but the brothers were right behind them and the two teams worked together to find the correct key to open the door. Inside they found a Roadblock.
Roadblock
One team member had to join the Brotherhood of the Blackheads (a secret society of merchants) to solve a mystery. They would go into the cellar (where a Blackhead party was taking place) and find a candelabra with a room number attached. They then had to locate that room where they would be given a blank scroll. They had to figure out that the writing would only show if the scroll was held over a lit candle. Cheyne and Sam took the challenge.
Brian & Ericka and Gary & Matt were the next to arrive at Mustpeade but this was also the location of the Speed Bump. Since Gary & Matt had been saved from elimination on the last leg, they had to perform an additional task. They had to take a 5 minute sauna with some locals in a Saunabuss – yes, a bus that was a sauna. They were relieved it was something that simple.
By the time Brian & Ericka got the door open, the Trotters had arrived and just followed them in. Ericka and Flight Time set about to solve the mystery. Locating the rooms proved to be harder than it seemed. Even though Cheyne and Sam had been looking for quite a while, it was Flight Time who was the first to locate his room. Unfortunately he didn’t benefit from this because he fell for a trick. The show put a little red crayon next to the scroll so Flight immediately started rubbing the crayon all over the scroll.
Cheyne was the next to find his room and he had much better luck with the scroll. He immediately took it to the candle and quickly saw the next clue taking the racers to the Pikk Hermann Tower Garden. Ericka also got the clue quickly and the two teams headed to the Tower together.
Gary & Matt finished their sauna and got the Mustpeade door open but their troubles were just beginning. Poor Matt had no clue what a candelabra was. It was a little sad watching him wander about the cellar trying to get one of the Blackheads to tell him what it was. While Matt was stuck in the cellar, Sam and Flight Time finally found the Tower clue.
Eventually Matt figured out that the “candle” part of candelabra was important and started looking for his room.
Detour
Brian & Ericka and Meghan & Cheyne found the cluebox in the Tower Garden and it was a Detour. The choices were “Serve” and “Sling”. In “Serve” the teams had to play volleyball against a local team – in a bog. They would be knee deep in muck and would have to score 5 points. In “Sling” the teams still had to stand in the mud but would use a slingshot to fire vegetables at a target. When they hit the target, a table full of cabbages would fall revealing the clue. Both teams opted for “Serve” and headed out to find a taxi. They both spotted one at the same time but Brian let Meghan & Cheyne take it as long as the cab driver called another taxi for them. Meghan then proceeded to order their driver not to call.
Meanwhile Matt found the clue about Pikk Hermann Tower – but he missed the word Garden. It really wasn’t looking good for this pair.
Sam & Dan and Flight & Easy got to the garden and also went with the volleyball. The two teams argued a bit over who spotted a taxi first but, since it was a van, ended up sharing it. There was definitely some frustration building between these teams.
After losing a significant amount of time trying to get into the Tower, Gary & Matt finally spotted the cluebox. They decided to do the slingshot challenge.
Meghan & Cheyne were the first to arrive at the Detour spot and they immediately stripped down to their undies and crawled into the muck. The game was a mess – but pretty funny. The dating couple scored their five points before any other team had arrived at the site. The next clue directed them to run to the Pit Stop at the Keava Raba Overlook Tower. They checked in first and won a red cedar sauna.
Meanwhile Brian & Ericka, Flight & Easy and Sam & Dan wandered about the bog looking for the Detour spot. Once they figured out where they were going, the guys all outran Ericka. Because only two teams could play volleyball at one time, she and Brian went a few steps over to the slingshot challenge. Sadly for them, they missed seeing Sam & Dan in their underwear in the mud. Now normally that wouldn’t be a big deal but, with these two, there was some serious pixilation of a certain area of their anatomy. We’ve had a lot of underwear moments on this show but I don’t ever remember this much censoring being needed.
The Trotters won their game first but headed in the wrong direction to find the tower. This resulted in a footrace between them and the brothers. Flight and Dan collided along the narrow wooden path and both wiped out. Dan got up quickly but Flight seemed a bit banged up.
Sam & Dan checked in 2nd.
Flight Time & Big Easy were 3rd.
Host Phil Keoghan could sense the tension between the teams. Dan said that Flight came up behind him and tried to push him taking them both down. Easy thought Dan had thrown an elbow to knock out Flight. The show aired the collision a couple times and, I have to say, Dan’s account seemed more accurate. Anyway, Easy said they didn’t realize that the physical stuff was in play adding, “I’m 6′10″, 260, so we’re gonna do what we gotta do.” I like the Trotters, but that comment made Big Easy look ridiculous.
The editing made it seem that Gary & Matt arrived at the challenge site just as Brian hit the target. I suspect they were much further behind than that.
Brian & Ericka checked in 4th.
Gary & Matt kept going. They hit the target with a radish and ran to the tower where Phil told them they were eliminated. Gary broke down as he talked about how proud he was of his son. Coming into the show these two were depicted as not being particularly close but they have been one of the most delightful child/parent teams ever. They were always kind, patient and respectful of each other.
Next Week: We’re in Prague and Sam & Dan steal Brian & Ericka’s taxi. Hmmm. I’m not sure it’s wise for them to make an enemy of yet another team.
Full episodes and bonus clips of TAR are available at CBS’ website here:
Posted on November 18th, 2009 by Princess Kitty in Amazing Race
Aired 11-08-09
We picked up at the Pit Stop in Northern Holland. After the mandatory rest period, brothers Sam & Dan were the first to depart at 9:33PM. The teams had to fly to Stockholm, Sweden. Once there, they had to travel by train and ferry to the Tivoli Grona Lund amusement park and locate one of those demon drop-type rides. The brothers were excited to have a real first-place finish but they seemed in a crabby mood as they headed to the airport.
Dating couple, Meghan & Cheyne, were in 2nd place leaving at 9:48PM. They’ve been dating for over 4 years and Cheyne sees marriage in their future. He thinks their success so far in the race is a good indication of their compatibility. Harlem Globetrotters, Flight Time & Big Easy, followed at 10:32PM. It was Flight Time’s birthday and he wanted a victory.
Father and son team, Gary & Matt, were the 4th team to depart at 11:08PM. Gary’s now the oldest competitor in the race but Matt said he doesn’t seem like it. He’s always trying to keep up with his dad.
At the airport we found out there were two morning flights to Stockholm – one at 6:55AM and one at 9:25AM. Unfortunately the ticket counter didn’t open until 5:30AM so they settled in for a long wait.
The last team to depart was married couple, Brian & Ericka, at 1:38AM. They had a rough time during the last leg but persevered and made it through. Brian said that they’re excited to have the chance to show what a good team they make especially to Ericka’s mom who is still not comfortable with their interracial marriage.
Once the ticket counter opened, Meghan & Cheyne, Sam & Dan and Flight Time & Big Easy got tickets for the 6:55AM flight. Gary & Matt and Brian & Ericka were stuck on the later one.
In Stockholm, the first three teams made a dash to buy train tickets. Meghan & Cheyne and Sam & Dan made the first train but Flight & Easy had trouble with the ticket machine and had to catch the next one. The brothers and the dating couple had some success working together on the last leg and that continued at the amusement park. The next clue instructed them to have one team member ride the demon drop. While going up they had to look around for an arrow pointing them in the direction of the next clue. Cheyne and Sam helped each other find the arrow.
They quickly got to that next clue and found they had to play a ring toss game. In a plug for Travelocity, they had to toss a ring on to a cone. If the cone was covering a Travelocity gnome, they’d get the next clue on the bottom of the gnome. They would also have to carry the gnome with them for the rest of the leg. Both teams had no trouble getting a gnome. The next clue was a Detour.
Detour
The choice was between “Nobel Dynamite” and “Viking Alphabet”. In “Nobel Dynamite” the teams had to fill sandbags to create a protective bunker at a rock quarry. They then had to set off an explosion to unearth a box containing the next clue. In “Viking Alphabet”, the teams had to decode a message using the ancient Viking alphabet. Not a single team wanted to do that. They all wanted to blow stuff up.
Flight had to do the demon drop because it had a height limitation of 6′4″ and Big Easy was just too big. Flight had no trouble finding the arrow.
The other flight finally arrived and this time it was Gary & Matt who missed the first train out. Brian & Ericka’s luck seemed to be improving. Ericka easily found the arrow. About 15 minutes later, Matt was on the ride and also found the arrow on the first try.
The three leading teams arrived at the dynamite detour at the same time. We were then treated to a long scene of Meghan yelling at Cheyne. She wanted help and encouragement and for him to work with her but, mostly, she just seemed to want to yell his name over and over again. I like Meghan but she seriously needed a sedative.
The brothers were the first ones done with their bunker and happily set off their explosion. The next clue sent them to Bogs Gard Farm. The Globetrotters quickly followed them. It didn’t seem like Meghan & Cheyne were all that far behind but Meghan was still quite agitated.
Meanwhile, Gary & Matt fell further behind as they got lost looking for the rock quarry.
The brothers were the first to the farm and found the next clue. It was a Roadblock.
Roadblock
In a race “switchback”, one member of each team had to unroll hay bales in search of one of seven flags. In a previous season, one team searched for 10 hours and unrolled over 100 bales but never found their clue. The farm was also the Pit Stop so, once a team found a flag, it was just a short jog to Phil and the mat. Sam took the challenge and Dan “helped” by screaming at him nonstop. And I do mean nonstop.
Meghan & Cheyne arrived and, unbelievably, Cheyne didn’t volunteer to do the challenge. He just stood there when Meghan asked him. Finally she said, “Fine, I’ll do it ’cause you don’t want to do it.” Maybe she did have reason to yell at him. This was clearly a physically demanding challenge and, while Meghan’s an athletic woman, Cheyne certainly has more upper body strength. He said he didn’t do it because Meghan seemed to be “taking the lead” on the leg but, frankly, it looked like he wussed out. Between these two teams, this was one cranky roadblock. The mood didn’t even get lighter when Big Easy joined in.
Brian & Ericka blew up their box ahead of Gary & Matt but it seemed the father and son had made up some time.
Sam & Dan continued their screaming match and I think at one point Sam flipped his brother off. I couldn’t blame him. Dan was taking obnoxious to a new level. Meanwhile, Easy was the first to find a flag. He and Flight Time checked in and host Phil Keoghan informed them they’d won a trip for two to Turks and Caicos. It was a good birthday present for Flight Time.
Brian & Ericka arrived and, sensibly, Brian did the challenge. Gary & Matt were right behind and Gary began searching as Sam & Dan were still fighting and Meghan dissolved into tears. Eventually the light bulb flickered on for Dan and he realized what a jerk he was being.
Meghan was the next to find a flag and decided to psych out Cheyne by running to him screaming that she couldn’t do it anymore. He thought it was the funniest thing ever.
Meghan & Cheyne checked in 2nd. Cheyne said he was overwhelmed with pride at how Meghan performed.
Brian was the next to find a flag and he and Ericka checked in 3rd place.
Sam was next and he and Dan checked in 4th. Dan broke down saying that he wasn’t proud of the way he behaved.
Gary kept plugging away and, as the sun appeared to be setting, he found a flag. Phil informed the pair that they were the last team but – it was a non-elimination leg. They would survive to race another day. Matt said his dad was Superman and never gave up.
Next Week: We discover that Matt doesn’t know what a candelabra is and things get tense between the brothers and the Trotters.
Full episodes and bonus clips of TAR are available at CBS’ website here:
Posted on November 8th, 2009 by Princess Kitty in Amazing Race
Aired 11-01-09
We opened at the second Pit Stop in Dubai as Meghan & Cheyne departed first at 1:13PM. The teams had to fly over 3000 miles to Amsterdam. Once there, they would drive themselves to a 19 mile causeway called Afsluitdijk and locate the Lely Monument and the next clue. The dating couple knew they had a target on their backs but their plan was to just stay in first place. Unfortunately for them, they discovered that the first flight to Amsterdam wasn’t until midnight so their lead was gone. They had a pretty good one too because team two, poker players Maria & Tiffany, didn’t leave until 3:09PM. Right behind them were brothers Sam & Dan who left at 3:10PM
Husband and wife team, Brian & Ericka, were in 4th place and left at 3:25PM. Ericka displayed some self-awareness when she said she knew she was yelling at Brian a lot and she hated that she’s doing that. Her hope was that, in recognizing it, she could get some control over it.
Father and son team, Gary & Matt, were 5th departing at 3:34PM and Harlem Globetrotters teammates, Flight Time & Big Easy left last at 4:20PM.
Indeed, all the teams got booked for the midnight flight and they had some down time together at the airport. The first thing the group wanted was the real story of what happened with Mika & Canaan at the giant waterslide. Big Easy gave them the scoop and, humorously, conveyed the little mind game he played with Mika. Sam & Dan, who were in an alliance with Maria & Tiffany and had done a lot of flirting with the girls, decided to come out as gay to the whole group. Brian responded that now their matching red swimsuits made sense. Tiffany said she and Maria might be a little disappointed that they aren’t available but they are still the most gentlemanly guys in the race.
In Amsterdam, things got off to a rough start when Brian couldn’t figure out how to put the car in drive. The other five teams arrived at the statue together. The next clue instructed the teams to drive to the city of Groningen and locate the highest building named Martinitoren. Brian & Ericka arrived shortly after and Ericka was already in full scream mode.
Meghan & Cheyne got to Martinitoren first and discovered a Roadblock.
Roadblock
One team member had to climb to the top of the building while counting the number of bells in the carillon. If they got the correct count of 62 they’d be presented with the next clue. Meghan took the challenge and she teamed up with Sam so they could get it done quickly. Flight Time and Matt started soon after. Tiffany and Ericka also joined in the search before any other team had finished.
Matt got the correct count first and he and Gary got the next clue taking them to the town of Vierhuizen de Marne. Sam and Meghan quickly followed and, on the way out of the bell tower, Sam gave the answer to Tiffany. Meghan & Cheyne weren’t crazy about that move but continued working with the brothers. The two teams pitched in to hire a cab driver to lead them to Vierhuizen de Marne. This put them ahead of Gary & Matt who were looking for directions.
Flight Time got the correct number next leaving just Ericka counting the bells and, wow, did she have a tough time of it. She went up and down the stairs repeatedly counting and getting more and more emotional.
Sam & Dan got to the windmill in Vierhuizen de Marne first and found a Detour.
Detour
The choice was between “Farmer’s Game” and “Farmer’s Dance”. In both cases the teams had to first don traditional Dutch costumes (including wooden shoes) and ride a bike to the task. For the sake of comedy, one person would wear a male costume and one would wear a female costume regardless of the makeup of their team. In “Game”, the teams would first have to find a creek, strip down to their traditional Dutch underwear, and swim across. Then they would have to play a game that looked like golf with giant balls. They would have to play three holes using 8 or fewer strokes for each. If they went over 8 they would have to go back to the beginning. In “Dance”, the teams would first have to ring the bell at the top of a high striker. Then they would have to learn and perform a Dutch folk dance. Finally, they’d have to cap it all off by eating some salted herring and onions. Sam & Dan and Meghan & Cheyne opted for the game. Gary & Matt and Maria & Tiffany went for the dance.
Back at the bell tower, Ericka dissolved into tears and sought out Brian. He calmed her down and sent her back in. He actually was remarkably sweet and patient with her. It must be their yin and yang. Meanwhile, Sam & Dan effortlessly moved through the golf game while Meghan & Cheyne (mostly Meghan) struggled. The brothers quickly got the final clue instructing them to bike to the Pit Stop at Zoutkamp Harbor.
Gary & Matt were in the midst of learning the dance when Matt suddenly realized they’d have to eat herring. Matt apparently has some major fish issues so they high-tailed it over to the golf game.
Meghan finally got the hang of the golf game and she and Cheyne were on their way to the Pit Stop. Maria & Tiffany made it to the dance challenge but hit a wall at the high striker. Tiffany could only hit hard enough to get the ringer about 3/4 of the way up. Maria, on the other hand, seemed to barely be able to pick up the sledgehammer.
Flight & Easy finally got to the Detour. I’m not sure how they managed to fall so far behind. They decided to do some dancing.
Ericka got the right number and was greeted with a big hug by Brian who told her how proud he was that she hadn’t given up.
Sam & Dan checked in first. Host Phil Keoghan informed them they’d won a sand buggy.
Maria & Tiffany gave up on the striker and headed to the golf game. Meanwhile, Flight and Easy delighted the Dutch folk dancers. They were adorable – even when eating the herring.
Meghan & Cheyne were 2nd.
The wheels continued to come off for Brian & Ericka. They didn’t fully read the Detour and headed off to the dance challenge on foot instead of using the bikes. It was a long walk in wooden shoes and Ericka did a lot of carrying on about it.
After a few tries, Gary & Matt figured out the golf game and finished. Maria & Tiffany, however, were having a terrible time. Finally they decided to head back to the dance. They still couldn’t get the high striker to work and they ended up hugging each other while the tears flowed.
Flight Time & Big Easy checked in 3rd.
Gary & Matt were team number 4.
It was now a battle between the meltdown teams. The girls headed back to the golf game and Brian & Ericka finally made it to the dance.
Brian, like all the male racers, had no trouble with the high striker. Ericka found her center as the dancing began. She described it as the moment she fell in love with Brian all over again. I was a little concerned how Miss America would handle the herring but, by then, her sense of humor had returned and she ate it like a trooper.
Meanwhile, poor Maria & Tiffany were in the midst of a disaster. They still couldn’t figure out the golf game and were exhausted from all the running around and from all the swings of the sledgehammer.
Brian & Ericka borrowed a couple of bikes and headed to the Pit Stop. They checked in 5th but had to wait out a 30 minute penalty for not using the correct bikes. The girls were still stuck at the golf game so the 30 minutes came and went and Brian & Ericka were officially team 5.
Phil ended up going to the golf field to meet with the girls. They told him they could not foresee being able to finish the challenge. They knew that would mean their elimination. They held on to each other through the whole thing. I felt bad for them because they didn’t lose by making a mistake. They just weren’t physically strong enough to pull off either Detour.
Next Week: The racers blow stuff up in Stockholm and it’s Meghan’s turn to have the mandatory meltdown.
Full episodes and bonus clips of TAR are available at CBS’ website here:
Posted on November 1st, 2009 by Princess Kitty in Amazing Race
Aired 10-25-09
We picked back up in Dubai with Dating couple, Meghan & Cheyne, departing the Pit Stop at 8:17AM. The first clue of the new leg instructed them to choose a locked briefcase and travel by taxi to the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. I got a big kick out of that name. At the Club, they would have to search the marina boardwalk for the next clue. Meghan admitted to being the high-strung one but, so far, she hasn’t been all that bad. They seemed to have a pretty good head start because we followed them to the Yacht Club and learned the next clue before anyone else had even started the leg. Meghan & Cheyne found a Roadblock.
Roadblock
One member of the team had to row an inflatable dingy to a yacht anchored off shore. On the yacht, a sheik would present them with a watch to depict the Arab custom of hospitality. They then had to row back to shore and figure out that the time on the watch (8:35) was the combination to the briefcase containing the next clue. Cheyne took the challenge.
Married couple, Brian & Ericka, were second leaving at 9:59AM. Wow! Meghan & Cheyne had over an hour and a half lead. Brian commented that people might think Ericka is “Pageant Patty” (she’s a former Miss America) but she can rough it when necessary. Ericka replied that, as long as she can start the day with her make-up and hair done, everything will be fine.
Harlem Globetrotters, Flight Time & Big Easy, left in the 3rd spot at 10:42AM. I think this is the most spread out we’ve seen a leg start all season. Father and son, Gary & Matt, followed at 10:45AM. I really like this pair. Their backstory is that they weren’t particularly close but they’ve been getting along quite well. Matt brought along extra hair dye so he could keep rocking his hot pink look. Dad Gary helped him dye it the night before and dad laughed that they’ve been getting very close on this trip.
Cheyne completed the boat trip before anyone else had arrived at the marina. The next clue instructed them to take a taxi to Abra Station - a water taxi port in the old section of Dubai. Brian & Ericka seemed to arrive soon after and Brian did the challenge commenting that Ericka doesn’t do water.
Back at the starting point, brothers Sam & Dan left in the 5th spot at 11:34AM. They felt good about their alliance with Maria & Tiffany because, as Dan pointed out, if it came down to a footrace they could outrun the girls. They actually figured that only the Globetrotters could beat them.
Speaking of the Trotters, this leg got off to a rough start for them as their cab driver took them to the wrong yacht club. That delay allowed Brian to finish and Gary to start the Roadblock before the Trotters arrived.
At Abra Station, Meghan & Cheyne found a Detour.
Detour
The choice was between “Gold” and “Glass”. In “Gold” the teams had to locate a specific jewelry store and use a precision scale to weigh out $500,000 worth of gold. They would have to figure out that they needed to divide $500,000 by the per ounce exchange rate shown on the store’s monitor. They would have to work quickly because the rate was constantly changing. In “Glass” the teams had to head to a spice market and assemble a crate full of hookah pipes. They had to use all the parts and match the pipes exactly to three display models. Meghan & Cheyne opted for “Glass”.
Poker players, Maria & Tiffany, were the 6th team to depart at 11:47AM followed by newly dating couple, Mika & Canaan, who were the last to leave at 11:54AM. Mika commented that Canaan is quite a bit more competitive than she.
Flight Time & Big Easy finally made it to the right place and Easy (who really is big) got in the little boat and was lost when it came to rowing. He ended up paddling with his hands. Dan followed and did the same thing.
Meanwhile, Meghan was freaking out a bit with the hookah pipes. Stress really isn’t her best thing but Cheyne seemed to handle it well. Brian & Ericka opted for the “Gold” challenge and had no trouble understanding the calculation – Brian just had trouble doing it without a calculator.
Big Easy ran into trouble when it came time to use the watch to decode the briefcase lock. He got so stuck on the little hand being on the 8 and the big hand being on the 7 that he was missing the obvious answer. Eventually Dan, Tiffany and Canaan came and went before Easy figured it out. In the midst of all this, Mika had the cringe moment of the episode as she asked Canaan, in all seriousness, if the Muslim clock worked differently. Oh, Mika. On the plus side, it was nice to see how well the Trotters handled their adversity. Flight never came close to losing his temper while he waited for Easy and they both kept their sense of humor (and perspective) about the whole thing.
After struggling a while with the gold calculation, Brian & Ericka bailed and headed over to the pipes. Gary & Matt also opted for the pipes but neither pair made it there before Meghan & Cheyne finished. The next clue took them to the Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai Resort. There they would have to find, and slide down, a 6 story waterslide set at a 90 degree angle. Now see, this kind of crazy thing is why I’ll never be able to do TAR.
The alliance was still going strong as Sam & Dan and Maria & Tiffany ran into each other at the jewelry store. The girls knew the calculation and the boys had a calculator. They made quick work of it.
At the waterslide, both Meghan & Cheyne confessed to being afraid of heights but they did the jump quickly without thinking much about it. They got the final clue taking them to the Pit Stop at Dolphin Bay Beach. Meghan & Cheyne checked in 1st and each won a personal watercraft.
Back at the pipes, Brian & Ericka watched their lead fade as they just couldn’t get the pipes right. They were still there as Mika & Canaan and Flight Time & Big Easy joined the group. Working in the hot sun was also taking a toll as Matt started to feel faint. Brian managed to keep his cool and eventually figured out that they had the hoses on the wrong pipes. They were on their way to the slide.
Flight & Easy realized that it took Brian & Ericka two hours to do the pipes so they headed to the “Gold” task. Maria & Tiffany and Sam & Dan completed the waterslide and headed to the Pit Stop.
Maria & Tiffany were team number 2.
Sam & Dan checked in 3rd.
The Trotters arrived at the jewelry store and had a pretty easy time measuring out the gold. For starters, Easy went to the shop next door and simply borrowed a calculator.
Brian & Ericka were 4th.
Easy said the others probably thought they were crazy to do a math challenge – especially after he fell on his face telling time - but they aced it.
Gary & Matt were 5th.
At the waterslide, Mika & Canaan had an ugly meltdown. Mika put on a pair of water wings (I’m not kidding) and promptly turned into a 6 year old. Don’t get me wrong, I have a ton of sympathy for her fears. I would have been terrified, and I don’t know if I could have done it, but Mika’s regression to Grade School was a bit much. The only thing worse was Canaan’s reaction. He acted like a bully – plain and simple. At one point it looked like he actually tried to force Mika down the slide. Mika was still sitting at the top when Flight & Easy showed up. The rules said Mika & Canaan had two minutes from the Trotters arrival to do the challenge or they’d lose their spot. As Canaan tried to cajole Mika, the Trotters started up about how high the slide was and how Mika shouldn’t do it because she might get hurt. Canaan called Easy a piece of crap for acting that way. What Flight & Easy did was mean, and I was disappointed in them, but Canaan had no room to talk. Mika never did go down the slide.
Flight Time & Big Easy checked in 6th.
Mika & Canaan were last. Host Phil Keoghan informed them that they had been eliminated from the race. Mika said she felt like she’d let Canaan and herself down. Canaan said in an interview that he didn’t hold what happened against Mika. He stated there was “freedom in forgiveness” and no one was perfect – including himself. Um, you can say that again. At this point I think Canaan should be less concerned with forgiving Mika and more concerned with whether or not she forgives him.
Next Week: Ericka has a meltdown and Flight Time & Big Easy do some dancing.
Full episodes and bonus clips from TAR are available at CBS’ website here:
Posted on October 24th, 2009 by Princess Kitty in Amazing Race
Aired 10-18-09
We picked up in Phnom Penh, Cambodia after the heartbreaking elimination of Zev & Justin. They, technically, won the leg but had to pack up and leave because they lost their travel documents. This meant that brothers Sam & Dan moved into the top spot and were the first to depart at 12:25PM. The clue instructed the teams to fly to the Persian Gulf and locate the world’s tallest building. They had to figure out that this meant going to the Burj Dubai – a building nearly twice the height of the Empire State Building. Once they got to the building, they had to find a fountain and sign up for one of two groups going up to the 124th floor to find the next clue. The brothers were hopeful that leaving first would give them a good chance at winning a leg for real.
Harlem Globetrotters, Flight Time & Big Easy, were the second team to depart at 12:27PM. Husband and wife, Brian & Ericka, were 3rd at 12:30PM. Brian called the race a “big game of Karma” so they were trying to be nice and helpful to everyone. I was really impressed that Ericka knew that the tallest building was in Dubai without having to look it up. Father and son, Gary & Matt, followed at 12:35PM. Dating couple Meghan & Cheyne were in the 5th spot leaving at 12:37PM.
Sam & Dan arrived at the airport and actually tried to get tickets to “the Persian Gulf”. Luckily for them, Brian & Ericka showed up to explain that they really wanted to get to Dubai. Engaged couple Lance & Keri were in the 6th spot departing at 12:47PM. These two are quite a pair but they actually had a cute moment as Keri talked about how nothing could ever tear them apart and Lance added that they also had a lot of non-refundable deposits on the wedding.
Newly dating couple, Mika & Canaan, were 7th departing at 12:49PM. Mika doesn’t like heights and, when Canaan made a little crack about her needing to get over that, we could see that the bloom was starting to fade on this relationship. In last place were poker players Maria & Tiffany who left at 12:55PM. They were in the race only because of Zev & Justin’s misfortune but felt they could still be real contenders.
All the teams ended up on the same flight to Dubai by way of Bangkok. It was a race reboot. Once they arrived, things got off to a good start for Maria & Tiffany as they were the first to arrive at the fountain. They were joined in group one by Brian & Ericka, Sam & Dan and Meghan & Cheyne.
Meanwhile, Canaan was doing a fabulous job of acting like the ugly American. He had a major tantrum when their cab driver didn’t know the location of the fountain. It made me cringe. They ended up being the first team to sign up for group two. Lance & Keri, Flight Time & Big Easy and Gary & Matt joined them.
The first group headed up to the 124th floor at 5:30AM and the second group followed at 5:45AM. The excursion turned out to be anticlimactic. They just got off the elevator and walked over to get the clue. Nothing else. The only good part of it was hearing Brian refer to Meghan & Cheyne as “Team Malibu Ken and Barbie”. The next clue instructed the teams to find a pool of marked cars in the Dubai Mall parking structure. They had to drive the cars into the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve which looked exactly like one would picture the desert looking. At the Reserve, they’d have to take a ride across the sand in a 4×4 to the next clue. There was also a Fast Forward in the envelope. A Fast Forward is a task that only one team can complete and it allows them to skip everything else and go straight to the Pit Stop. For the FF, a team had to find the Dubai Autodrome – basically a big race track. One member of the team would have to drive a racecar around the track in under 45 seconds. Meghan & Cheyne laid claim to the FF immediately and no one challenged them for it.
Meanwhile, the other teams headed to the parking garage and found the cars with relative ease – except for Lance & Keri. They knew they’d gone in the opposite direction of everyone else but still went their own (wrong) way. Once they finally found a car, they proceeded to get lost (and bicker) on their way to the Reserve. They weren’t alone in this as Mika & Canaan also got lost.
At the Reserve, Brian & Ericka, Maria & Tiffany and Sam & Dan arrived together. They found a Roadblock.
Roadblock
One member of the team had to search the desert for urns buried in the sand and filled with water. To up the frustration, a bunch of urns with no water were also buried. They had to find enough water to fill a traditional bag. Once the bag was presented to a Bedouin and his camels, they’d get the next clue. Brian, Tiffany and Dan took the challenge. Big Easy and Matt soon joined in the hunt.
Meanwhile, Cheyne easily handled the race track while Meghan cried at the finish line. I’m not really sure why she was crying. She said something about not being in control of everything, but I’m thinking the desert heat was just getting to her. For winning the FF, they got to ride in a Maserati to the Pit Stop at the Souk Madinat Jumeirah.
Brian was the first to find water in the desert. He stuck with his Karma code and whispered the location to Tiffany and Dan as he headed back to the camels. He and Ericka got the next clue taking them to a facility called Ski Dubai – an indoor ski resort. On their way to the snow, they passed Mika & Canaan and gave them directions to the Reserve. Ericka said that Brian was much nicer than her and, despite what people might expect from a former Miss America, she can pull the claws out when she wants.
Maria and Dan found the water Brian directed them to but, as they were leaving the Reserve, Maria ran over something and punched a hole in the radiator of her car. The poker players’ alliance with the brothers was still going strong and Sam & Dan waited with them until the replacement car arrived.
Meghan & Cheyne checked in first at the Pit Stop. Host Phil Keoghan informed them they’d won a trip for two to Jamaica. Things were looking good for Malibu Ken & Barbie.
Lance & Keri finally arrived at the Reserve and found only Canaan still searching for water.
On the way to Ski Dubai, Brian missed an exit and it was Gary & Matt who arrived first and found the Detour.
Detour
The choices were “Build a Snowman” or “Find a Snowman”. In “Build” the teams had to carry snow outside into the heat and build a snowman before the snow melted. In “Find” they had to sled down the indoor mountain and then dig through a mound of snow in search of a tiny toy snowman. The screen graphic showed it was 28 degrees in the resort and 120 degrees outside. That’ll steam up your glasses. Gary & Matt opted to dig for the toy snowman as did Brian & Ericka, Sam & Dan, Maria & Tiffany and Flight Time & Big Easy who all arrived soon after. Proving there might be something to Karma after all; Ericka was the first to find a snowman and seemed to do it pretty quickly. She and Brian were on their way to the Pit Stop.
Meanwhile, Canaan found water and Lance & Keri fell further behind. Even after Lance completed the task, things got worse as they got lost again looking for the ski resort. It was pretty clear that the race was coming to an end for these two. The show started to give them the sympathetic edit and, I can’t believe I’m saying this, they were almost likeable. At the same time, we watched as Mika & Canaan also got lost and they (especially Canaan) were becoming more and more obnoxious.
Gary & Matt and Maria & Tiffany abandoned the search and headed out into the heat to build snowmen.
Brian & Ericka checked in 2nd.
Sam & Dan also decided to switch to the “Build” task and, as soon as they left, the Globetrotters found a snowman and were on their way to the Pit Stop.
Gary & Matt finished building their snowman just as Mika & Canaan started.
Flight Time & Big Easy were 3rd.
Gary & Matt were 4th.
Sam & Dan were 5th.
The editing made it appear that Lance & Keri were arriving at Ski Dubai as Mika & Canaan were leaving but I suspect they were much further behind than that.
Maria & Tiffany were team number 6.
Mika & Canaan were 7th.
Lance & Keri were last and they knew it as they approached Phil and the mat. I have to say, I wouldn’t want to have dinner and drinks with these two but, as a couple, they make sense and actually had some good moments in this episode. I won’t miss them, but they did get some redemption.
Next Week: Canaan continues his descent into jerkdom as it looks like he actually tries to push a terrified Mika down a giant waterslide.
Full episodes and bonus clips of TAR are available at CBS’ website here:
Posted on October 12th, 2009 by Princess Kitty in Amazing Race
Aired 10-11-09
We picked back up in Ho Chi Minh City with Harlem Globetrotters teammates, Flight Time & Big Easy, departing in 1st place at 6:53PM. The teams had to fly to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I was reminded that these racers are very young because hardly any of them knew how to pronounce that name. Once there, they had to find the Foreign Correspondent’s Club and ask the assignment editor to give them their next assignment. Dating couple Meghan & Cheyne, father and son Gary & Matt, married couple Brian & Ericka, brothers Sam & Dan and poker players Maria & Tiffany followed between 6:54 and 7:16PM.
At the airport, Flight Time & Big Easy and Meghan & Cheyne found they were going to have a long wait. Only one airline (Vietnam Airlines) flew to Cambodia and the next flight out wasn’t until 12:25PM the next day.
Newly dating couple Mika & Canaan were in 7th place and departed at 7:25PM. They were followed by best friends Zev & Justin at 7:31PM. We learned that these two became friends when they met at camp. Zev, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, said Justin made him a part of his circle of friends and he was very grateful for that. The last pair to leave was engaged couple Lance & Keri at 7:32PM. Lance said they were experiencing the stress of about 5 years of marriage during the race and (accurately) noted that their communication skills “suck”.
Things got a little nerve-wracking at the airport when Lance & Keri and Zev & Justin found that the 12:25PM flight was full. They had to buy tickets for the next flight out at 2:15PM and be placed on standby for the earlier one. After a lot of hand-wringing they did get on the same flight as everyone else. We had a race reboot.
Once in Phnom Penh, Zev & Justin took an early lead. They quickly bonded with their cab driver, Thierry. Actually, all the drivers seemed pretty good in Cambodia and the teams quickly descended on the Foreign Correspondent’s Club. The next clue was a picture of Jackie Kennedy visiting the country in 1967. They were told that they had to locate the hotel that had a suite named for “the woman in the picture.” I was left feeling old again as hardly any of these people recognized her! The suite was at the Hotel Le Royal and, luckily for the teams, the locals knew about the famous picture and the hotel.
Things were going smoothly for everyone except Mika & Canaan. The clue specifically said they had to ask the editor for their next “assignment” but Canaan kept saying “task”. He did finally reread the instructions. The whole segment wasn’t flattering to Canaan as he said the picture was of Queen Elizabeth. Of course, he wasn’t alone in being clueless. Flight & Easy, Sam & Dan and Canaan’s teammate Mika all thought Jackie Kennedy was Cambodian royalty. Only Zev and Gary were shown to know who she was. I’ll cut them a little slack because the picture was small and they were in a hurry but, really, it was a pretty sad display.
Zev & Justin were the first to arrive at the hotel and they found a Detour.
Detour
The choice involved two common accessories worn by the Cambodian people. “Cover” involved locating a helmet stand, getting 4 motorcycle helmets, and then finding a family of 4 to sell them to for $10. They could then exchange the $10 for the next clue. In “Wrap” the teams had to go to the Russian Market and locate a shopkeeper who would give them a unique scarf. They then had to search the market for a woman wearing the identical scarf. All the teams chose “Wrap” except Lance & Keri. Zev & Justin arrived at the market first and had their new friend Thierry help them search. I wonder if TAR airs in Cambodia? Thierry seemed very into the whole thing. They continued to breeze through this leg and were the first to find the matching scarf. The next clue told them to travel, by foot, to Wat Toul Tom Pong. They ran behind the cab as their new best friend lead them to the site.
Flight Time & Big Easy also found some helpers in the form of two girls from Pennsylvania who happened to be shopping at the market and who knew where Wat Toul Tom Pong was.
Zev, Justin & Thierry arrived at the site and found a Roadblock
Roadblock
One team member had to don a monkey mask and tail and learn to perform like a monkey. According to host Phil Keoghan, monkeys are revered in Cambodia and the Royal Family employs “Monkey Masters” to train dancers to imitate the animals. The racers had to complete three specific maneuvers. Zev took the challenge and did pretty well – on the first two tasks. The third maneuver was difficult for him and the noise and pressure caused him to have a panic attack. The delay allowed Dan to finish the task and he and brother Sam took the lead. They were the first to get the final clue taking them to the Pit Stop at Wat Phnom, a 600 year old Buddhist shrine.
Zev finished as Flight Time and Ericka started the monkey business (sorry, I couldn’t resist). Thierry, the amazing cab driver, came through for the buddies again as Zev & Justin beat Sam & Dan to the Pit Stop. They checked in first but we didn’t get an announcement from Phil about the prize they’d won because trouble was looming.
Sam & Dan checked in 2nd.
Flight Time & Big Easy were 3rd.
We then cut to Zev & Justin searching for Zev’s passport. When they couldn’t locate it, they went to confess to Phil. He informed them that, if they didn’t find the passport, they would be out of the race. He sent them back out to look for it saying they had to find it and make it back before the last team arrived. The guys had no idea what happened and they started the search already looking defeated.
Hey, here’s a shocking development: Lance was peppering Keri with unwanted advice at the monkey roadblock and she was yelling at him to shut up.
Thierry came back to help Zev & Justin in their search but he seemed out of miracles.
Brian & Ericka arrived at the Pit Stop and Phil declared them to now be the official team #3.
Gary & Matt were 4th.
Meghan & Cheyne were 5th.
Lance & Keri checked in 6th. As they approached Phil, Lance did this silly karate spin and kick. Lord, I find these two annoying.
Mika & Canaan were 7th.
Maria & Tiffany were the last team to arrive but, since Zev & Justin weren’t back yet, they were still in the race. This was the second time they’ve been last but survived (the first time having been on a non-elimination leg) and that wasn’t lost on them. Tiffany said she wished they had that kind of luck when they play poker.
The guys eventually dragged themselves back to the Pit Stop having not found the passport. Justin was very down. He said that he blamed himself because he can be prone to carelessness and Zev had trusted him. Zev replied that it was just a freak thing. Phil told them they were eliminated. They were so sweet and supportive of each other during their final interview that it just broke my heart that they’re done.
Next Week: We go to Dubai and face the heat and …. snow?
Full episodes and bonus clips of TAR are available at CBS’ website here:
Posted on October 5th, 2009 by Princess Kitty in Amazing Race
Aired 10-04-09
Ten teams remained in the race after the elimination of on-again, off-again couple Garrett and Jessica. It turns out that there was more hope for them as a couple then we were lead to believe. They are now engaged and gave an interesting interview to TV Guide about their race experience. You can check it out here: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Amazing-Races-Garrett-1010273.aspx
We picked back up on the riverboat that was the previous leg’s Pit Stop. They were floating down the Mekong Delta from Cai Be to My Tho but the racers weren’t told where they were going. Father and son, Gary & Matt, were the first to depart at 5:45AM. They had to make their way to Ho Chi Minh City and locate the Golden Dragon Water Puppet Theater. They would have to retrieve the next clue from the mouth of a dragon puppet that was swimming in a pool of water. Matt was feeling a bit frustrated that his father wasn’t taking his opinion into account when making decisions about the race.
Brothers Sam & Dan were the next to leave at 5:55AM. Sam explained that, while they are only 2 years apart in age and are both gay, they’re actually complete opposites. Sam described Dan as being high-strung and impatient while describing himself as a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. Flight Time & Big Easy, teammates on the Harlem Globetrotters, followed at 5:56AM. We learned that Easy’s father passed away two days before the race began. His father was a great inspiration for him and he said they were going to race tough to represent for his dad.
Lance & Keri, currently my least favorite pair of racers, left at 5:57AM. They are engaged and really, really, really love to fight. They started off in trouble with Keri insisting that they were already in Ho Chi Minh.
Best friends Zev & Justin departed in 5th place at 6:04AM. They were followed by dating couple Meghan & Cheyne at 6:10AM, poker players Maria & Tiffany at 6:11AM and dating couples Mika & Canaan and Marcy & Ron at 6:14 and 6:15AM respectively. Marcy was very emotional about being in Vietnam because her father was shot down there in 1968. He survived and was rescued and Marcy was inspired by that. She also couldn’t help but get choked up thinking about all the people who didn’t survive the war.
All the pairs searched for cabs to make the two hour drive to Ho Chi Minh except for Lance & Keri. It wasn’t until they stopped to ask someone the location of the theater that they realized they were in My Tho.
The last pair to depart was married couple, Brian & Ericka. They left at 6:29AM. With only 44 minutes separating first from last place, they all had a good shot on this leg.
The Globetrotters were the first to arrive at the theater and, after a few tries, were able to snatch the clue from the mouth of a puppet. The clue was a bullet shaped cylinder that had to be unscrewed. Inside was a stamp with a picture of the city’s main post office. They had to figure out that this was the location of their next clue. That turned out to be pretty easy as passersby and taxi drivers all seemed to recognize it. The only teams that stumbled were Gary & Matt and Lance & Keri. Someone told Gary & Matt that the post office was only a kilometer away and Matt wanted to run it to save money. This time dad listened to him but they quickly discovered that the trip was significantly longer. They eventually got a cab. Lance & Keri didn’t realize that the bullet was the clue so they wasted a bunch of time running around trying to trade it to someone for the clue. They were a classic case of racers getting so hyper about doing things quickly that they never stop to think. Keri did finally figure out that the clue was in the bullet.
Meanwhile, Flight Time & Big Easy arrived at the post office. They found a Detour.
Detour
They had to choose between “Child’s Play” and “Word Play”. In “Child’s Play” the teams had to go to a local park and pick out a concrete animal sculpture at a kiosk. They then had to transport the animal on a dolly through the park while stopping at five vendors to pick up balloons. Once they delivered the animal and balloons to a children’s playground, they got the next clue. In “Word Play” the teams had to go to the observation deck of a hotel. There they had to watch the busy intersection below and pick out six travelers/vehicles that had Vietnamese letters painted on them. Once the hotel security guard confirmed that they had found all 6 letters, they had to head out of the hotel and find some locals to help them unscramble the letters and spell out the Vietnamese word for independence. All the teams picked “Child’s Play” except Marcy & Ron.
Flight Time & Big Easy continued to sail through this leg and easily completed their task. The next clue instructed them to head to a place called Dien Co 008 which kind of looked like a storefront.
Back at the animal kiosk, the teams were choosing statues that were light and/or low to the ground so that they’d be easier to transport. For some reason, though, Zev and Justin went for the biggest and most cumbersome animal there was – a giraffe. They hadn’t gone very far before it fell off the dolly and broke. According to the clue, they were able to continue on as long as they picked up and delivered all the pieces.
Meanwhile, Maria & Tiffany’s dolly broke. Dan stopped to help them but, after a few minutes, the girls insisted he continue on the race. They didn’t want to be responsible for slowing the brothers down. Both of these teams have already engaged in some gameplay so it was nice to see a genuine moment of kindness from both of them. The girls made their way back to the kiosk and got another dolly.
Marcy & Ron were doing OK getting their six letters but messed up big time with the unscrambling. Instead of finding someone to help them, they tried to figure it out on their own. Given that neither of them spoke Vietnamese it was a bizarre choice.
Flight & Easy, still in first place, arrived at the shop and found a Roadblock.
Roadblock
One team member had to disassemble two old VCRs so the parts could be recycled. Once they successfully completed the task, they would be presented with another clue. Meghan & Cheyne arrived soon after and were gaining on the Globetrotters. Gary & Matt also made it there while Flight Time was still working on his VCRs. He finished barely ahead of Cheyne and received the final clue. They had to race across town to the Reunification Palace. It is a place that represents the end of the Vietnam War and was the location of this leg’s Pit Stop.
The teams were starting to bunch together as Sam & Dan and Brian & Ericka arrived as Flight & Easy were still trying to get a cab.
Marcy & Ron finally started asking for help and a nice young man spelled out the word for them. They seemed blissfully unaware of how far behind they now were.
At the Palace, it came down to a footrace between the Globetrotters and Meghan & Cheyne. Cheyne actually got to the mat first but Meghan couldn’t outrun the basketball players. The guys were team number one and received a trip for two to Aruba. Big Easy was sure his dad would have been proud.
Meghan & Cheyne were 2nd.
Justin, Tiffany and Canaan started the VCR task right after Sam and Brian finished.
Gary & Matt checked in 3rd.
Meanwhile, Lance and Keri continued to yell at each other about how much they were yelling at each other and fumbled their way to the VCR place just as Tiffany finished. They were SO on my last nerve. Keri was trying to portray herself as the one being picked on but they were both being childish and obnoxious. They clearly deserve each other.
Brian & Ericka came in 4th. It was a good comeback from last place.
Sam & Dan were 5th.
Lance’s aggressiveness paid off as he basically ripped the VCRs apart with his hands. I was hoping he had broken some rule but he didn’t. He finished just after Canaan and before Justin. All the teams were done by the time Marcy & Ron arrived.
Maria & Tiffany were 6th.
Mika & Canaan were 7th.
Ron finished with the VCRs and the editing made it seem that we had a cab race to the Pit Stop between Zev & Justin, Lance & Keri and Ron & Marcy. In reality, it was just between Zev & Justin and Lance & Keri.
Zev & Justin checked in 8th.
Lance & Keri, sadly, were 9th and we were still going to have to put up with them.
Marcy & Ron were last and eliminated. Honestly, I wasn’t all that fond of this pair either but I so would have preferred to have seen Lance & Keri kicked to the curb.
Next Week: One team loses their passports. We weren’t given a clue as to which team that is but I’m sure it’s too much to hope that it’s The Bickersons.
Full episodes of TAR and bonus clips are available at CBS’ website here:
Posted on September 28th, 2009 by Princess Kitty in Amazing Race
Aired 9-27-09
Phil Keoghan & company returned with a double episode to launch season 15 of TAR. This time he was joined by 12 interesting pairs. The race opened at the cement-walled Los Angeles River. Let’s meet the teams:
Brian & Ericka: They are TAR’s first interracial married couple. It’s a little hard to believe that it took 15 seasons for this to happen. Anyway, I think the more defining aspect of this couple is that Ericka is a former Miss America (2004). Lance & Keri: They are engaged and Lance is a beefy trial lawyer who seems determined to confirm as many negative stereotypes about lawyers as possible. Maria & Tiffany: Friends and professional poker players. Zev & Justin: Best friends. Zev has Asperger’s syndrome. He says that he has some difficulties in social situations and may struggle with being taken out of his normal pattern. Mika & Canaan: Newly dating couple who are Christian musicians. Flight Time & Big Easy: Teammates on the Harlem Globetrotters. Sam & Dan: Brothers who happen to be gay. Gary & Matt: Farmer dad and his pink-haired and pierced rebel son. Eric & Lisa: Married yoga instructors. Eric said they intended to be “numero-frickin’-uno” which made me cringe. Garrett & Jessica: As soon as Phil described them as “dating on and off” I just knew this wasn’t going to end well. Garrett spent quite a bit of time in this episode telling us all about Jessica’s short fuse and quick temper. Marcy & Ron: This season’s “older” couple. They’ve been dating for a year and met on the internet. Meghan & Cheyne: The young, tall and athletic dating couple. They’ve known each other since elementary school.
We learned right off the bat that the addition of a 12th couple did not mean the show was going to run one week longer. The first challenge was going to happen right there at the river and it would be the end of the line for one pair. The instructions were to search a wall containing over 1000 license plates to find one from the Shinagawa District of Japan (their first destination). There were only 11 plates and 11 sets of tickets to Japan. The Japanese symbol for Shinagawa was printed at the top of the clue but no one seemed to notice that at first. Eventually they did start to figure it out with Maria & Tiffany being the first team to get their tickets. In the end, the two teams left searching for the final plate were Eric & Lisa and Lance & Keri. I was fine with either of them leaving but, if I had to chose, I would have preferred to keep the yoga couple. Unfortunately, it was Keri who figured out the symbol and found the plate. Eric & Lisa were done. They suffered the shame and pain of going home first in order to set the other teams free. I’m not kidding. That’s what they actually said.
The first 6 teams to find the plates (Maria & Tiffany, Marcy & Ron, Meghan & Cheyne, Gary & Matt, Flight Time & Big Easy and Zev & Justin) left LAX for Tokyo at 12:45PM. The other 5 teams (Sam & Dan, Mika & Canaan, Garrett & Jessica, Brian & Ericka and Lance & Keri) left at 1:15PM. While waiting for their flights, the teams got to know each other. We watched as the poker players told the Globetrotters that they made their living working with homeless kids in LA. They thought it would make them seem more sympathetic to the other teams. Yep. Karma is gonna get them for that.
Once in Tokyo, the teams had to locate a TV studio at the base of the Tokyo Tower. The poker girls hadn’t even left the airport before they started bickering with each other. The second flight ended up landing less than 10 minutes after the first so all the teams got to the studio at about the same time. We had our first race reboot.
Roadblock
The teams found themselves on the set of a Japanese game show (that I believe was fictional) called Sushi Roulette. The show’s host spun a roulette wheel containing 9 sushi rolls and 2 wasabi bombs. The one team member playing had to eat whatever landed in front of them. If they got a wasabi bomb, and ate the whole thing in 2 minutes, they’d get the next clue. Ron and Cheyne got the first bombs and I was really impressed with how the guys devoured it. I would have been in tears.
Their next clue instructed the teams to take a group of 20 Japanese tourists from the audience and lead them through the busy streets of Tokyo to the Konno Hachimanga Shrine. That was the Pit Stop for the first leg.
Garrett and Justin were the next to eat the bomb. It was going pretty well until Maria’s turn. She certainly did better than I could have but she didn’t get the last bit swallowed before time expired. She was going to have to get another one – and that happened with the very next spin of the wheel. I felt really bad for her. She made it the second time with about 1 second to spare.
Meanwhile, the teams who completed the Roadblock were running through the streets looking for help. Meghan & Cheyne found someone who agreed to lead their group to the shrine and they hit the mat in first place. Phil informed them that they had won a trip for two to Aspen and Vail.
Back at the gameshow, it was Lance and Big Easy’s turn to down the wasabi. They were successful and headed off to look for the shrine.
Zev & Justin checked in 2nd.
Canaan and Gary finished their bomb but Brian struggled with his. Brian’s reaction was probably like mine would have been. He was clearly hurting. He didn’t get it done in time. Wife Ericka was less than supportive saying, “I should have done this challenge.” To make matters worse, Dan got the next bomb and finished it off meaning Brian & Ericka were sitting in last place.
Lance & Keri were 3rd.
Brian managed to finish the wasabi and they were finally on their way.
Meanwhile, Sam & Dan and Maria & Tiffany joined forces to locate the shrine. The brothers knew that the girls thought they were cute so they decided to keep quiet about being gay. I can’t remember a group on TAR that got this manipulative this early in the season.
Marcy & Ron checked in 4th.
Flight Time & Big Easy were 5th.
Sam & Dan noticed that another team was headed in the opposite direction. When they told Maria & Tiffany about it, Maria said they could split off from them if they wanted. The brothers did and it was the right call.
Amazingly, Brian & Ericka checked in 6th. They had quickly found a man who was willing to lead them right to the shrine.
Gary & Matt were 7th.
Meanwhile, Maria & Tiffany weren’t just lost; they’d also misplaced two of their tourists. Their bickering started up again.
Garrett & Jessica were 8th.
Sam & Dan were 9th.
Mika & Canaan arrived 10th but they were missing one tourist. As it turned out she wasn’t lost, just slow. She showed up and Canaan carried her to the mat.
Maria & Tiffany eventually gave up looking for their missing people and went to the shrine. Phil told them that they were going to have a two hour penalty for not completing the challenge but they were staying in the race because this was a non-elimination leg. He warned that they would have a Speed Bump in the next leg.
We moved straight to that second leg. The teams had to fly 2600 miles to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Once they landed, they had to take a bus to the rural village of Cai Be where they’d have to find a boat dock and get the next clue. They all got $444 to spend. Some of the teams used computers at a nearby hotel to book a flight and others headed straight to the airport. Those who waited almost didn’t make the first flight out because they ran out of economy seats. Brian & Ericka talked the ticket agents into selling the four remaining teams business class seats for an economy class price. They were all on equal footing again.
While waiting in line at the airport another passenger recognized Tiffany as a famous poker player. They were busted. Of course, they were being played by the gay brothers who were pretending to be interested in them so it was all balancing out.
They arrived in a very flooded Ho Chi Minh. The first bus leaving for Cai Be was at 3:30PM. Maria & Tiffany, Sam & Dan, Flight Time & Big Easy, Mika & Canaan and Marcy & Ron were on that one. The second bus was scheduled to leave at 4:45PM and had Zev & Justin, Brian & Ericka, Gary & Matt, Garrett & Jessica, Lance & Keri and Meghan & Cheyne. Once they realized that they weren’t going to leave for another hour, the six teams pitched in $100 to get the driver to leave early. It was all for naught because the dock they were headed to had closed for the night before either bus got there. You have to wonder if those teams are going to need that $100 down the road. They all camped out at the dock. During that time we learned that Maria & Tiffany and Zev & Justin had taken an immediate dislike to each other. Let’s see. On one side we have the girls who lied about helping the homeless. On the other we have Zev who, literally, had just given the jacket off his back to a cold and wet Vietnamese man on the bus ride over. I’m with the guys on this one.
At 7:00AM they all got their clue. The teams had to take boats to a series of mud pits. Each team had to transport mud to an orchard and use it to fertilize a tree. Once they brought enough mud, the farmer would give them their next clue. First, though, the poker players had to deal with their Speed Bump. They had to find a soup stand, get the ingredients to make a traditional soup called pho, bring it back to the dock and make the soup for the Dockmaster. Maria knew all about pho so they completed the task easily.
The mud pit challenge was disgusting. It was sloppy and wet and yucky. Surprisingly, our beauty queen (Ericka) kind of liked it. She called the mud “sensual”. Meghan & Cheyne were the first to get done and receive the clue. They had to return to the docks and then travel by foot to a field.
Maria & Tiffany arrived at the pits and started to catch up. They were still the last team done but they were only seconds behind Zev & Justin. The friends were delayed because they’d lost their clue and had to return to the mud pits to find it.
Roadblock
This one was cool! At the field the teams found that one member had to herd ducks. In 10 minutes they had to lead 150 ducks back and forth over a bridge and then get them all back into their pen. It was just as funny looking as it sounds and there were some sassy ducks involved. If they failed to get it all done, they had to go to the back of the line and wait for another turn.
Meghan, Jessica and Ericka failed their first time through and Garrett complained that Jessica had a quick fuse when things didn’t go her way. Actually, she just seemed a bit frustrated. She wasn’t having a tantrum or anything. Sam was the first to succeed and he and Dan got the final clue. The teams had to race by foot to the Pit Stop on the Bassac III Riverboat.
Matt finished pretty easily as Ericka suffered her second failure. Zev & Justin and Maria & Tiffany arrived just as Flight Time and Keri were finishing. Mika found herself struggling along with Ericka and Meghan. Zev, on the other hand, turned out to be “the duck whisperer”. He just stayed calm and moved the ducks along.
Meanwhile, Garrett, Brian and Canaan were getting frustrated waiting on the sidelines. Canaan, in particular, was losing his mind.
Gary & Matt were the first to check in. Phil informed them they’d each won a kayak.
Sam & Dan were 2nd.
Flight Time & Big Easy were 3rd.
Lance & Keri finished 4th.
Tiffany proved to be adept at herding ducks and Meghan also finally got her ducks to cooperate. Mika and Marcy quickly followed leaving just Jessica and Ericka on the field. Brian & Ericka started bickering with Ericka saying it wasn’t easy and “Don’t you dare get disappointed in me.”
Zev & Justin checked in 5th.
Meghan & Cheyne were 6th.
Maria & Tiffany were 7th.
Mika & Canaan were 8th.
Marcy & Ron were 9th.
Ericka finally got the task completed and declared that she was eating duck for dinner. Jessica finished a few minutes later.
Brian & Ericka were 10th.
That left Garrett & Jessica in last place. Upon being informed by Phil that they’d been eliminated, Garrett had a burst of anger. That lead to the episode’s moment of irony as Phil asked Jessica if that was normal for him. In the end, Garrett said Jessica had done a pretty good job of keeping her cool but we weren’t left with a very hopeful outlook for their future as a couple.
Next Week: Zev & Justin break a statue of a giraffe and Lance beats on things. I have no idea what any of that means.
Full episodes and bonus clips of TAR are available at CBS’ website here:
Posted on September 27th, 2009 by Princess Kitty in Amazing Race
It’s back! Phil Keoghan and company return tonight with 12 new teams. You can get to know them in the video below. My initial thought – how cute are those Globetrotter guys!
Executive producer, Bertram van Munster, told Entertainment Weekly that we won’t have to wait long for this season’s first twist. According to EW: The action begins at the Los Angeles River, and for the first time in show history, a team will be eliminated mere yards from the starting gate. The challenge involves a fence with thousands of license plates—some of them from Japan (which serves as the first destination). “Twenty four people run up and frantically start grabbing license plates, but they’re wrong because as usual they don’t read their clue,” chuckles van Munster. “Eventually a team gets eliminated—they see the cars drive off and it is bye-bye. We told them 100 times, ‘Read your clue. Repeat after me: Read your clue.’ They don’t read the clue. It’s unbelievable. Nothing has changed.”
Posted on May 11th, 2009 by Princess Kitty in Amazing Race
Aired 5-10-09
The opening recap focused on the journey the final three teams had to get to this final leg. For Margie & Luke, it had an inspirational feel to it. For Tammy & Victor, the theme was personal growth. For Jaime & Cara, it was all about how obnoxious Jaime has been. Poor Cara didn’t even get a mention. Host Phil Keoghan pointed out that they were only the 4th all female team to make it to the final three. Normally, that would be a good reason for me to root for them but not this time. I want a female team to win a season - but not this season and not this team.
The race picked back up at the Bird’s Nest in Beijing, China. Brother and sister lawyers, Tammy & Victor, were the first to depart at 9:15PM. The teams had to fly over 5000 miles to Maui, Hawaii. Once there, they had to find their way to someplace called Beach Access 118. They knew the other teams were going to bring their A game for the final leg so Tammy & Victor were going to try for an A+. At the airport, they discovered that they couldn’t make any flight reservations until 6:00AM whether in person or by phone.
Mother and son team, Margie & Luke, left at 11:24PM. Luke figured that when the race started he and his mom were considered to be the underdogs but, now that they’re in the final three, everyone can see they’re a strong team. Perhaps before the race began someone might have said that Margie & Luke were at a disadvantage because Luke can only communicate through sign language, but I doubt anyone thought that was true after they won the very first leg. They were tough competitors from day one and I still love the moment when fellow racer Mike White dubbed Luke the “sinister deaf kid.”
Best friends (and this season’s obligatory cheerleader team), Jaime & Cara, left at 2:04AM. They thought it was long past time for a female team to win and noted that they said from day one not to underestimate them.
We had a final race reboot as they all landed together in Maui after an 18 hour flight. Tammy & Victor were the first to leave the airport and the first to make it to the beach. Once there they discovered an awful task. They had to season a whole, 145 pound pig carcass for a luau and carry it 200 yards to the site where they would prepare it in a roasting pit. The very pink pig had its feet bound together so they could carry it using a pole. Frankly, you didn’t need to be a PETA member to be horrified at the sight. The task was also a good excuse for the show to have all these slim, good-looking people strip down to bathing suits. Jaime & Cara were the second to arrive at the pig site.
While Margie & Luke were the last to get there, they quickly passed the other two teams because Margie again showed herself to be a little powerhouse as she carried the pig down the beach. Tammy and Cara struggled under the weight. Not to discount what Luke has accomplished on the race but, for me, the bigger inspiration has been watching this 40-something mom consistently kick the butts of her younger competitors on the physical challenges. Meanwhile, Victor yelled at Tammy to keep picking up her end of the pig, but did at least make an effort to yell words that seemed encouraging. Jaime just berated Cara every time she dropped her side of the pole.
Margie & Luke were the first team done burying their pig and got the next clue. The teams had to travel to the beach at McGregor Point and ride a jet ski a mile to a buoy field. They then had to search through 100 buoys to find one with the next clue attached. They moved quickly to the site and found the clue quite easily although not without some aggravation. Margie again had it up to her eyeballs with Luke badgering her to go faster. Seriously, kid, you should have caught on by now that your mom knows what she’s doing. Sheesh!
Tammy & Victor made it to the buoy field just ahead of Jaime & Cara but the cheerleaders found the clue before them. The teams seemed to be separated by only a few minutes. They next had to travel to the Hana Highway and locate a surfboard fence. At the fence, Margie & Luke found a Roadblock.
Roadblock
One team member had to sort through a huge pile of surfboards to find the 11 that had pictures related to each leg of the race. They then had to stand them up like fence posts in the correct order. This was a tough one because I thought some of the pictures were pretty cryptic. Margie said Luke had been reviewing things through the race in preparation for the final task.
Meanwhile, cab Karma hit Jaime & Cara. Their driver didn’t know where the fence was and, as usual, Jaime went off. The driver kept trying to get help from a dispatcher who proved to be the one person who finally shut Jaime down. On a speaker phone the dispatcher said she wasn’t their personal concierge and didn’t have time to track down their destination. Jaime settled down a bit and borrowed the driver’s phone to call the police for directions. She was smart enough to be polite to the person who answered and did get accurate information. The driver then spiked Jaime’s blood pressure again by announcing that they needed to stop for gas. She was in her own personal nightmare.
Tammy & Victor got trapped behind a slow vehicle and, by the time they made it to the fence, Luke had found all but 3 of the boards. Victor took the challenge and it was the perfect task for him. He quickly started to make up ground on Luke. The last two boards that Luke had to find were from the final legs in China. He stalled out and stalled out badly. Board after board that he tried was wrong.
Meanwhile, Jaime & Cara’s driver scurried about the gas station and did quickly fill the tank. That caused Jaime to take a deep breath and actually apologize to a cab driver. They arrived at the fence and Jaime started sorting through the boards as Luke was getting more and more frustrated. I’ve given him a hard time during the race for having a short fuse but, this time, I could completely understand. He was watching sure victory for him and his mom slip away.
Victor finished first and he and Tammy got the clue taking them to the final Pit Stop at the King Kamehameha Golf Club. They sped off while an exasperated Luke and Jaime watched. After letting the two go for a bit longer, Margie finally told Luke to just work with Jaime so they could both finish. It seemed like a fitting way for these teams to conclude since they had the only real alliance on this edition of TAR. Luke showed Jaime the board she was missing and she returned the favor. As they all headed to the golf club, Luke and Jaime were in tears and Margie and Cara showed support by saying that they were proud of the job they’d done.
All the previously eliminated teams were standing with Phil as Tammy & Victor Jih ran to the mat to claim their title as the season 14 winners. Tammy commented that, since the disaster in the mountains of Romania on leg three, she and her brother had put in the effort to really listen to each other. While the experience didn’t change their relationship it did help it to progress. She added that she also learned that “the nerdy little Asian girl, who could barely hold up her backpack before, can do quite a bit.”
Jaime & Cara came in second. Jaime took responsibility for the loss but Cara wouldn’t have it. She said that they did it together and finished the whole race and that was what really mattered.
Margie & Luke were third. At the mat, Phil asked Luke to admit that his mom was the bionic woman and he did. Luke also thanked her for having learned to sign for him and said he was lucky to have her. Margie, of course, dissolved into tears.
In the end, Victor said that he’d always been the person who’s done what was expected of him and he learned through the race that life is more fun when you sometimes do the crazy and unexpected. I also watched Tammy & Victor get presented with their million dollar check on this morning’s “Early Show”. I was especially touched when Tammy talked about how they owed a lot of the victory to their mother. She insisted that her children learn Chinese even though they were born and raised in the US. She even insisted that only Chinese be spoken in the house. It was the perfect example of how an adult can end up being very grateful for the thing that most drove them crazy when they were a child.
TAR has been renewed for a 15th edition and I can’t wait to see where we’ll be going next!
Full episodes and bonus clips of TAR are available at CBS’ website here:
