The Amazing Race Season 14 -- Discussion

[NotaGeek]

That's right ... it's time for our favorite race around the world! You can check out the Official TAR Site on CBS (http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/) for cast pictures and bios -- it looks like it's gonna be a fun season!

[ozmom]

Woo Hoo:party:

[Melanie]

We're getting it just a few days later this season. Woohoo! Can't wait to watch and discuss with you all. :)

[pixiesmimi]

That's right ... it's time for our favorite race around the world! You can check out the Official TAR Site on CBS (http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/) for cast pictures and bios -- it looks like it's gonna be a fun season!

I'm excited about the new season but when I went to the web site, each video that I clicked on about the contestants all I got was commercials and the videos never worked.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I'm excited...I've always really enjoyed the Amazing Race!

[HndrdPrcnt]

This is by far one of my all time favorite shows!! I have thought about applying so many times, but it just never seems to be the "right" time. :(

[MNNHFLTX]

I was so thrilled to hear that there would be a second Amazing Race this year! And no Sunday football games to mess up the DVR!! :thumbsup:

I just got done reading the bios and the first teams (from left to right) seemed kind of ho-hum to me (why do we always have to have cheerleaders?) But as I got towards the last of the contestants things got more interesting. Another mother/son duo but with the added challenge that the son is deaf--that's enough right there to make me cheer them on! And the stuntmen brothers seem pretty cool too.

Can't wait for the race to begin! :clappy:

[tinkwest]

DH called me in the middle of work yesterday to say, "Guess what I just saw a commercial for?!" I did not guess TAR. Was super happy and surprised to hear that it was coming back on a lot sooner than I expected. Now that I know it's coming, the 15th of February seems a long way off!

[TheDuckRocks]

Reality show junkie that I am this has got to be my favorite!:joy:

[Shugoondola]

Can't wait. Got a hometown person to cheer for.

:mickey:

[brownie]

I can't wait! I really enjoy the Amazing Race and I'm looking forward to it.

[Ian]

I'm pretty excited to get out of this T.V. wasteland I'm in now and actually have something to look forward to.

Survivor and TAR! :thumbsup:

[Melanie]

We're getting close with TAR too! I'm so excited. Actually, here, both Survivor and TAR are going to air Friday nights back to back, so TAR will only be about 5 days behind, and Survivor only one day behind. Can't wait!!! :yay:

[NotaGeek]

We're getting close with TAR too! I'm so excited. Actually, here, both Survivor and TAR are going to air Friday nights back to back, so TAR will only be about 5 days behind, and Survivor only one day behind. Can't wait!!! :yay:
WOW ... that's a good night of TV for you Mel! Just think, you are MONTHS away from TIVO!!!!

[NotaGeek]

WOO HOO! Tomorrow is the day folks, don't forget to set your DVRs!

[NJDad]

And even though football season is over, you never know what sporting event will go long and the show will be delayed (today it's golf) so give your tivo/dvr/vcr a little extra time if you can so you don't have to post a sad story here later.

[NotaGeek]

And even though football season is over, you never know what sporting event will go long and the show will be delayed (today it's golf) so give your tivo/dvr/vcr a little extra time if you can so you don't have to post a sad story here later.
AMEN! Having TAR be late due to Football is one thing ... for golf? :blowup:

[Disneypixie513]

So who watched?
I thought tonight was a great episode. It was cool seeing them do something extreme again.. It seems like a long time since they've had to do something crazy.
We laughed so hard when they had to carry the cheese. I think what made it so funny for me, was watching the cheese roll away...But then I felt bad about laughing at people losing their cheese. :secret:
I absolutely love the Mother/ deaf Son team. (I just forgot their names) I hope they do well.

[pixiesmimi]

Yeah, I'm surprised the flight attendants weren't better at navigating and getting ahead. Traveling seems like it would be right up their alley and they would have some tricks up their sleeves. They did at first but then ended up getting behind. I didn't like seeing the couple from S.C. argue but wished they had beat the other team. I didn't notice until the last that they were wearing Auburn shirts and hats. WAR EAGLE! But nothing has been said what their connection to Auburn is since it says they are from S.C. That is two shows (Survivor) where there are contestants from here. (Or were) :(

This one looks like it is going to be good with a lot of action again.

And our schedule here wasn't delayed for golf or anything else, thank goodness! I was afraid it would be like usual and my recorder wouldn't get it all. But I got to see the whole thing.

[Momof2boys]

We also love the Amazing Race . . . the DVR has definately been getting it's workout lately. Much better than the drought it was in a few months ago :) :thumbsup:

[NotaGeek]

Totally great episode, and I CAN'T believe that that sad girl actually got on her boyfriends back for the last few yards and it lost them the race. UGH. What a complete loser. NO ONE is that tired. HELLO that crazy Hill Billy wife cried her eyes out, walked fast and still made it. Sad.

I was happy with the winners though ... great emotion and it seems this year is gonna be VERY active. The cheese rolling down the hill at 400 miles an hour like a bomb was hysterical.

[NJDad]

Didn't think it would be delayed for golf, but there's always some sporting event on Sundays that can wreak havoc with the schedule.

I'm already a little tired of hearing the 'deaf people can do the race' lines, maybe because I didn't think that a team with a deaf person couldn't compete (the Mom might end up being the bigger handicap to the team).

Couldn't comprehend the flight attendants asking which train/plane leaves first, not which one arrives first. You'd think they'd know better.

[DizneyRox]

It's too bad the Hillbillies didn't go first, I was annoyed by them at the first commercial break. Although I'm glad they beat out the ones that went home.

It'll be nice to see the flight attendants make an early exit as well. They aren't going to survive long, especially if they are relying on their looks.

[pixiesmimi]

They were talking about how the couple that were eliminated never got along, I bet they really don't now that she lost it for them. :D Why do they always have couples on there that say they can't get along like they can't stand each other? Why are they together if it is like that? Hello! Life is too short, find someone you do get along with. :)

I can't figure out what the hillbilly woman's problem is. If she has ever watched the show then she should know that there is a lot of running and climbing stuff. Why would you apply if you can't run or do anything? She said on the hill with the cheese "I don't want to get hurt". :confused: Don't think you will have a problem with that if you never run or anything.

[MNNHFLTX]

That was quite possibly the best episode of TAR I have ever seen, for the cheese scene alone. We were almost falling on the floor laughing at our house! Some of the teams that appeared more fit surprised me with their lack of stamina on this task. And while I thought Steve had been a little harsh with Linda (the Virginia hillbillies) earlier, I quickly tired of her constant tears by the end of the race. Plus, he certainly showed some ingenuity in "sledding" three of the cheese wheels down the hill. Which brings to mind--if the contestants whose cheese wheels accidentally rolled down hill could just retrieve them at the bottom and put them on their stack, why couldn't they just roll all of their cheese down the hill instead of carry it? Anyway, I was happy with the mother/son team winning this leg. I still like the brother stuntmen team and the brother/sister team too. The flight attendants were kind of a mixed bag (have there ever been teams before that had rolling suitcases instead of backpacks?) And the cheerleaders--well, the only thing I noticed about them is that they appear to have dyed their hair the same identical shade of reddish-orange.

All in all, a great start to this race!

[NotaGeek]

That was quite possibly the best episode of TAR I have ever seen, for the cheese scene alone. We were almost falling on the floor laughing at our house! Some of the teams that appeared more fit surprised me with their lack of stamina on this task. And while I thought Steve had been a little harsh with Linda (the Virginia hillbillies) earlier, I quickly tired of her constant tears by the end of the race. Plus, he certainly showed some ingenuity in "sledding" three of the cheese wheels down the hill. Which brings to mind--if the contestants whose cheese wheels accidentally rolled down hill could just retrieve them at the bottom and put them on their stack, why couldn't they just roll all of their cheese down the hill instead of carry it? Anyway, I was happy with the mother/son team winning this leg. I still like the brother stuntmen team and the brother/sister team too. The flight attendants were kind of a mixed bag (have there ever been teams before that had rolling suitcases instead of backpacks?) And the cheerleaders--well, the only thing I noticed about them is that they appear to have dyed their hair the same identical shade of reddish-orange.

All in all, a great start to this race!
That's what I thought about the cheese as well Beth ... ROLL IT! And what the heck were those cheese carriers made of cardboard? Man I figured the Swiss would have better wooden cheese carriers. ;)

The flight attendants with the STUPID wheeled luggage? GIVE ME A BREAK -- that had to be a production decision, how in the heck can it be less work than having the pack on your back?

BTW DisneyRox ... the flight attendants can't be counting on their looks, cause they aren't that cute. :ack:

[tinkwest]

(have there ever been teams before that had rolling suitcases instead of backpacks?)

I thought that was dumb. It can't be more efficient pulling those things behind you instead of toting the backpack on your back. I'm waiting to see them racing across a busy street only to have those things topple over and spill the contents all over the place.

[DizneyRox]

BTW DisneyRox ... the flight attendants can't be counting on their looks, cause they aren't that cute. :ack:
Yeah, I was surprised to see them make it on the train to Locarno.

[Narcoossee'sFan]

I was so happy to have my favorite Sunday show back on and TAR didn't disappoint. We had a lot of fun watching "Cheeseburger Hill" and I suspect that the backpacks were made to fall apart on purpose, just to make things more interesting! ;) I can't decide who my favorite is, but I can't stand the bickering couples unless they are arguing about something worthwhile. Also, how about the scenery! How gorgeous were the Alps! :plane: I was ready to go!

[brownie]

Looks like it's going to be a great race! I'm surprised everyone didn't just roll the cheese wheels down the hill.

[pixiesmimi]

Yeah, I thought it was kind of rude for the "natives" to laugh at them that way but they were funny. I would like to see how they carry it down the hill on those flimsy things. They must use cleats on their shoes. Why on earth would the cheese shed be at the top of that hill if it was so hard to get up and down it. You know they don't go out of their way to do that every day without inventing something easier. That had to have been designed just for the race to make it harder. I thought the same thing when the first couple to roll one was allowed to retrieve it and it counted. Why didn't they just roll the rest of them down. Apparently it didn't damage the cheese.

[NotaGeek]

Yeah, I thought it was kind of rude for the "natives" to laugh at them that way but they were funny. I would like to see how they carry it down the hill on those flimsy things. They must use cleats on their shoes. Why on earth would the cheese shed be at the top of that hill if it was so hard to get up and down it. You know they don't go out of their way to do that every day without inventing something easier. That had to have been designed just for the race to make it harder. I thought the same thing when the first couple to roll one was allowed to retrieve it and it counted. Why didn't they just roll the rest of them down. Apparently it didn't damage the cheese.
I don't think that the "natives" were being rude. It was clear that TAR set up that challenge with the big muddy hill on purpose. I doubt very highly that it was a "real" set up they were just using on chance. I wish we knew what the production crew made them do ... if they were told they had to try ... otherwise why wouldn't everyone just throw that cheese down the hill. I honestly couldn't believe no one but the Hillbillies though of the sled technique.

[pixiesmimi]

I guess you are right. If that was the way it normally was done, then I think it was rude for them to laugh at them the way they did, the contestants not knowing how to do it. But if it was set up that way for the show, then it was supposed to be that funny to all watching. I don't know but if it was a set up and they made those backpacks to fall apart like that, I'm not sure I like that. They usually have to do what the "natives" do for a task and aren't set up to fail right off the bat. I'm wondering about it now. It looked like an impossible task, no matter what but maybe they did it to see how inventive the couples would get. If that is the case, the hillbillies won.

[tinkwest]

... It looked like an impossible task, no matter what but maybe they did it to see how inventive the couples would get. If that is the case, the hillbillies won.

That's for sure.

[Ian]

I thought this epsiode was fantastic. DD and I were just howling at the cheese challenge.

I love this show ... I'm so happy it's back!

[JanetMegan]

Don't let a cheese hit me...

[c&d]

This was a great start and I have to say the one team that really annoyed me finished last. This was the first time that I liked all the teams when they started. None seemed really bad like in previous shows.

I was absolutely amazed that the flight attendants were that bad and making travel arrangements. I would think what time it arrives would be the first question asked.

Can't wait for next week.

[MNNHFLTX]

Don't let a cheese hit me...Oh yeah, that would have hurt, big time! :dizzy:

I don't begrudge the Swiss bystanders that were laughing. I agree that the scene was set up the way it was to make it humorous. And if we were all laughing at home, why wouldn't they be there too?

[Melanie]

Gosh, that bungee jump was terrifying. Just a bunch of rocks and cement below you.

My son and I were among those laughing hysterically at the cheese challenge. It was beyond funny.

I'm thinking the brother/sister team isn't going to be very well liked as the race goes on. And I'm waiting for the wheels to break or fall off the flight attendants' luggage. I think you are right Beth - no teams in the past have been stupid enough to use rolling suitcases.

[brownie]

I was waiting for one of the cheese wheels to bust through a wall. I'm surprised they didn't do more damage rolling down the hill.

[NotaGeek]

Good bye Hillbillies ... wow, did she run 25 miles off course? His crying at he end was supposed to be endearing, but it just seemed creepy.

I am not enjoying the editing this year, does it seem choppy to anyone else?

[Ian]

You know ... I know I was supposed to feel inspired or sympathetic towards the hillbillies, but no matter how hard I tried I just ended up finding them irritating and weird. Their near hysteria at the end was just plain annoying and her issues with finding her way down that trail and the way she just stood there flapping her hands .. in the end I was very, very happy they were the ones to go.

[DizneyRox]

Next up, stewardesses! They can't leave soon enough, although the hillbillies were a good alternative.

[Ian]

I simply can't believe how inept those stewardesses are. For two people used to traveling, they've just made some inexplicable mistakes thus far.

Them with the wood last night was just unreal!

[NotaGeek]

I simply can't believe how inept those stewardesses are. For two people used to traveling, they've just made some inexplicable mistakes thus far.

Them with the wood last night was just unreal!
Well -- technically they aren't used to making their own travel plans ... they show up get on a plane serve drinks hope they don't have to save anyone, land and get on a shuttle to a pre-paid hotel and repeat the next day. That's not the same type of travel -- I really wish they had carried that log back to the pit stop.

[MNNHFLTX]

and her issues with finding her way down that trail and the way she just stood there flapping her hands ...I know what you mean. As soon as I saw she her come out by that road, I thought "uh-oh, here come the water-works". And I don't mean to sound insensitive, but when he started sobbing at the end too, I just thought it was all so over-the-top. :shake:

One thing in last night's episode that seemed weird to me was how almost all the teams asked the cab driver on the way to the airport if they could use his cell phone to check on flights. It seemed scripted the way they almost all used the same exact words (and the cell phones all looked identical too). I don't recall the teams ever asking the cabbies before if they could borrow their cell phones--have they?

[pixiesmimi]

I know what you mean. As soon as I saw she her come out by that road, I thought "uh-oh, here come the water-works". And I don't mean to sound insensitive, but when he started sobbing at the end too, I just thought it was all so over-the-top. :shake:

One thing in last night's episode that seemed weird to me was how almost all the teams asked the cab driver on the way to the airport if they could use his cell phone to check on flights. It seemed scripted the way they almost all used the same exact words (and the cell phones all looked identical too). I don't recall the teams ever asking the cabbies before if they could borrow their cell phones--have they?

My thoughts exactly last night. I commented to DH that it was obviously part of the script the way it happened with the cell phones. I was waiting for someone to say that they weren't allowed and they were all penalized. Yes, they have used people's phones before like this but nothing so obvious with all of them doing it exactly the same way. I wonder if the directions told them it was allowed. Now, let me ask you a question. If a stranger was riding in your car and asked you to use your cell phone to call who knows where, would you allow it? I have often wondered when this happens if the cab driver or whoever incurrs any roaming charges or other kind of charges. And how do they know the phone numbers of where they want to call or if the person on the other end speaks English? That was just weird.

I was also waiting for Phil to say something about the female hillbilly taking a ride back to the destination and being penalized for it. Maybe if they hadn't been eliminated he would have. Why didn't she just walk back up where she came from and go the other way? :confused: I would have. But she did have a camera crew with her so guess nothing would have happened to her. That was a lot different than being there alone and not having any idea where you were or where to go. That is when I would have sat down and cried. :)

[Ian]

II don't recall the teams ever asking the cabbies before if they could borrow their cell phones--have they?Yeah, I've seen other teams do it before, but never in such an orchestrated way. I was wondering if maybe some of the teams had discussed it the night before at the pit stop or something. It did seem really strange how that sequence played out ...


I was also waiting for Phil to say something about the female hillbilly taking a ride back to the destination and being penalized for it.I thought the same thing and wondered, too, if she would have been penalized for it had they not lost.

When she was just standing there wandering in circles and whimpering, God help me but all I kept thinking was, "This woman so deserves to be eliminated!!"

[tinkwest]

The team that was eliminated was obviously not going to win so it was just as well that they are gone now. How they ever got on the show in the first place is beyond me. Did the show's executives think we were all going to pull for them as the underdogs? You need some personalty to draw the popular underdog vote and they did not have any.


Re: The Stewardesses . .


...... -- I really wish they had carried that log back to the pit stop.

I had the same thought! That would have been funny.

[Ian]

I was disappointed they eventually figured out the log thing, too. I was so looking forward to seeing Phil's face when they showed up with that thing!

Oh, speaking of which ... did anyone else laugh out loud when Phil did the eyebrow raise because whats-his-name couldn't figure out how to open the gate??

:rotfl:

[pixiesmimi]

Yes! That was so funny! :funny: I thought, okay here is another dumb pair, trying to climb over the gate instead of figuring out how to get in. The eyebrow was funny after the last time someone said "NO, not the eyebrow!" :)

I don't think we will have to worry too much this season. There are so many really dumb pairs that they will eliminate themselves leaving a few good ones to finally compete seriously. Unless, like last season and one of them somehow persists through it all. :confused:

Now next week we will have the "lost fanny pack" again! Hope they learned from the last one and try to find it quickly.

I think the Hillbillies might be the ones that really, really needed the money but I can't imagine why the producers chose them to be on there because they were certain to be eliminated quickly. I guess like the hippies last time, there had to be one pair that was sure to be the first. I'm surprised they weren't eliminated last week.

[JanetMegan]

You know I was thinking, remember how this season was filmed before the last season ever even aired? So they didn't know to "learn" from the lost fanny pack.

[brownie]

I was disappointed they eventually figured out the log thing, too. I was so looking forward to seeing Phil's face when they showed up with that thing!

Oh, speaking of which ... did anyone else laugh out loud when Phil did the eyebrow raise because whats-his-name couldn't figure out how to open the gate??

:rotfl:

Yes, I thought the whole gate thing was almost as funny as the cheese rolling!

The stewardesses brought back memories of last season's race where it seemed so many teams had trouble interpreting the clues. It would have been priceless for them to show up with the log, although it was pretty funny that they thought they needed to go through the Segway finish line with it.

I was glad to see the hillbillies go; I'm still surprised they weren't eliminated in the first leg of the race.

[pixiesmimi]

You know I was thinking, remember how this season was filmed before the last season ever even aired? So they didn't know to "learn" from the lost fanny pack.

You know, I hadn't thought about that. I tend to think it is happening live when I watch it, but know better. Is this maybe the one that was being filmed at WDW? Or was that just something else happening there? Someone mentioned that last season about seeing a group at 'The World' and thought it was part of this season being filmed.

[JanetMegan]

I am pretty sure that is this season that we are watching right now.

[TwinPrincesses]

I loved it so far, since I grew up in Germany and have been to those places many, many times. Schoenau am Koenigssee is even more gorgeous in real life than it looked on TV. I was surprised that they didn't make them take a boatride on the lake, there is an isolated church there you can only get to by boat, seems like that would have made for a good challenge-but anyway.
Two things-- Most everyone that works anywhere in Germany,especially at an airport, speaks English, so I do believe that they easily could have found someone at information and the airlines to speak English to them.
Second, I have hiked in the Alps and it can be very confusing to find your way, but that's why they put up signs! I was not sad to see that team eliminated!

[c&d]

Finally caught up. I'm not surprised that the hillbillies are gone.

What did shock me was her first reaction when she realized how lost she was. That her husband was going to angry about her being lost. I think it was the way she said it, like he was going to start screaming at her. It just made me wonder how badly she's really treated by him. His crying at the end made me :sick:.

The flight attendants need to be the next ones out. They are completely clueless.

I really like the brother and sister.

[NotaGeek]

YEA! Another episode tonight! WOO HOO!

[thrillme]

I'm rather glad the hillbillies are gone. I did feel a bit sorry for her just being an older woman and obviously "directionally challenged". (I'm not THAT old but I can get lost pretty easily). It just didn't seem to be all THAT hard. You were standing at the top of the hill...you HAD to have SOME idea where you were going.:confused:

I figured even IF they beat the stewardesses...they would have been "disqualified" based on that little "car ride".

[NotaGeek]

Ok, seriously? Did anyone else think that the little bit of Gypsy thievery was dodgy? That guy was TOTALLY going to take that fanny pack!

When what ever that teams name was missed their flight the elimination wasn't even a shock. They didn't even try to make it seem like they weren't going to be last!

[Ian]

I wasn't elated with the editing of tonight's show. It sort of took all the suspense out of it for me. For some reason, they opted to make a bigger deal out of who finished second-to-last instead of last which didn't really work all that well.

Although it was kinda fun watching Victor force Tammy to wander around lost in the woods for an hour. That guy is a piece of work.

[MNNHFLTX]

Last night's show really made the point about how getting the right (or wrong) flight can make or break you in the race. And Tammy and Victor? Ugh, how frustrating!! His insistence on continuing on that path was ludicrous after a while. And then to have tears in his eyes at the pit-stop because he was so remorseful for his actions--ugh again.

It was interesting to see how everyone did at the gymnastics center. Margie was actually pretty impressive, considering she's one of the older contestants. I would have been challenged to do a couple of those moves myself (well, I can still do a cart-wheel but it's not a pretty sight anymore).

[NotaGeek]

Yeah, I am not a fan of Tammy/Victor ... it's funny when you see family dynamics in ethic teams ... it's very "Older Brother is Charge" kind of thing, and he was WAY off base ... and she just didn't have a voice. Sad.

I should be fair and note that gypsy gave back the fanny pack ... but amazing how it was somehow in the back of a cart under a jacket instead of RIGHT where they placed it, inside a tire under all their stuff. Totally dodgy.

[WDWFanatic]

I should be fair and note that gypsy gave back the fanny pack ... but amazing how it was somehow in the back of a cart under a jacket instead of RIGHT where they placed it, inside a tire under all their stuff. Totally dodgy.

I agree. I wonder who put it there, team, gypsy, or camera man.

[brownie]

I was hoping Victor and Tammy would be eliminated after he forced her to continue walking along the wrong path. He didn't seem to take responsibility for the mistake afterward and she seemed to be blaming herself for not speaking up more. How many times did she need to ask about the markers usually being yellow and red?

[Ian]

I was hoping Victor and Tammy would be eliminated after he forced her to continue walking along the wrong path. He didn't seem to take responsibility for the mistake afterward and she seemed to be blaming herself for not speaking up more. How many times did she need to ask about the markers usually being yellow and red?Yeah, you know I think that's when I solidly decided I didn't like the guy.

To put her through all that, when she was adamant that you were making a mistake, and then to not even apologize or admit your error??

That shows an incredible lack of maturity, IMO.

[DizneyRox]

Yeah, you know I think that's when I solidly decided I didn't like the guy.

To put her through all that, when she was adamant that you were making a mistake, and then to not even apologize or admit your error??

That shows an incredible lack of maturity, IMO.
Didn't he blame her at the end for their communication problems? I had to rewind to hear it again and I'm still not sure I heard what he did, because it sounds like he still thinks it's her fault.

[Ian]

He strongly implied it was her fault, yes.

[pixiesmimi]

I told DH that it appeared to me that it was strictly a male chauvanistic attitude that he was the man and would take charge and she didn't have a say so in it with the brother and sister.:blush: I was hoping they would be eliminated for it instead of the other couple. I liked the other couple and thought that elimination should be because of their mistakes, not technical airline errors that are out of their control. I felt really bad for them and there wasn't anything they could do about it.

I didn't like the editing last night either and thought this was the worst episode I have seen in a while. The gypsies were just creepy! My first thought when their fanny pack disappeared was that the gypsies stole it, just like he said. Now I'm wondering if it wasn't a set up for the drama it would cause. There just wasn't any suspense last night. Something was off.

[MNNHFLTX]

Based on the lack of posts here this morning, I take it that everyone was less than blown-away by last night's episode? It was kind of ho-hum, I think. I was surprised that Amanda and Kris were eliminated; a non-elimination round seemed due, plus their speculation over who did the u-turn would have added interesting tension to the show. I'm liking Luke and Margie slightly less. I understand that she was being protective, but her explaining Luke's frustration at not knowing that Chekhov was the Russian author as "he's confused" and "he doesn't understand what they're asking" was kind of lame. I don't think a lack of understanding was the problem, it was a lack of knowledge in that area. I am liking Mel and Mike more as each show goes by. They are one of the funnier and more interesting teams to watch, and are so affable with each other.

Best part of the show, IMO, was the Siberian woman drinking voda and eating pickles at 9 a.m. and singing out "I love America". Too funny!

[BriarRose0708]

I couldn't watch last night, but it sounds like I really didn't miss much :shake: Disappointing because I thought the season started off pretty strong!

[tinkwest]

Based on the lack of posts here this morning, I take it that everyone was less than blown-away by last night's episode? It was kind of ho-hum, I think. .....

.....Best part of the show, IMO, was the Siberian woman drinking vodka and eating pickles at 9 a.m. and singing out "I love America". Too funny!

I'll agree with you on both those observations.

The part that caught my attention even more so than the show itself was the beginning where they show all of the contestants. They replaced some of the original "couples together" scenes with scenes of them on the show. I liked that.

[Ian]

I actually enjoyed it, although I did find the ending (again) a tad anti-climatic. It really seems like they're having an issue this season with teams falling way behind and it's kind of taking some of the element of drama out of the finishes.

But I thought the bobsled challenge was pretty cool. I would have thoroughly enjoyed that.

I do agree with Beth about Luke and Margie. I was lukewarm on them in the beginning and then this episode they kind of rubbed me the wrong way a little bit. I didn't like that they used the U-Turn on Amanda and Kris and I really didn't like the way they acted with the whole Chekhov thing. I mean Luke just had no clue who Chekhov was. Now I don't know if his hearing impairment for some reason made it more difficult for him to reason out what those letters might be able to spell, but either way Margie's excuses sounded pretty hollow to me.

[NJDad]

Based on the lack of posts here this morning, I take it that everyone was less than blown-away by last night's episode?

I can enjoy TAR without having anything to add about it on the internet. Thought it was a typically fun episode to watch.

The log stacks falling apart, the inability to find the house to add the shutters to, the people that never heard of Chekhov (none of them Star Trek fans either!) and the new twist of the blind U-turn. Great that they figured out a way to get people to use the U-turn.

But I guess I wasn't blown away. Usually don't get that feeling til later on when stakes are higher.

[brownie]

I was finally able to watch this week's episode this morning. I was sorry to see Amanda & Kris go, and to see the stewardesses come in first. There hasn't been a lot of suspense in the last couple episodes.

[NotaGeek]

I loved the drunk Siberian Woman!

I am sad to say this season seems really weird. Are these people just so focused on the race they aren't being entertaining? Or is it the editing?

[Ian]

I'm not sure what the deal is with this season ... I don't know if the individual legs just aren't that close competitively or if they've changed the way they edit the endings, but it just seems like there's very little drama now.

I mean, did anyone not know that the stewardesses were going to be last?

It was a funny episode, though. You really can't get enough of people running in the freezing cold in their undies. ;)

[NotaGeek]

I'm not sure what the deal is with this season ... I don't know if the individual legs just aren't that close competitively or if they've changed the way they edit the endings, but it just seems like there's very little drama now.

I mean, did anyone not know that the stewardesses were going to be last?

It was a funny episode, though. You really can't get enough of people running in the freezing cold in their undies. ;)
I totally agree. I was just talking to my bf about this last night. Maybe it's that these people aren't as clueless (most of them anyway) as the years past? Everyone just plods along and does everything, there's no drama. Maybe TAR has finally lost its spark.

[Ian]

I can't say it's lost its spark, necessarily. I mean, I'm still enjoying watching the show.

It is definitely a less drama-filled season, though. There's no real team to work up a good lather over ... no Jonathan to hate ... it seems like, by and large, a group of pretty nice people running a pretty good race and basically being reasonably nice to one another.

I wouldn't say this season is worse than past seasons, but it does have a different feel for certain.

[pixiesmimi]

That is just weird! I didn't see any Russians running in their skivies. I think they just did this to humiliate the Americans. :) I don't think I could do this. Did you catch "what's her name" saying "I had to put on some underwear because I don't wear any"? Gross! Can't believe the other girl wore her thong!

Why is it just when we think our least favorite team or the team we are really expecting to get eliminated always hits the "non-eliminating" round? Man! :mad:

[Ian]

That is just weird! I didn't see any Russians running in their skivies. I think they just did this to humiliate the Americans. :) I don't think I could do this. Did you catch "what's her name" saying "I had to put on some underwear because I don't wear any"? Gross! Can't believe the other girl wore her thong!I did think it was a little strange that Jennifer was allowed to put underwear on while Christie had to run in her thong.

[NotaGeek]

I did think it was a little strange that Jennifer was allowed to put underwear on while Christie had to run in her thong.
I don't remember Christie having her bag with her ... and Jennifer had her backpack. Maybe it was Christie's choice. I don't think she HAD to run in a thong -- there was choice there.

[MNNHFLTX]

That is just weird! I didn't see any Russians running in their skivies. I think they just did this to humiliate the Americans.I think they did for the ratings. ;)

I also think that this season is lacking in drama. I held high hopes for some sparks to fly with the trailer for last night's episode--the one that hinted at something dastardly that Victor to the other teams. All that he did was decide to drive away instead of waiting while one of the other teams was asking directions! His comment--"how much longer should we wait?" was right on and I bet some of the other teams were kicking themselves for not doing it first. (Don't get me wrong--I'm not a Victor fan. His main fault in that situation, IMO, is that he made the decision to drive off without conferring with Tammy.)

[brownie]

Yeah this race hasn't been as exciting so far. I really wish they'd do away with the travel events that bring all the teams together.

Phil's a pretty brave man to appear in only his skivies!

[Ian]

I don't remember Christie having her bag with her ... and Jennifer had her backpack. Maybe it was Christie's choice. I don't think she HAD to run in a thong -- there was choice there.Yeah, you may be right. She sort of strikes me as the type of person who might get some kicks from running down the road in her thong.

I did kinda laugh, though, when Tammy made that comment about how much tinier her skivvies probably were than Luke's ... I was expecting that maybe she was the one who had to run in her thong.

When I actually saw her underwear I burst out laughing. They looked like a typical bathing suit and were certainly not skimpy!


Yeah this race hasn't been as exciting so far. I really wish they'd do away with the travel events that bring all the teams together.See, I thought they implemented those to avoid the kinds of issues we seem to be having this season where teams fall so far behind that it's no surprise who's going home.

I'm wondering if maybe they've just been terribly unlucky thus far in that, on every leg, one team has just happened to fall waaay behind the pack.

[c&d]

Yeah this race hasn't been as exciting so far. I really wish they'd do away with the travel events that bring all the teams together.


DH & I were talking about that while watching the show. We thought it might go back to the Ramber race when they got on a plane when the gate was closed and they then held the plane so another team could get on. If I remember there was something like a 3 hour wait for the next flight and this was the final leg. My guess is that they now bunch everyone on flights so that there's less chance of a complete blow out by a team.

I also remember that they had to fly on certain flights and they had a choice of 2 or 3 flights for each leg. That was before cell phones and on line websites being to easily available to see flights.

Of the remaining teams I think this is the first year that there aren't any that I truly dislike.

[NJDad]

DON'T FORGET

NCAA March Madness may delay tonight's show...set your TIVOs/DVR's/VCR's/Alarm Clocks accordingly.

[DizneyRox]

DON'T FORGET

NCAA March Madness may delay tonight's show...set your TIVOs/DVR's/VCR's/Alarm Clocks accordingly.

Yes, I learned during football season, I have been good with a 2 hour window, haven't missed anything yet. Was close a few times though...

[TheDuckRocks]

DON'T FORGET

NCAA March Madness may delay tonight's show...set your TIVOs/DVR's/VCR's/Alarm Clocks accordingly.

Thank you, I had forgotten about doing this!

[NJDad]

I'll try to remember to post it again next week, but if you set yours a week ahead you should do it now!

[TheDuckRocks]

Am I the only one this season that on Monday mornings I can't remember who went home? These people are all so boring!!! Oh yeah, it was the flight attendants at long last.:thumbsup:

[Ian]

I don't know if they're boring or if it's just that they're all very focused and lack drama. Either way, I sort of agree that there really aren't any stand-out teams one way or another this season.

Typically there are one or two teams that people really get behind (the hippies, etc.) and one or two teams that really people hate (Romber, Jonathan & Victoria, etc.).

Honestly, this season that just doesn't exist. I don't have a clear favorite and I don't have any team I dislike. They're all just kinda ... there ...

[NotaGeek]

You know, India really does bring out the ugly American in so many teams. The two girls that spent the entire leg screaming at their cab driver and everyone else in the country made me crazy. Really? You left your bag with all your important info and money and passports in a cab in a 3rd world country? Really? OH wait, there's your cab driver who's been running around looking for you, yeah, scream at him for taking too long. Awesome.

[MNNHFLTX]

You know, India really does bring out the ugly American in so many teams. The two girls that spent the entire leg screaming at their cab driver and everyone else in the country made me crazy. Really? You left your bag with all your important info and money and passports in a cab in a 3rd world country? Really? OH wait, there's your cab driver who's been running around looking for you, yeah, scream at him for taking too long.Oh, I agree--that was totally appalling. And then when they get back in the cab they're all cooing and sweet. Disgusting. I decided right then and there that want Cara and Jaime to be the next ones to go. I'm also getting a little tired of Victor and Tammy's "yay us!" cheerleading. In fact, at the moment the one team that I really like is Mel and Mike. I thought Mel was going to have a heart attack, towing all that water, but he kept at it. And they have some of the best lines.

And wow--did you see how that camel kicked that one guys legs out from under him? That had to hurt!

[jrkcr]

I'm rooting for Margie and Luke! The way he just cried and cried in India, he has such a tender heart. And their mom-son relationship is so respectful, never a rude word from him.
:thumbsup:

[Ian]

You know, India really does bring out the ugly American in so many teams. The two girls that spent the entire leg screaming at their cab driver and everyone else in the country made me crazy. Really? You left your bag with all your important info and money and passports in a cab in a 3rd world country? Really? OH wait, there's your cab driver who's been running around looking for you, yeah, scream at him for taking too long. Awesome.I had that exact same thought. Very shameful behavior from them, IMO.

And it wasn't the first time. They've been kind of abusive to the locals a few times.


Oh, I agree--that was totally appalling. And then when they get back in the cab they're all cooing and sweet. Disgusting. I decided right then and there that want Cara and Jaime to be the next ones to go. I'm also getting a little tired of Victor and Tammy's "yay us!" cheerleading. In fact, at the moment the one team that I really like is Mel and Mike. I thought Mel was going to have a heart attack, towing all that water, but he kept at it.I came away from that sequence with the opposite opinion, actually. I thought Mel's whining and over-dramatics were really annoying, with all the gasping and complaining and everything. And I thought Mike was pretty disrespectful towards his Dad. He made an awful lot of comments about his age and stuff that I thought were sort of insensitive.

I mean at one point he said something like, "This is going us to take ten times longer than it takes everybody else."


I'm rooting for Margie and Luke! The way he just cried and cried in India, he has such a tender heart. And their mom-son relationship is so respectful, never a rude word from him.
:thumbsup:Agreed. I really like them as a team. They have SUCH a positive working relationship.

[brownie]

Another lackluster night on the Amazing Race. I did think it was funny how most of the teams didn't bother to read the clues about the camel feeding. I thought they might be penalized for not following the directions, but it did take them longer using the buckets.

[MNNHFLTX]

I came away from that sequence with the opposite opinion, actually. I thought Mel's whining and over-dramatics were really annoying, with all the gasping and complaining and everything. And I thought Mike was pretty disrespectful towards his Dad. He made an awful lot of comments about his age and stuff that I thought were sort of insensitive.

I mean at one point he said something like, "This is going us to take ten times longer than it takes everybody else."
They did play up the grunting and groaning, it's true, but the guy is 68! I know people a lot younger than that who would have been less capable; in fact, some of the other younger competitors were having a tough time too. And the fact that he showed his son that he could persevere and even move ahead by using his brains was another point I liked. Mike admitted that his dad surprised him and he was proud of him at the end.

I do like Margie and Luke too and think that they are capable of winning the race--if the heats doesn't do her in the next leg.

[Ian]

I know. That footage of her from next week was pretty scary. She looked like she was in pretty bad shape.

[pixiesmimi]

I hope they don't have to leave the show because of it. To me, they are one of the forerunner teams. So glad to see the flight attendants gone!

[tinkwest]

I like Mel and Mike. I'm tired of Victor.

[NJDad]

DON'T FORGET

NCAA March Madness WILL delay tonight's show...set your TIVOs/DVR's/VCR's/Alarm Clocks accordingly.

Reese Witherspoon says TAR is her favorite show...

[MNNHFLTX]

Reese Witherspoon says TAR is her favorite show...As a fan of hers (I am watching Legally Blonde right now), I knew that she had good taste! :D

Thanks for the heads up about the possible delay in the broadcast. I'm off to add on some more time to my U-Verse remote.

[NotaGeek]

Cara and Jamie are horrible, completely terrible and all foreigners should throw shoes at them. :sick:

[brownie]

I was sorry to see Mel & Mike get eliminated last night. I was glad that the stuntmen got some penalties. Putting the pumps in the box was not cool.

I hope Luke's mom recovered okay.

[offwego]

I missed why they got the penalty was it for the pumps or the cab?

[Ian]

Cara and Jamie are horrible, completely terrible and all foreigners should throw shoes at them. :sick:Oh yeah ... that was some display last night. I kept waiting for that poor Thai gentleman in the pharmacy to tell them to get out of his store! They were just berating and abusing him. Very embarrassing.


I missed why they got the penalty was it for the pumps or the cab?Both.

[MNNHFLTX]

Finally, a team in this race that I can dislike with a totally clear conscience! Cara and Jaime (especially Jaime) take rude and crass behavior to a whole new level. I clapped and cheered when karma bit them back and they were the last team (aside from Mike and Mel) to get the clue at the pharmacy. However, I have a feeling they make it to the final 3; they just seem more savvy than most of the remaining teams. :shake:

[tinkwest]

I'm going to miss Mike and Mel. I was ready to join Mel for a Mai Tai last night. :silly:

Cara and Jamie were absolutely rude! :mad: I have no desire to see them win. If a taxi driver pulls over and abandons them by the side of the road in a foreign country I would not blame him one bit.

[DisneyPrincess21]

I felt so bad for Luke last night when his mom was about to pass out. He looked so scarred and upset. I just wanted to give him a hug :hug:
Luke and Margie are my favorite team.
I especially hate Cara and Jaime. :rant: It drove me nuts how rude they were being to the shop owner. I can't wait to see them kicked off the show :thedolls:

[Ian]

This is from the EW.com review of last night's episode ... too funny!!


After reminding us how impatient [Jaime] is, she gave us an example: ''I don't like foreign languages! I'm so tired of listening to people talk sometimes.'' Yes, it is wearying when people are so insensitive as to prattle on in their crazy made-up languages that only they and many millions of other people share, most of whom happen to live in the area where you, Jaime, are right now.

[Tick-Tock]

I think that the shop owner may have been deliberately slow with them because of their rudeness. And they definitely deserved it.

[pixiesmimi]

People like Cara and Jaime are what gives Americans a bad name. They are an embarrassment. Too bad the director of the show doesn't make it a rule that if you are rude in another country like that, you go home. Of course, a lot of it is editing but I don't think you can edit their rudeness out because it is constant. If we had been like that in Korea when we were there, the cab driver would have pulled over and kicked us out but I guess the chance to be on TV and get paid big bucks for the ride would stop the cab drivers from doing that in the program. I didn't really like Mel and Mike but I would much rather them still be on there than the girls.

As soon as the guy put the pumps in that box, I said he will be penalized and then when they got the taxi driver to lead them and the other team told theirs that they couldn't do that, I thought, "Okay, these guys are going to get eliminated because of this." Darn! :( Almost but not quite.

[NJDad]

There's an interview with Mel & Mike you can find on the internet. They say they heard from more folks than just the cabbie that the gorilla was at the beach, and a problem we didn't see was the cabbie being sent by his dispatcher to various parts of the race in the wrong order after hearing from the other cabs-for example, being taken to the end of the rickshaw section.

[pixiesmimi]

There's an interview with Mel & Mike you can find on the internet. They say they heard from more folks than just the cabbie that the gorilla was at the beach, and a problem we didn't see was the cabbie being sent by his dispatcher to various parts of the race in the wrong order after hearing from the other cabs-for example, being taken to the end of the rickshaw section.

That sounds awful about the cabs. I wonder why the producers can't do something about that. Of course, we don't know how many other episodes go like this, also. I guess whatever happens in a race, happens and you just have to take your chance. But looks like the camera man or whoever is in the cab with them would report this is happening to the producers.

[pixiesmimi]

Does anyone know if they have rescheduled tonight's episode for later in the week because it has been prempted for the Country Music Awards? Or will it just pick up next week at the normal time. Man! I hate these weeks when my shows get off schedule! :)

[Love of Disney]

At the ending of last week's show, they showed scenes from the next AR in two weeks time. Therefore, I would have to assume it's on next Sunday. I just hate when I have to wait that extra week!!
:cool:

[pixiesmimi]

Thanks! I guess I must have missed that part. :thumbsup:

[Tick-Tock]

Well, I just got back from seeing Phil! He's riding his bike across America for 40 days as a fundraiser for MS research, and they had an event in Denver. We rode out with him a little way on today's leg (in our case, a very little way, since it was quite cold, with a brisk wind & remnants of rain). He's riding about 100 miles every day. There's a website if you're interested in seeing if he's coming your way (he's next going through Nebraska to Chicago, then down toward Washington DC, then up the east coast toward NY).

Margie and Luke were there as well. I saw them in the parking lot and thought, that guy looks familiar, but why? - then I realized who he was.

They all looked exactly like they do on TV. Phil was very gracious. I think he really appreciated folks turning out on such a grim weather day. Sadly, there were only about 75 or so riders (but if you want to ride with him, you have to go pretty quick - his usual pace is in the range of 20 miles per hour).

[DanDisney]

I was just about to post about phils ride. He has a facebook page also if anyone is interested. I believe its: phil keoghan rides america . I think its great what he doing for MS. It must be physically demanding on him, but it looks like he is having fun too! He must be a positive influence to alot of people! I wish I could see him in action, but the closest hes coming to me is DC.

[Beast_fanatic]

The Masters has gone long (and is still going), so set your DVR's accordingly.

[PirateLover]

Ok, so I caught a few of this season's episodes, got hooked, and went and watched all the rest online. This is one of those shows that I always wanted to get into but never found the time. The 4 hour penalty on Mike and Mark was interesting, having just started watching, I didn't know you weren't allowed to barter. Didn't they try to do that earlier this season too? One of the reasons they were happy to have their bags back was so that they could have things to exchange. Just seems weird that they would take such a risk.

Also I read a few exit interviews from Mel and Mike and they said that Luke and Margie are not as nice as their edit would have you believe... looks like we might see some of that next week.

Having read through the previous posts in this thread, I realize I might be in the minority but I love Tammy and Victor for some reason, lol.

[DisneyPrincess21]

The 4 hour penalty on Mike and Mark was interesting, having just started watching, I didn't know you weren't allowed to barter. Didn't they try to do that earlier this season too?

I found it very odd the they got a 4 hour penalty, Because I have been watching this show since the very first season, And the teams have always been allowed to give things in exchange for cab fair. I remember last season one guy lost all of his money and he gave the cab drivers his shoes. And they didn't get a penalty. It clearly is a new rule this season, But I don't understand it, And it was never mentioned any other time this season. How else are the contestants suppose to pay for cab fair if they can't offer there belongs in exchange, IMO it's safer for them to do that, Then to beg for money on the streets, Because that could get them arrested or harmed in some way.

[DizneyRox]

Begging has always been the way to get money in years past. The bartering for services is fairly new, and obviously they wanted to squash it. Otherwise it's easy to bring all sorts of things for trade and negate the money the race provides to finish the challenges.

[thrillme]

My DS and I were a little uncomfortable with last night’s race. I “guess” that’s always been a rule not to “barter” with your stuff but…They didn’t have enough to pay for the cab. I REALLY disagreed with the girls getting their cab rides “Free”. I thought it was a lot more “honorable” of Mike and Mark doing their best to give them SOMETHING of agreement rather than just “expecting” a “freebie”. I’m glad they’re getting a second chance but they really need to read up on the rules.

It was STUPID on BOTH teams parts to think they shouldn’t have gone back in the beginning to get their stuff and dismiss their cabs. IDIOTS…both of them. But the girl without her shoes :confused: what was she thinking?

I can’t help but wonder if some of those “cabbies” are taking the players for a “ride” to get the extra money. A lot of the places they end up at it seems like the cabbies ought to “know” how to get there. But there’s an “awful” lot of getting lost with the meter running.

[Ian]

I found it very odd the they got a 4 hour penalty, Because I have been watching this show since the very first season, And the teams have always been allowed to give things in exchange for cab fair. I remember last season one guy lost all of his money and he gave the cab drivers his shoes.I agree and you are 100% correct. I know for a fact teams in past years have bartered with cab drivers and others.

The entire thing was very, very odd. If that new rule was going to play such an important part in the game, it should have been explained or disclosed at the beginning of the season. I was actually really disappointed when it happened. It almost seemed like a cheat.

This was another episode that actually just annoyed me from start to finish. I couldn't understand for the life of me why those teams thought it was a good idea to leave their stuff behind?? :confused:

[pixiesmimi]

I agree. When have any of the past teams gone anywhere on a challenge without taking all of their bags? That was just stupid and the fact that they all thought about it until they saw one team go get their bags doesn't make sense. In the first place, why would you leave your bags in the taxi? What if the taxi decided to leave or someone just decided they wanted your stuff? I think they are being way too trusting in these foreign countries. I wouldn't even do it in our country.

I thought the 4 hour penalty was way too much. They had already been penalized by having to go back to get their things before checking in and using all of their money. I've never seen a penalty more than 30 minutes. Unless this was stressed to the teams before the race started, I think giving them 2 hours for each incident was just way too much especially when they knew there was only one other team to finish. It almost seemed like they were targeting this team and were going to get rid of them one way or another even with it being a non-elimination round. With that much penalty at the beginning of the next leg along with the speed bump, almost ensures that they will lose. You would think after being penalized once that they would have thought all of this through really well and done everything they could to follow the rules, unless they didn't know that was a rule.

I just thought that all in all it was a strange episode. And what a gross challenge with the false teeth. EWWW! :ack: It just seems like this season that it is slow. On previous seasons they had more challenges in one episode which made it really fun to watch but this time it just seems like they have one, maybe two per episode making it kind of ho-hum. Definately not exciting.

[DizneyRox]

Also I read a few exit interviews from Mel and Mike and they said that Luke and Margie are not as nice as their edit would have you believe... looks like we might see some of that next week.

I don't think it's too hard to see their [mostly his] true colors. They aren't getting anywhere because of Luke's abilities, that's for sure, I'm not sure what he's trying to prove. If they win, he should thank his mom for carrying him yet again in life.

I might be the only one who thought this week was the best episode so far. That's not saying much, but compared to the rest... The two lawyers have made a pretty good recovery.

[MNNHFLTX]

I thought it was a pretty interesting episode. As far as the Broken Teeth vs. the Broken Record tasks, I would have chosen the teeth too. I'm always having to help my patients pop their dentures in and out so that wouldn't have grossed me out in the least. I did get a chuckle at the other teams doing their karaoke singing with "the girls".

You know, I really think that the stunt-guys don't deserve to be there anymore. I realize that the "no bartering" rule had to be new (I do remember other teams doing it in previous seasons), but the teams had to have had the rules spelled out to them ahead of time. That Mark and Michael felt they had to do it anyway and that they made the mistake of leaving their bags in the cab to begin with is a major faus pax. And Phil seemed perturbed with them at the pit stop too, didn't he?

And I if I have to hear Jamie complain one more time about the audacity of people in other countries not speaking English better, I will scream (although probably not as loudly as she does every show--she has a hideous personality when she is competing!)

[brownie]

I have a feeling the teams knew they weren't supposed to barter. In reality, it probably isn't a fair trade most of the time. I am surprised that getting a free cab didn't incur a similar penalty, although the cab driver could have said no (I think the same would apply to asking for money.)

The race this season really doesn't seem to be on its best game. I hope this isn't a sign that the end is coming. I hope they're able to make it better and continue racing.

[disneyfan328]

just to throw in another thought on the bartering - In past years (except for the very last season) when a team came in last but it was a non elimination round they were stripped of everything except the clothes on their backs and their passports - all of their money back packs everything was taken. In the last 2 seasons they have not done that - they have added the speed bump instead so I think maybe that is why it is a no no :nono: now. I am sure that these rules had to have been explained to them at some point as well. Maybe this is to keep them from holding onto the money and giving away other things like the pp said. they only give them so much money per leg for a reason they need to use it wisely - Also depending on what a team member has to barter with what is that cabbie to do with it? He can't take a pair of shoes to the store to feed his family so I think that has something to do with it to. This is how they make their living and they need to be paid as such.

Remember in one of the first couple of seasons on the finale leg of the race the couple that got there first couldn't pay the cab driver and they had to wait there and beg for money or sell stuff (I can't remember which or it may have been both) they almost lost the 1 million because of cab fare. They weren't allowed to run and check in until the cab driver had been paid.

[Ian]

I am surprised that getting a free cab didn't incur a similar penalty, although the cab driver could have said no (I think the same would apply to asking for money.)This is the biggest issue that I have with this rule!!

It's not okay to trade something for cab fare, but it's perfectly fine to stiff the poor cabbie and leave him with nothing?? That seems ridiculously unfair to me.

[mjaclyn]

Remember in one of the first couple of seasons on the finale leg of the race the couple that got there first couldn't pay the cab driver and they had to wait there and beg for money or sell stuff ... They weren't allowed to run and check in until the cab driver had been paid.

I think the difference between that incident and this one is that the couple from a few seasons ago didn't tell the cab driver up front that they didn't have any money. If I remember correctly it was the cab driver that wouldn't let them leave until he got paid. In this most recent episode the girls told the cab driver up front that they didn't have any money and asked him to take them to their destination for free. They didn't just jump in the cab and stiff him at the end.

[tinkerbelle75]

The way Jamie and Cara treat other people just disgusts me. They're just grown-up brats.
I also don't understand why a free cab ride is better than bartering......
I figured we'd see that Margie and Luke are not so nice- looks like next week will be interesting.
I wonder if anybody ever told the brothers that the " girls" in the cab weren't really girls.:secret:

[pixiesmimi]

I have a feeling the teams knew they weren't supposed to barter. In reality, it probably isn't a fair trade most of the time. I am surprised that getting a free cab didn't incur a similar penalty, although the cab driver could have said no (I think the same would apply to asking for money.)

The race this season really doesn't seem to be on its best game. I hope this isn't a sign that the end is coming. I hope they're able to make it better and continue racing.

I was surprised also that the free cab didn't incur a penalty. Does she realize what kind of germs she was walking through going barefoot everywhere? Not smart!

I was just thinking how the quality of this show has gone down. Maybe they are just running out of things to do and countries to go to (that will let them back in) :D I have a feeling that if it doesn't pick up, it might be the last season for it.

I can't imagine why the girls think that everyone in every country can understand them or speak their language. Cara or one of them kept saying "I don't have any tolerance for people that I can't understand!" Duh! Hello! They can't understand you either other than you screaming at them. What if they screamed at you? Wouldn't you be highly offended? She needs a lesson in etiquette.

[Ian]

I wonder if anybody ever told the brothers that the " girls" in the cab weren't really girls.:secret:Best line of the week went to Tammy ...

"Look, Mai Tai Trannies!!"

[jrkcr]

Singing taxi: Even my DD9 asked if those were really girls! If a nine year old can tell, you'd think Mark and Michael could. But it was funny!

I am not impressed with this season, the teams or the rules. Why would anyone EVER leave their money and passport???? I traveled alone to the UK for months when I was 15, and even I knew to never leave my passport!! :doh:

The actions and attitudes of some of the teams make me wish they were not from my country. (cara especially)

The best part of the whole show is watching Phils face as he greets each team at the mat!! He must have to bite his tongue alot.

[brownie]

Best line of the week went to Tammy ...

"Look, Mai Tai Trannies!!"

It seemed like the stunt brothers never realized they weren't women.

[pixiesmimi]

Can you say "Childish"? This whole episode was just that. Come on, people! You are adults. Act like it. I think both parties were ridiculous! Think of what all these people from other countries are thinking about the Americans. That's how we get a bad name. But at least the brothers are finally gone. I think if I had been Phil, I would have penalized both of them. :) Go sit in a corner until you can play nice.:D

[Ian]

Okay, yeah I mean Luke overreacted but come on ... that was so obviously Kisha's fault. Luke was clearly the first to that box and she just tried to cut in front of him and throw him out of the way. He was right to box her out.

Ironically, I find though that I actually came away liking Margie and Luke less because of it. There's just something entitled and whiny about both of them that I don't like. Also, Margie coddles Luke too much. He's 22 and she acts like he's 8. "Don't you laugh at my son!!!"

Come on ...

Anyway, another anti-climactic finish. I'm thinking the producers just flat-out got unlucky this year with how far some teams fell behind. But again, though, they didn't even try to make it seem like M&M had a shot. It was just obvious the entire show that they were going to be eliminated. Kind of takes away from things, IMO.

[PirateLover]

I actually liked the brothers more than the cheerleaders. They are funny sometimes. The cheerleaders are just annoying.
As far as the whole Margie and Luke vs Keisha and Jen, they were both wrong the first time, but the second time I think Luke was a little more aggressive and overall, very rude and overdramatic about the whole thing. Yea she called him a name, but it was in the heat of the moment. And I don't think they were laughing at his deafness, either. I too laugh at stressful situations when I think the other person is being ridiculous. I'm rooting for Tammy and Victor to win.

[Ian]

I'm rooting for Tammy and Victor to win.By process of elimination, I guess I kinda am, too.

I pretty much hate the three other teams and Tammy and Victor, after some initial issues, have grown on me.

[NJDad]

Okay, yeah I mean Luke overreacted but come on ... that was so obviously Kisha's fault. Luke was clearly the first to that box and she just tried to cut in front of him and throw him out of the way. He was right to box her out.

Seems to me in the past when two teams get to the box at the same time they accomodate each other a little bit. "Boxing out" isn't really appropriate. Wasn't that obvious that she was doing anything out of the ordinary.

Also, the split second difference in getting the clue is probably not worth trying to block someone, even if they are 'cutting in'.

[Ian]

Also, the split second difference in getting the clue is probably not worth trying to block someone, even if they are 'cutting in'.I've actually wondered about that ... teams seem to really make a serious effort to get to clue boxes before other teams and it seems like the effort expended isn't commensurate with the reward.

Why sprint and burn all that energy just to gain a couple seconds on another team?

It's always made me wonder if getting a clue first has some benefit we don't see ... maybe there's a bigger delay that's not shown on camera?

[pixiesmimi]

By process of elimination, I guess I kinda am, too.

I pretty much hate the three other teams and Tammy and Victor, after some initial issues, have grown on me.

Yeah, I haven't found any of the teams that I want to root for. Tammy and Victor seemed really embarrassed about all the fussing going on in front of the Chinese couple. I think both teams were at fault and it was childish to fight over getting the clues but Margie just went overboard defending Luke at the pit stop. It would have gone over better if he had been calm and acted offended but not acting like a child. This may escalate and get interesting after all.

Someone must have called attention to how bad the girls were sounding shouting at everyone for them to make an issue of it themselves to calm down this time.

[DizneyRox]

Being deaf, Luke probably doesn't know too much of what's going on around him, he can't hear people in back, etc. At least in the first case, I don't think he did much wrong. Throwing elbows is a natural reaction, and he probably doesn't know if it's a "friendly" competitor or possibly some aggressive action. But, it will be a good episode when Marge and Luke get eliminated, hopefully next week. Luke has some growing up to do and mom isn't helping with that. They have been on a couple weeks too long as it is.

That said, with the filming going on, I can only assume that there is some significant delay when they hit a clue box. Maybe they need to stage them reading the clue, etc and getting in and out it probably top priority. It's not like they are signing up for a trip and there's only so many seats per boat or whatever. In those cases, I see the urgency of getting there first.

[Ian]

Being deaf, Luke probably doesn't know too much of what's going on around him, he can't hear people in back, etc. At least in the first case, I don't think he did much wrong. Throwing elbows is a natural reaction, and he probably doesn't know if it's a "friendly" competitor or possibly some aggressive action.Yeah, that's kinda where I was coming from. You're in a strange country, you can't hear, and all of a sudden you feel someone rushing up behind you. Throwing an elbow is understandable.

[MNNHFLTX]

Being deaf, Luke probably doesn't know too much of what's going on around him, he can't hear people in back, etc. At least in the first case, I don't think he did much wrong. Throwing elbows is a natural reaction, and he probably doesn't know if it's a "friendly" competitor or possibly some aggressive action. This was my first impression also, at least for that particular clue. As far as the "sprint" for the second one, my husband and I re-wound the recording and watched it a couple of times and we both agreed that while Luke and Jen both initially body-checked each other, Luke did jump back a bit after Jen bumped into the clue box. I initially thought that Margie's admonishments to Luke to "let it go" was very above-board. And when they all got to the pitstop and Luke stomped off I really did feel like he was acting immature. But in a way I can understand why Margie, who has probably spent a good part of her life trying to protect her son from feeling laughed at or shut-out, lashed out at Kisha and Jen. Was it the right thing? No--he is a grown man now and should be able to stick up for himself. But seeing Kisha and Jen's smirking, snickering faces, I even wanted to take them down a notch. They really fell in my regard in this episode, and Luke and Margie did not fare much better. I don't know who I want to win--the cheerleaders are still annoying (although better behaved) and Tammy and Victor are just a little too cutesy for me. Oh well, we'll see what happens in the last two shows.

[DisneyPrincess21]

Being deaf, Luke probably doesn't know too much of what's going on around him, he can't hear people in back, etc. At least in the first case, I don't think he did much wrong. Throwing elbows is a natural reaction, and he probably doesn't know if it's a "friendly" competitor or possibly some aggressive action.

Yeah, that's kinda where I was coming from. You're in a strange country, you can't hear, and all of a sudden you feel someone rushing up behind you. Throwing an elbow is understandable.

My point exactly, Luke can't hear what is going on, And all he knew was all the sudden someone was on him and he didn't know if they were going to fight him, And anyone's automatic reaction weather they could hear the person or not, would be to throw up an elbow to protect themselves. And Keisha and Jen were being so dramatic by complaing about it the whole episode. And the second time I think that Luke lost his balance running to the box becase if he was body checking her, He wouldn't have thrown his hands up like it was an accident. he was throwing his hands up almost as if he was saying "Sorry, It was an accident I didn't mean to run into you"


But seeing Kisha and Jen's smirking, snickering faces, I even wanted to take them down a notch. They really fell in my regard in this episode, and Luke and Margie did not fare much better.

And if you guys remember Keisha and Jen said they would just laugh at him next time because that would get him mad. So when Margie called them out on it they all the sudden are just these "happy people" who laugh and smile all the time!, Uh, I didn't hear them laughing or see them smiling when they were complaining about Luke "body checking" them. After last night's episode I can't stand Keisha and Jen

[pixiesmimi]

Did anyone think it was as strange as I did that when they got to the first box before the body checking started that no one could see the box right in front of their faces? :confused: "Where is the box? Anyone see the box?" Hello! Not the brightest bunch around when you have found how many of these boxes before?

I think the first body check may have been an accident, apologize and move on. But then when the name calling started and the second incident, that is when it became very childish all around. Jen and Keisha kept saying that Margie and Luke had their taxi driver give theirs the wrong directions in the last episode. In the first place, they didn't, he was stopping for directions and they just said not to give it to the other taxi driver. If their driver went the wrong direction, oh well. It is a race and he should have stopped and asked.

[DisneyPrincess21]

Jen and Keisha kept saying that Margie and Luke had their taxi driver give theirs the wrong directions in the last episode. In the first place, they didn't, he was stopping for directions and they just said not to give it to the other taxi driver. If their driver went the wrong direction, oh well. It is a race and he should have stopped and asked.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that too, I also remember that Margie and Luke's taxi guy never gave wrong directions to Keisha and Jen's cab drive, Because Keisha and Jen's cab driver took off first, And got lost, And all Margie said was "Don't tell him" And when Keisha and Jen said to there taxi driver (who didn't speak english) "He gave you the wrong directions didn't he?" The taxi driver said "Yeah Yeah" Because he probably didn't understand what they were saying to him.

[Magic Smiles]

I will be glad to see Marg and Luke gone. Hopefully soon. I feel that he has a very agressive side that is starting to surface. Yes I know that a mother's natural instinct is to protect, but she needs to see everything before making all of her comments. I had actually started disliking them a while back for other reasons. This episode just confirmed my opinion of them.
Out of who is left I am now hoping that Tammy and Victor win.

[PirateLover]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that too, I also remember that Margie and Luke's taxi guy never gave wrong directions to Keisha and Jen's cab drive, Because Keisha and Jen's cab driver took off first, And got lost, And all Margie said was "Don't tell him" And when Keisha and Jen said to there taxi driver (who didn't speak english) "He gave you the wrong directions didn't he?" The taxi driver said "Yeah Yeah" Because he probably didn't understand what they were saying to him.

This is true but you can't blame Keisha and Jen for thinking that.... their driver talked to Margie and Luke's driver, who then went in a different direction. Then due to the language barrier he "confirmed." I mean, refusing to help with directions is not so far away from giving wrong directions anyway.

[NJDad]

I'm not buying that Luke didn't know who was coming from behind at the first clue box. If they were that close in the shot we saw, he probably knew who it was. Life does go on in off camera.

He didn't turn around to see if it was a mugger or some other stranger, he moved to his left and put hit butt out to keep his competitor from getting to the clue box, not exactly a self defense move.

[NJDad]

Phil Keoghan's take:


I don’t think LaKisha was making fun of Luke. I think she just has a nervous laugh and that's what she does in those situations.

[MNNHFLTX]

Maybe it was a nervous laugh, but I still didn't like it. :shake:

[DisneyPrincess21]

Maybe it was a nervous laugh, but I still didn't like it. :shake:

:exactly: But I don't ever remember Keisha having this "nervous laugh" any other time. I don't buy it was just her being nervous. If it was, Keisha and Jen wouldn't have planned to laugh at Luke next time they were around him.

[NotaGeek]

I agree. They were laughing at him, I actually rewound my TiVO several times ... they laughed when he got angry and tried to talk, then they were called out by his mom and tried to make an excuse. His mother has FULL right to stand up for her son ... he can't hear, and odds are their entire life people have laughed, and they are sick of it.

The body check wasn't probably very nice in the good sport category ... but this is for $1,000,000.00 -- it's not like he hit her with an axe. I think there's more bad blood between them then they have shown, there is no way that one leg caused all that tension.

[DisneyPrincess21]

I agree. They were laughing at him, I actually rewound my TiVO several times ... they laughed when he got angry and tried to talk, then they were called out by his mom and tried to make an excuse. His mother has FULL right to stand up for her son ... he can't hear, and odds are their entire life people have laughed, and they are sick of it.

The body check wasn't probably very nice in the good sport category ... but this is for $1,000,000.00 -- it's not like he hit her with an axe. I think there's more bad blood between them then they have shown, there is no way that one leg caused all that tension.

:exactly:
Any mother would stand up for their child if they were being made fun of no matter how old their child is or if they are disabled or not. That is just a mother. And because Luke can't hear what they are saying gives her even more right to defend him since he can't defend himself. They have probably put up with people laughing at him his whole life, And add that to the stress of the race and being tired and upset at Keisha and Jen anyway, And your bound to have problems when they go as far as to laugh at him. I mean who laughs at a disabled person? People are so insensitive and mean it's ridiculous. How I feel about it is, Look Keisha and Jen were on tape plotting to laugh at him to get him angry, so when his mother called them out on it all of the sudden they are these sweet people that would never make fun of him. UH HELLO! you just told the camera's earlier that you were planning on laughing at him to get him upset, So instead of lying about it trying to make yourself's look like these innocent people, You should have just come out and said, "Your right, I did laugh at him and I'm sorry you are offended but I knew it would upset him, And since he can't hear us, that is the only thing we could come up with, Because we are immature rude people."
People like Keisha and Jen really upset me! :bang::blowup:

[amrntodd]

I always liked Kisha and Jen, but now, i dont know what to think about them. I think that they might have been laughing at Luke. But when its T.V, its hard to know the truth.
I was sooooooooo glad that Mike and Mark got the boot on the last episode. I could never stand them. The cheerleaders are super annoying but they keep the game interesting. As for Tammy and her brother (im having a total brain freeze with his name) i hated them at first. The way he was always bossing her aroung bugged me. But now the are my favorite team. It seems Tammy's been everywere. When they went to Thiland she said "i've been there". When they went to China she said she had been there to.
i just hope the whole Kisha/Jen and Margie/Luke thing gets straightened out.

[DisneyPrincess21]

As for Tammy and her brother (im having a total brain freeze with his name) i hated them at first. The way he was always bossing her aroung bugged me. But now the are my favorite team

The name you are looking for is Victor. :D I can't stand when I can't think of names of people or movies, songs etc. It will bug me until I think of it.

[pixiesmimi]

For some reason I can't remember any of their names this season. They just aren't that memorable. :D

[DisneyPrincess21]

For some reason I can't remember any of their names this season. They just aren't that memorable. :D

Luke And Margie (Mother & Son team)
Tammy And Victor (Bother & Sister team)
Kisha And Jen (Sisters)
Cara And Jamie (Cheerleaders)
:D

[NotaGeek]

You know, I was reading one of the reality tv blogs today and evidently when the incident occurred and Kisha (or Tammy -- I don't remember which one said it) called Luke a derogatory term at the clue box she also used sign language for the term ... I find that interesting and I wish they had made note of that in editing. And I don't really care either way, because I would have been a lot worse than any of these people for a million bucks, but they sisters can't play innocent.

Luke is a drama queen, but he does seem to be giving as much as he's getting.

[PirateLover]

You know, I was reading one of the reality tv blogs today and evidently when the incident occurred and Kisha (or Tammy -- I don't remember which one said it) called Luke a derogatory term at the clue box she also used sign language for the term
It was Jen. And that seems strange because why wouldn't Luke have seen it then? He didn't know until Margie told him. At any rate, even if the sisters were laughing AT Luke, I really don't think it was because of his disability. No one can read their minds though, so we'll never truly know. Both teams definitely had some negatives against them in this episode. No one is completely innocent, but it's also unfair to paint one team as more rude/villainous than the other. As your post shows, there is certainly a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we will never know about. The stress of this show seems to bring out the ugliest sides of people sometimes.

Incidentally, do you fans of the show have a favorite season? I would like to get some of the previous seasons from netflix, probably over the summer, but I don't know that I'll ever have time to watch every single one.

[NotaGeek]

It was Jen. And that seems strange because why wouldn't Luke have seen it then? He didn't know until Margie told him. At any rate, even if the sisters were laughing AT Luke, I really don't think it was because of his disability. No one can read their minds though, so we'll never truly know. Both teams definitely had some negatives against them in this episode. No one is completely innocent, but it's also unfair to paint one team as more rude/villainous than the other. As your post shows, there is certainly a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we will never know about. The stress of this show seems to bring out the ugliest sides of people sometimes.

Incidentally, do you fans of the show have a favorite season? I would like to get some of the previous seasons from netflix, probably over the summer, but I don't know that I'll ever have time to watch every single one.
Luke was walking away from her when she signed/said the comment -- so his back was to her. I found the clip on the internet, and it's pretty clear she does some sort of sign.

[PirateLover]

Luke was walking away from her when she signed/said the comment -- so his back was to her. I found the clip on the internet, and it's pretty clear she does some sort of sign.

Just saw it myself. I think you're right. Interesting.

By the way, I like the new avatar :thumbsup:

[NotaGeek]

By the way, I like the new avatar :thumbsup:
Thanks! :mickey:

[pixiesmimi]

Well she must have seen it used earlier to know the sign for the word she used. Wonder if he had used it against her earlier. Or she just went out of her way to learn it? I've been around people all my life signing and it just doesn't seem like Margie is signing much to him, more him reading her lips. Her signing to him doesn't seem to be more than a word or two but this could be the editing also.

[NotaGeek]

Didn't they say at the beginning that Luke didn't read lips? I seem to remember that...

[DizneyRox]

Didn't they say at the beginning that Luke didn't read lips? I seem to remember that...
Yes, he supposedly DOES NOT read lips. They went out of their way to let us know that.

[Mousefever]

Incidentally, do you fans of the show have a favorite season? I would like to get some of the previous seasons from netflix, probably over the summer, but I don't know that I'll ever have time to watch every single one.


I liked season 9. The one with the hippies.

Amy

[amrntodd]

wasnt that the season with the goths?? The hippies and the goths were my favorite team.:number1:

[thrillme]

I missed a good chunk of Amazing Race this week...I did get to see the "battle to be first at the clue box". Personally I guess I just felt he KNEW he was in a "race" and it wase mearly a "heat of the moment" thing...they both need to move on.

Yes the girls were rude when he was trying to talk. And that's going to get frustrating for anyone especially a mother. Mine would have done the same for me. I'm very hard of hearing and I find my husband and son standing up for me when I don't know what someone is saying. It's just natural.

I do wonder...maybe I just haven't been observant because I guess most of the time the teams arrive at the clue box at different times. But...if they both had walked over to the box and politely taken their respective clues...would one have been penalized more than the other? I don't understand the "RUSH" to the box unless it was just a "heat of the moment thing".

[NotaGeek]

I missed a good chunk of Amazing Race this week...I did get to see the "battle to be first at the clue box". Personally I guess I just felt he KNEW he was in a "race" and it wase mearly a "heat of the moment" thing...they both need to move on.

Yes the girls were rude when he was trying to talk. And that's going to get frustrating for anyone especially a mother. Mine would have done the same for me. I'm very hard of hearing and I find my husband and son standing up for me when I don't know what someone is saying. It's just natural.

I do wonder...maybe I just haven't been observant because I guess most of the time the teams arrive at the clue box at different times. But...if they both had walked over to the box and politely taken their respective clues...would one have been penalized more than the other? I don't understand the "RUSH" to the box unless it was just a "heat of the moment thing".
That's is the stupid part! There is no "better" positioning at a clue box ... it was totally just a heat of the moment thing.

[DizneyRox]

That's is the stupid part! There is no "better" positioning at a clue box ... it was totally just a heat of the moment thing.
Actually I suspect there is. I mentioned it before, but I'll elaborate...

When they ge their clue, they need to read it. There is some production around filming them reading it, etc. This could involve multiple angles, retakes because of background noise, camera malfunctions, cameraman error, etc.

Before they can proceed, they need to finish enough filming to be able to edit together a cohesive show to put on each week.

The sooner they can get that done the sooner they can get to a taxi, or whatever else the clue may bring on.

So, while I do agree it's "just a clue", there is the distinct potential for it to turn into a 10-15 minute jump start depending on the production that's actually taking place.

I believe there is one camera guy and possibly a sound tech travelling with each time. Those clue boxes are filmed in multiple angles so I wouldn't be surprised if there are multiple reshoots, that or a camera crew at each box as well they need to coordinate with.

THey have made it clear in previous seasons that errors due to crew problems ARE NOT credited to them. It's just like a vehicle failure, etc.

I know in seasons past, the camera crew needed seats on the planes too, so when they would ask for 2 tickets, they really needed 4 in order to go.

[NotaGeek]

Actually I suspect there is. I mentioned it before, but I'll elaborate...

When they ge their clue, they need to read it. There is some production around filming them reading it, etc. This could involve multiple angles, retakes because of background noise, camera malfunctions, cameraman error, etc.

Before they can proceed, they need to finish enough filming to be able to edit together a cohesive show to put on each week.

The sooner they can get that done the sooner they can get to a taxi, or whatever else the clue may bring on.

So, while I do agree it's "just a clue", there is the distinct potential for it to turn into a 10-15 minute jump start depending on the production that's actually taking place.

I believe there is one camera guy and possibly a sound tech travelling with each time. Those clue boxes are filmed in multiple angles so I wouldn't be surprised if there are multiple reshoots, that or a camera crew at each box as well they need to coordinate with.

THey have made it clear in previous seasons that errors due to crew problems ARE NOT credited to them. It's just like a vehicle failure, etc.

I know in seasons past, the camera crew needed seats on the planes too, so when they would ask for 2 tickets, they really needed 4 in order to go.
Yeah, well, I don't ever really buy into how the production part of the show affects the standings. There is no way to know, so while I appreciate your elaboration, I just doubt that racers would be held up 15 minutes longer than someone that got their clue at the exact same time. :huh:

[MNNHFLTX]

Yeah, well, I don't ever really buy into how the production part of the show affects the standings. There is no way to know, so while I appreciate your elaboration, I just doubt that racers would be held up 15 minutes longer than someone that got their clue at the exact same time.

Me either. I think would severely affect the authenticity of the race. :shrug:

[pixiesmimi]

I think when I got my clue and read it, I would be off and they could either keep up or be left behind. If they aren't already in position and taking pictures when it happens, then it is their loss. If they have to stop and film multiple angles on every move, they would never get through the race in the amount of time they have and it wouldn't be much of a race.

[Ian]

My favorite season was definitely the one with Rob and Amber.

[brownie]

I liked season 9. The one with the hippies.

I really liked that season, too. I haven't enjoyed the current race as much.

[Melanie]

I liked the one with Kris and Jon. Still my favorite TAR couple ever!

[PirateLover]

Thanks guys! I'll check that out over my summer break! (One of the major pluses of being a teacher).
Anyway, interesting episode tonight. Was cracking up at the foot massage. Has this happened before, with the pit stop not actually being the end of the leg? Looks like it's a good thing for Keisha and Jen that they pushed on and got through the swimming challenge instead of just giving up. (I can't swim either, but come on! You could use a life vest for heaven's sake!)

[pixiesmimi]

Man! I was really hoping that Keisha and Jen were going to be eliminated tonight. Seems like all the tasks were really hard tonight. There was definately no winner in this one. They all struggled with them. This one was just the luck of who had a taxi driver that knew where he was going. I give cudos to Margie and Luke for not carrying the fight on and choosing just to not talk to the girls.

I think there was a previous season where the leg didn't end at the pit stop.

[PirateLover]

I give cudos to Margie and Luke for not carrying the fight on and choosing just to not talk to the girls.

Really? I wouldn't really give them kudos. I would give Kudos if the two groups sat down and talked it all out or at least simply agreed to move on, but there are clearly still hard feelings. They gave them the cold shoulder, talked about them behind their backs to the other teams, and made fun of them not being good at the water task and possibly being eliminated. I was surprised when Margie played the "we were first in line!" thing about having to go to the other counter... like they seriously would've been cordial and let the other team in front of them were the situation reversed.

[PirateLover]

I wanted to add that I'm not really defending Keisha and Jen... as a matter of fact I did not like the way they were making fun of the Chinese people who did not speak English, and as I said I thought the whole water thing was over dramatic... but Margie and Luke are no :angel:

[NotaGeek]

I just don't understand how anyone can think they are going to compete on TAR and not be able to swim, and/or choke down some gross food. :huh:

To make things worse the swimmers could wear a life vest ... just do it! :swim:

[2Epcot]

Anyway, interesting episode tonight. Was cracking up at the foot massage. Has this happened before, with the pit stop not actually being the end of the leg?

My wife gets foot massages just about each time she goes to China. She travels there often. I had one on my last trip to China with her and hated it, though I don't think mine was as bad as the ones they were getting.

They have had legs on past races where the pit stop was not the end. The players are usually exhausted, but have to keep going. I wonder how Victor will do if he's still having trouble with his legs.

[MNNHFLTX]

They have had legs on past races where the pit stop was not the end. The players are usually exhausted, but have to keep going. I wonder how Victor will do if he's still having trouble with his legs.I do empathize with Victor's leg cramps, but I thought he was a little melodramatic about them too. I have had problems in the past with severe leg cramps, so I know they hurt. But with a million dollars on the line, if I were Victor I would have backed myself into that taxi to get a little extra room, grabbed my toes and hyperextended them back and told the driver to go. Stretching the muscle is the only fix for them anyway.

The pseudo end of the this race was a total surprise to me. And even though I don't care for Jamie and Cara, I almost felt sorry for them when I saw the look on their faces. Looks like Kisha and Jen lucked out on this leg, even with the swimming fiasco. And while I don't think Luke and Margie are angels, I do think that they were the best swimmers in the group and deserved to move ahead of Kisha and Jen.

I have to say that I didn't think the synchronized diving (or jumping, as it may be) should have been that hard. Couldn't Victor and Tammy have stood at the end of the board, said "one-two-three" and then just stepped off on "three"? Maybe I'm over-simplifying it, but if you don't make the board bounce there's not a lot of timing involved.

[Ian]

I though that was a really great episode. Tough challenges ... very tough. As a guy who loves to swim, I have to say even I would have found that a very daunting task. Doing a full lap in an Olympic size pool at speed is very tiring.

I can swim fast in short bursts, but I would have been gassed by the time I made it down the other end and probably would have had to float back gasping for air.

Looking forward to next week's episode!

[PirateLover]

I have to say that I didn't think the synchronized diving (or jumping, as it may be) should have been that hard. Couldn't Victor and Tammy have stood at the end of the board, said "one-two-three" and then just stepped off on "three"? Maybe I'm over-simplifying it, but if you don't make the board bounce there's not a lot of timing involved.
I think some of it probably has to do with weight differential too, but you're right, they never seemed to leave the board at the same time. Still, the judges were being hard on them. At one point I thought Tammy and Victor were very close in timing and had pretty good form...but they got a 3 and 4 instead of at least a 4 and 4. Yet another time Keisha and Jen were waaay off both in timing and form but one still managed to get a 3?

[Momof2boys]

I can honestly say at this point I don't care who wins. I'm not overly fond of any of the teams who are left - and I just can't stand Margie & Luke. If I had to choose, I'd root for either girls team.

[DizneyRox]

I think some of it probably has to do with weight differential too, but you're right, they never seemed to leave the board at the same time.
Actually, if they just stepped off, they would accelerate at the same rate (9.8 m/s I believe) until they hit the water. Friction may play a part, and slow down a larger object because of more surface area, but at their size and the distance to the water, not so much to be noticable. If they just stepped off at the same time, they should have hit the water at the same time.

For some reason they weren't coordinating their dives. Countdown, ready-set-go, or whatever. Trying to actually dive makes it harder as they would need to jump the same height, at the same time, etc...

UPDATE: Corrected some wording, it's been a while since physics class

[Ian]

All during that synchronized dive challenge I kept saying to DW, "Either this is a lot harder than I think it is or these people just aren't executing well."

I was thinking the same thing you all have said ... just count 1, 2, 3 and step off the board at the same time!

[DisneyPrincess21]

I do empathize with Victor's leg cramps, but I thought he was a little melodramatic about them too. I have had problems in the past with severe leg cramps, so I know they hurt. But with a million dollars on the line, if I were Victor I would have backed myself into that taxi to get a little extra room, grabbed my toes and hyperextended them back and told the driver to go. Stretching the muscle is the only fix for them anyway.

I know! Me and my mom kept yelling "get in the stupid car already, it's a RACE for a million dollars!


And even though I don't care for Jamie and Cara, I almost felt sorry for them when I saw the look on their faces.

I didn't feel bad for them,:thedolls: I laughed hysterically because they were all excited about finally geting first place and Jamie was crying and Phil said "your the first team to arrive, but the leg isn't over!" HAHAHAHHAHAHAAHHAHAHA that was the best thing EVER! :thedolls:
They were making me mad with all the comments about chinese people,
Oh and did you catch "Happy go lucky" Kisha and Jen making the comment about how all chinese people look exactly the same. Um... Don't Kisha and Jen think that comment is a little racist?
Oh and another favorite part was when Tammy and Victor were complaining about Jamie and Cara taking there cab, Tammy said " I didn't mind giving it to them, Jamie scares me" And Victor said "she scares me too" LOL! :D

[MNNHFLTX]

I didn't feel bad for them,:thedolls: I laughed hysterically because they were all excited about finally geting first place and Jamie was crying and Phil said "your the first team to arrive, but the leg isn't over!" I said I almost felt sorry for them. ;) They continue to be pretty obnoxious, even when they aren't yelling at everyone around them.

[Magic Smiles]

All during that synchronized dive challenge I kept saying to DW, "Either this is a lot harder than I think it is or these people just aren't executing well."

I was thinking the same thing you all have said ... just count 1, 2, 3 and step off the board at the same time!

I thought that I heard Victor say at one time "that he did not know what they were doing wrong." I am not sure if they even realized that they both had to enter the water at the same time.

[Ian]

Oh and another favorite part was when Tammy and Victor were complaining about Jamie and Cara taking there cab, Tammy said " I didn't mind giving it to them, Jamie scares me" And Victor said "she scares me too" LOL! :DI laughed at that part, as well. Although I'd love to watch that segment again in replay, because it sure looked to me like Jamie and Cara flagged down a cab, Tammy jumped in unsolicited and told them where to go, and then tried to steal their cab. Did I miss something in that sequence? :confused:


I thought that I heard Victor say at one time "that he did not know what they were doing wrong." I am not sure if they even realized that they both had to enter the water at the same time.If that's the case, it speaks to a whole other level of incompetence I didn't take into consideration. ;)

[amrntodd]

talk about the twist at the end! wow, i was NOT expecting that. im sure jamie and cara werent either. didnt victor say at the begining that he and tammy couldnt swim?? they looked like they could to me.:confused:

[PirateLover]

I laughed at that part, as well. Although I'd love to watch that segment again in replay, because it sure looked to me like Jamie and Cara flagged down a cab, Tammy jumped in unsolicited and told them where to go, and then tried to steal their cab. Did I miss something in that sequence? :confused:

I could be "misremembering" but I think that Tammy was under the impression they were working together, and used her Mandarin to see it the cab driver knew where to go, and I thought they assumed they would maybe share the cab??? Not 100% positive though.

And Victor said that he wasn't a very good swimmer and that Tammy had just taken lessons specifically for the show, and was still a beginner.

[pixiesmimi]

All during that synchronized dive challenge I kept saying to DW, "Either this is a lot harder than I think it is or these people just aren't executing well."

I was thinking the same thing you all have said ... just count 1, 2, 3 and step off the board at the same time!

I was thinking the same thing. I said just count to three and jump together. They would have to come down pretty close to each other and keep your arms and legs straight. What is so hard about that? The hard part for me would be climbing that high to jump.


I do empathize with Victor's leg cramps, but I thought he was a little melodramatic about them too. I have had problems in the past with severe leg cramps, so I know they hurt. But with a million dollars on the line, if I were Victor I would have backed myself into that taxi to get a little extra room, grabbed my toes and hyperextended them back and told the driver to go. Stretching the muscle is the only fix for them anyway.

I must have missed something because I didn't see the part about the leg cramps. I need to go back and watch the episode again. When did this happen?

[DisneyPrincess21]

I must have missed something because I didn't see the part about the leg cramps. I need to go back and watch the episode again. When did this happen?

It was after Tammy and Victor completed the swimming challenge, And they were on the way to the pit stop. And Kisha and Jen were almost done with their challenge, And Victor was standing outside the car whining and complaining about a leg cramp when they were suppose to be Racing to the pit stop! it was a bit dramatic for a leg cramp :drama:. I get them alot and I don't act like it's that big of a deal, And I am not even in a race for a million dollars! I was saying to the tv, "okay Victor your leg hurts now get over, and get in the car already!" I mean there is a LOT of things I would ignore and get over if I was in a race for money.

[pixiesmimi]

Thanks! I think I got a phone call right at the time when everyone was trying to get a cab to the pit stop so I missed most of this. I'll go back and watch it.

[NotaGeek]

Leg cramps DO hurt that bad, if they are severe. I don't think it's fair to just assume he had some minor leg cramp and was being a baby ... he just spent however long swimming 400 meters AND diving for however long ... and odds are he was dehydrated and/or exhausted from racing.

I have personally had a cramp in my leg so bad I couldn't bend it (the cramp was in my thigh, not the calf!), so I I can completely understand Victor's pain ... he kept trying to get his leg in the car but it wouldn't bend...

[PirateLover]

I have personally had a cramp in my leg so bad I couldn't bend it (the cramp was in my thigh, not the calf!), so I I can completely understand Victor's pain ... he kept trying to get his leg in the car but it wouldn't bend...

You've reminded me that once a few years back I had a severe neck/shoulder/upper arm cramp that sounds like a very similar experience. It was excruciating, burning pain and it took at least two minutes for me to even attempt to try to move. Once the cramp subsided, I felt residual soreness for a day after. Never had a painful one in my leg but I think there's a difference between your run of the mill leg cramp and what he was experiencing. He and Tammy seem to be pretty competitive.

[brownie]

Leg cramps DO hurt that bad, if they are severe. I don't think it's fair to just assume he had some minor leg cramp and was being a baby ... he just spent however long swimming 400 meters AND diving for however long ... and odds are he was dehydrated and/or exhausted from racing.

I have personally had a cramp in my leg so bad I couldn't bend it (the cramp was in my thigh, not the calf!), so I I can completely understand Victor's pain ... he kept trying to get his leg in the car but it wouldn't bend...

Muscle cramps can be painful and sort of incapacitating. It's not unusual to see athletes go down with muscle cramps, so it's very possible Victor was in some serious pain.

I was finally able to watch this week's episode this afternoon (I was on the road for the first part of the week.) It was nice to see the sisters not give up on the swimming. What a shock for Jaime and Cara! Good news for us though, it means we've got another week before the final segment of the race.

[PirateLover]

Ok so after Jen's lackluster performance again in this leg, the sisters definitely deserved to go. The cheerleaders are annoying, but at least they always have that competitive edge. I couldn't believe how slow Jen was eating that food-and then stopping to use the rest room right before you get to the pit stop, knowing that you could get eliminated? I dunno...

[DisneyPrincess21]

Ok so after Jen's lackluster performance again in this leg, the sisters definitely deserved to go. The cheerleaders are annoying, but at least they always have that competitive edge. I couldn't believe how slow Jen was eating that food-and then stopping to use the rest room right before you get to the pit stop, knowing that you could get eliminated? I dunno...

I agree 100% I couldn't believe she was so stupid to think they would have the time for a bathroom break. And was it really worth a shot at a million bucks?!? I don't think so! I just couldn't believe she was so selfish that she would even risk the chance. My mom said she would have asked phil to hurry and check her in and then went to the bathroom. I said "For a million dollars I would have went to the bathroom while I was running!" j/k :blush:
Gross I know but Come ON!! You are a grown adult you can hold it for a million dollars!
For that stupid choice they deserved to lose a chance at the million, And as much as I don't like Jamie and Cara I rather see them compete for the million then Kisha and Jen.
I think it will be down to Tammy and Victor, And Margie and Luke at the end.

Oh and btw here is my happy dance in reponse to Kisha and Jen leaving.
:woohoo::clappy::yay::dance::trio::cheer:

:curtsy:

[PirateLover]

I said "For a million dollars I would have went to the bathroom while I was running!" j/k :blush:
Gross I know but Come ON!!

You know what... that thought crossed my mind as well.

[DisneyPrincess21]

You know what... that thought crossed my mind as well.

lol. Good! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only weird one! :D

[TheDuckRocks]

lol. Good! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only weird one! :D

And I would not have minded if they filmed it and showed it on national TV!

[NotaGeek]

OMG. I can't believe that a bathroom break cost them a million bucks. SO STUPID. WHO STOPS TO USE THE BATHROOM??

With that huge costume on I would have just said nothing and used the bathroom in my pants, then used the million dollars to buy myself new clothes. :thumbsup:

[Ian]

Ummm yeah ... While I was watching that segment I turned to DW and said, "If we're ever on this show together, you can count on me to go in my pants and keep on running. It's a MILLION DOLLARS!!!"

But then again, Jamie and Cara were no great shakes on this leg either. More moaning and groaning and then just wandering around aimlessly after everyone else had already gone back to the opera house???? It didn't give you a clue when the other teams DIDN'T COME BACK????

Stupid ... dumbest group of racers ever this season!!!

[MNNHFLTX]

I couldn't believe how slow Jen was eating that food-and then stopping to use the rest room right before you get to the pit stop, knowing that you could get eliminated? I dunno...Now for me, the pain from a muscle cramp probably would not have held me up in the race, but the idea of having an "accident" on national television would have. I have a fairly high tolerance for physical pain, but not a high tolerance for embarassment. :blush:

That said, I do think that it was time for Kisha and Jen to go home; they were lucky just to still be there after last week's show. Not that Cara and Jamie are anyone's sweethearts at this point (although in all fairness, Jamie seems like the truly witchy one, as was evident in the way she was even getting on Cara's nerves). What Ian said is true--all that aimless standing around, moaning and groaning, was so stupid. :shake:

[pixiesmimi]

I couldn't decide on who I wanted to go worse, Jaime and Cara or Keisha and Jen. I was actually afraid that Keisha and Jen were going to win out in the end and was very glad to see them go home. :woohoo: It was just dumb the wandering of Jaime and Cara and I think this will be their downfall in the next leg. The tasks have stepped up a notch.

I thought the same thing about the bathroom break. Yes, I've been in that position thinking I couldn't wait any more, but come on, that close to the pit stop.? I think I could wait a minute or two longer and then sprint. Even if I couldn't, I wouldn't care and would apologize later. She will feel guilty about it for a long time but I think her slow eating was as much to blame as the bathroom break and that is what she needs to think about.

I guess I'm satisfied with the last three teams even though I really wanted to see Jamie and Cara go a long time ago.

[DisneyPrincess21]

And I would not have minded if they filmed it and showed it on national TV!


OMG. I can't believe that a bathroom break cost them a million bucks. SO STUPID. WHO STOPS TO USE THE BATHROOM??

With that huge costume on I would have just said nothing and used the bathroom in my pants, then used the million dollars to buy myself new clothes. :thumbsup:


Ummm yeah ... While I was watching that segment I turned to DW and said, "If we're ever on this show together, you can count on me to go in my pants and keep on running. It's a MILLION DOLLARS!!!"

LOL! So great! :funny:
I told my mom last night that I wouldn't care what people said about me not waiting for a bathroom break, Because I would just tell them, "Well, I am still in the running for a million dollars and your not!:fresh:" :D

[NotaGeek]

You know ... as much as I hate the Cheerleaders, I was really impressed with how they blew through the eating challenge. They wanted to make the final leg ... and they did. It's sad that one of their horrible personalities makes them so easily unlikeable.

[Melanie]

She will feel guilty about it for a long time but I think her slow eating was as much to blame as the bathroom break and that is what she needs to think about.

Slow eating combined with drinking a bottle of water with every bite. Come on! I think all that water she was consuming was making her sick as much as the 'delicacies'.

I wasn't sad to see them go.

So, it looks like this race ends in Hawaii. No Disney World?

[NotaGeek]

So, it looks like this race ends in Hawaii. No Disney World?

It would be funny if all the scoops that went on about seeing teams in WDW were cut out of the season. Just like 3 seasons ago when all those pics of the teams in Alberta building tee pees were leaked and they never appeared in the season... hmmm.

[brownie]

I hate to say it, but I'm not really behind any of the teams in the final leg of the race.

I feel bad for the sisters but you could see it was probably going to go that way when she had to stop at the port-a-john.

[Love of Disney]

Love the discussions....totally agree!! If you can eat all of that sick food....you can hold it or let it go while you run for that million dollars!!
:cool:

[Magic Smiles]

It would be funny if all the scoops that went on about seeing teams in WDW were cut out of the season. Just like 3 seasons ago when all those pics of the teams in Alberta building tee pees were leaked and they never appeared in the season... hmmm.


We have friends who took their pictures by the Amazing Race clue boxes. I am pretty sure it was in Whistler, BC. It was definitely in BC though. We just don't know how long the boxes had been there.

[MNNHFLTX]

So, it looks like this race ends in Hawaii. No Disney World?I wouldn't totally count WDW out. They seemed to be trying too hard to insinuate (by showing Hawaii in the trailer) that the race ends there. But I wouldn't be surprised if the sprint to the finish actually ends at Animal Kingdom, like we had heard. Or at least that's what I'm hoping!

[MNNHFLTX]

We have friends who took their pictures by the Amazing Race clue boxes. I am pretty sure it was in Whistler, BC. It was definitely in BC though. We just don't know how long the boxes had been there.That could be part of the next race. I'm pretty sure from the limited time that I've watched the Amazing Race that they all began and ended in the United States somewhere.

Edited to add--I just looked online and apparently there is a corporate teambuilding activity based on the Amazing Race offered by a Canadian Adventure company up in the Vancouver/Whistler area. I wonder if those were the clueboxes your friends saw?

[pixiesmimi]

That could be part of the next race. I'm pretty sure from the limited time that I've watched the Amazing Race that they all began and ended in the United States somewhere.

I was going to say the same thing, I thought they usually ended somewhere in this country.

I wondered if Jen throwing the fish up would actually count. I would think they would have to keep it down like in previous seasons. If I were the other teams that kept it down, I would have been upset if they let her get through after throwing it up.

[TheDuckRocks]

I was going to say the same thing, I thought they usually ended somewhere in this country.

"I'm pretty sure from the limited time that I've watched the Amazing Race that they all began and ended in the United States somewhere."

Hello!.............Hawaii is in the United States, as in Hawaii 50 the TV series because they are the 50th state!

[MNNHFLTX]

"I'm pretty sure from the limited time that I've watched the Amazing Race that they all began and ended in the United States somewhere."

Hello!.............Hawaii is in the United States, as in Hawaii 50 the TV series because they are the 50th state!Of course, Hawaii is part of the U.S. If you go back and read my post, I was referring to the post by Magic Smiles who said that her friends saw clueboxes in British Columbia.

[Mousefever]

I was going to say the same thing, I thought they usually ended somewhere in this country.

I wondered if Jen throwing the fish up would actually count. I would think they would have to keep it down like in previous seasons. If I were the other teams that kept it down, I would have been upset if they let her get through after throwing it up.

Actually, there have been many instances of people throwing up during food challenges. I know that people threw up during caviar in Russia, spicy soup in Hungary (?), and massive amounts of meat in Africa. There have probably been more. As long as it goes all the way down, it can come back up.

Amy

[pixiesmimi]

Sorry! I wasn't even thinking about Hawaii. I was just thinking about them ending it at WDW. That was dumb, wasn't it? :oops: :crazy:

Some of the episodes, though, said they had to eat it and keep it down because they had to stay there until they could. I guess they didn't say that this time.

[NotaGeek]

Meh. At last the cheerleaders didn't win. This was a pretty lame final leg ... I like the old days of foot racing to the finish ...

I did feel bad for Luke and Margie, the surfboard thing would have been really frustrating after 18 hours of flying and carrying that pig ... the fact that the pictures were cryptic seemed unfair compared to past seasons. One thing ... does anyone really think that deaf people can't do the same things as hearing people? :confused:

[DisneyPrincess21]

Meh. At last the cheerleaders didn't win. This was a pretty lame final leg ... I like the old days of foot racing to the finish ...

I agree, I was highly let down this season's final leg. I was like, "That's it!?!?....Where's the excitement.....Where's the foot race....Well that was a letdown" I wanted Marge and Luke to win, But as long as Jamie and Cara didn't win It was a win for me! :D

[DizneyRox]

I almost just turned of the tube in disgust when I saw how far ahead Margie and Luke were. I'm so glad he choked yet again and it cost them the race, that was the best part.

And no, I don't think deaf people have that much of a disadvantage, at least not how they hyped it during the race. Seems like the cheerleaders had the biggest problem with the language barrier and they aren't deaf... Dumb maybe, ignorant absolutely, but not deaf...

[Ian]

Meh. I was okay with Tammy & Victor winning. I think they ran the best race overall, seemed to mostly avoid the killer mistakes the other groups had. They did have that "lost in the woods" problem, but that was early on and they learned from it, as opposed to the other teams who made the same mistakes on the last leg that they made on the first one.

I can't possibly imagine that Cara and Jamie's cab problems weren't of their own doing. No one has that many problems just purely by chance. Although that being said, I did find it sort of interesting that the cab dispatcher didn't seem to think it was her job to help her cabbie find where his passengers needed to go?? :confused:

They racers actually finished in exactly the order I would have preferred. I most wanted Luke and Margie to finish last, because honestly their constant whining and complaining just annoyed me by the time it was all over. I actually was happy watching him melt down, because it looked for awhile there like they were going to win.

And for as bad as Jamie's behavior was at times, I actually liked Cara and thought she balanced the team out. I never managed to work up the hatred for them that others did, simply because of that fact.

Anyway, I kinda thought overall it was a dull final leg on a mostly dull season. Hopefully this was just an anomaly and it'll come back better than ever in September.

[MNNHFLTX]

I agree it was a very anti-climactic ending. Why didn't they throw in one of those twists at the end? And to tell the truth, I didn't enjoy much of the episode anyway, because how entertaining is it to see people toting around pig carcasses? Poor choice, as far as a task, IMO.

I am glad Tammy and Victor won, although I would have been fine with Margie and Luke too. I thought for sure they were a shoe-in, the way he was lining those surfboards up at first. In a way, his ability to deal with frustration is what ended the race for their team, because he stopped thinking and just started reacting.

[justice11]

i did not think it was quite fair because tammy and victor could speak the language and no one else could.:secret:

[DisneyPrincess21]

i did not think it was quite fair because tammy and victor could speak the language and no one else could.:secret:

I 100% agree with you, they were in a chinese speaking country for like 3 or 4 leg's of the race weren't they? that was a HUGE advantage that they have never had for one team before, And especially for so long it wasn't fair if you ask me.
That would be as fair as if they were all chinese speaking (or any other language) speaking teams except for one team and they did a majority of the races in the U.S.. Or if they were only racing where people signed, it would give only Luke the advantage,
Or if they were in "rude moron land" it would have given Cara and Jamie the advantage :laughing:
So I don't think giving Tammy and Victor such an advatage was fair. IMO

[NotaGeek]

I 100% agree with you, they were in a chinese speaking country for like 3 or 4 leg's of the race weren't they? that was a HUGE advantage that they have never had for one team before, And especially for so long it wasn't fair if you ask me.
That would be as fair as if they were all chinese speaking (or any other language) speaking teams except for one team and they did a majority of the races in the U.S.. Or if they were only racing where people signed, it would give only Luke the advantage,
Or if they were in "rude moron land" it would have given Cara and Jamie the advantage :laughing:
So I don't think giving Tammy and Victor such an advatage was fair. IMO


i did not think it was quite fair because tammy and victor could speak the language and no one else could.:secret:
I don't think it's fair to assume that there was any unfair advantage because Victor and Tammy were Chinese American, anyone can learn a language ... there have been SEVERAL teams that spoke Spanish, and remember the team Carla the little person ... they spoke Hungarian or something ... I think it's better when they have educated traveled people on the race ... if they NEVER had another Hillbilly team on I would be fine. It would seem worse if they only accepted "English speakers only" ...

[brownie]

This race was pretty lackluster and I wasn't really pulling for any of the teams at the end. I really didn't want the cheerleaders to win, though. I wish they would stop getting all the team together at the start of the leg; I think teams should have to work out of the jam if they get behind.

If there's another race, I hope they get some excitement back into it.

[pixiesmimi]

I agree that this season was boring. If next season doesn't pick up, I doubt I will be watching any more. It is like the task creators went on vacation this season. I'm okay with Tammy and Victor winning but was pulling for Luke and Margie. As long as Cara and Jaimie didn't win, I'm okay. I can't believe they came back from that disasterous cab ride to get ahead like they did and they wouldn't have done that if Luke hadn't helped her. I thought he was doing so good with the surf boards that he would be far out ahead of them and why would he think a skull would represent anything? I thought she said he knew them backwards and forwards. He just gave up when Victor arrived.

The end was very anticlimatic and I said "Is that all?" All the other shows have a two hour finale and this one just died a slow death.

Guess we didn't get our WDW ending, huh? It was interesting that the cabbies on this leg that spoke English were hateful back to whichever one it was that was yelling at them. I don't blame the dispatcher for saying what she did because no telling what all they were asking her to find for them. It is a race, you are supposed to be finding the places yourself. It is amazing how many cabbies in different countries don't know where anything is, since most of these places are tourist attractions. I think the best team won, all in all.

[Ian]

I agree it was a very anti-climactic ending. Why didn't they throw in one of those twists at the end? And to tell the truth, I didn't enjoy much of the episode anyway, because how entertaining is it to see people toting around pig carcasses? Poor choice, as far as a task, IMO.That was the worst challenge I think I have ever seen in a reality show!!

It was 60 seconds of them rubbing some ill-defined substance on the pig (seemingly with no real measure as to completion), then 120 seconds of them complaining about how heavy the dead pig was and dropping it in the sand repeatedly, and then 30 seconds of them throwing a bunch of sand over the dead pig in an effort to "cook" it (another task seemingly with no real measure of completion).

When that was over I was just flabbergasted that I had actually spent 10 minutes watching it on T.V.

On an unrelated note, I'm pretty surprised at all the love for Margie and Luke. I actually found them increasingly annoying and unlikeable as the season went along. Their constant whining and "us against the world" mentality got really old for me and I was very, very happy they did not win.

Conversely, I didn't find Jamie and Cara nearly as bad as everyone else did. As I mentioned before, I did get frustrated with Jamie's ignorance at times, but ultimately I think a lot of it just had to do with her being very, very competitive. And again, I thought Cara balanced her out nicely. I would have been okay with them winning as much as I was okay with the way it ultimately turned out.

[thrillme]

I felt for Luke. Not being able to get those last two. He did so flawlessly on the first 8 I was surprised that he had such a hard time with the last ones.

I don't think it was lack of hearing so much as it was just difficult finding the right ones. It's hard to tell what goes on off screen. Maybe the hearing people got some sort of clue that he didn't interpret.

Regardless Tammy and Victor did play well. If they could speak a bit of Chinese...and they could use it a bit to their advantage...Bravo. So many people can speak Spanish and they use that. I was a little frustrated at the cheerleaders calling everybody "morons".

I kinda wish Margie and Luke took it because I just had a soft spot for them (mother and son...I've got a son...hearing disabled...I'm very hard of hearing...etc).

Alas...if I'm ever blessed to have an adventure like that with my son (when he's older of course). I wouldn't trade that experience for 10 million dollars. Just going that far and traveling all over the world like they did and experiencing so many cultures in such a short time...I know I would have already won the game before I stepped on any silly pad.

[NotaGeek]

I don't think it was lack of hearing so much as it was just difficult finding the right ones. It's hard to tell what goes on off screen. Maybe the hearing people got some sort of clue that he didn't interpret.

Doubtful. There is ALWAYS this type of mind-stumping challenge in the last leg ... they even said he had been studying and going over the legs in his head and practicing for this challenge. He plain and simple didn't see the bugs on a spear ... and I think he got frustrated and pouted like he did on some other challenge I can't remember. His age really showed in how easily he got frustrated and gave up.

[PirateLover]

I was getting so angry when Margie and Luke were so far ahead and he was zooming ahead with the surfboard challenge. However when he got that second to last one wrong, I knew he was gonna blow it, remembering back to the Chekhov challenge. But yea, like I said this was my first season so I have nothing to compare it to, but I kinda felt like "That's it?" at the end...

[2Epcot]

I just finished watching the final show so I had to wait to comment here. I'm really glad Tammy & Victor won. This was the first race that a team I was rooting for the entire race actually won. Though I agree it wasn't the most interesting final leg.

[Momof2boys]

We were disappointed to see Tammy & Victor win. We think that they had a HUGE advantage with knowing Chinese and I think the producers basically handed them the win.

And I totally agree about the ending - very blah.

[DisneyPrincess21]

We were disappointed to see Tammy & Victor win. We think that they had a HUGE advantage with knowing Chinese and I think the producers basically handed them the win.

:exactly:
I mentioned the same thing in a previous post I made.


I 100% agree with you, they were in a chinese speaking country for like 3 or 4 leg's of the race weren't they? that was a HUGE advantage that they have never had for one team before, And especially for so long it wasn't fair if you ask me.
That would be as fair as if they were all chinese speaking (or any other language) speaking teams except for one team and they did a majority of the races in the U.S.. Or if they were only racing where people signed, it would give only Luke the advantage,
Or if they were in "rude moron land" it would have given Cara and Jamie the advantage :laughing:
So I don't think giving Tammy and Victor such an advatage was fair. IMO

[MNNHFLTX]

I agree that knowing Mandarin helped Tammy and Victor at times, but I'm not convinced that it cinched the race for them. If you recall, they were even behind Kisha and Jen at the first pit-stop in China and behind Cara and Jamie at the "pseudo" pit-stop in China (the third to the last episode). And I'm sure the producers of the show have the route for the race lined up long before they choose their contestants. So it's just luck of the draw (IMO) if a particular team happens to have a talent they can utilize in the race. Think of it--if a team happened to consist of two friends who used to be on a college swim-team, they would have had an advantage on that swimming challenge in Beijing, no doubt. Pure luck, unless someone thinks that the producers are trying to fix the race.

[Shugoondola]

We were disappointed to see Tammy & Victor win. We think that they had a HUGE advantage with knowing Chinese and I think the producers basically handed them the win.



I thought the exact same thing. :(

I would have rather seen Margie & Luke win.

:mickey:

[Ian]

I think people are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off base with this whole "Tammy and Victor had an unfair advantage" thing.

I mean that's like saying that since Jen & Keisha are more athletic than Margie and Luke they had an unfair advantage or something.

Your skills that you bring to the table are what helps you succeed. Some people are smarter or faster or more agile or speak a foreign language. It's absolutely not "unfair."

[PirateLover]

Yea, I agree with Ian. As Beth said, it's not like they completely blew away everyone else on those legs. If knowing Mandarin was such an advantage, then why weren't they first every time? They still had to complete the tasks. Plus, they even helped some of the other teams out! (I'm thinking of when they helped the cheerleaders get a cab).