The Amazing Race

[lazarus]

new season started last night. Anybody watch?

I thought the tattoo team was irredeemably stupid. Just beyond words. "Are you a battlement?"
Watermelon to the face was hilarious, of course.
Ron and Tony's Philimination was sad, but they couldn't find their way out of a wet paper bag.

This looks like the season an all-female team could finally win. There are a couple of really strong teams (doctors, volleyball players).

Good start to the season.

[murielm99]

1. Good start.

I didn't see any teams that are real asshats - yet. I know that some of that is editing, to create a narrative. I don't have a favorite yet. Do you?

[lazarus]

2. I like the doctors

and the volleyball players. Both used to working with each other in high pressure situations, both reasonably athletic and smart. Good combinations. And it's just time for an all-female team to finally win this thing.

[Qanisqineq]

3. I'm hoping for an all-female team to win

An all-female team did win The Amazing Race Asia, season 1.

[dsc]

4. team glee baby

they are the closest to a gay team I am going to get this year.

[lazarus]

5. yeah, diversity took a big hit with that opening elim, didn't it?

[dsc]

6. yeah it is a pretty non diverse crowd

but thems the breaks I guess. Who would have thunk that team would be so bad so fast.

[lazarus]

7. from what I've read

the A35 (I think it is) is a big loop around London. They got on the loop going counterclockwise, while they only needed to go clockwise about 5-10 miles before exiting.

They're complaining about how hard it was to turn around in post game interviews, but that's crap, because every exit has a roundabout that lets you go in any direction, including back the way you came.

[dsc]

8. I did that in DC when I was going home once

I can relate to how awful that is.

[lazarus]

9. merciful philimination, I thought

the mother/daughter will be much more able to get to know each other in sequesterville than on the race.

New location, which is always nice. Not a lot of racism or classism, which is also nice. That roadblock really changed the order up a great deal, which I always like, but my docs need to get it in gear.

[dsc]

10. It fucking sucks

My favorate team got totally screwed. I hate those lets bunch them up legs but even worse this was a lets bunch them up and let luck determine if you can get a better flight.

[lazarus]

11. it wasn't luck

Glee was at the airport before anybody else. Had they been thinking, they could have gotten that earlier flight, too. Bad racing.

Also, Connor did every. Single. Road. Block. All of them. There's a rule that the racers have to split the roadblocks relatively evenly, 6/6. So that means Jonathon was going to have to do 6 of the next 7 roadblocks. Given his performance on the sleds, I think we know how that would have turned out.

Connor was a decent and capable racer. Jonathon was one of the biggest wastes of a racer ever, up there in Flo territory. Luck had nothing to do with it, it was inevitability.

[murielm99]

12. Bye Bye

volleyball ladies. I liked you, but you were not as tough as you seemed. Now Vicki is one tough lady!

[lazarus]

13. still can't figure out what happened with them

How did they get so far behind to begin with? Sad to see them go.

Nick and Vicki are good athletes, but they're still to stupid for words.

Go Team @!

[Suich]

14. I can't figure out what happened, either.

I thought they were the strongest team, physically.

:shrug:

[MaineDem]

16. Are you a battlement?

I still roll on the floor over that episode.

[AtomicKitten]

15. I LUV the Amazing Race. It's, well, amazing!

I've enjoyed the Chinese father and son, although Pop's health seems dicey.

[lazarus]

17. that was a surprising NEL

seems early for another NEL.

Haele figured the easiest way to solve the music detour was to do the songs one at a time, just like Nick and Vicki did it at the end.

I'm ready to see the end of Chad and Stephanie. Ugly people.

This is one of the better seasons they've had on the show.

[dsc]

18. plus no penalty which was very odd

wouldn't have mattered admittedly but still it was odd.

[nclib]

19. I found it odd too, so...

I went to the Amazing Race forum and read that they completed the music challenge correctly but were told they were wrong. Therefore, no speedbump.

[dsc]

20. ah that might explain the whole non elimination leg in the first place

as they were rather close together this time.

[dsc]

21. could the annoying barbie, ken team be any more lucky

It is irritating as all get out.

[murielm99]

22. The father/daughter team got almost no camera time,

and now they are gone. I feel like I know nothing about them.

[lazarus]

23. I hate

that the dating couples are on top right now. I had real hopes that the all-female teams would maintain their lead.

[bergie321]

24. The doctors

Likely would have won the leg if they had asked for directions instead of relying on the map.

[lazarus]

25. hooray

two strong F/F teams in the F4! I was so worried that Team @ was going to get U-Turned.

@ did bleed a lot of time on the RB, but I don't think it was as much time as the editing made it look. They made it to the Pit Stop in broad daylight, and it was pitch black when Brook/Claire and Douche/Stephanie made it.

I took away one asshole point from Chad when he took the U-Turn so well. But he had already earned several this episode, so it didn't help. Saying he didn't want to get beat by girls was a touch misogynistic, and he needs to learn you don't tell another adult to shush all the time.

Next week: Nick goes for the asshole crown. And Jill/Thomas's lead will likely evaporate in a bunch. Hopefully one of the dating teams goes soon, but next week is certainly a NEL.

Edited to add:

Not a fan of the U-Turn, so really not a fan of the W-Turn. I prefer that teams race their own race. I watch Survivor for that sort of hijinks.

Also, it turns out that Claire was, unknown to her at the time, pregnant on the Race. That's a first.

And the cane juice gave me a thrill. My grandfather used to grow sugar cane in south Alabama, and he had a cane press he built/modified to make cane juice. There's an Asian market here in San Diego where I can get a cold glass, and it's great on a hot day.

[dsc]

26. was glad to see these results

I actually like the dating couple who finished second, but the rest are awful. Go women and that team.

[MaineDem]

27. I just saw last night's episode

Loved it! Couldn't wait to see who finished fourth - I was really nervous for the final moments. I really didn't want Chad and Step to make it. It's a shame that people become (prove themselves to be?) such jerks under pressure.

There's a great chance for an all female winning team. Go ladies!!!

And I do like the "punk rockers" (as someone called them.) They performed very well this episode.

[MaineDem]

28. I hope Vicki tells that idiot to go to hell

I know the editing is done to get a reaction but, man, he was horrid last night. I was hoping Vicki would finish the task on her own but it must have been hard for her.

I can't imagine how they can overcome all their obstacles on the next leg but I'd rather have this team beat the other dating couple. I'm all for the docs to win, though.

[murielm99]

29. All through this race, I have liked Vicki and not him.

They are not my favorites to win, but I admire her toughness.

I like the doctors and the home shopping network ladies. We need a female team to win!

[lazarus]

30. the best team won, finally

that's been a while. I don't really care about the "history", since F/F teams have won a couple of overseas Races, and I prefer the best team to win, regardless of gender.

Not much movement possible in the final leg, I thought, but then I realized B/C passed J/T after the Roadblock. J/T got terrible taxi karma, but they didn't have to panic, and could easily have just asked for an internet cafe. There are five at least five hotels with internet within 2 miles of the Rose Bowl.

And who doesn't study Cervantes, or at least know about Don Quixote? I was particularly surprised the docs didn't know that.

Great final task. I like the memory ones.

The editing at the end was blatant. There was no way B/C were catching Team @. I just wonder if J/T were given the Guido clue to proceed straight to the Finish Line without having to do all the tasks once the other two teams checked in.

BTW, from what little I've seen, those teams in the "preview" for Second Chance aren't all in that season. Out of this season, it's just, well, I'll wait until it's been officially announced. (Casts are the only thing I ever get spoiled on.)

[Phentex]

31. I didn't mind any of them...

they were all fairly strong but yeah, I agree about J/T. They could have asked for a library! A coffee shop, a hotel...

I did wonder why it seemed Jill had done some of the strenuous tasks early on but now I see they were trying to save him for the end. Didn't pay off this time!

[dsc]

32. I do find it suspicioius that on a year when we had two all female teams

the finale didn't have a strength based contest like it has in years past. Still, any of the three teams deserved a win here and the dating team panicked.