BitterApple

My point about the Nato category was not all of the responses required the full phonetic pronunciation. I think that's where the contestants got thrown off. I believe the first clue just required the letter "O" not "Oscar."

I got so stuck on Moscow, I didn't even get to Australia and Canberra. I thought that Phonetic Nato category was awful. The contestants seemed confused over whether they were supposed to just give the letter or the phonetic equivalent. The wording of the clues was very awkward.

My father would be rolling in his grave with the way Ree prepares beef. If he were still alive, Ree's tenderloin drowning in Cajun seasoning would have sent him over the edge!

I love country music but I don't think Amy has what it takes to compete with the female heavyweights in the industry. Did she actually sign with a label or is TLC financing her project?

jodo, I agree. At the end of the day the rules regarding "on-call" aren't in play here because Jen would HAVE to be off or it would screw up filming. My guess is TLC picked up the tab for all the travel arrangements and was under contract with the hotel, so a vow renewal was happening one way or the other.

Ooooh, I can't wait to hear the behind the scenes dirt from your shows! Molly is nice enough, but bland. There's nothing about her that makes me dislike her, but I don't find her particularly endearing either. To be frank, I'm surprised she's still going. I think giving the correct answer might be for the benefit of the viewing audience. However, I agree Alex could make corrections without that ever-present air of superiority.

Not to mention the Duggars have, what, eight commercial-sized washer and dryers? With all the loads you can stuff in those things, laundary really shouldn't be a round the clock chore. Hell, we already know they don't put sheets on their beds, so that's one big chunk of it gone!

Jen absolutely participated in the fake pager nonsense along with setting up the fake cliffhanger for next week's episode. I was bored with the vow renewal stuff and would rather have watched the kids play at the beach for an hour. Between the endless plugs for the comped hotel rooms and Bill driving on the beach, all I have to say is, shark, meet jumped.

I think both kids adore their parents but I can't help but notice Will and Zoe are more relaxed when they're alone with Bill. Zoe seems like such a Daddy's girl I wonder if the earlier "Zoe hates Bill" stuff was slightly exaggerated. Does anyone know what the deal is with Jen's brother? Does he just not want to appear on camera or is there some sort of estrangement? It's odd that he's never even mentioned.

Sew Sumi, thanks for the mini recap! Yeah, I just couldn't sit through two hours of off-key Amazing Grace. It's bad enough when I have to listen to 19 kids murdering the song on the violin. If I'm not mistaken, Boob and Deanna were raised Conservative Christian but not Fundie. How much do ya'll want to bet the Duggars just let the laundary pile up until Grandma got back from Nashville?

I only caught the last ten minutes where Amy gathered everyone around to make her "big announcement." The expressions on the Duggar kids' faces were priceless: they had zero fucks to give. Nobody was even paying attention to her. I'm guessing the first fifty minutes were equally as boring as the last ten.

Even though I hate tv vow renewals, I'd told myself to give this one an open mind. However, the blatant scripting was absurd. Jen's pager just happens to go off right after she finds out she'll be renewing her vows? Ok, sure. I'm also calling shenanigans on the timeline. My guess is they went to Galveston Wednesday or Thursday to film all the filler crap, (day at the beach, Bill's meeting with hotel staff, birthday dinner, fake proposal) and then met up with family to have a fun weekend and the "surprise" renewal. It wouldn't make sense to have all those people fly in only to spend one day with them. On a positive note, the kids were adorable and I'm happy to see Zoe confidently charging ahead in life. She is a stunningly beautiful child. Will's speech is noticeably improved.

Ugh, I just checked my cable listings. Are we seriously going to have to sit through two hours of Cousin Amy tonight? What sadistic TLC exec made that decision? Prepare for attention-whoring and off-key warbling folks!

I wish they would get poor Joy her own clothes instead of making her wear the J'Slaves hand me downs. She has a curvier figure than the older girls and her clothes always look tight and uncomfortable.

I really don't like a lot of people in and out of my house and I get the vibe that Jen is the same way. She might prefer the kids to socialize at the playground, kiddie gym etc., versus having to be responsible for other peoples' children at her home.

I actually think Bill and Jen are pretty low-key parents. How many of you have a co-worker who blathers on endlessly about their oh-so-gifted child who's four, speaks six languages, has a black belt in karate and studies college-level physics? The Kleins seems pretty realistic in their assesments and expectations for their children.

The chilli looked awful. Shredded chicken would have been so much better and absorbed more flavor. The Mexican punch seemed like a glorified Shirley Temple to me.

I like Ree well enough, but I'm dumbfounded as to how her show is so successful when she just recycles and repackages the same recipes over and over. Yes, her stuff is church potluck, but it's not even GOOD church potluck. I can make recipes from the back of a Campbell's soup can too, where the hell's my show? Also, yes, I agree that Ree is wearing hair extensions. I don't remember her hair ever being that thick.

Just a quick aside about how things don't always translate: The company I used to work for did an image overhaul. Some genius in marketing came up with the idea of a company "gesture." They printed up all kinds of posters, brochures, etc. with employees making this weird hand gesture. Unfortunately it turned out that the sign was deeply offensive in Asian culture; basically the equivalent of giving someone the finger and telling them "fuck you." Too bad nobody did any research before they made it a focal point of the advertising campaign!

Considering po po is urban slang for police, I'm not surprised Bill and Jen went with Nai Nai. It's much cuter and more endearing (at least in my opinion).

Both players looked like they were struggling physically. Congrats to Rafa, but the germophobe in me gets skeeved out every time he bites that trophy. Doesn't he have any idea how many people's hands have touched that thing before he gets it?

Bill has ongoing orthopedic issues so I certainly don't expect him to schlep up and down stairs when they have the elevator. If it's there and it's needed, by all means use it.

CousinAmy, great points. I sometimes forget that most of these epis are special occasions/outings. As a child I was given more leeway to have goodies if I was at the carnival or the zoo versus a regular Tuesday night at home. I'm hoping the "ice cream-for a-picture" scenario was a one-time thing to keep the peace. My bone to pick is I don't like the idea of using food as a reward for good behavior, especially on a kid who will be prone to weight gain as he ages.

Hey, why settle for one shower when you can be a greedy grifter for three? And I'm sure Kelly Bates sent out reminders to let everyone know where Alyssa was registered... During Erin's wedding epi I was shocked at how juvenile she was. My eleven year-old neighbor conducts herself with more composure and maturity than twenty-something Erin. It's downright scary to see how these Fundie kids are so emotionally stunted.

BizBuzz, I don't think anyone begrudges Bill and Jen for being paid to do a reality show. I think ZoloftBlob was making a point to those who feel Bill and Jen are some sort of sacrificial lambs who've given up their lives for the sake of "educating the public." At the end of the day it's a business, it's a job, and their lifestyle has upgraded significantly from appearing on tv. Dwarfism awareness is just a nice by-product of that.