aradia22

There are just too many shows this season. Based on the music that's been released so far and the critical consensus for shows that have premiered, here's where things stand for me right now Shows I'm definitely going to try to see Lempicka: I'm interested in the subject matter. The leads are strong. The music sounds the most like a proper theater score and not a folksy take on pop music. Suffs: Interesting subject matter and a stacked ensemble cast. I'm not always into Shaina Taub's style and I don't love the songs I've heard but I will try to go in optimistic. Shows I will try to see: The Notebook: A strong maybe. I've been following Ingrid's music from the beginning of her career and I do enjoy a sweeping romantic show. The reviews and quoted lyrics are rough but if I have time, I will see this. The Who's Tommy: Anyone I know in this cast can sing their faces off. The show doesn't interest me at all but I might go and treat it like a concert. Hell's Kitchen: Of the shows by people who aren't trained musical theater composers, this one actually sounds the most interesting to me. Like, the actual sound of it. In this case, being a jukebox musical might help because the amateur songs written for the stage are so weak while at least some of these were trying to be big pop hits. The Great Gatsby: That music video sold me. I don't think it's going to be Gatsby but I'll treat it like another Paradise Square... and hopefully the show will be less convoluted this time since they have source material to work off of. The Wiz: I just want to be able to see it on stage for the first time. Shows I could skip without feeling too bad about: Everyone says Paul Nolan is good and the show is bad. I don't know if I have time for another Doctor Zhivago. I'd definitely go in a weaker season but I have to think about scheduling and budget. Stereophonic: I feel like if I was going to see this, it should have been off-Broadway. The Outsiders: Zero interest in the subject or the songs I've heard Forbidden Broadway: I always have mixed thoughts. Maybe if it papers or is on TDF.

Hooray! https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Video-Final-Stephen-Sondheim-Musical-HERE-WE-ARE-to-Release-Cast-Recording-This-Spring-20240110

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Roundabouts-2024-2025-Season-Will-Include-New-Orleans-Style-PIRATES-OF-PENZANCE-with-Ramin-Karimloo-and-David-Hyde-Pierce-YELLOW-FACE-Starring-Daniel-Dae-Kim-and-More-20240109 Thankfully this season does not start until September 2024. Pirates of Penzance is not scheduled until April 2025.

Jesus Christ... this is too many shows

Hooray! I had a lot of fun with how the season wrapped up. I'm glad neither Loretta nor Dickie were involved with the murders. And to my pleasant surprise, they've left the door open for Meryl Streep to return. I've just become so enamored of Oliver and Loretta as a couple, I didn't want it to end. They really had me for a moment thinking Howard would take the stage. But I should have known Oliver would take the chance to grab the spotlight. I do wonder if Jonathan will go back to the role in the real world of the show. Though, this show should have already been in previews (with people seeing Jonathan's performance). No way you just jump to opening night. Kudos to the person or people who have been suspicious of Cliff and Donna from the start. I still think Tobert was weird but whatever. It was somewhat anticlimactic but there was still plenty of drama getting the confession from Donna and then having Cliff threaten to kill himself. Linda and Wesley knocked their roles out of the park. Sazz being murdered at the end is an incredible set up for next season and a great way to use Jane Lynch this time since we'll obviously be learning more about Sazz's life in flashbacks and such. Are they staying in NY or going to LA? Half and half? Unclear at this point. I liked having a nice cozy mystery to play along with solving. Also, the gang never really seemed to be in peril from a murderer who was afraid of being caught or coming after them too. It allowed the show to actually focus on the theater stuff which was very fun for me. I agree Tobert lasted the longest as a red herring. If Charles was the intended target at the end of the episode, it seems like we'll be back to danger next season. I forget what happened with Rose Cooper and the painting. Is Charles' father still alive? Yeah, it was a bit of a waste of his character since he was dangled as a red herring for so long. I could never get invested in him and Mabel (not that I think the actors have great chemistry anyway). Maybe one day Mabel will actual get a decent love interest (though they could always bring back Oscar). Same. Honestly, it probably could do well at New World Stages. Though not this season. There are way too many shows competing for attention for the 2023-2024 season. And yeah, I hope Cliff resurfaces at some point. If Theo can do it, why not Cliff? I'd love that. One time Charles' Brazzos memories could actually be useful 😄 Mabel's fashion is usually pretty good but OMG I want that dress. So shiny! I think it was all of it. He wanted to stop Ben from calling the police to report the poisoning (so he was protecting his mom). Ben kept prodding at him and antagonizing him. And then in the heat of the moment, the shoving turned into a murder. I also refuse to subscribe to the NYT. lol, I've been watching a lot of Cold Case. So many "heat of the moment" murders where someone's ego is wounded. I don't know how many more seasons we'll get but Meryl and Jesse this season prove that anything is possible with this show. You don't have the Law & Order SVU thing where the famous guest star is definitely guilty and they have the pull to get big actors for more than cameos. It's exciting! You can have a year-long contract that gets renegotiated if the show runs for that long. I agree it doesn't make the most sense but I can believe she would still have job offers after a couple months. I think they made good use of Uma this season but I can only take her in small doses.

One thing I can say for this season is that all the musical numbers and the lack of peril definitely increase the rewatch value. It's not just about catching the killer so there's more to revisit on a rewatch. This felt like a bit of an underwhelming 30th birthday for Mabel. I do hope they figure out how to get her unstuck in season 4. I appreciate that they've given us little mysteries that were "easy" to solve while still trying to direct us away from the killer. This is the first season I've felt like I was really following along successfully trying to solve the mystery. I also like that "some positive traits" didn't cancel out how much of a jerk he was. I didn't want another repeat of Bunny where she was actually a nice person, just not to our three leads. We know Ben has been awful. He didn't deserve to die for that but I didn't want a character retcon either. That was brilliant given the focus on theater this season and the fact that all of that action happened on stage (at least until the dressing room bit). So it seems like the wedding dress was just there to provide some drama for the trailer. She did look good in it but I'm not sure I buy that it would allow them to grab a taxi and then talk their way into a criminal court. Maybe it was just obvious to those of us with disordered eating issues... and those who love dips 😅 Woo! Negative self talk! I do think the fact that the "person" wasn't responding was a significant signal that it was the cookies I think at this point, we have to take what he said at face value... Charles getting him fired as a kid really messed him up forever. That would have been funny They were already well known in theater circles but this show has given them a TON of attention. I don't think it's paid promo. Maybe they're just friendly with people involved with the show.

Lots of drama in this episode. Of course I knew they weren't going to kill Oliver, but it was still well-acted. I got a little nervous that it might have somehow been Oliver. I know the ages and actors don't really match up but that doesn't count for much on TV. Glad they didn't go that route. I loved Howard's involvement in this episode. Admittedly, my fondness for Creighton is growing because of the aftershow but I feel like they found a proper use for him piecing together the shredded papers... unlike the way they've been shoehorning in Uma. Let Howard on the podcast! Shaiman and Wittman have been doing kind of boring work for a while. I was shocked to see that the Pickwick Triplets song was their work. Steve Martin did a great job... even though I knew he would, it was still satisfying to see "Charles" pull it off, especially as a distraction for Detective Williams. Same. They did a lovely job of introducing new characters and not having anyone you'd want to be the killer. I've always thought looking at the cast was a misdirect to waste time during the season and not get to the real killer too early. Am millennial. Try Gen Z. Though The Mikado is probably too problematic for them to ever get on board. I haven't seen her act in anything else since her lupus got bad but she wasn't like this as a child actress. I'm assuming it's a character choice or something affecting her ability to emote but generally, I think it works for Mabel. I don't know why they made him so sus except as a red herring. Yeah, that was strange. I know they've been out of the theater (weirdly) most of the time as they've switched to a musical but has no one needed a paper shredder?

Now that's a pull. Calling Matthew Broderick in for a patter song was an amazing choice. I do love that the show has these connections to surprise us like this. Realistically, they should have kept him instead of Charles, even if Broderick hasn't been able to consistently sell Broadway tickets and the constable doesn't seem like a big enough role to be a draw for audiences. I loved having Theo back and that Mabel has been learning some ASL. And it was great to have that little clue with the original drawing and the R being turned into a B. I like that they're not in peril from the killer and they don't have to clear their names from suspicion this season. It creates a natural reason for them not to be solving the mystery quicker when two of the three are pretty busy and for clues like this to be uncovered later. I'm conflicted on whether to be suspicious of Dickie and Loretta at this point. The show has done this before where towards the end they let us become suspicious of Jan and then dismissed it only to have a fuller explanation of how Jan was connected to the murder later. This late in the season, I'm not ruling out "red herrings" anymore like earlier when they discarded Kimber as a suspect. But I am hoping for a better twist when Dickie has felt like a credible suspect from the beginning that they were mostly ignoring because they were focused on the cast. Oh, wow. Yes! I don't know if it's true, but it makes sense. I appreciate that the writers were pretty compassionate about the kleptomania rather than just making it a throwaway joke. I mean, they had all those boxes in the closet for the things she had stolen, they grounded it in emotion rather than just anxiety or covetousness, and they didn't present it as something that necessarily needed to be "cured." Pretty well done all things considered. I thought that was strange too but maybe the auction was only for CoBro stuff?

OK, now this was the filler episode. After how much I loved the last episode, this one was a little bit of a letdown but I still enjoyed it. They really found a focus for Oliver this season and his dramatic storylines have been very strong. Hopefully another Emmy nom for Martin Short. The KT and Howard scenes were unnecessary but I like Howard so I'll allow it. Peter Bartlett made the most of a very silly role. I'm going to have to disagree about Mabel this episode. Usually I defend Selena's acting but she was notably weak in that big confrontation in Ben's dressing room. It's absolutely gorgeous. I don't have any reason to visit but I want to. Looking forward to them spending more time at the theater later in the season just so I can keep looking at it.

I swear I already commented on this episode but I really love what they did with Loretta and Oliver's date and I'm sorry she likely won't be sticking around ETA: I'm glad we got to see some of Jonathan's cabaret show.

ngl, I know I didn't want a female killer, but Andrea Martin (Joy) as the killer would be very fun. Way too similar to the killer in season 1 but I'd allow it. Of course, now that it feels obvious in episode 4, it won't be her. People seem to complain about Selena's acting, but honestly, I was finding Steve Martin a little flat this season. But he really dialed up his energy for the comedy in this episode. The patter song and the white room, it was so classically, effortlessly funny. Is that all there is to the song? It seems rather short if the part he sang making the omelet was all of it. Also THIS is the song they give the old guy who can't sing. It's a shame Cinda can't be trusted because working on true crime podcasts (with a paid salary) would be a good job for Mabel, especially given her lack of college degree and work experience. Yes, my guess right now is that Ben wrote the insult himself thinking about the cookies. But it was a relatively bright shade of red so Joy wouldn't have applied it to his lips and it wouldn't cancel out anything on his face beyond maybe the shadow of his beard (and that'd be pretty excessive). Unless the lipstick was the red mark, but it's not difficult to get lipstick off. Maybe it's just a reflection of how much harder it is to date as an older woman. I could buy her selling art. You don't need a degree for that. It wouldn't be enough for an apartment at the Arconia but based on what she painted on the wall, I think people would buy those kind of art prints on etsy or whatever. I've always heard it calling "going up" or "blanking" but maybe they wanted an easy visual for the audience. See, I feel like VERY much looked his age when he was standing next to the actress for Girl Cop. I feel like when people say actors aren't aging, what they mean is they have a similar face and they've maintained it pretty well and they haven't gained weight. Like, Anthony Michael Hall doesn't look the way he looked when he was younger. Most actors have obviously aged but genetics and procedures keep them looking younger than they are and the basics of their face structure hasn't changed. Also, with celebrities you see them all the time so the changes feel more gradual. If you look at side by side photos of when they were young and now, there's a more dramatic difference. The police think they caught the murderer (the obsessed fan) and Detective Williams isn't there to push to keep investigating. Also, I definitely think there's less urgency because the murder attempts feel less violent this season compared to how Tim and Bunny were killed. There's less of a sense of someone suddenly attacked our trio (even if two of them were briefly kidnapped). I don't mind this. I like a cozy mystery. Me. I found the White Room funny every time. Because from the start the show has always been about Mabel's past trauma. I don't want her to be stuck forever. Yes, she had fond memories of the Arconia. But she should also finish college, get a job, find something substantial to do besides sleuthing... when even her former-retiree pals are getting back to their passions.

Honestly, I'm loving the specificity. This season is for theater people and, to me, it's landing even better than the NY-specific jokes in past seasons. Also, it sounds like a read of ALW shows Memory (Cats), Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Evita)... whatever song people like from Phantom. I think she's been a big focus but I don't mind at all. I appreciate that this show isn't whatever the season-equivalent of "case of the week" is. I don't want it to be that repetitive. I like that the characters are capable of growth. I want Mabel to get out of the Arconia and figure out what she wants to pursue to make a living (or maybe go back and finish college). Even if Death Rattle flops, I Oliver to start directing again. I want Charles to find some kind of happiness even if he's incapable of sharing his apartment. If I wanted everything to stay the same, I'd watch 22 episodes a season sitcoms. All the focus on the cast makes me think it's definitely not someone in the cast. No, she had at least that scene she delivered in the audition to the detective questioning her. It was a short scene, of course, but it was more than one line. It communicated that she would be willing to kill for a child in her care. I don't think having the song addressed to the now triplets instead of making that a defensive statement to a detective is so crazy. Also, she definitely had lines at the beginning of the play for some reason because she was started off the rough table read. Me three. At some point in her late career she stopped playing characters and started playing caricatures with funny voices. She stopped being able to disappear into roles and even in stuff like The Devil Wears Prada it was too broad and too self-conscious. And yes, there are moments when she cries but she could do that in her sleep. Loretta feels like she's really playing a person again and not Meryl Streep showing off.

I was already grumpy about the bad lighting in the armoire. I don't need actual whispered mumbling when I already need subtitles some of the time. Realism is overrated. Some things can involve suspension of disbelief based on normal narrative convention, while say, Oliver talking loudly in the lobby could be overheard by Lester or Uma. After two seasons of having Mabel's initially suspicious love interest not be the killer, having a love interest who seems pretty honest at first (e.g. claiming to be a bad liar as they both openly snoop) be the killer would be a twist. Martin Short is really showcasing his talents in this show and I love that for him. I hope not because I want Jonathan and Howard to be happy together. I've been thinking of going back to watch the blackout episode but I need to finish this season first. Now that I know it's a Sara Bareilles song, I definitely hear it. The Pasek/Paul brings some of that La La Land energy too. I think it was Grey's Anatomy New Orleans Family Burn Unit. Whatever the exact wording, very fun and silly.

Maybe I've just watched too much TV, but I was suspicious when Ben said that bit about 'sitting there looking sweet.' It was such odd phrasing. When he said the "I want you" thing later, my suspicions were confirmed. He's 100% talking about cookies isn't he? Or something else that would ruin his diet? Talking about something ruining his career but having whoever that "person" is not responding... it's what he ate before he "died" the first time. Anyway, another great episode. I love the whole 'putting a show together' vibe even if it's not believable for Oliver to compose anything that quickly. He's a director. Meryl is just a gift for this show. I know Loretta can't stick around but I can't help but enjoy Oliver and Loretta's chemistry anyway. The lullaby for the nanny was sweet. Gentler, definitely but it had some of the energy of Hold On from The Secret Garden. Not every showstopper has tap-dancing. I mean, the ALW ones tend to have belting but they're still ballads. I don't really feel any kind of way about Tobert so far but he's giving Mabel someone to interact with while Oliver and Charles are occupied with this show and it's similar to her friend from season 1. I hope that line from Charles about not going with another female killer can be trusted. I like the women and I think any of the men would be more interesting as the killer right now. Winnie!

Oliver's crazy antics were fun throwaway jokes in the first two seasons but it's been nice seeing that he actually had some skill as a director and is good at working with actors. When Paul Rudd was talking about being too old to play a high school senior in Girl Cop, it made me think of Clueless. (He was 26 playing a college student.) Also, I couldn't help but think of Selena's own experience in Disney channel shows. I'm sure she's heard a lot of those stories from fans who are strangers to her telling her how much her performance on a silly show meant to them. I bet the real problem is the dips Fosse. A Chorus Line is Michael Bennett. I thought they obviously couldn't nail the choreography but it was simplified enough that with the close ups and cuts, you got the right impression. I'm excited for how full out they might go now that Oliver is choosing to do a musical murder mystery. This doesn't make sense without a Lea Michele waiting in the wings and murder seems rather extreme. My only guess for the producers right now is that it might have something to do with the reopening of the theater. I don't know how yet, but it feels like a clue that's been floating around without being remarked upon. The cookies were from Schmackary's. A Broadway in-joke. It felt especially dim in the church but that suited the funeral and then Oliver's minor heart attack scare. I'll have to see if the show continues to feel darkly lit this season. Mabel usually wears a striking bold color and that's been absent. It might be an intentional choice to go more serious and then splash out when we get to the musical parts for contrast.

I feel like it can only be Loretta as a double fakeout. Like if it had been Tina Fey last season. Oh, it isn't a red herring, the suspicious person really is the killer. That doesn't seem to be this show's approach to mysteries. Jeremy Shamos and Ashley Park are notable to me so I'm going to be no help in saying who is not significant enough of an actor to warrant suspicion. I think that's a fun part of getting to cast so impressively. The pool of suspects just gets bigger. The only one I'm sure didn't do it is Lester the doorman. /j Honestly, I thought one of them might suggest that but it feels like the show is trying to push her to move on after two seasons of her dealing with trauma from a friend's death and I appreciate the character development. Curious to see where it goes. I would love a multiple killers season but potentially poisoned and then pushed down an elevator shaft invites a single killer theory. No lifting or hiding the body, no complicated plot necessary... It's a revival so rehearsals and previews. You don't need to do a lab or test the material out of town for rewrites (not that everyone does that these days). If it's not a transfer and is packaged for Broadway, 3 months of rehearsals and set building and one month of previews isn't crazy. Yeah, and even in the world of the show, it's not crazy for them to still meet up and travel between Brooklyn or Queens or even just spend time in the Arconia when she visits. The only thing that would change is not seeing the interior of Mabel's aunt's apartment. Sad... which I suppose is the point of her character so far. Unless we learn she was related to someone and has some secret motive unrelated to the play to kill Ben. I do wonder if the show will explain how she affords what also looked like a nice apartment if she's never booked significant acting jobs (they weren't really clear if she's booked any jobs or just not any big breaks). I love that song and that moment. The actress did a lovely job. The Paris background made me think it might have been referencing No Strings but putting in the fake theater, it could have been anything. I wish they would release that clip somewhere.

This is the episode that made me much more enthusiastic about the season. I actually laughed in this one. Paul Rudd felt more natural getting to have more of a range of emotion (e.g. ghost Ben talking to Mabel, struggling over line delivery with Oliver, Ben confronting Charles about having him fired as a child). They haven't been shy about casting Broadway talent but it's a little extra special this season given the focus on Death Rattle. Linda Emond, Wesley Taylor, Noma Dumezweni... And of course the brilliant performances they're getting with this caliber of acting talent. And the theater and the church were gorgeous settings. I'm so happy to be watching this show again. I'm not super invested in the mystery at this point though they did try to create some danger for our sleuths with the kidnapping. But I like that they're not motivated by peril or the cops having them under suspicion. Oliver's desire for redemption and his precarious health provides enough stakes for me.

What a delight to return to this show in the fall/winter. Nothing like a cozy mystery when it's cold out. I watched the first two episodes back to back and while I enjoyed the premiere, I definitely felt better about the season after episode 2. But to start with the first episode... When the older figure rose from the barre, I figured out this would be the Meryl Streep character. Something about the hair color and once she was in the apartment it all but confirmed it. I think they were very smart with this stunt casting. It doesn't feel like the Amy Schumer or Sting cameos drawing attention to themselves. It's even better than the Tina Fey casting to choose the most lauded actress of her generation and have her play an actress who never got her big break. It somehow let's the acknowledge her and also allow her to melt into a character. Whereas for the one episode of Big Little Lies season 2 I watched, she was never able to be anyone other than Meryl Streep. On the other hand, I don't think Paul Rudd was great. He wasn't bad but the tone of Only Murders didn't let him go as broad as say an Apatow comedy and I feel like he came across a little dead-eyed trying to play the asshole movie star semi-seriously. It felt like he was maybe going for a Joel McHale vibe. There was a lot of setup and a lot of focus on Meryl for episode 1 but it was nice to get glimpses of familiar faces and spaces again... like seeing that Jonathan is still with Howard.

The Notebook, Water For Elephants, The Who's Tommy, The Outsiders, Lempicka, Suffs, Hell's Kitchen, The Wiz, Cabaret, The Heart of Rock and Roll... This is too many shows. There's no way I'm seeing all of these shows. I'll be lucky to manage The Notebook, Lempicka, and Suffs.

Yeah, I'm assuming he's counting English and ASL and whatever he chose for his foreign language credit. So that would leave one other language. It's funny watching their recaps since it sounds like he has experience in almost every conventional American sport. An exaggeration as I don't think he mentioned golf or tennis, for example, but it feels that way sometimes. 😅

I feel like everyone was doing this a bit which is something I liked about this cast (other than them mostly being pretty genial and good-natured). Like Joel lived in France and has made lots of crepes. Todd and Ashlie and Robbin lived in Germany. I like having a competitive cast that's well-traveled and has unexpected skills.

From the Parade interview

I thought the nighttime finish made things more interesting. For one, you couldn't track placement during the leg or at the post-race interviews from the amount of sunlight. Navigating in the dark probably made things more difficult with teams straining to read signs and not miss anything. And it was probably a little sketchier cornering random strangers to use their phones at night. Last season (34) also ended at night and I think they did a much better job designing this leg. I like that they interacted with local businesses in a meaningful way because for two tasks, they're used to giving lessons (vs. labeling bottles when they don't need/want your help) and there was something more intimate about the way it ended with the memory task and the mat location vs. the two big auditoriums in the season 34 finale where it felt like they were still trying to keep the racers separated from people.

First off, I'm glad everyone agrees those bands were terrible. I do think some of it was the sound system but yeah, not a great showing. I wonder if they were real bands or just cobbled together by the show. And if the instruments were in tune and if they'd ever rehearsed or performed together before. Because, yikes. I love them so I don't understand where the animosity is coming from. But then, I don't root for underdogs, I root for competence and excellence and even if they stumbled a little this leg, they've definitely shown that during the race and even in this finale given how tight they kept it even struggling with the tasks. I think the evidence for them having money is that they both work in tech (John at least works for Google) and they have a lot of experience but nothing that puts them beyond upper middle class. John studied music composition in college. But that just means he has musical talent since he was studying piano since age 6. If having a college degree makes you privileged, so are most people on the race this season. Their family has a home in Michigan so they have experience kayaking. But no one is mad at Corey for having a good job or having lived different places or having the chance to travel and play a ton of different sports. I think it's weird to play a game of who is more privileged and judge them for stuff outside the race when they've always been pleasant and friendly and haven't been arrogant about their backgrounds. The first two would be very fun ideas to assemble competitive teams. The last one sounds fun on something like Taskmaster but, while I'm sure some teams made silly mistakes or had travel issues leg one, it might result in a pretty painful season if they all prove to be incompetent. Only Joel and Garrett weren't familiar with Seattle. John and Corey had some passing experience with Seattle. But everyone was getting phone directions anyway. Yeah, they're athletic but arguably they have "soft" skills. They can run but they're not as strong as say Liam and Yeremi. They shine in puzzles and attention to detail. I think the glass blowing really got to them because they were not thinking straight on the grunge task. And even when frustrated, they stay focused on the task and persevere. It would have been easy to get mad at the glass blowing when the calipers were repeatedly just shy of 4 inches. Yes, and did anyone see how many furnaces there were at the glassblowing task? I think having too many teams bunch up would have been awkward just for safety. The grunge task was the only one that seems to accommodate three teams the best and even then, they would sort of run into each other bottlenecking at door. Yes, John fist-pumped so hard the wing flew off the plane as they ran through the gate. He then stumbled... and stumbled again right as they reached the mat. You could see the excitement in their bodies as they ran towards Phil.

Ahh! That was so fun. There was a lot of bunching (which is not my favorite) but it legitimately got tense for me when it seemed like Joel and Garrett might be winning this. I was so happy for Greg and John and their joy at the mat was infectious. I think what really helped in this finale was all of the teams making mistakes and/or struggling with the challenges. Also, an unspoken additional challenge to this finale was all the nighttime driving. The space needle seemed like one of those tasks that's pretty pointless except for getting footage for the show and giving the racers a fun experience. I do appreciate that they made both team members do the challenge thereby allowing at least the first few people to enjoy the experience rather than trying to speed through it (because you really couldn't build a lead on the other teams). There really is a lot of Chihuly art everywhere. Anyway, none of that seemed to matter until the scramble really started. The first stumble for one of the teams was at the trapeze task. By his 5th attempt, Rob got his legs over but it really became clear watching Joel and Garrett that you had to do it quickly to not lose all your momentum and still achieve the catch. Credit to him for succeeding on his eight try. Honestly? It did look pretty fun. I thought you'd have to be impossibly athletic but it seems like you can figure it out with enough practice and perseverance. Greg and John then stumbled at glass blowing. Another very fun hobby! Though probably not when you're under a time crunch. I'll be interested to watch their recap. They succeeded on their 6th attempt and seemed to struggle more than the other two teams with getting the globe to the correct size (4 inches) and not having it crack when they broke it off. I don't know if they were rushing or just had a lot of struggles. It's not something you'd think you could pick up that quickly but the two other teams succeeded on their first attempts. Of course, those were the first attempts they got to the judging stage. Two great challenges and two hobbies I might want to try. The people at both locations also seemed super encouraging. A physical challenge with a clean pass or fail that wasn't just about strength and a skills challenge that forced teams to slow down and get it right. Great choices. The grunge challenge where they played roadies was a little less interesting though very tricky. I did not like the mean judge, even if he fit the venue. The bands seemed friendlier but they all sounded terrible. Maybe it was the sound system. I could kind of tell that at least the last two could sort of sing but oof, overall it was tough to get through. The challenge designers weren't really being that diabolical as it seems like that's how you'd set up that equipment anyway but it wasn't perfectly straightforward either. And it's a subtle mindset shift after each team had started with a task where instructors were guiding them to have something they had to do on their own that just felt like a physical challenge with some assembly. If it had been that basic, it would have been a boring task. I worried for John and Greg again at the grunge task but thankfully they finally figured it out. The editors were having fun showing how many times they lifted up the lid with the amp attached to it. Joel and Garrett got through the trapeze task in three tries. When the last team got there, John took one try and Greg took two. Joel and Garett really put in a good showing this episode as a team with strong navigation that struggled an average amount but not too much at any task. Of course their downfall was at Kenmore Air Harbor with the kayaks where they had to remember all the Roadblocks and Detours. This was a diabolical task to me because I think those names they assign to the tasks are horrible and sometimes barely make sense. 😅 I think it's easy to say Joel and Garrett made a fatal mistake at the memory task but really I think every team struggled about the same amount. That's what made the finale interesting. In a perfect world, John and Greg wouldn't have missed the amp so many times. Or Rob would have gotten through the trapeze task quicker. The race was very tight and Greg and John also found ways to make up time given how they kept falling behind so credit to them. Greg and John were the first to complete the memory task and get to Clise Mansion. I felt bad about it because they seem perfectly nice but I really started rooting against Joel and Garrett around the memory challenge and it was a thrill to see Greg and John appear at the entrance. John was so excited he kept stumbling. His happy little claps were so cute. Rob and Corey ending up third was the most shocking part but everyone was so good-natured about the result at the mat. I loved this cast (for the most part). Meet back here for season 36. I'll probably miss the first few weeks until April.