S34.E07: It’s Simply Medieval

[aemom]

On 11/3/2022 at 12:30 PM, Fretful said:

TAR Canada and Australia each stay in their own country and without the cultural/language barriers have to adjust to make the race compelling.  One way they do that is by making the challenges difficult and unique.  TAR USA needs to find a way to do this.  Right now, it's a snooze-fest. Casting saved this season.

TAR Canada does sometimes leave the country for part of the race, though the last installment was just in Canada. 

On 11/3/2022 at 1:39 PM, Yogisbooboo64 said:

If I were David I would have stopped the car and told Aubrey to either drive or STFU!  Her screaming at him was unacceptable and I’m no longer rooting for them.

When a team has trouble navigating, I don't understand why they so rarely try switching places. What you're doing is not working! Try something else!

On 11/3/2022 at 5:59 PM, aradia22 said:

Are these available on any streaming service in the US?

I remember that older seasons of TAR Canada were available on YouTube. If they're not still there, maybe you can get them to play on CTV.ca. But I imagine that they have to be kicking around somewhere. 

[J-Man]

Did anyone else notice that there was a commercial with Kevin Hart right after G&L's elimination? Are they just playing with us now?

[bankerchick]

On 11/3/2022 at 10:48 PM, North of Eden said:

Still this was a great episode for self navigation fails. The blind leading the blind. The dangers of following others. And the foray into the ditch? We'll never know how close it was but I wonder if that was the difference between them beating the hispanic couple.

I'm sure Glenda said a few times that it took less than 5 minutes for the woman in the tractor to show up.

Edited November 5, 2022 by bankerchick

[Notabug]

1 hour ago, bankerchick said:

I'm sure Glenda said a few times that it took less than 5 minutes for the woman in the tractor to show up.

She did.  However, at the least, the trip into the ditch and back out again didn't really give them any opportunity to make up time on navigation,  Meanwhile, it seemed like no one had any major issues with the tasks and seemed to complete them in within a reasonable period of time.  Glenda and Lumumba's only chance of passing others was with superior navigation, based on the way the leg was designed and played.  Of course, they couldn't know that, but the ditch was their downfall.

[illdoc]

She also said that they had taken a side road. The people she met told her she needed to head the other way. It was while she was turning around that they went into the ditch. Who knows how much time was wasted travelling on the "side road"?

[BK1978]

Not going to lie, I was a little bummed seeing Glenda and Lumumba getting eliminated.  As others have said, they just come across as such nice people. Now that they are gone I am team siblings all of the way.  I don't care which sibling duo wins I just want one of the two to win.  Watch, I have probably put a curse on them and they will be the next two teams eliminated.

[Lantern7]

Coming in late. Yeah, I was bummed that Glenda and Lumumba went out. The "No Non-Eliminations" format stings when it becomes obvious who will remain in last place. Even if they had gotten a relief car immediately after crashing, the odds of them surviving were slim. Only thing remotely cringe with them was when Lumumba was rappelling and Glenda wanted him to protect his "little swimmers." And even then, it's so cute. If they were closer in height, I wouldn't have to worry about Lumumba conceiving with Glenda. Like you'd expect Glenda to announce a positive test online, while Lumumba chills out in a full body cast behind her.

And yeah, most of the teams are bearable. Once again, I wonder if not having mental cases works against the show in terms of getting new viewers. But then I remember that The Real Love Boat is now permanently docked on Paramount+, and I can breathe a little easier. Odd thing: I went through Excel to calculate team averages, and the leaders are Marcus & Michael, who have averaged 3.00 per leg. Basically, that's third place. I figure they'll be in the final leg thanks to the editing, but I can see any other team winning. Even Aubrey & Michael's mini-meltdown could be attributed to Killer Fatigue. Quinton & Mattie have fun, Luis & Michelle have fun while going meta ("singing" the opening theme), Emoly finds more eerie similarities about each other . . . and even Derek & Claire are a bearable team from Big Brother. I still don't want them to win on account that I'm tired of BB players dumped onto TAR.

On 11/3/2022 at 11:55 AM, SHD said:

Those medieval games got co-opted by Survivor!

I was thinking the TAR production staff bought those games at a Survivor-hosted yard sale. The funny thing is that all three of those games, janky as they were, came off better than the one challenge run on Survivor. One woman got stuck trying to slip through a fishing net. It was brutal.

On 11/3/2022 at 3:55 PM, anniebird said:

It's too bad TAR doesn't do a fan favorite - G&L would win for sure.

We need to send SIa these episodes. Money would make their lives easier . . . or maybe get Lumumba out of the hospital quicker. Related: I am not sorry that I made all those jokes. They are a sweet couple, but the height difference makes things funnier.

[Leeds]

On 11/3/2022 at 7:48 PM, North of Eden said:

Closing out with a deep dive into the shallow end of the pool but Michelle's booty in those red lycra shorts is a national treasure.

I'd say focusing on her backside (and assuming those are the shorts that production made her wear just so they could do this) is a national embarrassment.

3 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

We need to send SIa these episodes. 

 Who's Sla?

[blackwing]

I am bummed that Glenda and Lumumba are out.  They seem like such genuinely nice people, they always had a positive attitude and are very well matched together, they truly love one another.  I love that they were almost always smiling, no matter what.  I wish them well.

13 hours ago, Leeds said:

I'd say focusing on her backside (and assuming those are the shorts that production made her wear just so they could do this) is a national embarrassment.

 Who's Sla?

I agree, it was embarrassing, those shorts made her ass look like the size of a national monument.  I'm sure that production knew this.  They could have given her some black shorts.

Sia is a singer who has had a number of hit songs like "Cheap Thrills", "The Greatest", "Titanium", "Chandelier", "Unstoppable".  She is best known for her two-toned black and white wig which completely covers her face.  She had said before that this allows her to make music but remain relatively anonymous (although pictures of her face do exist out there and sometimes she performs without the wig, see Wikipedia entry for one).

Some years ago on Survivor, she used to show up on the reunion show and award money to contestants that particularly touched her heart.  Like Tai when he refused to kill the chickens.  Doesn't seem like she is still doing that, but I think the thought was that Glenda and Lumumba deserve every bit of kindness coming their way.

[Leeds]

14 minutes ago, blackwing said:

I am bummed that Glenda and Lumumba are out.  They seem like such genuinely nice people, they always had a positive attitude and are very well matched together, they truly love one another.  I love that they were almost always smiling, no matter what.  I wish them well.

I agree, it was embarrassing, those shorts made her ass look like the size of a national monument.  I'm sure that production knew this.  They could have given her some black shorts.

Sia is a singer who has had a number of hit songs like "Cheap Thrills", "The Greatest", "Titanium", "Chandelier", "Unstoppable".  She is best known for her two-toned black and white wig which completely covers her face.  She had said before that this allows her to make music but remain relatively anonymous (although pictures of her face do exist out there and sometimes she performs without the wig, see Wikipedia entry for one).

Some years ago on Survivor, she used to show up on the reunion show and award money to contestants that particularly touched her heart.  Like Tai when he refused to kill the chickens.  Doesn't seem like she is still doing that, but I think the thought was that Glenda and Lumumba deserve every bit of kindness coming their way.

Thanks!  Amazingly I have actually heard of (and, unfortunately, seen) Sia but the OP typed Sla and my brain didn't make the leap.  (And I wouldn't have understood the reference anyway, so thanks for the explanation about Survivor.)

[Lantern7]

17 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

We need to send SIa these episodes.

13 minutes ago, Leeds said:

Thanks!  Amazingly I have actually heard of (and, unfortunately, seen) Sia but the OP typed Sla and my brain didn't make the leap.  (And I wouldn't have understood the reference anyway, so thanks for the explanation about Survivor.)

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck. 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ 

I’m honestly sorry about that.

[Guest]

54 minutes ago, blackwing said:

14 hours ago, Leeds said:

I'd say focusing on her backside (and assuming those are the shorts that production made her wear just so they could do this) is a national embarrassment.

 Who's Sla?

I agree, it was embarrassing, those shorts made her ass look like the size of a national monument.  I'm sure that production knew this.  They could have given her some black shorts.

Between this and the earlier comment decrying the "unflattering and vulgar" use of tight leggings, there sure is a lot of negative focus on the women's behinds this season. And who's to say that production is making her wear shorts? The color, maybe, since they do sometimes try to color code the teams, but the shorts themselves could very well be a personal choice. Maybe Michelle thought they looked good - she certainly doesn't seem to be self-conscious in them. Some will agree that they look good and some won't, but comments like these seem pretty hyperbolic at best.

[smartymarty]

Quote

If I were David I would have stopped the car and told Aubrey to either drive or STFU!  Her screaming at him was unacceptable and I’m no longer rooting for them.

We thought David was the one being a dick. Just slow down at the signs, for heck's sake.

 

Quote

Having a task that relies solely on upper body strength, with no other way to compensate, I think unfairly disadvantages the women.

What about those tasks that require people to be amazing sculptors, but one contestant doesn't have that skill??

[pH-factor]

Funny,had not thoughts on Michelle's shorts and there was another lady in shorts.  She a delightful person and quickly picked up on going down to see what she needed to learn and did a good job on the roadblock.

[Netfoot]

On 11/6/2022 at 2:36 AM, BK1978 said:

Not going to lie, I was a little bummed seeing Glenda and Lumumba getting eliminated.

21 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Yeah, I was bummed that Glenda and Lumumba went out.

4 hours ago, blackwing said:

I am bummed that Glenda and Lumumba are out.

As I mentioned earlier, all the teams at this point are likable and a pleasure to watch. No villeins or assholes particularly. Personally I am behind Derek & Claire, but for a silly reason, not because I think they are better than any other team.

Having said that, I really won't be missing Glenda and Lumumba much and I'm surprised at the level of sorrow expressed at their departure. They seem like nice folks, and apart from their desire to name some poor infant Bam-Bam or Tick-Tock or something stupid and juvenile, I have no problem with them, but really I don't think they were any nicer or more likable than any other team still on the race.

Several teams are essentially anonymous, and I blame the editing of this season for that. It rather telegraphs they don't go to the end, and whether or not that is true, I think they could have been given a slightly more inclusive edit. 

I wonder if this race full of essentially likable people is perhaps less of a good thing than it seems? With nobody to hate and no stand-outs to love, it kind of makes the season a little flat. As I said, I am rooting for Derek & Claire, but not because they are especially good people or good racers either.  

[blackwing]

22 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

As I mentioned earlier, all the teams at this point are likable and a pleasure to watch. No villeins or assholes particularly. Personally I am behind Derek & Claire, but for a silly reason, not because I think they are better than any other team.

Having said that, I really won't be missing Glenda and Lumumba much and I'm surprised at the level of sorrow expressed at their departure. They seem like nice folks, and apart from their desire to name some poor infant Bam-Bam or Tick-Tock or something stupid and juvenile, I have no problem with them, but really I don't think they were any nicer or more likable than any other team still on the race.

Several teams are essentially anonymous, and I blame the editing of this season for that. It rather telegraphs they don't go to the end, and whether or not that is true, I think they could have been given a slightly more inclusive edit. 

I wonder if this race full of essentially likable people is perhaps less of a good thing than it seems? With nobody to hate and no stand-outs to love, it kind of makes the season a little flat. As I said, I am rooting for Derek & Claire, but not because they are especially good people or good racers either.  

For me, it was that they were always supportive of one another, and it was obvious that one of the driving factors behind each individual's individual performance was the desire to make the other person proud.  And when things took a bad turn, they were mostly disappointed at letting the other person down.  That's a strong focus on team.  Just last episode there was one team that was screaming at each other because the driver said the navigator was a bad navigator while the navigator said the driver was a bad driver.

I also think that Glenda and Lumumba were perennially positive.  Of course they wanted to win, but win or lose, nothing was going to keep them from smiling.  They are probably the team on this season that truly appreciated the race itself.  As Lumumba said, they already felt like the time they got to spend together made them feel like winners.  That's a stark contrast to the brothers, who seem to think that anything less than #1 on every leg is a massive failure.

As far as nobody to hate and nobody to love, I think that's a matter of personal perception.  I am always partial to sibling teams.  The standout team for me to root for is Molly and Emily.  I love their story of discovering each other as adults, and how they are still getting to know each other.  I also like the military brothers.

The team I dislike the most is Derek and Claire.  Mostly because I don't like that they are a manufactured reality show couple, and I still don't buy that they are an actual couple.  They seem to me to be two people who determined that they would get more exposure by being a couple on Big Brother and then continuing it on another reality show.  There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of love from him coming her way, in fact, he has actively made fun of her several times.  That's not the thing you would think someone in a newish relationship would do to someone they supposedly loved, on national TV.  But YMMV of course.

The two married couples, I still can't really tell them apart and don't know their names.  But I'm kind of disliking the guys in both pairs.  Don't like the bickering driver.  And don't really like the other one who always seems to be posing and showboating and playing up to the cameras.  The women are completely forgettable.  If you put the two of them in a lineup with ten other women I very much doubt I could even identify what they look like.

[Netfoot]

54 minutes ago, blackwing said:

The team I dislike the most is Derek and Claire.  Mostly because I don't like that they are a manufactured reality show couple.....

I was all set to dislike them for their BB heritage, but to my surprise they turned out to be fairly likable. So, I am rooting for them as a sort of penance for prematurely disliking them before even seeing them on screen. (I said my reason was silly...)