S25.E01: Go Big Or Go Home

[selkie]

In their brief time on the show, the realtors did at least give the sound effects team the chance to break out the regionally appropriate Steel Drums of Stupidity in lieu of the Gong of Stupidity and leave us amused that someone didn't wax well enough or something, leading to pixelated groin/ass.

 

I wonder if we're going to see the dentist get his steroids confiscated by customs somewhere down the line.

[cooksdelight]

If the dentist were a super hero

http://d1hekt5vpuuw9b.cloudfront.net/assets/ddf98a132cec1fb00185473604b4e9af_the-thing-300x300_quiz.jpg

[Pepper the Cat]

Don't like the dentists and really don't like the wrestlers.

Other than that, good leg. A little frustrated that 3 teams gave up, but then again, when you can't see what is wrong, it it had to carry on

[TazDevil]

Dentist Guy:  "I can't tell you how excited I am that we won the Save"

 

Actually, you're going to need to tell us because your face barely moves from all the Botox in it so we can't tell!!  That couple is just scary-looking.

[heebiejeebie]

Dentist Guy:  "I can't tell you how excited I am that we won the Save"

 

Actually, you're going to need to tell us because your face barely moves from all the Botox in it so we can't tell!!  That couple is just scary-looking.

 

 

While his face does look like the back of a giant tick with a cheetos addiction, on hi-def he still looks about fifteen years younger than his also over tweaked wife.  I cannot imagine how thrilled she is if she watched herself next to him for the first time tonight considering the body image issues both seem to have.

[Donny Ketchum]

Not too bad of an opening.  I like that it did have a task that stumped almost everyone, yet at the same time, proved to be a good bunching point.

 

Team thoughts now:

 

Misti & Jim: Yes, I agree that Jim looks kinda scary.  But he at least figured out that compass.  I hope that Misti has some skills at the race, too.  For now, creepiness aside, I like them, and that Save was definitely earned on their part.

 

Tim & Te Jay: Okay, our first Asian gay team?  Wonderful!  As long as they don't get too flamboyant in their behavior, I'll be fine with them.  Although if Te Jay's mother didn't know Tim was his boyfriend, not his roommate, then she sure knows now!  Good shot at getting second place, though he owes that to Jim telling him the right way to use the compass.

 

Kym & Alli: I definitely like these girls (though then again, I've liked all but two women's teams -- Kim & Leslie and Danielle & Dani).  They hustled, they were funny, they were definitely enjoying the experience, were the one team on the first flight not to be worried about the Save, and just gave it their all.  Alli rocked the Roadblock, too, so kudos to her!

 

Brooke & Robbie: I like Brooke so far, but Robbie is already seeming to be a little bit much.  Not hateful, but just kinda annoying.  And he also owes Shelley for helping him with his compass.  Without it, it wouldn't surprise me if he'd joined in the penalty race, too.  That said, I hope they can stick around for a least a bit to show their real selves, not their wrestling characters.

 

Adam & Bethany: I like them, as well, but I hope the show doesn't beat Bethany only having one arm into the ground.  Adam does have a nice bod, though, and I was glad that Alli noted it.  Even Whitney admired it, in spite of her engagement to Keith!

 

Amy & Maya: Quietly competent.  Good show by Amy to know how to work angles, being a scientist.  Hoping they keep doing well.  And I liked her looking up quizzically at Adam when Lisa said the sun rises in the west and sets in the east.  I had these girls pegged as my favorites from their pre-race videos, as well, so I hope they give me a reason to keep saying that about them!

 

Dennis & Isabelle: Cute, adorable, and definitely scrappy (as they said in their own pre-race video).  Not a good finish, but perhaps they can make up for it next week (or perhaps not, if that preview is of any indication).  I'm glad to have our first Asian dating couple.  That is, our first straight one (Tim & Te Jay are our first gay one).

 

Shelley & Nici: Glad to FINALLY have another mother/daughter team after Andie & Jenna from TAR17 were our last one eight seasons ago!  (Or sixteen, if you count Wanda & Desiree from TAR9 as the last true one.)  I find it heavily awful that Robbie piggy-backed off Shelley's help.  Though then again, this'll teach her not to help others when you might be at or near the back of the pack.  Hope they survive next week's preview.

 

Keith & Whitney: I loved these two in Survivor: South Pacific.  They were mostly invisible, but I liked that they each gave that overrated little weasel, Cochran, a separate talking-to that he greatly deserved.  And I like that they're kind of an obscure choice of castaways to bring onto the race since they aren't that well-known due to their near-invisible edit on Survivor.  That said, if they could quit that task, I don't see their survival being long-term.  They might not stand up to anything very well if they could quit that.

 

Michael & Scott: I like them, for the most part.  It's good to have another Boston team.  But they'd better not mention it or the bombing of the Boston Marathon too much.  Good that they karma-slapped Lisa & Michelle, but they were also way too rough if they cut one of the girls.

 

Lisa & Michelle: Again, I typically root for women's teams, and unlike most, what they did didn't bother me that much.  Adrenaline's running, people do things they otherwise wouldn't do.  They did get smacked by karma, though.  Not since TAR12's Ari & Staella or TAR14's Preston & Jennifer have I been so glad to see a first elimination.  It would've been interesting to see how they'd have done in future legs, but I think this ending for them, after what they did to Michael & Scott, was just perfect.  The only "too bad" I have for this is that I was so excited that they finally saw fit to cast four women's teams this season, something not done since TAR17, only to see one go out first.

 

Yes, a very good premiere.  This looks like a good season with a very good cast.  I don't hate anyone yet!  Just a minor annoyance or two.  Hope that it delivers!

Edited September 27, 2014 by Donny Ketchum

[stopeslite]

I'm still so obsessed over how they couldn't work compasses that it eclipsed the other amazing thing, that one team managed to SINK THEIR BOAT when the boat was ON A ROPE. Seriously. All they had to do was sit down and pull hand-over-hand, and one team SANK IT. This could be a really entertaining season. 

 

What if they'd had to use classical flat compasses instead of the round floating ones that point your direction right at you? They would all still be out there.

[Quilt Fairy]

Maybe I'm reading way too much into this, but when Phil was describing 'The Save', it really sounded as if - theoretically - Phil could tell a team they were the last team to arrive, they would declare they were using their save, and Phil could then say, 'Thanks, I'll take that and oh, by the way it's a non-elimination round'.

[terracool]

I'm not sure that taking the penalty was good strategy for any of them. At first glance, they probably thought that they only needed to be able to outrun one other team, and each probably thought they could do that. But the remaining two teams may end up racing alone and far behind the pack next week, barring a bunching event, so in reality only one of the three penalty teams is likely to survive - a much bigger risk to take.

They must have been exhausted, or I'd think that at least one team might have thought they had a better chance of finding their chest in less than four hours (thereby passing the penalized teams) than beating both other teams in what would essentially become a two-leg elimination race for the three teams.

I didn't notice if the chests were buried that deep. It seems a lot of teams spent a ton of time digging very deep holes in one small spot. I might assume it was shallower and tried digging shallower over a broader area to see if I could hit something.

I'm all Team Detroit for now. Loved them. And I was dismayed that the dentists got the Save.

[enlightenedbum]

Maybe I'm reading way too much into this, but when Phil was describing 'The Save', it really sounded as if - theoretically - Phil could tell a team they were the last team to arrive, they would declare they were using their save, and Phil could then say, 'Thanks, I'll take that and oh, by the way it's a non-elimination round'.

Probably eliminates the 10 minute break while you get a massage and are served a gourmet meal Speed Bump in the next round.

[Turtle]

First and foremost, I am SO glad the Miami realtors are gone.  They were going to get on my nerves very quickly.  

 

I liked the graphics showing the trunk locations.

Okay, I do not understand how everyone struggled so much with the challenge.  It was afternoon, so the sun was setting in the west.  From there, you could at least generally work out north and northwest.  I know it would not have been perfect, but it would have been close enough that you would have a general area to dig in.

 

 

 

Well, the graphics showing the actual trunk locations proved that just getting in the general area was not enough - all three teams looked like they were less than a yard from the trunks at the end, but all the digging in the world wasn't getting them there.  So "close enough" didn't seem to be, well, close enough!

 

Very confused about lady-dentist claiming they got the highest MCAT scores in their medical schools.  One, people take the MCAT *before* medical school, but I suppose that's just semantics so I won't harp on it.  Two, people wanting to go to dental school don't take the MCAT.  Some people take the MCAT hoping for med school and eventually choose dentistry, but it's not the not the natural progression.  And most people who score super-high on the MCATs don't choose dentistry.  Three, dentists don't go to medical schools, they go to dental school.  Yes, dentists are doctors, but none of the dentists I know refer to their dental school as "medical school."  So what was she talking about?

Edited September 27, 2014 by Turtle

[LilyoftheValley]

First and foremost, I am SO glad the Miami realtors are gone.  They were going to get on my nerves very quickly.  

 

 

Well, the graphics showing the actual trunk locations proved that just getting in the general area was not enough - all three teams looked like they were less than a yard from the trunks at the end, but all the digging in the world wasn't getting them there.  So "close enough" didn't seem to be, well, close enough!

 

Very confused about lady-dentist claiming they got the highest MCAT scores in their medical schools.  One, people take the MCAT *before* medical school, but I suppose that's just semantics so I won't harp on it.  Two, people wanting to go to dental school don't take the MCAT.  Some people take the MCAT hoping for med school and eventually choose dentistry, but it's not the not the natural progression.  And most people who score super-high on the MCATs don't choose dentistry.  Three, dentists don't go to medical schools, they go to dental school.  Yes, dentists are doctors, but none of the dentists I know refer to their dental school as "medical school."  So what was she talking about?

Yeah I was confused by that too.  Are they dentists who went to medical school too?  Or are they just completely full of shit like 99% of the "alphas" who go on this show?

 

BTW, what I meant by "general area" is that many people had clearly headed south instead of north.  Also, I figured that by generally knowing where north is, a person could "work backwards" so to speak and figure out how to operate the compass.  That is what I would have done.  

[Turtle]

BTW, what I meant by "general area" is that many people had clearly headed south instead of north.  Also, I figured that by generally knowing where north is, a person could "work backwards" so to speak and figure out how to operate the compass.  That is what I would have done.​

 

 

Oh, that makes sense.  But they seemed to eventually get headed in the right direction, but their measurements were off.  Like either they didn't know the shovel handle was a yard, or they couldn't figure out how to accurately measure with it.  Either way, I believe we agree on the fact that there was a lot of stupidity out there!

[LilyoftheValley]

Oh, that makes sense.  But they seemed to eventually get headed in the right direction, but their measurements were off.  Like either they didn't know the shovel handle was a yard, or they couldn't figure out how to accurately measure with it.  Either way, I believe we agree on the fact that there was a lot of stupidity out there!

I am just relieved that the bitchy blondes are gone.  I hate the type of person that those two are - vapid, self-centered, stupid, and bleached.  Did they think that they were going to share a cab with the firefighters?  Or were the firefighters just supposed to give their cab up for them?  I did not understand what they were thinking.  

[howiveaddict]

Hubby, who barely watches this show, asked me if the realtor girl was posing for playboy while lolling in the sand.   Loved the confused look on her face when asked about the sun setting in the west.  Clueless!

[merylinkid]

 

Or were the firefighters just supposed to give their cab up for them?

 

Based on the treatment of the blond country singers last season, yes they probably did think that.   Guess they weren't the "right" kind of people.

[bmoore4026]

If the dentist were a super hero

http://d1hekt5vpuuw9b.cloudfront.net/assets/ddf98a132cec1fb00185473604b4e9af_the-thing-300x300_quiz.jpg

 

The Thing would have too animated a face.

[mojoween]

I did not like that one lady asking Adam to take off his life jacket, and I don't think Bethany did either. You seriously do not do that when someone's wife is standing right there. And even if she weren't, it's crass and tacky. It would be like one of the Boston firefighters asking the dentist's wife to take off her top.

Was there a sale on Boston firefighters? Survivor and now TAR this season too?

I was just at JFK last Wednesday and Friday, but only at the Jet Blue terminal. Still, since I don't travel much, that gave me a little thrill because I was just there.

I don't understand why people can't just be people, and why it feels like everyone is trying out for their own reality show. The wrestlers were the worst at it, but they certainly weren't the only ones. It makes watching tedious sometimes.

[Turtle]

one team managed to SINK THEIR BOAT when the boat was ON A ROPE

 

 

Hilarious.  How did that even happen???  I love watching people flounder on this show. 

 

when Phil was describing 'The Save', it really sounded as if - theoretically - Phil could tell a team they were the last team to arrive, they would declare they were using their save, and Phil could then say, 'Thanks, I'll take that and oh, by the way it's a non-elimination round'.

 

Interesting point.  I have no idea if it's true, but very interesting to think about!

[Artsda]

Glad those Miami girls are gone, how ridiculous they're going to comment on the firefighters playing dirty when they grabbed the marker from their hands. Their manners were appalling. 

 

I like  all the teams. I watched Whit & Keith on Survivor, nice to see them here. I liked the Dentists. The husband dentist telling everyone who was ahead of them in the task how to use the compass was really classy and nice of him. 

The one team I disliked got eliminated.

[viajero]

I enjoyed that episode.  It was fairly good for a first leg and its always interesting when they go to a place I've been to.  Of course it helps that the one team I immediately disliked got eliminated.

 

So far I´m really liking the cyclists, the scientists, and the surfers in particular.  While I don't yet really dislike anyone else, I could see the dentists, wrestlers and fire fighters eventually getting on my nerves.

[green]

Ex-Racers? I think I recognized Frank from TAR1.

 

I think I saw him too.  So with two of us saying that we think he was there since Phil said some Racers were there and he is from Queens and he is certainly that tall then good chance it was him maybe.

 

When Phil said some were there I think I spotted Brennen too since (1) Brennen usually shows up anytime he can regards TAR and (2) it was kind of a celebration of TAR1 with the start line stand-up and the clue box visit to the finish line.  Too quick of shots and I can't record shows so can't go back now.  My money is on either or both of Kevin and Drew being there too if free since they are TAR1 and NYC area guys.  Also Margarita and Lenny and Karen are all from that area and TAR1.  (Damn now I want to go off and do a TAR1 marathon this weekend).

 

The TAR25 Racers? 

 

Dentist the Menace ... wow.  At first I thought Popeye cause of the bulging eyeballs.  Then I thought The Hulk cause of bulging in general.  Then I thought the teeth of Blake & Paige (TAR2) on high beams combined with TAR5's "my ox is broken" Colin who once declared he would be the most intense racer ever.  Move over, Colin.  Dislike at first with the bragging intro and the wife telling us how smart he is.  Then he removed the cardboard cut-out persona and stopped to help two other teams BEFORE going on to find his own treasure box and putting the SAVE in jeopardy.  Then he backed up his bragging by actually doing.  This guy is complicated and certainly a lightning rod character for the viewers.  I'm unspoiled so just a guess that even without the SAVE they will go deep into the Race barring a bad taxi driver.

 

Miami Clueless.  Rarely has a team I wanted out gone out in the first leg.  Maybe never.  But then Season 25 rewarded me with my patience.  It wasn't that exciting a race to the pit stop because their pit stop interview contained what I've come to call "the face of elimination."  No matter how much a production assistant coaches these eliminated teams up to not give anything away in those interviews it is rare a team can hide that elimination look from their face no matter what they are actually saying.  But that's okay since I didn't stress too much about the firefighters surviving.  Loved they gave us the east setting sun info before they left.  That's good to learn.  And had a little karmic storyline that fit nicely with that elimination as well.  And some more TAR1 celebration in the storyline as well since Kim & Leslie got some instant karma when they attempted the very first ever TAR taxi-nabbing which was of Paul and Aimee's taxi in Paris.

 

Teams I'd like out sooner:  The dating couples especially the mactors -- I think they all were or was it just two of them?  No matter, I just find dating couples boring to start with and mactor ones worse.  That includes the Survivor couple cause move over and give someone else their 15 minutes of fame. 

 

(Credit where due time:  Mactor = model and/or actor and expanded since to mean any Z-Lister type (like Survivor couple) of any ilk since.  Term was originally coined by Hera from Gus & Hera on Season 6 in a post on Survivor Sucks back in the day.  She and her beer-loving dad Gus who was a former CIA guy and open cockpit pilot who flew over the North Pole, were surrounded by those types on Season 6.  Sorry for off-topic bit but always thought Hera should get her just credit).

 

Teams I would like to stay around:  In no particular order.  Surfers, Flight Attendants, Scientist Nerds, Bicycle Women, Gay Guys (yes, mom, he is gay), Firefighters.  Don't mind the Wrestlers as much as the other mactors so far.  Prefer the young mactors leave first then they can go.  And the Dentists because they have the season villain edit so no sense wanting them out cause they aren't going anywhere for a long time based on that edit.  And I liked he helped the two teams so I'm all for Colin 2.0, the Hulk version, staying around to break a few oxen before hopefully losing.

 

From the previews looks like a shout-out to Season 3 coming up next episode.  Man I missed Ken & Gerard when I saw those boats.

Edited September 27, 2014 by green

[Jamoche]

The boxes weren't buried that deep; there were a couple of shots of the early teams going "oh wow, it's not down far at all".

 

You'd think the later teams would notice that the ones who found boxes didn't spend a lot of time off digging, and try just dragging the edge of the shovel along the line that they thought the box might be on.

[Casual Viewing]

Missed the beginning so at first I thought I was watching Surviver or a swimsuit shoot for a sports illustrated magazine and wondered if my TV guide was goofed up. :-)

Very happy with who got eliminated! Couldn't have happened to a "worthier" pair. But the dentists can go next and honestly their teeth are terrible (and very distracting). Super-white chicklet teeth look so unnatural, and her overbite is nearing Freddy Mercury proportions. I wouldn't let them near my teeth.

Too many fake looking people in this season, it's harshing my mellow after the glorious season of the Canadian TAR that just ended.

Edited September 27, 2014 by Casual Viewing

[ramble]

stop bending your body in a way that you think looks porny while trying to measure out distances

That is the perfect way to put it. It was like she thought she was on an odd scavenger hunt photo shoot.

one team managed to SINK THEIR BOAT when the boat was ON A ROPE. Seriously. All they had to do was sit down and pull hand-over-hand, and one team SANK IT.

Oh my goodness yes! It was amazing in a horrible & hysterical way.

I appreciated the glistening teeth shots the show kept doing. Might as well point out the super bright obvious.

[jjj]

Yes, I also thought that instead of digging, jabbing the shovel into the sand repeatedly would at least be a change of muscles, and might even hit the treasure chest. 

 

I noticed one team (only one?) brought the treasure chest to the finish mat. 

[looksee]

I wanted the realtors gone the moment they ripped the pen away from the firefighter's hand. Adios aholes!

I wonder how well dr. Dentist would've done without his watch with the builtin compass....doesn't seem fair that he has a compass that he can use to cross check with the game compass.

Edited September 27, 2014 by looksee

[green]

I think someone asked who had the title quote.  Can't find that  post again to give credit, sorry.  But anyway I think the title quote was from the mother on the mother/daughter team at the beach of endless diggings.  I could be completely wrong of course but I think it was her.  Or at least at that beach.  Guess this wasn't too much of a helpful  answer, d'oh.

Edited September 27, 2014 by green

[LotusFlower]

Talk about playing dirty - when the Firefighters complained about the Realtor Girls stealing their pen (signing up for the sea planes), they also said they wrote their names on the line above them, securing the earlier plane. Could they have gotten away with that? It's one thing to steal a pen (or cab, or place in line at the airport, etc... We've seen it, so it must be allowed), but to change the order like that? Did I get it wrong? Does the show ever penalize for dirty tricks?

[kwnyc]

Who knew dentists needed steroids to pull teeth? Yes, he DOES look like the subject of a Dateline "the husband did it" profile. I don't know how long they are for the race, because his pronouncement that "they haven't come up with an obstacle that can stop us," seemed awfully prophetic. (Like, maybe in the next couple weeks, I hope?) Also, South Carolinians have had a poor record on the race, so I hope that tradition continues. (And I say that as someone who graduated from high school in the town they are from).

 

The mother/daughter team and girl scientist team look like they could shake out into good teams (though hysteria from the daughter in next week's previews looks intense).

 

I came to MBTV in 2001 to find recaps when all the over-the-air TV reception in NYC was screwed up because of 9/11, and found Miss Alli's coverage of TAR, and I've been following the show (and have been to many TARcons) since. I'm thrilled and kind of mindboggled that we are here starting season 25. 

 

Good to see so many of the faithful here.

[Etta Place]

I can't really give credit to the dentist for figuring out the compass, because he figured it out by comparing what it said to the compass on his watch. So, good job having a watch with a compass feature, I guess.

[Turtle]

I wanted the realtors gone the moment they ripped the pen away from the firefighter's hand. Adios aholes!​

 

 

You're a better person than me - I wanted them gone the moment they appeared.  

[Rick Kitchen]

If you're going on TAR, learn how to read compasses.

 

These were not your standard compasses.

 

Why are there two yellow teams?

 

Damn, Whitney's Southern accent is annoying, and generally, they don't bother me.

 

I expected to hate the wrestlers, but not yet, but the dentists can leave now.

 

The episode title should have been "It's just a courtesy not to throw up on other teams."

[Lantern7]

green . . . according to Wikipedia, Shelley got the title quote.

 

I got the episode on DVR, so I should see if any other ex-Racers were there. I don't remember any bald heads, but I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin and/or Drew were there. I just recognized Frank in the crowd.

 

ETA for kwnyc . . . I echo your sentiment about the show. Also, nice avatar!

[blackwing]

Agree with everyone that the husband dentist looks like a serial killer. He's one of those people who think they are really good looking but everyone else thinks they look jacked. There's something weird and off about his face. The overinflated chest is a bit too much too. I'm sure once he "accidentally" shrank his two sizes too small shirt, that he had enough money to buy one that fits.

Hate the wrestlers. Just crude and rude people.

And I'm so tired of "Boston Strong". Especially policemen and firefighters from Boston Strong. There are plenty of good people in this country doing noble and good things. Boston doesn't have the monopoly on them.

[Charlesman]

Second to the "Sun rises in the West" line was the subtly hilarious "A bell is also an anchor" bit.

[BK1978]

Yeah I saw Frank as well. 

 

So glad the Miami chicks went out first, I love how the one who had a scratch on her arm looked super pissed that the guys would not give up their taxi to the two chicks that had screwed them earlier.

 

They are probably used to getting their way because of how they look and this was one time that did not work for them.

[blackwing]

Oops

Edited September 27, 2014 by blackwing

[Donny Ketchum]

Yeah I saw Frank as well.

For all that everyone's been saying about Lisa & Michelle, to their credit, they saw him, too.  One of them told the other to go to him for the location of the first finish line.  Shows they really are fans of the show that they apparently recognized him.

[Shadow Wave]

I can't really give credit to the dentist for figuring out the compass, because he figured it out by comparing what it said to the compass on his watch. So, good job having a watch with a compass feature, I guess.

I was wondering if he would get a penalty for using his watch. After all, the task was supposed to involve figuring out that particular type of compass. But just sour grapes, I guess.

[green]

green . . . according to Wikipedia, Shelley got the title quote.

 

Thanks.  Now just one question.  Who is Shelley?  Long gone are the days I would have every Racer's name memorized.  Stopped doing that after the first all stars (TAR11).  Think I ran out of memory ram for TAR at that point, heh.  Anyway I take it I was wrong and it wasn't the mother.

Edited September 27, 2014 by green

[GaT]

Strange to be watching on a Friday night, but I always complain about how 3/4 of the shows I watch are all on Sunday, so it's nice to have it spread out a bit. I thought it was also strange to see the beginning of the race so big & public.

 

I have trouble remembering who is who until further in the season but I'm not loving the dentists, the wrestlers, or the accountant/model couple. I thought the realtors might be fun when one of them said “we’re so ready to bring our 12 pounds of makeup on the race” because they sounded self aware, but they turned out to be the typical TAR blonde bimbos, so I'm glad they're gone. I have absolutely no memory of either of the Survivor couple, so I guess they weren't that great as players on that show, & they didn't impress me tonight. 

Edited September 27, 2014 by GaT

[Rowsdower]

I was wondering if he would get a penalty for using his watch. After all, the task was supposed to involve figuring out that particular type of compass. But just sour grapes, I guess.

 

The teams were instructed to use the supplied compass to determine the location of the buried treasure chest.  Substituting a different compass (such as the one built into the watch) certainly would have been a no-no, but he didn't do that.

 

"Figuring out that particular type of compass" is exactly what he did.  In the absence of an explicit (i.e. written on the card) rule against utilizing another compass purely for comparison, I don't see how it was materially different from using the sun's position in the sky as a reference point.

[Donny Ketchum]

Now just one question.  Who is Shelley?

Shelley is the mother on the mother/daughter team.  Her daughter is Nici.

[Richness]

Whoever cast this season needs to be tarred, feathered, taken out into the streets, shot dead, then drawn and quartered by wild horses. The only teams that didn't make me cringe in horror on their introductions are the firefighters and the flight attendants. I face-palmed in agony on most everyone else. Granted, the surfers weren't bad either, but I'm not fond of casting pseudo celebrities like that. However, I'll take them over the Survivor rejects any day. Granted, I didn't recognize or remember who they were. Plus, there was so much neon spandex at the beginning that I wanted to gouge my eyes out.

 

That was also my reaction on seeing that orange hulk of a dentist. Lay off the tanning, now, please. The special effects department didn't need to add the sparkle to their teeth given the contrast with his dark tan. Just ewwwww. Too bad they got the "Amazing Save!", though he was cool to help the others with the compass. Then there was the eyebrow pop twitch seizure by one of the other buff dude bros. Leave the eyebrow popping to a professional: Phil. ARRRRRGGG! ( By the way, mateys, that's an exclamation of agony, and not a piratey "AAAAARRRR!") I have never wanted to slit my own wrist so quickly in the first 15 minutes of this show in my life. Thankfully it settled down into the usual TAR yumminess once they got to the Virgin Islands.

 

Thank you karma for smacking down the two blond bitches!!! Elimination is what they get for yanking the pen out of the hand of the firefighters. While I doubt those two guys would ever mistreat women, those two aren't ladies. It's painfully obvious the only reason they're the top realtors is they sell to rich straight men that let their little heads do the thinking. That, and maybe back-stabbing and other underhanded shenanigans against their rivals. So glad to see them gone.

 

Still, I have to thank the dumb blonds for one of the most unbelievable things ever uttered on national TV: that the sun sets in the east. I laughed, but it was an awkward, they're not serious are they, kind of laugh. I also giggled a little bit at the rabbit ears the one racer did behind Misti's head. Childish, but not too mean.

Other than the gorgeous scenery, it was a rather lackluster opening leg. It was rather straight forward and linear. The best place for position change was the Roadblock, as everything else was basically who got there first thanks to their taxi/transport. Definitely did not like the sea plane queuing when such a huge prize for finishing first was available.

 

It's a shame that TAR has sunk so low as to be moved to Friday nights. Hopefully, it'll last a few more seasons without the killer competition from newer, more popular shows. At the very least, it makes it easier on my DVR since Sundays have had major recording conflicts for the past year or two.

[Quilt Fairy]

I don't think all the chests were buried at the same depth. The one the dentist found was so shallow it looked like you could find it from a rectangular depression in the sand, but most of the others seemed to be buried much deeper.

 

Does anyone know why Miss 'the sun sets in the East' chose to measure the yardage by crawling along in the sand?

[backformore]

From the start I was annoyed at the pink wearing , yellow haired realtors. They just kept pissing me off with their stupidity. Then at the end, one says that if she had thought there was even a one percent chance of being last, they wouldn't have taken the penalty. Wow. Seems to me at that point there was at least a 33 percent chance of being last.

Whiny baby. "He hurt my arm!" Stay out of his cab, bitch!

[Muffyn]

I am just relieved that the bitchy blondes are gone.  I hate the type of person that those two are - vapid, self-centered, stupid, and bleached.  Did they think that they were going to share a cab with the firefighters?  Or were the firefighters just supposed to give their cab up for them?  I did not understand what they were thinking.  

They were supposed to be so overcome by the realtors beauty that they would give them their cab or at least share.  I will not miss those women.

 

Does anyone know why Miss 'the sun sets in the East' chose to measure the yardage by crawling along in the sand?

Because we were supposed to find it sexy?  Unfortunately for her we found it stupid.  

 

Dentist guy looked extra creepy in his intro.  He is even more baked looking and his eye brows seem to be almost on level with this eyes.  Extra creepy.

 

Line of the night goes to Amy.  Realtor:  “the sun sets in the east”.  Amy: “oooooookay”.

[xcrayon2215x]

If the realtor sisters hadn't took the pen away at the beginning, I would have felt a little bad but they did so I don't. Will not miss them at all, can't say I was a fan of that woman asking Adam to take his shirt off considering that Bethany was around.

Edited September 27, 2014 by xcrayon2215x

[Netfoot]

TwinkleTooth guy (who obviously suffered an accident in a tanning bed) creeps me out.  He looks like an apprentice serial killer or something.  His companion isn't much better.  He may be a good guy, and a good racer, but he's got to go.

 

The Dumb Blondes with the bad attitudes were a good First-Out.  It wouldn't have hurt my eyes if they'd stayed for a few episodes, but karma will have it's way.

 

Have not had enough time to develop any likes or dislikes among the other teams, so I'll say no more at this time.

 

Ex-racers at the start?  I saw who looked like Frank, tall and bald, and Terrence was right out front, and I couldn't make out who it was right behind him.  And it was good to see YOU there, as well!  You know who you are!  ;-)  Now you can truly say you were on TAR, even though, alas, not (yet) a racer! 

 

The boats were flat-bottomed monstrosities made from bits of plywood tied together with string.  I'm truly surprised they didn't all sink.  I certainly would never venture to cross 20 feet of calm water in one, if I had the choice.

 

Next week, punting on the Cam!  It's as good a way to get soaked as any other...