S25.E02: When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go

[Camera One]

Dennis/Isabelle and the Mother/daughter were among my favorites last week, so it was a bummer to have them be the last two teams.  The daughter and Isabelle were both slightly too weepy, but I didn't mind it as much since both teams seemed like super fans of the race.  

 

What should they have done to handle the reversing current better?   It looks like the teams with a man punting (plus the team with the two very athletic women) generally had fewer problems, so strength was important.  Dennis didn't seem like he was very strong, or maybe he just didn't know how to handle the problem.  None of the other teams mentioned it, except for T and T, who also weren't very strong physically.

 

I was hoping the two teams who quit on the last task last week, or the Wrestling team who was so defeatist at the marching task, would go.  The guy in the Survivor team was much more unlikeable this week.

 

The Dentists were still arrogant as hell, but at least they're mildly entertaining and it helped when they didn't win again.  His "second is only the first loser" comment was the only irritating thing he said.

 

The surfers were a powerhouse and the Kim & Alli were quietly competent.  

 

The food scientists had a great attitude, so they're probably my favorites right now, though we didn't really get to see much of them.

[hincandenza]

What should they have done to handle the reversing current better? It looks like the teams with a man punting (plus the team with the two very athletic women) generally had fewer problems, so strength was important. Dennis didn't seem like he was very strong, or maybe he just didn't know how to handle the problem. None of the other teams mentioned it, except for T and T, who also weren't very strong physically.

When I was watching, the problem seemed to be some people not knowing or being able to effectively push directly against the river bottom, which is how you propel it. A few teams that were struggling seemed at times to be using the pole like an oar.

Whether it was an intentional part of the leg design or not, I can imagine several teams going merrily along with the current for the first half while sweeping their pole through the water like a paddle, blissfully unaware that what they're doing has no effect. Then, when they turn around and struggle going back upstream, they chalk it up to a super strong current. They get frustrated because the current isn't going suddenly to get any weaker, until they realize they've been doing it wrong the whole time and get the hang of pushing down directly against the river bed.

Edited October 5, 2014 by hincandenza

[ItsJessMe]



Amy & Maya were indeed awesome to give Bethany Amy's shoes.  But sorry to say that they didn't do the rabbit ears thing.  That was Kym & Alli, who did it to Misti & Jim.

And Kym & Alli, not the food scientists, were also the ones with the Chaplain walk, to clear up someone's earlier confusion too.

[kingshearte]

I actually don't mind the Dentists. Sure, they look incredibly fake - overtanned, incredibly white teeth - but they haven't been mouthing off about how superior they are compared to the other teams. They also helped other teams with the treasure challenge, and acknowledged that the Soul Surfers are a smart team. They also did not throw a tantrum when they had to start the bunting challenge over again.

Same here. I find him slightly overbearing, but not nearly as bad as many we've seen. I just seriously can't look at them, especially him. I just can't.

 

Drill sergeant dude was hilarious. That was some amazingly creative abuse slinging. Loved it.

 

I gotta say, about Dennis & Isabelle, that if they trained as hard as they say they did, why did that pancake race wipe them out so badly? I'm not saying it was super easy, or that I would be any good at it, but both times we saw them do it, they both collapsed after hitting the finish line. I don't know how long the track was, but it was one lap, and you can barely handle that? How bad shape were those two in before they started training?

 

And the crying. Oh my god. I'm not hugely bothered by some tears; I'd probably get emotional if I was tired and at risk of elimination too. But Nici? Oh. My. God. The constant wailing and moaning from the end of the punting on drove me nuts enough that I wanted the other team to beat them. Generally, I don't mind those two, but if I have to put up with that kind of histrionics every time they're near the back of the pack (which will probably be frequently, if they're losing it this early), I will not be pleased.

[SweetSable]

 

Regarding the question of direct flights . . . they were on Delta.  We used to joke that if you were flying from Phoenix to Las Vegas on Delta, you'd have to connect through Atlanta.  EVERYTHING on Delta seems to go through Atlanta.

There's a saying in the South:  "If you're going to hell you'll have to change planes in Atlanta."  

 

Nobody I'm not really liking yet this season, which is a plus. I also really like that the show's on Friday nights - you know what time it's going to start and there's nothing else on Friday nights anyway.

 

I noticed the Charlie Chaplin thing too and wondered what had gotten edited out. I also wish the show had addressed the 4 hour penalty.  

[Chyna]

They got the lovey-dovey edit since they were only in a short time, but the extra videos on cbs.com last week sure did have them bickering a lot.  Interesting that almost all the good moments were what made it into the show (most teams will attest that only their nasty moments make it in).

 

 

Yeah, from the videos it seemed that they were already tearing into each other in the first airport. I'm surprised that didn't make it into the show. That's when I realized they weren't going to make it far though--being respectful and patient with your partner is a big part of doing well on the Race (with some exceptions, obvs).

 

One of the firefighters got jacked for not flipping them enough.  But it sure seemed to me that other teams were taking a lot of steps in between flips.  I wonder if there was some objective criteria for that or if it was purely subjective.

 

 

It looked to me like the bigger firefighter was tossing his pancake up and down, but not actually flipping it, at least when they got near the end.

 

There must have been a tasks edited out--a bunch of the teams had round John Lennon-style glasses with Union Jack lenses. I saw them on Maya, Isabelle, Nici, and one of Kym/Alli and T/T (don't know who is who there yet).

 

The guard judge's insults were magical.

[Camera One]

It looked to me like the bigger firefighter was tossing his pancake up and down, but not actually flipping it, at least when they got near the end.

 

Yeah, his pancake also got very little height.  I guess he was afraid to flip it, since he was the one who dropped it twice?  

[merylinkid]

Of course his pancake got very little height, his wife probably doesn't let him touch the yogurt.

 

I'll show myself out now.   

 

(for those confused check out the Commercials that Annoy Thread)

[NutMeg]

Is it the first time that the "next time on" had so clearly given us the last two teams? 

[Donny Ketchum]

Is it the first time that the "next time on" had so clearly given us the last two teams? 

It is.  I've never seen one given so openly or blatantly.

[Donny Ketchum]

I gotta say, about Dennis & Isabelle, that if they trained as hard as they say they did, why did that pancake race wipe them out so badly? I'm not saying it was super easy, or that I would be any good at it, but both times we saw them do it, they both collapsed after hitting the finish line. I don't know how long the track was, but it was one lap, and you can barely handle that? How bad shape were those two in before they started training?

Did you see what Dennis was wearing at the starting line?  A button-down collared shirt rather than an exercise/fitness-based shirt like the other teams.  Once I saw him wearing that, I pretty much figured they likely wouldn't be that long for the race.

 

There must have been a tasks edited out--a bunch of the teams had round John Lennon-style glasses with Union Jack lenses. I saw them on Maya, Isabelle, Nici, and one of Kym/Alli and T/T (don't know who is who there yet).

I guess it was a Roadblock revolving around . . . something.  But there were some teams I didn't see with those at all, so I wonder what was going on.

 

But the editing out thing?  Why, they couldn't take away from Bethany's inspirational storyline of only having one arm, the teams' struggles on the punts, Michael & Scott's Boston mentions, or the various meltdowns of Brooke, Nici, and Isabelle, could they?  No, sir.  They couldn't.

[Camera One]

Is it the first time that the "next time on" had so clearly given us the last two teams? 

It really took the suspense out of the episode.  I always try to avoid previews, but I accidentally read about it in last week's episode thread, so I figured those two teams would be last.  The problem with reality shows for me, and why I quit watching for a few seasons, is it isn't as enjoyable when a team you like gets eliminated, and since I liked both those teams, I had to really motivate myself to watch this episode.

[GaT]

Did you see what Dennis was wearing at the starting line?  A button-down collared shirt rather than an exercise/fitness-based shirt like the other teams.  Once I saw him wearing that, I pretty much figured they likely wouldn't be that long for the race.

 

 

He's an accountant.

[jjj]

Is it the first time that the "next time on" had so clearly given us the last two teams?

Honestly, it was so blatant that I figured there must be another team those two did not know about, who were somewhere trying to finish another task.  Sometimes, the teams really do not know who has actually finished, and who is stuck back at a RB and gets to the Detour two hours late. 

 

Let us know if the mystery of the John Lennon glasses is solved! 

[mtlchick]

Watching it now.  It seems they are breaking the 4th wall a lot more this year even with the passerbys helping people.  The girl who helped the surfers waved at the camera!  

 

Man, are we sure that punting isn't a contact sport?

 

Next week: Dogs! Ponies! Sheep!  If they had camels and donkeys it would be the all star edition of TAR animals!

Edited October 5, 2014 by mtlchick

[etagloh]

 

When I was watching, the problem seemed to be some people not knowing or being able to effectively push directly against the river bottom, which is how you propel it.

 

Yep. There's a nice instructional video from the another boathouse further up the river that shows the technique, both for propulsion and steering. A couple of teams were spinning the pole like it was a kayak oar, and I've no idea what they thought that was going to do.

[Netfoot]

Ack! 

 

This is strange -- I was all wound up expecting another episode tonight (Sunday).  Then I'm like "Fooool!  It isn't on Sunday any more.  You had an episode only two days ago!"  So now I feel stupid and simultaneously disappointed.

 

Well, you can get used to anything, if you give it enough time.  You could even get used to hanging, if it wasn't all over so quick...

[GaT]

LOL, I was thinking the same thing myself a little while ago. I'm glad to have something good on Friday, but I've been trained to watch on Sunday.

[Whimsy]

Hey guys. Many viewers purposely choose not to watch the previews at the end of the episode. Please do not mention previews in the episode threads. I created a thread just for previews and speculations without spoilers.

Thanks and happy posting!

[auntlada]

ETA: Nice for the Express Pass to operate like a Fast Forward. It didn't take Bethany & Adam that long to find, though. BTW, how come Bethany doesn't get top billing? Amy got hers two years ago, albeit for a losing cause.

 

My assumption is that it's Adam and Bethany based on the way either they have to stand or they prefer to stand. If he stands to her left, she can't put her arm around him. He has to stand to her right for her to put her arm around him. When the audience is looking at them, he's on the left and she's on the right, and since the show names teams based on left and right, they're Adam and Bethany.

 

Am I the only one who finds this will be /may be eliminated thing annoying ? I wish he would stick with the may be eliminated for all legs , NEL or no NEL . It takes a lot out of the episode if I know half way through that nobody's going to be eliminated because it's a NEL .

 

For several seasons, I've been under the impression that Phil mostly says may unless they want to emphasize that someone definitely is going home. So may may or may not be a nonelim because there are more mays than there are nonelims.

[jjj]

Please do not mention previews in the episode threads.

Thanks, GenL, and I completely agree.  Here, we were talking about the *previous* previews, and how accurate or not they were for the episode that just aired.  Is that a different category?  Because the episode has already aired.  I would not discuss previews for an episode that has not aired, and thanks! 

[Whimsy]

Agreed, if you mention the previews that were aired last week for this current episode that's ok as the episode already aired. Just avoid discussing previews for unaired episodes. Thanks!

[cooksdelight]

There's a saying in the South: "If you're going to hell you'll have to change planes in Atlanta."

And you land at E and have to take the train to T. :)

Add me to the list of people who loved the drill sergeant guy. And yes, crying needs to stop. There's no crying on Amazing Race, or baseball, or anywhere.

[SandyToes]

I'm loving the Amazing Editors! From the "here's the treasure box" graphics last week to the punting maps and arrows this week - love it. Teams still all running together, so no favorites yet. Just so glad the show is back. DVRing and watching on Sundays. Almost the same...

Is there any chance the 4-hour penalty would be enforced in the next leg? If teams were bound by already scheduled flights, the penalty might not have been possible.  Wish we'd had a clarification.

[hincandenza]

I'm loving the Amazing Editors! From the "here's the treasure box" graphics last week to the punting maps and arrows this week - love it. Teams still all running together, so no favorites yet. Just so glad the show is back. DVRing and watching on Sundays. Almost the same...

Is there any chance the 4-hour penalty would be enforced in the next leg? If teams were bound by already scheduled flights, the penalty might not have been possible.  Wish we'd had a clarification.

No, no chance.  It means nothing if it isn't assessed at the end of this leg/start of the next one.  I'd bet the penalty was already assessed and simply proved moot- or if anything, was a slight advantage in getting more rest and relaxation between legs!

 

The staggered, bunched flight times apparently meant the 4 hours added to their start time didn't prevent them from catching the 2nd flight (which also means the other, non-penalized teams on that flight spent a lot of time just sitting around an airport at the start of Leg 2).  So the 4 hour penalty really didn't matter as it turned out.

[Mumbles]

 

But maybe I'll come back from this, because that's what people from Boston do.  They come back.   We saw that tonight: Like the wounded city rising from the ashes of a terrorist attack, an overweight Boston firefighter managed to flip pancakes and run at the same time.   Truly inspirational.

Comment of the week.. Next week, we'll learn what happens when Boston Strong twists its ankle. Mark Wahlberg and David Ortiz will be very proud, I'm sure.  Seriously, I am so sick of that crap. It's cynical and there's something very gross about invoking a tragedy in which four people were killed and many others lost limbs, etc. - while you are participating in a reality game show and seeing sights all over the world on someone's dime.

 

I'm going to be the turd in the punchbowl and say that I thought the Chaplin walk was kind of corny. Because I have a cold, mean heart.

[auntlada]

Does anybody have a guess at how much time elapsed between the first check-in at the pit stop and the last? Based on shadows, it looked pretty late for the last two check-ins, and since this was summer in England, sunset is really late.

[Lantern7]

auntlada . . . I never thought of it that way. That makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

[Rick Kitchen]

It gets rid of the dumb drama of recent seasons where there was the additional EP to give away, but it does feel like too many get-out-of-jail cards distributed early on, especially when there was a very good chance of both of them ending up in the same hands. I'm not sure why they made it a walk-up-and-grab instead of a proper task inside the pub, though it is a very small pub.

 

Pedantic correction for the leg writeup: Osney is on the other side of Oxford and on another river. The island that racers had to punt around is known as 'The Water Meadow'. It's part of the flood plain and actually did flood a couple of years ago.

 

I thought Phil said they were punting around Magdalen Island?

[Camera One]

I'm not sure why they made it a walk-up-and-grab instead of a proper task inside the pub, though it is a very small pub.

 

It was rather anti-climatic.  There should have been a task or more of a risk.  

If the Dentists had gotten the Express Pass as well as the Save, this episode would have totally sucked.  They're lucky two different teams have those two bonuses.

[Rick Kitchen]

Next week: Dogs! Ponies! Sheep!  If they had camels and donkeys it would be the all star edition of TAR animals!

 

Not without an ox!

[jjj]

I always watch the shadows to get some sense of how much time has passed, but this week, the first few teams arrived without visible shadows -- yes, the final teams did cast long shadows, but it's hard to know how much time elapsed between the first and last teams. 

 

I hope they show all the departure times next week, not like this week!

[rozen]

I love that when Bethany was harrying the English lady with red hair to hurry up looking up the pub on the phone, she legit shot her a "bish are you srs? I'm doing you a favor" look. And then said "Hoo, you're making me nervous." I see that the American South and the English share championship level passive aggression in addition to certain old timey colloquialisms. 

 

I felt sad for all the punters because there didn't seem to be very many other people on the waterway, and when there were, they didn't seem to be moving with much urgency. There was no one for them to watch, and no way to correct for bad technique. It just came down to who could muscle it out, allowing Team Boston Can't Flip Pancakes to fly ahead of a bunch of people.

 

I can't even be mad at the last two teams for being so upset. If I finally got on TAR after years of watching, and was about to see my trip cut short, I would cry like a baby the entire taxi cab ride. Especially if it wasn't on a task that will go down in infamy for it's stupidity/suckiness *(e.g. hay bales). It's just as much on the editors for dedicating what felt like 15 freaking minutes to hysterical sobbing instead of giving the food scientists some love, or taking more than 2s to show that awesome chaplin waddle. You can't get screentime on this show if you don't launch into histrionics, or have something inspirational you're trying to 'prove to the world.' Preferably, both. 

 

The dentists seem to use standard sports rah rah language to pump themselves up, they don't really bother me. Their snide comment about Team Surfers having 'some brains' indicates they may have future douche potential, but I kind of like them for the moment. Misti goofed up her march, and Jim rolled with it calmly and they just did it again. They punted the wrong way, there was no yelling, they just turned the heck back around and hustled back. Maybe they'll get nasty if these mistakes happen when they're at the back of the pack, but for now they're one of my faves. They're a sharp contrast to Team Survivor, where the dude immediately blamed his wife for wearing a dress and not running fast enough. He wasn't exactly burning it up either, I think she even outpaced him a bit on the run where they made it in time. 

 

There's something glorious about that English man in the full kit and caboodle, sternly intoning that there was insufficient flipping of pancakes, and that they needed to start over. It felt like something out of a Terry Pratchett novel! I love that guy.

 

I like that the guard changing guy went a little harder in the paint on the mother daughter team once he realized they were in the service. And that they were both like 'yea, brah whatevs let's go practice again' after his threats of violence. And trying not to laugh hysterically.

Edited October 6, 2014 by rozen

[ProfCrash]

I enjoyed this leg of the race. I liked the tasks and thought that people were pretty well behaved. I have no problem with peeing in a river because, well, people have peed in large bodies of water for a long period of time. A little bit of urine is not going to harm anything so who cares? I would suggest that she should have fallen into the water and peed then and not made a big deal out of it.

 

Loved the Changing of the Guard. The task was one that anyone could do but you had to pay attention to detail, the comments were great, and it was a good indicator of who was going to fall apart later in the race when faced with pressure. Hint, the wrestlers are in for some serious trouble. I did like how the DS was able to pick up on the mother with former military service. His correction was a bit harsh but she took it for what it was. I have a feeling that Bethany would have been fine at that challenge, she would find a way to adapt but it is likely that there was a note on it warning that you need both arms like there were notes for Luke and Margie regarding needing to be able to hear and Flight Time and Big Easy regarding height.

 

Enjoyed the pancake challenge. I was impressed with how easily the surfers handled it. They are good athletes so it was not too much of a surprise. They do have to have great coordination and balance in order to surf as well as they do so the hand eye coordination to flip a pancake and the challenge of multi tasking with running probably was not a problem for them. Still, it was impressive and made me think that this was one of those no brainer tasks. Then I saw the firefighters try it and realized that the pancake flipping part was as hard as I thought it might be initially and made me appreciate Bethany and Adam's ease through the course that much more.

 

The punting was interesting, kind of, but not really. Lots of people pushing boats with a pole and balancing. Not a surprise at who flew through the task. Adam and Bethany understand water, balance, and currents better then anyone out there. I am sure that it didn't take him too long to figure out the proper technique and apply what he already knows about steering to the punting. The dentists, wrestlers, and firefighters were able to muscle through because of their raw strength. I was more impressed with the food scientists and some of the others who couldn't muscle through but figured it out.

 

I don't care about the crying. I cry when frustrated, it is simply how I deal with stress. I would rather not cry but I can hold off only for so long. It used to be five minutes, I can now hold off for 30 minutes so I am getting better. So I get tears in a regular situation and I really understand it when this is something that you dreamed about for a long time. Toss in the idea of spending how much time with the relators who were eliminated and I would have been crying enough to more the dissipate the pee that went into the river during the task.

[Jersey Guy 87]

 

One of the firefighters got jacked for not flipping them enough.  But it sure seemed to me that other teams were taking a lot of steps in between flips.  I wonder if there was some objective criteria for that or if it was purely subjective.

 

As some others have said, the problem wasn't necessarily the frequency of his pancake flipping as much as the fact that his pancake didn't actually flip - he just tossed it up a very slight bit without any flipping over.  The same side was always on the bottom so no flipping occurred. I noticed it when he was running and was hoping he'd get nailed for it.

 

The biggest issue I've got with peeing in the water isn't that it's gross (it is, but realistically lots of animals are undoubtedly peeing in that water, birds our pooping in it, etc.) but that it was poorly handled.  Just "fall" off the punt and let go - nobody will no anything happened, nobody will think the fall was for any reason than general clumsiness, problem solved.

 

Good job by the surfers running a very competent leg, and the dentists seem far more competent than I would have expected.  No real loss at the back of the pack, although the firefighters annoy me to no end and I'm hoping they bring up the rear sometime soon.

[Bryce Lynch]

Ugh.  I wonder if that lady is EVER going to live down peeing barely off camera, in public.  Not to mention that various other teams (and future people who use that waterway) could be drinking her pee.

I'm sure there is a LOT more to worry about drinking in that body of water than one bladder full of human urine. :)

[etagloh]

 

I thought Phil said they were punting around Magdalen Island?

 

Ah, thanks for making me double-check: not the Water Meadow, but the Magdalen College School playing fields, which are on an island between the Botanical Gardens and St Hilda's, but 'Magdalen Island' is, I think, a name made up by Phil and TPTB for convenience's sake.

 

Time-wise at the Pit Stop, it's really hard to tell: I do know that it's a long twilight after sunset in June and it doesn't get dark-dark until nearly 11pm, and while the Dentists did their talking head stuff at Blenheim in good sunlight, the last two teams were in darkness. Given the tasks and travel earlier in the day, I can't imagine the early finishers getting to Blenheim until late afternoon, so perhaps 3-4 hours' separation? (I'm trying to make out the departure board for the wrestlers and firefighters at Paddington, and it looks like it was around 11am, which is earlier than I expected, but perhaps backs up the idea of a missing Road Block between arriving in Oxford and the punts.)

[kingshearte]

Enjoyed the pancake challenge. I was impressed with how easily the surfers handled it. They are good athletes so it was not too much of a surprise. They do have to have great coordination and balance in order to surf as well as they do so the hand eye coordination to flip a pancake and the challenge of multi tasking with running probably was not a problem for them. Still, it was impressive and made me think that this was one of those no brainer tasks. Then I saw the firefighters try it and realized that the pancake flipping part was as hard as I thought it might be initially and made me appreciate Bethany and Adam's ease through the course that much more.

I had the same thought. When Phil was describing the tasks, I thought "No way" about the pancake one. Then I saw Adam & Bethany do it, and thought that either that task is way easier than I figured it would be, or they are just weirdly good at it. Then I saw the other teams and determined that it was definitely the latter.

[Nutjob]

 

Add me to the list of people who loved the drill sergeant guy.

Me too! He was like the Gordon Ramsay of the Queen's Guard.

 

I don't care how dirty that water was--what Nici did was disgusting, especially since there was a boat of "civilians" right there.

[blackwing]

So from reading this thread, is it the consensus that there was a Roadblock that was edited out, and that it perhaps involved Charlie Chaplin? If so, I am glad to hear that, because I was convinced they changed the punting task from a Roadblock into a normal task to accommodate Bethany, who would have a hard time punting. I do wonder if there is still the "max Roadblock" rule. It would really be disappointing if they changed the rules to accommodate their golden girl. The show clearly wants her to win. From the spotlight single promos of them that seemed to appear way more frequently than any other, to listing them first and having them arrive at Times Square first, to the tongue bathing in the previouslies, it seems like they really really really want her to win.

I know that Big Easy was prevented from doing bungee jumping, and Luke was prevented from doing some Roadblock task that required hearing, so I would hope they haven't changed anything just for Bethany. If they had chosen the Guards detour, it would have sucked if she had gotten a pass because she can't swing an arm that isn't there.

I'm irritated at the "peeing" incident. Not that she actually went, because I do agree with her, when you gotta go you gotta go. However, despite what everyone has said, she didn't pee in the water. She didn't even take her pants down! She basically just wet her pants. Unless her pants are made of cheesecloth, all of her pee would have just gotten soaked up by her pants legs? What am I missing here? She begged her mom to let her get in the water. Why did she have to ask? Just hang onto the punt, lower your crotch into the water, and let go. Why is everyone here saying she peed in the river? Did she actually take her pants down and I missed it? I thought she was wearing black pants.

It seems to me that there must have been some kind of punting demonstration, or maybe some teams watched other punters? You take that pole, sink it down to the bottom of the river using both hands in a hand over hand motion. Then push off the bottom to propel yourself. No idea why some teams were using it shallowly like a paddle, it clearly has no flat portion to push any water.

The cyclists are so forgettable that when they checked in, I had no idea who they were. I didn't even realise they finished the Detour, when people were in their costumes they are hard to identify. All of the dark haired women resemble each other. All of the blondes resemble each other, except for Bethany. There's the food scientist girl who, sad to say, I can only identify because she is noticeably less attractive than all of the other women on the show.

Dennis and Isabelle, yeech. I was annoyed at their "He's Cambodian, I'm Vietnamese, we want to prove that people of different Asian cultures can still date". What? I was so irritated with her crying. Especially her constant harping about "all that preparation". Reminds me of the incredibly annoying Cindy from Cindy and Ernie, who made them take language classes and do all sorts of other "preparation".

I too was surprised that both teams in the previous preview that were shown crying about being eliminated and being in last were, in fact, in last. There was a time when we said that any team featured in danger in the preview was actually nowhere near danger. Not anymore. I think I recall one of the only times when a "in danger" team in the preview was actually eliminated was when Shalola and Doyin (identical twins) got their car stuck in the desert in Africa. If this is what previews are going to be like now, I think I may skip the previews from now on.

[Donny Ketchum]

I think I recall one of the only times when a "in danger" team in the preview was actually eliminated was when Shola & Doyin (black identical twins) got their car stuck in the desert in Africa.  If this is what previews are going to be like now, I think I may skip the previews from now on.

There was also Joseph & Monica struggling with carrying the pots in Thailand in TAR9, as well as Duke & Lauren being in trouble in Vietnam TAR10.  There was also the preview of Mika & Canaan and the waterslide in Dubai in TAR15.  In all of those cases, the teams in question were indeed eliminated after being hinted at as being in trouble.

[Bryce Lynch]

There was also Joseph & Monica struggling with carrying the pots in Thailand in TAR9, as well as Duke & Lauren being in trouble in Vietnam TAR10.  There was also the preview of Mika & Canaan and the waterslide in Dubai in TAR15.  In all of those cases, the teams in question were indeed eliminated after being hinted at as being in trouble.

 

I think they have had so many misleading previews over so many seasons, that they can afford to throw a few in that actually show which teams are in trouble, since most viewers take the previews with a grain of salt.  At this point, if I saw a preview where Phil told a couple, "You are the last team to arrive", I'd be about 95% sure it was either a NEL or some other team got a penalty. :)

[Bryce Lynch]

So from reading this thread, is it the consensus that there was a Roadblock that was edited out, and that it perhaps involved Charlie Chaplin?  If so, I am glad to hear that, because I was convinced they changed the punting task from a Roadblock into a normal task to accommodate Bethany, who would have a hard time punting.  I do wonder if there is still the "max Roadblock" rule.  It would really be disappointing if they changed the rules to accommodate their golden girl.  The show clearly wants her to win.  From the spotlight single promos of them that seemed to appear way more frequently than any other, to listing them first and having them arrive at Times Square first, to the tongue bathing in the previouslies, it seems like they really really really want her to win.

 

I know that Big Easy was prevented from doing bungee jumping, and Luke was prevented from doing some Roadblock task that required hearing, so I would hope they haven't changed anything just for Bethany.  If they had chosen the Guards detour, it would have sucked if she had gotten a pass because she can't swing an arm that isn't there.

 

 

 

I don't think there is any evidence that their was any Charlie Chaplain roadblock that was edited out.  Each team was handed an umbrella and a bowler hat with clues at one point in the race.  I think one of the cyclists just made the connection and did the little Chaplain walk at the mat.

 

I can't see how the punting task could have been switched as it was a two person task.  In the detour there was one task that would have been impossible or nearly impossible for Bethany to perform, so I don't think they are making things easy for her.  Plus, if there was a roadblock she couldn't do (and there may well be one in the future) Adam would simply have to perform it.  Knowing this, I'd expect that they will try to have Bethany do as many RBs that she is physically capable of, early on, so they can make sure Adam has enough remaining RBs to do any she cannot do.

 

In the first leg all the racers had to climb up that rock face and then swim after jumping into the water.  A one armed racer would be at a disadvantage in this task, but it certainly didn't stop Bethany.

 

The bottom line is, while I don't doubt TPTB would love to see Adam and Bethany advance far into the race, because she is such a great story, I see zero evidence that the are trying to make it easier for her. 

[blackwing]

The punting could easily have been a Roadblock.  Choose one person to be the punter.  The person not doing the roadblock is the one at the other end waving the flag.  I actually thought it was a Roadblock, and that I just missed hearing that it was.  But then I saw Dennis and Isabelle switching off turns at punting, since both were apparently hapless, and figured out it was just a task.

 

Didn't realise there were different ways to punt.  I visited a friend at Cambridge and we went punting.  I want to say the punter stood at the front of the boat.  I was going to try it, until my buddy said that lots of people fall in because the pole gets stuck in the mud at the bottom and they don't let go.  Didn't really see that last night, just saw people losing their balance.

 

Dentists are jerks.  The bump of Whitney's punt was accidental, but they seemed to take so much glee about it in their talking head with their snarky "oops, sorry Whitney"

[Lnmop]

I don't think there is any evidence that their was any Charlie Chaplain roadblock that was edited out. Each team was handed an umbrella and a bowler hat with clues at one point in the race. I think one of the cyclists just made the connection and did the little Chaplain walk at the mat.

The hat was clearly referred to as an English Bowler, and the racers were given an umbrella. IIRC, Chaplin carried a cane.

I DO wish they had referred to the umbrellas as bumpershoots, or at least brollies!

[Netfoot]

She didn't even take her pants down!

 

She sat on the edge of the punt, lowered her behind over the edge into the water, and peed her pants.  The pee would have immediately soaked through the pants and into the river.  Bearing in mind how many people and animals have probably peed (or worse) in there over the years I wasn't much disgusted.  But really, I don't see why she had to make such an issue of peeing on camera to be aired (inter)nationally.  That is a little crass, seeing as there was a simple, genteel way to deal with her emergency, with none being any the wiser. 

 

I don't think there is any evidence that their was any Charlie Chaplain roadblock that was edited out.  Each team was handed an umbrella and a bowler hat with clues at one point in the race.  I think one of the cyclists just made the connection and did the little Chaplain walk at the mat.

 

Kym & Alli were the only ones I saw doing any sort of Chaplain act at the mat with the waddle (more Kym than Alli) and the improvised moustaches.  Sure, they all wore bowlers, but they were given these bowlers at Christchurch College.  They tipped these bowlers to find the clue inside:  "Churchill's birthplace".  This does not specifically say to go to the pitstop, but they would have to go to Blenheim and there find a cluebox which sent them off on a Chaplain-themed RB, after which they'd get a clue saying to go to the pitstop, also at Blenheim.

 

Now, given the strongly British theme of the entire episode -- from Tower Bridge and the Perlies to Winnie -- why would they inject a Charlie Chaplain element?  I know CC was British and his early life was in Britain, but in abject poverty, and he moved to America as a teenager.  The vast majority of his career was in the USA. He certainly wouldn't have had any connection with Blenheim palace that I can think of.  I agree that there probably was not any task between Christchurch College and the pitstop, and what we saw was simply a manifestation of Kym & Alli's personal sense of humour.

[etagloh]

I think the "missing RB" question was raised more by the Union Jack Lennon-style glasses worn by certain team members, but on a re-watch, I'm pretty sure they were props given out at the punting task to be worn by the punter while the other team member waved the flag.

 

I got my train times wrong earlier, and that might answer the question: we get a flash zoom of the Paddington departure board reading 15:36 when Kym/Alli, Keith/Whitney and others get on the train; the wrestlers and firefighters left after that, and having CSI'd the departure board, I now see it was past 6pm when they headed out and past 7pm when they got in, assuming no delays on the train. (And it's another 15-20m cab ride from the train station.) So, no time for a missing RB, and a very late finish. And that the firefighters and wrestlers clawed back at least a couple of hours on the last two teams.

[Camera One]

Dennis and Isabelle, yeech.  I was annoyed at their "He's Cambodian, I'm Vietnamese, we want to prove that people of different Asian cultures can still date".  What? 

 

That is an issue that certain Asian parents have with their children, the wish for them to date people from their own specific culture.  So it is a legitimate concern for some people in the world.

Edited October 7, 2014 by Camera One

[cooksdelight]

I'll say one thing for the trains in England....they are almost always on time. If they aren't, there's a revolt by whoever's waiting on the platforms. They run like greased lightning.

[possibilities]

RE the guy who told his female partner she had to run faster at the pancakes, I was certain she had been yelling at him to slow down when they went through the course the first time and missed the 1:15 cut off. So I didn't fault him for pointing out that she had to go faster. He said it in a firm but not threatening tone, and under the circumstances I forgive his frustration and "pointing it outness."

 

I think Nici was panicking over being about to pee her pants against her will, and that she's not the sort of person to casually do that in the river or anywhere else public, hence the announcing rather than discrete execution of the act.

 

I like that we have race super fans running, and they wouldn't be at a disadvantage if all the teams cast were super fans rather than recruited for their fame or other type-considerations. However, I do think at least this time the recruited teams are generally less annoying than in some other seasons. I really like Sharkbait.