S25.E05: Morocc' And Roll

[Tara Ariano]

The racers visit Morocco.

[InDueTime]

Congrats on another 1st place, Kym and Alli.  So long, Keith and Whitney.

 

Who was first in line back to the Road Block?  Shelley and Nici, or Keith and Whitney? I looked away missed it.

 

I liked this Road Block since I never knew how leather was made before, and liked Maya's comment on learning about another culture.  Take a lesson, Jim.

 

Bethany's one arm pretty much kept her from handling the tea tray wrong.  The way she flew through the vendor and leather tasks was awesome.

 

Looks like more teams are starting to snipe at each other.

Edited October 25, 2014 by InDueTime

[ottoDbusdriver]

Belly dancer at the Tea time detour --- for the win !! </completelysuperficial>

 

Karma is a bitch Keith and Whitney.

 

I thought it was odd that all teams showed up at the big brown door at the market -- at the same time.

Edited October 25, 2014 by ottoDbusdriver

[ShadowSixx]

I just don't understand how the 1st place teams fail to realize that once it says fly to, take a ferry, etc. your lead is GONE, said this last week.

 

Do Robbie and Brooke like playing idiots? I didn't know what Brooke was doing wrong during the detour. She must not have been holding it the height that it needed to be. She had to keep doing it and that probably what was holding them up.

 

Mr. Lighthouse is just so scary with his eyeballs, they always look like they're ready to just pop and bulge out. I'm scared he's ready to go all Hulk Smash on someone, so I feared for the motorcycle rider that bumped into him. FYI your wife isn't skin and bones she can lift some things, think as much as he works out, he probably had her workout a little bit too. Newsflash Lighthouse it is experiencing their culture even if it does smell. Idiot!! They didn't read their clue at the detour because Misti was just holding it with two hands. One of the top 3 rules for TAR is to read your clue in full. When Mr. Lighthouse said at the pit stop no speed bumps for them I was so hoping Phil would say that they have another one coming up just because they used that Save at a NEL pit stop. Make that save carry penalties.

 

Adam saying to Bethany reminder of her shaving his back, funny. Don't know if he grows hair on his back. Bethany has good balance and that's why she's able to ride her bike. I liked that Adam was practicing his tea pouring before actually doing it and liked that they were actually going to take their time and not rush, making me love that team more and more. Bethany doesn't use her arm as a crutch or to gain sympathy or whine and pout. I love how she's wanting to dive in and do things. Good they came in second and they almost came in first by a few seconds.

 

All of them on the bikes all of them in the same place was wow, but Shelley and Keith arguing over who got their first was ridiculous. It's not like it was the pit stop or anything like that so relax. I wondered how much that tea set weighed since all of them were complaining on how heavy they were.  Keith not so easy when you have to do it, now is it. Idiot.

 

Shelley with the whole karma helping deserving or beautiful people, not in your case OK. I don't know if what Keith did was dirty play it was just silly arguing over a spot to be handed a clue. I feel that's some foreshadowing for them to get some karma down the road. Didn't care much for Whitney and Keith anyway so not sad to see them go, I was so scared that the scientist were going to be eliminated, thank goodness they aren't.

 

This race a lot of teams that were in the back made it to the front this time around with Adam & Bethany, T&T, Shelley & Nici, so this race is unpredictable but the cyclist are running one hell of a race but won't have an early lead because Adam and Bethany will be right behind them.

[nottopbravo]

A rather rushed episode. 

 

You gotta love Kym and Alli.

[merylinkid]

Dear Mamma, shouting at your daughter about what the other teams are doing is not helpful.   It just distracts her at critical moments.   That Mother is a piece of work how she was shouting at the clue box.   And she knew darn well he wouldn't do anything because she was a woman.   She would so have made it out that the big bad man was bullying the little woman.   After last week and this, I am not surprised her daughter left home at 17 and hasn't been around much.  

 

I am so going to hell, but I laughed my ass off that Bethany and Adam chose the task that required something be done at one-handed.   Talk about playing to your strengths.   I also noticed there was no arguing about how much she could carry.   Unlike oh say Myrna and Charla.   Myrna was also harping about how she had to carry everything because Charla couldn't.   Bethany does what she can to be helpful and Adam appreciates her efforts.

 

Do not like the U-Turn being right before the pitstop.   The detour should have been first with the roadblock after so that the u-turned team has time to recover.   Otherwise it's practically a guaranteed "you are going to be last" move.   But seriously how hard is swinging a fringe around your head?   Small kids do it all the time.

 

I did like how Jim handled Misti having trouble on the speed bump.   Just do what you can and I will do the rest.   No screaming at her to get it right.   No complaining that he had to do everything.   He may still scare me, but maybe he really is as supportive as she claims he is.

Edited October 25, 2014 by merylinkid

[LilyoftheValley]

Wait, how are Misti and Jim not just so totally dominant?  They are geniuses and this is the second time in a row when they have missed a critical detail.  How can that be?  It simply makes no sense.

 

And Jim must be baffled by how two girls could be winning.  I mean how could someone that weak be able to do some of these tasks?  it makes no sense.

 

And flight attendant daughter is not even close to being fluent in Spanish.  That is intermediate-level Spanish.  

[A Boston Gal]

Nice to see a speedbump be an actual task, and not something like sitting in the sauna for 10 minutes.

[Lantern7]

How ugly was the Keith/Shelley confrontation? My cable cut out right before the commercial. I take it Whitney wasn't in place to receive the clue, and Shelley took exception. That led to an ugly elimination. Whatever. . . so long, uninteresting Survivors. May Cochran crash your wedding and laugh at your misfortune.

 

Even with Shelley & Nici's bickering, I'll take them over Jim & Misti. She comes across as useless at times, and he's just. So. Friggin'. Intense. I'd be scared that stuff would explode around him, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere near him. And you'd think he'd be more chill since they have the security of the Save. I want to believe that they're capable of humility, but Jim tends to blow it out of the water.

 

I think the producers are proud of the leg. Lots of bunching and a heated argument. Also, lots of animals, though none of them stepped up like the Broken Ox. Then again, would you want a cobra to step up in a race around the world?

 

Nice to see Bethany finally do a Roadblock. Do you need to shave body hair to surf? I can believe she shaved Adam's back in the past. I also like how other teams see Bethany as a "beast" despite her handicap.

 

Tassel-twirling for the win. I felt bad for Maya . . . her head was too big for the hat. At least she and Amy are fun to watch. Ditto Kym & Alli, both of whom are having the fun Jim and Shelley are missing out on.

[Bandolero]

Mama pushing on Keith is just plain rude and aggressive IMO. Granted he should not have used a threat... could have simply said "please stop pushing me" but I definitely get why he would be pissed off about somebody pushing up on him like that. I hate when women get aggressive with men like that knowing that the man cannot respond in kind because he would then come off like an asshole. I don't get what the fuss was about anyway... just unnecessary.

[lianau]

That U Turn was such a wasted opportunity .

[Nidratime]

But seriously how hard is swinging a fringe around your head?   Small kids do it all the time.

 

 

Have you tried patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time? Not so easy -- at least for me!

 

 

Wait, how are Misti and Jim not just so totally dominant?  They are geniuses and this is the second time in a row when they have missed a critical detail.  How can that be?  It simply makes no sense.

 

 

And they have such great teeth!!!!

Edited October 25, 2014 by Nidratime

[Donny Ketchum]

Another fine episode from one of the finer casts in the series!  Love that we had another Morocco visit for the first time since TAR3!

 

Loved the harried nature of the cart-building task.  A Roadblock that bunched everyone up.  An amazing Detour that was a choice between a sure thing vs. an obvious trap with a good reward.  A Speed Bump that was seemingly easy, but actually harder than it looked.

 

The only disappointing thing was the Double U-Turn.  Why did no one think to use it on Misti & Jim to try and get them to flush their Save?!  Instead, the users use it for purely personal reasons.  Not cool.

 

But now the teams:

 

Kym & Alli: Another fine leg, ladies!  They rocked out building the cart when they needed to, and Kym rocked out that Roadblock!  It was smart of Alli to see that Kym couldn't hack that tassel-twirling Detour, though, and offer her to switch it up.  Thanks to solid directions, they nabbed another win!  Well deserved, girls!  Well deserved!

 

Adam & Bethany: While I continue to give Bethany great credit for what she can do with only one arm, please cease with the "Bethany is awesome" confessionals, now being given by other teams!  We don't need to be told, just shown.  And she's showing it enough.  That said, they were the only team who seemed to really pay attention at that Detour, and Bethany was smart to get someone to aid her at that Roadblock, because tying those hides did not look easy to do with only one hand.  A decent, easy second-place finish, with a win derailed only due to getting lost at the last minute.  Good work to them!

 

Tim & Te Jay: Once again, not much from them this week.  Tim seemed to do okay with the Roadblock, and they seemed to be the team that struggled the second-least with the Detour.  Third place only because Shelley & Nici had to settle their cab fare.  Good job, boys.

 

Shelley & Nici: Moving back up, and Nici did a great job with the Roadblock, despite taking a bit long so that Misti could pass her.  They did well at the Detour, at least after Nici pointed out to Shelley what she was doing well, and if not for the matter of their cab fare, they'd have finished in a solid third place.  But they should've U-Turned Misti & Jim to get them to burn their Save, not Keith & Whitney over a spat that was partly their fault as well as theirs.  Still, good job at the tasks, if not at basic strategy.

 

Brooke & Robbie: Another hard leg for the wrestlers.  Brooke didn't seem to do too badly at the Roadblock, but she once again got defeatist at the Detour when they couldn't nail what was wrong with the tea.  And yet again, Robbie has to bring her back down to Earth to show her what's wrong.  Fifth place only due to better speed.  Decent finish.

 

Misti & Jim: A good job at overcoming the Speed Bump, and Misti at least kept her cool at the Roadblock.  I'd like to see exactly when it occurred to her that she had to use one hand at the Detour, though.  I don't think it was shown when it occurred to her.  Still, they're lucky no team thought to U-Turn them and at least try and force out their Save, so they still have it.  But this team's villain edit has truly kicked in with Jim's latest confessionals.  Especially his not-so-nice one about Maya and the smell of the tannery.

 

Amy & Maya: A fair-sized drop for them, due mainly to the Detour.  Amy did the Roadblock decently enough, only getting lost coming back from the task.  And Maya should've realized that she needed to have Amy twirl her tassel from the get-go.  They're lucky that Keith & Whitney struggled even more with Twirl Time than they did and that they faced a U-Turn, or they would've been toast.

 

Keith & Whitney: Well, it was quite a run for them, and it's almost sad to see them go on a leg in which they were actually doing quite well at first.  They set up that cart first and were one of the top teams leaving the Roadblock.  But they just lost too much time on that Detour and had to face that U-Turn, as a result.  Also, they just plain blew the social aspect of the race by ticking off Shelley & Nici to get U-Turned in the first place.  Personally, I'm sorry to see them go.  But hey, they got more screen time on this show than they'd ever gotten on Survivor!

 

Great episode!  Hope this season keeps delivering!

[Heather Lynn]

Keith got to the box first but Shelly & Nici arrived next without Whitney in sight so mom & daughter should've gotten the clue first if my understanding of the rules is still correct. I think Keith was trying to intimidate them-be it intentional or not-and I laughed when Shelly replied with an "Or what?". I think many people would have backed down at his tone so it was nice when she didn't. I do give Keith props for realizing it's a race so I don't think it was intentional. I still find her daughter extra annoying and neither are my favorites. That would be the scientists and the college sweethearts so I'm glad their getting lost (which both do too frequently for my comfort) didn't penalize them. I also love the cyclists and soul surfers.

The dentists are officially annoying. He (and the wrestlers) are heading into "ugly American" territory and that is the 2nd time Misti has messed up a clue due to not paying attention. I still have 4 teams to root for so I'm in good shape.

[cooksdelight]

Unless my eyes deceived me, Phil was going commando during the first part of the show in those off-white jeans!! :)

(Yes, my mind is in the gutter tonight, but dang!!)

I had to FF through the early tanning part when one of the girls started to gag. My gag reflex will kick in just watching that, even if I don't smell what she's smelling.

Jim basically did that speed bump. They should have made Misti do at least half of it.

[SledDog]

Stacy & Nici let the red haze of anger get in the way of solid strategic thinking. The correct move would gave been to U-Turn The Dentists in order to flush the Save. It's the same idea as voting for the potential holder of an Immunity Idol on Survivor. You want to level the playing field. U-Turning Jim & Misti - particularly with Misti's lack of attention to detail - had a good chance of getting the Save out of play, and that might have been enough to take Keith & Whitney out at the same time.

Laughed when that flight attendant daughter talked to the cab driver in Spanish and explained proudly how she'd picked up fluent Spanish in six months. Just one tiny little detail: Morrocco was a French possession not Spanish. The official languages of the country are Arabic and French.

Edited October 25, 2014 by SledDog

[Pepper the Cat]

My two favourite teams are 1 and 2 so I am happy. Also happy that the scientists made it though!

Over all, a good episode I think

[enlightenedbum]

So I guess we'll never get an answer to how such a boring couple convinced both of CBS' premiere reality shows they were interesting enough to be put on TV.

 

Jim does blink!  Only once tonight, but I think that's the first time in five episodes.

 

They have been to the Glacier cafe before, back in season three.  Second callback to that race (punting) so far.  Which is interesting.  It's the best one (well, besides Flo), so I'm all for it.

 

Still like a lot of these people, don't like Shelley and Nici and Jim still scares me, but pretty solid.  Kym and Alli (I want to switch that y and i so much) and Adam and Bethany are my favorites, with Maya and Amy a solid third.  Still the most likable cast in years.

[Lantern7]

Is there confirmation on what happens when a team uses the Save? If I knew that the next leg would be double elimination, I'd be hesitant to flush it out for fear of being next-to-last and eliminated in that leg.

 

Anybody else digging the graphics when the Racers screw up? It's like Misti's hands were radioactive.

[cooksdelight]

Glowing hands to go with the glowing teeth. :)

[etagloh]

Well, with 6 minutes left in the broadcast and a U-Turn still waiting on the board, I was really confused about how they were going to finish that leg in time. I wasn't expecting a mass "we choose not to" which made Keith and Whitney's elimination a certainty. (I didn't even expect that they were getting the uh-oh here comes trouble edit at the beginning. ) And of course, Stacey/Nici U-Turned with their guts and not their heads: they're a fragile team and they'll regret not putting a stronger team through the wringer.

 

Weird leg, with obvious comparisons to TAR3 that went to pretty much all of the same destinations across two legs, but with slight differences in the tasks. I'm not sure if the traffic jam at the end of the Road Block made it feel messier than it ought to be, and led to the fractiousness at the end of that task because I'm sure it felt like speed in the tannery was wiped out by getting lost, but anything in Marrakech is going to have the kind of navigation difficulties you'd normally associate with a self-drive leg. Kym/Alli and Adam/Bethany are obviously capable and level-headed, the dentists are now obviously capable but fragile (I'm sure Misti is more capable than she comes across, but she's reluctant to make mistakes because Jim is so eager to do everything himself) and everyone else has yet to assert themselves. Also, Jim went full metal asshole in the tannery.

 

Inserting Phil in the leg again, and with time intervals? Weird. Perhaps this is a contest for viewers, since it can't be a memory challenge for teams? Remember everywhere Phil's showed up during the legs and get a Travelocity whatnot?

Edited October 25, 2014 by etagloh

[ghoulina]

I really don't like Shelley and Nici. They're just nasty people. Nasty to each other, nasty to others. I thought it was really petty to U-turn Team Survivor. But in the end it wouldn't have mattered anyhow. Just me personally, I probably wouldn't U-turn anyone unless it meant me not coming in last. I didn't see the start of the kerfuffle at the tanning task, but mom and daughter just seem like they want to make excuses and play victim. 

 

Not a huge fan of Brooke and Robbie either. It's not just their stupidity (Tambourine...Morocco...it's all the same), but her constant whining and defeatist attitude really grates. And I hated them making fun of the name of the market while in the taxi cab. It's one thing to mispronounce something because you're just not used to the language, accent, etc. But to intentionally poke fun at a name because it's different than you're used to? Just so classless. 

 

I really appreciated Maya recognizing that tanning goat hides was a daily way of life for these people, and it really wasn't the worst thing in the world. But those who found a way to cover their mouth and nose were smart. 

 

Still love the Cyclists and Adam and Bethenny. Very impressive racers. 

 

I have to admit, Jim and Misty grew on me a bit this episode. They did get a little snippy with each other, but he was actually really supportive of her. So I can admit that I may have been wrong about him. Time will tell. But it was impressive to see them move from back of the pack to the middle even with the extra task factored in. They would have done even better if they had realized sooner that Misty needed to hold the tray with one arm. 

 

The hat twirling cracked me up. Some of the racers looked like they straight up possessed by demons.

[etagloh]

It's one thing to mispronounce something because you're just not used to the language, accent, etc. But to intentionally poke fun at a name because it's different than you're used to? Just so classless. 

 

Yeah, and I think the editors juxtaposed it very deliberately: you had teams people making a decent stab at the pronunciation, accompanied by laughter from the taxi drivers, then the Wrestlers putting on their Comedy Arab accents and trying to out-stereotype one another, which went down like a lead balloon. It's one thing to be dopey or play dopey, it's another to be crass and insulting.

Edited October 25, 2014 by etagloh

[cooksdelight]

The hat twirling cracked me up. Some of the racers looked like they straight up possessed by demons.

When the deadpan scientist took over the hat twirling (I was yelling "bobby pins!!!" at her partner) she looked like a stoner hippie. I laughed out loud.

[ghoulina]

Laughed when that flight attendant daughter talked to the cab driver in Spanish and explained proudly how she'd picked up fluent Spanish in six months. Just one tiny little detail: Morrocco was a French possession not Spanish. The official languages of the country are Arabic and French.

 

Okay, thank you. I know little and less about Morocco, but when I watched that I was thinking to myself, "I thought they spoke French there".

[Jodithgrace]

Not a huge fan of Brooke and Robbie either. It's not just their stupidity (Tambourine...Morocco...it's all the same), but her constant whining and defeatist attitude really grates. And I hated them making fun of the name of the market while in the taxi cab. It's one thing to mispronounce something because you're just not used to the language, accent, etc. But to intentionally poke fun at a name because it's different than you're used to? Just so classless.

 

Yeah, i agree. And their cab driver was giving them the stink eye as well. I'm sure he didn't appreciate American tourists mocking his language. 

 

This was such a frenetic leg, I could hardly figure out what was going on most of the time. Just glad my surfers were safe. But we really don't need to have every team praise her. Just let her continue to do well. There's no need to beatify her. 

 

I also like the cyclists so far. Just good competent racers. 

 

The dentists are so caught up in their gleaming perfection that they are making bad, potentially fatal mistakes. It's called hubris, oh dental ones, and one of these episodes, it's going to bite you in the butt with gleaming teeth!

[susannot]

A rather rushed episode. 

 

You gotta love Kym and Alli.

Love the NYC cyclists.

[InDueTime]

Laughed when that flight attendant daughter talked to the cab driver in Spanish and explained proudly how she'd picked up fluent Spanish in six months. Just one tiny little detail: Morrocco was a French possession not Spanish. The official languages of the country are Arabic and French.

I'm not too surprised that Nici was able to use Spanish with the cab driver; what with the history of the former Spanish Sahara.

[Turtle]

I thought it was odd that all teams showed up at the big brown door at the market -- at the same time.

 

I thought several of them had met up while searching, and were working together or at least following each other, which makes sense.  Even if you're way off track, at least a few other teams are with you.

 

Do Robbie and Brooke like playing idiots?

 

They're professional wrestlers.  Draw your own conclusions :-)

 

Looked to me like Shelly was right, in that she & Nici were at the box first, b/c Whitney wasn't with Keith when he got there, but I'm not sure that was a proportionate response from her. 

 

I also noticed there was no arguing about how much she (Bethany) could carry.

 

I loved that she said matter of factly, can you pick it up for me, and he did, and told her grab it under the spout - to me, it showed a great level of communication in that she knew picking the samovar up was going to be tricky for her, and he never doubted that, once it was off the ground, she could carry it.  Great awareness from both of them that some things are going to be more challenging for her and so it just makes sense for him to help, and great job from both of them in having that just be something they work with, rather than an obstacle or relationship struggle. 

 

I did like how Jim handled Misti having trouble on the speed bump.   Just do what you can and I will do the rest.   No screaming at her to get it right.   No complaining that he had to do everything.   He may still scare me, but maybe he really is as supportive as she claims he is.

 

That was nice to see.  And he wasn't patronizing about "I'll finish what you can't do" - it seemed like he was honestly saying, I know you're struggling, just do the best you can, and maybe you'll get it; if not, I can do it, we'll be fine.  They may both be crazy, but they do seem to be pretty good racers, and their relationship seems to work for them.

 

Laughed when that flight attendant daughter talked to the cab driver in Spanish and explained proudly how she'd picked up fluent Spanish in six months. Just one tiny little detail: Morrocco was a French possession not Spanish. The official languages of the country are Arabic and French.

 

True, but I thought the cab driver was actually speaking Spanish, which made it a lot more reasonable.

 

Inserting Phil in the leg again, and with time intervals? Weird. Perhaps this is a contest for viewers, since it can't be a memory challenge for teams? Remember everywhere Phil's showed up during the legs and get a Travelocity whatnot?

 

I think Phil said in an interview somewhere that this was just something he wanted to do this year, a way to keep the show fresh and new.​

 

Couldn't care less about Keith & Whitney going.  They weren't that interesting, and I was not at all invested in them.  Much like their Survivor run.

Edited October 25, 2014 by Turtle

[leighdear]

Obviously Bethany carries around a full-size surfboard with one arm, so I'm not surprised she's so capable with these tasks.  Great attitudes with those two, in thanking each other & being supportive.  They're also really having fun.

 

Did anybody else catch the phrase Jim used at the tannery, when he felt Misti was catching up?  "Blood in the Water".  Wasn't Bethany right there too?  Tasteless doesn't even begin to describe using that phrase around a girl that got her arm bitten off by a shark. 

[mtlchick]

"Are we going to shake the morrocans?"  The wrestlers are only PLAYING dumb, right? 

 

It wasn't a bad leg since the tasks were cool but there was something that was just off about the design. Especially how they all clamoured around the doors at one point out of nowhere.  It just felt like a bad edit.  With the double U Turn, it felt pretty rushed.  

[cooksdelight]

I think Bethany had left by then, but you're right. Tacky. Jim reminds me so much of the macho guys who went to University of South Carolina ("Cocks") and some of his nastiness started to creep out tonight. I hope he doesn't yell at Misti for her mistakes when they are off camera, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Rick Kitchen]

Jim mocking people who are enjoying the experience?  What a douche.

[Turtle]

Did anybody else catch the phrase Jim used at the tannery, when he felt Misti was catching up?  "Blood in the Water".  Wasn't Bethany right there too?  Tasteless doesn't even begin to describe using that phrase around a girl that got her arm bitten off by a shark.​

 

 

I don't know, it's a pretty common expression in games/ competitions, and given his competitive nature, I imagine he uses the expression occasionally.  I didn't get the impression it had anything to do with Bethany.  While it may have been awkward had she heard it and made the connection, I don't think it was malicious or especially tacky.  I thought it was just competition-talk.  Like "suck it up" or "she's slowing down" or whatever.  

[LilyoftheValley]

Jim mocking people who are enjoying the experience?  What a douche.

This is why this guy rubs me the wrong way.  It is not just the mocking, but rather that he appears to in no way be attempting to enjoy the experience.  Have we heard/seen one thing from this guy where he is just taking in exotic surroundings?  Has he said anything about just being happy to be on a trip around the world with his wife?  I don't think so.  I understand this is a competition, but most racers over the years have had a certain level of awe that they get to see so much of the world.  Jim clearly does not give a shit about any of that.  

[Bluegirl547]

I hope he doesn't yell at Misti for her mistakes when they are off camera, but I'm not holding my breath.

-------

I'm no Jim fan, but I think it's unfair to speculate that he's verbally (or physically, as has been suggested in previous threads) to Mistie off camera. Yeah, he's got crazy eyes and major intensity, but he's actually been genuinely supportive of Misti, despite her MANY mistakes (not reciting numbers last week, holding the tray with two hands this week).

Edited October 25, 2014 by Bluegirl547

[babs1226]

I really enjoyed this episode!  It was pretty intense, and Phil throwing in the 12 minute time difference was off the hook!  I think it's great that there are so many competitive teams this time.  I don't think Jim abuses his wife...he is very intense, and obviously very competitive.  He is always so conscious of where they are in comparison to everyone else.  When Whitney wanted to switch detours, she asked if anyone else had switched.  Shelley got a little intense there too when she was pushing Nici.  The teams that are doing well don't worry about what everyone else is doing.  They are running the race.  I think it's really cool that nobody wanted to use the U Turn except Shelley and Nici, and they had good reason to.  There was only one team behind them, and as it happens, it was the team that they had the disagreement with earlier.  I haven't really seen much tension between the teams, but it was obvious from talking heads that there was no love lost between those two teams.  This race can change in a heartbeat, and I love seeing all the jockeying back and forth.  I like seeing Phil.  None of the remaining racers have horrible personalities that I can see.  Right now I'm torn between the NYC bikers and Adam and Bethany for the win.  I think I would be happy with either.  

[etagloh]

This is why this guy rubs me the wrong way.  It is not just the mocking, but rather that he appears to in no way be attempting to enjoy the experience.  Have we heard/seen one thing from this guy where he is just taking in exotic surroundings?  Has he said anything about just being happy to be on a trip around the world with his wife?  I don't think so.

 

He's driven! Here to compete! In it to win it! Not here to make friends! Et cetera! To be fair, I think he's said nice things about the surroundings in previous legs, but this one got him out of his comfort zone; the stuff in the tannery felt like a good test of ugly-American, especially since we've got TAR3 as our point of reference here. The wrestlers also chose poorly on this leg.

 

This was, after a pretty sedate start, the first leg that challenged racers with language and culture and the basic bustle that accompanies cities in less developed nations. And Marrakech is pretty big on the tourist map, so it's not the deep culture shock combined with KF that we've seen when TAR goes to South Asia or parts of Africa. But after the US Virgin islands, the UK and Scandinavia, it's a test all by itself.

 

I definitely think it's a stretch to speculate on Jim/Misti off-camera. The dynamic we do see is his expectation that he's going to do the majority of the tasks, particularly the physical ones but also some of the less physical ones -- he poured the tea -- which I think is reflected in Misti's reluctance to do things on her own initiative. Her thinking so far in non-Road Block tasks seems to be "stand back if you don't feel 100% confident" rather than try to do something and mess it up.

Edited October 25, 2014 by etagloh

[Matt K]

Is there confirmation on what happens when a team uses the Save? If I knew that the next leg would be double elimination, I'd be hesitant to flush it out for fear of being next-to-last and eliminated in that leg.

 

Anybody else digging the graphics when the Racers screw up? It's like Misti's hands were radioactive.

All I know is they have to use it in the next 2 legs so you don't need to flush it out per se.  

 

That said, I'm happy for once I don't hate any of the contestants.  The Dentists can be annoying and same with the Mom-Daughter (although not as much) and the Survivor couple was bothering me on principal but otherwise great casting this year.  

 

Also ,it was neat to see Morocco and glad to see that it looks like we might get more next episode.

[Brookside]

Misti was not solely responsible for the tea-pouring task.  They both saw the demo, they both saw the other teams, Jim could see what she was doing.  They were equally to blame.  (I'm not suggesting that Jim blamed her, but posters above are making out that she is solely responsible.)

Edited October 25, 2014 by Brookside

[LittleIggy]

I too wish Mr. Tooth Fairy's bulging eyeballs would pop out! And, yes, teams were idiots for not U-turning the Tooth Fairys in order to burn off the Save. No strategic thinkers here.

[GinevradiBenci]

I'm a relatively well-traveled person and freely admit that if I were standing in a tannery (those places stink to high heaven) and someone next to me was spouting off about appreciating local culture, I might make a snarky remark too. It's not like they were making fun of the people or the job the people were doing, so I didn't find it a particularly ugly comment.

 

This was such a busy episode, I can't imagine how frustrating it must have been to run it. So many directional challenges and the setting up of the food carts looked like it was designed to tire you out before you were sent on to do the rest of your tasks. I'm not really sad to see the Survivor couple go, but the right U-Turn choice would definitely have been to see if you could get the Save used up. I suppose everyone's saving their U-Turn option for the next go-round, thinking they might be in more trouble and in need of it?

[blackwing]

It was a roadblock that Keith did. The roadblock usually works like this: one person does task. When person finishes task, they get the next clue. Where has it ever been that both people had to be present? It wasn't a pit stop. In some roadblocks the other person isn't even in the building. So I agree with Keith there, he was there first.

Too bad they sucked at the twirling. They would have been better off with the tea, it was the easier task. Keith seems a bit dim but a decent dude. Whitney seems like an airhead.

I continue to loathe Jim. He treats everyone local like a servant to help him win the race. I want one of his over pumped biceps to pop.

[etagloh]

This was such a busy episode, I can't imagine how frustrating it must have been to run it. So many directional challenges and the setting up of the food carts looked like it was designed to tire you out before you were sent on to do the rest of your tasks.

 

It felt like one of those legs where TPTB compromised on filming in order to deliver challenging tasks in a location that sells itself. The stall assembly was arduous and hectic; running through narrow alleys and souks and packed squares is also a real test of the camera/sound crews. Tasks that are set apart from locals in controlled spaces (like the sheep-herding in the Shetlands) can be framed for filming much more easily than ones in the middle of big cities where people are just living their lives. I like that. It does feel like the callbacks to TAR3 in particular are deeper than previous 'throwback' tasks, and that there's a conscious return to at least some aspects of TAR when it was newer and rawer and took more risks.

 

 

It was a roadblock that Keith did. The roadblock usually works like this: one person does task. When person finishes task, they get the next clue. Where has it ever been that both people had to be present?

 

I agree on this. Unless there was something in the additional information about claiming the clue as a team, the standard race rule about team members being within a certain distance of each other only applies once the Road Block is over -- that is, when the clue is opened, not when it's received from the judge. So the rules lawyering there felt wrong. Perhaps understandable because of the chaos and logjam at the end of that task, but still wrong. It's rare that we see those standard rules invoked explicitly -- I'm sure that they're mentioned a lot, but when we see them, it's almost always in bonus clips and not in the main broadcast, and most of the time they're cut entirely.

Edited October 25, 2014 by etagloh

[ShadowSixx]

What I'm really loving about this season is that it's such a refreshing change from last season when the Afghanimals and Dave & Connor kept helping the Country Singers. Nobody is asking for help or leaning on another team to carry them. They're all being like The Cowboys, running their own race. 

[Camera One]

The Dentists surprisingly don't have much attention to detail.  They need to pause and see if they're doing something wrong.  I really liked how Adam and Bethany practised and checked the tea pouring before continuing.  

 

I was also happy that almost nobody even considered U-Turning except for the Mom/daughter.  I want to like them, but the Mom really blew the cutting in line thing out of proportion.  I guess in hindsight, the Survivor guy should have just let her go first.  It would only have been a one minute lead anyway, and pissing someone off in a U-Turn leg was not smart.  I'm not convinced U-Turning the Dentists would have been a good idea, since Jim would take it personally and he would make a big deal about it.

 

I was pretty amazed the Daughter gave the Mom that advice about how to twirl.  But the Mom was not supportive at all yelling at the daughter to hurry up at the Tannery.  I started liking the Mom a lot, but now I'm not so sure.

 

This episode showed more of the Jim/Misti dynamic, and I think he was a good team member throughout in regards to how he treated Misti.  I expected him to insist on doing the Roadblock.  I was disappointed he was making fun of Maya, though.  

 

I thought Tim and Amy realized right away they were going in the right direction on their bikes?  He was saying that nothing looked familiar.  Did they continue in that direction, or did they turn around, and still got lost retracing their steps?  That was scary since I was cheering both those teams on.

 

First hint of argument between T&T when Te Jay asked how he fell so far behind.  I guess Tim's response of "Later" was good.  I'm glad they switched who poured the tea, since Tim had his Flight Attendant Pouring Skills, LOL.  At least they do seem quite observant in terms of what they could be doing wrong.

 

Amy and Maya are so lucky the other teams weren't vindictive... the balcony overlooked the square, and someone could have U-Turned them just for kicks.  Why did it take so long for them to switch even when Maya was losing her hat constantly?  I'm so glad they made it in the end.

 

I didn't particularly like Team Survivor, but that was a horrible way to go out.  Anyway, better them than the teams I was actually cheering for, I guess.  

Edited October 25, 2014 by Camera One

[ramble]

The teams are finally starting to sort themselves out for me into ones I enjoy, ones I can't stand & ones I find mostly forgettable.

Unfortunately the unlikable group is growing. The dentists annoy me, not intensely, but enough not to enjoy them. The wrestlers makes me want to hit myself in the head. Their (pretend?) idiocy & her whiny defeatist attitude are grating. The mom & daughter are miserable to watch. They seem to be having no fun at all. During the dizzy dance they looked completely wretched & like they wished they were anywhere else. So just go home already.

The boyfriends are neutral to me. As are the cycle ladies. The survivors were in this category so I don't really care that they're gone.

My favorite teams, by far, are the surfers & the scientists. They both seem to be totally enjoying the experience & appear pleasant in their interactions. They both also seem to be trying to be thoughtful about how they race & pay attention as they go & learn.

I'm loving this season being the pop up Phil edition. More Phil is always fun! I also liked seeing the locals seeming to enjoy watching the silliness this show requires. Watching them watch the dancers attempts to twirl was fun.

[Guest]

One annoying team out, three to go.  May Whitney never grace my tv again.  

 

I thought Jim insisting that the tannery didn't smell like a petting zoo, it smelled like SHIT, was offensive and 'ugly American'.  (And really how many things actually smell like SHIT besides SHIT?)

 

I'm loving the cyclists and the surfers.  I hope the scientists get some more airtime soon.

[Camera One]

This was the second leg on this Race where Karma did bite the wrong-doer back.  Though what Keith did wasn't as bad as what Shelley made it out to be.  

[etagloh]

I suspect that one's reaction to the dentists may vary based upon a) proximity to South Carolina; b) attitudes towards certain aspects of 'southern hospitality'.