S03.E09: Take Your Clue and Goooo!

[radishcake]

Things get slippery and spicy in Delhi, India for the remaining teams.

[Vyas]

Woohoo, the team with best average leg placement finally has a win/prize of their own, the steadily lovable purple brothers get spared, AND the remaining dad-daughter "reach the podium" at last: in other words, two legs in a row where everything went the right way, which seemed but a remote possibility for the first half of this race!

 

Kudos too for including an innovative/unique RI in the fish-carrying task - in a landlocked metropolis, no less - as well as "upgrading" the wrestlers jostling in the background of a clue-box location at Varanasi * (during Unfinished Business 4.5 years ago) into an actual Detour!

 

* the Swami Nath Akhara strength-conditioning centre on the shores of the Tulsi Ghat, where members practice Kushti/Pehlwani, a martial art native to South Asia:

 

Edited September 3, 2015 by Vyas

[Blackie]

I know DuJean and Lelaini are exes ( it was fun watching her flip him around like a doll) but they  could  at least high 5 or something when they make it to the mat.   Last week they won and.....nothing.   Do they really hate each other? (preview doesn't look promising).

[grooveshinney]

That guy has barfed more times on this race than I have in my whole life!

[Fake Jan Brady]

Now that Nick/Matt have finally secured their long desired leg win, things are looking good for Simi/Ope if TAR Canada's "win no leg but the last one" legacy holds up. Although, if this was TAR Classic, I'd suspect Gino/Jesse's heartwarming story about their single mother was some kind of harbinger.

 

Legs through India always confirm my suspicion I'd be a terrible Racer. Two legs? That's just cruel.

 

"He has to wash the throw-up off the side of his vehicle" and "Hello, I'll be wrapping your head today". Oh Sean, don't ever change.

 

Those volunteers for the turban challenge are also made of sterner stuff than me [although that showy judge was clearly a frustrated Bollywood wannabe].

 

This episode was so much more entertaining without Brian & Cynthia misery-ing it up.

[Shermie]

India is always very enthusiastic about participating in TAR, but it is not a good travel promoter. Most tAR eps make me want to go where they are, but India has the opposite effect. Sorry, India, I'm sure you're beautiful.

Sean has the weakest constitution. Another requirement to add before applying - know how to swim, learn to drive stick, and don't be inclined to motion sickness.

There goes my "a team that wins no leg will win the final leg, ergo, a winners edit for Nick and Matt" theory.

I like all the teams, including Gino and Jesse. They sure add to the scenery and they are skilled racers in more than just physical challenges.

I'm always curious why exes would go on something this stressful, but maybe Dujean and Leilani figure they already dislike each other so there's nothing to lose (as opposed to,otherwise happy couples who completely lose their shit at each other over the stress of it all).

I'm kind of rooting for Simi and Ope just because they're both so sweet and well-intentioned. They might lack some skills, but they're still in it and yeah, it's the final leg that really counts. Although it would be nice if every team (that's left) won at least own leg.

Kinda figured it was a non-elim leg since there hasn't been one for a while.

Anyone guess what the big memory challenge will be at the end? Last year someone speculated about the flowers that were at the mat each time, if I recall (and I don't commit every detail of every TAR to memory because I have only so much personal RAM, so I could be wrong).

[shok]

In the footage of the teams racing for the pit stop and the finish mat, I thought I saw Nick and Matt pass Gino and Jesse running the opposite direction but nothing more was shown or said. In this article from the Calgary Herald, it explains what actually went down, that none of the teams read their clue down to the fine print at the bottom where they were told to donate all their remaining money to a charity at Humayuns Tomb so none of them could be checked in at the mat until they went back and found it and did so. Interesting little tidbit.   http://calgaryherald.com/entertainment/television/amazing-race-canada-nick-and-matt-talk-about-finally-finishing-first

[Blackie]

I kind of noticed that too and then I was wondering why they weren't at the mat at more or less the same time, so thanks for the article, that explains a lot.  But what money do they donate, what cash they have left on hand?  I thought all their money was on their world mastercard or whatever it is.  I still don't get why they say how much money they get at the beginning of a  leg  on their mc, it is not near enough to pay for a flight...???

[SnideAsides]

Flights are paid for separately.

[tankgirl73]

You say "flights are paid for separately" but they've made a big show of the airline counter person saying "and how will you be paying for this today" and they answer "with my scotia world visa royal super majestic extra-awesome incredible mastercard". Thankfully that's happening less now than in the early episodes, but they sure try to make it LOOK like the flights are paid off the money they get for the leg.

[Ciarrai]

You say "flights are paid for separately" but they've made a big show of the airline counter person saying "and how will you be paying for this today" and they answer "with my scotia world visa royal super majestic extra-awesome incredible mastercard". Thankfully that's happening less now than in the early episodes, but they sure try to make it LOOK like the flights are paid off the money they get for the leg.

 

Yeah they do, but when they only have $150 (as an example) on their card, there's no way they're paying for four plane tickets with it (themselves, their sound guy and their cameraman). It's not like they announce at the beginning that they have $1,000 on their card or anything.

[Shermie]

I thought it was pretty obvious that the blatant credit card pronouncement when buying flights was just scripted promo. It's just a necessary evil to help pay for it all. The flights are prebooked and paid by the show. Just like their meals and accommodations at the pit stop. The pittance they get at the beginning of each leg would never cover all their expenses.

I recall in TAR US a few times where their money was relevant to how they did on the race (they didn't have enough for a cab so had to take a bus, which took longer, for example), but I don't recall it having an impact in TAR CAN.

[tankgirl73]

Oh for sure the airport thing is obviously scripted and no way is $150 enough for the flight -- my point was that they tried to make it look like that's what was happening. But it was so clearly a scripted ad that it was like a joke instead of a useful promotion. Better to just have some shots of the card being waved around.

 

I'm glad there isn't a big deal made about running out of money being a problem -- watching them stand around trying to get a cab isn't the most interesting part of the show. Watching them figure out their transportation -- arguably important in a race -- was only interesting for about the first season of the original TAR US.  Now the racing is about the challenges themselves, rather than the external challenge of transportation (at least in the larger sense -- within the city they're in, transportation is still part of it)

 

The counterpoint to that, though, is that when it's all pre-booked and managed, you end up with these dramatic staggered starts, the great advantage of leaving first -- just to have them all leave on the same flight. I'd almost prefer to leave last. It might mean you get a few more hours sleep before leaving for the airport, whereas the guys who leave first end up just sitting in the airport for the longest.

[innocuouspuff]

Last week I was thinking that Simi and Ope might be in okay shape if the Race had more attention to detail tasks coming up, and then Ope goes and proves that really Simi is the one with that skill, lol. Read your clue, Dad!

They're still fun to watch though, so we'll see if they can Little Engine That Could their way into the finale. Oldest/youngest Racer left and along with Dujean and Leilani the only two mixed gender teams left. Poor Dujean when Leilani was talking about punching him, hee. Love their facial expressions. Not that I don't like the strong dude teams Gino/Jesse or Nick/Matt but watching them look slightly bored while crushing tasks has limited interest.

Though why Simi and Ope always end up surprised that physical tasks are actually physical is a mystery to me. I honestly don't get mad about people on the Race who can't swim or run or drive manual that well, but if you are going to be throwing up on every surface including the host, that's when it might be time to rethink your choices.

[aemom]

The flights are prebooked and paid by the show.

Not exactly. They are responsible for booking and paying for flights for themselves and their camera and sound person which they use a CC to pay for. They must also book economy class. If they can get a free upgrade, then good on them. If the show has chosen to pre book flights on certain legs, then that’s different and they use that.

All other expenses come out of their stipend which is doled out in whatever format the show chooses. This season, it's been that BMO card.

[Kromm]

Ope is so bad at EVERYTHING, it's really amazing that team has lasted so long. 

 

Is it Brent or Sean who seems to be made almost entirely of puke? I know it might not be PC to admit this, but I confuse the two of them, because their speech, mannerisms and the way they dress is identical. One is taller.  One is fatter. That's all I got.  They're like the old cliche.  No not one of the cliches about gay people. The one about how couples start to turn into each other. Wait. They do have different color headbands.  But with the person bent over and puking, I couldn't see the headband.

Edited September 7, 2015 by Kromm

[Fake Jan Brady]

Sean [the puker] and Brent are brothers, not a couple; maybe that's why they seem so similar.

[Shermie]

Sean is the heavier one and the more dramatic one. He's always over-reacting to something. He speaks fluent hyperbole.

[funkymunky]

Most tAR eps make me want to go where they are, but India has the opposite effect. Sorry, India, I'm sure you're beautiful.

 

 

My family is from India and I've been there a few times. It's pretty much exactly how they portray it on the show. After my last trip eight years ago, I decided I was done. Humayun's Tomb is pretty cool, though.

 

Also, they don't call them tuk-tuks, as far as I'm aware. I've always heard "auto" (short for "auto-rickshaw").

 

I was really hoping for an NEL, if only to no longer listen to Sean's vomiting.

[Delwyn]

Also, they don't call them tuk-tuks, as far as I'm aware. I've always heard "auto" (short for "auto-rickshaw").

 

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who clocked that. I was watching with my mom and said "you're not in Thailand, guys" and complained that one of the teams was taking a rickshaw instead of an autorickshaw because it was too slow. She gave me a weird look, but it's one of those things you learn from osmosis after a decade of watching TAR, I think. Like the fact that you should never leave your passport in a Russian taxi or assume that a food task is something you will actually want to consume.

 

We were both confused that Matt & Nick (the Wrestlers) were allowed to run away from the clue box to read their clue. I thought it was a rule they had to read it right there for the camera, but maybe that was only in my head. SO delighted for their win, though. Even with their fondness for "bar shirts", they appear so guileless and without a mean spirit. I am rooting for them or Brent and Sean (thank the gods of NEL). I enjoy all the other teams now that Brian is gone (for so many reasons that will probably hurt his feelings) as well as all the "this is impossible"/quitter teams. I would be happy with any current team taking the prize. I know Ope sometimes gets a bit down on his ability at the beginning of the tasks, but he always pulls through and I would definitely invited Ope and Simi over for a barbeque since they live in my city.

 

I don't really see why people don't like Gino and Jesse. They seem perfectly nice, although competitive. But it's a race? Any faults we've seen from them have certainly been present in other likeable teams. To me, their race style is a bit like the TARUS Cowboys. They tend to get turned around getting from place to place, but are pretty good at tasks once they get there and have displayed some strategic thinking.

 

Anyway, some NEL eps feel like a waste of time, but this one had a great pace.

[Shermie]

I'm really enjoying the unpredictability of the episodes. Order of teams changes from challenge to challenge, and leg to leg, and there isn't one team dominating everything, which makes a boring show.

It might not be a tuk-tuk, but I'm sure Sean would call it an up-chuk.

[Vyas]

My family is from India and I've been there a few times. It's pretty much exactly how they portray it on the show. After my last trip eight years ago, I decided I was done. Humayun's Tomb is pretty cool, though.

Out of curiosity, perhaps other TAR editions have visited your folks' home region(s)?

 

These last two rounds in Kolkata and Delhi were among the best in the history of both cities across all the various franchises, though it might've been just as well had Air Canada routed their codeshares such that the episodes were instead set in, say, Mumbai and Chennai.

 

(It's personally baffling how Bengaluru/Bangalore has yet to host a leg on any version of the show; I'm guessing that tensions in Khalistan are preventing a trip to Amritsar; and the hardcore dearth of infrastructure in the Seven Sister States allegedly makes even Bangladesh look like Sri Lanka.)

Edited September 8, 2015 by Vyas

[funkymunky]

Out of curiosity, perhaps other TAR editions have visited your folks' home region(s)?

 

 

I don't recall, but what I've seen in previous versions seemed to accurately reflect what I saw in the areas I visited.

Edited September 9, 2015 by funkymunky

[kingshearte]

Ope is so bad at EVERYTHING, it's really amazing that team has lasted so long. 

Seriously, right? He seems like a very nice man, but he also really does seem to be pretty much hopeless at pretty much everything. Simi has the patience of a saint — I love my dad, and it would take quite a bit before I'd snap at him, but I'm pretty sure I would have by this point, and she's been just astonishingly patient.