S27.E05: King Of The Jungle

[blackwing]

The tasks sucked because all of them except for the canoes were of the "wait in line" variety.  And the canoes obviously proved to be the wrong detour choice, since Joey/Megan did crocs and ended up ahead of Texans at the lions.  So there was little room to move up except hoping for mistakes of others, which actually happened.  The croc task looked cool the first time when Joey and Kelsey did it, after that, it was boring.  I also think it should have required more actual skill or participation.  Basically, it was just a set time.  Put on wet suit.  Wait turn.  Lower in cage.  Stick out food.  Done.

 

Also, the balancing fruit on head task would have been way better if they had to actually start over from the beginning if they dropped their basket.  Allowing the people to stop, put a hand up to readjust, and then keep going.... completely stupid.  There should have been a "no touching of the basket" rule.

 

I was going to whine about how the teams I don’t like are always at the top, but then I realized that I don’t like any of the teams. Usually there is one team I’m rooting for, but this season I think they all suck.

 

With the tracks stars gone, the only teams I like are the Texans and the Reporters.  I thought it was funny how the taller Texan was jumping up and down pumping himself up to do the drop, and asked his teammate to slap him in the face but not too hard, and then told him to do it again harder.  I also like the Reporters, they seem very calm.  Hate Justin.  Annoyed by Denise.  Can't stand either Paparazzi.  I find Chack Attack annoying and toolish.  I did like the Cheerleaders until the one started blubbering in the cab about being in last.

[Richness]

What a gorgeous episode! *waits for the groans to die down* From the beautiful scenery to the thrilling wildlife and tasks, this was a fantastic episode as far as its cinematography was concerned.

 

Unfortunately, it failed flat for race design with all the wait in line tasks. Sure, there could have been some changes if teams were closer and more competent with the canoes, but there wasn't. And while there were actual position changes on the fruit baskets, I'm really surprised there were. Having teams creep onto the mat at a snail's pace does not make for exciting viewing. And sure, there were position changes due to bad directions/cabs and stupid racer error, but that's not quite the same as when teams do well based on their own strengths.

 

One other thing that annoyed me about this episode is the way the TBC aspect of the leg design made the completion of the majority of the racers on the previous leg an incredibly quick summary in this episode.

 

While I don't like seeing all the camera time devoted to the DoucheBros/Justin fight, I do get a kick out of how much Justin frustrates them. Their seemed to be a little less camera time devote to it this week, but that may have just been due to the nature of the race. However, any goodwill Justin builds up in me through the episode, he somehow manages to lose. This week, it was the horrid "second place is just first loser" comment. I'm sorry, but I think real TAR super fans would enjoy the experience a lot more.I also don't think he commented on the swing line task at the gorge being TAR's first task.

 

Team paparazzi has annoyed me in the past with their bickering, so you can imagine how ready I was for them to be eliminated in this episode. (Let's not forget that incredibly lame donation by Mr. paparazzi.) But no, the track stars had to go and get themselves eliminated for not reading the clue. Dammit! And I was thinking about half way through the episode they might be my new team to hope for. Guess it's back to square one again next week.

 

I'm also tired of the cheerleaders and their waterworks. I want them gone soon. Can't believe they wasted their U-Turn. I realize they couldn't be certain they were at the back, but where else have they been? It took stupid moves by other racers for them to not be nearly last again.

 

Congrats to Mom and gay son on winning the leg, though I'm really beginning to question the quality of the vacation destinations. I think I'd go for the cash equivalent if that was possible. And DoucheBro's, *that* is how you use an Express Pass correctly. Even their self-depreciation on the subject didn't change my schadenfreude.

[DB in CMH]

Chris pings off the charts to me. He is gay, gay, GAY. You will not convince me otherwise.

 

Lack of potential for shuffling really sucked - the only shuffling we got was because of mistakes. It would have been FAR more interesting if, during the final turtle race to the mat, if you had to restart when you dropped the fruit. That would have had a lot of shuffling potential. 

[RCharter]

Paparazzi can leave ASAP.  They have won my personal amazing race for most irritating team (but don't worry Justin, you can pick up the mantle at any time).  I knew I was gonna hate him when he started to brag about his big $20 donation and basically had to be shamed by Phil into donating the rest.  I bet dollars to donuts they had more than $155 left too.  And she is just one of those people that can never let shit go...how many times did she say that they should have done things different at the Gorge.....we get it, he gets it, the WORLD gets it.  He should have done things different, however, you were right there behind him so maybe YOU should have done things different too.  And him with the anger and the condescension.  What sense would it have made to leave the Crocodile challenge for one that was much more difficult and time consuming?

 

Surprised by how the Texans used their EP.  They must have formed a bond with James and Denise, because giving the EP to a team in third pretty much assured them of a first place showing in this leg, because they had to use it on this leg.  Either that or they just didn't want Green Team in first.  I feel like their hate of Justin has dissipated somewhat and now they just see him as that guy they are racing against to spur them on.

 

I liked the Track Girls, but they absolutely deserved to go home.

[In Pog Form]

If they donated all their money to charity, then how did they pay for the taxis?

[mertensia]

And to think they missed their chance to crossover with "Zoo" in this episode....

I liked the trackstars but they never quite seemed to read the clue all the way.

Logan and Chris: please get eaten by crocodiles. Thank you.

[RCharter]

I'm sorry, but I think real TAR super fans would enjoy the experience a lot more.I also don't think he commented on the swing line task at the gorge being TAR's first task.

 

T

I was really surprised by that, I would have thought a super fan, who has watched every single episode three times would have at least said something or acknowledged that that was the first task  on TAR.  I wish Phil had grilled him on it at the mat to see how much of a superfan he really is.

 I did like the Cheerleaders until the one started blubbering in the cab about being in last.

 

There is one in particular that just seems exhausting to be around.  I think its Krista, but its either crying/whining or over the top screeching.  She doesn't seem to have any setting in between. I would get tired of that really quick.  I hated the blubbering especially when they just found out they got a reprieve and no additional penalty.  I may understand crying after a NEL, because you'll have a speed bump coming up, and you'll probably end up last anyways....but they were just told to keep racing with no penalty....why the tears?

I think their last name is Chac.

There is NOTHING redeeming about Logan and Chris. They are both horrible people and I am so disappointed they were not eliminated.

You know, lions belong in the jungle. People don't. I really hated watching the guides brandish sticks at the lions doing what they are born to do. I actually found it cruel.

I felt sad that the lions....proud, majestic animals were basically running from a man with a stick

 

 

It was stated during the race but I'll repeat again in case no one heard. Those animals are being trained to be back in the wild. That whole walk thing is part of the re-acclimatization into the bush for the lions. (I did the walk myself and I spent a lot of time talking to the manager so I got to understand why they did it).

How is walking with humans going to re-acclimate them to the wild?  Or learning to be afraid of human sticks?  I'm asking because I don't understand how that process makes them more adept in the wild.  I would have thought they would simply release the lions for a certain amount of time into the wild on their own to get them to re-learn certain skills

 

And I don't believe for one minute Logan and Chris are a real couple. In the cab she said something like "we've been together for maybe six years" and it was the way she said it, like she didn't know how long they had been together. They are a fishy team and they make me uncomfortable to watch.

I vaguely remember hearing something about six MONTHS.  I can't remember who that came from though, but I remember thinking it was interesting since I had just heard six YEARS.

 

Did one of Team Lunkhead (er, Texas) really say "george" instead of gorge?

 

I thought one of the Texans said he thought it was supposed to be "engorge" like he was going to make fun of someone for spelling the word wrong.  Than he found out that it was supposed to be "gorge"

If they donated all their money to charity, then how did they pay for the taxis?

they got $65 for the race.

[In Pog Form]

Did one of Team Lunkhead (er, Texas) really say "george" instead of gorge?

You're killing Independent Gorge!

Edited October 24, 2015 by In Pog Form

[Eolivet]

I had to laugh at how defeatist Logan and Chris were. Since when have "defeatist" and "paparazzi" ever gone together? I mean, can you imagine a defeatist member of the paparazzi? "Oh, gee, I'm never going to get those nudes of Justin Bieber -- I guess I won't climb into this tree." "Well, I probably shouldn't go through Beyonce's trash -- there's probably nothing in there." "Darn, that red carpet has so many people -- I don't think I'll get a very good shot."

 

I mean...really?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Sheesh, Chris was so annoying during this leg that I was really hoping that there would be a freak accident with the crocodile cage. "We should switch! We should go! Hurry up and change! Wait, maybe we should stay. Should we stay? Or should we still go?" I was also annoyed during the last task because first he was yelling at Logan to hurry up (which I think is the worst thing you can do during a task that requires concentration and balance) but as soon as HE dropped his basket, he yelled at her to stop talking to him. Oh, now you know how it feels? Idiot. They are just lucky that other teams screwed up more than they did.

 

I can't believe that the track girls screwed up reading the clues not once but TWICE in the same leg. You'd think after the first time they would make sure to scrutinize the next one. They really deserved to go home for that.

 

I think the reporters were the only team that didn't annoy me at all this entire episode. Way too many people made such dumb mistakes.

 

I was cracking up at how terribly the Texans did at rowing. Although I'm not nearly as experienced as Justin and Miss Green Team (meaning I went kayaking around the Santa Cruz pier once in college), even I know that when you're in a tandem kayak or canoe, you need to row together. You can't just both paddle however you like. 

 

Justin is a whiny baby when he doesn't finish in first. Considering how obnoxious he is the rest of the time, this is no surprise.

 

Although I was fine with the actual tasks, putting together so many tasks in a row where only one team could use the equipment at a time made it pretty boring from a racing point of view. The only change in positions came from people making major mistakes, not from anyone doing better at the tasks.

 

The only task that required much skill at all was the final basket balancing. I wish that dropping the basket would have meant starting over because there was no penalty for screwing up. But I really loved that it was a task that forced the racers not to rush.

[Lingo]

Well THIS is definitely the episode they should submit to the Emmy board this year! It was the most fun I've had on the Race for a while. It had everything: scary stunts, wild animals, gorgeous scenery, not 2 or 3 but 4 different tasks for the teams, and 3 separate teams making big dumb mistakes. Plus the added comedy of watching Team Texas being smoked at the canoes by the green team. Although I was bummed that the lovable Track Stars were eliminated instead of the bickering Paps, simply because I hate watching bickering.

 

In 27 seasons since the fat bastard swung, I have never seen any challenge so terror-inducing as the gorge-swing. And it is every bit as terrifying as I remember.

Yes, THIS! I always say that the gorge jump is the scariest thing I've ever seen on the race, and it was the FIRST task! It's just too bad that they didn't make both teammates do it like last time. Also, I am shocked that they didn't label the thing a "Switchback." Have they done away with that concept?

 

If they donated all their money to charity, then how did they pay for the taxis?

They get new money at the beginning of each leg. Usually.

[Delwyn]

 

I felt sad that the lions....proud, majestic animals were basically running from a man with a stick

 

How is walking with humans going to re-acclimate them to the wild?  Or learning to be afraid of human sticks?  I'm asking because I don't understand how that process makes them more adept in the wild.  I would have thought they would simply release the lions for a certain amount of time into the wild on their own to get them to re-learn certain skills.

 

The Lion Encounter Website will fill you in with more details, but the walks are for acclimating captive born cubs once they reach a certain age in stages to their environment, allowing them to try out hunting, killing and getting used to playing before eventually going wild on reserves. The humans act as "elders" to show them the ropes. The sticks are like a command of "too rough" or "back off". They are familiar with people, but not trained. (And probably "whoa, please don't eat me")

 

It seems like a lot of posters complained about racers lining up for tasks allowing for no shuffling, but I saw quite a bit. James Earl and Denise were required by the rules to use the express pass the same leg they were gifted it - instant shuffle for one team on the leg, no matter who received it, as they got to skip a task. Two teams ran away from the Roadblock for some reason. Track Ladies failed to read the damn clue twice in a row. And yet another big reshuffle during the fruit balance. Logan and Chris seemed doomed most of the leg but came in... sixth? Ugh, they are miserable to watch. His reference to having made a big mistake at home and seeing how she demeans his decision making and he just seems so resigned to taking it is unpleasant. He fights back, but it seems more like habit than spirit. I don't know. I feel like we have a bigger reveal coming on this. The "big mistake" thing seemed like a bolder statement than "she wears the pants in the family".

 

I think the editors must have gotten a raise this year. First the dog limping along with gimpy Tanner in Argentina and now watching Logan chew out Chris alongside clips of ferocious snapping crocodiles. Their on their game this season.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

It seems like a lot of posters complained about racers lining up for tasks allowing for no shuffling, but I saw quite a bit. James Earl and Denise were required by the rules to use the express pass the same leg they were gifted it - instant shuffle for one team on the leg, no matter who received it, as they got to skip a task. Two teams ran away from the Roadblock for some reason. Track Ladies failed to read the damn clue twice in a row. And yet another big reshuffle during the fruit balance.

My issue is that most of the shuffling had nothing to do with the tasks. All they had to do was wait their turn and then the task itself took the same amount of time for everyone who didn't screw up. Compare that to previous tasks that took teams different amounts of time (learning a dance, putting the meat on sticks correctly, building things, etc). Almost all of the shuffling was non-task related (using the express pass, not reading the clue thoroughly, etc). If not for four different teams making non-task related mistakes, we would have been watching everyone do the tasks in the same order for the entire episode.

 

I'm okay with having some tasks that will take the same amount of time and just require teams to wait their turn (like the first task this week) but to have the bungee jump thing, the crocodile cage, and then the lion walk all in a row in the same episode was not great from a design viewpoint. Luckily for the producers, enough people screwed up that the teams got shuffled.

Edited October 24, 2015 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Bryce Smith]

blackwing, on 23 Oct 2015 - 11:54 PM, said:blackwing, on 23 Oct 2015 - 11:54 PM, said:

Sorry to see the track stars go, but it was their own fault for not reading the clue, not once, but twice.

The worst part is that we are stuck with Logan & Chris. Both of them suck.

 

jzygayle, on 24 Oct 2015 - 01:23 AM, said:jzygayle, on 24 Oct 2015 - 01:23 AM, said:

Even getting themselves eliminated is insufficient punishment for the Track Stars to escape my TV-wrath; the Paparazzi were >< this close to being eliminated until the Track Stars decided to embrace their own inability to read a clue.  Argh.  One more week of the awful Chris and Logan.

I don't think that would've mattered.  Even without Jazmine & Danielle fucking up left and right, Logan & Chris still would've made it.  As we saw, the overtook Cindy & Rick at the fruit balancing and likely would've regardless of what'd happened with Jazmine & Danielle.  We'd have just lost Cindy & Rick instead.

Edited October 24, 2015 by Bryce Smith

[TheOriginalDonald]

But why would they U-turn a team that they had to have known was not behind them? Promise aside, where's the logic in that? Also, do teams only get to use a U-turn once? If yes, then there's some more stupidity right there.

Methinks the cheerleaders will not be long for this world. The BIGGER stupidity would be #RadonRedux not using the U-Turn on #Longhorn. Hopefully Josh and Tanner will make Team Green pay for that mistake

[Haleth]

Did one of Team Lunkhead (er, Texas) really say "george" instead of gorge?

 

Yes, he did.  That wasn't nearly as dumb as immediately hopping into a cab and driving away from the task though.

 

I didn't mind the endless lines.  At this point I don't care who is in what place (except I really wanted the Paps out).  My enjoyment comes from the tasks themselves and how much fun I think I would have doing them, plus the gorgeous (georgeous? LOL) scenery.  For me this was an outstanding episode.

 

Can you imagine how exhausted the racers must have been?  All the running around and tasks from last week (the bridge, flying over the gorge, croquette or painting) plus this week's stuff, all in one day?  That was one very long day.  No wonder everyone was having brain farts.

[TheOriginalDonald]

Well THIS is definitely the episode they should submit to the Emmy board this year! It was the most fun I've had on the Race for a while. It had everything: scary stunts, wild animals, gorgeous scenery, not 2 or 3 but 4 different tasks for the teams, and 3 separate teams making big dumb mistakes. Plus the added comedy of watching Team Texas being smoked at the canoes by the green team. Although I was bummed that the lovable Track Stars were eliminated instead of the bickering Paps, simply because I hate watching bickering.

 

They get new money at the beginning of each leg. Usually.

They got $65 for the leg IIRC 

What a gorgeous episode! *waits for the groans to die down* From the beautiful scenery to the thrilling wildlife and tasks, this was a fantastic episode as far as its cinematography was concerned.

 

Unfortunately, it failed flat for race design with all the wait in line tasks. Sure, there could have been some changes if teams were closer and more competent with the canoes, but there wasn't. And while there were actual position changes on the fruit baskets, I'm really surprised there were. Having teams creep onto the mat at a snail's pace does not make for exciting viewing. And sure, there were position changes due to bad directions/cabs and stupid racer error, but that's not quite the same as when teams do well based on their own strengths.

 

One other thing that annoyed me about this episode is the way the TBC aspect of the leg design made the completion of the majority of the racers on the previous leg an incredibly quick summary in this episode.

 

While I don't like seeing all the camera time devoted to the DoucheBros/Justin fight, I do get a kick out of how much Justin frustrates them. Their seemed to be a little less camera time devote to it this week, but that may have just been due to the nature of the race. However, any goodwill Justin builds up in me through the episode, he somehow manages to lose. This week, it was the horrid "second place is just first loser" comment. I'm sorry, but I think real TAR super fans would enjoy the experience a lot more.I also don't think he commented on the swing line task at the gorge being TAR's first task.

 

Team paparazzi has annoyed me in the past with their bickering, so you can imagine how ready I was for them to be eliminated in this episode. (Let's not forget that incredibly lame donation by Mr. paparazzi.) But no, the track stars had to go and get themselves eliminated for not reading the clue. Dammit! And I was thinking about half way through the episode they might be my new team to hope for. Guess it's back to square one again next week.

 

I'm also tired of the cheerleaders and their waterworks. I want them gone soon. Can't believe they wasted their U-Turn. I realize they couldn't be certain they were at the back, but where else have they been? It took stupid moves by other racers for them to not be nearly last again.

 

Congrats to Mom and gay son on winning the leg, though I'm really beginning to question the quality of the vacation destinations. I think I'd go for the cash equivalent if that was possible. And DoucheBro's, *that* is how you use an Express Pass correctly. Even their self-depreciation on the subject didn't change my schadenfreude.

They can also NOT accept the trip and the taxes that come with it

While I'm thinking of Logan & Chris . . . am I wrong for not hating Chris's stinginess at the charity box? You'll never know when you would need the money down the road. The set-up reminded me of the "charity shaming" in the latest episode of South Park. With that said . . . they can't get eliminated fast enough.

 

Anybody else notice the disappointed look on Phil's face when the Track Stars missed the lion task? You can just imagine him taking a deep breath, readying himself for the "you guys screwed up" speech.

I remember a few seasons ago when before teams checked in they HAD to give all the money they had on them into the box.

Margie & Luke behaved as if they won by superhuman effort. 

 

Yeah, it was good to see James Luke not drop those glasses in Malaysia. #OhWait........

[Primetimer]

In Zimbabwe, Amazing Racers scream their way through adrenaline-filled tasks and get up close and personal with the local wildlife.

Read the story

[jzygayle]

Bryce Smith said: 

 

 

I don't think that would've mattered.  Even without Jazmine & Danielle fucking up left and right, Logan & Chris still would've made it.  As we say, the overtook Cindy & Rick at the fruit balancing and likely would've regardless of what'd happened with Jazmine & Danielle.  We'd have just lost Cindy & Rick instead.

I'm going off the presumption that Chris wouldn't have gotten the fresh dose of exhilaration, realizing he was NOT in last place-- Any thing/person that gives Christ fresh hope is dead to me. :)  But you're right, as it stood it might have been Cindy and Rick instead.

[Twopper]

They can also NOT accept the trip and the taxes that come with it

Bratislava is probably an okay destination as it is very close to Vienna. My daughter's parents-in-law live in Vienna and when they go to see them they usually fly to Bratislava and take the train or bus over to Vienna. The cheapo airline Ryanair flies to Bratislava.

Back to commenting on the race--I am glad Denise and James Earl won a segment even if they had the pass. As I mentioned I know someone who knows them so this is the closest I have ever felt toward a team.

I don't understand not reading and maybe re-reading the instructions. The few seconds you save by not reading carefully clearly can make a huge difference in how you perform.

I found the lions fascinating; after one roared a little my very small housecat looked up as if to say "this house would be run a lot differently if I were that size, human."

The zip line would terrify me as would canoeing in that river and feeding the crocs; I would do okay with the lions, I think, and the basket on the head. We used to practice with books on our heads when we were teens, and I always did really well at it.

[cooksdelight]

My dog Scooby-Doo's reaction to seeing the lions.

 

 

http://vid1365.photobucket.com/albums/r747/cooksdelight5/IMG_3477_zpsnwxko2wa.mp4

[Knuckles]

I love TAR, and even with these teams, I am enjoying it. I am guessing that with things as they are, the show will skip most of north Africa, and the middle east, and I pray they are heading for India instead of Europe. India has always  managed to fracture the teams in astonishing ways, and I cannot wait to see Chris and Logan try to navigate their way there. Makes up for them not being eliminated. Maybe they can hold on until we see the final megabitchfest and then the meltdown. A girl can hope.

Anyone else remember the temple in India devoted to rats...and overrun with them? I am hoping for fun times ahead.

[MyAimIsTrue]

"Swing you fat bastard!" Ah, memories.

 

Kevin and Drew, still my favorite TAR team ever.  I had memories of them throughout this episode and during the lion walk thought to myself "I was like Baryshnikov in there!"

[Merneith]

More importantly, the guy actually said "big donation!" as he put the measly $20 in the box (out of their remaining $155 left). Man. No words. That being said, Phil sure did charity-shame him.

 

I could not believe that jerk. He deserved every penny of shame that comes his way. Also - recall that Justin said he had $75 left to give the oprhans. The Paps must have been misering it up all along.

 

 

In 27 seasons since the fat bastard swung, I have never seen any challenge so terror-inducing as the gorge-swing. And it is every bit as terrifying as I remember.

 

That looked way scarier than any bungy jumping scene they've done. How close do the jumpers get to the bottom?

 

 

I felt sad that the lions....proud, majestic animals were basically running from a man with a stick

 

How is walking with humans going to re-acclimate them to the wild?  Or learning to be afraid of human sticks?  I'm asking because I don't understand how that process makes them more adept in the wild.  I would have thought they would simply release the lions for a certain amount of time into the wild on their own to get them to re-learn certain skills

 

The lions have been hand raised. The point of the walks to introduce them to their future territory. You can't take a hand raised animals and just pop it out into the wild. The cubs (and these lions looked like yearlings) would be lost and frightened. Once they're comfortable in their new environment, they can start working on their next lesson: spotting prey.

 

As for the sticks ... two things

 

1. Despite being hand raised, if they're going to be released, then it really is in their best interest to develop a healthy fear of humans. Wild lions that are comfortable around humans are the easiest prey for poachers. (RIP Cecil). These lions need to stop thinking of humans as their family members. It's harsh, but it's necessary.

 

2. Keep in mind that animals themselves are not very gentle with each other. If this was a wild lion family out for a strolls, the adults would have no hesitation swatting or nipping at the youngsters if they start acting out. That one youngster was being aggressive toward the human. He needed a smack down. His mom would have swatted him for it, too, and never blinked an eye about it.

 

3. Ok, third thing - corollary to number one, however entertaining it would have been for us, you also have to impress on these youngsters that humans are not prey. Poachers are a problem. Man-eating lions are also a problem. (It's rare, but yeah, it happens). It's in their best interest to learn now, while they're young, that humans are off limits. If some tourist gets his face scratched off by these lions, that lion willl be killed and the whole program could be jeopardized.

Edited October 24, 2015 by Merneith

[Corgi-ears]

Will the cheerleaders ever stop screaming? I guess they did during the lion walk, when I was most hoping they would scream, right before becoming lunch.

 

And I don't believe for one minute Logan and Chris are a real couple. 

 

 

 

Right? Especially since, as has been mentioned on this thread, Chris seems like he might be more inclined to date male Logans. I'M JUST SAYING HOW IT COMES ACROSS TO ME.

[Gummo]

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I enjoyed the hell out of this episode.  The scenery and photography were consistently gorgeous, the tasks were fun, and despite the take-a-number-and-wait nature of the tasks, the order of the teams kept changing in surprising ways. 

 

I'm also in the minority in that I LIKE Justin and Diana.  Yes, he's loud and a bit crude, but he's pretty smart and obviously living out the dream of a lifetime.  So he's competitive and wants to win all the time -- what's wrong with that!  I love racers who love the race.

 

It's pretty obvious that the producers feel the same way about Chris & Logan as we do.  Rarely have I seen such a nasty edit this early in the season.  And it's completely deserved -- what horrible people.  And it's a good thing Chris's job is just to follow other people around and annoy them -- if he had to actually make a decision about which way to go, he'd melt down like a four year old whose ice cream cone had fallen on the pavement. And Logan has raised "I told you so" to an art form.

 

What else ... the slow-motion race to the pit stop was hysterical.  The crocs were terrifying -- I'm sorry, cage or no cage, feeding a 12-foot long dinosaur with jaws like a steel trap would scare the crap out of me.  Team Texas still bugs, but a little less.  And I want to like the cheerleaders, but man, are they annoying.

[kdm07]

How is walking with humans going to re-acclimate them to the wild?  Or learning to be afraid of human sticks?  I'm asking because I don't understand how that process makes them more adept in the wild.  I would have thought they would simply release the lions for a certain amount of time into the wild on their own to get them to re-learn certain skills

 

Well, many people have answered you before I could so hopefully you got the info you were looking for.

[xcrayon2215x]

Surprised to see a team win that wasn't Justin/Diana or the Texans. I didn't like all the wait in line tasks but the wildlife made up for it. Not a fan of either Chris or Logan but Chris is a bit worse.

[Jobiska]

I for one am glad that Chris tried to donate only $20 though he had more, because it contradicts the fair number of posts last week that said with certainty that the teams were required to hand everything over!  I couldn't figure out where people were getting that information!  Now it's clear they were not required to, but Phil strongly hints that they do so, heh.

I like how one of the cheerleaders said something kind to the women that were carrying fruit alongside the racers.

Interesting that Alabama had to change out of their bright pinks, but that the screaming yellow-green of the cheerleaders' outfits was not deemed "too bright" for the lions.  I assume it's only certain hues then.  

I'm liking the Chacs now that Rick has toned down his obsessive bossiness that threatened to develop, and seems to be more into enjoying the experience.  I'm glad they weren't eliminated.  

 

[RCharter]

I'm liking the Chacs now that Rick has toned down his obsessive bossiness that threatened to develop, and seems to be more into enjoying the experience.  I'm glad they weren't eliminated.  

 

I liked that they didn't have a huge freak out like Paps when the realized they messed up the Gorge task by taking the taxi.  Most people are going to mess up or face adversity at some point on the race, I like to see people who handle that adversity well and I think they both did.  It must be hard for what appear to be two overachieving type A personalities to have messed up so big, but they seemed to mostly take it in stride, supported each other and didn't start blaming each other like Logan and Chris.  Or maybe they just became instantly more likable because they were next to Chris and Logan.  

Edited October 24, 2015 by RCharter

[J-Man]

I think the cheerleaders were the ones that were quoting "The Wizard of Oz" with "lions and tigers and bears-- oh my!" I hope they realize that they're only going to find one of those animals in the wild in Africa.

[SomeTameGazelle]

The worst part is that we are stuck with Logan and Chris. Both of them suck. I have no idea why they are together, they really seem to resent and dislike each other. The man bothers me more. He is extremely prissy ("my pants are so tight, why are my pants so tight and yours so loose, maybe you have my pants") and above all I can't stand his voice.

 

 

I'm pretty sure that was James Earl who thought he might have Denise's pants. If Chris made a similar comment I don't recall it.

 

Logan and Chris seemed doomed most of the leg but came in... sixth? Ugh, they are miserable to watch. His reference to having made a big mistake at home and seeing how she demeans his decision making and he just seems so resigned to taking it is unpleasant. He fights back, but it seems more like habit than spirit. I don't know. I feel like we have a bigger reveal coming on this. The "big mistake" thing seemed like a bolder statement than "she wears the pants in the family".

 

The problem with the Chris/Logan dynamic seems to me to be that he is incapable of making (or at least not second-guessing) decisions but for some reason he is still the authorized decision-maker. Why shouldn't she wear the pants if they fit her better?

[Lingo]

 

Can you imagine how exhausted the racers must have been?  All the running around and tasks from last week (the bridge, flying over the gorge, croquette or painting) plus this week's stuff, all in one day?  That was one very long day.  No wonder everyone was having brain farts.

 

They actually only did last week's Detour on the same day as this leg. But yes, it was a lot of stuff packed into a single day. It's unusual for the Race to pack not just one, but two additional tasks at the end of a leg after the Detour and Roadblock.

[blackwing]

James Earl and Denise were very thankful when they learned they got the express pass, and I think they did thank the Texans when they saw them.  However, their comments at the pit stop really bugged me.  They acted like finishing first was this amazing effort on their parts and they were so proud of themselves.  "Justin and Diana and Texans have been finishing first the whole time, well now, we have a win as well."  And Denise going on and on excitedly, well when we got the Express Pass it just really motivated us!  Ugh.

 

They wouldn't have been first had it not been for the express pass.  It's not like they won it on their own.  They only had it because Texans were forced to give it to somebody, and what they don't seem to understand is that they were chosen because they are weak.  They at least could have said something in their comments to Phil about how they owed a lot to the Texans because it allowed them to finish first.

 

I'm pretty sure that was James Earl who thought he might have Denise's pants. If Chris made a similar comment I don't recall it.

The quote I am referring to, I am positive it was Chris.  He has a very distinctive voice.  It was in Argentina after they had to change for the polo tasks.  The comment was after they finished a task and were running to the next thing.  I think they even featured his comment at the end of the "previouslies" in the next episode.

[Atlanta1980]

Black wing

Check out this YouTube video they posted.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EKB6l8aq7ds&feature=youtu.be

Looks to me like they were very aware of the situation. Using the express pass well doesn't mean they are weak racers otherwise.

[Pickles]

I also remember it being Chris talking about his tight pants. I was really hoping he and Logan would be out this episode. They are so unpleasant to watch.

[Rick Kitchen]

 

Chris pings off the charts to me. He is gay, gay, GAY. You will not convince me otherwise.

 

Oh, good, I'm not the only one who thought that.

[TheFinalRose]

Well THIS is definitely the episode they should submit to the Emmy board this year! It was the most fun I've had on the Race for a while. It had everything: scary stunts, wild animals, gorgeous scenery, not 2 or 3 but 4 different tasks for the teams, and 3 separate teams making big dumb mistakes. Plus the added comedy of watching Team Texas being smoked at the canoes by the green team. Although I was bummed that the lovable Track Stars were eliminated instead of the bickering Paps, simply because I hate watching bickering.

 

 

Hi guys! I don't usually post on the AR forum, although I've seen almost every season, but I have to add that I loved this episode and also thought it Emmy worthy. It had everything I love about this show--the gorge jump would've terrified me, and the walking with the lions thing seemed really scary to me too, two tasks that epitomize why I would never, ever sign up for this show.  Now I know they are obnoxious, but the Paparazzi meltdowns are classic! I don't watch to see every team cooperate through thick and thin, I watch for the intermittent crazy insane meltdowns and Logan and Chris are professionals at it.  Next to meltdowns I always enjoy some basic lack of clue reading, and the track stars mess up was so sloppy of them, but typical frazzed behavior. Then I loved the fruit basket walk to the mat .... the stress! the frustration! Something that an alpha male couldn't necessarily power through. I have seen enough teams bust their guts running to the mat but the slow walk was a hoot.  IMO, it was a great episode.

[Electruck]

I loved the balance task to get to the Pit Stop, but would had loved it more had they had to restart if anything dropped.

I also loved the lions' giant paws.

[TV Anonymous]

Not one of the best nor the most enjoyable episodes.

 

First, bad task design. Most of the tasks are the one that racers get to the place, wait their turn, and just go along with the challenge. The only ones with competition are the canoe and the fruit bowl, even though they are not much of competition.

 

I guess the theme of this episode is "Dumb and Dumberer". The doctors, the paparazzi and the track athletes made stupid, stupid mistakes that could have costed them the game. Well, one of them were. There is simply no excuse for missing the skull part. Otherwise, what do they do out there? Enjoying the walk?

 

Too bad none of the teams are for Minnesota. Otherwise, maybe they could have, "This Lion Encounter is brought to you by River Bluff Dental Clinic of Bloomington, MN."

[Netfoot]

That leads me to consider.  One of the racers is a dentist, no?  So if they'd been eaten by one of the lions, would that be Even Stevens?

[InDueTime]

That leads me to consider.  One of the racers is a dentist, no?  So if they'd been eaten by one of the lions, would that be Even Stevens?

That's a good question.

[still hoping]

Great scenery and animals...wow....that gorge was beyond scary much worse than any bungee jump

 

I will say I found the croc repetitive, get in cage, jaws snap..wait in line to get in cage etc

No real skill or luck there?

 

Missing the clue was just ....unreal...no way to come back from that even being athletes as they had to wait and wait to re-do the lion walk

 

re the lions - I think some ? cats can see hot pink , or some shades like that...they may be color blind green/blue but I think they can see hot pink (just a thought)

 

I have to agree the vacations this season would not be MY top choices....I can think of many places in Europe I would prefer to visit  JMO

[cooksdelight]

Alabama had to change out of their bright pinks, but that the screaming yellow-green of the cheerleaders' outfits was not deemed "too bright" for the lions. I assume it's only certain hues then

Assuming that big cats are like mine... my two see reds and pinks much better than other colored birds. The cardinals here are of keen importance to my two little stalkers. Blue Jays and other grayish birds don't get nearly as much attention. I think greens are not seen as a color like reds or pinks are.

[macaddict]

I found the Lion Encounter part of the episode to be very disturbing.

Lion walk operators buy cubs from breeders and then let tourists cuddle the young cubs and walk with the older cubs. When they get too old to be safely handled, the lions are sold to captive hunting operations.

These operations have never successfully returned a lion to the wild, which is not surprising since lions live in highly socialized family units and introducing individuals who have been raised by humans since they were three days old is not a formula for success. In the face of mounting criticism, Lion Encounter is suspending the walks at its Zambia location in November. 

[Jodithgrace]

Wow! Reading the links in that article was very disturbing. I'm sure that the producers of The Amazing Race had no idea, aside from the party line given by the Lion Encounters organization. 

 

And here I was just coming on to write about how jealous I was of that activity. I've been on Safari in Kenya and encountered my lions from the safety of a jeep. But to actually walk with them would have been incredible. But alas, if something seems to good to be true, it probably isn't and like some of the posters above, I also questioned the usefulness of getting lions too accustomed to humans. They probably are perfect targets! Like shooting cows in a field!

 

Well, at least action is being taken.

 

That said, the activities in the episode were incredible. That gorge jumping..I had to laugh as the instructors basically pushed the racers off that cliff. "Three, two, one..off you go!" At almost 65, I probably wouldn't have been up for that one, but TAR is great about giving people once in a lifetime adventures.

 

I would have loved that canoeing task also. I assume that the racers were nowhere near those shots of the crocs and hippos. They do that on Survivor, also..show lots of snakes and deadly creatures, intercut with shots of camp life, so it looks like the Survivors are surrounded by deadly critters, but I'm sure that neither Survivor nor TAR are interested in losing contestants to deadly animal attacks, so all precautions are taken.

Edited October 25, 2015 by Jodithgrace

[Mumbles]

What a bunch. I began the episode thinking that perhaps I had been snooty about Green team, that maybe he was just a dorky superfan whose only fault was playing it too hard, and then the remark about second place being first place losers, and it was all over.

That said, I really can't stand team Texas. The remark about "screaming like a girl" at the free fall, and then the ugly-American "I've never felt more ridiculous in my life" remark during the fruit-bowl walk - feh. I loved when they made fools of themselves in the rowing challenge.

Gee, who would have guessed that two people whose career consists of stalking people and taking pictures of them without their permission would be jerks?

And those cheerleaders - u-turning a team while you're in last place "because we promised the other teams that we would" - idiots. (To quote Basil Fawlty, "This is exactly how Nazi Germany started.")

Thanks for the info on the Lion Encounter issues. What a shame.

[justawatcher]

Justin really doesn't annoy me after I learned he was a radio DJ. Now I just picture Howard Stern on the race with his wife, thoroughly enjoying the experience. Yes, he's still going to be obnoxious, but that's part of radio, and he can't "turn it off' because he's either hard wired that way to begin with or that's what his listeners expect. Howard Stern is reported to be very mellow in real life, until he is interacting with a fan or a public appearance, and then the persona comes back out. I'm going to assume Justin is the same way.

[TV Anonymous]

Well, at least action is being taken.

 

Out of topic: too bad that no action is taken on the other side of the equation. Case in point, what action has been taken toward Dr. Walter Palmer?

[gryphon]

 

"Swing you fat bastard!" Ah, memories.

Kevin and Drew, still my favorite TAR team ever.  I had memories of them throughout this episode and during the lion walk thought to myself "I was like Baryshnikov in there!"

I actually teared up at their footage.  The giraffes reminded me of, "Here's a lion for you, chief." 

 

Shame  about the Lion Encounters stuff....those animals are beautiful. What a treat to be so near them!