S27.E09: It's Always The Quiet Ones

[Marvin]

I think this must be one of the most boring series of TAR. 

 

Very few of the tasks are those that cause a team to really stumble which helps mix up the pack a bit. I think it may have been done this way to enable superfan Justin to dominate - although i don't think he is as much a superfan as he makes out because if he was he would surely come across more gratefull for being on the show and enjoying the experience. Instead he just seems more concerned about becoming number 1 each leg. 

 

I have no problem with regular leg winners but Justin's attitude is so off putting, it really grates on me. As such i am just getting bored with the series. 

[leighdear]

 Instead he just seems more concerned about becoming number 1 each leg. 

And mugging for the camera.  You can tell that he is absolutely aware of where the camera is every second, and makes the most of every opportunity to look at it and engage with it.  Plus he makes sure that doormat Diana get to speak as little as possible.  Idiot. 

[Alapaki]

I've gone back and forth on the wisdom of Speed Bumps (and the various other "penalties" that follow NELs).  

 

My understanding (from reading it somewhere) was that Speed Bumps are usually calculated to consume about 25 minutes (give or take), including travel-time and time to complete the task.  I don't think we know how long the laundry task took.  The way the Racers were talking, it sounded like it was long.  But it may just have been that it was physically brutal given the heat, the physical exertion and the task.

 

If the goal is to not finish last (which is what it should be in every leg but the final one), then the best use of the U-Turn is to use it on the Team that it has the best odds of making finish last (and thus ensuring that you are not the eliminated Team).  There are other possible uses, I suppose, such as getting in a Team's head, retribution for a prior offense, or the hope that it will knock a leading or middle-of-the-pack Team down to last.  But those uses are, IMO, short-sighted.

 

Ultimately I guess my complaint with the U-Turn is the placement at the very end of the leg.  While I suppose that increases the chances that it can push a Team who is running second- or third-to-last into last place, the trade-off is that if/when it is used on the last-place Team it absolutely ensures their elimination because it gives them no chance to make up that time.

And mugging for the camera.  You can tell that he is absolutely aware of where the camera is every second, and makes the most of every opportunity to look at it and engage with it.  Plus he makes sure that doormat Diana get to speak as little as possible.  Idiot.

 

 

After he got the Paps and the Cheerleaders arguing with each other at the Train Station he looked directly at the camera with a shit-eating smirk.  That made me want to shove that asshole-hat right up that asshat's ass.

[biakbiak]

Which leads me to wonder if the cheerleaders would have u-turned Mom & Son if they hadn't wasted their u-turn on Justin and Diana last time.

That would have been another wasted uturn because James Earl and Denise left the candy challenge and got to the uturn board before the cheerleaders. The only reason that the cheerleaders got to the pit stop before them was because of the bad info James Earl and Denise got. The cheerleaders and Texans were the last two teams so there would have been no reason to use it.

Justin's cackle annoys the he'll out of me.

Edited November 21, 2015 by biakbiak

[Knuckles]

Thanks for reminding me when Romber was on TAR...I hated them both and gave up watching, but was tickled when they lost. Forget the greens, I mute their time on screen, I am watching the other teams and the scenery. The camera work is great on this show. I do wonder what producer thought that Logan and Chris would make good TV...did they interview these two?? It's like having the neighbors from hell on TV.

[biakbiak]

In addition, Tiffany & Krista couldn't use the U-Turn, anyway, since they'd already blown theirs on Justin & Diana, and you can only use it once.

I

Right the original poster wondered if they would have used it if they hadn't already wasted it.

Edited November 21, 2015 by biakbiak

[Pattycake2]

I'm not minding the greens anymore.  They are running a great race.   Yeah, that christian/catholic thing pissed me off big time.  It seems like during the last ten years or so, evangelical christians have co-opted the term christian.  I wonder what that makes everyone else who belongs to a catholic or protestant church?

[TheOriginalDonald]

I think this must be one of the most boring series of TAR. 

 

Very few of the tasks are those that cause a team to really stumble which helps mix up the pack a bit. I think it may have been done this way to enable superfan Justin to dominate - although i don't think he is as much a superfan as he makes out because if he was he would surely come across more gratefull for being on the show and enjoying the experience. Instead he just seems more concerned about becoming number 1 each leg. 

 

I have no problem with regular leg winners but Justin's attitude is so off putting, it really grates on me. As such i am just getting bored with the series. 

You're not the only one. Given all the flak NEXT season is getting I surmise TAR may not be long for this world

Edited November 21, 2015 by TheOriginalDonald

[needschocolate]

That would have been another wasted uturn because James Earl and Denise left the candy challenge and got to the uturn board before the cheerleaders. The only reason that the cheerleaders got to the pit stop before them was because of the bad info James Earl and Denise got. The cheerleaders and Texans were the last two teams so there would have been no reason to use it.

 

Oh yeah, now I remember.  Thanks for setting me straight.  

[TheOriginalDonald]

In season 2 of The Amazing Race Canada, we had a team that won 7 of the 11 legs and then lost in the final leg to a team that had never won a leg previously. Unlike Justin and Diana, they were not annoying at all.

So I've seen dominant teams lose in the end. I have faith that Justin and all his arrogance will receive his comeuppance.

I see the Patriots losing first

[RCharter]

Seriously, I was impressed.  Turning it back on the paps so they were actually apologizing.  The girls are good. 

 

Who was the redheaded guy in the plaid shirt that got Justin & Diana directions when their Tuk-Tuk was lost?  Was that one of the camera crew?  Are they allowed to do that?  He definitely didn't look like a helpful local.  

 

Sadly for me, this is about as gut wrenching as the Dave & Connor season.  But I think I hated Dave a tiny bit less than I hate Justin. But not by much.  

It was a ballsy move to go to the Paps and take them on, but it was worth it because it really made them look like they were telling the truth and that the Paps were liars.  Logan's face was priceless.  It could have so easily backfired on Krista too.

[ProfCrash]

I don't mind a team dominating the race when I like them but Justin is just so smary. The smirks, the head nods, the authoritative know it allness. He just bugs. I kind of get, he is a huge fanof the show and loves being on it. His team is pretty good at a variety of tasks and with directions. Toss in that he is awful when he is not in first and you just have a teamthatis notfun for me to watch.

I am glad Texas is gone. They were so sure they would dominate. They mellowed a lot and seem like nice guys but were not all that interesting. I don't care that they let the cheerleaders go ahead last week. You run the race how ever you are comfortable and they were expecting a foot race, which they would have won.

I like a road block redo as a speed bump. It is more challenging then the old speed bump but the second person doing the task should have a better idea about how to complete it quickly.

Still don't like the paps. Love the Cheerleaders and I am fine with the reporters. I am fine with Alabama. Mom did a great job on that task and didn't complain that much.

[Lantern7]

I didn't notice Phil's moobs. I don't care if he had thirds at the Amazing Buffet. Better moobs than Probst's Botox.

 

I also feel Tanner & Josh would be shoo-ins for another season.

 

ETA: About the cheerleaders . . .  while some luster has been scrubbed off, I feel that they're still worth pulling for. It would be nice for a Staten Islander (in this case, Krista) to win on a season that wouldn't be universally dismissed . . . like Danielle in TAR11.

[Shelby]

I'd love to go.

Trouble is, I'd want to sample all the food I see cooking at the side of the street. And you know what would happen then, right?

Gosh, go to YouTube and look up Indian Street Food sometime.

As a poster.Above mentioned, everything veg is safe and delicious. My favorites are dosai w/ sambar and coconut chutney, vada, iddly, poori and potato masala. Indian street food is the most delicious thing there is!

Just be careful of drinks with ice. Depending on the location, sometimes the ice can come from a nearby morgue.

Those who adhere to Ayurveda will never have ice, anyway.

[fishcakes]

It was a ballsy move to go to the Paps and take them on, but it was worth it because it really made them look like they were telling the truth and that the Paps were liars.  Logan's face was priceless.  It could have so easily backfired on Krista too.

 

I agree. The Paps came across as really weaselly and cowardly during that whole thing. I don't see anything wrong with them telling Green that the Cheerleaders had u-turned them, especially if they thought they might be a target and wanted to redirect it to someone else, but they should have been straightforward about it. Logan's faux-innocent, "now, is it true that the Cheerleaders can't use the u-turn because they already used it on you guys last time? [blink blink blink]" as if she were simply looking for a rule clarification and not ratting out another team was bad enough, but then Chris made it worse by responding to Krista coming back and questioning them with a "what, huh? I didn't say that," which is technically true but he knew damn well Logan said it and he was splitting hairs. Just own it. Tell Green straight out that the Cheerleaders u-turned them, and when the Cheerleaders ask why, say it's because it's the truth. At worst, Green is going to think maybe the Paps are lying, but when they punk out like that they definitely look like the liars.

 

I like Phil but I have never understood his clothing choices.

[Grandma Saracen]

Josh & Tanner had the perfect 'Texas Forever' opportunity & they didn't use it :( 

 

It bugged me when Diana thanked the guy at the end of the Detour, while Justin just used grabby hands to get the clue and shrieked with delight. I don't begrudge them their game playing, but I'm not enjoying it, either.

 

James Earl and Denise really stuck with it - while they aren't favorites, I'm glad to see them still there, and appreciative/communicating.

 

Kelsey/Joey had more screen time; I have no qualms with the religious statement, I agree that it was included to highlight the appreciation she was showing, and I thought Joey was appropriately sheepish when talking about his laundry. 

 

Also, MONKEYS! The editors used the footage brilliantly.

[Netfoot]

As a poster.Above mentioned, everything veg is safe and delicious. My favorites are dosai w/ sambar and coconut chutney, vada, iddly, poori and potato masala. Indian street food is the most delicious thing there is!

 

Indian food is the best I know.  Which is why I'd want to sample all of it.  I'm not sticking to vegetables.  I want it all!

 

Also, MONKEYS! The editors used the footage brilliantly.

 

I regret to say that there was a dead monkey in the road today, which I saw when I went up to our club.  You don't see that very often (thank goodness) but it always upsets and annoys me when I see it.  Argh!  Grrr!

[shura]

Maybe the guy has some bizarre disorder in which his hair grows at an incredibly rapid pace?  Without constant shaving he would look like a wookie.  

 

Ooh, I like that. Then the choice of the greeter was genius. Because what is more remarkable than a real-life wookie? The wookie's barber! Which, btw, I'm claiming as a band name.

 

I didn't notice Phil's moobs. I don't care if he had thirds at the Amazing Buffet. Better moobs than Probst's Botox.

 

Yeah, you only say that because you didn't notice them. They were pretty distracting, and not in a good way.

[Archery]

I have no problem with the Speed Bump, as there should a penalty for coming in last if you're not going to be eliminated, or the U-Turn as a strategic save-yourself option. I just don't think they should be in the same leg.

[jumper sage]

If they had been able to Uturn Green, I think James Earl and Diane would have been out.

I agree with this.  Unless the editors were using creative license, they would have been out.

 

I have no problem with the Speed Bump, as there should a penalty for coming in last if you're not going to be eliminated, or the U-Turn as a strategic save-yourself option. I just don't think they should be in the same leg.

Totally agree!

 

I am glad Texas is gone. They were so sure they would dominate. They mellowed a lot and seem like nice guys but were not all that interesting

I noticed a change in them when the green team did not u-turn them.  I think they respected that and changed their own race accordingly but the damage had already been done.  Using your energy to "hate on" another team must be exhausting.  Their energy seemed to lessen after that.

 

Question for all you race following die-hards:  Has any team that utilized the u-turn, or any other race device, ever won?

Edited November 22, 2015 by jumper sage

[dgpolo]

I agree with this.  Unless the editors were using creative license, they would have been out.

 

Totally agree!

 

Question for all you race following die-hards:  Has any team that utilized the u-turn, or any other race device, ever won?

Just off the top of my head, Chip and Kim the ones that famously Yielded Colin and Christie (just before the Ox incident), won their race.

[jumper sage]

Just off the top of my head, Chip and Kim the ones that famously Yielded Colin and Christie (just before the Ox incident), won their race.

Thanks!  I wonder what the percentage of u-turners actually won the race.  What percentage jinxed themselves out of the race.  wink, wink

[dgpolo]

Thanks!  I wonder what the percentage of u-turners actually won the race.  What percentage jinxed themselves out of the race.  wink, wink

You could check here:

http://amazingrace.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

They probably have that info in there somewhere.

[Netfoot]

...there should a penalty for coming in last if you're not going to be eliminated...

 

That is a personal opinion, and one with which I completely disagree.  

[Sayla Vee]

Question for all you race following die-hards:  Has any team that utilized the u-turn, or any other race device, ever won?

 

Nat and Kat used the second in a Double U-Turn to help save Brooke and Claire, who had been the first team U-turned.

[Archery]

That is a personal opinion, and one with which I completely disagree.

Obviously it's my opinion, and you are free to have your own and disagree with mine.

[BarneySays]

I just don't think I can handle any more of the green team.  I find them ugly from the core to the epidermis.  And I really hated the editing this episode, trying to create drama, when it was apparent there would be no payoff.  I don't think I have ever hated a team this much, most likely because they are only mildly competent and the rest of the teams are as dumb as a bag of rocks.  AT least withthe smug mormons there were other teams to divert attention away from them.  No such luck this season.

[Shadow Wave]

I've gone back and forth on the wisdom of Speed Bumps (and the various other "penalties" that follow NELs).  

 

My understanding (from reading it somewhere) was that Speed Bumps are usually calculated to consume about 25 minutes (give or take), including travel-time and time to complete the task.  I don't think we know how long the laundry task took.  The way the Racers were talking, it sounded like it was long.  But it may just have been that it was physically brutal given the heat, the physical exertion and the task.

Tanner said on Twitter that it took Josh an hour and a half to finish the Speed Bump.

 

Apart from the show being inconsistent about the penalty over the years, the thing that bugs me about this Speed Bump is that it should be an obstruction to the last place team, not a kill shot. 25 minutes seems more reasonable.

[mittsigirl]

Is it just me, or does it look like Phil has moobs (man boobs)?

That was the first thing I noticed, and they are bigger/puffier than last year! Get yourself a binder Phil!

[Muffyn]

Justin looked like he had moobs at the pitstop.  I was starting to think there is something in the water that is causing immediate breast growth in the racers and Phil.  

[Delwyn]

Poor Phil, being body shamed on the internet because of clingy fabric. He has had some legendarily weird fitting pants and tops (remember some of those sweaters?) over the years, but I doubt his pecs are anything to be ashamed of. Gordon Ramsay sometimes has the same wardrobe issues and since he is excessively fond of showing his muscles on camera, I feel "moob" is maybe a misnomer under the circumstances. Then again, it's been a few years since Phil took his shirt off for me. ;)

Regarding the whole situation about the cheerleaders lying about the u-turn situation, I have a feeling the editors were leading us down a certain path to create drama. I don't think Justin's naive enough that he didn't cover all his bases and find out exactly who u-turned whom and what variables were still in play for this leg. It's not that I think he's superior to the other teams (or even likeable at this point), but I don't seem him leaving that to chance and was instead letting the other teams feed into their own mess.

I ended up being bummed to see Texas go, considering I didn't like them at all in the beginning. They ran that leg with grace and humility. James Earl and Denise seemed to benefit immensely from The Reporters being willing to pull the trigger on a team they would rather not face in the finals. If a team that you feel is physically stronger than you is lagging, it makes sense to finish them off and deal with other teams another day. It's hard to tell as a viewer what the racer's perceptions of the actual situation is. Fear of the strong alpha male team is probably pretty motivating to pile on damage, speed bump or not.

ETA: if the editing is to be believed, Josh & Tanner's fate possibly hinged solely on the ability of Green Team's taxi driver to get directions to that roundabout first. Joey and Kelsey left ahead of them and certainly would have u-turned given the opportunity? Which would have changed the mat order to Reporters, Green, Paparazzi, Cheerleaders, Texas (they caught up to the Cheerleaders at Candy and Denise and James Earl were way off site), then an elimination for D&JE, all from some taxi luck.

But maybe the guys would have been penalized for all those unusable pumpkin seed cores if they weren't going to get cut anyway? Depends on the clue, I guess.

Edited November 22, 2015 by Delwyn

[henripootel]

Ultimately I guess my complaint with the U-Turn is the placement at the very end of the leg.

That's part of it, but I guess my real problem is that it's basically Christmas for assholes.  Other things require thought or luck, giving teams a chance to shine through hard work or skill.  Not this one.

 

Take Fast Forwards.  They're a risk (for you) but the benefit could be substantial (for you), but that's an interesting trade-off, and I don't even mind that teams out front get first crack at them.  Same with Detours and Roadblocks - choosing judiciously can help or hurt only yourself, and any interaction with other teams is not necessary (making cooperation between teams of questionable value). 

 

U-Turns are nothing but profit for teams who are already ahead, and nothing but cost for the teams already burdened.  I know they're perfectly legit game play but I'd be lying if I said I've ever felt great seeing a team U-turn anyone.  Plus it's pretty much risk-free since it's usually the kiss of death, so there's little chance of retribution.  The only downside is that viewers may not like you, but casting for people who dwell on that is how we end up with mugging and smirking Team Youtube idiots. 

Edited November 23, 2015 by henripootel

[Richness]

Unfortunately, for the guys, their fatal flaw was using the Express Pass so early in the game.

 

Actually, no it wasn't. They *had* to use it earlier in the race than ever before. As I recall, it had to be used by the 5th leg this season. I took that to mean by the end of the 5th leg, but others seemed to think it meant before the 5th leg began. I think they used it on the 4th leg, and had to immediately give it to another team, who then had to use it on the next leg. All their problems didn't start until the last two legs. Now, I will agree that them using it when they did was stupid. They basically wasted it due to the bunching that occurred in the middle of the leg. Unfortunately, they had no way of knowing that a bunch was coming up. Since I delete the episodes after viewing them, I have no way of going back to verify these details, and it's not important enough for me to research the answer further. But if I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me.

 

Which leads me to wonder if the cheerleaders would have u-turned Mom & Son if they hadn't wasted their u-turn on Justin and Diana last time.  

 

While someone else explained that the mom and son got there before the cheerleaders, that does make for an interesting thought exercise. If the Texans hadn't been so adamant about eliminating Justin at the the beginning of the race, maybe the cheerleaders wouldn't have blindly followed those orders and wasted their U-turn. It would also help if the Texans had saved the U-Turn for the next leg (if that was possible). Because if they had, there's a possibility that that Mom and Son would have been out of the race. Or if they had given it to the cheerleaders instead. Either way, it looks like the Texans might have precipitated their own downfall by having chosen the wrong team to give the Express Pass to.

 

---

 

In other news, someone mentioning monkeys reminded me of something else: Didn't we also see a sleeping dog in the episode as well? Was it missing its right front leg or were my eyes just playing tricks on me?

[Delwyn]

Actually, no it wasn't. They *had* to use it earlier in the race than ever before. As I recall, it had to be used by the 5th leg this season. I took that to mean by the end of the 5th leg, but others seemed to think it meant before the 5th leg began. I think they used it on the 4th leg, and had to immediately give it to another team, who then had to use it on the next leg. All their problems didn't start until the last two legs. Now, I will agree that them using it when they did was stupid. They basically wasted it due to the bunching that occurred in the middle of the leg. Unfortunately, they had no way of knowing that a bunch was coming up. Since I delete the episodes after viewing them, I have no way of going back to verify these details, and it's not important enough for me to research the answer further. But if I'm wrong, please feel free to correct me.

While someone else explained that the mom and son got there before the cheerleaders, that does make for an interesting thought exercise. If the Texans hadn't been so adamant about eliminating Justin at the the beginning of the race, maybe the cheerleaders wouldn't have blindly followed those orders and wasted their U-turn. It would also help if the Texans had saved the U-Turn for the next leg (if that was possible). Because if they had, there's a possibility that that Mom and Son would have been out of the race. Or if they had given it to the cheerleaders instead. Either way, it looks like the Texans might have precipitated their own downfall by having chosen the wrong team to give the Express Pass to.

---

In other news, someone mentioning monkeys reminded me of something else: Didn't we also see a sleeping dog in the episode as well? Was it missing its right front leg or were my eyes just playing tricks on me?

Pretty sure you're correct on the EP rules.

There was a sleeping dog with an amputated front leg at the train station and also a sleeping (?) goat on the wall over Phil's shoulder at the pit stop in some shots. Maybe the cow from the detour told him there would be free pumpkin rinds.

[7-Zark-7]

So Krista, who U Turned the Green Team and later lied to their faces about it, is incensed that another team was deceptive about using the U Turn. The hypocrisy is strong in this one.

 

It made sense for the reporters to use the U Turn on Team Texas, they're an alpha male team that have consistantly outperformed every team but the Green Team so it's to everyone's advantage to take them out while they had a chance. Now there's only one clear team to beat.

Edited November 22, 2015 by 7-Zark-7

[Guest Levi Rinno]

So Krista, who U -Turned the Green Team and later lied to their faces about it, is incensed that another team was deceptive about using the U - Turn. The hypocrisy is strong in this one.

Technically, though, they didn't U-Turn them since it didn't end up counting.

[7-Zark-7]

 

Technically, though, they didn't U-Turn them since it didn't end up counting.

 

I'm not buying into the loophole of incompetence. They, like the Reporters, used the U-turn. The fact that their effort had no effect might boost the comedic value, but it shouldn't heighten their horse.

Edited November 22, 2015 by 7-Zark-7

[RCharter]

I just don't think I can handle any more of the green team.  I find them ugly from the core to the epidermis.  And I really hated the editing this episode, trying to create drama, when it was apparent there would be no payoff.  I don't think I have ever hated a team this much, most likely because they are only mildly competent and the rest of the teams are as dumb as a bag of rocks.  AT least withthe smug mormons there were other teams to divert attention away from them.  No such luck this season.

I feel like the Green Team excels mostly due to being able to get to places first.  I think they just know how to travel, and the ins and outs of it.  There are numerous times where I think they just arrive places first and that is the biggest advantage they have.  And they could have gotten that ability by running their "mini amazing race"  They just somehow seem to get onto trains, planes and automobiles that none of the other teams know about or know how to access.  I guess its impressive, but I don't know that they win because they are so awesome at tasks, I think they win because of their ability to get around.

[RCharter]

Justin looked like he had moobs at the pitstop.  I was starting to think there is something in the water that is causing immediate breast growth in the racers and Phil.  

Justin has had an unfortunate shape from the very start of the race.  Him running on the beach in the first task was downright Baywatchian.  

 

Yes, Phil had moobs, and that was a blouse.   Gordon Ramsay, and Simon Cowell both like to wear very tight shirts.  I still love Gordon Ramsay and he could show me his muscles any day of the week (maybe while we're eating a perfect risotto).  But his shirts often highlight his headlights.

 

Strategy is strategy.  I think if you feel that U-Turning the Texans was okay, you should also think that the Texans working with other teams to get the Green Team out is okay too.  These are both strategies allowed by the game, and truly, I think it would have been smarter for everyone to get the Green Team out than to really U-Turn the Texans.

[ShadowSixx]

Finally caught the show on CBS.com

 

That red shirt on Phil was so unflattering. Made him look like he had severe man boobs.

 

I want one of those laundry fabrics. They're so beautiful. I see that they don't want to be hugged by these strangers hugging them because they're given a clue. They'll shake your hand but they don't want to be hugged. I will say that laundry is the chore I hate the most. I hate doing it. So I would have dreaded doing that roadblock.

 

I'm amazed that green team beat anchors to the detour. I was like really. Damn shame no team could catch up to the U-Turn and get the green team. I'm just losing faith in anchors because they can't seem to do it at all, always falling behind when they were in the lead at the start. 

 

I thought Texas would be in trouble at the candy detour for making them so big. I guess not. They got eliminated anyway. Cheerleaders better be glad it wasn't them that got U-Turned, they're so stupid over being upset that Texas got U-Turned which I just rolled my eyes and wanted to smack them.

 

This season just doesn't have that many likable teams at all. Hopefully casting for next season is way better than what they did this season. 

[needschocolate]

 I will say that laundry is the chore I hate the most. I hate doing it. So I would have dreaded doing that roadblock.

 

I am no fan of doing laundry (I dislike dusting more), so I figured that the next time I do laundry, I use this episode to put things into perspective.  Instead of complaining, I will remind myself that sticking some clothes into a washer that does the hard work for me, then into a dryer, and having to fold them and put them away is much, much better than having to tie my clothes in knots*, stir them in a pot of boiling water in the blazing sun on a humid day, then lay them out in the sand to dry, and having to fold them and put them away.  

 

*I am pretty sure the Indian launderers don't tie all clothes into knots, just the really long saris to keep them from getting tangled, but still...

[cooksdelight]

I hate Justin leading the race.

I hate Justin's mugging face.

I hate Justin's laugh.

I hate Justin's hat.

Let the Greens

Be off my screen.

Please.

[piewarmer]

Shout out to Denise for running 11 miles in one day in the heat of India.  She is becoming stronger as the season progresses.  Does she have Empowering Fatigue? 

...while wearing long sleeves, no less.

[piewarmer]

Er, that stuff is unrepresentative of Agra and more fitting for the visits during Seasons 4, 10, and 20 (6 and 24 too given the crossover between the adjacent regions).

Well, help me out here. Should I ever return to Agra, which street foods should I look for?

[Osmonth]

I don't understand why people are hating the Green team. For me it only comes down to 5 things when I hate someone in The Amazing Race:
* They are being mean
* Being unsupportive of their partner, repeatedly
* Cheating
* Not enjoying the race
* Trying to win by manipulating other teams more then actual racing
4 and 5 certainly can go together, same with 3.

Ofc other things might happen that so far are unprecedented in the history of TAR.

So i didn't hate the Cho brothers(back in TAR10-12?) because even if their strategy was stupid their heart was in the right spot.

I didn't like Rob because he thought he was more then race, being humble to the race is important.

Green team is supportive of each other. Taking care to make sure that their relationship is intact. Sure Justin might be forceful but he also seems open to admitting he screwed up. Witch he has done in the race, both the admitting and the screwing up parts.

They are treating other teams nice. Trying to pact and stuff like that but not talking shit behind anyone's back. That the other teams are lacking is not their fault. They can't be blamed for casting.

No cheating and they are enjoying every bit of the race.

*The reporters seems to be there mostly to further a TV career. Very bland and neutral people. On any other season they would have melted into the background.

* The Cheerleaders are to full of clueless and spunk and lacking in actual race intelligence. They have skills and they are strong on those areas (the hop scotch being the best example) but overall they are a ticking time bomb. Add that they lied to cover up their u-turn, seems to think that their flirting can solve anything and confuses what show this is whenever the Texas boys are there.

* The mother and son are just not a strong team. Skating by more then advancing. I'm sure there is more drama to be mined from them but we aren't seeing much of anything from their past problems so far.

* Paparazzis are just mean people. Both to each other and to other contestants. Slimy bunch

* Texans are a team that benefits from being humbled so that we can see their more positive sides. The frat athletics are a tired cliche and one that grows old fast. I have enjoyed them more when they weren't obsessed with themselves and the green team.

[Guest Levi Rinno]

...while wearing long sleeves, no less.

It was raining at one point on this leg, so I don't blame her for having the long sleeves.

[kingshearte]

Normally I have no issues with a super dominant team, even if it makes for predictable finishes, because I do like to see competent racing. And I'll give Green credit where it's due: they seem to be racing pretty darn competently. But I still can't stand them, and I will find it a pretty substantial let-down if they end up winning the whole thing. 

 

I still like the reporters, although I did roll my eyes pretty hard about Joey's mom "enjoying" doing his laundry. I'm not going to judge if he lives with his parents (lots more people do these days), or if his mom does his laundry (I think households where each member does their own laundry separately are weird. It just makes way more sense to me that whoever's doing laundry at a given moment should just take care of all the laundry.), but if those things are the case, then the thing to do is thank your mom and appreciate the fact that she does your laundry, but don't try to pretend/believe that she does it because she enjoys it. 

 

And I am not a big fan of that speed bump. At least not in combination with a single u-turn at the end of the leg. Having each member do a roadblock is not an entirely unreasonable way to set up a speed bump, but given that roadblocks can sometimes be pretty damn gruelling and time consuming, I think that putting a u-turn in the same leg is just too much. Especially when it's only a single and it's right at the end. To me, if there needs to be a penalty for coming in last, it shouldn't be so severe that it's basically impossible to overcome it. And if that's what they want it to be, they might as well just eliminate the team in the first place. Dragging it out for another leg under those circumstances just seems mean and isn't particularly entertaining to watch.

 

Count me in the group that preferred the model of an FF every leg instead of all these other extras, especially the u-turn (and its precursor, the yield). To me, the FFs aligned much better with the "run your own race" school of play, while the u-turns force more focus on trying to slow down other teams, which seems inevitably to lead to further external focus by inspiring alliances and strategizing with other teams. And that kind of a drama is pretty much always my least favourite part of the race. I know it's not going anywhere, but I still don't much care for it.

[green]

I also feel Tanner & Josh would be shoo-ins for another season.

 

Why?  They were just another run of the mill unintersting alpha male team.  I never learn to even tell them apart.  They had zero personality to me and were a waste of screen time.

 

Take Fast Forwards - they're a risk (for you) but the benefit could be substantial (for you).  That's an interesting trade-off, and I don't even mind that teams out front get first crack at them.  We see the same sort of trade-offs with Detours and Roadblocks - choosing judiciously can help or hurt yourself, and any involvement with another team is not an official part of the task (making cooperation between teams of questionable value). 

 

U-Turns are nothing but profit, for teams who are already ahead, and nothing but cost for the teams already burdened.   ...

 

That's why I always harp on bring back the way the FF was used in the first four seasons.  One in every single leg of the Race except the last but a team still could not use more than one FF in the whole race.  That way it was a strategic move to use your one and only FF because other teams could use them deeper in the Race if you used yours too soon.  So in that set-up the lead teams usually did NOT go after the FF but tried to hold off until they might need one later on.  It was the trailing teams.

 

But trailing teams never knew if a team ahead of them had gone after the FF either so it was a bigger risk too.  Sometimes a middle team that got lost real bad paniced and went and grabbed the FF.  Sometimes a lead team where one of them was feeling sick or had an injury would decide it was wiser to use their FF that leg an rest up.  And of course the bottom 2 to 4 teams were all in panic mode wondering if any of them were taking it.

 

It was a fun set-up where some teams ended up exiting the Race by making the wrong choice to try for it (Mary & Peach in TAR2 say), there were more head-to-head fights for the FF when more teams tried for it.  Then ther was the time Wil talked himself out of the Hong Kong one over his fear of the Boston Boys maybe lying to Tara that they weren't going for it that leg.  They didn't lie and didn't go for it but Wil didn't either having worked himself into a total state of funny (for the viewers) paranoia.  The FF was a great device back in the day.  Not some boring, automatic lead team thing.

 

And it was a positive device on the Race since a team sought to gain by it while risking loss for themselves without targeting other teams.  It helped weaker teams survive a little longer early on allowing for the opportunity that a stronger team having a bad leg might exit before them.  It made the Race far more fun to watch giving the underdogs more of a shot that way.  I STILL want it back and all thw lousy, boring, soap opera speed bumps, u-turns etc out of the Race.

 

Oh and it also helped the editors make legs look close cause the trailing team taking the FF wasn't near the trailing team(s) not taking it so their were two different pathways to the mat.

 

I think the procucers said they didn't want to set-up a separate FF each leg because of "cost" but then they introduced the speed bump which, until this episode, took about as much time if not more.  Also the FF didn't have to be some fancy Vienna walza (TAR4) production number.  They could just keep it simple so there was no need but any camera but the team's crew one and the tasks could be (and were) running to a different cluebox, eating a meatpie, jumping in a pool etc.  The task wasn't as important as the strategy and the travel to the location was. It just wasn't "mean" enough for them I guess and they or CBS started pushing the standard trash TV reality show genre instead.  I hated that change.  TAR5's magnicicent, entertaining cast hid that change factor a lot the first season of the change but after that it was there for all to see, alas.

 

I feel like the Green Team excels mostly due to being able to get to places first.  I think they just know how to travel, and the ins and outs of it.  There are numerous times where I think they just arrive places first and that is the biggest advantage they have.  And they could have gotten that ability by running their "mini amazing race"  They just somehow seem to get onto trains, planes and automobiles that none of the other teams know about or know how to access.  I guess its impressive, but I don't know that they win because they are so awesome at tasks, I think they win because of their ability to get around.

 

Well to me most of the "tasks" are basically for us viewers in case nothing else of note happens during the actual Race part (travel).  I think the main part of the Race is the travel.  Either outside the "tasks" or within certain tasks where you have to travel.  Other stuff in tasks just seems like filler more than anything else.  Because if you Race well you build up a lead (unles there is a times of operation bunch) going into tasks.

Edited November 22, 2015 by green

[BeatrixK]

The Green Team show (used to be called Amazing Race) is becoming uninteresting.

 

Uh -- India -- I'm sure there is a good reason you do back-breaking laundry only to spread it out on dirt...but I can't think of it.

 

I realized who Justin reminds me of:  Brian from Office Space - and you just know Justin would wear 37 pieces of flair.

[green]

The Green Team show (used to be called Amazing Race) is becoming uninteresting.

 

Uh -- India -- I'm sure there is a good reason you do back-breaking laundry only to spread it out on dirt...but I can't think of it.

 

Most people throughout history washed like that and in India you use the natural elements if you are not rich or middle class.  Sand is not dirt in that it doesn't cling when the wash is dry so a simple shake sends it flying.

 

And I find the Green Team's race skills very interesting and they seem very nice people to me.  The fact that Justin turns to address the camera just shows he isn't some polished actor or model but is doing what most of us would do when a camera is turned on us.  He kind of reminds me of Gary from TAR2 when he tried too hard to be funny and at first I was annoyed by him.  But compared the the Racers who came after him I have come to like Gary a lot.