S24.E08: Donkeylicious

[Wandering Snark]

I am beyond done with their 'we're just pretty girly girls who can't take care of our own selves' act.

No doubt. The really infuriating part is that they claimed to be "Kicking butt" as they were driving... so they believe they are actually doing well on their own.

BTW - I just remembered, what was the deal with Dave insisting that Connor do the calligraphy? That was another little bit of ugly from them this eppy.

Oh and I just kept imagining during Brendan's praying that god was singing 'Rubber Ducky' while in his tub. (™ Ms. Alli) I also thought Brenden was trying so hard to be seen praying, what with the mouthing the words to his prayers, it came across as 'all show'.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Wandering Snark

[FineWashables]

 

However, the "I don't know if god told me to U-Turn the Conners" bit totally put me off rooting for them. I'm not a believer, so I'm not offended or anything, I just think the idea that there's some god that cares about your success on the amazing race is patently ridiculous and narcissistic.

Thank you so much for saying something I've always been afraid to say.  I also am not a believer, and I'm baffled by racers or ball players or whatever worshipping a god who's got nothing better to do with this war-torn, poverty-stricken world than worry about some high school player's foul shot.  Or Rachel's calligraphy.  Just saying.

I think the Country Singers, while very very annoying, are kinda brilliant.  Look at how far they've gotten by playing helpless and batting their eyes.  As far as strategies go, this one is really working for them.  And of course it's a strategy.  I don't believe for one second that they're not playing the other contestants.  They may be playing this game harder than anyone.

 

Did Brendan actually say that he, Rachel, and God were an unstoppable team? Ha. If God were on the team, pretty sure he'd be unstoppable whether Brendan and Rachel were there or not.

If god were on their team, he wouldn't have let Rachel wear sequins and pantyhose throughout Asia.

[Alapaki]

BTW - I just remembered, what was the deal with Dave insisting that Connor do the calligraphy? That was another little bit of ugly from them this eppy.

 

And that interaction was somewhat at odds with Dave's whining about being a 60-year old who's 60-year old-ing himself through the Race.  Wouldn't this completely non-physical, sitting down, Roadblock be a perfect one to let the delicate 60-year old cream puff handle?  Especially when their partner didn't appear to have any more aptitude for the task?

Part of me hopes that this team makes it to the end and the final Roadblock somehow involves carrying a weight by walking on your tip-toes, and Dave has to do it because he forced Connor to do this calligraphy task.

[Wandering Snark]

Alapaki Maybe they will have to run up a beach to the final Mat? Heh.

[SirDigbyPollo]

If god were on their team, he wouldn't have let Rachel wear sequins and pantyhose throughout Asia.

God wouldn't have let Rachell take off her "special" shorts to go down the waterfall to get the clue.  Nobody needed to see that.

[etagloh]

$7,500 (total of $15K for the team).

I'm pretty sure Brenchal thought it was going to be "the leg where they give away Fords", hence going all-out for the win, even if the U-Turn strategy comes back to bite them. They did not get new Fords; they could possibly get an older Ford after taxes. I sort of like how TPTB dangle the biggest leg prize in front of teams during the KF-heavy later legs, because it definitely creates incentives to win those legs instead of simply avoiding last place.

Edited April 21, 2014 by etagloh

[singsong]

Eh, I'm gonna give Dave a pass on the 60 yr old whining bit.  I'm guessing Dave was having an episode of killer fatigue, and he just wasn't feeling it.  He was pretty firm about not doing to caligraphy also.  Hopefully he'll get a nap and be back in form next episode. 

Country girls annoyed me more this week.  Hey girls - it's up to the follower to keep up or navigate for yourself.  The leaders are busy spotting the road signs and reading the map,  so they can't keep checking on you.

I enjoyed donkey madness.  When Big Easy's donkey stopped and refused to move, I whispered to the TV - his donkey is broken.   

[Nutjob]

 

When Big Easy's donkey stopped and refused to move, I whispered to the TV - his donkey is broken.

Oh, if only he had thought about that and started throwing a faux-Colin tantrum, I would have DIED. "My ass is BROKEN! This is BULLSH*T!"

[QuantumMechanic]

I'm glad they didn't get u-turned, but I did want to see Jet and Cord try riding the donkeys. I'm guessing they could have done pretty good at it. 

I think that's exactly why the Cowboys decided to burn the express pass on the "assemble" side of the detour.  That way if they did get U-turned they would be forced to do the "ride donkey" task which they probably figured they'd be pretty good at.

[auntlada]

Stupid question from a non-livestock owning suburbanite:  Are bowel emptying donkeys really faster than those who have not exercised their excretory system?  It would be good to know if I ever get on The Race.

I know almost nothing about livestock, but my theory was that if the donkey had just pooped (I have a 2-year-old; pooped is the word I use now), then it wouldn't have to stop on the racecourse to poop.

[Pepper the Cat]

I want to like Dave and Conner, but their behaviour this week was pathetic.

They went on and on about how terrible it was that they were U-Turned, but didn't hisitate to turn another team.

And why didn't they turn the team sitting right next to them, The Cowboys? I am glad they did, but would not it made more sense to block thaw team sitting right next to HIV?

[Netfoot]

First and most important, thank you, Italy, for another Rachael faceplant.  This time, donkey-powered!

Now, Brendan, exactly how big a vice does Rachael have your nuts in?  Because, to agree to wear the matching, shiny green jacket?  That would require some serious leverage.  For real.  Also, there was no necessity to U-Turn  Dave & Connor.  You were running in first position, and you stood no chance of eliminating them, so unless your plan was aimed specifically at the leg-prize, your move was pointless.  Still, you're entitled, so fine!  About the rubbish you were talking in the car and later at the monastery:  Let me clue you in to something.   God is not a part of your race team!  And all the pious behavior for the cameras wasn't very impressive.

Dave.  You asshole.  Rachael & Brennan don't have to help you win the race.  You asshole.  Consider yourself lucky that it wasn't me you asked for help, because I'd have sent you looking for the guy in the court jester costume, down by the old wishing well, in a distant part of town.  You asshole.  And being sixty is no reason for acting like you're six.  You asshole.  Oh, and in a race where two team-mates compete together on even terms, you don't unilaterally refuse to do a challenge and then refuse to discuss it.  You asshole.  Also, being U-Turned doesn't force you to U-Turn someone in return.  You're free to do so, but then own it!  Don't be all "Oh, we had no choice!"  You asshole.  And there is absolutely no point to U-Turning someone so as they don't get to the mat before you, then sticking around to help them get through the challenge, and letting them beat you onto the mat anyway.  You asshole!

Connor?  "Holy crap?"  In a monastery?  I don't think you realize how funny that was.

Country singers, you couldn't navigate yourself to a cuppa coffee, starting in a Starbucks!  Hell, you couldn't even follow the asshole to the donkeys, when he was driving slow and trying to lead you!  Being able to persuade others to help you is a skill, but frankly I don't see it as a long-term strategy.  In the end-game people are far less likely to help you through.  I'm not expecting anyone to hold your hands and lead you into the Final Three.   Still, you are keeping in the race so far, so I'll give you that.  Someone said it doesn't count, but if you get your toes on the mat, no matter how you got them there, it certainly does count.

No bystander grabbing this week, but plenty mugging for the camera.  I still don't like the Afganimals, but they're much better than last time around.

Cowboys continue to be meh.  Monks in hats were extremely cool.

Globe Trotters out, and not before time.  These guys may be good guys, but they really haven't been racing up to standard.

[Kelda Feegle]

Argh! If the cowboys don't win I'm going to be very frustrated. The cowboys are the only ones who don't whine about other teams being mean (Dave & Connor), don't require hand holding or help (country girls, Afghanimals), and don't neglect to read the damn clue (Trotters). They run their own race and don't obsess about what other teams are doing (Brenchel). The rest of them can get off my tv any time.

Plus I loved the monks wearing the hats.

Completely in agreement here. The country girls make me embarrassed to be blonde, the afgassholes are better this season but the mugging annoys me, I don't know Brenchel from other shows but the improvements they have made this season are largely negated by the God-invoking business, love the trotters but they just weren't pushing for the win, and dave? stfu and get off my screen forever you twatwaffle. Cowboys - work hard without drama, work together and have fun - please let that be the recipe for success.

seriously unhappy with the petulant mockery in the promo for next weeks episode

[Charlesman]

Oops, forgot to link this last night: my post on the episode!

This post says there was a model for the teams to follow to build the wooden donkey, but I'm pretty sure there wasn't, and one of the racers said so. But I've already deleted it from my DVR and can't check.

[LittleIggy]

Dave really annoyed me when he point blank told Connor he would not do the calligraphy task. He was like a little kid stamping his foot and saying no. Connor probably wanted him to do it since it was not a physically demanding task. Connor seems like a nice guy (he's cute!).

Loved the monks being cowboys!

[SherriAnt]

dave? stfu and get off my screen forever you twatwaffle

 

I think this is my favourite insult ever!! I like it even better than asshat, and I totally agree with it!

[aradia22]

 

Other teams have complained and held grudges against the U-Turners, so I'm not sure why his complaining bothers me more, except that I thought he was the type of guy who would blow it off and continue racing, or at least be more objective about it.

For me, it's a combination of things. First, I already went into this season not liking Dave and Connor. Then, Dave's behavior this episode was just awful. Also, in previous seasons a U-turn was a little more excruciating. Yes, Brenchel slowed them down but the challenges were ride a donkey three laps around a course and build a wooden toy. If they'd had to walk a mile carrying, heavy, smelly pieces of fish that were scratching their arms or wander around a market in the sweltering heat after they were exhausted gathering ingredients to cook soup I might have felt a little worse for them. The fact that neither task was that strenuous made their complaining worse. Then there's the fact that they're not really hated on the show. Other U-turned teams tend to be the teams that everyone hates or the underdogs. It's not like people have been awful to Dave and Connor all season. There's a part of me that feels a little bad for the teams that the other racers hate when they're U-turned, even if I hate them too. Also, it's not as though they were in an alliance with Brenchel. They didn't betray them by playing the game. As for the underdogs thing, Dave and Connor were not at the back of the pack. If they hadn't helped everyone else, they wouldn't have been in any danger of going home. You're not an underdog team when one member of the team is 60 when you are often at the front of the pack and you also keep reminding everyone of how great you are for beating cancer and getting over your injury and being 60. You can't decide when the the same factors make you capable and when they make you weak.

[Mr Rampage]

I'm still on the Dave+Connor train, but dear god all teams should be stress-tested by a practice U-Turn before the race to make sure they don't turn into massive morons when a basic component of the game gets used against them.

These people would never survive board game night in my family...

[ProfCrash]

Also, there was no necessity to U-Turn  Dave & Connor.  You were running in first position, and you stood no chance of eliminating them, so unless your plan was aimed specifically at the leg-prize, your move was pointless.

They said that they wanted to win the prize for the leg. They said that more then once. I think that they are racing to win it all but also trying to rack up as many prizes as they can. Only one team can win the race but there are a lot of individual prizes that are available. My guess is that people can take the cash value of the various trips, cars and other prizes which is beneficial to the teams who are saving for something (buying a house, having a kid). So they used the U Turn in order to make it more likely that they would win the prize for this leg. They knew Dave and Conner were right behind them and the biggest threat to their ability to win the leg prize and they wanted the leg prize.

Someone else pointed out that they might have thought this was the leg to win a Ford Focus. That makes sense because there is normally a leg at the end of the season where the winning team gets cars. Given that they were driving themselves in Ford Focuses, Brandon and Rachel might have thought this was the car leg. If it had been, then they used the U Turn to get new cars. As it is, they won $15,000, not bad.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Dave and Connor need to understand that there is a difference between not helping someone and actively sabotaging someone. In regular life, it's nice to be nice. But when you are competing for a buttload of money, your fellow competitors are not obligated to help you. That doesn't make them mean or bad people.

The blondes are totally useless. I loathe women who love to perpetuate the helpless female stereotype. We're terrible at navigating! We can't do these puzzles! Help us! Ugh. Learn to stand on your own two feet, you nitwits. If you are racing around the world for the second time, you KNOW that you will have to drive yourselves at some point. Practice. Learn. It's a great life skill to have so that you don't have to sit in the passenger seat your whole life saying, "My husband does all the driving, tee hee!"

What really annoyed me this week is that they didn't even have to navigate. They just had to follow Dave and Connor and they couldn't even do that correctly. And even then they still didn't have to navigate much (meaning read a map). The guy at the hotel printed written directions for them so all they had to do was read them and follow them and they couldn't do that either!

As if their total incompetence wasn't bad enough, once a truck got between them and Dave/Connor, their first instinct was to assume that the guys deliberately tried to ditch them. Talk about paranoid bitches.

Rachel and Brendon raced smart but they're still annoying. "I'm an artiste!" STFU! And Brendan loud whispering encouragement to her during the calligraphy was totally annoying. I had to pause the episode to tell Mr. EB that if we are ever in that situation, he'd better not do that.

Brendon crossed the line to offensive when he made Rachel repeat what he was saying. What kind of a man treats his wife like a child? I mean, she acts like one but still.

Edited April 22, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[Taylorh2]

  I seriously hope that Connor isn't using his dad as a role model for what sportmanship is.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Taylorh2

[Alapaki]

Being able to persuade others to help you is a skill, but frankly I don't see it as a long-term strategy.  In the end-game people are far less likely to help you through.  I'm not expecting anyone to hold your hands and lead you into the Final Three.

 

Well, last season didn't the team that ultimately won (a "dating couple whom I've forgotten already) explicitly carry those two dysfunctional ER doctors from Atlanta into the F3?  So, I wouldn't be surprised if someone decided the Country Singers would be better to face in the F3 than one of the other teams.

The irony is that there have been more than a few times now where the finale has probably been decided largely by taxi luck.  So, it's not out of the realm of possibility for a weak team to get carried to the F3 and end up winning.

They said that they wanted to win the prize for the leg. They said that more then once. I think that they are racing to win it all but also trying to rack up as many prizes as they can. Only one team can win the race but there are a lot of individual prizes that are available.

 

Originally there were no prizes for finishing first in mid-race legs.  Then, fairly recently they started awarding cars during the leg in which that particular product-placement played a role.  After that, they started awarding a trip, usually during a leg in which the teams had to cart the product-placement gnome from a task to the Pit Stop.  And, eventually, without any real fanfare, they just started awarding prizes to the first place finisher in every leg.

So it certainly appears that TPTB want the teams to fight hard for first place on every leg.  

[Bella]

 

As much as people are looking for things to prove how awful Brendan and/or Rachel are, they seem like a united couple who are genuinely in love and have gone through ups and downs like many other people experience.  They may say and do dumb things, even to each other some times, but I don't think it makes them bad people or proves how awful of a husband or wife either one is.

Yes, as much as I loathe each of them separately and together, they do seem to have it together as a couple. I just hope the stupid isn't passed along to all those babies that she wants.

I will say that "having it together as a couple" does not make a team immune from my hatred if they otherwise deserve it, however. I could start a list, but I won't.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I didn't see anything offensive about this. Obnoxious, sure. I've heard many people have someone repeat what they are saying to drive their point home. Again I find it obnoxious, but I don't see how he was specifically being offensive to his wife.

I personally would be offended if my husband treated me like a six year old who had just misbehaved but YMMV. I wouldn't want to be scolded or patronized by the person who is my life partner and my equal.

As much as people are looking for things to prove how awful Brendan and/or Rachel are,

I'm not looking for things. They just keep throwing their terrible behavior around for me to see.

[SirDigbyPollo]

The irony is that there have been more than a few times now where the finale has probably been decided largely by taxi luck.

If the final leg is in Miami, make sure that your taxi driver is NOT named Sterling.  (Yes, an otherwise decently-run race can be ruined in the final moments.)

[tvfanatic13]

It's incredibly problematic when the only team you want to root for is Brenchal. But oh those donkeys were great!

[ribboninthesky1]

If the final leg is in Miami, make sure that your taxi driver is NOT named Sterling.  (Yes, an otherwise decently-run race can be ruined in the final moments.)

Eh, I'm pretty sure Mallory and Gary still wouldn't have won.  She would have had a mini-meltdown at the final task because he wasn't moving fast enough (and that's based on how she treated him at times in their other seasons, nothing to do with the Mark debacle). 

[Chyna]

Also, there was no necessity to U-Turn  Dave & Connor.  You were running in first position, and you stood no chance of eliminating them, so unless your plan was aimed specifically at the leg-prize, your move was pointless.

 

U-turning can also help to rattle a team that's doing well (see: Colin/Christie). If that was any part of their reasoning, Brendan and Rachel ought to pat themselves on the back.

[Kromm]

I have at least a bit of pity for Brendon.  Forever known as part of a unit called "The Rachels" (because in real life I guess its easier to say/think that than "Brenchels"). So it's like he doesn't even MATTER!

I want to like Dave and Conner, but their behaviour this week was pathetic.
They went on and on about how terrible it was that they were U-Turned, but didn't hisitate to turn another team.
And why didn't they turn the team sitting right next to them, The Cowboys? I am glad they did, but would not it made more sense to block thaw team sitting right next to HIV?

Not only all of that, but the idiot kid whining about being "sunk"  and contemplating a penalty when he knew at least 2 teams were still behind him.

The blondes are useless. They had actual directions, the same one Connor & Dave had, still managed not to follow them and whined that they were left behind. When you follow, it's up to you to actually...you know....FOLLOW! If it were not for others literally carrying them through this leg (and many others), I'm sure they would still be trying to put together the wooden donkey.

These two seem like they probably could get lost on the way from a bedroom to en suite bathroom attached to it.  

 

Honestly, I know it's a stereotype but one of these days I'd like to see an all female team on this show that doesn't consistently a.) get lost and/or b.) mysteriously and silently move down in the pack anytime there's any kind of "get from point A to point B aspect.  

[A Boston Gal]

Kromm, what about Team @ (aka: Nat and Kat), who were the doctors? They ran a calm, drama-free race, and while some said they were boring, I thought they were great to watch! They were the first all female team to win, and they never gave their fans one cringe-inducing moment along the way. 

I'm sorry, but I honestly can't keep track of which TAR season teams are from. My apologies!:(

[Bella]

Nat and Kat were the first female/female team to win. Then there were the African American sisters whose names I forget - they won an All Star version. After that, TPTB started casting really mediocre, ditzy female teams. It's another reason why this show is no longer one of my favorites.

[Kromm]

Nat and Kat were the first female/female team to win. Then there were the African American sisters whose names I forget - they won an All Star version. After that, TPTB started casting really mediocre, ditzy female teams. It's another reason why this show is no longer one of my favorites.

Yeah, there's definitely a casting aspect to it.  I mean some might argue there's a stereotype about women getting lost/being horrible navigators (just like there's a related one about men refusing to ASK for directions) for a reason, but even if it WAS true, there are no such thing as truly universal traits, or even ones that are so statistically dominant, that Nat and Kat would be the only damn female/female team to NOT have that trait (not to mention most of the women on the male/female teams seeming helpless with navigation too, when that's talked about).

 

The conclusion best reached is that they're tending to cast more around "cute" themes, like being cheerleaders or country singers or football moms or crap like that rather than giving the nod to pairs without a "theme" who are simply a pair of truly capable non-themed women.  if you think about it, it's an kind of inevitable casting sabotage, albeit a non-intentional one.  Oh, it's true the vast majority of male/male teams (and even male/female teams) are cast around "themes" too, but I think this causes problems more with the female/female teams because the range of possible themes are usually more "girly" in nature.  The big exceptions have been female/female law enforcement, I guess, and there it could just be bad luck getting incompetence (since navigation skill should be pretty high up the list for people in that profession).

Edited April 24, 2014 by Kromm

[Milk-Eyed Mender]

Great posts, Kromm! Aside from the eye-candy factor (and that's debatable depending on personal preference and a tolerance for blindingly white teeth), I cannot think of one reason the Country Singers were brought back for All Stars. Although they have done very well at tasks from time to time, they tend to run a pretty parasitical race and while it works for them, it does nothing for me as a viewer or as a woman.

I do wish someone in the media would ask Dave to define "quality people" during upcoming post-race interviews. I need to know if I meet the requirements.

[SirDigbyPollo]

Nat & Kat won TAR 17.  Another all-female team, Brook & Claire, came in second.

 

Kisha & Jen won TAR 18: Unfinished Business.  Flight Time & Big Easy came in second.  Jet & Cord were eliminated in leg 9 after being U-Turned by Flight Time & Big Easy.

 

Mona & Beth, the Roller Derby Moms, in TAR 22 made it to the final 3, lasting one leg longer than the Country Singers.  They weren't bad racers; perhaps a tad directionally challenged, but I liked their "suck it up and get it done" attitude.  I would much preferred to have them on an "All Stars" season than the Country Singers or the Twinnies.

[joanne3482]

When the Globe Trotters were on the donkeys, did it seem to anyone else like they could have just put their feet down and had them touch the ground? 

[Megan in Seattle]

When the Globe Trotters were on the donkeys, did it seem to anyone else like they could have just put their feet down and had them touch the ground?

I was waiting for that, joanne3482! I want to think they did do it, but then it would be bizarre for the editors--who seemingly haven't shied away from a good Rachel face-plant--not to show it. That was guaranteed comedy gold: it's almost as if nobody has ever seen cartoons!

[Tryangle]

I hope that the donkey who carried Big Easy around got an extended vacation, because seriously I don't blame any of those animals for being all "You kidding me. Put *that* fellow on *my* back?"

[Kromm]

I hope that the donkey who carried Big Easy around got an extended vacation, because seriously I don't blame any of those animals for being all "You kidding me. Put *that* fellow on *my* back?"

He's apparently (thanks Google!) only 250 pounds.  So as awkward as the length of him is, that donkey may have had heavier loads in the past (I'm sure some overstuffed tourists have been more massive at some point).

Edited April 26, 2014 by Kromm

[jhlipton]

re the constant whining:

If D & C had been first to the U-Turn, do you seriously think they would have declined.  Not likely.  Any of the three Alliance of Stupid Grievance would have U-Turned Brendon and Rachel.  I think that a good part of the whining is that B & R did what D & C wanted to do.

[Way Wes Jr]

Yeah, there's definitely a casting aspect to it.  I mean some might argue there's a stereotype about women getting lost/being horrible navigators (just like there's a related one about men refusing to ASK for directions) for a reason,

 

Catching up on threads.  One other point about asking directions, not related to gender stereotyping: Every time the racers do decide to stop and ask for directions, they're held up waiting for their camera guy to check and see if the askee will sign the consent forms.  This adds time every time they ask directions.

 

A competently "helpless" team like Caroline and Jennifer would rather follow fellow racers that can navigate than fall behind asking strangers - perhaps multiple - perhaps multiple that don't know the way but are willing to fill out the paperwork - for directions.

[auntlada]

But when they do ask, they hand the information off to someone else and don't even bother to read it for themselves. Apparently.

[ribboninthesky1]

A competently "helpless" team like Caroline and Jennifer would rather follow fellow racers that can navigate than fall behind asking strangers - perhaps multiple - perhaps multiple that don't know the way but are willing to fill out the paperwork - for directions.

 

This is why I don't think the Country Girls are helpless.  They may be lazy, but it's rather smart to manipulate a stronger team into partially carrying you through the race.  I think they originally tried to align with the Cowboys, but it didn't work out.  Dave and Connor was the next best option.

[dgpolo]

My re-watch thoughts. This was the leg that cemented my dislike of Dave and Connor. There is no age limit for the U-turn, get over it. Way to act like a 60 year old (actually only 58 at the time of racing I believe) by disparaging someone's looks. Way to pull your weight by refusing to do a completely non physical RB. It is not 'inappropriate' to U-turn anyone.  I'm over them.

Sorry to see the Globetrotters go, they didn't seem to have their hearts in it this time. I think the later teams (at least I saw it only when the Globes were there) had an example of the 'box' folded in the correct way to put it over the 'donkey', I don't believe the earlier teams had that.