S29.E07: Have Fun and Get It Done

[Geenee]

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The race continues in

Spoiler

Italy

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https://www.cbspressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-amazing-race/photos?episode=11710

[Rachel RSL]

I'm so glad that Tara did that Road Block, only because it meant we were treated to the Joey Covino Comedy Hour. I could watch that all day! And how much of a beast was he lugging that cart of luggage all over Venice? Love that team! (Which probably means they're doomed. Sorry guys.)

[Browncoat]

Shut up, Brooke.  And while we're at it, shut up, Michael.  And Liz, too, for that matter.  I really don't know how Brooke manages in real life.

I don't like anyone much except Tara and Joey.

Venice is always a nice destination.  The mask challenge reminded me of the mask challenge in Venice way back in the early years. They didn't have to paint,  but they had to find a mask that matched a picture they had.

[weightyghost]

Am I supposed to not like LoLo for not pointing the back of the pack teams towards the clue in the final six? Really? 

Brooke is so depressing. She's just a depressing person to watch. How does she function in real life. 

[Lantern7]

Man, Liz & Michael have more lives than the hippies. Great that Michael got frustrated but didn't take it out on his partner. I could've gotten an hour's head start on Liz, and she still would have beaten me. I would be better off huffing the paint. Not that I do that, of course.

Shut up, Brooke. Shut up, Brooke. Puhleeeeeeeeze shut up, Brooke. Even if she and Scott win, I'd be okay with raising money for Scott's mental damage.

Team Fun were so cute as gondoliers. Or are those the guys that steer the boat? Also funny seeing the folks that chose that a Detour wearing the gear to the end.

Reading posts . . . totally forgot about TAR4. Chris & Amanda, right? I'm on my iPad now, and I'd lose this post if I checked. Went from first to eliminated, andi Chris posted on TWoP as "VenicesBitch."

ETA: Who had the title quote?

[InDueTime]

That singing Detour was a little hard on the ears, to be honest.

Liz and Michael get saved via NEL again. I don't mind since they've recovered nicely from their argument.

Hopefully, we'll see the last of Breakdown Brooke next episode.

A 3rd U-Turn?! Come on now.

[PaperTree]

Venice.  Speaks for itself.

This is a race for $1,000,000.

The idea that other teams are supposed to help you is ridiculous and annoying.

Deliberately giving false or misleading information may not be socially cool, but I don't know if even that is against the rules.  This is not a popularity contest like some other shows.

When there's a lot of money at stake, social niceties usually go right out the window.  Sheesh.

Those poor tourists on those gondolas.  At least they don't have to listen to me sing :)

I hope their rides were comped.  

Jump in the water Brooke.  Please!  Do us all a favor.  Flo was so much more entertaining.

The painting party was cool.  Watch the demo people!!  Then of course Brooke has another meltdown.  Demanding little snowflake.  Then she somehow gets it done.  Oy!  

Liz totally botched that task.  Saved again by the NEL.

Matt and Red are just so nice, when they are winning.  They can still go any time.

Floyd & Becca FTW!

[Lady Calypso]

London: We did a bad thing [by lying to Brooke/Scott]
Me: No, you're running a race. It's not your fault you got saddled into a season of Friendship where teams expect everyone to be besties and work together, and shun the ones that they don't get along with or who don't "help" them win. 

I was getting angry at Michael's "We helped LoLo SO MANY TIMES. How DARE they lie and race? How DARE they not give us the answer?!?!" When? When did you ever help them? Even Liz's "...loads of time" felt like she was just agreeing with him so Michael didn't get angrier. No, Team LoLo, you don't have to feel bad and apologize. It's a race. You do what you need to in order to get ahead. I just know that even if they said they found the clue but couldn't tell them where, Liz/Michael and Brooke/Scott would have hounded them. 

Michael may be the worst for me, even worse than Brooke. He's so aggressive and he speaks down upon the women. I noticed a small moment when him and Liz are practicing the Sing It and he asks the woman if they're ready, and then didn't wait for her to try to translate her answer into English. I get you're racing and impatient, but this is becoming a pattern with him. 

I would have probably done the Bring It, since I am a horrible singer and am better with directions. Also, being judged on the singing is something subjective, so there's no way to know for sure if you'd get it. 

I liked Scott's voiceover about having to deal with Brooke's cynicism with silence. Man, Brooke is having a meltdown over not finding a taxi. Again, she's incompetent. I love that people like Liz, Scott, and Tara are bitching about Brooke's incompetency. I did laugh really hard at Scott's genuine incredulousness when Brooke finished before London/Liz. 

Seeing as Matt's really been the better of their team, I was interested in seeing Redmond performing the Roadblock. I've actually created a mask exactly like that in high school. Obviously it was easier than this particular task, but I still have that mask I made so I smiled when I saw the task. I actually thought Redmond was alright this time around, as well. He seemed to be having fun. And I did smile when they won the leg. Redmond can still be a dick, but there are moments where he really is alright. 

Smart on LoLo for sharing a water taxi with another family. Team LoLo is now getting more screentime since there are few teams left and nobody wants to keep seeing Brooke's meltdowns or Michael's aggression. I do feel bad for Liz, but I can't feel angry at London for deciding not to help during the Roadblock. If she had helped Liz, there's a chance that London/Logan could have been eliminated so there's no time for helping each other out anymore. Liz/Michael are lucky that they got another NEL. 

[Irlandesa]

I love how positive Becca and Floyd are after having recovered from the little incident earlier.  (It's nice that they do recaps on YouTube too.)

I laughed out loud at how surprised Scott was when Brooke finished ahead of others.  I think I was equally as surprised considering how much she was struggling.  And really, it was silly of her to ask for help when it was clear that she would have better luck paying attention to the experts than her fellow contestants. 

One thing I loved about this leg was how much it reminded me of being in Venice and how hella confusing it is to navigate, especially on foot.  You head down an alley thinking you're going to a main thoroughfare only to run into another darn canal and have to turn around to try another route.

[Eolivet]

Was it my imagination or were the judges sort of arbitrary with their standards at the singing Detour? "No, you didn't sing together. No, more theatrical." Or was it one of those instances where "Everybody fails on the first two tries and gets it on the third one."

[Rinaldo]

9 hours ago, weightyghost said:

Am I supposed to not like LoLo for not pointing the back of the pack teams towards the clue in the final six? Really? 

No, of course not. Not at all. As far as I'm concerned, we're supposed to be impatient with the other teams for getting so offended by the idea. 

At any time really, but especially around this point, when they are all aware of how the crowd has been thinned down, they have to be aware that the idea "I want to win" has to include the idea "therefore others will have to lose." Michael was especially annoying with all his huffiness about how HE had been nothing but helpful, so how DARE other teams not help him now! Well I never!! Everybody's in it for themselves, folks, and it can never be any other way.

9 hours ago, PaperTree said:

The idea that other teams are supposed to help you is ridiculous and annoying.

Deliberately giving false or misleading information may not be socially cool, but I don't know if even that is against the rules.  

Of course it isn't against the rules (as long as the misinformation doesn't involve breaking the law, or putting people in danger, or stuff like that).

Look, I do understand a moment of pique or disappointment when you hoped someone would help and they don't. That's only human. But then you get over that moment and remind yourself that all the teams are in competition, and move on.

"Sing It or Bring It" (reminds me of the glory days of Seek Out or Freak Out): Man, none of the teams who chose to sing were very good, were they? It sounded like they were hurting themselves trying to get too fancy with the ending and all, but what do I know? -- maybe their coach told them to do that.

9 hours ago, PaperTree said:

Those poor tourists on those gondolas.  At least they don't have to listen to me sing :) I hope their rides were comped.

Almost certainly they were planted by production as part of the cast of the challenge. They had to ride around in circles for an unknown length of time, after all. And applaud at least a little, no matter how un-lovely the sounds.

Man, it looks like everyone is now aware of what a handful Brooke can be. It was funny seeing the consistency of their reactions, though I felt kinda bad for her watching it tonight.

I still just adore Becca and Floyd. By this point in the race, with fatigue and uncertainty and lack of contact with familiar people and things well settled in, it's clear that their sunny nature is no façade, they really are team fun.

Edited May 5, 2017 by Rinaldo

[etagloh]

Again, again: a great setting, probably the best leg design so far, some proper focused raaaaaaaacing when teams got separated, and still a bit weird. (I blame the party bus start.) If we're not going to get uncooperating animals, then at least we get a masked ball in a beautiful old house. (And yes, we all remember Chris & Amanda and sigh.)

So we're getting a kind of fanservice in the locations, and the teams aren't quite doing it. Man, they're catty towards each other. I'm so completely fine with not sharing information, but it's clear enough that a bunch of teams are ganging up to knock out the competition, even though they're all smiles and hugs with them on the mat when it's a NEL.

Brooke really does come across as someone who blundered into TAR by accident.

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Or was it one of those instances where "Everybody fails on the first two tries and gets it on the third one."

It felt like teams got two mandatory failures and then it was a judgement call. Probably TPTB trying to balance things out based upon how they timed the luggage task. I hope they paid for any damage to the corners of historic buildings (and in Venice, every building is historic.) Did anyone get a sense of whether they were doing a rough circuit for the duration of the gondola ride, or just going on a meander and getting off at the nearest point when they were done? 

[ShadowSixx]

I knew it was a NEL based on them talking about Mike's daughter, which I have no empathy for. I'm immune to having empathy for those who have a family because everyone in the world has a family of some kind.  Mike is still in an ass, get over it Lolo didn't want to help you. I want this team eliminated mostly because of Mike.

I didn't know that London & Logan were obligated to tell people where clue boxes are. The risk you take when you help other teams in previous legs, they may not return the favor. Don't see anything verbal or written that they were suppose to help poor wittle Mike. At this point in the leg there should be no more helping because it will backfire, just ask the teams that helped the Cowgirls. Cowgirls came in 2nd.

I'm glad that Lolo got a little fire going knowing they're always in the back of the pack and knowing helping other teams isn't going to help them. They weren't being manipulative or mean spirited and still glad that they don't freak out and just calmly go through their tasks. Rooting for them along with Becca & Floyd.

Brooke continues her high school antics telling London she doesn't want her to go home indicating she's hoping Mike & Liz goes home. We found out that she can't do something else which was singing because Mike & Liz were singing in front of her. Oy. Freaks out about water taxi and then freaks out about painting a mask. She has to stop that damn panicking and she better thank her lucky stars she has Scott as a partner who is more calm because if she had Mike, Shamir and possibly others, they would have thrown her in the ocean by now. For her to ask the lady to start from scratch was just stupid, just look at what she's doing and go from there. Glad the lady didn't start over and just kept painting. This team needs to go because of Brooke.

I'm thinking that right now Redmond & Matt has this in the bag unless they can get U-Turned if a team can get ahead of them but do think Becca & Floyd have a shot as well of winning the whole thing along with Tara & Joey.

[dgpolo]

I think I'm really beginning to see/feel exactly why this season of strangers isn't working. When you put aside the actual tasks, there's nothing there. There's no parent consoling their children (or vice versa) no marriages imploding, no couples proposing or breaking up, nothing. We know no matter how tempers flare during a task, it means nothing, because at the end they are all just going to walk away from each other. It really shows in team like LoLo and Tara and Joey and Seth and ? (forgot her name) they are strangers working together to complete a task and nothing more.

[Quilt Fairy]

I was disappointed that they had a chartered bus instead of finding their own transportation between Lake Como and Venice.  I love it when there are multiple bus/train routes between cities and the teams end up going different ways.

Decent episode. Venice is beautiful.

[Brynnjk]

1 hour ago, Browncoat said:

Shut up, Brooke.  And while we're at it, shut up, Michael.  And Liz, too, for that matter.  I really don't know how Brooke manages in real life.

I don't like anyone much except Tara and Joey.

Venice is always a nice destination.  The mask challenge reminded me of the mask challenge in Venice way back in the early years. They didn't have to paint,  but they had to find a mask that matched a picture they had.

Oh I remember that.  I loved the early seasons of TAR and like to rewatch my fave ones on Hulu.   Brooke would drive me insane.  Watching her is so much like watching Flo.  Still adoring Joey and Tara.  

Edited May 5, 2017 by Brynnjk
worried talking about the preview might be spoilery

[enlightenedbum]

Parts of this leg really confused me: so Joey and Tara got so lost on the way to the detour that London and Logan basically made up the entire gap between the buses, but did so much better on the detour that Tara had time to make two masks before London finished hers, despite London seemingly doing fine with the task?  The rest of things basically made sense, because taking a singing in a foreign language detour is usually a bad idea.

And RAAAAAAACE.  4th and 5th tonight so cocky that Liz and Michael couldn't catch up that they jumped on the mat together.  BOOOO.  The bottom of the group hasn't been this non-competitive since way back in season 10.

[etagloh]

15 minutes ago, dgpolo said:

I think I'm really beginning to see/feel exactly why this season of strangers isn't working. When you put aside the actual tasks, there's nothing there. There's no parent consoling their children (or vice versa) no marriages imploding, no couples proposing or breaking up, nothing. We know no matter how tempers flare during a task, it means nothing, because at the end they are all just going to walk away from each other.

This pins down what I've been scrabbling at for the entire season. The interpersonal stuff operates on a really superficial high-school level because the relationships between teams are basically the same as the relationships within teams. I don't care about specific tearjerker backstory narratives: I care about teams being able to draw from the reservoir of trust and knowledge and confidence that only comes from an established relationship. Or not being able to in spite of one. "I got this" / "I know you got this" is good.

The teams have known each other for... maybe two weeks now.

22 minutes ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I was disappointed that they had a chartered bus instead of finding their own transportation between Lake Como and Venice.  I love it when there are multiple bus/train routes between cities and the teams end up going different ways.

It's difficult, but I think it was the only way to a) get them into Venice early in the day (9am-ish) before it gets crazy touristy with people coming in from the mainland; b) create some separation between leading and trailing teams. Had they left at those times and needed to take trains, they'd have probably been bunched together and arrived around midday. Piazza S. Marco was relatively empty when Phil did the intro, and when the teams landed. It doesn't stay that way.

(This was a taxi luck leg in some ways -- cunningly disguised because it was on water.)

[Silver Raven]

They're gondolas, not boats.

That poor "couple in love" is gong to hate each other by the time the singing is over.

Brooke is in default Brooke whine mode.

The title should have been "Slow and Steady Wins the Amazing Race"

Everybody is so fed up with Brooke. I was hoping she would be eliminated.

[Wings]

.

Edited May 5, 2017 by wings707

[GaT]

Me when Brooke still didn't get eliminated:

[mertensia]

Water taxis are expensive; they must have gotten a huge chunk of money at the start of the leg. Also why, probably, that family was willing to share. We took one from right in front of the train station to the Piazza San Marcos on the tour I was on, so I was reliving memories. Also I think I spotted the outside of the Natural History Museum (which is very good) during one of the gondola trips.

[LotusFlower]

3 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

ETA: Who had the title quote?

Tara said it to Phil on the mat at the end of the leg, explaining her race philosophy.  

[etagloh]

Just now, mertensia said:

Water taxis are expensive; they must have gotten a huge chunk of money at the start of the leg.

$250. And with a free ride from Lake Como to the lagoon. They were dropped off near the airport vaporetto stop (you can see planes in the background as they speed off) and that's at least 100 euro for starters.

[Nalan]

This was such an obvious NEL that nothing really interested me much on this leg.  But it was interesting to visit Venice for the first time since TAR4.  Twenty-five seasons since the last visit there.  Just amazing.

So now the teams.

Matt & Redmond: And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why wasting the Double U-Turn plan on Vanck & Ashton last week was a bad idea.  Of course they won the leg.  A leg chock-full of physical tasks?  Of course they'd have it made.  They did well on the Bring It Detour, and then Redmond did a passable (just passable) job at the Roadblock.  Now that they've won, I hope Redmond stops bitching about it.

Becca & Floyd: They did very well to finish the Sing It Detour as quickly as they did, even if they had to sing the song three times.  Then, Floyd was great at the Roadblock and was one of only three people to do it in only one try.  Second place was well-deserved, though I think that if they'd gotten first if they'd nailed that Detour on the first try.

Tara & Joey: They nabbed the lead early, but lost it by going on foot to the Bring It Detour.  Still, Joey was a machine at the task and helped them get it done fast.  And although Tara messed up with the painting process at the Roadblock, she cleaned up after Floyd tipped her off and finished it at a good pace.  Third place was a very nice finish.

Brooke & Scott: Honestly, with all of their struggles, it's amazing they avoided last on this leg.  They struggled, it seemed, with finding the Detour clue thanks to London & Logan's lie.  Then, they struggled with the Sing It Detour.  And then, Brooke has a near-total meltdown just over finding a water taxi.  She redeemed herself just slightly with actually passing London and Liz at the Roadblock, but still, she just seems like such a drain on the team.  Fourth place was all right, but it's hard to see them lasting much longer.

London & Logan: I'm not too mad at them for bluffing about the street sweeper.  It's a race, and they were in the back group.  They did well to catch up with Tara & Joey at the Bring It Detour, but they seemed to lose time on them yet again somehow, proving yet again that they're very slow at the tasks.  This was further proven when London, who started the Roadblock well ahead of Brooke, still ended up finishing well after her.  Lucky that Liz faltered at the Roadblock, or they'd have finished last rather than fifth.

Liz & Michael: They actually didn't have that bad of a start to the leg.  They did as well as they could at the Sing It Detour and made it to the Roadblock in a decent spot.  But then, Liz blew that good spot away by not paying attention to the demo and allowed Brooke and London to pass her up.  I imagine that if she and Michael had taken the water taxi, they might've avoided last.  Now they have a Speed Bump with which they must contend.  But with a self-driving leg coming up and them being terrible at directions, I doubt they can overcome it.  And I'm betting that they also get U-Turned next week, which would only be the final nail in their coffin.

Boring episode.

[Browncoat]

Chris and Amanda from Season 4!  Thanks!  I couldn't remember details for VenicesBitch.

Did it seem to anyone else that the mask judge was awfully lenient?  Or perhaps it was more about the technique than the finished product?  Most of what she was shown was definitely NOT " bellissima!"

And because it can't be said too many times, shut up, Brooke.  Especially when your partner is carrying your damn bag while you just stroll along and whine whine whine.

[ShadowSixx]

I thought Redmond would have to do it all over again because his mask looked nothing like the one he was painting. It looked raggedy and smeared. I think Floyd & London were the only two to do a passable job with their masks.

[Etta Place]

Well, that was fun. I lived in Padova, which is about 30 minutes by train from Venice, for a year and a half.  (I read somewhere that they were filming in June, when I was still living there, but I can't remember if I visited Venice that month or not.)

I was kind of surprised how strict the mandolin player was on the singing, but I remember another singing challenge in German a few seasons ago where I feel like the judge was extremely strict too. I wouldn't want to be a porter, but I would be terrified about being stuck going around and around on a gondola and getting told no every time. Not an easy task to abandon and jump to the other one.

I was disappointed they didn't have to do any serious navigation on the delivery task, even going to two hotels. I guess they didn't want them to be lost for hours.

[Bryce Lynch]

6 hours ago, Silver Raven said:

They're gondolas, not boats.

That poor "couple in love" is gong to hate each other by the time the singing is over.

Brooke is in default Brooke whine mode.

The title should have been "Slow and Steady Wins the Amazing Race"

Everybody is so fed up with Brooke. I was hoping she would be eliminated.

That is like saying, "They're sedans, not cars.".  Gondolas are a type of boat.

The couples in love probably won't hate each other, but they might hate music.  

Brooke's whining is horrible, but somehow she keeps getting through.  Maybe she should write a book about "Power Whining".

I was hoping SOMEBODY would be eliminated.  Back to back episodes with no eliminations feel like a rip off, especially when the same team finished last both times.  Is this a RAAAAAACE or just a tour?

[Rinaldo]

27 minutes ago, Etta Place said:

I was kind of surprised how strict the mandolin player was on the singing

Wellll... As far as we were allowed to hear, the teams weren't all that much better on the last try than they were on the first (they weren't, after all, sent back for additional coaching between tries). It really does seem, as several here have suggested, that -- barring anybody being instantly brilliant in all respects, which sure didn't happen -- the judges were instructed to fail them twice, with vague instructions for how to improve, then let them through.

[xcrayon2215x]

Michael is starting to annoy me with the argument with Joey. Liking Matt/Redmond more now and Brooke less. 

[Haleth]

So we are treated to an episode in Venice and have to watch paint dry.  LOL  Overall it was a gorgeous episode but I'm not sure TPTB thought out how boring the painting task would be for viewers.  Hard to believe in a theater full of brightly colored performers.  The singing went on for too long too.  The musicians were surely told to make the teams sing 3 or 4 times before rewarding them, probably to balance the luggage task.

So now some teams are mad at LoLo for not holding their hands?  This party mentality that they've developed was sure to explode once teams started remembering, oh yeah, race.  Good for LoLo for running their own race.  Makes me like them more.

Shut up, Brooke.  I cracked up with Scott talking about her negativity and demonstrated it on the bus, shrugging to the camera when he said something to her about finding love in Venice and she pouted.  Snowflake indeed.

8 hours ago, Browncoat said:

Venice is always a nice destination.  The mask challenge reminded me of the mask challenge in Venice way back in the early years. They didn't have to paint,  but they had to find a mask that matched a picture they had.

I remember Millie running around grabbing the noses of the masks to compare with the photos.

8 hours ago, etagloh said:

Brooke really does come across as someone who blundered into TAR by accident.

"I was just going to Starbucks for a unicorn latte and somehow ended up in Panama!  Wahhhh!  I can't doooo it!"

Hmmm, just occured to me.  Canals in Panama, Norway, Venice... a theme?  Lots and lots of boats too.

7 hours ago, etagloh said:

Piazza S. Marco was relatively empty when Phil did the intro, and when the teams landed. It doesn't stay that way.

I had recently met my soon to be husband on a bus tour of Europe.  We were in Venice seeking some alone time to get to know each other better.  We were sitting by the Grand Canal, at the foot of one of the pillars right by Piazza San Marco at 2am... when a crowd of Japanese tourists wandered in and ruined the romantic moment.  Tourists at 2am.

[mertensia]

I was in Venice in 2012. We got to the Doge's Palace somewhere around 9 AMish and the Piazza was pretty empty. Coming back from Lido mid afternoon, though..... 

[TheRabbi]

8 hours ago, dgpolo said:

I think I'm really beginning to see/feel exactly why this season of strangers isn't working. When you put aside the actual tasks, there's nothing there. There's no parent consoling their children (or vice versa) no marriages imploding, no couples proposing or breaking up, nothing. We know no matter how tempers flare during a task, it means nothing, because at the end they are all just going to walk away from each other. It really shows in team like LoLo and Tara and Joey and Seth and ? (forgot her name) they are strangers working together to complete a task and nothing more.

This about sums it up. I remember having this feeling when they were heading into the finale of the blind dating season and it was just the 3 teams left who were all the setups (after the real couples were eliminated). It was just 3 pairs of people running around who you could tell didn't really care for each other, and were just putting up with the stupid gimmick just to get on the show and eventually win the money.

This season is better than the blind dating season by a good amount. It helps to not have Phil asking about sparks every episode. But there's still so much missing that is only present in teams with existing relationships. There needs to be a diverse set of relationships on the show, and instead we have the same story for every team now. Its just redundant and boring.

Its a shame because the course and tasks have been pretty good this season I think.

[Lamb18]

57 minutes ago, Haleth said:

Hmmm, just occured to me.  Canals in Panama, Norway, Venice... a theme?  Lots and lots of boats too.

Could be - there's also the crossing between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.

[Rachel RSL]

9 hours ago, ShadowSixx said:

Brooke continues her high school antics telling London she doesn't want her to go home indicating  she's hoping Mike & Liz goes home.

Brooke is exhausting, that's for sure, but I, personally, don't think that hoping another team goes home before people you like better constitutes high school antics.  It's just human nature.  Similarly, as a Tara & Joey fan, I didn't get upset or consider it bullying and when the first 2 teams were talking about how they wanted to get T & J out. (And, for what it's worth, I re-watched last week's episode and literally everything that was said about Vanck & Ashton, including Brooke's "B List" comment, was kinder than the most of the things we have collectively posted about V & A here this season.) 

9 hours ago, dgpolo said:

There's no parent consoling their children (or vice versa) no marriages imploding, no couples proposing or breaking up, nothing. 

I'm actually enjoying this season mainly because of the lack of those things. I watch this show because I love to see people Race and visit cool places and do interesting challenges. The sob stories and marriage proposals are what make me roll my eyes and hit the fast forward button.

1 hour ago, xcrayon2215x said:

Michael is starting to annoy me with the argument with Joey. 

What's the argument with Michael and Joey? I think I missed that part.

[Primetimer]

Venice brings the expected gondolas and fancy masks; teams bring the expected petty bickering over tiny perceived slights.

View the full article

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

So we are treated to an episode in Venice and have to watch paint dry.  LOL  Overall it was a gorgeous episode but I'm not sure TPTB thought out how boring the painting task would be for viewers.  Hard to believe in a theater full of brightly colored performers.  The singing went on for too long too.  The musicians were surely told to make the teams sing 3 or 4 times before rewarding them, probably to balance the luggage task.

So now some teams are mad at LoLo for not holding their hands?  This party mentality that they've developed was sure to explode once teams started remembering, oh yeah, race.  Good for LoLo for running their own race.  Makes me like them more.

Shut up, Brooke.  I cracked up with Scott talking about her negativity and demonstrated it on the bus, shrugging to the camera when he said something to her about finding love in Venice and she pouted.  Snowflake indeed.

I remember Millie running around grabbing the noses of the masks to compare with the photos.

"I was just going to Starbucks for a unicorn latte and somehow ended up in Panama!  Wahhhh!  I can't doooo it!"

Hmmm, just occured to me.  Canals in Panama, Norway, Venice... a theme?  Lots and lots of boats too.

I had recently met my soon to be husband on a bus tour of Europe.  We were in Venice seeking some alone time to get to know each other better.  We were sitting by the Grand Canal, at the foot of one of the pillars right by Piazza San Marco at 2am... when a crowd of Japanese tourists wandered in and ruined the romantic moment.  Tourists at 2am.

Maybe a final leg memory task where they have to put photos of the boats they rode on in the order they rode them?  

[valen]

The mask task shows that Brooke expects help from everyone, almost as if they owe it to her to help her. It's like her default expectation is that she can't do it on her own, which makes me very suspicious of how she graduated from law school. The task showed though, that when she calms down, she can actually do it. 

I think LoLo just got caught up in making sure it was perfect. She did not want to have to do it again. She didn't know that as long as you followed the technique, it could be a smeary mess like Redmond's. He also doesn't bother me. He might stand out on this season for his snarky comments, but if you compare him to some of the other people that have been on past seasons, nothing he says would even compare. Even if you compare what he has said to the stuff Ashton said about her OWN partner, it's really not that bad. 

Also, RAAAAAAAACE. No one has to help anyone else, especially when it's down to 6 teams. Logan was smart. Her refusal to help at the mask task saved them from coming in last. If she'd pointed out that Liz skipped the rubbing part, Liz likely would have passed her.

[Bryce Lynch]

6 minutes ago, valen said:

The mask task shows that Brooke expects help from everyone, almost as if they owe it to her to help her. It's like her default expectation is that she can't do it on her own, which makes me very suspicious of how she graduated from law school. The task showed though, that when she calms down, she can actually do it. 

I think LoLo just got caught up in making sure it was perfect. She did not want to have to do it again. She didn't know that as long as you followed the technique, it could be a smeary mess like Redmond's. He also doesn't bother me. He might stand out on this season for his snarky comments, but if you compare him to some of the other people that have been on past seasons, nothing he says would even compare. Even if you compare what he has said to the stuff Ashton said about her OWN partner, it's really not that bad. 

Also, RAAAAAAAACE. No one has to help anyone else, especially when it's down to 6 teams. Logan was smart. Her refusal to help at the mask task saved them from coming in last. If she'd pointed out that Liz skipped the rubbing part, Liz likely would have passed her.

Yes, Brooke is really strange.  She whine, complains and says "I can't do it" about everything.  Yet, once she stops whining and starts working she usually does OK.

Redmond doesn't bother me either.  He had a couple of dodgy moments early in the race, but I thought the "deal" was BS anyway, so I didn't hold that against him and Matt.  The reaction to being U-Turned was a bit much, but not out of line with how other racers have reacted  in the past.  The only thing that really bothered me was cutting in line, as I HATE when people do that.  

But, since then, they have been fine.  They seem polite (and sometimes helpful) to the other racer and to the locals and they treat each other as well or better than any other team.

I don't mind teams helping each other out when they think it is mutually beneficial, or they just want to be nice.  But expecting help is out of line.  Michael was a total douchebag about not being given direction to the clue, as he is whenever anything goes wrong.  

[Rinaldo]

15 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

The only thing that really bothered me was cutting in line, as I HATE when people do that.  

And, as we have learned from additional videos, they weren't even cutting in line in the usual sense. There was a special line for the Racers that nobody noticed at first, and then everyone saw it and moved over there, R&M being among the first to do it. Some complained because they thought the order in the original line should have been maintained, but it's a genuinely debatable point whether that should be the case, or more of a "snooze, you lose" scenario.

[Stardancer Supreme]

10 hours ago, ShadowSixx said:

I knew it was a NEL based on them talking about Mike's daughter, which I have no empathy for. I'm immune to having empathy for those who have a family because everyone in the world has a family of some kind.  Mike is still in an ass, get over it Lolo didn't want to help you. I want this team eliminated mostly because of Mike.

I'm glad that Lolo got a little fire going knowing they're always in the back of the pack and knowing helping other teams isn't going to help them. They weren't being manipulative or mean spirited and still glad that they don't freak out and just calmly go through their tasks. Rooting for them along with Becca & Floyd.

I'm thinking that right now Redmond & Matt has this in the bag unless they can get U-Turned if a team can get ahead of them but do think Becca & Floyd have a shot as well of winning the whole thing along with Tara & Joey.

I'm all for Liz and Mike going next.  Dude, you're crying about how much you miss your daughter. You did this reality show to get money for your daughter. Big picture, man. Focus on the race! 

Becca and Floyd FTW. They are running a smart race and having fun while doing it. That is the TAR experience I would love to have!

[Bryce Lynch]

3 minutes ago, Rinaldo said:

And, as we have learned from additional videos, they weren't even cutting in line in the usual sense. There was a special line for the Racers that nobody noticed at first, and then everyone saw it and moved over there, R&M being among the first to do it. Some complained because they thought the order in the original line should have been maintained, but it's a genuinely debatable point whether that should be the case, or more of a "snooze, you lose" scenario.

Thanks for pointing that out.  Now, I like Redmond and Matt with no reservations at all.  I am rooting from either them or Team Fun to win, though LoLo or Tara and Joey would be fine as well.  

[Haleth]

Can you imagine if Michael and Brooke had ended up on the same team?  Her whining and his fuming would have been explosive. 

[howiveaddict]

When Phil was standing in the piazza, I looked to see if Katherine Hepburn and Rossano Brazzi were sotting there.   

[RealReality]

12 hours ago, Eolivet said:

Was it my imagination or were the judges sort of arbitrary with their standards at the singing Detour? "No, you didn't sing together. No, more theatrical." Or was it one of those instances where "Everybody fails on the first two tries and gets it on the third one."

 

Personally, its why I would have done the singing challenge.  Most of the "expert" challenges will give it to you by the third try no matter how much you suck.  You won't get it on the first, because then the detour would be uneven......if you're doing good, maybe you'll get it on the second.....but by the third you should have it.  Even when the detours are more objective, like with the boat racing....by the third time, the teams were like given 150 yard headstart so they could get it down.

Versus the luggage thing that just looked super heavy and hard to navigate, so much of the luggage kept falling off!

1 hour ago, valen said:

The mask task shows that Brooke expects help from everyone, almost as if they owe it to her to help her. It's like her default expectation is that she can't do it on her own, which makes me very suspicious of how she graduated from law school. The task showed though, that when she calms down, she can actually do it. 

 

 

I think Brooke is almost a caricature of an attorney.  I think attorneys like rules and exact parameters, so I knew that she would want to see the demonstration from the beginning.  I would too.  But if the woman wasn't going to start from the beginning, stop asking her to, or just try to figure it out with your own mask.

I also suspected she would do well, because attorneys are supposed to be detail oriented.

And her constant blaming of Scott for her "inability" to do things mimics some attorneys I know who, when they are losing, look to see who else they can blame for the loss.

A very type A special snowflake personality that quite a few people in law school have.

[valen]

Mike is actually really hard to watch. He gets SO angry and he doesn't let it go. He verbally berates Liz. If/when they are eliminated, I am sure he will blame her. Maybe that's why she started freaking out at the mask task. Who would want to face his wrath if they made a mistake that loses the race?

Edited May 5, 2017 by valen

[hula-la]

2 hours ago, valen said:

The mask task shows that Brooke expects help from everyone, almost as if they owe it to her to help her. It's like her default expectation is that she can't do it on her own, which makes me very suspicious of how she graduated from law school. The task showed though, that when she calms down, she can actually do it. 

 

I have lots of students like that--we call it Learned Helplessness. They are really good at appearing like they don't know what they're doing, when really, all they want is the easy answer. They want someone to do the thinking for them. Basically, I just look at them, and don't answer their question, knowing that they will figure it out.  They try to get other students to help them, and those kids learn fairly quickly to ignore them too. I was hoping that it would change as students grow up, but apparently, it doesn't.

[Netfoot]

"Waaah!  I haven't seen my daughter in a year few days!  Waaaaaahh!"

[jhlipton]

13 hours ago, PaperTree said:

Deliberately giving false or misleading information may not be socially cool, but I don't know if even that is against the rules.  This is not a popularity contest like some other shows.

It's a social game -- Brooke said so!  (Blergh)

4 hours ago, Rinaldo said:

Wellll... As far as we were allowed to hear, the teams weren't all that much better on the last try than they were on the first (they weren't, after all, sent back for additional coaching between tries). It really does seem, as several here have suggested, that -- barring anybody being instantly brilliant in all respects, which sure didn't happen -- the judges were instructed to fail them twice, with vague instructions for how to improve, then let them through.

12 hours ago, etagloh said:

It felt like teams got two mandatory failures and then it was a judgement call. Probably TPTB trying to balance things out based upon how they timed the luggage task.

Did anyone get a sense of whether they were doing a rough circuit for the duration of the gondola ride, or just going on a meander and getting off at the nearest point when they were done? 

But it wasn't balanced.  Becca and Floyd got to the Detour ahead of Matt and Raymond, but finished after Tara and Joey.  I think two times around would have been more balanced.

It had to end at a specific spot somewhat near the the next clue marker.