S24.E11: Hei Ho Heidi Ho

[Tara Ariano]

The race continues in Liverpool, England, and Wales. At Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, the four remaining teams participate in a soccer shoot-out. Meanwhile, one duo misread a clue and put their chances of making the final three in jeopardy.

[merylinkid]

Really Country Girls whining that Connor and Dave are taking your first place?   Really?   You wouldn't even be trying for the final 3 if it weren't for them.   Hell, you would still be trying to put your car together back in Malaysia (?) if not for help.   This is the very first leg you had to do everything yourself without absolutely any help.   I also noticed how generally angry you got that the goalie would not let you through on your looks alone.   

 

Am not looking forward to hearing Brendan and Rachel babble about having a baby if they win all next week.   All the freaking time.  Some people should not reproduce.

 

Hey, did you know Dave is old?   I had no clue.  

[Wandering Snark]

Man, every week I forget how much the blondes and D&C bother me... and then the show starts *insert eye roll* The blondes were insufferable at the soccer task. (So were the Brothers Afghanus but it was a big deal to them so I let them have thier moment...)

"You're mean so mean, we're just girls, golly gee..." And also not mention un-PC wtf was with them calling out ot the 60 year old man and his son "We love you long time?" *wide eyes*

 

Brendan/Rachel kind of kicked ass at the soccer challenge... while every shot Dave took I shouted at my teevee "Oh no look out for your achilles!"

 

I feel for them with the Welsh as I had to take a semester of Olde English which is similar. It takes a while to get the right sense/ear for it. And it's even harder if you whine about it like Connor was...

 

I loved the faces Jamal was making during his recitations.  But that poor judge, why didn't they get her inside somewhere or on one of the boats maybe? She was soaked but wouldn't give an easy pass, go you!!

 

Go figure the blondes know how to shoot Skeet? And Connor's a Scout too?? Okay, that last one isn't very shocking.

 

And Brendon, to quote the amazing Miss Alli, God's in the tub. "We have God on our side" ain't worth much when God's scrubbing up and singin' the Rubber Ducky song!

 

So yeah, I'm indifferent about this Final Three overall as a group... but to think one of them actually winning? Well, it makes me various degrees of sick...

[Tukahar]

Well, the girls surprised me this week. Who knew they could shoot?!

I hated Brenchel read the clue wrong and had to rerun the course, but I am glad they made it to the mat (but a small vicious voice in my head was murmuring they should lose for being stupid).

How the hell did Connor end up doing the roadblock?! I'm afraid they will win, unless Brenchel really pulls it out.

Bye Afghananimals...I will miss you!

[Way Wes Jr]

Okay, Dave's done four Roadblocks, and Connor's done seven.  (All the other top four teams break down 6-5.)  HEY SHOW - I thought you instituted a rule about this.  Why the special treatment?  It isn't as if the most current roadblocks have been super physical for your golden boy team.  I hope D&C come in DEAD FUCKING LAST.

 

Plus, what was with the attitude Scout boy?  The Afganimal had to repeat the poem one more time than you did, and he never got snippy with the judge. FOAD you entitled pricks.

[merylinkid]

Aaand this is how conspiracy theories start.   There was a lot of mention of how if they won D & C would be the first father-son team.   I remember all the talk about how an all-female team had never won.   Then they finally cast the hyper competent Nat and Kat.   The level of female contestants have declined since (IMHO).  

[Lantern7]

Sucks that the Afghanimals tumbled out of the game, but I'm happy Dave & Conner are still in the game. I'm guessing that the Roadblock rules have been altered, but I don't smell a conspiracy. Better them winning than the moochers and freakin' "Brenchel." Yes, I laughed at their size-10 misfortunes, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one.

[etagloh]

 

Brendan/Rachel kind of kicked ass at the soccer challenge...

 

Rachel was the best penalty taker out of the lot of them. She had the right form, knew how to misdirect the goalie with her eyes and kick with the inside of her foot.  I'm only surprised that we didn't hear a VO about how she'd played in the past, like all of the other things she may or may not have done before. That's the first and last compliment I'll make.

 

I bet those locations looked prettier whenever TPTB scouted them, which was probably not December with cold rain whipping in off the Irish Sea.

[ribboninthesky1]

So even with all of the strategery, Leo and Jamal still go out in 4th place.  And the Country Girls are F3.  I liked them more this season, but the schadenfreude is still amusing.

[Tara Ariano]

Here's Sarah's Watch/Skip Index for the episode!

[innominate]

Well, what in the actual *uck was that? Never have I been so underwhelmed by the F3. Ditto about the mentally stunted CGs screaming foul 'You're mean, you're mean' everytime the goalie actually did his job. Fine. To be fair I could only recall Caroline committing all the 'We're girls, we're so hopeless' crimes. But Jennifer is so smug with their notion of a good racer that I'm almost impressed by their overall dire lack of self awareness.

 

Oh well, at this point I'm pretty certain they can just sit there doing nothing and I would still *itch to my screen of how useless they are. Their uselessness is so infuriating to the point that I get unnecessarily invested in rooting for Brenchel just cause. Can't wait for this season to be over and get done with. And to think there were times I still enjoyed some earlier episodes with the cowboys ('We're like butter.... we're on a roll' is going on to my permanent useful pun list) is just pure shame

Edited May 12, 2014 by innominate

[Eggman]

Bleh.  I'll watch, because I watch, but if I what I saw in the preview was them skydiving in LV, I would be fine with all three team's parachutes failing to open.  The amazing splat. 

[viajero]

Well, I guess I could see it coming.  A final involving three teams that bug me to various degrees.  I still can't decide who I hate more: Rachel or David.  I guess at least Rachel is competent at most tasks (when she bothers to read the clue) and doesn't rely almost entirely on her partner.

 

Who would have thought that on a leg decided basically by navigation skills, the Afganimals would crash out while the Country Singers would come within a figurative coin toss of finishing first? 

 

Credit to the blondes though for running two good legs in a row during which they received no help from other teams.  I'd almost like to see them win it all just to spite D&C for helping them out earlier in the race. .

[possibilities]

I'm really confused about the roadblock rule. Why was Connor not prevented from exceeding the 6 maximum? Is there a chance there are two left and Dave will have to do both?

[Delwyn]

This is the first time I have been actively annoyed by the final three. I've been indifferent, sure. This is a whole new feeling for me; hoping none of these teams win, even though I know one has to. Caroline and Jennifer don't do their own work, even though their race strategy of having other teams carry them seems to be solid. This episode they did live and die at their own hands. However, I think it was the first time this season (or possibly their first season). Brendon and Rachel (most improved?): I admit there is some carry-over hate from their previous season and Rachel didn't let down this episode. I will also admit that I am giving them slight preference here because Uchenna and Joyce's hook was "we want to have a baby". Except for the part where they needed to pay for treatment and Brenchel just needs to stop using birth control. Dave and Connor bug me so much because of the whole deification of survival/injuries/nice guys that don't deserve to be yielded business. I just don't know why these teams get so het up about using a U-Turn on another team that is "good", when they would take that advantage in an instant. I don't believe for a second that the Country Singers would have failed to use the U-Turn if they were second to last and Dave and Connor were very close behind them.

 

I would also really love to see a reboot of this series. I get that they add new elements sometimes, but it's grown so stale and think they could change things up with a formula that the racers and audience don't expect. They've also used three tasks, more or less, from TAR Canada this season, which was disorienting.

I'm really confused about the roadblock rule. Why was Connor not prevented from exceeding the 6 maximum? Is there a chance there are two left and Dave will have to do both?

 

Yes, I forgot to mention this. My mom and I talk during breaks (tradition since season 9 that we can't seem to give up, even if our comments are "what." and "blergh." I said to her during the first break: "Well, Dave has to take all the road blocks now, Connor's up to six." Later in the ep: "what."

[Etta Place]

I like the Afghanimals, but this episode showed exactly the problem with dragging a weak team along for the final 3. You just might end up with a task they're actually good at for getting into the final 3, and then where are you? Eliminated, while they fly by into the finale.

[backformore]

This episode pretty much laid out the plan to us -   Dave & connor, the first father/son team, the oldest/youngest to EVER, in the history of the race to win, will be handed the win.  .  Dave doesn't have to do roadblocks - even when the roadblocks are much better suited to him, not requiring physical stamina.

 

PLUS -   I thought the soccer goalies played hard for only part of the task .    Brenchels and Afghanimals were shown making good shots, getting past the goalies who were actively trying to tend goal.   Blonds and D&C , after being shown having no soccer skills, were shown kicking goals in while the goalies stood still.   It pissed me off, because other tasks do not tend to get easier if a team flubs up.  from what we saw of Dave & Connor's soccer skills, they should STILL be there trying to score. 

 

I've seen the manipulation in a lot of other shows.  TAR has always been a favorite of mine because it seemed "clean" - the team that does the best wins, there's no producer manipulation going on.   But after tonight's episode, I have serious doubts.   

[SnideAsides]

I would also really love to see a reboot of this series. I get that they add new elements sometimes, but it's grown so stale and think they could change things up with a formula that the racers and audience don't expect. They've also used three tasks, more or less, from TAR Canada this season, which was disorienting.

 

Plus four others - the ferris wheel, the sewing, the hotel room, and the skeet shooting - that have turned up on various foreign versions too. I wonder what's made them throw up their hands in defeat all of a sudden. Is the world not amazing any more?

[whammo]

I started out this ep with a thought that never crossed my mind last time around -- I wanted the Afghanimals to win.  Kiss of death.  Sorry guys.  Though, you might have been a titch more humble on the way out the door ("We'll ALWAYS be remembered!).

 

Like the rest of you, I just don't care who wins anymore.  I've backed D&C even through their more annoying moments, but Connor's pouting throughout made them dead to me tonite.  He still has great hair, though.

 

Country girls -- congratulations on competently running a leg all by yourselves!  Well, almost competently.  If you'd pulled off the win and managed not to get lost, I might have backed you until the end.

 

Brenchel -- there were moments this season where I didn't hate you.  You almost brought me on side for a minute or two.  Today, though, was Rachel Classic, which reminded me why I have intensely disliked you in every reality TV show you've ever been on. 

 

If I HAD to choose between the three, I'd choose . . . . wait, I don't have to.

 

Globetrotters FTW!

[Delwyn]

Is the world not amazing any more?

The world: meh.

Agreed about Afghanimals. I feel a bit sullied that I was rooting for them. Their first season, I hated them because I know Shane of Rowan and Shane and kind of sided with their opinion. And, you know, being grossed out by the local-lifting and all the yelling. But. They were boisterous this season and not intolerable. It's a sad day when you are bummed about the Afghanimals going home.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I didn't care for Caroline's "You're so mean! I thought you liked me!" crap any more than Rachel's behavior last week with the bulls. STFU and do the task instead of acting like these people are doing anything but their jobs. Yes, Caroline, he's being mean because he's blocking your weak ass goal attempt, as he was instructed to do. I'm guessing she also thinks the police are mean when they give out tickets for texting while driving or speeding. instead of focusing on the other person's actions, just be better. If you could kick a halfway decent goal, you wouldn't have to worry about this kid blocking it.

 

The country girls like to judge and blame others instead of taking responsibility for their own actions. Instead of figuring out a way to kick the ball better, Caroline blamed the goalie for being mean. Similarly, when they hit the mat this week, they whined that Dave and Connor are always stealing first place from them. Yup, because Dave and Connor made you drive in the wrong direction. Totally all their fault.

 

It looked like the cars they drove from Heathrow to Liverpool had GPS or something which I'm assuming is what kept everyone from getting lost on that long drive.

 

Brendon and Rachel were both to blame for The Great Wellie Debacle of 2014 but somehow only they both decided that it was solely Rachel's fault. You know, because Brendon wasn't standing right next to her when she read the clue out loud and said "size 9 or 11" and a minute later when she said, "Here's a size 10." Yup, all Rachel's fault. I was kind of hoping that the judge would give them the clue and then Phil would hit them with a one hour penalty when they got to the mat (and then we would be subjected to a montage of Rachel crying and pleading with God for the entire hour). The one thing I liked about the situation was that Brendon told her to stop crying and just do the task again. It reminded me of the wise words from Project Runway: "You can cry, but you have to cry and cut [fabric]."

[A Boston Gal]

In my revisionist fantasy, just before the Country girls take their first attempt at the kick, the male goalie is replaced by Brianna Scurry.

[In Pog Form]

Damn, that was looking like a great leg, until Dave & Connor turned it around. Why, oh, why couldn't they have stayed in last place and got the boot... I mean, the Wellie.

 

That goalie was definitely going easy on both of the girls' teams, but didn't seem to take it so easy on Brendon & Rachel and the Afghanimals.

[ProfCrash]

An interesting episode. Some bad racing by two teams, OK racing by one team, and good racing by another. For once I can say that the Country Girls did a great job on a leg. I can't find much to snark on, except the penalty kicks.

 

On the penalty kick task: I am sure they were told after a certain number of kicks before they were told not bother trying. Most of the shots that went in they could have easily stopped. Rachel and Brendan looked the strongest in that task. Good form, good shots. All the shots were probably stopable but they were far more legit then anything the Conutry Girls, Dave and Conner, or the Afghanimals got in. I didn't mind the Afghanimals hamming it up when they scored, that is normal soccer behavior and anyone who follows soccer knows that. It was a little silly but the right kind of silly

 

I don't think I could have done the Welsh memorization task. I suck at memorizing things in Englis, never mind a language that makes no sense to me. I am impressed that people got it on the second attempt. I kind of wished they had set it up that you had to work with the instructor on the way back tot he starting point and thereturn to the task location if you got it wrong. That would have stopped some of the more silly attempts. I do love that the Judge was a hard ass. She was so sweet about it as she sent them back, shivering and frustrated to their teachers.

 

I am shocked that it took Brendan and Rachel that long to complete the Welly task. It didn't look like it was that long of a course and it shouldn't have been that hard to refill the boots. Yes, it was a lot of steps but pretty easy. Still they were beaten by the folks shooting the guns. And then they had to do it again because of their screw up. I figured the size 9 and 11 thing was to make the task take a bit longer because you had to find the right pair of boots since it looked so simple. I was guessing that there were only 4 sets of each boot in the pile and lots of size 10s.

 

It looked like Jamal's leg was legitimaly screwed up by the Bull task. I don't mind physical contact tasks but I hope that revisit them so that the rules are altered a bit to make it less likely that someone get sseriously hurt. I am sure that the intention was that the Bulls would add time and divert the racers attention so that the task was more then run through a marked path and find the obvious signs. I don't think the intention was for the Racers to be as battered as they were. There is a way of balancing all of that so that it is challenging, fun for the viewers to watch but still decrease the likelihood of injury.

[backformore]

@ElectricBoogaloo

brendon and Rachel were both to blame for The Great Wellie Debacle of 2014

but somehow only they both decided that it was solely Rachel's fault. You know,

because Brendon wasn't standing right next to her when she read the clue out

loud and said "size 9 or 11" and a minute later when she said, "Here's a size

10."

Yeah - that confused me too.   Her "I'm sorry"  repeated over and over was annoying, but since she reminded us that she had misread a clue on their first season, doesn't it make sense to have BOTH team members look at a clue, just to be sure there is no misinterpretation?  Or is it just set up in their marriage that Brendan is the smart one, therefore she is to blame for anything that goes wrong? 

I figure the task was set up with all those boots because they had to select a PAIR - same size, either 9 or 11, and one right, one left.  Cool way to set up the task, I think. 

[dolphincorn]

I'm usually the first person to tell all the conspiracy nuts that they're crazy, but the moment Dave asked Connor to do the task I screamed out "WHAT?"  I barely pay attention to who does what on this show, but I knew that it was his turn.  And what was wrong with him doing a memorization task, anyway?  That doesn't require a lot of Achilles tendon strength.

 

The reason I don't try out for "The Amazing Race Canada" is because I know that I have no back-story and that I can't cry on-command.  I'm a product of years of TWoP.  For that reason, these guys rubbed me the wrong way in their first season and made me hate them even more when they were cast on this season.  Now that I believe that they're being handed the win, I personally want to slap Phil across the face and say "LEAVE THE SHOW ALONE!  IT WORKS EVEN WHEN THE VILLAINS WIN!"

[Lovecat]

I loved the faces Jamal was making during his recitations. 

No offense meant to anyone who has actually faced this struggle, but he looked like a stroke patient working hard in speech therapy.  It was almost painful to watch!

 

And Brendon, to quote the amazing Miss Alli, God's in the tub. "We have God on our side" ain't worth much when God's scrubbing up and singin' the Rubber Ducky song!

I stood up and yelled, "WHERE'S YOUR GOD *NOW*, RACHEL?!??!?" while she was melting down after the great welly debacle.  Yes, I already know I'm a horrible person.

[ProfCrash]

Jamal looked positivly pained during his recitation. The even funnier thing is that he thought he was selling this "Light hearted poem" with his over th etopic, dramatic rendition. I saw someone on one of the sites make a comment that it looked almost like a Klingon reciting poetry and I think that is spot on. I just need to find an episode of Trek where Worf was reciting Klingon poetry to double check but my god was that hilarious.

 

I loved the Judge whispering the Heidi Ho part at the end to Jamal and his totally missing it the first three times she tried to give it to him.

[innominate]

No offense meant to anyone who has actually faced this struggle, but he looked like a stroke patient working hard in speech therapy.  It was almost painful to watch!

Ha! Or Bell's Palsy. A bit off topic but there's a Russell Peters stand up piece you can easily find on handicapped people. I hope our world isn't too hell bent on being so PC that anyone would actually take offence on innocent comments like this

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I saw someone on one of the sites make a comment that it looked almost like a Klingon reciting poetry and I think that is spot on. I just need to find an episode of Trek where Worf was reciting Klingon poetry to double check but my god was that hilarious.

You mean like this? (I thought Worf sounded particularly Shatner-esque in this recitation so now I'm imagining Jamal channeling Captain Kirk in Welsh)

Edited May 12, 2014 by ElectricBoogaloo

[SirDigbyPollo]

Argh again.  WIth the Cowboys out, Leo & Jamal version 2.0 were my preferred pick to win it.  How did they suddenly lose their navigational sense?  This is almost as bad as TAR 20, where I didn't even watch the finale because I couldn't stand any of the remaining teams.  Hmm.  Seems like this season has a common element with TAR 20, something nasty and vile, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is... 

 

Hah!  Raining in Wales!  Rhod Gilbert does a bit about that.

 

I really don't understand why Dave isn't being forced to do all of the remaining tasks.  My only hope is that they arrive first at the finish mat, where Phil informs them that they have to sit out a 4 hour penalty because Dave didn't do enough Road Blocks, thus allowing the Country Clutter to sweep in, winning by default and providing a lesson to future racers: don't help another team, ever.

[etagloh]

 

I wonder what's made them throw up their hands in defeat all of a sudden. Is the world not amazing any more?

 

This is what happens when TPTB decide that DRAMA between and within teams is what keeps the viewers watching. But I hope that this retread/threetread season is used to draw the line under the past few years and look at why TAR Canada worked so well.

[Etta Place]

Yeah - that confused me too.   Her "I'm sorry"  repeated over and over was annoying, but since she reminded us that she had misread a clue on their first season, doesn't it make sense to have BOTH team members look at a clue, just to be sure there is no misinterpretation?  Or is it just set up in their marriage that Brendan is the smart one, therefore she is to blame for anything that goes wrong? 

I figure the task was set up with all those boots because they had to select a PAIR - same size, either 9 or 11, and one right, one left.  Cool way to set up the task, I think. 

My husband commented on this as well (that Brendon had been the one reading the clue out loud while she told him what size she was choosing). On the plus side, by the time they were in the car, Brendon was saying "We screwed up, we just need to move on," etc. I think that maybe by that time, he'd realized that they'd both had a hand in it.

[Jal]

Caroline and Jennifer are insufferable.

 

I don't mind if D/C or R/B win. They weren't my choices going into the finale, and they both have annoying moments, but it's much better than C/J winning. I only wish the Sri Lankan girls made it further than they did. Would've been entertaining. They were loud and whiny, but they were also self-aware and funny.

[Kara]

I was so hoping D&C would be out.  I cannot stand them.  Connor was a whiny little baby doing that poem.  Dave is not capable of doing anything apparently. 

 

The singers were at least competent at the shooting task, which I would have failed miserably at.  I took a skeet shooting class for gym in high school.  Over a 6 week session, I only hit one skeet.  I should never be allowed to touch a gun.  But they were so freaking annoying during the soccer challenge.  Be nice!  Be nice!  Ugg.  The only reason that they say that shit is because it has worked for them in the past.  Anyone who has ever given into their flirty little whines needs to be held accountable for the viewing public having to witness it week after week.  And then when Rachel and Brendan finished the soccer challenge, one of the singers said something along the lines of "How did Rachel do it"  As if having a vagina and breasts prevents competence at kicking a ball.  They are seriously the worst (well so are D&C, they are all the worst). 

 

I go back and forth on L&J.  I liked them this week.  I loved their enthusiasm at the soccer challenge.  They were really excited to be in a professional stadium, like little kids.  And I liked Jamal's initial enthusiasm at the poem task, although it wore him down after a couple of tries.  Disappointed to see them go.  They annoy me a lot, but at least they are not the worst. 

 

So, I am guess I am hoping for R&B?  They are the least offensive team to me.  I can write off R's melt down to KF.  It has to be devastating to make such a stupid mistake on the second to last leg, after racing for so long.  But they need to stop with the God talk.  Any God would not give a rat's ass about the amazing race, and if he did, would deserve a demotion so a god with his/her priorities straight could take over. 

[Wandering Snark]

Ya know, mentioning the Sri Lankan harpies and their 'TWINEEEEEE' rallying cries makes me think of what a lonnnnnnng seasson this has been! Thinking back to the first episode seems like years ago. I think it's the first time us viewers were the ones that came down with TAR killer fatigue.

 

TPTB have moved on from bad ideas in the past however so hopefully this season will be taken as a cautionary tale just like the "Family Edition" we've sworn to never speak of again. Maybe if they just cast normal people again it will "snap back" like Survivor did this year with it's cast of all new players (well until the idols ruined it but I digress on the wrong forum).

 

Glad others saw the humor in Jamal's "poetry".

Edited May 12, 2014 by Wandering Snark

[sbkasha]

Because he always goes against the popular pick, my S/O is rooting for Brenchel to win.  When I got disgusted with him last night, he asked me, "Well, who do you want to win?" and my answer was, "No one!"

Yeah, I don't want any of the final teams to win.  I don't like any of them.

[viajero]

Country girls -- congratulations on competently running a leg all by yourselves!  Well, almost competently.  If you'd pulled off the win and managed not to get lost, I might have backed you until the end.

 

 

The country girls ran the previous leg all by themselves, as they also had the Kuala Lumpur leg, among others.  Though their default seems to be to try to get help from the other teams, they have tended to do quite well when they haven’t received any.

 

It also wasn’t so much they got lost as simply a question of bad luck.  None of the teams knew where the castle was and had to guess whether to turn right or left heading out of the roadblock.  The blondes guessed wrong, which benefited D&C because they decided to go the opposite direction.  It was basically a toss-up.

Edited May 12, 2014 by viajero

[Gentian root]

sbkasha, maybe there will be a customs-line fistfight that gets all 3 teams disqualified and locked up!

[Bella]

sbkasha, maybe there will be a customs-line fistfight that gets all 3 teams disqualified and locked up!

That would be glorious.

 

I've deleted the past 4 episodes from my TiVo without even watching, and I removed the "record" option for the finale. For me, this truly has been the worst season ever, and that includes the massively ill-conceived TAR8: Family Edition. One more cast like this one and I'm out for good.

[Alapaki]

I am shocked that it took Brendan and Rachel that long to complete the Welly task. It didn't look like it was that long of a course and it shouldn't have been that hard to refill the boots. Yes, it was a lot of steps but pretty easy. Still they were beaten by the folks shooting the guns. And then they had to do it again because of their screw up. I figured the size 9 and 11 thing was to make the task take a bit longer because you had to find the right pair of boots since it looked so simple. I was guessing that there were only 4 sets of each boot in the pile and lots of size 10s.

 

 

Do we know how long it actually took?  It seems like the skeet-shooting was probably easier than anyone was counting on, and probably went quicker than any of the teams expected.  Maybe it was just edited to look like the Brendan and Rachel took a long time with the boot task (beyond having to do it twice, of course) to create more drama about the ending?  It seems like Leo and Jamal got really lost.

 

I am also calling bullshit on TPTB's apparent ditching (or ignoring) of the rule about Roadblock parity the season that they happen to have a gimpy, one-balled, 60-year-old whom they probably anticipated being a sentimental fan-favorite.

 

I have found it curious that Connor hasn't objected more about the task being non-physical when Dave pushes him to do a task he obviously doesn't want to do.

 

Both of the remaining F3 have a 6-5 Roadblock split, as did Leo and Jamal (according to Wikipedia).  Jet and Cord had a 5-5 split.  So it seems like they've been at least playing by the old rules (although those other teams are probably more evenly split physically so it might've worked out that way even without the rule).

 

I was surprised at the Country Singers' competence this leg.  But I don't think that Leo and Jamal should regret their U-Turn of the Cowboys.  I can't see how the Cowboys wouldn't have performed this leg as well if not better than the Country Singers.  The Cowboys have had navigation problems, but them again the Country Singers got lost twice in the same leg within the past couple of weeks.  So I can't second guess the U-Turn decision.

[Netfoot]

Afgassaholes seemed less thrilled to be at Liverpool FC than they seemed thrilled to be seen being thrilled at Liverpool FC.  While expressing all that spontaneous joy, they made sure to do it for the camera.

 

A bigger bunch of toe-punching I have never seen.  D&C in particular looked like they would injure themselves trying to get boot on ball!  Which would have been fine by me, especially if Dave had managed to injure his mouth and put it out of action for the remainder of the season.  Country Singers were all "Be kind to us!" as usual, but didn't look like they really expected the judge or goalie to ease up on them.  Perhaps that's just the role that TPTB has given them to play.

 

Narrowboats are great!  A friend very nearly bought one on retirement, to use as his home.  He changed his mind at the last moment, taking into consideration that as he got older, so would the boat, and it's need for ongoing maintenance would increase.  It would have been really cool, though!  The aqueduct itself was spectacular, and I wish they had spent  a few moments more on it, and the view from the top.  There is a large viaduct right in the city where I went to college and it is an impressive piece of architecture, even if 20 years younger and only half the height of the "stream in the sky".  The welsh poetry really was a devilish challenge, and the coaches were just great how they encouraged the racers to absorb the intricate pronunciation.  The judge was an absolute gem, despite the uncomfortable weather.  I loved how she whispered the last line to Jamal, but still made him go back and do it right.  I just don't understand how Connor was able to do it, and can't say I appreciated his attitude, either!

 

Well done B&R, for what I can only describe as the Motoring-fu used to misdirect the following Assholimals, causing them to get lost, be late, and eventually suffer elimination. 

 

Country Singers did well again this leg.  I don't believe they are as terrible at tasks as some seem to think.  They just suck at finding their way around.  I mean, they drove out the gate and tuned right at random?  Couldn't they have bought a map?  Or turned in the direction of the nearest human habitation where they might acquire a map?  Well, they're in the finale now, and traditionally, we can expect taxi navigation throughout.  If they can complete the challenges with reasonable efficiency -- which we've seen that they can do -- and providing they get a moderately good taxi driver, they stand every chance of winning the megabuk.  Which, frankly, would suit me better than D&C or B&R. 

 

Edited to say that B&R were particularly silly getting the wrong wellies.  They read the clue aloud and still didn't register that the size was important.  In a real life wellie wanging contest, only size 9 wellies are allowed, so the clue actually made things a little easier for the racers in that regard.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Netfoot

[SirDigbyPollo]

The Cowboys seemed to just alternate as to who did the Roadblock.  Jet did the manuscript illustration, Cord did the milk dogs, and Jet did the balloon shaving.  I would have enjoyed seeing Cord try to recite that Welsh poem.  Ah, well....

 

Instead of just trying to follow Brenchell, Leo & Jamal should have gone into the petrol station to get the same directions.  It did seem like they ran into a lot of people who didn't know where the race locations were.  I was wondering if that was a knee-jerk response on the part of the locals to being questioned by a "swarthy Middle Easterner."

[Joystickenvy]

Note to producers: please cast at least one or two likable teams who might make the finale next season

So, Dave & Conner are possibly the worst soccer players ever. The Country gals finally find a task they are good at. The Brenchels are saved from being Globetrottered by the Afghanimals cowboying themselves.

The Country Singers whined at the goalie. Conner whined at the poetry judge and Rachel whined at god. The finale should be a blast. Brendan actually annoyed me more with his blaming Rachel, when he could and should have double checked the boot himself than Rachel did with her whining, particularly when he drug the god helped us stay in the race card out.

The Country Singers' "we love you long time!" was a definite WTF? moment. I'm not sure if she meant something like, "love you lots" and it came out wrong or if it was an inside joke or they have a side business we don't know about.

I'm on team anyone but D&C for the finale. Dave is even more worthless than the country singers and after dragging them along, they deserve to lose to them. Brenchel is annoying, but they are still less annoying than the whiny, sanctimonious D&C.

Preparing to be super annoyed when they let Conner do all the remaining taskes, so Dave can brag about being the oldest winner, in spite of kvetching about how unfair the race treats his 60 year old self and refusing to do most of the detours. I hope we get to hear about his Achilles one more time.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Joystickenvy

[Wandering Snark]

 

Preparing to be super annoyed when they let Conner do all the remaining taskes, so Dave can brag about being the oldest winner, in spite of kvetching about how unfair the race treats his 60 year old self and refusing to do most of the detours. I hope we get to hear about his Achilles one more time.

I believe this confirms he already holds the record for being the biggest whiner as well. Obviously they knew about the "new/old" rules being in place and therefore explains incidents like the kerfuffle at the caligraphy decision" "I'm old why should I do any I don't think looks fun?"

 

I dislike this group so much I'm actually hoping that someone (like Dave and Connor) would be disqualified and the Beakmans come back and surge to the finish.

[Pepper the Cat]

David Copperfield next week! I freaking LOVE him!

I don't care who wins. I'm watching just to see him!

Rachel's meltdown was painful to watch. That chick needs to get her act together before having kids, or they will walk all over her.

[Netfoot]

Can't stand David Copperfield.  If he's such a great magician, why doesn't he prove it by making his own conceited ass disappear?

[innominate]

Instead of just trying to follow Brenchell, Leo & Jamal should have gone into the petrol station to get the same directions.  It did seem like they ran into a lot of people who didn't know where the race locations were.  I was wondering if that was a knee-jerk response on the part of the locals to being questioned by a "swarthy Middle Easterner."

Here's what I found from another forum:

 

 

There was a lot of driving in that leg: Heathrow to Liverpool is over 200 miles along busy motorways, mostly in the dark, and the trip out to the canal and back was probably another 100 miles, much of it on narrow roads in nasty winter weather. But urgh, Leo and Jamal threw that away on the roads when they could have seen off Brenchal for that dumb mistake. (Top tip for future racers: nobody in Britain knows directions to those castles and country houses are unless they live within a mile of them. Get a map, get two maps, get a Big Book Of Castles.)

 

But I wouldn't put your theories past the locals either

[LittleIggy]

PLUS - I thought the soccer goalies played hard for only part of the task . Brenchels and Afghanimals were shown making good shots, getting past the goalies who were actively trying to tend goal. Blonds and D&C , after being shown having no soccer skills, were shown kicking goals in while the goalies stood still. It pissed me off, because other tasks do not tend to get easier if a team flubs up. from what we saw of Dave & Connor's soccer skills, they should STILL be there trying to score.

Oh, I know! I kept saying to myself that the goalies weren't even trying after L&J and B&R. Unless the ball was rolling so slowly it would be embarrassing not to stop it, they let it in. That really pissed me off. Edited May 13, 2014 by LittleIggy

[Joystickenvy]

I'm assuming there were more kicks than we were shown and after a certain number they were instructed to let them in. I'm OK with that, though I'd prefer they just be honest and say ok, you get x amount of time or # of attempts and then you go through. That way teams can still get a leg up by doing well, but it doesn't make it look like some teams are getting passed through without a full effort.