S31.E08: You're The Apple In My Eye

[Halting Hex]

3 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

I haaaaaated that stupid U-Turn vote so much! It’s the Amazing Race, not a vote-you-off show.  Being good racers and getting to the U-Turn first should count for something. This just seemed like a good way to screw over strong teams.

Exactly.  But since Rachel was the one who was undone by the "twist", I'm guessing that some of those who complained about the inclusion of teams from voting-based shows are all of a sudden just fine with an IMO far greater corruption of the Race concept.

Really not a great day for me;  I lost some of another show due to storms in my area (weirdly, one DVR kept recording just fine, there was only "signal loss" on the other.  Well, half a loaf, but still), someone was IMO very rude to me elsewhere on this board, and now this.  Sigh.

And just when I was wondering who I wanted more to win it, Rachel or Colin, I get the head-to-head that told me where my heart is.  And sadly, it's headed home with her sister 😞

(No offense, C&C Winning Factory.  Still rooting for you.  Given that there's pretty much no alternative, but even without that.)

Did Team Fat-Ass get a retake on their vote?  Because Chris properly said "Reilly sisters" but for the rest of the episode he was just as ignorant as Bret in the talking heads, calling them the "O'Reillys".  "O" suck it, jerks.  "We're voting based on our feelings, because we haven't gotten to know them."  And how much effort have you made, exactly?  Sheesh.  I mean, Chris literally had an opportunity to talk with Rachel and Elissa right in front of him, but because they dared to apologize to the Afghanimals in private (the horror!), he snitted his way into vengeance mode, instead.  I hope he keeps a cooler head in court, for his clients' sake.

I also wasn't thrilled with Bret pretty much giving away the outcome by practically giggling in his talking head.  At least Rachel always makes an effort to keep the storyline drama alive.

I guess I can take some comfort that even with a leg that was practically designed for them (marksmanship roadblock for Bret, a PitStop "race" that was largely not on foot and had a "no running at ALL" option for the Race slowpoke), FatAss still couldn't pull out the win.  But it's not as if I adore Tyler/Korey, so meh.

2 hours ago, zscore said:

Now I'm rooting for Afghanimals to break Rachel's record. They need 3 more legs.

Which is why I'm rooting for the Garanimals to break a leg or two.  (Ok, not really, but it's definitely time for them to go.)

Points to Victor for putting aside his emotions to make a logical voting choice, but his snapping at Nicole was not exactly his shining moment..  Nicole was pretty much insufferable, though.  And her "logic" (she doesn't want to make any more enemies) is contingent on there being more U-Turns, which…I hope not.  Let's be done with the gimmicks, please.

And the depressing thing is that, with only one Big Brother team left, if all that "are Vic/Nic a Big Brother team or are they an Amazing Race team now?" talk is foreshadowing a BB win, it's for my least favorite of the three BB teams we started with.  

(And if it's not foreshadowing, then what was the point, exactly?  Because honestly, if it's not Race-relevant, why on Earth should I care?  "Victor and Nicole proved they were a true Amazing Race team by finishing fourth", is that the "payoff" for this storyline?  I should hope not.)

What was that grease smear on Jamal's temple?  Did he try to change a tire during their driving adventures?

And again, feh. 😞  Even if Oliver the Cow was adorable and Rachel showed her brains by knowing how to get him going.

Edited June 6, 2019 by Halting Hex

[Squirrely]

In previous seasons of my recollection, it's okay to lose a clue. But you must have retrieved every single clue during the leg. Teams have lost clues and sometimes still managed. Teams who stumbled upon tasks and tried to check in without having found every clue box and retrieved every clue have been sent back to find the missing clue from the clue box they skipped. 

I don't think bromance was dumb to U-turn the sisters, if the purpose of a U-turn is to get that team eliminated. Tonight was a perfect example. C&C came in 3rd place and are probably more motivated than ever. I'm not saying they were a bad choice either, but U-turning strong teams isn't always the way to go. But opinions have always varied on proper use of the U-turn. I wish it would go the way of Speed Bumps and Intersections and never be seen again, personally. And that vote was way too Probst for me. Phil, what are you becoming? 

Edited June 6, 2019 by Squirrely
Typo

[Waldo13]

Rachel and Elissa = FAKE Squared.  Just two dolts that don’t even recognize how fake they are.  Don’t waist you vote on us.  You made the wrong choice. Yeah right. They should have been voted off instead of U Turned.  The wicked witches are gone. Too bag so sad 😭😢🤣

I agree, as stated up thread, if Rachel and Elissa check in before the last team, than they would have received a penalty.  

[ByaNose]

I couldn’t tell from the confessionals who got eliminated. As much, as the sisters annoy me I wanted them to survive. I would have been fine with Leo & Jamal getting eliminated. Chris & Bret are a hoot and are doing great. Their only downfall will be a foot race in the end. 

[dgpolo]

25 minutes ago, Squirrely said:

In previous seasons of my recollection, it's okay to lose a clue. But you must have retrieved every single clue during the leg. Teams have lost clues and sometimes still managed. Teams who stumbled upon tasks and tried to check in without having found every clue box and retrieved every clue have been sent back to find the missing clue from the clue box they skipped. 

No, I think only on the first few seasons that it was 'ok' to lose a clue but at least since season 5 you need the actual clue, your actual clue, not someone elses. I know there was one team (and I'm sorry I can't be more specific but I just re-watched almost all the seasons so they are all mixed up in my head now) that lost their clue at a coffee shop?restaurant? and when Phil sent them back for it they knew where they probably lost it and someone at the shop had found it and saved it for them. So they had the clue, they didn't skip getting it from the box, but then they lost it and had to go back for it.

[millennium]

☹️

My emoji needs false eyelashes.

[green]

On 6/5/2019 at 11:27 PM, hendersonrocks said:

I could not have loved this moment more.

Also, what in the magical world of wizardry and witchcraft are Tyler and Korey doing so no one seems to ponder them as a legitimate threat come U-Turn Time despite winning multiple legs (while Colin and Christie have won none)?

C & C won one leg.  And, of course, WOW on how they handled the U-Turn both in running a perfect leg and in not getting bent out of shape by the votes.

But I agree entirely that Tyler & Korey are being ignored by the other teams.  They should have been the number one target at the vote given their performance.  They are both strong teams but I guess Colin being one of the top legendary TAR figures of all time causes the teams to focus on him and Christie and allows T & K to slip through the cracks.

And I fear T & K are getting the winners' edit too being a C & C fan as I am.  No I am not spoiled.  Just their edit to me constantly showcases everything as super positive about working like a team and being in love and being winners etc.

C & C's edit is more their redemptive arc as the calm and nice guy newly minted Zen masters of TAR.

Meanwhile what is it with the Afganibles?  They did well the other two times on the Race and started out strong the first two legs here.  Then all of a sudden it is like at least one very major mistake each leg leaving them scrambling.  At least Leo was excited to meet Pablo the Cat's long lost Swiss cousin this leg.

And Team Fun needs to piggyback off of C & C when it comes to navigation and without them couldn't find the parking lot.   We also saw Victor & Nicole, Duck Lips and Brett & Chris all get lost last leg and the Afganibles get lost this leg.  This is Switzerland, not a country that has a non-Roman alphabet signage on the roads and where most people would speak a little English it being a major tourist area where they were these two legs.  No stick shifts, no rotaries, no crazy traffic even and still they all seem to struggle.  (Again it points to Tyler & Korey and Colin & Christie being the top two Race teams).

Also NEVER do this vote thing again ... EVER.  The ends never justify the means even if this end was finally getting Rachel out.  And it just allows her to claim that if it was an even playing field without the U-Turn she would still be racing.  Though hypocrite that I am ... since they were forced to vote, I am grateful to both Colin & Christie and Brett & Jeff for making the right choice for us viewers. 

Edited June 7, 2019 by green

[tinkerbell]

Rachel:  WooHoo!  The most TAR legs ever!  I'm awesome!   I am a winner! best ever!  Woo hoo! 

Then, the U-turn vote.

Rachel:  why would you U-turn us?  we're not a strong team!  you wasted your vote!  that was stupid! We are NOT a strong team!!!!!!! 

[Regalbegal]

2 hours ago, bmoore4026 said:

Oh, God, we're still stuck with Leo and Jamal.  I'd take Rachel and Elissa over them any day.  I mean, yes, Rachel and Elissa were villains, but they were entertaining villains.  Leo and Jamal are just a-holes.

Yeah, out of the teams left at the beginning of tonight's episode Leo and Jamal were probably my least favorite, I think they annoy me so much because they seem to believe they are one of the "top teams" of the season, but have been performing pretty badly.  Rachel and Elissa didn't bother me all that much (there has been far more extreme whining and shit-stiring by other teams in seasons past), but I really think it was their time to go purely from a quality of racing perspective. 

Even though I am liking Colin and Christie a lot this season (and "my ox is broken" will never not be funny), it made sense for them to be uturned - they are major competition, as the pull up to 3rd place this leg showed.  The other teams dropped the ball though in not also uturning Tyler and Korey.  These seem to be the two consistently strongest teams - however annoying they were, keeping Rachel and Elissa around would have been a good last place buffer to keep around. 

When this season was first announced I thought I was going to hate it given the theme, but so far it has been a return to form of sorts for the series quality-wise, I have really enjoyed it.   At this point I would be ok with any team (other than Leo and Jamal) winning. 

[GaT]

HALLELUJAH!!!! She is finally gone.

[30 Helens]

So I guess Colin’s never going to crack. Good for him. But I will admit to shouting, “Give him a broken cow!” in hopes of seeing some fireworks. Because I’m a little evil that way.

Thank GOD the pouty princesses are gone.

Maybe it's because I’m a Survivor fan, but I’m rooting hard for Bret and Chris. They seem like great guys, and they were cracking me up tonight with the snide comments. Have they always been “Team Bromance”? I never noticed that before, and I will have to deduct a few points for that nickname.

[Honeycocoa]

I didn’t like the live U turn at all, that’s part of why I stopped watching Survivor and have never watched Big Brother. I’m here for the travel and the racing please. I’m delighted to see the Reilly sisters go!  They were messing up my show. Switzerland is so lovely. The tasks were great, very glad to see some self driving. I’m happy with whoever wins the race and I’m rooting for Colin and Christie. 

[NUguy514]

Like most everyone else, I loathed the U-Turn of Democracy.  I've never liked the U-Turn to begin with, but at least strong teams could avoid it by racing well and getting to the U-Turn before anyone else had the opportunity to U-Turn them.  This bullshit takes all that racing prowess away from strong teams and punishes them for it publicly.  Of course, it also proved that U-Turning a strong team when everyone is starting the Detour at the same time may not be that smart because that strong team might just/probably will be able to smoke both tasks and beat you.  And by "you," I mean all three teams that voted for Colin and Christie – how's that for some karma?

Speaking of karma, I think that cute kitty gave some good luck to both the teams who (as far as we saw) showed him/her some love: Tyler and Korey managed to overcome Chris and Bret to win the leg, and the Afghanimals overcame their completely idiotic navigating to beat out Team Duckface.  Let this be a lesson to future teams: always show the kitties some love!

"Can I look at your clue?"

"Absolutely not."

I must have rewound that at least eleven times, I was laughing so hard.

As for the denouement?  A thing of beauty is a joy forever!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

THANK FUCK that Rachel and her sister are finally gone. I just wish they had been eliminated two legs earlier so that Rachel wouldn't have her stupid most legs title to brag about. Every time Rachel was on my screen in this episode, I found myself wondering why with all the extra time they had before they could start the first task at 7am, Rachel wasn't sporting her usual three pounds of fake eyelashes and mascara.

One of the many reasons I couldn't stand Rachel was because she can dish it out but she can't take it, as evidenced by how she thought Colin and Christie should take no offense when she and her sister voted for them to do the U-turn but she was clearly FURIOUS when she and Lee Lee (blech) got votes as well. I guess since the sisters prefaced their vote with "one thousand percent not personal," Colin and Christie weren't supposed to care that they would have to do an additional task.

I loved when Christie refused to let them read their clue. I was sure that Rachel and her sister were going to receive a penalty because one of the earlier teams said that the second person could not start raking until the first person reached the flag.

Becca totally cruised through that task which was impressive.

I agree that the other teams are underestimating/ignoring how well Tyler and Korey are doing. This is the third leg in a row that they've won so the other teams should see them as a threat but somehow they aren't.

[theschnauzers]

I suspect that issue about the grass cutting and raking didn’t come up at the Mat because it was irrelevant. Just to br clear, I understood that the team member cutting had to reach the flag in their lane before the other one could begin raking, but I was under the impression there was more grass to be cut beyond that flag to the end of each team’s lane where the scarecrow or whatever that wooden stand was, where the cut grass had to be placed. So that it was intended for safety so the other Racer wouldn’t get sliced.

[Fake Jan Brady]

It's the apple OF my eye, Korey. I wish the title of the episode had been something to do with how Brett was pronouncing funicular [but I guess they didn't know how to spell it].

LOL moment: Colin realising the RoadBlock was a shooting challenge - "Fuck yeah!"

Edited June 6, 2019 by Fake Jan Brady

[plurie]

8 hours ago, chaifan said:

How did Tyler & Corey get ahead of Chris & Brett?  C&B were talking about a funicular, but it seems T&C walked up.  I wasn't clear what happened.

C & B went to the funicular, but it wasn't due for almost an hour, so they had to backtrack and walk up, losing their first place position in the process.

[ByaNose]

1 hour ago, plurie said:

C & B went to the funicular, but it wasn't due for almost an hour, so they had to backtrack and walk up, losing their first place position in the process.

Which Chris & (mostly) Bret wouldn't have won since it was foot race. I'm worried that's gonna cost them the race in the end. They are really playing it up that Bret can't run. It's either because they lose before the Final 3 or maybe it's because they win.

[displayname]

I don't like saying "deserve" in the context of a race, but C&C are amazing, and it would be so great to see them win.

[JerseyGirl]

10 hours ago, zscore said:

Now I'm rooting for Afghanimals to break Rachel's record. They need 3 more legs.

Oh thank you for this.  I will be upset if Rachel holds any title to this show.

I loved her during her first season of BB.  The following BB season she was on, not so much, she became annoying.  On the last TAR with Brendon she was obnoxious.  THIS season with sister Ellisa she was unbearable to watch, almost to the point I wanted to fast forward any time she was on the screen.  And who the heck does she think she is "Reality Royalty".  She needs to knock it down a few, or more.  She looked like such a super B*tch whenever things didn't go her way and blamed Ellissa for everything.  I sooo wanted her to make to the mat first only to get penalized for leaving the clue behind, then watch EVERY team jump euphorically onto the map and watch her sour face when they tell her she's eliminated.

Please Afgananimals, I'm rooting for you for breaking Rachel's record.  No way do I want to see or hear from her again, nor for her to be a part of TAR history.

Now I can finally sit and enjoy this season.

[Haleth]

9 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

There’s no penalty for losing your clue. Never has been.

Yes there is.  I can't remember specifically who was involved but I'm 100% sure this has happened.  Plus as I said above, the Reillys performed the mowing task incorrectly (because they couldn't read the clue) so they should have had an additional penalty for that.  AND because they did not finish with their clue and did not complete the task properly I believe the "most legs ever!" title should be stripped from Rachel.  She did not complete this leg.

I agree any of the remaining teams can win and I'd be more or less satisfied.  Still rooting for Colin and Christie, which is something I never would have believed before this season.

[preeya]

11 hours ago, Browncoat said:

And FINALLY!!!!!  Team Duckface is off my screen!  Hooray! 

↑↑ THIS ↑↑ times a million!

[jackjill89]

While strategically not the smartest move, I can't get over that Rachel will go out knowing that Brett and Chris would rather have you off the race than U-Turn a stronger team. Ha! Yes, Rachel, no one likes you. Guess that's your brand.

Edited June 6, 2019 by jackjill89

[ByaNose]

And, no more NEL. Everyone will start playing a little more cutthroat and dropping like flies. So there are 4 AR Teams, 1 Survivor and 1 BB left. It will be interesting to see if the Final 4 is all the previous teams from TAR?!?

[sigmaforce86]

3 hours ago, theschnauzers said:

I suspect that issue about the grass cutting and raking didn’t come up at the Mat because it was irrelevant. Just to br clear, I understood that the team member cutting had to reach the flag in their lane before the other one could begin raking, but I was under the impression there was more grass to be cut beyond that flag to the end of each team’s lane where the scarecrow or whatever that wooden stand was, where the cut grass had to be placed. So that it was intended for safety so the other Racer wouldn’t get sliced.

That's what I was waiting for too....... the Rachel/Elissa you're team number (not last) HOWEVER (Penalty!) -  It was hard to tell but almost certain they didn't wait until they reached that flag before the other one was raking.   I wonder though if the Amazing Observers let them do that for just a short time then told them the raker has to stay back for safety purposes?  Good for Christie for not sharing that clue - guess it never hurts to ask but there's no way they could or should have expected a yes.

Loved Colin acting like a big brother to Becca on the mat; and that's how you handle an animal without going nuclear.  I think the last of my skepticism has drained away about whether "new" Colin is real or an act.  

The u-turn vote goes against all reasons we like to say raaaace.  That Amazing Producers really need to find twists that keep the spirit of thee game more intact.  Ironically though it played right into Rachel and Elissa's strategy which came back to bite them.  They had no reason to play nasty, stir up trouble or pit teams against each other (or against them) basically do anything that treats this game like Big Brother or Survivor; but they did and they burned bridges doing it even if it was something like Chris and Brett's case where it was just ignore them while you plot with others (and calling them the stupid team even if only to the camera was a jerk move too) ......well, surprise, some teams didn't forget that and out you go.  I don't doubt if it were a regular u-turn the teams chosen would have been different.  Also the vote took away the option from teams who choose not to u-turn at all; I wonder what would have happened if Phil said teams could abstain?

Edited June 6, 2019 by sigmaforce86

[chaifan]

I went back and rewatched the arrival to the first clue box.  Tyler & Corey were first, followed by Leo & Jamal, and then it's unclear as to order of arrival but a group shot shows everyone else except for Rachel & Elissa, and they were shown arriving last.  So, as much as I hated the live voting U-turn, the end result probably would have been the same.  If this was a traditional double U-turn (photos on a sign post), with R&E being the last team to arrive, I think there is a very slim chance they wouldn't have been one of the two teams to be U-turned. 

Also, the order to pick the U-turns should have been in the order they arrived, not random draw.  The whole live U-turn was not well thought out and horribly executed.  (End result was fine with me, though.)

[preeya]

10 minutes ago, chaifan said:

Also, the order to pick the U-turns should have been in the order they arrived, not random draw.  The whole live U-turn was not well thought out and horribly executed.  (End result was fine with me, though.)

Just another reality show gimmick to stir up drama and tension among teams.

I'm hoping it was a one-time thing and doesn't become permanent.

ETA: and who cares how many legs anyone has run? I know I don't. It's not as if there is a Reality Show Hall of Fame, and if there was, again who cares.

[ChiefWiggum9-1-2]

Memories of "My ox is broken" and Myrna and Schmyrna!  That's Amazing Race dialogue. Voting and Instagram followers - that's Big Brother and Survivor.  So glad Team Duckface is gone and hopefully there is NO FOURTH SEASON.

[aemom]

7 hours ago, NUguy514 said:

"Can I look at your clue?"

"Absolutely not."

That would have 100% been my response as well.  I can't believe that she even had the balls to ask!

4 hours ago, Fake Jan Brady said:

It's the apple OF my eye, Korey.

I was saying the same thing to myself.

[Lady Calypso]

FINALLY! After a couple of seasons of "We Must All Be Friends", we get a team saying "no, I'm not helping you". Thank you, Christie! I don't fault Elissa for asking and she definitely took the answer in stride instead of throwing a hissy fit. The last two seasons, we've had someone whining about how a team hasn't held their hand and helped them get to, or through, a task, so I absolutely loved that moment with Christie and Elissa. It felt like a breath of fresh air. 

I am thankful for Rachel/Elissa to have been eliminated, and I like that Elissa shut down Rachel's whining at the mat to exclaim how much she's appreciated being on the Race. Elissa's only been on this one season so she hasn't caught the Reality Famewhore bug like Rachel has. I'll miss Elissa but not Rachel. 

Bret/Chris were great this episode. Of course, they could have U-Turned Nicole/Victor but it really did work out for them this time, so they got really lucky. 

I liked this episode and loved the callbacks to Colin's 'my ox his broken' moment. As someone who hasn't watched his first season, it was nice to get in on the joke.

Man, Leo/Jamal fell apart this time around. Their navigation issues could have cost them. Speaking of this team, my second favourite moment of the episode? Leo's excitement over the cat. I'd react the exact same way.

[RemoteControlFreak]

13 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

There’s no penalty for losing your clue. Never has been.

I think it IS a rule that teams must have every clue they've received on that leg in their possession in order to check in at the pit stop.  I remember in a previous season a team getting a 30 minute penalty for showing up at the pit stop without a clue in hand.

They probably didn't enforce this on this leg because the Reillys were eliminated anyway or edited out Phil telling them about this.  

On another note, Rachel Reilly is the most distasteful contestant I've ever seen on any reality show. I've never watched Big Brother but maybe her whining and juvenile snideness fit in there?  

Likewise, I don't have problem with the u-turn vote.  It seemed appropriate for TAR to introduce some Big Brother and Survivor elements to see how the alumni from those shows handled it.

Edited June 6, 2019 by RemoteControlFreak

[SHD]

Rachel's sense of entitlement was beyond. All season we had to hear her crow about how she's so strong and her team is so much smarter and she's so awesome at being on reality shows and as soon as someone targeted her as such, she was all "Really? You picked us over a strong team? What a dumb move. You just lost a million dollars!"

No, Rachel, YOU just lost a million dollars.

[spanana]

9 minutes ago, SHD said:

Rachel's sense of entitlement was beyond. All season we had to hear her crow about how she's so strong and her team is so much smarter and she's so awesome at being on reality shows and as soon as someone targeted her as such, she was all "Really? You picked us over a strong team? What a dumb move. You just lost a million dollars!"

No, Rachel, YOU just lost a million dollars.

Also I'd argue that the Survivor guys probably think they have no chance of winning a million dollars against the likes of Colin/Christie and Tyler/Korey anyway.   At this point I think they are just trying to outlast one team every week to stay in it and that worked in their favor.  If you're playing the game leg to leg, they still got the outcome they wanted.

[blackwing]

I hated the vote as well... it reminds me of the season when that despicable Aaron (and Arianne) led everyone on a "Twin Hunt" to try and get the naked model twins out of the game.  Like, how?  Now, the show has actually given people a reason to be nice and bland and not stand out too much.  One of the things that has always made TAR stand out from other reality shows is that it really is mostly all about the contestants' own merit.  No worrying about making alliances or relying on other people's votes.  No real worry about appearing "too strong" like in Survivor.  Now it seems that has changed.

The vote against the Reillys was purely personal it seems.  They are not a strong team.  Don't understand why others wouldn't have taken the opportunity to vote for a strong team in the hopes of eliminating one of the two strongest teams.

I was OK with Rachel her first two seasons... this time she just irritated me almost the entire time.  Still, what an unfortunate way to get helped to elimination.

It's odd, I find myself not really caring about the teams one way or the other.  Usually I have a strong favourite or two and some teams that I actively despise.  This season, they're all kind of competent and they're all just kind of there.  I dislike Becca and I find the Aghanimals annoying but other than that I just don't think I really care who wins.

[spanana]

Just now, blackwing said:

The vote against the Reillys was purely personal it seems.  They are not a strong team.  Don't understand why others wouldn't have taken the opportunity to vote for a strong team in the hopes of eliminating one of the two strongest teams.

While the vote was obviously personal, it wasn't like all the teams ganged up against them to get them out.  Only two of the teams voted for them and Nicole clearly wanted to, but it didn't actually happen.  

The biggest WTF was only why nobody voted for Tyler/Korey. 

[meep.meep]

11 hours ago, tinkerbell said:

Rachel:  WooHoo!  The most TAR legs ever!  I'm awesome!   I am a winner! best ever!  Woo hoo! 

Then, the U-turn vote.

Rachel:  why would you U-turn us?  we're not a strong team!  you wasted your vote!  that was stupid! We are NOT a strong team!!!!!!! 

Karma is a bitch.

Chris and Brett's vote made perfect sense, especially from a Survivor perspective.  

[lexington11]

15 hours ago, toodywoody said:

It showed how shitty Rachel really is. Getting all pissed off because someone voted for her and hmmmm they came in last, so I guess it was the right vote. Rachel sure does get shitty really fast when things aren't going her way.

That's exactly my issue with Rachel. When she's the one making the moves, it's all a game and no one should get mad, but when the tables are turned, it stops being game and becomes a personal attack on her.

[survivinmt]

I am so excited that FINALLY someone said "No" or in this case "Absolutely not" (yesyesyesyesyes!) when asked to be friendly and helpful. Every question or almost every question asked by another team can always be answered with a "We're racing!" and be completely non-a-holish and in the spirit of the game. Racers who depend upon everyone else to tell them where to go and what to do are so lame; and then they compound it if others don't help them.

Rachel, you've been in the race more than anyone AND lost your clue on this leg. Think about what that says about YOU. It means you've learned very little. Rookie mistake. So glad they are gone. PS Rachel - to show your kids that you're a strong woman, maybe cut out the crying when faced with any small or perceived setback.

I agree with everyone who says that the Live U-Turn goes against everything (except scenery) that this show has going for it. Boo, show, don't do that again!

More Chris and Bret being snarky please!

[lexington11]

3 hours ago, ByaNose said:

And, no more NEL. Everyone will start playing a little more cutthroat and dropping like flies. So there are 4 AR Teams, 1 Survivor and 1 BB left. It will be interesting to see if the Final 4 is all the previous teams from TAR?!?

With the way Leo & Jamal and Team Fun are racing, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them knocked out of the top 4 and Nicole & Vic sneaking in there instead

[iMonrey]

Quote

On another note, Rachel Reilly is the most distasteful contestant I've ever seen on any reality show.

Really? On any reality show?

Quote

 I've never watched Big Brother

Oh. Well that explains it. I'll assume you've never watched Survivor either. I can think of five people off the top of my head far more heinous than Rachel from Survivor alone.

Quote

I didn’t think [Tyler and Korey] were being snide at all. In fact, I got the opposite impression. Like they almost felt bad about taking away Chris & Brett’s potential first place but it’s a race and they also want to come in first

I agree with this, that what my impression was also, that they felt bad about maybe beating them. I was surprised someone thought otherwise.

I'm not. Some people will go to any lengths to finds something to hate when it comes to Tyler and Korey, especially the former. He could be in a coma and people would still find a way to complain about him. 

[Rachel RSL]

4 hours ago, Haleth said:

Yes there is.  I can't remember specifically who was involved but I'm 100% sure this has happened. 

Yes, I think it's pretty clear that the rules must have changed at some point.  A couple of you have said that you've seen racers get time penalties for losing their clue but nobody can give any concrete examples.  Not that I don't believe you, I would just like to go back and re-watch those episodes because I genuinely don't ever remember that happening and I'm starting to question my sanity lol.  

[Lamima]

4 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Really? On any reality show?

Oh. Well that explains it. I'll assume you've never watched Survivor either. I can think of five people off the top of my head far more heinous than Rachel from Survivor alone.

I'm not. Some people will go to any lengths to finds something to hate when it comes to Tyler and Korey, especially the former. He could be in a coma and people would still find a way to complain about him. 

I don't know...I am a big Realty show watcher (even watch Below Deck and Are You The One and Little Women and Dance moms along with BB and Survivor...among others) and I find Rachel to be pretty 'up there' on the list of heinous realty stars. Maybe Johhny Fairplay, The Hantz guys. Are You the One has some vile peeps on it but they are young and just wanting fame, sex and money. I actually didn't mind Rachel on BB. Rolled my eyes at her on her other TAR showings but this time...gah, I was supremely grossed out by her behavior. Her sister was even more likable than her. And her sister would normally be THE over-the-top contestant. I'd even rather be on a deserted island with Abby Lee from Dance Moms over Rachel. 

[spanana]

25 minutes ago, lexington11 said:

With the way Leo & Jamal and Team Fun are racing, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of them knocked out of the top 4 and Nicole & Vic sneaking in there instead

I feel decently confident about Colin/Christie and Tyler/Korey in the finals just by the way they are racing.  Short of any major screw ups on their point.  But that third spot could be any of Vic/Nic, Team Fun or Leo/Jamal.   Leo/Jamal are SOOO inconsistent this season.

[LizBug]

I'm not unhappy with the open vote for U-Turn.  It gets a lot of things out into the open instead of people running off in groups and forming alliances and whispering about other teams.

Team Bromance will always have a disadvantage in that they're older, not in great shape and really can't run to pit stops.  This one particularly hurt because the run was uphill.

Not liking that there are too many opportunities to level the playing field when teams are bunched at airports and they're all on the same flight or when they arrive at a designated place and have to wait for it to open, allowing others to catch up.  

SNARK ALERT:  I think Rachel was sans makeup/eyelashes was that they ran out of them and Elissa won the toss to see who got the last remaining pair.  Though that pair looked like it was been reused.

[Eolivet]

16 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Some people will go to any lengths to finds something to hate when it comes to Tyler and Korey, especially the former.

Since this was my comment, I will respond directly to it: I've never had a problem with Tyler and Korey before this leg. I went back and rewatched it, and it's ... edited quickly, but I can see how Tyler and Korey were being more matter-of-fact than snarky (though Korey, I believe, looks concerned). I wouldn't say they sounded upset they were going to beat Chris and Bret, but it was more neutral than I initially heard it. I question whether they needed to include the clip at all, except the editors had to show why Chris and Bret weren't going to win a leg where they were in first.

So, mea culpa. And I promise, you won't hear a peep out of me about Tyler and Korey for the rest of the race. Scout's honor.

[chaifan]

1 hour ago, blackwing said:

***

The vote against the Reillys was purely personal it seems.  They are not a strong team.  Don't understand why others wouldn't have taken the opportunity to vote for a strong team in the hopes of eliminating one of the two strongest teams.

I was OK with Rachel her first two seasons... this time she just irritated me almost the entire time.  Still, what an unfortunate way to get helped to elimination.

There is strategy in U turning a weaker team.  Stronger teams have often powered through both U turns and ended up not being eliminated.  So if your only objective is to not be the last team, U turning a weaker team is the way to go.  Chris & Brett ran a good leg, but have consistently been in the back of the pack, so it would be smart of them to target a weaker team over a stronger one.

That being said, Colin & Christie specifically chose R&E because R&E chose them, so yep, that was personal. And Chris & Brett outright said it was a personal choice based on how R&E treated them.  In my book, R&E U-turned themselves.

I'm the opposite of you on Rachel's annoyance factor.  Her constant "I can't do this" whining and (fake) crying and pouting in her first two seasons was fingernails on a blackboard to me.  I almost didn't watch this season just because of her.  This time around, I feel that the "I can't do this" whining was a) somewhat replaced by the "we're the best team ever" braggadocio, which is equally annoying but, b) somewhat tempered by Elissa who kept shutting her down, which was entertaining.  So she didn't bug quite as much this season, at least not until these last two episodes. 

Edited June 6, 2019 by chaifan

[Runningwild]

I want the Afganimals out next. Here’s how I would like to see them finish:

1. C&C

2. Team Fun

3. Vic/Nic aka Team BB

4. Team Surviving Survivors

5. Tyler/Korey

6. Afghanimals

Edited June 6, 2019 by Runningwild

[biakbiak]

6 minutes ago, chaifan said:

There is strategy in U turning a weaker team.  Stronger teams have often powered through both U turns and ended up not being eliminated.  So if your only objective is to not be the last team, 

I agree. In fact I can’t remember the last time a U-turn took out a really strong team usually they just lose a few spots.

[laserlady]

15 minutes ago, chaifan said:

That being said, Colin & Christie specifically chose R&E because R&E chose them, so yep, that was personal.

I don't know that their motivation really was personal, though.  I think at that point they were still hoping that no other teams would vote to U-turn them, so it made good strategic sense to just U-turn the team that had already voted for them, rather than alienating another team who had yet to vote and thus almost guaranteeing that they'd be U-turned.  It didn't work out, but I think their decision was based on strategy, not on personal feelings.

[Rinaldo]

2 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

Man, Leo/Jamal fell apart this time around. Their navigation issues could have cost them. Speaking of this team, my second favourite moment of the episode? Leo's excitement over the cat. I'd react the exact same way.

It must be a hard balance to keep when self-navigating on the race: you want to get there quickly without stopping, AND you want to be prudent enough to stop & check with someone local that you're doing it right. The Afghanimals got the balance wrong this time -- seemingly for quite a while, I was worried for them (I'm enjoying them much more this time than in their previous appearances).

I've realized by this time in my life that I will never understand the phenomenon of just melting into a giddy puddle at the mere sight of a small furry feline in the area. That's OK, I know I enjoy many things that others don't, and we can all just get along....

55 minutes ago, blackwing said:

IThe vote against the Reillys was purely personal it seems.  They are not a strong team.  Don't understand why others wouldn't have taken the opportunity to vote for a strong team in the hopes of eliminating one of the two strongest teams.

It could be "We want to win, sure... but I also want to eliminate any remote chance of THAT team winning." Or simple dislike, such as I felt for them from the beginning. If a decision like this exists within the race, "purely personal" is one valid way to go, if it makes your life more agreeable.

I too hated the vote. My fervent wish is that it be a one-off that never recurs, even as I know that once a (bad) new idea is introduced to a reality competition, it rarely vanishes after one use.

46 minutes ago, spanana said:

The biggest WTF was only why nobody voted for Tyler/Korey. 

As has been remarked earlier, they play a pretty good social game. That's not crucial perhaps, and nobody should feel the need to actually help rival teams (Yay Christie! "Absolutely not" indeed!), but in general it does no harm to be reasonably pleasant with others. It may even help you become invisible at a moment like this, or even (though you shouldn't count on it) get a helpful word when you need it.