Here's the thing about second chances: They often come with lots of conditions. Like ... I"ll take you back, but ... Or, here's your license, but ... Or, We'll give you the money to rebuild the house, but ...
Which is why all the crap that Phil tacked onto the start of this season of Amazing Race last night was so awesome. Because those 11 returning teams - folks who had blown a chance to win somehow in a past season - thought they were just going to run another race. But oh no ...
First, who's back (and I disagree with some of these choices and am thrilled by others): Jet and Cord, (the CowBros); Margie and Luke (the Signers); Amanda and Chris (dating); Flight Time and Big Easy (the Globetrotters); Mel and Mike (father and son); Kent and Vyxxsin (Goths); Gary and Mallory (the Kentuckys); Keisha and Jen (the Sistahs); Zev and Justin (BFFs); Ron and Christina (father and daughter); Jaimie and Kara (the PomPoms).
So they are gathered on a wind farm - a cold wind farm based on what everyone looks like - and Phil is all, hey welcome back and by the way ...
1. First team to finish this leg gets the Express Pass, which was introduced last season and which gives the team a bye whenever they want it;
2. Phil has the clues and you have to know that Qantas flies to Australia to get it (anyone who's seen Rain Man knows this, people);
3. Last team to get the clue from Phil gets an automatic U-Turn.
Oh! Those are some fine fine-print conditions.
A shocking number of people don't know that Queensland is in Australia or that Qantas flies there. Eight teams led by Mel and Mike get on the first plane and have a 90-minute lead. Amanda and Chris get the U-Turn, which is what tripped them up the last time they were in the Race.
But then, someone onboard the first flight has a heart attack and the plane is diverted to Hawaii and this is hilarious because some poor schmo is freaking dying on this aircraft and all these 16 people can do is think, "Oh no! We aren't first!" Finally, Big Easy steps up and says the most important thing is the guy isn't dead, but you can tell he doesn't mean it.
So Plane 2 becomes Plane 1, and Amanda and Chris, the Sistahs, and Gary and Mallory are now in the lead. They take a train and then a ferry into downtown Sydney and then they go to an aquarium and into the shark tank to get a compass. This is cool and even though you know that Bertram van Munster wouldn't let anyone actually get eaten, it is terrifying.
From there they must do a word puzzle with nautical flags and sail an awesome boat with awesome Aussie sailors and that looks so fun, one of those beautiful Race moments, and holy smokes, Gary and Mallory are first! But we've been down that road before.
It's not a pit stop, says Phil, wearing Crocodile Dundee's hat and looking cuter than the Aussie lifeguard who is shirtless next to him. Here's your next clue. The CowBros are struggling in last place, inexplicably not finishing the puzzle every single time and ... see you next week!
That first scene on the wind farm looked sooo cold! And then they pan the group and I see Zev and Justin are only wearing t-shirts. And then they pan again and I realize they are wearing Globetrotter t-shirts! Love that! Had forgotten about them from their first race but am quite happy to have them back. So far, I am disappointed with my former favorites, the Globetrotters and the Cowbros. The GT for relying on the BFF's to solve the clue for them without even trying themselves, and the CBs for not figuring it out. I mean, they understood how to solve the puzzle apparently because they got the first part of it, why didn't he just keep going? Ugh. Had no clue who the blond dating couple were. Still can't stand the pom poms ("off my foot....off my foot" Geez. Hot aussie sailers and that's how you behave? Shame. Glad they flipped over.) And thank you to Big Easy for being the only one to acknowledge that a dying man was more important then the race. I want to believe he was sincere. Glad they are still racing. Would have sucked to lose the Cowbros so early, still love that they have their own theme music!
ReplyDeleteThere was a shocking amount of cheating in regards to the word puzzle, I thought. Although maybe the CowBros should've gone that route!
ReplyDeleteSometimes, bringing back previous contestants underscores their failings even more. The fact that hardly anyone knew about Qantas (or had heard of Queensland) shows how US-centric most people are. And the flag puzzle? 8-year-olds are good at solving those! And shocking how few bothered to finish the puzzle (and then cheated). They've done this race and are well aware of the things that can trip a team up!
ReplyDelete@Sue: I think that's why they are attaching all the conditions - it's like with All Stars. They think they know everything. But human nature being what it is, they are doomed to make the same mistakes over and over ...
ReplyDeleteI have hope for the Cowbros. Their first leg the first time they ran the race was terrible too and they were way behind but then they got their rhythm and started racing smarter. So I continue to hope. I would not mind if the Uturn takes out that couple who I do not really remember from before. How funny that the Sistahs were faced with a water challenge on their first leg after the water in China caused so much trouble - both the swimming in it and the drinking of it? I wonder if there will be a challenge on each leg that references where one of the teams was tripped up their previous time?
ReplyDelete