The Amazing Race--And They're Off

Tico, now that I think about it, maybe that's what's missing (besides interesting personalities), didn't they used to tell us a bit more?

Croatia was beautiful! I wanted to see more!

I think the Father/Daughter team wanted to spend more time together. I think the father had worked too much to really know his daughter or something.... I admire her patience and how she still stands up for herself. But, gee whiz, the father is a whiner!

I miss Rob and Amber.

Roberta, it sounds like you want challenges like what is going on Survivor....
It was slightly interesting to see who didn't know how to row a boat....

Nah, not Survivor kinds of challenges. Just something more than what we're getting.

I may have been especially turned off this past week by the enormous amount of time they (and we) spent in the airport. Reminded me in mind-numbing flashbacks of why I don't like to travel anymore.

I agree that we're not getting to see enough of the countries/cities.

But I think what it boils down to is that the people just aren't all that interesting. I'm remembering Mirna and Carla. Jeez, they were annoying. Oswald and Danny--charming and fun. Rob and Amber--infuriating. Rooting for or against somebody makes a difference.

Tatoos!! This seems a bit much, even for a so-called reality show.

I'm remembering a few seasons ago when the male and female models refused to have their heads shaved. Hah. What wusses.

A new twist on the penalty for being last. No money and no supplies didn't seem to slow anyone down. We'll see how this pans out.

Grandpa and grandson, still there. Father and daughter, still there. Goths (less likeable this week), still there. Hey, everybody's still there.

Who's gonna win?

Tattoos did seem a little over the top... but I guess it comes to how badly you want the money...
Course with the money, you could probably get it lasered off.

Goths, well when they lose their good natured togetherness, they certainly lose it.

So, Hippies. Boy, were they lucky that the Goths lost their team spirit! Losing the clue, not seeing "vinci", flat tire. luuuu-cky!

Grandpa and Grandson, now to be known as "ff", good for them! It could have been an uglier tat.

Arguing Couple, better this week, but they were in the lead for the most part...

Father and Daughter, Did you hear him mention his wrist muscle while doing the flag? Hopefully his screaming at his Daughter doesn't give him a coronary...

It's anyone's game at this point. Course we don't know the times that they are all separated by. Goths and Hippies might still be far behind everyone else? eh, what's it matter? They'll all catch up together again.

Hey, Roberta, have a Happy Holiday!

Did NOT like the tattoo thing at all!

Yup, I think the tatoo was too much.

Caribou, Yes, even though we don't know how much time is between each time, you're right. It doesn't matter. They'll all end up waiting somewhere together.

It's always struck that the mad, insane, hysterical quest for first on each leg of the race is pointless. You just have to not be last. It never fails that something will always bunch up the teams again.

You have a happy holiday too.

I was thinking the same thing about tattoos - giving them the option of doing something that is permanent is too much of a stretch in my opinion. Shaving your head seems drastic, but it is not permanent.

Well, the goths are gone, and just when they were really starting to me annoy me. What a colossal blunder. U-turning a team way ahead of them instead of the one they were sure was behind them. There are only so many mistakes you can make in this game.

Grandpa and grandson--look stronger than I expected.

Father and daughter--she's a something else. Patient, smart, determined.

The hippies--still in it.

The arguers--Why hasn't he committed an act of violence upon her? Probably for the same reason she hasn't committed one on him. They're too busy being nasty and obnoxious. BTW, she'a lot stronger than she looks. Would not have expected a woman to take on that bicycle task.

I love the quote that bozo guy said when she was having difficulty threading the flowers - you're a girl you should be able to girl things. Then the bozo doesn't do the "he man" thing and lift those heavy propane tanks - she drives the bike through town and heaves those things up the stairs. What about him doing "man-like things". They deserve each other.

* sniff * My Goths are gone.

Harking back an episode -- I really didn't think the tattoo thing was that bad. It was an optional Fast Forward, no one was forcing them to get tattooed, they could have easily opted to return to the standard race. They didn't, they got the FF, if they win the race they'll display their tats with glee. > shrug <

Despite my disappointment of the elimination of the goths, this last one was a great espisode. Good editing made lots of drama and tension for the audience. And "we" didn't have to spend much time in airports.

Tico, I think you're right about the editing. It can make or break this show. I think the regular editor must have been on vacation the night we spent have the show in the airport.

I'm finally rooting for somebody (the kiss of death). I hope the grandpa and grandson win. Seeing an old person take the prize would be great.

What a colossal blunder. It never occurred to the hippies to check at the airport to see if there were earlier flights? Have they never seen this show? Now they're three hours behind and will have an extra thing to do.

Glad the arguers managed to screw up and didn't finish first. So he can't watch out the window and listen to her at the same time. Some people are simply not ambidextrous. She, on the other hand, is as strong as an ox and has a nose like a bloodhound--and the disposition of a tasmanian devil. Whatta goil.

Nicholas is really taking up the slack for his grandpa. I'm rooting for these two.

Father and daughter first again. I like her.

I'm sure that there will be a great equalizer at some point. Airport? Something not open? There will be something. And all the teams will be tied again. Hurry, grandpa, hurry.

Am I the only one who thinks it's really dangerous to stick people in a car they can barely drive, in a country where they don't know the language and tell them to find a place in a congested city that they've never been and to go as fast as they can???? I can't believe no one has gotten killed yet.

It seems that foreign cars often present a problem for some people. Stick shifts? I don't know what the problem is. (I don't drive.)

Dangerous to have these people driving fast in foreign crowded cities? Probably. But is it any more dangerous than jumping off bridges, climbing around in caves, diving in the ocean, riding the rapids? I don't know. What amazed me is that they found where they were supposed to go and got back.

I missed the beginning. By the time I tuned in, the hippies had caught up. Don't know how they did it. Doesn't matter much.

Glad that the arguers are gone.

The father and daughter are impressive. He says they're one. She thinks he's talking about their oneness as a team. I think he's talking about being first. I was right.

Grandpa and grandson still in. I like that grandpa. Like the grandson too. Is the grandpa the oldest person to have gotten to the final three?

The hippies are impressive. I think they might win.

Now that the arguers are gone, I think I'd be fine with any of the remaining teams as the winners. (Go grandpa.)

When the editors were doing their magic on the whole "who's going to in third" thing, I was preparing myself for the arguers to make it. I'm usually disappointed.
I was so happy that the grands made it! Yea!

Yeah, I don't care who wins at this point.
(go Grandpa!)

The hippies caught up the usual way. The place everyone had to go didn't open until 10 and some other team screw-ups.

caribou, Thanks for filling me in on how the hippies caught up. That's what I figured.

The thing about the editing is that we have no idea whether what they're showing is happening simultaneously or not. They're creating suspense, possibly where none exists. We have no idea whether the last two teams were doing what they were doing at the same time.

So the hippies win. Good for them. The hippie woman (sorry I can't remember anybody's name) outremembered the daughter and the grandson. Whoda thunk?

The way the final challenge was structured, there was no possible way to create any supsense, and there wasn't any.

Was I having a hallucination, or did I hear the father say that it was the first time in his life he said the words "I love you" and meant it.

So the grandpa climbed up the glacier better than the grandson. Go figure. Now grandson and grandpa are stuck with FF tattoos.

Overall this season was kinda blah. I wonder if the show will be back.

Any of the last three teams coulda won and I would have been happy. Good for the hippies.

Father and Daughter have a better relationship. And Grandpa made it through the whole race as the eldest ever!

They all won.

Yeah, it was so-so. I think they will have another season, just hope that they make it more about the places again.

More reality TV if the writer's strike keeps up....