The Amazing Race season rolls on, we are down to two more episodes. This was a classic episode of the Amazing Race and Blurry Denzel are happy to have a chat about it.
Episode
Blurry Denzel: I’m currently listening to Anita Baker. Her stuff is almost too soulful.
So I’m super mellow and ready to talk TAR
Kemper Boyd: I watched Canada beat NZ and now I’m ready to talk about how much I hated Nicole. So let’s get into it: we start off in Switzerland and the teams need to get a train to Zurich and then fly to Split.
BD: We have the return of airport drama.
KB: I love some Airport drama!
BD: A throwback to older TAR where teams consistently had to book their own flights. It often lead to gamesmanship, petty arguments and sometimes bonding.
KB: I get why they stopped it, after the All Stars controversy and Colin and Christie once finishing 24 hours before anyone else; but I do love a bit of “book your own”.
BD: Yeah, sometimes teams were too good at getting flights. Tyler and Korey and Chris and Bret get an early advantage with an earlier flight.
KB: So Nicole very quietly said she was next in line yet Becca went to the next open server. did you feel this was cutting?
BD: Hell no
KB: Nicole and Victor were clearly lining up for the one agent. If you are creating a next up line you stand in the middle and force everyone behind you. This is queueing 101.
BD: Exactly, there are two of them, use that to your advantage. Team Fun is not going to physically move you out the way
KB: nope, you can’t meekly in your child voice say you are next and expect it to be honoured.
BD: This is a competition
KB: Becca may have caught the eye rolling bug from Rachel.
BD: I loved it, how else are you suppose to react to that? Nicole after this happened was completely insufferable
KB: Nicole then whined sooo hard. like a child
BD: I was a fan of Nicole on Big Brother, particularly her second time out. I think it might’ve been because the things she does to garner sympathy plays better on that show. Here is just grating
KB: she said “my heart is broken”. Grow up. This episode I really disliked her, she spoke like a child in a fake little girl voice, she was whiny as hell and then it all bloody worked out for her
BD: They did some connecting flight games that I do enjoy. Ended up on a standby and arrived earlier than three other teams and right behind the first two.
KB: I was so sad. I wanted to watch her melt down. I kept thinking “oh, I’ll enjoy having to eat that hat”
BD: After this episode, I’m way more confident that you never will have to
KB: I am now dreading them winning the final leg without winning a single leg.
BD: Their storyline does seem to be hinting at that.
Route Info
KB: Anyway after Nicole is wildly annoying they all get to Split, which is in Croatia on the Dalmatian Coast. All I know about Split is their football team is called Hadjuk Split
BD: And now I know exactly one thing.
KB: But the place looks amazing and it’s not firmly on my list for places to go for city breaks
BD: We have the gnome make its return
KB: I love that little guy. So we get there and the teams have to deliver 6 drinks which Nicole somehow manages to complain about.
BD: I hope the people waiting for drinks already got to drink before that. I want to be a drunk extra on TAR
KB: I was shocked we didn’t get a Tyler & Korey thirst take or Bret for that matter
BD: Bret does have the line of staying with them and drinking.
KB: yeah but he does love drinking
BD: It’s the thing Bret and I most have in common
KB: after delivering the drinks they have to go to a monastery and use a pulley to deliver bread to a monk?
Bd: They were squeezing in all the scenery they could
KB: clearly the tourism board of Split didn’t get the city to agree to anything more
BD: Next was the Detour, which was a vast improvement from last week even with that shitty poem.
KB: very tough this week but it completely changed the order and that’s what tasks should do
BD: Yes, more classic TAR feel
Detour
KB: it was Poetry in Motion or Washed Up In the Ocean; a return to a nice rhyme which we all feel more comfortable with.
BD: It does keep my attention more
KB: So we see Chris and Bret arrive first and choose Washed Up
BD: Holy shit, that challenge
KB: think they made the right choice but made some questionable choices in the interim. I think they would have been able to finish up had they not wasted so much time switching. I know they weren’t that far apart. In Poetry in Motion teams had to memorise a poem while on a floating pontoony thing being speed boated around.
BD: Timing seemed to mess with Chris and Bret
KB: The other one needed them to find 6 coins and a goblet in the ocean with a metal detector
BD: When Tyler and Korey switched tasks, Chris and Bret found enough to remain slightly confident
KB: they either needed to swap quickly or not at all.
BD: I think if you switch you do it when Tyler and Korey do or not at all
KB: I got the feeling they could have muscled through before the Afghanimals at least finished the poetry
BD: Was there something about the challenge that teams were not getting? We also saw Colin and Christie switch from coins to poetry. The show pointed out the buoys
KB: I don’t know if the coins were too far apart or they were too shallow but it did seem hard but then so was the other detour, it seemed like the teams were staying too shallow
BD: I’m pretty good at memorizing poems and would’ve done the same thing Becca did but goddamn they were strict.
KB: so strict. Becca is not very good at rapping. I think she’s fun but it’s the most annoying white stoner she gets
BD: Her flow is so off. Her beatboxing is fine though, I guess
KB: We see every team mess up multiple teams on the poem, sometimes just one word
BD: I get the increasing frustration when you are so sure you got it
KB: this is why I think if Chris & Bret had of stayed they leave at worst second from last, maybe even 3rd, they only needed 2 more coins
BD: I did love that they switched, tried it once and was like this was a mistake
KB: the thing that killed them was switching 3 times really, had they stayed after the first switch or just not switched then they would have been ok
BD: That is the thing about switching, you are committing to the other challenge no matter what are you are really fucking yourself over.
KB: The only way I think you can maybe get away with it is if you can physically see one challenge from the other one. It has to be that close, sometimes it’s not a bad choice, I don’t think the 1st switch was bad, it was the 2nd then 3rd
Roadblock
BD: Tyler and Korey and Nicole and Victor are the first two teams to complete the poem
KB: the roadblock was “who wants their marching orders”
BD: Another good task
KB: it was a good one about keeping site of some roman soldiers as they moved formation. Korey and Nicole worked together as the first two teams which was smart but annoying because there is no way Nicole wouldn’t have struggled and then been annoying about it
Bd: I think we dodged a bullet with Nicole not going on about how hard the challenge was. I agree though, its smart to work together when you are in front
KB: yeah but I’d have liked to see them not come 2nd
BD: They do though as Tyler and Korey come in first for the fourth time in a row
KB: Really impressive stuff, they are an all round team, with very few weaknesses
BD: They would have to really fumble a task to go out. I don’t think that will happen. I fully expect them to be in the finale
KB: Hopefully there isn’t a stupid jumping task which ruins that finale
BD: Nicole and Victor finish second and we get the mention of them wanting to get first. I think this plays out in one of two ways. They win getting their only first place finish.
KB: a classic Amazing Race trope
BD: Or they get first right before the finale, going into that final leg with confidence before coming up short. Either way I expect them to be there
KB: Yeah, it seems like it, but that’s a shame because it means one of Colin & Christie or Team Fun won’t be there.
BD: I’ll save my prediction as to which one I think misses out for the end of this post.Team Fun finishes third.
KB: Colin and Christie forget their gnome and have to race back for it but get it before Chris & Bret finish up
BD: Amazing Race 101. That gnome is your buddy for the leg. You have to bring it everywhere
KB: I did note that Colin blamed Christie and then it seemed that the Gnome was in the men’s changing room
BD: They are able to recover and get to the roadblock soon after Leo and Jamal. More working together takes place
KB: The Afghanimals u turned Colin & Christie just last leg but Christie does what is best for them and works with them
BD: Yes, when you know there is a last place team behind you, it’s in your best interest to do whatever it takes to keep them there. Colin and Christie finish 4th. Leo and Jamal finish 5th.
KB: Chris & Bret are eliminated from the race but this is so much better than I expected from them.
BD: It was a really rushed exit though, so much going on in this episode. Way better than I was expecting from Chris and Bret. And I liked their dynamic on the show. They weren’t the stars but they bought nice moments. They felt like they belonged to me. I think this will lead to a surge of non dating Survivor teams on the show, even if it isn’t the theme we have this season
KB: I would be fine with all reality TAR now, this season has proven that the casting well is very deep
BD: I still want some newbies or else how would I ever get on the show? Because it won’t be through playing Survivor first
KB: that is true, but I’m not trying to get on so all I want is for them not to get cancelled
KB: They have been renewed but will again be in a floating spot waiting for other CBS shows to get cancelled
KB: yeah it’s an odd one the way it’s done but it keeps surviving
Wrap Up
BD: Who goes home next week? I’m looking at Leo and Jamal. Poor Pablo
KB: there is another double u turn. Somehow, probably by being first there I think Tyler & Korey escape, they u turn Colin & Christie then Colin & Christie u turn the Afghanimals and they go home
BD: So I think the final three teams are Tyler and Korey, Nicole and Victor and Colin and Christie.
KB: I agree with you.
BD: Which will be devastating to me, I think Team Fun will fall short. They have tasks they absolutely kill but somehow will end up on middle spots a lot. I think this is a case of being an elite team with slightly more elite ones around you
KB: I think you are right. I think they are a great team but not always top tier. If they get lucky and the next tasks are about dancing they might be able to make it.
BD: They will win their third time out
KB: I hope so. I just love them. They are nice, fun people and that’s enough for me.
So what music do you have for us this week?
BD: Victoria Monet is ready to break out. She has been collaborating with big names including Ariana Grande. Be on the lookout for her. Also another Queer WOC artist, which is great to see.
Extra Stuff
BD: I have some congratulations to dole out
KB: please do
BD: First, congrats to the St. Louis Blues for winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. They beat the Boston Bruins, which is the quickest way to my heart. Fuck Boston
KB: Congrats to Canada, they won a basketball thing
BD: Yes, the Toronto Raptors won their first NBA title. I’m happy for that city. I’ll be celebrating my 30th birthday there later this year
KB: Quick PSA to all of you. This does not make the Blue or the Raptors the World Champions.
Constantly calling the winners of club sports competitions where only US and 1 or 2 Canadian teams compete “the World Champs” is another reason we all hate you!
BD: They aren’t going to let us do the dating show in Toronto where we each try to find love with comments like that
KB: Look, for a team to be World Champs it must be a sanctioned competition run by the International Board of that sport.
BD: Also congrats to our respective World Cup teams for killing it in group play
KB: And yes, the World Cup continues, I’ve found a cool as fuck women’s fan collective to watch England games with so I’m happy
I will try to convince at least one of the Trustcluster to watch a game later this summer, wish me luck
BD: You hear about Jessica Biel?
KB: anti vaxx bullshit
BD: : Ugh, fuck her. Seriously, these idiots are a threat to society
KB: yep, that’s the last plug of the recap, Vaccinate Your Kids and Vote
BD: Great advice, until next week
