TVSquad

(S12E02) Now, The Amazing Race is one of my favorite shows, but tonight's episode leaned towards something which doesn't thrill me too much whenever they do it.

I realize that the "race" for tickets on the fastest or earliest flight will always be a part of the show. But I felt this episode spent way too much time in the airport. What I find truly amazing is how all airports in the world look kind of alike. Yeah, the languages on the signs may differ, but if you've seen one, you've seen them all.

I know some of the interaction between the teams at the airport was needed, but darn it all ... I want to see the race, not the airport!

The teams had to travel from the last Pit Stop in Ireland to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. On a side note, I always thought the Netherlands was a cool name for a country. It sounds almost other-worldly, doesn't it?

I didn't actually time it, but I swear the airport ticket obtaining scenes took up at least 20 minutes of the show. To skip through the boredom, here's what I found interesting during that time:

• Shana hasn't had time for either a facial or manicure. I wonder how Kynt and Vyxsin are faring in that department?
• Pat and Kate, the lesbian clergy couple, don't think God plays a role in whether they win the race or not. I find that refreshing after so many on past reality shows think God has nothing better to do than guide them to a win.
• Azaria and Hendekea are most worried about Kynt and Vyxsin as competition.
• Ron isn't the nice mild-mannered man we saw in the season premiere. He's a control freak and micro-manager of his daughter, as well as other teams if he chooses to go at them. He lit into Nicolas about being rude to the ticket clerk at the airport. Christina tried to politely intervene and advise them the clerk mentioned their rudeness and you can get more with manners than by being pushy. Ron and Christina are right about the manners, but Ron shouldn't have interfered with another team. Let the others make their own mistakes, I say.

I found this week's Detour a bit lackluster, but it was intriguing in the interaction of the team members. They had a choice of Hoist It or Hunt It, two Amsterdam-related tasks.

In Hoist It, teams had to tie five pieces of furniture with secure knots and hoist them one at a time to an upper story apartment with pulleys and ropes. Huh. I'll have to try that for my next move. Wait ... the elevator is a lot easier! One person was on the ground, the other in the apartment. Although this task wasn't too exciting, it definitely showed how the teams work together as teams. Jennifer and Nathan got frustrated and yelled at each other. TK and Rachel, another dating couple, were equally frustrated, but certainly argued a lot more politely and respectful of each other. Kynt and Vyxsin also had a tough time of it, but switched places early and nailed the task.

In Hunt It, the teams had to go to what was literally a huge bicycle parking garage and find two bikes with the three-color banner code on their clue. Once the bikes were found, the team had to ride them back for the next clue.

The less athletic teams pretty much went for this challenge -- or the older ones. Donald, the grandfather, was a hoot as he rode the bike away. He wanted to walk with it. Pat and Kate were kind to each other and patient as they picked up on Ron going all control freak on Christina again.

I feel so sorry for Christina. I don't see where she's doing anything all that wrong, yet he criticizes her every action. Sigh. I wanted so much to cheer them on as a team, but unless he changes a lot, I can only cheer her on. And I can't spend the season cheering on half a team. It would be like another Flo and Zach win.

As for the Roadblock, who would have guessed that the Dutch use poles to vault over ditches filled with swampy muddy yuck water in their fields? Not me. I didn't even know they had water-filled ditches in fields. As usual, Jennifer and Nathan fought as she tried her best to complete the task. She face-planted in the mud, she tried over and over again.

The best lines during this part of the episode came from Kynt and Nicolas.

Kynt upon seeing sheep in the field before knowing what the task would be -- "It involves the sheep over there." The sheep turned and looked at him with a "don't you dare come near me" kind of look.

Nicolas when grandfather Donald said he wanted to do the task -- "I think we just made a costly mistake."

Kynt after committing to the task, then finding out what he had to do -- "I don't know if I can do this. I'm kind of prissy." He doesn't like mud unless it's a facial, I guess.

A few of the teams sailed through the task. Once they finally arrived, the sister team did fantastic. I believe it was Julia who did the vault -- it had been her sport in college. But, until they got there, it wasn't a pretty sight for most teams as they floundered short of the bank in the muddy swamp water.

And, speaking of not pretty sights ... there was Donald stripped down to his underwear because his clothes were bogging him down.

I'll say right now, I'm in the Donald camp. No, not for the win. I doubt he'll win. But this guy is so entertaining! While it was Nicolas who was the rude one at the airport ticket counter, it's usually Donald just speaking up with whatever comes to his mind. He's sort of gruff, but and reminds me a bit of Lou Grant gone Amazing Race, but he makes me laugh.

In regard to me learning something new each episode, tonight I found out what a bakfiet is -- it's a cargo bicycle with a side car that's not on the side. The teams had to ride them to the Pit Stop after the Roadblock. Ron made a comment about Christina's weight and they promptly fell over. Shut up, Ronald! Leave her be! Ron wasted more time lecturing Christina about wasting time than any time she might have wasted the entire leg. Sheesh, he annoys me. I don't want to talk about him anymore.

The Pit Stop had the most adorable two Dutch children standing alongside Phil Keoghan welcoming the teams. Weren't they cuties? There was a huge shake-up from the team order last week.

Here's the order at the Pit Stop:
1. Lorena and Jason -- They each won a three-wheel sport bike for placing first.
2. Nathan and Jennifer -- I still don't like them, they argue too much.
3. Shana and Jennifer -- I still don't know much about this team, do you?
4. Kynt and Vyxsin -- You go, Gothies!
5. Azaria and Hendekea -- We didn't see a lot of air time with them this week.
6. TK and Rachel -- Of the dating couples not Goth, they're my favorite team.
7. Julia and Marianna -- These sisters might prove to be a strong team if they stop getting lost.
8. Nicolas and Donald -- Yay.
9. Ronald and Christina -- If he spent less time being mean to her, they may have placed better!

The last team to arrive and eliminated were Kate and Pat. It wasn't really surprising that they didn't last as they're both older, one is 49 and the other 65. They didn't have the physical edge of younger teams although I could see them teaming up well against Donald.

I'm glad the show gave them a bit of air time tonight so we could see how they worked together as a team. One thing which impressed me about them (other than the fact they'd even try to race the race) is when they mentioned that they had agreed not to assign blame over any problems they may encounter on the race.

That's where the young couples often go wrong -- yelling at each other, being condescending, being nasty then acting like they're in love. The best teams tend to respect each other and treat their partner accordingly. Of course, that respect alone can't win the race as we saw with Kate and Pat.

But they gave it their best shot and I kind of liked them.