(S13E04) "Okay, Fidel. Are you done now?" - Ty to Aja
Before I get into my review of tonight's The Amazing Race, I ask that you please bear with me as I must go into an atypical anti-sports delaying my show rant. CBS, you do this to me every Sunday night. Knock it off. If it's not golf, it's football. If it's not football or golf, it's baseball. Enough already. If shows are going to be consistently delayed, just go ahead and schedule them an hour later. That way DVRs could be set, the CBS scheduling won't interfere with other networks, and I could actually watch a show in the 8 PM block if TAR isn't expected until 9 PM. None of this fifteen or forty-five minute stuff, delay to the hour if you must. And change those schedules around! Thank you.
You may return to your regularly scheduled review now ...
Just how are those teams getting along?
Once again Terence exhibited his neediness tonight. I don't understand what Sarah is doing with this guy. As he's driving along, he tells her, "Can you show me a little love? Can you just touch me a little ... play with my hair?" Dang, she should have cuffed him across the back of his head and called it a touch. For the most part she seems confident. He seems like he'd be a lost puppy without her. Even with her, he's somewhat Schnauzer.
Another team at the odd bedfellows stage right now is Aja and Ty. Now, they've been a long-distance couple wanting to see if their relationship can last. Um, if Ty keeps calling Aja "Fidel," I can only predict a coup and Ty will be on the losing end. I don't know. If a boyfriend compared me to a dictator, I don't think I'd want to invest my future in him. And if he thinks she's so dictating, maybe he ought to flee the country.
Other than a mini-brouhaha betwixt the Frat Boys, the other teams seem to be strengthening their bonds. Yep, even that nasty Tina with her Ken doll. Of course, if they keep winning everything, they'll have to get back together. What are they going to do with all the trips for two if they separate again?
Clues, Detours, Roadblocks, and Fast Forward ... oh my!
Even the clues were a bit more challenging this week. Untying the Gordian Knot seemed a chore, but some teams (blonds, cough) didn't seem to know what a knot is! The clue at the top of the tower to find the gnomes in the city is always a tricky one. But they always have to fit those Travelocity gnomes in somewhere, don't they?
As a person who always loves the cultural aspect of the whirlwind race, I really enjoyed the Roadblock with the Maori warriors. I actually laughed when the warriors snagged the clue and ran away when they were wrong. It was definitely an easier task for the teams coming through after daylight.
As for the Detour, I can't help but wonder how Christy and Kelly held up so well crushing the kiwi fruit with their bare feet while so many of the other teams crumbled on the task. They seemed to have fun with it. Because they didn't waste time switching to the blow carts, they really seemed to make up some time. They lost time walking to the Pit Stop, though.
Ken and Tina are coming in first way too much for my liking. So tonight, they're still leading the pack and they take the fast forward. Sigh. I'll give Tina credit for climbing that tower. But need I remind them ... the only time first place is really important is in the last leg. I don't like them much and their constant first place is irking me.
Random observations:
- Neither Ty or Aja know how to change a tire? It's not rocket science, y'know.
- Do Marisa and Brooke actually think blonds are that rate in the world?
- Dallas lost some brights points with me when he had no clue where New Zealand is located. It's a good thing he has looks.
- I now know what a Gordian Knot looks like. It looks like it would make a good cat toy.
- I thought Starr was exaggerating about her injury. But it did look pretty nasty at the Pit Stop.
- Aw, Phil's father was a great touch. I saw Phil on The Bonnie Hunt Show this week and he said his father couldn't believe how long they had to stand there and wanted to put a jacket on. Phil told him they can't put on coats due to continuity. Hmm ... I never even thought of those kind of things.
For the record -- the Pit Stop Order
1. Ken and Tina (sigh) - won a trip to Rio
2. Terence and Sarah
3. Kelly and Christy
4. Toni and Dallas
5. Nick and Starr
6. Andrew and Dan
7. Aja and Ty
8. Brooke and Marisa -- Philiminated
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-20-2008 @ 12:57AM
MERVE-THE-PERVE said...
I don't watch TAR but I agree about the scheduling. It screws up The Unit too. They should start 60 minutes at 8/7 and they can just have more post-game stuff if by some miracle the game ends early. I also hate when they add 1 minute to a show just to screw with dvr users. That extra 1 minute is just 2 more commercials, not extra show. Ok I'm done Dr Jackie.
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10-20-2008 @ 1:02AM
Ryan said...
Yeah the scheduling is annoying, but as a longtime AR fan, I'm quite used to it by now.
I'm less annoyed at Ken/Tina always getting first place than Terence/Sarah always being near the top. I *really* don't like them.
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10-20-2008 @ 1:17AM
knight said...
I watch it on a canadian channel so it has never been delayed this season so far!
And Christy and Kelly are so lightweight that they probably never sunked deep enough to even notice there were sharp rocks at the bottom.
By the way, that poll is serioulsy unbalanced... 2 "No" options and the only way to vote "Yes" is if we make it looks like they're our favorite team? Your question is will they get 1st place again, and I think so. Are they my favorite team? Not really. :)
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10-20-2008 @ 3:37AM
Jennifer said...
That's Starr who got hurt, not Sarah.
I absolutely loved Phil's day. It's too bad that they didn't show the bits between Phil and his dad that were shown on the Bonnie Hunt show and online on the show. It needed more Keoghan family banter and less arguing between the teams. Maybe next time they can actually make it down to their Bed & Breakfast and we could see Phil's mom.
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10-20-2008 @ 11:03AM
Jennifer said...
That should have been "dad" not "day".
10-20-2008 @ 7:06AM
ditroia said...
Seriously why must you yanks subtitle perfectly understandable antipodean accents.
Cheers
Dave
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10-20-2008 @ 8:00AM
willy the impeached said...
Darn Jackie, you lost a load of bright points when you admitted that you didn't know what a Gordian Knot looks like until this episode.
(not that you had all that many to begin with)
More than Aja and Ty , I really don't get why Ken is busting his butt for Tina. blerg!
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10-20-2008 @ 8:25AM
jackieschnoop said...
Well, Willy ... at least I know it's a knot. That's a step ahead of the blondes. And I'm quite comfortable with my mind, thank you.
10-20-2008 @ 9:23AM
Liz said...
Love your recap - altho it was Starr who got hurt, not Sarah. Do agree Sarah is carrying this team... glad to see a strong woman in there! Ken & Tina, pls stop winning.
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10-20-2008 @ 10:33AM
RobynS8971 said...
Agree about scheduling, why must they show 60 minutes i it's entirely, it's little stand alone segments, show 1, show 2, show 3, just fill the time to 8 PM and let us get our AR fix on time.
Tina- Ken, eh, I really don't know yet who I want to win, no one stands out as really competitive, or really engaging, except maybe Dallas and his mom, they sure do get along well, and all the rest are just friends or dstiing couples (except K & T) and don't have that connection you get with a family couple.
Love Phil's dad, should ahve shown more of the pit stop, there are more sheep than people in NZ.
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10-21-2008 @ 2:12PM
Sabrina said...
Nick and Starr are brother and sister
10-20-2008 @ 11:06AM
kip said...
I agree with you regarding the scheduling. It would be nice if I could somehow get the already recorded show to start on my dvr or online at the time that it should show up. Put banner ads around it and take out the commercials or toss it onto hulu.com and I'll certainly watch. Though having DVR there are few and far between shows that I want to watch "live" anymore.
PS.
I think you are missing out on not watching some sports. The drama of a well played game, especially the one that pushed back CBS was well worth it. I'm not saying every sport but some games really are worth the wait.
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10-20-2008 @ 12:32PM
Jan Crump said...
I agree with the time run over. There are enough sports channels that if that's what you want to watch, go to them and our shows shouldn't be interrupted! I deal with it by automatically going to 11pm and 11:30pm shows and marking to record so no matter how late it starts, the lineup is all recorded one way or another! I just delete if not used. I started that last year after watching half a show at the end of the night. Works good.
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10-20-2008 @ 12:45PM
jag said...
Dallas knew it was a Gordian Knot but did not know where New Zealand was.
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10-20-2008 @ 1:34PM
Adam said...
Why didn't Kelly and Christy get hit with a 30 minute penalty for not following the clue properly? It said to drive to the summit and they walked?
The previous week built up the drama between Ty and Aja so much that when their little argument happened I was like "Is that it?!" And all the drama with their flat tire - did they get help? or fix it themselves? I laughed when Toni and Dallas drove by and you could see the camera guy for Ty and Aja just standing there with his camera in their faces while they were trying to figure it out.
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10-20-2008 @ 3:41PM
DJ said...
The scheduling thing is totally ridiculous. If the show is not going to start until almost 9:00 than they schedule it for 9. I too am tired of Ken and Tina getting first all the time. It's not making me like them more, it's just making me tired of seeing them.
I hope something drastic happens next week where Ken/Tina don't end up in first place or Aja/Ty get out of their slump although I doubt it.
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10-20-2008 @ 3:56PM
L Dubs said...
Funny how perception can be different. I thought Aja was a whiner. Surprised that Ty continues to put up with her negativity and misguided bossiness.
On another note, I'm having a hard time picking a favorite this year. Toni and Dallas seem the least offensive so far.
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10-20-2008 @ 5:52PM
Satellite TV Guru said...
First off let me say I agree with you about the delays. Every Sunday I head to CBS to watch Amazing Race at 7:00 pm/CT and it annoys me when I have to wait because of the delay. Like you, I wish they'd redo their schedule.
Now, regarding your review, I love the way you add humor and make the review worth reading. Keep up the great writing! I look forward to reading more of your great reviews!
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10-20-2008 @ 10:13PM
Picviewer said...
"Ken and Tina are coming in first way too much for my liking."
Wow you sound like the whiny one from last season telling the other couple to let them get first since you win too much. See that's what first place is, you get there first and surprise you win usually. This isn't the amazing get there and get a gold star everyone is a winner for effort show, it's a race.
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10-22-2008 @ 9:59AM
DMD said...
I busted a gut, each and every time Ty called Aja 'Fidel'...
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