TVSquad

(S14E06) Who would have thunk it? I'm actually enjoying watching all of the teams on this season's The Amazing Race. On every previous season of the show, there's been at least one team which has been evil to others or to each other or just plain obnoxious. This season, the team I'm liking the most right now is the one I thought I'd like the least. Amazing, isn't it?

My new favorite team
Now, this doesn't mean I'm not still a Margie fan. But each week Mel and Mike White are growing more and more on me. Sure, the fact that I'm familiar with Mike's screenwriting work (School of Rock, etc.), piqued my initial interest in the team. Okay, gay father and gay son. That makes no difference to me at all. But then when I read about Mel White ghostwriting material for Jerry Falwell and being a clergyman himself -- that was my team to hate. That's not to say clergymen are bad people. I just find the overly religious folks on reality shows often seem to think they can get God to help them win.

I can't do it. Mel is funny, clever, quick with his wit, compassionate, and seems so "older guy next door." I can't boo him. He's 68 years old and is busting his butt on the show. Both Mel and Mike have a tremendous relationship and, while I think inevitably they're going to end up losing a leg before the big win, I'm in their corner.

It's on to India!
Nose flutes (eww, eww), poverty, animals in the streets, odd taxis and all, it's India. The country is a popular destination for the show, but they come up with new tasks each season. Perhaps this season, with the popularity of Slumdog Millionaire, more people are cognizant of the extreme poverty within the country. Some of the teams were reduced to tears. I don't know if I would be. I think I'd be more in sensory overload with so much going on and so much to see.

That said, India is such an exciting country rich in culture. Tonight was no exception, allowing us glimpses into the extremes of the land. I don't know how many animals must die on the streets. However, it looks like the monkeys, costumed camels, and painted elephants lead an upper caste kind of life.

In the tasks:

• Victor and Mel were the only ones who thought to use the big baskets to haul the feed in the Roadblock. The others caught on to Mel using them.
• Luke danced in his horsie costume pretty well for a sinister deaf kid.
• Mark and Michael really chose the wrong task in the Detour.
  
• Cara or Jaime got snippy about people not speaking English in a country where a good part of the population does indeed speak English.

Speed Bumps kill
At least tonight, the Speed Bump killed. Christie and Jodi had to stop to paint an elephant in addition to doing the Roadblock and Detour tasks. While they were running behind for most of the leg even before they had to do the Speed Bump, the time spent on it definitely did them in. I'm curious how close Mark and Michael were to their time or whether it was severely edited to make it look like they might make it.

For the record, the Pit Stop order:
1. Tammy and Victor -- Each won an ocean kayak.
2. Mel and Mike
3. Jen and Kisha
4. Margie and Luke
5. Jaime and Cara
6. Mark and Michael
7. Christie and Jodi -- Philiminated