TVSquad

(S15E03) Gee, it doesn't seem like we're already three episodes into The Amazing Race. But last week's two-hour season premiere with its two Philiminations, counted as two episodes. I'm still getting to know the teams. I think, so far, this season has more teams that I'd really like to see stick around for a while. There is only one team who really annoys me. With my luck, they'll be around for a good long while. I want them to implode. Nah, I'm not talking about Zev and Justin.

I'm talking about the lawyers -- Lance and Keri. Lance is an overbearing, obnoxious, impatient ego-machine. I thought last week that Keri might be okay. But this week her Fran Drescher voice and mannerisms did me in. I should have known that someone who falls for a pompous muscle-laden lout like Lance has to have her own quirks. They're the team I want to implode, the messier an implosion the better.

The teams didn't really stray far this leg as they remained in Vietnam. But that's okay with me. Vietnam is one of those countries which I won't likely see in person in my lifetime. Before a show like this ever came into being, my thoughts of the country used to automatically go to the body counts and protests of my youth. Now I can think more of the wondrous people there, the colorful traditions, and crowds of scooters on the streets!

While I don't think the challenges this week were quite as out there as the Japanese game show in the season premiere, we definitely got some great glimpses of the people and some of the traditions. Those water dragons were neat -- I'd like to see them incorporated in street fairs here. It's as if they taunted the teams. I must figure out how they control them.

Why Zev and Justin picked the giraffe for the detour, I just don't know. At least Zev was adamant about picking up all of the broken parts and bringing them with them as the clue instructed. I'd hazard a guess that some other teams might not have paid attention to the details if their animal broke. We know how well some of the teams in the past years have followed the clues, right?

I know a lot of folks watch reality shows and think the contestants who need the money are most deserving of the win. I'm not of that school of thought. I've always contended that if you need money that much, you work hard at making a living. For me, this show is more of an adventure of a lifetime than a cash cow.

If you look at the team which made first place this week, Flight Time and Big Easy of the Harlem Globetrotters, they probably could easily buy a trip to Aruba. But that's not the thrill of it at all. It's that they placed first in a leg of the show. As Harlem Globetrotters, their own lives are probably more an adventure than most of the other teams. However, it's a level playing field here ... except when it comes to a foot race with them.

It was sad to see Marcy and Ron get Philiminated when Keri and Lance were so close to the end. Maybe next week, it will be their turn to leave. Marcy's whistle and her thoughts about Vietnam made me smile and brought a tear to my eye. I can only hope they had an amazing time during the few legs in which they remained. So far, so good this season. Have you any early favorites? Can anyone give me a reason to like Keri and Lance?

[Watch episodes and clips of The Amazing Race over at SlashControl.]