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Posted Nov 23rd 2009 1:25AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E10) I mentioned last week that the remaining teams on
The Amazing Race are really feeling the pressure as they're getting closer to the win. Well, there were no fisticuffs, no elbowing, but there was an underhanded incident ... or two or three.
Unlike
Survivor, this show doesn't depend on sneakiness or scheming. In the end, it's how well they run the race around the world, how well they read the clues, and how well they complete the tasks. While getting along with the other teams is always a good thing, there's no popularity vote at the finish line. But they are competing. Sometimes some sneakiness just sneaks on in.
Continue reading Review: The Amazing Race - We're Not Working With Anybody, Ever, Anymore!
Posted Nov 16th 2009 12:50AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E09) Things got a bit down and dirty tonight on
The Amazing Race. I'm talking more ways than one. As the promos for the episode showed, we had muddy bogs and a quasi-skirmish between two teams tonight. There are five teams left in the race at this time. Two of the teams are definitely vying for the alpha male rating on the show. And I'm not talking Brian and Ericka! Any previous alliances are gone in the wind as the teams try to get to the precious final three. Take no prisoners.
Continue reading Review: The Amazing Race - We're Not Meant for the Swamp
Posted Nov 9th 2009 1:47AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E08) This week we revisited one of the toughest roadblocks ever on
The Amazing Race. Back in season six, the same farm with the same roadblock did in one team. Kristy and Lena spent eight hours searching for a clue they never did find. Phil Keoghan came out to them after dark in the field and called an end to their search. If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time the show has repeated a roadblock. And what a doozy to choose! While looking for a clue in a haystack is easier than looking for a needle, there are so many haystacks -- how would our five remaining teams fare? Read on.
Continue reading Review: The Amazing Race - This Is the Worst Thing I've Ever Done in My Life
Posted Nov 2nd 2009 12:41AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E07) Poor Ericka. In tonight's episode of
The Amazing Race, she didn't look quite like Miss America. Stress will do that to you. It seems each week a team or two make what might be a fatal error in the game. Oh, not something that could kill them -- just one which could lead to being Philiminated. This leg wasn't only tough on Brian and Ericka. One of the Globetrotters had to don a dress. Thankfully, it seemed to be specially tailored to fit him.
Continue reading Review: The Amazing Race - This is Not My Finest Hour
Posted Oct 26th 2009 12:34AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E06) One of the many things I learned tonight on
The Amazing Race is that Dubai is probably hotter than anyplace I really want to visit. Every team was sweating; every team was complaining. At least those teams who didn't have a clue about where the Persian Gulf is or whether it's a country in and of itself will remember it now. If nothing else but for the heat. Oh. And the way cool six-story water slide into shark infested waters. At least one team will really remember that water slide.
Continue reading Review: The Amazing Race - Do it for the Hood! Do it for the Suburbs!
Posted Oct 12th 2009 12:40AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S15E04) You'll have to bear with me tonight. You see, I'm cranky. Yes, I'm cranky about tonight's episode of
The Amazing Race. Perhaps I'd be a bit less cranky had the show started anywhere near on time. No, it's a Sunday show and here in the NYC viewing area, any sport played during the day can run over and delay the entire Sunday evening primetime line-up. On a night like tonight, delayed 45 minutes, it wreaks havoc with other shows I'd like to watch and my review writing time. But that's not the only reason I'm cranky.
Continue reading The Amazing Race: Sean Penn Cambodia Here We Come
Posted Oct 5th 2009 12:20AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(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.
Continue reading The Amazing Race: It's Like Being Dropped on Planet Mars
Posted Apr 13th 2009 12:32AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S14E08) Yes! Sing along with the karaoke cab in Thailand. As we saw in this episode of
The Amazing Race, we'll be accompanied by singing transvestites. But that would make it all the more unique an experience. Oh-oye, tonight's show seemed to start off a bit slow for me. However, things surely twisted and turned as it went along.
Continue reading The Amazing Race: Rooting Around in People's Mouths Could Be Unpleasant
Posted Mar 30th 2009 1:03AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S14E07) Tonight on
The Amazing Race, the teams left India and headed to Thailand. In particular, they headed to Phuket, Thailand. Now, just the name of the city alone is enough for some teams to struggle with the correct pronunciation. There is an obvious one, but that probably wouldn't fly on network television. The accepted pronunciation is "FOO-ket." But, according to Jen and Kisha, it's "pa-KOOT." Mel was familiar with the city, but most of the other teams had trouble with the name. Phuket, it's that easy!
Continue reading The Amazing Race: Gorilla? Gorilla? Gorilla?
Posted Mar 9th 2009 2:07AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S14E04) In the promos for this week's
The Amazing Race, they promised us Siberia and a Blind U-Turn. Well, I know a bit about Siberia -- it's very cold. The plain old U-Turn on this show has its own coldness, too. But a "Blind" one? What could that be? Do they don blindfolds and pick a team at random like in pin the tail on the donkey? Nope. It's something even colder than Siberia itself.
Continue reading The Amazing Race: It Was Like a Caravan of Idiots
Posted Feb 16th 2009 1:30AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, The Amazing Race, Episode Reviews
(S14E01) Tonight's season premiere of
The Amazing Race shows how to do a reality show the right way. Exciting, entertaining, teams to both hate and love, plus a whole lot of stunning scenery. I've long contended that this show is the best reality show on television. It consistently wins Emmy Awards. Hey,
American Idol ... what have you done for us lately? What? Eliminated Jamar and kept Tatiana and Nathaniel? Feh. Give me
The Amazing Race any day instead! I mean ... we're talking adrenalin rushes, excitement, flying wheels of cheese, and bungee jumping in the Alps! It beats drama queens no holds barred.
Continue reading The Amazing Race: Don't Let a Cheese Hit Me (season premiere)
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