The Amazing Race PlacemarkerI'll put up my thoughts about the latest episode here, once the show airs. I'm going to repeat my prediction from last week, that Charla and Myrna, aka One and a Half Women, will be Phil-Liminated tonight. Winners? I'll go with Joyce and Uchenna, who I believe are the only prior season winners on "All-Stars".
Update: Well, another wonderful night for my quite logical predictions.
Teams leave for a ski area where there's apparently a glacier left what with all the global warming going on, and where they can then destroy part of that glacier to find a clue. The interesting thing is that this task uses some sort of satellite technology with directional beacons, and teams must realize that there are multiple sources.
As it works out, the chairlift starts at 8:00 AM, which means that there is an effective bunching of the teams; IIRC one of the few so far in the race. The Beauty Queens miss picking up backpacks at the end of the chairlift and so they must return.
Young gay, who arrive first, go straight to worst, apparently unable to cope with the technology, while Old Gay seemingly ace the challenge, and get the clue to go to Mozambique. Despite some apparent drama, all teams up on the same set of flights, so we've got another bunching in one episode.
Eric is wearing his funny "Colege" tee-shirt. This appears to be a not-so-subtle way of telling us that he's a dope.
In Mozambique, teams get a mine-sweeping exercise with rats. Now I have to admit, having never really encountered rats in my life I have to wonder what the big deal is--big mice, little hamsters is what they look like to me. Granted, I would not want to deal with them if they were not trained, but these were, so it would not bother me in the slightest.
One and a Half Women fall behind here, despite the obvious "low to the ground" advantage that Charla would appear to have. Is it trouble for them as predicted?
Next task is to go to Maputo. As it happens there are two exits, but the one to the left turns out to be the wrong way. The folks who see that there are two screw up, while ironically, the ones who missed seeing the second sign come out ahead at the Cluebox. The clue is a Detour: Pamper or Porter. This was a dividing line; the teams that chose Pamper won and the teams that chose Porter lost. They had to raise some 30 local currency units by providing manicures, or fill ten bags with coal and carry one of them to a particular address.
Well, Charla and Myrna, aka One and a Half Women managed to sell enough manicures (apparently to men) that they suddenly move from last to first, while all the teams taking the Porter route are in trouble. The other two teams to take that option are the Beauty Queens and the French Foreign Legion, and sure enough they are now in second and third.
Charla and Myrna make it to the mat first! Wow, way to call it, Brainster! They win a trip to Aruba. The BQs finish next, while the FFL take third.
The coal turns out to be a horrendous task, while the FFL manage to get enough from two (ridiculously two) manicures to move into third. Uchenna & Joyce, who are the last to arrive at the coal sack event look to be in severe trouble.
The Young Gays arrive and one announces that he's going to hug Phil with his coal-dust-covered hands. Phil shows those shifty moves that earned him all-eighth-grade honors. I had to laugh at this bit, because it was so un-PC for Phil to duck a gay embrace even if they can laugh it off as avoiding a coal-dust-on-his-clothes embrace.
And now, it looks like Joyce & Uchenna are doomed. As they run up towards Phil, do we notice a little, ummm, surgical enhancement to Joyce? Indeed we do, as Phil solemnly tells them that they are the last team to arrive. But, after a moment, he is pleased to inform them that they have gotten one of the bye-weeks. Still they must finish first next leg or face a 30-minute penalty.
Update: Forgot to link to
Eric's terrific recap.
Labels: The Amazing Race
