'The Amazing Race 10' - Ep. 7 -or- "The Six Pack Hangs Back"

Six teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

The operative word "next" is indeed the operative word this time. But, you can't depend on that being the case. It used to be that there were huge hints whether a leg was a non-elimination or not. Instead of "next," we'd hear "tonight." In the last clue before the Pit Stop, instead of "may be eliminated," we'd get "will be eliminated." It's a gentler and kinder world, but the non-elimination legs don't always come at the right time for the right team of racers. Unless, of course, they hail from Kentucky in The Amazing Race 10.

Now, remember, thanks to the Cho Brothers and the Fast Forward, David and Mary were the first arrive in the last Pit Stop in Kuwait. David and Mary had to arrive first as they were marked for elimination and would have to wait out a 30 minute penalty if they didn't come in first at the Pit Stop. Why was that? Well, it's because they arrived last in the leg before and lucked out with it being a non-Philimination leg.

So, David and Mary were the first to depart the Pit Stop with a good three-hour lead over the next team. Will they be able to maintain their standing or will they fall back with the pack?

As it happens, their lead only led them to a bunching point. Common, a bit too common, that's when all the teams end up together due to circumstances. This particular circumstance was an airport flight to Mauritius. Despite the Beauty Queens (Dustin and Kandice) thinking that the travel agents were clueless and turning down more than a few tickets for the flight; despite a thorny snit betwixt the Boy Ex-Addict Models (Tyler and James) and the Alabama Moms (Lyn and Karlyn)... all the teams ended up on the same flight. At least the snit was entertaining as the Boy Toys mocked the Surly Moms.

A worthwhile quote from the snit - Either Lyn or Karlyn to the Boys: "Live with that on your conscious!" Um. Okay. As long as it's not on my conscience.

The alliance between the ChoBros (Erwin and Godwin), Kentucky (David and Mary), and Alabama (Lyn and Karlyn) continues to strengthen. They've dubbed themselves (or have been dubbed by the other teams) as the Six Pack. I've never seen major alliances work or even be attempted on this show in the past. I guess we'll see how this one pans out.

Of the alliance, the strongest team is the Chos. I hope the two weaker teams, probably the weakest competitively in the race, won't bring them down. I really enjoy David and Mary, but they're making it by the skin of their teeth each leg. Lyn and Karlyn are placing okay, but both are very out of shape for any physical doings. Tyler and James think that the Chos want to bring weaker teams to the Final Three so they can win. Meanwhile, the Chos claim that, as an alliance, they can be stronger than those who fend for themselves.

From that point, the teams were told their next clue would be in their vehicles. It was a model boat. It didn't take any of the teams too long to figure out that the model must have a real-life counterpart somewhere on the island. Lyn and Karlyn didn't wait for Kentucky like the ChoBros did. They didn't think it made any sense for all the teams in the Six Pack to be behind. Ah, so they're in an alliance when it suits themselves, eh? I got it!

Once the teams found the real-life schooner in the bay, they had to swim out to it, retrieve a clue, then swim back to shore. That bodes well if you can swim, of course. Neither David or Mary are strong swimmers. Apparently, from what they said, even though David was thrown in a lake to learn how to swim when he was a child, they're both a bit leery of swimming. The Boy Toys, even after getting very lost (again) turned out to be very strong swimmers and this was their chance to get a leg up on the leg. I snickered when I saw Kimberly swims better than Rob.

That clue directed them to find the post office at Case Noyale, so the teams were happy for dry land. Of course, we had the usual teams getting lost, Tyler and James are constants in that regard. "We didn't go the wrong way. We just took a wrong turn." "That's going the wrong way!" Rob and Kimberly had a blow-up brouhaha of two as Rob couldn't get it in gear. His car, that is. But, the kicker this time was that Kandice and Dustin really crunched their car right into the vehicle ahead of them. I'm surprised nothing was said at the Pit Stop later on about the crash. It was entirely their fault.

The clue at the post office was a Detour, a choice between two tasks tied in with the region's economy. Both team members take part in a Detour. They could choose from Salt or Sea. In Salt, the teams had to find a salt shaker with a clue in huge piles of salt. A play on the old "needle in a haystack," most teams initially went for this task. They kept finding salt shakers, but they were filled with salt or pepper, nary a clue to be found.


All the teams ended up heading to the second task, Sea, which was Dustin and Kandice's original choice. In Sea, teams sailed to an island, followed a map to find sails and a mast, installed them on a boat, then sailed back. David and Mary were the last to give up on Salt, but their Six Pack saved them shouting when they found the masts. The map wasn't clear at all. Needless to say, Tyler and James got very lost.

From the Detour, it was immediately to the Pit Stop with no Roadblock this week. I found that a bit odd. I'm not sure what filled up the hour. While the scenery in Mauritius was stunning, the show left me a bit bewildered tonight. It seemed to be missing something and that was the adrenalin rush which accompanies the Roadblock. And, I suppose, the hour was filled up with the Six Pack alliance and reactions to it. Give me action, guys. If I want alliances, I'll rewatch Survivor.

The arrival order of the teams at the Pit Stop at the Château de Bel Ombre:

1. Dustin and Kandice - Each won a motor scooter. Phil said they could take a rider or a date, but was speechless when one asked him for a date. "Um..."
2. Tyler and James - How can they get so lost so much and still place so well? If they had a sense of direction, they'd be three days ahead of the rest.
3. Rob and Kimberly - They placed well, but they are not getting along well. I predict implosion soon.
4. Erwin and Godwin - My favorites, but they really have to start concentrating on their own race.
5. Lyn and Karlyn - I'm admiring how hard they're working and I bet their children are thrilled, but I think they're the least nice of the Six Pack. I swear that they'd push the ChoBros out of the way if things got close enough to do so. I know they like them, but these women have a nasty edge to them.
6. David and Mary - Last, but saved by a non-Philimination leg once again - the second in a period of three weeks. I like them. I'm getting a kick out of them. I know the non-elimination legs are pre-determined, but I find it hard to believe two such legs are so close together and the same team saved both times. Once again, they're marked for elimination and must come in first on the next leg or face a 30 minute penalty. As much as I enjoy watching them, I hope the ChoBros don't put their own race in jeopardy to save them again.

This wasn't my favorite episode. I want my adrenalin pumping and tonight's episode just didn't do that for me.

'The Amazing Race 10' East Coast Update - Arrival Order And...

They did it again.

The arrival at the Pit Stop went down like this:
1. Dustin/Kandice - Each won a motor scooter
2. Tyler/James
3. Rob/Kimberly
4. Erwin/Godwin
5. Lyn/Karlyn
6. David/Mary

It was a non-Philimination leg and once again David and Mary are marked for elimination. If they don't come in first on the next leg, they must endure a 30 minute penalty at the Pit Stop.

A full review/recap will be posted later tonight, stop on back!

Tonight's 'Amazing Race' Blogging

The show just started here in the NYC area. Football, of course. I'll post the Philimination around 9:20 PM ET in an East Coast update. Later, a full recap/review will be posted. Stop on back!

'The Amazing Race 10' - Ep. 6 -or- "Dumped in Kuwait"

Seven teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

Yes, there are still seven teams, at least for the start of the show. Last week's non-elimination leg saved David and Mary, the last team to arrive at the Pit Stop. In a new twist this season, they kept their money and possessions, but were marked for elimination. If they didn't arrive at the Pit Stop first in the next leg (tonight's show), they would have to wait out a 30-minute penalty. That could very well cost them the race.

So, how did it all play out? I'm pleased with tonight's show.

The teams left Chennai (India), the location of their last Pit Stop, headed to Kuwait City. They were given a product placement video clue from Phil Keoghan instructing them to buy airline tickets at a travel agent, then fly to Kuwait where they would drive to the mystery location pictured on their screens.

At the travel agent, we saw not one, but two, "cards" played. Peter lied and said Sarah had a medical emergency with her leg that was dire. While she has the problem with the hydraulic fluid, there's no way they can fix it on the race. I noticed she didn't say one word about her leg. (Dump him, Sarah! He's using you and creeping me out!) The other card was the "We're Beauty Queens" card, used by Dustin and Kandice.

A lot of good the cards did -- all of the teams, including David and Mary, were on the same flight out of Mumbai. Ha! All of the teams also thought to check on the Internet at the travel agency or ask about the mystery location image. So, they all knew they were looking for the Kuwait Towers, too.

Even though the teams bunched up and all took the same flight, they once again bunched up at the Kuwait Towers as they didn't open until 11:00. Each team had to take a number, then search for the next clue when the doors opened. When they opened the clue, included was a Fast Forward - the first of two in this season's race. If a team successfully completes the Fast Forward task, they can go directly to the Pit Stop. Now, who needs the FF the most?

Well, David and Mary! The Cho brothers, Erwin and Godwin, bluffed other teams and indicated that they themselves were going to take the Fast Forward. Actually, they were anticipating David and Mary taking it so they would surely stay in the race. David/Mary, the ChoBros, and Lyn/Karlyn have a tight alliance going on. Even though they both are afraid of heights and it was apparent that the task at the Towers would be height-related, Erwin and Godwin wanted David and Mary to take a chance for first place with the Fast Forward. They rock!

That is where the line for the promo for this week's show took place. Nothing had really happened to the Cho brothers; David and Mary just didn't want them eliminated because they secured the FF for them.

Sure enough, the clue at the Towers was a Roadblock, a task only one member of the team can complete. And, yes, it had to do with heights. The team member had to climb the circular ladder (pictured above) up the side of one of the towers, 610 feet high. Once at the top, the racer had to retrieve a bag with puzzle parts, return to the ground, get more puzzle parts from a trunk, and complete a puzzle which contained a message in Arabic (their next clue).

Of course, Peter immediately said Sarah would climb - "I think you climb here, Sarah." He is so horrible to her and hasn't done not a one physical task. Peter, she has one leg, you creep! You climb! Again, editing may play a part, but they showed him relaxing as she struggled. She did better than Erwin Cho, though. It was evident that he was terrified almost to the point of choking on the task, but he made it. He knew how bad he was with heights and knew he could have easily gone for the Fast Forward.

Meanwhile, Team Kentucky (David and Mary) were off to the Fast Forward. This was an exciting one for them. They had to find a certain oil field and retrieve the clue leading them to the Pit Stop amidst a simulated (yet very real) oil fire. David what thrilled, he had a childhood dream of being a fireman. Both donned protective gear and went for the clue box using shields.

Back at the Towers, the teams all had their puzzles translated by locals and were off to a bead market, then to the Al Sadiq Water Towers where they faced a Detour, a task both members of the team must complete. Detours always are a choice between two tasks, each one having something to do with the region or its culture. This Detour was Manual (old-fashioned) or Automatic (new-fangled). In Manual, it was actually manual labor as teams had to fill several bags of camel feed, seal them, then lug and stack them. In Automatic, there were really neat little robotic jockeys they had to attach to the back of camels, then complete a race.

Some of the teams wanted to do the camel race, but couldn't find it so they went to Manual. It seems the teams who got very lost found the camel racing. Tyler and James drove aimlessly and hopelessly through the streets of Kuwait City, but not as aimlessly and hopelessly as did Peter and Sarah. The Pretty Boys took it well under the circumstances, not blamiming each other for being lost, but very disappointed. In contrast, Peter blamed Sarah, snapped at her and insulted her. Finally, the Boy Toys found the camel racing and made quick work of the task. Peter and Sarah were still searching for the Manual task in the dark.

The arrival oreger at the Pit Stop was as follows:

1. David and Mary - Came in long ahead of the others thanks to the ChoBros and the Fast Forward. They also won a trip for two to Jamaica for placing first.
2. Dustin/Kandice
3. Rob/Kimberly
4. Lyn/Karlyn
5. Erwin/Godwin
6. Tyler/James
7. Sarah/Peter - eliminated from the race.

The Good

• Sarah dumped Peter at the Pit Stop confessional. She said he wasn't the kind, compassionate, caring sort of amny she desires. You go, girl!
• The ChoBros are fantastic. I bet their parents are proud of them. They even got a local police officer to lead them at one point.

The Bad

• Lyn and Karlyn were very nasty to the Beauty Queens and I thought they treated the locals very abruptly in doing so. They wanted the locals to not give the other team directions and practically yanked at them. Sheesh!
• Peter in general.

The Ugly (American)

• The notable Kimberly/Rob exchange of the week when instructed to go by a certain mosque: Kimberly: "We have to go by the grand mass." Rob: "Mosque. Grande Mosque. It's not a street name." Kim: "Whatever."

I want Rob and Kimberly out next.

'The Amazing Race 10' East Coast Update 10/22 - Pit Stop Arrival and Philimination

The arrival at the Pit Stop:
1. Mary and David used the FF - Won a trip for two to Jamaica
2. Dustin and Kandice
3. Rob and Kimberly
4. Lyn and Karlyn
5. Erwin and Godwin
6. Tyler and James
7. Peter and Sarah - Philiminated.

And, more important... Sarah dumped him! You go, girl!

A full review/recap will be posted later tonight.

'The Amazing Race 10' East Coast Update 10/22 - FF Used

Thanks to the ChoBros, David and Mary used the Fast Forward, snagged 1st place and are now redeemed.

'The Amazing Race 10' Blogging Schedule Tonight 10/22

TAR is starting about ten minutes late here in the NYC area. Football, of course, is the blame for the late start. I will post an East Coast Update on the Finish Line order and the Philimination at about 9:10 ET for those in other time zones. Late tonight, I'll post the show review/recap.

'The Amazing Race' Goes All Stars Next Season

They've done it for other reality shows and its coming has been rumored for some time. Now it seems to be inevitable. According to the TVgasm website, the filming of The Amazing Race 11 is to start next month. And, not only that, we're in store for watching a season of teams who have previously raced the race. Big Brother did the same, as did Survivor even earlier. Apparently the "all star" format is successful, but it's not always this fan's favorite.

So far, two teams from TAR5 are listed as participants in the new season. I fear neither team was too popular in their season, at least not according to the Internet buzz at the time.

Bickering and sometimes "Ugly Americans on Exhibit" Colin Guinn and Christie Woods are one of the teams revealed. Colin, of course, is most remembered for his infamous line, "My ox is broken!" That happened when an ox just didn't want to steer the way he wanted it to go. The couple argued their way to near the finish line only to be beat out by the Force for Good, Kim and Chip. Their motivation for undertaking the race at the time, other than the million dollars, was to test their relationship and possibly marry. Whether they're married or not these days is unsure. But, it's sure they'll fuss and fight through the All Stars season.

The other team linked to the All Stars version is cousins Charla Faddoul and Mirna Hindoyan. This is a team that many fans so wanted to cheer on, but they made it hard for the fans to do so. Mirna fretted, made her cousin handle all the tougher tasks, and obsessed about looking pretty for Phil Keoghan at the finish mat each leg. She also did her best to perpetuate stereotypes of little people with the way she treated Charla. At least, that's this show fan's perception. On the other hand, there's Charla, a little person. She can do a lot, but needs a better partner. Fans called them out for using the "Dwarf Card" to get ahead. Charla and Mirna were most recently seen on last years Battle of the Reality Stars (BRAVO). Their relationship didn't seem to change much over time.

Amazing Race ALL STARS or Amazing Race Villains? It could be worse. We could be in for another season of watching Jonathan and Victoria Baker. It would be better if these shows polled the viewers about what teams they'd like to see return if they feel they have to have all "all star" season. Better yet, I'd rather not see an "all star" season at all.

'The Amazing Race 10' - Ep. 5 -or- "Is that a homeless cow?"

Seven teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

Finally, the teams go to another country. While I found Vietnam a wonderfully exotic and interesting place, this is supposed to be a race around the world. More than one leg in one country feels sort of like they're stagnating. At least, it does to me.

Unlike last week's rather close departure times from the Pit Stop, I noticed there was a three-hour gap between first and last place. That would be Rob/Kimberly and Dustin/Kandice, respectively. Will it matter or will the teams encounter another infamous TAR bunching point waiting for something to open or a flight or somesuch? Only time will tell.

It's off to Chennai, India! For some reason, Vietnam doesn't allow the sale of tickets at airlines and all plane tickets must be purchased from travel agents. It doesn't seem to be a show rule, but a restriction placed by the government. That's odd.
Sarah told us more about her feelings for Peter in a confessional segment. She doesn't put him on the pedestal she once did. Yes, Sarah! Dump him. He's a pompous so-and-so who treats you poorly. He's using you and he really seems like he's not a nice guy, not at all.

Tyler and James saw an addict shooting up drugs near the railroad tracks, so we heard another "so happy to be recovered" bit. The ChoBros have really hooked up with Lyn and Karlyn to develop an alliance which seems to help Lyn and Karlyn more than themselves. Peter seems to be getting creepier in each leg of the race. In addition to treating Sarah poorly and being a pompous you-know-what, he's taken to spying on the other teams to get a step ahead and mocking other teams.

So, what do the ChoBros do? They borrow a cellphone and make a totally fake phone call to make reservations so he could eavesdrop and freak out. And, that he did. Ultimately, it didn't really help the brothers out much, but it was worth it to make a fool of Peter. Even the Barbies (Dustin/Kandice), Peter's supposed allies, were turned off by his spying and no longer trust him.

The teams ended up split between three flights to Chennai. Some had to buy tickets for a connection and poor David and Mary were alone on a later flight. Again, it really didn't make a huge difference in the overall race.

Once in Chennai, the teams had to take a bus to Mallapuram. While David and Marry and the ChoBros tend to look at everything as wondrous and exciting, Rob mumbled, "From one polluted city to another." And, his lovely Kimberly declared she wanted to go to Europe. Tyler and James got lost with a lost cab driver, but most of the teams made it to the arts and crafts store where they received their next clue -- a Detour.

The Detour, a choice between two tasks which are relevant to the region or its culture, was between Wild Things or Wild Rice. In Wild Things, the teams had go tie a crocodile's snout shut, tie the crocodile to a stretcher, then transport it to a man who would give them their next clue. In Wild Rice, teams had to take colored rice powder to make designs according to speculation. Believe it or not, the crocodile choice seemed to be the easier of the two tasks. Most of the teams picked Wild Things, but David/Mary and James/Tyler struggled through Rice.

In personal bits, Mary declared she would not fight a crocodile no way, no how. Sarah told Peter she's not having fun when he told her he has to either win or just not care and that she should just have fun. She's tired of him giving up or pushing her so hard. All she really wants is a middle road and he's not giving her one. (Dump him, Sarah!) Peter and Sarah passed by their "allies" Dustin and Kandice who were stuck with a flat tire. And, tonight's Dumb Line of the Week came from Kimberly. Now, they're in India. Anyone who knows anything about India knows that the folks there often think the cow is a sacred being. They wander the streets, no one bothers them. So, Kimberly sees one and says, "Oh. Is that a homeless cow?" Even Rob thunked his head over that one. Duh.

Next up was a Roadblock -- a task which can only be completed by one member of each team. This one was a hoot! They had to go to the Karthik Driving School, take a lesson, do a road test and receive a driver's license in India. Of course, if this were happening in the USA, it would take the whole season, but we're talking India. Hand signals and a Harpo Marx horn to honk at children and animals (and only children and animals, please) were the rules of the road. Other than those, the only rule was to make it out of there alive without hitting anything, it seemed. All on the left side of the road, as per their laws.

License in hand and driving school car on the road, it was off to the Pit Stop. Here was the order of arrival:
1. Peter/Sarah - Each won a home gym for placing first in the leg.
2. Dustin/Kandice
3. Rob/Kimberly
4. Erwin/Godwin
5. Lyn/Karlyn
6. Tyler/James
7. David/Mary

This was the first of probably three non-elimination legs this season. Unlike the last few years which had the money and possessions stripped from the teams in last place, Phil Keoghan (the Philiminator) told David and Mary that they're "marked for elimination." In the next leg, they must arrive in first place or suffer a 30-minute penalty. That time penalty could very well knock them out, so first or the closest they can get to it is a must. Next week should be interesting. They're not the fastest or strongest team, but I'd like to see them hang in there.

Rob and Kimberly weren't as annoying with bickering this week, but I still wouldn't miss them if they were out of the running. I like Peter less each time I see him. The ChoBros, Erwin and Godwin, are still my favorites for the win. Of course, I'm horrible at picking the winning team so that might be bad luck for them. This week they wore LOST shirts with a picture of Phil on them and a lookout notice for a missing Kiwi. Phil is from New Zealand, thus the Kiwi. He laughed at the shirts when they got to the Pit Stop. I think Phil likes these guys, too!

'The Amazing Race 10' Pit Stop Arrival East Coast Update

Arrival order -

1. Sarah/Peter - Each won a home gym
2. Dustin/Kandice
3. Rob/Kimberly
4. Erwin/Godwin
5. Lyn/Karlyn
6. Tyler/James
7. David/Mary

This was a non-elimination leg. David and Mary are still in the race. The rules have changed - they keep their money and possessions. But, if they don't come in first at the Pit Stop in the next leg, they will receive a 30 minute penalty as they're "marked for elimination."

A full report will be posted later tonight.

Tonight's 'The Amazing Race 10' Blogging Schedule

Tonight's TAR is running about 20-25 minutes behind schedule here in the NYC area due to football. (Sigh.)

Once the show finally airs here, I'll post an East Coast Update with the Pit Stop arrival order and the Philimination or non-Philimination if it's time for one of those.

Late tonight, I'll post a recap/review of the show.

In the meantime, I watched a show about hot dogs on WNET, Channel 13, public television. They didn't even mention Jimmy Buff's (local cool Newark-style dogs with potatoes!) or Hot Dog Charlie's (my early childhood hot dogs). Sheesh!

Um. I'm kind of hungry now.

'The Amazing Race 10' - Ep. 4 -or- "Up, Over, Under and Around in Circles"

Eight teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

Once again, they switched the introduction to the show. They should be due for a non-elimination leg soon - I'm thinking next week. When the show started off with the word "next" in lieu of "tonight," I thought it may be this show, but it was indeed a Philimination leg.

And, I have the lowdown.

Health concerns continue to plague some of the teams as we head into the fourth leg. Mary's sprained ankle is still a problem and we learned that Rob collapsed due to heat dehydration. He was treated and deemed fit to continue racing. Since he's one of my own personal least favorites, I wouldn't have minded if they told him, "No! Stop racing! Rest for three days!" Ah, but that wasn't the case.

As the teams took off from the last Pit Stop, a rice paddy in Vietnam, I noticed that the gap betwixt first and last place had narrowed in comparison to last week's start. The first team (ChoBros) left at 10:55 PM and the last team (TnT) left at 11:48 - not even an hour apart.

The teams had to take a taxi to Hanoi, then collect 588 Vietnamese Dong. That's the currency in Vietnam; 1 Vietnamese Dong = 0.00006458 US Dollar, so it's not a heck of a lot of money, eh? They then had to travel to a park where an auditory clue, in addition to crickets, started a fiasco of mixed-up directions and a Kimberly/Robert rude cab blow-out. The clue itself was hard to understand in either language - English or Vietnamese. Some teams wrote it phonetically; other teams asked their cabbies to listen.

Some just disrespected their cabbies. Yes, I'm talking about Rob. I don't know why someone would expect a cab driver in Vietnam to understand English and, even when the cabbie doesn't speak the language, he sure can understand tone. Give me Mary and David, with Mary hugging the taxi driver and telling him she loved him instead.

After all the clue confusion and cab-clamoring, all the teams ended up on the same bus headed to Ha Long Bay. There they faced a Roadblock, a task only one member of the team must perform. This particular Roadblock had them using mechanical ascenders to scale the side of a cliff. It was a 90' ascension directly up and used both arm and leg strength.

And, this is where I get surly. Peter, of Peter/Sarah fame, takes the easy Roadblocks and lets Sarah, who has a prosthetic leg, perform the hard ones. (Dump him, Sarah!) Yes, I know editing plays a part, but if Peter hadn't made yet another remark in the line of his "disability card" utterances and then sat smugly drinking a cold beverage as Sarah struggled...! His line this time was "Pull the handicapped placard out and get in the front of the line" as only three ascenders were available at a time. This guy needs some serious dumping by Sarah, seriously. Watching Sarah climb the cliff, I think I had more concern than he did.

As Godwin Cho prepared to go up, he declared he was leaving all of his possessions to his brother. And, it was neat to watch Karlyn go up the cliff struggling, yet busting with pride at her accomplishment. It could have been editing, but it looked like every other team member remaining at the bottom cheered their mates on while Peter relaxed.

The teams had to find their next clue in an absolutely stunning cave - Sung Cot Cave. It reminded me of visiting Carlsbad Caverns. There wasn't too much excitement at hand in the cave as the teams basically just had to find their clues to their next destination, which happened to be a Detour. A Detour is a choice between two tasks, each with a local touch, performed by both members of the team.

The choices this leg were Over or Under. In Over, the teams had to take a boat called a junk, then row a smaller boat called a sandpan - sort of a wide and flat rowboat to pick up and deliver goods to two destinations in a floating village. In Under, teams took a junk, then rowed a sandpan to a location where oyster baskets were marked by buoys. They had to harvest and deliver 30 baskets of oysters.

All of the teams had trouble manuevering their sandpans and I don't think I've heard that much fussing and fretting on one task in ages. Tears, whining, arguing, and then some more tears. Peter fussed that he wanted to give up and I thought I saw contempt in Sarah's eyes. (Dump him, Sarah!) Mary and David snapped at each other and she gave him a "you're not the boss of me" comeback. Remember, at the beginning of the season, she claimed that where they're from, the man is the boss. I don't think so! Most of the teams went for Under, but Lyn and Karlyn succeeded at Over. All of the teams found out that rowing a sandpan in high winds isn't like rowing a canoe.
Much to my dismay, Rob and Kimberly finished the task first and hit the mat at the Pit Stop at Soi Sim Island first. I don't like their bickering. Phil commented on it, too. "Are you being nice to each other?" Yeah, sure they are! As the first place winners of the leg, they each won a jet ski. That's better than the one home entertainment center that Godwin and Erwin won last week, but it's no trip for two... which may be a good thing in the light of their relationship or lack thereof.



This is the order at the Pit Stop:

1. Rob/Kimberly
2. Peter/Sarah
3. Tyler/James
4. Erwin/Godwin
5. David/Mary
6. Lyn/Karlyn
7. Dustin/Kandice
8. Tom/Terry (TnT) - last and Philiminated.

In a bit towards the end of the show, Sarah told Peter she didn't appreciate him saying he was going to give up when she had worked so hard to climb the cliff. He sat there and said nothing. In a confessional she held without him, she seems to realize he's not the dream love she thought he was. Dump him, Sarah!

Supposedly, this race is one of the most extensive ever. Why are they still in Vietnam? I'm finding it a beautiful and exotic country, but they've traveled hardly at all the last two legs.

Mary is proving to be my must-watch racer each week. Between her funny lines and her reaction to wondrous places and peoples, she's fun to watch. Yes, she fussed some about her sprained ankle, but I could see her forging on with a cast if she had to do so. She may be one of the more "country bumpkin" types than we've seen on the show before, but she's definitely an ambassador of good will with the natives.

I'm still cheering on the ChoBros for the win, but David and Mary would certainly make for a very different finale. I like Sarah, but not Peter. I'm not too thrilled with either Kimberly or Rob, and the pretty teams (Dustin/Kandice, Tyler/James) aren't striking me much at all, nor did TnT. I wouldn't mind seeing Karlyn and Lyn hang in there. I think they're pretty amazed at what they've done and I bet their children are thrilled, too.

Just get out of Vietnam and stop all the crying, teams!

Oh.

And, dump him, Sarah!

'The Amazing Race 10' - 10/08 East Coast Update - Arrival Order and Philimination

The arrival to the Pit Stop:

1. Rob/Kimberly - Won a jet ski each
2. Peter/Sarah
3. Tyler/James
4. Erwin/Godwin
5. David/Mary
6. Lyn/Karlyn
7. Dustin/Kandice
8. Tom/Terry - Eliminated

Tonight's 'Amazing Race 10' Blogging Schedule

Once again, here on the East Coast (at least in the NYC viewing area), TAR is a bit delayed due to the football game running over.

I know football has its fans, but I'm not one of them.

I'm not quite sure when 60 Minutes started as I started watching America's Funniest Home Videos on ABC. Once it's over, I'll switch to the tail end of 60 Minutes to await TAR. I believe it's less than 10 or 15 minutes behind schedule, but I'm not sure. But, as a result, East Coast Update posts on the show will be running as late as the show is. As usual, an entire review/recap will be posted later in the evening. But I will post East Coast Updates as far as the Pit Stop Arrival Order and Philimination as they appear.

Darn football.

TV Newsy Bits: 'The Amazing Race' WIll Race Again For Season 11

It's amazing! Yes, it really is!

Although never a top show in the ratings arena, The Amazing Race has been chalking up the Emmy awards season after season. In this day of reality television overload, TAR shines through the pack. CBS recently announced that The Amazing Race has been renewed for an 11th season, delighting the show's many diehard fans.

The change to Sunday nights with the "Race, Case, Trace" CBS line-up - (Amazing Race, Cold Case, Without a Trace) - has improved the ratings for The Amazing Race, while perhaps not working as well on the latter two shows. Despite football games delaying its start on the East Coast, the CBS Sunday evening line-up performed well on October 1, leading with a 9.5 rating and 15 share of the audience.

What sets TAR apart from the many reality shows on television? The premise is only a bit of the distinction — each season has 10 to 12 teams of two contestants, each with an existing relationship (family, friends, dating, etc.), running a whirlwind race around the globe, with the winning team bringing home one million dollars. Viewers of the show get glimpses of various customs, cultures, and historical places, along with breathtaking scenery of wondrous countries as they watch the teams sometimes implode, but more often grow closer through the race.

I'm a fan of the show and I don't believe I've ever missed an episode. On a personal level, one of the things I love about the show is that it often inspires me to find out more about an area through which the race was run. For example, this past week, the racers were in Hanoi, Vietnam. One of the clues led them to find John McCain's flight suit at the "Hanoi Hilton." I had some recollection of this, but watching the show made me go online and learn more about it. Other episodes find me searching for more information on religious and cultural rites. The Amazing Race touches on numerous topics, and makes me think, research and learn. No other reality television show does that for me. (Okay, I'll admit that Survivor had me looking up howling monkeys last season.)

The Amazing Race is hosted by Phil Keoghan and, as a bit of the Internet seeps in, the term for when a team is eliminated has evolved to them being "Philiminated." This is done with great affection for the show's host, of course. As the teams race around the world, they have to perform both mental and physical tasks to move ahead. It can be edge-of-your-seat watching and the race to the mat can get viewers up and cheering for their favorite teams.

The Amazing Race airs every Sunday night following 60 Minutes on CBS. That would normally put it at an 8 PM ET/PT start, but football games may delay its airing on the East Coast. If you haven't watched the show, tune in and find out why it brings home the awards every season. It's exciting, interesting, and definitely entertaining -- even if you're not into the reality television genre.

'The Amazing Race 10' - Ep. 3 -or- "Fuel, Fowl and the Hanoi Hilton"

Nine teams remain. Who will be eliminated tonight?

Okay, I noticed last week that Phil did the introduction with the word "next" instead of "tonight." Is it a clue of some sort? Well, the results were the same. A team was indeed eliminated from The Amazing Race tonight. And, I might add, it wasn't a team I wanted to see leave.

Let's jump right on in with the pack at the race...

We left the teams at the last Pit Stop in Mongolia. As is standard, the teams left in the same order as they had arrived, albeit twelve hours later. Peter and Sarah were the first to get the clue and to head off on a mission to get to the Hoa Lo Prison or, as it's nicknamed, the "Hanoi Hilton" in Hanoi, Vietnam. I noticed that there was about a two hour gap between first and last. Peter/Sarah left at 6:54 AM and, in last place, Lyn/Karlyn left at 9:02 AM.

The teams started the leg with zero (as in zilch, nothing, dead-po' broke) dollars and were warned that they couldn't beg or sell anything. So, some teams were a bit better off than others with saved money from the previous two legs of the race. Sarah/Peter had $40, Dustin/Kandice had $24, but others were as low as Duke/Lauren with a paltry $11.

The money was more of an issue than departure times as the teams hit a bunching point at the airport and all teams ended up on the same flight to Hanoi.

Drama? Was there drama? Sure, there was! Tom and Terry threw a fit when they thought Dustin and Kandice cut in front of them in line. And, of course, it was all for naught.

What about physical woes? Well, of course! Mary hurt her ankle in the last leg and, in a confessional spot said, "I didn't leave my kids for nuthin" as she vowed to race on. Sarah's prosthetic leg is still leaking hydraulic fluid and, while it doesn't seem to be causing her any additional pain, the knee isn't responding as it should and not bending as well. As a result, her running is almost like a jolting hop-a-long. She might still be able to outrun Mary or Lyn/Karlyn, but she's not in her personal marathon condition.

Once in Hanoi, Duke picked up a local woman who promised to lead them to the prison, but really just wanted to use them for a ride to go see her brother a half-hour from their destination. Lauren was against it all along and I think she restrained from saying, "I told you so!" Thankfully, their cab driver accepted their $11 and didn't call the cops for fare-beating.

Lyn and Karlyn tried to get David and Mary aboard in their taxi to help them, but both teams wouldn't fit. David was completely awestruck at being in Vietnam. His Dad was a Vietnam War veteran and his thoughts sometimes clouded his judgment in this leg of the race. Of course, that makes me feel old because I'm old enough to be David's mother. Oh, say it ain't so!

The teams once again bunched up as they awaited a 9 AM opening. Their quest was to find the display containing John McCain's flightsuit within the prison museum, Maiso Centrale. Tom and Terry were the first to discover the suit and scampered off with nary a word to the other teams.

From the Hanoi Hilton, teams had to go to Hanoi's Old Quarter where they had to face this leg's Roadblock (a task which can only be completed by one member of each team). This one that seemed fun but I personally think it was a bit lame when compared to others. They had to "charm people and turn a buck" on the streets of Hanoi... selling flowers. (What's that sound? Is that the sound of rolling eyes?) The good thing is that they get to keep the money made - all of what amounts to about $5 (USD). Why Peter sold flowers while Sarah ends up with physical tasks, I don't know. (Dump him, Sarah!) Lauren was thrilled with the native womens' response to her father selling flowers.

Although Peter and Sarah were in good standing at that time, they took a wrong bus to the next destination, the town of Vac. David was still thinking of his father's days in Vietnam and Tom/Terry apparently weren't thinking at all. Earlier the show had a blurb about the teams being prohibited from riding or driving motorcycles or motorbikes in Vietnam due to safety issues. So, what does Team TT do? They ride with locals on motorbikes to the next stop, a Detour.

The teams have a choice between locally-inspired tasks in a Detour. In this one, they had to choose between Fuel or Fowl. In Fuel, the teams had to make 30 coal bricks (used as fuel) to specification. In Fowl, the teams had to make a birdcage to specification. Most of the teams chose Fuel, but that wasn't coal as we know it. As David, the coalminer says, "This ain't real coal!" And, I believe it was Mary who said, "Oh! This is just like Play-Doh!" Lauren and Duke tackled the birdcage only because they got lost searching for the Fuel site.

As the teams completed the task, it was a foot race to the Pit Stop on a rice paddy still in Vietnam. The ChoBros arrived first and, like Tyler and BJ last year, got rooked on their prize. Instead of a cool trip, they got a home entertainment system. Not one for each of them, just one. Bummer!

But, not as much of a bummer as what happened to Terry and Tom. They slid into second place only to get nicked for their riding the forbidden to ride motorbikes. They received a half-hour penalty and it was an anxious wait as the other teams arrived to the Pit Stop. At least in editing, it looks like they barely squeaked into the last spot before Philimination.

The rest of the teams arrived at the Pit Stop in this order:
2. Tyler/James
3. Rob/Kimberly
4. Dustin/Kandice
5. Peter/Sarah
6. Lyn/Karlyn
6. David/Mary
8. Tom/Terry squeak back in.
9. Last and eliminated from the race - Duke/Lauren.


Rats. I liked them. If only it could have been Rob and Kimberly, although we didn't really see a lot of them in this leg.

I think this week's challenges were a bit on the ho-hum side, but it may just be the adventurer within me. I'm liking the possibility that some teams may work together if they can. Lyn/Karlyn think David and Mary are great and are also bonding with the ChoBros and Team TT. I'm still liking the ChoBros a lot and I'm admiring David and Mary's spunk and the relationship between them more each week. We didn't see a heck of a lot of the Rehab Model Boys, and that was fine with me. I don't think they'll stay in the background too long, but it was nice to go a week without hearing how "saved" they are.

I still think that Peter's using Sarah and I can't help but think that she's realizing they're not a match made in heaven.

Dump him, Sarah!

'The Amazing Race 10' - East Coast 10/01 Show Update - Pit Stop Arrival Order

1. The ChoBros. - Also won a state of the art home entertainment center.
(2.) Tom and Terry... but, they didn't follow a safety restriction regarding prohibiting riding or driving a motorcycle or motorbike in Vietnam, a 30 minute penalty. They must wait it out.
2. Tyler/James
3. Rob/Kimberly
4. Dustin/Kandice
5. Peter/Sarah
6. Lyn/Karlyn
7. David/Mary
8. Tom and Terry back in.
9. Last and Philiminated - Duke and Lauren.

'Amazing Race 10' - Tonight's Blogging Schedule

The start of tonight's The Amazing Race 10 episode has been delayed by football.

I don't like football.

I don't like delays of shows I enjoy due to football.

You don't even want me to go there!

60 Minutes started at a bit after 7:30 PM here in the NYC area, so TAR should start a bit after 8:30 PM. As usual, I'll post important show-changing stuff here on the blog as it airs in East Coast time. Later tonight, I'll post a review/recap of the episode.

To get to the latest blog entry, it may be necessary to refresh the main blog page or hit the link for October in the Archives links on the right sidebar of the main blog page.

'The Amazing Race 10' - Ep. 2 -or- "Knot a problem? Go for the ox!"

Ten teams are left. Who will be eliminated next?

We last left the teams atop the Great Wall of China, and two teams were Philiminated in the season premiere. Both Bilal and Sa'eed and Vipul and Arti bit the dust, but the race goes on.

Since Tyler and James had been the first to arrive at the Pit Stop, they were the first to leave. The clue they received directed them to travel 963 miles by bus and train to Outer Mongolia. Now, that sounds cool, eh?

We encountered the first quasi-bunching-point of the season as the teams arrived to the bus station. They were split up in two buses, one departing two hours earlier than the other. Five teams on each bus, the first held the teams of Tyler/James, Duke/Lauren, Sarah/Peter, Dustin/Kandice, and Rob/Kimberly. The second group bonded while awaiting for their 2 AM departure. Then it was off for the Erlian Train Station in Inner Mongolia. The train will take them to their destination.

How are the teams getting on with each other? Well, while the "slower" group is bonding some and generally having fun on the race, Tyler and James spied on "the blondies" - Dustin and Kandice. They don't trust them. Hey, guys, it's a race. Everyone is trying to win. They're allowed to make a cell phone call and try to get information for themselves. Sheesh.

Now, this week, Peter did it again. Last week I was a bit miffed with his claim that they were "going to play the Disability Card" and now this week he said, "It's good to have a physical disability. We're going to use that to our advantage." Keep in mind, it's Peter... not Sarah, the one with the disability. I'm not liking what I see here. While Sarah is an incredible athlete, disability or not, I don't like this relationship. The more I see of Peter, the more I think he's using her for his own purposes. He's starting to creep me out. Yeah, she's whiney at times, but he's devious. Dump him, Sarah!

And, if I have to hear the rehab, life is so hard, it's a new life, we're sober, blah-blah-blah from James and Tyler again so much during a one-hour show, I'll...I'll... um... I'll say bad things about their hair! So there.

The taxi rides that the teams took once they hit Ulaanbaater were wild! It makes the slow cabs of past experiences horses of a different color. They collected their clues in a temple which grouped them a bit as they could only go in every ten minutes.

The clue directed them to some deathtrap Russian Jeeps which they had to drive to Terlej. Then they had to ride horses (while wearing spiffy Mongolian hats) two and a half miles to receive the next clue.

Surprisingly, David and Mary (of all folks) picked up a local to help guide them in their Jeep. He guided them well until he guided him through mud and they got stuck. Bad, bad guide. They ended up getting a replacement car, but TAR's rules state they get no credit for the wasted time. They weren't the only team with car woes. Tyler and James got lost and then had a flat tire. Not only that, but they had a broken jack. Maybe their Russian Jeep needs rehab? Rob and Kimberly tried to give them their jack, but they couldn't get it out of the car. When other teams approached, all left the Pretty Boys in their dust. Finally a local helped them.

Off to the horses! Sarah changed for a prosthesis with an actual foot in case she had to use stirrups. Peter barely waited for her to do it. (Picture a sneer as I typed that. Did I mention the guy is creeping me out?) Kimberly is afraid of horses and asked, "Do you think they can smell fear?" Apparently, they can. She promptly got dumped while another racer (either Dustin or Kandice?) got dragged. A horse is a horse, of course. And, horses in Mongolia must smell fear. Leave it to the ChoBros to actually call out, "Rawhide!" I can't help but like those two. I hope their racing seriously improves, though.

After the horse ride, the teams were faced with a Detour. Their choices were Take It Down or Fill It Up. In Take It Down, the teams had to dismantle a traditional Mongolian nomadic camp, tie it according to specifications, and load it on a waiting camel. In Fill It Up, the teams had to guide an ox cart to the river, fill up buckets of water, bring them back and fill up a larger container to the specification of a Mongolian guide.


The knots involved in the Take It Down task presented problems for the teams choosing that one, while some of the oxen had minds of their own for the other task. Peter and Sarah first chose the Take It Down task, then flipped to the Fill It Up, got an ox with "fire in its eyes" (according to Peter) and flipped back. Sarah fussed that she didn't want to quit the first attempt and Peter did pretty much what he wanted to do. (Dump him, Sarah!) Kimberly and Rob bickered and he too barked out instructions. Dump him, Kimberly.


Although Team Barbie (Dustin and Kandice) finished their ox task first, they lost one of the Mongolian hats and had to go back to search for it. The teams had to ride the horses back to their Jeeps and had to have the spiffy hats. Mary and David gave Karlyn and Lyn their excess water they hauled in a nice gesture. They may be backwoods, but they seem genuinely nice folks.

As the teams took off for the next clue once they hit the Jeeps, a few wouldn't start. Both Lyn/Karlyn and Jamie/Kellie were stranded with dead batteries. (Others had issues, too. The ChoBros got stuck on the road and pushed to start theirs). The situation with the girls led to one of the most suggestive, yet totally innocent lines of the night - "He's got a long rod." Hey! It was a crank! The Russian Jeeps can be crank-started like a wind-up toy. Yes, I confess to a gutter-mind. But it was funny.

Once they hit the road, the next stop was a Roadblock. It was a tough one, too. One member oif each team had to shoot a flaming arrow 160 feet to light a target which was flat on the ground. Some teams did very well, but the last team to arrive worked into the darkness of night making the attempt, then finally gave up. They couldn't even see the target.

Here's the arrival order at the Hotel Mongolia, the Pit Stop for this leg of the race:
1. Peter/Sarah - Also won a trip for two to Mexico for first place.
2. Tyler/James
3. Duke/Lauren
4. Tom/Terry
5. Dustin/Kandice
6. Rob/Kimberly
7. David/Mary
8. Erwin/Godwin
9. Lyn/Karlyn
10. Kellie/Jamie - Philiminated.

At a confessional not on the mat, Sarah said she's noted some problems with Peter. Dump him, girl! He's using you!

And, that was the show. I sort of liked Kellie and Jamie and, though I hate to admit it, I'm liking Kandice and Dustin more. I'm usually the anti-beauty queen/model show watcher. Don't fear I've totally changed my ways. I still don't like James and Tyler. I wish they weren't such strong competitors.

I'd like to see Rob and Kimberly and Peter gone. Sarah can stay, maybe hook up with the ChoBros... or something.

'The Amazing Race 10' - Pit Stop Order and Philimination

Arrival to the Pit Stop:

1. Peter/Sarah - Also won a trip to Mexico
2. Tyler/James
3. Duke/Lauren
4. Tom/Terry
5. Dustin/Kandice
6. Rob/Kimberly
7. David/Mary
8. Erwin/Godwin
9. Lyn/Karlyn
10. Kellie/Jamie... Philiminated, but didn't even finish the Roadblock leading to the Pit Stop.

A full recap/review will be posted later this evening. Stop back!