'The Amazing Race': Off to the Seychelles Islands
Following last week's recap it became apparent that there are several folks out there who will greatly miss Jordan & Jeff and their shenanigans on "The Amazing Race." What can I tell you, we all have our favorites, and I'll be the first to admit that my favorites, the Cowboys, certainly didn't amaze this go round.
The teams actually had to get on a plane today as they were headed to The Seychelles (not the Say-Chilis). At the starting line teams were told that they would all be on the same flight to the islands. I've never been a big fan of bottlenecks, but liked the fact that the show was upfront about it this time out. And, I was pleasantly surprised that a bunch of the teams - including Brent & Caite, whom I know I've said bad things about - were smart enough to try to get seats towards the front of the plane. It was a good move as the first three teams to get off the plane got to ride the first helicopter over to a different island, La Digue, from the one the airport was on. The other three teams had to wait an hour.
Once off the helicopter, teams hit the Detour where they either had to lure a turtle across a lawn with a banana and then carry some bananas to a fruit stand or load a bunch of coconuts on to an ox cart which an ox then had to carry to the same stand. I'm not sure which I would have chosen, it seemed like something of a toss-up. The turtle had to move a shorter distance before people could ditch it, but the ox appeared to be something you could cajole into moving better than you could the turtle.
Brent & Caite, doing the ox task, instantly blew their lead as one of the coconuts Caite tossed into the cart bounced out and she didn't see it happen. Of course, Steve & Allie did brilliantly with their turtle and passed Caite & Brent before those two even realized they were going to have to turn around. However, the father/daughter team didn't bother bringing their packs with them when they were carrying the bananas (they did have their money and passports though). Dan & Jordan who did the ox task also passed Brent & Caite before the Models made it to the fruit stand.
Ah, Brent & Caite. They couldn't figure out why the man at the fruit stand wouldn't take their coconuts and give them their clue. He kept saying that they didn't have enough in the cart. Brent's response was both classic Brent and truly awesome - he declared that it was unfair and that he was quitting the race. He didn't try to work out what the problem might have been, he just wanted to quit. Obviously eventually the two decided that one must have fallen out, but Caite still "didn't want to play anymore" and actually started crying about how unfair it was. Of course it was, how dare the producers force the teams to follow the rules... HOW DARE THEY!?! (that would be sarcasm)
Steve & Allie, realizing they forgot their bags after dropping off their bananas opted to not head back, and instead just pressed on to the Road Block. There, one member of each team had to dive off a boat and head underwater to untie one of seven bottles. Each bottle contained a puzzle which when put together was a map to the location of the Pit Stop (the map essentially boiled down to "head up the beach and then make a turn"). Apparently the rules state you can check in without extra clothes as Steve & Allie with passports and money but without backpacks checked in first tonight.
My Cowboys, Jet & Cord, made the exact same mistake as Brent & Caite. The Models though were saved by the fact that they were on the first helicopter. Amazingly, Brandy & Carol also didn't get all their coconuts meaning that the Cowboys managed to get out of last place. The only thing that could possibly save Brandy & Carol was this being a non-elimination leg. Well, either that or Jet & Cord screwing up a second thing.
They did. The Cowboys didn't bother to take their bottle off the boat which put Carol & Brandy right back in it. Carol & Brandy hit the Pit Stop first.
Jet & Cord? Well, it was a non-elimination leg and the Cowboys have lived to giddy-up another day!
Odds and ends:
- How great was Phil giving the bottle instructions underwater?
- So many dumb teams tonight - how did fully half the teams not watch every coconut land safely in the cart? I felt embarrassed for them.
- I think the Cowboys should have swum in their jeans, at the very least Cord should have swum for the bottle with his hat on.
The TV and Film Guy's Reviews - always count your coconuts.
Photo credit: CBS
stopped watching once Jeff and Jordan got kicked off, oh well
I literally cheered when Phil said this was a non-elimination leg. Go Cowboys!
"It was a good move as the first three teams to get off the plane got to ride the first helicopter over to a different island..."
I believe that there were 3 helicopters, which is why the first three teams didn't have to wait around.
You forgot to mention that Carol & Brandy first tried to do the Coax-a-Turtle challenge, but failed and switched tasks. And then, of course, they dropped a coconut and had to go all the way back and retrieve it.
So many bad moves by so many of the teams this leg. Amazingly, Dan & Jordan did well this time, with Box the Ox. What were the Cowboys thinking? They didn't even look at what was in the bottle??! In the history of TAR, when have they ever had the teams retrieve some object and then allowed the teams to just ignore that object? That was incredibly dumb. So dumb, that I'm no longer a fan of the Cowboys.
I want to know what Steve and Allie will do if they have to go to a colder climate?
You left out the part where, Brent answering Phil's question about who they want to see eliminated, answered :
Brent - Its anonymous, we want the Lesbians.
{long pause)
Phil - Unanimous.
Brent - (Looking dumb) Yeah were Unanimous.
I was so afraid the Cowboys were done. I think they have to be mentally exhausted at this point because the last couple of shows they are making some really bad mistakes. They better get it together, although the previews didn't bode well for them. I hope they can make it.
@josef. One thing people should learn from watching TAR is when you are told to get something, HOLD ONTO IT until you get to the mat or are instructed to hand it over to someone else. While I love the Cowboys and want to see them in the final three, if not win the whole thing, it was a very stupid move for them to leave the bottle on the boat. But then, perhaps in the thrill of competing, their excitement got the better of them. I's surprised the recap left out Cord's comments about swimming in denim and wearing Speedos.
It seems like every season has a swimming or diving task and there's always one team member who you would least suspect of being an expert at either. In this season, who knew that Steve was such a good swimmer, doing it every day at his exercise club. I was moderately surprised at how well the Cowboys swam (although as mentioned, they should have done it while wearing their hats).
Things look tough next leg, but I have faith in Jet and Cord. The editing, especially for the previews, can be tricky so I wouldn't be surprised if they get out of last place. With Brent and Caite still running, I would hope so.
I don't get the big deal about leaving the packs behind. Can't they just go back to get them during the 12 hour break between legs? They can't be too far from where they were dropped can they?
The previews usually mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. Usually, they take a dramatic event (like Brent saying he was quitting today, or his and Caite's glass fiasco last week) just to throw the viewers off. If you see a team having trouble in a preview, they usually never get eliminated the next week.
Ugh Caite...I even hate they way she spells her name. It's been sheer luck that they have gotten this far in the game. She's annoying and is such a moron. They say there is someone for everyone! She's so lucky to have Brent. He articulates as well as she does. Match made in heaven. I am getting tired of them referring to Carol and Brandy as "the lesbians" all the time. It just proves how idiotic and immature they are. I'm pulling for the Cowboys but I don't think they can pull it off next week. Dad and daughter team...not my favorites...The brothers...not my favorites...the Cops...my be able to pull it off!