The Amazing Race 7--"I've Been Wanting a Face-Lift for a Long Time"
I do want to see the old couple go, but not like that.
Although, I'd rather see Ray and Deana go first.
And it will probably be non-elimination anyway.
10 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Don't forget: it's two hours tonight. My guess is that it's both non-elim and elim, probably in that order. We saw a ton of TAR commercials this weekend, while watching basketball. They didn't really show Bloody Grandma at all. On Saturday, they were hinting that the teams had to deal with hungry lions, as well as jeep wrecks. By Sunday, all they showed was the jeep wreck. Hopefully, there were no hungry lions around when the jeep wrecked.
To my knowledge, no single leg has ever been more than an hour, except the premieres of TARs 4-7, which were 1.5 - 2 hours. Every other two-hour episode was 2 legs. I'd be surprised if tonight's was just one leg, but I'm only guessing that it'll non-elim then elim.
Of course, I also got another clip show. Which I'll be smart enough to skip this time.
Ray & Deana deserved to be gone, after that miserable corn-pounding performance. Incidentally, that was a dumb detour choice that five teams made.
But anyway, we're down to six and I don't really have a problem with four of the five who might actually win. (Old people will not keep this up forever). Alex & Lynn are getting on my nerves.
So, the big debate of the night...
I don't think Rob & Amber were assholes for not stopping. Hell, Brian & Greg told Alex & Lynn to move on--and every other team did no more than slow down, so I don't want to see them moralizing. I don't know how much in contact the camera/sound teams are, but I have to assume that if no one at all had stopped, they'd have been able to get help. And certainly, given that one team had stopped...I'd probably have stopped long enough to made sure help was on the way, and then taken off and raced.
I liked the placement of the fast forward--right after a known bunch (only one flight in) so that they'd all have an equal chance. I don't like that only one could try at a time--it would have been more to see teams have a chance to race for it at a task rather than just on the road.
It was an entertaining double episode, but I think just about all of the teams took at least something of a hit on the "being decent human beings" scale.
Yes, it's a race, but I thought that Rob & Amber should have done the "slow down and ask if they're Ok" thing. They get a bit of a pass since there was already a team stopped to lend assistance, but I was disappointed in them. At the same time, while I was glad to see Brian & Greg out-race Ray & Deanna to the mat, I would have expected them to have at least asked about their camera guy before being told that he was Ok by Phil. Ray & Deanna are Ray & Deanna. Lynn & Alex had that ugly moment in the streets of Johannesburg and the cab pettiness with Rob & Amber.
Obviously, they're under stress and no one should be as seemingly unflappable as Kris & Jon from last season. Still, kinda disappointed in the racers. At the same time, I have to admit that I'm sort of ghoulishly looking forward to Ron & Kelly's fight in two weeks.
I think that next week is actually a new episode and that the clip show is next Wednesday. So we don't have to wait two weeks for another episode. On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if next week were another non-elim.
I thought tonight was really satisfying. I was much more ready for Ray & Deana to go that anyone else. And it was great to see him lose to the "oldsters." They should have been able to out-pound M&G without any dificulty.
And I agree that not everyone had a perfect night, but I am willing to give most of them a pass. Ray is just such a jackass that he really outshines all others. It's one thing to talk shit about a bad neighborhood (we've all done it at some point)--it's another thing to constantly be a dick to even those people you (supposedly) like. And he voted for Bush.
And Rob looks more and more like a guy who just likes to screw with people than like the evil genius he wants to be. I kind of understand not stopping, but they are just asking to be yielded. And I'm sick of their fame helping them out. I don't mind them being on TAR, but it bothers me a little bit that their being well-known has an affect on the Race. I wouldn't mind seeing them go next.
Ah, good, so I can see Kelly call Ron a brainless redneck bastard sooner than I'd thought. For all of the complaining about stunt casting with Rob & Amber I've seen on the TWoP boards, I'm surprised that there's been much less noise about those two. I'm not saying that the show tried to cast some "All American Couple" in the midst of wartime as some propaganda nonsense (or at least not saying it very loudly), but it's painfully clear that the notion that those two "have an existing relationship" is a bit shaky.
I agree with the thing about Rob & Amber relying a little too heavily on their fame to get through the race, but, OTOH, who knew that Survivor was so huge in South Africa? Other than people at CBS, I mean.
The "All-American Couple" strikes me as much closer to being "All-American" than "Couple." I crack up every time Ron & Kelly finish a leg. Ain't a whole lotta smoochin' goin' on there. I noticed the same with Ray & Deanna--she always turns her face when he leans in for a kiss. Of course, they're apparently engaged now. I doubt the same will ever be said for Ron & Kelly. Seriously, how long before filming started do you think they met?
Also, I think I mentioned it before, but I thought this was a damn good episode. I really liked the idea of visiting Soweto, and I'm a sucker for legs through the bush. Add in bloody grandmas and a jeep wreck, and this may be the best episode this side of the Sphinx.
P.S. I actually thought the stripping of belongings was a little rough. The more I think about it, the less I like it. The problem isn't that there wasn't a stiff enough penalty for coming in last; the problem is that there is too much bunching these days and coming back from last is too easy, That hasn't changed.
Taking away the non-elims' belongings did seem awfully rough, but I can see why they wanted to change something. I'm still relatively new to the show, but I feel like teams have generally had a very easy time making up for the loss of their money (whether by begging from other teams or begging on the street). It seems reasonable to look for a way to make the penalty for coming in last a bit more lasting. Whether this is the best way to do it, I don't know.
It will be interesting to see if the knowledge of this rule change affects teams' behavior later in the race: "Uh oh, we're probably in last place. Better put on three shirts, pull on some sweats, and wear our spare underwear as a hat."
I think Wilhite's right--the non-elimination penalties are a kluge to deal with the fact that teams are reset once an episode, at least until the finale.
I had the same reaction as Steuard to learning this news (re: multiple outfits), only I would do right in front of Phil before stepping on the mat. Of course then you have to acquire something else as a container, or wear multiple clothes the rest of the way. At any rate it behooves you to put your coat on.
Note as well Steuard that they've eliminated by rule begging *at* the pit stop--you have to leave the mat with $0, as the Moms did in Egypt in Race 5. (And the twins in Dubai.) That helps, in my opinion, because it at least slows them up.
I think they could have done something less harsh though. They could have taken their bags away for the ensuing leg, and given them back if they advance. Or, they could have taken away one bag (with or without allowing them time to repack.) Actually, without would have been funnier, as we'd invetably be treated to sights a vain models* who were reluctant to give up their chance to look halfway decent.
I do think they probably should be allowed something a little more reassuring to hold the passports with--a belt pouch or something.
*note I am not implying a gender specification here
The man of many hats (literaly not figuratively), condensed matter physicist, passionate baseball and hockey fan, devotee of the late, lamented Satellite of Love, mutli-pronged geek.
10 comments:
Don't forget: it's two hours tonight. My guess is that it's both non-elim and elim, probably in that order. We saw a ton of TAR commercials this weekend, while watching basketball. They didn't really show Bloody Grandma at all. On Saturday, they were hinting that the teams had to deal with hungry lions, as well as jeep wrecks. By Sunday, all they showed was the jeep wreck. Hopefully, there were no hungry lions around when the jeep wrecked.
I was guessing that they went to two hours primarily because they had too much disaster footage to work with. We shall see.
"This is the first time I've ever had to come to a hospital to eliminate someone..."
To my knowledge, no single leg has ever been more than an hour, except the premieres of TARs 4-7, which were 1.5 - 2 hours. Every other two-hour episode was 2 legs. I'd be surprised if tonight's was just one leg, but I'm only guessing that it'll non-elim then elim.
Hey, I got my wish!
Of course, I also got another clip show. Which I'll be smart enough to skip this time.
Ray & Deana deserved to be gone, after that miserable corn-pounding performance. Incidentally, that was a dumb detour choice that five teams made.
But anyway, we're down to six and I don't really have a problem with four of the five who might actually win. (Old people will not keep this up forever). Alex & Lynn are getting on my nerves.
So, the big debate of the night...
I don't think Rob & Amber were assholes for not stopping. Hell, Brian & Greg told Alex & Lynn to move on--and every other team did no more than slow down, so I don't want to see them moralizing. I don't know how much in contact the camera/sound teams are, but I have to assume that if no one at all had stopped, they'd have been able to get help. And certainly, given that one team had stopped...I'd probably have stopped long enough to made sure help was on the way, and then taken off and raced.
I liked the placement of the fast forward--right after a known bunch (only one flight in) so that they'd all have an equal chance. I don't like that only one could try at a time--it would have been more to see teams have a chance to race for it at a task rather than just on the road.
It was an entertaining double episode, but I think just about all of the teams took at least something of a hit on the "being decent human beings" scale.
Yes, it's a race, but I thought that Rob & Amber should have done the "slow down and ask if they're Ok" thing. They get a bit of a pass since there was already a team stopped to lend assistance, but I was disappointed in them. At the same time, while I was glad to see Brian & Greg out-race Ray & Deanna to the mat, I would have expected them to have at least asked about their camera guy before being told that he was Ok by Phil. Ray & Deanna are Ray & Deanna. Lynn & Alex had that ugly moment in the streets of Johannesburg and the cab pettiness with Rob & Amber.
Obviously, they're under stress and no one should be as seemingly unflappable as Kris & Jon from last season. Still, kinda disappointed in the racers. At the same time, I have to admit that I'm sort of ghoulishly looking forward to Ron & Kelly's fight in two weeks.
-Ryan
I think that next week is actually a new episode and that the clip show is next Wednesday. So we don't have to wait two weeks for another episode. On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if next week were another non-elim.
I thought tonight was really satisfying. I was much more ready for Ray & Deana to go that anyone else. And it was great to see him lose to the "oldsters." They should have been able to out-pound M&G without any dificulty.
And I agree that not everyone had a perfect night, but I am willing to give most of them a pass. Ray is just such a jackass that he really outshines all others. It's one thing to talk shit about a bad neighborhood (we've all done it at some point)--it's another thing to constantly be a dick to even those people you (supposedly) like. And he voted for Bush.
And Rob looks more and more like a guy who just likes to screw with people than like the evil genius he wants to be. I kind of understand not stopping, but they are just asking to be yielded. And I'm sick of their fame helping them out. I don't mind them being on TAR, but it bothers me a little bit that their being well-known has an affect on the Race. I wouldn't mind seeing them go next.
Ah, good, so I can see Kelly call Ron a brainless redneck bastard sooner than I'd thought. For all of the complaining about stunt casting with Rob & Amber I've seen on the TWoP boards, I'm surprised that there's been much less noise about those two. I'm not saying that the show tried to cast some "All American Couple" in the midst of wartime as some propaganda nonsense (or at least not saying it very loudly), but it's painfully clear that the notion that those two "have an existing relationship" is a bit shaky.
I agree with the thing about Rob & Amber relying a little too heavily on their fame to get through the race, but, OTOH, who knew that Survivor was so huge in South Africa? Other than people at CBS, I mean.
-Ryan
The "All-American Couple" strikes me as much closer to being "All-American" than "Couple." I crack up every time Ron & Kelly finish a leg. Ain't a whole lotta smoochin' goin' on there. I noticed the same with Ray & Deanna--she always turns her face when he leans in for a kiss. Of course, they're apparently engaged now. I doubt the same will ever be said for Ron & Kelly. Seriously, how long before filming started do you think they met?
Also, I think I mentioned it before, but I thought this was a damn good episode. I really liked the idea of visiting Soweto, and I'm a sucker for legs through the bush. Add in bloody grandmas and a jeep wreck, and this may be the best episode this side of the Sphinx.
P.S. I actually thought the stripping of belongings was a little rough. The more I think about it, the less I like it. The problem isn't that there wasn't a stiff enough penalty for coming in last; the problem is that there is too much bunching these days and coming back from last is too easy, That hasn't changed.
Taking away the non-elims' belongings did seem awfully rough, but I can see why they wanted to change something. I'm still relatively new to the show, but I feel like teams have generally had a very easy time making up for the loss of their money (whether by begging from other teams or begging on the street). It seems reasonable to look for a way to make the penalty for coming in last a bit more lasting. Whether this is the best way to do it, I don't know.
It will be interesting to see if the knowledge of this rule change affects teams' behavior later in the race: "Uh oh, we're probably in last place. Better put on three shirts, pull on some sweats, and wear our spare underwear as a hat."
I think Wilhite's right--the non-elimination penalties are a kluge to deal with the fact that teams are reset once an episode, at least until the finale.
I had the same reaction as Steuard to learning this news (re: multiple outfits), only I would do right in front of Phil before stepping on the mat. Of course then you have to acquire something else as a container, or wear multiple clothes the rest of the way. At any rate it behooves you to put your coat on.
Note as well Steuard that they've eliminated by rule begging *at* the pit stop--you have to leave the mat with $0, as the Moms did in Egypt in Race 5. (And the twins in Dubai.) That helps, in my opinion, because it at least slows them up.
I think they could have done something less harsh though. They could have taken their bags away for the ensuing leg, and given them back if they advance. Or, they could have taken away one bag (with or without allowing them time to repack.) Actually, without would have been funnier, as we'd invetably be treated to sights a vain models* who were reluctant to give up their chance to look halfway decent.
I do think they probably should be allowed something a little more reassuring to hold the passports with--a belt pouch or something.
*note I am not implying a gender specification here
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