I was going to review the Oscars prior to this but I figure there are more than enough people already doing that and it's not really reality TV, unless your version of reality involves exorbitant budgets, special effects and numerous scripts, in which case you're probably not reading this review. There are no exorbitant budgets or special effects in The Amazing Race but there are a lot of location shoots, some of which are more difficult than others, and tonight we're still racing through China (and fortunately not joined in progress).
With the cowboys in first place they're the first out of the gate from the Guangzhou Opera House at 8:16am heading for the ChenClan Academy to receive their next clue. They have no idea where they're going and misunderstand a local who tells them it's a fifty minute walk and they figure fifteen. Uh oh. Brendon & Rachel are only seven minutes behind them and take the Metro and then Margie & Luke do the same. Dave & Connor and all the rest are all following behind with Joey & Meghan the last to leave at 9:09am.
Brendon & Rachel take over the lead, get to the Academy to get the next clue transferred to their foreheads, followed by Dave & Connor, but neither team knows what the clue says. The cowboys are still trying to get there by foot (big mistake) as Brendon & Rachel wander about indecisively and allow everyone to catch up.
Eventually they get help from a local and Dave & Connor take the lead for the Roadblock: Build a Kiddie Car, and when it's road ready they'll get their next clue. Dave figures with all the kids and grand kids and toys he's assembled he's got this, until he finds the instructions are in Chinese. I don't see the problem here as long as the diagrams make sense.
Margie & Luke arrive and Margie takes the task to discover the same problem as Dave. There' s also all these kids running all over the place interfering with the assembly and the noise, not to mention the Afghanimals arrive, followed by Brendon & Rachel, and Mark & Mallory. The teams have noticed they haven't seen the Cowboys or the Country Singers, who have both just arrived at the Academy. Once again we have a team go from first to last because of miscommunication, sad to see it be the cowboys, but on the upside, it's still early.
The girls are pretty surprised to be ahead of Jet & Cord but it's still anyone's race. Back at the toy zone one little girl has decided to pester Flight Time and says she's going to report him. The cowboys finally arrive and everyone but the girls are busy assembling toy cars. Mark zoomed through the task and he and Mallory were first out with their car, but there's something missing. Mark's backpack has been forgotten and is still sitting on the side of the road. Margie & Luke are out behind them but have to convince the cab driver to take the car, which they tie to the roof of the cab.
When Mark & Mallory arrive at their next clue Mallory realizes something is missing and asks about Mark's backpack. Back they have to go to retrieve the missing pack, while the other teams are still struggling at the Roadblock. Jet & Cordhave completed the Roadblock but the Country Singers make their move for the second Express Pass and when the Cowboys give it to them they use it immediately. Well at least it's out of the way now and the Cowboys don't have to worry about it anymore.
Detour: Featherball, which is basically Chinese hackysack and has the team join a game to score ten points . . . or . . . China Cup, which has a team perform a Chinese therapy to remove toxins. It's no surprise that everyone chooses to play Featherball. Mark wants to head back for the pack while Mallory wants to do the Detour first, but they decide to go back when other teams say they never saw the bag. Wayne and I probably would have done the Detour first and counted on another team grabbing our missing bag (especially since Mallory had both passports), you can always get by with less clothes.
Team Kentucky starts in on each other as they head back to the Roadblock. Mark mentions it's not even his backpack and Mallory says she'll buy him another backpack. That's not gonna help him much on the race though, is it. Back they go in search of forgotten treasure.
At Liwanhu Park Margie & Luke look for the right Featherball team to join as Dave & Connor arrive just behind them. Meanwhile Brendon & Rachel complete their car and move into fourth place, followed by the Country Singers and the Afghanimals. Meghan completes her car and then, when she sees John struggling she goes over to help. Joey wouldn't have done that, but at least they're not in last place . . . that honor, at least for now, goes to John & Jessica.
Mark & Mallory get back to the start of their taxi ride and find his backpack, and now it's back to the Detour. They're still in this as long as they can complete the Detour on time.
Speaking of which, having completed the Detour, Dave & Connor are on their way to Shamian Island Promenade to find Phil and the Pit Stop, followed close behind by the Country Singers and Margie & Luke. Jet & Cord move into fourth and Brendon & Rachel are fifth out of the park after completing the Featherball task before the last teams arrive.
Somewhere along the way I've kinda lost track of the Globetrotters and the Afghanimals but finally Team YouTube and John & Jessica arrive. Mark & Mallory don't appear to be very coordinated on this task, and to be honest I'd probably find it a bit challenging being 6'7" and all legs, but I'd give it my all for the team (and to avoid having Wayne kill me). Mallory wonders if they should do the other side but Mark is against it because they're already falling behind.
Dave & Connor arrive at Sham ian Island but can't find the promenade while Brendon & Rachel, Jet & Cord, and Margie & Luke are right on their tail. Brendon & Rachel have no problem finding the promenade and are Team Number 1, Margie & Luke are Team Number 2, Caroline & Jennifer are Team Number 3 and when Dave & Connor arrive Phil is all flustered and says they're Team Number 5 but then he's corrected and they are Team Number 4, which makes Flight Time & Big Easy Team Number 5. Finally Jet & Cord are Team Number 6 and the Afghanimals are Team Number 7. Everybody arrived practically on top of each other, which was a Race first and got a little confusing for Phil.
With seven teams at the Pit Stop, Phil now has the time to tell Brendon & Rachel that they've also won $2,500 each on top of first place. Well, it ain't a week on the Riviera Maya but it's pretty nice.
Joey & Meghan and John & Jessica finally complete the Detour challenge only to arrive at the mat in reverse order, making John & Jessica Team Number 8 and Joey & Meghan Team Number 9.
Everyone is still there to cheer them in but unfortunately Mark & Mallory are the last team to arrive and have been eliminated from the race. Mallory is in tears and sorry she let Mark down but he just thanks Phil for the opportunity and says he obviously wasn't meant to run the race without Bopper. He's proud of Mallory's effort and places no blame on anyone. That's the way to run the race. Maybe third time's the charm.
Next week the cowboys get wet, the Globetrotters get down and Rachel goes under. I'm not clapping. Honest.
See you next Sunday, unless you can't get enough of my writing . . . in which case I'll see on Wednesday when I review Survivor. Until that time. .