As this is the finale we get a quick recap of the entire season with key conversations, tasks, and farewells . . . focusing mostly on the final four teams of Hayley & Blair, Jenny & Jenali, Laura & Tyler and Mike & Rochelle.
Hayley & Blair were the first to get their next clue and are the first to the airport in Trujillo, Peru. All teams are now flying 3000 miles north to Dallas, Texas and must make their way to the AT&T Stadium. At the airport the top three teams are all going on about Final Three when Tyler points out that Mike & Rochelle could still be in this and, lo and behold, they arrive. Nobody else expected that. Blair still feels they're the team to beat, and on paper they should be, but it's a clean slate as they are indeed all on the same flight.
Welcome to Dallas as Mike & Rochelle manage to grab the first cab and head to the AT&T Stadium ahead of the others. They are also the first to grab the next clue, Roadblock: Who Wants To Score and Mike figures he'd like to score. When Jenny & Jelani arrive Jelani also decides to do it, having played football in high school. As do Tyler and Blair when they arrive. All the guys head into the change room to gear up before heading out to the field.
Out on the field they're greeted by a marching band, fireworks, flag waving Cowboys and must Play Like A Pro. They need to retrieve their playbook from 300 feet above the field and then get back down, run down to the yellow zone to catch a football, and then make a field goal kick to get the next clue. Mike gets harnessed up and flies like Superman to get his playbook. He's lovin it as he soars up, up, up into the sky, grabs his playbook and then safely descends. I can do the flying part, and I've caught plenty of footballs in my youth, but I was a lousy kicker. Maybe this would be Wayne's task. Anyway, Tyler goes next, then Blair and finally Jelani as the guys get hoisted to the top of the stadium, grab their play books and descend.
Mike misses his first attempt and then fumbled his second before Tyler descended. Tyler had no such problem as he caught the pigskin on the first shot and then lined up to kick a field goal. Success. Tyler grabbed the next clue and headed back to the change room. Mike eventually catches the ball but blows the kick, again and again as he's overthinking it. Hayley is being really supportive of Blair while Jenny is screaming at Jelani that he can do it. Laura is so proud of Tyler and Laura & Tyler head out and grab a cab but their driver hasn't a clue where the P2 Cattle Ranch is so they find someone else to lead them. Hayley & Blair are right on their tail and jump in a cab that apparently knows where he's going so Laura & Tyler intend to follow them. Hayley tells their cabbie to lose them but so far nobody's even left the parking lot as their drivers are both checking their phones.
Back in the Stadium, Mike finally kicks his field goal and leaves Jelani alone on the field, but not for long. When Mike & Rochelle get out to the parking lot the other two teams are just pulling away and they think they still have a chance. Unfortunately Mike & Rochelle had to grab a new cab because their original driver wouldn't wait for them. Laura & Tyler have decided against following Hayley & Blair and that's usually for the best.
Hayley & Blair make it out to the ranch and must now help the Cowboys corral a herd of Texas longhorn cattle. Blair has never ridden a horse before but it's pretty easy and they get out there to aid the Cowboys corralling that herd. Laura & Tyler and Jenny & Jelani arrive at the clue box at the same time. Meanwhile Mike & Rochelle's cab is apparently running out of gas and heading the other way, dropping them further behind. I've never had a cab driver run out of gas during a fare in any country I've ever been to. With all the trouble these two have had with taxis, I don't think they'll ever take another after the race.
No complaints from Hayley as she helps the herd through the water and Blair's looking mighty proud. They're almost done just as Laura discovers she's afraid about getting up on the horse. Hayley & Blair get their next clue and must now make their way to the Reunion Tower to find their next clue. Jenny falls off her horse when they hit the water but she gets right back on, while Laura had no such problem and held on like a real cowgirl. Tyler on the other hand found himself on a runaway horse with a cowboy racing to keep up.
Mike & Rochelle finally arrive at the ranch to find Phil waiting for them. They know what that means as Phil tells them that all the cattle had been rounded up and they have been eliminated from the race. Probably for the best because I don't think Rochelle could do the next Roadblock. They had a good run for underdogs and I was starting to root for them these last few legs. Rochelle figures it might be time to introduce Mike to her son. In Mike's book, that's a win.
Hayley & Blair arrive at the second Roadblock and Hayley heads up the Reunion Tower. She needs to spot the next clue as she rappels down the outside from 500 feet in the air. She keeps telling herself to focus as Blair hollers up to see if she can see the next clue and now she's starting to get a little miffed. Over in the distance she sees something she's sure is the next clue as she descends from the tower. Laura & Tyler are just pulling up, followed by Jenny & Jelani, as Hayley hits the ground feeling really confident and she and Blair race back to their cab. The other two teams are not happy to find that they're an entire task behind.
Hayley is hoping she can direct the cab driver to the next clue before everyone catches up but she's losing her patience and running out of time as she's having to tell the driver to turn around. Nothing looks the same on the ground, and it doesn't help that she's looking for the wrong location. Jenny and Laura are determined not to let Hayley & Blair win and they're helping each other as they drop down. They see the same parking lot that Hayley saw before Laura notices a large open field with the Amazing Race flags and now they know where to go. When Hayley realizes that what she thought was the clue wasn't Hayley decides they need to go back to Reunion Tower. She's getting angry again because Blair won't help her make a decision. This does not bode well.
Laura & Tyler and Jenny & Jelani have headed out and Laura and Tyler are the first team to the Monster Truck challenge when Jenny & Jelani try a different route. They jump into a big green monster truck and they're off, driving it quickly through a long pool of muddy water, the bog pit. Laura & Tyler have reached the other side and now they need to test their memory to open a shed to retrieve their selfies by remembering the order of four locations. Jenny & Jelani had a bit of trouble finding the field but have also arrived and drive a white monster truck slowly through the bog, kinda missing the fun.
Meanwhile Hayley is repeating her rappel down the tower and finally sees the flags. They're a little depressed but at least they know where they're going now. Hayley feels it's her fault that they've lost the million dollars but Blair's not looking to upset about it. He knows it's not over until you Phil tells you it's over but they may be too late as Jenny & Jelani have also arrived at the shed, opened the lock and grabbed their selfies. Now they need to place them in order on the map. They've managed to pull ahead of Laura & Tyler, and way ahead of Hayley & Blair who are finally on their way.
Tyler knows that Jenny & Jelani are ahead of them as Laura opens the vault and they grab their selfies. It's all up to whose memory is better and it's about time that those selfies had a purpose. Laura & Tyler managed to get their selfies judged first but they had the wrong order, because they didn't read the clue . . . chronological from right to left. Hayley & Blair get into their monster truck. Buckle up Blair. After rereading the clue Laura & Tyler got it and now they need to drive back for their final clue, passing Hayley & Blair as they arrive. And realizing they're in first place.
Laura & Tyler now need to make their way to the Continental Avenue Bridge but their cabbie has no idea where it is. They find another cabbie to tell their driver it's the new bridge and they're off just ahead of Jenny & Jelani. They can't believe they saw Hayley & Blair. Neither cab really has a clue where they're going but . . . Laura & Tyler are the first team to find Phil and all the other teams at the final mat and they've won the Amazing Race and $1,000,000.00
Phil asks what kind of love they've found and Tyler says they've found a love of the world and a lasting friendship for life. Cue their final selfie. Here come Jenny & Jelani in second place and Jenny says that they've become great friends and Jelani will make some girl very happy. Apparently not her. Finally, here comes Blair carrying Hayley on his back and they're still laughing. She knows she screwed up but they have no regrets. Phil says he guesses he won't be officiating at any weddings until Ashley says he can officiate at theirs and he agrees.
Hayley says if she had to do it again she'd race with Blair and he agrees, as long as she didn't yell at him as much. That works for her as long as he promises to listen. Surprisingly enough the final three teams were all Blind Date couples. I'm pretty sure nobody expected that, especially the dating couples. Then again, nobody expected Mike & Rochelle to make it to fourth place.
So that's it for another season of The Amazing Race. Congratulations to Laura & Tyler who I had originally thought would place well way back on the third leg. I wasn't sure they'd win but I'm really glad they did because they remained positive throughout and played fair all the way through. All in all it wasn't the best season, but it wasn't that bad either, despite some pretty lame tasks.
For those of you who can't wait to get more of my reviews be sure and check back on Sunday/Monday for my updates on what's happening in the Big Brother Canada house, and again next Wednesday for my review of the Survivor finale. Don't forget that Wayne and I will be back through the summer to review The Amazing Race Canada and to do our weekly video updates. We have a few surprises we're working on this season so be sure and check in. Until that time.