Andrew Younghusband is the host and he's great at this. The right combination of smarts and smarmy. Also, Andrew really seems to want these drivers to get better, and not just because he has to ride with them. He seems to really to want to help these poor pathetic people. But he keeps saying "Canada's Worst Driver Ever" is such an annoying way that I want to run him over.
There was a preview episode last week, showing who's gonna be on the show, but they do a smaller intro at the start of Ep. 2 so why watch the hour-long one. And I won't get into my own set of introductions; I'll just mention the drivers while I talk about the tasks at hand, or rather, challenges as they say on Canada's Worst Driver Ever.
On the drive to the Rehab Centre, it looks like some of these drivers have improved, especially Chris, the "winner" from Season 1 and Shirley from Season 7. Shelby from Season 3, who only was a runner-up for the honour, also seems to have improved, albeit the other way. He was a slow, overcautious driver back in the day but now seems to be too speedy, too casual. Looks like he's become the typical Calgary driver (hey man, I grew up there so I can slag the drivers if I want). But that's a lot better than before.
However, some drivers haven't improved at all. Henrietta from hasn't really driven since "winning" Season 2. Sly, a runner-up from Season 7 still seems pathetic, Kevin from Season 8 is still blind in one eye but had a major crack up just days after "winning" his title and Michael, a runner-up from Season 2 still holds his breath when he goes through tunnels. And he recently fell asleep at the wheel doing 100 Klicks back in his home of Vancouver Island. But the worse so far is Angelina from Season 5. She can't even drive herself to the rehab centre because she's too hungover. So Canada's first ever worst driver, Chris, gives her a lift. Angelina falls asleep in the back of the car.
Shelby is the first to arrive, even though he left in the middle of the pack. Michael shows up next wearing bluetooth earbuds, which are illegal. Dale is next, saying she's improved. But no one in her family will ride with her. And when she backs into her spot for the show, she hits the barrier on which stands little Andrew. He should know better because she once tried to run him over. On purpose.
Heinretta makes it, seemingly doing well, even though she hasn't driven in awhile. Sly runs a few stops signs getting there, and I really think he's got cognitive issues. In his season, he could only take written directions but I still think something else is at play here. Shirley gets there on time, with no problems. I always liked Shirley (she's a hugger, and reminds me of my mom), but she was a bad driver. Maybe not so much because she's been taking lessons. Even her daughter says she'll graduate early.
Kevin shows up and vows to turn in his license and sell his car if he doesn't graduate. Methinks there's gonna be a car for sale in his BC hometown. Chris, the last to leave with Angelina in the backseat, is the last to arrive. I missed a section and Chris may have had to stop on the way to let Angelina puke. Classy. But Chris is driving well.
The first challenge is an assessment challenge, using a eed 2011 Camaro SS. The challenge starts with a simple, one-bend reverse through some rims, followed by a turnaround in a concrete space, and then a slalom finish at 50K. Andrew does it pretty well, as well he should cause he's been doing this for 9 years, along with his other show, Don't Drive Here!
Angelina goes first and I'm not looking forward to this. Within two seconds, she hits a rim. Then another, and more. Scratches everywhere. And since her high heels get wedged on a pedal, she hits a few styrofoam folks on the slalom. "Is that okay?" she asks. Probably still drunk.
Dale, who looks like she was probably someone like Angelina 30 or so years ago, does the same thing. She scrapes the heck out of the Camaro and hits a couple of folks. Kevin is no better. "I'm kind of multitasking here," he whines. "What, are you doing your taxes?" Andrew retorts. 20 minutes later and Kevin still hasn't passed the original reversing section. He almost rips off the front bumper, hits a "person" on the slalom and loses control of the car.
Henrietta is asked to count the obstacles she hits. One, two, three...on we go till she hits 10. Then Andrew coaches her. She gets caught in turnaround and hits the first person on the slalom. Chris is perfect through the reverse but hits the bumper once on the turnaround. He makes it through the slalom without a hitch, a long way from 8 years ago. He's got no one along with him so maybe that's it.
Sly starts terribly, gets stuck and tries a bunch of S turns. However, he only turns the wheel but doesn't actually move the car back and forth to make the S-turn feasible. He takes more than 25 minutes to do the reverse, bangs the car in the turn around and almost rips the back bumper off. He loses control after the fourth turn. Afterward, Andrew allows him to rip the rest of the bumper off by hand. We're not even done for the day and the Camaro is toast.
Michael starts okay, only hitting three rims. But in the turnaround, he gets himself stuck. His partner, the wife of his best friend, cries for her life. And no wonder, cause in the slalom, he hits 80 and spins out on the grass. Scary stuff. He still thought he was doing 50. Shelby hits a couple of times and still seems slow. Andrew makes fun of him but pulling out his lunch and eating it on the back of the car. Shelby doesn't seem to notice. Shelby thinks the space is too small. So Andrew gives him some room. In the Slalom, Shelby loses control, realizing that he's not as improved as he thought he was. Shirley is the same, but only in the reverse. She hits a few but gets through the turnaround without a scratch. In the slalom, she's a lot better than many others but doesn't really make it.
At the assessment, we discover that Michael doesn't know how fast he was going, Henrietta sometimes goes months without driving and Shelby thought Angelina was made up, that her bad driving was special effects. Nope, says Andrew, she's real. Angelina, and the rest also don't think they are Canada's Worst Driver Ever. But while Chris gets the most votes to be the first to graduate, Cam Wooley suggests that Henrietta should go. Since she doesn't really drive, less than 100 Klicks a year, there's no point on her continuing. She should be disqualified. But there are two votes to graduate Chris and two to disqualify Henrietta.
But they send Henrietta home, telling her she's not the worst but she's not a graduate. She's more of a passenger rather than a driver, so she's being kicked out. Chris is completely confused cause he thought he'd be able to go home. But there's another twist. They decide to graduate Chris as well. Which makes sense. I still wanna run Andrew over because of the way he says the show title. It's very annoying.