After last week’s non-elimination leg, things got off to a fast start this week on The Amazing Race as teams were only spread out by about 35 minutes from first to last. Everyone was eager to get ahead, especially Amani & Marcus, because the threat of a Double U-Turn was just ahead.
After a frighteningly uncomfortable bus ride — I couldn’t believe the piles of stuff on the bus and passengers having to stand for two hours — the teams all arrived at their destination in Malawi (everyone was on the only flight from Thailand, so there was no real equalizer at the airport). As six teams began the Road Block, Amani & Marcus had to complete their Speed Bump first. In the past, these extra chores have been minor hiccups for most teams (I’ll never forget the one where a team had to wait on a spa bus for 15 minutes, or sit on blocks of ice), but this one was a challenge: the dreaded slide puzzle.
I hate slide puzzles. Never been able to do one in all my years, and if that had been me there, I would probably still be working on it. Amani & Marcus were a bit stumped too and it took them longer to solve than I expected it to. Meanwhile, the rest of the teams were transporting a passenger with fish to a specific location where they would get paid, and then had to go back to where they started to deliver the money and go on to the next task. For some, it was relatively easy even with a bit of a language barrier and lack of direction, and for others … well, they just went in the wrong direction altogether.
Except for Jennifer. Jennifer found the location, delivered her fish and got paid, but she realized she didn’t bring her clue with her and had no idea what to do next. So, what does she do? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She just stood in one spot and hoped another team member would bike past her. She didn’t want to waste time riding back to where she started and do something wrong, so she just decided to do nothing for quite some time. Standing still is really not the best strategy in a race. She finally decided to head back, found out that’s what she was supposed to do all along, but her grave misjudgment put her and Justin solidly in last place.
As the teams were completing the Detours, which consisted of rowing a dugout canoe back and forth on the lake or carrying items and people — eight people! — from a boat to shore without getting any of them wet (and why Amani chose that one, I’ll never know), Ernie & Cindy decided to use their Express Pass because they just could not get the hang of the dugout. When Andy & Tommy zipped past them, they knew it was their only chance to get ahead. Except they couldn’t find the next location, and wasted a lot of time, allowing Andy & Tommy to catch up.
With the Double U-Turn looming, Laurence & Zac decided they would have to U-Turn a team behind them … regardless of how far ahead they were. None of the teams before them used the U-Turn, and with only three (they thought) teams behind them … way behind them … Laurence & Zac decided to use the U-Turn on Marcus & Amani, the team that was already in last place to start, and had a Speed Bump to complete (well, at least they didn’t pick Justin & Jennifer). I know it’s a race for a million dollars, but that was still kind of a dick move on their part. Except, Marcus & Amani get the last laugh because they had already gone past the U-Turn when Laurence & Zac applied it. HA!
The race to the Pit Stop was a close one with Ernie & Cindy having a good lead over Andy & Tommy. But those guys are tough to beat in a foot race, and they just barely overtook Ernie & Cindy to come in first and win $15,000. Needless to say, the second place team was not very happy and there may be consequences next week if the preview is to be believed. This was Tommy & Andy’s fifth first place finish, but only their second legitimate win after coming in second three previous times and getting first by default after the first place team either made a mistake or was penalized. It’s always great to come in first, but I think at this point — and because they were so close — they could have let Ernie & Cindy have first. It wasn’t a game changer to come in second on this leg since they were only seconds apart, but it seems like a little greed has worked its way into Andy & Tommy’s game, especially after being so nice a while back by giving answers to another team at a challenge. I like those guys, but if they’re going to start being this ruthless to get to a Pit Stop, I’m rethinking who I’m rooting for. I think I’m leaning more towards Bill & Cathi for the win. At this point in the game, who are you rooting for?
Clacked by Chuck Duncan 
on Nov 06, 2011 @ 23:16 EST5EDT
It’s a “dick move” to use an advantage that is built into the game to eliminate your competition in the race? Have to disagree with you there.
*POST AUTHOR*
Laurence has just rubbed me the wrong way for quite some time, from his treatment of Zac to his chauvinistic comments. Personally, the U-Turn can be an advantage if you have a team or two right on your tail and you need to put some distance between you and them. Laurence and Zac knew they had at least two teams WAY behind them, and they had no idea where Marcus & Amani were since they had been in last place and had a Speed Bump on top of everything else, so I just didn’t think the U-Turn needed to be used at that point. None of the other teams felt it necessary, but from the looks of the promo, some bad moves (like Andy & Tommy at the Pit Stop) can have equally bad consequences. I’d rather be securely in the middle at this point and save the ruthlessness for the last couple of legs to get myself ahead. It’s better to be nice to people and not appear to be a threat until it counts, in my book.