Amazing Race: This Is Forever, Now

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December 23, 2007 - 9:59pm

This episode hearkened back to the good old days of the Amazing Race, before we knew all of the usual "tells" received during the cast narration, and and once again I was thrust to the edge of my seat. [CENTER][IMG]http://vevmo.com/images/amazingrace.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER] Right off the bat I thought that TK and Rachel were goners. I got that vibe from "future Rachel" as she spoke about the lost clue fiasco. I mean there is no way they could catch up, right? All of a sudden there is a traffic jam and -[B][I]BAM![/I][/B]- They slide all the way up to second. Then we had Grampa and his whiny brat tag along at the tattoo parlor. You have to be kidding me! "FF" [I][B]FOREVER[/B][/I] inscribed in ink on your arm? Production really raised the stakes, and I loved it! The Fast Forward should not be an automatic thing to do. It reminds me of the year Uchenna & Joyce had to shave their heads. I want all future generations of TAR racers to fear the Fast Forward as much as they embrace it for its race positional healing. It was great that Nicholas and Donald went through with it and were rewarded with first place. At the very least, they have a vacation week in Cancun to show for their troubles. Nathan and Evil Chick were clicking on all cylinders this week. When things are going good, they are like peas in a pod. The real test for this pair bond is when things are not going so well, which is the other 90% of the time. That is when the wheels fall off, and they catch on fire[I].[/I] With TK flying in circles and [SIZE=-1]Kynt and Vyxsin cruising through the road block I was once again down on my favorite team and thought for sure we would see Phil out on the tarmac telling them that the ultralights could not fly at night and all the other teams had finished. Luckily, TK finally saw the Vinci and they were still in it - [I]even though in my mind I was sure they were done for. [/I] The last ten minutes were insane! First Kynt and Vyxsin's car breaks down which gives TK and Rachel a chance to catch up, complete their task and head off to victory. I looked at my clock and was thinking, there is no way this is over. There is no way that......boom! There goes the tire. What the hell! Crazy! So we have the final dash to the finish line, and the reveal shows TK and Rachel are saved and the Goths are the last to arrive. The end. Wait. Not so fast. [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Kynt and Vyxsin get to the finish line and Phil tells them they are still in the race? What!!? [/SIZE] CBS pulled off a major coup in [URL="http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/the_amazing_race_12/2007_Jul_25_non_elimination_dropped"]tricking the Internet community[/URL] of fans into thinking that there were actually not going to have non-elimination legs this time around. When Phil told the Goths that there was good news, my jaw dropped! What could it be? Another Travelocity plug and a trip for two to Bermuda? You lost, but enjoy this fine trip? Nope. They had been spared, albeit shackled with the newest dark raven, "speed bump" which will surely show its ugly head at the most inopportune time in the near future. Amazing Episode of the Amazing Race. It reminded me of why this has always been my favorite reality show.

December 23, 2007 - 11:01pm

(Reply to #1) #2

Kathleen

I watched at my parent's house and my father was in the mood to talk and well I didn't hear most of the first half. Even though Jen and Nate were working well together she still rubs me wrong. Always complaining about not coming in first like all other teams should bow down and step aside for her or something. Girl if you want you have to earn it. If I heard half of what Dad was saying to his daughter about not grabbing a number I'm sure I'd be ticked and ranting about him...but I only heard a word here and there. I know the editing team wanted us to be in suspense .... would Grandpa get the tat or not. But I knew he would. Seriously, it's just two little F's no biggie and hey at least you can say I got this on The Amazing Race in Italy!!! I would do it in a flash and I'm against getting inked. ;) I agree Bacchus, all FF should be like this or like shaving your head...there should be some kind of personal sacrifice that you are willing to do to earn the FF. I don't mind the ones where you have to eat your way to it either. Something that is going to challenge you personally and mentally ... that's the way to go. I've been rooting for Vixyn and Kynt the whole time, so I was relived that they were not eliminated. I am anxious to see how this speed bump will work out. I think an extra challenge will make it more challenging in the long run then losing your money or luggage. (which the latter proved not to be such a penalty in this game). The Goth team had a little bump in the road and they weren't working that well together, but I know that they will pull it back together the next leg and come out not in last place. :D

December 23, 2007 - 11:51pm

(Reply to #2) #3

Bacchus

CBS has never really had an elegant penalty solution for coming in last on a non-elimination leg. I personally hated the begging for money option. More often then not the other teams would just chip in to help out the team that was stripped of their cash. If they did not then it would degrade to begging, which was demeaning and hard to watch at times. I think the speed bump could be interesting, but it all depends if the Goths can get out in front right off the plane and have a little time to burn. If they roll into the next roadblock in dead last and then have the speed bump sprung on them, it is not going to be very exciting. I wonder if Production makes a last second decision as to what this penalty will be depending on where the racers are in the pecking order. I know they do all sorts of crazy things throughout the race to keep everyone as even as possible and maintain a level of anticipation and tension.

December 24, 2007 - 12:02am

(Reply to #3) #4

Kathleen

Almost guaranteed the production will have them flying out on a long flight and all teams will get hold up at the airport waiting for the next flight which will be something like 6 hours and it will leave them all on even playing field so the Goths will have equal opportunity to complete the road block and and that other task plus do their speed bump...might be tight but not impossible....save of course navigation and/or car troubles. TAR is notorious for giving the underdog and fan favorites a little help here and there. Or keeping things like a race so there isn't one team way up head competing against no one. Just like Romber...on their first run at TAR they should have been the clear winners with Joyce and Uchenna stuck at the airport waiting for the next flight...but no...the pilot suddenly calls and says yes they have room for them.

December 24, 2007 - 12:10am

(Reply to #4) #5

Bacchus

[quote=Kathleen;4108]Almost guaranteed the production will have them flying out on a long flight and all teams will get hold up at the airport waiting for the next flight which will be something like 6 hours and it will leave them all on even playing field so the Goths will have equal opportunity to complete the road block and and that other task plus do their speed bump...might be tight but not impossible....save of course navigation and/or car troubles. TAR is notorious for giving the underdog and fan favorites a little help here and there. Or keeping things like a race so there isn't one team way up head competing against no one. Just like Romber...on their first run at TAR they should have been the clear winners with Joyce and Uchenna stuck at the airport waiting for the next flight...but no...the pilot suddenly calls and says yes they have room for them.[/quote] Well after the first race where the guidos were 1/4 of the way around the world when the race ended, they probably said, "That is never going to happen again!" I agree that production pulls all sorts of strings to level the playing field to keep things interesting or when it comes to novelty characters. Wasn't it just the last one (before All Stars) where CBS got on the phone with the airline in Paris (off camera of course, but well reported) to get both teams on the flight to New York for the finale? It would have been a really boring last hour if the separation between teams in the end was 18 hours instead of 18 minutes. ;)

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Amazing Race: This Is Forever, Now