The Amazing Race: People Who Are Good on TV we had the best episode of the season yet. The race went to Vietnam for the 6th time and the first return since Floyd got medevac’d for heat exhaustion.
Without further ado, let’s go to Blurry Denzel and Kemperboyd to recap.
Preamble:
KB: so EPISODE THREE!
BD: Yes, we are on to a place you have visited before
KB: We are. I have been to Ho Chi Minh City.
BD: How was that for you? My only experience with Ho Chi Minh City is the game of Pandemic.
KB: As it is known by many in these parts I am comfortably middle class and my mother decided that before I went to university she wanted to go to Vietnam while she could still afford to take me, then my brother decided to come too.
We went didn’t spend a huge amount of time in the city, only 3 days I think, we actually spent a 4 days in Hanoi, flew to Hue then spent the next week driving the Ho Chi Minh trail
The city is insane if I remember correctly but by then I was used to the insanity of Vietnamese traffic and the humidity
I feel terrible for the teams, it is so hot and humid in Vietnam in the summer, it rains, with 98% humidity.
BD: We saw how that weather affected Floyd of Team Fun the first time they played.
KB: Absolutely, and foreigners can’t drink the tap water.
BD: I did not know that.
KB: it’s not purified enough and can give you the runs. We ate at a lot of roadside stalls and our guide just told them to never put the herbs and stuff on ours because it’s washed in the water. But basically Ho Chi Minh City is very busy and very loud.
BD: Oh God, that seems…unpleasant. On to the episode
Recap:
KB: So let’s yadda yadda the flights where we get a smartphone to help the teams all quickly book the same hotel and flights to get them from Laos to Vietnam
BD: Some quality TAR product placement. Definitely didn’t even notice with how natural the teams were talking about it.
KB: I will never hate on Travelocity because I’m sure their sponsorship has been keeping TAR afloat for a while.
BD: Oh, I love that gnome.
BD: As the season goes on I think we need to have a discussion on if this is the best cast ever. They really brought the entertainment this episode and it starts right from the cold open.
KB: I am really high on them, I think the only duds went out episode 1 and the team you’d hate if they go too long went in episode 2
BD: Definitely best case scenario with the eliminations.
KB: There is only one cast I can think of who had a depth of quality and that is in my mind the categorically best TAR season and I will fight people over it.
BD: TAR 17. We are in agreement
BD: We start this episode with Team Fun wanting to mend fences with Tyler and Korey after the U Turn last week.
KB: Becca makes her own trail mix, because of course she does.
BD: I’m thinking she makes a lot of nice treats, even better ones when she is home in Colorado.
KB: BECCA HIT US UP, WE’LL COME VISIT.
BD: I’m actually surprised how awkward the conversation was between the teams. I thought Tyler and Korey would just brush things off and they’ll be good.
KB: I think it was awkward, but I also think due to time and the Reilly sisters we didn’t see a real explanation. In their youtube recap they said the Afghanimals told them that Tyler and Korey were the only team behind them I think that explanation would be enough for Tyler and Korey.
BD: It was great when the Reilly sisters brought in their own peace offering, which felt way less genuine.
KB: and only for Becca.
BD: Definitely wasn’t hastily bought at the airport. We also have a Big Brother alliance.
KB: An alliance that is sensible but I don’t think will mean much in reality
BD: Not at all but always say yes.
KB: I think the Reilly sisters need the alliance but will give less to it and get less out of it than the others. But we saw this episode help being given. But as we have discussed that help is often ad hoc and not based on previous alliances.
BD: Anyone not actively against the Reilly sisters is a plus.
KB: So we get to Ho Chi Minh and there is some cab drama at the airport!
BD: : Nothing seems scarier than minding your own business at the airport and all of sudden having 9 TAR teams plus camera crew storm pass you. We are told how important getting a good cab quickly is.
KB: Absolutely, Leo & Jamal didn’t get a great cab nor did they stay together out of the airport.
BD: The buddy system is important on the race. Somehow Corinne and Eliza keep getting slow cabs or at least that is what they tell us.
KB: I don’t believe that, we saw two much worse cab situations. This is the cab equivalent of “if everyone you meet is an arsehole then maybe the arsehole is you”. I think they are so impatient that every cab seems like it’s so so slow.
BD: Yeah, that is the case here.
KB: they do get there at the back of the pack but Leo & Jamal do a little more of their lying liar stuff and tell them it’s the wrong place.
BD: Not as effective and much less necessary this time around
KB: I think these two teams just hate each other
BD: I do like this rivalry especially with both teams having flaws that make you want to root against them.
Detour
KB: We go on to the Detour: Reel It In or Light It Up?
It’s a patience vs dancing choice
BD: I love dancing tasks. Light it Up seems very cool and something I would do for fun but not on the Race. I cannot dance, less so sober.
KB: If we think survivors should practice swimming or starting fires before they go on, then Amazing Race teams should do some choreography.
BD: I was surprised at what a few teams picked here, none more so than Bret and Chris.
KB: Let’s begin the discussion with the fact that this is a Team Fun centric task episode
BD: And they brought it 100%. They were so great at this challenge and I loved Floyd’s excitement over the suit
KB: They were on such good form.
BD: They made this challenge look so easy that I’m convinced they were just made to do it again because they accomplished too fast.
KB: I would subscribe to that conspiracy theory
BD: If there is one thing Team Fun isn’t lacking, its energy. Nicole and Victor did relatively well but it was struggle for quite a few teams.
KB: This is another challenge where we get a lot of attempt montages. But while the Reilly Sisters were five holing this task we saw Tyler & Korey and Corinne & Eliza go prawn fishing.
BD: Cause when I think patience, I think Corinne and Eliza!
KB: I like that Eliza was just like “dancing? NOPE”
BD: Know your weaknesses.
KB: I think I could muscle my way through a dance challenge if I had to but if there was another option, I’d take it.
BD: I would also take the other option.
KB: Through all this the Reilly sisters took I think 30+ attempts
BD: Rachel and Elissa was the best part of the challenge. Elissa was confident her yoga experience would help them here for reasons
KB: Rachel rolling her eyes at her sister is magical
BD: I also like the Rachel meltdown where the thing she was most offended by was her sister calling her 35. For the record, Rachel isn’t 35
KB: As a nearly 33 year old woman, I agree with her, that was unfair. Is Elissa her older sister?
BD: Younger.
KB: because when commenting on my older brother’s hair cut I made sure to compliment his grey hair, then jokes on me, got my hair cut and spotted all the grey in there.
BD: I’m starting to see a tiny bit of gray but its okay since I’ll look young forever.
KB: I’m short so that helps me look young
BD: My Denzel like handsomeness keep me young
KB: that’s fair.
BD: Let’s get to Chris and Bret.
KB: speaking of old people!
BD: What were they thinking?
KB: They said they wanted to stay with the pack to know where they are. But knowing you are last is still knowing you are last.
BD: Janelle and Britney got lost at a wedding and still smoked them.
KB: I loved Britney yelling “Janelle! this is someone’s wedding!”
BD: Janelle does everything with confidence whether she is right and wrong and I love it.
KB: They probably come 2nd to last if they had gone straight to the Fishing.
BD: Definitely, but at least they realized the huge mistake they made and switched tasks
KB: But how long did they waste rehearsing?
BD: It did seem like they took more time than others rehearsing.
KB: Leo and Jamal could’ve used more time rehearsing. But as we see later this is their way.
BD: Back at the fishing challenge, Corinne and Eliza are killing it while Tyler is out of his element a little bit.
KB: I don’t mind the idea of giving it a single attempt to judge the difficulty and know how much to rehearse.
By this point Team Fun are at the Road Block, which is stolen straight from Amazing Race Canada. Vietnamese Karaoke.
Road Block
BD: Which of course is right up their alley. Floyd was basically practicing for shits and giggles.
KB: this is Amazing Race perfection! Floyd giving it everything, Becca standing on her seat dancing along. All of it.
BD: They are amazing and I want all the good things for them. I was ecstatic when they got first
KB: I want them to win so badly, but really I just want them in the finale so we get them for every episode
BD: I can’t get tired of them. One of my favorite moments from the karaoke challenge was Victor practising and just cutting it off because Eliza was so annoying
KB: OH YES. SO he just goes and nails the challenge. Eliza just shouting the rhythm was hilarious!
BD: Nicole and Victor have run a pretty exceptional race so far and I think need to be moved to the top tier.
KB: If they aren’t in the finale I will eat my hat.
BD: I will burn mine!
KB: this hat:
BD: That looks filling
KB: and made of wool, which I am allergic to, so could be bad.
BD: Oh God, I’ll have Barbara Anderson work with me on the finale post while we mourn your demise.
BD: Anyway: We see Janelle and Rachel helping each other out.
KB:SO yeah, this is how a social alliance can really help on the race. Working together to finish a task and then when the Reilly Sisters couldn’t find the mat Britney called to them.
BD: The idea of Janelle and Rachel working together is blowing my mind. Two of the biggest BB comp beasts and characters ever. Rachel and Britney mending fences after being enemies on BB 12.
KB: It’s been a long time since then, they’ve both had kids, matured etc
BD: Maybe my Britney hating friend I watch with can finally move on.mI hope their alliance gets them far. The more Janelle and Britney on my screen, the better.
KB: their edit is so quiet.
BD: Its disappointing because they give gold every time they are shown They’ve been middle of the pack the whole race.
KB: It screams finishing 6/7th
BD: Colin and Christie do reasonably well this episode.
KB: Still waiting for the explosion. If I don’t get an explosion I’m going to be so mad!
BD: Tyler and Korey recover from their fishing struggles to finish fourth. Tyler was at his camera mugging best.
KB: Tyler smokes the Karaoke. He had some good sound bytes
BD: I like him and Eliza singing along in the practice session. I’m really enjoying all these interactions between the cast. Corinne and Eliza have a good finish and it’s around this time in this episode I can see what the ending will be.
KB: we shouldn’t be surprised that a cast of experienced reality tv contestants are good at being on tv
Pit Stop
So, Team Fun won the leg, huge redemption for Floyd
BD: Good for him.
KB: They smoked this leg, I’m going to be very interested to see the leaving times in the next leg, they seem like they were an hour ahead.
BD: I would say there is more distance between 1st and 2nd than 2nd and 8th. The lack of drama at the end just screamed non elimination leg. Chris & Bret came in last but were not eliminated but it doesn’t look good for the future.
KB: Oh I knew the moment Phil started talking it was non-elimination, the difference is so stark.
BD: I’ve never had an issue with non elimination legs. I like seeing more places but having the amount of teams they do on the race.
KB: I also have never cared about non-elimination legs, they make sense for game mechanics, you need a reason for the last team to keep fighting. And you need to not need to have 16 teams to do 12 episodes.
BD: I think giving the last team an extra task to do is a fair punishment.
KB: I prefer the speedbumps to be a little tougher than when Kevin and his dad had to sit on ice for 10 minutes.
Wrap Up
BD: Let’s wrap this up. How did you feel about this episode?
KB: I really enjoyed it, it’s a perfect Amazing Race leg. Really fun challenges, funny interactions and my favourite team won. You?
BD: Cosign on everything. This whole season is fabulous so far.
KB: It’s so so good. I would be happy with reality stars every season if we got this quality.
BD: Next week there is drama between the Reilly sisters and Corinne and Eliza. Drink every time one team says something mean about the other.
KB: I can’t do that! I’d be wasted 6 minutes in. So who is going home?
BD: Chris and Bret remain my pick.
KB: Me too. I got some stick for saying they were old and out of shape and fine I’m sure they will be ok on a pure muscle task, but the race is physically draining. They also just don’t seem to have the knack for the travelling bit
BD: I’m thinking along those same lines.
BD: I’ve been only giving American names with my music recommendations so let’s go across the pond and highlight Jorja Smith. She dropped her debut album last year. It is full of pop and soul. Everyone listen and comeback next week.
Random Convo
KB: I want everyone to consider listening to the podcast Punch Up the Jam. Namely the Drops of Jupiter episode.
KB: I’m watching Season 17 Finale now. I forgot how much I hated Thomas!
BD: I forgot who he was.
KB: The Notre Dame douche.
BD: Oh yeah, screw that guy!
KB: his whole storyline was his girlfriend only went to cosmetology school and he treated her like dirt because he went to Notre Dame.
KB: oh yeah, in 17 Thomas ans Jill managed their roadblocks so he did the last one and then it was decorating a float!!!
BD: I do remember that.
KB: I shipped Nat and Kat so hard.
BD: They were awesome and so good together.
KB: disgraceful they could be straight. But also you rarely see a female friendship like theirs of Brooke and Claire portrayed on tv
BD: We need more lesbians on the Race
KB: So far we had the old lesbian vicars, Jen who won All Stars 2 and the one woman who ran with her father who was in the FBI?
BD: That’s all I remember.
KB: and Amazing Race Canada had the winners of season 4. From wiki all other lesbian teams bar the old vicars were on Canada.
BD: Canada bringing it. Big Brother Canada also has a higher percentage of queer women than the American counterpart
KB: so next meet up in Canada?
BD: I love Toronto
KB: find me a wife? although I really would like a European one for when we Brexit.
BD: You and I looking for love in Canada is the best reality show that will never air.
KB: I think KB and BD Look for Love is a show at least 3 people from PRP would watch!
