The Amazing Race season 31 is over. We have a winner, a 15 year wait for redemption and another monkey off the Afghanimals’ backs. Blurry Denzel and I are so happy to have shared this season with you and each other. Thanks so much for being here to read and comment. It’s been a blast!
Episode Thoughts
Kemperboyd: So, Colin & Christie won the Amazing Race 15 years after first competing!
Blurry Denzel: I’m so happy for them
KB: I am completely satisfied by this story-line. I really love Tyler & Korey, Korey especially, but they can come back win on a 3rd attempt and beat the Afghanimals records!
BD: Tyler and Korey are such a good pair and awesome racers. No shame in how they finished. I would be shocked if they returned and didn’t win
KB: I adore Korey, I really do. He’s an immensely strong racer. He’s funny, he’s kind, he’s very thoughtful about his experiences and he’s good on camera. I know Tyler is the famous star, but Korey is my favourite
BD: Absolutely agreed. I say both players are good on the show. Korey does standout in his own way.
KB: But oh boy Colin & Christie, what a fantastic race they ran.
BD: This redemption arc for Colin has been amazing. This dude was an absolute asshole fifteen years ago. To see him mature is a wonderful sight.
KB: Christie is such a wonderful partner. Really patient, really smart and she can take charge
BD: They are such a great pair and in the shortlist for greatest teams of all time
KB: When he was waiting at the helicopter in Dover and was talking about how great she is and him sending her vibes I thought “Jesus, can Colin teach a course on how to break down toxic masculinity?” He has turned himself from a selfish douche to a calm, nice guy who cares for people
BD: Yes!!! Too much toxic masculinity is allowed to flourish in this world infecting generations upon generation. It takes work to work on building a more empathetic side, a more respectful side but Colin shows it can be possible
KB: They deserved this win. In Dover they kept very calm and caught up, then they were superb in London. The only ones with the patience to learn the Rowing technique
BD: That rowing seemed insane. No way I would’ve done it
KB: Rowing is so hard, especially double skulls
BD: The other task is memorizing on steroids!
KB: I did look it up and all I could find was that Tyler & Korey’s instructor was Polly Swann, who won Olympic silver in Rio in the Women’s 8s
BD: Damn, nice
KB: I looked at photos of every Rio medal winner because she’s clearly not old enough to have been from London.
BD: Putting in that extra effort that I did not.
KB: the Cab challenge was hard but the Knowledge (which is the test that Cabbie do) is insanely hard and well known to be deeply difficult.
BD: I can imagine. Teams only had to do one route and that takes time.
KB: It takes about 3 years to learn and pass. They have to know all of London, although in reality black cabs are famous for refusing to go South of the River.
BD: What’s the reasoning for that?
KB: It was hard to get fares back and South London is a hole, and people didn’t really want to live there for a long time. I dunno if there is an equivalent in NYC, would yellow cabs not go to Queens?
BD: I’m not sure there is an equivalent though I rarely take cabs with ridesharing really taking over. I would think cabs go to Queens though.
BD: The leg in London does feature Leo and Jamal breaking their curse for leg 11
KB: I was happy for them, but their attention to detail really fell apart in the final
BD: We saw both sides of Leo and Jamal over these two hours. They ran a really good penultimate leg. They were efficient and made no major mistakes.
BD: They made such a big deal of Rachel’s record and the Afghanimals broke it
BD: Like immediately. But it was tough to see Leo miss that one detail about the safe and just dig himself more into a hole
KB: especially after he saw Colin read the instructions and do it immediately, at least he didn’t decide to redo the rappel!
BD: He definitely had no desire to do that. They were a non factor in the finale after the safe but they have finished out a really good TAR career
KB: It reminded me of season 17, where Jill & Thomas couldn’t find the internet to research the clues and ended up a non-factor but then again there is often a non-factor team in a finale
BD: Yeah, last season was a rare time where all three teams could still win in the end. Usually one team falls behind early. Thoughts on the grand finale challenge?
KB: There was no race memory challenge and I felt it was lacking
BD: I was surprised not to see such a TAR staple in the finale
KB: I was happy with the 7 Nation Army challenge but the records were not fun to watch. I guess maybe they felt with the returnees there was no point as they would all have a note book with all the info in
BD: I loved the Seven Nation Army challenge. The environment for that one was really good. The records and fowling were skippable
KB: It was fun to watch and challenging which is good. I completely forgot about fowling
BD: As you should
KB: if they could have just scrapped those two and put in a mental challenge I’d have been happy
BD: Agreed. Nicole and Victor were also in this finale
KB: Yeah, I wasn’t surprised they finally fell away
BD: They ran a good race considering they were going against veterans and they were first timers
KB: They had no chance though, TAR teams really banned together and Victor was carrying Nicole the whole way and that doesn’t lead to a win.
BD: Well, season 3.
KB: that was before they equalised the roadblocks
BD: But it is rarer in modern TAR
KB: and why they equalised the roadblocks
BD: Though you could argue similar happened in season 29 though Brooke was a little more capable
KB: Brooke got a lot of help, from other racers too
BD: Which is smart from her
KB: She wasn’t bad at the mental stuff and was actually a very proficient racer when it came to cabs, directions and general racing
BD: She had a lot of strengths
KB: I was thinking about them during the episode actually, when Colin & Christie needed their cab because their bags were in it. Because they checked their bags with the airline rather than doing hand luggage and then just left them behind
BD: Yes!! fuck your bags for the finale
KB: it’s one of the smartest bits of Finale play we’ve seen on the Amazing Race. They raced with just their two bumbags (fanny packs) and had a bit of a headstart out of the gate
BD: I would easily see Scott and Brooke on the show again
KB: I don’t know if Scott wants another race with Brooke
BD: Colin and Christie’s cab issues were really the only pitfall they had in the finale. And Christie was not fucking around about it. I loved it.
KB: Colin as peacemaker was very strange to see; telling Christie to calm down and not be mean to the cab driver. Even though he was an idiot who parked too far
BD: It was a nice role reversal. That cab driver didn’t make that mistake again though
KB: Were there any other stand out moments of the finale?
BD: Corinne and Eliza still don’t like Leo and Jamal
KB: Sucks to be them, one team is good at the race and the other is Corinne & ELiza
BD: No lie detected there
KB: One last finale thought. Why can’t Americans pronounce Gloucester? Even when it was said out loud to them multiple times?
BD: I have no defence. I just watched the episode and can’t pronounce it
KB: Ask one of the New Englanders, they have one and say it properly. FYI it’s Gloss ter
BD: I don’t want to talk to a New Englander
KB: You like Em and Mike Hirsh
BD: That’s true. Though in my mind Em is a Brooklynite
KB: OK now I’ve complained about you lot not being able to say things properly
Season/General thoughts
BD: I loved this season. Fantastic cast, so many great moments and a wonderful story with the very satisfying winners. This experiment paid off amazingly
KB: The cast was deep. Using the successful casting of all 3 CBS reality shows was smart. Not a dud in the pack. The racing was also strong, the bad teams went very early and we ended up with 5 teams you felt could win a normal season
BD: Next time I do think it needs to be Survivor vs BB but I understand why TAR would want TAR teams
KB: I agree, there is the ability to cast a just BB v Survivor situation. Who would you want on it?
BD: Good question
KB: First up the Know it Alternate Universe: Rob & Stephen
BD: Of course. They would be great and while they turned it down this time I feel they would go. I need a rice and beans reunion. Sandra and Courtney would be so fantastic
KB: They would be out so early but the fun we would have in one episode with them
BD: But that one episode would be gold
KB: You’ll have to talk to the BB side as I know nothing. But get Hayden on, he can complete the trilogy
BD: That would work. Reuniting my all time BB duo Danielle and Jason from season 3 would be amazing
KB: Let’s see, Aubry & Michele would be fun
BD: Cirie & Michaela
KB: YES! You got brawn, you got brains
BD: Hannah & myself
KB: That would be a good one. Aurora and yourself?
BD: Yes!!
KB: So all in all this was a bloody great season of TAR.
BD: Agreed
KB: I am going to celebrate by using my new free time to rewatch more TAR what should it be?
BD: 25 was really good for a recent season. 5 is an excellent old school season
KB: The part of myself which is broken wants to rewatch Family Edition
BD: I recommend that to no one ever but you do you, girl!
KB: I secretly love Family Edition
BD: The show has been renewed for another season with all newbies but who knows when that will premiere.
KB: I am so happy about a newbie season!
BD: I want to us to rank all the seasons in a post. Spoiler alert, Family Edition is last for me
KB: It’s not that bad a season. the 3 daughters and their dad are great. The family with the dead Nascar dad are the worst (weird sentence to write).
BD: So weird
KB: Stassy (?) from Vanderpump Rules is in it. Imma skim watch it today! I’d honestly have to read the wiki and rewatch a lot to be able to rank seasons
BD: I would also have to rewatch
KB: I’d put Amazing Race Canada season 4 very high. If you’ve not watched TAR Canada 4 it is a treat!
BD: I’ve never seen a Canada season, that may be next on the agenda.
So the Trustcluster had a TAR draft for this season last June. In a challenge that involved slingshots. The targets were pictures of the cast. I was very bad at this, never hit a target I ended up with the two unpicked teams, Rupert and Laura and Colin and Christie
KB: so you won?
BD: I did!!!
KB: who won our draft? I can’t remember anything except I picked Tyler & Korey
BD: I’m pretty sure you won our draft
KB: cool
Wrap Up and General Nonsense
BD: Music recommendations, Queen Naija:
KB: We’re on to the quarterfinals of the World Cup
BD: When will you be there in person?
KB: I’m flying at 8am on Monday, which is dumb, because the airport is the other side of London and will take me like an hour and half to get there. so I’ll be setting off at 5.15am. France is currently experiencing a horrible heatwave. It’s going to be 39 degrees on Sunday (97)
BD: Well root on the USA if they are in the finals if for not other reasons than…
“I’m not going to the fucking White House.” – @mPinoe pic.twitter.com/sz1ADG2WdT
— Eight by Eight (@8by8mag) June 25, 2019
KB: yeah, Pinoe is cool but It’s all Europe now, so it’s likely I’ll just support the European team vs the US. Unless it’s Germany, because fuck Germany.
KB: OK, you go back to bed, I’ll type this up and watch Amazing Race Canada 4 again. I forgot the lesbian couple introduces themselves with the amazing statement: “our families have known each other a long time, but it wasn’t until after college I realised she was Super hot and asked her out”
BD: That’s a great quote
KB: Kristen is great, and hot and really pervy about her girlfriend throughout the show
BD: I stan
KB: you 100% would, 20 minutes in and I quote “she’s looking really hot in that costume so I’m pretty happy”
BD: I need to watch this!
KB: it also has a couple who met on BB Canada who are fantastic entertainment
BD: Yes, Jillian and Emmett
KB: it’s frankly a top season for casting. there are like 5 teams from 10 who could return
BD: Every introduction is so wholesome. A blind contestant, That is something. Some First Nations representation. I love that
KB: Genuinely love Julie & Lowell, Frankie & Amy, Steph & Kristen, Joel & Ashley and the twins all of them could return and I’d be happy. The Canadian season are mad on representation. it’s awesome
BD: Steph and Kristen are so cute!!
KB: you got French Canadians, French speaking black twins, blind guy (who is very funny), lesbian couple, first generation immigrants. they are very proud of their representation
BD: Okay, I have to force myself to not watch now and go to sleep
KB: go sleep, have a nice nap, you will be rewarded by hot lesbians on the amazing race when you wake up
BD: Fun as always, Bea and thanks for agreeing to do TAR with me.
KB: I had a blast Trav. 100% would recap again
BD: Same
