Amazing Race: Rainy Finale

wavingcats

I’m finally recapping the last two episodes of last season of Amazing Race. Watch the teams play in a Japanese game show, swim in a phone booth fish tank, build a giant robot and throw flour from a prop plane in the 11th episode “Amazing Crazy Race” and the 12th episode, “The Winning Team is Declared.” Come read what Amy, Steve and I had to say about these final two episodes of the last season.

As the episode started, Amy and I both decided that we wanted Providence Amy team to win out of the remaining four teams. When the show did a brief recap of the season, Amy said, “Here’s where we see people I totally forgot about!” I said that I remembered all of them except for the first two teams. I was also wondering if the ER docs have ever helped the Providence Amy team. I know they haven’t helped as much as she has helped them. I think she just likes them and does things for them. Amy said it was because the doctors are never the ones to figure things out first.  Amy and I agreed that the doctors would be eliminated in the first leg, the speed bump wasn’t going to slow the Afghanimals down at all and Providence Amy team would win. Steve said that the ER doctors would be eliminated and the Afghanimals would win it all.

The teams learned they would be going to Tokyo in the next leg. Providence Amy team commented again that they plan on working with the ER docs because they love to be dragged down by them. Okay, they didn’t add that last part. When the Exes left, Tim said that they had skills that people don’t see right off the bat, like being smart. Amy said, “You’re smart?” I said, “One of you is smart…kind of.” When the ER docs left, Amy said she was still creeped out by learning that Travis was Nicole’s teacher.

While getting tickets to Tokyo, the first three teams were discussing about how they were going to work together to keep the Afghanimals out of the final three. It was mostly Nicole talking, Providence Amy team nodding her head and the Exes just staring at her, but not agreeing to anything. The first three teams were on a flight that landed in Tokyo at 6:20 am. The Providence Amy team saw there was a flight that landed at 6:10 am,  but there didn’t seem to be any seats available when they booked. It’s weird though because the Afghanimals booked the same flight as the other teams, but when they got to the airport, they found that earlier flight and took that one instead.  They said with their speed bump ahead of them, they needed all the extra time they could get.

The Afghanimals arrived first and headed off to a temple for their first clue commenting that they are almost guaranteed first place since they arrived first. Yes, that’s how it always works.

When the other three teams arrive, only two taxis were outside the airport. The ER docs and Providence Amy team grabbed the first two but their taxi drivers didn’t know where the temple was located. The other teams really didn’t want to wait for another taxi to show up for the Exes and only paused briefly when they found out that Marie had looked up the address before. Travis got mad that she wouldn’t just give it to them, so he convinced everyone else to just leave them even though they still didn’t know where they were going.  Then, the taxis were confused and thought the teams were all together, so they wouldn’t leave until the third one showed up. This greatly annoyed the ER docs and Providence Amy team, while making Marie laugh.

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While driving to the temple, Travis justified not all the teams working together because they didn’t know where the Afghanimals were, so they couldn’t work together to stop them. I’m not sure how that makes sense. The Afghanimals were thrilled when they didn’t encounter any other team at the temple and found a detour. The detour had teams either participate in a Japanese game show or swim in a phone booth fish tank. I was excited about the game show and I think they should do it each season since it is hilarious. The Afghanimals picked the game show. Providence Amy and the Exes picked the game show, but the ER docs wanted to go to the  fish tank one. They had the problem of their taxi drivers not wanting to separate and they weren’t really sure of either location. Would the teams end up in the right places?

The Afghanimals arrived at the game show to find out that they would be human bowling balls. One of them would sit in an inner tube and push the other ones down a ramp into some huge bowling pins at the bottom. If they knocked all the pins down, they would get their next clue.  It looked like snow tubing so I would have loved it. They also had to wear ridiculous outfits because that seems to be the case in each episode now.  It took a few tries where the Afghanimals were overthinking it before they realized, they just needed to push the person in the tube really hard down the middle. Then they got the clue and were out of there before any other team showed up.  Before they left, they folded up their outfits on the table so any other teams that showed up would think the Afghanimals were behind them.

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The remaining three teams all went to the park which was where the phone booth fish tank detour was located. The ER docs went to find out where it was located. The Providence Amy team decided to do that detour since they were there. They were given the location at an information booth but were trying to be sneaky so the Exes wouldn’t see that they knew where it was located. The Exes had stayed back in the parking lot staring at the two other teams at a distance. The clue said that only two teams could attempt the phone booth fish tank task so they really wanted the Exes to take off. Marie got tired of waiting and found a local that told her the game show was around the corner so they took off even though Tim really didn’t want to risk leaving.

The ER docs and Providence Amy team got to the phone booth and learned the full extent of the task. It was a fish tank filled with gold fish. They had to change into speedos and a fish cap, climb into the phone booth from the top, listen to a message on the phone, then climb out and repeat the phrase to their other teammate in order to get the clue. Amy was quite concerned that it wasn’t safe for the fish. I said there is a lot of weird stuff in the water so having people in it is probably okay for the fish.  The task didn’t take too long so it was probably the faster of the two detours. The entire time Providence Amy was in the water,  Steve was just chanting, “Boobs, boobs, boobs.”

phoneboothfishtank

The Exes got to the Japanese game show last, even though they thought the Afghanimals hadn’t been there yet. They were struggling with getting all the pins down too. Tim launched Marie in the air one of the times he pushed her down the hill. Marie figured out that if she pushed her foot off the back wall the same time she pushed Tim, it would be enough force to get him going fast enough that he could knock all the pins down. She was correct.

The Afghanimals were ahead of all the other teams, which was good because they hit their Speed Bump after the detour. They had to be a zoo apprentice and go through a drill to capture an escaped rhino, which consisted of throwing netting around two people in a rhino costume. As soon as I saw it, I said, “OMG. What is this speed bump?” Then I started laughing when I heard it was a real drill. The guys threw the netting around the fake rhino as soon as it showed up, but were told that was wrong. They had to wait for the rhino to dance around a bit, then a guy to shoot off a warning, and then everyone would swarm with the nets. The Afghanimals got it on their next try.

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While the Afghanimals were working on the Speed Bump, the ER docs and Providence Amy team showed up since the next clue was nearby. They did not look pleased to see the Afghanimals actually had been in Japan the entire time they were. The next clue was a roadblock. They had to look at a tiny model of a robot and then build a huge one that was three times the size of a person.

It seemed like Travis had done all the roadblocks that he could so Nicole had to do the rest of them on the race. I said, “Uh oh, Nicole is not good at building things. Hopefully Amy won’t help her.” Providence Amy was also doing the road block. Travis said they should work together and it would go faster. As soon as that started, Amy said, “Really? Why are they working together?!?!?” Jason said to make sure they were putting it together correctly or else they would have to start over. Sound advice, Mr. Obvious. Providence Amy said it was like building legos so she had it.

Soon after the women started working together, the Afghanimals finished up their speed bump. Leo decided to do it. Jamal said that “dumb and dumber were working together.” He was confused that in the final four, there were two teams still working together. Jason was getting frustrated that he and Travis weren’t doing the road block since he felt they would have been done by now.

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The Exes showed up and Marie started looking for the robot model. She was looking for a huge one like what she had to build. She asked the women where the model was located. No response. So much for the three teams working together to get rid of the Afghanimals! Marie told the camera later that the women were “dead to her.” Marie asked Leo and he pointed it out.

In a hilarious move, Marie was faster than everyone putting the robot together. While Nicole and Providence Amy were slowly working together to push the pieces into place in one robot and then run over to do the other one, Leo and Marie were using the ground and their own bodies to do the same thing. It also seemed to be going quicker. Jason started yelling that Marie was passing them. Providence Amy started to look over, when Nicole firmly told her to not look at Marie or she would get distracted. I was guessing that Nicole was hoping that Providence Amy wouldn’t suddenly decide to just start working on her own, which would screw Nicole over since she can’t do anything by herself, it seems. I said I was rooting for Marie at this point. Amy said, “Me too but only until she does something mean.”

marierobot

Leo finished his robot first, but was told it was not correct. Well, he wasn’t told, but the judge shook her head and finger no at him. He had the shirt buttons on the back of the robot, not the front. He didn’t realize this though so he was struggling to figure out what was wrong. Amy and I were so glad the show was highlighting what was wrong, since we couldn’t tell.  Nicole and Providence Amy finished up next, but Nicole had the top and bottom parts of the arms wrong and Providence Amy had two pieces of an instrument the robot was playing wrong. Of course, they both thought the same thing was wrong on both robots since they had been working together. When the women were told they were wrong, Nicole started to yell at Providence Amy that they had to continue to work together since they had been doing it together the whole time. So obvious, Nicole!

Marie finished up next and was the first one to be told that it was correct so they were the last team there and the first one done. Tim said, “Alliance this!” Jamal was impressed with Marie. Jason and Travis were just frustrated. Travis said it was Nicole that killed everyone saying she was weak. Wow! Steve said, “You know she’s going to watch this show later, right?” Amy said, “Apparently he doesn’t care. This is what happens when you make a subordinate role into a romantic role.”

Providence Amy finally figured out what was wrong with her robot and told Nicole they had to take theirs apart to fix it. Providence Amy had her robot apart, rebuilt and fixed before Nicole had started to rebuild her robot. She finished in second place, but of course went over to help Nicole. She said she would help her until Leo figured out what was wrong with is robot. Leo was still not getting what was wrong with his robot so he kept changing things, but not the right things. Providence Amy did help until she saw Leo figure out the buttons needed to be on the front. Then she told Nicole she had to go. Finally!

After the road block, teams had to find a roaming vending machine in a busy intersection. Amy asked why Tim was still wearing his kimono. Steve said that he would roll in a kimono too.  The Exes found the vending machine and it spit out the next clue. I was hoping for more excitement with the vending machines. Amy said, “Maybe a vending machine will greet them on the mat.” It was close! At the pit stop, a robot greeted teams.

robotpitstop

The Exes were in first place. Tim said at least Marie wouldn’t trade him in for that. She said she totally would since a robot would be a perfect partner. Phil said they both looked so happy that it was almost like Marie was in love with Tim. He said she did the road block so she was in love with herself. She didn’t disagree! They won a trip to Aruba. Phil said he wasn’t sure if they wanted to go together. Marie said that since they also won a Hawaii trip, they will put them in a hat and go separately. I was laughing that they already made plans about not going on trips together after the race.

Providence Amy team found the vending machine quickly and were headed to the pit stop when Travis was berating Nicole at the road block. He was talking to himself saying he knows he can depend on himself to get things done, but now he is learning that Nicole is not the same as him. He is just now learning that? Then she finally finished it correctly and they were off to find the vending machine while Leo was still putting the robot together. Travis wasn’t done berating Nicole in the cab ride to the vending machine though. He said it was sad to watch her since she has to learn how to do stuff and build stuff. Just learn how to do all the things!

roamingvendingmachines

Leo finished up right after Nicole and it appeared that the last two teams were looking for the roaming vending machine around the same time. You can’t trust the editing on the show though. The ER docs found it first. When the Afghanimals saw it, it was walking across the cross walk so it had to finish crossing the street before it stopped to give them a clue.

Providence Amy team checked into the pit stop in second place. The ER docs got to the pit stop in third place. The other two teams were still there. That would be the final three teams. They all looked happy and gave each other high fives, but we doubted that Marie really liked the teams that she considered dead to her. When the Afghanimals checked in with Phil, no one else was around. They were told they were the last team and were eliminated.

Now onto the last leg of the race! Steve was picking the Exes to win the entire race. Both Amy and I were still sticking with Providence Amy team to win overall, especially since the Providence Bun was in effect.

Teams learned they were traveling to Alaska. We learned that Tim and Marie had a contract that said if they won anything, it would be split 60/40 in Marie’s favor. Tim said it was an ultimatum, but he was fine with it since he liked traveling to the other countries. Wow! Providence Amy said she was happy to help Nicole in the past couple of road blocks, especially since they struggle with the tasks so she felt that without her help, they were not going to win. I doubted that Providence Amy would actually not help the ER docs since she keeps doing it. The ER docs talked about how they had an agreement with Providence Amy team that they would work together until the last leg. Then they were on their own. At least they agree. Then Nicole talked about how they were going to be the winning team. I asked if she was delusional. I also mentioned that the ER docs are not enjoying the race. I thought Providence Amy was actually enjoying the race. That’s what makes me like that team more. The ER docs are just buzzkills.

All the teams were on the same flight to Juneau. I’ve been there a few times for work before, so when they flashed various parts of the city on the screen, I said “I’ve been there. I’ve been on that tram.  I’ve been on that cruise ship (it was a Holland America ship).” As soon as they were all running out to find taxis, Steve asked me if I had been in that cab and rental car. Amy said she hoped I said yes.

The teams took taxis to some boats and then raced to an island to find a road block. All the women decided to do it. They had to get in a prop plane and drop a bag of flour onto a target.  I asked, “Can Nicole do it? It isn’t a puzzle and she doesn’t have to build anything. Does she have a chance?” Amy said, “Can she push flour of a plane? Who knows.”

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It was a very odd and time consuming task. It looked super hard. Then Providence Amy got it on the second try. Maybe it wasn’t so hard. And then it was for the other teams. They had to go so many times that Amy said, “The pilots are getting dizzy.” Marie got it on her 12th attempt. As soon as Travis was left alone at the road block, sad music started playing! It was pretty funny. He started saying, “Oh well. It’s only for a million dollars. Not being successful is a hard pill to swallow.” Amy said, “Travis is being ridiculous! What does that even mean?” I said that he should write some self-help books since he likes to talk in random cliches that aren’t helpful at all.

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As Nicole went on her millionth pass (really 18th attempt), Amy wondered how many bags were in the plan. Travis also talked about how he could tell she was flustered and not thinking straight. I said she must be scary in the ER if she gets to a point where she gets frustrated and no longer thinks. Amy said, “Yes, what hospital to they work in? Don’t go there.” She finally got it on the 21st attempt. We don’t have to stare at that task anymore! Huzzah! We did get one last parting shot of Travis just looking at Nicole and shaking his head at her.

The next task did not seem to have anything that would hold anyone up, so it was more time-wasting while looking at awesome Alaska scenery. The teams had to go down into some ice cave and when they came out the other side, use an ice pick to get their clue out of the ice. I don’t understand those tasks.  Instead of anxiously waiting for one team to pass another one because that wasn’t going to happen, all the teams perform the task similarly enough, but one after another. Why was the task created this way? Because we weren’t getting any excitement from this part of the leg, Amy and I instead laughed at Providence Amy’s high helmet.

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We also laughed at Tim when the Exes arrived since he said, “I’m going to launch myself into this glacier hole and see what happens.” Tim just finished going across a ladder to get from one side of a glacier hole to another. Marie still had to go across when the ER docs arrived. Will there actually be some suspense again? Not really, Marie was over and out before Travis started to go.

While Travis was going across the ladder, he yelled to Nicole, “You got to have faith that you won’t fall!” I added, “Or just hold onto the rope that is right there.” When Nicole made it across the ladder, Steve said it would be hilarious if she totally fell right now. Then she did almost fall so he jinxed her. She was just picking up the ice picks to help get her up the ice wall, but when she slipped, one of them fell. She only had one ice pick to use to get up the wall.  I said the task looked hard to begin with, but then she had to do it with just one pick. When she finally got to the top, did Travis congratulate her? Of course not.  Steve said, “How about ‘Way to go with one pick!’ instead of ‘Let’s make up some time.'” That’s just not the way Travis works!

nicoleicepick

When Jason and Amy came out of the ice cave, they started digging in the ice for their clues. There were a lot of clues buried there and not all of them were actual clues. We wondered if each team would have a certain section to dig for the clues, but that wasn’t the case, so I guess the first team got to do tons of work for everyone else.

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Jason and Amy found their clue and were out of there before Tim and Marie showed up. They still had to dig through a lot of ice to find the correct clue so I guess there were tons of clues buried in that ice.

The next task had teams tandem kayak a mile to a marked island. Amy said that she did that once in Mexico and the kayak almost tipped over. That was her first and last attempt at that activity. Jason and Amy seemed to work well together. Tim and Marie yelled at each other a lot.  Travis yelled at Nicole so much that she just stopped paddling and let him yell while paddling them to the next island. I think that’s the best way to handle that. Relax! The next clue told teams to take a helicopter back to Juneau and take a taxi to another location. I guess this part of the race is just to wear teams out with climbing and rowing.

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When the teams got back to Juneau, Jason asked a taxi driver if he spoke English. I am guessing he was too used to be in a foreign country. The taxi driver told him, “All my life.”

The last task was the memory test, which we knew was coming. Teams had to build a wall of totem poles that had the currency of each country they visited on them. They had to build them and arrange them chronologically to get the last clue.  I said that I wished the totems sang like they did in the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland.

Providence Amy said she wrote down everything except the currency. Of course, Jason hadn’t written or paid attention either. They didn’t look very far into it when the Exes showed up. Tim was pretty sure about the currencies except Abu Dhabi, but it still took time putting all the pieces together and building the totems.

totempoles

The editing of the show made it look like all the teams were pretty close together, but by the time the ER docs showed up at the memory task, the Providence Amy team looked close to finishing and the Exes were halfway done. They did have the assistance of all the other designs that went on each totem pole matched so they could eventually figure out all the totem poles and then would just have to know the correct order.

Providence Amy team were the first team to finish and got the clue for the pit stop. The show made it look like the Exes finished right after the Providence Amy team. Was that true? We did get to look at the ER docs when the Exes finished and the ER docs really had no totems built at that point so we knew they weren’t close to finishing. Since they were last, Travis started to berate Nicole saying he was doing everything, she was doing nothing, and it was just like all the road blocks she had done recently that were horrible. Amy and I were thinking that Nicole needs to rethink her marriage after she watches the show. It’s just embarrassing how he treats her.

Teams had to take a taxi to the pit stop. I don’t like when teams have to take taxis for the last part since something out of their control could affect the outcome. I like it when the memory test is around the corner from the pit stop.  There didn’t seem to be any taxi drama so Providence Amy team came in first. Not shockingly, the Exes came in second place and the ER docs were third.

Were you happy with how the race turned out? Do you wish another team had won?

 

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