Posted on 02/04/2006 2:26:37 PM PST by silent_jonny
To Be Continued...
Ripoff!
Friends Eric & Jeremy once again set the pace as the nine Teams made their way to Moscow, Russia, where Yolanda and Wanda each confronted their fear of water in a frightening high dive Roadblock. Teamed up with Eric & Jeremy, childhood friends Danielle & Dani made a huge mistake that pushed them to last place, while the guys stepped onto the mat in Red Square first. However, rather than announcing they were the first Team to arrive, Phil informed the pair the leg was not over and handed them their next clue.
Departing the Pit Stop in first place at 4:48 am, best friends BJ & Tyler opened their clue to discover they had to travel three miles to a farm where they would take an exhilarating ride on a zipline 300 feet across a valley. Arriving at the farm still in the darkness of the early morning, the best friends found it closed until 7 am. While waiting, “the hippies” decided to have some fun and hid in some bushes and jumped out to scare Eric & Jeremy when they arrived. After dating couple Joseph & Monica showed up, BJ jumped on the hood of the approaching car of dating couple Dave & Lori to earn a few laughs.At 7 am, the gates of the farm opened, allowing the four Teams to run up the hillside overlooking the lush Brazilian countryside. After gearing up, BJ & Tyler sailed across the valley first with shouts of “Bonsai!” After both completed the zipline, they opened their next clue instructing them to fly 7,300 miles to Moscow, Russia and find Chaika Bassein, a water sports facility once used to train Olympic athletes. To get to the São Paulo airport, Teams needed to return to the Brotas bus station and take the next available charter bus. Butting their helmets in excitement, the best friends shouted their familiar phrase, “TTOW,” which they describe as their “power word” and “the circle of the universe.”
As most Teams began arriving at and completing the zipline, married parents Lake & Michelle had a slow start to their morning, instantly turning the wrong way out of the Pit Start. Standing on the hood of the VW bug in the middle of the seemingly endless field of sugar canes, Lake remarked, “Can you believe this?” After having to backtrack again, Michelle became concerned about the speed that Lake was driving on the uneven dirt road, to which Lake responded, “If you don’t shut up…” Once the couple finally arrived at the farm, now in second to last place, Lake had the distinction of being the only Racer who instantly recoiled at the thought of traveling to Russia, yelling, “Dang gummit! I was hoping we wouldn’t have to go to Russia!”After the first bus, carrying the leading four Teams, departed for Brotas, Lake & Michelle’s excitement at being on the second bus turned sour when Michelle momentarily thought she lost their fanny pack. Once she realized it was in the car, Lake scolded her, saying, “Do not take the fanny pack off ever.” After Michelle said, “I’m not arguing over something so silly,” Lake retorted, “Michelle, don’t be a bitch now.”
Alone on the last charter bus to Brotas, married 40 year couple Fran & Barry expressed some concern, commenting, “It’s going to be hard to catch up.” However, after two previous legs of near eliminations, Barry added, “It’s not over ‘til it’s over.” Indeed, the married couple breathed a huge sigh of relief when they met up with the other eight Teams at the São Paulo airport and booked tickets on the same Lufthansa flight arriving at 12:10 pm. A thrilled Barry remarked, “Here we are, back in it again.”
Landing in Moscow, BJ & Tyler took a quick lead out of the airport, followed by Danielle & Dani and Eric & Jeremy who took a van together after teaming up to gather information on the plane. In an effort to save money, Dave & Lori and Joseph & Monica also shared a taxi van. While Fran & Barry instantly discovered the potentially problematic language barrier, mother and daughter Wanda & Desiree got the last taxi out of the airport.Arriving at Chaika Bassein in first place, BJ & Tyler opened their clue to find a Roadblock. In this Roadblock, one Team member had to put on a bathing suit and, braving the frigid weather, climb to the edge of the 10-meter board and jump into the pool. Once they took the plunge, they had to swim across the pool and dive to the bottom to retrieve their next clue. While Tyler eagerly volunteered for the task, Yolanda immediately regretted her decision because she didn’t know how to swim. She remarked, “Whenever I get into water, I sink.”
With all the Teams on the way to the monastery, only Wanda remained to retrieve her clue in the pool. While she had no difficulties with the dive, her problems began on the other side of the pool where her clue waited anchored in the deep water, one of Wanda’s biggest fears. After one attempt at lowering herself down, a frantic Wanda cried, “Oh my God, we’re going to lose because of this.” Daughter Desiree tried to comfort her mother by saying, “Don’t cry. You can do this.” After a second attempt, even more frantic, Wanda screamed, “I’m going to drown. I don’t know how to get under.” In hysterics, Wanda tried several more times with no success. Desiree noted, “You’re psyching yourself out. Are you capable of doing this? Yes, you are.” Mustering up her courage, Wanda took another shot, descending into the deep water and returned with a clue as Desiree screamed in excitement. Seeing her mother’s strength and determination brought Desiree to tears as she said, “I’m so proud of her.” While Wanda’s difficulties pushed them to last place, the pair couldn’t believe their eyes when Danielle & Dani returned to Chaika Bassein, having to split from a disappointed Eric & Jeremy, because they left their fanny pack behind in the changing room.
Arriving on the Novodevichiy Monastery grounds, BJ & Tyler entered the Smolensk Cathedral where they admired the spectacular paintings and architecture before taking their Detour clue. In this Detour, Teams had to choose between Scrub and Scour. In Scrub, Teams needed to travel to a trolley depot and wash an entire Moscow trolley inside and out. While it would be a physical task, Teams could control their own destiny, finishing as fast as their stamina allows. In Scour, Teams had to travel to a theater and search through 1,500 multi-piece Russian nesting dolls in order to find one of 10 microscopic clues. While there would be nothing physical about the task, Teams would have to rely on their luck and could take a long time to finish.Understanding the inherent risk of a potentially endless search through nesting dolls, BJ & Tyler, Fran & Barry, Eric & Jeremy and Lake & Michelle all opted to wash a trolley car, while dating couple Ray & Yolanda chose to search through the nesting dolls. However, getting to the trolley depot proved incredibly difficult in a country where no one could communicate. After their cab drivers took them to the wrong location, BJ & Tyler and Fran & Barry changed their decision and headed to the theater where the other Teams decided to go to as well.
Arriving at the theater together, Lake & Michelle, Ray & Yolanda and Eric & Jeremy began searching through the intricate dolls as a Russian band played and dancers surrounded the Teams. Realizing that this task could take a lot of time, Jeremy joked, “[This] was Ray & Yolanda’s dumb idea.” A sharp Yolanda retorted, “You should have picked your own damn Detour.” While the task proved frustrating, Eric became the first person to find the tiny clue hidden in the smallest doll. After reading the instructions to find Phil near St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square, the friends took off with Lake & Michelle close behind.
Unaware that Dave & Lori and Joseph & Monica’s taxi driver had them lost in the city, Wanda & Desiree and Danielle & Dani arrived at the trolley depot hoping to avoid elimination by cleaning a very filthy trolley car. As Wanda began scrubbing the body of the trolley, Desiree washed the windows. A very cold Danielle remarked, “My hands are freezing. I wish I was in Brazil right now.” However, the two female Teams received a pleasant surprise when the dating couples finally arrived at the depot. They weren’t in last place and had a sizable lead on the task.As Ray & Yolanda continued to search among the dolls, Fran & Barry and BJ & Tyler arrived. A frustrated Ray said, “That music is playing with my head. I can’t find this dang thing.” Ray’s irritation turned to elation when he finally found the microscopic clue allowing him and Yolanda to proceed to Red Square. Looking at the expansive table of dolls, a disappointed Fran noted, “We could have had two trolleys washed already.” While Tyler excitedly found his clue, the increasingly exhausted Fran & Barry tried to remain optimistic as they kept searching through each set of dolls.
Arriving at Red Square at nearly the same time, Eric & Jeremy and Lake & Michelle searched for St. Basil’s Cathedral where Phil stood waiting. In a close footrace, the friends beat out the married couple, excited to hear Phil tell them they were the first Team to arrive. However, instead of another prize, the pair received their next clue. This leg was not over.
To Be Continued
I won't tell anyone ;)
Me too. And I couldn't tell, but did they then put them back together and back on the display? How could they then tell which dolls they looked at? Of course, if they didn't, then that would benefit later-arriving teams, since they would have fewer sets to go through.
Maybe it was me, but did anyone catch Phil's demeanor at the arrive of Eric and Jeremy? Really dour and curt. I've seen him at other "to be continued" stops and he was infinitely warmer to the arriving teams. I think these boys have pissed off the Philiminator with their behavior arrival at the last leg.
I'm liking the Nerd Love team best - which means they're doomed.
So, no elimination last night? (I still have to watch it...maybe tonight)
What did they do at the last pit stop to annoy Phil?
I am thinking Phil doesn't like the way Eric and Jeremy behave to the pinkies either...
Called him a woman, and said they would slap him...
“Phil, do you know how cranky I am right now? I’m going to smack you, woman,” either Eric or Jeremy said
I have a feeling Phil will be as happy to see them go as he was to tell Jonathug and Victoriah!!! "you have been eliminated from the race," which is followed by the unspoken "to the delight of millions of viewers."
In spite of my best intentions, I got hooked into TAR again this season. The helicopter views of Sao Paolo drew me in, and the Russian doll sequence with the campy Russian band and dancers seemed at least one-third as funny as the hilarious trip to the Argentinian chocolate factory a few seasons past. Better camera work could have made the doll event much funnier.
As for the racers, the oldsters appeal to me far less than any other older couple that's been on TAR. You can practically hear these guys creak with every move. Not attractive. Please go away. Ditto Eric and Jerkemy.
No one in this bunch approaches the obnoxiousness of Jonathan and Victoria, a professional sado-masochistic duo. Dentist and wife bicker but not with deadly intent, so I sorta like them. The hippy boys are rather charming and I hope they stay around, perhaps even to win. They are good-natured, polite -- though one wonders why they're stuck in the '60s -- if indeed it isn't all an act.
Anyone else miss Romber? Myrna and Schmyrna? They were great characters who added spice to the travel drama that threatens to get bland from repetition. I.E.: Zip lines suck. Soooooo predictable. Ho hum.
I told Jonny that I like Russian nesting dolls. Really I like the concept, I'd rather be inside with the Red Army Dance Band and Troupe than out in the cold washing a trolley car.
The mother was ridiculous and needed all the attention of the entire Russian Swimming and Diving Team before she would hold her breath for 20 seconds. What is she doing in the Race?!?
The old couple lost me when they kept walking right by the clue box. They are now Team Magoo.
I also hate Team Horny.
Well, so far I would have to go with the hippies, the geeks and the hot chix as my favorites.
I think the Hippies will win, they have the right attitude.
====
Final Four?
Hippies
Annoying Horndogs
Geeks
Team Lake - provided he starts listening to his wife (navigator)
====
- The Older Team just don't seem to have the stamina or brainpower
- The Hot Chix are just getting along by the skin of their teeth, they depend too much on Team Horndog
- The mom and daughter team may surprise me but they seem weak to me, I don't know why
- The black couple also seem to be just getting by, like the Hot Chix...that doesn't portend well for them.
Don't miss Romber, although I know they were popular - and didn't watch their season, alas. I never like the cross-over of reality stars from one show to another, because it changes the dynamics of the race. But I'll concede they seemed to be excellent racers from what I read on the Boards. My last full season of watching the Amazing Race was TAR 6.
Not much of a Charla and Myrna fan, either - my favorites from TAR 5 were Chip and Kim. That being said, however, I would have loved to have had Myrna/Charla on the same edition as that jacka$$ Jonathug and his wife - considering the comments she made about Colin being a "criminal" (and I enjoyed that sparring), I can only imagine what her assessment of the wife-pusher/screamer would be.
What a concept! How about an All-Star TAR, bringing together the most controversial, quirky, colorful racers.
I think the hippy dudes this season are probably attorneys or pharmacists or something equally as "regular," just two nice guys in costume playing at being colorful hippies to make sure they got on the show. The beards may be real, but I don't believe that even the most dedicated hippies still dress the way these fellows do.
BTW, where are today's dedicated hippies? Saw a few on Venice Beach, same ones that were there in the '70s, but with the dreadful complexions and fulltime stammers that signal addiction.
Visit Haight Ashbury in S.F. - time has NOT moved on for these people. Also any street in the People's Republic of Berkeley. They're still with us.
Oh, and while I wouldn't be adverse to an All-Star TAR (featuring NO winners), I wouldn't want Jonathug to give himself another 15 minutes of fame.
RE the actor who played Palmer -- at the end of one of the seasons on DVD, he stated he based his character on his two fav presidents - Carter and Clinton with a little of Colin Powell thrown in. Gag me.
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