The Amazing Race S.15 Ep.8: Recap & Discussion

Filed under: Recaps & Reviews

In which we revisit the infamous hay bale Roadblock in the game's first ever "Switchback"...

You all knew this had to be non-elimination, right? There is no way they're cruel enough to put an elimination mat right next to The Hardest Roadblock Of All Time. (Can you imagine Maria & Tiffany attempting this? Oh, the whining. Oh, the hugging. Sam & Dan were almost more than I could handle.) Maybe if this was Survivor; then I wouldn't put it past the producers.

This was really a very simple, straightforward, basic episode: a short flight to Sweden with an almost-bunch at the airport (two teams missed out on tickets and got bumped a couple of hours back); a train ride to an amusement park (with two teams at two separate times just missing their train); a Roadblock-like task of spotting an arrow from a freefall ride (presumably the reason all teams could only send one member up without it being the actual Roadblock is because Big Easy was too tall to go on it, as he aptly pointed out); a quick Travelocity-themed ring toss; lots of driving in a foreign country with funny street names; a Detour where everyone picked blowing stuff up over decoding Viking alphabets; and this new "Switchback" thing. Is it a thing now? Why couldn't they just repeat it without making it a thing? Whatever.

But what made the episode truly enjoyable to watch, even if it wasn't overly exciting or dramatic, was how much I really like all these teams. I was so happy none of them were eliminated, and now I wonder whether we can't just give each of them a million dollars for being delightful. Though really, for anyone but Meghan & Cheyne to win would be a shame; they are by far the most consistent team this season, and I so appreciate their imperfect-but-supportive relationship. (I could say the same for Brian & Ericka's as well. Heck, all of the remaining teams.)

I could have done without Dan's waterworks at the mat, but I guess he realized how much of a jerk he really had been, and it's nice to see someone actually regret their douchiness instead of just shrugging it off.

How adorbs was that kid they had greeting at the mat, though? I wonder how he scored that gig. I always wonder how they pick the greeters. I'd like to be one if they ever come back through Canada, heh.

What are your thoughts on the awful hay bales? All I know is, I would have been an itchy, sneezing, red-and-hivey MESS. Am I the only person with a debilitating hay allergy? Those racers are positively troupers, especially Gary--speaking of, I really love how he and Matt have grown closer over the course of the race. It is so lovely to see.

In conclusion, I love this show.

Tags: tar, the amazing race, race, recap

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Original Comments Posted (1)

sunshine says...

I love this show, too, and I felt the same way- I didn't want anyone to go home. (Except maybe Dan and Sam). I could NOT have done those hay bales- I would have been in hospital! And most of the contestants are tolerable... only a few nasty words- just enough to show they're human...

Nov 15, 2009 12:09am

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