4/24 Show Discussion **Spoilers**

[jadewarlock]

There are a couple of moments in TAR history that have tainted the show and caused uproars such as this past episode. The ones I can think of off hand was when a plane came back after pulling away from the ramp to pick up a team. I think this was going into the final leg and they needed the drama.

This was Rob and Amber's season and the only time I've ever felt that Rob was robbed of a win (thus far - I'm mixed on this season of "Survivor").

In a real life situation - i.e. nongame, Uchenna and Joyce would NEVER be allowed on this plane, especially post 9/11. They got the plane to do it because otherwise Rob and Amber could leisurely take their time to the final challenges.

I personally think it was payback for Rob's admittedly brilliant strategy of getting people to not do the food roadblock so all got the penalty because he couldn't eat it (not sure even I could've - I think it was raw cow meat or something).

The second tainted moment was just a couple of seasons ago when a team bumped to First Class and hence deboarded the plane much quicker than the remaining teams.

This was Dan and Jordan, which was the cowboy's first season. This caused enough of an uproar and challenges that D/J shouldn't have won that we eventually got the suspicious comments from said team that the cowboys were homophobic (please note, I found the timing of alleged comments too coincidental to not raise that question - I do not find that to be a fact).

Both of these moments caused such uproars that while I don't recall public statements from TPTB, they've never been allowed to happen since. Maybe, just maybe, the sharing of info to the point a team does not even attempt a challenge, and the late U-turn has created enough dissatisfaction among viewers that TPTB will make a few changes in the rules and leg creations.

The first one should've never happened to begin with - technically if that was on the US soil, they'd just broke federal law getting that plane to come back. I was stunned that it was allowed, but have never faulted Uchenna and Joyce (who I do like, but felt it was unfair) - that was something THEY - as mere regular folk - could change. It was production plain and simple.

Second one I don't think we've seen happen since, but I don't know if that's been because last season we had nice teams in the final three (yes, even the dating couple was nice overall, but not my favorites) and they probably wouldn't have resorted to that tactic.

Here, I think the lesson learned is that on any measuring challenge, they MUST use the odometer or show the marks used to get the answer. Clean marks or unmatching odometer to the answer means they go back.

The error of this challenge was that they did NOT resort to using the odometer for the answer. They required the contestants to write down the answer. I'm sure they thought "Well, the contestants will if they get lost, count the kilometers they did wrong and be honest and give the right answer." The problem is, when they did that, they opened it up for just giving people the answer, letting them ride to the checkpoint, get the directions to the castle and go.

Production fell here - in spite of their good intentions - thinking the contestants would play this one honestly and if they didn't get the right answer would go back.

BTW - has anyone else found it odd there haven't been many articles from Jet and Cord two days after the fact?

[Tilden]

BTW - has anyone else found it odd there haven't been many articles from Jet and Cord two days after the fact?

I wonder if Jet and Cord just weren't all that interested in doing multiple interviews. For them, it's old news (after all, they knew long ago that they lost and how they lost), and from the interview that was posted here, they aren't giving the kind of "We were robbed!" comments that a lot of publications might want from them. Being relatively reserved and unlikely to make accusations does not, unfortunately, make anyone particularly newsworthy anymore, no matter what he/she has accomplished.

Sadly, if they screamed foul and carried on drunkenly about how unfair their loss was, they'd probably get way more coverage.

[Tilden]

The error of this challenge was that they did NOT resort to using the odometer for the answer. They required the contestants to write down the answer. I'm sure they thought "Well, the contestants will if they get lost, count the kilometers they did wrong and be honest and give the right answer." The problem is, when they did that, they opened it up for just giving people the answer, letting them ride to the checkpoint, get the directions to the castle and go.


Even if they'd just insisted on a silent check-in (write the number down but do NOT say it aloud to anyone, including the person handing out the next clue), I think that may have eliminated all the problems with people handing on the answers to others. I think it's quite possible that when Justin told the racer behind him at the checkpoint that the answer was 22, he thought he was simply confirming her answer for her--at that point, he had no idea she had lost her map and really wasn't sure of her own answer at all. After that, the whole thing just snowballed. If the rules had stated that the answer could not be communicated to anyone else until everyone had made it through that leg of the race without the person passing on the information incurring a significant penalty, then there would have been no problem.

If they don't start instituting such rules, I fear for future seasons turning more into teams of racers working against other teams of racers to knock out teams they feel are a threat instead of duos just concentrating on getting through the tasks themselves. If they want that kind of race, then they should just set one up with two larger teams competing against one another.

[NCLurker]

Just watched last night's episode and I am royally pissed.

I think a new rule needs to be instituted, if one team helps another team then they should both be forced to do another task. I personally hate it when a team does not complete a task on their own but gets the answer from another team.

The rules in the measuring the distance task on the bike was, if you get the wrong answer you have to go back and do it again. So, how many teams got the answer from another team and didn't get the answer on their own? I really hate that. And, how can you say you deserve to win the game when you didn't actually do everything yourself? I guess I'm just too honest, I certainly would be embarrased to say I was the best because I cheated.

I kinda liked the globetrotter guys but as of today, hope they get kicked off and soon, what they pulled just sucked. They knew full well their position vs the cowboys (they just dropped off their last 2 bags and the cowboys had at least 2 more to go). All they needed to do was win a foot race. What kind of pro athletes aren't secure in their abilities that they would feel the need to force the cowboys to do the other task.

Oh, and the goth guy? He's a WIMP!!!!! What MAN allows his girlfried to pull him in a cart? He just emasculated himself!!!!!!

Frankly, I'm tired of this "all star" season. I'm not fond of them in general and this one in particular is very lame.

Maybe TPTB will see some posts and re-think this lazy way of casting a season.

The bolded really made me laugh, While I agree with the majority of what it says, He didn't JUST emasculate himself. I think that had been done way before this race.

[fan999]

... The ones I can think of off hand was when a plane came back after pulling away from the ramp to pick up a team....

Do we know that the plane actually left the gate? Or did they just close the doors? The pilot alone could have the doors reopened. But actually returning to the gate from the taxiway involves airline management, the other airlines, air traffic control, TSA and other authorities, most of whom have no interest in TAR's ratings. Did we actually see the plane leave and return?

Also, maybe the moped challenge should have been run like a road rally, with checkpoints along the way. If they had to get the correct numbers at each of five or six checkpoints, it would have been harder for teams to help each other. But I think it would be difficult to prohibit the teams from talking to each other.

[Duckyface]

Cowboys classy as ever. I'll bet their families and friends are incredibly proud of them.

'Amazing Race' Cowboys Jet And Cord: Our Only Alliance Was Each Other | XFINITY TV News

Obviously to these two their integrity is worth more than money. They wouldn't give it up to win the race and they won't give it up by badmouthing the others for more interviews and more $$. Someone raised these guys right.

[jadewarlock]

Do we know that the plane actually left the gate? Or did they just close the doors? The pilot alone could have the doors reopened. But actually returning to the gate from the taxiway involves airline management, the other airlines, air traffic control, TSA and other authorities, most of whom have no interest in TAR's ratings. Did we actually see the plane leave and return?

They had already started taxiing from the gate. Now admittedly it could've been staged for ratings sake (i.e. departing shot after the fact); however, I think TSA or the airport where this was filmed would've sued for a staged footage because it would give the illusion that they break the law.

Also, maybe the moped challenge should have been run like a road rally, with checkpoints along the way. If they had to get the correct numbers at each of five or six checkpoints, it would have been harder for teams to help each other. But I think it would be difficult to prohibit the teams from talking to each other.

Stages or just looking at the odometer at the end would've been key here. The advantages on stages would've been a shorter distance to return and remeasure instead of all the way back and again to the checkpoint.

[RealityLovesMe]

I am actually pretty glad the cowboys are gone. I think the reason it has taken so long for an all woman team to win is because the athletic males can make as many mistakes as they like and advance to the next leg of the race because they can outrun everyone. That has been the cowboys' strategy. I do like it when people use skill or strategy to get ahead rather than athleticism. I am not a fan of the Goths but I do like that they have been able to stay in the competition because they were good at the tasks.

[jadewarlock]

I am actually pretty glad the cowboys are gone. I think the reason it has taken so long for an all woman team to win is because the athletic males can make as many mistakes as they like and advance to the next leg of the race because they can outrun everyone. That has been the cowboys' strategy. I do like it when people use skill or strategy to get ahead rather than athleticism. I am not a fan of the Goths but I do like that they have been able to stay in the competition because they were good at the tasks.

I have to disagree here - the cowboys weren't so speedy as they were lucky in a lot of cases to get a task that played up to their skills when threatened with elimination, i.e. the roping task in previous years or even riding a yak.

In some cases they lucked out because others played worse. Even they knew at least a couple of times it should've been them eliminated but the other team just was unlucky.

I think there were maybe one or two cases where speed via running ended up being the cowboy's advantage. From my viewing - running was NEVER strategy for the cowboys as much as just do the tasks quickly, which is all teams' goal.

And, I have to disagree with your assessment of the Goths - they are ONLY in this race right now because the producers only assessed a 30 minute penalty for a missed REQUIRED flight. I was surprised as many of us they were allowed to continue. Emily and Nancy first season alone at least attempted to do a challenge, gave up rode a taxi and were assessed a 24 HOUR penalty. (Another reason I'm not fond of the incident night before last - and had they be assessed the same penalty, team Guido would've been eliminated).

They have also been very VERY lucky with things such as getting the answer to the motor task handed to them, that Vyxsyn has NOT had another meltdown (note, Kent has had several meltdowns the past couple of challenges because they were "too hard"), and that Kent hasn't said "I quit." He's already acting like a quitter now (I mean - really, Vyxsyn PULLING HIM IN A CART?!), he just hasn't said it.

Note, I can see why the cowboys are gone, but they were eliminated more because production made a dumb judgment on how to handle the roadblock IMHO than their lack of skills. This doesn't mean they WOULD'VE advanced (we cannot know for sure), but it does factor in given that at least two other teams would've started over again on the count had they not been handed the answer.

[RealityLovesMe]

I have to disagree here - the cowboys weren't so speedy as they were lucky in a lot of cases to get a task that played up to their skills when threatened with elimination, i.e. the roping task in previous years or even riding a yak.

In some cases they lucked out because others played worse. Even they knew at least a couple of times it should've been them eliminated but the other team just was unlucky.

I think there were maybe one or two cases where speed via running ended up being the cowboy's advantage. From my viewing - running was NEVER strategy for the cowboys as much as just do the tasks quickly, which is all teams' goal.

And, I have to disagree with your assessment of the Goths - they are ONLY in this race right now because the producers only assessed a 30 minute penalty for a missed REQUIRED flight. I was surprised as many of us they were allowed to continue. Emily and Nancy first season alone at least attempted to do a challenge, gave up rode a taxi and were assessed a 24 HOUR penalty. (Another reason I'm not fond of the incident night before last - and had they be assessed the same penalty, team Guido would've been eliminated).

They have also been very VERY lucky with things such as getting the answer to the motor task handed to them, that Vyxsyn has NOT had another meltdown (note, Kent has had several meltdowns the past couple of challenges because they were "too hard"), and that Kent hasn't said "I quit." He's already acting like a quitter now (I mean - really, Vyxsyn PULLING HIM IN A CART?!), he just hasn't said it.

Note, I can see why the cowboys are gone, but they were eliminated more because production made a dumb judgment on how to handle the roadblock IMHO than their lack of skills. This doesn't mean they WOULD'VE advanced (we cannot know for sure), but it does factor in given that at least two other teams would've started over again on the count had they not been handed the answer.

I can see your point about luck coming into play. Luck does matter a lot in the race. I think the 30 minute penalty for taking another flight was fair because it was a much later flight. It should have been a bigger penalty if it was an earlier flight. Whatever the case, they have made a lot of mistakes also. I really want them to go home.
I think the cowboys are gone because their mistakes finally did them in. They could have had an alliance like everyone else. Then they would not have had to do the task over. But their initial guess was way off. The other teams did play within the rules. The rules are set before the race begins and I think they took advantage of loopholes. This is the second time these teams have been on this race. They are savvy enough to manipulate the rules.