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spiderbraidsWe bring season 37 to a close with my 100th post in the TAR tag (whoo!)
Ep 9
- This week, Naples, Italy, and before the flight, Aly/Jo talk to the other teams about getting an Express Pass by walking on hot coals, which from the way they're talking about it must have been last leg in Sofia... Anyways, they're going to pick up a clue at a fortress from a "capitano" and they'll ride a funicular up (Carson/Jack: "If anyone's gonna put the fun in funicular it's gonna be us") There's plenty of ooh-ahhing over Naples, and Josiah quipping about using Spanish with an Italian accent to get by, but let's skip straight to where I came in on the original airing, where Jo/Ana are getting a clue for a grocery delivery by bucket task, where teams will have a shopping list and money lowered in a bucket from a house (marked with red and yellow flowers), which teams will then use to buy groceries and then deliver them back... Phil Keoghan brags about the bucket delivery being a "hard-to-beat life hack" for delivery groceries without using stairs LOL.
- Let's check in with the last team at the previous task though, and it's Han/Holden making cheese :-) They've been doubting quite a bit if they're doing it right as they have their globs of cheese checked, but thankfully they've made 4 of their needed 6 on the first go :-) Back at grocery task, of course the list is in Italian, though Ana correctly surmises that the entry for "Salsicce" is sausage, since Italian is similar to Spanish :-) Brett/Mark are next to get to the grocery task
- Back at cheese, the adjudicator calls Han/Holden's next batch of cheese globs magnifico as they leave in last :-) Carson/Jack are taking their time to find the clue pickup for the grocery task, and even finding a map in town is of no help, so they end up needing help from a passerby with a phone... and it turns out Han/Holden are getting help via phone as well :-) After a while looking, Jo/Ana get the sausage and quip about shopping like the locals :-)
- Carson/Jack have arrived to pick up the clue (albeit with B-roll of the street instead of the actual clue pickup), and Jo/Ana pick up "panelle" bread :-) During the task Brett/Mark quip that "All we want is espresso and margherita pizza" and wish they had time for those, as they strike up a little convo with the deli owner as they brag about how much they love Napoli and think the people are amazing, also mentioning they want to eat the food... This will be important later :-) (At some point, Aly/Jo get the clue pickup and perform the grocery task rather uneventfully since I have no notes about them doing this task)
- Jo/Ana are first to finish the task and get the next clue with Brett/Mark just behind: Get to some square with cars, then be driven to a restaurant... Ooh, Brett/Mark might like this :-) Anyways, Jo/Ana are getting someone to Google Map directions to the square, and it's a really long chat with that someone, and Brett/Mark end up getting to the square first and get a car... Of course they're hoping for a pizza task :-)
- Aly/Jo finish the bucket task in 4th, with Han/Holden just now starting that same task... Jo/Ana and Brett/Mark spot each other in their cars, while Aly/Jo correctly surmises that Han/Holden are far behind, as they're trying to get help from the vegetable vendor on what panelle is, but it doesn't seem he can understand their request for a phone, even as they're asking him in French (???) Brett/Mark and Carson/Jack are at the restaurant for the RB titled "Who's feeling saucy?" As they might have expected, a pizza task :-) Phil Keoghan claims that few would argue against pizza being the world's favorite food, which LOL. Anyways, pizza was invented in Naples in the 19th century, and today contestants will play the role of "pizzaioli" (fancy Italian for pizza-makers) and make it from scratch, following the demo, which involves cooking it in a 900 degree oven (uh, a little too hot methinks?) In order for Jack to keep his one RB quota remaining, Carson will be doing the task, even though he considers himself a bad chef (ooh!)
- This pizza is a simple margherita, with sauce, basil, two kinds of cheese, and olive oil, as Jo/Ana arrive and Ana's joining in, because she used to work for Domino's :-) Back at groceries, Han/Holden get their sausage from a butcher, and the butcher makes a chef's kiss for the camera LOL. Aly/Jo show up with Aly doing it, and as if having a pizza task wasn't enough for Brett/Mark, non-participating contestants get to share pizza as well LOL! (To quote one of Brett/Mark: "This is the dream") Ana is the first to note one big tip in making pizza: Always flour the paddle, which she knows from making thousand in the couple years she worked at Domino's :-) And while Han/Holden are finishing the groceries, Ana gets the pizza on the first go, as she quips "Working at Domino's paid off" :-) Pitstop is Castel Nuovo, which is of course a castle, and Phil's spiel is missing one thing we've heard every single leg for a couple seasons... More on that later :-)
- While Carson finds that he needs to put in more oil and cheese, Brett/Mark are next to get a passing pizza, also on their first go, where as Ana and Carson manage to get rejected without even being allowed to bake their attempts through :-\ Aly says unless Han/Holden show up and ace the task, while she drops her pizza and slips on it, she won't use the Express Pass :-) Jo/Ana arrive at the pitstop, with Ana quipping about how Domino's was her first job in high school and she made the best pizzas at her branch, as she delivers the band at the pitstop their pizza peace offering :-) With the win, they're getting a trip to Mexico City (Canal tours! Frida Kahlo museum! Wrestling! Hot air balloon over the pyramids!) After Brett/Mark also deliver their pizza in 2nd, Carson's latest effort is rejected as the pizzaiolo calls it "Mother and son" because of how small it is :-\
- Alyssa's pizza is bellissimo, so no need for the express pass, while Carson's latest pizza is too square, as he explains how many ways his pizza went wrong in a confessional, so he's hoping to making his next one the "Pizza de resistance" LOL. Jack quips that watching Carson make pizza would be worse without the pizza he's eating, and would be even worse with Han/Holden showing up... Well, Han/Holden show up, and Bao Han is feeling saucy, as Carson is baking his pizza... and thankfully for Carson, his latest is the best crust of the day :-)
- Aly/Jo make quite a pizza delivery in 3rd, as Phil quips about trying to slice things up (with too many lame attempts at word play between the three of them :-)) Carson/Jack think they have a few minutes on Han/Holden, and as Bao Han manages to make a good pizza first go, Carson/Jack make a quip about how people do not seem to know directions around here... but they still make it to the mat first, though Phil notices them dropping their clue and has them pick it up before formally checking them in in 4th :-)
- After Carson/Jack run off with a silly pose, to the band's music, Han/Holden bring up the rear with the last of the pizzas... After Phil confirms the last place finish, he comments on how they survived 9 legs, before talking up how this race has had many surprises, and here's one more: This is a non-elimination leg, first in a really long time, so Han/Holden are still in the race, as Han/Holden comment that they're the first team in seasons to hear that :-)
Ep 10
- We're in Strasbourg, France today, and teams are arriving via train after flying to Frankfurt... On the rerun, I briefly glimpsed Aly/Jo getting a clue after some sort of recitation task in 4th, Brett/Mark getting lost but hoping to have another comeback, then Han/Holden and Carson/Jack arriving at the Roadblock, titled "Who's ready to go head to head?", and it's water jousting ("Not a major league sport" says Phil Keoghan, but it's endured for a thousand years :-)) Basically slow-motion jousting on rowboats, and contestants joust each other in pairs: Winner moves on, loser plays next team, last place team gets 10 minutes penalty :-) Bao Han is playing this one, while Carson/Jack are excited at the prospect of doing a Ren Faire fantasy, as they surmise that most teams have never seen jousting :-) Later on, there's a task involving memorizing cheese names, and Han/Holden are trying Roquefort and quip that it's so strong it could kill a horse LOL. In confessional, Bao Han quips that it's not great to eat cheese on an empty stomach, and especially more so with a lactose intolerant person, also feeling sorry for someone in the car with them (just as well it's a self drive leg this week)
- Let's skip ahead to where I tuned in on the original: Aly/Jo and Brett/Mark are the last team memorizing cheeses... As already mentioned last leg, Aly/Jo have the Express Pass, and they've been hoping to use it at the right time... Well, this sure looks like a good time, so they're using it, with Brett/Mark finishing the task just behind, before heading to a large cathedral, climbing up tons of stairs, and getting a Detour clue between Out to Dry and For the Birds, which we'll get to in a moment, since those tasks are both in a different town... to where Carson/Jack are driving right now, as they comment that the race is not a place to solve your control issues, but use them to your advantage :-)
- While Han/Holden get lost on the way to the town of Scherwiller, Carson/Jack arrive, park their car, and run past a washer and her cart to watch a washing demonstration, as Out to Dry involves cleaning laundry covered with crayon stains, grass stains, and dirt stains ("Wow, who wore these?") The team helpfully explains the task in detail: Put clothes in water, soap up the stain, scrub, then water again, squeegee out the water, then hang to dry (like I said in the Dubai leg last post, Jon Collins would be proud :-)) Back with Brett/Mark, they're talking about how to get to Scherwiller, and say if they can handle it right, "I might cry tears of joy" LOL as they're trying to play the comeback card again :-)
- Aly/Jo initially miss the exit, and are "hoping to god everyone's lost" But Brett/Mark are first to arrive at the For The Birds detour, which involves making a stork nest by basically weaving branches into wreath on frame, then securing with wire :-) Brett/Mark have the pick of the stations, and they're using one with a view, before quipping about the cheese they left in their pocket :-D Anyways, they compare it to a pterodactyl nest and have a nice word play on counting chickens before they hatch, adding "We're building the nest to they can hatch in the nest" :-)
- Carson/Jack are overhearing the French ladies' gossip, and quip that they're probably wishing their husbands were like that LOL. In confessional they mention that it gave them "silly energy" to do the washing :-) Aly/Jo are next to do For the Birds, and Jo used to do do landscaping with his grandpa and hopes it will come into play, adding that if it can attack storks, they'll take it as a sign :-)
- Carson/Jack quip that the French ladies are "Calling us handome awesome and hot" as they finish washing up, and Han/Holden have arrived to wash as well, leaving Jo/Ana in last place, as they come off the highway to look for directions :-\ Carson/Jack pass the inspection and are first to get a clue to the next pitstop: Table d'Orientation in the vineyards near the town, with Phil Keoghan explaining that wine grapes have been grown here for 2000 years since Roman times, because of good soil and micro-climate, great for Riesling and Pinot Gris wines :-)
- After rejected attempts, Aly/Jo and Brett/Mark watch the demo (well, one of Brett/Mark does while the other's working on it) and notice that the wood pallet the nest was on wasn't just the work station, but also the bottom of the nest (!) Brett/Mark comment that watching the demo is TAR 101, but that's often easier said than done, which will especially be important given another detail that will come into play shortly, as both teams still get rejected :-\ Jo/Ana have arrived at washing :-) Ana moved to Mexico with her grandma at the age of 5, and grandma used handwashing like this instead of user her washer saying that the clothes wouldn't be as clean :-) Carson/Jack are #1 at Table d'Orientation, and are getting to go to Helsinki, Finland (Eco-friendly city tour! Taiga forest exploration! Arts and culture!) adding "This is the exact fire we needed to get to the finish" :-)
- Brett/Mark are still getting rejected after 4 attempts, but Aly/Jo's 3rd attempt "c'est bon" (their words!) and gets them 2nd place :-) After another rejection, they take a more detailed look at the demo and find that they need to put the knots on the bottom rather than the sides, thus getting them their clue on the 6th attempt... Aly/Jo are getting directions from some house near the RB, and once they're done they say "Ciao! I mean, bonjour" LOL. Brett/Mark have half a mind to also get directions, but ultimately end up trying to follow Aly/Jo and hoping to win in a footrace, which quickly proves a non-starter :-\ As both teams drive off, there's a short clip of a nest being installed :-)
- Han/Holden were hoping their motto of "good enough" would apply, but they've gotten a few clothes thrown back into bucket for redo :-\ Jo/Ana pass the task, as Han/Holden getting more rejects, so have to redo the wash for those before they can get their clue for the Table... and as it happens, Han/Holden and Brett/Mark notice each other in their cars for the final race to the pitstop (!)
- After Aly/Jo get directions to the Table on a hill from a woman on an ATV (same energy as the woman with shopping bags in Iceland, LOL), they park right where they met the woman and run straight to the pitstop, and after Phil Keoghan comments on their tough day, it's clear from Aly's comments about not being able to get ahead of other teams that Aly really expected to be eliminated, so she's in utter disbelief that they're #2... Aly can only say "How?" for a while until Jo quips that they "used the Express Pass right, that's what we did today" as well as quipping that "This is the TAR champ, right here" :-)
- It's a ton of intercutting between Jo/Ana, Han/Holden, and Brett/Mark trying to get to the Table, with Johnathan starting to be fed up with Ana (we'll see that come into play more next leg) saying "Lord, help me with this woman"... But as it turns out, they're number 3, and from their pitstop interview, Carson apparently beat Johnathan at water joust :-) Han/Holden turn out to be just behind them, enough that Phil has Jo/Ana tell them they're #4... So between missing more than one important detail in the nest, and having nav issues at the start and then to the Table, Brett/Mark are out in last as Phil comments on their hard day, as one of them comments "I don't think I could've done it with anyone else" and in their exit confessional they quip that "Other teams will sleep easy knowing that we're not running behind them" :-)
Ep 11
- This week (well, more on that in a bit) it's Porto (ooh!), opening with a "Valet Roulette" to get cars for the self drive leg: Take key from wheel at random, valet will bring out a car, from which there are two automatics and three manuals, the latter being the bane of most racers, and everyone's even on the same flight, thus ensuring a scramble for the keys... but as it turns out, before the flight to Porto from Frankfurt, we learn all the teams left have someone who can drive stick (one of them actually has stick at home!) There's also the full titles this week, with all the teams listed in alphabetical order :-)
- Let's skip ahead to a nearby castle where I tuned in, on a knight-themed RB titled "Who's got a steady hand" or something like that, involving hitting swinging targets with arrows on a fake horseback... Unlike the Fling task earlier this season, teams don't have to be absolutely perfect, as they get 6 arrows to hit 3 targets (in the red-painted part), and Carson/Jack, who are probably enjoying the medieval fantasy, are 1st to get it done, nailing the last target with their last arrow :-) Holden's going the Roadblock for his team, and Bao Han quips: "Is that Tyrion Lannister?" LOL.
- Alyssa's doing this task for her team, and she's struggling both with the task itself and all that chain mail she's wearing... Jo/Ana are still driving, and Ana has a message from her daughter Naya for "Day 11": "It's not over under Phil says it's over" Back at the castle, after a "Mongol-style" attempt from Holden, Alyssa manages to pass in on her 4th attempt... in the minimum 3 arrows (!) All Roadblock contestants get knighted from a "fellow" knight telling them to promise to protect your land, your family, and your friends (Josiah adds "and your husband" LOL) before rising like a knight and getting their handed their clue :-)
- After some tutoring from his teacher Andre, whom Holden refers to as a total chiller, he gets the task done in 5 arrows, talking about doing it for his people, and striking a nice pose while doing it too :-) While the rest of the teams are heading to Sao Bento by train to look for a man selling tiles, Jo/Ana arrive at the castle, where Johnathan tries to make a quip after Ana slams the castle door a bit to hard: "She broke your castle" Johnathan talks in confessional that he was not really enjoying this task because he was already accepting that they were on their way out, as Ana semi-mocks him all-dressed up saying "You look cool, dad" LOL.
- Despite some nav issues, Carson/Jack gets to the station before anyone else, and manage to get tickets to Sao Bento on the 6:40, and though they're hoping to get to go alone, Han/Holden manage to catch the same train with seconds to spare (actual note reaction: OMG!) Aly/Jo are still looking for the parking while passing a sign for Campanha (which I assume is very close to the train station itself) when they get crashed into, and briefly have to check the damage before going on... and then they have to go around a roundabout, so I don't know what's going on here :-\ Meanwhile, Johnathan gets the archery task done in 4 arrows :-)
- Well, okay, after the finale, I did a little Street View check, and found out where Aly/Jo had the crash was actually the bus station on the other side of the tracks from the train station, and the closest route to the train station from there is 2.4 kilos, so they're somewhat right to feel frustrated
- As Carson/Jack and Han/Holden arrive at Sao Bento to pick up their tiles, Phil Keoghan appears in B-roll to brag about how much Porto is an "outdoor art exhibit" in front of the same blue church my family and I passed on our trip in 2010, but the race has nothing to do with this location, as the next stop on the tile is the "ODE Porto Wine House" in Ribiera... Aly/Jo finally gets to the train station parking, and the clerk even tells Aly/Jo there were 2 teams as they buy their tix :-)
- ODE task is to complete a mosaic jigsaw puzzle style, and the picture will be for their last international pit stop; and as they're assembling, it becomes clear it's gondolas near the same bridge we went over in 2010 :-) Aly/Jo are waiting for the train, which is apparently slightly delayed... Back with Jo/Ana, they make it to the station as well, and while waiting to get their tix, Ana cuts off Johnathan in line, and Johnathan starts getting snippy about it: In confessional, he calls it "Not our best moment"... Jo/Ana are arguing a lot, and Aly/Jo hear it all the way before they arrive at the platform, because they're on the same train as well (and still arguing as they're boarding and riding)
- Carson/Jack get a passing inspection, so they can put it up on the wall... Turns out Carson's brother is a tiler, and Jack is out of a job, so he's thinking maybe he'll learn from his partner's brother and take up tiling too :-) (Spoiler: Maybe he won't need to :-)) So anyways, they have to cross the "Luis I Bridge" (an alternate name for the bridge I knew as Dom Luis) to get to the gondolas, running on the upper deck (whereas we bussed across the bottom deck) Anyways, Holden has to switch some tiles in the rocky part of the picture to get the check as well :-)
- The pitstop turns out to be close to where I have pictures of myself and of my mom :-) Carson/Jack are #1... No prize, but business class to final leg :-) Phil comments that they're nerds (his words!) who have done extremely well, with them responding that they've exceeded other teams expectation... and their own :-) In confessional they believe in living life with fun: "If it gets sucked out of it, then whats the point?" After a few Aly/Jo misses (one on the rocks, then on the sky) Han/Holden finish assembling their mosaic with Holden calling it "Picasso" LOL, before checking in in 2nd, which they think is insane that they're racing for the million... The sibs think they have a shot at #1, of course, and Phil comments that when they get it together they're a formidable team :-)
- Jo/Ana get a passing check first, but Aly/Jo are not far behind, so it's a race to put it up on the wall (!) Jo/Ana look like they're ahead by a few rows, but Johnathan breaks a tile from dropping it in their rush to assemble their "puzzle", which I assume they will have to reassemble that tile on the wall, and could be the break (heh) that the more amenable Aly/Jo need... but since we're doubling up on episodes for the finale this week, this is where proceedings stop for today, to be concluded tomorrow, oy! For a season that's had many surprises, this might be the biggest of all :-) (I remember a Survivor season that did something similar, and that would have been almost 20 years ago [!] There have been a few instances of the concluding part of one TAR leg being presented as part of the next leg's episode [example], but I don't think there's ever been one with an elimination at stake)
Ep 12
- On a rerun, I managed to see that Jo/Ana do indeed have to reassemble the broken tile directly on the wall, and Aly/Jo have closed the gap a bit by the time they're done, but Jo/Ana still remain ahead of Aly/Jo all the way to the pitstop (with Jo/Ana running across the lower deck to get there), and Aly/Jo comment that, as disappointed as they are to be eliminated before finals, not many people have enjoyed doing the race as much as they did :-) So anyways, after a montage promising one more twist (including brief glimpses of Carson/Jack diving for the Fast Forward, and Aly/Jo walking coals for the Express Pass), on to the final leg in Miami, where they're apparently supposed to Scramble through tasks called Sail (uh, sailing), Soar (hydroflight for 60 seconds), and Save (rescue training at Miami Beach, retrieve realistically-weighted mannequin on buoy visa jetski; insert surfing music in the BG LOL) in a random order, but it turns out all 3 teams are going in the same order, Save, Soar, and Sail, since it happens to be the quickest route from the cluebox :-) Also, it turns out Ana had an incident with the ocean, nearly drowning at the age of 5, so she's not a good swimmer (insert flashback to Bali leg of her saying this) and it looks like Carson/Jack are banking on this to stay ahead :-) Anyways, Ana is driving the jetski, while Johnathan does the rescuing, and at this point, they're still in first...
- Let's skip to where I tuned in on the original: they've all done Save and are now doing Soar, standing on a flyboard for 60 seconds, as a Roadblock... and Jack has just completed it in first (!) to get a puzzle piece, while Bao Han, whom even Carson/Jack thought would have gotten it quickly, only gets the pass on her 10th go :-\ Although the teacher calls her a great student, Bao Han would rather she'd done it faster, but she'll only wallow in her frustration about this until she gets back to shore; meanwhile Ana, as expected, continues to struggle, barely getting to 30 seconds on her 17th attempt
- Next stop is the Coral Reef Yacht Club for the Sail task, and since Carson/Jack liked sailing as kids, they surmise that maybe they'll have an edge... The Club has taught people how to sail for more than 6 decades, some getting scholarships and becoming world champions :-) Anyways, young sailors begin in small bathtub-sized boats known as Optimists, and here contestants shall sail one around six buoys placed around Valentine Island, and learn techniques from kids practicing in their Optimists (spoiler: no one really learns much from them :-\) There's no wind, so it's going to be quite some going...
- Speaking of hard going, Ana finally makes the full minute on attempt 21, and we spend a good bunch of screen time with Ana already disappointed that she's very likely not bringing home the big prize for her kids, and as she docks in, we spend some more time with Johnathan being decent to Ana for once, even saying of her not-so-great performance "That's to be expected" There's also a confessional talking about how even through petty fights, they're still at each other's side... whatever, moving on
- Anyways, Carson/Jack end up arm-paddling the Optimist boat, quipping "Nothing like the strength of your arm to propel you forward" as they get to the 2nd buoy :-) Holden has worked at summer camp with boats, so reckons this might be a good chance to catch up... Ultimately they end up just arm-paddling as well, as Carson/Jack also start using the rudder to paddle as they notice from the kids... They also notice the kids leaning the boat to get it to go around the buoys, which they're not so keen on, as Carson/Jack pass 4 as Han/Holden have just reached the first... Carson/Jack's arms and back start to hurt as they pass the fifth buoy, while Han/Holden are determine to "git er done" (their words) as they're passing buoy 2, while Jo/Ana are just now arriving
- Carson/Jack finally get to the 6th buoy in the "nerdiest and least cool way possible" before getting back to the pier and receiving their 3rd puzzle piece, which the puzzle assembles into a 8-dot domino with the word Calle on it, and I quickly surmised that they'd have to get to Calle Ocho; sure enough, Phil Keoghan reveals that's where they're supposed to be heading, more specifically Domino Park, and Carson/Jack get directions from someone who quickly susses this out :-)
- Carson/Jack are in crazy traffic, but that's nothing on Han/Holden getting into a crash while trying to negotiate directions (!) The other driver no habla ingles, but Holden does speaks Spanish, allowing him to negotiate themselves to go on... Holden: "You're lucky I paid attention in Spanish class" LOL. Anyways, Bao Han has to be careful driving now :-) Carson/Jack get to Domino Park first, but it's a simple clue pickup to the Ice Palace Film Studio :-) Jo/Ana finally finish the sailing, and figure out the clue quickly (though briefly during the drive, they're half-expecting a domino-related task, as one of them asks "Do you know how to play dominoes?" LOL)
- The final is, as usual, a memory puzzle involving the tasks, and in this season, game-changing twists, which are on flags to be placed behind a puzzle to be assembled from 100 pieces, in a task called "Picture Perfect Postcard Puzzle", which also allows the viewers to see the season's "greatest hits" if you will :-) And Carson/Jack happen to have the twists "seared in our brains", as I finally got to see what Valet Roulette looked like and how Carson/Jack reacted to the intersection in Osaka, that they thought the Driver's Seat was worse than the U-Turn and that the Double U-Turn vote in Bali was called a "Live U-Turn" :-) Carson/Jack get into puzzle mode as Han/Holden show up, and both teams are quick to recognize that the puzzle pieces spell out "Amazing Race" :-)
- B-roll shows it's about to rain in Miami, but they're indoors at the studio, so the drama will remain dry :-) (And from local broadcaster, a single quick ID where the final ad break of the season would have been, a la Bali) There are also pieces for pictures of landmarks that have pegs to stick on the Amazing Race lettering... Carson/Jack have further progress than Han/Holden, as they note that the letters are the hard part compared to the pictures, but they still handle that part well to get their final clue for Loandepot Park, home of baseball's Florida Marlins, first :-)
- Jo/Ana are in last, and they're quick to figure out the puzzle pieces spell Amazing Race, and Johnathan also says he's good at puzzles, as there's intercutting between the other teams stuck on the puzzle task, and Carson/Jack trying to handle the traffic and directions to find the park, in the rain I might add... Han/Holden are 2nd to get the clue, and get a map with directions as well
- But Carson/Jack are reaching the park right now, and running in to claim first place and the million, after 9 countries, 18 cities, and over 29,000 miles, and on the final mat, they quip "What more could you want?" LOL. They brag about how they fell they're the luckiest people in the whole world, adding that "Doing it with your best friend is the most magical thing ever", which feels very much like Rob/Brennan from the very first season :-) They go on about how doing adventures they'd only imagined before in real life was the most perfect part of the story (and I suspect there's been a bit of editing around here since an odd flash-frame was left in during their spiel)
- Jo/Ana finally finish the puzzle and the adjudicator wishes them good luck for their future, and while they're busy stuck at a drawbridge, Han/Holden are 2nd to the park, and of course Holden never wanted to do the race with anyone else :-) This was the first time in their life they'd worked together, and from that point 2nd is not bad (they say as much, though nothing about Bao Han underperforming at a water task), adding that the fact they never gave up says a lot about their character... Jo/Ana finish 3rd, and Phil Keoghan comments about Ana literally trying to walk on water, calling it her nightmare challenge, while Johnathan talks about how the race helped his tolerance level (sure about that?) adding that making the top 3 "speaks to how well we work, love each other, and support each other"
- Holden comments about having a winning spirit isn't about wanting to win, but trying to be better than yesterday... But of course Carson/Jack get to have the last word, as they brag out how they channeled their self-belief from their imaginary adventures into their racing, and now "We're the heroes... Doing it with my best friend, what a cherry on top" :-) TAR ends the season by dedicating finale to their dear friend Jack Walworth, adding "Travel safe, Jack"... And as I'm checking CBS' announced fall schedule, there's going to be a new season in the fall (yay), and it'll still be 90-minute episodes (boo... yeah, I normally wouldn't be against having longer TAR eps, but I prefer them as a special treat than a regular thing)
Ep 9
- This week, Naples, Italy, and before the flight, Aly/Jo talk to the other teams about getting an Express Pass by walking on hot coals, which from the way they're talking about it must have been last leg in Sofia... Anyways, they're going to pick up a clue at a fortress from a "capitano" and they'll ride a funicular up (Carson/Jack: "If anyone's gonna put the fun in funicular it's gonna be us") There's plenty of ooh-ahhing over Naples, and Josiah quipping about using Spanish with an Italian accent to get by, but let's skip straight to where I came in on the original airing, where Jo/Ana are getting a clue for a grocery delivery by bucket task, where teams will have a shopping list and money lowered in a bucket from a house (marked with red and yellow flowers), which teams will then use to buy groceries and then deliver them back... Phil Keoghan brags about the bucket delivery being a "hard-to-beat life hack" for delivery groceries without using stairs LOL.
- Let's check in with the last team at the previous task though, and it's Han/Holden making cheese :-) They've been doubting quite a bit if they're doing it right as they have their globs of cheese checked, but thankfully they've made 4 of their needed 6 on the first go :-) Back at grocery task, of course the list is in Italian, though Ana correctly surmises that the entry for "Salsicce" is sausage, since Italian is similar to Spanish :-) Brett/Mark are next to get to the grocery task
- Back at cheese, the adjudicator calls Han/Holden's next batch of cheese globs magnifico as they leave in last :-) Carson/Jack are taking their time to find the clue pickup for the grocery task, and even finding a map in town is of no help, so they end up needing help from a passerby with a phone... and it turns out Han/Holden are getting help via phone as well :-) After a while looking, Jo/Ana get the sausage and quip about shopping like the locals :-)
- Carson/Jack have arrived to pick up the clue (albeit with B-roll of the street instead of the actual clue pickup), and Jo/Ana pick up "panelle" bread :-) During the task Brett/Mark quip that "All we want is espresso and margherita pizza" and wish they had time for those, as they strike up a little convo with the deli owner as they brag about how much they love Napoli and think the people are amazing, also mentioning they want to eat the food... This will be important later :-) (At some point, Aly/Jo get the clue pickup and perform the grocery task rather uneventfully since I have no notes about them doing this task)
- Jo/Ana are first to finish the task and get the next clue with Brett/Mark just behind: Get to some square with cars, then be driven to a restaurant... Ooh, Brett/Mark might like this :-) Anyways, Jo/Ana are getting someone to Google Map directions to the square, and it's a really long chat with that someone, and Brett/Mark end up getting to the square first and get a car... Of course they're hoping for a pizza task :-)
- Aly/Jo finish the bucket task in 4th, with Han/Holden just now starting that same task... Jo/Ana and Brett/Mark spot each other in their cars, while Aly/Jo correctly surmises that Han/Holden are far behind, as they're trying to get help from the vegetable vendor on what panelle is, but it doesn't seem he can understand their request for a phone, even as they're asking him in French (???) Brett/Mark and Carson/Jack are at the restaurant for the RB titled "Who's feeling saucy?" As they might have expected, a pizza task :-) Phil Keoghan claims that few would argue against pizza being the world's favorite food, which LOL. Anyways, pizza was invented in Naples in the 19th century, and today contestants will play the role of "pizzaioli" (fancy Italian for pizza-makers) and make it from scratch, following the demo, which involves cooking it in a 900 degree oven (uh, a little too hot methinks?) In order for Jack to keep his one RB quota remaining, Carson will be doing the task, even though he considers himself a bad chef (ooh!)
- This pizza is a simple margherita, with sauce, basil, two kinds of cheese, and olive oil, as Jo/Ana arrive and Ana's joining in, because she used to work for Domino's :-) Back at groceries, Han/Holden get their sausage from a butcher, and the butcher makes a chef's kiss for the camera LOL. Aly/Jo show up with Aly doing it, and as if having a pizza task wasn't enough for Brett/Mark, non-participating contestants get to share pizza as well LOL! (To quote one of Brett/Mark: "This is the dream") Ana is the first to note one big tip in making pizza: Always flour the paddle, which she knows from making thousand in the couple years she worked at Domino's :-) And while Han/Holden are finishing the groceries, Ana gets the pizza on the first go, as she quips "Working at Domino's paid off" :-) Pitstop is Castel Nuovo, which is of course a castle, and Phil's spiel is missing one thing we've heard every single leg for a couple seasons... More on that later :-)
- While Carson finds that he needs to put in more oil and cheese, Brett/Mark are next to get a passing pizza, also on their first go, where as Ana and Carson manage to get rejected without even being allowed to bake their attempts through :-\ Aly says unless Han/Holden show up and ace the task, while she drops her pizza and slips on it, she won't use the Express Pass :-) Jo/Ana arrive at the pitstop, with Ana quipping about how Domino's was her first job in high school and she made the best pizzas at her branch, as she delivers the band at the pitstop their pizza peace offering :-) With the win, they're getting a trip to Mexico City (Canal tours! Frida Kahlo museum! Wrestling! Hot air balloon over the pyramids!) After Brett/Mark also deliver their pizza in 2nd, Carson's latest effort is rejected as the pizzaiolo calls it "Mother and son" because of how small it is :-\
- Alyssa's pizza is bellissimo, so no need for the express pass, while Carson's latest pizza is too square, as he explains how many ways his pizza went wrong in a confessional, so he's hoping to making his next one the "Pizza de resistance" LOL. Jack quips that watching Carson make pizza would be worse without the pizza he's eating, and would be even worse with Han/Holden showing up... Well, Han/Holden show up, and Bao Han is feeling saucy, as Carson is baking his pizza... and thankfully for Carson, his latest is the best crust of the day :-)
- Aly/Jo make quite a pizza delivery in 3rd, as Phil quips about trying to slice things up (with too many lame attempts at word play between the three of them :-)) Carson/Jack think they have a few minutes on Han/Holden, and as Bao Han manages to make a good pizza first go, Carson/Jack make a quip about how people do not seem to know directions around here... but they still make it to the mat first, though Phil notices them dropping their clue and has them pick it up before formally checking them in in 4th :-)
- After Carson/Jack run off with a silly pose, to the band's music, Han/Holden bring up the rear with the last of the pizzas... After Phil confirms the last place finish, he comments on how they survived 9 legs, before talking up how this race has had many surprises, and here's one more: This is a non-elimination leg, first in a really long time, so Han/Holden are still in the race, as Han/Holden comment that they're the first team in seasons to hear that :-)
Ep 10
- We're in Strasbourg, France today, and teams are arriving via train after flying to Frankfurt... On the rerun, I briefly glimpsed Aly/Jo getting a clue after some sort of recitation task in 4th, Brett/Mark getting lost but hoping to have another comeback, then Han/Holden and Carson/Jack arriving at the Roadblock, titled "Who's ready to go head to head?", and it's water jousting ("Not a major league sport" says Phil Keoghan, but it's endured for a thousand years :-)) Basically slow-motion jousting on rowboats, and contestants joust each other in pairs: Winner moves on, loser plays next team, last place team gets 10 minutes penalty :-) Bao Han is playing this one, while Carson/Jack are excited at the prospect of doing a Ren Faire fantasy, as they surmise that most teams have never seen jousting :-) Later on, there's a task involving memorizing cheese names, and Han/Holden are trying Roquefort and quip that it's so strong it could kill a horse LOL. In confessional, Bao Han quips that it's not great to eat cheese on an empty stomach, and especially more so with a lactose intolerant person, also feeling sorry for someone in the car with them (just as well it's a self drive leg this week)
- Let's skip ahead to where I tuned in on the original: Aly/Jo and Brett/Mark are the last team memorizing cheeses... As already mentioned last leg, Aly/Jo have the Express Pass, and they've been hoping to use it at the right time... Well, this sure looks like a good time, so they're using it, with Brett/Mark finishing the task just behind, before heading to a large cathedral, climbing up tons of stairs, and getting a Detour clue between Out to Dry and For the Birds, which we'll get to in a moment, since those tasks are both in a different town... to where Carson/Jack are driving right now, as they comment that the race is not a place to solve your control issues, but use them to your advantage :-)
- While Han/Holden get lost on the way to the town of Scherwiller, Carson/Jack arrive, park their car, and run past a washer and her cart to watch a washing demonstration, as Out to Dry involves cleaning laundry covered with crayon stains, grass stains, and dirt stains ("Wow, who wore these?") The team helpfully explains the task in detail: Put clothes in water, soap up the stain, scrub, then water again, squeegee out the water, then hang to dry (like I said in the Dubai leg last post, Jon Collins would be proud :-)) Back with Brett/Mark, they're talking about how to get to Scherwiller, and say if they can handle it right, "I might cry tears of joy" LOL as they're trying to play the comeback card again :-)
- Aly/Jo initially miss the exit, and are "hoping to god everyone's lost" But Brett/Mark are first to arrive at the For The Birds detour, which involves making a stork nest by basically weaving branches into wreath on frame, then securing with wire :-) Brett/Mark have the pick of the stations, and they're using one with a view, before quipping about the cheese they left in their pocket :-D Anyways, they compare it to a pterodactyl nest and have a nice word play on counting chickens before they hatch, adding "We're building the nest to they can hatch in the nest" :-)
- Carson/Jack are overhearing the French ladies' gossip, and quip that they're probably wishing their husbands were like that LOL. In confessional they mention that it gave them "silly energy" to do the washing :-) Aly/Jo are next to do For the Birds, and Jo used to do do landscaping with his grandpa and hopes it will come into play, adding that if it can attack storks, they'll take it as a sign :-)
- Carson/Jack quip that the French ladies are "Calling us handome awesome and hot" as they finish washing up, and Han/Holden have arrived to wash as well, leaving Jo/Ana in last place, as they come off the highway to look for directions :-\ Carson/Jack pass the inspection and are first to get a clue to the next pitstop: Table d'Orientation in the vineyards near the town, with Phil Keoghan explaining that wine grapes have been grown here for 2000 years since Roman times, because of good soil and micro-climate, great for Riesling and Pinot Gris wines :-)
- After rejected attempts, Aly/Jo and Brett/Mark watch the demo (well, one of Brett/Mark does while the other's working on it) and notice that the wood pallet the nest was on wasn't just the work station, but also the bottom of the nest (!) Brett/Mark comment that watching the demo is TAR 101, but that's often easier said than done, which will especially be important given another detail that will come into play shortly, as both teams still get rejected :-\ Jo/Ana have arrived at washing :-) Ana moved to Mexico with her grandma at the age of 5, and grandma used handwashing like this instead of user her washer saying that the clothes wouldn't be as clean :-) Carson/Jack are #1 at Table d'Orientation, and are getting to go to Helsinki, Finland (Eco-friendly city tour! Taiga forest exploration! Arts and culture!) adding "This is the exact fire we needed to get to the finish" :-)
- Brett/Mark are still getting rejected after 4 attempts, but Aly/Jo's 3rd attempt "c'est bon" (their words!) and gets them 2nd place :-) After another rejection, they take a more detailed look at the demo and find that they need to put the knots on the bottom rather than the sides, thus getting them their clue on the 6th attempt... Aly/Jo are getting directions from some house near the RB, and once they're done they say "Ciao! I mean, bonjour" LOL. Brett/Mark have half a mind to also get directions, but ultimately end up trying to follow Aly/Jo and hoping to win in a footrace, which quickly proves a non-starter :-\ As both teams drive off, there's a short clip of a nest being installed :-)
- Han/Holden were hoping their motto of "good enough" would apply, but they've gotten a few clothes thrown back into bucket for redo :-\ Jo/Ana pass the task, as Han/Holden getting more rejects, so have to redo the wash for those before they can get their clue for the Table... and as it happens, Han/Holden and Brett/Mark notice each other in their cars for the final race to the pitstop (!)
- After Aly/Jo get directions to the Table on a hill from a woman on an ATV (same energy as the woman with shopping bags in Iceland, LOL), they park right where they met the woman and run straight to the pitstop, and after Phil Keoghan comments on their tough day, it's clear from Aly's comments about not being able to get ahead of other teams that Aly really expected to be eliminated, so she's in utter disbelief that they're #2... Aly can only say "How?" for a while until Jo quips that they "used the Express Pass right, that's what we did today" as well as quipping that "This is the TAR champ, right here" :-)
- It's a ton of intercutting between Jo/Ana, Han/Holden, and Brett/Mark trying to get to the Table, with Johnathan starting to be fed up with Ana (we'll see that come into play more next leg) saying "Lord, help me with this woman"... But as it turns out, they're number 3, and from their pitstop interview, Carson apparently beat Johnathan at water joust :-) Han/Holden turn out to be just behind them, enough that Phil has Jo/Ana tell them they're #4... So between missing more than one important detail in the nest, and having nav issues at the start and then to the Table, Brett/Mark are out in last as Phil comments on their hard day, as one of them comments "I don't think I could've done it with anyone else" and in their exit confessional they quip that "Other teams will sleep easy knowing that we're not running behind them" :-)
Ep 11
- This week (well, more on that in a bit) it's Porto (ooh!), opening with a "Valet Roulette" to get cars for the self drive leg: Take key from wheel at random, valet will bring out a car, from which there are two automatics and three manuals, the latter being the bane of most racers, and everyone's even on the same flight, thus ensuring a scramble for the keys... but as it turns out, before the flight to Porto from Frankfurt, we learn all the teams left have someone who can drive stick (one of them actually has stick at home!) There's also the full titles this week, with all the teams listed in alphabetical order :-)
- Let's skip ahead to a nearby castle where I tuned in, on a knight-themed RB titled "Who's got a steady hand" or something like that, involving hitting swinging targets with arrows on a fake horseback... Unlike the Fling task earlier this season, teams don't have to be absolutely perfect, as they get 6 arrows to hit 3 targets (in the red-painted part), and Carson/Jack, who are probably enjoying the medieval fantasy, are 1st to get it done, nailing the last target with their last arrow :-) Holden's going the Roadblock for his team, and Bao Han quips: "Is that Tyrion Lannister?" LOL.
- Alyssa's doing this task for her team, and she's struggling both with the task itself and all that chain mail she's wearing... Jo/Ana are still driving, and Ana has a message from her daughter Naya for "Day 11": "It's not over under Phil says it's over" Back at the castle, after a "Mongol-style" attempt from Holden, Alyssa manages to pass in on her 4th attempt... in the minimum 3 arrows (!) All Roadblock contestants get knighted from a "fellow" knight telling them to promise to protect your land, your family, and your friends (Josiah adds "and your husband" LOL) before rising like a knight and getting their handed their clue :-)
- After some tutoring from his teacher Andre, whom Holden refers to as a total chiller, he gets the task done in 5 arrows, talking about doing it for his people, and striking a nice pose while doing it too :-) While the rest of the teams are heading to Sao Bento by train to look for a man selling tiles, Jo/Ana arrive at the castle, where Johnathan tries to make a quip after Ana slams the castle door a bit to hard: "She broke your castle" Johnathan talks in confessional that he was not really enjoying this task because he was already accepting that they were on their way out, as Ana semi-mocks him all-dressed up saying "You look cool, dad" LOL.
- Despite some nav issues, Carson/Jack gets to the station before anyone else, and manage to get tickets to Sao Bento on the 6:40, and though they're hoping to get to go alone, Han/Holden manage to catch the same train with seconds to spare (actual note reaction: OMG!) Aly/Jo are still looking for the parking while passing a sign for Campanha (which I assume is very close to the train station itself) when they get crashed into, and briefly have to check the damage before going on... and then they have to go around a roundabout, so I don't know what's going on here :-\ Meanwhile, Johnathan gets the archery task done in 4 arrows :-)
- Well, okay, after the finale, I did a little Street View check, and found out where Aly/Jo had the crash was actually the bus station on the other side of the tracks from the train station, and the closest route to the train station from there is 2.4 kilos, so they're somewhat right to feel frustrated
- As Carson/Jack and Han/Holden arrive at Sao Bento to pick up their tiles, Phil Keoghan appears in B-roll to brag about how much Porto is an "outdoor art exhibit" in front of the same blue church my family and I passed on our trip in 2010, but the race has nothing to do with this location, as the next stop on the tile is the "ODE Porto Wine House" in Ribiera... Aly/Jo finally gets to the train station parking, and the clerk even tells Aly/Jo there were 2 teams as they buy their tix :-)
- ODE task is to complete a mosaic jigsaw puzzle style, and the picture will be for their last international pit stop; and as they're assembling, it becomes clear it's gondolas near the same bridge we went over in 2010 :-) Aly/Jo are waiting for the train, which is apparently slightly delayed... Back with Jo/Ana, they make it to the station as well, and while waiting to get their tix, Ana cuts off Johnathan in line, and Johnathan starts getting snippy about it: In confessional, he calls it "Not our best moment"... Jo/Ana are arguing a lot, and Aly/Jo hear it all the way before they arrive at the platform, because they're on the same train as well (and still arguing as they're boarding and riding)
- Carson/Jack get a passing inspection, so they can put it up on the wall... Turns out Carson's brother is a tiler, and Jack is out of a job, so he's thinking maybe he'll learn from his partner's brother and take up tiling too :-) (Spoiler: Maybe he won't need to :-)) So anyways, they have to cross the "Luis I Bridge" (an alternate name for the bridge I knew as Dom Luis) to get to the gondolas, running on the upper deck (whereas we bussed across the bottom deck) Anyways, Holden has to switch some tiles in the rocky part of the picture to get the check as well :-)
- The pitstop turns out to be close to where I have pictures of myself and of my mom :-) Carson/Jack are #1... No prize, but business class to final leg :-) Phil comments that they're nerds (his words!) who have done extremely well, with them responding that they've exceeded other teams expectation... and their own :-) In confessional they believe in living life with fun: "If it gets sucked out of it, then whats the point?" After a few Aly/Jo misses (one on the rocks, then on the sky) Han/Holden finish assembling their mosaic with Holden calling it "Picasso" LOL, before checking in in 2nd, which they think is insane that they're racing for the million... The sibs think they have a shot at #1, of course, and Phil comments that when they get it together they're a formidable team :-)
- Jo/Ana get a passing check first, but Aly/Jo are not far behind, so it's a race to put it up on the wall (!) Jo/Ana look like they're ahead by a few rows, but Johnathan breaks a tile from dropping it in their rush to assemble their "puzzle", which I assume they will have to reassemble that tile on the wall, and could be the break (heh) that the more amenable Aly/Jo need... but since we're doubling up on episodes for the finale this week, this is where proceedings stop for today, to be concluded tomorrow, oy! For a season that's had many surprises, this might be the biggest of all :-) (I remember a Survivor season that did something similar, and that would have been almost 20 years ago [!] There have been a few instances of the concluding part of one TAR leg being presented as part of the next leg's episode [example], but I don't think there's ever been one with an elimination at stake)
Ep 12
- On a rerun, I managed to see that Jo/Ana do indeed have to reassemble the broken tile directly on the wall, and Aly/Jo have closed the gap a bit by the time they're done, but Jo/Ana still remain ahead of Aly/Jo all the way to the pitstop (with Jo/Ana running across the lower deck to get there), and Aly/Jo comment that, as disappointed as they are to be eliminated before finals, not many people have enjoyed doing the race as much as they did :-) So anyways, after a montage promising one more twist (including brief glimpses of Carson/Jack diving for the Fast Forward, and Aly/Jo walking coals for the Express Pass), on to the final leg in Miami, where they're apparently supposed to Scramble through tasks called Sail (uh, sailing), Soar (hydroflight for 60 seconds), and Save (rescue training at Miami Beach, retrieve realistically-weighted mannequin on buoy visa jetski; insert surfing music in the BG LOL) in a random order, but it turns out all 3 teams are going in the same order, Save, Soar, and Sail, since it happens to be the quickest route from the cluebox :-) Also, it turns out Ana had an incident with the ocean, nearly drowning at the age of 5, so she's not a good swimmer (insert flashback to Bali leg of her saying this) and it looks like Carson/Jack are banking on this to stay ahead :-) Anyways, Ana is driving the jetski, while Johnathan does the rescuing, and at this point, they're still in first...
- Let's skip to where I tuned in on the original: they've all done Save and are now doing Soar, standing on a flyboard for 60 seconds, as a Roadblock... and Jack has just completed it in first (!) to get a puzzle piece, while Bao Han, whom even Carson/Jack thought would have gotten it quickly, only gets the pass on her 10th go :-\ Although the teacher calls her a great student, Bao Han would rather she'd done it faster, but she'll only wallow in her frustration about this until she gets back to shore; meanwhile Ana, as expected, continues to struggle, barely getting to 30 seconds on her 17th attempt
- Next stop is the Coral Reef Yacht Club for the Sail task, and since Carson/Jack liked sailing as kids, they surmise that maybe they'll have an edge... The Club has taught people how to sail for more than 6 decades, some getting scholarships and becoming world champions :-) Anyways, young sailors begin in small bathtub-sized boats known as Optimists, and here contestants shall sail one around six buoys placed around Valentine Island, and learn techniques from kids practicing in their Optimists (spoiler: no one really learns much from them :-\) There's no wind, so it's going to be quite some going...
- Speaking of hard going, Ana finally makes the full minute on attempt 21, and we spend a good bunch of screen time with Ana already disappointed that she's very likely not bringing home the big prize for her kids, and as she docks in, we spend some more time with Johnathan being decent to Ana for once, even saying of her not-so-great performance "That's to be expected" There's also a confessional talking about how even through petty fights, they're still at each other's side... whatever, moving on
- Anyways, Carson/Jack end up arm-paddling the Optimist boat, quipping "Nothing like the strength of your arm to propel you forward" as they get to the 2nd buoy :-) Holden has worked at summer camp with boats, so reckons this might be a good chance to catch up... Ultimately they end up just arm-paddling as well, as Carson/Jack also start using the rudder to paddle as they notice from the kids... They also notice the kids leaning the boat to get it to go around the buoys, which they're not so keen on, as Carson/Jack pass 4 as Han/Holden have just reached the first... Carson/Jack's arms and back start to hurt as they pass the fifth buoy, while Han/Holden are determine to "git er done" (their words) as they're passing buoy 2, while Jo/Ana are just now arriving
- Carson/Jack finally get to the 6th buoy in the "nerdiest and least cool way possible" before getting back to the pier and receiving their 3rd puzzle piece, which the puzzle assembles into a 8-dot domino with the word Calle on it, and I quickly surmised that they'd have to get to Calle Ocho; sure enough, Phil Keoghan reveals that's where they're supposed to be heading, more specifically Domino Park, and Carson/Jack get directions from someone who quickly susses this out :-)
- Carson/Jack are in crazy traffic, but that's nothing on Han/Holden getting into a crash while trying to negotiate directions (!) The other driver no habla ingles, but Holden does speaks Spanish, allowing him to negotiate themselves to go on... Holden: "You're lucky I paid attention in Spanish class" LOL. Anyways, Bao Han has to be careful driving now :-) Carson/Jack get to Domino Park first, but it's a simple clue pickup to the Ice Palace Film Studio :-) Jo/Ana finally finish the sailing, and figure out the clue quickly (though briefly during the drive, they're half-expecting a domino-related task, as one of them asks "Do you know how to play dominoes?" LOL)
- The final is, as usual, a memory puzzle involving the tasks, and in this season, game-changing twists, which are on flags to be placed behind a puzzle to be assembled from 100 pieces, in a task called "Picture Perfect Postcard Puzzle", which also allows the viewers to see the season's "greatest hits" if you will :-) And Carson/Jack happen to have the twists "seared in our brains", as I finally got to see what Valet Roulette looked like and how Carson/Jack reacted to the intersection in Osaka, that they thought the Driver's Seat was worse than the U-Turn and that the Double U-Turn vote in Bali was called a "Live U-Turn" :-) Carson/Jack get into puzzle mode as Han/Holden show up, and both teams are quick to recognize that the puzzle pieces spell out "Amazing Race" :-)
- B-roll shows it's about to rain in Miami, but they're indoors at the studio, so the drama will remain dry :-) (And from local broadcaster, a single quick ID where the final ad break of the season would have been, a la Bali) There are also pieces for pictures of landmarks that have pegs to stick on the Amazing Race lettering... Carson/Jack have further progress than Han/Holden, as they note that the letters are the hard part compared to the pictures, but they still handle that part well to get their final clue for Loandepot Park, home of baseball's Florida Marlins, first :-)
- Jo/Ana are in last, and they're quick to figure out the puzzle pieces spell Amazing Race, and Johnathan also says he's good at puzzles, as there's intercutting between the other teams stuck on the puzzle task, and Carson/Jack trying to handle the traffic and directions to find the park, in the rain I might add... Han/Holden are 2nd to get the clue, and get a map with directions as well
- But Carson/Jack are reaching the park right now, and running in to claim first place and the million, after 9 countries, 18 cities, and over 29,000 miles, and on the final mat, they quip "What more could you want?" LOL. They brag about how they fell they're the luckiest people in the whole world, adding that "Doing it with your best friend is the most magical thing ever", which feels very much like Rob/Brennan from the very first season :-) They go on about how doing adventures they'd only imagined before in real life was the most perfect part of the story (and I suspect there's been a bit of editing around here since an odd flash-frame was left in during their spiel)
- Jo/Ana finally finish the puzzle and the adjudicator wishes them good luck for their future, and while they're busy stuck at a drawbridge, Han/Holden are 2nd to the park, and of course Holden never wanted to do the race with anyone else :-) This was the first time in their life they'd worked together, and from that point 2nd is not bad (they say as much, though nothing about Bao Han underperforming at a water task), adding that the fact they never gave up says a lot about their character... Jo/Ana finish 3rd, and Phil Keoghan comments about Ana literally trying to walk on water, calling it her nightmare challenge, while Johnathan talks about how the race helped his tolerance level (sure about that?) adding that making the top 3 "speaks to how well we work, love each other, and support each other"
- Holden comments about having a winning spirit isn't about wanting to win, but trying to be better than yesterday... But of course Carson/Jack get to have the last word, as they brag out how they channeled their self-belief from their imaginary adventures into their racing, and now "We're the heroes... Doing it with my best friend, what a cherry on top" :-) TAR ends the season by dedicating finale to their dear friend Jack Walworth, adding "Travel safe, Jack"... And as I'm checking CBS' announced fall schedule, there's going to be a new season in the fall (yay), and it'll still be 90-minute episodes (boo... yeah, I normally wouldn't be against having longer TAR eps, but I prefer them as a special treat than a regular thing)
