The Amazing Race, season 24: Legs 1 to 4
Mar. 26th, 2014 11:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
spiderbraidsIt's another All-Star edition :-)
Ep 1:
1. This season is the 3rd "all-star" edition of the show, counting Unfinished Business, with many returning favorites... including some from Unfinished Business (!) (No Amy/Daniel [handicapped snowboarder/boyfriend, 21] though, but that's understandable since A) Amy would have been training for Sochi around this time :-\ and B) they only lasted two legs :-\ :-\) Interestingly, we have a team comprised of contestants that originally belonged to different teams, from different seasons: Mark(/Bopper, 20) has been paired up with fellow Kentuckian Mallory(/Gary, 17+UB), as we're shown Bopper being told by a doctor in LA that he's not fit to race :-\ and there's this touching scene in which Bopper gives Mallory a headband (aww...)
2. Starting line is at UCLA, replete with marching band forming the letters "TAR 24" :-) Unusually for TAR standards, the teams are actually being told the first destination city by Phil himself (it's Guangzhou, China, and it looks to have been dubbed over in post). First though, it's the obligatory opening task, where everyone look for a member of the marching band that has the Chinese symbols for Guangzhou on them, and those who find theirs first get tix on the earlier landing flight :-) At LAX, we get a nice scene of Mallory pretending that they've lost their passports :-) and admitting that she doesn't know Mark's surname :-) Here you go :-)
3. Guangzhou, China (I've... passed through their airport :-)) and the first stop for the teams is a street filled with bridal shops (!) Teams have been given the names of three shops that have clues in them. Of particular notice is that Natalie/Nadiya (Sri Lankan twins, 21 [had to look it up to be sure :-\]) manage to overlook one of those shops, apparently based on the English text on the signage not matching what they got :-\ and by the time they get someone to help them look for the stores, they end up having to get their clue from the 3rd store :-\
3. Next stop, the top of the tallest building in Guangzhou (Jet/Cord [cowboys, 16+UB] pronounce it Gangzu :-D) and the world's highest "Ferris wheel" (it's actually more like a bunch of baubles slowly spinning around the tilted edge of the building :-\) The next clue is placed inside some of the baubles, on the door, while the other bauble door clues have "Try again" on them. The cowboys enjoy watching other teams cluelessly (HEH) looking for the clue before spotting it inside the door :-D The twins' meltdown continues, as after getting a "Try again", some serious bickering causes them to miss a narrow window of opportunity for them to board one of the baubles that one of them thinks has a proper clue :-\
4. Next clue directs them to a nearby stadium that hosted the 2010 Asian Games, for the first Roadblock of the race, asking "Who's feeling wired?" It involves somersaulting five times while hanging from wires. This one proves rather surprisingly uneventful... they literally just get into the high wire harness and perform their somersaults, no questions asked :-)
5. Pit stop at a local opera house, where Jet/Cord coast to an easy win, and two Express Passes, one for them and one for another team, as usual... Jessica/John (couple, 22) are happy not to have to deal with that this time :-) while the twins are the first boot :-\
Ep 2:
1. Staying in Guangzhou, everyone heads off to a bunch of guys playing Tai-Chi (by metro, cab, or foot) to get their next destination stamped on their foreheads in Chinese :-D Brendon/Rachel (Big Brother, 20) find it awkward that they're going to have to point to their foreheads to tell their cabbie where they're headed :-D
2. Said destination is a mall known as Eday Town, where there is a Roadblock for assembling a toy car. Hilarity ensues because all the directions are in Chinese :-D Jennifer/Caroline get, and use, the 2nd Express Pass from the cowboys on this task, while Team Kentucky waste plenty of time doubling back to pick up Mark's backpack :-\
3. The last task before the pit stop is shuttlecock kicking at a local park, in which contestants team up with a pair of locals to kick a shuttlecock 10 times in a row without letting it hit the ground... It's as hard as it sounds :-\
4. Pit stop, and the first seven (!) teams manage to finish within minutes of each other, and the winner is Brendon/Rachel, netting themselves $2500 each (Phil initially declares Dave/Connor in 5th place instead of 4th :-D) While after going through a lot of trouble just getting to the starting line, Team Kentucky don't even make it out of the first city :-\
Ep 3:
1. Next stop is Kota Kinabalu, and teams will be separated on to two flights. In spite of winning the previous leg, Big Brother ends up on the second flight thanks to the Guangzhou traffic :-\
2. At a waterfall, Roadblock asks "Who's ready to fall for this one?" Zip line, then rappel down a waterfall... with a Travelocity gnome in tow :-D Joey/Meghan (YouTube hosts, 22) end up in trouble after their cab leaves them stranded at the Roadblock, forcing them to hoof it to a nearby village to call in another cab :-\
3. Detour is between delivering goods and shooting fake birds with blow darts. Both Detours involve putting together a bamboo raft to get to their destinations, and while some teams construct their rafts rather well, some (Margie/Luke [mom/deaf son, 14+UB], Leo/Jamal [Afghanimals, 23], Brendon/Rachel) aren't so lucky :-\ Dave/Connor (father/son cancer survivors, 22) manage to raft past their intended destination and have to run back to perform their deliveries :-\ Caroline/Jennifer (country singers, 22) do the bird shooting, and remind us that John Wayne was Jennifer's grandpa :-)
4. Floating village is the pitstop, and in spite of overshooting their delivery target during the rafting, D/C still manage to win the leg, and get a trip to Budapest :-) Naturally, they brag about doing it uninjured :-D Joey/Meghan spend the rest of the leg in last after the Roadblock and get themselves eliminated :-\
Ep 4:
1. Before heading off to the Roadblock, Flight Time/Big Easy (Globetrotters, 15+UB) give a headband to some local kids at the floating village :-) Roadblock asks "Who's got spring in their step?" Task involves jumping on a wooden trampoline to grab a flag. It takes the cowboys a whopping 47 attempts to get their flag :-O while Jessica has to briefly rest to wrap her bloodied foot after some 15 jumps... and then proceeds to get the flag on her very next jump :-) and Rachel has to take off her pantyhose to perform the task :-D
2. Next stop, Kuala Lumpur. Teams have been split on to three flights, but a delay on the 2nd flight results in the 2nd and 3rd flights pretty much arriving at the same time, before a clue pickup in front of the Petronas towers sends them to the Detour at a local hotel's nightclub.
3. Detour is between Mix Master (DJing, "Simon" style) and Master Mix (bartending). The latter entails (get this) mixing seven cocktails in seven stacked mixing glasses, and then pouring them into a "pyramid" of seven glasses without letting them mix :-O It's even harder than it sounds, and Leo/Jamal switch to DJing. Meanwhile, the cowboys take "only" 10 attempts to mix the cocktails :-) Afghanimals absolutely kill the DJing task on their first go: "DJ Leo and DJ Jay-Z, in the house :-D" Amusingly, Caroline/Jennifer note that their country singing skills don't translate well to DJing (DUH! :-D)
4. Pit stop is at the Batu caves. Wait, haven't we been here before? Cowboys come in first, and get a trip to London. Last two teams are both doing cocktails: Mom/Luke (deaf kid) and Big Brother (Rachel used to be a cocktail waitress). Both teams briefly consider taking the penalty, but decide against it. And then Mom/Luke end up beating the former cocktail waitress, go figure :-) It's acknowledged, both during the task and at the pit stop, that Luke apparently has problems with drink-related tasks :-) BB take upwards of 40 attempts, and 3:12 hours, to finish the cocktail detour :-\ but are spared from elimination by an NEL (hmm...)
Ep 1:
1. This season is the 3rd "all-star" edition of the show, counting Unfinished Business, with many returning favorites... including some from Unfinished Business (!) (No Amy/Daniel [handicapped snowboarder/boyfriend, 21] though, but that's understandable since A) Amy would have been training for Sochi around this time :-\ and B) they only lasted two legs :-\ :-\) Interestingly, we have a team comprised of contestants that originally belonged to different teams, from different seasons: Mark(/Bopper, 20) has been paired up with fellow Kentuckian Mallory(/Gary, 17+UB), as we're shown Bopper being told by a doctor in LA that he's not fit to race :-\ and there's this touching scene in which Bopper gives Mallory a headband (aww...)
2. Starting line is at UCLA, replete with marching band forming the letters "TAR 24" :-) Unusually for TAR standards, the teams are actually being told the first destination city by Phil himself (it's Guangzhou, China, and it looks to have been dubbed over in post). First though, it's the obligatory opening task, where everyone look for a member of the marching band that has the Chinese symbols for Guangzhou on them, and those who find theirs first get tix on the earlier landing flight :-) At LAX, we get a nice scene of Mallory pretending that they've lost their passports :-) and admitting that she doesn't know Mark's surname :-) Here you go :-)
3. Guangzhou, China (I've... passed through their airport :-)) and the first stop for the teams is a street filled with bridal shops (!) Teams have been given the names of three shops that have clues in them. Of particular notice is that Natalie/Nadiya (Sri Lankan twins, 21 [had to look it up to be sure :-\]) manage to overlook one of those shops, apparently based on the English text on the signage not matching what they got :-\ and by the time they get someone to help them look for the stores, they end up having to get their clue from the 3rd store :-\
3. Next stop, the top of the tallest building in Guangzhou (Jet/Cord [cowboys, 16+UB] pronounce it Gangzu :-D) and the world's highest "Ferris wheel" (it's actually more like a bunch of baubles slowly spinning around the tilted edge of the building :-\) The next clue is placed inside some of the baubles, on the door, while the other bauble door clues have "Try again" on them. The cowboys enjoy watching other teams cluelessly (HEH) looking for the clue before spotting it inside the door :-D The twins' meltdown continues, as after getting a "Try again", some serious bickering causes them to miss a narrow window of opportunity for them to board one of the baubles that one of them thinks has a proper clue :-\
4. Next clue directs them to a nearby stadium that hosted the 2010 Asian Games, for the first Roadblock of the race, asking "Who's feeling wired?" It involves somersaulting five times while hanging from wires. This one proves rather surprisingly uneventful... they literally just get into the high wire harness and perform their somersaults, no questions asked :-)
5. Pit stop at a local opera house, where Jet/Cord coast to an easy win, and two Express Passes, one for them and one for another team, as usual... Jessica/John (couple, 22) are happy not to have to deal with that this time :-) while the twins are the first boot :-\
Ep 2:
1. Staying in Guangzhou, everyone heads off to a bunch of guys playing Tai-Chi (by metro, cab, or foot) to get their next destination stamped on their foreheads in Chinese :-D Brendon/Rachel (Big Brother, 20) find it awkward that they're going to have to point to their foreheads to tell their cabbie where they're headed :-D
2. Said destination is a mall known as Eday Town, where there is a Roadblock for assembling a toy car. Hilarity ensues because all the directions are in Chinese :-D Jennifer/Caroline get, and use, the 2nd Express Pass from the cowboys on this task, while Team Kentucky waste plenty of time doubling back to pick up Mark's backpack :-\
3. The last task before the pit stop is shuttlecock kicking at a local park, in which contestants team up with a pair of locals to kick a shuttlecock 10 times in a row without letting it hit the ground... It's as hard as it sounds :-\
4. Pit stop, and the first seven (!) teams manage to finish within minutes of each other, and the winner is Brendon/Rachel, netting themselves $2500 each (Phil initially declares Dave/Connor in 5th place instead of 4th :-D) While after going through a lot of trouble just getting to the starting line, Team Kentucky don't even make it out of the first city :-\
Ep 3:
1. Next stop is Kota Kinabalu, and teams will be separated on to two flights. In spite of winning the previous leg, Big Brother ends up on the second flight thanks to the Guangzhou traffic :-\
2. At a waterfall, Roadblock asks "Who's ready to fall for this one?" Zip line, then rappel down a waterfall... with a Travelocity gnome in tow :-D Joey/Meghan (YouTube hosts, 22) end up in trouble after their cab leaves them stranded at the Roadblock, forcing them to hoof it to a nearby village to call in another cab :-\
3. Detour is between delivering goods and shooting fake birds with blow darts. Both Detours involve putting together a bamboo raft to get to their destinations, and while some teams construct their rafts rather well, some (Margie/Luke [mom/deaf son, 14+UB], Leo/Jamal [Afghanimals, 23], Brendon/Rachel) aren't so lucky :-\ Dave/Connor (father/son cancer survivors, 22) manage to raft past their intended destination and have to run back to perform their deliveries :-\ Caroline/Jennifer (country singers, 22) do the bird shooting, and remind us that John Wayne was Jennifer's grandpa :-)
4. Floating village is the pitstop, and in spite of overshooting their delivery target during the rafting, D/C still manage to win the leg, and get a trip to Budapest :-) Naturally, they brag about doing it uninjured :-D Joey/Meghan spend the rest of the leg in last after the Roadblock and get themselves eliminated :-\
Ep 4:
1. Before heading off to the Roadblock, Flight Time/Big Easy (Globetrotters, 15+UB) give a headband to some local kids at the floating village :-) Roadblock asks "Who's got spring in their step?" Task involves jumping on a wooden trampoline to grab a flag. It takes the cowboys a whopping 47 attempts to get their flag :-O while Jessica has to briefly rest to wrap her bloodied foot after some 15 jumps... and then proceeds to get the flag on her very next jump :-) and Rachel has to take off her pantyhose to perform the task :-D
2. Next stop, Kuala Lumpur. Teams have been split on to three flights, but a delay on the 2nd flight results in the 2nd and 3rd flights pretty much arriving at the same time, before a clue pickup in front of the Petronas towers sends them to the Detour at a local hotel's nightclub.
3. Detour is between Mix Master (DJing, "Simon" style) and Master Mix (bartending). The latter entails (get this) mixing seven cocktails in seven stacked mixing glasses, and then pouring them into a "pyramid" of seven glasses without letting them mix :-O It's even harder than it sounds, and Leo/Jamal switch to DJing. Meanwhile, the cowboys take "only" 10 attempts to mix the cocktails :-) Afghanimals absolutely kill the DJing task on their first go: "DJ Leo and DJ Jay-Z, in the house :-D" Amusingly, Caroline/Jennifer note that their country singing skills don't translate well to DJing (DUH! :-D)
4. Pit stop is at the Batu caves. Wait, haven't we been here before? Cowboys come in first, and get a trip to London. Last two teams are both doing cocktails: Mom/Luke (deaf kid) and Big Brother (Rachel used to be a cocktail waitress). Both teams briefly consider taking the penalty, but decide against it. And then Mom/Luke end up beating the former cocktail waitress, go figure :-) It's acknowledged, both during the task and at the pit stop, that Luke apparently has problems with drink-related tasks :-) BB take upwards of 40 attempts, and 3:12 hours, to finish the cocktail detour :-\ but are spared from elimination by an NEL (hmm...)
