Amazing Race 15: Episode 6
By Daron Aldridge
November 3, 2009
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Possibly the greatest meltdown in the show's history capped off last week's episode and put an end to Mika and Canaan's race. Whatever will we do without someone saying something completely ignorant each week? We'll find out.
We pick up, I suspect, literally where we left off, with Meghan and Cheyne leaving Dubai first at 1:13 p.m. Let me explain/speculate. After taking in virtually every episode of every season, I am well aware that the pit stop for each leg requires a 12-hour rest. That being said, we are reminded with a clip from last week that Meghan and Cheyne got first place, while it was very bright and obviously daytime. Since they are leaving at 1:13 p.m. and still sunny outside, it's clear that they didn't cool their heels at the Atlantis resort for 12 hours. What gives? I will continue wild-eyed speculation later.
The race is taking the teams to Amsterdam and locating a statue on a causeway for the next clue. Meghan and Cheyne head to the airport and are informed that the next and only flight out of Dubai to Amsterdam is at midnight. My speculation continues. I wager that the producers knew that there was only one flight to the next destination city and so, they tweaked their rules accordingly to prevent a full day's layover in an airport. I am fine with this, except that Cheyne and Meghan seem disheartened by the news but after five legs they would notice that there wasn't a rest period. Personally, I am putting way too much thought into this. Back to the race.
Tiffany and Maria are the next to leave at 3:09 p.m. and Tiffany acknowledges that they shouldn't get too comfortable near the top because there is a longer way to fall. Sam and Dan are one minute behind the girls. Both are in route to the airport to hurry up and wait.
Brian and Ericka are next at 3:25 p.m. and Ericka admits that she feels like she's becoming a nagging wife on the show but hopes they are able to stop it before it becomes a problem. Pop and son Gary and Matt leave at 3:34 p.m. and are thrilled to be putting a European country's stamp in their passport. Speaking of, I have missed travel document-challenged Zev and Justin the last couple of legs.
Globetrotters Big Easy and Flight Time are the last ones off the mat at 4:20 p.m. and they recognize that the teams are praying they get knocked out of the race. Big Easy understands that wish because they are very competitive and strong. He makes it sound more humble than I just did. See, I already forgot the egregious game play at the sake of Mika's sanity on the last leg.
But with all the teams at the airport waiting for the midnight plane to Holland, an unidentified person (father Gary, I think) asks what did happen with Mika and Canaan on the slide. Big Easy reenacts the event and he explains that they thought she was actually close to going down the slide, so he worked to convince her that it wasn't worth it. He also explains that he didn't want to make her cry but he didn't want to go home either. Judging by the laughter of the other teams and the absence of anyone questioning his tactic, no one is really broken up about Mika and Canaan being gone.
Now it's time for a very special episode of Blossom...er, I mean... The Amazing Race. Gay brothers Sam and Dan decide that this casual and friendly environment is the perfect time to out themselves to the other racers. They both say that the time feels right for them to be up front with these people. After describing themselves as the "token gay team" on the race, they explain that they don't wear that out there and being from the Midwest, some people back home don't even know. But Ericka astutely points out, "They do now." Dan gets a nice freeze frame that might have well had a Blind Date thought bubble of "Oh my...what have we just done?" What about their duped alliance partners/wannabe girlfriends, Maria and Tiffany? The girls try to laugh it off that Sam and Dan are still the "sweetest and most gentlemanly" team on the race but Maria's face might rival Ralph Wiggum's Lisa-induced heartbreaking heart breaking scene. Sorry, girls, but they will never choo-choo-choose you.
The airport powwow is over and the race is back on as they land in Amsterdam with a dash to the waiting Mercedes. All the teams leave the airport, except Ericka and Brian, who is unable to figure out how to put the car in "drive". Tiffany accurately yet snobbishly notes, "These kids aren't used to luxury cars."
The angry team dynamic that was left by Lance and Keri, then filled by Mika and Canaan, was gone but judging by Ericka's response to Brian here, that void is being filled. Newton was right, for "every action there is an equal and opposite reaction" but you can remove ‘opposite' from that as both these two are starting to feed off each other's anger. After getting a local to help them out, they continue to bicker even though they don't appear to be too far behind. For a team that has been supportive and all about peace, love and equality, these two have devolved pretty rapidly.
All the teams, sans Ericka and Brian, of course, get to the causeway clue and have to head to a town and find the highest building for the next clue. The teams notice that Brian and Ericka are nowhere to be seen. Ericka's aforementioned nagging hasn't gone unnoticed as Flight Time points out, "If we don't know anyone's name on this race, we know Brian's because we heard a lot of ‘BRIAN...BRIAN.'"
Brian and Ericka get their clue and they still seem within catching-up distance to the others. Meghan and Cheyne and Sam and Dan get to the clue and it's a Roadblock. The person has to climb this bell tower and count all the bells accurately to get their clue. Meghan and Sam decide to work together to get through the Roadblock quicker. Flight Time and Matt are the next two to start the Roadblock, followed shortly by Tiffany. Once again, Maria has done NOTHING for her team during the entire race other than operate a calculator last week.
Ericka and Brian show up and all the teams are back together and actually racing. Ericka gets the nod for this Roadblock and reluctantly starts up the dark, spider web infested stairs.
To prove that the producers love to torture the teams, when Sam, Meghan and Matt are all at the top of the tower, the operator begins playing the few dozen bells that are mere feet above their heads. Awesome. Matt finishes his count and is correct.
Dad and son now drive to their next clue in another town but they stop to ask for directions and get very detailed and long, drawn out directions that allow Meghan and Cheyne and Sam and Dan, who have together hired a cab to follow, to pass them. Let's back up a minute. As Sam and Meghan are leaving the tower with their next clue, Sam tells Tiffany that 62 is the answer. If I was Meghan, I would be quite displeased because she didn't enter an alliance with team poker face, so why should they coast through on her efforts? Sam did this to solely keep Tiffany and Maria in the race longer because they are a physically stronger team, if it comes down to that.
Tiffany locates the operator and gets her clue, thanks to Sam's assist, and is followed by Flight Time. Ericka is the only one left at the bell tower. Her first guess is wrong. I am feeling shades of last week's Big Easy-briefcase debacle. The upside is that they weren't eliminated but that was more to do with Mika lack of performance than their actual performance.
Sam and Dan get to the Detour first and have to choose either Farmer's Game or Farmer's Dance. For either option they must put on traditional Dutch costumes, including wooden shoes. One is a man's outfit and the other is a woman's. After getting gussied up Holland-style, they ride a bike to their selected task. The Game option requires the teams to strip down to their Dutch skivvies, swim across a creek and then complete three holes of a variation of golf in eight strokes or less. The golf clubs are essentially Dutch shoes on a stick and they are hitting what looks like a miniature soccer ball. For the Dance, they have to hit a high striker (the carnival game to test your strength by using a sledgehammer/mallet to ring a bell), perform a dance and eat herring with onions. If not for the swimming, I would go with the Game but given the obvious wind, I would be busting out my best Amsterdam moves.
Meghan and Cheyne arrive and start getting ready, at the same time as Sam and Dan. Both the brothers and Meghan and Cheyne opt for the Game. Matt and Gary show up and choose Dance. Meghan expresses extreme uneasiness with the golf option but Cheyne insists she will be fine.
Back at the bell tower, Ericka is still struggling but Brian tells the camera that he really believes she is doing her best. Maybe that tension is subsiding but we were promised an emotional breakdown in the previews and I want them to deliver.
Tiffany and Maria are now at the Detour. Sam and Dan and Meghan and Cheyne are neck and neck at the tee box but the brothers take a quick lead. They sail through the first hold easily when Meghan and Cheyne restart the hole.
How's Ericka doing at the Roadblock? About the same. She is still not getting the right number. Big Easy's code-cracking skills are looking more and more refined compared to Ericka's addition. She dejectedly goes to Brian to catch her breath and clear her head. I know this is a race but I think that this is probably the best move for her to recharge.
Sam and Dan make it to the pit stop and are easily team number one.
Matt easily rings the high striker bell and they head into the dance hall. Sam and Dan are working through the second and third holes while Meghan and Cheyne are still hacking away. Meghan is ready to quit but Cheyne won't let her. After the commercial break, they finally get their groove and make some progress.
As Gary begins his dance lesson, Matt, who is fish-averse, decides that they should do golf instead. Away they go. Maria and Tiffany get to the Dance and playfully and unsuccessfully try to make the bell ring. Flight Time and Big Easy are now at the Detour. As Meghan and Cheyne get redressed from the golf game, Matt and Gary show up.
I guess Ericka just needed that jumpstart because she finally gets the clue at the bell tower. They don't give up even though they and the audience know there is a lot of ground to make up.
The girls are still at the high striker and the post-production has added a handy counter to tell us that they have attempted this 30 times so far. That was enough for them, so they decide to head to golf, where Matt and Gary are just getting started.
Flight Time easily rings the bell. The Globetrotters start their Dance lesson and are living it up. Two-time first place finishers Meghan and Cheyne are greeted by Phil with a "Well, you're not team number one but you are team number two." They aren't thrilled with their placement, which I think it is a bit shortsighted. I have always thought if I was on the race, I don't care about being first place until the very end. You can keep your SeaDoo, Travelocity vacation or dune buggy; I'll take my check for a million dollars.
Ericka and Brian get to the Detour and choose Dance. After getting dressed, they hastily ignore the part of the clue that tells them to ride the supplied bikes to the tasks. Off they go to walk probably miles in wooden shoes. The dreaded clue oversight rears its head again.
Matt and Gary figure out the golf rhythm but the girls are about as successful with hitting the ball as they were with ringing the bell. Flight Time and Big Easy have nailed the dance or as Flight explains, "Once we got it, it was Soul Train." Their rendition probably doesn't fall into the ‘traditional' part of the dance but they are cleared to eat the herring and Flight Time turns as gray as the fish with the first bite.
Brian and Ericka are still jogging to the Dance and Maria is ready to quit Game because Matt and Gary are already on the third hole. There is a bit of a quitter side to Maria that is showing through as the Detour progresses. Tiffany concedes and the girls head back to the Dance.
Flight Time forces down the herring and the Globetrotters make it to the pit stop as number three. Matt and Gary are still doing the Game but let's be honest, the battle for last place is between the girls and Brian and Ericka. Brian and Ericka finally realize they missed the bikes and the breakdown commences. Ericka goes on and on about her feet killing her and she doesn't want to hear that Brian is also in pain. This back and forth continues for the rest of their power walk.
Tiffany is still able to muster up the strength to get close to ringing the bell but Maria feebly hits it every time. Seriously, some of her tries barely make it a couple of feet. I stick back my earlier assertion that Maria is dead weight for Tiffany on this race. After 71 attempts, the girls head back to the golf.
Matt and Gary are checked in as number four. Ericka has calmed down as they approach the Dance. Brian rings the bell in 70 fewer attempts than the girls. It would be easy to say that this Detour was stacked against the girls here but I would argue that not only was Tiffany very close on multiple hits, the Game option was more about precision and less about strength as demonstrated by Meghan once she got the hang of how to hit the ball. The Amazing Race has consistently made one of the Detour options that didn't rely solely on strength. I think this is still case here with this Detour as well.
Brian and Ericka pick up on the dance lessons easily and all seems well with the couple. He says the Dance helps relax them and bring them back down to Earth. Two devoured herrings later and a pair of borrowed bikes from a local man, Brian and Ericka head to Phil. As she hobbles to the mat, Ericka admits that this leg was rough for her and declares, "This was not my finest hour." With that, Ericka gets credit for the episode's title. While it's not the funny, punny or pithy quote they typically use, it perfectly summarizes both their and the girls' performance this time.
Phil lets them know that they are the fifth team to arrive but because of the bike error at the Detour they get a 30-minute penalty. That is the rotten cherry on top of a dirt sundae for these guys, who can just now sit and wait.
Because Maria and Tiffany are fatigued, beaten by the wind and haven't made it off the first hole, Ericka and Brian make it through their penalty and are officially checked in as number five. Since the only thing saving the girls is this being a non-elimination leg, we cut back to Maria and Tiffany shivering in field. Despite being told that they must complete the Detour in their Holland underwear, Tiffany is conspicuously wearing a jacket now. The girls finally fold, which means that Phil shows up on the course to confirm they are quitting the game. Maria credits Tiffany for getting them this far in the race and she couldn't have done it without her. I agree 100 percent, Maria. You benefited from getting a non-elimination on the first leg, having a teammate in Tiffany who performed all the tasks and Zev and Justin's bad luck.
Fittingly, the field visit from Phil reminds me of the Roadblock with the bales of hay that was the undoing for the Mormon sisters from a few seasons ago. I say ‘fittingly' because the previews show that the teams will face that very challenge next week. We are reminded that the sisters were at the challenge for eight hours. I can't wait to see how it shakes out this time.