The Amazing Race: Power Rankings
The Amazing Race: Power Rankings
By Daron Aldridge
March 3, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com
With a medical uncertainty looming for one team, here are my rankings as we embark on the third (M.D.-less) leg.
1. John & Jessica (Dating/adrenaline junkies): Don’t let the third place finish fool you, my frontrunners are still the team to beat. Phil even let the first three teams all share the space on the Pitstop mat together because it was that close. But this couple still has an advantage up their sleeve that puts them in a more comfortable position than the others…The Express Pass. For two legs, the couple hasn’t shown anything by way of error and the strategic approach they are taking with handing out their extra Pass illustrates that they are not just physical threats. But without that Express Pass in their pockets, I would be keep them in the top spot but it would be shared with…
2. Anthony & Bates (Brothers/Pro Hockey players): Oh, Team Slapshot, you lovable lunkheads. Here’s the best way to ingratiate you to this recapper: Be a strong team but exhibit a sense of humility and humor. That’s what Anthony & Bates have done so far. Over the first two legs, the brothers have overcame a substantial flight delay and blazed through each challenge with little to no issue. Yet, they also exhibit a good nature that is reminiscent of our favorite Globetrotters.
3. Mona & Beth (Friends/Roller Derby Moms): I still have faith in Team Sock ‘er Moms. I feel their ability belies their sixth place finish last leg. The Detour task of the underwater picnic did take more time but they didn’t struggle with it. I suspect they completed is as smoothly as it could have gone, so it was simply the more time-consuming option. Beth also proved more somewhat more adept on the stilts than others. This ranking is admittedly grounded in two things: (a) a lack of confidence in the other teams; and (b) my desire to be right about that they will make it to the final three.
4. Joey & Meghan (Friends/Internet personalities): I concede that I didn’t have much confidence in Team YouTube before the season started but they surprised me with their wise approach to the Pearl task and their overall performance so far. Joey retrieving the oysters and Meghan staying in the boat to open them worked beautifully for them and put them in the front of the pack. In fact, they were the only team to use this method, which illustrates, hopefully, their ability to tune out the competitors and just race the best way for them. Also, they have nicely settled into the role of the team that is so excited to be on the Race in the first place. But I suspect that they will ultimately end up "just happy to be nominated" and finish outside the final three.
5, Caroline & Jen (Friends/relatives of John Wayne and Daniel Boone): With regards to Cowboy Royalty, this is a tricky one for me because they allowed themselves to be manipulated into taking the four-hour penalty at the end of the first leg. BUT on the second leg, they leapfrogged three other teams, in spite of the penalty for a seventh place finish. How? By not stumbling at all in the Detour or the Roadblock. That has to count for something on this Race and I feel that it is indicative of their potential. Plus, they don’t seem to be naïve enough to fall for Max & Katie’s shtick a second time.
6. Chuck & Wynonna (Married/Permed Mullet proponent): Speaking of naïve, The Mullets are strictly a middle of the pack team, so that is where I place them. This is an instance where it is a no-brainer to rank them closely to where they end up in the legs. But I predict that Wynonna will be their downfall. She has shown that she can’t run and race as hard as the other teams but more importantly, it’s her overall "poor me…I suck" attitude that will be the team’s biggest liability. But as long as the other teams listed below are still around, Chuck will likely continue to carry The Mullets deeper into the Race.
7. Pam & Winnie (Friends): Our navigationally-challenged friends did themselves no favors by bobbing up and down and floating aimlessly in the Pacific Ocean. The lack of screen time or screen presence has led me to label them The Chameleons since they fade into the background but last week they stood out for the wrong reason: a pathetic performance. They struggled with the oysters, they got lost on the jetski, and Pam proved incapable of walking on stilts. Combined it was a sad display of ability for an Amazing Race team, yet the more pathetic twins allow these friends to stick around.
8. Max & Katie (Newlyweds/Villain wannabes): Team Cape Fear of Max & Katie likely want to be viewed as the brilliant strategic players more than even winning. The newlyweds are quick and eager to point out when they have a "genius" plan or detail on why the Race decisions they make are so wonderful. Yet, their current status in the Race hasn’t shown a glimmer of frontrunner shine or produced even a middle-of-the-pack finish. My confidence in them is so low that they would be in bottom of my rankings, if it wasn’t for the sure-to-be-eliminated…
9. David & Connor (Father/son/cancer survivors): This second place finisher of Team Livestrong doesn’t just slip and fall (yes…allusion to David is intended) but they seem to be careening off a cliff. Why? Simply because of injury. While there was supposedly some mystery as to whether or not David’s ankle was as bad as he suspected by the end of the episode, this week’s previews during other CBS shows feature David either using crutches, a walking boot or being pushed in a wheelchair by his Connor. I don’t envision this ending well for them unless David is a medical miracle and his ruptured Achilles can heal itself without being rested and being subjected to the trials of the Race. (After all, it’s the Amazing Race and not The Amazing Hobble. Not likely, which is sad because I like them more than at least four other teams that will still be competing.
It’s almost time to start to third leg, happy viewing.