The Amazing Race 23: Episode 4 Power Rankings
By Daron Aldridge
October 20, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Looking onward and upward, let's rip into the next set of power rankings heading into a the fourth leg on season 23, (which I will predict is the first non-elimination leg of the season):
1. Travis & Nicole: Mr. & Mrs. Dr.
I pegged this married team as the ultimate winner sight unseen on the Race and they are proving very strong. Last week they finally grabbed that first place spot that eluded them on week one. While others had to scramble onto their flight that arrived in Lisbon first, the couple just had to wait to board. Granted, their seats were a result of the worst travel agent in Chile, who screwed over Chester & Ephraim by flubbing the travel dates. By teaming up with another strong team for the Detour when at the front of the pack, they just padded their lead. Both of these teams recognized their security on the leg and plowed through the Detour easily as a combined force to be reckoned with. I hope they stay aligned on the Race. Plus, it appears this week that Nicole boldly makes a play for the Exes extra Express Pass by requiring they hand it over before information is shared.
2. Jason & Amy: Daring New Englanders
Well, the (spoiler alert) Red Sox are now in the World Series, so I have to put this Boston-based team in the top two, right? Not quite. They are here because I feel vindicated in my early faith I had in them. Once again, they gave a strong (Boston Strong, if you will) performance on the Detour and the medieval Roadblock. With the aforementioned alliance of my first place team, I think they showed a smart approach to who they paired up with (unlike Leo & Jamal who let sidled up with the first team of pretty girls). So, why not put them first over Travis & Nicole? Simply because their cabbie disagreement and arguing cost them first place. Plus BOP's Kim Hollis is a diehard Cardinals fan, so I avoid her ire by not putting a Boston team in first as her team is about to vie for the World Series title against the Red Sox.
3. Brandon & Adam: Hirsute Friends
The chaps of Team Beardo have that nice blend of fun-loving and strong performing. They smashed the salt mining Detour like no other two legs ago. Then, last week, the tile Detour was no sweat and the Adam only needed a single arrow to get the clue. All the while, they are just soaking up the experience. If you have read my recaps over the last several seasons, I have an affinity to such teams because I would rather watch goofy and decent people on reality shows over the hyper-competitive, manipulative jerks that usually populate competition shows (cough...Marie...cough). Just more entertaining to me and people that I choose to devote my evening to should actually be entertaining. If the guys keep this mindset in place, which will help them knock out challenges more easily, I think they can sail on into the final three.
4. Nicky & Kim: MLB Wives
The ladies' ball-playing husbands may be out of contention for World Series glory but the wives are still in The Race. "Roller coaster" seems an apt way to describe my feeling toward this team. First, I thought they would be strong. Then, I thought they would succumb to one of their (already) many emotional breakdowns. Finally, last week, they showed they can be strategic with their shrewd standby list move. Not only did they hit the mat as number three but in doing so, they showed the other teams they know how to work the airport obstacles. Plus they ticked off Exes Tim & Marie, so that's worth several points in my book.
5. Tim & Danny: Team Okies
While the boys are still showing some fish-out-of-water-ness, they impressed me last week during the prolonged flight shuffle. Leo & Jamal attempted to persuade them that their flight was the best option, in order to put another team on the flight. Danny immediately questioned why the Afghanimals would be so quick to share with them since they hasn't exactly been chumming around with them. Danny deduced correctly that they were just hoping to pad the flight to avoid having to compete solely with Ally & Ashley. So, they went with Danny's gut and found an even earlier flight. Trust your instincts, fellas, but not OK-Tim's woeful math skills.
6. Tim & Marie: Bitter, Bitter Exes.
Hey, it's the team that lives the theme song of The Itchy & Scratchy Show and last week was more of the same. I want them gone more than any team but their Express Pass is still on the table so it's not likely to happen yet. In addition, they have an Express Pass burning a hole in their pocket and it's not the one they get to use. Marie is dead-set on using this to incentivize the other teams to help them. Alas, it hasn't played out that way for them. Well, there is only one leg after this one where they have to gift it and if the previews are accurate, then it's Nicole who does the strong-arming for the Pass. A team so off-putting to the other teams (and viewers) is destined for a U-turn, which is all I can hope for.
7. Ally & Ashley: Ice Crew Girls
The girls have actually shown they aren't truly dumb blondes but they have made one of the dumbest mistakes in the Race this season: blind allegiance to the inept Afghanimals. Ashley was right to rub in their faces that they ignored her suggestion of Tiles over Miles Detours, which cost them time. Plus it was just lazy of them to accept the flight into Lisbon that Leo & Jamal found. With a little effort, like the Okies exerted, the girls would've been an hour or more ahead of the cousins' flight. Ally & Ashley need to not let Leo & Jamal steamroll them and dictate the decisions in the alliance if they want to survive deep into the Race.
8. Leo & Jamal: Cousins/Afghanimals
Confidence is not lacking for these guys. Too bad it is unfounded and misplaced confidence. First, there is the aforementioned flight laziness. Because they believe they are so great, they didn't even question that better flights would be possible. Oops. Next, they were so convinced the Miles task would be easy and they'd finish it on the first guess; they ignored Ashley's suggestion of Tiles. Oops again. Add in the cousins constantly on the brink of melting down with one another and the brink of elimination every week.
Since I don't think we will get an elimination this week, this whole week will be our first exercise in running in place this season.
We'll see in just a few hours.