The Amazing Race 23: Episode 6 Power Rankings
By Daron Aldridge
November 3, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com

We're truly terrible at this game!

Last week, what appeared to be a single episode melt down by Team Beardo is exactly a fair conclusion. Did they fall from first to last (thus, eliminated)? Yes, but the U-Turn was the real culprit and I respect that the guys didn't get all sanctimonious about the "fairness" of U-Turning. Did they also shoot themselves in the foot by switching Detour tasks too quickly? Yes, but...okay, maybe it was a pretty bad fall from grace after all.

Let's delve into this week's rankings. I have to preface my rankings to say that I am really enjoying this season, but there is a strong air of predictability of how teams are performing. Nothing truly surprising so far.

1. Travis & Nicole: Mr. & Mrs. Dr.. I haven't made a secret of rooting for this team and I am glad that for once my initial impression of a team seems to be accurate. I liked them in their introduction interviews and they have maintained that root-for-worthiness over the last five legs. What keeps them at the top for me is that they consistently perform well as a team. Little to no bickering. Actual encouragement. And results: they have been in one of the top four spots every time Phil has popped up. Now you add in the newly-acquired Express Pass and WHAM!...they have another advantage over other teams. The successful wrangling of the Pass from the exes was beautiful and only partly because it took the semblance of power Marie was wielding away. My fingers are crossed and prayers said that Travis & Nicole keep on rolling to the end, especially if they maintain the alliance with another likable team...

2. Jason & Amy: Daring New Englanders. Since they aligned with the doctors and seem to be modeling their approach to the Race similarly, how could I not put these guys second? Why not first, you may ask? (Please ask.) Aside from the aforementioned and highly coveted Express Pass hidden in the docs' scrubs, this younger couple has a slightly greater chance of letting a disagreement derail them. Only slight because even the one instance where they lost out on first place because they couldn't agree where to direct their cab, Jason accepted the blame and Amy didn't go after him for it. A lesser team...you know who I am looking at...wouldn't have let the opportunity pass to belittle a team mate. Keep that going on the Race and I think they will keep going to the end.

3. Tim & Marie: Bitter, Bitter Exes.. Speaking of who I am looking at, here we have the bane of my Amazing Race viewing existence. Marie proved to have much less bite than bark on the last leg. She has been vocal about being in control of the Express Passes the entire time, even telling Phil as much when they were securely in second-to-last place in Portugal. Yet in scenic Poland, she let Tim make the decision to give the pass to Travis & Nicole for the location name, which wasn't even a Pitstop. I also maintain that instead of relenting to the doctors' ultimatum, they could've just FOLLOWED them. Obviously, they were trying to get to the same place as Tim & Marie. Then at the Detour, the exes succumbed to the reality of being insufferable pricks (mainly, Marie) to the others (mainly, everyone else, including Tim) and used their own Pass to hopefully avoid being U-Turned. So why am I putting then so high? Because there is always one team I loathe that sticks around longer than I would like and possibly spoils the finale for me and that seems to be Tim & Marie.

4. Nicky & Kim: MLB Wives. For a team of very attractive ladies that spent most of the last episode in black unitards, Nicky & Kim had a fairly unmemorable last leg. They nailed the Pose Detour task without much effort (I suspect newly eliminated Brandon accurately credited "boobs" for this) but then ran by the U-Turn spot and ended up on the wrong side of the river. That's okay because they're pretty, right? Also Kim feel victim to Travis's nefarious elevator button pushing slowdown tactic at the Roadblock. Overall, the wives have shown that they can play smart (standby list magic) and erratic (emotional breakdowns by both a few legs ago). So I have to put them in the middle. Depending upon the leg, they can either shine or burn out.

5. Tim & Danny: Team Okies. The unfortunate outcome of the last leg for Brandon & Adam would've been more fitting to the problems that befell the Okies on the Polka Detour. The guys have exceeded my initial expectations for them but last week was the type of stumble that I figured would hit them sooner rather than later. The perfect storm of Danny's cross dressing anxiety, Tim's not knowing how to lead when dancing and a lack of overall composure under pressure showed they don't quite have what it takes to win the Race or even make it to the finals. They have shown glimpses of intuition and Race foresight (with the latest being the U-Turn of Leo & Jamal) but just not strong enough or work as a team well enough to be long for this Race. But likely longer than...

(tie) 6. Ally & Ashley: Ice Crew Girls AND Leo & Jamal: Cousins/Afghanimals. I feel like I am taking the easy way out here but these two teams have been joined at the hip for 90% of the Race and I don't envision that stopping until one of them is eliminated. For better or worse, they are acting like a Race marriage, even switching tasks hand-in-hand. Add in the fact that one half of the teams (the girls) has gotten seventh place four times in a row, then it just makes sense that they or their partners here will be eliminated next. Because seventh place now is last place and going home. If I had to pick, though, I think the Afghanimals would be the ones to falter and leave first because they are much quicker to bicker and point fingers at each other than the girls.

Well, since I am planning on having the tandem substitute recappers of Mumpower/Hollis in two weeks, we should actually see an elimination this week and next. A few hours away is all it is. See you then.