The Amazing Race 23: Episode 10 Power Rankings
By Daron Aldridge
December 1, 2013
BoxOfficeProphets.com

Taking the 'strong' seriously.

Here's some Amazing Race math for us as we head into this week's power rankings and the remainder of the season: 4 teams + 3 hours + 2 episodes = 1 more nonelimination leg. Of course like most arithmetic, this is just theory.

Upon reading that the finale is only a week away and it's a two-hour doozy (which I am already not a fan of), this week will likely be the non-elimination that David and Kim prophesied for me on Monday.

Speaking of them, I am happy to have snapped their elimination leg recap losing streak.

With only four teams left, the rankings will be quick and painless but a new number one is at the top for me.

1. Jason & Amy: While Mr. Plow (thank you, Mr. Mumpower, for that) and not-quite Mrs. Plow have been a favorite of mine since the beginning and I even predicted a #2 overall finish; they are now in the pole position for my rankings. They are strong and consistent in their task performances and even demonstrating admirable loyalty to their alliance, which likely saved the doctors from elimination last week. The daters bounced back from the unfortunate second train arrival to capture third place but again their track record shows they are much better than "third place" implies. Leg after leg in the front of the pack is more indicative of their potential. So, their obsession with getting first at least one leg just may happen but it may have to wait until the one that REALLY matters at the end.

2. Tim & Marie: I hold this Amazing Race truth to be self-evident - a team I loathe will make it to the end. And this is this season's team, so here they sit in second place. Oh, I hate myself for putting them this high. How much, though? I hate it almost as much as Marie clearly hates Tim...and silence...and decency...and puppies. I just assume she hates puppies since this woman exudes contempt toward everything else. Anyway...Marie's vote of confidence in Tim for last week's Roadblock is as rare as Halley's Comet but it paid off for a second place Pitstop. Will this mean that Marie has turned over a new leaf? It's unlikely that we will see such action from her for another 75.3 years. The Itchy and Scratchy of this season have fought a lot but like cockroaches, they persevere. How? Simply because their dysfunction holds them together. When your relationship is rooted in disdain, then arguments won't undermine your success, so they will continue to plug along. But when your otherwise solid, healthy and supportive relationship encounters the infrequent catastrophe, the result you get is...

3. Travis & Nicole: Much like the Survivor kiss of death of proclaiming you're in control of the game and then two commercial breaks later, you get voted out, the Race producers know how to edit you so your confessional-like interviews belie how you perform on a leg. Nicole's sad and desperate actions in the Roadblock did just that in the same episode as they purported to be setting a great example to their kids on how to be Christ-like. Oops. WWJD? Probably not try to cheat off someone else's homework. Well, because it's wrong and also, because he's Jesus and already knew the answers anyway, right? Let's pretend that she didn't offer up such a pathetic display, she still required the help of Amy to even complete the task, which still dropped them from a comfortable first place lead to fourth place. David and Kim nailed it in last week's recap that it is bad when Satan's daughter (i.e. Marie) displays better decision making and foresight than you do.

4. Leo & Jamal: First place for the last time, I suspect. With their main allies and Race besties gone now, do the guys have the desire to go forward? Probably since they have the attention span of Dug from Up..."Squirrel!", I can't in good conscience put it out in the universe that the final three would be made up of two horrible teams of unlikable characters, so the cousins get the last spot. It's not all superstition, though, because I have contended for weeks that these guys walk a tenuous line between success and failure. Fortunately for them (not the viewer), they have been on the successful side more than the failing side lately but I think they are one meltdown from elimination. But again, that probably won't happen this week since we are staring down the barrel of a non-elimination leg today. So I will just have to pacify myself with putting them in last place in my rankings for the next two weeks (unless one of the other teams has an epically horrendous week this leg).

See y'all tonight as we face the penultimate episode of the Amazing Race 23.