The Amazing Race 24: All-Stars - Episode 12
By Daron Aldridge
May 19, 2014
BoxOfficeProphets.com
For a season that, on paper, was going to be dreadful and irritating, this has been a fun one and I must admit that I'm a bit saddened that it's ending. So for the last time this season, here's how I believe this season will shake out.
David & Connor, Team Murphy's Law/father and son: If I was a betting man, then this team is where all my chips would be placed. The numbers don't lie and the numbers this season point to a victory by David & Connor. Back to the numbers, in eleven legs, Team Murphy's Law has claimed 1st place FIVE times, 2nd place once, 3rd place twice and 4th place three times. While they haven't dominated as handily as Meghan & Cheyne did a few seasons ago, the competition with these All-Stars should have lent itself to diluting the chance that one team would be a clear frontrunner. Add into the equation that this team did various tasks (either in part or in whole) more than once because of the Race-leaching that was Jennifer & Caroline and their performance is even more impressive. Let's all try to forget about Connor's soccer ineptness from last week, though. Despite the slip in likeability for me with their petty U-Turn vendetta, they did some damage control last week and returned to the more friendly and congenial persona that endeared them to audiences in the first place. It would take a major screw-up for Team Murphy's Law to lose this season. I'm hopeful that they can pull off the victory. [In my initial predictions/preview for the season, I picked this team to finish in second place.]
Brendon & Rachel, Team Fetch/Big Brother: I don't whether its maturity, marriage or simply watching their first Race season and how horribly grating they came across - but whatever it was, I am grateful. I dreaded this season because of the depth of irritating teams invited back, yet the Big Brother vets surprised me. They didn't dwell on mistakes and let them derail them entirely. I dare say they even grew as people as witnessed Rachel encouraging Luke to not quit at the bartending challenge. Whiny Rachel didn't arrive to the Race until the last leg and it was probably do to being so close to the final leg. Her devolving into tears and Brendon's uncaring scolding of her to "STOP crying" hearkened back to their first Race attempt. Surprisingly, once she dried her eyes, they moved forward to get third. If they can avoid the pressure and stress causing another breakdown, second place should be in their future. How have they fared this season at the Pitstops, you may ask? 1st place three times, 2nd place twice, 3rd and 4th place once each. They also were spared elimination. It's not a bad showing but history doesn't point to them being able to overtake David & Connor at the end. [In my initial predictions/preview for the season, I picked Team Fetch to claim fourth place.]
Jennifer & Caroline, singers: Earlier I mentioned that the teams are pretty wiped out from global travels but more than likely Jennifer & Caroline aren't too tired though since they have been carried the entire Race by others. So, if they win it all, I blame those that allowed themselves to enable the singers' co-dependent strategy. Once again, I will give them credit for tearing it up on the last leg in England. The girls demonstrated a level-headedness and overall aptitude for tasks that they have been keeping hidden because of the aforementioned coattail riding. The Shoot It Detour, in particular, was admirable and as a viewer, I wish the girls had chosen to prove themselves worthy of being on this season earlier. Regardless, they could only muster three 2nd place finishes and 3rd and 4th place once each. Also, and dare I say more indicative of their abilities, they were spared elimination TWICE this season. I will be surprised and disappointed if Jennifer & Caroline win the whole shebang and claim the title of Least Deserving Team to Win. [In my initial predictions/preview for the season, I picked these freeloaders to freeload (which they did) but only end up in eighth place.]
The last time The Amazing Race ended in Las Vegas it featured a cameo by Vegas staple Wayne Newton. This final leg seems to feature Vegas legend David Copperfield in a more prominent role as they teams have to master an illusion with Copperfield in attendance. I just hope that the challenge isn't just a subjective judgment of their skills because let's be honest, the blonds will clearly fit Copperfield's Claudia Schiffer-type and get some leniency on the judging.
Enough of my final set of rankings for the season, let's hit the strip and see who claims the title of Amazing Race All-Stars champs and a million bucks.
Of course, we get the obligatory recap of the season, courtesy of Phil, with a summation of how/why the final three have ended up here. There isn't anything too profound or misguided, except that the show credits Jennifer's "charm" as the reason why the cowboys gave them the Express Pass. I wonder if the brothers had made it to the final if they would've have then shown that it was a shrewd play on their part to unload the Pass early to remove it from the equation? To their credit, the producers do acknowledge the luck of the girls on getting two non-eliminations and not really showing up at the challenges until the last couple of legs. So it's not just me.
Jolly ol' England is about to lose its most recent set of annoying and bossy tourists. In the wee hours of the morn, David & Connor leave in first place for the last time and are excited to read that they are heading to the final destination of Las Vegas, Nevada. Irony: Sin City as the potentially place for two Mormons winning a million dollars.
David is quick to point out that Rachel used to live there and then the Team Fetch-distaste pops up again with the guys declaring that if they don't win, they want the singers too. Basically, it's still "anyone but Brendon & Rachel" for David & Connor.
Jennifer & Caroline leave the mat next and Jennifer points out that she went to high school in Las Vegas. So far, that means that Team Murphy's Law is the only team not geographically familiar with last city. I wonder if that will matter as cabbies in Vegas are likely bountiful and well-versed on landmarks.
Finally, squeals of joy emanate from Rachel as she jumps up and down that Las Vegas is their destination. She is confident that it's a sign that they are going to win and "this is their story." I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean but let's let her have that moment.
All the teams leave London on the same flight(s) and then they get into an awaiting SUV. I assume that there is at least one connection because nonstop from London to Vegas is unlikely but we see zero airplane/port footage. Sprinting through the airport to the cars sans backpacks David & Connor get there first. Their curt drivers merely instruct them to "GET IN!" The singers are behind them and the newlyweds are still in third.
During the ominous car ride into the darkened dessert ("mafia-style" as Jennifer describes it), we find out that Rachel got pushy in line at customs and muscled her way past the singers. Rachel tries to play it tough and explains that "IF I pushed her, then she would be on the ground." Yeah, right. Looks a bit like Old Rachel is rearing her head again. But I can't blame her for the aggressive play because a million dollars is so close for one of these teams right now.
Pulling up to an isolated patch of dessert and having your monosyllabic driver just bark "GET OUT AND DIG!" surely isn't the most comforting scenario but here's where the teams have found themselves. You have three pairs of shovels stuck in the ground only about ten feet from one another.
Team Murphy's Law gets there first and starts digging with the singers right behind them, just as it has been then entire Race. As they all dig, Team Fetch arrives and takes the last plot. Immediately, Rachel brilliantly (but not-so-sneakily) begins emptying there spot and throwing the dirt toward David & Connor. Connor calls her out on it at first because she is really just hitting them dirt and not actually refilling their hole. Then as everyone starts yelling at each other; Brendon chimes in that the singers are just made because Rachel is faster than them.
I am so grateful that the Big Brother alums kept this side of their personalities suppressed the majority of the legs because THESE are the people that I dreaded watching this season.
Team Murphy's Law hits pay dirt first and pulls a box/crate from the ground. Stenciled on the outside is the name David Copperfield and instructions to open the box and take the content its owner. They hop in their car and are driven back to the strip.
Brendon & Rachel get their box next and load up. So, there is a bit of a change in their order but if this season has shown us anything, it's that each leg will be a close one. The singers retrieve theirs and follow.
In the ride back to the strip, all the teams try to figure out a way to get the crate open but one team has the wise idea to keep the back of the SUV for a tool/tire iron. That team is surprisingly Team Fetch. Rachel has shimmied her way in to the back and come back with a jack and some type of a metal spike. It looks like a meat thermometer but that can't be right, can it? Anyway, Brendon uses it to pry open the crate to find a ring with 50 keys on it.
David & Connor show up at the MGM Grand lot where they face the first Roadblock of this leg. It asks "Do you believe in magic?" Well, I hope you do because David Copperfield is their on-scene personality for this challenge. Connor steps up and admits that when he was little he actually asked for a Copperfield magic set for Christmas one year. How adorable is that?
Anyway, the illusion-based task is as follows: The team member will be placed in a large wooden crate with one hand and each foot handcuffed. They will then have to find the right key from the ring that opens the locks. Then they will put their hands through a hole in the top to retrieve a lock pick set that they will use to unlock the lid. After they get the lock pick set the crate will be lit on fire and raised up. While they do all of this, their partner will be watching a live feed of them inside the crate. When they unlock the lid, the partner will hit a series of switches to release them from the crate.
As Connor gets instructions on the stunt, David is told that he needs to get the keys to give to his son. He realizes that they are in the crate and proceeds to throw it against the ground until it opens. The stunt is set up and David hands the keys to Connor through the opening on top.
As they begin, Jennifer & Caroline arrive and Jennifer will be doing the task but they have the same problem of keys still being in the freshly dug up crate. Brendon & Rachel have arrived again in last to a location and Rachel is doing the Roadblock.
All three are under way. Connor does a pretty quick job of finding the key and David watches on the monitor him get the lock pick set. At that point the crate is lit and lifted. As soon as Connor gets the lid unlocked, David throws the switches but instead of bringing it back down, it drops the crate dramatically onto a bonfire. With a look of sheer terror on his face and for a family that is not known for their luck in life, David just alternates staring at the monitor and Copperfield. The illusionist calls for the fire department to come over and wouldn't you know, it's Connor all decked out in fire gear. That sneaky Copperfield gets some delight in scaring the bejesus out of this poor old man. I can't wait to see the reaction of the others.
(My guess on how they did it: Simply, there were two crates and the hands that crate that they handed him the keys in was either moved while he walked back to the van or the ‘live feed' of the outside of the crate was not live. Either way, pretty cool way to pull off a Roadblock.)
Their next clue points them to the Neon Boneyard. The father/son team remains squarely in first place. The resourcefulness of opening the crate for the keys ahead of time has allowed Brendon & Rachel to get ahead of the singers. As Brendon hits the switches, he has a not-quite David-esque look of disbelief on his face that he just dropped Rachel into a fire. Of course, the over-dramatic Rachel pops up dressed as a fire fighter and they get their clue. They seem to know where they are heading.
Lastly, Caroline is near tears when she thinks that she actually hurt Jennifer but no one was a duped or devastated in this rouse as daddy Davy.
Team Murphy's Law gets to the Neon Boneyard first and specifically point out that they are instructed to walk and not run. They search the grounds and find the clue box tucked off in a corner. It directs them to remove a light bulb for a silver and red question mark sign on the grounds and take it to the employee entrance of the Mirage hotel. Connor immediately sees that it is located behind the clue box. Really, it's only about ten feet away. Off they go and this season's tradition of go...go...go continues.
As they leave, Team Fetch arrives and is reminded (in a rather scolding manner) to not run. The newlyweds find the clue box but don't have a clue about where the "?" is located, so they start wandering the grounds. It's just a minor slip up and delay but one that is putting an unnecessary distance between them and the leaders. Rachel heads back to the clue box area to search there and sees the giant ? in question.
Brendon & Rachel pass along the same imperative orders of "Walk...no running" to the singers that have entered the boneyard. Already getting a glimpse at how bad their cabbie is on the way to the Neon location, Brendon attempts to steal Jennifer & Caroline's taxi that is waiting for them. First, he offers the guys $25 and pleads that they are in a race. To which the driver says, "They are in the same race." He then tries to throw out the hypothetical "for our baby" line which also doesn't work. Kudos for standing your ground, cabbie. But more than likely, he didn't want to leave because the girls hadn't paid him for the ride to that spot yet.
Rachel gets Brendon to just get in their crappy cab and then instructs her to not load directions because Rachel knows where they are going. (Conspiracy Theory in favor of Team Fetch: Rachel used to work at the Mirage and now teams are being directed to the employee entrance of the hotel. Fishy...fishy.)
The singers get the light bulb and all three are heading to the Mirage. Will the previous employer advantage pay off for Team Fetch? Nope, in a twist, Jennifer & Caroline are the first to arrive and it's a task for those not afraid of heights. The teams have to ride window washing rig all the way to the top of the hotel and put new light bulbs in the "I" in Mirage. Then they have to relay to the worker how many bulbs they placed before being lowered to the ground to get their clue.
The girls gear up and head up with Jennifer's fear of heights not doing them any favors. As they ascend the building, David & Connor arrive in second and only trail by a few minutes. Where are the newlyweds? Arguing with their driver who is slowly taking her time because she doesn't want to get a ticket. Eye-rolls galore come from Rachel with each passing moment.
Finally at the Mirage, they literally run past the clue box and into the hotel searching for it. While they make their second consecutive time-wasting mistake, David & Connor and Jennifer & Caroline are neck-and-neck on the task. Fortunately for them, they are on the same side of the building, so they can see how they are faring. The boys have eliminated the girls' lead and have more of their lights placed at this point.
Inside the hotel, Brendon is insistent that they are supposed to search the hotel for the clue but Rachel is convinced that they need to return to the employee entrance because the clue didn't tell them to actually enter the hotel. She finally just goes back to the entrance and her husband tries to reassure her there wasn't a clue out there. VOILA! Rachel sees the clue immediately. Knowing that they are the last team to start the task puts a dour mood on the couple. Brendon tries to stay positive but we all can see the writing on the wall that a colossal boneheaded move by the other two is the only hope they have.
David & Connor finish the lighting and guess 240 bulbs. Oops...not correct. Instead of wasting time, recounting all of them, they take a WAG at 241 bulbs. Wouldn't you know it's correct? They are headed back to Earth. The girls guess correct the first time and are only a minute or so back.
The next clue points them to Maverick Helicopters in nearby Henderson. With Team Murphy's Law barely leading both teams have left the Mirage. Surprisingly, Jennifer & Caroline aren't just blindly following them.
While they search for the helicopter place, Brendon & Rachel finish putting the "I" in Mirage and try to make up time.
Uh oh, David & Connor's cabbie, which has been pretty solid this leg, gets twisted around and ends up at a dead end. But luckily for them, the girls' cabbie is lost too and even calls out for helping finding the location. As Team Murphy's Law backtracks, the singers' car pulls out in front of them but without hesitation, David & Connor's driver punches to reclaim the lead. Keeping the pedal to the metal, Team Murphy's Law gets to the clue box first and it's another Roadblock, which means David will be taking this one.
For this one, they have to ride in a helicopter over the city while looking for a sign that indicates that this is the finish line, which is the Las Vegas Speedway and the sign literally says "The Race End Here." Then after spotting it, they have to relay that location to the pilot and then skydive out to the location. Thankfully, it's a tandem jump so they should get to the right spot. Their team mate will be waiting for them on the ground, so they can run to the finish line.
David suits up first but Caroline, an experienced skydiver, is still only minutes behind. So missing the sign and having to backtrack could cost any of these teams the Race. As they hover above the skyline, both Connor and Jennifer have gotten to the speedway. Connor points out that all the teams are there waiting, so he knows this is it.
Team Fetch got a better cabbie at the hotel but the gap is too great. At the Roadblock, it's Brendon that suits up but they still must know their fate.
The footage is edited as such that both David and Caroline id the location quickly and close to the same time. While the suspense is high for those on the ground, it's clear to us at home that David jumps first, so we know that it's going be a victory for Team Murphy's Law.
As his light-up jumpsuit and fireworks streak across the sky, all the previously eliminated teams are trying to guess who it is with one of the twins even shouting, "Who are you?" I know they are loud and all but I doubt even the Shrill Lankan sisters' voices can go several hundred feet.
As expected, David hits the ground and Connor relays that this is the finish line. They trot up to the mat and are greeted with hugs from the other teams. Phil informs them that they are indeed the winners of the Amazing Race All Stars. Also, not only are they the first parent/child team to win (cue a shot of Margie & Luke) but David is also the oldest winner in the show's history. It's actually a very touching moment and scene with them as David explains that three years ago, his son was in the middle of chemotherapy; so this is even more special to know how much they have accomplished.
While I got off their bandwagon with the whole "We hate Brenchel" alliance, this team has never done anything but dominate and I am happy that the best team one. Speaking of ‘not' the best team, Caroline has touched down and they are officially number two.
Phil tries to make us believe that the girls proved themselves worthy of being All-Stars but I stand by previous conclusions: A pair of strong legs is not what got them to the end...letting others do the work for them got them to the end.
With tears in her eyes, Rachel can see that they are once again third place as she waits for Brendon to land. He no more touches the grass and asks her to confirm if they are last. She does but they put on a brave face as they run to Phil.
Phil asks if this means they will wait on the baby-making and Rachel confirms that Brendon will have to finish his PhD before they start a family. So, the answer is that they won't be having a baby any time soon because that guy's been a PhD student for a long while.
That wraps up a very solid season and one that I enjoyable thoroughly as a viewer and recapper. Until the fall when the Amazing Race moves to Friday nights, everyone have a great summer and be safe.