The Amazing Race Recap
By David Mumpower
May 4, 2009
Amazing Race fans, watch for our quiz, How Well Do You Know: The Amazing Race 14, to be published the morning after the series finale!
Previously on The Amazing Race, nothing of consequence happened. I say this because the producers of the show decided to give a mulligan to all of the participants. Rather than end the leg as anticipated, some "changing the game" was done in order to create further tension. All it did was annoy us about the fact that the actual outcome of the game has probably been affected by this. Had the round ended as expected (and as should have happened), the sisters would have been eliminated due to Jen's hydrophobia. Instead, the contestants are starting over from scratch this week. It's the most blatant attempt to change results since Rob and Amber were cheated out of victory seven seasons ago. Tweaks such as this are why I am so frequently aggravated by the show.
Tonight's episode begins exactly where the last one ended. Jaime & Cara are ready to celebrate their victory when Phil hands them their next clue. The women's faces are crestfallen, but they recover admirably. They return to the cab and are delighted to realize that their cab driver knows where they are going, thereby preventing some of Jaime's usual xenophobia, at least temporarily. Fate provides me with a cheap giggle when the door closes on Jaime's head, knocking her silly for a bit. I like when bad, cartoonishly violent things happen to bad people. Sue me.
Margie and Luke would have been the second team to finish this leg. Instead, their excitement at the knowledge their mortal enemies are being eliminated immediately dissipates. Their bitterness escalates when they return to their cab and Margie tells Luke that she will quit the race if he yells at her again. The travails of an international race and the omnipresent company of their partner have worn on each of them. The personal toll of The Amazing Race on each contestant is something the show would be wise to explore more often toward the end of each season when there are few remaining teams. That would be much more engaging to me than someone crying at a swimming pool.
Now is the time on The Amazing Race when Travelocity pays for all the bills. This challenge requires contestants to find the Travelocity gnome, the similar but legally not actionable one to the cute little fellow from Amelie. Anyone who suggests that they stole the idea from that movie is a damned dirty liar unless they can prove it's true in a court of law. And Travelocity has some fine attorneys on retainer for just such eventualities. Don't be a hero, loyal readers.
Victor and Tammy repeat the behavior from their four peers. Tammy's heart falls into her stomach when she realizes they won't be going to a hotel for some well earned rest. This displeases them but an edited monologue shows them in high spirits at a later point in the race. Suffice it to say I like their chances to make the final three. Even moreso. Later, Kisha and Jen become the first team to be happy to hear that the leg isn't over. The governor has called them with a stay of execution, meaning that if they do lose, it won't be because of a lack of swimming skill. This is the one pleasant aspect of the double-leg. Throughout last week's episode, there was an undertone that one of the questions asked of each contestant prior to the race was "What is your greatest fear?" and they had picked Jen's as making the best television. Why do they never capitalize on coulrophobia? THAT would be some great video.
(Coulrophobia means fear of clowns. Don't be such a lazy non-googler next time!)
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