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Jill & Thomas convince their driver to just call dispatch and see if they will help, which they can’t. This is not surprising, since further discussion with their cabbie reveals that not only does he not know what Google is but admits that he is not familiar with this Internet they speak of. In fact, he thinks that his GPS is the Internet.

The doctors finally get someone to find out that Sancho Panza is from the novel Don Quixote and there is a Quixote Studios in LA.

Instead of the fruitless endeavor of using the cabbie for information, Team HSN simply asks they be taken to a hotel with Internet. This is much wiser move than Jill & Thomas, who are in a cab that is just driving around aimlessly (literally, they have not given the driver an address) and a cabbie who won’t let them use his phone again.

Nat & Kat find out that the answer to the second clue points to Griffith Park, which is where one location of Quixote Studios is and that it will be on Stage 7 per the Marilyn Monroe clue. They are the first ones to arrive and get to play a game show within what is essentially a game show. How meta?

After being greeted by quintessential game show host Bob Eubanks, the teams stand in front of a giant board with 38 numbered pictures of people with hats. They have to identify the 11 that were at each of the Pitstops and put them in the correct order before Eubanks will give them their next clue.

Nat & Kat begin to systematically go through the tasks and refer to some very detailed notes they kept along the race. They wisely think it through and use each other's memory to figure out if the face selected looks familiar to their teammate. This challenge is the perfect example of why Nat & Kat have blown away the competition this season. They remain calm and collected, while trusting and supporting each other. While not as entertaining as the drama of the Nicks and Chads of the world, it is comforting to know that not all reality show people are vile.

Jill & Thomas get out in a random neighborhood and find that the people there are about as forthcoming with Internet access as their cabbie. The hotel pays off for Team HSN, who is now on their way to the studio. But before Brook & Claire get there, Nat & Kat have solved the puzzle and get their final clue. The finish line and Phil await them at Greystone Mansion.

As the doctors are presumably heading to Amazing Race history, Brook & Claire show up at the studio. Of course, the sneaky producers edit it so that we think that the traffic has stalled out the progress of Nat & Kat and that Team HSN blazed through the game show challenge. They can’t keep the ruse going for too long. Following a series of quick cuts from one cab to another, the camera races past the eliminated teams to the mat with…

Nat & Kat as the winners of The Amazing Race 17. This means that they are officially the first all-female team to win the race. Based upon how well they worked together, their sentiments about what the race and each other means to them seems all the more real. While I didn’t pick them to win or even get past the first few legs, I think that they are possibly one of the most deserving teams to win the Amazing Race.

Of course, Brook & Claire claim second place, since Jill & Thomas haven’t even deciphered their clue yet. Team HSN says they hope they showed that women can be strong and still feminine. This is accompanied by the footage of Claire’s signature move – taking a watermelon to the face.

We don’t see Jill & Thomas complete the game show task, so we assume the producers just intervened and told them to go directly to the mansion.

So another season has been recapped and now it’s time for a quick review. This one started out strong with high entertainment and drama but over the last couple episodes, it has gotten predictable and, dare I say, boring at times. Overall though, I am very pleased with how it played out because the best team truly did win.

Well, in 2011, I get the best birthday present on February 20th – the premiere of the new season. It is essentially an All-Stars version but with the subtitle “Unfinished Business,” there will be no previous winners in the mix. If Internet sightings and reports are to be believed, I am looking forward to another chance to watch some of my favorite teams from the past few years, including the Globetrotters and the cowboys. I can’t wait but until then, have a safe holiday and a happy New Year.


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