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8. Grandparents Bill & Cathi: Their last (and thankfully non-eliminated) place is exactly where they deserved to be after wandering the streets of Taipei for hours. While they still won’t go too deep, I think they have enough in their favor to outlast…

9. and 10. Showgirls Kaylani & Lisa and blonde twins Liz & Marie: In a classic case of the blind leading the blind, the two most absented-minded or airheaded teams joined forces to for create the Bimbo Brigade – an intellectual union the likes of which we haven’t witnessed since Harry Dunne met Lloyd Christmas (or since Brent & Caite decided to go on the Race a few seasons ago). They have lived up to my very low expectations and if things are as they should be, in one big swoop of a double elimination, the Amazing Race will be exponentially smarter when they are gone.

Let’s rip open our first clue at the Taiwan Pitstop and see where we’re headed.

Engaged Ernie & Cindy are the first to leave but the second to learn about the looming double elimination (Bill & Cathi found out from Phil earlier when they were spared.) Suffice to say that all the teams react with varying degrees of anxiety but Cindy, sitting in first place, confidently says that she’s not worried that they will be in last but that there will be unforeseen twists on the race. I smell disappointment in her future as teams that say they won’t be eliminated invariably end up in jeopardy quickly.





And with news that the China Airlines flight to their destination city of Jakarta, Indonesia, doesn’t leave until 8:45 the next morning, the betrothed couple’s first place lead vanishes like a thought between Kaylani’s ears or her passport at an LA gas station. (Sorry, that was harsh. But apparently, I am not too sorry to delete it but rather continue typing.)

As the teams leave the Pitstop, we see that only about two hours separated first from tenth place. All the teams are wondering aloud whether the double elimination means that Bill & Cathi are still in the race. More importantly, I get validation in naming snowboarders Andy & Tommy Team Dude as they go back-and-forth in the cab and the conversation ends with a playful “Don’t ‘dude’ me, dude!”

With them leaving the Pitstop at almost 4 a.m., grandparents Bill & Cathi are viable in the race and surprisingly, the teams greet them with applause at the airport. The retired couple has been dubbed Ma & Pa by the other teams, which I can get behind because it saves me coming up with a nickname and it’ll help avoid confusion with the other "Bill." Team Dude is stoked they are still in it because they bring a "positive energy" with them but Jenna sums up what I was thinking: “The more people here the more people there are to fall behind.” Preach it, Sister Morasco. This is a race, after all.

With no airplane snafu en route to Jakarta, all the teams show up at the train terminal en masse and appear to be clumped together. This is much to the dismay of anyone within earshot of the constant bickering of siblings Justin & Jennifer. Despite clear instructions that the teams are to take an overnight train to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Justin suggests they explore other transportation options. While he does this with a calm, even voice, Jennifer doesn’t immediately say “No, let’s wait for the train,” and he interprets that to mean "Let’s argue on a train platform like children."

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