The Amazing Race Season 20 Recap

By Daron Aldridge

March 20, 2012

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I’m sorry that I missed the episode of The Amazing Race with the most double entendre potential with last week’s Detour. It brought out the lecherous comments from Jersey Shore about their statue and the many, many salami innuendos for Name That Salami. Yet, I’m not sorry that I missed recapping a non-elimination leg that foreshadowed the last place team in the first ten minutes.

Hear, hear, David and Kim. I, too, hate the non-elimination as a concept but was pleased with the team that was spared last week.

Here’s how I see the current state of the Amazing Race union:

  • Team Border Patrol Art & JJ - Let’s see: Two consecutive first place finishes with possibly the widest margins in the show’s history, as well as a second place and a third place. That is pure domination. If not for the airport leveling of the playing field, these guys might already be completed with the sixth leg before the others start the fifth leg. Add to that the gift of $5,000 to Bopper for his daughter and Art & JJ show that they are pretty good at the Human Race too. (Hokey, yes, but true.) Sadly, they are the only team that seems to be a contender this season. The rest are destined to be runners-up.


  • Army of Two Rachel & Dave - Here’s a team that’s succeeded last week in spite of itself. First, I offer a clarification: I only referred to this Rachel as Blonde Rachel because I didn’t know if she deserved to be the “Good” to Big Brother’s “Bad.” And, man, am I glad after these last couple of weeks of unpleasantness. This is a team I REALLY wanted to like but this appears to be the definition of a toxic relationship. They are a prime example of how the Race highlights what is flawed in a relationship and for these guys, it’s their utter lack of communication. Simply, both seem to just not like each other. Yet, they still are finishing at the top week after week. It’s just one more example of the lackluster race acumen of teams this season.





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  • (tie) Team Un-Fed Nary & Jamie and Jersey Shore’s Joey & Danny - Both our fake teachers and real meatheads are doing rather well. Neither team has lost their cool and both seem to be in sync with one another on the challenges. I severely underestimated the abilities of Jersey Shore, who have steadily moved up in the rankings. And Nary & Jamie have been solid performers but will either of them last? I don’t know for sure, but I suspect that one, if not both, will outlast…


  • Big Brother’s Brendon & Rachel - Bad Rachel lived up to her moniker last week with meltdowns at the drop of a hat. And there was also the reality show-tailored histrionics of suggesting they give up on their relationship and the race. I’d say she is quick with the crocodile tears but I think that we have yet actually see any real tears shed. It’s all scrunched face and banshee wailing, like a preschooler that is trying to get sympathy. On the other side, I liked that she snuck in a dig at Brendon basically giving up on his PhD studies as well…shining a light on his fraudulent pretension. They showed cracks that I hope eliminate them but they will probably make it farther than their arch enemies…


  • Vanessa & Ralph - While I appreciate the teams that dislike Big Brother and picked them to win it all (sight unseen), this dating team seems too distracted by a need to mock Bad Rachel. I’m mainly talking about Vanessa here. They have yet to shine like I thought they would and don’t fight very much. The lesson here, kids, is that this season if you are on a team with your significant other, you need animosity to succeed. Maybe this will be the leg where they are each other’s throats and get first place. Also, since Vanessa admitted to spending good money on a nose job (and clearly money on another cosmetic surgery ‘job’), I don’t know if their intentions for the money are as pure as…


  • Bopper & Mark - Team Justified (a big thank you for that name to BOP’s Reagen Sulewski) tugged at our hearts last week with the best motivation ever on this show and we thank them for that. In a season where, each week, teams plunge to greater depths of ugliness and in-fighting, these fellas are soaking in the experience of the race. Even in the face of last place, they kept a fun-loving side about them. I think that they will continue to stay one step ahead of last place.


  • Cousins Kerri & Stacy - Who, you may ask? Well, if you aren’t asking it, I sure am and I have watched each episode. They are a team that has either blended into the background or been so bland that they’ve ended up on the editing room floor. For the simple fact that they continually get no screen time, I predict they will be eliminated next or they may have already been eliminated and we just haven’t noticed.



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