The Amazing Race 23: Episode 3 Power Rankings

By Daron Aldridge

October 13, 2013

At least we like each other. That's a plus.

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4. Tim & Marie: Exes from New Jersey. There are two words that describe why I think this pair has some longevity in their Race life: Express Pass. While it would be a delicious piece of humble pie for them to get eliminated with the pass unused, I don't think they are that stupid (sorry, last season's John) - especially since they are quick to remind everyone that they have it and another to give away. Yet, Marie is happy to dangle the extra one out there for help but no one seems willing to help even for an Express Pass. That's how much people already dislike you, Marie. They would rather not help your game than help their own game. I really feel sorry for Ex-Tim and his valid lemonade/Brining Detour analogy but in the words of Radiohead, "You do it to yourself, you do And that's what really hurts Is that you do it to yourself Just you and no one else..." No one made you put Marie on your team.

5. Brandon & Adam: Friends and beard enthusiasts. Way to turn it on last week, Team Beardo. I feared that these guys would continue with a much too laid back and lackadaisical approach to the Race to equal any level of success. They proved me wrong on the last leg. The guys got a taste of the front of the pack and just let it fuel them. First, they had the sense to not wander aimlessly on the ship for a clue but actually used a local man's knowledge to gain a lead. Then, they kept the lead by beating all the other teams out of the Mining Detour by being smart in their salt block-smashing technique. They may not be as strong as some of the others but they seem capable of holding their own. I'd be 100% fine with being wrong about these rankings if it meant these guys make it to the end.

6. Ally & Ashley: Members of the LA Kings Ice Crew. Like the beards, the blondes used the same successful approach to getting the clue on the ship, which helped them get to the Detour fast. Unlike Brandon & Adam, the girls struggled mightily at the Detour, which cost them a place on the earlier bus. Having to switch tasks from Mining (they should've known better) to Brining would've hurt any team but their struggles with hauling the salt bags just added to that "hurt". Yet on the Roadblock, Ashley was the only other one than Chester to correctly pack the shoeshine cart. I just feel they would need a flameout by several teams in order for the girls to make it too far into the Race.

7. Tim & Danny: Childhood friends from Oklahoma. The Okies didn't get much screen time last week, so I can't completely justify bumping them up too far but they did get to Phil in better positioning than the first leg. So there's that. Also, Danny's nice side got the better of him on the Roadblock thanks to his directing Ashley to the shoeshine storage unit. His help just seemed to roll off his tongue and it's nice when you have decent people on the Race not consumed by competitiveness. Unfortunately for Team Okay, you need to have some semblance of competitiveness to survive. The way to not do that is to help load up the cart of Marie at the same Roadblock.




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8. Leo & Jamal: Cousins/Afghanimals. You may remember last week when I predicted that these guys will not learn from their first leg's Roadblock clue-reading error? Well, they didn't make the same error but they did mess up with another cardinal Amazing Race rule: settle up with your cabbie before you can be checked in at the Pitstop. The cousins were so consumed with "getting" first place they didn't handle their business properly and missed out on first. That's not good in and of itself but isn't why I am putting them this far down. The epic meltdown that followed their non-check in is why. Jamal openly berated Leo's error and even blamed his alma mater USC for making him ill-prepared to pay a cabbie correctly. Leo was quick to blame the cabbie for yelling at him for his money. It went on and one like this in front of Phil. Then our favorite host correctly pointed out, "This isn't going to work." But just like Probst counseling perpetually losing tribes on Survivor to figure out how to fix problems in their tribe, Phil's advice will likely fall on deaf Afghanimals' ears.

9. Nicky & Kim: Baseball wives. Like Kim's husband's Tampa Bay Rays, I suspect that she and Nicky will not get any deeper in the Race. Two legs in and Kim has already struggled emotionally with two tasks. But hold on...it's not just Kim. Nicky's major error of leaving behind the shoeshine rug at the Roadblock almost gave Rowan & Shane the chance to pass them. They only thing that saved these ladies was Rowan's colossal flub on the Roadblock. The prospect of getting the extra Express Pass from their new alliance with Ex-Tim & Marie is slim if this week's previews are too be believed. Usually when one of the aligned teams declares "You're dead to me!" things aren't going well. So a Race-extending Pass won't save them from being eliminated this week.

To revisit the baseball metaphor, the third leg is warming up in the on-deck circle and about to send teams to Spain. See you for the recap tomorrow.


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