The Amazing Race 23: Episode 11, Part 1

By Daron Aldridge

December 9, 2013

At least they can hang out with the ice bunnies.

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While this happens, the exes have arrived at the Knock detour and fallen for the Afghanimals' ruse, believing the boys are way behind. After they try their hands a couple of times at Human Bowling and fail, they correct their strategy and use Tim as the ball since he is heavier and gets more speed. Strike!! Now all the teams are at or heading to the next location.

When Jason & Amy and Travis & Nicole arrive, they are a bit disheartened to see Leo & Jamal tackling their rhino Speed Bump. The next task is the Roadblock. The teammate has to reconstruct a seven-foot tall robot figure out of piping. The model for reference is about three inches tall and sitting on a pedestal. Nicole and Amy are up for their teams but their respective partners immediately doubt this selection. Of course, the most vocal dissident is Travis, who hasn’t been shy about masking his frustration with Nicole’s lack of skill on challenges. We got a taste of it early on with the biking task but he was fine when they were winning. But as soon as they fall behind (usually because of Nicole, honestly), he doesn’t miss the chance to point out her shortcomings.

The girls opt to work together on the Roadblock. They assemble a section of one robot and then do the same on the other one. The cousins have finally "captured" their rhino and Leo starts in on the Roadblock.

Of course, he chimes in with not knowing that this was a “Team Roadblock” with the girls working in tandem. Nicole rationalizes that by approaching it this way, they get both correct at the same time but this actually appears to put them behind, as Leo has gained on their progress. Examining the partnership, clearly Nicole is the one benefiting from this arrangement because Amy would've been quicker along and Nicole is easily the weak link.




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As they all three work, Marie is now at the Roadblock for her team. She doesn’t spot the miniature model and asks her supposed alliance where it is. The girls pretend not to hear her but shockingly, Leo points her to the pedestal. He doesn’t hesitate to help her which makes me think that he just might be an inherently good guy as long as he denies the urges to being sneaky.

Leo is the first one to attempt an inspection but is given a "no." He has reversed a section in the middle so it is on backward. The team of girls is next with a pair of “no's” because they have switched the hip and shoulder piping. None of these three actually pinpoint their error and in vain they try to "correct" their sections.

Just one spot over, we have Marie, who is apparently a robot building beast. She is plowing through the task and forcing pieces into place like she forces Tim to bend to her will. Her progression and the prodding of their male counterparts is all Amy and Nicole need to start to crumble under pressure. Marie not only gets a thumbs-up on her first attempt, she is also the last one in and the first one out.


Continued:       1       2       3       4       5

     


 
 

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