The Amazing Race 24: All-Stars - Episode 12

By Daron Aldridge

May 19, 2014

New at BOP:
Share & Save
Digg Button  
Print this column

Brendon & Rachel pass along the same imperative orders of "Walk...no running" to the singers that have entered the boneyard. Already getting a glimpse at how bad their cabbie is on the way to the Neon location, Brendon attempts to steal Jennifer & Caroline's taxi that is waiting for them. First, he offers the guys $25 and pleads that they are in a race. To which the driver says, "They are in the same race." He then tries to throw out the hypothetical "for our baby" line which also doesn't work. Kudos for standing your ground, cabbie. But more than likely, he didn't want to leave because the girls hadn't paid him for the ride to that spot yet.

Rachel gets Brendon to just get in their crappy cab and then instructs her to not load directions because Rachel knows where they are going. (Conspiracy Theory in favor of Team Fetch: Rachel used to work at the Mirage and now teams are being directed to the employee entrance of the hotel. Fishy...fishy.)

The singers get the light bulb and all three are heading to the Mirage. Will the previous employer advantage pay off for Team Fetch? Nope, in a twist, Jennifer & Caroline are the first to arrive and it's a task for those not afraid of heights. The teams have to ride window washing rig all the way to the top of the hotel and put new light bulbs in the "I" in Mirage. Then they have to relay to the worker how many bulbs they placed before being lowered to the ground to get their clue.

The girls gear up and head up with Jennifer's fear of heights not doing them any favors. As they ascend the building, David & Connor arrive in second and only trail by a few minutes. Where are the newlyweds? Arguing with their driver who is slowly taking her time because she doesn't want to get a ticket. Eye-rolls galore come from Rachel with each passing moment.

Finally at the Mirage, they literally run past the clue box and into the hotel searching for it. While they make their second consecutive time-wasting mistake, David & Connor and Jennifer & Caroline are neck-and-neck on the task. Fortunately for them, they are on the same side of the building, so they can see how they are faring. The boys have eliminated the girls' lead and have more of their lights placed at this point.

Inside the hotel, Brendon is insistent that they are supposed to search the hotel for the clue but Rachel is convinced that they need to return to the employee entrance because the clue didn't tell them to actually enter the hotel. She finally just goes back to the entrance and her husband tries to reassure her there wasn't a clue out there. VOILA! Rachel sees the clue immediately. Knowing that they are the last team to start the task puts a dour mood on the couple. Brendon tries to stay positive but we all can see the writing on the wall that a colossal boneheaded move by the other two is the only hope they have.

David & Connor finish the lighting and guess 240 bulbs. Oops...not correct. Instead of wasting time, recounting all of them, they take a WAG at 241 bulbs. Wouldn't you know it's correct? They are headed back to Earth. The girls guess correct the first time and are only a minute or so back.



Advertisement


The next clue points them to Maverick Helicopters in nearby Henderson. With Team Murphy's Law barely leading both teams have left the Mirage. Surprisingly, Jennifer & Caroline aren't just blindly following them.

While they search for the helicopter place, Brendon & Rachel finish putting the "I" in Mirage and try to make up time.

Uh oh, David & Connor's cabbie, which has been pretty solid this leg, gets twisted around and ends up at a dead end. But luckily for them, the girls' cabbie is lost too and even calls out for helping finding the location. As Team Murphy's Law backtracks, the singers' car pulls out in front of them but without hesitation, David & Connor's driver punches to reclaim the lead. Keeping the pedal to the metal, Team Murphy's Law gets to the clue box first and it's another Roadblock, which means David will be taking this one.

For this one, they have to ride in a helicopter over the city while looking for a sign that indicates that this is the finish line, which is the Las Vegas Speedway and the sign literally says "The Race End Here." Then after spotting it, they have to relay that location to the pilot and then skydive out to the location. Thankfully, it's a tandem jump so they should get to the right spot. Their team mate will be waiting for them on the ground, so they can run to the finish line.

David suits up first but Caroline, an experienced skydiver, is still only minutes behind. So missing the sign and having to backtrack could cost any of these teams the Race. As they hover above the skyline, both Connor and Jennifer have gotten to the speedway. Connor points out that all the teams are there waiting, so he knows this is it.

Team Fetch got a better cabbie at the hotel but the gap is too great. At the Roadblock, it's Brendon that suits up but they still must know their fate.

The footage is edited as such that both David and Caroline id the location quickly and close to the same time. While the suspense is high for those on the ground, it's clear to us at home that David jumps first, so we know that it's going be a victory for Team Murphy's Law.

As his light-up jumpsuit and fireworks streak across the sky, all the previously eliminated teams are trying to guess who it is with one of the twins even shouting, "Who are you?" I know they are loud and all but I doubt even the Shrill Lankan sisters' voices can go several hundred feet.

As expected, David hits the ground and Connor relays that this is the finish line. They trot up to the mat and are greeted with hugs from the other teams. Phil informs them that they are indeed the winners of the Amazing Race All Stars. Also, not only are they the first parent/child team to win (cue a shot of Margie & Luke) but David is also the oldest winner in the show's history. It's actually a very touching moment and scene with them as David explains that three years ago, his son was in the middle of chemotherapy; so this is even more special to know how much they have accomplished.

While I got off their bandwagon with the whole "We hate Brenchel" alliance, this team has never done anything but dominate and I am happy that the best team one. Speaking of ‘not' the best team, Caroline has touched down and they are officially number two.

Phil tries to make us believe that the girls proved themselves worthy of being All-Stars but I stand by previous conclusions: A pair of strong legs is not what got them to the end...letting others do the work for them got them to the end.

With tears in her eyes, Rachel can see that they are once again third place as she waits for Brendon to land. He no more touches the grass and asks her to confirm if they are last. She does but they put on a brave face as they run to Phil.

Phil asks if this means they will wait on the baby-making and Rachel confirms that Brendon will have to finish his PhD before they start a family. So, the answer is that they won't be having a baby any time soon because that guy's been a PhD student for a long while.

That wraps up a very solid season and one that I enjoyable thoroughly as a viewer and recapper. Until the fall when the Amazing Race moves to Friday nights, everyone have a great summer and be safe.


Continued:       1       2       3

     


 
 

Need to contact us? E-mail a Box Office Prophet.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
© 2024 Box Office Prophets, a division of One Of Us, Inc.