New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

Matt the professional snowboarder is comfortable with mountains and heights and the like. He’s also an X-Games athlete. He climbs the construct as if a magnet were pulling him up to the top. He almost returned to the ground before Joey reached the top. Literally every contestant watching Matt from below is in awe of his achievement here. Being a freak athlete doesn’t guarantee success on The Amazing Race, but it’s easy to see how he’s won a gold medal.

Tonight’s Detour involves Norwegian fairytales. For Trolls, teams must search for “Fire Trolls” hidden in the city then free them with a magic spell. Their reward is a giant rocket each time. Once a team collects six (ridiculously oversized) rockets, they’re done. For Troll (no, that’s not a typo), the players must kayak through the local waters and find a lure that shows the name of the next Pit Stop.

Once Team Fun arrives at their destination, they learn that they get to jump out of a helicopter. Most people would show at least some level of remorse. These two start bouncing up and down with joy. We like Happy Becca a LOT better than Punchy Becca.

Something noteworthy happens during the Roadblock that seems like busywork. Vanck & Ashton leave without grabbing all of her belongings. Vanck had his partner’s jacket and hat. So, she assumed that he had her pack also. It’s a pretty big mistake, and they’re equally to blame.

The Boys are the first to arrive at the Detour and choose Troll aka the kayaks. They seem unsure of how the challenge works. When they look at the lures, they break into a discussion about colors. They eventually decide that the lure they’re holding is orange rather than red. Meanwhile, Tara & Joey show up and almost immediately find the right lure. Then, they find another one, validating their belief. They also might have found one intended for The Boys. It’s unclear. Either way, this turn of events confuses them even more, leaving both teams paddling in (literal) circles.

Most of the teams choose Trolls, which seems more straightforward but slower. Ashton is instantly fantastic at it, finding a Fire Troll almost immediately. Then, Vanck finds a second one right down the street. We can’t decide if they’re extremely skilled or just plain lucky.

The other players wonder the same thing. They wonder how their opponents gained two rockets so quickly. Two of the teams start working together. Brooke & Scott join forces with Team LoLo (maybe the first time we’ve seen them tonight) and enjoy some success. Scott feels a weight lifted off his back, as someone else carries Brooke for a change.

Liz & Mike aren’t doing as well. They’re meticulously studying the blue Troll map that acts as a guide. They disagree about which way is north. Liz notes that a statue on the map is north of them. Mike…finds this statement frustrating. He has a handy compass on his keychain that points north. He loses his cool when she protests. While acting like an ass, he does offer an absolutely hysterical smackdown of her logic. “Okay, so this paper is magic and it knows which way is north?”

Back from the commercial break, they’re still fighting. She states something that is undeniably true. “You’re making a scene.” Basically, Mike wanted to do the other side of the Detour, didn’t get his way, and has now lost control of his emotions. When they find a spot on the map, she adds, “You owe me an apology.” Moments later, he does offer what seems like a sincere apology, which she accepts.

An edit from later, after the leg is over, summarizes the situation. Mike explains that he can be stubborn and irrational. To his credit, he acknowledges his failing in this situation. Liz calmly adds, “I caught the butt end of it.” She doesn’t seem mad, which means that they’ve apparently made up during the break between legs. In live action, however, she wants to show that giant rocket where the sun don’t shine.

In a humorous moment, Brooke sees “What’s-her-face” up ahead, by which she means Ashton. Without a drop of irony in her voice, Brooke states, “She’s horrible.” Gee, Brooke, if horrible women bother you…

Continued:       1       2       3