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David and Mary (Team Kentucky): The most inexplicable entry in TAR:AS is Season Ten's Team Kentucky. They weren't particularly good racers – in fact, they were downright bad. However, they had a hook and Rosie loved them and gave them a house and they were a feel-good story, so here they are, acting star struck in front of reality "stars," which they themselves are. Initial Final Placement: Sixth Place

Taking the above second suggested topic first, I'm not sure what the criteria were for selection as an "All-Star". Certainly, it wasn't best racers, as there is only one winning team in the bunch. It also doesn't seem to be just fan favorites, as I would not classify Eric and Danielle as such. However, no grouping of 11 was going to satisfy everyone, so I won't spend a lot of time wondering where teams like Kris and Jon or the clowns are. What I am struck by is that the producers did not invite back any "Alpha Male" teams, pairs of young, athletic guys that tend to do so well (e.g. Tyler and James, Reichen and Chip, BJ and Tyler, etc., etc.) Were these types of teams deemed unpopular or was there a deliberate attempt in getting a different type of winner?

As to the lack of amazement, maybe it was just this leg. In short, nothing happened. The teams boated in to the starting line, a la Sonny Crockett, and drove to the airport. With very little drama save a weak attempt by Team Kentucky to mess with the Beauty Queens, the teams were off on two planes to Ecuador. There, they found a restaurant where they slept and off they went, driving 65 miles to an ecological reserve where they found a detour. Much to my chagrin, there was the now standard paying a taxi driver to lead to the destination and the use of locals to accompany the teams to the next clue. Of course, this use of locals backfired on both Charla and Mirna and Jill and Jon Vito – the cousins were led to the wrong entrance to the reserve, which resulted in an additional hour of driving time to get to the detour. For Jill and Jon Vito, it resulted in elimination.

The detour was poorly planned also. The choice was either a needle in a haystack task or grooming a horse. The latter task actually sounded more imposing in the task instructions read by the teams - it ostensibly involved wrangling a wild horse prior to cutting its hooves and tail. However, the team members did not need to do anything vis-a-vis the roping of the horse. All the teams picked this task and none of them had any problems.

No, the only problems the teams had this week were navigational. Charla and Mirna, Kevin and Drew, Jill and Jon Vito and David and Mary all had difficulty finding the detour. The Frats even had a flat tire which they rode out rather than change. In the end, it was Rob and Amber, who used a taxi as a guide, coming in first and Jill and Jon Vito finding the detour last and being eliminated.

And herein lays the biggest problem with TAR All-Stars for me. I loved Jill and Jon Vito when I watched them back in Season Three and I really, really hated to see them go. Knowing the teams prior to the start of the race means the viewer (at least this viewer) was already emotionally attached to many of the teams, whether rooting for them to win (like Jill and JV) or lose (like David and Mary). Personally, I like not knowing the teams that get booted after 48 minutes of air time. The Muslim friends from last season seemed nice and all, but I did not really lament their elimination. But with Jill and Jon Vito – I really felt sad for them and bummed that I won't be seeing them race together for a few more weeks. My hope is that they are enjoying their month long vacation together and (not to sound like my meddling Italian mother) that they get back together, get married and have lots of little kick-ass kids with the same cute accent and drive as their parents. (With maybe a little better navigational skills). And while I hope for that, next week promises a blow up between Charla/Mirna and Dustin/Kandice. Mmmm – maybe this season will have some high points after all.

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