The Amazing Race – The Double U-Turn almost makes things exciting

The Double U-Turn reared its ugly head this week on The Amazing Race, and it very nearly threatened to make this leg exciting. It was actually an edge-of-your-seat ride, but after being saved by the non-elimination leg last week, Nary & Jamie had a lot to overcome after starting the leg more than three hours after first place team Dave & Rachel.

Like last week’s stunning aerial footage, the great camera crew once again got some magnificent footage of the Ngorongoro Crater as the teams started the leg just as the sun was coming up. The lush paradise, referred to as the Garden of Eden, was stunning and the wildlife on display was pretty awesome to behold. If I ever envied the teams during any leg of the race, it was at this point. It was nice to see everyone just take in the experience and forget about who was in front or behind them for the duration of the ride.

But it was time to get back to racing, and everyone had to locate Hillary Clington! Turns out it wasn’t a person, but some kind of cart alongside the road (there was also a Barak Obama stand along the way) to get the next clue which led them to the Detour — Water Supply or Air Supply. Every team chose air supply which required them to fix a flat on a bicycle. Art & JJ decided to do water supply, which sounded easier but they had no idea of knowing that they would have to wait in a line of villagers to fill up nine jugs with water which had to be delivered to a specified address. Art & JJ figured it was going to take them about 40 minutes to get through the line, but it didn’t put them as far behind as you would think.

Last week, things took a bit of an ugly turn as Art & JJ, Dave & Rachel and Vanessa & Ralph all ganged up on Brendon & Rachel and vowed to U-Turn them at the next opportunity, with Nary & Jamie the second target. Dave & Rachel were the first at the U-Turn and actually did a noble thing by not U-Turning anyone because they knew Nary & Jamie were so far behind it really wouldn’t affect them. Mark & Bopper also elected not to use the U-Turn, so when Art & JJ arrived they assumed no one else had been there and they went through with their plan to U-Turn Brendon & Rachel. Brendon & Rachel finished the first Detour, found themselves U-Turned and then paid back Vanessa & Ralph for their attitude towards them, which gave Nary & Jamie a chance to catch up a bit.

Vanessa & Ralph took forever to find Hillary Clington and Nary & Jamie seemed to be right on their tails at this point. Had it not been for the Speed Bump, the Federal agents … I mean kindergarten teachers could have given Vanessa & Ralph a run for fifth place, but putting together an art display before hitting the Road Block set them too far behind and they were eliminated.

Mark & Bopper finally pulled off a first place finish with Dave & Rachel right behind them (everyone behind them finished in the same order they started). Art & JJ weren’t too happy to see Dave & Rachel ahead of them and wished they could go back and U-Turn them for not U-Turning Brendon & Rachel. I know the U-Turn is there to be used, especially when you need to set a team back that’s really close behind, so I’m glad Rachel & Dave didn’t use it on Brendon & Rachel, because if they had, Nary & Jamie might still be out there trying to harvest honey and Phil would have had to don a beekeeper outfit to find them and tell them the race was over. Art & JJ were favorites coming into the race, but their increasingly bad attitude and sportmanship has them on my short list for elimination. With Nary & Jamie out of the game, I only have Mark & Bopper to really root for now. We’re down to the final five, so who do you want to see take home the million dollars? Take the poll below. You’ll have until the start of the next episode to cast your vote.

Clacked by Chuck Duncan
on Apr 15, 2012 @ 23:49 EST5EDT