This episode didn’t seem quite as exciting to me as the previous ones–the biggest drama came from teams not really knowing how to row (?). Still, even if this wasn’t as exciting as the first three eps, it’s miles better than anything from the last couple seasons, so I’ll take it. Teams still mixed nicely during the course of the episode, so to sort 'em out, here’s the…
Taxi Assessment
Stuck in the Desert and Officially Detained - or, Philiminated with extreme prejudice.
Bilal & Sa’eed and Vipul & Arti and Kellie & Jamie and Duke & Lauren - Living it up in Sequesterville.
Tom & Terry - (down from “Stopping”) - One of the weakest teams, so this elimination came as no real surprise to me. They were clearly out of their depth this episode, falling farther and farther behind as other teams passed them. They didn’t know how to row, they couldn’t figure out how to pull up baskets, they hemorrhaged far too much time.
Flat Tire - or, not likely to get anywhere soon.
David & Mary - (holding steady) - David seems to be doing OK, but, to be blunt, Mary’s slowing this team down. Although we haven’t seen one yet this season, a sprint to the finish line is going to favor any other team over this one. Prime candidates for elimination next week.
Lyn & Karlyn - (holding steady) - I was actually impressed with Karlyn’s rock climbing this episode, and their endurance on the rowing portion of the task. These two aren’t exactly gym rats, but they pushed through all right. But doing “all right” isn’t going to be enough over the long haul. They picked the wrong Detour, and had to do the extra rowing–bad move. They’re lucky two other teams were weaker than they were. Next episode they won’t be so lucky.
Stopping for Gas - or, not broken-down, exactly, but not a good sign.
Dustin & Kandice - (down from “Rapido!”) - I still have high hopes for this team, and only reluctanly drop them a notch here. But this is the second time they’ve done something stupid and nearly gotten eliminated. First was losing a helmet a couple episodes ago, now it’s randomly rowing around in the ocean with no idea where they’re going. Way to live down to the stereotypes, ladies. I think next episode will be critical for this team: will they bounce back or not?
"Rapido! Por Favor?" - or, making meaningless ineffectual comments from the back seat, but in no immediate danger.
Rob & Kimberly - (holding steady) - A first place! Wow; who’d-a thunk? Not me, for sure, and I’m reasonably certain this is a fluke. A top three finish next week will convine me differently, but for now Rob & Kimberly stay here. Too much drama, and Killer Fatigue will only make it worse–particularly since Rob seems to break down in pressure situations, like the cab driver from Hell this week. (TAR Rule #7: NEVER get into a cab with a driver whose face is blurred out.)
In the Passing Lane - or, ahead of the pack, but not quite comfortably.
Erwin & Godwin - (up from “Rapido”) - Up another notch this week. Not a top three finish, but this team is finally beginning to live up to its potential. If they can keep playing smart, I’d expect them to finish stronger than Rob & Kimberly over the long haul, so they might sneak into the top three.
Peter & Sarah - (holding steady) - I keep expecting Sarah to crack Peter in the nuts with her prosthesis at any moment, but this team finds a way to consistently do all right. Barring a complete meltdown (not all that UNlikely at this point), this team ought to find its way into the final three.
Cruisin’ with Earl - or, drivin’ on the shoulder, takin’ shortcuts, and generally kickin’ butt.
Tyler & James - (up from “Passing”) - Their finish this episode (third) was actually their lowest so far, but I’m going to bump them up into the coveted “Cruisin’” category anyway. Consistent top three finishes for all four episodes look pretty good, and this team seems to play it smart–witness how they immediately dragged their cabbie to the loudspeaker to listen to the driving instructions. A faster junk and they might have been first again this week. They’re clearly the team to beat, and barring a stupidity meltdown ought to cruise into the final three.
Next week: The first non-elimination, perhaps? If not, the weakest teams are David & Mary and Lyn & Karlyn. Barring a disasterous mistake by another team (not exactly an unknown phenomenon), I would expect one of these two teams to go next. I also wonder if we’re going to start to see some Killer Fatigue related meltdowns. That rowing looked like it took a lot out of some of the teams.
[sub]Props to Mullinator and his Raj Ratings.[/sub]
