Amazing Race 15: Preseason Team Rankings

[Green_Bean]

@Siege

You left out the best part. One person recognized one of the poker players and told other teams, so now several teams know who they are and what they did, inluding the brothers.

Yeah, that was indeed funny. I think their lie will really backfire on them because they tried to make themselves sound so darn noble. If they had claimed to be something more mundane, people probably wouldn’t hold it against them so much. Also, if they were going to claim to work with homeless kids, they should have acted more like the people who do that kind of thing. (i.e. more friendly, sweet, and cooperative)

But I was more getting at the idea that the people who claimed to be so good at reading people got it wrong, while the person who claimed to have social problems got it right.

(Though I don’t know if people with Aspberger’s are any worse at reading people than anybody else. Which really doesn’t matter, because most viewers wouldn’t know that either. It was just such a great juxtaposition.)

@MPB_in_Salt_Lake

Why should a Miss America, or already wealthy basketball players get to race----They have already had thier time in the spotlight, and the show should stick with giving average people a chance to compete…

The show isn’t a charity.

The show’s primary goal is to entertain the viewers. Having certain types of “celebrities” in the mix can enhance that, especially if whatever they’re famous for has something to do with what the show’s about. Some examples:

–Flight Time and Big Easy: The Harlem Globetrotters are known for their amazing physical skills. How much will that help them? They’re probably very used to shaking hands and talking to random fans. Will that allow them to make friends and get extra help? Will Big Easy’s height and size help or hinder them? It helped in the mud-spreading challenge. He could reach way farther than the others. but I can see a number of ways that it could be a major disadvantage. Also, their job is to be just plain entertaining, which is good for the audience. Besides, they’re Harlem Globetrotters! Who doesn’t love the Harlem Globetrotters?

–Miss America: Beauty queens are stereotyped as being really vain and prissy. Beauty (or scholarship :rolleyes: ) pageants are by definition about fitting into a very constrained and strictly defined role. How will Miss America react to being in such an uncontrolled situation? How will she react to looking foolish, looking haggard, and getting filthy? (So far, so good.) Unlike the Harlem Globetrotters, many people have negative reactions to beauty queens. Will it help her or hurt her? Or both?

–The Poker Players: Poker players are good at evaluating risk. Will they make the right bets on the show? And they’re supposed to be good at reading people and taking advantage of opportunities. Will they be able to do this in a situation other than a poker table. They have to be intelligent to be successful at poker. do they have the types of intelligence necessary to do well on the show?

It’s not like they’re doing the washed up has-been route, either. That would be lame.

@lorene

I think that I know far too much already about Mika and Canaan’s chasteness (um, honey? Yeah you in the tank top and loads of eye makeup. He does too want to have sex with you. He might also want to pray with you, but only as foreplay.)

Either that, or he genuinely *doesn’t * want to have sex with her. Because he’s gay.

(I predict a Canaan/SamOrDan showmance)

[Skammer]

Agree with most of the comments so far - didn’t like the early elim, but was not sorry to see the yoga instructors go.

Felt like the game show challenge had too much randomness outside of the contestant’s control: they all started at the same time and had to wait to get a wasabi bomb. But entertaining nonetheless.

Here’s my question. I didn’t go back and confirm, but I thought that the planes landed in Tokyo in the mid-afternoon (3:40 pm or something). Then the teams all went straight to the TV studio. From there, they took their audience members through the streets to the shrine.

Yet, according to the announced departure times on the second leg, the teams all arrived at the mat between noon and 1pm or so. What the what? It didn’t look like they were in that TV studio all night. Did I miss something?

[jayjay]

@Green_Bean

Who doesn’t love the Harlem Globetrotters?

The Washington Generals?

[Edward_The_Head]

I’m actually fine with the original elimination, I thought it was a pretty good idea. Plus who deserved it more? I loved the Japanese game show, for some reason I love all the dumb stuff they do on them even though I don’t get much chance to watch them. I also like them herding the people through the streets of Tokyo.

I think for now I’m going to pull for the Globetrotters. They seem to be the most fun, and not being jerks.

[MissTake]

I enjoyed it.
I was just fine with the self-described “ghetto yoga” getting booted right away, as even the few minutes they were on my screen the bugged the hell out of me.

Going into the show, I was rooting for Maria and (not as much for) Tiffany. The whole female poker player thing. Not so much, anymore. Their cover was sad - why not just be office workers? That harmed them greatly. And didn’t they realize they would be outed somewhere? Just stupid.

I’m also not on the gay brother bandwagon. I just don’t like them. Maybe they’re a bit smarmy? I don’t know. Just not a fan.

I like Zev and Justin. Yes, they’re the afterschool special team, but I love their ease with each other and their humor. Duck Whisperer. Hee.

We wondered how long the lost human ducklings wandered around. Are there still two tiny asian women with HUGE visors roaming the streets?

[GrandWino]

@Green_Bean

Either that, or he genuinely *doesn’t * want to have sex with her. Because he’s gay.

(I predict a Canaan/SamOrDan showmance)

There was a nice bit of editing where they showed the gay brothers talking about their gayness, and then the editors jumped immediately to that guy talking about his “purity.” Made me think the producers were implying the same thing as you.

[kiz]

For some reason I wasn’t totally shocked re Team Yoga, although it would have been interesting to watch them – big brawny homie Yoga guy?!?

I don’t hate Lance and Keri – in fact I’m sort of rooting for them since they’re from my neck of the woods. But, gah, Lance, shut up! You don’t have to out-alpha the other alpha males!

I’m also sort of rooting for Marcy and Ron (Team Older Couple). For once I’d like to see an older team (as opposed to older/younger like Mel and Mike) stay in the race longer than the first couple of legs. Can’t predict whether this will happen or not; at the moment they’re certainly more fit than the average, although I can see Marcy struggling on the more physical challenges.

Team Poker can poke their own eyes out as far as I’m concerned. Look, poker players are known for bluffing, but bluffing about their profession, as others have said, doesn’t win them any points. I’m just waiting to see their reaction when they realize everyone has their number…and when they realize the brothers are gay.

I like the Globetrotters too, but producers? Can the “Sweet Georgia Brown” every time they’re onscreen, OK?

I’m not holding out much hope for Team Miss America. Maybe they’ll have a better chance to redeem themselves in the next challenge, but even then I’m dubious.

The others? Too soon to tell. I’ll reserve judgment until a couple of more episodes.

Overall, I adored this premiere! Loved the cheesy Japanese game show, shuddered at the thought how easy it is to lose somebody navigating the intersection/shrine walk, and never quite realized how difficult it can be to herd ducks. But then again I’m a city girl

[notfrommensa]

@Skammer

Here’s my question. I didn’t go back and confirm, but I thought that the planes landed in Tokyo in the mid-afternoon (3:40 pm or something). Then the teams all went straight to the TV studio. From there, they took their audience members through the streets to the shrine.

Yet, according to the announced departure times on the second leg, the teams all arrived at the mat between noon and 1pm or so. What the what? It didn’t look like they were in that TV studio all night. Did I miss something?

Yes, there appears to be a time warp. The flights left LA early in the afternoon and according to Orbitz, those flights should arrive in Tokyo in the late afternoon.

And Phil clearly said that first team arrived at the amazing bath mat at 12:19 pm.

The Amazing Race recruited (paid?) 220 Japanese locals to be herded from a TV studio to another location?

[jsc1953]

Did every mixed-gender couple have the woman do the duck wrangling?

I liked Miss America. She’s got spunk.

[Skammer]

Was the Sushi Roulette a roadblock that only one team member could do? Because after the poker-playing chick failed to finish her first wasabi bomb, I thought it would make sense for her partner to take the next one. But none of the teams switched off.

[Robot_Arm]

@notfrommensa

Yes, there appears to be a time warp. The flights left LA early in the afternoon and according to Orbitz, those flights should arrive in Tokyo in the late afternoon.

And Phil clearly said that first team arrived at the amazing bath mat at 12:19 pm.

Well, the Wheel of Fish didn’t start spinning until everyone showed up. They could have taken a few days off (all the better to let Team Yogiz-in-the-Hood stew in Sequesterville) and it wouldn’t have mattered.

Good eye for whoever caught the time discrepency.

@jsc1953

Did every mixed-gender couple have the woman do the duck wrangling?

There’s probably still a rule limiting the number of Road Blocks a team member can do. If the guys max out, and then there’s a flour-stacking task, that could be trouble.

I liked the duck wrangling. It looked to me like it really punished the hyper, agressive teams. Take it slow and you could keep the flock together and under control. Try to move them too fast (and really, how fast can a duck walk?) and they would scatter. One of the guys was yelling at his woman to run, which I think was exactly the wrong approach.

@Skammer

Was the Sushi Roulette a roadblock that only one team member could do? Because after the poker-playing chick failed to finish her first wasabi bomb, I thought it would make sense for her partner to take the next one. But none of the teams switched off.

On Detours, teams can swap back and forth if one task turns out to be harder than they expected. SOP on Road Blocks is that there’s a clue (like “who’s hungry?”), then the team declares who’ll do it, and they have to stick with the choice. And it looks like the Wikipedia page for this season is counting the sushi as a Road Block task.
Really, they’re calling them “Flight Time” and “Big Easy”?

[wonky]

I forgot to mention: Did anyone else find Zev’s voice a remarkable impression of Jerry Lewis? Hey ladyyyy!

[jsc1953]

@Robot_Arm

Really, they’re calling them “Flight Time” and “Big Easy”?

I assume the HG players have noms-de-guerre. Or noms-de-hoops.

[simply_cats]

I’m still giggling over “Duck Whisperer.”

[amarinth]

I see Team Miss America falling apart. They simply couldn’t hold it together during the tasks, and neither of them seemed all that encouraging to the other.

Same with Team Christian.

At this very early stage, I’m betting on Megan & Cheyne (unless he runs out of hair gel).

[Skammer]

Half way through the show I asked my wife to start calling me “Flight Time.” But she said no, from now on she was calling me “Big Easy.”

[Tequila_Mockingbird]

I loved the Wheel Of Sushi! Told my husband I will do any eating challenges when we go on TAR (yeah right).

“Pinky and the Brain” had us rolling. DH isn’t good at names, and tends to nickname everyone. I have to use his names, so he’ll know who I am talking about, so it’s nice we don’t have to come up with something for them.

I like Zev, too. Even just giving away his jacket was enough for me.

[zut]

@Green_Bean

But I was more getting at the idea that the people who claimed to be so good at reading people got it wrong, while the person who claimed to have social problems got it right.

(Though I don’t know if people with Aspberger’s are any worse at reading people than anybody else. Which really doesn’t matter, because most viewers wouldn’t know that either. It was just such a great juxtaposition.)

I thought (and I admit I might be very wrong about this, so someone please dispel my ignorance) that people with Aspberger’s would be worse at picking up social nuances, but better at determining black-and-white things like the fact that the poker players are lying, precisely because they’re not distracted by the little social niceties like glossing over white lies and so forth.

@Skammer

Was the Sushi Roulette a roadblock that only one team member could do? Because after the poker-playing chick failed to finish her first wasabi bomb, I thought it would make sense for her partner to take the next one. But none of the teams switched off.

From the official CBS site recap for this episode:

Roadblock: A Roadblock is a task that only one person can perform. In this Roadblock, the game show host would spin a wheel containing nine sushi rolls and two wasabi bombs. Wasabi, a spice carrying extreme heat, is Japan’s version of scorching horseradish. The contestants had to eat what ever landed in front of them on the wheel, but they needed to keep playing until they received a wasabi bomb. When they did, they had only two minutes to consume this fireball of flavor to receive their next clue.

[rockle]

@lorene

I do. I <heart> you.

@Draelin

If I’m not your partner, I’d totally want to watch you race.

Oh, believe me, I’m much funnier when I have access to an “Edit” button. But I don’t photograph well. And I’m overweight, short, a terrible dresser, I have stringy hair, and I run like a girl. Or, to sum up: I am average, and NOT AT ALL what anyone would want to watch, not when former Miss Americas and Harlem Globetrotters and professional poker players are available.

BUT! If they ever did a version of the show that was “Transmito en Doper en SAP” where I got to do an alternative voice-over track with our usual brand of commentary? There, I might be kind of awesome. Maybe. (Except that I sound like Minnie Mouse with a taste for hard liquor and a pack-a-day habit.)

[slitterst]

So what was the tree-fertlizer task? Half a detour? Or was it just a random task in the middle of the leg?