Another non-elimination leg – how not-surprising. Still, I was surprised at how interested I was in this episode, even though it was pretty clear half-way through just what order the teams would finish in.
Taxi Assessment
Stuck in the Desert and Officially Detained - or, Philiminated with extreme prejudice.
Ryan/Chuck and Megan/Heidi and Debbie/Bianca and Susan/Patrick and Ray/Deana andBrian/Greg and Lynn/Alex - All gone, alas.
Flat Tire - or, not likely to get anywhere soon.
No one this week.
Stopping for Gas - or, not broken-down, exactly, but not a good sign.
Meredith/Gretchen (holding steady) - Good God, second place! Truly, the Apocalypse is nigh. Second is this team’s best showing ever – and not just numerically, but proportionately, too. They’ve never beaten half the teams before. Gretchen is partially right, though – so far this team has simply gotten lucky, episode after episode. They got lucky this episode, too, that Uchenna and joyce decided to help them, and that they were able to get on the earlier plane, well ahead of the trailing two teams. Didja notice, though, how quickly Uchenna and Joyce pulled ahead of Meredith and Gretchen? And how steadily Meredith and Gretchen hemmorhaged time? Yeah, not serious contenders, these two. Just lucky to still be here.
"Hey, Homes!" - or, making meaningless ineffectual comments from the back seat, but in no immediate danger.
Ron/Kelly (downgraded from Passing Lane) - Oh dear, they come in last place, have to give up all their stuff, and then, in addition, they have to spend the next twelve hours all alone together. Talk about adding insult to injury. And Ron and Kelly’s placement shows what I suspected – when the chips are down, they’re apt to get smoked by Rob and Amber. So, do they start the next leg newly energized by their predicament, or lacking the, uh, commitment to continue? Any bets?
In the Passing Lane - or, ahead of the pack, but not quite comfortably.
Rob/Amber (downgraded from Cruisin’) - Now, I like Rob; I really do. Still, though, I couldn’t help but hope that Rob and Amber would come in last on this leg to complete a truly awesome petard-hoisting of magnificant proportions. I’m not exactly sure how Uchenna was able to finagle a faster flight and Rob wasn’t, but part of the reason had to be because Uchenna was sure that there was and earlier flight – thanks to Rob. So Rob and Amber, with Ron and Kelly, wind up fighting in out for last place, purely because Rob couldn’t resist fucking with the other teams. Awesome. Cut back on the Survivor tactics, Mariano.
Cruisin’ with Earl - or, drivin’ on the shoulder, takin’ shortcuts, and generally kickin’ butt.
Uchenna/Joyce (upgraded from Passing Lane) - Two firsts in a row. Pretty good for this late in the race. (I note in passing that their starting time was awfully close to Ron and Kelly’s. Truly, their Fast Forward last week wasn’t all that fast.) They get an inadvertent boost from Rob, sure, but they brought it home quite nicely, without getting lost for a change. I’ll add, in all seriousness, that whatever Uchenna’s motives, it’s probably a good strategy to buddy up with the old people – because whatever happens, you’re sure you can beat them in a flat-out footrace to the mat. Unlike beating, say, the POW and the long-legged beauty queen, Rob.
Next week: Last elimination leg, yes? Who’s going home? Who?
[sub]Props to Mullinator and his Raj Ratings.[/sub]
