Comments from someone who didn’t watch the season:
I had no idea who to root for, as I haven’t been able to watch all season. It was hard, because I didn’t know the personalities, didn’t know the history, didn’t know the backstory.
So who did I root for from the start? Zach. Not Flo, simply because she made my head hurt. But I was rooting for Zach, because I imagine his head hurt even more. I will be contacting the Vatican to submit his name for canonization - holy crap does he deserve it.
OK, I’m calmer now. Not happier. Just calmer. And I need to say this:
I think absolutely Flo & Zach should have been penalized for NOT rowing themselves across the river. . . but it probably wouldn’t have mattered considering the bunching at the airports.
I thought the Seattle part of the race was stupid and pointless. . . too much rushing aimlessly from park to park for no apparent reason other than killing time.
And I’m still upset with the result.
BUT. . .I have come 180 degrees about Teri and Eye-an! Sure, Eye-an is still obnoxious, but I found it interesting that Teri said she’s sure he doesn’t even realize that he’s “talking forcefully.” The guy’s got guts and a great will to win. And I loved what he said about his wife at the end! This pair is proof that life definitely doesn’t end at 40 or 50 and my hat, if I wore one, would be off to them! Good show!
As for Ken and Gerard, I was so dissapointed that they did not pull of the victory I expected of them. But I think they were the nicest team (runners up: John Vito and Jill) and you know what they say about nice guys. . . .
I still love this show. And I sincerely hope that Flo suffered enormous embarrassment seeing her own behavior throughout this most Amazing Race. (I know, I know. . . half a million bucks is swell compensation for a case of embarrassment!) Now I hope we never have to see her mean little face again!
Oh, I forgot one thing in my previous rant: too much time spent in Viet Nam! For Pete’s sake, it was like a propaganda piece for this country we embarrassed ourselves in 30 years ago! Fine. I’ll order my tickets to go there now! As if. . . .
[cbg]Worst. Ending. Ever[/cbg]
Not only do Flo and Zach win, but Oh Brother comes in third. The worst possible outcome of all the possibilities.
Flo: You owe Zach $450,000 from your half of the money. And that’s being generous to you.
Zach: You own Flo a good swift kick in the ass. She should also have to carry you around for 30 days, since you carried her for that long. I’m also nominating you for sainthood - possibly patron saint of those who are saddled with whiney quitters (I see on preview that Munch has the same idea)
I still feel that Ken and Gerard were the best racers out there, but also had bad luck (flat tire, flight delays, can’t find a cab). I think they need to start putting together a “Fan Favorite” Amazing Race. Have K&G come back, maybe the Twins, Team Cha-Cha-Cha, the bald buddies from AR1. That way I wont be dissapointed with who wins.
I was way too upset about this last night. I had to remind myself that it is a tv show.
Did anyone see them get their million on the Early Show today? I was watching and they kept saying they were on next, but I finally had to leave for work. I wanted to see how Flo responded to the way she acted.
Zach is a saint. A saint! He deserves that million. I would have slapped her the minute she started whining. get your ass on this train, bitch! I did not come this far to not finish!. In my fantasy, I wanted Zach to leave her stranded in that boat in the middle of the lake, and go on to finish the race by himself. He would come in first, just to prove to her that if she had got off her ass, they would have won, thereby proving she cost them a million dollars. Then Ken and Gerard would come in, and win the prize. Unfortunately, Zach did win the race by himself, but he dragged her with him. I too was frustrated by the bunching up. Zach and Flo basically won a million dollars for finding a cab first. I think there should be a rule that each member of the team has to perform a certain amount of the roadblocks, too. Then maybe Flo would have had to do one of them, instead of complaining about how Zach is doing them.
The best lines from the show still belong to Ken and Gerard, though. “You need to stop your whining.”
“I am not telling you to break any laws, but if you see a red light, go through it.”
Good lord. I almost had a nervous breakdown watching Flo. I couldn’t take her anymore. When they were at the travel agency and she started whining again about how the tickets were taken. "Why does this happen to uuuussssss? Whyyyyyyyy? it’s because of you, you stupid loser! Your team placed last in the last leg because of you! That’s why you are the last team to get tickets! It. Is. Your. Fault.
I need to stop thinking about her, it is not in the Christmas Spirit. I hope Ken and Gerard get a commercial deal or something out of this.
I am all the more convinced that the team I want to win will come in third. It has happened every year:(
Not to excuse Flo’s behavior at all, as I found it excruciatingly painful to watch her mental breakdown…but in hindsight it should be clear that at least for last night, and perhaps last week’s episode too, the editors probably focused specifically on Flo’s troubles to make the fact that they won more…surprising.
I mean, you can’t tell me she whined 24 hours per day, can you? Can you? um…
I saw the Early Show segment (yeah, those “Coming Up Next” bumpers were really annoying, since they didn’t show up until 8:20…) They actually had all three teams there. The host immediately confronted Flo about her behavior, and she did admit that she was “disturbed” by it and offered a semi-apology. To her credit, she didn’t blame the editors or anything. (BTW I saw that TWoP post from “florinka” too, and I’m all but convinced it was fake.) Then Ian made a snarky comment, and Ken (or Gerard) said, “Shut up, Ian!” It was pretty funny. The host also grilled Ian about HIS behavior, and Ian apologized a bit more convincingly. Then Phil came out, cracked a few jokes with the brothers, and gave Flo & Zach their cheque. That’s about it.
Flo was wearing a ghastly amount of makeup, for some odd reason. She’s actually a very attractive woman when she’s not dolled up like Zsa Zsa Gabor. (If it weren’t for her evil brain…)
Everyone’s said it all already… Though I said it a long time ago in one of the other episode threads. Zach should get $999,999 and Flo should get a buck for showing up.
I think Zach has a Zen thing going. That guy is the best racer ever. He won the race on his own, with a 200 ton shreaking banshee on his back the whole time (figuratively speaking of course, I mean the 200 ton part).
At least my favourite teams got more than the $1 mil anyway… KennyG got closer to each other. It’s something these two will have to talk about and share for the rest of their lives. And JVJ (and everyone who watched) realised they’re meant for each other.
Ciao, Phil. Cya next season.
Wow. The Amazing Race ended 8 blocks from my house!
Ken and Gerard were basically screwed once everyone got taxis from Seattle Center. Ironically, I would’ve thought that they had the best strategy – call for a cab. Everyone knows you can’t hail a taxi in Seattle, but I suppose in desperate times people can manage anything. Once I saw K&G pull up when Teri and Ian were leaving, though, it was obvious to anyone that lived here what the finishing order was going to be. There’s just no easy way to overcome that kind of lead – no city shortcuts that some cabbie’s going to know. (Unless I don’t know them…)
I agree with Fenris, though – too much bunching in the very last leg, especially within Seattle proper. I can’t remember – would that have been lessened if the first flight out of Japan hadn’t been delayed? Would it have come down, at that point, to a contest between K&G and F&Z?
I got over my annoyment with Flo this episode, for the most part. I mostly felt bad for her, and worse for Zach, and wondering which of them had the bright idea to go on this race. I’d still rather have seen either other team win, but what the hey.
[shallowness]
Flo could make up for a lot with a Playboy spread, though.
[/shallowness]
Hooray!! Zach won!!
Shit!! Flo won!!
Seriously, I am not an armcahir psychiatrist, although I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, and Flo seems to have some sort of bipolar disorder or whatever. She is incredibly miserable and negative and then se is all “I’m the happiest girl in the world”.
As for the rowing, I should re-watch it, but I am not sure it said they had to row themselves across, or if the clue simply said they had to get themselves across using the boats. And the other two teams, Teri especially had a lot of help themselves.
Ah, about the rowing, from an interview here
I’m horrified! Dismayed! Shocked! Disgusted!
I was so disappointed last night…I wanted anyone but Flo to win. Huge kudos to Zach–he won that race ALL on his own and deserves the whole $1M himself.
But, the fact that they won with basically only one person “playing” means that the race is too easy, with too much bunching. I think they should have more two person roadblocks/detours–things that REQUIRE both teammates to participate and cooperate with eachother. That way the Flo Travesty wouldn’t happen again. Plus, they should make it in general more difficult and add more mental challenges during the detour/roadblocks.
TARs 1, 2 and all but the last episode of 3 have been my absolute favorite shows…but I may not watch next time because they’ve made it too easy and I don’t want to invest in it again knowing that another Flo could be rewarded for pissing and moaning across the world.
Just finished watching an absolutely heart-stopping finale last night. Sorry to say that I don’t quite have the energy for my promised wrapup. (My heart nearly jumped into my friggin’ brain the moment I saw Zach come over the hill. It’s like, how the HELL did this happen?)
I will say this, though…the huge, looming, roaring problem with reality TV isn’t the people, the contrived setups, the backstabbing, or any of the other things you hear so much grumbling about. It’s the fact that every one…every damn one…is essentially a very long lottery.
Unless The Amazing Race starts rewarding intelligence, skill, initiative, and physical prowess, rather than happening to get the best cab on the last last stretch, I swear I’m giving this show up.
Specific changes:
The rules should be explicit about what constitutes a violation and what the exact penalty for each is. In any case, if you finish the leg without completing all the requirements, that’s a flat-out DQ right there. You can go back and redo it, but not after you step on that mat.
Bunch-up points have become a joke. I don’t care how badly the Guidos got dusted at the end; a serious race needs front-runners. To this end, there should be a check-in at any place with fixed opening and closing hours, with the lost minutes to be tacked on at the end. Don’t punish going fast.
There should be a time credit for “acts of God”…like, say, flat tires, mechanical trouble, or airport delays.
Instead of those dumb Roadblock riddles, each contestant should be allowed to do a certain number of roadblocks (no more one-man-army dealies like Zach’s), with the requirements specifically spelled out for each.
Sigh…what mighta been. I was actually pulling for Teri & Ian at the end, for crying out loud.
See you next time…if I still care.
I agree with DKW. There was nothing better in the first season than when team-whatever got a notice in Middle Of Nowhere, Alaska that they lost.
Think it’d be at all possible to throw an element of randomness in the bunch, and put a couple completely different envelopes in various boxes? Team 1, you’re going to Brazil. Teams 2-10, you’re going to Antarctica. Wa-huh? 
I think somebody should offer Ken and Gerard their own travel show. Each week viewers go with K&G to a different country. I’d watch it.
Had to laugh at their astonishment that they were in an “alliance” with Ian and Terry.
And the baby Jesus cried…
(dependant upon outcome of Survivor, more ranting to come)
Bunching seems inevitable when public transportation is used…particularly with railroads and bus lines that connect not-so-well-traveled destinations. Gains made by early birds are wiped out.
Transpacific flights would probably fall in this category, too.
Rather than chasing around Seattle it might have been interesting to see one more flight to a common commuter destination (like San Francisco or LA) that has multiple flights every half hour or so during peak hours.