I did cry! They were the sweetest family and I was very disappointed.
My favorite team is definitely the Gaghans. Those kids are smarter, more mature and more respectful than those awful Paoli kids.
I can see being a boisterous, quarrelsome Italian family, but those kids were downright abusive to their mom. And I couldn’t believe the dad just sat there and let them get away with it! Did he even say anything during this episode?
Overall, I enjoyed the show. It’s just as fast-paced and I’m going to like having fewer chances for bunching since they are likely not to travel by air as much as the international races.
If there was any, I missed it completely. I had no idea they’d even been around here. When they first read the clue in the morning, both supervenusfreak and I squeed (which is a fairly disturbing image if you’ve ever seen either one of us) when they said “Mount Joy”. Then to actually come in closer to Lancaster (although the farm wasn’t really in Lancaster, but somewhere outside Millersville)…priceless.
Eh. Don’t fret–you probably missed the dullest part. The arrival of the later teams was staggered, so there was essentially no racing drama. Earlier-arriving teams pitched in to help the later teams set up camp, so we got shots of helpful kids pounding in stakes. The next morning, the teams read their clues in the rain; there was no pre-departure in the morning activity. So you’re cool.
(I admit I appreciated using Eagle Scouts as tent-pitching judges. Hardly necessary, but I found it kinda cool, being an Eagle Scout myself.)
Just about my read on 'em. I rather expected to dislike this team, based on their positioning as the sentimental Widder ‘n’ Orphans. In addition, the whole praying to Jesus thing really bugs me (NOTE: I’m not saying I dislike people being religious; far from it. I think it’s completely appropiate to ask the Lord’s help to overcome personal tragedy or become a better person or struggle against injustice and oppression or what-have-you. However, I find asking Jesus to intervene in a game–asking for help to overcome other teams where there’s essentially no moral stakes in play–to be presumptuous and unseemly.)
Despite those two points, I actually rather like the Weavers. I think maybe it’s because the family seems to work together well, and the way that TAR rewards teamwork is one of the things I like about the show.
Actually, that sparks a thought: My favorite team last season was the brothers, precisely because they could unselfconsciously rip on each other. With so many teams this season having siblings, there might be a lot more of that fun and interesting interplay, from the dork comment you quoted to one of the Linzes farting on his sister in the buggy (OK; I thought it was funny). So maybe a silver lining to family TAR.
Heh. What Slacker said. I’m reasonably sure that, what with all the previous clues pointing to places withinn NYC, what she meant was “I think the clue means to go to the state of Pennsylvania, rather than Pennsylvania Avenue.” But still…
Interestingly enough, the wife’s maiden name, which she kept, was Tolkein.
I was so pulling for this team! The kids seemed intelligent, sweet, grounded. It broke my heart that they lost. The parents didn’t shout or particularly lose their temper, and the wife was hot!
I actually enjoyed the family version a liiiiittle bit better than the regular versions. I haven’t even watched from the beginning, and watching the wannabe models using the show to “work on their relationship” after having broken up a dozen times was getting O!L!D! That whole crap about going on the show to get closer or figure out where your relationship is going is annoying and I’m not interested in watching it, not to mention it’s a big, fat lie. You’re on the show to get face time to boost your careers, which, with any luck, will sink like lead bricks. Preferably ones tied around the necks of each of the Paolo family!
Which brings me back to this season – watching the Paolo’s interact made me want to punch them all in the face. I pray they’re off the show soon, because they seriously detract from the overall enjoyment this season. Hate!
But I love the Gaghan family! They’re funny, tight-knit, hard-working and just plain charming. Great parents, great kids. I SO want them to win! My heart broke for the Blacks. Another great family. And so classy. I hope they had fun.
Sounds like me. When they read the clue that said “Go to Washington’s Crossing,” my first thought was, “Jersey side or Pennsy side?” Then I thought, “Whoa! Washington’s Crossing! I totally know where that is!” Which was followed quickly by, “Fairmount freakin’ Park? Why didn’t anybody tell me?” Then, "I just passed that damn farm the other week when I got lost going to the outlets!" If I had known TAR was going to be anywhere within a 300-mile radius, I would have taken a week of vacation days, just to stalk Phil.
So, yeah. I squeed a little bit, too.
Dude, I am totally one of your Screaming Dozens of fans. Just imagine me flinging my unmentionables at you, and then try to have a nice day.
I did notice that. I assumed they meant rather than taking a taxi, but I also thought, Why spell it out for people, if their taking a taxi would require having to go back and re-do and thus adding to the excitement of the game?
You know, I am SO going out on Sunday and finding that farm! I’d go Saturday, but I’m going to be RenFaireing with Dopers and Manheim (where the RenFaire is) is all the way out the other direction…
There is no rule for LOSING a clue once you get it. There is only a rule for missing a clue entirely. See Kami/Karli and Chip/Kim from season 6.
As for merely losing a clue…it’s been done before without penalty. See Tara/Wil from Season 2.
My guess is…the penalty for losing a clue is having the chance to forget where you’re going.
Mama Tiger I recognize your name from the TWOP forums. I regestered there ONLY for the TAR forum (and my name is the same…Idle Thoughts, so maybe you’ve seen me post there too, however I only have about 4 posts to my name so far. I mostly lurk and read.
Anyway, you said:
Nope. I laughed too. I feel kinda bad, but I don’t think he was doing it for mean’s sake. I just thought his sense of humor was extreme.
Don’t know if this was answered yet (I read for it, but didn’t see it), but rockle, the original colors of the flags and markers were Yellow and WHITE…but they do look similiar to this seasons.
Anyway, enjoyable episode.
Seemed to have more driving around than usual, but I guess they not only needed us to get to know the families from the start, but also needed some filler for two hours.
Loved seeing Kevin and Drew again, but I was surprised they were only recognized by one person.
As others have said in here, I’m sorry to see The Black Family go, they seemed really well rounded and calm.
KGS, I think you’ve got the Rogers and Bransen families mixed up. The Rogers are the folks from Shreveport where the dad announced he’s the head of the family Cause The Bible Tells Him So. The Bransens are the team I think of as “Team Shampoo” since they apparently did a shampoo ad a few years ago, and they’re the ones we saw next to nothing from. Certainly nothing hateworthy like with Pa Rogers.
Yeah, didn’t the mom say something like, “That was a good butt workout”? Clearly their marathoning experience helped them pace themselves a lot better than the other teams (in addition to having a lot less weight to pull/push, of course).
I cannot confirm this, as I live in the 'burbs and therefore usually travel by car to sites in and around Philly, but I believe you can take a SEPTA bus from Washington’s Crossing into the city. (I know you can take a bus from Valley Forge.) Since they filmed in the summer, it is highly possible that teams could have bribed their way onto a tour bus, too. People could also have (theoretically, anyway) hired a boat, which might have been fun. However, it is kind of a haul from Lancaster back to Washington’s Crossing, so probably there would have been a time penalty instead of just a re-do once teams got to the Pit Stop.
If I talked to my parents the way the Paoli kids did, I wouldn’t be alive to tell about it.
I realllly could’ve done without the Rogers’ introduction where Dad says that he is in charge of the family because it’s in the Bible. I know that’s pretty standard evangelical stuff but does he not realize that it’s deeply off-putting to a lot of people (read: me and my SO)? ARRRGH. I am so not buying a car from him. EVER. (His dealership is just down the road from me.) They didn’t do anything really annoying when racing, but since they got so little screen time, I’m afraid they’re in it for the long haul.
I like the Gaghans. That little girl is something else.
The team I liked the most went out first. We were both yelling at them not to do the building task since the kids would be a lot less useful for that one, but nope. I admit to giggling every time they mentioned the Black family, it would look really bad if that wasn’t their name! But I have Whites in my family and that’s pretty funny too if you think about it.
Overall, it was better than I feared. I think it’ll be easier to watch when there’s fewer people overall. Oy, all the SHRIEKING…
Here’s what cracks me up: I tried out for the show with my sister and two cousins. We also used the name “Black Family” – and we are four of the whitest, blondest, dorkiest dorks you’re ever going to meet in your life. But, had we made it on to the show with the other “Black Family,” we’d have had an instant alliance, I think. At least until Austin had to kick one or the other of my cousins’ asses.
Because they didn’t go back for it. The mom said they needed to go back, there was that ominous shot of the crumpled clue laying on the ground, and then more bickering about who had the clue, and then they just decided they didn’t need it. I also thought they’d get a penalty for not keeping it, but apparently not.
My husband laughed out loud at that exchange when she asked the truck driver, “Have you found the Lord?” He also laughed when they said her husband died at a NASCAR track, running out on the track and getting hit by a car. Come on, it is a little funny.
We would have done the same thing. “Look, Yankee Stadium! Yankees suck!”
Orioles fans, ya know. And 'cause the Yankees do suck.
Yes. Same colors as original race, that is, not that you’ve gone stupid.
I think the screaming might taper off as the Race progresses. At least that’s what I’m hoping.
Phil had the BEST eyebrow pop during the ready-set-go phase.
We can add “Ma Weaver getting run over by the buggy” to the list of inappropriate things laughed at during the episode. I’m also getting some bad vibes off Dad Schroeder, probably based on his frustration at building the waterwheel house. Which I would have loved to have as a little girl.
And guess what, they’re suing the race track because of it. I was slanted against them before the race, and now I know they want Jesus to help them navigate a race they’re on my hate list.
Yes, I had to pause/rewind/watch that a few times.
I also got a kick out of his facial expressions when Team Screaming Mimi’s came in first. How fast did he go buy earplugs?
LilMiss is cheering vociferously for Team NASCAR. Why? Rolly. A heavy ~sigh~ from her corner of the couch when he was shown.
Regarding Team Soprano (like that name!) - IMO dad was so quiet so as to not be stuck in the middle. My dad does the same thing when my sister and I used to fight. Face it, no matter what he does someone won’t think it’s right, so may as well not get involved.
So far I’m enjoying the sibling team. In the intros one was pontificationg about how he knows so much more about life due to paying the electric bill and rent… “You live at home with Mom and Dad” HEE!! And the passing of the gas in the buggy. That is so much like my nephew. Wee ball of gas.
