Amazing Race: Unfinished Business (18)
 

Teams officially announced:
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/

Oh, this is great! So many teams I <3, and at least two that I hate.

Who the heck are Amanda and Kris?

Globetrotters and Cowboys.. both good. Wish the Detectives were there. Not crazy about any of the other teams honestly.

Well at least they didn't bring back the lesbians.

But I need a team to root against! I strongly dislike them, and the redheads.

Favorites: Mike and Mel, and Zev and Justin.

But seriously, where are Toni and Dallas???

Ugh re Ron of Ron and Christina. He was so arrogant toward other teams and mean to his own daughter.

On the other hand, glad to see Kynt and Vyxsin again.

Same here.

I'm thrilled to see the Globetrotters back - they were awesome.

I would agree with you if they hadn't basically quit on their last leg. As far as I'm concerned, that should have kept them out of any "Unfinished Business" season.

I'm glad to see Zev and Justin back.

Great first episode! Love that it didn't have all the predictable elements. Will comment more after it airs on the west coast.

C'MON COWBOYS!

I was just glad to see some real challenges again; these at least appeared a little more difficult. Or, at least, more entertaining to watch!

This better have recorded... going to check now. Why is Survivor available On Demand, but TAR is not??

TAR is usually available on the CBS website. I have watched entire seasons that way.

I know, I just get sick of looking at a computer screen. The DVR didn't catch TAR or Survivor this week because they included the taglines in the show name. Time to set the DVR so this doesn't happen again!

I want to cry. It's not on the DVR, not on On Demand and I'm trying to watch it online and it keeps freezing. Nasty weather issues through the area must be screwing with bandwidth :(

I watched it online last night also. Had to keep restarting it and figuring out where it had stopped, but I wanted to see it bad enough that I kept going until I saw the whole thing. Must fix DVR!

Jamie and Cara definitely still grate on me. Liking the Globetrotters, Zev and Justin, and Gary and Mallory. Just wish Mallory would stop praying to God, Jesus and various Saints so much.

I was able to watch it a little later in the day. I'm blaming weather on the earlier glitches.

I forgot about Zev and Justin! I love them so much!

I found it kind of interesting how some teams were just giving answers to other teams. I found myself questioning whether they should have received some sort of penalty for not actually completing the task themselves. I know in some cases, there have been penalties for that kind of thing. It made me wonder how they decide whether the task actually has to be completed by that team or not.

Finally got around to watching last night:

Zev and Justin are so very much my favorites. I liked Mike & Mel their first time around, but they are so obviously out of their league on an all-star season. Mallory is one of those people who should be annoying, but she's just too cute. HATE HATE HATE the redheads.

I think giving away answers is pretty dumb, but when I saw the flags, I thought there were so many that the front teams would be very wise to work together.

It looks like Amanda and Kris are destined to go out quickly, which is too bad. I wouldn't mind seeing the cowboys go home first.

I think Amanda and Chris are far enough ahead -- and presumably with the race continuing after the pit stop, there is no equalizer ahead* -- that they'll be okay. The Cowboys on the other hand . . . .

And while I think working together on breaking the code was a great idea, I just don't get giving the answer away.

* Watch me be wrong about this.

The Cowboys are very likeable. I don't think they're that dumb, either. I'd bet $$$ that this is all scripted and someone else will be going home. Maybe they'll come in last, get eliminated...but come back after homie and his dad leave the game because he's too old and frail to continue. I don't know.

I'm glad that they're changing things around a bit and making challenges harder (so far). I mean, I'm a frequent flyer and I didn't even know QANTAS stood for THAT. I remember reading after the first All-Star season that Phil didn't want to ever do another All-Star season. At least they're spicing things up a bit.

At this point, I'm for anyone but Margie & Luke, the stupid Redheads, and the Goths.

MC - Amanda & Kris have their own "equalizer" in that they have to complete both detours as a penalty for getting the correct plane last in their first challenge to get plane tickets to Australia (that's where they went, right? My brain is currently fried!) Depending on the difficulty of the detours, that may completely knock them out.

And unfortunately it did. But by "equalizer," I meant something that puts everyone basically in equal place. Usually, it's a flight (because there is only one available, so everyone is on it) or a task at a limited hours of service location, where everyone has the chance to catch up before the place opens.

But catching up to last night, I was glad to see Mike and Mel go, though I also would have been happy to see Jaime and Cara say "bye." I like Mike and Mel, but they didn't need to do this again. It was painful to watch them.

Meanwhile, I'm ticked at Phil for giving the Globetrotters a penalty just because Ron and Christine were upset. (I wouldn't have minded if they had left either.) Sure, maybe the Globetrotters should have returned the fanny pack to them, but unless it's in the rules that they had to -- and we saw no indication that it is -- they shouldn't get a penalty.

Yep!

I think it was clear that the Globetrotters picked up Christine's bag by mistake. And I have to say, it didn't cost Annoying Dad and his daughter too much time -- they seemed to be pretty close behind the GTs.

If it's the rule, it's the rule and a penalty is appropriate. But I'm not sure that they got the penalty for violating a rule. If what they did really violated the rules, Phil would have known about it before the GTs arrived, because the cameramen saw it happen. Phil would have said something along the lines of what he has always said in the past: "You are the fourth team to arrive. However, you interfered with another team's personal belongings, which is against the rules, and so you have incurred a 30-minute penalty. You'll need to sit over there, and I can check you in when 30 minutes have passed." Then we would watch while they waited.

But that's not what happened. What happened was that Phil checked the GTs in. Then, when Annoying Dad and his daughter complained, Phil said: "I can see that you're really upset," followed by "I'm going to give Flight Time and Big Easy a 30-minute penalty." It sounded a lot like "You complained and are upset, so I'm hitting them with a penalty," not "what they did violated the rules so they incurred a penalty."

But yeah, it probably just boils down to my increasing dislike for Annoying Dad and his daughter.

I know her personally (though not that well), and she seems SO different on the show. I don't know if it's editing, or if she acts differently with her dad, or what.

Justin: We're a team. (goes to put his arm around Zev)
Zev: Don't touch me.

Yup. That was my favorite part of the last episode.

If he's anything like what we see on the show, I could easily see how her dad could bring it out in her.

Okay, I just caught up last night. Christina casually mentioned that she is engaged to Azaria from her season. Why did the producers not let those two race together? I think that would have been a FIERCE team.

Apparently this Sunday's episode will be dedicated to the victims of the Japan disaster.

Host Phil Keoghan Tweeted: "This weeks episode is absolutely dedicated to those in Japan. I'm shooting a PSA now for donations."

I saw that on a board today and thought it was strange, but then I thought.. how many cities have they been to that haven't had natural disasters afterward? More, lots more. They go so many places and many of them are prone to natural disasters. (on the Pacific Rim of Fire)

The Goths are now growing on me because of the great way they've handled their problems.

I felt so bad for Vixsen tonight. She was just so defeated and upset... to the point of not functioning at all.

I also felt worried for Ron. I know it takes extra time but Christina needs to chill because his health is more important than anything. He seemed kind of confused and I think she should have let him eat when he needed to, especially if it was something like yogurt that he had on him. Altitude can really mess you up and I was worried about him.

I love the "you are still racing" legs, however, what was the point if everyone had to wait 7 hours for a train? Kent/Kynt and Vyxsin should have gone home plain and simple. I can't recall a team flubbing up a leg of a race worse than them, and for there to be that much of an equalizer takes the game out of the race. I would have much preferred the leg end on the mat last week, and the let the train/equalizer start with the next leg of the race- without Kent and Vyxsin.

Did enjoy the pick up basketball game, and glad that CBS decided to show some brief clips of it even though it had nothing to do with the race itself.

Glad that I won't have to hear Jaime whining anymore. Go Cowbros!

Which is why I won't complain about Kynt and Vyxon not going home. Besides, their U-turn of Jaime and Kara saved Zev and Justin.

Can anybody explain why the reds were able to u turn the globetrotters, when they themselves had just been u turned by the goths? Doesn't it seem that they (the reds) should not have had the option of doing so until THEY had completed both tasks?

Exactly what I was wondering. Oh well, I like the outcome of the leg, so I won't complain.

Just a side note- I have now indoctrinated my three year old into the fan club. He constantly asks me, "Watch 'Mazing Race now?" :D

Tip: Due to basketball games this afternoon the show may start late. Set your DVRs accordingly.

(looking at you, AGDee!)

Thank you! I should be able to watch it live tonight :) It makes me crazy that Survivor is available On Demand but TAR is not.

^^^THIS. ARGH!

:(