The Amazing Race: Samurai Justin and the Frog of Luck

Intense Action and Unforgettable Moments in The Amazing Race

After two solid episodes to kick off the season, The Amazing Race took things up a notch during Sunday night’s episode. The hour was packed with time penalties, flight delays, and a medical emergency that forced a team to leave earlier than expected.

As the season progresses, I’ve noticed that the roles of the contestants are becoming more defined. I started this season only knowing a few teams, so the first couple of episodes didn’t give me a clear idea of who to root for and who to root against. But that changed dramatically after this episode.

The Globetrotters: Love Them or Hate Them?

First off, how awful are the Globetrotters? Seriously. Not only did they lack a map during the Bottom Feeder Caravan, choosing instead to piggyback off the work of others, but they also disingenuously ‘paid back’ Zev & Justin for their help in episode one with a risky flight. Worst of all, they hid Christina’s fannypack at the quasi-religious detour (Phil gave them a time penalty, and I wanted to give Phil a hug). I know they can be charming, but they’re my love-to-hate-’em team at the moment because they’ve done absolutely nothing to deserve to be there. I’d much rather see less personable but more competent racers win than two guys who only did as well as they did last time based on their reputation.

Heck, I’d even rather see Ron win, and I’m pretty sure he hates everybody. If the race ends in a fiery explosion and the last thing we hear is an elderly Asian man laughing, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Zev & Justin: A Surprisingly Lovable Duo

On the other hand, I’m liking Zev & Justin a lot more than I expected, especially after their performance tonight. Many teams would have thrown in the towel after losing their lead as quickly as the best friends did (they made it onto a flight that was scheduled to arrive earlier than the other main flight, but due to engine problems and pushy teams, they ended up leaving the futuristic Japanese car garage last). However, they pulled off an impressive first-to-last-to-first bounce back that resulted in another trip, this time to Costa Rica. They seem like good guys, have a fantastic rapport with one another, and are very smart this time around, so don’t expect another passport fiasco like their last appearance.

Jaime and Cara’s Car Crash: Less Dramatic Than Expected

Jaime and Cara’s car crash turned out to be a lot less dramatic than the previews suggested. I was expecting someone with road rage and a hatred of maroon hair dye to ram into the Race Mobile, but it was just a case of narrow, crowded streets and awkward driving that left a mirror as the only casualty. The two cheerleaders had been left for dead once Mel & Mike and Margie & Luke decided to ditch them, so one would think this would be a crushing blow. However, the power of pom poms and panda poo helped the two ladies secure 9^th place, eliminating Mel & Mike on the fields of the mud pit. It was sad to see the father and son go, especially since it was due to medical reasons and not competency, but it seems like they had gotten what they needed after their second time around, and it’s less crushing to bow out on the 3^rd leg than to make it to the end and not be able to finish.

Improved Detours and Roadblocks

The main thing I liked about Sunday’s episode was the improvement in detours and roadblocks. While some may argue that the Frog of Luck was a bit too similar to the haystack challenge the show has used twice before, it was balanced out by a more thoughtful Prayer of Purity and a detail-oriented samurai challenge at the Yabusame Dojo. You can have as many personal fireworks as you want, but if the challenges aren’t great, you’re seriously missing the target (perhaps your cowboy hat is covering your eyes?).

Grade: A-