Next week will bring to an end another season of The Amazing Race that brought new twists and turns to the competition. With only four teams left, three of which consist of blind date couples, it’s clear that the twist this year paid off in interesting and shocking ways. For the first time ever, two people who had never met before are running the race together, and surprisingly, they have been just as successful, if not more so, than couples who have been in established relationships. But one established couple does still remain, and it looks like it’ll be up to them next week to prove that having a loving relationship going into the race is what it takes to win.
Easily the biggest surprise of the season has been watching the relationship develop between Hayley and Blair. This week proved how far they’ve come since the beginning of the season when all they did was bicker and argue. With only four teams left, they knew they had to put their issues aside and work together on this leg of the race to make it to the final leg.
They seemed like a completely different couple this week, one that actually liked each other, as they sped through the Detour and Road Block with ease. The two encouraged each other, communicated well, and, most importantly, didn’t argue once. If they can keep that up for just one more leg, I think they will easily win the million dollars. And who knows? Maybe romance isn’t completely off the table for these two.
For Jelani and Jenny, romance is definitely off the table, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t still work well together as friends. This leg of the race presented small challenges for them, but they didn’t let that hold them back. Because there’s no real chemistry between them, sometimes their interactions seem awkward and forced, but they’re clearly doing something right since they’ve made it this far in the race. The Detour was the most difficult part of the leg for them as it required them to learn a traditional mating dance. Between the lack of chemistry and their difficulty at making eye contact, it took more than a couple attempts for them to get it right, but they did eventually succeed. Their perseverance paid off as they landed in second place going into the final leg, right behind Hayley and Blair.
At the beginning of the race, Laura and Tyler were a fan favorite, and my number one pick to win it all. Over the weeks, though, I haven’t been quite sure what to make of this blind date couple. They get along just fine, and while they’ve started to let their frustrations with each other show every once in a while, overall they still communicate quite effectively. Both are so dead set on their goal of winning the race, that they seem to have put aside everything else to focus on that, making it hard to get a good read on them as people. One thing’s for sure, though: they are both extremely determined to win it all.
This week, that determination showed itself in Tyler’s insistence on making one trip with a wheelbarrow full of twelve bricks instead of separating it into two trips (which they ended up having to do anyway when a brick broke). Laura also showed determination in the Road Block despite it’s difficulties, landing them in third place this week. If the team who wants it most were to win, then that would definitely be Tyler and Laura.
The only remaining established couple, Mike and Rochelle, have had their share of problems throughout the race but have never let that get to them. This week was no different, as a flat tire for their taxi set them back from the start. After getting going again, they made it to the detour, but when they realized that making bricks wasn’t as easy as it looks, they switched to the mating dance. Once again, they struggled through the challenge, but Mike’s positive attitude kept them going despite Rochelle’s frustration. They made it through eventually, only for Rochelle to get to the Road Block and struggle further. Despite wanting to give up multiple times, Mike encouraged her to finish the task and in the end, it paid off.
Mike and Rochelle were just as surprised as we were to hear that this was a non-elimination leg,and that four teams would be racing to win the million dollars. It was an emotional moment for them to realize they weren’t out yet, and it may have given them the extra kick they needed to go out and prove why they deserve to still be there. At this point, it’s anyone’s race to win, and I’m sure next week will be a leg to remember, as the winning team is revealed.
[Photo via CBS]
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