Sunday, April 29, 2012

Amazing Race 20 - April 29th Episode Recap

I Need Hair to Be Pretty (Cochin, India)

The episode opened with a recap of Mark & Bopper's second save by a non-elimination leg (and I got choked up again, sheesh.)

As we get underway in this second to last episode of the season (I know!), the racers continue in India and Dave & Rachel are the first to head to get their clue at 6:53am - They must make their way to a specific temple and remove their shoes before approaching the priest to get their next clue.  Rachel says they are their own worst enemy (basically) they have to communicate better and work together if they hope to win.
-Big Brother is the next team to head out at 7:20am - they see Dave & Rachel as their biggest competition and they just hate Vanessa & Ralph and Art & JJ (and really, who can blame them? Haters be hatin'.)
-Art & JJ head out right behind them at 7:28am - JJ is complaining that he's caught a cold and it's affected his sharpness (Art, can you call my mom?... I shouldn't talk ill of the boys, they are my team after all - so suck it up buttercup!)  They are trying to ask directions and no one seems to know where they need to go - the other two teams got in rickshaw cabs no problem.
-Vanessa & Ralph head out next at 7:32am - they race each leg like they're in last place - which Vanessa acknowledges is usually the case... Ralph then makes fun of her age and athletic ability... nice. They get a cab no problem.
-Art & JJ finally get a rickshaw to stop for them... is it the two guy thing? Could be, they are just too intimidating.

We look in on Mark & Bopper in the hotel and Mark is suffering heat stroke from the Bollywood challenge - he's got an IV and is prostrate on the bed... that doesn't bode well for our hapless Kentucky boys.

-Dave & Rachel arrive at the temple and receive the next clue - which includes a Fast Forward which they cannot complete because they already did one (remember the hay stacking?) - so they read the clue to head a Mats & Netting business.

-Big Brother arrives at the temple and they are definitely in for the Fast Forward - it just tells them to head to another temple and find the priests... (oh we know what's coming though...)

-Vanessa & Ralph arrive at the temple and get the clues - they read them standing in front of three guys wearing tiger masks and body paint on their pot bellies... (what the?  They say nothing and don't acknowledge them - how random.)  They decide to play it safe and not try for the Fast Forward, they head to the Mats & Netting place too.

-Art & JJ aren't eligible for the FF either - they head to the mats & netting place.

-Dave & Rachel's rickshaw driving had to stop for gas... they hope everyone has transportation problems and this doesn't put them behind.

-Brendon & Rachel have just read that in order to win the Fast Forward each of them must shave their heads...   Phil reminds us that this Fast Forward did appear in the race once before and the team that completed it (which included a woman) went on to win the Race (I can't remember their names... but I'll look it up.) 
-And, here comes the waterworks and whining - I don't want to shave my head.  I paid $500 for extensions. I'd be so sad.   And he says nothing... often better than saying what I'm sure he wants to but come on, do you want to win the Million dollars?   She whines she doesn't want to shave her head and he says fine, it's your decision let's just go and stop wasting time.  "Do you want me to shave my head?" He says no but OF COURSE HE DOES!  And she's just trying to shift responsibility to him.  (I get it, I'm a girl, I spend too much money on my hair too - but come on, it's just hair.)

-Vanessa & Ralph are the first team to arrive at the mats & netting place and they get the clue to the ROADBLOCK - Who's at the end of their rope?
-One team member must use the coconut husk fibers to spin 40m of rope then they must spool 4 large bundles of rope onto one spindle and get the thumbs up to get the next clue.  Ralph is going to to do this for them.  He starts it off and says it seems easy... then drops the material - uh oh.
-Dave & Rachel arrive at the Roadblock and it's Dave's turn as well... it's funny, this seems like a job that women traditionally perform and all the guys are going to be doing it.
-Art & JJ get there and it's Art's turn to spin some rope.
-Ralph's rope is a mess - the other guys are doing a bit better.
-Brendon & Rachel arrive at the rope place and Brendon is making rope (see, all the boys.)  JJ asks Rachel why they didn't do the FF and she says she doesn't want to talk about it. (Haha... oh, then she shows how insecure she is by saying she knows a skinny pretty girl did it before, but she needs hair to be pretty... and it made me feel bad for her... damn you emotions!)
-JJ is mad, if Mark & Bopper get the Fast Forward then they're all fighting not to be in last place, that takes away their insurance that one team is way behind. "Why can't anyone play strategically?" Basically calling Rachel stupid within her hearing - what a prince.
-Oh yeah, and ropes are breaking all over the place - making rope by hand this way is hard.  It's spinning yarn but with rough husk material - I don't envy them having to do this one.

-We've checked in with Mark & Bopper and he's sitting up looking a little better, and they say they are ready to get going - they owe too much to their families and county to give up.

-Dave is the first guy to successfully spin his 40m of rope and he gets to move on to the spooling of the 4 bundles.  Art is next to join him and then Ralph finally - the spooling isn't much easier - they have to use a hand crank which was a nail that starting ripping up Dave's hand and Art was complaining how the stooping over to do the crank was hurting his back, oh and his hand too.
-Brendon finishes the rope spinning and moves on to the spooling, he did it pretty fast, the other teams are still there.  Rachel hopes they don't get eliminated because she didn't shave her head, "I'd feel really bad." (D'think?)

-Ralph is a master spooler - he is the first to finish.  Blond Rachel yells encouragement to Dave, "You're almost done, babe." And he snaps he doesn't need positive re-enforcement, "I appreciate silence."  (OMG! Seriously?  He is so asking for the silent treatment.  And she just smiles, I wonder if that's a, "I'm so leaving you when this is over" smile, or if she just really is such a trooper.)
-Ralph & Vanessa get the clue to head out and find a barber working under an ancient tree...(uh okay - is he going to shave all their heads?  That would be hilarious!)  As they are running to find a rickshaw, Vanessa trips and lands on her face - full pack on her back - and she's grabbing her foot and yelling for Ralph.  Ouch, her shoulder is raw... She says it's her ankle.

-Dave is finished and he's being his charming self to the woman trying to show him where to put the spool as well - they get the clue.

-Vanessa gets her pack off and stands up and decides she's just twisted her ankle - she's tougher than she looks (she tells us) and they take off again for the rickshaw.

-JJ starts working on Big Brother Rachel, she tells him they didn't do the FF because she's have to shave her head.  JJ wants her and Brandon to go back and do it so Mark & Bopper can't so he soothes her, "That's a big deal for a woman, I get it.  But, if Mark & Bopper do it, it's you and Brendon on the bubble."  JJ says Rachel is a really nice girl but she's gullible and if he can manipulate her for his own ends, he's going to do it.  Art finishes and they take off.
-Brendon also finishes not far behind.  Rachel feels bad that they are in last place... but vanity wins the day.

-Mark & Bopper are finally heading out at 10:38am - they are known for the comeback - if they can get their foot in the door they are going to push right through.

-Dave & Rachel and Ralph & Vanessa find the barber and get the clue to the DETOUR: Pachyderm or Pack a Box.
-In Pachyderm (is that really how you spell it?): they must successfully dress an elephant with bells and headdress (following a sample elephant) then they'll have to shovel and transport 15 wheelbarrows of elephant dung to a nearby truck (really? gross.)
-In Pack a Box - they must pack 10 boxes with dried ginger root, seal and stencil them for shipping then deliver them to the shipping depot. (I'd root for this one...get it?)

-Blond Rachel & Dave and Vanessa & Ralph both decide to do the elephant... I'm guessing it doesn't mention poo in the clue. (Hey, I'm a poet.)
-Brendon & Rachel get to the barber before Art & JJ (but not by much) Big Brother is doing the elephant and Art & JJ, not afraid of manual labour, are going to Pack a Box. (I think they'll be happy with their choice.)

-Mark & Bopper get to the temple and find their Speed Bump - and it's the tiger dancers!  OH, I knew they had to be there for some reason.  Mark & Bopper have to paint the tiger face on the belly of one of the dancers to prepare him for the dance. - Awesome!  If you didn't see the episode, I can't do the dancers justice, they bounce and shake their bellies so joyfully - they just make me smile.
-Mark & Bopper jump right in painting the guy.

-Dave & Rachel and Ralph & Vanessa are choosing their elephants - the girls get on top ;) and they start putting the decorations around the head.  Vanessa loves elephants, Best Task Ever! for her ... at this point (haha.)

-Art & JJ get to the ginger co and decide to stencil the boxes first - Art wishes they could have done the FF today and JJ goes off about the rest of the people on the race (big brother) are lazy and no good - giving up a pass to the end because you don't want to cut your hair... We'll see if Kentucky has half a brain. (JJ just needs to stop worrying about everyone else and focus on what they are doing.)

-Dave & Rachel get the thumbs up on their elephant decorating and jump right into the pile of manure.  One thing he does appreciate about his wife is her mid-west work ethic - she rakes out the sh*t, he shovels and dumps it... Oh, but she is encouraging him, I'm sure he'd prefer silence.
-Ralph & Vanessa get the thumbs up and start the poopy task.
-Brendon & Rachel also get the go ahead - holy manure, here they come.

-Art & JJ are realizing how tedious the task is, they have to first sift the ginger then pack the boxes, weigh them and package them... they're going to be there a while. (Okay, maybe I was wrong, the poo seems to be going faster.)

-Speaking of... Brendon has experience wheelbarrowing (whatever) and they are going fast - Vanessa, as usual, is worried about what Big Brother is doing more than what she's doing and thinks they are lying about their number of loads dumped (yeah, like the show's not counting.)  Rachel asks maybe they want to go try the FF...

-Mark & Bopper are done the belly painting - and Bopper belly shakes along with them - they get the clue to the FF and can't believe no one else did it - they have nothing to lose at this point so they are going to try the FF.

-Dave & Rachel finish the poo dumping and they get the clue to the Pit Stop. They have to take a ferry and check in by the big fishing nets.
-Vanessa & Rachel finish right behind them and Brendon & Rachel are right on their heels.  Blond Rachel hopes they don't all end up on the same ferry or it'll be a foot race to the end.
-Dave & Rachel are on the ferry and so anxious to get it going he offer the guy money to take off... and it works - they are the only team on the first ferry, they leave Big Brother and Vanessa & Ralph on the dock.

-Art & JJ, by the 5th box were realizing that they may have chosen the wrong task - it was exhausting work, JJ felt like he was going to pass out but they were that far in, you might as well finish it now.  To amuse themselves they decide to pretend to be Dave & Rachel... well, JJ pretends to be Dave by berating and belittling 'Rachel'.  (Oh yeah, Race karma is going to totally bite these two in the butts.)
-Loading the boxes on the cart JJ cuts his finger and that just improves his mood 100 fold.  Bicker, bicker, bicker as they transport the boxes to the shipping depot.  Art, "I'm never having ginger with my sushi again."

-Mark & Bopper get to the Fast Forward and it's a no-brainer for Mark, who's head is already shaved... Bopper looks like it's given him pause... but then, "Staying in the Race, BABY!" Let the shaving commence!  Bopper - "Life saving money for my kid, I don't car... he could cut my leg off while he's at it." 

-Art & JJ get the clue to the Pit stop.  They get stuck in traffic.
-Mark and the freshly shorn Bopper get the clue to the Pit Stop and take off for the ferry.

Here's How They Finished:
1) Rachel & Dave - they won a $10,000 each!  This is their sixth first place victory, one off the record.  They plan on being first to the end and breaking that record as well as winning the Race.
2) Brendon & Rachel - just steps ahead of...
3) Vanessa & Ralph - and Phil stirs it up by saying hopefully I don't have to hand out any penalties... Vanessa says, "well, I think they miscounted wheelbarrows..." (Wow, what a b*tch...) they two ladies start warring with words -you said this, well you said that - then fake apologies all around... And I'm not enjoying the mean girl drama, makes them both look petty and fake.
4) Art & JJ - dejectedly step on the mat and JJ is choked up, no matter how hard you try, it's hard to take when you fail.  Art, you didn't fail man.  Phil tells them, they are team # 4, they're still in it!  Then he bugs JJ for crying (I love Phil) JJ, "I wasn't crying!" (Oh yes you were.)
5) Mark & Bopper - Last team to arrive and Phil is genuinely sorry to tell them they have been **ELIMINATED** from the Race. (Aw)  Bopper, "We gave it everything we had, right down to my har."  They are proud of themselves - they had an amazing time on the amazing race - everything about it was amazing.  And with Mark & Bopper: Ian Gariepy, Ozzy Rodrigues, Elaine Reiffer, Shelley Aven and Jessica Chavarria are out of the pool - unfortunately having the most well liked team doesn't usually pay in the pool - but they were fun to watch :)

Next week: 2 hour finale of the Amazing Race 20 - tempers flare as the Rachels both are yelling at their partners... and the first team to arrive at the finish line is told they didn't complete the Roadblock and has to go back and do it before Phil can check them in... Whaaaat?  I can't wait!

Have a great week everyone,

Coleen

No comments:

Post a Comment