Sunday, September 27, 2015

The Amazing Race 27 Premiere Episode Recap - Sep 25/15

A Little too Much Beefcake

The 27th Season of the Amazing Race began at Venice Beach, CA... and we started to meet some of the couples as they ran up the beach to meet Phil (so we also got to see their fitness level - have you ever tried to run in sand? Not fun or easy.)

Justin & Diana - he created a fake Amazing Race as an elaborate proposal and when it was posted on the internet, it went viral (I never saw it, just sayin'.)
Tanner & Josh - I think they are the titular beefcake - friends from Texas - planning to use flirtation as their biggest strategy on the Race (Great, I dislike them already.)
Alex & Adam - cousins with dwarfism - one was a wrestler through school, the other the theatre kid - they expect to be the sleeper team to slip on through everything (no one will expect the little people to beat them.)
Cindy & Rick - newlywed dentist and doctor who think they are smarter and better than everyone - we'll see how that goes... and they've named themselves Team Chacattack (or maybe the show has named them all this season, not sure.)
Denise & James Earl - Mother and son - single mother, they were very close throughout his childhood but she didn't take his coming out very well and they were estranged for awhile, hoping to heal their relationship on the race.
Jazmine & Danielle - record breaking college track stars in the Heptathlon, they think they're the dream team (I hope so, cause they are my team in the pool - go Team Purple Track Stars!)
Logan & Chris - a girl named Logan, that's unusual... anyway, these two are dating paparazzi... they started off as photographers but then the money from shooting celebrities drew them to the dark side... they should be good at sneaking around quickly on the Race though.
Tiffany & Krista - former NFL cheerleaders - they are all done up but don't let the hair and make up fool you, they are hoping to prove how smart they are... I guess.

And they make it to Phil who welcomes them and tells them they are going to be heading to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil... but first they have to jump in a cab to another beach where they will go head to head in a bike race - the team that wins that bike race will receive the one and only ticket on the first flight to Rio - the second flight leaves 30 minutes later. 
They are all going to be wearing fitbits again this season and the team that wins the first leg will also win the Express Pass.  Off they go!

In the cab we meet the remaining teams:
Joey & Kelsey are dating news anchors who introduce themselves like reporters in the cab (ugh). She's using the race to see if they should make this relationship permanent (cause you need that extra pressure on the race.)
Kelly & Shevonne - co-workers from TMZ, a celebrity gossip website and TV show - they are used to sitting in chairs and talking smack on people... now they'll have to be running, and talking smack on people. (Ha, I love these two, I used to watch the TMZ show everyday - and you may have noticed, I sometimes talk smack on the people on these reality shows :).)
Ernest & Jin - brothers - they have no home to go back to if they get eliminated, right now they're sleeping out of their car.  They started dancing/street performing to make money and they're on the Race for the same reason - go hard or go home, well they don't have a home. (Let's hope they're resourceful then.)

All the teams arrive at the other beach for the bike race and realize they are water bikes - a single bicycle with two outrigger pontoons - with one person riding at a time - off they go.  Team Beefcake is leading the pack when their powerful muscles break their bike - allowing Justin & Diana to take over the lead.  He says they would tow them but they're just too much beefcake (ha!)
-Everyone passes them by with only the dwarf cousins even asking if they were okay... but even that was coached with, "What happened, where you pedaling too well?"

-Justin & Diana (Green Team, because they are wearing green) are the only team on the first flight.  Everyone else will be together on the second flight to Rio.
-Team TMZ breaks it down for us - the Pink team (Denise & James Earl) just a little too Norman Bates. Tanner & Josh, (Team Beefcake) did a lot of fist bumping, I mean A LOT of fist bumping. The Cheerleading squad (Tiffany & Krista) very prissy, they have a lot of questions about their primping process - Kelly wonders if some teams are there to look good, versus do good in the competition. (Is she a writer for TMZ? Do well.)

Once the teams land in Rio, they must make their way to the Lagoa Helipad and sign up for a helicopter ride over Rio. (Whee!)
-The first flight was delayed 20 minutes and the second flight came in 5 minutes early so essentially, they all got there at the same time.
-Justin & Diana were still able to make it to the Helipad first and, surprise, there is a possible Fast Forward on this leg.  Justin wants that Express Pass so bad, they are definitely going for the Fast Forward - which is having to hang-glide over Rio, with the warning that the task is weather dependent. 

Chacattack (Rick & Cindy) decides that going for the FF would be too risky so they read the Route Info which tells them they will be taking a helicopter tour over Rio past Christ the Redeemer - and they must answer the heliport manager's question about what they've seen when they land to get their next clue.
-Everyone is doing the helicopter tour assuming someone already took the FF.  The views of Rio are breathtaking, the mountains with the city sprawling around in the mist, very cool.

-Justin & Diana get to the hang-gliding club and their pilot tells them the wind is too strong, it is too dangerous to fly - and you can see Justin's dreams being dashed, he even starts crying in the cab back to the helipad, sure that their Race is over already. Diana tells him to pick his head up, it's not over! (He's too much of a keener, this could be awkward.)  Oh, and the other thing is they spent all of their money on cabs getting them too and from the FF... oof, that's not good.

-The first team to finish the heli-tour was Chacattack, the question the guy asked was, what monument did they see - Christ the Redeemer - Dr. Rick even gave the answer in Portugese and they got the next clue (Dr. Rick went for a high five but the clue guy left him hanging - ha, oops.)  They get the clue to the DETOUR - Sand or Sidewalk
Sand - Teams will have to play foot volley (beach volleyball using your feet like soccer) against pros - however the racers will be allowed to use their hands.  If they can score 6 points before the pros reach 18, they will get the next clue.
Sidewalk - a wavy designed stone mosaic sidewalk stretches for 2 miles along the Copacabana beach - teams will have to complete a slide puzzle that mimics the pattern in the sidewalk to get the next clue (I hate those slide puzzles...)

-Chacattack chooses sidewalk and takes off just as Denise & James Earl (team Alabama) get the question right  - and they are also heading out for Sidewalk.

-Other teams are still waiting their turn for the helicopter tour and The Dancers, Ernest & Jin, are looking at a tourist info board that lists the places they will be flying over, to make sure they know the answer to the question that might be asked (that's smart.)

Copacabana Beach - Cindy & Rick (Chacattack) have to use personal changing covers to change into the white bikini and white short shorts they have to wear on this Detour.  Rick loves his shorts, Cindy does not.  They get going on the puzzle... or should I say Rick starts on the puzzle because he shoots down any suggestions she makes, which also doesn't sit well with Cindy (this race is already testing the Newlyweds.)
-Team Alabama-Mother/son get there and also start working the puzzle.

-In the helicopter, paparazzi Chris wishes he had a camera to capture the beautiful scenery without having to look for celebrity houses - Logan says she's kind of glad not to have her camera so she could just enjoy what she's seeing (Huh, I think I like paparazzi Logan, guess I shouldn't judge a person by their profession.)
-One of the little person cousins is not enjoying the helicopter ride, holding on for dear life while his cousin laughs at him (oh boy.)

-Beach volleyball - Team Beefcake and the Track and Field girls are the first teams taking on the soccer pros... who are amazing by the way.  Tanner & Josh thought it would be easy because they could use their hands but they soon find out it's going to be harder than they thought to get six points before the pros annihilate them.

-Back at the puzzle - Rick is being a dismissive jerk and taking over the puzzle, she's not impressed with his tone - they need to work on their communication.

-Track Stars and Beefcake do start getting some points - and it's Tanner & Josh who are the first team to get the clue to the Pit Stop: Arpoador Lookout - and they take off running for the mat.
-Jazmine & Danielle are the next team to get the clue to the Pit Stop and they jump in a cab to get to the lookout.

-Denise & James Earl finish the puzzle before the doctors and Cindy wants to switch to the volleyball but Dr. Rick isn't giving up.

Meanwhile - the failed FF team has finally arrived at the helipad where they confirm they are in last place, and he's crying again - kudos to Diana for remaining positive as he's falling apart.

-Team TMZ is attempting the beach volleyball and failing miserably (that looks familiar, totally would be me.) They quickly decide to change to the puzzle... which they quickly realize also is not that easy.
-Chacattack finally gets the puzzle done and they head for the Pit Stop.

-The Cousins get the clue to the Detour and the wrestler wants to do the volleyball, theatre guy isn't so sure but goes with it anyway.
-The Dancing brothers get the question right (because they wrote all the answers down) - and they head out for the volleyball.

-Back at the puzzle - The Reporters, Joey & Kelsey, are working on the puzzle.  Team TMZ is moving pieces in circles (get it together ladies.)

- The Cousins and The Dancers are not too thrilled about the little shorts - but the dancers are not looking too shabby, just go with it.
-The Dancers start playing volleyball and quickly realize the pros are not really human, being able to play so well with only their feet - come on!
-The Cousins are working the net and also the Paparazzi are doing a good job on the volleyball.

-The Green Team are trying to get a cab to take them to Copacabana beach but they have no money left and have to beg a ride - they get a sympathetic cab driver who agrees to take them. 
-The Cheerleaders on the other hand, got a cab driver that kicked them out first chance he got as soon as they were close to the beach, not even making sure they found the area they needed... I guess the looks don't always get you whatever you want.  The girls take off running and find out they are actually pretty far away from where they need to be.

-Justin & Diana (Failed FF) finally get to the beach and see there are still teams working the puzzle and he is so excited!  WE'RE STILL IN THIS BABY!  The Reporters can't believe their eyes, everyone thought the Green Team was way ahead of them.
-Then the Cheerleaders show up and Justin is crowing that there is even a team behind them - it's like he has a new lease on life.
-The Reporters finally decide to switch to volleyball and leave The Green Team and Team TMZ doing the puzzle.

-The Little People Cousins get their six points and shock the Dancers - Ernest & Jin say, "Don't underestimate the little people." Like Alex/Adam said (I don't know who is who yet), they may not be able to spike the ball but they can still get it over the net.
-And the cheerleaders are also trying to play some volleyball but site their height in why they are doing so badly... they obviously didn't see the little people kick butt... and there are tears, so they decide to switch to the puzzle.

-The Reporters get their six points and Justin & Diana notice, "Ken & Barbie just finished," which prompts them to switch detours and head for the Volleyball.
-Ernest & Jin finally get the sixth point and complete the volleyball.

-And we have two all girl teams working the puzzle.  The Cheerleaders and Team TMZ who appear to be equally frustrated with the stupid slide puzzle.

-Justin & Diana get the six points and head for the Pit Stop. In the cab they are vowing to never make a stupid mistake (like going for the FF) again, and he vows, "No More Crying" (uh huh.)

-The Cheerleaders finish the puzzle which totally demoralizes Team TMZ - they thought they were smarter than the Cheerleaders... they know they are never going to live this down in the TMZ newsroom.

 Here's How They Finished:
1) Tanner & Josh - Team Texas (Beefcake) - they win the Express Pass which they can use to skip any task before the end of the fifth leg - once they use it, they have to pass it on to another team who will have to use it in the next leg (oh, that's different.)
2) Jazmine & Danielle - Team Track Stars - scream like little girls to be team #2... (really ladies, I know you're excited but this is not America's Next Top Model, keep the screeching down.)
3) Rick & Cindy (Chacattack) - he's still sporting the short shorts, he's gone native.
4) Denise & James Earl (Team Alabama) - she put on pink lipstick before hitting the mat because they are the pink team and she wasn't wearing any pink.  Phil appreciated the effort (he might have a little thing for mom?)
5) Logan & Chris - (the Paparazzi) so excited to be #5.
6) Alex & Adam - (the Cousins) - that million dollars is waiting for them.
7) Ernest & Jin - (the Dancers)
8) Kelsey & Joey - (the Reporters)
9) Justin & Diana - (the Green Team) and he's crying again at the mat - he just wants it so bad... (broke his own no more crying pledge already.)
10) Tiffany & Krista (The Cheerleaders) - squealing and crying at the mat.

And finally, after 3 hours and 45 minutes, Kelly & Shevonne (Team TMZ) finally complete the slide puzzle, but it's much too late - Phil shows up to meet them and tell them they have been Eliminated from the Race.
Phil also laughingly asks what's going to happen when they go back to work and Kelly knows it's going to be never ending getting ripped on by their co-workers.  She muses if maybe it's a karma thing, Shevonne says maybe they should be nicer - ha, that's not going to happen, so they're just going to hit the bar. (Aww, I'm going to miss team TMZ, they would have been entertaining if nothing else.)

And with Kelly & Shevonne's elimination, that takes Katie L, Shelley A, Lynne B, Patty F. and Kevin T. out of the pool... but you get your money back, if that's any consolation.

This season's going to be a good one judging by the clip montage. Go Team Track Stars! :)

Have a great week everyone, 

Coleen.

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