Monday, November 29, 2010

The Amazing Race Season 17 Episode 9: Nick Gives Up In Hong Kong In Non-Elimination Leg

Nick & Vicki were saved. Again. By a non-elimination leg of The Amazing Race, which saw Nick return to being a foul-tempered bad boyfriend to sweet, good-natured Vicki.

All teams arrived in Hong Kong on the same flight. They had to take a bus to a ferry to an island to find a clue on a trail to a cave.

Jill & Thomas had their usual good luck and got on a bus before the other teams, with all but Nick & Vicki catching up at the ferry.

Running to the ferry Vicki had an asthma attack. Nick did not offer to lessen her burden by carrying her backpack. By the time they made it to the ferry Vicki was crying, which then had Nick insisting she stop crying.

The cave clue directed teams to the Kowloon Majesty Chinese Restaurant Buffet Roadblock. The team member doing the Roadblock had to figure out an item of food that was fake. There did not seem to be any rule that said you could not feel the food. There was a rule that anything you tasted you had to eat. I didn't quite understand why it was so hard to find the piece of fake food.

Nat, of the doctors, was the first to find a piece of fake food. Thomas was an eating machine, to little avail. Then Brook & Claire arrived, with Claire doing the Roadblock, and then being horrified to find it involved eating, because she's a picky eater. Thomas and Claire were circling the buffet, with Thomas finding a fake shrimp, sending Jill & Thomas on their way.

Then Nick & Vicki showed up, with Vicki joining Claire. Soon, Claire could eat no more and ran to the restroom to throw up, to the great amusement of Nick. Vicki eventually had to do the same thing. Which had Nick suggesting she give up and they take the penalty.

But, Vicki eventually found her fake piece of Chinese food, finally sending Nick & Vicki on their way to find the Bruce Lee Statue, where a detour put them on a Ding Ding bus or a Sampan. On the bus they had to look for signs that would tell them where the Pit Stop was. Jill & Thomas were the only team to take the Ding Ding  Detour. With Thomas going on about meticulously observing everything, they rode right by "Pit Stop," "Statue," "Square."

Eventually Jill & Thomas gave up and headed to the Sampan option. They arrived before Brook & Claire, and before Nat & Kat found their clue, which involved delivering a birdcage, with birds, to a boat with a serial number matching the one on the birdcage. Seemed simple. But it was dark and the numbers were in random locations on the boats.

When Nick & Vicki made it to the Sampan, Brook & Claire were still searching, so Nick & Vicki knew they were still in it. But, Nick quickly became frustrated and gave up, saying he'd not slept in 2 days, he laid down and slept. Eventually Vicki gave up and agreed to give up and take the 6 hour penalty.

Arriving at the Pit Stop, Phil told them they were in Last Place. Then the pause. Then the news that this was a non-elimination leg. Usually this news is met with whoops of joy. In the picture above you are looking at Nick when he heard they were not eliminated. On the Sampan he said more than once he was ready to go home.

Early on in the episode we saw Nick crying due to being ashamed of how badly he treated Vicki. This seemed to foreshadow that he was going to be bad again. But, I didn't think Nick would be as bad as he was. Not a nice guy. Vicki deserves better. And she needs to lose the piercings. And tattoos. Vicki is a cute girl. She doesn't need those embellishments.

Jill & Thomas were the first to find their boat, getting their clue "Pit Stop Statue Square." Nat & Kat found their boat shortly after Jill & Thomas and beat them to a taxi, and to the Pit Stop. Jill & Thomas came in a close second.

Nick & Vicki have the 6 hour penalty, plus a Speed Bump in the next leg, which take them to South Korea. We did not see Nick & Vicki in the previews for next week's episode of The Amazing Race.

No comments: