A week after once again winning the Emmy Award for Best Reality TV Show, The Amazing Race had what I think was its 22nd season premiere, Sunday, October 1.
The latest race began in Pasadena, California. The 11 teams had to rappel off a bridge to waiting cars and drive themselves to the airport. I assume it was LAX. But, there was very little airport drama, which was nice, and I don't recollect attention being paid to the airport, so I am not sure if it was LAX.
What I do remember is there were two flights to Shanghai, China, with those getting on the first flight getting a head start on those stuck on the second flight.
Landing in China teams had to find their way to their first China clue, which was a Roadblock. I found this Roadblock amusing. The Roadblocker had to win a point against China's reigning Junior Ping Pong champ. With each subsequent failure to win a point the reigning champ would use something other than a ping pong paddle, like a frying pan, a notebook, and I think, eventually, a smart phone. I'm not sure, I wasn't taking notes.
After finally getting a point the next clue led to another Roadblock. I don't remember an Amazing Race episode with two Roadblocks and no Detours, before.
The second Roadblock was one of those eat something disgusting Roadblocks that I am not fond of. The teammate who did not play ping pong had to eat frog Fallopian tubes stuck where the seeds used to be in 2 papaya halves.
Disgusting.
The Monster Truck couple, Rob & Kelley, did not read the clue correctly, and thus used an illegal way to eat the tubes. So, Rob had to do it all over again. This was slightly amusing. Rob was not amused.
After the Fallopian tube Roadblock was eaten, the next clue told teams to find a lady with an abacus on the Bund.
This seemed fairly easy, but totally confused some teams, like the Chippendales, Jaymes & James. Why would a James spell his name Jaymes, I wondered? The Chippendales seem to be a pair of meatheads.
The Amazing Race has a new wrinkle this season. Double the money. If a team makes it first to the first Pit Stop and is also first to the Finish Line, that team wins $2 million instead of the regular $1 million.
So, this one team, I don't remember the name, it was a man and woman couple, found the lady with abacus, with the clue directing them to the Pit Stop, thus giving them a good chance to come in first and thus in the running for the $2 million. But, what do they do? They help other teams find the lady with the abacus, with one of those teams, also a man and a woman, the names of which I also don't remember, coming in first to the Pit Stop.
Why would anyone make such a dumb mistake as to help another team in this type situation, when you know you are in a race to the Pit Stop? With $2 million on the line. Had they not watched the show before?
The twin sisters, the names of whom I do remember, Natalie & Nadiya, found the lady with the abacus, but when asked by other teams if they found her, they lied and said no, they were still looking.
The only other teams whose names I remember, are the Goat Farmers, Josh & Brent, and the giant and the little guy, Gary & Will.
The rest are a blur to me.
What is the deal with The Amazing Race returning to Shanghai so often? Shanghai is an incredible looking town, I enjoy seeing it, but I like The Amazing Race when it shows me some place I have not seen before.
The first episode of The Amazing Race was not messed up regarding its start time by a football game. That was nice. I set the DVR to record an extra two hours due to the number of times The Amazing Race has been time shifted by football games that don't end when they should.
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