The twins and the Beekmans are at the mushroom task almost exactly at the same time and it is truly a race at this point. The twins finish first and I’m ready to throw something at the TV. They are off to the Pit Stop. But never count out our underdogs. Brent finishes the mushrooms quickly and somehow they beat the twins to the pit stop. I must say the drama surrounding the twins and Beekmans racing for the pit stop and all the wrong turns they each made, etc. was the stuff of the old seasons of the Race. Finally, I felt that good old stress I used to feel when I watched this show. I never would’ve believed it an hour ago, but I was really glad those twins were eliminated after what I saw in that first hour.
Pit stop order:
1. Jaymes and James (They each win a Ford Escape. Surprise, surprise.)
2. Trey and Lexi
3. Josh and Brent
Here we go: Part 2! In typical fashion, our teams are headed for the USA. NYC, specifically. I wondered if this aspect would give the Beekmans an advantage. Lexi, who two minutes ago just said she didn’t even know what “customs” was prior to the Race, doesn’t think that the Beekmans will have an advantage knowing NYC. Uh, huh. I don’t see how it wouldn’t be an advantage, but whatever. I still had no idea that the Beekmans had a chance to win this thing at that point.
When the teams arrived in Coney Island, I realized just how much of a lag there is between the actual taping and the airing of this show. I’m located probably about two-plus hours away from NYC. It is about 40 degrees here right now. (Well, it was last night. It’s now strangely warm and rainy at 64 degrees for some reason, but it WAS and should be in the 40s around here right now!) Anyway, the teams arrive at Coney Island and there’s a ton of people on the beach, all in shorts or bathing suits. I figure this was September at the latest. I also figured that out for another reason. This is at least the second time that an Amazing Race has aired in an area that has been hit by a natural disaster in the time since a taping. This was clearly Coney Island pre-hurricane Sandy. Maybe someone else can help me with this, but I think the Race taped in India before that tsunami a number of years back. I thought there might have also been another instance where this happened, but I can’t remember right now. Let me know if you can remember. Anyway, most of the boardwalk that we saw last night on the Race probably doesn’t even exist anymore. Very sad.
On the boardwalk, Jaymes and James are in trouble. They cannot figure out what the first clue means. Even though they see the Beekmans and Trey and Lexi flying down the Boardwalk, clearly headed for the next location, they just stand there pondering. I didn’t understand that one. Why not just follow the other teams? This really delayed them.
The teams hit the Road Block. This entails one team member being suspended upside down, fifteen stories above the ground, while getting out of a straight jacket Houdini-style, only to free fall to the ground by bungee. FINALLY, a real task!
At the beginning of the show, I felt that I would’ve been okay with whichever team won. But this compelling conversation between Trey and Lexi made me specifically root against them:
T: Who’s going to do this one, Babe?
L: I’m thinking you, Babe.
T: I don’t like heights. Thanks a lot, Babe.
L: I’m sorry, Babe.
T: 15 stories, Babe?!
L: Babe, you can do it, Babe. You got this, Babe.
Okay, I added an extra “Babe” or two, but you get the point. I think these two could be in the midst of ax murdering each other and couldn’t not refer to each other as “Babe.” Exhibit “A.”
T: I gotta kill you, Babe. Sorry, Babe. You call me Babe too much, Babe.
L: No, Babe. Don’t kill me, Babe.
T: Babe, I don’t think I can take you calling me Babe anymore, Babe.
L: Come on, Babe. You can’t do this, Babe. We’re supposed to get married, Babe. And have little babes, Babe.
AAAHHHHH! I think I’d rather hear “Yahoo” a few thousand more times. And I don’t think Lexi loves Babe as much as she says because she tells us the only thing in the world he is scared of is heights. Yet, she gives him this task. Nice, Lexi.
Hi Kim, loved your column. It was as much fun reading it as watching the show, probably more. I am really bummed that Jaymes and J didn’t win. They were def. the most fun to watch and seemed like pretty nice guys. I wasn’t too happy about the Beekmans but don’t have a legit reason. I confess I no longer liked the twins after the money incident. I agree that the show needs drama to stay interesting, but that wasn’t showing strategy, skill or even outsmarting your opponents. It was just mean and stealing. Also, my guess is they have wealthy parents and don’t really need the million. But they were fun to watch. Lexi and Trey were fine but seemed like two pretty privileged kids who haven’t ever really worked hard and don’t need the money either. I’m ready for an all stars! Or maybe put Jaymes and J on Big Brother!!
I haven’t liked the “twinnies” since they stole the money, so I was super happy to see them not even make the finals. I think if you went back and watched some of the more recent episodes, you’d see that a lot of what the twins did/said was really mean and catty. They actually made the show pretty unbearable at times with their screaming. Ah well, karma got them and I was able to go into the final hour pretty happy with whoever won, although I was rooting for Team Beekman or Team James/Jaymes. I enjoy a good underdog story, so I was pretty happy with the outcome. Thanks for the recaps all season! I do agree that James/Jaymes should definitely be on a future all star season!
Nice column! I hadn’t liked the “twinnies” for most of the season. They have been mean and shown a sense of “entitlement” throughout so I was so glad they were gone. I was a James and Jaymes fan too, and even though the Beekmans didn’t win any other leg but the $1 M, many of the other teams walked away with nice prizes. That’s what I like about this game – there is plenty of opportunity for other people to leave with decent prizes.
Agree with you about the twins, they just got meaner as the season went on.
To help out – in early 2010 there were high magnitude earthquakes in Chile. The Amazing Race had just visited there before it all happened and they mentioned it on the particular episode.
I was SO happy that Josh and Brent won the race.
Kim – it’s not “furas.” It’s furrows. You plow furrows – a long, narrow trench in the earth (for planting seeds).
I will also admit that I starting “not liking” the twinnies when they stole the money. I know this is a race, but I found that to be pretty dirty. And it would have eliminated the Rockers if they hadn’t been able to beg up enough cash to continue. But the twins definitely got worse as the shows went on and if I had to heard them say “The Gays” or “The Evil Gays” one more time, I would have slapped them both.
I found most teams treated their teammate better than previous seasons. Maybe it was because the tasks were so easy there wasn’t much to be stressed about – I don’t know.
I also was surprised by the final task. They have learned to take really good notes along the way, but who the heck writes down what was said to them at the end when most languages sound like, “aspodijawelfkj” to you. I get Lexi’s tears and probably would have been like that also. It wasn’t until that point that I really thought the goat farmers had a good chance. The tall guy knew a couple of languages and they are both pretty smart. Thinking of it as a puzzle instead of randomly trying flags was a much better plan. I think the twins could have really dominated this part if they had made the final because they seemed to speak several of the languages throughout the race – at least the most basic words which would probably include hello & goodbye.
Although they seemed to hang on by their fingernails almost every leg of the race, I wasn’t upset to see the goat farmers take the million. I was hoping for James & Jaymes, and I’d like to see them on an All-Star season . . . but I am o.k. with Josh & Brent. Good for them! I’m sure most people were surprised by the ending.
Oh – and I agree – when looking at some of the teams, I couldn’t even remember their faces!
Thanks for the great recaps – and I hope you are here next time 🙂
Kim, I totally enjoyed your work this season. I rejected the dark side of the local recapper to come toward the light of your wit. I’m already looking forward to next season. I bet you’re a blast at PTA!
Thanks so much for the comments! I really appreciate them. The idea of Jaymes and James on Big Brother….ah, it is genius. Another of my favorite shows and these two would be great in the house.
“Furrows”….that is good to know. Tells me the closed captioning screwed up yet again with “furas.” I should’ve know. Thanks for the info!
Chile! Thanks so much. That was the other disaster I was thinking of. I thought that we were at about 3 times that this has happened. Honestly, I only started watching the show probably in 2004 or 2005, so there may have even been times prior to that where this happened.
Thanks to everyone for reading! 🙂