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| Eleven teams of two, joined by family or relationship, follow a path of twists and turns in a frenetic race around the world for $1 million. Who will be the first to cross the finish line? Recaps by Chris Wolvie, GSNN
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Kindness of Strangers Ten years ago, a new phenomenon in reality shows was born. Pairs of Americans, bonded by blood or friendship, raced around the world for one million dollars. Now, just over a decade later, eleven more pairs have shown up to hop from one country to another, compete in events based on the local culture, see beautiful cities, meet foreign but friendly people and beat the others back to the States for that seven-digit check. It's time for another rendition of the eight-time Emmy(TM)-award winning show! It's time for THE AMAZING RACE 19! STARTING LINEHSI LAI TEMPLE HACIENDA HEIGHTS, OUTSIDE OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA The City of Angels once again hosts a start to a Race as the eleven teams of two make their way via bus to the shrine built by the International Buddhist Progress Society. The teams range from 60-something teachers to 20-something Olympians, from twins to domestic partners, from Survivor winners to a 'round-the-world sailor and his pappy. And they are...: Andy Finch & Tommy Czeschin
(Team Snow Shredders): Friends from Cali. Both are Olympic and
X-Games-level snowboarders, they've already travelled the world...just
not too many places that DON'T have snow on the ground. Phil Keoghan greets them all and goes over the rules. ROUTE INFO leads to place...which has another ROUTE INFO...occassionaly hit a DETOUR or ROADBLOCK and get around it...reach a PIT STOP. Last to the PIT STOP (for most of the 12 Legs) is gone. The winner of Leg 1 will win something that could mean the difference between first and last in a Leg:
Oh, right, and the first team across the FINISH LINE!!, somewhere in the US, wins ONE MILLION DOLLARS!! And now for something COMPLETELY different. Remember how the last Race started with a task and the last place team had to U-TURN the first DETOUR? Well, it's back...but now the U-TURN is like a SPEED BUMP-meets-ROADBLOCK and has an official name: HAZARD! The task is as such: behind Phil are a WHOLE bunch of Chinese umbrellas. This word puzzle starts with the letters in the word that appears above the umbrellas (which are "WANPEI"). Teams must find an umbrella with another MYSTERY three letters on them. Take those three letters, double them and add them to the letters above the umbrellas. They will then discover where the first destination city is. They'll show the umbrella to Phil and, if they're right, he'll give them keys to a 2012 Ford Explorer(TM) with which they can haul-ass to LAX and book their flight to said location. The LAST team to leave with the right answer must perform a HAZARD at some point during this first Leg. Savvy? We've been waiting all summer for those wonderful eleven words...so take it away, Phil! "The world is waiting for you... "Good luck... "Travel safe... "GO!!" Twenty-two brave souls sprint past Phil, grab umbrellas and show them one by one to Phil. Phil repeats "That is not correct" many times before they settle down and look more methodically. Andy & Tommy return with one bearing the letters "TAI". Phil declares them correct and they head for the Explorers parked outside the Temple. A minute later, Amani & Marcus get it right...but they ALMOST leave without the keys. Upon entring the vehicle, a video of Phil congratulating the team plays on the onboard computer and tells them their first destination: TAI-PEI, TAI-WAN. The official clue is IN said auto and reads as such:
The other teams keep looking. Liz & Marie are next out of the Temple, followed closely by Ethan & Jenna. Jeremy & Sandy are 5th, Ernie & Cindy 6th, and Ron & Bill 7th. The teams start to get a bit desperate, scrambling for the right umbrella. Bill & Cathi stumble upon the right one and, assuming they don't get lost or passed, will be the last team on the China Airlines flight. Out in 9th...is Laurence & Zac. So the showgirls and siblings are fighting to find a "TAI" umbrella and avoid the HAZARD. Who will not be inconvenienced in Taipei? Justin & Jennifer get it right and leave in 10th! And that means Kaylani & Lisa will have a HAZARD to endure a quarter of a world away. For being California dudes, Team Snow Shredders are quite ignorant about where LAX is. They get instructions from a gas station attendee. At the SAME station, Team Showgirls ask for the same directions. They get it...but Keylani has dropped her passport! Oh, @#$%! It's Zev & Justin all over again!! Fortunately, Keylani notices this about halfway to LAX and Lisa heads back to the gas station to get it. The question now is...will they show up in time to catch the late flight at... LOS
ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Team Flight Partners are the first to the China Airlines counter, followed closely by Team Sole Survivors. Team Contradiction get on the flight 3rd as others start to trickle in. Back at the gas station, no one has turned in the passport...and it's nowhere on the concrete. They decide they're only chance is in the hope that one of the other teams (despite themselves being last out of the gate) picked it up and is holding it for them. If not,...their Race is over before it even begins! Team Hut-Hut and Team Drake Wannabes check-in for the China Air flight. As the sun starts to set, Team Georgia Sibs check-in, followed by Team Snow Shredders. The last team on the first flight out? Team Team Get-To-Know! This means Team Sexagenarians and Team Twin Grads must take the India Air flight. Keylani & Lisa arrive at the China Air counter and ask if anyone has brought in a lost passport...and the agents say no. This starts an argument between the two girls over what they can do. Meanwhile, the other teams realize what Ethan & Jenna aren't telling: that Ethan & Jenna were Survivor winners. Oh, that means a major target is on their backsides. Suddenly, an announcment is heard over the LAX intercom: "Would passenger Keylani Paliotta please report to the information desk?" The girls, all confused, go there. Someone asks for them out loud...and hands them the missing passport! And there was much rejoicing! Two guys were at the station when Team Snow Shredders and Team Showgirls arrived and they found the passport. One of them, a "Randy Storms", even Tweeted about it. A reply told him to get it to LAX...and, so, he did. Keylani & Lisa are back in the hunt...even though they STILL have a HAZARD to worry about upon arrival. FIRST
FLIGHT (CHINA AIRLINES, LEAVING 12:55am): The flights take off without a hitch...no in-flight emergencies...so we pick up the Race in the afternoon in... TAIPEI, REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) China Air touches down in the largest and capital city in the Republic of China that's apparently NOT for the "People". The eight teams get off the plane and on the awaiting bus to Ximending. En route to the district, Marcus is questioned about his profession...and he says he's "done some round balling" and some "protection". He does NOT say that he "protected" Peyton Manning for many a year. Twenty minutes later, Eva Air's plane hits the runway and the remaining six Americans head for the second express bus. Unfortunately, Team Saxagenarians' age catches up to them; whereas Team Showgirls and Team Twin Grads sprint to the bus and make it, the 60-plus couple miss it. They're optimistic, though, as they board the third bus to... XIMENDING
COMMERCIAL DISTRICT Normally, it's foreigners coming to a big city like New York of Los Angeles that spend many a minute looking up at the architecture. Not THIS time, though; sixteen Americans hop off the bus and, per the clue, look up at the billboards and video screens, looking for something that will tell them where to go next. Team Contradiction notes a sign to the Commerical District's "walking area" and follow it, Team Sole Survivors on their tail (who get confused by the red-and-yellow hats of the maintenance crews). One video screen in the district has red and yellow balloons...which occassionally separate to reveal Chinese characters. THIS is the next clue. But Ernie & Cindy pass it up when they see what looks like a red-and-yellow arrow. Team Snow Shredders think a garbageman with red-and-yellow boxers under his jean-shorts has the clue...but nope. Team Drake Wannabes and Ethan & Jenna pass right by the sign as well. Amani & Marcus notice the screen right away...but they also pass on it. The others are just as lost...and Team Georgia Sibs are arguing about it. They run into Team Hut-Hut!, who think the balloon screen might be it after all. When they get back to the screen, they do their best to right down the characters...while Team Flight Partners come up from behind and follow suit. They show the scratchings to a local who speaks English...and he translates it as the "Taipei Confucius Temple". As the three teams quietly leave the area, other teams get the hint and copy the characters on the screen, get them translated and get looking for the Temple. Now comes the second bus, with both all-female teams on board. The four girls decide to work together for this clue...and they likewise pass up the screen, thinking the clue would be "more obvious". When the final bus dump off Bill & Cathi,...they're literally and figuatively clueless. Ethan & Jenna find the clue and split...but Andy & Tommy are looking for Amazing Race STRIPES, not BALLOONS. TAIPEI
CONFUCIUS TEMPLE Confucius says, "Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart." That what four teams who caught the earliest train to the Temple are doing. Those teams - Hut-Hut!, Georgia Sibs, Get-To-Know and Contradiction - arrive and find clues not in a typical "clue box" but hanging on what looks like a key wall. They run into their first....
Your first "operators" for this ROADBLOCK are Sandy, Cindy, Amani and Jennifer. Team Flight Partners arrive close behind and Ron chooses to do it. There's just one problem: finding the damned PHONE! Ethan from Team Sole Survivors is next to the clue and next to do the task. Finally, Cindy finds to phone, dials (though I dunno if it actually was "1-800-CONFUCIUS"; CBS isn't THAT obvious, are they?) and hears this: "In all things success depends on previous preparation, and without such previous preparation there is sure to be failure." (From "The Doctrine of the Mean".) Cindy runs to the monk and says, "In all things success depends on previous preparation, and without such there will be failure." Nope...not it. Jennifer tries it next...and fails. Cindy blows it again...as does Ron...as does Sandy...and Ethan, too. Perhaps they should pay head to ANOTHER saying: "Listen widely to remove your doubts and be careful when speaking about the rest and your mistakes will be few." One by one, the six listen again, run and talk...only to be turned. Finally, Cindy tries again...and the monk hands her the next clue! She squeals in delight and reads the clue with Ernie:
As the engaged split, Jennifer tries again. SHE gets it right and she and bro Justin leave in second. When the next two teams arrive, Zac decides to try his luck...while Andy loses the roshambo and gets the nod for the task. As they line up by the phone, Sandy gets the phrase right and she and Jeremy leave in third. Back at the District, Andy & Tommy and Laurence & Zac work out the clue and depart for the station. The four girls, however, aren't doing so hot; they head back to where the bus dropped them off. Meanwhile Team Sexagenarians decide to look for high buildings a fair ways from the District. Liz & Marie and Kaylani & Lisa return to where the sign is...but don't BOTHER to look up as they get frustrated. FINALLY, Marie points out the sign...and Lisa asks someone for a translation. They depart for the Temple tied for 9th...while Bill & Cathi - two TEACHERS, mind you - go to the tallest building and ride the elevator to the top, hoping to see a clue box on the roof. But, of course, there ain't. "Color me stupid," says Bill as they walk back to the District. Andy's sounding like an extra from "Dude, Where's My Car?" as he tries to speak Confucius...and he's not even CLOSE. Zac is CLOSER but missed a conjunction. Ehtan...is spot-on. He and Jenna leave in fourth. DAJIA
RIVERSIDE PARK First one to the park is Team Contradiction. They run to a drummer under the magnificant DaZhi Bridge and pick his pocket for this clue:
They choose the purple team with Ernie paddling and Cindy banging the drum slowly. Cindy "feels so Asian" as the boat moves on. Back at the Temple, Amani FINALLY gets it right and she and hubby Marcus depart in fifth. Zac is next to get it spot-on; he and pop Laurence scram in sixth...followed closely by Ron & Bill in seventh as Ron gets it right. This leaves Team Snow Shredders alone...and unhappy. That is, until Andy gets it right and the dudes leave in eighth, opening the way for the two girl teams. Lisa and Liz will do the phoning for this round. Back on the water, Team Contradiction rounds the turn and heads for home as Team Georgia Sibs and Team Get-To-Know arrive and pick THEIR boats with the men paddling and the women pounding. As such, Ernie & Cindy pass the two teams on the way back. And, when they arrive at the dock again, the captain finds them adequate and hands them this important clue:
As they sprint to get that EXPRESS PASS, Jeremy & Sandy and Justin & Jennifer land their craft back on the docks and get their PIT STOP clues...and Ethan & Jenna arrive to start THEIR boat ride. Confucius says, "To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous." Liz seems to be doing a LOT of that as she blows the saying. Lisa, however, rocks it and she and Kaylani move to ninth...but NOT to the Dajia Park. Rather, they get this:
Liz blows it again as Team Showgirls departs. And, then, there's Team Sexagenarians. They are pretty much off the map now, looking for ANYTHING resembling a clue. Right now, they're trying to find the District itself and they hope they can go from there CORE
CITY PACIFIC MALL Kaylani & Lisa arrive at this ten-year-old mall. When they get to the eleventh floor, they find their picture on a yellow triangular sign. They then rip open the clue:
Kaylani bungee-jumped off the Stratosphere in Vegas once...but her harness wasn't too tight (tight enough, but looser than it should've been) so she's a BIT edgy about doing this. But, hell, she'll do anything for a million...even jumping on a rubberband with dozens of people watching in awe. She completes the task with no problem at all, much to Lisa's happiness. They get their clue and depart in 9th... ...and that's because Liz STILL can't get the phrase right. She tries and tries and tries...and both she and Marie are getting VERY frustrated about this! PIT
STOP #1 After flying over 6500 miles from LA, Team Contradiction jogs to the mat where Phil and one of the Shrine guards are waiting. After the traditional greeting by the guard, Phil says, "Ernie & Cindy...you are TEAM #1!" And here's your Golden Ticket...should you use it wisely enough, that is: the EXPRESS PASS. A Get-Out-Of-Task-Free card, essentially, which could mean the difference between a million bucks...and being Philiminated. No "gas-and-go" THIS time around: Team Get-To-Know arrives as Team #2 and Team Georgia Sibs as #3. Back under the bridge, Team Snow Shredders and Team Drake Wannabes arrive to start their boat race...just as Team Sole Survivors FINISH theirs and leave in fourth. Team Hut-Hut! arrive 7th and start their paddle session...after Marcus shouts like he's running out the tunnel at Lucas Oil(TM) Stadium again. Laurence is in HIS element, as he was a coaxswain in England once...and this pounding is not much different. It's Andy & Tommy who arrive ahead of the others, of course, and they leave for the PIT STOP in 5th. Laurence & Zac are in 6th...and an uber-pumped Amani & Marcus (though more Marcus being pumped, really) in 7th. Meanwhile, Bill & Cathi FINALLY return to the District...and, unlike the OTHER teams, they go STRAIGHT to the balloon screen and ask for a translation from a local. They leave for the ROADBLOCK in dead last...but they might be in luck yet... ...because Liz is STILL struggling! "The cautious seldom err," the wise man says...so Liz must not be too cautious in what she's hearing. She tries again, exhausted from the attempts. The monk looks down at her solemnly...and hands her the next clue! With a DEEP sigh of relief, Liz & Marie depart the ROADBLOCK in 10th. As they get in the cab, Team Sexagenarians arrive at last and Cathi decides to do it...and, wouldn'tcha know it? She gets it on the FIRST TRY!! They're still in last, but they just made up a LOT of ground! Back at the park, Team Flight Partners choose THEIR boat while Team Showgirls arrive fresh from their HAZARD. They do the course without issue and receive their PIT STOP clues. And, at the PIT STOP, Team Sole Survivors are checked-in as Team #4. Team Hut-Hut! is Team #5. As Team Twin Grads do the rowing, Team Drake Wannabes and Team Snow Shredders arrive at just about the same time and become #6 and #7 respectively. And as the twins finish the course, Team Flight Partners arrive as #8. And a QUITE estatic Team Showgirls are happy to have survived losing their passport AND the HAZARD and arrive as Team #9. The time made up by Bill & Cathi in the ROADBLOCK was not enough; Liz & Marie arrive and hug Phil warmly as Team #10. Still, Bill & Cathi do the boating and feel that they've run a good Race...even though it may be over all too soon. "Bill & Cathi," says Phil upon Team Sexagenarians hitting the mat, "you are the last team to arrive." "However,..." (blink?) Ayup...for the second straight Race, the first Leg is an N.E.L.! The teachers are still in the Race! Of course, they'll have to perform a SPEED BUMP at some point in the next Leg...and that'll make things more difficult. Oh,...one other thing: the second Leg will have the first-ever Double Elimination! The last TWO teams will be Philiminated on that Leg. Well, at least the old couple can stock up on genseng and think positive thoughts for the time being. They've earned their teaching credits today for certain. After all, as Confucius says, "Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher."
To see this episode in its entirety, or to apply to be a contestant on "The Amazing Race", visit the official website at www.cbs.com/amazingrace. |
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