Welcome to Pure Amazing Race

There won’t be any real recap this week - I’m just going to post my thoughts on the happenings of the episode. I wasn’t able to watch the show on Sunday night this week, so I just watched it online on CBS.com. However, I already read a recap on Too Much Free Time, so I knew who was eliminated as I watched.

I think I need to do this every week; it was delicious watching how bitchy Christy & Kelly were being towards everyone knowing they were going to be eliminated at the end of the leg. Playing “Would You Rather” with Team Dandrew as the subject was pretty mean.

Nick & Starr were great sports on the Roadblock after getting pelted with paint. My respect for them has risen a great deal since the first few weeks. I also loved how Starr kept her cool as she looked for the clue. Dallas did the same, which wasn’t surprising.

Then there was Kelly. Let me just say this: “Ha!” Oh and, “Ha ha ha ha ha!” Man, those girls are dumb as rocks. I think they must have set some kind of Amazing Race record as the team who didn’t read the clue the most.

Terence got through the task without much drama and I thought maybe he had turned a new leaf. But, no. Turns out he was saving all his drama for his mama. The taxi ride to the next stop must have been torturous for Sarah.

Tina’s actions at the Roadblock kind of sucked - pushing the guys out of the way and yelling. I’m not sure I wouldn’t have reacted similarly, though.

Getting the clue for the Detour barefoot - why??? That was nasty.

No matter - CBS made up for the bare feet in the bird hospital by giving us ample shots of “The Package”. Atonement!

The Detour was a trip. Once again, Kelly & Christy and Team Dandrew put their idiocy on full display. Luckily for Dandrew, Ken & Tina told them how to complete the task just as Kelly & Christy figured it out on their own. Derrrr.

Next week - Team Dandrew have to be eliminated, right? These two gave Kelly & Christy a serious run for their money with the stupid.

Howdy folks! Sorry for not having an update last week - football ran over and the DVR recorded 60 Minutes instead of The Amazing Race.

So last night’s episode was fairly boring. The teams had to fly from New Zealand (so bummed I missed that episode!) and fly to Cambodia. We learned that just about none of the teams have a clue about geography. Seriously? They didn’t know where Cambodia was? Astonishing. Also astonishing is the fact that we’re down to 7 teams already. The seasons of this show go by much faster for me than others.

Ken & Tina started out first since they arrived first again last week. These two are doing much better in the race and in their relationship than anyone would have guessed. I climb aboard the KenTina train a little more each week. I actually yelled out, “Awww,” when Tina couldn’t find a small chamber inside the ancient Buddist temple Angkor Wat during the Roadblock. Normally I’m yelling, “What an idiot!” Thankfully her mistake didn’t cost them too much at the finish.

Terence continued to annoy me (and [I'm pretty sure] Sarah) as he whined about her “outrunning him out the gate” every time. Should she slow down and make you feel better about yourself, Terence? The sad thing is, I think she might start to do that in the future. Stand up for yourself, Sarah! I had to giggle when they got pulled over for speeding and Sarah said, “I didn’t think you were a speeder.” Hee. You know the unfinished sentence in her mind went a little something like, “… since you are so freaking slow at racing!” I also derived much pleasure out of their boat breaking down during the Detour. Sadly, they finished in a decent spot - but! - they incurred a 30-minute penalty at the start of the next leg as a result of getting a speeding ticket.

Nick & Starr raced well and Nick only played dirty once that we saw on this leg. Pretending to not having found the small chamber at the Roadblock was only slightly dirty relatively speaking, but I still hate the way they play. Starr’s best line from the episode, “Senór, stop!” I’m not quite sure what language is spoken in Cambodia, but I’m pretty sure it’s not, you know, SPANISH. Ugh. I also hate their smug attitudes in interviews. They’re good overall competitors, though, so I need to resign myself to the fact that they’re probably going to be around for a while.

I’ve got mixed feelings about Kelly & Christy. I loved that they were so genuinely touched and saddened by the poverty of the people in Cambodia. They were the only team who actually were aware of their surroundings and the humanity involved. On the other hand, I really disliked their mean (but funny) comments about Dallas looking like Teen Wolf with his spiky hair. I’m all about being snarky, but they did it in a mean and snobby way. These two are also not the sharpest knives in the knife block. Every week they are shown doing at least one ditsy thing. Last night it was showing up in the middle of the Detour to play basketball without going to the clue box first.

Toni & Dallas continue to quietly dominate this game. I think the other teams are underestimating them in a big way. I think Toni might even be underestimating herself. She says she can’t perform the physical tasks as well as the younger players, yet she does great in every physical competition they’ve attempted. I really like both of them. Even if Dallas does have a Teen Wolf thing going on.

Andrew & Dan are just pathetic. They weren’t eliminated last night - but really should have been. Unless there’s some stroke of complete dumb luck for them next week, there’s no way they’ll be around for much longer. We are due for a non-elimination round, though, so they’ve got that going for them. It’s only a matter of time, though. These two are probably the biggest disappointment for me this season. I had high hopes for them to be entertaining and smart. They’ve been neither.

Ty & Aja were really growing on me. They both seem super sweet and it’s nice to see a dating couple on the Race where the prospects look good for the future. Alas, they were too busy loving being together and not spending enough energy and motivation on the actual race, thereby getting themselves eliminated. At least Aja can console herself with the fact that Ty “would not trade her in for a Porsche or anything like that”. Aww, sweet.

Here’s the finish order:

1. Nick & Starr
2. Toni & Dallas
3. Ken & Tina
4. Kelly & Christy
5. Terence & Sarah
6. Andrew & Dan
7. Ty & Aja

Just a brief recap and some thoughts about the show this week:

I know everyone makes stupid mistakes, especially under pressure, but Kelly & Christy really took the cake last night. They mis-read the clue two times in a row! And forgot what they just read about the clue (tell the taxi to stay), causing them an even further delay. They were extremely lucky they didn’t get eliminated.

Sarah needs to break up with Terence the second they get done the race. And Terence needs to get years and years of therapy before thinking about engaging in another relationship. This man is toxic! On the bright side, at least he allowed Kelly & Christy to get one thing right - they both thought Sarah shouldn’t be putting up with his crap.

I’m really hating…

- Nick. First his snotty comment to Starr when she was cheering him on and then the underhanded way he left Andrew at the wall rubbed me the wrong way.

- Team Hot Pink Velour Tracksuit. These girls are so dumb it’s not even comical - just downright painful to watch.

- Terence. I’m convinced Sarah is a saint.

I’m really enjoying…

- the classiness of the mother and son team - Toni & Dallas

- the honesty and self-awareness of the geeks - Mark & Bill

- the edit Team Hot Pink Velour Tracksuit is getting. Their stupidity is grating on the producer’s nerves, too, and it’s apparent!

Tina & Ken ran a good race last night and we didn’t have to hear about her Tammy Wynette-ness, but there’s still something about her that irks me. I can’t decide if the eyebrows or the never-ending stream of chatter that spews forth from her mouth is worse. And I’m scratching my head over the fact that Ken chose to stay with her as opposed to the other woman. Scared to think what she was like!

Aja & Ty are still in my neutral zone. I don’t have strong feelings one way or the other about them.

And Anthony & Stephanie will hardly be missed. They deserved to go home after nary an exertion from the pair of them.

Here’s the order the teams finished:

1 - Ken & Tina
2 - Mark & Bill
3 - Terence & Sarah
4 - Aja & Ty
5 - Toni & Dallas
6 - Nick & Starr
7 - Kelly & Christy
8 - Andrews & Dan
9 - Marisa & Brooke
10 - Anthony & Stephanie (eliminated)

Next week I predict the Blonde Bimbos will be going home.