Watching Reality TV

The big news from last night’s “Amazing Race: All Stars” is not who was eliminated, but rather, who came in first. Again. This is proof positive that there is a giant rift in the universe. And I think that rift is HUNGRY. We must feed it with the blood of Charla and Mirna, lest we get swallowed whole ourselves. Am I right? So yeah, Charla and Mirna came in first yet again. I hesistate to mention that I found them less annoying last night. If I did, you might mistake my meaning and think that I actually like them which I DO NOT. Actually, you know who I love? Oswald and Danny. They are just downright adorable. I loved their interaction with Charla and Mirna on the Dhow to Zanzibar. And they’re just so danged relaxed all the time, its hard not to be charmed by them.

The airport was a nightmare on this leg, and is in large part why Charla and Mirna remained in first place. The cousins took a risky move by flying to Johannesberg in South Africa and then trying to find a good connection to Tanzania. The other teams soon found out how good a plan that actually was when their own flights were booked solid. Truthfully, moving to a larger airport the way Charla and Mirna did is a very good strategy. You’re going to have far better luck at a larger airport than at a smaller one. Unfortunately for Teri and Ian, the Guidos and Eric and Danielle, they got stuck in Johannesberg. And then there were two, as Eric and Danielle got lucky and got onto a flight that the other two teams were unable to get on. This put the Guidos and Teri and Ian almost a whole day behind the leaders. Ouch!

What I loved, is how even though Danny and Oswald were ahead of Charla and Mirna after the Detour, they decided to stop for fruit, giving Charla and Mirna the lead. And Charla and Mirna went on to win first place for the leg (and won a pair of catamarans, which is ironic considering how seasick Charla got on the dhow over to Zanzibar). I think Danny and Oswald did that on purpose, to be honest. I think they wanted Charla and Mirna to come in first. There are any number of reasons they could have wanted it. I’m sure it’s genius, whatever it is.

In the end, Uchenna and Joyce need not worry. Even with their thirty minute penalty for not coming in first they still managed to come in third place with no team sneaking in while they had to wait. Teri and Ian were ultimately eliminated, as the Guidos easily finished the puzzle Detour ahead of them. However, I don’t think the Guidos are out of the woods quite yet because at the start of the next leg, they are significantly behind the other teams. So we’ll see how that works out for them next week. I hope there’s some bunching, because I don’t think the Guidos should go just yet.