Finale...

All I can say is...Yay, they went to Taipei! (Even if it's just a connection...)

Episode 6: More Sicily, Silly!

I've lost interest in the race already... Aww...Dave & Lori...loved them.

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 12 / 24 = 50%. Pass! Too bad it's the eppy where I lost my beloved Dave & Lori...aww...

1. Lake & Michelle -- married parents.
2. Ray & Yolanda -- dating.
3. Joseph & Monica -- dating.
4. Eric & Jeremy -- friends.
5. BJ & Tyler -- best friends.
6. Fran & Barry -- married 40 years.

Episode 5: Sicily, Italy

Excellent episode! 5 different flight schedules from Munich to Palermo! Woo! Beautiful scenery is back, which is something that's sorely lacking so far this season. Greek statues in Italy? Weird. I don't like this kind of tricky puzzles... I felt so bad for Dave & Lori that I even cried for them...sigh...me soft.

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 12 / 32 = 38%. Failed again, but I got my beloved Dave & Lori right on.

Predictions for this week...

1. Lake & Michelle -- married parents.
2. Eric & Jeremy -- friends.
3. Joseph & Monica -- dating.
4. BJ & Tyler -- best friends.
5. David & Lori -- dating.
6. Ray & Yolanda -- dating.
7. Fran & Barry -- married 40 years.

Episode 4: Germany

I'm surprised how few things they did in Russia before they got out of it... This wasn't much of an eppy, I guess, except for the potentially-funny-yet-eventually-failing detour.

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 15 / 40 = 38%. Back to failure. I mean, I got a lot of very close ones, but Eric & Jeremy and Fran & Barry screwed it up.

Predictions for this week...

1. Lake & Michelle -- married parents.
2. Joseph & Monica -- dating.
3. Ray & Yolanda -- dating.
4. Eric & Jeremy -- friends.
5. BJ & Tyler -- best friends.
6. David & Lori -- dating.
7. Danielle & Dani -- childhood friends.
8. Fran & Barry -- married 40 years.

Episode 3: Moscow, Russia

I thought that was a pretty good episode...I had a tiny feeling close to the end that it might be "to be continued..." but the fact that this is only the third leg and they never do that this early quashed my thoughts. Well, I was wrong, and delightfully surprised. I'm glad that they have decided to keep more racers longer, instead of this massive slaughter of racers in the first few eppys. About Russia, though, I have to say, I'm slightly disappointed that they had to resort to stereotype for tasks...I mean, these are things that you can do everywhere else, not just in Moscow, even though it may be more popular there. I would prefer to see things unique to the location rather than these stereotypical tasks. I almost thought they are finally going to have a pit stop at a famous landmark for a change, but nope, they didn't make it a pit stop...

No need to do the accuracy of last week's predictions...and I think I'll keep last week's predictions for this week...

Episode 2: More Brazil

Very nice to see a roadblock that's not just a rappel, but a climb and a rappel, and involves some strategy! The bus ticket things I don't mind so much, for otherwise everyone might be on the same bus... The detour is cool, too. I'm definitely pulling for Dave & Lori...so sweet.

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 39 / 60 = 65%. Very nice. Got 4 teams absolutely correct.

Predictions for this week...

1. David & Lori -- dating.
2. Lake & Michelle -- married parents.
3. BJ & Tyler -- best friends.
4. Joseph & Monica -- dating.
5. Wanda & Desiree -- mother and daughter.
6. Ray & Yolanda -- dating.
7. Danielle & Dani -- childhood friends.
8. Eric & Jeremy -- friends.
9. Fran & Barry -- married 40 years.

Episode 1: Sao Paolo, Brazil

Excellent episode! Finally, finally, finally, there is no bunching after the initial flight! I thought that was just great. They could have added more tasks, but this is good enough for me. The set of characters look a lot better better than before. I'm now rooting for David & Lori, as they are so lovely, and being a nerd myself, I really liked them. Ok, that's it for now...

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 16 / 60 = 27%. Pretty bad. At least I got David & Lori spot on, though.

Predictions for this week...

1. Wanda & Desiree -- mother and daughter.
2. Ray & Yolanda -- dating.
3. BJ & Tyler -- best friends.
4. David & Lori -- dating.
5. Danielle & Dani -- childhood friends.
6. Eric & Jeremy -- friends.
7. Lake & Michelle -- married parents.
8. Joseph & Monica -- dating.
9. Fran & Barry -- married 40 years.
10. Lisa & Joni -- sisters.

Pre-TAR9...

Ok, so I sort of gave up on updating this after the dismal family edition...but I'm ridiculously excited about this coming TAR today. Just the possible locations are mind-blowing, and the teams don't look half bad either. Hopefully TAR will do good this time around.

Predictions...well, here we go with this useless stuffs again...

1. Danielle & Dani -- childhood friends.
2. Lake & Michelle -- married parents.
3. Ray & Yolanda -- dating.
4. David & Lori -- dating.
5. John & Scott -- lifelong friends.
6. Eric & Jeremy -- friends.
7. BJ & Tyler -- best friends.
8. Joseph & Monica -- dating.
9. Lisa & Joni -- sisters.
10. Fran & Barry -- married 40 years.
11. Wanda & Desiree -- mother and daughter.

Episode 5: Panama

Seriously, "el speedo"? Man...

Episode 3: Charleston & Huntsville

Well, that episode sucked...at least it's the worst of the season so far. Sure the detour is good, but the charter bus ride and the boring NASA tasks really brought it down. The elimination is essentially based on a meaningless race to take a number...that's just bad. Anyway, next episode doesn't look much better, either, so I just hope this family edition thingie doesn't kill the entire franchise...

Episode 2.5: Quick comments and predictions

The spy roadblock is the silliest task ever...

Useless predictions:

1. Schroeder family
2. Weaver family
3. Paolo family
4. Aiello family
5. Bransen family
6. Linz family
7. Godlewski family
8. Gaghan family
   

Episode 1.5: Quick comments and predictions

I don't particularly like spending 2 hours watching 40 people running around for only about 200 miles...but I guess I'll watch it since nothing else is good on TV right now.

Quick predictions for episode 2:

1. Rogers family
2. Weaver family
3. Aiello family
4. Gaghan family
5. Bransen family
6. Schroeder family
7. Linz family
8. Paolo family
9. Godlewski family
   

Pre-Episode 1 Predictions

Really, I have nothing to go on with this. The teams are listed here. I think I'm just going to go with the alphabetical order here.

1. Aiello family
2. Black family
3. Bransen family
4. Gaghan family
5. Godlewski family
6. Linz family
7. Paolo family
8. Rogers family
9. Schroeder family
10. Weaver family

Pre-TAR8: We are family...

I guess I should resurrect this thing now that TAR is coming back. My initial impressions of the "family TAR" aren't good, as there are way too many people and it appears that they won't even cross the oceans...so, not a good start. But I'll keep my thoughts here anyway. Nobody else is reading this for sure.

Finale: Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Miami

Uchenna & Joyce won!!! Man, that was just the most miraculous win ever...what with getting on a closed flight, getting the right direction in Little Havana, and getting money to pay the cab? Wow...just wow. I'm very happy with this ending. Then again, the episode was pretty depressing for the most part...

Episode 11.5: Quick Predictions

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 2 / 8 = 25% again...

This is the end...

1. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
2. Rob & Amber -- engaged.
3. Ron & Kelly -- dating.

Episode 11: London

I think that was a pretty lifeless episode. Very little humour, and felt really unsatisfying... Then again, I was rooting for Meredith & Gretchen, so I guess that's why I didn't like this episode... Anyway.

Episode 10.5: Quick Predictions

Last week's episode isn't too bad, the prize pretty much ruined it, though...

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 2 / 8 = 25%. Hmm...

Predictions for this week's episode:

1. Meredith & Gretchen -- retired couple.
2. Ron & Kelly -- dating.
3. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
4. Rob & Amber -- engaged.

Episode 9.5: Quick Predictions

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 6 / 12 = 50%. Pretty good, I think.

This week's predictions:

1. Ron & Kelly -- dating.
2. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
3. Meredith & Gretchen -- retired couple.
4. Rob & Amber -- engaged.

Episode 9: More India

I think everyone's aggravated in this episode... Anyway, the only sad thing is Uchenna & Joyce didn't get a prize...they are so sweet, though. And Joyce, wow. Amazing.

Good ending. Meredith & Gretchen got quite loud tonight, and not much in terms of comedy, but I'm happy that they're still in it.

Lynn & Alex took the million-dollar taxi ride. I think it's been a while since the last million-dollar taxi ride... Well, I have to say I'm neither happy nor sad that they're gone.

Episode 8.5: Lucknow and never look back...

That was a pretty boring episode, so I didn't write anything then. I'm going to change my predictions, though...

1. Ron & Kelly -- dating.
2. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
3. Lynn & Alex -- boyfriends.
4. Meredith & Gretchen -- retired couple.
5. Rob & Amber -- engaged.

Episode 7.5: Quick Predictions

What happened to change your own tires when you get a flat? Anyway, here are my predictions...

1. Lynn & Alex -- boyfriends.
2. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
3. Rob & Amber -- engaged.
4. Meredith & Gretchen -- retired couple.
5. Ron & Kelly -- dating.
   

Episode 7: More Botswana

Sigh...that's probably the funniest and the saddest ending ever. Sorry to see the brothers go...now the race has a lot less interest to me.

Episode 6.5: Quick Predictions

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 8 / 24 = 33%. Back to failing territories.

Predictions for this week:

1. Meredith & Gretchen -- retired couple.
2. Brian & Greg -- brothers.
3. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
4. Ron & Kelly -- dating.
5. Lynn & Alex -- boyfriends.
6. Rob & Amber -- engaged.

Episodes 5 & 6: Johannesburg & Botswana

That...is the best episode ever!!!!! I don't remember being so excited about an ending in recent memory. Finally a REAL footrace to the pit stop. And I can hardly believe the brothers actually caught up. Go brothers! Good to see Ray & Deana go for sure, and even sweeter is to see them go when Meredith & Gretchen stay.

I don't like the new penalty at all. But then again, it may be advantageous to race without backpacks, I'd think. They should think of some new penalty like you can't use the fast forward and the yield, and you have to throw a coin to decide who does the roadblock and which detour option to choose for this coming leg.

Tasks are excellent.

Gretchen is very funny today. "Yes, I can see all four fingers." Comedy gold.

My impression of Rob has gone down. Nothing goes up for Lynn & Alex, but they weren't so annoying this time around except for the "bragging" of stopping to see the car accident, which, well, you stopped, that's fine, but don't gloat about it when others don't.

Likes: Brian & Greg, Meredith & Gretchen. Possibly Uchenna & Joyce, but then they need to get better with the maps... Starting to like Ron as well.
Dislikes: Rob, Lynn and Alex are getting irritating...

Episode 4.5: Quick Predictions

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 20 / 32 = 63%. Woohoo! Best of the season!

Predictions for this week:

1. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
2. Ron & Kelly -- dating.
3. Brian & Greg -- brothers.
4. Ray & Deana -- dating on and off.
5. Meredith & Gretchen -- retired couple.
6. Lynn & Alex -- boyfriends.
7. Rob & Amber -- engaged.
   

Episode 4: Tigre, Argentina

Well, I thought that was a pretty boring episode. The detour was just uninspired. And the forced plane tickets is not good. And my second favourite team is eliminated...sigh... Anyway, next week looks interesting and scary, so yeah.

Likes: Brian & Greg.
Dislikes: Lynn & Alex, Ray & Deana (Ray is just too cocky).

Episode 3.5: Review & Preview

Accuracy of last week's prediction: 22 / 40 = 55%. Pass!!! Got 3 teams exactly right, two teams one off.

Accuracy of two weeks ago's prediction: 20 / 48 = 42%. Fail...

Predictions for this week: less eating!

1. Brian & Greg -- brothers.
2. Ron & Kelly -- dating.
3. Rob & Amber -- engaged.
4. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
5. Susan & Patrick -- mother and son.
6. Ray & Deana -- dating on and off.
7. Lynn & Alex -- boyfriends.
8. Meredith & Gretchen -- retired couple.

Episode 3: Argentina

Ah, hate the eating and the quitting. Eating tasks are never ever good TV... One big laugh that I got was when Debbie & Bianca saw the ocean... We sort of figured out that they were driving in the wrong direction since they were the only team to pay tolls...and then, the ocean. Ha! Very funny. Glad that they're gone, and also glad that the brothers are still in.

The race to the finish for the last two teams was "supposedly" close, but really, when they show Susan & Patrick driving, the light outside is a lot brighter than when they show Debbie & Bianca driving. So, not so close.

This season's elimination pattern is quite similar to last season. First, an all-male team is out. Next, an all-female team is out. And third, another all-female team is out...

Likes: Brian & Greg, Uchenna & Joyce.
Dislikes: Lynn & Alex.

Episode 2.5: Quick Predictions

1. Rob & Amber -- engaged.
2. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
3. Susan & Patrick -- mother and son.
4. Brian & Greg -- brothers.
5. Lynn & Alex -- boyfriends.
6. Ray & Deana -- dating on and off.
7. Ron & Kelly -- dating.
8. Meredith & Gretchen -- retired couple.
9. Debbie & Bianca -- lifelong friends.
   

Episode 2: Peru & Chile

Great episode with strange tasks... I mean, they only went all the way to this small town in Peru just to do shoe shine? And then fly a long long way to buy groceries and stack books? Why they didn't get to go to Machu Pichu is strange, probably because they didn't get the clearance that they wanted like the Pyramids in Egypt. In any case, these people are much better than the TAR6 people, so I'm liking it.

Likes: Rob & Amber, Brian & Greg.
Dislikes: Still Lynn & Alex.

Episode 1.5: Review and Preview

Accuracy of last week's prediciton: 20 / 60 = 33%. Of course I failed, what else did you expect? I did get Susan & Patrick exactly right, and one off Rob & Amber and Brian & Greg.

One more thought: Why start in LA again? It's now done 3 out of 7 seasons... It's not that good a city anyway...ah, sorry.

Predictions for the next episode:

1. Rob & Amber -- engaged.
2. Brian & Greg -- brothers.
3. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
4. Ray & Deana -- dating on and off.
5. Susan & Patrick -- mother and son.
6. Ron & Kelly -- dating.
7. Megan & Heidi -- roommates.
8. Meredith & Gretchen -- retired couple.
9. Debbie & Bianca -- lifelong friends.
10. Lynn & Alex -- boyfriends.
    

Episode 1: Peru

Wow...that was a really close finish. Last place got eliminated for being (literally) 3 seconds behind. Too bad I still don't know Ryan & Chuck, except that I couldn't understand what they are saying... Amazing start, to say the least.

I'm very happy to see that the first place team gets $10,000 each! That's something that I have thought of when I had some spare time to think about improvements for the Race, except I only thought about $10,000 total...

Glad to see a lot more tasks, and a hard detour. Although most of the tasks are, well, really boring. Finding Philippe? Is there a significance to that? How about finding a clue in the marketplace? Couldn't they do something better there?

Likes: Susan & Patrick.
Dislikes: Lynn & Alex (stop the singing!).

Prelude: Quick Predictions

1. Uchenna & Joyce -- married.
2. Susan & Patrick -- mother and son.
3. Brian & Gregg -- brothers.
4. Rob & Amber -- engaged.
5. Ron & Kelly -- dating.
6. Ryan & Chuck -- best friends.
7. Megan & Heidi -- roommates.
8. Debbie & Bianca -- lifelong friends.
9. Lynn & Alex -- boyfriends.
10. Meredith & Gretchen -- retired couple.
11. Ray & Deana -- dating on and off.

Just want to note that I'm glad that they don't have more than 3 dating couples...

Race 7 Prelude

Season 7 of The Amazing Race starts on next Tuesday (already!) at 9. I haven't looked at the contestants just yet, but the preview from the finale of last season showed promising signs...then again, the credibility of the previews is to be questioned as always. Hope for a better season!

More thoughts on the finale...

What is it with the Race's obsession with visiting Hawaii? They have now been there 4 out of 6 seasons now. I understand that they would like to take customs out of the equation going into the final city, but there are other choices out there, like Canada, which is what they did last season.

I think the final leg should be one of the toughest legs in the race, not the easiest...

They haven't had the final three teams fly into the final city in the same flight for 3 seasons now. Good or bad? A bit of both, I guess.

Finale: Xi'an, Honolulu, Chicago

What is it with American Airline? They're always the one that screw up the racers, for 3 seasons now, I think.

Finally they come full circle back to the origin city, which gives it a much better feel to it. So they were thinking of Season 1, but they weren't executing it right for other parts, unfortunately.

One interesting note is that they ended up in China Town, and it was the eve of Chinese New Year...

Next season starts soon eh? That's good...it's going to be an odd-numbered season, so it's got to be better than this one. Then again, any season could easily be better than this one. From the previews, it looks good so far.

Episode 11: Shanghai

A much much better episode this time around. Lots of tasks, no mid-leg bunch, and the racers encountered serious difficulties, which made it much more interesting to watch. Too bad it didn't end with an elimination because it's such a well-designed leg. Oh well. Finale next time already...

Episode 10: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a beautiful place!

Alright, so this is probably the worst season ever, with all the "hours of operation" and the contestants and stuff... I absolutely do not like it at all. I have a theory that the odd-numbered seasons are much better than the even-numbered seasons, and I certainly hope it is true for the next season...

One of the things that made last season great was the lack of these mid-leg bunchings. I think it's because of the introduction of the Yield, which would be meaningless if they do a mid-leg bunch. I guess that the producers now realize that the Yield is used very infrequently, they just bog that down to 3, put them in legs with no mid-leg bunch, and then have lots and lots of bunches in other legs. Or maybe they had too much trouble coming up with legs that have no mid-leg bunches? I don't know...and many tasks last season were done at night, so that's something else that's missing this season.

Among the last 6 teams, my favourite was Lori & Bolo (alright, so I didn't have much to choose from, quite frankly), and I liked Adam because he had this same awkwardness that I sort of have as well. But then Lori & Bolo are eliminated, and Adam is just becoming annoying, so there goes the rest of the season.

One positive sign for this season: I'm glad that they are venturing into these "I-wouldn't-think-they-would-go-there" countries. Senegal, Ethiopia, and now Sri Lanka. Excellent.

Episode 5.5: Review and Preview

Accuracy of last week's predictions: 14 / 32 = 44%. Still fail, but not too bad. I got 3 right (Jonathan & Victoria, Kris & Jon, and sadly Don & Mary Jean), and 2 way off (Lori & Bolo and Freddy & Kendra).

Predictions for next week:

1. Hayden & Aaron
2. Adam & Rebecca
3. Gus & Hera
4. Lori & Bolo
5. Freddy & Kendra
6. Hayden & Aaron
7. Jonathan & Victoria

Currently my favourite teams: Gus & Hera and Lori & Bolo.
I still like Adam, actually, but not Rebecca.