The Amazing Race > The Amazing Race Discussion
Why the Amazing Race has lost its magic
mswood:
But look at that leg, do you honestly think they would have been eliminated. Peter & Sarah were literally hours later then the next team ad the still hadn't found the detour let along got to the Pit Stop.
Peter 7 Sarah had worst leg in race history for driving such a small distance. No team has even come close to how much time they lost in such a close area to the city.
apskip:
I don't think it is a valid approach to look at how another team screwed up to determine if one team benefitted from a FAST FORWARD. David and Mary are one of 3 teams (note that feedback on Uchenna/Joyce AR11, ep. 5 and Eric/Danielle AR11. ep. 10) in Amazing Race history to not be eliminated after being MARKED FOR ELIMINATION. That happened primarily because they were hours ahead due to the FAST FORWARD, which allowed them to avoid the 30 minute penalty which in close episodes sends teams to their doom. We will never know if David and Mary would have screwed up in navigation around Kuwait City because they did not get the opportunity to do the crucial DETOUR, but we know for sure they finished first that AR10 leg. Note that their navigation in AR11 was faulty enough to put them in jeopardy by turning right toward San Pedro de Atacama at the unmarked fork in the second episode and to totally screw up in the third episode, so the potential to have underperformed navigating around Kuwait City was real.
mswood:
Very True apskip, but there is a very large difference. In season 10 they relied heavily upon two teams Erwin & Godwin and Lynn & Karlynn now if David & Mary hadn't taken the Fast Forward Dustin & Kandice or Erwin & Godwin were keen on going for it.
If they hadn't done it they most likely would have stayed grouped with which ever "Six Pack" team would have let them.
And even taking the last team, that still would have let them complete said tasks and take the 30 minute penalty and still beat two teams at the mat. And since the last team was over 4 hours later before getting (according to interviews) directed (they had never found it using locals or on their own) to the Detour to get the clue to head to the Pit Stop. I think it is very safe to say that it is unlikely that David & Mary would have lost that much time (in fact since they never did find the location of the detour, without production help, Peter & Sarah could have been out there hours upon hours longer).
While it is true that it is mathematically possible that Peter & Sarah would have eventually found in and completed the detour and found the Pit Stop and that David & Mary would have been later, it isn't likely.
Again in 15 cycles no team has ever been as lost (or lost as much time) as Peter & Sarah when being so close to the city they were supposed to be in (at least 8 full hours). It hasn't happened. Hell they lost more time then any team that have been lost when driving across multiple countries. In fact while many teams have gone further off course (Debbie & Bianca, Meredith & Maria and Lake & Michelle as poster children for this), None lost as much time.
And only one other team (and this was over some distance) that I recall ever got directed by production to their destination (first season's Paul & Amie in the desert), though I don't know how much time they in fact had lost.
mswood:
Oh and I don't know if you meant it the way you worded it (because as you certainly know, I do that all the time), but this statement, "David and Mary are the only team in Amazing Race history that I know of to not be eliminated after being MARKED FOR ELIMINATION" isn't true.
The very next season Eric & Danielle were marked for Elimination, suffered the a Yield and the 30 minute penalty and weren't eliminated.
In fact, after removing the time of the penalty and the estimated (20 to 30 minute) yield, they did all the tasks of that day faster then any team (Dustin & Kandice made a very good choice on who to try and Yield both times).
mswood:
Oh and on the general topic. I actually liked that penalty for the non elimination the best out of every one the show has had.
I hated both forms of mugging, I disliked that early seasons it was just a start as normal, and I like it better then a speed bump. It was far, and equal.
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