What a great episode. This beats out the first 3 episodes for me!
Loved how it started where everyone gets shown at the Pit Stop some drama in the Amazon.
Then we move to the Pit Start, a couple of insights from teams, then we move on to the airport scenes with some drama.
Great editing by the team. It felt absolutely nostalgic. This is the TAR that I have come to know and love about.
A couple of taxi dramas for added spice and suspense
The Roadblock was definitely a game changer as it broke some teams. A non-physical challenge that tripped the "physical" & "smart" teams.
I would have loved it if the search for the materials for the cello was on a wider area for added difficulty.
It also sort of paid homage to the Harp Detour in S.20 as both instruments were stringed instruments.
The Switchbacks absolutely were the crown jewels of the episode. I love how the Bottle Dance was modified from a Roadblock to a Detour, which is now requires a team effort to complete the task rather than the other team member waiting anxiously while the other performs. The watermelon stacking is already a killer, I knew teams are gonna get tripped up with this one.
But I do note, that it did not feel as much as the S.20's watermelon stacking where there were meltdowns, switching Detours.
Interesting snippet of Will & James practicing the Detour at home the Bottle Dance.
Last 2-team footrace gave me flashbacks of the S.20 of Vanessa & Ralph vs. Elliot & Andrew footrace to the Pit Stop. But it wasn't as suspenseful as S.20's
Overall, this was an amazing episode. For me, I could not fault it, if I did, that would be nitpicking.
10/10
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Some thoughts & analysis from the episode,
I personally, now am getting annoyed with Will & James and their alliance agenda. They were likable early on, but now it's starting to wane. Their over the top spoonfeeding of information and scheming of things is just overkill. It's like they're running the Race of others
Seriously, printing maps of Paraguay for each of their alliance mates and staging a distraction to ward of non-alliance members (Kaylynn & Haley). Let the other teams figure it themselves. Let them run their own Race. The 2 Sisters teams + Leo & Alana are on the outs. Man, they're outnumbered, they're the easy targets. What is this? Survivor? Hahaha. It gave me flashbacks of S.28's Brittany & Jessica where it cost them the Race in Switzerland & France where they were left out by the other teams. Had they made it there alongside Sheri & Cole, whom they have a connection, they would have survived. I just hope that this does not repeat, but I think, it will happen.
Being a super fan myself, it is indeed important to make relationships/alliances with teams on a strategic standpoint, as it could come in handy on the Race, such as dodging a potential U-Turn. But at the end of the day, these people are your competitors and there's only 1 team that will win the Race, of course, ideal is that, you get the threats out early on like the teams of physical background. It is an obvious choice. Case to case basis, but if it meant advancing further while others struggle should be the priority as the main goal is to make to the end. Overly aligning yourself with your alliance could be your downfall, like S.22's Caroline & Jennifer, they aligned with Max & Kate and Bates & Anthony, 2 strong teams and stayed with them till the penultimate leg which led to their downfall, it just wasn't a smart move from them. Getting rid of Joey & Meghan + Mona & Beth.
As S.17's Katie & Rachel said. might not be the exact statement but the context is "This isn't Amazing Friend, this is Amazing Race!"
As an old adage goes, anything in excess is bad, it should be in moderation. a 5-Team Alliance. Whoa there! This beats S.10's Six Pack Alliance of the Cho Brothers, Lyn & Karlyn and David & Mary.
Michelle & Victoria were one of the stars of this episode they just killed it. From back of the pack to 2nd.
They should have won 1st place if it weren't for their taxi fiasco. Whoever, casted these 2, should get an increase!
The other stars of the episode were DeAngelo & Gary. They have an interesting relationship. I just love how they interact with each other.
I can't help but notice, they matched S.27's Kelly & Shevonne's elapsed time at the Detour at 3 Hours & 45 minutes even surpassing it by an additional 2 minutes. But the Watermelon was harder obviously.
They absolutely join the roster of likable M/M Teams I root for: Andy & Tommy, Tanner & Josh, Matt & Redmond, Alex & Conor,
Leo & Jamal....
Finally, Hayley & Kaylynn are getting some character development as the episodes go on. Early on, I found them quite like Caroline & Jennifer, but the "Lite" version. They're growing on me. I want them to go further on.
Leo & Alana, I want them to get a 1st place and get their payback/revenge on Will & James. Props to Leo & Alana on their sort-of villanous attitude at the Pit Stop and animosity towards Will & James.
Eswar & Aparna, are sort of monotone for me, I think it's because of the edit for these on the first 3 legs. But in this leg, they get enough airtime for me to like them even more. Eswar kept his composure and did not get flustered despite being 2nd to last at the Roadblock. I did note that everytime they talk, it feels articulate and well thought off and I could really tell they are really geniuses and he knows Spanish! What a surprise. Every Indian that I know & met are smart.
Hung & Chee, is quite quiet, well Chee only. Hung is the more dominant force on their team. She's a little rocket.
Riley & Maddison, I really don't care much for these guys as they were boring in this leg.
