Topic: TAR 32 EP 11 LIVE SHOW UPDATES AND COMMENTARY 12/9/20 8-9PM

[mswood]

This is one of the seasons where most teams didn't bother me at all, of course the other end is that few teams really excited me.  I will say I was very disappointed by DeAngelo's comments on the Mat.  I also didn't care for the being upset about the racers working together, when you've benefited from an alliance knowing others didn't it really doesn't look good complaining when it happens to you.  But like a huge host of racers, you can get upset and worked up and say something on the fly that makes you look bad.  But even after the 2 hour penalty, I didn't like the attitude on the Mat.  I honestly can't remember any racer saying they hated the race as on overall experience (when on the mat).

Now in (God what season was it) the season they did an elimination at the starting point, that's the only time I would be pissed off by what happened.  I really thought that was the meanest thing production ever planned.

I remember Alison walked off the mat in season 5 leaving her partner Donny behind with Phil and felt the race was an awful experience for her. Though I've never seen a team that made it further than a couple legs even joke about that.

Yeah I always thought that was more about the conflict between them then the actual race, but I might be remembering wrong.  And there have been a host of times where a team has a terrible leg, and parts of the race frustrate them, or they are absent about how they did, or even the state of the relationship within the team, but usually the worse you hear is that it was a lot harder then they thought it would be, not that they hated the experience in and of itself....  And if it was said right after the other teams left, yeah give them a little break, you get upset you say things that aren't always how you feel.  But this was hours afterwards, time to cool down, time to reflect...and still.  Yikes.

[ovalorange]

I can't even blame DeAngelo for feeling that way.

The last challenge was flawed in that the Paraguay and France music sounded so off base. I couldn't even tell that's what it was referencing when I heard the actual music and then the replicated version right after it. Clearly none of the racers had any idea either.

And then add on top of that the audacity of the other three teams to just openly "help" (read: share the solution) each other in front of Gary and DeAngelo.... complete horseshiet. I'd be pissed as hell too if I were NFL, the other teams essentially gamed the challenge to get them out of the race. Gary nailed it when he said they were toast the second one of the trio got it right.

As a fan I'm completely livid after watching that episode. It's so disheartening to see a team actually try to race and be absolutely ****ed in the process. They stood no chance once the trio started their permutations approach.

[alecbaldwin]

I also recommend everyone go check out Gary’s Twitter. Apparently there was a lot more going on behind the scenes and between legs that weren’t shown on air, and while he disagrees with how DeAngelo phrased it, he understands. He doesn’t go into much depth about it (possibly due to NDAs) but one thing he mentions is how they actually had a two-team alliance with the beards from Leg 1 and they felt betrayed by them turning against them. I’m sure there’s more to it, but it’s made me a bit more sympathetic to the situation.

I want you to know that whatever I say here, I'm just bitching about the characters we see on TV. I won't go out my way or recommend anyone to try to ruin the real people lives or send death threats to them.

[georgiapeach]

Just from watching, the music task seemed impossible.

NO teams were able to do it based om memory.

Was the task itself flawed?? Probably. Or was the failure to read the clue correctly part of it?

I would have much preferred a classic memry task. Perhaps we will see that in the Dome next week. I hope so!

Will be an interesting discussion in the overall dissection of this season after the Finale.

Was the alliance brilliant?  Or was it a terrible thing for the race itself? I did find it AMAZING that Phil took the time to instruct racers about not helping each other at the start. That alone tells me that production was NOT happy with this alliance. Just IMO.

Tell you what...give me a bit and I'll start an alliance discussion thread so we can have this in one place.

[georgiapeach]

Adding in Gary's Twitter comments:


(let me know if I missed more)

[georgiapeach]

---

[Maanca]

One thing I do agree on about that task, is the band's recreation of the classical music from France sounded *nothing* like it. No wonder that's the flag they all got stuck on.

But I'm totally with DeAngelo - "the race sucked"

[claude_24hrs]

This is the best episode ever a leg in my home country. I was happy on TAR's return to the Philippines and it was bit great completely Detour-free and Roadblock-free tasks.

One episode to go and wait for the final leg next week.

[TARUSAFan]

Philippines Legs always provide drama. I love it.
But it didn't give enough of drama as "My Ox is Broken" or Amy's pedicab Roadblock scare.

City Sprint is a new twist. No Roablocks, No Detours. It really looks patterned well for cities like Manila.

Stiletto Racing, as Rachel mentioned, Sarah from TAR Australia 2 will love this.
Jeepney-involved transport.

I do find some tasks a bit pedestrian like the horse feeding task. It felt easy. Same with running around Binondo looking for a dragon.

The memory task was a killer for the teams. Whoever thought of it was brilliant.

Overall, they could have done better and visited a different part of Manila.
There are some amazing locations surrounding the city or the outskirts of Manila
Mostly the only stay within Manila-area + Cavite with the exception of El Nido in the US's 3 visits to the country.

[NMC]

Don't want to repeat what the majority have said but I'm so disappointed/ frustrated / upset with how this season has panned out.

I loved NFL at the start, slightly went off them mid race, but really felt for them this leg. I totally get DeAngelos feelings on the mat. Sure it sounded petty, but if the same situation happened to me I'd probably have felt the same.

The Alliance just ruined the whole season for me. I watched this Season with a few people that were new to TAR and they all had the same opinion, that it sucked and that none of the final 3 deserve to be there. If it weren't for the help and game planning between them they would never have all made it to the final.

Felt sorry for Eswar & Aparna last week as well, although that was totally NFLs foolishness.

In hindsight, this season did give us Godess teams like Hayley & Kaylyn, and Michelle & Vic, and I loved Jerry & Frank, and NFL to an extent, but overall, it wont be a season I'll rewatch. Hell, I'll probably skip next weeks episode too.

Sad times for what could've been a fantastic season.   

[TARUSAFan]

DeAngelo's comments at the end surprised me while watching the episode. As a superfan, many people audition and dream to be on the Race. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and for his defeatist attitude and disposition at the Pit Stop was definitely uncalled for.  That's one side of the story, as cliche as it sounds, there's always 2 sides of a story. Per Gary's revelations via Twitter, the frustration brought about by the alliance, blatantly helping & sharing answers in front of them. I can't blame DeAngelo, seeing that unfold in front of them was sickening to watch. It was like a slap in the face. An alliance and suddenly a sub-alliance emerging. It totally cost them the Race. I liked DeAngelo & Gary from the start, lost it when it went to Berlin but this Leg in Manila, I was rooting for them. It felt like high school where so called "cool kids" were hanging out and you're not welcome to be with them.

[mnicole]

I agree that the cheating of some teams by helping each other "sucked".  Weren't the teams given instructions not to help each other?  Therefore, shouldn't the cheating teams have been given a time penalty?   Some teams helping each other was unfair.

I am proud of the NFLers;  they did a good job with the tasks.  Agree with the post that the NFLers situation with the memory challenge was like the previous Evan and Henry situation with their memory challenge.  Why was there a memory challenge on a non-final leg?  It would seem to be that a memory challenge would be more appropriate for the final leg. 

Also, agree with the post that the attitude toward the NFLers are like the attitude the other teams had towards previous players Leo and Jamal. 

This was the Final Four, the playing field should have been equal.  The result of the leg should have been on the merits, not by cheating. 

Similar to other posters, I am taking a pass on watching the finale; I am going to wait for Phil's Tough As Nails to start in February.

[cbacbacba1]

Just from watching, the music task seemed impossible.

NO teams were able to do it based om memory.

Was the task itself flawed?? Probably. Or was the failure to read the clue correctly part of it?

I would have much preferred a classic memry task. Perhaps we will see that in the Dome next week. I hope so!

Will be an interesting discussion in the overall dissection of this season after the Finale.

Was the alliance brilliant?  Or was it a terrible thing for the race itself? I did find it AMAZING that Phil took the time to instruct racers about not helping each other at the start. That alone tells me that production was NOT happy with this alliance. Just IMO.

Tell you what...give me a bit and I'll start an alliance discussion thread so we can have this in one place.

Phil is clearly not happy with the alliance thing. He has been mentioning that since the elimination of Kaylynn & Haley.

[redwings8831]

Just from watching, the music task seemed impossible.

NO teams were able to do it based om memory.

Was the task itself flawed?? Probably. Or was the failure to read the clue correctly part of it?

In the exit press, Gary said that they were in and out of the France art roadblock within like 5 minutes and the music wasn't even playing while they were there. So they never heard that song and would've had no way of ever figuring out that France was one of the flags.

[guiaoshi]

Yep, the alliance kinda ruined alot legs/tasks (is the show task now learn from it and find ways to not make it as easy...Least lenear legs would have helped it, rules about teams taking penalty for it. But no Deangelo, shut up. From the top 4 teams, yours was one that had more chances to be eliminated before this leg (even last leg, without the top 3 alliance, with that last task that you messed up big time Deangelo, you would have gone already). Also, with was the first team to ask for help/suggest a alliance at the last task, couple hours ago? Gary and Deangelo, right at the beginning of the task. At least the other three waited/tried and for Hung and Chee and sorry for you guys, but Will and James figured it out their main issue and won their spot. At least, three very competent teams. Gary and Deangelo? Not as good. We saw other teams this season (and in past ones) knowing they would be eliminated, and still finishing the leg, even during the night after a way harder leg, to at least say they made it. Sorry, this is the definition of a real loser, going out like this. Sorry Deangelo, is just a game. Don´t be mad about it, right? You signed for this game and for this strategy.

[Alenaveda]

to the R.F.F., guiaoshi!

[serendipity]

Just from watching, the music task seemed impossible.

NO teams were able to do it based om memory.

Was the task itself flawed?? Probably. Or was the failure to read the clue correctly part of it?

I would have much preferred a classic memry task. Perhaps we will see that in the Dome next week. I hope so!

Will be an interesting discussion in the overall dissection of this season after the Finale.

Was the alliance brilliant?  Or was it a terrible thing for the race itself? I did find it AMAZING that Phil took the time to instruct racers about not helping each other at the start. That alone tells me that production was NOT happy with this alliance. Just IMO.

Tell you what...give me a bit and I'll start an alliance discussion thread so we can have this in one place.

I also see Phil’s “advice” to teams at the start and realise producers like us also don’t like the idea of this alliance, sadly Will/James as race fans still decide to do it this way.

Even though I don’t particularly like NFL, I feel for them and it looks really bad.  If I were them seeing other three teams helping each other, I would have just stood there and look at them so they don’t get a chance to talk, also can just sneak at what flags they took.  This last task set up is not very good, they should separate the teams and stop them communicating with each other, the alliance really ruined the whole season even though some tasks such as this music memory one are really great.

[nrh2110]

Yep, the alliance kinda ruined alot legs/tasks (is the show task now learn from it and find ways to not make it as easy...Least lenear legs would have helped it, rules about teams taking penalty for it. But no Deangelo, shut up. From the top 4 teams, yours was one that had more chances to be eliminated before this leg (even last leg, without the top 3 alliance, with that last task that you messed up big time Deangelo, you would have gone already). Also, with was the first team to ask for help/suggest a alliance at the last task, couple hours ago? Gary and Deangelo, right at the beginning of the task. At least the other three waited/tried and for Hung and Chee and sorry for you guys, but Will and James figured it out their main issue and won their spot. At least, three very competent teams. Gary and Deangelo? Not as good. We saw other teams this season (and in past ones) knowing they would be eliminated, and still finishing the leg, even during the night after a way harder leg, to at least say they made it. Sorry, this is the definition of a real loser, going out like this. Sorry Deangelo, is just a game. Don´t be mad about it, right? You signed for this game and for this strategy.

Welcome to RFF man, but I highly suggest you go see what Gary & DeAngelo have been saying about it so you can have a better understand of where they're coming from. He wasn't upset about losing, there was a lot more going on behind the scenes that we didn't know about.

Also about this:

Also, with was the first team to ask for help/suggest a alliance at the last task, couple hours ago? Gary and Deangelo, right at the beginning of the task.

You're missing the point. The other three teams secretly formed a mini alliance despite agreeing during the Mine 5 that after 5 everyone was out for themselves, so to tell them "no we're going to work on our own" and then immediately backstab them and all work together to make sure they got out was a very effed up thing to do

[georgiapeach]

I think it was a CASTING Failure.

This is what you get when you cast someone who has never seen the race before. And thinks he is there"to see the world".
.
I posted my take on this here: https://forum.realityfanforum.com/index.php/topic,34976.msg1290322.html#msg1290322

[theschnauzers]

The final three alliance came together several lega prior to the Megaleg and it was shown that while they would honor the Mine Five alliance, there was tension with Gary and D’Angelo over what was perceived as a one sided aspect to their behavior to the rest of that Alliance. I seem to recall Hung and Chee being particularly unhappy about them. You might recall that in the second India roadblock with the place settings and the rulers. So, while I totally agree about the editing reflects what story production wants to tell, and our perception as viewers, clearly there were things other teams were perceiving in the moment about Gary and D’Angelo in those last few legs.
I’m sure there’s a lot there that is not yet visible until after the finale airs that should be told. It’s much like season one in that respect, and we’ll have to wait and see what comes out.
And I’m one that thinks the music memory challenge was flawed from its design and how teams understood it. It’s quite interesting that two teams, even after agreeing to work together to try and figure out the solution, went back and re-read the clue. Definitely a persistent problem this season. Won’t surprise me if this shows up again in the finale.

[georgiapeach]

Yep, the alliance kinda ruined alot legs/tasks (is the show task now learn from it and find ways to not make it as easy...Least lenear legs would have helped it, rules about teams taking penalty for it. But no Deangelo, shut up. From the top 4 teams, yours was one that had more chances to be eliminated before this leg (even last leg, without the top 3 alliance, with that last task that you messed up big time Deangelo, you would have gone already). Also, with was the first team to ask for help/suggest a alliance at the last task, couple hours ago? Gary and Deangelo, right at the beginning of the task. At least the other three waited/tried and for Hung and Chee and sorry for you guys, but Will and James figured it out their main issue and won their spot. At least, three very competent teams. Gary and Deangelo? Not as good. We saw other teams this season (and in past ones) knowing they would be eliminated, and still finishing the leg, even during the night after a way harder leg, to at least say they made it. Sorry, this is the definition of a real loser, going out like this. Sorry Deangelo, is just a game. Don´t be mad about it, right? You signed for this game and for this strategy.

Welcome guiaoshi! We are glad you are here.

You'll find lively discussions and lots of opinions here!

[elthemagnifico]

anyone wondering how long did the team (especially the three musketeers) need to finish the last music memory challenge? judging from the time the NFL teams arrived (around 5 pm) and they arrived at the pit stop approx. one hour after the alliance teams arrived (around late 3 pm to early 4 pm) my spec that they needed around 1,5 - 2 hours or more to complete the task

[theschnauzers]

anyone wondering how long did the team (especially the three musketeers) need to finish the last music memory challenge? judging from the time the NFL teams arrived (around 5 pm) and they arrived at the pit stop approx. one hour after the alliance teams arrived (around late 3 pm to early 4 pm) my spec that they needed around 1,5 - 2 hours or more to complete the task

I’m not sure your computation is correct. The two hour penalty wouldn’t have started until the other three teams had already left for the pit stop. It is possible production cut the penalty short after all the other teams had checked in and finished their mat interviews with Phil, but we won’t know that unless Phil, the four teams, Bertram or Elise tell us.  What is notable is Phil did not travel to the site of the music memory task to eliminate D’Angelo and Gary.

[redwings8831]

In the exit press, Gary said that all four teams were there for about 3.5 hours. He made it sound like that they didn't cut the penalty time and they just took a nap while waiting it out.

[redskevin88]

One thing I do agree on about that task, is the band's recreation of the classical music from France sounded *nothing* like it. No wonder that's the flag they all got stuck on.

But I'm totally with DeAngelo - "the race sucked"

That and teams when through that roadblock pretty fast, only the Indian siblings had any problems doing the roadblock.