Topic: TAR 37 LIVE STREAMS AND COMMENTARY HERE! EP 8 4/23/2025 8:30-10PM CENTRAL TIME

[RachelLeVega]

TAR TONIGHT!!!  


IMPORTANT! Even though we are a spoiler board, we do NOT want to have the episode spoiled while it is airing.


SO PLEASE ** NO  OUTCOMES ** to be posted before the show is DONE airing Central/East Coast time!


And to protect the unspoiled, NO FUTURE SPOILERS EVER!


Anyone breaking these rules is at BIG risk.   

Otherwise, come watch with us for the best weekly viewing party in town!!


If we can find a LIVE streaming video, we can share that. So if you are overseas or just on the West Coast and want to watch right away...please join us! You can follow along and PLEASE help update as the show unfolds! We hope everyone will join in the fun!!


LIVE STREAMING VIDEO links CAN be available in the main TAR37 thread and will normally be put up about 20 minutes before show time.


And you can entertain yourself with the weekly episode threads from previous seasons in our archives while you wait! **Spoilers**


Have FUN everyone and for joining us!!

[RachelLeVega]

 We'll be back on in about 2 hours from now! Less than half the teams are left, season went by really fast honestly.

[RachelLeVega]

Speaking of last week's episode, I ended up finding a Bulgarian cabernet sauvignon for the weekend called Rough Day. Tried it over the course of Easter and love it. Celebrating tonight with a pour of it next to dinner just before the updates begin.

[RachelLeVega]

15 minutes before we start!

[RachelLeVega]

5 more minutes!

[elthemagnifico]

Hoping for another stellar bulgaria leg 

[RachelLeVega]

And we are back on!

Previously on TAR, 7 teams flew into Bulgaria for the first time! Carson & Jack got lost early and fell hours behind. A car parking mishap cost Jon & Ana valuable time. At a surprise double U-Turn, Mel & Erika secured their safety leaving no room for Nick & Mike. Alyssa & Josiah won the leg while Nick & Mike hopelessly searched through haystacks and gave leeway for DnD.

Coming up tonight, an Express Pass made of fire! Carson & Jack plan to stage a comeback.

Alyssa & Josiah 1st place 7:34 A.M. departure from the start. Drive to Sofia, Bulgaria and pick up the next clue at Lake Ariana OR the Express Pass. Teams must walk across coals to pick up the clue.

[RachelLeVega]

Alyssa & Josiah are up to their eyes in tuition debt and want to win the money to alleviate that. Josiah compares the race to winning a war.

Brett & Mark depart 2nd and go toward Lake Ariana instead of the EP. They ask a local and Brett think Aly & Josiah are going to do that first and want to just finish the leg.

Jon & Ana leave 3rd at 8:33 A.M. They deduce that they are going to the lake and foregone the EP because they are too far behind from Alyssa & Josiah. Jon reminds us again of their car stuck in a ditch.

[RachelLeVega]

Alyssa & Josiah find the location for the firewalking! Alyssa is beyond thrilled while Josiah is freaking out about the coals. "This is my biggest fear. I don't like to eat hot things. Hot chocolate is warm chocolate to me."

Short intro and commercials.

[NumfarPTB]

Still self-drive. 

[RachelLeVega]

Updater's note: Not a fan of how early in the leg it is for the Express Pass grab. The trailing half of the teams never really had a chance to begin with.

[NumfarPTB]

Updater's note: Not a fan of how early in the leg it is for the Express Pass grab. The trailing half of the teams never really had a chance to begin with.

It's like the weird placement for the FF a few wees ago. 

[ghmorello]

That was disappointingly easy.

[RachelLeVega]

We return to-


The coals are raked and they watch a demonstration. Josiah immediately wants to go second while Alyssa isn't afraid. "If I burn my feet, I burn my feet." - Alyssa. She walks quickly across with no reaction while Josiah is pretending he is on the beach. They get the Pass and are off to the lake! "We're back in the race. We're now in 3rd place."

Han & Holden depart in 4th. Han wants to make up some time and work in harmony. They were separated for seven years and had a true bickering relationship.

[RachelLeVega]

Mel & Erika depart in 5th. Mel is driving and Erika feels they are starting to hit a groove. "Slow is fast, and we still don't want to be last." - Erika. She found out her mom is extremely competitive. "I'm going to do way better at directions today." - Erika.

Vegas gets to Sofia and find out they are first at the clue box. ROUTE INFO: Teams must pick up a Orthodox Christian cross from the lake and return it to the priest to receive their next clue.

[NumfarPTB]

That was disappointingly easy.

  Kinda silly. They were done before the other half of the teams departed.

[elthemagnifico]

This definitely the weaker set of EP tasks compared to s35

[RachelLeVega]

Mark tells Brett to get the cross as they join the performance circle and it wasn't hard at all. They get their clue from the priest just upstairs. ROUTE INFO: Russian Monument Square, find a Klek shop speakeasy. The clue states they can only take public transportation or go on foot. They choose to run!

Carson & Jack depart in last at 11:15 A.M. "It was giving ghost town." - Jack. They're motivated and deluded into being okay.

[NumfarPTB]

  And Self drive portion was over that fast.....

[RachelLeVega]

Alyssa & Josiah arrive at the lake and rip open the clue. They are retrieving the cross now from the St. Jordan festivity circle and hand it to the priest. Josiah says the experience was so fun. Alyssa says they can take trolleys.

Jon & Ana arrive at the Jordan Day festival happy as can be and finish up.

[RachelLeVega]

Erika is steering Melinda in the wrong direction through Sofia. Han, meanwhile, is latching onto hope. Carson & Jack hope they see the light blue team. Back in Mel & Erika's car, Erika points out her mom has now drove off the region of their map and think navigation will take them out of the race.

Commercials.

[elthemagnifico]

I do like public transportation only restriction, gives teams the test of self navigation of commuting which always gives us good drama (see TAR 35 sweden)

[RachelLeVega]

We come back to Melinda & Erika asking directions from a local. Erika asks to see the woman's phone. "Not a fan of self-drive."- Erika.

Mark & Brett are heading toward the square and see a floral shop to ask where the klek shop is. They eventually see the race flag from the speakeasy shop. ROUTE INFO: St. Kliment Ohridski Central Library to pick up the next clue. Mark is deducing their lead ahead of Alyssa & Josiah. Meanwhile, they walk pass the klek shop.

[RachelLeVega]

Josiah jokes how this is exactly like a speakeasy, as my thinking. They are running toward the library instead of using transport.

Jon & Ana also walk pass the shop and Ana stops directly in front of it. They go around in circles before locating the markings. They are also going to the library. Brett & Mark find the library and the clue box. ROUTE INFO: Use a cipher to translate Cyrillic to English from the pages of an ancient book.

[NumfarPTB]

Do appreciate the choice of running or taking public transportation

[RachelLeVega]

Brett & Mark get into the study room and immediately are overwhelmed. "I never used a cipher before. How do you use this?" - Mark. He is beyond confused.

Han & Holden arrive at the lake and pick up the cross. They're off!

Meanwhile, Mark lifts behind the cipher and is making some progress after finding the English letters.

[RachelLeVega]

Melinda & Erika arrive at the lake with Melinda explaining her Greek heritage and their closeness with the Orthodox church. They find a taxi, uh oh. "Maybe someone else will make a bigger mistake than us."

[elthemagnifico]

Melinda & Erika noooo  :

[RachelLeVega]

Brett & Mark are finished with their first translation and is correct. They get their clue as Alyssa & Josiah just arrive at the library.

ROUTE INFO: Museum of Socialist Art to pick up the next clue. They want to use someone's phone for navigation.

Alyssa & Josiah also don't get the English translation initially.

[elthemagnifico]

A potential penalty served on the pit stop for the first time since tar 30?

[Maanca]

I do like public transportation only restriction, gives teams the test of self navigation of commuting which always gives us good drama (see TAR 35 sweden)

That's how we got one of the best F4 legs ever, Season 27. If only they hadn't spoiled it by titling the finale "We Got a Chance, Baby!"

[RachelLeVega]

Alyssa & Josiah are looking through the entire library instead of handling the task at hand.

Han & Holden see the klek shop's markings and are off in 4th. "I felt like I was in a secret club in Bulgaria." - Han.

Jon & Ana arrive at the Cyrillic translations now. Alyssa & Josiah are begging to help them despite having not even started...

Meanwhile, Carson & Jack arrive at the lake and Jack says this was a lovely occasion being surrounded by chanting men. They talk about how they met and found gay friendship prior to the race. They meet the wood chopper guy from the previous leg on the bus! "It was almost like a spirit. It was insane!" - Carson.

[RachelLeVega]

Alyssa & Josiah are saying who is Chopo while Jon figures out the English and start whispering to Ana. Alyssa didn't want to utilize the Express Pass until it was a dire condition. Meanwhile, Erika & Mel are arguing looking for the klek shop. They ask a local on the bench and finally see the markings on the utility box.

[RachelLeVega]

Mel & Erika saying they are so good now because they spent more time reading the clue - as they get back into their taxi. The penalties are going to be Mark & Michael-level.

Jon & Ana finish the translation and leave the study room while Alyssa feels they haven't made any progress.

Commercials.

[NumfarPTB]

Are they about to use the EP? On the same leg?
Only less sad when a team was eliminated with the EP unused.

[RachelLeVega]

Returning from ads, Jon & Ana is reciting the scripture while Josiah is indeed overthinking. Jon thinks they need to help the dating nurses, Noooo.... can they get a penalty too? Jon tells the two to flip the cipher around.

Brett & Mark arrive at the train station and are heading to the art museum still.

Alyssa & Josiah get their translation finished in 3rd.

[RachelLeVega]

Han & Holden sprint to the clue box at the library. Han does every possible puzzle imaginable. They immediately start having a communication breakdown and can't figure out how to translate it. "You're trying to figure out a math equation." - Holden.

Brett & Mark arrive at the sculpture garden and pick up the clue. ROUTE INFO: Central Military Club. They don't see the club anywhere in walking distance. Two girls in designer tees help them with a metrorail suggestion. Han & Holden are stumped while Melinda & Erika arrive at the Cyrillic translation. They see the siblings and want to work together.... Melinda knows the Bible and knows she can get the verse. They are still stumped with the cipher though.

Carson & Jack see the klek shop after a bit of struggle with the same brown doors as the other teams. They are taking the bus to the library.

[NumfarPTB]

Even if the Mel and Erika nail this, the penalty will simply kill them.

[RachelLeVega]

Jon & Ana ask for directions from two sets of locals. They got off on the wrong stop. Meanwhile, Alyssa & Josiah find the sculpture garden clue box and are going to the club.

Brett & Mark reach the military club. ROADBLOCK: "Who wants to step back in time?"
One team member must dress in traditional attire to perform a Bulgarian jig to receive their next clue. Mark does the task.

[NumfarPTB]

Loving all the travel through the city of this leg.

[RachelLeVega]

Brett wanted to wear the outfit, but he'll just enjoy the show. Mark didn't realize how much costume there would be involved.

Meanwhile, Han & Holden and Mel & Erika are struggling and the humidity and tension in the library is stifling! Carson & Jack reach the library and get into the room with the other two teams. "It looked like they had seen a ghost." - Jack.

Commercials.

[RachelLeVega]

We return to Melinda & Erika and Han & Holden experiencing...


Carson & Jack notice they were helping each other as they are in the back. "They don't know to look underneath." - Jack. Han notices them lift it up while Erika & Melinda leave the room to guess the answer. Carson & Jack make this an opportunity to call for Han & Holden's attention and work with them instead.

Mel & Erika give letters as an answer to no avail.

[elthemagnifico]

Han & holden bickering each other over breathing   

[NumfarPTB]

Roll for skill..... 

[RachelLeVega]

Mark still learning the dance as Jon & Ana get to the sculpture garden. "Did they beat us here? They must've beaten us." - Jon.

Mark is going into the performance hall for his first attempt. He absolutely nails it! Not surprising.

Clue intercepted! ROUTE INFO: Go to the Pit Stop, St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. No last team to arrive will be eliminated? Hmm?

Alyssa & Josiah arrive at the Roadblock and Josiah does the dance. He says he danced a lot coming from the Rio Grande Valley for quinceaneras.

Han & Holden lie to Melinda & Erika to avoid helping them and want to plan their tactic to tell Melinda & Erika to flip over the cipher to Carson & Jack's chagrin as they leave in 4th.

Commercials.

[NumfarPTB]

Dude. You are the bottom 3 teams, you shouldn't be helping the last team, with so much of the leg still ahead.

[RachelLeVega]

Dude. You are the bottom 3 teams, you shouldn't be helping the last team, with so much of the leg still ahead.

[elthemagnifico]

Han & holden deliberately offering a three way race to mom and daughter 

[RachelLeVega]

We come back to an all-confusing ordeal as Carson & Jack and Han & Holden have mixed feelings about helping Melinda & Erika.
Holden wanted to spell out the answer to them. Oh my gosh.

Carson & Jack surpassed other teams strategically up to 4th and now H&H are going out in 5th with the clue. Erika is surprised DnD got it and noticed H&H didn't tell them.

Josiah is still practicing while Jon & Ana arrive at the Roadblock. Ana is getting into the traditional performancewear.

[NumfarPTB]

We come back to an all-confusing ordeal as Carson & Jack and Han & Holden have mixed feelings about helping Melinda & Erika.
Holden wanted to spell out the answer to them. Oh my gosh.

Carson & Jack surpassed other teams strategically up to 4th and now H&H are going out in 5th with the clue. Erika is surprised DnD got it and noticed H&H didn't tell them.

Josiah is still practicing while Jon & Ana arrive at the Roadblock. Ana is getting into the traditional performancewear.

And that is how Carson and Jack start their slow climb back to top of the pack....

[RachelLeVega]

Josiah can't get the rhythm down while Melinda & Erika finally get it. "You would think people who read the Bible would know this." - Erika. "It's sad that a Bible verse could take us out." - Melinda. As they get into their third taxi ride of the leg. The penalty is going to be legendary.

Josiah and Ana are struggling at the Roadblock while Brett & Mark zoom into the Pit Stop. Phil tells them they are TEAM NUMBER ONE and win $7,500 each.

[RachelLeVega]

Brett & Mark don't want to let up just because they are first. At the RB, Josiah is on his third attempt and receives a huge ovation for the next clue. The two are off to the Pit Stop. "Last team to check in will be eliminated." - Josiah. That's confirmation enough.

Ana is dancing now and she finishes the performance! They are off in 3rd.

[NumfarPTB]

The penalty is going to be legendary.

Unless they are just the last team to arrive. With Mel being stuck with the RBs to equalize the count, not sure if will survive this leg, with or without the penalties.

[RachelLeVega]

Carson & Jack and Han & Holden get off the bus and see a "socialist star". They think they missed the entrance and are going in the wrong direction. Han & Holden leave DnD behind while Carson & Jack have clearer directions. "Damn bro, I don't know where we are." - Holden.

Melinda & Erika are in their taxi not knowing what's going to happen next while Carson & Jack see the sculpture garden and pick up the clue. They take the metro and Jack believes they are better on their own.

[RachelLeVega]

Han & Holden are now stuck in their own minds with no plan.

Commercials.

[NumfarPTB]

Carson and Jack are adorable with all their TLoR references......

[RachelLeVega]

We come back to H&H asking for directions from a local going to work. They eventually pick up the clue. "We can race better than how we are. We need to reset." - Holden. Melinda & Erika shortly find it.

Carson & Jack arrive at the RB and Jack will do the task as Carson thought it was dealing with history. "Who's good at teaching a bad dancer?" - Jack. Han & Holden also arrive and Han does the RB.

Melinda & Erika are calling for a fourth taxi! They are having no luck calling for an additional penalty. "Bulgaria is not our place." They haven't seen anyone struggle for a taxi yet. "Phil hasn't told us anything yet." - Erika.

Alyssa & Josiah and Jon & Ana follow in to the Pit Stop as TEAM NUMBER TWO and THREE! Josiah is stoked for the Express Pass while Jon believes it's a huge accomplishment to still be in the race.

[RachelLeVega]

Melinda & Erika arrive at the RB and Melinda does the task. She chooses the lady performer to teach her.

Jack goes for his first attempt and freezes up. Holden is doing the task, oops.

Meanwhile, Melinda is remembering this for the Greek performances.

[ghmorello]

The taxi penalties maybe moot at this rate.

[RachelLeVega]

Jack does the dance and is approved! "That's my best friend!" - Carson. They leave the task in 4th.

Holden is going for his first attempt and is out of sync with the steps. He tries another time and catches up to the beats. Han is absolutely excited for him in the mezzanine and they leave in 5th.

[NumfarPTB]

The taxi penalties maybe moot at this rate.

Almost wish they don't arrive last, to see some of the penaly in effect at this point.

[RachelLeVega]

Melinda is performing now and absolutely crushes it! They leave the task in last.

Carson & Jack are TEAM NUMBER FOUR and rendered Phil speechless. "One of the greatest comeback stories in the race" - Phil. Debatable honestly.

Han & Holden vs. Melinda & Erika in a foot race!

[NumfarPTB]

Melinda is performing now and absolutely crushes it! They leave the task in last.

Carson & Jack are TEAM NUMBER FOUR and rendered Phil speechless. "One of the greatest comeback stories in the race" - Phil. Debatable honestly.

Han & Holden vs. Melinda & Erika in a foot race!

Jet and Cord winning a leg with a Speed Bump still takes that probably.

[RachelLeVega]

And Han & Holden arrive at the Pit Stop as TEAM NUMBER FIVE. Holden wants to learn from their good in this leg.

Meanwhile, Melinda & Erika are the last team to arrive, Phil points out their misread transportation clues, and have been eliminated from the race. Missed penalty opportunity. Sigh.

Melinda explains she never had the mother and daughter relationship growing up so they hope they can hang out more after the race now.

End credits and stay tuned for scenes from our next episode!

[RachelLeVega]

Melinda is performing now and absolutely crushes it! They leave the task in last.

Carson & Jack are TEAM NUMBER FOUR and rendered Phil speechless. "One of the greatest comeback stories in the race" - Phil. Debatable honestly.

Han & Holden vs. Melinda & Erika in a foot race!

Jet and Cord winning a leg with a Speed Bump still takes that probably.

That and David & Mary's Fast Forward win in season 10, and Charla & Mirna eliminating Rob & Amber for me personally.

[RachelLeVega]

NEXT WEEK!

Show content

In Naples, Italy, it's mozzarella madness for Han & Holden and pizza nightmares for Carson & Jack!

[NumfarPTB]

Melinda is performing now and absolutely crushes it! They leave the task in last.

Carson & Jack are TEAM NUMBER FOUR and rendered Phil speechless. "One of the greatest comeback stories in the race" - Phil. Debatable honestly.

Han & Holden vs. Melinda & Erika in a foot race!

Jet and Cord winning a leg with a Speed Bump still takes that probably.

That and David & Mary's Fast Forward win in season 10, and Charla & Mirna eliminating Rob & Amber for me personally.

Definitely, those were classics....

[RachelLeVega]

And that was tonight's last full leg in Bulgaria! Hope you enjoyed keeping up from here and I promise it will be fresh scenery in the next one. Please leave your comments, concerns, disappointments, and hopes in this thread and let's continue the conversations. Thanks!

[RachelLeVega]

My question to Phil is if Melinda & Erika weren't last, how big exactly of a penalty doozy would we have been shown since there will also be a time-gain additional penalty for unauthorized transportation? It has to be 2 hours and 10 minutes more or less right? (4 instances of invalid taxis for 30-minutes each + time gain math)

[elthemagnifico]

Want to keep it short, but its a very fun leg, better than i expected. The way they forced racers to use public transportations plus frequent RI tasks works really well for what it supposed to be a linear leg and create funny and intense moments. Its funny that they tried to hype the EP task only to be done on screen in just 30 secs.  overall a solid leg

[Pi]

I like the inclusion of the EP task but wish it could be done in a way where more teams will go for it; no fun to see non-first-place teams barely give it consideration. I remember seeing firewalking on MythBusters. The cast were surprised that it didn't hurt your feet as long as you didn't panic and only took light steps; assuming the coals are packed tightly and all other safety precautions are met, the battle is all mental.

The klek shop was a great clue location, it was just surreptitious and unexpected enough to give teams a little bit of trouble, then an a-ha moment.

Seeing the woodcutter guy from the previous leg on the bus was one of the best coincidences on the race in a long time!

If you're ever given an object on the race and it relates to a puzzle task, you should always examine it, turn it over, shake it, look at it from a different angle. A good task, though dampened a little by answer-sharing.

The Race is getting really competitive! Can't wait for next week! 

[Xoruz]

The main complaint I have is placing the Express Press at the very beginning. While the task was short, having it well out of the way at least meant that there was some risk. The simple act of removing taxis really worked for this leg since, more so than other recent legs, there was more emphasis on getting from place to place over tasks. It also led to the fun run in with the wood judge. Considering there was no equalizer, I see how Phil was impressed with Carson & Jack’s comeback. While it ended up being moot, at the very least Melinda & Erika got eliminated from falling behind rather than 2 hours of accumulated penalties and missing the word “not”.