Posted on Tue, Nov. 23, 2004
TONY ESPARZA/CBS
Husband and wife pro-wrestlers Bolo and Lori race to grab the next clue.
‘Amazing Race' gets off to fast start
The Kansas City Star
We're here for you again!
‘The Amazing Race'
(8 tonight, CBS)
The lowdown: 10 teams race around the world for a million dollar prize. The teams began in Chicago, then flew to Iceland, where they had to find a waterfall, do some ice climbing and sleep on a glacier. Last team to the pit stop was eliminated. It's an adrenaline-packed and fast-moving show.
Wrong show: Married couples Lori and Bolo and Jonathan and Victoria might do better on Dr. Phil's “Relationship Rescue.” Lori and Bolo are professional wrestlers; Jonathan and Victoria, entrepreneurs. They had a lot in common, calling loved ones names and sporting over-plucked eyebrows.
Sorry to see them go: New York high school buddies Avi and Joe were fun and funny. But they made a tactical error at the race's first “detour,” skipping scaling the ice wall to search for a buoy in a big lagoon, which took longer than expected. Goodbye!
Brilliant: Loving sequences like engaged models Freddy and Kendra bragging that their jobs have made them seasoned travelers, giving them an edge, followed by a scene of them at the airport counter being told, “I don't know how to help you, sir. We fly to Canada.” There is a reason “Race” won the Emmy for best reality show.
— Sharon Chapman
‘The Real World'
(9 tonight, MTV)
The lowdown: More of the same — Landon! If he wasn't hurting Sarah's feelings, he was excluding roommates from the team assignment.
They're pigs: Like every other “Real World” cast, this group has a hard time keeping things clean. The house was a sty, and Sarah took it upon herself to spend four hours cleaning. When MJ and Landon got home late, Sarah came down to tell them they were being too loud. One thing led to another, and Landon ended up telling Sarah to (buzz) off. This brought Sarah to tears. Not cool, Landon.
On deadline: The cast was given a research assignment at their job. Remember, the arena football team? Again in typical “RW” fashion, the housemates put things off till the last minute.
Feeling stupid: Their bosses commended them for a job well done, but then they wanted to know exactly how each of the group contributed. Sarah, Karamo and Willie were forced to confess that they'd had no input at all.
Wise move: Landon apologized to Sarah and admitted he keeps things pent up.
— Eric Winkler
‘America's Next Top Model'
(7 p.m. Wednesday, UPN)
Cross-promotion alert: Taye Diggs (UPN's own “Kevin Hill”) made a special appearance. After a lot of shrieks and exclamations from the ladies, he did an acting scene with each of them. Yaya, for the fourth consecutive time, won the challenge. Her prize: A first-class seat to Tokyo, while the others languished in coach.
Mmm, mmm good: The models were directed in a Campbell's soup commercial by a non-English speaking director. They also had to speak Japanese. They tried, but most garbled the language.
Bad move: The girls did a mock commercial in front of the judges for an apparently foul-tasting Japanese product. Their facial expressions were priceless after downing the food. Yaya spit it out. The judges said her actions were insulting, and it was more evidence of her condescending attitude. After weeks of taking the some of best photos, she landed in the bottom two for the first time.
She's so forgettable: Poor Nicole. Twice during judging she was completely forgotten. The audience barely knew her, so it was no surprise when she got the boot.
— Ardua Harris
‘The Bachelor'
(Special time: 7 p.m. Wednesday, ABC)
Women tell all: It was a night to dish the dirt as the women who didn't get a last rose had the last word.
Once a witch, always a witch: Krysta was the first on the hot seat. She continued to stand up for herself and not apologize for loving to gossip.
A favorite flounders: G.I. Jayne didn't recognize herself when she saw clips of herself losing it on the show.
Shellshocked Cindy: She just couldn't get over Byron dumping her. When Byron came out and sat by her, she shrunk away from him, saying she didn't know whether to hug him or throw something at him. But by the end, she was asking him if he wanted to go make out.
Jay walks back in: Byron's competitor made a re-appearance but said he didn't need anyone's phone number because he's seeing enough action on his own.
Next: This week is the two-hour finale: Will Byron find the girl of his dreams? It's followed by an “After the final rose ceremony” special with Byron and the women.
— Georgann Norton
‘Survivor: Vanuatu'
(7 p.m. Thursday, CBS)
The lowdown: Puppetmaster Ami, which man will you send home tonight?
Yeah, right: Scout continued to blather on about taking out Eliza. But Ami won't go for that, Scout, so save your breath.
So long, Piggy: Ami, Eliza, Chad and Chris won a reward challenge that sent them on an overnight trip to another island, where they “feasted” (the food looked awful) and danced with the natives. They took along the pig as a gift and got another one in exchange. Chad got drunk on kava and appeared to pass out.
At tribal council: Though Scout spent much of this episode trying to form a new alliance with the two men and Twila (who won immunity), in the end she bowed down to Ami once again: Good guy Chad was sent packing on a 6-2 vote. Only he and Chris voted for Eliza. Chris is now the only man left, and it seems obvious he's the next to go. So much for suspense.
This week: A showdown among the women?
— Tim Engle
‘The Apprentice
(8 p.m. Thursday, NBC)
The lowdown: Wes (project manager for Mosaic) sent Kelly (who had exemption) to Apex after Trump said the teams needed to be even. The task was to design and present an in-store promotion/catalog, concentrating on fit, to Levi's top executives. Kevin led Apex.
Park your broomstick: Wes rolled over as Maria took over the team, not in a good way. She pointed at people too much and alienated everyone. And have you ever seen anyone who blinks so much?
Did you know? The junk in the trunk needs to have the best fit in a pair of jeans. Maria inexplicably cut out all the butt shots from her team's catalog. They lost.
Not cool: The Levi's dude told Trump Jen (who talks a good game) did the best job and Jen did not set anyone straight about Ivana's creative input. (Ivana conceived a cool “fit wheel.”)
Not shocking: Trump fired both Wes (for being a bad leader) and Maria (for being a bad team player). It had to happen — they started out with more players this season but not more episodes. NBC is trying to make it look like Trump is playing fast and loose with the boardroom. Nothing seemed spontaneous, though, except Wes and Maria having to share one taxi afterward.
— Sharon Chapman
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