No more mister nice guys

The Amazing Race, Episode Nine, Season 21

Amsterdam -- It had to happen.

A season of the Amazing Race that had featured general harmony between and within the teams turned nasty. Betrayal. Greed. Evil triumphant. You gotta love it.

Abbie and Ryan

Money talks, and when push came to shove, the Chippendales, Jaymes and James, chose a chance at $1 million over their desire to be friends with the dating divorcees, Abbie and Ryan.

Jaymes rationalized the decision to U-turn Abbie and Ryan, forcing them to do an extra challenge, by saying that he and James needed the money more than their competitors. Chippendales aren't in the chips? Who knew?

Whatever, Abbie and Ryan (backed by Dennis Doell in the pool) were the fifth of five teams to finish and host Phil Koeghan, joined at the finish line by Pippi Longstocking, sent them home.

The loss was especially difficult for the dating divorcees as an overall victory on the season would have doubled their $1 winner’s purse because they won the first leg of the race.

“I don’t know what to say,” Ryan said. “ … The Chippendales cost us $2 million.”

He’s got a point, but there were other factors at play.

First of all, the twins, Natalie and Nadiya, masterminded the double U-turn strategy that guided the Chips to deep six Abbie and Ryan and protect all the other players.

It’s too complicated to explain here, but essentially it was a space-time continuum gambit worthy of chess grandmaster Magnus Larsson. And not to be mean, it’s hard to imagine that the cheerful Chips would have come up with the ploy on their own

Natalie and Nadiya

Keep in mind that these are the same sisters who earlier stole money belonging to other contestants.

“We’re badass,” Nadiya boasted. She’s right.

The evil twins do deserve credit for taking a risk that paid off. While in Moscow, they jawboned a booking agent to route them to Amsterdam via Rome, where they had a very short layover time.

They made their connection, got to Amsterdam before the other teams and were able to do a Fast Forward (disgusting herring eating) that got them to the finish line first without breaking a sweat.

Finally, it just may not have been Ryan and Abbie’s day, as they found themselves stalled on the tarmac at the Frankfort airport on their way to Amsterdam, their airplane experiencing mechanical problems. “Quite frankly, we got franked,” Abbie explained.

The episode’s challenges were familiar and fun.

2007 ditch vaulting

In one, contestants begged for money, as they are often asked to do. Jaymes and James spiced things up this time by taking off their shirts and slapping on their Chippendales custom collars and cuffs. The euros poured in.

And then there was ditch vaulting, what Phil described as, “a classic Amazing Race road block.” Yes, in Season 12 (November 2007), also in the Netherlands, racers had to plant a pole in the water and vault across a muddy ditch. That time, more splashy failures occurred. This time, only the dispirited Ryan took a plunge or two.

Almost as surprising as Ryan and Abbie’s departure was Josh and Brent’s survival. The Beekman Boys, never a strong team, came in a reluctant fourth, as they had to go forward while Ryan and Abbie, their friends in frustration, went back to do that extra challenge.

The Boys may be emerging as the only kind-hearted team left, but kind hearts may not be enough, given those badass Twins and their devious ways.

Overheard

Lexi (eyeing the Dutch flag): Oh my gosh, we’re going to Paris.

Nadiya (or Natalie): I got like the whole fish caught in my whole throat.

Jaymes (on removing his shirt):  It was time to take evasive action.

Jaymes (on Abbie and Ryan): They’re going to hate us.

Josh (on Abbie and Ryan): We’re not competitive with each other; we both know we’re going to lose.

Ryan: I’m speechless.

Order of Finish

Natalie and Nadiya

Jaymes and James

Trey and Lexi

Josh and Brent

Abbie and Ryan

That’s it,

Jim