Amazing Race, Season
22, Episode 5
By Jim Memmott
Hanoi – It was in the cards, but it was sad to see a gallant effort ended, as an inevitably anti-climatic episode began with Dave and Connor finally calling it
quits, Dave’s Achilles injury from Episode Two getting no better.
 |
| Dave and Connor |
“My dad has never let me down,” Connor then said, also
tearing up. “He’s my best friend; he’s my hero.”
The departure of the
father-son duo deprived the Race of one of its better, and more
likable, teams, and it eliminates Team Boston, those amazing sisters-in-law,
from the pool.
 |
| Product placement |
In going early, Dave and Connor did miss one of the stranger
moments in Amazing Race history, a
performance by a Hanoi boy group of a “celebratory” Vietnam song.
Sample lyrics: “The
Viet Nam communist party is glorious … Socialism is growing more beautiful with
time. … Glory to our young generation.”
Presumably this was the result of another Amazing Race product placement agreement,
the government of Vietnam’s payback for letting the Race crew into the country, its counter to the Ford Focus and the Travelocity gnome.
Seven teams remain
now, with the married couple of Chuck and Wynona looking more and more like
a long shot to survive. At the end of this episode, they would have been sent
home, had not Dave and Connor already been eliminated.
Clouds had formed early on with Wynona revealing that after
22 years of marriage, they’ve “kinda grown apart” during the last year.
 |
| Astrology |
Certainly, it was telling that
they didn’t hold hands during the bamboo dance. Then Wynona got more and
more peeved because Dave wasn’t listening to her.
And her self-esteem issues were front and center as she kept
saying that she’s probably the “weakest player" on all the teams. (Not that she
doesn’t have a point.)
At the finish, Chuck vowed that he will listen more; he also gave Wynona a bear hug, so maybe things will turn around. And, to be fair, they had a hard day, as they
were U-turned and forced to do a second Detour. No one likes that.
Joey and Meghan, the
YouTube stars, were also U-turned and came in next to last. Meghan wasn’t happy.
“It’s no more Mr. and Mrs. Nice Guy,” she said. “I’m just a
huge ball of fiery righteousness. And it is coming. Revenge.”
 |
| Meghan |
I think she’ll take revenge on the gloating Pam and Winnie,
as they were the ones who threw the U-Turn their way.
But let's give Pam and Winnie some credit. They didn't get lost, as they usually do, and they finished first on the day.
They were followed by their new best friends, Buffalonians Max and Katie, who did especially well in a food
market challenge during which he was able to channel his inner Wegmans employee
and ask, “Paper or plastic?”
Next came two strong teams – roller derby moms Beth and Mona,
who were helped at one point by Meghan, and hockey brothers Bates and Anthony,
who were pleased as punch to hold hands in the bamboo dance.
Behind them were the
wildly erratic country singers Caroline and Jennifer, who lost their grasp
of the obvious in a life-sized Chinese chess challenge. But wrong moves or
right moves, they’re still playing. Glory to their young generation.
Overheard:
Pam: Katie, you
have the best hair in the world.
Meghan: There’s a
really weird tension in the air right now.
Max: Remember, I’m
the better chef.
Wynona: I don’t see no market. I’m going to get ran over.
Wynona: Meghan
and Joey have chickens. We don’t have chickens.
Chuck: My
feelings have been crushed.
Order of Finish
1) Pamela and Winnie
2) Max and Katie
3) Mona and Beth
4) Anthony and Bates
5) Caroline and Jennifer
6) Joey and Meghan
7) Chuck and Wynona
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