Shock and awe on the horizon

Agra, India, Season 27, Episode 11 preview

All you need to know:

Fasten your seat belts; get ready for a wild ride.

Justin and Diana, the unconquerable Green Team that has won seven episodes including the last five in a row, may be in trouble, big trouble.

Justin and Diana after their seventh win

How do we know? Well, in the preview to Episode 11 there was Justin, collapsing, distraught. “Costly mistakes lead to a shocking finish,” Phil Koeghan said in his best voice-of-doom narration.

Something bad must happen in Hong Kong, their next destination. Justin and Diana must be out of there. Justin’s impossibe dream of winning the Amazing Race must turn into a nightmare.

Or not.

Seasoned Race watchers know that the show’s editors play fast and loose with a viewer’s emotions. You never know.

Tiffany and Krista en route

What we do know is the Race is down to four teams: Justin and Diana; Joey and Kelsey; Chris and Logan; and Tiffany and Krista. Denise and James Earl, mom and son, are gone, taking Allison Chanler out of the pool.

Presumably, Episode 11 will pare the field to three teams.

Or not.

There have been times when four teams were sent on to the finals.

You never know.

Parenting is hard

What we do know is that parent/child teams seldom succeed on the Race. In fact only one, cancer survivors Dave and Connor in Season 22, has won.

Denise and James Earl leave the race

As was the case with parental duos in other seasons, Denise and James Earl began Season 27 with some, well, issues. In their case, Denise had had trouble accepting the fact that James Earl is gay.

Or so they said. In general, they seemed to get along. And they were popular with the other teams.

In the end, they started Episode 10 last and then fell farther behind because James Earl had trouble putting a batch of balloons into a tangled mesh net.  Sometimes it’s the little things that do teams in.

But the race experience had worked its magic, bringing a kind of healing. “I think we reconnected,” James Earl said. “I learned that’s she’s a lot tougher than she looks.

Camera ready

Early on in Season 27, the Green Team, Justin and Diana, were downright annoying. He wouldn’t shut up about Amazing Race history; he tended to gloat.

But I’m beginning to like the guy. He’s goofy, but he’s kind to children, and he never yells at Denise. Beyond that, Denise has a heart of gold. Good heavens, she even brought along some paste-on tattoos for the kids in India.

Logan and Chris confer

The race abhors a villain vacuum, and the Paparazzi, Chris and Logan, are filling that space, drawing the boos and hisses of all Race viewers.

It’s not just that they make their living staking out the homes of celebrities.

It’s not just that they have seemed like accidental tourists, barely interested in themselves, much less the race. 

It’s also that they whine; they say bad things to each other, and Chris doesn’t always tell the truth.

But there they are, still in the race, even after being U-Turned in Episode 10 by Justin and Diana in what was the third U-Turn of the season, a first for the show.

Not only did Chris and Logan have to drag a children’s ride to a carnival; they also had to escort a groom to his wedding. 

Both challenges highlighted the local customs, color and controlled chaos, all visual, all fun, all amazing.

Prediction

For what it’s worth. Here’s what I think or at least what I hope:

Joey and Kelsey deliver a groom

Justin and Diana will stumble in Episode 11; Joey and Kelsey will win.

The Cheerleaders will excel at a dance number; Chris will still suffer from the flu, but he and Logan will survive.

In the end, no one will be eliminated as Phil sends all four teams to a two-hour final. You read it here first.

Overheard

Justin: Chris and Logan have been rubbing everybody the wrong way.

Justin: We’re here in India helping people get married. Nothing better than love.

Logan (to Chris): Get as far away from me as possible.

Logan: Chris is always stressed out; he has like an angry face.

Denise: In my hometown in Alabama, the lights shut down at 9 o’clock.

Krista: We’re going to bring the groom. Hopefully, he’s cute.

Kelsey: If we have a wedding, it won’t be this elaborate.

Justin: I can’t wait to be a dad.

Chris: All we do is yell at each other like evil people.

James Earl: We’re done.

Denise of James Earl: I realize he’s the same person as when he was born.

Order of finish

Justin and Diana

Joey and Kelsey

Krista and Tiffany

Chris and Logan

Denise and James Earl (eliminated)