Rio/Buenos Aires –
Season 27, Episode 3 preview – The Race is up and running, plots are
emerging, and the bell is about to ring for the third round.
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| Justin and Diana check a clue |
I’m not worried about what has
become obvious – that the Texans, Josh and Tanner, are going to duke it out
with Justin, the weeper and yakker teamed with his financeé, Diana.
“I can’t
stand him,” Tanner said of Justin after the race moved south to Argentina
and Buenos Aires.
That kind of viewer gold is to be expected, as Race producers like to establish the season’s
themes early and often. (Remember the bickering Blair and Hayley last season.)
No, what has me on edge are those what-have-I-gotten-myself-into looks that Diana is shooting Justin’s
way when he talks, when he weeps, when he does just about anything. She may want out.
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| Ben Shapiro |
Whatever, the Race so far seems all Justin all the time, a bit of overplay that's irking Ben Shapiro, University of Rochester tennis stalwart and an Amazing Race expert.
“I find him to be pretty annoying and otherwise
unremarkable,” Ben wrote in a missive to
Amazing Pool Central, “and
yet he's getting what seems like twice as much screen time as anyone
else. Don't understand why they chose to edit it that way.”
Maybe
it’s all the editors had starting out.
The Texas are lippy and
Justin is dippy, and the other teams are still in
control of their emotions. For now.
 |
| Denise and James Earl |
I
certainly look forward to the inevitable breakdown of relations between Denise
(mom) and James Earl (son). Race editors have been telegraphing that dysfunction
since the beginning.
“I was a lot closer to my family
before I came out,” James Earl confided. “…
Her reaction was not ideal.”
“I
think we’re getting along wonderful,”
Denise countered, as viewers throughout the land yelled, “Not.”
 |
| Dr. Ken |
Viewers? The Race seems doomed to run in the graveyard of
Friday night (I know, that metaphor may not work.)
The second episode drew just over 6 million viewers, losing
out by not that much to Last Man Standing
and then Dr. Ken both on ABC. (I defy
you to come up with a real live human being who actually saw Dr. Ken.)
So what did Amazing
Race loyalists see in Episode Two other than the victory of Justin and
Diana, a victory that left him in, you know, tears?
 |
| Pope Francis' church |
We witnessed a challenge that suggested that being poor and living off the resale of abandoned cardboard was a fun local custom. And we saw people doing the tango on the wall.
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| Tanner tangos on the wall |
We also saw good guy cousins Alex and Adam get the heave ho, taking
Team Bushnell with them. And we witnessed Texan Tanner sprint and then pull up lame at the
finish line, mistakenly thinking he and Josh had a chance at first place. Stay
tuned on that injury.
Finally, we were reminded again and again that dancing brothers
Ernest and Jin really, really, really need the $1 million first prize. Want the prize too
much and you’re usually on the next plane
home. We’ll see.
Overheard:
Rick: Sixteen
years of school and I’m getting trash on the street.
Diana: One
hundred kilograms? I don’t know how large that is.
Kelsey: For us,
details are a big deal.
Jin: This is no
game for us now; (we’re) trying to make a better life.
Tanner: I can
two-step. That’s about all I can do….We’re
from Texas.
Josh: The Green Guy
(Justin) was talking some smack.
Jazmine: If you
have like flabby abs, no offense, you’re not going to hold
yourself up.
Phil Keoghan:
Jazmine and Danielle, I’m
very sorry to tell you .. that you have finished in the back of the pack…but
you are still in the race.
Ernest: we don't
have a home to go back to.
Order of finish
1. Justin and Diana
2. Josh and Tanner
3. Denise and James Earl
4. Chris and Logan
5. Cindy and Rick
6. Tiffany and Krista
7. Kelsey and Joey
8. Jazmine and Danielle
9. Ernest and Jin
10. Adam and Alex (eliminated)
