At long last, an amazing fight

Season 28, Episode 9 preview:

Tbilisi, Georgia/Dubai – Finally we have lift off.

After eight episodes of harmony and making nice, the Race has been blessed with an old-fashioned couples quarrel. Boy was it fun.

Matt and Dana in happier times

Lost in traffic in Dubai, Matt driving (sort of), Dana directing (sort of), things got uncomfortable quick.

Dana accused Matt of not listening. Matt wanted her to calm down.

And then my feeble notes indicate that this is at least a part of what she said:

“I’m not going to calm down…You’re out of control. I’m seriously down with you. I’m so disappointed with you. You’re psychotic.”

Cole and Sheri biking

Not to worry, they survived the race and will be back – we can only hope – to spar again.

Actually, everyone survived, even Sheri and Cole, who finished last but were told it was a non-elimination leg. Thus, they have now been non-elmininated twice. Count their blessings.

So what went on?

The episode featured several challenges in Dubai and some serious Travelocity gnome product placement.

There were races pitting camels against bicyclists. There were some god-awful and revealing gold swimsuits. 

Brodie recovering from a camel race

Contestants swam with sharks and went down a water slide (flashback to Season 15 when Mika refused to take a similar plunge). And, of course people got lost on Dubai’s highways.

What did we learn?

Brodie and Kurt are a tough team. Taking advantage of the Express Pass they acquired earlier, they won for the fourth time, picking up a trip for two to Helsinki. Which is good, because Brodie wants to get out of town with Blair, his no-longer-racing love interest.

Burnie and Ashley are a threat. They finished a strong second, as they did in the previous episode.

Tyler and a Bedouin nose bump

Tyler and Korey are returning to their previous form, wisecracking all the way.

Zach and Rachel are slipping; Dana and Matt, as previously noted, are a tad dysfunctional; Sheri and Cole are primed to lose, as I’ve said before and before. (And what’s with him and all those robot moves?)

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Overheard:

Brodie: It would be nice to have a trip I can take Blair on.

Korey: I am so excited about seeing the Travelocity gnome. I’m not kidding. I want to hug it.

Dana: You’re a little warm? You’re wearing a freaking flannel in the desert…. Men, you make me sick.

Cole: These camels got endurance, like racing camels.

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Korey: There’s sharks in there. They’re huge.

Cole: We’re doing good on the game part, but the navigation, we suck.

Dana: I really hate to lose to boys.

Sheri: He’s a cute boy. He doesn’t need to have any missing body parts.

Dana: I just yell. I grew up in a house where everybody yells…. It was just like I was at my tipping point.

Dana: Can you handle letting me navigate and understand that I am lost.

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Phil (to Dana and Matt): Are you talking to each other now?

Order of finish:

1 Brodie and Kurt

2 Burnie and Ashley

3 Tyler and Korey

4 Zach and Rachel

5 Dana and Matt

6 Sheri and Cole