The race, with an altered cast, restarts with Episode 4

Switzerland – Years from now, Season 33 of the Amazing Race will always carry an asterisk, thanks to nothing short of a pandemic that stopped filming in 2020, three episodes in the can.

Phil Keoghan   (CBS)

Filming resumed 19 months later in September 2021 with only seven teams of competitors. That's where Episode 4 begins with host Phil Keoghan welcoming racers back, catching up on their lives and introducing some changes.

 

For a variety of reasons, four teams had dropped out (see below). Two teams who had been eliminated – Michael and Moe, the Buffalo cops; and Arun and Natalia, the father and daughter – were brought back, arriving to the applause of their competitors.

 

Phil let the racers know that because of Covid concerns, they now would travel together on chartered planes (no more tears at the terminals), and there would be more self-driving.

 

And so, the race resumed.

 

First challenge: Ride in a gondola to a mountain peak, then one racer from each team walks/climbs/creeps across the mountain, one stumble away from a drop to a certain death.

 

Ryan of Ryan/Dusty and Penn of Kim/Penn trotted over the terrain as if they were on flat ground. Sheri, who had made it clear at the start that she had a profound fear of heights, inched along, holding on for dear life. Akbar, her always critical hubby, watched from his safe perch. All the while he kicked himself for not taking on the task. (Why didn't he? Who knows.)

Akbar and Sheri (CBS)

Next challenge: With Sheri and Akbar far behind, the racers had to choose between flag-waving or belt-decorating.

The flag-wavers seemed to have an easier time of it, Ryan and Dusty, being the quickest studies ,and Kim and Penn having the most fun.

 

Moe and Michael and Arun and Natalia (by the way, she got married during the time away) arrived at the belt-decorating a little late – having gotten lost. (They do seem to have trouble with directions).

 

They had to hammer some symbols onto a belt in an order that told a story. (A little cow gets lost...)

Arun and Natalia Kumar

Arun and Natalia got the story straight; Moe and Michael got it backwards. They showed up at the finish line last and were eliminated from the race.

This meant that the Buffalo guys may be the only Race team ever to be sent home in each of their first two episodes in the competition.

 

Some observers may have wondered why Sheri and Akbar weren’t the last to finish, as they lost so much time on the mountain.

 

According to Randy Denhart of Reality Blurred, Michael and Moe, as well as Natalia and Arun, were given an extra challenge, a Speedbump, as a penalty for having been eliminated earlier. However, the Speedbump scenes weren't included in the broadcast.

 

Speedbumps are standard practice on the Race. Still, it’s odd that the Speedbump wasn’t shown, or even mentioned, as it probably led to Michael and Moe’s elimination. We’ll never know.

Moe and Michael on the Speedbump (CBS)

 

For the record, Ryan and Dusty won the episode, making them favorites to win it all. Kim and Penn came in second, having been first last time.

 

Missing in action

 

Thanks to Randy Dehnart again, here’s why four teams were missing in action:

 

Taylor and Isaiah Green-Jones: They were ready to compete, but two days before the restart, Taylor’s brother died. He and Isaiah left to be with their family.

 

Connie and Sam Greiner: Connie was pregnant and later gave birth to a baby boy.

 

Anthony Sadler and Spencer Stone: They had scheduling conflicts.

 

Caro Viehweg and Ray Gantt: Dating when filming began, they broke up during the hiatus.

 

Overheard

 

Ryan: I’m used to being locked down. I just transitioned straight back to prison life.

 

Moe: That’s what this is all about, redemption.

 

Arun: We won’t be the first team to be eliminated.

 

Akbar: Neither one of us is good at heights.

 

Akbar: I have to be more patient.

 

Dusty: (Ryan’s) calves look like a couple of bowling ball stuffed into onion sacks.

 

Arun: We are lost. Are you fricking kidding me?

 

Moe: We got beautiful families and a beautiful city (Buffalo) that supports us.

 

Order of Finish

 

1) Ryan and Dusty

2) Kim and Penn

3) Raquel and Cayla

4) Lulu and Lala

5) Akbar and Sheri

6) Arun and Natalia

7)  Michael and Moe