Never Ninja on The Amazing Race

 Amazing Race 37 Episode 3

 

By Jim Memmott

 

Kyoto, Japan – Lesson learned. If you’re on The Amazing Race never, ever, take on a Ninja Warrior challenge that involves throwing or blowing things at targets.

 

Really, don’t do it. Just go immediately to the giant orgami-folding challenge.

 

Again and again in this episode racers tried and then abandoned the Kinja challenge. Too hard. Way too hard.

Like the others, Lori and Scott Thompson, married parents of eight, switched to origami. And they won. Finished first. Went bonkers.

 

You may remember that I was anti-Scott in the last blog. I’ve softened. I think he’s just a little goofy.

 

Besides, there’s something about Lori – a Kristin Wiig SNL vibe, according to veteran Race watcher Cindy Schmitt.

 

Put Lori on a bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto, and she’s going to go bonkers about being on a well, bullet train from Osaka to Kyoto.

 

Good grief, there were a lot of bullet trains. Six, I think. Han and Holden Nguyen, the bickering siblings, were on the last train. Still, they caught up and survived.

 

Courtney Ramsey and Jasmin Carey, dating nurses, weren’t so lucky. Courtney had trouble with the soccer-ball kicking challenge. They lost time as Ninja warriors. They were glad to have competed, but they’re gone.

 

Ana and Jonathan Towns, married parents, came in second and picked up an Express Pass that I’m sure will come into play in future episodes during what Phil Keoghan has called a “Season of Surprises.”

As well as they’ve been doing, I wonder if Ana and Jonathan are in an Amazing Race narrative arc that peaks with a total meltdown.

 

Whenever she has trouble – perhaps in kicking a soccer ball – he has to turn his back, look away, try not to vent. That would have to be annoying.

 

The episode was marked by some alliance forming. One solidarity pact united parent-child teams. Melinda Papendeas and her daughter, Erika, joined Pops and Jeff Bailey. It was proof-positive that the generations can work together without backbiting and scorn. Good to know.

 

Overheard

 

Jack Dodge: We are nerds. We watch anime.

 

Alyssa Borden: I’m the first person at a cornhole party saying,  “Who’s my partner?” And it’s always him (Josiah).

 

Nick Fiorito: Mike (his brother) doesn’t even fold his own clothes at home.

 

Order of Finish

 

Lori and Scott Thompson

Carson McCalley and Jack Dodge

Ana and Jonathan Towns

Melinda and Erika Papadeas

Brett Hamby and Mark Roman

Pops and Jeff Bailey

Alyssa and Josiah Borden

Nick and Mike Fiorito

Han and Holden Nguyen

Bernie Gutierrez and Carrigain Scadden

 

Eliminated

 

Courtney Ramsey and Jasmin Carey