TAR discussion thread (spoilers)

[earendel]

OK, it's six teams down and five to go. I'm wondering if there will be a non-elimination leg this season - usually they've had one before now.

Spoiler

I was sorry to see Azaria and Hendekea go, particularly when the problem they encountered was not one of their own doing. I wonder why the requirement that they fly economy. As for Nathan and Jennifer, they're the ones I was hoping would be eliminated and when they arrived after taking a "non-standard" form of transportation, I thought they might be eliminated. I forgot that there were several teams that were hours behind the first three.

TK and Rachel and Kynt and Vyxsin continue to play a strong game and I think they'll be among the final three teams. As for the others, each of them seems to have "issues" - Donald and Nicolas and Ronald and Christine seem to let their personal struggles get in the way of playing a good game. As for Nathan and Jennifer, I think her comment last night was spot-on - she noted that she didn't think their relationship was going to survive.

[peacock2121]

Thanks for reminding me.

I taped last nights show and wanted to remember to watch it while I am on the elliptical this morning. I woulda forgotten and it would be in the mix for me to see 'sometime'.

Now I have the motivation to get in there and do it!

[Bob Juch]

Thanks for reminding me.

I taped last nights show and wanted to remember to watch it while I am on the elliptical this morning. I woulda forgotten and it would be in the mix for me to see 'sometime'.

Now I have the motivation to get in there and do it!

I hope you remembered to tape an added hour after due to football delays. I TiVo the whole CBS lineup and add an hour to "Shark" to ensure I get everything.

[MarleysGh0st]

Spoiler

Wasn't there anyone who knew how to row a rowboat? At least Ronald did, but Christine was doing her best to talk him into trying the wrong way. And if Grandpa was already exhausted from sorting through the building stones, why wasn't Nicholas in the primary rowing seat?

And Nathan and Jennifer, just go away already.

On the bright side, those zip lines looked even more fun than the suspended bicycles, back in Ireland!

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

OK, it's six teams down and five to go. I'm wondering if there will be a non-elimination leg this season - usually they've had one before now.

Spoiler

I was sorry to see Azaria and Hendekea go, particularly when the problem they encountered was not one of their own doing. I wonder why the requirement that they fly economy.

Spoiler

I wonder if it would have been ok for them to take their business tickets and trade for coach. I know I would definitely give up coach tickets for business class tickets.

[MarleysGh0st]

Spoiler

I wonder if it would have been ok for them to take their business tickets and trade for coach. I know I would definitely give up coach tickets for business class tickets.

Spoiler

I presume the rules prohibit them from purchasing business class or first class tickets (even if they traded the seats for economy), not only to make TAR's beancounters happy, but because it increases the frequency of teams getting split up between different flights.

I always find it annoying when they start the teams from a rest stop in the middle of the night, knowing they'll be stuck waiting hours and hours for ticket offices to open.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

Spoiler

I wonder if it would have been ok for them to take their business tickets and trade for coach. I know I would definitely give up coach tickets for business class tickets.

Spoiler

I presume the rules prohibit them from purchasing business class or first class tickets (even if they traded the seats for economy), not only to make TAR's beancounters happy, but because it increases the frequency of teams getting split up between different flights.

I always find it annoying when they start the teams from a rest stop in the middle of the night, knowing they'll be stuck waiting hours and hours for ticket offices to open.

Spoiler

I am sure they do it on purpose to level the playing field.

[earendel]

Spoiler

Wasn't there anyone who knew how to row a rowboat? At least Ronald did, but Christine was doing her best to talk him into trying the wrong way. And if Grandpa was already exhausted from sorting through the building stones, why wasn't Nicholas in the primary rowing seat?

And Nathan and Jennifer, just go away already.

On the bright side, those zip lines looked even more fun than the suspended bicycles, back in Ireland!

Spoiler

They made a big deal about Ronald's hernia earlier - I'd have thought the rowing might aggrevate it. But he, at least, did know how to row a boat.

[earendel]

I always find it annoying when they start the teams from a rest stop in the middle of the night, knowing they'll be stuck waiting hours and hours for ticket offices to open.

I'm not sure this comment needs a spoiler..

Spoiler

I, too, am annoyed by this tactic, but as PSM said, it's to keep one team from getting too far ahead of the others. Flying economy class may be another way of equalizing the teams - first class passengers get on and off earlier and are closer to the front of the plane anyway, which would give a team in that section a major advantage. As to whether Azaria and Hendekea could have taken the business-class tickets and exchanged them with someone for coach, I don't know.

Yes, it does!

[Sir_Galahad]

OK, it's six teams down and five to go. I'm wondering if there will be a non-elimination leg this season - usually they've had one before now.

I thought there was going to be one last week and was very surprised that there wasn't. So, I figured since there wasn't one last week there would have been one last night. Perhaps they have scrapped it.

[tanstaafl2]

Spoiler

I knew that unfortunately the Bickerson's weren't going home despite the taxi issue but I certainly wish they could have found a way to lose.

I had the impression that H&A got business tickets because steerage was full but perhaps not. Or at least it was full by the time they realized their predicament. May have to check the tape to be sure. I did think that the delay experienced by the early teams might allow them to catch up but apparently not.

Nicholas is an annoying little wuss and Grandpa is a stud by comparison!

Edited to fix the dang spellin'

[peacock2121]

Thanks for reminding me.

I taped last nights show and wanted to remember to watch it while I am on the elliptical this morning. I woulda forgotten and it would be in the mix for me to see 'sometime'.

Now I have the motivation to get in there and do it!

I hope you remembered to tape an added hour after due to football delays. I TiVo the whole CBS lineup and add an hour to "Shark" to ensure I get everything.

I knew when 60 Minutes started, so I knew when to set the VCR to start and stop.

[peacock2121]

Spoiler

I would have told Jennifer "Fine, you don't want to do this any more, let's not stand on the mat and let everyone else go ahead of us." She would have had to step up or shut up.

I love the way Christina is with her dad. It's a real demonstration of not getting hooked and not fighting someone when they are a jerk and having that move the team forward.

[peacock2121]

Spoiler

Also - A and H were on my last nerve - if he was going to keep playing the "I have done everything right and you are not contributing" card - he was done for.

I am not sad to see them gone.

[earendel]

Someone has edited my message to add a spoiler.

I always find it annoying when they start the teams from a rest stop in the middle of the night, knowing they'll be stuck waiting hours and hours for ticket offices to open.

I'm not sure this comment needs a spoiler.

I, too, am annoyed by this tactic, but as PSM said, it's to keep one team from getting too far ahead of the others.

This part did need a spoiler, so whoever added it, thanks (although some might view that as an abuse of adminstrator power).

Spoiler

Flying economy class may be another way of equalizing the teams - first class passengers get on and off earlier and are closer to the front of the plane anyway, which would give a team in that section a major advantage. As to whether Azaria and Hendekea could have taken the business-class tickets and exchanged them with someone for coach, I don't know.

Yes, it does!

[Bob Juch]

OK, it's six teams down and five to go. I'm wondering if there will be a non-elimination leg this season - usually they've had one before now.

Spoiler

I was sorry to see Azaria and Hendekea go, particularly when the problem they encountered was not one of their own doing. I wonder why the requirement that they fly economy. As for Nathan and Jennifer, they're the ones I was hoping would be eliminated and when they arrived after taking a "non-standard" form of transportation, I thought they might be eliminated. I forgot that there were several teams that were hours behind the first three.

TK and Rachel and Kynt and Vyxsin continue to play a strong game and I think they'll be among the final three teams. As for the others, each of them seems to have "issues" - Donald and Nicolas and Ronald and Christine seem to let their personal struggles get in the way of playing a good game. As for Nathan and Jennifer, I think her comment last night was spot-on - she noted that she didn't think their relationship was going to survive.

I just watched the show via TiVo and saw in the preview for week after next:

Spoiler

That Kynt and Vyxsin have a major fight that will probably affect their standing.

[geoffil]

My favorite quotes from the show last night:

Upon learning that they were traveling to Croatia, Hendekea said she knew a bit of the language, a word “which means, ‘there’s a party in my pants.’” Azaria said, “Hopefully we can get a few dollars with that,”

Ronald looks like all cuddly with those “Who’s your daddy?” t-shirts, but sometimes he can be a real *****.” He interrupted a ticket agent serving another team, and when they objected, Ronald got angry. “Just a simple question, man. What’s the big deal?’ he said. “It ain’t [censored]in’ any of your reservations.” Vyxsin told Christina, “It’s okay; I have a dad, too.”

While most of the world would be thrilled to learn they’d been accidentally upgraded to business class, that’s a huge no-no on the race, as teams must purchase coach tickets (although they can sit in business or first if they paid coach prices). “Business class?” Hendekea said, horrified.

“You’re the meanest person I’ve ever met sometimes,” Jennifer told Nate during one of their many fights, not elaborating on what he is other times. They had a meltdown while paddling a boat, and she said, “I’m never going be with you ever again.”

When Ronald and Christina checked in, Phil Keoghan said, “Who’s your daddy now?”

Phil didn’t have anything witty to say to Jennifer and Nate; instead, he had to yell at them. “You’re the second team to arrive. However, you did not take a legal form of transportation from the Detour finish point to get here to the mat. So, you need to go back to that spot, get some legal transportation, and make your way back here before I can check you in,” he said, and finished it off with “make haste.” They still checked in third, and Phil noticed that things were a bit icy: “not a lot of affection there with the handshake.”

[MarleysGh0st]

My favorite quotes from the show last night:

How could you forget, "You're like a little goth action figure!"

[geoffil]

How could you forget, "You're like a little goth action figure


That's a good one too.

[elwoodblues]

I don't like the non-elimination leg. It arbitrarily keeps an undeserving team in the race. If they want to stretch the race out I would rather see them continue the leg the following week, which they have done before.

It seems like there are certain types of teams that keep recurring in different seasons. One is the Father And Daughter Trying To Improve Their Relationship and another is the Constantly Bickering Couple, both of which are represented here.