TAR Recap

Interesting episode this week. I like the new twists of only having two fast forwards in the entire game and the loss of money in a non-elimination round. I only wish that it had not been the bowling moms who had finished in last place. I can imagine that between the loss of money and the twisted ankle one of them suffered, they'll be the team eliminated next week.

The non-elimination rounds should be happening every other episode now and they will probably do a good job in eliminating the same team the following week. Now, there is always hope, but its just crippling to loose money, especially when you keep getting less and less of it the rest of the way. I imagine this was in response to the last two seasons where a team that was not that popular with the viewers finished last but wasn't eliminated and then rebounded to finish high in the standings and stick around, much to the annoyance of the audience.

I also like the limitation of the fast forward, although it was rather amusing to see teams jump at it early last season and then start to fall behind again. It kept around some amusing teams that would normally have been eliminated much earlier. But this way is interesting too. Now, if I had been team Texas, I would not have used the FF. They were 6 hours ahead of the second place team and the FF bumped them further up to probably at least 10 hours ahead. However, anyone who has seen the show before, knows that teams catch up to each other at airports and bus stations later in the day. They'll be leaving at 11:30 PM Cairo time and I can't imagine that anything will be open when they need it to be. So they will lose the lead until Myrna and Shmirna catch up to them as was shown in the previews for next week. What's more, team Texas cannot use the other FF which will probably come sometime when there are only 4 or 5 teams left and could be much more useful in jockeying for position among the final 3.

Irregardless, it appears the twins team will stay around for a little longer. The bowling moms, crippled by no money will be eliminated next week unless there is a huge gaffe made by another team. After that, I think the pizza brothers will be eliminated as injuries to knees push them further back. So that leaves our final 5 as the twins, Myrna and Shmirna, Chip and Kim, team Texas, and team Modeling for Christ. I've yet to see anything that makes me think that the twins will not stave off elimination around 5 or 4. Mistakes might keep one of the other teams down as well, but its difficult to say. I can't give any real impression as to who will be next on the block until after these next two teams are eliminated.