Oh, Rob and Amber. You should have just kept your big mouths shut about how awesome and unbeatable you were.
With every smarmy, overconfident comment the twosome made, it became increasingly obvious they were about to get a very rude awakening. Because even if you don’t believe in karma, you’d better believe in the editors. As if those sneaky editors would spend half an episode setting up how cocky Rob and Amber were without a nasty payoff at the end.
Truly the worst thing about Rob and Amber’s loss (or the best thing if you’re a hater) is not that they went out so early, but that they lost to Charla and Mirna. Despite this ignoble exit, Rob and Amber were good sports about it all. That’s the spirit, guys! Focus on your next reality show and you’ll be fine.
A Thinking ProblemThinking had long been a problem for Amazing Racers – specifically not thinking all that much. The BQs claimed that it was overthinking that had been netting them poor results at the Pit Stop. Girls, I love ya but skipping an entire Detour and assuming that for the first time in the history of ever there just wasn’t one is just plain old underthinking.
At first glance, working briefly together with Rob and Amber might have seemed like a good idea. After all, three first places in a row would appear to be a sign of a kickass team that always knew it was doing. And it would have been a decent idea except Rob and Amber chose this episode to turn into Team Kentucky.
At the Detour, both Uchenna/Joyce and Rob/Amber made silly mistakes when they tried to put together a sign post of Magellan’s destinations. The former put the destinations in the wrong order while the latter made spellcheck cry with the way they spelt Philippines.
But while Uchenna and Joyce realised what they were doing wrong and corrected it, Rob kept doggedly trying to get the right answer all the while missing the obvious mistake in front of him. In other words, Rob out-Joyced Joyce.
Rob/Amber and the BQs blew the first Detour option and decided to navigate their way through the second Detour option. Yeah, like I’d trust a bunch of people who can barely spell to be able to use a compass. Rob led the pack in the completely wrong direction on a hunch. This was one of the big mistakes that led to the rise and fall of the Romber empire.
Despite this awful racing, Rob and Amber remained confident throughout, even when they were at the Roadblock just before the Pit Stop and had just been passed by a trailing Charla and Mirna. Amber merely smiled and said they would easily be able to outrun them. I don’t mind talking the talk when you can walk the walk but when a whiny imp and a harpy with a fake accent are outwalking you, you need to shut the hell up and at least pretend to be humble.
Love/Hate RelationshipsCharla and Mirna have perfected the art of the love/hate relationship with other teams. On the one hand, most teams kind of hate them. On the other hand, most teams would also love to kick Charla into the ocean like a soccer ball before pushing Mirna in to go get her.
The teams Charla and Mirna chose to be victimised by this episode were Rob and Amber, as well as Bill and Joe. The Guidos did not want to have anything to Charla and Mirna while waiting for an airplane, so they gave them the cold shoulder. Or cold knee, in Charla’s case. Rude, but can you blame the Guidos?
Rob and Amber decided to pull some of their trademark Dick Dastardly antics on Charla and Mirna, first by nabbing their taxi. Charla and Mirna could not believe Rob and Amber would ever do such a thing. Have they never seen them on TV ever? That’s the entire basis of their reality show career; screwing people over with a smile.
With Rob and Amber’s true faces revealed, Charla and Mirna were not quite so trusting when Amber led them on a wild goose chase to find a clue. They realised they were being lied to, all the while Amber laughed at her supposed brilliance. This really got Charla and Mirna going, since nothing pisses them off more than liars. Except people who follow them. Or people who drive the right way. Or people who don’t buy them tickets. Or people who don’t let them cut in line. Or anyone not named Charla and Mirna.
Scratch that, Mirna does find Charla irritating. See, Mirna’s martyr complex isn’t limited to other teams; she can feel like just as much of a martyr within her own team. Mirna’s complaint was that she was doing all the work in the team overcoming Charla’s “shortcomings” (Oh no you DI’INT!). Could be true. Mirna certainly seems to be doing more than her share of whining and acting superior.
Letters from the PastDuring the Roadblock, the racers all got to read a letter from a past racer/team. Most were supportive – S2’s creepy grinners Blake and Paige encouraged Danny and Ozzy by talking about pina coladas. Some were deliciously mean – Lance and Marshall from S5 tore into Mirna while S7’s Susan and Patrick wished boils and locusts upon Rob and Amber.
One was from an alternate dimension – how else do you explain Lyn wishing the BQs luck? Granted, it was the less bitchy Lyn (Karlyn was probably too busy sticking her BQ voodoo dolls full of pins to contribute), but still, it’s nice to see.
Eric and Dani(elle)’s letter was from their former partners, Eric’s gay lover Jeremy, and Dani(elle)’s equally unmemorable partner Other Dani(elle). Way to remind us they’re a fake team, show.
Dani(elle) does get more memorable by the episode. This week’s fun Dani(elle) fact is that she doesn’t know the difference between Argentina and Australia. That gives me an excuse to keep refusing to learn exactly which one of Dani and Danielle she is. In fact, I might start calling her Dorothea just for the fun of it.
In other news, I have decided Dani(elle) looks like a frondBlake and Paige’s letter must have done wonders for Danny and Oswald because they landed on the mat first, which caused Phil to stare at them blankly and tell them: “Who the hell are you and what have you done with Rob and Amber?” Just kidding, Phil awarded them a trip to Maui. Ozzie invited Phil to come along if he wanted to. Did Ozzie just hit on Phil? Saucy. I had no idea he had a thing for eyebrows.
Next week: More tension, surprisingly not involving Mirna. Eric and the Guidos fight over some mysterious subject (who’s gayer, probably), and the teams face up to a giant rodent, which once again does not refer to Mirna.