We watch... so you don't have to.
Amazing in Place
I agree with my dear colleague Phil that The Amazing Race is an enjoyable show. However, last week's episode drove me nuts.
Was it because of the series' most hair-raising single-person challenge, namely swimming in a frozen lake beneath solid ice? Nope. Was it because of the squirming chopped-up octopus entree? Nope.
It was because the show insists on running several non-elimination legs of the race, meaning that after all of last week's shenanigans, nobody got tossed from the show. And as soon as everyone ends up bunched up in line at the airport in this week's episode, any advantages gained this week will evaporate.
Sure, the show was entertaining. But there was no jeopardy, and it felt like a rip-off in the end. Just like the week when they didn't kick anyone off of American Idol. I'm a big fan of surprise twists in reality shows, but this particular twist has been built into the show from the start, and it doesn't provide any real excitement. Just bitter feelings about wasted time.
And if I was Reichen or Chip and had dined on massive plates of squirming octo-chunks, I'd be royally pissed off that I invested so much work in such a pointless leg of the race.
