Amazing Race Finale-Who Wins & How
May 10, 2005
Posted by at May 10, 2005 10:33 PM
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The end of another season of the Amazing Race is always bitter sweet. On one hand, I get to enjoy an amazing (pardon the pun) final episode, but, on the other hand, I'll miss this show over the summer.
My sister and I used to take turns cooking meals that corresponded to that week's TAR destination. It's too bad we didn't revive the custom for the finale, as I certainly would have enjoyed some Jamaican jerk chicken. At the very least, I would have liked to sip some tropical drinks while I watched Uchenna & Joyce (or as Phil calls them "Uchenner & Joyce) win the million dollar cash prize.
I still think that Rob & Amber ran the best race overall, but Uchenna & Joyce went through a couple of hellish legs in Jamaica and Puerto Rico. After coming in last in the penultimate leg in Jamaica, Uchenna & Joyce were left without any money. Unlike other teams in that situation who a) were in places they could quickly beg to make up the difference and b) could rely on cheaper public transportation, UJ were stuck in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night, on a cab-heavy leg of the race. It took forever for them to beg enough money to continue, and, luckily for them, one of the few bunching opportunities enabled them to get back in the game. Their performance through all of this showed me they deserved the win just as much as Rob & Amber.
Ron & Kelly, not surprisingly, came in third because they can't communicate. I don't know why Kelly is so gung-ho about marrying Ron. She doesn't even seem to like him, much less be in love with him. Does she want to marry him just so she can make his life miserable (and vice versa)? These two need to just break up and move on.
A few final notes on this last show of the season:
- I thought the limbo roadblock in Jamaica was one of the best roadblocks in the history of the Race. It was creative, fit with the culture and was fun to watch. And, it was a task that a short person like me would have dominated!
- Speaking of Jamaica, I want to camp out on the beach they did the limbo at. God, that was beautiful.
- Uchenna was mighty, uh, "impressive", when he stripped down to his briefs to jump off the pier in San Juan, wasn't he?
- Even though I read spoilers a long time ago that claimed that UJ won, I was still dying for them when they were literally at the finish and having to beg for money to pay their final cabbie before they could run to the mat. I certainly hope that they borrowed some money from the Philimated teams after they finished and ran back and gave the guy a big, fat tip
- One thing I noticed was that the other teams just assumed that Rob freaks out whenever anything goes wrong for him. First, why do they care how Rob feels? Second, Rob's pretty stoic when things don't go his way. He's not a Jonathan from last season or a Colin "My Ox is BROKEN!".
- You would have to be made of stone to not get choked up when Uchenna talked about how they were going to try in vitro again and if that didn't work they'd adopt. Those two will really make great parents. I know it's probably too much to ask, but I hope that tomorrow we find out that Joyce is pregnant.
- Finally, I know it's a controversial opinion, but I'm really glad Rob & Amber were on the Race this year. They were a fantastic team and were fun to watch in each and every episode. I don't want to admit this, but I'm sure I'll watch their wedding on CBS. I'm such a loser ;-)
So that's it. Come back next Fall for recaps of the Amazing Race-family style. In the meantime, you can also enjoy the finale recap at Viking Pundit.
Posted by at May 10, 2005 10:33 PM
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Comments
| # May 10th, 2005 11:21 PM bagelprincess7 |
| This is the only good article I have read so far on this topic. I don't understand why everyone is making Rob and Amber out to be such horrible people. There are hundreds of people who are consistently on various reality shows more than once. They were offered a chance to participate, who wouldn't have accepted it. So what they bribed people here and there, its not like it is against the rules. They aren't supposed to speed in the race but they all do it anyways. And when Rob bribed the bus driver not to open the doors, 3 other teams were in on the bribe so there is absolutely no reason they should be pinned for that one all on there own, because maybe they initiated it, but the other teams were fine with it. It is so easy to point fingers at them because people are bitter that they already had their shot, and they already won, but the fact is, they were good at this. They were better than pretty much everyone. They were smart, and they worked together. I don't remember them ever getting angry at each other, which even Joyce yelled at Uchenna in the bus driving one. Other people, for example Alex, bribed people, and sure they can easily say they only did it because Rob does it, but that is no excuse. But no one seems to care if other people do the same thing, because Rob and Amber are horrible people and everyone should hate them. Sure they drove past the car accident, but they slowed down and saw everyone just standing there. It was obvious they were fine. It was stupid of Lynn and Alex to stay as long as they did. No one said anything when the other teams drove by. But again, no one looks at the bad things the other teams do. That seems to only apply to "Romber". The bottom line is, this season of Amazing Race has been hands down, the best one yet. I think they should add people like that every season. Some seasons are incredibly boring and dull because everyone "loves" each other. But it is a race. The racers need to spend less time making friends, and more time racing. |
| # May 10th, 2005 11:36 PM kris |
| I think the hatred of Rob and Amber can be summed up in one word: jealousy. They're smart, rich , good looking, famous and in love. People don't like that. |
| # May 11th, 2005 12:17 AM james |
| it's hard to get choked up when some goon yells "in vitro here we come!"
im happy for them, but that is just disgusting to scream out. |
| # May 11th, 2005 7:23 AM Yeehaw |
| Some people do not seem to get it. Rob and amber have already had their chance and someone else was passed over because of their greed. Sure, I would like to be in their shoes, but what I see in all this is the inherent "Me, Me, Me" situation. No thought for anyone else, just "Me"! Perhaps if they had helped with some donations to those who had to forfeit all, or even stopped to assist at the "bush" car accident, things might have gone their way in the end. Those two did nothing to endear themselves with anyone. I hope the producers understand that if it is ratings they are after, then some adjustment of the rules both before and during the race should be put in place.
The winners this time were a very worthy couple, and I hope Rob and Amber take time to evaluate themselves against them and then affirm to themselves that their future together will be a little less "Me" and will emulate the tone set by these deserving winners. |
| # May 11th, 2005 9:08 AM gjj |
| Rob and Amber were the only team not to lose a leg of the race. I couldn't care less about their previous history- I would have liked to see the team that played the best win.
I thought the final test was really lame. Uchenna and Joyce picked a cab driver who knew where the cigar store was, Rob and Amber didn't- game-set-match. How about something that required a little more than blind luck. I also am very suspicious of that last second change that allowed Uchenna and Joyce on the plane. I wish that happened when I missed planes. I think CBS made a call in order not to have an entirely anticlimactic finish. |
| # May 11th, 2005 9:16 AM kris |
| You know, the final task is always kind of disappointing. But, on the other hand, do we want some mega task right at the end? Getting a good cabbie is something that's integral to success throughout the Race, so maybe it's appropriate that that's what gave Uchenna & Joyce the win. It's not that different from how other teams have won:
-Boston beat Tara & Wil because Tara & Wil were jerks to the taxi stand guy at the San Francisco airport -Flo & Zach won because they found a cab before the other two teams -Chip & Reichen won because they got good information from the people on their plane -Chip & Kim won because they got a better flight than their competition -and Freddie & Kendra won because the airline agent lied to Kris & Jon about flights So, it always seems to come down to one little thing. |
| # May 11th, 2005 9:35 AM bagelprincess7 |
| CBS definitely had something to do with Uchenna and Joyce getting on that flight. They moved the gate away. They were leaving, and then suddenly they bring it back for some people on standby? That doesn't happen.
There was nothing wrong with Rob and Amber driving by the accident. Meredith and Gretchen drove right by. They didn't roll down their window. They just looked, just like Rob and Amber. But I guess people only seem to notice what Rob and Amber do. And people go on multiple reality shows all of the time. Why are Rob and Amber different from them? Who cares if they took two other peoples spots? They were way more entertaining then anyone else could possibly be. And to me, TV is all about entertainment, not fairness. I don't think that this will hurt Amazing Race at all. Maybe some people will stop watching because they don't like where its gone, but who cares. Those people shouldn't be watching a reality show then, because that is just how they go. |
| # May 11th, 2005 10:16 AM pinguino |
| I think the Bagel Princess is right, they don't just move planes back to the gate for standby passengers.
Rob and Amber were the smartest team out there. |
| # May 21st, 2005 2:48 AM hollykamen |
| Does anyone know how I can see a copy for the 2nd hour of the finale on May 10th? I was out of town when it aired and my VCR only recorded the first hour.
holly e-mail: hollykamen@msn.com |
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