The Amazing Race Review: A Hero Steps Up

9 teams remain in the race around the world.

Last week, I lamented about the lack of under-handed and general cattiness on The Amazing Race. Fortunately this week the dry spell ends as Nick, the tattooed sweetheart, heard the call to be a hero and threw a Chad-worthy fit of nastiness that deserves some kind of award. Also this week, the heat takes a toll on Michael, and the nerds sing their way to the top.

This week’s Race continues in Ghana with the teams picking up one of the country’s most popular sports: boxing. The teams must learn from a boxing coach how to properly wrap their hands; the teams must then punch a handbag for 60 secs and jump rope uninterrupted for the same. Like last week, this challenge is a breeze for Brook and Claire. Turns out Brook used to train at a boxing facility. This is the second week in a row that a challenge is well-suited for Brook/Claire. Next week I expect to see the teams compete in knitting snow-ready bodysuits, where we’ll learn that Claire is an Olympic skier and knitting champion. All the teams breeze through this round with Brook/Claire in the lead and Connor/Jonathan close behind.

For the second challenge, the teams had to use wheelbarrows to deliver construction supplies to a school. This challenge is physical and tests the teams’ attention to detail because if the teams don’t get the right supplies they must carry the supplies back and start over again. Singing to their driver to go faster, Connor/Jonathon are the first to arrive to this point and they get through without problems. A number of teams stumble at this challenge because they failed to correctly read the supply list. Brook/Claire only grab one wheelbarrow instead of two and have to start over again. They meet Michael/Kevin, also with one wheelbarrow, on their way back and fail to share with them their mistake. Nick and Vicki speed through this challenge but because Vicki read the clue wrong they too have to start over again. Nick explodes when he hears this and immediately he starts trashing Vicki saying she can’t read, has no common sense, and is in general an idiot. Vicki apologizes over and over but Nick refuses to get over it and for the rest of the challenge he continues to heap abuse on Vicki. His reaction is totally out of proportion and counterproductive to the task; fortunately he gets over it just when Vicki feels ready to give up.

The final challenge proved to be the undoing of one team. Father/son team of Michael and Kevin was slowed down when Michael got overwhelmed in the heat. One medic visit later, and after a period of rest, Michael was ready to resume the task too late and the team ended up in last place. Lucky for them, this is a non-elimination round and the team will race next week. In the lead this week was Connor/Jonathon, who as the winner of this pit stop won $5,000.

Here are the results:

1. Connor/Jonathon
2. Gary/Mallory
3. Chad/Stephanie
4. Katie Rachel
5. Nick/Vicki
6. Brook/Claire
7. Jill/Thomas
8. Nat/Kat
9. Michael/Kevin non-elimination round.

Next week: the teams go dog sledding and Chad shows Nick how a real temper tantrum is blown.

Season 17, Episode 3: In Phil We Trust (originally aired October 10, 2010)

Sundays at 8pm ET/PT on CBS

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Photographs courtesy of CBS.