TV: Amazing Race 10 - Episode 3

Actually I had written this up much earlier, but the computer swallowed my posting (Perhaps I shut down my browser before saving anything). So now I have to rewrite this from memory.

This week's episode was not as action-packed as the previous episodes, but it was still nail biting. Most of the teams were so close together that a 30-minute penalty moved one team from second place to near elimination. The team that finished last this week was yet another victim of having no sense of direction.

I was rooting a bit for Duke and Lauren given that parent-child teams have not fared well on the race and their team seemed like the strongest entry of that type so far. But at least it was nice to see that their relationship was completely patched up. They probably saw the writing on the wall once they ended up choosing what had to be the least helpful local ever. It was not even clear if their "guide" paid her fair share of the cab fare to take a huge detour to be dropped off at her brother's place. Duke and Lauren were at least an hour behind the "peloton," but did get lucky that the taxi driver was willing to take what little money they had left without a fuss while the first clue box turned out to be a bunching point. That was probably the only good break they received in this leg of the race.

I had only heard a few things about the Hanoi Hilton, but seeing it on TV was a sobering experience. I cannot imagine what POWs had to endure in there. I probably would have stayed a few extra moments like the Cho Bros. They temporarily fell into last place doing that, but somehow they catapulted all the way to first by such a wide margin that they apparently even found time to clean up between making some coal bricks and the finish line. With luck and barring another brain freeze moment, they will be a force to be reckoned with the rest of the way. Go home team!

I was more worried about the coal miners. David seemed preoccupied with memories of his father telling stories about Vietnam while Mary nursed a sprained ankle. She may have to heal fast to stay in the race. I think Mary was the source of 2 of the 3 episode titles so far. I wonder if the contestants get a bonus for quote of the week.

The triathletes managed to finish pretty high despite taking the wrong bus. It was inspiring to see Mary practically crawl across a rice paddy with a defective prosthetic leg.

While watching the teams try to cross a busy street, I thought of the game Frogger just before one of the racers mentioned it. That was maybe the only "laugh out loud" moment of the evening.

Next week it looks like the tension brings some relationships to a boiling point. Can't wait.