France has reputation for being the land of lovers. On this episode of The Amazing Race, that certainly wasn’t the case. The teams headed to Paris this leg and fractures began to appear or grow wider within some of the teams. Most notably on the front runners, Justin and Diana. Diana who has been virtually silent for most of The Amazing Race emerged with a lot to say in leg six. Most of it was negative and directed at Justin. I can’t say I blame her.
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Start Off Running (or Jumping)
A Roadblock opens this leg of the race. I’m sorry, it’s more accurate to say an extended commercial for FitBit opens this leg of the race. One member of the team has to jump off a bridge (with a bungee cord) and measure their heart rate reading on their FitBit. They must record the heart rate on a card and continue to do so for every obstacle. FitBit likes their product placement persistent and awkward.
There’s no challenge, unless you count fears, in this opening Roadblock. All teams have to wait until the next morning to start jumping. Meaning, they all get to catch up to one another. It’s all one long, meaty and drama-free commercial for FitBit. From this Roadblock, all teams get onto a plane and fly to Paris, France.
Logan and Chris Lose It Once More
Once the teams touch down, the pack of teams gets separated. Justin and Diana get on the first train out and make their way to their next Roadblock. Here, one person has to board a plane and fly around looking for the motto of the French Republic which is written on the earth, in various locations, miles underneath them. Yup, it’s another sightseeing challenge from the air. I guess it’s a nice way to show off the landscapes but is it mind-numbingly easy.
None of the teams really have any problems with finding their words. Well, that is expect for the pair of human disasters, Logan and Chris. They do their “Logan and Chris thing.” Logan misses the final word of the motto, so they proceed to alternate between crying, yelling at one another, and my personal favorite, telling each other to shut up. Sometimes they get really ambitious and do all three at the same time. I love these hot messes.
Justin and Diana Begin to Bicker
Anyway, the more competent teams make their way to the Detour. There they have to choose between rapping in French and cracking open and displaying some seafood. Justin and Diana are way out in front. At this point in the race, continually being around Justin has taken a toll on Diana. The two are constantly bickering the entire way. Diana is vehemently opposed to rapping but Justin pressures her into it and then gets all annoying about it. There’s nothing specific to point out but just a general “Justin-ness.”
Anyway it sort of works for them because they finish their Detour before any of the other teams arrive. They start to make their way to the Pit Stop, the famous Arc de Triomphe. In other words, the Parisian landmark that isn’t the Eiffel Tower.
The Detour is mainly significant for the other teams because it finally separates them. The majority of the teams have been in a big disgusting clump the entire race. There is not much else too significant that happens. Tanner and Josh falter a bit in cracking open their seafood. They fall into the middle of the pack. Chacattack has trouble finding the Pit Stop and do the same. Tiffany and Krista are actually good at something and finish the rap quickly. Eventually (spoiler alert) they end up in second place. This is probably the first and last time that will happen.
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The End (Kind Of)
Mainly this last section of this Paris leg is a story about who can fail more. Logan and Chris finally make it to the Detour clue but are still behind. Denise and James Earl can’t even find the location of either Detour. As Denise and James Earl sweat, fret and lose precious time, Logan and Chris make up time.
Thankfully, Denise and James Earl make their way to the rapping challenge. I say thankfully, because I never knew how much I needed the whitest woman alive, Denise, rapping in French in my life before now. Denise rapping is not as much of a disaster as Logan and Chris doing … pretty much anything, but it’s close enough. The Amazing Race has made me realize I might be a bit of a sadist…
All this tension about who is going to come in last goes away though once Justin and Diana reach the Pit Stop. The teams are still racing after this leg and must keep going. Denise and James Earl come in last but they aren’t eliminated. We have to presume that though.
We don’t know for sure because there is a “To be Continued” text shown while Denise is trying to rap. You’d think if this was their last moment on The Amazing Race the episode would’ve ended with Phil showing up like a vaguely Australian deleted character from Old Yeller. Instead we are treated to dramatic freeze frame.
The Amazing Race airs Fridays at 8pm on CBS
(Images courtesy of CBS)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Derek is a Philadelphia based writer and unabashed TV and comic book junkie. The time he doesn’t spend over analyzing all things nerdy he is working on his resume to be the liaison to the Justice League.
