The second-to-last The Amazing Race of season 27 was marketed as an exciting leg with a shocking ending. While marketing is almost filled with hyperbole and exaggeration to boost ratings, in this instance The Amazing Race was absolutely correct. “It’s Not Easy Beating Green” was easily the most exciting episode of the season. As the name suggests, the episode centered all around the majority of the teams trying to oust the dreaded Justin and Diana before the finale. It doesn’t sound much different than other episodes but here they got closer than ever before.
Quick Detour
The teams head to Hong Kong and almost immediately have to commit to a choice of Detour. They have a choice of “Sam’s” or “Cells.” In “Sam’s,” the teams work with a famous tailor and cut out pieces of a suit jacket. Once completed, they must deliver a completed jacket back to the tailor. In “Cells,” the teams must find a specific cell phone in a crap ton of baskets of used cell phones. Once they locate the right one, they must listen to a message. The message will tell them the address of where they must deliver the phone.
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Justin and Diana choose “Cells,” while the other three teams go to Sam’s. At Sam’s, no one but Tiffany and Krista understand how to cut fabric. Logan is under the impression that suit fabric is so thick that industrial scissors couldn’t possibly cut through two layers. Chris disagrees. For once, Chris is right but Logan doesn’t listen. Tiffany and Krista do know this fact and finish first. Chris then proceeds to never let Logan forget that he was right for once in his miserable whining life.
A Series of (Un)fortunate Events
This mistake is the small potatoes to what Justin and Diana do. They find the phone that they need almost immediately and get into a cab to go to the store. This is a huge mistake because the store they need is literally within walking distance of the Roadblock. So Justin and Diana ride around in cab for a good 30 minutes
Justin is incredibly rude to the cab driver but it’s “fine” because the driver doesn’t understand English. Scowls and yelling like a jerk is apparently not a universal language. When Diana points out how terrible Justin is being, he turns his “non-rude” behavior onto her. Justin accuses her of treating him unfairly. Ah, young love…
When Justin and Diana eventually find the store, all of the other teams have finished their tasks and make their way to the Roadblock. There, the teams must take a ferry to the Roadblock where one member will compete in some kind of Hong Kong version of Cirque Du Soleil.
Justin and Diana go to a different ferry than the one mentioned on their clue. Justin continues to be rude and obnoxious to the people selling tickets. These women speak English, so I’m not sure what Justin’s excuse would be in justifying his gross behavior. It would probably be Diana’s fault in some way.
The Most Intense Swim in History
Anyway, all the other teams make it to the Roadblock together and on the right ferry. The designated team member dresses up in the performing group outfit. They then enter a large pool, jump off an amazing looking pirate ship and dive in to find a fish at the bottom of the pool. Logan and Kelsey (who are participating for their partners) find the fish relatively easily. Krista, does not, at all.
From the Roadblock, the teams go to the Pit Stop. So it’s a race between Logan and Chris and Kelsey and Joey for first place. Miraculously, Logan and Chris are the winning team. Kelsey and Joey can’t even beat Logan and Chris for first place. They come in second, yet again.
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Drowning (in Tears and Water)
Krista still struggles to find her fish. So much so, that Diana and Justin arrive before she is done. Diana volunteers for the Roadblock but it’s a not a duel between Krista and Diana. It’s between Krista and Justin for who can cry more. Justin cries because this is “his” challenge and stupid Diana has panic attacks sometimes. Krista cries because she sucks hard at this whole thing. To Justin’s surprise, Diana doesn’t suck as bad as he thought she would and they leave while Krista is still looking for the fish.
Lest you think, Tiffany and Krista are out of this, don’t worry. Justin and Diana incur a penalty for taking the wrong ferry and it’s hefty one. They get the customary 30 minute penalty for not reading their clue and extra 25 minute penalty because the ferry they used was so much closer. Justin’s tears of devastation are so sweet and nutritious, I can see them sustaining me for a few days, at least.
While Justin bawls like the man-child that he is, Tiffany and Krista find their fish. Sadly the taxi driver takes the girls to the wrong location. As result, they don’t make it in time. Justin and Diana come in third. They will be moving onto the finale.
Tiffany and Krista come in last and are eliminated. In the words of the iconic reality TV drama queen, Tyra Banks: “I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE YELLED AT A GIRL LIKE THIS! WHEN MY MOTHER YELLS LIKE THIS IT’S BECAUSE SHE LOVES ME! I WAS ROOTING FOR YOU, WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU! HOW DARE YOU?!”
The Amazing Race airs Fridays at 8pm on CBS
(Image 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.
