The Amazing Race is back after a few weeks’ hiatus and the absence has definitely made the heart grow … ambivalent. While I definitely missed The Amazing Race for a little bit, the return reminded me that I really don’t care about the majority of the teams this season. I don’t hate them, I just don’t feel anything for them. Leg 6 didn’t really solve that problem but it did provide an actually compelling leg of the race with real competition. This stands in stark contrast to the two legs that proceeded it.
The Janitor Leads the Way
The teams jet off to Armenia. I’d make fun of the teams ignorance about where Armenia is located but to be honest, I have no idea where Armenia is either. After seeing the map of their trip, I’m still not 100% sure.
Once the teams touch down they must wait till the next morning to get their tickets to go inside an opera house where there next clue is hidden. The word “hidden” turns out to be a misdirection. It is not so much hidden as in the hands of a janitor who looks like every creepy janitor seen in a children’s cartoon.
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This clue shouldn’t be as hard to find as it is, but for some teams it is damn near impossible. It is not surprising that Blair and Scott have a problem with it because it is Blair and Scott. Tyler and Korey’s ineptitude is a little bit shocking because how dominant they have been so far. Though I really can’t blame any of the teams for not approaching this janitor because again he is the stuff of childhood nightmares.
Bread Cooking Mama
From the opera house, the teams must head to the Detour. It is a choice between “Bread” and “Thread.” In “Thread,” the teams must complete one row of a very intricate rug. There is a lot sewing involved and ton of intricacy to the technique. It makes me frustrated just watching it. As for “Bread,” you’ll never believe that the task involves the teams make 15 pieces of very flat Armenian bread.
“Thread,” as mentioned, is kind of tedious to watch and it probably is to do. The highlight here is “Bread” for no other reason than the one woman who works at the bakery. She is conservatively 400 pounds and about half of that is breast weight. She is also shown chowing down on the bread several times. (I love this woman more than any of the teams this season. Give me a reality show spin-off in this Armenian bakery CBS!)
From the Detour, the teams must get on a bus that leads to the Roadblock. All of the buses are full of middle age woman and they are all having the time of their lives. (Not to sound racist against Armenians, but these women have to be related to the lady at the bakery. I love them all equally. They can be supporting characters in the spin-off!)
Routine Oil Change
At the Roadblock the teams must change the oil filter on a taxi. There is not a single thing about this Roadblock that is specific to Armenia but whatever. It is sort of interesting, if very, very messy. This Roadblock is especially competitive (for a hot second) because of the fact that an Express Pass is up for grabs for the winner of this leg. Though Sheri and Cole have impressively jumped from last to second place, they don’t finish first. It is, once again, Brodie and Kurt who finish first and make their way to the Pit Stop.
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Once Brodie and Kurt have gone though this Roadblock, it stops being a competition. This becomes yet another Roadblock where the teams hold hands and complete the challenge together. Burnie is jumping around helping other teams which is nice. Scott is offering advice, this is also nice. Matt helps Tyler …. I think. To be honest, Matt is probably just dragging out time to not be around Dana so he can go five seconds without being yelled at for being an incompetent boob. It doesn’t make this part any less boring though.
Sheri’s Weepy Repair Shop
Then there is Sheri who slips from second to third to fifth to, well, you get the picture. Sheri apparently didn’t learn the lesson of righty-tighty and lefty-loosie. She keeps tightening something that should be loosened. This does admittedly make Sheri look like an idiot but she is so sweet. Sheri spends the whole time crying too so it is hard not to feel bad for her.
It is especially hard to root against them because Cole is so sweet and nice to his mother throughout the whole thing too. Cole is still incredibly loud 75% of the time, but this incident might just make them my favorite team on the race this season. Well, favorite and one of only three likable teams is about the same thing.
While the blunder is eventually corrected, it does cost them. Sheri and Cole come in last place right behind Tyler and Korey. They are, however, not eliminated and get to keep racing in the next leg which begins immediately. So here’s fingers crossed that the Speed Bump doesn’t pretty much immediately eliminate them anyway which tends to almost always happen with saved teams.
The Amazing Race season 28 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.
