The Amazing Race: Lookin' like a Blue-Haired Lady on a Sunday Drive

(S10E11) It's always right around this point in the season when I realize there is no way I would ever want to apply for this show. After watching the teams rappel down a building (some head first) and then race around Ukraine, I realize I'm never signing up for this race. One of the things I'm liking best about this season is that there really aren't set good guys and bad guys. Now that Peter and Sarah are gone we are left with teams that flip flop so that the ones you might be tempted to cheer for are sometimes terribly annoying and the less sympathetic ones are surprisingly charming.

Once again the teams are all evened up, this time at an airport while waiting for flights.The teams are divided up on two flights to Kiev but as so often happens one plane gets delayed and so the models and the blondes get a big jump on the competition.

Sadly what remains of the Sixpack is still in play, Lyn and Karlyn follow the Chos, becoming increasingly frustrated as they stop multiple times to ask directions. The "alliance" at this point is frayed at best. Without David and Mary around it's fairly obvious that this is not an alliance of true friendship and the Chos seems to be staying with Lyn and Karlyn out of some misplaced sense of honor.

The roadblock involves navigating a tank and Dustin and Kandice and Tyler and James seem to really enjoy the challenge (especially since Dustin wins). I love that the blondes are unafraid of playing hard. Tyler and James meet Rob and Kimberley as they leave the challenge and give them the correct directions which angers the very competitive blondes. Once again, I love how tough the blondes are but their rampant bitchiness doesn't endear them to me.

The Chos never learn. When they complete the challenge they wait for Lyn and Karlyn. But the lackadaisical driving pace of the Chos irritates Lyn and Karlyn and they finally abandon the Chos. The Chos trail them for a while and then finally decide to strike out on their own, all the while acting as if they have been mortally wounded. They are never less appealing than when they take on the role of self-defeating martyrs.

The super easy Detour involves either creating and performing a rap song or finding sheet music for an orchestra. The blondes take on the rap and are adorable, the models are equally cute at the orchestra in their tuxes. Lyn and Karlyn and Rob and Kimberley also choose the rap option. Lyn and Karlyn probably deserve the award for best rap, they seem to have the most fun with it.

Tyler and James are the first team followed by Dustin and Kandice. Once again Phil makes a comment to Dustin and Kandice about their potential to be the first female team to win the race. I suspect Phil is quite giddy at the prospect. Rob and Kimberley are third. Lyn and Karlyn are the fourth team. They seem happy to be there and hug Phil who seems to be scowling a bit. The Chos run into some trouble with the authorities and come in under the cover of darkness and are eliminated.

When the Chos give their speech on why they ran the race the way they did (integrity, honor, blah, blah, blaah), they start crying and we get a camera shot of Phil looking frankly bored. Phil's been doing this a while now and he knows what the Chos forgot. It's a race. Amazing yes, but still a damn race.