He was giving me life! And then all the rest of them systematically stole it from me. I know they want a girl to win this year, but good gravy. At least make it a fair fight. None of these boys could win a HS talent show, let alone AI.

ETA: The weird kid in the black velvet singing Rocket Man also filled me with a strange kind of joy, again not because his singing was really all that great but I was in love with the song choice and just his whole weird vibe and he brought energy to an otherwise dead night. As Mariah said, strangé.

Amazing Race: I still want to go to there. NOW

I have a new TAR RULE: you need to know HOW TO SWIM. Possibly get some quick snorkeling experience if you know you've been chosen for the show. That's now right up there with Driving Stick.

OTOH, Team Dead Ringers did try to overcome their problem together and didn't play any blame games. Admitted their mistakes in the after-interview, too.

The sad thing is, if they'd switched to the underwater assembly sooner, it would have kept them competitive, since the whole "swimming" part of the problem was eliminated.

You can tell a whole lot about these two teams by how they reacted to the underwater assembly: Team Evil Newlyweds complained about the helmets and general experience. Roller Derby Moms just loved it and had fun.

Whoever thought up the tuxedoed diver with the clue has my admiration. I'd have laughed my helmet off.

I also admired the Asian-American girlfriends' reaction to adversity -- finding the humor in the situation. They may be Type-A achievers, but they're not getting rattled by setbacks. That can take you far in a game like this.

Bad luck for the dad/son team -- if it is an ACL tear, that could be finito for them.

I was glad that my initial thought was validated -- that the underwater-with-a-box-on-your-head task would be easier for someone who was afraid of water.

Yep, also that it was not a treasure hunt task -- you'd think after the sandcastle task last episode, the teams might have learned.

Exactly. A needle-in-a-haystack task again except this time underwater. That sounds awful! I would've stayed far, far away from that task.

I think the twins went out in a very class way. Still not disliking anyone except for the newlyweds. I feel for poor cancer dad and son. Ruptured Achilles tendon? Ouch! That is a terrible way to go out. I hope if they are forced out of the competition, the show offers them a chance to come back and compete again next season (or whenever cancer dad's tendon recovers). Has anyone ever been forced out of TAR by a medical emergency before? We are 22 seasons in, so it seems like it should've happened at least once but somehow I don't think it ever has.

Yep, also that it was not a treasure hunt task -- you'd think after the sandcastle task last episode, the teams might have learned.

Now that's the truth! Especially those two guys! Poor twin doctors. I mean, at least they get to go home and still be twin doctors...

The Evil Newlyweds are the worst! I hope they are doing this on purpose to be tv characters, because living your life ascribing negative intentions to everyone else's every move must be exhausting. ("They're following us!" Um, really? You're close together and going to the same place. That's not the same thing.)

I don't do Dancing with the Stars because my watch from the hall-meter goes up way too high in the early rounds when there are tons of "celebrities" on the show who can't dance at all (I'm looking at you, Master P!) but apparently Lindsey from S9 SYTYCD is going to be a new pro on the show this season. Personally, I'd have gone with Witney instead. Firecracker! Ah, well.

The Evil Newlyweds are the worst! I hope they are doing this on purpose to be tv characters

They keep acting like they're in a spy movie. Relax, people.

I'm glad the twins at least tried the task. I really thought they were going to give up in the beginning, which is just so wrong. It's Amazing Race! What's with all the people happily taking penalties this season?

I love the hockey players. They must be total hell-raisers during games.

I really thought they were going to give up in the beginning, which is just so wrong. It's Amazing Race! What's with all the people happily taking penalties this season?

Yeah, I was like "seriously boys? Come ON!"

I also would be bitter if I'd been on last seasons' slog through the heat and humidity of the third world dealing with like, rats and construction, and saw these folks getting to do fun shit in Bora Bora! Man.