# Amazing Race -- OAD 2/20/11



## PKurmas (Apr 24, 2001)

I'm looking forward to seeing how the first legs ends. Nothing particularly special to see in the 1st episode in HD, though.

My biggest "d'oh" observations from the leg:
1. OK, so I'm a trivia fan, but how tough really is it to come up with QANTAS from "Queensland and Northern Territory Air Service"?
2. Mallory, you don't need divine intervention to read signal flags.
3. Jet and Cord picked right back up where they left off making foolish moves, failing to read (or translate) clues, etc. I was rooting for them to last a long time but I don't think it's going to happen.
4. The Globetrotters are still a hoot. Here's hoping that a challenge doesn't ask them to read (or spell) Nietzsche. Of course, Luke did no better with Chekhov, as I recall.


----------



## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

What was up with Jet & Cord? Translate *ALL* the flags! I think they are freaked out about being last so they're in too much of a hurry to do things right.


----------



## Maui (Apr 22, 2000)

loubob57 said:


> What was up with Jet & Cord? Translate *ALL* the flags! I think they are freaked out about being last so they're in too much of a hurry to do things right.


I think you are right. This was the weakest I remember seeing them. I think they are just trying to rush because they are in last. I really want to see them do well.

I don't know half the teams since I just started watching a few seasons ago. I always did like Mallory and her dad. I don't think they are that strong of a team actually but I was still happy to see them come in first.

In Jet and Cords defense there were, I think, 4 other teams who did not fully, or correctly, translate those flags. Those teams were just lucky enough to get other teams to tell the answer to them.


----------



## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

Great starting leg, so far. Makes me excited about the Race again. I skipped a couple of races altogether, and finally watched last one again. Looking forward to this one.

But as always with these types of things, I gotta wonder how they decided on what teams to include.


----------



## gossamer88 (Jul 27, 2005)

Maui said:


> In Jet and Cords defense there were, I think, 4 other teams who did not fully, or correctly, translate those flags. Those teams were just lucky enough to get other teams to tell the answer to them.


I agree. No way some those teams would've figured it out for themselves. There should be a rule about giving others the answers.

Something tells me that this leg is a non-elimination leg since it continues on. I hope for the cowboys sake.


----------



## fmowry (Apr 30, 2002)

gossamer88 said:


> I agree. No way some those teams would've figured it out for themselves. There should be a rule about giving others the answers.
> 
> Something tells me that this leg is a non-elimination leg since it continues on. I hope for the cowboys sake.


While I like the Cowboys, if you're that dumb (this goes for the other teams too that couldn't do a 6 year old Happy Meal puzzle) you should be eliminated.


----------



## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

So I've only watched these last 4 seasons....has the order of the 1st and 2nd planes ever gotten reversed like this before due to health issues, mechanical problems, etc? That was pretty cool! 

They are really making it tough on these guys-no rest for the weary-but like Phil said, second chances don't come cheap...

Those cheerleaders---they said that people either loved them or hated them-well, 5 seconds in I hated them-and their super-fake red hair! 

I am looking forward to seeing what happens-hope the Globetrotters stay in for a while, loved how Zev and Dustin had Globetrotters shirts on! LOL!


----------



## TiVo'Brien (Feb 8, 2002)

Regina said:


> .........I am looking forward to seeing what happens-hope the Globetrotters stay in for a while, loved how Zev and Dustin had Globetrotters shirts on! LOL!


So WHY were Zev and Dustin wearing Globetrotters shirts? I totally didn't get it. 

Love the HD, baby! Amazing camera work and scenery! :up:


----------



## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

There's no "U" in Qantas.

So a passenger has a heart attack on the plane, and some of the racers are more concerned about where they fit in the race. Yes, you can naturally think about that in your mind, but you don't say it to television cameras. 

The teams and/or racers that were annoying to watch before are, as expected, still annoying.

What does Mallory do for a job? Does she sit there all day praying to St. Anthony or Jesus when she can't figure something out?


----------



## brott (Feb 23, 2001)

ElJay said:


> So a passenger has a heart attack on the plane, and some of the racers are more concerned about where they fit in the race. Yes, you can naturally think about that in your mind, but you don't say it to television cameras.


You do realize they were delayed for at least 2 hours and what we saw was a tiny snippet. That may have been the only 2 seconds that it was said over that entire 2+ hour ordeal. I'm sure they all said "I hope the guy's OK" many times over but that we didn't see it.


----------



## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

brott said:


> You do realize they were delayed for at least 2 hours and what we saw was a tiny snippet. That may have been the only 2 seconds that it was said over that entire 2+ hour ordeal. I'm sure they all said "I hope the guy's OK" many times over but that we didn't see it.


One of the racers-can't remember which-said "The most important thing is that the guy is fine.."


----------



## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

TiVo'Brien said:


> So WHY were Zev and Dustin wearing Globetrotters shirts? I totally didn't get it.
> 
> Love the HD, baby! Amazing camera work and scenery! :up:


Well, they did say "The Globetrotters are our boys-we ran with them the first time around.." And they did help Flight Time & Big Easy with the flags, so I guess they are BFFs now!


----------



## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

TiVo'Brien said:


> So WHY were Zev and Dustin wearing Globetrotters shirts? I totally didn't get it.


Justin. 

They came from the same season and were friends.

I couldn't believe how many of those teams expected, and were given, the flag answer from the other teams. People, you are in a RACE for a million dollars!


----------



## brott (Feb 23, 2001)

Strategy ... Rub my back, I'll rub yours later. Plus you could help remove a potentially strong team in the process. While the ultimate goal is to with a million dollars, the immediate goal is to not come in last at any leg. Any little edge helps and working together early can pay dividends later.


----------



## Einselen (Apr 25, 2006)

laria said:


> I couldn't believe how many of those teams expected, and were given, the flag answer from the other teams. People, you are in a RACE for a million dollars!


I liked the teams that worked together at the flags, that is a smart move since you cut your time in half. One person is working on the passphrase while the other person is working on the location.

The teams that just went and gave the answers confuse me. Sure they may help you out down the road and you think you may be able to beat them in a later leg but in TAR I wouldn't count on much, it is mainly you and your partner that will either win it or lose it for yourself.


----------



## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

There's a difference between "working together" and "standing around expecting someone to hand you the answer" though.


----------



## Sapphire (Sep 10, 2002)

My interest in the race is renewed, especially since it's in HD! 

They're still going to have pit stops where they gather everyone right? The race would be boring if everyone was split up across different legs.


----------



## markz (Oct 22, 2002)

Regina said:


> So I've only watched these last 4 seasons....has the order of the 1st and 2nd planes ever gotten reversed like this before due to health issues, mechanical problems, etc? That was pretty cool!


I think I remember one time a plane had mechanical issues and the second plane got ahead of it.

Looks like Jet & Cord aren't long for this race. Too bad. I am rooting for them and the Globetrotters.

I had to laugh at Kent & Vyxsin. When they were trying to get to Manly Bay, he was flexing for the camera and she said he should fit right in! Whatever, there is not one manly thing about him.


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

Yes, there have been plane/mechanical/weather problems that have changed the order in previous seasons. 

Jet and Cord... sigh. Not a good start for the cowboys! But, the Trotters seem to be in good opening form. I do wonder if the reaction to the passenger heart attack was edited to make them look good. 

Glad to have TAR back, and in HD to boot. Though I hope the HD production doesn't limit the destinations this season...


----------



## jtlytle (May 17, 2005)

I'm praying LaKisha and Jennifer got elimination on next leg!


----------



## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

HD! That is all!


----------



## TonyTheTiger (Dec 22, 2006)

Love the HD. If any show needed to be in HD, it's this one. After all, it's one big travel brochure!!

There were at least three other teams that would still be floundering around trying to get the flag puzzle including the Globetrotters if they weren't given the answer.

There's nothing in the rules that says one team can't help another. I just hope when it comes down to the wire, some of them will remember the kindness of others, but somehow I doubt it.


----------



## pmyers (Jan 4, 2001)

I didn't get the Quantas annogram, but I would have been paying attention to what everybody else was doing and If I saw all of them go up at the same time, I would just bring anything up with me and then just overhear what they were all saying!


----------



## VegasVic (Nov 22, 2002)

Raj said:


> They're still going to have pit stops where they gather everyone right? The race would be boring if everyone was split up across different legs.


Yes they are. There have been "to be continued" legs other seasons. Next week we should settle into the usual routine. As has been discussed for other seasons they have to have bunch ups or "equalizers" to keep the teams close (and to keep viewer interest of course). You have to look at it as 12 mini races as opposed to one long race.


----------



## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

markz said:


> I had to laugh at Kent & Vyxsin. When they were trying to get to Manly Bay, he was flexing for the camera and she said he should fit right in! Whatever, there is not one manly thing about him.


Speaking of him, I noticed that he changed his name.  Last time he was "Kynt".


----------



## jbernardis (Oct 22, 2003)

Regina said:


> One of the racers-can't remember which-said "The most important thing is that the guy is fine.."


It was one of the globetrotters - Don't know which one.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

laria said:


> Speaking of him, I noticed that he changed his name. Last time he was "Kynt".


Well, I guess that 'e' is a better choice than a different vowel...


----------



## ElJay (Apr 6, 2005)

brott said:


> You do realize they were delayed for at least 2 hours and what we saw was a tiny snippet. That may have been the only 2 seconds that it was said over that entire 2+ hour ordeal. I'm sure they all said "I hope the guy's OK" many times over but that we didn't see it.


Sure, that's why you just don't say it at all when a TV camera is in your face.


----------



## Ruth (Jul 31, 2001)

Every time Kent & Vyxsin are on screen all I do is wonder if they are for real or it's just some weird joke they are playing on the TV audience.

Was I just confused, or did the _second_ team to arrive get a U-Turn extra task thing? That seemed weird to me. Why penalize the second team? And why wouldn't they just wait and not check in and give it to the next team to arrive? Better to be third with no extra task, I think.


----------



## wendiness1 (Jul 29, 2005)

While I can see the logic in buddying up to another team but giving them the answer, it's risky because, at the same time, you alienate other teams and they might well be the ones you need help from in the future.

I wonder why several teams all missed the "between". It's not like a single letter. And yet, what, three teams missed it?

I wonder which teams were considered to repeat but were unvailable, uninterested or had status changes that would have affected their participation. I doubt the collection we see in this episode were all first choices.

Interesting that this time the last team ws not eliminated but was instead has to complete both tasks. Basically, this is what happens on a non-elim episode but isn't being identified as such. I wonder if the producers recognized that bumping out a team immeidately was a bit harsh and the first episode should offer a bit of slack. Or if the teams, now experienced, wouldn't participate if there was a first round elimination.


----------



## MNoelH (Mar 17, 2005)

Ruth said:


> Every time Kent & Vyxsin are on screen all I do is wonder if they are for real or it's just some weird joke they are playing on the TV audience.
> 
> Was I just confused, or did the _second_ team to arrive get a U-Turn extra task thing? That seemed weird to me. Why penalize the second team? And why wouldn't they just wait and not check in and give it to the next team to arrive? Better to be third with no extra task, I think.


They were the last team to complete the first task (Qantas) which resulted in them receiving the U-turn. It had nothing to do with the timing of their arrival on the mat.


----------



## IJustLikeTivo (Oct 3, 2001)

wendiness1 said:


> While I can see the logic in buddying up to another team but giving them the answer, it's risky because, at the same time, you alienate other teams and they might well be the ones you need help from in the future.
> 
> I wonder why several teams all missed the "between". It's not like a single letter. And yet, what, three teams missed it?
> 
> ...


1. Work together is fine, each takes half combine. Be an idiot, pray someone helps, not fine.

2. How hard is it to figure out QANTUS. It the first letter of each freaking word.

3. Between the devil and the deep blue see is a pretty famous expression for being in a quandary.

4. Jet and Cord are acting like idiots so far. Too bad, I like them. Mostly, as long as the cheerleaders or margie and luke lose, I'm fine with any of them.


----------



## Maui (Apr 22, 2000)

Ruth said:


> Every time Kent & Vyxsin are on screen all I do is wonder if they are for real or it's just some weird joke they are playing on the TV audience.
> 
> Was I just confused, or did the _second_ team to arrive get a U-Turn extra task thing? That seemed weird to me. Why penalize the second team? And why wouldn't they just wait and not check in and give it to the next team to arrive? Better to be third with no extra task, I think.


They got the U-turn because they were the last team to finish the very first task (the Qantas flag). That was stated as the penalty before the race even started. They finished second because of the plane issues and Phil was just reminding them that they still had that u-turn coming up.


----------



## stellie93 (Feb 25, 2006)

They got the U turn because they were the last one to bring in the flag at the start. It just hadn't happened yet in the first half of the 2 show leg, so Phil was reminding them that it was still coming up. Luckily for them the plane thing happened so they came in second even tho they started last.

Whoops--way too slow on that.....


----------



## wendiness1 (Jul 29, 2005)

Wait a minute . . . did a team get eliminated last night?


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

IJustLikeTivo said:


> 2. How hard is it to figure out QANTUS. It the first letter of each freaking word.


Um...just what do you think the next-to-last word is? "Underwater"? (How easy did you say it was again?)


----------



## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

wendiness1 said:


> Wait a minute . . . did a team get eliminated last night?


No

The first leg isn't over yet. To Be Continued ...


----------



## wendiness1 (Jul 29, 2005)

loubob57 said:


> No
> 
> The first leg isn't over yet. To Be Continued ...


Aaaaah. Sneaky way to have a non-elim without calling it that.


----------



## TomK (May 22, 2001)

Yes but technically they're still racing on leg #1. Phil needed more camera time I guess on this first leg.


----------



## Ruth (Jul 31, 2001)

Oh, that U-turn thing makes a lot more sense now! Thanks for clearing that up for me.


----------



## janry (Jan 2, 2003)

Regina said:


> Those cheerleaders---they said that people either loved them or hated them...


Yep. My wife hates them.

I love them.


----------



## trainman (Jan 29, 2001)

laria said:


> Speaking of him, I noticed that he changed his name.  Last time he was "Kynt".


Noticed that, and with the revelation that his father had recently passed away, I wondered if he was actually "Kent, Junior" and went back to using the real spelling as a tribute.



Ruth said:


> Every time Kent & Vyxsin are on screen all I do is wonder if they are for real or it's just some weird joke they are playing on the TV audience.


I remember looking Vyxsin up when they first appeared, and she seemed to have been a reasonably well-known personality in the Goth community even before TAR -- so if it's a joke, it's being played on the entire world.


----------



## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

trainman said:


> Noticed that, and with the revelation that his father had recently passed away, I wondered if he was actually "Kent, Junior" and went back to using the real spelling as a tribute.


Some googling indicates that he is not Kent Jr... his dad's name was Bill. But "Kent Kaliber" was his birth name, and he changed it back to that from "Kynt Cothron".


----------



## Jstkiddn (Oct 15, 2003)

Regina said:


> Those cheerleaders---they said that people either loved them or hated them-well, 5 seconds in I hated them-and their super-fake red hair!


I don't know their names but there is one of them that looks like a tranny.


----------



## IJustLikeTivo (Oct 3, 2001)

Amnesia said:


> Um...just what do you think the next-to-last word is? "Underwater"? (How easy did you say it was again?)


LOL. OK, So shoot me, I screwed up the spelling. OTOH, had you asked me what Qantas stood for, I knew that. Long before this show. The benefits of being an airplane geek.


----------



## IJustLikeTivo (Oct 3, 2001)

TomK said:


> Yes but technically they're still racing on leg #1. Phil needed more camera time I guess on this first leg.


They've done that a few times. I have no idea why. Last time I recall it was in India but they've probably done it since then.


----------



## IJustLikeTivo (Oct 3, 2001)

janry said:


> Yep. My wife hates them.
> 
> I love them.


Your wife is smart. Listen to her. Good advice in general, not just on TAR.


----------



## Jstkiddn (Oct 15, 2003)

I never noticed what "Qantas" stood for. 

Not sure about everyone else, but when the clue stated it was an Aussie airline, I immediately thought of Qantas because of those old commercials with the Koala. 

Guess I'm showing my age, huh?


----------



## TriBruin (Dec 10, 2003)

loubob57 said:


> No
> 
> The first leg isn't over yet. To Be Continued ...


I'm not sure that was a Pit Stop or not. Mallory specifically mentioned "Pit Stop" when reading the clue. It is possible that she paraphrased and Pit Stop was not actually mentioned in the clue.


----------



## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

It was a Pit Stop, in that the first place team got he Express Pass.


----------



## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

Thanks to all for the info about the delay of planes in earlier seasons...like I said, I have only been watching for the last 3 or 4 seasons-but OMG is this show hee-larious at times!


----------



## TriBruin (Dec 10, 2003)

eddyj said:


> It was a Pit Stop, in that the first place team got he Express Pass.


So either the cowboys are eliminated or this was one the non-elimination leg. Would the producers really have a non-elimination leg this early?


----------



## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

I'm guessing the cowboys are gone.


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

Qantas is the only Australian airline I would have known, so it would have been easy for me (even with just the "Queensland and Northern Territories" part!).

I can't stand the cheerleaders...not in a "get them off my screen" way, but just in a "they're a pain to watch" way. Sorry, they don't "do it for me", but I assume they're there for just the scenery for male viewers.

As a guy, "cheerleaders" don't work for all straight men, believe it or not.


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

Regina said:


> Thanks to all for the info about the delay of planes in earlier seasons...like I said, I have only been watching for the last 3 or 4 seasons-but OMG is this show hee-larious at times!


What was your first season? Do you remember?


----------



## rjay717 (Nov 18, 2005)

TriBruin said:


> So either the cowboys are eliminated or this was one the non-elimination leg. Would the producers really have a non-elimination leg this early?


Or it is a leg that is simply ongoing and they are taking 2 episodes to show all of it, as has been done in at least one previous season.


----------



## spikedavis (Nov 23, 2003)

Ok-did no one else see Kynt smack that Aussie Finish Line guy's ass as he ran away? It's worth re-watching to see the guys expression!


----------



## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

spikedavis said:


> Ok-did no one else see Kynt smack that Aussie Finish Line guy's ass as he ran away? It's worth re-watching to see the guys expression!


 I missed that!


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

IJustLikeTivo said:


> 2. How hard is it to figure out QANTUS. It the first letter of each freaking word.


WHOOP.. WHOOOP

Irony alert.

WHOOP WHOOP.


----------



## Andrew_S (Nov 12, 2001)

spikedavis said:


> Ok-did no one else see Kynt smack that Aussie Finish Line guy's ass as he ran away? It's worth re-watching to see the guys expression!


The only way that couple is "dating" is if one of them is a transexual. I can't believe the ruse is still in place from the last time they were on the show.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Jstkiddn said:


> Not sure about everyone else, but when the clue stated it was an Aussie airline, I immediately thought of Qantas because of those old commercials with the Koala.
> 
> Guess I'm showing my age, huh?


It's the ooooooonly way to fly... with Jim Bakkus.


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Darn, I thought the poker girls were going to be back.. bummer.


----------



## TriBruin (Dec 10, 2003)

rjay717 said:


> Or it is a leg that is simply ongoing and they are taking 2 episodes to show all of it, as has been done in at least one previous season.


Nope. As mentioned above, the clue specifically called it (via Mallory's reading) a Pit Stop. In addition, Gary & Mallory were awarded the pass for finishing first in this leg of the race (although they didn't get any other prize)

In previous seasons, when the had Phil tell the teams that they were still racing, the clue very tellingly did not tell the teams to go to the Pit Stop. They would say "find Phil" or something else vague.


----------



## Ruth (Jul 31, 2001)

trainman said:


> I remember looking Vyxsin up when they first appeared, and she seemed to have been a reasonably well-known personality in the Goth community even before TAR -- so if it's a joke, it's being played on the entire world.


Not so much "are they really goths" as much as "are they really a dating couple having a romantic relationship."


----------



## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

Ruth said:


> Not so much "are they really goths" as much as "are they really a dating couple having a romantic relationship."


I think I remember reading back in their first season that they were both bi, but I haven't been able to find anything that says that in a quick google that I did this morning.


----------



## jradosh (Jul 31, 2001)

Finally watched. I'm loving the HD and I'm so glad the show's back. I don't even mind the return of the contestants (I'm so glad they didn't think Boston Rob needed a second chance  )

But I'm hating the cheating (er... "helping") that's going on.  I understand why it's being done strategically, but I think it should be against the rules.

Yay... it's back!!!


----------



## alyssa (Dec 7, 2003)

TriBruin said:


> So either the cowboys are eliminated or this was one the non-elimination leg. Would the producers really have a non-elimination leg this early?


I was thinking, the producers most likely had a pit stop at the end of the first leg but they decided to run legs 1 & 2 together so that;
the popular cowboys wouldn't get eliminated
to make up for the unfortunate plane delay for all the top teams


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

jradosh said:


> Finally watched. I'm loving the HD and I'm so glad the show's back. I don't even mind the return of the contestants (I'm so glad they didn't think Boston Rob needed a second chance  )


Nope, thankfully, he's busy over on Wednesday nights. (Even CBS wouldn't run him on both shows in the same season...would they? Would they?  )

Again, I actually didn't mind Rob on TAR, but he's already been on twice. 



alyssa said:


> I was thinking, the producers most likely had a pit stop at the end of the first leg but they decided to run legs 1 & 2 together so that;
> the popular cowboys wouldn't get eliminated
> to make up for the unfortunate plane delay for all the top teams


We've been through this before...the show can't manipulate the structure of how it works on the fly to favor one team or another, so it has nothing to do with the cowboys or "overcoming" the plane delay.

No, for whatever reason, it was set up that way...and they certainly did enough other changes to the opening leg this season to shake things up.


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

Ruth said:


> Not so much "are they really goths" as much as "are they really a dating couple having a romantic relationship."


Ambiguous dating couples are a TAR tradition, going back to Hellboy and Rebecca.


----------



## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

Inundated said:


> We've been through this before...the show can't manipulate the structure of how it works on the fly to favor one team or another, so it has nothing to do with the cowboys or "overcoming" the plane delay.


I'm sure that's what they want us to think. Color me unconvinced.


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

TiVo'Brien said:


> ...Love the HD, baby! Amazing camera work and scenery! :up:


This x1,000!!


----------



## goblue97 (May 12, 2005)

jradosh said:


> I don't even mind the return of the contestants (I'm so glad they didn't think Boston Rob needed a second chance  )


I think a team of Rob and Russell would have been TV gold.


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

heySkippy said:


> I'm sure that's what they want us to think. Color me unconvinced.


I'm pretty sure they can't do that, legally.

Imagine that someone is spared from elimination by last minute adjustments to the show, and then, they beat your team out later. Wouldn't you have a nice, juicy, million-dollar lawsuit against CBS and TAR?

How could they pull this off without trouble?


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

goblue97 said:


> I think a team of Rob and Russell would have been TV gold.


And I'm sure they are right now...on Survivor, Wednesday nights on CBS.

I was willing to deal with Rob on TAR, and he has a history now, but don't turn TAR into "Survivor: World".


----------



## Regina (Mar 30, 2003)

Inundated said:


> What was your first season? Do you remember?


They all blend together for me, but the thing I remember most from the first season I watched was the couple who searched and searched for the "bag of money" in the field with their "compass" that the husband had brought along. They were supposed to count the steps and she kept saying "I think we're supposed to count the steps.." and he kept saying "That's only if you don't have a compass.." I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe!  (Mainly because I have absolutely no sense of direction and know for sure I could NEVER run this race! )


----------



## bryhamm (Jun 30, 2004)

Inundated said:


> I'm pretty sure they can't do that, legally.
> 
> Imagine that someone is spared from elimination by last minute adjustments to the show, and then, they beat your team out later. Wouldn't you have a nice, juicy, million-dollar lawsuit against CBS and TAR?
> 
> How could they pull this off without trouble?


Is the show technically classified as a game show or as a reality show? If it's a game show, you are correct. If it is a reality show, I think they can do whatever they want.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

bryhamm said:


> Is the show technically classified as a game show or as a reality show? If it's a game show, you are correct. If it is a reality show, I think they can do whatever they want.


I don't know about that. In his blog, Jeff Probst keeps harping on the fact that the producers of _Survivor_ can't do anything to affect the outcome of the challenges because of various game-show laws. It would seem like those must apply to _TAR_ as well.


----------



## markz (Oct 22, 2002)

TriBruin said:


> Nope. As mentioned above, the clue specifically called it (via Mallory's reading) a Pit Stop. In addition, Gary & Mallory were awarded the pass for finishing first in this leg of the race (although they didn't get any other prize)
> 
> In previous seasons, when the had Phil tell the teams that they were still racing, the clue very tellingly did not tell the teams to go to the Pit Stop. They would say "find Phil" or something else vague.


Phil's voiceover also called it the pitstop.


----------



## robojerk (Jun 13, 2006)

The show revolves around entertaining the viewers, if manipulating the race serves this purpose then I think they can get away with whatever they want. If changing a leg from elimination to a 2 part leg, it changes the race for every team and not just giving one team an advantage.

The odds that a 'favorite' team would recover is high if they did indeed change the race structure, however it doesn't guarantee anything, as that team would actually have to catch up and recover. It's a sneaky move for our benefit, and I think the contracts the contestants signed allow the producers to do it.

I'm not saying this leg of the race is being manipulated, although there have been times I have thought this in the past, I'm just saying I think the show allows this. I do however support dialog if we feel like there was manipulation, as we want a clean fair race.


----------



## InterMurph (May 22, 2003)

The best moment of the episode: when Phil tells Kent and Vyxsin that they are still racing, they take off, and Kent smacks the Australian hunk on the ass. I missed it, but my wife saw it. It's definitely worth a rewind!

PS I remember Jet & Cord as good competitors who made it pretty far. They looked pretty lame this episode.


----------



## Anubys (Jul 16, 2004)

crap...I had no idea this show started up!


----------



## fmowry (Apr 30, 2002)

Anubys said:


> crap...I had no idea this show started up!


You can catch it for free at cbs.com:

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazin...iY3aCmNfG59b9PI4dlpegIz&vs=homepage&play=true


----------



## SLJackson (May 17, 2010)

I am so glad this leg is not over yet. Would hate to see the Cowboys go in the first show.

However if Kent & Vyxsin had been in last place, I would have been mad it wasn't an elimination leg.


----------



## JFriday (Mar 20, 2002)

Ruth said:


> Every time Kent & Vyxsin are on screen all I do is wonder if they are for real or it's just some weird joke they are playing on the TV audience.
> 
> Was I just confused, or did the _second_ team to arrive get a U-Turn extra task thing? That seemed weird to me. Why penalize the second team? And why wouldn't they just wait and not check in and give it to the next team to arrive? Better to be third with no extra task, I think.


Whatever it is, they still creep me out.


----------



## alyssa (Dec 7, 2003)

Inundated said:


> I'm pretty sure they can't do that, legally.
> 
> Imagine that someone is spared from elimination by last minute adjustments to the show, and then, they beat your team out later. Wouldn't you have a nice, juicy, million-dollar lawsuit against CBS and TAR?
> 
> How could they pull this off without trouble?


I agree, the producers didn't do it to effect the outcome. I however do think they ran the two legs together to even out the field for the people on the first plane.


----------



## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

The more I think about it, the more I'm sure the cowboys will be gone at the beginning of the next episode. Hope so, anyway. Having a non-elimination on the first Pit Stop would be too lame.


----------



## Ruth (Jul 31, 2001)

bryhamm said:


> Is the show technically classified as a game show or as a reality show? If it's a game show, you are correct. If it is a reality show, I think they can do whatever they want.


This issue has never been decided by the courts. It was at issue in the first reality TV lawsuit -- Stacey Stillman's lawsuit against CBS about the first season of Survivor. That case settled, and the settlement is confidential. Ever since, confidential, binding arbitration is standard in resolution of reality show disputes (you'll see it as a term in every contestant application contract). So I doubt we'll ever see the issue resolved.


----------



## JLucPicard (Jul 8, 2004)

heySkippy said:


> The more I think about it, the more I'm sure the cowboys will be gone at the beginning of the next episode. Hope so, anyway. Having a non-elimination on the first Pit Stop would be too lame.


The first leg is not over yet. This was one of those legs where they get to the check-in and are told they are contiuing to race. Everyone will still be in the race when next week's episode starts.


----------



## brott (Feb 23, 2001)

Inundated said:


> I'm pretty sure they can't do that, legally.
> 
> Imagine that someone is spared from elimination by last minute adjustments to the show, and then, they beat your team out later. Wouldn't you have a nice, juicy, million-dollar lawsuit against CBS and TAR?
> 
> How could they pull this off without trouble?


There was a situation in Season 17 in which Nick & Vicki finished last (in a non-elim leg) but the scheduled Speed-Bump was waived due to "production issues." So while it's not exactly the same thing, there is certainly precedence for making on the fly adjustments when they are warranted.

However, they have done "to be continued" situations in the past. It doesn't happen every year. This one may have been pre-planned just to give everyone at least 2 shows since all of the viewers already know them. I suppose Jet & Cord could be done, but I suspect that they will be able to keep racing just like everyone else. We'll just have to wait until next week to see.


----------



## heySkippy (Jul 2, 2001)

JLucPicard said:


> The first leg is not over yet. This was one of those legs where they get to the check-in and are told they are contiuing to race. Everyone will still be in the race when next week's episode starts.


The clue called it a Pit Stop. Has there ever been a leg with 2 Pit Stops?

Also, at the beginning Phil said the first team to the Pit Stop would get the Express Pass and that did happen.


----------



## zordude (Sep 23, 2003)

There have definitely been legs in the past where people have arrived at the mat with Phil who then said "you're not done yet, here's your next clue".

Z


----------



## zordude (Sep 23, 2003)

heySkippy said:


> The more I think about it, the more I'm sure the cowboys will be gone at the beginning of the next episode. Hope so, anyway. Having a non-elimination on the first Pit Stop would be too lame.


Sadly I think they will be gone as well, but at the end of the episode when the leg ends.

Z


----------



## Skyler (Oct 9, 2002)

heySkippy said:


> The clue called it a Pit Stop. Has there ever been a leg with 2 Pit Stops?


I've seen every season and I don't remember them doing it exactly like this before. However, we have established in the past that Pit Stops are not always the same number of hours long. This time they just happen to have a Pit Stop which is zero hours long.


----------



## zordude (Sep 23, 2003)

I guess it depends on how much we all want to fight about the words "pit stop"

From the wiki:



> Double-length legs
> 
> Some Races have included a double-length leg, also called "to be continued" legs, shown over two episodes or a single two-hour long episode, where teams are not checked in at a Pit Stop but instead given a clue to continue racing. The clues that precede the mid-point of the double-length leg often will hint at a Pit Stop but will not include the normal language found in clues for normal-length legs that direct teams to the Pit Stop. In some cases, the host has been present along with the check-in mat to give teams their next clues. Double-length race legs were born out of necessity during Season 6. Leg 6 in Hungary was originally planned to be two legs, with a non-elimination point between the legs which would have stripped the last team of their money and not given them any at the start of the next leg. Producers discovered during the race that begging is illegal in Hungary, which would have made it nearly impossible for the last place team to acquire the money needed for the upcoming leg, and quickly devised the extended leg to mimic the effects of a non-elimination leg (keeping the same number of teams in the race), and using a simple video message clue to provide teams the goal for the first task of the second half of the leg.[19]
> 
> More double-length legs were shown from Season 7 to Season 10, and another in Season 14 and in Season 18. In addition, the season finale of the Family Edition contained a double-length leg similar to Season 6. This was repeated in Season 2 of the Latin American edition; however, the final leg was broadcast as two different episodes.


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

And yes, there have been adjustments...I just find no evidence that those adjustments are made for the express purpose of "keeping a popular team in the race for another week", that's all.

That's a can of worms I can't see CBS/TAR even remotely opening.


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

Looks like a fun season. For the most part I like the folks they brought back. I too am glad Boston Rob did not make a 3rd appearance. This show was MADE for HD. I've been longing for them to go HD for YEARS. It adds a whole new layer of enjoyment to the show for me. Big improvement.


----------



## KyleLC (Feb 6, 2002)

ElJay said:


> There's no "U" in Qantas.


Who said there was?


----------



## IJustLikeTivo (Oct 3, 2001)

KyleLC said:


> Who said there was?


They're making fun of me. I misspelled it in a post about not understanding what it meant.


----------



## KyleLC (Feb 6, 2002)

IJustLikeTivo said:


> They're making fun of me. I misspelled it in a post about not understanding what it meant.


But the message I quoted was from post 9. Your misspelling was in post 32.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

KyleLC said:


> Who said there was?


One of the racers...


----------



## KyleLC (Feb 6, 2002)

Amnesia said:


> One of the racers...


Oh.


----------



## justen_m (Jan 15, 2004)

Jstkiddn said:


> I never noticed what "Qantas" stood for.


Me neither, and I've taken the LAX<->SYD flight on Qantas! However, I did make the connection soon as Phil gave the clue.

I noticed the Globe Trotters had bulkhead seat. I wonder if there is a stipulation that they always get one? Big Easy, at 6'9", probably isn't physically capable of sitting in a regular coach seat. I didn't notice in their season if that was the case or not.


----------



## DUDE_NJX (Feb 12, 2003)

My 5-yr old about Kent: "that ugly lady sounds *almost* like a man when she speaks" LOL


----------



## KyleLC (Feb 6, 2002)

justen_m said:


> Me neither, and I've taken the LAX<->SYD flight on Qantas! However, I did make the connection soon as Phil gave the clue.


I've taken it too! I made the connection quickly also. Only a few weeks ago, I saw an article or something that mentioned what it stood for.


----------



## Bierboy (Jun 12, 2004)

DUDE_NJX said:


> My 5-yr old about Kent: "that ugly lady sounds *almost* like a man when she speaks" LOL


I'd clean forgotten that he WAS a guy until I started closely listening....does that mean I have the intelligence of a 5-year-old?


----------



## Magnolia88 (Jul 1, 2005)

I don't remember Jet and Cord being that, uh, dense.  

I know a lot of people love them and will be disappointed if they are eliminated first, but it's looking grim. But you never know, sometimes people get a lucky break, maybe some other team will get totally lost or something.

Seriously, was it really that hard to figure out QANTAS from that clue? Color me amazed that so many racers did not have a clue. Pun intended. 

Mallory is starting to annoy me even earlier than she did last time. Enough with all the praying to St. Anthony already. If she spent more time racing and less time praying and shrieking, maybe they would do better. 

I already like Kent and Vyxsin better because Kent is calling himself Kent now instead of Kynt. I figured he just got tired of saying "no, that's with Y not an E."


----------



## KyleLC (Feb 6, 2002)

Magnolia88 said:


> I don't remember Jet and Cord being that, uh, dense.


Same here. I was thinking they were among the smartest teams last year.


Magnolia88 said:


> Seriously, was it really that hard to figure out QANTAS from that clue? Color me amazed that so many racers did not have a clue. Pun intended.


I'm thinking it was just the extra "panic factor" of the first leg of the race.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

Magnolia88 said:


> I already like Kent and Vyxsin better because Kent is calling himself Kent now instead of Kynt.


Now if only she would go back to calling herself "Jennifer"...


----------



## Magnolia88 (Jul 1, 2005)

Oh, and another thing:

All of these teams are memorable from their previous race except for one: Kris and Amanda -- is that their names? I can't even remember. 

I've seen every season (except the family one, where I gave up midway through because it was so awful), and I have NO memory of them whatsoever. None. Is it early onset dementia?  All the dating couples that are aspiring actor/models are hard to tell apart. They seem blander than most.


----------



## JLucPicard (Jul 8, 2004)

Magnolia88 said:


> I don't remember Jet and Cord being that, uh, dense.


I don't think they would have looked so dense had the other moron teams not been spoon-fed the answer and actually had to go back and figure out themselves like Jet & Cord did. They stuck out because they were alone, but by all rights there should have been several other teams right there next to them.

Plus it sounded like he (Jet?) thought it was some jumble and not just straight up letter decoding.


----------



## Magnolia88 (Jul 1, 2005)

JLucPicard said:


> They stuck out because they were alone, but by all rights there should have been several other teams right there next to them.


You are right. Plus, it could be fancy editing that makes it look like Jet (or is it Cord? never did get them straight) was sitting there for a very long time by himself, and maybe it wasn't that long.

Still, it looks like a basic - this symbol stands for this letter - code. Even Mallory, of all people, was able to figure it out on her own. Mallory, who is far from a rocket scientist. It seemed time consuming maybe, but not hard. Other teams gave up quickly because the other teams around them were leaving and they panicked at being left behind . . . but Jet and Cord don't have that excuse.


----------



## trainman (Jan 29, 2001)

Amnesia said:


> Now if only she would go back to calling herself "Jennifer"...


I don't care what she calls herself, as long as she keeps the pink hair (and the big boobs, but I think that goes without saying).

I keep forgetting to mention that this was the first TAR episode where they've been in a foreign location that I'm familiar with, so I had extra reason to enjoy it -- I went to Sydney, and even took the ferry to Manly, in June 2009.


----------



## Magnolia88 (Jul 1, 2005)

trainman said:


> I keep forgetting to mention that this was the first TAR episode where they've been in a foreign location that I'm familiar with, so I had extra reason to enjoy it -- I went to Sydney, and even took the ferry to Manly, in June 2009.


I also love it when they visit places on TAR that I've been - I was in Manly in 2006. I don't remember Shelly Beach though. I only went to Bondi, which is nowhere near Manly.

Sydney is even more gorgeous than it appeared on the show. Highly recommended.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

Anubys said:


> crap...I had no idea this show started up!


It's being reshown on Sunday at 8PM ET.


----------



## stellie93 (Feb 25, 2006)

I thought that Jet/Cord didn't realize that the lower bunch of flags that were separated a little were part of the puzzle. He just kept going over the first part because he thought he had a word wrong or something. He was just expecting it to tell him where to go, and had that locked in his brain. Maybe. I love those guys.


----------



## smak (Feb 11, 2000)

zordude said:


> I guess it depends on how much we all want to fight about the words "pit stop"
> 
> From the wiki:


I don't have a problem with it being called a pitstop.

They don't want the players to know they're still going to be racing ahead of time.

Otherwise they'd have to start using weasel words like they do with the "you may be eliminated". like "which may or may not be a pitstop".

No thanks.

-smak-


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

Amnesia said:


> It's being reshown on Sunday at 8PM ET.


You mean Saturday at 8 PM...Sunday is the second new episode.

http://www.cbs.com/info/schedule/index.php

Of course, that could be wrong...the schedule doesn't show TAR as being in HD, and it definitely is this season.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

Yes, you're right. It's Saturday.


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

Amnesia said:


> Yes, you're right. It's Saturday.


I wonder why they're rerunning it. The ratings look good, according to the release...


----------



## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

Several of the teams called the first flag a 'triangle', though it was really a diamond-shaped one.


----------



## DUDE_NJX (Feb 12, 2003)

mattack said:


> Several of the teams called the first flag a 'triangle', though it was really a diamond-shaped one.


Yeah, my kid took an issue with that too.


----------



## Amnesia (Jan 30, 2005)

Inundated said:


> I wonder why they're rerunning it. The ratings look good, according to the release...


The release says that they did well vs. their competition for the night. However, the premiere's ratings were well off last year's edition...


----------



## eddyj (Jun 20, 2002)

DUDE_NJX said:


> Yeah, my kid took an issue with that too.


Mine did too!  I explained they were geometrically challenged.


----------



## GoHalos (Aug 30, 2006)

Magnolia88 said:


> All of these teams are memorable from their previous race except for one: Kris and Amanda -- is that their names? I can't even remember.


Me too! That is the only team that I don't remember.



mattack said:


> Several of the teams called the first flag a 'triangle', though it was really a diamond-shaped one.


I noticed that as well. Odd.


----------



## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

mattack said:


> Several of the teams called the first flag a 'triangle', though it was really a diamond-shaped one.


Yeah, it's one of those new triangles with 4 corners.


----------



## laria (Sep 7, 2000)

loubob57 said:


> Yeah, it's one of those new triangles with 4 corners.


It looked kind of windy... I thought that maybe the flag was blowing in such a manner that it looked like a triangle.

Or maybe they just failed geometry.


----------



## Cragmyre (Mar 8, 2004)

loubob57 said:


> Yeah, it's one of those new triangles with 4 corners.


What are you talking about? It was clearly four black triangles with a red background in the middle.


----------



## loubob57 (Mar 19, 2001)

laria said:


> It looked kind of windy... I thought that maybe the flag was blowing in such a manner that it looked like a triangle.
> 
> Or maybe they just failed geometry.


But the wind wasn't blowing the "compass" around. So I'll go with the second thing.


----------



## wendiness1 (Jul 29, 2005)

Inundated said:


> I wonder why they're rerunning it. The ratings look good, according to the release...


They need a "place holder" because it's up against the Academy Awards. Might as well try to draw in some new fans who missed the first broadcast.


----------



## Inundated (Sep 10, 2003)

wendiness1 said:


> They need a "place holder" because it's up against the Academy Awards. Might as well try to draw in some new fans who missed the first broadcast.


That makes a lot of sense.

BTW, they are holding auditions for the next season tomorrow in Portland OR...too bad we both can't get there!


----------



## stellie93 (Feb 25, 2006)

My guide says the rerun is saturday night and a new ep on sunday against the red carpet show.


----------

