The Amazing Race 35 -- Starts September 27 (90 minute episodes)

[Yeah_Baby]

When Steve and Anna Leigh went for the (nonexistent) express pass I thought they were cooked.

[WhiteTiger]

Caught up...when Steve and Anna Leigh went off after the Express Pass, I was certain they were done in the Race. Pretty impressed that they squeaked in. They have GOT to sort out their communication issues though, or they won't go much further. They are doing a massive amount more of work (U Turn and pointless Express Pass) and still sneaking in, but that'll likely only work 1 or 2 more times, tops.

My other team struggled with communication this time around, too. Though, it seems like most of the teams (except Greg and John) are getting frustrated with each other.

I also was forced to laugh. When I saw the four numbers in the hang glider challenge, my immediate thought was "Well, there are only two possible combinations, 1991 and 1919"...and then the Beard Brother immediately picks 1199.

I am also rooting for Rob and Corey to win it all. There is just something about that team that is really awesome and makes cheering for them so easy.

[Amethyst]

Slovenia is one of those places I've always wanted to go, but something keeps getting in the way. I'm looking forward to another episode there.

And seeing as how my other team got eliminated first, I'm grateful to Greg and John for their performance so far.

[Russic]

Where does trying for an express pass whilst in dead-ass-last-place (knowingly) land on the scale of stupidest moves in the history of this show?

[Fuzz]

That Express Pass pickup was the most ridiculous thing ever. So much dumb.

[WhiteTiger]

A good race today, and a nicely paced episode. They are definitely figuring that out, though it's probably easier with fewer teams in the race.

I liked all the challenges today. That cave/dragon one especially.

I can allow for a team to get lost via directions, but I still shake my head when a team screws up because they just don't read the dang clue fully and comprehend it.

I am a bit surprised that Steve and Anna Leigh were less than hour behind Greg & John at the start of the race. I thought they were hours behind. That team is FAST, if they can just aim themselves in the right direction and stop doing dumb stuff.

The last team I was unimpressed overall with is now gone. Whoever wins...good for them.

But I'm still hoping for Rob & Corey

[getbak]

"Cities... charming. Mountains... mountainous. Caves... cavernous."


This week, the teams continue racing in Slovenia and build a dragon in a cave. Robbin & Chelsea fell behind early and missed a turn going to the cave. The editors tried to make it look like they had a chance, but the darkness at the Pit Stop shows they were well behind the pack, so they are going home. Steve & Anna Leigh raced a hell of a leg and pulled up from dead last to second place at one point, somehow dropping to third at the Pit Stop. Todd & Ashlie also had a bad leg, but nowhere near as bad as Robbin & Chelsea.

1. Greg & John (win $5,000 each)
2. Joel & Garrett
3. Steve & Anna Leigh
4. Rob & Corey
5. Todd & Ashlie
6. Robbin & Chelsea
7. Morgan & Lena
8. Andrea & Malaina
9. Liam & Yeremi
10. Joe & Ian
11. Jocelyn & Victor
12. Elizabeth & Iliana
13. Alexandra & Sheridan

• Cheese: Joel & Garrett / Elizabeth & Iliana
• WhiteTiger: Todd & Ashlie / Steve & Abba Leigh
• OutOfTheCube: Liam & Yeremi / Morgan & Lena
• Amethyst: Greg & John / Alexandra & Sheridan
• getbak: Alexandra & Sheridan / Rob & Corey
• bigtmac19: Joe & Ian / Andrea & Malaina
• EldrickOnIce: Morgan & Lena / Joel & Garrett
• trackercowe: Rob & Corey / Todd & Ashlie
• surferguy: Robbin & Chelsea / Jocelyn & Victor
• Fuzz: Steve & Anna Leigh / Joe & Ian
• Hockey: Andrea & Malaina / Liam & Yeremi
• Superflyer: Elizabeth & Iliana / Greg & John
• Yeah_Baby: Jocelyn & Victor / Robbin & Chelsea

Next week, the teams travel to Sweden.

[csnarpy]

That cave area was impressive, would love to go there and explore some of the smaller ones

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by csnarpy

That cave area was impressive, would love to go there and explore some of the smaller ones

Carlsbad caverns is a good one and a bit closer.

[Yeah_Baby]

Now that my teams are out I’m fully on team Rob and Corey.

[getbak]

"Is this not a subway?"

This week, the teams travel to Stockholm and celebrate Midsommar.




Based on the departure times, Todd & Ashlie were a full 2 hours behind Rob & Corey on the last leg. Even though there was another travel bunch-up and the top 3 teams got lost, Todd & Ashlie still fell behind too far and were eliminated.

1. Joel & Garrett (win trip to the Galapagos Islands)
2. Greg & John
3. Rob & Corey
4. Steve & Anna Leigh
5. Todd & Ashlie
6. Robbin & Chelsea
7. Morgan & Lena
8. Andrea & Malaina
9. Liam & Yeremi
10. Joe & Ian
11. Jocelyn & Victor
12. Elizabeth & Iliana
13. Alexandra & Sheridan

• Cheese: Joel & Garrett / Elizabeth & Iliana
• WhiteTiger: Todd & Ashlie / Steve & Abba Leigh
• OutOfTheCube: Liam & Yeremi / Morgan & Lena
• Amethyst: Greg & John / Alexandra & Sheridan
• getbak: Alexandra & Sheridan / Rob & Corey
• bigtmac19: Joe & Ian / Andrea & Malaina
• EldrickOnIce: Morgan & Lena / Joel & Garrett
• trackercowe: Rob & Corey / Todd & Ashlie
• surferguy: Robbin & Chelsea / Jocelyn & Victor
• Fuzz: Steve & Anna Leigh / Joe & Ian
• Hockey: Andrea & Malaina / Liam & Yeremi
• Superflyer: Elizabeth & Iliana / Greg & John
• Yeah_Baby: Jocelyn & Victor / Robbin & Chelsea

Next week: The teams travel to Dublin and become the Lords of the Dance.

[WhiteTiger]

Not a bad episode. I kinda felt like Todd and Ashlie were out even at the start of this episode. They just never felt 'in' it. I did like seeing Ashlie change from fear to joy with the skydiving, though.

I was also amused by Anna Leigh and Steve thinking a bus is a subway.

I am...kinda worried about Steve though. It's clearly been getting harder and harder on him with the running, and he looks really rough at the end of each episode. If there's much running around next episode instead of driving/taxi, I think they may be done for. I don't think he's got much left in the tank.

I have to admit...I kind of thought that Rob & Corey's Express Pass would have bought them more than a few minutes, too.

[EldrickOnIce]

Worst use of express pass ever.
Anna Leigh will kill her father, probably. She is so annoying.
Loved seeing the beards win. Next will probably be their last episode.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Worst use of express pass ever.
Anna Leigh will kill her father, probably. She is so annoying.
Loved seeing the beards win. Next will probably be their last episode.

I agree about the express pass, although I was glad to see them use it in this fashion. I didn't like an express pass being in play this late in the game.

I keep expecting to see a "medical" episode with Steve every time there's a bunch of running / stair climbing.

[Russic]

I can understand the fear and panic leading you to using the pass far too early. You'd almost need to have an understanding going in that you don't use it until the second challenge of the day.

[getbak]

I think their logic was sound. They had to use it on this leg, so it was really a decision to use it on the Roadblock or the Detour.

Without knowing what's to come, it does make sense to use it on the Roadblock for a couple of reasons.

With a Roadblock, only one person can do the task, so it puts extra pressure on that person. If the person doing it struggles, there's nothing the other partner can do to help. We've seen it in the past where a person is missing an important step and the partner knows what is wrong, but can't tell their partner what they need to do to fix it.

If something goes wrong on the Detour, they can both take equal blame for it. Also, if one partner starts to melt-down, the other partner can talk to them to try to calm them down.


Also, there is a requirement to keep the number of Roadblocks each teammate performs balanced, which can become important at the end of the race if one person has reached the maximum. By skipping this Roadblock, it allows Corey to do the Roadblock on each of the remaining legs if they're physical tasks.


Keep in mind that they were the last team to arrive at the Roadblock and Anna Leigh was already mostly done putting the greenery on her wreath before Rob & Corey had even read the clue. While it didn't give them a huge lead, it did significantly improve their position.

Their real mistake on this leg was leaving the Opera House and running around trying to find a different entrance. If they hadn't messed that up, they would have likely been on the subway before Steve & Anna Leigh even got to the Opera House and Steve & Anna Leigh would have taken that bus the wrong way and who knows what would have happened.

[Amethyst]

I don't think they necessarily made a bad choice. It just turned out to not really be helpful. I would have said to keep it until you struggle. If you use it on the roadblock and then the detour turns out to be a problem, you no longer have the option.

[WhiteTiger]

Oof, out in 2 weeks! Ah, well.

That Riverdance challenge was interesting, and I hope that Corey got that trainer's number.

Looked like a pretty good run all around. Steve just didn't have much in the tank, and that pair HAS to work on navigation. Their getting constantly lost is what sunk them this week as there's "nowhere left to hide", so to speak.

This isn't the Final 3 I would have foreseen, but it's not a bad one, either.

Go Rob & Corey!

[getbak]

"This would be a lot harder if there were pots on my head."

This week, the teams travel to Dublin. Rob & Corey finally get a first place finish and Corey was smitten with his dance instructor (and so was I).

Steve & Anna Leigh pulled into third after the dance challenge, but kept getting lost and ultimately fell too far behind and were eliminated.

I took a quick look and unless I missed one, I believe this is the first time there will be no women on the final leg of a race.

1. Rob & Corey (win trip to Fiji)
2. Greg & John
3. Joel & Garrett
4. Steve & Anna Leigh
5. Todd & Ashlie
6. Robbin & Chelsea
7. Morgan & Lena
8. Andrea & Malaina
9. Liam & Yeremi
10. Joe & Ian
11. Jocelyn & Victor
12. Elizabeth & Iliana
13. Alexandra & Sheridan

• Cheese: Joel & Garrett / Elizabeth & Iliana
• WhiteTiger: Todd & Ashlie / Steve & Anna Leigh
• OutOfTheCube: Liam & Yeremi / Morgan & Lena
• Amethyst: Greg & John / Alexandra & Sheridan
• getbak: Alexandra & Sheridan / Rob & Corey
• bigtmac19: Joe & Ian / Andrea & Malaina
• EldrickOnIce: Morgan & Lena / Joel & Garrett
• trackercowe: Rob & Corey / Todd & Ashlie
• surferguy: Robbin & Chelsea / Jocelyn & Victor
• Fuzz: Steve & Anna Leigh / Joe & Ian
• Hockey: Andrea & Malaina / Liam & Yeremi
• Superflyer: Elizabeth & Iliana / Greg & John
• Yeah_Baby: Jocelyn & Victor / Robbin & Chelsea

Next week: THE FINALE!!! The final 3 travel to Seattle for the final leg and one team will go home with a million bucks.

[darockwilder]

I don't think Anna Leigh knew how to read a map. She would just ask to pull over and get a local to help.