Recap: The Amazing Race Canada 4, Episode 5 – "Awesome at everything, except being a boyfriend."


Recap: The Amazing Race Canada 4, Episode 5 – The Little Blind Tugboat That Could

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Teams are sadly going home and must now head to Haida Gwaii, British Colombia with US$550 loaded onto their BMO Cashback MasterCard.

Flying via Taipei and Vancouver, teams arrive in Sandspit and must choose a 2017 Chevy Volt they must drive to a ferry that will take them to Skidegate.

Their next clue waits for them at the Haida Heritage Centre and it reveals a Road Block: Who wants the inside story?

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For this Road Block, teams must listen to six Haida storytellers who will tell them the stories depicted on the six totem poles outside the Heritage Centre as well as the name of its carver. Teams must match the name with the correct totem pole to receive their next clue.

Jillian, Kristen, Ashley, Julie, Kate, Rita and Amy decide to do the Road Block. Julie and Rita work together.

Kristen is able to pass first and she and Steph must now drive to Spirit Lake Trail. At the end of the trail, they must put together a puzzle depicting Haida art to get the next clue.

Ashley gets a little good luck when one of the storytellers recognizes her. She gets the thumbs up and gives Kate a little help. Joel & Ashley and Kelly & Kate are off next. Amy gets a little clue from Julie and she is able to finish. Jillian asks if Amy can help her, Rita and Julie, but Amy just runs past them.

The last three agree to wait for each other. Julie goes first and gets all correct. She tells Rita then Jillian.

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All teams arrive at the Spirit Lake Trail. Amy is annoyed by Jillian & Emmett asking for help with the puzzle.

Steph & Kristen maintain their lead as they finish the puzzle. They must now drive to Queen Charlotte City and take a seaplane to Prince Rupert where they will pick-up a brand new 2016 Chevy Camaro. Their next clue will be waiting by Charles H, founder of Queen Charlotte City.

Jillian & Emmett are able to quickly figure the puzzle out on their own and finish it next. They decide to help Julie & Lowell to repay their help at the Road Block before leaving. Joel & Ashley finish and are able to run past Jillian & Emmett who end up dropping their clue. While Jillian looks for it in her bag, Emmett tries to stop Joel & Ashley from driving away.

Joel & Ashley stop nearby to ask locals how to get to the harbor despite Joel asking them to wait while they run back for their dropped clue. Jillian & Emmett end up getting on the 2nd plane anyway.

Rita & Yvette, Julie & Lowell and Frankie & Amy finish the puzzle next leaving Kelly & Kate last.

Meanwhile, Steph & Kristen find the next clue which reveals another Road Block: Who’s ready to Log On?

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For this Road Block, teams must first take a water taxi to a log boom. One team member will then choose a lane and drive a small tugboat with a dozer and use it to retrieve three log rafts with a red flag attached.

Steph finishes first and she and Kristen can now head to the Pit Stop at North Pacific Cannery in Port Edward. Jillian & Emmett are close behind as Frankie & Amy and Rita & Yvette arrive and catch up to Joel & Ashley at the Road Block.

Though they considered using the Express Pass, Frankie literally powers through the Road Block and she and Amy leave next. Joel & Ashley manage to join them on the water taxi back to the harbor.

Over at the Mat, Steph & Kristen finally move up to 1st and win a trip to New York City. Jillian & Emmett settle for 2nd.

The parent-child teams are next with Frankie & Amy finishing as Team #3 and Joel & Ashley finishing as Team #4. Rita & Yvette take 5th.

Kelly & Kate arrive at the Road Block and Kelly gets a quick start as Lowell works on his logs. But Lowell finishes and he and Julie head off. They step on the Mat as Team #6.

That means Kelly & Kate are last and eliminated.

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Episode Thoughts

So I think any Leg after some exciting Legs in Vietnam would feel a little bit disappointing. And a lot of people were really excited about this Haida Gwaii Leg as well when it was first spoiled. So I guess I kind of tempered my expectations going into it which made me end up thinking it was just another typical Canadian Leg. Not amazing, not bad. But a little bland.

I’m sad Kelly & Kate were eliminated, but this felt like another Non-Elimination Leg. I think the seaplane and then the water taxis kind of halted competition at odd places.

The first Road Block was alright on paper. Teams helping each other was meh. I think there would’ve been a better task somewhere here with the totem poles and hearing stories. But it wasn’t executed very well.

The puzzle in the forest was just a random extra task that I think instead could’ve been one half of a Detour.

The log Road Block was good, but definitely not as exciting as the previews made it seem. Plus, it didn’t help when teams are spread out 20 minutes apart and it felt like no more than two teams were ever there at the same time.

Overall, I think this came across as a typical Canada forest Leg which we’ve seen many times before on TAR Canada and other TARs as well. A little bit of a disappointment, but also just bland and uninspired overall.

My Subjective Team Rankings

So sad to see Kelly & Kate eliminated after such an amazing Leg in Vietnam. Sucks too to have them go from first to worst. They were definitely a fun and enjoyable team to watch with some great potential for more.

Julie & Lowell are just cute and sweet. Lowell’s line about wanting to see the world before he can’t see anymore was very touching and actually kinda of makes me sad since if they reach the Finish Line, they’d still probably only visit a total of 3 or 4 countries, if that.

Joel & Ashley, I definitely enjoy Ashley and her little comments here and there. Kind of like lowkey shade at times and others just surprisingly competitive, especially after talking about her charity work as Mrs. Universe.

Frankie & Amy, Frankie was especially fun this Leg. Creative editing in showing her basically aloof and happy-go-lucky most of the Leg until she just plowed through the Road Block at the end. It was a fun contrast.

Rita & Yvette seem to have stabilized their Race and are doing well flying under the radar. It’s a good pace to have as long as they continue to step it up.

Jillian & Emmett and Steph & Kristen battling for first may have been one of the big reasons why this episode was so bland. I hope the rest of the season isn’t just them fighting each other for first.

Episode Quotes

Steph: “That was so not my jam.”

Jillian: “Emmett’s pretty awesome at almost everything, except being a boyfriend.”

Amy: “Hopefully she doesn’t start harfing.”

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