Recap: The Amazing Race Asia 5, Episode 10 – "We're racing! It's not funny. It's serious!"


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It’s the Final Leg and teams must travel by ferry to Bali and then three hours by car to Pura Dalem Pengembak in Sanur. Eric & Rona are able to get on the 4:30am ferry while Maggie & Parul and Yvonne & Chloe are on the 4:40am ferry.

Eric & Rona open the first clue which tells them to assemble a Balinese Penjor to the satisfaction of the Penjor Artist and deliver it to the marked area at Pantai Mertasari. Chloe & Yvonne arrive soon after Eric & Rona start. Maggie & Parul are stuck in traffic and arrive last after Eric & Rona get their poles approved.

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Eric & Rona deliver their Penjors and receive the next clue directing them to Taman Inspirasi where they will climb a Panjat Pinang Pole to retrieve a marked prize each.

Maggie & Parul are able to get their Penjors approved before Chloe & Yvonne.

Rona is able to grab her prize her first and Eric just finishes as the beauty queens begin to climb the Panjat Pinangs.

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Eric & Rona maintain their lead and must now assemble an outrigger fishing boat which they will paddle out to a flagged area. They must then search lobster traps for one that is flagged which they will exchange for the next clue.

The ladies catch up to Eric & Rona at the boats. Eric is struggling with the rope as they feel this is another attention to detail task But Maggie & Parul realize there is no judge to check on their knots and tying. So they decide to just secure their outrigger and head out into the water.

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Eric & Rona and Chloe & Yvonne realize the same thing. Eric & Rona find a lobster trap first with Maggie & Parul right behind them.

Teams must now make their way to Pura Samuantiga for their next clue.

Eric & Rona have trouble finding a taxi. That allows Maggie & Parul to find one first and move into the lead. Once Eric & Rona find a taxi, the driver does not know where to go. Chloe & Yvonne have one called for them and it arrives quickly. Eric & Rona finally find a taxi but their and Maggie & Parul’s drivers don’t want to drive fast.

Chloe & Yvonne arrive at the temple first and it reveals the final Road Block: Who’s got things in order?

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For this Road Block, teams must arrange coconuts representing each Leg of the Race onto a lifesize congkak. In each basket, teams must have one symbol of elements or places encountered on that Leg, the location of the Pit Stop and the eliminated team. Teams must figure out that there are extra coconuts which will not be used.

Chloe starts the Road Block and is far into the task when Maggie arrives and starts. Chloe has placed all coconuts on the board and of course gets the thumbs down. Maggie makes the same mistake as Eric & Rona finally arrive. Rona must do the task.

Maggie finally realizes her mistake and gets the thumbs up. She gets the final clue and she and Parul can now make their way to the Finish Line at the Bajra Sandhi Monument. Their taxi driver refuses to drive fast again.

Rona gets the thumbs down as Chloe finally realizes her mistake. She gets the next clue and she and Yvonne are off.

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But Maggie & Parul maintain that final lead as they cross the Finish Line officially as Team #1 and the winners of The Amazing Race Asia Season 5. They are happy they will be able to help Parul’s family, especially her father who is sick.

Chloe & Yvonne step on the Mat and are officially Team #2. Eric & Rona are Team #3.

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Episode Thoughts

And the once improbable 5th season of The Amazing Race Asia has come to an end. More on the season as a whole in the Wrap-up.

But for this finale, I think it was a pretty solid Final Leg. The tasks were all very fair and equal. I think the only difference makers were that 10 minute ferry lead at the beginning and the ease of grabbing a taxi and the driver’s willingness to drive fast or know where he’s going.

Final Legs decided by taxis has always been a problem for TAR. But I really don’t think the taxis made a huge difference here. Luck is always a part of The Amazing Race and there hasn’t been much taxi drama this season after the first Leg.

Anyway, the tasks themselves were fine, if not simple and straightforward. It was interesting because they spent the bulk of the episode on the assembly tasks and really not that much time on the final Road Block which could’ve possibly held the most drama. So the fact that the episode itself was spread out equally over each task shows that the Race was close and the tasks were good. No clever editing needed here like other TARs usually use to keep the Final Leg interesting.

The Final Road Block memory task was great. Much more creative than anything TARUS has come up with in recent seasons.

I will say I felt a little underwhelmed at the end only because the fact that Maggie & Parul won was plastered all over Twitter, Facebook and YouTube immediately after the episode aired in Asia. For someone like me who has to wait until some kind person uploads the episode, it was impossible to avoid the winner being spoiled. So knowing the final placements took a lot of excitement away from what would have otherwise been a very exciting finish.

Elsewhere, where was Tara Basro at the Finish Line?! She definitely should have been there.

Overall though, this was a pretty good Final Leg.

My Subjective Team Rankings

Maggie & Parul have been a great team all season and their win was deserved. They ran a good, consistent Race. And in this Leg, it was anyone’s Race. Maggie was hilarious in the taxi though. That was awesome. Eric & Rona had a lead and did very well to maintain it most of the Leg. Trouble with taxis is definitely not new on TAR. And we don’t really know how much Rona actually struggled at the Final Road Block. But them making the Final 3 after a consistent Race also is great. Chloe & Yvonne were definitely under the radar all Race-long. And they had a legitimate shot this Leg. I forgot during spoilers that there was a pic of Chloe getting her ankle treated in the Philippines. The show didn’t really dwell on her injury until last week, but it’s definitely a big accomplishment for them to make it to the Final Leg and do so well too.

Episode Quotes

Rona: “Crack this on my head right now.”

Rona: “They have some messed up drawings and his smile is irritating me.”

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