Recap: The Amazing Race 22, Episode 8 – My Cheese is Out of Control
The Leg
All teams are on the same flight to Zurich, Switzerland getting in at 2pm. At the airport, teams must find the conductor who hands them their next clue.
They must take a train to Grindelwald where they will wait for an alpine shepherd at the Kirche Grindelwald to hand them the next clue. At Bern Train Station, teams must transfer to a train to Interlaken. But Mona & Beth and Joey & Meghan are left behind and have to take another one.
The first train arrives in the middle of the night, but they find the shepherd won’t show up until 8:55am. All teams are caught up again as the shepherd arrives with the next clue telling them to take another train to Kleine Scheidegg.
Teams hoof it back to the train station, but on the way, Chuck gets testy with Wynona for being too slow.
But the teams are all on the same train anyway.
In Kleine Scheidigg, they must pick up a rescue companion at the Bellevue Hotel. They must now take their new friends to Jungfraujoch where they will deliver them to a rescue team before searching the Sphinx for their next clue.
Anthony helps the girls bring their scared dog onto the train and they’re off again.
The teams get off the train, deliver their dogs and get the next clue containing the Road Block.
In this Road Block, teams must climb out on the north face of Mt. Eiger to pick-up their climbing partner, the Travelocity Roaming Gnome who also has their next clue.
Teams must now travel to Grindelwand Grund Station and listen for the Swiss Alphorn to find their next clue.
Bates & Anthony, Max & Katie, Mona & Beth and Caroline & Jennifer are off and manage to get on the next train that leaves before Chuck & Wynona and Joey & Meghan can finish the Road Block.
The next clue tells teams to transfer four 50 lb blocks of cheese down the hill, a Switchback to TAR14’s classic, Emmy winning challenge. This time, they must use a traditional sled.
While Bates & Anthony are already rolling down the hill, Katie is holding up the line going up the hill.
The Hockey Bros already get the next clue telling them to head to the Pit Stop at Bodmi Snowboard and Ski School.
Bates & Anthony arrive on the Mat and notch another 1st place win. They get to go back to Bora Bora.
Back at the cheese, Joey & Meghan are starting down the hill, but Wynona is struggling up the hill at the rope.
Back at the Pit Stop, Mona & Beth finish 2nd with Max & Katie 3rd and Caroline & Jennifer in 4th.
Joey & Meghan deliver their cheese and head off. A local man tells them where to go walk. Meanwhile Chuck & Wynona decide to roll their cheese down the hill instead of using their sled. They get the cheese to the shed.
However, Chuck & Wynona hop into a taxi first and are off to the Pit Stop. They step on the Mat 5th, but Phil tells them they needed to use the sled to transfer the cheese. They now have a 30 minute penalty.
Joey & Meghan continue walking to the Pit Stop and manage to arrive at the Mat. Phil fakes them out and eventually tells them they are officially Team #5. Chuck & Wynona, standing right next to them, are now last and eliminated.
Episode Thoughts That was an alright episode. I must say, I do love Switchbacks and how they are great shoutouts to previous seasons (yes Bertram Van Munster, we DO remember The Amazing Race existed past a few years ago). But what made those moments classic the first time around (the TAR6 haybales, the TAR14 cheese roll) can’t easily be repeated and the Switchbacks often (if not all the time) are not as exciting or funny. That was definitely the case this time around. It was still fun to see them sliding down the hill, especially with all the snow. But it was nowhere near as hilarious and insane as the 11 team chaos of the (Emmy winning) TAR14 premiere.
The best part of the episode though was recognizing the streets of Grindelwald. Those streets were the site of some of the most memorable Racing ever on TAR care of season 3’s adventures. Even with the snow, I recognized the streets where Teri’s pants were falling down and the church Ken & Gerard made a turn at that resulted in one of the closest footraces ever with John Vito & Jill.
The stunning views of the mountaintops were incredible. The Road Block was pretty lame since they only had to walk over to the other window.
The rescue dogs were great. But the Leg design was odd. Too many trains and waiting to get on trains. For all of that, this should’ve been a non-elimination because someone could’ve easily gotten eliminated because they missed a train. Oh well.
PIT START Royal Tree Lodge Game Preserve Botswana
ROUTE MARKERS Zurich Airport Zurich, Switzerland
Kirche Grindelwald Grindelwald, Switzerland
Bellevue Hotel Bern, Switzerland
Sphinz Observatory at Jungfraujoch Valais, Switzerland
ROAD BLOCK The Eiger Bern, Switzerland
ROUTE MARKERS Grindelwald Grund Station Grindelwald , Switzerland
PIT STOP Bodmi Snowboard and Ski School Grindelwald, Switzerland
1st Bates & Anthony = 2nd Mona & Beth = 3rd Max & Katie +3 4th Caroline & Jennifer -1 5th Joey & Meghan = Eliminated Chuck & Wynona -2
Max & Katie – It was an alright Leg for them. Katie was a little slower than usual, but nothing big to report from them. It was actually an uneventful week for all the teams except for Chuck & Wynona.
Chuck & Wynona – And if only they didn’t roll their cheeses. Their back and forth was fun this entire Race and while Wynona has definitely stepped it up as the Race has gone along, this wasn’t the Leg for her. Even just a little bit more from her and they could’ve just survived. But tough luck.
Bates & Anthony – With continuing to solidify their position in the Race, they are also becoming less interesting (it usually works that way). And the mugging for the camera and all the talk of their flirtations with Caroline & Jennifer are really not interesting at all.
Caroline & Jennifer – They are Racing alright, but the only interesting thing about them is their relationship with the hockey bros and that itself isn’t all that enjoyable to watch.
Mona & Beth – Continuing to Race well. Nothing much else to say, though their I think everyone’s pretty much over this “us against the world” feeling they and Joey & Meghan continue to feel.
