Episode 5 – Death by Lentils
Teams must search the S.S Klondike for their next clue. Teams also learn there is a U-Turn ahead.
Jet & Dave read the next clue telling teams to fly to Regina, Saskatchewan. They decide to have a lady call two taxis to endear themselves to Holly & Brett who are right behind them.
They get to the airport together and find the earliest they can arrive in Regina is tomorrow morning. Holly & Brett manage to find the earliest flight that requires them to overnight in Edmonton and they give Jet & Dave the info that lets them be the only two teams on that flight.
The other for teams have to fly through Calgary which gets them into Regina later.
While the other teams are considering how big a threat they are, Hal & Joanne are trying to find an earlier flight.
In Calgary, Hal & Joanne manage to get tickets from Calgary to Edmonton and then on to Regina on the same flight as the two leading teams, further reinforcing everyone’s worry about them being a huge threat.
Hal & Joanne join Jet & Dave and Holly & Brett as they touch down in Regina. Teams must hop into a brand new Chevrolet Trax where they would find a BlackBerry Z10 they would tap with a parking attendant’s BlackBerry to transfer turn-by-turn directions to their next destination, Saskcan Pulse Trading Company, the largest lentil splitting facility in the world.
There, teams must dig through bins of lentils to find two Sergeant Bullmoose toys, one tagged “RCMP” and the other tagged “Heritage Centre,” which combined would reveal the location of their next clue.
It’s already been more than 30 minutes and the three teams haven’t found a single toy. The 2nd flight arrives in Regina and teams drive on to the factory.
Jet & Dave manage to find both their toys before anyone else arrives and now must make their way to the RCMP Heritage Centre.
An hour has passed and the other teams arrive and start digging.
Jet & Dave arrive at the Heritage Centre where they find the Road Block.
Who’s Ready for Bed?
In this Road Block, teams must suit up in full uniform and make up a room known as a pit to the exact standards of the RCMP. If the Sergeant Major finds any deficiencies in the room, the team member will receive a failing grade and must start over.
Jet, being a police officer by day, decides to do the Road Block and gets started.
Back at the lentils, Tim Sr. & Tim Jr. and Vanessa & Celina manage to find their Bullmooses and are off. The formerly lead teams Hal & Joanne and Holly & Brett are growing frustrated. Holly starts breaking down.
Jet asks for his first inspection. The Sgt. Maj. inspects the room while a commanding officers holds him at attention. While also asking him questions about himself. Despite being a police officer himself, apparently he’s not up to RCMP standards, they say, as the Sgt. Maj. has thrown all the clothes onto the bed.
While Jet starts over, Tim Sr. and Vanessa arrive and start the Road Block shocking both Jet and Dave.
The sun is beating down at the lentils. Two and a half hours. Holly suggests taking the penalty and Brett says okay. The foreman hands them the two stuffed toys.
Hal & Joanne see them leaving and decide to also take the penalty. Two hours for each of them.
Celina starts crying and the she fails her first inspection as does Tim Sr.
They also fails their second inspections. Jet too.
Joanne and Brett arrive to get started on the task while Jody & Cory stay at the lentils and vow not to quit a challenge.
It’s his 5th inspection and Jet finally passes. He rejoins Dave and they open the clue telling them to head to the “I <3 Regina" landmark in front of City Hall where they will find a Ukrainian dance troupe. After having fun and learning a few steps, they'll receive their next clue.
While Joanne and Brett fail their first inspections, Jody & Cory find their second toy and drive on.
Jet & Dave are at City Hall and get the next clue revealing the Detour.
For this Detour, teams must head to Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field, home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders football team.
In Brawn, teams will participate in football drills then one team member must catch a touchdown pass and the other kick a winning field goal to receive their next clue. If they fail at any of the drills, they must take a lap around the field and start over.
In Beauty, teams will join the cheer team by learning a routine and performing for the fans in the stands.
Jet & Dave choose Brawn.
Joanne and Brett pass the Road Block on their 3rd inspections. Tim Sr. on his 4th inspection and Celina on her 5th inspection. Jody’s own military experience helps him finish quickly.
At the stadium, Jet fails to catch the TD pass, so he and Dave have to do a lap.
At City Hall, Brett & Holly choose Beauty while Hal & Joanne and the Tims choose Brawn.
Jet & Dave get through their drills on their 2nd attempt and they open the next clue telling them to head up to the Luxury Box where they find the Double U-Turn.
They decide not to U-Turn and get the next clue pointing them to Pine Island, the Pit Stop.
The other teams arrive at the stadium. Holly’s frustration continues to boil over as she and Brett learn the cheer routine. Joanne’s field goal try comes up just short so they have to start over. The Tims finish their drills on their 2nd attempt and head up to the luxury box where they decide to U-Turn Hal & Joanne.
Jet & Dave arrive at the Pit Stop, claim their second Leg win in a row and two round trip tickets to anywhere in Canada.
Back at the stadium, Joanne decides she’ll catch the TD instead of kick, but she fails twice.
Holly & Brett decide to attempt the routine, but they also fail. On the 4th attempt, Joanne catches the pass, but Hal botches the field goal.
Hal & Joanne finally get through the Detour on their 5th attempt while Brett & Holly get their routine down on their 6th attempt. It is now a footrace to the luxury box with both teams hurting under the burning sun.
Hal & Joanne get to the U-Turn board first and are surprised to see their faces up there. They quickly U-Turn Brett & Holly who are right next to them.
Meanwhile, Tim Sr. & Tim Jr. excitedly step on the Mat as Team #2.
Jody & Cory arrive at the Stadium as the U-Turned teams start the other side of their Detours. Brett & Holly manage to finish their side of the Detour first while Hal & Joanne stand and wait on their side as they watch Vanessa & Celina also finish their Detour.
Jody & Cory fly through the Brawn side of the Detour, leaving Hal & Joanne in last.
At the Pit Stop, Jon tells Holly & Brett they must wait out their 2-hour penalty on the side. During that time, Vanessa & Celina and Jody & Cory check-in 3rd and 4th.
Hal & Joanne are struggling with the routine. They get the next clue on their 3rd attempt and head to the Mat.
Jon informs them of their penalty and tells them this is an elimination Leg. And they are out of the Race.
Episode Thoughts
This was an insane Leg. With the needle in a haystack task, the tough Road Block and the even tougher Detour plus U-Turn, this deserved to be a Non-Elimination Leg. And not just because it was Hal & Joanne that ended up the victims of it.
Definitely a loaded Leg, which is great. I wish TARUS did more of these kinds of Legs. But it’s the kind of Leg that would end in a non-elimination or the first half of a double-super-TBC Leg.
All the tasks were great, though the lentils bring up horrible memories of TAR8’s red bean task that doomed the Gaghans. Everything else though was fun to watch and great challenges for the teams.
It still sucks though how U-Turns are always done at the end of Legs. I’d like to see U-Turns at the beginning of Legs and then have teams catch up at a Road Block or some other task before the Pit Stop. That would provide great drama.
Anyway, this episode had more tasks than maybe two or three TARUS Legs. I definitely enjoyed that.
My Subjective Team Rankings (for Leg 5)
Jet & Dave – They are definitely solidifying their place in the Race. But as Hal & Joanne showed, one misstep could doom them. I do think they are running a smart Race, so I would say they are a safe bet to go all the way.
Hal & Joanne – A tough way to go out. It sucks that they had to quit the lentil task. Definitely out of character for a team that loves to compete.
Jody & Cory – They have been running towards the back of the pack the entire Race and they are definitely going to have to start stepping it up soon.
Tim Sr. & Tim Jr. – I wouldn’t say it was a bad move for them to get out a strong competitor, but with them in the lead and Hal & Joanne obviously struggling, I don’t think they needed to do it. It does show they are very competitive and will do anything to get ahead. (As we saw last Leg too.)
Brett & Holly – They seem to be falling apart more and more each week. It might only be a matter of time before Holly gives up completely. It’s kinda crazy to see them struggling so much yet still survive.
Vanessa & Celina – A quiet Leg for them. Nothing much from them this Leg. They might just slip under the radar and surprise.