Recap: The Amazing Race 29, Episode 4 – “Another One Bites the Dust”
The 4th Leg begins with teams needing to find the house of Farrokh Bulsara, better known as Freddie Mercury.
While Liz & Michael dig through rocks, Tara & Joey get the clue first and it reveals the Detour: Lock or Knock.
In Lock, teams must search through intricately designed Zanzibar chests for a key hidden inside secret compartments. That key will unlock their next clue.
In Knock, teams must find three royal doors in Stone Town and knock on them to receive a wood carving from each home. They will exchange the carvings for their next clue.
Tara & Joey decide to do Knock, but instead of finding out where the royal doors could possibly be, they just wander around knocking on every door. They stumble upon one correct door, but end up switching to Lock when they pass the location. Liz & Michael and Matt & Redmond also choose Lock.
Vanck & Ashton choose Knock, but they have trouble finding their first door. Ashton is annoyed with Vanck’s lack of urgency.
Liz & Michael find the key and unlock the chest first as Scott & Brooke and London & Logan arrive. Tara & Joey give up on the chests and go back to knocking on doors.
Vanck really wants to switch Detours, but Ashton insists they’re on the right track. And they are. A local points them to each of the doors they need.
At the chests, Brooke realizes there are secret compartments first. Matt & Redmond see her and they get the clue before them. Scott can’t open any chests with the key they find so Brooke looks for another one. The second one works and before they leave, Scott gives the other key to Becca who asks for it. Brooke can’t believe Scott would do that.
London & Logan are last at the chests and decide to just switch Detours. And it’s a good decision because they are pointed to the three doors, easily finishing before Shamir & Sara who have been walking around in circles.
All teams, except Shamir & Sara make the ferry back to Dar es Salaam as they decide to finally switch Detours.
Once back on the mainland, teams must find Dasico metal works shop where they will encounter the Road Block.
For this Road Block, teams must cut, punch and pound metal into a ladle. Vanck, Joey, Becca, Logan, Michael and Redmond decide to do the Road Block. Scott tells Brooke to do it.
Brooke is struggling even cutting the aluminum. She grows very frustrated and asks Scott for encouragement. Instead, Brooke finds some hope in Becca who offers to cut out her circle for her to repay Brooke and Scott for giving them the key earlier.
Later, Brooke has trouble making the holes in her ladle. Before going to the foreman for a check, Redmond decides to stop and help her as well.
Tara & Joey step on the Mat at Coco Beach in first and win $5000 each. Becca & Floyd are Team #2.
Before Michael leaves the Road Block, he goes back to also help Brooke and tries to lift her spirits.
Liz & Michael are Team #3, London & Logan are Team #4, Matt & Redmond are Team #5 and Vanck & Ashton as Team #6.
Brooke finally is able to get her ladle approved and she and Scott step on the Mat as Team #7.
That leaves Shamir & Sara. Shamir is doing the Road Block, but it is so late, Phil comes out and eliminates them.
Episode Thoughts
A very interesting episode. It was actually a very simple, almost barebones Leg. But this was one of those times when the simplest tasks can turn out to be the ones that challenge teams the most.
I do think that most of the teams having mini-meltdowns made the episode. I’m not so sure the episode would’ve been as exciting and full with a different cast. So in that sense, we have a good cast! lol
The Detour was very simple, but it got teams running around Stone Town. Touristy, sure. But a great location to have teams run around (if they did that side of the Detour). The chests were also a nice little Detour as well. And having the in the same area allowed for teams to switch. It allowed that extra possible drama of deciding to switch even though both Detours had pretty simple solutions if teams maybe didn’t let their frustrations overcome them.
But imagine that! Finally a Leg that doesn’t last only a few hours! Teams left the Pit Stop at 8am and the Leg finished around dusk. That’s pretty good. Though the 3-hour ferry that only departs 4 times a day had something to do with that as well. lol
Still, I was expecting a Non-Elimination here because of that ferry.
The Road Block was great as it got teams doing physical work that is an everyday job here in Tazania. Always great to have teams doing those types of tasks.
And of course, always great to see most, if not ALL, teams at tasks all at the same time.
Overall, a simple Leg design is helped by teams making interesting decisions and getting frustrated. A good, solid and enjoyable episode.
My Subjective Team Rankings
My rankings pretty much stay the same this week. Again, I have to separate some teams though. I definitely found myself agreeing more with Ashton and Sara than their partners this Leg. Ooo! How about if Ashton and Sara had partnered up instead. They could’ve been an amazing, strong team! But really, I was definitely on both Ashton and Sara’s side at the Detour. When they’re so close, why not keep going. It doesn’t hurt to ask people. (Though I know that every person they ask for help apparently has to sign a release form lol)
Tara & Joey had a good Leg, but Joey was being a little more negative as well. I think they were on the right track, but Joey seemed to give up too easily. Tara was much more positive. Liz & Michael were alright this Leg, but there were showing some signs of cracking.
Scott & Brooke are the most fun team so far, that is, in terms of TV entertainment of course. Brooke’s meltdown at the Road Block was fun and kudos to the other teams for actually wanting to help her. I think she’s been Racing fine so far even if getting on Scott’s nerves. She’s managed to fight through pain before, but exhaustion must have really gotten to her this Leg. Still, she pushed through and got it done. But they definitely got lucky with Shamir & Sara falling so far behind.
Vanck is in this spot because while he appeared to be the level headed one at the beginning of the Race, he’s instead became the more passive team member. Whether it’s against Matt & Redmond or his lack of urgency, I think Vanck needs to step it up and keep up with Ashton. She might need to calm down just a tad, but he really needs to step it up a lot.
London & Logan are invisible once again. Popping up for a few seconds at random times during the Leg. Even when almost last, they didn’t seem to be in danger since Shamir & Sara are much bigger personalities. The show focused on them more than #TeamLoLo.
Becca & Floyd certainly toned down their #FunMeter shtick this Leg and maybe that’s why I liked them a lot more. Especially Becca at the Road Block where she didn’t seem to be playing to the camera and instead was just her normal self. I would’ve taken some points away for them just begging for the key. But immediately repaying Scott & Brooke was solid.
Interesting to see the show pointing out how bitter Matt & Redmond still were after the U-Turn. I think most people would’ve forgotten about that if it didn’t open this episode. But I assume they’re setting up a future U-Turn confrontation. They are a strong team so you really can’t blame any other team who may want to U-Turn them.
And finally Shamir. If you were to ask who do you think would be the biggest drama queen of the season, Shamir probably would be nowhere near the top of the list. It’s unfortunate that he’s felt so defeated most of the Race that he really squandered whatever potential he and Sara had. Too bad.
Episode Quotes
Brooke: “Hi! Welcome to hell.”
Brooke: “If I need to make a ladel for dinner, my family would starve.”
Sara: “I will poop myself if we see somebody there.”
They’re back!
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