Recap: The Amazing Race 29, Episode 5 – "I don't need my teammate to make me feel like crap."


Recap: The Amazing Race 29, Episode 5 – “Have Faith in Me, Broski”

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Teams fly to Alesund, Norway for this 5th Leg. Once there, they must drive themselves in non-sponsored Volvo rental cars from Avis to Hongsteinen Fyr Lighthouse. Here, teams must enjoy some rakfisk, or fermented fish to receive their next clue.

That clue points teams to the village of Slinningen. But it also has the Fast Forward which Becca & Floyd decide to do. For this Fast Forward, Becca & Floyd will enjoy a helicopter ride before being surprised with a skydive. They are looking forward to getting the Fast Forward so they won’t have to use the Express Pass and anger other teams.

The other teams will instead find the Road Block in Slinningen: Who wants to help break a world record?

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For this Road Block, teams must help build the largest hand-stacked bonfire using tens of thousands of crates. After climbing up and nailing down one pallet to the top of the tower, they will receive their next clue.

Matt, Joey, an excited Ashton, Scott, London and Liz decide to do the Road Block.

After the Road Block, Vanck forgets Ashton’s fanny pack so they have to run back and get it.

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Anyway, teams will now encounter the Detour: Trolls or Troll.
In Trolls, teams must search Alesund for fire trolls which they can summon using a spell. The trolls with hand them a large firework rocket. Once teams have collected six, they will be given the name of the next Pit Stop.
In Troll, teams must kayak through the canal and search the lures of local fisherman who are fishing from their homes. The name of the next Pit Stop will be on a yellow and red lure.

Matt & Redmond and Joey & Tara choose the kayaking and fishing lines. Everyone else chooses the trolls and fireworks.

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Tara & Joey find the yellow and red lure with the word “Aksla” on it. Joey is sure this is the clue. Tara checks another lure and it says the same thing. Joey says that’s another team’s clue, but Tara doesn’t understand and doesn’t think it is right. Neither of them know what to do. They see Matt & Redmond and decide to work together. Matt & Redmond think they have the clue, but it’s just a blank, random lure. Tara & Joey show them theirs and Matt & Redmond go find out just like it.

The Pit Stop is on top of Mount Aksla. Tara & Joey step on the Mat as Team #1, Matt & Redmond are Team #2. Becca & Floyd are shocked to be Team #3, even with the Fast Forward.

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Vanck & Ashton are doing well finding the troll hiding places. Brooke & Scott and London & Logan decide to work together to find the locations while Liz & Michael are having trouble arguing over magic compasses. Turns out Liz was right though and they get back on track.

The last four teams are neck and neck. Vanck & Ashton decide to drive up the mountain and are able to step on the Mat as Team #4. London & Logan and Brooke & Scott are 5th and 6th, respectively.

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After hitting a hotel shuttle van, Liz & Michael end up last on the Mat. But this is a non-Non Elimination and teams are still Racing.

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Episode Thoughts

I really do not like non-Non Eliminations. Really, these Keep on Racing Legs are just penalty-free Non Eliminations. They can do zero hour Pit Stops, but still make them Non Elimination Legs with a Speed Bump on the next one. If they don’t want to spend money on a Speed Bump, find another penalty. Or, if they don’t want to penalize a non-eliminated team, specifically point out that this is some kind of SuperLeg or something. I think the inconsistency of Non Elimination Legs is a little unfair. Especially when some Speed Bumps have been more consequential than others.

Anyway, this was an interesting Leg. I think I enjoyed Episode 4 more. I don’t know if airing back-to-back affected how I enjoyed this one, but the Leg itself was very, very barebones. Like, it was only the Road Block and Detour plus eating fish. And neither the Road Block nor Detour were particularly challenging. Neither really produced any big fireworks either. Well, other than the paper mache fireworks the trolls gave them.

The Road Block was good, but it really only deserved a few minutes of focus. And the Detour was creative, but also didn’t really warrant taking up 60% of the episode.

At the very least, it was cool that they showed footage of the bonfire from the week later. And it’s always funny to see a Fast Forward team not win a Leg.

But overall, I thought this was a weak episode and Leg. Beautiful location, but kind of a dud especially paired with the 2nd Tanzania Leg.

My Subjective Team Rankings

Funny enough, I didn’t particularly care for any of the teams this Leg.

I’ve rejoined Vanck & Ashton on my list, but they were actually kind of boring this Leg. I mentioned how Vanck needed to step it up last Leg. He still didn’t and Ashton definitely took the lead again. But no big blowups or anything. I was cringing at Tara & Joey aimlessly floating in the canal not knowing what to do with their clue.

Michael & Liz‘s Mat argument got nothing on TARPH2’s (the real one!) Luz & Chen:

But Mike has definitely been overly negative these last 2 Legs. Liz has taken the lead, much like Ashton and Sara have with their teams.

Scott & Brooke, interesting how Brooke says Vanck & Ashton are irritating when she is the one who has meltdowns every leg. I enjoy the meltdowns, but when it’s definitely shady when you judge someone else while you keep whining about not being able to do something. And yet, she CAN do the things she says she can’t, and pretty well too. I appreciate her hysterics, but it might start to get old real quick.

London & Logan, I do like London’s reserved positivity more than Becca & Floyd’s. But Logan is just really boring. I did like Becca & Floyd more this episode. Maybe because they were in a helicopter for most of it. Matt & Redmond are meh. At least they didn’t bitch about Vanck & Ashton this Leg.

Overall, the teams weren’t very likeable or enjoyable this Leg compared to the last one. Very strange. But I guess it’s a good thing CBS got this episode over with.

Episode Quotes

Brooke: “I will murder you.”

Brooke: “I’m not this sad, elderly, pathetic, like, broken woman.”

Brooke: “I don’t need my teammate to make me feel like crap every day.”


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