Recap: The Amazing Race 4, Episode 4 – “Check Your Tires Because… Oh God, You Never Know What’ll Happen!”

The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4 The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4

With $444 for this fourth Leg of the Race, teams must first fly to Paris.

Steve wants to take a taxi to the Salzburg Airport, but Josh says that’s a waste of money and suggests they take a train instead. Josh fully expects the other teams to also take the train. But actually, despite the two-hour difference, Reichen & Chip, Monica & Sheree and Tian & Jaree are already in Salzburg and looking for flights after taking taxis. Josh can’t believe it, but he apologizes.

Millie & Chuck and Jon & Al, still working together, decide to go to the bigger Munich airport instead. As do David & Jeff. Kelly & Jon catches up to them at the train station. Though they had already chosen Salzburg, Kelly asks Millie which airport they’re going to. But Millie refuses to say and that rubs Kelly the wrong way.

Over at Salzburg Airport, Tian & Jaree and “the Supremes” manage to book the first tickets via Frankfurt. Reichen & Chip think they’ve missed out, but manage to get standby seats and eventually make it on.

Once in Frankfurt, Reichen & Chip realize they have been booked on business class seats which is not allowed. Not wanting to risk the penalty, they have to get off the flight and it departs without them.

Back in Salzburg, Kelly & Jon are relieved that Steve & Dave are on the flight via Zurich with them. Kelly wishes they didn’t have to Race against Team ATC and instead wants to go up against Millie the mole.

Upon arrival in Paris, teams must figure out how to get to Le Mans. Monica & Sheree are able to hustle and make the first train out of Paris, leaving Tian & Jaree behind and allowing Reichen & Chip to catch up.

The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4 The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4

Monica & Sheree arrive at Circuit Bugatti and open the first clue revealing the Road Block. For this Road Block, teams will have to join the pit crew to change the tires on a race car before joining driver in a lap around the track.

Monica decides to do the Road Block and finishes before any other team arrives. She and Sheree can now hop into a Mercedes and drive themselves 556 miles to Marseilles.

Tian and Chip are next to arrive and start the Road Block.

Later, Jon and Chuck start at the same time. But Chuck feels tight and hot in the car and falls behind. Jeff and Josh are next.

Bringing up the rear, Kelly had insisted that she do the next Road Block, regardless of what it was. She and ATC/BFG Dave finish and all teams are now on their way to Marseilles.

The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4 The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4

Teams have to find the Phare de Sainte Marie lighthouse. But HOURS OF OPERATION! It doesn’t open until 9am.

Reichen & Chip are first to arrive, but are told they cannot wait at the gates. Tian & Jaree, seeing no one is here, also go to a hotel. David & Jeff are next and decide to wait there overnight. Monica & Sheree and Steve & Dave park behind them followed by Steve & Josh, Jon & Al, and Millie & Chuck. The security guard comes out and says they cannot park at the gate. So the teams go around and park on the shoulder of the off ramp.

In the morning, Tian & Jaree are told by the guard that they can go wait by the gates since there are already too many people parked on the off ramp. Reichen & Chip follow their lead.

The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4 The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4

The other teams are absolutely pissed and decide to confront them. Tian stands her ground. But Reichen & Chip decide to reluctantly go back to the end of the line. They maintain that they had a right in front since they arrived here first last night. But the other teams continue to berate them.

Jaree, meanwhile, thinks she and Tian should also go to the back of the line. But Tian says she is only following what the security guard told her to do. They argue.

At 9am, Tian & Jaree, as they had always planned, let all the other teams drive in before them.

Kelly & Jon find the clue first and read that teams must now drive to Gorges Du Blavet.

The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4 The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4

Chip thinks he’s found the marked parking lot at Gorges Du Blavet, but he is wrong. That allows the other teams to find the Detour first: Ropes or Slopes. In Ropes, teams must rappel. In Slopes, teams must hike down the trail.

David & Jeff, Jon & Al and Kelly & Jon arrive first and choose Ropes. They head to the cluebox and open the next clue telling teams to drive to the Pit Stop, the Chateau des Alpilles.

Tian & Jaree, thinking they are so far behind, decide to do the Fast Forward. For this Fast Forward, Tian & Jaree must find Musee de Tapisseries and arrange 20 puzzle pieces to form a large picture of the Pit Stop.

Tian & Jaree are able to step on the Mat as Team #1.

Millie & Chuck and Jon & Al decide to step on the Mat together as Teams #2. Monica & Sheree are Team #4 followed by Reichen & Chip, David & Jeff, Kelly & Jon and Steve & Dave.

That means Steve & Josh are last and eliminated.

The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4 The Amazing Race 4 Episode 4

Episode Highlights

Episode Thoughts

The episodes are getting better and better. Even though the Leg was unnecessarily long. And for what? Lol

A big chunk of the episode was devoted to airport drama. But it was actually interesting airport drama this time. Though I still don’t think it deserved all that time. Seeing teams maneuver different flights was fun. I guess partly because we don’t see that anymore. But it was actually interesting to watch. Especially with the two airport dilemma.

There was an equalizer after the Road Block. But I would’ve preferred it before once teams arrived in Paris.

Anyway, this is also a historic episode because it was the first time a Road Block appeared before a Detour. Crazy to think for three seasons, it was always Detour first, Road Block second. I remember when it first aired how huge it was that the format saw a major shake up like this. Now, TAR makes a big deal about Legs with ZERO Detours and ZERO Road Blocks. Strange times! Lol

Le Mans is definitely an iconic location. So great to see it on TAR so early on in the franchise. And like last week, the race track/tire change task is one that would be recycled over and over again over the next 20 years lol

Ten hour drive though to Marseilles? Really unnecessary. Just have a Leg in Paris and Le Mans. That would be enough miles right there. Especially when all teams did for the Detour was rappelling. They could’ve found a better Detour in a closer location while still having teams drive around and get lost.

The fact that TAR recycled a Detour from last season though. And even used “Ropes or Slopes” too. They just did it in TAR3 with the memorable Cabo da Roca Detour. At least change the names of the Detour, you know? lol

Really though, the main attraction was the continued serving of drama from the teams. They helped to boost the episode. And it was better because of them.

My Subjective Team Rankings

The Amazing Race 4 The Amazing Race 4 The Amazing Race 4 The Amazing Race 4 The Amazing Race 4 The Amazing Race 4 The Amazing Race 4 The Amazing Race 4 The Amazing Race 4

Tian & Jaree were definitely stars in this episode. Infighting AND getting on the other teams’ nerves as well? TV gold! I wouldn’t consider them going to the front as cutting in line since they did arrive them before everyone else but Reichen & Chip. But at the same time, I would’ve responded the same as Tian by standing my ground even if I already planned to letting all the other teams go ahead once the gates opened. When you come at me so aggressively, I will only be pushed to be more stubborn. All to show that I’m not going to get pushed around. So major points to Tian here.

Kelly & Jon are just fun to watch. They’re not the best Racers at all, but they’re also not the worst. But seeing them stumble all over the place, yet almost casually stay safe is funny. And with their personalities, it’s always a good time.

Steve & Dave are in a similar position. Even they are surprised they’ve made it this far. And I liked Kelly appreciating their drive to keep going as well. Steve’s “threat” to Tian & Jaree and Reichen & Chip was hilarious though. And definitely one of the most memorable quotes from TAR4. (It’s the episode title, for goodness sakes! Lol)

I actually liked Chip’s angry reaction to the other teams’ coming at him. Like with Tian, I would probably react the same way. My temper would get the best of me and I’d explode. Like, don’t come at me like that. When you’ve got several teams ganging up on you, you will feel cornered and you’ll just respond in a more heated way. So I liked Reichen & Chip in that moment. But yikes at them at the Detour lol

Monica & Sheree were in first place on their own and that was awesome to see. They didn’t need anyone to help them. In fact, they left other teams in the dust as they hustled and had that sense of urgency you need on the Race.

Millie & Chuck and Jon & Al‘s tie though. Kinda cringey. Their relationship was nice to see last Leg with Millie’s asthma. But this week, I can definitely feel Kelly’s annoyance with Millie the mole. Lol

I liked David & Jeff getting into Reichen & Chip’s faces. I like seeing fiery rivalries that actually have some depth to them. I mean, rivalries that have organically developed tension. Not TAR-fabricated drama. Lol And with Steve & Josh, it was probably the right time for them to go.

Episode Quotes

Phil: “First blood was drawn.”

Kelly: “I’m sick of looking at Jon’s ass.”

2 thoughts on “Recap: The Amazing Race 4, Episode 4 – “Check Your Tires Because… Oh God, You Never Know What’ll Happen!”

  1. Shows how important a good navigator is. Not sure if Steve was a better navigator than Josh but they sure did lose a lot of time finding the gorge. Perhaps they could have used the money they saved by taking the train to Salzburg, to buy a better map of southern France. Did they ever get to cash in their chips for helping Steve and Dave in the first leg (probably should have picked a better team to form an alliance with)?

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