Recap: The Amazing Race 4, Episode 7 – “We’re Going Down the Wrong Side of The Freeway… and the Lights Are Off!”

After last Leg which Phil describes as including “a crowded train ride” that “terrified the women,” teams learn the 7th Leg is still in India. With $70, teams must hop… ON A TRAIN to Ernakulam Junction.

While the other teams take a taxi to the station they need to depart from, Kelly & Jon and Jon & Al decide to take a train from Victoria Station. With ticketing closed for now, the two teams head to a hotel for a few hours.

Tian & Jaree’s taxi driver drives on the wrong side of the highway while David & Jeff’s driver takes them to someone’s house. Once they get to Panvel Station, they are creeped out by the locals staring at them and hovering around them so they also go to a hotel. Reichen & Chip, Millie & Chuck and Tian & Jaree decide to sleep on the floor of the station.

In the morning, all the teams meet up at Panvel Station and they board the “smelly,” “weird” 26-hour overnight train. This time though, they have sleepers and most of the teams end up upgrading to first class. Except Millie & Chuck who decide to save money and rough it out.

Millie & Chuck actually appreciate the time to themselves, away from what they feel is high school-like bullying from the other teams. Particularly Kelly & Jon who have given them the nicknames of “Millie Mole” and “Werewolf.”

Teams finally arrive at Ernakulum Junction and hop into taxis to drive along Highway 47. They must search amongst thousands of billboards along the road for their next clue.

That clue points teams to a sports field in Alleppey. All teams are neck and neck, but Millie & Chuck’s driver needs to stop for fuel and later the car overheats. Reichen & Chip, in last, also have to stop for gas and the driver asks them to help pay for it.

At the field, David & Jeff are in the lead and open the clue revealing the Road Block: Who can put up with a lot of bull? For this Road Block, teams must take part in a local sport: bull racing. Teams will hang on to a team of bulls and get dragged across the muddy field. If they can hang on until the end, they will get the next clue. If they fail, they must go to the back of the line as only one team can go at a time.

David, clownAl, Tian and Kelly’s Jon are the first in line to perform the Road Block. David and Al get it on their first attempt. But when Tian goes, she struggles with holding on. Jon goes next and he is able to make it the whole way.

Tian goes for a second attempt, but the wooden bar is too slippery for her. She goes for her third attempt just as Millie & Chuck arrive and she finally reaches the end. Chuck gets it on his first attempt and they leave just as Reichen & Chip, in last, arrive.

After the Road Block, teams must now make their way to the Route Marker on Beach Road. All the teams are close together as they open the next clue revealing the Detour: Baskets or Trunks. In Baskets, teams must load ten live chickens into baskets on traditional bike-powered wagons. They will then deliver them to a nearby farm. In Trunks, teams must load two bales of traditional Indian fabric known as coir onto an elephant. They will then deliver the fabric while riding the elephant to the shop.

Jon & Al, David & Jeff, Kelly & Jon, Tian & Jaree and Millie & Chuck choose the elephants. Millie & Chuck are able to overtake Tian & Jaree who forget their coir. Reichen & Chip, meanwhile, are bringing up the rear and decide to do the chickens which they think will be faster.

After the Detour, teams can now make their way to The Finishing Point, the Pit Stop for this Leg of the Race.

David & Jeff are “the first team to arrive” and win a cruise to the western Caribbean. Jon & Al are Team #2 followed by Kelly & Jon and Millie & Chuck.

It’s now a Race between Tian & Jaree and Reichen & Chip. And it is Reichen & Chip who step on the Mat in 5th. That means Tian & Jaree are sadly last and eliminated.

Episode Highlights

Recap: The #AmazingRace 4, Episode 7 – "We're Going Down the Wrong Side of The Freeway… and the Lights Are Off!" – https://t.co/QwzKQyz1As pic.twitter.com/otIjFpl1ei

— DryedMangoez (@dryedmangoez) March 5, 2021

Episode Thoughts

First of all, Where the hell are the Non-Elimination Legs?! It’s Leg 7 and not a single Non-Elimination Leg yet. TAR4 really was a do-or-die for the franchise, yeah? Lol Needed to keep that budget in check and still get respectable ratings. lol

Anyway, I definitely would’ve wanted to see Tian & Jaree saved with a Non-Elimination here. This was a crazy Leg with lots of potential that I don’t think the Race really maximized.

I mean, the first 17! minutes of the episode had ZERO Racing. It was just more of teams being grossed out by India. They could’ve easily cut all of that down to maybe five, heck ten minutes and it would’ve gotten the point across. Then they could’ve done much more in rural India.

They traveled 26 hours to this rural Indian town and that’s all they do? Imagine other things they could’ve done just in this area. It would’ve been an even more amazing Leg. Having teams interacting more with the townspeople. Doing more farming stuff. Maybe something in town. That’s the kind of culture shock that can be a positive learning experience while still being competitive.

This was the only time TAR ever traveled deep into India instead of just sticking to the big metro areas. And they pretty much kind of wasted the opportunity. Just a Road Block and Detour that seemed to probably need less than an hour to complete both.

Nonetheless, the ten minutes of Racing on-screen was exciting at least.

The Road Block was pretty quick, so it would’ve been better if it was more difficult. But in a way that didn’t disadvantage the women like it appeared to do for Tian. Tian being able to finally overcome the slippery rod did feel more epic back then. But it’s still cool now and just adds to Tian being a badass.

The Detour was pretty well-balanced. Though I’m sure seeing the elephants like that isn’t going to fly in 2021.

At the Pit Stop though, why did Phil use the “X team to arrive” to check the teams in? It wasn’t a Non-Elim and no one got penalties. Very strange.

Overall, a much better India episode than last week. But missed opportunity to get even more competition from what was the most competitive episode so far this season.

My Subjective Team Rankings

One great thing about TAR4 is that teams were friendly, but still competitive. They work together at tasks, but don’t hold each other’s hands. How refreshing! (Should’ve made TAR32 teams watch TAR4.)

Tian & Jaree were a complete package team. Drama, fun, badass moments. They delivered in many ways. I definitely wish they made it further, if not all the way to the end. They definitely deserved it.

Kelly & Jon did well this Leg. But I think the one thing from them to point out this episode was Jon being so wrong about grabbing Kelly’s ass like that as a joke. I mean, that’s a little awkward and inappropriate considering what the women went through last Leg. Like, sure, they can joke about it between each other. But Kelly obviously was not happy and I can’t even imagine what she was feeling having to take a train again with local men. Jon’s joke was funny and I feel bad for laughing. But I also recognize that he probably shouldn’t have done it.

Reichen & Chip were almost eliminated this Leg! Imagine how different the final Legs would be like without them. But they made the right choice at the Detour and it shows how strategic they do think. That’s a positive for them.

Millie & Chuck are such a fascinating team. I don’t think they’re the victim and they don’t portray themselves as such. I know if they were to get in a face-to-face confrontation with another team like Kelly & Jon, Millie especially would be able to take them on. Heck, she cut Chip’s lip. So I wish we got to see more of Millie & Chuck in heated competition with other teams. Especially when they have been so feverish with alliances. They probably would’ve loved to have Raced on TAR32 lol

Jon & Al and David & Jeff may be the least interesting of the group at this point. But they’re nonetheless Racing very well. They’ve both been consistent and that’s a positive for them moving forward.