Recap: The Amazing Race 33, Episode 2 – It Can’t Be That Easy
The Race continues in London and the 2nd Leg begins with teams needing to make their way to Mail Rail, London’s 100-year-old postal railway next to the Postal Museum.
Ryan & Dusty arrive first and open the clue revealing the first Road Block: Who still gets the mail? For this Road Block, teams must hop on the mail rail and down to the loading dock where they must rummage through “thousands” of mail pieces for their next clue.
Ryan decides to do the Road Block and is able to find the clue before any other teams show up. That clue directs them to take a taxi to Leicester Square.
Raquel and Anthony are next to do the Road Block. But Raquel immediately finds the clue before the train that brought them here even leaves. She is able to hop on without Anthony.
Penn and Ray are next to arrive and head down. They decide to work together, but they easily find the clue. Penn and Ray don’t think it can be that easy. They ask Anthony who tells them it’s just the clue they already have in their hand. But Penn and Ray don’t believe him. The task can’t be so simple. As Anthony hops on the next train, Penn and Ray stay behind as they shuffle through the mail some more.
Arun, Connie and Sheri catch up and also quickly find the clue. Penn and Ray realize they have been overthinking it.
Taylor & Isaiah and Lulu & Lala are bringing up the rear.
Over at Leicester Square, Ryan & Dusty open the next clue revealing the Detour: Bullseye, Mate or Decorate. In Bullseye, Mate, both team members will get three arrows each and must both hit the bullseye in the same round. In Decorate, teams must decorate two blank cakes into flags of two European Union countries.
First place Ryan & Dusty choose the darts and they quickly hit their bullseyes. They can now make their way to a Double Decker Bus at Russell Square Metro Station, the Pit Stop for this Leg. They get some tea and officially check in as Team #1.
Arun & Natalia also choose the darts and get started with Connie & Sam arriving soon after. Connie & Sam end up leaving first, but Arun & Natalia follow soon after. At the Pit Stop, Connie & Sam claim 2nd with Arun & Natalia in 3rd.
Raquel & Cayla and Anthony & Spencer choose cakes. Raquel & Cayla think the UK is in the EU, but Anthony & Spencer remember that no, they are actually not anymore. And they make sure not to tell the flight attendants. Caro & Ray and Kim & Penn arrive next with Akbar & Sheri, Taylor & Sheri and Lulu & Lala also decorating.
Raquel & Cayla and Anthony & Spencer show their cakes for a check. But it turns out both teams chose non-EU countries and they both have to make an extra, correct cake.
Kim & Penn also incorrectly make a Norway cake, but get both cakes rejected anyway. Raquel & Cayla come back with a German cake and get the thumbs up. Anthony & Spencer go for their 2nd attempt and also pass. Kim & Penn return with their new cakes and get the next clue. Caro & Ray pass on their first attempt. Taylor & Isaiah finish and Lulu & Lala also continue on.
On the way to the Pit Stop, Lulu & Lala argue over Lala trying to comfort Lulu about her breakup while doing the Detour.
Raquel & Cayla finish as Team #4. Friends Kim & Penn and Ray & Caro claim 5th and 6th. Anthony & Spencer are 7th and Akbar & Sheri finish as Team #8.
It’s down to the last two teams and Taylor & Isaiah are the ones that take 9th. That means Lulu & Lala are last. But Phil hands them the next clue and are still Racing. The twins hurry off to catch the next train to Scotland.
Episode Thoughts
First of all, this two-hour premiere is listed as one episode on Paramount+ and is being made on demand in that way. But it’s so obviously two separate episodes. Even just judging from the two episode titles paired together with a “/”, it’s two episodes. So I’ll go with that and we’ll be confused all season. But also to note, they considered the two-hour episodes in TAR30 as one episode. And that’s obviously wrong too. So whatever. We’ll get through this predicament together. lol
Anyway! This was a solid big city early Leg. Three Route Markers plus the Pit Stop. But (most) of the tasks were good enough to have teams Racing side-by-side and neck~to~neck. Which is not something that is guaranteed on modern TAR.
Speaking of modern TAR, it was hilarious to see Penn and Ray second guessing themselves at the Road Block. Even teams wonder how TAR tasks can be so easy. And the fact that tasks have been easy is nothing new either.
Now, I can see it specifically being easy just to mess with teams. But this is modern TAR where tasks actually can be that lame. Being the first task of the Leg though, I can understand it being all about equalizing teams with the train ride. But I’ll be cynical and think that it was just an uninspired task. Lol At least have teams dig through actual piles of mail. I’m thinking about the iconic mail Road Block in Argentina from TAR11. This, however, was definitely no needle in a haystack. That’s for sure.
The Detour was also so-so. The darts side of the Detour is very TAR Canada, to be honest. A simple, straightforward task. And for many people, it can be a piece of cake. (As it was for Ryan & Dusty.) Speaking of cake, I actually liked that side of the Detour as a task on its own. It might’ve even been better as a Road Block.
I love that Brexit somehow played a part in the task. It was pretty funny. And honestly, that is the only amount of politics I will ever accept on TAR lol
Even more refreshing, teams not telling each other the answer! If this were TAR32 (yes, I’ll keep shitting on TAR32 lest we ever have to experience such a thing in the future), the tRuE aLLiAnCe would’ve been whispering what flags each team needed to do. Hell, they probably would’ve been putting blueberries on each other’s cakes.
Anyway, it’s fortunate that this was a Keep on Racing Leg. Essentially a Non-Elimination Leg pre-shutdown that helps ease the potential logistical concerns when a team or two would be unable to return later.
But apparently, this is the first time we’ve had what is essentially a Non-Elimination Leg on Leg 2. Which is pretty crazy because TARPHDME has done it numerous times! lol
Anyway, the preview of the big announcement at the end of Leg 3 was actually quite exciting. Obviously, a somber moment. But it’s a fascinating moment to have happen on The Amazing Race. For a show about running around the world being brought to a halt because of a deadly virus, that’s certainly an historic moment. Not just for the show, but for television in general.
Overall, this was a fun two hours. And I think perfect to have aired together. It really feels so different to see teams running around so freely like that when even today, we can’t even go into the grocery store without a mask on or even visit with friends and family without having unnecessary worries.
My Subjective Team Rankings
Not much change in my team rankings this week. I still like all of them. Which is definitely refreshing. And despite everyone being nice and all, there’s still good competition. So that’s all positive stuff.
I very much enjoy the unexpected friendship between Caro & Ray and Kim & Penn. It’s great to see bonds like that form on the Race WITHOUT the stench of hand-holding alliances. I can’t blame Ray and Penn for overthinking the Road Block though. They expect actual challenges on the Race. Not whatever that was. Lol I also love how they took Anthony’s harmless response to their question in such a malicious way. If this is the start of a potential rivalry, I’m here for it! We also got a tease of potential dysfunctional couple antics from Caro & Ray, so that’ll be fun to look out for.
It’s great to have a twin team on the Race after a long while. And Lulu & Lala are a great team to fill that role. Another rough Leg for them, but they kept fighting. That is, fighting to stay in the Race as well as with each other. Having their lives outside of the Race fuel their tense moment this Leg was very interesting. And not always something we see on the Race.
Arun & Natalia had some more great moments this Leg. They are definitely one of the more fun teams this season. Akbar & Sheri had a more drama-free Leg this time around as well.
All the other teams had solid Legs. Nothing too memorable. But just all around good competition from them. Which again, is so nice and refreshing to see.
Episode Quotes
Dusty: “He’s like a raccoon in the dumpster.”
Penn: “It can’t be that easy.”
Cayla: “Ignorance is not bliss on The Amazing Race.”
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4 thoughts on “Recap: The Amazing Race 33, Episode 2 – “It can’t be that easy.””
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Why stop with putting blueberries on each others cakes? The TARAUS 5 alliance would’ve probably just gave each other the same completed cake to be judged 😂
OMG THAT’S TRUE! 😂😭
lol
It bears repeating, TAR33 is a refreshing change hehe
tbh I’d prefer if you had to show a unique combination of flags for the Decorate detour because at the end of the day, they all ended up doing the same two nations (France and Germany)
That’s true. Maybe something like a team had to claim two flags to copy and no other team could choose it. Or not let other teams see what everyone else is doing.