Recap: The Amazing Race 37, Episode 4 – “Let them win this battle so we can win the war.”

Recap: The Amazing Race 37, Episode 4 – There’s No Addresses in the Jungle

For this 4th Leg, teams will fly to Bali, Indonesia. Leading teams Scott & Lori and Carson & Jack agree that Jonathan & Ana probably wouldn’t screw them over at the Driver’s Seat and hope that one of them three will get there first. Otherwise the trailing teams might target them with it.

All teams except Bernie & Carrigain get on the first flight arriving in Denpasar at 4:40pm. Bernie & Carrigain arrive at 8:50pm. Upon arrival teams must make their way by taxi to Pura Puseh Bali Aga Bayad. Where HOURS OF OPERATION! Teams take a number for tomorrow morning.

At sunrise, teams open the clue and teams learn they will drive an ATV through the mud and a cave before reaching a waterfall where the next clue awaits.

Jonathan & Ana are the first team to depart with the others right behind them.

At the end of the drive, teams open the clue directing them to the rice fields at Tampaksiring. Jonathan & Ana arrive there and get the Road Block clue: Who thinks they can rice to the occasion? For this Road Block, teams must hand thresh rice in the traditional way. But to determine how much rice they will need, the team in the Driver’s Seat will assign either 15, 20, or 25 pounds.

Jonathan & Ana get to the Driver’s Seat and decide on the weights. They put the 25 pounds on the teams immediately behind them: Scott & Lori, Mike & Nick, Alyssa & Josiah, Pops & Jeff. Brett & Mark and Carson & Jack and Han & Holden get 20 pounds. They give Melinda & Erika 15 pounds.

They realize they have one more weight left and that’s because they didn’t assign one to themselves. So of course they give themselves 15 pounds and that forces them to put a 25 pound sticker on Bernie & Carrigain.

When they get to the threshing stations, they decide it will be difficult for Ana so they use the Express Pass. They can now make their way to Penglipuran Village.

The other teams begin arriving at the Road Block and the Driver’s Seat board. Lori starts threshing and says she’s not upset they got the heaviest weight, but that it was Jonathan & Ana who gave it to them.

Meanwhile, Brett & Mark discover their taxi driver has taken them in the completely wrong direction. Though Mark had put in the correct location in Google Maps, the driver changed it and they are now 43 minutes the wrong way.

As their teammates get started, the waiting team members gossip about what Jonathan & Ana did, especially the fact that they gave themselves the lowest weight and then still used the Express Pass anyway. Jonathan & Ana hope they didn’t waste it here.

They arrive at the Detour: Penjor or Pajegan. In Penjor, teams will decorate a long bamboo pole adorned with leaves, flowers and offerings to show gratitude for all things on Earth. When approved, they will carry it out to a stand in the village to be put on display. In Pajegan, teams must use an example to purchase offerings in the village and put together a pair of pajegans. They will then balance them on their heads and walk them to a temple to offer to the gods.

Jonathan & Ana choose Penjor, but Jonathan has to use the bathroom first.

Lori gets her 25 pounds of rice, no problem and she and Scott are able to eventually catch up to Jonathan & Ana at the Detour.

Back at the Road Block, Nick gets his 25 pounds of rice and he and Mike can move on. Han gets her 20 pounds next just as Brett & Mark finally arrive. Alyssa gets her 25 pounds and Jack with his 20 pounds is next.

At the Detour, Nick & Mike and Han & Holden both choose Pajegan and they work together to memorize the items so they can purchase the right amount. Alyssa & Josiah and Carson & Jack choose Penjor and catch up to the other teams.

Back at the rice, Melinda gets her 15 pounds, with Jeff and his 25 pounds next. Mark and his 15 pounds is right behind them, leaving Carrigain in last. When her 25 pounds are approved, she and Bernie hurry to catch up.

At the Detour, Jonathan & Ana’s penjor gets the thumbs down. But after seeing their mistake, it gets approved. After getting wrapped in a sarong, they make their way to the open stand to deliver the penjor. They get the next clue pointing them to the Pit Stop: Pura Dalem Pelapuran, Penglipuran.

Meanwhile, Melinda & Erika choose Penjor as do Brett & Mark and Pops & Jeff. Scott & Lori ask for a check and their penjor is approved. They deliver their penjor and hurry to the Pit Stop.

Bernie & Carrigain arrive and also choose Penjor. But they don’t see the sign pointing them to the Detour location and instead follow the directions of a local pointing them the other way. They run into Carson & Jack who point them in the right direction, but Bernie & Carrigain still don’t know where to go.

Over at the Pit Stop, Jonathan & Ana are officially Team #1 and they win enough Expedia Key Cash for a trip to Croatia and Montenegro.

Carson & Jack end up getting to the Mat as Team #2 and Scott & Lori are 3rd. They agree that they will probably U-Turn Jonathan & Ana tomorrow.

As Nick & Mike and Han & Holden get their pajegans approved, Bernie & Carrigain are still lost. And now Carrigain is frustrated because she feels Bernie is disregarding her ideas. They finally see the sign next to the cluebox.

They catch up to the other teams still finishing their penjors. Alyssa & Josiah get theirs approved followed by Brett & Mark, Pops & Jeff and Melinda & Erika.

When Nick & Mike deliver their pajegan, one of theirs falls apart so they have to fix it. That allows Han & Holden to pass them. But the penjor teams also finish and it’s a footrace to find the Pit Stop as teams scramble around the village.

Melinda & Erika end up finding Phil to check in as Team #4. Alyssa & Josiah, Han & Holden, Brett & Mark, Nick & Mike and Pops & Jeff finish as Teams 5 through 9.

Phil asks the teams about Jonathan & Ana’s decision. But they all also talk about Scott & Lori pretending to be so weak when they’ve have been doing very well so far.

That leaves Bernie & Carrigain as Team #10, last and eliminated.

Episode Thoughts

Wow! So, this is an immediate reaction. But I think this was one of the best TAR episodes in a long time! I might argue this was the best episode of the 90-minute era!

A simple Leg again. But! The Driver’s Seat, the resulting drama and the tasks themselves were able to actually fill this 90-minute TV episode/one-hour runtime the best since transitioning to the longer airing format.

Let’s go back and start at the beginning though. With all the teases of the Driver’s Seat, I was a bit skeptical about having teams getting into Bali at different times. I thought that for the Driver’s Seat, there should at least be some kind of equalizer so all teams have a chance at it. Otherwise, it would be very unfair.

So I was relieved when teams arrived in Bali at night and then the confirmation that it was an Hours of Operation. I do think I would’ve had one task first (not processional, first come-first served) so that teams had a chance to move ahead or fall behind based on their performance and not whoever got the best taxi.

Anyway, the ATV ride was a nice little adventure at the start. And then there was the Road Block and the Detour. So at least one more task, again, would’ve been good at this point in the Leg especially before the Driver’s Seat.

Speaking of, I think it was an alright twist. Certainly nowhere near Head to Head or TAR31 U-Turn Vote-levels of fail. And there will definitely be tasks where the Driver’s Seat fits better than others. It’s pretty obvious though what TAR wants to do with putting this here and then putting a public U-Turn Vote in the next Leg. So we’ll see how that plays out.

I will say though that if the Driver’s Seat gets hijacked by an alliance, I will probably immediately hate it. lol

Anyway, the Road Block was good. A classic rice threshing task. And again, it was well-suited to the mechanics of the Driver’s Seat.

The Detour was also very good. Both sides of the Detour were attention to detail. And of course they showcased wonderful cultural elements of the location. It’s funny though in modern TAR, I see the benefit and merits of a Limited Stations Detour. It sucks when one side of the Detour might not get chosen. Not just from a logistics standpoint, but since the tasks usually feature great cultural and daily life traditions or activities of wherever the teams are Racing at that time.

Penglipuran village was very beautiful and a perfect location for the Detour. And then those drone shots of the teams running around the village on the way to the Pit Stop! Stunning! And very exciting too!

Again showing the pros of having teams racing side by side with each other. Thus, the necessity of more equalizers in modern TAR. Hehe.

Overall, a good Leg elevated by great tasks, fun team drama, good competition and a beautiful location! More like this please TARUS!

Team Thoughts

OMG! Teams actually competing? Teams not holding each other’s hands? Teams bickering? Yes! TAR is back y’all! lolol

But seriously, how refreshing to have teams actually competing and not trying to just boost their post-Race social media following.

So to the teams themselves. I actually like Jonathan & Ana. The other teams have every right to be bitter if they feel like it. I wouldn’t be happy if another team handicapped me in that way. But they’re playing the game and it’s not even in any mean-spirited way. They just want to win. And that’s perfectly fine.

I will say though that Scott & Lori‘s reaction was a bit over the top. Lori’s especially I think. Perhaps it was the shock of it. And maybe that’s partly due to the last couple of seasons being so kumbaya that this kind of Racing was almost extinct. But hopefully this season shows that there’s still hope yet! Lol

Anyway, I was most surprised by the other teams clocking Scott & Lori on them trying to downplay their skills. I have a feeling if it’s a Double U-Turn Vote next week, then we have our two U-Turned teams lol

Carson & Jack continue to do well, but perhaps in a more understated way than the married couples. So they’re not on anyone’s radar yet even though they’ve been Racing very, very well so far.

Melinda & Erika have been unexpectedly great as well. It’s nice to see a mother/daughter team Racing well. And they definitely prove that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover! Hehe.

Alyssa & Josiah definitely stepped it up this week. I forgot they actually placed first in Leg 1. They kinda disappeared for me in Episodes 2 and 3. But they were right in the middle of it this episode. And seeing them also speak up about Scott & Lori was very interesting too!

Han & Holden have not had very good Legs the last two weeks. But there are definitely instances where they show sparks of something really great. The way they can make up time and do well in tasks might be able to help them overcome whatever bumps they might encounter. So I could see them going farther than maybe many think.

Brett & Mark certainly muscled their way back into the Race after that wrong turn at the start of the Leg. I think that’s also a testament to the Leg design that allowed them to be able to get back in it. And they definitely made the most of that opportunity.

Nick & Mike and Pops & Jeff were alright this episode. I think the way the Leg was very closed worked in their favor. Not to mention the guys also muscling their way through the Road Block as well.

Finally, Bernie & Carrigain. We definitely saw the tension in their friendship already. And it’s sad to see a team experience such things on the Race. But the Race can certainly do that to a team. And it’s all just part of the experience. I do think their elimination definitely came as a result of the Driver’s Seat. If they had less rice to do, then maybe they could have survived, even with the getting lost in the village. But who knows.