Culturally Preconditioned

How much do you love the episode tonight. The Yield was used for the first time, and it was used on the right couple. Yay! But then again, how much do you hate tonight’s episode for being a non-elimination episode? *sigh* well, I guess you just can’t win em all.

This album was so fucking underrated

The leg tonight moved from Middle Earth to Manila. And once again, hats off to the spoilers for correctly identifying the location months ago (from Russia to Tanzania to New Zealand to Manila). Nothing like a reality television show to bring the people from all across the globe together.

The episode starts with a walk on a high beam challenge, followed by the usual rush at the airport. Everyone trying to get the earliest flights to Manila. Colon and Christie missed their flight during their stop over in Sinapore, and had to take a detour to Hong Kong with all the remaining teams. By the way, I am never setting foot in Sinapore ever again. Colon and Christie were there. No, not even for the American Idol concert next month.

Anyway, I have to eat my words. Apparently YIELD was used after all. I mean, it makes sense to use Yield towards the end of the race, no? I am so glad that Chip/Kim, Brandon/Nicole and the Moms ALL agreed to yield Colon and Christie. Even though they all arrived at the YIELD post at the same time, Chip had to do the dirty work. Poor Chip had to endure PsychoColon’s dirty stare throughout the entire Jeepney decorating challenge (which the Moms amazingly finished first).

It was then followed by a Detour of plowing the field using an ox, or trying to herd a thousand ducks into a pen. Anyone in their right mind would do the plowing challenge. I stand by what I said before. Colon and Christie? They’re the perfect pairing. They deserve each other. ‘Nuff said.

It was then a mad dash to the Coconut Palace (someone told me the girl with Phil at the Pitstop was the daughter of the Phillipines President). Chip and Kim managed to swoop into first place. And the Moms maintaining their second place. Brandon and Nicole ended up third, and Colon and Christie ended up last. Unfortunately for us viewers, it was a non-elimination round. I’m intrigued to see how will they cope getting around with no money next round. I guess, it’s time for them to get off their high asses.. i mean, horses.

If you tilt your head just a little bit, you’d think that was a picture from www.colinlovesbestiality.com

It was one of the better episodes. I am starting to think Jerry Bruckheimer is taking pointers from Mark Burnett, in terms of story telling. The concept of foreshadowing and paybacks is just too much to be passed off as a coincidence. Colon and Christie were so cocky during the first half of the episode (how they are so far ahead and what a great team they were), only got shot down later and ended up in last place. That’s payback for ya. The religious imagery and undertones in this episode too is getting more visible. Chip’s comments on the Moms could either be some sort of foreshadowing or a red herring : “If the moms can do that (the beam challenge), they are going to win this”. Well, they did the challenge. So will they win (which will be foreshadowing)? or wont they (just a red herring)?

Foreshadowing? Or plain old herring? Oooh you can just tell I’m already in Survivor mode. HA! Red herrings, sticky wickets, foreshadowing, prophecies and paybacks. Oh boy, can’t Friday night get here any quicker? By the way.. the two shows (Malaysian Idol and Survivor) will be overlapping on Friday night. How I WISH WISH WISH we had TiVo. Anyone got an extra DVD/HDD Recorder they wanna give away?

Don’t miss the two hour finale of Amazing Race 5 next Wednesday. I have my money on Chip and Kim winning the race. Or the Moms. Amazing Race 6 is scheduled to start at the end of October.