A new season of TARA3 is upon us, and however much I keep complaining about the show, everyone knows I’ll still watch it. I guess I’m a sadist. Anyway quick recap of the TARA3 premier :
All 10 Teams arrive at the Rama I Monument in Bangkok, the starting point of “the most toughest race ever”. There will be 7 elimination points - good to know that there will be at least two non-elimination episodes, and possible an extended to-be-continued one. The racers first clue is to head down to Khao San Road (every time I hear the name of this road, I think of Alex Garland’s The Beach - best novel ever, worst movie adaptation ever).
Once there, teams had to eat some Thai delicacies - roasted/fried bugs/scorpions/maggots/frogs and whatnots. An interesting start to the race. In my book, it’s always interesting when there’s puking involved. But I feel the need to complain about the logistic idiots. 10 teams crammed into two small tables? Mana nak dapat angle baik? But whatever.
Once the task is done, teams need to get on a taxi to a designated CALTEX service station to clean a vehicle (read : bus) (also read : lacy producers recycling the absolute lamest challenge from the first season). Physically demanding sure, but don’t they have better ideas for physically demanding tasks? Kudos to the racers for going through the challenge, though. Interesting that it actually rained midway through the task, making the challenge even more lame (read : I take that as a little fuck you from Ma Nature to the producers).
Next, they had to sign up for one of the 3 chartered buses to their next location. At this moment, some idjits went off wondering away from the station since they did not know what the clue meant. Perhaps the producers should really re-evaluate their casting choices and limit the contestants to people who actually give a fuck and watched the show before. Anyway, the three buses (carrying 3, 3 and 4 teams respectively) at certain intervals or something.
Buses carried them to a temple site where they had to search among the BUddha statues for their next clue. Buses will leave within 20 minutes of arrival at the site. Interesting challenge cause teams arrived at the site at night and they had to search for the clues in pitch black. Bus 1 left with two teams, bus 2 left with one team, and bus 3 left with the remaining teams. Yawnsies.
Buses head to Chiang Mai where their next clue stated that it’s a Detour. A sleeveless Allen Wu appeared on screen (and I could actually hear Mrs G’s moan all the way from my place in Shah Alam) explaining the clues : Race or Ride. In Race, teams had to navigate around a terrain in a buggy. In Rice, teams had to pound the rice into two rice balls. The tasks were kinda split evenly between the teams (actually four of the teams changed from Rice to Race midway through the task).
And the next clue was for them to head down to the Garden World for the first pitstop. In order of arrival at the pitstop :
1. Mai/Oliver (Thai) - I cannot stand the girl. She whines a lot. And I thought Flo was bad. Their argument post-pistop was a little over the top, but didn’t actually make me cringe like I did watching Terri/Henri.
2. Tisha/Geoff (Pinoy) - A pretty competitive team, and I’m seeing hints of villains wannabe in them
3. Henry/Bernie (Malaysia) - I don’t want to sound biased, but this team kinda kicks ass. Love em.
4. Pailin/Natalie (Thai) - Surprised me with their competentness (is that even a word?). They might be a team actually worth rooting for. The mascara running off her face during the rain, was priceless.
5. Ida/Tania (Malaysia) - Like I said, I’m going to root for Ida no matter what. I honestly thought they would be one of the bottom three teams, but I’m pleasantly surprised they’re number 5. Yay! And Ida made every single Malaysian driver proud tonight.
6. William/Isaac (Korea) - Wasn’t as boring or annoying as I thought they would be. I see the Cho brothers in this team.
7. Vince/Sam (HK) - This team actually arrived at the pitstop at fifth place, but they forgot to pay the taxi driver (wtf?). Wasn’t loving this team as I thought I would. And I’m sensing some Marc/Twat humour a little bit. Hopefully that’s not gonna last.
8. AD/Fuzzie (Singapore) - ZOMG yay! They didn’t get eliminated. I’m so happy. It was extremely funny seeing an OCD having to handle dirty buses and *gasp* dirty pouches. LOL. It must’ve been killing her (think Monica and breakfast cereal all over the floor).
9. Niroo/Kapil (India) - Sorry not impressed. 10. Neena/Amit (India) - I’m really glad this was the first team Allenminated (aiyer… sounds like sperminated). The girl’s constant nagging to taxi drivers was extreeeeeemely annoying. And they way they talk to the taxi drivers are pretty condescending too (also applicable to team 9).
And that’s that. There will be a special extended 90 minute episode next week.. (fuck I’m working Europe shift next week). The previews looks interesting.. guys crying, teams possibly missing a plane.. but previews always lie. All in all, a pretty so-so episode. And also kinda looking fwd to the next one.
and ps. “We’re not here to make friends” is the most overused phrase in TAR and Survivor. (No wait, for Survivor.. it’s “I’m not trying to be someone I’m not”.) Please don’t ever ever include that in any future episodes. ever. (Thanks Domjr for the link to this youtube vid)
A sleeveless and crotch-bulgy-wulgy Allen Wu appeared on screen (and I could actually hear Mrs G’s moan all the way from my place in Shah Alam)
You missed out a few words and I corrected the sentence for you. You’re welcome!
A pretty badly edited episode, if you ask me, especially with the haphazard camera angles, but that’s to be expected given that we have 10 teams whining and dining around.
I am so bummed that the Indian cousins got bummed. I was hoping the Indian Daddy-Son team get kicked because the father and son combination either creates plenty of screaming or plenty of boring static and I am not looking forward to any of the two.
The Singaporean teletubbies are cannon fodder. The fat one with twenty chins and three hundred moles won’t last another episode - she looks like she is having a stroke by the end of this episode.
The Beauty Queens are surprisingly so funny, especially with the mascara runs. I want to ask the Malaysian women how I can get a job as an “heiress”. It sounds like a great job. That team, although with Hernie and Bernie or whatever those two’s names are, seem okay.
Geoff and his girlie seem okay here but I suspect that it’s just a matter of time before the girlie breaks down. They always do, after all - boy-girl teams are so predictable this way most of the time. Oh, and Oliver is so dreamy when he’s wet. He should get wet more often. When I get the job as an heiress, he can wear a pair of Speedo and clean my pool so that he is wet all the time.
I look forward to these posts about TARA, thank you - saves ME from doing them, haha
Haha… I was also ogling (little bit la) at Allan Wu in the tank top - LOL
Actually the “not here to make friends” line is also used a lot in Survivor lah (this coming from someone who hasn’t seen the show for the last 8 or 9 seasons).
I also want to know how to apply for casting director’s job, haha.
MrsG : I heart the teletubbies. Hopefully they’ll surprise us by ending up in 4th place like the Indonesian teletubbies from the first season. LOL. And thank you for correcting my sentences
Synical : oh no.. you too? You can send in an application for the AllensWuCrotchyBulgyWulgy to Mrs G. LOL
Gallivanter : It was just on okay episode.. you didn’t miss much, and AXN will probably play the episode again once every 4 hours.
Domjr : LMAO that is so awesome! I’m gonna edit that in my post. Brings back memories.. survivor, top chef, that asshat from big brother. LOL Thanks!
kind of late, but i just got to watching the first episode today. did anyone else notice the girl that greeted the contestants at the pit stop? she had an uncanny resemblance with Paula from last season. i actually thought it was her. oh well.
September 11th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
A sleeveless and crotch-bulgy-wulgy Allen Wu appeared on screen (and I could actually hear Mrs G’s moan all the way from my place in Shah Alam)
You missed out a few words and I corrected the sentence for you. You’re welcome!
A pretty badly edited episode, if you ask me, especially with the haphazard camera angles, but that’s to be expected given that we have 10 teams whining and dining around.
I am so bummed that the Indian cousins got bummed. I was hoping the Indian Daddy-Son team get kicked because the father and son combination either creates plenty of screaming or plenty of boring static and I am not looking forward to any of the two.
The Singaporean teletubbies are cannon fodder. The fat one with twenty chins and three hundred moles won’t last another episode - she looks like she is having a stroke by the end of this episode.
The Beauty Queens are surprisingly so funny, especially with the mascara runs. I want to ask the Malaysian women how I can get a job as an “heiress”. It sounds like a great job. That team, although with Hernie and Bernie or whatever those two’s names are, seem okay.
Geoff and his girlie seem okay here but I suspect that it’s just a matter of time before the girlie breaks down. They always do, after all - boy-girl teams are so predictable this way most of the time. Oh, and Oliver is so dreamy when he’s wet. He should get wet more often. When I get the job as an heiress, he can wear a pair of Speedo and clean my pool so that he is wet all the time.
Allan Wu bulge, baby! The show is now perfect.
September 11th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
I look forward to these posts about TARA, thank you - saves ME from doing them, haha
Haha… I was also ogling (little bit la) at Allan Wu in the tank top - LOL
Actually the “not here to make friends” line is also used a lot in Survivor lah (this coming from someone who hasn’t seen the show for the last 8 or 9 seasons).
I also want to know how to apply for casting director’s job, haha.
September 11th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
PS: Shouldn’t this show be called The Amazing Race: Expatriates In Asia Edition?
September 12th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Dang I missed it….oh well
September 12th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Its an ok 1st episode i guess, anyay have u seen this brilliant “Im not here to make friends” clip? Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w536Alnon24
September 12th, 2008 at 9:50 am
MrsG : I heart the teletubbies. Hopefully they’ll surprise us by ending up in 4th place like the Indonesian teletubbies from the first season. LOL. And thank you for correcting my sentences
Synical : oh no.. you too? You can send in an application for the AllensWuCrotchyBulgyWulgy to Mrs G. LOL
Gallivanter : It was just on okay episode.. you didn’t miss much, and AXN will probably play the episode again once every 4 hours.
Domjr : LMAO that is so awesome! I’m gonna edit that in my post. Brings back memories.. survivor, top chef, that asshat from big brother. LOL Thanks!
September 30th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
kind of late, but i just got to watching the first episode today. did anyone else notice the girl that greeted the contestants at the pit stop? she had an uncanny resemblance with Paula from last season. i actually thought it was her. oh well.