The Amazing Race
Well, that was... better, certainly, in that the loser was not pre-determined by which of four teams was slowest to pull a number. The Schroeders lost because they screwed up; that's fair. The task selection was kind of unfortunate, though. ("They're going to Mississippi! I know, let's... put them up in a trailer park!")
Presumably we'll be coming up on some non-elimination legs soon. I'm guessing they wanted to get as many teams as possible off early, so that there would be a good long time with a consistent set of teams that we could get to know. (If I'm ever able to tell the seven interchangeable 20s-to-40s blonde women apart I'll be very surprised, though.)
Out of the country next week, yay. I'm sure they aren't going far; I wouldn't be entirely surprised if they go to Canada.
The Paolos: I continue to think Brian is salvageable, seeing as he appears to have something resembling an inner life. They really, really need to not yell and smack each other, though. I mean, seriously. It wasn't as difficult to watch this week as previously, but that may just be me becoming inured to it.
I have Italian relatives. We treat each other much more kindly than that.
The Weavers: I'm pretty sure they would be irritating to be around, but as a team to watch on the race... you know, I really can't work up any hate for them. So far as we've seen, they try to treat each other and those around them decently, they're trying to get over this loss, and really, it's none of my business whether I think they're Reacting As They Should. Frankly, they seem pretty functional, and I always like that. Though Jesus God do they need to study up on their geography.
The Schroeders: Well, apparently the main lesson that should be taken away from this edition of The Amazing Race is that fathers should listen to their teenage children. Couple stupid mistakes, vandalism of the phone book (tsk tsk), and then the entirely unnecessary comment expressing glee over the Weavers' grief. That's just not right, and I'm glad they're gone.
The Bransens: I think I liked the girls better when they didn't have personalities. There's this whole College Partier vortex forming around them and the Linzes, and it's making me twitchy.
The Gaghans: Don't gooooooo! Stay a while longer! They keep losing time on transit (I've seen speculation that they're following the speed limit rule more closely than most teams) and they're not all that good at choosing Detours, but how can I not like them? They love each other and they're having fun and the parents are tough. I mean, the kids are no wimps either, but the parents? Hoo. I wonder how they'd have done as a team in a regular season.
The Linzes: See above RE: Bransens. They're those guys. I've never liked those guys. (Well, Megan is not one of those guys, but they're always around her so she's stuck with the appellation.)
The Godlewskis: Too... many... interchangeable... blondes! To be fair, this is the kind of cranky I'd get if I tried to do something like this (though I probably wouldn't cry. Travel stress makes me swear, not cry.) So I sympathize. But there's not a lot of there there yet, and if they're already hitting the wall... well, they've got a long ways to go.