The Amazing Race
I really liked that there was less spoon-feeding this episode. They found their own flights! And then their own buses! And their own ferries, and their own taxis, and... it was great!
Eric & Jeremy: They're my pick to win the whole thing, in the sense that I think they will win, not the sense that I want them to. Honest to God, I have no idea what their problem with women is, but I wish they hadn't displayed it so obviously for so long because if they hadn't, I think I could have liked them. They focus on their task, they have a nicely deadpan sense of humor, they don't get overwrought or pissed with each other or rude with the (male) locals... and yet, no, they are sleazeballs.
(Gold-leafing parties! Of course!)
BJ & Tyler: Okay, look. I defended you last week. Okay? But you cannot wander off into "we are the Good Guys and Representatives Of Light" land, because sorry, dudes, I can't go there with you. Plus, begging before buying the tickets was stupid, and I don't like you nearly enough to be pleased that it caused you to get a better flight. You are not Chip and Kim. Sorry.
Also, there will be no criticizing Monica and Joseph as "not giving people" because they didn't help you catch up with them in a race. It's a RACE, sweeties. They are under no obligation to give you pants.
Joseph & Monica: It's nice that Joseph seemed to finally figure out how to be a little supportive of Monica by the end there. Good on ya, Joseph! Monica, the self-flagellation can wait for the cab, okay?
Going for the pots probably was the right choice for them, given the situation they were in; just didn't work out, and I'll grant that it looked pretty damn difficult. But the thing at the bus station was a HUGE brain-fart, and they deserved to get bitten by it.
Ray & Yolanda: If you win I will be very happy! Ray seems to have mellowed toward Yolanda, and Yolanda's asides continue to crack me up. They're doing a good job right now of staying focused on the tasks and the race and not getting flustered. So go them. I was sorry to see them do the headfake on the Fast Forward, but it doesn't seem to have done them much harm in the long run, so I guess that's okay. Better to decide immediately it's not going to happen (and I doubt I could've done it) rather than committing, I suppose, and at least they didn't bail on the gold leafing.
So, uh, go Ray and Yolanda! I don't expect you to pull it off, but hey, you never know!