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THE AMAZING RACE

Last week, eleven teams set out for Iceland, from Chicago. Two of the couples, Lori/Bolo and Jonathan/Victoria were at each other’s throats the whole way, while Adam and Rebecca put the wrong fuel in their SUV and lost valuable time. Gus/Hera and Avi/Joe decided to work together, but when it was crunch time Avi and Joe lost their trust; they ended up arriving in last place and were sent home. This week, teams depart from Iceland. Haden and Aaron are the first to take off, while Gus/Hera are the last.

1st Clue: Fly 100 miles to Oslo, Norway and then drive 35 miles to Holmenkollen Ski Jump to find the next clue. All ten teams get on a single plane to Norway, with a short stop in Copenhagen. Jonathan and Victoria explode before their even out of the parking lot, and Meredith and Maria have a really hard time driving the standard SUV. They even use the word “can’t.” Later, they laugh about it.

ROAD BLOCK: Only one team member can perform this task (one team member can perform a maximum of 6 roadblocks in the entire race). This roadblock forces one person to climb to the top of the highest ski jump and ride a zip line 1000 ft to the bottom, to receive the next clue. It’s on the zip line that I realize Adam may either be homosexual, or a definite Momma’s boy. Mary-Jean gets mad at her 69-year-old husband for breaking their deal that she would do the tasks that didn’t require strength.

Jonathan physically pushes Victoria to get her out of his face, and then slams her head in the hatch of the SUV. He later tells her that she has problems that she needs to look inside herself and change. Even Lena and Kristy agree that Jonathan has issues.

2nd Clue: Drive 50 miles to a Viking village for the next clue. Once here, teams must divide into two teams of ten (five teams per boat), and race across a lake for their next clue. The boat with five young teams and the muscular wrestlers wins hands down, however, their only advantage for winning seems to be time. On the second boat, with aggressive Jonathan and emotional Meredith and Adam, we see some tears of frustration coming from Victoria.

Later, Adam blames his lost glasses on Rebecca, which also brings her to tears. At the train station she tells him that she’s losing her feelings for him, which brings him to tears. AND, Freddy and Kendra lose a piece of their clue on the road so they go back and take a second clue, which later incurs them a 30 minute penalty.

3nd Clue: Take a train 200 miles to the town of Voss, drive 5 miles to a marked bridge for the next clue. Don and Mary Jean get a senior’s discount.

DETOUR: Endurance (roller-ski 1.75 mile course to receive the next clue) or Accuracy (complete three traditional games–basically bowling with sticks, axe throwing, and archery–to receive the next clue). The roller-skiers have a hard time staying on their feet. Lori and Bolo even change their minds and go for Accuracy instead. Gus and Hera are the first to complete the detour, which is amazing since they were the last team to arrive on the last leg of the race. I’ve never heard so much useless bickering between a couple.

PITSTOP: After completing the roadblock, teams must drive to Nesheims Tunet, a 1000-year-old traditional farm in the Norwegian country side. The last team to check in MAY be eliminated (remember there are a few non-elimination rounds). Don and Mary-Jean take the wrong car–Adam/Rebecca’s, actually–and Lena and Kristy go the wrong direction.

Order of arrival: Kris/John (win cruise to Alaska), Jonathan/Victoria, Gus/Hera, Hayden/Aaron, Lori/Bolo, Adam/Rebecca, Don/Mary-Jean, Freddy/Kendra (after 30 minute penalty), Lena/Kristy, and finally Meredith/Maria are eliminated from the race.

Next week: Jonathan and Victoria reach the boiling point, and a grueling detour brings Lori/Bolo and Don/Mary-Jean to their knees.

THE TEAMS:
Kris/John – Long distance dating for 1 year
Lena/Kristy – Sisters/Models
Lori/Bolo – Married/Professional Wrestlers
Don/Mary Jean – Married/Grandparents
Hayden/Aaron – Dating/Actors
Gus/Hera – Father/Daughter
Jonathan/Victoria – Married/Entrepreneurs (He’s a dictator)
Freddy/Kendra – Engaged/Models (He’s 10 years older than her)
Adam/Rebecca – Ex/Lovers (trying to rekindle) Hell Boys

GONE HOME:
Avi/Joe – Best Friends (guys)
Meredith/Maria – Best Friends/Roommates

THE APPRENTICE 2 Thursday, Sept. 9th, 2004

Last week Mosaic sent Kelly to Apex (to even things up), and teams had to develop an in-store promotional catalogue. Maria and Wes clashed big time, while Ivana came up with an ingenious idea for a “fit wheel,” which won them a trip to see Billy Joel. Wes and Maria conflicted more in the boardroom, and Trump dramatically fired them both.

This week, the remaining competitors realize that they’re the final six. Sandy realizes she’s the only one left who does not have a college education. Ivana and Jen fight over the project manager decision. Ivana complains that she’s earned it, where Jen hasn’t, and that Jen keeps taking credit for Ivana’s work. But, they end up drawing names out of a hat, and Kelly gets it. Apex discusses who would leave (Jen is in the other room) if they had to give someone up, they decide they don’t really enjoy working with Jen.

When trump tells them to get rid of one team member, they immediately announce that Jen will go to Mosaic. It’s funny, everyone else kind of has their little persona developed, and whereas all we know about Jen is that she’s blonde. Come to think of it, we don’t really know Kevin either.

THE TASK: Head to Pepsi headquarters in Westchester, and design a new bottle and marketing campaign for Pepsi Edge. As determined by the creative guy from Pepsi, the team with the best campaign wins.

MOSAIC: Sandy, Andy, and Jen develop a tag line (“The edge of both worlds’), and a purchasing incentive (collect bottle caps from different countries and once you have all the countries on one continent, you win a trip to that continent). Andy drinks lots of Pepsi, and gets extremely hyper. In connection with their travel theme, Sandy comes up with a bottle shape that’s spherical (like a planet). However, Jen M feels that it would be too hard to grip.

Andy gets annoyed with the turtle speed of the design team, and offers them each a hundred dollars as an incentive. Later, the pizza comes, and Andy refuses to let anyone eat until the deadline is met. In the presentation, all three team members lose their speaking abilities and mostly embarrass themselves.
APEX: Ivana is immediately thrilled to be rid of Jen, and later her mind wanders to sexual issues in the design room. Kelly (PM) designs a bottle that has a hole in it. The team is very casual and calm, and it makes them think they’ve forgotten something. They’ve carved “edge” into the side of their bottles.

THE SCORES: The presentation is done in an amphitheatre, in front of Pepsi’s entire marketing team. Mosaic’s presentation is more inclusive, more details, however, their idea of putting globes on their bottles is lame. Apex is simple, innovative, and eye catching. On the basis of creativity, Apex wins. As a reward, they board Trump’s personal helicopter to the race track, where they’ll race Lamborghinis. Kelly, as the project manager, is exempt from the boardroom next week, and thus has become the first member of the final four.

BOARDROOM: The executives totally smash the globe idea. Andy says Sandy was the least creative, which Sandy argues against wholeheartedly. He later says that Jen is smarter. I think Andy has a crush on Jen, because I didn’t see her do anything. Sandy reveals Andy’s choices to withhold the pizza to the design team, and to offer them cash incentives. Trump criticizes the team’s inability to stay united after a loss.

Carolyn questions Jen’s ability to fly under the radar. Jen and Sandy argue about who did a better job. They totally bicker in front of the executives. I don’t understand half the stuff they say; the girls have gone completely ultrasonic. Andy is criticized for taking all the crap the girls dish out, and being unable to defend himself (he’s a debating champion, remember). Andy is fired. After taking some time to think, he leaves the boardroom, and Trump announces that Women are tougher than men… Nice.

Next week: TWO episodes will air. The first will be a “never seen before” footage thing, and in the second we find out who can sell the most chocolate. Sandy and Jen use sex appeal, but Ivana drops her skirt.

Mosaic
Jennifer M (30) – Attorney
Sandy (28) – Bridal Salon Owner

Apex Corp.
Kelly (37) – Software Executive
Ivana (28) – Venture Capitalist
Kevin (29) – Law Student

You’re Fired!
Rob (32) – Corporate Branding Salesman (Crustacean Nation)
Bradford (33) – Attorney
Stacie J (35) – Restaurateur
Jennifer C (31) – Real Estate Agent
Pamela (32) – Investment Firm Partner
John (24) – Marketing Director
Stacy R (26) – Attorney
Elizabeth (31) – Consulting Firm Owner
Raj (28) – Real Estate Developer (guy in red pants)
Chris (30) – Stockbroker
Wes (28) – Private Wealth Manager
Maria (31) – Marketing Executive
Andy (23) – Recent Harvard Graduate (nationally ranked debater)

SURVIVOR:VANUATU – Thursdays – 9pm on CBS

Last week, after winning a random picked team reward, Chad, Chris, Eliza, and Amy experienced some cultural treats including some half-raw cow, and alcohol that goes to Chad’s head. The rest of the tribe, however, was left at camp to experience a rain storm. After Twila won immunity, Scout tried to sway her vote to align with the guys to oust Eliza. In the end, however, the women stuck together and got rid of Chad.

This week, Chris is the only guy left, which immediately reveals Scout’s manipulative ways. The women turn around and question Chris’s motive to do this. When questioned, Twila throws the blame in Scout’s direction. Later, Scout is questioned too, and she lies saying that everything was Chad’s idea. Leann and Ami opt not to take Scout to the final four.

REWARD CHALLENGE: Score points by answering questions about the past correctly. Highest score wins.

The prize: 1 hour real time email chat with a loved one from home (webcam). Of course, Probst gives each of them a one minute taste. Twila sees her son, and breaks down completely. Leanne sees her best friend, Eliza sees her mother, Julie sees her good friend Justin, Scout sees her life partner Annie (I didn’t know Scout was a lesbian), Ami sees her girlfriend Krissy (lesbian as well?), Chris sees his girlfriend Laurie and expresses quite a bit of emotion and we find out that the couple is to be married.

The challenge questions are as follows.
1. In the 7th immunity challenge, who broke the most tiles? (Rory)
2. In the great escape challenge, who was the first man to begin assembling his ladder? (Chad)
3. In the 2nd immunity challenge, blindfolded puzzle search, who sat out? (Dolly)
4. In the first immunity challenge, there were four symbols used in the puzzle, identify them (Pig Head, Coconut Tree, Volcano, Palm Tree)
After question 4, Chris and Twila have 3, everyone else tied at 6.
5. In the first reward challenge, which survivor fell into the water the most? (John K)
Julie and Eliza are now tied at 7.
6. (Sudden death) in the 3rd reward challenge (memory game); name the matching pairs of Items. She who names the most wins. Julie’s mind draws blank, and Eliza wins with grapefruit.

BUT, the twist–instead of just an online chat, Eliza’s mom gets to spend the night with the survivors. All the family members come out, and embrace their respective survivors. I still don’t know who is hetero versus homosexual though, because there are no passionate kisses. Eliza and her mom aren’t exciting people; it’s totally boring, until mommy leaves Eliza with the shirt off her back (it has sleeves), and travels home in her bra. Later, Ami gives Twila hell for not exposing her conversations with Chad and Chris. I don’t know what they’re so worried about though, if they’ve already decided that Ami, Leann, Julie, and Eliza will be the final four, they’ve got the numbers to pick off the other three easily.

IMMUNITY CHALLENGE: Run in pairs (Surprise! It’s each one with their family member) Each pair is designated a colour, loved ones are blindfolded, survivors verbally direct their loved ones through a rock-like maze to retrieve three bags of puzzle pieces. Once all are retrieved, blindfolds are removed and the first team to assemble their puzzle wins immunity. Yeah, Scout and Ami are definitely both lesbians (Who knew?). Ami and Krissy are the first to finish retrieving the bags, followed by Chris and Laurie. Scout and Annie, are then added, followed by Justin and Julie, Twila and James. Ami and Krissy win.

TRIBAL COUNCIL: Before they leave, we find out the mystery of the women’s bickering. Ami, Leann, Julie, Twila, and Scout convene in the woods and debate as to whether to get rid of Chris or Eliza. They all agree that Chris deserves to stay more than Eliza does, but they can’t risk his ability to win future immunity challenges. Nevertheless, they decide to ditch Eliza and go tell Chris the good news. Chris tells the camera that he’s living in a tornado… he doesn’t do a damn thing to change the game, but somehow he’s off the chopping block. Then Twila and Chris talk about getting Scout and Eliza on board to get rid of the powerful three. Chris then goes to Eliza, who suggests that Scout and Twila may be lying to the both of them.

At tribal council, Sarge and Chad (the jury) are brought in. If I get what I want, the vote should be four to three for Leann over Eliza. In the end, Leann goes home (serves her right for not giving her all at the immunity challenge). I’m glad it happened this way because I was scared what the show would come to, with half a dozen women alone on an island. However, now that we know two of them are homosexual, it might get interesting when it comes down to alliances.

Next week: The women bicker some more, and a surprise is granted at the reward challenge.

ALINTA:
Chris – 33 – Highway Construction
Julie – 23 – Youth Mentor
Twila – 41 – Highway Repair
Ami – 31 – Barista/Model
Eliza – 21 – Pre-Law Student
Scout – 59 – Rancher/Entrepreneur (artificial knee)

VOTED OUT
Brook – 27 – Project Manager
Dolly – 25 – Sheep Farmer
John P – 31 – Sales Manager
Mia – 30 – Finance Manager
Brady – 33 – FBI Agent/Ex Military
Travis – 33 – Loss Prevention (Bubba)
Lisa – 44 – Real Estate Agent
John K – 22 – Model/Mechanical Bull Operator
Rory – 35 – Housing Case Manager
Lea – 40 – Drill Sergeant
Chad – 35 – Teacher (Artificial leg)
Leann – 35 – Research Assistant

If there are any other shows you want updates on, or any comments you wish to make, please email me at abaldwin@shaw.ca!