The second episode of this week’s doubleheader finds the teams picking up from where they left off in Berlin.
Much to the first six teams’ shock and chagrin, sisters Kaylynn & Hayley survived the last leg and lived to fight another day. James’ speaking for the entire group, lets out a gasp-ridden “Oh my god!” as the sisters/”Blonde Bandits” strike again, with DeAngelo likening the pair to a groove-in-the-shoe-dodging insect. Will these insects creep into the top six before the leg is through, or will they finally be squashed by the shoe?
ROUTE INFO: Proceed to Kazakhfilm Studio
Teams will fly from Berlin to Almaty, Kazakhstan. Once landed, teams will then make their way to Kazakhfilm Studio.
There appear to be numerous interpretations of this apparent alliance of five. DeAngelo & Gary believe everything amongst the five runs smoothly, while Hung is out for blood, having felt betrayed at the hands of The NFLers during taxi-gate. James states that there is a core three of himself and boyfriend Will, the Beard Bros, and Hung & Chee within the five.
James & Will are playing strategically by culminating and spearheading the alliance. Yes, they used an early Yield, and yes, Leo & Alana are not their biggest fans; however, the pair used that Yield wisely, as it was early enough in the game when there were more than enough non-alliance members to use it on; thus no bloodshed amongst the five. With the teams widdled down to seven, Will & James know that one of the other teams in the five will have to get some blood on their hands, and at this stage, it will likely be alliance blood as all but two of the remaining seven teams are alliance-bound. Enough with the blood; let’s get to Almaty.
All seven teams touch down in Almaty via the same flight and reach the film studio when suddenly a warrior (for a second, I thought it was Phil) nonchalantly rides a horse while his back is ablaze. The horse-riding bandit tosses two clue-instructing bags to the group, one for the bandits of the blonde variety, the other for the remaining six teams.
DETOUR: Great Khan’s Spy OR Knock Out Guy
In Great Khan’s Spy, teams must watch an action sequence from the film set and correctly answer a series of questions pertaining to said sequence.
In Knock Out Guy, teams must learn and correctly execute a choreographed film routine.
A limited number of teams can partake in each Detour at the same time, forcing teams to choose wisely. While the teams get ready to conquer their detours, Kaylynn & Hayley must complete their Speedbump.
SPEEDBUMP: Get Ready for Your Close-Up
Kaylynn & Hayley must apply prosthetic beards to one another. When the make-up artist is happy with their work, they will receive their Detour clue.
The sisters begin to emulate Riley & Maddison as the remaining teams start their Detours. The pairings of Leo & Alana and Hung & Chee opt for Spy as they watch a chaotic yet beautifully-crafted scene unfold before their eyes while trying to take note of every last scenic detail. Both teams fail with their first attempts at answering the almighty Khan’s questions, leaving the door open for those at Knock to swoop in and take the leg lead.
Kaylynn & Hayley complete their Speedbump and make their way to an already-full Knock, costing them even more time and must divert their participation towards Spy.
At Knock, Riley & Maddison are the first team to complete the Detour and receive their next clue.
ROUTE INFO: Proceed to Nomad Village, Karasay District
Teams must travel by land to a remote village in the Karasay District, where they will receive their next clue. Caution: Yield ahead. Will Will & James’ bloodshed hopes bear Karasay fruit?
The REAL on set battle is between DeAngelo & Gary as they bicker between themselves while learning the combat choreography.
Upon second/seKHAN attempt Leo & Alana fail again, while Hung & Chee correctly answer the sequence questions and receive their next clue. Luckily for Hung, one of the questions was not regarding “What’s different about Kaylynn & Hayley’s appearance?” as she failed to recognize the sibling’s newly-acquired beards.
Back at Knock, DeAngelo & Gary, Will & James, and Eswar & Aparna are all given a Kazakhstan “cut” as they failed to sell/yell their scene.
Comedy moment of the episode: “I mean, that’s just the way I would fight…” – Eswar, referring to his would-be ninja-esque fighting prowess.
With Eswar fending off his natural fighting tendencies, he and Aparna are eventually approved, as Will & James and DeAngelo & Gary too break free of the battleground and receive their next clues, leaving the two Spy-ridden teams behind.
Kaylynn & Hayley jump into sixth as they correctly answer Khan’s questions, as Leo & Alana’s continual spear miscounts find them in last place.
Of the Yield-bound teams, it’s perennial front runners Hung & Chee who are the first to arrive and choose NOT to Yield anybody.
ROUTE INFO: There’s No Place Like Yurt
Teams must choose a camel laden with possessions, lead it to an empty yurt, and arrange the possessions as displayed in the example inside the yurt.
The remaining four teams from the alliance of five arrive at the Yield, with all electing NOT to utilize the tool. Leo & Alana finally complete the Detour and bid to gain ground on a Yield-curious pairing of Kaylynn & Hayley.
The sisters en route/en foot to the Yield decide amongst themselves NOT to Yield last-placed Leo & Alana when an eagle-eyed James yells from the yurt and pleads with the Blonde Bandits to halt the dating duo. Justifiably, the sisters ultimately look out for themselves and YIELD Leo & Alana (that’s going to be fun as the pair have to stand there for twenty minutes as the teams in front of them work the yurts).
Best moment of the episode: James’ yurt-shuffle when the sisters used the Yield.
Yurt Yeller James and boyfriend Will are the first pairing from the alliance to arrange the possessions correctly and receive their next clue. The remaining teams continue to be plagued by possession placement problems.
ROUTE INFO: Proceed to Zelenyi Bazaar
Teams must travel to Zelenyi Bazaar and search the meat market for their next clue.
Next, Riley & Maddison are next to complete the task, as an unsuspecting Leo & Alana arrive, having been yielded AGAIN. “I only hate you a little!” Alana yells Yurt-way to the sisters as she and Leo wait out their hourglass.
Will & James arrive at the meat market as Hung & Chee complete the Yurt task. Saying in the previous episode, she would hesitate to help the NFLers, much like Eswar’s silent fighting techniques, Hung’s instincts kicked in, and she assisted DeAngelo & Gary with the Yurt task. Hung & Chee do not see eye to eye on her instincts, flashes of DeAngelo & Gary’s bickering on the film set. Nonetheless, the NFLers are next to complete the task and join their alliance members (minus Eswar & Aparna) en route to the market.
Time’s up on the hourglass, and Leo & Alana begin to assemble their Yurt; will they be able to make up ground on the Blonde Bandits?
Inside the madness of the meat market, Will & James find their clue.
ROUTE INFO: Go to Pit Stop
Teams must make their way to First President Park. The last team to arrive WILL be eliminated.
- Team Number 1: Will & James
Phil informs the pair that the next leg of The Race is indeed a Mega-leg; meaning double the distance, double the Detours, double the Road Blocks, to which the pair reply in unison “Mega-leg” a-la a tone matching the Little Green Men’s proclamation of “The clawwwww” in Toy Story.
- Team Number 2: Riley & Maddison
Hung & Chee and DeAngelo & Gary find their clues in the market, as the Yurt teams continue to battle the cold and each other to avoid elimination. Kaylynn & Hayley are the first of the last three remaining teams to be given the go-ahead, followed by Eswar & Aparna and Leo & Alana as they all vie for that coveted sixth place slot.
- Team Number 3: Hung & Chee
- Team Number 4: DeAngelo & Gary
With faux-beards intact, Kaylynn & Hayley are the first of the bottom three teams to arrive and find their clue at the market, followed closely behind by Eswar & Aparna and Leo & Alana. All three remaining teams fight the packed streets for taxis in an attempt to avoid elimination in a tense finish.
- Team Number 5: Kaylynn & Hayley. DeAngelo’s insect prophecy rang true; the sisters avoided being stomped and their way to the Mega-leg!
- Team Number 6: Eswar & Aparna
Last Team to Arrive: Leo & Alana. The two are eliminated, with Alana accurately assessing it was their Detour gaffe rather than the Yield that ultimately was their undoing. Considering the pair were Yielded twice and targeted by Will & James from the offset, I believe they performed considerably well up against a mammoth alliance of five.
Next up, queue the Little Green Men; it’s the first-ever Mega-leg!
Power Rankings Based on Placement Average:
1) Hung & Chee (1, 1, 2, 6, 2, 3, 3) 2.6
2) Riley & Maddison (3, 3, 4, 4, 1, 2, 2) 2.7
3) Will & James (4, 6, 1, 1, 4, 4, 1) 3
4) DeAngelo & Gary (10, 2, 5, 7, 5, 1, 4) 4.9
5) Eswar & Aparna (7, 4, 6, 5, 6, 5, 6) 5.6
6) Kaylynn & Hayley (8, 8, 3, 8, 7, 7, 5) 6.6
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