Survivor 20: Sandra and Parvati Set Survivor Records!

A GREAT final episode!

Sandra Diaz earned the majority of votes to become the first person in the history of "Survivor" to win two seasons! An incredible feat considering that this was only the second season she participated in.

Parvati Shallow took the runner-up position, and arguably should have won it all. Parvati won three Immunity Challenges, including back to back crucial immunities near the end of the game. She masterminded the first double idol giveaway, saving her team members Jerri and Sandra and ensuring the ouster of former Hero J.T. She schemed and plotted, made friends and enemies, and outplayed, outlasted and outwitted pretty much the entire cast!

The Russell Factor
Why did she lose? In a word, Russell. Unfair but it's a game! The jury saw her as riding Russell's coattails and I wonder how the vote would have gone had they been privy to the details of Parvati's game play. She was responsible for more key moves than Russell, who thought he was the original puppet master of "Survivor." The jury also fostered a lot of resentment toward Russell's game play which negatively impacted Parvati.

The Greats!
Both Sandra and Parvati could legitimately claim the title of "Greatest Survivor Ever." Sandra laid claim to the title of "Queen" and probably deservedly so! Both women chose decidedly different paths to the finals but undeniably, these two former winners most definitely are among the best players the game has ever seen.

Targeted by both Heroes and Villains alike since the first Tribal Council, Parvati managed to finagle her way to the end. Granted she received some help from Russell with a well timed idol gift early on, but by and large she maneuvered through the game implementing her own strategy throughout.

Sandra clashed with Russell from the very start. His mantra "If you cross Russell Hantz, you are gone," never really came into play where Sandra was concerned. Oh, he huffed and he puffed, but he never followed through with it because he gave little credit to Sandra's game play. In fact, more than anyone, Russell wanted to sit next to Sandra at the end. What votes did she have? He also thought the jury would never reward her with a second win. He was wrong.

Fatal Flaw?
While Sandra celebrated, and Parvati showed that she could be gracious in defeat, Russell stubbornly clung to the belief that the game was flawed and he should have won. The flaw, in his mind, is that America has no vote. As Jeff pointed out, that''s not how "Survivor" is constructed, and if he wants America's vote he should try out for that show.

Russell underestimated a lot of people in this game. He underestimated the strength of Parvati when he urged her to ride his coattails. He underestimated Sandra's social game which she extended to pretty much everyone but him. He underestimated the attitude of the jury regardless of the fact that they sat only a few feet from him on several occasions.

Probably his biggest problem is overestimating his own game. Russell basically told the jury that their only option was to vote for him. No one wants to reward a blow hard. His ego got in the way, not to mention the fact that he played dirty. Like his first season, Russell played hard but in doing so, did some really unnecessary things. Why hide the machete? Was it necessary in the overall game?

Some fans may love Russell's game play and say that he deserves to win, but they did not have to suffer through 39 days with him. Russell is the school yard bully. He's the boss that terrorizes his employees. He's the person who in real life you would cross the street to avoid. Yet, in the game of "Survivor," people cheer on his over-the-top behavior.

Last Hero Falls
All in all, it was a great conclusion to one of the best seasons!

Colby finally showed a glimmer of fight as he made a last ditch effort to save himself following a disappointing Immunity Challenge. He performed better during that challenge than any other Immunity Challenge this season. I guess when his butt's on the line, Colby digs a little deeper.

Parvati demonstrated her prowess as she claimed the Immunity Necklace once again. A tremendous physical player, she showed her strength in outlasting Colby. So Colby played an interesting hand. An initial bluff that he was conceding the game, followed by an attempt to oust Sandra from the game.

Russell listened but in the end, the last Hero was sent home. Actually, it was probably the only real choice as Colby likely would have won with four of his former teammates on the jury.

Homage to the Fallen
A day later, the Survivors conducted their walk of remembrance. A few words for each contestant that did not make it to the finals: Sugar, Stephenie, Randy, Cirie, Tom, Tyson, James, Rob, Coach, Courtney, JT, Amanda, Candice, Danielle, Rupert and Colby.

It's always interesting to see how the survivors remember their former teammates. Surprisingly, Jerri remembered Randy as someone who made her smile every morning. Sandra recalled Boston Rob's words that they would get along because Puerto Ricans and Italians were loud and ignorant. Not surprisingly, Russell had very little good to say about any of them; however, he did call Colby the only true hero.

Photo Finish
Finally, it was time for the last Immunity Challenge of the game. Blindfolded and relying on pedestals with directional carvings, the survivors made their way around a roped course collecting necklaces along the way. In what can only be described as a photo finish, Russell edged Parvati and grabbed the necklace for himself.

Promising safety to Jerri, and approaching Sandra to vote out Parvati, it seemed like the final three was struck.

The really peculiar thing was how certain Russell was that he owned the game. He felt that Courtney was Sandra's only vote. He also felt that he carried Parvati, and she would get no votes. Russell is unable to remove himself from the game long enough to view it from someone else's prospective.

In the end, it probably did not matter who he took to the end, because Russell ultimately was not rewarded with a single vote! As Boston Rob put it during the reunion which followed, Russell does not play to win, he plays to make it to the finals.

After Jerri left, Russell, Parvati and Sandra spent some time gathering their thoughts for the final Tribal Council. As a parting gesture, Sandra threw Russell's hat in the fire. Flashback to the socks Russell threw in the fire during his first season. Karma is a bitch.

It Is What It Is!
Facing the nine member jury, Sandra and Parvati made great cases to vote for them. Russell, meanwhile, approached the jury with the same finesse he did during his previous season. No one likes to be told what to do, and "Survivor" juries are no different.

Moments in, it was clear that none of these past players of the game respected Russell's game play. I actually liked Rupert's speech when he acknowledged the game play of both the women. Sandra and Parvati arguably had very different strategies, yet no less effective. Sandra played a quiet game and after Rob left, survived on her own by her own wits. Parvati survived by winning challenges and playing strategically!

Surprisingly, the viewers were shown six of the nine votes prior to Jeff's reveal. It was clear that it was a race between only Sandra and Parvati.

Russell did manage to take home the Sprint player of the game, and used that as justification for America having a vote.

In the end, a great season, and can't wait for the next!

Greatest Survivor Ever!

And the winner is …

Actually, it's kind of a tough call without some hard and fast parameters, and by whose standards will those parameters be identified? Ironically, this topic would likely only be a blip if not for Russell's constantly bringing it to the attention of the viewers.

In his mind, Russell is the greatest survivor to ever play the game. In another blog, I reviewed the question, but this season has made me rethink it entirely.

The final five included two past winners: Sandra and Parvati; two runners-up: Colby and Russell; and Jerri, who made the jury during Australian Outback, but came up short during All Stars.

Legitimately, the Greatest Survivor candidates should come from this group of five, but were they the most competitive players this season? For whatever reason, few of the Villains and most of the Heroes actually did not come into the game in a competitive mode.

Heroic Gamers!

Based on the shows, the gamers for the Heroes were limited. JT obviously came to play and left his good guy image at home. He played all sides and was instrumental in weakening his tribe by voting out Sugar, Stephenie, Cirie, Tom and James. A pre-game roll in the hay lead to a secret alliance with Sugar which he quickly dismissed in the first round. But it was his ridiculous Immunity Idol gift to Russell that will standout as one of the biggest mistakes in game history.

Stephenie may have come with a game plan but her strength and likability posed a threat to James and Rupert. So, she went too early to know what her game impact might have been.

Amanda's game plan was to stick close to James and Rupert. After James left, Amanda had little choice but to stick with the less athletic Rupert as her strongest ally. She showed some game when she convinced Parvati she was on her side, and also when she grabbed the Immunity Idol from Danielle. Her biggest deficit was her teammates that couldn't have found a way to win if they were the only ones playing!

Candice seemed like the woman without a tribe for so long that when she finally made her big game move by switching to the Villains, she was faced with distrust all around.

Villainous Gamers!

The bigger gamers were, in fact, among the Villains. Rob Mariano came in with a plan to switch his game persona. His successful transformation made him a threat to Russell. In spite of everything, Rob seemed to have lost his edge and he wasn't quite the same player he was a few years ago. His advice, however, was pure gold!

Randy, Coach and Tyson were non-factors or maybe better yet, placeholders on the team. Courtney fell into the same category.

The Real Players!

But the real game players were: Parvati, Sandra, Russell and Danielle — in that order! Of that group, only Danielle was eliminated prior to the final five. So who deserves the crown of Greatest Survivor Ever?

Colby eliminated himself from the title. How many times did Colby concede the game and consider himself gone? Hardly, a trait one would look for in the Greatest Survivor Ever. He showed little fire and less strategic planning.

Jerri lucked into the final five. Sorry Jerri! She actually turned out to be one of the more personable survivor contestants and I'm happy to say she became one of my favorites but she was simply not on the same level as the others.

You Don't Know Who You Are Dealing With...

Then we have Russell, the self-proclaimed "Greatest Player Ever." Not to rain on his parade, but Russell made many mistakes. Too many for him to remain a contender for the title!

His first, and biggest mistake, was his belief that no one played the game better than him or, for that matter, was smarter than Russell Hantz. His second mistake was his incredibly one-sided loyalty to Parvati. Russell ran every game move by Parvati, who was then privy to his strategy. Other mistakes littered his game play, but his final mistake was his emotional involvement. Whether it was his desire to be the best in the history of the game, or his desire to be everything to Parvati, Russell's emotions were most definitely in the game!

"I'm Against You Russell!"

Next there's Sandra, who played a devious and underhanded game, and looked Russell in the eye and told him she was against him and still survived. She may very well win the entire game, and this would do much for her selection as "Greatest Survivor Ever." Sandra would become the first person ever, to win the game twice.

Her skills were not in winning challenges, although she did outlast Colby in most of the challenges. Her skills were mainly mental. She focused on the game and threw people under the bus when it suited her. Ultimately, she never lost sight of the end game. The only thing which would have made her a stronger candidate would have been the elimination of Russell.

Survivor Queen!

Finally, there's Parvati. Three times a "Survivor" contestant, Parvati proved that she was a winner, and she also could be the first to win the show twice. Not only does she have the mental skills to win, she also has the physical skills to win the challenges. Time after time, she outlasted the men who seemed to be real wusses when their backs were against the wall.

She consistently outwitted her male ally, Russell. One of the best blindsides ever was Parvati handing over not only the Immunity Idol she received from Russell, but the one she had found herself to Sandra and Jerri. Russell was visibly shocked by this development and it was the beginning of the end of their close relationship. For the first time, Russell realized that he wasn't among first-timers.

Of all the past players of "Survivor," Parvati has earned the title of "Greatest Survivor Ever." Her game skills are unmatched and hopefully will not go unrecognized!

Survivor 20: One Less Hero!

Like a guest who has overstayed his welcome, Rupert finally went home.

Ironic that someone so likable during his first season could evolve into this crusty parody of himself. Early on in the game, it was apparent that Rupert truly believe his "heroic" status as he constantly reminded people that he was a HERO.

Heroic Deeds?
But really, what heroic deeds did Rupert accomplish during this season of "Survivor"? Was it heroic to plot the untimely demise of Stephenie and potentially weaken his tribe? How about his full body check of Jerri during a challenge? Or maybe it was his mistaken belief that the Villain women were targeting the men?

Whatever the reason, Rupert strongly believed that he was, in fact, a hero the likes of which the game of "Survivor" has never seen before. His weekly confessionals, not to mention Tribal Council statements, focussed on his singular claim to fame —his appointment to the Heroes tribe.

Unfortunately for Rupert, his strongest game move was pretending to have found the Hidden Immunity Idol. It does not bode well for him (or Colby for that matter), that Amanda, Candace and Danielle were considered bigger threats.

Sandra attempted to hand Rupert the keys to the game on several occasions — most recently just before the last TC. How did Rupert repay her gesture? He tattled to Russell! What an idiot!

Side note: Why did producers feel the need to bring back Rupert for a third time? More than 300 previous survivors and they could only find those 10 heroes? Really? Rupert, Colby, Stephenie, Cerie, James and Amanda were all three-peats.

Running Scared
On the other hand, Russell is running scared. He's a control freak who can't accept that the game is beyond his control. So his game play is erratic at best.

Having successfully evicted Danielle during the last Tribal Council, Russell was certain that his bond with Parvati would be restored. Instead, he found that she was concerned about her own safety, which he perceived as a betrayal by Parvati. Note to self: Russell has a low "betrayal threshold." Russell being Russell, he over-reacts and decides that Parvati needs to go home. So he begins to work on a plan to get rid of his closest ally.

Since week two, I anticipated the arrival of the family members. I wondered how Russell would handle meeting his wife after his obvious crush on Parvarti! Fortunately for Russell, recent events caused him to remove his rose colored glasses and finally see Parvati for the player she is.

Enter the Wife
The Reward Challenge was simple enough. Survivors used a bucket to get water from the ocean and throw it toward their family member's bucket. Not too difficult — part skill, part luck.

Colby's lack of skill coupled with his lack of luck worked against him in this challenge. So, in true Colby fashion, he blamed everything on his brother, Reed. It was Reed's fault for not talking to him and Reed's fault when Colby's aim was off. Colby probably even blamed Reed for his performance in the Immunity Challenge a day later!

Jerri and her sister eventually filled the bucket and won the challenge. Russell sustained another slap in the face when Jerri selected Parvati (and her dad) and Sandra (and her uncle) to join her on a trip to see the blowholes. According to Russell, he dragged Jerri through the mud to keep her in the game. I wonder if Russell knows that dragging someone through the mud is a derogatory phrase?

I'm Going to Win a Million Dollars!
Russell, of course, does the predictable and hustles to dumb and dumber (Rupert and Colby) to align with them to take out Parvati. Stunned by their good fortune, the former Heroes jump aboard the Russell Express.

Giddy with excitement and envisioning the million dollar prize as his own, Rupert gushes over his new alliance.What an idiot. Did Rupert really believe that the self-proclaimed biggest villain in the history of the game would stay true to his word? Apparently!

The women, meanwhile, bonded at the blowholes. Sounds a little dirty but truly a once in a lifetime experience. Jerri was a little concerned that Russell might be upset about not being included in the reward. You think? I mean, this is Russell Hantz we're talking about, right? He doesn't hold grudges, does he?

Upon their return, Jerri talks to Russell and downplays the reward while making sure they are still okay with one another. Russell comes away feeling like Jerri is his puppet but it seems to me that's a bit premature given the fact that she just spent several hours with Parvati and Sandra.

And the Immunity Necklace Goes To....
The Immunity Challenge featured the survivors holding a pair of poles up against a board with arms extended. Strength and focus. While Colby lacked skill and luck in the previous challenge, he proved that he also lacked strength and focus in this challenge as he lasted a mere 15 seconds. Maybe his strategy is to appear so weak that he's no threat to anyone. That's hardly the best strategy for winning the game, though.

One by one the survivors dropped out, leaving only Rupert and Parvati facing off for the win. Rupert must not have felt entirely safe given the effort he put in. Or maybe he wanted to be the "hero" and take Parvati out of the challenge. Either way, Rupert lost and Parvati donned the Immunity necklace once again.

Back at the camp, Sandra tried once again to rally Rupert. As mentioned earlier, Rupert went like a five-year-old and tattled to Russell putting him on the same level as Candice in my book. Rupert will contend that he played honorably, but did he?How does tattling fit into the character of a so-called hero?

So Russell confronts Sandra — are you for me, or against me? Sandra, of course, tells him straight out, "I'm against you, Russell." A great moment in a good game. Ironically, Russell does not demand her dismissal, instead, he sides with the women and blindsides his newest ally Rupert.

If you are keeping track of the boot order so far, they are spot on. My only hope is that they continue to be accurate!

TAR 16: Brothers Bring Their End Game!

After managing just one first place finish -- and that with the assistance of a Fast Forward -- brothers Dan and Jordan edged the cowboys to take home the million dollar first place prize.

Without a doubt, Dan and Jordan were the long shots to win the race, but for the first time in the entire race, the brothers demonstrated consistent competitive spirit through the entire leg.
I'll Have a Diet Coke and First Class Seat, Please
It started in the airport. Dan and Jordan arrived hours after second place team, Jet and Cord, but a strategically placed backpack enabled them to jump in front of the cowboys at the ticket counter. Fair or not, it's all part of the game. The cowboys were understandably upset, but it was not that move alone that made the brothers contenders. It was what happened on board the airplane that resulted in a decisive lead for Dan and Jordan. While the other teams slept, Dan talked the flight attendant into moving them to first class. A lot of people have cried foul to this move but it technically is not against the rules to move up to first class once the flight is in progress. Look for a rule change for next season, or everyone will be making the move to first class.

Once the plane landed, the pair ran down the bridge connecting the airplane to the airport. Now, I don't mean to be a downer, but in this day and age, is it smart to be running off a plane carrying backpacks?

The teams left the airport with Dan and Jordan in first, followed by Brent and Caite and finally the cowboys. The move to first class was huge in giving the brothers an edge off the starting line.

No Habla Ingles!
Brent and Caite found themselves at the mercy of a taxi driver who was unsure where to go. As a result, they were still looking for the first location while the other teams had already completed the first task. Tough break for the dating couple.

The teams had to solve a riddle in order to get to Coit Tower. Once there, they used a rope and pulley system to make their way up the outside of the tower. Dan was nearing the top when the cowboys arrived. Before Cord was even outfitted for the task, Dan was already on his way down.

Virtual Showdown!
The brothers set off for the Detour at Lucas Arts, developer of interactive entertainment software, founded by "Star Wars" creator George Lucas. Once there, the teams became part of an interactive video game in which one team member was part of the game while the other directed the action.

Dan directed Jordan through the virtual maze and were doing well until the cowboys arrived. For the first time in the game, Cord employed some dirty tricks by calling out confusing directions for turns, twists and backflips within earshot of brothers Dan and Jordan. His attempts were at least partly successful in aggravating the brothers.

Once suited and on the game board, Jet eventually found himself blocked by Jordan who had finished the game and was waiting for Dan to decipher the end message. Jet would not push past Jordan, so valuable time was spent waiting for Dan and Jordan to finish reading the clue.

By the time Jet and Cord reached the end of the game, Brent and Caite had arrived and were on the course quickly making up time. The key to reading the clue at the end was having the person on the course turn slowly in a circle which would slow down the text on the screen. Ingenious!

Jack Be Nimble!
The final task was to carry a trunk by foot to a destination about 10-15 minutes away, then assemble the enclosed photos in the right order indicating who was eliminated during which leg of the race. Jordan, a true fan of the show, had written down the order of elimination and they made quick work of the task. The final clue asked them to fill in the blank with "Candlestick Park."

Outside, the two had a difficult time locating a taxi while Jet and Cord were inside finishing up the final task. Eventually, they located a taxi but editing made it into more of a nail biter than it really was.

Racing into the stadium, Dan and Jordan were the first to arrive to the cheering eliminated teams. Jordan was grateful to his brother for helping him obtain his dream of being on "The Amazing Race." Jet and Cord place second, not too far behind the winners. They expressed gratitude for the experience. Coming in first four times resulted in some very nice gifts for the team that had seemed to have a lock on winning the whole race.

Sour Grapes!
Finally, Brent and Caite bounded in to a less than enthusiastic greeting from Carol and Brandy. Jordan called out, "Peach" a number of times, having apparently nicknamed Caite, Peach during the race. Phil asked a few questions and Caite reiterated her desire to change the perception of people regarding her intelligence.

Not surprisingly, Brandy and Carol rolled their eyes. Then Phil addressed the U-Turn that Brent and Caite used on Brandy and Carol. Caite, to her credit, attempted to apologize but Brandy was not having it. Still fuming, in spite of the fact their elimination was several days prior.

Brandy said the U-Turn would have been better used against the cowboys. That argument would have been more effective if the cowboys won but they hardly seemed the strongest team having come in second.

Overall, a good season. During the opening, though, I wondered if the strongest teams had survived or if it was pure luck that lead to the final three. Brent and Caite made mistakes from the beginning, and their lack of emotional control probably got the better of them right up until the end. None of the final three ran consistently from one week to the next.

Ultimately, I have to admit, though, that it was an entertaining season!

Survivor 20: The Unpredictable Russell Hantz

Russell proved tonight why he will never be known as the greatest survivor in the history of the game. How? By dropping out of the first immunity challenge during the first temptation.

Obviously, hunger is a huge factor but do you risk your safety to eat? I don't know. Russell knew he was safe, but it seems like he's always expecting his teammates to come through in the challenges. To me, that's just not a quality you look for in the Greatest Survivor Ever.

Where Did All the Heroes Go?
Heroes vs. Villains! No one has seemed tremendously heroic this season. There were a few villains that seemed not to fit in with the rest of the team: Jerri, Boston Rob and Courtney, among others. There were a few heroes that would have been better suited as villains: Candice, JT, James and even Rupert.

What's really strange is that this far into the game, the titles of Heroes and Villains remains a point of contention. The argument between Russell and Rupert was a little humorous as each man defended his role of either hero or villain. Rupert wears his appointment to the hero tribe like a badge. While Russell, considers his membership in the Villains tribe an honor.

Either way, the two men went toe to toe with Russell promising Rupert he would go home. Two chances to send Rupert home, and he's still around!

Decisions! Decisions! Food vs. Immunity!
Candice was a fool. She felt safe when no one is really safe. So, she too, went for the food instead of the idol. She must have known she would have two votes (Rupert's and Colby's) against her. Parvati, Danielle and Jerri did not hide their dislike for her, so her safety was really questionable.

Her best hope was the immunity idol or the hidden immunity idol. Finally, the producers took a chance on fairness and read the clue to the hidden idol with everyone. The mad dash for the idol made for great television. They scattered and searched. Thankfully, Sandra found it and managed to keep it a secret from the rest of the tribe.

On a side note: I'm still waiting to find out what the note said.

Rupert, on the other hand, did not find the idol but was successful in giving everyone the impression that he did have the idol. It was a great deception and one that paid off big time during the tribal council.

Russell made another error of judgment in splitting the votes on the assumption that Rupert had the hidden immunity idol. As a result, Candice went to the jury. And Rupert lives to see another day.

It's All in the Game Play!
Colby has been the most interesting non-factor in the game as a whole. On the radar since week three, he manages to hang in there simply because he's a non-threat. He barely tries in the challenges, and his strategizing has been almost non-existent. It's almost an embarrassment that he has made his way into three seasons of "Survivor."

On the other end of the spectrum, Russell and Parvati have not quit strategizing. Because of this, Russell attempts his own coup when he goes to Danielle and tells her he wants to get Parvati out. Then, Russell being Russell, goes to Parvati and tries to pin it on Danielle. His goal is to turn them against each other. The biggest threat to his plan is that they might compare notes, which they do.

Parvati is not stupid. There's a reason she was included on the Villains tribe. She went straight to Danielle and confronted her about what Russell said. The two realize that Russell is hardly the ally they hoped he was. The tension between the three of them was palpable.

Even though Parvati was the bigger threat, Russell's focus was getting Danielle out of the game. Why? So that he could be closer to Parvati again? Why did Russell assume that getting rid of Danielle would translate into better relations with Parvati? His logic is confusing at best.

The final Tribal Council was very telling. Jeff, of course, asks the questions that he knows will get the best responses. As a result, Danielle reveals just how close to Parvati she really was, ultimately sealing her own fate. Still not sure why Jerri flipped. To me, the women should have stuck together to eliminate the men and then fought it out at the final four.

Russell burned a lot of bridges this time around. It looks like next week he plans to join forces with Colby and Rupert. I wonder what they will call themselves. The Heroic Villains?

TAR 16: Final Three!

Okay. I admit it. For a few brief seconds, I felt genuinely sorry for Brent. He literally had to beg to use the bathroom. But, the feeling passed fairly quickly.

I think it's safe to say that Brent and Caite are my second least favorite team on TAR this season. They were edged out — just barely — by dating couple Carol and Brandy, and at times, were neck and neck with them.

Where in the World is Caite?
Brent and Caite simply don't inspire me to support them. Caite finally addressed the youtubes which show how geographically challenged she is or was or whatever the case may be. TAR seems to be her chance to show the world she knows where she is! She's playing her own version of "Where in the World is Caite Upton?"

Even Brent jumped on the "she's smarter than she looks" bandwagon. At least three times, Caite and/or Brent defended her intellect. Unfortunately, in between, we were still ringside for their verbal battles that included a variety of "shut ups" and "you're stupid." Seems like mixed messages to me!

The Cowboy Train Has Left the Station!
Right now, I'm firmly aboard the cowboy train. I like the way their story has unfolded week to week. Most recently, Cord recounted an incident where he caught a hoof in the head and was hospitalized with a crushed skull. Jet sat by his bedside throughout the ordeal.

Each week, Jet and Cord demonstrate phenomenal patience with each other and the obstacles they faced. Despite their second place finish, I look for them to do well next week in the finale.

What's English Got to Do with It?
Producers decided to throw a bit of a curve ball to the teams this week by identifying the first location by it's English name rather than by the common Chinese name that locals would know. As a result, the locals were not of much in help in identifying the "garden bridge."

Brent and Caite found it first and made their way to the temple. Caite again pointed out that she's good at reading maps. Actually, they were better at finding an English speaking local who wrote the Chinese name down and told them to give it to their taxi driver. Can't really fault them for that. Maybe it was pure, dumb luck!

The cowboys, Dan and Jordan, and Louie and Michael, all had a difficult time locating the garden bridge. Michael's answer to the problem was to whip out his binoculars and look around the city for the garden bridge. Not the best solution given the fact that they were facing a time crunch anyway. Finally, they called to find out the directions. Apparently, there's a service that allows those who are not fluent to get destination directions relayed to taxi drivers in Chinese.

'Ugly American' Revisited
Dan and Jordan's plan was to team with the detectives knowing they have a Speed Bump during the leg. There hope was to outrun them at the end. Unfortunately for them, Michael got the directions and gave them to his taxi driver. Dan and Jordan's taxi needed only to follow the detective's cab to the garden bridge.

Periodically, while watching the show, I realize why American tourists are universally disliked. Dan's meltdown was epic after he and Jordan attempted the "talk slower and louder and anyone can understand what you are saying." Dan's tantrum was unexpected and out of line.

1 Idol, 2 Idol, 3 Idol, More!
Counting the golden statues proved to be difficult for Caite. She counted, and recounted, and finally came out with her answer which turned out to be wrong. She described her method of counting up and then across, and even I was a bt confused by the end.

Jet arrived and methodically counted the statues and first time, exited with the right answer, 523. He noticed the two large gold statues which Caite overlooked in her first several attempts.

Dan and Jordan did well with this task too, but Michael and Louie wasted precious time with a wrong answer.
Like Finding a Needle in a Haystack
The Roadblock featured finding tiny stone statues with the names of each teammate carved on the bottom. It was during this phase that Brent's hands began to quiver with the need to go to the bathroom He begged Caite, who was as stony as the statues they were examining. Brent could not focus on the task and Caite was not budging. Finally, she relented and let him go across the hall to a bathroom.

When they returned, Brent was much more focused and quickly found his little statue. Caite found her statue and the two finished the task. Jet had already found his, and Cord was only moments behind Caite. Winning this leg of the race came down to finding a taxi quickly. Brent and Caite found their taxi and arrived on the mat just minutes before Jet and Cord.

Michael and Louie simply could not overcome the Speed Bump and the bungle in counting the statues. They came in last place and were eliminated. Overall, not a bad run for the two older teammates.

The finale is next week. Personally, I don't really see Dan and Jordan as top two contenders. They lucked out by the elimination of stronger teams earlier in the race to get this far. There will undoubtedly be an equalizer at the airport flying back to the United States, so all three teams will head home and start the final leg at the same moment.

Go Team Cowboys!