Amazing Race 15 Ep. 8

Thank heavens for Non-Elimination Legs! I was all tense and stabby when I thought Pinky and the Brain were out, but figured they might live to race another day when they did not get the Mercy Philimination right there in that Swedish hayfield. I can't imagine the producers letting them keep at it for hours on end, just to fulfill the "Curse of the Swedish Hell Farm". Man, that Gary is one tough nut. (I kept thinking "why did Matt make his old, wizened father do that task?" and then I found out that Gary is the same age as me.)

Somewhere in Sweden is a sighing farmer with a very messy hay field. Again.

I'm very glad I did not have to see Tiffany do that task. But I think Maria might have had to do it; there has been a rule in the past that each team member can only do so many Roadblocks, and I think Tiffany had done as many as she was allowed. Maria would have putzed around, doing one haybale for a few hours, and then laid down and cried.

Given the choice between Vikings and blowing things up, blowing things up wins hands down. Did you see how excited all the men were at the thought of blowing things up? I'm pretty sure even the all female teams would have opted for the dynamite task, too. (Who wouldn't?) As Thing 1 noted, "all boys care about is exploding stuff...they could spend all day there."

If I had been the Sam out there sweating my ass off, unrolling bale after bale of hay, I would have cheerfullymarched back to the road and stuffed hay in every one of my brother's orifices until he SHUT THE HELL UP!!

How much do I love Brian? He puts up with his harpy of a beauty-queen wife, his mother-in-law hates him AND he manages to shut Dan up with one single, polite, succinct remark: "This is a lot harder than it looks.". Love him.

I think this is the first time I've liked all of the last few teams, and would be happy to see any of them win. But I could do without the brothers.

The funniest part of the night for me was when Pinky and his dad were trying to say the Swedish street names: "turn on Farkenforgen", "right on Finkengarden?", "No, left on Blankenfarken", "what? turn on Hargenblasten?" It reminded me so much of the Swedish Chef from the Muppet Show.

Man, Phil just looked....disgusted when Dan started crying at the Amazing Bathmat. It looked to me like Phil wanted to say "come on, ya big baby, get a grip", and then slap him across the face..."And that? is from your brother."

I read on the internet that Mika and Canaan split up somewhere between the Amazing Bathmat and the end of filming.

Next week: Matt clearly never saw "Beauty and the Beast".