Rewind – The Week in Reality TV

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Rewind – The Week in Reality TV
The Amazing Race – Episodes 14-1 and 14-2

  • Teams went from Los Angeles, CA to Locarno, Switzerland
  • Roadblock was a bungee jump off of Verzasca Dam
  • Teams had to bring 200lbs of cheese down a hill while some Swiss guys laughed at them.
  • There was no Detour
  • Team Momma’s Boy (Margie and Luke, the deaf guy who never learned how to read lips) finished first
  • Dating couple Preston and Jennifer were Philiminated
  • Phil made a case for the 2009 “Best Reality Host” Emmy by signing to Team Momma’s Boy that they finished first
  • Episode 2 saw the teams fly to Munchen (Munich), Germany and finish in Salzberg, Austria
  • Roadblock was a tandem 6000 foot jump on a gliding… thing. Looked to be about 20 minutes.
  • There was also an option to walk down a marked path (approx 60 minutes) to meet their partner.
  • All teams opted out save for Team Rainbow.
  • Linda took a wrong turn and got lost.
  • Detour was Segway obstacle course (med difficulty task) or tossing pies at one another (needle in a haystack) while some revellers (seemingly drinking Hoegaarden) laughed at them. I hope this becomes a trend.
  • Tammy and Victor finished first.
  • Steve and Linda finished last (despite the worst efforts of Team Mile High) and where Philiminated.

American Idol – Episodes 8-12 and 8-13

  • Semifinal Group 1 competed
  • Danny Gokey (Church Singer) was top guy, while Alexis Grace (Tiny Blonde Mom)was top girl, and advanced to the Final 12
  • Michael Sarver (Oil Rigger) also advanced by getting the next highest number of votes.

America’s Best Dance Crew – Episode 3-6

  • Four remaining teams participated in the “Battle of the Sexes”
  • Challenge was to replicate moves in a video.
  • Bottom 2 were Fly Khicks and Strikers All-Stars, with Strikers All Stars getting eliminated.
  • Sorry, was someone other than Quest Crew supposed to win this?

Hell’s Kitchen – Episode 5-3

  • Cheftestants take a tour of a cattle slaughterhouse
  • Challenge is to identify cuts of beef and locate them on model cows (likely stolen from Alton Brown).
  • Blue team wins challenge, get to tour winery and eat steak.
  • Dinner service is a steakhouse challenge – one team cooks and the other team serves.
  • Shenannigans abound on the service side
  • Charlie and Lacey are singled out as worst waiters.
  • Red team wins by virtue of more entrees served.
  • Charlie and Seth are nominated for elimination.
  • Charlie is booted due to producers wanting to keep the useless Seth as long as possible Ramsey “not feeling it”.

Survivor: Tocantins – Episode 18-2

  • Taj tells everyone she’s married to Eddie George. She does not tell everyone that she was in SWV.
  • This leads to the usual “maybe she doesn’t need the money”. This does not lead to the better conclusion of “if I piss Taj off, will she send Eddie George after me”?
  • Sierra and Brendan look for the first-Tribal-only hidden Immunity Idol
  • Reward/Immunity Challenge is one of those full contact “throw the ball in the hoop” challenges. Reward is the traditional second challenge reward – fishing gear
  • Jalapao comes from behind to win the challenge.
  • They get to send Brendan to Exile “Island”. He, in turn, gets to bring someone from Jalapao with him. He chooses Taj.
  • On Exile “Island”, they’re told that there is a hidden Immunity Idol at each camp. No word whether it is the same Idol as the previous one.
  • Brendan is also given the option to switch tribes. He declines.
  • Candace tries to get people to vote for Coach, but in the end she is voted off .

Top Chef: New York – Episode 5-13

  • Four remaining chefs go to New Orleans
  • Guest judge is Emeril Legasse
  • Quickfire Challenge is to cook Cajun/Creole inspired food. Jeff, Leah and Jamie return for a chance to compete in the Elimination Challenge and reach the Final Three.
  • Jeff wins Quickfire. He must now win the Elimination Challenge to advance to the Final Three. But he gets Emeril’s new cookbook as compensation.
  • Elimination Challenge is to create two dishes and one drink for a Masquerade party.
  • Winner is Carla, thus eliminating Jeff. She wins a car.
  • Fabio is told to pack his knives and go.
  • YOUR Final Three are Carla, Stefan and Hosea.

Kevin has been an Insider since 2003, writing on a variety of topics ranging from The Amazing Race to Mixed Martial Arts. His current hobbies include Fantasy Football, Sporcle, travelling, making liberal use of his DVR and wondering what the heck he's gonna do when his two daughters are old enough to date. You can follow Kevin on Twitter (@starvenger).