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 possibleRamsey “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.