Finally we saw some vintage AR form from this lackluster season, leading to an ending that came as a mild surprise to me. I attribute it all to the fact that transportation options were not hand-picked for the teams, which created suspense about the outcome and led to fatal mistakes by MoJo. And let's face it: Bug eating + monkeys + blubbering blondes = good television.
Since MoJo had been hanging with the leaders from the beginning when the race was easy, I thought they looked good for the Final Three, if not the win. But they let themselves get distracted by their hate-on for the Hippies (which was never explained very well), and they were so clueless in the Thai bus station it made me wonder how far they would have made it on previous seasons, when navigating local trains and bus schedules was the norm. As a rule of thumb, you should double-check with someone behind the counter before you take some random dude's word for it that no bus is available for hours. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Oh well-- having MoJo in the finals would have been good for entertainment value, since useless rivalries with other teams, tears and melodramatic declarations that "this [i.e., whatever challenge she happens to be doing at the moment] is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life" are inherently funny. But I'm glad they won't win. Mo would have blown the money on dye jobs, hair extensions and run-proof mascara, leaving Jo with nothing to pay for the anger management classes he needs. So their elimination is for the best.
As for our finalists, I'm not sure what to make of the Hippies' chances now. Finishing last twice isn't a good sign, and if life were fair they wouldn't be in the finals at all, but there they are. Pulling out a win after starting with "no money and no pants" proves they are still a threat.
In contrast to MoJo and the erratic Hippies, Rolanda has really pulled it together both in terms of their decision-making and their chemistry. I am mildly surprised that they made it to the finals, since they never showed much talent for the race before last week. But they're getting better, and now it's anyone's game. I still find them totally dull, but I will give Yolanda credit for the line of the week at the bug-munching fast forward challenge: "We're from the South. We'll eat anything fried." Ah, memories of Virginia. . . .
Second place in the "line of the week" challenge goes to the good people of Darwin for their "Take it off! Put in on!" chant when B.J. was begging for clothes. I've seen enough of that pasty dude's chest, thank you very much.
Finally, I have to admit that I now find the Frats more amusing than repulsive. Jeremy's deadpan comment about how they used to score lots of chicks with their gold-leafing skills made me laugh. The race is still theirs to lose, but anything can happen in the final.
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