Welcome to Leg 1 of The Amazing Race 37! We are informed by Phil’s voiceover that this is a season of surprises. The Fast Forward is back! The Express Pass is back! The teams are going to have once in a lifetime experiences! There will be emotions! There will be tensions! The camera careens to the roof of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, and the teams run across the roof. (click for more)
So the fourteen (!) teams for The Amazing Race 37 are:
Bernie and Carrigain, Team Bestie Girls, are friends. Bernie says her brain travels at 1000 miles per hour.
Brett and Mark, Team Vegas Showgays, are Vegas performers who have been together for 10 years but married for 4. They say they are competitive. Brett performs with the Cirque de Soleil show, Ka.
Han and Holden, Team Sibling Rivalry, are siblings, and Han elaborates on how annoying Holden is.
Nick and Mike, Team TAR Brothers, are brothers that have watched The Amazing Race since they were kids (season 1 premiered when they were 8 and 4, respectively) and have applied seven times. Seventh time was the charm!
Carson and Jack, Team DND Gaymers, are best friends and DND streamers on YouTube. That’s it.
Pops and Jeff, Team Loumberjacks, are a father and son team from St. Louis. They are both lumberjacks, and Pops is 30 years older than his son. Phil: “I want to look that good at 64!”
Scott and Lori, Team Octomom, are married parents of eight boys. They’ve been together for 25 years, and Scott says Lori is empowered because he works out of town and she runs the show in the family. (Toyouke: “I don't think that's "empowering". If you aren't there, and she can't make decisions, it would be a complete shitshow. Don't act like your decision to not be home a lot is somehow about women's equality.”)
Mark and Larry, Team Redneck Firefighter, met while working on barges on the Mississippi River, then were firefighters together, and then traveled the USA on their motorcycles, but have never been out of the country. (Toyouke: “Mark and Larry have been friends longer than some of these people have been alive and I do kind of immediately love them.”)
Jonathan and Ana, Team California Fitness, have been married 15 years, together for 7 and separated for a year in there. They credit The Amazing Race for bringing them back together. This could be interesting.
Jackye and Lauren, Team Sister Sister, are sisters and are running their Race for their mom, who wanted to travel when she retired, but got Parkinson’s and died before she could. Jackye struggles with stairs.
Alyssa and Josiah, Team Newlywed, are go-getters. And Alyssa is brilliant. And Josiah is a clown. (Toyouke: “They're a little TOO adamant about how great they are for each other, if that makes sense.”)
Courtney and Jasmin, Team Dating Nurses, met 10 years ago at Duke in the nursing school and have been together ever since. They live together, but haven’t talked about getting married yet. Courtney: "We're not U-Hauling it, I mean we live together, I see Jasmin as my forever partner"
Melinda and Erika, Team Mother-Daughter Dance, are mother and daughter.
Ernest and Bridget, Team Father-Daughter Dance, are father and daughter.
(Toyouke: “I don't think I like this "introduce yourselves" thing.”)
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California, USA
Phil assembles the teams and reminds them about the new season. There will be 14 teams this season! And other surprises, such as the decision teams will have to make at their first Fork in the Road, which will have a Pit Stop with TWO eliminations! Oh, and the first team to finish will win ONE MILLION DOLLARS (US$1000000)! Phil lets teams know that the first clue is on their bags at the bottom of the stairs, and they should open it and then pick one of the marked cars to drive themselves to the airport. Then oh so sexy Phil does his standard patter: “Ready? The world is waiting for you. Good luck, travel safe. Cue Phil's eyebrow pop. (Kmanpat: “I’ve missed the eyebrow pop.“) GO!” Who will be eliminated . . . tonight?
Clue: Fly to Hong Kong, China! There is only room for four teams on the first flight. Once there, take a taxi to Tian Tan Buddha and climb the stairs to get your next clue.
So, teams get their clues, find their cars, ask for directions as necessary, and depart the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in the following order:
1- Brett/Mark
2- Melinda/Erika
3- Scott/Lori
4- Han/Holden
5- Jackye/Lauren
6- Ernest/Bridget
7- Pops/Jeff
8- Carson/Jeff
9- Jonathan/Ana
10- Courtney/Jasmin
11- Nick/Mike
12- Bernie/Carrigain
13- Alyssa/Josiah
14- Mark/Larry
Teams drive to Los Angeles International Airport and arrive to park their cars in the following order:
1- Jonathan/Ana
2- Courtney/Jasmin
3- Melinda/Erika
4- Carson/Jack
5- Han/Holden
6- Ernest/Bridget
7- Brett/Mark
8- Scott/Lori
9- Nick/Mike
10- Bernie/Carrigain
11- Alyssa/Josiah
12- Jackye/Lauren
13- Mark/Larry
14- Pops/Jeff
Teams find the ticket counter and book their flights to Hong Kong. (Toyouke: “Why does this feel so weird? Is it that no one knows if they're on the first flight or not? Wouldn't you ask "can I get seats on [x] flight" and they say "yes" and then you know? It feels like teams just...gave their passports to the ticket agent and trusted she'd put them on the right flight? Or is it that everyone's reactions seem very over-the-top and extra and I want to yell at them to calm down?”)
Flight #1, Cathay Pacific, departs 11:30 PM
1) Jonathan/Ana
2) Courtney/Jasmin
3) Melinda/Erika
4) Carson/Jack
Flight #2, Cathay Pacific, departs 12:30 AM
1) Han/Holden
2) Ernest/Bridget
3) Brett/Mark
4) Scott/Lori – Lori: "Does anyone need to go potty?" (Toyouke: “Lady that is not cute.”)
5) Nick/Mike
6) Bernie/Carrigain
7) Alyssa/Josiah
8) Jackye/Lauren
9) Mark/Larry
10) Pops/Jeff
The Amazing Yellow Line takes us to Hong Kong, where the first flight arrives a few minutes late, and the second flight arrives a few minutes early. (Toyouke: “Even so, an hour is not so much you couldn't overcome it.”) Teams arrive and get taxis to Tian Tan Buddha in the following order:
1- Carson/Jack
2- Jonathan/Ana
3- Courtney/Jasmin
4- Melinda/Erika
5- Nick/Mike
6- Alyssa/Josiah
7- Ernest/Bridget
8- Brett/Mark
9- Bernie/Carrigain
10- Scott/Lori
11- Han/Holden
12- Pops/Jeff
13- Mark/Larry
14- Jackye/Lauren
Teams arrive at the Tian Tan Buddha and climb up the stairs. (Kmanpat: “When I went, we took the cable car and ate lunch at the monastery.” Toyouke: “They don't even have to go all the way to the top?! WEAK”) They rip open their clues in the following order:
1- Carson/Jack
2- Jonathan/Ana
3- Melinda/Erika
4- Courtney/Jasmin
5- Brett/Mark
6- Bernie/Carrigain
7- Alyssa/Josiah
8- Scott/Lori
9- Han/Holden
10- Nick/Mike
11- Ernest/Bridget
12- Pops/Jeff
13- Mark/Larry
14- Jackye/Lauren – where Jackye struggles with the stairs. (Toyouke: “I feel like being afraid of stairs is not a good thing on the Race. I mean I get it, because I have a fear of falling, but I feel like that's a thing you should expect on the Race.”)
Teams are instructed to take their taxis to Central Piers and find the Sun Ferry at Pier # 5 to travel to Cheung Chau Island and find their next clue on the promenade. Teams arrive at the Sun Ferry Pier in the following order:
1- Jonathan/Ana
2- Carson/Jack
3- Melinda/Erika
4- Courtney/Jasmin
5- Alyssa/Josiah
6- Bernie/Carrigain
7- Brett/Mark
8- Scott/Lori
9- Han/Holden
10- Nick/Mike
11- Ernest/Bridget
12- Mark/Larry
13- Pops/Jeff
14- Jackye/Lauren
Teams arrive and board the following ferries to Cheung Chau:
Ferry #1, departs 9:00 AM
1) Jonathan/Ana – (Toyouke: “I wonder if the producers thought everyone would get bunched by the ferry and Jonathan and Ana were just so fast it ruined their plans.”)
Ferry #2, departs 9:45 AM
1) Carson/Jack
2) Melinda/Erika
3) Courtney/Jasmin
4) Alyssa/Josiah
5) Bernie/Carrigain
6) Brett/Mark
7) Scott/Lori
8) Han/Holden
9) Nick/Mike
10) Ernest/Bridget
11) Mark/Larry
12) Pops/Jeff
Ferry #3, departs 10:15 AM
1) Jackye/Lauren
Teams arrive at Cheung Chau Island and find their clues in the following order:
1- Jonathan/Ana
2- Bernie/Carrigain
3- Han/Holden
4- Scott/Lori
5- Brett/Mark
6- Alyssa/Josiah
7- Carson/Jack
8- Nick/Mike
9- Ernest/Bridget
10- Melinda/Erika
11- Courney/Jasmin
12- Pops/Jeff
13- Mark/Larry
14- Jackye/Lauren
When they rip open the clue, teams get the first roadblock.
ROADBLOCK:
Who’s ready for some ups and downs?
In this roadblock, one team member travels to the Pak Tai Temple Playground and must climb a bamboo tower used for the annual Bun Festival to retrieve a clue. Once retrieved, teams can reunite and open the clue. Only 8 climbing lines are available.
The following teammates take the Roadblock:
1- Ana – who does the Roadblock, even though she isn’t the strongest, so Jonathan can do a different one later. (Toyouke: “That's a good idea, have Ana do it because if it takes some time, they have a lead. Also, you know you've watched this show for too long when Ana starts getting tired, and you can smell a commercial coming, and then there's a commercial. Because you know after the commercial break she'll be fine. And I was right. And that rain is going to be a problem for everyone though.”)
2- Bernie
3- Han
4- Lori
5- Brett – “I do this for a living.” (Toyouke: “Brett going "I do this for a living" and climbing the tower like a monkey made me laugh so hard.” Kmanpat: “And if you’ve ever seen Ka, you know exactly what he’s talking about.”)
6- Josiah
7- Carson
8- Mike
9- Bridget
10- Erika
11- Jasmin
12- Pops
13- Mark C.
14- Lauren
After much tower climbing, teams complete the Roadblock in the following order:
1- Jonathan/Ana
2- Brett/Mark
3- Bernie/Carrigain
4- Alyssa/Josiah
5- Han/Holden
6- Scott/Lori
7- Carson/Jack
8- Nick/Mike
9- Ernest/Bridget
10- Melinda/Erika
11- Mark/Larry
12- Pops/Jeff
13- Courtney/Jasmin
14- Jackye/Lauren
Teams are now instructed to take the ferry back to Central Pier and make their way to Lok Kwan Street Park to get their next clue. WARNING: Fork in the Road Ahead! (Toyouke: “So...is the Fork in the Road just a Detour? A Detour where they have banned Bald Snarking? I mean normally you don't eliminate one team from each half of the Detour but...is that what's happening?”) Teams arrive back at the ferries, and take them in the following order:
Ferry #1, departs 10:45 AM
1) Jonathan/Ana – who finished early enough that they get instructions before getting on the ferry. (Toyouke: “Very smart to use their waiting time to figure out where they're going. And it also hides them from the other teams.”)
2) Brett/Mark
3) Bernie/Carrigain
4) Alyssa/Josiah
5) Han/Holden
6) Scott/Lori
7) Carson/Jack
8) Nick/Mike
9) Ernest/Bridget
10) Melinda/Erika
11) Mark/Larry
12) Pops/Jeff
13) Courtney/Jasmin
Ferry #2, departs 11:15 AM
1) Jackye/Lauren
Teams arrive back at Central Pier and get their taxis in the following order:
1- Jonathan/Ana
2- Brett/Mark
3- Bernie/Carrigain
4- Alyssa/Josiah
5- Han/Holden
6- Scott/Lori
7- Carson/Jack
8- Nick/Mike
9- Ernest/Bridget
10- Melinda/Erika
11- Mark/Larry
12- Pops/Jeff
13- Courtney/Jasmin – who forget to show the drivers the Chinese, and fall very far behind. (Toyouke: “Are cabs telling Courtney and Jasmin "no" because they're pronouncing the name of the park wrong? I get that being persistent is good in terms of getting on this show, but I don't think "Just keep trying until you hear a yes" is always a good idea.”)
14- Jackye/Lauren
Teams arrive at Lok Kwan Street Park and find their clues in the following order:
1- Carson/Jack
2- Nick/Mike
3- Alyssa/Josiah
4- Ernest/Bridget
5- Bernie/Carrigain
6- Han/Holden
7- Mark/Larry
8- Jonathan/Ana
9- Brett/Mark
10- Melinda/Erika
11- Pops/Jeff
12- Scott/Lori
13- Courtney/Jasmin – (Toyouke: “So are we implying it took this long for Courtney and Jasmin to find the Chinese on their Route Info? I know they showed that whole paper to at least one cab.”)
14- Jackye/Lauren
The teams open their clues and we get the Fork in the Road Clue.
FORK IN THE ROAD:
Dance OR Sing
*Dance: Teams make their way to Jao Tsung-I Academy and choose an instructor to teach them a traditional lion dance. Once performed correctly, Master Tso will give them their next clue.
*Sing: Teams make their way to Tea House Theatre at Xiqu Centre. Teams get into makeup and costume, and then learn a song from a Chinese Opera, including choreography. Once approved by the judging panel, teams get their next clue.
(Toyouke: “So there's both the usual Detour pros and cons, but also how many other people have chosen that option. You might get stuck with something. And you might pick an option you wouldn't otherwise pick, because you know you'd be last if you took the one you wanted. I don't hate the Fork in the Road but I do kind of wish the Roadblock was after the Fork. Oo, or maybe different Roadblocks based on which Fork you pick?”)
1- Carson/Jack choose Dance
2- Nick/Mike choose Dance
3- Alyssa/Josiah choose Sing – because no one else had yet. (Toyouke: “I feel like the Sing option should not involve dancing. Right?”)
4- Ernest/Bridget choose Dance
5- Bernie/Carrigain choose Dance
6- Han/Holden choose Sing – since they speak Vietnamese, they think it can help with Cantonese.
7- Mark/Larry choose Dance
8- Jonathan/Ana choose Sing – because of how many people are already dancing.
9- Brett/Mark choose Dance
10- Melinda/Erika choose Sing
11- Pops/Jeff choose Sing
12- Scott/Lori choose Sing
13- Courtney/Jasmin choose Dance – because they will be last at either option, and the people doing Dance make it seem like they could beat them.
14- Jackye/Lauren choose Sing – because they have no choice.
Much dancing and singing ensues. So, teams complete the fork in the road in the following order:
DANCE
1- Carson/Jack
2- Brett/Mark
3- Bernie/Carrigain
4- Ernest/Bridget
5- Nick/Mike
6- Courtney/Jasmin
7- Mark/Larry
SING
1- Alyssa/Josiah
2- Jonathan/Ana
3- Pops/Jeff
4- Han/Holden
5- Scott/Lori
6- Melinda/Erika
7- Jackye/Lauren
Teams are now instructed to travel to the PIT STOP at the West Kowloon Cultural District Art Park Terrace. This is the first and second pit stop in a racearoundtheworld. The last team to arrive at each pit stop WILL be eliminated!
DANCE PIT STOP
1- Carson/Jack – who win $3000.
2- Brett/Mark
3- Ernest/Bridget
4- Bernie/Carrigain
5- Nick/Mike
6- Courtney/Jasmin
7- Mark/Larry
(Toyouke: “Someone pointed out the Fork in the Road means a team that's in like, 8th place, is eliminated. I mean that's the twist. I'm not that mad about it because that's how the game is.”)
SING PIT STOP
1- Alyssa/Josiah – who win $3000.
2- Jonathan/Ana – Jonathan: "That's not good enough" (Toyouke: “You're going to melt down in a couple of legs.”)
3- Scott/Lori
4- Pops/Jeff
5- Han/Holden
6- Melinda/Erika
7- Jackye/Lauren
And Mark and Larry are eliminated first at the Dance Pit Stop. Larry gets teared up because they view this race a gift they get to do together. And then Jackye and Lauren are eliminated at the Sing Pit Stop. They are very happy they got to do the race.
ORDER NOW:
1st – Carson/Jack
2nd – Brett/Mark
3rd – Ernest/Bridget
4th – Bernie/Carrigain
5th – Alyssa/Josiah
6th – Nick/Mike
7th – Courtney/Jasmin
8th – Jonathan/Ana
9th – Scott/Lori
10th – Pops/Jeff
11th – Han/Holden
12th – Melinda/Erika
Next time: The Intersection returns for the first time since TAR11! Who will pair up? How will it change the game? Until next time!
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