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Surf Boards and Memory Games: The Season Finale of "The Amazing Race"

I'm just glad the redheads didn't win.

On last night's season finale of The Amazing Race ("This Is How You Lose a Million Dollars"), the final three teams raced to the finish line in Maui, Hawaii in a final leg of the race that was at times heartbreaking, inspiring, and frustrating. (In the best possible way, of course.)

All three teams played an extremely strong game throughout this cycle of The Amazing Race and I was happy to see that one of the two teams that I was rooting for walked away a million dollars richer in the end.

I was absolutely crestfallen that Margie and Luke didn't win the million dollar prize waiting at the end of the race. Yes, I am amazed that both of them--a woman in her 50s and a deaf guy--made it as far as they did but I was really rooting for them to win the top spot. And they would have if Luke had been able to figure out which surf board represented the last leg of the race. (I think that one was harder for him as Margie, rather than he, ate the scorpions in the Beijing Roadblock challenge.)

They had such an amazing lead going into that final Roadblock and I got really, really excited that they were actually going to come in first place... but their lead was quickly squandered when Tammy and Victor arrived and then the redheads finally showed up, after having more problems with their umpteenth taxi driver. (I do have to say that it's perhaps karma for Jamie's awful behavior along the way.)

I was surprised that there wasn't a Detour on this final leg of the race and that it all really came down to one final test of memory at a Roadblock... and then a quick taxi trip to the finish line. For a season that felt so reinvigorated and exciting, it seemed a quick final episode, with the teams ending up on the same flight to Maui and then remaining fairly neck-and-neck throughout the final leg and not that many speed bumps along the way. I wished that there had been just a few more challenges standing in the way between them and the finish line.

I am happy that Tammy and Victor won and they made huge strides in their sibling relationship throughout this competition (just think back to that awful Romanian leg with Victor leading them into the wilderness) and that they walk away with a stronger relationship as well as the million dollars. For Luke and Margie, the experience they shared is worth more than a million dollars; they each proved that they are capable of doing anything and everything that life puts in their path and they should hold their heads high and walk away from this race as true winners. (And I'll admit that I got teary-eyed as they crossed the finish line and both were crying as Luke said how amazing his mother was for learning how to sign and being able to communicate with him.)

What did you think of the final leg? Were you pulling for Luke and Margie to win? Discuss.

The Amazing Race will return with a new cycle next season on CBS.

Comments

I was disappointed that Luke and Margie didn't win but, as you said, I think their experience on the race was worth more than the millions bucks.

Tammy and Victor were a strong team and ran the race extremely well (aside for Victor's mental break down in Romania) and I think they deserved to win, unlike horrible Jamie and clueless Cara.
Ellis said…
It didn't bother me that they were all on the same flight but I do agree that there could have been more challenges before the finish line.

The challenge where they had to carry the pig was pretty funny, though. Especially Jamie and Cara. Margie and Luke kicked ass on that part!
Jennifer said…
I don't want to diminish Margie and Luke's accomplishments--they were very strong throughout the race (and Margie is so the Bionic Woman) but they were really starting to grate on me the second half of the race. Luke's such a whiner. I was almost at the point where I would have preferred a Jamie/Cara win just because we're way overdue for an all-female-team win. But really Tammy and Victor were the least offensive team, they ran a consistent race, and I was so relieved to see them come from behind on the Roadblock.
Ally said…
A few weeks ago, I definitely switched my rooting interest to T&V. I would have been fine w/M&L winning. Basically I just didn't want the cheerleaders (or, more specifically, Jamie). T&V came a long way, for me, since that coffin challenge, and I really started to like them. I have to say that my rooting interest in M&L started waning when they used the U-turn weeks ago, and continued to wane with that entire childish squabble w/Kisha and Jen (all 4 were childish, in my mind). Plus, as one of the noters said, Luke was kinda turning into a whiner. It was a good result for me, but I didn't have that must-win team this season, at least once Mike & Mel went out.

I was surprised that the game came down to a roadblock memory thing. Also surprised that Luke got hung up on the 2 most recent things. It would be understandable if he was hung up on something from the early days.

Ulitmately, like last year, I feel that the strongest team won.

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