The Amazing Race: Chickens in Kiev

The producers, apparently deciding that the teams have had it too good for too long (and really, they have – for multiple seasons), mix things up this week. Their clue (which, as you'll recall, they get when they've finished the rappel in Helsinki) mentions Chernobyl and tells them to go to the capital city of the country where it's located. It's a lucky thing that the teams run into an intelligent travel agent at the airport and then share that information among them, because, of course, geography is the beauty queens' Achilles heel. Too bad, because I really, really wanted to see Rob and Kimberly go to Moscow, and Dustin and Kandice end up in, say, Michigan. ("Is this Chernobyl?" "No. It's Cheboygan.")

Once the teams get to Kiev, the producers cruelly/awesomely provide them with a clue in Cyrillic script, which I assume is Ukrainian, and a Russian-made car. If you didn't see the cars, just think of the car that Homer Simpson got from the country that no longer existed. Put it in H! Rob and Kimberly actually break their car – again – which is either the fault of bad driving or cars just commit suicide around them. Or a little of both.

And finally, finally, the former Six-Pack alliance is dead, because Lyn and Karlyn, fed up with how the Chos stop for directions every ten minutes (why would they want to know where they're going?) strike out on their own. Good for you, ladies. This is indeed a race. The Chos, however, due to slow progress and getting detained by the police, are last and eliminated, but are happy that they ran a "clean" race. Which is nice, but look at where it got you guys. Nobody's saying that being mean is the only way to win a race, because it isn't (see: Chip and Kim), but you really can't win a race if you're constantly holding yourself up so you can stay with another team. Especially when you are the last two teams. That's just stupid racing. Still, I'm glad that you're happy with yourselves, and you had your moments, so I'll miss you guys.

By the way, Dustin and Kandice are running a very good race, and it would be nice to see an all-female team win, but it won't be this one. The show has recently gotten into a "there's a test at the end" kick, and, well. See above about geography. Shame, but there it is.