If you're just talking about things that looked hilarious, I don't think anything can touch Wil and the ice ball. [/quote] Colin & the ox is right up there for me.
Tenderfoot
Mar 8, 2006 @ 1:01 pm
Wil and the ice ball was pure Wile E. Coyote. He did everything but jump up and down on it.
auntlada
Mar 8, 2006 @ 1:28 pm
I love Colin and the Ox, but I think I like the recap of the event even more than the episode.
Pointe3579
Mar 8, 2006 @ 7:13 pm
2-8/2-9: The two-parter where they go from Hong Kong to Sydney. My very favorite leg of the race EVAH. Come shopping with Danny & Oswald, won't you? And, please, join us in the luxury car on our trip out to the airport. Watch with glee as Wil AND Blake fuck up the Roadblock in Sydney, contrasting that with Oswald ROCKING IT hard.[/quote]
Easily my favorite episode of TAR ever. I also loved seeing Flo look kind of stupid talking about going home and losing to old people, only to find out that it was NEL time.
meepster
Mar 10, 2006 @ 2:51 pm
mrcellophane:
Season 4, Ep #3 -- The one where they go to Vienna. Being a musician, I mostly like this one because it had a classical music detour (Mozart or Beethoven). Plus, there was all that Fiacre drama, and who can forget Steve & Dave's "greenpeace" comments about taking the bungee jump!
That's mine too (look upthread)! Do we have to get married now?
The champagne and waltzing FF is the best one ever. Very difficult to complete, but really fun to watch.
recker
Mar 10, 2006 @ 3:11 pm
Episode 3-11 is probably my favorite. The combination of a truly "exotic" country (Vietnam) with all of the great story lines (the semi-redemption of Ian, Flo's continued descent into madness, the tragic end of the Brothers' alliance as they raced to avoid elimination, and Flo unwittingly (?) helping Ken and Gerard at the expense of her new race boyfriend) was some mightly fine television.
Kstar
May 21, 2007 @ 8:58 am
I have a lot of favorite episodes for a lot of different reasons:
I think the Wil vs. ice ball; Colin vs. ox; and Colin vs. Kenyan taxi driver are two of my all time favorites. I don't think any future ep. of TAR will match these.
I also like in S7 when Gretchen climbs that wall using a rope ladder. That woman is awesome and if they ever do another AS edition I hope they are included.
Chip and Kim winning always makes me tear up, too b/c out of all the seasons, IMHO they are the most deserving winners :)
Edited to say that anything involving a Flo, Mirna, or Jonathan breakdown is also comedy gold.
Arrow
May 21, 2007 @ 10:46 pm
3-5: Dieselgate--this episode alone made me think that perhaps reality tv is worthwhile. Five teams all dealing with it in completely different ways? Fascinating!!!
EmperorSeth
May 22, 2007 @ 11:02 am
3-5: Dieselgate--this episode alone made me think that perhaps reality tv is worthwhile. Five teams all dealing with it in completely different ways? Fascinating!!!
This was actually the second episode of the entire series that I watched. It definately is part of the reason I'm still here five years later. Of course, the first episode, when Heave got, well, heaved, was nice too.
The first three episodes I thought of were Colin vs. the ox again, the absolutely beautiful first Egypt episode of that season (5-5, I think? The one with the friggin' Sphinx as the pit stop,) and the episode of season 10 with the rap/classical detour. Yes, I know it had a real train wreck feel, but it was one of the few detours that made you exercise your creative skills, and few things on this show made laugh as hard.
Wasatch Gal
May 22, 2007 @ 4:44 pm
I have three favorites:
1.10 "To The Physical and Mental Limit"--Rob & Brennan, dirty, wet and shirtless. I also loved the tasks, especially Rob & Brennan and Frank & Margarita challenging each other.
1.13 "Race to The Finish Part 2"--Rob and Brennan win, beating Frank & Margarita on their home turf while the Guidos are back in snowy Alaska.
3.5 "Dieselgate"--as someone mentioned above, it is classic. I never suspected so many people never learned to make sure which type of fuel you were using--other than my college roommate, that is.
3.10 & 3.11--actually the entire season because I am just in awe that Zach didn't give in to the temptation to heave Flo into the waters of Vietnam and leave her there.
Halloween Mojo
Jun 11, 2007 @ 4:16 pm
My favorite episode ever was just on GSN this weekend.
Charla and Mirna are eliminated in Africa.
kalystia1983
Jun 15, 2007 @ 9:36 pm
The Colin and the ox episode just replayed on GSN, and I had forgotten how funny it is. My roommate and I almost fell off the couch we were laughing so hard. Definitely my favorite episode!
Letterboxeyed
Oct 28, 2007 @ 3:00 pm
I just read Miss Alli's recap of her top 10 episodes, and I must say WELL DONE. I greatly admire your reasoning for that last one on your list. And kudos for writing such a recap without ever once having to refer to a certain Asshat.
kafski
Oct 28, 2007 @ 3:04 pm
I greatly admire your reasoning for that last one on your list.
I do, too.
I was certain that Colin and The Ox would be number one and was (at first) disappointed that I was wrong. Your picks makes a lot of sense, though, and wasn't one I thought would even be on the list.
Blucasbabe
Oct 28, 2007 @ 3:28 pm
Miss Alli just made me remember everything I love about this show, and why I have invested six years in obsessing over it.
The only ep I was hoping to see on the list that didn't make it, was the 2-hour season 5 finale. I loved the way Linda and Karen almost beat Colin and Christie, but then sucked it up and treated each other like adults when they couldn't. And then the final race to the mat, and the way I cheered when Chip and Kim's minivan pulled up instead of Colin and Christie's Town Car--well, that was just a good feeling, to see them win. Good times.
Miss Alli
Oct 28, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
Two things:
1. Yeah, there were ones it was hard not to include. Lena and Kristy's hay bale incident duked it out with the Gaghans for that last spot, and the S5 finale would have also been a worthy choice.
2. They're not in any particular order. I can't really judge, like, Brian and Greg smoking Ray and Deana against that Gaghan ep, so I didn't even try, heh.
Rinaldo
Oct 28, 2007 @ 4:51 pm
A beautifully done Extra, and a pleasure to read, as always from this recapper.
The episode I was always sure was lurking on the next page, because it had to be among the top ten, was Season 2, Hong Kong to Sydney. The combination of happily being a Lion ("believe it or not, I'm window-shopping") while others freak out with paddles, Danny & Oswald's Day of Shopping/Frappucino/Limousine/BetterFlight while everyone else gets frustrated at the airport, and the Sydney Slang Walk complete with "Return to your partner???" -- it just doesn't get better than that.
But that's not a complaint. Just an acknowledgement that we are all, indeed, different, and reading each other's differing perspectives is one of the great things about this site.
Miss Alli
Oct 28, 2007 @ 5:02 pm
That was the one I was probably the most sad to exclude. That was definitely #11.
Wry Bread
Oct 28, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
Aww, this was a nice surprise! I hadn't thought of Wil and the iceball and the Milliemole/Werewolf/Jon/Kelly showdown in ages. Warm fuzzy memories.
BoDiva
Oct 28, 2007 @ 7:36 pm
That was a perfect appetizer that leaves me hungry for the season. I do wish I'd seen the first three seasons (we don't get GSN here). Maybe I'll put season 1 on my Christmas list.
Miss Alli
Oct 28, 2007 @ 8:33 pm
It has just been pointed out to me that in the wildness of adding and cutting episodes from my list, I wound up with...nine. Instead of ten. We'll fix the title, and I either will or won't add the last one tomorrow morning, depending on whether I have time. Oh, the perils of not recounting enough times.
Sorry, y'all.
thuganomics85
Oct 28, 2007 @ 9:30 pm
Loved the list. The one episode that I haven't thought about in a while, that the list brought back memories of was S3 "Don't Try To Play The Moralist Now!" I remembered how much I loved that episode. On one hand, it was sad watching Derek/Drew get eliminated, but I loved how mature they and Ken/Gerard, when they past each other at the ferry, even though both teams figured that the twins were doomed. No bitching from the Derek/Drew; no taunting or celebration from Ken/Gerard. Alliances on this show usually suck (Backpack Alliance), but I remember how much I loved that foursome.
And I don't care how long it is, Colin's "My ox is broken!" will never get old.
Bertson
Oct 28, 2007 @ 10:17 pm
Having only watched S6-11, I feel pretty left out of most of these. I think my favourite is probably still 7-9, when Rob tries to trick Gretchen into thinking there's an earlier flight, and then it turns out there is in fact an earlier flight, and also has Kelly telling Ron that he got out of the Army by being a POW. It's a cavalcade of laughing at the stupidity of these people.
monalisa
Oct 28, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
I feel that all is now right with the world again. Tonight I casually checked the TWOP website and saw The Amazing Race recap. Hurrah!
I'm sorry to say that I originally started the first season watching the "Lost" tv show and being outraged that CBS moved the season premire of TAR up so it played opposite "Lost". It was quite a controversy at the time. Luckily, I would tape one show while watching the other and quickly became a fan of TAR.
I feel the need to add to the best episodes list by noting my favorite recap details. I'm sorry but I don't remember specific seasons or episodes, they tend to blend together.
First, Miss Alli as recapper - witty, insightful and fashion conscious
The season where each recap began with a mini travelogue for each country
The occasional rants on the jerkiness of certain personalities or game changes
The psychological profiles of contestants which totally explained why they acted as they did
and the perfect quote "God is in the Tub!"
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