From zap2it.com:

Wow, that was really freaking great! "Don't do it! I wouldn't do it!" And she didn't! She totally didn't!

I love the Globetrotters. They have great attitudes. I don't know why Sam and Dan were hating on them, though.

So long, Mika and Canaan.

What a B, that Mika.

Canaan, you want to know who is a piece of crap? A guy who tries to push his girlfriend down a waterslide. That's who's a piece of crap. But lucky Mika, he forgives her.

Here I thought that going down a water slide was one of the easiest challenges ever on the show and the cuts to the Globetrotters catching up were just editing tricks. I can't believe M&C are actually gone! Rejoice!

What a freaking choke artist! I kept angrier and angrier by the second as she whined and whined and then at the end she didnt seem all that contrite to me. I wish these kind of people wouldnt try out for AR, these things are part of the show, I wonder how the couple eliminated at the beginning felt watching her wuss out.

Ugh!

Team Cheyne and whatshername!

So glad the Trotters made it! I was hoping it was a NEL when I saw they were in last place. Canaan is just awful. Awful.

Canaan was exhibiting some abusive tendencies there. I was very uncomfortable when he tried to push her down the slide and she was screaming "help me help me."

I kind of feel like I should be mad at the Globetrotters for psyching Mika out, but, really, what they were saying to her was so much nicer and more supportive than what Canaan was saying that I don't think they were even really being jerks. And I'm glad they're still in it, and I hope Canaan really does let it go, assuming she can forgive him for manhandling her, which, if I were her, I wouldn't. I mean, Jesus, she was screaming for help, even. That was just disturbing.

Yay to the Poker Girls and the Globetrotters for actually KNOWING HOW TO DO SIMPLE MATH!

I personally don't think the Trotters were in the wrong for trying to further psyche out Mika. They were totally in the right that it was a race. Mika'd had plenty of time to go down that slide, and it's a race. Canaan had no real right to talk about Big Easy being a piece of crap, since he was the one who was physically manhandling Mika to try and push her down the slide *more than once*!

I was a little worried for Matt. He looked bad, but I'm glad that they pulled through. They're my horse this year.

Wow Canaan and The Globetrotters were horrible this episode. Mika may have done it if her boyfriend hadn't have been trying to toss her down everytime he got a chance and, yeah, it's a race but The Globetrotters were still shitty.

Anyway, I'm just happy Ericka and Brian made it through and I laughed when she made that comment about the American school system cause it's true.

Sheesh, basic math. We've had TAR Family, TAR Asia, TAR All Stars, and this year, TAR Ignorant.

As a Globetrotters fan, I want to thank Mika for being the biggest whiny hiney baby ever.

Mika and Canaan should break up immediately. His exit speech was pure fury, under a layer of pious. And who goes on the Amazing Race unable to hack a water slide? C'mon. I felt for the pool guy having to watch all that drama.

Yay for the Poker chicks figuring out the gold formula so quickly. Starting to root for them now.

The episode title should have been, "Do Muslim clocks work the same as regular clock?" Gong of idiocy indeed.

This is the episode where the Racers read my mind. When Mika, sweltering at the hookah task, said, “I wish I were naked,” I thought, “I also wish you were.” And when Big Easy said that people would say they can’t tell time and yet they’re going to the math task, I was shocked. But apparently he really does know how to read an analog watch and was overcomplicating things.

I’d definitely go for the gold over the hookahs. I’d rather do math, even having to do recalculation on the fly rather than assemble several objects that I’ve never assembled before. It shouldn’t be hard to assemble enough big pieces of gold that are close to but somewhat below the total and then have the little pieces on standby to adjust as the exchange rate changes. I guess the hookahs might be like assembling table lamps. But there are a lot of details. It shocking to me that Ericka would guess that the details of which color tube don’t matter.

It’s surprising how scared Racers can be. I was a teenager before I learned how to swim (poorly). I’m somewhat scared of heights. But I don’t think I’d be nearly as scared as some Racers were. To me, it’s seems like having a slide surrounding you all through the path is a fairly controlled environment. And the landing pool wasn’t deep, but maybe the Racers didn’t know that.

It seemed that Mika was making more progress towards finishing the slide in the brief time that Canaan left her alone.

I don’t Big Easy for psyching Mika out. It was an “us or them” situation which is no time to be supportive of an opponent.

Different strategies in packing for the Race: Sam and Dan bring a calculator while Gary and Matt bring more red hair dye.

Are you kidding me? Not only did she bring freaking FLOATIES on the amazing race (I didn't realize they made those for adults...) but she wouldn't go down a damn waterslide for a million bucks? I would have totally pushed her down the damn slide and then smacked her for being a dumbass. Good god.


But a big LOL to the globetrotters, they were pretty funny

Glad you're gone Mika & Canaan!

I think they were just tired of getting beaten by them and were hoping a strong team would get knocked out. I am so happy that Mika couldn't go down the slide, if not for the previews for next week alone. But mostly because I couldn't stand Mika and Canaan. Now I am okay with any of the remaining teams winning, although I prefer Megan and Cheyne, Pinky and the Brain, and the Globetrotters.

Loved how the 'Trotters didn't waste any time getting down that slide once Mika was out of the way. They got lucky this time and I am glad they are still in it.
Now to the Yankees....

Whoa, that ending was f'in awesome! Edge of your seat suspense. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard at an episode of the Amazing Race, from Mika's tantrum to the Globetrotters' "Don't do it!" Erika's kind of prissy and seems to have a lot of phobias, but at least she sucks it up.

That the "leap of faith" was Mika's downfall is especially humorous to me because I've gone down that slide and, while scary for the 15 seconds you're on it, it's still a giant waterslide when it comes down to it.

I thought the Globetrotters were doomed as soon as they chose the gold roadblock... glad they were able to redeem themselves after the watch debacle.

Brian and Ericka are so cute. I like that they seem to be friends as well as a couple. That “Whatcha got for me?” “Babe, I got you a Rolex” exchange was funny, as was the “We’re leaving second, AKA first runner up in Ericka’s world.” Also, Ericka has a sick body.

“I’m just gonna keep saying the word ‘hot’ cause that’s how hot it is.” Love. (I want to go to Dubai but I clearly need to go in January, because I hate hot weather. Also, both of the greeters they’ve had there have been cute.) And I did not stop laughing when I saw him using his long arms as paddles. I like that he had a sense of humor about how long it took him to get the suitcase open.

Mika, what are you doing on a race if you don’t run? And I said, out loud, by myself, “Does she have water wings on?” I don’t think I’ve ever seen an adult wearing water wings. So she’s afraid of heights, doesn’t run, and can’t swim. This was really not the place for her. I get that she was scared, but she was being a baby – stomping her feet, shrieking, whining, calling it stupid like that kid in gym class who says he COULD climb the rope, but he doesn’t feel like it right now. And I think Canaan hates her. At the very least, they don’t relate to each other well. She wants to be coddled, and if that’s not his thing, fine (it’s not mine either), but it means they aren’t compatible. (Although him sitting behind her was a terrible idea – they surely couldn’t go down together, and it was making ME nervous thinking he was just going to push her or force her hands to let go of the bar.) I also think she was enjoying the attention she got from not doing it as much as she was scared – the “why do you hate me?” thing was just milking it. I felt bad for the attendant who she screamed to help her – what’s he supposed to do? Very awkward position for him to be in. I can't believe she straight-up didn't do it.

I liked how The Brain was encouraging Pinky to go faster on the beach – he kind of reached out for his arm so they could run together. That was sweet. I think they really are getting closer on the race.

I can already tell I am going to love watching the Globetrotters dancing next week.

Wow. What a way to be eliminated. I thought the Globe Trotters were cool until this episode. Talking trash to her like that was unkind.

What was that round thing on Mika's back?

I wonder, did she even see the show before she went on it? It often has water sports or swimming as a task, so why go if you are afraid of water or heights? I don't get that you think you can get around that by using FLOATIES.

I also wonder why the female contestants bring bikinis. I guess they are not afraid of wardrobe malfunctions during the course of the race.

Mika screaming "Help me, help me" and reaching out to the waterslide guy is one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen on television; I did not enjoy watching it three times (thanks, editors... I guess.). Felt bad for the poor girl and was quite surprised when they were eliminated--I was certain this leg was a non-elim.

Judging by their comments at the end of the ep, Maria & Tiffany are not aware of Sam & Dan's sexual persuasion. Just an observation. Also, I hate that they came in second today.

Sam & Dan having the calculator but not having any idea how to use it for the detour? Pretty funny.

Geez, 5 year old girls go down water slides. What a wimp. Let's hope when Mika's ready to give birth and the baby's head is halfway out, she doesn't scream "I can't do this.....don't make me do this!"

When you go on TAR, it's pretty much a given you're going to have to do something with heights. Why try out? I'm sure she was all cutesy and funny in her audition tape. When reality hit, not so much.

Canaan says he forgives her, but if he's any kind of man, he won't forget she cost them any chance they had at a million dollars.

Ahhh...between last week L&K getting the boot and tonight's whinefest of Mika & Canaan, how I've missed you sweet schadenfreude! Glad to see the Globetrotters squeak by.

Kudos for TPTB for a frustrating detour in which there really wasn't an obvious choice to pick (for a change).

Someone actually brought a calculator for a race? I'm surprised, but impressed at the foresight.

Overall, I liked it.

After watching the waterslide & beach run, my kudos to the casting team. Mika & Caanan are reality show gold. I can't believe the Globetrotters caught them at the waterslide. Though it does make sense that Caanan would say the exact wrong things to someone locked down by multiple fears. At least Mika & Caanan got to the bathmat to be greeted by the hating hat.

The detour was interesting, in that they were both pretty detail oriented and cognitive. Not surprised that Maria & Tiffany figured it out. Am somewhat impressed that the Globetrotters actually asked to borrow a calculator from someone. The bald snarking was entertaining.

And whatever happened to the 12 hour rest period? Are TPTB leaving themselves an out for each leg now?

For that matter, what's up with the voice during the preview for next episode? I wonder where Phil recorded it from.
Sometimes, people lock up and can't let go of their perceptions. It happens to me, it happened to Big Easy, and it happened to Mika. It happens. But they didn't give up hustling.

I just don't quite understand how anyone with that much fear of something even think of going on this show. Heights and water??? Give me a break.

I don't have a problem with Canaan trying to push Mika (it wasn't aggressive at all). He tried reasoning with her and backing off and it didn't work. She wouldn't have gone down no matter how much time was on the clock.

If this was a NEL, would they still be in the race since they didn't complete a part of the race? Wouldn't that have disqualified them anyway?

You know, I can't really hate on Mika for being paralyzed with fear, since it's something that I know all too well. What I can hate on her for is the fact that she went on a race when she's afraid of everything. Useless.

I never really like the Globetrotters, but now I'm actively rooting against them. In my eyes, messing with Mika's head is just as bad as when the tiny-brothers messed with the bike pumps last season. Really, really uncool.

That was incredible! Yay Globetrotters! I haven't really liked or disliked them until tonight when that jerk was assaulting his girlfriend. She's not much, either though. Those floaties were ridiculous and embarrassing, but fear is fear and I seriously cannot get over that asshole trying to throw her down the slide. I wanted that guard to tackle him. I'm for the poker girls and the married couple, and hey, I guess the globetrotters, too. So glad it wasn't a non-elim.

Honestly, that little display would have brought out every violent tendency in me, I wish he did push her empty head down the slide!

"Do muslim clocks work differently?"

And actually Canaan wasnt trying to push her down the slide he was trying to get her to sit.

I think that Sam/Dan were the only two that couldn't do the math, even with a calculator. Brian/Ericka's downfall was no calculator and they didn't think to ask. They had the formula down. I'm glad they came back because I sorta of love them. I love when she was encouraging him and thought it was hilarious when she said she was glad she married up.

Mika was a complete idiot to not go down the slide but Canaan was not supportive at all. He should have been calmer about it and possibly she may have done it. But still what a wasted slot. I think it was clear she did not want to do the race anymore and that this was the perfect task for her to get out of it with.

Don't blame the Trotters, either. She had enough time to get down that slide, I mean, come on. And the whining "why, why?" WTF did she think she was, Nancy Kerrigan?

Wow what a shame that Mika couldn't go down the slide. That's fear for you irrational and at times incapacitating.
But so frustrating for Canaan to him it's a little thing. I can understand him trying anything he could think of to entreat her or even trick her to go. After the Globe Trotters passed, and they were within their right to play head games that's part of competition, I was sort of hoping that it would be a NER and that M&C would just invoke a time penlty.

I'm glad the Trotters made it, they are officially the coolest team ever. Looks like they'll be a hoot next week.

I didn't have a problem with the Globetrotters. They knew they were fighting for their place in the competition and I didn't even think they were saying anything particularly mean or insulting to Mika. Don't most athletes try to psyche out their opponents anyway? Plus it's not like I thought anything they were saying would have made a difference.

I really can't believe a team got elminated because they couldn't complete a waterslide.

Welcome to the Amazing Race. This is for a $1 million dollars. The Globetrotters were in last place, they finally catched up to a team: it was a "us vs them" situation. It could have been a NEL, but they did not know for sure. Honestly, I would do the exact same thing. They were playing the game. What Canaan did was more disgusting anyway.

Plus, they are athletes, their used to psyching their opponents out.

I'm surprised Phil didn't ask Cannaan about how he manhandled Mika - that was really, really unpleasant. And I wouldn't doubt that she let the Globetrotters go just to spite him by that point. I didn't think they were being terrible - mind games are all part of the race, and they knew that was the crucial moment for them, and as was already mentioned, Cannaan was being a lot more mean to her than they were.

Loved how the Globetrotters owned the gold task. That was great - I was yelling at all the people who couldn't figure out simple algebra. I did also like how there was no way to do it in one go - the changed so fast they had to use the first run to get the majority of it on the scale and the next run to refine it to the correct answer.

I did laugh at Erica praying for help with the hookah construction. Somehow I don't think that's too high on the almighty's list.

Dude, I haven't lost any respect for the GT's. Come on, you're a grown woman scared to go down a waterslide. No one has died before you, your BF will be down right after you, and at the end of the day, you could win a million dollars!!!!!!!!!!

GT's weren't being meaner than Canaan and frankly, if she didn't want to do it, they were right to say she shouldn't. Best advice anyone has given the girl, because apparently she's only on the race for Canaan and not to get over her own irrational fears...


edited: because apparently I forgot jerk BF name wrong :)

Sam & Dan had the foresight, but not the brains, at least not for doing algebra. Their strategy is interesting though - keep the alliance with the poker players to keep the weaker team in play. If it does come down to a foot race, I'm not sure if Maria & Tiffany can beat any of the other teams.

It's a race! If you didn't try to hustle to get ahead of them, you shouldn't go on a show with the word race in the title.

Also, I'd like to strap Canaan in a chair and make him watch the episode of the sisters at the Olympic stadium a few dozen times in a row. THAT'S how you're supportive in the face of an irrational phobia. A tv show is over fast; she'll be remembering how he treated her at the top of that slide for a long, long, long time.

Me too! Every time on this show when its the final 2 teams and one team isnt at the task yet, its always editing tricks to make us think the teams are close, so I was quite surprised to actually see the globetrotters sneak up on M&C like that.

Overall, it was a pretty decent episode I thought. The one thing I found kind odd/maybe did not like about these Dubai episodes: the detours. Last week it was: Hey, Dubai is known for being unbearably hot, so go do a detour in the freezing cold! This week, it was: Hey, Dubai is known as being the epitome of modern technology, so go do something that they did 3000 years ago! It just felt weird to me. Usually the tasks are supposed to be related to the location.

At this point I'm probably rooting for Gary and Matt, the globetrotters, or possibly the poker players, but honestly I find the final 6 teams all fairly likable at the moment, and am content with anyone right now.

I think she should have sucked it up, but I've been to the Bahamas version, and if you're scared of heights OR water (not to mention both), it's a scary slide. And I'm not sure about 5 year olds, as I'm sure it has a height requirement. The last time I was at Atlantis I saw someone nearly get very hurt by not crossing their legs the right way as instructed at the top--the water and speed practically spread-eagled him.

Canaan was totally out of line. There was also something sort of ridiculous about Mika owning what appeared to be a fairly expensive, cute swimsuit while wearing water wings and refusing to go near the slide.

I know it's a race, but that doesn't give them the right to be jackasses. It just shows poor sportsmanship. Would this be tolerated if Jonathan was doing it to another team? Absolutely not. I think it was just in really, really poor taste.

Typically, there's a time penalty that has ranged from 4-24 hours if a team does not complete a task.

I'm kind of surprised that they were willing to let Mika go down the slide with water wings. If she didn't keep her arms tight to her body, they could have cut the heck out of her armpits.

Thank you! This is for $1 million bucks...$1 Million! Mind games are fair game.

They would have received a time penalty when they left the pit stop.

On the one hand, I do understand Mika's fear of heights because I share it. That said, I'm also considerably older than she is, and can also pretend to understand that fear is transitory. Canaan is vile for the way he was manhandling her at the top of the slide. I was waiting for the man standing there to step in. I really wish he would have.

I was disappointed with the Globetrotters for playing with Mika's fear, yet I also accept it as a part of the game. Would she have gone down the slide? I doubt it. I'm sorry that she was forced into such a difficult position. Yeah Canaan, it is real flipping big of you to forgive her.

Yup, Ericka and Meghan were the swimsuit eye candy highlights of the episode. That's the lack of chemistry between Meghan and Cheyne is kind of surprising.

And I totally agree about how awesome it was the the second Mika stepped out of the the way, Flight Time zoomed down without a second thought.

I can't side with Mika or Canaan, because they're both really lame in incredibly different ways. He tried every way to be a jerk from calling her a moron to threatening their relationship ("you're breaking my hear"). She really needs to suck it up. It's not just a matter of fear that one can be sympathetic to. I think she also showed she can be a bit of princess. My jaw dropped when she opened a clue, threw the envelope on the ground, and snapped at Canaan to pick it up.

Phew! I am so glad the GT's made it, I thought Mika might decide to go down the slide once they showed up and at one point I thought Canaan was going to just push her. I'm glad he didn't and i'm glad they are gone.

Wow. I didn't expect Mika and Canaan to go out like that. I figured she would eventually go down the waterslide, screaming all the way. I hope she breaks up with Canaan. He was going to throw her down the slide! That is being borderline abusive.

That said, I can't swim. I have gone down a waterslide and nearly drowned myself in the shallow pool (didn't know enough to simply stand up when I reached the bottom). I was scared, but I went willingly down the slide. Had someone tried to push me, I wouldn't have went down the slide. Poor Mika.

I don't blame the Globetrotters for what they said. Raaaaaace? I wonder just how long Mika sat there in order for the Trotters to catch up?

Maybe the truth is that Dubai is a study in contrasts and extremes. Much of what Dubai is today came about only in the past 15 years.