Gut-wrenching ‘Race’ offers satisfying ending

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As much as taking money away from last-place teams increases the tension, the irony and obnoxiousness of this rule became obvious as we watched them beg. These are teams competing for $1 million on a television show that costs millions to produce, and they’re begging for money from kindhearted strangers.

Uchenna and Joyce were finally able to collect the cash they needed, and they bounded to the finish line, collecting the prize and hugs from all of the previously eliminated teams.

Rob loses once again
Rob and Amber’s scheming and competitiveness kept them ahead for most of the race, and they “used their celebrity status from Survivor to get ahead,” as Phil said in his recap. But they arrived at the finish line in second place, well behind Uchenna and Joyce. Throughout the finale, Rob said things such as, “I’m telling you, we’re winning this race,” nicely foreshadowing their loss. “It’s not possible that anybody’s going to win The Amazing Race except Amber and I. End of story.”

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The story ended, however, with Rob losing $1 million yet again. This marks his fourth consecutive reality TV show loss, if you count the "Survivor All-Stars Viewers' Choice" vote (two ”Survivor” appearances, Viewers’ Choice, and now “The Amazing Race”). In addition to the second-place prize, though, they also had their wedding paid for by CBS; the results air on May 24, when the creatively titled CBS special "Rob and Amber Get Married” will air. So ultimately, they’re not really losers at all.

And in typical “Boston Rob” style, Mariano managed to erase at least some of his critics’ irritation with him when he said, “We finished second, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I’ve got Amber, so I’m in first place in my book.”

For some, Rob and Amber’s loss and Uchenna and Joyce’s win was, unfortunately, not much of a surprise; weeks ago, betting on this season of the show was stopped by a company because an unusual number of bets that were placed on Uchenna and Joyce. That betting correctly predicted “The Amazing Race”’s outcome.

Before the season began, host Phil Keoghan also foreshadowed the couple's win when he told TV Guide that they were “there because they want to win the money and use it to have a child. There’s a real focus there and you don’t see that with a lot of teams.”

That focus, and their refusal to give up, helped them achieve their goal, and from the finish line, Uchenna proclaimed, “In vitro, here we come, baby — and if that doesn’t work, adoption,
here we come!” As they showed during the race, Uchenna and Joyce aren’t going to let anything get in their way.

Andy Dehnart is a writer and teacher who publishes reality blurred, a daily summary of reality TV news.

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