Episode Report Card M. Giant: A- | 65 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Have You Driven a Fjord Lately?
By M. Giant | Season 23 | Episode 4 | Aired on 10.20.2013
And now it gets weird. According to Phil, the Hairballs must now return to shore and star in a Ford pickup truck commercial in which they'll have to use one of the vehicles to drag a boulder off of their next clue. Which I'm pretty sure will be the first driving that the teams have done since leaving Los Angeles. Phil shows us that the clue will include a tiny canvas painting of a building that is identified with the caption "Viking Longhouse," and shakes what he calls "a satchel of Viking coins, which they'll need later in the race." Interesting; I think this is the first time teams have been required to hold onto some artifact from one leg to another rather than just bringing it to the mat. It'll also be interesting to see which team loses theirs first.
Although Jason is a little more intimidated by the drop from the bridge then Brandon was, he gamely swings out and over the water. But he has some trouble after that, because while he's swinging, he can't reach the little ball he needs to pull to release himself from the rope, and is left dangling there into the commercial break. Because it's such a suspenseful moment, given that there's only one rope and no way for any team to pass him until he either drops or gets cut loose from above. Now, if the rope were around his neck, that would be suspenseful.
He's still reaching for the release pull it when we come back, and he explains in VO that all the knots tightened up when he dropped, which is why he couldn't reach the ball any more. Finally he grabs it and mildly calls out, "Got it" before plunging into the Arctic Ocean. He gets their clue in second place, even though the proper thing to say when you're plunging into the Arctic Ocean is, "FUUUUUCK!"
Watching from their boat, Marie is a little worried after watching Jason struggle, especially since she has no confidence in Tim whatsoever anyway. However, Tim makes his leap and drops in with no trouble, while Marie yells impatient encouragement at him to hurry up. "Are you cold?" she asks as he swims up to their boat. Duh. "Good job," she condescendingly pats his rubber-covered head as she reads their clue. That must have taken a lot out of her.
Nicole drops straight down and snaps into her swing, then wallows over to the buoy to get the ER docs' clue in fourth place. Now, this far into the Roadblock, it's kind of amazing that there's still a team who isn't even half done with the Detour yet. Kim follows Nicky down the road, complimenting her on how strong her arms look from behind and calling her the "Cod Queen." "That's what I've always wanted to be," Nicky says. And the tragedy is that "Fairy Codmother" was sitting right there. Up ahead, at the beating-house, Tim & Danny know they're not in first (you think?) but are pretty sure they aren't in last, either.