Episode Report Card M. Giant: A- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Russian Around
By M. Giant | Season 21 | Episode 7 | Aired on 11.11.2012
James finishes unlocking the ribbon. "Good job, James! Hurry up, Natalie!" Nadiya calls out. After unfolding their ruble, the Chippendales get directions to the Bolshoi Theater from someone with an American accent. Who I'm not sure I'd trust. So that leaves Natalie and Nadiya behind to work on the Roadblock with nobody around to see if they continue being nice to each other. Which they don't, and bickering soon erupts as Natalie gets her fifth lock and each of them calls the other the worst partner ever. I'm sure Flo's partner would beg to differ.
Josh & Brent and Abbie & Ryan finally show up at the Moscow airport and get into separate cars, but tell the drivers they want to go together. Ryan talks about how they're half a day behind and Brent asks Josh if he has any fight left. Josh claims he still has a little fire in the belly, but from the looks of him it must be a tea light. Meanwhile, just as these two teams are getting into this leg's destination city, team number two is already reaching the Pit Stop. And it's Jaymes & James, which is even more embarrassing.
The Frankfurt teams do in fact make it to the sculpture garden before closing time and get their clues sending them to Moskvoretsky Most, which Abbie has a fun time pronouncing as badly as she possibly can. Apparently the secret is to throw in the maximum number of consonants.
Metal James narrates that he and Abba attempted the swimming task ten or twenty times. They go for it again and by the time they dive in with the rest of the team, the coach is clearly rooting for them. Or she's had her standards forcibly lowered so much that she's just happy they were able to make it into the pool correctly.
Abbie & Ryan and Brent & Josh meet the Ivan the Terrible guards. I'm kind of surprised they're the same ones; shouldn't there have been a shift change by now? I guess I'm assuming their function is in any way official, even in a ceremonial sense and that they're not just two bored Muscovites who don't know what century it is. After reading the Detour clue, both teams agree to work together on the library task, but then Ryan notices from the clue that the library closes at 4:00 PM. And if it's not that time already, it will be soon. "Guess we're swimming," Abbie & Ryan both say resignedly. We're reminded of how these two teams are working together for the remainder of the leg, and Abbie explains how you develop a friendship with people under difficult circumstances. And, I would imagine, when you're trapped in an overseas airport together for twelve hours. With, and this is key, no electronic devices.