I've been trying to figure out why I haven't enjoyed this season as much as I have seasons. I don't know if it's because there have been so many other reality shows since this one first aired that the novelty has worn off, or if I just miss Anderson Cooper. I actually think it's due to the cast, at least partially; one reason I used to enjoy this show over other reality shows is that the cast mostly got along and it really felt like a team effort, and I didn't feel that this season. Anyway, on with the show.
In the opening series of interviews, Craig chuckles that he loves this game, and Nicole is sad that her victory over Paul doesn't feel as sweet as she thought it would. Mark realizes he's in the finals largely due to luck, but he'll take it.
Still in Buenos Aires, the remaining three players eat breakfast and prepare for their final two missions. Mark interviews that he hasn't known who The Mole is all along, and he thinks that Craig and Nicole are not targeting him as The Mole because they've spent a lot of time working together in missions. Nicole interviews that she's sure Craig is The Mole. Craig interviews that Mark is his top choice, but he's still not positive.
Jon welcomes them to today's mission: "Tick Tock Boom." Nearby is a case holding $50,000 cash and a bomb set to go off in an hour. They have to defuse the bomb before it goes off to get the cash, and everything they need is in the room. Jon abruptly leaves, and the players are mystified. They have some tools, and a number of colored wires to potentially cut. There are world locations written on the wall, a bunch of clocks, letters written on the wall, and a board with blanks like you would write while playing Hangman. Craig discovers a hidden time zone map, but two players must hold it down while someone else looks at it, so Craig and Mark hold it while Nicole looks at it. She runs back and forth between the map and the wall with locations so that she can write the times. Nicole takes a break and Mark takes over writing for a while, and Mark interviews that he wanted to trade off jobs to minimize the chances of subterfuge.
Once they get all the times written on the board, they have no idea what to do , and they have thirty minutes remaining. Craig points out the giant clock in the middle of the room, and they figure out that they have to put the times for each city on the big clock and write down the letter it points to. It doesn't spell out any words, and Nicole gets panicky, but Mark points out that it might be scrambled. Once they get all the letters, they don't think they can make words out of it, so Craig suggests rechecking the map. It turns out that Nicole made more than one mistake. They fix the letters and fill in enough words so that it says: CLUE: CUT _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ IS RED + BLUE. They argue over whether that means cutting one red and one blue wire, or just a purple wire. Mark and Nicole keep discussing, and Craig realizes that they only have a minute left and pushes them to make a decision. Craig grabs the wire cutters and wants to cut the purple wire, but Nicole resists. Craig cuts the wire and nothing happens. Except that the timer stops. The players celebrate. Jon returns and tells them they only had twenty-one seconds left and the clue said "CLUE: CUT WIRE THAT IS RED + BLUE."
The players decompress and are psyched that this mission was so spy-like. Nicole has gotten more likable since she's stopped trying to be all Omarosa-like. Note: This likability won't last long.
Jon moves right into the mission the morning: "Three to Tango." Jon explains that each player will get an envelope with a clue. They call Jon when they solve the puzzle and he will send them somewhere else. The first player to finish three rounds of clues will have a choice: either put $75,000 in the pot, or get a chance to look at The Mole's dossier, which may or may not be of value.
Nicole's first clue: "The Argentine flag was first raised on these grounds, where a famous tall monument stands high and proud." Nicole interviews that she doesn't want to do any more physical activity, especially since she knows she can't beat Mark. Mark's first clue: "You may still fall victim to the Mole's facade, unless you can get to the place Libertad." Mark interviews that Craig knows the city really well, because he's been reading about it. Craig's clue "Shop till you drop on this street that's first rate. The sun always shines on this U.S. State." Craig knew it was Florida Street, and he gets confirmation from Jon, who tells him to find a leather store and try on a leather jacket, and then send Jon a picture of him wearing it. Craig was psyched to find a jacket that fits.
Mark asks the people hanging out in the streets (Ferns!) to figure out where he needs to go. Jon tells him to find a particular statue and send Jon a photo of himself standing in front of the statue. Meanwhile, Nicole finds her answer and is told to take a picture of herself with an Argentinean flag in front of a particular building.
Craig moves on to his second clue: "It takes two to tango at this teatro where Portenos perform for some big dinero." Craig discusses it with the clerks in the store, and comes up with a guess, which Jon tells him is wrong. Craig keeps guessing, and keeps getting it wrong.
Nicole keeps sending photos of herself in front of the statue, but she doesn't seems to understand the part where she's supposed to be holding the flag. Jon gives up trying to explain it to her when she snaps at him, and he cutely rolls his eyes at her. Heh. Even Jon gets annoyed with Nicole. Meanwhile, Mark's brilliant plan of relying on locals instead of his map has caused him to get lost on the way to his first location.
Jon teases Nicole for hanging up on him earlier and repeats the clue to her. She finally catches her snap and borrows a flag from a nearby vendor, but claims that she was "totally put off" for the rest of the mission. She was mad because she's an idiot with poor listening skills? So she decided to avoid the chance to win more money? And she's a doctor? Jesus. Nicole's clue: "Slowly heat milk and you will discover the nation's top sweet that is brownish in color." Nicole knows that is dulce de leche. Jon gives Nicole her task, which is to convince someone to buy her a dulce de leche and take a picture of herself drinking it. Nicole bitches and moans about being forced at gunpoint to hang out in foreign countries and solve easy clues and potentially win lots of money.
1 2 3 4
Craig finally figures out his clue, and gets sent to the Tango Porteno theater where he has to convince a beautiful woman to strike a tango pose with him. Meanwhile, Mark finds his location and takes his photo. His clue: "If you are hungry, please pull up a seat for a deep fried pocket of chicken, cheese, or meat." Jon says that he needs to convince someone to buy him an empanada and take a photo. A nearby group of teens are happy to help out.
Nicole starts dancing along the street because she loves attention. She can't get a dulce de leche for some reason so she tries to fake it with a hot fudge sundae, and I think it's from McDonald's at that. Jon calls her on it. Yay! Loving Jon this week.
Mark's third clue: "In this building is a representative band who vote for the rights of every woman and man." Mark realizes that he needs to find the Congress building. Jon explains that the Argentine government passed a law that one-third of their members must be women. I can see some logistical problems there, but can you imagine if one-third of our senators were women instead of 14%? Anyway, Mark has to take his picture in front of the Congress building with an Argentine woman.
Nicole keeps trying to get her dulce de leche, and this time it works. Meanwhile, Craig keeps trying to find the theater, and finally does, and even gets some woman to strike a pose with him. Nicole gets her final clue: "The crowds will be huge so go live la vida loca at the game for the team in the place called La Boca." Nicole knows this is soccer, and starts asking locals for help. Jon tells her to find the stadium and convince a Boca Junior fan to let her try on his or her jersey.
Craig's final clue: "Peron's second wife won the hearts of her people. She's resting in peace right to a steeple." Craig gives Jon the name of the cemetery. I think they had to find this on one of the TAR seasons. I think there was something tricky about it for some reason. Mark and Craig arrive at their final locations and send in their photos at almost exactly the same time. Craig is just ahead, so he gets the photo of the final destination first. Craig immediately knows where the location is. Mark knows where it is too, because Craig hasn't shut up about it since they've been there.
Nicole hasn't even hit her third location yet, while Craig and Mark race each other to the finish line. Whoever gets there first will have to choose between putting $75,000 in the pot and taking a peek at the Mole's dossier. Mark gets to the finish line first, and can't believe it. Jon reminds him that the dossier may or may not have helpful information. Jon says that when the other two players arrive, Mark will have to give his decision. Craig walks up and recognizes Mark already on the bridge. Jon sends a car to retrieve Nicole since she's being such a slowpoke. They call Mark over to reveal his decision. Mark thinks that the dossier might give him a leg up on the final quiz, so he's decided to take it. Mark opens the briefcase and finds a folder inside. While Mark checks out the dossier, Craig stares him down from nearby while Nicole flirts with Jon. Mark has a weird look on his face but we don't get to find out what's in the dossier. Jon reminds them that the pot is now at $420,000. Craig thinks that much money would allow him to live out his dreams. He dreams small. First of all, you'd get half after taxes. Is $210,000 really enough money to change your whole life? For the rest of your life? Maybe I just have expensive tastes. Don't get me wrong; it's not peanuts and I wouldn't turn it down.
1 2 3 4
At dinner, Jon tells them that their final quiz will have twenty questions instead of just ten. All three contestants, in interviews, reflect on what might happen during this last quiz. The players take the final quiz, which uses questions from the entire season, instead of just the most recent episode. Nicole hopes that her quick reading and clicking skills will help her again, but Craig points out that being fast with the wrong answers won't do any good. Hey, you know what was missing from this season? Foot wine. A good foot wine mission always helps. Anyway, we don't find out the results of the quiz until week's reunion and finale episode. See you then!
Who do you think will win? Talk about it in our forums. And don't forget to vote in our annual Tubey awards.
1 2 3 4