Episode Report Card M. Giant: B+ | 139 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Franked Again
By M. Giant | Season 21 | Episode 9 | Aired on 2012.11.25
Back at the airport, Natalie & Nadiya board their plane to Rome, which, as Phil reminds us, should ultimately have them in Amsterdam by 11:30 AM. He and the subtitles also remind us that Jaymes & James's direct flight is scheduled to land at 12:15, while Trey & Lexi are connecting through Larnaca and due in Amsterdam at 1:05. Phil's voice concludes, "And Abbie & Ryan have booked two pairs of tickets connecting through Frankfurt, arriving in Amsterdam at 12:45 PM and 2:05 PM." Hence the subtitle reading 12:45/2:05 PM Arrival." And also, probably, hence Abbie's worried look at Ryan. Is it even within the rules to double-book like this? I guess we'll find out. Now that four teams are in the air, the fifth team gets to the airport and books on the next fastest flight, which will apparently connect in Oslo. I bet if Phil counted all the countries the teams travel through and not just race in, the number would be doubled.
And we're on to Amsterdam. Natalie & Nadiya apparently had no trouble changing planes in Rome because they land first, as scheduled, and they quickly find and board the subway directly from the airport to Amsterdam's Central Station. And then they do this twinny thing where they speak in unison on the train about how they're hoping to be in the lead. Even their "um" is synchronized. Fortunately it's more amusing than creepy.
Josh & Brent are just now seen boarding their Aeroflot flight to Oslo. Which is weird, because the departure board says it's on time for an 11:05 departure. And unless the twins got to Amsterdam waaay early, it's already after 11:30 there, while in Moscow it's hours later. Anyway, Brent says they're expecting to be in Amsterdam at 4:35. "We're probably quite a few hours behind the other teams, but at least we're on our way." I have to admire their courage in being willing to race through a city whose name contains the letters "slo."
Natalie & Nadiya are, unsurprisingly, the first team to reach Central Station, a fact one of them declares "awesomeballs." Soon they're out on the plaza in front of the building, and they open the clue box to find a Fast Forward inside. Cut to Phil on the bank of a canal as he explains that any team attempting the Fast Forward will have to proceed to the Van Gogh Café and find "this marked bus," which is called the Floating Dutchman and looks distinctly amphibious. The twins go pelting off after the Fast Forward, already arguing about whether to get a taxi or walking directions, and apparently settling on the compromise of hiring a bicycle pedicab operated by a guy who barely looks strong enough to pedal a sewing machine. "Whoo, Amsterdam!" they cheer, until their driver's wide U-turn tells them they were going in the wrong direction.