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
Jaymes is asking for directions to Poffertjesboot from likely sources like covered tour boats and swans on the canal. But soon their boat is, with no guidance whatsoever from the racers, pulling right up next to what looks like a floating pastry stand where two chefs are at work. So clearly the only way to not find Poffertjestboot under the circumstances is to be Helen Keller. Each of the Chippendales is handed a little paper basket of fresh-baked goodies on a long-handled wooden paddle along with their clue, which Jaymes opens it to learn that they're headed for a Detour. Yes, we haven't found out the first actual task of the leg until one team has already reached the Pit Stop.
But here's Phil, outside an ornate museum with a Jumbotron-sized painting on the front, explaining that this is about "two cultural gems that are treasured by the Dutch." The choice is "Back in Time" or "Organ to Grind." To explain the first option, Phil is suddenly using a hushed inside-voice as he informs us about the large canvas hanging behind him. "This is Rembrandt's world-famous painting, The Night Watch." Wow, it's really big. I hope nobody is going to have to eat it. "Working with a group of live extras, teams must recreate this masterpiece exactly as Rembrandt painted it," Phil says. They'll not only dress as two characters themselves, but arrange the rest of the characters and their props in the correct order. And then a Rembrandt impersonator (who needs a little more chiaroscuro around his jowls, if you ask me) will inspect their work and hand them their next clue once he's satisfied. For "Organ to Grind," the racers have to find one of three giant street organs the size of hot dog trucks on one of three bridges. Then one racer will operate the crank while the other works to collect a total of 30 Euro in tips.
The Chippendales decide to go with the latter task because if there's anything these two are experts on, it's grinding. Jaymes looks at where the clue says "Caution: U-Turn Ahead" and says they might just run past it. The Amazing Editors react to this remark as though Jaymes just contemplated punching a baby.