It was the best of times and it was the worst of times for Abram in this episode entitled "Don't Rock the Boat". My blushing bride was nice enough to commemorate this episode name by doing a very strange and awkward "Don't Rock the Boat" dance which essentially consisted of her putting her arms out and kind of swaying side to side while saying "Don't Rock the Boat... Don't Rock the Boat".
But you can't have a review of this episode with out discussing the on-again / off- again roller coaster of a relationship for Cara and Abe. We open up at a Dominican dance floor where everyone is trying to "release some demons" (i guess that was a Vinny from Jersey Shore line, but i think Mark made a similar comment). Cara approaches Abe and thinks it would be a great opportunity for them to move in together. Our hero Abe is absolutely pumped. We fast forward to the competition where Abe absolutely beasts it, but thanks to a disappointing showing from Cara Maria they come in last. I think Abe beasted it because Cara's fear of heights once again came to the fore-front and Abe was forced to invent a strategy where he sat on the pole as Cara jumped into his arms.
We saw other teams have much more success when the female competitor was able to get themselves from pole to pole without much help from the male competitor. Even with Cara's poor performance Abe almost lifted his team to within a few seconds of being safe. The whole way Abe was super positive. I think we were all surprised no team fell off the poles, but this has just been a season where the teams have performed really well. This is two weeks in a row where TJ was really happy with everyone's performance. Which leads to the age old question - Is everyone performing well or are the competitions too easy?
Needless to say Cara and Abe are forced to head into the Dome, where they face Ty and Emily. We knew Cara was going to lose to Emily, so everything fell on Abe.
Rewind about 10 hours to Cara's "pep talk" with Abe. She completely retracts her statement about them moving in and decides maybe in a year or so we can get do something like that. Abe is floored... Cara has completely cut off Abe's nuts right before the competition.
Abe puts up a really valiant fight, but eventually succumbs to Ty in the rubber match of a 3 game set of X dual. Now obviously this was not the best idea by Cara Maria to have that conversation at that point - but i honestly have a bigger issue. Emily was screaming, ranting and raving during the ridiculous battle between Ty and Abram. But Cara sat their silently wiggling occasionally and presumably keeping her fingers crossed, but providing no moral support. What was she doing? We know Abe is an emotional guy from his dragon doodlings earlier in the season.
Obviously - Cara Maria was terrible, dogged out and destroyed her team's chances of winning. But how do we evaluate the Ty/Abe match-up. Is this a Lee Roy esque escalation for Ty, a slide down the pecking order for Abe or an anomaly based on Abe's fragile emotional state. The Challenge producers peppered us with images of Abe's greatest hits from Inferno 2 as well as Ty's now infamous gas out. Always a clear sign that they are trying some kind of misdirection.
Other interesting revelations. Mark and Robin put together a spectacular performance edging out Johnny and Camila. Camila had an absolute melt down full of water dives, death threats and chair throws. But if we are being fair it was exactly what we saw in the preview. Mark and Robin when given the chance did chose the path of least resistance and threw in the team that they knew the least in Ty and Emily
I particularly enjoyed Robin's speech about how no one listens to her and everyone says they can't understand her as she gave a completely incomprehensible speech.
No one else performed particulary weakly or strongly....everyone has kind of kept up what they've been doing all season. Amazing though that Aneesa gave us this season's "no one wants to get thrown in this close to the end". We are like 6 days into the show! Amazing how quick they go.
And finally we got a little more romance from Paula and Ty. I don't get what Ty is doing, but he has really made a sneakily good case for the fact that he is secretly gay.
What was everyone's thoughts on the episode? Did I miss anything? Does Abe go down a notch in your eyes?
I feel bad for Abe. I liked him. But I think you are giving him a bit too much credit for being a "fierce" competitor that is now being dethrowned. He is good, but actually, kinda more crazy than good and sometimes the crazy works out. But I concur - what was Cara Maria doing offering to move in together, and then retracting that offer the night before the elimination challenge? Baffling move.
ReplyDeleteAlso let me just say it now. Emily, stop it. I get that it's annoying to be sent into the elimintation over and over, but you can't react so angrily every time you are voted in. It's a game and you can't be surprised they want you eliminated. Stop it.
I am surprised you didn't mention Mark's reference to his own old age. Ironically, because of my old age, I cannot seem to recall the reference he made, but it was something about him being there for a very old historical event. I appreciated it.
Hmmm, I think that's all I have right now. Good work this week.