The racers are separating a bit, so I’ve loosely divided them into leaders, middle-of-the-pack and trailers (depending on what point of the game I think they’ll depart, subject to change every week!).

Leaders
Tyler and James – Right now they are front runners. They are running a good race, staying calm and working well as a team. Tyler had a nice confessional about his experience in the race.

Dustin and Kandice – I think they’re potential final three. I took it as a good sign that they included their comment about a female team never winning and that they should go far. We were shown some of their strategy (not to share info) and also that Tyler and James are watching their actions and are aware of their competition.

Duke and Lauren – I watched for them specifically when I watched the show a second time. They are running a good race but we haven’t seen much face time from them. Duke told Lauren to chill out when they were packing the camel but we didn’t see her losing control. We will see more of them next time (having no money to pay for their cab and Duke selling flowers in a market!)

Middle-of-the-Pack
Peter and Sarah – they finished first this leg, but their story has too many distractions or side stories to it for them to make it to the end. I could write an entire page on how all over the board their edit/story is. They got a lot of face time this week. Sarah competing with a handicap is its own story, along with the second story that her knee is leaking fluid, another story is about how Sarah is learning new things about Peter and she’s not sure if she likes them. Peter can be condescending towards Sarah. He does not come off well at all. (Peter: “Focus on your task, don’t talk…I need you to…” sounds more like a parent or teacher rather than a boyfriend.) Then there was the scene with Sarah dancing for money. (I was speechless!) They came in first, and as soon as Peter mentions that they are a team, it immediately switches to the confessional where Sarah expresses doubts about Peter. If she is truly running on a “flat tire” I expect that her leg will cause them to lose a large of chunk of time at some point and be eliminated. However, how ironic would it be if Peter caused their downfall?! They are incredible racers though; they started their detour 3 times and still left in second place.

Erwin and Godwin – They were in 4th place until their jeep broke down, arrived in 8th spot and stayed in 8th. They haven’t finished well, but the editing is not dwelling on their problems and is portraying them as nice guys. Like Duke and Lauren, I’d like to see them get more face time.

Rob and Kim will probably last until the weaker teams are gone. Their fighting is annoying and their edit reminds me of Lake and Michelle (except that Kim yells right back at Rob). I cringe every time they fight so it’s hard for me to notice their racing skills.

Trailers
David and Mary – they are being edited as the sentimental underdogs and I like them in a perverse way. We are supposed to like them – they even included commentary that Dave loves it when Mary is blunt. They have good teamwork. Their story is about being out of their element, experiencing new things, and enjoying it. However long they last, we’ll be sorry when they go. They were too cute whispering about never knowing a gay person – and liking ‘em!

Lyn and Karlyn – They weren’t portrayed positively this week or last. Their story is about making their children proud of them. So far they’ve climbed the Great Wall and ridden a horse both of which were big accomplishments for them (ones that they can’t wait for their children to see). They may be secondary villains, but they could go home any time and their story could be completed in that episode.

Tom and Terry finished in 5th place, but I don’t know what it is about them, they just don’t impress me as racers. Their edit seems tied to Jamie and Kellie. When I watched the video a second time, I watched for visuals of them, and what I saw wasn’t very flattering (it was pretty laughable actually). They were waving their hands madly on the mat, doing a cheer with the cheerleaders, miming riding a horse, chanting “we’re going to Truel, we’re going to Truel (spelling?)” in the car,” and were shown crossed-eye on the mat at the end.

Of note – I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the seriousness of the people on the first bus to Ulaan Bator with the bonding and dancing of the second group. This group was cheering, dancing and having good time. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if everyone on that bus gets eliminated first. This race is about brains, brawn and teamwork, not about having fun.