The Amazing Race recap: 'Super Shady (Copenhagen, Denmark)'

God (or whatever benevolent figure you look to) was smiling on us tonight, Race cases. How else do you explain the second consecutive Double U-Turn that resulted in Team Ma & Pa (Cathi and Bill) essentially herding bunny rabbits? Amazing, indeed! To my reckoning, this was the greatest Race challenge since the Great Cheese Roll of ’09. Also, proof that there is a God? No more Laurence! I only fear that tonight’s surprise ouster will mean Zac endures a lifetime of taunting over his inability to dance like a dandy from the Danish Renaissance.

Then again, TAR‘s God has a pretty sick sense of humor because this was one of the most bumbling, turned-around legs of the Race I’ve ever seen. Admittedly, I’ve never driven on a freeway in Denmark, but the frequency with which certain teams got lost was pretty out of hand, no? That’s The Amazing Race at its purest, though — luck (or lack thereof) can have a major impact on the game, and tonight proved that without a doubt.

The leg began back at Malawi’s Sunbird Livingstonia resort, where the teams (led by Olympians Tommy and Andy) were told to fly to Copenhagen, Denmark. Andy admitted, “With five victories, people are not smiling at us as much.” Apropos of that, the teams were also warned to expect another Double U-Turn. Team OCD’s Cindy immediately vowed to take advantage of that option this time around. As the teams headed to the airport, Team Dad and Lad (Laurence and Zac) realized they biffed the last U-Turn by choosing a team who had already passed through. In hopes of correcting their course, they made a bold move and booked an earlier flight through London while the other teams all flew through Amsterdam. Team OCD realized Dad and Lad were up to something and tried to ask what was going on. All they got were cagey answers from the father-son duo and some eyebrow gesticulations from Laurence that gave Browsie a run for his money. Cindy summed them (particularly Laurence) up best: “Super shady.”

NEXT: Team NFL falls to the back of the pack

Dad and Lad’s bet actually did pay off, but as has happened time and time again this season, it ended up mattering very little since the church which housed the next clue was closed all night. By morning, everyone had caught up except for Team NFL (Amani and Marcus), who booked a late flight, chilled out for hours on end, and realized way past too late that they were all alone in Amsterdam. Said Marcus dramatically, “It feels like death to me.”

In Copenhagen, the teams had to climb 400 stairs to a perch overlooking the city. From there, they had to put together phrases from two banners — one flying at the top of the stairs and one that workers on a nearby rooftop were sneakily rolling out then rolling up — to determine the next destination: Frederiksborg Slot, a castle outside of Copenhagen. Dad and Lad, Ma & Pa, and OCD noticed it without any trouble, but Team Divorcees (Jeremy and Sandy) missed the rooftop banner entirely and instead looked at a map on the balcony at the top of the stairs and pieced together (incorrectly) that they should go to a castle called Rosenborg Slot.

As the Divorcees wandered in vain, the others arrived at the Road Block, where they had to perform a three-part Renaissance dance in period costumes and makeup. Ernie, Cathi, and Andy were quick learners. Zac… not so much. As the various Racers performed the dance, we were treated to some pretty good sideline action. First, Bill told Cindy the lovely story of how he and Cathi met when they were just 12 and 13 years old. They were together all through school and married on the day they graduated from college. Hilariously, Cindy responded about her and Ernie, “Wow, we just met in a bar.” Laurence and Tommy also treated us to some beatboxing and dancing, which was a refreshing change of pace for gasbag Laurence.

Ernie was first to complete the Road Block, in no small part, I am convinced, thanks to Cindy dancing off to the side like an overeager mom from Toddlers & Tiaras. Cathi finished next. Andy, who was the recipient of some serious flirting from his instructor, finished next and had an ear-to-ear smile like he’d just won an Olympic medal in dancing. It was pretty adorable. Three teams had finished, and Zac was still practicing. To Laurence’s credit, he remained patient and supportive despite obvious frustration. Zac eventually got it right, at which point Laurence undid much of his good karma by snarking that he would have done it better.

NEXT: I’ve got a theory, it could be bunnies!

By this time, the Divorcees had realized they were in the wrong place and were in a race with NFL, who had finally landed in Copenhagen, to make it to the castle. Unfortunately for them all, neither driver could navigate his way out of a paper bag. They became hopelessly lost, though the Divorcees eventually arrived at the castle slightly ahead of NFL. As such, Sandy completed the task maybe 10 minutes before Amani. Instead of making the most of their minimal lead, the Divorcees squandered it by driving in the wrong direction long enough to give NFL a chance to make up time.

Backing up a bit, and to provide a little perspective, several other teams had made their way to Frilandmuseet and completed the Detour before NFL and the Divorcees even arrived at the castle. As for the Detour, one option — “All Hopped Up” — involved setting up a steeplechase course and leading a rabbit through it. During the explanation package for this task, I should note, Phil’s visible joy at running his bunny through the course was even greater than Andy’s at completing the Road Block. He was smiling from brow to brow, y’all. The other Detour option was called All Churned Out, a.k.a. making butter, and it was the more popular one by far.

OCD and Ma & Pa got to churning. Being farmers, obviously Ma & Pa killed it. Bill joked, “Do we get to eat it at the end?” Cindy shot back, “I don’t know if you want to eat my sweaty-ass butter.” And, indeed, her first attempt was rejected. Still, their lead from completing the dancing challenge first was pretty significant. OCD reached Karlstrup Windmill, the next clue point, and found the Double U-Turn. Determined not to make the same mistake they made last week with The Olympians, they U-Turned Ma & Pa to ensure their first-ever first place.

When Ma & Pa arrived at the windmill, they U-Turned Dad and Lad in an act of self-preservation before turning around to herd bunnies. Bill gave a measured response to OCD’s treachery, asking rhetorically, “That says something, huh?” Cathi was more concise: “Bastards!” Indeed, Cathi was delightfully feisty tonight, having already declared “Hot damn” as they drove in to Frilandmuseet. Though Ma & Pa had some trouble with their first bunny, they switched to a superbunny named Speckles and finished their second Detour before NFL or the Divorcees had even arrived at the castle to start dancing. So, to sum up Ma & Pa’s night: They have the cutest love story ever, they can churn butter like nobody’s business, they are friends to animals (especially high-jumping bunnies), and Cathi is getting sassier by the minute. They are officially my favorites.

NEXT: More turnovers than a bakery

While Ma & Pa wrapped up the bunny rodeo, Team OCD drove back to Copenhagen and arrived at the Pit Stop, Havet Ship, where they finally achieved their first-place finish and won a trip to Fiji to boot. Ma & Pa and the Olympians arrived at the shipyard car park at the same time, though Ma & Pa reached the mat first. (I suspect the Olympians let them have it since they knew they wouldn’t lose any money or prizes.)

Back at Frilandmuseet, Dad and Lad finished churning butter only to discover they, too, were U-Turned. By this point, NFL had arrived and displayed once again their predilection for road-less-taken challenges by taking on All Hopped Up. Marcus brought some serious conviction to the task: First, he cheered like a maniac when Amani was running the course with the bunny, about which I’ll quote my colleague Christian Blauvelt on this matter, “There are few things more stirring to man’s soul than the sight of rabbits on a leash jumping over hurdles.” When it was his turn, he grabbed the little fellow and delivered a Super Bowl-worthy pep talk… to a bunny. Love. It.

Marcus was finishing Team NFL’s final run when the Divorcees arrived at All Churned Out and as Dad and Lad began setting up their steeplechase. Along the way, Laurence couldn’t stifle the question: “This is the most ridiculous thing in the world, isn’t it?” Yes, yes it is. As the Divorcees churned their butter, Dad and Lad wisely picked Speckles, Denmark’s own Energizer bunny, out of the pack. The little guy tore up the course once more, and it seemed like the Divorcees’ fate was sealed.

But it wasn’t! In the wake of NFL’s surprising fourth-place finish, Dad and Lad drove the wrong way on the freeway and got totally lost. Again! Only with different idiots! Sheesh. Empowered by someone else suffering the very problems that threatened to undo them, the Divorcees miraculously made it to the mat ahead of Dad and Lad. They took their elimination very well, all things considered. Laurence joked to Phil, “Next time I’ll take [a trip around the world] a little more slowly… maybe on a yacht.”

Are you happy with the result, Race cases? (Do I even need to ask?) Were you subconsciously relieved when Laurence got lost so that Zac wouldn’t be entirely responsible for their elimination (whether it was this week, next, or the next)? Did you love the little shuffle-shimmy dance in routine number three and/or wonder if it was really a Renaissance move? Were the bunnies the highlight of your week? (Team Speckles!) Do you think Ma & Pa can keep up their momentum? Is Team Divorcees’ fate sealed? Are you excited for next week’s triple threat of acting chops, spinning cups, and buff pecs?

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