On this week’s season finale episode of The Amazing Race, we were treated to the one-hour representation of America: Las Vegas, Nevada. As habitually first place team Meghan and Cheyne ripped open their clue envelope, viewers at home were greeted with a montage of iconic Vegas imagery: poker chips, bright lights, and a fairly decent Elvis impersonator who mimed guitar behind the legendary anthem of the city… Katy Perry’s Waking up in Vegas.
The dating couple rushed to the airport, taking the first available flight from Prague to Nevada, a relatively scant five hours later. At the airport, the team waited patiently for their flight and reunification with second place finishers, brothers Sam and Dan, and the mysterious third place finishers. Due to the late-night finish of last week’s leg, no team was certain who among themselves was eliminated. Surprise and jubilation abounded as married couple Brian and Ericka were seen strolling confidently down the concourse. The unlikely pair had defied statistics and was narrowly spared from elimination. Sam and Dan, who two weeks prior royally insulted the married pair by deliberately stealing a taxi from them, did their best to make amends. Despite their best intentions to play dirty, Sam and Dan were just too kindhearted to accept the role of villain.
Instructed to visit a particular Elvis impersonator at a particular wedding chapel (two things Vegas has more of than grains of sand), teams seemingly interrupted an ongoing wedding ceremony to receive their clue. Waiting patiently for The King to finish his rockabilly rendition of Amazing Grace (get it?), the racers wished their best to the surprised couple before departing, allowing Pastor Presley to continue officiating the ceremony.
Teams were instructed to continue to the Mandalay Bay hotel, the destination of this week’s Road Block. One team member was instructed to ride an elevator to the roof of the resort, then rappel face-first down the side of the hotel. This being the first time I’ve ever heard of face-first rappelling, I can only assume it is the result of a too-proud mountaineer: “No, I didn’t put my harness on backwards. I always go rappelling face-first.”
The 600-foot descent was first attempted by Brian and Ericka, who for the first time this season were in first place. Compensating for her husband’s fear of heights, Ericka attempted the task. Meghan and Cheyne were next to arrive, with Cheyne opting for the adventure. Sam and Dan, having chosen the most absent-minded cab driver in the city, arrived last after several wrong turns. Sam chose to perform the task, striving to make up for lost time. As Cheyne and Sam fought for second, the still-winning Brian and Ericka took off to the next location: The Mirage. From the rear of the taxi, the ecstatic couple claimed they were happy for the lead, but wouldn’t get cocky, “anything could happen.” If only they knew how right they were.
At The Mirage, teams were directed to the auditorium housing Cirque Du Soleil’s performance of Love, the acrobatic theater production based on the music of The Beatles. At the challenge, one team member needed to strap on a harness and get launched via bungee cords by their partner, then grab a dangling bouquet of flowers. Assuming that since she was lighter than her beau she would be easier to launch, Ericka opted to ride the bungee cords. The fast-approaching Meghan made the same assumption. Brothers Sam and Dan followed the opposite logic, putting the taller of the two in the harness, figuring Dan would reach the flowers easier. Regardless of whose logic was correct, a lucky jump by Meghan and Cheyne launched the duo into first place.
Frustrated by their failure, and following Sam and Dan’s lead, Brian and Ericka decided to switch positions, with Brian in the harness and Ericka launching her husband. After several attempts, the pair realized how foolish this was; Ericka was not nearly strong enough to launch her heavier husband. Sam and Dan were next to complete the challenge, leaving Ericka alternating between fury and tears. Brian and Ericka switched back as Sam and Dan departed.
The next clue left both Brian and Ericka and Sam and Dan stumped: “What’s the most famous casino in the country of Monaco?” Asking anyone within range for advice, all four racers were met with ignorance and unsure answers. Meghan and Cheyne reluctantly decided to try The Venetian hotel at the suggestion of their well-meaning cabbie, with Sam and Dan discreetly following behind. Truly, the blind were leading the blind. Forgive me for sounding judgmental, but shouldn’t a qualifying requisite to The Amazing Race be a working knowledge of geography?
Hopping back and forth between tourists in The Venetian lobby, Meghan and Cheyne eventually learned the proper answer. Sam and Dan dialed information from the backseat of their cab to also learn the correct answer. Amidst all the confusion, Brian and Ericka figured out the necessary physics, and completed the challenge. Upon receiving their clue, Ericka read the riddle aloud, which was greeted with an immediate solution from Brian: “That’s the Monte Carlo.”
As is tradition on The Amazing Race, the final challenge is a retrospective. Teams are asked to remember the locations and/or challenges they have encountered, correctly placing associated memorabilia in chronological order. Sometimes this was simple, such as season 9, when teams had to retrieve flags representing the countries they had visited. Sometimes this was difficult, such as season 12, where teams were asked to select ten items from a selection of fifteen with an assortment of ridiculous stipulations, making the final challenge a nigh-indecipherable logic puzzle. Regardless of difficulty, the final retrospective challenge was always a great cap to the season, pensively meditative yet nostalgically poignant.
No such challenge existed this season. Instead, teams were led to one of three identical casino tables covered in 84,000 poker chips. To earn the one million dollar prize, teams needed to count out exactly one million dollars in chips. Sam and Dan were first to arrive, looking furiously for high-value $1,000 red chips, the brothers waded through the sea of worthless $500 yellows and useless $100 blues. Brian and Ericka, whose knowledge in social studies compensated for their poor circus skills, arrived next. Meghan and Cheyne, not used to seeing other teams from the rear, arrived third. As the three teams searched and counted and stacked red chips, we the viewers got to sit on the edge of our seats as we marveled at the thrills of accountancy.
If the frenetic editing is to be believed, the three teams finished at the same time. As a trio of pit bosses counted up the piles of chips, only Meghan and Cheyne counted the correct amount. The pair dashed off to the high-rollers floor of the MGM Grand for their next and final clue, which was promised to be handed off by Mr. Las Vegas himself: Frank Sinatra.
No, despite Cheyne’s flawless logic, the clue was actually entrusted to someone alive: Wayne Newton. Surprisingly star-struck, the dating duo learned their final clue was the location of this season’s finish line. Mr. Newton proudly declared with his trademark smile the final destination would be… his own front lawn. An American landmark if there ever was one.
After quickly correcting the total of their chips, Sam and Dan took a decisive second. Upon reaching the MGM Grand and meeting Wayne Newton, the brothers’ reaction was much more in tone to someone under age fifty: “Hey, it’s that guy.” “What’s his name? It’s uh…” Not one to hold a grudge, Wayne Newton was nice enough to reveal the finish line location to Sam and Dan anyways. Meanwhile, Brian and Ericka once again tabulated the total of their chips incorrectly.
It was a two-way race to the finish between Meghan and Cheyne and Sam and Dan. Luckily, the cab drivers knew the exact location of the Newton Estate, and drove both teams to the front gates of his luxurious ranch home. Neck-and-neck, both teams searched the property for the finish line and host Phil Keoghan. However, it was Meghan and Cheyne who were first to cross the finish line amidst the cheers and applause of the nine previously eliminated teams.
After eight countries, twenty-one days, and over 25,000 miles, dating couple Meghan and Cheyne officially won the fifteenth season of The Amazing Race and the one million dollar prize. As if there was ever any doubt. Seeing they had been bested, Sam and Dan trotted to the finish line and humbly accepted their second place finish. Brian and Ericka soon followed, nobly accepting their third place finish with good spirits.
So ends another great season of The Amazing Race, frequently touted as the best reality competition series on television. While not the most nail-biting finish, The Amazing Race once again effectively delivered a season’s worth of entertainment, adventure, and thrilling competition as a variety of regular people faced insurmountable odds, deep-seated fears, intimidating challenges, and shocking moments in the name of adventure, expedition, and as an added bonus, a million-dollar prize. With good spirits and clean consciences, the twelve teams congratulated each other on jobs well done before the credits rolled.
Next week on Survivor: Betrayal and backstabs. Lies and deception. Enemies and alliances. Will the stress of parading around on TV be too much for the castaways to handle? Plus, a shocking revelation you won’t believe, just like all the others. This Thursday on CBS.
