Caution, Yield Ahead: Eric and Danielle Get Paused Again on "The Amazing Race"

Last night's episode of The Amazing Race was another one of those way too stressful installments, where I found myself perched on the edge of my couch hoping for the defeat of one of my two least favorite teams while hoping that, somehow, Danny and Oswald would make it to next week's leg.

Whew. I feel somewhat conflicted that the producers staged yet another non-elimination round so soon after the last one (that would be, er, last week) but, as it managed to save Danny and Oswald's skin after they arrived at the pit stop in dead last (after encountering the world's worst taxi driver in Macau), I can't be all that angry. Me, I was hoping we'd finally seen the last of the shrilly irritating Danielle and Eric. Alas.

The Yield. Nothing has been more contentious this season on TAR than the usage of those dreaded yellow Yields. The Beauty Queens rightly surmised last night that the Yields are in fact part of the race, a tool to be used as teams see fit. Would it feel terrible to be yielded? Most definitely. But if you're in this game (particularly for these teams who already ran it once before), you should have realized by now that it's not devious or underhanded to use one of the tools that the producers provided you with. Especially when the race for the final three is in its final hours and any lead, no matter how small, is a leg up over the other teams. Eric and Danielle, listen up: it's not personal, it's not underhanded, it's just the game. And you would have yielded the Beauty Queens had you gotten there first, so shut up about it already.

Danny and Oswald. I felt awful that Danny and Oswald found themselves in such an untenable position that they felt they needed to basically prostitute themselves for cash. Still, the idea of selling a Yield was such a brilliant Machiavellian move that I am amazed that no one's come up with the idea before now. Team Cha Cha Cha definitely needed money in order to complete this leg, given all of the expenses incurred with taxis and ferries. But I was hoping that the guys would have stuck to their guns and demanded protection money, rather than offer the girls the opportunity to pick another team to be Yielded. But, honestly, I was hoping the gambit would have led to Eric and Danielle get eliminated. Especially since, Charla and Mirna would have given the boys money with no strings attached. (Or said they would have, since I never actually saw them give them anything when told about their situation.) Would you have done the same thing had you been in Danny and Oswald's position?

Noodles. I definitely thought that the noodle challenge was the way to go though I was freaking out when Dustin and Kandice had to redo their batch after cutting their noodles far too thickly. Fortunately, they still managed to beat Charla and Mirna, who showed up just as they were starting their second batch. I have to say, I really have no idea what Charla and Mirna were doing in the noodle shop. Charla managed to get up onto the work surface with the dough and seemed to be rolling or stomping or something, while Mirna tried to work the rod. The entire affair reminded me completely of the chocolate factory sequence from I Love Lucy. (Was I the only one who thought that?) Add to that the entirely comical scene in which Mirna attempts to drive a miniature car and ends up on the curb, before trying to physically pull the car, and you have pure comedy gold that had me rolling on the floor.

Mirna. I am so over her it's not even funny. Whether she's inventing new accents, punishing Charla (even after the detour ended) for misjudging the thickness of the noodles, or misinterpreting what actually happened with Danny and Oswald and the yield (she blames the Beauty Queens for forcing them to Yield Eric and Danielle), she can never keep her mouth shut. You make Charla do all of the difficult Roadblocks and now you're whining about having to drive the car? Idiocy.

Taxi. Danny and Oswald meanwhile decided to do the dragon and drum detour, which consisting of carrying an ornamental dragon's head and drum 3/4 mile to the lake, where they would receive their next clue. It would have been an easy challenge if they hadn't ended up with the aforementioned world's worst taxi driver, who took them to the end of the detour rather than the start, and then Danny led them to the lake in a completely circuitous route. Compound that with the fact that they then didn't seem to learn from their lesson and decided to use the same taxi driver to lead them to the pit stop and you then begin to understand why they arrived in last place. Not unsurprisingly, the taxi driver took them to the wrong mountain on the island of Taipa, which allowed Eric and Danielle (waiting out their 30 minute penalty) to check in before Team Cha Cha Cha arrived.

Ultimately, I am thrilled that Dustin and Kandice held onto their lead going into the final four (for a third time around!) next week. I'm really hoping that they do manage to become the first all-female team to win TAR. And I'm glad that Danny and Oswald are still in the race. Let's just hope they can pull out of last place and knock Danielle and Eric out of the competition. Fingers crossed...

Next week on The Amazing Race, Charla and Mirna participate in a US military supply drop in Guam, teams face a zero gravity challenge, and Danielle has yet another breakdown during a Roadblock. Will her ineptness finally lead to their elimination? Blurg.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: How I Met Your Mother/The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC); Everybody Hates Chris/All of Us (CW); Dancing with the Stars (ABC; 8-9:30 pm); Drive (FOX)

9 pm: Two and a Half Men/The King of Queens (CBS); Heroes (NBC); Girlfriends/The Game (CW); The Bachelor (ABC; 9:30-11 pm); 24 (FOX)

10 pm: CSI: Miami (CBS); The Real Wedding Crashers (NBC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Waking the Dead on BBC America.

It's the return of the stylish smart UK murder investigation series. On tonight's episode, it's a crossover with FX's The Riches! Okay, not quite. But Boyd and his team do investigate the death of a teenage boy, deeply involved with a band of Irish Travelers.

8 pm: Everybody Hates Chris.

On tonight's episode ("Everybody Hates Gambling"), Chris becomes his neighorhood's go-to odds maker when Doc discovers that he has an innate talent for predicting the outcome of sporting events. Naturally, his lucky streak only lasts so long...

8:30 pm: Old Christine.

On tonight's episode ("My Big Fat Sober Wedding), Christine tries to remain sober at a friend's wedding but the lack of liquor doesn't stop her loose lips.

9 pm: 24.

It's Day Six of 24. While FOX doesn't give us much in the way of previews, here's what we do know: Jack is very much on the opposite side of Mike Doyle now that he's gone rogue (again!) to trade some sensitive schematics for the release of Audrey, while Noah Daniels prepares to address the country after assuming the Presidential office and Tom Lennox engages in a personnel shakeup. Hmmm, more Kari Matchett, perhaps?

10 pm: The Riches on FX.

Is anyone else watching new drama The Riches on FX? On tonight's episode ("Virgin Territory"), Wayne and the family return to the Traveler's camp after learing of Earl's, er, death (at the hands of Dale, no less), but Dale has his own plans for the Molloys (involving settling some scores) while Ginny tries to force DiDi and Ken to wed.