Surf Boards and Memory Games: The Season Finale of "The Amazing Race"

I'm just glad the redheads didn't win.

On last night's season finale of The Amazing Race ("This Is How You Lose a Million Dollars"), the final three teams raced to the finish line in Maui, Hawaii in a final leg of the race that was at times heartbreaking, inspiring, and frustrating. (In the best possible way, of course.)

All three teams played an extremely strong game throughout this cycle of The Amazing Race and I was happy to see that one of the two teams that I was rooting for walked away a million dollars richer in the end.

I was absolutely crestfallen that Margie and Luke didn't win the million dollar prize waiting at the end of the race. Yes, I am amazed that both of them--a woman in her 50s and a deaf guy--made it as far as they did but I was really rooting for them to win the top spot. And they would have if Luke had been able to figure out which surf board represented the last leg of the race. (I think that one was harder for him as Margie, rather than he, ate the scorpions in the Beijing Roadblock challenge.)

They had such an amazing lead going into that final Roadblock and I got really, really excited that they were actually going to come in first place... but their lead was quickly squandered when Tammy and Victor arrived and then the redheads finally showed up, after having more problems with their umpteenth taxi driver. (I do have to say that it's perhaps karma for Jamie's awful behavior along the way.)

I was surprised that there wasn't a Detour on this final leg of the race and that it all really came down to one final test of memory at a Roadblock... and then a quick taxi trip to the finish line. For a season that felt so reinvigorated and exciting, it seemed a quick final episode, with the teams ending up on the same flight to Maui and then remaining fairly neck-and-neck throughout the final leg and not that many speed bumps along the way. I wished that there had been just a few more challenges standing in the way between them and the finish line.

I am happy that Tammy and Victor won and they made huge strides in their sibling relationship throughout this competition (just think back to that awful Romanian leg with Victor leading them into the wilderness) and that they walk away with a stronger relationship as well as the million dollars. For Luke and Margie, the experience they shared is worth more than a million dollars; they each proved that they are capable of doing anything and everything that life puts in their path and they should hold their heads high and walk away from this race as true winners. (And I'll admit that I got teary-eyed as they crossed the finish line and both were crying as Luke said how amazing his mother was for learning how to sign and being able to communicate with him.)

What did you think of the final leg? Were you pulling for Luke and Margie to win? Discuss.

The Amazing Race will return with a new cycle next season on CBS.