‘The Amazing Race 23’ review: Did Leo & Jamal score a checkered flag in Abu Dhabi?

There were a ton of strange moments on “The Amazing Race” tonight in Abu Dhabi, which is probably summed up best courtesy of the show having Leo & Jamal actually finish a leg in first place. These two felt a sense of connection to their “motherland,” and their win can really be chalked up due to a risk that actually worked out: Taking a different flight than everyone else. This only put them a few minutes ahead of everyone else, and it probably was a move that we wouldn’t have taken if we were in their shoes. Just imagine if their flight had been delayed half an hour, and we would be sitting here and blasting them for going out on their own for such a small advantage.

But what makes their win even stranger is that they won despite botching a detour challenge at first, and they still somehow managed to get ahead of everyone else at a roadblock involving focus of all things. We don’t think that they are going to win this race, but maybe we wrote them out a little early in thinking that they would be eliminated anytime soon.

Outside of a visit to a beautiful mosque, this show really could have done more with their locations. Arranging dates on a platter? Building something out of wires? Neither one of these are particularly worth getting excited about. The coolest thing was some sort of futuristic racetrack, and that’s something that had no real cultural attachment about anything. Having to read names at 200 miles an hour was clearly the most exciting part of the episode, and the hardest task there was.

In the end, must of this strange leg didn’t even matter thanks to it being a non-elimination. Are we shocked about Nicky & Kim coming in last? Not really, but we felt it almost as a dose of karma for them getting all on a pedestal about Tim & Marie fighting with each other during a detour. If they want to fight, let them fight! They’re only going to make themselves look ridiculous. Personally, we’d take a week more of them over grown people who call themselves “bunny.”

While we’re still convinced that Travis & Nicole and Jason & Amy are the only two genuine contenders right now, at least this leg stirred it up a little bit. We’re still anxious over what could be coming the rest of the way. Grade: C+.

Photo: CBS