The Amazing Race 36 Recap – Premiere Live Blog

The Amazing Race 36 Recap: Premiere Live Blog

The season premiere of The Amazing Race 36 airs tonight on CBS. Read a live recap here.

The race starts in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The teams greet Phil at the beach, and we hear introductions from a few of the teams. Sean & Michelle are married. They’re the owners of Double Dutch Aerobics. Michelle is a world champion in double dutch. Anthony & Bailey are 25-year-old identical twins. They call themselves beach boys and say they are in their element right now. Chris & Mary are a father and daughter duo. Chris is a single dad who’s been raising Mary since she was 10 years old. Amber & Vinny are a dating couple. They are registered nurse anesthetists. Juan & Shane are best friends who met during pilot training. Yvonne & Melissa are girlfriends who have been dating for three years. Maya & Rohan are siblings. They’re both students and summer camp aquatics directors. They are big fans of The Amazing Race and have been watching the show for a very long time.

Before the race officially begins, Phil lets the teams know there will once again be no non-elimination legs. He also teases that the race will take them to two new countries they’ve never been to before. Finally, the race begins. All teams race toward parked cars where their first clue awaits. Chris slips on the grass and falls down. The teams get into their cars, and they must drive themselves downtown to find their next clue.

Meeting more teams

We meet some more teams. Ricky & César are boyfriends. It has been César’s dream to be on The Amazing Race. Kishori & Karishma are cousins. They say their relationship is more like sisters. Angie & Danny are a mother and son duo. They are emotional as Angie says she’s watching Danny live out his dream by competing on The Amazing Race.

Ricky & César are the first to find the clue box. They learn they have a Detour to complete. “Pick ‘EM Up” requires teams to transport rocking chair horses through a cobblestone street. “Pin ‘Em Down” requires teams to complete a memory challenge of matching luchador masks. We meet a few more teams. Derek & Shelisa have been married for 34 years. Rod & Leticia have been married for nine years. Rod was an NFL player. Meanwhile, Maya & Rohan are lost.

Ricky & César chose the “Pin ‘Em Down” Detour. They watch a luchador demonstration before placing images on a stand. They must match the masks of which luchadores were fighting each other. While they’re working on their first attempt, Rod & Leticia arrive at the same Detour. Meanwhile, Yvonne & Melissa find the clue box and choose the “Pick ‘Em Up” Detour. So do Anthony & Bailey. The rest of the teams find the clue box except for Maya & Rohan and Juan & Shane.

Ricky & César don’t pass their first attempt, so they must rewatch the luchador presentation with Rod & Leticia. Meanwhile, Derek & Shelisa and Yvonne & Melissa are working on the “Pick ‘Em Up” Detour. Ricky & César and Rod & Leticia don’t pass the “Pin ‘Em Down” Detour and must try again. Kishori & Karishma arrive at the “Pin ‘Em Down” Detour. Meanwhile, Maya & Rohan are still lost. They are falling further behind the other teams.

Joining forces on a detour

Amber & Vinny and Anthony & Bailey are also working on the “Pick ‘Em Up” Detour. They’re struggling bringing the horses down a cobblestone hill. Meanwhile, Ricky & César finally complete the Detour. They are currently in first place and must drive themselves to Lienzo Charro Miguel Prieto ibarria. Rod & Leticia complete the task too and are right behind them. Kishori & Karishma must try again, but they eventually complete the task too.

Juan & Shane finally find the clue box and choose the “Pick ‘Em Up” Detour. Angie & Danny begin working on the “Pick ‘Em Up” Detour, and so do Michelle & Sean and Sunny & Bizzy. There is a limit to how many teams can do each Detour. Chris & Mary wanted to do the “Pick ‘Em Up” Detour, but there are no more horses. They must do “Pin ‘Em Down.” Juan & Shane will also learn this when they finally arrive at the Detour. Maya & Rohan are still lost.

While Chris & Mary are walking to the “Pin ‘Em Down” Detour, they run into Juan & Shane. They let them know there are no more horses, so they have to do the other Detour. They agree to work together to find the “Pin ‘Em Down” Detour, but they end up taking different directions. Meanwhile, we learn about Sunny & Bizzy’s firefighter background while they’re working on the “Pick ‘Em Up” Detour. Maya & Rohan are still lost. They even drive to a dead end and struggle turning around. Eventually, Chris & Mary learn from a local they went in the wrong direction.

Completing a roadblock

Juan & Shane arrive at the “Pin ‘Em Down” Detour, but they must watch the demonstration again. They didn’t watch closely enough the first time. Meanwhile, the teams working on the “Pick ‘Em Up” Detour deliver their horses and can get their next clue. Maya & Rohan remain in last place. They cannot turn their car around and are stuck. However, Maya finally gets the car to turn around and they find the clue box. They choose the “Pin ‘Em Down” Detour.

Sunny & Bizzy complete the “Pick ‘Em Up” Detour soon before Juan & Shane complete the “Pin ‘Em Down” Detour. Maya & Rohan watch a luchador presentation while Chris & Mary are working on matching the masks. Maya & Rohan may still have a chance, but the rest of the teams are completing their Detours or arriving at the Roadblock.

Rod and César are the first two to attempt the Roadblock. Their task is to complete a lasso challenge. They must hop through the seven loops without touching the ropes. Meanwhile, Chris & Mary and Maya & Rohan complete the “Pin ‘Em Down” Detour.

Rod completes the Roadblock. He and Leticia can proceed to the Pit Stop: Plaza de los Arcos del Malecon. César completes the Roadblock. Derek & Shelisa arrive next, and Derek completes it. Kishori & Karishma arrive next. Karishma chooses to do the Roadblock, but she forgets to put on her handkerchief. They must wear a hat and handkerchief for their costume while completing the task. Even if she completes the task, she will have to do it again. Angie & Danny and Yvonne & Melissa arrive next. Danny and Yvonne do the Roadblock. Karishma completes the Roadblock, but she realizes she doesn’t have her handkerchief. Kishori says she knew Karishma not reading instructions carefully would be a problem.

The first team arrives

Rod & Leticia greet Phil at the Pit Stop. Rod & Leticia are Team #1! However, Phil lets them know that they are still racing. He gives them their next clue. He gives Ricky & César their next clue too.

More teams arrive at the Roadblock. Shane completes the Roadblock quickly, passing Karishma, Danny, and Yvonne. As Sean begins the Roadblock, Derek & Shelisa arrive at the Pit Stop. Phil lets them know they are still racing and gives them their next clue.

Karishma completes the Roadblock. She and Kishori can proceed to the Pit Stop. As Sean is struggling with the Roadblock (despite his double dutch background), Yvonne and Danny complete the Roadblock. Meanwhile, Amber & Vinny are lost on the way to the Roadblock. Sean does manage to complete the Roadblock right when Anthony & Bailey arrive. Anthony manages to complete the Roadblock quickly. After they leave, Sunny & Bozzy arrive. Sunny completes the Roadblock very quickly. Amber & Vinny, Chris & Mary, and Maya & Rohan are currently behind.

Juan & Shane are the fourth team to arrive at the Pit Stop. Meanwhile, Mary and Vinny are working on the Roadblock. Vinny completes it before Mary despite arriving later. We next see cuts of the remaining teams in front greeting Phil at the Pit Stop. These last few minutes focus on the last three teams. We see Mary complete the Roadblock before Rohan attempts it. He completes it, but can he and Maya catch up and pass Chris & Mary or Amber & Vinny?

Chris & Mary are the eleventh team to greet Phil, and Amber & Vinny are seconds behind them. Phil lets both teams know at the same time that they are not eliminated from the race.

Episode Summary

Maya & Rohan are the last team to arrive at the Pit Stop. Phil gives them the bad news. Maya & Rohan have been eliminated from the race. They say it’s been a dream to run a leg of The Amazing Race, but it’s sad to go since they love the show.

1st place: Rod & Leticia

2nd place: Ricky & César

3rd place: Derek & Shelisa

4th place: Juan & Shane

5th place: Michelle & Sean

6th place: Yvonne & Melissa

7th place: Angie & Danny

8th place: Anthony & Bailey

9th place: Sunny & Bizzy

10th place: Kishori & Karishma

11th place: Chris & Mary

12th place: Amber & Vinny