by David McAlpine

Last week on The Amazing Race, teams traveled from Estonia to the Czech Republic, where they had to brave white water rapids and searching for mandolins. It was a close race at the end, but Brian and Ericka checked in last only to find out it was a non-elimination leg.

Meghan and Cheyne depart first, receiving a clue that indicates they'll be in Prague for the rest of the leg. No bottlenecks here! They head to a museum, which has a room filled with ringing telephones and the leg's roadblock.

One teammate has to pick up as many phones as possible because only five out of the several hundred have a person on the other end. Each time they pick up a correct phone, they will receive a letter. After getting five letters, the team member had to unscramble the phrase "Franz," for Czech author Franz Kafka, to get their next clue.

Meghan and Cheyne breeze through the Roadblock before Sam & Dan can catch them at the museum. Just as Dan starts picking up phones, the Globetrotters leave, hot on their tail. The Globetrotters get to the museum shortly after, where Big Easy discovers Dan struggling to unscramble the word. The two decide to work together, hoping they can keep their lead on Brian and Ericka.

Meghan and Cheyne reach their next clue: a cryogenic chamber. Each team has to spend two minutes in the space's giant freezer (in just their underwear), which reaches lows of -180 degrees. Once they complete the two minutes, they can receive their next clue. Even scarier--no cameras or microphones in the freezer!

Cut to Big Easy and Dan struggling with the Roadblock, while Dan and Ericka suprisingly roll up outside. But, they can't start the Roadblock yet, because they have to do their Speed Bump first. At this point, I think they've got a chance, because Dan and Big Easy are both not understanding the challenge at all.

For their Speed Bump, Brian and Ericka have to head to a local pub where they have to learn how to pour a shot of absinthe, then drink it. One snag: Brian doesn't drink liquor. Well, Matt didn't eat fish, either, and look where they are now. I hope he can at least remember that.

While Dan and Big Easy are still struggling, Meghan and Cheyne make it out of the freezer and get their next clue, which tells them to head to Charles Bridge, a major bridge in the city.

Back to the Roadblock, where Dan finally gets the answer. Then, on his way out, he tells Big Easy (surprised? Not I!)…the first letter. After Sam & Dan have been pulling fast ones on people all race, they completely screw over the Globetrotters (which really can't be good karma at this point), leaving them high and dry just as Brian & Ericka arrive.

Meghan & Cheyne get to Charles Bridge and the leg's Detour: Legend or Lager. In Legend, teams have to build a golem, which is kind of like a religious statue/scarecrow thing. They had to put clay on a hay frame, then transport the statue down the street to the synagogue for inspection and their next clue. In Lager, teams had to deliver 30 glasses of beer on foot using only a serving platter to a local pub full of football fans.

Meghan & Cheyne start building the golem as Sam and Dan enter the freezer. Cut to Brian, who already has the five letters and starts anagramming them on a sheet of paper. Big Easy, however, is just sitting there with his wheels spinning, not getting "Franz" out of the five letters. Is it really that hard? I mean, there's not that many other logical combinations of those five letters.

Meghan and Cheyne get their golem built wicked fast (further showing that, if all the other teams screw up, they're the team to beat), while Sam & Dan head over to the bridge. It's down to Brian and Big Easy, neither of whom have the word. Finally, Brian picks out one of his combinations that makes sense and scores the next clue. Big Easy, frustrated, gives up and the Globetrotters take a four-hour penalty. Honestly, I don't blame them, because if he'd been there that long making no progress, especially knowing the first letter…I doubt he would have ever gotten it.

However, I immediately felt regret for the Globetrotters because they had to sit with the telephones for the entire four hours--it wasn't added at the end of the leg. Now that would have been annoying, and very tragic. I would have kept trying at that point. So now all they can do is wait.

Sam & Dan start building their golem and Brian & Ericka step into the freezer. The door doesn't even close before Ericka starts complaining, but I know she'll be able to make it the full two minutes. If everyone else has, it can't be that bad.

Back to Big Easy and Flight Time, who are still waiting. Meghan and Cheyne have issues getting their golem down the street to the synagogue, especially since Cheyne won't shut up about how heavy it is. Personally, I'm not a fan of the coed teams where the guy acts weaker than the girl, it makes me like them infinitely less.

Sam & Dan have even worse karma after they start arguing about getting the golem down the street. Dan knocks their entire statue over, breaking its arm. A little part of me hoped that they would have to start over, possibly getting burned for their move at the Roadblock.

Brian & Ericka reach the Detour and pick Lager, because Brian used to be a server. Hey, he's been an all-star already, so I would trust that he knows what he's doing. The two seem to be working better than the other three teams. Sam & Dan won't stop arguing, Cheyne won't stop whining, and the Globetrotters won't stop fuming. Is it too late to side with the underdogs, even if she is a Miss America?

My respect is lost a little, though, when Brian & Ericka shatter all but three beers on their first trip. Personally, I wouldn't want to be a customer in Brian's restaurant, because his skills look completely, well…not there.

Sam & Dan get back into transit while Megan & Cheyne head for the pit stop. Sam & Dan finally finish the Detour, with lots of yelling and arguing and after going to wrong way thanks to a bad taxi driver. It's almost as if the race doesn't want them in it anymore! And yet they keep on going…

Brian & Ericka quickly realize how hard their task is (honestly, I would have picked it, too) when they have to navigate through crowds of drunk people, each of whom thinks a beer is for them. Now they're arguing about switching because Ericka is fed up with the task.

Meghan & Cheyne check in first, solidifying their spot in the finals. Sam & Dan finish their golem (despite the broken arm) and check in second, leaving only one spot left in the final three.

Brian & Ericka continue to bicker and plug away at the Detour, while Flight Time & Big Easy keep sitting at the Roadblock, not being able to do anything. I still look back and wonder why they took the penalty. Had Big Easy just written out everything like Brian, he would have figured it out eventually, right?

Apparently it wasn't as close as it seemed, as Brian and Ericka finish their task and check in third, round out the final teams. Big Easy and Flight Time make it to the freezer only to get instructions to meet Phil at the Pit Stop, where they get eliminated just short of the finale.

To see which team takes home the $1 million prize, tune in to the season finale of The Amazing Race, next Sunday at 8/7c only on CBS!

(Photo courtesy of CBS)

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