I actually don't blame Christina for shutting down her dad- he can be absolutely HORRIBLE to her and just spin off in nasty epic proportions. I think she's figured out how to manage him, and I applaud it.

The question is, why on earth they decided to come back on the race to begin with.

I have to admit, I had half hoped that after his first stop to get food that he would get a mile case of food poisoning. Otherwise I didn't see why they gave it that much air time. I mean yes, he did keep wanting to stop, but hello - they ALL have to eat at some point. Why is that an issue? If you only eat at pit stops, maybe that explains mental breakdowns such as Vyxen's.

Ron & Christina don't bother me - they bicker, but not in a way that strikes me as worse than any other parent and child under stressful circumstances.

Her frustration with his stopping to snack seemed justified to me. He wasn't saying "I'm starving and unless we get some food I won't be able to race anymore," he was saying "Ooooh, fish! I love these!" Seriously dude, save the nostalgia tour!

And how badass was Christina just jumping out of that cab to catch the bus?!!

And poor Vyxen. I've had days like that, where I stare at a map or a page of text and just can't get my brain to shift into the proper gear to read it.

Kent seemed properly supportive during the meltdowns to me, or maybe I wouldn't do any better if I were in his shoes.

The "Keep Racing" finish is just so wicked and challenging. The producers are indeed trying to make this the hardest season yet -- much harder than it was for the All-Stars edition.

Everyone on Idol tonight but one has been born after I graduated high school. In one case ten years after. Dude.

No one but James has really done it for me tonight, either. I love Thea, but she needed to belt that song, and she just ... didn't.

I should clarify, so far. We're only one hour in. Stefano just killed it, though.

oh eff you, Mike Isabella!

Boooo.

Also: SHUT UP, both Mike Isabella and Richard Blais.

no SHIT. I'm tired of both of them.

If Mike Isabella wins this season, I may never watch again. Blech.

JLo manages to make a cheesy Stevie Nicks leopard print dress look sexy in a Xanadu kind of way. I hate IGB so of course I hate IGB: Japan Edition. What do I love though? Steven Tyler’s continued journey through the ladies department at Filene’s Basement. How many ruffled, patterned shirts do you think this fool actually has?

Ryan’s hair is out of control. We do not like. JLo’s hair is looking less sparkly this week, too. Like she needs some Prell or something.

Kids? Sigh. Wardrobe, hair and makeup people, please call your Narcotics Anonymous Sponsors. The program only works if you work it.

Songs from the year of your birth? Already? We usually don't get to this crappy theme until post-Top 10, no?

Naima/1984/What’s Love Got to Do With It/Tina Turner – I love her multi-culti Arrested Development family. But she did pick a good song. I absolutely think she could do well with this. Couch time with Jimmy IV? I can do without it. She’s always just two or three ticks under the pitch. I don’t know why that is. She gets better when she gets into the chorus, but I must admit she’s just in general not all that good. Beautiful girl. Buckets of charisma. But the voice is maybe not even good, just OK. I’m much more intrigued with why the wardrobe hos are so taken with shoulder duster earings this season or why she looks like she’s wearing little grey blocks of cement on her feet than anything she did with the song. Steven Tyler still loves her, and I do, too, but as Ms. Lopez brings up, she is consistently pitchy. Bring it, Jenny. Thank you, Randy. Under the pitch. Alright. We’re done with this one. You can roll with being off pitch and bad because it’s all about the feeling? Dismissed.