There Goes the Neighborhood, Season Finale: Election Day

So far on There Goes the Neighborhood, the DeGirolamos, the Southeys, the Bussieres, the Nelsons, the Mullenixes, and the Upshaws have been eliminated from the game.

The final two families behind the walls in the Neighborhood are:

• Johnston Family (“The Intellectuals”): Dad Cameron (51), Mom Regina aka “Gina” (44), Daughter Carliegh (11), and Niece Theresa (25).
• Schindler Family (“The Young Bunch”): Dad David (40), Mom Christina (39), Sons Noah (12) and Emmett (10), and Daughter Olivia (6).

We join the Johnstons in their house after the elimination of the Upshaws. Cam says they were very gracious and the family agrees it hurts to kick somebody like that out. He says the Upshaws have a plaque hanging over their kitchen door that says, “Live Laugh Love” and those three words describe their family perfectly, every day of the year.

The Johnstons are truly broken up over their decision, but Therese points out that the Upshaws dug their own hole. They dominated the game and they had to be taken out.

In the Schindler house, the family celebrates as David says thank you to the Johnstons and the Upshaws. Christina can’t believe they are here and the parents tell their children that they have one shot to win the $250,000 and they can do it. They are shocked and very happy to be in the final two. All they can ask for is a chance and they have that now so they couldn’t be happier.

Cue colorful intro and catchy theme! As the sun rises, the backyards are deserted except for a pink stuffed bunny lying on the ground and Cam Johnston relaxing on his patio.

Cam says he tends to get up earlier than everyone else (I know that feeling Cam, believe me!) and he went to sit outside and think about what has happened and what might happen still. It’s very quiet and lonely in the Neighborhood this morning. Cam speaks of all of his departed neighbors with a great deal of fondness.

The Johnstons didn’t move to the Neighborhood because of the neighbors, they moved because they liked the house. But they quickly realized that the neighbors were great and they were very lucky to be there.

Cam was laid off from work two years ago and his family hasn’t been in the best financial position lately, so winning the money would mean a great deal to them. He is hoping hope after hope that they can win.

A bit later, everyone is awake and sitting out in the yard. The Schindlers walk over to the Johnstons’ yard and ask if they’d like to come over for a nacho feast. The Johnstons pack up a bunch of food and head over to the Schindler house, where Cam makes himself at home in their kitchen.

Cam says it was the first time they ever cooked out with just the Schindlers and normally he would have felt odd just going over there because he couldn’t call first. He continues that he wishes he knew the Schindlers six years ago like he did the DeGirolamos and the Nelsons and the Upshaws. They could have been having a lot of fun together. But at least they have it now.

Olivia says she wants cheese and chicken on her nachos and Cam, who has taken over the grilling, says he just so happens to have chicken and cheese on the grill. David says half the game for them was hanging out with their neighbors and he couldn’t be happier.

The ladies say the walls coming down are more real now than the prize money. Christina asks who the others think will be the most bitter and some think the Mullenixes will be, while others believe it will be the DeGirolamos. The Nelsons are also brought up, with Gina saying they expected to be here longer. In an interview, Gina says they are going to have to do some damage control and repair hurt feelings among their eliminated neighbors.

Everyone felt very happy tonight, but Cam says tomorrow morning that means nothing. Tomorrow it goes back to Schindler v. Johnston.

Matt calls the “happy Schindlers” and the “serious Johnstons” out to the yard. He congratulates them on getting this far and reminds them that soon one of them will be $250,000 richer. It’s time for their final Neighborhood Challenge.

Today’s Neighborhood Challenge is the Ultimate Obstacle Course. It will take them through the back yards and front yards of all of their neighbors. Both families will pick three members to compete and the challenge will start right where they are standing. Each family member will complete one leg of the course.

To start, each person must race through some obstacles (mainly it looks like a series of things they must hurdle and gates they must crawl under) until they reach a flower garden. Hidden inside the flower garden is a “ginormous” dog bone. The competitors must dig up the dog bone and use it to break a piñata that is hanging nearby until they find a bag of puzzle pieces.

After finding the bag, they must grab it and hand it off to the second member of their family, who will start the second leg by running to the front yard where they will find a bin full of balloons. They must pop the balloons until they find the one that has a key inside. They then take the key and use it to unlock a shed. Inside the shed they will find a lawnmower and another bag of puzzle pieces, which they must hand off to the third family member.

The third person will take the lawnmower and mow down the grass on a putting green until they can sink a hole-in-one, which will release a third bag of puzzle pieces from a birdhouse above the hole. The players will take all three bags of puzzle pieces and race to the back yard.

In the back yard there are ladders without rungs leading to a zip line. (This is sounding more and more like a Survivor challenge!) The puzzle pieces are the rungs of the ladder, and they must build the ladder and climb up to the zip line. After reaching the top the player will slide down the zip line to their waiting family. First family to cross the finish line wins the Neighborhood Challenge, and possibly a big advantage going into the final vote.