Road Rules South Pacific Finale: Overcoming Obstacles

There’s no “previously” for this episode, because why relive the whole season when you’re just going to show clips of it again at the end anyway? We start out with Jeremy, who feels he’s not being recognized by the rest of the group. The team has split 3-3, old versus new, and Marybeth says it’s important everyone remember where they stand. Ouch.

The final clue comes. Is everyone UP to earning the last piece of their tattoo? For some, it’s been a long journey, for others, not long enough.

So how will the split manifest itself? Well, the guys – Dave, Chris, and Jeremy – all want to ride up front for the last mission. But apparently it had already been decided that the original three – Marybeth, Christena, and Dave – would ride up front for the final mission. A fight ensues. Marybeth whines, Dave waffles (no surprise there). Chris says it’s offensive to have the “original three” when he’s been there since the third week. Christena says there’s drama on the trip right up to the end.

Finally, everyone’s place in the Winnie is decided and they drive up to their next mission. It’s an obstacle course, suspended in the sky, with ropes, platforms, a couple giant sticks with rock climbing holds on them. No one said it would be easy.

The group must work in teams to get across the obstacle course. Waiting at the end are six sets of car keys. Everyone has to get across for everyone to be able to claim their cars. They each get two tries and have 25 minutes to complete each try.

Chris and Tina go first. Tina says the wind up there is aggressive but Chris told her there would be no crying. Har!

Chris jumps across the platforms and gets all the way to the first pole, but isn’t sure what to do after that. Tina follows him and jumps to the pole where they both hang, eventually falling. They fail their first try.

Dave and Christena are the next pair. Dave falls trying to jump on one of the platforms. Christena says “watch me,” then promptly falls herself.

Tina says the team is in tears at this point because they can’t figure out what to do to get the cars.

Jeremy and Marybeth are last and say they (obviously) need a strategy. Jeremy figures out the key is to jump, then hold the platforms steady for the next person, helping each other get across. They try it and it works, they get their keys. Marybeth says she wouldn’t want to be on the mission with anyone else but Jeremy. Christena says Jeremy just solidified his right to be there.

Chris and Tina take their turn again and follow Jeremy’s strategy. They get across, and on the way down, Chris hugs Tina and says “I’m so proud of you!” Tina says she finally has something that’s hers that no one can take away from her.

Dave and Christena go last, blowing through the course with 20 minutes left for Christena to toy with grabbing the keys on the end of the chain.

Everyone wins the cars and the mission mayors give them their plane tickets home, with instructions on picking up the cars in L.A.

Later that night they all toast each other with champagne at dinner and Chris tells Tina she’s come the farthest and will go the farthest out of all of them.

Now it’s time for the cheesy montage of Road Rules season clips as everyone waxes philosophical about the trip. Christena says Road Rules is a little mock life, with all the drama and diversity and learning how to get along.

So that ends the season. Some have said this is the worst Road Rules season ever. I don’t know about that. Anytime the producers change the format of the show (which they seem hellbent on doing now), the cast has to adjust. The show keeps changing and even though the age limit is 18 to 24, the cast keeps getting younger and younger and more naive. In the end, Tina quit sniping at Marybeth, Marybeth decided Jeremy was useful after all and everyone agreed it was a life-changing experience.

Isn’t that what the show is all about?

Jennifer Shrader traded in her boyfriend for a dog, who is always happy to see her, is properly housetrained, and doesn't drink all her liquor while she's taking a nap. She and her dog live in the Deep South, where she's a reporter for a community newspaper.

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