The Amazing Race Season 26's penultimate episode airs tonight with the remaining four teams racing through Peru before they head back to the United States.
After engaged hairstylists Matt Cucolo and Ashley Gordon were eliminated in episode 10, the race for the $1 million prize is now between blind date couples, Team SoCal's Tyler Adams and Laura Pierson, Rx For Love's Blair Townsend and Hayley Keel, The Legal Team's Jelani Roy and Jenny Wu, and Truck Stop Love's Rochelle Nevedal and Mike Dombrowski.
All four teams are leg winners but each dating couple team's chemistry might determine whether they will be overall champions.
CarterMatt points out that Tyler and Laura are the frontrunners as "the most reliable team," while Mike and Rochell are underdogs "but they have also shown that when they make smart decisions and avoid mistakes, they can be just as good if not better than anyone else."
"On paper Jenny & Jelani seem like they will dominate" while on the opposite end Hayley and Blair "are the most combustible...almost like they know that if they make it to the Pit Stop, they can have a little time away from each other faster."
CBS made a first for TAR Season 26 by sending off dating pairs on the race, although the twist for half the couple was that strangers were paired off as blind date teams, meeting for the first time at the race's starting line.
In episode 11 titled "In It to Win It" the dating teams are expected to undergo an exhausting leg with surfing, dancing, and hauling heavy stuff.
TV By The Numbers reports that in the finale episode Leg 12 titled "Monster Truck Heroes", fans can look forward to a Texas-style adventure for the couples with a climb to the top of the AT&T Stadium, rappelling down the Reunion Tower, and facing the occupants of a cattle ranch.
The Amazing Race Season 26 is hosted by Phil Keoghan and airs Fridays at 8pm on CBS.
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