Ex-Packers player Rod Gardner, wife Leticia want to be super on 'Amazing Race,' Wisconsin firefighters are comeback kids: results, spoilers
Christopher Kuhagen
Warning: Spoilers ahead from Episode 5 of CBS' "The Amazing Race" season 36 that aired on Wednesday, April 10.
After two legs in Colombia, teams on season 36 of "The Amazing Race" headed farther south in South America where they looked to successfully navigate around Santiago, Chile.
Navigation proved to be difficult for two teams with Wisconsin connections — former Green Bay Packer Rod Gardner and his wife, Leticia, and firefighters Sunny Pulver and Bizzy Smith.
Fortunately, their setbacks on the road didn't derail either team during Wednesday night's show.
The Gardners showed their competitive fight in their fifth-place finish, while firefighters Pulver (Edgerton) and Smith (New Berlin) played with fire again but lived up to their comeback kids nickname.
Here's a recap from tonight's episode of "The Amazing Race," which reached the halfway mark of the season, with a focus on Rod and Leticia Gardner and Pulver and Smith.
Former NFL player Rod Gardner and Leticia Gardner on Amazing Race: 'This is bigger than the Super Bowl'
The Gardners were in control of the first two legs of "The Amazing Race" with two first-place finishes. It's been a bit of a bumpy ride since then. One thing remains the same, however: they have a deep drive to succeed.
Driving, however, set the team back during Wednesday's episode in Santiago.
The Gardners had navigation issues, which was tough for Rod to experience since he has been motivated to get back to the top of the standings after finishing fifth and fourth the last two weeks.
"Take back our number 1 spot," the former NFL player said as the team began driving early in tonight's episode before the problems arose.
But as the episode went on, that position became out of reach.
The first setback was the Roadblock when Rod stumbled with putting together a skateboard. Their skateboard had to match an example at the skatepark. Rod lost significant time when he momentarily lost a piece from his station. Navigating with the finer details in challenges has set him back the last few weeks.
However, there biggest challenge was coming: driving to the Detour. The team got off track and had to pull over when they realized they were going in the wrong direction.
The Gardners ultimately got to their destination but had lost ground again. They chose the Perform for Pesos Detour. This task entailed one person being a one-man band street performer and their partner played maracas while seeking $2,500 in pesos from people in the street.
Rod initially was the one performing as the chinchinero and Leticia was the one seeking the money. But when Leticia was struggling in her role, they switched.
That was a good decision as it fit each player's personalities much better. Rod is a people person, after all, while Leticia is a bit more reserved.
They finished and ran to the pit stop where they finished in fifth. They were happy to still be racing but they have bigger goals.
"This means more than a Super Bowl," Rod told host Phil Keoghan.
Leticia also said they didn't come here for second place. It's all about first place.
They'll get that opportunity to get back to the top when the race heads to Córdoba, Argentina for episode 6.
Wisconsin firefighters Sunny Pulver and Bizzy Smith on Amazing Race have another comeback during tonight's episode
Pulver and Smith appeared on their way out last week.
They were far behind as the leg progressed, but with their never-give-up attitude they bypassed two teams just in time to advance.
It happened again on Wednesday.
They started with the last three teams from the previous week and after struggling with locating the first clue — teams had to find Marilyn Monroe's 1956 Ford Thunderbird inside the Argomedo Performance Garage — they were quickly in last place.
It seemed early on like they were going to begin much better. Teams had to drive stick shift, which usually trips up contestants. Not Pulver.
"I can drive anything, pilot anything, I’m good," Pulver said while driving, referencing her days working as a Black Hawk mechanic. "And I’m really hoping that that’s some type of advantage over one team in particular that does not know how to drive."
Cut to the team that was right behind them on the last leg, cousins Kishori Turner and Karishma Cordero, who were indeed struggling at driving stick (this scene was likely left in the episode based on the final results. More on that later.)
While driving the vehicle wasn't a problem for Pulver and Smith, directions were.
They again had navigation issues in finding the skatepark. But as they have in previous weeks, they cruised through the challenges and passed teams who were again struggling.
The tasks are where they thrive. After Smith sped through the skateboard task, they chose the Climb for Clues Detour where both team members had to climb a six-story cement wall to retrieve a ribbon in order to receive their next clue. Highlighting their upper body strength — they're firefighters, remember — Pulver and Smith had little trouble with this task.
"These are the two reasons we chose to climb," Smith said in a confessional, while flexing for the camera. That got a good laugh from Pulver.
When they checked in with Keoghan, the duo was beaming but ready to get out of the back of the pack once and for all.
"Now we're going to really turn on the jets," Smith said.
Who went home on Amazing Race tonight?
Kishori Turner, 26, and Karishma Cordero, 22, were the last to check in and were eliminated after five legs.
The cousins, who have more like a sister relationship, were all about getting the most out of life after Karishma lost both parents in the same year. They began the leg in the back and while they initially struggled with driving stick shift that wasn't what ultimately sent them home.
Cordero had some issues with putting together the skateboard, allowing Pulver and Smith to overtake them.
While their journey ended, these two were a joy to watch and fought hard each leg despite always being in the back.
They set out to honor Karishma's parents. And it was clear they did that with the effort and positive attitude they displayed.
Amazing Race season 36 teams, cast, order of finish after fifth leg
- Ricky Rotandi and Cesar Aldrete (dating) - First place (they have won three straight legs)
- Juan Villa and Shane Bilek (best friends) - Second place, up three spots from last week
- Amber Craven and Vinny Cagungun (dating) - Third place, down one spot
- Angie and Danny Butler (mother, son) - Fourth place, down one spot
- Rod and Leticia Gardner (married; Rod is a former NFL wide receiver who briefly played for the Green Bay Packers in the 2005 season) - Fifth place, down one spot
- Yvonne Chavez and Melissa Main (dating) - Sixth place, up one spot
- Sunny Pulver and Bizzy Smith (best friends/firefighters from Wisconsin) - Seventh place, up one spot
- Derek Williams and Shelisa Williams (married) - Eighth place, down two spots
- Kishori Turner and Karishma Cordero (cousins) - Eliminated in fifth episode
- Michelle and Sean Clark (married) - Eliminated in fourth episode
- Anthony and Bailey Smith (twin brothers) - Eliminated in third episode
- Chris Foster and Mary Cardona-Foster (father-daughter) - Eliminated in second episode
- Rohan and Maya Mody (brother, sister) - Eliminated in first episode
When time is the Amazing Race on tonight?
The fifth episode of "The Amazing Race" titled "Save the Stress for Later" airs at 8:30 p.m. Central time on Wednesday, April 10.
The 90-minute episode follows "Survivor."
What channel is Amazing Race on?: Where can I watch on TV, streaming
"The Amazing Race" airs weekly on CBS.
"The Amazing Race" streams on the CBS app and Paramount Plus. Fubo offers a free trial.
