Kriti Mehrotra
With CBS’ ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 37 episode 12 – the finale, aptly titled ‘We’re in Miami Baby!’ – picking up right from where the previous one left off, we get some crucial answers. After all, the penultimate episode had concluded on the cliffhanger of whether it’d be married parents of two, Ana and Jonathan Towns, or married nurse anesthetists, Alyssa and Josiah Borden, who’d make it to the top 3. Only once this is decided does the final battle for the $1 million grand prize commence, with each team unwaveringly giving the last leg of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure their all.
The Final 3 of The Amazing Race 37 All Worked Hard to Get There
Episode 12 kicks off in Porto, Portugal, with Ana and Jonathan as well as Alyssa and Josiah neck and neck in building a beautiful mosaic at the Ode Porto Wine House. The former couple does face an issue when the 42-year-old father of 2 mistakenly drops a tile since there are no backups, yet their quick thinking to put it up anyway helps them complete the task swiftly. In the end, their perseverance results in them securing the final spot in the finale, meaning the married nurse anesthetists who hoped to utilize the money to start a family one day were eliminated.
Alyssa was admittedly heartbroken over not being able to make it all the way despite being so close, yet what mattered more to her was that she undertook this experience with her husband. That’s because, while racing across 9 countries, 18 cities, and more than 25,000 miles, they only grew closer than ever, something even Josiah proudly conceded to at the end of their stint. Moreover, it was undeniable that with the way the other two teams worked together every step of the way, they did indeed deserve their spots in the finale for the fight for the $1 million grand prize.
Best friends Carson McCalley and Jack Dodge had proved their mettle at every turn by being in the lead in almost every leg, apart from leg 7, resulting in them having four 1st place positions. On the other side, although siblings Han and Holden Nguyen had no wins and were even last at the end of leg 9, only to be saved by it being a non-elimination leg, their growth was arguably the most significant. As for Ana and Jonathan, they faced more than their fair share of problems owing to their communication issues and personal frustrations, yet their competitive spirit never really wavered. So, these final three teams subsequently got ready for the final leg.
A Surprise Scramble Takes the Teams All Over Miami, Florida
With Carson and Jack having secured 1st place at the end of leg 11, they are the first to receive the initial instructions for this final leg at 11:51 am, which leads them directly to the international airport. They are followed by the sublings at 12:42 pm and the married couple at 12:53 pm, with all of them being excited to return to the US since their clues made it clear their destination is Miami, Florida. During this long flight, the teams essentially recuperate, make strategies for what is to follow, and focus on their motivations to ensure they are in the right mindset to fight for the win.
Upon landing, they are instructed to head to Crandon Park Marina, from where they are to get in individual speed boats and cross a body of water to find their next clue on the other side. Carson and Jack are the first to arrive, just to learn that they now have to complete 3 water-based tasks in any order they want, and at the end of each, they would receive a part of a clue. These are Save, Soar, and Sail – in Save, they have to work together to save a mannequin in the waters of Miami Beach; in Soar, one of them has to be on a Flyboard and hydro-fly for 60 seconds; and in Sail, they have to work a kid’s yacht together to go around six buoys.
After Carson and Jack, Ana and Jonathan get to the clue next, and Han and Holden are in third place, yet they all almost simultaneously decide to go for Save first since it is the nearest. The couple had actually used the Tourist Center at the Porto airport to get a map of Miami, so they immediately left for Miami Beach, while the other two teams had to ask for directions first. As a result, they are the first to arrive at their destination and complete the task, even with Ana’s fear of the ocean owing to a past trauma, shortly followed by Carson and Jack, as well as Han and Holden.
Everything Changes During the Roadblock as a Team Gets an Incredible Lead
While Ana and Jonathan decide to go to Sail at the Coral Reef Yacht Club next, the other two teams immediately choose to take on Soar as their next task, since it is again the nearest. However, halfway through the drive, the couple realizes they aren’t sure of their destination and chooses to turn around to take on Soar, too, just to lose a valuable stretch of time in doing so. Therefore, by the point they reach the hydro-flying location, Jack and Han are already in the water – this task is a Roadblock as only one of the team members can participate, so everything is on their shoulders.
Han is admittedly very confident about this task since she is a hobbyist surfer, loves water sports, and knows for a fact that she has a great center of gravity. So, the fact that she got in the water mere moments after Jack had her believe she would earn her and her brother a significant lead in no time. But alas, the pressure of the situation gets to her, and she can’t hold her legs straight for longer than a few seconds, which frustrates her to no end. Jack is on a similar boat as her, and so is Ana when she finally takes on the task, yet there is also the added internal fear of water in her mind that she has to grapple with, making the situation even more difficult for her.
Ultimately, it is Jack who manages to hold himself in the air for 60 seconds first (on his 9th attempt), resulting in him and Carson getting a significant lead. Han gets it right on her 10th attempt immediately after she takes a 5-minute break to calm her nerves, yet she is still frustrated over the missed opportunity for a lead. As for Ana, despite the fact that she struggles a lot and almost even gives up at times, she perseveres to complete the task on her 21st attempt, just for her husband to also be really proud of her. Yes, they lost their lead, and yes, she felt terrible, but Jonathan actually praised her dedication instead of worrying about possibly losing.
Yachting, Dominos, and Puzzles Are What the Teams Face Before Carson and Jack Are Crowned the Winners
As Carson and Jack arrive at the Coral Reef Yacht Club, they discover that no training or instructor is waiting for them this time around. They have to observe the kids yachting nearby to learn and make their way around the buoys before returning to the starting point, but they really struggle. Therefore, they decide to paddle their way through it all, using their arms and a small metal piece they found on the boat as oars, just for it to work wonders for them. However, they weren’t alone in embracing this method; Han and Holden as well as Ana and Jonathan did exactly the same when they came onto the water because they just couldn’t find a way to actually sail.
Once this task is done, the teams have their three clues that point them to the Calle Ocho Domino Park in Little Havana, and that’s exactly where they go to earn their next clue. The Route Information they subsequently receive has them going to the Ice Palace Film Studios, where they are tasked with solving a 100-piece puzzle that essentially lays out this season. This puzzle required placing all the elements present in this installment and sticking pictures of each leg on a letter of “Amazing Race” in chronological order, and Carson and Jack honestly killed it. Thanks to all their experience in solving such puzzles as avid gamers, this was relatively easy for them, so they became the first team to get in and get out of the film studios.
Han and Holden are next, followed by Ana and Jonathan, after which they are directed to the pit stop – LoanDepot Park. Unsurprisingly, Carson and Jack are the first to arrive at this retractable roof stadium, making them the winners of ‘The Amazing Race’ 37 as well as $1 million. The only thing this duo could state upon winning was that they were glad to do it together because they knew that none of it would have been possible if they didn’t have one another. Coming to what they plan to do with their money, Carson hopes his best friend can pay off his mortgage, and then they can invest the rest of it in their Dungeons and Dragons online show. On the other hand, as runner-ups, Han and Holden as well as Ana and Jonathan also expressed that although they did lose, they don’t feel like they did because their bond with their respective teammates is now stronger than ever.
Read More: The Amazing Race Season 37 Episode 11 Recap: My Knight in Shining Armor
