The Amazing Race 36 Recap Week 4
Tonight’s episode of The Amazing Race returned to CBS with teams tackling a fast-paced leg in Medellín, Colombia. This live recap walks through the Detour and Roadblock challenges in Comuna 13 and Plaza Botero, captures the emotional moments between partners, and summarizes the final Pit Stop order and elimination.
The leg opened with teams paragliding into Medellín, then proceeding to Comuna 13 where they found a Detour offering two very different tasks: Dance Vibe or Wall Scribe. Dance Vibe required teams to sync up and breakdance with a local crew for 30 seconds, while Wall Scribe challenged teams to decipher a mural of pictograms and recite a hidden phrase. Teams split their choices across the tasks, setting up a mix of physical and mental struggles for the leg.
Choosing detours
Several teams immediately selected Wall Scribe, including Ricky & Cesar and Amber & Vinny, who successfully worked through the pictograms. Amber & Vinny cracked the phrase first — “The world is smaller than you think” — which put them in the lead and sent them on to Plaza Botero. Ricky & Cesar followed shortly after, then hopped into taxis with both teams racing through the streets to the next destination.
Other teams chose Dance Vibe. Juan & Shane, Yvonne & Melissa, Derek & Shelisa, Rod & Leticia, and Michelle & Sean all attempted to learn synchronized breakdancing moves inside the same practice space. That proximity created tension: Derek grew frustrated that Shelisa couldn’t teach and learn simultaneously, and Leticia felt sidelined after Rod made a detour choice without consulting her. Multiple teams required several attempts before passing the 30-second run with the local dancers.
Behind the leaders, Angie & Danny initially struggled to find the clue box until help from Amber & Vinny guided them to the Detour. Kishori & Karishma and Sunny & Bizzy arrived at similar times; Kishori & Karishma chose to dance while Sunny & Bizzy took on Wall Scribe. Sunny & Bizzy hit a wall with the mural clues and ultimately switched to Dance Vibe, a decision that cost them time.
The Dance Vibe task proved deceptive. Juan & Shane failed on their first attempt but completed it on the second; Derek & Shelisa and Rod & Leticia also required multiple tries before clearing the challenge. Michelle & Sean worked steadily through the moves and eventually finished, but the detour’s delays and the teams’ varied learning curves reshuffled positions heading into the roadblock.
Roadblock
At Plaza Botero, the Roadblock asked one team member to identify and mark twelve statues on a large map. Amber elected to do the Roadblock for her team, and Ricky chose for his, setting both teams on a careful walking-and-mapping task around the plaza. Accurate orientation and attention to detail were critical; Amber finished quickly and correctly, earning Amber & Vinny a clear path to the Pit Stop at Parques del Río Medellín.
The map task became the episode’s central challenge. Several racers struggled to orient the board correctly, leading to multiple failed attempts. Amber paused to help other competitors by explaining how she oriented the map, demonstrating a sportsmanlike moment amid the competition. Teams including Angie & Danny, Shelisa, Juan & Shane, Rod & Leticia, Yvonne & Melissa, Derek & Shelisa, Kishori & Karishma, and Sunny & Bizzy all worked through the Roadblock with varying success and time penalties from misplacements.
Team No 1 arrives at the pit stop
Ricky & Cesar were the first team to reach the Pit Stop. Phil Keoghan declared Ricky & Cesar Team #1, and they each earned a $2,500 prize. Amber & Vinny followed as Team #2 after Amber’s quick and accurate map work. Danny completed his Roadblock to propel Angie & Danny into third place. Shane and Rod later paired up on the map task, helping each other correct mistakes so they could depart for the mat together.
As night fell, teams continued to trickle into the Pit Stop. The Roadblock’s difficulty produced a wide spread in arrival times, with several teams needing many attempts to place all twelve statues correctly. That spread set the stage for the final eliminations of the episode.
The final team arrives
The closing portion of the leg was tense as teams jockeyed for position. Rod & Leticia found Phil and checked in as Team #4, while Juan & Shane arrived shortly after as Team #5. Derek & Shelisa and Yvonne & Melissa completed the course and checked in as Teams #6 and #7 respectively. Sunny’s quicker read of the map allowed her and Bizzy to finish before Kishori & Karishma, earning them Team #8.
Karishma finally succeeded after an arduous 18 attempts, allowing Kishori & Karishma to check in as Team #9. Michelle & Sean were the last to reach the mat; Michelle’s continued difficulty orienting the map sealed their fate. Phil eliminated them at the Pit Stop. Michelle & Sean have been eliminated, and they left reflecting on what they had learned and how the experience strengthened their relationship. The episode closed on a lighter note with a moment of play as they and Phil engaged in a double Dutch jump rope activity.
Episode Summary
1st place: Ricky & Cesar
2nd place: Amber & Vinny
3rd place: Angie & Danny
4th place: Rod & Leticia
5th place: Juan & Shane
6th place: Derek & Shelisa
7th place: Yvonne & Melissa
8th place: Sunny & Bizzy
9th place: Kishori & Karishma
Eliminated: Michelle & Sean
That concludes this week’s leg of The Amazing Race 36 in Medellín. The episode highlighted both collaborative and competitive moments as teams balanced local culture, physical coordination, and careful navigation. Check back next week for another recap as the race continues.