The Amazing Race 19 - Season Discussion

[tomalak301]

Anyone still watching the Amazing Race. I saw tonight's episode and it was ok I guess. Not really happy with the non elimination so next week can be the first double elimination. Also the Show Girls losing their passports right off the bat (And I still think the producers told the bystanders to pick it up because I doubt you'd find that generous of people in LA), especially after saying they do have the brains, was quite amusing.

Still, I'll watch this season but I think the problems I had with the show last season are still there. It's getting tired with not many changes to spice it up. You still have the petty bickering, the stupidness, and when they were introducing the teams, I actually was counting the cliches that came with it, such as the pretty girls, the Chinese girl, the celebrities (Two and a half teams of those), the arguing team, stuff like that. It's all there, again.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I liked the episode. I think that this will be a pretty good season by the looks of the teams they chose. They seem like very likeable teams and almost all athletic and intelligent enough to make it a tough race. I was happy to see Ethan and Jenna there, I was fans of theirs on Survivor. But what is it with the older teams? They never seem to have the sense of urgency that younger teams do. It keeps them from arguing much, but it also keeps them from getting things done quickly.

Not sure how I feel about the double elimination leg...I guess we'll see what happens next week.

 

[mswood]

Passport Gate

I have stopped posting on this thread a few seasons ago, because I am generally very spoiled and I don't want to let something slip.

But long term posters know that there is a site that I go to (and have helped) that track TAR. From pre race to final destination. We follow any tweets, photo entries on sites like flicker, blogs, the world over. And are often (thanks to filming permits) have a good idea of when filming is going to start. We then start searching the web.

The guy at the gas stations is a serious tweeter. He even runs a business through twitter. He tweeted what happened. One of the members of RFF tweeted (you can even go back to the date in question and discover the tweets on the RFF forum) back where they would be going (in LA, that means LAX). Let the person know that its a once in a life time experience (well minus special editions) and convinced them to take it to LAX. Person agreed. Production did nothing to help, in fact they contacted Phil to let him know they would need to stage on, on the spot elimination.

Thanks to TAR being a long running show, having multiple editions around the world, and the vast increase in global information so many people recognize it will filming and share that info.

Heck going back to season three fans discovered the finale three when an airline passenger spotting teams on her flight and posted it to some forum she belonged to.

And fans have been actually out int eh wild physically following and helping them (at least as far back as season 11). Let along cases like Rob & AMber getting help from survivor fans, or even locals choosing to help people who they see a film crew with (that's goes back to season two).

 

[mswood]

How is having an asian women a cliche?

19th season 402 different racers (yes only counting racers once), how many asian american women have their been?

3 perhaps 4 (I can't remember if Kathy from season three was).

 

[firehawk12]

Sadly, I'm hoping a new season of an international version airs soon. Not really feeling the US version anymore, even though they are ostensibly the exact same show.

Is there any word of a new China or Asia airing?

 

[Spot's Meow]

mswood, I was going to say something similar in response to the theory that the passport thing was producer manipulation. Having been a member of RFF as well as other reality TV forums I know just how obsessed and aware many fans of the show are. For some reason Amazing Race and Survivor are the only two reality shows I actually don't like reading spoilers for, because I find it takes away any of the suspense, which is why I watch in the first place. I am, however, big into the world of Big Brother, and there are sites that aggregate all tweets on Big Brother live. I then watch fans dissect each tweet as if it's a live or death situation. So the idea of a guy tweeting about a racer losing their passport and fans responding with pleas to take it to LAX does not surprise me at all.

 

[Roger Wilco]

It was a very nice thing to do to bring the passport to the airport, but honestly I think the woman deserved to be eliminated for being that stupid. Losing your passport before even boarding your first flight is just ridiculous. There's no way they will be able to handle the stress of the game.

And I think it's funny Ethan and Jenna thought they could keep their Survivor appearence a secret, especially Ethan with his very memorable look (nice to see he's healthy again though). Some other Survivor winners might be able to slip through undetected, but not him.

 

[Kirby]

I watched it, but my interest is really wanning for this show. I'd love for them to show more scenery and get into the history and local customs of the places they visit. Phil gives maybe 20 seconds of infomation about where they are and the challenges are usually loosely based around a local custom, but they rarely get into details. Instead we get extended shots of them purchasing airline tickets and yelling at cab drivers. I guess that's all we American audiences can put up with...

So far I have no real draw to any of the teams, it usually takes a few weeks before I decide who I want to root for.

 

[mswood]

Sadly, I'm hoping a new season of an international version airs soon. Not really feeling the US version anymore, even though they are ostensibly the exact same show.

Is there any word of a new China or Asia airing?

China has one going on right now, with I think two legs left. It's called china rush 2. No real progress on another tar Asia (the stunt casting on Asia has gotten way out of hand, I think the US version does two much).

Australia has confirmed a second season. I loved their last one.

 

[mswood]

It was a very nice thing to do to bring the passport to the airport, but honestly I think the woman deserved to be eliminated for being that stupid. Losing your passport before even boarding your first flight is just ridiculous. There's no way they will be able to handle the stress of the game.

And I think it's funny Ethan and Jenna thought they could keep their Survivor appearence a secret, especially Ethan with his very memorable look (nice to see he's healthy again though). Some other Survivor winners might be able to slip through undetected, but not him.

Yeah, many a racer has lost their passport most of the time we don't here about because they find it and the episode has something more dramatic to focus on. But to not even get to the airport. Seriously.

He'll one racer lost her passport twice in one leg, literally within a couple hours (the second time made the broadcast).

Yeah kind of stupid to think they wouldn't get recognized.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I'm sure I've asked before but I don't remember what the answer was. Where are you guys watching other countries' versions of TAR? Any legal way to do so?

 

[firehawk12]

Sadly, I'm hoping a new season of an international version airs soon. Not really feeling the US version anymore, even though they are ostensibly the exact same show.

Is there any word of a new China or Asia airing?

China has one going on right now, with I think two legs left. It's called china rush 2. No real progress on another tar Asia (the stunt casting on Asia has gotten way out of hand, I think the US version does two much).

Australia has confirmed a second season. I loved their last one.

Yeah, TARA was really good and got me interested in the format again. I'm glad China Rush 2 is happening as well.

As for Asia... what stunt casting do you mean?

I'm sure I've asked before but I don't remember what the answer was. Where are you guys watching other countries' versions of TAR? Any legal way to do so?

There isn't, really. Although it's possible that Youtube may or may not have some episodes of some show related to TAR. Ahem.

 

[nightwind1]

I personally think it's terrible that they put two people who have already won a million each in a reality show on the Amazing Race (for the second time). Give real people a chance. Those people already had theirs.

 

[Skywalker]

If Jenna and Ethan win, I wouldn't be surprised if they donated at least some of their winnings to cancer research, given their respective histories with the disease.

 

[Spot's Meow]

It doesn't bother me that Jenna and Ethan are on Amazing Race even though they've each won a million already, just like it wouldn't bother me if they put two rich folks on the race who don't need the money. It would be nice for people who really need it to get the money, but it's hardly reasonable for them to choose racers based on financial need, as that would make for a terrible television show. And how do you decide who needs it most? It makes more sense to me to leave financial need out of the equation.

 

[nightwind1]

It doesn't bother me that Jenna and Ethan are on Amazing Race even though they've each won a million already, just like it wouldn't bother me if they put two rich folks on the race who don't need the money. It would be nice for people who really need it to get the money, but it's hardly reasonable for them to choose racers based on financial need, as that would make for a terrible television show. And how do you decide who needs it most? It makes more sense to me to leave financial need out of the equation.

It's not the financial need. It's just that they've ALREADY HAD THEIR SHOT. They've been on a TV show and won money. Now they're just hogging the limelight. Let someone else have a chance.

The thing is, now there is a class of people trying to make their actual living from reality shows.

 

[Skywalker]

Reality shows don't cast people based on whether or not they've 'had their shot.' They cast whoever they think will give them the best ratings. Familiar reality faces such as Ethan and Jenna will bring more viewers than would new people.

 

[Spot's Meow]

It doesn't bother me that Jenna and Ethan are on Amazing Race even though they've each won a million already, just like it wouldn't bother me if they put two rich folks on the race who don't need the money. It would be nice for people who really need it to get the money, but it's hardly reasonable for them to choose racers based on financial need, as that would make for a terrible television show. And how do you decide who needs it most? It makes more sense to me to leave financial need out of the equation.

It's not the financial need. It's just that they've ALREADY HAD THEIR SHOT. They've been on a TV show and won money. Now they're just hogging the limelight. Let someone else have a chance.

The thing is, now there is a class of people trying to make their actual living from reality shows.

I hardly think they qualify as the type to hog the limelight. I mean, it's been a decade since Ethan won Survivor and it's not like he's made a career out of being a reality star since. It has also been many years since Jenna won and we haven't seen her around either. They both appeared on an All-Stars version of Survivor, but you can hardly fault them for that when the entire cast was made up of previous players. I agree that there are definitely those who try to make a living from being reality stars, but these two just aren't that. From all acounts they are also genuinely kind and generous people. I also have a strong suspicion that they would donate most, if not all, of the money to cancer research.

Also you said they should let real people have a shot, but why do Ethan and Jenna not count as "real people"? I just don't see how winning a reality show 10 years ago means you are taking away someone else's chance.

 

[OmahaStar]

I watched it, but my interest is really wanning for this show.

Same here. Thanks to whatever sport CBS was showing, Amazing Race started late ... again. I got about 40 minutes of the episode recorded, thanks to the delay. Even with that, I couldn't be bothered with going online to their website or wherever to watch the rest of the episode. Who got eliminated? Who cares?

Then I find out nobody got eliminated. I tried to engage my "give a damn" but failed.

As with Survivor, TAR used to be appointment television, but my interest is waning to the point of sleeping through the episodes.

 

[firehawk12]

I can't say anything other than try to find a way to watch the international versions of the show. It's almost a breathe of fresh air.