Amazing Race 15

That show is definately one of my guilty pleasures... I love it , and am looking forward to tonights show.

The show certainly shows interesting aspects of the countries they visit,, but they are literally in and out in a day or two.. but , I guess it gives many of them ideas of where they would like( and not like) to go back!

Love the show! Looks like it will be for 2 hours tonight. I have watched all 14 seasons.

I'll admit I watch that show, but find most of the "contestants" utterly cringe-worthy. Every time I see one of the clueless dolts acting boorishly towards the puzzled locals, it embarrasses me and makes me worry about all the damage they're doing (it also makes me think that Rick has his work cut out for him...).

Unfortunately, it's on at the same time as the Ken Burns series on the National Parks. Fortunately, I have the DVR all programmed...

I'll get the popcorn.

I watched the first show (a bit intermittently as I received several phone calls when it was airing). I was surprised to see that they've added a new "complication", and one of the teams was eliminated before they even started.

I haven't really followed Amazing Race since it began, but I started watching Series 14 as it featured a lot of places that I've been and that made it interesting.

I'll be looking forward to the next episode!

First thing I noticed was that some "did not pack lite". Some of those back packs were huge.

Second thing I noticed was that some immediately went to book their flights online. That usually gives them an advantage over teams that go directly to the airport.

Love the show and love to see the places I have visited.

Thanks for the reminder, Angela!

Love the show -- we decided to visit Dubrovnik after seeing it on AR one season. But after watching PBS last night, I must say the National Parks special is a can't-miss.

Along the lines of not packing light, it also appeared to me that the wheelie bags the 2 poker players used didn't really do them any favors. The racers with the backpack-style packs seemed to be more maneuverable.

And David, I share your pain when a contestant becomes boorish and rude - being on a race is no excuse for losing one's manners (assuming one had them in the first place)!

I was surprised to see the poker players bags. Have they not watched the show before? Dragging a bag through the mud??

The true personalities of these people sure come out during the race.

We love this show and laugh at all of the silly things some of them do to get ahead. Last night watching the Vietnamese laughing at the contestants while doing the mud tree challenge, I guess they do too!

Well, I enjoyed the show,, although I did not like the twist of one team being elimanated before the game really started. I felt sorry for them,, but noted they took it graciously.

The poker girls dragging their bags was a first,, ( actually no, I think flight stewardess did that on one show) .. it did look rather silly and difficult( specially going up and down stairs)

What a shame,, only one day in Japan,, I wish they had at least done a out in the country challenge as well as the city challenge( but bet Japan is so expensive they just hi tailed it to south Asia where it is much cheaper!)

It was great to see the young man with Aspergers, my nephew has that,, so I like the fact that people will be educated abit about it.

My 12 yr old dd noted that "the mud challenge looks really hard,, can you imagine those people have to do that kind of work all the time" ,, great cultural peep .. sure makes unloading the dishwasher at home look easy!

Ken, you should do like I do and refuse to answer the phone while the show is on (if I'm not taping it). My whole family watch the show, so we call each other during the commercials if necessary.

Nancy,

Normally I would filter the calls via Caller I.D. but in this case the calls were from two of my Sons. They take precedence over any TV shows. Besides, with the PVR I can rewind the show to see any parts that I missed.

Cheers!

We LOVE Amazing Race. If I didn't have some medical issues, I might push my husband to try out! I truly believe he and our son could win, if they wanted to- but they'd be the hit of the show for arguing! I wish someone would design a show where you have to plan a trip, with a set budget- hit so many countries, use bus, train, etc. at least so many times- but not put in the strange stuff (like the wasabi bombs). But- I guess most people wouldn't find it interesting- just us Rick-nicks!

Toni's post reminds me of a question to ask the AR fans:

Do you feel the recent seasons have been a little "soft" on their contestants? By that I mean it seems the earlier seasons were more grueling in that the racers had to figure out mass transit schedules more often (not nearly as many cabs/private cars were taken) and their race days seemed longer with more challenges along the way.

I'm not suggesting the race is easy now (as I armchair-race it from the comforts of my living room), but it just seems earlier seasons seemed to be more demanding in a wider variety of travel aspects.

Anyone else feel this way or differently?

I don't think there is much "soft" about what the racers have to do,, and I always feel that some of the phyiscal challenges are really hard on the older folks,, or the two women teams.. I mean,two 25 yr old guys in good shape can pretty well take anyone else in strength tasks. I remember in one show this little gal who maybe weighed all of 90 pounds having to lug something that was very very heavy, I can't even remember what it was,, just that it was no fair race for her.
That said, they do interject some tasks that require mental strength,, so things can even out,, but truth is every team that has won has been very physically fit.

I don't know about the challenges being too easy. Last season's cheese wheel moving in Switzerland was horrifying and I was surprised no one was seriously injured. :)

HeHe - I remember the cheese wheel. That was just downright dairy madness!

But I don't think I asked my question very well, as I wasn't referring to the actual physicality of the challenges (which I agree look tough and require a great deal of physical and mental endurance).

It just seems to me that earlier seasons made the racers take more ownership of their travel arrangements - that a lot less cabs/private cars were taken and they'd be more likely to have to rely on (and figure out) mass transit to get around (which I guess could account for why the race days seemed to be longer).

I'd love to see them at the airport in, say, Frankfurt and told it was up to them to get to Burg Eltz somehow!

Angela,

You are correct in your assumption. They have actually shortened the race by 1 week in the past few seasons. I think it was due to cost. The legs are shorter and not as complicated because of this. I loved the first several seasons where they had to perform several tasks before the pit stop. Now it seems they have to do only a couple of things 9wasabi bomb and leading the group) before they check in. I do think they used to have to use more pubic transportion and there was a lot more zigzagging around a city/area. I still love the show and never miss an episode though.

I saw the first leg of the race last year when I was in the LAX airport. Saw about 75% of the teams milling around looking bored. It is kind of interesting that the majority of the race is them sitting around waiting for aircraft.

We asked the camera guys who they were, and we got a range of answers from a Canadian travel show (Travel-Travel, which does not exist) to other shows...

I agree that the challenges are now more physical/cultural (the mud trees/eat weird stuff/dress up stuff)rather than travel related. It is interesting and fun to watch- but I wouldn't want to do them!

Jon,

Travel-Travel used to exist. That was hosted by Don McGowan, as I recall. Perhaps they're now making new shows?

Nope, it was the Amazing Race pretending to be someone else so that they didn't not get swamped while at the airport.

Jon,

It's odd that the film crew would mention an obscure Canadian travel show that currently isn't even being produced. I wonder how they even knew about Travel-Travel?

Ken...maybe that's where the crew from Travel-Travel ended up after their show closed!