The Amazing Race Review: It’s All In The Details

After only two episodes, it’s apparent this season of Amazing Race is new and improved. There have been some noticeable differences from previous seasons, and while some changes are good, some are…not so good. The craziest thing to happen this week is a prime example of how the race itself is doing things a little differently.

During the last task before the Pit Stop, there was a sign with an instruction that eight of the eleven teams missed, sending them back to finish a task correctly – after they lose their place at the check in. This catastrophe, along with the vague billboard clue from the first episode, shows that The Amazing Race is not going to hold these teams by the hand any longer.  It’s no longer the normal clue-task-clue-task repition. The teams have to pay attention to figure out what the clue even is.

They’re also editing the show differently, using multi-panel edits during the Roadblocks to ramp up the tense action, almost as if it’s an exploitation movie from the 70’s. They also have incorporated the contestants narrating task explanations and clues, which is usually Phil’s responsibility. These two changes I can do without, but I do like the show trying something different.  With these tweaks in their Emmy winning formula, the overall likeable teams, the crazy challenges, and the literal racing involved, this is already shaping up to be one best seasons yet.

Let’s recap now, shall we?

We last left the teams in Taiwan. Team Ma & Pa, (formally Oldies but the other teams call them “Ma and Pa” and so will I) were hours behind the other teams, and also had to do a Speed Bump this leg of the race, but since all of the teams are leaving in the middle of the night that means everybody will get on the same plane in the morning. So the time gap Bill and Cathi were worried about is rendered to nil.  The teams learn they are now heading to Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Upon arrival in Indonesia, the teams find out they will be spelunking (Side note: I leaned the word “spelunking” as a kid from the Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego? computer game).  They had to repel down into a huge “vertical cave” (aka “a really big hole”) to retrieve a ceremonial mask and dagger, and climb a bamboo ladder back up out of the cave to receive their next clue. Repelling down into the huge cave looked amazing and all the teams seemed thrilled doing it (note to self: apply for the amazing race). But first Ma & Pa had to perform a Speed Bump by untying a knotty rope, which is pretty exciting TV. It didn’t take them long to finish the Bump, and Bill and Cathi actually got through the spelunking challenge rather quickly, reviving my fondness for the over-the-hill team.

After the teams spelunked they were given a choice to “shake it or park it.” The Shake it challenge had one teammate performing a traditional Indonesian dance in a busy street intersection while the other played a native instrument that looked like a prop from the Broadway hit Stomp. They had to wear a colorful costume and mask and the whole thing seemed to be a really fancy version of the homeless guys that squeegee your windshield when you are at a stop light.   The “Park It” challenge had them direct moped drivers to a parking spot so they can valet it. The rumpshakers would have to raise 30,000 rupiah, while the valets had to get 15,000 rupiah that they then had to give to a local orphanage.  Apparently parking mopeds is a much faster way to earn money than dancing in the street. Who knew?

After shaking it or parking it, the teams needed to drop off the money they’d earned at the orphanage. Ethan and Jenna started off this part of the leg with a bang when Jenna left their clue behind, so they had to go back and find it – that’s backtracking trip #1 for Team Survivor. As teams made it to the orphanage there was a sign saying that they had to give the orphans all of their money, not just what they earned on the last challenge. Only three teams noticed the sign: The Snowboarders, Danger Dad and Sailor Boy, and the Showgirls. This struck me as funny because the Snowboarders, who are quickly becoming my favorite team, and the Showgirls don’t seem like the smartest teams on the surface, but they are the ones who took the time and paid attention to detail.

Because all the other teams, including several in front of the Snowboarders, didn’t read the sign, Phil had to tell them to go back and give over all of their money.  Ethan and Jenna had to go back, and it resulted in backtracking trip #2 for them.  The Snowboarders came in first and won a trip to Ireland, with the father and son in at #2 and Showgirls #3.

In a huge turnaround team Ma and Pa were able to check in, moving them from the back of the pack at the start of the race to safely in the middle of it. Because this was a double elimination leg two teams had to go. Ethan and Jenna and the likeable, but uncannily slow, Flight Attendants were the last teams to check in and were eliminated.  One of the flight attendants, Bill, told Phil one of the sweetest things in The Amazing Race history when he said, “We have more than you could ever win on a TV show. People would pay millions to have what we have.” I was sorry to see them go.

The teams I am really enjoying right now are the Snowboarders, Andy and Tommy, and the ex-NFL player and his wife, Marcus and Amani. They are both competitive teams that also seem to be having a great time on the show. They also have some of the best quotes of the episode:

Amani: This is like Detroit.

Marcus: Get away from me, tree. You’re bothering me!

Marcus: We got the kind of money that jingles, we need the kind that folds!

…and from the Snowboarders:

Tommy: So we gotta give ‘em all our cash?

Andy: Wow, good freakin’ eye man. Dude, who’s gonna blow that one?

Tommy: Don’t ‘dude’ me, dude.

Tommy: Dude, can we get a scooter?

On the other end of the spectrum the team that is grating my nerves is the Siblings, Justin and Jennifer, who argue at the drop of a hat. The arguments are never during a stressful point in the race either; they do it during down times at the airport and train stations. This seems to go past sibling rivalry, because they act like they hate each other. Also, I have never seen someone roll their eyes as much as Jennifer does. My eyes would constantly hurt if I rolled them as much as she does.

I am interested to see if the show will be giving the teams any money at the start of the race next episode or if they will have to find their way around without any funds. I really hope they don’t give them any money, it keeps it interesting, don’t you think?

For another take on this episode, read “Shake Your Money Maker” by Keshaunta Moton.

The Amazing Race airs Sunday nights at 8/7c on CBS

Images courtesy of Robert Voets and CBS Broadcasting, Inc.