Snap Judgements of the Latest Amazing Race Teams
Tonight a new season of the best show on television, The Amazing Race, kicked off. If you're not yet watching the Race, you really need to start. Heck, even James watches, even though he likes to pretend that he doesn't ;-).
I still have a hard time figuring who's who, but even so, it's never too early to judge. Let's take a quick look at the latest batch of teams racing around the world for a cash prize of $1,000,000.
Debbie & Bianca: Team Just Friends. Or are they "just friends"? For some reason, I get the feeling they may really be a romantic couple. I guess we'll find out. Anyway, Debbie & Bianca seem like they handle travel and communication problems well, but when things don't go exactly right they freak out a little. That could be a problem as teams never go the whole race without a few bumps in the road. My personal ranking: 6th of the 11 teams
Susan & Patrick: Team Thinks They're On Survivor. This mother and son team really benefited in the first leg by tagging along with the Spanish-speaking Debbie & Bianca. I don't know how they'll do on their own. Plus, they seem to think they're on a manipulation-based game like Survivor. Come on people, it's not about screwing other teams, it's about racing fast yourself. My ranking: 8th.
Rob & Amber: Team Really Was On Survivor. Reality TV fans already know these two from their appearances on Survivor. While some might hold that against them, I actually like them. It helps that Rob is kinda hot (especially with the Boston accent). I think they'll be a great team: they're smart and athletic. Plus, already in this first leg when things went wrong, they were able to laugh about it. Teams that don't waste time & energy fighting each other have got to do better in the long run. My ranking: 3rd.
Brian & Greg: Team Brothers Braff. I think these guys bear more than a passing resemblence to Zach Braff from Scrubs, especially Greg. Let's face it, they're handsome devils. Plus, they've shown an appealing combination of humor and dorkiness so far. I love 'em. They came through this leg unscathed, so I can't tell how they'll act towards each other when the going gets rough. My ranking: 1st.
Lynn & Alex: Team Jaybird. Lynn reminds me so much of Project Runway's Jay. Together, they remind me a little bit of season three's beloved Team Cha Cha Cha. They aren't as fabulous as Danny & Oswald (who is?), but they're very funny. Of course, the funny teams never win. :-(. My ranking: 2nd.
Meredith & Gretchen: Team Dandy (for Dandy Don Meredith). I know these guys are supposed to be the lovable grandparents, but I don't like them one bit. They, like Susan & Patrick, seem to think this is Survivor or Big Brother. Just shut up and race. My ranking: 9th.
Ray & Deanna: Team Backslide. These on-again, off-again daters are another blah "couple" team. Actually, they're worse than blah as I think that Ray was a huge asshat tonight. He was really mean to Deanna, who was really struggling with the high elevation in Peru. I hate it when a player just rags on their teammate like that. My ranking: 10th.
Uchenna & Joyce: Team Sob Story. One of this married couple worked for Enron, while the other worked for Worldcom. On to that add the fact that they've been trying to get pregnant for years with no luck. They want to use any money they win for more in vitro. Now, hate them if you will for airing their personal sob story, but hey, to get on the show you have to have some kind of hook, right? Anyway, it looked like they got off to a slow start, but once they hit the llamas they did a much better job of working together. They could go far. My ranking: 5th.
Ron & Kelly: Team POW. He's a former POW in the Iraq War, she's a pageant queen. He annoyed me when he made a special point to tell Ray about his POW past and how he'd use the money to help disabled vets. What was the point of that? Did he expect Ray to just roll over and let him win? But, other than that moment they seemed okay, if unmemorable. In fact, they're both pretty dorky. Normally, that would endear them to me, but in this case not yet. My ranking: 7th.
Megan & Heidi: Team Barbie. These two identical friends made an early statement that they weren't dumb blondes. Unfortunately, they then proceeded to do dumb things like digging in a pile for tickets for a 7:40 flight when there were still 7:00 tickets to be had. Maybe they'll redeem themselves, but for now their ranking is dead last: 11th.
Ryan & Chuck: Team Hillbillies. Ask not for whom the fiddle twangs, it twangs for these guys, the first team Philiminated. I really liked this team. Sure, they made the same mistake as Team Barbie, but they were so funny and so personable and so surprising (one of them just happened to speak Portugese!). I wish they would have gotten a better cabbie at the end. My ranking: 4th.
So there you have it, ten teams remain and the race is on! I love this cast compared to last season's: fewer models and more quirky types. Hopefully this season will also have less bunching, less Europe, more airport strategy and more cranky animals. Lemme tell you something, cranky animals are comedy gold.
Posted by kris at March 2, 2005 12:03 AM
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Comments
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I have been a fan since day one and have introduced many fans to your show. I am disappointed with your poor judgement to cast Boston Rob and Amber to the show. Rob is smug, arrogant and very annoying to watch. We had to watch him lie and disrespect his way through Survivor and now we have to do the same on Amazing Race. Please do yoour fans a huge favor and show him as little as necessary. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I think having rob and amber on is awesome!! Not only do they have great chemistry together, but their up for any challenge...I hope they go all the way! |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I'm a long-time TAR and Survivor fan. That said, I'm curious to see the dynamic between Boston Rob and Amber in this venue. They're hot, smart and funny and I like the idea of having a team I can relate to right from the start. Great casting! |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I was disgusted that Rob and Amber have been given a chance at another million dollars. You cannot tell me that there were not enough entries for the show to find another couple that would get you ratings! It is not that Rob and Amber are not good people it is just not fair to the rest of us that have been loyal to the show and would make great competitors. I think this will hurt the show, especially if they win. The first episode has already shown an unfair advantage with them being recognized by someone and being helped for that reason. They were behind at that point in the race and pulled way ahead because of their fame. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
it "disgusts" you that rob and amber get "another shot at a million dollars?" let me guess, jaime, you get off on seeing people fail, and it makes you feel good about yourself to put other people down? what is the "unfair advantage" that you speak of? so what if people recognize them - every team out there is gunning for them. they have targets the size of texas on their backs. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
This show is a show I have been watching since the first race. Each time there are a few teams who warrant criticism and Phil does it with such panache. He is also very good at concern as was evidenced last night and especially with that nimwit Jonathan and Victoria. The point is the show is amazing and good, entertaining TV unlike survivor, so why Rob and Amber? Those two are redundant! |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Personally, I think Rob & Amber *are* good TV. I enjoy watching them and listening to Rob's killer accent. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I was very disappointed to see Ryan and Chuck get ddisqualified. I think they would of added some comedy and they were just so much fun to watch. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I think having rob and amber on TAR is amazing. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
So Sorry to be saying this (as a gay person, by the way), but Lynn & Alex have just set the cause back by about 20 years. In the past you have always had some mostly representational and unstereotypical gay couples on your show. Now what? If I wanted to see Nathan Lane and Robin Williams in "The Birdcage", I would have rented it. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Well i posted my comments earlier this morning, but after reading other entries tonight, i just have to say these moronic people who are ney sayer against rob and amber have no idea what makes up good entertainment. I also agree thats is great to connect with a couple right from the start..so hey everyone if you have nothing nice to say about survivors #1couple then please for the rest of our sakes, don't say anything at all.... |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Hold on there just one minute, Paula. People who disagree with your take on a reality tv show aren't "moronic". They just disagree. And, as the writer of this post, I welcome that kind of disagreement. It'd be a boring blog and a boring show if we all agreed with each other! |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Well Kris, I definitely think its moronic to hate a couple just because they have already won a million bucks! If all those upset by Rob and Amber would get off their butts, they too could be on the show!! It's easy to cast stones when your sitting on your couches at home!! By the way, I think your post is awesome, keep up the good work!!! |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
I think Paula has no clue about what she's talking about. She's probably a Survivor fan and is happy to see them again. I hate how they are on the show. It's just for publicity. I like about every other team EXCEPT Rob and Amber. They are both annoying and want more money. |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Hey, it's fine to disagree about the show. But please DO NOT attack each other for having different opinions about the show. Attack the opinion, not the person, get it? |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
Kris, nice job on the team summations. I've gotten tired reading summaries by folks that clearly don't like the show and wish they were somewhere else. Interesting that in the CBS promos for the next race that Rob/Amber and POW/Beauty Queen are the two singled out. Especially since so far Team POW has been boring. You're right about the vibes coming off Team Just Friends. That bares watching. In fact I agree with everything you said. Except for the Rob & Amber part, but do we really need anymore said about that? |
| # March 7th, 2005 6:48 PM Converted_Comment | |
It's great to have Rob and Amber on the Amazing |
| # March 17th, 2005 1:17 PM Patricia |
| If all players put as much energy into their own game, as they do into hating Rob & Amber, they might actually have a game. I think Rob is BRILLIANT... stealing the girlfriends taxi, negotiating a police escort and orchestrating the penalties in the food challenge were nothing short of genius. You people who hate Rob and Amber might want to turn your attention to programming that's a little less upsetting. |
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