The comeback king, Amazing Race returns

Amazing Race, Season 30, Episode 1

ICELAND –There’s double good news going into tonight’s second episode of Amazing Race, Season 30.

The first reason to cheer is that the Race is actually back after being in limbo for nearly eight months. Way to go, CBS.

The second cause for celebration is that last week’s premiere episode killed the overnight ratings.

The Race was the highest-rated show of the evening, garnering 7.311 million viewers, about 3 million more than last season’s opening episode.

Why the leap? Experts (OK, those on one website) say that the time slot, home to “Survivor,” when it airs, is better; 8 p.m. Wednesday beats 10 p.m. Thursday.

And the racers – all “champions” in their fields – are mostly recognizable and perhaps bring their fans to the audience.

Though, it might be argued that the presence of hot-dogging eating king Joey Chestnut (one half of #TeamChomp) might actually drive viewers away.

Still, there’s a duo from Big Brother (Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf) who evidently are widely loathed and sure to draw eyes to the screen. I’d heard of the basketball players, Cedric Ceballos and Shawn Marion. They may be viewer gold, as well.

First episodes are always a kind of shake-down cruise. One team goes, 10 stay, but it’s really too early to come to a clear sense of the drama that awaits us.

One thing seems certain, though. 

#TeamGoatYoga has some relationship issues. April Gould is hesitant, self-doubting and shy; Sarah Williams is assertive and demanding, or so it would seem. It could be that they were just rattled by all those long Icelandic names, or distracted by a fiord or two. Whatever, it all could change. Or not.

As it happened, #TeamGoatYoga captured the 10^th and last qualifying spot in a

photo finish, sending home Dessie Mitcheson and Kayla Fitzgerald, #TheRingGirls, and leaving unanswered the question: “Just what is a ring girl?” Of course, you also might be asking what goat yoga is, but don’t.

Kristi Leskinen and Jen Hudak, #TeamExtreme because they are professional skiers who push themselves to dangerous limits, won the episode, proof that they are as competitive as they say they are.

But, good heavens, all the teams boasted about their wills to win. We’ll see.

Overheard:

Phil Keoghan: They’re the most competitive teams we’ve ever assembled.

Tim (TeamChomp): We’re about to eat these other racers for lunch.

Cedric (TeamSlamDunk):  Winning Amazing Race is going to be a slam dunk.

Conor (TeamIndyCar): The next step is getting my own place as an adult man.

Evan (TeamYale): I don’t think when people meet us they would automatically assume we went to Yale.

Trevor (#TeamWellStrung): Without malice we will destroy.

April (TeamGoatYoga): This is the problem; I’m holding a map.

Cedric: Ice is not my thing; dangling is not my thing.

Cody (TeamBigBrother): Some say I’m smart. I are smarter than Yale.

Phil: Thirty seasons, and it’s never been this close.

Order of finish:

1) Kristi and Jen #TeamExtreme

2) Cody and Jessica #TeamBigBrother

3) Evan and Henry #TeamYale

4) Trevor and Chris #TeamWellStrung

5) Alex and Conor #TeamIndyCar

6) Joey and Tim #TeamChomp

7) Brittany and Lucas #TeamOceanRescue

8) Eric and Daniel #TheFirefighters

9) Cedric and Shaun #TeamSlamDunk

10) April and Sarah #TeamGoatYoga

11) Dessie and Kayla #TheRingGirls