Mixed realities: Here’s four takeaways from the first episode of Season 31 of the Amazing Race:
1) It's back: The Race doesn't get all that much respect from CBS. This time it's been gone for almost 14 months, an eternity in television land.
But here it is with yet some more gimmick casting featuring graduates from The Amazing Race, Survivor and Big Brother. Presumably host Phil Keoghan set up a recruiting table at a reality show convention, took applications and went from there.
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| Leo and Jamal cheer their win |
For those of us Race loyalists who don’t know that much about the other shows, it's hard to know whom to hate, whom to love.
But, the ratings for the first episode were solid. Phil did OK.
2) Climb every mountain. Every season, the first team out is inexplicably bad, or unlucky or both.
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| Art and JJ |
This episode, Art, a federal agent teamed with fellow fed JJ, both Amazing Race alums, couldn’t make it up the slippery slopes of a miniature Mount Fuji. Finally, he threw in the towel and took a 4-hour penalty. Other racers figured the climb out. Art and JJ are gone.
3) Pot/kettle division: Phil announced that the first challenge in Tokyo was “inspired by Japanese game shows that are famous for their cringe-worthy entertainment.”
The Amazing Race is, of course, famous for its cringe-worthy entertainment, people eating bugs, wading in manure, and Luke running through chilly Siberia in his tighty whities.
4) Handicapping the Race: After the first episode was completed, participants in this pool matched themselves with a Race team. They picked in reverse order to how they finished last time out. Thus, Dennis Doell selected first this time, going with Jamal and Leo, the cousins who finished first in the first episode.They're annoying, but good.
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| Rachel and Elissa |
The choices more-or-less mirrored the first episode finishes, with one significant exception.
Sisters Rachel and Elissa, who finished fourth in the episode, were the ninth team chosen. Perhaps this reflected a lack of confidence in Rachel, who, on previous races with her husband, Brendon, was subject to breakdowns. First leg this season, she actually seemed more secure.
Overheard:
Phil: (It’s) our first-ever reality show down.
Rupert: I have played Survivor four times and lost Survivor four times.
Rupert: Oh God, this is way harder than Survivor.
Floyd: I’ll bet my half of $1 million that she (Becca) climbs it (Mt. Fuji) in 30 seconds.
JJ (watching Art slip and slide): God almighty, this is embarrassing.
Order of finish
1) Leo and Jamal
2) Christie and Colin
3) Tyler and Korey
4) Rachel and Elissa
5) Becca and Floyd
6) Nicole and Victor
7) Chris and Bret
8) Janelle and Britney
9) Corinne and Eliza
10) Rupert and Laura
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