It usually takes me a few episodes to get into each season of "The Amazing Race," as there are too many teams and I lose track of which bullying alpha male I hate the most. And while the initial drive to the airport, zip line stunt, etc. slightly helps to differentiate the leaders from the followers, it feels too obligatory for me. No spoilers here, but feel free to talk about the outcome or any other impressions you had of the premiere.
Monday, November 05, 2007
The Amazing Race: Stop being such a jackass!
It usually takes me a few episodes to get into each season of "The Amazing Race," as there are too many teams and I lose track of which bullying alpha male I hate the most. And while the initial drive to the airport, zip line stunt, etc. slightly helps to differentiate the leaders from the followers, it feels too obligatory for me. No spoilers here, but feel free to talk about the outcome or any other impressions you had of the premiere.
This is my first attempt at getting into Amazing Race as a viewer. My fiancee and I decided that we could never be eligible to appear on the show since we lead a normal life, we like each other and have never had relationship problems.
ReplyDeleteWho is this show supposed to appeal to?
I'm rooting for the goths to go far, if only to see what their makeup looks like after a month of traveling.
ReplyDeleteLOVED that donkey. If I could find a way to isolate that audio, it'd be my new ringtone.
ReplyDeleteThe only other real highlight was Ronald's rendition of Danny Boy, easily the show's best musical moment since "New York Jews in Iceland".
I guess it could have been worse. TAR usually starts off with a 2 hour leg in order for viewers to get to know the teams better. But given how often we've seen so many of these tropes before (Airport wrangling later rendered meaningless, Signing up for staggered charters, Drivers ignoring their partner's directions), I'd rather have the shorter leg than be bored to tears. And if that means I can't tell anyone apart until week 3 and I don't get to know some of the cannon fodder teams very well, so be it.
I am absolutely fed up with the standard groups of "I need to figure out if I can marry/date this man/woman" on the Race. National television in general, and a stress-inducing reality show in particular, are no replacement for couples therapy.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, good episode. It was as if the donkey was trying to be as whiny as the majority of the women this season.
As a long time devotee of Amazing Race I was pleased by this episode especially after the heartbreak of last seasons "All Stars" where I was actively hoping some of the teams would break a leg or get stranded in a third world country.
ReplyDeleteFor one thing there is a higher percentage of family relationships to couples. For another the couple that looked to have the highest poser factor seemed to not grate as bad as I thought (Goths). Lastly, of the three get rid of them now couples one was booted.
Only 11 teams this time out a much smaller group to get to know. No more Fast Forwards and no more Yeilds and subsequent Yeild Whining sounds like a good combo.
Personally, I absolutely adored Donkey Karma this episode. I also couldn't believe our luck at getting rid of one of the douche teams this fast. Get rid of Nathan & Jennifer (the obligatory Bickering Asshole Straight People team) and all is golden.
ReplyDeleteI loved this episode! I loved Kate and Pat, with their 2 good lines ("we're not whipped by Jesus" and the "love letter to the planet"). I thought Nate and Jenny really sucked, so I laughed out loud the entire time that donkey was expressing all of the collective frustration of the viewing audience. And the most annoying team is already eliminated! I think there's a lot of potential for good relationship stuff, minus the obligatory nagging couples, and it was so great to see the scenery again. It's definitely worth losing Hugh Jackman for this!
ReplyDeleteThe TAR editors have learned to ensure that the 11th-place team is edited to be one of the most annoying.
ReplyDeleteTed
For the first time in reality TV viewing, I felt like I was intruding on real peoples' lives when Jennifer told Nate to "Stop comparing me to other girls" moments after Nate admitted that he had cheated on her.
ReplyDeleteThat couple is going to have problems. It's the bipolar "I hate you/I love you" couples that are the most annoying on the show.
Early favorites (teams I like with a chance to win it): The Hippies (they seem sweet and supportive), The Goths (only if they would stop referring to themselves as such every few minutes - it's like a drinking game), The Scientists and Jason & Lorena (if she can tone it down a bit).
Teams I like but don't think can win: The Ministers, the Granddad and Grandson.
I can't stand any of the teams that purport to use their bodies to win. (a) It never works because after 20 days of being a dirty traveler, a tree stump is sexier and (b) it reminds me of Jenna Maroney on 30 Rock saying that she "was going to use [her] sexuality" to keep her job and ending up sleeping with some random old guy who she thinks is Donaghy's boss.
I'm glad Ari and Staella lost and am hoping the same fate for Nate and Jenn next time. Being mean to animals signals bad people.
I'm glad Ari and Staella lost and am hoping the same fate for Nate and Jenn next time. Being mean to animals signals bad people.
ReplyDeleteITA. And for being the first leg, we sure had several displays of "killer fatigue" already--YIKES!