Amazing Race reruns on GSN

[MDH257 0]

Game Show Network started airing reruns of The Amazing Race at 9 & 12 E.S.T, I think six nights a week, on Monday. They started with season one and have aired the first 4 shows, I've only watched the first three. Some observations:

 

I know that it's been mentioned that Phil Keoghan is from New Zealand, but I never noticed an accent. In the first season an small accent is noticable. I wonder if he intentionally tried to lose it?

 

The producers and editors have gotten a lot better at their jobs. Sometimes they skip over early teams completing the detour and just show them arriving at the pitstop. One time a team went to the wrong location and we only seeing them realizing they've made a mistake but not how they figured out where they were supposed to go.

 

Some of the detours have been really boring choices: Air or land - teams arrive at the top of a large hill a must decide wether to walk the trail back down or take a zip line and then bungee jump down the hill.

 

Near or Far - Teams are in an African village, are given cameras and the choice of taking pictures of three animals that will be close by- but tough to find- or driving about 90 km away and finding taking a picture of an elephant -which will be easy to find.

 

Every team chose air and near. The 3rd detour was at least comparable to the ones they do now.

 

Maybe the shows have been edited but there dosen't seem to be a prize for finishing first on a leg. I thought maybe they edited it out since they didn't want to air Phil's plug for whoever sponsered the trip, but in the this season it appears Phil only greets the team that finishes last.

 

I think GSN is showing every season. So this is good for those of us who only got into it recently (I started watching halfway through season 6).

 

EDIT: I was mistaken, they're showing the reruns seven days a week.

Edited July 16, 2005 by MDH257

[tommytomlin 0]

Phil Keoghan has the strangest accent in the world. Sometimes he sounds New Zealand-ish, then Australian, then English, then American all in one sentence.

[CanadianChris 0]

OH MY GOD I'M ORDERING GSN RIGHT NOW.

[CanadianChris 0]

The first season was really different in a number of ways:

 

- They used ACTUAL CLUES instead of the "Go here, dumbass" directions they use now for the most part. The Arc de Triomphe clue in the second leg was particularly good.

 

- There were no prizes for winning a leg, presumably because they were on a tighter budget.

 

- They added Phil on the mat for every team starting in the second season, presumably because the greeters were hard to understand when they tried to tell the team what place they finished in. (And probably also because they were handing out prizes, and wanted to do a mini-interview on the mat.)

 

- They've planned the legs so that there's a lot more suspense in later legs in recent seasons, by eliminating the possibility that one team gets out to a gigantic lead and can't be brought back. Spoiler:

In season 1, by the final four, two teams are racing for the big prize, while the other two teams are racing to see who'll come in third. There's a gap of nearly an entire day between the two groups.

 

- Because CBS wasn't trying to dick with the ratings at this point, the teams were a lot more real, and interesting to follow. This trend would continue pretty much until the fourth season, when the pretty people became ubiquitous.

 

- The eating challenges were at least not designed to make someone throw up, at least not by the sheer volume of food. The Hong Kong roadblock, an eating challenge, at least doesn't want to make you turn away in discomfort for the racers.

 

Season 1 was very unique, and is probably my second-favourite season to watch, just because of how different it was to the rest of the races. Season 3 remains my all-time favourite, with season 5 coming in 3rd.

[MDH257 0]

Season One ended last night.

 

For a team that was playting as well as Team Guido, it's almost unimaginalbe how they could make the mistake of sitting on their fast forward lead like they did.

 

Seeing what happens when a team gets so far behind made realize that it's a good thing they arrang it so a wait at an airport or an business to open can even the taems up again. Things seemed incomplete for everyone to be at the finish line in NY, while Team Guido was left in Alaska and never got to cross the finish line.

 

Season 2 starts tonight if anyone cares.

 

BTW here's something I found about season 8.

 

CBS's 'The Amazing Race 8' "family edition" teams racing around only North America?

 

 

By Steve Rogers, 07/13/2005

 

Based on the numerous sightings of Race observers around America, it appears that at least one of the fears that The Amazing Race fans voiced when CBS first announced its plans for a "family edition" that included children has come true -- the eighth edition of worldwide reality adventure competition has been dumbed down (at least geographically.)

 

Last week, Internet message boards began buzzing with claims that The Amazing Race 8 had begun filming. While there had been some vague earlier sighting reports that The Amazing Race 8 had already begun filming (sightings that clearly conflicted with the show's application information that had stated that filming wouldn't begin until after schools closed for the summer), according to the most credible reports, The Amazing Race 8 began its competition in New York City on Thursday, July 7. Although it is unknown exactly where in the city the competition began, at least three families of four were said to have been spotted in a sporting goods store on Broadway.

 

Later that same day, a Pennsylvania eyewitness reported seeing at least six teams re-enact George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River at Washington Crossing State Park. Adding further support to the credibility of the sighting report was New Jersey radio station 101.5FM, which broadcast a traffic advisory informing drivers that Hopewell Township's Washington Crossing Bridge had been closed to traffic due to The Amazing Race filming.

 

While it's not clear exactly where the teams went after that -- various unverified online eyewitness reports include racers being spotted near Washington D.C.'s Vietnam Memorial on Friday, Race host Phil Keoghan and three staffers boarding an United Airlines flight at Washington's Dulles Airport on Saturday, and more filming in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina on Monday -- the Huntsville Times newspaper picked up the show's trail on Monday, July 11.

 

According to a report in Wednesday's Times, two buses -- said to have departed from someplace in South Carolina -- pulled into the parking lot of the Huntsville-Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau in Huntsville, Alabama sometime after midnight on Monday night. Once the buses arrived, somewhere between "eight to ten" teams tumbled out of the buses and into a fleet of GMC Yukon SUV's that they then drove to the area's U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

 

While the Times reported that the Space Center's officials declined the show's request that they sign $10 million confidentiality agreements, most of the center's staff did apparently agree to keep quiet and not publicly comment on the filming. However, luckily for the newspaper, several sources did agree to detail what happened as long as their anonymity was assured.

 

According to the sources, once the teams drove to the Space Center, they participated in two activities -- one that involved riding the center's Aviation Challenge centrifuge astronaut trainer that generates 3-4 G's and another involving racing to the attraction's Rocket Park to collect clues about a computer station exhibit inside the museum. The pit stop location for the Huntsville leg of The Amazing Race 8 also apparently took place in or around the Space Center, after which the remaining teams spent their twelve-hour pit stop break at the Huntsville Marriott hotel. Once the twelve-hour rest periods ended on Tuesday afternoon, the teams reportedly took off for Talladega, Alabama -- a 2-3 hour drive.

 

Although The Amazing Race 8's competition is obviously still in its early stages, the competition's unprecedented decision to spend its first week journeying around the eastern United States (or, if another unverifiable sighting in Toronto is to be believed, the eastern part of North America) would seem to indicate that The Amazing Race's producers have decided to jettison the program's traditional transcontinental around-the-world (or at least mostly around-the-world) race course format. The locations that the teams have visited so far would also appear to add credibility to another The Amazing Race 8 rumor -- that the upcoming "family edition" will be a big summer "field trip" and "family vacation" of sorts, with many of the course's locations being historical or educational in nature.

[keith6601 0]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to see some snobby family with blonde children get offered money for their brats in China.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

As did I. What the hell is this, TLC? Fuck that educational family vacation garbage. I wanted to see the kids begging in Calcutta. I want to see parents freaking out at their children for lagging behind, Jonathan style. I want to see someone fall down a mineshaft, or some brat throwing a tantrum while trying to complete some retarded task (which could very well still happen). How disappointing.

[CanadianChris 0]

Newest spoilers have them heading to Panama, so that's all right.

 

They probably stuck to the US for the first while so that they wouldn't end up with a super-ridiculous price tag for air travel.

 

Seeing what happens when a team gets so far behind made realize that it's a good thing they arrang it so a wait at an airport or an business to open can even the taems up again. Things seemed incomplete for everyone to be at the finish line in NY, while Team Guido was left in Alaska and never got to cross the finish line.

Are you kidding? That's one of the greatest things I've ever seen on TV. A recapper at another site wondered if the production guys just packed up and left them to fend for themselves in Alaska, like, "Bye! Thanks for being on our show!"

 

Bunching may make for an "exciting" finish, but it really screws over the teams that don't make huge mistakes and bleed time in later legs, only to see their lead magically erased (thinking specifically of Uchenna and Joyce last season).

[MDH257 0]

I'm guessing there's a lot of hate for Team Guido out there. Since no one else here seems to be watching the reruns, I haven't been able to get a read on how anyone else felt.

 

Are you kidding? That's one of the greatest things I've ever seen on TV. A recapper at another site wondered if the production guys just packed up and left them to fend for themselves in Alaska, like, "Bye! Thanks for being on our show!"

What I'm saying is that I just felt that leaving Team Guido in Alaska kind made things feel incomplete at the end since not everyone was there at the finish line in N.Y. and farewell wave to the camera.

 

Not to say I was rooting for them. I'm just guessing they were unpopular since they were so cocky, everything seemed to be going there way for a while, and the stunt they pulled at the airport. Though I think it's funny that a lot of people would hate them for that, but would've thought it was great if Rob & Amber had done it.

 

I couldn't believe how lucky they were when they got saved by Nancy & Emily's time penalty (especially because I thought Emily was hot and wanted her to stay in the race). I was dumbfounded as to why Nancy & Emily didn't just go take the bus.

[MDH257 0]

Season 2 ended last night. Boy am I glad Tara & Wil didn't win.

 

Season 3 starts tonight if anyone cares.

[CanadianChris 0]

I'll be watching Season 3 just to see it they changed it to a more satisfying ending.

[starvenger 0]

I'll be watching Season 3 just to see it they changed it to a more satisfying ending.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd be happy if Zack hit Flo with a steel chair and took all the money for himself...

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

The newest season on CBS (4 family members competing on each team, I think is what its supposed to be) starts September 27th.

 

The first Season gets a DVD release next month.

[CanadianChris 0]

Third season finale is tonight.

 

Watching this whole season, I actually didn't mind Ian and Teri nearly as much. And I actually disliked ShutUpFlo MORE, which I didn't think was even possible.

[keith6601 0]

Yeah, Ian and Teri weren't as bad as I thought they would be. I love Ken and Gerard though. They're just too damn funny.

 

The new season can't start soon enough. How long after an episode is aired showing a father berate his son for being a retard and screwing up the family's race do we hear about family services getting involved?

[MDH257 0]

Well, Flo certainly disproved the "quitters never win" theory.

 

Season 4 starts tonight.

[CanadianChris 0]

I never really thought much of Season 4. It was just there.

 

The most memorable thing about it is the most awesome contestant description in the history of reality TV:

 

MILLIE & CHUCK

Dating 12 Years | Virgins

[starvenger 0]

I never really thought much of Season 4.  It was just there.

 

The most memorable thing about it is the most awesome contestant description in the history of reality TV:

 

MILLIE & CHUCK

Dating 12 Years | Virgins

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Season 4 was the Clowns, right? Yeah, not too memorable.

[CanadianChris 0]

Yeah, that was back when CBS was jerking it around, and no one was sure it would survive past that season. Then came the AWESOMENESS that was Colin, and they took off and haven't looked back.

[MDH257 0]

They annouced the families competing on Season 8.

 

 

Family Amazing Race teams revealed.

 

The cast of The Amazing Race 8, the family edition, has been unveiled today. There are just 10 teams racing. As USA TODAY points out, those teams include “two groups of grown-up siblings, a dad with three sons-in-law and a widow with her three teenage kids.” However, “half of the teams have at least one contestant younger than 18, and one Virginia family includes brothers ages 11 and 8.”

 

Casting director Lynne Spillman, who also casts Survivor, says she “was scared” about the concept. “But it was so much better than I ever thought. The people we ended up with were pretty adventurous and excited. From the kids’ point of view, they were ready for anything.”

 

As for rumors of the race being “softened”, they are true. The race travelied just 30,000 miles, less than half of the distance covered by other seasons. And along with “fewer non-elimination episodes,” “more family-friendly, less-crowded locales were chosen,” USA TODAY reports.

 

But creator Bertram van Munster says we shouldn’t hang ourselves yet. He says the challenges and game elements like the yield “are more effective and more frustrating to people than (they’ve) ever been.”

 

 

You can see their pictures and read their bios at the CBS website.

 

Aiello - Mansfield, MA

Father and Three Sons-in-law

Tony, 57; David, 26; Matt, 31; Kevin, 31

 

Black - Woodbridge, VA

Son Kenneth, 11; mom Kim, 40; dad Reggie, 42; son Austin, 8

 

Bransen - Park Ridge, IL

Father and three daughters

Dad Walter, 51; daughters Elizabeth, 25; Lauren, 22; Lindsay, 20

 

Gaghan - Glastonbury, CT

Mom Tammy, 42; daughter Carissa, 9; dad Bill, 40; son Billy, 12

 

Godlewski - Des Plaines, IL

Four Sisters

Tricia, 26; Christine, 37; Sharon, 39; Michelle, 42

 

Linz - Cincinnati, OH

Three broters & Sister

Tommy, 19; Megan, 21; Nick, 24; Alex, 22

 

Paolo - Carmel, NY

Dad Tony, 52; son DJ, 24; mom Marion, 52; son Brian, 16

 

Rogers - Shreveport, LA

Son Brock, 19; daughter Brittney; 22; parents Renee, 42, and Denny, 46

 

Schroeder - New Orleans, LA

Stepmom Char, 39;, daughter Stassi, 16; son Hunter, 14; dad Mark, 40

 

Weaver - Ormond Beach, FL

Widowed Mom and Three Children

Linda, 46; daughters Rachel, 16; Rebecca, 19; son Rolly, 14

[CanadianChris 0]

You know what, I'm actually looking forward to this. It's different, and I respect the fact that they're taking a risk and changing what's been proven to be a winning formula.

 

Here's some more background on the Weavers:

 

http://www.news-journalonline.com/speed/sp...ver/weaver1.htm

[CanadianChris 0]

Entschuldigungen, doppelter Pfosten.

(Sorry, double post.)

[keith6601 0]

The greatest team ever Johnathan and Victoria are on the new Bravo show "Battle of the Network Reality Stars" Let the verbal abuse begin.

[CanadianChris 0]

If by "greatest team ever," you mean "team I would most like to see being slowly roasted on a spit," I agree.

[keith6601 0]

I meant "watch him mouth off to the wrong person and get snapped in half", but yeah your definition works.

[MDH257 0]

What does everyone think of the Fast Forward. I started watching when it only showed up two of three times a season, but in season 4 it's still available in every leg.

 

Which do you guys think is better?

[keith6601 0]

I like it better only being up for grabs on a couple legs. It makes for more teams going for it at once and more exciting. When its on every leg, it's just dull.

[fazzle 0]

No way, it completely needs to go back to being on every leg.

 

When it's on every leg there's actual STRATEGY involved in going for it. Should you use it now? Is it too early in the race? Do you go for it to attempt to get a big lead, or do you go for it in order to just make sure you're not eliminated?

 

Now with only 2 or 3 on the entire race, it's just more along the lines of "Hey, look, a fast forward. Let's go for it."

[starvenger 0]

No way, it completely needs to go back to being on every leg.

 

When it's on every leg there's actual STRATEGY involved in going for it.  Should you use it now?  Is it too early in the race?  Do you go for it to attempt to get a big lead, or do you go for it in order to just make sure you're not eliminated?

 

Now with only 2 or 3 on the entire race, it's just more along the lines of "Hey, look, a fast forward.  Let's go for it."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think either solution is perfect. Put a FF on half the legs, the Yield on the other half, and I think things would be more interesting.

 

Also, I'd like to see a return to having the teams guess where they need to go as opposed to "Go to Mumbai, India". Just my opinion there though.

[keith6601 0]

Also, I'd like to see a return to having the teams guess where they need to go as opposed to "Go to Mumbai, India".  Just my opinion there though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I agree 100%. One of my favorite moments of the entire series is when the only clue they got was the guy showing the taj mahal, and a couple teams had no clue where the hell they were supposed to go.