Photo Credit : CBS
There’s a reason that “The Amazing Race” has racked up so many Emmy wins. The show is exciting – the editing is relentless, and there is never a dull moment, especially in the early weeks when you have so many teams racing at once.
By : SHAWNA BENSON
There’s a reason that “The Amazing Race” has racked up so many Emmy wins. The show is exciting – the editing is relentless, and there is never a dull moment, especially in the early weeks when you have so many teams racing at once. Each season viewers find “their team,” the one they will cheer on as the race speeds forward, and they share in the frustration and agony when a team comes up short, just as much as they celebrate with the winner.
One of the reasons that the reunion shows appeal so much is that there is always that hero or villain that longtime viewers would love to see again. In the case of “The Amazing Race” these are a few teams that came so close, whether it was to winning it all or just moving on to the next leg of the race, but their dreams were shattered by an unlucky twist of fate, fatigue or worse.
Photo Credit : CBS
Beginning Sunday, “The Amazing Race” returns with 11 former teams from previous seasons who are given a second chance at winning $1 million. This is the first time that the show has been broadcast in HD, and beauty of many of the locations featured in the show will never look quite so stunning (or, perhaps as dirty) as they do in such vivid detail. The show kicks off to an exciting start, full of twists both planned (and unplanned) which befall the contestants as they race to their first destination, somewhere in Australia.
Host Phil Keoghan meets the teams and gives them the good news and the bad. The good news, besides that they are about to start racing around the world for a million bucks, is that whoever is first to arrive at the Pit Stop, will receive a very valuable prize. The bad news is that in order to get their first clue, they have to complete a challenge right there on the spot to move on. The team who completes that very first challenge last will already face a penalty.
The tension that is created by the rewards and punishments that get doled out over the course of the race add just one more level to the pressure the teams feel from the race itself, solving the challenges, and just keeping their wits about them. The teams here are all keenly aware of what they are about to encounter, having done this once before, and every team has a determination to make up for what ever held them back the first time around.
If you haven’t watched any or all of the previous seasons from which these teams were selected, it really doesn’t matter. These are the teams that made an impact with viewers either because of their backstories, their personalities and their trials and triumphs throughout the race. If you are familiar with some of the teams already, it will probably set up some interesting questions – Can Zev and Justin redeem themselves for losing a passport and knocking themselves out so early in the Season 15 race? There are five teams returning from Season 14, which should make for some interesting enemies and alliances, considering their familiarity with each other.
Based on the premiere, it’s not only apparent why the show is so appealing and critically adored, but that it will continue to be a source of fascinating interpersonal relationships, competition and travelogue.
“The Amazing Race: Unfinished Business” premieres on CBS Sunday February 20 at 8 PM ET/PT
