S35.E01: The Amazing Race Is Back!

[Gummo]

22 minutes ago, aghst said:

There are other airlines which serve this route so there might have been other flights to get more of the teams to Bangkok faster than that second flight.

I don't think they were allowed that option. 

[illdoc]

4 minutes ago, Gummo said:

27 minutes ago, aghst said:

There are other airlines which serve this route so there might have been other flights to get more of the teams to Bangkok faster than that second flight.

I don't think they were allowed that option.

Correct. The clue said: "You may take only one of these two flights". In the past, the first leg usually has 2 or 3 flights that they have to take. In past seasons, there have been times where "due to limited availability" teams are all given tickets on one particular flight "but they don't have to use them" (ie if they can find a better flight they can take it). One time, a team missed a mandatory flight, took the next flight, got a penalty. 

[zapper]

2 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

... Then, during the massage, he said 'stop' after which he stated that he didn't know they would actually stop and that he shouldn't have gone for the theatrical 'stop.' ...

safe
word

 

[eel2178]

20 hours ago, North of Eden said:

 

Too much time spent in LA though but since I'm a Hollywood sign junkie I will forgive it though they should have shown a BW pic of it saying HOLLYWOODLAND.

 

I at least had expected to hear the history behind how it got changed from HOLLYWOODLAND to HOLLYWOOD.

[eel2178]

17 hours ago, Skooma said:

I like alliances at times my favorite being Season 3. . .

Without those alliances you wouldn't have one of the best story arcs and dramatic final three endings in the history of the show.

 

I still think Flo was the least deserving winner of this entire show from start to finish.

[chicagofan]

2 hours ago, eel2178 said:

I still think Flo was the least deserving winner of this entire show from start to finish.

And the impetus for changing the rules on roadblocks so that they have to be evenly split between the teammates.

[Skooma]

19 hours ago, chicagofan said:

And the impetus for changing the rules on roadblocks so that they have to be evenly split between the teammates.

Well not really.  Flo was on Season 3.  The old rules continued through Season 5.

So it was the Season 5 final three where the female member of each of those teams only performed one single RB the whole race that caused the change starting in Season 6.

Edited October 1, 2023 by Skooma

[Netfoot]

I love this show and I'm thrilled that it's back. Even more so that they have promised to go a little more "old-school" during the race. I am truly looking forward to the remainder of the season.

For the most part the challenges were not the sinecures we have seen often in later seasons (except arguably the Lie-on-your-face-for-30-minutes-and-let-someone-tie-your-limbs-in-knots challenge). Which is a good thing. The promise of more self navigation on a global scale with self-booked flights and so forth could be interesting. With no NELs nobody will catch a lucky break when they come last at the mat. This looked like a pretty good episode to me. Given what we have been promised I am seeing the start of a potentially great season.

Having said that, I found it very difficult to become engaged with this episode. Yet despite this this, I found no team especially interesting or likeable nor the reverse. Having watched the entire episode I can't name a single team or the name of a single team member. 

I'm not sure if it was the 13 teams, which might make the first episode difficult to follow, but then it was a longer than usual episode so it probably isn't that. Perhaps it is the absence of heroes or villeins which makes the cast sort of bland and faceless to me? I don't know.

I will watch the following episodes with intense interest and expect to become more immersed in this season from Wednesday coming. 

[lawrbk]

On 9/28/2023 at 1:25 AM, dancingdreamer said:

We really liked all the couples, especially the son whose father was deaf. The tai massage looked great, it hurts a bit, but afterwards it feels like heaven. I'm not sure I could've eaten the bugs for the express pass, especially the spider, but they did well. We just finished AR Canada, now we start this one. Thailand is beautiful with the golden buddha is awesome, I'd love to go.

I’m rooting for Rob and Corey because my hubby’s name is Robert (Bob) and I’m a (female) Kori. 😆 
 

I have fibromyalgia plus, ever since childhood, I’m really sensitive to my skin being rubbed. I need very gentle massages! But I’d suck it up because no way I’m figuring that sword performance. 
 

I got City of Angels right away but I do wordle, quordle, octordle and duotrigordle each night. 😆 But I impressed hubby who got “of”. 😜 

[lawrbk]

On 9/30/2023 at 8:30 PM, eel2178 said:

I still think Flo was the least deserving winner of this entire show from start to finish.

Omg my hubby still talks about flo! 😆 I don’t think he could name another not-already-famous contestant. Side note—she’s either married to or partners with lawyer/analyst/author/media guy Dan Abrams. They’ve been together forever. 

[Netfoot]

Just now, lawrbk said:

Omg my hubby still talks about flo!

I love Flo!

She was the most entitled racer ever and absolutely horrible to her race partner. But unlike many horrible racers since her, she always owned her bad behaviour without denial, offering only her youth as an explanation. And Zach has always said that she was an absolute wizard at interacting with people and getting them to assist in their race. He mentions airports and travel agents in particular.

[iMonrey]

I've never seen the infamous Flo season. Does anyone know if it's streaming anywhere?

[Skooma]

8 hours ago, Netfoot said:

I love Flo!

She was the most entitled racer ever and absolutely horrible to her race partner. But unlike many horrible racers since her, she always owned her bad behaviour without denial, offering only her youth as an explanation. And Zach has always said that she was an absolute wizard at interacting with people and getting them to assist in their race. He mentions airports and travel agents in particular.

I totally agree.  She didn't try to spin what she did.  Zach was right, she just is high maintenance.  She freaked out but she wasn't mean to anyone when in calm mode and wasn't prejudiced like KKkendra in Season 6.  And hey lots of us conferred sainthood on Zach for dealing with and carrying her through the race so he got that too. 😇

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I've never seen the infamous Flo season. Does anyone know if it's streaming anywhere?

Season 3 should be available one way or the other whether streaming or other (cough) ways.  I got my 4 fav seasons (1-2-3 and 5) from Amazon some years ago too.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Skooma

[illdoc]

All seasons of TAR are on Paramount+ (that's where I'm rewatching them--just finish #19, skipped #8 (the family one)). Seasons 5 (Myrna & Shmyrna) and 7 (Rob & Amber) are on Netflix. I think I read somewhere that Season 22 is/will be on Hulu. One of the fun things about rewatching is noticing how the non-elimination has progressed. First there was no penalty, then Phil stole their money, then Phil stole their money and possessions, then there was "marked for elimination" (if the team was first the next leg no problem. if not, 30 min time penalty), then finally the speed bump. There are things that have come and gone (yield, intersection, hazard, fast forward).

[Ilovepie]

On 9/29/2023 at 2:14 PM, Shrek said:

All that to say I doubt very much there will be the scramble for tickets on lots of different flights via lots of different routes at varying times like in the old days, which was always fun to watch.

Honestly my favorite part of the old seasons and now that piece of the drama is gone. Oh well, at least there is still self driving to keep me entertained.

I really hate puzzles that allow answer sharing, almost as much as I hate alliances on this show. Just run your own race! And I am glad I wasn't the only one who kept thinking "Isle of.....something".....I didn't pause the tv long enough to figure it out properly.

Loving Deaf Dad and Son, and Anna Leigh was a beast on that tightrope. Everyone else is still a jumble for me. I would have "express passed" on that bug eating. That last jumbo one with all the legs was creeping me out through my tv just sitting on the plate. There is no way I would even touch that thing let alone shove it in my mouth!

[aemom]

On 9/30/2023 at 12:26 AM, Stardancer Supreme said:

Morgan & Lena are the MVPs of this episode because I wouldn't have eaten the bugs or the spider!  I don't do bugs, alive or fried, but I am definitely a huge arachnophobe. Eat the fried tarantula? Aw Hell Naw.  I would have told my partner, "We don't need that Express Pass. Eff that."

Same here!

Would I do it for the million dollars - I would sure as hell try.

But for an Express Pass - hell no!

Edited October 3, 2023 by aemom
Editor went a little nuts

[hatchetgirl]

On 9/27/2023 at 9:58 PM, 30 Helens said:

The massage challenge seemed like the obvious choice. It may hurt, but they’re not going to injure you, and the timeframe is fixed.

I got a massage like this once - not as drastic, but I was too sore to do anything the next day.  it was really really bad.  

Editing to add:  I probably could eat the smaller bugs, but not the larva.  nope nope nope.  And having my partner gagging next to me would cause me to LOSE IT!  My gag reflex is terrible.  Shudder.  

I'm glad the brother and sister are gone.  My IL's are like that "what would you like to do?" "I don't know - what would you like to do?" and it takes FOREVER to decide anything.  They were getting on my nerves.

The sword dance is basically 4 counts of 8, so I think I could have done it easy peasy.  The hubby, maybe not.  LOL

I totally miss the travel agents, desk agents, getting tickets stuff!  That was my favorite.

Edited October 5, 2023 by hatchetgirl

[Ducky]

Coming here a bit late-- just wanted to comment on two things..

1.  No idea if Luke did or did not have an interpreter if he or his mom had to do a task apart from the other but if he did TAR likely kept the interpreter off screen. First time I've seen an interpreter shown (I wonder if TAR/CBS directly hired him and in past only hired 'terps on contract... )

2.  As already noted- no Rob is not mugging for the camera (on purpose or not)- Facial and body expression is a BIG part of ASL and visual communication with the Deaf. 

3.  Somebody noted that  because Rob could voice, he may have lost his hearing as a child.  Maybe but I've known quite a few Deaf people born deaf who could voice very well and very clearly (with or without Hearing aids/Cochlear implants)- me being one of them.  Luke if i recall could voice somewhat but not as well.  So not sure on Rob's background- it seems like he attended (and later work at) CA school for the Deaf at Riverside.

 

And.. happy to see TAR back.  So far most of the teams I like.  Rob/Cory, Ian/Joe, Andrea/Malalia(sp?), John/Greg, Victor/Jocelyn.  Rest I'm luke warm on for now.  Don't care much for Todd or Ashleigh  Anna Leigh (managed to mash Anna Leigh and Aslie together).  

Edited October 29, 2023 by Ducky
wrong name... oops