S28.E01: I Should've Been A Boy Scout

[AndreaK1041]

The only one I know is Tyler Oakley and not because of his videos. He's by far the one with the largest visibility outside his core fanbase

Same for me. I would recognize him in an airport, but I don't think I had ever actually heard him talk. I found him surprisingly charming and understated. My only previous experience with internet "stars" on TV was Frankie on Big Brother and that went very, very poorly, but Tyler seems to be quite nice so far.

[Kromm]

Same for me. I would recognize him in an airport, but I don't think I had ever actually heard him talk. I found him surprisingly charming and understated. My only previous experience with internet "stars" on TV was Frankie on Big Brother and that went very, very poorly, but Tyler seems to be quite nice so far.

Well Frankie's stardom isn't based as much on social media as it is on reflected fame from Ariana (who we've since learned since Frankie was on TV is also kind of a scumbag--remember the donut licking incident?)

[RCharter]

Well Frankie's stardom isn't based as much on social media as it is on reflected fame from Ariana (who we've since learned since Frankie was on TV is also kind of a scumbag--remember the donut licking incident?)

apparently he and his sister are designing a unisex fragrance.  I don't understand the appeal of either of them.

[henripootel]

He has won two Streamy awards (YouTube awards) and has been nominated for two others.

Cheese and crackers, they have awards for this?  Count me in with those who said they don't care who they are or what they do when they're not on AR.  I don't hold it against them but I also don't care, and here, they're almost entirely insufferable.

I've been a fan since season 1.  Watched the introductions this episode then turned it off.  I'll check out season 29.

 

I kept hitting the thumbs up but it wouldn't let me upvote this more than once.  Much as I enjoy the location shots, constant naked self-promotion bores me.  See you guys next season.

[zizzy]

Having said all of the above, most of this season's cast on TAR do not really fall into the most successful category.  Tyler Oakley might, but most of the rest have much more modest claims to on-line success.  I'm not surprised, because taking months off to run the race can represent a huge loss in potential income. Plus the most successful already well established social media personalities don't necessarily need the publicity.  With multiple appearances on the daytime and nighttime talk shows on their resumes,TAR might not seem quite so valuable as promotional tool.  For instance, take someone like Ingrid Nilson.  During about the time the race was being filmed, she was busy making YouTube videos of herself interviewing the likes of President Obama and Shay Mitchell.  It will be interesting to see what effects TAR has on the careers of some of these lesser known racers.

That would explain this cast a little bit--at least for me. I was really sort of baffled when everyone was announced. I thought they'd be able to pull in some more recognizable people--heck, in the case of Rooster Teeth, some more recognizable people from the same company. But the time away was probably a big deterrent to some people.  If you have a smaller audience (or a one-hit viral video) you're more likely to risk the time off for some bigger exposure. Makes sense.

 

It also suddenly makes Burnie and Ashley make way more sense. There are bigger personalities at Rooster Teeth that might have been more recognizable, but the two of them are probably more easily replaced in terms of content production (plus, they seem like fans of the show). Ashley has a co-host that covered during her absence (plus the company's LA branch). Burnie is more behind the scenes as CCO, and the only thing he regularly appears in is their weekly podcast, so they just pulled in a few of their other 100+ employees to fill-in for the three weeks.

[J-Man]

 

I love this show but casting teams which are practically the same age removes an important component of what makes this show great -- diverse people in terms of age, nationality, lifestyle -- are thrown into a race that will expose them to different cultures and settings and test their physical endurance.

"Nationality?" As far as I know, all contestants have to be American citizens. 

[Maverick]

I know it's early in the race, but these people are killing me.  Mom and son who BOTH cried need to go.  First. 

 

 Douche Bro-die first.  Then Team Flood the Earth.

[legaleagle53]

"Nationality?" As far as I know, all contestants have to be American citizens. 

 

I believe the poster meant "ethnicity," not actual citizenship.

 

This is going to be an interesting season, although I admit that I lost count of how many times I rolled my eyes during the leg.  And yes, "Cielito Lindo" is now stuck in my head for the next few days.  I also have this inexplicable craving for some Mexican food.

[TheFinalRose]

I believe the poster meant "ethnicity," not actual citizenship.

 

 

 

Yeah, sure, but most people say "what's your nationality?" and expect to hear "I'm half Irish" or "I'm Greek," not "I'm American."  That's how I'm using it. But what do I know?  I didn't go to Harvard.

 

 

My brother attended Harvard, and when I visited him there, it surprised me how truly humble and down to earth the people were.  I'm not sure if its the same at all the Ivies but I know I was surprised.  When we attended his graduation, I damn near bought every single cute shirt in the Coop but I don't think my brother has one solitary item of clothing from Harvard.

 

 

 

RCharter your brother and my hubby must be two of a kind! In fact, some of my husband's sibs went to Harvard too but I have never seen anyone in their family ever wear a piece of Harvard clothing. A friend of the family says it's the H-word, something no one ever talks about. 

[Kromm]

Cheese and crackers, they have awards for this?  Count me in with those who said they don't care who they are or what they do when they're not on AR.  I don't hold it against them but I also don't care, and here, they're almost entirely insufferable.

Okay, but if you think about it, pretty much ALL awards started out this same way, with the possible exception of the really vintage ones done by professional associations (like the Oscars & Emmys) or other prestigious bodies (like how the Golden Globes come from the FPA). But what's an MTV award? A People's Choice Award?  A Teen Choice Award? Essentially the same thing as a YouTube Streamy, if we're being completely honest.

[oakLeaf]

Cheese and crackers, they have awards for this?

That reminds me of one of my favorite Portlandia clips where the mayor awards himself the best city website award.

 

[needschocolate]

There was no prize for finishing the leg first.  I don't remember Phil telling the last place team that they would have to do a Speedbump sometime during the next leg (please correct me if I mis-remembered).

 

If there is no speedbump and there was no prize, then is this an NEL or a TBC leg?

[Kromm]

That reminds me of one of my favorite Portlandia clips where the mayor awards himself the best city website award.

I'm struggling with the problem people have with this. YouTube doesn't make the videos. They host them. This is in most ways identical to MTV holding awards for the videos that played on their channel. Were you folks as down on that when that was a thing?

Edited February 15, 2016 by Kromm

[oakLeaf]

I was commenting on the comment - not on the awards themselves. The comment just struck me as funny.

Edited February 15, 2016 by oakLeaf

[ItsJessMe]

Yeah, sure, but most people say "what's your nationality?" and expect to hear "I'm half Irish" or "I'm Greek," not "I'm American."  That's how I'm using it. But what do I know?  I didn't go to Harvard.

 

 

 

RCharter your brother and my hubby must be two of a kind! In fact, some of my husband's sibs went to Harvard too but I have never seen anyone in their family ever wear a piece of Harvard clothing. A friend of the family says it's the H-word, something no one ever talks about. 

Well, I  went to Harvard as did both of my sisters and my husband, both of my parents and my grandfather, and my husband's mother.  And I wear plenty of Harvard clothing because I feel strongly that I shouldn't have to behave differently because I went there than I would if I went to any other school.  To me, deliberately NOT wearing a Harvard t-shirt to go for a run in if I'd have comfortably worn a UMichigan or Bennington t-shirt if I went there is kind of a reverse snobbery (I'm not saying that's what your families are doing, promise!  Just for me I went through a real struggle of wanting to wear it simply because everyone around me wears their college clothing and i finally decided it was something I was  comfortable doing).  That was around the time when I stopped answering "in Boston" to "where did you go to college?".  Just felt like game-playing to me.  But I agree that most people I met there are humble and down to earth and really nice.  In fact, my college class has a facebook page we started around our 25th reunion and it is the most open, supportive, warm community I could imagine. 

 

And I'd never heard of any of these contestants but I appreciate the medium of the internet and what it can do to create connections and communities, even though I find some of it (and the contestants) pretty silly.

[henripootel]

But what's an MTV award? A People's Choice Award?  A Teen Choice Award? Essentially the same thing as a YouTube Streamy, if we're being completely honest.

 

I've never watched any of these award shows and hold a fairly low opinion of such nonsense.  They are, to my understanding, 100% marketing, which is pretty much my problem with these youtube 'celebs'.  Who am I to argue with people making a living but these folks seem to me to be small-time 'celebrities', famous for being famous.  Marketing has its place to be sure but people relentlessly just marketing themselves, it's just not my thing.  

[biakbiak]

That was around the time when I stopped answering "in Boston" to "where did you go to college?". Just felt like game-playing to me.

I hate "in Boston" so much. It makes me want to walk away from the conversation.

Speedbump sometime during the next leg (please correct me if I mis-remembered).

Phil didn't mention it but I believe the daughter did mention having to do one.

[oakLeaf]

Regarding "in Boston," Slate did an article about that

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/05/30/harvard_grads_say_i_went_to_college_in_boston_and_call_it_the_h_bomb_get.html

[Rick Kitchen]

 

Cheese and crackers, they have awards for this?  Count me in with those who said they don't care who they are or what they do when they're not on AR.  I don't hold it against them but I also don't care, and here, they're almost entirely insufferable.

 

I was commenting on all of the hate for people just because nobody knows who they are.  Or at least claim they don't know who they are.  And are proud of that fact.  As if they would be hating total unknowns.  Whether you hate it not, they are popular to a segment of the population of the country, and I have a right to comment on that.  I'm getting fed up with the shade being thrown my way here.

[Netfoot]

I just heard that Elizabeth McCord might be a contestant in the next season!  Which I would consider an improvement over the current band of YouTubers who seem intent only on blowing their own trumpets.

[LotusFlower]

 I am just completely at a loss to understand why there is so much hatred towards people that nobody on here knows.

 

What surprises me is how much people hate the new cast after just one episode!  That tells me it's their profession, not them personally (yet).  Hey, it took me a good half-season to learn to hate Justin!

 

But seriously, I think the forum probably skews older? (raises hand, so I hope no one takes offense!)  So there's a lot of shaking of heads and rolling of eyes over a New World.

[Kromm]

I'm old as dust and I don't get the insta-anger at this cast either. There are a few scumbag hipster millennials mixed in there for sure, but it didn't seem to be all of them, and the mere fact that they're on social media doesn't (to me at least) indicate they're all worthless.  They seem to have cast a lot of different type of social media people (some who I don't consider "successful" at all--but that actually doesn't hurt my estimation of their character). 

 

To be clear I do consider a lot of social media as about people being obsessed with themselves. But I personally attribute that FAR more to jackholes who tweet or facebook or instagram or snapchat their every thought or action, like anyone else in the world should give a shit. Whereas I consider good ol' video making to be a slightly less creepy/self-obsessed activity. You actually have to organize your thoughts, have a theme, perform, be aware of logistics and content, know how to edit, etc.  Whereas the twits and similar folks can waste our time informing us "I just had a bagel #bagelsrule #yum!!!!"  I can admire people who make actual coherent content though. I consider that a genuine creative endeavor, and it's a shame it's so easily dissed. I mean IMO that scorn should be saved for the other types I just described. 

 

I certainly won't get off my high horse about the Instagram Models though. Blech. I can see the profit motive for it, but it certainly doesn't require the kind of work or creativity someone like Tyler Oakley puts into videos. Or like I said elsewhere, the Clevver News girls are doing an actual real Entertainment news job--the CONTENT at Clevver is putrid and dumb as shit, but the actual process of being an on-air reporter/anchor isn't inherently any easier if you're shooting for YouTube vs. for Entertainment Tonight.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Kromm

[oakLeaf]

Personally I don't dislike this cast because they're famous. I dislike them because, as a group, they don't seem like good racers. They are stunt casting. I don't see any students of the game or people excited to see the world. I see people excited only to see other celebrities, have strangers recognize them, and crying to leave their homes. I miss seeing people with real relationships (a reason I also did not like the blind date season) as racers. I miss seeing people with different types of relationships. I miss seeing people with different jobs and history. I miss seeing different (but reasonable - yelling "who's fake playing" isn't an approach) approaches to problems. I miss seeing ordinary people representing all of us ordinary people getting to do something Amazing and appreciating the experience. Maybe what I dislike about this season is just all of the things it's not.

 

And reality TV is deliberately made to have its audience either love or hate its stars. Apathy kills reality shows. I have had insta-love and insta-hate on nearly every show I've watched. A few times, I've reversed my opinion - sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. For example, I was prepared to love Justin because of his super fandom, but after crying at the first FF (or whenever something wasn't slightly going his way) and acting a complete douche when he was on top, it put him up with Brenden/Rachel and Jonathan (of Jonathan/Victoria) as my all time hated contestants.

 

Stunt casting can occasionally be okay, but usually if you have to resort to tricks like that, you've lost the essence of a show - especially when the stunt becomes the ENTIRE show.

 

Obviously CBS must need to appeal to a younger demographic for numbers reasons, and if turning to stunt casting gets them what they want, then good on them. But that's not the show I fell in love with. Sure, I'm an old fart wallowing in nostalgia for the good old days of my show, and I'm sure CBS won't miss me (just like they didn't miss me on the Brenchal seasons). But that doesn't mean I won't express my feelings in the tiny hopes that someone at the networks will listen and put my show back together again.

 

ETA: My memory isn't what it used to be, but I think it took until season 5 before "famous" people were put into The Amazing Race as stunt casting.

Edited February 15, 2016 by oakLeaf

[biakbiak]

I dislike them because, as a group, they don't seem like good racers

They have ran one leg. A few people made stupid mistakes but that happens every season and particularly in the first episode because of nerves and excitement.

I am curious if there a will be less physical challenges this year because none of them seem super fit, including the Frisbee team.

[Anati]

I've been a long time fan of this show, and have been inspired to make an account here to address some of the vitriol. How on earth are people coming to so many conclusions based on one episode? It's obvious that people have a lot of preconceived notions about digital media, and are looking for ways to confirm them.

Personally I don't dislike this cast because they're famous. I dislike them because, as a group, they don't seem like good racers. They are stunt casting. I don't see any students of the game or people excited to see the world. I see people excited only to see other celebrities, have strangers recognize them, and crying to leave their homes. I miss seeing people with real relationships (a reason I also did not like the blind date season) as racers. I miss seeing people with different types of relationships. I miss seeing people with different jobs and history. I miss seeing different (but reasonable - yelling "who's fake playing" isn't an approach) approaches to problems. I miss seeing ordinary people representing all of us ordinary people getting to do something Amazing and appreciating the experience. Maybe what I dislike about this season is just all of the things it's not.

 

 

You don't see people excited to see the world? Everyone, with the possible exception of Sheri/Cole, seemed super excited when the race started to me. Certainly, no less excited than any previous season I've seen. If you look at their pre-race info and interviews, they all talk about how excited they are to experience new places, new cultures and have an adventure.

 

You don't see people with real relationships? I see a mother/daughter, father/daughter, mother/son, brothers, newlyweds, engaged-for-years-but-no-wedding-date-in-sight couple, dating three years, 2x female best friends and 2x male best friends. Do you think that having a youtube channel somehow invalidates these genuine relationships? Somehow I don't think having one viral video has changed Hagan and Marty's mother/daughter relationship. A vine account doesn't stop people from being brothers, and having all that love and pent-up rivalry that normal siblings have.  

 

People with different jobs and histories? There is a flight attendant, OBGYN, professional dance choreographers, news hosts, a gamer couple (one of whom started one of the biggest online entertainment companies and ran it as CEO for many years), models (boring, but hardly unique to this particular season). Even people with the same job title can have very different backgrounds. Cole and the brothers are "viners", but I'm not sure that the hyper emotional mother/son from Alabama have much in common with Cameron and Darius who seemed to run the first leg in a much more cool, calm and collected fashion.

Edited February 15, 2016 by Anati

[jhlipton]

I hope we're going to have team nicknames soon because I won't be able to keep these people straight based solely on the Twitter handles.
 

I know it's early in the race, but these people are killing me.  Mom and son who BOTH cried need to go.  First. 
 
The mugging for the camera is going to be relentless.

 

It's better than what I thought it would be.
 

I'm going to look up the "Vine Magician," but I'm not compelled to seek out anybody else . . . 

 
 

I actually thought that the "Vine Magician" was some other guy -- the clips they showed were not his best work. 

 

It's kind of funny -- "TV Grim Reaper" (who used to be the "Cancellation Bear") is still stuck in the "Nielsen's are all that matters" mind-set.  DVRs made regular llive advertising fairly obsolete and streaming is becoming the way to go.  Premium cable is as based on subscriptions as Hulu or Amazon Prime, so it will stick around for a while.  Add to that that streaming video doesn't have to be Closed Captioned, which is another big advantage.

[RCharter]

Well, I  went to Harvard as did both of my sisters and my husband, both of my parents and my grandfather, and my husband's mother.  And I wear plenty of Harvard clothing because I feel strongly that I shouldn't have to behave differently because I went there than I would if I went to any other school.  To me, deliberately NOT wearing a Harvard t-shirt to go for a run in if I'd have comfortably worn a UMichigan or Bennington t-shirt if I went there is kind of a reverse snobbery (I'm not saying that's what your families are doing, promise!  Just for me I went through a real struggle of wanting to wear it simply because everyone around me wears their college clothing and i finally decided it was something I was  comfortable doing).  That was around the time when I stopped answering "in Boston" to "where did you go to college?".  Just felt like game-playing to me.  But I agree that most people I met there are humble and down to earth and really nice.  In fact, my college class has a facebook page we started around our 25th reunion and it is the most open, supportive, warm community I could imagine. 

 

And I'd never heard of any of these contestants but I appreciate the medium of the internet and what it can do to create connections and communities, even though I find some of it (and the contestants) pretty silly.

I think people are fine either way.  

 

But honestly, I've never met anyone from an Ivy who has really put it out there unless asked.  I've never associated it with reverse snobbery, I've always more associated it with the fact that people that smart have nothing to prove to anyone.  They don't need a shirt from their school to advertise their intellect.  Its that quiet confidence that I admire.  But I've always been of the opinion that that has come naturally to them, and its not something that they force themselves to do.  That's just the impression I've gotten from the people I've met.  

 

And for my money, I don't think honest humility will ever really strike me as reverse snobbery.  But then again, every single person I've known would tell you where they went to school, I think it might be a little patronizing to actively hide where you went to school if someone is asking. 

 

And I'm not saying that people who wear branded shirts from their school are trying to prove something.  Maybe they just like the shirt.  But I know that most people I've met from Ivies don't, and they have that quiet humility laced with confidence in their intelligence.  Its something that I greatly admire.

Edited February 15, 2016 by RCharter

[RCharter]

I was commenting on all of the hate for people just because nobody knows who they are.  Or at least claim they don't know who they are.  And are proud of that fact.  As if they would be hating total unknowns.  Whether you hate it not, they are popular to a segment of the population of the country, and I have a right to comment on that.  I'm getting fed up with the shade being thrown my way here.

I was ready to hate this season for the fact that these were all "social media stars," but I think its gotten off to a pretty reasonable start.  I thought the mugging was going to be way, way, way worse.  Everyone looking to catch a TV deal by showing how "cool" they are, but it hasn't been that bad.  There is certainly nothing wrong with knowing who these people are, I'm the first to admit that I don't have cable so I watch  things on YouTube.

 

 I watched Celebrity Apprentice and that show has to have even less famous people doing 10x the amount of mugging for the camera.   I personally didn't realize it took so much effort to do YouTube, I assumed it was sort of a second job for everyone who did it.    

[MRMO]

This is the worst start ever to a season. Loud and obnoxious teams along with a ramped up production music soundtrack. If the next episode is this bad...I'm out for the season.

[Netfoot]

What surprises me is how much people hate the new cast after just one episode!  That tells me it's their profession, not them personally (yet).  Hey, it took me a good half-season to learn to hate Justin!

 

I disliked Justin from episode #1, when he was blubbering away in Rio de Janeiro, because he'd lost his chance to be a star.  (And because of that assy hat.)  I disliked The Hippies from episode #1 because it was obvious they were there to show the world how wonderful they were.  I dislike the teams on this season from episode #1 because by definition, they think they are global leaders in Coolness and Me.

 

I don't personally have anything against YTers as a whole.  In fact there are some that I genuinely revere.  I just don't have much respect for the YTer who gets a friend to video him as he dives head-first into an empty swimming pool because he thinks it's funny and kewl.  And who, as the ambulance carries him away for cranial reconstruction, is calling out "How many hits did I get?"  And unfortunately, that is the segment of YT that TPTB have recruited from, this season.  By their own admission, and according to their own advertising.

 

Now, what I hope happens, is that at least some of these teams lose sight of the fact that they are "social media stars".  Because then, perhaps, they will stop shrieking at the top of their lungs, while jumping up and down and waving their arms to attract the attention of the cameras ("WHO IS FAKE PLAYING?"), and start racing.  Perhaps when the first few teams go home and the fatigue starts to hit the rest, this will happen.  If it does, we might find that underneath it all there is the usual mix of nice and nasty, the normal percentage of assholes and angels, the good racers and the bad.  Then we can settle back and watch the race as usual.  What I'm afraid will happen, is that these people won't be able to put aside the fact that they are "social media influencers" and continue to act like the poseurs they really are, for the entire length of the season.  That will get old fast.

[mtlchick]

I see it as this.  I was thrilled when Jonathan from NKOTB showed up 2 seasons ago, even though many people were like "What? Him? NKOTB STILL TOUR?! WHAT WORLD AM I LIVING IN?!"

 

Do I know who Tyler Oakley is before this season? No.  But I'm guessing a lot more people know who he is compared to Jonathan.  I'm too old to watch the Teen Choice Awards, the MTV awards evolved way past "a celebration" of  music videos now  and stuff like the Streamys and Webbys are here reflect the online society.  Much like we have Youtube/Vine "celebrities" now appearing on Dancing With The Stars.  It's about broadening appeal and to an aging show like this, it needs to keep its appeal especially when it's on a night that the young folk isn't watching.  And if people who have millions of people following his lead on social media are going to check out the show, then I'm ok with it so long they turn out to be competent racers.

[Netfoot]

It's about broadening appeal and to an aging show like this, it needs to keep its appeal especially when it's on a night that the young folk isn't watching.  And if people who have millions of people following his lead on social media are going to check out the show, then I'm ok with it so long they turn out to be competent racers.

 

All of which I'm fine with.  The icing on the cake would be if these people also weren't obnoxious.  Maybe only obnoxious, self-absorbed people get the celebrity status that TPTB need to advance their own goals for TAR?  It would be a pity if that were true.

[peachmangosteen]

I'm willing to cut everyone a little slack on all the self-advertising and horn tooting in this ep because I have no doubt they were being asked to do that by Production. If Bernie and Ashley mention how they have the biggest gaming youtube of all time (or whatever) in every ep then maybe I'll be annoyed. 

 

I was set to hate Tyler Oakley because most of the people I know online really hate him (I believe he's said/done some pretty racist things), but he was fine in this ep, I thought.

 

I'm not someone who looks down at social media so that alone won't make me hate this season. If I end up hating it it'll be because there are too many assholes or too many boring people, which happens on seasons with total regular everyday people as well.

 

ETA: Oh I also wanted to say that I didn't think there were really too many people who came off completely obnoxious and/or self-absorbed in this ep. The one Frisbee guy, the son with the crying mom, and the models were the only ones who did imo. And that doesn't strike me as a lot more than in any other season. Hell, it's probably less than in some seasons!

Edited February 15, 2016 by peachmangosteen

[Mreid]

I really enjoyed the premiere, its so nice to watch the amazing race and not worry about Justin and Diana coming in first place lol.  The only team that really annoyed me were Sheri and Cole with the non stop crying that was  a bit much but I liked everyone else. It was nice to see them race in Mexico City, they havent been there since season 3! And I like how they started off racing from home rather than the starting line that was cool. I think this season has great potential. 

[henripootel]

Personally I don't dislike this cast because they're famous.

 

I think I've misunderstood the issue here - who hates these guys because they're famous?  Has anyone said they dislike these guys because they find social media activity wholly unworthy?  These all seem like separate issues, and relevant only as it shapes how these players conduct themselves on the show.  I don't see the source of the acrimony here.  

[needschocolate]

I think there has always been a tendency for a lot of posters to have an instant dislike for anyone who is "stunt casted" - the Globetrotters, Rob & Amber, the girl whose arm was bitten off by a shark, also suffered from this. Sometimes they win viewers over, sometimes they don't. There is a notion that people who are casted aren't as big of fans and won't race as well, leading to a boring season (people on the Survivor boards are also against people being casted, rather than applying).  The reality is that there are probably more teams casted that viewers realize, but since they aren't "famous" viewers don't know about them.   

 

I was leery about this season for a few reasons.  One, because I feared that anyone who needs to do a lot of self promoting had a higher chance of being as obnoxious as Justin last season.  I didn't expect them all to be obnoxious, but one Justin was bad enough, I didn't want 3 or 4 or more of them.  I would have felt the same way if it were a season made up of all radio deejays or all news reporters.   Plus, the theme seasons - family edition, blind date edition, etc - haven't been my favorites.  This was definitely promoted as a theme season.  Also, I am really get tired of shows trying to be cool by forcing social media - taking up a chunk of the screen to show what #lovespuppies47 thinks of some contestant.  If I want to know the opinions of strangers, I would go to Twitter myself or, my preferred method, read these forums.   Since this was marketed as the social media season, I was leery, but they aren't running strangers' opinions on the bottom of the screen, so that fear was probably unfounded.  

 

Because I was a little leery, I didn't get my hopes up and didn't let myself get too excited about this season. That isn't necessarily a bad thing (it's worse to look forward to something and then be let down).  I am glad to say that, after only one episode, I only found one person (frisbee guy - Brody?) that I fear will annoy me until he leaves.  However, based on past history, there will probably be more - there are always a few.

 

Then again, the ones who usually annoy me most are the bickering couples, the whiners, and the ones who yell at or are otherwise mean to their partners.  The good news is that this group may be enough camera aware that they keep that behavior in check.  So, this season may end up being the least annoying of all.  

Edited February 15, 2016 by needschocolate

[piequinn35]

Glad TAR is back, I like the magic video tandem :D

[Stinamaia]

I know nothing about social media stars. The only show I watch on You Tube is The Skating Lesson. Sometimes I see something that is linked.

That said, I'm fine with the cast. I only care about how they perform on the show. So far, no one is as obnoxious as Justin, who made the show unwatchable for me, so, I'm ok with that. The cast members don't seem to be anymore attention seeking than any other cast. Honestly, at this point, I really don't know anyone and can't keep the teams straight. It happens every year.

I have heard the locations this year are great and that's part of the reason I watch the show.

[tenativelyyours]

Is this funny?  Because my husband graduated from Harvard .... but our kids didn't. Cue hilarious laughter.  Probably because having been to the school, Mr. Final Rose was not impressed enough by his experience to sacrifice our children's childhoods on the altar of "getting into Harvard" one day. And thank god he felt like that, because the era in which he got admitted to the school was 180 degrees different from today's admissions rat race. My kids are lucky their dad was a balanced, humble guy who let them choose their own paths in life and not pressure them to repeat his path. They are pretty fabulous kids, each talented in their own way, and no one has ever called them "the kids whose dad went to Harvard ... but they didn't."  

 

I think that Darius and Cameron Benson, (their real names) are doing just fine despite having missed out on Harvard.  

 

 

Yes.  This fourth generation of Harvard grads thought and still thinks it was fucking hilarious. 

[kingshearte]

I came into this pretty skeptical, but trying to keep an open mind. I would say that my mindset was fairly similar to the one I started the blind date season with. And I didn't actually end up hating that season at all. I'm saying this in support of the idea that one can come in with pre-conceived notions and still be open enough to appreciate something despite misgivings.

 

Because my impressions after this first episode are not good. I think there are a few teams that I might like, but I just felt like there was a lot of manic screeching in that first episode. Some of the editing (not the racers' fault, obviously) didn't help matters. But I found myself sitting there kind of cringing through most of the episode, and feeling like getting through this season could be a slog. Am I judging them over-harshly because they're social media personalities? Maybe. Is my brain amplifying that perceived hyper screechiness because that's what I expected? Maybe.

 

I'm not giving up on it yet, though, and I'm hoping that once the excitement of the beginning wears off a bit and they start to get tired, maybesome of them will dial it back a little, and this will all be OK. But I'm still nervous about this season.

[Rick Kitchen]

 

I just don't have much respect for the YTer who gets a friend to video him as he dives head-first into an empty swimming pool because he thinks it's funny and kewl.  And who, as the ambulance carries him away for cranial reconstruction, is calling out "How many hits did I get?"  And unfortunately, that is the segment of YT that TPTB have recruited from, this season.  By their own admission, and according to their own advertising.

 

Huh?  Which one of these contestants did that?

[Netfoot]

I'm hoping that once the excitement of the beginning wears off a bit and they start to get tired, maybesome of them will dial it back a little, and this will all be OK. But I'm still nervous about this season.

 

I feel exactly the same way.  I'm hoping that they will soon be too tired to concentrate on self-promotion and only have the energy to race.  (Or realize that time spent self-promoting is time spent not racing well.)  And if that happens, this season could turn out fine.  But like you, I''m nervous.  These are people who live for ugly extrovertism, and I wonder what concessions were made for to accommodate them so they'd agree to race?  Apart from the Leg #1 NEL, I mean.

 

Huh?  Which one of these contestants did that?

 

Maybe none of them.  Maybe all of them.  My point was that TPTB didn't recruit the people posting "This is how to tune a carburetor" videos.  They picked from the Look-at-me-look-at-me-look-at-MEEE! brigade.  

[Rick Kitchen]

So you're stereotyping all social media personalities as all exactly the same.

[henripootel]

But like you, I''m nervous.  These are people who live for ugly extrovertism, and I wonder what concessions were made for to accommodate them so they'd agree to race?

I'm not as sanguine.  These are folks who self-selected to make and post videos of themselves for free (one presumes) until they got popular, which they accomplished by being the most 'look at me!' of all the 'look at me's who tried.  They were then selected by the producers for this purpose, and given a larger stage to exhibit their 'craft'.  I don't see them dialing it back, nor do I see the producers discouraging them in any way.  I'd remind that these are the same producers who had Phil continue to ask 'you guys in love yet?' long after it was clear that the whole blind date thing was a bust.  I mean I gave the 'dating' teams credit for being up front about their ambivalence to that whole deal which they did agreed to, and not playing along when it was clear that sparks weren't a-flyin'.  

 

And not for nothing, I can't even imagine the levels of theatricality that would haven ensued if the youtubers had been asked to run with that premise.  I watch the show for the cool travel visuals but I pay attention to the race only to see some glimpse of actual people in stressful situations.  If I want to see someone hamming it up for visual effect, I'll stick to my 2-year-old at nap time.

So you're stereotyping all social media personalities as all exactly the same.

Not at all - there're a couple of guys I watch on youtube who've shown me how to repair my car and my snowblower.  Solid blokes, no-nonsense and very informative.  Odd thing, I don't see them on this show.  

Edited February 15, 2016 by henripootel

[Rick Kitchen]

Who's hamming it up for visual effect?  Which ones of these contestants?

[Kromm]

Who's hamming it up for visual effect?  Which ones of these contestants?

IMO (at least in the edit we got) nobody. Actually I was expecting a lot more self-promotion/hamming.  We got clearly producer-milked/coaxed Talking Heads where they complemented EACH OTHER (Tyler Oakley got the bulk of that), but that's not the same thing as self-promotion.

 

And honestly, I know people don't always fully process what it means when a producer coaxes a team to talk about something--because on shows like TAR they HIDE/conceal the part where an off-screen producer asks the question and edit the answer to appear as if the contestant spontaneously decided we just HAD to know about it. And that usually comes off as the contestant being obsessed or annoying about something, because we process it as "I don't really want to know this but this putz is showing his or her priorities by going on about this". 

Edited February 15, 2016 by Kromm

[henripootel]

IMO (at least in the edit we got) nobody. Actually I was expecting a lot more self-promotion/hamming.

We'll have to agree to disagree - I rolled my eyes throughout, although at some teams more than others.  I think I finally had to take a break when one team not only did the 'stop and dance with the locals' thing but also grabbed a trumpet. 

Edited February 16, 2016 by henripootel

[proserpina65]

 

One annoying development involving one of them was towards the end of the episode when the young woman was trying to convince the mother to take a four hour penalty with her *ON THE VERY FIRST LEG!* Honestly, what are they going to do when actual killer fatigue kicks in?

This  already happened on AR - with the firefighters, real estate agents and someone else on the race that Maya and Amy won, in the US Virgin Islands.  Also, I know it was talked about during the sandcastle roadblock on AR 22, but I can't remember if teams actually took the penalty or not.

[auntlada]

Also, I know it was talked about during the sandcastle roadblock on AR 22, but I can't remember if teams actually took the penalty or not.

 

Yes, they did. That was the first time I remember it happening in the first leg.

[HurricaneVal]

I don't think the blonde mom is cut out for this race. Or the lawyer/OB/Gyn dad. When DH commented that they all seemed to be shrieky fame-whores, I told him the were all YouTube and internet stars. With completely horrified incredulity, he exclaimed "what does the gynecologist put on YouTube?!?"

 

It took me a while to stop laughing to explain.