The Amazing Race is a reality tv show that began airing on CBS in 2001.  It  is about 11 (or 12) teams of two racing around the world for a chance to win 1 million dollars.  It is a lot more interesting than a lot of other reality shows out there because there is an existing relationship between the teammates, and they are racing through different locales instead of remaining in one place the whole season.

"We're in a rush rush rushy rush!" - Frank (Season 1)

Eleven or twelve teams of 2 people with a preexisting relationship race around the world to try and win a million dollars.  Each episode showcases one leg of the race in which teams must figure out clues and perform specific tasks before they reach a pit stop where they will rest for a mandatory twelve hours.  The last team to arrive at the pit stop is eliminated from the game, or spared to race another day with a penalty in the case of a non-elimination leg.  Each race takes about a month to run, meaning that the teams not only have to deal with extreme jet lag, language barriers, culture shock, each other, and the other teams, they must also have the stamina to keep going for weeks on end without much of a break.

The best part about the show was the first season.  There have been other outstanding seasons throughout the show's long run, but none will ever be able to surpass the greatness that was season 1 of The Amazing Race.  Sure it was unpolished and rough around the edges, but that was part of the charm that drew me into the show in the first place.  The casting for the first season was great and no one knew what they were getting themselves into, not even the production crew.  I also loved how they actually went to well known places like the Eiffel Tower mixed in with obscure locales like Songwe village, as it made the race more interesting.

I think that the worst part of the show has to do with the casting for me.  Sure, there have been some seasons with great casts, but other times we're just left scratching our heads as to how some of these teams got on the show.  I appreciate it when real fans of the show are cast and have a great time living their dream, but I don't like reading that yet another Survivor audition reject has been brought over to TAR.  I'm sure that there are plenty of audition tapes to go through without having to resort to that, but it happens time and time again.  I also could do without seeing anymore beauty queens or cheerleaders on the show, especially ones that look like twins.  I wish that they would go back to casting some likeable alpha male teams, but they probably won't because they always seem to win.  I also think that the family edition was a bad idea.

I don't really think that the show has gone wrong as there can be a really bad season and then a good one right afterwards, but some things have evolved in ways that I don't like.  I know that The Amazing Race is popular around the world and they have to try even harder as they film more seasons to keep everything that happens a secret, but that shouldn't be at the expense of showing the world.  It feels that the longer the show goes on, the less grand it seems.  The teams still travel the globe, but a lot of the tasks the teams are asked to perform don't seem very particular to the country they are in.  I miss the days of detours and pit stops being housed at famous landmarks, or at least interesting ones.  I also miss the mile long run to the finish line at the end of the race.  The races nowadays don't seem to be building up to anything at the end, as it comes down to a cab race and who can run across the small field in the middle of nowhere USA to the final mat.  It's the end of a long, hard race for a million dollars, it should just be...more.

The most memorable scene is definitely Rob and Brennan winning the first season of The Amazing Race.  As I said above, the endings of newer races just don't feel important in any way, but I don't think that anyone can watch the end of season 1 and not feel something.  The music, the train ride, the run, the globe in the background, everything just came together to make a very special ending to a very special season.  Other memorable scenes include Joe and Bill stranded in Alaska at the end of race 1, Danny and Oswald's shopping trip in Hong Kong in season 2, Ken and Gerard punting in England in season 3, Fuji-Q Highland and the swan boat race afterwards in season 9, Rob and Kimberly vs. the tomatoes in season 10, and the cheese wheel task in season 14.

My favorite teams include Rob & Brennan and Joe & Bill from season 1, Danny & Oswald from season 2, Flo & Zach, Ken & Gerard, and Derek & Drew from season 3, Jon & Al from season 4, Lynn & Alex and Brian & Greg from season 7, BJ & Tyler from season 9, Tyler & James from season 10, Terance & Sarah from season 13, and Mel & Mike and Tammy & Victor from season 14.  Rob and Brennan will always be my all time favorite team with Danny and Oswald and Joe and Bill a close second and third.  Most of the teams that I like are nice to each other and seem to be enjoying the race as they run it, which is much more enjoyable to watch for me than bickering and fighting (though I do have Flo and Zach on my list, so go figure).  Rob and Brennan were just an extremely efficient team of really nice guys that won it all in the end, and we enjoyed watching them do it so much.  Danny and Oswald were a joy to watch in season 2 and I was so happy that they were also included in the All Stars season because they are just so pleasant and funny.  Joe and Bill used to be my most hated team, but after watching season 1 again and seeing them on All Stars, they have skyrocketed up my list of teams to become one of my favorites.