The Amazing Race
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams. Contestants strive to arrive first at "pit stops" at the end of each Leg of the race to win prizes and to avoid coming in last, which carries the possibility of elimination or a significant disadvantage in the following leg. Contestants travel to and within multiple countries in a variety of transportation modes, including planes, balloons, helicopters, trucks, bicycles, taxicabs, personal car, jeepneys, trains, buses, boats, and by foot. Clues provided in each Leg lead the teams to the next destination or direct them to perform a task, either together or by a single member. These challenges are related in some manner to the country wherein they are located or its culture. Teams are progressively eliminated until three are left; at that point, the team that arrives first in the final Leg is awarded the grand prize.
Created by Elise Doganieri and Bertram van Munster, the original series has aired in the United States since 2001 and has earned twelve Primetime Emmy Awards, including every award from 2003 to 2011, except in 2010, for "Outstanding Reality-Competition Program" (Top Chef won in 2010). Emmy-award-winning New Zealand television personality, Phil Keoghan, has been the host of the show since its inception. The show has branched out to include a number of international versions following a similar format.
The Race
- Unless otherwise indicated, the seasons refer to the American version of the series, hosted by Phil Keoghan.
Teams
Typically, each cycle of the Race features eleven teams. The teams represent a wide demographic of different ages, races, and sexual orientations. Each team is composed of two people with a pre-existing relationship, such as dating, married, and divorced couples (both heterosexual and homosexual); relatives, including siblings and parents and children; lifelong friends; sports team colleagues; and co-workers. The dynamics of the relationship under the stress of competition is a focus of the show, and are often described by the teams during interviews held before, during, and after the teams have raced, and through discussion with the show's host when they arrive at the Pit Stop. The stress of racing with one's partner, staying ahead of the competition, completing the assigned tasks, and dealing with little sleep or luxury combined to create "killer fatigue", a phrase coined by fans of the show, and often a team's inability to cope with the fatigue is what is ultimately responsible for a team's elimination from the Race.[1]
Original Race rules required that teammates have had a pre-existing relationship longer than three years, and no previous acquaintances with other racers during that cycle. However, these requirements have been dropped in some cases; Dustin and Kandice from seasons 10 and 11 knew each other from the beauty pageant circuit, and from seasons 9 and 11, Eric and Danielle met on the Race and had begun dating when asked to be on the All-Star Season.[2] Individual racers must be of a specific nationality and meet specific age requirements; this is necessary to allow teams to obtain the necessary passport documentation to travel across the world without incident.
The team format has varied in some seasons. Four seasons featured twelve teams of two, while the "Family Edition" featured ten teams of four players and included young children.
Unseen by the viewer most of the time, teams are accompanied by a two-man audio and video production crew that records the team as they race, and must be able to travel with the team members. The production crews are switched among teams each Leg to avoid familiarity.
Money
At the beginning of each Leg of the race, each team receives an allowance with their first clue, from which all expenses (food, transportation, lodging, attraction admission, and supplies) must be purchased during the leg. Selected tasks have also required the teams to use their money to complete the task. However, teams are given a credit card which they must use to purchase airline tickets (and in the case of the "Family Edition", the purchase of gasoline).[3] While early seasons of the US version of the show allowed for teams to use the credit card to reserve flights outside of an airport or travel agency, recent seasons have prohibited this use.
Allowance money is usually given in the same currency as the show's nation regardless of location; US versions of the Race will provide racers with U.S. dollars. In one exception, teams were given money in the currency of Vietnam at the start of that leg. The amount of money varies from Leg to leg, and has ranged from hundreds of dollars to nothing. Teams are allowed to keep any unused money for future race legs, barring certain penalties for finishing last.
If team members spend all of their money or have it taken away in a non-elimination leg, they may try to get more money in any way that does not violate the local laws. This includes borrowing money from other teams, begging from locals or selling their possessions. Since season seven, teams have been prevented from begging at United States airports. Additionally, teams may not use their personal possessions to barter payment for services.
Teams have reported on the existence of an emergency fund of approximately US$200 that is carried by their crew and can only be used in extreme circumstances, but generally not as a means to pay for any activity related to the race.[4] However, the exact amount is not known, nor are the exact circumstances when it can be used.
Route markers
Route Markers are uniquely-colored flags that mark the places where teams must go. Most Route Markers are attached to the boxes that contain clue envelopes, but some may mark the place where the teams must go in order to complete tasks, or may be used to line a course that the teams must follow.
The original Route Markers used in season one were colored yellow and white. They were changed to yellow and red in The Amazing Race 2, which has remained the standard Route Markers color scheme thereafter. Occasionally, different color schemes are adopted for certain legs, seasons, or versions of the race.[Note 1][Note 2][Note 3][Note 4]
Clues
When teams start a leg, arrive at Route Markers, or complete certain tasks, they normally receive a letter-sized tear-away envelope that contains their next clue inside a vertical-fold folder. The clues themselves are typically printed on a vertical strip of paper, although additional information is often provided inside the clue folder. After retrieving the clue, teams open the envelope and read aloud the instructions given on the clue sheet and then follow those instructions. Teams are generally required to collect each clue during each Leg and keep that information with them until they reach the next Pit Stop, surrendering them once they have checked in.
At Route Markers, clue envelopes are placed inside a box mounted to the Marker. In early seasons, the box contained exactly the number of clues for teams on that leg, allowing teams to indirectly determine their current placement in the Leg by counting envelopes. In more recent seasons, extra envelopes are left in clue boxes to prevent this from occurring.
In some cases, clues – most often of the Route Info type – have been provided by more unorthodox means, such as in an advertisement in a local newspaper or on some item related to the task just performed. A common unorthodox means in the US version is to place the clue at the bottom of the Roaming Gnome, the mascot of Travelocity, the sponsor of the US version.
Route Information
Route Information clues instruct the teams where to go next. Such a clue usually provides only the name of the team's next destination; it is up to the teams to figure out how to get there. A notable exception occurs during the first Leg of most seasons, wherein teams are provided with a list of two or three "pre-arranged" flights (in the sense that production guarantees that there are enough tickets for all teams spread out among the flights provided) from which teams must travel. In addition, when traveling to some hard to reach destinations, teams may be provided with airline tickets for a specific flight. However, in this situation, teams are still permitted to search for other flights and are not prohibited from booking tickets for a better flight than the one provided. Route Information clues may specify how the teams have to travel (such as by foot, by train, or by air), and instruct teams what type of location to travel to (such as a specific location in another city or country, another location within the team's present city, the Pit Stop of the leg, or the Finish Line of the race). Route Information clues have also provided cryptic clues about the next location, leaving teams to figure out where they must go. For example, teams have been given a small country flag and told to fly to that country, or have been told to travel to the "westernmost point in mainland Europe". In some cases, Route Information clues will require all teams to complete a non-Detour, non-Roadblock task before getting the clue to their next destination, such as taking part in a ceremonial observation. If a team goes to the next destination using the wrong type of transport, they will get a 30-minute penalty at the Pit Stop or Finish Line.
Detour
A Detour presents the team with a decision between two tasks, "each with its own pros and cons," as often stated by the host. The two tasks are named, often based on rhymes or puns, such as "Plow" / "Fowl" to differentiate between a task involving plowing against a task involving corralling ducks. Teams are given several details about both tasks, but may need to travel a short distance by foot or car to the different task locations. Typically, one task is less physically demanding than the other but is tedious or requires some amount of time or thinking to complete, while the other is usually a more physically demanding or frightening option that, depending on the team's ability, may take less time to complete. The decision about which task to attempt lies solely with the team. A team may choose to switch tasks as many times as they wish with no penalty other than the time lost in attempting the tasks and traveling between task locations. Unless otherwise instructed, teams can work together to finish a Detour option. Once a team has completed one of the tasks, they are given the clue to their next location. If a team does not complete a Detour, they will get a 6-hour penalty.
Roadblock
A Roadblock is a task that only one team member may perform. A Roadblock clue is given as a cryptic question, such as "Who's really hungry?" or "Who wants to get down and dirty?" Based on this information and observation of any other racers at the task, the team must decide which member will complete the task before reading the full task description. Once a team announces its decision of who will complete the Roadblock, it cannot be taken back. The Roadblock task is performed only by the selected racer while his or her partner waits in a designated area, although the partner is usually able to supply words of encouragement and advice. Some Roadblocks may involve the non-selected racer, such as leading a camel his or her partner rides, or helping his or her partner solve a puzzle. Normally, once the racer completes the Roadblock, the team receives its clue to the next Route Marker.
Early seasons allowed teams to distribute the Roadblocks between the team members as they desired, which allowed one team member to do nearly all the Roadblocks. This was changed in season six, which limited a single teammate to a maximum number of Roadblocks s/he could complete, thus forcing his or her partner to perform roughly half of the Roadblocks, as well.[5] Subsequent seasons have not explicitly stated this rule but teams have maintained an even distribution of Roadblocks throughout the Race. Racers can be heard saying they've done "all my Roadblocks" or "saving the last one".[6] In season nine, the Roadblock limit was increased to a maximum of seven which can lead to a 6-6 or 5-7 distribution.[7] In season 18, the rule was further modified; in this season, team members could not complete more than five Roadblocks prior to the final Leg (This season featured two Roadblocks in the final leg, so all of the final three team members would complete six Roadblocks). The only time the limit was not enforced was during the "Family Edition", wherein some Roadblocks required two people from each 4-person team to participate. If a team does not complete a Roadblock, they will get a 4-hour penalty.
Fast Forward
A Fast Forward is a task that, once completed, allows the team that completes it to bypass all remaining tasks in the Leg and proceed directly to the Pit Stop. The Fast Forward clue is given with another task clue (usually a Roadblock or Detour) and is a separate task from the others. Only one team may complete a Fast Forward in any given leg, and a team may only complete one Fast Forward in the entire Race. The exception to this rule is in seasons wherein the Fast Forward is offered in conjunction with the Intersection, in which case a team may win the Fast Forward both as an individual team and as a team working with another as part of the Intersection instructions. Teams that win the Fast Forward are not guaranteed a first-place finish for that Leg and still face elimination if they arrive at the Pit Stop last. Multiple teams may undertake Fast Forward tasks, but only the first team to complete the task gets credit.
Fast Forwards were initially offered on every Leg of the Race, including some that were not shown if no one took the task or if all remaining teams had won their Fast Forward. The number of Fast Forwards available has since been reduced to two on each Race since season 5, and then down to one since season 14, to reduce the costs of providing Fast Forward tasks that would not be taken. season 14 did not air the Fast Forward because no one had opted to perform the Fast Forward in that race. season 18 was the first American season to not offer a Fast Forward, and season 19 also did not feature a Fast Forward. Season 20 did have a Fast Forward and is the first season to offer two Fast Forwards in the same Race since season 13 and the first time three Fast Forwards were offered since the reduction of the number of Fast Forwards in season 4.
Yield
The Yield, introduced in season five, allows any one team to force another team to stop racing for a predetermined amount of time. The Yield Marker is placed near a Route Marker, and teams are forced to stop at it to state their intentions to employ the Yield. The clue would say "Caution: Yield ahead!" If a team Yielded another team, they would place a photo of the Yielded team, along with a "Courtesy of" photo of themselves, on the stand. When the Yielded team arrived at the Yield, they would then turn over an hourglass and wait for the sand to drain before they could continue to the Route Marker. A team may only use its Yield power once on the race, and only one team may be Yielded when the Yield is available, although a team may be Yielded multiple times during the same Race. If a team loses its "Courtesy of" photo, it loses its Yield power.[8][9] If the team that is Yielded has already passed the Yield, the Yield is nullified.
During season 5, teams were not aware of the upcoming Yield. In subsequent seasons, clues have alerted teams that a Yield would be present at the next Route Marker. Yields were present in every Leg except the last of season 5, while only three were present in seasons 6 through 8, and two in seasons 9 through 11. Yields have not been present in the US Race since season 11 after a revised format of the clue, the U-Turn. Yields are still present within the foreign editions.
The second season of Israeli version has a different format of the Yield where, at the start of the leg, each team votes for who should receive the Yield. The team with the most votes is forced to wait out the Yield.
U-Turn
The U-Turn, introduced in season 12 as a replacement of the Yield, is similar in format to the Yield; however, it is always placed immediately after a Detour. After completing their Detour option, a team may use their U-Turn ability to force another team to backtrack and complete the Detour option they did not previously complete. Like the Yield, the team placing the U-Turn places a photo of the team they are penalizing along with their own "Courtesy Of" photo on the U-Turn marker stand. Also, if a team has lost their "Courtesy Of" photo, they will be unable to use their U-Turn power for the remainder of the Race.[10] It is possible for a team to U-Turn a team that has already passed the U-Turn (or skipped it by means of a Fast Forward), nullifying its effects, and usually the U-Turn will be unaired on television. A team can only use their U-Turn power once per Race. Teams are warned of an upcoming U-Turn on the Route Marker after the Detour clue. If there are both a U-Turn and a Fast Forward available in the same leg, or if the U-Turn is a Double U-Turn, teams will be made aware that a U-Turn will be available "at some point" during the Leg when they leave the Pit Stop, since the team taking the Fast Forward option will have skipped the Detour as well as the U-Turn marker, except when the Detour comes before the Fast Forward. Season 15 was the first and currently the only season not to air a U-Turn, since this mechanism was introduced.
Starting in season 14, teams were met with a new variation of the U-Turn called a "Blind U-Turn." If teams use a Blind U-Turn, they do not have to publicly reveal themselves as the perpetrators with their "Courtesy Of" photo.
From season 17, a "Double U-Turn" was introduced, in which two teams can each choose a team to U-Turn. Teams are notified in the first clue of the Double U-Turn Leg that it will occur "at some point". Once the team completes their Detour, the next clue will mention "Caution: Double U-Turn ahead". A team can only U-Turn once, and a team cannot be U-Turned twice in the same leg. In addition, a U-Turned team can U-Turn another team, and this can be done before they complete their extra Detour branch.
Season 18 introduced an "automatic U-Turn", where the team who came in last in the starting line task would have to do both tasks of the first Detour (which was not incurred until Leg 2).
The second season of Israeli version has a different format of the U-Turn where, at the start of the leg, each team votes for who should receive the U-Turn. The team with the most votes is forced to complete both of the Detour tasks upon arriving at the Detour. This U-Turn format will also be used in the second season of Australian version
In season 19, the U-Turn sign had a complete makeover, similar to the Speed Bump. In the past, teams were required to carry their "Courtesy Of" photo, and grab a sticker from the box and stick them on the sign. This time, a large touch screen and a small touch screen were on the U-Turn sign (two sets in a Double U-Turn). Here, teams had to touch their own photo (on the small screen) and another team (on the large screen) to use their U-Turn power. This meant that teams didn't have to carry a "Courtesy Of" photo throughout the race. When choosing the teams, the users are aware which teams are still in the race, and which ones are eliminated to avoid wasting their U-Turn power.
Intersection
The Intersection, used in American seasons 10, 11, 16 requires each team to pair up with one other team and perform all tasks and make decisions together until further notice. Should there be no other teams present when a given team arrives at the Intersection Route Marker, they must wait there until another team arrives, although they do not have to partner with that team and can opt to wait for another team instead. Teams are free to choose their partner team if multiple teams are present. Teams are not warned when an Intersection is coming. The Intersection may have teams simply working together on standard Route Marker tasks, or they may have to work together on Roadblocks or Fast Forwards. The first season of the Australian version featured two separate Intersections during its run, with the second Intersection having a unique set of penalties for quitting part way through the task.
The second season of the Latin American version also featured a task called an Intersection, but the rules were extremely different from the American and Australian Intersections. When two teams reached the Intersection, they competed against each other in a task. The winning team was given their next clue, while the losing team had to wait for the next team's arrival to start the task over; the last team to lose had to wait 15 minutes before receiving their clue. This element also appeared in the second season of the Israeli version, but it was called a Double Battle instead.
Switchback
The Switchback is a concept introduced in season 15 (US) of the program, in which teams encounter a task from a previous season that was markedly difficult.[11] The first Switchback in the aforementioned season 15 was a remake of the Roadblock encountered by teams during the show's season 6 stop in Stockholm. In that season, teams had to search for their next clue envelope, of which there were 20, hidden within 270 bales of hay; sisters Lena and Kristy spent over 10 hours searching for the clue envelope before Phil came to them in the field to tell them everyone else had checked in and they were eliminated. The Switchback version had teams searching for one of seven flags within only 186 bales of hay. Another Switchback was incorporated into season 20 concerning a Fast Forward in India initially offered in season 5, but later followed through with in season seven: shaving off all of the hair from the racers' heads. Married couple Uchenna (already bald) and Joyce took the challenge in the seventh season, ultimately giving them an advantage and the lead that carried onto the end with their victory, and friends Mark (also already bald) and Bopper took the Switchback Fast Forward, but lost on that Leg by being too far behind.
Race legs
Structure
Each Leg of The Amazing Race generally consists of teams leaving from the previous Pit Stop and traveling to a different location (often in a different country), where they perform two or more tasks, generally including one Detour and one Roadblock, before being given instructions to the next Pit Stop. When teams are otherwise not performing tasks or traveling during a leg, they are free to use their time as they see fit, although they will often resort to eating cheaply or sleeping outside a location to save their Race money.
Start Line Task
The start line task is a task that takes place at the starting line. It was introduced in season 15 and used later in seasons 18, 19, and 20. Teams usually have to find the name of the first location in a puzzle or find an item related to the first location (i.e. a number plate). The last team to finish the task received a penalty in season 18 and season 19, but in season 20, there was no penalty. In season 15, the team was eliminated at the starting line.
Express Pass
The Express Pass, introduced in season 17, is given as a prize on the first Leg which allows the team to skip any task (including Roadblocks, Detours and miscellaneous tasks, but not the Fast Forward), once, during the race. If a team used the express pass to skip a Detour and that team is U-Turned, the U-Turn is void. The choice of which task to skip is at the team's discretion, but the power, if unused, expires at the end of the eighth leg. In the Latin American version, it is called a Pase Directo and was introduced in season three. It was introduced in Norwegian version on leg three as a Fripass.
Since its introduction in the United States edition, teams that have won it on the first Leg have gone on to win the race 50% of the time. Moreover, all of those teams made it to the final Leg of the race.
Salvage Pass
A new twist called the 'Salvage Pass' will be introduced during season two of Australian version. Other than the name not much is known.
Hazard
The Hazard, introduced in season 19, is a penalty applied to the team who came in last at the starting line task. After completing a task (in season 19 it was a Roadblock), the team was given a different clue that directed them to another location where they found the Hazard clue. The Hazard consisted of a task that only one of the team members had to perform. The Hazard did not reappear in season 20.
Several sources have reported that the Hazard will affect the team throughout the Race;[12] this contrasts with an interview American host Phil Keoghan had to promote the new season, where it only affected the team on the first leg.[13] This built off of season 18's starting task, where the penalty was an automatic U-Turn at only the first Detour.
Pit Stops
Pit Stops are the final destination in each Leg of the race, and where all non-eliminated teams go after checking in at the mat. Each Pit Stop is a mandatory rest period which allows teams to "eat, sleep, and mingle" with each other. The production staff provides lodging (from simple accommodations as tents or cots to complete hotel service) and food free of charge to the teams at the Pit Stops. During the Pit Stop, teams are also interviewed to provide commentary and voiceovers for the completed leg. While teams are restricted to where they can go, teams are free to use the remaining time for any purpose as they see fit. In recent seasons of the U.S. version of the Race, teams have reported that they have been sequestered from other teams during Pit Stops.[14] During Pit Stops, racers are sometimes required to relinquish Race-provided material from the previous legs, including clues, maps, and additional instructions. Teams are responsible for being ready to leave when their Pit Stop time is over, and no time credit is given should a team miss their time to leave.
Pit Stops, mostly in earlier seasons, are normally twelve hours long, such that if a team arrived at 9:00 a.m., they will depart on the next Leg at 9:00 p.m. When the show encounters production issues or if planned ahead of time, the pit stop is often extended by multiples of 24 hours, such that teams will still leave what appears to be 12 hours later to the television viewer. However, viewers have been able to use dates and times displayed during the show and post-Race interviews to determine where these extended Pit Stops occur and their approximate length. Beginning with season eight, the Pit Stops have included ones of various lengths between 12 and 24 hours as to prevent teams from loitering at airports or finding flights that may get them too much of a lead on other teams. One major clue when this occurs is when Phil does not indicate an arrival time for team departing first. The longest known Pit Stop occurred during the first US season when production was forced to relocate the Pit Stop in Tunisia due to a sandstorm. This was the first instance of a "mobile pit stop", which also appeared in seasons 3, 15, 16, and 18 where teams have been transported to another location during the pit stop, without any knowledge of their final destination.
Double-length legs
Some Races have included a double-length leg, also called "to be continued" legs, shown over two episodes or a single two-hour long episode, where teams are not checked in at a Pit Stop but instead given a clue to continue racing. The clues that precede the mid-point of the double-length Leg often will hint at a Pit Stop but will not include the normal language found in clues for normal-length legs that direct teams to the Pit Stop. In some cases, the host has been present along with the check-in mat to give teams their next clues. Double-length race legs were born out of necessity during season six. Leg 6 in Hungary was originally planned to be two legs, with a non-elimination point between the legs which would have stripped the last team of their money and not given them any at the start of the next leg. Producers discovered during the race that begging is illegal in Hungary, which would have made it nearly impossible for the last place team to acquire the money needed for the upcoming leg, and quickly devised the extended Leg to mimic the effects of a non-elimination Leg (keeping the same number of teams in the race), and using a simple video message clue to provide teams the goal for the first task of the second half of the leg.[15]
More double-length legs were shown from season 7 to season 10, season 14 and season 1 of the Australian version. It has also been featured in two legs of season 18, and one leg of season 19 which was in leg 9. In addition, the season finale of the Family Edition contained a double-length Leg similar to season 6. This was repeated in season 2 of the Latin American edition; however, the final Leg was broadcast as two different episodes.
Non-elimination legs
A number of legs on each Race are predetermined "non-elimination legs", where the last team to check-in is not eliminated. Up through US season 4, there was no penalty for finishing last on a non-elimination leg; this was repeated on one of the legs in season 17 (though this was due to a production error). In seasons five through nine, the last team to check in was stripped of all their money and were not given any money at the start of the next leg, forcing that team to literally beg for money from the local population of the city they were in for such expenses as cab, bus or train fare. In addition, from seasons seven through nine, these teams would also be forced to give up all their bags, leaving them with only the clothes on their backs and the fanny-pack teams use to carry their passports and Race documentation; this last penalty caused many teams, thinking themselves to be in last, to wear as much clothing as possible before checking in. In seasons 10 and 11 and most international versions, teams that came in last on non-elimination legs were "marked for elimination"; if they did not come in first on the subsequent leg, they would receive a 30 minute penalty upon check-in at the mat and other trailing teams could check in before the 30 minute penalty expires and they could ultimately be eliminated from the race.
From season 12 onward, the penalty for finishing last in a non-elimination Leg is that the affected team will have to perform a "Speed Bump" task sometime during the next leg. Teams would be alerted to the upcoming Speed Bump by a Route Marker clue prior to it, while the Speed Bump itself is displayed in a manner similar to the Yield showing the affected team's picture at a stand near to the regular Route Marker. Once the team completes the Speed Bump task, they may receive the next clue that they would have gotten at the Route Marker, or they may have to backtrack to where the cluebox was initially to get their next clue, depending on the task. If the team does not complete the Speed Bump, they will receive a four-hour penalty at the pit stop.
In the Norwegian edition, the "Handicap" (Handikap in Norwegian) was introduced. Rather than instituting a different task for a team to perform, a specific task is made more difficult for the team with the penalty, such as increasing the output requirements for a task (e.g., teams only have to make 50 items at the task, but the team with the Handicap has to make 75) or a penalty may be added, such as requiring both Detours to be done.
In early US seasons, clues that directed teams to Pit Stops could be used to infer if that Leg was a non-elimination leg; the normal language that ended each Pit Stop clue—"The last team to check in will be eliminated."—was replaced with "may be eliminated". In later seasons of the Race "may" was used in all legs except the first leg. Since season 15, most clues leading to the Pit Stop have used the term may be eliminated, including the first leg, as the first Leg in season 15 was a non-elimination leg. Occasionally, the second-to-last Leg may use the term will be eliminated when there are no more non-elimination legs left in the Race before reaching the Finish Line. If there is a double-elimination leg, the term will be eliminated will be used since teams are notified in their first clue that the Leg will be double-elimination.
Non-elimination legs give trailing teams an incentive to stay competitive; since there is a chance they might not be eliminated, they will continue to complete tasks and get to the Pit Stop as quickly as possible, to keep from falling further behind.
Unusual eliminations
There have been many eliminations which have been unusual which may involve a team being eliminated outside a pit stop or more than 1 team being eliminated.
- The first unusual eliminations occurred in season 10 where the last team to check in at designated midpoint in the first Leg was eliminated. This Leg also featured a regular elimination at the Pit Stop.
- Season 15 featured another unusual elimination in its first Leg, where only 11 sets of tickets were available to the first destination city, and the Race began with twelve teams. After eleven teams completed the task at the starting line and received tickets, the last team remaining was eliminated; at the Pit Stop later, the last team was not eliminated.
- Season 19 featured the first double-elimination Leg in the second leg, where two teams were eliminated at the same time at the Pit Stop.
- The second season of the Israeli version featured a double-elimination as well; arriving at the first Leg departure airport last resulted in elimination (they were not given tickets to travel to the first destination city), in addition to the standard end-of-leg elimination.
- The Norwegian version also had an elimination at the airport like second season of the Israeli version; at the Pit Stop later, the last team was not eliminated.
Final leg
The final Leg of the race is run by the three remaining teams. In earlier US seasons, the Leg was a non-elimination or double-length leg, with an intermediate destination in or near the home country (such as Hawaii, Alaska or Canada for the US version or South East Asia or the Pacific Islands for the Australian version) prior to traveling to the final city back in the home country. However, in more recent Races, final legs have been single legs, whereby teams are flown directly from the final foreign country to the final city in the home country.
Teams still must complete all tasks in the final city before they are directed to the finish mat. At the check-in mat, the host and the other eliminated teams celebrate the arrival of the teams. Generally all three teams are allowed to arrive. In rare cases, a trailing team may be so far behind and outside the final city that they are given a clue at their next Route Marker that informs them of the Race results. To date, this has only happened twice in the US version, occurring in seasons one and four.
Rules and penalties
All teams must abide by the rules set at the beginning of the race. Failure to do so can result in time penalties, which can negatively affect finishing position in that Leg of the race. In a non-elimination leg, if the last team to arrive at the mat is checked in before a previous team has completed its penalty, then the remainder of the penalty time will be waited out at the start of the next Leg of the race, beginning at the departure time of the next-to-last team.
While the complete set of official rules has not been released to the public, certain rules have been revealed during the various editions of the race:
Rules
- Unless otherwise stated, such as during Roadblocks, team members must stay within twenty feet of each other and stay close to their assigned camera and sound crew. When using any form of transportation, unless otherwise stated, teams must be able to travel with the camera crew. Teams are recorded requesting only two tickets after they have made their initial request for four.[16]
- Teams are required to purchase economy class airfare when they fly, using the credit card provided by the show.[17][18] Teams may ask the airlines before or during flight to upgrade their tickets to first or business class as long as they only paid the economy fare.[19] Teams may use their cash stipend to purchase first-class fares for other modes of transportation.[20] Teams may be forbidden from flying on certain airlines or restricted to specific airlines in some cases.
- Teams are forbidden contact with friends, family, and acquaintances during the Race, though the Race may provide them with an opportunity to make contact at select times.[21] Unless otherwise stated by the clues, teams are allowed to use the help of locals for navigating and during tasks. Teams are required to have any locals who appear on camera sign release forms that legally clear the footage for use; some teams have avoided or reduced contacts with random local strangers because the release process can take a very long time to complete.
- Teams are free to work together at any point unless otherwise stated by the rules.[22][23] Excluding the use of the Yield and U-Turn, teams are forbidden from hindering the performance of other teams such as by taking extra clues from a clue box, taking another team's assigned vehicle, or altering the equipment for other teams at a task.
- Teams are forbidden from possessing maps, guidebooks, cell phones, personal digital assistants and other similar aids at the start of the Race, but may use the provided money to purchase these as they progress. These may be provided by the show if required for a certain task.[24]
- Teams are not allowed to use their personal items to barter for services on the race, though they are not necessarily forbidden from selling them for cash. The teams' bags may be subject to review during Pit Stops by production. Teams are free to sell or barter any items they have purchased during the course of the race.
- In cases where teams are instructed to walk or drive themselves to a destination, teams are not allowed to hire a taxi to guide or take them through the route. In early seasons of the American series, teams frequently employed this tactic; several exchanges of dialogue in season 17 indicate that this is now forbidden.
- Teams are expected to keep the Race fanny pack containing their cash, passports, clues, and other documents with them at all times. Teams that do not have these upon check-in at a Pit Stop are required to go back and retrieve the pack and any missing mandatory contents (e.g., passports) before being checked in. Teams may check in after losing or abandoning any non-mandatory items (e.g., items of clothing), but they must continue the race without them.
- Teams must complete each challenge as specified by the clues given to them throughout the Race. Should a team fail to properly complete a challenge, violate any provisions made in a clue or task description, or miss a clue altogether (unless specifically allowed to do so, e.g., by winning the Fast Forward, or by using an Express Pass), they must either go back to the location of the challenge and complete the challenge, or incur a penalty when they check in (see Penalties and time credits below).
- Teams are prohibited from begging where it is illegal. On the U.S. version, teams are additionally prohibited from begging at US airports.
- Racers may not smoke on the Race.
- Teams are required to abide by all local laws of the country in which they are racing.
The teams are often given additional rules and instructions that apply specifically to a given Leg or to a task supplied with one of the clues; these are usually not explained to the viewer unless they affect the Race results.
Penalties and time credits
If the infraction can be corrected, Phil would usually ask the team to go back and correct the mistake before checking them in at the Pit Stop or the Finish Line. If not, the standard penalty for rule infractions is normally 30 minutes plus the time gained (if any) by breaking the rule. Other penalty times include but are not limited to two hours for bartering goods for services, up to four hours for not completing any or all parts of a miscellaneous task, four hours for not completing a Roadblock or a Speed Bump, and twenty-four hours for flying outside of economy class unless the upgrade is complimentary on top of the economy class fare paid.[25] Earlier seasons of the Race enforced a 24 hour penalty for not completing either Detour option, but this was subsequently reduced to six hours at some point for later seasons, first used in The Amazing Race 17.[1][26] Penalty times are cumulative. If a player is unable to complete the Roadblock, the team is assessed a four hour penalty starting from the time of the arrival of the next team at the Roadblock, after which they are given their next clue to proceed[27] unless they are the last team, in which case their four-hour penalty begins the moment that team gave up on the Roadblock. The second season of the Israeli version only has a 1-hour penalty for not finishing a Roadblock task. U.S. season 20 also featured a unique length for a particular Roadblock's incompletion, placing it at 2 hours for using up a limited amount of supplied props per team to be sat out at the Pit Stop.
If the penalty is known before the racers arrive at the check-in mat, they are forced to wait out that time before they can be checked in; if they happen to be the last team on a non-elimination leg, they will be checked in early, but the remaining time will be applied at the start of the next leg. If the penalty is discovered after racers arrive, and does not affect which team is eliminated, it is applied to the start of the next leg, with the viewers given verbal notification if it affects the departure order. In only one case has a penalty altered who would be eliminated and a special announcement of this change to the affected teams was done after production was able to review the results but before the start of the next leg.
Should a vehicle (including cars and boats) break down through no fault of the team using it, a replacement vehicle is provided for them, but "no time credit is given for their wait in this unlucky situation."[28]
Teams may also receive time credits, applied to the next leg, that result from "production difficulties." These are only revealed to the viewer if they affect the placement at the start of the next leg.
Production
The production of The Amazing Race is a challenge due to its premise being a race around the world. Among the difficult duties that producers face, scoping out locations, designing tasks, selecting teams, and planning logistics for the entire course are the most important to accomplish in pre-production. During the Race, the camera crews need to keep up with the movement of the teams and the host. And when the footage for the entire season has been recorded and edited, team members, production crew as well as the local staff who hosted or facilitated the tasks are obliged to keep the details of the race confidential and not leak out anything that hints at locations, events, or outcomes of the Race. A small exception is the television network that airs the show in a country which hosted one of the legs where they can air teasers such as "Who among the teams will come here to (the network's home country name)?"[citation needed] However, in recent American seasons, CBS has released a map to show the locations that the racers would be visiting.
The show is broadcast on CBS in the United States. It is simulcast via satellite in various networks around the world.
Through its efforts, the American version has received many accolades, including Primetime Emmy Awards and nominations in categories for audio and video production and editing. In 2010, CBS announced that season 18 of the show would be broadcast in high definition.[29]
Season 20 premiered on February 19, 2012.[30]
The Amazing Race around the world
The original version of The Amazing Race is the American version, which debuted on CBS in September 2001. In October 2005, CBS optioned The Amazing Race for franchising to other countries. Buena Vista International Television-Asia Pacific (BVITV-AP) and Sony Pictures Television International's AXN Asia announced an Asian edition of the race, billed as The Amazing Race Asia, that same month.[31] Applications ran from February to the end of March 2006.[32] Filming began in June. Its first season premiered on November 9, 2006 and concluded on February 1, 2007.
During 2005, AXN Central Europe announced a version of the show to be called The Amazing Race Central Europe. Applications were closed with the submission of 2,500 applicants, with filming expected to have occurred in 2006 and broadcast from September 2006.[33] The show has yet to air and has been pulled from AXN's website, fueling rumors of cancellation.
In late-2006, a South-American independent production company announced that it would be producing a Brazilian version in 2007, to be called The Amazing Race: A Corrida Milionária, and to be aired in a purchased time slot in the Brazilian network RedeTV!. Applications were open from January until July, and filming occurred during August and September. The first and only season premiered on October 13, 2007 and concluded on January 5, 2008.[34]
On April 8, 2008, Israeli TV network Reshet had announced plans to produce HaMerotz LaMillion (The Race to the Million in English). It was shot worldwide and premiered on February 5, 2009.[35] Season two premiered on October 25, 2011.
On October 15, 2008, a Latin American version of the show was announced by the Discovery Channel Latin America in association with Disney. The show's first season was filmed in early 2009 and broadcast late in that year across Latin America and the Caribbean and the second season aired in late 2010. In January, 2011 it was announced that Space aqcuired the rights to produce the third season of The Amazing Race Latin America.[36] The fourth season of The Amazing Race Latinoamérica will also air in Space on September 2012 but only with Brazilian teams. Harris Whitbeck will be replaced by a Brazilian host.[37]
On March 2010, a Chinese version of the show was announced by the Disney-ABC International Television Asia Pacific. The show was produced by Shanghai based international production company Fly Films;[38] the company had previously produced Shanghai Rush in 2009, a showed heavily influenced by The Amazing Race. The first series was filmed in March/April 2010 and broadcast in August 2010 by International Channel of Shanghai.[39]
In mid-2010 it was announced that Australia would be producing its own version. In November 2010, New Zealand-born actor Grant Bowler was announced as its host.
On October 2011 a Norwegian version of the show was announced by TV 2. Applications were open from October 11, 2011 to October 31, 2011. Filming took place in January 2012.[40] ex-football player Freddy dos Santos is the host of The Amazing Race Norge.[41] The first season premiered on April 11, 2012.
On March 26, 2011 it was announced that TV 5 had acquired the rights to produce a Philippine version of the race.[42] On December 2011 it was confirmed on The Philippine Star that the race will air in 2012.[43] Derek Ramsay was confirmed to be the host on April 10, 2012.
On March 1, 2012 a Vietnamese version of the show titled, The Amazing Race Vietnam: Cuộc Đua Kỳ Thú 2012, was announced by BHD Corp. and VTV3. Dustin Nguyen is the director, executive producer and host of the show.
On March 23, 2012 a French version of The Amazing Race was announced. It is to be produced by Shine France for Direct 8 with filming expected to occur between June and July. Teams are expected to travel to Jordan, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.[44] [45]
.svg){kind=small}
.svg){kind=small}
Video game
A video game based on this reality show was developed by Ludia for the Wii. It was released on November 2, 2010 in North America.[46]
The game features many locations previously visited on real races, as well as some new ones like Canada, and Venezuela. Host Phil Keoghan provided voice acting throughout the entire game.
Players get to customize their own characters and can race against other, pre-made characters. These existing teams are showcased in the opening, which closely mirrors the actual show's opening (including the use of the same music). However, when playing the actual game, no-one, not even the player, is referred to by name. Instead, teams are differentiated by color (ex. team yellow).
The rules of the race are fairly similar to the actual race. Teams receive money, fly to a location and complete various tasks. The last team to arrive is eliminated, unless they are saved by a non-elimination leg, in which the penalty is the team loses all their money they saved up to that point (unlike the show during seasons 5-9, the teams are still given money at the start of the next leg). However, teams all leave the Pit Stop at the same time. The tasks are represented by a large collection of minigames.
Some of the clues had changes to their rules. The Detour and Roadblock retain their rules, although there is no limit on individual Roadblocks. Fast Forwards appear in the race, but they are not optional. Instead, the team that completes it fastest gets a 2 hour time credit. Also featured alongside the Detour and Roadblock is the Intersection. However, the Intersection's rules are drastically different. It is a task that all teams complete, similar to an additional task on the real race.
The Yield, U-Turn, Speed Bump and Express Pass are not featured in this game.
As an added bonus, completing various tasks and doing certain objectives in the game will unlock "video files." These are selected clips from the actual American TV show. They are mostly extremely dramatic moments (such as when Uchenna & Joyce couldn't pay their taxi driver at the final Pit Stop and Chris & Alex making the closest finish in Amazing Race) or funny moments (such as when Fran & Barry kept walking past a clue that was within arm's length). The clips appear exactly as they did on TV, except that all logos are pixelated, even those that went uncensored on TV. Clips from seasons 1 to 15 are included.
Ludia also made one for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad that is similar to the Wii version.[47]
See also
Notes
- ^ To avoid issues related to the connotations of the former flag of South Vietnam, the Markers were changed to solid yellow the first time the Race visited the country and then the colors of the original season 1 Route Markers (yellow and white) the last two times that the Race has visited that country.
- ^ The Route Markers used on the Family Edition were yellow, white, and black.
- ^ The Route Markers used on The Amazing Race: A Corrida Milionária were yellow and green. However, this color was used for the Vietnam Leg in The Amazing Race Australia.
- ^ The Route Markers used on The Amazing Race en Discovery Channel were black and blue.
References
- ^ a b Holmes, Linda (2010-11-29). "Quitters Never Win, Except On The New Wimp-Friendly 'Amazing Race'". NPR. Retrieved 2010-11-29.
- ^ Lilley, Jason. "Girly Stuff[dead link]", TashiTagg, 2004. Retrieved on January 15, 2007.
- ^ The Amazing Race 5 FAQ[dead link]
- ^ Cottingham, Dave (2004-04-13). "Everything you wanted to know about TAR but were afraid to ask". Fans of Reality TV Forums. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
- ^ "I'm Not His Wife – He Doesn't Need to Scream at Me". The Amazing Race. Season 6. Episode 2. 2004-11-23. CBS.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help)[dead link] - ^ "Oh My God, The Teletubbies Go To War". The Amazing Race. Season 11. Episode 12. CBS.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ Amazing Race's Caite and Brent: Carol and Brandy Were "Complete Bitches"[dead link] - TV Guide, May 12, 2010
- ^ "BJ & Tyler Interview - Reality TV Podcast #53 - June 7th, 2006". Reality TV Podcast. 2006-06-07. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
- ^ Denhart, Andy (2004-10-01). "Linda and Karen Threw Their Yield Away". Reality Blurred. Retrieved 2007-01-16.
- ^ Rocchio, Christopher (2008-01-23). "Exclusive: Donald Jerousek, Nicolas Fulks dish on The Amazing Race". Reality TV World. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
- ^ Lang, Derrik (2009-09-09). "Meet the teams on new season of The Amazing Race". Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ Gorman, Bill (2011-08-31). "CBS Announces The Cast For The New Season Of "The Amazing Race," Premiering Sunday, Sept. 25". TV By The Numbers. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
- ^ "The Amazing Race - Phil Reveals New Penalty". YouTube. 2011-08-31. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
- ^ Jih, Victor (2009-11-06). "The Amazing Race 15: Episode 7 - Victor Jih's Top 10 Moments". Reality Wanted. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
- ^ Crumbaugh, Aaron (2005-03-24). "Hayden & Aaron: TAR 6". Television Without Pity Forums. Retrieved 2008-02-12.
- ^ TAR FAQ: Basic Rules. Are teammates ever allowed to separate? Retrieved on January 15, 2007.
- ^ The Amazing Race FAQ: Basic Rules. "OK, I'm confused about the rules for booking airplane tickets." Retrieved on January 15, 2007.
- ^ Goldman, Eric (2007-11-15). "Amazing Race Interview: Kate & Pat". IGN.com. Retrieved 2008-02-09.
- ^ Nguyen, Hanh (2010-05-10). "'The Amazing Race': Did brothers Dan and Jordan cheat?". Zap2It. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
- ^ "I Feel Like I'm In the Circus". The Amazing Race. Season 19. Episode 5. 2011-10-23. CBS. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ "Why Did You Have to Take Your Pants Off?!". The Amazing Race. Season 3. Episode 9. 2002-12-04. CBS.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ "We're Getting Out of the Country, Girls". The Amazing Race. Season 8. Episode 5. 2005-10-25. CBS.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help)[dead link] - ^ "The Devil Made Me Do It". The Amazing Race. Season 7. Episode 11. 2005-05-03. CBS.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help)[dead link] - ^ TAR FAQ: Basic Rules. What sorts of items are the teams not allowed to bring? Retrieved on January 15, 2007.
- ^ Rocchio, Christopher (2007-12-10). "INTERVIEW: 'The Amazing Race's Azaria and Hendekea Azene dish". Reality TV World. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
- ^ "The Unexpected Twist". The Amazing Race. Season 1. Episode 9. 2001-11-14. CBS. Archived from the original on 2007-12-14.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ "Do You Need Some Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation". The Amazing Race. Season 7. Episode 3. 2005-03-15. CBS.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help)[dead link] - ^ TAR FAQ: Basic Rules. What happens if a team's car breaks down? Retrieved on January 17, 2007.
- ^ ""THE AMAZING RACE" Will Travel The Globe in HD This Spring - Press Release" (Press release). Eyeoncbs.com. Retrieved 2011-05-11.[dead link]
- ^ "CBS Orders 20th Season of Amazing Race". tvguide.com. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
- ^ "The Amazing Race Format makes a pit stop in ASIA PACIFIC - Thailand 4 News and Press Releases". Retrieved 2006.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "The Amazing Race Asia". Retrieved 2006.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help)[dead link] - ^ "Риалити състезанието "The Amazing Race - Central Europe" следва оригинала" (in Bulgarian). 2005-10-26. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
- ^ "The Amazing Race: A Corrida Milionária official website (portuguese)". Retrieved 2007.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help)[dead link] - ^ "The Amazing Race Heads to Israel". Archived from the original on April 22, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
- ^ "Disney y Turner producirán The Amazing Race para A. Latina". Retrieved 2011-01-26.
- ^ "Reality show 'The Amazing Race' terá edição só com participantes do Brasil". Retrieved 2012-02-16.
- ^ "FlyFilms".[dead link]
- ^ "Amazing Race Heads into China". Retrieved 2010-03-18.
- ^ "Du kan bli med på en eventyrlig reise". Retrieved 2011-10-12.
- ^ "Freddy dos Santos leder Norges største realitysatsing". Retrieved 2011-10-23.
- ^ http://lionheartv.blogspot.com/2011/03/amazing-race-pinoy-edition-nakuha-ng.html
- ^ http://forum.realityfanforum.com/index.php/topic,25046.0.html
- ^ "Canal+ a acquis le format "The Amazing Race"... pour Direct 8". Retrieved 2012-04-24.
- ^ "The Amazing race va être adapté en France : Les infos". Retrieved 2012-04-24.
- ^ Lee, Justin (2010-08-17). "Ubisoft Announces The Amazing Race for the Nintendo Wii". Game Tactics. Retrieved 2010-08-19.
- ^ Powell, John (2011-02-17). "'Amazing Race' game fun for fans". G4TV Canada. Retrieved 2011-04-18.
External links
