The Amazing Race Season 17 Episode 1

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Wooohoooo! My favorite reality show is back! And with a bunch of funny people. Everyone has a story to tell, everyone has their funny moments. I think it’s the first time in quite some time where I will miss the team that will be eliminated. The first location was fantastic as well. I always wanted to visit the Stonehenge, and I am glad they visited it in the Race (it took them 17 seasons!). And storming the castle was pure comedy. The teacup boat was also a good source of laughs. I’m glad I’m not doing that challenge! The editing was very misleading. I really thought Ron and Tony will come in first. And then I thought they won’t get eliminated. And then they were gone! A flight with a 30-minute lead is not a huge deal I guess, especially if there’s a lot of driving around involved. I wonder how far apart each of those places were. I think Stonehenge is nowhere near London. But I think a lot of driving in the first leg is good, because it will take out a “weak team”, and you know in the Race weak doesn’t necessarily mean physical strength. Ron and Tony were terrible at directions and it cost them the Race. I’d love to have seen them gone further, but I don’t think they have it to win this competition. My thoughts on the teams, and in order of their finish in the Pit Stop. 1. Jill and Thomas (Dating) – first team to arrive. They won the new twist in the Race, the “Express Pass” which they can use anytime before the 8th Leg to skip any tasks or route info. Pretty neat twist. They’re the only team in the first flight (there were 3 teams there) who did not do any major mistakes. A pretty strong team. I think Thomas was the one who sounded like Colin Guinn (of Season 5). They both have a strong personality that might cause drama later on though. 2. Nat and Kat (Doctors) – team number two! I have good vibes with this female team. The Race is a stressful competition, and being sleep deprived is one of its huge challenges. A lot of teams probably don’t perform well because of lack of sleep. As doctors, they should have no problem with it. And they are, or should be, smart! They can work well under pressure as well, so they have a good combination for winning the Race. If an all-female team should win the Race, it should be them! 3. Connor and Jonathan (Ivy League A Capella Singers) – number 3. I like them! They look like nerds, and us nerds should support each other! The other teams call them Team Glee. LOL! I love Glee. Jonathan also looks like Harry Potter, so that’s another reason to root for this team. Can you imagine Harry Potter doing the Amazing Race? Now you can! I’m being shallow. Haha! They seem smart, so that’s good. I hope they last long. I don’t want them to win, I want a female team to do that. 4. Brook and Claire (Home Shopping Hosts) – team number 4. I’ve always disliked celebrities on the Race, but these 2 are just doggone hilarious. Brook sounds like Linda from Season 5, or maybe Kathy Griffin, and she’s very supportive like Mirna (of Season 5 as well). The way she cheers on Claire reminds me of how Mirna motivated Charla. And that watermelon! I admire Claire for not quitting. They took a rest, but kept pushing. They even laughed at themselves later. I always liked people who can laugh at themselves. Great team! 5. Katie and Rachel (Beach Volleyball Partners) – team number 5. Another female team, but they are athletes, so they are physically strong. This is good, especially since we want a female team to win! They didn’t leave too much an impression on me though. I hope it doesn’t mean they’re out soon. 6. Gary and Mallory (Father/Daughter) – 6th place. I thought she’s cute. The other teams called her “Sunshine”, and it’s always good to have a positive outlook in the Race. They are one of 3 parent/child teams in the Race right now, which I think is the first time they had as many of this type of team. They were shown having troubles next week though. If they don’t get eliminated then, I bet you they make the Final 3. 7. Michael and Kevin (Father/Son) – 7th place. The 2nd parent/child team in the Race. Kevin is an Internet sensation, but personally, I don’t know him. I might have seen one of his videos before, not sure. For a “comedy” team, I thought they were pretty boring. Yes, I admire Kevin for being very supportive of his father, but there weren’t any “laugh out loud” moments with them. I might be setting the bar high on them though, since they have that reputation of being “YouTube comedians”. 8. Chad and Stephanie (Newly Dating) – 8th place. They’re one of the other teams on the first flight to London, and they’re in 8th place! A lot of things went wrong with them, and if they’re not a dating couple, they’d be gone soon. But they are a dating couple, and dating couples fare well in the Race, so I don’t see them going anywhere. They have the potential to have a meltdown, which is entertainment for us. 9. Andie & Jenna (Birth Mom/Daughter) – 9th place, and the 3rd parent/child team. The 4th all-female team as well. They are probably the weakest of both types, and are at risk of getting eliminated in 10th place (next week). 10th placers are usually an all-female team. This is an interesting team because they’re like strangers to each other. They seem awkward with each other, like they don’t want to hurt the other’s feelings. It’s like what you’ll act around a co-worker, you don’t want to see them your bad side. This could have been an pretty cool team, but they way Andie expresses herself sound robotic, or like she lacks enthusiasm. She probably doesn’t use exclamation points. 10. Nick and Vicki (Dating) – 10th place. I don’t want to call them dumb. Maybe… not so smart? I mean, I am not so smart in some things, and I’ll probably come across as dumb in the Race, so I understand them. They’re hilarious though, and they admit that they’re not the smartest team, and I like that. I like people who know what they are and what they are not. And they come across as humble people, which makes me like them as well. I guess you can say they have that aura of innocence, and it’s interesting to see someone like that run the Race. I don’t know how long they can last though. 11. Ron and Tony (Best Friends) – Last place and eliminated. The third team in the first flight. Their elimination was unpredictable (if you skipped like the middle 45 minutes of the show). Their interviews were lively and even funny at times, so I thought they won’t get eliminated. They just sucked at navigation. I don’t know how they could have gone that far. Maybe the editing wasn’t complete, maybe they didn’t know they were lost for some time. If I were driving around for just an hour, I’d seriously be worried and will stop for directions. Oh wait, I don’t know how to drive lol. I felt bad they were eliminated, they were entertaining and I’d have liked to see their interactions with the other team. A pretty good premiere. Next stop, Ghana!