Amazing Race 11 - All Stars (begins 2/18/07)

[hematite153]

I agree with those who think the All Stars wasn't challenging enough.

I watched the first season on DVD after becoming a fan in the middle of TAR6. Overall, I think the whole show just keeps getting easier.

For it to really be All Stars I wanted tougher challenges. Yes, physically tough challenges would be nice but there were a few of those. What I really miss are the intellectual challenges. What about a couple of legs where they can't talk to cab drivers (not even to ask for directions); what about get from A to B where there is actually an option that will be faster by train than by plane; what about, use public transit to get to (yes, there was one of those but I'd like to see more); what about some new twists?

Ah well...hopes for the future.

 

[Disney Ella]

I agree with those who think the All Stars wasn't challenging enough.

I watched the first season on DVD after becoming a fan in the middle of TAR6. Overall, I think the whole show just keeps getting easier.

For it to really be All Stars I wanted tougher challenges.

I'd like to see less time spent on the "will they get the flight or won't they?" thing and more time spent on challenges. The airport stuff is really pretty boring and I wish that doing well or not doing well on a challenge would affect the race more than not getting a good flight does.

 

[Albertan mom]

Absolutely! The only redeeming thing about her win was that Zach more than deserved it. He was a great guy who had to put up with a shrieking albatross around his neck the entire race. It's a shame Zach had to share the prize with her.

I couldn't picture this team, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. Apparently Flo and Drew (one of the twins) are dating. They hooked up after the race and are still together. They were offered to do All-Stars and declined.

 

[Kimberle]

I wish they'd take a step back. I like the detours of the old days, 1 road block was bungie jumping and the other was to hike 5 miles down a winding path. The detours of late seem to be pick whichever seems more "fun".

I also wish they'd really make them "think" about the money they spend (like in the first seasons), to "splurge" on a cab, or take the bus or train. I don't like when the transportation options are handed to them.

I'd also like to see them drop the Intersection and add a new twist. They'd be given a choice to stop and do a specific task to earn more money, or keep racing with the money they have. Managing their money used to be a very important part of the game. Now, it's like an afterthought....

 

[hematite153]

I'd also like to see them drop the Intersection and add a new twist. They'd be given a choice to stop and do a specific task to earn more money, or keep racing with the money they have. Managing their money used to be a very important part of the game. Now, it's like an afterthought....

I really like this idea. I vaguely remember a leg somewhere where just after a non-elimination leg there was a route-task (i.e. neither detour nor roadblock) that involved selling something on the street until they had made a certain amount of money. They were allowed to keep the money afterwards. Most teams got their minimum and moved on. The team without money spent a little bit longer at it so they'd have some money in their pockets.

I didn't like the way the intersection worked in the All Stars but I did like it in TAR10. I think that the tasks to be completed while intersected ought to REQUIRE 4 people. Perhaps it could be adjusted such that teams have a choice to intersect or continue alone. But, then the tasks would strongly favour teams that had intersected.

I've also been thinking through a "swap partners" idea. What if teams had to swap partners with another team and then do opposite detours (i.e. it's impossible for all 4 to stay together)? After completing reaching the pit stop the new team would have to decide to check in or wait for their original partners. If they checked in as the new team then they would go out as the new team and could switch back to their original partners if and when bunching next occurs. But, they'd risk having their partners eliminated and have to continue together.

 

[becjlek]

I'd like to see 2 complete strangers be a team on the next one and see how they might do.

 

[Jimbo]

I wish they'd take a step back. I like the detours of the old days, 1 road block was bungie jumping and the other was to hike 5 miles down a winding path. The detours of late seem to be pick whichever seems more "fun".

I also wish they'd really make them "think" about the money they spend (like in the first seasons), to "splurge" on a cab, or take the bus or train. I don't like when the transportation options are handed to them.

I'd also like to see them drop the Intersection and add a new twist. They'd be given a choice to stop and do a specific task to earn more money, or keep racing with the money they have. Managing their money used to be a very important part of the game. Now, it's like an afterthought....

Well, Danny and Oswald had serious money problems this season. So it still did come in to play. But that was rare for the last few seasons, I'll agree with you on that.

And I'll also agree that the Intersection is really lame and needs to go. This year, the paired up teams didn't even have to work together. They each individually had to eat a big platter of sausages. If you're going to combine teams, at least make them do something requiring teamwork. I didn't get that at all.

And the Yield is even worse. They structure the legs so that it really never seems to matter much. Then there's all this non-stop whining and kvetching about how unethical it is to play the Yield. It was dumb and painful to listen to.

But at least they've got the non-elimination thing worked out, IMHO. That 30 minute thing is just enough of a penalty. Taking their clothes and making them beg for money was really ridiculous, but they found a good balance.

Oh... Get rid of the damn gnome!

 

[mrzrich]

I don't think this will be an emmy winning season.

 

[dolphindan1]

I don't think this will be an emmy winning season.

I really enjoyed it....even after Rob and Amber left

 

[Grog]

And I'll also agree that the Intersection is really lame and needs to go. This year, the paired up teams didn't even have to work together. They each individually had to eat a big platter of sausages. If you're going to combine teams, at least make them do something requiring teamwork. I didn't get that at all.

And the Yield is even worse. They structure the legs so that it really never seems to matter much. Then there's all this non-stop whining and kvetching about how unethical it is to play the Yield. It was dumb and painful to listen to.

I agree about the intersection. Get rid of it. If you have four teams left, and the fourth is lagging far behind, the third team is essentially punished by having to wait for team for to catch up so they can do the task together. It's not fair to that third team which might be running a good leg up to that point.

I think they could keep the yield, but change some things.

1) Make it an hour. Right now I think it's only thirty minutes and it doesn't really have much of an effect.
2) Make it anonymous. Right now it creates too much drama, and there is a reluctance to use it due to the fact that any team that is yielded knows who is yielding them.
3) Teams who pass the yield shouldn't remove their pics from the box. That way if Team A wants to yield Team B, they have to either be sure that B is behind them, or take the chance that they are wasting the yield.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I agree about the intersection. Get rid of it. If you have four teams left, and the fourth is lagging far behind, the third team is essentially punished by having to wait for team for to catch up so they can do the task together. It's not fair to that third team which might be running a good leg up to that point.

I think they could keep the yield, but change some things.

1) Make it an hour. Right now I think it's only thirty minutes and it doesn't really have much of an effect.
2) Make it anonymous. Right now it creates too much drama, and there is a reluctance to use it due to the fact that any team that is yielded knows who is yielding them.
3) Teams who pass the yield shouldn't remove their pics from the box. That way if Team A wants to yield Team B, they have to either be sure that B is behind them, or take the chance that they are wasting the yield.

Those are some great ideas for the yield! an hour would be awesome!!!

 

[goodeats]

I liked when the Fast Forward was offered (almost) every leg, and you could only choose it once. That required strategy!

I do like that there's a punishment for coming in last on a NEL, but the 30 minute penalty isn't terribly interesting....

And the forced bunching drives me nuts!

 

[Grog]

I liked when the Fast Forward was offered (almost) every leg, and you could only choose it once. That required strategy!

Agreed. I wish they would go back to doing it that way. Now I'm getting nostalgic for the earlier seasons. I might have to put in my season 1 DVD's later

 

[TiggerPiglet]

I agree about the Fast Forward, they really should go back to offering it at every leg. The way they have it set up now, basically if you're the first team to get there, you do it, because the odds of getting it again are so slim. The other way definitely had strategy involved.

I also enjoyed this season. It was great watching the teams run again and how they changed the way they ran. I especially loved how Ian changed. You could tell he probably learned from his first time around and was so much calmer. I really hated him, but after this season he didn't seem so bad

 

[Grog]

Well, I had the day off work so I watched the first three episodes from Season 1. It's funny to see how much has changed. Phil and the Guidos looked so much younger six years ago and Drew was still funny. It was interesting seeing them come into the pit stops. They were met at the mat, which was a different design for each pit stop and smaller than the mats they use now, by a local, but not Phil. Phil only met the last team to tell them they had been eliminated. Some of the clues seemed more vague than they are now, and it was fun seeing teams plot to use the FF since it was available on every leg.

 

[PixieDust32]

 

[epcotfan]

I liked when the Fast Forward was offered (almost) every leg, and you could only choose it once. That required strategy!

I agree with you. People had to decide when it was the most advantageous to go for the fast forward which made it much more challenging.

 

[epcotfan]

If they want a new twist on the Race I'd like to see complete strangers paired as team mates. That could make for a really interesting show!

 

[southernbohemian]

If they want a new twist on the Race I'd like to see complete strangers paired as team mates. That could make for a really interesting show!

Am I the only one who remembers the original "Lost"? It premiered the same season as Amazing Race and featured complete strangers who were dropped off in the middle of nowhere (I think Mongolia) and not told where they were, only that they had to get back to the Statue of Liberty. They had to pair off with a stranger. The show lasted like 2 or 3 episodes before being cancelled. Strangers just aren't as interesting as teammates, they are usually more polite and careful. I think the stranger factor works differently if you are on a large team (like Survivor) because you get a group dynamic thing going, but one on one, not so much.

Plus, its so much more gratifying when you see teams like mothers/sons who grow closer from the race.

I'm thankful that Lost was cancelled though - I had started watching it instead of Amazing Race, but when it was cancelled I switched over to AR.

 

[Chloe'sMom]

I don't think we will watch in the fall. We didn't watch the family one at all - to many people to keep track of. And in all seriousness the team we love never seems to win. I know those are the breaks but then your stuck watching teams you dislike. And as everyone else said - the GOGOGO! factor just isn't there anymore.

~Amanda