Amazing Race, Family Edition. *Official DiscussionThread*

[Pooh's Pal]

I don't know how Kelly Preston(?) from Forest Gump walked in it, it was so full of goose droppings, it was a cess pool.

 

[SRUAlmn]

I agree! I hope this edition doesn't do them in. They didn't start winning Emmys until recently and I'd hate to see the show cancelled due to low viewership because of this edition. I certainly hope they will have another two person team series following this one.

I think they are already either casting for the next season or taping the next season right now, aren't they?

 

[padisneyfan]

I think they are already either casting for the next season or taping the next season right now, aren't they?

I've been trying to find out if that is happening from other boards, but no luck yet. My concern is that if the family edition has poor ratings that they show is cancelled before AR 9 would air.

Nancy

 

[Beth76]

I've been trying to find out if that is happening from other boards, but no luck yet. My concern is that if the family edition has poor ratings that they show is cancelled before AR 9 would air.

Nancy

I don't think that's gonna happen. I was thinking that maybe the reason for the family edition was to give more time to plan the next one. Think of all the production and costs involved with the show (the normal one). I think this is just a break to find more new places to go, get permission, find challenges to do.

Sorry, I shouldl have worded that differently!! I don't mean that if someone doesn't know where a particular reflecting pool is that they don't know anything about their country!!! Not so at all. I meant 'overall' not know about their country. It almost seems that there are a lot of people who travel overseas (and nothing wrong with that) but know nothing about their own homeland. I didn't mean to sound derogatory in any way. Sorry!!

OK, thanks for explaining. I understand where you're coming from now.

 

[SRUAlmn]

Let's see what we can find...

From Reality TV World:

The Amazing Race 8's "family edition" is currently scheduled to be a one-time occurrence. The Amazing Race 9 will return to the series’ regular format in which teams must have a unique and a prior relationship with their teammate, but need not be related.

There is currently an application up on cbs.com: (no reference to a particular season, though)
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race_application/

I did a google search and this came up. I have no idea what this website it. 'Answer This' is what it says at the top of the page:

Applications for The Amazing Race 9 needed to be received by Tuesday, July 26 at 5PM.

Once announced, updated casting information for future seasons of The Amazing Race will be posted on CBS.com.

Here is a link to the page because it also has a detailed list of casting locations for Season 9
http://drinkthis.typepad.com/answer_this/casting_the_amazing_race/


Who Knows

 

[Fire14]

A question for you guys....I'm from New England, have never been to the DC area (Hope to get there next fall). How many people out there think automatically of the reflecting pool in front of the Capitol bldg?? That is the only one I think of when someone mentions a 'reflecting pool' in DC. Sure there are other ones, but don't most people know about this one to begin with? I always have thought it was a big tourist attraction type of thing. Just curious. As I said before, it's amazing (no pun intended) to see how little American's actually know about their country.
I also loved the Civil War reenactment. I love that the kids might actually be learning something about history along the way.

I first thought of Wash. Monument/Lincoln one also.

 

[padisneyfan]

I noticed the dates on the application for AR9 that they casted in Harrisburg, PA 7/9/05 which would have also been around the time they were doing all the taping in central PA for AR8.

I checked TwOp and survivor sucks and no information regarding AR 9. Usually you find some spoilers if they are taping it now.

I has been reported that there were so many production problems with this edition that production was stopped for a period of time and there was talk of not even televising the family edition. This came from Hera of TR 6. Ratings are down, last year AR 7 was in the top 20. First week AR 8 wasn't in the top 20.

Nancy

 

[SRUAlmn]

I think their marketing needs some adjusting. They are advertising this as a family edition for families. It has been geared down, therefore they have lost their adventure junkie audience. However, it airs at 9:00 which eliminates a lot of their family audience. Many kids are in bed by 9:00 and/or parents are in the process of bedtime at 9:00. IMO, they either need to step up the adventure aspect, or air it at 8:00.

 

[Beth76]

I think their marketing needs some adjusting. They are advertising this as a family edition for families. It has been geared down, therefore they have lost their adventure junkie audience. However, it airs at 9:00 which eliminates a lot of their family audience. Many kids are in bed by 9:00 and/or parents are in the process of bedtime at 9:00. IMO, they either need to step up the adventure aspect, or air it at 8:00.

Right. And I think the fact that there are only a few kids left plays into that. To me, "family edition" meant mom, dad and two kids (like under 18). Not, two teams with kids and everyone else an adult or older teenager. I think that was very misleading. And I really see nothing to "lure" the kids into watching this season.

 

[SRUAlmn]

Right. And I think the fact that there are only a few kids left plays into that. To me, "family edition" meant mom, dad and two kids (like under 18). Not, two teams with kids and everyone else an adult or older teenager. I think that was very misleading. And I really see nothing to "lure" the kids into watching this season.

I somewhat agree. Having lost my dad when my sisters and I were young, we are very sensitive to things that are so mom, dad, one boy & one girl. It can get a little annoying when that is what is seen as a 'family.' However, in a normal edition of amazing race there are family teams anyway, so if these teams are mostly adults, then what really is the difference? Just the number of people. I think maybe they should have specified 2 members over 18 and 2 members under 18 or something to that affect.

 

[epcotfan]

My concern is that if the family edition has poor ratings that they show is cancelled before AR 9 would air.

Nancy

Yes that is my concern as well. Even if they have another series waiting in the wings CBS could remove it from their schedule if they aren't getting the viewers.

 

[epcotfan]

Right. And I think the fact that there are only a few kids left plays into that. To me, "family edition" meant mom, dad and two kids (like under 18). Not, two teams with kids and everyone else an adult or older teenager. I think that was very misleading. And I really see nothing to "lure" the kids into watching this season.

Those were my impressions as well Beth. I thought Parents or Guardians with two (8-12 age range) children. I think it was a mistake combining mostly adult/teen groups with two teams that had young children.

 

[Kimberle]

I think their marketing needs some adjusting. They are advertising this as a family edition for families. It has been geared down, therefore they have lost their adventure junkie audience. However, it airs at 9:00 which eliminates a lot of their family audience. Many kids are in bed by 9:00 and/or parents are in the process of bedtime at 9:00. IMO, they either need to step up the adventure aspect, or air it at 8:00.

I agree with you. My 6 yo dd would love to watch this with me. 9pm is way to late, especially for a school night. I wish it would air at 8pm.

 

[QuiltTeddy]

Perhaps not enough parents with children between those ages even applied for the show.

Just a thought.

 

[MaryJ]

I agree! I hope this edition doesn't do them in. They didn't start winning Emmys until recently and I'd hate to see the show cancelled due to low viewership because of this edition. I certainly hope they will have another two person team series following this one.

Actually, TAR won the very first Emmy for best reality show just after TAR 4 was broadcast. This was the first time an Emmy was awarded in that category, and TAR has won every time since then. I remember seeing Phil on Regis and Kelly and he said that he feared that TAR 4 would be the last because they weren't getting the viewers. When I was watching the Emmys and they won the first time, I literally jumped out of my chair and cheered because I knew this would mean new life for my favorite reality show.

As far as the mix up with the reflecting pools goes, I think the clue said to go to the reflection pool at the capitol. Teams like the Gaghans could have thought that to mean the capitol CITY, Washington D.C. and went to the first reflecting pool that comes to mind, especially if you've seen Forest Gump.

 

[Beth76]

I somewhat agree. Having lost my dad when my sisters and I were young, we are very sensitive to things that are so mom, dad, one boy & one girl. It can get a little annoying when that is what is seen as a 'family.' However, in a normal edition of amazing race there are family teams anyway, so if these teams are mostly adults, then what really is the difference? Just the number of people. I think maybe they should have specified 2 members over 18 and 2 members under 18 or something to that affect.

My apologies. I guess I didn't mean that they needed to be a perfect nuclear family. My point was that two of the team members should have been kids. Step-parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, single parents would all fit into that. Just that there should have been more actual kids involved.

 

[StaceyA]

My apologies. I guess I didn't mean that they needed to be a perfect nuclear family. My point was that two of the team members should have been kids. Step-parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, single parents would all fit into that. Just that there should have been more actual kids involved.

I agree with you, I think it should have been families with kids, or families without kids....I assumed by family edition that there would automatically be kids in each team, I was shocked to see that most teams were all adults.

 

[Barb D]

Perhaps not enough parents with children between those ages even applied for the show.

Just a thought.

Originally the lower age limit was 12. They changed it to 8 at the last minute. We had to scramble to get our application in, and did the whole thing - video, passport applications, etc. - in 3 days. We didn't get selected. (And we would have been great at it, too!)

 

[CPM]

Originally the lower age limit was 12. They changed it to 8 at the last minute. We had to scramble to get our application in, and did the whole thing - video, passport applications, etc. - in 3 days. We didn't get selected. (And we would have been great at it, too!)

I wonder what they look for in a team. The teams always seem so varied.

 

[SRUAlmn]

My apologies. I guess I didn't mean that they needed to be a perfect nuclear family. My point was that two of the team members should have been kids. Step-parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, single parents would all fit into that. Just that there should have been more actual kids involved.

Oh, no need to apologize. I just wanted to show why I didn't like the idea of it being all perfect nuclear families and I did like the diversity. I just don't like there are so many teams that are all adults.