this is the thread where we talk breathlessly about the best TV show on North American television: THE AMAZING RACE!

It's the same show you quit watching, so it depends

watching old seasons on hulu. can't stop myself. watching backward too. can't remember when i stopped with the original show. watched season 22, 21, and watching season 20 now. i have such nostalgic feelings for that first season.

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130422171119/amazingrace/images/thumb/f/f7/FrankMargarita2nd.png/500px-FrankMargarita2nd.png

frank and margarita!

33rd season premiere was last night. A wrinkle is that they made it three episodes before covid cancelled things in 2020, so I guess when they got the all-clear they just picked up where they left off. The season premiere is therefore all pre-covid, but I think after the next episode it's ... well, not post-covid, but some months later. Curious how that plays out. Like, what if a couple broke up in between?

Speaking of couples, the teams this season lean kind of hard on novelties - a lot of youtube/reality people - but there are some compelling pairings. For example, two best friends, one of whom was wrongfully imprisoned for a decade. Or the guys that stopped that terrorist on a train in France. And some other folks, too.

OK, this is kind of interesting, in a time capsule sort of way. At the end of the second episode there is a *19 month* leap forward. Some teams do not return to resume the race (with no explanation), some previously eliminated teams get to come back, some people have lost their jobs, some have had family members die of covid, travel going forward is on chartered flights but otherwise generally avoiding public transportation in favor of driving, people are wearing masks, we suspect challenges were re-considered with social distancing in mind ... kind of surreal.

i can't believe i've been watching this show for 20 years.

I'm finally watching a new season while it's airing. Highlight is still probably Maya and Rohan getting their car stuck Austin Powers style.