#rbreviewstar

My Thoughts - Spoilers Ahead

I’ve never watched Survivor before so I went into this season blind; ignorant of Rob & Amber’s fame and notoriety from CBS’s other stalwart show. I greatly underestimated the popularity of Survivor as Rob & Amber were immediately recognized during the first leg and countless times afterward. To their advantage, they used their fame to help further them along while other teams struggled.

The other teams immediately targeted Rob & Amber as the ones to beat. This was especially true with Lynn & Alex and Susan & Patrick. Rob jokes they won’t be on many people’s Christmas card list.

The new rule introduced this season was the penalty during non-elimination legs. Last season they took away your money, but now they take away everything you have except your passport and clothes on your back. I thought the money thing was cruel, but taking away everything you have is just wrong. After losing everything, they carry around a plastic bag which is something…

Although Rob & Amber are the main draw, the season also focuses on the relationships of Uchenna & Joyce, Ron & Kelly, and Ray & Deana.

Again, we have couples using the show to test if their relationship will last. Okay.

Married couple Uchenna & Joyce have experienced hardship in their inability to start a family. They question if they are really meant to be together because of this. That’s a tough situation and I rooted for them from the beginning. The arc of the season finds them facing their hardship right on especially when they visit the orphanage and during Joyce’s head shave.

Ron & Kelly are the youngest of the couples. Rob was a prisoner of war, while Kelly was a former beauty queen. During the intros, I wondered if Ron was going to mention his military career whenever he could and he did not disappoint. He uses the military to prove what a man he is during the race. He immediately disengages with Kelly when she becomes upset during a challenge. He doesn’t seem to understand emotions and says that he didn’t have to worry about emotions in the military.

You can pin point the moment their relationship dies when he says he’d prefer to keep traveling rather than marry and have kids. Kelly breaks down crying, saying how difficult it is to love someone when there’s nothing there anymore.

Ray & Deana are the most tumultuous of the couples. They love each other, but hate each other and don’t know why their still together. They can’t explain it but they both sense there’s something there between them and hope the show might reveal something, good luck to them.

Brian & Greg are the neutral team in the group and befriend everyone they interact with.

Rob & Amber know how to play the game unlike any contestants I’ve seen before. They’re cunning and manipulate the other teams with ease and skill. They’re able to plant disinformation and scam everyone to their benefit. Somehow they’re also likable and charming.

Rob & Amber’s greatest achievement of manipulation takes place during one of the roadblock challenges where they have to eat four pounds of brains and other organs. Unable to finish the challenge, they take the four-hour penalty and convince one team after another to drop out of the challenge to secure they wouldn’t be eliminated. Phil actually congratulates them on the crafty idea.

A number of bilingual teams succeed traveling through South America. A great skill. However. Debbie & Bianca’s ability to speak Spanish doesn’t help them as they drive two hours in the wrong direction.

While exploring a cave during a challenge, Gretchen falls and injures herself. She remains in good spirits even covered in blood, and yells for Meredith to continue.

While driving, Brian & Greg’s vehicle flips over. A camera man is injured in the accident but recovers. All the teams, except Rob & Amber, stop to see if they’re okay.

Hoping they wouldn’t be eliminated, Brian & Greg strip down to their bathing suits before checking in on the mat (since non-elimination legs requires you to lose everything but your passport and the clothes you’re wearing).

Everyone arrives at the pit stop and greeted by Phil who tells them to keep going.

The elephant challenge was so chaotic I loved every moment. I loved how they threw Gretchen on top.

Teams received their next clue in the middle of the night while asleep on the train, how rude.

I didn’t know weighing people in public was so popular in Turkey?

First appearance of the Travelocity gnome.

The Sherlock Holmes challenge was a lot of fun.

It was so hard to watch Uchenna & Joyce beg for money in the Jamaican airport.

My Thoughts - Spoilers Ahead

Hey, I’m RedBarracuda and I hope, whomever may be reading this that you’ll enjoy my commentary as I marathon the complete series. I’m new to the series, like twenty years late, but I enjoyed watching the thirty-third season and decided to give the other thirty-two seasons a go. My marathon starts here in season two because the first season was unintentionally spoiled for me, but I plan to go back eventually. I’ll write out my thoughts and feelings I’m having and publish them here.

The show cannot resist but focus on the complicated (and I mean complicated) relationship of Tara & Wil, and how could you not? The married, but separated couple loathe each other but cannot resist the temptation there might be something there. Of course, we’ll use a high-stress reality show to decide our fate for us.

Wil is highly possessive and creates tension whenever anyone interacts with Tara, especially Chris & Alex who play up the flirtation.

I love the visual of the teams driving out of the Nevada desert. The trail of sand and debris flying up into the air from the speeding vehicles wildly driving all over the place is intense and gets the mood pumping. What a thrilling introduction.

Oswald & Danny and Peggy & Claire are my favorites. I immediately love Peggy & Claire, there’s absolutely no way they’ll win but I want nothing but the best for them.

Gutsy Grannies! I didn’t realize teams had nicknames. I thought everyone was being rude when describing Oswald & Danny as the Cha Cha Chas. Who knew?

I’m skeptical of sibling teams Blake & Paige, Shola & Doyin, and Mary & Peach. Gary & Dave are the goofs of the season, but their humor doesn’t always land. If Tara & Wil weren’t such big personalities I suspect Gary & Dave would have been the villains.

Blake & Paige are playing the game and I’m here for it. If you’re going to be conniving, work it.

I would not kiss Fat Maria.

I love the hand gliding challenge.

Blake loses the teams money. Such a horrible moment, and they have to beg in the terminal for money.

I love how they change the bus tire. Teams are dealing with a lot of issues with foreign tires.

Peggy & Claire begin their collapse by forgetting to set their alarm. I’ve wondered if a team would ever oversleep and I wasn’t disappointed. In last place, Blake had the opportunity to wake them.

Later, we encounter the difficult scene at the airport where teams go in every direction. The race requires them to travel to South Africa. Peggy & Claire make a fatal mistake and book tickets with a layover in New York. I felt so bad for them. They arrive so late they are instructed to go directly to the pit stop instead of completing any tasks.

The challenges in South Africa are thoughtful and honest with the country’s poverty. I loved how they started the challenge by visiting the jail where Nelson Mandela was held, too bad they didn’t have time to reflect on what they experienced.

I love Oswald & Danny, they’re so positive and hilarious throughout out the race. They share travel tips from their own experiences traveling which are actually helpful. For instance, finding five-star hotels when you need directions. Their patience and honesty help them like when they easily recruit people off the street to follow and help them through challenges.

Also, not being rude to your taxi drivers. They can’t help if there is traffic. Screaming at them won’t make things move faster. I know you’re in a highly stressful situation, but you have to respect that there are things out of your control.

I love the dune sledding challenge.

Shola & Doyin get stuck in the stand while driving. I thought they handled the situation as well as they could.

The struggle is real in Thailand. The water taxi part was so chaotic, I felt overwhelmed watching it.

The bat challenge was okay. I didn’t think it was as bad as the teams made it out to be.

I loved the elephant washing roadblock.

Amelia Chow!

Mary & Peach admit defeat and head out for dinner before checking in at the pit stop, I love that. I wonder how long they were out before the producers were like “okay, move this along.”

I like how multiple teams failed at the Australian slang challenge, but did they really have to complete the challenge again? Why not just give them a time penalty?

Golfing on the driest course seemed like the better option. Although, I did like the amusement of the miners.

"I'm not a miner! … No, you're an idiot!" Thank you Tara, ahahaha.

The pineapple challenge appeared easier than anticipated?

The race unravels. Tara & Wil lose their travel instructions to the delight of the other teams. Tara begs Chris & Alex and Paige & Blake who decline to hand over any information because of Wil’s behavior over the span of the race, which I loved to see. Everything comes full circle.

Tara attempts to remember anything from the clue and succeeds by looking through a phone book at the airport. Wil, because he’s Wil blows the secrecy of Tara’s discovery by gloating to the other teams. If there were any feelings, any spark of love between I sense it was dead by this moment.

My Thoughts - Spoilers Ahead

Family edition? Oh no.

How exactly does this work, and why is this a thing? I’m immediately curious why there isn’t an age limit; some teams have small children while others have grown adults.

Unlike previous seasons, teams are now comprised of four people. That’s 40 people total, way too much.

For the first time but only occasionally, roadblocks can now be performed by two people.

The Gaghan family, Carissa describes how she plans to manipulate adults. Well, bring it on! I want to see this skill in action.

From the beginning, the Paolo family lashes out at one another, viciously. The older son and the mother barely communicate without screaming at each other, it’s ridiculous. I was wondering when a team would lose their stuff and the Paolo family did not disappoint.

I like the Aiello, Black, Bransen, and Linz families. They seem genuine and real.

For the first time the race will remain in the United States. That’s a nice change and I’m interested to see how that impacts the teams.

The other teams turn against the Weaver family, dubbed Florida. The Weavers, grieving from the loss of their father/husband, remain independent while struggling to figure out what’s next for them. They openly say they don’t trust anyone but family, and are rude and distant with the other teams.

Can we talk about the Weavers for a second? I’m so confused. The Weavers will be like “everyone hates us! It doesn’t make sense, we’re nice people”. And then in a group setting they’ll lash out and act like buffoons for no apparent reason. The other teams are like “no thank you.” It’s a vicious cycle the Weavers put themselves in.

The Bransen family, comprised of a dad and his three daughters, come to realize their out-of-shape dad is a liability on the race. He tries to show his worth, but the catchphrase “Wait For Wally” unfortunately sticks.

The first challenge is to find an outdoors store in New York City. Did anyone see the size of these tents? How are four people supposed to fit in there?

Mark from the Schroeder family jokes that he hopes somebody pushes a handicapped person into traffic, what a start.

During one of the challenges, the Weaver family loses control of their carriage and it accidentally runs over the mom. Which, should have been horrifying, but they were so in the moment to stop and reflect on the situation.

As the other teams are struggling, the. Gaghan family strolls by with the kids cheerfully signing. Probably the hardest I’ve ever laughed during the show.

In Pennsylvania, one of the challenges requires teams to carry injured soldiers off the field during the reenactment of a Civil War battle. Some teams are afraid of being shot. I love how, at the checkpoint some of the teams hastily dump the actor on the ground.

In Washington D.C. I love how they have a running spy theme in the challenges.

As they’re waiting for their flight. Hunter and Rolly goof off. It was nice to see a moment when the teams could actually relax. Char breaks it up because she doesn’t want Hunter to give away their strategy, like this season actually requires strategy.

As the teams are traveling to the mystery destination, the Weaver family just … loses it? They’re hysterical laughing and crying and the other teams are like oh, please get away from us.

Wow, the challenge takes place at Talladega. All the other teams are like how are the Weavers gonna handle this as their dad was killed at a race track.

You need therapy, not the Amazing Race.

I love how the team flashed the others, and how Phil joked about it.

The Schroeder family gets lost only minutes from their home in Louisiana. The second team to be eliminated because dad didn’t listen to the kid, like the Rogers family.

Okay, I guess we aren’t staying in the United States for the entire race. We head south to Panama.

The amount of fast-forwards have decreased dramatically, now there’s only one for the entire race.

That bean challenge.

In one of the best moments of the season, during the banana challenge the Paolo family watches their dad easily carry the large bushels of bananas. Their dad works as a garbage man and watching him carry the bushels makes the kids respect and better understand their father.

At the Yield, The Weaver family was so rude to the other teams.

We’re back in the United States, after a two foreign country trip. From the frustration of the teams it sounds like they’re annoyed the majority of the race takes place there. I get it. “I want to go to New Zealand!"

There’s another challenge that takes place at a race track, man the Weavers are being forced to face their family tragedy hard. The Bransen family shows their support to the family and encourages them not to give up. The Weavers turn around and badmouth them, seriously what is up with this family?Later on, we see the Weavers throw trash at another family’s car on the highway, and then lash out about how rude everyone is to them. They claim they’re being targeted and how they’re just trying to live a nice Christian lifestyle, ugh. Hiding behind your religion doesn’t make up for how awful you are as people.

Enjoy your ten seconds at the Grand Canyon.

The 360 airplane roadblock was so cool, and maybe my favorite challenge so far.

I don’t think Jesus would appreciate the shit the Weavers are spewing.

The tree of hemorrhoids.

Unlike other stops, I’m glad they were able to wait and enjoy - to an extent - the Old Faithful.

I so want that golf cart.

I too thought it was Buffalo Bill the serial killer.

The Godlewski family implodes. The sisters blame the talkative Chris, who constantly breaks down crying, but we know the real villain is Sharon. I like how honest they were afterward about how the race changed nothing about their relationship or how they view each other.

Canada time!

Ted: taxi driver of the year.

In the beginning, the Weaver mom talked about how she had to step up as parent and support the family, but actually it turned out Rolly carried the team and kept it together when the other three would give up.

The search of the stadium challenge was just brutal. I wish the show kept a running time on how long it was taking them to find the clue on the back of thousands of chairs. I also love how they were able to sleep there for the night on cots in the middle of the field.

The race wraps with a return to New York and a challenge to assemble a puzzle of North America, which was a perfect way to conclude the season.