• reality shows
  • reality TV reviews
  • about
  • contact
  • reality TV schedule
  • best reality TV
  • send tips or feedback
  • support
  • subscribe
The Amazing Race 18

Amazing Race ends with high notes but still has unfinished business of fixing its broken self

by Andy Dehnart 9 May. 2011 | 10:31 am

The Amazing Race concluded its 18th season and second all-star season with two back-to-back episodes that ended in the Florida Keys with the $1 million prize going to sisters Jen and Kisha Hoffman. The Globetrotters came in second, followed by father/daughter team Gary and Mallory. Friends Zev and Justin were knocked out in the penultimate leg.

Jen and Kisha won having performed consistently, if unmemorably, this entire season. They’re the second all-female team to win, which is remarkable because after 16 seasons with no all-female team wins, we’ve now had two back-to-back. (Kisha, by the way, is another openly gay cast member who producers have closeted.)

While I’m perfectly content with Jen and Kisha’s win, which was all too perfect for Mother’s Day since they emotionally talked about helping their mom who did so much for them, I was disappointed that Gary and Mallory lost, or at least had no chance of contention, because of a bad cab driver.

That the race has come down to cabs in many past seasons is not an excuse. If anything, this final leg was the perfect opportunity to let teams drive themselves: They went from Miami to the Florida Keys, a long drive on one road with very little room to get lost on individual islands. That the producers forced the teams to be in cabs is yet another example of how they’ve failed to recognize how broken their show is.

Mallory was this season’s biggest surprise for me. Her positive, upbeat attitude in the face of adversity was a lesson to both all of the teams who whine, cry, and fight their way through problems. It was also a lesson to me, because I can’t imagine I’d have reacted the same way she did when faced with the uncommunicative, hopelessly lost cab driver. Mallory let their problems affect her in only the most positive way, and they never gave up–and even caught up, though not enough.

Speaking of catching up, the Old Seven Mile Bridge bike ride gave the producers the chance to show an actual foot race/bike race, which would have been cool, except since the Globetrotters were so far behind Jen and Kisha, we didn’t ever see them both on the bridge at the same time. (By the way: They did not bike the entire seven miles, which is impossible, because the majority of the old bridge has been disconnected to the east of Pigeon Key, which is where the finish line was. So, the span they biked was to the east, and just over two miles. Here’s a map of Pigeon Key that shows the break to the left and the old highway they biked to the right.)

As to the leg’s other challenges, moving a boat with a forklift had the potential to be good, but was basically directed by a forklift operator so there was little suspense. The best part was the challenge that replaced the quiz that usually ends each season. Having to reconstruct a campground .. Even though she kept looking off-camera for a cue from a producer about whether or not to approve the teams’ work, she was a total trip.

The first hour/episode (CBS simply smashed two episodes together) was actually stronger than the second, and gave me hope for the series. There was nothing new, but what they did do worked pretty well. And it was best because it had a lot of comedy, especially from Justin and Zev, who went out on a high note. “He was the race, and I was the Amazing,” Zev said.

The Detour once again was imbalanced, though most of the teams recognized how difficult it would be to sell bikinis to people on the beach, and opted to make drinks instead. Zev and Justin made the wrong choice before switching. They also got screwed by the waxing challenge, which was entertaining but significantly unfair to Justin and Zev, who had far more hair to remove. I’m no waxing expert, but the women doing the waxing didn’t seem to be experts either. And while I don’t condone violence, nor do I think Justin was serious, it was hilarious when he cried out in pain, “I swear to god I’m going to punch you in the face” and then asked, “What’s the penalty for knocking her out cold?”

The entire episode showed that the race still has some life in it, if only the producers would stop being so damn stubborn and fix several major things that wouldn’t be all that difficult to fix; most wouldn’t even cost money. A few weeks ago on Survivor, one cast member was sifting through maggot-infested rice to pick out the good pieces. That’s what The Amazing Race has turned into, with loud music and fast editing acting as sauce the producers keep ladling over the maggots to hope we won’t notice.

But there is good stuff left, so maybe there’s some hope of its survival. And maybe some day it’ll even thrive again.

discuss this story

more great reality blurred stories

  • The 20 Survivor winners who will compete on Survivor season 40
  • How Antiques Roadshow works
  • Scare Tactics: The surprising way the show was cast
  • Behind the scenes of the Guy’s Grocery Games grocery store
  • The Survivor rule book and Survivor cast contract
  • How Big Brother’s house is designed

Reality TV in your inbox

Hand-crafted reality TV news and recommendations sent most Fridays. Unsubscribe any time!

most-popular stories on reality blurred

Boston Rob Mariano and Sandra Diaz-Twine on Survivor: Island of the Idols

Survivor 40's cast of 20 Survivor winners

Survivor season 40's all-winner cast has been revealed. Original winner Richard Hatch is not competing, but nearly every winner from seasons 22 to 37 is returning.

Eagan Tilghman and Matt Ortiz in the robot costumes they made on episode 3 of Making It season 2

Great American Baking Show returns, Making It ends, and other reality TV coming this week

Reality TV and documentary shows and specials premiering this week include one more holiday baking competition, plus car shows and several holiday specials.

On Kings of Pain, Rob “Caveman” Alleva puts a tarantula hawk, a massive wasp, on Adam Thorn so it can sting him

Is Kings of Pain science or stupidity? An interview with a History Channel executive

An interview with a History Channel executive about Kings of Pain, on which two men are bitten and stung to see how much it hurts.

Wrap Battle guest judge Shiho Masuda and judges Wanda Wen, Carson Kressley, and Sheryl Underwood watch contestant Eddie Ross

Wrap Battle is an imperfect but welcome Christmas gift

The gift wrapping competition Wrap Battle is a lot of holiday fun despite some baffling judging and discordant choices.

Adam Conover, the host/maze master of Nickelodeon's The Crystal Maze

The Crystal Maze is coming to the US, with Adam Conover hosting

Watch a preview of Nickelodeon's US version of The Crystal Maze, which will be hosted by Adam Ruins Everything's Adam Conover.

Lisa D'Amato, Shark Tank

Top Model Lisa D'Amato pitched on Shark Tank. Her off-camera co-founder wrote about it.

For a behind-the-scenes look at America's Next Top Model all-stars winner Lisa D'Amato's pitch of Dare-U-Go! on Shark Tank, read what Lisa's secret co-founder had to say.

The central cast of MTV's Ex On the Beach: Peak of Love

Ex on the Beach: Peak of Love cast includes Adore Delano and Temptation Island singles

MTV announced the cast and air date for Ex On the Beach season 4, which has relocated to the mountains of New Zealand and now has the nonsensical name of Ex On the Beach: Peak of Love.

A New Hampshire bridge in winter, which will take us from fall to spring reality TV shows

Winter 2020 reality TV schedule and guide

This winter reality show 2019 and 2020 schedule is a frequently updated list of premieres for broadcast, cable, and streaming reality TV shows, documentary series, game shows, and other prime-time nonfiction TV.

Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio during the Top Chef: Kentucky finale

Top Chef season 17: all stars are filming now

Former Top Chef contestants have been spotted at filming locations in the Los Angeles area, and the Restaurant Wars episode will be filmed next week.

Life Below Zero season 11, Sue Aikens

When Life Below Zero will return for season 11, and who it will follow

Exclusive: Life Below Zero is returning to National Geographic for season 11 this fall, with a cast that includes one new person.

behind the scenes of reality TV

Behind the scenes of Knife Fight

What happens when a real restaurant becomes the set of a reality TV cooking competition.

American Grit season two, cadre member Riki Long, contestants Herman and Shermon

Behind the scenes of American Grit season two

John Cena’s reality show left the Pacific Northwest for the swamps outside of Savannah, Georgia, for season two.

Hoarders Randyland

Behind the scenes of Hoarders: Randyland

How Hoarders was filmed, from behind the scenes of a show that usually doesn’t allow visitors. Plus: What happened that wasn’t shown on TV on the season 4 episode “Randy/Vicki.”

older

Kent and Vyxsin, finally eliminated, defend their rule-breaking, call Globetrotters “big cowards”

newer >

Amazing Race has its lowest-rated finale ever

more stories about The Amazing Race 18

discuss this story

about Andy Dehnart

Andy Dehnart’s writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in Vulture, Pacific Standard, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. He has covered reality television for more than 18 years, and created reality blurred in 2000.

A member of the Television Critics Association who serves on its board of directors, Andy, 41, also directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. Learn more about reality blurred and Andy.

stay connected with reality TV

Get advice about what to watch and keep up with the latest in reality television with reality blurred's e-mail newsletter. Just enter your e-mail address:

about reality blurred

reality blurred is your guide to the world of reality TV and unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. It was created in 2000 by Andy Dehnart. He's still writing and publishing it today.

reality blurred is regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of these reality TV shows, including Survivor, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, and many more.

explore

  • recent news
  • reviews of reality TV shows
  • behind the scenes reports
  • interviews with producers and reality stars
  • archives
  • send tips
  • search
  • advertise on reality blurred
  • about reality blurred
  • newsletter
  • RSS and social media
  • contact reality blurred
  • send tips & contribute
  • privacy policy
  • terms of service
Copyright © 2000 to 2019 Andy Dehnart and individual contributors.