animalmystic

Fuck I just saw that, damn it!! I liked her too

Why the hell are other teams helping other teams, isn't the point of being on the show is to win?? If another team asked me where something was or where to go I would send them in the wrong direction and try to throw them off as much as possible, hell I want to win. I call BS.

Good show, I like it, I gotta catch the other seasons, I would love to see this done internationally.

BDB

the hot pink is pleasant to watch!

And yes I watch TAR to see a travel show, not to watch rick steves drive from NYC to Disney.

Silt

Feeling very underwhelmed by this episode. TAR had jumped way in front of Survivor as my "look forward" to show of the week, but this family format I fear is going to get old soon. Part of why I like TAR is seeing the exotic locations and watching the racers deal with language barriers, etc. I'm already tired of seeing the inside of their plush SUVs. The one big plus is the little kids. They have all the good one-liners to far...got a good laugh when the boy said he wanted his little sister's job. hehe

Noticed during the flash back to last weeks highlights...Phil normally says "This was the first pit stop in a race around the world..." or something like that...tonight he simply said "This was the first pit stop in the Amazing Race"....hope it remains amazing..but I'm starting to have my doubts.

DRG

I must be the only one, because I like the groundbound aspect of this edition. While I've enjoyed the past few seasons, the whole "fly somewhere new at the beginning of every episode so all the teams can get bunched up" thing got annoying. I love that navigation skills, good and bad decisions, and the actual tasks have been deciding the race so far. As for missing the pretty sites, after seven seasons of globetrotting what countries haven't we seen already? But on that note I would actually love to see them do something like this, but in Europe... where the teams would largely be driving from country to country to country.

Ravenous

This season is fucking annoying. I only paid attention to the Civil War part because Im a sucker for that stuff. Everything else, just a background thing.

Damfino

Not as funny as last week, but still some good lines...

Schroeder: "The sky is blue!" (pause) "Are you sure the sky's not blue?" "I think her panties are too tight".

Weaver girl: "Is Washington DC in Washington State?" (this team finished first!)

I was also surprised by how many people went to the Lincoln Memorial end of the Washington Mall instead of the Capitol end. The clue clearly stated to go to the reflecting pool at the Capitol.

TheBang

Well, the Lincoln Memorial pool is clearly more well-known. I've been to DC (both pools), and probably would have thought of the Lincoln pool first, if I hadn't read the clue carefully.

That's why if I'm ever on the Amazing Race, I'll always read the clue carefully 5 times.

coladar

As a life-long Washingtonian, I've been waiting for TAR to do a leg in DC for ages. Well, they finally did it. And even that couldn't save me from absolutely hating this episode. I think this was the final straw for this "Family Edition." I wasn't sure I was even going to give it a shot, and despite the fact that there aren't all the little kids ruining the show I expected, this is just bad.

The US-only aspect sucks. All of the challenges are absolutely horrible. I mean really, really horrible. Good lord, find the reflecting pool in front of the Capitol. Find the super secret spy limo! Walk around the tidal basin saying the "Sky is Blue!" looking for your super secret spy buddy since we all know all the challenges in DC should be centered around some ridiculously juvenile fake spy crap. Even the civil war challenge just wasn't all that interesting, probably because all of the junk that came before it.

On top of that, I don't like a single team. There are far too many people. There simply isn't any real draw to the relationships among the team-members with everyone being related, no more abusive, pieces of crap, or best friends, or relationships about to end... The one conflicted relationship, that mother, isn't interesting. She's just so annoying that I want to change the channel when she is on camera.

Unless I start watching something else and get hooked, I'll come back when this family bullshit is over. Until then... Well, thank God I found the strength not to force myself to watch anymore of this. I just hope this doesn't end up causing the death of TAR if the large number of people that just started watching in the past couple seasons give up, and don't bother to come back when this gimmick is over. I know about 4 of 7 people I got interested in this show gave up after last week, which isn't a good sign.

Chew

First observation: is the end of last night's episode the first time we've heard the younger Paolo brother talk? It always seems to be the older brother and the mother fighting all the time.

I can understand the need to make these road blocks and detours a bit on the easier side due to the family aspect, but I agree: they suck.

At least we have the next edition of the race back to normal.

John-In-VA

Definitely not as compelling as previous seasons. Another thing missing is animosity between the various teams. It's like each team is in their own little world. No foreign travel sucks. Challenges suck. So far, this is a failed experiment. Take a page from the Survivor handbook and stick with a winning formula.

harpoonipa

How annoying was the older Paolo kid at the battlefield "my back, I'm not going to make it".

All that kid does is bitch, but when it comes time to step up he whines.


As for this season..

I've watched from day one of the first season and this one is a dissapointment for various reasons (no int. travel and lame challeges to name a few). I'm already looking forward to the next race, I just hope this one isn't dragged out.

Groucho

Me too. Hopefully those who don't like it just stop watching so we don't have to put up with the bitching for the rest of the season.Exactly. There was no "bunching up" in this episode. None.Not to mention that there are a ton of great sites in North America, a country that's largely been overlooked by the race (except for starts and finishes).In some ways, the first two seasons of "The Mole" was like this.

Red Dog

It was cool seeing my stomping grounds as part of a race. DC is not an easy city to get around (for example, unless you are on top of Constitution Ave, there are no signs anywhere for 50 West). Good luck finding a gas station around the Mall or right after you cross the Potomac.

Teams were less annoying this time around. I really do miss the exotic locales though. I guess that is the trade-off for real racing with no bunch-ups.

BDB

No bunch ups, but how far apart are the teams in reality I think they all left within 30mins of each other in the 1st ep, and I'd be very surprised if its more than an hour this time around.

Groucho

There's probably a pretty good spread. The only time reference we have is when the Gaghan's mentioned that they were at the reflecting pool for over two hours.

By the way, if not asking for help from locals is a regular thing for this family, they're going to get screwed. If the Rogers family hadn't happened by, I think they'd still be out there.

Timber

I've lived in the Baltimore-DC area my whole life and worked on the south side of the captial for 3 years and never knew there was a reflecting pool in front of the capital.

I'm enjoying the driving around the country because it's something that I could actually do.

BDB

Maybe I'll be happier when they get to the west coast!

mrpayroll

Link

ABC moved into the lead at 9 p.m. with "Commander In Chief" (10.9/16), holding on to virtually all of its premiere audience. "The Amazing Race" scored a 7.2/11 for CBS, beating the 7.0/10 average for NBC's "My Name Is Earl" (8.5/13) and "The Office" (5.5/8). FOX's baseball coverage improved to 5.8/9. "Supernatural" kept The WB in fifth, ahead of UPN's "Sex, Love & Secrets."


So, not sure how this compares to last years ratings, but it did come in 2nd for it's time slot.

Chris

Groucho

"Commander in Chief" was #1?

mrpayroll

I'm sure it's skewing pretty high with the women, since the only other shows women may be interested in at that time, are The Amazing Race & UPN's 'Sex'

Chris

LorenzoL

Although the reason I started watching TAR since season 1 was because of the exotic locales, after 7 seasons, I don't mind that they are concentrating on North America this time around. Better watching them drive around the country than having them wait around airports.

I'm still not sold on this "family edition" version of the show and can't wait until it get back to the two person format.

LorenzoL

I don't think think anybody watches UPN "Sex.." show since they just stopped production.

cdollaz

I love the driving because it allows for more screw-ups by the teams, like last night. Not much chance of an airplane pilot making a wrong turn. The all U.S. thing is fine as well as there is plenty to see.

I want to strangle all of those dip-shit Paolo's. Those kids are pathetic whiners. They will probably both be living at home when they are 30.

Can't believe how many people didn't read the Capitol clue. The Capitol isn't close to the other monuments at all so if they read the clue, they should have easily been able to figure out that is was at the other end of the mall.

I can't the Schroeder dad either. What an arrogant bastard.

mrpayroll

Agree about the Paolo's. None of the characters (except for maybe the dad) are likable and I'm surprised the family hasn't imploded before this.

I was thinking as one of the family's went East instead of West, there are 4 people in that car, basically all adults. Each one of them should read the clue out loud and then discuss whether they all agree that they are going the right way.

Enough of this 'I don't need help' B.S., they got lost because of it and almost lost the race. (or did they come in last, I don't remember because none of these teams are memorable yet? )

Chris

Red Dog

I was wondering how far they went on 30E. You have to be really stupid if you have the map in front of you and go the wrong way for very long.