The Amazing Race--Family Version

Roberta - I am sure it the gravity machine was fine for the boy. They actually have space camps for kids at this particular location in Alabama.

I was disappointed with last night's - especially toward the end. There really was no competition on who was going to come in which order - once they received their place in line for the gravity simulator, there were no surprises. They should have made it more difficult to find the next clue in order to make it a bit more challenging or at least competitive.

George, I have no idea whether the whole thing will be in the U.S. I hope not. I think some of the fun in past races was watching the players stumble around in foreign countries, dealing with foreign languages, customs, money, food, etc.

Linkat, Thanks for easing my mind about the kid twirling around in the gravity machine. You're completely right about the lack of suspense.

I think the Aiello Dad-In-Law was secretly doing the dance of joy in his
heart when they were eliminated.

Last night's tasks were not all that great. I thought the whole Huntsville
segment was a bore. On the other hand, the mud-driving was fun --
watching the growing frustation of the Aiello team. How many tries did it
take them?

The Widow and Kids team bears watching. Meltdown in the making?

I agree on the lack of suspense in Alabama.

I was sad to see the Aiellos go. I am very tired of the Paolo's bickering. I'd like them to leave soon or start being nicer to each other.

And what's the deal with the mom telling her son not to talk with the other boy? They were about the same age and probably miss having friends to hang out with. I highly doubt the other boy was trying to get info from him and what sort of info would he get any way?

How about the "she's a bitch" comment?
Hey kid, see that guy over there?
He's got a camera and a microphone.

Yawn! I'm bored with this season. It's not bitchy or exciting enough for me. Aren't they going to travel outside of the country? Maybe with the kids in the picture they can't do that, what with all the innoculations and stuff they'd have to get. Blast!

Yeah, I think this is going to be an all-USA edition because of the "family" thing. Probably an insurance thing.

Quote of the series so far (from one of the Paolo sons), "If she wasn't my mother, we'd be worst enemies."

You could be right about keeping things safe with the kids. Too bad--not about keeping kids safe, but about the lack of excitement.

Me too. I was so hoping they'd lose.

But how about the family that won getting a lifetime supply of gasoline? Now that's a good reward!!

I agree that has to be the best prize ever! May even end up being more than a million dollars over time - especially with how much gas costs now and for all four of them!

This is BORING. Not much suspense. And the great equalizer--plane travel--is missing.

I thought it might be fun to see the Race is the United States, but I was wrong. Too easy to get directions and information. Too easy to find things. And everybody speaks the same language (more or less).

I'm glad to see the father and daughters doing well. Amazed to see the Paola mother sawing that log. They came in second. Not bad. And the little girl is a gamer.

But over all, not too exciting.

Hmm, I might have to switch over and start watching "Commander In Chief" on ABC. I've been flipping to that during the Amazing Race commercial breaks but I might just dump the race and watch this other show instead. I've liked the bits I've seen of it.

The poor girl who was forever frustrated by her father's poor choices was foreshadowing her family team's loss:

"One minute can make a world of difference," she whined and pouted in frustration when her father wouldn't heed the sheriff's directions to the location of the mobile home place.

"One minute (or 20 minutes) can make a world of difference," she says again (and again) as she sobs her eyes and heart out because her father grabbed the 8:00 a.m. departure time when there was still a 7:40 departure time available.

"One second can make a world of difference," she groans as her father takes them further away from the park instead of closer. (Her father has never heard of a map, I guess.)

As the result of losing all those minutes that would have made "a world of difference," the team lost the race as they are the last to reach the mat at the pit stop in their home town of New Orleans.

Next week, the teams are finally leaving the United States.

I don't know whether I can continue to handle the excitement of events
like climbing monster office chairs in Alabama. This show needs help.

What if the guy who wears that giant shoe from the earlier episode had shown up, and sat down to put his shoe back on-- right when a contestant was in the giant chair!....that would have been exciting....

Next up: giant pair of gym socks!

...with a humungous fungus!

Granted, this is not the most exciting of races. In fact, I've been flipping back and forth between this show and another. However, I'm stunned to say that I'll miss the Paolos. What a strange, colorful, and ultimately fascinating group. When the older son told his mother that they were in the middle of nowhere and if he killed her, they wouldn't find the body for years, I blinked a few times. Could be my imagination, but isn't making such a threat on national television just a tiny bit of a clue?

I was relieved to see the family with the young children finally leave. I worried about those kids.

I was disappointed to see the race return to the U.S. What's going on? No Kuala Lumpur? Ghana? Aukland?

I agree that this version has not been as interesting as the last one (with Rob and Amber being replaced by the Weaver family as the competitors everyone else loves to hate). I'm rooting for the Bransen family (father and daughters), but I basically would not be hugely disappointed with any of the remaining teams winning.

I agree that this version has not been as interesting as the last one (with Rob and Amber being replaced by the Weaver family as the competitors everyone else loves to hate). I'm rooting for the Bransen family (father and daughters), but I basically would not be hugely disappointed with any of the remaining teams winning.