Topic: Why the Amazing Race has lost its magic

[Neobie]

Why the Amazing Race has lost its magic

We watch the Amazing Race for different reasons. Some see the world through racers’ eyes, some for the emotions global travel arouses. Most are intrigued by the scale and intensity of the production.

But of late, the race has turned farce.

Slapstick tasks

Early editions of the race are compared to travelogues, allowing the audience to experience the culture of a destination vicariously. Teams danced with the Berber nomads of Tunisia, shared sunglasses with the children of Cape Town’s townships, and played Brazilian volleyball on the beaches of Rio. These interactions have been replaced with slapstick challenges designed for low humour, recently exemplified by the “pinnacle” of slapstick comedy, throwing cake on each other’s faces.

Low comedy would be forgivable if the tasks were identifiable to the locale, but throwing Austrian cakes does not an Austrian task make. In the most recent edition alone, teams have been made to carry Italian cheese in Switzerland on constructed-to-break racks, ride Segways (an American invention) in Bavaria, and run through Siberia in their underwear, apparently not the tradition host Phil Keoghan believes it to be. Real experiences, it seems, have been sacrificed for cheap laughs.

Cultural irrelevance

Producers have become increasingly insensitive to a locale’s cultural essence. Relying on stereotypes or transplanted customs, they add to the very cultural misunderstanding the show is touted to break down.

After visiting Hong Kong in the second season (in which they applaudably highlighted the city’s blend of tradition and novelty), the race returned in its eleventh cycle to an episode filled with blatant stereotypes, beginning with the very first destination, a laundromat in Tsimshatsui.

Now the laundromat is at best an American-Chinese tradition, started up for immigrants in the Chinatowns of the West. With almost every Hong Kong household owning a washing machine since the industrial boom of the 1950s, the laundromat has never had a following in the city, save the occasional need for dry cleaning. One more interesting fact: the laundromat in question, Sun Wah Kiu, is located in the heart of the city’s tourist district. The owner tells me the bulk of their business comes from tourists, not locals, and is genuinely surprised she was approached to represent the city on the race.

The episode continues to explore Hong Kong’s movie and stunt industries with “kung-fu fighters” dressed as Japanese ninjas, and ends off with a “game Hong Kong children play”, tugging a replica junk across a model boat pond. I, for my twelve years of childhood growing up in the city, have never heard of such a tradition. Hong Kong, famous for its hilly terrain, doesn’t have that many ponds to begin with. With model junks unaffordable to the masses before the 80s and out of vogue ever since, did the producers create a “tradition” out of thin air?

End of Part One

[Moo]

Hi Neobie!

Let me be the first to comment...

I must agree that the tasks on the latter seasons has lost its magic in exchange for pure quality tv humor and programming, contrary to what BvM said that they would focus more on the locations and the "culturally relevant" tasks in itself...

However, these things aren't even at the tip of the iceberg for me to stop watching the race. (Well I might have, I found it boring to watch the twelfth season for a week - the second episode, and came back after seeing some drama) As far as I know, the Austria-Germany detour was the worst for this season's (counting up to episode 6).

However, cultural irrelevance is something that I don't see in almost every episode. Why? The Hong Kong leg in All Stars showed not the culturally things Americans or tourists go, rather the walk of life of the usual HongKonger, which is through mazes and mazes of stores and buildings, and the stunty detour and roadblock proved to show how this region is famed for - action movies.

The junks I suppose is purely made up because of Travelocity.

I think that there may be some legs that are flaws or misinterpretations to some of what we know as cultures, but overall - what I see is that the producers are trying to:

1) Immerse the racers to the common life existing in a particular country they are in - not just cultural or touristy, and not just being a travel show
2) Provide another angle or point of view to us, viewers as to how we see not only the better or finer things in the country, rather showing the reality or how life is in where they are visiting.

AND...

3) To keep us fans who adore and love the show have a hard time spoiling (oh really now?) and following their tracks as they race all across the world!

I think that the Amazing Race has turned into a "tourist show" to a "travel show."

Just my opinions, peace!

[Neobie]

The end of open-endedness

The very first episode of The Amazing Race piled questions and decisions onto the contestants at the get-go. Which airport do you head for? Do you get there by train or taxi? Which flights are likely to be direct, and therefore likely to get you to your destination sooner? The leg progressed with challenging clues ("Find the smoke that thunders." "A ____ pot never ____.") and difficult decisions (whether or not to pursue the one-off Fast Forward). Teams used to be let out of the starting gate with the words “Whatever you do… is completely up to you.”

Host Phil doesn’t say that any more, and the race has turned into a cattle corral where contestants are directed from destination to destination by means specific to the minutest detail. Teams are told to take flights connecting through specified cities, and trains at specific timings. Deviating from the course is a big no-no, and when a team takes the metro over a taxi to save money, they are refused the clue to carry on. While herding teams within narrow fences makes logistics that much simpler, it removed the free rein early racers had to make the show entertaining, and in so doing changed the main reason for elimination from poor decision-making to poor luck.

Security and privacy

Racers of today are a protected lot. They are followed around at each locale by an entourage of production assistants, making the race a spectacle of itself. Train stations are opened for racers at three in the morning to keep them from the locals. Police escorts protect and cordon off the teams on the streets, and production hires a security team of six protecting the Pit Stops. Compare this to the times when contestants slept out in the streets of Hungary, or when mother-and-daughter duo Nancy and Emily sat huddled and crying, mobbed by the begging crowds of Delhi.

The race now runs in a bubble world to keep spoilers from leaking. Jewellery shops are redesigned as puppet stores, fake company signs are put up, and abandoned apartments renovated to look like tailor shops. Racers are prohibited from taking public transportation, most likely from the fear that they’d be recognized.


For the race, producers have created a world completely detached from the existing one, inventing slapstick tasks, new cultures, and cordoning off the racecourse, both from within and without. My advice to the show which is gaining popularity but losing the “amazing” qualities that kept me watching from Day One: keep it real.


Above rant written with the resources provided by all the nice folks of RFF, and the luck of being able to track the race through a dozen cities in the Asia-Pacific. Please feel free to ask for specifics wrt my arguments.

Thanks for the comments Mooyou!

I'm disappointed especially with the Hong Kong leg, since so little of what is shown belongs to the life of the "usual Hong Konger". The laundromat does tourist business. The stunts are alright for a single task, but the Roadblock, and Detour, and Fast Forward all revolving around the same theme? That reeks of laziness. (Guess what? They engaged the same stunt company to cover all three tasks.)

There are challenging culturally-relevant tasks that allow for product placement, the need for security and the race's want of privacy. (Call me, CBS!) Too bad production isn't ready to take the extra step.

[Moo]

Thanks for the comments Mooyou!

I'm disappointed especially with the Hong Kong leg, since so little of what is shown belongs to the life of the "usual Hong Konger". The laundromat does tourist business. The stunts are alright for a single task, but the Roadblock, and Detour, and Fast Forward all revolving around the same theme? That reeks of laziness. (Guess what? They engaged the same stunt company to cover all three tasks.)

There are challenging culturally-relevant tasks that allow for product placement, the need for security and the race's want of privacy. Too bad production isn't ready to take the extra step.

Hong Kong is a fabulous place! I so much love it there! But TAR (and its spinoff Asia) has absolutely no good legs in HK... I think the popularity of the race itself restricted the coverage of the race, and probably security is installed to keep us fans from going straight to the teams, pulling and aiding them even to the pitstop... like the woman who recognized Romber. (Man, I envy the South African woman who got to step at the mat together with Romber in Season 7!!!)

I think redesigning things by TPTB is more costly though, but I hope that your article could be read by the producers, ESPECIALLY ELISE and BVM, so that they could figure out a way to push back the show to its former glory instead of a circus. This Season (14) should be the start of its restoration.

Care to try emailing them? 

[mswood]

Neobie

Some of your points are things that have actually occurred from day one.  Teams have always been limited to certain carriers, security personnel have always been around (they do use more now), some tasks have always been manufactured, or based on american cultural stereotypes, or of long dead practices. 

Some of your points still probably happen (we just don't see them), for example Phil's comments at the starting line, might still happen he has always spoken for more then what we see in the episodes according to racers.  The teams still do on occasion sleep on the street (we rarely get that footage anymore), they still interact with locals (again something we really don't see much of anymore).  Those are things that the production could easily change in just how they edit the show, if they wished to.

The change in how the clues are designed for the most part changed between seasons 1 and 2.  They still keep a few where the teams have to figure things out (or aren't hand feed specific directions (we have had three such clues this season), but the practice of having the clue be a puzzle ended for the most part with season one.

As to first season teams having to figure out which airport to depart from, that was a rare case because I do believe its the only time a they started the race where a city had two major international airports in taxi distance.  But teams did know which carriers and what flight numbers they could take (they just were told the airport).

On the issue of teams being kept more out of the public eye, through having task being kept in remote areas or in rented out locals this is also something that has happened even as far back as season one, but it is more common today and that is probably due to two costs.  1 I am sure is due to spoilers, and CBS and the producers trying to make it less easy for the common viewer to know what happens in the race.  Earlier season really didn't have to worry about it (I remember the first spoiler I ever heard and that was an airline passenger saying how the final three were in season 3).  But as the race has gotten more popular both in the US and overseas the production has had to take more steps.

A really good example of this is the leg in All Stars, where local fans followed the teams all day, that they helped Charla & Mirna perform tasks.  Not because they randomly were able to charm locals, but because those fans loved Charla & MIrna and wanted to help them.  Look at how many fans got upset about the undue amount of local help Rob & Amber got, because of their popularity of being on survivor.

Its one thing for racers to get local help (and they do get that probably in large part due to the camera man and sound man), but to get specific help because OH my god they are on the amazing race.... (and hell I would be doing that).

Season 13 the reports were so spoiled that If Puddin actually released the location (which they found out) I could have had about 20 people out scouting areas in Portland.  Including the finish line.

The other reason is it is often times cheaper to film in secluded locations or to film in an area after normal business hours.

But that doesn't mean that they can't provide a more accurate local activity for teams to perform.  But it does mean that any natural interaction with locals (instead of people that have been hired) is limited to more of the navigation aspect of the legs (and thats something that is shown a lot less.

And while we have always had a couple of tasks that are humor based, I do agree that this season in particular has a high number of them.  I personally prefer more endurance, strength tasks (but so many fans complain about those being designed more for the young and the male).

[mswood]

Neobie

And just in case you couldn't tell, I do agree with your opinion that we lose a little of what makes TAR special when we see more "fake" local tasks and less authentic local interactions. I was just giving reason why that may be occurring (not that I don't want to see it).

One other possible reason for getting less coverage of down time (where they do interact) either during lulls in the race or in navigating is that we for the most part used to get 14 hours of TAR.  13 episodes (with the first episode typically being 2 hours).  We have since been cut to 11 hours of TAR (12 for this season which is still less then most) in which for us to get to know the racers themselves.  So a lot of the non competition aspects of the race haven't been shown, and that is often some of the more interesting footage.

For example that would have been the racers dancing with locals after they check in (or Peach giving sun glasses to local children while Mary performed the Roadblock).  Things like BJ & TYler bonding with Bedowin (Sorry I can't remember how to spell it).  Those are awesome moments and with less time I can see the editors thinking we don't need to see it.

I personally love that type of footage (even tiny moments like the footage of the teams this season on the train going through switzerland was cool).

Now an occasion dumb stupid task is fine.  For example I loved the cow task last season, but that was mainly due to the natural humor the racers brought to the situation.

[Hooky]

I agree with much of what you have said, Neobie, although I don't know of any other solutions to circumvent spoilers unless the spoiler people themselves have some rules on what can and can't be posted (for example, I don't think it's a good idea to spoil the final 3 or the winners,  or to post a bootlist especially, because that type of thing is a big blow to the production's efforts). That might encourage production that they don't have to worry as much about spoilers getting leaked. I wouldn't die if we never found out what the bootlist is or who the final 3/winners are.

I totally agree with the rest. Bring the FF to about 5 or 6 per race, show more interaction with locals, have and show more self-driving, and more of the other stuff that has made this show great. Build on the Race's foundation, don't tear it down and make the Race a cheap comedy of crazy people (that's what Big Brother is for). Really set them loose as much as possible. I want to see more Peter & Sarah lost in the desert moments.

[puddin]

I've been saying that TAR has lost its magic with season 7 being the last of the best. I haven't commented because my goal was to sit through all seasons back to back and then season 14 started so I'm still half way through season 6. I'm trying to see for myself where/why, exactly.... it lost its magic 

[Jobby]

Am I the only one who beg to differ from everyone else? I don't think The Amazing Race has lost the magic but is getting better instead! I think teams and unpredictability is what makes the race, of course clues relating to the culture of the place makes the race very interesting as well.. but i still believe the teams and unpredicatbility can make up the season.

The reason why people really like TAR 3, 5 and 7 was because of the unpredictability. No one expected the winners to be Flo/Zach, Uchenna/Joyce and Chip/Kim. And with Linda and Karen and Meredith and Gretchen being the underdogs and outlasting teams which are much more stronger, it makes the race so much more exciting and interesting isn't it? Look at TAR 8, TAR 9 and TAR 13. Those were the seasons that received relatively low positive comments because the winners were predictable (Linz, Eric/Jeremy and BJ/Tyler as well as Nick and Starr coming in first every leg)

I do agree that the tasks have been becoming more and more slapstick and I do believe that the production team can do better than that. But I believe that's due to the production cost and that they are really doing their best to present to the audience what they want to see on TV. For example, I know going to Phuket Zoo this leg on TAR 14 is like so common and uninteresting for some other people who wants to see more than zoos and parks from different countries, but I believe many people do want to see the tourist attractions in Phuket which is why they included the place in. There could be more intellectual tasks though, which i agree wholeheartedly.

I loved TAR, loves TAR and still lovin' TAR. I think Season 14 is picking up the momentum with the new changes and unpredictability. (Kisha and Jen in FINAL 5?? ) The only thing that can make it even more unpredictable is Tammy and Victor getting eliminated next... which I don't want to see it happen. lol!

[Neobie]

Puddin? 75000?! God.

Congratulations!!


I'll be the purist and say that the classic TAR hasn't been the same since Tunisia in TAR 1.
(Did one of BvM and Elise plan the first half of the race, and the other the second? I like one so much better than the other!)

Remember:
All the Episode One greatness
The choice of whether or not to hire a driver
Subways versus taxis in Paris
The secret "cargo boat" from Marseilles
Taxis racing trains to El Jem
The need to direct taxi drivers

And these "clues", which now only appear every so once in a blue moon that TPTB actually gets praised for putting them in:
Songwe Museum
The Eiffel Tower appearing in the middle of a leg, with no accompanying instructions
Find something monumental
Ring "Quasimodo's bell"
The cat next to *which* Focault's Pendulum?
Go to *Turkey?* and find this Arc de Triomphe
The El Jem lighter


Leg finishes can be made more unpredictable (in a good way) if production held the teams on longer leashes. With more decisions to make (such as giving them clues to solve, the option of Fast Forwards or various modes of transportation), teams get the chance to surge ahead and fall behind, all without reliance on bunching or dumb luck.

Don't cattle corral them!
(Yes, producers. It is hard work. But you did it in TAR 1. Are you lazy now? *taunt*)


Notice how even the AYL was kick-ass back then.

[apskip]

puddin, that is an Amazing milestone. 75,000 posts. You are prolific. Congratulations!

[Snooky]

puddin, that is an Amazing milestone. 75,000 posts. You are prolific. Congratulations!

If you look at the stats page, she is huge compared to everyone else!
Anyway...
I totally agree with Neobie, if you watch the first season you see so many cultural and intersting clues.  It doesn't have the standard clue or cluebox.  However, in my opinion The Amazing Race is getting better once again.  We got a fresh new start, and it is a lot more entertaining than our past "Microseasons".  We also have the great more cultural sounding theme song.  But we do need to have better cultural tasks.  And I really love saying cultural! 
 
I do not think TAR got ridiculous until Season 12 and 13.  It has forever bothered me that they would even consider 11 legs, unless they have 2 double legs!  In all stars Joe and Bill and Eric and Danielle were behind for 3 legs or so.  So it wasn't too controlled yet in my opinion!  The one thing I do want to see in this season is for it to be less bunched.  Season thirteen was so bunched that it always seemed like a footrace or a taxi race.  Not a self-driving race because there was hardly any self-driving at all in that season.  It just so happens that leg 4 was my favorite because it had self-driving!

We could also have long distance train, car, and bus rides that are 300 miles long.  Or say train rides that were 1,000 miles long.  Wasn't there a drive in season 4 that was 500 miles long?

But after all of this, I do think that the race is improving after two very annoying seasons of crazy Americans that are being dragged around the world.

[gingerman28]

puddin, that is an Amazing milestone. 75,000 posts. You are prolific. Congratulations!

That's strange, Puddin posted number 75,000 back onNOVEMBER 5, 2008.  Who is pulling whom's leg? But we luv you anyway

[georgiapeach]

puddin, that is an Amazing milestone. 75,000 posts. You are prolific. Congratulations!

That's strange, Puddin posted number 75,000 back onNOVEMBER 5, 2008.  Who is pulling whom's leg? But we luv you anyway

Heee...it is probably 75000 for the third time! But and  anyway!

[Kiwi Jay]

I must say I have always keenly followed the race and each one brought something to the table. I must say I agree with puddin the fire stopped at 7. 8,9 sucked 10 was ok but predictable. 11 was much better. 12 I thought we were on the right track. 13 bummed me out. 14 has started lighting a fire for me?

Does anyone else feel these teams for 14 are better than the past few seasons?

I dont agree with peach on the season 1 thing ! haha It wasnt that early. I want a season with everything on the table who gives a crap about money. THEY DO! But there are ways to do things and look into the culture of each place and make great legs around it.

GOOD TEAMS
HARDER CLUES (SEASON 1)
GOOD LOCATIONS
GOOD TASKS
MORE PHIL...

LOL

In my opinion "Go to the smoke that thunders to recieve the next clue is really cool

Instead of "Drive to Niagra Falls to get the next clue"

[Coutzy]

The amazing race is still magical for me, and always has been.

If you got an unexpected result every time, the unexpected would become the expected, and lose its magic.

You need the Colin and Christie/Nick and Starr (Anybody else notice how the two most dominant teams in history aren't M/M teams?) teams to keep the unexpected results in perspective, and to keep them that much more amazing.

And of course, let's not forget the magic of seeing a team as good as Colin and Christie get beaten in the final leg. To this day that remains in the classic episode collection, simply because the power team lost.

[Moo]

Congratulations puddin! 75000 posts!?!? That's so powerful!     

I have to admit, season 1 was incomparable to all other seasons because it's a first. Season 5 is comparable to the greatest season ever, even though Collin/Christie dominated the legs in the middle. Adding Romber in Season 7 killed the spark for me. Season 8 - AS went down and were not able to recover, and the only time I felt that the Amazing Race is really amazing in the microseasons were legs 7++ (excluding leg 4 of the 13th season).

REAL Culturally relevant tasks neglect by production is such a heartbreaker though...

But the magic of the race stays on! The olympic torch of the race was just lit by this season! And hope that it continues on forever...

Just a question and something to ponder on... Don't you think that this season's TAR is kinda following the editing style of TARA? I was rewatching the 3rd season of TARA and have found completely similar editing sequences (especially LONG PREVIOUSLY ON TAR...), minus all of those split screens, new music etc...

[Snooky]

Just a question and something to ponder on... Don't you think that this season's TAR is kinda following the editing style of TARA? I was rewatching the 3rd season of TARA and have found completely similar editing sequences (especially LONG PREVIOUSLY ON TAR...), minus all of those split screens, new music etc...

Ya, I think it is a little similar.  I also think that they might be using different cameras this season.  I have never found TAR Asia to have as good editing as TAR though.

[Moo]

Just a question and something to ponder on... Don't you think that this season's TAR is kinda following the editing style of TARA? I was rewatching the 3rd season of TARA and have found completely similar editing sequences (especially LONG PREVIOUSLY ON TAR...), minus all of those split screens, new music etc...

Ya, I think it is a little similar.  I also think that they might be using different cameras this season.  I have never found TAR Asia to have as good editing as TAR though.

I must agree that TARA editing is miles below TAR's supremacy in reality television editing.

[Cocoa]

Hello!

TARA is a nightmare came to life.... from its clumsy host that has only its sexy hot body as its asset.... from the destinations common or nothing exciting...... and the editing that was just like its made by a 2nd Grader (it "zooms" and the music was nothing like any of TAR seasons to date)....... not to mention the boring teams that only Henri and Terry are exempted to that....... its like a show combined to destroy TAR..... but i dont bother watching it........

and from TAR losing its magic? I cant say much because i just started watching it (with interest) only starts from Season 7 (season 3 actually, but i never knew it was TAR). But yes, i do believe it, TAR is deteriorating.... however it does not stop me from watching it.... and due to the globel economic crisis, the producers definitely would limit some actions of the racers to save some money.. Its not a joke to travel around the globe with crews and teams. That is a LOT of money.

and from TAR tasks? i dont care if its "culturally irrelevant", i dont care what task it is, because its not a main travel show!  

[Ashe]

Just a question and something to ponder on... Don't you think that this season's TAR is kinda following the editing style of TARA? I was rewatching the 3rd season of TARA and have found completely similar editing sequences (especially LONG PREVIOUSLY ON TAR...), minus all of those split screens, new music etc...

Ya, I think it is a little similar.  I also think that they might be using different cameras this season.  I have never found TAR Asia to have as good editing as TAR though.

I must agree that TARA editing is miles below TAR's supremacy in reality television editing.

Gee, I don't agree at all.  Sure, it's sometimes confusing, but unlike with U.S. TAR, at least TARA tries to give everyone else as even screentime as possible and let you get to know all the teams as much as you can, whereas TAR only gives the bulk of the airtime to the longer-lasting teams and almost completely shafts the earlier-exiting ones.  (Case in point: Preston & Jennifer, Brad & Victoria, and Amanda & Kris this season.  Of the early-eliminated teams, only Steve & Linda got mondo screentime.)

[Hooky]

Just a question and something to ponder on... Don't you think that this season's TAR is kinda following the editing style of TARA? I was rewatching the 3rd season of TARA and have found completely similar editing sequences (especially LONG PREVIOUSLY ON TAR...), minus all of those split screens, new music etc...

Ya, I think it is a little similar.  I also think that they might be using different cameras this season.  I have never found TAR Asia to have as good editing as TAR though.

I must agree that TARA editing is miles below TAR's supremacy in reality television editing.

Gee, I don't agree at all.  Sure, it's sometimes confusing, but unlike with U.S. TAR, at least TARA tries to give everyone else as even screentime as possible and let you get to know all the teams as much as you can, whereas TAR only gives the bulk of the airtime to the longer-lasting teams and almost completely shafts the earlier-exiting ones.  (Case in point: Preston & Jennifer, Brad & Victoria, and Amanda & Kris this season.  Of the early-eliminated teams, only Steve & Linda got mondo screentime.)

Yeah, I agree. I would rather have fairness in editing even if it's slightly confusing. It makes it harder to predict and more interesting. I was really unhappy about the imbalanced editing in this season, but it's not over yet.

Of course, all the teams they ignore except Kisha & Jen are gone so it's too late to make up for it now.

[Dånooky]

Just a question and something to ponder on... Don't you think that this season's TAR is kinda following the editing style of TARA? I was rewatching the 3rd season of TARA and have found completely similar editing sequences (especially LONG PREVIOUSLY ON TAR...), minus all of those split screens, new music etc...

Ya, I think it is a little similar.  I also think that they might be using different cameras this season.  I have never found TAR Asia to have as good editing as TAR though.

I must agree that TARA editing is miles below TAR's supremacy in reality television editing.

Gee, I don't agree at all.  Sure, it's sometimes confusing, but unlike with U.S. TAR, at least TARA tries to give everyone else as even screentime as possible and let you get to know all the teams as much as you can, whereas TAR only gives the bulk of the airtime to the longer-lasting teams and almost completely shafts the earlier-exiting ones.  (Case in point: Preston & Jennifer, Brad & Victoria, and Amanda & Kris this season.  Of the early-eliminated teams, only Steve & Linda got mondo screentime.)

I'd say the prime example of this in TARA would be the end of Season 3, even though Sam & Vince had already won, they took time to show Ida & Tania's leg instead of the U.S. version who totally forgets about the 3rd place team mid-episode.

[Ashe]

You need the Colin and Christie/Nick and Starr (Anybody else notice how the two most dominant teams in history aren't M/M teams?) teams to keep the unexpected results in perspective, and to keep them that much more amazing.

Nick & Starr dominated only because all the other teams sucked.  They were merely lucky in that regard.  Were they up against way more competitive teams, they would've been out long before the F3.

[woden]

Watch the first ep of TAR 7 where the teams are riding in the back of trucks through backwoods Peru with locals. Nothing like that happens on TAR anymore. That's why it's lost it's magic -- it has a pre-packaged feel from the tasks to the means of travel to the teams to the locations.

Also, love them or hate them, TAR has not been able to recreate the casting magic of Rob/Amber, who turned race strategy into an art form.