mswood,
I love your lists. Excellent stuff.
Now I'll do my favorites.
10. Nancy & Emily, TAR 1 - Emily whined a bit in India, but the airport mess involving the Guidos made them sympathetic characters. Emily did her best on the physical tasks. Nancy showed some guts in TAR1. Not everyone likes them which is surprising to me, but I liked them both.
9. Kevin & Drew, TAR 1 & TAR All-Stars - These guys outshined everyone in TAR1. I felt the producers cast them thinking they would be Ugly Americans, but how wrong they were. Yeah, Kevin quit in All-Stars, but he was really hurting as we found out later so I give him a pass. These guys were funny throughout TAR1 with the way they would insult each other, but not insult their host countries.
8. Blake & Paige, TAR 2 - Brother and sister team, they made some mistakes like cutting Mary & Peach during one pit stop, but anyone who got into conflict with Wil & Tara and especially Wil is A-1 in my book. They ran the race mostly by themselves. They were a bit too close as brother and sister for my tastes, but they almost eeked out a win. Plus, Blake's efforts to bring shoes to poverty-stricken children puts him as one of the top people in my book.
7. Kynt & Vyxsin, TAR 12 - One of the few teams I actually have met in person, they're very nice and their on-air personas are what you see is what you get. They showed me something by lasting as long as they did. Vyxsin was so caring when carrying her chicken to the mat. Also, they always showed a distinct caring for others. Loved this team. They may have argued once or twice, but for the most part, a very fun team to watch.
6. Al & Jon, TAR4 - I was so sad when the clowns finished fourth. These guys did mug for the camera, but unlike Mutt & Revolting, were actually funny. They had good senses of humor and did their best to help out other teams even when it meant for them to miss a train. Seeing them at the manure challenge was very funny. One of my all-time favorite teams.
5. Zabrina & Joe Jer, TARA1 - The first all-female team to ever win an edition of the Amazing Race, this team was delightful to watch. There were a few times when Zab got pissed, but this team never wavered from its even keel. Even though they never won a leg until the finale, they were steady, positive and showed on mental challenges that they could beat out the most physical teams. I loved this team and they will remain in my Top Ten.
4. Oswald & Danny, TAR2 and All-Stars - Every time I see these two, I just laugh. Two of the funniest people ever to be on the race, their shopping spree in Hong Kong while the other teams are stressing out trying to find flights is one of the funniest moments on the race. Even during elimination, Danny gets off a line wearing a glitter shirt dirty and it's just plain hilarious. And then in TAR All-Stars, both of them running after Phil at the mat is laugh out loud funny. There were times they allowed stress to get to them, but after they looked at the big picture, it was soon back to laughs.
3. Ken & Gerard, TAR 3 - I'm still convinced this team will win when the series DVD is released. Funny guys, Bald Snark was great with the one liners and their description of other teams. They weren't the most physically fit, but their smarts got them into the Final 3 and I was so sad when they got to the final task in 3rd. These guys just fall short of the Top 2 in my book.
2. Dustin & Kandice, TAR 10 and All-Stars - Ok, this is mostly physical, but they also showed they didn't need anyone to advance. While Team Alabama was horrible to them during TAR 10, they persevered and almost got to the final 3. Had they not done the wrong task that eventually got them eliminated, they might have been the first female team to win, but it was not to be. And don't get me started about them losing to Eric & Danielle in TAR All-Stars. However, they showed that while blond, they were smart and they weren't afraid to mix it up with the other teams.
1. Kris & Jon, TAR 6 - To me, the best team never to win TAR. Had that train not stopped them while they were chasing Freddie & racist Kendra, I'm convinced they would have won. Always positive, never angry, they were appreciative of their surroundings (unlike a certain racist winner that season). Kris & Jon always had a smile and something nice to say whenever they entered a new country. While they got frustrated in China, it was mostly due bad taxi drivers. They were definitely the brightspots in this season and for me, in the history of the show.
Honorable mentions - The Gaghans (TAR FE), BJ & Tyler (TAR 9), Rob & Amber (TAR 7), Jon & Kelly (TAR 4), Bowling Moms (TAR 5).