http://www.buddytv.com/articles/the-amazing-race/amazing-race-justin-diana-too-58126.aspxThe Problem with Justin and Diana WinningThe issue with Justin and Diana's dominance goes beyond Justin's obnoxiousness. It doesn't help. Justin certainly makes the Green Team's supremacy harder to swallow. If Justin was more likable it would be less egregious but the problem with one team winning is the same regardless the personality of the team. The Tortoise and the Hare isn't a good story because the Hare is trouncing the Tortoise for the majority of the race. I mean, the Tortoise and the Hare is a stupid story regardless but one of the points of the fable is that it isn't fun to watch someone being beat so soundly in a race.
There is no tension. There is no interest about who will be in first because by the time the leg starts Justin and Diana have already finished it. This is an obvious exaggeration but it's still boring to watch an episode of The Amazing Race when Justin and Diana are so far ahead. There is never a sense of Justin and Diana fighting to stay in the race, there's rarely a chance of them fighting for first place.
It's even hard to invest in the rivalry of Justin and Diana versus the other teams because we almost never see the teams interact. The Green Team is so far ahead of everyone else that the other team's desire to beat them is some abstract idea. There was some crossover in the first couple of legs. Now it's hard to remember the last time Justin and Diana were on screen with anyone but themselves and Phil.
Can The Amazing Race Stop it?
The Amazing Race probably has a lot more planning than most reality shows. The amount of travel in a season sort of necessitates it. I think it would be wrong to assume that The Amazing Race is on autopilot for the entire season. If they want to step in, put in an extra hard challenge or a U-Turn, they can do that. I'm sure that the contract that the teams sign protects them from The Amazing Race producers targeting them so they can't make a better show. The Amazing Race can't actively try to get Justin and Diana out but maybe they should level the playing field.
Maybe there should be more of those catch up points The Amazing Race puts every so often on the race. These would not only allow some of the other teams to catch up but it would make for a more interesting race. The Amazing Race is at its absolute best when two teams intersect and are frantic to beat one another. More catch ups would certainly make that more a regular occurrence.
I understand the counter-argument to this though. It's not as if Justin and Diana are cheating on The Amazing Race, at least not that we know of, they are coming in first on their own skill. This shouldn't be penalized. It doesn't matter if it makes for less interesting viewing, The Amazing Race should let Justin and Diana get what they deserve. I understand this point of view and respect it. It a fair assessment. The part of me that wants to be entertained though can't abide it. Justin and Diana need to go or fall in the rankings and soon.
But what do you think? Are Justin and Diana TOO good at The Amazing Race? Is that that the other teams are just bad? Do you enjoy watching Justin and Diana win? Do you even like them more than the other teams? Who do you think has the best chance of beating them, if anyone?
The Amazing Race season 27 airs Fridays at 8pm on CBS.
