I'm leaving out 8 because I've never watched it because I couldn't make it through two episodes.
1. Amazing Race 9 - my favorite of all time. It had great teams like BJ and Tyler (my favorite of all time) and Fran and Barry, to name a couple, great locations like Palermo, Greece, Oman and Perth, great tasks like the Oman roadblock and the Thailand fast forward, and just so many twists and turns. Loved watching the hilarious rivalry between the "Frat Boys" and the animosity of MoJo towards the hippies and then getting eliminated in Thailand. Also loved how it ended and started in the exact same place so it is the only season to truly circumnavigate the world (yes I know TAR 1 and 6 also ended in the same start city, but not same starting line as the finish line) and I loved that final roadblock and that twist with it. This was the funnest to watch.
2. Amazing Race 5 - Great tasks. Great locations. Great teams. Like come on, they went to Egypt! What's not to love about this season? The only reason why this is below 9 is because 9 had better humor and was a bit more fun to watch. But it's a very close second. Also. am I the only one that didn't really like Mirna? Charla I liked but sometimes Mirna would really annoy/piss me off.
3. Amazing Race 25 - This is easily the best of the new seasons. It veered away from a lot of overvisited countries, and when they went to the overvisited countries, they went to locales not really visited too much (like the Shetland Islands and Palermo). The teams were mostly great. The twists throughout were just insane, especially that final leg, and even more importantly, that twist of a final 4 at the end of the Philippines. Speaking of the Philippines, LOVE how they had that switchback. This is a very close third. The editing was really great, because without that editing, we would've never known the winners. The editing made me think the surfers or dentists were going to win.
4. Amazing Race 7 - Another close call. These top seasons are really all such good seasons. Hated Rob and Amber, but they made it so interesting. The locations visited were amazing. Loved the casting. Loved that play of karma with the Fast Forward in India. And how can one not love Uchenna and Joyce? Honestly not sure how I feel about the circle-style course, but overall a great season.
5. Amazing Race 11 - Unlike the new All-Stars, this was a FANTASTIC season. The casting was great - they mostly picked teams that were very memorable but I would've loved to see the Chos from Season 10, the brothers from 7 or the clowns from 4, or if they were to have picked another 1st place team I would've loved to see BJ and Tyler (can you tell I really like them?) but other than that it was great (plus I have a gut feeling that one day they'll do a winners-only or most memorable teams ever season so I'll probably see BJ and Tyler again). Made the mistake of watching the seasons out of order (PLEASE DON'T DO THIS, NEW VIEWERS) so I already knew who would win in the final leg, seeing as I watched season 17 first. The twists throughout were so good, and the locations were pretty good (not great, as they visit a lot of overvisited places like Argentina and Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong) plus they went to every continent. One of my favorite seasons to rewatch.
6. Amazing Race 12 - Ah, season 12. Not only did it have great locations, but it was incredibly entertaining to watch. Very memorable teams and places, for one thing. I'm very surprised that they haven't gone to Florence more than just that dip in this season, but I loved it. Five new countries! Also, the team that I was so sure was gonna win it all getting eliminated in Croatia was such a twist and, in my opinion, it had the best final roadblock ever. Great to watch the growth of Ron and Christina—this and 13 were really the only seasons that you saw a growth in a team. I've seen it as number 1 several times, and I'll agree that it definitely belongs up in the top tier.
7. Amazing Race 17 - This was the season that got me into the Amazing Race! I was a fan of Kevin (KevJumba) so I watched this season until he got eliminated and then decided to watch it all the way through a year or two later and I realized how much I loved this show. One of the great things about this is how strong the teams are, to the point that a strong team like Connor and Jonathan are eliminated early. It had several strong female teams, which pretty much every season before and after has lacked, and it had great locations. I'm honestly so surprised that this is the only appearance of Boston anywhere on the race. 17 will always have a place in my heart.
8. Amazing Race 10 - In my opinion, this season had the best locations of any season. Six countries that are only visited in Season 10! The teams were really entertaining to watch for the most part. Am I the only one who's not that big of a fan of Dustin and Kandice? They were entertaining to watch but, ugh, sometimes they REALLY irked me, especially when they called Team Bama "the sistas". Loved how they visited Ha Long Bay. Really wish the race would go back to Mongolia sometime soon. Also another season where the team I expected to win got out earlier (the triathletes). Great season.
9. Amazing Race 22 - Another season with great locations. That second roadblock in Tahiti was INSANE and I really have a gut feeling that if they return in the future, it will become a switchback. Great teams to watch, and Dave's ruptured achilles completely changed the rest of the race. Loved the switchback in Switzerland (one of the few good things about 14, but we'll get to that later). This was definitely one of the better seasons of the newer seasons.
10. Amazing Race 29 - I was really surprised about how well this season came out. I really thought it was gonna be total s*** because the last time they did blind teams it turned out to be an awful season (again, we'll get to that later). Great locations! Makes me think that van Bertram is on an upswing with the course design. Most, and I emphasize "most", were very likable, with the unlikable teams being VERY unlikable. I found it SO hilarious how Vanck picked Ashton. I liked the twist with the U-Turns being before the detour AND also being able to U-Turn more than once. The one thing that I don't like about this season, and the reason why casual watchers hate this season, is the winners. And that last leg was pretty terrible because it was so easy. There's so much more you can do with Chicago. But overall, really liked this season and can't wait to rewatch this season soon (I've spent the past 10 or so months rewatching all of them in order and I'm currently on 24).
11. Amazing Race 2 - DANNY AND OSWALD!! Loved them and I was so glad that they were brought back for All-Stars. The locations were great, other than the fact that they completely skipped Europe and it's kind of annoying that they had teams fly through Europe to get to Cape Town but completely avoided the continent otherwise. Best final leg moment ever with that final sprint. Loved this season.
12. Amazing Race 21 - Will start off by saying that the one thing I cannot tolerate about this season is those f***ing twinnies. Easily the most annoying team ever. Period. That being said, this season had so many twists and turns, like with Abbie and Ryan and James and Abba (why the f*** were they not brought back for All-Stars instead of those twinnies???) and then of course the final leg. Actually had some great tasks like the pizza task in the final leg, the synchronized swimming, and the time zone task in Russia. What is it with losing passports in Russian taxis? One of the better good seasons.
13. Amazing Race 19 - Why is this so far down on so many people's lists? And why did people not like the snowboarders? I thought they were really cool and funny guys and entertaining to watch. Also am I the only one that did not like Ernie and Cindy? Okay, so now about the season. Lots of great teams — Amani and Marcus, Justin and Jennifer, the snowboarders, Bill and Cathi (RIP Bill
), Laurence and Zac (although Laurence really would piss me off with some ***ist things he would say), the twins—mostly great casting. Still very confused about the Hazard, probably one the reasons they never brought it back. LOVED the double elimination. Loved the locations. I don't understand why people rate this so low.
14. Amazing Race 3 - Pretty good season. Who can forget Flo and Zach? Really was so sure the twins were gonna win the whole thing based on editing, so great editing on the part of the editors. You had SO many great teams too, like how does one not like this casting? Many people have this higher on their list and I honestly probably would but I don't remember too much about this season, despite having watched it multiple times.
15. Amazing Race 18 - Only reason why it's up here is because it was really really fun to watch. Way too many teams from 14, would've liked to see Dallas and Toni because they definitely had "unfinished business" and there were no teams from 13. Good choice in bringing back the Globetrotters and Cowboys—two of my favorite teams ever, much to the dismay of a lot of other hardcore Amazing Race lovers. Had some pretty good tasks like the tea challenge, measuring of Liechtenstein, the chocolate gnome, the Viennese meal, and the samba, but also some too easy tasks like the waterfall detour in Japan, the chimney sweep in Salzburg, and the entire second leg in Australia. Locations were mediocre (several overvisited countries: Japan, China, India, Switzerland, and Brazil). It was a good season to watch, though. I really hope they do this "unfinished business" concept again (maybe that'll be TAR 30!).
16. Amazing Race 23 - I'll start off with one word: hypocrites. We'll get back to that. All the good teams, with the exception of Leo and Jamal and Tim and Marie (although I don't know if I'd call them "good", I'd call them "really entertaining) got out too early leaving us with meh teams and teams I didn't like. Now going back to hypocrites, the hypocrisy of Amy and Jason and Travis and Nicole REALLY REALLY pissed me off and one the main reasons that it's not as high as it could be. Also, three couples in the final 3? Made it a really uninteresting final three. The locations, Leo and Jamal, and Tim and Marie are really what saves this season.
17. Amazing Race 13 - An all right season. The casting was mediocre, although it was really great to see the progression in Tina and Ken's relationship. The locations, on the other hand, were FABULOUS. Bolivia, New Zealand (loved how Phil's dad was a greeter), Cambodia, Kazakhstan (that fast forward though, WOW), Portland—all great locations. One of the things I don't like about this season is the same thing I don't like about 15, 20, and 27 - not much diversity in winning teams. Plus I really didn't like Nick and Starr. Honestly though, this season doesn't really stand out to me and isn't too memorable, which is why it's so low.
18. Amazing Race 28 - Another all right season. Kind of sick of these gimmick seasons, to be honest. Liked how they visited Colombia, Armenia and Georgia, and I liked how all the teams (with the exception of the instragram models and the dancers) were all really likable. I think a lot of the tasks were too easy and/or uninteresting, such as the produce detour in Bali and the painting Detour in Shenzhen. But like I said, it was an all right season.
19. Amazing Race 24: Actually the season I'm rewatching right now. First off, the course design was terrible. Double legs in the first four countries, yuck. Unmemorable legs like the second Sri Lankan leg and the Switzerland leg. Tasks were mostly too easy. And oh boy, the casting. I personally liked the bringing back of the Cowboys and Globetrotters, because the only the other team that brought humor was Leo and Jamal. But so many teams are not "All Star" material: Brenchels, John and Jessica, Twinnies (all-star annoying though), country singers. Better teams that actually were All-Star material: Kynt and Vyxin, Zev and Justin, Bill and Cathi, Jaymes and James, James and Abba, Chuck and Wynona, Roller Derby Moms, Season 23 Beards, to name some. Another returning team season with only 3 continents. This did not live up to 11.
20. Amazing Race 1: Maybe I don't appreciate it as much as other people because of how I watched the seasons out of order. But to me, it's paced too slowly, and so many other elements about the editing I really don't enjoy. The map is really boring except some of the African countries because they're all places that people know: Paris, Rome, Bangkok, Beijing, Johannesburg. So many unmemorable teams. I will say I enjoyed the last few legs, but other than, didn't particularly enjoy this season.
21. Amazing Race 27: Was really excited about this because this was the first season I got to see live on television (I got cable for the first time when I moved out to college in 2015). The casting was pretty good except for the Green Team (one of my least favorite teams ever), TMZ, and the Reporters (which I found to be a really bland team). The locations were also pretty boring except for maybe Zimbabwe, Krakow, and Macao. Disliked this season for the same reason I didn't like 13 too much. Thought it was stupid and uncreative how Texas's speed bump was for both to do the roadblock, because the reason it's called a speed bump is because it's just a hitch in the road where as a roadblock is something you have to put in effort to pass through, so that automatically doomed Texas plus the U-Turn (thought it was stupid to have it be a single u-turn). Wasn't really fun to watch.
22. Amazing Race 16: Two really good things about this season: the Cowboys and the Seychelles. Other than that, it was a pretty boring and unmemorable season. Brandi and Carole may be my least favorite team of all time, although from what I see, some people on here actually like them? (Correct me if I'm wrong.) Dan and Jordan were okay up until the last leg which really pissed me off. People don't seem to like the policemen, but I actually really liked them and I like how they humbled up. Pretty much all of the other teams, with the exception of Brent and Caite, were unmemorable. Had some really great moments like when Steve and Allie painted some random guy's house and the cowboys incident in the Seychelles, but other than that, not a great season.
23. Amazing Race 14: I saw somebody somewhere say that this season had the most mean-spirited teams, and I have to say I agree. The hillbillies, cheerleaders, Kisha and Jen, Preston and Jennifer, and at times Margie and Luke, Tammy and Victor, and Mark and Michael — all mean-spirited. Other than that, the only really memorable team was Mel and Mike, and they happened to also be the only purely lovable team of the race, and the flight attendants seemed nice too. The map was pretty boring except I really liked how they went to Siberia. I will say, this race had great tasks, like the final surfboard task, the cheese task, the running in Siberia task, the Bavarian mountain roadblock, to name a few. Not a great season.
24. Amazing Race 20: The one thing that really saves this season is Mark and Bopper. Art and JJ were all right too (although it seems a lot of people don't like them and I don't really understand why). Again with a lot of over visited countries, like Argentina, Italy, Germany, India, and Japan. Again, the dominance of Rachel and Dave really hurt this season and OH MY GOD BRENDAN AND RACHEL (why were they brought back?
). Again, not a great season and one of the worst of the newer seasons.
25. Amazing Race 6: First off, I'll say this season had Amazing locations. Iceland, Senegal, Berlin, Budapest, Corsica, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka — all great locations. Also, this season had really great tasks (after all, TAR 6 led to the first ever switchback). But what killed it is the casting. 6/11 teams were couples, and such dislikable teams like Jonathan and Victoria, Freddie and Kendra. Adam was annoying af. The only teams I at least kind of liked that made it at least somewhat far were Gus and Hera, Lori and Bolo and Jon and Kris, but I use "likable" very carefully because most of the teams were really bland. The locations and the task gave it such good potential but the casting made it just so awful. Plus, the editing was too slow for my taste.
26. Amazing Race 15: Locations gave it great potential, once again, and it had some really good tasks (plus it introduced the switchback). We got to see Vietnam, Cambodia, Estonia, and Prague, which could've gave it great potential but again the casting killed it. Only 3 1/2 teams worth rooting for: the Globetrotters, Zev and Justin, Matt and Gary, and Brian. Everyone else was just awful or bland. And then once again, the dominating team, who happened to, once again, be a very bland team. Not really a great season.
27. Amazing Race 4: Pretty much everything about this season is unmemorable. Am I the only one who didn't like Chip and Reichen? The clowns and the visits to Venice, Kota Kinabalu and Seoul were really there only good things about this race, and also happen to be the only really memorable thing about this race. Most of the first 11 seasons were great, but man, this was not a good one.
28. Amazing Race 26: I saw on the first page this season being in some people's top tiers. How??? First off, I, for one, really am not a fan of these gimmick seasons. One of the great things I like about the Amazing Race is the diversity of different teams so having a season that was only couples just didn't really sit well with me. None of the blind dates worked except maybe Jeff and Jackie. The locations were mediocre, with only Namibia, Monaco and Peru standing out, and none of the teams really stand out except Hayley and Blair because of their amusing bickering. I really hope that in the next All Stars/Unfinished Business they don't bring back anybody from this season because this was easily the worst season (not counting Amazing Race 8 ).
Wow, that took me SO long to write lmao. And wow, I know I'm gonna get angry responses about some of my rankings.