Having just binged the first six episodes, I have a quite a lot to say about this. Plus, with an impending homework assignment, this will be a nice procrastination exercise
(Also, for some perspective, I'm from the US)
I'll start with this. I like this season. I mean, I
really like this season. I'm probably the only one here who thinks this way, so I'll be the go-to cheerleader and explain why. I will do a pros and cons list, since this race isn't perfect, but I feel strongly that the pros outweigh the cons.
Let's start with the pros. First of all, I am very grateful that this season even happened in the first place. Pandemic Filming
TM is one hell of a burden, and the fact that production was able to put together a coherent race and preceded to air that race on television is, given our global circumstances, a remarkable feat. I do think production deserves a standing ovation, no matter how cheesy the final product turns out.
I also appreciate that production realizes this, and has decided to invent some new game twists. I do appreciate the idea of the Sabotage and Salvage Passes, and think these are unique and clever ideas, despite how these are implemented in-game (more on that later). Similarly, I think the T-Junction will be a unique addition. I think the fact that production went out on a limb to experiment with these twists is also commendable.
As an American, another thing I like about this is the route itself. In particular, I love how they are visiting parts of Australia that are (to me) quite new and unknown. If you had asked me to design a race that stayed in Australia, it would be quite boring - Sydney to Melbourne to Adelaide to Perth to Brisbane to Sydney, and maybe sprinkle in a leg in the outback, a leg in the Great Barrier Reef, and a leg in Tasmania. The end. But this race has shown me places that I would have never known about otherwise. Some of these places seem like off-the-beaten-path type of locations, and it's great to see them (this probably has a lot to do with the pandemic, and production aiming to avoid populated areas in general). More specifically, as someone who has lived in the desert their whole life (Arizona), I particularly enjoyed the beach and rainforest episodes! Now, if you are Australian and find this route to be boring, that is something I completely understand and can relate to. But since I'm not Australian, I probably like this route a lot more than Ten's intended audience, which is fair.
Probably my most controversial opinion yet: I quite enjoy the cast. I find each team to be really likeable and personable, despite some teams having less screen time (more on that later).
My final pro is something smaller. I really like how each episode starts with an Acknowledgment of Country. To my social justice warrior self, this feels really cute and thoughtful, and it's something small that goes a long way.
Now, let's talk about the cons. They aren't numerous, but they exist nonetheless. For one, the editing could be better. I understand that with 14 teams, it can be hard to give each team their fair share. At the same time, teams like Dwes and Katherine, Malaan and Tina and Chris and Aleisha feel completely neglected. This definitely feels like TAR32 editing, where the final 3 could easily have been guessed retrospectively given how much screen time they got. I suppose Dwes and Katherine are just the next Eswar and Aparna
I mentioned earlier that I liked the concept of the salvage and sabotage. In practice, however, the idea is deflated. I like how Jordan put it at the end of episode 5 - "their logic seems like a cop-out". I still don't understand the logic of giving the team that got last the sabotage. The sabotage is neutered to become an honorary speed bump. Furthermore, shouldn't the salvage pass be used to significantly advantage the team to which it is given? If you think so, then that logic got thrown out the window with the elimination of Jobelle and Rani. Again, I think these new twists are quite clever on their own, but production might need to rethink how they are implemented in-game.
TLDR I like this season for numerous reasons, and think it deserves more love