I don't want to read too much into this, because it could be a factor of there simply being fewer teams, but to me it seemed like the editing picked up in terms of alliance content around Leg 6 after the elimination of Michelle and Victoria.
Of course, the Sauerkraut RB was one of the most egregious examples of answer-sharing, but I think the alliance's massive displays of comfort in answer-sharing was at least partially result of Mich & Vic's elimination. As the duo displayed in Paraguay, they had a knack for quickly knocking tasks out, but struggled with transportation. For this reason, the two introduced a level of unpredictability that is present in most seasons of the show, where the "tiers" of teams isn't nearly as stratified as we saw this season. They were the single biggest risk, seemingly, to the Mine 4+1 waiting on each other.
Starting in Leg 6, the top 4 could reasonably assume that, especially with the legs focusing on self-driving, they had a much more comfortable lead over Leo & Alana/Eswar & Aparna/Hayley & Kaylynn (specifically the latter). None of the other three teams had, at the time, demonstrated the ability to get tasks as quickly as Mich & Vic. I know this sounds like a stan post, but, coincidental or not, Leg 6 really galvanized the shift in the race narrative and opened the door for absolute domination on the alliance's behalf. Answer-sharing was common across all teams in the Manaus Market and Paraguayan orchestra, but in the second half of the race it was completely one-sided and increasingly common, as the Mine 5 realized just how easily they could get away with it.
I can’t say how much negativity there has been directed towards any team as I don’t see those unless they are retweeted. But to have Racers complain about the tone means that tone is excessive. Remember Flo, in her season that she and her teammate won? And to watch that final leg at TARcon and then the teams arrive, and literally almost no one even talked to her? (I did by the way.)The formation of the Mine Five alliance was as much the result of happenstance (i.e., blind luck) as anything else. That the five teams were among the stronger teams in this season is likewise, happenstance. The issue of alliance only becomes such an issue because the Mine Five were the first long-term largest alliance ever seen on TAR. (Just to set things straight, the first long-term alliance was actually in season one after that infamous incident at the Tunis airport. The remaining teams targeted Team Guido after than. Then in season three, almost all the other teams on the second leg targeted Derek and Drew in a “twin hunt” And there’s no question there have been long term alliances in past seasons, just not of this size. There was also in an early season a decision of the various teams to arrive at the Pit Stop mat simultaneously in first place. That led to the rules that there couldn’t be ties in arrival at the mat.
As James and Will have pointed out on social media repeatedly! It’s a game. And I have pointed out all season once the alliance emerged, it’s not against thr rules. What you had was a master stroke of gameplay on TAR like we hadn’t see before, a long term alliance of strong teams that worked and a final three of those five teams that worked. On this leg it does appear the teams tried in good faith to complete the musical memory task on their own, but for all four teams to interpret it that same way, meant that the clue itself was or seemed to be part of the problem. So the decision of the allied final three teams to work together to solve a then seemingly unsolvable task is understandable. It’s also fortunate that two of the teams finally re-read the clue and realized what was wanted. No idea how long teams were there, but their decision is understandable. Gary and D’Angelo could have re-read the clue at any point, but they didn’t.
So I really don’t see anything to bitch about. I really don’t.
One thing about the boot order, we don't know how horribly the Mine Five would do without feeding each other answers. Like, how far behind would a team get if Hung wasn't standing there waiting to force answers and solutions down the other teams' throats? (As just one example.)
And they aren't violating rules, but they're definitely looking for shortcuts. And that is almost as bad. What's the point of the show putting together tasks when teams aren't actually going to perform and complete them? Part of that is the show's fault and poor design, part of that is the teams' decisions. But this is a Race. And they are harming the integrity of the Race by trying to find shortcuts.
The Mine Five's attitudes about it are also a turn off. The ganging up, the bullying, the cocky attitudes. Put these teams against some of TAR's even middling teams from the past? They'd get eaten alive. And it won't take an alliance of five to do it.
There's also the argument that's popped up over the years, including from certain teams themselves. That teams are Racing to win, they're not here for our entertainment. That is a flawed defense. The Amazing Race is an entertainment TV show. And while no one wants teams to play up to the camera or be fake (like many teams have in the recent past and increasingly so in the current social media-influencer era), teams go into the show knowing what it is about. (Though that's debatable with increasing recruits too.)
Teams can certainly do whatever they want to win, but the show's fans/viewers aren't obligated to like it or appreciate it. Or even respect it. Viewers certainly have the option to not watch. And as the data has proven the last couple of years, many have indeed made that decision to say Bye bye to The Amazing Race.
This season is very exciting and unpredictable!
(https://i.imgur.com/rIzx2xG.png)
This season is very exciting and unpredictable!
Here's my proposal: Every team is given a pass or a card. This allows teams to send or receive help for a limited number of times until a certain leg. I love the tasks this season, and I can tell the design team is working hard on making these tasks challenging, but some of them might've been too challenging to the point that some teams needed help from other teams. With this twist, helping is still allowed, and maybe even hints from the judge or clue giver. However, once they use up the limited number of times allowed by this twist, they will receive a penalty for sending or receiving help. It's not as overpowered as the fast forward or express pass, and every team has one, so it can't paint a target on one team's back like the express pass did.The concept sounds like it could work on paper, but I feel like it's not going to fix another deeper issue of keeping the challenge of a task if every team has this power available to them. It's even easier to band together at that point to apply their "extra hands" to scheme a team into dropping to last which defeats the integrity of a task and the race. Not to mention a lot of tasks just aren't hard enough that an extra hand is a recommendation. We would still be back to questioning alliances on the race with this addition.
I agree that prohibition, enforced by a penalty, is the only solution that can quickly change this sharing culture. Information-sharing, like Will & James printing directions for everyone at the Manaus Airport, is much less avoidable, but it could be potent for ensuring that task integrity is maintained.I think navigation and transportation hub rules can stay as they are since it's such a gray area that has left room for the Race to really shine and is a big part of its legacy. We've had teams help each other book the same flights and ensure others were on the same flight in the earlier seasons (Rob & Amber during season 7, Linda & Karen and Charla & Mirna, etc.), but it wasn't a repeated thing that got out of hand.
I agree that prohibition, enforced by a penalty, is the only solution that can quickly change this sharing culture. Information-sharing, like Will & James printing directions for everyone at the Manaus Airport, is much less avoidable, but it could be potent for ensuring that task integrity is maintained.I disagree, I think that flat out answer sharing would force teams to stop interacting with one another.
Well, the biggest change on TAR over the last couple of years actually has been a devolution instead of an evolution. The Race has been dumbed down and oversimplified. Partly because of budget. Partly because of plenty other reasons.
Which makes the answer sharing and hand holding even more baffling. The Race is getting easier, yet teams can perform tasks on their own?
Seems like a natural progression (regression?) of society too apparently.
Well, the biggest change on TAR over the last couple of years actually has been a devolution instead of an evolution. The Race has been dumbed down and oversimplified.
Well, the biggest change on TAR over the last couple of years actually has been a devolution instead of an evolution. The Race has been dumbed down and oversimplified. Partly because of budget. Partly because of plenty other reasons.
Which makes the answer sharing and hand holding even more baffling. The Race is getting easier, yet teams can perform tasks on their own?
Seems like a natural progression (regression?) of society too apparently.
Which makes the answer sharing and hand holding even more baffling. The Race is getting easier, yet teams can perform tasks on their own?I meant CAN'T. :lol:
Which makes the answer sharing and hand holding even more baffling. The Race is getting easier, yet teams can perform tasks on their own?I meant CAN'T. :lol:
The Race is getting easier, yet teams increasingly can't do the tasks on their own. Basically I'm saying teams are just not as strong and skilled as they used to be. Or they're just lazier. :funny:
(Thank you for pointing my mistake out peach lol)