Author Topic: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?  (Read 12163 times)

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Offline Traveldude1

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When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« on: April 30, 2020, 01:48:39 AM »
I'd say it began around when Unfinished Business aired. It was way too soon to have another returnee season imo. This season, like 15, also featured a Start line twist that I didn't like. Say what you want about Amanda and Chris, but I felt bad for them. They got screwed over twice by a Uturn, which I found to be unfair.

I have nothing against any teams, but this was one of the last seasons to feature old/out of shape/ regular people teams that represent people like myself/yourself. Sorry, but most of America is not insanely fit and attractive like many of the teams in newer seasons.

I'm not completely against newer seasons as I did enjoy Season 27(except for J&D) and I loved Season 31(especially Colin and Christie, Rachel and Ellisa and the Afghanimals).

Offline Declive

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2020, 01:53:47 AM »
I feel like this could be a individual opinion.
To me it was definitly in TAR 24.

But i gotta say that it has been picking up for me lately. I enjoyed the last seasons.
I think they have to stop bringing people to race for the 3rd time. I liked all 3rd time teams, but i don't like the concept.
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Offline BourkieBoy

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2020, 02:01:44 AM »
I think TAR as taken a short decline, ever since TAR24!

However, TAR is still producers some amazing seasons and I’m grateful we’ve had 32 seasons of the show produced! Here’s to show to picking up again and hopefully, we can have many more adventures around the world!

Offline Traveldude1

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2020, 02:11:45 AM »
I actually love when teams race a 3rd time. From a purely entertainment perspective, there's clearly a reason they're being asked back. The fans enjoy seeing them race, which is totally fine by me.

I can see why some wouldn't like racers running a 3rd time or even 2 times, but I personally enjoy it from an entertainment perspective

Offline BritishTARFan

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2020, 10:09:54 AM »
I'd say between seasons 24 and 28 the show fell in quality with the exception of S25. But since 29 it's been picking up again even if there are changes I dont like (eg, no more intros to places teams are in).


Offline Maanca

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2020, 11:31:52 AM »
Season 24 marked the start of the decline for me. Around the time CBS started pushing for more themed seasons. In the dating season, Phil being forced to ask at each Pit Stop if they felt a spark yet was the cringiest thing I've ever seen on TAR.

Which is why I can't wait for TAR32's promise of going "back to basics"...if it ever gets an airdate by 2027...

Offline G.B.

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2020, 05:38:52 PM »
Season 26 is when they started trying to make a 'show' instead of making an 'adventure'.
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Offline dryedmangoez

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2020, 05:39:45 PM »
One could argue that the decline started back around TAR11/12. But it was very slow and incremental. Perhaps, negligible even. Interestingly, I feel like the transition from SD to HD is when the show's real steady decline started.

From TAR18 to TAR23, you could see the casting and the Leg design was definitely not at the same level as any of the SD seasons before. And the ratings reflected that. While the rest of broadcast primetime was hemorrhaging viewers, TAR had been one of the few consistent shows. They had maintained their ratings, NFL overrun boost or not, even when almost everyone else was declining. But it was around this time when TAR's ratings really fell and not even NFL overruns were enough to pad the numbers.

TAR24 was just the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back for many reasons. And of course that decline led to TAR moving to Fridays. Fridays did not kill TAR. TAR was moved to Fridays in the first place because it no longer was doing as well as it once was on Sundays.

The Friday timeslot certainly helped speed up the ratings and popularity decline. But the "quality" decline was steady and increasingly so from TAR26 to the present. Budget was obviously lower, but shouldn't be too much of a hindrance in terms of Leg design. TARs around the world have far lower budgets, yet can still produce seasons better and more enjoyable than TARUS did during this time. So TARUS had no excuse.

Casting, also one of the most important aspects of the show, continued to be subpar. And the gimmick seasons did not result in good, memorable teams. Nor did they bring in any new viewers either.

Offline Traveldude1

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2020, 08:45:44 PM »
The show was much better in SD , but that's not the point here. Other than 18, you can see the show was declining around Season 16, imo.

Seasons 12 and 14 were fine and 15 was mediocre. But 16, was when you can start to tell it was going downhill

Offline dryedmangoez

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2020, 09:35:09 PM »
I just mentioned the transition to HD because that's kind of a clear midpoint for TARUS. If we were to divide TARUS into two Eras, it would be the SD Era vs the HD Era. And the HD Era seasons are definitely inferior to the SD Era seasons.

And since I consider TAR17 one of the better seasons of the franchise, I think TAR18 is really the start of a noticeable decline in different aspects of the show (casting, tasks, locations, etc).


Offline Traveldude1

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2020, 11:52:31 PM »
19 was the last time we saw certain kinds of teams, which was disappointing. I believe 19 was the last season to have an older team compete. Haven't seen one since.

Nothing bad about it, but the newer seasons have a lot more younger teams than it ever had pre - season 19.

Offline RachelLeVega

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #11 on: May 01, 2020, 10:49:31 AM »
I just mentioned the transition to HD because that's kind of a clear midpoint for TARUS. If we were to divide TARUS into two Eras, it would be the SD Era vs the HD Era. And the HD Era seasons are definitely inferior to the SD Era seasons.

And since I consider TAR17 one of the better seasons of the franchise, I think TAR18 is really the start of a noticeable decline in different aspects of the show (casting, tasks, locations, etc).
Mainly it's the editing that has made me feel indifferent about a lot of the HD races. I would bet that if you gave the same fast-paced and sense-of-placement editing as seasons 10-17 in the newer seasons, the show would be somewhat better for a viewing experience for the newer seasons. Someone experimented with this for season 25 (a well-liked season if it matters or not) on YouTube by overhauling a classic foot race tune during the "My ox is broken" Switchback and foot race over the original that aired and it does do wonders by switching out the newer awkwardly-placed sheet music. It's a start though.

"The Amazing Race with Old Music" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfD149P4LTQ

Didn't someone here on RFF do a total re-edit of the season 27 premiere?
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Offline Kamineko

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #12 on: May 01, 2020, 11:11:09 AM »
Someone experimented with this for season 25 (a well-liked season if it matters or not) on YouTube by overhauling a classic foot race tune during the "My ox is broken" Switchback and foot race over the original that aired and it does do wonders by switching out the newer awkwardly-placed sheet music. It's a start though.

"The Amazing Race with Old Music" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfD149P4LTQ

Didn't someone here on RFF do a total re-edit of the season 27 premiere?

After watching it I notice one of the difference between the old-style and new-style background music is that the old-style music has more suspense feeling and makes me feel like sitting on the edge of my seat, while the new-style one's just lack that excitement and suspense feeling.
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Offline RachelLeVega

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #13 on: May 01, 2020, 01:27:11 PM »
Someone experimented with this for season 25 (a well-liked season if it matters or not) on YouTube by overhauling a classic foot race tune during the "My ox is broken" Switchback and foot race over the original that aired and it does do wonders by switching out the newer awkwardly-placed sheet music. It's a start though.

"The Amazing Race with Old Music" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfD149P4LTQ

Didn't someone here on RFF do a total re-edit of the season 27 premiere?

After watching it I notice one of the difference between the old-style and new-style background music is that the old-style music has more suspense feeling and makes me feel like sitting on the edge of my seat, while the new-style one's just lack that excitement and suspense feeling.
My thoughts exactly.

Even the moment with the old music when Brooke dropped her bag off in sight of the Pit Stop was like a chef's kiss that wasn't rightfully emphasized with what was originally aired.
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Offline dryedmangoez

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2020, 04:32:59 AM »
I agree about the editing. That has made Legs and episodes also feel less exciting and interesting.
Certain editing techniques lately have also made the show actually feel dated instead of modern/contemporary. They use, to be frank, very cheap transitions. Definitely nothing cinematic about it. When earlier seasons were able to be just as stunning and visually exciting even without high definition or "cute" editing/transition effects.

Part of the questionable editing can also be blamed on them having to work with less. That is, less exciting and dynamic teams doing less exciting and dynamic tasks.

Offline Jimmer

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #15 on: May 02, 2020, 08:36:44 AM »
I haven't really seen many older seasons of the Amazing Race from 1 to 11, but after recently watching TAR5 and rewatching TAR13 I noticed that the editing towards the end of the leg they really drum of the suspense with the "old-style music" and then show very quick montages of team after team after team completing the penultimate task (with not a lot of dialogue) and it just goes on for what seems to be several minutes. They really build up the suspense right up to the elimination. I don't remember recent seasons doing that.

Offline RachelLeVega

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #16 on: May 02, 2020, 09:33:32 AM »
I agree about the editing. That has made Legs and episodes also feel less exciting and interesting.
Certain editing techniques lately have also made the show actually feel dated instead of modern/contemporary. They use, to be frank, very cheap transitions. Definitely nothing cinematic about it. When earlier seasons were able to be just as stunning and visually exciting even without high definition or "cute" editing/transition effects.

Part of the questionable editing can also be blamed on them having to work with less. That is, less exciting and dynamic teams doing less exciting and dynamic tasks.
This part I don't agree with. I've seen a lot of helpful, and even at times more important, scenes being left for CBS extras that would've brought much-needed character to those teams like Dessie & Kayla's intense search for parking that ultimately sent them home, London & Logan's funny and minor tiffs that would've elevated their presence on the show, and I don't even remember a thing about Burnie & Ashley from the social media season despite them getting to final 4 but I'd think Burnie would at least be interesting since he did say he is a comedian. The editors didn't even fabricate a storyline for any of these teams unlike in the pre-18 seasons where everyone, even the boring teams who didn't having a good performance showing like Marisa & Brooke, Anthony & Stephanie, and Garrett & Jessica, had a particular storyline and character to them.
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Offline dryedmangoez

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #17 on: May 02, 2020, 02:30:35 PM »
That can be true. Last season, they left out a scene of Rachel & Elissa jumping out of their taxi to direct traffic in Uganda. It was a great scene and would've added to the tension and excitement since they were fighting for last. Great character moment for them as well, but instead they left it out. Partly because the Head to Head negates pretty much everything else in the Leg, but that's a whole other story.

Still, I stand by the idea that casting and Leg design has been absolutely lacking as the years go by. And they can't blame the budget for poor tasks and stuff like that when other TARs around the world can still be fresh and creative. And they have a fraction of TARUS' budget.

Offline Lmh1988

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #18 on: May 14, 2020, 12:04:18 AM »
Firstly I’ll say that The Race will always be my favorite show and every season is amazing.

With that said, I do wish the show would go back to some of the things they did in earlier seasons. Like I liked when Fast Forwards were on every leg, I like the strategy of teams trying to decide the best time to go for it.

I also liked in earlier seasons when the teams mingled at the Pit Stop, I felt like it built better relationships (and drama) between the teams.

And the last thing I’ll say is that I feel like a lot of the earlier seasons just had much more difficult tasks which I appreciated too. I feel like a lot of international versions do well at making very difficult tasks (like the most recent season of Amazing Race Australia I thought did really well with having quite difficult tasks).

I will always love the Race in any form we can get it, but I’d like to see some of those earlier things reincorporated into the Race again.

Offline zacz

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #19 on: May 15, 2020, 03:20:21 AM »
A lot of the detours in earlier seasons took much longer. Tasks often took hours - Most new seasons the tasks can be done relatively quickly. The legs were also much longer but this was mainly due to a lot more self driving and inta bus and train trips. Nowdays teams rarely travel more than an hour or so from the closest major airport. It means that we don't see more rural locations anymore - And when they do use a rural location it is usually just the outskirts of the city.

I feel that the race started to decline after (and possibly even during) season 11 (all stars). It was a slow decline and did not happen quickly but it is easy to see. The tasks became quicker, the travel less and casting began to suffer from mactoritis (not that mactors were not cast before - I mean look at season 6 - but there used to be more 'normal' teams mixed in than there is now. Now they are all in their 20's and fit. We don't get older or unfit teams anymore.


Offline Traveldude1

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #20 on: May 16, 2020, 10:00:29 PM »
A lot of the detours in earlier seasons took much longer. Tasks often took hours - Most new seasons the tasks can be done relatively quickly. The legs were also much longer but this was mainly due to a lot more self driving and inta bus and train trips. Nowdays teams rarely travel more than an hour or so from the closest major airport. It means that we don't see more rural locations anymore - And when they do use a rural location it is usually just the outskirts of the city.

I feel that the race started to decline after (and possibly even during) season 11 (all stars). It was a slow decline and did not happen quickly but it is easy to see. The tasks became quicker, the travel less and casting began to suffer from mactoritis (not that mactors were not cast before - I mean look at season 6 - but there used to be more 'normal' teams mixed in than there is now. Now they are all in their 20's and fit. We don't get older or unfit teams anymore.

The initial All-Stars was bad. None of the teams lived up to themselves and the Final 4 was bad. Amazing Race seasons 12 and 14 were good but I do agree with the show going downhill after 11

Offline BritishTARFan

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #21 on: May 16, 2020, 11:15:04 PM »
A lot of the detours in earlier seasons took much longer. Tasks often took hours - Most new seasons the tasks can be done relatively quickly. The legs were also much longer but this was mainly due to a lot more self driving and inta bus and train trips. Nowdays teams rarely travel more than an hour or so from the closest major airport. It means that we don't see more rural locations anymore - And when they do use a rural location it is usually just the outskirts of the city.

I feel that the race started to decline after (and possibly even during) season 11 (all stars). It was a slow decline and did not happen quickly but it is easy to see. The tasks became quicker, the travel less and casting began to suffer from mactoritis (not that mactors were not cast before - I mean look at season 6 - but there used to be more 'normal' teams mixed in than there is now. Now they are all in their 20's and fit. We don't get older or unfit teams anymore.

The initial All-Stars was bad. None of the teams lived up to themselves and the Final 4 was bad. Amazing Race seasons 12 and 14 were good but I do agree with the show going downhill after 11

Why did you find the final 4 bad? With the exception of Eric & Danielle all the teams were not only brilliant TV but great racers too.

Offline Traveldude1

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #22 on: May 16, 2020, 11:39:37 PM »
A lot of the detours in earlier seasons took much longer. Tasks often took hours - Most new seasons the tasks can be done relatively quickly. The legs were also much longer but this was mainly due to a lot more self driving and inta bus and train trips. Nowdays teams rarely travel more than an hour or so from the closest major airport. It means that we don't see more rural locations anymore - And when they do use a rural location it is usually just the outskirts of the city.

I feel that the race started to decline after (and possibly even during) season 11 (all stars). It was a slow decline and did not happen quickly but it is easy to see. The tasks became quicker, the travel less and casting began to suffer from mactoritis (not that mactors were not cast before - I mean look at season 6 - but there used to be more 'normal' teams mixed in than there is now. Now they are all in their 20's and fit. We don't get older or unfit teams anymore.

The initial All-Stars was bad. None of the teams lived up to themselves and the Final 4 was bad. Amazing Race seasons 12 and 14 were good but I do agree with the show going downhill after 11

Why did you find the final 4 bad? With the exception of Eric & Danielle all the teams were not only brilliant TV but great racers too.

They didn't appeal to me, at least from a Character perspective. Didn't like any of them.

Offline NMC

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #23 on: June 08, 2020, 08:05:03 PM »
I can't believe the amount of differing thoughts here, but I guess that's the luxury of opinions. Lol.  Someone said further up that 18 - 24 was the decline, for me these seasons had probably the best casts up until that point, it was just the boot orders that ended up being rubbish.

Honestly, Season 27 is where I started losing interest. I hated that entire season, and though 28 picked up again for me, since 29 I haven't felt as connected to the show as I once did. I LOVED the show before 29, now I just watch it because I'm a fan.
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Offline Traveldude1

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Re: When did The Amazing Race decline, if at all?
« Reply #24 on: June 11, 2020, 06:26:20 PM »
I can't believe the amount of differing thoughts here, but I guess that's the luxury of opinions. Lol.  Someone said further up that 18 - 24 was the decline, for me these seasons had probably the best casts up until that point, it was just the boot orders that ended up being rubbish.

Honestly, Season 27 is where I started losing interest. I hated that entire season, and though 28 picked up again for me, since 29 I haven't felt as connected to the show as I once did. I LOVED the show before 29, now I just watch it because I'm a fan.

I thought season 27 had the most "Normal" cast of the recent seasons. Everyone was fine, but I can understand why some didn't like it. Season 28 was not that good and I thought I was going to hate 29, but I'll admit that it is good