The Amazing Race Season 20 Preview
By Daron Aldridge
February 15, 2012
BoxOfficeProphets.com
So here is the revised information with last season’s (undeserving) first and second place teams included:
First place:
Seven “Dating/Engaged” teams
Five teams of “Friends”
Four “Siblings” teams
Two “Married” teams
Zero “Parent/Child” teams
Second place:
Six “Dating/Engaged” teams
Four teams of “Siblings”
Three teams of “Friends”
Three “Separated” teams
One “Married” team
One was a “Parent/Child” team
Just how far off were my picks last season? Check out this embarrassing display:
| My Pick | Actual Final Placement | |
| 1 | Ethan & Jenna | Ernie & Cindy |
| 2 | Andy & Tommy | Jeremy & Sandy |
| 3 | Amani & Marcus | Amani & Marcus |
| 4 | Laurence & Zac | Andy & Tommy |
| 5 | Ron & Bill | Bill & Cathi |
| 6 | Justin & Jennifer | Laurence & Zac |
| 7 | Liz & Marie | Justin & Jennifer |
| 8 | Ernie & Cindy | Liz & Marie |
| 9 | Kaylani & Lisa | Kaylani & Lisa |
| 10 | Jeremy & Sandy | Ethan & Jenna |
| 11 | Bill & Cathi | Ron & Bill |
I am man enough to admit when I am wrong but not smart enough to stop myself from continuing to try (and likely fail) to be right. That being said, I am 100% confident that the non-winning streak of “Parent/Child” teams will continue. Of course, that’s only because this season doesn’t have any such teams. Here’s my take at the new crop of Amazing Racers.
If the big talk exhibited during the one-and-a-half- to two-minute team interviews holds, then this will be one of the most competitive and ‘got at it alone’ seasons we have seen. Several teams declare they’re not here to work together but to just race the race by themselves and let that be the deciding factor.
Joey "Fitness" & Danny: Wow! The producers have found a way to make the show appeal to the highly sought after Jersey Shore audience base. These two friends hail from the Garden State and proclaim themselves as unapologetically "Guido." Joey’s a trainer and Danny’s a club promoter but both embrace the "Guido lifestyle" of gym/tan/laundry. Of course, they are quick to defend themselves against the inherent meathead stereotype but I am unconvinced. My guess is that despite being a physically strong team, the race will be too much for them to wrap their heads around and they will be the first ones eliminated.
Dave & Cherie: This one’s a bit difficult to accept. I mean what kind of a heartless individual would predict a sweet, fun-loving team of married Ringling Bros. clowns would be the second team to exit? I guess that would be me. Previously, Dave & Cherie spent five years actually in the circus but have been serving for last six years as “ambassadors of laughter,” or rather clowns that travel to cities ahead of the circus. The married couple says they want to break down the stereotype of clowns but I think clowns themselves reinforce whatever stereotypes there may be every time that put on makeup and oversized shoes. The married couple intends to leverage their non-threatening attitude and a lot of luck into others carrying them to the end. It’s refreshing to see people down-to-earth but the more competitive teams will steamroll them.
Misa & Maiya: These sisters hailing from San Diego claim teamwork is will be their best attribute. They are particularly proud of the years spent hustling guys on golf courses and this is the basis for their highly touted competitiveness, which Misa claims several times in such a short interview. Once again, here’s another female team that immediately assumes that others will underestimate them because they are pretty girls. Let’s check how that rationale worked out for last season’s showgirls Kaylani & Lisa who said the same thing yet were eliminated third…oh wait, they were eliminated THIRD. Also, during one of Misa’s pieces of dialogue about having a strong work ethic, I could swear that Maiya can be seen mouthing the words along with her. It appears their schtick is either over-rehearsed or being feed to them. Regardless, I am not buying their gung-ho attitude and say their exit will mirror the showgirls.
Brendon & Rachel: Full disclosure time: I haven’t watched a full episode of Big Brother… well… ever. But my wife does and she insisted upon me watching the many, many annoying histrionics of Rachel during that show’s latest season. That’s all I needed to root against this team, which is sad because Brendon seems to be a good guy. I wholeheartedly agree with Brendon’s take that this competition is all about how well they run the race and that if they get u-turned then it’s just another part of the competition to overcome. Too bad he’s saddled with a gratingly obnoxious girl that tries way too hard (and fails) to be funny/catchy/witty. Also, I do find it annoying that they say being on this show is a "once in a lifetime opportunity" yet they have both competed on Big Brother TWICE before. This eighth place finish is more like wishful thinking but my fingers are already crossed.
Bopper & Mark: In a clear attempt to recreate the Southern charm and magic that was cowboys Jet & Cord, the producers give us good ol’ Kentucky boys Bopper & Mark. The friends are both racing for their families but more specifically for Bopper’s daughter. He explains that his daughter is very sick and that’s where his half of the million dollars will be going. The guys claim that they will push each other because they MUST win. They must really NEED the money based upon the 93 times they say so in a minute and 50 second interview. It doesn’t matter if you release these thoroughbreds because I think this team is a long shot to win.
Art & JJ: Here is the first of two teams consisting of law enforcement officers. Friends Art & JJ have been Border Patrol Agents for 15 plus years but they differ on the best way to treat this information with their competition. JJ wants to let people know what they do because it puts a positive face on their profession but Art wants to keep its secret. The race hasn’t even started and they are already disagreeing about strategy in the interview. They do seem to have a natural rapport and but I can see their give-and-take going from playful to volatile. Despite Art & JJ’s fear, I think they will have to face the 20,000 fellow agents when they don’t win the Amazing Race.
Kerri & Stacy: Even though they hail from a place more than a thousand miles south of Jersey, Stacy says that her cousin Kerri is essentially a Jersey Shore transplant. Also, despite being cousins and not twins, they seem to have adopted the “Double Trouble” motto for their team. The girls explain that they expect to be perceived as southern belle divas and they hope that is to their advantage. Even though this is a similar mentality to sisters Misa & Maiya, my impression is that Kerri & Stacy are more viable competitors. Also, I liked to hear Kerri say, “We hate to lose… no… we love to win. Let’s put it in the positive.”
Nary & Jamie: Law enforcement team number two. These friends only provide the generic job description as “Federal Agents.” That’s a pretty broad descriptor that could mean they are super cool spies or the same type of paper pushing Federal Agent that crazy Phillip from Survivor was. Anyway, the ladies have already devised a deep cover story for themselves since they don’t plan on telling anyone they are feds. Their ruse will involve telling the other teams that they are teachers to avoid preconceived notions of cops. One thing of note during their interview is that Nary seems to be the dominant person on the team and Jamie was rather awkward and uncomfortable on camera. As long as Jamie lets Nary be the boss, they should finish just outside the top three.
Elliot & Andrew: It’s like déjà vu all over again. Another season…another set of twins. Get it? "Twins"… "déjà vu?" Anyway, this is the first time we have had a team with twins where I can actually tell them apart. We have Elliot, who’s a long-haired musician, and Andrew, who’s a short-haired professional athlete. The fact that they don’t specify what sport Andrew makes a living playing implies it’s not one we would be impressed with. In addition to their divergent tastes in hairstyles, the brothers freely describe Andrew as patient and level-headed and Elliot as hotheaded and impulsive. Whatever those differences are, they agree that they will not play dirty but also won’t go out of their way to be accommodating or helpful. I think this plan to play a very competitive game will propel them to the end.
Rachel & Dave (married): I know it goes against the stats from previous seasons but I can’t help but root for this team to finish at least in second place (but a first place would be great too). He’s an Army veteran, for crying out loud. Rooting against him would be treason, right? Maybe… maybe not. Here we have an Army wife and her combat pilot husband. Dave has recently returned from a tour overseas and he is in the beginning of what he calls the “reintegration process.” They view the race as a chance to regain some time, work together and rely upon one another again. This will show that they can support one another. Confidently, Dave acknowledges that internal challenges are the only things that would be their downfall because they are confident in their physical abilities and racing skills. My first impression of Rachel & Dave is that I already want to root for them and I hope they both don’t turn into raging jerks. But even if they do, I still place them in the top two.
Vanessa & Ralph: Sweet alliteration, Vanessa & Ralph are described as Dating Divorcees. I am pegging this couple to win it all. Even though they have only been dating less than a year, they have known each other for 15 years. So, it’s not like the typical green couples that join this show to test their relationship (even though they both view it as a test… according to Vanessa, the race will result in “moving forward rapidly in [the] relationship or murder.”) They appear to have more self-awareness than most teams because she acknowledges that Ralph, as a trainer, will be the physical threat, and Vanessa, as a political speech writer, will be more of an intellectual threat. They also plan to shun the teamwork/alliance strategy. Vanessa is very straightforward with only a tinge of sarcasm when she say, “Honestly, I don’t give a s* about anyone else. I’m not here to make friends or give people daisies; I am here to win money.” Exactly, folks. It’s a race for one million dollars and not for votes to be named Miss Congeniality.
So, there you have it – how Amazing Race 20 looks to me. So, it’s time to just wait until Sunday, Feb. 19, at 8/7 (EST/CST) to see how right or very, very wrong I am. Here’s to a new season.