The Amazingest Amazing Race Yet!

Once again, we get to review another CBS reality television series, except this time, it's a couple thang.  The success of last year's Jerry Bruckheimer extravaganza, "The Amazing Race," has led to this year's successful sequel, appropriately titled, "The Amazing Race 2."  Once again, couples representing various relationships (brother/sister, friends, seperated couple, etc.) take off to locations across the world, completing tasks and trials along the way, in a race for a cool million dollars.  This time around, their airfare is paid for, which actually makes it a touch more difficult for the teasm as they have limited funds to get them from checkpoint to checkpoint.  It is not uncommon to see a couple recieve $100 to make it through a major world city, so obviously there is little time to shop.

What made last year's installment particularly entertaining was the development of subplots within the teams.  Last year's winners, Rob and Brennan, were lifelong friends before the race started, and it was interesting to see how that friendship helped/harmed them along the way.  Even more intriguing was relationship between second-place finishers Frank and Margarita, two separated parents.  At some point viewers seemed to stop cheering their progress in the game, but instead lauded what appeared to be a reconciliation between the two.  It made good dramatic TV and Bruckheimer had a winner.

This year, it seems as though the formula is working again.  Ratings are consistent, and the curiosity about the racing teams has meant increased web traffic on the CBS website.  Once again, deep into the race, there are two teams that fit the same molds as the two aforementioned teams.  Chris and Alex can be very likeable characters, if you can get through the VERY thick Boston accents.  And Tara and Wil, this year's estranged couple, provide more drama than the entire cast of "Touched By An Angel."  The race itself has been fairly close throughout, and with the recent surge put forward by Danny and Oswald (a not-so-in-the-closet "best friends" couple), the show should be thrilling down to the wire.

So what does this mean for next year?  Are we going to see "Amazing Race" follow in the "Survivor" mold, putting out two different sequels in one calendar year?  Hopefully not, although with jump in production values for this sequel, as compared to the original, maybe another trip around the world wouldn't be such a bad thing.
 

James Ingrahausen, editor-in-chief, contributing writer