According to this morning’s Variety, CBS is planning an all-star edition of The Amazing Race for its upcoming 11th season. While there’s no final word on which former Amazing Racers made the cut, the cast is expected to include reality veterans Rob and Am-buh, their nemeses Joyce and Uchenna, as well as David and Mary.
I know I’ve been cranky about everything all morning, but to me, all-star editions of reality series are Rated Boooo!, much better on paper than on the actual screen. Half the fun of shows like TAR is watching how average folks will respond to the extraordinary rules of the games they’re playing, watching them push their physical limitations and occasionally devolve into Ugly Americans. Once a player has been through the experience — not to mention been deemed a "fan favorite" — the freshness is lost, and oftentimes, you end up with folks playing out the preordained characters they think they’re expected to embody, rather than keeping it real.
That said, since it appears CBS is committed to this All-Star edition, they better include Team Cha-Cha-Cha. What say you, PopWatchers?
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I wouldnt watch it period. Big Brother All Stars was freakin insane, and I dont mean that in a good way. I never watched Survivor All-Stars, but CBS needs to lay the whole deal to rest. I knew beyond a doubt that there would be a Race All-stars. This is just something CBS does when they cant think of anything else for these type of shows.
One question: Look at the ratings for all the seasons of Big Brother. They were really good and then look at the ratings for All-Stars. HUGE difference. It even almost killed the show and as a religious BB fan, All-Stars is not how I wanted to see the show go out.
I like the idea. Of course I am in the minority and liked the Family Edition. But I disagree about David and Mary being included. While they were nice, they weren’t good racers. Sticked around only due to alliance and not their skills. And not one of the top teams ever. The race has to include Dustin and Kandance as they are best all female team ever. I am intrigued by the idea. Because as Survivor showed and even Big Brother. Not everyone the second time around can do it. Especially not the winners. Especially if other teams have seen your strengths and weaknesses. Wish Rob and Amber weren’t included, but I am sure they would be. Wow, it’ been around 10 rounds. Hard to pick favorite teams, because there have been so many…
How are David and Mary All-Stars? It should be a competition of all the teams that came in second. They played a good game and were usually done in by circumstances, like taxi drivers or plane connections, at the very end.
I’d watch it just to see Charla & Myrna again.
But I don’t think I could handle seeing Joyce & Ucheena lose cause them winning was my favorite reality tv moment ever.
While it may sound nice to see some of my favorite past teams again, this would likely devolve into another terrible Survivor Allstars (especially if Rob and Amber come back…aren’t their 15 minutes long over??). I think this is a bad idea and I will most likely skip the season (like I should have with Family Edition).
I don’t think this one is as bad of an idea as Survivor All Stars since it’s not really about alliaces (as much as the Cho Brothers would like to believe). It’s a RACE where the outcome won’t really be determined by the dynamics between teams.
Anyways, if Team Cha Cha Cha is in, I am THERE!
As long as they keep the race in places that don’t really know them yet (let’s go back to Mongolia!) then I think it should be fine.
Uh, I meant Alliances.
I think it would be fun to use some of our “dating at the time” couples who progressively hated eachother’s guts over the course of the race and broke up after the race was done.
I also love some Terry and Ian!
I am usually right with you Slezak, but I couldn’t disagree with you more on this one. I like all-star shows for the most part. I find it interesting to watch people who are already familiar with the nuances of the game compete with one another. For me, it just ups the tension… and that is my favorite part of the Amazing Race. And if Charla and Myrna are back, I will be glued to the tv. “I just got electrocuted!” is my favorite reality tv moment EVER.
I’d much rather see a “Celebrity” Amazing Race!
I just wanna say that I, too, love me some Charla and Mirna. And besides the “I just got electrocuted!” moment, I LOVE when they had to corral the goats on the boat and Charla had the biggest problem and screamed, “MIRNA! That’s the mean one!”
Reichen and….Lance
i’d love to see the hippies again.
Instead of an all-star Amazing Race, why not do a Celebrity Amazing Race? You know, where Screech and Zach from Saved by the Bell race against, say, Andrea and Kelly from 90210?
How about that instead??
i am most certainly a glutton for punishment but id love to see linda and karen, the bowling moms; adam and rebecca, the no-longer-a-couple-couple that gave us some of the BEST fights and insults (though she’s moved onto to more reality tv since then); meredith and gretchen, the old people; and the loud new york family (the dipolos?).
as well as uchenna and joyce of course
Noooooo! No more hippies! Cha Cha Cha would be great. I’d also like to see Team Guido and the Frats and Frank and Margarita from Season 1.
The only reason to include David and Mary is for sentimental reasons. It’d be a lot easier for David to quit his job as a coal miner if he got the million.
I personally like to watch all-star editions. It’s fun watching the contestants make the SAME mistakes all over again. They don’t learn.
I’m watching ONLY if Rob and Amber are racing. Who cares about the whole 15-minutes-of-fame thing?? I love Rob & Amber!!
I love TAR, but I have a feeling I’d hate this. For one thing, if I ever have to see Rob and Amber on my TV again, I may throw it through the window, and glazing is expensive. But more than that, one of the things I hated most about R&A’s previous appearance was the way they could use their “celebrity” to get people to do things for them, which I thought violated the whole idea of the race (ordinary people in foreign countries, trying to figure things out on their own).
Love the idea of a celebrity amazing race – hate the idea of an all star edition. Haven’t Rob and Am-buh had their 15 minutes of fame to the 5th power already? I always thought they had an unfair advantage in AR as they were readily recognized and given much more assistance than their fellow competitors. Could CBS even get 12 teams of celebs (even C/D list) to commit to what – 12 – 15 weeks of this?
i’m not a huge R&A fan, but i don’t see them using their “celebrity” (and i use that term loosely) any differently from contestants using beauty, abundance of charm, good looks, big boobs, a previous knowledge of a language, or anything to get ahead. TAR should only have unattractive people who can speak english poorly if no one should use their advantages, well, to their advantage.
you don’t think the “homlier” contestants might have a harder time getting noticed than the good looking ones?
I would watch, because if I can survive the travesty that is the Family Edition, I can endure anything. Plus, I can only imagine how snarky Josh’s TV Watches would be on Monday mornings.
My fave team of all time has to be Kris and Jon (the season when Freddy and whatsherface won) — please bring back the water polo challenge!
i’d also like to say that i think it would be sort of funny to maybe bring back couples that are no longer together – ones for whom TAR did them in. THAT would be okay by me!
otherwise, all star is a lazy idea. ok, i’m done now!
Count me in! ANYTHING to see hottie Boston Rob extend his 15 minutes of fame on my T.V. screen!
I think I’d like to see this – although I hope the producers kick up the tasks and make them harder.
Bring back the clowns!
Bring back Charla/Mirna!
Bring back Rebecca with a new partner! (Leavy Whiny Adam at home.)
I’m for it in principle, but I will absolutely not watch if Rob and Amber are involved.
My top picks would definitely include Oswald & Danny (Cha-Cha-Cha) and Kris & Jon. Kevin & Drew, Nancy & Emily, and Blake & Paige would also be nice to see again. I guess they have to put some “villains” in there to keep it interesting, though.
CHARLA AND MYRNA! please!!!! they are the best
Who is cha cha cha?? anyone???
I don’t even remember them. I have watched since season 1 and cannot remember everyone
Oh I see Oswald and Danny- were they hispanic gays? I forget…
Why so much love for them? I’m trying to remember what was so memorable.
I’ve been waiting for this, actually! I love the Amazing Race no matter what, though (although the family edition gets a little less love than the other seasons).
I think they should try to get Chip and Reichen and other teams that have split up or whatever since their race…that could be good for some drama, eh?