Amazing Race 9: The Powerful Substance of Race

March 1, 2006 at 8:01 AM | by markj | Comments (0)

Since the Amazing Race returned to its "Classic Coke" format, we figured we would give the show a proper mashup. This map will update every week in the days after the show. Send along tips, rumors, gossip, locations and spoilers to our map editors, become a member and comment on the stories below, and add to the Jaunted-Flickr photo pool to get in on the fray. Enjoy.

Episode 1

Can you come back from jumping the shark? Of course you can. Last season, the Amazing Race had its "Cousin Oliver" moment when the show turned into an unwatchable "Family Edition" format. But we are a forgiving group here at Jaunted, and we welcome back our beloved "classic mode" Amazing Race, warts and all.

This week's premiere started off per usual, with Phil introducing the race, and each team introducing themselves. These intros quickly put the teams into nice, manageable, stereotypical boxes: Southern racists, bickering couple, gay dudes, your token sexagenarians, oh, and don't forget the always entertaining mother/daughter action.

After his usual race preamble, which this season took place at Red Rocks, Colorado, Phil sent the kids off to São Paulo Brazil.

Before the eleven teams headed to Brazil, the dentist and his subservient wife informed Ray that his name was Lake, "like the ocean", and then once Ray was out of earshot, began to mutter what sounded like racial slurs. Way to make a first impression, Ocean.

Once on Brazilian soil, it was off to Hotel Unique, where our teams gathered up their first real clue.

Why do we always feel like we are going to have an epileptic seizure when we watch the first episode of AR; we used to get this same feeling when we played too much Sonic the Hedgehog in one sitting. In any event, eleven teams are hard to follow with a camera, so CBS likes to make sure you completely understand who your villains and heros are right from the get go.

Lake freaking out on his wife--cut away--stock shot of Viaduto Santa Efigenia--cut away--MoJo calls Lake Scott Peterson--queue commercial. Yup, this Lake chap is gonna cause some trouble.

After the bridge, it was Detour time. The PDA nerds went for the kick ass chopper ride at Aeromot while the Double D twins chose to put together a motorcycle, yeah, that didn't go so well. We can't believe some São Paulo ne'er-do-wells use motorcycles as pick pocket get away vehicles. Yeah, don't walk to close to the curb, as these motor-criminals are especially fond of snatching your laptop as you are walking aimlessly, so hide your PowerBook.

Next up the crew briefly interrupted a Candomblé ceremony in Santa Cecilia to pick up a clue. Ah, AR, a constant reminder that Americans don't usually travel well.

Finally it was off to the pit stop at Etadio de Pacaembu.

So what did we learn last night?

Nerds can find love. Brazilian men are far more attracted to Yolanda than the Double D twins. Lake the dentist is a lunatic that wears a scopolamine patch to prevent motion sickness, but our early theory is it makes him nuts, due to the fact that he is constantly wearing it.* Oh, and most importantly, genie power doesn't work.

John and Scott, Lifelong Friends, we hardly knew ya.

*A nurse we watched the show with told us what this odd patch was--we aren't that smart.

Related Stories:
·   Episode 1 Screen Captures Galore [Jaunted/Flickr]
·   Amazing Race 9 Hotel Report: And So It Begins Again [HotelChatter]
·   Chasing Racers: AR Mashup [Jaunted]

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