Amazing Race: Family Edition

Last night Sandy and I watched the first episode of The Amazing Race: Family Edition. This is the 8th season and she's been watching from the beginning, I think I started with Season 3. This season the format is being messed with a little bit as there are families of four rather than simple teams of two. So, we do have a couple of traditional families with a mother father and two young kids, but also a team of four siblings, a dad and his three sons in law, and other familes like that.

They go through the introductions and we then see a black family. There is usually the one token black team on the show (because we can't possibly have an all ethnic show and one token white team), but the family is introduced as the Black Family. Sandy and I pause and look at each other as it starts to dawn on me that the family name is Black. We hope. It better be. Otherwise the show just gave up on hiding its bias. It's just weird to see the family constantly described as the Black family because we keep hearing the "black" family.

The teams are driving around Manhatten and then have to drive to Washington's Crossing over the river then drive to Philly.

I know Phil said that all airfare is paid for, but is it possible that this race isn't leaving the country? Usually the first stage is just to get to an airport and get out of America, but this already has the feeling of a driving tour across the country. I'm not sure I like that, either. I want to see the blond girl eaten by a lion and unless she dropped off at a zoo I don't see that happening.

It's still a good show and worth watching, but I'm not so excited about the format change for this season. I'm already looking past this season to next one. But the other half of the problem is that there are no teams standing out that we like. The black...excuse me, Black family is one, but they were eliminated and the parents didn't show much leadership though the family is cute and we think they are probably good parents.

Oh well, there is always next week which we'll watch the week after.