Are this year's Amazing Race contestants stupider or just louder?

[Mike Daniels]

To paraphrase a Diamond Joe Quimby line from the Simpsons....

For those who've watched the program this go-around, is it me or would this year's crop have a hard time finding their way out of corn maze after the crop was picked?

It seems that week after week the teams reach higher levels of stupidity and that some teams are surviving only because of the greater stupidity of other teams.

I'd like to know how a CIA employee is unable to follow the crowd and gets himself hopelessly lost and how it's possible to miscount items so inconsistently that you end up with widely ranging totals from the same basket.

That said, anyone else think it was bad form for the producers to leave the two sisters out in the hayfield for hours after the prior team had crossed the finish when the round was elimination?

Just some thoughts on last light's episode....

[skypilot]

1. CIA employee

It seems that the ex-FBI/CIA contestants that end up on these shows are among some of the most feckless. People often seem to get a little intimidated when they find out that one of their competitors is FBI/CIA but there usually ends up being nothing to be intimidated about.

And now that you mention it, it really was bad form to leave those two out there especially when the producers knew that this was not going to be a non-elimination round.

[MemphisTiger]

3. He never said he was an agent only an employee

he could have worked in the mail room or been a file clerk.

[Mike Daniels]

7. Sisters even hypothesized on camera that it could be non-elimination

I believe the dark haired sister asked the blonde if she wanted to call it even when they were the last ones there and the blonde said something along the line of "we should keep on going since this could be a non-elimination".

I would think at that point the crew should have called in to the main production to alert them that the girls were going to stick it out for no reason and as soon as the older couple crossed the line just stop it there. J

ust seems somewhat sadistic to even allow them to think they still had a chance after they had been pushing hay around for 5 or more hours at that point.

I'll give the girls credit in that they didn't quit like the two obnoxious brothers from last season.

[motely36]

2. I've been watching

but there isn't anybody to root for this time. Sure, it's fun to root against the one guy (I think it's the married entrepeneur) who is a real asshole to his partner, but other than that I really can't seem to get into it. Counting pans at Ikea and pushing bales of hay just are not my idea of fun.

[MemphisTiger]

4. So far I like Hayden and Aaron, but I am waiting for that

little twerp Johnathan to lose so he can go insane on camera. You're right he is a real jerk to his wife Victoria. This show is always slow at first until you get to know each team after four or five episodes. I think it's the best show on TV just ahead of survivor. There I said it, I'm a reality show junkie.

[motely36]

5. I admit, I watch Survivor too

and I think it has been boring this year also. Oh well

[Mike Daniels]

8. Speaking of Hayden, this year's show seems more focused on T&A as well

Not that there's anything wrong with it, but the producers seem to be going for those tight close ups more than normal based on past viewings. I imagine they just have more to work with this year and I guess it serves as a nice audition tape for the models (see how good I look in this after not bathing for 48 hours).

[huskerlaw]

6. This is the first season I've watched...

so I have nothing to compare them to, but yes, they do seem kinda dumb.

That said, I really like the older couple. They're just so sweet, and they always try really hard. I was so scared they were going to get eliminated last night!

That Jonathan guy is quite possibly the world's biggest jerk. I'm waiting for his wife to leave him on the side of the road.

As for the team and the hayfield, that was almost painful to watch. Major props to the girl who kept trying, but she did that for like 8 HOURS. They should've stopped it as soon as the last couple checked in.

Final thought: Norway and Sweden are GORGEOUS!