To me, one of The Amazing Race’s most successful pieces is making changes and tweaks that benefit the competition and don’t detract from it every time the show returns to the TV schedule. Sure we get the occasional controversial or unlikeable twist, but for the most part the CBS competition series knows what is going to work and how to execute it. This doesn’t mean, however, that they don’t occasionally get absolutely bonkers feedback from the fans.
Phil Keoghan Is Not Enthusiastic About One Suggested Fan Twist
In fact, longtime host Phil Keoghan recently admitted he's heard from fans who have "the worst" idea related to how they feel TAR should format an upcoming season. To be candid, the reality host is not a fan. Here's what he told Gold Derby:
Someone came up with an idea, which I'd like to squash right away, which was, 'Hey, Phil, why don't you get all the teams that get eliminated first and bring all of them onto the show?’ First of all, yes, it would be exciting. But think about this for a second. The worst drivers, the worst to do challenges, the slowest people on the race ... you want to put them together and reward the slowest racers? It's going to take us twice as long to shoot! So, let's kill that idea.
Let's "kill that idea", quash it, put the kibosh on it, dropkick it out of sight, whatever, because Phil will not be bringing back failed reality contestants. As a fan, I hear him and I think it's a sound POV.
Sure, there are probably some teams that might have made reasonable runs had they gotten their teamwork together in the very first episode of any given season. However, I can tell you as a fan who has watched all 37 seasons that for the most part the teams who go home early are the teams who should go home early. The teams who make it to the end are the teams who are able to face adversity and pull through despite facing challenges and things like travel that may not be their strong suit.
For example, In the more "contentious" Season 37 we saw this happen. Jack and Carson got some lucky breaks during twists like the Fork in the Road and more, but a pizza making challenge was nearly their undoing. Instead, however, Carson worked through being flustered and burning multiple pizzas, and finally got an OK. They later ended up winning the season -- though it did take a little time to nab their Amazing Race prize winnings.
Regardless, while having last place contestants return is not remotely on Phil's bingo card, he does still want to hear from fans.
Amazing Race Fans Sometimes Have Great Ideas Too!
It’s not like every idea that comes from the fanbase is bad. Phil recently said he keeps data points on what fans are discussing online, which helps The Amazing Race team create challenges for the contestants. He also said in the interview it was the fanbase who came up with the concept of bringing in Big Brother contestants for Season 38.
The show has brought in reality contestants from Big Brother in the past, including probably most famously Rachel Reilly, but the new season will be only Big Brother contestants. This time around, Phil Keoghan calls the full cast from CBS' sister reality show “an experiment,” and one he is excited to see play out on the small screen.
There is some overlap. But if you think about the three genres, they're quite distinct and quite different. So, this crossover, it'll be an experiment. We'll see how people react to it.
Phil's not worried about it, however, and thinks Season 38 is going to be a great time, and might even bring another demographic from CBS over to his long-running series.
They're savvy. They're winners, some of them. They're used to competing. And they come in with a tremendous amount of of confidence.
We'll have to wait and see. The Amazing Race is scheduled to actually be returning to CBS this fall, which is really exciting news for the fans. The first episode of Season 38 will return on Thursday, September 25 at 9 p.m. ET for a special premiere. Thanks to the newer 90-minute format, subsequent episodes will air on Wednesdays after Survivor at 9:30 p.m.
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