From eliminating, then un-eliminating non-Elimination legs to stunt casting a season with all Big Brother players, Amazing Race producers have worked hard to add distinguishing elements to the recent seasons, beyond just the locations. I assumed we’d continue that trend and get something unique for Season 39, but holy detour, I didn’t expect this level of craziness. The show announced via press release today that all thirteen teams will start an Express Pass.
For those of you who may not live and die with The Amazing Race like I do, the Express Pass is an advantage that was added to the game during Season 17. It’s typically given to the winner of the first leg or to someone who completes a special task along the way. Once secured, it allows the holding team to skip any Roadblock or Detour they don’t want to do without completing it. There’s no penalty. They just hand the Express Pass over and get their next clue.
Some teams use it to try and guarantee they win a particular leg. Other times save it for a leg they’re struggling in to help make sure they’re not eliminated. With thirteen passes in play this season, however, the pros and cons of using it have never been more complicated.
We don’t know all the specifics, but we do know the Express Passes will expire as soon as the sixth leg is over. My guess is the majority, however, will be used long before that benchmark. Teams near the bottom of the pack of say the first leg, as an example, are going to know the teams behind them could bust out their own Express Passes at any point. My guess is that means duos worried about going home early will be really aggressive about using it. After all, as every Survivor fan will tell you, there’s no point in going home with an advantage in your pocket.
The key to these long-running reality shows is finding a way to keep the spirit of the game while making it feel fresh. Almost forty seasons into the show, we’ve seen numerous teams try all the basic strategies. Adding new developments like this into play allows the teams to think on their feet and allows fans to see the game played from a slightly different perspective. I can’t wait.
I know it feels like summer just started, but The Amazing Race is actually near its fall premiere date. The show will hit the TV schedule on Wednesday September 30th and Thursday, October 1st for a two night premiere event. This season, we’re getting thirteen teams with those thirteen Express Passes. By the end, the show will visit nine countries and thirteen cities. Fingers crossed it crowns a worthy winner who made good use of their Express Pass.
