Series synopsis
The Amazing Race is an American reality television series that premiered on CBS on September 5, 2001. It was created by Bertram van Munster, Elise Doganieri. It stars Phil Keoghan and Cord McCoy.
This reality competition sees teams embark on a trek around the world to amazing destinations where they must compete in a series of challenges, some mental and some physical. Only when the tasks are completed will they learn of their next location. Teams who are the farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning the race and the $1 million prize.
Premise
This reality competition sees teams embark on a trek around the world to amazing destinations where they must compete in a series of challenges, some mental and some physical. Only when the tasks are completed will they learn of their next location. Teams who are the farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning the race and the $1 million prize.
Premise: The world is waiting for you.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Phil Keoghan as Self - Host
- Cord McCoy as Self - Contestant
Guest cast
- Mel White as Self - Contestant
- Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Self
- Ted Otis as Kafka Supervisor (uncredited)
- Donald Imm as Spy (uncredited)
- Kevin R. Hershberger as Union Soldier (uncredited)
- Wayne Newton as Self
- Arnold Chun as Self - Game Show Host (uncredited)
- Taylor Wily as Self - Roadblock Clue
- Gurmit Singh as Phua Chu Kang
- Bob Eubanks as Self
- Allan Wu as Self - The Amazing Race Asia Host
- David Copperfield as Self
Episodes
This series spans 20 seasons with 228 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 1 | ||
| Season 1 | 13 | September 5, 2001 | December 13, 2001 |
| Season 2 | 11 | March 11, 2002 | May 15, 2002 |
| Season 3 | 11 | October 2, 2002 | December 18, 2002 |
| Season 4 | 13 | May 29, 2003 | August 21, 2003 |
| Season 5 | 12 | July 6, 2004 | September 21, 2004 |
| Season 6 | 13 | November 16, 2004 | February 8, 2005 |
| Season 7 | 12 | March 1, 2005 | May 10, 2005 |
| Season 8 | 11 | September 27, 2005 | December 13, 2005 |
| Season 9 | 12 | February 28, 2006 | May 17, 2006 |
| Season 10 | 13 | September 17, 2006 | December 10, 2006 |
| Season 11 | 13 | February 18, 2007 | May 6, 2007 |
| Season 12 | 11 | November 4, 2007 | January 20, 2008 |
| Season 13 | 11 | September 28, 2008 | December 7, 2008 |
| Season 14 | 12 | February 15, 2009 | May 10, 2009 |
| Season 15 | 11 | September 27, 2009 | December 6, 2009 |
| Season 16 | 12 | February 14, 2010 | May 9, 2010 |
| Season 17 | 12 | September 26, 2010 | December 12, 2010 |
| Season 18 | 12 | February 20, 2011 | May 8, 2011 |
| Season 19 | 12 | September 25, 2011 | December 11, 2011 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Season 5 : Amazing Moments with Phil |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Race Begins The teams begin in New York. They need to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa. Cooperation problems surface early on with a few of the couples. The teams have to decide which airport to take to the destination. Once they arrive in South Africa, they must take yet another flight. Before ultimately get to Songwe Village, they must find beautiful Victoria Falls. From there, they must get to Knife's Edge, a cliff. There, they must bungee jump and glide across a rope, eventually getting to the other side. The Pit Stop is located in Songwe Village. Rob and Brennan obtain the Fast Forward near Victoria Falls, allowing them to avoid all other tasks and go straight to the Pit Stop. Matt and Ana are the last to arrive and are eliminated. |
September 5, 2001 |
| 2 |
Divide and Conquer The teams start out in Songwe Village,Zameia. When the times depart from the pit stop they must find the Songwe Museum in the village without any signs to indicate where it is located. They must use the help of the villagers. The first to leave are Rob and Brennan but they decide to wait for the members of their newly formed alliance with Frank, Margarita, Joe and Bill. Once locating the museum, the teams must decide in a detour to do one of two tasks involving photography. Then they have to bring the pictures to a chief in another village. Pat and Brenda decide not to do the tasks after failing to find the museum and decide to go for the Fast Forward. They complete this with ease and head to the next pit stop, the Arch de Triomphe in Paris. At the airport, some problems surface between Kim/Leslie and Paul/Amie. Once in Paris,the teams must find a monument through a telescope. For some of the teams this is easy but for others, proves extremely difficult. Kim and Leslie are the last to |
September 19, 2001 |
| 3 |
Home for Some At the Arc de Triomphe, at departure times the teams are told to find La Grande Rue, a ferris wheel located somewhere in the city. They will have to get the route marker when the ferris wheel opens. When they get there, they are to do a detour. An ""Easy Walk"" where they must find Foucault's pendulum. There are two nearby, but you must chose the right one .Unfortunately for Pat and Brenda, they do chose the wrong one which puts them far behind the others. The second is ""Tough Climb"" in which the teams must climb to the top of Notre Dame and ring Quasimodo's bell. Kevin and Drew decide to go for the Fast Forward, where they have to retrieve it from a local coffee shop. Then they must head directly to the pit stop which is located in Chateau Les Baux. In the Roadblock, one of the team members must travel through the Paris sewers. Pat and Brenda are the last to arrive and are eliminated, going from 1st in Leg #2 to last in Leg #3. |
September 26, 2001 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The World is Waiting: Go! The second group of the Amazing Race contestants are off on the first leg of a journey across the world. The first place they must travel to is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where the teams rappel down the face of a 590 foot mountain and others search for the woman that inspired the song ""The Girl from Ipaneema"". Problems arise between two of the teams when Tara & Wil claim to have been at the Hotel (where they were to get reservations) before the rest of the teams arrived. Blake and Wil have it out about this, even to the point of Wil bragging up his travelling skills. Peggy and Claire, the oldest contestants in the race are sure they will get eliminated but in a mad rush to the finish, they get to the pit stop minutes before mother and daughter pair, Deidre and Hillary, while separated couple Tara and Wil place first. After being eliminated, the team feels the race has definitely improved their relationship and has brought them closer together after Hillary had spent most of her life living |
March 11, 2002 |
| 2 |
Help Me, I'm American All of the ten remaining teams continue the race in South America. In this leg of the race, teams hang-glide, much to the chagrin of Peggy who has had problems with her knee for years, but does it reluctantly anyway. Shola & Doyin obtain the fast forward by playing volleyball with professionals in which a foot gets twisted. Other problems occur with the twins, when at one point, [one of the twins] gets their foot run over. Blake and Paige have problems when they lose their wallet and have to go around the bus station, begging for money. Several problems occur on the bus rides to the next pitstop, as one breaks down and the other gets a flat tire. Chris & Alex, tired of waiting, decide to fix the flat tire themselves and get back on the road. Again to their surprise, Peggy and Claire stay in the race, this time placing in 8th position. And it's a race by Hope/Norm and Blake/Paige to the finish, which results in the elimination of the married parents from Tennessee. They also feel this h |
March 13, 2002 |
| 3 |
My Alarm Clock Didn't Go Off The teams leave Brazil and South America all together to head to South Africa. There some teams dance for money, haul fish and are forced to drink blended sheep's head in the road block. Peach gets emotional when giving sunglasses to kids on the street. Shola and Doyin feel at home, as that's where their father was born. Tara and Wil's alliance with Chris and Alex comes to a halt, as they realize this game is every man for themselves. Peggy and Claire sleep through their departure time and Blake and Paige, in last place, decide not to wake them up. Problems at the airport, including missing their flight, case Peggy and Claire to fall a day behind and are the third team eliminated from the race. |
March 20, 2002 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
What If Our Parachute Doesn't Open? Opening the show, Phil says that we're starting on a ""tiny island in the Everglades."" We see the teams in speedboats and Phil introduces. Here's who we have for this edition of The Amazing Race: Heather & Eve - Roommates and recent graduates of Harvard Law School Michael & Kathy - Recently dating, never been together for more than five days Dennis & Andrew - Dad's a strict southern Baptist who doesn't approve of his son's lifestyle: he's gay Flo & Zach - Friends who met in college Derek & Drew - Identical twins & models Gina & Sylvia - The ""soccer moms"" Tramel & Talicia - Brother & sister Aaron & Arianne - Best friends who ""think outside the box"" Teri & Ian - Married parents together for 22 years Andre & Damon - Police officer and fireman Ken & Gerard - Brothers John Vito & Jill - Dating, Jill lost her brother in September 11th attacks (had applied with him for first race) After the introduction, Phil explains that there are 13 legs, 9 elimination points. He conti |
October 2, 2002 |
| 2 |
This Seems Like The Path Straight to Hell! The teams are waiting at the pit stop: the Hacienda san Gabriel de Las Palmas. There are 11 teams left and Ken & Gerard are the first to depart at 10:36 PM. The clue says to drive 133 miles to the Pyramid of the Sun in Tehutecan. Ken & Gerard discuss how they've nicknamed their team ""Oh Brother,"" that way the other teams will say things like ""Oh Brother, they're passing us again."" Flo and Zach and Aaron and Arianne arew orking together. Flo says that there's sexual tension between Aaron and Arianne. Michael and Kathy head off, followed by John Vito and Jill. Heather and Eve depart in sixth place. Ken and Gerard arrive at the pyramid, but it doesn't open until 7 AM, so they're stuck waiting. Dennis and Andrew leave the pit stop in sevent place, Teri and Ian in eighth. Andre and Damon leave, having overslept and we learn that they're leaving in ninth place. In the previous episode they didn't follow the proper path for the donkey detour and so they've received a 48 minute penalty, plus a |
October 9, 2002 |
| 3 |
You Always Just Forget About Me! The teams travel from Cancun to Scotland by planes, buses, bikes and more. Derek and Drew, despite fierce competition to to catch up to them, remain in first place, while Dennis and Andrew are eliminated from the race, despite using the Fast Forward. |
October 16, 2002 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Cheaters Never Win --- And They Cheated! The fourth season premieres, again with twelve teams, this time beginning in LA's Dodger Stadium. The teams rush off and drive to the LAX airport, trying to land seats on one of three airlines. Swiss Air and Lufthansa both depart at the same time; however Swiss Air is scheduled to arrive in Milan a good forty minutes earlier. KLM leaves about an hour later, and will carry the remaining teams. Steve and Josh, apparently wanting to take advantage of a possible alliance with Steve and Dave (the air traffic controllers), buy tickets for them, costing Monica/Sheree and Chip/Reichen their seats on the Swiss Air flight, and their place in line. This leads to accusations of cheatings, as referenced in the episode title. Teams arrive in Milan and must search for their first clue, which was to find charter bus tickets hidden in various spots within the Galleria Victoria, a pedestrian mall. There are three available slot times for bus departures: 2 AM, 4 AM, and 6 AM. Teams are taken to the Dolom |
May 29, 2003 |
| 2 |
It Doesn't Say Anything About First Come, First Served. And We're Bigger. The teams continue from the pit stop and participate in Italian snow rafting. They then head to Venice, where they are faced with a Detour: Waterway or Pathway. After the Detour, the teams are all bunched togehter by a five P.M. opening for their location, except for Steve and dave, who use the Fast Forward to advance to first place at the pit stop. The teams participate in the Roadblock, which involves trying to match a photo of a mask with one being worn by someone at a party. However, there are many similar masks, so the task proves somewhat difficult. Chris has extreme difficulty with the task and hands the photo of the mask to the incorrect person twice, each time being forced to go to the back of the line. This creates significant difficulty, as only four racers are allowed in at a time. He finally finds the correct person, but it is too late and he and Amanda reach the pit stop last and are eliminated from the race. |
June 5, 2003 |
| 3 |
I Wasn't Even Going to Touch You Until You Slammed My Head Backwards! The teams travel from Italy to Vienna, Austria. There, horse-riding creates confusion when teams fail to follow a clue that states that you must grab a tag before boarding the horses. A Detour - Mozart or Beethoven creates confusion and tension when teams realize that the Beethoven option was as simple as it sounded. And Steve and Dave, after claiming the Fast Forward the previous week, fall far behind, but a stroke of luck keeps them in the race and Cindy and Russell are eliminated. |
June 12, 2003 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Clearly, I'm More Intelligent Than You The teams take off from Santa Monica Pier, Los Angeles. Viewers learn about a couple of interesting twists: those who finish last on non-elimination legs will be penalized and there's a new element in play called the Yield. The Yield allows a team to keep any other team from racing for a set period of time, but it can only be used once during the race. The teams scramble to catch flights, some not realizing that the flight that departs later actually arrives at their destination, Urugauy, first. The teams navigate through a series of clues, catching ferries and carrying meat to finally reach the game's first Detour: Zips or Chips. Jim is injured early, but still manages to make the fast flight. Two teams make a critical mistake and are sent away from the pit stop, but still manage to make it without being eliminated. |
July 6, 2004 |
| 2 |
It Turned Ugly Just Now The teams head to Montevideo in Uruguay, where they visit a foam discoteque and pop rubber balls to find clues. They all end up in the same ferry and feel the pressure of being bunched together after having been in various positions. They travel to Buenos Aires, where they take part in a Detour, Perro or Tango, in which you have to choose between walking eight dogs for about a mile, or instead first travel about a mile and a half for the Tango. In the Tango, the teams receive a photo and then try to identify one man from a group of people dancing the tango. The Tango turns out to be the better choice, because the dog-walking takes a long time and the dogs are difficult to control. After completing one of those two, the teams participate in a Roadblock in which they have to remove a scarf from a calf. Fortunes change for the teams, as many who were behind end up advancing, while Alison and Donny are eliminated. |
July 13, 2004 |
| 3 |
I Got Electrocuted The teams travel from the La Portena pit stop to San Carlos de Bariloche by plane. There, after finding the mayor, they participate in a Roadblock that involves finding one of twenty chocolates with white filling from a group of 11,000. Marshall and Lance struggle with the challenge, while Jim and Marsha fall behind after catching a late flight. After completing the Roadblock, the teams head to a scenic mountain for the Detour. Though given a choice between Smooth Sailing (paragliding) and Rough Riding (mountain biking six miles), all teams choose the much faster paragliding option. They then make their way to the pit stop at an unnamed island on Bahia Lopez. Jim and Marsha fight hard to remain in the race, but arrive too late and are eliminated. |
July 20, 2004 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Game's Afoot The teams take off from the United States to Iceland, racing to make one of three flights that connect to Iceland. Weather delays move some teams from first to last, but the teams all end up together at Europe's largest glacier. After doing some snowmobiling, they camp on the glacier for the night and then take charters leaving at half-hour intervals determined by tickets they pulled from their tents. Their next clue brings them to Glacier Ice Beach, where they have a Detour choice of Ice Climb or Ice Search. Most teams opt for the Ice Climb, which involves climbing up a glacier using special gear. Three go for the Ice Climb, which involves searching a seven square-mile area for an orange buoy. This allows some teams to finish fast, but leaves one hopelessly lost for a good while. Ultimately, the 200 mile drive to the Pit Stop at the Blue Lagoon determines the final results, as one team is too late to find the check-in area and is eliminated. |
November 16, 2004 |
| 2 |
I'm Not His Wife -- He Doesn't Need to Scream at Me The teams travel from their Pit Stop at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland over 1,000 miles to Oslo, Norway. Once there, they travel to a ski jump where they find themselves facing a Roadblock. In this Roadblock one team member must perform an ""Olympian"" feat --- sliding down a long zip-line. They then visit a Viking Village where they stay the night. In the morning, the teams split up into two groups of their choice and then compete to paddle boats across the lake. One team makes a critical mistake. At the Detour, the teams must choose between Endurance or Accuracy. Endurance in involves rollerblading one and three quarter miles, while Accuracy involves participating in three grueling challenges. Many teams initially choose Endurance and then opt to do Accuracy instead. Later, the critical mistake comes back to bite the team that made it --- but the thirty minute time penalty might not be enough to cause their elimination. |
November 23, 2004 |
| 3 |
Counting Bears Is Not Rocket Science The teams continue to Stockholm, Sweden, but not before one is assessed a penalty for events in the previous episode. The teams make their way to an ice bar, where they must slide a shot glass made of ice across a bar and hit a target. The teams then continue to the world's largest Ikea, where they face a Detour. Both tasks seem rather difficult, one called Count requires successfully counting 2,304 objects, while the other called Build requires successful, proper building of a desk. Some initially choose the counting and ditch it for the Desk option. Many who choose the counting fall dangerously behind. A Roadblock involves rolling rough bales of hay to find hidden clues. There are 270 bales of hay and only 20 clues. This proves very exhausting for many teams and the possible downfall of one. After no teams choose to use a Yield, they check into the Pit Stop at Auf Chapman, Stockholm, but one team does not share their fate. |
November 30, 2004 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Courteous? This Is a Race! A new group of teams takes off from Long Beach, California on two flights to Lima, Peru. The new teams include ""Survivor couple"" Rob and Amber, son and mother Susan and Patrick and pals Ryan and Chuck, among others. Once in Peru, the teams follow clues taking them many miles to various destinations and exploring the country and its mountains. Tasks include riding ziplines and traveling by several forms of local transportation. Several teams fall behind after carelessly not searching carefully before locking in times on a task that put them behind the rest of the pack. Many teams express a desire to outfox, outwit and outrace Rob and Amber. A Detour, Rope a Llama or Rope a Basket, gives teams a choice of either leading llamas into pins or carrying heavy baskets two-thirds of a mile. Some teams struggle with the llamas, while other teams breeze through their chosen task. A true photo finish of mere seconds sends one team home. |
March 1, 2005 |
| 2 |
The Whole Country Hates Me The teams receive a clue taking them from their Pit Stop at the La Moset Church to Arequipa, also known as the white city, where they must find a shoe union. After some jockeying for position, all teams end up taking the same ten hour bus ride and one racer pays the driver to open only the front doors when they arrive. Once at the shoe union, the teams do a Roadblock that requires them to shine five pairs of shoes and earn five Peruvian sols. Some teams use charm to complete the task quickly, while others find it hard to convince the locals to stop. The next clue sends the teams on two different flights to Santiago, Chile, leaving and arriving 45 minutes apart. Once in Chile, the teams do a Detour: Shop or Schlep. Several teams choose Schlep, which involves hauling 180 books eight blocks, while the remaining teams choose to Shop for five different ingredients at local markets. Strategy comes into play as the teams figure out the best way to complete the tasks and one team has a run-in |
March 8, 2005 |
| 3 |
Do You Need Some Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation The teams receive a clue telling them to travel 150 miles from their Pit Stop in Saro, Santo Lucia to a bridge in Argentina. Spurred by a warning about an upcoming Yield, the teams finagle for transportation, with one team earning hostility by snatching another team's cab. The teams make their way to Nortes Sur and one team goes dangerously off-track. Eventually, the teams reach both the Yield (which none choose to use) and a Detour: Paddle or Pedal. Most teams choose Paddle, which involves rafting seven miles with professionals, but one falls behind after getting a flat tire while doing the biking task --- Pedal. Later, the teams reach a Roadblock that involves eating four pounds of traditional Argentine food. One team-member, feeling that there's no way he can complete this, decides to take a four-hour penalty, and then convinces others to do it as well. It comes down once again to a rather close and somewhat surprising finish. |
March 15, 2005 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Go Mommy, Go! We Can Beat Them The new season of The Amazing Race is a Family Edition featuring ten families of four. The teams are varied --- including a team composed entirely of sisters, a familiy with eleven and eight year-old sons, a widow and her children, and many other interest |
September 27, 2005 |
| 2 |
How Do We Know We Aren't Going to Get Shot? The nine remaining families set out from the Rohrer Family Farm in Lancaster, PA and receive a clue instructing them to get to York, PA's Shoe House Road and find the Giant Shoe. After finding this shoe, the families receive a new clue telling them to drive 110 miles to Washington D.C. and find the Reflecting Pool at the U.S. Capitol. Confusion ensues, as there are two Reflecting Pools in Washington D.C. and some families end up at the wrong one. Once at the Reflecting Pool, the next clue has the families retrieve a briefcase from an unseen contact in a limousine and then travel to the Tidal Basin. Once at the Tidal Basin, one member of each family participates in a Roadblock that requires them to search among more than fifty people carrying briefcases for one of ten that is a spy who will give them their next clue. They give them the code phrase ""The sky is blue"" and if the person is the spy, they respond with ""The sea is green."" The families hen travel to Welbourne Manor in Middlebur |
October 4, 2005 |
| 3 |
I Don't Kiss, I Make Out! The families travel from their Pit Stop at the Welbourne Manor, once owned by a general in the Confederate Army, to Charleston, South Carolina, flying more than 500 miles. Once there, the teams drive to a location known as the Battery and find a gazebo, where they receive a Detour clue. This Detour requires them to choose between Forrest Gump and Muddy Waters --- the first task requiring them to dehead shrimp, while the second involves riding through a muddy 4x4 course. Some teams that choose the 4x4s are able to finish fast, but others get stuck and one eventually switches Detours. The teams then take charter buses leaving two hours apart to Huntsville, Alabama, where two members of each family partake in a Roadblock requiring them to endure 3.2 Gs on a centrifuge. During the long bus ride to Huntsville, the Weaver Family suffers a breakdown, but manages to find a way of coping. After completing the Roadblock, the teams then log into a product-placed internet service provider and rece |
October 11, 2005 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Here We Go, Baby, Off to Win a Million Bucks! The new edition of The Amazing Race begins in Denver, Colorado, where the teams receive a clue instructing them to take one of three flights to São Paulo, Brazil. One team makes an immediate mistake by, contrary to instructions, booking the flight by phone and a flight delay causes an unexpected arrival time. Once in Brazil, the teams find a clue directing them to take a taxi three miles to the Viaduto Santa Efigenia bridge. There, they find a Detour choice of either Rotor Head or Motor Head. Most teams opt for Rotor Head, which requires the teams to fly by helicopter to one of three buildings. A few opt for Motor Head, which requires them to assemble a motorcycle from a frame. A couple that choose this option later opt for Rotor Head instead. The teams then participate in a Brazilian religious ceremony culminating in a candle-lighting. They then travel 2½ miles to the Pit Stop at Estadio de Pacaembu. Two teams fall greatly behind and one is unable to recover and is eliminated. |
February 28, 2006 |
| 2 |
I'm Filthy and I Love It! The teams continue racing in the second episode. ""Chemistry"" begins to develop. The teams face a watery Detour option. |
March 7, 2006 |
| 3 |
I'm in Russia Playing with Dolls The teams travel from their Pit Stop in Bratas, Brazil three miles to a farm, where they must travel 300' on a zipline. Some teams make it in time for the 7 A.M. opening, but others are behind and end up falling back. However, all teams make the same flight to Moscow, Russia. There, one member from each team takes a dive in a watery Roadblock, requiring them to swim down into the depths of a pool to retrieve a clue. Two team-members initially panic, but overcome their fears and succesfully complete the task. The teams then travel to the Smolenk Cathedral at the Novodevichy Monastery and find a clue directing them to one of two Detours. The Scrub option requires them to completely clean a trolley bus, while the Scour option finds them searching through 1,500 Russian nesting dolls for one of ten clues. The language-barrier causes some teams to end up at a task other than the one originally chosen, which proves advantageous to some. At the end of the episode, one team learns that the leg is not over, the leg is ""To Be Continued..."" |
March 14, 2006 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Real Fast! Quack, Quack! 12 teams take off on the tenth Amazing Race for a journey that host Phil Keoghan promises to be full of unexpected surprises. |
September 17, 2006 |
| 2 |
Can Horses Smell Fear? The ten remaining teams continue from Juyyongguan, a gate at the Great Wall of China and received a clue instructing them to travel to a temple in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, a total of 963 miles by bus and train. Once the teams arrive at the temple, they watch a performance and then receive a clue instructing them to drive a jeep to a riverbed in Terelj. The teams then choose a pair of horses and travel to a meadow where they find a Detour --- Take it Down or Fill it Up. The choice was about evenly split, however, two teams faced difficulty on the Take it Down task and switched Detours midstream. After completing the tasks, the teams were required to travel back to their vehicles on their horses--a problem for Kellie and Jamie when they lost a helmet. The teams then drove 47 miles to the Hotel Mongolia, where a Roadblock awaitied that involved shooting flaming arrows. Once the teams completed, they ran only a short distance to the Pit Stop, where another team was eliminated. |
September 24, 2006 |
| 3 |
Oh Wow, It's like One of Those Things You See on TV! The teams continue from their Pit Stop at a hillside pavilion and receive a clue instructing them to fly over 2,300 miles to Hanoi, Vietnam. Teams are surprised to learn that they were receiving no money for the start of the leg. Following an argument over line placement between Tom/Terry and Dustin/Kandice, teams arrive at Hanoi, where at 8 A.M., they enter a prison nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton" and searched for John McCain's flight suit. Some teams choose to stop briefly for a moment of silence out of respect for the veterans of Vietnam. They then make their way 1 1/2 miles to the Old Quarter, where at a flower shop, one member of each team participates in a Roadblock that required them to sell flowers and make 80,000 Vietnamese đồng. Teams were allowed to keep money made and afterwards travel thirty miles by public bus to Vac Village. Here, the teams participate in a Detour that gave a choice between Fuel or Fowl. One team makes a critical error in not following a clue's instructions, potentially dealing a fatal setback. |
October 1, 2006 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
I Told You Less Martinis and More Cardio Eleven teams from previous seasons take off on a new adventure around the world. The lively mix of teams includes a past winning team, a diverse of group of players and many familiar faces both hated and loved. The teams take off from the starting line at Miami, Florida and each takes one of two flights departing for Quito, Ecuador. Tension builds early on as one team lies to another about the arrival times of the flights. Once in Ecuador, the teams takes taxis to the Plaza San Francisco and then travel to Pim's Restaurant, three-miles away, where they receive one of three fifteen-minute staggered departure times for the next morning. That morning, teams make their way to the Hacienda Yarahurco in the Cotopaxi National Park, guided by a provided map and with the advice to head to the north entrance. Once teams arrive, they take part in a Detour that involves either searching for missing items from the uniform of a soldier or wrangling and then grooming a horse. Several teams find themselves at the wrong end of the massive park, a costly mistake for one team that ultimately leads to their elimination. |
February 18, 2007 |
| 2 |
Beauty Is Sometimes Skin Deep The teams take off from their Pit Stop, an active volcano at Mirador Cotopaxi. They receive a clue instructing them to travel 7,400 miles to Santiago, Chile and then take a taxi for 17 miles to the headquarters of Codelco. There, the teams take part in a Roadblock that is ultimately rendered largely meaningless when they all make the same flight traveling 230 miles to Chuquicamatta in Calama, Chile. Once at their destination, the teams put on their safety gear and take part in a Detour that requires them to choose between two tasks traditionally involved in Chilean mining operations. The teams then use marked vehicles to travel the treacherous Valley of the Moon before emerging on safer ground and heading for the Pit Stop at the Valley of the Dead. One team makes a crucial mistake by failing to properly read a clue and posted signs regarding a speed limit. Due largely to this mistake, they fall behind and are eliminated from the race. |
February 25, 2007 |
| 3 |
I'm Sorry I'm Wearing a Bathing Suit. It Is Very Weird, I Know The nine remaining All-Star teams receive a clue that directs them to travel from their Pit Stop at the Valley of the Dead in Chile four miles to a church in the village of San Pedro de Atacona by the same name. There, they find that they must fly 800 miles to Puerto Montt and then drive 30 to fishery in Metri. As teams maneuver for flights, several find themselves behind when they are unable to catch an early flight, but catch a small break when the flight arrives slightly early. At the fishery, one member of each team completes a Roadblock that requires them to transfer fish from one tank to another. Afterwards, the teams travel fifty miles to Petrohue and find La Maquina, a popular spot for adventure spots. All teams take part in a watery Detour and one loses time-but not position-after neglecting to pick up a clue. Ultimately, one team is unable to make up time after struggling to find the Detour location and is eliminated from the race. |
March 4, 2007 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Donkeys Have Souls, Too The teams take off from the Pit Stop at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, California and are instructed to fly to Shannon, Ireland. A flight delay leaves teams that thought they were ahead scrambling to catch up. The teams travel to the world's smallest church and then sign up for one of the three ferries departing the next morning. They're then directed to drive 42 miles to Cleggan farm where they must ride a tandem bike to a clue. One member of each team then completes a task that involves more biking -- highwire bicycling while their teammate rides below. Many teams are then frustrated by a task that requires them to fill a basket with fifteen pieces of peat and then transport it using a donkey. Controlling the donkeys proves more difficult for some teams than others and once again some leading teams take a plunge. Ultimately, one team is unable to recover from poor performance on this task and is eliminated from the race. |
November 4, 2007 |
| 2 |
I’ve Become the Archie Bunker of the Home The remaining ten teams head to the Netherlands for the second leg, where they face a pole-vaulting challenge. |
November 11, 2007 |
| 3 |
Please, Lord, Give Me Milk! The nine remaining teams continue in the third leg of the race. Leaving the relative familiarity of Europe, the teams now must travel to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in west Africa. Christina continues to have issues with her obstinate father. Lorena suffers a breakdown during a Roadblock involving camels. |
November 18, 2007 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Bees are Much Calmer than All This! To start the thirteenth season of The Amazing Race, eleven teams are transported by classic cars to the Los Angeles Coliseum. After receiving a set of initial instructions, they all scramble for clues which direct them to travel on one of two flights to Salvador, Brazil. Several teams are excited to catch the earlier flight, but disappointed when a delay shaves an hour an a half off the three hour lead that they had hoped to enjoy. The teams are directed to find a sandwich shop called O Rei Do Pernil, where they then receive a task instructing them to become old school barristas. They deliver a cart to a man named India in a coffee shop called Parąca de Se, who then gives them a clue directing them to a Brazilian military base. The teams spend the night at the military base and then depart in three groups-- one leaving at 9 in the morning, one at 9:30 and a final one at 9:45. The teams find a church in Pelourinho, the historic center of Salvador and also find a Detour involving a choice of upward or downward travel. One team makes a critical mistake at their task, forcing them to repeat previous actions. Ultimately, however, it is another team who is unable to overcome both their early mistakes and slow progress and is eliminated from the race |
September 28, 2008 |
| 2 |
Do You Like American Candy? The ten remaining teams take off from their Pit Stop in a seventh century fortress in Salvador, Brazil and receive a clue instructing them to fly to Fortaleza, Brazil. Tensions erupt when one team feels they secured an early flight for all teams and seeks a small compensation in return. Once in Fortaleza, the teams receive a clue instructing them to travel to a beach known as Barraca d Manoel. Here, a Detour choice allows one team to set itself apart from the pack by providing a task suited to their skills. Later, a Roadblock requires searching for a clue hidden in plain sight. While some find the clue almost right away, others waste time searching for non-existent leads in distracting advertising information. One team twice makes time-wasting clue-reading mistakes, but ultimately another team is eliminated. |
October 5, 2008 |
| 3 |
Did You Push My Sports Bra Off the Ledge? The remaining teams are instructed to fly from Fortaleze, Brazil to La Paz, Bolivia, but not before a rivalry between two teams heats up at the Pit Stop. The teams fly 1,200 miles and find themselves in area that is over 12,000 feet above sea level, leaving some racers struggling to breathe the thin air. The teams camp beside a local statue and then take a newspaper delivery. They scour the newspapers for a clue, which instructs them to travel to the Narvaez Hat Shop in Plaza Mario and then purchase a traditional cholita hat to receive their next clue. This clue turns out to be a Detour, in which the teams face a choice between a task that is arduous but not overly physical or one likely to leave less physically inclined teams winded. After completing this tax, the teams travel by taxi eight miles to Los Titanes del Ring, where a Roadblock sends one member of each team up against a female wrestler. Many teams struggle at this task, but ultimately one team is done in not so much by their poor performance as by their failure to properly read the instructions given in a clue. They check in last at the Pit Stop, the hilltop park of Mirador el Monticulo, and are eliminated |
October 12, 2008 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Don't Let a Cheese Hit Me Eleven new teams take off on a race around the world for one-million dollars in the premiere of the fourteenth season of The Amazing Race. |
February 15, 2009 |
| 2 |
Your Target Is Your Partner's Face The remaining teams set off from their Pit Stop in Stechelberg in the Burmese Alps and receive a clue instructing them to fly to Munich, Germany and then drive to Ruhpolding, where they will ride a cable car to the top of the mountain. A scramble for flights results in eight teams boarding the earliest-arriving flight, with two lagging behind. |
February 22, 2009 |
| 3 |
I'm Not Wearing That Girl's Leotard! The remaining teams set off from the Pit Stop at the Schloss Hellbrunn in Salzburg, Austria and receive a clue instructing them to travel by train to Munich and then fly 700 miles to Bucharest, Romania. |
March 1, 2009 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
They Thought Godzilla Was Walking Down the Street The teams depart from Los Angeles on a race around the world for one million dollars, competing in two legs: Tokyo, Japan and Ho Chi Minh City and Cai Be, Vietnam. |
September 27, 2009 |
| 2 |
It's Like Being Dropped on Planet Mars The ten remaining teams depart Cai Be, Vietnam, on the third leg of a race around the world for one million dollars. |
October 4, 2009 |
| 3 |
Sean Penn Cambodia Here We Come The remaining must now travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia where they encounter a chaotic and confusing local market, and attempt to master an ancient form of Khmer "monkey" dancing know as Sva. |
October 11, 2009 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Nanna is Kickin' Your Butt Eleven Teams depart Los Angeles for Chile, where Racers find themselves dangling 120 feet in the air, battling exhaustion and their fear of heights in order to stay alive in the game, and one Team discovers that Brazilian currency will not get them very far in Chile |
February 14, 2010 |
| 2 |
When the Cow Kicked Me in the Head A Roadblock turns into a recipe for pain when one Racer encounters a moody cow, and things turn sour when a newly formed alliance rubs teams the wrong way. |
February 21, 2010 |
| 3 |
Run Like Scalded Dogs! One team ends up in the hospital with food poisoning while the other teams struggle through cowboy challenges to make it through this leg of the race. |
February 28, 2010 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
They Don't Call It the Amazing Race for Nothin'! The 11 teams begin their worldwide journey; the team that finishes the challenge in first place earns a game-changing advantage. |
September 26, 2010 |
| 2 |
A Kiss Saves the Day The ten remaining teams depart the Pit Stop at Eastnor Castle in England to continue their race around the world for one million dollars. |
October 3, 2010 |
| 3 |
In Phil We Trust The remaining teams continue racing in Leg 3, where a challenging detour tests one couple's relationship, while another team's Racer requires medical attention, threatening their position in the competition. |
October 10, 2010 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Head Down and Hold On The 18th season begins with 11 former teams who failed to win returning for a chance to claim the $1 million prize. The race starts in Palm Springs, Cal., and continues in Sydney, Australia, where the teams swim with sharks and receive a surprise from Phil at the pit stop. |
February 20, 2011 |
| 2 |
I Never Looked So Foolish In My Whole Entire Life The race continues in Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. |
February 27, 2011 |
| 3 |
We Had a Lot of Evil Spirits Apparently The race continues in Tokyo. |
March 6, 2011 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Kindness of Strangers The nineteenth instalment of The Amazing Race commences, with eleven teams embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. |
September 25, 2011 |
| 2 |
The Sprint of Our Life The teams depart from the National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine in Taipei, Taiwan, and travel to Yogyakarta, Indonesia with the knowledge that a double-elimination awaits at the Pit Stop. A Roadblock makes racers spelunk into Goa Jomblang to find a mask and dagger to trade for the next clue, which Bill and Cathi have to await to do when confronted with their Speed Bump. The Detour gives everyone a choice to either "Shake Their Money Maker" by dancing and playing music in the streets for donations, or "Be a Ticket Taker" by parking rider's motorbikes. However, following directions when giving their earnings to an orphanage in exchange for the Pit Stop proves tricky for most, leading to a scramble to check in at Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat. |
October 2, 2011 |
| 3 |
Don't Lay Down On Me Now Indonesia! Elephants! And one corker of a challenge that threatens to break the spirits of quite a few teams. The nine remaining teams depart from the Kraton Palace in Yogyakarta, Indonesia and continue on the third leg of The Amazing Race. |
October 9, 2011 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | CBS |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 5, 2001 |
| Last aired | December 10, 2025 |
| Status | Returning Series |
| Schedule | Wednesday at 21:30:00 |