So, I finally sat down and went through The Amazing Race season 12. It’s one of those seasons people mention sometimes, but I’d never actually watched it beginning to end. Decided it was time.
I started it up, not really expecting anything groundbreaking, just some classic reality TV. Put the first episode on while I was tidying up. Didn’t take long before I stopped tidying and just watched. There’s something about the older seasons, a bit grittier maybe?
Getting Into It
Right off the bat, you get a feel for the teams. Some you like, some you don’t. It’s always like that.
- Kynt and Vyxsin: You couldn’t miss them. Very distinct style. They had their ups and downs, definitely brought some drama.
- Nicolas and Donald: The grandpa/grandson team. That was a different dynamic. You could see the generation gap sometimes, but they chugged along.
- TK and Rachel: Kinda quiet at first? But they just kept going. Steady racers.
I just watched it straight through over a few evenings. Didn’t really plan to binge it, but one episode led to the next. You get caught up in who’s ahead, who’s gonna mess up the next challenge.
The Race Itself
The locations were pretty cool. Ireland, Burkina Faso, Lithuania… places you didn’t see every season. That leg in Burkina Faso looked incredibly tough. The heat, the tasks, it seemed genuinely draining. I remember thinking I would have just melted down completely trying to do some of that stuff.
The challenges felt more… practical? Less like weird game show stunts sometimes. They had to herd ducks, deliver furniture, navigate tricky streets without fancy GPS. It felt more grounded in actual travel stress.
U-Turns and Speed Bumps
Ah yes, the U-Turn. Season 12 brought in the U-Turn, and it definitely added spice. Made teams make tough choices. And the Speed Bump for the last-place team that wasn’t eliminated – that felt fair. Gave them a hurdle but kept them in the race. I remember seeing that Speed Bump for the first time and thinking, “Okay, that’s a decent way to handle non-elimination legs.”
Watching How People Managed
It’s always interesting seeing how different teams handle the pressure. Some couples bickered constantly. Some teams worked together smoothly. Others seemed constantly frazzled. It’s a pressure cooker, that race. You see people’s real personalities come out, or at least a version of them.
I found myself rooting for the calmer teams, honestly. Less yelling, more doing. TK and Rachel really grew on me as the race went on. They just seemed pretty level-headed most of the time.
The Finish Line
Watching the final legs is always tense. Seeing who makes a mistake, who gets a lucky break. The final push to the finish line in Alaska looked cold! It came down to the wire, like it often does. Seeing TK and Rachel pull it off, it felt like a deserved win. They ran a consistent race.
Overall, yeah, season 12 was a good watch. Solid route, interesting mix of teams, and the introduction of the U-Turn and Speed Bump made a difference. It felt like a classic TAR season. Glad I ticked it off the list. It holds up pretty well.
