On Your Mark. Get Set. Go! THE AMAZING RACE 16 Premieres Tonight

Tune in tonight and jump in on the adventure as the Emmy award winning THE AMAZING RACE kicks off it’s 16th season at 8pm on CBS. I had a chance to watch a sneak peek of tonight’s premiere episode, and I have no doubt that new and old fans alike will be readying their passports as they watch this worldwide journey play out from week to week.

There are two things that can make or break any season of THE AMAZING RACE: (1) the contestants and (2) the challenges. The very nature of the show lends itself naturally to drama, so the producers really don’t need to create forced conflict, through casting. Drama is naturally present given the pressure of the race. There have been a few seasons where the producers have cast certain twosomes in an effort to create drama, and it’s always seemed to backfire. But from what I’ve seen of the eleven teams so far, we’ve got a good bunch. There are only one or two teams that left a bad taste in my mouth.

The other element that can really affect my enjoyment of a season of TAR is the challenges. For the past two seasons I’ve felt that the challenges started to lack originality and excitement. I’m hoping that the producers have reinvigorated themselves this season, because I’m ready to see the race kick it up a notch. Tonight’s episode features a Roadblock that sets a great pace for the season. I can’t see what’s up next.

This season on THE AMAZING RACE, “contestants will travel nearly 40,000 miles across five continents and eight countries. Eleven Teams start off by navigating through the congested streets of Los Angeles and, for the first time ever, must rely solely on public transportation to make their way to LAX. The Teams’ first destination lies in Chile where they will encounter one of the most daunting Roadblocks in the history of the series. In their ongoing battle for the one million dollar prize, Teams will participate in a grueling World War I reenactment in France, retrace the early days of the iconic rock group, The Beatles, and come face-to-face with one of the world’s most infamous villains.”

Season 16 features Teams from all walks of life, including couples, parents, siblings, friends, models, lawyers, detectives and even cowboys. Rather than going through the couples one-by-one, I’ve included a small intro video below. There are some real characters this season.

Fans of CBS’s BIG BROTHER will no doubt recognize BB winner Jordan Lloyd and popular contestant Jeff Schroeder as a twosome competing this season. The two newly dating reality stars were the best part of this past season of BIG BROTHER, and I’m rooting them on in THE AMAZING RACE. I’ve heard from more than a few people who said they were giving TAR a shot for the first time just to check out Jeff and Jordan. To those people, let me say that they do not disappoint. Although I was secretly hoping we’d get at least one “Let’s dance.” from Jeff during the premiere, I can tell you that he is as hilarious as ever. As for Jordan, well, I think we’ll get some interesting observations from her this season. Remember, this is a girl that has never been out of the country, so I can’t wait to hear her take on other cultures. But don’t underestimate our girl. I think you’ll be impressed.

Jordan: “I’ve never heard of these places.”
Jeff: “Haven’t you ever watched ‘Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?”

If you were worried about how Jordan would be in a race around the world, please let me remind you that this chick is also competing this season…

The season premiere of THE AMAZING RACE starts tonight at 8pm on CBS.