The Amazing Race is one of CBS's most successful reality TV shows, and it has been on the air since 2001, hosted by Phil Keoghan for the most part. For those who haven't watched much of the show but are curious about it, it's an adventure show that follows eleven teams of two people as they make their way through several countries, surviving on a very limited budget in places they have never been to. All the duos have to have a connection previous to the show, as their bond will be very important to the development of the show.
For the readers that liked the premise and want to start watching it, and for those hardcore fans that want to relive some of their favorite moments, here are some of the best seasons of The Amazing Race.
10 Season 8
The eighth season of the show was called The Amazing Race: Family Edition. It came out in 2005, and it aired through most of July. The special thing about this one was that, unlike all the previous seasons, it paired four people, including teenagers and children over 8 years old, to perform the challenges. More specifically, it allowed entire families to participate. It was a very interesting and fun season to watch, and the winners were the siblings Nick, Alex, Megan, and Tommy Linz.
9 Season 14
The Amazing Race season 14 came out in 2009, and it lasted between February and May. The winners of the that season were Tamara Tien-Jan "Tammy" and Victor Jih. Apparently, there were some issues between them that almost caused them to be disqualified. All siblings fight, especially taking into account that Victor was considerably older than Tammy. However, after a rough patch, they managed to find a dynamic that suited them, and they became the first Asian American duo to win the show.
8 Season 19
In September 2011, the nineteenth installment of The Amazing Race came out, and the season finale was in December. The winners of season 19 were Ernie Halvorsen and Cindy Chiang, an engaged couple who, after winning, went on to get married and form a family. To this day, they are still together, which is no surprise when remembering their days on they show. Despite having certain differences, the two of them complemented each other perfectly and made a great team.
7 Season 15
In 2009, The Amazing Race put out what ended up being the last season to have twelve teams competing. After the fifteenth season, they started featuring the format everybody knows, with evelen duos. The prize this season went to Meghan Rickey and Cheyne Whitney.
Right off the bat, the couple dominated the show with their impressive skills, and although they had a few fights and arguments, they managed to overcome them and win. They are now happily married.
6 Season 13
Season 13 of The Amazing Race aired from September to December of 2008, and the winners were siblings Nick and Emily "Starr" Spangler. Starr became one of the youngest contestants to win a season. There were a few controversies through their time in the show because of some rivalry between them and other teams. They didn't let it get to them, though, and they managed to pull through and emerge victorious.
5 Season 10
The tenth season of the reality show came out in September 2006, and it aired until December. Back then, there were still twelve duos competing, and the winning team consisted of two models, Tyler Denk and James Branaman. The two of them had to endure several obstacles, such as alliances falling out and strong rivalries that made it difficult to show their full potential, but in the end they persevered and won the final.
4 Season 6
The sixth season of the show started in November 2004, and ended in February 2005. The winners of this season of The Amazing Race were an engaged couple, Freddy Holliday and Kendra Bentley. After the show, they stayed together and had children, but ultimately divorced a few years later. They have both moved on, though, and are in happy relationships. Kendra was infamous for making a few racist remarks, which earned her a lot of deserved backlash.
3 Season 12
The twelfth season of The Amazing Race was one of the shortest of all seasons, lasting only 21 day. The contestants covered 30,000 miles during that time. The winners from that season were a newly dating couple TK Erwin and Rachel Rosales.
Known for their calm and collected attitude, they used their rational demeanor and their ability to work under pressure to outsmart their rivals and take home the big prize.
2 Season 17
In season 17 of the show, the first all-female team won. The season aired in 2010, from September from December, and the winners were two anesthesiologist friends, Nat Strand and Kat Chang. After such an intense bonding experience, they became even closer, and to this day they are very good friends. They had to overcome many obstacles, such as fears and phobias, but their hard work and willingness to collaborate with other competitors helped them pull through.
1 Season 7
The seventh season of The Amazing Race was won by a married couple, Uchenna and Joyce Robinson Agu. It came out in 2005, and aired from March to May. Despite being a very tough thing to go through, it was a good thing for Uchenna and Joyce's relationship. After facing those unimaginable challenges together actually helped strenghten their bond, and even though they are now divorced, they remain good friends. They learned to work together quite well through the show, and despite certain disagreements, they found their way to victory.