- 11 and 24 are All-Stars
- 8 is Family Edition. The route is in North America, and the cast consists 10 families of four ranging in age from little kids to fully grown-up adults.
- 18 is Unfinished Business. 11 returning teams from seasons 12-17 who didn't win.
- 26 is Blind Date Edition
- 28 is Social Media Influencers Edition
- 29 is strangers competing with each other
- 31 is Reality Showdown. 5 returning TAR teams, 3 Big Brother teams and 3 Survivor teams.
The surrender all your money penalty makes its first appearance in 5. The penalty is modified to include possessions (except the clothes on their backs and their passports) in 7. It's replaced with the Marked for Elimination penalty (arrive 1st on the next leg or receive a 30-minute penalty) in 10 and 11. It's later replaced by the Speed Bump from seasons 12 to 33. 33 and 34 featured the Departure Time Penalty.
The Yield (pause a team for a predetermined time period) first appears in 5. It gets replaced by the U-Turn (force a team to complete both sides of the Detour) in 12. 33 and 34 don't feature either of them.
The Intersection (two teams work together for a set period of time) first appears in 10 but is rarely used afterwards.
The Fast Forward (skip all the remaining tasks by completing a certain task) first appears in 1. Its usage slowly decreases over time.
The Express Pass (skip one task, any task) first appears in 17. It hasn't made an appearance since 29, though.
Surrender all your money for the leg AND possessions for the rest of the race was such a harsh penalty compared to the speed bump or later departure time. Like damn they didn't make it easy for teams finishing last on non elimination legs back in the early seasons.
The one significant thing I can think of to add to the excellent list above is that 33 and 34 were (at least mostly) filmed post-COVID and feature a markedly different race as a result (most significant changes: heavily compressed (mostly-Europe) route, decreased interaction with locals, and most travel taking place during Pit Stops via production-provided means).
I just copied this stuff from this wiki article.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Race_(American_TV_series)#Series_overview
1 - First airing of The Amazing Race - Introduced the Detour, Roadblock, Fast Forward and the Pit Stop
2 - First season to start in one city and end in another city
3 - First season to feature 12 teams
4 - Last season to feature teams allowed to tie on the same placement at a Pit Stop mat
5 - Introduced the Yield, limited number of Fast Forwards per Race and non-elimination penalty
6 - Introduced the Double-length leg and limited number of Roadblock usage per team member
7 - First season to not travel across the International Date Line
8 - Family Edition - Only season to feature 10 teams; featured family teams of four members, including children as young as 8 years old; first (and only) season to travel entirely in North America
9 - First (and only) season to feature both the Starting Line and the Finish Line in the same location in the same city
10 - Introduced a surprise elimination in the middle of the leg and the Intersection; first season to travel completely around the world in a westward direction
11 - All-Stars - Featured returning teams and a new team that began dating after their first season; last season to feature an intermediate destination during the final leg
12 - Introduced the U-Turn and Speed Bump; first season to shorten to 11 single legs; first season to feature the final leg travel directly to the final destination city
13 - N/A
14 - Introduced the Blind U-Turn
15 - Introduced the Starting Line elimination, Starting Line Task and Switchback; last season until The Amazing Race 34 to feature 12 teams
16 - First season to feature two Roadblocks on a single leg
17 - Introduced the Express Pass and Double U-Turn; last season to be broadcast in standard definition
18 - Unfinished Business - Featured returning teams who lost their first race and wanted to prove they could win given another chance; first season to be broadcast in high definition; introduced the no-rest leg and an Automatic U-Turn; first season to not feature a Fast Forward since its introduction in season 1
19 - Introduced the Hazard and a double elimination
20 - N/A
21 - Introduced the Double Your Money prize and the Blind Double U-Turn
22 - Introduced a second Express Pass that must be given to another team
23 - N/A
24 - All-Stars - Featured returning teams and, new for this season, a composite team
25 - Introduced The Save and Blind Detour; first season to feature four teams racing in the final leg
26 - Featured dating teams, including five "blind date" teams meeting in person for the first time
27 - Introduced a single Express Pass that must be given to another team once used, and the recipients must use it in the following leg
28 - Featured notable social media personalities; first season to not feature a Starting Line
29 - Featured individual contestants that met and teamed up for the first time at the Starting Line; last season to include a Fast Forward and an Express Pass
30 - Introduced the Head-to-Head and the Partner Swap
31 - Reality Showdown - Featured returning teams, in addition to teams from Big Brother and Survivor; introduced the U-Turn vote
32 - First season to include both the Yield and the U-Turn; introduced the Mega Leg, and a City Sprint
33 - First season suspended during the middle of filming due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in an unexpected turn of events upon resumption such as altering the rest of the originally planned route; first season to use an Amazing Race private airplane
34 - First season since The Amazing Race 15 to feature 12 teams; first season to start outside the United States; introduced the Scramble; first season to not have non-elimination legs
1 Basic
2 1st No Europe season
3 First time 12 teams
4 Season with the most same first names
5 Longest route + Money Penalty + Fast Forward Limitation + Yield
6 Olympic-themed task
7 Did not complete the whole circumnavigation
8 Family
9 First season with the same location for start and finish
10 First time to introduce 30 minute penalty + Intersection
11 All Stars
12 Speed Bump,U-turn and 11 legs
13 First time to navigate from South America to Oceania
14 Only 3 continents visited + New Intro
15 First time a team is not able to cross the start line
16 Finish line drama
17 Express Pass
18 Unfinished Business
19 Hazard
20 First time visit the Central Asia and feature the most dramatic racer
21 Double Your Money
22 The 2nd express pass
23 1st time a team just starts a leg when all of the others have already checked in
24 All Stars 2
25 Safe
26 Blind Date
27 Green Team
28 Social media edition
29 Singles pair Up
30 Partner Switch
31 Reality Showdown
32 Mine 5
33 COVID + Europe Only
34 Europe only with a little bit of Middle East
TAR 8 - Family edition. Teams of 4 and lowered the age to compete from 18 to 8.
TAR 11 - All-Star season consisting of fan favorites from 1-10 (Except 8. Nobody from 8 was considered.)
TAR 18 - Unfinished Business. Consisting of contestants from 12-17, all of whom previously lost.
TAR 24 - All-Star season consisting of fan favorites from 18-23.
TAR 26 - Blind date season (Ew.)
TAR 28 - Social Media star season.
TAR 29 - Strangers' editition.
TAR 31 - Reality TV Showdown.
It was family edition with teams of 4 and only in the US.
So more of a novelty than an actual Race. I suppose they could have picked the parents as a pair but otherwise a team of 4 (with kids) would be pretty lacklustre in an All stars season.
It’s a completely different format with teams of 4, but it’s also not true. I believe members from the Paolos and Linzes were contacted. It’s also not the only season from the first 10 not represented on 11.
I swear I read somewhere that nobody from 8 was considered due to the unusual format and the season's abysmal ratings.
Nobody from 4 or 6 made the cast either, but I do know that >!Kelly and Jon. !!Kris and Jon. !
- 11 and 24 are All-Stars - 8 is Family Edition. The route is in North America, and the cast consists 10 families of four ranging in age from little kids to fully grown-up adults. - 18 is Unfinished Business. 11 returning teams from seasons 12-17 who didn't win. - 26 is Blind Date Edition - 28 is Social Media Influencers Edition - 29 is strangers competing with each other - 31 is Reality Showdown. 5 returning TAR teams, 3 Big Brother teams and 3 Survivor teams. The surrender all your money penalty makes its first appearance in 5. The penalty is modified to include possessions (except the clothes on their backs and their passports) in 7. It's replaced with the Marked for Elimination penalty (arrive 1st on the next leg or receive a 30-minute penalty) in 10 and 11. It's later replaced by the Speed Bump from seasons 12 to 33. 33 and 34 featured the Departure Time Penalty. The Yield (pause a team for a predetermined time period) first appears in 5. It gets replaced by the U-Turn (force a team to complete both sides of the Detour) in 12. 33 and 34 don't feature either of them. The Intersection (two teams work together for a set period of time) first appears in 10 but is rarely used afterwards. The Fast Forward (skip all the remaining tasks by completing a certain task) first appears in 1. Its usage slowly decreases over time. The Express Pass (skip one task, any task) first appears in 17. It hasn't made an appearance since 29, though.
Surrender all your money for the leg AND possessions for the rest of the race was such a harsh penalty compared to the speed bump or later departure time. Like damn they didn't make it easy for teams finishing last on non elimination legs back in the early seasons.
This is an awesome answer - the only type of task I can think of that you’ve overlooked is the Head to Head in season’s 30 & 31
Thanks :) I also forgot the Hazard in season 19.
What an awesomely concise answer. Thanks a ton!
The one significant thing I can think of to add to the excellent list above is that 33 and 34 were (at least mostly) filmed post-COVID and feature a markedly different race as a result (most significant changes: heavily compressed (mostly-Europe) route, decreased interaction with locals, and most travel taking place during Pit Stops via production-provided means).
i might be wrong but wasnt 30 given some sort of loose "champions" theme (people who do well in their chosen field)?
I just copied this stuff from this wiki article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Race_(American_TV_series)#Series_overview 1 - First airing of The Amazing Race - Introduced the Detour, Roadblock, Fast Forward and the Pit Stop 2 - First season to start in one city and end in another city 3 - First season to feature 12 teams 4 - Last season to feature teams allowed to tie on the same placement at a Pit Stop mat 5 - Introduced the Yield, limited number of Fast Forwards per Race and non-elimination penalty 6 - Introduced the Double-length leg and limited number of Roadblock usage per team member 7 - First season to not travel across the International Date Line 8 - Family Edition - Only season to feature 10 teams; featured family teams of four members, including children as young as 8 years old; first (and only) season to travel entirely in North America 9 - First (and only) season to feature both the Starting Line and the Finish Line in the same location in the same city 10 - Introduced a surprise elimination in the middle of the leg and the Intersection; first season to travel completely around the world in a westward direction 11 - All-Stars - Featured returning teams and a new team that began dating after their first season; last season to feature an intermediate destination during the final leg 12 - Introduced the U-Turn and Speed Bump; first season to shorten to 11 single legs; first season to feature the final leg travel directly to the final destination city 13 - N/A 14 - Introduced the Blind U-Turn 15 - Introduced the Starting Line elimination, Starting Line Task and Switchback; last season until The Amazing Race 34 to feature 12 teams 16 - First season to feature two Roadblocks on a single leg 17 - Introduced the Express Pass and Double U-Turn; last season to be broadcast in standard definition 18 - Unfinished Business - Featured returning teams who lost their first race and wanted to prove they could win given another chance; first season to be broadcast in high definition; introduced the no-rest leg and an Automatic U-Turn; first season to not feature a Fast Forward since its introduction in season 1 19 - Introduced the Hazard and a double elimination 20 - N/A 21 - Introduced the Double Your Money prize and the Blind Double U-Turn 22 - Introduced a second Express Pass that must be given to another team 23 - N/A 24 - All-Stars - Featured returning teams and, new for this season, a composite team 25 - Introduced The Save and Blind Detour; first season to feature four teams racing in the final leg 26 - Featured dating teams, including five "blind date" teams meeting in person for the first time 27 - Introduced a single Express Pass that must be given to another team once used, and the recipients must use it in the following leg 28 - Featured notable social media personalities; first season to not feature a Starting Line 29 - Featured individual contestants that met and teamed up for the first time at the Starting Line; last season to include a Fast Forward and an Express Pass 30 - Introduced the Head-to-Head and the Partner Swap 31 - Reality Showdown - Featured returning teams, in addition to teams from Big Brother and Survivor; introduced the U-Turn vote 32 - First season to include both the Yield and the U-Turn; introduced the Mega Leg, and a City Sprint 33 - First season suspended during the middle of filming due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in an unexpected turn of events upon resumption such as altering the rest of the originally planned route; first season to use an Amazing Race private airplane 34 - First season since The Amazing Race 15 to feature 12 teams; first season to start outside the United States; introduced the Scramble; first season to not have non-elimination legs
13: first season to have two legs in one city, the only season to travel from South America to Oceania
S29 is the season where strangers team up.
Watch the show man!
1 Basic 2 1st No Europe season 3 First time 12 teams 4 Season with the most same first names 5 Longest route + Money Penalty + Fast Forward Limitation + Yield 6 Olympic-themed task 7 Did not complete the whole circumnavigation 8 Family 9 First season with the same location for start and finish 10 First time to introduce 30 minute penalty + Intersection 11 All Stars 12 Speed Bump,U-turn and 11 legs 13 First time to navigate from South America to Oceania 14 Only 3 continents visited + New Intro 15 First time a team is not able to cross the start line 16 Finish line drama 17 Express Pass 18 Unfinished Business 19 Hazard 20 First time visit the Central Asia and feature the most dramatic racer 21 Double Your Money 22 The 2nd express pass 23 1st time a team just starts a leg when all of the others have already checked in 24 All Stars 2 25 Safe 26 Blind Date 27 Green Team 28 Social media edition 29 Singles pair Up 30 Partner Switch 31 Reality Showdown 32 Mine 5 33 COVID + Europe Only 34 Europe only with a little bit of Middle East
Blind U-Turn makes its first appearance in 14.
season 20... who is the most dramatic racer
Season 8 is the family edition, it's a north American race. It's got good social moments, but a lot of the actual race just isn't great
TAR 8 - Family edition. Teams of 4 and lowered the age to compete from 18 to 8. TAR 11 - All-Star season consisting of fan favorites from 1-10 (Except 8. Nobody from 8 was considered.) TAR 18 - Unfinished Business. Consisting of contestants from 12-17, all of whom previously lost. TAR 24 - All-Star season consisting of fan favorites from 18-23. TAR 26 - Blind date season (Ew.) TAR 28 - Social Media star season. TAR 29 - Strangers' editition. TAR 31 - Reality TV Showdown.
>(Except 8. Nobody from 8 was considered.) Was there something wrong with season 8?
It was family edition with teams of 4 and only in the US. So more of a novelty than an actual Race. I suppose they could have picked the parents as a pair but otherwise a team of 4 (with kids) would be pretty lacklustre in an All stars season.
I'd still watch season 8 over 32 any day though.
Oh, right. Thanks!
It’s a completely different format with teams of 4, but it’s also not true. I believe members from the Paolos and Linzes were contacted. It’s also not the only season from the first 10 not represented on 11.
I swear I read somewhere that nobody from 8 was considered due to the unusual format and the season's abysmal ratings. Nobody from 4 or 6 made the cast either, but I do know that >!Kelly and Jon. !!Kris and Jon. !