Another day, another CBS reality show cast announcement, as “The Amazing Race” has revealed the 11 teams competing in the upcoming season.
Thursday's (August 28) cast announcement was rather different from CBS' Wednesday unveiling of the latest “Survivor” cast, which includes controversy-inflaming former Major Leaguer John Rocker and former “Amazing Race” veterans Nadiya and Natalie Anderson.
CBS actually announced the 11 “Amazing Race” teams back at the end of May, when a very public starting line in the heart of Times Square required some measure of early transparency lest social media spoil all the secrets ahead of time.
So we already know that “Soul Surfer” hero Bethany Hamilton and husband Adam Dirks are in the cast, as are Robbie E. Strauss and Brooke Adams, who I'm told I'd know if I paid more attention to wrestling. The cast also includes Whitney Duncan and Keith Tollefson, who I only vaguely remember from their runs on “Survivor: South Pacific.”
However, this is the first time CBS has made pretty pictures of the cast available. So that counts as a form of announcement, eh?
Coming off its 10th Emmy win for Reality Competition Series, “The Amazing Race” makes its move to Fridays starting on September 26. CBS teases visits to the Virgin Islands, Malta and Scotland, among other locations. Apparently this season will also introduce something called The Save, which will go to the team that finishes first in the opening Leg, a magical pass allowing that team to rescue themselves if they finish last in a Leg and face elimination. Presumably that would eliminate a formal Non-Elimination Leg? Or… maybe not? We'll have to watch to find out, I suppose.
So check out the gallery images for the “Amazing Race” cast and be glad that, unlikely the “Survivor” cast, you probably don't hate any of them yet.