Two Amazing Races

In what must be its most colorful and exciting season ever, The Amazing Race 10 features all-American teams made up of best friends who share the Islamic faith, husband and wife belonging to the Indian race, two brothers of Asian origin (one of them is Harvard-educated), a couple who compete in the Ironman Triathlon (the girl, Sarah, wears an artificial leg), African-American single mothers, gay life partners, a coal miner and his stay-at-home wife, a father and her lesbian daughter, a couple who just moved in together, perky cheerleaders, Miss America contenders, and a hot pair of models-slash-reformed-drug-addicts. In the five episodes since the season premiere, five teams have already been eliminated-a sure indication that this season is nothing like the previous ones.

There are also surprise twists to this latest race. Bilal and Sa'eed, the Muslim buddies, were the first to be eliminated in the middle of the China leg of the race because they were the last to arrive at the Meridian Gate-and it wasn't even a pit stop. Despite that, Vipul and Arti, the Indian-origin husband and wife team, were also eliminated at the pit stop. That's two teams out in one leg. Clearly, old rules no longer apply and teams can't afford to be complacent.

The route is even higher-pressure too. In previous seasons, you as a viewer would have time to envy the contestants for getting free trips on top of the chance to win $1,000,000. In this season, you get that a bit too (the places are still breathtakingly beautiful and interesting), but the routes are physically-grueling and the challenges are tougher. In former seasons, The Amazing Race would slowly ease the contestants into the race, with, say trips within the United States first, and then maybe Europe, but in The Amazing Race 10, it's straight to China, then Mongolia, then Vietnam, then to top "culture-shocker" India.

There are no highly volatile contestants, as far as I can see, but already their relationships are flaring because of the stress. That is, except for the gay lifetime partners, Tom and Terry, who were eliminated in Episode 4 in Vietnam, who ended their run with grit and grace. The Roadblock involved rowing in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, and neither of the two knew how to. Tired and desperate to get them out of the water, Tom jumped out of the boat and towed it back to the bigger boat that would take them to the pit stop. It showed a great deal of teamwork, sportsmanship and camaraderie between the two, that even I was teary-eyed when Terry said of his partner, "Tom has a lot of heart. He's my soul mate. But today more than any day on the race speaks volumes about the strength of our relationship."

Happily, for Filipinos (and other Asians) who want an Amazing Race of their own, the wait will be over when The Amazing Race Asia premieres. It boasts of two Filipino teams, and is hosted by Allan Wu, a Singapore celebrity best known for being that Asian guy who appeared in Fear Factor. I find it a bit, er, interesting our two teams are composed "semi-celebrities," whereas the rest are, as far as I know, "ordinary people." Aubrey in "Aubrey and Jaq" is no other than Aubrey Miles and her best friend Jacqueline Yu, a model, no less of a looker too! But perhaps Aubrey, playing herself, will surprise us with something new about herself. The other team is made up publisher Ernie Lopez and his wife Jeena. Ernie is brother to ABS-CBN head honcho Gabby, and he is at the helm of ABS-CBN Publishing.

Between the two teams, I'm betting on the Lopezes though, because they're the sporty type, having tried everything from diving, rock-climbing, adventure racing, horse-jumping, tennis between them.

Watch out for The Amazing Race Asia on November 9 at 9pm, also on AXN.

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