The Amazing Race

Bree and I just finished our first season of our new favorite TV series (and the only one we watch together): The Amazing Race. We initially became hooked on the show because we loved to see all the exciting places the contestants had to race to. On the first episode the contestants raced from Los Angeles to China and we were both amazed and a little jealous that they were going on a race around the world.

But then as the show progressed we found more enjoyment out of watching the contestants interact with each other. People's true characters emerged as they worked together to be the first to finish a leg of the race. We witnessed "the brothers," Sam and Dan, swear and bicker incessantly in every country they raced through. We also watched the Harlem Globetrotters, Flight Time and Big Easy, cooperate very well together to complete the puzzles and detours of the race. But I must say that the most impressive contestant on The Amazing Race was Brian.

This man is a saint--anyone who has seen the show knows what I mean. I can't recall one time that he raised his voice to his wife, Erica, who constantly battered him with demands and nervous breakdowns. He was never negative, never criticized, but always encouraged her when she was having trouble with one of the detours.

Also, he helped the competition when he could. When they were in Dubai one of the detours was to search for water in the desert. Barrels of water were hidden in the sand, and the contestants were looking everywhere for them in the 120 degree heat. Brian quickly found a barrel of water and filled his canteen and started to leave. Most people would have just left and not told anyone where the water was, but Brian told three other contestants where the water was hidden. His wife was upset with him, but his response was, "What goes around comes around."

And it was true. When they faced elimination because they were the last team to finish a leg of the race, the producers (or someone) had mercy on them and made that leg a non-elimination round. Brian and Erica ended up making it all the way to the final round. It shows that nice guys don't always finish last.