17 replies to this topic

[TDA Jake]

It's true! Vietnam's putting on their own version of The Amazing Race! Details listed here!

Can't wait to see how Vietnam's version pans out.

[WileyCoyote]

So they've cleared out the last of the minefields finally?

[SnideAsides]

Ioki from 21 Jump Street is hosting? There is not enough SQUEE! in the world right now.

[legaleagle44]

I just hope it will be in English, or at least have English subtitles. That's why I never got into the Israeli version; it's in Hebrew, and the subtitles are also in Hebrew (can you say "redundant," boys and girls?)

[TDWT Kristen]

Official cast release.

WTF at FIVE men's teams?!

Edited by TDWT Kristen, May 10, 2012 @ 10:11 AM.

[legaleagle44]

Your link doesn't work for me, TDWT Kristen.

In other news, the first promo clip is up on You-Know-Where. The show starts airing on May 18 (which should also be right around the time that TAR:Australia starts airing, if the past is precedent.)

Alas, this is going to be another native-language version, with nary an English subtitle in sight (despite what the clip title claims.) Ah, well -- The Philippines is currently casting for its own version, and that one will definitely be in English, so it may have to fill the void for me created by the relegation of TAR Asia into limbo.

[Jyn]

Season started, and I've gotta say, I find it amusing to see the only two women's teams cast this season completely bookend the standings. One came in first (and won the Express Pass!), while the other came in last (and got spared).

[SnideAsides]

Quite a good first leg, too. Really made TAR Asia look even crappier by comparison.

[SnideAsides]

This show is soooo close to being as good as China Rush (it's clearly that version they've modelled this on), but there's something I can't quite put my finger on that's keeping it from being so. Maybe it's the second voiceover guy who sounds like Deaf Luke from TAR14.

[Jyn]

Well, this week gave us a first in the history of the entire franchise: the first Express Pass winners EVER to be eliminated rather than reach the end of the race.

[The Australian]

This show is soooo close to being as good as China Rush (it's clearly that version they've modelled this on)

Eh? From the evidence so far, I think this version is some way off China Rush's level of quality. I appreciate that it clearly has a fairly small budget in comparison, but it all feels very low-rent and inconsequential so far. It certainly wasn't a good idea to start with two non-eliminations in a row, either.

What was with the extremely lopsided nature of the Detour in this last leg? One wonders why neither team seemed to give any thought to switching, and why did the girls leave it until the very last moment of the leg to use their Express Pass? They were clearly eating at the restaurant for several hours - why did it never occur to them to use it then and there?

Perhaps it is because I don't speak Vietnamese, but I'm also not really feeling any of the teams at all. Well, I am feeling Mimi, but not in a positive way. Quite honestly, has there ever been a racer anywhere who comes across quite as hopeless at everything as she does? Whether it's having to be physically carried to the first pitstop, to the endless whining, to wanting to quit because she got them dinged for a penalty, to the endless whining, to seemingly being too weak to operate a hoe, to the endless whining, to not being able to crack a four-digit combination...oh, and did I mention the endless whining?

While I'm sure she's not like that off the race, Richie has my profound sympathies. Which is just as well, because he's a bit of an odd bod himself. Because he's studying Vietnamese, I am prepared to give his constant references to himself in the third person a break, but otherwise his strange tailing off in the middle of sentences is seriously weird.

On the positive side, I think this gives us a good view of Vietnam's physical beauty, and Dustin Nguyen is a capable host. But...

Maybe it's the second voiceover guy who sounds like Deaf Luke from TAR14.

YES! I know Vietnamese can sound a bit clipped sometimes, but this guy sounds as though he's swallowing every second syllable!

[kacesq]

How can someone in the States see this? My son is from Viet Nam and I'd like to watch with him.

[Jyn]

Well, The Australian, at least you won't need to worry about Mimi anymore.

[legaleagle44]

How can someone in the States see this? My son is from Viet Nam and I'd like to watch with him.

Do a search on YouTube. You'll find all the episodes there (but no subtitles.)

[SnideAsides]

I think a lot of the problem this version has is that it was too rushed - from what I've heard, they were still casting this season in the last week of March, started racing just two days later, and then had less than two weeks from the end of the race to the first episode. They really, REALLY cut it too fine.

[sp23]

I thought this leg (leg 6) was pretty good with a lot of skill tasks that were not easy. I especially liked the fact that after a very tough strength task, they had a skill task that just may favor the women racers over the men. I thought that evened up the odds just a bit, and as it happened it did give Gia Bình & Bảo Châu who were lagging at the rear a chance to catch up and come in 2nd. And I was just as glad that that U-turn did not end up with an elimination, because there really isn't a team I dislike since Richie & Mimi were eliminated, so I'm happy with all of them living to race another day.

Even though I don't speak a lick of Vietnamese, and the production values are less than stellar, I'm still enjoying this version as much as any of the non-English speaking versions I've watched.

[SnideAsides]

True. There's a very good show struggling to get out here. Another season and I think they'll get it. (As opposed to any of the ActiveTV races, which have all had a good first season then gone to hell in a handbasket.)

[Jyn]

How horribly lopsided is this season's casting if there's only one woman left in the race now?