58 replies to this topic

[SnideAsides]

...It's going to be a domestic-only version.

All things considered, there are certainly worse countries to have a domestic version in. The US, for example.

[mtlchickie]

"C'est quoi un Detour?"

Meh. I can live with a domestic only version as I don't think CTV would spring for a normal race. The show is still hitting the top five shows for a few years, I'm surprised it took this long. I'm just concerned as to who they will get to host this unless they convince Phil. With our luck, watch it be Ben Mulroney.

[SnideAsides]

A few other countries have domestic versions, and they generally work pretty well. Mostly it's the little places that you wouldn't expect a full-scale race to ever visit that make it work - I think this could be really good if they went to places like Nunavut and PEI instead of sticking to Toronto and Vancouver and whatever.

[legaleagle44]

I just wonder whether it will be bilingual, or in English only. Either way wouldn't bother me, since I'm currently dealing with TAR France, although I frequently get left in the dust on that show.

Considering how well TAR Philippines and TAR China Rush have done the domestic-only races, I'm thinking that a race across (or around) Canada could be done very well.

Now we just need a TAR UK.

[Orton]

if they went to places like Nunavut and PEI instead of sticking to Toronto and Vancouver and whatever.

I think Nunavut & PEI are actually pretty predictable choices. I'd be more surprised if the show managed more than a leg in middle of the country. Especially if it wasn't farm-related for MB/SK and some dorky cowboy thing for AB.

It's going to be pretty challenging to make an interesting race with no dramatic cultural or language barriers. Or even weather extremes. I expect pretty scenery, bland contest.

But please no Ben Mulroney! Or Leah Miller! Small mercies.

ETA: I could go for Rick Mercer for a host.

Edited by Orton, Dec 3, 2012 @ 1:04 AM.

[Taeolas]

Rick Mercer would be a great choice; and he already criss crosses the country regularly so he'd be used to showing up in small town Canada. Sadly, CBC owns him completely so I doubt CTV could get him.

HOpefully the challenges won't be too predictable, but they probably will be. :( Guess we'll have to be on the alert for the red and yellow route markers this winter/spring now. :)

[legaleagle44]

It's going to be pretty challenging to make an interesting race with no dramatic cultural or language barriers.

Québec and Montréal wouldn't be enough of a dramatic cultural shift?

[Taeolas]

Don't forget the Newfies. You can be sure there will be at least a leg on the Rock and dealing with some stage challenge with people with the thickest islander accent they can find.

An Acadian stage with native Acadian Franglais speakers would also work. And a Territory stage with Inuit speakers/challenge. We may be a single country, but we have a LOT of cultures and languages in our Great Land. (paid for by the Harper Government... No not really. :P )

*Edit to add* I think I'm looking forward to this just to see what can be done. Canada rarely gets a chance to star in TAR.us since the race is starting or ending in the States and they don't have much leg space to do a Canadian leg. (Especially to start since they tend to prefer 'exotic' destinations to launch the race with).

TAR.au at least had 2 Canadian legs, but they were both out west. I'm eager to see what they can do with the East coast traditions out here. (You know someone, somewhere is going to Kiss the Cod)

Edited by Taeolas, Dec 3, 2012 @ 10:58 AM.

[Dolphincorn]

I'm going to audition! It's funny that when I watch the US show I figure that my obnoxiously competitive spirit would get me through the gross food challenges (even though I'm a vegetarian), the culture shock (nothing really shocks me) and the athletic stuff (I've been a fitness trainer since 1986). Still, I always wonder how I would react in a tropical climate since I can't stand the heat. Now I don't have to worry about that. Yay! I'm going to win the million dollars, or whatever paltry fraction of that amount CTV decides to award to the winners.

Edited by Dolphincorn, Dec 6, 2012 @ 4:59 PM.

[AngelOfMusic]

Count me and Mr. OfMusic in for auditioning! I've been lucky enough to have travelled a lot of places, but never truly around my own country, so I'm like "reverse usual contestant".

I hope they dig deep and find some great places to send the teams. If this continues for years to come, there's only so many times you can send them to Calgary's Olympic Park.

[Orton]

Québec and Montréal wouldn't be enough of a dramatic cultural shift?

I hope they do a French leg away from a larger centre. I just can't get excited about seeing the usual Canadian cities. Unless cheap-ass CTV gets creative.

Rick Mercer would be a great choice; and he already criss crosses the country regularly so he'd be used to showing up in small town Canada. Sadly, CBC owns him completely so I doubt CTV could get him.

Right. Forgot about that. We're going to be stuck with a CTV-bot. Oh well, it's not like the host plays a huge role.

[Babylonia]

I think I'm going to try out, although I'm disappointed I won't get the chance to travel the world...hope the prize is pretty decent. At least we don't have to pay taxes on it.
So far the hosts/judges/presenters on every Canadian reality show I've watched have been awful (The Bachelor, SYTYCD, American Idol etc.) The worst really would be Ben Mulroney and Leah Miller. I'd settle for a fairly successful comic like Neil Crone or anyone I've seen on Video on Trial. And agree that it would be better to see the teams travel to locations we haven't seen countless times, doing the same things over and over.

[Titus]

I now have very low expectations for this homebound Canuck version of TAR:

The cultural shifts will not be extreme enough. At the end of the day, it's still our own country using the same money, customs, and laws. Even a remote town in Quebec or somewhere in the Arctic won't be enough. Also, no manual transmission drama as rental cars here are 99.9% automatics. You just know the grand prize will be a measly $100K with Ben Mulroney as the host too. Can't wait to hear him whip out his fancy Quebecois accent. Damn, CTV, why you'd have to go so cheap? You could have at least allowed all of North America for the race. Start and finish in Canada with pit stops through the USA, Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. That would have been a lot better.

[Miss Molly]

I can't wait, the country is really big and while there may not be a lot of cultural diversity or depressing places like we see in the original TAR, we'll get to see a lot of the country.

[oakgal]

You just know the grand prize will be a measly $100K with Ben Mulroney as the host too.

I'll be amazed if the prize money is even that high. This is Canada after all. Break out the Canadian Tire money!

[King Cat Sam]

Don't forget Quebec is quite diverse. Hell, aren't they a separate country by now with their own currency ?

Yeah, well it seems like that. Queues de castors avec sirop d'erable s'il vous plait. Advance quickly if you find the Beaver Tails pastry covered in maple syrup.

[TV Anonymous]

At first, I was excited hearing Phil's announcement several weeks ago. Then, I reflected back to all the Canadian versions of American hit reality shows, particularly on CTV (Canadian Idol, SYTYCD Canada) then I became very pessimistic. I guess it is going to be another 2- or 3-season wonder.

[SnideAsides]

if they went to places like Nunavut and PEI instead of sticking to Toronto and Vancouver and whatever.

I think Nunavut & PEI are actually pretty predictable choices. I'd be more surprised if the show managed more than a leg in middle of the country. Especially if it wasn't farm-related for MB/SK and some dorky cowboy thing for AB.

Possibly, I admit I'm a bit clouded by the Aussie media - which is so Toronto/Vancouver-centric as to make Calgary and Ottawa seem like esoteric choices. What would be a surprising location to you guys?

[xfuse]

Possibly, I admit I'm a bit clouded by the Aussie media - which is so Toronto/Vancouver-centric as to make Calgary and Ottawa seem like esoteric choices. What would be a surprising location to you guys?

Anywhere in Newfoundland that is not St. John's area would be a surprise.Same goes for anywhere but Anne of Green Gables for PEI. Calgary is going to be something rodeo related. They most likely will go to Quebec City and/or Montreal. I don't expect them to do all of the Atlantic provinces or spend much time there. Same goes for Saskatchewan and Manitoba. I expect the majority of time will be spent in Ontario.

[Orton]

I guess it is going to be another 2- or 3-season wonder

Well, if the production stays in Canada, 2 or 3 seasons would truly max out the premise. Plus Canada just doesn't have the population to draw from to cast unlimited seasons of reality shows. I expect that's why the talent-based shows fizzle out. And even though TAR teams don't require artistic talent, it might get tough to dredge up 12 diverse teams for more than a couple of seasons.

Wonder if CTV will recycle the Corner Gas sets into some sort of Saskatchewan challenge?

[legaleagle44]

Even though I really hate them on the various versions of TAR (since I don't like seeing/hearing people retching every five seconds while I'M trying to eat), I have to wonder what kind of gross/bulk eating challenges TAR Canada will present. What foods do Canadians have that they absolutely can't stand?

[Kromm]

I dunno. Is it half as fun without cultural xenophobia, and airline drama?

Heck, a lot of places in Canada you won't even have the third leg of awesomeness--the Cab drama.

[Milanne]

I'm not sure how many of the posters here are as old as me, but when I heard the news of TAR Canada, it brought up memories of a really horrible Canadian game show of yesteryear called The Mad Dash. Really cheesy show with worse prizes. Hosted by Pierre Lalonde. I'm hoping CTV has learned a few things since then and TAR won't be as bad as I fear it may be. It has great potential, both for a great show, and an epic fail. I'll definitely tune in though.

ETA the correct name of the host

Edited by Milanne, Jan 16, 2013 @ 7:18 PM.

[Titus]

Even though I really hate them on the various versions of TAR (since I don't like seeing/hearing people retching every five seconds while I'M trying to eat), I have to wonder what kind of gross/bulk eating challenges TAR Canada will present. What foods do Canadians have that they absolutely can't stand?

Seal flipper pie, anyone?

[Kromm]

I'm not sure how many of the posters here are as old as me, but when I heard the news of TAR Canada, it brought up memories of a really horrible Canadian game show of yesteryear called The Mad Dash. Really cheesy show with worse prizes. Hosted by Pierre Lalonde. I'm hoping CTV has learned a few things since then and TAR won't be as bad as I fear it may be. It has great potential, both for a great show, and an epic fail. I'll definitely tune in though.

Yes, and this really does seem to miss the point of The Amazing Race. Phil K. says it at the start of every TAR US Race: "The World is Waiting for You".

The show mostly isn't about the racing process itself. Its about The World and how the contestants fit into these odd situations around it. Its about a culture clash.

I know that TAR Asia already exists and kind of goes against this. But the Aussie version gets this. And one would have hoped the Canadian version could have at LEAST done as well creatively as the Oz one.

[Miss Molly]

Hal and Joanne from BodyBreak are applying. They must be in their late 50s or early 60s by now.

[xfuse]

I don't mind that the show is going to be in Canada for the first season. As long as they visit every province and do things that are not a stereotype. I don't want to see a Anne of Green Gables for PEI but something else doing with the province.

I welcome the chance to see and learn more about Canada. As for gross food, cab and plane dramas they can still have them. Canada is a melting pot of so many cultures with it's many different foods. There are places that speak different languages than English or French. Not everyone is even going to speak French. Then there are outport communities in Newfoundland that will confuse almost everyone. There is potential for a great show even if I don't think it's going to happen.

[Orton]

Hal and Joanne from BodyBreak are applying.

Hahahahahaha! That's brilliant. On an even lower tier of Canadian micro-celebrity, Brandon from season 2 of Project Runway Canada is also applying with Andi Muise (a model he's friends with). Here's their application video.

Edited by Orton, Mar 6, 2013 @ 4:58 AM.

[Taeolas]

Hal and Joanne? I hope they make it. :) For stunt casting, they would certainly work, and they'd be less annoying than some of the other stunt casting we've seein in TAR history. :)

[callietwo]

Does anyone know when this will air? I'm a USAian who lives 3 miles from the border, so we get CTV (yay!!!) but I've not seen commercials for this show very much.

As for gross food challenges, this may be my American bias, but I think poutine would qualify!. I know it's widely available on the eastern side of CA, anyway and even in many of the northeastern parts of NE but it just sounds and looks so disgusting to me. (Sorry- no offense intended!!) We shop quite often in Magog & Sherbrooke and took our honeymoon in Montreal but money has kept us from exploring more so I'm really excited to see this show.