Race around the world

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Discussion

matt21

Original Poster:

4,307 posts

210 months

Wednesday 27th March 2019
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Really got into this. On BBC after TG.

Five couples, £1300 each, fastest to Singapore wins £20k. No planes.

Thought it would be poor, but there are great characters, real tension and great to see the reality of travelling in these places which you don’t see when Lumley and co travel.

Worth a watch

MikeyC

836 posts

233 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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Agree with above

It's an interesting challenge, spend more for a quicker route, or slow'n'cheap

They need to choose the country where they to do their work (for extra funds) as the rates vary hugely, I forget where the 2 girls were, but they got paid pretty much zilch after labouring for hours

Alex & Dad just made it onto the ferry across the Caspian, but, had they missed it, they would have gained quite alot of time on the others

Alex (fortunately!) seems to have matured quite alot since the start

Mr Pointy

11,762 posts

165 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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matt21 said:
Thought it would be poor, but there are great characters, real tension and great to see the reality of travelling in these places which you don’t see when Lumley and co travel.
I'm not sure about real tension. Waste a few hours ice skating/looking at mosques/rock climbing & then the producer gets them to run/jog for a few hundred yards with a heavy pack on as if they desperate to make up time. The tension is as fake as Car SOS or any of the myriad other fake programmes. Do you really think a couple of Westerners who don't speak the local language are going to pick up a job in a Chinese flower market? It's fakery of the highest order.

Mr-B

3,871 posts

200 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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Mr Pointy said:
I'm not sure about real tension. Waste a few hours ice skating/looking at mosques/rock climbing & then the producer gets them to run/jog for a few hundred yards with a heavy pack on as if they desperate to make up time. The tension is as fake as Car SOS or any of the myriad other fake programmes. Do you really think a couple of Westerners who don't speak the local language are going to pick up a job in a Chinese flower market? It's fakery of the highest order.
It's not a bad way to pass an hour but it does come across as quite "scripted" with regard to the fakery. What I would have liked to have seen was someone say I have a crazy idea, why don't we spend £800 on a car and see if we can drive it? Spending the rest of the budget on fuel repairs etc, a proper TG style car vs public transport.

matt21

Original Poster:

4,307 posts

210 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
quotequote all
I agree there is quite a bit of scripting, and would be cool if they bought a car, but I find it interesting nonetheless. It feels a lot more real than most of these shows as it does represent a bit more reality of travelling through these remote locations than most travel shows

They are quite open that each couple are given a book of jobs in each location.

Also agree the running in the last few yards is pointless.


nicanary

10,154 posts

152 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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I watched the episode where the girls worked all day for £6 each. It was Istanbul I think. The cafe owner made Swiss Toni look self-effacing - I swear he had rolled-up socks stuffed down his jeans. Greasier than a greasy thing.

I had also wondered why they didn't just buy a car, but I suppose there would be problems at border checks with documents/insurance.

I only watched that one. It didn't make me want to watch another.

Doofus

28,179 posts

179 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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Mr-B said:
Mr Pointy said:
I'm not sure about real tension. Waste a few hours ice skating/looking at mosques/rock climbing & then the producer gets them to run/jog for a few hundred yards with a heavy pack on as if they desperate to make up time. The tension is as fake as Car SOS or any of the myriad other fake programmes. Do you really think a couple of Westerners who don't speak the local language are going to pick up a job in a Chinese flower market? It's fakery of the highest order.
It's not a bad way to pass an hour but it does come across as quite "scripted" with regard to the fakery. What I would have liked to have seen was someone say I have a crazy idea, why don't we spend £800 on a car and see if we can drive it? Spending the rest of the budget on fuel repairs etc, a proper TG style car vs public transport.
They have all taken time out for sightseeing, so I suspect they've been told they have to. If they all lose, say, 12 hours doing that then nobody is any worse off.

I also suspect they have local fixers/translators, and aren't solely relying upon strangers.

And gicen what they earn for a day's work, they would be barely any worse off by not bothering, so again, I suspect it's a condition that they have to do this.

Doofus

28,179 posts

179 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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I know at each checkpoint stopover, they don't know where they are going next, but I'd be using my 36 hours to check out busses, trains, ferries and so on, because they do at least know they will be going East.

ewolg

1,697 posts

285 months

Friday 29th March 2019
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The activity I thought was stupid was when the two mates went rock climbing and spent £111 out of their meager budget!
At first I thought it might be quite good but as mentioned above, I now think it’s all a bit false, which is a shame.


Next!!

Kiribati268

571 posts

143 months

Monday 1st April 2019
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ewolg said:
The activity I thought was stupid was when the two mates went rock climbing and spent £111 out of their meager budget!
At first I thought it might be quite good but as mentioned above, I now think it’s all a bit false, which is a shame.


Next!!
Them two have openly explained that they don't want to blitz it and get there first without having the adventure. They want to get the experience and enjoy the journey and if that means they are last to the finish then they're not bothered. I like that approach but then after they spent that much on the rock climbing a few days after spending hours on searching to get into China as cheap as possible just doesn't add up.

With the girls going well out of their way to go ice skating, and the guys going rock climbing, there must be a script they follow to give a bit of variety to the constant travel.

I also don't get why all the teams are spending money on hotels. A tent, sleeping bag, camp cooker, a pan and a water bottle and you're all set for a night anywhere for (almost) zero cost.

Never the less, it's a good series, it has it's flaws, but i'm enjoying it.

CoupeKid

802 posts

71 months

Monday 1st April 2019
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When the two bloke friends checked in to a hotel that charged by the hour and found the condoms did I hear correctly that the narrator said, “Josh and Alex are hoping for a happy ending”?! I bet the script writer is pleased with himself for slipping that in.

I’m looking forward to the final as the BBC will probably do a catch up with the teams to see what they are up to now and I really hope Alex has got his st together and has a job. I’m also a little bit in love with Natalie.

SwanJack

1,918 posts

278 months

Monday 1st April 2019
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A poor relation to https://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/ but i'm enjoying it none the less.

Biker 1

7,879 posts

125 months

Monday 1st April 2019
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CoupeKid said:
I’m also a little bit in love with Natalie.
No, no & thrice no!!!!! Too much hair.... I recon that Shameema is alright getmecoat

addey

1,095 posts

173 months

Monday 1st April 2019
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I've been enjoying this too, although haven't watched last night's episode yet. With regards to them going off and doing stuff like the rock climbing and ice skating, I was wondering if maybe part of the rules is that they must spend 1 day of each leg doing either the work thing or a touristy thing? Or they have to spend 1 day 'not travelling' which would therefore allow them the time. This obviously gives the producers some alternative footage to trains and back seats of taxis!

Also the dad and son were on breakfast TV the other day, I didn't see it but apparently the boy is now working for his dad's business

Sir Bagalot

6,608 posts

187 months

Tuesday 2nd April 2019
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SwanJack said:
A poor relation to https://www.cbs.com/shows/amazing_race/ but i'm enjoying it none the less.
Agreed, but TAR has gone downhill over the past several years as the tasks aren't that difficult.

Driver101

14,376 posts

127 months

Sunday 7th April 2019
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I wish I had watched it from the start. I enjoyed the last two episodes. I thought last week was really good. Tonight was good, but too much dodgy editing at the end.

The two guys having a big strop with each other last week was funny. It was embarrassing for them and really childish, but car crash tv.


I see they are looking for new applicants.
How many people could afford to give up 50 days? Seems like a lot of effort for not a massive prize.



Edited by Driver101 on Monday 8th April 10:00

Doofus

28,179 posts

179 months

Sunday 7th April 2019
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Some of us are fortunate to be able to take 50 days out of our daily lives. We were keen, until Tony did his back in. Mrs Doofus has a long term back problem...

CoupeKid

802 posts

71 months

Sunday 7th April 2019
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I was really hoping they wouldn’t do another series.

Although the destination will have to be different next year the participants will know what to expect.

I think it will go the way of The Apprentice and Big Brother and start attracting media wannabes.

Bluedot

3,657 posts

113 months

Monday 8th April 2019
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Really enjoyed the series, although as stated above, if it really takes off and goes mainstream you can see it going the way of The Apprentice and other 'wannabe celeb' programmes.
I think there's definitely another series in it though, it'll be interesting to see what contestants do now they have an idea of what the programme is about and the good/bad ideas that previous contestants have taken.
I noticed the actual winning time was 2.5 hours between first and second place. That's pretty mad considering the distance they've covered.

Enjoyable programme and decent Sunday night viewing.



Not Ideal

2,943 posts

194 months

Monday 8th April 2019
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I watched the series and really enjoyed it. As others have said the characters really made the program and seeing the father & son bonding was great.

Being on that tug stuck at sea for 3 days looked the worst !