Welcome back to the Amazing Race! It’s season number thirty-nine. We’ve only had to wait about a year for this one, even though it filmed last year. So this will be the first season in which we never touch the contiguous 48 states, and the first one since the COVID seasons where we have a non-American starting line. Oh, and I brought Toyouke along for the snark. Aren’t you lucky? Thankfully, we get Instagram videos of each of the teams this year, so it at least gives us a starting point. The thirteen teams for TAR39 are (click for more):
Ali and Joanna, Team Celesbian. They are both former members of the Us Women’s National Soccer Team. (Toyouke: “They are on the good US team. Yeah, the US men’s team sucks, I said it.”) They give me this “badass woman” vibe that I really like, and I enjoy that they are so comfortable with each other in front of the camera. Toyouke: “Am I wrong or are they the only LGBT representation this season?” Oh very possibly, or at least they are the most open about it. Prediction: Winners, TAR39.
Ann-Marie and Riley, Team Boss Ladies. Mother and Daughter originally from Indianapolis, Indiana. Ann-Marie is a vice president of a company, whereas Riley is a former bobsled captain and marine core member. I think we’ve got a large number of capable female teams this season. (Toyouke: “They might be pretty strong, actually. I don't know if TAR is "all ages". Is it?“) I think it’s accessible to all ages. I think they could do well. Prediction: Sixth Place.
Anuar and Andrea, Team Father-Daughter Dance. Father and daughter from Houston, Texas. Anuar separated from his wife when Andrea was three, and they used Amazing Race as a bonding experience, so they’ve been watching together for 20 years. They’ve overanalyzed the show, so that could go in their favor, or not. (Toyouke: “No, I don't think they are physically in good enough shape, and they will get eliminated early and cry about how they are proud of each other. However a strength of "driving" is not something people bring ever.”) Prediction: Eleventh Place.
Cody and Jamie, Team Sibling Rivalry. Siblings originally from Chicago. They seem capable. Their mom’s favorite show is The Amazing Race, and after a fall in the shower a year ago, they could use the money to help her move into a place with someone who can keep an eye on her regularly. Also, they are two of four siblings and Cody is the only boy. (Toyouke: “Jaime seems like she thinks she's being funny and cute but it's not hitting right. Also no, she got the name of the disorder wrong, because I know you heard her say PPPD and then say something that shortens to PPDD and immediately noticed. I looked it up. I do not care about this sob story. He's cute though.”) Prediction: Eighth Place.
Conner and Garrett, Team Male Childhood Besties. Best friends for 24 years from California. I don’t know, I get this California Bro vibe that makes me think they are going to make all sorts of little mistakes that are going to add up over time. I’m usually a cute boy team fan, but between Sleezestashe and Fratbro, I’m not so sure. (Toyouke: “This might be the closest to hicks we'll get this season. They don't seem particularly athletic. I hope they don't turn into the hippies.”) Prediction: Tenth Place.
Dafina and Saran, Team Midwest Sisters. Sisters from Chicago. I like them, but they aren’t particularly memorable, and I feel like I’m going to have a really hard time telling them apart. (Toyouke: “It feels like a lot of families and not a lot of YDCs, or maybe that's just me. That's all I got. They love to be sisters.”) I think physically they could surprise us all. Prediction: Fifth Place.
Daisha and Dalton, Team Prerequisite Dating Couple. Dating couple of two years from Alabama. I really like Daisha, she’s got an amazing personality. Dalton is adopted from the Philippines, and he credits Daisha with helping him find out more about his heritage. (Toyouke: “OK they were annoying for five seconds and then sliding into her DMs with a literal video of sliding is very cute. Is TAR about relationships? I don't think so.” I think they could be strong. Prediction: Fourth Place.
Doug and Dylan, Team Generation Gap. Grandfather and Grandson from San Diego, California. It’s worth nothing that they have a 54 year age difference, and Doug was watching TAR 7 years before Dylan was born. But I like their energy, we haven’t had a grandpa-grandson team in a long time. (Toyouke: “But Dylan is a baby. They're already focused on top three and that is probably premature. OH the "we'll be underestimated team." Here it is.”) Prediction: Ninth Place.
Javi and Erin, Team Newlywed Games. Newlyweds from Florida. They actually got the call while they were planning the wedding. I guess they’re fine? She’s a fan of the show. (Toyouke: “I wonder how the dynamic will work when one person is a big fan and the other one doesn't particularly care. That's about all I got.”) Prediction: Thirteenth Place.
Jody and Jenn, Team Female Childhood Besties. Middle aged moms and best friends. I think they could be strong, but I also think they can benefit from other peoples foibles. (Toyouke: “They aren't even related and they look the same. I don't need bio videos if everyone spends a third of them talking about how much they love the show.”) I do like the fact that Jenn (Jody?) talked about how much her mom loved the show. Prediction: Twelfth Place.
Katie and Charlotte, Team Southern Sisters. Sisters from Kentucky. They are 2 of 12 (!) siblings. One is a beautician, the other is an electrician. So very different skills sets, and they grew up on a farm, so I would put them in as the wild card. (Toyouke: “They look the same. Why. At least they didn't say "We're hot girls so everyone will underestimate us." Not having left the country is going to be a disadvantage. Also "we're gonna be friends with other teams!" is a no.”) Prediction: Second Place.
Michelle and Matt, Team Married Parents. Married parents from New Jersey. I don’t know, they seem kind of generic? I’m sure they’ll do fine. (Toyouke: “Everyone needs to shut up about how young they were when they started watching. They feel generic. You know?”) Prediction: Seventh Place.
Zach and Nate, Team Oh Brother. Brothers from Dallas, Texas. They actually moved away for college and then moved back to the same town to be near each other. They are a lot of fun. (Toyouke: “They seem fun. Again, the people who are like "I've watched the show since I was a kid" make me crumble into dust. They'll probably be fine. I hope they don't become annoying. And they seem to know their strengths.”) Prediction: Third Place.
And there it is. Another crazy batch of “ordinary” contestants! Hopefully, you are able to tune in on Wednesday, September 30 at 8:30 pm CDT for the premiere and the second episode on Thursday, October 1! Oh and check out the Entertainment Tonight special, The Amazing Race: 25 Years Around the World on Tuesday! We’ll see you and the first recap on Wednesday!
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