The Amazing Race Wiki

The Amazing Race 35 is the thirty-fifth season of the reality television show, The Amazing Race. It premiered on September 27, 2023 and ended on December 13, 2023 on CBS.

Production[]

Applications for this season were due on December 5, 2022. Casting began on January 2, 2023,[1] closed on March 22,[2] and ended on April 21, 2023.[3]

On May 10, 2023, CBS announced The Amazing Race 35 as part of its fall programming schedule; in a first for the series, it was confirmed that The Amazing Race 35 and Survivor 45 would air 90-minute episodes instead of the standard 60-minute episodes, making for a 180-minute primetime block due to the ongoing 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.[4]

Filming began on June 13, 2023 and concluded on July 7, 2023. This season traveled a total of 23,800 miles (38,300 km), across eight countries on three continents.

This was actually the 36th season to be filmed and produced but the 35th to air. Due to the expansion into 90-minute episodes, production developed a route and format intended to fill the expanded time slot instead of trying to re-edit the already-finished season shot in 2022, which would eventually become The Amazing Race 36 – the 35th season to be filmed – to pad for time.[5] The extended runtime was heavily attributed to the WGA strike, which resulted in the production of several scripted shows being halted, with the timeslots they had left vacant needing to be filled.[6]

This season saw the Race return to its regular format for the first time since the original run of The Amazing Race 33 in February 2020, prior to that season's suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon resumption of that season's production, a number of safety protocols were enacted to protect contestants, crew members, and local judges from the virus for season 33 in 2021 until the filming of The Amazing Race 36 in 2022.

Expedia was the only official sponsor of the season and would provide the prizes awarded to first place teams on certain legs.

Twists/Changes[]

  • Expanded Cast: For the first time, the Race featured 13 teams.
  • Roadblock Limits: This season featured 12 Roadblocks, leaving for a maximum Roadblock split of 6-6.
    • No Restrictions for Two Roadblocks in One Leg: Beginning with this season, teams are no longer required to split their Roadblock performances when encountering two Roadblocks in one single-length leg. The team member who performed the leg's first Roadblock would now be allowed to perform the second one as well.
  • Express Pass: The Express Pass was given to the first team to complete an optional task in the first leg. The Express Pass allows them to skip any task of their choosing until the end of the fourth leg. The Express Pass was then given to the first team to complete an optional task in the eighth leg, which allows them to skip any task of their choosing until the end of the tenth leg.
  • No-Rest Leg: Upon checking in at the Pit Stop at the end of the third leg, teams were given their next clue by host Phil Keoghan and immediately began the next leg. The last place team did not face a penalty.
  • Blind U-Turn Vote: Before departing the Pit Start in the sixth leg, teams voted to U-Turn another team, with teams not having to publicly reveal their vote.
  • Scramble: The final leg featured a Scramble. Teams are given the locations of three tasks, information on which they would be given upon arrival at each location, and were free to complete the tasks in any order. For each task a team completes, they would receive a portion of a clue. By completing all three tasks, teams would be able to put together all the portions to complete their next clue.

Teams[]

Greg & John
Greg & John
 1st place 
Greg & John
Brothers/Computer Scientists
Joel & Garrett
Joel & Garrett
 2nd place 
Joel & Garrett
Best Friends
Rob & Corey
Rob & Corey
 3rd place 
Rob & Corey
Father/Son
Steve & Anna Leigh
Steve & Anna Leigh
 4th place 
Steve & Anna Leigh
Father/Daughter
Todd & Ashlie
Todd & Ashlie
 5th place 
Todd & Ashlie
Married High School Sweethearts
Robbin & Chelsea
Robbin & Chelsea
 6th place 
Robbin & Chelsea
Childhood Friends
Morgan & Lena
Morgan & Lena
 7th place 
Morgan & Lena
Sisters
Andrea & Malaina
Andrea & Malaina
 8th place 
Andrea & Malaina
College Friends
Liam & Yeremi
Liam & Yeremi
 9th place 
Liam & Yeremi
Brothers
Joe & Ian
Joe & Ian
 10th place 
Joe & Ian
Engaged
Jocelyn & Victor
Jocelyn & Victor
 11th place 
Jocelyn & Victor
Married Entrepreneurs
Elizabeth & Iliana
Elizabeth & Iliana
 12th place 
Elizabeth & Iliana
Mother/Daughter
Alexandra & Sheridan
Alexandra & Sheridan
 13th place 
Alexandra & Sheridan
Siblings/Roommates

Episodes[]

Episode Air Date Leg Destination First Place Last Place Finish Viewership
(millions)
Ratings/Share
(18-49)
1 "The Amazing Race Is Back!" September 27, 2023 1 United States → Thailand Jocelyn & Victor Alexandra & Sheridan 1st Eliminated
13th place
2.70[7] 0.4/4[7]
2 "You Don't See That at Home" October 4, 2023 2 Thailand Jocelyn & Victor Elizabeth & Iliana 2nd Eliminated
12th place
2.82[8] 0.4/5[8]
3 "No Sleep and a Million Dollar Dream" October 11, 2023 3 Thailand → Vietnam Steve & Anna Leigh Liam & Yeremi Ordered to
Continue Racing
2.87[9] 0.4/4[9]
4 "The Day Keeps Rockin' Here in Vietnam" October 18, 2023 4 Vietnam Robbin & Chelsea Jocelyn & Victor 3rd Eliminated
11th place
2.91[10] 0.4/4[10]
5 "Yessir, the Pink City" October 25, 2023 5 Vietnam → India Steve & Anna Leigh Joe & Ian 4th Eliminated
10th place
2.83[11] 0.4/4[11]
6 "Driving Head On Into Scooters" November 1, 2023 6 India Greg & John Liam & Yeremi 5th Eliminated
9th place
2.60[12] 0.3/3[12]
7 "Like Two Cats Fighting in a Car" November 8, 2023 7 India → Germany Greg & John Andrea & Malaina 6th Eliminated
8th place
2.62[13] 0.4/4[13]
8 "A Planes, Trains and Automobiles Day" November 15, 2023 8 Germany → Slovenia Greg & John Morgan & Lena 7th Eliminated
7th place
3.03[14] 0.4/5[14]
9 "In the Belly of the Earth" November 22, 2023 9 Slovenia Greg & John Robbin & Chelsea 8th Eliminated
6th place
3.01[15] 0.4/5[15]
10 "Everyone Loves a Comeback Story" November 29, 2023 10 Slovenia → Sweden Joel & Garrett Todd & Ashlie 9th Eliminated
5th place
3.01[16] 0.4/5[16]
11 "We're Finding Our Pot of Gold" December 6, 2023 11 Sweden → Ireland Rob & Corey Steve & Anna Leigh 10th Eliminated
4th place
2.84[17] 0.4/4[17]
12 "A Sunset, Seattle Scramble" December 13, 2023 12 Ireland → United States Greg & John Rob & Corey 3rd place 3.31[18] 0.4/5[18]
Joel & Garrett 2nd place

Leaderboard[]

Place Team Leg 1 Leg 2 Leg 3 Leg 4 Leg 5 Leg 6 Leg 7 Leg 8 Leg 9 Leg 10 Leg 11 Leg 12 Average Roadblock
1 Greg & John 3 3 8 8 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 2.75 6-6
2 Joel & Garrett 7 9 2 9 3 3 7 4 2 1 3 2 4.33 6-6
3 Rob & Corey 2 2 3 5 6 2 4 3 4 3ϵ 1 3 3.17 6-6
4 Steve & Anna Leigh 6 6 1 2 1 7 5 6 3 4 4 4.09 6-6
5 Todd & Ashlie 5 5 4 3 5 5 3 2 5 5 4.20 5-5
6 Robbin & Chelsea 11 11 5 1 7 8 2 5 6 6.22 4-5
7 Morgan & Lena 4 4 6ϵ 10 9 4 6 7 6.25 3-5
8 Andrea & Malaina 10 10 9 7 4 6 8 7.71 4-2
9 Liam & Yeremi 8 8 11 6 8 9 8.33 3-2
10 Joe & Ian 9 7 7 4 10 7.40 2-2
11 Jocelyn & Victor 1 1 10 11 5.75 1-2
12 Elizabeth & Iliana 12 12 12.00 1-1
13 Alexandra & Sheridan 13 13.00 0-1
Notes: [1][2] [3] [4]
Legend:
     The team finished in first place
     The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race
     The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg or continue racing in a no-rest leg
     The team that won The Amazing Race
     The team that crossed the Finish Line second
     The team that crossed the Finish Line third
ϵ The team used the Express Pass somewhere during the leg
The team used the U-Turn
Recipient of the U-Turn

Notes:
1: Morgan & Lena used their Express Pass to bypass the Route Info challenge on Leg 3.
2: Leg 3 had no mandatory rest period between legs, and all teams were ordered to continue racing. The team who checked in last on this leg did not face a penalty in the next leg.
3: Andrea & Malaina fell too far behind the rest of the cast and arrived at Gürzenich Köln after it was already closed. Host Phil Keoghan was present to inform them of their elimination.
4: Rob & Corey used their Express Pass to bypass the Roadblock on Leg 10. Before using the Express Pass, Rob elected to perform the Roadblock, and this is reflected in the total Roadblock count.[19]

Voting History[]

On the sixth leg, teams anonymously vote in an order selected by random draw. The team with the most votes would be U-Turned.

Leg 6
U-Turned S35 SteveAnnaLeigh
Steve & Anna Leigh
Vote 5-4
Greg & John Steve & Anna Leigh
Joel & Garrett Steve & Anna Leigh
Rob & Corey Steve & Anna Leigh
Steve & Anna Leigh Robbin & Chelsea
Todd & Ashlie Robbin & Chelsea
Robbin & Chelsea Steve & Anna Leigh
Morgan & Lena Robbin & Chelsea
Andrea & Malaina Steve & Anna Leigh
Liam & Yeremi Robbin & Chelsea

Trivia[]

Franchise[]

US[]

Gallery[]

Videos[]

Reception[]

References[]

  1. Survivor, Amazing Race and Big Brother CASTING UPDATES. TikTok (December 24, 2022).
  2. Submissions for the upcoming season of The Amazing Race are now closedddddd. Producers are no longer reviewing new submissions. If you submit from here forward, it will be reviewed next season | Alex Stern Twitter
  3. That’s a wrap on The Amazing Race casting!Thank you to all who applied! | Alex Stern Twitter
  4. Ross, Dalton (May 10, 2023). Survivor and The Amazing Race moving to 90-minute episodes this fall. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on May 13, 2023.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Schneider, Michael (August 30, 2023). ‘The Amazing Race’ Team Breaks Down Fall Surprises: Expanding to 13 Teams, Swapping Seasons and More (EXCLUSIVE). Retrieved on August 30, 2023.
  6. Bloom, Mike (September 28, 2023). Everything We Know About 'The Amazing Race' Season 35 (Including the Cast). Parade.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Douglas Pucci (September 28, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: NBC and CBS Share Leadership on Busy Reality TV Night, Fox Also Decent in Demos. Programming Insider.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Douglas Pucci (October 5, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: CBS Keeps Broadcast Lead as NBC Returns ‘Quantum Leap’ and ‘Magnum P.I.’. Programming Insider.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Pucci, Douglas (October 5, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: CBS Keeps Broadcast Lead as NBC Returns 'Quantum Leap' and 'Magnum P.I.'. Programming Insider.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Pucci, Douglas (October 19, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: FS1 Tops Prime Time with MLB’s ALCS Game 3. Programming Insider.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Douglas Pucci (October 26, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: ESPN Wins All Key Demos in Prime Time with NBA Opening Week Doubleheader.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Douglas Pucci (November 2, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: Fox Wins as Texas Rangers Earn Their First-Ever MLB World Series Title.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Douglas Pucci (November 9, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: ABC Tops Competitive Night with CMA Awards.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Douglas Pucci (November 16, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: CBS Enjoys Broadcast Network Victory in All Key Figures.
  15. 15.0 15.1 Douglas Pucci (November 23, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: CBS Celebrates Thanksgiving Eve Victory with 'Survivor' and 'The Amazing Race'.
  16. 16.0 16.1 Douglas Pucci (November 30, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: NBC Leads Prime Time in Viewers and Most Key Demos with Christmas Celebrations from Rockefeller Center and Graceland.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Douglas Pucci (December 7, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: The CW Boosted by Simulcast of NewsNation’s Republican Presidential Primary Debate.
  18. 18.0 18.1 Douglas Pucci (December 14, 2023). Wednesday Ratings: 'The Amazing Race' on CBS Hits Season-Highs with Season Finale.
  19. https://twitter.com/patcariaga/status/1732600355954069666

The Amazing Race Season Index
United States 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 23 · 24 · 25 · 26 · 27 · 28 · 29 · 30 · 31 · 32 · 33 · 34 · 35 · 36 · 37 · 38
Asia 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5
Australia 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 ·
Brazil 1
Canada 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11
Central Europe Cancelled
China 1 · 2 · 3 · 4
China Rush 1 · 2 · 3
Finland The Amazing Race · The Amazing Race · The Amazing Race
France 1
Israel 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8
Latin America 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6
Norway 1 · 2
Philippines 1 · 2
Ukraine 1
Vietnam 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6