The Amazing Race Asia is a reality game show based on the American series, The Amazing Race.
On October 17 2005, CBS allowed other countries to franchise The Amazing Race. Singapore-based pan-Asian cable TV network AXN Asia was among the first to acquire the rights to produce a version for its territory. The first four seasons were produced by Australian television production company ActiveTV, for AXN Asia, in association with Disney-ABC International Television. Upon its revival in 2016, production was taken over by franchise co-creator Bertram van Munster's company, Profiles Television. The host is Singapore-based Chinese-American actor Allan Wu.[1]
Contestants[]
Many of the same rules and regulations for eligibility for the American series apply to the Asian edition. The participants are all required to be able to communicate in English. The final selection of contestants are from various Asian countries and not limited to one country of origin. Applications are open to all citizens of the continent of Asia except the Middle East, East Timor, Myanmar, Laos, North Korea, and Russia, but including the Oceanian countries of Fiji and Palau, as well as to non-Asian citizens who have resided in Asia for a long period of time.[2]
From season 2 onwards, Japan residents are able to apply, having been ineligible for season 1. For season 5, Fiji residents were not able to apply.
The Race[]
- This section cites the differences between the American version and Asian version only.
The Amazing Race Asia is quite similar to the American version. The basic premise is the same, namely that teams must follow clues and complete tasks to check in to Pit Stops in a race around the world. However, some differences between the two versions exist.
Teams[]
Generally, the Race requires team members to have a preexisting relationship, as in the American version. The first four seasons had only 10 teams participating in each, compared to the American version, which normally features eleven teams. So far, season 8 of the American edition is the only season to have 10 teams. However, that season consisted of 10 family teams of four, or 40 participants.
Traveling[]
In the American version, the teams immediately depart from the starting city once the Race begins and proceed to the airport. In the Asian version, however, teams remain in the same country throughout the first leg, except in season 2.
In the first season, teams were only allowed to take AirAsia flights due to AirAsia sponsoring the race. In the fifth season, teams were mostly confined to traveling on Garuda Indonesia flights and Grab vehicles due to those companies sponsoring that season. In the American edition, teams are in most cases able to travel on any airline they wish.
Unlike the American version, which travels around the world, the Asian version is mostly limited to traveling around Asia, with a few exceptions to Africa, Europe, and Oceania.
Pit Stops[]
As in the American version, each leg has Pit Stops as the final destination. Double-length Superlegs in which teams are instructed to meet with host Allan Wu have also been seen in seasons 1 and 2.
Unlike the American version, the Finish Line is not referred to as such, but as the "Final Pit Stop". The Final Pit Stop only has a regular check-in-mat rather than an elevated red carpet with The Amazing Race logo enlarged on it as used in the American edition.
Non-Elimination Legs[]
Clues directing teams to Pit Stops sometimes replace the word 'may' in the traditional clue phrasing "the last team to arrive may be eliminated" with "the last team to arrive will be eliminated", pointing to a certain elimination point. In the American version, other than in the first leg, the phrasing is always "the last team to arrive may be eliminated". Three out of the five seasons had a Non-Elimination Leg in the first leg, which was not seen in the American version until The Amazing Race 15.
For Non-Elimination Legs, the first two Asian seasons used the Surrender Money rule seen in The Amazing Race 5 and The Amazing Race 6, in that the last team to arrive at these Non-Elimination Legs is required to surrender all accumulated money in their possession and would also not receive any money at the start of the next leg.
For seasons 2 and 3, some Non-Elimination Legs retained the use of the same penalty as in the first season, while other Non-Elimination Legs implemented the Marked for Elimination penalty used in The Amazing Race 10 and The Amazing Race: All-Stars (2007), in which that team was required arrive at the following leg's Pit Stop in first place, or they would incur a 30-minute penalty which may result in their elimination. In season 4, the Marked for Elimination penalty was the sole penalty used for Non-Elimination Legs.
For season 5, the team that arrived last on a Non-Elimination Leg would encounter a Speed Bump (used from The Amazing Race 12 to The Amazing Race 32), a task that only they would have to perform at some point in the following leg before being allowed to continue racing.
Rules and penalties[]
Most of the rules and penalties are the same as in the American edition; however, there are slight differences.
Unique Rules[]
| Asian version | US version |
|---|---|
| If a team member is injured during the Race, he/she has to pass medical evaluation to ensure that they are fit to continue the Race. | If the injury is not serious or life-threatening, the team may choose to continue or quit the race. |
| Originally, a team that hitchhikes from one point to another would incur a 1-hour penalty. Beginning with season 4, the Asian version now follows the same rule as the US version. | Hitchhiking had not been seen in the US version at the time the rule was first seen in season 1. In The Amazing Race 12, it was revealed that a team that hitchhikes from one Route Marker to another would be turned away, required to return to the previous Route Marker, and take a legal form of transportation to the next one. |
| A team that is caught by local law enforcement violating speeding laws would incur a time penalty of 2 minutes for every km/h by which they exceeded the legal speed limit. Like the US version, this penalty is only served at the beginning of the next leg of the race. | While speeding is also against the rules in the US version, (shown in The Amazing Race 2, The Amazing Race 13, and The Amazing Race 22), the penalty is not given in a measurement of time per km/h over the speed limit but rather of time gained plus an additional 30 minutes. |
In the American version, teams who quit a Roadblock are assessed a four-hour penalty, which begins from when the next team arrives at the Roadblock site. If all teams have already arrived at the Roadblock site, the team is immediately assessed the penalty. In the first three seasons of the Asian version, this four-hour penalty is applied at the Pit Stop prior to checking in and not at the Roadblock site itself. Beginning with season 4, the penalty is now served at the Roadblock site prior to being allowed to continue racing.
Reception[]
Criticisms[]
There have been several criticisms regarding the show, including:
- Less self-driving throughout the Race.[3]
- Teams are always clumped on the same sponsored flight, particularly in seasons 1 and 5, where teams were required to fly on certain airlines.
- Most of the contestants cast are models, actors, or other television personalities.
- Traveling is mainly limited to Asian countries.[4]
- Abundant product placement. Franchise co-creator Bertram van Munster said that he was "not too crazy about blatant product placement, but the bill has to be paid."[5]
- The grand prize is US$100,000, whilst the American show gives away US$1 million. The general manager of SPE Networks-Asia which runs AXN Asia, Ricky Ow, explained the smaller prize, saying, "It is not really about the money but the adventure and opportunity to be in one of the world's greatest reality shows".
Countries and Locales Visited[]
| Africa | Asia | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Season(s) Visited | Country | Season(s) Visited | ||
|
South Africa | 2 | 
|
India | 1, 3 |
|
Indonesia | 1, 4, 5 | |||
|
Japan | 2 | |||
|
Malaysia | 1, 4, 5 | |||
|
Oman | 3 | |||
|
Philippines | 2, 4, 5 | |||
|
Singapore | 1, 2, 4, 5 | |||
|
South Korea | 2, 4 | |||
|
Sri Lanka | 4 | |||
|
Taiwan | 3 | |||
|
Thailand | 1, 3, 5 | |||
|
United Arab Emirates | 1 | |||
|
Vietnam | 3, 5 | |||
| Territory | Season(s) Visited | ||||
|
Hong Kong | 2, 3 | |||
|
Macau | 3 | |||
| Europe | Oceania | ||||
| Country | Season(s) Visited | Country | Season(s) Visited | ||
|
Czech Republic | 2 | 
|
Australia | 1, 4 |
|
Germany | 2 | 
|
New Zealand | 1, 2, 4 |
|
Hungary | 2 | |||
Seasons[]
| Season | Number of Teams | Destinations | Filming Dates | Season Run | Winners | Unique Distinctions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The Amazing Race Asia 1 |
10 | Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, India, United Arab Emirates | May 24, 2006 - June 17, 2006 | November 9, 2006 - February 8, 2007 |  Joe Jer Tee & Zabrina Fernandez
|
First all-female team to win in The Amazing Race franchise |
The Amazing Race Asia 2 |
10 | Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa | July 5, 2007 - July 28, 2007 | November 1, 2007 - February 21, 2008 |  Adrian Yap & Collin Low
|
First individual racer with a physical disability to win the Race |
The Amazing Race Asia 3 |
10 | Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, India, Oman | May 20, 2008 - June 8, 2008 | September 4, 2008 - November 27, 2008 |  Vince Chung & Sam Wu
|
N/A |
 The Amazing Race Asia 4 |
10 | Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea, Singapore | June 10, 2010 - June 30, 2010 | September 2, 2010 - December 9, 2010 |  Richard Hardin & Richard Herrera
|
First season to have the Starting Line and the Finish Line in two different countries |
 The Amazing Race Asia 5 |
11 | Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore | August 8, 2016 - August 26, 2016 | October 13, 2016 - December 15, 2016 |  Parul Shah & Maggie Wilson
|
Season set primarily within Indonesia, with other locations around Southeast Asia |
Reception[]
- MediaWeek (03/17/2017): "Mediaweek Asia Profile: activeTV Asia boss Michael McKay"
External links[]
- Official Site of The Amazing Race Asia
The Amazing Race Asia's Facebook: /theamazingraceasia
- The Amazing Race Asia's X profile: @AmazingRaceAsia
- The Amazing Race Asia's Instagram: /theamazingraceasia
References[]
- ↑ http://showbizandstyle.inq7.net/entertainment/entertainment/view_article.php?article_id=8493
- ↑ http://www.asiaprnews.com/entertainment/the-amazing-race-asia-application-deadline-extended.html
- ↑ http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=85217
- ↑ http://www.indiantelevision.com/interviews/y2k7/executive/ricky_interview.php
- ↑ https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:LZD_UVNd73IJ:www.asianewsnet.net/epaper/pdf/AsiaNews%2520Oct%252030-%2520Nov%25205%2520PDF.pdf+%22amazing+race+asia%22+ratings+record&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESg26XOBwvJkW8B8Qf2yhe-gs-SCauoXCa0_N7CehYhPXqJt4_Uf4pRk9awHLhu8aH7tS7tlaCEzrLvGV1-AQ4Qtqa15RDInHhPMWbOv83-8KSN3re0eZucBbuP3qRq8YY1CzTkc&sig=AHIEtbSvVwK5GNSpvpI8FlA4dvfON0wDUg
| 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 |
| Central Europe | Cancelled |
| China | 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 |
| China Rush | 1 · 2 · 3 |
| Finland | 1 · 2 · 3 |
| 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 |