Product Details

• Actors: Amazing Race, Amie Barsky, Paul J. Alessi
• Format: Box set, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 4
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: September 27, 2005
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000A6T1JK
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,267 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #9 in Movies & TV > DVD > TV Game Shows
• For more information about "The Amazing Race: The First Season" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Eleven teams. Dozens of countries. Thousands of miles. One million dollars! as team after team is eliminated the field is narrowed to the final few & the ultimate global adventure streaks down the stretch to its breathtaking down-to-the-wire finish! Studio: Paramount Home Video Release Date: 09/27/2005 Run time: 769 minutes Rating: Nr

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Reality Show on TV, August 11, 2005

By 

Thayer - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Amazing Race: The First Season (DVD)

I am happy that the show finally found an audience that made the producers of the show decided to release the first season on DVD. I think of all the reality series, this one will hold its own best in "repeated viewings" and on syndication. Unlike other reality series, even if you already know who wins or who gets eliminated in a particular episode, it doesn't ruin the quality of the episode. But of course there's still nothing compared to seeing these episodes for the first time.

It is a revolutionary reality series that has a concept that was probably very hard to pull off on paper (can you imagine the reactions of the TV executives when they first heard about the concept of the show). But amazingly, they did pull it off! It is very evident that the producers treat each episode as "special episode" because can you just imagine the logistics and the number of people (across the globe) involve in producing this show?

There are some aspects of the show that were later on in the succeeding seasons were changed mostly for improvements. Example of this is that in the first season, Phil only received the teams who came in the last place (a person from that particular country receives those who came in before the last team). Part of the fun is watching the reactions of the racers anticipate whether they were eliminated or not. Because in the first season the racers already know if they came in last, we were not able to see those kinds of reactions.

Some of the most memorable teams were Team Guido (you won't believe the extent they were willing to do to get ahead), Lenny and Karyn (the original fighting couple, but their fight looked real and not some deliberate attempt to gain screen time. When Karyn said "Disappointing", you believe her!), Nancy and Emily (even though Emily acted like a brat, Nancy just radiates with motherly innocence in the race), and Kevin and Drew (the original funny guys)

When the winner finally cross the finish line at the finale, with all the eliminated teams cheering for them, you just can't help but feel like being a part of the race.

Grade: A

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Spoilers in this Review (unlike the DVD covers), April 4, 2006

By 

Amazon's Best Customer (Western US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Amazing Race: The First Season (DVD)

I've never ever watched Amazing Race because the commercials did not make me want to see it. I happened upon Amazing Race 9 a few weeks back and was so entertained I thought I might try viewing a DVD to find out the logistics of how they film this fast paced trek around the globe.

If you are an armchair traveler like me you will not be disappointed with the locations. The visuals are superb. The locations chosen (I won't spoil it for you, not knowing where the teams will be going is half the fun) are luscious and a feast for the eyes. The physical challenges at the exotic locations are thrilling. Written between the lines is a story of how inexperienced travelers can learn respect for people and cultures overseas.

The music and editing adds to the heart pounding suspense of who will make it to each elimination stop. Interpersonal dramas make you want to yell for some and yell at others. When one team avoids elimination against all odds, I surprised myself when I burst into tears. The producers described that they had the same reaction in the Making Of special.

The commentaries are quite fun. Don't listen to any of them before you know the final outcome. The winners still choke up after watching the show a dozen times. The final 20 minutes is as perfect as any scripted movie ending. After watching the making of documentaries (too short) I gained a new respect for the bold concept that had the production teams racing to beat the contestants to the stops.

On occasion the emotional card overshadows the location shots and that can get annoying. But if you can make it through to the last 4 episodes you'll be stomping and screaming at the screen.

A big warning: don't look at the covers of the DVDs and don't look at the menus on the screen too hard. They might give away too much information about the outcome.

A big thumbs up. I can't wait for Seasons 2 - 8.

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extras for Season 1, July 19, 2005

By 

classic tv fan - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Amazing Race: The First Season (DVD)

The Amazing Race Season 1 will have the following extras:

-All Access Pass - Branch to 90 minutes of additional scenes not shown on television

-Audio commentaries on 4 episodes:
-Commentary on The Race Begins and Triumph And Loss
by Rob & Brennan and Team Guido
-Commentary on Whatever It Takes To Win and Race To The
Finish Part 2 by Karyn & Lenny and Drew & Kevin

-The Lost Roadblock - From the first episode, the teams must eat an ostrich egg! Never-aired footage, only on DVD!

-Reliving the Race - Front row seat: Kevin & Drew, Bill & Joe (Team Guido), Rob & Brennan and Lenny & Karyn share the thrill of being a part of The Amazing Race

-Creating and Coordinating - Around the world with the show's host, Phil Keoghan, executive producers Bertram van Munster & Jerry Bruckheimer and creators Elise Doganieri & Bertram van Munster as they as they discuss the remarkable journey of bringing The Amazing Race to life!