"Annnnnnd They're Off" -  Amazing Race Episode 1 Summary  10/3/05

By Marcus

I love this show. It brings back memories of my own family "race." When I was about 5 years old, my parents packed my older brother and me into the family car for a 1400-mile vacation from our Wisconsin home to Key West, Florida. I remember my first ocean waves, miles of sand (wow, what a sandbox!), the monster-looking jellyfish, peaceful giant turtles, and something that looked like a football but was in fact a coconut. My parents tell me what they remembered most was my almost constant mantra of "how many miles, daddy?" And my mantra started BEFORE we had even backed out of our driveway. A long, very long road trip for mommy and daddy.

So, I started watching this Amazing Family Race with excitement and anticipation. I was not disappointed. The race started race in New York City.

Ten 4-person family teams composed of dads, moms, a step mom, stepchildren, a widow, son in-laws, sisters, brothers, and children. They originated from Florida, Virginia, Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio, and Illinois. They all wanted to win that paycheck of one million dollars. Yet beneath the monetary award, perhaps they more deeply wanted to either affirm or to reaffirm their family bonding. Money is money, but family love is everlasting.

The Gaghan family (mom, dad, son Billy and daughter Carissa) is a jogging family. Runners all. Yet it was little 9-year-old Carissa who has stolen my heart. Her eyes wide open mesmerized by New York City graffiti spray paint, to calling her brother a "dork" (okay, I am identifying with her because I have an older brother and when I was little, he could really be a "dork"). She is their family cheerleader. At the end of the first pit stop, they finished second.

The Lenz family consists of three brothers and one sister. Strong and young, yet their strength practically exhausted itself in the Buggy-pull challenge. They all seem to be quite impulsive without really thinking through the initial challenges. The boys tend to ignore sister Megan's suggestions. They need to start listening to her and start working as a group. Nonetheless, after they successfully rowed across the Delaware River to retrieve the colonial flag, this family shared their sincere patriotic feelings having been in the footsteps of General Washington. Perhaps their shared sense of patriotism will help solidify them. At the end of the first pit stop, they finished ninth.

The dressed in pink Godlewski sisters have enough vocal volume to shatter the walls of Jericho. These extremely competitive siblings overtly harass, challenge, support, and freely exhibit their sisterly love. They are constantly talking to one another, talking about one another, talking through one another, and talking and talking and talking…. It is kind of like "if you won't listen to me, I will just yell louder." My brain will need more caffeine to just keep up. At the end of the first pit stop, their first place finished was sweetened with a $20,000 bonus.

The Aiello family (father and his three son in-laws) is struggling to find out how to work together. Unlike the other families who have lived with one another, these four very different men are coming to the race without much previous history. Family reunions around a picnic table are not the same as planning and executing decisions. But we have a positive glimpse of their strength when they raced to the finish. The son in-laws were yards ahead of dad, but they stopped until he caught up and then they all stepped on the matt together as one solid family unit. At the end of the first pit stop, they finished eighth.

The Weaver family (widow mother and three children) is grieving the death of the father. I almost typed "recovering" but we never really recover from such a heart shredding loss. The pain is there, always lingering in the shadows. They are holding onto one another, sharing memories of the family that once was, and starting to build new family memories. They are a tough group. Linda, the mother, nearly was crushed when their buggy brakes failed. With a broken buggy wheel, they returned to the starting point and built the waterwheel. They do not know the word "quit" and I predict they will be among the finalists. At the end of the first pit stop, they finished third.

And then we have the Paolo family (mother and father with unruly sons). Hardworking father and housekeeping mother are seemingly cursed with two boys who think nothing of talking back, belittling and demeaning their parents. Can you tell I do not like the two sons? These kids grate on my nerves so much, that I cheered mother Marion's utterance of pure disgust at their behaviors. But even then, the father seemed either unable to make a demand a change, or perhaps he is so beaten down by his shameful sons' behavior, that he cannot support his suffering wife. Did you notice that as they ran to the finish mat, the father and sons were way ahead of mother? She was left behind and that is a clear snapshot of this family. However, I do have a suggestion---Super Nanny Jo with her "naughty spot" needs to visit this family. Soon. At the end of the first pit stop, they finished sixth.

The Bransen family (father with three daughters) pulls together. The girls seen very supported by their father and they in turn are attentive to him. Although the daughters call dad "Wally", it is not disrespectful but more of an affirmation of their affection to him. At the end of the first pit stop, they finished seventh.

The Schroeder family (father, stepmother and two daughters) is a hard-hitting family. Literally. They workout in the gym slugging away at a boxing bag. Timing, precision, focus and snap make that heavy bag jump like a startled cat. This family is focused. At the end of the first pit stop, they finished fourth.

The Rogers (father, mother, and two children) announced themselves as a Biblically based family. Dad spares no words in proclaiming his God-given right as head of the house and you better listen to him. Period. This unity may prove beneficial when making quick decisions with no discussion allowed. But such authoritarian command can ultimately lead to poor choices. At the end of the first pit stop, they finished fourth.

The Black family (father, mother and two sons) finished last at the end of the first pit stop. But not in my race book. They all exhibited strong family support and confidence. Both of the sons, Ken age 11 and little Austin age 8 are respectful of their parents and trust their guidance. Father Reggie and mother Kim really talked between themselves and with their children. They listened to one another and not only that, they "heard" one another. This family is beautiful. Knowing that they were in last place, the family struggled to finish the water wheel. Austin was assigned to fetch a pail of water from a muddy stream. He tripped and tumbled into the mud. Calling for help, his father immediately ran to him. He literally picked him up to safety. He then soothingly reassured his frightened and embarrassed younger son, quietly saying "these things happen, good job." You cannot ask for nor can you expect more from a loving father. Yes, they finished last and were eliminated. But when they walked out of that Pennsylvania farm field, they walked together as a family. For them, their participation in the Amazing Race is over. But they will walk through life as a loving family. And they will truly be the winners of life's amazing race.

see also:

10/26/05 "Wild About Panties" The Amazing Race Episode 5

10/19/05 "Facing the Demons of Death" - The Amazing Race Episode 4 Summary

10/12/05 "Blast Off to the Stars" - The Amazing Race Episode 3 Summary

10/5/05 The smell of gunpowder and the dripping of sweat - TAR Episode 2 Summary