In the 33 seasons that have aired so far, fans of the adventure reality game show, The Amazing Race, have gotten to see hundreds of incredible teams attempt to outfox and outrace each other for the grand prize of $1 million. And there will be much more to come since the show was recently renewed for a 34th season.
In the numerous challenges that have taken place, some teams have impressed way more than others. This is not only because they were smart and competitive but also because they were generally likable. On Reddit, a couple of teams have been picked by the show's staunch fans as the best to ever do it.
Leo & Jamal
Appearing in Season 23, Season 31, and "All-Stars", Leo Temory and Jamal Zadran, otherwise known as the "Afghanimals," left a lasting impression. Apple_Slipper praises them for " their passion to run the race, as well as them being enthusiastic to learn different cultures and break stereotypes."
The Afghanimals will forever be remembered for their aggression and resilience. Most teams rarely make progress after they get U-turned but Jamal and Leo not only got U-turned the most times (3) but also survived each time. While their reputation for being comeback kings didn't push them to victory, they were able to finish in high positions in each season they appeared in.
Flight Time & Big Easy
PrestigiousCranberry is fond of Herbert "Flight Time" Lang and Nathaniel "Big Easy" Lofton, who appeared in Season 15, "Unfinished Business," and "All-Stars." They write, "I love when teams have fun and aren't fighting with each other/locals/taxi drivers."
Indeed, the Globetrotters' best weapon was their ability to get along better than other teams. While conflict tends to add to the drama and entertainment value. Flight Time and Big Easy's ability to remain peaceful endeared them to fans that hate chaos too. The two were never afraid of using their fame to their advantage either.
Dustin & Kandice
Redditor eauxpsifourgott reminds everyone that Dustin-Leigh Seltzer and Kandice Halpin "put forth one of the most dominant runs ever seen by an all-female team (twice ) and were trailblazers in that regard." The duo participated in Season 10 and "All-Stars."
The Redditor is right about the professional beauty queens being trailblazers since, before them, no other all-female team had dominated the races. Being underrated worked in their favor as they had initially been dismissed by others as weak. Much credit also goes out to them for maintaining their form in 2 different seasons.
Uchenna & Joyce
The Season 7 winners were incredible, according to zddoodah. They state, "Beating Ramber and being the only winning team to return makes them a fairly easy call."
Uchenna and Joyce are undoubtedly one of the most memorable Amazing Race couples. They can thank the reality competition series for not only changing their lives by adding $1 million to their accounts but also saving their marriage. Before participating in the show, the two were close to divorcing. Additionally, the couple holds the franchise record of not using the Yield but still going on to win the race.
Becca & Floyd
SurvivorWerewolf adores Rebecca "Becca" Droz and Floyd Pierce, who competed in Season 29 and Season 31. They describe them as, "very positive, very competitive, and they barely ever argue and complain. "
Known as "Team Fun" Becca & Floyd impressed viewers by not taking things too seriously. There was a great level of understanding between them too, even during times of misfortune. Even when Floyd became too tired to continue during the Vietnamese leg, they both bowed out with pride and vowed to come back stronger.
Nat & Kat
The Season 17 winners are remembered for bossing their race from start to finish. BackAgainBenches describes the team of doctors perfectly: "They worked together better than just about any other team on any race and they ran hard and steady the whole way."
As doctors, Nat and Kat were not only intelligent but had also maintained a habit of keeping fit before their show. These two factors would go on to benefit them greatly. And part of the reason they will always be remembered is that they put an end to the male dominance by becoming the first all-female team to win.
BJ & Tyler
Redditor michellegp boldly declares that "Number one is the Hippies-BJ and Tyler." Brian Jeffrey "BJ" Averell and Tyler MacNiven finished first in Season 9 and are considered two of the most deserving Amazing Race winners.
Thanks to BJ and Tyler, the importance of being multilingual and knowing foreign cultures became clear. It's what would propel them to victory over Eric and Jeremy. Moreover, Bj and Tyler were trailblazers in many ways. They were the first team to win the race after using both the Fast Forward and Yield as well as the first team to win all 3 final legs.
Danny & Oswald
Redditor realtrojanguy31 can't help but reminisce about Oswald Mendez and Danny Jimenez's time on the show. They write, "Their skills to utilize hotel services to the fullest for travel in Season 2 was mind-blowing."
Having been friends for decades, the coordination between Danny and Oswald was effortless most of the time. Their hotel service prowess was mostly because they had traveled the world together a couple of times before participating in the show. All other tasks were conducted with poise, with their only undoing being their inability to avoid making mistakes.
Rob & Brennan
According to rubanthmendez997, the first-ever winners are also the best. They explain that their victory means more than others since they had no template to work with. "They had no experience and no idea what to expect in this race as this was the first season," they say.
The Redditor makes a good point. After Season 1, contestants knew what to expect as well as the kind of mistakes to avoid. The pioneers didn't have that luxury. The fact that Rob and Brennan busted through the uncertainty and raced their way to victory makes them more special than the winners that followed.
Rob & Amber
Redditor peteZahut45 has lots of love for the Season 7 couple that fell in love with each other on "Survivor: All-Stars." They call Rob "one of the cleverest contestants I've seen," and about the team, they add, "the best dynamic couple."
Rob and Amber are the people that immediately come to the minds of fans when they think of the best Survivor and Amazing Race contestant crossovers. That the two were each victorious in Survivor says a lot about their competitiveness. Though they weren't lucky to win in The Amazing Race, their sly tactics and cohesion made them eternal fan favorites.