There are plenty of iconic reality TV shows out there, but two that rise above the rest are The Amazing Race and Survivor. The two CBS shows have been around for years, and have massive, dedicated fanbases that never miss an episode. That doesn't mean that either of the shows is perfect, though.
Amazing Race, in particular, has become a bit stale lately. The show doesn't change up its formula too often in any meaningful way. However, perhaps borrowing a few elements from Survivor is the best way to do just that. There are plenty of ideas to borrow from the series.
Team Swapping
While this has been implemented for very brief periods on The Amazing Race, implementing swaps or team switches in a bit more of a present manner could be really interesting.
It would force players to work with those they likely aren't too familiar with, which could be great, or could be a massive problem if they aren't prepared to roll with the punches. Either way, it will be interesting.
Some Sort Of Edge Of Extinction
Having a sort of Edge of Extinction-style area or group that could re-enter the game on The Amazing Race would be interesting, if not a bit messy. The group could be forced to stay in one area and complete harder tasks each week in order to make it back into the game, or they could be put on a different, more arduous trek than players still in the race in order to rejoin them at one point.
It certainly could switch up the formula in ways that no one would see coming.
Idols/Safety
Hidden Immunity Idols are a stand-by in Survivor. They're hard to find, but the reward is great. If used properly, they can save the player from being sent home. Idols could theoretically work in The Amazing Race.
They might not be implemented as smoothly, but perhaps finding one on a given leg of the race would keep the team safe from being sent home from the next three legs. This isn't the only way that the twist could be formatted, there are plenty of possibilities for a smooth transition from one show to another.
More Voting
It's only really happened once, but voting has taken place in The Amazing Race before. It was utilized in the reality crossover season to determine who would be U-Turned on a particular leg, and it caused a ton of drama.
This could be expanded on with different twists, or used in the exact same way. Either way, it should certainly come back in some sort of capacity.
Rewards
Reward challenges are another standby in Survivor. Those who win reward challenges are rewarded an amenity for their camp, or a little getaway that usually involves food and relaxation.
In turn, their performance in other challenges is often improved. Winning a reward in The Amazing Race could simply be an advantage in another leg. How these rewards would be doled out is anyone's guess.
Additional Risks For Rewards
One way to earn an Immunity Idol in Survivor is through actually grabbing it in the middle of a challenge. The risk here is that other players could possibly notice the action and out your new Idol, which would result in it likely being used right away.
This could be implemented into The Amazing Race, too. Hurtling down a building while trying to read a code on the way down? Try and grab this Immunity Idol, too.
Fire Tokens
Fire Tokens were a new twist introduced in Winners at War and could be spent on the Edge of Extinction for advantages on challenges to get back into the game. This would be easy to implement in The Amazing Race.
Doing well in Detours or Roadblocks could be rewarded with a Fire Token (or their Race equivalent) or two to buy a reward for later on in the game that could potentially save a team from being sent home.
Larger Teams
Teams on The Amazing Race have almost always consisted of two people, very rarely is that number larger, save for one season that included full families.
Why not switch it up a bit? 3-4 player teams could really switch up the dynamic and could breathe new life into the show. At the very least, there's no harm in trying.
More Of A Social Focus
It's rare to see alliances on The Amazing Race, as they aren't really needed in the show's current formula. There isn't a focus on social game. But this doesn't have to be the case.
A new focus on social strategies could be interesting to watch unfold. Twists like the aforementioned voting could help facilitate this.
More Twists In General
Survivor is a show that is full of twists, and sure, not all of them are top-tier, but they're usually fun and switch up the formula in strong ways.
The Amazing Race could really stand to adopt some of these to keep things interesting from season to season. The show's formula is one that very clearly works, but it's almost the same every single time. A nice little refresh wouldn't hurt anything.