The Amazing Race

Just arrived today from Amazon, my package of three DVD sets I got into my head to order last week, including Season 3 of Futurama and the PBS version of Tony Hillerman's Coyote Waits.

However, only really bought those to fill out the order and reduce shipping costs: I would have eventually ordered them, but there was one item, just released, that I had to have immediately: finally, the Season 1 box set of The Amazing Race (now in its 8th season, currently Tuesday nights at 9pm, 8 Central and Mountain).

Yes yes, I've seen it before, and yes yes, I know how it turns out. Still, with 90 minutes of deleted scenes, a "making of" documentary, a "Lost Roadblock" (a contest run but never aired, involving an ostrich egg), and contestant commentary on four of the episodes (including the infamous 6th episode, featuring a conflict at a Tunisian airport, discussed by both Team Guido and Rob & Brennan -- don't worry, unless you're a big fan of the show that reference will be meaningless), how could I possibly resist?

I've already watched one episode of the DVD set, and the picture looks a lot clearer than the crappy-looking recording I'd saved of the original show. So out that goes.

Meantime, the new "Family Edition" of the show looks like an interesting change of pace: it kind of resembles a reality-show version of the vacations our family used to go on -- my Dad's motto being "Speed is good". One summer vacation we went from the San Francisco Bay Area to Salt Lake City in one day, having to get up before dawn to do it. We saw a lot of America, much of it a blur outside the car windows.