I have a soft spot for The Amazing Race. Heck, I have a soft spot for travel shows in general. I love watching how the pairs interact between themselves and also what they do when they are dropped in a really foreign place and have to find a way to negotiate their way around. I think, in general, the casting is well chosen. There seems to be a minimum of casting people because they'd be assholes and stir up drama. I also like it because, in general, those that do well do so because they are nice and cooperate (damn, that makes me sound like a hippie) - so again it minimizes the asshole factor.

Travel under normal circumstances, in my experience, seems to put people at their worst and their best, often simultaneously. I think the show, which adds an incredible amount of stress and sleep-dep to it, captures that really well.

Oh, and Phil (the host) has the best job ever. I seriously want to steal it from him.