The Amazing Race – Season 36

By: Sammi Turano

The season 36 premiere of The Amazing Race begins in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Thirteen teams are vying for the win and a chance to make it to the end.

We meet a few teams in the beginning: Sean and Michelle, who are husband and wife, twins Anthony and Bailey, father and daughter Chris and Mary and Amber and Vinny who are dating.

Joining them are Amber and Vinny, who are also dating, best friends Juan and Shane, girlfriends Yvonne and Melissa and siblings Maya and Rohan.

There are no non-elimination legs this season, making the race even more intense. Phil Keoghan teases that they will see two never-before-visited countries this season.

The race begins! The teams head towards several cars, which contain the first clue. On the way, Chris slips and falls.

The teams race downtown, where the next clue awaits. As they race, we meet the remaining teams, which include boyfriends Ricky and Cesar, cousins Kishori and Karishma, mother and son Angie and Danny and married couples Rod and Leticia and Derek and Shelisa.

DETOUR! Pick Em Up has them transport rocking horses down a cobblestone street, while Pin Em Down has them do a memory challenge with luchador masks.

Ricky and Cesar are the first to get the clue and choose Pin Em Down, along with Rod and Leticia. Yvonne and Melissa opt for the other Detour, as do Anthony and Bailey.

Maya and Rohan and Juan and Shane are behind, with the former getting lost on the way.

Ricky and Cesar struggle with the detour, as do Rod and Leticia.

Derek and Shelisa choose Pick Em Up, while Kishori and Karishma choose Pin Em Down.

Maya and Rohan continue to fall behind while lost on the way to the detour.

Ricky and Cesar and Rod and Leticia complete the detour and are neck and neck, with Kishori and Karishma not too far behind.

Juan and Shane finally arrive and choose the Pick Em Up detour, along with Angie and Danny, Michelle and Sean and Sunny and Bizzy, whom we finally get to meet, along with Chris and Mary, who are shut out of the Pick Em Up detour. They must do the Pin Em Down one. Juan and Shane also end up being forced to do that detour since they are also shut out.

Maya and Rohan are still lost and finally realize they went in the wrong direction. They finally arrive and do the Pin Em Down detour.

Roadblock! Once the detours are completed, they have to do a lasso challenge, where they must jump through seven rope loops without touching the rope…..while dressed in a hat and handkerchief.

Rod and Leticia finish first and head to Plaza de los Arcos del Malecon for the Pit Stop.

One by one, the teams complete the detours and do the roadblock. Cesar and Ricky are hot on Rod and Leticia’s heels, with Derek and Shelisa and Kishori and Karishma not too far behind. However, the latter must start over since they are not properly dressed in costume.

Rod and Leticia arrive to the Pit Stop first, but they are still racing and get another clue. Ricky and Cesar are right behind and also get the clue.

Back at the roadblock, Sean struggles while Karishma and Kishori and Yvonne and Danny finish.

Amber and Danny get lost.

Anthony and Bailey arrive and finish quickly, as do Sunny and Bizzy. The other teams are struggling to catch up.

Karishma and Kishori and Juan and Shane arrive next.

The other teams continue to work on the roadblock.

The teams continue to arrive at the Pit Stop as they finish, but it is the end of the road for Maya and Rohan.

Pit Stop!

1.        Rod and Leticia

2.        Ricky and Cesar

3.        Derek and Shelisa

4.        Juan and Shane

5.        Michelle and Sean

6.        Yvonne and Melissa

7.        Angie and Danny

8.        Anthony and Bailey

9.        Sunny and Bizzy

10.   Kishori and Karishma

11.   Chris and Mary

12.   Amber and Vinny

13.   Maya and Rohan—eliminated