The Amazing Race 34 is the thirty-fourth season of the American reality competition show The Amazing Race. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, it featured twelve teams of two, each with a pre-existing relationship, competing in a race around the Euro-Mediterranean region to win US$1,000,000. This season visited three continents and eight countries and traveled over 11,000 miles (18,000km) during ten legs. Starting in Munich, racers traveled through Germany, Austria, Italy, Jordan, France, Spain, and Iceland before returning to the United States and finishing in Nashville. Much like the previous season, this season also used a chartered plane rather than commercial airlines to facilitate travel between countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New twists introduced in this season include the Scramble, where teams could perform the first leg's tasks in any order, and eliminating a team in every leg. The season premiered on CBS on September 21, 2022, and concluded on December 7, 2022.
Dating couple Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss (from Big Brother 23) were the winners of this season, while long-lost twins Emily Bushnell and Molly Sinert finished in second place, and married couple Luis Colon and Michelle Burgos finished in third place.
Production began on May 22, 2022, with the teams and filming crew departing from Los Angeles International Airport on a chartered Titan AirwaysBoeing 757, so as to reduce prolonged personal interactions associated with COVID-19 infections much like in the previous season.[1][2] Filming began on May 25, 2022, in Munich, Germany, making it the first time the American version started outside the United States.[3] On May 30, photographs were posted online of sightings in Bologna and Florence, Italy.[3]Jordan was visited for the first time in the entire franchise,[4] with teams racing through Petra on June 2.[5] On June 12, racers were spotted in Ronda, Spain, and the city's tourism office announced that the show had filmed there a day later.[6] Filming concluded in Tennessee in mid-June.[7]
This season originally planned to exclude non-elimination legs for the first time in franchise history.[8] However, after one team received a positive COVID-19 test and was removed from the race, the last team to arrive in the leg received the final departure time as a penalty at the beginning of the next leg.[9] The first leg of the season, announced as the series' 400th leg, featured "a game-changing element" called the Scramble, where teams were told the locations of all of the tasks that they had to complete at the start of the leg and could complete them in any order.[10][11]
Casting
Casting opened in mid-November 2021. Contestants were required to be fully vaccinated.[12]
Release
Broadcast
For a second season, teams traveled on a chartered plane for their flights.
On March 9, 2022, CBS renewed The Amazing Race for a thirty-fourth season set to air during the 2022–23 television season.[13] On June 23, 2022, CBS announced that the season would premiere on September 28, following the premiere of Survivor 43.[14] On October 5, the season began airing in the Wednesday 10:00pm time slot, following Survivor and The Real Love Boat. Starting on November 2, The Amazing Race was moved forward to the 9:00pm time slot when The Real Love Boat was shifted onto Paramount+.[15]
The cast included Big Brother 23 HouseGuests Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss,[18] former Los Angeles Rams cheerleader Quinton Peron, and former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan.[19] Rex Ryan was originally asked to compete with his twin brother, Rob Ryan, but the latter was unable to compete due to his work obligations with the Las Vegas Raiders.[20] Aubrey Ares and David Hernandez were not initially selected for the final cast, but were called to compete two hours before The Amazing Race started production.[21]
↑ This was a Mega Leg with two Roadblocks and two Detours shown over two episodes. The placements listed for the first half are the order of the teams' completion of the first Roadblock in Bologna.
↑ This was a Mega Leg with two Roadblocks and two Detours shown over two episodes. The placements listed for the first half are the order of the teams' completion of the first Detour in Málaga.
↑ Glenda & Lumumba arrived last at the Pit Stop, but were not eliminated because Abby & Will had already been removed from the race.
↑ Abby & Will were removed from the race prior to leg 5 after Will tested positive for COVID-19.[24]
↑ Rich & Dom initially arrived 8th, but had to go back and retrieve a hat that they had left in their car. Aubrey & David checked in during this time, dropping Rich & Dom to 9th.
Race summary
The route of The Amazing Race 34.
Destinations
Air travel Rail travel Water travel Bus travel Helicopter travel Bicycle travel Gondola travel
Teams set off from the Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, Germany. In the series' first Scramble, teams had to complete each of the following Oktoberfest tasks in any order so as to get three parts of a clue which, when assembled, directed them to the Pit Stop.
For the task at Luitpoldpark entitled Roll, teams had to roll a beer keg through an obstacle course within 55 seconds in order to receive a puzzle piece. If teams were unsuccessful, they had to wait out a two-minute penalty before making another attempt.[25]
For the task at the Seehaus Biergarten entitled Saw, teams had to use a two-man saw to saw completely through a log to the beat of Bavarian music in order to receive a puzzle piece.
For the season's first Roadblock at the Augustiner-Keller Biergarten entitled Smash, one team member had to use provided tools to free a puzzle piece from an ice block.
The three puzzle pieces fit together to form the shape of the Friedensengel and the written instructions directed teams to the Pit Stop there.
Additional note
This leg was announced as The Amazing Race's 400th leg.[26]
At the start of this leg, teams departed from the Friedensengel in groups 15 minutes apart based on the order of their arrival at the previous Pit Stop, and had to drive to Grünwalderhof in Patsch, Austria, in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to correctly sing three Alpine yodels in order to receive their next clue. Before beginning this task, both team members had to don traditional Austrian costumes, which they had to wear for the rest of the leg.
After the Roadblock, teams drove to the Marktplatz in Innsbruck in order to find their next clue.
This season's first Detour was a choice between Bells Ringin' or Partners Swingin'. In Bells Ringin', teams had to use Tyrolean bells to play a traditional Austrian folk song called "Tiroler Glockenklang" in order to receive their next clue. In Partners Swingin', teams had to correctly perform a traditional Austrian wedding dance in order to receive their next clue.
During the Pit Stop, teams were flown to Bologna, Italy, and began the next leg at the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca. Teams departed in groups 15 minutes apart based on the order of their arrival at the previous Pit Stop and had to drive to the Arco del Meloncello in order to find their next clue.
This leg's first Detour was a choice between Head of the Class or The Big Cheese. In Head of the Class, teams had to listen to an anatomy lecture from a sixteenth century instructor and then take an exam where they had to identify bones, muscles, and organs within 90 seconds in order to receive their next clue. In The Big Cheese, teams had to use a cart to transport an 88-pound (40kg) wheel of Parmesan to the Ristorante Diana, where a professional cheese cutter sliced the cheese in half. Teams then had to deliver half to each of two different restaurants, collect a receipt at each, and then return them to the fromagerie in order to receive their next clue.
After the first Detour, teams had to drive to the Ducati Factory, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to attach wheels, brakes, and body panels to a Ducati Panigale V4 in order to receive their next clue.
Episode summary (Episode 4)
After the first Roadblock, teams had to drive to Florence and find their next clue at the Villa Bardini.
In this leg's second Roadblock, one team member had to use the provided tools to remove plaster surrounding a sculpture in order to receive their next clue.
This leg's second Detour was a choice between Eye for Fashion or Window of Opportunity. In Eye for Fashion, teams had to find three fashion shoots taking place around the city, study the outfits, and then match outfit sketches with the locations of the shoots in order to receive their next clue. In Window of Opportunity, teams had to find three wine windows, pick up Tuscan soup, cured meats, and biscotti, and then deliver them to an outdoor trattoria in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Piazza Ognissanti.
Additional note
Leg 3 was a Mega Leg spread out over two episodes.
During the Pit Stop, teams were flown to Aqaba, Jordan. Once there, teams boarded an Ottoman Empire-era steam train that took them into the desert, where they watched a scene reminiscent of Lawrence of Arabia before receiving their next clue. Teams then departed in groups 15 minutes apart based on the order of their arrival at the previous Pit Stop, and were driven to their next clue in the Wadi Rum Desert.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to use a metal detector to search a movie set for a piece of "spaceship debris" that identified the location of their next clue: Petra.
After the Roadblock, teams were driven to Petra and found their next clue outside Al-Khazneh.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Camel Caravan or Palace Puzzle. In Camel Caravan, teams had to carry four bags of hay and water from a cistern to camels at a market in order to receive their next clue. In Palace Puzzle, teams had to complete a slide puzzle of the Palace Tomb in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Great Temple.
Leg 5 (Jordan)
One Detour option in Amman was located at the centuries-old Roman Theater.
Episode 6: "Step By Step" (October 26, 2022)
Prize: Reward points for a five-night trip for two to Barcelona, Spain (awarded to Luis & Michelle)
At the start of this leg, Phil Keoghan announced that Abby & Will had received a positive COVID-19 test and were therefore eliminated from The Amazing Race. Phil also announced that there would be no additional elimination at the end of this leg. Teams then departed simultaneously from the Amman Citadel and traveled on foot to the Maktabat Khizanat al-Jahith Bookstore, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Step By Step or Letter By Letter. In Step By Step, teams had to perform a Jordanian dance at the Roman Theater in order to receive their next clue. In Letter By Letter, teams had to memorize and recite the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet at the Odeon Theater in order to receive their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to assemble a cart called an earaba in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to bring their earaba to the Pit Stop at the Nymphaeum.
Leg 6 (Jordan → France)
During this leg in Dordogne, the land of 1,001 castles, racers rappelled down one of them: the Château de Commarque.
During the Pit Stop, teams were flown to Toulouse, France, and began the next leg at the Château de Beynac. Teams departed in groups 15 minutes apart based on the order of their arrival at the previous Pit Stop, and had to drive to the Château de Commarque in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to study the Commarque family tree, rappel 131 feet (40m) down an exterior wall of the Château de Commarque, and then match five names to their family crests in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to La Ferme de Turnac in Domme, where they found their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Walnut Cracker or Medieval Gamer. In Walnut Cracker, teams had to crack and press walnuts until they produced enough walnut oil to fill a container, after which they could receive their next clue. In Medieval Gamer, teams had to complete three medieval games in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Panorama in Domme.
At the start of this leg, teams departed from the Panorama in Domme in groups 15 minutes apart based on the order of their arrival at the previous Pit Stop, and had to drive to Stade Toulousain in Toulouse, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to perform a rugby training drill and then complete a drop kick in order to receive their next clue.
After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to the Couvent des Jacobins and find a musician playing a French horn, who had their next clue.
This leg's Detour was a choice between Say Six or Lay Bricks. In Say Six, teams had to find three poets, who each displayed and recited two verses of the poem "Demain dès l'aube" by Victor Hugo. Teams then had to recite the six verses to a judge in order to receive their next clue. In Lay Bricks, teams had to arrange bricks so as to recreate a sidewalk pattern in order to receive their next clue.
After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Pays d'Oc on the Canal de Brienne.
During the Pit Stop, teams were flown to Málaga, Spain, and began the next leg at the Castillo de Gibralfaro. Teams departed in groups 15 minutes apart based on the order of their arrival at the previous Pit Stop, and had to travel on foot to Plaza de la Merced in order to find their next clue.
In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to arrange six glass panels so as to recreate Pablo Picasso's Three Musicians in order to receive their next clue.
After the first Roadblock, teams had to travel by bicycle from the Málaga Cathedral to El Cubo, where they found their next clue.
This leg's first Detour was a choice between Fish Fry or Sailboat Supply. For both tasks, teams had to travel by bicycle to Playa El Palo. In Fish Fry, teams had to skewer and roast 18 sardines in order to create a local dish called espetos and receive their next clue. In Sailboat Supply, teams had to inflate a standup paddleboard and then deliver life vests and a cooler filled with ice to a yacht anchored offshore in order to receive their next clue.
After the first Detour, teams received a postcard depicting a particular view of their next location, which they had to figure out was the Puente Nuevo in Ronda.
Episode summary (Episode 10)
After driving to Ronda, teams had to find a tour guide holding the flag of Andalusia, who had their next clue.
This season's final Detour was a choice between Bend over Backwards or Dress for Success. In Bend over Backwards, teams had to assemble a Moorish brick arch in order to receive their next clue. In Dress for Success, teams had to accessorize a flamenco dancer so that she matched an onstage performer in order to receive their next clue.
After the second Detour, teams had to find a woodcarver with their next clue on the Paseo de Kazunori Yamauchi.
In this leg's second Roadblock, one team member had to walk across a tightrope suspended 300 feet (91m) above the El Tajo gorge and strung beneath the Puente Nuevo, select the clue marked with the flag of Andalusia, and then return across the tightrope to their partner.
The final clue of the leg instructed teams to find the Pit Stop "in between Ernest and Orson", and teams had to figure out that they needed to find Mirador de Ronda and the monuments to both Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles.
Additional note
Leg 8 was a Mega Leg spread out over two episodes.
During the Pit Stop, teams were flown to Reykjavík, Iceland. Teams then traveled by helicopter to the Sólheimajökull Glacier and began the leg in groups 15 minutes apart based on the order of their arrival at the previous Pit Stop. There, both team members had to climb the glacier and retrieve the flag of Iceland – – in order to receive their next clue. Teams then had to drive to the Fljótshlíðarfoss, where they found their next clue.
In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to rappel100 feet (30m) into a cave, retrieve their next clue, and then navigate down a river through a canyoneering course in order to reunite with their partner.
After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to the Silfra Fissure, where they had to don snorkeling gear, memorize fourteen Icelandic volcanoes and their years of eruption while swimming in the fissure, and then match the names of the volcanoes with the correct year of eruption. When they were correct, a volcanologist revealed the location of the Pit Stop: the Gullfoss in Hrunamannahreppur.
Additional note
Icelandic-American actor Ólafur Darri Ólafsson appeared as the Pit Stop greeter in this leg.
Leg 10 (Iceland → United States)
Teams traveled to Nashville, Tennessee for the final leg of The Amazing Race 34.
Episode 12: "The Only Leg That Matters" (December 7, 2022)
During the Pit Stop, teams were flown to Nashville, Tennessee, and began the final leg simultaneously at the Jack Daniel's Distillery. There, one team member had to properly label and tag thirty bottles of Jack Daniel'sTennessee whiskey before placing them on a conveyor belt. If the bottles were approved, the other team member had to pack them into boxes in order to receive their next clue, which instructed teams to drive to the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge in order to find their next clue.
In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to climb to the top of the bridge, retrieve a Gibson Garage guitar pick, and then rappel back down to their partner.
After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to Gibson Garage and receive their next clue from season 22 and season 24 contestants Caroline Cutbirth and Jennifer Wayne, which instructed them to deliver one Gibson guitar to each of three different honky-tonks on Broadway in order to receive tickets to the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. There, teams learned that they had to press keys on a floor piano, which revealed images, until they found the eleven notes that displayed images they had seen during the previous nine legs, and then play them in chronological order within 11 seconds. If teams played the notes in the correct order, they received their final clue directing them to the finish line: the "Mother Church of Country Music", which they had to figure out was the Ryman Auditorium.
The Amazing Race 34 received mixed reviews. Andy Dehnart of reality blurred wrote that "it's been one of the most enjoyable seasons of The Amazing Race ever, in that the teams were just so fun to watch" and that that season "was a lot of fun overall: it had some weak legs and repetition, but also some exceptional challenges."[27] Mark Blankenship of Primetimer wrote that "Season 34 of The Amazing Race is great not only because of what's in the competition, but also because of what isn't. For the first time, the producers have removed non-elimination legs, which has created some of the most nail-biting episodes in years."[28] Mack Rawden of CinemaBlend wasn't positive towards the removal of non-elimination legs due to it removing tension in the episodes.[29] Joshua Schonfeld of Screen Rant wrote that the COVID-19 protocols made the show easier compared to other seasons.[30] In 2024, Rhenn Taguiam of Game Rant ranked this season 23rd out of 36.[31]
Ratings
U.S. Nielsen ratings
Viewership and ratings per episode of The Amazing Race 34
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