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**Disclaimer: This article about The Amazing Race is based on the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.**
The Amazing Race season 37 has featured its fair share of standout teams, but none have stirred as much debate as Jonathan and Ana Towns. The married couple has remained in the race through Leg 10, even finishing first in that leg. Despite their performance, much of the conversation online has centered around Jonathan’s behavior, and not in a good way.
From the early stages of the race, Jonathan’s treatment of Ana has drawn concern from viewers. His curt remarks, visible frustration, and lack of patience have become recurring moments in episodes. While tension under pressure is understandable, many fans felt his actions crossed a line.
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During one leg, Jonathan called Ana a “terrible partner” after a navigation issue. In another moment, he told her to “stop crying” when she was clearly upset. These weren’t just small arguments—they shaped how many people saw the team.
In my opinion, Ana’s journey deserves a lot more credit in The Amazing Race. She has stayed calm, strong, and focused in every leg of the race. But instead of being noticed for that, her efforts often get buried under Jonathan’s behavior. And that, to me, is really frustrating.
Ana kept showing up, but Jonathan’s behavior kept stealing the spotlight on The Amazing Race
In episode 7, titled Be One with the Hay which aired on April 16, 2025, Jonathan and Ana continued racing in Sofia, Bulgaria, where they faced a Detour that required a key decision. After arriving at the village of Osoitsa, they were given a choice between Haystack and Woodstack. Ana suggested they try Haystack, a task where teams had to dig through piles of hay to find a red and white adornment.
Jonathan agreed, but as the task grew difficult, he became frustrated and repeatedly criticized Ana’s choice. In my opinion, this moment reflected a recurring pattern in their dynamic—Ana making calm and thoughtful decisions, and Jonathan responding with negativity the moment things didn’t go as planned.
Although they had made the Detour decision together, Jonathan called it a “bad call” and placed the blame on Ana in The Amazing Race. Despite the pressure, Ana kept working steadily and eventually found the adornment. As they moved on to the next part of the leg, another challenge arose—their car got stuck in a ditch on the way to Snezha's Farm.
Jonathan expressed his frustration again, saying, “I just can’t win, man.” While fellow racers Brett and Mark tried to help push the vehicle, Jonathan eventually told them to “just go.” Locals later stepped in with ropes and wooden boards and successfully pulled the car out.
In my opinion, this episode showed how Ana consistently maintained focus under stress, but her efforts were continually overshadowed by Jonathan’s behavior. Even though they finished third in the leg, Ana’s role in keeping the team together rarely got the recognition it deserved.
Even when they performed well, Jonathan’s tone still made Ana’s journey harder in The Amazing Race
In episode 8 of The Amazing Race season 37, that aired on April 23, 2025, Jonathan and Ana took on a new leg in Sofia, Bulgaria. This time, the tasks were especially intense, as teams had to decode Cyrillic script, complete a traditional folk dance, and follow strict rules—like not using taxis. Despite these conditions, Jonathan and Ana performed well.
They cracked the cipher challenge by correctly flipping the decoding tool at the library, which revealed the English translation and allowed them to move ahead. In my opinion, this leg showed just how capable the team is when they work together calmly.
They even used their knowledge to help Alyssa and Josiah during the challenge, showing a level of sportsmanship and strategy that could have easily defined their story this season. However, as the episode progressed, the tension between them returned. Ana took on the Roadblock, which required learning and performing a traditional Bulgarian folk dance.
She completed the task on her first try and didn’t falter once. But even then, Jonathan’s tone during their transitions between tasks came off as impatient. At moments when small errors happened, like in navigation or coordination, he appeared to place blame on Ana rather than treating their missteps as shared.
In my opinion, even when Ana delivered under pressure, Jonathan’s lack of positive reinforcement made their success feel less like a team win and more like an uphill battle. They finished third again, proving they are a strong team, but it’s hard to ignore how Ana’s calm execution is repeatedly overshadowed by Jonathan’s attitude in stressful moments.
The Amazing Race finale episode is set to air on May 15, 2025, on CBS.
