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The Amazing Race has always stood out as a show that celebrates the strength of partnerships, where each duo must navigate unfamiliar territories, overcome language barriers, and solve challenges using only their own skills. But in recent seasons, something has changed. Strategic alliances between multiple teams—once rare and fleeting—have now become a recurring part of the game.
In The Amazing Race season 37, episode 8, which aired on April 23, 2025, we saw how a cipher puzzle in Bulgaria prompted teams to work together. Similarly, in season 35, the U-Turn Vote turned into a tool for group alliances to influence eliminations.
Disclaimer: This article about The Amazing Race is based on the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.
While alliances might seem logical from a survival standpoint, they undercut what makes the race so engaging: a level playing field where every team fights its own battle. In my opinion, these alliances are starting to hurt The Amazing Race more than help it. They lead to groupthink, reduce tension, and can unfairly tip the scales against teams who want to play independently.
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The show thrives when teams race against each other, not with each other—and it's time to reevaluate how much cooperation the format should allow.
Teamwork should be within pairs, not across them in The Amazing Race
The essence of The Amazing Race is rooted in how well two people, often with different personalities, work together under pressure. The minute you add external alliances to that equation, the uniqueness of the competition begins to fade.
In The Amazing Race season 37, episode 8, teams were faced with a cipher challenge in Bulgaria. What should have been a test of each team’s problem-solving turned into a collective effort, with teams clustering together and sharing solutions.
Erika and Melinda, who misread the clue and didn’t receive help from others, were ultimately eliminated, raising the question of whether alliances create an uneven playing field. This pattern isn't new. Throughout The Amazing Race history, we’ve seen teams waiting for others at Roadblocks or sharing directions during self-drive legs.
While this might look like kindness or good sportsmanship, it often comes at the expense of genuine, earned success. Teams that do the legwork alone are punished, while those leaning on group efforts cruise ahead. At its core, the show is about how each team functions, not how well groups of strangers can build a temporary coalition.
If alliances continue to shape outcomes, we risk losing the central narrative of growth, trust, and resilience between individual teammates.
Groupthink has made Detours less exciting
Detours used to highlight something powerful—how teams made split-second decisions that could make or break their leg. But now, groupthink has taken over. When alliances are in play, most teams just follow the majority instead of choosing what suits them best.
In The Amazing Race season 35, alliances played a significant role during the U-Turn Vote twist. Strong teams were often targeted not because of how they performed, but because alliances saw them as threats. This led to a popularity-based system rather than one grounded in skill or performance.
Even the Detours themselves are affected. Instead of weighing pros and cons, teams simply go with what the others are doing. In season 37, episode 10, the head-to-head water jousting challenge in Strasbourg gave an upper hand to teams that arrived in a pack. They could strategize their matchups, giving each other easy wins while isolated teams had to face stronger opponents.
When Detours and Roadblocks turn into cooperative efforts, they lose their excitement. There’s no surprise, no tension, no risk. And the fun of seeing two people debate, disagree, and then figure it out? That disappears.
In my opinion, the show needs to protect the autonomy of its challenges. Let the racers race, and leave the teamwork where it belongs—within the team.
Catch the latest episodes of The Amazing Race, currently streaming on CBS.
