The Go! Teams

The Amazing Race returns to CBS tonight with a two hour premiere and the only thing I can say about it, without spoiling anything, is that it's back to the same old Race that fans know and love.

After a tragic experiment with teams of four for the "family edition," which took place primarily in North America, the show is back to its classic teams-of-two-traveling-all-over-the-world format. And for its ninth edition the Race has loaded up on Big Personality teams including likely fan favorites BJ & Tyler ("the hippies") and Lori & Dave ("the nerd lovers"). There's also the token eye candy (Dani & Danielle, "the double Ds"), the token old folks (Fran & Barry), the token gay team (Scott & John, best friends but not partners), the token couple of color (Ray & Yolanda), the token older ladies (slightly obnoxious sisters Joni & Lisa) and the token overbearing, ultra-competitive husband (Southern dentist Lake, whose wife, Michelle, was also his dental assistant). My favorite team, at least for the first episode, was the mother/daughter team of Wanda & Desiree, but there are a few teams here who might be worth rooting for.

I won't say who they are, but neither the first place nor the last place team tonight is very surprising. But it's fun to see the show back in its proper form and in position to reclaim its title as TV's Best Reality Show.