[TV] Race across the world

[bluenitsuj]

I noticed we got the famous " Lost Money Belt " scenario out fairly quickly this series .... This is a familiar trope as it gives an episode a real kick up the arse as this " Could be The End of our Journey!!!!!" as we are usually reminded.

The first few episodes were a chance for China to show off its charms and modern efficient rail system and hotels and sights and nothing was going to be allowed to ruin the idyll. So, our hapless traveller goes running back full tilt to the hotel, film crew trailing in his wake... a brief chat at reception... " Yes yes go up and look " ....ah no money belt !!!! " I left it here, by this chair ! ".... but, maybe the cleaner knows something ?... oh yes, salvation........ The underpaid hardworking cleaning lady had picked up the money belt, not recognised it as being anything important and put it into her rubbish bag. She surprised herself by "finding it " still containing all the cash in her black bin bag. No doubt the Chinese security detail that would have been supervising the filming could relax in the knowledge that the good name of China as a destination and, indeed their jobs were secure, although the Chinese cleaning lady and her hard working family missed out on a jackpot.

But other than that, are you enjoying it

 

[Arthur]

Been avoiding this thread as I've been several episodes behind. I used the bank holiday weekend to fully catch up.

Agree with some of the comments on this thread. Leaving the money belt behind seems to be a box ticker every season and clearly the teams are spoon fed a route to go but again that's probably been the case since series one. If you can look past that then it's been an enjoyable series so far and I've completely changed my mind on teams as the series has progressed.

That first half of the first episode where we got to meet the teams I thought there is nothing likable about any of the teams. I predicted the plummy mother son combo and the two brothers would be the two teams that would get my goat the most. As it's worked out it's difficult to split them as to who I want to win.

First couple to go the last season we had the mother and daughter who were just too nice. The season before it was the two brothers who were useless who got knocked out first. The married couple didn't strike me as useless, maybe lacking a bit of urgency but I think they were probably just a bit unlucky.

The sisters were probably my initial favourites but that has changed as the series has gone on. I'm not sure if that is there fault or not but it just strikes me as the directors are desperate to create a backstory that doesn't really exist. The older one got to 18 and buggered off travelling and it sounds like the younger one did the same thing. They are banging this drum about them losing the family home but they are clearly not on the breadline. Also hardly surprising they aren't that close with a 6 or 7 year age difference and they've both been living in different parts of the world. That said the directors do like to keep nuggets of the back story back, the young lads cerebral palsy for example.

The Welsh kids are probably the most annoying of those left. He seems have the patience of a saint but she just loves a whinge. I know they are young and should get a bit of slack but her outburst in the last episode "why does it only happen to us" after her histrionics because it was a bit noisy put me off her. I think they will run out of money before the end.

The two brothers just come across and two likeable blokes. I wanted to hate them as I thought I could see how it was going to go with the younger one having travelled for business and probably enjoyed a decent standard on living whilst doing so. But he's thrown himself into it and it's genuinely nice to see them having a laugh together.

The mother and son I thought would be similar to the mother and daughter in the last series but far from it. She has thrown herself right into it and I think they complement each other really well. Again parts of the backstory seem hard to believe, if you got expelled for smoking weed at my school then they wouldn't have had any pupils left. I also have to ignore the fact he still calls her mummy.

It's easy watching and some of the places they've been especially in China have been breathtakingly beautiful so even if the contestants and the show is pissing you off it's still worth just for the scenery.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Again parts of the backstory seem hard to believe, if you got expelled for smoking weed at my school then they wouldn't have had any pupils left.

This is pretty easy to understand (and believe) in context of it being a posh public school.

They will inevitably be very protective of their results tables. If they have a kid who is struggling academically, as this lad seemingly was, then they'll jump at the chance to chuck them out just before their GCSEs. If he'd been predicted nine A-stars (or whatever they call them now), then I've suggest he'd had got a very stern ticking off, and a final chance.

(That or Daddy would have had to buy the school a new library or something).

 

[Arthur]

This is pretty easy to understand (and believe) in context of it being a posh public school.

They will inevitably be very protective of their results tables. If they have a kid who is struggling academically, as this lad seemingly was, then they'll jump at the chance to chuck them out just before their GCSEs. If he'd been predicted nine A-stars (or whatever they call them now), then I've suggest he'd had got a very stern ticking off, and a final chance.

(That or Daddy would have had to buy the school a new library or something).

Fair point but wouldn't he have just gone to the local state school to finish his exams?

I have also been wondering how he's gets on with work with his plummy accent and only one fully working hand. Can't imagine your average builder would be overly sensitive about either.

I feel slightly bad having a dig at him because he comes across as a really nice lad if a bit of a mummys boy. And as I said at the moment it's between them and the brothers who I want/think will win.

 

[Pavilionaire]

It's good to see the posh mother finally doing some work in her hitherto indolent life - better late the never.

The old fellas are quite entertaining, although in the back of my mind I think they're capable of going 'full Brexit' at any moment. The two sisters are awfully dull.

As for the Welsh kids, she is a naive blubber with nothing much about her, but he is quite impressive and held it together when they were lost, being ripped off by the taxi driver and she was freaking out.

I was rooting for Gary and Yin, and the prospect of a victory marital reunion, but they were so useless at this game I'm not surprised the marriage failed. Gary would get lost walking from the bathroom to the bedroom, she'd get fed up waiting for him, which is - on reflection - probably why she left him.

The takeaway from this series is how beautiful China was, and how friendly the people were. The cynic in me wonders if the only way the Chinese authorities agreed to filming was if they had some editorial input. And the editing and production of this show is exceptional, as good as it gets.

 

[PeterT]

It's good to see the posh mother finally doing some work in her hitherto indolent life - better late the never.

The old fellas are quite entertaining, although in the back of my mind I think they're capable of going 'full Brexit' at any moment. The two sisters are awfully dull.

As for the Welsh kids, she is a naive blubber with nothing much about her, but he is quite impressive and held it together when they were lost, being ripped off by the taxi driver and she was freaking out.

I was rooting for Gary and Yin, and the prospect of a victory marital reunion, but they were so useless at this game I'm not surprised the marriage failed. Gary would get lost walking from the bathroom to the bedroom, she'd get fed up waiting for him, which is - on reflection - probably why she left him.

The takeaway from this series is how beautiful China was, and how friendly the people were. The cynic in me wonders if the only way the Chinese authorities agreed to filming was if they had some editorial input. And the editing and production of this show is exceptional, as good as it gets.

China was very much sanitised on this programme, based on a few trips there from the early 90s onwards. At the very least, they needed to show someone spitting on the pavement and someone smiling at you with teeth that could eat an apple through a tennis racquet! No doubt the country has many stunning sites and friendly people, we have definitely focused on those!

 

[bhafc99]

Watching the sisters trying to have a basic interesting conversation between them is hard enough, never mind the strained attempts to create some kind of narrative out of ‘we’re not that close anymore’.

The brother who’s trundling a full suitcase on wheels along - no backpack for him- is just great TV, a really likable bloke, and he and his brother are fun to watch.

 

[vegster]

I suspect it was not that it was "too difficult" but more that it was impossible to get permission/visas to film in the part of the world they dodged. Not everyone wants their beautiful vistas / creaking infrastructure showcased on TV across the world, and some countries are reluctant to let in broadcasters with a reputation for asking difficult questions, even if the programme is a bit of fluff about missing buses and finding yourself. I'm amazed and impressed that they managed to cover China and India at all - these are not easy places to travel to in a media capacity.

The Tibet issue is very sensitive for China, they are trying to destroy an entire culture and its history and absorb it as a region of China. Lots of nice shiny trains and skyscrapers on display, no talk of political prisoners...

 

[stewart12]

Would love to be a researcher on this program. I'm gathering that they create 2 or 3 set routes per leg and must have to hook up with a load of work opportunities along each bit. Great fun

 

[Badger]

Would love to be a researcher on this program. I'm gathering that they create 2 or 3 set routes per leg and must have to hook up with a load of work opportunities along each bit. Great fun

I always wonder how it works with train and bus tickets. I assume they are always going to need at least an extra ticket or two for the camera operator and possibly some security. When they say there are no bus/train tickets available, does it actually mean they don't have four together? It's no wonder they didn't get on those packed third class carriages in India!

I assume the rest of the production staff just have a fleet of vehicles to drive between the destinations.