The crossover season, with a pair of returning Survivor players folded into the lineup and CBS leaning into the publicity. Ratings climbed sharply across the spring, and the route ran through South America, southern Africa and back across the Pacific. The casting around the headliners runs deep on regional pairings the audience already recognized. Phil Keoghan works the pit stops with sharper edges. This is the season that moved the show from cult favorite to network anchor.
Slot #01 of 38 in the The Amazing Race Editor's Canon. The seasons on either side show what I ranked it against.