The season premiere of The Amazing Race 35 airs tonight on CBS. Read a live recap here.
The race kicks off beneath the iconic Hollywood Sign with thirteen teams ready to compete. This season’s teams include father-and-son Rob & Corey (Rob is deaf); engaged couple Joe & Ian; sisters Morgan & Lena; brothers Liam & Yeremi; siblings Alexandra & Sheridan; friends Andrea & Malaina; married high school sweethearts Todd & Ashlie; mother and daughter Elizabeth & Iliana; brothers Greg & John; married couple Jocelyn & Victor; best friends Joel & Garrett; best friends Robbin & Chelsea; and father-and-daughter Steve & Anna Leigh.
Teams must drive themselves to the Hollywood Historic Hotel for the first Roadblock. One member crosses a tightrope and then unscrambles a word puzzle to receive the next clue. The first groups to arrive at the hotel are Joe & Ian, Greg & John, and Andrea & Malaina; their teams send Joe, Greg, and Andrea to tackle the Roadblock. Other teams arrive soon after, including Robbin & Chelsea, Rob & Corey, Todd & Ashlie, and Jocelyn & Victor. Alexandra & Sheridan and Elizabeth & Iliana are delayed in traffic and fall behind.
As more teams begin the tightrope challenge, Greg solves the puzzle first. The letters spell out “City of Angels,” and his clue directs him to fly to Bangkok, Thailand. He receives his clue from last season’s winners Derek & Claire and heads straight for LAX with John. Several other teams begin or complete the Roadblock, and Rob solves the puzzle on his own to grab a later clue.
Teams cooperate and compete as they try to decode the puzzle, with Todd offering to let others cut in line if they share the answer. Eventually everyone figures out “City of Angels” and races to Los Angeles International Airport, hoping to secure seats on the first flight to Bangkok. Only the first six teams—Greg & John, Rob & Corey, Jocelyn & Victor, Todd & Ashlie, Andrea & Malaina, and Morgan & Lena—make the initial flight.
Arriving in Bangkok, teams are directed to a giant golden Buddha at Wat Paknam. Morgan & Lena find the clue box first and move on to Wat Suthat. Before departing, they and the teams that arrive shortly after have the opportunity to compete for an Express Pass by finding a vendor and each eating a plate of fried insects. Morgan & Lena complete the challenge first and earn the Express Pass; once claimed, the pass is no longer available to the remaining teams.
Jocelyn & Victor and Rob & Corey are the first to board longtail boats and head to Wat Suthat, where they learn the Detour: Sword Play or Spa Day. Sword Play requires performing a 30-second choreographed routine with swords; Spa Day asks teams to endure a 30-minute Thai massage that may be uncomfortable. Most early teams choose Spa Day; Andrea & Malaina initially pick Sword Play.
The Spa Day teams push through a tough thirty minutes, with Jocelyn & Victor completing it first and checking in at the Pit Stop, Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat, to claim first place and a trip to Patagonia. Rob & Corey follow as second. Morgan & Lena and Greg & John finish Spa Day next, while Todd & Ashlie nearly have to restart after a mid-massage pause cost them time. Andrea & Malaina struggle with their Sword Play attempt, fail on the first try, and decide to switch to the Spa Day instead.
Other teams arrive and face decisions. Elizabeth & Iliana get lost while looking for the Spa Day area, placing them in danger of elimination. When they finally reach the spa, all stations are occupied and they must wait. Alexandra & Sheridan and Joe & Ian attempt Sword Play; Joe & Ian complete the routine, but Alexandra & Sheridan struggle through multiple failed attempts before finally succeeding.
As the leg draws to a close, Todd & Ashlie check in fifth. Steve & Anna Leigh and Joel & Garrett follow, taking sixth and seventh places respectively. Liam & Yeremi, Joe & Ian, Andrea & Malaina, and Robbin & Chelsea arrive next. With no non-elimination legs this season, the last two teams face elimination: Elizabeth & Iliana and Alexandra & Sheridan. In a surprising twist, Elizabeth & Iliana check in twelfth and avoid elimination, while Alexandra & Sheridan are eliminated. They leave graciously, expressing no regrets and gratitude for the experience.
Episode Summary
1st place: Jocelyn & Victor
2nd place: Rob & Corey
3rd place: Greg & John
4th place: Morgan & Lena
5th place: Todd & Ashlie
6th place: Steve & Anna Leigh
7th place: Joel & Garrett
8th place: Liam & Yeremi
9th place: Joe & Ian
10th place: Andrea & Malaina
11th place: Robbin & Chelsea
12th place: Elizabeth & Iliana
Eliminated: Alexandra & Sheridan
That concludes the season premiere of The Amazing Race 35. Thanks for reading—check back next week for another recap.