I believe The Amazing Race’s ‘Fork in the Road’ twist is creating more chaos than competition
**Disclaimer: This article about The Amazing Race is based on the writer’s opinion. Reader discretion is advised.**
The Amazing Race Season 37 introduced a significant new twist this year—the “Fork in the Road.” First seen in the premiere episode titled “Double the Stakes, Double the Eliminations,” which aired on March 5, 2025, the twist forces teams to choose between two separate routes, each with its own tasks and a limited number of advancement spots.
Teams must make this choice blindly, without knowing which option will be faster or easier. I believe The Amazing Race’s “Fork in the Road” twist is creating more chaos than competition. While it aims to increase suspense and challenge decision-making, it often disrupts the merit-based nature of the show.
Success in these legs has hinged more on chance than skill, with some strong teams penalized for simply picking the wrong path. Although the twist has not appeared in every episode, its impact on the season’s format has been notable. In the premiere, it directly led to a double elimination.
In my opinion, while the twist adds pressure and unpredictability, it also shifts the focus away from racing ability and teamwork—two elements that have traditionally defined the spirit of the show.
The Fork in the Road twist puts luck ahead of strategy in The Amazing Race
In my opinion, The Amazing Race’s “Fork in the Road” twist alters the nature of competition by making key outcomes hinge on guesswork rather than performance. Teams were presented with two unknown paths—each leading to the Pit Stop—but without any indication of the tasks involved.
Once a team made their choice, they were locked in, and only the fastest team on each route advanced without further penalty. Others risked elimination regardless of how well they performed overall.
One racer noted during the episode that the decision came down to guessing and hoping for the best. Another remarked that there was no way to know if the task ahead would be physical, mental, or both. In my opinion, this format reduces the value of preparation, communication, and execution—elements that typically define the race’s most consistent teams.
While the twist does introduce suspense, it also shifts the race toward unpredictability in a way that weakens the strategic integrity of the show.
The twist risked sidelining consistent teams for the sake of shock outcomes
During the first leg of the season, teams were divided between two Detours—Dance and Sing—with the last to finish on each path eliminated. Mark and Larry were the final team to complete the Dance task, and Jackye and Lauren were the last to arrive from the Sing route.
Both teams were eliminated, despite completing their respective tasks and navigating the rest of the leg alongside other competitors. Several contestants expressed frustration over how the twist played out. One acknowledged that choosing between Detours felt like a gamble, not a strategic move.
The tasks—performing a lion dance or singing in a Cantonese opera—differed in difficulty depending on the team’s strengths, but there was no way to evaluate that before choosing. In my opinion, while twists can raise the stakes, this version of “Fork in the Road” punished teams for decisions made without context. It introduced risk not through racing, but through blind selection.
That unpredictability may serve the drama, but it makes the outcome feel less earned—moving the show further from a test of racing ability and closer to chance-driven television.
While The Amazing Race season 37 continues to push its format in new directions, I believe twists like the “Fork in the Road” must be used carefully. When surprise overrides strategy, even the most capable teams can be sent home without faltering on the race itself. The show’s challenge now is to maintain tension—without losing its competitive core.
Watch the latest episodes of The Amazing Race available to stream on CBS.
