Race Across The World - Series 3

[LindorDoubleChoc]

This starts Wednesday week on BBC1 (22 March).

Anyone want to join me on a thread about it? I saw some episodes of the previous two series but didn't watch them all and am kicking myself about it now because it really is such an interesting and beautifully shot reality series.

So am going to watch the whole of the next one - this time in Canada!

On a different subject, I've noticed that one of Zainib's earrings is a little cross. I'm wondering why a Muslim person would wear this symbol? It's not a criticism, just a question. I know that Jesus is regarded as a prophet in Islam, perhaps that's why? Or maybe she just liked the design?.

I've finally caught up and come on here to find out what posters here think about Kevin and Claudia - as I knew you lot wouldn't disappoint! Kevin in my view is a self-centred man child. He wants a relationship with his daughter only in as much as he wants a young person to look up to and admire him as a strong, capable and hardworking father figure - which he isn't. Every boastful thing he says about himself from being able to speak French to his pub business being successful to his great sense of direction and master plan for winning the race is just so much narcissistic bullshit rather than having any basis in reality. He has no ability to connect with and care for his daughter as a person. Even taking the taxis "for her benefit" is almost certainly him doing what he wants to do for himself and using her to justify it. Can you tell I really don't like him 😂.

I feel sorry for Claudia. No she isn't coming across very well but that's probably because she really did want to get to know her father to establish a relationship with him. Now she finds out what an absolute knob he is and she's so disappointed. She's basically on this race by herself with no emotional support except for a little bit from Monique on the train. She has lost her grandparents, the only people who really ever cared for her, and now with Kevin she has come to realise how truly alone she is.

Love all the other contestants and I'm quite enjoying seeing Canada although agreed this season isn't as good as the first two.

I agree that Kevin and Claudia aren't coming across as well as the others as a pair but I'd love to know how much has been manipulated by the editing. Obviously all the stuff shown has been said/done but I'm still curious about what has been left out.

Just caught up on this thread. I agree with most of it. I have found the routes impossible to follow, find the single transport options frustrating, and the endless car sharing unexciting.

Kevin reminds me of my own father, and it’s chauvinism. He might pay lip service to some more modern ideas but basically he is the man, he shouldn’t be challenged, his daughter should defer to him and appreciate his wisdom. I try very hard to think about editing but some of it is just so familiar. My own behaviour around him always degenerated into a sort of stroppy teen too.

I find it really hard to watch the friends sometimes because the amount of times they are given a harder time because they are neither men nor attractive young women reminds me of how I often feel day to day. I’m a similar age and it is so obvious to me that they get that bit less attention/kindness that creates issues for them when so much of this series is getting by on things like that. I wish we’d been able to see them in action in a series where your decisions about routes ans options mattered more. I have no idea if they’d have stormed it but it would have felt like more of a level playing field.

@Leftoverssandwich Oh, I agree wholeheartedly with what you say, so right and intuitive.

I was not even goin to watch this series after Ep. 1, as pathetically, I DO have a father (as well - I think many of us do) very much like Kevin (even looks like him a bit), and he and I have far less of a relationship for some of the same reasons. My heart broke for her when he snapped at her in the taxi very early on. I can see that she had hopes that tehir relatiuonshiop might be built from the very small and weak foundation that they had - but it takes two - and he is The Man, and feels that he has to do very little, and yet wants to snap at her in the way that a more present father might .... and he should not get away with it.

In contrast, the other father daughter has greater history and basis for true support and love.

I don't know which is harder to watch....
(for me personally)
So I focus more on the friends, and am rooting for them to win.

In addition, my father and family/ies live in Canada, but the teams have only just reached his his province (Quebec) and of course, it is very big. But, as he "often" reminds me, they are about 20km from Montreal, so I was hoping they would not need to go near the small town in which he resides, although certainly one of my brothers lives and works in Montreal itself.

(I have never been to visit. Years ago, my father suggested he and I drive across (part of) the US. Nope - Learnt my lesson from NZ.)

Years ago, when my daughter was in Canada, my father - who she had met only one - said that she should go and visit him; she was in or near to Toronto - so I thought it would be a long journey. And yes, by UK standards, it would have been, but it looks as though it would just be one train for her to have caught.

Nevertheless, my father does not move an inch towards someone, no matter who they are - anyone must travel to him (again - a bit of Kevin), but still cannot manage to be at an airport or train to meet me anyone.

And I agree, the means of travel has been a bit same-same to watch, and I really do dislike it when they all end up on the same coach or whatever; obviously, a lead has been lost, and it feels a bit futile to have worked so hard, but of course, they cannot know that in the moment.

Really want Zainab and Mobeen to win as they seem a true partnership and hopefully they’ll get a miracle baby too. Think Monique has matured and her and Ladi have a good father/daughter relationship. I do agree that if the routes were more varied then Cathie and Tricia would have done better so far as the bus towards Calgary was an example of if they had been 2 younger women or 2 full of life young lads I think they would may have been able to board or maybe more lifts offered at places like when that guy wanted $600 towards Banf. Can also see them become disheartened when everyone gets close to checkpoint together and they know speed isn’t on their side plus must be extra difficult with Tricias eyesight.

I hope Kevin and Claudia do not win as he’s so arrogant and she whines. Yes she prob didn’t have her ideal childhood but sounds like it was a lot more comfortable than many other children get so she needs to stop complaining so much looking for pity. Would love to push Kevin off Niagra Falls in a taxi that would teach him!!

I saw Kevin's double in New Mills, Derbyshire, yesterday evening. Entirely possible it was him as we get quite a bit of tourist traffic due to the location.😁

Was he getting in a taxi?

No, but he was near the bus and railway stations!

Was he getting in a taxi?

I forgot to make that point re Cathie and Tricia and these sprint finishes. First, a PP said they weren’t old, they were unfit. Even if that was all it was, this is not meant to be a test of fitness. Stamina, yes, but it’s not a running race. But second, and far more important, trying to move at speed through unfamiliar and crowded spaces when you have restricted sight is very challenging.

I really want Zanib and Mobeen to win too. They are such a lovely friendly couple and come from same city as me. Even more so now I know about their struggles to have a family. We tried for a baby for nearly 3 years. I was a bit of a sobbing mess as the family they were with handed them the baby and were talking of them creating a miracle baby in their caravan. Made me wince! That kind of thing when I was trying made me want to punch people (obviously didn't). It's not very tactful. Anyway they seemed to handle it much better than I would have and are clearly better humans than me anyway!!
Really hope they win!

I'm definitely in team Zainib and Mobeen too, my heart broke for them in the last episode. My husband and I rarely fall out but when we travelled together for six months there was a lot more bickering.

I saw Kevin's double in New Mills, Derbyshire, yesterday evening. Entirely possible it was him as we get quite a bit of tourist traffic due to the location.😁

There's two train stations, he'd be so confused but convinced he knew the right one

People say they don't like learning about relationships, but then you look at this thread and it's all about which contestants people want to win. What would people discuss if it was just a travel show? "Wow, that's a nice mountain"? It wouldn't even last two pages.

And without Alan Partridge and Claudia to hate-watch, this thread would be half the size. Without them, there'd just be three lovely sets of travelling companions bobbing amiably around Canada, so I think they've found their calling (intensive therapy aside) as fascinating reality TV villains.

That made me laugh. Well he was near the bus station and NM Central. It really was his double. Not going to get far from NM Newtown really.

It's not that I am not interested in learning more about them all per se but I feel the editing choices this series has put the contestants and their "stories" at the forefront and a lot of time has been devoted to it. It feels to me that they have been all been deliberately chosen to tell an interesting narrative (in the producers eyes ) rather then us watching normal people encounter a challenge, see how they tackle it and then we naturally learn more about them through the process. It feels more contrived this series.

There are several aspects that for me stops ratw from being "just another travel programme" and I dont need xfactor style sob stories. For example, there are choices the couple all have to make in terms of logistics - do they take the quick but more expensive transport option? How do they language barriers and currency? Should they take longer and earn money or get to the checkpoint as quickly as possible? I went backpacking when I was younger and these were all the sorts of things I had to figure out and I enjoy seeing how they all approach it.

Totally agree @Fleabea

I wish they looked at the food aspect of things as well. Presumably their budgets covers food and drink, but they've barely mentioned that at all this year

Yes, I agree too Fleabea. Many of us on this thread aren't interested in X-Factor style sob stories and we don't discuss them. I'm another Repair Shop refusenik for the same reason. Maybe I'm a hard old bag but all television seems to be going this way now - it's mawkish!

If the journeys and the RACE aspect of it was more prominent we'd possibly have a bit more to talk about. I honestly don't care who wins. I don't hate Kevin all that much either .

I do wonder if the producers have some more focus on the personal stories to make up for the lack of excitement in this series ? There's none of the language barriers, border crossings, traversing unstable places and multiple route choices of 1 and 2. Also, the nature of getting around in Canada means the are spending more time with locals and able to converse with them so there is just more of the sharing.

That's why I prefer (so far) Race to Survive Alaska.
The personal stories are not front and centre, and the adventure/race aspect is first and foremost.

I'm with you @LindorDoubleChoc 

Where can you watch Race to Survive @LatteOneShotplease ?

The next episode looks brilliant . Will everyone need to go all meryl Streep and make their way through the river wild? That would add some vavavoom to it. @MrsBobBlackadder I think we’ll see more of that in the next episode too as it looked like zainab was negotiating for some old bananas as funds were so low.

i still love a backstory

Yes @LatteOneShotplease where do you watch this I've Googled and can't find out how to watch from the Uk