Race Across The World Series 5 Thread 2

[TwentyKittens]

With only five posts left on the old thread, thought I'd start this so we can link between the two.

This thread carries on from the first:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/5314933-race-across-the-world?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

Cappadocia - Wow!

Have to admit I'd prefer more details of the actual journeys and less of the "emotional journeys". Particularly when it mainly comes across as repetitive dragged out filler material.

Anyone watching the post-race get together? Impressed that Caroline could run in those heels. Impressed she could walk in them tbh

Yes I thought that too!

Very interesting seeing the camera crews. What a job!

Yes I’m watching too. So interesting to hear about their experiences and behind the scenes action.

We’ve all discussed here how the back stories are hammed up for drama, but watching tonight I’ve really noticed how at ease the sisters are in the extra clips - completely in contrast to the frostiness we were shown in the early episodes.

So funny that Tom is a tiler. I was only thinking that he reminded me of the young guy that tiled our hall last year. He was pretty posh for a "tradie" as well.

Must be hard for Yin and Gaz hearing what a great time everyone had. But they're still a cool couple with a lovely daughter.

And their daughter has such a lovely name

Yes I agree, I got the sense that the sisters had a lot more fun together than was shown in the programme (was their night out in Delhi even mentioned? I don't remember it)

That episode was so insightful - loads more material that could have been shown rather than the boring navel gazing!

I think the night out in Delhi was one of the bits shown last night that they said they couldn't fit into the series. There must have been hours of film not used.

Yes, was nice to see the sisters had a night out in Delhi, that would have been a different side of India to show, shame they didn't show this.

I'm all for talking therapy but even I found this very last episode too much of a love-in.

Yin was so tearful it was so sad to see.

My question from last night's show was why did they show them all at home aside from Caroline? Unless I missed it.

Because it's a sprawling mansion and they realised it wouldn't fit their narrative?

It’s not a sprawling mansion.
Its a detached listed property with some stabling at the rear.

Of note we didn’t see the guys at home either, because, why do we need to.

She's said somewhere in an interview that before she applied for the show she'd moved to a barn conversion.

It’s not a barn. It’s an old timber framed building
Unless they moved very recently.

I think ratings have gone up as word has spread. Not necessarily because of the stories.

It's a balance, isn't it- you do need a little bit of backstory, as it makes it easier to relate to the contestants. But this season it was very repetitive. Far too much about the sisters' house loss and Caroline's lost sense of purpose.

And I think we lost details of journeys that previously helped make sense of the race, and added to the viewer's excitement (and knowledge of the contestants, actually).

Take episode one. Fin and Sioned couldn't work out how to get out of the starting location. Then without much explanation they were suddenly comfortably amongst the front of the pack. Compare to episode one of the Canadian season. Cathy and Trish similarly couldn't work out how to escape their starting point. The viewers were with them every step of the way, and felt invested in their journey.

I do think the balance needs adjusting back to keep the show compelling.

@BootballJoy I agree with you - people call the Canadian sites "dull" but it had a good balance. I was 🤔 at Cathy and Trish being unable to get out of a park at the start of the race and by the end was really hoping they would win!
That's good editing. This year i didn't care at all. At times it felt like forced therapy, with no connection to the race. At least in previous seasons it's not been overdone. For example Alfie taking part in the boat ceremony with the lanterns as one of their race experiences. I'm glad they were in series 4 before the new producer took over.

We still didn’t hear much of Caroline’s back story. Is there more of the family, perhaps siblings more academic than Tom which might explain why she was quite protective? How did Finn and Sioned fund their trip to Aus given they had just left school.

well Tom does have cerebral palsy as well as dyslexia, so that is a big deal for parents to deal with emotionally

Finn and Sioned could easily have saved up
Got decent amount of money from relatives at birthday/Christmas if got generous relatives
If you're in a fortunate situation you'd have enough money to do it when young

@scissy I don’t think it would have been as popular if the current producer was there from the start. It’s really changed from the original which is a shame.

Yes, she said she'd downsized to a barn conversion, got rid of her horse, and her dog had to be put to sleep. All in a short space of time just before she applied.

She also said she'd got her horse back since doing the show.