The fifth season of
Race Across The World
is well underway.
The
BBC
reality travel show
has assigned five partners to compete in a race across
China, Nepal and India
And their task is to achieve this with the smallest budget ever seen in the series — less than £1,000 per individual.
Although this season of Race Across The World has once more captured the interest of audiences, several issues have arisen.
grumbles from certain quarters
.
Most of the grievances focus on how the series balances the personal histories of the pairs with the thrilling yet low-budget aspect of moving from point A to point B.
Many fans think the so-called sob stories have occupied too much screen time, as @fish-and-cushion posited in a buzzy
Reddit
The discussion affectionately nicknamed the show “Sob Story Across The World.” (Ouch).
@bobblebob100 concurred that the emphasis on contestants’ background stories can be somewhat annoying, yet noted: ‘However, that blame lies with the producers rather than the participants. The contestants seem to just answer the questions they’re asked.’
‘The sob stories have ruined it for me. It’s nice to see couples bond and improve their relationships (or argue) but the constant sob stories are ridiculous,’ @_I__yes__I_ echoed.
@purpletshirtz suggested that they believed the show’s duration could be more effectively used to explore the details of the race, stating: “I feel like we’re not getting enough focus on their journey.”
‘Ideally, we’d know where they rest every evening, their dining spots for breakfast, lunch, dinner—whether it’s a hotel, hostel, or elsewhere. Additionally, details about how they handle illness would be helpful. It’d also be great to understand what happens during group meetings at pleasant accommodations. Currently, we’re uncertain about the schedule of this series. However, the behind-the-scenes program provides far more insightful and, in my opinion, engaging content.’
Is RATW’s ‘pity plays’ turning into an issue?
Our Deputy TV Editor Tom Percival offers his insights…
Frankly, I don’t understand all the fuss over the ‘heartfelt tales.’ One of the greatest aspects of Race Across the World is how the competition empowers participants to share what drives them to embark on such an amazing adventure.
Even though I understand why some folks believe this season has extra depth compared to earlier ones, the show would become extremely tedious if our only focus was observing characters quietly moving between trains, planes, cars, and then repeating the process. That’d be akin to tuning in just to watch somebody’s daily work journey!
There is no background story that informs us about the teams, their connections, and their personal lives. This prevents us from knowing whose side we should take, who has traveled the farthest, and who still has a long journey ahead. If you remove these emotional narratives, you might as well eliminate the entire series.
Nevertheless, some supporters aimed to uphold the emotional aspects of the series, with @IceKalisto commenting: “I believe what sets this show apart from other travel programs is the storytelling. Getting to know the team members makes all the difference.”
‘I enjoy the stories as well,’ tweeted @Constant_Oil_3775. ‘Listening to everyone’s tales is fantastic; it would also be wonderful to hear from the individuals who host them.’
Race Across The World can be seen on BBC One and iPlayer every Wednesday at 9 pm.
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