Analyzing the first episode of The Ridonculous Race!
Episode Title
Unknown
Location
Toronto, Canada
Contestants
Carrie & Devin - Best Friends
Taylor & Kelly - Daughter & Mom
Emma & Kitty - Sisters
Ennui & Crimson - Goths
Noah & Owen - Reality TV Pros
Jay & Mickey - Adversity Twins
Stephanie & Ryan - Daters
Jacques & Josee - Ice Dancers
Brody & Geoff - Surfer Dudes
Junior & Dwayne - Son & Father
Sanders & Macarthur - Police Cadets
Chet & Lorenzo - Stepbrothers
Jen & Tom - Fashion Bloggers
Rock & Spud - Rockers
Laurie & Miles - Vegans
Mary & Ellody - Geniuses
Tammy & Leonard - LARPERS
Gerry & Pete - Tennis Rivals
The Race
This is how The Ridonculous Race works. The 18 teams of two consisting of 36 contestants all together leave the Starting Line and must complete a leg of the race. Each race ends at a Chill Zone. At every Chill Zone is a carpet known as The Carpet of Completion. The last team to check in and finish a leg of the race by standing on The Carpet of Completion may be eliminated from The Ridonculous Race. At certain points in a leg of the race, contestants may come in contact with a Ridonculous Tip Box, also known as The Don Box. On the top of this cluebox is a button. Simply press the button to get a Travel Tip which will guide you or give you clues and tips on what to do next. Also, at certain points in a leg of the race, teams may come to an Either/Or. An Either/Or gives teams the choice of two different challenges. Racers must successfully complete either task to get their next tip. Along the way, one by one, team's will be eliminated from the race until we finally come down to the final few teams. In the end, the first team to reach the last Chill Zone will win $1,000,000 and be crowned winners of The Ridonculous Race.
Leg #1 - Part #1
The 18 racers start at Union Station in Toronto, Canada; the starting line location of The Ridonculous Race. There, teams will come in contact with their first Don Box. After reading their first tip, contestants must race by foot to The CN Tower. Once the teams get to The CN Tower, they will come in contact with their second Ridonculous Tip Box. This tip contains an Either/Or. Teams get the choice between Stairs or Scares. Stairs allows teams to climb 144 flights of stairs to reach the worlds tallest observation deck. Scares allows teams to simply take the elevator to the observation deck, but as a catch, teams must then skywalk all the way around the outside of the tower. After a team completes either task, they must find a local person inside the observation deck to get their next tip. After the racers get their tip from the local person, they must take a flimsy zip-line and ride it over Lake Ontario to an island airport. The contestants' next tip will be hooked to the zip-line. After the racers land from the zip-line on the island airport, they must book a flight to Morocco. There are three flights heading to Morocco, each depart 30 minutes apart from each other. Teams that make it onto the first flight have the advantage of arriving to Morocco first. Teams that make it onto the third and final flight have a disadvantage as they will land in Morocco over one hour after the first flight and over 30 minutes after the second flight did. After all teams have successfully booked a flight to Morocco, they will board their flight and fly to their destination where part two of leg one as well as the very first elimination of the series awaits them in Morocco.
Placements (by the end of the episode, in order in which they zip-line to the island airport)
1st place: Jacques & Josee - Ice Dancers
2nd place: Carrie & Devin - Best Friends
3rd place: Sanders & Macarthur - Police Cadets
4th place: Emma & Kitty - Sisters
5th place: Mary & Ellody - Geniuses
6th place: Laurie & Miles - Vegans
7th place: Junior & Dwayne - Son & Father
8th place: Jen & Tom - Fashion Bloggers
9th place: Taylor & Kelly - Daughter & Mom
10th place: Stephanie & Ryan - Daters
11th place: Noah & Owen - Reality TV Pros
12th place: Rock & Spud - Rockers
13th place: Tammy & Leonard - LARPers
14th place: Ennui & Crimson - Goths
15th place: Chet & Lorenzo - Stepbrothers
16th place: Brody & Geoff - Surfer Dudes
17th place: Jay & Mickey - Adversity Twins
18th place: Gerry & Pete - Tennis Rivals
Flights
Flight #1:
Junior & Dwayne - Son & Father
Carrie & Devin - Best Friends
Stephanie & Ryan - Daters
Sanders & Macarthur - Police Cadets
Jacques & Josee - Ice Dancers
Noah & Owen - Reality TV Pros
Flight #2:
Emma & Kitty - Sisters
Laurie & Miles - Vegans
Jen & Tom - Fashion Bloggers
Taylor & Kelly - Daughter & Mom
Rock & Spud - Rockers
Mary & Ellody - Geniuses
Flight #3:
Tammy & Leonard - LARPERS
Ennui & Crimson - Goths
Brody & Geoff - Surfer Dudes
Jay & Mickey - Adversity Twins
Chet & Lorenzo - Stepbrothers
Gerry & Pete - Tennis Rivals
Confessionals
Carrie & Devin - Best Friends: Two confessionals
Taylor & Kelly - Daughter & Mom: One confessional
Emma & Kitty - Sisters: One confessional
Ennui & Crimson - Goths: No confessionals
Noah & Owen - Reality TV Pros: Three confessionals
Jay & Mickey - Adversity Twins: Three confessionals
Stephanie & Ryan - Daters: One confessional
Jacques & Josee - Ice Dancers: Two confessionals
Brody & Geoff - Surfer Dudes: One confessional
Junior & Dwayne - Son & Father: Two confessionals
Sanders & Macarthur - Police Cadets: Three confessionals
Chet & Lorenzo - Stepbrothers: One confessional
Jen & Tom - Fashion Bloggers: One confessional
Rock & Spud - Rockers: Two confessionals
Laurie & Miles - Vegans: One confessional
Mary & Ellody - Geniuses: Two confessionals
Tammy & Leonard - LARPERS: One confessional
Gerry & Pete - Tennis Rivals: Two confessionals
Team Summary's
Brody & Geoff - Surfer Dudes: They are best friends that obviously surf. Geoff was originally going to go on this show with his girlfriend, Bridgette (nice shout-out there), but she was busy surfing in Australia (could we possibly get a Bridgette cameo?). These two got a bit of screentime. Not as much as a few other teams but they were never invisible. We only really saw them at the beginning of the episode. During the middle, most of the challenge portion, we didn't see them at all but once when they were running up the stairs in the Stairs Either/Or challenge. At the end, Brody got an injury to his leg but it's not known if this injury is serious or if it will effect this team.
Carrie & Devin - Best Friends: They seem like the main couple of the season. They are seen quite a lot either in confessionals or doing the Scare skywalk challenge. They quickly flew through the tasks without much trouble landing a spot in flight #1. Carrie seems to have a crush on Devin but unfortunately for her, Devin has a girlfriend. They are one of a few people that already have a developing storyline.
Chet & Lorenzo - Stepbrothers: They weren't seen doing that much in this episode. We know they are newly found stepbrothers and they have a strong dislike towards each other but we do not really know why. They struggled in the Stairs challenge to make them barley grab a seat on flight #3. It is possible that there could be a feud to friendship storyline between them, but other than them bickering occasionally, they haven't done much or seemed very memorable yet.
Emma & Kitty - Sisters: Emma is an international law student and Kitty is her (presumably) younger sister. Emma does seem a bit bossy to her sister, Kitty. They had a bit of screentime in the beginning of the episode and then again in the middle when they were doing the skywalk challenge. A possible Amy and Samey type storyline could evolve around them as well.
Ennui & Crimson - Goths: Who? We literally know nothing about them expect they are goth. Neither one of them had any lines throughout the entire first episode... and this is the series premiere. I am actually let down that one of them didn't even have one line. I am not even sure if their names and labels are correct since they did not get a confessional. I am just going off of what Don calls them at the end of the episode when they get on flight #3 and how Julie Giles spelt their names. Seriously though, they got like five seconds of screentime in the beginning of the episode when they were first introduced. Other than that, we've only seen them running around doing challenges with everyone else sort of as background characters. I actually hope they do not get eliminated first because I want them to at least have something... anything. But I don't think these two were handled very well. Sure, maybe they were running out of time, but would it have killed the producers to let them have a ten second confessional in the beginning of the episode where they say something? Please don't let these possibly good characters be a let down, please.
Gerry & Pete - Tennis Rivals: In the beginning of the episode they hardly got any screentime other when they were introduced. Towards the end, they got a bit more screentime though. These two are definitely the oldest contestants on the show. They are huge tennis rivals (they are even in tennis outfits). They bicker and fight, even throwing each other off a zip-line and into Lake Ontario which caused them to give up the first flight, for the third flight. They do seem interesting though, I am not a personal fan of them but I think they could be funny. I wouldn't be surprised if they get eliminated first or even early though. They are definitely filler characters but at least they are interesting filler characters.
Jacques & Josee - Ice Dancers: They are ice dancers who were at the Olympic Games where they got silver. Could this be foreshadowing of them getting second place? They are definitely godplayers. They zipped through the Stairs challenge like nothing and ended up being the first team on the first flight. They were definitely seen quite a bit since they were usually in the lead. But other than being good at racing, we know nothing else about them. They are also a bit annoying and unless they develop a plot, they will become filler characters.
Jay & Mickey - Adversity Twins: No offense, but they are my least favorite characters at the moment. They are so bland and literally just Cameron knock-off's. Literally, their design's are Cameron's original design. Hello, Cameron 2.0! Yawn. But of course, the underdogs are going to get far. They probably got some of the most screentime in this episode and an obvious underdog plot is building. They got on flight #3 and I could easily see them on the last flight on almost every single episode but then end up winning $1,000,000 as an underdog story. That seems great, but it would be nice if they didn't make it so obvious. Anyways, enough ranting. They are twins that are basically Cameron's cousins. One has asthma, one gets nosebleeds, one has a ton of phobia's, that one wears a weird helmet, this one wont stop being scared. Yawn... there's nothing really else to say. They were definitely one of the top three main teams in this episode. They sucked at the stairs challenge and one of them passed out or whatever and the other had to carry him. Yeah, they did a lot but there is nothing really to say about them.
Jen & Tom - Fashion Bloggers: My favorites so far! I absolutely loved them in the beginning of the episode and they were the first team to the skywalk challenge, but then they fell behind and came in flight #2. They are obviously based off of Tom McGillis and Jennifer Pertsch, the creators of Total Drama and The Ridonculous Race. They are sassy and witty and in it to win it. But towards the end of the episode they sort of lost screentime, their most screentime was definitely at the beginning and middle parts of the episode. They are still a good team though.
Junior & Dwayne - Son & Father: This team contains the youngest contestant, Junior, who is probably around 11-14 years old. They were definitely one of the three main teams so far. Their biggest screentime was at the beginning of the episode when they got to The CN Tower first... and basically broke the elevator. They seem interesting to watch but if they keep repeating the same plots where they probably become friends at the end of the series, it will get boring to watch. They are definitely a good team and surprisingly did very well at the Stair challenge (though Dwayne did fall behind a bit). In the end the ended up getting to the first flight and I can see them getting quite far, if not winning.
Laurie & Miles - Vegans: The first thought that screams to me is filler which is unfortunate since they seem interesting and we have never really had characters like them before. They might be a bit similar to Dawn from Total Drama: Revenge of the Island and a few Dawn fans might like them, but just like Dawn, I see them getting the early boot. For one; only one of them had lines in the whole episode (I don't know which is which) and if only one of the two talked throughout the entire first episode, that is not good news. Who knows though, maybe in the next episode they will both get a voice and so far-ish, but I doubt it. I hope they do though. Throughout the episode they didn't do much. I think the one that did have a line only had a couple. They did alright in the skywalk challenge through and landed a spot in flight #2, but they were never really seen doing anything but that. I wish they got more airtime.
Mary & Ellody - Geniuses: They are basically Scarlett 2.0, but I think, not as evil... hopefully. Once again though, only one of the two had lines which probably indicates early-out. The ugly one (the one with the huge nose) said nothing the whole episode, the other one is obviously voiced by the voice actress of Courtney so this seems fun. I just wish Miss. Pointy-Nose would talk so it could give me hope that this team is sticking around for a while. We already know what they (or at least one of them) would do with the money if they won; get funding for scientific things. We didn't seem them all that much but we did see them doing the skywalk challenge where one of them threw up on each other. Hey, first instance of barf in the new series! But yeah, I do not see them getting very far... at all. All thanks to Miss. Pointy-Nose. Maybe if she would have talked... or would have had a less horrible design they wouldn't scream filler.
Noah & Owen - Reality TV Pros: We already know these guys, skip the introduction! They were one of three teams to get three confessionals throughout the episode... even though with this, they weren't a very important part of the episode. Noah didn't do much except talk in confessionals, the "biggest" thing that they were seen doing (no pun intended) was Owen farting in the elevator. They were one of the last teams to do the skywalk challenge and were in the back of the pack for most of the episode... but still somehow managed to get on the first flight? We didn't even see them do the skywalk challenge and they didn't even get up there until Jacques & Josee were already zip-lining down to the first flight so I have no idea how they got on to flight #1. It must be a goof or an error or something because that is physically impossible, they should have been on flight #3. Anyways, they could so either way. Be an early out, or because Owen is a writer's pet, make it quite far.
Rock & Spud - Rockers: I do not really like them. Unfortunately for them, they will most likely be early out's (but they did for some reason get two confessionals when others that had more screentime other than them only got one). The good news; I know which one is which. Spud said nothing the entire episode, Rock was the only one to talk, because of this; I say filler. They also don't even really have a plot. The only thing they did all episode was get introduced, do the skywalk, Rock spits in Spud's face, they get on flight #2. The end. I could see them being the second team getting out... or somehow floating to the end for comic relief.
Sanders & Macarthur - Police Cadets: This is another team that was heavily focused on throughout the episode and I do like them! They just got way, way too much screentime. I feel like Macurthur might be a parody of Melissa McCarthy but I am not sure yet. They definitely seem and feel very Jo-ish to me. They did super good in the Stairs task (though Sanders did get tired and Macarthur had to carry her) and they got on the first flight. I seem them getting far. I hope they give them a storyline though. They haven't really had one yet, they've mostly just had comedy but I do like them. Just tone down the screentime! They were literally in our face every two minutes.
Stephanie & Ryan - Daters: They were my pre-season favorite (between just Carrie & Devin and them) but in this episode they were sort of a let-down. They didn't do much except make-out in their introduction and do the Stairs task. They are very physically fit so they did good and got on flight #1. But yeah, they didn't do much. Hopefully in future episode their relationship and storyline will grow... possibly with a fight? In the end, I do like them, they're interesting, but they didn't get enough screentime. I get a feeling they will be early to mid-out's though. Possibly out in the China episode as there was possible foreshadowing of that in their introduction confessional? We do know that, spoilers, they will make it until a beach-like episode because Fresh TV released a picture of them inside of a taxi with palm trees and beaches in the background so, make of that as you will.
Tammy & Leonard - LARPERS: Am I the only one that actually liked Leonard in Total Drama: Pahkitew Island? Even though, yes, he was filler, he was probably one of the most interesting and developed fillers in Total Drama... ever. He literally interacted with everyone on his team in Total Drama: Pahkitew Island, I do not get the hate for him. Yes, he was a filler, but he was actually interesting. Tammy on the other hand... nothing. She had no lines at all and we know nothing about her. She looks like Staci though. I think from the returnees of Geoff, Noah & Owen and him, he'll be the first to go from these three though. I see Tammy & Leonard getting out in the fourth or fifth episode. But who knows, maybe the writers will actually develop them? But with any of the contestants' that had no lines... in the series premiere episode... I have to think filler because they didn't care enough to give them lines and Tammy had none. But it's maybe they didn't care, they just ran out of time. But they did have to cut some where... and they cut the fillers' lines. That's why I'm thinking, the people that didn't have lines in this episode are going to be some of the first few to go. Anyways, in the episode they actually didn't do much. Leonard and Owen interacted a bit which was fun to watch. They chose the skywalk challenge but we never actually saw them do it. They ended up on flight #3. Anyways, yeah, I just wish we got more out of them.
Taylor & Kelly - Daughter & Mom: Last but not least, these two! I actually like them and I think quite a lot of other people do too. They didn't really do much though. Taylor looks very bossy and mean to her mother, Kelly though so this should be very fun to watch. I have high hopes for them. They suck at challenges though. They were the last team to arrive at The CN Tower and they really only had lines in the beginning of the episode. After the "commercial" break, they were practically not even though. We didn't even see them do the skywalk challenge. Once again though, probably due to not enough time in the episode. I do like them though, I hope Taylor might do some sabotaging to the other teams though... I feel like she's a Heather... and we all need a little Heather in every reality show!
Next Destination
Morocco
Most Screentime
The Police Cadets; Sanders & Macarthur, the Best Friends; Carrie & Devin and the Adversity Twins; Jay & Mickey were definitely in the top three of most screentime this episode. In the end, I think it is a tie between Jay & Mickey and Sanders & Macarthur for the most screentime. Both of them were in your face every two minutes for most of the episode.
Least Screentime
The top three teams with the least screentime were Ennui & Crimson; the Goths, Tammy & Leonard; the LARPERS and Laurie & Miles; the Vegans. But in the end, Ennui & Crimson obviously got the least screentime. They each had literally zero lines, no confessionals, nothing, which is pretty disappointing considering this is the very first episode and the introduction episode. If they get out first it will actually be sad since we know nothing about them.
Final Thoughts
It was a very good episode overall with a few bad things. I think there might be some foreshadowing with a few of the racers introductions, I think the challenge was very good, I'm excited to see what will happen in Morocco and a good part of this cast I actually like! The only bad things were that not everyone had lines. Comment below what you thought of this episode!
Overall Rating
8.5/10 -- A very good series premiere, one of the best I've seen from the Total Drama series in a while. I'm also happy that no one got eliminated in the first episode. I loved the Bridgette shout-out from Geoff, the Rob Ford (mayor of Toronto) cameo and the cameo by The Butler from Total Dram: All-Stars! The only bad things were that it seems a bit rushed. It could be cool if they could make episode 44 minutes (one hour including commercials) long. Also a few of the contestants didn't have any lines and that screams early-out; hopefully I'm proved wrong. Also, one team not having any lines is a HUGE let down. Hopefully Ennui & Crimson develop soon. #TotalDrama#TheRidonculousRace
Comments
omgitsgarret its most likely chet and lorenzo going home first
Here is the elimination order so far
18: Larpers
17: Tennis Rivals
16: Geniuses
15: Vegans
14: Fashion Bloggers
13: Mother and Daughter
12: Diversity Twins
11: Daters
10: Goths
9: Rockers
That's all I have seen so far. Disappointed to see the bloggers leave so early. By the way, Sisters and Reality TV Pros form an alliance and the Best Friends are in last right now. Can't wait for the next episode!
