Development and filming

The sixteenth season spanned 40,000 miles (64,000 km) across five continents and nine countries, including a first-time visit to the Seychelles.^[2][3]

Racers were observed leaving Los Angeles International Airport on November 28, 2009.^[4] Racers checked into a Pit Stop in Puerto Varas, Chile, on December 2, 2009.^[5] Filming of the show also was reported in Bariloche, Argentina.^[6] Production crews were reported in Singapore, particularly in the Bugis area and the Singapore Flyer, on December 16.^[7]

In the episode which aired on February 28, 2010, and featured the contestants departing Chile, Phil Keoghan acknowledged the February 27, 2010, Chilean earthquake in a special opening.^[8]

Leg 4 featured an Intersection for the first time since season 11. Additionally, teams did a Roadblock together for the first time, where one person from each of the Intersected teams worked together to complete the Roadblock.

Casting

Applications were originally due on July 10, 2009, but the deadline was extended. Semi-finalist interviews were held in August 2009 and the final casting interviews took place in Los Angeles in September and October 2009. Filming took place in November and December 2009.^[9]

Leg 1 (United States → Chile)

• Episode 1: "Nanna Is Kickin' Your Butt" (February 14, 2010)
• Prize: A trip for two to Vancouver, British Columbia (awarded to Jordan & Jeff)
• Eliminated: Dana & Adrian

Locations

• Los Angeles, California (Vista Hermosa Natural Park) (Starting Line)
• or Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport)
• Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) → Santiago, Chile
• Santiago → Valparaíso
• Valparaíso (Ascensor Villaseca (in Spanish))
• Valparaíso (Ascensor Artillería)
• Valparaíso (Paseo Templeman)
• Valparaíso (Palacio Baburizza)

Episode summary

• Teams set off from Vista Hermosa Natural Park in Los Angeles, California, and had to travel by public transportation to Los Angeles International Airport, where they booked one of two American Airlines flights to Santiago, Chile. The first three teams received tickets on a flight that would have departed one hour ahead of the second flight; however, due to a mechanical failure on the first flight, those three teams were re-booked on the second flight with the remaining teams. After arriving in Santiago, teams had to travel by bus to Valparaíso.
• In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to cross a tightrope the length of a football field (360 ft or 110 m) suspended 120 feet (37 m) above the ground to the end of the valley, where they found their next clue.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to take a funicular down the mountain to find their next clue. Teams then had to travel to Paseo Templeman, pick up painting supplies, and find a group of house painters next to a house matching the color of their paint. Once at the house, they had to finish painting a portion of the house in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: Palacio Baburizza.

Additional note

• Dana & Adrian were unable to complete the Roadblock. After all of the other teams had already checked in at the Pit Stop, Phil came out to the Roadblock to inform them of their elimination.^[19]

Leg 2 (Chile)

• Episode 2: "When the Cow Kicked Me in the Head" (February 21, 2010)
• Prize: A pair of sailboats (awarded to Jet & Cord)
• Eliminated: Jody & Shannon

Locations

• Valparaíso (Palacio Baburizza)
• Valparaíso → Santiago
• Santiago → Puerto Varas
• Vicente Pérez Rosales National Park (Hotel Petrohué) → Todos los Santos Lake (Isla Margarita – Mirador)
• Puerto Varas (Onces y Cabañas Bellavista)
• Puerto Varas (Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (in Spanish) – Gruta de la Virgen)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams had to travel by bus back to Santiago before boarding another bus to Puerto Varas. Once there, teams had to drive themselves to the Hotel Petrohué and then take a boat to Isla Margarita on Todos los Santos Lake in order to find their next clue.
• This season's first Detour was a choice between Llama Adoration or Condor Consternation. In Llama Adoration, teams traveled by boat to a farm where they had to properly dress a llama in order to receive their next clue. In Condor Consternation, teams traveled by boat to a beach where they used hang glider-like condor costumes to "fly" to their next clue in the water.
• After the Detour, teams had to drive to the Onces y Cabañas Bellavista in Puerto Varas, where they found their next clue.
• In this leg's Roadblock, teams had to collect the ingredients to make Kuchen – including a plate of butter, a bowl of sugar, a bag of flour, a baker's dozen of eggs from a hen house, and a cup of milk from a cow – and then deliver them to the baker in order to receive a serving of Kuchen and their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Puerto Varas.

Leg 3 (Chile → Argentina)

• Episode 3: "Run Like Scalded Dogs!" (February 28, 2010)
• Prize: A trip for two to Patagonia (awarded to Jet & Cord)
• Eliminated: Monique & Shawne

Locations

• Puerto Varas (Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (in Spanish) – Gruta de la Virgen)
• Puerto Varas → San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
• Nahuel Huapi (El Boliche Viejo)
• Nahuel Huapi (Peña Gaucha)
• Ñirihuau (Puente Ñirihuau)
• Neuquén Province (Estancia Fortin Chacabuco)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by bus to San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina. Once there, teams had to drive to El Boliche Viejo in Nahuel Huapi. Teams had to win a game of five-card stud against a Travelocity Roaming Gnome in order to receive the gnome with their next clue on its base, which directed them to the Peña Gaucha. Teams had to keep their gnome with them for the remainder of the leg.
• In this leg's Roadblock, one team member used a lasso to rope a target 18 feet (5.5 m) away and pull it toward them in order to receive their next clue.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Puente Ñirihuau in order to find their next clue.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between Horse Sense or Horse Power. In Horse Sense, teams were given a set of directions and, using only a stationary compass, had to find a bag of loot buried in a field. They then delivered the bag to a bandit, and if the markings on their bag matched the coordinates given to them, he gave the team a coin imprinted with the name of the Pit Stop. In Horse Power, teams went to a polo field and, using a wooden practice horse, had to score a goal within nine strokes in order to receive a trophy imprinted with the name of the Pit Stop.
• After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Estancia Fortin Chacabuco in Neuquén Province.

Leg 4 (Argentina → Germany)

• Episode 4: "We Are No Longer in the Bible Belt" (March 7, 2010)
• Prize: Two US$5,000 pre-loaded Discover Cards (awarded to Louie & Michael)

Locations

• Neuquén Province (Estancia Fortin Chacabuco)
• San Carlos de Bariloche → Frankfurt, Germany
• Frankfurt → Hamburg
• Hamburg (Jungfernstieg)
• Hamburg (Port of Hamburg)
• Hamburg (Altonaer Rathaus (in German) – Kaiser Wilhelm I Statue)
• Hamburg (Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn Stadium (in German) or Alt-Hamburger Bürgerhaus)
• Hamburg (Haifischbar (in German))
• Hamburg (Beatles-Platz)
• Hamburg (Reeperbahn – Indra Musikclub)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Frankfurt, Germany, and then travel by train to Hamburg.
• After arriving in Hamburg, teams had to travel to the Jungfernstieg. There, teams encountered an Intersection, which required two teams to join together to complete all tasks until further notice. The teams were paired up thusly: Dan & Jordan and Carol & Brandy, Jet & Cord and Louie & Michael, Brent & Caite and Jordan & Jeff, and Steve & Allie and Joe & Heidi.
• In this leg's Roadblock, one member from each of the newly-joined teams had to take the S-Bahn to the Port of Hamburg and complete a 150-foot (46 m) tandem bungee jump in order to receive their next clue, which they couldn't open until they reunited with their partners. At this point, teams were no longer joined.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to find the Kaiser Wilhelm I Statue at the Altonaer Rathaus in order to find their next clue.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between Soccer or Sauerkraut. In Soccer, teams traveled to the Adolf-Jäger-Kampfbahn Stadium and had to kick soccer balls from the penalty mark through five targets located in the goal in order to receive their next clue. In Sauerkraut, teams traveled to Alt-Hamburger Bürgerhaus restaurant and had to eat a plate of sauerkraut while a band played a song called the "Sauerkraut Polka". Teams had to finish the plate before the end of the song in order to receive their next clue. If the song ended before teams finished, they had to start over with a new plate of sauerkraut.
• After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Haifischbar, where each team had to drink a boot of beer in order to receive their next clue. Teams were directed to the Beatles-Platz, and then had to search through Hamburg's red-light district in order to find the Pit Stop: the Indra Musikclub.

Additional note

• This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 5 (Germany → France)

• Episode 5: "I Think We're Fighting the Germans, Right?" (March 14, 2010)
• Prize: Two 55" HD TVs (awarded to Louie & Michael)
• Eliminated: Joe & Heidi

Locations

• Hamburg → Les Monthairons, France (Château des Monthairons (in French))
• Sainte-Menehould (Boulangerie Defontaine)
• Massiges (La Main de Massiges (in French))
• Massiges (Church of Massiges) → Wargemoulin-Hurlus (Mairie)

Episode summary

• During the Pit Stop, all teams boarded a bus and traveled from Hamburg to an unknown destination (Les Monthairons, France). Teams began the leg at the Château des Monthairons and were instructed to purchase a fresh baguette at the Boulangerie Defontaine. Their next clue was baked into the baguette and directed them to La Main de Massiges.
• For their Speed Bump, Jordan & Jeff had to reinforce a trench wall with branches before they could continue racing.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between In the Trenches or Under Fire. For both tasks, teams dressed as World War I-era American soldiers. In In the Trenches, teams traveled through trenches to a telegraph, where they deciphered a message in Morse code – "We will prevail; Vive la France" – and presented their deciphered message to the French sergeant in exchange for the next clue. In Under Fire, teams crawled 100 feet (30 m) under barbed wire to receive a message – "The war is over; Vive la liberté" – from a man in a foxhole. They then crawled back to present the message to the sergeant. After completing either task, teams had to send their message to "headquarters" via carrier pigeon in order to receive their next clue.
• After the Detour, teams had to travel south down a road until they reached their next clue. Teams then had to continue to the Church of Massiges, where they changed out of their doughboy gear and into inaugural Tour de France bicycling gear, and then rode on antique bicycles along a four-mile (6.4 km) course to the Pit Stop: the town hall of Wargemoulin-Hurlus.

Additional notes

• Louie & Michael chose to use the Blind U-Turn on Joe & Heidi.
• Joe & Heidi failed to complete the second Detour option that they had to do as a result of being U-Turned. After all of the other teams had already checked in at the Pit Stop, Phil came out to the Detour location to inform them of their elimination.^[20]

Leg 6 (France)

• Episode 6: "Cathy Drone?" (March 21, 2010)
• Prize: A trip for two to Cancún, Mexico (awarded to Louie & Michael)
• Eliminated: Jordan & Jeff

Locations

• Massiges (La Main de Massiges)
• Reims (Reims Cathedral – Joan of Arc Statue)
• Épernay (Leclerc Briant)
• Pierry (Château de la Marquetterie (in French))
• Épernay (l'ORCCA – La Maison Gallice)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams had to drive to the Reims Cathedral and find a woman playing a musical saw, who had their next clue: a cork from a bottle of Leclerc Briant, whose winery was their next destination.
• In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to rappel 100 feet (30 m) into the chalk cellars of Leclerc Briant's winery and search for a bottle of champagne marked with a small yellow and red striped flag amongst the riddling racks. Once they found the bottle, they returned to the surface and used a traditional sabrage technique to open the bottle, the force of which propelled out their next clue.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to the Château de la Marquetterie in Pierry, where they found their next clue.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between Tower or Terra. In Tower, teams had to stack champagne saucers into a 15-level pyramid with only one glass on the top level, and then pour the entire contents of a magnum of champagne onto the top of the pyramid without breaking any of the glasses in order to receive their next clue. In Terra, teams had to search the one-square-kilometre (250-acre) vineyards for a cluster of wine grapes marked with an Amazing Race flag, which they could exchange for their next clue.
• After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: La Maison Gallice in Épernay.

Leg 7 (France → Seychelles)

• Episode 7: "Anonymous?" (March 28, 2010)
• Prize: A dinner on the beach and massages in the Seychelles, and $7,000 for each team member (awarded to Steve & Allie)

Locations

• Épernay (l'ORCCA – La Maison Gallice)
• Paris → Victoria, Seychelles (Seychelles International Airport)
• Victoria → L'Union (La Digue Helipad)
• L'Union (L'Union Estate & La Digue Marina)
• La Passe → St. Pierre Island
• St. Pierre Island → Praslin
• Anse Volbert (Paradise Sun Hotel)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly from Paris to the Seychelles. After arriving in Victoria, teams had to find a marked kiosk in the airport and take a number. The first three teams could then board one of three helicopters leaving at the same time to the island of La Digue, where they found their next clue. The last three teams departed one hour later.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between Turtle Toddle or Ox Trot. In Turtle Toddle, teams used a banana to lure a 500-pound (230 kg), 100-year-old giant tortoise across a marked path on a lawn. Once the turtle crossed the finish line, both team members had to deliver a bunch of bananas to a fruit merchant 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away in order to receive their next clue. In Ox Trot, teams pulled a cart to a clearing where they had to load a pile of coconuts. After an ox was hitched to their cart, teams had to deliver the coconuts to the same fruit merchant in order to receive their clue. If teams lost any of their coconuts, they had to retrieve them in order to complete the task.
• After the Detour, teams had to swim to a marked boat and travel to a buoy near St. Pierre Island, where the captain gave them their next clue.
• In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to dive into the ocean and retrieve one of seven bottles tied to a platform in the water.
• After the Roadblock, teams were taken to near the shoreline of Praslin and had to swim to land. Once on shore, teams had to empty the contents of their bottle to reveal a puzzle map that, when assembled, led them to the Pit Stop at the Paradise Sun Hotel.

Additional notes

• Due to limited availability of flights, teams were provided tickets on the same flight to the Seychelles.
• This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 8 (Seychelles → Malaysia)

• Episode 8: "You're Like Jason Bourne, Right?" (April 4, 2010)
• Prize: A trip for two to Maui, Hawaii (awarded to Jet & Cord)
• Eliminated: Steve & Allie

Locations

• Anse Volbert (Paradise Sun Hotel)
• Baie Saint Anne → Victoria
• Victoria → George Town, Malaysia
• Bayan Lepas (Snake Temple)
• George Town (Tien Kong Than Temple or Esplanade)
• Teluk Bahang (Tropical Spice Garden)
• Teluk Bahang (Kuil Sri Singamuga Kaliamman)
• George Town (Pinang Peranakan Mansion)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by boat to Victoria, and then fly to George Town, Malaysia. Once there, teams had to travel to the Snake Temple, where they found their next clue.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between Buddhist Tradition or Chinese Custom. In Buddhist Tradition, teams had to travel to the Tien Kong Than Temple and carry 12 large joss sticks to the top of the temple. After arranging them in the proper order, teams lit them and then received their next clue. In Chinese Custom, teams had to travel to the Esplanade, where they participated in the Chinese New Year tradition of balancing large flags on their foreheads and running across the esplanade. After both team members made it across the esplanade without letting their flags fall, they received their next clue.
• After the Detour, teams had to travel to Kuil Sri Singamuga Kaliamman in Teluk Bahang, where they found their next clue.
• For their Speed Bump, Jet & Cord had to travel to the Tropical Spice Garden, where they found a woman crushing spices for tea. Then, by smell, they had to choose the correct prepared tea and serve it to a guru sitting on a swing. Once the guru finished drinking the tea, they could continue racing.
• In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to break open several coconuts until they found one that had colored flesh. They then had to build a traditional Hindu offering called a float and give it to the waiting Gurukkal, who sent it out to sea and then gave racers their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the Pinang Peranakan Mansion in George Town.

Leg 9 (Malaysia → Singapore)

• Episode 9: "Dumb Did Us In" (April 11, 2010)
• Prize: A pair of motorcycles (awarded to Dan & Jordan)
• Eliminated: Carol & Brandy

Locations

• George Town (Pinang Peranakan Mansion)
• Sungai Nibong → Kuala Lumpur
• Kuala Lumpur → Singapore
• Singapore (Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall)
• Singapore (Singapore Flyer)
• Singapore (Speakers' Corner or Rochor Road)
• Singapore (Istana Park)
• Singapore (ASL Marine Shipyard)
• Singapore (Sentosa – MegaZip Adventure Park)
• Singapore (Marina Barrage)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by bus to Kuala Lumpur and then by train to Singapore. Once there, teams had to travel to the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, where they had to find Allan Wu, the host of The Amazing Race Asia, who gave them their next clue.
• In this season's only Fast Forward, one team traveled to the Singapore Flyer, where they had to climb out of an observation pod at the top of the 541-foot (165 m) Ferris wheel and cross a ladder to the next pod. Dan & Jordan won the Fast Forward.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between Pounding The Drums or Pounding The Pavement. In Pounding The Drums, teams traveled to Speakers' Corner, where they had to learn a complex drum routine for a lion dance performance and correctly perform the routine with a dance troupe in order to receive their next clue. In Pounding The Pavement, teams traveled to an open area on Rochor Road, where they had to deliver supplies to a marked ice cream cart and sell twenty-five Singaporean-style ice cream sandwiches in order to receive their next clue.
• After the Detour, teams were instructed to find their next clue at the intersection of their "last Pit Stop city" (Penang) and Orchard Road, sending them to Istana Park at the intersection of Penang Road and Orchard Road. Teams then had to travel to ASL Marine Shipyard in order to find their next clue.
• In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to inspect an anchor chain by counting the number of links, while dealing with noise created by the workers at the port and announcements from a loudspeaker, and write the correct number down on a clipboard in order to receive their next clue.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to MegaZip Adventure Park, where they found their next clue instructing them to ride the MegaZip, a 1,476-foot (450 m) long zipline, in order to receive their next clue directing them to the Pit Stop: the Marina Barrage.

Additional note

• Brent & Caite chose to use the U-Turn on Carol & Brandy.

Leg 10 (Singapore → China)

• Episode 10: "I Feel Like I'm in, Like, Sicily" (April 25, 2010)
• Prize: A trip for two to Alaska (awarded to Jet & Cord)

Locations

• Singapore (Marina Barrage)
• Singapore → Shanghai, China
• Shanghai (Zhujiajiao)
• Shanghai (Tianzifang – Deke Erh Art Center)
• Shanghai (Hongkou Football Stadium)
• Shanghai (Shanghai Science and Technology Museum)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Shanghai, China. Once there, teams had to travel to Zhujiajiao and travel on foot to a boat dock, where they rode a boat to their next clue.
• In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to make one kilogram (2.2 lb) of lamian noodles in order to receive their next clue from He Pingping, the world's shortest man.
• After the first Roadblock, teams had to travel to the Deke Erh Art Center in Tianzifang, where they entered a fashion studio and chose a sketch of an outfit. They then had to choose the correct pieces of clothing as shown in the sketch and give them to a fashion model to wear. If they chose the right clothing and accessories, the fashion designer gave them their next clue, which sent teams to Hongkou Football Stadium.
• In this leg's second Roadblock, the team member who did not perform the previous Roadblock had to assemble a 96-piece puzzle and give the puzzle pieces to a group of fans in the bleachers. If assembled correctly, the puzzle pieces, when flipped over, revealed the seat number where teams could find their next clue.
• After the second Roadblock, teams had to travel by Shanghai Metro to the Pit Stop: the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum.

Additional notes

• He Pingping died about three months after the episode was filmed and one month before it aired.^[21] The episode concluded with the message in his memory.
• This was a non-elimination leg.

Leg 11 (China)

• Episode 11: "They Don't Even Understand Their Own Language" (May 2, 2010)
• Prize: A trip for two to the Costa del Sol in Spain (awarded to Brent & Caite)
• Eliminated: Louie & Michael

Locations

• Shanghai (Shanghai Science and Technology Museum)
• Shanghai (Garden Bridge)
• Shanghai (Longhua Temple)
• Shanghai (Yuyuan Garden)
• Shanghai (Art Stone Store or Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant)
• Shanghai (Riverside Promenade (in Chinese))

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to go to the Garden Bridge in order to find their next clue.
• For their Speed Bump, Louie & Michael had to participate in a good luck ritual by each tossing one coin into the top opening of the large incense burner on the Longhua Temple grounds before they could continue racing.
• In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to enter Arhat Hall at the Longhua Temple and count all of the golden statues in the room in order to receive their next clue. If their guess was incorrect, they had to wait ten minutes before making another guess.
• After the Roadblock, teams traveled by motorcycle to the Yuyuan Garden, where they found their next clue.
• This season's final Detour was a choice between Pork Chops or Pork Dumplings. In Pork Chops, teams entered an art stone store and looked through several hundred special stone stamps called chops for the two that had a pig on the bottom and one with each of their names in order to receive their next clue. In Pork Dumplings, teams had to travel to Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant and deliver ten orders of xiaolongbao across the market in order to receive their next clue. All teams chose Pork Chops.
• After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: the Riverside Promenade.

Additional note

• Bao Xishun, the world's tallest man at the time, was the Pit Stop greeter in this leg.^[22]

Leg 12 (China → United States)

• Episode 12: "Huger than Huge" (May 9, 2010)
• Prize: US$1,000,000
• Winners: Dan & Jordan
• Runners-up: Jet & Cord
• Third place: Brent & Caite

Locations

• Shanghai (Riverside Promenade (in Chinese))
• Shanghai → San Francisco, California
• San Francisco (Fort Point – Battery Godfrey)
• San Francisco (Coit Tower)
• San Francisco (Letterman Digital Arts Center – Yoda Fountain & Industrial Light & Magic)
• San Francisco (Fairmont San Francisco – Tonga Room)
• San Francisco (Great American Music Hall)
• San Francisco (Candlestick Park)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to San Francisco, California. Once there, teams had to travel to Battery Godfrey in Fort Point in order to receive their next clue, which was a riddle: "I was built in 1933. I'm 210 feet tall. My insides are lined with mural from 26 different artists. What am I?". Teams had to figure out that their next destination was Coit Tower.
• In this season's final Roadblock, one team member had to use an ascender to reach the top archways of Coit Tower in order to get their next clue before being lowered back to the ground.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Industrial Light & Magic and find their next clue by the Yoda Fountain. Then, one team member had to put on a motion capture suit and enter a sound stage while their partner directed them to walk an avatar through a virtual course based on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. After getting through two levels of the course, the directing partner had to copy down their next clue from a computer screen which directed them to the Tonga Room.
• Teams had to carry a trunk from the Tonga Room to their next location: the Great American Music Hall. Once there, teams opened their trunk, which contained eight psychedelic posters of the eliminated teams and three posters for the non-elimination legs. Teams had to arrange the posters in chronological order in order to receive their final clue.

• The final clue was a portion of the "Jack Be Nimble" nursery rhyme; teams had to figure out that the missing word "candlestick" referred to the location of the finish line: Candlestick Park.

Critical response

The Amazing Race 16 received mostly negative reviews. Andy Dehnart of reality blurred called it a "relatively weak season".^[23] Michael Hewitt of the Orange County Register wrote that "stupidity and luck ruled, and the game-changing plays came via two lethal U-Turns. As TV in general goes, season 16 was fine entertainment. But as 'The Amazing Race' goes, it was a disappointment."^[24] Daniel Fienberg of HitFix wrote that "there were too many dull teams and too many dull tasks and too little rewarding of excellence or punishing of the stupidity that ran amuck all season long. This group of contestants got to see some great locations and do some great stuff, but nothing was hard enough or challenging enough. Even a lame season of 'The Amazing Race' is still better than most of what passes for reality TV. Perhaps, though, this 'Amazing Race' installment has just paled in comparison to a classic All-Star edition of 'Survivor' currently being played out."^[25] In 2016, this season was ranked 24th out of the first 27 seasons by the Rob Has a Podcast Amazing Race correspondents.^[26] Conversely, Luke Dwyer of TV Fanatic called this season a blast, praised the locations and tasks, and said that it "was one of the more entertaining in recent memory and Dan and Jordan's victory was well deserved."^[27]

U.S. Nielsen ratings

• Episode 1, "Nanna Is Kickin' Your Butt" aired on Valentine's Day, which is also the first day of Chinese New Year and the opening week of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
• Episode 4, "We Are No Longer In The Bible Belt" had a considerably low number of viewers, most likely because it aired on the same night as the 82nd Academy Awards.
• Episode 7, "Anonymous?" had the most viewers and adults 25–54 rating since the November 4, 2007, episode of The Amazing Race 12, as well as the best numbers in adults 18–49 since the January 6, 2008, episode of the same season.
• Episode 8, "You're like Jason Bourne, right?" aired on Easter Sunday.
• Episode 12, "Huger Than Huge", the season finale, aired on Mother's Day. The show was down nearly two million viewers compared to the season 15 finale and was the lowest rated finale since season 4.^[36]

Canadian ratings

Canadian broadcaster CTV also aired The Amazing Race on Sundays at 8 p.m. The first three episodes were aired on A-Channel. When the show returned to the said network, episode four aired an hour earlier than its normal start time due to the network's broadcast of the 82nd Academy Awards.