Amazing(ly simple) Race

Just finished watching the first episode of The Amazing Race: Season 6 and I've peeved at how they've dumbed down the race and put more of a focus on the people rather than the race.

From the very get go, teams had to get to the airport and fly to Iceland; pretty standard fare, so far. However, before Phil even says "go", he points in the direction of the train they need to take to the airport and tells them of the three flights that they must choose from.

What happened to the days when all the teams would get is a destination and a wad of cash? The choke points were bad enough, but now the show doesn't just tell them where to go, it tells them HOW to get there. The "how" was what I found to be the most interesting; the journey, the discovery is what I enjoyed watching. But I guess this new format keeps teams closer together, artifically creating a heightened sence of suspence that presumably will be good for ratings.

And showcasing the relationships of the partners in each team? They're all disfunctional, I get that. That's why they're on the show in the first place.

Oh well, my Scotland-like memory has probably coloured my recolection of past seasons anyway.