Skip to main content

The Amazing Race producers always want to ensure the safety of the contestants during filming. However, that doesn’t mean they shy away from dangerous tasks in The Amazing Race on CBS. And as fans waited for any news surrounding season 35, they reflected on the scariest challenges in the show’s 34 seasons.

Michelle Burgos performs one of the tasks during the finale of 'The Amazing Race 34' on CBS. She scales a tall white bridge wearing a black shirt, black pants, and a dark green helmet.
Michelle Burgos | Photo: CBS

The contestants in ‘The Amazing Race’ have to complete a series of tasks

The Amazing Race is comprised of a series of legs that include multiple tasks. For every leg, the teams typically have to complete one Roadblock and one Detour — although producers tend to change up the format from season to season and even from leg to leg.

One team member completes the Roadblock, which can be anything from rappelling down a building to assembling a motorcycle. And as an Amazing Race rule, if a team makes it to the final leg, they would have had to complete the same number of Roadblocks.

As for Detours, the pairs complete this Amazing Race task together. They must pick between two challenges, for example, delivering food to designated vendors or solving a puzzle.

The rules state that the racers can switch Detours at any time, but they cannot change who completes a Roadblock after making a decision.

Fans share their opinions of the most dangerous tasks in the 34 seasons

One fan of The Amazing Race started a Reddit thread that asked, “What is the most dangerous task they’ve done?”

They added, “I saw a thread about this from a while back, but one task I didn’t see mentioned (which I think should be considered) is the helicopter crash training simulator in Azerbaijan from season 20. If you’re underwater and spinning around and around upside down, it would be hard to know which way is up and to escape from the chassis. I can’t believe this task was approved.”

A Reddit user commented, “I’d guess the cheese wheel task in the first episode of [season 14]. I’m surprised no one got their skull caved in by a giant rolling cheese.”

“Season 24: running with the ‘bulls’ in Spain,” someone else wrote. “Potential for a concussion, and total ragdolling, which did indeed injure someone’s knee (surprised it was only one).”

Another fan said, “That cave challenge on season 7 when Gretchen [Smith] cut her head open falling. Also, the bat temple roadblock in Thailand when they had to go find the clue in that cave with millions of bats and cockroaches. Bat guano is really bad for you to breathe in.”

“Isn’t the maggot cheese task in [season 33] illegal or something because it can be fatal?” one Reddit user asked. Someone commented, “Yeah, though the technicality is that the sale of casu marzu is prohibited — rather than simply eating it without money exchanged — which explains how the teams got to try the (Sardinian original’s) Corsican variant.”

Related

‘The Amazing Race’: Are Teams Punished for Breaking the Traffic Rules in Other Countries?

CBS still hasn’t set a premiere date for ‘The Amazing Race 35’

Sadly, CBS has yet to reveal any news about the next season — The Amazing Race 35. The network hasn’t even announced whether or not they have renewed it for season 35. But thanks to spoilers, we know that producers have already filmed and wrapped the upcoming iteration of the race.

Fans speculate that The Amazing Race 35 will premiere in the spring alongside Survivor 44, which will premiere on March 1. But others think CBS is holding the season until the summer or fall. Only time will tell what the network has planned for The Amazing Race‘s future and what tasks await the teams.

All seasons of The Amazing Race are available to stream on Paramount+.