The Amazing Race: Best Duos Yet?

Last week, CBS unveiled the eleven teams that will be competing for the million dollar prize in the twelfth season of their Emmy-winning reality show, The Amazing Race. Originally scheduled to begin airing in January, fans of the show were pleasantly surprised when CBS drop-kicked Viva Laughlin from its schedule and moved The Amazing Race's premiere up to this Sunday, November 4th at 8:00 PM ET/PT. It is really exciting to have all new teams to watch after last season's All-Star edition and these teams certainly look interesting!

Why don't I have a good ol' time judging the teams based solely on their CBS bios? These predictions are completely spoiler-free (this is one show I don't want to have spoiled for me) so it'll be fun to see how wrong, and possibly right, I was about them as the season goes on.

Kynt & Vyxsin - Definitely the most interesting pair we've ever seen on TAR. These "dating Goths" from Louisville, KY have a passion for fashion and it definitely shows! They may like to do each other's hair and makeup but they are obviously very independent and go against the grain of "regular society". That could very well help them go far in the game but I'm worried about them missing their plane due to their beauty regimen. I see them going home early in the race.

Jennifer & Nathan - The second of our four dating couples are a very athletic team. He teaches volleyball and she's a gymnastic coach. They're young so they have that on their side as well but, as is usually the case, with youth comes volatility and inexperience. Their bio doesn't mention them doing any traveling with each other (or solo) in the past so who knows how well they can navigate the world. I expect lots of fighting with these two so they should be interesting to watch. I see them going about halfway in their race around the world.

Ronald & Christina - I'm going to come right out and say that this is definitely one of the teams to watch. Both father and daughter are smart and accomplished people and they have experience with international travel. Of course, their generation gap will provide us with some bickering but I think they have the potential to be one of the best teams when it comes to working together. What's up with that shirt though? I wonder if he knows what it really means. Regardless, I see them in the final three.

Shana & Jennifer - This best friend duo of blonde bombshells is another team I see going really far. Shana seems to be the one better suited for their journey around the world while Jennifer strikes me as the more level-headed of the pair. Besides their good looks, I'm willing to bet these two ladies have the intelligence and personality to take them to the end. I definitely see the L.A. blondes in the final three.

Azaria & Hendekea - I see nothing but problems between this brother/sister duo. Fighting and butting heads seem to be in the future for these two according to their bios. Could CBS be trying to throw us off? Perhaps, but I don't think so. I see this pair going early on.

Lorena & Jason - Besides wondering what in the world is up with that hat Jason's wearing, I'm not really sure what to think of our third dating couple. I won't go so far as to predict whether they'll marry each other or not after the race (who wants to jinx such a thing?) but I will predict that they won't win. While we're told they are a "very physical" and "well traveled" couple, I see too many things that can keep them from truly coming together as a team. Overall, Lorena and Jason strike me as either being very good or very bad at TAR. I'm going to split the difference though and predict they only go about halfway.

Nicolas & Donald - This grandson/grandfather team have to be the easiest to predict. Yes, they go home early. I don't like saying that because they seem to be a really likable pair. However, I don't think Donald will have the ability to keep up with Nicolas and I believe that will be the biggest factor against them. Sorry Nic & Donald!

Ari & Staella - This team of best friends intrigues me. They seem like a couple of really ballsy characters and I wonder how well they'll be liked by the other teams. Of course, that's not the most important thing when it comes to winning the race but it certainly can play a huge part. Their ability to play well with others may be this team's biggest flaw but if they can keep their wits about them they could go far. However, I see them going only halfway.

Marianna & Julia - Another pair of siblings, sisters this time, and I'm just not feeling it. I'll give you that they look good on paper (and on monitor) but I just have a feeling about them. They do seem to have great complementary personalities and both have traveling experience. Those are great things to have in this competition but I just don't feel as good about them as I do about other pairs. I'm picking this duo as another halfway couple.

Rachel & TK - I feel really good about our final pair of dating couples. Her super skinny arms and his "style" are throwing me off but this seems to be a couple that can work really well together. I like his athleticism and her smarts more than the other dating pairs and think they will go far. They also seem to be easy-going and I think they'll get along with the other duos. I peg this couple as "final three" material.

Kate & Pat - Our final duo is the first lesbian couple to have ever competed in TAR. A perfect bookend to the first duo reviewed here, these married ministers have been together for ten years and are undoubtedly used to working together. However, I see them going back home early on because of not being able to keep up with the younger teams. Might they be the first ones eliminated?

So let's all hope that football doesn't run over time too much each week for those of us in the Eastern and Central time zones. Let's rejoice that the non-elimination legs of the race have been dropped from this season. And let us most definitely enjoy Viva Laughlin's cancellation.

Are you ready for The Amazing Race? I certainly am!