Rob and Amber

Survivors who raced the world and came up short…

In the Outback, she finished sixth.

He fell victim to an alliance in the Marquesan islands.

On the return to Panama for an all-star game, they got their revenge. Season four’s ill-tempered “god father” Rob Mariano; and Amber Brkich, the quiet girl from season two proved themselves a force to be reckoned with when they outwitted and outplayed sixteen other former survivors.

In a game that brought back previous winners and players of the popular Survivor game, Rob and Amber seemed to have things meant for them when they played on the same underdog tribe and formed an alliance. Something they never thought would prove crucial for them in the game and in their lives.

With the pact that started out as a flirtation, the notorious duo managed to narrow down the competition, eliminating some of the best players Survivor ever had. Eventually, it landed the both of them in the Final Two, making Amber a millionaire and Rob a thousand dollars richer, and more importantly, engaged couples.

Viewers were mixed with their opinion regarding the couple. Some hating them for the demise of audience favorites like Kathy, Lex, and Ethan, while some loved the way they played the game. We thought that the Rob-Amber televised wedding was the only thing fans would anticipate for, but voila! On the eighth season of The Amazing Race, both viewers and world racers were in shock and in awe when the couple appeared as globe trotters.

Seeing Rob and Amber race the world for a million dollars makes up for a good TV because we know how determined Rob is to win and how his temper can sometimes get in the way and what kind of strategy he has up on his sleeve. We also watched and pondered onto how Amber will put up with Rob who is sure to be under more stress and pressure since the race is very fast moving and covers a lot of places.

Sure enough, the dynamic duo did not fail eager viewers. The way they ran the race was fantastic! Using everything they had and utilizing their fame and Survivor skills, they wowed every one when they earned themselves a spot on the last leg of the race.

And just like the way they started out in Survivor:All Stars, the couple were outcasted in some episodes because some of their fellow competitors were intimidated by their presence, even threatened. Which is something that is not surprising because people have seen how the two played on their previous shows.

It was amazing how they managed to once again perform very well considering the fact that they were the last team to head on to the airport for their first flight. But to every one’s surprise, they got to LAX ahead of other teams. It was evident that luck was the prime reason for Rob and Amber’s success in the amazing race. Because unlike in Survivor where they were able to play their tribe mates and they have control over challenges, mind games doesn’t work that well in The Amazing Race and there are other factors that are out of their control like vehicles, traffic, flights, foreigners, etc.

For some of the times, they lagged off during the race but they always managed to get back on their track because of luck, most of the times. It’s not that the two are not pushing their selves, they are, as a matter of fact, but in a race you could only go as far as your body will allow you and as long as the elements are in your favor. In the case of the couple, it’s like they had everything: the brains, brawns, determination, spirit, and luck.

It was either they chance on a really fast driver, get on a route marker early, or finds someone who knows them from Survivor. I should say that their exposure on Survivor helped them a lot because a lot of people knew them. In Africa, a young woman knew Amber form the show and gladly helped her search a market place for various items at a low price, Amber basically did nothing! In a hospital, also in Africa, a nurse who once worked for the show happened to be on the same hospital they are doing a detour helped the couple. So it really was a good race for the couple because they had everything it would take to win the race, and some little help form a powerful force called Luck.

Ron and Kelly (the team who finished third) expressed that Rob and Amber were possibly the luckiest people in the world that they know. Something that is true, but not all that true because in the final leg of the race, translation problems caused them to lose their lead and the million dollars to nice couple Uchenna and Joyce.

It was a good run for the couple. Though Rob ended up second (again), they still are winners for they proved that not only are they survivors, but also globe trotters as well; that their mere presence has that kind of quality that makes other competitors intimidated but also respect them. They definitely proved once again that together, they are a force to be reckoned with. They probably go down history as one of television’s most prominent characters.

Other potential contestants have and will try to outdo the couple but one thing is for sure, no one else can have the same impact as Rob and Amber.