I finally got to watch online the first episode of NBC’s “The Great American Road Trip.” This is the reality television series in which seven families go down Route 66 for a $100,000 grand prize.
Because the families each had to pilot a large RV, it wasn’t surprising that much of the drive from Chicago to St. Louis during the first episode occurred on the interstates. Those vehicles are huge, and it would have caused a lot of problems with those novice drivers trying to navigate the often-narrow original alignments of Route 66.
Most of the sites in the first episode were familiar even to non-roadies, such as the Gateway Arch, the Sears Tower and the Abraham Lincoln Home. But I also caught glimpses of Jackrabbit Trading Post in Arizona, Midpoint Cafe in Adrian, Texas, Santa Monica Pier, the Muffler Man of Atlanta, Ill., and remnants of the now-gone Zia Motor Lodge in Albuquerque.
And it was a nice touch that the family that won the first physical challenge enjoyed a special dinner on the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, right on the the Illinois-Missouri border over the Mississippi River.
After a bit of a slow start, I was surprised how much I was caught up in the drama — especially the physical challenges each family had to undergo to remain on their Mother Road journey.
Host Reno Collier’s advice to the families at the start — “It’s not a race. This is nothing about the destination. This is journey about you and your families” — was something that most Route 66ers already take to heart.
And it seemed fitting that the Katzenberg family of Westport, Conn., which seemed too cocky and rush-rush-rush in their approach to the challenges, was the first to be sent home.
I’ll be watching “The Great American Road Trip” again next week. It’s going to be interesting to see how the families cope as the journey gets longer and the climate and terrain grow harsher. “The Great American Road Trip” will air 8 p.m. EST Monday as the remaining six families head across Missouri.
Calling “The Great American Road Trip” good I think gives it too much credit. It makes “The Amazing Race: Family Edition” look good… and that season was a trainwreck.
I never saw “Amazing Race,” so I’m not going to compare “Road Trip” to it.
Let’s put it this way: “Road Trip” didn’t bore me. In fact, I got into it. That’s way better than most TV programming that I can think of. And I think there’s a lot of potential for it to be really compelling television later on.
I love the show, It give alot of family hope and may bring alot of families closer becauses of the show… So to all that dont like the show it is so so so so many other channels to watch… This is a positive show that me and my family enjoy watching…. Keep up the good work…ROUTE 66ers….