Reality television has provided us with some real winners in 2020 like Cheer and The Last Dance. And it’s also given us some weird breakout hits like Tiger King. But among the former category is Amazon Prime’s World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji. Produced by Mark Burnett, the king of reality competition shows, and skillfully hosted by Bear Grylls, Eco-Challenge Fiji is a must watch for any fan of the genre.
If you think that looks familiar, it’s because it is. The Eco-Challenge Fiji is technically a reboot. The Eco-Challenge originally aired from 1995 to 2002, primarily on the Discovery Channel and then later on the USA Network. I actually remember watching the Eco-Challenge with my family back in the mid-90s and was absolutely captivated by it. That nostalgia factor is certainly one of the reasons I gave this Amazon Prime rendition of the show a shot in the first place. The other obvious reason being that there’s barely any new TV to watch right now.
But if those two things have no bearing on your interest level, then here’s two other reasons why I recommend watching Amazon Prime’s World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji.
It’s Compelling Television
It’s called the “World’s Toughest Race” for a reason. The Eco-Challenge is an absolutely gnarly competition as it spans 11 days and pushes athletes to their physical and mental limits.
A total of 66 teams of four, from 30 different countries, took on the Eco-Challenge Fiji course which covered 417 miles and spanned oceans, mountains, rivers, and jungle. Among the teams were Navy Seals, ultra-runners, people who’ve competed in Ironman triathlons, and other super athletic individuals. And let’s just say this was not a cake walk for any of them.
The elite teams competed against each other for the top spot and the grand prize of $100,000, meanwhile many of the other teams just hoped to finish before time ran out. Easier said than done, not only did the multi-leg race include boating, biking, paddling, rafting, hiking, swimming, climbing, and repelling, but they also had to navigate the course without the aid of technology.
All of this plays out over 10 episodes, most of which are about 45mins long, but with so many teams to check in on and so many beautiful yet treacherous terrains to cover, the series moves at a fast clip. I marathoned the entire thing in about a day or two and I would have happily watched more. There is literally no filler. If you start watching, you’re going to want to see it through.
It’s Also Feel Good Television
Yes, at its core Eco-Challenge Fiji is a race, a competition, but it’s impossible not to root for all the teams. Or at least the ones that get some time in the spotlight. The show does not introduce viewers to all sixty-six teams, that’d be nuts, but it does follow a good number of them – from the front-runners to the rookies and the many teams in between.
There are teams of fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, siblings, longtime friends, and more recent acquaintances. There are veteran teams who competed in past Eco-Challenge races. There are teams just excited by the new experience. And there are teams running for reasons much bigger than themselves. I don’t want to spoil anything so you’ll have to watch to find out more, but it’s their stories and camaraderie that give the show its heart.
Even better yet, you won’t find any of the stereotypical reality television backstabbing or sabotaging in this series. Instead, drama is derived from the sheer insanity of the course, plus some ill-timed weather, sleep deprivation, and navigational snafus. Overall, Amazon Prime’s Eco-Challenge Fiji it’s an inspirational reminder of what teamwork and perseverance can accomplish. Not inspiring enough to make me ever want to run a race of this caliber, or anything close, but still a really positive message to send out into the world right now.
Steam it today.
