The Amazing Race: The First Season (2005)

Image credit: The Amazing Race: CBS/Landov

'AMAZING' ADVENTURES In season 1, best friends Brennan and Rob share a dance with a native of Tunesia

The Amazing Race: The First Season, a world-class travelogue of a reality show, began its arduous journey toward hit status — and Emmy respect — back in 2001. Even if you were one of the handful of hardcore fans to catch the show's low-rated debut, it's a pleasure to revisit Race in all its chaotic, first-year splendor. Subsequent, more successful seasons never produced a better, more ''real'' mix of pairs. EXTRAS The ''Side Trips'' (extra footage) are hit-and-miss, but the ''Creating and Coordinating'' doc is as cool as any episode, mainly because the international locales require the crew and host Phil Keoghan to race as hard as the contestants. Plus, chummy group commentaries are loads of fun: Fan-fave frat brothers Drew and Kevin pick up their trademark bickering where they left off; winners Rob and Brennan and unflappable gay couple Team Guido good-naturedly tease each other as Guido falls a full 24 hours behind in the finale; and Karyn cracks that Lenny still hasn't given her the ring he promised if they won (in his defense, they didn't).