Wait, do you remember when CBS decided to hand over the keys of their biggest travel franchise to a bunch of YouTubers? It sounds like a fever dream now, but The Amazing Race Season 28 was a massive "social experiment" that basically tried to bridge the gap between old-school TV fans and the kids who were obsessed with Vine stars. Honestly, it was a gamble.
The year was 2016. Social media "influencers" weren't quite the household names they are today, but they had millions of followers who had never seen a linear television broadcast in their lives. Producers Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri wanted that audience. They wanted the clicks. They wanted the "trending" hashtags.
What Really Happened With the Social Media Cast?
Most seasons of this show start with Phil Keoghan standing at a scenic landmark, yelling "GO!" and watching people sprint for bags. Not this time. For the first time in the show's history, the race started at the contestants' actual homes. You’ve got Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl getting a video message on their laptops while they're sitting on their couches.
It was weird. It felt more like a vlog than a high-stakes reality show at first. But once they hit the ground in Mexico City, the intensity ramped up. This wasn't just a vacation for people with nice cameras; it was a 27,000-mile slog through four continents.
The Teams You Definitely Remember (or Forgot)
The cast was a weirdly specific time capsule of 2016 internet culture. Here’s a quick look at who actually ran the thing:
- The Winners: Dana Borriello and Matt Steffanina. They were engaged choreographers with a massive YouTube following. They fought... a lot. Like, "we might break up at this pit stop" kind of fighting.
- The Fan Favorites: Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl. If you were on the internet in 2015, you knew Tyler. They were incredibly efficient and funny, eventually taking third place.
- The Underdogs: Sheri and Cole LaBrant. Cole was a Vine heartthrob, and his mom Sheri was basically the heart of the season. They were constantly in the back of the pack but somehow clawed their way to second place.
- The Techies: Burnie Burns and Ashley Jenkins from Rooster Teeth. They were the "gamers" who played the most strategic game, only to be eliminated in a heartbreaking 4th place finish in China.
- The Magic Man: Zach King (the guy who does those crazy digital editing "magic" tricks) and his wife Rachel.
The Route: From Volcanoes to the French Alps
One thing people get wrong about The Amazing Race Season 28 is thinking it was "easier" because it featured celebrities. It wasn't. The producers sent these influencers into some of the most grueling environments the show had seen in years.
In Colombia, they were literally diving into a mud volcano to find emeralds. In Chamonix, France, they were hanging off the side of the Alps at 15,000 feet. The season also marked the first time the show ever visited Armenia, Georgia, and Colombia.
The Armenia leg was particularly memorable. They had to perform the "Sabre Dance" in the Yerevan Opera Theater and then change the oil in a Lada taxi. Seeing a bunch of beauty vloggers and Vine stars covered in grease in a post-Soviet republic is exactly why this show works. It’s that fish-out-of-water energy that you just can't fake with a ring light and a script.
The Drama No One Saw Coming
Usually, you expect the drama to come from the "villains" of the season. In Season 28, the drama was mostly internal. Dana and Matt’s relationship was under a microscope. There was a specific moment in Dubai—Leg 8—where the stress of self-driving (a classic Race trope) almost broke them.
Then you had the strategic side. Burnie and Ashley were the masterminds. They used a U-Turn on Brodie and Kurt (the "Pro Frisbee" guys) to protect the smaller teams, which was a move straight out of Survivor. It was cold-blooded. It worked. Until it didn't.
Why the Finish Was So Polarizing
When Dana and Matt finally hit the mat in Santa Barbara to claim the $1 million, the internet was... split. A lot of people were rooting for the "Mom and Son" team, Sheri and Cole, because they were so likable. Dana and Matt were portrayed as the "intense" couple, and fans on Reddit and Twitter (now X) didn't always vibe with that.
But you’ve gotta give them credit. They were dancers. They were used to precision. In the final task—a massive word puzzle involving the names of the cities they visited—they absolutely crushed it while the other teams flailed.
Is Season 28 Worth a Rewatch?
Honestly, yeah. Even if you don't know who these people are anymore (Vine is dead, after all), the season holds up as a travelogue. The cinematography in the French Alps and the desert dunes of the UAE is top-tier.
It’s also a fascinating look at how the "social media star" has changed. Back then, they were just happy to be there. Now, everyone is an influencer. In 2016, this cast felt like a novelty. Now, they just feel like any other group of competitive, slightly-too-energetic 20-somethings.
What you should do next:
If you're looking to dive back into the series, don't just stop at Season 28. Compare it to Season 31, where they brought back teams from The Amazing Race, Survivor, and Big Brother. It shows how much the "celebrity" dynamic changed the way people play the game. You can find most of these seasons streaming on Paramount+ or Hulu. Just be prepared for some serious 2016 nostalgia—and maybe skip the parts where they try to explain what a "vlogger" is.