Expedition Impossible (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Expedition Impossible is a 2011 American reality television series. The series follows thirteen teams of three competitors as they "solve problems while racing across deserts, over mountains and through rivers" across the nation of Morocco
. The first team to cross the finish line after completing the ten stages of the competition will receive USD$150,000. In addition, each team member will win a new Ford Explorer
.
Created by producer Mark Burnett
and hosted by wildlife expert Dave Salmoni
, the series premiered on ABC
on June 23, 2011 to mild critical response.
The competition began in Merzouga
and concluded in Marrakech
, covering a course of around 2,000 miles including treks through the Sahara Desert and over the Atlas Mountains
.
After initially announcing a premiere date of June 21, 2011, ABC revised the date to June 23.
announced that it had acquired Expedition Impossible for Canadian broadcast and that it would debut the series on June 21. CTV pushed back the premiere to the 23rd, corresponding with its American debut.
On July 16, 2011, Network Ten
started to broadcast the show in the 6:30pm - 7:30pm timeslot on its main channel - 10.
Taylor Filasky, 31, San Diego, CA. Video Producer
Eric Bach, 26, San Francisco, CA. Entrepreneur
Group of friends that, collectively, have traveled to over 40 countries.
, 42, Golden, CO. Motivational Speaker/Writer
Jeff Evans, 41, Boulder, CO. Motivational Speaker/Physician Assistant
Aaron "Ike" Isaacson, 33, Topeka, KS. Soldier
Jeff is Erik's climbing guide on mountaineering expeditions because Erik is blind. Ike is a soldier.
Kari Gibson, 26, Los Angeles, CA. Model
AJ Gibson, 30, Los Angeles, CA. Mortgage Consultant
Kari and AJ are siblings. Ryan and AJ used to be a couple, but are now friends. All three are roommates.
, 31, Los Angeles, CA. Broadcaster
Robert Ortiz
, 27, Solana Beach, CA. Business Owner
Ricky Sharpe
, 31, Costa Mesa, CA. Health and Fitness Consultant
All three are former professional football players who first met while playing for San Diego State University
.
Dani Henderson, 34, Marlborough, MA. Police Officer
James "Jim" Vaglica, 49, Billerica, MA. Police Sergeant
Cops who work together.
Brittany Smith, 24, Rancho Murieta, CA. Aspiring Pro Golfer
Natalie Smith, 25, Woodland, CA. Teacher/Coach
Friends who met while attending the University of California, Davis
.
Jason Cronin, 37, Pensacola Beach, FL. Business Owner/Entrepreneur
Chad Robinson, 27, Bolton, MS. Real Estate Investor
Friends coming from Mississippi
and nearby.
Nino Sanfilippo, 43, Gloucester, MA. Fisherman
Joe Sanfilippo, 44, Gloucester, MA. Fisherman
Gus and Nino are brothers and Joe is their cousin. All three are crew on the fishing boat Captain Dominic.
Rob Keiley, 34, Rockaway Park, NY. Firefighter
Mike Egan, 34, Rockaway Park, NY. Firefighter
Kelsey Fuller, 22, Overland Park, KS. Student
Mackenzie Fuller, 18, Overland Park, KS. Student
Three sisters who are originally from Kansas.
Steven Smith, 48, Savoy, IL. Store Owner
Samantha Smith-Gibbs, 23, Thomasboro, IL. Store Manager
Samantha is Steven's daughter, Dick is Steven's father.
Ruthie Vanderbeck, 28, Reading, PA. Realtor
Abbie Vanderbeck, 30, Norwalk, CT. Nanny
Ruthie and Abbie are Ellie's daughters. They were also in the military.
Raven Garcia, 30, Bronx, NY. Freelance Writer
Mai Reyes, 38, New York, NY. Manager
Friends and co-workers, all with Latino
heritage.
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
|- style="color:#FFF"
! style="background:#2d5d93" | No.
! style="background:#2d5d93" | Title
! style="background:#2d5d93" | Winner
! style="background:#2d5d93" | U.S. viewers (millions)
! style="background:#2d5d93" | Original air date
|}
, Pirate Master
, and Burnett's own adventure race series Eco-Challenge
. Burnett has repudiated the comparisons to TAR, saying "There’s no taxis. There’s no hotels. This is very, very different. Here, you actually need to put yourself on the line, really be willing to cross the deserts and the mountains and use the camels and the horses. So, it’s a very, very much more difficult competition."
David Hinckley of The New York Daily News found the premiere to follow a familiar formula and wondered whether a "saturation point" for this style of entertainment had been reached. In saying so, he stressed that he in no way was diminishing the accomplishments of the participating teams. Similarly, Brian Lowry for Variety
, while calling the series a "transparent knockoff of The Amazing Race", complimented Burnett on his ability to create "a sense of jeopardy in the challenges" while finding that the series as a whole "travels such a familiar course" that it was tantamount to "recycling" the concepts of other series.
Expedition Impossible was the top-rated program the night of its debut, pulling 2.4/7 in adults 18/49 and 7.18 million viewers. The premiere was the 8th most watched show that week. In the second episode, Expedition Impossible pulled a 1.8/6 in adults 18/49 and 6.16 million viewers. This drop was not unusual for a holiday weekend, as other shows also experienced a rating decline. Despite this, Expedition Impossible was the top rated program of the hour and the second top rated program of the night, as well as the 12th most watched show that week in the 18/49 demo. Ratings however continued to slip when its fifth episode only garnered a rating of 1.3 for the 18/49 demo and 4.68 million in total viewers. The show hit a season low for its eighth episode, with a demo rating of 1.1 and only watched by 3.83 million viewers. The show's ninth episode was watched by 4.45 million viewers, and the season finale ended with a rating of 1.3 for the 18/49 demo and 4.61 millions in total viewer number.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. The first team to cross the finish line after completing the ten stages of the competition will receive USD$150,000. In addition, each team member will win a new Ford Explorer
Ford Explorer
The Ford Explorer is a sport-utility vehicle sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois...
.
Created by producer Mark Burnett
Mark Burnett
Mark Burnett is a British television producer and executive producer, based in the United States. He currently is the executive producer of five network television series with seven hours of network programming. Works with which Burnett is associated have won multiple awards and recognition...
and hosted by wildlife expert Dave Salmoni
Dave Salmoni
Dave Salmoni is a Canadian animal trainer, entertainer and television producer. He has his own production company, Triosphere, which is based in South Africa and specializes in wildlife films.-Personal life:...
, the series premiered on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
on June 23, 2011 to mild critical response.
Game
Expedition Impossible is run in ten "stages", each of which has a series of "checkpoints". At each checkpoint, teams receive instructions on how to reach the next checkpoint and at some checkpoints they face challenges that must be completed before heading to the next checkpoint. The last team in each stage to reach the final checkpoint is eliminated. If any member of a team quits, the team is eliminated.The competition began in Merzouga
Merzouga
Merzouga is a small village in southeastern Morocco, about 35 kilometerssoutheast of Rissani, about 45 kilometers from Erfoud, and about 50 kilometers from the Algerian border....
and concluded in Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
, covering a course of around 2,000 miles including treks through the Sahara Desert and over the Atlas Mountains
Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains is a mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending about through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The highest peak is Toubkal, with an elevation of in southwestern Morocco. The Atlas ranges separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert...
.
Production
ABC and producer Mark Burnett announced the series on November 4, 2010, with Burnett describing Expedition Impossible as "high adventure television" and "an epic Indiana Jones-style experience". Open casting began later that month. Prospective contestants were required to demonstrate proficiency in several skills, including horseback riding, righting a boat that had been capsized, compass reading and rappelling.After initially announcing a premiere date of June 21, 2011, ABC revised the date to June 23.
International distribution
On May 9, 2011, CTV Television NetworkCTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
announced that it had acquired Expedition Impossible for Canadian broadcast and that it would debut the series on June 21. CTV pushed back the premiere to the 23rd, corresponding with its American debut.
On July 16, 2011, Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
started to broadcast the show in the 6:30pm - 7:30pm timeslot on its main channel - 10.
The Gypsies
John Post, 25, Pensacola Beach, FL. Sustainable FarmerTaylor Filasky, 31, San Diego, CA. Video Producer
Eric Bach, 26, San Francisco, CA. Entrepreneur
Group of friends that, collectively, have traveled to over 40 countries.
No Limits
Erik WeihenmayerErik Weihenmayer
Erik Weihenmayer is the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, on May 25, 2001. He also completed the Seven Summits in September 2002. His story was covered in a Time article in June 2001 titled Blind to Failure...
, 42, Golden, CO. Motivational Speaker/Writer
Jeff Evans, 41, Boulder, CO. Motivational Speaker/Physician Assistant
Aaron "Ike" Isaacson, 33, Topeka, KS. Soldier
Jeff is Erik's climbing guide on mountaineering expeditions because Erik is blind. Ike is a soldier.
Fab 3
Ryan Allen Carrillo, 36, Los Angeles, CA. Business OwnerKari Gibson, 26, Los Angeles, CA. Model
AJ Gibson, 30, Los Angeles, CA. Mortgage Consultant
Kari and AJ are siblings. Ryan and AJ used to be a couple, but are now friends. All three are roommates.
The Football Players
Akbar Gbaja-BiamilaAkbar Gbaja-Biamila
Akbar Oluwakemi-Idowu Gbaja-Biamila is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at San Diego State. He currently works for NBC Sports as a college football analyst, previously...
, 31, Los Angeles, CA. Broadcaster
Robert Ortiz
Robert Ortiz (American football)
Robert J. Ortiz is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
, 27, Solana Beach, CA. Business Owner
Ricky Sharpe
Ricky Sharpe
Ricky Sharpe played in the Arena Football League as a defensive back/wide receiver for the Los Angeles Avengers.-High school years:Sharpe attended Mt...
, 31, Costa Mesa, CA. Health and Fitness Consultant
All three are former professional football players who first met while playing for San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
.
The Cops
Robert "Rob" Robillard, 43, Concord, MA. Police LieutenantDani Henderson, 34, Marlborough, MA. Police Officer
James "Jim" Vaglica, 49, Billerica, MA. Police Sergeant
Cops who work together.
California Girls
Christina Chin, 24, Davis, CA. Corporate PR.Brittany Smith, 24, Rancho Murieta, CA. Aspiring Pro Golfer
Natalie Smith, 25, Woodland, CA. Teacher/Coach
Friends who met while attending the University of California, Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
.
The Country Boys
Nicholas Coughlin, 28, Clinton, MS. Internet Marketing/EntrepreneurJason Cronin, 37, Pensacola Beach, FL. Business Owner/Entrepreneur
Chad Robinson, 27, Bolton, MS. Real Estate Investor
Friends coming from Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and nearby.
The Fishermen
Gus Sanfilippo, 48, Gloucester, MA. FishermanNino Sanfilippo, 43, Gloucester, MA. Fisherman
Joe Sanfilippo, 44, Gloucester, MA. Fisherman
Gus and Nino are brothers and Joe is their cousin. All three are crew on the fishing boat Captain Dominic.
New York Firemen
Kevin "Fathead" Coursey, 39, Belle Harbor, NY. FirefighterRob Keiley, 34, Rockaway Park, NY. Firefighter
Mike Egan, 34, Rockaway Park, NY. Firefighter
Team Kansas
Lindsey Haymond, 27, Houston, TX. TeacherKelsey Fuller, 22, Overland Park, KS. Student
Mackenzie Fuller, 18, Overland Park, KS. Student
Three sisters who are originally from Kansas.
Grandpa's Warriors
Dick Smith, 69, Normal, IL. Store OwnerSteven Smith, 48, Savoy, IL. Store Owner
Samantha Smith-Gibbs, 23, Thomasboro, IL. Store Manager
Samantha is Steven's daughter, Dick is Steven's father.
Mom's Army
Eleanor "Ellie" Vanderbeck, 52, Reading, PA. BookkeeperRuthie Vanderbeck, 28, Reading, PA. Realtor
Abbie Vanderbeck, 30, Norwalk, CT. Nanny
Ruthie and Abbie are Ellie's daughters. They were also in the military.
Latin Persuasion
Dashia Imperiale, 44, New York, NY. Fitness InstructorRaven Garcia, 30, Bronx, NY. Freelance Writer
Mai Reyes, 38, New York, NY. Manager
Friends and co-workers, all with Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
heritage.
Progress
| Team | Relationships | Position | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |||
| The Gypsies | Friends | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | |
| No Limits | Friends | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 5th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd |
| Fab 3 | Siblings and Friend | 2nd | 5th | 5th | 8th | 1st | 2nd | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd |
| The Football Players | College Friends | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | ||
| The Cops | Co-workers | 10th | 11th | 8th | 5th | 4th | 6th | 5th | 4th | |||
| California Girls | College Friends | 9th | 9th | 7th | 7th | 8th | 7th | 3rd | ||||
| The Country Boys | Friends | 7th | 2nd | 3rd | 9th | 7th | 5th | |||||
| The Fishermen | Brothers and Cousin | 5th | 6th | 10th | 6th | 6th | ||||||
| New York Firemen | Co-workers | 8th | 10th | 6th | 4th | |||||||
| Team Kansas | Sisters | 4th | 7th | 9th | ||||||||
| Grandpa's Warriors | Family | 12th | 8th | |||||||||
| Mom's Army | Mom and Daughters | 11th | ||||||||||
| Latin Persuasion | Friends/Co-workers | |||||||||||
- A team placement means the team was eliminated.
- A team placement means the team won the expedition.
Stages
|- style="color:#FFF"
! style="background:#2d5d93" | No.
! style="background:#2d5d93" | Title
! style="background:#2d5d93" | Winner
! style="background:#2d5d93" | U.S. viewers (millions)
! style="background:#2d5d93" | Original air date
|}
Reception
Before its debut, Expedition Impossible drew comparisons to other reality television series, including The Amazing RaceThe Amazing Race
The Amazing Race is a reality television game show in which teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, race around the world in competition with other teams...
, Pirate Master
Pirate Master
Pirate Master is a CBS reality television show created by Mark Burnett which replaced the previous Mark Burnett show on CBS, Rock Star. It follows 16 modern-day pirates on their quest for gold, which totaled US$1,000,000. The show was hosted by Cameron Daddo, and took place in the Caribbean island...
, and Burnett's own adventure race series Eco-Challenge
Eco-Challenge
Eco-Challenge: The Expedition Race is a multi-day expedition length adventure race in which teams of four compete. It aired from April 1995 to April 2002....
. Burnett has repudiated the comparisons to TAR, saying "There’s no taxis. There’s no hotels. This is very, very different. Here, you actually need to put yourself on the line, really be willing to cross the deserts and the mountains and use the camels and the horses. So, it’s a very, very much more difficult competition."
David Hinckley of The New York Daily News found the premiere to follow a familiar formula and wondered whether a "saturation point" for this style of entertainment had been reached. In saying so, he stressed that he in no way was diminishing the accomplishments of the participating teams. Similarly, Brian Lowry for Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, while calling the series a "transparent knockoff of The Amazing Race", complimented Burnett on his ability to create "a sense of jeopardy in the challenges" while finding that the series as a whole "travels such a familiar course" that it was tantamount to "recycling" the concepts of other series.
Expedition Impossible was the top-rated program the night of its debut, pulling 2.4/7 in adults 18/49 and 7.18 million viewers. The premiere was the 8th most watched show that week. In the second episode, Expedition Impossible pulled a 1.8/6 in adults 18/49 and 6.16 million viewers. This drop was not unusual for a holiday weekend, as other shows also experienced a rating decline. Despite this, Expedition Impossible was the top rated program of the hour and the second top rated program of the night, as well as the 12th most watched show that week in the 18/49 demo. Ratings however continued to slip when its fifth episode only garnered a rating of 1.3 for the 18/49 demo and 4.68 million in total viewers. The show hit a season low for its eighth episode, with a demo rating of 1.1 and only watched by 3.83 million viewers. The show's ninth episode was watched by 4.45 million viewers, and the season finale ended with a rating of 1.3 for the 18/49 demo and 4.61 millions in total viewer number.