I finally got to watch the finale of The Amazing Race, and I enjoyed it wholeheartedly. I think that was partly because the top three teams were all ones you could root for.

Forget the idea that evil teams drive up the drama. For me, watching couples' relationships degenerate or seeing people be typical "ugly Americans" and act rude toward people in other countries makes the viewing experience worse.

Watching teams whose relationship actually improved over the course of the race (Christine and Ronald) or who managed to not take things out on one another (TK and Rachel) was a much more fulfilling finale.

(Not that there wasn't a "good triumphing over evil" feeling after the previous episode, when Nate and Jen got the boot. But I was thrilled to not deal with them or their bickering in the finale.)

What did you think about the finale -- and about the winners?

I was pleased to see them in Anchorage. I went there for the Mayor's Midnight Sun Half-Marathon in 2005 and loved it. I didn't see that much that was specifically familiar, except for the Capt. Cook statue, but I still liked revisiting the place a little.

I also really liked the final road block -- a logic puzzle that required remembering what items went with what challenges in what cities, as well as working out the rest of the clues.

So for me, it was a satisfying end. I just hope that for future seasons, CBS doesn't kill it by putting it after 60 Minutes and football.  

(Photo courtesy of CBS)