Like your car being repossessed or your wife running off with another man, sometimes a thing has to be taken away from you before you realize how much you love it.

Last season's family version of The Amazing Race sounded like a good idea on paper, but the craptacular reality of it just makes the tried-and-true Race formula, now back in its ninth season, that much more satisfying.

It doesn't work with everything, though ... Martha Stewart's lame duck dilution of The Apprentice doesn't make us appreciate Donald's version any more.

And American Idol won't go away long enough for anyone to miss it. Much as we wish it would at least try. Hey repo man, do you do TV shows too?

The Amazing Race (tomorrow at 10 p.m., CTV and CBS). This season of the Race has no clear duds among its almost too colourful 11 teams. That said, it wasn't too disappointing to see lifelong pals John and Scott and the Menopause Mavens of Lisa and Joni get the punt in the first two episodes.

Both teams were entertaining, but better to lose them than the hippies, the geeks, the Barbies or mom Wanda and daughter Desiree, who looks like Jessica Alba's little sister -- yet is clearly the leader of their dynamic duo.

Survivor: Panama - Exile Island (Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Global and CBS). Shane lives to annoy another day, with La Mina's loss at last week's immunity challenge meaning "abort mission!" for folksy, friendly Astronaut Dan (no relation to Lieutenant Dan.) Which is too bad, since he was honourable and likable.

The Apprentice (tonight at 9 p.m., Global and Fox). If you're watching this season of product placement disguised as a reality show for any other reason than to see how Toronto's Brent Buckman fares, you're made of sterner stuff than I.

Last week, Brent's teammates pointed the finger at him, but he dodged a double-barreled blast when Trump sent Stacy and Pepi packing instead. This week, the teams compete to design a corporate treat for (insert shamelessly plugged brand) car dealership owners. Almost makes you miss Martha.

Canada's Worst Handyman (debuts tonight at 10 p.m. on Discovery).The novelty of watching bad drivers crash into parked cars dimmed after a while on Canada's Worst Driver, but that hasn't stopped Discovery from revisiting the formula, only this time with "handy" men and women. But isn't a really bad renovator just a really good demolisher? Play to your strengths!

American Idol (tomorrow and Wednesday at 8 p.m., CTV and Fox). It didn't bother me to bid farewell to Kinnick, Will and Grinnin' Gedeon last week, but I was heartbroken to see Ayla leave. Not because she was the best singer, 'cause she certainly wasn't. But because tall girls make me swoon. The taller, the swoonier.

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