Here's why I think The Amazing Race's Jonathan should take notes from Josiah on how to treat a partner

The Amazing Race season 37 pair, Alyssa and Josiah, are among the four remaining teams competing for $1 million on the CBS show. The married couple are nurse anesthetists from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Like Alyssa and Josiah, the show features another couple in the Top 4: Jonathan and Ana, who are from Pomona, California.

After the latest episode, aired on May 7, 2025, Josiah and Jonathan have come under the spotlight for contrasting reasons. While netizens have commended Josiah's behavior with his wife Alyssa, they have criticized Jonathan's dynamic with Ana, and rightfully so. I will argue that Jonathan should take a note or two from Josiah on how to treat a partner.

Disclaimer: This article on The Amazing Race is based on the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.

In episode 10, titled Up the River Without a Joust, the teams had to race in Strasbourg, France, and avoid finishing last to prevent elimination. As the competition intensified, the contestants felt stressed and more competitive. While the rest tackled their nerves with logic and reason, one resorted to complaining and criticism.

Jonathan blamed Ana, criticized her performance, and spoke to her with an attitude throughout the race without taking accountability for their situation as a team. On a brighter note, Josiah presented himself not only as the perfect team member but also as an ideal partner, supporting his wife whenever she felt overwhelmed and distressed.

Unlike Jonathan, Josiah complimented Alyssa whenever he had the opportunity to ensure she felt motivated, and he never forgot to highlight that they were a team on The Amazing Race. This way, he reminded Alyssa that neither of them was at fault and that both were trying their best to overcome the hurdles one at a time.

In contrast to Jonathan, Josiah emerged as the model partner, never forgetting that he was Alyssa's husband first and then her teammate on a competition show.

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The Amazing Race's pressure is not enough to impact the relationship between Alyssa and Josiah

There are a few reasons why I believe Jonathan should take notes from Josiah. First, Josiah communicates with his partner and considers her opinion, rather than compelling her to follow everything he says or thinks is right. This trait seems to be lacking in Jonathan's dynamic with Ana.

The best example to illustrate my point is how Josiah and Alyssa handled their Express Pass debate. Although I think The Amazing Race couple failed to use the Pass efficiently, I appreciated their conversation, where they listened to and respected each other's opinions, even when they clashed.

While Alyssa wanted to use the Express Pass to gain an advantage over the other teams, Josiah wanted to save it for later. The couple went back and forth, unsure about their decision. However, Josiah was seen calming Alyssa, who was becoming worried about her position. At that point, Josiah said he would use the Pass if Alyssa was confident about it.

He ultimately listened to Alyssa's suggestion and used their advantage. While heading to their next location, the Strasbourg Cathedral, Josiah apologized to Alyssa for spending so much time on the discussion. It shows how Josiah is not afraid of taking accountability for his mistakes, which, in my opinion, Jonathan is incapable of.

Even during the cheese-tasting task, Jonathan pointed his finger at Ana, criticizing her for not getting the cheese names right, while ignoring that he had made mistakes too. He did not think twice before calling her a "terrible partner," pushing her to bear the burden of any potential loss.

In the very next scene, Josiah is heard telling Alyssa:

"Neither one of us is right, neither one of us is wrong. We're on a team right now. We're fighting against everybody else. I freaking love you, man. Like, I love you."

The Amazing Race star shows that he values maintaining a respectful temperament, despite the challenges of the competition, and not forgetting that he is Alyssa's husband first and then her race partner. In my opinion, Josiah's words of affirmation and motivation are a testament to the fact that he understands the race is as challenging to Alyssa as it is to him.

He does not let one bad game define their companionship because he knows they are more than that. However, the same cannot be said about Jonathan, for whom the competition comes before everything else, including Ana, in my opinion. In contrast to Josiah, who showered his wife with love and affection, Jonathan sneaked away and told the cameras:

"We could have been in first. But my wife was... she got mixed up on the cheese... cheese-tasting, so we're sitting in third, maybe fighting for last."

While I do understand that The Amazing Race challenges may get tricky or overwhelming, causing a person to feel frustrated, there is always a way to communicate that, instead of complaining and nitpicking.

I believe Josiah's treatment of Alyssa stands out in contrast to Jonathan's treatment of Ana because he never forgets to encourage and praise Alyssa and make sure she feels motivated.

"This [Alyssa] is The Amazing Race champ right here," Josiah said after finding out they were team number two.

Starting from body language to gestures, Jonathan, in my opinion, should take notes from Josiah to improve his behavior instead of feeling frustrated with Ana enough to ask God to give him the patience to deal with "this woman."

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Stream The Amazing Race on Paramount+.