I'm making this post because my housemate, whom I persuaded to give the show a try despite his trepidations, just finished watching his twentieth season, and is now a hooked superfan. So I'm curious what other people think about the show, what they know about it, what they've watched of it before, whether they've given it a chance, and whether they'd be interested in jumping on board in time for the next era of this wonderful game (that just happens to be televised), called "Survivor".
VOTED ONTO THE ISLAND
As some of you may know, Survivor is heading into its 31st season next month, for "Survivor: Cambodia". For the first time ever, America voted in all the players, for a special Second Chance themed season -- all 20 contestants have played just once before, and didn't win (placing everyone on an even playing field).
Many of the players are strategic masterminds, physical prodigies and superlative socialisers, surely making this round of outwitting, outplaying and outlasting one of the greatest ever.
NOT JUST REALITY TV
In case you've lived under a rock for 15 years, the format of Survivor is unlike any other reality game show, and is as follows: 16-20 people are marooned in a foreign location for 39 days with minimal if any supplies, split into usually two (sometimes three or four) "tribes" (teams) that compete against each other every few days in an "immunity challenge" to win the "immunity idol," where the losing tribe has to go to "Tribal Council" and each player casts a secret ballot, the person with the highest number of votes being voted out and leaving immediately. After about six vote-offs the tribes usually merge into one big new tribe, and players now compete in individual immunity challenges where one player wins the individual immunity idol and is safe at the subsequent Tribal Council. From this point on when players are voted out they join an ever-increasing jury of eventually 7-9 people, and in the final episode, during the Final Tribal Council, the remaining two or three players must persuade the jury of their peers, whom they had a hand in voting out, of voting FOR them for a million dollar check. (There are usually a few "twists" at play, many now standard, including the "hidden immunity idol" which, if found by following the clues, can be played at Tribal Council before the votes are read, granting that person safety, if they received any votes.)
Speaking personally, I feel like Survivor is unfairly dismissed by people who don't understand that it's a great social experiment and a deep strategic game, for being "fake" or "junk TV" with "manufactured drama". Contestants are secretly fed off camera, etc.
This is all hogwash.
The show is a real life-or-death survival situation. About 20 contestants have had to be medically evacuated during the show's run, some due to life-threatening injuries or illnesses.
The drama is completely real. Unlike other shows, pitting people against each other on an island with no food or water, having to form alliances and indeed a new society, and vote each other out in a game for a million dollars, naturally causes some tension. The only "manufacturing" if you can call it that, is regarding what they decide to show, and what hits the cutting room floor.
And finally and most importantly, the game is amazing to watch. Alliances of voting blocs are formed and betrayed, people are backstabbed and blindsided, idols are won or lost at intensely crucial moments, and because of the jury voting on a winner, karma is ruthlessly and enjoyably consistent at faltering those who played too hard and pisses everyone off, and denying those who were too meek to deserve victory.
L OR RTTP?
So, GAF, those are of course just my opinions. Now I'm asking you. What are your thoughts on "Survivor"?
If you're bored and feel like giving the show a chance, whether you've watched it before or not, why not catch up on past seasons? I suggest watching the following seasons, as they all have a stake in this upcoming returning player season. (If you're committed to it, then watch in order, but otherwise I suggest watching S18, S7, and S10 first as they are some of the better seasons while being easy to follow, and watch S15 and S28 if you only have time to watch the creme de la creme, although, Survivor is like pizza, even the worst pizza is still good.)
S1 Borneo (a bit crude, but fascinating to see how it all started)
S2 The Australian Outback
S4 Marquesas (because this season isn't the greatest, but because it introduces a very important player in future seasons, I recommend watching the premiere, episode 7, and the finale only, to save time, unless of course you're really into it and have lots of free time!)
S7 Pearl Islands
S9 Vanuatu
S10 Palau
S11 Guatemala
S12 Panama
S13 Cook Islands
S14 Fiji (As with S4, you can probably get away with only watching the premiere, episode 10, and finale)
S15 China
S16 Micronesia - Fans vs Favorites
S17 Gabon
S18 Tocantins
S19 Samoa
S20 Heroes vs Villains
S24 One World
S25 Philippines
S27 Blood vs Water
S28 Cagayan
S29 San Juan del Sur - Blood vs Water II
S30 Worlds Apart
VOTED ONTO THE ISLAND
As some of you may know, Survivor is heading into its 31st season next month, for "Survivor: Cambodia". For the first time ever, America voted in all the players, for a special Second Chance themed season -- all 20 contestants have played just once before, and didn't win (placing everyone on an even playing field).
Many of the players are strategic masterminds, physical prodigies and superlative socialisers, surely making this round of outwitting, outplaying and outlasting one of the greatest ever.
NOT JUST REALITY TV
In case you've lived under a rock for 15 years, the format of Survivor is unlike any other reality game show, and is as follows: 16-20 people are marooned in a foreign location for 39 days with minimal if any supplies, split into usually two (sometimes three or four) "tribes" (teams) that compete against each other every few days in an "immunity challenge" to win the "immunity idol," where the losing tribe has to go to "Tribal Council" and each player casts a secret ballot, the person with the highest number of votes being voted out and leaving immediately. After about six vote-offs the tribes usually merge into one big new tribe, and players now compete in individual immunity challenges where one player wins the individual immunity idol and is safe at the subsequent Tribal Council. From this point on when players are voted out they join an ever-increasing jury of eventually 7-9 people, and in the final episode, during the Final Tribal Council, the remaining two or three players must persuade the jury of their peers, whom they had a hand in voting out, of voting FOR them for a million dollar check. (There are usually a few "twists" at play, many now standard, including the "hidden immunity idol" which, if found by following the clues, can be played at Tribal Council before the votes are read, granting that person safety, if they received any votes.)
Speaking personally, I feel like Survivor is unfairly dismissed by people who don't understand that it's a great social experiment and a deep strategic game, for being "fake" or "junk TV" with "manufactured drama". Contestants are secretly fed off camera, etc.
This is all hogwash.
The show is a real life-or-death survival situation. About 20 contestants have had to be medically evacuated during the show's run, some due to life-threatening injuries or illnesses.
The drama is completely real. Unlike other shows, pitting people against each other on an island with no food or water, having to form alliances and indeed a new society, and vote each other out in a game for a million dollars, naturally causes some tension. The only "manufacturing" if you can call it that, is regarding what they decide to show, and what hits the cutting room floor.
And finally and most importantly, the game is amazing to watch. Alliances of voting blocs are formed and betrayed, people are backstabbed and blindsided, idols are won or lost at intensely crucial moments, and because of the jury voting on a winner, karma is ruthlessly and enjoyably consistent at faltering those who played too hard and pisses everyone off, and denying those who were too meek to deserve victory.
L OR RTTP?
So, GAF, those are of course just my opinions. Now I'm asking you. What are your thoughts on "Survivor"?
If you're bored and feel like giving the show a chance, whether you've watched it before or not, why not catch up on past seasons? I suggest watching the following seasons, as they all have a stake in this upcoming returning player season. (If you're committed to it, then watch in order, but otherwise I suggest watching S18, S7, and S10 first as they are some of the better seasons while being easy to follow, and watch S15 and S28 if you only have time to watch the creme de la creme, although, Survivor is like pizza, even the worst pizza is still good.)
S1 Borneo (a bit crude, but fascinating to see how it all started)
S2 The Australian Outback
S4 Marquesas (because this season isn't the greatest, but because it introduces a very important player in future seasons, I recommend watching the premiere, episode 7, and the finale only, to save time, unless of course you're really into it and have lots of free time!)
S7 Pearl Islands
S9 Vanuatu
S10 Palau
S11 Guatemala
S12 Panama
S13 Cook Islands
S14 Fiji (As with S4, you can probably get away with only watching the premiere, episode 10, and finale)
S15 China
S16 Micronesia - Fans vs Favorites
S17 Gabon
S18 Tocantins
S19 Samoa
S20 Heroes vs Villains
S24 One World
S25 Philippines
S27 Blood vs Water
S28 Cagayan
S29 San Juan del Sur - Blood vs Water II
S30 Worlds Apart
You'd think that would have made them reconsider the format.
