Survivor In The Media

[Guest]

Good, I've always wondered exactly how many holes they stuck their hands in and rocks they lifted. Now I'll know!

And I've suspected there was more drama that came with the discovery of an idol besides the "ooo I found it! this is huge! *does happy dance* *tucks in shorts*" sequence we get. I mean there's OBVIOUSLY more depth and variety to it, right?

Good to know Jeff has his eye on what's important, as usual.

[LadyChatts]

I actually found Emily's reasoning for auditioning kind of hilarious.  And I don't even think Gabler is the series worst winner (I guess it was a fitting end to that season):

https://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-behind-the-scenes-casting-cover-story/

Quote

 Emily Flippen ended up on the show after sending in an application video because "I was really angry that morning after watching Mike Gabler win, and I decided that that was not okay in my book." (She got a call back that same day.) 

 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

I actually found Emily's reasoning for auditioning kind of hilarious.  And I don't even think Gabler is the series worst winner (I guess it was a fitting end to that season):

https://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-behind-the-scenes-casting-cover-story/

Quote

 Emily Flippen ended up on the show after sending in an application video because "I was really angry that morning after watching Mike Gabler win, and I decided that that was not okay in my book." (She got a call back that same day.) 

I love the implication that the show producers agreed with her, since they called her back immediately.

[SVNBob]

On Fire: The Official Survivor Podcast is coming back for 45.  And as Peachy said in the pre-season preview, there is a twist.

Since the previous season of the podcast was all about the producers' perspective, this season is going be more about the player and fan perspectives.  To that end, there's a new co-host, Rick Devens.

From what Rick said in the preview, he and Jay (the other host/podcast producer/Hollywood producer but not for Survivor) will be discussing the episode first from the fan and player perspectives and use that discussion to come up with questions for Peachy.  And Peachy will then respond with the producer/his perspective.

Like last season, the podcast episodes will drop right after the Survivor episodes air.  (But that'll be when the TAR episodes air, so...)

[LadyChatts]

We will be getting opening credits back.  And for the super fans, apparently there will be an Easter egg in the titles that will be a clue, and we have to figure out what it means.

https://twitter.com/ETCanada/status/1705371401484386506/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1705371401484386506&currentTweetUser=ETCanada

Edited September 23, 2023 by LadyChatts

[LadyChatts]

First three minutes of the premiere:

https://youtu.be/omwH7iAXRC4

Preview with Jeff:

https://youtu.be/0M4Q6huEm8I

 

[Guest]

This article on Primetimer ranking the 10 best Survivor premieres is interesting reading, but I did notice that in the collage of photos at the top, Abi-Maria is partially visible in one image (enough that she's recognizable) but is not mentioned in the caption along with the others. Sorry Joe Reid, you are now on her shit list and she will be coming for you.

He also mistakenly refers to "Boston Rob" Cesternino and Amber forming their alliance, but I doubt the Robfather will be coming for him. Amber might, though, for pairing her off with Cesternino.

[LadyChatts]

Wrong thread.

Edited September 28, 2023 by LadyChatts

[LadyChatts]

Jeff gave a post-show interview and definitely calls Hannah a quitter, regardless of what she might think.  I posted an interview in Hannah’s thread where she said anyone sending her hate wouldn’t get cast because they won’t pass the psych evaluation, but I guess she should have known Probst would call up casting and ask WTF they missed when casting her:

https://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-jeff-probst-premiere-player-exit-quit/

“And the first call I made was to [casting director] Jesse Tanenbaum and Dr. Liza, our head psychologist, to say, "Add this into our data, because we got it wrong. We missed something with Hannah. She shouldn't have been on the show."

[LadyChatts]

Just an FYI, tomorrow night (10/3) at 8pm The Price Is Right is airing the Survivor-themed episode.  

[Lantern7]

On 10/1/2023 at 1:14 PM, LadyChatts said:

Just an FYI, tomorrow night (10/3) at 8pm The Price Is Right is airing the Survivor-themed episode.  

Saw it. Pretty meh, in the sense that the only person related to the show that popped in was Probst. I figure the same thing will happen next week, which will be a TAR-themed episode.

[LadyChatts]

1 hour ago, Lantern7 said:

Saw it. Pretty meh, in the sense that the only person related to the show that popped in was Probst. I figure the same thing will happen next week, which will be a TAR-themed episode.

I was hoping it would be like the last time, where they had former Survivor contestants paired with TPIR contestants.  Since these are supposed “super fans”, I wonder if any of them got to give a quick pitch to Jeff and we’ll see them on a future season?  Though guessing not the lady who said she’s been trying to get on TPIR for 21 years (not Survivor) or the guy who said his wife was the bigger fan of the show.  

[Nashville]

8 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Saw it. Pretty meh, in the sense that the only person related to the show that popped in was Probst. I figure the same thing will happen next week, which will be a TAR-themed episode.

Personally, I got a kick out of how much trouble Jiffy was having getting their torch snuffer to work.

[DEL901]

Parvati and Sandra are on season 2 of the Traitor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Traitors_(American_season_2)
 

Erika is on season 1 of 5he Traitor Canada. 

[LadyChatts]

I was wondering if Jeff or the crew thought things through with Sabiyah's idol, and whether they thought she might actually try to melt it at TC.  This is what he said on his podcast:

https://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-jeff-probst-tribal-council-sabiyah-idol-melting/

Quote

 

It was a sequence of events that Probst and his team never saw coming. "We never considered that somebody would find this idol and still not have fire, and then be smart enough adapting to use the Tribal Council fire," the host and showrunner says on Survivor's official On Fire podcast. In fact, as it was happening, Probst had to internally double-check with himself if it was even allowed. "When she puts it in the fire, yes, there is a part of me going, 'This is fair, right?'" Probst says. "Because all the note says is, 'You've got to burn the wax.'"

Probst ultimately gives the player props for showing such ingenuity: "I gave Sabiyah a lot of credit for saying, 'Yeah, the only fire I have in my life right now, Jeff, is at Tribal when I'm going to vote somebody out.' I thought it was really cool."

 

So despite him giving her props, I wonder if this will change things in the future.  If they have another twist with an idol that needs to be melted or something burned away, if they'll specifically say it has to be done at a person's respective camp.  

[Carey]

Survivor (and TAR) returning with 90 minute episodes March 2024

 

FYI: Survivor actually premieres for its 46th season in February.  ON 02/28/2024 & 03/06/2024, we're getting 2-hour episodes.  Then when TAR returns with it's 90-minute premiere, Survivor goes back to 90 minute episodes

[LadyChatts]

I hope 90 minute episodes of Survivor stay a thing.  I know we are getting them now because of the strike but I’ve really enjoyed the extra time.  

[SVNBob]

12 hours ago, Carey said:

Survivor (and TAR) returning with 90 minute episodes March 2024

 

FYI: Survivor actually premieres for its 46th season in February.  ON 02/28/2024 & 03/06/2024, we're getting 2-hour episodes.  Then when TAR returns with it's 90-minute premiere, Survivor goes back to 90 minute episodes

Per the article, Peachy said that, unlike 45, they didn't know if they were going to get the 90-minute timeslot for 46 as they were prepping and shooting it, so they didn't "add in" anything to help extend the runtime in case they'd have to cut it. 

By this, I think he was referring to the Treasure/Scavenger Hunt Idols that featured in 45.

[TVFan1]

13 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

I hope 90 minute episodes of Survivor stay a thing.  I know we are getting them now because of the strike but I’ve really enjoyed the extra time.  

Yeah, me too. At first, I wasn't sure how the 90 minute episodes would be. Now that we have them, I've been enjoying them as well.

[Maverick]

 They're likely here to stay.  CBS wantEd to make Wednesday all reality but had a massive flop with Real Love Boat.  Rather than take a risk on another dud it's easier to keep the two work horses at 90 minutes. 

[LadyChatts]

So Jeff said going forward quitters will no longer get their torches snuffed.  Which I think was the rule before anyway?

https://insidesurvivor.com/jeff-probst-makes-new-rule-for-survivor-quitters-going-forward-55900

[Nashville]

7 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

So Jeff said going forward quitters will no longer get their torches snuffed.  Which I think was the rule before anyway?

https://insidesurvivor.com/jeff-probst-makes-new-rule-for-survivor-quitters-going-forward-55900

I don’t know if there’s been enough quitters in the past for hard-and-fast rules to be established for the occasion.

An I mistaken in thinking that on at least one occasion, Peachy took the quitter’s torch and pitched it into the TC fire pit?

[LadyChatts]

1 hour ago, Nashville said:

I don’t know if there’s been enough quitters in the past for hard-and-fast rules to be established for the occasion.

An I mistaken in thinking that on at least one occasion, Peachy took the quitter’s torch and pitched it into the TC fire pit?

I know he tossed someone’s torch to the ground (that was our first quit Osten) and aside from lashing out at Colton I think he’s been sort of soft at the other quits.  Which there haven’t been that many (some of the ones I was thinking of I realized were medevacs).
 

They enacted the rule after the two quits in Nicaragua about having the right to exclude quitters from the jury if they’ve made it to that point.  That’s the only rule I knew of.  IIRC he did snuff both N’aonka and Kelly’s torches.  

Edited November 16, 2023 by LadyChatts

[Nashville]

1 hour ago, LadyChatts said:

I know he tossed someone’s torch to the ground (that was our first quit Osten) and aside from lashing out at Colton I think he’s been sort of soft at the other quits.

I went back and looked, and JP actually did snuff Osten’s torch - but afterwards instead of re-racking it alongside the torches of the other eliminated players, Jeff laid Osten’s torch on the ground in front of them.

[Nashville]

I know no quitters’ torches were burned at TC in the early seasons because the F3 would collect the torches of all past players on their Memory Hike and burn them en masse at hike’s end - but I was wondering about later, when the torches were replaced by wooden tiles with the players’ names painted on them.  In any case, I know it was never standard practice - but I seem to have an image in my mind of the cameraman lingering on a shot of the torch laying in the TC fire pit, and I’m wondering if that recollection is reality or imagination.

Edited November 17, 2023 by Nashville
Editor screwed up

[Katrina Kate]

3 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

 IIRC he did snuff both N’aonka and Kelly’s torches.  

He smuffed them at their request.

[LadyChatts]

https://ew.com/survivor-host-jeff-probst-older-contestants-8405987

I was actually ready to cringe at his reasoning, but his logic is that older contestants apply in smaller numbers than the younger contestants.  He mentioned an uptick in younger contestants applying in the post-COVID years as they are now old enough to do it (which makes me feel old lol).  But it makes me happy that for two weeks in a row, the two oldest contestants were the last ones standing in a tough endurance IC.  I'm hoping Julie can get a win!

Edited November 27, 2023 by LadyChatts

[Special K]

Article in The New York Times about Survivors' "wardrobe."

[Lantern7]

Sia writes checks for Katurah, Kaleb, Jake. That seems right to me, especially with Katurah's past and Jake getting his nuts handed to him over and over during the game.

[LadyChatts]

I was hoping she might give something to Emily and thought Julie might get something, but I’m happy for those 3.  

[Carey]

I'm okay for those that got the Sia money as well.  By the way, she doesn't or hasn't given it to a winner since she started with it 8 years ago, has she?

Without looking, I'm wondering when they did away with the "Survivor MVP" award and the gap (if there is one) between its end and present time.  Still great for Sia to do something on her own.  Can't say that about most people

[BigRedCheese]

Quote

I'm wondering when they did away with the "Survivor MVP" award and the gap (if there is one) between its end and present time.

It was Sprint that awarded that when they were sponsoring the show. I had to look it up, but it was China through Caramoan (Survivor did their own for Rupert on All Stars, and awarded cars to fan favorites on Panama and Cook Islands). Malcolm was the last player to win fan favorite.

[tv echo]

The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time
By Daniel D'Addario, Kate Aurthur, Clayton Davis, Selome Hailu, Alison Herman, Emily Longeretta, Jennifer Maas, Joe Otterson, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay, Aramide Tinubu, Adam B. Vary    Dec 20, 2023
https://variety.com/lists/greatest-tv-shows-of-all-time/ 

Quote

31  Survivor
...
CBS
2000--present

Perhaps the 21st century didn’t really begin until Richard Hatch won the final jury vote. “Survivor’s” first season was a thrill ride up until its final moments, when Hatch, who embraced an amoral and bloodless style of play, beat out the last of his earnest and well-meaning island mates. Then it became a revolution. The entire modern competition-reality apparatus was built on what “Survivor” started, but it’s no museum piece: The show has in recent years had a renaissance of attention and fandom as a whole new generation sees how compelling it can be when normal people go to a tropical island with the goal of doing everything but making friends.

Edited December 24, 2023 by tv echo

[LadyChatts]

The S46 cast has officially been revealed:

https://ew.com/survivor-46-cast-contestants-revealed-8557071

In scrolling through the bios, I'm finding very few people to root for pre-show.  In the "What past Survivor would you play the game most like", there were some interesting and kind of out-there responses (Fabio?  Xander?) but then there was this response from Soda Thompson:

Quote

What past Survivor would you play the game most like? Season 42

 

[Carey]

At least she didn't say Season 45.  Or better/worse yet, at least EW didn't ask what past season would you consider yourself best suited for!

[SummerDreams]

It starts on the 28th of February and they released the cast already? 22 days earlier? Why are they so desperate?

[Carey]

IIRC, that's around the same timeframe they've done it in the past.  I remember TAR releasing there's about a month early which was beneficial to me

[LadyChatts]

The Survivor Auction won't be back for S46 (according to Jeff, it came down to production resources):

https://ew.com/survivor-host-jeff-probst-explains-why-no-season-46-auction-8576398

And the next two seasons (47 and 48) won't be returning players-Jeff thinks having casts of completely new players is working out better:

https://insidesurvivor.com/jeff-probst-confirms-no-returning-players-through-season-48-56520

[Lamb18]

Scot Pollard from Season 32, also former NBA player, just had a heart  transplant. He had a virus in 2021 that triggered a genetic heart condition, same S what killed his father at age 54.

Scot's wife says he is doing well.

I can't post a link but I read articles about Scot from The Athletic and NBC News on my Google feed.

Scot's great buddy from that season was tattooed Jason and I think Aubrey and Tai were on that season. Was that the season where Caleb almost died?

Edited February 17 by Lamb18

[Carey]

21 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

And the next two seasons (47 and 48) won't be returning players-Jeff thinks having casts of completely new players is working out better:

Couldn't disagree more.  However, I respect it since it's nice to see new folks play the game in their attempt to build their own legacy as it relates to Survivor.  That was during a period where several people were getting 3 to 4 to 5 chances if not a second chance.

The gameplay from some of the recent players have not been very good, so that's where I'd be in the mood to see a veterans.

IMO, each have their own pros & cons.  When it's mixed up, that tends to be the way to go.  I believe this might be the longest stretch in a quarter century where we haven't had any new players.

Finally, it makes sense in a way (despite not agreeing here) to wait a minute, assuming they're going to go all out for Seasons 49 & 50

[peachmangosteen]

23 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

And the next two seasons (47 and 48) won't be returning players-Jeff thinks having casts of completely new players is working out better:

https://insidesurvivor.com/jeff-probst-confirms-no-returning-players-through-season-48-56520

Wow, the one thing I agree with Jeff on lol.

[LadyChatts]

52 minutes ago, peachmangosteen said:

Wow, the one thing I agree with Jeff on lol.

I know Jeff has said he will often stick with something he feels is working and then decides to make a change if he feels it's getting stale.  I think the key word in there is Jeff because he obviously thinks he knows best when it comes to this show ;)  But I can also agree with him on this.  Since I feel like a returning player cast would focus mostly (and maybe even solely) on the new era seasons, I'm not even sure they'd have enough good people to do a returning player season yet. 

Edited February 17 by LadyChatts

[LadyChatts]

On 2/17/2024 at 1:18 PM, Lamb18 said:

Scot Pollard from Season 32, also former NBA player, just had a heart  transplant. He had a virus in 2021 that triggered a genetic heart condition, same S what killed his father at age 54.

Scot's wife says he is doing well.

I can't post a link but I read articles about Scot from The Athletic and NBC News on my Google feed.

Scot's great buddy from that season was tattooed Jason and I think Aubrey and Tai were on that season. Was that the season where Caleb almost died?

Yes, Caleb almost killed himself because he didn't know it was a reward challenge they were competing in and thought it was for immunity.  I'm glad he survived but I always thought that was such a boneheaded thing to not know what you were competing for (I don't know how Jeff can make it anymore clear), but even if it was for immunity, why try killing yourself over it?  I think Caleb was fine with his tribe's standings so if they lost he wasn't going anywhere.  Though I've mostly blocked that season from memory so maybe I'm wrong.

Also shows how far we've come from some of the more brutal locations compared to the cushier vibe in Fiji.

[Lamb18]

On 2/18/2024 at 3:08 PM, LadyChatts said:

Yes, Caleb almost killed himself because he didn't know it was a reward challenge they were competing in and thought it was for immunity.  I'm glad he survived but I always thought that was such a boneheaded thing to not know what you were competing for (I don't know how Jeff can make it anymore clear), but even if it was for immunity, why try killing yourself over it?  I think Caleb was fine with his tribe's standings so if they lost he wasn't going anywhere.  Though I've mostly blocked that season from memory so maybe I'm wrong.

Also shows how far we've come from some of the more brutal locations compared to the cushier vibe in Fiji.

Michele won this season, too, I think. From what I read, Scot had his surgery and is doing well.

[LadyChatts]

https://ew.com/survivor-host-jeff-probst-ready-to-get-tougher-at-tribal-council-8598024

Probst plans on getting tougher at TC, thinking that contestants were getting too comfortable and believing they wouldn't get called out.  I have to say, Probst has gotten pretty soft the past few seasons compared to how he was in the early years.  He mentioned that quitters will no longer get their torch snuffed, though I wonder if he will still let the vote happen.  I mean Hannah's was a clear-cut case of quitting.  Sean's was, too, but in reality, it was maybe a possibility if they had been on the same page that the Sifu blindside could have still happened.  So just because a person asks to go it doesn't mean the tribe will grant that wish.

[LadyChatts]

https://parade.com/tv/jeff-probst-survivor-villains-new-era

According to Probst, he's not looking to cast villains anymore and wants to focus on "reimagining positivity" in this new era as he's been doing.  

Although from some of the BTS stuff that we've heard from contestants, I think there have been villains on the show, they just aren't getting the edit.  I also wonder if this partly has anything to do with the fallout from S39 and how everything was handled there.

Edited February 26 by LadyChatts

[JudyObscure]

I just watched the "Meet the Cast," thing.  Once again, they all grew up in poverty but rose from the ashes to be the most incredible people ever and their biggest challenge will be hiding their awesomeness from the rest of the cast so they wont be voted out first.  

I'm still excited about the season.

[LadyChatts]

One more day until the premiere!  I'm thrown off by the season starting early, but here for two hours of people trying to out-super fan the next person.

I was reading this interview about what secrets the cast plans to keep from their tribemates.  Does Bhanu know what show he signed up for?  Although maybe he'll be a wiz at puzzles, because we know all challenges eventually lead to assembling a puzzle (which may or may not get knocked down after putting it together as part of the challenge-I like how we're kept on our toes about that part!)

https://ew.com/survivor-46-contestants-reveal-secrets-they-wont-tell-others-8580456

Quote

One person who has us a bit concerned with his secret is Bhanu Gopal. “My weaknesses are I have injured my shoulder,” reveals the 41-year-old IT quality analyst. “I have 10 dislocations, and I've recently had a shoulder surgery and it's still a little iffy.”

 

Edited February 27 by LadyChatts

[Skooma]

Just hours away from the start of watching endless, boring, mind-numbing puzzles because that is what all people do on islands in the south Pacific apparently.  🌴

[DEL901]

A full breakdown of who has won a Sia award… https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/every-survivor-contestant-who-won-the-sia-award/