Location, Location, Location...

[KnitsWithRaceCars]

Admins, I hope it's okay that I started this thread.  If not, I apologize, and please feel free to lock/remove it.

 

For me, the varying Survivor locations and scenery used to be something I looked forward to seeing every season.  In recent seasons (S19 onward), IMHO, the reusing of locations and the decline of scenery shots have detracted from the appeal of the show.  What are your favorite and/or least favorite locations, and why?  If you have any locations you wish they would go to, what are they, and why do you wish they would go there?

 

My favorites:

 

-Palau:  I have a big interest in World War II because many of my relatives served in the US Armed Forces in WWII.  Not saying that wars are good.  The wreckage in Palau makes me sad about how many people died.  But it is something that is of interest to me.

 

-Gabon:  Loved the scenery, and understand why Gabon is called Earth's Last Eden.

 

-China:  Honorable mention for China.  The scenery was one of the few highlights of a season that I really did not enjoy.

 

I haven't seen S3-S6 and S11 (next up on my watch list) and S12.  I'm guessing that if a lot of scenery was shown, I will like Africa, Thailand, and Guatemala (particularly Guatemala because I've been to Honduras and loved the scenery there).

 

 

Least favorites:

 

None, really.  I think that all the locations had potentially great scenic shots, but TPTB just didn't always provide them.

 

 

Wishlist, keeping in mind that Survivor probably won't go to any cold climates:

 

-Someplace in the Caribbean, like the Caymans or Bahamas.  If they went to Hell, Cayman Islands, the finalists could say that they survived 39 days in Hell.  :-)

 

-Mexico

 

-Japan

 

[radishcake]

I like the idea ! I'd love to see Kunashiri Island if they were going to do Japan.

[KnitsWithRaceCars]

Thanks, @radishcake!  That picture is gorgeous!

[MsTree]

  I'm an avid watcher...having seen every season. While I enjoy some scenery, it is not a "must have" for me unless it pertains to a particular scene (i.e. finding a hidden idol, etc.)

[fishcakes]

I haven't seen S3-S6 and S11 (next up on my watch list) and S12.  I'm guessing that if a lot of scenery was shown, I will like Africa, Thailand, and Guatemala (particularly Guatemala because I've been to Honduras and loved the scenery there).

 

I really liked the scenery from S3 Africa as it was different from all the other beach or jungle seasons. They filmed within a wildlife preserve, and it was very arid and brown. There were a number of large animals seen in the same shots with the contestants, so you could tell it wasn't just stock footage of lions and what-not. As I recall, at the time viewers hated that it wasn't a beach setting, but maybe now after so many seasons that look the same, people would view it more favorably.

[ProfCrash]

The problem was the movement of the contestants was massively stifled because of the animals

[Rick Kitchen]

They ought to have one season on the island of Lanai in Hawaii.

[KnitsWithRaceCars]

I finished watching Guatemala today.  As I predicted, I really liked the scenery.  The Mayan ruins are awesome!

[Rick Kitchen]

I wish there was some way to do a Survivor in the US.  Maybe on the island of Lanai, or Kahoolawe?

[cooksdelight]

Stick 'em in Death Valley. :)

[henripootel]

Stick 'em in Death Valley. :)

It's pretty there but even in the off-season, it's pretty inhospitable.   In the hot season it can be insanely dangerous.  

 

Namibia has plenty of nice parts, mostly desert but hospitable in the winter (their winter, our summer).  Decent infrastructure, low cost for filming, and I'm pretty sure they'd let folks kill stuff and eat it (for a modest fee).  There're even spots where you could film on the coast although you wouldn't want to swim there - too cold, deep, and strongly swept by currents.  

[fishcakes]

I wish there was some way to do a Survivor in the US.  Maybe on the island of Lanai, or Kahoolawe?

 

Lanai is privately owned and there are a couple of resorts there, but they're primarily for people with buckets of money. I suppose Survivor could be done there if they paid enough, but it kind of goes against the owner's apparent desire to keep the island exclusive to the moneyed crowd. And off-topic but I'm opposed to private ownership of the island; it should belong to the state and people of Hawaii.

 

Kahoolawe is also out because it's protected by state law and can only be used for native Hawaiian historical and cultural preservation.

 

But there are around 200 small islands and atolls that are part of the Hawaiian chain; I know many of them have no fresh water but there must be at least a few that would be habitable for 39 days.

 

I'm hoping they eventually go to Palmyra, which is a small island and U.S. territory in the South Pacific that was used as a WWII airstrip. This is where the murders of the wealthy San Diego couple that Vincent Bugliosi wrote a book about occurred. The island is said to be cursed (Bugliosi details this in his book, although I can't now remember the specifics), and if Burnett can't make some cheesy hay out of that, then he is way off his game.

[SVNBob]

According to this C.G.P. Grey video, they already have done seasons of Survivor in US territory...sort of.

[Hanahope]

Aren't there a lot of islands off the coast of Alaska too, that could be used (given they film in summer)?

 

The only reason I'd guess that they don't do US proper is the even higher risk of spoilers and I suppose the desire to make it "exotic."

[legaleagle53]

Aren't there a lot of islands off the coast of Alaska too, that could be used (given they film in summer)?

 

The only reason I'd guess that they don't do US proper is the even higher risk of spoilers and I suppose the desire to make it "exotic."

 

Correct on both counts.  Peachy (that is, Jeff Probst) has even admitted as much.

[henripootel]

Aren't there a lot of islands off the coast of Alaska too, that could be used (given they film in summer)?

These may be unsuitable for any number of reasons, not the least of which - bugs.  I've friends in Alaska and they say the summer insect guild is maddening.

 

Other issues - I was once offered a job on an island near Sitka when I noticed that standard equipment included a huge slug rifle.  I inquired.  "It's for the bears.  Yeah, they got bears like dump trucks out there."  I declined.   

[SnideAsides]

According to this C.G.P. Grey video, they already have done seasons of Survivor in US territory...sort of.

 

Not quite - Palau's a different country (I guess the closest analogue to its situation would be, oddly enough, the European Union), and there are two Samoas, with Survivor filming in the non-American one (which is why Richard Hatch couldn't compete in HvV).

[Oholibamah]

My favorite locations thus far have been Tocantins and Marquesas.

 

I tend to prefer inland seasons as it is, but I think that might have more to do with ennui over the same old beach scenery that the island seasons feature so heavily. Continent seasons tend toward monochrome (Guatemala and Africa: brown; Amazon, Gabon and China: green) but when they're able to provide some visual interest like the ruins in Guatemala or the cultural elements in China (despite veering too often into stereotype) they are a welcome relief from the barrage of beaches.

 

But Tocantins takes the cake. The red sands of Exile Island were stunning, and the river bed camp grounds were an elevated version of the Outback. They had a beach and trees, but the flora was unique to Survivor and managed to not look quite as dreary as the other continent seasons - but this may have more to do with being in HD.

 

In terms of island seasons, they outdid themselves with Marquesas. The Rotu waterfall and the collections of small off-shore islands was beautiful and has made every island season since appear bland and boring. Ever since, Island seasons need a cohesive theme - war, pirates, cannibals, hokey as they are - to make me feel they aren't shooting in a studio.

[ratgirlagogo]

I'd like to suggest they 86 Cambodia as a location in the future.  I don't tune in to watch people almost die.

[LadyChatts]

I'd like to suggest they 86 Cambodia as a location in the future.  I don't tune in to watch people almost die.

 

Cambodia didn't work out that badly for Second Chances, but I'd be shocked if they returned there in the future.  For S33 & 34 we are getting Fiji, so I won't be surprised if it's more Pacific Islands/Central America (namely Nicaragua) in the future.

[SVNBob]

I think the only reason they did Second Chances in Cambodia is due to their current (and understandable) policy of filming consecutive seasons in the same location for ease of logistics.  If it weren't for that policy, they may have filmed Second Chances in a different location.

[marys1000]

Ok, more details on Neals knee from a different interview.  The do put on bandages and do give antiobiotics, although maybe sparingly. 

 

- Medical had lanced it when it was small and gave him antibiotics, day 15 or 16.  He didn't say whether it was one shot or pills or what but apparently they didn't work well enough.  He says that the pimple came up on its own, no cut that he knows of.  So really medical was watching all the cuts and scrapes right along.  At one point he says something about Jeff wanting to see the one on his back and having to take the bandage off. 

 

He also said that they were in the water walking to the boat when the producer asks Jeff - Did you tell them no TC tonight?  And Jeff's says Oh xxxx and has to run back and tell everyone - so that was edited

 

Oh, and he's hoping for a second shot, wants to play again

Edited April 1, 2016 by marys1000

[RescueMom]

I was thrilled to see that footage of Jason spraying his food.  He can't possibly be the winner.  They wouldn't show that for a winner.  The rest of his edit has not been great but that clinched it.  I'm so happy.

 

 

I hope you are right, but I remember them showing Jud (Fabio) peeing in the pool during a challenge. 

[cherrypj]

I really liked Cook Islands' scenery. The lagoon was spectacular, with the huge waves in the distance, but really calm (and apparently heavily stocked with fish) waters just off the shore. 

[ljenkins782]

I hope you are right, but I remember them showing Jud (Fabio) peeing in the pool during a challenge. 

 

Ah, but you have to put that one in context. He peed in the pool directly before obvious villain Na'Onka had to jump in it, so the viewers might not hold that one against him. ;) 

 

ETA: hmmm, looks like the post I quoted was put in the wrong thread but I'm not sure which thread it should have been in. 

 

As for locations, I'm often struck by the sweeping shots of the beaches and oceans that look just gorgeous and vacation-worthy. Makes me think for a moment that it can't be THAT bad living out there and then I see stuff like Gaping Woundfest 2016 and rethink that position. 

 

In terms of island seasons, they outdid themselves with Marquesas. The Rotu waterfall and the collections of small off-shore islands was beautiful and has made every island season since appear bland and boring. Ever since, Island seasons need a cohesive theme - war, pirates, cannibals, hokey as they are - to make me feel they aren't shooting in a studio.

 

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that Marquesas is a banned location now because the bugs were so terrible there. That waterfall was lovely though. 

Edited April 1, 2016 by ljenkins782