Survivor Review, Season 27, Episode 14 “It’s My Night” Airs Wednesday at 8pm (ET) on CBS The challenge when analyzing Survivor is finding thrills when the finale reaches a predictable ending. This trend has happened frequently in recent seasons, with Malcolm’s exit from the Philippines being a rare exception. Even so, there’s still plenty to enjoy with Blood …
Survivor Review, Season 27, Episode 13 “Out on a Limb” Airs Wednesday at 8pm (ET) on CBS In this current Survivor era dominated by returning players, it’s been intriguing to watch how they respond based on their previous experiences. Many over compensate and try to make big moves too early, while others avoid the target …
It’s amazing to see just how vibrant Survivor feels this season, and the thrills are about more than picking rocks.
One of the thrills of Survivor: Blood vs. Water has been watching everyone take a shot and really try to win the game.
When Jeff Probst and the Survivor producers created the Blood vs. Water concept, they prayed for a moment like tonight’s vote. Ciera writes down her mom’s name to secure her place, but it isn’t even necessary for the 7-1 outcome. The heart of the episode is the ongoing conversation between Laura and Ciera about their future. While the music swells in the background, their confessionals show the value of having family members together in the game.
Considering the tremendous amount of footage that’s shot on each day of Survivor, it’s remarkable that the stories flow so smoothly. The combination of camp life, challenges, and Tribal Council works swiftly to keep the audience engaged throughout the hour. When the producers choose to cram two eliminations into one episode, it cranks up the pace to a ridiculous level. The story becomes a frenetic ride through challenge/Tribal Council/challenge/Tribal Council, with a bit of strategy thrown in the middle. The downside is the lack of much context to the votes and alliances set in place for the future. On the other hand, it avoids the drag of predictable exits. Vytas and Tina are the obvious choices to go next, and the cracks are just a set up for the battles to come. They join Aras at Redemption Island for an epic battle that will remove either a former winner or one of the season’s most intriguing players.
In one of the most telegraphed blindsides in Survivor history, this week’s vote flips the game on its head and pushes the once-confident leaders to the brink. Rarely have the editors spent this much time setting up a pivotal blindside. Unlike nervous players like Monica and Laura Morett, Aras doesn’t have a past failure to make him worry. He’s confident that the game will work out and doesn’t recognize the danger of standing in front. The key mistake is trusting that Gervase and Tyson will let the couples run the show. And that’s hardly the only miscalculation. Tina makes a ridiculous gaffe and tells Monica she’s fifth on the totem pole. The amazing part is that she sells it like a benefit. It takes some convincing from Tyson, but Tina’s comment sends Monica scurrying for the exits from a sinking ship. This foolish reveal from such a normally wise player shows that complacency can ruin anyone in this game.
Survivor Review, Season 27, Episode 7 “Swoop in for the Kill” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Survivor: Blood vs. Water has been filled with personal stories and conflicts that have made it one of the most consistent seasons of recent years. Even an arrogant goofball like Brad Culpepper offered plenty of entertainment with …
In the pre-merge game of Survivor, it’s easy to think too far ahead and step into the muck. During her first appearance in One World, Kat believed in her alliance and felt betrayed when they kicked her out. She was a fun character who talked constantly and didn’t really understand the game. Kat’s goofy personality drew a return invitation, and she has spent this season under the radar. Of course, this week reminds us that changing your limited game isn’t so easy.
Survivor Review, Season 27, Episode 5 “The Dead Can Still Talk” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Considering all the twists in Survivor: Blood vs. Water, the old-school vibe has been a refreshing surprise. The family connections are forcing the editors to show the personalities of more than just a few star players. Laura Morett …
Survivor Review, Season 27, Episode 4 “One Armed Dude and Three Moms” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Brilliant. In a season filled with twists, it’s the simple moves that can change the game. After watching his fiancé quit last week, Caleb steps out of the shadows and executes a stunning move at Tribal Council. …
Last season, the Survivor producers made the inexplicable decision to cast Brandon Hantz for a second time. He was clearly unstable during his first appearance, and it was only a matter of time before he exploded. The choice to bring back Colton is different because he controlled the game on One World before exiting. Even so, there are definite similarities. Colton is a nasty player who thrives on making others miserable. That strategy may work with newbies, but he’s found no traction with the returnees.
Survivor Review, Season 27, Episode 2 “Rule in Chaos” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS During the early stages of Survivor, luck plays a huge role in determining players’ fates. The votes can knock out people who barely get a chance to compete. An alliance forms and starts taking out the others, and it’s a …
When the many twists was announced for the new Survivor season, it felt like the producers were over compensating for a flimsy premise. Besides having a silly name, the Blood vs. Water concept introduced elements that didn’t mesh with the formula. How could family members vote each other out and truly compete for a million dollars? The challenge is selling that concept without making it feel cheap. When it’s added to Redemption Island and its related twists, the danger grows larger.
Survivor: Blood vs. Water Preview Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Premieres September 18 Long-time Survivor fans yearn for the days when a fresh group of new castaways arrived each season to play the game. Those days are over. Only two of the last seven seasons (Nicaragua and One World) have not included returning …
Despite the unpredictable second half of Survivor: Caramoan, a sense of inevitability dominates the finale. Cochran has avoided the vote throughout the game, and his victory feels secure after he wins the final immunity challenge. The only question is whether Dawn or Sherri will receive any votes, and the bitter jury makes it clear neither has much chance to crack the scoreboard. While Jeff Probst makes a huge deal about Cochran being unconventional, it’s not a surprise to see him win the million
Survivor Review, Season 26, Episode 13 “Don’t Say Anything About My Mom” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS An interesting characteristic of this season’s returning players has been the goal to change the perceptions about their original games. Dawn wants to avoid following someone else and getting stuck in a minority alliance. Andrea tried …
In the very first episode of Survivor: Caramoan, Andrea faced serious danger by playing way too hard. She went after Francesca and received four votes from the minority group. The favorites’ dominance kept her off the radar for a while, but she’s survived a few close calls. Andrea’s chosen a risky game all season, and she faces the music this week. Once the other favorites learn that she’s targeting Brenda, they turn the tables and blindside her in the episode’s second Tribal Council.
Survivor Review, Season 26, Episode 11 “Come Over to the Dark Side” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Survivor fans love players who make big moves and don’t coast to the end. They’d much rather see a strategist like Rob Cesternino jumping alliances and shaking up the game then watch a dominator like Kim Spradlin. It …
Survivor: Caramoan Review, Season 26, Episode 10 “Zipping Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS This week’s Survivor episode is thrilling for so many reasons. It forces players to make decisions on the spot at Tribal Council, which rarely happens. The dominant alliance loses one of its members and can’t take the …
There are many Survivor episodes where the outcome is predictable, and it’s fairly easy to describe what just happened. Those are the norm because players rarely stray from the safest move to go forward. Living in a different universe are the outliers that leave even the most able-minded fan yelling “what just happened?” This week is one of those wonderful episodes. Malcolm overplays his hand and seems destined to go home, but a desperate play to get Reynold’s idol keeps him safe. What he doesn’t know is that he isn’t getting any votes. Worried about her own security, Andrea leads the charge for a safer plan and gets the majority to take out Michael.
Survivor: Caramoan Review, Season 26, Episode 8 “Blindside Time” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Brilliant. Thrilling. There isn’t enough hyperbole to describe the excitement of this week’s episode. It provides a clear reminder of why Survivor continues to shine. The editing has been promising a showdown between Phillip and Corinne for weeks, and she …
Survivor: Caramoan Review, Season 26, Episode 7 “Tubby Lunchbox” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS The “Fans vs. Favorites” concept on Survivor is tricky because there’s such a big difference in playing as a newbie. The returnees are savvier in both game play and hogging the camera, so it pushes the fans into the background. Such is …