Phillip

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: 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 …

Survivor: Caramoan Review, Season 26, Episode 6 “Operation Thunder Dome” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS After last week’s meltdown from Brandon, it’s so refreshing to watch everyone return to focusing on the strategic side of the game. Crazy behavior makes for good TV, but Survivor works best when players are scheming to try …

Survivor: Caramoan Review, Season 26, Episode 5 “Persona Non Grata” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS When Survivor announced their cast of returning players for this second “Fans vs. Favorites” season, the one that stood out was Brandon Hantz. Although he provided memorable television in his first appearance, he’s also an unstable guy who …

Survivor: Caramoan Review, Season 26, Episode 4 “Kill or Be Killed” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS In the past 25 seasons of Survivor, there are several prime examples of hapless tribes. Last season’s Matsing lost the first four challenges and was quickly absorbed into the other two groups. Back in Palau, Ulong never …

Survivor: Caramoan Review, Season 26, Episode 2 “Honey Badger” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS This week gives a clear reminder of the difference between liking Survivor and being an expert player. Even if these really are super fans like Jeff Probst claims, there’s still no substitute for game experience. Brandon Hantz may be …

Survivor: Caramoan Review, Season 26, Episode 1 “She Annoys Me Greatly” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS For their second version of “Fans vs. Favorites”, the Survivor producers are clearly going for memorable television with their returning players. There are few examples of people who dominated their original seasons, and only one made the …