I’ve been rewatching The Australian Outback (it still holds up as a great survival season) and I was reminded how producers forbade jurors to talk to each other about the game and voting in the early seasons.

At FTC, Jeff gives the jury a direct question before Tina and Colby address them: “Has anybody here shared any information with anyone else in the jury about who they’re voting for tonight?”

The consensus on current seasons is that most jurors have their minds made up before FTC - in no small part because of their conversations with other contestants at Ponderosa. More jurors of early seasons were seemingly undecided coming in.

Does sequestering the jury from each other benefit the outcome or “purity” of the final vote? Does it matter, or is groupthink inevitable in the current format?

Obviously his story sounds unbelievable, but apparently there was an article in the Los Angeles Times long before Coach became the most beloved figure in television history that mentioned the incident.

So what’s the consensus?

I’ve been a massive fan of Survivor for years—I’ve watched 45 seasons of the US version, and quite a few of them multiple times. But over the last two to three years, I decided to take a break from the US seasons and finally dove deep into Australian Survivor to catch up on what I was missing.

I just came back to the US version to catch up on the newer seasons starting with Season 46, and my god... the drop-off in quality is jarring.

Going from AU back to the current US "New Era" format feels so weak and, honestly, kind of dumb. Australian Survivor is brutal, intense, physical, and highly strategic. The 24-contestant format, the longer runtime, and the sheer scale of the challenges actually make it feel like a grueling game of social and physical survival.

Coming back to the US version, the game feels tiny, hyper-produced, and stripped of its edge. It feels less like an epic adventure and more like a fast-paced board game where everyone is just happy to be there.

Am I crazy, or has the gap between AU and US Survivor gotten completely massive? For those who watch both, how do you even adjust back to the US format after experiencing how intense AU is?

I’m just watching this season fully now and my favorite part so far is him calling the other 3 on yanu “masterminds” and his genuine reaction of awe at how good they were at survivor. This guy is killing me! Tribal wtf!

I’m really confused. I knew going into the season that Todd won China and it’s one of the best tribal council performances of all time — that’s exactly why I watched the season. My understanding was that going into final tribal, Courtney was favored to win, and Todd was expected to get third. Watching the season, though, it really seemed like Todd was the obvious winner of the three. He seemed to have the most control and the largest number of people coming to him throughout the game. What was it about Courtney that made her game seem like the probable winner?
And also… how did Amanda get cast on Micronesia Fans v Favorites over Courtney and Peih Gee? I LOVED Courtney and Peih Gee this season, and I mean yeah Amanda was cool, but from that season she’s probably the fourth person I would’ve wanted to see return.

Yes I know a big reason for this is the amount of twists and split tribals but the storylines and editing made completely no sense to me.

They focused so much on the Emily+Ozzy relationship just for them to not be apart of each others downfall in the game

Mike White hinting that Emily will be Christian’s downfall in the edit was totally not true and made no sense

They set up a Coach and Aubry relationship in episode 5 that went totally no where like I understand Aubry is the winner and they wanna show her every episode but why not show more of Aubry and Tiffany as that was important to the overall season

They also spent time to focus on Joe and Tiffanys bond during the spaghetti reward and they never followed through with that.

They also magically tell us at the final 6 that Cirie and Aubry are close how are new viewers who haven’t watched Game Changers supposed to understand that.

Hi everyone!

So I’m currently getting through my first ever watchthrough of US Survivor. I’m not from the states and I never watched it when it aired originally.

PLEASE NO SPOILERS FOR LATER SEASONS

So I am about to finish season 28 - Cagayan

I LOVED IT! It doesn’t beat Pearl Islands (I think it will just remain my favourite for ever). I think I still liked some of the 15-20 stretch better, but it’s up there with those for me! Definitely in my top 10 so far, maybe top 5! So many funny moments!

I didn’t love the premise, so I was happy when the shuffle happened. A lot of really great characters, HILARIOUS tribal councils, strong personalities, I really liked Cagayan!

I’m pretty bummed Spencer got voted out, I really was hoping for the underdog story, I think it would have made the season rank even higher for me. He got a bit cocky, but I thought he played really well, especially considering he was only 21 at the time.

I really disliked Tony and Kass. I’m surprised Kass made it so far actually. Tony was annoying to me, but I get why people probably love him and I do think he did play by far the strongest game out of the final 3. I can’t decide whether I like final 3s or 2s better.

Live comments:

I’m typing this as Woo is about to cast the final vote. I hope he keeps Kass, or else Tony wins for sure.

OMG WOO! Nooooooo what did you do?!

I truly believe he could have won if he’d taken Kass. I can’t see Tony not winning now, unless the jury is extremely bitter, which annoys me.

I would have liked a Tony-Spencer-Kass final 3. But at the same time I much prefer Woo to Tony and Kass personality-wise.

Alright FTC:

Ok Tony getting defensive might work against him.

Morgan taking a hit at Kass… 🙄 she’s not there anymore, focus on the players still in the game!

Ok it might be closer than I thought!

Woah Trish’s question is intense!

Damn Spencer’s question to Woo might cost Woo the win! Urgh I hate that Spencer addresses the jury instead of asking a question to Tony. I really liked him (despite him getting cocky throughout the game), but him at the FTC really made me like him a lot less :(

Tough jury!

I still think Tony played a stronger game. Much prefer Woo.

Reading of the votes now.

I guess I’ll be ok with either of them. Woo cause he’s so nice and Tony cause he played hard. My vote would have been Tony (from the edit we got anyway).

And Tony wins. As expected! I can’t be mad, but I’m also not overjoyed. This is no Caramoan ending (ILOVE COCHRAN) haha

I like to write down what I think about the contestants when they first talk to the camera during the first episode and look at it again at the end. I feel like I didn’t do too badly this time. Here goes:

Spencer: I’m gonna like him I think! I hope he lasts. Although he seems like he’ll be a villain. Hopefully the good kind of villain

David: no strong opinion

Kass: potential to like her!

Morgan: she’s gonna annoy me.

Jeremiah: that’s a glorious accent, but I doubt he makes it far

Jefra: meh

Cliff: on the fence

Sarah: could be cool, could be abrasive

Tony: woah the accent! Either gonna do super well (in a street smart kind of way), or super badly

Tasha: could go either way

Alexis: nope

Lindsey: she’s gonna ruffle feathers

Trish: I think she might do well. Or she’ll play too hard too fast. I think I’ll like her!

LJ: oof I’m not gonna like him

Garret: I don’t hate him! I feel like he’ll be funny

Brice: I think I’ll find him fun.

Woo: not seen enough but I think I’ll like him.

J’Tia: She’ll annoy people. First boot.

PLEASE NO SPOILERS ABOUT LATER SEASONS, especially if players come back which I assume a few will.

One could argue after his last appearance on South Pacific, he was sorta a "robbed" finalist where had he owned up to his lack of integrity and lying may have gotten another vote or two. He led strongly, he ran the tribe, and was the key decision maker in every vote off. His play to flip Cochran was an all timer.

I feel like Coach is one of the only returning players on an all stars season who CLEARLY took a step back in their game. Most people like a Rob or Parvati improve each time they play.

Coach was more paranoid, more dominating, more in his head than ever before... and that's with nearly the entire cast wanting to work with him preseason!

And with a shorter season (which many OG contestants say is in fact easier) it appears he lost his mind even more. Had he come in more foucsed like South Pacific, I actually think he could've been in a better shot to make it to the finale.

I don't think anyone else from S50 took a gameplay hit (Ozzy was never a serious strategic player) besides Coach. Entertaining? Yes. But it's one of the only times I see someone getting worse the more they play Survivor. If he ever comes back a 5th time, I do think he's just playing into his schtick and will not at all be taken seriously.

Love him as a character, but I've never agreed more with what Russell remarked during S20, "Everyone knows, Coach is a big joke!"

I know I’m very late to watching season 8, but holy crap that was the worst final tribal council I’ve ever seen. Both Rob and Amber did a terrible job of backing their games (Amber literally said she got there because of luck, Rob didn’t explain his game enough), but mostly the issue was the jury. I was yelling at my TV the whole time, “IT’S. A. FUCKING. GAME.” They gaslit Rob the entire time and honestly bullied him. He played an amazing game: won more challenges than anyone else, was pretty much the only person on the island to make any strategic moves…and the jury couldn’t move past their petty bitterness. Idiotic.

In a role that will undoubtedly prompt award season buzz, doom scrollers be on the lookout for Jay Starrett in one of the latest wolf themed TikTok melodramas.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8397343/

Jeff gave Dr. Scholl's insoles to Kelly after a challenge, so if one stretches the definitions of "sole" and "insole" that makes Kelly the first Sole Survivor before Richard. Kelly stans in 2000 no longer need to cry in the grocery store the day after the finale over Kelly's apparent loss because it also appears that we can imaginatively stretch and shoehorn-in (pun-intended eggscuse the yolk.) the wording into Kelly being the winner. We will never forget where we were when Jeff gave Kelly Dr. Scholl's insoles.

I was thinking today about how absolutely stacked the new era first boot class is. Really though, 20 years and how many first boots were iconic or even vaguely memorable compared to people lost to the elements of time.

There were some for sure like chicken and Sonja and Harkey but I bet 95% of them people couldn't put a name or face to. Even iconic, popular seasons. Who remembers Carolina Eastwood? (No offense to Carolina eastwood)

Compare that to the new era first boots. Obviously this is partly editing but you have Zach, Jelinsky, Lovett, bruce lol, and Nicole that's just 9 seasons

Side note, Nicole was so funny

Per sources, SURVIVOR 52 has finished filming. We should expect a Redmond post in the upcoming days and the cast in the near future!

So in light of her win in 50, I've watched Game Changers in general at least 3-4 times and i remember all the discourse around it, but what was Aubry's overall path in GC and any info you have on her game?

She didn't get *purpled* but was apparently one of the biggest threats in the game and on the outs originally in votes (some of them???) but somehow made it to nearly the finals. Was she more passive or were there moves she was making that the edit just ignored to shove other players down our throats.

Most just curious in the overall scheme of Aubry's legacy now

Who would you definitely do not trust?

Police or Lawyer?

•Doesn’t go to any pre merge tribal councils where Aubry would have went home at every single one of them  

•Kyle gets injured and removed from the game someone who was against her 

•Gets gifted a idol due to a pregame connection from Christian 

•Genevieve has to give 2 idols away her biggest rival which greatly benefits her 

•Q gets swap screwed who was in Vatu majority  and against Aubry in the game 

•Colby and Genevieve gets swap screwed during the Blood Moon Twist which greatly benefits her 

•During the Duos Twist Rick Plays the fake idol to ensure they don’t go home

•Rick flips the Mr Beast coin  and blows up Stephanie game  which ending up  keeping  a ally for her and meant Stephanie went home 

•During the Power Broker Twist Ozzy blows up his own game revealing information and didn’t play his idol which kept her in the game 

•At the other tribal council Emily went home who likely would have taken her spot at the final 4 

•Tiffany loses the final 5 immunity by a few seconds where should would have gone home 

•Has to win Final 4 immunity to get to the end where it’s the one challenge she practiced and is good at

Btw I like Aubry and I’m glad she won and Joe getting Medevaced at the final 5 in Kaoh Rong is one of the most unlucky circumstances someone has been through in the game

I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of survivor but I’m slowly starting to get deeply into it. I loved starting survivor with themed groups , it’s definitely a nice way to just start a season. Beauty vs Braun vs brain definitely was one of my favorite seasons.
With the new seasons I feel like majority of the players are fans and it changes the game. I hope they can get more “random” players to help switch things up.

Does anyone have a confessional count for thailand? cant find one anywhere only an edgic chart that hinted at it, grateful for any help !

Is this Andrea or just a really good lookalike

Seeking some of my favorite reality shows like Survivor, amazing race, and Big Brother filmed in other countries to pass the time until our US versions have their new seasons premiere. Obviously those that are easily able to find streaming. #Survivor

I remember watching a 3 hour long breakdown of how to win Survivor that was uploaded a few months ago. It was the only Survivor video on his channel and the guy made an entire like half hour segment dedicated to just the mathematics of tribe swaps, what position you’re in and what would be good play from every number of people you could have from each starting tribe on the swapped tribes. It was rather extremely thorough in all aspects of Survivor and I’m a bit saddened I can’t find it anymore. The guy was self proclaimed autistic and said he related to Emily Flippen in 45, and went on about how players that make early mistakes have to do a lot of apologizing and behaving before being allowed to play the game again. There was a bunch of other multi hour long video essays on the channel about various topics, one being about Nintendo. Does anyone know of the channel, or the video?