Survivor has been around for 25 years and 50 seasons. Let those numbers sink in.
The iconic CBS reality TV juggernaut has featured hundreds of players throughout its history, so it was inevitable that Survivor Season 50 would tip its hat to the past while also delivering on many fronts.
The last handful of seasons haven’t exactly been vintage Survivor, but Survivor Season 50 Episode 1 felt like a return to form in many aspects.
(Robert Voets/CBS)
Many of the players had played the game multiple times before, and some returned for their first encore seasons; it all came together to make one of the best season openers ever.
I have to give major props to Mike White. He’s dominated competitive reality TV and is now dominating the entertainment industry with The White Lotus.
That anthology series has been an awards magnet since its inception, so it was surreal to see him back on CBS, determined to secure a victory.
Whether in front of or behind the camera, Mike White’s impact shines in everything he touches.
I imagine he’ll be safer than the average player because I suspect many of his fellow competitors will be angling for a call to appear on The White Lotus Season 4 when it inevitably begins production.
(Robert Voets/CBS)
Then there’s Cirie. She’s been a powerhouse on Survivor, The Traitors, and more recently, Big Brother. She has a reputation as a master manipulator, but she handled Jenna perfectly.
Being a Survivor Season 1 alum, Jenna wanted to make a lasting impression on Survivor Season 50, but instead, her pursuit of Cirie didn’t give her any credibility.
Survivor Season 50 Kicked Off With a Heat-Less Rivalry
I wasn’t fond of Cirie’s fellow tribe members deeming her a “weak link,” even though she has proven time and time again to be a masterful strategist.
If anything, Cirie’s causing her tribe to lose in the first immunity challenge may have made her threat level disappear. That’s a good thing at this stage in the game.
(Gail Schulman/CBS)
I genuinely thought Jenna was about to get her wish, so I was pleasantly surprised when Jenna waltzed out of the Tribal Council.
It was so obvious she’d been blindsided, which is my favorite way for players to leave the game. I don’t mind messy arguments, so having Jenna and Cirie forced to work together again wouldn’t have been a bad idea.
But I can’t shake the feeling that Jenna wouldn’t have let up and would have continued relentlessly targeting Cirie.
At least Cirie managed to rally the votes to get Jenna out, because I don’t think I could have handled the glee on Jenna’s face had her own plan succeeded.
(Robert Voets/CBS)
It wouldn’t be a high-octane installment of Survivor without a medical emergency, and I felt terrible for Kyle.
Being part of such a monumental season means something to every single castaway, so it’s never nice to see someone’s dreams ripped from them.
Kyle Deserves Another Comeback
I figured this was a lot more than an ankle sprain when he stood up after the medical examiner looked him over.
He was a real trooper for staying in the jungle for another 36 hours, even though he must have been in a lot of pain.
(Robert Voets/CBS)
He had the tenacity to continue, but he could have wound up worse had he kept putting pressure on his leg.
I was stunned when the medical examiner pulled out a portable ultrasound on a cell phone — technology Survivor didn’t have back in the early seasons!
One thing that really hit me about Kyle’s departure was how it hit the rest of his tribe.
There’s a great deal of emotion this season because of just how nostalgic it is for these players who have come back for another shot at winning.
(Robert Voets/CBS )
It really shows the heart that drives Survivor, and I hope it shines through in future seasons, because the cutthroat gameplay has taken precedence over heart.
Survivor 50 is clearly listening to fans, and it feels like the show is moving in the right direction.
Not many series take fan feedback on board, particularly those with millions of viewers, so it’s refreshing to have this power that we never had before.
Maybe it will spill into more of CBS’s reality formats. Big Brother could use more input from fans, since the producers tend to complicate things with bizarre twists.
Okay, Survivor Fanatics! What are your thoughts on the premiere? Do you think we’re returning to the glory days of this hit show, or are its better days behind us?
Hit the comments.
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