CliqueClackSurvivor, I think we need a time out
With ten returning cast members toting along 10 loved ones, the return of Redemption Island and a labyrinthine set of twists that could ensure no one ever leaves the game after they’re voted out, I think it’s finally time to put my ‘Survivor’ love to rest.
Dear Survivor. We’ve been together now for 26 seasons but I think you’ve finally tested my limits with season 27, Blood vs Water. First of all, the title is just ridiculous. Blood versus water? What in the heck does that even mean? I know, I know, it’s supposed to be a reference to “blood is thicker than water,” but blood versus water doesn’t make a lick of sense. Besides the title, I’m just not happy at all with, yet again, bringing back a slew of former contestants … one in particular for the fourth time, and another whom Jeff Probst proclaimed would never be asked to return because of his vile behavior. I guess the only thing to be thankful for is that there are no Hantzes in sight.
But come on, Rupert again? He was great the first time and endearing the second, but he wore out his welcome the third time. And three returnees from One World, which was the least favorite show among fans (and Probst) and the lowest rated, and one of those happens to be the “he’ll never be asked back” Colton Cumbie! The guy whose one black friend is his maid! Colton would have been right at home on this season’s Big Brother, but I can’t think of anyone who really wants to see him back on Survivor. It is nice to see Gervase back, and as much as I like Tina Wesson, this is her third time back. The only seasons accounted for here, besides One World and didn’t include returning cast members, are Tocantins, Panama, Pearl Islands, Cook Islands, Samoa, Borneo and Australia. Five of the returnees appeared on either Heroes vs Villains or All-Stars … or both! If we’ve really scraped so far below the bottom of the casting barrel that only past contestants can be brought back, perhaps it’s really time to give the show a rest.
But there is a twist (actually many): each returnee is bringing along a family member or significant other, a la The Amazing Race, and they will be competing against each other. So I would assume then that the returnees are the “blood” and the newbies are the “water.” But you have to wonder how hard they’ll really be competing against their loved ones. Don’t you think that they’ll end up splitting the prize money after the show … unless they really, really hate each other by the time it’s over. In the commercials, Rupert’s wife says she’d screw her husband over to win, but isn’t a win for her a win for him as well?
So now we’ve got ten returnees and ten loved ones (not all are family members) and the return of Redemption Island to boot! Not a lot of people like the concept of Redemption Island since it almost defeats the purpose of Tribal Council, but I don’t mind giving someone a second chance to get back in the game. What I do have a problem with are all the new twists that come with it this season. A tribe member who is voted out will go to Redemption Island … or not if the loved one decides to take the bullet for them. Which seems to me like trying to give the stronger of the pair a chance to come back so they can win and split the money. Duels to get back in the game will actually have three people playing after the first week, and then partners have the opportunity to swap after they’ve seen what the challenge is, giving each pair a chance to put in the more skilled player. Then the winner of the challenge is able to give any player a clue to a hidden immunity idol. You need a scorecard to keep track of all this, and it sounds utterly, overly complicated and detrimental to the game.
Probst says they will also screw with the players’ heads at the beginning by letting the pairs all spend the night alone in the jungle so they will think they’re playing as a pair and then will split them up on the first official day of the game, creating the Blood versus Water tribes … or whatever silly names they give them. It all just sounds like they’ve run out of ideas and contestants, but on the plus side they didn’t just cast a bunch of pretty waiters and wanna-be actors off of Hollywood Boulevard like they have in the past. But I am just tired of seeing the same people coming back time and time again. The pairs idea could have been a good one with completely new people, but with the likes of Colton and Rupert in the mix, I just have no desire to schedule this season on my DVR. Heck, even The Amazing Race is going with all-new teams this season, and Big Brother didn’t have any returning cast members this summer either.
Why does Survivor — and showrunner Jeff Probst — feel the need to keep going back to that well? Do they not trust the strength of the game any more? Are familiar faces now more important than the game? It’s no longer a real social experiment when you have a group of people who have done this before. All it is now is a competition to win money amongst people who pretty much know each other either through personal relationships or from seeing them play the game on TV. I enjoy watching the tribe members try to feel each other out, form alliances, screw over their alliances, and play physically and strategically to get to the end. But you don’t really get all that with seasoned players. Survivor has come a long way in 13 years, with some changes for the good and some for the worst. Season 27 is about as far away from season 1 as you can possibly get, and for the first time I am going to have to say goodbye to a show that has, in hindsight, been pushing me away now for several seasons. Maybe we just need a little time away from each other and season 28 will get back to basics. One can only hope, right?
6 Comments on “Survivor, I think we need a time out”
… but … but … but … everyone *loves* Rupert! Over and over and over again!
… and the adoring public *loves* seeing their old favorites! Over and over and over again!
… and Survivor simply *has* to tweak the format! You don’t want it getting *old* now … do you … ?!?
Get with the program, Chuck.
Sounds like the Million Second Quiz rules decided to mash up with Survivor taking a page from “if they have 20 shows about marriages and families it’s obviously a win-win” housewives saga.
After BB15 and Survivor, our last hope is Amazing Race, please don’t disappoint !
Yes, let’s hope The Amazing Race can deliver. I’m optimistic just because there are no returning players and no other CBS reality contestants (even Survivor now has a former Big Brother house guest). I just hope there’s no one really awful and that the challenges are … challenging. Survivor has gotten into the habit of recycling past challenges which becomes a little tiring. They need to start watching MTV’s The Challenge to get some new ideas.
The magic of Amazing Race I guess is that no matter how simple the challenge looks, disgruntled relationships will make the most dumb thing seem next to impossible (talking about BB contestants, that memorable AR season w/ Branchel where she wouldn’t stop crying every other stop… ah… good days).
It’s mean of me, but one of the bests things in AR (other than people’s adventures with taxis and locals laughing at everyone) is seeing the interview after certain challenging challenge for a couple and how one will be like “this helped us get closer!” and the other half is looking back like, we’re so done (I always cheer for the person that is getting yelled at and finally realizes what’s going on and hope they stick to the “we’re so done” after the program ends!).
Also, at least Phil will talk to contestants that get out of line (like that one guy that shoved his gf as they ran to the mat)
Big Brother was pretty awful this year, but I still watched. Survivor is probably going to be better than that, at least. I’ll make a counter-argument to your post: I actually like seeing returning contestants. Remember the completely boring recent season with all-new players that the bridal shop owner (Kim?) won? By contrast, remember the excitement and drama of Boston Rob against Russell (and no, I don’t want to see anymore Hantzes) in Heroes v. Villains? I think they need to get another All-Stars (with people who haven’t played 3 times already) out of their system, then let us see some new blood. Stop mixing the two, because the new people get the shaft anyway.
I agree that Blood vs. Water is a pretty dumb set-up. The entire notion of Survivor is based on people not having pre-existing relationships. And the twists they’re throwing out are stupid, too.
But I’ll still watch.
My biggest issue is really bringing back Colton, who was just awful and Probst even said they would not celebrate or reward that behavior by bringing him back, and Rupert, whose fifteen minutes of fame should have been over a long time ago. And I really can’t remember the last time they didn’t bring someone from the past back, but it’s not necessarily the fact that unknown people are boring, it’s that the producers are now too invested in casting “types” rather than people who know how and want to play the game. Everyone up until the first All-Stars season were new faces and only a misguided season in the middle of a desert was a let-down. But back then, they were actually accepting submissions from people who wanted to play the game, not scouring Hollywood Blvd. for out of work actors and actresses who could look pretty and play a part. So the fault with the show at this point lies solely on the producers’ shoulders (and Probst is now at the top of the list as showrunner) who believe that the only way the show works now is by bringing people back to play again and again. And, according to CBS, those players have to be “big” names who viewers will recognize and pretty much anyone from seasons 1 – 10 are off limits because younger viewers will have no idea who they are (according to CBS). The Amazing Race and Big Brother have dipped into the CBS reality talent pool in the past, but not every season and this season neither of those shows have brought back returnees. It doesn’t hurt TAR in the least (but, again, that show’s former glory has been dampened by the producers who have let the show fall into a pattern and have reduced the tasks to less physically demanding challenges) or BB (well, until this season, so hopefully they’ll look deeper into their prospective casts backgrounds and beliefs next year). The whole excitement of Survivor is watching people who have no idea who the other people are interact, form alliances and play the game. Bringing back former players dulls that down (and Boston Rob’s triumphant return and manipulation of his tribe is the exception to that rule). To me, it works better with people who haven’t been through it all before. I actually prefer MTV’s The Challenge series now to Survivor because the challenges are more extreme, and the people playing, who are always returnees or have been on other MTV shows, usually have some kind of history that also affects the game (sometimes the fighting is a bit much though).
My other problem with Survivor now is the editing. It’s all about creating a story that doesn’t exist rather than watching the social interaction and strategizing. It’s more like a soap than a competition, and the previews for the next episode always promise some huge drama that never materializes. It’s like the producers have lost complete faith in the game and are more interested in trying to create drama that isn’t there. Of course, that also goes back to the casting process. Cast good people who want to play the game instead of pretty faces and hot bodies, and you’ll have a show that doesn’t need the artifice created in editing. And if you must bring past players back, one per tribe is fine unless it’s an All-Stars season. Just don’t bring back awful people like the Hantzes or Colton anymore!