TotallyGruntledSurvivor

Rank: Original #15 Season # 32   Title:  Survivor:   Kaôh Rōng Location: Koh Rong, Cambodia Broadcast: Spring, 2016 New Players:  18 Returning Players: 0 Days: 39 Winner:  Michelle Fitzgerald Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 7 Jury Initial Tribes: Gandol (Brawn), Chan Loh (Brains), To Tang (Beauty) Swap at 13 Chan Loh, and To Tang Merge: at 11 Dara Jury: at 11  Premise:  Tribes were separated initially by Brains, Brawn and Beauty, a theme that had been used in Season 28 Cagayan.  The introduction of a super idol that could be played after the votes were read, by combining two designated Hidden Immunity idols.  Kaoh Rong is the only season of Survivor to be broadcast after another season was filmed and broadcast.  Filmed in March to May of 2015, the season was placed behind the 2nd Chance Season which was the 32nd Filmed but the 31st shown.  For this reason, the winner of Kaoh Rong was not shown till more than a year a...

Rank: Original #16 Season # 10 Title:  Survivor: Palau Location: Koror, Palau Broadcast: Spring, 2005 New Players:  20 Returning Players: 0 Winner:  Tom Westman Final Tribal Council:  2 Players 7 Jury Initial Tribes:  None Tribes Ulong, Koror Merge: 9 Koror obtained final Ulong Jury: at 9 Premise/Twists:  Initially started with no tribes.  Two immunity necklaces were on the beach one for men and one for Women.  Ian and Jolanda got to them first.   Two people were eliminated before they had tribes.  And one tribe became totally wiped out and the remaining member joined the other tribe, rather than have an official merge. Everyone went to work setting up camp, finding water, trying to start fire--and creating alliances.  Tom and Stephenie made an alliance.  Coby tried to work everyone without actually making alliances.  Ian and Jolanda as the immunity necklaces, chose tribes.  Immunity was granted only fo...

Rank: Returnee #9 Season # 23 Title:  Survivor: South Pacific Location: Upolu, Samoa Broadcast: Fall, 2011 New Players:  16 Returning Players: 2 Days: 39 Winner:  Sophie Clarke Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 9 Jury Initial Tribes: Savali and Upolu Merge: at 12 Te Tuna Jury: at 12 Premise:  Redemption Island was in play with duels to get back into the game.   Coach and Ozzy return a la Rob and Russell in Redemption Island the season before.  The 16 newbies are split into two tribes, before Ozzy and Coach are brought in. Ozzy was wanted, Coach was despised.  The first challenge pitted Ozzy against Coach for reward.  Ozzy wins with help from his tribe, and everyone leaves Coach except for Edna who comes over to help him.   Ozzy has a relaxed camp and wants to go swimming which bothers translucent skinned Cochran.  Dawn has concerns that Ozzy is too Bob Marley, and the tribe is not getting things done, like building shelter....

Rank: Original #17 Season # 18 Title:  Survivor: Tocantins--The Brazilian Highlands Location: Jalapao, Tocantins, Brazil Broadcast: Spring, 2009 New Players:  16 Returning Players: 0 Days: 39 Winner:  James "J.T." Thomas Final Tribal Council:  2 Players 7 Jury Initial Tribes: Jalapao and Timbira Merge: at 10 Forza Jury: at 9  Premise:  Exile Island where one player from each tribe goes to exile island.  After gathering items from the truck they were hauled in on,  Timbira gathered all of the beans and water.  Each tribe then voted someone out of the 4 hour trek that the tribes would have to take to camp.  Sierra and Sandy were chosen to be voted out.  They were flown to camp and given a choice of setting up camp or search for a hidden immunity for first tribal.  Sandy went for the idol, and Sierra started setting up camp.   At the first immunity, Jalapao lost, and Sandy still had not found the idol.  She didn't n...

Rank: Original 18 Season # 9 Title:  Survivor: Vanuatu--Islands of Fire Location: Efate, Shefa, Vanuatu Broadcast: Fall, 2004 New Players:  18 Returning Players: 0 Days: 39 Winner:  Chris Daugherty Final Tribal Council:  2 Players 7 Jury Initial Tribes: Lopevi, Yasur Swap at 13 Merge: at 10 Alinta Jury: at 9  Premise:  Players were immersed into the culture of the the tribes of Vanuatu. Vanuatu had a unique opening in that the ship carrying the castaways were greeted by the tribesmen coming out from the beach.  One of the boats carried Jeff Probst to the ship. He told them they were getting into the culture of the island.  They then were put onto the boats and taken to the island where they were greeted by more tribesman with spears.  They were then split into men and women, where the men were given Kava to drink and were generally treated to the culture, while the women were ignored.  A live pig was brought out and killed.  Finally...

Rank: Returnee #10 Season # 26 Title:  Survivor: San Juan Del Sur:  Blood vs. Water Location: Caramoan, Phillippines  Broadcast: Spring 2013 New Players:  10 Returning Players: 10  Days: 39 Winner:  John Cochran Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 8 Jury Initial Tribes: Bikal (Favorites), Gota (Fans) Swap at 14 Merge: at 12 Enil Edam (Madeline spelled backwards) Jury: at 11  Premise:  Pit a tribe of newbies against a tribe of Favorites? for the 2nd time. You can see my opinions of the favorites  here .  Unlike the first Fv.F in Micronesia, this band of Favorites weren't very exciting.   We also had a band of "Fans" some of whom acted like they never had seen Survivor.   Shamar wanted fire right away over building shelter.  He was successful in getting the fire started, but then started conserving energy coming off as lazy before being medically evacuated because of an eye injury on Day 10.   Reynold c...

Rank: Original #23 Season # 29 Title:  Survivor: Gabon--Earth's Last Eden Location: Wonga-Wonge Presidential Reserve, Estuaire, Gabon Broadcast: Fall, 2008 New Players:  18 Returning Players: 0 Days: 39 Winner:  Bob Crowley Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 7 Jury Initial Tribes: Fang, Kota 1st Swap at 15 2nd Swap at 10 Merge: at 9 Nobag (Gabon spelled backwards) Jury: at 10 Premise:  Tribes were chosen by the Eldest players (Gillian and Bob) without regard to gender and the person chosen chose next.  This resulted in Gillian's tribe being weaker than Bob's  Also included Exile Island giving the player an option of a Hidden Immunity Idol clue or comfort. First reward was to race to the top of the hill for individual immunity at first tribal.  First complete tribe to make it up the hill, gets an extra bag of food.   Marcus, and G.C. won the immunity idols.  Bob's tribe--Kota won the food.  Back at camps, Ken and Michelle had a bu...

Rank: Original #20 Season # 19 Title:  Survivor Samoa Location: Upolu, Samoa Broadcast: Fall, 2009 New Players:  20 Returning Players: 0 Days: 39 Winner:  Natalie White Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 9 Jury Initial Tribes: Foa Foa, Galu Merge: at 12 Aiga Jury: at 12  Premise:  Members of winning tribe are sent to the losing tribe as observers. This is the start of the infamous Hantz infatuation of Survivor Producers, as Russell or Brandon would appear in 4 of the next 5 and 5 of  8 seasons.   From the start, the edit became the Russell Hantz show.  He forms the "Dumb-Ass Girls" Alliance and then empties the canteens and burns Jaison's socks.   He then votes out his "Dumb-Ass Girls" except for Natalie, prior to the merge as he contributed to 5 of 6 immunity losses.  A medical evacuation on both sides brings the merge to an 8-4 Galu advantage.   Betsy the cop early on seems to be on to Russell, and others are war...

Rank: Returnee #11 Season # 27 Title:  Survivor:  Blood vs. Water Location: Palaui Island, Phillipines Broadcast: Fall, 2013 New Players:  10  (Relatives of the Originals) Returning Players: 10 (Rupert, Colton, Candice, Kat, Laura M, Aras, Tina, Gervase, Monica, Tyson) Days: 40 Winner:  Tyson Apostal Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 8 Jury Initial Tribes: Tadhana (New), Galang (Returnees) Swap at 18 2nd Swap at 14 Merge: at 12 Kasama Jury: at 11  Premise:  Players came in pairs of loved ones, one on each tribe.  The day before the game started the pairs spent the night together.  Also included Redemption Island where players would duel to return to the game.  Also two players were voted out immediately after the game started.    Blood vs. Water was very twisted from the start.  After spending a night together in the jungle as pairs they were brought in to the opening mat.  After being told they were playing again...

Rank: Original #21 Season # 5 Title:  Survivor: Thailand Location: Ko Tarutao, Thailand Broadcast: Fall 2002 New Players:  16 Returning Players: 0 Winner:  Brian Heidick Final Tribal Council:  2 Players 7 Jury Initial Tribes: Sook Jai and Chuay Gahn Fake Merge: 10 Merge: at 8 Chuay Jai Jury: at 8 Premise/Twists:  Tribes were initially picked by the oldest two players.  At 10, the two tribes joined together on the same beach.  Thinking it was a merge the tribes strategized together.  After two more tribal immunities, the two tribes merged. Thailand is consistently ranked near the bottom in most rankings I've seen, but to me, it wasn't a bad season.  First the visual cultural part of the sets and visits made it pleasing to watch.   It's true the gameplay wasn't impressive.  The early incident with Ted and Ghandia, resulted in Ghandia leaving early because she would not let it go or accept Ted's apology, and Ted made it into the f...

Rank: Original #22 Season # 14 Title:  Survivor:  Fiji Location: Macuala, Vanua Levu, Fiji Broadcast: Spring, 2017 New Players:  19 Returning Players: 0 Days: 39 Winner:  Earl Cole Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 9 Jury Initial Tribes: Ravu, Mota Swap at 13 Merge: at 10 Bula Bula Jury: at 12  Premise:   Players were separated into a tribe of Haves and Have Nots after all 19 players built the "Haves" Camp.  This was the second season where there was no initial tribes assigned.   One player quit just before the start, so at the beginning there were no tribes, and they were sent to an island with a cave as shelter.  After being sent plans for a plush camp and finding lumber, all castaways built the camp, shelter, kitchen and outhouse.  On day 3 prior to the immunity challenge, the Architect, Sylvia, was given the task of picking the two tribe and then went to Exile Island to wait for the first tribal council.  The winne...

Returnee #12 Season # 38 Title:  Survivor: Edge of Extinction Location: Mamanuca Islands, Fiji Broadcast: Spring, 2019 New Players:  14 Returning Players: 4 Days: 39 Winner:  Chris Underwood Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 13 Jury Initial Tribes: Manu, Kama Swap at 15 Manu, Kama, Lesu Merge: at 12 Vata Jury: at 18   Premise:   Once players were voted out, they were given a choice to go home or go to the Edge of Extinction, to wait for another chance to get into the  game.  The Edge of Extinction was a twist that was first used in Pearl Islands, but neither the players nor the viewers knew about the Outcasts.  In Season 38 however, it was the theme of the show and although the players didn't know about it, unfortunately the viewers did.   EoE was not easy, you had to subsist on very little food,  Reem who was voted out first spent 32 days on the edge.  Wendy and Aurora spent one night on the island.  Wendy q...

Rank: Original #23 Season # 29 Title:  Survivor: San Juan Del Sur:  Blood vs. Water Location: San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua Broadcast: Fall, 2014 New Players:  18 Returning Players: 0 Days: 40 Winner:  Natalie Anderson Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 8 Jury Initial Tribes: Coyopa Hunahpu Swap at 14 Merge: at 12 Huyopa Jury: at 11  Premise:  Players came in pairs of loved ones, one on each tribe after each pair spent the first night (Day 0) together.   Also included Exile Island. Two additional players were in the cast but were removed due to a medical emergency prior to the season.   They were sisters, which left the final 18 at an imbalance of 10 men and 8 women  The season was also known as Blood vs. Water II, but did not have the Redemption Island element in it.   Instead it brought back Exile Island.   This season introduced us to Jeremy Collins, Kelley Wentworth and Keith Nale, and brought Na...

Rank: Original #24 Season # 24 Title:  Survivor: One World Location:  Upolo, Samoa Broadcast: Spring, 2012 New Players:  18 Returning Players: 0 Winner:  Kim Spradlin Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 9 Jury Initial Tribes: Satani and Manona Swap at 14 Merge at 12 Merge: at 12 Murlonio Jury: at 12 Premise:  Original Tribes were split into Male and Female Tribes but occupied the same beach. This was the fourth time that initial tribes were separated by gender (The Amazon, Vanuatu and Panama*).  It was also the second where two tribes shared the same beach, (Thailand) although this was the first time they started out on the same beach. Kim Spradlin actually played a magnificent game by manipulating the women subtly by first creating part of a 5 women alliance with the help of Sabrina who also made it to the end.  She also blindsided most of the jury but was more visible in those moves and got more credit for them than Sabrina. Ear...

Rank: Returnee #13 Season # 22 Title:  Survivor: Redemption Island Location: San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua Broadcast: Spring, 2011 New Players:  16 Returning Players: 2 Rob Mariano and Russell Hantz Winner:  Rob Mariano Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 9 Jury Initial Tribes: Ometepe and Zapatera Merge: at 12 Murlonio Jury: at 12 Loser of Duel 7 on Redemption Island Premise:  Players voted out would not leave the game and would have a second chance at "Redemption" through a series of Duels on Redemption Island Players returned at the Merge (Matt Elrod) and with 4 remaining Players on Day 37 (Andrea Boehlke) The Redemption Island idea was used in foreign versions of Survivor prior to coming to the US version, and seemed benign enough.  It might have worked better had it been all new players than with two returning players with a feud to settle.  Rob Mariano and Russell Hantz faced off and challenged each other at the Season 20 Heroes vs. Villa...

Rank: Original #25 Season # 30 Title:  Survivor: Worlds Apart Location:  San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua Broadcast: Spring, 2015 New Players:  18 Returning Players: 0 Winner:  Mike Holloway Final Tribal Council:  3 Players 8 Jury Initial Tribes: Masaya--White Collar, Nagarote--No Collar, Escameca--Blue Collar Swap at 14 to Nagarote and Escameca Merge: at 12 Merica Jury: at 11 Premise:  Original Tribes were split into Blue Collar, White Collar or No Collar (Free Spirits) Lots of weird characters in the cast from So whose stated goal was to make people cry, Max and Shirin, two of the most annoying super fans (as well as nudists) in Survivor history, Vince, the jilted lover of Jenn who was unaware she was even in a relationship with him, Will who may have had the most misogynistic tirade ever, if it weren't for Dan in his same season, who disappoints at life.  Then there is woe is me Nina who may be the most unaware player this side of Karishma in ...