TV: Survivor - Season 42

[Satans Hockey]

Mike should have owned that his I'm an honorable man of my word character was all just a strategy and he would have probably won.

This final 3 were rather terrible. Romeo only won a single challenge cause they kept him around cause they knew nobody was going to vote for him and Jonathan literally dropped the ball. Maryanne didn't win anything and her personality is absolutely exhausting, she's on a level 10 all the time.

Season 43 preview looked like more of the same. I get covid gave them issues with shooting but there really should be a way to film somewhere else to change the look.

 

[Apex Predator]

I hate to say this but I feel survivor is on going through a downhill time. It started back in season 38. It was nice that they squeezed 40 in between this stretch which was a great season.

They’ve gone through some stretches in the past that we’re bad and bounced backs. early season 20 stretch was bad after Russels’ 3rd appearance. Early to Mid season 10’s wasn’t a good stretch for them.

 

[HandsomeHollywood]

Very much didn't care for this season. I'm fine with who won and how it ended mostly but the whole season felt of very little consequence. Just kind of there.

I think the show has run its course. It will never be as good as seasons 1-10 again.

 

[Satans Hockey]

I hate to say this but I feel survivor is on going through a downhill time. It started back in season 38. It was nice that they squeezed 40 in between this stretch which was a great season.

They’ve gone through some stretches in the past that we’re bad and bounced backs. early season 20 stretch was bad after Russels’ 3rd appearance. Early to Mid season 10’s wasn’t a good stretch for them.

I think being in Fiji so much hurts it, having different environments that need different strategies to thrive changes it up quite a bit. I get the aspects of covid being an issue for seasons 41-43 but when 44 rolls around they really need to go somewhere else.

 

[Apex Predator]

Very much didn't care for this season. I'm fine with who won and how it ended mostly but the whole season felt of very little consequence. Just kind of there.

I think the show has run its course. It will never be as good as seasons 1-10 again.

Tony Vlachos season and a bit after that was some really entertaining and good survivor. Season 1-10 might have the best 10 season run but I think 28-33 might be there best run of seasons ever!

I do agree that survivor seems to have run its course. I’ve thought that before a few times and then they string a couple good years so we’ll see what 43/44 bring.

right now from season 38 onwards with the exception of season 40 they’re had some boring and bad seasons. They currently on a bad run and hopefully 43/44 step it up.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I like Mary Ann but she didn't bring it all game long. Survivor is just becoming who wins the FTC. If you are too good of a player you won't get votes, because you don't say something the jury wants to hear. Almost better off being a goat and carried to the FTC then explain why you didn't do anything, oh that was my strategy. Yeah OK

Yeah she was BS'ing harrrd in the final tribal. She did get herself to a good situation at the end, but she she was almost as much of a floater as Romeo... I think Mike shot himself in the foot by trying to uphold the whole "Honor and Integrity no matter what" shtick.

If he would have said that he lives his real life like that, but was using that outward image to lull people into always believing him and being able to strike where he needed to I think he could have won. But he really fumbled the ball there at the end.

I think being in Fiji so much hurts it, having different environments that need different strategies to thrive changes it up quite a bit. I get the aspects of covid being an issue for seasons 41-43 but when 44 rolls around they really need to go somewhere else.

My wife and I were talking about this last night. The fact that it's in the same location every year sort of makes it feel more like a set to shoot the show rather than them actually being in the unpredictable wilderness.

I always identify the old seasons based off of where they took place, and it feels whack to me for it to just be in the same spot.

 

[SensBrawler]

I miss the different locations too and it leads to all the recent seasons having the same look and we don't really even see them explore the area much anymore. But I've pretty much accepted that we're stuck with Fiji for the next while. The show doesn't have the budget it once did and I'm fairly sure they get tax credits for filming there. I also wish we'd get some new challenges every now and then. They're getting a bit stale. But again...budget.

Having said that, I think most seasons live and die with the cast/editing and that's what made this season stand out from other recent seasons for me. Certainly the best since David vs Goliath and probably one the better ones in the post-HvV era.

 

[Stealth1616]

Didn’t even watch it the last 4 episodes after watching literally every episode since it premiered. Kinda sad to say but survivor is dead… the way they are going is just not interesting

 

[spintheblackcircle]

They were a handful of really bad players but they got rid of them early. The post merge was tremendous

 

[JackSlater]

I like Mary Ann but she didn't bring it all game long. Survivor is just becoming who wins the FTC. If you are too good of a player you won't get votes, because you don't say something the jury wants to hear. Almost better off being a goat and carried to the FTC then explain why you didn't do anything, oh that was my strategy. Yeah OK

Someone won Australian Survivor by being a massive, clueless goat and then going to the ftc (after some massive breaks and actively bad choices) and basically lying about how they were actually in on everything. It's kind of funny.

The last two seasons each had strings of solid episodes but were very forgettable. Maryanne winning is fine. Hanging around, not doing a whole lot, and pulling out the win has been a common theme for survivor winners for a long time. At least Maryanne is a memorable character.

 

[Mitch nylander]

Gotta say Season 43s cast looks for more athletic.

I enjoyed this season, and I think it was much better than 41 and 39, however It's not as good as it once was. My favourite stretch was Season 28-34

 

[Peasy]

Lindsay had the most confessionals in the finale and she was the first one voted out in it lmao.

Happy for Maryanne. Mike did exactly what I predicted he would do, preach a loyal game and not really own up to what he was doing. Kinda like what coach did back in the day. More recently Ken as well. Tai kinda did this as well.

Canadians too good at survivor they decided to bring none on for 43. Hopefully they get good people because tbh the Canadians had 2 of the more entertaining people of the last 2 seasons (Shan and Omar) as well as the two winners.

Hate that covid is going to be the reason there's no more 39 days or live finale. 26 days compared to 39 is just way to short. But, now that big ol CBS has gotten a taste of how much they can save while putting out a similar product, they'll never go back.

While I still love this show and always look forward to a new season, I wonder if that will change with the current direction of the show. These past two seasons they got extremely lucky with Jeff's crap twists not working and relatively strong casts that could carry the season.

But there's just been so many things lately that I don't agree with. The ridiculously over powered advantages or twists, 26 days, no live reunion, always staying in Fiji with the same beaches, recycling of challenges every single year (I don't even really pay attention to them anymore because they're all the same). Ultimately most of these changes are simply for costs even though survivor is still one of the top rated shows. It sucks that all companies care about is money at the end of the day, and if there's a way for them to make more but produce a lesser product theyll do it any day of the week.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

I liked this season better than lasts but they need way less twists.

 

[SensBrawler]

Lindsay had the most confessionals in the finale and she was the first one voted out in it lmao.

Happy for Maryanne. Mike did exactly what I predicted he would do, preach a loyal game and not really own up to what he was doing. Kinda like what coach did back in the day. More recently Ken as well. Tai kinda did this as well.

Canadians too good at survivor they decided to bring none on for 43. Hopefully they get good people because tbh the Canadians had 2 of the more entertaining people of the last 2 seasons (Shan and Omar) as well as the two winners.

Hate that covid is going to be the reason there's no more 39 days or live finale. 26 days compared to 39 is just way to short. But, now that big ol CBS has gotten a taste of how much they can save while putting out a similar product, they'll never go back.

While I still love this show and always look forward to a new season, I wonder if that will change with the current direction of the show. These past two seasons they got extremely lucky with Jeff's crap twists not working and relatively strong casts that could carry the season.

But there's just been so many things lately that I don't agree with. The ridiculously over powered advantages or twists, 26 days, no live reunion, always staying in Fiji with the same beaches, recycling of challenges every single year (I don't even really pay attention to them anymore because they're all the same). Ultimately most of these changes are simply for costs even though survivor is still one of the top rated shows. It sucks that all companies care about is money at the end of the day, and if there's a way for them to make more but produce a lesser product theyll do it any day of the week.

I noticed that about Lindsay too lol. That's got to be the first time the first boot of a finale finished with the most confessionals in the episode. She also seemed to get the most screentime in the reunion (or close to it).

Also, agree with everything you said about the twists. The casting of 41 and 42 has been good enough to keep the past couple of seasons entertaining, but if they mess up in that department in any of the upcoming seasons, we could be in for a rough ride.

 

[MAHJ71]

Almost* every challenge this season seemed to start with obstacle course that ends with a puzzle. Felt light on pure endurance. Also didn't have any sort of eating challenge.

I suppose it could just be the staleness that came from seeing much of it in the prior season.

 

[MAHJ71]

I wasn't upset with Maryanne winning, but I did feel Mike played the best game out of the final 3.

And for those saying he should have owned his "honest" game a bit more -- I kinda see why he would be a bit hesitant. Lately it seems like Survivor/Big Brother has suffered from bitter juries... where they don't like that someone lied or deceived their way to the end. (even though they signed up to play the same damn game!!!)

So I kinda side with Mike on how he played it. Either way it was a risk and was going to be tough to overcome the "sweet and innocent" Maryanne..

 

[Peasy]

I wasn't upset with Maryanne winning, but I did feel Mike played the best game out of the final 3.

And for those saying he should have owned his "honest" game a bit more -- I kinda see why he would be a bit hesitant. Lately it seems like Survivor/Big Brother has suffered from bitter juries... where they don't like that someone lied or deceived their way to the end. (even though they signed up to play the same damn game!!!)

So I kinda side with Mike on how he played it. Either way it was a risk and was going to be tough to overcome the "sweet and innocent" Maryanne..

The issue is Mike actually thought he was loyal and only betrayed rocksroy. When in reality he snaked a lot of different people. The jury had to point that fact out to him before he realised. The jury members talk and discuss what they were told by who so they all know he wasn't loyal to everyone. Hell even in the finale you have him straight up telling Maryanne he will use his idol, and then goes and tells Lindsey the exact same thing to cover all his bases. And then 2 days later he talks about playing a loyal game. Nah Mike you were only loyal when you wanted to be like everyone else (nothing wrong with that it's part of the game). Also the whole chanelle incident, he got mad at chanelle for voting for him yet Mike voted for chanelle in that same tribal.

Mike played a way better game than he realized. The problem was he didn't even realize the type of game he was playing.

 

[Apex Predator]

The issue is Mike actually thought he was loyal and only betrayed rocksroy. When in reality he snaked a lot of different people. The jury had to point that fact out to him before he realised. The jury members talk and discuss what they were told by who so they all know he wasn't loyal to everyone. Hell even in the finale you have him straight up telling Maryanne he will use his idol, and then goes and tells Lindsey the exact same thing to cover all his bases. And then 2 days later he talks about playing a loyal game. Nah Mike you were only loyal when you wanted to be like everyone else (nothing wrong with that it's part of the game). Also the whole chanelle incident, he got mad at chanelle for voting for him yet Mike voted for chanelle in that same tribal.

Mike played a way better game than he realized. The problem was he didn't even realize the type of game he was playing.

No one who has played big brother or Survivor can go to the end and say I played a loyal game. If you truly play a loyal game you don’t make it to the end. At some point you have break the promises you have told people if you want to get to the end.

 

[MakeTheGoalsLarger]

The most disappointing thing about this season is the fact that no one got to use the shot in the dark effectively. Knowing Survivor , they will likely bring it back until it works at least once.

The length reduction to 26 days: when I heard about this I thought this is gonna be like when the NHL started allowing ads on helmets. They are going to use COVID as an excuse to do something that the fans won't appreciate and make it permanent. Survivor feels like a blockbuster movie series that's gone direct to TV. We can see all the tactics they use to save money, but the show lacks passion.

About the result: Maryanne was a fine winner. She became the favorite once she pulled that big move on Omar. She then got the resume of a player who started the game looking dumb and innocent , but evolved into a great player. That type of resume is hard to beat. You don't beat that with a game like Mike's which was fine but nothing spectacular.

 

[Kevinsane]

The muscle mass that Johnathan lost was just astounding. I doubt he had much left in the tank the last few days.

 

[izzy]

This season was way better than 41, but ruined by the twists and an absolutely awful winner.

Had any of Mike, Lindsay, Omar, Drea or even Jonathan won I’d have been satisfied.

Definitely a season I’ll never consider a rewatch of due to the winner

 

[KapG]

This show is trash now

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Almost* every challenge this season seemed to start with obstacle course that ends with a puzzle. Felt light on pure endurance. Also didn't have any sort of eating challenge.

I suppose it could just be the staleness that came from seeing much of it in the prior season.

My wife and I are currently re-watching Philippines (Season 25) and the quality and assortment of challenges is just so vastly different.

Some of the challenges I've seen recently were one with teams of 3v3 in a mud pit trying to push a giant ball into the other team's goal, another challenge where they had to shoot these balls on a sligshot and players went in pairs of 1v1 to catch them in giant nets. Another where they had to carry these giant pots and set them up, and use a "wrecking ball" to destroy them as they sat atop a pedestal.

In 2-3 episodes of Survivor there were better challenges than all of season 42 it seems.

 

[Jovavic]

The challenges have been cookie cutter for awhile, they really need to bring in some older ones or spice up the current ones

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Bottom of the barrel winner. She did basically nothing all season.

She’s among the worst five. Mike played a better game, and the jury preferred her story for some reason.

She’s not a terrible Survivor player. She’s entertaining, but I don’t think she’s that good at the game. Mike was pretty good, but the jury had a disappointing final tribal performance.

Fitting for this season. One of the worst I can remember. There were some good players, but almost all of them went out early.

I think being in Fiji so much hurts it, having different environments that need different strategies to thrive changes it up quite a bit. I get the aspects of covid being an issue for seasons 41-43 but when 44 rolls around they really need to go somewhere else.

It’s not only COVID. They get a great tax deal in Fiji. They’ve ruined the allure of the changing locations with it. Survivor was better when we saw different environments.