Episode Australian Survivor (2016) - Week 1 - Episode 1 & 2 Discussion

[Kingston]

Thought this was worth a try to cure the post-Olympic blues. Although quite familiar with the show thanks to sites like Reality Blurred I've never really watched the US version, while the UK version only lasted two series and that was back in 2001/2002 - and it never had anywhere near the success of the US version. The US version has never aired in the UK which is quite surprising, especially as the format was created here (actually there is a tedious link to my username in that regard as they were also the people behind The Big Breakfast)

The show looks stunning and is in safe hands with Ten, and although the cast is a bit bloated I'm glad Ten restricted the urge to milk it out over more than two nights a week - I'm guessing it'll run for 10 weeks or so then.

Really can't comment on the cast too much as there are just too many of them and you only really get to see the tribe who loses immunity outside of the challenges. Happy enough with both results - as others have said those who play too hard too early deserve their inevitable fate, and one of the interesting things about Survivor is how the team format encourages you to keep stronger players around rather than eliminate them early.

Will probably check in with next weeks episodes but although it looked stunning there wasn't much going on to hold my attention - definately failed the tablet test.


Obviously the US have filmed in Samoa a few times and other versions have well so I suspect they have some kind of international base set up there to ensure the quality threshold is met. I don't know if Ten ran full credits but a shame not to acknowledge the people behind the production. More than a shame actually - quite the insult.

Much of the US versions production staff are Australians and are also working on this version...

 

[yaelros]

• Lee Age: 40
• Occupation: Aerial Photographer and Ex Pro Cricketer
  State: QLD

- umm, no, thats a hobby.

• Matt Age: 29

Occupation: Magician and Mentalist
State: SA

- umm, so basically unemployed then?

 

[FatPants]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/768016484744306688

 

[davidftw]

Heads up guys, according to new.com.au from next week it's Sunday, Monday AND Tuesday nights. Apparently there will be three eliminations each week.

 

[T.R.]

Heads up guys, according to new.com.au from next week it's Sunday, Monday AND Tuesday nights. Apparently there will be three eliminations each week.

I am happy that another episode has been added because the gap between Tuesday and Saturday seemed to be torturous but this means the show will end much quicker as they filmed this as a two episode a week format. Three eliminations a week seems like a bit too much? Perhaps for season 2 they could do 3 episodes a week have two of them as eliminations and the other episode can focus more on the camp life and maybe a challenge for a special reward or a different power each week?

 

[Veronica2005]

Australian Survivor ‏@Survivor_AU 20m20 minutes ago
More Challenges, More Blindsides, More Nights. SurvivorAU - Sunday Monday and Tuesday on TEN.

 

[insider06]

I kind of like Kristie and Evan so far. They both have train wreck potential.

 

[starry]

Looking at the first two episodes I liked the first much more. It was a good facedown between the main two combatants, even though I would have liked Des to stay. Both had some focus through the episode though he had more. At the tribal we heard little from him in the edit, and that did signal to me that he was going. The men didn't seem to consider the probability of the women's alliance that much. Would have liked both to stay even, it seemed a good rivalry.

The second episode I didn't get that much. Bianca was getting built up as an interesting under cover contestant and then suddenly she's gone. Was she even the main one behind splitting Brooke and Flick or was it Kylie? I wasn't concentrating because it kind of came out of nowhere, maybe the editors could have prepared it more in episode one.

So two in a row who we've been told what their strategy is and then they've gone. Des was a bad player it seems (but funny!), yet it's nice to have someone who you can follow their stategy (at least if they have some charisma). This does happen in the US version, Russell and Tony to name just two. And in this case I can't say many members of this second ep elimination tribe look very interesting. This Conner guy was one of the underwhelming intros, in his case 'a passage to manhood' (the other weak sounding ones including a mother missing her children, and another who wants to play 'nice'). And there's another guy (seems a bit boring) who doesn't even want to be there.

 

[Rose711]

Looking at the first two episodes I liked the first much more. It was a good facedown between the main two combatants, even though I would have liked Des to stay. Both had some focus through the episode though he had more. At the tribal we heard little from him in the edit, and that did signal to me that he was going. The men didn't seem to consider the probability of the women's alliance that much. Would have liked both to stay even, it seemed a good rivalry.

The second episode I didn't get that much. Bianca was getting built up as an interesting under cover contestant and then suddenly she's gone. Was she even the main one behind splitting Brooke and Flick or was it Kylie? I wasn't concentrating because it kind of came out of nowhere, maybe the editors could have prepared it more in episode one.

So two in a row who we've been told what their strategy is and then they've gone. Des was a bad player it seems (but funny!), yet it's nice to have someone who you can follow their stategy (at least if they have some charisma). This does happen in the US version, Russell and Tony to name just two. And in this case I can't say many members of this second ep elimination tribe look very interesting. This Conner guy was one of the underwhelming intros, in his case 'a passage to manhood' (the other weak sounding ones including a mother missing her children, and another who wants to play 'nice'). And there's another guy (seems a bit boring) who doesn't even want to be there.

I would have allied with Bianca and kept on eye on her.

 

[Rose711]

Heads up guys, according to new.com.au from next week it's Sunday, Monday AND Tuesday nights. Apparently there will be three eliminations each week.

In the US, this would be a bad sign that the show is burning off episodes. So what is it replacing.'? This means it will end much sooner unless they throw in filler episodes.

Also, is it possible to please start a new thread for each episode like with big brother, or even for each week?

 

[timmydownawell]

In the US, this would be a bad sign that the show is burning off episodes.

I think Ten might be a bit disappointed with the ratings. But maybe they thought they could build more momentum by adding a third ep (as opposed to "burning them off"? I'm very surprised they have done this tbh.

 

[Rose711]

I think Ten might be a bit disappointed with the ratings. But maybe they thought they could build more momentum by adding a third ep (as opposed to "burning them off"? I'm very surprised they have done this tbh.

It is probably just a major difference between US television schedules and Australian.

I'm surprised they did this because 3 nights in a row with 3 eliminations is going to be a lot of similar content. I don't know if this helps to build the Survivor brand or not.

 

[yaelros]

I dont know if they plan to burn off episodes quicker,
they probably have tons of footage they havent used.
They could maybe make a third weekly episode from scraps
like interviews, tribe life, preparations for the next challenges
or side stories they edited out.
option 2 is to stretch the existing episodes in the same way,
so that the challenges are one complete episode, we get to see who
won/lost, and the eviction takes place only in the next episode.

 

[Brekkie]

It's not about Survivor, it's about doing what the others do as sadly all the Aussie commercial networks just copy each other rather than doing what is best for them and their viewers.

Although I think two a week was the right concept I do actually think with 24 contestants to start with getting through the early stages quicker isn't a bad thing - in two wee's we'll be down to a more manageable 16 ad might even be able to name half of them by then. Suspect it'll be cut back down to two later in the run.

I think at the moment though the show can carry three shows a week as long as it is three complete shows and not shows spread thinly with constant recaps. That's one thing which was quite noticeable is how I think the episode played out with no indication of what was coming up and no reminders of what had happened - even the next episode previews were very brief.

 

[Meglos]

That's one thing which was quite noticeable is how I think the episode played out with no indication of what was coming up and no reminders of what had happened - even the next episode previews were very brief.

Yes, I love that they just get on with it. The constant recaps and previews on the other reality shows not only eat up the airtime but dumb everything down to an annoying degree.

 

[timmydownawell]

with no indication of what was coming up and no reminders of what had happened - even the next episode previews were very brief.

I think with so many participants and so much to learn they have dedicated all their possible available airtime to actually showing us the camps, and that's loyal to the original.

I'm with @Meglos , the constant previews and recaps on most Aussie reality shows are just painful. I wonder if they do it deliberately just to pad a one hour show out to 90 minutes simply to milk the ratings....

 

[yaelros]

Yes, I love that they just get on with it. The constant recaps and previews on the other reality shows not only eat up the airtime but dumb everything down to an annoying degree.

recaps are terrible. I wouldnt mind more interviews and personal talk though.
lets take the paranoid superfan producers-dream that is kristie.
I wanted to see a lot more of that tv gold as she unravels. they could easily
give us more insight to what happened with her accusations against the others.
the editing was clearly building 'a case' against her for future reference but
we didnt get the entire dynamics before her claim they hid her bag at nightime.

 

[Consuela]

I'm with @Meglos , the constant previews and recaps on most Aussie reality shows are just painful. I wonder if they do it deliberately just to pad a one hour show out to 90 minutes simply to milk the ratings....

It's sooooooooo noticeable when you watch something on catchup with and ad blocker enabled! Painful is the perfect adjective.

 

[Danny]

One of the American Survivor contestants' penis made an appearance during a challenge once, and as a result of that slip, CBS has been overzealous in their blurring of so much as a hint of pubic hair ever since. It was Marcus from Survivor:Gabon.

You can see it here if you really must. And if you Google it you can see the video but it's on a gay porn site so I won't link that here.

Ahh! Thank you so much!

No episodes until SUNDAY!

They're doing Sunday, Mon & Tues now! Well next week anyways, I just saw an ad and it's been posted above.

Lee also has an interesting "package"

 

[starry]

The Amazing Race Australia was a great one EP a week show and it was put on the dreaded Australian indefinite hiatus. The broadcaster messed that up by changing the times it was on I thought. A one EP a week show can work, not everything is a format like Big Brother.