You won't find two bigger or more knowledgable
Survivor fans than Michael and Marjorie Carrino. They are the proprieters of
Armchair Survivor, and have been so kind as to host a popular weekly TVj session during
Survivor here at BuddyTV. They also record weekly podcasts for both
Survivor and
The Apprentice.
We recently sat down with the married couple to discuss how they became fans of
Survivor, their thoughts on the previous season, and what we can expect in future seasons.
How did you two first get involved with Survivor?Michael: Well Marjie started it, she can start with that.
Marjorie: We've pretty much been watching since the first season and I think it's kind of a cool experiment in seeing how people who are given nothing interact. The best and the worst come out of them. It's just a well- put together show.
Michael: The first season; I saw a couple a minutes of it and thought it was horrendous. Then I watched the reruns of it. For some reason, they re-ran the first season. They haven't done it since then. They re-ran the first season on CBS and near the end I was fixed on it.
The thing that was strange was that I was shocked and somewhat dismayed, but later on it evolved into something else. Just how scandalous people were. Richard Hatch is not exactly the most virtuous person you've ever met, I don't think.
Have you guys grown as fans as the seasons have passed or were you obsessed from the outset?
Michael: I think, by season 2, we were obsessed, weren't we?
Marjorie: I think so. We got hooked in pretty early. Even some of the seasons that were a little slower, it's almost like you have to continue to watch just to see who wins.
Michael: I find it a social experiment. I grew up with that kind of a background, with my parents and stuff. Whether the people are virtuous or not I find that the social experiment is always interesting to see what people do. A lot of people always refer to Lord of the Flies and I finally ended up listening to that on tape and I can see where the hierarchies come in and the things you wouldn't normally think.
For instance, policeman and military people don't seem to do as well, because they're propped up by a hierarchy that we've been told we have to respect. But, when you get them out in the wild, that hierarchy isn't there and a lot of times (not always) they don't fare as well as, you know, some little unassuming person.
Marjorie: But, Rudy did well. He was a green beret; they're not used to following rules.
Michael: It's kind of funny. Kel got knocked out within a week or so and I always think that military people and cops have a target on their backs.
How do you feel Survivor has evolved as the seasons go along?
Marjorie: They're smart, because they keep the format somewhat the same in the sense that they're always going to be out somewhere in the wilderness. They're not going put them in the snow, because it loses the element, but each season they do a little bit of a switch up. They divide the teams at different times, they make the merges different, sometimes they just switch tribes, sometimes they merge as one tribe.
Michael: I like that they always keep the boat rocking.
Marjorie: The twist of bringing back Stephanie and Bobby Jon, that was a first
Michael: They keep on rocking the boat. One of the things I've also been surprised with is that a lot of times people who are on the show don't get it. The show has been on for thirteen seasons now and they still don't understand certain things.
Marjorie: I don't know what they're studying, because the first season nobody knew what to expect. It's ironic that we see that this [season] is probably the first time they listen to people. We see what works and what doesn't and, yet, people still flip. Either they start saying things they shouldn't say or they give up alliances that are strong and then they keep losing. I think this is the first time they've ever stuck with an alliance and it's like, "See, if you caught the last season, you see that when you give up your alliance you lose."
Michael: I think the good thing about that is that every year we've been doing these podcasts for three seasons we've had the same things to bitch: "Don't you ever watch the show? Don't you ever shut up?"
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4
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