YES!  Survivor returns tonight for its 17th season and, for me, it never gets old.  I’m a fan who’s been watching the game since the very beginning.  This season, Survivor heads back to Africa for only the second time in the show’s history.  It will also be shot in high def, which just means better, clearer images of Jeff Probst!  Oh yeah, we’ll also see every bug bite up close too.  I’ll just focus on the positive!  Many of the players coming in have studied the game of Survivor and it looks like they’ll make this an interesting season.  I’ll predict right now that either the bossiest or oldest person goes home first.  It’s a 2 hour episode tonight and I’ll be here the whole time, updating live so keep refreshing, post your comments, and let’s settle in for a night of Survivor!

The contestants have been dropped into Africa in their street clothes.  When will these people learn to dress for the game no matter what?  This is like the first day of school.  Everyone has to go around, say their names, and what they do.  I can already tell you that Randy’s kinda weird and Dan’s hot.  Some people are already lying.  Crystal didn’t say that she’s an Olympian and Sugar didn’t say that she’s an actress.

Bob and Gillian get to pick teams because they’re the oldest players in the game.  That’s some major power!  I’d love that!

Bob’s tribe (Kota): Ace, Sugar, Marcus, Charlie, Paloma, Kelly, Jacquie, and Corinne

Gillian’s tribe (Fang): Crystal, Susie, Matty, Randy, Dan, GC (aka Dan), Ken, and Michelle.

Already time for a challenge.  Love it.  Tribes have to race through the flags, up the hill, and find the individual immunity idol.  Living essentials will be at the finish line as well.  There’s also an extra bag of food for the winning tribe who gets everyone across the finish line.  Look at GC run!  He gets the idol, as does Marcus.  Kota gets across first and wins.  Fang is in TROUBLE this season.

What?  They already get shelters?  That’s bull.  Ummm… EW!  Gillian is picking up elephant dung to burn.  Reason #47 I couldn’t survive in Africa.

Charlie thinks he has a connection with Marcus.  I’ll bet he does!  How is the medical staff already here?  Randy split his head open.  Jeez, people…

Tree mail sounds like a joint reward/immunity challenge. Sort of. Winners get flint on top of immunity. At this point, though, fire IS a reward. Players have to be tethered together for their challenge and run through an obstacle course to retrieve puzzle pieces. Remaining players solve the puzzle, which actually looks kinda hard.  Even though for a minute Fang performed pretty well, Kota ended up blowing them out of the water.

Fang is debating who to vote out.  Names being thrown out: Gillian (which makes sense) and Michelle (which is absolutely ridiculous).  Lots of fighting at tribal council.  Here are the votes: Michelle.  Gillian.  Michelle.  Michelle.  Michelle.  First person voted out: Michelle.  ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!

First alliance on Kota: Marcus, Charlie, Jacquie, and Corinne.  They’re the onion alliance, as Marcus is calling it.  Charlie is the inner layer and the girls are on the outer layer.  Over at Fang, GC has been voted the leader.  I like Randy’s strategy: Operation Crash and Burn.  Sit back and let everybody else self destruct.

More tree mail.  This next challenge is for immunity and fishing gear.   Players will have to push a large boulder through a series of gates and retrieve keys that will open locks.  Winners get fishing gear and the ability to send someone to Exile Island (yep, it’s back).  Kota wins again.  Man, you gotta feel bad for Fang at this point.  This is going to kill them.  Anyone else having flashbacks to Stephenie and Bobby Jon?

Dan runs into a dilemma.  He can either choose a clue for the idol or a comfort item.  Any smart player would pick clue and Dan did.  He can’t find it.  This is TOUGH this season.  Last year, it seemed like any idiot could get their hands on the idol (or a crappy fake one constructed by Ozzy)!

Uh oh, everyone thinks Dan has the idol.  If they vote him out, this tribe is officially one of the dumbest in the history of Survivor.  These people have clearly never watched the game.  HA!  At tribal, Dan turns his bag upside down to prove he doesn’t have the idol.  If they vote him out, I’m going to be so damn angry.  Here are the votes: Gillian.  Ken.  Gillian.  Gillian.  Gillian.

Second player voted out: Gillian.  Okay, there’s SOME hope for Fang.


– Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of CBS)

Gina Scarpa

Staff Writer, BuddyTV