EP #3: Fire Represents Your Life in This Game!
The one where we get really into hyperlinking.
Maya Mabern: Hey everyone. Did you miss us?
Hannah Shearer: We're back and we're watching something else. It's been so long! I had to move for like three months.
MM: I was twiddling my thumbs, waiting by the phone for her to call. And then she did.
HS: And I said, "Hi Maya! We're watching Survivor." For the record, I’m a very new Survivor stan. I haven’t seen all of the seasons, but I’ve seen some of the hits (the season we’re talking about, Pearl Islands, Heroes vs. Villains, China, I just started Tocatins), and I watched the most recent season.
MM: And I had never seen an episode. I couldn’t even tell you the premise until last week.
HS: We are not claiming to know anything about anything! So naturally, we decided to start with the most controversial season, Survivor: Cook Islands.
MM: If you aren’t familiar with the Survivor Cinematic Universe, Cook Islands is the so-called "race war" season.
HS: Before we start, here’s a quick rundown of Survivor: a group of contestants, split up into tribes, are marooned together and trying to survive. They have to build their own shelter, catch their own food, just generally keep themselves alive, while also doing physical challenges and competitions every few days in order to win rewards. At the end of each episode, like many reality competition shows, someone is voted out by the group by the other tribe members, and they go home. The ultimate goal is to become Sole Survivor, i.e. the last person standing, and win $1 million. Here are a few key terms to remember:
Exile Island — a survivor is sent to exile island which is a smaller, remote area where they have to be alone until they return to the main camps. Usually has a shipwrecked boat or other structure for decoration, and no supplies.
Fish — the main food players eat; what players usually fight over, outside of the shelter
Immunity/immunity idol/immunity necklace — a little necklace or charm that players win (either as a reward for challenges or discovered on Exile Island) that grants safety from elimination
Island — area of land surrounded by water on all sides; where the survivors live usually
Jeff Probst — the host/father of the show
Jury — after a certain number of people are voted out, the jury, made up of castaways, votes for a winner in the finale.
Merge — when smaller tribes are combined to form a bigger one. Usually, there are two tribes that merge into one, but this season, there were four tribes, which merged into two, which merged into one.
Tribal Council — at the end of each episode, a tribe goes to tribal council in order to vote someone out.
Tribes — the teams the survivors are split into. For this season, in the beginning there are four tribes (Manihiki, Aitutaki, Puka Puka, Rarotonga) which later get split into two tribes (Aitutaki, or Aitu, and Rarotonga, or Raro), which later becomes just one tribe (Raro).
“Tribe Has Spoken, The” — Jeff Probst’s catchphrase for when the players kick you out
Shelter — where the castaways live, varying in complexity and player contribution, the other thing players fight about
Shitstarter (IGIN term) — any player or cast member whose life goal is to start shit, cause chaos and/or mayhem
HS: So CBS, after 12 seasons of Survivor, got a lot of complaints because again, like many reality competition shows at the time, they were predominantly white, and they also kept casting racist contestants.
MM: Oh wait, really?
HS: Yeah, I think there were a couple of people on Survivor who were notably awful, and the show has always been terrible with representation. So, after a lot of pushback against the very white casting, CBS and Jeff Probst, in all their infinite knowledge and good decision making, said "We're going to do good by you! We have the perfect solution!" And then they announced, "Here's the next season of Survivor. We're dividing tribes by race. This is a good idea!”
MM: Instead of merely diversifying the cast…
HS: We're going to make everyone enemies.
MM: They decided to make four racial groups fight to the death. Not very kumbaya of CBS, but given that this was the same era of reality TV that saw America’s Next Top Model do blackface (and also, just exist as a show), it wasn’t entirely surprising.
HS: The network even lost a sponsor over it (allegedly!).
MM: All that said, it kind of…worked? The segregated tribes were dissolved by the third episode, and the season produced some breakout stars.
HS: It did! A big part of the franchise is people coming back for a later season, such as Fans v. Favorites or Heroes vs. Villains. Parvati, Jonathan (Penner), and Ozzy all came back later, and played in the same season. This season has one of my favorite final four, which was Yul, Ozzy, Sundra, and Becky, who won in a very David vs. Goliath story (coincidentally, David vs. Goliath is another Survivor season name).
MM: It was really emotional to watch.
HS: Edge of your seat television. I was so invested and I cried so much towards the end.
MM: I was embarrassed to admit that I cried, but once Hannah said she cried, I was like, “okay, I can say it.”
HS: I cried rewatching too! I already knew what happened, and I still cried. I love this show!
MM: I didn’t expect to be that emotionally involved, but it’s the type of show where you really start to care about the people, because you see them in the trenches. The betrayal, the bonds, the sea cucumber, you see it all.
HS: Was there a point in the show where you thought, oh I’m in it now?
MM: I honestly think it was the mutiny. At this point, there were two—I hate to say it—"mixed race" tribes, Aitutaki and Rarotonga (often shortened to Aitu and Raro).
HS: However, that is what you're saying.
MM: Well! That’s what they were! CBS gave me no choice!
HS: Yeah, the mutiny changed everything. It could be a little slow at points up until then, but the mutiny really got the ball rolling.
MM: Anyway, players were given the opportunity to join the opposing tribe. Despite the loyalties that two members of the Aitu tribe, Jonathan and Candice, claimed to have with the rest of their team, they mutinied and joined Raro, which left Aitu with only four members, against the new Raro’s eight. In this moment, the legendary “Aitu 4” was born. What I found fascinating about this mutiny was not only the betrayal, but that the only two castaways that were so determined to get back with their original tribe—AKA their tribe divided along racial lines—were the white people. I’m not saying that they're racist, necessarily. I'm thinking Jonathan is not. Candice, however, is questionable.
HS: Honestly, yeah, I think Jonathan can be kind of annoying and has an intense energy, but I don't think he would be racist. Outside of the show I feel like he’s fine.
MM: He was arguably the most controversial figure of this season, but I never really quite got it. To paraphrase another fallen castaway, Cao Boi, I think the age dynamic affected the game a lot more than people were willing to admit. Jonathan was a little older than the rest of the castaways, who were mostly in their 20s-30s. He's probably like, in his early 40s? I felt like people were targeting him based on his personality, but to me, he just kind of seemed like a dad. Which he was.
HS: He has a massive dad vibe. Also, he sounds like a meaner Alan Alda, and Alan Alda sounds like a dad.
MM: I guess they would’ve hated him too. He really wanted to get along with everyone, but he also took charge a lot, and strategized a little too enthusiastically. So of course people started to think he was obnoxious, and really started attacking his character and calling him names. I think they were unfair to him, honestly.
HS: Yeah, they were being a little too cruel to Jonathan. But, like you were saying, age really is a big dynamic on Survivor. Age, gender, and race all play a role in the show, as they do in many reality competition shows where players vote each other off. Even now, in the most recent season, five out of the first six people voted off were women. The winner of that season actually came in saying he wanted to prove a point, and while I don’t think he should have won, it was sort of a good image.
MM: How old was he?
HS: He was 55. 55 isn’t old! It always feels like all the young, cool players of Survivor, versus the oldest person in their group, who is always, like, between 40 and 60. Ageism!
MM: There’s ageism afoot! Wait, separately, there were two particular players who I really had a lot of beef with. Say it with me:
MM, HS: (in unison) Adam and Candice!
MM: The lovebirds!
HS: They are the real enemy! I hated them so much. Every scene they were in—and, for the record, I love love. It's the most beautiful thing in the world, it moves mountains, etc. However, I don't love their love.
MM: I'm very against their love. First of all, Candice—we'll just deal with her first—was a very good player of the game, I'll give her that. She had a lot of strength and stamina, and for the most part, up until the infamous mutiny, I felt like she was a pretty fair player, albeit annoying. She got along with people relatively well.
HS: Yeah, she really was just fine. Boring even! I did however feel bad for her, because whenever the Aitu 4 sent someone to Exile Island, they always chose Candice, if only to psychologically break her. There's technically an immunity idol which can protect you from being voted off hidden on Exile Island, however, the idol of the season was found very early on and the person who had it (Yul), and could have played it, never got voted off. So they never replanted it.
MM: It was painful watching her go to Exile Island so often because they knew where the idol was. And they knew it was not on that island.
HS: She was one of two people who mutinied, and also she had the whole Adam thing, and she seemed happier than everyone, so maybe that’s why they sent her. They said, okay, well, that's what you get for being so happy. You get sent to Exile Island every three days.
MM: Honestly, my main issue with Candice was that she was so tight with Adam, who was a fellow member of their original “white tribe,” and truly the most deadweight player. I think no one called him on it because he was very vocal about his opinions on everyone else’s work ethic despite not doing a lot himself. He lounged around just as much as Candice and Parvati were accused of. I think people saw this tall, buff white dude and thought, Oh, he's working hard, just because he looked like he would work hard.
HS: He was good for challenges, but he really was always sitting around and talking.
MM: He never took charge. Or went fishing. Fishing is a big deal on Survivor.
HS: Fishing is a huge deal on Survivor. Who's getting the food for the camp and who's cleaning and who's starting the fire. And I don’t remember if Adam did any of it!
MM: Additionally, he was a textbook shitstarter, always coming for everyone’s neck to keep himself in the game. And it wasn’t just Adam. Jenny, another player that got voted off, made it her mission to get people to turn on fellow player Cristina. I feel like once your main goal is trying to sway people against someone else, that makes you a shitstarter.
HS: It definitely does. Because really, what are you doing around camp, if you have so much to say about everyone? Worry about yourself!
MM: Some castaways start fires, others start shit. Another thing about Adam: he was truly the “player” of the game. He made moves on Candice, and even Parvati at certain points. That's something that was never really addressed. One of the hundred nights that Candice went to Exile Island, he was being very cuddly with Parvati, and she was like, "What are you doing?" And he essentially said, "You can both enjoy me." Almost verbatim.
HS: He was so annoying. There tend to be a number of sleazy people on Survivor, especially early on. And by a number, I mean, like a decent amount. "Oh, I don’t mind cuddling with the women, huh huh huh" Stop being weird. You're freezing to death—I know. You're starving. You're eating raw fish. It's a miracle you don't have a parasite. Stop being creepy.
MM: Maybe build a fire and then we'll talk.
HS: Then we'll talk about who it's nice to sleep next to.
MM: There were too many gross Adam moments to count, but all that grossness aside, let’s get into the heart of the show, the Aitu Four.
HS: Angels!
MM: We already talked about Yul a little bit, but we didn’t do a deep dive.
HS: I love Yul. Yul, if you are free this Thursday, I am also free this Thursday. This extends to Parvati and Ozzy, also. Whenever is best for you guys, really! I think Yul is one of my favorite winners I’ve seen so far. He was very kind and a team player, but also very strategic without ever feeling sneaky or super mean-spirited—which can both be fun to watch! But in this case, he was always entertaining because he had an answer to almost everything. Every episode it’s like, oh man, how’s Yul gonna get out of this one?
MM: Exactly. He really understood the game. He knew how to form earnest bonds while also manipulating the players, a balancing act that no one else totally mastered. A lot of them took some of the strategizing too personally and forgot they were there to play a game, while others were so set on winning that they ignored kindness toward their fellow tribe members.
HS: Yeah, they kind of forgot about jury management. Those are the people who vote for you in the end! Your goal in general is to be friends with everyone while also getting them out. Kill them with kindness, as they say.
MM: At Tribal Council, people kept calling Yul the "mastermind" and the "puppet master" in this accusatory way, but he was so good at the game that the players had no choice but to let him be in control! Even Adam went to him, hoping he’d spare his life for one more night. Yul really said, “I’ll see what I can do.” Very Don Corleone.
HS: Even post-merge, the Aitu 4 were still sticking together, and everyone acknowledged that yes, those four are still working to get the rest out. Even when they were the Final Four players, they forced a tie vote to advance to Final 3. The tiebreaker was whoever could make fire first won, and it took a full hour and a half. Jeff Probst was not amused.
MM: It was ridiculous! How did Becky and Sundra not know how to make a fire? Towards the end of the show! But still, their alliance is why they made it so far. Inevitably, there was some discussion over whether Becky and Sundra really “deserved” to be there, or if they were just riding Ozzy and Yul’s coattails (after Firegate, debatable). I feel like what they lacked in their overall strength as players, they made up for with their bond. They really motivated each other to do better, whereas the Raro tribe—post-mutiny—was disjointed, distrusting, and anxiety-ridden. That’s why they kept losing.
HS: Exactly! It's always amazing to see genuine friendship and support, especially to the degree of Aitu 4, which is only highlighted by the animosity in the new Raro tribe at the time of the mutiny.
MM: Y’know, Survivor really is an interesting show because it shows you how, as in the real world, there are many aspects of a person’s personality that can help them literally survive. Sure, strength and coordination are very important in the challenges, but your ability to play well with others is just as important as your physical ability is to the game. It all matters.
HS: Everything matters in a show where you spend every waking moment —and sleeping moment!—with the same people. In other seasons it’s funny because people will give their reasoning for voting someone out, and it’s something like “They snore too much and I hate them for it!”
MM: That said, there were definitely moments where it was hard to draw the line between ethical and unethical gameplay. A perfect example of this happened early in the season, in which Ozzy convinced his original tribe to throw a challenge so that they’d have an opportunity to vote out their weakest player, Billy, at Tribal Council.
HS: That was hard to watch. And it’s interesting, speaking of people hating each other and being mean, I feel like Survivor was the first reality competition show that was mean. They put people in this situation where they’re tired and hungry and feel disgusting and then you have to vote out your peers that you’ve lived with for weeks. It introduced this new dynamic based on strategy and manipulation.
MM: It felt cruel but at the same time, someone had to get voted out. In retrospect it made sense, but it felt icky.
HS: It felt so bad because it was just so obvious. Ozzy’s plan was to throw the challenge to get Billy voted out, which, of course, isn’t the first time this sort of strategy has come up. But again, that’s the meanness! It’s $1 Million! In a way, that mentality carries into non-competition reality shows that came after Survivor, like Real Housewives, where instead of actual survival, you’re starting fights and drama to get more screen time in order to stay on for another season and stay in the public eye. Do you think we’d have those shows without Survivor telling the TV industry to be meaner?
MM: Honestly…no.
HS: Another show that might not exist is Lost! If Survivor didn’t exist we might not have Lost, because Lloyd Braun, the creator, wanted to make a show that was Cast Away (2003) crossed with Survivor. Another thing that might be different is The View, because Elizabeth Hasselbeck was a Survivor contestant.
MM: No way!
HS: Who knows what daytime TV would look like without her fighting with Joy Behar and Rosie O’Donnell and Barbara Walters? The drama is what made it so watchable! What would TV look like? Barren!
MM: It would look kinder! And probably a little boring. Survivor really taps into our human need to watch people fight. But at the same time, while the people on shows like Top Model and Love Island are meant to be mocked, I never find myself making fun of the Survivor castaways. I really saw them as regular people. It’s thrilling to watch for that reason, because there are a lot of competition shows where someone gets voted off each episode, but their fellow contestants aren’t always directly responsible for the voting. They left that up to Tyra Banks, to Simon Cowell, to the Viewers at Home. Seeing these people forced in a position to turn on each other, made to feel vulnerable, made the show all the more human, and all the more brutal. It's all of these elements that made Survivor such a cultural mainstay.
HS: Exactly! When you’re invested in the universe of the show, the highs and lows are very palpable.
MM: There are moments of tenderness and sweetness that you don’t really get on Real Housewives. Survivor is honestly the perfect reality show, in terms of its ability to portray humanity as we are.
HS: Less forced, I think. So, in conclusion—do you get it now?
MM: I get it now.
HS: Amazing! It’s really the quintessential TV show. It’s got it all!
MM: Can't wait to watch every other season!