Epic Party (S50: Episode 1)

Heading into the Season 50 premiere, I was a bit… nervous, ngl. Even while I was drafting my picks this season, I couldn’t tell how excited I was to see these people play again (or just to have old school personalities like Cirie, Colby, Ozzy, Coach back on my screen). And after that incredible, EPIC montage that kicked off the episode, really highlighting so many classic Survivor moments (mostly pre–season 20), it made me a bit sad that of the 24 contestants competing in season 50, five are from the last two seasons.

Regardless, I’m excited my forever favorite television show is back, and I’m hoping for a fun season of TV. Although I need RECEIPTS of these fan votes… which fan is voting for more advantages, no rice, and earning the supplies? To me, we’ve lost the plot!! Because season 50 (so far) works best when we go back to the roots: the Coach and Ozzy rivalry, making fire with glasses (!!!!), an older Colby dismissing a 25 year-old Rizo only to come back around and form a nice social bond that bridges two different generations. Survivor, to me, has always been about the people and when relationships are put to the test in a pressure cooker experience.

I’m bummed Jenna came in so hot out of the gate, gunning for Cirie, because I was genuinely excited to see a pretty edgy old school Survivor adapt to modern times. I think that cutthroat quality could have worked on pretty much anyone other than Cirie. But I almost got the sense the players all came to a consensus that the “hands of the fans” would have rioted if they eliminated someone as iconic as Cirie in episode one (they would have been correct).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chfurYm2oB8

SO PUMPED we got them back on morning shows!!! This feels old school!!

I think the episode was pretty tight, but apparently there was still so much we missed! Dalton Ross was there on the first day of filming and captured all the parts viewers didn’t see in this amazing blog post that’s totally worth reading. Some of the highlights:

• Ozzy talking about how he got cast on Cook Islands (S13). One of his “modeling” friends was out to dinner with a casting agent and they said how it would be bad to do a show like Survivor for his modeling career and turned to Ozzy and was like, “you want to do this?” The following day Ozzy was talking to one of the casting agents and had him submit a video in 24hours because it was cut off time: “And I stayed up all night editing a video together, because I had footage of me skating a half pipe, spearing fish, and surfing and stuff. And then it was like, got in immediately, was at the Double Tree, and then it was like, BOOM!”

• That immunity challenge? Brutal on TV. Apparently way more brutal in person. Cirie working that monkey’s fist apparently went on for over 20 minutes. In dead last.

  

• Then maybe the edit is trying to preserve Colby’s athleticism a bit, but apparently he couldn’t get up the wall, and it was Kyle who jumped back down to help Colby up, and it was after Colby got up and Kyle needed to get back up himself is when he teared his tendon. Which just makes his med-evac all the more upsetting.

• And then possibly the most shocking editing cut: Angelina being Angelina and doing a negotiation!!! I gotta hand it to her, she is clearly an evolved player and a more mature version of herself, but she knows the role she needs to play on this season and is giving the fans what they want! (she even brought a coat to the island!!) Still, bummer the negotiation didn’t make the episode, Jeff reportedly shut down her offer to trade fishing supplies for a tarp... immediately.

  

Definitely worth a read!

VUKELULU TRIBE: COME ON IN!

Welcome! Grab a torch, dip it in, get FIRE. We're officially back at it!

Although it was an elimination episode for Kyle, his medical evacuation helped him score big points for his tribes. Trailing him were: Ozzy and Coach both who earned points for an individual challenge win and for Genevieve Billie Eilish-ing (this is exhausting) her idol. Emily and Devons were the lowest scorers, only bringing in points for surviving the episode.

Of the 24 castaways, 13 were selected as Sole Survivors, with Cirie leading the pack with 8, followed by Charlie (7) and Genevieve (6).

Angelina, Chrissy, Colby, Jenna, Jonathan, Kyle, Mike, Q, Rizo, Savannah and Stephanie are nobody's Sole picks. And because we lost both Jenna and Kyle in episode 1, everyone still has their Sole Survivors!

While OG Vukelulu member, Bri leads the pack with 97 points, we got a lot left to go this season! It's truly anyone's game!

Enjoy episode 2! See ya next week!

-Your Tribemasters