Survivor: South Pacific “I Need Redemption” Recap

Survivor: South Pacific opens in the way only Survivor can — with a helicopter! Under the dulcet narration of our 2011 Emmy-winning Best Reality Host Jeff Probst, Ozzy and Coach fly their way into the game. Coach wants to prove he can own the game with honor and integrity. Ozzy admits he never had the best strategy in his previous turns at the game. He needs redemption because he hasn’t been able to lock his hands on the million dollars.

Meanwhile, with the veterans passing overhead, the newbies paddle their rafts to the beach. Jeff introduces us to the Redemption Island Arena before John talks up his Survivor fanhood. Elyse tells the camera that she hopes her Native American background will help her in some mystical spirit horse kind of way. Rick says if you have to haven’t been training before coming on the game, you’re an idiot. Stacey said she’s ready to spy on others (and is incredibly boring while doing so). Brandon plans on keeping secret that he is Russell’s nephew.

All the new players enter the RI Arena where Jeff welcomes them to the game. He tells the sixteen players that there are still two more players arriving. Who are these veteran players? Edna says to Brandon that she hopes it’s not Russell! Brandon confesses that he found this funny, but he has to keep his shirt on because his tattoos say “Hantz.” Dawn suggests Savaii welcome the veterans with open arms. Mikayla wants Ozzy on her tribe because of his skills. On the other hand, “Coach is just going to be nuts,” she says. Christine reluctantly says it is nice to have the veterans back. “They’re temporary players,” she admits. When Jeff calls on John, he first responds that he wants to be called Cochran because the great Survivor players have been called by their last names. Jeff accedes and calls John “Cochran.” Cochran thinks the veterans will be assets, and quickly rattles off the number of times each played and a bit of Survivor resume on each. His fanhood is, admittedly, transparent.

To choose tribes, Jeff has two eggs filled with paint, one in each of the tribes’ colors. When smashed, Ozzy’s is red for Savaii. Coach’s is blue for Upolu. Coach confesses that he is not receiving a warm welcome from the embers of Upolu, especially Rick. Ozzy, conversely, is group hugged by his tribe. Jeff explains RI before they move to their first Challenge, a Hero Challenge where Ozzy will face off with Coach for a Reward of taro and flint. They must climb to the top of a 12-foot pole and grab a wooden turtle. They then must dig out a hole underneath a log and crawl underneath it. Last, they must transfer a pyramid puzzle one piece at a time, and only smaller pieces on top of bigger pieces, from one pedestal to a third.

Both players do some yoga breathing before Jeff announces “Survivor ready….go!” Ozzy, unsurprisingly, is up the pole first, but Coach quickly catches up on the digging portion. Ozzy tries to get under and does. Coach struggles at first, but then gets through. Both players mess up their puzzles by not following the rules. Jeff tells them both to slow down and think. Ozzy asks for help from his observing tribemates. Both tribes eventually start barking out assistance, but Savaii is helpful whereas Stacey keeps confusing and contradicting the rest of Upolu. Ozzy takes a commanding lead. He moves his last couple pieces and places his turtle on top. Ozzy wins for Savaii! Jeff notes that he should be congratulating Ozzy on a tribe victory. Hell yeah it was a tribe victory! Jeff sends Savaii off with their Reward. All Jeff has for Upolu is a map to their beach. Edna offers to help Coach with his stuff, but the rest of the tribe just walks off. Coach confesses he is faced with the fear of being the first one voted off.

Savaii. Mark immediately points at Ozzy to lead. Ozzy confides that he knows they want him to do everything, but he is going to be a strategic player this time around. Each of the players says what he or she does for a living. When she states that she is a poet, Semhar is asked to recite some poetry, which she does because she needs to step up. Ozzy thinks she’s beautiful and wants to align with her. He tells his tribe that they should relax and enjoy their win by going swimming. Cochran is a bit upset about getting into his underwear because of his transparent skin and lack of physique, but he eventually gets in the water.

Over at Upolu, Coach is afraid of his tribe, but admits one can’t run away from obstacles. He announces to everyone that he isn’t a strategic player so they don’t need to be afraid of him. When Upolu plays the “getting to know you” game, Sophie says she was a Russian major, leading Coach to start speaking to her in Russian! They then get to the task of building a shelter, with Coach in the lead. Edna likes him because he shows them some tricks for survival. Christine announces she is going to look for firewood, but instead starts looking for a Hidden Immunity Idol. Coach sees what she is doing and decides that she is target Number One.

The rest of Day 1 passes with a few highlights: Jim is happy for hot girls on his tribe; Mark has a boyfriend and wants to be called Papa Bear; Dawn is worried that they aren’t working on a shelter; Brandon regrets his “Loco” neck tattoo because he is a good church-going boy now, and that he is uncomfortable with Mikayla flaunting her sexiness by jumping atop the shelter to construct it (huh?!? That’s threatening to him as a Christian??)

That first night 1 at Upolu, everyone marvels at the stars and make fun of Coach’s stories. He tells Brandon, Albert, Sophie and Rick that he wants to win every Immunity challenge. Further, if they have a strong five-person alliance, they will be unstoppable. Albert agrees, so Coach feels pretty safe.

The next morning at Savaii, Dawn accidentally puts out the fire. She’s admits to having a mini breakdown. Mark warns her to be strong because the young folks will turn on them. Dawn confesses that for the first time she feels old. Dawn then tries to swing on a vine, but it snaps and she falls on her ass in front of Elyse! Dawn admits to Ozzy that she is cracking. She worries that she is going to go because that’s what happens to the person who has a breakdown. Ozzy tries to calm her down but she worries that she has no common ground with the other players. He confides to the camera that he is the tribe’s anchor, so he needs Dawn to keep her cool. If she can get out of her head and trust Ozzy, she can be a valuable ally. If she doesn’t, she’ll be going home.

The show skips to Day 3 at Savaii. Semhar tries to teach them how to make a toothbrush. Ozzy knows they need to build the shelter though he’ll be OK if he hast to sleep on the beach; The rest of the tribe, however, needs to be reassured. Elyse tries to teach Cochran how to open a coconut. Ozzy is skeptical of him due to his lack of physical prowess, but for his part, Cochran thinks he has enough social game to compensate for his lack of physical skill.

Over at Upolu, Brandon tries to provide for the tribe and catches the first fish (how did Upolu get fishing gear?!?!). He reiterates that he won’t show his Hantz tattoos as he doesn’t want to be judged by his uncle’s reputation. Sophie is worried about Brandon because she has a gut feeling that he is hiding something. Will that something be revealed at…

…the Immunity Challenge. It’s a classic Survivor Obstacle course. The tribes must negotiate some rope pathways, a web of coconuts, and then a ten foot wall. Once over the wall, one member of each tribe will dig up a machete, and use it to cut through five ropes to release some coconuts. Three players then shoot coconuts into a basket. Once enough are in the basket, the tribe’s banner will be raised in victory. The winner will receive Immunity, but also a clue to an HII. The tribes plot, with Semhar saying she is glad to step up and shoot coconuts at the end of the course (we all know how that is going to go). Jeff lines them up. “Survivors ready…go!”

Both tribes negotiate the paths quickly, but Mark lags a bit behind. Upolu is to the wall first. Cochran has a moment where he has no clue how to climb over the wall. In a truly impressive physical feat, Albert dead lifts Brandon by himself up over the wall. Rick digs for the machete, but is quickly followed by Ozzy for Savaii. Rick has the machete, as does Ozzy quickly thereafter. Rick quickly cut through his ropes, releasing Upolu’s coconuts. Brandon, Albert and Mikayla shoot for Upolu, while Ozzy, Semhar and Keith shoot for Savaii.

After two shots, Semhar is soooooo exhausted. Mikayla is a scoring machine! Semhar asks to switch out, but Jeff says they can’t. Keith and Ozzy score, as do Brandon and Mikayla. Keith and Mikayla trade baskets, but Mikayla’s is enough to raise her banner. Upolu wins Immunity! Savaii was only one coconut away! Jeff hands the Immunity Idol to Upolu and tells them that there is a hidden clue to the HII at their camp. After sending them off, Jeff asks Semhar if she is exhausted or depressed? She is “sorta bad” she admits. Jim is apoplectic at her qualifier “sorta” and calls her out in front of everyone. He then confesses as they march back to their beach that there is no reason to keep Semhar.

Back at camp, Upolu celebrates. Christine thinks there is an uneasiness because Jeff mentioned the HII clue. Christine and Stacey immediately go off to look for the clue. Stacey thinks she probably stumbled on it and didn’t know it. The great camera work shows us the clue wrapped around a branch in the tree knot in which Stacey was just looking!

Back at Savaii, the usual pre-Tribal Council scrambling occurs. It quickly comes down to Semhar or Cochran. Jim is wary of the fact that Ozzy is fighting to keep Semhar so badly. Could Ozzy have an alliance with the three younger women? Mark promises to never write down Dawn’s name, and vice versa. Jim tells Cochran about his plan to oust the latter, resulting in major paranoia on Cochran’s part. he is certainly not looking forward to…

…Tribal Council. Jeff welcomes them an instructs them to each grab a torch to get fire, their life in the game. Jeff asks Dawn if there has been any talk of RI. She says that they wonder if they’re prepared for it. She further admits that the first two days she completely lost who she was, and in the process, lost a lot of confidence, but she’s better now. Jeff asks Elyse who else might be worried about the vote? She answers Semhar, because of her Challenge performance. Semhar says she gave it her all. She could have played it easy and let someone take the shots, but she stepped up. Jeff then asks Dawn who else might be worried? She responds Cochran, based solely on his physical strength. Cochran says he flew through the net like a hummingbird. When Jeff turns the conversation to Mark, asks Jeff to call him Papa Bear. He then says John hesitated at the Challenge wall, and while that is not a fatal mistake, it’s a weakness. Cochran wants to answer that so he tells Jeff he better not say “it is time to vote” right now. He is so nervous that he forgets Semhar’s name, eventually saying that she doesn’t do anything around camp. Cochran says he is a learner by nature. It’s absolutely heartbreaking that he might be first one to go. If he stays, he promises he will do whatever he has to around camp. Semhar thinks he’s so mesmerized by the game that he’s not actually playing it.

With that, it is time to vote. They do, and Jeff gathers the votes. The first is for Cochran, but the second through fourth are all for Semhar. Jeff reads the sixth vote, “The first person voted out of Survivor: South Pacific….Semhar!” As Semhar has her torch snuffed, Keith says they should have taught her how to make a fire. Jeff tells Savaii that they made the decision that people can improve. Now it’s time to see if that is true.

Next time on…Survivor!

Cochran is at the bottom of the totem pole, so he reinvents himself as a working machine around camp. Brandon confesses that his secret is weighing on his conscience, which awakens the Dragon Slayer.

I have to say, for the season premiere, that was a pretty great episode. The 90-minute run-time certainly helped because it allowed the show to give almost all 18 players a bit of the spotlight (save Keith, Whitney, and to a certain extent Albert. Hey, they are all my odds-on favorites!). I really loved the initial Ozzy/Coach Duel (you could tell that the puzzle was really hard), and that was one of the better Survivor obstacle courses. There seems to be a good mix of people, with some interesting personalities. I can’t say I am surprised Semhar was the first one out (she was in my second to last spot and the biggest underdog on Savaii), and as she said pre-game that she was super scared of Redemption Island, I’m positive we won’t have Semhar back in the game. All in all, a great start to the season that seemed to confirm my initial reactions to the cast.

Odds to Win

As a person from the absolute bottom of my Odds actually was the first one voted out, there isn’t too much movement in the Odds after episode one. We did learn a few things about these folks, though, so let’s see how the Odds to Win were effected. Remember, this is not a prediction of the order in which the players will be voted out, but their likelihood to be the Sole Survivor.

Albert: 4-1. I believe Albert spoke all of one time on camera in the premiere, and that wasn’t even a to-camera confessional. But, man, did you see him lift Brandon over the wall? that was an impressive feat of strength. Brandon is not a small guy and Albert pulled him up a ten foot wall like he was nothing…or Cochran. Upolu has the early numbers advantage so nothing here to knock down my odds-on favorite.

Whitney: 5-1. Like Albert, Whitney received very little screen time, and the time she was on, she was in her bra and underwear (not that anyone here is complaining). It is a bit worrisome to me that she, Albert and Keith didn’t get much face time as usually the show wants to make sure the audience recognizes the eventual winner early in the season (not that they want us to know who the winner is, but rather so they can build a story for the season), but again, she didn’t take anything off the table so Whitney stays where she was.

Mikayla: 11-2. Mikayla has no fan in the “pious” Brandon because evidently being strong and taking the lead on building a shelter is too…promiscuous? Too sexy? Too lascivious? I don’t know what, but suffice it to say that I was impressed by the energy Mikayla was putting out at camp. Throw in her complete owning of the Challenge, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Mikayla quickly finds herself the favorite. (and Go Jersey!!)

Keith: 8-1. See “Albert” and “Whitney” above. The only time Keith uttered a word was his comment after Semhar’s departure, but I can see Keith playing the strong, silent type, at least for a while. His scar didn’t seem all that noticeable, so, hopefully for him, he won’t really have to explain it. Like Mikayla, Keith was a superstar in the Challenge, so I look forward to his continued success in that realm.

Dawn: 10-1. Dawn, Dawn, Dawn. Much like Holly in Nicaragua, Dawn was completely overwhelmed in the first couple days by the actual stakes and conditions of the game, and had a minor meltdown. To be honest, I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often. Fortunately, she turned to Ozzy who didn’t see her emotional state as a weakness, but as an opportunity to win someone’s allegiance. I think Dawn is better now, and was certainly a plus in the Challenge, so hopefully my early faith in her won’t prove to be misplaced.

Edna: 16-1. Another player that received a bit of short shrift, I thought Edna helping out Coach was a brilliant game move (that probably wasn’t an actual “move” but rather just Edna being nice). The gesture immediately endeared Edna to Coach, although interestingly, she wasn’t among the five Coach was working hard to convince should align themselves. Hopefully we’ll get a bit more Edna next week so I can have a better feel for her and her game.

Brandon: 20-1. It’s been three days, and, according to the preview of next week’s episode, Brandon already can’t keep his family tree a secret. He seriously thought he would be able to keep his shirt on the entire game? Seriously?!? All he has done is draw the attention of Sophie the Observant. Fortunately for Brandon, he finds himself in the Coach’s Five alliance, so maybe he will be safe for a while, especially as he is an asset in Challenges. Something tells me that his secret, however, is going to be his downfall.

Rick: 22-1. Rick had a shining moment as he hacked through those ropes in the Challenge with great alacrity (yes, we’ll look past the fact that his digging cost his tribe the lead and nearly the Challenge). As such a huge fan of the show, he appears to really know where to push and pull so far, allowing himself to be in an alliance with Coach, despite his reticence to get close to the veteran. This could be a really savvy move by the rancher, so we’ll have to see where that alliance goes from here.

Jim: 24-1. Jim is setting himself up to be Ozzy’s main antagonist at Savaii. He doesn’t trust Ozzy’s courting of the women on the tribe (wisely), and doesn’t appear to be worried about calling out tribemates for their inability to perform (perhaps unwisely). As I noted in my preview of the players, Jim’s greatest obstacle to success is his own ego. He thinks he is the best, not only Survivor player, but human to walk the planet. Such players are usually hoisted on their own petard sooner rather than later. Right now, the tribe needs him for Challenges, but with one more episode of confrontation is going to find Jim tumbling down this Odds board.

Ozzy: 25-1. Like Rob last season, Ozzy is setting himself up to go far in the game. He already seems to have a solid alliance around him, even after losing Semhar. Being down a player already, there’s no way in hell the tribe will vote him out as long as there are tribal Challenges to be won. I’m not exactly sure that he will be able to shake his veteran status post-Merge, but so far, so good for Ozzy.

Elyse: 26-1. I don’t have much to say about Elyse. Didn’t bring anything to the table, didn’t take anything away. For whatever reason, I find Whitney to be more compelling and better positioned to advance in the game, but as I said in my preseason Odds to Win colum, these two players might be interchangeable.

Sophie: 30-1. The “smartest player in the game” certainly is observant (hence my nickname “Sophie the Observant” above). She pinned Brandon immediately as hiding something, and was smart enough to find a majority alliance immediately. Compared to the rest of her tribe, she is a weak link in Challenges (at least physical ones), and like Jim, her ego might be her downfall. Sophie is definitely a candidate for major Odds board movement. Which direction will be interesting to see.

John: 45-1. A near early exit for Survivor‘s biggest fan. Semhar is right, Cochran’s love of the game might actually be a great detriment to his gameplay. If he can’t get past his excitement of just being there, he will quickly find himself on Redemption Island. Now, from the previews for next week, it appears he will put his nose to he grindstone in an effort to prove himself worthy of remaining in the game. This is probably the best prescription for what is ailing Cochran: keep your head down, don’t be noticeable. Because if there is anything Cochran was over the first three days, it was noticeable.

Coach: 49-1. Coach gets to move up a spot because after some initial bumps in the road, he may have found a place amongst his tribe. Sure, Rick and Sophie are wary of him, but he is a good Challenge participant and will likely, at least in the beginning, be able to keep his personality in check in favor of blending in to the tribe. Plus, Upolu now has a man advantage in the game, so that doesn’t hurt either.

Christine: 51-1. It is amazing how hard it is for some people to not say everything that is on their minds. Seriously, why would Christine utter something as stupid and boastful as “They’re temporary players”? I’m sure Jeff eggs them on, but why draw a huge target on yourself from the get-go not just drawing the ire of the people she was commenting on, but from the rest of her tribe who now see that Christine is playing the game hardcore? Oh! And she went looking for the HII immediately! Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb — especially from someone who will likely be more of a liability in Challenges than an asset.

Mark-Anthony: 62-1. Oh, Papa Bear. Such a nice guy, so super sweet, but I fear likely out of his depth. Yes, he was wise to snag Dawn immediately and swear fealty, but where else can he find an alliance? With Jim, I suppose, but likely nowhere else. I could see Mark lasting for a while, especially if Savaii is able to win a few Immunity Challenges in a row, but after Cochran (or perhaps before), who is next in line for expulsion? the answer is, likely and unfortunately, Mark.

Stacey: 151-1. Ok, Stacey isn’t the first person to not see something obvious on a reality show, but missing that clue was just foolish. Stacey did nothing in the episode to give me any confidence that she could somehow win the game. Therefore, she continues to reside at the bottom.

Semhar: Eleventy billion-1. She was pretty useless physically, and now in the one place she dreaded more than anything else, Redemption Island, I think it is good night Gracie for Semhar. Seriously, can you see Semhar pulling a Matt and winning umpteen straight Duels? Yeah, me neither. Semhar, you are lovely, but you are outta here!

Alright! So that was the premiere of Survivor: South Pacific! What did you think? Were Ozzy and Coach able to ingratiate themselves with their tribes? Any of the newbies stand out to you, for good or for ill? Who are you keeping your eye on as we move into the next couple episodes? What did you think of the first Duel and Challenge (personally, I thought they were awesome. Great work by the production team)? Do you agree with my current Odds, or would you change them? Please leave your questions and comments below. I’ll be back next week with another recap. Until then, I’m off to be one of the zeros in 90210.

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