I just need to say something, I have not read through this thread, because I just watched the 2 Hour season premier last night. So I am a week behind what you all may be talking about now. Just an observation that bothers me a little.
Let me start out by saying a I am HUGE Survivor fan. I didn't like/understand the concept back in 2000 when season 1 aired. I refused to watch it, because back then I was used to trained actors being on my TV screen. Everytime I would flip on Survivor, I could only take about 5 minutes of them having conversations. I didn't get it. But because I didn't let myself watch it for more than 5 minutes, of course those conversations made no sense to me. I just thought, "why would anyone want to sit and watch people sitting around talking to each other." I got hooked in the last 4 weeks. I would watch the immunity challenge and then the TC. It was when Kelly was on her winning streak. She was to be the next to be voted out, but kept winning immunity. I was hooked. So when season 2 started, I watched from the very first opening second of the show and haven't missed an episode since. (Ok, I may have missed one or two episodes of season 5...but really..that season ......UGH).
With that said, the past few years I have gradually gone from an eager fan, who couldn't wait to find out which person to hate on and which person to love and which person to cheer on to win. To now, I have no care as to who aligns with who, who should step up and take control of the game to better their position, I certainly find that I don't care who gets voted out anymore. It has literally become mindless entertainment for me. I probably only still watch out of habit,(and to look at Jeff's face and dimples) it has become MY show for 18 years. It started with all these players "finding" the HI without any clue. Russell started it, and I believe he was truly finding them himself, but then gradually, each season, more and more people miraculously come across an idol. I don't even think Survivor even prints clues anymore. When Nickolas found the HI in the PITCH DARKNESS, I actually yelled out loud "GIVE ME A BREAK."
The past few years, as, imo, Survivor seems to becoming more and more scripted, they need to get better actors. The very 1st challenge, I was laughing at how "fatigued" they were. It was laughable, literally. Then, when Donathan refused to help James in the water, He is gasping " I can't do it" ...meanwhile time its ticking away and the other tribe is winning. All of a sudden Donathan gets up and does a PERFECT dive into the water. That is NOT someone who cannot swim. So It was no surprise to me that he was actually able to dive down and release the balls. Yet, his team is all CONGRATULATIONS!!!! GREAT JOB!!!!! YOU DID IT!!! If I were on that team and saw him dive in like that I would have been more than PO'd. He just wasted all that time, when he knew he could do it from the start.
Again, so I am a week behind...but I just watched it last night. I might not watch this season if it is going to be so obviously scripted. I know that by law, the producer's cannot influence the outcome of the game, but they can take creative license for ratings/drama purposes. I know they need drama and suspense to keep us interested, but go back to the days when it was hidden from us and we could pretend that all this stuff just happened.
