Just had a thought about the next season of Survivor (barely a spoiler regarding the cast)

[lazarus]

So far, it's leaked out that Boston Rob and Li'l Russell are back. And rumour has it that the Miss California who was against gay marriage is going to be on.

I'm wondering if this is going to be a "celebrity" Survivor featuring just the two returning survivors the way Bobby Jon and Stepheme were brought back in Guatemala.

[Phentex]

1. I'm so over them!

I can't believe they will give them more air time. YAWN

[MaineDem]

2. I will NEVER watch anything with Rob again.

Nevah!

[dr.strangelove]

3. I am starting to lose interest in the show

I have missed a few episodes this season due to some family issues and when I watched them, I mostly fast forwarded. I never did that in the past. I'll give it a go because I love to hate Russell and enjoy Rob, but I am sure that we are watching the end of the series.

[lazarus]

5. this was, admittedly

a very bad season. Particularly coming after a great season in Heroes vs Villains. Unpleasant people, lame challenges, a poor concept (young vs old), and a lack of serious game play all contributed to that.

Celebrities don't bother me, as they successfully do that in other nations' Survivors. Just so long as it's not all the time, I'm fine with it.

And two of the most popular seasons of the show (Heroes vs Villains and Fans vs Favourites) featured returning players, so that doesn't bother me, either.

[travelingtypist]

6. I'm having the same problem, missing eps and FFing when I get to watch them.

What bothers me is the conversations are all game and nothing really about the players as people.

I do want to see of Rob can get the best Lil Russ in the next go-round.

[Rosie1223]

4. I'm afraid they jumped the shark with Jimmie Johnson

I don't watch the show for celebrities. It's for seeing normal people from various backgrounds thrown in a pseudo-survival situation and watching what happens. Bringing people back constantly and having D-listers on will end my watching of the show.

[Qanisqineq]

7. I'm with others here in losing interest

I watched the first four or five episodes of this season, then stopped. Part of what turned me off was Naonka (or whatever). I couldn't stand her. I couldn't even bring myself to love to hate her. Then I read here about Boston Rob and Russell coming back. That completely turned me off. I think they are destroying the show by bringing back these people again and again. Rob needs to get a real job and Russell just needs to shut his misogynistic self the hell up.

[dr.strangelove]

8. This was a bad season

I'm not going to color it any other way. Its the first time I have seem Mark Brunet make such a huge mistake in the cast. In the past, the setting, like Africa and China, made for bad seasons because of logistics. This season though, it was just a bad cast. True the funny people like both Jimmys on the older tribe and that crazy Shannon guy, were voted out early, taking big characters out before their time. Also, the tribal shift just destroyed any fun I was having. So overall I think its clear that this was a bad season. I am hoping the Rob/Russell rumors are not true, and if they are true, that it will not make another bad season. I doubt the show will be back if the next season is bad too. It costs a lot to make and if the rating tank, it will be the first to get dropped.

[lpbk2713]

9. The two quitters were more of a commentary on this season than they would imagine.

They couldn't wait to disassociate themselves from this turkey any longer than they absolutely had to.





And BRob and Russell can stay home AFAIC.

[lazarus]

10. update (slight cast confirmation spoiler) and commentary

Casting is the ONLY thing I ever spoil myself on, and I'm very careful when I do it. So.

Boston Rob and Li'l Russell are, indeed, back. It's not a celebrity season at all, either. Each of the returnees will be on a separate tribe. Nobody knows if they're just tribe members like Stepheme and Bobby Jon were in Guatemala, or if they have a special status, or what.

Pure speculation: MB wants the two of them voted out early, so they can battle it out on Redemption Island. Heh.

I don't think two bad seasons in a row would kill the show. It still gets terrific ratings, even in a down year. And remember the bad spell it went through early: Africa (miserable location), Marquesas (terrible winner), Thailand (my favourite, but universally acclaimed the worst cast until this one), and Amazon (first gimmicky season with the battle of the sexes, a winner who tried to be the first quitter at F5). Pearl Islands, supposedly they jumped the shark with the Outcasts twist. All Stars had a bitter jury that left a bad taste in many people's mouths, and it's the only DVD I haven't purchased. Vanuatu is considered a very weak season with a returning gimmick of battle of the sexes. Palau was the first season since Australia that people really liked, and it was followed by two ignored seasons in Guatemala (retreads just like we're about to have) and Panama (Exile Island twist, another jump the shark moment declared by many).

Then we have yet another jump the shark moment with the Amazing Race War in Cook Islands, but that turned out great. Then another JTS with the haves vs have nots in Fiji.

See where I'm going here? Survivor jumps the shark more often than any other show ever, yet it's consistently top ten in ratings.

I don't see it ending until Jeffrey decides to hang it up, and probably not even then. If/when he does hang it up, Mike Rowe would be a brilliant replacement. (He's the guy from Dirty Jobs, and the narrator/voice over guy for Deadliest Catch and other shows. He also hosts After the Catch, showing some skill at managing multiple huge personalities.)