Survivor Archives - Page 3 of 10

2014 Survivor winner comes down to a cop vs. martial arts expert

May 22, 2014 Barb Oates

SPOILER ALERT: In one of the most satisfying seasons that featured a new cast made up of true die-hard competitors, it came down to brains vs. brawn as Spencer and Cass (brains) and Woo and Tony (Brawn) battled it out in the final four. The 2014 Survivor winner was Tony Vlachos, a 38-year-old calculated cop from Jersey City, New Jersey, who backstabbed and blindsided his way to the top swearing over his badge, wife, baby and dead father as he outwitted his competitors masterfully to win Survivor: Cagayan. While his only regret was having to blindside his Boston bestie Trish […]

Jeff Probst names his favorite “Survivor” players

May 7, 2014 Barb Oates

Jeff Probst has been snuffing torches for 14 years now as host and executive producer of one of television’s most popular reality series — Survivor, which ends its 28th season (Survivor: Cagayan) Wednesday, May 21 at 8pm ET on CBS with a two-hour finale, followed by a reunion special. Probst recently took time — before the live finale and leaving for the next season of Survivor, which films this summer — to answer some of our burning questions including who are some of his favorite Survivor players. The top-rated series continues to surprise and delight us with its varying themes […]

“Survivor” host Jeff Probst answers our 7 Questions

May 1, 2014 Barb Oates

Somehow those khaki shorts and double-pocketed, button-down shirts Survivor host and executive producer Jeff Probst has been wearing for almost 15 years now just don’t get old. Rain or shine, Probst’s chiseled grin and call-it-as-it-is questioning continue to keep the series fresh and entertaining, as well as in top rankings. We recently put the Emmy winner in the hot seat to answer some of our standard 7 Questions. 1. You’re at a magazine rack and can only pick three titles. Which ones do you choose? Jeff Probst: Fast Times, Vanity Fair, The Hollywood Reporter 2. If your TV carried just […]

“Survivor” at a loss without villain Colton Cumbie

March 28, 2012 Tom Comi

There isn’t one contestant in my 12 years of watching Survivor that I have despised more than Colton Cumbie, the openly gay college student who viciously attacked almost every competitor he came across. He was mean, petty, arrogant, lazy and by far one of the most ignorant people to ever compete on the CBS reality show (8pm ET tonight). And with all that said, the show is sadly no longer as interesting now that he is gone. In one of the most amazing displays of karma ever witnessed on television, Colton was sent home last week due to an appendicitis that […]

Ozzy, Coach seek redemption on “Survivor: South Pacific”

September 14, 2011 Tom Comi

By Tom Comi Follow @ChannelGuide Stunt casting is something usually found on sitcoms and dramas to drum up ratings, but no show on television has mastered this better than Survivor. And that is once again the case in tonight’s season premiere as two former contestants are thrown together with 16 newbies for the chance to win the million-dollar prize. Survivor: South Pacific marks the 23rd season of the still-popular reality program, and tonight’s first episode (8pm ET on CBS) features the return of one of the show’s most popular players (Ozzy Lusth, pictured center) and one of its most reviled […]

Will “Survivor” survive without Russell?

March 16, 2011 Tom Comi

By Tom Comi One of the problems with stunt casting is the stunt is over when the cast is gone, and CBS could very well be facing that dilemma now that famed villain Russell has been voted off Survivor: Redemption Island. The popular reality show (tonight, 8pm ET) has been able to stay strong over the past decade by relying on its premise rather than a lot of gimmicks (aside from a few all-star editions). But CBS decided to mix things up this season by bringing back its most popular contestant (Rob) and its most popular villain (Russell) to compete […]

“Survivor: Redemption Island” brings new format, familiar contestants

February 15, 2011 Jill Klitz

Survivor is back! And it’s twistier than ever! Premiering tomorrow, Feb. 16 (8pm ET/PT on CBS), Survivor: Redemption Island will allow a voted-out player to return to the game (in a much cooler way than Lillian and Burton’s ill-received return from the dead in the Pearl Islands season), and brings back two former contestants to compete for the billionth time. In discussing the upcoming season with the media, executive producer Mark Burnett described Survivor as a “morality play” and alluded quite a bit to Joseph Campbell’s themes of redemption and resurrection. (If you’ve never read Joseph Campbell’s work, you should […]

10 Tips for Surviving “Survivor”

September 28, 2010 Channel Guide Contributor

Shannon Elkins just couldn’t shut up, and that cost him. […]

CBS announces “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” cast

January 7, 2010 Lori Acken

Twenty former castaways will return to compete on Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, when the 20th installment of the Emmy Award-winning series premieres with a special two-hour episode, Thursday, Feb. 11 at 8pm ET on the CBS Television Network. Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains will reunite some of the most memorable, heroic and controversial castaways from previous Survivor seasons. The series’ best strategists will face off in their attempt to overcome — or embrace — the label placed upon them when they return to seek revenge or redemption, all in an effort to win the title of Sole Survivor. These unforgettable castaways will […]

“Survivor: Samoa” recap: It’s Called a Russell Seed

October 2, 2009 Jill Klitz

First off, I’ll repeat the message CBS had at the end of this episode: If you’d like to donate to the Red Cross for their relief efforts following this week’s devastating Samoan earthquake and tsunami, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or visit redcross.org. Now on to the recap … members of the Foa tribe are trying to figure out who they’d vote out next, and Jaison and Mick think Ben should be the next to go. They don’t like what he said when arguing with Yasmin — in particular, calling her “ghetto trash” — and Jaison calls Ben “a mental plague on our […]