In its44th season, the greatest social experiment on television premiered once again this week. Jeff Probst’sSurvivorhas been on the air for over twenty years now, with just as much interest from the public as ever. 18 new castaways embarked on theirsurvivorjourney in the show’s ‘new era,’ characterized by a much faster-paced game; 25 days as opposed to the usual 39.
Season 44 started with a bang, makingSurvivorhistory in more ways than one. In recent seasons, fans have come to expect a much more rigorous game than they are used to. It’s no secret that condensing into the 25-day format, along with the new twists and traditions of the game (the ‘journeys,’ for example, that end in a choice that may earn players an advantage).This season, however, is already fairly unprecedented, and that’s coming from just the season premiere.
Medical Summons Were Through The Roof
In a season ofSurvivor, it is typicalfor a challenge to be put on pause while the medical team is called in to check in on an injured player. What isn’t typical, however, is medical having to be called in during the very first challenge of the season. It also isn’t typical for there to be two different instances in an episode in which medical is called in, and itcertainlyisn’t typical for there to be three. Yet this season’s premiere yielded just that: three different summons for the medical team over the course of the very first episode.
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In the reward challenge, right off the boat ride to the island, contestant Bruce Perreault hit his head and began bleeding down the front of his face. He told Jeff that he was alright at first, that they did not need to stop the challenge, but just minutes later, Bruce knelt down, and ultimately had to be tended to by the medical team. They gave him some oxygen, took down his vitals, and deemed him fit to continue. However, later that night, Bruce began complaining of headaches again and had to beremoved from the game.
As if that turmoil was not enough, Matthew Grinstead-Mayle was climbing up a rock later in the episode, presumably for the view he assumed he would get at the top. Unfortunately, Matthew lost his footing and fell back to the base of the rock, scraping up his hands, presumably dislocating his elbow, and cutting his foot pretty badly. In a confessional after his fall, Matthew discussed why he wanted to be on the show,his role as a gay father, and his personal story that the show has come to value so much in all of its contestants. Matthew bounced back quickly, and the medical team did not feel pulling him from the game was necessary. Once more, though, in the immunity challenge, medical staff had to be called in and put the challenge on pause to tend to Brandon Cottom, who was feeling dizzy and dealing with some cramping. Brandon was also able to stay in the game per the medical team, but he did have to sit out the rest of the challenge.
Shot in the Dark and More at Tribal Council
In Season 41, Jeff Probst and theSurvivorteam introduced a new twist called the “Shot in the Dark.” As a last-ditch effort, the shot in the dark allows a contestant, in exchange for their vote, to roll a six-sided die for a 1 in 6 shot of being safe. The ‘Shot in the Dark’ had been played before a handful of times since season 41, but never has a contestant rolled the correct number and been safe as a result. Until this week, when both Matthew and Jaime Lynn Ruiz played their ‘Shot in the Dark,’ Jaime’s roll resulted in her safety from the vote. Jaime then became the first player inSurvivorhistory to be safe as a result of the new dice-rolling twist.
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That’s not the only thing that made this tribal council unique though. Brandon played an immunity idol he had found in front of the whole group earlier in the day, saving himself from getting voted out, as two of the three votes were for him. Yes, you read that right; only three votes on a tribe of six were cast. That is because two of the six were forfeited as a result of Matthew and Jaime playing their ‘Shot in the Dark.’ A third vote was not cast due to a secret advantage played by Lauren Harpe that allowed her not to vote in this tribal council in exchange for an extra vote at a future tribal council. Thus, history was made again, as only 50% of the tribe voted during tribal council.
Because of these advantages and absences of votes, only four people were eligible to be voted out, and only two received votes. Brandon received two of those votes. However, his idol voided those two votes. This meant that Brandon’s vote was the only one of the three that counted, so Maddy Pomilla became the first person to be voted out of the game by just one vote against her. While someone getting voted out by only one vote has happened before, something that crazy has never happened so early in the season as inthe very first episode.
With so many unprecedented occurrences in the season premiere alone, we can only expect thatSurvivor 44will be a wild ride. New episodes premiere on Wednesdays at 8 PM EST on CBS.
