0/5

Rumour: Next Survivor destination

Is Survivor headed back to a former destination for its next two seasons?

Reality juggernaut Survivor is heading back to Samoa according to one report.

It is yet to be confirmed officially, but travel sources say Aggie Grey’s Resort has been block booked from May 16 for four months.

“We’re scrambling to find other rooms for what is the high season in Samoa for us – the New Zealand winter,” a travel source says.

CBS were planning the 23rd season in Vava’u, Tonga but pulled out when the island’s main hotel would not accept the bookings and there were no reasonable alternatives.

Samoa will become the most popular venue ever for the show; the 19th and 20th editions were filmed there and industry sources say the 23rd and 24th will go back there.

In 2009 however the show found itself in the midst of real drama when the Pacific tsunami hit, killing 180 people in American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga.

Parts of the Survivor set were also damaged but none of the crew was hurt.

Source: Stuff

26 Responses

  1. @ Shelley…back to Africa without the safety cage would be great. They would have to make their own weapons to protect themselves. It would riveting viewing if a few of the contestants of this game show were attacked or even eaten by the wildlife. Or is there a spot where the Daintree meets the sea, that would be a great location….crocs, stingers, sharks etc…It is time these pampered game show contestants were given a real dose of survival.

    The challenges would be great…..today you have to swim over that river, if you fail, those big hungry crocs may eat you, if you suceed …you have survived. No need for immunity or tribal council, just a funeral pyre each week…ha ha ha

  2. samoa is not only beautiful but has a very diverse landscape..the islands also have plenty of rivers, waterfalls, lakes, mountains, valleys, grassy planes, craters, lava fields, etc..it’s been voted most beautiful islands in the world by lonely planet..
    i expect a very different survivor from the previous survivor samoa

  3. @Armchair Analyst

    They are not reusing locations because they are running out of ideas. The show has suffered budget cuts since late 2008, after Tocantins was filmed- the same time the GFC struck. CBS has hacked the shows budget significantly which is why seasons have to filmed seasons back to back.

    The challenges have also suffered. I read somewhere the total budget for challenges used in season 18 was more than that of season 19 & 20 combined. Notice how rudimentary so challenges are nowadays…no more vertical maze, just balance some balls on a disc!

  4. I doubt they would return to Samoa again so soon. Samoa is not that far from Tonga so it’s possible Tonga is still the location even if crew etc will be based in Samoa.

  5. Camp fire, beach, vegetation. That’s what you see on Survivor. It doesn’t matter where they film it. As long as the cast selection is good enough to keep me interested I will keep watching.

  6. @ Geoff, I think hit the nail on the head with “about the human interaction’, that is what makes Survivor so interesting to watch. @ Armchair all shows eventually go stale so to speak, but I think your calling it a bit too soon.

  7. @ Armchair Analyst, can you explain the word “stail” which refers to a handle has anything to do with Survivor. I’d be willing to agree with you that Survivor is “stail” if I knew what it meant.

    Until then I’m going to disagree with you about the whole argument of “running out of ideas”, Redemption Island is still only in it’s first season currently and has completely revolutionized how the game is played.

    And as I said in my previous posts, I don’t care if they send the contestants back to Samoa time and time again– it’s no longer about the locations but about the human interaction displayed on the show. No other program on television has given us that level of manipulation and “game playing”.

  8. @SteveT,Geoff,JB. i understand your enthusiasm for the show. However if they are not running out of ideas then they soon will be. Some of the other comments on this story have confirmed by argument as far as locations are concerned they keep sending the show and contestants to the same locations over and over again further demonstrating the show has lost ideas at least for location.

    I will admit that my comments on Survivor are a bit negative towards it, but i will stand by them. As for the show i am adament that the show will eventually grow stail. I mean you can only keep rehashing former cast members and redesigning the show’s format and games/challengers to a certain point. I also recognise how enduring the show has been over a decade that is an amazing feat especially in this Tv climate. All iam saying is it is better to pull the plug when its at the top of its game rather then it dieing a slow and painful death. Also iam sure at some point Geoff Probst might want to do somthing more with his life.

  9. @Armchair Analyst

    well, you are entitled to your opinion, but really, the show has nothing in common with BB, which was bordering on a brothel.

    those who are tired of the show are under no obligation to keep watching it, but while it continues to rate, cbs will continue to produce it.

    and running out of ideas? what do you call redemption island? it has changed the dynamic of the game, as being voted out doesn’t (necessarily) put you out of the game.

  10. Samoa is a great place for Survivor and as a regular to the Island for TV commitments I can confirm that the Survivor crew had left before the tsunami hit, so it was no drama for them.

  11. I actually think Redemption Island has been fairly predictable with most of the interesting characters gone before the merge. The two major alliances in both tribes didn’t provide much excitement, and I really think there should’ve been a tribe switch after the Russell vote, just to shake up those two majority alliances.

    However, it seems to be picking up its stride now with the merge, and hopefully we are able to see more of the characters as they start playing individual games.

    (p.s. Don’t get me wrong, I love Survivor, but after seeing Heroes vs Villains it makes the following seasons seem less exciting. Also Jeff Is the show, without him it won’t survive)o

  12. I think Survivor has survived its own demise. I think going forward that it would help preserve ratings by putting the contestants of this game in places where they face extreme danger with maybe 2 or 3 perishing. This would help put back in the reality aspect of the show.

  13. Noooo enough of the island locations. I’m sick of seeing them sunbathing every season. Send them to the Sahara desert, or the Himalayas, or my wish, Antarctica.

    Disagree Armchair analyst. Survivor keeps getting better and better. We had the intorduction of idols which changed the game. Now Redemption Island which has been fascinating. They have managed to add fresh ideas to reinvigorate the format. Noticed they’ve reused challenges quite a few times, and the locations all seem to be the same now, but show’s still got it.

  14. I’d personally disagree that the show is done – season 20 was one of the very best, and the current one is great too – but each to their own!

    I think there can be a few improvements made, though. In particular, some of the casting in seasons like 19 and 21 has been lacklustre – there’s a few too many pharmaceutical reps and himbo NFL players who never end up saying anything interesting. I’m also not a fan of seasons shooting back to back (though it’s probably a financial reality), as it limits the variety of locations. I’d love to see another inland season like Tocantins, China or Gabon, but I think those days are over.

    Which brings me to the Samoa return. I understand it must be difficult to find new locations – particularly at short notice – but we just saw Samoa a year ago. If they have to recycle a location, I’d rather they return to one from the ancient past, like Palau, the Amazon… or Australia, for that matter.

  15. This is great news as a Survivor fan. Unlike Armchair Analyst, I think this show has truely evolved once again in the past few seasons and it at it’s brilliant best, particularly the current Season 22.

    The game of Survivor has truely moved beyond it’s destinations and is now more then ever about it’s players. If they can continue to get strong casts like Season 19 and Season 22, I for one will keep watching for many, many seasons to come.

  16. I still really enjoy the show, and to be running this long and still have me looking forward to every season is impressive. Jeff’s still doing a great job. In my opinion.

  17. I totally disagree Armchair – some of the most recent seasons have been the most enjoyable too. I really enjoyed 19 and especially 20. Season 21 put me to sleep but it was a poor cast – I am totally hooked on season 22 Redemption Island though. This show is not stale in the way big brother was when it was axed. Through twists and smart casting this show has remained fresh to me after 11 years.

  18. In my personall opinion this show has had its day. I think they are running out of ideas and the show should be put on the shelves and archived. Dont get me wrong great concept simmilar to BB but better because of the other elements involved. it has had its day personally iam burnt out and i think the host is aswell. I think CBS should stop it before the ratings begin to drop fast.

Leave a Reply