Episode 4: Over-engineered, convoluted, incoherent

Survivor 44 Episode 4 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: March 25, 2023

This may seem like a bit of a stretch, but hear me out: The little flag that pops up after a hit from a sandbag in this week's reward challenge is a microcosm of the season as a whole. That is: It's something that was ridiculously over-engineered, time-consuming, and hard for the audience to follow at home.

Episode 4: Put me out of my misery

Survivor 44 Episode 4 recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: March 24, 2023

After the rushed, confusing fourth episode of Survivor 44, Ryan tries to make sense of an alliance that seemingly went from besties to bitter rivals in the space of a day, a swap that tried to out-screw-over China's, and a massive deluge of new idols that defies explanation.

Episode 4: When living in a crazy world, learn how to speak crazy

Survivor 44 Episode 4 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: March 23, 2023

Damnbueno has the run-down on Episode 4 of Survivor 44, featuring a doubling of active idols, even more fake idols, a sort-of swap, and both literal and strategic bellyflops.

Interlude: The Ivy Lead - S44 edition

Survivor multi-season analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: March 21, 2023

Over its 44 seasons, Survivor has had 662 different contestants, of which 35 have been Ivy League alumni. That's 1 in 18.9! Jeff Pitman continues compiling and graphing the appearances of Ivy League alumni on Survivor. This is what he has become.

Episode 3: Fun, camp life, and fake idols

Survivor 44 Episode 3 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: March 20, 2023

Survivor 44 found the time to spend a lot more of the episode in the three camps for Episode 3, as there was singing, scampering, and fake idols galore. Brent appreciated the return of some of the old-school feel, and offers an update on the many, many advantages (and disadvantages) currently in play.

Episode 3: Mixed messages

Survivor 44 Episode 3 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: March 19, 2023

Survivor likes to bill itself as an egalitarian game, one that ordinary people from all walks of life can win. And if you look at the winners, that remains fairly true. But to get to the end, you first have to get through the tribal portion of the game, and the show is making it increasingly difficult for certain people (mostly women) to do so.

Episode 3: What is tribe strength?

Survivor 44 Episode 3 recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: March 17, 2023

Ryan has some complaints about Episode 3 of Survivor 44, mainly its focus on the "heady" mix of challenge physicality and idol hiding, idol finding, and more idol finding (mostly fake). It's an episode that mostly ignored Carolyn, but did have Kane doing fantasy swordplay, but also continued the trend of original tribes voting out women first.

Episode 3: To play is to overplay ... sometimes

Survivor 44 Episode 3 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: March 16, 2023

Damnbueno takes you on a tour through Episode 3 of 44, from the fake idol finds, to coming-and-going injuries, to playing too hard, to competing too little, to hesitating about making a decision. Plus gargoyles!

Episode 2: Solo players, pairs, and a surprise three

Survivor 44 Episode 2 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: March 13, 2023

In Episode 2 of Survivor 44, the tribes of six (or five) start to coalesce into alliances and singles, and Brent examines which groupings might have long-term significance, along with a look at the idol cages and sit-outs.

Episode 2: New possibilities

Survivor 44 Episode 2 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: March 11, 2023

As Survivor 44 eased into its regular size for its second episode, it showed the producers still has new ideas, and plenty of exciting players with which to try them. As the pace relaxed, the players were able to connect and evade each other and actually start playing, a welcome development, as a fun new twist entered the game.

Episode 2: She's like a mix of Goofy and Cher

Survivor 44 Episode 2 recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: March 10, 2023

A regular-length Episode 2 of Survivor 44 somehow delivered even more Carolyn content (Carolyntent?) and Ryan wouldn't have it any other way, unless it could be more Yam Yam and Carolyn (and maybe Claire?) instead of other, less exciting tribes finding idols or doing challenges.

Episode 2: Survivor minds over Matt-ers

Survivor 44 Episode 2 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: March 9, 2023

After a brief tour through the history of Survivor Matts, Damnbueno dives into Episode 2 of 44, including all the idol hunts, Matt-related events, and surprise reconfigurations of voting alliances at Tribal.

Episode 1: Three new tribes, two players out

Survivor 44 Episode 1 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: March 6, 2023

Survivor 44 kicked off with two hours of action, and two people leaving the game: one via injury, and one via a single vote after an idol play, advantage play, and two Shots in the Dark. Brent looks at the three new tribes, and which players and new twists stand out as having long-term potential.

Episode 1: Breathing room

Survivor 44 Episode 1 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: March 4, 2023

Survivor 44's premiere was both fun and overhyped, gritty and worrisome, full of fun characters and increasingly grating structural decisions that have really outlived their usefulness. This is by all accounts, one of the most entertaining casts ever, so can we please spend more time getting to know them, and less on repetitive instruction reading? Thank you.

Episode 1: I peed my pants

Survivor 44 Episode 1 recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: March 3, 2023

Ryan returns to recap the many events of the two-hour premiere: The opening uncut confessional, the rock-groping, the self-pantsing, the overactive tongue movement, the desperately wanting to get something but you can't. He also briefly notes the activities of the players who weren't Carolyn, as one does.

Episode 1: Island of No Secrets

Survivor 44 Episode 1 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: March 2, 2023

Damnbueno is back for 44 with a first-look run-through of the two-hour premiere, from the injuries to the oversharing to the too-many-to-count (and mostly public) advantages and Shots and idols played at the first Tribal Council. Can't any of you people keep a secret?

Pre-season: Hot or not?

Survivor 44 Pre-season cast analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: February 6, 2023

As Valentine's Day approaches, Ryan's heart turns to the new Survivor 44 cast, as he continues his everlasting quest to find new characters to stan (and also predict how they'll do on the actual show). Who will ignite the Tinder of his soul, and who will end up undateable?

Episode 13: Everything's ending here

Survivor 43 Episode 13 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: December 20, 2022

A surprising ending to Survivor 43 confounded the audience, although it probably shouldn't have (which we'll recap). Either way, there are structural changes the show should consider making soon, which we'll also go through. Feel free to forward these (and your own) to the SurvivorShoutOut email bin.

Episode 13: Looking back on 43

Survivor 43 Episode 13 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: December 19, 2022

With the Survivor 43 finale and aftershow in the rearview, Brent takes stock of five key scenes during the season that correctly forecast long-term important points, along with one that seemed predictive, but was misleading.

Episode 13: An enigma

Survivor 43 Episode 13 Recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: December 16, 2022

Ryan tries to make sense of a confusing Survivor 43 finale, one that cut its main characters before the final three. Then he throws those attempts in a swiftly-made fire, crowns a Player of the Season, and looks ahead to a rock-loving 44 pre-fave.

Episode 13: Stats (some meaningless) for a finale

Survivor 43 Episode 13 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: December 15, 2022

Well, Survivor 43 is certainly over. Damnbueno rolls out his reactions to the action as it unfolds, and his immediate attempts to understand the ending. (It's mostly jaw-dropped Jeanine face.)