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November, 2025

Alex vs. Rizo (reprise) - Jeff Pitman's Survivor 49 recaps

Survivor 49 Episode 9 recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 23, 2025

So far, the allegedly 'bananas' postmerge of Survivor 49 has mostly been a series of peels on which various players have slipped, taking themselves out in the process. But Episode 9 at least had a plausible link to a contestant as the peel-placer, rather than the standard deus ex machina procedure of Jeff Probst's bag of rocks.

(Lack of) subtlety will get you nowhere - Screaming at the Screen

Episode 9: (Lack of) subtlety will get you nowhere

Survivor 49 Episode 9 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: November 20, 2025

Damnbueno examines the history of new era minority players sticking together, then recaps Episode 9 of Survivor 49, which featured a number of players either overtly or covertly playing both sides. Who achieved their goals (or failed to) most subtlely, vs. brazenly?

How to flip a vote without getting your (producer's) hands dirty - Jeff Pitman's Survivor 49 recaps

Episode 8: How to flip a vote without getting your (producer's) hands dirty

Survivor 49 Episode 8 recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 15, 2025

Episode 8 of Survivor 49 gave the audience a feel-good, playing-from-the-bottom narrative, or at least it might have if the path to that outcome didn't feel like it had the heavy hand of production on the scales. An exploration of the many ways the outcome felt less contestant-driven, and more pre-ordained.

Wait for sundown, dammit! - Screaming at the Screen

Episode 8: Wait for sundown, dammit!

Survivor 49 Episode 8 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: November 13, 2025

Damnbueno revisits the history of playing up from the bottom after being left out of the new era merge vote, then recaps the odd split-team reward/immunity challenge, Savannah's advantage, and the shifting dynamics of the random-drawn team vote in Episode 8 of Survivor 49.

Who's the monster now? - Jeff Pitman's Survivor 49 recaps

Episode 7: Who's the monster now?

Survivor 49 Episode 7 recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 10, 2025

The alleged "bananas" postmerge of Survivor 49 did not appear to start with the Episode 7 merge, but we did get to revisit the horror-movie monologue from the premiere, as the narrator flipped the script on his old allies. But is he the "monster," or is someone else?

You remind me of Edgardo - Screaming at the Screen

Episode 7: You remind me of Edgardo

Survivor 49 Episode 7 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: November 6, 2025

It's finally the merge in Survivor 49, and Damnbueno evaluates everyone's games so far, then recaps the events of Episode 9, from advantage scrambles to back-to-back challenges, to a secret alliance, to shifting Tribal targets.

Should Tribal Council really be terrifying? - Jeff Pitman's Survivor 49 recaps

Episode 6: Should Tribal Council really be terrifying?

Survivor 49 Episode 6 recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 2, 2025

Despite taking an incredibly risky gamble in delaying the merge by an episode - in favor of a swap to three tribes of four - Episode 6 of Survivor 49 managed to escape disaster, as two horrible possible outcomes slipped away in favor of a satisfying conclusion to a long-simmering storyline.

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