Survivor: Borneo write up

I was about six or seven when I started watching Survivor, and since then the show has been a huge part of my life. I have fallen in love with this show as I watch the constants play this game that I have learned to play along with them. I thought I should do the show justice and do write ups of every season and explain what I like and dislike about them. So let's start with Survivor, or as it is known now, Survivor Borneo.

                                          At the time, no one knew there could be stupider tribe names then Tagi or Pagong.

 Borneo was a HUGE hit when it first started the show we now call Survivor. The thought of how we could live on a deserted island with a bunch of people you didn't really know had only been available in books like Lord of the Flies and other books. Survivor actually gave us real people that you could select you were  the most like and see how well you fared up. Survivor was watched by a ton of people in America because the constants were so likeable.  The idea that is was a competition realty show was just an added bonus.  There was no Project Runway of Real Housewives when Survivor started so a reality show was still a very new thing and very few shows have come close to being this good (the only one I like half as much is Top Chef).

                                                         Also known as Survivor: the college years.

As I said the contestants were more like real people then they are in later seasons (watch the Caramoan contestant video and notice how Jeff Probst refers to the players as "characters"). Differently from the more recent season I did not hate anyone in the game. Sure there were few I didn't like, but no one that existed that I was like "If this person wins, I will NEVER watch this show again!".  Contestants were more like regular folk so you could relate to them. Look at these contestants.

Sonja Christopher:  Your grandma

B.B. Andersen: Your grandpa
Stacey Stillman: that mean girl you knew in high school that your friend had a crush on.
Ramona Gray: the one that pouts all day. 
Dirk Been: The cool guy.

Joel Klug: Every Survivor player ever.

Gretchen Cordy: The coolest teacher ever.
Greg Buis: The crazy guy.
Jenna Lewis: The girl in the Eminem music video.
Gervase Peterson: The guy that began the stereotype of going on Survivor but not knowing how to swim. 
Colleen Haskell: The cute girl that later showed up in a Rob Schneider movie.
Sean Kenniff: The nice guy.
Susan Hawk: "Tapeeeeoooka"
Rudy Boesch: The perfect individual.  
Kelly Wiglesworth: The girl you most likely dated in high school.
Richard Hatch: The big gay guy who did end up winning.The amount of stuff this guy did was insane

You couldn't  help but find one person you liked in the whole show. Now I don't want to talk about every character, just what the show was like so I won't go into this other then what we have  right now.

                                                       I also do not want to talk about Dirk any more then he deserves. bro.

The show is very chaotic in terms of a Survivor season. It it very clear that this is the first season of the show as no one really knows what to do. The confessionals are sloppy, the challenges are strange,  and everyone is focused on just surviving r rather then establishing alliances. Now I am not saying this is a bad thing, but the show definitely suffers on the "things happening" scale. Watch an episode of a season like Philippians and then watch an episode of this show. I can imagine a newer Survivor fan being board by this season or laughing at how unorganized  it is. I mean seriously, watch the very first tribal council an tell me it isn't completely unorganized.

                                         B.B. actually just says "Okay" with his hands in his pockets when he is voted out.


That being said, I love this season. While yes it is kid of dumb at points it is still very fun to watch. The best thing about this show and why it is in my top ten is because the people are so great. I really do like all of the people playing in the game and I would like to meet in real life. Borneo is probably the hardest season to write about and I bet I will do better in the next few seasons. Overall, good season, but great cast.

                                                 Sue writes "souna" on her vote for Sonja.