Survivor: Cook Islands – An Appreciation
by dan heaton
Note: This discussion of Survivor’s latest season will reveal the million-dollar winner. If you have not seen the finale and would like to retain the surprise, avoid the last few paragraphs.
Premiering in May 2000, Survivor inaugurated the era of the reality show and spawned numerous imitators that paled in comparison to the original. Its trademark phrases like “the tribe has spoken” have entered popular culture, and memorable contestants have become minor celebrities. The show has earned very high ratings, and continues to reach the Top 10 of the Nielsen’s while its quality has suffered. When host Jeff Probst gives such standard comments as “Fire represents life” and “Immunity, back up for grabs,” it is easy to dismiss the series as awful television. With a few notable exceptions, however, Survivor has provided consistent entertainment during its first twelve seasons.
“My concern is that if we’re divided based on our ethnicities, it might perpetuate common misconceptions that people have about minorities.” - Yul
Survivor: Cook Islands produced considerable controversy before airing a single episode this fall. Creator Mark Burnett hoped to generate higher ratings and buzz for the 13th season by splitting the tribes along racial lines. The 20 contestants were divided into four tribes: Raro (Caucasian), Aitu (Latino), Puka (Asian-American), and Hiki (African-American). The press coverage was highly negative regarding this twist, and I generally agreed with their sentiments. Increasing the number of minority contestants was a great move, but splitting them into tribes by race seemed like a big mistake.
Surprisingly, the low-key premiere quickly alleviated my concerns, and the harsh media frenzy dissipated following the airing. The episode was mildly entertaining, but it seemed very similar to the previous seasons’ openings. The first castaway, Sekou, was voted out by his tribe for the standard reasons: laziness and arrogance. However, his exit did offer a few hints that the season might work. First of all, having five African-Americans at tribal council was already an achievement for a series that usually cast only two per season. Secondly, Sekou lost because he had never seen the show before and failed to understand how to play. This innocence didn’t work for him, but it would help to create one of the most original seasons since the very first offering.
“Too bad there wasn’t a heavy metal tribe; I think I would have fit in better over there.” – Billy
My enjoyment of each Survivor season depends largely on the casting, which determines my interest in the ultimate result. This group included two of the series’ strongest players and complemented them with some unique oddballs. The first goofy character was the heavy metal guitarist and wrestler Billy, who was quickly dispatched in the second episode. This large guy’s physical weakness caused his tribe to throw a challenge to lose him, but he delivered one of the strangest storylines. After receiving some minor encouragement from the young, blond-haired Candice, he declared his love for her on national television, which later bewildered her. Another oddball was Cao Boi – a small, older Asian man who irked his fellow tribemates with inappropriate jokes and constant chatter. He also utilized a very strange tactic for removing others’ headaches. Completing this fun trio was Jessica (aka “Flicka”), a strong rollergirl who failed to understand the game’s strategy aspects. Arriving at challenges with crazy hair and tall socks, she differed considerably from the typical player, which is rarely a bad thing.
“Why would you trust me?” – Jonathan
This season would not have earned its place near the top without several key events that completely flipped the game. They centered on the smart, divisive Jonathan – an original Raro (Caucasian) member who mutinied to rejoin his original tribemates. However, his teammates’ laziness and an attractive offer from the opposing group’s Yul caused him to switch allegiances. This move angered his arrogant former tribemates Candice, Adam, and Parvati, which was a very positive outcome for me. Jonathan is one of the game’s most entertaining players, and his presence lead to some remarkable episodes. He remained likable because he called out the dull, eye-rolling comments about “integrity” and was unwilling to take their crap. Jonathan’s genuine play and forthright nature pushed the game into wonderful directions and raised the season to much-greater heights.
Jeff: You guys have been up there for a total of two and a half hours.
Ozzy: Damn.
Cook Islands’ success occurred largely due to the efforts of two masterful players – Yul and Ozzy. Their routes to the final tribal council were very different, but they both deserved their place in the end. The Korean-American Yul earned the nickname “the puppetmaster” for his apparent control over the Aitu Four’s voting choices. In reality, they chose the targets as a group, but Yul’s business management background helped them to utilize each plan. Unlike many past intelligent players, he also was a nice person and did not operate purely out of self interest. Yul performed well in challenges, but his abilities paled in comparison to Ozzy, who took five of the six immunity challenges with relative ease. The Mexico native displayed ridiculous swimming and balancing skills that were perfect for the show’s complex tasks. During the pivotal final-four challenge, Ozzy remained perched on an extremely small pole for several hours to secure his place in the final group. The best element of Yul and Ozzy’s success was the friendship and lack of animosity between the competitors. Although both guys wanted to win the million dollars, the usual back-stabbing never occurred and offered a refreshing change from previous years.
“The best part was stepping out of my comfort zone. It was the best and worst experience.” – Brad
Survivor: Cook Islands was not groundbreaking television, but it did offer unpredictable entertainment from a series that appeared headed towards a mediocre end. The finale’s big twist brought three contestants into the finals to face the nine-member jury. Becky sat between Yul and Ozzy with little chance of defeating the two powerhouses. The attractive, smart Korean-American had joined the guys in voting out many opponents, but she could not convince the jury of her value. After performing miserably at a fire challenge to reach the end, Becky’s fate was sealed. The three-player showdown was the key in giving both Yul and Ozzy a chance to win the prize. If either contestant had won a final-three immunity challenge, they would have voted out the other and defeated Becky easily. Instead, each guy’s extremely balanced credentials would have a chance to sway the jury. Ultimately, the popular Yul took the million with a 5-4 victory, but either choice would have been acceptable. Survivor will return for a 14th season next year in Fiji, and the preview did promise another diverse cast. Hopefully this cast’s success will pave the way for more unique, likable players to take their shot at becoming the sole survivor.
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