Episode 6: Mission: Half-accomplished

Survivor 41 Recap/analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: October 30, 2021

This week, Survivor 41's creative team set a new-era precedent for amazing achievement: They managed to screw up the merge episode, a feat seemingly unthinkable for the prior 40 seasons. Congratulations, gents, job well done. See you next week.

Episode 6: Merge-atory

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: October 29, 2021

Ryan is, shall we say, less than thrilled with the half-merge episode's unnecessary mucking about with the structure of the game, but he's happy for the few character-based moments that shone through the haze of host lies and unasked-for manipulation.

Episode 5: Goodbye (?) to three tribes, hello to three idols

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: October 25, 2021

Brent takes a mid-season peek at the three still-standing original tribes and their dynamics, greets three freshly powered-up immunity idols, and nods grimly at an overpowered new advantage.

Episode 5: Hidden mechanisms and unwelcome additions

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: October 24, 2021

Survivor 41's contestants continued to deliver top-notch drama and gameplay this week. The biggest obstacle to this season's success, however, remains the same: the show's dismissive attitude towards its audience, especially for keeping them informed about how the game actually works (and all the unnecessary advantages, of course).

Episode 5: Master strategist

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: October 22, 2021

Ryan looks back on another episode of Shan-tasy Island, where she faces one of the toughest decisions yet in the game, strong-arms her way into broccoli talk, and unleashes another dumb advantage on the game, all while opening up on some heartbreaking emotional content.

Episode 4: Looking ahead when one tribe can't lose and another can't win

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: October 18, 2021

Brent ponders the road ahead for an Ua tribe that keeps going to Tribal, and the dynamics of a Luvu tribe that can't seem to get there even when they're trying. Will either of these groups hold together through a swap or a merge?

Episode 4: That's more like it ... more like this, please?

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: October 16, 2021

After last week's grim, soulless slog through unnecessary and ultimately pointless manipulations, Survivor 41 somehow rebounded in Episode 4 with a deep dive into characters, gameplay, and all the things that made the show memorable in the first place. (Hint: None are spelled "advantage".) This one was something that's worth playing for.

Episode 4: The best stripper you've ever seen

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: October 15, 2021

The sun rose on a (hopefully) new era of Survivor episodes this week, with long-absent characters finally making appearances, emotional challenge finishes, baby turtles, the only advantage being one that was prevented from being played, and a massive blindside. Ryan revisits it all while hoping for more of this.

Episode 3: Broken trust, broken votes, and shifting fortunes

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: October 11, 2021

With so many advantages and votes in limbo in Episode 3, it's hard to track what's of long-term importance in Survivor 41. Brent is here to highlight more significant moments, even ones that don't even involve broccoli or butterflies.

Episode 3: Trying to find the part that is fun

Survivor 41 Recap/analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: September 21, 2021

Through three episodes the "danger" and "monster" of Survivor 41 appears to be primarily fear of flubbing a scripted line, or perhaps a brain cramp from trying to figure out which voting-related advantage/penalty takes precedence. If only we had more scenes of people reading things, we could discover the "fun" part.

Episode 3: These things just fall out of the sky

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: October 8, 2021

There were a lot of things raining down this week: advantages, more advantages, even more advantages, references to broccoli, but mostly the groans and curses of long-suffering Survivor fans like Ryan, who saw this top-notch cast shoved aside to make room for Advantage Talk Hour, all of which amounted to nothing.

Episode 2: Secrets, advantages, and spilling the beans

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: October 4, 2021

The second episode of Survivor 41 is awash in secrets: things gleaned from eavesdropped conversations, wrapped packages that should have stayed wrapped, and a second summit. Also this week: a rebound for one contestant and a collapse for another.

Episode 2: Xander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad advantage

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: October 3, 2021

After Episode 2 of Survivor 41, it's clear what the long-rumored "monster" is: a byzantine labyrinth of voting-related rules changes that nobody, from the players to the audience, really understands. To paraphrase Mike White is that 'fun'? Oh well, at least the cast still is.

Episode 2: She's a firecracker

Survivor 41 Recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: October 1, 2021

Ryan revisits the highlights of Survivor 41, Episode 2, aka "The Evvie Show," as he recounts the savvy Yase's Tiffany-whispering, Xander-wrangling, vote-protecting tour-de-force. With bonus hidden Brad, pretend Sri Lanka, and cheering Heather. A surprising paucity of butterflies, though.