Episode 14: Fit to be tied

Published: May 29, 2018

Jeff Pitman takes a final look at Ghost Island's thrilling final vote, the winner, the runner up's missed fire-making decision, and gives a final verdict on the Ghost Island format.

Pre-Episode 14: Jury Jeopardy - S36

Published: May 21, 2018

The True Dork Times writers assemble once more to project the jury votes, while doing battle with scribes from other Survivor sites: InsideSurvivor, A Tribe of One, Purple Rock Podcast, and the RHAP bloggers. Who can boast the most votes noted for Ghost Island?

Episode 13: The case for no tribes (or one tribe)

Published: May 19, 2018

With a season built on smoke and mirrors slowly revealing its hype to be little more than a mirage, Jeff has: some complaints about Ghost Island and the post-merge narrative, a mini vidcap gallery, and ... a proposed twist that could actually shake up the game.

Episode 12: Laurel's no-win situation

Published: May 12, 2018

Sometimes the best move is also the most boring one, even when it doesn't necessarily lead to a winning game. Why? Naviti Strong, mostly. Also: Suggestions to fix the Loved Ones visit rut, and a look ahead at the endgame.

Episode 11: Orange crushed

Published: May 5, 2018

Jeff explores how the Malolos still managed to snatch twin defeats out of the jaws of a golden opportunity for one or more successes, how an unseen player is somehow racking up big advanced scores, and how the numbers of votes, challenges won, and idols this season stack up historically.

Episode 10: One and done: The sad, unheard lament of Desiree, Libby, et al.

Published: April 28, 2018

Jeff offers a plea to see jury members for more than one episode, some analysis of how Desiree's boot changes the game strategically, plus continuity errors and looming starvation. Hooray!

Episode 9: Malolo's abandoned last stand

Published: April 22, 2018

Although a much-maligned stick finally made good, the underdog Malolos still found a way to lose, mainly by not sticking together. Also, has the edit decided to just abandon strategists that don't hold idols? Spoiler: Yes.

Episode 8: Cheers to the merge episode

Published: April 17, 2018

Jeff praises the thoroughly entertaining Ghost Island merge episode's storytelling, explores the new Ghost Island curse, counts the historical happenings in Chris's boot, and looks ahead at future factions.

Episode 7: Four notes on reversing the cursed Ghost Island

Published: April 9, 2018

With Ghost Island the season half over, Ghost Island the island has been a bit of a dud. So far, at least. Jeff offers four suggestions to dramatically improve it. Plus a fun dive into the numbers on the gender disparity in idol finds.

Episode 6: Outhugged, outpuzzled, outnumbered

Published: April 3, 2018

A random swap placed the six remaining Malolos in the worst position possible on all three new tribes, and unsurpisingly, the Malolo purge continued. Fittingly enough, on the new Malolo tribe. Bradley was right about the squalor!

Episode 5: The boring 20s

Published: March 25, 2018

The Malolo purge and Stephanie's ouster in Episode 5 of Ghost Island showed that if you remove idols from the equation, even superfans will revert to the most basic, boring of strategies. Plus the quest for prior Sebastians.

Episode 4: Idol power has its limits

Published: March 18, 2018

A dramatic Tribal Council still leaves James Clement's idols' vote-voiding totals at ... zero. Even so, solid play, exciting challenges, and a compelling episode, even if the ending was disappointing. Also this week: Less talk, more vidcap gallery.

Episode 3: Depth perception

Published: March 13, 2018

Jeff praises Episode 3 of Ghost Island for finally connecting, from its rich collection of Survivor historical items, to its deep set of contestants. Also, an in-depth look at the timing of swaps, and appraisal of contestants' rising or fading chances.

Episodes 1-2: The cursed first excursion (to the Island that is definitely not Exile)

Published: March 5, 2018

Jeff weighs the fumbles and improvements as Exile Island gets repurposed in more Ghost-ly raiments, laments the loss of a young, praises the success of three older superfans, and ponders how far Donathan's star can rise, after the premiere of Ghost Island.

Pre-season: Idol and advantage creep: Creepy or Ghost-ly?

Published: February 27, 2018

As we are poised to enter a season in which the treasured relics of Survivors past are being repurposed and distributed in an idol-/advantage 24-hour superstore, Jeff Pitman asks how many idols and/or advantages is too many for a season? Will Survivor: Ghost Island give us that answer? Probably.

Pre-season: TDT Ghost Island contestant draft

Published: February 22, 2018

The True Dork Times writers (Andy Baker, Ben Martell, Dan Otsuki, Pat Ferrucci, Ryan Kaiser, and Jeff Pitman) assemble to draft fantasy teams of Ghost Island contestants, in an attempt to seize eternal* glory by having the team containing the winner. Unless one of the two undrafted players (Team Ghost) win, in which case everyone loses. (*Or until Fall of 2018, whichever comes first.)

Pre-season: Ghost Island contestant projections

Published: February 13, 2018

Once again, Jeff Pitman sifts through the bios, the videos, the interviews, the FOOs, and finds the Ghost Island contestants whose winning chances are Likely, Possible, Unlikely, and Impossible with this very young cast.

Pre-season: The Ivy Lead - S36 edition

Published: February 5, 2018

Jeff Pitman updates his previous rankings of Ivy League schools by the number of Survivor contestants (and appearances) they have produced. No change at the top, but with the new Ghost Island cast, there's now a three-way tie at third.