Episode 13: Looking back on 42

Survivor 42 Episode 13 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: May 30, 2022

With the winner crowned and the finale and aftershow shown, Brent looks back on how certain seemingly important (at the time) scenes and narrative threads from Survivor 42 ended up paying off (or not).

Episode 13: Close the deal

Survivor 42 Episode 13 (finale) recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: May 27, 2022

The winner of Survivor 42 has been crowned, and Ryan relives the highlights of the last two eliminations and Final Tribal, celebrates the final five players, looks ahead to 43, and to another worthy Survivor season that will hit screens in just over a month.

Episode 13: (Mis)perception is everything

Survivor 42 Episode 13 (finale) recap

By Damnbueno | Published: May 26, 2022

The Survivor 42 season finale featured challenge beasts falling short, straight-shooters misfiring, and overlooked or "weak" players coming up big at the end. Damnbueno recaps the action as it unfolds, and offers his thoughts on the season as a whole.

Episode 12: Final five forecast

Survivor 42 Episode 12 recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: May 24, 2022

Ryan is here later than usual, but early enough to make timely predictions about how the final two eliminations of Survivor 42 — and of course the winner — (just) before finale day. And of course, a brief revisiting of the highlights of Episode 12.

Episode 12: Five people, one Survivor

Survivor 42 Episode 12 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: May 23, 2022

As the finale approaches, Brent takes it all in — the big move of Episode 12 and all the rest — and tries to forecast where the top five (baby) will end up when it's all over and the Survivor 42 winner is crowned.

Episode 12: Who is the butterfly now?

Survivor 42 Episode 12 recap/analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: May 21, 2022

Following Maryanne's big move in the penultimate episode of Survivor 42, the balance of power in the game has actually changed, and it's unclear who the leading contender to win the season really is. Here's an attempt to forecast the finale, plus various other stuff.

Episode 12: "Caterpillar to a Butterfly"

Survivor 42 Episode 12 recap

By Damnbueno | Published: May 19, 2022

Damnbueno fires off his reactions to the twists, turns, challenges, and that Big Move of Episode 12 of Survivor 42, then pulls together all the threads of the season to weave a pre-finale prediction of juror preferences, and who might emerge at the end as Monarch.

Episode 11: Playing around the obstacles

Survivor 42 Episode 11 recap/analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: May 17, 2022

Episode 11 of Survivor 42 delivered some complicated, aggressive gameplay, and one of the most fun exits in series history. Wedged in the middle of all this was a truly unnecessary, unwise twist that almost made all of that obsolete. Thankfully, this cast has showed the ability (and luck) to work around the landmines. So far.

Episode 11: Edits, alliances, and secrets

Survivor 42 Episode 11 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: May 16, 2022

Brent ponders what one contestant's curious edit in Episode 11 of Survivor 42 means for their game, how the actual alliances are structured, how Omar's big move will be perceived, and what could happen with all those advantages, with just six left.

Episode 11: Badass woman

Survivor 42 Episode 11 recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: May 13, 2022

As Episode 11 of Survivor 42 brings about the downfall of another big player amid a flurry of (mostly failed) twists and trinkets, Ryan recaps all the action, the strategic options, the hanger, and the self-snuffery.

Episode 11: Keep your mouth shut

Survivor 42 Episode 11 recap

By Damnbueno | Published: May 12, 2022

As the final seven vote actually happens (phew!) in Episode 11, Damnbueno recaps and reacts to the events of the episode, proposes a rule for future players that would have helped the one who left the episode in high-spirited fashion, and assesses the remaining players' chances of winning.

Episode 10: Raining idols, rewards, and Omar

Survivor 42 Episode 10 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: May 9, 2022

As the Survivor 42 game clock ticks down to the final seven, Brent takes in the new updates to the idol counts, talks about the reward, and ponders whether the newfound ex-Taku majority will hold together or break apart.

Episode 10: Today is fun

Survivor 42 Episode 9 recap/analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: May 8, 2022

This week's episode of Survivor 42 wasn't a bigger-than-the-game one like last week's, but it had some good moments nonetheless. There was, of course, a Big Move, as the contestants took advantage of production actually letting them all vote for a change. The parts preceding this were mostly fun, standard Survivor fare, albeit with one series milestone receiving a COVID-dodging tweak.

Episode 10: The king will be dethroned tonight

Survivor 42 Episode 10 recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: May 6, 2022

Ryan is back for the lighter events of Survivor 42, Episode 10: half-drowned contestants competing in a lame challenge while Probst assures them it's 'fun,' reward winners getting spooked by disembodied voices, his winner pick joining the jury. So much fun!

Episode 10: Tell a Good Lie, Not a Stupid Lie

Survivor 42 Episode 10 recap

By Damnbueno | Published: May 5, 2022

Damnbueno looks back at Episode 10 of Survivor 42, featuring the fall of a prominent strategist, the challenge sweep by a more subtle one, and the continuing omniscient omnipresence of Omar.

Episode 9: Burden

Survivor 42 Episode 9 recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: May 3, 2022

After mulling the episode, Ryan comes in later than usual to talk about the many conversations of Episode 9 of Survivor 42, from the big one in the second Tribal Council, to some that were one-sided in camp, to one that was inexplicably cut from the episode.

Episode 9: Real-life moves, extra lives, and a move driver

Survivor 42 Episode 9 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: May 2, 2022

Brent talks about the larger-than-life issues raised at the second Episode 9 Tribal Council, the puppet-master pulling the strings at the first, and how the fallout from these two votes could affect the game moving forward.

Episode 9: Standing and delivering

Survivor 42 Episode 9 recap/analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: May 1, 2022

The double-Tribal twist in Episode 9 of Survivor 42 at least produced one drama-filled vote, full of compelling discussions, an abrupt, live re-configuring of the vote, and (for the purists) two idol plays before the vote, a voice vote, and a Shot in the Dark play. Somehow, this all ended up working as a coherent, important episode.