Episode 6: Four vs. four vs. four

Survivor 43 Episode 6 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: October 31, 2022

The sort-of-merge episode of Survivor 43 featured the infighting and implosion of Baka, the largest group, leaving an even three-way split among original tribes, all still armed with idols and advantages galore. Brent is excited to see where this all is headed in the post-merge.

Episode 6: I'm way better than I even thought

Survivor 43 Episode 6 Recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: October 28, 2022

Survivor 43 blurred the merge lines even more than before, with another half-merge (buffs, food) for seven, but also immunity for them, and a story that focused almost entirely on the original Baka tribe. But that wasn't without entertaining drama, which Ryan revisits.

Episode 6: Stay humble, or die

Survivor 43 Episode 6 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: October 27, 2022

Survivor 43 sort of hits its merge episode, and Damnbueno highlights the dangers of playing the game with overconfidence, especially in a minefield of random draws and lack of information equilibrium.

Episode 5: Manhunts, lost votes, and acting

Survivor 43 Episode 5 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: October 24, 2022

As the pre-merge of Survivor 43 wound down to an event-filled but familiar-feeling conclusion, Brent looks at how the various advantages and disadvantages could affect the fates of the players holding them in the individual portion of the game.

Episode 5: Reduced twists in the first half, increased conflict in the second?

Survivor 43 Episode 5 recap/analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: October 23, 2022

While the pre-merge of Survivor 43 hasn't diverged significantly from the 41/42 blueprint, appearances are that the simmering tensions in some of the pre-merge tribes could turn into more dynamic post-merge play. With that "merge" (real or fake) coming one episode earlier, hope arrives hand-in-hand with the start of the real game.

Episode 5: Sassy

Survivor 43 Episode 5 Recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: October 21, 2022

Ryan's recap of Episode 5 of Survivor 43 finds a lot of things the same (and more sameness next week) — beads, journeys, advantages — but also some new characters emerging, and new threats to contestants otherwise playing well. Knowledge is power, indeed.

Episode 5: Being annoying for fun and profit

Survivor 43 Episode 5 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: October 20, 2022

After a brief journey through Survivor history, Damnbueno looks at the flubs, acting, self-dunks, and strategic miscues of Episode 5 of Survivor 43, with an excited eye to how all the tensions and rivalries could combust when the tribes are brought together next week.

Episode 4: Conflict, cooperation, and questions

Survivor 43 Episode 4 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: October 17, 2022

After an episode that saw alliances split, camps receive unwelcome visitors, and opposing tribes make surprising collaborations, Brent looks at the groupings, conflicts, and rising tensions that may pay off within the next few episodes.

Episode 4: The retro calm before the storm

Survivor 43 Episode 4 recap/analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: October 16, 2022

Survivor 43 returned to the "classic" Survivor episode structure with Episode 4, rolling out a reward challenge, immunity challenge, and Tribal Council, with nary a "journey" or advantage or beads in sight. And they tossed in a camp raid, for good measure! It was a brief but welcome return to the twist-free(-er) era.

Episode 4: It's literally not you

Survivor 43 Episode 4 Recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: October 14, 2022

For Episode 4 of Survivor 43, Ryan is less than enthused by the time sink of two challenges in a three-tribe episode, but still happy to see bizarre reward swaps, camp raids, and any time at all spent in Coco camp, really. Except for the outcome, of course.

Episode 4: Introducing the Coco tribe

Survivor 43 Episode 4 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: October 13, 2022

A return to the classic reward-immunity-Tribal structure for Episode 4 of Survivor 43, and with it both a camp raid and (finally) a trip to Tribal Council for the Coco tribe, which Damnbueno says reveals a lot about the six players we've barely met until now.

Episode 3: This has never happened before! (Except for the parts that have)

Survivor 43 Episode 3 recap/analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: October 11, 2022

As Survivor settled into its always-Fiji location, it relied on "themes" to differentiate between the seasons. With those also gone, all we have are numbers, which would be fine, if the show didn't insist on repeating the same twists and game elements, even in back-to-back episodes. How much is really new in the "new era"?

Episode 3: Idols, advantages, and the joys of searches

Survivor 43 Episode 3 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: October 10, 2022

In an idol- and advantage-heavy episode, Brent praises the drive and determination of the contestants who went to work acquiring such items, as well as those who put in the effort but came up short.

Episode 3: Stop playing scared

Survivor 43 Episode 3 Recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: October 7, 2022

Ryan is always ready to bead a drum for his favorite, and this week there's even a reason to do so, as she finds, puts back, then grabs and activates her idol. He'd prefer the rest of the episode stop following the same pattern of Vesi voting people out, though.

Episode 3: Quick thinking pays off

Survivor 43 Episode 3 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: October 6, 2022

Episode 3 of Survivor 43 was light on strategy and heavy on idols and advantages, but also personalities and relationships. Damnbueno takes in all the actions and reactions and asks whether the Vesi tribe members made the correct decisions.

Episodes 1-2: The give and take of post-42 twist tweaks

Survivor 43 Episodes 1-2 recap/analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: October 4, 2022

After a radical restructuring for its "new era," Survivor's second pair of post-COVID seasons has opened in a surprising way, with two longer-than-usual first episodes. This has been a boon in establishing the new cast of characters, but the game itself feels a bit rote. A look at the changes made, plus a re-evaluation of "keep the tribe strong."

Episode 2: Twos and threes in 43

Survivor 43 Episode 2 recap/ analysis

By Brent Sullivan | Published: October 3, 2022

The opening episodes of Survivor 43 have provided more time to get to know the new contestants, and Brent uses that introduction to identify and examine key solo players, pairs, and trios in the game's first two episodes.