Episode 11: A plethora of foreshadowing

Survivor 45 Episode 11 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: December 9, 2023

Episode 11 of Survivor 45's big idol play took out a huge fan favorite player. It was a shocking, disappointing outcome, but one that rewatching reveals was pretty heavily hinted at throughout the episode. Preparing the audience to have their dreams crushed, whether from the title ("This Game Rips Your Heart Out" - also from the newest juror), or by the storytelling of the episode, is always a nice way to soften the blow.

Episode 11: New era whack-a-strategic-player

Survivor 45 Episode 11 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: December 7, 2023

As another big Survivor 45 player gets the boot in Episode 11, right after making a big move, Damnbueno looks ahead to the player making that move also getting the boot, ad infinitum. Also, a whole lot of jury preference projections.

Episode 10: Some light prognostication

Survivor 45 Episode 10 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: December 2, 2023

With just three episodes left in the season, Survivor 45 finally hit that beloved new era milestone (after three landmine-filled weeks) where it was finally normal, standard, post-merge Survivor in Episode 10. You know, the "real game," as the players call it. It was refreshing and welcome. How might the game proceed now?

Episode 10: Can a Big Move be the wrong move?

Survivor 45 Episode 10 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: November 30, 2023

At long last, everyone is finally voting on Survivor 45 in Episode 10, and Bruce does not have immunity. Damnbueno ponders the logic of taking out someone holding an idol while sparing the alliance that seems to be running the game.

Episode 9: It could be worse - it could be raining

Survivor 45 Episode 9 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: November 23, 2023

Damnbueno is thankful that three people losing their votes didn't turn out worse, but Survivor 45's Episode 9 still delivered a bit of a turkey. Which you then had to eat with your bare hands.

Episodes 1-8: A trip across the pond and to the past

SurvivorUK 3 Episodes 1-8 recap/ analysis

By Ryan Kaiser | Published: November 21, 2023

Ryan pops back in to recap and review the pre-merge of Survivor UK 3, the first UK season in almost two decades. He finds it generally to his liking, with simpler strategies, a lower-key pace, and a few big characters. He runs through his favorites so far, and makes some predictions for the endgame.

Episode 8: Give and take, and take

Survivor 45 Episode 8 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 19, 2023

With Episode 8 of Survivor 45, fans were given back a popular staple of the show, the auction. But it was an auction filtered through the claws of Jeff Probst's two favorite things: Rock draws and taking people's votes away. Yes, it produced a big blindside that appears to have altered the balance of power. But was it worth it to have a rock draw decide that fate?

Episode 8: A positive evolution

Survivor 45 Episode 8 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: November 16, 2023

The auction is back in Episode 8 of Survivor 45, and Damnbueno takes you through the twists (of course there's a twist) and stomach-turns of that and the immunity challenge, plus a high-powered blindside at the subsequent Tribal Council.

Episode 7: The hangover after the home run

Survivor 45 Episode 7 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 11, 2023

After the exhilarating heights reached in last week's miraculous moment of Kaleb saving himself with a Shot in the Dark, Episode 7 of Survivor 45 was darker, more somber, as it became clear this big moment was not going to pay off into a longer-term run for Kaleb. Part of the reason for that is that we didn't have a full merge vote yet, but instead are still fumbling around through artificial barriers brought on by rock draws.

Episode 7: Who's playing the long game?

Survivor 45 Episode 7 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: November 9, 2023

We've hit Episode 7 of Survivor 45, so it's time for the first individual challenge (sort of), and Damnbueno is happy to finally start evaluating who is playing the best long-term strategic game, who's treading water, and who's going under.

Episode 6: Survivor hits a home run and the lotto

Survivor 45 Episode 6 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: November 4, 2023

Survivor 45's ("earn the") merge episode had dramatic highs and lows, but none bigger than Kaleb's saving himself with the Shot in the Dark. After four-and-a-half long seasons of trying, the long-shot hecto-idol finally worked as advertised, and Kaleb set a record for the most votes voided on a single play in the process. A game-saving home run for Kaleb, a lottery win for the show and for the audience.

Episode 6: The dumb luck factor

Survivor 45 Episode 6 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: November 2, 2023

As the tribes join together-ish, the target narrows to six players, thanks to a twist. But one of them is miraculously saved, thanks to another twist. And another is targeted and leaves, thanks to a third twist. And yet, as Damnbueno agrees, it's all '___ crazy' fun

Episode 5: So long three tribes, hello one beach

Survivor 45 Episode 5 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: October 28, 2023

As the pre-merge(atory) portion of the game closes out, Survivor 45 has thus far flourished with its additional time, giving the audience a much deeper connection to the players and the game, one that had recently been missing, especially in the twist- and advantage-heavy "new era."

Episode 5: The power of indecision ... to backfire

Survivor 45 Episode 5 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: October 25, 2023

Episode 5, the last pre-merge(atory) one of Survivor 45, was all about choices - Emily picking a side, or the journey trio deciding between sandwiches and amulets. Damnbueno evaluates those decisions, as the real game seems close to starting.

Episodes 3-4: Better stories, better choices, confusing rules

Survivor 45 Episodes 3-4 Recap/ analysis

By Jeff Pitman | Published: October 23, 2023

Episodes 3 and 4 of Survivor 45 fleshed out the different idol-hiding mechanisms in the various camps and revealed a new twist, but raised more questions in the process. In the meantime, the new era at last has a regular tribe swap, and it creates some exciting strategic possibilities on the new tribes.

Episode 4: Who wants to play Survivor? No really, who?

Survivor 45 Episode 4 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: October 19, 2023

On Survivor 45, Episode 4 was a week of firsts - first swap of the new era, first win for Lulu, first time Lulu has fire - and also a week of seconds, as the season experienced its second quit. Damnbueno rounds all this up and evaluates how the swap affected players' positions.

Episode 3: The lost art of silence

Survivor 45 Episode 3 recap/ analysis

By Damnbueno | Published: October 12, 2023

Episode 3 of Survivor 45 packed more big events into its hour-and-a-half, but it still managed to highlight most of the relationships important to how those events unfolded. Damnbueno recaps those and the big blindside, just before it all gets rent asunder in next week's swap.