“Survivor:” A season review

Amber LaBonte – Staff writer

The popular competitive reality T.V. series “Survivor” is back for its 37th season. The theme this time is David versus Goliath, and it couldn’t be any more appropriate. As host Jeff Probst has said himself, “A David is someone who hasn’t been given any advantages. They have to scratch and claw throughout their lives just to get ahead, just to survive.” It’s not just in life that the members of the David tribe have had to do this, but throughout the entire game so far too.

Since the first week, the David tribe was at a disadvantage. Having lost their teammate Pat Cusack to a serious back injury, they were outnumbered by the Goliath tribe, and this trend appeared to continue for quite some time. However, as recent episodes have shown, the Goliath tribe may not be as “Goliath strong” as they may seem.

In an ever-changing game like Survivor, it’s hard for contestants to tell what might happen next. With scattered disloyalty running throughout the tribe, the Goliaths have started to fall fast and hard. Such disloyalty made its presence felt among tribe members when Kara Kay formed connections with players on the David tribe, as seen in the episode that aired on November 21st. Kara had debated distancing herself from other players, such as Dan Rengering. After casting votes for Angelina Keeley, it became quite clear to everyone that she had.

Why have the Goliaths been suffering such blows lately? As contestants such as John Hennigan, who was voted off in week 8, have said, “There are just too many personalities, too many wannabe leaders, too many people who want to be or have to be in control, causing alliances to break.” To some, what happened to contestants like John may have seemed unfair, but it was far from it. Rather, it was unbalanced gameplay. With so many Hidden Immunity Idols and Secret Advantages scattered about, Survivor then becomes less about social bonds and more about strategic gameplay.

When the dynamics of the game shift in such a way, you have to play your cards just right, and that’s exactly what happened last week. With the point of the game being to “outwit, outlast and outplay,” everything else seemed to take a back seat at Tribal Council. Stealing Alison Raybould’s vote and using an Idol Nullifier, the remaining members of the David tribe were able to eliminate Dan and even out the competition.

Five members are now left on each side, and the numbers advantage the Goliaths had has now been erased. With contestants pulling in different directions due to their own personal motives, this can make it hard to keep moving forward as a unified force. Will the Goliaths find a way to fight back? It’s hard to tell. Who will come out on top? Viewers should stay tuned.

Amber LaBonte, a sophomore, studies English. She is a staff writer for Le Provocateur.