Week 7: Tubby Lunchbox

The tribe has spoken and Dick is asked to leave the pool immediately. 

For a recap of the episode, click here.

 

 

Bikal				Gota
Andrea	~	Tonya		Allie	~	Karen D.
Brandon	~	Karen R.		Eddie	~	Steve
Brenda	~	Colin		Hope	~	Cheryl
Cochran	~	Kristen		Julia	~	Dick
Corrine	~	Warren		Laura	~	Mea
Dawn	~	Lee Anne		Matt	~	Cara
Erik	~	Kim		Michael	~	Brendan
Malcolm	~	Christi		Reynold	~	Alyssa
Phillip	~	Erin		Sharmar	~	Lauren
Francesca				Sherry	~	Pat

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Please say something about Julia since we did not hear her say anything all season long. And what are your thoughts on the flavor vanilla?

JEFF PROBST: Julia. Well, in fairness to Julia I think part of the reason you didn’t hear much from her is because she was playing in the shadow of Phillip, Brandon, Shamar, Cochran and others. Julia is a young person and young people often suffer on our show due to limited life experience, but Julia had life experience so we took a chance. I’m not surprised she was quiet, she was on the quiet side in casting but we really found her endearing. Sometimes those qualities just don’t make it into the game.  Now to the topic of Vanilla. Vanilla Ice was clever for a moment. Vanilla Sky is underrated. Vanilla Frosting isn’t worth the calories. Milli Vanilli is almost the same as Milli Vanilla.  Finally, Vanilla spelled backwards is Allinav.


EW: In an attempt to preserve some sort of pride, Phillip claimed to Cochran that he threw the immunity challenge rather than got beat at it. Another two-part question: Do you believe that for a second? And, most importantly, do you believe Phillip made HIMSELF believe that?

PROBST: No and Yes. 1) No chance he threw that challenge. 2) But I do believe, even as he reads this that he believes me to be talking about things I know nothing about, that I have no idea what his intentions were, and that he absolutely and without any doubt threw that challenge.

EW: We’re now at the halfway point of the season. Before we look ahead, tell me in terms of game play what has been the biggest surprise to you so far with how everything shook out in the first seven episodes.

PROBST: The biggest surprise has been how involved Phillip has been in the day to day tribe decisions. I honestly thought he would be voted out fairly early. I understand a case might be made that others are actually controlling the decisions but you can’t deny that Phillip is right there in the thick of things. I never expected that!

EW: Merge time next week! What can you tell us about the two tribes becoming one?

PROBST: The game needs this shake up. The Fans desperately need it and there are also Favorites who could improve their lot in this game if they make the right move. I think the merge is probably the most critical point in the game. If you are in control, how do you stay in control? If you are on the bottom, this is probably your biggest and fattest opportunity to turn the game around.

Week 6: Operation Thunder Dome

The tribe has spoken and Cara is asked to leave the pool immediately. 

For a recap of the episode, click here.

 

 

Bikal				Gota
Andrea	~	Tonya		Allie	~	Karen D.
Brandon	~	Karen R.		Eddie	~	Steve
Brenda	~	Colin		Hope	~	Cheryl
Cochran	~	Kristen		Julia	~	Dick
Corrine	~	Warren		Laura	~	Mea
Dawn	~	Lee Anne		Matt	~	Cara
Erik	~	Kim		Michael	~	Brendan
Malcolm	~	Christi		Reynold	~	Alyssa
Phillip	~	Erin		Sharmar	~	Lauren
Francesca				Sherry	~	Pat

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: I’m sure you all in production are almost as nervous and giddy as the contestants before a tribe reshuffle — wondering how it is all going to play out and who will end up where. Tell me your immediate reactions when you saw how the new Gota and Bikal tribes were divided. 
 
JEFF PROBST: Anytime we do a tribe shuffle what we are hoping for is a shake up in the game that leaves us with two evenly matched tribes and many broken alliances. We knew going in that we’d have uneven numbers of fans and favorites simply due to the math of who was left, but the big unknown was how the strength would be divided. It was pretty clear pretty quickly that Gota had a distinct advantage over Bikal when it came to physical strength. Fortunately, not all challenges are based around strength so there is still hope for Philip and the remaining members of Bikal.


EW: There was a lot of strategy and division among the Favorites at Bikal going into the decision on whether to vote out Matt or Julia. Julia was seen as weaker in challenges but had a better chance of having a hidden immunity idol, while Matt was seen as stronger in challenges, but also was less likely to have an idol and already had a solid partner in Michael. So, Mr. Probst, had you been one of those Favorites, whom would you have lobbied to vote off?
 
PROBST: Easy. Julia. At this point in the game, knowing I had the numbers I keep the strength and risk Matt and Michael burning me later. It’s a moment-to-moment game and in that particular moment I have to let Julia go even though I know her loyalty has major value — I want to win to ensure I get to the merge.
EW: I wanted to ask you about Phillip Sheppard, who has still remarkably never been voted out of this game. While I get the sense that his tribe has more been letting him THINK he’s running the tribe more so than him actually running it, he still has far exceeded my expectations this season, especially in challenges. Were your surprised as well? 
 
PROBST: I have been very surprised and impressed with Phillip. He’s easy to make fun of because he lives a very “big” life in the way he carries himself. But for all the jokes, he did learn a lot from the time he played with Boston Rob and is doing his best to keep his alliance immune from betrayal. I do agree that the rest of his tribe is letting him THINK he is in charge and I think that plays to Phillip’s advantage because the longer he is in the game the more likely he is to be taken to the end. To win this game you must get to the end.


EW: Okay, teaser time! Give us a little hint as to what to expect next week.
 
PROBST: The switch really turns things upside down for Bikal. They have been gutted and it begins to show in challenges.

Week 5: Persona Non Grata

The tribe has spoken and Karen R. is asked to leave the pool immediately. 

For a recap of the episode, click here.

 

 

Bikal				Gota
Andrea	~	Tonya		Allie	~	Karen D.
Brandon	~	Karen R.		Eddie	~	Steve
Brenda	~	Colin		Hope	~	Cheryl
Cochran	~	Kristen		Julia	~	Dick
Corrine	~	Warren		Laura	~	Mea
Dawn	~	Lee Anne		Matt	~	Cara
Erik	~	Kim		Michael	~	Brendan
Malcolm	~	Christi		Reynold	~	Alyssa
Phillip	~	Erin		Sharmar	~	Lauren
Francesca				Sherry	~	Pat

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: I asked you before the season started if Brandon was really emotionally stable enough to come back and play this game again, especially after we saw what happened to him last time. Now that we’ve all seen the result, I wonder if you can speak more on the decision to bring him back and how you all determine where the appropriate line is in terms of who is psychologically fit enough to handle this experience and who isn’t.
 
JEFF PROBST: Regardless whether you are a new player or a returning player, every contestant on Survivor undergoes an evaluation from our show psychologist each time they play. We never let anybody on the show who can’t pass the psych test. Brandon passed. He was also great in our interviews before the show began. We were actually very excited because he had a new approach to the game. He said he wasn’t going to be as emotionally reactive and felt that after playing once he was better prepared for the 39 day adventure. We felt Brandon had the potential for a true underdog story of a young man who was overwhelmed the first time he played and was seeking redemption.
EW: How worried were you about things turning physical at that confrontation at the challenge? And what is the show’s policy on how to intervene? Meaning, had Brandon charged Phillip, would it have just been up to you and the contestants to break it up, or would members of the off-screen crew had jumped in to separate them? Did you all have any plan in place or were you just ready to tackle him if he bolted?
 
PROBST: There were a couple of moments when I was concerned. I was concerned early on when he first separated from his tribe and addressed the fans. It was clear that he was very upset. That’s why I asked him to come to me, so I could separate him from the rest of the contestants. Then later when I saw him getting more agitated I put my hands on his shoulders in an attempt to help him relax. It was probably also a bit of a head start on controlling him if a physical confrontation were to ensue. Because something like this had never happened before there was no plan in place. I was assessing moment to moment, making decisions based on what was playing out in front of me. I can share with you that I was whispering instructions into my microphone (which is fed to our audio department) for our safety and security guys to be ready to assist if necessary. I was also asking for our show psychologist to be put on a boat and brought over immediately so she could counsel Brandon after the incident was over.

I had decided pretty early on that we were going to have an impromptu Tribal Council. It was clear that Brandon wanted out of the game, it had been stated that the Favorites were going to forfeit the challenge and there was nothing good to be had from letting Brandon go back to camp. It was important to me that Brandon felt heard and knew that I was not taking sides, I was just asking questions and trying to calm the water. I was very proud of Brandon for making the choice to stay next to me and not turn this into a physical altercation. I was equally proud of Philip and the other contestants for their restraint. It was obviously a historic moment from a show point of view, but the overriding concern was the mental and physical health of the contestants. 
EW: What’s the responsibility of the show in terms of post-Survivor psychological care? I know all the contestants have access to a psychologist after they are voted off, but this is somewhat new territory since you’ve never had a meltdown of this magnitude before.
 
PROBST: The key is as you said — all contestants have access to psychological counseling after the show.  That starts the moment they are voted out. Our psychologist is the first person they see after leaving tribal council. Brandon is no different. Our psychologist is there for any contestant who needs care whenever they need it. If necessary we find a psychologist or therapist for a contestant in their home town. I can’t speak about Brandon specifically due to confidentiality, but we are in constant communication with him and will be for as long as he needs it.
 
EW: The preview for next week has me thinking a tribe shake-up could be in the works. What can you tease us about the next episode?
 
PROBST: The fall out from Brandon’s departure is felt and yes there might be a tribe shake up in the works! I said at the beginning of the season I felt this was a good season and I still feel that way. Much more to come.

Week 4: Kill or Be Killed

The tribe has spoken. Lauren and Mea are asked to leave the pool immediately. 

For a recap of the episode, click here.

 

 

 

 

Bikal				Gota
Andrea	~	Tonya		Allie	~	Karen D.
Brandon	~	Karen R.		Eddie	~	Steve
Brenda	~	Colin		Hope	~	Cheryl
Cochran	~	Kristen		Julia	~	Dick
Corrine	~	Warren		Laura	~	Mea
Dawn	~	Lee Anne		Matt	~	Cara
Erik	~	Kim		Michael	~	Brendan
Malcolm	~	Christi		Reynold	~	Alyssa
Phillip	~	Erin		Sharmar	~	Lauren
Francesca				Sherry	~	Pat

 

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: You’ve had people that have been seriously hurt and needed to be evacuated from the game, and others that maybe used not feeling well as an excuse to leave a game they were no longer prepared to play. Obviously Shamar’s eye injury ended up being serious enough that medical recommend he be pulled, but given his previous inclination towards quitting, when you were on your way out to the tribe camp, did you think maybe it was a case of someone looking for a way out?

JEFF PROBST: Being completely honest, yes. It went through my head because I had already visited Shamar a few days earlier (which we didn’t air) and he really seemed to want to go home, but his tribe talked him into staying. So when I got the call that he needed to see medical I was already speculating about the situation. But when I arrived it was clear his eye was injured, and when it comes to vision, you can’t take any risks. The call from the doctors to pull him from the game was an easy one to make. Whether he was secretly relieved, only he truly knows.


EW: Six challenges so far this season and not a single puzzle among them! Please note this is not a complaint. But what gives?

PROBST: YOU! That’s what gives. You’ve been on our butt for years that we do too many puzzles. We finally listened.

EW: Well, thank you for that! So where exactly did you find this peppy local bushman Tata? And please tell me arrangements are already underway to bring him to the finale/reunion in May.

PROBST: He’s a local. The real deal. Based on his one appearance, he’s already a Survivor legend. I want to bring him back every season. If we had more time we could have shown you how he flirted with the female Survivors. He was really a hoot, but full of so many cool ideas!

EW:  Looks like Hantz side is coming out again soon. What can you tell us about what to expect with next week’s explosion?

PROBST: Hang on, a storm is coming. Don’t DVR. People will be talking. In a word — historic.

Week 3: There's Gonna Be Hell to Pay

The tribe has spoken and Cheryl is asked to leave the pool immediately. 

For a recap of the episode, click here. 

 

 

 

Bikal				Gota
Andrea	~	Tonya		Allie	~	Karen D.
Brandon	~	Karen R.		Eddie	~	Steve
Brenda	~	Colin		Hope	~	Cheryl
Cochran	~	Kristen		Julia	~	Dick
Corrine	~	Warren		Laura	~	Mea
Dawn	~	Lee Anne		Matt	~	Cara
Erik	~	Kim		Michael	~	Brendan
Malcolm	~	Christi		Reynold	~	Alyssa
Phillip	~	Erin		Sharmar	~	Lauren
Francesca				Sherry	~	Pat

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Let’s get your take on the Shamar situation. What would you do if you were playing and had a guy that you needed in terms of numbers for a majority alliance, but he was tearing apart tribe chemistry and had already threatened to quit once? Would you keep him or cut him loose? 
 
JEFF PROBST: I would probably go to someone who I felt was on the bottom of the other alliance and make the following case:  “We have the numbers and we will vote your alliance out one by one.  There is an opening for you to make a move and join us but you have to decide right now.”  And then to add a bit of leverage I would add “and if you say no or if you tell anyone else — you will be the next one out.”  If they said yes — I’d make the switch and get rid of Shamar.  If not, I think you have to hold onto him a bit longer until you have enough numbers advantage that you can spare him.  At that point you get rid of him.


EW: Gotta ask you about this challenge, which I absolutely loved — especially the part with the sunken trunk that needed to be carried through an underwater gate. How pumped do you get when you guys first of all come up with a great challenge idea, and then watch it play out as back and forth as this one? Is there any better part of your job than that?
 
PROBST: It’s pretty exciting.  The first I hear of challenge ideas is on paper.  They write them up and storyboard them so you have a basic idea.  That’s all we have to go on when we approve them.  John Kirhoffer has earned a lot of trust — when he says it’s going to be great, you have no doubt.  If John has doubts he will say — we’re gonna do some testing of this first, then we’ll get back to you if we feel it’s strong enough to consider.  Then we first see it at a test block.  Just challenge dept, Dream Team, me and our director.  We walk thru it and decide if we think it needs any modification.  Then we rehearse it with a full crew with Dream Team going all out.  After that we make final modifications and then run it for real with the Survivors.  I love challenges that involve under water footage — love seeing people wrestle with knots or in this case a giant cage!  Yes it’s a great moment!  Who are we kidding? The entire experience kicks ass!
 

EW: You guys got away from doing two challenges for a while when you had other things like Redemption Island or three tribes that were taking up more screen time, but I’ve been surprised to see only one challenge the past two weeks. Why the decision to stage just one combo immunity/reward contest? Is that because you all feel you have so many returning players that can hold viewers’ interest? 
 
PROBST: It’s always a delicate balance of show “real estate.”  You have 42 minutes to divvy up, so where do you use it?  We went with one challenge in the early eps because we felt with 10 returning players there would be enough story.  Sometimes we’re right, sometimes we’re wrong.  The ideal Survivor episode has a reward challenge and an immunity challenge.  Or if it’s an Redemption Island season, we have a Redemption Island duel and a combined reward/immunity challenge.  We don’t always get it right but that’s the goal.
 

EW: Uh-oh, looks like a storm is brewing. What can you tease up for next week?
 
PROBST: Shamar has had a rough go of it from the get go and it shows no signs of stopping.  He’s not the only one losing his mind either.  More on that in the very near future.