SHIPWRECKED

comfort in reality TV nostalgia + early 2000s chaos

even though I’m a lifelong lover of television and especially reality TV of all stripes, I was a latecomer to Survivor. I was dimly aware of its culture relevance back in the early aughts, but I imagine I thought of it as too rugged and adult for my tastes at the time, compared to twenty-something girls sweeping a black light over potential dates’ dorm walls and sheets on MTV, par exemple.

My friend and fellow television devotee Jenna convinced me to start watching new Survivor sometime in the past couple years, and the undeniable appeal of the show really clicked when I was on maternity leave and could watch whole seasons over the course of a few endless days and appreciate all the complex threads of relationship building, physical exertion, mental/emotional endurance, and strategy that go into being Good at Survivor (a thing I could never be).

recently at work my coworker AND FRIEND Isabel and I convinced our other coworker AND FRIEND Natalie to change her life by also starting to watch Survivor, and when Isabel shared their list of old-school season recs, I realized I’d never gone back to watch early Survivor. I admire Isabel’s taste and I was curious enough to join the ride with Natalie, so I bravely scrolled way back on Paramount+’s bad interface and watched Season 4 (Marquesas) and just finished Season 7 (Pearl Islands) this morning.

the time capsule of the evolution of Survivor gameplay, early reality TV, AND the chaos of early 2000s culture is so so compelling!!! highly, highly recommend to both current and future ;))) friends of Probst.

Isabel’s old-school Survivor recs w/ notes 🔥🏝️🗿🏞️🍍🌊🥥🏹🐍🪓

• s4 Marquesas (a time capsule and insane gameplay)

• s7 pearl islands (this was in the heyday of pirates of the Caribbean, PLS enjoy the entire score being ripped off from those movies)

• s8 all stars (a real classic and defining moment for many of survivor's great stars)

• s9 vanuatu (AMAZING AND HILARIOUS WOMEN ON THIS CAST)

• s13 cook islands (weird premise but satisfying)

• s16 micronesia/fans vs favorites (MY FAVORITE SEASON)

ty to Isabel for agreeing to share this precious list that is now 1 of 2 messages I have saved in work Slack.

YES I always want to talk about Survivor.