Survivor 48

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⭐7/10

I'm really conflicted here. Honestly this season just made me lose faith in the Survivor formula. This show needs to go back to the drawing board. I thought the season had some of the most beautiful, truly heartfelt human moments, but the finale left such a bad taste in my mouth that I can drum up no enthusiasm for future seasons. I enjoyed the season for the most part, but they just need a better system to determine the winner because again there seems to be a massive disconnect between what happens in the episodes and what happens in the finale.

I'm basically going to spoil everything, so if you plan to go back, this is your warning. But immediately to begin, I was drawn to a lot of these characters, but specifically i was drawn to Joe because he is handsome and has a great name. And also because he seemed like a genuinely amazing guy! Sure, it can feel a tad corny at times, but I genuinely admired this guy in a way I've never felt watching reality TV. He embodies all of these hyper-masculine traits, but in an entirely positive way: loyalty, determination, honesty and protecting those around him. Also he was amazing at this game! He was great in challenges, and inspired loyalty in a way that I have never seen in this show before. 

I just don't understand how he did not win this game. This was like watching a boxing match where one guy is absolutely dominant, throwing haymakers for 12 rounds, but then goes to a decision and the judges choose the other guy because he wasn't as well equipped and was able to land a few glancing blows near the end. I was truly flabbergasted. Joe was the leader of the strongest alliance we've ever seen, where 3 of the original 5 were in the final, and 4 made the final 5. The alliance was so strong that it broke the game, Joe demanding absolute loyalty every episode, with the audience seeing an anti-climactic vote the entire second half of the season as his plans stayed true. 

I've heard maybe we were deceived by the edit. So edit better! Because from our perspective, Joe was running things. Kamilla cries out "you fed Joe! How could you feed Joe!" Chrissy is losing it, Mitch is losing it. How are you not voting out Joe, the biggest threat in the game? I'm playing with a bunch of knuckleheads! Yes Mitch, you are! So vote for the one guy that seemed absolutely untouchable throughout! They talk about Kyle playing the middle which I take as not guiding the game at all. His only merit was having a secret alliance that essentially didn't influence the game at all. 

Just so frustrating because I actually liked this season! But I loved it because I enjoyed watching a dominant run by my king. The battle of the titans, the emotional moments, the sharing of trauma. He had it all and carried this season. I thought most of the personalities were pretty flat otherwise, mostly because nobody got a chance to make a move under Joe's godfather style. If he can't win, nobody playing an alternative style can. Another title to another periphery player. 

In the words of Liz: I'M PISSED

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