Survivor: Season 1

I finally succombed to survivor fever back when it was first on tv during the merger episode. By then, I really didn't know enough from the earlier episodes to understand the moronic attitude of the anti alliance group, and to appreciate Hatch. I did not like him for years. However, I got my S1 dvd set this week and I am on disk 3 now. I LOVE THIS. What a great season.Here are some observations.Cheesy stuff they don't do anymore, that I think is great in these episodes:1) the gong going to tribal council2) the treasure chest full of "money" (my note: what happened to this money during the rainy tribal councils? They never show it soggy)More on the filming:During most of the challenges, you can see boats out at sea that are supporting the production. Most of the time, the cruise ship they used for the crew is parked at the horizon, clearly visible in the scene. I heard helicopter noise during the filming of the merger challenge, where pagong lost for the last time to make it an even 5.It is VERY amusing to watch the voting after the merge. Pagong pagonged ITSELF. This is hilarious. I just finished the episode where Jenna gets voted on by her entire tribe, even though the alphabet voting put greg out.Another observation: whenever Jenna was on a tribe, the tribe did happy things. Pagong was a happy tribe as was Chapera. I think Jenna is under appreciated as a player on survivor.I miss them casting a wide age range of players. If they bring that back, it will make the dynamics more interesting. BB's game strategy was a train wreck. Sonja was a great lady. I loved her singing that funny song to hatch.Gretchen was an interesting survivor, she understood the game, as did Greg. How come we don't hear about these contestants?If you haven't watched the new dvd set, I recommend that you watch the first CD all the way through WITHOUT the probst et al commentary turned on. Then go back and turn on the commentary and watch E1 all over again listening to the boys talk about the scenes as they unfold. This is great stuff. I wish they had commented on EVERY episode with more of the cast.This was probably the best $35 i have spent on entertainment in quite some time. I hope they bring all the seasons out on DVD.What I wish they will do for future sets:1) after the credits for each episode, then show clips of the voting confessionals and ALL the insider clips that were on the CBS website each week.2) Have cast commentaries on EACH episode by cast members of that season that you can turn on or off, like they did for episode 1 on this set.3) Show audition tapes of cast members (I don't know if these are on this set, I am still watching disk 3)Also for those purchasing this set, don't mistake the plastic on each CD case as something you have to rip off. I was bone headed and discovered AFTER I ripped off the plastic on my case that it was to hold the cover in place. The cd case itself was not sealed in plastic (dah). Oh well.

I started with Survivor at the second season so had never seen this one before. I was familiar with some of the characters having watched the All Stars Season and of course knew what the outcome was. I found this series fascinating after watching recent series where alliances are the most important thing and are made on day 1 - it was refreshing to see people approaching the game in different ways having never seen anything like this before.I loved how shocked everyone was when Gretchen was voted out and also that they were still not all convinced there was an alliance. The voting by the Pagong tribe at this Tribal council was hilarious when comparing to other seasons.Richard Hatch was amazing throughout, I loved him. I really didn't see him as a particularly bad villain, he was very straight up and honest with what he wanted to do but played the game very intelligently. I was more annoyed with people like Kelly who whined and changed their mind all the time about what they were doing.The whole season was very fresh and reminded me of series 2 in that there was much more focus on life around camp and survival aspects rather than all game play as the show is nowadays.I didn't really warm to too many of the characters, Sean especially I thought was just foolish. Jenna I thought came across as very sweet someone who really enjoyed the whole experience, she was much more jaded by the time she competed in All Stars. Jeff was really funny how inexperienced and unsure he was with everything.The dvd extras were great, I loved the audio commentary, it was hilarous. I really didn't like Gervase much in thw show but on the commentary he was great and Richard and Jeff were very funny. I would definately recommend this dvd for any Survivor fans.

No question, the most memorable moment of "Survivor: Borneo" was during the final tribal council when Sue Hawk unloaded on Kelly Wigglesworth. When Sue told Kelly "if I were ever to pass you in this life again, and you were laying there, dying of thirst, I would not give you a drink of water. I'd just let the vultures take you, and do whatever they want with you, with no ill regrets," everyone watching had their jaws on the ground. When Sue finished her speech and made her plea for the contest to end the way Mother Nature intended it with Richard the Snake eating Kelly the Rat, I can remember thinking that they can do "Survivor" until the end of time and they will never top that moment. Every time one of the jury members tells Jeff Probst that they want to make a statement rather than ask a question, they get judged against the Sue Hawk standard and they fail (It is like lighting the Olympic flame; no one will top using the archer at Barcelona).However, when I watched "Survivor: The Complete First Season" again on DVD what was confirmed for me was that the most pivotal moment in the show came in the tribal council at the end of Episode 7. This was not only when the road was paved for Richard Hatch to be the sole Survivor, but also when the course of American popular culture changed. This is because once Hatch won the million dollars, his strategy of alliance and deception became the template for how future competitors would attempt to outwit, outplay and outlast the others on "Survivor" but on "Big Brother" and virtually every other reality game show. But what people forget is that at the turning point in the series MOST of the castaways were playing the game quite differently.Episode 7 was the first tribal vote after the merger and you probably remember that Gretchen, who was the most popular of the contestants and the one we thought personified the skills of a true Survivor. But Gretchen was voted off because she had four of the ten votes cast. The four who voted for her were (surprise, surprise), Richard, Kelly, Sue, and Rudy. But do you recall the rest of the votes? Greg voted against Jenna, Jenna voted against Gervase, Gervase voted against Susan, Sean voted against Colleen, Colleen voted against Richard, and Gretchen voted against Rudy (remember, nobody ever voted against Kelly). In other words, the other six all voted for six different people. But not only did the former members of Pagong all vote for different people, instead of targeting a member of Tagi, but Greg and Jenna both voted against Pagong teamamates. All together now: What were they thinking?Well, in retrospect, I think it is clear that what the former members of Pagong were thinking when they mereged with Tagi into Rattana, was that they really were now one tribe. Needless to say, this is not a mistake that has been made since that day. Consequently most "Survivors" since then have featured a reshuffling of the tribes before the merger, just to keep things interesting. Unfortunately the commentary for these episodes on DVD is quite limited (but insightful for the first and last episodes), because I would have liked to have checked my hypothesis, which is that it was Gretchen herself, by word or deed, who propagated the idea that doomed first her and then the rest of the former Pagong players one by one by one.My thesis is that this was an event of great cultural significance. If Pagong had decided to target any one of the Tagi players, whether it was Rich or not, that would have been five votes to four and the steamroller would have been on their side. I do not think they would have voted for Rich, because he was providing food, and since Gretchen voted for Rudy that would be consistent with the Pagong approach of getting rid of the member of the tribe who was contributing the least. Play that token out to the end and Gretchen wins. Given who would have won (most qualified) and how they won (voting off the weakest and not the strongest member), the course of popular culture and American civilization would have been changed and, more importantly, changed for the better. Face it. This country was not built on the idea of taking out the strongest or the best. That is the goal, not the objective. Make Richard Hatch the role model and we are heading for a bizarre dystopia no one ever would have expected.The other thing that rewatching the original "Survivor" confirms is that Mark Burnett did a marvelous job of creating suspense when there was not any. After Episode 7, which was furiously debated around the nation's "watercoolers," the consensus was that unless the rest of the castaways wised up, the alliance of four was going to run the table. Which they did. But Burnett, aided by some the release of some computer alterred photographs, cut these episodes so that there was always a slim reed of hope that the alliance would be derailed. But it never happened. Who went home when the tribe spoke each week might have been a surprise, but it was never one of the alliance until they were the only ones left and started eating their own.I almost always like to watch movies twice because I like to see how the end game is set up, and that same approach is what makes watching "Survivor: The Complete First Season" interesting. Knowing the outcome informs your enjoyment and understanding, not only of how the game was being played that first time around, but also how it was editing for maximum effect. One suggestion when you watch these episodes again: After each one go check out the CBS web site for "Survivor: Borneo" because they are all still up, and you can still access all of the information and extras, such as polls and stuff. Frozen there for Internet eternity right now are the online poll predictions for the finale. Rudy was the overwhelming favorite with 53.47%, with Kelly second at 22.54% and Susan third at 12.22%. Richard Hatch was sitting at 11.75% and he ends up being the one with the million dollar check. Now we know how he did it and what it has meant.

One evening, I called my brother on the telephone and he blurted out that the Survivor final episode was on and he could not talk as he abruptly ended the call. I was quite offended, after all, it was just a tv show. It continued to be a sore spot with me until I was visiting him the evening the first episode of Survivor Thailand started and he forced me to watch it. I had no idea what the show was about and even after the first night, I had to admit, I was intrigued enough to promise to keep watching it. He swore it gets a lot better as the personalities and strategies develop. By about the 4th episode, nothing would keep me from watching the show and I have watched all of the subsequent seasons. I have wanted to go back and see the first few seasons. But, only clips of the previous seasons were available. That did not really interest me. Finally, the complete first season was released. After Survivor Allstars, I knew who the winner was and I was concerned that it would not be interesting knowing how it ends. I have not been dissappointed, it is fantastic! It is so much fun watching it without the commercials. Each episode gives a brief intro summarizing the previous episode so you remember where you left off. Unfortunately, it also gives you a glimpse of the next episode at the end which has lured me into watching it when I really did not have the time. My only advice, don't read the back of the cases as they tell you who is voted off in each episode. Otherwise, enojoy! I hope CBS continues to release additional Survivor seasons on dvd.

I have been a huge fan since the very first episode. I have laughed, cried and learned from the Survivors. Yes, I have my favorites. Some have won, some got voted out early. We're now in Survivor 50. It's so wonderful to see past Survivors come back again.

This season of Survivor is a very good one. The two tribes (Tagi and Pagong) battle it out. Spoiler Alert!!!! One of the things I noticed is that after one of the tribes wins immunity, they lose immunity the next time. The season is a good season but after watching some of the newer seasons this season looks a little more boring. This season had a lot of funny moments, like The Super Pole 2000 (here's a little quote from Sean, who built it: It's got the mans grip.) After the tribes merge you can figure out who is going home. The whole season comes down to, in my opinion, THE MOST EPIC FINAL CHALLENGE EVER!!!!!!!!!! and Sue's snake and rat speech. It is a season you will come back to every once in a while. A Must Have Season.P.S. In the finale watch Super Pole 2000 burn in the fire when the final two set their shelter on fire in sacrifice for "thanking the island for letting them live there."

Being a late-comer to the "Survivor" series (only starting with "Pearl Islands") I was thrilled to see that they had decided to release the earlier series on DVD. Of course, after watching "All Stars", I knew who everyone (Rich, Sue, Rudy & Jenna) was and who had won the first series, "Survivor: Borneo". BUT, this did not take from my enjoyment of it one bit! Firstly, to those of you reading who have never seen this series (And if not, why?)BEWARE OF THE PACKAGING! It's unfortunate that on the back of the box-set it reveals the winner's name. Furthermore, each of the four discs of the actual series gives a synopsis of each episode, and, also, the name of the person voted off at each tribal council. Obviously the set is directed towards people who have seen it and are reliving the magic. The fifth disc (Yes, there are five!) is a special previously released disc of the greatest moments from the series (an excellent touch) and is well worth a watch. The fourth disc contains a few special features ('Survivors leave Los Angeles', 'David Letterman-Top Ten' & a 'Look back with Rich, Rudy and Gervase') but they're nothing to go mad about. On the other hand, the documentary entitled 'Survivor: The Phenomenon' (on the fifth disc) is good, with a little insight into the making of the series. Compared to some of the later series, I was amazed at how remarkably similar some of the elements were (the initial marooning of the survivors, for example), though I'm extremely glad that the producers decided to get rid of that ever-so-cheesy gong at the entrance to tribal council. Some of the challenges are simple, yet all are enjoyable, and there's something ever so raw about the camera-work that really seems to...well...work. The picture and sound quality are of the highest degree and make it so much more enjoyable. With four episodes played on each of the discs (excluding the last two) I found it really difficult to tear myself away from the television after one sitting. I now sit here twiddling my thumbs, patiently awaiting the release of "Survivor; Austrailian Outback. For the mean time, I am very content to play "Borneo" over and over again. (Sorry, I couldn't resist: Isn't Colleen the hottest thing you've ever seen in those blue lycra shorts?!)

Having only picked up on Survivor for the screening of the Season One Grand Finale, I have been regaled ever since with stories of how groundbreaking and astounding the first series was. I was thrilled when the complete season one was released on DVD and even happier to discover, living in Australia, I could actually play the discs thanks to my trusty karaoke machine!On first glance, the most striking thing about Survivor: Borneo is the actual look of the show. It seems so much more fresh and I don't know whether that's because of the way it was shot or because of the way it's been produced on DVD. But it sure looks snappy!It's been great to get see to some of the legendary players from the first season - Gretchen, whom I understand was highly favoured by American viewers, Colleen, the so-called sweetheart (she seems like your average college kid to me) and Greg the total whack job (what the... ?). It's interesting to note Jenna (Lewis) who, having recently returned in the All-Stars series, was a heck of a lot less jaded first time around. Dare I say she even seemed cute! Rudy is an absolute classic, but his screen time sure doesn't live up to his hype. Never the less, we've been going round saying "He's fat, but he's good" whole lot lately.The greatest mystery to me is Richard Hatch. We've just finished watching Episode Eight. If he's got a grand scheme, I can't see it. He seems no more a puppet master than Johnny Foreskin (oops!) I mean Fairplay. I'm disappointed to discover through an internet search that Burnett may have interfered with some of the voting outcomes of the first series. That makes it easy for me to believe Hatch might have been assisted in his machinations.Whatever, if you're a fan of Survivor, this DVD collection is a must have. It's back to basics without a doubt and is a great way to understand the game more and expand your appreciation at the same time.

Nobody does reality shows like Survivor. From the back stabbing and intrigue to physical and mental challenges i t's top notch entertainment.

The product arrived before the expected date, and I couldn't be more pleased with this season's content. I've been a Survivor fan for many years, and watching the season where it all began really solidified my appreciation for the incredible show. I highly recommend this product for those who wish to nostalgically recall the roots of their reality tv competition passion or experience it for the first time.

Now that I watched it a second time it turns out that Richard was the nice guy and Sue was a classless sore loser. I had totally forgotten about it.Love the extras or bonus features... highly recommend for fans of the show and those who are willing to give it a try.

WARNING Don't look at the back covers before you watch this set as some clown has decided to show the names of the winners of each episode on the back covers .Otherwise well worth the money.

Did not disappoint! Very interesting in contrast to recent seasons, especially the size and scope of challenges. Interesting to note how it took a while for the full on strategic game to take shape. Very interesting views on the purpose of the game in its first season, which might seem somewhat alien in the cutthroat game of today.