Yeah, yeah, I’m a couple weeks late to the party, but I’ll get caught up over the next couple days. The first season of Survivor South Africa had more than its share of critics, primarily due to the wooden host (Mark Bayly returns this season) and technical issues most likely related to production values. It was popular enough to be brought back for a second season, however, did produce one of my favorites Survivors ever (Mzi Tyhokolo), and was an enjoyable ride with some interesting twists. Hopefully they have learned from some of the mistakes of the last season, though.
In season 2, we head away from the oft-used Survivor location of Panama and go to Malaysia. We start off with the contestants walking in the jungle, unaware they will be greeted by an armed escort who will intercept them and strip them of all their personal belongings. Pretty harsh for a season 2. The escort then chains them together and takes them to the island.
The other early twist, a Survivor first, is that 15 contestants were picked by the producers, but one was picked by the viewers, a total increase by two contestants over last year. The viewers’ choice is 35-year old Lorette Mostert, a family woman whose first comments are that she’s much too trusting.
Elsie lets it be known out of the gates she will be this season’s bitch. Either that or a really good villain. Dyke hopes he can be the provider. Nichal, a strongman competitor, doesn’t like sissy stuff. Grant is the obligatory attorney. Lisa tells people whether she likes them or she doesn’t… because that’s a good idea on Survivor. Hein’s been an African bushman for the last 20 years, which means he’s likely to be a true survivor. Angie is okay being considered a dumb blonde. Rijesh is there to play and screw people over.
Once they get to shore, the contestants must compete in an endurance competition, standing on wooden posts. The first person out will not join the tribes. Everybody agrees to swim to shore at the same time, which means the weakest swimmers are at a disadvantage. It also makes it obvious just how strong a swimmer everyone is. The people who arrive first get the stumps that are easiest to stand on. Nomfundo is last to arrive and gets the worst podium. However, Nichal is the first one to fall, so he doesn’t join the tribe, but he does get sent to exile island (oh no, not this stupid twist here, too). Tribes are then chosen by flipping over the podiums and going with the color tribe yours is.
Bajau (Yellow Tribe):
Amanda
Angela
Dyke
Elsie
Hein
Nicola
Rijesh
Iban (Blue Tribe):
Angie
Grant
Irshaad
Lisa
Lorette
Mandla
Nomfundo
Viwe
Despite having one less member, Bajau really lucked out by getting Hein, who’s probably better than Ozzy and Richard Hatch combined when it comes to survival skills. As usual, food and shelter are the top priorities in the first days. Nichal tries to look for shelter but can’t find anything useful, so he just sleeps on the exile island beach. Rijesh reveals right away that he’s gay.
Hein seems to be a bit too aggressive in trying to be the hero. He promises fire and shelter, but people start to get impatient as we get into day 2. Viwe forms an alliance with Lisa pretty quickly.
The first challenge is a water obstacle course. Tribes must swim out to the platform and hoist one tribe member onto it. That tribe member will lower a rope ladder for the others to climb. Everybody must then get past rolling logs, a fence with a hole underneath the water, and lastly free their flag and take it back to shore. This is a combination immunity/reward challenge. The reward: Nichal. This could either give Iban a huge advantage or put Bajau ahead by one.
Nomfundo sits out for Iban. Iban starts off with an early lead but starts pulling the pulley before anybody is even able to get on it, allowing Bajau to take a lead. It’s neck and neck after the rope ladder. Iban manages to get a good lead after the rolling logs, which only gets bigger when Elsie gets scared of going underwater. Hein steps up and helps her through, quickly enough that Bajau manages to take the lead on getting the flag and inches out a victory by mere seconds.
Nicola is largely displeased with the addition of Nichal to the tribe. Hein’s still promising fire and shelter but unable to deliver, though I do wonder why the rest of the tribe doesn’t seem to be doing anything. Dyke makes a comment that Elsie interprets as racist, and she goes off on him.
Angie and Grant join Viwe and Lisa in their alliance. With four people, this holds a lot more hope than the two person alliance did. The four decide to target Nomfundo because she’s not an asset in challenges. Despite the fact that she didn’t compete in the immunity challenge, she was so blatanly far behind the others in the swim to the beach that this comes as no surprise. Nomfundo’s choice based on work ethic: Lisa. Mandla agrees. Lisa admits she tries not to exert herself to stay strong for challenges, saying she walks around and does jack squat. Word to the wise: find yourself another fourth person for your alliance. Grant attempts to talk some sense into her. Attempts being the key word. To make matters worse, Lisa then admits openly at tribal council that she’s lazy, and she seems to be proud of this fact.
As much as they seriously need to get rid of Lisa, the bottom line that makes this such an obvious boot is that Nomfundo’s such a weak swimmer that even those who are sick of Lisa should be concerned about it.
It’s time to count the votes:
Lisa
Nomfundo
Grant
Nomfundo
Lisa
Nomfundo
Lisa
Nomfundo
By a vote of 4-3, Nomfundo is the first person booted off the island. Perhaps the fear of nearly being voted out got to Lisa. The previews for episode 2 suggest it did.
I AM VERY DISAPOINTED ON S.A TV FOR PLAYING SURVIVOR ON DSTV WHILE WE ARE WATCHING AMERICAN SURVIVOR ON SABC3