Survivor Samoa: Best Season Ever?

By Sarah Matheny on October 2nd, 2009

I’ve watched Survivor from the very beginning.  I cringed, watching Richard Hatch traipse around camp naked.  I sat on the edge of my couch, listening to Trucker Sue call Kelly a rat. I loved EVERY second of watching real people try to outwit, outplay and outlast each other in the wild.

Now, thirteen seasons later, Survivor: Samoa is shaping up to be my favorite season yet, and I’ve got four big reasons why.

1.  Worst Villian Ever

Forget Johnny Foreplay and his very alive “dead grandma.”  Texas oil company owner Russell H. is perhaps the most cunning and most deceitful player to play the game.  He’s started fights, formed his “dumb blonde alliance,” and lied to everyone, all while giving a wink and a toothless grin to the camera crew as he coins himself the “puppetmaster.”  He’s the guy you love to hate, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.

2.  Survivor Firsts

After so many seasons of Survivor, you’d think we’d seen it all.  However, this season has seen the first player disqualified for dirty play, as Ben took a cheap shot at the opposing tribe’s player and quickly got the boot from host Jeff Probst.  In another Survivor first, the aforementioned Russell H. found an immunity idol, not knowing that there even WAS an immunity idol AND without any clues as to its’ location.  Maybe he is the puppetmaster.

3.  Local Ties

I’m especially excited about this season since two of the contestants are from my hometown.  Laura is a fitness instructor at my gym, and Brett graduated from my high school and was in my little brother’s gym class, so we’re practically related, right?

4.  A Greater Good

By some stroke of luck or fate, this season of Survivor had wrapped shooting before the earthquake and tsunami hit this week.  However, during tonight’s episode CBS ran an ad asking for donations to help the ravaged country in the aftermath of this tragic natural disaster.  Next season plans to shoot in Samoa as well, and perhaps the extra exposure to the country’s plight will help give Samoans extra aid they might not otherwise receive and ultimately survive it all.