We go through all the action, including what happened that didn’t make the final edit.
Robert Voets/CBS
While on location forSurvivor 48last June, I had a feeling.
And not unlike my good friends REO Speedwagon, I couldn’t fight that feeling any longer.
Saiounia “Sai” Hughley and Stephanie Berger on ‘Survivor 48’.Credit:Robert Voets/CBS
The feeling was that thecast of season 48was going to bring it.
Now, bringwhatexactly, I was not entirely sure, but they were going to bringsomething.
And they just came one right after the next.
Jeff Probst and the cast of “Survivor 48'.Robert Voets/CBS
Star is probably the most excitable person in the history of the show.
Eva is a ball of undeniable energy.
Bianca can go a mile a minute.
Kevin Leung and Mary Zheng on ‘Survivor 48’.Robert Voets/CBS
Kevin is practically jumping out of his own skin shoulder included.
Kamilla is one hilarious aside after another.
And do I need to say anything about Sai?
Shauhin Davari, Eva Erickson, Joe Hunter, Bianca Roses, Joe Hunter and Thomas Krottinger on ‘Survivor 48’.Robert Voets/CBS
Personally, I loved it.
Its a long and arduous process that lasts a lot longer than the potential 26-day stay on the island.
(Wrong franchise.)
Mitch Guerra and Kamilla Karthigesu on ‘Survivor 48’.Robert Voets/CBS
Moments like: Kamilla told Probst she applied after being angryHannah quitSurvivor 45because you need a vape???
Eva explained her unique introduction to the franchise: Before I ever watchedSurvivor, I played aSurvivordrinking game.
She then proceeded to explain some of theSurvivordrinking game rules that would have killed me in no time flat.
Kevin Leung, Stephanie Berger, and Mary Zheng on ‘Survivor 48’.Robert Voets/CBS
Holy s—!
He, too, was not wrong.
Separation anxiety
Sometimes looks can be deceiving.
Joe Hunter on ‘Survivor 48’.Robert Voets/CBS
Other times, not so much.
Since the contest was not particularly close, the real drama was what happened with Kevins shoulder.
It turned out Kevin went full LaGrossa!
Stephanie Berger on ‘Survivor 48’.Robert Voets/CBS
Which is to say, he separated his shoulder in the opening challenge.
And like Stephanie then, he had to have it popped back into place.
(Oh, heres the unedited Stephanie footage I shot forHeroes vs. Anyhoo, Probst checked with Kevin to see if he wanted them to pop it back in.
repeated Kevin in agonizing pain.
I dont care about the pain.
Can you feel that, Kevin?
Probst asked as the green whistle went to work.
I feel like heaven, a calmer Kevin responded.
And with that, they popped the shoulder back in.
And what was the slightly loopy Kevins first question after having his shoulder fixed?
The challenge was not yet over at that point, but no… no they did not.
(Check outmy interview with Probstfor more on why this did not make the episode.)
The loss meant Vula and Civa had to send someone to try and win their supplies.
Kyle went for Civa so he could prove his worth to the tribe.
Kevin went for Vula so he could…
I dont know… injure his other shoulder???
Kevin tried all manner of methods, while Kyle just went Hulk Smash to take the lead.
Instead of sitting back and watching Kevin fill his mug, Kyle began helping his adversary.
That could pay potential dividends down the line.
Little moments like that can end up changing the entire course of the game.
Or, you know, Kyle gets voted out next week and it makes no difference whatsoever.
Lets go check in on each of the tribe camps.
Peanut butter and jelly!BarbieandOppenheimer!
Each of them strong on their own, but unstoppable when paired together.
Eva and Joe were two of my favorite pre-game interviews.
And Joe is truly a gentle giant.
I have made a decision.
I got her, Joe told us.
If I got to go home early, Im not gonna let her down.
(Get it?)
But is Joeva even Joes main alliance?
Thomas was bonding hardcore with Jersey girl Bianca, but the other fellas were Team Eva.
Will this tear the takes deep breath California Girls apart?
I see you on Civa
A funny note about David.
But David is counting on his social game, not strategy, to carry him to the end.
What car you drive?
How you like your steak cooked?
Thats basically saying to get out of here, nerdy book readers!
Take a hike, car-eschewing Manhattanites!
Get bent, tree-hugging vegetarians!
You all have no place in Davids super society of chocolate-milk chugging DUUUUUUUUUUUDES!
However, David is acting like in no trouble at all.
Because David is not the one throwing out names.
Sometimes it was good.
Sometimes it was bad.
Kamilla essentially used that moment to form a fearsome foursome of herself, Kyle, Chrissy, and David.
Honestly, I was cool with either, but she really impressed me with this move.
Ive been doing this lately in terms of picking big, funny personalities as my winner picks.
Sometimes it works (Maryanne).
Other times, not so much (Claire Rafson).
But hey,thats showbiz, baby!
After all, according to Kamilla,she already wonSurvivor: Redemption Island!
But Cedrek the butt doctor would!
As would Justin and Kevin.
(Imagine if they tried to fit that entire thing into a 42-minute episode.
Regardless, it will be fascinating to see if Sais idol and gameplay aggressiveness work against her moving forward.
Something to keep an eye on.
It was never intended to.
Cameras may not have even been rolling when it went down.
But its also something I wish everyone had a chance to see.
It was a simple gesture.
The whole thing only took about 10 seconds.
But it was a cool acknowledgment that the 18 players took a big leap of faith in being there.
There would be highs and lows to come in theirSurvivorjourney.
Maybe it would all fall apart for them in the days (or hours) to come.
So why did he do that?
You know me better than most people in terms of mySurvivorexperience, Probst said.
I’m enormously enthusiastic aboutSurvivor.
I love the new era so much.
I love the key in of people we’re putting on the show.
I’m grateful to be a part ofSurvivor.
I just want you to know we’re in this together.
Now back to the challenge!
then moving a sled through the course and up a platform.
It finally ended with a classicSurvivorlogo puzzle… possibly 3D printed byCarson Garrett.
They already solved it.
Damn, that was quick.
It wasnt the puzzle solvers fault!
But also, what hurt Vula on the crate was their strategy.
They eventually shifted to three, but that still wasnt enough.
You needed four people pushing that crate, and Vula lost a lot of time because of it.
That right there could be where they lost the challenge.
It was all a little bizarre.
And there was even more that did not make the final edit.
At one point, Probst looked over and asked, Cedrek, is the tension normal between these two?
To which the always understated butt doctor replied, Theres a current.
(Dude, pace yourself!
You have a whole season to go!
Dont use up all your best pizza material in a single serving… if you will.)
Yeah, and you know why they think that, Jeff?
BECAUSE IT’S NOT!
ITS A CRIME AGAINST PIZZA!
And this is coming from a guy who loves pineapple so much he eats it every single morning.
(I would also eat pizza every single night, but then I would be dead.
Two interesting notes during the voting that also did not make it to air.
I dont feel great tonight, Steph said in the voting both while reaching for her SITD scroll.
And so we bid au revoir to Stephanie.
The beach was simply not big enough for both her and Sai.
Apparently, neither was the sky, judging by the argument of how much time was spent looking up.
And this is how it went for me.
I think that is going to be chaos when they get back to camp.
And everybody knows that it wasn’t me because they know that I couldn’t vote.
So I’m very curious how that’s going to go down.
And we do a lot of challenges that require brute strength.
Literally, our one sort of brute strength person had his whole shoulder dislocated on the first day.
So could I have moved faster given the temperature?
On playingSurvivor:Oh, this is magic.
I just got to be in a TV show that I absolutely love.
We’ll see if I still love it in a year when all of this airs.
But I had a great experience.
Anyway, I hope you found some of these behind-the-scenes tidbits informative, or at least vaguely interesting.
And apologies to Kamilla for retroactively jinxing her by making the pint-sized video game enthusiast my winner pick.
it’s possible for you to now blame it all on me, Kamilla!
Also, just a heads up that we have tons moreSurvivor 48premiere coverage for you.
We also have anexclusive deleted scene it’s possible for you to watchbecause TWO HOURS OFSURVIVORIS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH!
Plus, I chatted with Stephanie and sheshared some enlightening details.
So check all that stuff out and I will be back next week with another scoop of the crispy!
