Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans premiered on Wednesday, Feb. 25, and it was everything fans could have wanted. There was a great dose of nostalgia, especially at the beginning, as the players gathered in front of Jeff Probst on the beach.
Many fans had to have thought they had already witnessed the last season for many players. The six Old School players, some of them legends of the game, get one more shot at it. When some of these players were first on Survivor, some of the younger contestants in Survivor weren't even born.
Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, Colby Donaldson, Cirie Fields, Ozzie Lusth, Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick, and Coach Wade all provided some nice moments of nostalgia. It was emotional for the players and fans alike to see these favorites getting one more chance to play the game.
Surprises, twists, and a brutal medical decision filled Survivor 50, episode 1
The New Era style of play featured a fast pace due to the condensed 26-day format. While the New School era was quicker-paced and more fluid than the Old School era, neither moved as fast as the post-COVID seasons.
After watching how unprepared Old School players were for the faster pace in season 40, Winners at War, no one knew how older players would react in this season.
One of the biggest surprises was that most of the players were enjoying simply being out there, playing with their heroes, old friends and acquaintances, and old enemies. Most players seemed to be enjoying the moment and being on Survivor again. There wasn't a lot of hustling going on before the first immunity challenge, and it seemed most people were willing to keep strategic talks low-key.
Except for Jenna. She came out guns blazing, with Cirie in her sights. She was very aggressive, and it cost her, even if Christian Hubicki did initiate the Cirie talk, as Jenna claims. After Cirie's performance in the first immunity challenge, she was the obvious choice to vote out, but Jenna's hard play too early rubbed some players the wrong way.
Furthermore, don't discount that some may not have been willing to send such a beloved player as Cirie home first. While it was painful to see Jenna go, it would have been worse if they had voted out Cirie.
The game featured some nice twists with journeys, a celebrity idol, and having to earn rice and supplies (as voted on by the fans). It was great to see Stephenie give her tribe a considerable lead in the initial supplies challenge. She was a terrific player, both on the physical and strategic sides of the game, and years later, she proved she still has a lot to offer.
It was also cool to see the Cila tribe make fire the old-fashioned way—with eyeglasses. Christian, with the help of Ozzie and Jenna, made fire without a flint. THIS is how Survivor should be played!
Of course, the biggest shock of the first episode was the brutal injury to Kyle Fraser, who played an impeccable game when he won season 48. Seeing him removed from the game due to an Achilles heel injury was a blow for players and fans alike.
The early pleasantries are finished; look for the game to now kick into high gear. Even though two players are now out, there are still too many people left to start talking about predictions. Which early connections will last? Which players will make wrong steps with their tribemates? Can Cirie overcome her rough start in challenges?
Every fan will have their favorites to win. It's going to be a whole lot of fun watching Survivor 50 unfold! Stay tuned for more news about the season!