Survivor: Samoa

Survivor: Samoa is the nineteenth season of . It premiered on September 17, 2009 and concluded on December 20, 2009.
In the end, Natalie White defeated Russell Hantz and Mick Trimming in a 7-2-0 vote. Hantz ended up winning the "Sprint Player of the Season" award, earning the fans' vote over Shambo Waters and Brett Clouser. It would ultimately feature two medical evacuations, and has to date produced four returning players (Laura Morett, Monica Padilla, Russell Hantz, and Russell Swan) for subsequent seasons.
==Production==
Participant applications were due by January 14, 2009. Approximately 800 might have been invited to be interviewed in several states. Following this, approximately 48 semi-finalists were invited to Los Angeles in April 2009 for final interviews with the producers. Initially, there were supposed to have only 18 contestants for the season, but it was increased to 20, at cost of the budget allotted for the family visit being repurposed to accommodate the two additional castaways: Ashley Trainer and Erik Cardona.https://ew.com/tv/survivor-samoa-erik-cardona-quarantine-questionnaire/
Survivor: Samoa and the succeeding season, , were filmed back-to-back. Day 39 of Samoa and Day 1 of Heroes vs. Villains were 20 days apart, giving Russell Hantz only a few days to prepare.
==Twists/Changes==
*Tribe Composition: The twenty castaways were divided into two tribes of ten.
* Tribe Leaders: At the beginning of the game, both tribes voted for a tribe "leader." This leader (symbolized by a necklace, not to be confused with the Immunity Necklace) would make decisions in challenges such as assigning tasks for tribe mates, sit-outs, etc. After a Reward Challenge, the winning tribe's leader would also assign one of his tribe mates to be an "observer." If a leader gets eliminated, the tribe must select a new one to replace them.
* The "Observer": Following a Reward Challenge, one member from the winning tribe would be selected by the tribe leader to go to the opposing tribe's camp, and would return to them at the next Immunity Challenge. This person would hand the tribe a clue to the whereabouts of a Hidden Immunity Idol at their camp.
* Hidden Immunity Idol: A Hidden Immunity Idol will be hidden at both camps. Both idols are usable until the Day 36 Tribal Council.
* Double Tribal Council: Both tribes would go to separate Tribal Council sessions to eliminate a player. This would be cancelled due to Russell Swan's medical evacuation.
* Early Merge: For the first time in history, the merge occurred with 12 players.
* Expanded Jury and Final Three: Instead of the conventional Final Two facing the jury of seven, the Day 39 Tribal Council was held with three finalists facing a nine-person jury.
==Castaways==
Contestant	Contestant 	Tribe Affiliation	Tribe Affiliation	Finish	VotesAgainst
Contestant	Contestant 	Original Tribe 	Merged Tribe 	Finish	VotesAgainst
 	Marisa Calihan25, Cincinnati, OHStudent 	 	 	 	7
 	Mike Borassi62, Marina del Rey, CAPersonal Chef 	 	 	 	0
 	Betsy Bolan48, Campton, NHPolice Officer 	 	 	 	7
 	Ben Browning28, Los Angeles, CABar Manager 	 	 	 	7
 	Yasmin Giles33, Los Angeles, CAHairstylist 	 	 	 	8
 	Ashley Trainer22, Maple Grove, MNSpa Saleswoman 	 	 	 	9
 	Russell Swan42, Glenside, PAAttorney 	 	 	 	0
 	Liz Kim33, New York City, NYUrban Planner 	 	 	 	5
 	Erik Cardona28, Los Angeles, CABartender 	 	rowspan="12" 	 	10
 	Kelly Sharbaugh25, San Diego, CAHairstylist 	 	 	4 	
 	Laura Morett39, Salem, OROffice Manager 	 	 	10 	
 	John Fincher25, Santa Monica, CARocket Scientist 	 	 	7 	
 	Dave Ball38, Los Angeles, CAFitness Instructor 	 	 	8 	
 	Monica Padilla24, San Diego, CALaw Student 	 	 	7 	
 	Shambo Waters45, Renton, WASaleswoman 	 	 	6 	
 	Jaison Robinson28, Chicago, ILLaw Student 	 	 	7 	
 	Brett Clouser23, Los Angeles, CAT-shirt Designer 	 	 	3 	
 	Mick Trimming33, Los Angeles, CADoctor 	 	SecondRunner-Up 	4 	
 	Russell Hantz36, Dayton, TXOil Company Owner 	 	Runner-Up 	9 	
 	Natalie White26, Van Buren, ARPharmaceutical Saleswoman	 	Sole Survivor 	8 	
==Season Summary==
Based only on first impressions, the tribes were told to vote one of their own as a "leader" who, for the tribal portion of the game, would make critical decisions at certain challenges, in particular, selecting one member of their tribe to spend the day after Reward Challenges with the other tribe through which they would receive a clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol. Foa Foa selected Mick as their leader, while Galu picked Russell S. as their leader.
Foa Foa's Russell H. attempted to make living conditions harsher for Foa Foa by sabotaging his own tribe by dumping water out of canteens and burning his tribemates' socks. Russell H.'s risky move proved effective as Foa Foa performed dismally in challenges, and consequentially, the tribe was quickly decimated. At the same time, Russell H. took complete control of Foa Foa by making individual alliances with each of his tribemates. 
Before the merge, the opposing Galu tribe had won eight challenges, while Foa Foa won only one Reward Challenge and one Immunity Challenge. The Galu members became increasingly relaxed and lazy as they continued their winning streak, which Shambo resented. Shambo also felt alienated from her tribe after she was excluded from a reward by Russell S. and, while visiting with the Foa Foa tribe, she began to grow roots within the yellow tribe.
The two tribes merged with twelve players left; Galu had the advantage of eight players over Foa Foa's four, though Shambo clearly showed favoritism towards Foa Foa. Natalie was able to convince Galu to vote off Erik along with the rest of Foa Foa. At this vote, Russell H. had played his Hidden Immunity Idol, but was able to find the rehidden idol in its new location, again without clues, before the next Tribal Council. Russell H. played his new idol there, saving himself and eliminating Kelly.
As Shambo switched allegiances to side with the former Foa Foa members, the next vote first ended in a tie, but John, worried about being eliminated from the game by the rock-pulling Tiebreaker, flipped his vote, and aligned with the former Foa Foas to eliminate Laura, the leader of the Galu Alliance. With Foa Foa now in the majority, they held together for the rest of the game, systematically eliminating the former Galu members one by one. Their plans were halted when Brett went on an Immunity Challenge winning streak, resulting in Foa Foa having to turn on each other. Brett lost the Final Immunity Challenge and was voted out, leaving the Final Three as Russell H., Natalie, and Mick.
At the Final Tribal Council, Mick was mostly ignored by the jury for his poor leadership that led to Foa Foa's failure in challenges, while Russell H. was berated for his unethical game strategy. In the end, Natalie's superior social game made her the nineteenth Sole Survivor in a 7-2-0 vote over Russell and Mick respectively.
==Voting History==
==Trivia==
* Samoa is the first season since to not have a subtitle.
* This season's rendition of "Ancient Voices" is remixed with another track from the season's soundtrack entitled Samoa Tomeah.
* As stated during the Reunion Show, Samoa was originally planned to have only 18 castaways.
* Samoa has the first person to be disqualified from a challenge due to foul behavior since several members of 's Sook Jai tribe did so.
** However, because the disqualified players in Thailand broke a specific rule, Ben Browning is the first player to be arbitrarily ejected from a challenge at the sole judgement of Jeff Probst.
* Samoa set the record for the largest Tribal Council with 13 players, which occurred on Day 15 after Russell Swan was pulled from the game. It was eventually tied by the first post-merge Tribal Council of and several subsequent seasons.
* Samoa was the first season to have the merged tribe consist of more than ten members.
** Consequently, this season was the first in which a player received more than nine votes at a single Tribal Council, excluding revotes.
* Samoa is the first time that Ulonging happened to one tribe and Pagonging happened to another.
* Samoa is the first season where a woman won a Final Three.
* The necklace Jeff Probst that wore this season was made by contestant Gina Crews.http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20354695_20343257,00.html#2073853
* All four returning players from Samoa have been voted out pre-merge in subsequent seasons.
** Russell Hantz made it to the Final Tribal Council in , but was voted out pre-merge in , while Laura Morett had been voted out pre-merge in , but eventually returned to the game via and placed 6th.
==References==
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Category:Survivor (U.S.)
Category:Survivor: Samoa