Survivor: Africa

***Survivor: Africa*** is the third season of the reality TV show *Survivor*.

## Development

The season was filmed in Kenya, where the contestants had to put up with extreme heat conditions and dangerous wildlife. Because there were man-killing animals in the area, the tribes lived in thorny enclosures like local tribal Kenyans do.

The series later returned to the African continent for its seventeenth season, which was filmed in Gabon.

Because of the September 11, 2001 attacks, this season's premiere was delayed. As a result, this became the first season to be aired over multiple calendar years.

## Twist/Changes

* **Tribe Switch:** For the first time in the history of the series, tribe members switched tribes during the tribal phase.
* **39-Day Format:** The season was filmed under the standard 39 days, unlike the previous season, which was three days longer.

## Season Summary

16 new castaways were marooned on the outskirts of the Shaba National Reserve, Kenya, Africa. The group was divided into two tribes named after two real-life Kenyan tribes, Samburu and Boran. During the first nine days, Samburu dominated in challenges, while the depleted Boran lost three members. Despite their early winning streak, Samburu was controlled by a strong voting alliance: the alliance that classed themselves as the stronger people (Kate Argent, Isabelle Hartley, Lex van den Berghe, Jesse Katsopolis and Tom Buchanan). After losing the fourth Immunity Challenge, Samburu's stronger alliance persuaded the rest of the tribe to vote out Kimmy Gibbler. However during tribal coucil, Isabelle was dissapproving of Kate's behaviour towards Kimmy, causing a rift.

Just when it seemed that things had really began to gain momentum with both tribes, a new unexpected twist shook things up. On Day 13, both tribes were given the vaguest Tree Mail yet, asking them to send half of their tribe "to a quest". Samburu chose Kate Argent, Jesse Katsopolis, and Lex van den Berghe for strength, while Boran chose strategically picking a balance of talents and choosing Emily Fields, Ted Wilson and Patrick Jane. Everything turned on its head when Jeff announced that they will be switching tribes. This gave Kate, Lex and Jesse the chance to take control in a majority Boran, Samburu tribe. After losing the next immunity challenge, the group targetted Dottie Underwood feeling that Teresa was an easy vote for later. Despite getting excited afterwards about the prospect of removing two original Samburu's from the game, this didn't happen as Boran lost the next immunity challenge and the newly formed alliance of Frank Reagan, Isabelle Hartley and Lena Adams planned to vote off Ted Wilson. However Tom, easily swayed by the former Samburu members was persuaded to vote with them and blindside Lena, sending her home just before the merge.

On Day 19, the two tribes merged to form the Moto Maji tribe. The original Samburu members, Teresa, Ted, Emily and Patrick entered into the merge in a precarious position being down 4 members to Boran's 6. Despite initially counting on Tom to even things out, it proved that their trust was misplaced when he stuck with his original tribe members to vote out Ted for being a jury threat. This streak continued for the next vote and Teresa was sent home. Fearing being picked off next, Patrick saw a crack between Isabelle and Kate and decided to try to intervene to get at least one of them on side. This gave Kate the motivation to vote out Isballe. However after Isabelle won individual immunity, causing Kate to gun for Lex as a threat. However after she went to Frank he felt unsure about Kate's loyalty and the original Boran tribe decided to vote her out. This gave Emily and Patrick the motivation they needed and the pair managed to team up with Lex and Jesse to vote out Tom, fearing him another threat to take to the end. This left Frank and Isabelle feeling on the outs, a fear that proved well placed when they were both voted off one after the other.

This left a final four of Lex, Jesse, Emily and Patrick. Emily won the next immunity and decided to vote out Jesse, Lex voted with them to save himself. When he went on to win the final challenge, he decided to take Emily to the final, fearing Patrick would win.

At the Final Tribal Council, Lex was met with mixed criticism from the jury. He was preeched to about loyalty, yet praised for being strategic. Emily was praised for lasting so long, yet quizzed about her strategic game. In the end the jury voted 5-2 for Emily to win due to her more active strategy and congenial personality and she was named the third Sole Survivor.

## Trivia

* This is the first season to feature multiple castaways with the same first name. There were two contestants named Kim: Kim Johnson and Kim Powers.
* This is the first season in which the first two eliminated contestants are of the same gender.
* This is the first season to be set in the African continent.
* The only season that takes place in a landlocked area.
* This is the only season to use the trivia quiz tiebreaker.
* This season marks the first Tribal Switch.
* During the finale, after Jeff collected the final votes, the producers made it appear as if he returned to the original Tribal Council site to read them. After he read them and announced Ethan Zohn was the winner, it was revealed that the votes were actually read live on the CBS sound stage made to look like the site. This would be repeated two seasons later in *Survivor: Thailand*.
* This is the first season in which the winner was not decided by one vote.

## References

1. ↑ http://www.medialifemagazine.com/news2002/jan02/jan14/3\_wed/news1wednesday.html
2. ↑ http://www.spottedratings.com/2011/12/spotvault-survivor-cbs-fall-2001.html