Last year, after Inside Survivor first revealed the Season 34 cast, Rob Brodeur broke down the various stats relating to the returning cast. With the cast and tribes now officially announced, Rob returns to look at even more pre-season stats ahead of next week’s Survivor: Game Changers premiere.
Tribes
- Malcolm Freberg, Jeff Varner, and Andrea Boehlke are the only 3+ time players this season to never be on the same colored starting tribe more than once.
- Malcolm: Matsing (blue), Bikal (purple), and Mana (red).
- Jeff: Kucha (blue), Ta Keo (green), and Mana (red).
- Andrea: Ometepe (orange), Bikal (purple), and Nuku (blue).
- In both Worlds Apart and Game Changers, Sierra Dawn-Thomas was on a blue starting tribe (Escameca, Nuku) and Hali Ford was on a red starting tribe (Nagarote, Mana).
- In both Kaoh Rong and Game Changers, Debbie Wanner was on a blue starting tribe (Chan Loh, Nuku).
- Both of the four-time players this season (Cirie Fields and Ozzy Lusth) have never been swapped from their original starting tribe.
- Cirie was a part of two tribe swaps in Panama and Micronesia, but stayed on Casaya and Malakal, respectively. There was no tribe swap in Heroes vs. Villains.
- Ozzy was part of two tribe swaps in Cook Islands and Micronesia but stayed on Aitutaki and Malakal, respectively. There was no tribe swap in South Pacific.
- Every time Cirie has played, she has been on either a blue starting tribe (Heroes, Nuku) or purple starting tribe (Casaya, Malakal).
- Also, in all four of Cirie’s seasons, there has been either purple vs. orange tribes or red vs. blue tribes.
- Brad Culpepper, Caleb Reynolds, JT Thomas, and Sandra Diaz-Twine are the only players this season to never be involved in a tribe switch.
- This is the second full returning player season to have red and blue starting tribes.
- The other was Heroes vs. Villains.
- Cirie, JT, and Sandra are the only players this season to never have worn a buff with their tribe names on them.
- Mana Tribe
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- Mana is the Fijian word for “power.”
- It is also named for Mana Island in Fiji.
- Average player placement: 7.95
- Average age: 35.2
- Seasons represented by Mana members: The Australian Outback, Pearl Islands, Heroes vs. Villains, One World, Philippines, Caramoan, Blood vs. Water, Cagayan, Worlds Apart, Cambodia, Kaoh Rong, and Millennials vs. Gen X. (12 seasons)
- Mana is the 17th red tribe in Survivor history.
- Mana is the Fijian word for “power.”
- Nuku Tribe
- Nuku is the Fijian word for “sand.”
- It is also named for the Nuku district in Fiji.
- Average player placement: 7.65
- Average age: 37.6
- Seasons represented by Nuku members: Panama, Cook Islands, Micronesia, Tocantins, Heroes vs. Villains, Redemption Island, South Pacific, Caramoan, Blood vs. Water, Cagayan, Worlds Apart, Kaoh Rong, and& Millennials vs. Gen X. (13 seasons)
- This is the second time Cirie has played on the same tribe as JT and Ozzy. She was on the Heroes tribe with JT in Heroes vs. Villains, and the Malakal tribe with Ozzy in Micronesia.
- Nuku is the 20th blue tribe in Survivor history.
- Blue is the most recurring tribe color in Survivor.
- Nuku is the Fijian word for “sand.”
Cast
- Sandra is the only 3+ time player that has never gone to the first tribal council of the season, while Andrea, Cirie, Jeff, JT, and Malcolm have gone to every first tribal council in their seasons.
- Ozzy and Ciera Eastin are the only two 3+ time players this season that have won and lost at least one of their first immunity challenges.
- In her first three appearances, Cirie played every four seasons.
- Panama was season 12.
- Micronesia was season 16.
- Heroes vs. Villains was season 20.
- Sandra has had a seven-year gap between each season she’s played.
- Pearl Islands aired in 2003.
- Heroes vs. Villains aired in 2010.
- Game Changers is airing in 2017.
- Both Ozzy and Cirie have played in four different locations in four different seasons, never repeating the same location.
- Ozzy: Cook Islands, Micronesia, Samoa (South Pacific), Fiji (Game Changers).
- Cirie: Panama, Micronesia, Samoa (Heroes vs. Villains), Fiji (Game Changers).
- Fellow four timer Rob Mariano also shares this feat, while Rupert Boneham has played in repeat locations.
- Rob: Marquesas, Panama (All-Stars), Samoa (Heroes vs. Villains), Nicaragua (Redemption Island).
- Rupert: Panama (Pearl Islands & All-Stars), Samoa (Heroes vs. Villains), Philippines (Blood vs. Water).
- Cirie, JT, and Sandra have the biggest gap between returning this season, having played in Heroes vs. Villains, 14 seasons and seven years ago.
- Michaela Bradshaw and Zeke Smith have the smallest gap, having just played in Millennials vs. Gen X.
- Andrea and Cirie are the only 3+ time players this season to have only played on even numbered seasons.
- Cirie and Boston Rob are the only four-time players to play on only even numbered seasons.
- Ozzy, JT, Sandra, Troyzan, Malcolm, Andrea, Tony, and Tai have previously found at least one hidden immunity idol.
- Sandra, Troyzan, Malcolm, and Tony have all played a hidden immunity idol.
- Ozzy and Andrea are the only two to be voted out with a hidden immunity idol in their possession.
- Andrea was the first female to be voted out with a hidden immunity idol in her possession in Caramoan.
- JT gave his idol to Russell Hantz in Heroes vs. Villains.
- Tai never used his idol in Kaoh Rong.
- Samoa, Nicaragua, and San Juan Del Sur are the only seasons between Tocantins and Millennials vs. Gen X not to have anyone represented in this season.
- Andrea, Ciera, and Malcolm are the only 3+ time players this season who have only been on seasons that featured a Final Three instead of a Final Two.
- JT is the only returning winner this season to have been previously voted out.
- JT, however, is the only returning winner to play a perfect game.
- If Jeff or Ozzy win Game Changers, then their original season will have had three different winners from the original cast.
- Jeff – The Australian Outback (Tina won this season, Amber won All-Stars).
- Ozzy – Cook Islands (Yul won this season, Parvati won Micronesia).
- JT or Sandra winning would achieve a similar feat, but they would be counted twice or three times.
- JT – Tocantins (JT won this season, Tyson won Blood vs. Water).
- Sandra – Pearl Islands (Sandra won this season and Heroes vs. Villains).
- Currently, the record for most winners from a newbie season is two.
- The Australian Outback (Tina & Amber)
- Marquesas (Vecepia & Boston Rob)
- Pearl Islands (Sandra x 2)
- Cook Islands (Yul & Parvati)
- Tocantins (JT & Tyson)
- South Pacific (Sophie & Cochran)
- San Juan Del Sur (Natalie & Jeremy)
- Currently, the record for most winners from a newbie season is two.
Stay tuned to Inside Survivor for more Game Changers news and features. And don’t forget to check out our Playing With Game Changers interviews. Survivor: Game Changers premieres March 8, 2017, on CBS.
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“Andrea was the first female to be voted out with a hidden immunity idol in her possession in Caramoan”
Actually it was Taj in Survivor Tocantins!
But great info, love those curiosities!
In Tocantins, the last time idols could be played was at the Final Five. taj placed 4th.
Ohh, never realized that, my fault, lol! Thanks!! 🙂
Taj couldn’t play her’s at final 4 so I don’t think most people consider that being voted out with an idol in her pocket.
Yeah, just learned that, I was misinformed, thanks! haha
Pretty sure Stephen was in possession of the idol. But, love those curiosities!
People corrected me about the whole thing, Taj was voted out in 4th place and the idol could only be used at the F5!
Yes, it was indeed Andrea. Taj had the idol but it was unplayable anymore at the Final 4.