Survivor Samoa

Samoa looks set to host several more seasons of Survivor following reports today the Pacific Island nation has been booked.

While no official announcement has been made, travel sources are saying that Samoa’s Aggie Grey’s Resort has been block booked for four months from May 16 for four months.

Tonga was initially slated as the next host nation but CBS pulled out due to a lack of resources on the islands.

The 19th and 20th seasons of the American reality show were filmed in Samoa in 2009 and with seasons 23 and 24 looking set to be based there, Samoa will become the most popular venue for the show.

Source: Stuff

Channel Nine’s pre ratings week features the finale and reunion show for Survivor Samoa. On Monday nights, new Two and a Half Men return, followed by Big Bang Theory. The Mentalist remains at 8.30 Mondays but may still be a repeat. A new series of Customs in on 8pm Wednesdays, and the 2010 return of Getaway is back to dominate 7.30pm Thursdays. So called adults only 20-1 is also back on Thursday nights.

Key shows for 2010 inlcuding Underbelly – the Golden Mile, V and Top Gear will most likely hit Nine’s line up after the Winter Olympics.

On Sunday Jan 31, against the AUstralian Open Men’s final is Australia Vs Pakstan One Day Crcket.

Mon Feb 1
7:30pm Two and a Half Men. Series Return.
8:00pm The Big Bang Theory. Series Return.
8:30pm The Mentalist (details TBA)
9:30pm TBA
10:30pm CSI: Miami rpt
11:30pm Nightline

Tue Feb 2
7:30pm Survivor: Samoa. 2 hr finale
9:30pm Survivor: Samoa. Reunion
10:20pm Kitchen Nightmares: USA.
11:20pm Nightline

Wed Feb 3
7:30pm Two and a Half Men rpt
8:00pm Customs. New Series
8:30pm Cold Case
9:30pm Cold Case rpt
10:30pm Without a Trace
11:30pm Nightline

Thu Feb 4
7:30pm Getaway. New Series.
8:30pm Adults Only 20 to 1
9:30pm CSI: NY
10:30pm CSI: NY rpt

Fri Feb 5
7:30pm Twenty 20: Aus v Pakistan (Bris: check local guide)
10:30pm Movie: Executive Decision rpt (9:30pm Bris)
1:10am Movie: Storytelling (12:10am Bris)

Sat Feb 6
7:30pm Movie: Looney Tunes Back in Action rpt
9:30pm Movie: Vertical Limit rpt
12:00am Movie: Ripley’s Game
2:10am Movie: Carry On Screaming rpt

Programming info from TV Tonight, and subject to change and amendments.

At the risk of being labelled a Channel Nine basher, there is even more to say about Nine promotions that either stretch the truth or treat viewers with little or no respect. While the perception maybe that television is being more and more dumbed down these days, what Nine did with Survivor this week has got to be the ultimate in treating viewers like idiots.

Promotions running for Survivor this week (week 3 – Tue Jan 12) pitched the show as a double episode. Promotions circled around the elimination at the end of the show stating that “you won’t believe what happens”.

It was true – Survivor was on for two hours, but the first episode was a summary episode showing what had happened over the previous episodes so far. This episode would have been a great way for people who had not been watching the show from the start of the series to see what had happened leading up to the position we are now in. But for those of us who had already seen them all, it became quite boring. Even the ratings were down in this episode compared to the new full episode that followed it. Even during the summary episode, Nine were promoting the fact that you need to stay tuned for the next episode and see the elimination.

What Nine should have done is promote the summary episode so that people who have not watched the show or missed parts, could see how events had panned out. And for those who had already seen all the Survivor episodes, could use the summary episode to re-live the experience so far. And to keep people in who might otherwise tune out, tell us that there was going to be some unseen footage involved. And then – from 8.30 – see who goes next, etc. But – no – Nine did not use the opportunity wisely, instead hoping that the audience would think that it was perhaps a two hour episode with a very long “previously on Survivor” section compared to usual.

I have been watching Survivor Samoa from the start, and found myself watching only the first half of the summary episode before getting bored with it (as the events were too recent given that we get two episodes a week of it – so I remember them too well) and fast forwarding through to get to the start of the new episode.

Survivor Samoa continues on Nine Tue Jan 19 in another double episode from 7.30pm. Jan 26, Survivor is off for a week due to the Cricket, returning Tue Feb 2.

Survivor Heroes and Villains – the next series which puts the worst and the best of people from previous series together – including Russell from Samoa – premieres on Nine after the Winter Olympics. It commences in the US Feb 11.

8:30pm – Tuesday, December 22 on Channel Nine

Over on the Galu tribe, the castaways are enduring their fifth straight day of rain. John still believes the tribe’s leader Russell made a mistake by choosing pillows instead of a tarp for protection from the rain.

Meanwhile, the others think Russell is just working too hard in the rain. On Foa Foa, everyone is also trying to stay dry and warm but Russell thinks his tribe mates are showing too much weakness.

The next morning the rain stops and Galu are able to wake up to a rainbow across the ocean. The tribes meet for their Reward Challenge and Jeff tells them that both tribes will be going to Tribal Council. During the challenge, Russell on Galu passes out and the medical team is called in to check on him. Jeff makes the decision to end the challenge without a winner and both tribes return to their beach while Russell is examined by the medical team. When Galu returns to their campsite, it starts to rain again, and everyone’s mind is on their leader, Russell. Back at the challenge site, the medics take Russell out of the game for safety reasons.

On Foa Foa, the tribe is upset knowing that they are going back to Tribal Council. Natalie and Liz both know they are the next to go, but Liz tries to change things around. On Galu, all the girls agree that “Shambo” should go. But the guys think Monica is the weakest on the tribe. At Tribal Council, both tribes meet and discuss the game. Jeff then announces that because of Russell’s departure, Tribal Council is cancelled and no one will be voted out.

7:30pm – Tuesday, December 22 on Channel Nine

Galu returns from Tribal Council and “Shambo” is surprised to find out she was the only one who did not vote for Yasmine. The others comment how the campsite is better without Yas and Monica targets “Shambo” because of her vote. The next morning both tribes notice that the waves and tides in the ocean have been stronger than usual. The tribes then get tree mail telling them their next reward challenge is a food eating challenge. After Galu wins the challenge, Russell sends “Shambo” to visit Foa Foa meaning she would miss out on the reward of steaks and sausages, a decision that does not go over well with “Shambo”.

On Galu, everyone is ready for the barbeque and Russell can’t start the fire, but Dave comes to the rescue and the tribe enjoys their steaks. Back on Foa Foa, “Shambo” shares all the clues for the hidden immunity idol with the others, but when they can’t find it, Liz suspects Russell has it and that he is lying about it.

That evening, it starts raining and both tribes are miserable and suffer through the rainstorm which continues on during the Immunity Challenge. After Foa Foa loses the challenge, the tribe mates try to keep dry from the rain by sitting in their shelter. As a result, no one is able to talk to each other about who they are planning to vote for. However at Tribal Council, the entire tribe are unanimous in their vote.

From the network who won the 2009 prize for the most programming changes comes two changes for summer programming. While Ten was the first with a summer program change (honestly, did they really think anyone would watch the US version of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader) Nine is still the one when it comes to last minute programming changes and making fans of certain shows unhappy.

After having the season of Survivor Tocantins rushed through on GO at the rate of up to five episodes a week, Nine are at it again with Survivor Samoa. Left from Nine’s schedule since last summer, Survivor fans were rewarded with the launch of GO when Survivor Gabon aired on Tuesday nights. That quickly followed with Survivor Tocantins in November. Now we know, the haste in getting through the series was to clear the way for Nine to air the current Survivor series – Samoa on Tuesday nights on Nine.

Survivor Samoa in the US is up to the 12^th week. Nine so far have shown one, with the second to follow next week. But from December 15 onwards. Survivor Samoa on Nine will be played out in double episodes. This will give Nine the chance to catch up to the US and minimise the chance of the winner of the series being leaked in Australia before Nine finishes the series.

But why must everything be done in doubles? While I don’t mind seeing more of some shows, I really find that showing double episodes is non creative programming. With so little worth watching on free to air during summer so far, why not put Survivor on two nights a week at 7.30? What about Tuesday and Wednesday nights? Give Two and a Half Men a break completely – put the new show the Middle (to be on Monday nights 8pm from Dec 6) together with What’s Good For You on Mondays, leave Two and a Half Men out altogether for a well earned summer break.

Survivor is Nine’s first programming change, the second is to dump ER in favour of a repeat of CSI: NY. As an ER fan, holding out since last summer to see the 14^th season of the show, I find this change extremely frustrating. Not only is ER out of Nine’s schedule altogether , it is yet another first run show that is nearly two years behind the original US air date now being replaced by a repeat of a show. But not only a repeat, a repeat of the same show airing before it in one of these ridiculous doubles. As if a repeat of CSI: NY will rate any better than ER.

And the only reason ER no longer rates is probably because the fans have had enough. Never mind the fact that it was not on for the last two weeks, and its return this week may not have been noticed as shows outside of 6pm – 10.30pm seem never to be promoted these days.

Now that ER is two years old, Nine need to wither play them out late at night at the rate of at least three episodes a week – what is wrong with after midnight when the ratings don’t count (but don’t get me started on the contradiction of so called non-ratings periods and the fact that the networks mess with schedules still as a result of shows that don’t rate as well as they would have liked – not to mention the fact that ratings are still reported the same way they are all year) – or give up the rights so the show can go to pay TV and then onto DVD. Earlier this year, 111 Hits played ER seasons 9 – 13. Season 14 is where Nine is up to now, with season 15 being the last ever of ER.

In summary:

Thursday Dec 10 – 10.30pm. ER replaced by repeats of CSI: NY. A new CSI: NY still airs at 9.30pm

Tuesday Dec 15 – 7.30pm. Survivor Samoa to air in double episodes. Tuesday night movies will start at 9.30pm.

Programming info from TV Tonight.

[updated] Nine have released their summer line up for the week commencing Sunday November 29 2009.

At 7pm weeknights, Two and a Half Men will finally get a bit of a break with a 30 minute daily Australia’s Funniest Home Videos airing at 7pm weekdays. 7.30 – 9.30 Monday looks the same as it does now except the shows are repeats. Flashpoint returns at 9.30 Monday (let’s hope they play them in order).

On Tuesday at 7.30, Survivor returns to Nine with Survivor Samoa after having the last two series played on GO. Double episodes of Cold Case fill Wednesday nights while Thursday sees the first series of Rescue Special Ops played out in repeats, followed by CSI New York and ER at 10.30pm (thankfully they are continuing with ER).

Wipeout fills the Video Shows Saturday time slot – which prompts the question – with at least four GO shows now in Nine, will these shows continue on both channels or just migrate to Nine leaving different shows on GO? Perhaps not, if the GO schedule for this week remains unchanged.

Here is the programming summary:

Sunday Nov 29
6.30 20 to 1 repeats
7.30 David Attenborough’s Life in Cold Blood repeat.
8.30 Movies: Firewall, followed by Suspect Zero.

Monday Nov 30
6.30 ACA
7.00 Australia’s Funniest Home Videos – daily edition
7.30 Two and a Half Men repeat
8.00 Big Bang Theory repeat
8.30 The Mentalist Repeat
9.30 Flashpoint – new episodes
10.30 Burying Brian
11.30 Nine Late News

Tuesday Dec 1
7.30 Survivor: Samoa
8.30 Movie: Oceans Thirteen rpt
11:00 Secret Diary of a Call Girl rpt 2 eps

Wednesday Dec 2
7.30 Two and a Half Men rpt
8.00 What’s Good For You
8.30 Cold Case
9.30 Cold Case rpt
10.30 True CSI
11.30 Nine Late News

Thursday Dec 3
7.30 Getaway
8,30 Rescue: Special Ops rpt
9.30 CSI New York
10.30 ER
11.30 Nine Late News

Friday Dec 4
7.30 Motorway Patrol
8.00 Rapid Response
8.30 Movie: The Last Samurai
11.45 Nine’s Late News

Saturday Dec 5
6.30 Wipeout
7.30 Crusoe
9.30 Special: The Making of Avatar
10.00 Movie: Jammed

Programming information from Tv Tonight.