Rewatch: Survivor: Borneo (Season 1)

I don't think I can ever forget the spring/summer of 2000. Little did I know then, but I was set on a path that I'd follow for years to come. Eleven years later, I realize that so much as changed in my life. And yet, oddly enough, some things are the same. . .

My grandfather died in March of that year, finally succumbing to pneumonia after spending weeks under medical care. Trouble is, he was in good health during the Holidays and no one would have thought that he would pass away in a matter of weeks. That's when it dawned upon me that life is short. Also, life's a bitch. And that if I didn't seize the day, then perhaps I'd never do what I've always wanted to do. My grandfather's death opened my eyes and changed my perspective on life in general. I had always wanted to travel but had never had the courage to leave my comfort zone, because none of my friends wanted to do the sort of adventures I was into. So when we left the funeral home, I had made up my mind that I was going to fly away as soon as possible. Bought a Greece guidebook the next day during my lunch break and made an appointment to a nearby travel agency for the following Monday. A few days later, my flights and trip were booked. I would be spending three weeks traveling around Greece, including a 7-day cruise through the Greek Isles and Turkey. Needless to say, that trip changed my life. A couple of years down the line, and here I am with 44 different countries under my belt. And a whole world left unexplored. . .

I returned home the last week of May. Took a few days off to get rid of jetlag before going back to work. Laugh it up if you must, but I've always been a fan of The Price is Right! Bob Barker was the shit, there's no doubt about it! Late spring and summer are, in North America at least, a wasteland as far as the television industry is concerned. It's the time of reruns and pilots, for no one really watches much TV during summertime. CBS, whose ship seemed to be going down, was marketing a new reality show quite aggressively. During every commercial break from The Price is Right, we'd get a Survivor ad. So much so that, my curiosity getting the better of me, I was intrigued enough to give the premiere a shot.

On May 31st 2000, at 8:00pm, I watched "The Marooning," the very first episode of a brand new TV show called Survivor. Little did I know then, but it would become a veritable phenomenon. There were more than 15.5 millions of us watching that Wednesday night. Before long, the show would attract over 25 million viewers every week. The grand finale attracted an incredible 51.7 million viewers! "Outwit, Outplay, and Outlast," was on everyone's mind, it appeared.

As a matter of course, I watched every single episode as it was aired. I watched the reruns aired by CBS a few weeks following the Survivor finale. And the rest, as they say, is history. I haven't missed an episode since then!

On a whim, I purchased the Survivor: Borneo DVD set (Canada, USA, Europe) a few weeks back. I haven't watched this season since it was last aired on television, so it will be interesting to see how it measures up against all those that came after.

During this episode-by-episode rewatch, I'll analyze and offer commentary on each installment, hoping that the very first season of Survivor will have survived the test of time and delight me the way the show did back in 2000.

One thing's for sure: I can't wait to be reunited with Richard, Rudy, Sue, Gervase, Jenna, and the rest of the crew! =)