# Survivor 48 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** reality-or-game-show\ **Created:** [February 27, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872 "2025-02-27T15:08:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/221 "2025-05-29T15:14:31Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Lots of characters who arent "villains’. You dont need player spilling the rice, or other acts of sabotage. I mean, there’s a range of “villain” with actual camp sabotage at the extreme end. That’s pretty rare (and I don’t remember anyone in the 50 cast doing anything like that). ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/222 "2025-05-29T15:31:02Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I dont get the Eva hate. Because she didn’t _ **do** _ anything. She couldn’t have won the challenge she won without Joe. All of the puzzles and advantages she accumulated weren’t played or utilized. The advantage she got on reward was handed to her by the producers (assigned seating, in her chip bowl). It was painfully obvious by the edits she was pushed on us by the producers. She had zero strategic input. In her confessionals she became aloof and obviously rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. Speaking for myself, I enjoy watching players fight for their final spots. Coat-tailing or being carried to the end is boring. I’m sure in real life she’s a great person. And good for her that there are people like Joe who will watch out for people in need. The world needs more of that and I’m all for it. I don’t “hate” Eva. But I watch Survivor because I like to see people battle it out for the million dollars. If she can’t or won’t do that on her own, then I’m free to exercise my opinion that she is a drag to my viewing pleasure. > [@DrDeth](#): > > Look sure, she was in a tight pair with Joe, but so was Kamilla. Kyle saved her at least twice from being voted off. To compare Eva to Kamilla is laughable. Kamilla was one of the strongest strategic players this seasons as evidenced by the fact the jury almost unanimously said that had she, Kamilla, made it to the final 3, she would have been given the million - above Kyle even. Eva is no Kamilla. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/223 "2025-05-29T15:32:40Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I mean, there’s a range of “villain” with actual camp sabotage at the extreme end. That’s pretty rare (and I don’t remember anyone in the 50 cast doing anything like that). Exactly. You said it better than I was going to. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/224 "2025-05-29T15:41:30Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Mahaloth](#): > > > > I liked Eva enough to see her do another season. > > Same here, but she would team up with Joe again. My guess is that, were that to happen with seasoned players, both would be voted off pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/225 "2025-05-29T15:59:24Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > assigned seating Wait, is this true? They actually told everyone where to sit and plopped an advantage right in front of Eva’s seat? That seems pretty sketchy for a show that is bound by FCC game-show laws. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/226 "2025-05-29T16:30:44Z")
I’m pretty sure there were name placards at the table, to show the players where to sit. And each player had their own chip bowl. ETA: Researching, I see I’m not the only one who caught it. This from Reddit: > [@](#): > > Did anyone notice that the reward had name plates for each player? Eva was supposed to get the advantage, it was in her bowl of chips and she was the furthest away from everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/227 "2025-05-29T17:30:51Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Because she didn’t _ **do** _ anything. She couldn’t have won the challenge she won without Joe. That could be said of anyone in a team challenge. Even Joe cant win a team challenge by himself. > [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > All of the puzzles and advantages she accumulated weren’t played or utilized. Oh yes it was. Just the knowledge that she had an idol and could play it on Joe or herself prevented much thought along those lines. > [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Kamilla was one of the strongest strategic players this seasons as evidenced by the fact the jury almost unanimously said that had she, Kamilla, made it to the final 3, she would have been given the million - above Kyle even. Sorta, but their support was meaningless, maybe they joined it just to make her feel better. > [@Wheelz](#): > > Wait, is this true? They actually told everyone where to sit and plopped an advantage right in front of Eva’s seat? Not that Dalton Ross said on his EW recap. So, it appears not to be true. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/228 "2025-05-29T17:54:26Z")
Oh, and note the fire making competition- Kam couldnt even make a basic fire, Eva won easily. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/229 "2025-05-29T18:01:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Oh yes it was. Just the knowledge that she had an idol and could play it on Joe or herself prevented much thought along those lines. Ridiculous. Just ask all the people that go home with idols in their pockets. The very fact that she never played them during the game (except when it was expiring and everyone knew it) proves your theory wrong. > [@DrDeth](#): > > Not that Dalton Ross said on his EW recap. So, it appears not to be true. So you’re telling me what I saw with my own eyes isn’t true? Here’s a tiny sampling of the comments in the internet: _“It’s the fact that it was designated seating. producers placed the advantage in the chips in Eva’s spot.”_ _“I dont like this they are basically handing the game to Eva”_ _“She didn’t find it. IT WAS RIGGED FOR HER. i’m SO mad. each SEAT was Assigned to the players the scroll was on Eva’s SEAT. so unfair”_ _“Are we going to talk about how they rigged it so she could get that advantage? it was in the bowl of chips that only she could reach”_ _“ **Advantages** in **food** are cool, but they basically handed it to just **Eva** and no one else. They gave them assigned seats and the **advantage** was in her bowl of **chips** ”_ And on and on and on… You are not correct about this. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/230 "2025-05-29T19:28:43Z")
It was clearly planted but it seems it was intended for whoever won immunity since they wouldn’t be able to sneak out of camp until _after_ tribal. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2025, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/231 "2025-05-29T20:13:51Z")
Possibly true, but I liked it better when it was planted in the community grub so it was up for grabs. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2025, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/232 "2025-05-30T00:30:28Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > Ridiculous. Just ask all the people that go home with idols in their pockets. Yes, either secret idols or they are voted out by all due to the fact they had an idol. But with Eva, there was only Kam & Kyle who could be trusted NOT to tell Eva she was gonna be blindsided. > [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > So you’re telling me what I saw with my own eyes isn’t true? You did see the producers assign seating. And dalton Ross often goes to the island and tests the challenges. He get interviews with Jeff and cast members. Those are just haters from online making up stuff- Eva has a lot of haters. > **['Survivor 48' recap: Very large men cannot agree](https://ew.com/survivor-48-recap-episode-8-very-large-men-cannot-agree-11715224)** > > 'Survivor 48' recap: Very large men cannot agree as the Muscles 'R' Us alliance engages in a different type of battle… a battle of wills! Eva powered through to victory thanks to her “hockey legs.” .. That’s because when Eva wasn’t l_ooking like a cannibal straight out of the movie Alive , she was discovering a scroll advantage hidden among all the grub that told her she must sneak to the opposite end of the beach in the middle of the night to discover her new secret power._ Nothing about assigned seating or a fix. and here- > **[Survivor 48 - Episode 8 Recap - Going Down Swinging - Inside Survivor](https://insidesurvivor.com/survivor-48-episode-8-recap-going-down-swinging-59695)** > > Cory Gage recaps all the action from the latest episode of Survivor 48. _Meanwhile, at the taco feast, Eva finds an advantage in her chips but decides to keep it to herself since her idol is already enough of a public target on her back._ Nothing about assigned seating or a 'fix". > **[‘Survivor 48’ recap: Kamilla calls David ‘the biggest idiot on this beach’](https://www.goldderby.com/article/2025/survivor-48-episode-8-recap-a-rift-between-all-of-us/)** > > Previously on Survivor 48, Jeff Probst unmerged the 12 merged players into two groups of six and sent both to Tribal Council. In one group, David Kinne earned individual immunity and voted with fou… _Meanwhile, at the reward lunch, Eva came across a scroll hidden in the bowl of tortilla chips and decided to sneak it into her possession without any of the other three noticing._ No assigned seating, no fix. > [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > _“ **Advantages** in **food** are cool, but they basically handed it to just **Eva** and no one else. They gave them assigned seats and the **advantage** was in her bowl of **chips** ”_ This came from Reddit- > **[Reddit - The heart of the internet](https://www.reddit.com/r/survivor/comments/1k2uf3e/what_do_you_guys_think_evas_advantage_is/)** With some anonymous haters guessing, without any facts. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2025, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/233 "2025-05-30T13:48:36Z")
I’m not sure how “Dalton Ross didn’t mention it” becomes “It didn’t happen.” Yes, he has an in with the production team, but ultimately his recaps are still just from him watching the show. Same with all of these other ones. Here’s an actual screencap showing that the seats were assigned with the bowls of chips in place already. There’s not really anything to dispute here: [[Album] imgur.com ![](https://i.imgur.com/NYsHM8c.png?fb "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/a/9piFbvt) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/234 "2025-05-30T14:04:04Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But with Eva, there was only Kam & Kyle who could be trusted NOT to tell Eva she was gonna be blindsided. That’s silly. People who are planning to blindside someone don’t run off and tell the object of the blindside they are being targeted. Face it, there was a LOT of talk about voting Joe and Eva off. It never got back to them and she never played an idol as a precaution. Your theory about this is just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/235 "2025-05-30T23:21:32Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Here’s an actual screencap showing that the seats were assigned with the bowls of chips in place already. There’s not really anything to dispute here: The dispute is- whether or not the producers were “fixing” things for her. Note that they moved around before seating and passed stuff around. Maybe the seating was random before or as they got there- just like it often is. > [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I’m not sure how “Dalton Ross didn’t mention it” becomes “It didn’t happen.” Okay, you got three professional writers with editors and such, not saying anything about any "fix’ and then you have some anonymous dudes on a message board saying there was. one, due to Eva hate. I think I trust the professionals. ---
**Author:** ![betonbill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@betonbill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betonbill)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/236 "2025-05-31T01:12:00Z")
Perhaps the bowls of chips, one with the advantage, were placed randomly and the assigned seating was done later. With the advantage hidden, nobody in production knew which bowl of chips went to which player. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2025, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/237 "2025-06-02T16:43:39Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Okay, you got three professional writers with editors and such, not saying anything about any "fix’ and then you have some anonymous dudes on a message board saying there was. one, due to Eva hate. Again, those professional writers are just doing recaps based on the episode they watched. Unless you’re paying really close attention, you probably aren’t noticing the fact that the bowls are there already with the names. I don’t think anyone even brought it up until a few days after the episode. To be clear, I don’t think it was fixed for Eva specifically. It was fixed for whoever won immunity to get the clue. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/238 "2025-06-02T18:04:37Z")
Jeff used to update on Twitter and take questions about production, but he stopped a few years ago. I can only say that during his many years of updates, he always pointed out that all game-show aspects of the game were explained and approved by the government, using the rules that date back to the Quiz Show scandals of the 50’s. All challenges are submitted including the order they will be played so they can’t rig it by changing what type of challenge is coming. All other things like that are submitted. It’s by the book is what I"m saying. I heard rumors very early on(like season 1) that producers were guidng players towards certain votes. I can’t deny or confirm if that happened, but with the scrutiny they get now, I’m sure it does not. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2025, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872/239 "2025-06-02T18:07:55Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Yao Man is well into his 70’s now. I think that is too old for Survivor. Who is the oldest player? Looks like it was Rudy, who was 72. Having said that, he was a Nazy Seal or something, pretty rare. He was also 75 in his second attempt. There has been one other player in his 70’s as well. But, yeah, it’s a bit late for Yao Man. I definitely heard they invited him back and he declined. This was years ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-48/1014872.md?page=11)