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ARTICLE
DVD Review: Survivor The Australian Outback - The Complete Season
by Scott Wyatt
Published: April 26, 2005

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Country: USA

Year: 2004

Distributor:

Host:

USA

2005

Paramount Home Video

Jeff Probst



Outwit. Outplay. Outlast. G'day.
At long last, after considerable demand from the Survivor faithful, Survivor: The Australian Outback has been released in a boxed DVD set. The second season of the ratings blockbuster sent the series into the stratosphere and helped set the standard for Reality TV today.

Debuting after the Super Bowl in 2001 to some 45 million viewers, The Australian Outback went on to become the #1 series of the season and made the series a platinum hit with both fans and advertisers. The longest Survivor in the number of days played, 42 instead of the now-standard 39, this season had it all. From flash floods and forest fires, to memorable confrontations and wicked villains.

The cast is still one of the best of series. The Kentucky farmer Rodger, America’s Sweetheart, Elizabeth, Colby, the Texas cowboy, Keith, the chef, the wicked witch, Jerri, the finger-waving Alicia. Kimmi, the vegetarian, Mike, the hunter, Amber, the innocent protégé and Tina, the mother from Tennessee and all the rest.

The 6-DVD box set includes all 15 episodes as they originally aired, including the suspenseful final Tribal Council and reunion show hosted by the Bryant Gumbel. Also included is the special episode titled Home from the Outback that includes interviews with all of the Survivors after they have returned home to their normal lives. They share some more of their insights from their days in the Outback along with how the game has changed them since their return.

The other Special Features include a special look back at Surviving the Australian Outback with recaps of the Barramundi camp being washed away and Mike’s fall into the fire and being airlifted out of the game. A special look at The Luxury Items that the Survivors were allowed to bring into the game. Dining: Survivor Style shows how the castaways survived the hunger pains by eating off the land and what foods they missed the most. There is also a special look at Keith cooking a Paella in his kitchen along with the complete recipe. Completing the collection is The Greatest and Most Outrageous Moments for Season Two that has been previously released.

There is audio commentary on six episodes from Rodger, Amber, Alicia, Keith, Kimmi, Tina, Mike, Colby and Jeff Probst but the one drawback is that it constantly plays over the episodes leaving to choose whether to hear the commentary or watch the episode as it aired. It is also a little bit strange to adjust to the differences in production. With the Outback only being the second season, the production was still a bit choppy and Probst was still a little unsure of what he could and could not say. For instance, he does not speak during the challenges. He later learned to narrate what was going on and it makes for a much more enjoyable viewing.

Whether you are a diehard Survivor fanatic or a lost fan with some of the watered down seasons that followed, Survivor: The Australian Outback is a must for any collection.

More Survivor The Australian Outback links available at Sirlinksalot.