Survivor: Cagayan Live Reunion Recap: The Winner Speaks Out
Welcome to the live blog and recap for the Survivor: Cagayan live reunion! Who won Survivor: Cagayan, and what does the winner have to say following the big victory? Also, what's our hook for next season? Will there be a new twist? Will we have returning castaways? Will we finally be leaving the Philippines? So many questions, my mind is about to explode!
If you missed the finale and want to know who won, check out our full recap and results by clicking here. Needless to say, it was an intense finale. Follow along as I'll be frequently updating the post with my recap and analysis! Just hit refresh. Also, add your thoughts in the comments or by tapping out how you feel about the episode with the BuzzDial:
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Let's get this show on the road!
Credit: CBS
RECAP
-Tony basks in his win before getting into the polarizing reaction he's received as a result of his game. He says he took no pleasure in all the lying he had to do, and says he never really slept much at night, since his conscience was eating away at him at night. He says he slept maybe six hours a week, since his time was occupied with digging himself out of whatever hole he dug himself into. He then says that it was every bit as hard after coming home, saying he had parasites in his stomach, and had to be out of work for three months. Even now, Tony says he still can't put the mass back on, having lost 45 pounds, not the 20 that the scale said.
-Tony then explains how hurt he was to have to vote out Trish, saying it was only strategic. He felt Trish couldn't beat Spencer at the next challenge, and he wouldn't be able to beat her at the end. Trish notes that her relationship with Tony has completely recovered, and that they're very close now, saying Tony virtually "stalks" her with texts and social media posts. Kass, meanwhile, compares Tony to a jerky older brother, and says the animosity between them was left in the game, which Tony confirms.
-Sarah (who is pregnant! Congratulations!) talks about how Tony swore on his badge, to which Tony responds he did what he had to do to advance himself. He also discusses the quirk of his job, saying some people either like cops or hate them, which is partially why he decided to hide his profession. When asked by Probst, Sarah admits she forgave Tony after the game, only to find out he had some choice words for her in post-game interviews and on social media, so they're back to not talking. Probst interviews one of Tony's fellow officers, and they all understand why he swore on his badge, saying he got the job done. Lot of mixed reaction tonight for Tony, as he gets booed nearly as often as he's cheered. Hell, even Kass gets a better reaction.
-Probst then talks about how a story came out just a few months ago in which Tony saved a guy's life. Tony explains that the man went into cardiac arrest, and he and his friend were painting next door. They sprang into action and were able to save the man's life. The man went on to have a quadruple bypass, and he's now back on his feet and strong as a bull. A great story.
A MILLION DOLLAR MISTAKE
-Back from break, and Woo just seems miserable. And Probst makes it worse by polling the jury and asking how many of them would have voted for Woo if he'd taken Kass instead of Tony. And it would have been unanimous in Woo's favor.
-Probst asks Woo if he's okay, and Woo insists everything is great, and that he still feels he made the right choice. He congratulates Tony again on his win, saying he took the right person with him.
-Tasha notes she applied three times before getting on the show, and it resulted in her landing on the lousiest tribe in recent memory. She says if she had the chance to play again, she'd try to get her enemies before they got her. Probst reads a tweet that pleads with the producers to bring Tasha back, since she was "the best player this year." And the crowd seems to agree.
-We get a video package on how Spencer was a brutally unlucky player, but Spencer has a real sense of humor about it, particularly after Probst reads a tweet asking Spencer if he gets PTSD every time he reads a Charlie Brown comic. Spencer notes that he has no one else to blame for his game but him, and states that while he respects Tony's game, it's vastly different from the kind of game he would have played in the same scenario.
-Then, we get a terrific little moment, as Probst would like to formally apologize for having misjudged Spencer in the preseason assessment. He had told Spencer that he had absolutely no chance of winning, and that the only way he'd have a prayer is if he were sitting at the end with a clone of himself. He had predicted Spencer would be among the first to go, but Probst now admits he's never been more wrong about a contestant. He reveals that, before the game, Spencer made a bet with him that if he won, Probst would have to write a letter of apology and present it at the reunion show. While Spencer didn't win, Probst reveals that, at day 15, and without knowing how much farther Spencer was going to go, he wrote the letter. Probst presents the envelope to Spencer and they shake hands. I love it.
TYLER PERRY
-Probst interviews Tyler Perry, who says he's a huge Survivor fan because of the outwit, outplay, and outlast aspect. Probst says he's been getting texts from Tyler for years now with all his ideas, but says it was the special idol that took hold. He admits they'd done that idol once before (actually, I think they did it with Survivor: Exile Island as well), but never so late in the show.
-However, while Tyler admits he wanted the special idol to be implemented, he wasn't happy when Tony found it. He would have preferred Spencer to find it, and the crowd roars in assent. We then get a long, detailed analogy from Tony about a souped-up Bentley with rims that has a Club on it. He compares himself to that Bentley, and says the special idol was his Club.
FAREWELLS
-We go through speed round in an attempt to talk to everyone we didn't get the chance to. Since the reunion show proper started fifteen minutes late, we have maybe ten minutes. Cliff says the game was different from anything he's ever done, but he would gladly play again. David, meanwhile, talks about being the first guy voted out, saying that although there is one winner, there are still 17 losers. He was just the first one. Meanwhile, Garrett talks about how much it hurt to bomb on the game, since he really wanted this, but notes that he had a year to get over it.
-Probst feels Morgan was a great embodiment of the different skills this game brings out. He says that beauty doesn't carry her through life. She admits it gives her a leg up, but states it isn't what gets her through, but rather her wits. J'Tia gets booed, but Probst says he'd have her back in a heartbeat (ugh, of course you would, Probst). She says the big takeaway from all this is to never tell someone you're going to vote them out, because they won't go quietly. Lastly, Probst talks about how disappointed his female friends were when LJ was voted out, and LJ seems every bit as disappointed...still.
-Back from break, as Tony is given the million dollar check before we get a tease for the next season:
SURVIVOR: SAN JUAN DEL SUR -- BLOOD VS. WATER!
Credit: CBS
-Well, I knew they were going to do another Blood vs. Water eventually, but I didn't think it'd be so soon. Still, I'm not exactly complaining or anything. No announcements on which castaways are coming back, or if castaways even will be brought back, or if this will be a season of completely new castaways and their loved ones (which would be an interesting twist, since part of the draw of Blood vs. Water was comparing the play styles of newbie contestants with those of their well-known loved ones, although this could work if they cast a bunch of pairs that are huge Survivor fans to make up the difference). Either way, this should be extremely interesting.
-Aaaaand that's a wrap on another season of Survivor! Thank you so much for chilling with me this season! None of this would be possible without you guys! Have a great night, and sound off in the comments with your thoughts on the live reunion special, and the season as a whole!