Rating: 
Summary: A Must For All Richard Hatch Fans
Review: Yes, I'm a fan of Richard Hatch and I'm a gay as well and am not afraid to admit it. It was because of Rich's out-going personality in admitting that he's a gay and on national television at that, which helped me in accepting myself and living without any fear.
The last disc (disc 5, "The Greatest and Most Memorable Moments") features all the highlights of the episodes plus all the home videos and audition entries of the survivors (WOW!) in accordance with who was voted out first, second and so forth.
It also includes the footage the has been cencored before and here is a disc which can only be viewed by adults and appreciated by adults.
Rating:
Summary: Watched it non stop
Review: I was impressed by this set. I ordered it on the 26th and got it on the 30th(due to super save shipping it was cheap)I then watched it and could not stop after each episode. I only took breaks after 4 or 5 in a row. This is the one season I had never seen and am glad about my purchase. The back of the cases are bad though as they reveal too much info and the cases are soooooooooooooooooo small but I can live with that. The video quality is astounding, but the special features are pretty boring. The top 10 is okay and the LA to Borneo was useless. However this collection is great and further ones can only get better.
Rating: 
Summary: Fartbomb
Review: Don't ask me why I actually made myself sit through a few of these shows when they were on(I also watched Teletubbies for some unknown reason), perhaps I was feeling masochistic. It boggles the mind how popular this show is-it's 100% Grade A Crrrrrap. It's not a "reality show" if you know you're being filmed, pure and simple. Scare Tactics is more of a "reality show" considering the poor schmucks don't know they're being filmed till after the jig is up. With Survivor you're actually supposed to believe these moronic baboons are trying to survive on an island-yeah right. You wanna tell me there's no hotel on this island? If Survivor were my show, I'd see to it that there was malaria in the water, vicious wild animals and cannibal tribes inhabiting the island. That would be entertainment, but we have a ways to go until we see a show like that. Instead of buying this set, put your money through a paper shredder, bill by bill. That might actually be more fun. If you can't bring yourself to do that, then just go out and buy yourself a hat.
Rating:
Summary: "Reality" television - the sham
Review: A majority of people cannot seem to differentiate between true realism, and the coined "reality" tv. Do you know what REALITY television is? It is when and ONLY when the subject does NOT know they are being filmed. Security cameras, hidden cameras, that sort of thing. But to call programs like this "reality" is to bastardize the language. Understand that what you're seeing is a PRODUCT of editing and musical score. A very telling photograph I saw featured the Survivor people with a phalanx of production crew in front of them - cameramen, boom mike ops, lighting crew. Now YOU tell me, YOU are just going to "be yourself" with all THAT going on around you? Hardly. No one who has a camera put in front of their face is truly themselves. A little bit of guard goes up, filtering true spontanaeity. And you have to think that producers of this garbage plan the arcs they'd like to see, certain "plot" elements fleshed out, all in the name of making "good tv". I feel certain that one day one of these "reality" participants will pen a tell-all down the road detailing just how phony this genre truly is. You KNOW the nets aren't looking forward to the day when - hopefully - this garbage ends, after all it is CHEAP to produce. Another tragic side to this garbage is how it has hijacked coverage on local news telecasts. Anywhere across the nation, by orders from corporate hq, news reporters do features on how the "hometown" contestant is faring. It is a disgrace.
Rating:
Summary: Jeff Probst, how do you keep it fresh?
Review: Why or who would buy something like this...
Unless you need something kinda heavy to smack someone with, or something to fire at with a powerful gun, you should stay the hell away from these. Anyone considering buying this--don't. Why support the numbing of American entertainment standards? If this truely is considered entertainment, and has sold more than five copies to people who AREN'T from the south, then I'm gonna go have one long cry...I'm serious.
I once saw a lady driving down the freeway with one of those Survivor "BUFFS" wrapped tightly around her ignorant head. I PRAYED she was just a frilly robber or something, then I saw the "SURVIVOR" logo, and broke down...How did that one sell? Was she hooked in by the strong cheekbones of Jeff Probst? Doubtfully. No, I think she was just another victim of the Survivor craze. The very same craze that swept over Cujo and Old Yeller...Believe it. Don't buy these. Just don't.
Rating:
Summary: "Survivor: Boreneo" and the beginning of the end of America
Review: No question, the most memorable moment of "Survivor: Borneo" was during the final tribal council when Sue Hawk unloaded on Kelly Wigglesworth. When Sue told Kelly "if I were ever to pass you in this life again, and you were laying there, dying of thirst, I would not give you a drink of water. I'd just let the vultures take you, and do whatever they want with you, with no ill regrets," everyone watching had their jaws on the ground. When Sue finished her speech and made her plea for the contest to end the way Mother Nature intended it with Richard the Snake eating Kelly the Rat, I can remember thinking that they can do "Survivor" until the end of time and they will never top that moment. Every time one of the jury members tells Jeff Probst that they want to make a statement rather than ask a question, they get judged against the Sue Hawk standard and they fail (It is like lighting the Olympic flame; no one will top using the archer at Barcelona).
However, when I watched "Survivor: The Complete First Season" again on DVD what was confirmed for me was that the most pivotal moment in the show came in the tribal council at the end of Episode 7. This was not only when the road was paved for Richard Hatch to be the sole Survivor, but also when the course of American popular culture changed. This is because once Hatch won the million dollars, his strategy of alliance and deception became the template for how future competitors would attempt to outwit, outplay and outlast the others on "Survivor" but on "Big Brother" and virtually every other reality game show. But what people forget is that at the turning point in the series MOST of the castaways were playing the game quite differently.
Episode 7 was the first tribal vote after the merger and you probably remember that Gretchen, who was the most popular of the contestants and the one we thought personified the skills of a true Survivor. But Gretchen was voted off because she had four of the ten votes cast. The four who voted for her were (surprise, surprise), Richard, Kelly, Sue, and Rudy. But do you recall the rest of the votes? Greg voted against Jenna, Jenna voted against Gervase, Gervase voted against Susan, Sean voted against Colleen, Colleen voted against Richard, and Gretchen voted against Rudy (remember, nobody ever voted against Kelly). In other words, the other six all voted for six different people. But not only did the former members of Pagong all vote for different people, instead of targeting a member of Tagi, but Greg and Jenna both voted against Pagong teamamates. All together now: What were they thinking?
Well, in retrospect, I think it is clear that what the former members of Pagong were thinking when they mereged with Tagi into Rattana, was that they really were now one tribe. Needless to say, this is not a mistake that has been made since that day. Consequently most "Survivors" since then have featured a reshuffling of the tribes before the merger, just to keep things interesting. Unfortunately the commentary for these episodes on DVD is quite limited (but insightful for the first and last episodes), because I would have liked to have checked my hypothesis, which is that it was Gretchen herself, by word or deed, who propagated the idea that doomed first her and then the rest of the former Pagong players one by one by one.
My thesis is that this was an event of great cultural significance. If Pagong had decided to target any one of the Tagi players, whether it was Rich or not, that would have been five votes to four and the steamroller would have been on their side. I do not think they would have voted for Rich, because he was providing food, and since Gretchen voted for Rudy that would be consistent with the Pagong approach of getting rid of the member of the tribe who was contributing the least. Play that token out to the end and Gretchen wins. Given who would have won (most qualified) and how they won (voting off the weakest and not the strongest member), the course of popular culture and American civilization would have been changed and, more importantly, changed for the better. Face it. This country was not built on the idea of taking out the strongest or the best. That is the goal, not the objective. Make Richard Hatch the role model and we are heading for a bizarre dystopia no one ever would have expected.
The other thing that rewatching the original "Survivor" confirms is that Mark Burnett did a marvelous job of creating suspense when there was not any. After Episode 7, which was furiously debated around the nation's "watercoolers," the consensus was that unless the rest of the castaways wised up, the alliance of four was going to run the table. Which they did. But Burnett, aided by some the release of some computer alterred photographs, cut these episodes so that there was always a slim reed of hope that the alliance would be derailed. But it never happened. Who went home when the tribe spoke each week might have been a surprise, but it was never one of the alliance until they were the only ones left and started eating their own.
I almost always like to watch movies twice because I like to see how the end game is set up, and that same approach is what makes watching "Survivor: The Complete First Season" interesting. Knowing the outcome informs your enjoyment and understanding, not only of how the game was being played that first time around, but also how it was editing for maximum effect. One suggestion when you watch these episodes again: After each one go check out the CBS web site for "Survivor: Borneo" because they are all still up, and you can still access all of the information and extras, such as polls and stuff. Frozen there for Internet eternity right now are the online poll predictions for the finale. Rudy was the overwhelming favorite with 53.47%, with Kelly second at 22.54% and Susan third at 12.22%. Richard Hatch was sitting at 11.75% and he ends up being the one with the million dollar check. Now we know how he did it and what it has meant.
Rating: 
Summary: Great, but Could Have Been Better
Review: Being a huge Survivor fan, It's great to have this ground-breaking series on DVD. Even after you know what happens, it's still interesting to watch over and over. Included are commentary by Jeff Propst and some survivors as well as a highlights DVD with extra footage. I must say some interesting facts were revealed through both features. Unfortunately they fell short when it came to making this entire set uncensored, as the highlights DVD was. Instead you're only left with commentary for the first and last episodes to give you anything more revealing about what happened on the island. Giving more in depth information on the survivors would have also been a very nice feature, but it was left out. Maybe it will get better with the next series...
Rating:
Summary: Reality TV Returns To Its Roots
Review: Having only picked up on Survivor for the screening of the Season One Grand Finale, I have been regaled ever since with stories of how groundbreaking and astounding the first series was. I was thrilled when the complete season one was released on DVD and even happier to discover, living in Australia, I could actually play the discs thanks to my trusty karaoke machine!
On first glance, the most striking thing about Survivor: Borneo is the actual look of the show. It seems so much more fresh and I don't know whether that's because of the way it was shot or because of the way it's been produced on DVD. But it sure looks snappy!
It's been great to get see to some of the legendary players from the first season - Gretchen, whom I understand was highly favoured by American viewers, Colleen, the so-called sweetheart (she seems like your average college kid to me) and Greg the total whack job (what the... ?). It's interesting to note Jenna (Lewis) who, having recently returned in the All-Stars series, was a heck of a lot less jaded first time around. Dare I say she even seemed cute! Rudy is an absolute classic, but his screen time sure doesn't live up to his hype. Never the less, we've been going round saying "He's fat, but he's good" whole lot lately.
The greatest mystery to me is Richard Hatch. We've just finished watching Episode Eight. If he's got a grand scheme, I can't see it. He seems no more a puppet master than Johnny Foreskin (oops!) I mean Fairplay. I'm disappointed to discover through an internet search that Burnett may have interfered with some of the voting outcomes of the first series. That makes it easy for me to believe Hatch might have been assisted in his machinations.
Whatever, if you're a fan of Survivor, this DVD collection is a must have. It's back to basics without a doubt and is a great way to understand the game more and expand your appreciation at the same time.
Rating:
Summary: For Those Who Didn't Watch This When It First Aired
Review: I admit that I did not understand the 'Survivor' hype when it first hit and never saw an episode. My review is for those, like me, who would like to take in the series, post-hype, and see for themselves.
It's hard to belive that this first aired in 2000 and the Mother of the reality-tv blitz that's available today. It certainly is one of the classier entries. It started off slow for me but once you hit the third episode, you're starting to anticipate the tribal councils and starting to figure out how the myriad 'alliances' between players will play out (or not).
Watching the show four years later you start to see how the press coverage of notable contestants took hold. Rich: the not so duplicitous (to me, anyway) and frank corporate-guy-turned-castaway. Susan Hawk, the Fargo-voiced salt mama who don't take no crap, ay? [Her infamous dress-down of Kelly put's Al Pacino's 'You're out of order!' speech in 'And Justice For All' to shame]I thought she went way overboard, but just getting to that moment is worth watching for. Colleen, the cute island sprite who talks like your loopy but fun cousin from summers past. Rudy, the Midwestern drone who does most of his on-screen commentary up to his neck in the sea but is rarely spotted, uh, working. Kelly, the Everygirl who doubts the convenience of alliances and thinks for herself at a time when nerves are fraying and things are getting more personal.
The four disc set and bonus DVD are a worthy purchase if you want entertainment, pseudo-travelogue and interest in how these people lived 39 days on an island to win a million dollars. Knowing who the winner is of this first series, as most do, will not detract from how that comes to be. I enjoyed the set and it definitely interested me in further editions. Credit is due to excellent production values and the stamina of the players. You'll feel good to pause the DVD and be able to get a sandwich and remember you have food to eat! Last note: As other reviewers have stated, be aware that the backs of each DVD cover list each player booted off per episode. Do not look at the back cover. If you missed this all on tv, you'll be as surprised as the original audience until the end.
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