Koh-Lanta is a French reality television series, France's version of Survivor. The series premiered on August 4, 2001. The show is broadcast on TF1, and there have been 18 "regular" seasons along with 5 "special" seasons (4 all-returnees and 1 returnees vs. famous sportspeople).
The current host of Koh-Lanta is Denis Brogniart. Since its debut in 2001, Koh-Lanta has been a huge success in France, regularly finishing first in its timeslot.
History
- Main article: Survivor (franchise)
Format Variations
16-21 contestants (13-16 contestants in special seasons) must survive on an uninhabited island for 39–43 days (20–23 days in special seasons). They have to find food to accompany the meagre ration of rice supplied to them at the beginning of the adventure. They should build a shelter to protect themselves from external conditions (weather, insects...) and keep alight the fire they were able to start or which they won in the first round.
Each contestant has a backpack with some clothes. Any product related to hygiene or food is prohibited, except due to illness.
Unlike most versions of Survivor, there have been two seasons where the final vote resulted in a tie. As a consequence, both finalists were declared winners.
The name of the show, Koh-Lanta, is the name of the island where the first season was filmed.
The franchise uses some mechanics similar to American franchise and introduces new twists.
| Koh-Lanta Twists |
|---|
|
Tribe Switch · Merge · Hidden Immunity Idol · Final Two Ambassadors · Banishment · Black Vote · Elimination Challenge · Finale Challenges · Jokers · Replacement · Tied Destinies |
Tribe switch and dissolves
- Main Article: Tribe Switch and Tribe Dissolve.
Merge
- Main article: Merge
Tribe switch and dissolves
- Main article: Hidden Immunity Idol
Unlike Survivor (U.S.) however, once the merge has been reached, the winner of Individual Immunity Challenges wins the Tribal Immunity Idol and not a necklace.
Since Raja Ampat, Hidden Immunity Necklaces are hidden on the Island. They function just like the Hidden Immunity Idol and can be earned through a variety of ways - just like in the US franchise.
Ambassadors
- Main article: Ambassadors
Tied Destinies
- Main article: Tied Destinies
At some point after the merge (Final 8, Final 10 or Final 12), a rock draw is held to divide the contestants in the appropriate number of pairs and their fate in the game are tied, for better and for worse. If someone plays a Immunity Idol, his partner is also protected, and challenges are competed by pairs (Reward and Immunity are therefore won as a pair). The person voted out at Tribal Council causes their partner's demise. In this way, two members of the merge tribe are eliminated together from the game.
Final Four Elimination
When there are four people left in the game (five in Le Choc des Héros, La Revanche des Héros, Malaisie, and L'Île au Trésor), a special challenge takes place to determine the final three, with the person finishing last (the two last when there are five people) being directly eliminated from the game (except for Panama where the loser had an extra vote against him at Tribal Council).
In the first two seasons, this challenge was the Fallen Comrades challenge. Since the third season, it is an orienteering challenge.
Hidden Immunity Idol
- Main article: Hidden Immunity Idol
Koh-Lanta uses necklaces, called in French "colliers d'immunité" (Immunity Necklaces), as Hidden Immunity Idols (while the Immunity Idol symbolizes both tribal and individual immunity). They were introduced in Raja Ampat.
Replacement
In Koh-Lanta, if a castaway is medically evacuated, the last person voted off returns into the game. In the first seasons, it was also the case when a castaway voluntarily left, but since Raja Ampat, quitters are no longer replaced, unless somebody quits before the first Tribal Council.
If a person is removed and cannot be replaced by a previously eliminated player, a new castaway may enter the game.
Black Vote
Before leaving, the person voted off at Tribal Council is asked to cast a last vote against somebody from their tribe. This vote is called the Black Vote and is counted at the next Tribal Council attended by the targeted person. In case of a revote, the Black Vote does not count anymore.
This twist, like the Immunity Necklaces, was introduced in Raja Ampat.
Controversies
2013
Production was halted and canceled for the 2013 season following the death of a contestant, Gérald Babin, victim of several heart attacks during Day 1 of filming in Cambodia on March 22, 2013.[1][2] The program's on-site doctor, Thierry Costa, committed suicide following the controversy. In his suicide note, he stated that his name has been "smeared in the media", leading to his ultimate death.[3]
2018
During filming of the 2018 regular season, allegations of sexual assault occurring to a castaway by another castaway, prompting shooting to be suspended.[4]
The rumors are saying that Candide Renard, the girl of Hervé Renard, a french Football manager was harrassed. Between the 4th and 5th filming day, the girl in question was sleeping away from the camp. When the man started to harrass her, she called the production and she was transfered in a hospital. The man was transfered in a hotel. At the moment, the man is denying the facts.
However, a version of another contestant contradict Candide's facts. The other contestant is saying that another contestant called the production for medical reasons. At that point, Candide went away from the camp and the man harrassed her at that point.[5]
Seasons
Koh-Lanta has filmed 23 seasons as of April 2018, and is currently airing the 23rd.
See also
References
- ↑ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/french-survivor-season-canceled-death-430640
- ↑ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/french-survivor-death-authorities-open-587621
- ↑ https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/01/thierry-costa-suicide-french-survivor-doctor_n_2993370.html
- ↑ https://twitter.com/Alpfr/status/994930080257261568
- ↑ http://www.linternaute.com/television/programme/1377617-koh-lanta-2018-annule-ce-qu-on-sait-de-l-agression-sexuelle-presumee/
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20040820234815/http://www.toutelatele.com/realtv/kohlanta2_audiences.html
- ↑ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/french-survivor-season-canceled-death-430640
- ↑ https://twitter.com/Alpfr/status/994930080257261568
