Roll With It (also known as Human Ball and Blind Barrow) is a recurring challenge in Survivor. It is most remembered as the first challenge to be outright stopped by production midway, due to an evacuation during the challenge.
Before its appearance in the United States, a non-blindfolded variation of the challenge known as Rollerball appeared in Survivor South Africa: Malaysia.
Rules[]
One castaway from each tribe would be strapped into a wooden spherical cage and would guide two of their blindfolded tribemates in rolling the cage through a course. At the end of the course would be a labyrinth-like table maze. The castaway inside the cage would then have to guide two or four blindfolded tribe members in solving the table maze. The first tribe to finish the table maze would win.
In David vs. Goliath, the guides rode on a driving wheel instead of being strapped in a spherical cage.
History[]
United States[]
The challenge first appeared in Samoa prior to a scheduled Double Tribal Council. Liz Kim for Foa Foa and Laura Morett for Galu were strapped in the spherical cage. Foa Foa took the lead heading into the table maze. However, when Russell Swan of Galu passed out during the final leg of the competition and was medically evacuated from the game, the challenge was ceased. This was the first time a challenge was canceled after it had started with no winner declared.
The challenge reappeared in the next season, Heroes vs. Villains. Tom Westman for the Heroes and Rob Mariano for the Villains were inside the spherical cage. The two tribes were even throughout the course, with the Villains narrowly finishing ahead to became the first winners of the challenge, sending the Heroes to their third Tribal Council.
The challenge reappeared in David vs. Goliath after a Tribe Switch. Instead of a spherical cage, the caller, Angelina Keeley for Jabeni, Gabby Pascuzzi for Tiva, and Kara Kay for Vuku, would ride on a driving wheel and have to retrieve a ball, which would be used to complete the table maze. Tiva maintained a lead throughout the challenge and easily finished first. Meanwhile, Jabeni initially fell behind on the obstacle course. However, they were able to catch up when Vuku dropped their ball in the table maze, allowing Jabeni to finish second and sending Vuku to Tribal Council.
The original version of the challenge appeared again in Survivor 43 as the final six Reward Challenge. The Gaia tribe was divided into two teams of three. The blue team led by Owen Knight held an early lead until the table maze, where despite a comeback by the red team under Cassidy Clark's guidance, the blue team finished the maze first, allowing Owen, Cody Assenmacher, and Karla Cruz Godoy to win a trip to the Survivor sanctuary.
The Survivor 43 format was reused in Survivor 44, again as the final six Reward Challenge. While the purple team of Carolyn Wiger, Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt, and Jaime Lynn Ruiz struggled, Carson Garrett was able to lead the orange team of himself, Lauren Harpe, and Yam Yam Arocho to a victory, winning themselves a trip to the sanctuary.
South Africa[]
A non-blindfolded prototype of the challenge first appeared in Survivor South Africa: Malaysia, where the two tribes pushed their ball through an obstacle course, stopping at stations to unlock four locks on the ball before racing across the finish line. The underdogs on Iban held a narrow lead throughout the challenge and ultimately pulled through to defeat Bajau for immunity.
In Champions, the tribes were joined by two SuperSport presenters who would each be harnessed inside the ball and act as each tribe's guide. The new Utara tribe won their only challenge and were treated to a pool party with a braai.
Winners[]
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Samoa "This Is the Man Test" |
Tribal Reward | None Challenge canceled due to Russell Swan's evacuation |
| Heroes vs. Villains "Tonight, We Make Our Move" |
Tribal Immunity |          Villains |
| David vs. Goliath "Time to Bring About the Charmpocalypse" |
Tribal Reward/Immunity |      Tiva |
     Jabeni | ||
| Survivor 43 "Telenovela" |
Team Reward |    Cody, Karla, Owen |
| Survivor 44 "I'm the Bandit" |
Team Reward |    Carson, Lauren, Yam Yam |
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Survivor Québec (2024) Episode 29 |
Tribal Reward |        Bayani |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Russell Hantz is the only castaway to compete in this challenge twice.
- This is the first, and so far only, challenge to be cancelled partway through, with neither tribe being declared as winners.
- Thus, the Villains tribe became the first tribe to win the challenge in Heroes vs. Villains.
References[]