Survivor România (season 1)

Survivor România (season 1) was the first season of Survivor România, a Romanian television series based on the popular reality game show Survivor. The season featured 20 contestants divided into two tribes: "Faimoșii", composed of ten high-achievers who excelled in their fields, and "Războinicii", composed of ten everyday Romanians. The season premiered on 18 January 2020, and concluded on 30 May 2020, where Elena Ionescu was named the winner over Emanuel Neagu, Iancu Sterp and Lola Crudu, winning the grand prize of 250.000 lei and title of Sole Survivor. It was the first season to air on Kanal D and be hosted by Dan Cruceru, and was filmed in La Romana, Dominican Republic from January to May 2020.^[1][2][3][4]

Contestants[]

The 20 contestants were divided into two tribes based on celebrity status: "Faimoșii" (meaning celebrities) tribe composed of 10 people who have received accolades and fame for their exceptional work in their given fields, and "Războinicii" (meaning warriors) tribe composed of 10 non-celebrities. Faimoșii tribe include a former elite gymnast, Asiana Peng, a former FCSB player, Mihai Onicaș and a professional boxer, Cezar Juratoni. Războinicii tribe include Ultimul trib contestant, Lola Crudu, Îmi place dansul finalist, Emanuel Neagu, Vocea României, X Factor România and Ninja Warrior România contestant, Andrei Ciobanu and Insula Iubirii tempter, Andi Constantin.^[5]

During the game, nine new contestants joined the remaining original contestants. In Episode 6, Steaua CSM Eximbank basketballer, Ghiță Balmuș alongside fitness instructor, Raul Cormoș joined "Faimoșii" tribe and Cornel Chirică joined "Războinicii" tribe.^[6] In Episode 11, MMA fighter, Ana Pal joined "Faimoșii" tribe and Alexandra Soare joined "Războinicii" tribe.^[7] In Episode 33, trapper and former X Factor România contestant, Emy Alupei alongside pop singer, Sonny Flame joined "Faimoșii" tribe and Alice Andrucă alongside Iancu Sterp joined "Războinicii" tribe.^[8]

Ioana Filimon, Miss Romania 2016 was originally cast but she dropped out before the game began due to a medical emergency. Filimon was replaced by former Mandinga member, Elena Ionescu.^[9]

Mihai Onicaș

Sonny Flame

Elena Ionescu

List of Survivor Romania (season 1) contestants

Contestants	Original tribe	Merge tribe		Finish	Votes Against
		Cycle 13	Cycle 16
Augustin Viziru 39, Bucharest Actor	Faimoșii			Medically evacuated Day 4	0
Cristina Șișcanu 35, Ungheni Journalist	Faimoșii			1st Voted Out Day 8	6
Claudia "Ruby" Grigore 31, Medgidia, Constanța Dance-pop singer	Faimoșii			2nd Voted Out Day 15	2
Cornel Chirică 27, Bucharest	Războinicii			Quit Day 18	0
Lino Golden 22, Brașov, Brașov Hip-hop / rap singer	Faimoșii			3rd Voted Out Day 22	2
Bogdan Vlădău 40, Bucharest Model	Faimoșii			4th Voted Out Day 25	7
Alexandra Soare 24, Bucharest	Războinicii			Medically evacuated Day 29	0
Ana Pal 26, Bacău, Bacău MMA fighter	Faimoșii			Ejected Day 32	0
Claudia Rostaș 28, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj	Războinicii			5th Voted Out Day 32	9
Raul Cormoș 24, Baia Mare, Maramureș Fitness instructor	Faimoșii			Medically evacuated Day 39	4
Remus Mihai 41, Bucharest	Războinicii			6th Voted Out Day 39	17
Adriana Popescu 30, Bucharest	Războinicii			7th Voted Out Day 46	4
Andi Constantin 28, Băicoi, Prahova	Războinicii			8th Voted Out Day 53	8
Grațiela Teohari Duban 33, Bucharest Actress	Faimoșii			9th Voted Out Day 67	11
Cristian Ioniță 27, Bucharest	Războinicii			10th Voted Out Day 74	7
Sonny Flame 33, Ploiești, Prahova Singer	Faimoșii			11th Voted Out Day 81	7
Mihai Onicaș 30, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj Former FCSB footballer	Faimoșii	Faimoșii		12th Voted Out Day 88	12
Alice Andrucă 23, Bucharest	Războinicii	Războinicii		13th Voted Out Day 95	12
Asiana Peng 20, Deva, Hunedoara Former elite gymnast	Faimoșii	Faimoșii		14th Voted Out Day 100	17
Karina Fetica 24, Craiova, Dolj	Războinicii	Războinicii		15th Voted Out Day 102	7
Andrei Ciobanu 29, Bacău, Bacău	Războinicii	Războinicii		16th Voted Out Day 107	9
Carmen Emanuela "Ema" Huruială 30, Reșița, Caraș-Severin	Războinicii	Războinicii	Merged Tribe	17th Voted Out Day 114	12
Ghiță Balmuș 27, Arad, Arad Steaua CSM Eximbank basketballer	Faimoșii	Faimoșii		18th Voted Out Day 116	16
Emy Alupei 21, Bucharest Trapper	Faimoșii	Faimoșii		19th Voted Out Day 127	3
Cezar Juratoni 31, Deva, Hunedoara Professional boxer	Faimoșii	Faimoșii		20th Voted Out Day 128	9
Lola Crudu 33, Chișinău	Războinicii	Războinicii		3rd Runner-up Day 132	21
Iancu Sterp 21, Hațeg, Hunedoara	Războinicii	Războinicii		2nd Runner-up Day 132	7
Emanuel Neagu 23, Cocorăștii Colț, Prahova	Războinicii	Războinicii		Runner-up Day 132	1
Elena Ionescu 32, Caracal, Olt Former lead vocalist at Mandinga	Faimoșii	Faimoșii		Sole Survivor Day 132	28

Season summary[]

The season started with twenty contestants. They were divided into two tribes based on celebrity status: "Faimoșii" (meaning celebrities) tribe composed of 10 people who have received accolades and fame for their exceptional work in their given fields, and "Războinicii" (meaning warriors) tribe composed of 10 non-celebrities. Later in the game, nine new contestants entered in the game, five of them joined Faimoșii tribe and four of them joined Rărzboincii tribe.

In the first phase of the game, only one Immunity Challenge are performed. After the Tribal Immunity Challenges, members of the losing tribe fight each other for an Immunity Necklace, the two winners (one male and one female) gains individual immunity and the power to nominate a member of their tribe at Tribal Council. Instead of the most voted person on the Tribal Council having to leave the competition, the losing tribe(s) votes to nominate one its members. Then the winner(s) of the Individual Immunity selects the last nominee from the tribe. Finally, the nominees face the public vote in which the loser will be out of the game.

In the second phase of the game two Immunity Challenges are performed, if a tribe wins both challenges, the losing tribe must attend the Tribal Council and two of its members will be nominated, but if each tribe wins a challenge, then both tribes will have one nominees. Also, Individual Immunity Challenge are no more. With only 13 players left in the game, the tribes merged, but despite living on the same beach, tribes would remain split, living in separate shelters and fending for their own tribe. The individual phase of the game occurred with 8 players left. In the first two weeks of individual phase, individual immunity is it composed of three challenges. The players who wins one af the first two challenges qualified in the last challenge, who wins it, earn immunity and a second vote to cast at Council. If one player win the first two challenges, he/she was already immune and compete in the last one to earn a second vote.

The celebrities tribe, Faimoșii had a bed start losing most of the challenges and the tribe was divided by a major conflict between the outsider Elena and Grațiela/Ghiță witch led to Elena's nomination seven times despite her good performance in challenges. Mihai and Cezar were named leaders by their tribemates and tried unsuccessfully to settle the conflicts. The non-celebrities tribe, Războinicii dominated in challenges in the first part of the game and called themselves "Family". Despite a strong start, the non-celebrities tribe found difficulty with Claudia who refused to integrate herself into the tribe, and later with the outspoken Andi.

At the merge, two factions emerged: The Războinicii Alliance, led by Andrei and his closest ally and romantic interest Karina, and the Faimoșii Guys Alliance, headed by Cezar and Mihai. However, after Andrei failed to convinced the girls of the Faimoșii tribe to ally against the big guys - Cezar and Mihai -, Ghiță, on the bottom of the Faimoșii alliance, eventually flipped sides, working with Elena and Emy to eliminate Mihai and Asiana. Soon after, a core alliance of Emanuel, Ema and Lola was formed systematically eliminating Andrei and his alliance.

With 4 ex Războinicii and 4 ex Faimoșii the vote at the first Tribal Council at individuals ended in a tie along tribal lines and former Războinicii member, Ema was eliminated by public, putting the remnants of Faimoșii in power. To save himself and his former tribemates, Iancu was able to convince Emy to vote one of their own, Elena, forcing a tie between him, Cezar and Ghiță at second Tribal, resulting in Ghiță's elimination.

The final five were Emanuel, Lola, Iancu, Cezar and Elena. Emanuel and Lola won the eighteen cycle challenge; Iancu won the final immunity challenge leaving Elena to face Cezar in the public votes to determine the fourth finalist, which Elena won. At the final Tribal Council the public ultimately rewarded Elena by voting her the Sole Survivor.

Voting and nominations history[]

Reference[]

External links[]

• Official website