Here We Go Again

Okay, Fellow Survivor Geeks, and you know who you are, it won’t be long now. It’s what we have been craving since December 19 at 10:18 pm CST. That’s right, the 22nd season of the award-winning reality show that we love so much, will finally return on Wednesday at 7:00 pm CST on CBS. And it should be epic!

I am sure that you aware that Russell Hantz and Boston Rob Mariano will be reigniting their epic feud on Survivor: Redemption Island. If that wasn’t enough, there will be several “twists” introduced this season.

Besides giving Hantz and Mariano a third and fourth chance, respectively, to redeem themselves and win Survivor, the show has introduced a major twist that gives voted off contestants a chance to return to the game. Obviously this is where they came up with the name, Survivor: Redemption Island. Duh.

I have read several online articles on how this new “twist” will work. This explanation by host Jeff Probst was the best.

“How it works is very simple,” explained Probst. “When you’re voted out at Tribal Council, you don’t go home. You’re not out of the game. You go to Redemption Island and you live alone. And at a certain point in the game another person will join you. You will compete in a duel. The winner stays. The loser goes home. So you’re continuing to live out there on your own with very basic supplies. But you’re still in the game. And at a certain point you’ll be allowed to reenter the game and have a shot at the money.”

In other words, people that are voted out will compete against each other for a chance to later rejoin the game.

Unfortunately, since each episode will include a Redemption Island duel, you can expect there to be just one combined reward/immunity challenge per episode for the players that have yet to be voted out.

If this is the case, I might not be a fan of the format switch. I was always a big fan of two challenges each week. Although the Redemption Island duel could potentially provide enough drama, we might forget that we are only getting one challenge. Only time will tell.

Here are the Opening Night lineups:

Ometepe Tribe


Rob Mariano (35), Pensacola, FL

Andrea Boehlke (21), Random Lake, WI
Ashley Underwood (25), Benton, ME
Francesca Hogi (36), Washington, DC
Grant Mattos (29), West Hollywood, CA
Kristina Kell (46), Malibu, CA
Matt Elrod (22), Nashville, TN

Natalie Tenerelli (19), Acton, CA
Phillip Sheppard (52), Santa Monica, CA

Zapatera Tribe


Russell Hantz (38), Dayton, TX
David Murphy (31), West Hollywood, CA
Julie Wolfe (50), Oceanside, CA
Krista Klumpp (25), Columbia, SC
Mike Chiesl (31), Del Mar, CA
Ralph Kiser (45), Lebanon, VA
Sarita White (36), Santa Monica, CA
Stephanie Valencia (26), Long Beach, CA

Steve Wright (51), Huntington Beach, CA

If you want more information on the competitors, check out my blog from last month, “Look What I Found”.

Based on the results of my Survivor Hall of Fame poll, bad-guy Russell Hantz is the fan favorite among many of the From the Booth crowd. If you disagree make sure you cast your vote before Wednesday night. The poll is located just to the right of the blog.

Yes, here we go again, Russell Hantz vs. Rob Mariano. And I know who I’m rooting for. Until next time…from the booth.