Survivor 22: Redemption Island

[slipintothefog]

It starts on February 16, and most of the twenty-person cast already has been spoiled (see spoiler section below); though not officially revealed yet, CBS.com should be getting the cast profiles and videos up within a week or two.

This season takes place in Nicaragua, since they're sticking with the cost-cutting measure of recording two seasons back-to-back in the same location like they did for Samoa/Heroes vs. Villains.

As we learned at Nicaragua's finale, the concept of Redemption Island is that, when people are voted off, they're not fully out of the game. They'll move to Redemption Island one by one and compete in a challenge with the next person eliminated for the right to stay on Redemption Island. At some point in the season, the one person who is still present on Redemption Island will re-enter the game. Unlike the Outcasts twist in Survivor: Pearl Islands, all of the contests know of Redemption Island in advance. This concept originated in a foreign version of the show.

Also, it's been stated that reward and immunity challenges will be combined due to Redemption Island requiring a challenge of its own in every episode. So we'll still have two challenges per episode.

What's most likely the big draw of this season in CBS's eyes, though?

Spoiler

Boston Rob and Russell Hantz are returning. The other eighteen castaways are new players, so it's very much like when Stephenie and Bobby Jon returned in Guatemala. Right now, you can see most of their pictures and basic information here. That site doesn't have any boot order spoilers currently, but it may change as we get closer to the premiere and almost certainly will have boot information by the time that the show is airing, so be wary.

What do all you guys who regular the Survivor threads think about the Redemption Island twist?

Personally, it sounds interesting to me, and it could make for interesting developments, especially if the person who returns the game was recently blindsided. The gameplay could be either fascinating or boring because the players have to be mindful toward how they eliminate others since there's a chance to return. I'm also a little concerned about the show's pacing since it sounds like the added concept will eat up a lot of time per episode.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

I don't like the twist any more than America voting an evicted houseguest back into the game on BB. To me it's antithetical to the basic conceit of the show i.e. you get voted out, you're done. In the past few years, Survivor has strayed so much from their original, elegantly simple concept, and the show has become more gimmicky and less interesting. This twist also favors a Real World/Road Rules result (and why would any show want to follow that degenerate series?) where challenge threats (i.e. Probst's favorites) will have an advantage, since ultimately who leaves the game for good will be determined by a challenge rather than a vote.

It will also make TC seem less important and non-climatic, since who gets voted out is...just being sent to an island where they can return. They might as well change "Tribal Council" to "Preliminary Hearing."

I really dislike it.

 

[TaggedGalaxy]

I'm willing to give it a chance I want to see how it plays out. It's obvious Redemption Island was only introduced to give a certain person(s) a chance to enter the game again and keep them on our TV screens for as long as possible.

 

[joesman]

And that someone is my least fav Survivor ever, Hantz. I hate that bastard and I hated CBS for making me look at him 2 seasons in a row, although the first season he was on I dropped out when the idols were strewn around like lollipops in a candy shop. It was so frigging obvious that the producers wanted Hantz to win.

I'll watch because of the great company here and at Sucks but I am not liking a thrid go round for Hantz or even BR.

 

[Ekim23]

I will give it a shot...
We'll see how they make that twist interesting to the audience...

I m not thrilled about it, but i m not negative about it either

 

[Spiff]

If Russell and Rob are indeed returning as contestants (still haven't seen official proof), then that would be nothing like when Stephanie and Bobby Jon first returned. Steph and Bobby were invited back out of courtesy due to neither being voted off the first time they left. Russell and Rob are just being exploited more for their ratings draw. And this sickens me. What, is Survivor going to keep asking these guys back every year as annual contestants? Absurd.

As for redemption island. Not sure how I feel yet without seeing it at least once. But I suspect it will take more precious time away from the social politics, which is the shows biggest draw. Now it seems every show will need to devote 10 minutes or so just to deal with the redemption island showdown each week.

I suspect that Russell and Rob would be the first on redemption island (they will start the show there unlike any of the regular contestants). They will be the first two to do battle. The winner will battle the first regular contestant voted off.

 

[Ekim23]

If Russell and Rob are indeed returning as contestants (still haven't seen official proof), then that would be nothing like when Stephanie and Bobby Jon first returned. Steph and Bobby were invited back out of courtesy due to neither being voted off the first time they left. Russell and Rob are just being exploited more for their ratings draw. And this sickens me. What, is Survivor going to keep asking these guys back every year as annual contestants? Absurd.

As for redemption island. Not sure how I feel yet without seeing it at least once. But I suspect it will take more precious time away from the social politics, which is the shows biggest draw. Now it seems every show will need to devote 10 minutes or so just to deal with the redemption island showdown each week.

I suspect that Russell and Rob would be the first on redemption island (they will start the show there unlike any of the regular contestants). They will be the first two to do battle. The winner will battle the first regular contestant voted off.

I do agree !!!
seeing them once again is really annoying !!!
It's not like their masterminds or whatever, they just are entertaining for some people....

 

[slipintothefog]

If Russell and Rob are indeed returning as contestants (still haven't seen official proof), then that would be nothing like when Stephanie and Bobby Jon first returned. Steph and Bobby were invited back out of courtesy due to neither being voted off the first time they left.

My comparison was just that there are two returning contestants mixed into a full regular cast... although Stephenie WAS voted off fairly in Palau because she made it to the "merge" and survived two votes with Koror.

---

A spoiler about how Russell and Rob do in the game relative to one another, from missyae the Nicaragua spoiler:

Spoiler

Rob is said to outlast Russell this time.

Also (this spoiler reveals their general, though not exact, placement in the game):

Spoiler

Rob and Russell are also said to have automatic immunity until the merge.

---

Also, I just noticed that one of the contestants is an "older Asian-American" named Julie. I know it's not possible (since she's married to CBS's president), but Julie Chen would be, like, the best Survivor contestant ever. "We going to the immunity challenge... BUT FIRST, we've received treemail!"

 

[slipintothefog]

'kay, ignore that bit about the two returnees having immunity. I just caught up with missyae's thread including fake spoilers about Carrie Prejean giving a returnee an immunity idol to blindside Kimbo Slice.

Most reliable spoiler sites like TDT have that the two returnees are still going to be on, though. Beyond that, I don't know what to believe.

 

[Callum]

Gah...those two clowns again? Count me out for another season...see ya'll for Big Brother.

 

[That70sJoe]

What do all you guys who regular the Survivor threads think about the Redemption Island twist?

I like the twist. It's Season 22 and from here until it's cancelled, they should change it up every season, IMO. Redemption Island is an excellent ploy because it'll illustrate in the latter stages of who's TRULY playing the game well (when they have to deal with the returnee who most likely will be bitter).

Also, I'm still hoping for a "Survivor" season like the Cook Islands "social experiment" but this time the 4 tribes are divided into sexual orientation: 1 gay, 1 straight, 1 lesbian, 1 bi.

 

[joesman]

I suppose it will matter what challenges they might have to do on Redemption Island (sounds like a soap opera or a religious flix) and if the challenges are garnered toward a specific person(s).

 

[Aratron]

And the cast is out: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor/

 

[slipintothefog]

LOL at the two mystery castaways on the official site. They're even listed as "returning castaway #1" and "returning castaway #2" when you click on their profiles, and obviously they have to be men because there's more women officially revealed. I wonder who they could be?!?!

I'm quickly scrolling through the guys looking for any eye candy and/or gays. Seems like Boston Bob (--Sandra Diaz-Twine) is going to be the hot guy of the season for the fourth time for me. Might post again with first impressions after I watch all of the intro interviews.

I do wish the people compared themselves to more previous Survivors. A lot of them say "I like to think of myself as an original." That's like code for "I'm a recruited mactor who never has seen Survivor before except for the three episodes of Micronesia that the cast had to watch before moving on-location, and if I'm a female that means Parvati is my idol!"

TDT wasn't kidding about that Krista girl being cast as a Natalie White clone (except not as pretty, sorry Krista). Here's hoping Russell drags her to the end and loses to her.

 

[Ekim23]

Just watched the video about the cast... Im not very excited bout this cast

there's natalie .2
naonka .2
James .2
Colby .2
Shambo male version

and so on.... nothing particularly original bout it for now at least. We'll see

 

[slipintothefog]

~ The Cast in Pictures ~

David. Casting Stereotype #89: The Faux Mastermind.

Francesca. Casting Stereotype #22: The Ethnic Girl. Sucks will love her for being sassy.

Grant. Casting Stereotype #63: Offbeat Looking Guy who only I will find hot.

Julie. Casting Stereotype #55: Older Lady.

Krista. Oh my werd, y'all, it's Natalie White's sister!

Natalie. Casting Stereotype #47a: Hot Girl that straight men will love.

Mike. Casting Stereotype #47b: Hot Guy that gay men will love.

Matt. Casting Stereotype #77: Clone of the Most Recent Winner. Also could be a 47b.

Kristina. Casting Stereotype #99: The one who doesn't fit any obvious stereotype, aka The Borewhore.

Phillip. Fills Casting Stereotypes #33: Older Guy and #47: Black Guy.

Sarita. Fills Casting Stereotype #26: White girl who looks potentially snarky.

Ralph. Fills Casting Stereotype #17: The Redneck, and I wouldn't doubt that he loves Russell Hantz.

Stephanie. Fills Casting Stereotype #38: Young brunette girl who wears bikini and gets no screentime.

Steve. Fills Casting Stereotype #57: The DILF, except he doesn't do it as well as Tom or Penner.

Ashley and Andrea. Fills Casting Stereotype #39: Interchangeable young blonde girls who also wear bikinis and get no screentime.

And #17 and #18 are Russell and Rob. I guess it's only an eighteen person season? YAY!

 

[Ekim23]

So basically


David = Stephen
Francesca = Naonka
Julie = betsy
Krista = Natalie
Natalie = Danni
Mike = Colby
Matt = Jud
kristina = Yve
Philip = James
Sarita = Amanda
Ralph = Shambo male version
Steve = Tom
Ashley & Andrea = Ashley & Marisa....
Grant = JT
Stephanie = Carolina


MOUAHAHAH

 

[TaggedGalaxy]

First impressions are that they seem like a bland looking cast, but i will reserve most of my judgement until I see them in action, I think Krista looks more like Kelly from Samoa than Natalie.

 

[joesman]

I suppose that we have to be prepared for less screen time for everyone except BR & RH because the events on Redemption island will take that time away.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

Man I wish Big Brother was on twice a year instead of this show. There was a time when I used to feel exactly the opposite, but Survivor has become so gimmicky and so focused on characters like Coach and Russell over the past few seasons, that I've switched allegiances. Even the last season of BB -- which was easily the dullest -- bested China, Samoa and Nicaragua for me, for sheer entertainment value and rootability.