Congratulations are in order for producer Mark Burnett and his baby, "Survivor," as this season's edition in the Pacific islands of Palau marks the show's 10th go-round.
As the show hits double digits, the obvious problem for Burnett is how to keep the show fresh and interesting. After the third installment, "Survivor: Africa," the show took a downward turn with Thailand and the Marquesas, only to be revitalized with "Survivor: Amazon" and the Pearl Islands (thanks, of course, to Rupert). With "All-Stars" turning out to be something of a disappointment, and a humdrum last season on Vanuatu, "Survivor" is at another crossroads.
Two main keys to the success of "Survivor" have always been innovation and an eclectic cadre of characters. Starting with Vanuatu's finale, CBS had been hyping the new twist that this time the players would be stranded on the island with no provisions - no fire, no rice, no pots, no blankets, no fishing hooks - or so they made it seem.
Unfortunately, this premise was a mere ploy, as the contestants did receive a pair of machetes, a map to water, and a bag of sneakers. In addition, on the second day the survivors participated in a reward/immunity challenge in which materials for fire, cooking, and shelter were available to the winner.
While "Survivor" kind of hoodwinked us with their Palau marketing campaign, there were plenty of twists in the first episode that compensated for the deception. As the contestants rowed to the island, there were the two immunity necklaces up for grabs to the first man and woman who could snatch them. Also surprising was the fact that when the players reached the shore, they had yet to be split into tribes, leading to an uneasy period of both shelter and alliance building.
Of course, the tribes were eventually split, but it was how they were divided that was so exciting. The two winners of immunity, Jolanda and Ian, were made virtual dodgeball captains and each had to pick someone of the opposite sex for their tribe. That person then chose the next member, continuing on in schoolyard style until only two players were left. Those two remaining players, 57-year-old Wanda and 23-year-old Texan Jonathan (the first male to make a run for the immunity, and in the process signing his execution order), were booted off the island, lasting less than a day on Palau.
While the varied rules and regulations have worked well thus far, the jury is still out on the current crop of survivors. After two episodes, there is no Rupert, no larger-than-life character who captures the hearts of viewers instantly. This is not to say that there aren't any interesting personalities or that the show is doomed, but that the stars are still emerging.
Not helping matters is that two of the most potentially colorful characters, Wanda and Jolanda, or the "andas" as I like to call them, were ousted in the first episode. Wanda, a school teacher from Pennsylvania, sealed her fate minutes into the game by belting out a "Survivor"-themed tune while the rest of the players struggled to row the boat ashore. Jolanda, a 39-year-old lawyer from Texas, demonstrated a strong body as well as a strong personality, and her tribemates were obviously nervous about Jolanda becoming "Survivor'"s Omarosa.
Hairstylist Coby positioned himself as this season's Richard Hatch, or at least he attempted to be in the first episode. Luckily for him and his unnaturally fast-growing facial hair, he toned down his scheming. Unfortunately, less plotting means less entertainment.
Clearly, the producers thought Angie, a bartender from New Orleans, would be an engaging, exotic character, especially considering the tattoos that cover much of her body, including her chest. Last picked for the Ulong tribe and nearly voted out in the first episode, she proved in the second episode's reward challenge that she has more strength and agility than the other top-heavy waifs on the squad.
A personal favorite thus far is Willard, a 57-year-old lawyer from the state of Washington who looks just as cuddly as he is curmudgeonly (and extra points for the stud earring). Also showing potential to break out are Janu, a Vegas showgirl who is somehow still wearing jeans, and NYC firefighter Tom, who must be embellishing that accent (he lives only 20 minutes from my hometown, and no one talks like that). Finally, a safe bet for quality one-liners is Alabama steelworker James, a slimmed-down, more coherent version of "Survivor: Africa"'s Big Tom.
Of course, the big question is who's going to win the million, but it's really too early to tell who has the best shot. Even if someone clearly stood out, you never know what kind of twists and turns Mark Burnett will dream up. If we've learned anything after nine seasons of "Survivor" though, it is that it's not about the million, it's about how we get there.
