If Your a Fan of Pirates, Watch Pirate Master on CBS

A new series by Mark Burnett has set sail for Thursday nights on CBS and now it's time to weigh in. Does this reality show measure up to such hits as "Survivor" and "Amazing Race"?

The series centers around the legendary treasure of Henry Steel, who supposedly scattered his treasure in 14 different locations around the island of Dominica. From there, we meet 16 very different people striving to become the next "Pirate Master", and who will ultimately leave with at least $500,000. Well, that's the basic premise of the show.

My first opinion of the show was that it looked like a clone of "Survivor" except with pirates. The contestants don't really seem to be very likable, and at some points, they seem to be putting on the pirate role way to heavily. The only contestant that really stood out, to me anyways, was Rufus. Not only does he have the pirate personality down, but he also seems to mingle well with his other crew mates. As for the host, I kinda found it odd. When I think of a good host, I usually picture a someone with a strong but likable personality. For some reason, it seemed as though the host, Cameron, disappeared when it should of been his time to shine. I did find other aspects of the show to be quite interesting, such as the treasure challenges and Pirate's Court. I liked the fact that the challenges involved quite a lot physical activity and teamwork. It reminded me a lot of "Survivor", but with a pirate twist. I also liked some of the different elements that helped separate it from "Survivor", such as the navigational aspect and the chance to sabotage during challenges. Pirate's Court also seemed to carry some uniqueness that I found refreshing. The use of a "black spot" to nominate people actually seemed kinda cool. I also loved the thought that the crew mates could uprise against their captain and sentence him to mutiny. This would especially be satisfying to see happen to someone who actually deserved to be set adrift. Speaking of being set a drift, the first contestant to leave wasn't really a surprise. Considering his personality and who he was up against, I was pretty certain he didn't stand a chance. The only good thing about him was the fact that he was entertaining to watch. Hopefully, future episodes will show more of the other contestants personalities.

Would I watch "Pirate Master" again? Actually, I would. Considering the fact that most shows have already had season finales, and the fact that after watching "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" a week ago, I'm kinda in the mood for more wacky pirates.