Survivor Samoa: A Season of Treason?

Survivor Premiere to Air on CBS
Whether set in a safari or on a tropical island, Survivor always promises to be a thriller and this season is no different. Survivor's 19^th season will premiere on Thursday, September 17^th on CBS at 8/7 c. Shot in Samoa this season, the cast, like always, is a mingling of different walks of life. Different beliefs, ages, and personalities all dropped off in a remote location, forced to survive. It is what makes this show tantalizing, bringing back devoted fans season after season to cheer their favorite castaways on.

Highlights this season will no doubt include contestants living in modest quarters of homemade huts that offer little protection from the elements interspersed with fishing expeditions, food auctions and views of beautiful terrain. A physical and mental game, stressors include rain, other contestants, lack of food, lack of sleep and challenges in the midst of the chaos. These challenges can directly affect who goes home as they offer a chance to win protection from being voted out at the next tribal council. Tribal council, held at night, usually commences with the contestants filing in to a pavilion or ancient site single file, clad in their ragged and dirty clothes, carrying lit torches, wondering whom will be the next to go. Contestants are voted out for a myriad of reasons ranging from being a threat to poor performance at challenges to alliances made in secret.

Survivor Strategies in Action
One type of personality that does well in this game of survival are those who are slow to speak and fairly athletic, faring well in challenges and providing little opportunity to offend others from very different walks of life. Others who seem to do well are those that fly under the radar, not posing too much of a threat or opposition to the other contestants. Many times those who take on leadership roles too quickly are the first voted out and especially so if they are even a wee bit controlling. Yet others who do well are the ones who are able to lie to others, promising other contestants protection and alliances, all while making the same alliances with others in remote parts of rain forest or brush, depending on the locale.

Past contestants seem to have one of two theories when it comes to how they play the game. The first theory is that this is a game and anything goes. The second theory is that although this is a game it simulates real life since it is played out in real time and you should remember the Golden Rule when dealing with your fellow contestants. It can be quite interesting to watch these theories play out on sandy beaches with haggard contestants competing for food and rank. There are contestants that try to blend these theories, some faring well and some left stammering to explain themselves. One thing is for certain, though, there is never a dull moment. Having seen past seasons, contestants these days are shrewder than ever and are building alliances, making observations and deciding who they will vote out weeks in advance, all before they reach the remote locale that they will temporarily call home.

Survivor: Somoa
Russell, a contestant in the upcoming season, seems to abide by the rules that all is fair and anything goes. Will this work for him? This is sometimes viewed at the end of the season as having played a good game and sometimes as having no loyalty or character...That's the tricky thing: it is, in the end, the ousted contestants that ultimately determine whom will go home with the money. Will Russell and others like him be the winners in the end, or will the honest and loyal prevail? Tune in on Thursday nights to find out.

To see the diverse cast of twenty castaways for Survivor: Samoa go to cbs.com.

References:

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor/