Review: Survivor: San Juan del Sur Blood v Water
Rejoice, rejoice, Survivor has returned to our television screens! The premiere of the reality show’s 29th incantation aired. This time the “castaways” are “marooned” in the rather inviting, yet harsh environment of San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua.
Added to the mix is the second version of “Blood verses Water”, where loved ones must compete against each other. The previous “Blood verses Water” season saw returning survivors battling against their loved ones which resulted in many a retributive move being made against those deemed to have betrayed their better half. With that kind of precedent, “Blood verses Water” 2 was alluring.
After the first episode, aficionados will attest to the wonderment of Survivor and will not be disappointed. (How could you ever be disappointed in Survivor?)
Survivor: San Juan del Sur: Blood verses Water, lives up to its mantra of dispelling stereotypes, causing conflict and bearing witness to personality change in the face of pressure.
Meet The Cast
Meet The Cast
We meet each couple as Jeff flies over their individual camp spots in his helicopter. (Was it borrowed from Forrester Creations or Spencer Publications?)
There’s Jon and girlfriend Jaclyn-they represent the all-American glamour couple, he the college football star, she the former Miss Michigan, both with perfect smiles. We learn later that Jon is battling with the realisation that his father has a terminal brain tumour and his wish is to watch the series back with him and for him to be proud of his son.
John and Julie are next. John is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Apparently controversy has dogged him for 15 years concerning bigoted and homophobic comments. John is a huge physical specimen, with an ego to boot. He is keen to keep his identity a secret. Julie is a buxom, beauty, who in her words, has to “deal with the classic type-A personality.”
Jeff flies over Missy and her daughter Baylor. According to Baylor her mother’s 3 divorces have brought them closer together and they are going to work together.
Drew and Alec are your typical brothers with a very relaxed attitude. They are keen to get one-up on each other. They begin a fire with a clump of Alec’s hair! Drew is a successful model in Europe.
Jeff buzzes over Dale and his daughter Kelley. Their back story is that Survivor is pathway to reconnecting their relationship after they did not speak to each other for 3 years at one stage. I’m sure we’ll hear more about their estrangement later.
Jeff buzzes over Dale and his daughter Kelley. Their back story is that Survivor is pathway to reconnecting their relationship after they did not speak to each other for 3 years at one stage. I’m sure we’ll hear more about their estrangement later.
The show’s gay couple, Josh and Reed are Broadway entertainers, who are super fans of the show. In fact, Reed gave Josh a piece of flint for a Valentine’s Day present. What commitment!
The antithesis of Alec and Drew are embodied in the husband and wife team of Jeremy and Val. He is a Massachusetts Fireman, she is a Boston Policewoman. They share a professional rivalry.
Hovering over sisters, Nadiya and Natalie, we find them struggling to start a fire. They are veterans of reality television, having competed on the Amazing Race. As soon as the other contestants discover this they will surely become targets. A plaintive cry to Jeff for assistance with the fire goes unheard as he flies on.
Our final survivors are Keith and Wess, father and son firefighters from Louisiana. They both have stereotypical, thick Southern accents. Keith requires subtitles to be understood.
Jeff signs off with his trademark move. Standing on the skids of the helicopter he triumphantly proclaims, “39 days, 18 people, 1 survivor”.
Day 1
Day 1
Upon arriving at the challenge arena the next morning, the couples are split forming the Hunahpu and Coyopa tribes after sizing up the opposition.
Hunahpu select Jeremy to contest the first Reward Challenge. Here is the twist, he must compete against his wife Val. Jeremy is already upset at being separated from Val and is even more perturbed with the thought of her losing in the challenge. Surprise, surprise, he wins the obstacle course, throwing a hook to retrieve a bag of camp items challenge. Tears flow as he bids Val farewell to Exile Island-Survivor limbo where you’re not out of the game yet but you’re not a part of the game!
Jeff informs Jeremy he must send someone from his tribe to Exile Island as well. He selects Keith because he looks as though he will take care of Val in his absence.
Later Jeremy confides that he will cop a real ribbing from his mates when they see him so emotional.
Exile Island is a bare, inhospitable place. However, Val discovers that it is a blessing when she and Keith are forced to choose an urn. Inside Val’s urn is a clue to the hidden Immunity Idol. Keith’s parchment is blank and is, as he laments, “the story of his life.”
Keith finds out that Jeremy is also a fireman and hopes to forge a bond between the two.
Back at Hunahpu, Jeremy is lauded for his challenge victory. He immediately begins forming an alliance. He recruits Kelley, Natalie and Missy, upon his return from Exile Island, Keith is coerced. Jeremy already has the numbers.
While building the shelter Julie bemoans that Drew is showing all the signs of boyfriend MLB John-the type-A personality. “He’s a dumb dude.”
Meanwhile, the mood is low at Coyopa. Baylor notices that the majority of the tribe are in their 20’s, with MLB John and Dale the odd ones out. They are struggling to make fire. Dale uses his childhood experiences by starting a fire with his reading glasses acting as magnifying lenses. Success and with that his stakes has been lifted against possible expulsion.
The Immunity Challenge is testing. Both tribes must navigate under an obstacle of cargo netting, retrieve 3, suspended bags of climbing tools by lifting someone up. The teams must climb a 3 sectioned wall. Reaching the summit they must complete a symmetrical puzzle to grab immunity. Val and Keith re-join their respective tribes.
Most of Coyopa are up by the time the first Humahpu member is ready.
The last wall section needs brute strength. MLB John acts as human ladder allowing his tribe to climb on him to reach the puzzle section. Humahpu are floundering.
Humahpu have reached the puzzle after a concerted team effort. Coyopa have it-no they don’t. Humahpu are working well, led by Reed, Julia, Kelley and Michigan Jon-suddenly they’re only one piece away. It fits, it fits! Humahpu win. Coyopa is devastated. They gleefully accept the Immunity Idol.
At the post-mortem, back at camp, Dale thinks he will go first so attempts to gain support from the males to target Nadiya. Meanwhile the females are colluding to oust Dale with the help of Josh, whom Nadiya describes as “one of the girls”.
Coyopa trapes into Tribal Council and light their torches-they have life for now.
Josh feels he is the swing voter, caught in the middle of the boys and girls. He muses that this has been fraught with danger in the past.
Nadiya finds Survivor far more difficult than The Amazing Race, but remains positive.
Nadiya receives 5 votes, Dale 3 and Baylor 1.
Nadiya is greeted with the fatal words, “Nadiya, you need to bring me your torch. Nadiya, the tribe has spoken!”
It is revealed that Baylor has reneged on her allegiance to Nadiya. Is there more to come?
Bring on next week. Oh, the humanity!
Team Breakdown:
Team Breakdown:
HUNAHPU COYOPA
Missy Baylor
Kelley Dale
Jeremy Val
Reed Josh
Julie John (to be known as MLB John)
Jon (to be known as Michigan Jon) Jaclyn
Natalie Nadiya
Drew Alec
Keith Wess
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