It’s baaaaaaaack!
Just so we’re all on the same page…
The long-running reality series features a group of contestants that try to outwit, outplay and outlast one another to win the title of Sole Survivor and a cool $1 million grand prize.
Marooned in exotic but isolated locales, the players are split up into teams and must work together to provide shelter, fire, food and water for themselves. They also compete in challenges, either for reward or immunity, and the losing tribe goes to tribal council where someone is voted out and sent home.
Each season has a twist and Survivor: Kaoh Rong’s focuses on stereotypes, dividing contestants into one of three groups – those who are known for their intellect, those who are athletic and those who are considered attractive.
Off and running…
The show opened with all the players aboard a ship in the middle of a Cambodian sea. They were given two minutes to gather as many supplies as they could onto their rafts and then paddle to shore. Clinging to baskets, fruits, live chickens and other items, all teams arrived on their respective beaches. After brief introductions were made, everyone got right to work building their shelters.
Drawing lines in the sand…
Power dynamics change on a dime in this game. Promises are made, alliances forged, but the slightest mistake could blow everything sky-high. And that’s exactly what happened on every team.
A division quickly formed within the Chan Loh/Brains tribe, resulting in a younger contestants vs. older contestants face-off. On the To Tang/ Brawn tribe, Alecia quickly found herself on the outs because she doesn’t meet the expectations of what an “athlete” should be, nor does she do much around camp. And over on the Gondol/ Beauty tribe, an overeager Tai was branded as untrustworthy after sneaking off to find the hidden immunity idol.
The first brutal challenge…
Survivor challenges are never easy, but this first one was a real doozy for all involved. The tribes had to swim to their boats, retrieve the paddles which were tied to posts underwater, paddle to shore, transform their boat into a cart, push the cart to a platform and assemble a puzzle in order to win.
Things started off badly for To Tang when Darnell lost his goggles as soon as he entered the water, putting the team at a huge disadvantage. Gondol, on the other hand, worked well together and was in the lead until they reached shore and struggled to push their boat onto the ramp in order to convert it into a cart. Chan Loh stepped up at this point and ran away with the challenge, earning immunity and a fire-making kit for reward.
Despite the early setback, To Tang rallied from behind and seemed like they would win second place until the dreaded puzzle. Alecia cost them time by tagging out to allow someone to take her place instead. This slight hiccup helped Gondol beat To Tang for immunity and a second-place reward of flint.
A tough choice…
Back at camp, it seemed pretty obvious that either Darnell or Alecia would be going home. Both were seen as responsible for the loss, and they admitted as much after the challenge. It was just a matter of who could be relied upon going forward.
Based on earlier footage, Alecia appeared to be the bigger target. Her fellow tribemates Cydney and Kyle made their dislike for her known to all, and everyone agreed she would go--everyone but Scot, that is. Scot wanted to take out Darnell instead and set out to convince everyone to do the same.
The tribe has spoken…
Tribal council was pretty juicy considering it was only the first episode. Kyle called out both Darnell and Alecia as the weakest links on the team, which put both on the defensive. Darnell argued that despite his early blunder in the challenge, he fought and gave it his all throughout the rest of it, whereas Alecia didn’t do much of anything. Alecia called herself a “mental giant” and said she would prove herself if allowed to stay.
At this point, Darnell became emotional as he told his tribemates that he’s always had to fight for things in his life, and that nothing has ever come easy for him. This caused some to rethink their vote.
The last-minute change in plans resulted in a tie, meaning the votes had to be recast for either Darnell or Alecia, and the two would not be allowed to cast a vote the second time.
Ultimately Darnell became the first person to get voted out. I personally don’t understand why someone like him was sent home over someone who people have complained about being useless, but it is what it is.
All in all, this season looks like it’s going to be an interesting one. We already know it’s going to be brutal judging from the dramatic teasers filled with medical emergencies and the like. But what remains to be seen is who the “mental giants” are and who is, in fact, just “mental.”
What are you looking forward to this season? Who will you be rooting for?