Survivor: Palau

[Brian in Mesa]

Narration by Jeff Probst:

Here's a sneak peek of where we're going next.

It started in Borneo and over the past nine seasons Survivor has visited some of the most exotic lands on Earth. Places like Australia, Kenya, Thailand, The Amazon and Vanuatu. But now a group of new castaways will travel to the most stunning location yet, the islands and waters of Palau, a place that some have called the Eighth Natural Wonder of the World.

A tropical setting of stunning islands. Dense jungles and an underwater world beyond belief.

It was in this part of the world that war raged in the 1940s. Today the remains and wreckage of the war haunt these waters and jungles like ghosts of a violent past. An eerie mix of man's explosive history and nature's power to reclaim.

It is here that 20 new castaways will be abandoned. From the beginning the game will be changed in a dramatic way. Everything the Survivors have come to expect will be wiped in the first 10 minutes. Who will outwit, outplay and outlast all the others to become the sole Survivor? The adventure begins with the premiere of Survivor: Palau.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Those islands look pretty cool. They look small. Does anyone know how big they might be?

 

[Dback Jon]

Good to see them shake things up.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Those islands look pretty cool. They look small. Does anyone know how big they might be?

Not sure about the whole place. The ones in the picture are just a glimpse of the whole area. I tried not to look too hard at some of the sites I went to find those pics because there are many spoilers already out (contestants, challenges, locations, etc). People take this stuff seriously.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

They showed some great shots of the island last night...and how it used to be involved in world wars...there is wreakage of boats and planes in the water and on land...all rusted, etc.

Pretty cool looking.

Mike

 

[Brian in Mesa]

They showed some great shots of the island last night...and how it used to be involved in world wars...there is wreakage of boats and planes in the water and on land...all rusted, etc.

Pretty cool looking.

Mike

Survivor: Palau

 

[Stout]

I'll actually watch this, though I absolutely abhor the idiotic Survivor tv show---throw them out there with some gear and let the last one ALIVE get a million bucks, THEN we can call this Survivor.

Anyway, I served in Europe with a pretty cool dude from Palau (I think he said they call it Belau there, but I'm not sure). I'll have to check it out for all the stories he told.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

"Survivor: Palau" Cast Revealed
Thursday January 13 1:15 PM ET

By Sarah Hall

Cue the catchy theme chant--Jeff Probst's latest band of fame-and-fortune-seeking castaways are ready to try their hands at outwitting, outplaying and outlasting.

A Vegas showgirl, a hairstylist and a personal trainer are among the contestants who will be battling it out for a million bucks in the upcoming Survivor: Palau, due to premiere Feb. 17 on CBS.

Filmed on an island in the South Pacific, season 10 of the reality series promises to mix it up from the start with a cluster of Survivor-befuddling plot twists, per producer Mark Burnett.

"You have this situation now where everyone thinks they know more about the rules and format than we do," Burnett told Daily Variety. "I wanted to see what happens by completely revamping the way of starting [the show]."

Instead of the usual 16 castaways, Survivor: Palau will pit 20 would-be millionaires against one another. However, by the end of episode one, only 17 will remain.

"They're given very little instruction about what to do, and some of them are genuinely lost," Burnett told Variety. "Two people don't make it to the first challenge. That's how tough it is. It's very emotional."

Palau's castaways are a younger bunch than in seasons past, with 11 contestants under 30. Willard Smith, a lawyer from Bellevue, Washington, is the oldest at 57; 21-year-old Jeff Wilson, the aforementioned personal trainer of Ventura, California, is the baby of the group.

Other contestants include Ian Rosenberger, 23, a dolphin trainer, who "enjoys being outside," and Stephanie LaGrossa, 25, a pharmaceutical rep, who "likes going to the beach," according to their bios.

There's also token eye-candy for all. Graduate student Kimberly Mullen, 25, represented Ohio in the 2002 Miss USA Pageant and has worked as a model. Waiter Bobby Jon Drinkard, 27, was voted Alabama's Most Eligible Bachelor in 2003 by Cosmopolitan magazine and is currently pursuing a modeling career. (Bring on the swimsuit shots.)

The castaways' new island home was the site of plenty of World War II action and remains littered with wreckage. Most of the island is covered by dense tropical forests and inhabited by creatures such as skinks, wormsnakes and geckos.

The waters around the island are considered a diver's paradise and are home to saltwater crocodiles, sharks, barracuda, octopi, lionfish and giant clams that can weigh up to two tons.

Survivor has been reupped for an 11th and 12th season; however, Burnett said last month's tsunami changed plans for upcoming show locations.

"We were scouting locations in Madagascar, southern India, Sri Lanka. We had a real focus on the Indian Ocean," he told Variety. "Clearly, now, that won't be happening."

Here's a look at all the contenders:

Coby Archa, 32, hairstylist from Athens, Texas

Ashlee Ashbee, 22, student from Easley, South Carolina

Gregg Carey, 28, business consultant from Chicago

Bobby John Drinkard, 27, waiter from Santa Monica

Katie Gallagher, 29, advertising exec from Merced, California

Caryn Groedel, 46, civil rights attorney from Solon, Ohio

Angie Jakusz, 24, bartender from New Orleans

Jolanda Jones, 39, lawyer from Houston

Stephenie LaGrossa, 25, pharmaceutical sales rep from Philadelphia

Jonathan Libby, 23,works in sales and marketing in Dallas

Jennifer Lyon, 32, nanny from Encino, California

James Miller, 32, steel worker from Mobile, Alabama

Kimberly Mullen, 25, grad student from Huber Heights, Ohio

Ibreheim Rahman, 27, waiter from Birmingham, Alabama

Ian Rosenberger, 23, dolphin trainer from Key Largo, Florida

Wanda Shirk, 55, English teacher from Ulysses, Pennsylvania

Willard Smith, 57, lawyer from Bellevue, Washington

Janu Tornell, 39, Las Vegas showgirl

Tom Westman, 41, firefighter from Sayville, New York

Jeff Wilson, 21, personal trainer from Ventura, California

 

[KingofCards]

Looks like a nice pack of woman they picked this time.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Bump. First ep was tonight.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Looks like a good show. but then again, I liked all of them so far

 

[Lefty]

I think for a future Survivor place they should have it in Alaska during the winter.

 

[jf-08]

Wanda was irritating as hell. I would have thrown her off the boat when she started singing. "WE ARE ALL SURVIVORS" - yeah, all except for you, freako!

Why the hell was that one dude not picked? My wife was pissed, but she is happy because there is more eye candy for the women this season than for the guys. But I particularly like the fact that alot of the girls are prancing around in their skivies.

 

[CaptTurbo]

Why the hell was that one dude not picked?

I told my wife that would be the most embarressing moment ever. To be one of the inshape young guys and not be picked.

He must have had a serious attitude or personality that rubbed everyone the wrong way.

 

[CaptTurbo]

I think for a future Survivor place they should have it in Alaska during the winter.

Then you wouldnt see boobs

 

[maddogkf]

there's some pretty good balloon smugglers in this one

 

[Russ Smith]

I told my wife that would be the most embarressing moment ever. To be one of the inshape young guys and not be picked.

He must have had a serious attitude or personality that rubbed everyone the wrong way.

he was the guy who jumped overboard and swam in along with the girl. So he may have been singled out for that. At least I think that was him that swam. Like everyone else I was stunned they kept the older guy.

 

[maddogkf]

he was the guy who jumped overboard and swam in along with the girl. So he may have been singled out for that. At least I think that was him that swam. Like everyone else I was stunned they kept the older guy.

at first I was shocked, but then I think the people thought they had a better chance at beating the old chap than the young guy

 

[Russ Smith]

at first I was shocked, but then I think the people thought they had a better chance at beating the old chap than the young guy

True, survivor is so familiar to people now that people are thinking strategy immediately.

That's why the gay guy not choosing tattoo woman surprised me, she clearly expected he'd pick her, and he clearly snubbed her. You just know if she gets the chance she'll use that against him.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Great first episode...seemed more intense than any past premier....pretty cool way to start things off...a good ol' game of pick your own teams, the last two not going.

That's pretty harsh though, man...picked last in sports in high school sucked, but imagine being last on the first episode of Survivor on TV...ugh

Mike

 

[KloD]

I'll actually watch this, though I absolutely abhor the idiotic Survivor tv show---throw them out there with some gear and let the last one ALIVE get a million bucks, THEN we can call this Survivor.

Come on man I thought you would watch just about anything, you watch Dawson's Creek after all!

[sorryIlaughedwhenIsawthatthread,nowwhodoesn'trespectwho'sopinoin!]

 

[maddogkf]

*********spoiler*************


ok - when gay waiter beat sheet metal blue collar guy in the battle twice, who else cracked up?

For being a big guy, Ibrehem sure is a wimp. I'm glad that annoying chick Kim is gone. She was hot, but she did nothing.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

*********spoiler*************


ok - when gay waiter beat sheet metal blue collar guy in the battle twice, who else cracked up?

For being a big guy, Ibrehem sure is a wimp. I'm glad that annoying chick Kim is gone. She was hot, but she did nothing.

Gay guy was a hairdresser I thought...yeah, that was funny though.

Ibrehem is a wimp...with a chest like that, how'd he lose the first one?

Pretty cool reward though....but I am feeling bad for the team who's lost 4 in a row...they just can't catch a break.

Mike

 

[maddogkf]

Gay guy was a hairdresser I thought...yeah, that was funny though.

Ibrehem is a wimp...with a chest like that, how'd he lose the first one?

Pretty cool reward though....but I am feeling bad for the team who's lost 4 in a row...they just can't catch a break.

Mike

oh yeah, you are right.

If I was built like Ibe, I'd be kicking ass & taking names

 

[jf-08]

Kim was good for one thing - running around in her bra, but then she'd fall down - si I guess she wasn't really good at that either.

Now who the heck is this Jenn (?) girl? I haven't seen her before!

I think Stephenie is hot, hot, hot. She has a real awesome competitive spirit. James is a dork.