On September 13th, a big event for reality television will happen that night. First starts the Survivor Cambodia premiere and then right after that is the Big Brother 17 finale. 

Survivor is a reality TV show that has been on the air since 2000. This show is about a group of strangers from all over America where they all come together to live on an island and survive. The season starts off with 2-4 tribes broken up into teams where those tribes, strategize, make alliances, and fight for power so those survivors fight to on the island. Halfway through the show, the tribes merge and become one tribe where it becomes more of an individual game then.

During the individual game, the survivors fight in an immunity challenge for immunity at an event that happens during the night called tribal council. At tribal council, all the survivors choose to vote someone off the island where there torches get light out. At tribal council, fire represents their life, when it’s gone, so is the survivor that got voted off.

During the halfway point, when the survivors are voted off they don’t just go back home. They are now a part of the jury where in the end, they vote for who they thought played the best game out of the two left. When one of the final 2 or 3 receive 4 or 5 jury votes, they are considered the winner of survivor and they win the ultimate prize of $1,000,000. This season, fans at home got the chance to vote for a former survivor from seasons past who was not a previous winner, back in the game for a second chance to play and win.

If I would have to select who I think would be the winner for this season right now, I would choose it would be either Spencer Bledsoe, Jeremy Collins, Ciera Eastin, or Stephen Fishbach. When choosing players too come back, these 4 were the top. These 4 players were players from their season who had a good chance at winning but unfortunately just came up short. Each one of these players are from a different seasons, one is from Season 18, one from season 27, one from season 28, and the last one is from season 29.

Spencer Bledsoe was in season 28. His season was a season where it was Brains vs Beauty vs Brawns, he was a part of the brains team that was awful. Many people thought he would be voted off that tribe but his tribe saw that he was good at challenges so they kept him. Coming into the merge, he was on the losing side where he did not have the numbers with him so he became the underdog fighting to try to win. He was up against Tony Vlachos where he was the ultimate master mind that season. Spencer was with Tasha Fox where those two were good in challenges but she was voted out at 6th place. Spencer kept on fighting and tricking Tony to vote out the people that wasn’t him. Spencer lost by seconds in the final four immunity challenge and he was voted out finishing at 4th place. I say had he won that 2nd too last immunity challenge, he could’ve got Tony out and then had he won the last immunity challenge where he was in the final 2, he would’ve won. I am so happy to see him back this year and I see him going far again. I would love to see him win more immunity challenges again this year and I would especially love to see Spencer win the title of winner of Survivor 31.

Jeremy Collins was in season 29. It was the 2nd season Blood vs Water where loved ones went against each other. He came in with his wife Val Collins who was voted out early. Jeremy is known as more of the leader of an alliance that was strong that had turned on him. Jeremy was one of the best players from his season. Jeremy had a battle mostly against Josh Canfield for power and leadership. Josh was voted out for being a good strategist. Jeremy had a good friendship during the season with survivor Natalie Anderson who in the end won this season. Jeremy was seen as a big target for being brilliant at the game so he was blindsided and he finished in 10th place. I say had Jeremy won more immunity challenges and kept on strategizing, he would’ve had the possibility of becoming the winner for that season. I am happy to see Jeremy back, he knows how to play the game and he knows how to form bonds. I see him going far in the game. Do I think he will win this season? Yes. I think he can have a good shot at redemption, we will see how Jeremy plays soon.

Ciera Eastin is from season 27. Her season was the first Blood vs Water where, she and her former season 19 survivor Laura Morett. Ciera came into the season with people also questioning her actions. She was not the best when it came into competitions, but she was an excellent strategist who was not afraid to make big moves. Ciera made big moves by switching sides multiple times. She voted out her own mother, and caused a tie and deadlock in a vote risking her going home by drawing a rock. Ciera however did switch sides after the drawing rocks situation which made her part of the non-dominant side so after she lost the 2nd to last immunity challenge, she was voted out and finished 5th. Ciera coming back into the season will have a lot more experience and will be fun watching to see what big move she might make soon. Can Ciera win this season, yes if I see some female winning this season, it would be Ciera in my opinion.

Stephen Fishbach is from season 18. Stephen came into the game as the nerd super fan who was really smart and a good strategist. Stephen was one of the two people I liked watching this season. Stephen formed a bond with Tamara Johnson-George who was shortly just named, Taj and J.T. aka James Thomas Jr. These three were the ¾ remaining of the Jalapeno tribe coming into the merge as underdogs to the strong and dominant Timbira tribe. It was soon just those 3 as one of the members was evacuated out of the game because of injury. However though, the Timbira tribe was divided into groups of 3, 2 and just 1 individual on the outside who was Erinn Lobdell. So Taj, Stephen, and J.T. brought Erinn into their alliance and those 4 dominant through the merge and became the final 4. Stephen and J.T. who are the two I liked that season became the final two survivors remaining. However, J.T. was both more likable and he won more immunity challenges so he came out as the winner of Survivor Tocantins as he unanimously beat Stephen 7-0. I am also happy to see Stephen come back this season, I believe he will find someone else to bond with and have a final two deal with. Can I see Stephen winning this season, Maybe, I think he has a good chance but he will be a good strategist and these survivors are smart enough to see that, but I believe he will do well this season.

Survivor is one of my favorite reality TV shows too watch. This show is on twice a year, it starts in September for this season and it starts in February for the next season. I am very excited to see the outcome of Survivor Cambodia, and I can’t wait to find out who will Outwit, Outplay, and Outlast the rest too win the $1,000,000 and title of Survivor 31.

***This post was written by our intern Josh Gubbins of Westmoreland. Josh is entering his senior year, and is a reality TV show junkie.***

 

 

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