Survivor: Cook Islands – the TV Guide Channel Preview

Before we continue meeting the contestants, we are introduced to the new Tribal Council area, described as the biggest and coolest ever. It’s a 100-foot-long shipwreck called the Black Rock! Well, okay, not that last part (if you’re not a Lost fan, never mind). But it is a big shipwreck set completely built by the Survivor team. It took six weeks to build it with timber from New Zealand. The voting area also uses a nautical theme, including use of a quill to write out the votes and a leather pouch where the votes are placed. Also, it’s set up so we can see the other contestants over the shoulder of the person voting, which is kind of cool.

Next we are told about the journalists going to the islands in the first few days. Let’s face it, we don’t really care about them, we care about the show and contestants! So we’ll summarize by saying it’s a long trip.

Back to contestant intros. Jessica, aka Flicka Flame, is another fire dancer, like Courtney from last season – and Probst echoes what I said previously, that she looks like her too. Probst thinks she can be around for a while, but “can’t win the game.”

Adam says he’s head and shoulders about the other contestants physically. Probst says Adam won’t win, though Adam may want to punch him for saying so. Probst basically says the game is played on a different level that Adam can’t reach.

Parvati is a female boxer who has also done other martial arts. That’s about all we get from her. Candice is a straight-A student and the youngest player this time around. Probst puts her on the list of those who have a shot at winning.

Jonathan says some of the others are “super-workout psychos” and I know I like him already. He says if you’ve only got muscle, no fat, that’s what you’ll lose when you’re not eating – which will be more debilitating for them than for him. Probst says Jonathan is one of his favorites, though he’s not necessarily likeable, and he hopes Jonathan lasts a while because he’ll create some good stories. Mark Burnett points out that Jonathan is a scriptwriter and Academy Award nominee for short film.

Before being introduced to the final tribe, we see some footage of other art department creations for the show, and we hear a bit from the casting department. Moving on.

Then we hear from random people on the street as to what they think of the racial groupings. Do you care what random people think? I don’t. Let’s move on again.

OK, back to contestant intros. Jenny plays competitive volleyball and feels she can do the game both physically and mentally. Probst expects her to be around for a long time and to fight to stay in the game if she gets in trouble.

Brad is gay but has years of experience keeping it under wraps, so Cirie says he’s used to hiding information about himself. He loves to swim and fish, and is excited about the game.

Cao Boi says other Vietnamese see him with the tattoos and all and think he’s a wildman. Probst says the thing about Cao Boi “is that he’s a lot.” He invades your space a little when he’s talking to you, for example. Cao Boi says he lives by his honor – that’s a sure way to doom on Survivor. And indeed, Probst believes he’ll be gone early.

Becky is an attorney and former kick boxing instructor who is 28 but says she has a baby face and looks younger. But she feels like she has the mother instinct to run the household. That might not bode well.

Yul says he likes both physical challenges and mental puzzles, and nothing but Survivor combines both of those. He has a Yale doctorate and, as Cirie says, a lot of imposing muscles. Probst believes he can “absolutely win this game” and is a really likeable guy.

Now it’s time to look ahead to some of the challenges. As a test run for one of the first (maybe the first) challenge, journalists and production crew members ran a competition. They had to run up and over sand berms and into the water to put together what appears to be a puzzle boat, which they then have to row to light barrels on fire. Then they have to bring pieces back to put a ladder together and bring fire to the top.

So there we have it! In under two weeks, we’ll get to see the real beginning of Survivor. And as we approach that date, look for more previews from RealityNewsOnline!

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these other recent Survivor: Cook Islands articles here on RealityNewsOnline:

David Bloomberg is the Editor of RealityNewsOnline and can be reached at RNO@pobox.com.

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