Survivor: Micronesia---Fans vs. Favorites by Monty Brinton/CBS
The when: Premieres Thursday, Feb. 7, at 8 pm/ET on CBS.
Why watch?: Generally good-looking people with worsening hygiene sharing cramped, sandy quarters, subsisting on a couple of grains and rice, and buckling under the pressure of a win-or-go-home scenario — what's not to love? Survivor has managed to come up with new conflicts, new challenges and new locations for 16 seasons now, and this one is no exception: Some of the best-liked players from seasons past are back, and this time they're taking on their biggest fans.
Who's who: Jeff Probst has been the host of Survivor since Season 1, when the contestants were cast away in Borneo. This season, familiar faces return to the competition, like last season's gentle giant James, the gravedigger, Cook Islands' likable jack-of-all-trades Ozzy, and Fiji's sympathetic underdog Yau-Man.
What's next: With new challenges and a brand-new premise, this season should be one to remember. Will it work to the favorites' advantage or disadvantage that they're repeat contestants? They've been in the situation before, so they know what to expect — from the game and from each other. The fans have that uncertainty factor going for them, but they may not be prepared for the grueling demands of 40 days without the comforts of home.
Say what?! Several love matches have happened on Survivor — and some of them have even lasted beyond the showmance stage! The most famous hookup, between Rob and Amber on the All-Stars season, led to a televised wedding and a short-lived Fox Reality Channel series called Rob and Amber: Against the Odds. And shortly after she appeared on the series, host Jeff Probst found love with Vanuatu contestant Julie Berry.
What do you say? What do you think of the favorites taking another shot at the million dollars — any past players you would have liked to see again who didn't make the list? Any you would rather not watch again for a whole season? (Check out our feature for the complete list of contestants.) Do you think the fans stand a chance, or do you think they'll dominate in the challenges? — Nina Hämmerling Smith
Get a preview of Survivor: Micronesia, Fans vs. Favorites in our Online Video Guide.
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