Survivor Season 25

The new season of Survivor brings another great installment into the legacy of reality television. It is the same show that we all have come to love, but with some new twists. We see three returning characters as well as thirteen new additions.

The show takes a turn when the returning members clash with the new. The three returnees from previous injury, Russell, Michael, and Jonathan, come back with an experience edge over the others. Michael, of the Tandang tribe, returns ten years later, after passing out at base camp into a campfire. He suffered third degree burns to his face and hands in season two. Jonathan, of the Kalabaw tribe, was forced to leave because of a bad infection in his knee in season thirteen. Lastly, Russell left after blacking out twice from low blood pressure due to dehydration in season nineteen.
This season has a new blend of entertainment, with a colorful cast and various plot twists. The show now has three small tribes instead of the two large ones of previous seasons. The smaller tribes allow for more rivalry between tribe members who range from a retired professional baseball player to a teen TV star.
Another new feature of this season is the change of location to the more challenging Philippine Islands. In the past it has seemed as if participants were on vacation in the outdoors, but this season a different survivor is injured every episode. For example, on the first day, Michael lacerated his foot on a piece of broken glass.
One character that makes the viewers’ hearts skip a beat is Russell, an extremely fit, middle-aged African-American. Russell looks like he will excel in every challenge. After the first few episodes, he does not fulfill that expectation, instead showing only his bad temper. We can predict that Russell will not last as long this season as in his previous attempts in Survivor.
This season will consist of thirteen to sixteen episodes, at sixty minutes each. So far, there have been a few dull moments, especially during camp. However, during the challenges, the action remains captivating, though the show can become confusing at times, as it is hard to tell which tribe the camera is following.
The new season is very exciting for both old and new viewers. You can watch new episodes Wednesday nights at 8 pm on CBS.