Survivor
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No, I dont mean the show is finally forcing its players to fight to the death (yet!
Oh, and the $2 million prize fund is a hell of an incentive, too.
Parvati flashes her signature pearly whites at old-school icon and cancer survivor Ethan.
The Queen Sandra looks quizzically across at married couple Rob and Amber.
Human fidget-spinner Tony stands mere feet away from the cool and collected Yul.
Its a line-up of some ofSurvivorsbiggest legends, and also Ben.
Lets be honest, its the cast and their histories that hold the appeal here.
The first hour of this double-feature premiere is all the proof you need that personalities trump twists every time.
Or how about former foes Rob and Parvati burying the hatchet and successfully working together?
I couldnt help but watch all this with a big stupid grin on my face.
It appears Natalie becomes the target for two main reasons.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the vote is about connections.
These returning player seasons always bring with them past relationships and outside-the-game friendships.
Parv wonders) to wrangle the votes against them.
The tribe essentially splits into three factions.
Amber, Kim, and Tyson are lumped together as members of the ominous poker alliance.
So is the poker alliance real?
Not according to Kim, who for the first time in herSurvivorcareer finds herself on the outs.
No one will tell me a name, she worries.
Ambers connection to Rob goes beyond any game, whether its cards,Survivor,or otherwise.
After meeting onAll-Starsand falling in love 16 years ago, Amber and Rob got married (on TV!)
and have had four daughters together.
To put it bluntly, Ihatethe EOE, as do manySurvivorfans.
But that doesnt appeal to me.
I want to see my favorites playingSurvivor, not moping around on some other limbo islandnotplayingSurvivor.
Im surprised they didnt stick a vending machine in the middle of the jungle stuffed full of items.
Seriously, this group didnt require any extra incentive to play at a high level.
And having the fire tokens directly linked to the EOE only fills me with further dread.
(Remember when the EOE was meant to be a desolate wasteland?)
That said, no amount of ridiculous twists were enough to kill my enthusiasm not yet anyway.
I appreciate the willpower it took Tony not to immediately dart off into the jungle looking for an idol.
Im on probation, he jokes to his tribemates.
What was up with Ben this episode?
First, he blabs to Rob about Danni throwing his name out.
Anyway, Natalie wills her token to Jeremy and Amber to, any guesses?
Why her husband Rob, of course.
Sandra calling orders from the sit-out bench during the second Immunity challenge is a mood.
Tony, pay attention!
Everyone should be civilized about it, says Yul of the first pre-Tribal strategy talk.
Thatll be a first, Tony quips.
