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Over the course of the first 21 years and 41 seasons of “Survivor,” only one woman had won the first two individual immunity challenges of her season: Laura Morett in 2009’s “Survivor: Samoa.” Now, her long-standing record has been tied by Tori Meehan, who just claimed back-to-back victories in the first two individual immunity challenges of “Survivor 42.” Talk about girl power!

One caveat in mentioning this record is that Laura’s initial immunity win was actually awarded to the best performing male (John Fincher) and female (Laura) of that specific challenge. Tori didn’t have to share either of her two immunity necklaces, which puts her truly in a league of her own when it comes to making “Survivor” history.

See ‘Survivor’ deaths: Full list of castaways we’ve lost

Sure, there have been women that have won more than two immunity challenges within a single season — for example, Kelly Wiglesworth,...

Ciera Eastin, the “Survivor” contestant best known for voting her own mother off the show’s Season 27, a.k.a. “Blood vs. Water,” revealed she developed facial paralysis when that season was over as a result of the Lyme disease she contracted from a tick bite while competing on the CBS show.

“I don’t know about blowing people’s minds… but in ‘Blood vs Water ‘I had so many big bites I ended up getting Bell’s Palsy when I returned home,” Eastin, who participated in “Survivor” seasons “Blood vs. Water” in 2013, “Cambodia” in 2015 (Season 31) and “Game Changers” in 2017 (Season 34), said in an interview published by Entertainment Weekly Monday, which was conducted via written questionnaire. (The question here was: What’s something that will blow fans minds that happened out there in one of your seasons but never made it to TV?)

“Turns out I got Lyme Disease from that tick bite!

Survivor will take a look back at the past 20 (!) years as it approaches its milestone 40th season. The groundbreaking series will celebrate its upcoming 40th season with a one-hour special, Survivor at 40: Greatest Moments and Players, set for Wednesday, February 5 at 8 Pm on CBS. The special will air a week ahead of the Season 40 premiere, a special two-hour episode, on Wednesday, February 12 at 8 Pm. The special was announced Sunday during CBS’ presentation at the TCA Winter Press Tour.

Hosted by Jeff Probst, the retrospective features new interviews with players from the past two decades, including previous winners Rob Mariano (“Redemption Island”), Amber Mariano (“All-Stars”), Jeremy Collins (“Second Chance”), Parvati Shallow (Fan vs. Favorites), and Ben Driebergen (“Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers”).

Survivor premiered May 31, 2000 and ultimately changed the television landscape. Since the first group of castaways were marooned on the beaches of Borneo 20 years ago, the game has evolved and adapted.

“Survivor” will celebrate its upcoming 40th season with a one-hour retrospective special that looks back at the “greatest moments and players,” CBS announced Sunday.

The special, aptly titled “Survivor at 40: Greatest Moments and Players,” will air Feb. 5 at 8 p.m., one week ahead of the milestone season premiere.

The retrospective will feature new interviews with players including Christian Hubicki, Donathan Hurley, David Wright and Cirie Fields, and previous winners Rob Mariano, Amber Mariano, Jeremy Collins, Parvati Shallow and Ben Driebergen recounting their biggest moves, favorite moments and strategy from competing on the broadcast reality competition series.

Additionally, the special will relive such series highlights as Rob Mariano’s proposal to Amber Mariano during the live “All-Stars” finale; the Black Widow alliance that convinced a player to give up his immunity necklace during “Fans vs. Favorites”; Driebergen winning the first four final fire-making challenges in “Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers...

Among the 20 castaways competing for the one million dollars on Survivor: Island of the Idols, there is an Olympic medalist, a former NHL star, and a professional poker player. Despite the notoriety that this accomplished, diverse cast brings until the season begins, they are merely backup dancers to headliners Sandra Diaz-Twine and Boston Rob Mariano.

The dynamic duo will be mentors on season 39, serving the role of college advisers as they guide a crop of the next generation of hopeful Survivor legends. As larger-than-life figures in their own right with three combined wins, nine total appearances and two giant statues, Sandra and Boston Rob are half of the double entendre theme; they are literal idols on a season that will feature, no doubt, an abundance of hidden immunity idols and advantages. Before we find out how their participation in the nascent apprenticeship twist unfolds, let's look back at their top...

Vulture WatchHow long will castaways continue to outwit, outplay, and outlast me? Has the Survivor TV show been cancelled or renewed for a 35th season on CBS? The television vulture is watching all the latest TV cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Survivor season 35. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?   What's This TV Show About?A competitive reality show airing on the CBS television network, Survivor is hosted by Jeff Probst. Season 34, Survivor: Game Changers, pits two tribes of 10 past contestants each, against one another. In their own ways, these returning castaways took Survivor gamesmanship to new levels. Playing for the Mana Tribe are: Michaela Bradshaw, Aubry Bracco, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Ciera Eastin, Malcolm Freberg, Hali Ford, Caleb Reynolds, Troyzan Robertson, Jeff...

Vulture WatchHow long will castaways continue to outwit, outplay, and outlast me? Has the Survivor TV show been cancelled or renewed for a 35th season on CBS? The television vulture is watching all the latest TV cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Survivor season 35. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?   What's This TV Show About?A competitive reality show airing on the CBS television network, Survivor is hosted by Jeff Probst. Season 34, Survivor: Game Changers, pits two tribes of 10 past contestants each, against one another. In their own ways, these returning castaways took Survivor gamesmanship to new levels. Playing for the Mana Tribe are: Michaela Bradshaw, Aubry Bracco, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Ciera Eastin, Malcolm Freberg, Hali Ford, Caleb Reynolds, Troyzan Robertson, Jeff...

In its 34th season, the Survivor TV show on CBS is bringing back some oldies but goodies (and baddies?). Survivor: Game Changers features two tribes of past players who, in their own ways, took Survivor gamesmanship to new levels. Will former viewers return to watch prior castaways scheme and strategize on Fiji's Mamanuca Islands? Could this 17 year old reality show be cancelled or, is it a lock for a season 35 renewal? Stay tuned.Jeff Probst returns as host of Survivor: Game Changers, which pits two tribes of 10 past contestants against one another. On the Mana Tribe are: Michaela Bradshaw, Aubry Bracco, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Ciera Eastin, Malcolm Freberg, Hali Ford, Caleb Reynolds, Troyzan Robertson, Jeff Varner, and Tony Vlachos. Playing for the Nuku Tribe are: Andrea Boehlke, Brad Culpepper, Sierra Dawn-Thomas, Cirie Fields, Sarah Lacina, Oscar “Ozzy” Lusth, Zeke Smith, James “J.T” Thomas, Tai Trang,...

Darwin would not be surprised this show still hasn't been cancelled. The Survivor TV show has been renewed for a 35th season on CBS. While we previously reported the production was scouting locations in Fiji for both season 35 and 36, today, The Tiffany Network confirmed the season 35 renewal, in its early renewal announcement.A competitive reality show airing on the CBS television network, Survivor is hosted by Jeff Probst. Season 34, Survivor: Game Changers features returning castaways. So far, Ciera Eastin, Tony Vlachos, Caleb Reynolds, and Malcolm Freberg have been voted off the island.Read More…...

The 34th season of “Survivor” kicked off this week with a bold new “Game Changers” format, bringing former castaways back to the jungle for another chance at outplaying, outlasting and outwinning their way to the million-dollar prize. In the season premiere — which was also the show’s landmark 500th episode — fans saw Ciera Eastin […]...

Survivor: Game Changers lived up to its name on Wednesday night, kicking off the premiere with not one, but two eliminations.

But in a season full of returning players bringing their A-game, Ciera Eastin and Tony Vlachos got the early boot, after their tribe, Mana, lost both immunity challenges.

Exclusive: Jeff Probst Teases 'Game Play Opportunities' Ahead of 'Survivor: Game Changers' Premiere

Et hopped on the phone with the pair on Thursday morning, where they reflected on what went wrong -- and revealed whether they would play again.

"It's so sad, because I definitely felt like Game Changers was meant for me, and unfortunately, it just didn't end up happening," said three-time player Eastin, who was known for the line, "Let's play the game."

"I think just the title of the season being Game Changers, it's not just a fan favorites. It's not just an All-Stars. Game Changers puts a whole new pressure on the season...

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and a member of the jury on Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance. He has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. Follow him on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

Erik Reichenbach is a comic artist, illustrator, and former Survivor Fan Favorite. See more of his artwork and commissions on Tumblr.com and follow him on Twitter!

“It’s kind of boring, to be honest with you, because there’s no scrambling going on, there’s no trickery going on, there’s no spying. That’s fun for me, you know?” — Tony Vlachos, winner, Survivor...

Perhaps no game of Survivor has ever started off as tense as Survivor: Game Changers did tonight. That's no surprise, of course, given the fact that this cast is full of characters who made a big impression the first (or second) time they played the game. Everyone arrived in Fiji fully ready to start forming alliances and deciding who to keep and who's got to go, before they even hit land.  The funny thing was that everyone was so busy waiting for someone else to make a big move that no one was making them, meaning it took a while for anything to actually happen. Even the first challenge and tribal council went incredibly smoothly, and the Mana tribe voted Ciera out completely...

Name: Ciera Eastin Hometown: Salem, Oregon Age: 27 Previously Played On: Season 31: “Survivor: Second Chances” – Finished 10th and Season 27: “Survivor: Blood vs Water” – Finished 5th & Jury Member Back for a third time, with “unfinished business,” Ciera Eastin is hoping that “Survivor: Game Changers” is going to be her charm. The castaway, […]...

Twenty of Survivor‘s fiercest former castaways — those who, according to CBS, “helped evolve the game even further by launching an accelerated level of competition” — are returning to… accelerate things even further, I assume.

RelatedThe TV Dictionary: 41 Terms We Learned in 2016 From Game of Thrones, Grey’s, The Walking Dead, Survivor and More

CBS on Wednesday released the full list of returning favorites, which includes two-time winner Sandra Diaz-Twine (Seasons 7 and 20), as well as a few one-time winners, Tony Vlachos (Season 28) and James “J.T.” Thomas (Season 18). Filmed in Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands, the 34th season — titled Game Changers — will divide the 20 castaways into two tribes,...

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. This season, he blogged about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"Everybody's on my side, and I'm the popular guy. Everybody wants to date the prom king, so this is perfect. This will work out." –Jeremy Collins, Survivor: San Juan Del Sur

All you future contestants: get to humping. In the season finale of Survivor: Second Chance, Jeremy Collins debuted the greatest move the game has ever seen.

When Survivor airs its finale on Wednesday night, Brazilian spitfire Abi-Maria Gomes won't still be in the game. Voted out on day 35, she barely missed being in the show's final episode. It's a familiar spot for Gomes, who placed fifth on Survivor: Philippines - barely missing the finale of that season. On paper, Gomes seems like a perfect "goat" - a contestant who rubs people the wrong way and is easy to beat at the final tribal council. But for some reason, her tribes get rid of her before the finale. Gomes, 36, tells People why she was voted off -...

When Survivor airs its finale on Wednesday night, Brazilian spitfire Abi-Maria Gomes won't still be in the game.

Voted out on day 35, she barely missed being in the show's final episode.

It's a familiar spot for Gomes, who placed fifth on Survivor: Philippines – barely missing the finale of that season.

On paper, Gomes seems like a perfect "goat" – a contestant who rubs people the wrong way and is easy to beat at the final tribal council. But for some reason, her tribes get rid of her before the finale.

Gomes, 36, tells People why she was voted off – and how she...

When Survivor airs its finale on Wednesday night, Brazilian spitfire Abi-Maria Gomes won't still be in the game. Voted out on day 35, she barely missed being in the show's final episode. It's a familiar spot for Gomes, who placed fifth on Survivor: Philippines - barely missing the finale of that season. On paper, Gomes seems like a perfect "goat" - a contestant who rubs people the wrong way and is easy to beat at the final tribal council. But for some reason, her tribes get rid of her before the finale. Gomes, 36, tells People why she was voted off -...

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. This season, he will blog about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"I came here not to be feeling bad for other people. I came here to win a million dollars." –Abi-Maria Gomes, Survivor: Philippines

One of the best parts of being on the jury is that you're watching Survivor happen from 10 ft. away.

We sit on the stone steps of Tribal Council and watch Jeff Probst grill the contestants.

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. This season, he has been blogging about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"Everyone has the knife and it's stab or get stabbed." –Joe Anglim, Survivor: Worlds Apart

Walking out of the game after the last Tribal Council, I had two major preoccupations.

First: I was coming to terms with the end of my own Survivor journey.

Second: I felt so guilty for Jeremy and my other allies that I...

Disclaimer: Stephen Fishbach has been People's resident Survivor blogger for years. He's quite popular around here.

We were excited when he was named as a possible contestant. We were thrilled when he made the final cast of the show. We were ecstatic – and a little bit surprised, if we're being perfectly honest – when he made it through the first tribal council without getting voted off.

As it turned out, Fishbach did better than anyone expected, forming solid alliances and lasting 29 days before being voted out.

Survivor is unpredictable, and Fishbach was eliminated after playing his "steal the vote" advantage? Why?...

The last time Ciera Eastin played Survivor, she infamously voted off her own mother.

So when Eastin decided to play the game again, she knew she would be targeted early as a threat. After all, if she'll vote for her mom, she'll do just about anything.

But something funny happened on this season – everybody was a threat in some way. As a result, Eastin made it for 26 days despite being on the wrong side of the numbers after the merge.

As she scrambled to stay alive, she begged the other contestants to "just play the game." And they did: Eastin...

"I'm okay being a witch," says the latest "Survivor: Second Chance" castoff Ciera Eastin to Gold Derby following her elimination. "I didn't know they were calling [me, Abi-Maria Gomes and Kelley Wentworth] that until I watched the episode back. I know people are offended because when there's three guys they call them the three amigos and when there's three girls it's the three witches, which kind of has a bad ring to it. But I kind of liked it. I'm a big fan of 'Harry Potter.'" Listen to our full exit interview below and then make your "Survivor" predictions for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate. It's fun and easy, so get started by scrolling down to predict which castaway will be kicked off the island next. -Break- Who will win 'Survivor: Second Chance'? See exclusive predictions According to exclusive Gold Derby odds that were derived from the predictions made by c.

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. This season, he has been blogging about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"If it's a move that sends you home, at least you went out trying to make a move." –Ciera Eastin, Survivor: Blood vs. Water

"This game involves creating a lot of dynamic structures, and then working within those structures to advance yourself as best as you can." –Stephen Fishbach, Survivor: Tocantins

So what's it like getting voted out of Survivor?...

Did you predict that Ciera Eastin and Stephen Fishbach would both be blindsided on Wednesday's two-part episode of "Survivor: Second Chance"? If so, you should be taking place in our weekly prediction contest. Hurry -- make your "Survivor" predictions for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate. It's fun and easy, so get started by scrolling down to predict which castaway will be kicked off the island next. -Break- Who will win 'Survivor: Second Chance'? See exclusive predictions According to exclusive Gold Derby odds that are derived from the predictions made by contest entrants like you, challenge beast Joe Anglim was the #1 choice to go home with leading 7/5 odds (42% chance). However, thanks to winning the Immunity challenge in the first hour and relying on his strong alliance in the second hour, Joe managed to survive yet another day. Our readers were spot-on in predicting Ciera's ouster,...

Tonight on "Survivor: Second Chance" there will be back-to-back episodes with two eliminations, and our readers think they know which castaways will be voted out next: Joe Anglim and Ciera Eastin. Do agree or disagree with those findings? Hurry -- make your "Survivor" predictions for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate. It's fun and easy, so get started by scrolling down to predict which castaway will be kicked off the island next. -Break- Who will win 'Survivor: Second Chance'? See exclusive predictions According to exclusive Gold Derby odds that are derived from the predictions made by contest entrants like you, challenge beast Joe tops our elimination chart with leading 27/20 odds (43% chance) of going home next. He's been a favorite to go home for several weeks now, but has survived by winning the past three immunity challenges in a row. Can he do it again? And...

"Survivor" Season 31 (yes, can you believe it?) is now airing, and "Survivor: Second Chance" is one of the best competitions CBS has ever aired. Maybe it's the returning players, all "losers" hungry for a win, or the many twists that have only improved the gameplay and have yet to feel like desperate gimmicks. It's rare to have so many players pushing to win, with very different strategies, and we can't wait to see who ends up the sole survivor of "Survivor: Cambodia."

Who will it be?

Well, the edits certainly give us some hints. For example, we could've told you it wouldn't be Kelly Wiglesworth even before she was eliminated in Episode 9, since she had almost no screen time, including confessionals. Spencer Bledsoe is still the confessional king. The producers have him narrating the season, like this is his story and everyone else is a supporting player. Then again,...

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. This season, he will blog about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"An alliance is easier said than done." –Kelly Wiglesworth, Survivor: Borneo

Before I start this blog, I need to take a moment to apologize to humanity. Yes, if you were watching that episode last night, I misquoted one of the most famous lines in literature on national television.

It's double, double toil and trouble.

Not boil, boil, toil and trouble.

Survivor: Second Chance recap “Witches Coven,” Season 31, Episode 9 (original airdate Nov. 18): It’s day 21 and we’re down to 11. Kelley Wentworth is soaking up her victorious immunity idol shocker. She gloats: “I just idoled Andrew Savage out of Survivor: Second Chance!” Kimmi thinks it’s time to break up the witches coven: Wentworth, Ciera and Abi-Maria. She might be right as these gals definitely have brewed up a wicked good way to stay in this game. Reward Challenge It’s two teams of five, so someone has to sit this one out in a schoolyard pick. Looks like no … Continue reading →

The post Survivor recap episode 9: A witches coven on Survivor? appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

On the last episode of Survivor: Cambodia, Kelley Wentworth pulled off an epic blindside after playing her hidden immunity idol to negate the nine votes cast against her which then sent Andrew Savage home. But will Kelley and her two allies, Ciera and Abi, be able to turn the majority around to save themselves for another week? Let's see what the newly-titled "Witches Coven" alliance has brewing in their big Cambodian cauldron.

Were you one of the millions of people across America whose jaw was on the floor following Andrew Savage's elimination from "Survivor: Second Chance"? You're not alone. After Kelley Wentworth pulled out her hidden immunity idol to save herself, Andrew reveals that he assumed Jeremy Collins would be the one heading home. After reading our five burning questions for Andrew below, go and make your "Survivor" predictions for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate. It's fun and easy, so get started by scrolling down to predict which castaway will be kicked off the island next. -Break- Who will win 'Survivor: Second Chance'? See exclusive predictions According to exclusive Gold Derby odds that were derived from the predictions made by contest entrants like you, Andrew only had 33/1 odds (3% chance) of being voted out. Most of our readers thought that either Stephen Fishbach (21/20 odds), Ciera Eastin (3/1 odds) or Joe Anglim.

Say it ain't so, Joe! Has fan favorite Joe Anglim's time on "Survivor: Second Chance" finally come to an end? A whopping 41% of our contest entrants think he'll be voted out next, resulting in leading 3/2 elimination odds. Do you agree or disagree with our readers' findings? Hurry -- make your "Survivor" predictions for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate. It's fun and easy, so get started by scrolling down to predict which castaway will be kicked off the island next. -Break- Who will win 'Survivor: Second Chance'? See exclusive predictions According to exclusive Gold Derby odds that are derived from the predictions made by contest entrants like you, Joe is in the unfortunate #1 position on our elimination chart heading into episode nine, titled "Witches Coven." However, should his life in the game be spared, our readers have Stephen Fishbach and Ciera Eastin in a...

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. This season, he will blog about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"It gets mentally overwhelming and draining to think about all the things we need to do just to survive out here, and it's exhausting." –Andrew Savage, Survivor: Pearl Islands

Sometimes the best part of being on Survivor is getting to watch Survivor from five feet away.

At our season's eighth tribal council, when Kelley Wentworth whipped out her...

Did you predict that Kelley Wentworth would finally use her hidden immunity idol on "Survivor: Second Chance," thereby sending home a gobsmacked Andrew Savage? If so, you should be taking place in our weekly prediction contest. Hurry -- make your "Survivor" predictions for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate. It's fun and easy, so get started by scrolling down to predict which castaway will be kicked off the island next. -Break- Who will win 'Survivor: Second Chance'? See exclusive predictions According to exclusive Gold Derby odds that are derived from the predictions made by contest entrants like you, Andrew's elimination was a shocker as he only had 33/1 odds of being voted out. Most of our readers thought that either Stephen Fishbach (21/20 odds), Ciera Eastin (3/1 odds) or Joe Anglim (9/1 odds) would be heading home instead, but all managed to survive yet another Tribal Council.

Survivor: Second Chance recap “You Call, We’ll Haul,” Season 31, Episode 8 (original airdate Nov. 11): It’s day 20 and we’re down to 12. “Brilliant plan. Executed to perfection,” Andrew Savage tells Jeremy. He’s referring to voting off Kass. Their plan for the go forward is to keep their alliance intact and stay the course picking off the Ciera’s, Abi’s and Wentworth’s. That, however, wouldn’t be the case. Reward Challenge Two teams of six were formed. They need to paddle and navigate a row boat, while grabbing some obnoxiously sized crates and then stack them in a puzzle pattern onshore. … Continue reading →

The post Survivor recap episode 8: How did they not plan for an immunity idol? appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

Tonight's episode, kicked off with conversation footage. Andrew talked to Jeremy about possibly voting off Ciera or Kelly Wentworth. Meanwhile, Ciera suggested to Steven Fishbach that they vote out Joe. From there, they showed Rewards Challenge footage. It was a crate stacking challenge. They were split into two teams for this. And Keith, Ciera, Wiglesworth, Wentworth, Joe and Kimmi's team won it for a sweet goodies at Survivor Cafe prize. Next, Steven tried to suggested to Andrew that Joe get voted out after worrying he was bonding with an alliance. Andrew didn't seem too convinced. After all that, they showed Immunity Challenge footage. It was an endurance challenge where they had to balance a ball on a disk, and Joe pulled out the win for a 2nd consecutive time! Steven's name came up as a target from Joe after finding out Steven was plotting to get him voted out.

There are a lot of similarities between Survivor and politics. The scheming. The backstabbing. The alliances.

So it's only natural that some contestants have entered the cutthroat world of politics after their seasons were over. Rupert Boneham was the 2012 Libertarian candidate for Indiana governor. In 2001, Mike Skupin considered a run for U.S. Senate. Jolanda Jones, the first contestant voted off of Survivor: Palau was a Houston city councilwoman.

Now another contestant is throwing her hat into the ring: Laura Morett, who competed in Survivor: Samoa and Survivor: Blood vs. Water, has announced that she is running for a seat...

For a show in its 31st season, Survivor has managed to keep things remarkably fresh and new.

A lot of the credit goes to host Jeff Probst and the producers, who throw in a liberal amount of twists and turns so that contestants never truly know what's coming. Over the years, we've seen tribal swaps, fake merges, hidden immunity idols and double eliminations. (We're going to pretend that Redemption Island and the outcast twist never happened.)

But sometimes, the twists are not masterminded by the producers. Contestants have come up with ingenious strategies to change the game.

Probst tells People...

Survivor: Cambodia has one of the best castaway casts in recent memory. There is no one on Survivor season 31 who isn't playing the game and playing it hard. Yet not everyone's game is equal. Obviously only one can walk away with the million-dollar prize. We can't tell who that will be (yet) but we can judge the castaways' games. For most of them there is a straight answer. They are either playing a bad game (like Ciera) or a good one (like Jeremy). Then there is Spencer who is enigma. Spencer, who could be eliminated every week or could just win the entire thing. Is Spencer playing the best or worst game on Survivor: Second Chance?...

Will Wednesday's all-new episode of "Survivor: Second Chance" be the end of the road for Stephen Fishbach -- who may be trying too hard to make a "big move" -- or Ciera Eastin -- who received votes at last week's Tribal Council? That's what the majority of our contest players think will happen, but what about You? Hurry -- make your "Survivor" predictions for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate. It's fun and easy, so get started by scrolling down to predict which castaway will be kicked off the island next. -Break- Who will win 'Survivor: Second Chance'? See exclusive predictions According to exclusive Gold Derby odds that are derived from the predictions made by contest entrants like you, Stephen tops our elimination chart with leading 21/20 odds (49% chance) of going home next. Meanwhile, Ciera is just behind him with 11/4 odds (27% chance). Though he was on...

This week "Survivor: Second Chance" threw us another curve ball by creating the largest merge in the game's history, made up of 13 second chancers. Kass McQuillen couldn't keep the chaos at bay and paid the ultimate price, becoming the first member of the jury. After that overwhelming Tribal Council, 12 castaways remain and with them so does the chaos. Though it's hard to see exactly where alliance lines are drawn, let's assess where each remaining player is in the game and how they rank in terms of their likelihood of winning. Hurry -- make your "Survivor" predictions for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate. It's fun and easy, so get started by scrolling down to predict which castaway will be kicked off the island next. -Break- Who will win 'Survivor: Second Chance'? See exclusive predictions Biggest Targets in the Most Danger 12. Ciera Eastin After many weeks of the "non-edit" treatment,...

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. This season, he will blog about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"Everybody's mad I messed up their game. Because I'm playing my game." –Kass McQuillen, Survivor: Cagayan

That was when everything went bananas.

The night before the merge was the first real rainstorm in Cambodia. We had been crowing for two weeks about how blessed we had been with the weather. We knew we were in monsoon season,...

Survivor: Second Chance recap “Play to Win,” Season 31, Episode 7 (original airdate Nov. 4): It’s day 17 and we’re already down to 13. Savage is unsettled over the last Tribal Council for not being included in his tribe’s voting strategy. Hey, they blindsided Woo, not him. He needs to get over it. But he can’t, he feels betrayed by Kass, and he’s pissed and his tribe mates know, but don’t really care. He’s praying for a merge to bring him back to his Bayon brothers. His wish comes true– and a whole new game begins at the new named … Continue reading →

The post Survivor recap episode 7: Kass and Ciera create some chaos, play to win appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

Woo Hwang came into this season of Survivor with a lot of baggage.

When the 31-year-old martial arts instructor played in Survivor: Cagayan, he made a colossal mistake in taking eventual winner Tony Vlachos to the finals even though he may have had a better chance against Kass McQuillen, who had rubbed some of the contestants the wrong way.

That choice cost him the game.

During his second chance, Hwang's game never really got off the ground. He went to nearly every tribal council and watched as his allies were voted off.

He was voted off on day 16 – partially...

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. This season, he will blog about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"This game all comes down to that critical moment in the game – and that is moments before tribal council, what are we going to do?" –Yung "Woo" Hwang, Survivor: Cagayan

"You must trust and believe in people, or Survivor becomes impossible," Anton Chekhov would have written if he had a Survivor blog.

You have to trust people to play the game.

Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. This season, he will blog about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach.

"It's about winning the war. It's not about winning the battles." –Peih-Gee Law, Survivor: China

Julius Caesar wrote, "Fortune can bring about great changes in a situation through very slight forces."

He was talking about war – and about life – but those words ring equally true for Survivor. You grab the green-colored woven Cambodian box instead of the pink and suddenly everything is different.

Once again, Survivor contestants from the past are returning to compete for the million dollar prize once more. Many viewers have expressed disappointment that CBS keeps bringing back contestants and these editions haven't done better in the ratings. Is it time for this reality competition to be cancelled? Will it be renewed for a 33rd season (season 32 has already been filmed)? Stay tuned.

Jeff Probst returns as host of Survivor: Cambodia—Second Chance which brings back 20 castaways that fans believe should have a second chance at winning the game. They are Kelly Wiglesworth, Jeff Varner, Kimmi Kappenberg, Andrew Savage, Peih-Gee Law, Terry Deitz, Monica Padilla, Stephen Fishbach, Abi-Maria Gomes, Vytas Baskauskas, Ciera Eastin, Woo Hwang, Tasha Fox, Spencer Bledsoe, Kass McQuillen, Jeremy Collins, Kelley Wentworth, Keith Nale, Shirin Oskooi, and Joe Anglim.

The higher a show's ratings (particularly the 18-49 demo), the better its...

The viewers have spoken! The cast for the upcoming 31st season of Survivor was selected entirely by fans, and now you can see the players in action in E! News' exclusive sneak peek at the show's new main titles. The castaways selected come from seasons spanning the entire duration of the series until now, from Kelly Wigglesworth (season one) to Joe Anglim and Shirin Oskooi from the just-wrapped season 30. They're joined by Kimmy Kappenberg and Jeff Varner from season two, Andrew Savage (season seven), Terry Deitz (season 12), Peih-Gee Law (season 15), Stephen Fishbach (season 18), Monica Padilla (season 19), Abi-Maria Gomes (season 25), Ciera Eastin and Vytas Baskauskas (season 27), Kass McQuillen, Woo Hwang,...

Will Ciera Eastin win "Survivor: Second Chance"? With the show's 31st season set to premiere on CBS Sept. 23, keep coming back to Gold Derby for in-depth analyses of all 20 returning players, including pros and cons that may affect their chances this time around. Hurry - make your "Survivor" predictions for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift certificate. It's fun and easy, so get started by scrolling down to predict which castaway will be kicked off the island first. -Break- Who will win 'Survivor: Second Chance'? See exclusive predictions Ciera Eastin Previous Finish: 5th place Season 27: Blood vs. Water The single moment that crystallized the original "Blood vs. Water" format for "Survivor" was when Ciera joined the rest of the castaways in voting out her own mother, Laura Morett. Though her mom was okay with her decision, and mostly agreed with it, the move was bold,...