Fall Preview: Survivor: Blood vs. Water

The Premise

Survivor tries a new twist of the game with their upcoming 27th season of the show. For the third season in a row Survivor is bringing back some of our favorite contestants to play the game again, but this time they're bringing along those dear loved ones they left back home the first time. The show also returns to the Philippines for the third straight season. Redemption Island was also used during gameplay after being put on the shelf for a few seasons. The main twist is that a loved one can switch places with their loved one if they are on Redemption Island.

The season includes some well-known people playing the game, mostly Brad Culpepper, former NFL quarterback playing along with his wife Monica. The season also features the first person to ever play Survivor after appearing on CBS's Big Brother.

Survivor: Blood vs. Water premieres on CBS, Wednesday, September 18th at 8PM EST.

Where I Would Go With It

Last year The Amazing Race upped the stakes and made it possibly for one team to win $2 million if they won the first leg and then won the race in the end. Survivor: Blood vs. Water has potential to do the same. Typically there is a final two or a final three. They need to change it this time around. They need to make a final four. The twist is that if two loved ones make it to the final four together, any votes cast for either one technically count as a "family team vote". If together they receive more votes than the other two castaways (or other family) each of them would win $1 million.

I'm also intrigued by the Redemption Island twist. I was never a huge fan of Redemption Island because it was the same thing every week and totally got rid of the sadness of having your favorite voted out. This time around I'm willing to give it a go, especially since loved ones will start out on separate tribes. It'll be interesting to see what happens.

Of course the huge debate is about whether or not Survivor is scripted. Even if it isn't, it's pretty easy to see where things will come down to; in the end there has to be at least two family members together in order to create drama. If not, the entire point of the season is moot.

What I Think Will Happen

I could easily sum it up in one simple word: drama.

Survivor is my guilty pleasure. I get nothing out of watching it. The show really gives nothing to the viewer except a desire to think that one would win in such a competition. We think in our minds that it would be so easy for us to manipulate our way through the game. Well, we're seeing everything and they aren't. But anyway, we have to remember this isn't a strategy show anymore. This is pure entertainment.

So what we'll see is simple: blindsides, connections made, connections broken, family ties broken more than likely and some family ties solidified. Hopefully, we'll even see a proposal. In fact, I'm willing to bet on it!