Survivor 29: San Juan del Sur — Blood vs. Water

There were supposed to be 10 pairs of loved ones competing on this season’s Survivor: San Juan del Sur — Blood vs. Water (which debuts Sept. 24 on CBS). But then, just days before filming began in Nicaragua, one of the couples was forced to bow out after a last minute-medical check turned up something that gave the Survivor medics pause. The same thing actually happened during the last Blood vs. Water season when RC Saint-Amour and her father had to drop out while on location due to medical reasons involving the dad. In that instance, Candice and John Cody were flown in at the last minute to replace them. (They arrived in the Philippines less than 24 hours before filming began.)
No such luck this time around with replacements, so producers had to adjust the game from 20 players down to 18, which also created an imbalance in the amount of men and women playing. I sat down with Survivor host Jeff Probst on location on day one of the game, where he told me all about the last minute change. “We started this with 10 pairs and it does happen,” says Probst. “It’s rare, but it sometimes happens that for different reasons somebody is pulled from the game. We lost a pair of women, so the way it works out is there are more men than women. That’s just the game. We don’t like it that way, but that’s the way it’s going to start…. It changes your show. It changes your Tribal Council because there are two less people to get rid of.”

But, wait — if we’re down to only 18 players, does that mean we may get a final two again instead of a final three? Not necessarily, cautions the host. “Yeah, it’s possible,’ he says of the chance of a final two. “It depends what happens over the next 39 days. As it is right now — no. But if somebody were to be evacuated or to quit, now we’re getting to a small amount of numbers in order to finish our show.”

Probst and I have  good-naturedly sparred over the merits of a final three vs. final two — I am a fan of the latter — for years, and the host once again shared why he prefers the former. “I don’t think the final three is better than the final two,” he says. “But I do think the final three gives you a better chance of somebody likeable or an interesting dynamic happening. Case in point: last season had Woo chosen Kass, you have a Kass-Woo final. No offense to those guys, it’s not as interesting as a Tony-Woo final. To me, it only proves my point more as to why a final three goes into play.” “

Meet the cast

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20354695_20847352,00.html

Starts next week

It comes on right before the Big Brother Finale!

I don't watch that but yay

You should, it's the same concept just in a house instead of an island

I tried to watch once, I just wasn't into it.

Yea, it usually takes a few weeks for the good game play to pick up

I do enjoy the blood vs water ones. But I keep the same opinion as last year- you know going in that you may have to sacrifice your loved one in irder to succeed . Jeremy was sweet though when he almost cried about Val going to exile.


And finally someone who showed up having practiced making fire. I know I would be studying that stuff if I was going to play. You see how hard it is when you're missing skills like that.

Exactly, I would be able to make fire before coming out, and I would practice making shelter as well and research the best ones to make

3 Q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/09/25/survivor-jeff-probst-san-juan-del-sur-premiere/

hmmm, a negotiation occurs that makes Jeff happy? that ought to be good - he gets a little evil sometimes

someone looks like they quit too - unless that's part of the negotiation - someone pulling a Rupert.

I think someone will quit, but probably not until later in the season

Those young guys aren't going to put up a fight in the outwit department

No, they aren't the brightest crayons in the box

3 Q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/02/survivor-jeff-probst-san-juan-del-sur-episode-2-val/

Val

Yea, she's a genius,  if you really have a idol,  you don't tell anyone, you really don't tell people you have 2 of them

especially not 3 days in

3 Q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/09/jeff-probst-survivor-san-juan-del-sur-john-rocker/

HAHAHAHA, Drew is an idiot, I loved it! That tribe is a mess!

3 Q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/16/survivor-jeff-probst-san-juan-del-sur-episode-4/

Ez wrote:

HAHAHAHA, Drew is an idiot, I loved it! That tribe is a mess!

dumbass is the new badass

as soon as he dropped the challenge I had a feeling they'd get rid of him

Me too, I love seeing people who think they are running things get voted out

3 Q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/23/survivor-jeff-probst-san-juan-del-sur-keith-idol/

3 Q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/10/30/survivor-jeff-probst-san-juan-del-sur-episode-6/

That was about an anti-climatic quit as I've seen. It's not like she was a player.

I'll be upset if it's jeremy or josh next week. I like them both

Yea, I think Jeremy will be the target if he doesn't win immunity, but Alec seems to rub people the wrong way so who knows. I remember when Jeff used to be mean to quitters.

4 Q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/11/06/survivor-jeff-probst-julie-quit/

Ez wrote:

Yea, I think Jeremy will be the target if he doesn't win immunity, but Alec seems to rub people the wrong way so who knows. I remember when Jeff used to be mean to quitters.

yeah, Alec is an ass

about stealing the trail mix - didn't they get their merge feast? If you're stealing from the tribe you shouldn't let your things be left unattended.

and - didn't they get to bring that new bag of rice? food shouldn't be that much of an issue now

3 q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/11/27/survivor-jeff-probst-san-juan-del-sur-episode-10/

4 Q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/12/04/survivor-jeff-probst-san-juan-del-sur-episode-11/

I didn't know it was 2 hours last night. That was a surprise.

Missy annoys me so I can't wait for next week - looks like she's leaving

I've started rooting for Keith - I love the underdogs

This has been the least interesting season for me, I don't want Missy, Jon or Jacqueline to win, other than that I don't care

I like it but I don't like when there is an obvious group that is in charge and starts acting obnoxious about it. I loved how shocked they were last night at the second tribal - knocked them down a few pegs hopefully.

Yea, but I don't think it was smart, if you wanted to make a move against Jon, why not vote out Jacqueline?

I was wondering that myself. I guess since he has an idol? even if they took her out, he still has one for next time - assuming he doesn't win immunity.

I don't know, but I wouldn't have voted out Alec to send a message, now, they are both still in the game, and he still has an idol. She should have just voted out Keith so he didn't become suspicious!

4 Q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/12/11/survivor-jeff-probst-missy-injured/

finally they broke up that couple - good move


now to get rid of missy or baylor

I agree, I think Natalie should win at this point, she's played the best out of who's left

Missy and jacklyn are unrecognizable

Thankfully this abomination of a season is over, at least Natalie won, next season looks intriguing.

the tribal was pretty boring

Reeds speech to Missy was pretty cool, but a pretty blah finale

5 Q's with Jeff Probst:

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/12/18/survivor-jeff-probst-finale-san-juan-del-sur/

i was going for Keef....but Nat played a great game imo....so im happy :)

She was ok, overall the cast was pretty underwhelming, hopefully next season will be better.