Kaoh Rong cast assessment

Kaoh Rong follows the old adage of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" by borrowing the brains vs brawn vs beauty theme that made Cagayan such a success. But whilst the theme might not be original, the cast definitely is. Gardeners, bounty hunters, ice cream moguls...they found people from all walks of life.

CHANLOH - THE BRAINS TRIBE

Aubry Bracco

Aubry immediately struck me as the Sophie type, but watching her interview, she might actually have more in common with Shirin. She's also hoping to prove she's more than just booksmart and use her quirkiness to endear the other castaways to her (I guess in a way Shirin failed to do). Does she have enough life experience though? She lists managing a company's Facebook page as if it's something impressive.

Joe Del Campo

Don't expect this badass 72-year-old former FBI agent to be the Rudy-like curmudgeon...he actually appears to be a super nice guy. His interview wasn't as interesting as his life story, but I think Joe actually has an outside shot to do well. He shouldn't be targeted early like most older people, just because he looks to be in good shape.

Liz Markham

A quantitative strategist with really good grades, Liz prides herself on being smart. But she's also super pretty and looks relatively athletic too. She might just be the most well-rounded player in the cast and if she's able to slip under the radar the way she wants, I'm very high on her chances.

Peter Baggenstos

This handsome guy is an ER Doctor, and his interview was surprisingly funny and articulate...particularly when he talked about how he hates being compared to Obama. I don't know if I really saw winner potential though...his comment about having an ego was a minor red flag.

Debbie Wanner

The very idea of a "female Coach" is enough to perk any Survivor fan's interest, and Debbie looks like she's going to be a larger-than-life character. From her huge laundry list of jobs to that tiger bathing suit, everything about her stands out. Weirdos rarely go that far though, and I'm still too devastated by Vince's early boot to get truly invested in her.

Neal Gottlieb

Neal gets the award for most long-winded bio, that's for sure. But he seems to have done a lot with his life, being a successful businessman and world traveler. As a fan of show, he should have a good handle on the strategy side, and he's also apparently in better shape than he looks too.

TOTANG - THE BRAWN TRIBE

Scot Pollard

Can Scot stop the trend of former athletes going early? He comes off very funny and likeable, but that didn't save Cliff Robinson. I didn't get the sense he knows the game very well, so I don't think this "caveman" is a contender.

Cydney Gillon

I may have jumped the gun calling Debbie the crazy of the season - Cyd talks in detail about her alter egos that are gonna "fuck shit up". It's also concerning how she lists Tony as a player she admires for his loyalty. Uhhh...

Kyle Jason

Kyle might just have the coolest job a contestant has ever had on this show - he's a motherfuckin' bounty hunter. As soon as he said Russell Hantz was "the only person who has played the game the way you should", I immediately wrote off his chances of winning, but he could end up being an entertaining antagonist.

Jennifer Lanzetti

Tough girl Jennifer has an undeniable intensity towards her, but I'm curious to see how she mixes with others. If she's too blunt, she could find herself rubbing people up the wrong way.

Darnell Hamilton

Darnell claims that the cutthroat world of being a postal worker is all the experience he needs to do well on Survivor. No, seriously. By his own admission, Darnell is dumb as rocks, but is hoping to get by on his street smarts. I found his video quite funny and endearing, so I hope he does well, even if I can't really see it.

Alecia Holden

Ah yes, the blonde girl that isn't Julia. Despite having an extremely tenuous connection to the Brawn tribe (her dad owned a boxing ring), Alecia has the personality and appearance of a bubbly sorority girl that she totally claims she isn't. Still, there's nothing wrong with that, and I'll give her a chance.

GONDOL - THE BEAUTY TRIBE

Michele Fitzgerald

If I had to pick a favorite person from this cast, it would be Jersey girl Michele. She says she's a big fan of the show, but it didn't stop her picking Parvati as the player she's most like. I can see her going far and I'd love for her to win, but to do that she needs to make sure people take her seriously from the start.

Caleb Reynolds

Caleb (aka "Beastmode Cowboy") becomes the second Big Brother crossover player, but don't expect him to be anywhere near as competent as Hayden. Caleb was known for his outrageous lies, one-sided crushes and constant showboating rather than his strategic prowess. His delusions and narcissm should provide comedy gold, though.

Anna Khait

The most interesting thing about Anna's interview is that she said she's willing to flirt with girls. Oh, and she's a poker player. I definitely don't think she'll be boring though...she could even turn out to be the unexpected trainwreck.

Nick Maiorano

Well, this guy is definitely trying to be a villain, calling himself "terribly manipulative". Can he pull it off? I'm not so sure, I think he comes off a lot more transparent that he realizes and is heading for an early exit.

Julia Sokolowski

Oh look, a young blonde girl who is out to prove there's more to her than being a young blonde girl. We haven't seen that since...Kaoh Rong. It's nice that she's a fan (all three Beauty girls are, surprisingly) but how much damage can she really do fresh out of high school? The last contestant to compare themselves to Natalie Tenerelli in a positive way was Morgan, so...yeah.

Tai Trang

Yau-Man's gay cousin. Tai is instantly fun and loveable and I'll eat my hat if he isn't a massive fan favorite. But like Debbie, I just don't see how he can survive those first few tribal councils if his tribe loses...he sticks out like a sore thumb.

Official winner pick: Liz