Island Of The Idols Episode 5: Ding Dong, Lairo's Dead

Detective Dean Kowalski is on the case of trying to figure out who put out the hit on Chelsea. After interrogating Elaine, Karishma, Aaron and Elizabeth, he finally finds the culprit: Missy. Missy tries to explain herself but Dean isn't receptive, so now she's just annoyed because she fought to save him.

Jeff brings the tribes together and tells them to drop their buffs, and Elaine is already scared. She gets an alright draw though: new Vokai is a 4-4 split: Tommy, Dan, Jason and Lauren vs Elaine, Elizabeth, Missy and Aaron. Tom, Dean and Karishma remain on Lairo against a Vokai majority of Jamal, Jack, Janet, Noura and Kellee. Oh man, Missy is very lucky to have avoided being with the people she burned.

Noura dragging Karishma just like she's carrying the season

The reward challenge begins immediately and it is for...Applebee's. Tribe members have to crawl in the sand in pairs with their hands tied, and the last two have to solve a puzzle. Dan/Elizabeth manage to beat Tom/Janet, as do their 2nd pair, Tommy and Missy. Jason and Aaron do the puzzle, whilst Lairo's final pair, Karishma and Noura, move through the sand. Karishma gets stuck like a beached whale and has to be dragged by Noura. They eventually finish, and Jamal and Kellee can start the puzzle, but Vokai are too far ahead and win reward.

Vokai sit down for Applebee's as Tommy gives them the required promo. Missy seems happy to be on a winning tribe for once, but both Elaine and Jason know that they have to stay strong with their side.

You got a friend in Dean

Karishma wastes zero time throwing Tom and Dean under the bus once they get to camp, whereas Tom is talking about how weak she is. Dean and Kellee realize they have a mutual friend in Dean's ex, and he also reveals how he got blindsided at the last vote. Kellee isn't sure which one to go with now, since all three seem like good options. Karishma opens up about her arranged marriage to the rest of the tribe.

Elaine and Missy wrestle, much to the entertainment of the Vokais. Aaron talks about his son, who he has on his socks, and tries to form an alliance with Tommy...though neither are willing to give up anybody in their group. Aaron tells Missy that they have to leave Lairo behind, which Missy agrees with.

Bipartisan brodown

Elizabeth right at home

The immunity challenge is to jump off a ladder, dive down and release buoys, then carry them across a beam. Vokai get to their buoys first, and Dan and Elizabeth transfer them over the beam very quickly. Lairo get held up by Karishma (who talks back to Jeff when he calls her slow) and then take longer on the transfer. Miss starts shooting and scores. Tommy gets Vokai's second as Dean scores twice to tie it up. Coming down to the last basket, it is Tommy that gives Vokai the win.

Squeezing for intel

Dean is annoyed he couldn't use his basketball skills to clinch the win, but assumes that Karishma will be the one to go since she's the weakest link. Janet has connected well with Tom, but worries he would go back to his old allies in a merge. Kellee wonders if Dean is too dangerous to take to the merge, and says she doesn't want to be the next Chelsea. The majority debate who to vote out. Noura of course doesn't have a vote after failing her mission, but luckily they still have the numbers without her.

At tribal council, Tom says he hasn't found a crack in the majority, as both Rob and Sandra watching on say they can relate. Noura randomly bursts out laughing at one point, and makes a not so subtle allusion to Tom being old (as well as Dean being good at puzzles, which is just not true). Janet tells Dean he didn't form a relationship with her, as Rob watches him floundering. He recovers when he points out that he was not in power on the old tribe. Karishma says she doesn't know who flipped the last vote, which Tom calls out as a lie.

The votes are in, and although Tom and Dean voted for Karishma, everybody else voted for Tom. I'm not that surprised, Karishma being willing to flip does make her valuable. But will the tribe be too weighed down by her to ever win again? We'll see.

STAR OF THE WEEK: KELLEE KIM

Kellee is sitting in a great spot after the swap, with a majority, a new connection and didn't even need to use her idol. Anyone who gets the Sandra seal of approval has to be pretty great!

Island Of The Idols Episode 4: Making The Call

Karishma feels expendable now since she was the back-up target. Aaron talks about how he's calling the shots now (citation needed) and that he's noticed how close Dean and Chelsea are and wants to split them up. Missy agrees.

Stay behind to get ahead

Vokai go out on a fishing trip, which Jamal decides to skip. He uses the time to search for the idol, which he finds. Then a boat pulls up and tells them they must unanimously decide the next person to go to Island of the Idols. Dan asks if anybody wants to go, and nobody bites...except Noura. Of course.

Woooooooooooooooooo!

At Island of the Idols, Noura takes Rob and Sandra's watermelons and talks a lot. They tell her the next immunity challenge is gonna be a blindfold one, and if she is able to persuade her tribe to make her the caller, she will win an advantage (a vote blocker). Rob urges her to weigh the pros and cons, but in true Noura style she just jumps in headfirst. "She's definitely perceptive...the question is: is her perception reality?" Rob says as she departs, sounding unconvinced.

Noura gets back to camp and comes up with a convoluted lie that they have to agree to let her take the role she wants in the next challenge in exchange for intel on what it is. They're all a little confused, but agree...and then are still confused after she explains. Kellee is just happy not to have her spot blown up though. The practice session goes badly, and Lauren says it's pretty clear that Noura is not suited for the role.

Disaster waiting to happen

Dan getting handsy again

The immunity challenge is, as advertised, directing blindfolded players to get bags and then solve a puzzle. Vokai make Noura sit out - oof, mission fail! Jason and Elizabeth are the callers, and Vokai get off to a fast start. Dean goes over an obstacle they're supposed to go under, forcing them to come back. Vokai get 3 when Lairo only have one, and Dan ends up smacking Missy in the face during a pile-up. Vokai get back and move onto the puzzle, which sees Jason directing a blindfolded Kellee. Lairo eventually get their last 2 and catch up. Jason starts taking his time once he notices some pieces wrong, and Elizabeth encourages Aaron to hustle through it. Lairo think they have it and celebrate, but they are wrong. Vokai get it and win immunity again.

Chelsea looks to be losing the game of hot potato

Elizabeth says sorry for letting the team down. Tom says there's no doubt about the vote and the consensus is Karishma. Aaron however is looking to mix it up and go for Dean, who has sucked in every challenge so far. Elizabeth and Elaine are not board, which frustrates Aaron and Missy. Missy then pitches a new plan: take out Chelsea instead, since she's attached to Dean. Elaine is taken aback by how quickly Missy just throws out names.

At tribal council, Chelsea says the line might be drawn tonight. Karishma says nobody wants to talk to her. Elaine describes the chaos in camp. Elizabeth says sometimes you just go with the last plan that was discussed. Karishma says what she's hearing is good news, but Missy urges her to not get too excited and says she's still "getting lapped" by everybody on the tribe. Chelsea says it would hurt to get blindsided but she still enjoys them.

The votes are 2 for Karishma and 6 for Chelsea. "You wanted a blindside, you got one" comments Sandra. RIP another women's alliance, then! I feel for Chelsea, she really wanted this and deserved better than the old "take out a woman to weaken a guy" trope. Hard to see the logic of this for Missy. You really wanna be hemorrhaging more allies with a swap coming up when you're already down in numbers? Lairo stays making bad decisions and I bet it's gonna cost them.

STAR OF THE WEEK: NOURA SALMAN

When nobody really excelled in gameplay, I give it to the most entertaining...and that was Noura. The whole caller incident was an enthralling car crash. She has given us so many fun moments this season and I'm ready for more of The Noura Show.

Island Of The Idols Episode 3: The First Cut Is The Deepest

Pool party!

So there's a pretty awkward silence when the tribe come back from tribal, as Tommy tries to repair his relationships with Jack and Jamal. Jamal says he feels like a wild card now. On Lairo, the girls are playing in the water. Aaron worries about them having the numbers and tries to get the guys together. Vince claims to be down, but he knows Aaron wanted him out so he has no reason to go that way.

Dan wants to make the next vote an easy one and go for Noura. Jamal however doesn't trust Dan and tries to convince Janet to go for him instead. Janet talks to Tommy and he says it's only a good move for Jamal....so now they're wondering if maybe Jamal should be the target.

Major eye-opener for Karishma

Karishma cuts her hand with a knife and blood pours out. It's only a small cut, but as she lies on the floor, everybody seems to ignore her...and man, she is heated about it in confessional. A boat shows up to summon Vince to the Island of the Idols. Elizabeth is well aware this could lead to Vince getting an idol, and Dean suggests splitting the vote. Which would be a good plan, except everybody is there with them. Maybe you were better off not talking.

Vince cries when he gets to talk to Rob and Sandra, which Rob finds humbling. They tell him his mission is to sneak into the other tribe's camp and get fire. Damn, that seems impossible. Sandra helps him train with some helpful and some not-so-helpful techniques. But when darkness falls, it's go time. Vince sneaks in just as some of them are stirring from a bad dream. Vince sees the fire is out and collects ash instead. He brings it back, and Rob counts it as a win, handing him over an idol good for 2 tribals.

Vince's Mission Impossible

I wanna hold your hand

The immunity challenge is for one player to swim out and retrieve a key, whilst the rest balance on a see saw to get bags, the solve a fish puzzle. The swimming showdown is between Elizabeth and Janet. Janet manages to keep pace for the most part, but struggles with the key. Lairo get a  headstart on the see saw, but Vokai get there eventually. Missy gets the first bag and drops it. Kellee holds onto Jason to get her first. Missy gets the second bag and Lairo can go into the puzzle with a lead.. But by the time Vokai catch up, Dean and Karishma have made no progress. Jamal and Lauren smash the puzzle, overtaking Lairo easily to claim the win.

The plan is to split on Vince and Karishma, with Karishma in even more trouble now. Missy doesn't want to do the boys' plan and suggests voting Tom, but that's not what Elizabeth wants. Karishma is freaking out thinking it's her, but Vince gets frustrated with her when she doesn't give a name. Chelsea weighs the pros and cons of a Vince vs Tom vote...Vince would likely be loyal to them, but Tom would piss more people off.

Disappointed dad

At tribal council, Tom blames the puzzle solvers for them being there. Karishma defends herself by saying she does have physical strength. She also points out she doesn't fit in with the Elizabeth/Missy/Chelsea "sorority", but Elizabeth reassures her she's part of the group. Vince says they just need to trust the plan, as does Aaron. Karishma whispers to Elizabeth and the girls last minute. Tom calls it an act.

As the votes are cast, Dean amusingly references his own split vote gaffe. It is split between Karishma and Vince, with only Vince voting Tom...and Vince goes home with an idol in his pocket. I wonder if Rob and Sandra feel guilty for putting a target on his back. He takes it in his stride at least. Now was that a smart move for the girls? I don't know, Vince seemed like he wanted to work with them more than a couple of others. We'll soon see if they actually have united the tribe or just signed their own death warrants.

STAR OF THE WEEK: KARISHMA PATEL

It was a rough episode for Karishma in a lot of places, but she made it through and you can tell she is really trying her hardest. Don't burn the girls alliance down just yet please, I'm enjoying it.

Island Of The Idols Episode 2: Top Gear

Tough job, but somebody's gotta do it

After tribal, Elaine explains to Aaron he was too close to Ronnie to be let in on the vote, as Vince asks why his name came up. Missy does a good job with damage control on Aaron, but he still doesn't trust anybody.

Noura opens up the morning by complaining about not getting enough appreciation for her work around camp, and everyone is annoyed with her. Noura doesn't seem to be the biggest fan of Molly in particular. Jason, who is on the bottom with her, wants to stay loyal to her as she was the only one who helped him out. Interesting that Molly has fallen into the role of The Popular Girl and Noura is The Dorky Outcast...I would've bet on it being the other way around.

Lairo are still struggling to make fire even with flint. Chelsea has a go and gets it quickly, really showing up Aaron and Tom. Chelsea then finds an idol in a tree during a firewood hunt when it's still dark and people are around. Good for her, that's another item off the bucket list.

Is this the prayer circle for Noura's safety?

Noura runs a morning yoga session. Then a boat pulls up and instructs Kellee to go to the Island of the Idols, which leaves her very shocked and confused. Kellee shows up at the island and sees Rob and Sandra. Kellee laughs as she had predicted a Cochran appearance, but Sandra says they're "way better than Cochran".

The three sit down and have a long chat about irrelevant stuff, which Kellee seems to find boring and pointless. However, it is then revealed it was all a test, and if she can answer personal questions about Sandra, she will get an idol, The questions are about Sandra's daughters, husband and dogs. Kellee goes 3 for 3 to win the idol (which is good for 3 tribals). She draws the next name and departs. Once back, Kellee cries to her tribe and tells them the same lie Elizabeth did about smashing urns. It's hard for me to believe they're not being heavily encouraged by the producers not to spill their secrets. Kellee lets them go through her bag, knowing the idol is really in her hair.

Trivia champ

Drop some Molly

The immunity challenge is to untie a ladder in the water, use it to retrieve a bag, then have another tribe member roll balls into slots. Everybody freaks out when they see spices is the reward as well. The challenge starts and Vokai are very slow moving their ladder. Chelsea retrieves the bag first for Lairo, but they hit a setback when they lose the bag in the water. Molly takes a few attempts to get her bag as she keeps falling off the ladder. Lairo have a good headstart on the rolling, with Missy getting one and Elaine getting another. Vokai catch up when Jamal gets 2. Missy scores the last point to win immunity for Lairo. Well, these two tribes seem pretty evenly-matched at least.

Sleeping on the job

The consensus around camp is that it's an easy vote, with the votes split on Jason and Noura. Jamal feels so confident that him, Jack and Molly are in control, he opts to take a nap. Lauren and Janet discuss targeting Molly instead, since they think she's dangerous. Noura is so excited about the flip, Jason has to tell her to stop dancing. Tommy thinks it's much too soon to make that move and doesn't want to lose Jack and Jamal as allies.

At tribal council, Noura's hair almost catches fire lighting her torch. Jason says he's been an outsider since the very first few hours of the game. Kellee says he misread the group culture, but Jason defends himself by dumping out his bag to prove he has no idol. Noura claims she hasn't fit in ether but that she never really does. Jamal talks about the game still being in first gear, and gives a condescending speech about how he hasn't had to play from the bottom yet like Jason.

The votes are read and the Molly blindside goes through, shocking Sandra and Rob most of all. I really had Molly down as a strong contender, I didn't think she'd be viewed as a threat too early. But hey, the silver lining is at least one more episode of Noura!

STAR OF THE WEEK: CHELSEA WALKER

Even though there were only a few Lairo scenes, Chelsea was all over them and was doing everything this episode - starting fire, finding an idol and stepping up in the challenge. She's not just talking the talk, she's walking the walk.

Island Of The Idols Episode 1: Dude, Where's My Marooning?

Your first look at Lairo

Giant Rob and Sandra heads start the season off, like some sort of Planet Of The Apes-inspired fever dream, as the two legends set up camp and declare Survivor bootcamp "in session". The Lairo tribe arrive at their camp, skipping the traditional marooning, and Chelsea is not happy at the season title. They get to work and introduce themselves, and Elizabeth confesses to being an Olympian already, which I didn't expect. Missy tells her story of overcoming a brain tumor. Vokai find their buffs and wonder what the name of the season means. Janet knows she has to do something to avoid being an easy target, so makes fire.

Tom is impressed with Vince and Elaine, seeing them as the workers of the tribe, and talks about how in his experience, having a team isn't always about the strongest athletes.The rest of the tribe notice them off alone and make a majority of 7. Oh great, this is Manu all over again.

Clam attack

Jamal likes how Vokai is coming along, as Jason decides to look for an idol. Dan notices this and takes the opportunity to paint a target on him. Jack and Tommy have teamed up, and seem to be part of a larger majority of 6 also containing Molly, Dan, Kellee and Lauren. Noura tips Jason off that he might be in trouble and now he's freaked out.

Personal space invader

On Lairo, the girls have an agreement to stick together, encouraged by Missy. Maybe this will actually hold this time. The one problem is Elaine has already been named as somebody on the outs, and Missy lets her know so she can try to fix that. A new target emerges on Vokai, as Dan is being touchy-feely with some of the women, namely Molly and germaphobe Kellee. Kellee has a nice talk with him about it, where he vows to work on it. Elaine is making her whole tribe laugh...but that just makes Ronnie see her as a threat.

Jack with the hero move

The tribes finally get to meet Jeff at their first challenge, as Elaine jokes that they thought Jeff had quit. The challenge is to run through some obstacles, pull up some logs to drop a bridge, climb a huge ramp and then solve a puzzle. After tumbling down the first ramp, it's Dean vs Janet to grapple the logs...and Janet gets it first try, As Lairo start falling behind, Ronnie has to step in and get it. The tribes have to make a human pyramid to get up to the top, and Jack is the first one up. Dean is first up for Vokai and both throw ropes down to help others. Lairo get them up faster, with Jack going back down to help Noura at one point. It's now Chelsea, Vince and Dean against Molly, Noura and Jamal to solve the puzzle, which is to assemble several huts. Vokai get 2 at the same time Lairo get 1, and it just gets worse from there as somehow Lairo end up stuck with one piece left. Vokai blow them out of the water to win immunity. Before they leave, Lairo have to draw a name to send somebody to the Island of the Idols...and Elizabeth is the one chosen.

Learning from the best

Elizabeth arrives on the island not knowing what's in store for her, and she definitely did not expect to see Rob and Sandra. They ask how camp is going and Elizabeth says they don't have fire...so the two mentors agree to teach her. Sandra walks Elizabeth through it until she gets it. So now Rob makes her an offer: take him on, and if she wins, she gets an idol. If she loses, she loses her vote. She takes some time to think it over.

Misfit crew campaign for votes

Back at camp, Vince and Tom are talking about sending Ronnie home. Aaron and Ronnie try to rally votes for Elaine, which Vince doesn't want. Elaine knows her name is out there, but Tom assures her she is safe. We cut back to Elizabeth, and even though she knows better, the competitor in her takes over and she decides to go for it. Although Elizabeth gets a fire first, Rob's is much bigger and he easily gets through the rope to leave her in the dust. Now Elizabeth is feeling very sheepish, as Rob straight-up tells her she shouldn't have taken him on. Now she has to go back to camp with no vote, but not before picking a name out of a bag to determine the next person to go to Island of the Idols.

Elaine asks Aaron for a explanation of why she's being targeted, and agrees to a Vince vote to save herself. When Elizabeth arrives back, she decides not to tell them what the Island of the Idols is (which I suspect was producer-encouraged) and doesn't even tell them about losing her vote. Ironically both sides are campaigning to pull her over, not knowing she's of no use to them.

The watchers: Still as blunt as ever

We get down to tribal council, as Sandra and Rob watch too from a secret booth - Whaaat? Elaine's target is brought up and Karishma says "likability is a liability" (which gets Sandra's approval). Elaine thinks it's crazy to target jury threats this early, and thinks they should give her a chance and get rid of her later. Ronnie says they need to keep the tribe strong and lists a bunch of jobs he's done for some reason. Elaine and Vince both cry as the whole tribe talks about how hard it is. Sandra basically shits all over the pity party. That's why she's the Queen.

The vote ends up between Vince and Ronnie, and Ronnie is sent home with all but 2 votes in a total blindside. Wow, I wasn't exactly expecting much from Ronnie, but first boot? He somehow managed to do worse than Garrett Adelstein, who I imagine is a pretty happy man right now. Well, we've got some real characters left in this cast and the show did a great job of spotlighting basically all of them.

STAR OF THE WEEK: MISSY BYRD

Elaine's great and all, but Missy gets my vote for how she appeared to be driving strategy in a low-key way from behind the scenes. Her soft touch has been very effective and I wouldn't mind seeing the women dominate this season.

Island Of The Idols cast assessment

Don't let the returning mentors or weird twist distract you, this looks like a really strong cast and could be a great season. The first of the post-Spillman era, we've got a really fresh direction this season, with tons of fans, older players and more diversity than usual. Get excited! Presented from best chance to worst chance...

Jack Nichting, Graduate student [Vokai]
"Externally, I can easily be perceived as a laid back, longhaired, ditzy guy. In reality, I can be quite intellectual, intentional, and LOVE having serious, deep conversations with people."
I sense a new golden boy! Seems a risk to make him my winner pick when he could have a huge target on him, but I think he might be able to use his surfer boy persona to downplay it a bit. He compares himself to Devon and that's really what he should be aiming for. He clearly has more going on than challenges, he seems smart and social too..so, we'll see!

Molly Byman, Law student [Vokai]
"I am smart, strong, and not annoying. Discomfort and being dirty don't bother me. I can fit in anywhere and form relationships with anyone."
This season's resident quirky girl, Molly seems very likeable and smart and probably won't be regarded as a threat. However it sounds like she has the tenacity to be willing to make moves. She knows the game well and she's also a teacher which I think is a good job for making you empathetic, something you need out there. Strong Kellyn vibes, someone else I was very high on pre-season.

Jason Linden, Personal injury lawyer [Vokai]
"I will outwork my competition; I am an animal. I am resilient and hardworking. When I start something, I NEED to finish it."
Alright, get your Ross Geller jokes out of the way now! Jason comes off intelligent, mature and well-spoken. He'll probably be one of the main strategic players this season and I could see him doing very well, though it's definitely possible he might come off as too shady and turn people off. Especially if he tells them his real job, they're gonna get ambulance chaser vibes.

Tommy Sheehan, Teacher [Vokai]
"I am physical and can win challenges, but that won't win Survivor. What wins Survivor is the time spent opening up and connecting to people. When you have real connections with people they will keep you around longer."
Weirdly, Tommy is the person I keep forgetting about in this cast...but that's not a bad thing! Staying incognito is good. He seems to be a fan based on his players he's most like, so he should have some game in him, but I also think he'll be seen as the goofball of the cast and a good, loyal guy to have in your alliance.

Lauren Beck, Nanny [Vokai]
"My ability to connect with others is astronomical, I just love people! I have the physical and mental ability to see myself through to the very end. People tend to underestimate me which will definitely work in my favor. I plan to be the second black woman to win this game, hands down."
Lauren surprised me. She's extra but in a way that seems easy to like. She reminds me a lot of Ali, and I mean that as a good thing. Her bio had some hilarious lines (she's like Troyzan because they're both hot) and I noticed she was the only one to mention Sandra. She doesn't really seem like the type of personality that wins the show, but maybe this year will be different.

Chelsea Walker, Digital content creator [Lairo]
"I'm tenacious, a hard worker, and I don't take anything for granted. Applying to the show for so many years has made me stronger, and hungrier to win. I have something to prove, and I will win because I have the passion and desire to do so."
I'll be rooting for Chelsea above all else this season. She's hot, she's charming and she's a real deal superfan that's been trying to get on this show for ages. It's clear she wants this so bad and I hope it works out for her, but her main obstacle is going to be making sure she doesn't come in too hot and overplay.

Jamal Shipman, College administrator [Vokai]
"I've been intensely studying this game. I feel like I have a good handle on what to do in order to give myself the best shot at making it to the end with enough good will to get votes. People will be happy to write my name at the end."
Jamal is a real jack of all trades...athlete, singer, trumpet player. And he doesn't look like an Ivy League grad either. He's a big guy that will probably be a challenge asset, but he's not gonna be first priority at the merge over younger guys like Dean or Jack. On top of that, I just get likeable vibes from him.

Missy Byrd, Air Force Veteran [Lairo]
"Beyoncé wrote a song about surviving so I have to honor Queen B."
Yes, that really is the best quote from her that I could find. It's a shame her bio is so ridiculously short, because she actually seems pretty interesting. She has a lot of life experience from time in the military and being so well-travelled, so hopefully she can bring some of that to the game. She's gonna be a tough cookie, but as far as the social game goes, I have no idea what to expect. Probst mentioned her as a candidate for an all-girls alliance though.

Kellee Kim, MBA student [Vokai]
"My pain tolerance is high, and I love to make difficult things fun. With a pinch of luck and a good meat shield, I'll win."
I was prepared to have Kellee much higher, but then Probst hinted she might be inflexible and that seemed like a major red flag. I'd be happy to see her do well though. If she's as fun as she claims, that'll help her, and I'm sure she learned some translatable skills in business school. Her soccer background should give her some challenge ability too.

Dean Kowalski, Tech sales [Lairo]
"I strongly believe in my ability to get along with and be liked by a variety of different people. This will allow me to build strong, diverse alliances. Additionally, my athletic and puzzle abilities will make me a threat within challenges. My experience working in sales will fuel my persuasion within my alliances."
It's hard to back anyone that seems as cocky as him, but I could maybe see a universe where he perseveres and wins in spite of that. He has some things going for him: he's a strong challenge competitor, so he shouldn't be gone before the merge. His confidence could also make him a strong social player. And he's in sales, so maybe there's Chris Underwood upside here.

Elizabeth Biesel, Olympic medalist [Lairo]
"I'm physically, mentally, and socially strong. I can easily connect with people—my alliances will be strong and help carry me through the game. I can win individual Immunity due to my strength as an athlete. I'm a tough girl who will fight until the end."
Elizabeth is an incredibly accomplished person with a lot going for her and on paper could be a well-rounded player. But her biggest problem is how could you hear "Olympic swimmer" and not instantly think "huge threat"? On top of that, she also hasn't seen much of the show. But it's possible she can overcome this, and seemed very gung-ho for a girls thing on her pre-season interview.

Ronnie Bardah, Poker player [Lairo]
"I spend my life adapting to ever-changing environments. I grew up in a rough inner-city neighborhood and rose above and have been successful in one of the most competitive, cutthroat businesses on Earth. Poker is such a great challenge and competition and I want to always challenge myself to do better and better. There is no greater challenge in life than Survivor, I must conquer it."
Poker players don't have the best track record on the show for a profession that you'd think would make a good player. I'm not sure how much Ronnie knows about the show or if he just got offered it because he was a big name in the poker world. I guess it's not out of the question he could pick it up, but I see him playing the same way he plays cards: reckless and sloppy.

Noura Salman, Entrepeneur [Vokai]
"I'm multidimensional and not just one thing or person. I'm the nerd, jock, and model with brains, brawn, and beauty. Most importantly, I have the social skills needed to both win and influence people, and relentless drive to go after what I want."
Noura certainly has the pieces to be a good player: athletic, determined, adaptable. The question is, will she able to fit in with the tribe or will her energetic personality rub them the wrong way? Probst sounded unsure on her, which is not a good sign.

Dan Spilo, Talent manager [Vokai]
"I think I have the basic, if not superior, physicality to be useful to the Tribe. More importantly, I have an incredible ability to know what people need and to make them feel good, and to make myself critical in their success."
Dan is someone I could see being a villain. It might be hard for him to win because of that, but I don't want to rule it out as he does seem smart and like he's going to play hard. It seems like he thinks he'll be a challenge asset but I'll believe it when I see it.

Elaine Stott, Factory worker [Lairo]
"I think people will underestimate me. I think with my people skills and my ability to relate to different types of people, I will be able to befriend them or gain their trust. I would be overlooked because I wouldn't be a threat, but an ally."
The last two people in Elaine's archetype, Elizabeth and Lauren, both ended up being pleasant surprises, so I could definitely regret having her this low. I don't doubt that she's super fun to be around, which will help her. I just think a 40+ woman faces a lot of challenges, both at the beginning with they're worried about strength and at the end when they're trying to get respect for their game at FTC.

Aaron Meredith, Gym owner [Lairo]
"I have to come in with a STRONG social game because I will have a huge target on my back as a physical threat. I know how to work people, get people to know me, like me, and trust me."
I dunno, I just don't see it with Aaron. I'm not saying he's definitely going to be a douche, but he might be. He's also just undeniably fit and is gonna be a walking target after the merge, which is gonna take a huge amount of game sense he doesn't have to counteract.

Karishma Patel, Personal injury lawyer [Lairo]
"I feel like I was born to play this game. I've always craved challenges that help me learn more about myself, and I know deep down that I do have the physical, mental, and social skills to outlast, outwit, and outplay anyone."
The one camp shot I've seen of Karishma so far is her arguing. I hope that's not indicative of things to come. I would love the first Indian American contestant to do well as she seems like a badass independent woman with a strong, feisty personality, but that's exactly what could get her in trouble very early. So she shares a profession with Jason, could that be something they come together over if they ever meet?

Janet Carbin, Lifeguard [Vokai]
"I come off tough and stern... not true."
Another disappointingly short bio from someone who you'd think would have a lot to say, what gives? Probst is talking up Janet as one of their biggest characters this season and anybody who is a lifeguard at her age is guaranteed to be a badass. She seems mindful of not taking the role as the bossy one though. It's hard to overcome being the oldest player on your tribe, but she might just do it as she does have a skill others might not.

Tom Laidlaw, Former NHL player [Lairo]
"I know how to build an alliance and win challenges and then do whatever it takes to win."
So they said they were gonna cast Canadians this season, and the only one is an ex-hockey player that lives in New York? Huh. Anyway, it's cool to see a 60-year-old on the show but even an in-shape one is gonna have a tough time keeping up with the younger folks. His bio is very generic. One of the words he describes himself with is "stubborn", so...he's already on very thin ice. But maybe there's an alliance out there for him that needs a father figure.

Vince Moua, Admissions counselor [Lairo]
"I believe I can use my unassuming image and 209 vernacular to fool others into believing that I am not an immediate threat. However, I'd say I'm pretty crafty and will be able to use my smarts to create plans and execute votes that will eliminate anyone I feel is a threat to my game (if you're not with me, you're dead to me)."
I hate to put Vince last, because he seems like a nice guy and I'm sure he'll be fun while he's there, but I just get the sense that he's not gonna fit in at all. He's too weird and too different. And his bio answers are all over the place...he's apparently a shaman? But hey, I hope I'm wrong, as it's tough not to root for the underdog!