Millennials Vs Gen X Episode 6: Nothing To Hide

So we just had a unanimous vote on a divided tribe, but David thinks the game ceased to be Millennials vs Gen X after the swap. Zeke is pretty shocked that the Gen X'ers took out one of their own, but obviously is not complaining.

Three's a crowd

Jay and Will hunt for the idol on Ikabula, and when Jay finds the tribe logo on a log, he smashes it open to release it. The two of them agree to keep it between themselves...until Michaela walks by just at the wrong time, and ends up having to be included as well. Awkward. Don't worry guys, you can trust her with this secret...at least for now.

Hannah gets injured from the bench

Arriving at the next challenge, Figgy is pretty open that she's glad Michelle survived. Great, telegraph your alliance, why don't you? The challenge is for a caller to direct their tribemates to puzzle pieces and then solve the puzzle whilst still blindfolded. Jay, Figgy and Michelle take the caller roles. Michelle proves to be a bad pick when she can't control David, needing Chris to direct him for her. Sunday and Ken both pick up battle wounds, but Hannah seems to be struggling as well on the sidelines. Takali get their puzzle pieces first, with Ken solving it. Zeke is solving for Vanua, and Michaela for Ikabula. Despite Takali's huge headstart, Vanua and Ikabula are both able to overtake them and win. But before they can call it a day, medical has to take a look at Hannah, and determine she just got too excited and is OK.

Vanua discuss Figgy's reaction at the challenge, with Zeke taking it as a sign that he's on the bottom of the Millennials and that he needs to take out Michelle. Hannah recovers from her panic attack, and talks about needing to stay strong. Figgy decides to tell both Jessica and Ken that she has a thing with Taylor, but they just laugh because it's obvious. Yeah, I think we've learned by now that Figgy does not do subtlety well.

The least necessary confession ever

Full tilt

The immunity challenge is for two tribe members to swim down and grab bags, then open them to find three balls, which the other two will put through a table maze. Ken starts off poorly (for once) and takes a hard fall dropping off the stand that contains the bags. David does OK at the swimming section, but has to go twice whilst Ken carries all three in one go. Taylor then stays ahead of Bret and Chris, before handing over to the girls. Michaela yells at Hannah whilst doing the maze, but it proves to be effective. Ikabula win the challenge under Michaela's guidance, and then Michaela starts helping Michelle and Zeke. Figgy and Jessica lose a couple of balls going too fast, but it comes down to close race for the last ball. Zeke and Michelle get it, as Takali blow a huge lead again.

As the swing vote between two pairs, Adam feels in a no-win situation since somebody will be mad at him no matter what. Figgy and Taylor want him to vote out Ken, but Ken makes his pitch that he'll still be on the bottom if he stays with them. The question for Adam is: can he really trust people he barely knows?

Looks who's third wheel

At tribal council, Taylor is pretty adamant the Millennials are sticking together, with Figgy saying Adam's past vote for her is water under the bridge. Adam makes it clear that Figgy is obviously a lot closer to Taylor than him though. Probst almost seems ready to marry the young lovers, who take offence to him implying they're not as strategic as the other pair. Taylor issues a threat to Adam that he or the other Millennials will take him out if he screws them over. Adam says he hopes the remainder of the tribe can move forward as a 4, and that he genuinely likes the person he's voting out. Figgy seems a little worried when she hears that.

The votes are in, and it's between Figgy and Ken. When the last vote for Figgy is revealed, she starts crying and tells Taylor to win the game. So, Adam has broken up the showmance...but whilst that might win him some new friends, it might also alienate old ones - leaving the game very uncertain.

STAR OF THE WEEK: MICHAELA BRADSHAW

As Bret said in the episode, there's nothing she can't do. Michaela not only won her tribe immunity, she helped win it for the other tribe too. She also showed she's focused on the big picture and is sitting on a critical piece of information, knowing about Ikabula's idol.

Millennials Vs Gen X Episode 5: Getting To Work

Jessica's apology tour

David isn't sure if he made the right decision by playing his idol, and realizes he's more vulnerable now. Jessica apologizes to Ken about not believing him and decides to let him know about her legacy advantage to build trust back up. The next day leads to an open search for the whole tribe, but only David knows what to look for. Spotting a marked log, he breaks it open when he's alone, and all of a sudden he has an idol again.

The contestants arrive at what they think is a challenge, but is actually a tribe swap. They're taking a page from Cambodia's book and having a new third tribe as well. How does that work with these numbers? The new tribe, Ikabula, will have an extra member in order to make up for having to start over. Figgy and Taylor hope they don't get separated, and they're in luck when they both end up on Takali with Adam, Ken and Jessica. New Vanua is Chris, CeCe, David, Zeke and Michelle. That leaves Jay, Michaela, Bret, Sunday, Hannah and Will in green heading to a new beach...and Michaela is fuming.

Ikabula get to work on the shelter, although it's really mostly Jay doing the work, with Bret and Sunday happy to let him tell them what to do. Not the dynamic we really expected from this merger. But since the Millennials have the numbers, Jay ain't sweating it, and thinks he's fine no matter what happens.

Jay in charge

Secret kisses

Takali settle in, and power couple "Figtayls" feel comfortable. Figgy is trying to keep distance between them just in case though, much to Taylor's disappointment. Adam is not a fan of the showmance and starts talking with Ken to increase his options, positioning himself as the swing vote. Chris is doing the same on Vanua, bonding with Zeke over both being Oklahoma boys and letting him know he's not dead in the water.

Ikabula don't have a fire yet, so Jay tries to start one and fails. Eventually everyone gives up except Michaela. Ever the hard worker, she perseveres until she gets it, then takes a little moment to herself and cries.

David dropping the ball

The immunity challenge is to retrieve buoys from the water, then throw them into a hoop. If they want, they can pull the hoop closer using a grappling hook. Adam and CeCe get their buoys first, whilst Sunday has to leave without getting one. CeCe goes slowly in the water but David keeps losing his buoy and drops it back in the water, to the point where Zeke even wonders if he's throwing it. Takali have a lead now, as Ken starts shooting. Jay makes his second trip for a buoy. Chris takes two in a row after Michelle passes. Michaela pulls her hoop closer and scores with her first two shots. Ken starts getting some too, as Chris goes from a distance. Ikabula win immunity, as Chris decides to change it up and bring his hoop closer. Ken wins for Takali, sending Vanua to tribal council.

CeCe and David want to save Zeke for his strength, meaning they vote out Michelle. But Chris wants to change things up and take out CeCe instead. He even fills in David on plan. Michelle has got reassurances, but that's not enough for her, so she goes to CeCe and tells her she wants David out because he's weak. David considers pulling the same trick he did last time and saving CeCe with the idol...even though Chris has threatened to choke him if that happened.

You won't like Chris when he's angry

At tribal council, Zeke makes his case for why he should stay by saying he provides connections to the Millennials that they're going to need. CeCe is already concerned about the Zeke/Chris connection. Chris says this vote is a way to build back some trust with David, who has previously screwed him over. Michelle makes it clear she thinks David should be voted out, which he laughs at.

The votes are cast, and I guess David isn't feeling quite as generous as he was last episode, since there are no idol shenanigans this time. Bummer for CeCe, who is gone in a 4-1 vote and seems pretty blindsided by it. Well, tribal lines have already been broken on one tribe, and there's a fair bet they might be on others too.

STAR OF THE WEEK: MICHAELA BRADSHAW

This swap could've gone disastrously for Michaela, but she gave her tribe fire and was on fire in the immunity challenge. Her determination is insane and she fully deserves all her success.

Millennials Vs Gen X Episode 4: Meet The New Boss

Chris is pissed after tribal and doesn't feel like talking about it. Sunday wonders if they made a mistake. Lucy goes to Chris and Bret to tell them Jessica was the one behind the plan to oust Paul, and that they can grab Ken and David to make a move on her next.

The Millennials are hungry, so Figgy enthusiastically leads a group to find some food. They spot a goat up a mountain and go after it. Adam watches from the beach in amazement as he goes on a hunt of his own: for the immunity idol. Unlike his tribemates, he manages to find something...it's only a clue though, and he'll have to come back later, but he's so excited he's crying. Adorable.

The reward challenge is a battle in the water, with two tribe members each round trying to get a ring back to their post. Jay and Adam take on Chris and David for the first point, where Chris is able to out-muscle Adam and allow David to score. Sunday and CeCe then take on Michaela and Figgy, where Michaela ties it up. Bret and Ken take on Taylor and Will, with Ken scoring to keep Gen X in the lead.

Naked ambition

Jessica and Lucy vs Michaela and Hannah is the next matchup, where Michaela ends up losing her top and beastmoding the ring to her pole single-handedly. That leaves the deciding point in the hands of Jay and Zeke against Chris and David. Jay goes for the ring as Zeke obstructs Chris, but when Chris gets in the mix, he is able to turn the tide and win it. Gen X win reward, just as Jeff gets wiped out by a wave himself.

Shell yeah!

Michaela is getting a lot of plaudits for her effort in the challenge, as Zeke says there wasn't much they could do against the other tribe's huge guys. Adam decides to hunt for the idol, which he knows is in a shell. He finds the shell and breaks it open, just as Hannah comes up to ask how his idol search is going. Adam dedicates the idol to his mom, opening up about how hard it has been since he got the news of her cancer diagnosis.

David and Ken want to know what the plan is for the next tribal. Lucy lets them know it's Jessica, and tells them not to talk to anyone else, which doesn't sit right with Ken. "We went from one dictator to another" he says. Hmm, maybe she was better off when she was not talking.

Lucy calling the shots

Gettin' Figgy with it

The immunity challenge is to have a tribemate pulled up in a chair to take numbered tiles. Once three people have retrieved all the tiles, they use them to solve a word puzzle. Gen X send Chris out to the chair first, and despite being much heavier than Figgy, he ends up beating her. Ken and Michelle are the second to go, with Gen X still in the lead. David gets his tiles just ahead of Michaela, but it's now going to come down for the puzzle. David, Chris and Ken try some things for Gen X, whilst Michaela, Figgy and Michelle decide to wait until they figure it out. None of David's guesses prove correct, but it seems like Zeke gets the answer first. Millennials win immunity!

Ken tells David he doesn't want to go along with Lucy's plan and is gonna let Jessica know she's on the chopping block. But when Ken breaks the news, Jessica is shocked and isn't sure she believes him. Lucy is telling Jessica to vote CeCe, so she spills what Ken told her. Lucy confronts Ken openly where he addresses her bossiness, and now everyone's plans are a huge mess.

At tribal council, David says the last vote didn't bring them together at all, as Chris admits their tribe is in chaos. Jessica says she hopes they've reformed as a strong five. Lucy gets to defend her attitude by saying that in her experience, men appreciate bluntness. Ken is also mad at Jessica for leaking his plan, but doesn't back down when she questions whether she should believe him. David says this is a live tribal and that the vote might still be up in the air.

Eh, why the hell not?

After the votes, David stands up and decides to play his idol on Jessica. Well damn, didn't see him going through with that. Jessica watches in wide-eyed amazement as 5 votes for her are wiped out, and 2 for Lucy is enough to send her home. Now THAT was an awesome vote that pretty much came from nowhere.

Well, Lucy was pretty fun for the one episode we actually saw her, but I was happy Jessica got to stay, and at least now she knows who she can trust. David just blew up the game, and Gen X has to realign once again.

STAR OF THE WEEK: DAVID WRIGHT

I can see the argument either way for his move, but I loved it. I think he just cemented a new majority with himself, Ken, Jessica and CeCe. It's awesome to see the guy scared of everything playing so boldly.

Millennials Vs Gen X Episode 3: Scheming With The Enemy

End communication

Adam comes back from tribal council giving credit to Figgy and Taylor for the vote, even though it was mostly Michelle. Hannah wants to let Zeke know that she really wasn't part of this until the last minute, but Zeke isn't in the mood to talk...and she takes a long time to get the hint. Zeke and Adam lie next to eachother both on "dumbass Island". They're both big fans, they know the game, so let's see what they can do.

On Gen X, fellow superfan David is also on the bottom, along with Ken. And Ken is particularly frustrated by his position because the guy calling the shots, Paul, can't even catch a single fish. And he's from Florida!

A message arrives in tree mail asking the Millennials to send 4 people to meet with representatives from the opposite tribe. They draw rocks and Figgy, Taylor, Will and Jay end up going - all the cool kids, great. Will is excited, but Jay just hopes Taylor and Figgy don't start making out. What, were they doing that everywhere or something?

Generational mingling

They meet with the Gen X'ers, who turn out to be David, CeCe, Chris and Paul. Paul still can't resist being the centre of attention and CeCe and David throw him under the bus the first chance they get. David then gets Taylor alone and promises to work with him after a swap. Well, he's not subtle, but I don't really blame him for being desperate.

Adam makes his case

The summit people report back on their findings. When Ken finds out the other tribe are calling him Ken doll, he doesn't seem too impressed with the name. Ken talks to Jessica to see if there is any hope of flipping the game against Paul, but she's already committed to an alliance. Adam tries to make moves on his tribe, telling Michaela that breaking up Figgy/Taylor is important, as Michelle and Jay will never turn on them.

Old people are slow, amirite?

The immunity challenge is to carry bags through an obstacle course over a balance beam, then knock down a puzzle with sandbags and build it back up again. Millennials get through the obstacle course first, but Chris makes up time on the balance beam. Taylor ends up going twice when Will can't do it, as CeCe eats up a lot of time going slowly. Once she's done, Chris goes back for more trips as Lucy struggles. It's Jay doing the throwing, who has a huge lead over Ken. Zeke and Michelle take over on the puzzle. David and Sunday get to work as well, and appear to be going quicker, but the Millennials have enough of a headstart to win immunity. They end up getting chairs, but Jay asks if they can have fishing gear instead. Jeff agrees on the condition that Gen X are OK with it, but they veto it, not wanting the opposition to get any more advantages.

Blunt talk

Chris, Paul and Bret all think it's a slamdunk for CeCe to go since they lost so much time on her section of the challenge. David and Ken want to try and get Paul out though, sensing they have nothing to lose. Jessica asks Paul if there's a boys alliance going on, and he says he'd tell her if there was...which isn't reassuring to her. Jessica, Sunday and Lucy talk it over and agree they are on the bottom of the 6. But is now the right time to flip?

At tribal council. David mentions he really enjoyed the summit. CeCe says she still feels on the bottom. Chris is asked if everyone in his alliance feels secure and he says it's too early to start thinking about making moves. Jeff points out how the Millennials were able to work better in the challenge, and Bret wonders if pride played a part in that, whilst Sunday just thinks that they might be too stubborn. Jeff then asks about...texting abbreviations? This is getting way off topic now.

By the end of tribal council, CeCe has three votes and Paul has six. He was so sure he was in control, he didn't see it coming at all. So the girls went through with their coup, but will it make the tribe any stronger? C u nxt time 2 find out!

STAR OF THE WEEK: KEN MCNICKLE

Ken just gets more and more endearing every episode. He's the last person I expected to be an outcast, but he managed to fight his way in with his likeability and fishing skills, and finally has a much better spot in the game now

Millennials Vs Gen X Episode 2: Jungle Love

Fire won't save your life

Five days in, Gen X are still unable to get fire until David of all people steps in. Paul outlines the pecking order, with David next to go. David manages to look for the idol under the pretense of fetching rocks for the camp, and finds an oddly-marked coconut he figures must be it. David cracks it open and now he has an idol. Ok, now he has some options.

Young love blossoms at the Millennials camp as Figgy and Taylor flirt, and Michaela even overhears them kissing in the night. She outs it the next morning, much to Taylor's embarrassment. Figgy doesn't foresee it being a problem but people are already talking about it, and Jay is annoyed that his buddy is blowing his chance at a million dollars trying to get laid.

Ken catches an octopus to provide for his tribe. But whilst the survival part comes natural to him he's unexpectedly finding the social game hard. Ken and David bond about both being on the bottom, and wonder what they can do to break Paul's hold on the tribe. David trusts Ken enough to tell him about the idol.

The claws are out

Michaela is not a fan of Figgy and how obvious she's being with her flirting, but trying to keep that under wraps is pretty hard for her too. Eventually, the passive-aggressive jabs turn into a full-on bitch fight which you have to imagine is putting a target on both of them. I'm team Michaela though - she's hilarious.

As Ken talks to CeCe about how he wants Paul gone, we see Paul keel over from heatstroke. His tribe keep him company whilst Probst and the doctor arrive, and Dr Joe suspects it might be a heart attack. Sunday is hopeful that Paul will pull through, and he eventually gets the OK. David admits part of him was glad Paul almost got pulled, and intends to use it as strategy to get him out.

Finish him

Ken puts a ring on it

The immunity challenge takes place on the water, and before we start, the Millennials have to awkwardly swim the idol back to Jeff...why couldn't they have done that on land? The challenge is to swim out, climb up a platform to grab a key, then dive down to get rings and toss them onto posts. Chris gets a key slightly ahead of Michelle, and Paul manages to hold his own against Will. Sunday also does it quickly, but David is reeeally slow. Gen X lose more time when CeCe can't get a ring. On the throwing section, it's Jay vs CeCe, and CeCe is able to give Gen X a lead. Ken subs in to finish it off, showing that the old people are still able to put up a fight.

Mari, Zeke, Hannah and Michaela all want Figgy out, and decide to let Jay know about the vote too. Jay tells Michelle and she is not okay with it, saying they have to do something to save her. Jay encourages Figgy and Michaela to mend their rift, and also tells Michaela that Zeke will come after her next once Figgy is gone. I suspect that's a lie, but it gets her thinking. Michelle also tries to get Will on board, but he's less enthusiastic. They go into tribal with Michelle knowing her job is not done.

Superfan Adam can barely hide his glee at being at tribal council, even though he knows they have to vote somebody out. Mari says this game is a lot more personal than the games she's used to. Zeke says he feels like his best self out here, but Michaela thinks the island brings out negative qualities too. As Michaela and Figgy throw down, Michelle tries to get Hannah to vote out Mari. Hannah is reluctant and asks for an explanation, but Michelle just promises to explain later. Hannah rambles when Jeff finally addresses her but most people aren't suspicious of the whispering, with Mari saying they're probably talking about puppies or butts.

Hurry up, Hannah!

As we vote, Figgy is hoping Michaela will come through for her. Hannah sits at the voting booth, unsure what to do, and stays there so long Probst even comes up to check on her. The votes are read, and it ends up being game over for Mari. Whoa, crazy blindside. I thought Mari was in a good position, and this episode certainly didn't explain why she left.

Well, look at that...just when we thought the cool kids had no game, they actually manage to pull something off. Time will tell whether keeping the obvious pair in the game bites them in the ass, if the Michaela/Figgy truce can last, and what Zeke and Adam will do next.

STAR OF THE WEEK: MICHELLE SCHUBERT

There's a lot more to this bible-reading beauty than meets the eye. She definitely turned things around for her alliance, getting the votes she needed to keep Figgy in the game. Her quiet charm could be a deadly force in this game, so don't underestimate her.

Millennials Vs Gen X Episode 1: Storm's A-Coming

The stage is set for what Jeff Probst is calling a "culture war"...two different generations going to head-to-head. In the red corner, we have Taylor, the Peter Pan boy who never wants to grow up, and Mari, the girl who turned her passion into her career. In the purple corner, there's Chris, who doles out some wisdom for the youngsters: "if you've never been knocked down, you don't know how to get up and fight."

Michaela the reaction queen

The tribes are divided, and the youngest Millennial Will blows people's minds when he tells them he's still in high school. Elder statesman Paul is the first to take shots, saying his generation had to earn what they got, which CeCe backs up. Adam promises to prove them wrong by winning the first immunity.

The tribes go head-to-head right away when they are told to grab supplies and there are certain tables where they have to choose between items. Bret takes pots, the Millennials choose a chicken, and Jessica finds a mysterious envelope on the floor.

The Millennials get to camp, and Taylor is already eyeing a bromance with Jay, along with a romance with maybe Figgy or Michelle. Zeke ends up being the surprising naysayer on this tribe, saying he doesn't really relate to his fellow youngsters.

Ken takes charge of the Gen X tribe immediately, because he lived "off the grid" for a while. Jessica gets to inspect her envelope and it's something called a "legacy advantage", which will only come into play on day 36. If she's voted out, she has to pass it on, but she doesn't anticipate that being a problem.

Biggest fish out of water since Cochran

On the Millennial tribe, Hannah seems nervous that she's not fitting in and worries she'll be an easy first boot. David is having the same problem on Gen X, as he's not being much help in the shelter-building and is already coming off paranoid by accusing Ken of having an idol. Poor guy. Could be worse though, he could be yelling at people like Rachel.

The Vanua tribe sign falls down, but the Millennials don't care, and are more concerned about going for a swim. Soon, it gets dark, and they realized they haven't finished their shelter. They hastily try to get something done, but it's hardly a masterpiece. Oh boy, more fuel for the anti-Millennial sentiment.

The No Worries tribe

Mother Nature is a bitch

Both tribes wake up after a rough night, and are even given a tarp in treemail. The Millennials try to use it to get their camp in better condition, but before they can make much progress, Jeff appears out of nowhere. Jeff lets them know the weather is getting worse and the storm is now a cyclone, meaning everyone will have to be evacuated. The two tribes pack their things and get onto boats, as Adam points out that this is unprecedented.

Gen X return to their camp the next day to find it mostly smashed by a fallen tree. Ken gives David an insect to help him come out of his shell a bit more. Feeling he's in trouble, David goes for a walk to look for the idol...which Bret and Jessica see, and don't like.

Zeke gets Vanua up and running

Zeke takes over and leads the shelter rebuilding for the Millennials, despite having no experience. He even manages to make fire. Figgy, Taylor and Jay have decided to call their alliance the triforce. Hannah is leading the resistance by recruiting Mari to her side and saying this is turning into pretty people vs the misfits. Here we go, Caramoan redux?

I'd smash that

Both tribes say goodbye to their tarps right before the immunity challenge, which involves making choices: crawl through netting and tackle a balance beam, or make both easier at the cost of adding more pieces to the final puzzle. Both tribes clash under the first obstacle, with Chris getting sandwiched between Taylor and Jay. Gen X take the first shortcut whilst the smaller Millennials crawl through. Both tribes then take the shortcut on the balance beam. David and Rachel take on the puzzle for Gen X, whilst Figgy and Michelle handle it for the Millennials. The Gen X'ers swap out for Sunday and Jessica, but it makes no difference, as Figgy is really flying through it. Millennials claim their first win, just as predicted.

David pleads his case

After the challenge, Bret is annoyed Rachel said she could do the puzzle and then didn't deliver. Whilst Jessica wants her out, there is a strong rumour that David has an idol complicating matters. Jessica asks him point blank, but he denies it. The majority of Gen X have decided to split the vote and leave Ken, David, Rachel and CeCe in the dark...that's awful risky, what if they all get together?

At tribal council, Probst comments on Jessica's infected eyes, which do look quite rough. He then calls David's name and he winces. His tribe find it funny that he's scared of everything, and most of them even admit they've also got paranoid. Rachel thinks it might be her, because she's "up front". David having the idol is brought up again but he says he's going to prove his loyalty with this vote.

Votes come out for Rachel, David...and CeCe and Sunday too. The vote appears split between CeCe and Rachel in the end, with Rachel being the one who ends up going home. Dammit, they voted out the hottest girl first. Alright, so the Gen X'ers are down one. Now it's up to these old folk to get back into it and teach these kids a lesson.

STAR OF THE WEEK: JESSICA LEWIS

Everyone thought she'd be boring, but then she snatched up the first advantage of the game and managed to get herself a spot in the majority alliance. She could be the threat that no-one sees coming.

Millennials Vs Gen X cast assessment

Adam Klein
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 25
Occupation: Homeless shelter manager

Adam strikes me as a very sharp and mature person for his age. "I was voted biggest nerd in high school, but also life of the party" he says, meaning he should get along with all types. He does charity work too, so he seems like a genuinely good guy. His video also covers his mom's cancer, which he says gives him extra motivation. He ticks all the right boxes.

Rachel Ako
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 37
Occupation: Recruiting director

Well damn, Rachel is just as hot as any of the Millennial girls. She oozes sex appeal and confidence, but also could turn out to be a little bitchy, since she mentioned she was already getting annoyed by one of her castmates. That outspokenness could make her an early target.

Michelle Schubert
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 28
Occupation: Missionary

Michelle is very into her God talk, with a bible analogy for every situation (although she mentioned she used to be rebellious, so maybe it wasn't always that way). She's nice and likeable, so she could probably coast under-the-radar for a while. She's also very pretty and is not above flirting, and I think she looks innocent enough for it not to be transparent.

Chris Hammons
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 38
Occupation: Lawyer

I kinda got asshole vibes from Chris. He says he's always been a leader and pretty much admits he's gonna be bossy. He's definitely going to try and run the show on Takali, which might play better with the guys than the girls. He's lucky the tribe divisions are what they are because I don't see him getting along with the younger people at all. I love that multiple people think he's a football player.

Taylor Stocker
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 24
Occupation: Ski instructor

On the outside, free spirit Taylor certainly seems to have all he needs to be the next golden boy: young, athletic, good-looking. But reading his bio and watching his video, he might be closer to the vapid surfer bro. The dude does a backflip off a log...showboating like that is a major turn-off in this game. He's going to be marked as a threat after the merge, if not before then.

Sunday Burquest
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 45
Occupation: Youth pastor

Initially seems like the classic crazy lady first boot but she doesn't seem stupid and she does work with kids which is one advantage. Who knows, maybe she'll be surprisingly competent like Lisa Whelchel (who she compares herself to), but as a cancer survivor, I'd bet on Sunday having a thicker skin.

Mari Takahashi
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 31
Occupation: Video gamer

I think Mari is adorable and I'd love for her to do well, but I'm not convinced video gaming is a translatable skill to this game. I'm sure she'll have a handle on the strategy side, but gamers aren't really known for their social skills, and that's what's really important. Much like Liz last season, I feel she could be out disappointingly early.

Bret LaBelle
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 42
Occupation: Police officer

Bret didn't really stand out to me initially, but when I watched his video, I saw he has a dry sense of humour that I like. Of course, every cop from now on will be compared to Tony, but there's only one Tony. I don't expect Bret to be quite as aggressive, although being able to spot lies is a skill that could come in handy.

Zeke Smith
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 28
Occupation: Comedian

Zeke's a funny guy, and I imagine he's smart as well to have such a quick wit. He might come off buffoonish, but that's all part of the plan. I think people will like him. He's a fan who knows the game and insists that he's a lot more outdoorsy than he looks. I have high hopes for Zeke, and he's my top winner pick at the moment.

Jessica Lewis
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 37
Occupation: Assistant district attorney

Jessica comes from a farming background, has a bunch of tattoos and is now an attorney...none of that makes sense to me, but does make someone that I assumed would be a boring contestant a lot more interesting. She comes off quiet and unassuming. I don't know if she'll win, but I don't see any reason to vote her out early.

Hannah Shapiro
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 24
Occupation: Barista

Hannah leaps off the screen like a ball of energy. Yes, she's awkward, but she embraces it so it's endearing. She definitely reminds me of Aubry and that's not a bad thing at all. I could even see her do one better and winning this thing.

Paul Wachter
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 52
Occupation: Boat mechanic/musician

Grizzled badass Paul claims to be a big teddy bear at heart, but I'm not seeing it at all. He keeps going on about participation awards, so he'll probably really hate the Millennials. Odds are he'll be an abrasive early boot, but hopefully he provides some entertainment before he leaves.

Jay Starrett
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 27
Occupation: Real estate agent

His real name is Justin, but he goes by Jay for unknown reasons. His bio lists Woo and Russell as the contestants he's most like...how does that combo work, exactly? His video left me a little unconvinced too. He calls himself charming without really demonstrating it, then tries to say he's humble despite also talking about his looks, and adds the word "bro" a few too many times.

Lucy Huang
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 42
Occupation: Dietician

Lucy used to be a bodybuilder, so she's gonna be a valuable asset for Takali in challenges. She describes herself as stubborn and controlling, which could be a problem if she gets into a power struggle right away. I'm uncertain on Lucy. I don't know if she can do well, but I wouldn't be opposed to it.

Jessica Figueroa
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 23
Occupation: Bartender

Jessica, who goes by "Figgy", seems cute and energetic, but that could easily translate into irritating. She also plans to be "an open book", which is another red flag. I want to root for her, but I'm pretty sure she has no idea what she's doing. I don't have her down as an early boot but I'd be very shocked if she won.

Ken McNickle
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 33
Occupation: Model

First off, it's insane that he's on a different tribe from Mari when he's only 2 years older than her...guess that shows how loose the theme is. Ken has the good looks that will surely make the women gravitate towards him, but he's probably going to end up a jury threat, especially with the story of him being a single dad. I'm trying to place his accent, but with no luck.

Will Wahl
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 18
Occupation: Student

This is the teenager, eh? His voice really threw me for a loop. Will hopes his age will lead to him being underestimated since "they won't think I'm a contender to win this game"...but, he's planning on playing hard and betraying people. He notes that a lot of people don't like the idea of young people playing and plans to prove them wrong. Guess we'll see if he's the real deal or completely out of his depth.

Ciandre Taylor
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 39
Occupation: Insurance adjuster

Ciandre could be a fun presence this season, especially if her "multiple personalities" come into play. As for how she'll fare in the game. it's a pretty big question mark for me as I didn't really get a good read on her. She says being in insurance has taught her how to read people, but I'm not seeing the correlation.

Michaela Bradshaw
Tribe: Millennials
Age: 25
Occupation: Vacation club sales

Michaela seems level-headed and smart, but I didn't see much personality from her. Paying off her student loans already is ridiculously impressive, though. I think Michaela could be the silent assassin you never see coming. Her big ambitions and sales skills could see her gamebot her way through this game.

David Wright
Tribe: Gen X
Age: 42
Occupation: Writer

I had high hopes for David, but reading his bio, he calls himself nervous and paranoid...those are really bad qualities to have in the game. In his video, he talks solely about how insecure he's been his whole life and how terrible he is at camping. Still, I can't help but pull for him. Perhaps his puzzle skills will be enough to save him, but I won't hold my breath.