Perhaps a much better concept than one of all returning players, Survivor has once again proven that with a bit of a “tweak” the show can still remain interesting to watch.

I highly anticipate this particular season and once again a looming question will be – will the returning players make the same mistakes that cost them the game the first time? Now we also can ask, will the new players capitalize on what they know to orchestrate the returning players ousting?

Perhaps the biggest theme we may be looking at is even more encompassing than returning players making the same mistakes - perhaps it may be more along the lines of the veterans with something to prove over those who sit back and say “I could do this better than them.” The editing should certainly “prove” or disprove that by how the returning characters are edited. It will be interesting to see if the returning players (instead of ego clashing and intense personal feelings) are more determined to “bond” or “band” together in order to prove they are, in fact, deserving to be there. With only half the amount returning players, it is suggestive that perhaps a cohesive group will help them fare better long term instead of allowing prior mistakes or ego clashing to get in the way.

Exile Island returns (although not a favorite of mine, perhaps there is some “tweaking” with this as well- I have not read anything other than that it is returning due to possibly reading something I do not want to read) we can perhaps assume that (again) the editing of those exiled may get some preferential treatment in their edit to help determine their longevity.

It stands to reason that we should watch the edits of the returning players carefully. We saw many instances in All Stars that those players who really were “stars” of their seasons failed miserably in their edit which ultimately suggested how poorly they fared (Ethan and Colby quickly come to mind) while others were true to their form and were strictly edited to showcase how their fall from grace the first time occurred for the same reason (Kathy played emotionally, Rupert attempted again to overcome his insecurities, etc.) Yet others were almost punished or held in suspicious regard for what they once were (quickly to mind Jerri) even if their intention was not to play that way again.

Will alliances/bonding follow some typical paths? (example: gender, race, age?) Will those who were big threats be cut down quickly? (example: Ozzy, James) Will we see alliances formed by those who were on the same season? (example: Ami, Eliza) Will the former players all agree to stay together only if to make sure the new players don’t succeed or will they nip at the bud to form relationships with those who are new to this game? Time will tell.

The Returning Players

Yau Man - Fiji - 55 - Finished 4th place

Jeff’s first description “He’s a guy you can easily dismiss; you’re just too old. I’m pulling for Yau-Man (as a guy who is getting older). Can he win the game? Longshot.” and “Another guy who is one of my all time favorite survivors is Yau-Man who I think might be the oldest guy. He's from coincidentally Kota Kinabalu where we did the very first season in Borneo. He grew up on those islands. So he is really at home. This is a guy that knows how to open a coconut quickly, efficiently. I really do think that people are going to adore Yau-Man”

Jeff’s current description "You can't do a favorites season without Yau-Man. He's sort of the Rudy of this season. He'll be the oldest guy and the most frail and probably be one of the most popular. Yau-Man's problem is going to be those things. He's so popular, everyone there knows that he's popular and well liked, and everybody knows what happened to him in Fiji. But I think Yau-Man's going to have to come out and play aggressive. I don't think he can play that same game of just chopping coconuts and being everyone's friend."

Unfortunately, we know how Rudy fared when he returned to All Stars. Whether Jeff’s words are any indication remains to be seen. Yau Man’s problem is that he IS so well regarded which may be his undoing although that was a big reason why he advanced so far in Fiji. Like Fiji, Yau Man may require a strong buffer to keep him from leaving early but Jeff’s words (as compared to some other descriptions-see other favorites of Jeff such as Jonathan and Cerie and note the differences in his descriptions) have me a bit worried over Yau Man’s fate in this game. Jeff almost states that what caused Yau-Man to be so successful the first time will be his downfall this time; there is no hint that Yau-Man can capitalize on his prior success or that in order for him to succeed he needs to do..... Jeff states he CAN’T play the same game, period.

James - China - 30 - Finished 7th place

Jeff’s first description "He is without question the biggest guy we've had on this show. He's actually a gentle giant, a very decent guy who works extremely hard. But if you rile him up, he'll let you know what he's thinking.”

Jeff’s current description “I feel like the reason James is likable is there is a sense of authenticity there that you don't see that often - he's just going to tell you what he thinks. I don't think James is that great of a Survivor player, as we saw in China. He made, without question, the single biggest blunder in the history of the show. I don't think he gets how to play, but he's so strong and he works so hard and he is so likable that it's really hard to vote him out. I think James could do really well this season."

Other than Amanda, the returning players (I believe) would not have viewed James on China which may be to his advantage. Like typical seasons, a physically strong player may initially do well but also viewed as a threat in the future. A rose is a rose is a rose. However, along with strength, game savvy is important and I’m not entirely sure James has learned effectively how to play this game which may again be his mistake. Jeff indicates that James appears to be playing the same way as before but he also doesn’t compound it with a negative (with Yao Man he states: I don’t think he can play the same game.....” James may ultimately end up in the same position as China but that would not be any worse or better whereas Yao Man was very successful in finishing 4th; being eliminated a lot sooner would indicate a lot of meaning behind Jeff’s words. As far as James, Jeff sounds like he would expect James to end up similarly to China - does well but just doesn’t have that angle to do any better.

Jonny Fairplay - Pearl Islands - 33 - Finished 3rd place

Jeff’s Current Description "You can't do the season and not invite your most notorious person. And Fairplay delivered, I will say that. He delivered, and I think we got what we expected we would get, which is that character he created called Jonny Fairplay. What gets me is just how effective it can still be. He can call you stupid and somebody will get mad. And I'm looking at this going, 'Why are you getting mad at this guy? He's created a character, he's trying to get under your skin - and it's working!' This guy is no threat to win this game - zero."

Aside from his reputation alone, it is highly doubtful that Jonny Fairplay will make friends easily. This is one person who will cling to his persona in order to garner as much attention as possible. That he also was never one to contribute greatly in challenges or daily life should not be forgotten. I will go out on an easy limb and state that he will not grace our televisions as long as he did in Pearl Island. Whatever time he is on our screen will no doubt be highlighted as Jeff’s words indicate.

Ozzy - Cook Islands - 26 - Finished 2nd place

Jeff’s First Description “Ozzy is another guy I actually think could win this game”

Jeff’s Current Description "Ozzy's big problem's going to be the fact that he's Ozzy. Ozzy played a brilliant physical game - the only thing Ozzy lacked was the social skill of how to play Survivor. And that's probably going to be the deciding difference. If he can figure out a way to survive socially due to the kind of targets he's going to have on his back due to his physical strength, then he can do really well. Otherwise it wouldn't surprise me if Ozzy went out really early because you just don't want him around."

Ozzy may actually be someone that has learned from his mistakes. While he may have had some socialization issues on his season, as time went on, he learned to bond with his Aitu Four. It certainly helps that he has two contestants from his season and while Jonathan and Ozzy had a few issues, Jonathan certainly does not appear one to hold a grudge and is smart enough to know the value of keeping Ozzy around to help win challenges. Naturally he and Pavarti should get along as we saw how they got along on their season. Therefore, we may have the start of an already “built in” alliance. Socially, I’m not sure will be Ozzy’s problem but like some other contestants, his reputation may hurt him; you don’t want Ozzy in a position to win the challenges. However, Jeff’s words indicate “if he can....” which is different than what he said about Yao Man and “I don’t think he can...” which may fare better for Ozzy (than Yao Man) but logically speaking there is no one there who is not viewing Ozzy as a huge threat when challenges becomes individual.

Jonathan - Cook Islands - 45 - Finished 7th place

Jeff’s First Description “Jonathan Penner is one of my favorites. Not necessarily likeable but I hope he lasts awhile. I think he'll create some good stories.”

Jeff’s Current Description "Penner only plays to win. He's not interested in third. He's not interested in second. And you saw that at Cook Islands. And Penner is gold. At Tribal Council I can just look at him and know that he's ready to light somebody up. And Penner is the biggest complainer that we've had on the show. He complains about every challenge, and I get a kick out of it. I'm so happy he's on the show. And Penner could win - absolutely. He's a smart dude, and I think he probably learned a couple things in watching his season's playback."

Jonathan was a delight to watch the first time and from Jeff’s description appears to delight again and as stated on his season, it is probably safe to assume that he is around long enough for his character to be so recognized by Jeff. Interesting again to note Jeff’s words with Yau Man and his words with respect to Jonathan. Jeff adored Yau Man on his season but is very hesitant in his current words about Yau Man. Jeff exudes positivity about Jonathan and as seen in the past, while Jeff does not give anything away overtly, his words and tone tend to suggest some aspects about a player’s longevity. His commentary does suggest Jonathan may do fairly well and that Jonathan “learned.” Jonathan’s biggest problem on his season had a lot to do with some personality issues and some of the “younger members.” His subsequent mistakes may never have occurred if his relationships were more sounds. With the current makeup of his tribe, he may not face this issue and prove to be more successful this time around. Again, considering that Jeff states that he probably learned a few things this time around and that he speaks quite positively, Jonathan may have the keys to success. Jonathan was never truly thought of as a “threat” so I could imagine that there are “bigger fish to fry” when individual challenges get underway. If Jonathan is a bit more subtle, it would be no surprise if he lasts toward end game.

Pavarti - Cook Islands - 25 - Finished 6th place

Jeff’s Current Description "To me Parvati is this season's Amber. Last time, Parvati used her flirting, and it got her a long way. But we didn't really see her do a whole lot more than that, and the question was, what if underneath that she's got a strategy? What if she's figured out how to play this game - could she last long enough to become a threat? Parvati's a question mark. She could be the same thing, come out and giggle a couple times, eat some chocolate cake, and go home. On the flip side, if Parvati's figured out how to play this game, and maybe she teams up with somebody..."

Quite an interesting commentary by Jeff since we know that Amber did indeed win All Stars. Pavarti may yet be another prior player who has learned from her mistakes and not rely solely on flirtation as a method to further herself. Considering the tribe makeup, she may utilize some of her methods on the likes of James and Ozzy but we can’t discount that Pavarti is indeed in good physical shape as well. It is perhaps telling to note Jeff did not finish his statement at the end which may indicate that she does indeed “team up” with somebody which may prove successful. I am of the mindset for now that flirtation is part of Pavarti’s makeup so I am a bit suspect that this method of game play is not in evidence; this may be as natural to Pavarti as breathing but she may have learned to implement other angles as well. His description sounds a bit promising for her.

Ami Cusack - Vanuatu - 34 - Finished 6th place

Jeff’s First Description “I think Ami is a person that if she stays in the game long enough, people are really going to like her. I think she's a genuinely cool person and her soul seems to just come out of her and I think people are going to see that. She's very comfortable in her own skin... very comfortable in her body. She's got an adorable smile and some interesting life experiences that I think may give her a bit of an advantage in the game.”

Jeff’s Current Description “Ami will betray you; she'll do whatever it takes to get deeper in the game. But she's sexy, and she's got this 'Everything's beautiful in the world until I stab you in the back' thing. And that's what we want on this show. And if Ami has her way, I guarantee you there will be a women's alliance, because that is what Ami wanted in Vanuatu and that's what's she's going to try to make happen here."

Jeff certainly emotes in his description of Ami. While not necessarily a means to the end, it appears that Ami is going to play as hard as she did in Vanuatu. The question remains, will Ami’s prior mistakes catch up to her as Jeff does elude to the fact that Ami will attempt to create another female contingent. However, Ami was so focused on creating a female alliance that her adaptability fell by the wayside. It is suggestive that she and Eliza will connect again due to their prior relationships and with Cirie, Amanda and Pavarti also there, we may see a hint of Ami’s wish immediately. I don’t foresee any immediate pressing issues for Ami but I am concerned she may strive too hard to fulfill her original quest and overlook the bigger picture

Cirie - Panama - 37 - Finished 4th place

Jeff’s First Description "Cirie represents everybody who's ever sat at home and said, "I could do that." But they never got up off the couch. Cirie got up off the couch and she's on this show. I think her little bubbly-ness is probably a bit of a mask for a player underneath who might be better than we think."

Jeff’s Current Description: "Cirie represents the kind of people I love to see on the show. You look at Cirie and you think, 'How are you going to survive? You don't have the tools, you don't come from this background, you're not physically fit enough.' But there's more to this game than that. My hunch is Cirie played a very good game the first time, and I expect her to play an even better game the second time."

Another favorite of Jeff’s, his description sounds reasonably favorable. At the very least, note the difference in his discussion on Cirie opposed to Yau Man. Jeff states his popularity may cause him a problem yet Cirie was also very popular but Jeff’s description sounds a bit more positive for her longevity. Cirie has to rely on her social game as she is not proficient in the harder challenges but she managed to ingratiate herself with some very difficult personalities on her season and she may be capable of doing that again. Jeff certainly seems to indicate this so at this time there does not appear to be anything that indicates an early boot.

Amanda - China - 23 - Finished 3rd place

Jeff’s First Description "Amanda probably is the most physically fit woman this season, very strong and confident. She's been outdoors a lot and she's not afraid of sticks or stones. Plus, she really knows the show — she's watched every episode — and after 15 seasons, that's an advantage."

Jeff’s Current Description "Amanda knows how to play Survivor. She knows how to build an alliance, how long to keep it, when to get rid of it. She's very good at looking at odds, she's very good at assessing if better off against this person, or with this person. And you need that. Survivor only thrives when you have people who will continue to turn and switch and make moves. Amanda's in great shape, she does well in the challenges, she's beautiful, and she knows how to play."

Coming fresh off from China, Amanda (like James) may have the advantage or disadvantage of her tribe mates knowing her. She also has the advantage of knowing how her tribe mates played this game in the past. Amanda was quite successful on China in her adaptability which Jeff hones in on with his commentary and this may be helpful to her. She may be viewed as an “outsider” in this former Survivor contingent and her only bond is with James. Both her and James could be valuable in this regard. I have no reason to believe right now that Amanda may not do rather well despite her coming straight off from China. It would have been very easy for Jeff to reference mistakes Amanda made in her China game but does not do so. Amanda may find herself just as successful this season as in China or moreseo; perhaps she even ups the ante a bit.

Eliza - Vanuatu - 25 - Finished 4th place

Jeff’s First Description “Eliza could emerge as a villain on this show, in the sense that she's very lippy. And she will say what's on her mind and she will get into little cat fights. She's adorable but her mouth could get her into trouble. That's going to be her big test. I think she may see that as an asset, lipping off. But in this game I'm not sure it is, I think less is more in the case of Eliza.”

Jeff’s Current Description "Eliza is one of the most enjoyable people to have on the show because she gets it. Everybody knows Eliza will betray you at the drop of a hat, and Eliza knows you know that. Eliza is a Favorite because she can be so charmingly annoying. It's fun to watch Eliza get mad, and it's fun to watch people get mad at her, and she doesn't take it personally. That's the most beautiful part about her; she knows it's only a game: 'I have a life, I have a boyfriend, I'm going to be an attorney, I have a dog, that's my life - this is only a game. Of course, I'm going to try to cut your throat. I've got knives coming out of every part of my body."

Jeff’s description does appear to sound that Eliza is certainly there long enough to have some kind of impact. It also does appear that Eliza’s prior persona is still in evidence which although helped her more than hurt her in her season, may not work so well with her current demographics. My one issue is that Jeff is indicating that Eliza may not really be playing all that hard to win; this is “only a game.” It does not sound like Eliza goes anywhere very soon due to some of Jeff’s words and tone and we know she may already have a safety net with Ami and her “non threatening” status which helps but there is also nothing from Jeff to indicate that Eliza is playing to win this which may indicate that she falls short.

Unlike an entire All Star cast, these returning players may actually fare quite well should their goal be unified with “Let’s show these new people who REALLY knows how to play this game!” With an equal number to new players, they may automatically realize that being automatic targets, the goal should be to outlast the new people first then work on being the victor. With this group, it is entirely possible. Grant it, they have to get there first with intact numbers but with powerhouse challenge players such as James and Ozzy along with strong physical female players like Ami, Amanda, Eliza and Pavarti, the returning player tribe may give the new players a big fight on their hands. Like any group, success may rely on a matter of alliances and trust and a common goal. Most of these players *know* each other and as stated a looming question is whether their pasts will come back to haunt them or have they learned from their mistakes. Better yet, will this group decide that they won’t allow some “new kids” to come in and show them up.

The New Kids On The Block

The new players may have their hands full should the “favorites” decide that as a group en masse, they need to stick together just to show that veterans of the game know how to really play the game. Again, I believe this balance will prove to be more palatable to watch than the All Star season as personal feelings seemed to take over the game itself.

Joel Anderson - 32 - Firefighter ''Bottom line, I'm here for my family. If I just wanted to go on vacation and hang out on the beach, I'd take my family with me.''

Jeff’s Description "Joel is the one guy who might be able to give James a run for his money, because he is every bit as big as James. He's a fireman, he's a father and a husband, and when I met with him the thing that really struck me is how he does everything for his wife and his family. And I like that about him. He's a big, big guy, and these challenges start off physical right from the get-go. Sometimes being a physical threat works against you early; I think in Joel's case it's going to be advantageous."

Typically speaking, strong, physical people are usually safe until merger time unless they have a personality problem, lazy, etc. Suffice it to say, Joel appears to be a rather pleasant individual with no immediate concerns especially if the fans have trouble winning the challenges. Come merger time is when Joel may have some problems and his storyline/edit may help reflect if there is any longevity. He is definitely someone who the “favorites” may try to get rid of as a potential threat for individual immunity and accordingly we may see a strong story initially to compensate for a boot around merger when individual threats are taken care of.

Natalie Bolton - 32 - Personal Trainer/Bartender “I need to be fearless again. I want to unearth all those things when I was 8 and didn't give a s--- about what people thought, and I did it anyway."

Jeff’s Description “I'm on the fence with Natalie because I can't figure out if she has any business being in this game or not. On paper she sounds great - she's a personal trainer and she's young and she's attractive - but when I watched the first few moments on the show, I'm not sure her attitude is going to be able to survive. You have to have a sense of humor or you're going to be a miserable person if you can't laugh about being hungry at some point. I'm not sure Natalie's had to go through anything as difficult as what she's about to go through."

We have seen people with “attitudes” do quite well in this game if only because others want to KEEP them there as a potential final two (or three) foil as discussed in the past. I would suggest that regardless how Natalie fares, she may be a character highlighted for maximum effect which may cause her editing to be misleading. Her longevity may also depend on how her “attitude” is edited. Will we get reinforcement by other cast mates or only one? Will her actions be heavily edited to validate what others may be saying about her? Will the audience like her even if her tribe mates do not? This should tell the tale.

Michael Bortone - 34 - Writer/Actor "I'm good at reading people. You got to be everybody's best friend."

Jeff’s Description "I like Mikey B. a lot. He's Boston, and Boston is so damn good to Survivor. He's got a colorful way of saying the most mundane thing, and that makes him somebody I will love to go to at Tribal Council."

Michael appears to be someone that regardless of placement may also be highlighted based upon his character and could be a distraction in that regard. Again, typically speaking, strong males tend to do rather well pre-merge by nature of the goal - to win challenges and avoid Tribal Council. Considering the makeup of the men on this tribe, Michael may be needed but once individual wins come to play, he may be (like others) an immediate target. While Michael may be a personality that could potentially overstep verbal bounds also, Jeff doesn’t seem to indicate at this time that he is in too much trouble.

Tracy Hughes-Wolf - 43-Commercial Builder “I'm a thrill seeker. I want to push myself to that point where I know I can do it."

Jeff’s Description "Tracy should be very valuable because of her background, because she's a woman who works in construction. I don't know how much she wants to share about what she does, because there's a part of her that thinks if she comes on too strong could be seen as a threat. But on paper, this is something you rarely get: somebody who knows how to build. Boston Rob knew how to build things and that made him hugely valuable. I think Tracy could be the same way."

Tracy may opt to take a middle of the road approach but contribute which may serve her well although many people think they will go into this game one way but are not able to shed their real personality. As we know, a strong female is quite often a detriment from the get go as opposed to a strong male which I have always been both amused and repelled by but such is human nature. At this point, a lot may depend on whether challenges are being lost or not and how she bonds with the other women on her tribe. Jeff does not come right out and state that her personality is a problem; only that IF she comes on too strong it could be one. Her standing may actually be determined on how the male ego on her tribe receives her depending on how she comes across.

Alexis Jones - 24 - Motivational Speaker “People will see the Southern belle in me. But I'm fiercely competitive - despite my dimples.”

Jeff’s Description “When she came in she was so excited. And I launched into this speech about how you need to drop the excitement and get your head in the game because these other people out here, they're already playing, they're already playing you, and they're already seeing you're this little simple girl from Texas that they're going to run right over. And she looks at me and says, 'I've read every person here.' And she had a pretty good read on everybody. I thought, This is all I need to know. This girl knows how to play. As a fan, I picked this girl to win.”

Suffice it to say although Jeff’s commentary may ultimately mean nothing in the long run; Jeff does have his finger on the pulse quite consistently on who is long for this game. Should Alexis prove to be competitive and helpful without crossing that invisible line that tends to get some women in trouble, she may do quite well as Jeff indicates. Her enthusiasm may be quite infectious - she may ultimately end up being a player that the audience truly likes and as we know, Survivor does attempt to fill “slots” (i.e. villain, sweetheart, underdog, etc.) and she may be utilized as our “sweetheart”

Erik Reichenbach - 22 - Ice cream scooper "I want to do this for myself, to grow up more. I haven't experienced a lot of life. I haven't experienced a lot of stress."

Jeff’s Description "Erik loves the show more than anyone I have ever met. He remembers things that I did that I don't remember. He's a young kid, and that young exciting energy is what's going to keep him in this game and could easily be what gets him knocked out, because he doesn't have the maturity of life to know when he's being played. That's what he's going to have to watch out for. Because you could see people looking at him on Day One and going, 'Who is the kid in the green shoes, for crying out loud?"

Erik may ultimately go on a journey of self discovery and maturity this season; a lot will depend upon what we hear from him in the first or second episode as “journey characters” tend to tell us what their issue is and what they want to achieve if he makes it that long. It stands to reason that some mention probably is made on the first episode about him since Jeff does seem to indicate this and a lot will depend on how that is edited. While Jeff’s commentary may indicate nothing, I am curious with respect to Jeff mentioning about "being played" and I question whether there is some situation that reflects that which results in his untimely departure.

Mary Sartain - 29 - Real estate entrepreneur "This is closer to $1 million than I've ever been. I'm definitely in it for the money. I'm largely money-driven."

Jeff’s Description "I think Mary coming into the game is going to be on the bubble. She's either going to learn where to fit in this group quickly or she's going to be on the outs for the whole time. Mary's best play is to hide in the middle, not become a nuisance, just hang out and see if you can hang out long enough that your vote becomes valuable."

Mary’s goal is the correct attitude, one should be playing to win. Jeff’s description sounds like she may encounter some problems but again, we have often seen “difficult” people get a lot further than anticipated. Jeff is solely giving us an either/or analysis which tends to strike me as she is either not there long or she is there for a good duration. The question remains in the first episode if much of her “outs” is displayed and whether validated by people and met by agreement in the viewing. I do find it very interesting that most of the "fan" women players are described by Jeff in a very similar manner thus far except Alexis. All of the women thus far mentioned have been described in such a way that we may see some problems with the women; perhaps moreso than the men.

Jason Siska - 22 - Student Teacher “I'm not evil or devious. But I can be. If it comes down to lying, I have no problem."

Jeff’s Description "Jason loves to compare himself to Ozzy . He thinks Ozzy is the greatest player to ever participate in Survivor - I think he's kind of got a man-crush on him. He's coming on strong in the beginning saying, 'I'm going to go toe-to-toe with Ozzy. I can climb coconut trees just like he can, I can swim just like he can, and I'm just as athletic as he is.' My response to that is, it's one thing to say it and another thing to do it. So he can talk the talk, but the big question is, can he walk the walk?"

I am sure that Ozzy (as most humans) would be very flattered knowing someone is his fan although if he is as dangerous as Ozzy was, Jason would be someone that the “favorites” are not going to take a chance with and keep around for individual immunities. I do not see any pressing issues that he will leave immediately but depending upon the numerical structure of the favorites over the fans, there may be quite a few favorites who won’t want someone physically capable there any longer than they have to be. However, at this juncture, he does not appear to have any immediate problems.

Kathleen Sleckman - 45 - Golf course vendor "I'm tending to look for misfits, people who are psychologically or emotionally damaged, like myself."

Jeff’s Description "We almost put Kathy on Vanuatu and we didn't. It's one thing to have a positive attitude, it's another to survive 39 days eating some rice, clams, and an occasional fish. I think Kathy's going to be tested enormously, and the longer she lasts, the tougher it's going to be unless she can embrace it. It's not an easy season out there. It rained almost every night we were there, and if you get sent to Exile, it can be brutal."

Whether Jeff’s mention of Exile Island in conjunction with Kathleen indicates that she may visit there won’t be answered until the show but it is curious he mentions her and EI but does not with anyone else. Sadly, one must always assume that the eldest female may not fare well solely because these instances occur quite a lot on this show even if they may be in decent shape (unless they are able to take on subtle motherly role which is not easy to do.) Frankly, Kathleen’s description of what she is looking for does not seem to bode well for her (this is coming from herself!) and she may come off as a bit overbearing. Her statement that she is a misfit along with Jeff deeming that this show may test Kathy enormously sounds detrimental to her standings. Players do not have time or inclination to concede to people who march to the tune of their own drummer and she may suffer for it

Chet Welch - 48 - Beauty Pageant Coach “I play outside the box. I know how to stand out, and I know what I need to do."

Jeff’s Description "Chet works in the pageant world. He produces winners and he will do whatever it takes to get his pageant girl to win. If he plays this game the way he plays in the pageant world, then he is definitely a force to be reckoned with. If he doesn't, he could be going home soon. He has sort of been playing a version of Survivor for the past 20 years in the pageant world, and he gets this game."

Alas, the pageant world and Survivor may have similar qualities but they are not the same. While Chet may be able to shape a winner does not necessarily indicate he, himself can be the winner. An old saying: “Those who can’t do, teach” may end up being appropriate in this situation. Again, like the eldest female, the eldest male is in a precarious situation unless they provide something that is needed by others (i.e. father figure, knowledge, etc.) but again, this is a fine line as a lot depends on how that male broadcasts himself. He may get along well with some of the women but “coaches” in competitive businesses/worlds can tend to be too abrasive. I’m not entirely fond of Chet’s longevity but I can see him highlighted for as long as he is there. Note that Jeff states he could be a force but if not, he could be going home soon. These types of statements usually indicate to me a very short lived stay or a fair amount of longevity. I honestly have issue with Chet lasting however.

I think this particular endeavor may actually prove to be quite successful. The earlier All Stars on paper appeared to be a good idea but there appeared to be the old “too many chefs spoil the soup” outcome. With the balance of new vs. old, we may avoid this scenario and focus will be more on playing the game and either proving that a seasoned player can prove that the “second” time is the charm or to look out because there is a new kid in town. The first episode normally helps to outline the theme of the seasons (or themes) and as we know, we probably will be able to determine the type of player each contestant will be which also can indicate a fair amount of longevity. Emotional players tend not to be at end game whereas clinical and head of household fare rather well. Under the radar players (if you will recall, “my” version of UTR is not the typically described) also may do quite well but a lot depends on other players involved as opposed to their own game.

In any event, another season is just around the corner. Again, while it was readily apparent that information was quite prevalent last season (unless the lack of participation is based on the thread itself which is quite depressing ) I do so enjoy people’s thoughts on the editing itself and how the characters make them feel, what people get out of the episode. Quite often, that helps me get another view as the show is edited to elicit certain feelings, emotions and thoughts which may help tell the tale of the outcome.

If anyone also has information on any game situations that may reflect on the editing style (i.e. Exile Island, hidden idols, final three or final two, etc.) I would love to hear about this as the editing does change based upon certain criteria of how the game is being played.