Survivor Panama Exile Island season 12 (merged) (1 Viewer)

Just thinking about how the beginning of the next season of Survivor would play out:

If they started with 16 contestants, I also thought having no division into 2 tribes at the beginning, and just see how the cliques form and go from there. Do this for the first 4 individual immunity challenges. Then after 4 contestants are booted, separate the remaining 12 into 2 tribes of 6 via luck of the draw, and then have tribal immunity for 4 more eliminations, and then merge at 8 contestants remaining.

If they started with 18 contestants, do individual immunity for 4 challenges, split into 2 tribes and eliminate the next 4, and then merge with 10 contestants left.

Unfortunately, they are going to Janu people in this edition of Survivor on a regular basis, so no telling how exile will work in terms the unlucky person. I could see Janu-ing the first person out of a challenge. That would be incentive not to slide under the radar by playing the weakest contestant.

Probst has confirmed that the Exile Island will be home to a buried immunity idol...guess they're repeating that twist.

Janu, Bobby Jon/Steph, Steph alone all seemed better off after being left to struggle on their own. They didn't win, but it may help others in the game.

How about the Exiled folks draft secret written pacts on the island trees/housing that only the exiled get to see?

The jury has always consisted of 7 members voting on the two remaining survivors. Also, I'm pretty certain Probst said 16 contestants. Of course, that don't necessarily mean nuthin'.

I think there will be three tribes with the odd contestant exiled to the island every week on a rotating basis and, possibly, ending up in a different tribe at the end of the exile.

I find it odd that they're just going down the coast a bit for the next Survivor.

True—there have already been two other Survivors in the Pearl Islands. I assume that Production costs are much less (considering both the local economy and proximity to L.A.) in Central America, than many other locations.

Okay, how about merge at 8, but bring someone back from Exile for the 9th person in the merged tribe?

What is Janu?

Janu was a contestant in Survivor: Palau who after losing a challenge (I believe) was exiled to spend the night alone on a separate island, a kind of "Exile Island". I like the idea of using the exile as punishment for coming in last in challenges. It provides some incentive for contestants not to slack off.

Only on Survivor can a Vegas Showgirl's name become a verb.

It sounded like only one person was going to be in exile at a time. Based on Probst calling it a good news/bad news concept, I think the immunity winning tribe will have to exile someone for X number of days.

I also think the immunity idol will be reusable rather than a one shotter, and possibly even transferable.

They just need to make it so you can use the immunity idol AFTER you are voted out. In other words, you have the idol in your pocket and it's a secret. After the vote, if your name is written down and you're about to get your tortch snuffed out, you have a "get out a jail free" card. That would really mess up the voting. Plus, once you use it it's done, but at least you know you get to use it once to absolutely save your skin.

I believe Probst said AT LEAST ONE person will be sent to the Exile Island each episode. I missed the idol part(if it was said at the preview).

But based on that, I think they're going to stick with the voting one person out, that person sent to the exile island, but if they find the idol, they're back in the game right away. That's why I think he mentioned the "at least one" part, b/c if the idol is going to reuseable like people are mentioning, it'll make sense to send more people to the special island.

Plus it'll be fun to see the exiles hunting for their second chance.

SurvivorFever.net has a promo for S12 that aired on OLN, the premiere is set for Thursday February 2.

Sounds like it will be a wild beginning with (spoilerizing just in case):
4 tribes, it says men vs. women and young vs. old so I'm specualting that means a tribes of 4 young men, 4 young women, 4 older men, 4 older women, or they could have 1 from each group on each tribe, but I'm thinking the former based on the promo.

Thanks Daniel! I'm surprised it'll be premiering that early; we should have the cast within a week or two then.

Maybe they want to get a head start on the Olympics, hopefully we'll get the cast next week, almost time for the next HTF challenge!

fyi, word around the boards is the cast will be announced on Monday's The Early Show.

I'm glad it is about to come back on. My Thursday just aren't the same without my Survivor fix.

The castaways are up at CBS.com!

I'll take "Misty" for $500, Alex. (I doubt she has any shot, but she's a Georgia gal, that's who I'd want in the challenge).

It's a odd looking group.

I'd like Sally from (originally) Minnesota to do well. Tina the Lumberjack Girl seems mighty interesting also.