SURVIVOR SAN JUAN DEL SUR Premiere Ranking

Image from CBS | Survivor San Juan del Sur Cast

Survivor is back and I couldn't get any happier! For the first time in 14 years and 29 seasons, I watched it with true Survivor avid fans and man, it was super awesome. We laughed at the random scenes, we guessed who's going to get voted out or who's gonna win, we read past Survivor tweets, we reacted in every possible way. I think the worst part is that we're so noisy while watching that there are scenes that we couldn't hear or watch what's going on. But it's all good! Point is, there's nothing better than watching Survivor with friends who know the show by heart. It sucks we weren't able to take a video of our reaction during Tribal Council because it was pretty bonkers as you know. Nadiya, one of the Twinnies, one of the players I pegged to go far, is the first player voted out of Survivor San Juan del Sur!

Nadiya, who almost everyone expected to see go far. Good thing is I predicted Natalie to go further than her. Well okay, I gotta come clean here. I read a fake spoiler that the Twinnies are going to reach the merge and I fell for it. It reminds me of when Danielle was voted out in HvV because there was also a rumor or a spoiler that she's going to be in the end. But oh well, it served me right and it got me good. I was flabbergasted when one of the Twinnies got voted out.

If you check my Survivor SJDS Cast Assessment, I pretty much butchered the premiere...NOT. I sucked! -- predicting Alec to be the Jason and Drew being the Malcolm when it looks like it's the other way around, Val to be the first boot because of her weakness and not being able to fit in with her tribe and it turns out it's actually the opposite and she was able to fit in well, started an alliance even, Dale being a dud and look what happened, he's actually one of the stars of the episode. I really did suck but I like it when I do because it means that Survivor is unpredictable. Or no, I really just suck and there are no excuses.

Anyway, the Survivor Premiere is pretty much...average. Average not because it comes after a terrific season in Survivor Cagayan, I thought that reasoning is getting old and lame, but it's average because there's really nothing interesting, or hilarious, or groundbreaking or outstanding that happened. Survivor nowadays is about jawdropping moments and Survivor SJDS' Premiere did not deliver that. But with this cast, I must say that it exceeded my expectations. It reminds me of a random sports team who doesn't have a lot of fans but when they play, they still tried to fight and it turned out that they're actually rootable. Yes, I think this season is rootable and I'm actually interested on how this season will play out. I got no clue what's going to happen, I can't read the players' psyche, the editing is balanced, and these players seem like the kind who will surprise you just because you don't expect anything from them. Should be good.

Anyway, I'll continue giving Plummies this season! And this time, I won't necessarily give it to my favorite so they won't be at my top spot. I have my Power Ranking for that which I'll publish in my social media too. Stay tuned for that!

So original right? First Plummy, a ripoff of Stephen Fishbach's Fishy, next Power Rankings, pretty much the same thing as Gordon Holmes' Power Ranking at xfinity.com, except way more humorous and awesome. :3

There is no doubt in my mind that Dale wins this Premiere's Plummy. He exceeded every expectations I got from him. He was never boring. He channeled Lisa Whelchel by being the odd man out, but he made fire for his tribe using his ultraelectrolaser double lenses, he claimed a random necklace on their water well which we're still uncertain if it's a Hidden Immunity Idol, he targeted Nadiya using a ridiculous reason and even if it's ridiculous, it's necessary because he would have gone home instead if he didn't go aggressive and mention any player's name for a target and lastly, he smiled like a true villain when Nadiya finally got voted out. He's go every reason to win this Plummy and no one came close. 

Here's my SJDS Premiere ranking:

18. Jaclyn

She's so beautiful but my goodness she's also invisible. Please don't be a Jefra.

17. Reed

Looks like I was wrong about him. Wrong in the sense that I thought he's going to receive more airtime than his boyfriend Josh. But it's just the first episode and Coyopa lost the Immunity so Josh had more time to shine. We'll see what Reed has to offer when his tribe goes to Tribal Council.

16. Nadiya

I like the Twinnies because they're feisty and energetic. We need that with this kind of cast. But c'mon, she kind of dug her own grave in her short stay on the island by not being extra sensitive about others. Still, I'm bummed that she's the first player voted off especially when the main reason is her reputation in The Amazing Race 'coz Survivor is a different game and I think she's got more to offer and wouldn't it be awesome to see Natalie and Nadiya duke it out in a wrestling match? We, the audience, loses here.

15. Wes

Wes doesn't annoy me anymore. I think he's actually pretty likable, chill and soft.  It's just that the other players remain more likable than him.

14. John

John is alright this episode. For some reason, his interaction with Val felt like it's a little forced. We can all see that he's trying his best to seem tolerable but you just know, that once the agitation kicks in that he's going to be madness. The promos already prove that.

13. Kelley

I like Kelly, I think she's going to be strong and she already has an alliance in Hunahpu. But she's also so invisible that I can't support her any further.

12. Missy

Same with Missy. She's in the same alliance in Hunahpu, and she got the divorce quote, which could be a winner's quote but she's still not a boss bitch I'm pegging her to be. We'll see.

11. Val

Val is a pleasant surprise. I was sure that she's going to be the first player voted off but despite the circumstances of being at Exile Island and missing the get-to-know-your-tribemate phase in the game, she was able to fit in, she didn't share the clue to Keith, she started a women's alliance and all of those signs that she's capable of playing the game. I still think that she's not going to win though.

10. Drew

The resident douche prince this season. Ha! He's my winner pick and don't get me wrong, I still think that he has a chance to win even with the negative edit that he got. But I believe Alec has more chances now than Drew.

9. Natalie

The only reason Natalie is this high is because I'm a fan of the Twinnies and I think she's going to play better now, now that her Twin is gone. But based on this episode solely, she's got more chickens to fry.

8. Alec

Alec is this cool quiet guy that everyone will probably love. He fits in with the boys, and with the youngings. I don't see him bonding with the older players though so we'll see but for now he's doing great and I think he has a chance to win. Fan of the show and he's got the eye on the prize as according to him, winning the title of Sole Survivor is much better than winning the money. Totally agree!

7. Julie

Julie is another pleasant surprise. I expected her to be primadonna but she seems very on the go. From challenges, to working at camp, she's there doing her best. It doesn't hurt that she looks stunning on the island. I thought she's going to get ugly without make up but she got more beautiful when she's deglamorized.

6. Jeremy

Jeremy is fun fun fun. I don't know about making a deal with numerous players is good but one thing Tony Vlachos taught me from last season is that being aggressive actually puts you on top and making deals with most of your tribemates doesn't always mean it's negative. Tony Vlachos won and I can see Jeremy following his lead. Not to mention, he's also more likable than Tony. I just don't know if Jeremy can play the game more strategically.

5. Dale

Dale is not a favorite but he impressed me so much it's unfair to put him lower than this spot. He did everything he could to survive the first Tribal Council even if the odds are not on his favor but he was able to turn the game around and proved that he could be a power player. Can he win? I'm not sure. Can he go further than the merge? It's likelier now.

4. Josh

He's so jolly and happy to be on Survivor. So cheerful but when it came to strategizing, he also proved that he's serious in the game especially he's put on a tough spot being the swing vote. It's great to be on that spot probably come merge time but first Tribal Council, I'm not so sure. I'm also not sure if he did the right thing, we'll find out once they go to Tribal Council again but this premiere, he sticked to his guns and provided a good headscratcher at Tribal when he voted Baylor. I'm excited to see Josh deliver.

3. Jon

Jon is unexpectedly so likable. I thought he's going to be boring and invisible but he's got moments of fun and lightheartedness in all of her scenes in the premiere. His sarcastic comment about their utensils, his weird liking for monkeys, his talk about his father, and his Exorcist performance in the Immunity Challenge. I'm scared he's going to quit though for his father ala Jenna Morasca in All Stars. If he doesn't, then I think he has a huge chance to win.

2. Baylor

I thought for sure Baylor is going to be invisible but she's one of the few players who got more than 3 confessionals. Some about commentaries, one narration and one for strategy. It's crazy because she's not the more visible player outside confessionals but the editors still choose to give her time to say her insights. I think she's going to go far and I think she's going to be edited as a ruthless player too. I.am.excited.

1. Keith

Keith is fun, fun, fun and he's currently my favorite this premiere. His dry humor is amazing. He's like the father you never had. I love him mainly because of his personality but game wise, I'm pretty sure that he's going to leave early. Too bad, I actually like the guy but I think he's too nice and chill for the game that those won't help him go far in the game. Sigh.

WINNER PICKS

1. Alec

2. Jeremy

3. Baylor
4. Josh
5. Jon

Next week, I can't wait to see Natalie's reaction about Nadiya being the first player voted off. Then we'll have the wrestling match, then we'll probably have John Rocker's volcano eruption. Follow me on Twitter: @jaynormouskid

SURVIVOR SAN JUAN DEL SUR Cast Assessment

WHAT AN EXCITING CAST! -_-

Right when Survivor San Juan del Sur was about to be filmed, the Survivor community was alarmed by the news of EW writer Dalton Ross and the Survivor host himself Jeff Probst about one pair not passing their medical exams a day before they started filming in Nicaragua. The result? This pair didn't make it to Day 1, heck they didn't even make it to Day 0. What's worse is that they didn't have an alternative so they ended up pushing through with an 18-player cast. The twist? An uneven ratio of male to female (10:8). Truth be told, I think the worst part of this is that the pair that didn't make it are rumored to be Korean sisters and I watched their video and they seem like what this cast really need. First of, they're pretty, and then they seem fun and most importantly, they seem intelligent. They're like the Chemical X Prof. Utonium poured in his experiment to form The Powerpuff Girls.

Then a day after they announced this news, another one came. With the unfortunate fate of the Korean sisters, and with the Survivor staff not being able to replace them, it also affected the Redemption Island twist. They scrapped it! Just when we started on warming up on this twist for a BvW season. I won't complain though because they brought back the Exile Island twist where one of the pairs will be sent to the island after his/her pair defeats him/her in a challenge or something. Although I'm not entirely positive if this will stimulate drama just like how Redemption Island did to the first Blood vs Water, because the clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol is actually found on Exile so... I guess we'll find out everything about it after the premiere. After all, Exile Island is a Survivor twist that I never mind them using.

A string of bad news occurred as if Survivor going back to Nicaragua is not yet terrible of a news to begin with. But another bad news came a month before the premiere of this season wherein the show's editors went to a strike that endangered the premiere schedule of the show. This news totally reminded me of Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki delaying The Big Bang Theory's production for weeks because they demanded a million dollar salary per episode. Good news is it seems like CBS/Survivor and the editors settled it out quickly as they went back on working only one day after the boycott.

Phew! This season is starting really badly. This is what happens when they reward us with four consecutive decent to brilliant Survivor seasons. Or I guess we can conclude that Philippines is Survivor's good luck charm and Nicaragua is the bad omen in terms of locations.

I must admit that the cast didn't really make me excited about this season. I'm totally uninspired. I truly think that the Korean sisters would have made this cast better, like if they're on, everyone would be great but if they're not, this is the result. Totally humdrum. But wouldn't it be funny if there's actually no Korean sisters and I'm just believing a total lie or gossip? Anyway, after watching their CBS and EW interviews and reading their CBS bios, here's my Survivor San Juan del Sur Cast Assessment. WARNING: I'm really indifferent by the majority of the cast and you'll see the word 'boring' several times.

18. Wes

Age: 23

Tribe: Coyopa

I think Wes' father Keith is totally outshining him that his father didn't leave any likable quality for him. He's my least favorite of the bunch so far. But to be fair, I think he's going to be good in the game. He seems capable and social enough to go deep in this game but if I were to choose, I hope he gets voted out early. I really hate that he compared himself to Russell Hantz. That alone is the deal breaker why we should not root for this guy.

Prediction: Mid-jury

17. Dale

Age: 55

Tribe: Coyopa

Oh my goodness! We already have Keith. His only role in this game is to support her daughter's journey in winning this game. I should be thankful to him for that but other than that, I find him really bland. :(

Prediction: Early boot

16. Reed

Age: 31

Tribe: Hunahpu

It's not cool that he sort of looks like Frankie of this season's Big Brother especially that I loathe the self-proclaimed social media mogul. But that's about the only thing I hate about Reed. I actually think he's nice. Probably great in the game too. We shall see.

Prediction: Late jury

15. Julie

Age: 34

Tribe: Hunahpu

This bombshell seems like she's going to be crazy and funny. She's supposed to be the second coming of Monica Culpepper but obviously Julie is way hotter but I think Monica is way better in terms of playing the game. I can't imagine Julie living on an island with minimal source of food and comfort. I can't imagine her sleeping in the dirt. With all of these stuff I just said about her, there's a huge room for Julie to prove me wrong. I hope she proves me wrong and is actually a game player. The thing is, I.don't.see.that.happening. Props for comparing herself to Colleen though. That's Survivor knowledge right there.

Prediction: Early boot

14. Josh

Age: 32

Tribe: Coyopa

I think he's nice but I think he's going to be super nice that he'll end up being invisible and boring. For now, I believe Reed will be the better player between the two but I can see it being the other way around too if Reed ends up being an over aggressive playing mess.

Prediction: Premerge

13. Jeremy

Age: 36

Tribe: Hunahpu

I think Jeremy will go far solely because his tribe is going to need him in challenges. He's buff and he seems social enough to bond with the rest of the cast so good for him. But even though I see good things with this guy, I also think he's going to fade in the background ala Cliff Robinson last season.

Prediction: Merge boot

12. Jon

Age: 26

Tribe: Hunahpu

I think they're pegging Jon to be the John Cody of this season. The nice guy who loves his girlfriend so much. Unfortunately, as much as I think Jon will be nice, I also think he's extremely boring that there's no way he can duplicate the niceness and vulnerability of John Cody in the first Blood vs Water.

Prediction: Early Merge

11. Jaclyn

Age: 25

Tribe: Coyopa

Jaclyn has a nice and touching story but I don't think it translates into her being a great player. Jaclyn and Jon's obvious affection for each other is adorable but so far I think they're so vanilla that they're going to be boring. Oh my! I hope their adorbs self will be fun to watch on the show. But she compared herself to Jefra and we know what happened to her despite her adorableness.

Prediction: Early boot

10. Alec

Age: 22

Tribe: Coyopa

He's giving me massive 90s vibes because of his resemblance with The Moffats and the Hanson brothers. Between the Christy brothers, I think one of them will be the Jason Siska and the other will be the Malcolm Freberg. Obviously, I think Alec will be the Siska but I guess slightly better. Well for one, Jason believed that a stick is an Immunity Idol. I don't think Alec will fall into blunders like that but I'm starting to think that it would be fun if he will.

Prediction: Midjury

9. Kelley

Age: 28

Tribe: Hunahpu

I like Kelley! I think she's perfect for Survivor. She seems physically fit, socially capable and strategic. That's something that's going on for her. I hope she doesn't end up being like Brooke Struck though or Kelly Czarnecki. I believe Kelley is going to be a force but I don't wanna jinx her so I put her in the middle of this ranking.

Prediction: Midjury

8. Keith

Age: 53

Tribe: Hunahpu

Keith seems comedic in a good way. He seems feisty, easy going, fun loving and likable. One friend told me that Keith's giving him Roger Sexton vibes though and when he said that, I believed that it could be true. Here's hoping he ends up being hilarious.

Prediction: Premerge

7. John

Age: 39

Tribe: Coyopa

I'm looking forward to John Rocker because he seems like a firecracker in this dull cast. I think he's going to be offensive and hilarious at the same time. He's obviously casted to be the Brad Culpepper of this season but I kind of find Rocker a little chill compared to Culpepper so I think he's not going to be as aggressive as what the majority probably thinks of him.

Prediction: Early boot

6. Val

Age: 35

Tribe: Coyopa

Another police officer! But I think Val is going to be nothing like Sarah or Tony from Survivor Cagayan. I think Val is going to be an asset in her tribe in terms of challenges but I think her weakness would be the social aspect. I think she's going to be unaware too. I hope she provides the laffos. Most importantly, I hope she proves me wrong and does a Tasha -- someone I predicted will be an early boot but ended up being my top favorite of her season.

Prediction: First boot

5. Drew

Age: 25

Tribe: Hunahpu

Like I mentioned in my Alec writeup, I think Drew is going to be the Malcolm of the duo. He's got the complete package and more importantly, he's a fan of the show. I think he's going to win if he overcomes the fact that he's an obvious threat to win and people are likely going to target him once they hit the merge. All he need is a solid alliance and he's aces. 

Prediction: Winner

4. Nadiya

Age: 28

Tribe: Coyopa

I can't distinguish her personality right now compared to Natalie. I didn't watch her TAR season but all I know is that the two will be a force to be reckoned with in this game. Their interviews are way LIVELY compared to their competitors and as much as I think there's a possibility that they're gonna be annoying, I have no choice but to root for them because I'm a fan of enthusiasm. Twinnies got them.

Prediction: Late merge

3. Natalie

Age: 28

Tribe: Hunahpu

I already laid out the reasons why I like the Twinnies but one thing that made me like Natalie more than Nadiya is that when Dalton Ross asked her which player her twin Nadiya is going to play like, she answered Rupert and ruthlessly laughed right after. LMFAO

Prediction: Runner-up

2. Missy

Age: 47

Tribe: Hunahpu

Missy and Baylor have a massive shoes to fill in because they're this season's Laura and Ciera. Good thing is that I think they're capable of being great players. I love their answers in their interviews and I love how firm Missy is that they're going to set Survivor records. I'm excited for that. Unfortunately, as much as I like Missy, probably more than Baylor, is that I think she's going to be seen as a threat early in the game and she won't be able to fight back. She might end up having the fate of Laura Morett in BvW but as we know, there's no second life this season. No RI. :(

Prediction: Early boot

1. Baylor

Age: 20

Tribe: Coyopa

The youngest this season and also has the award for the Most Unique name. I also think that she's the most promising. Ciera in the first BvW was polarizing and it's hard to follow her archetype and obviously, Baylor is this season's Ciera. But part of me wants Baylor to succeed more and I think she has a chance. I love her energy in her interviews. I think she's going to be out there playing instead of hiding behind the bushes so I'll appreciate that. Of course she can end up being a disappointment but for now, I am rooting for her the most and if she fails, then boo-hoo. I hope not. Scary thing though is that I'm really not good at assessing these players. I picked J'Tia first last season for chrissakes.

Prediction: Late jury

Well there you have it! I am most certainly hoping that my predictions will end up being wrong and we'll have an unpredictable season coming our way. Predictable or not, I'm just hoping that it'd be good. My expectations are low especially with the success of its predecessor Survivor Cagayan and the string of bad news that it overcame.

But as fans of Survivor, we should be thankful another season is about to begin with new players, and hopefully new games.

Survivor San Juan del Sur premieres September 24 in the US, and September 25 in the Philippines.

Follows me on Twitter: @jaynormouskid