[DrunkerThanMoses]

So it is basically Blood vs Water format with all newbies and no returning players and the location is Nicaragua.

Conformed Cast

Josh & Reed (Actors/Boyfriends)
Alec & Drew (Brothers)
Natalie & Nadiya (Twins/Amazing Race Stars)
Wes and Keith (Father and Son)
John Rocker and Julie McGee (Dating)
Dale and Kelley (Father/Daughter)
Val and Jeremey (Married)
Jaclyn and Jon (Highschool Sweethearts)
Baylor and Missy (Mother and Daughter)

[DrunkerThanMoses]

Teaser Promo

Youtube video

Jeff Probst Interview

Survivor will take some of the lessons learned from the success of its past two seasons and combine them for its next installment, Survivor: San Juan del Sur — Blood vs. Water, which will be filmed in Nicaragua and premiere on CBS in September. Not only do we have the brand new logo for season 29 for you above, but host Jeff Probst shared some early intel with EW on what to expect.

The Blood vs. Water concept first debuted in season 27 when 10 former players returned, each bringing a loved one to compete with/against. But instead of returning players, this new Blood vs. Water cast will feature pairs of all new contestants. Jeff Probst credits the fans for pushing the show to bring back all new players for the Cagayan season that just wrapped up, and the success of that installment gave producers the confidence to do it again. “We really listened to people saying, ‘Oh my gosh, we love new players again. This is so fresh and it feels so good,’” says the host. “And we went down the road with a couple of different ways to do Blood vs. Water, and we started casting it, and started finding really good people, and then more good people, and then it became a very easy decision to go with a completely new cast. “

Of course, with returning players that viewers were already familiar with, it was easy to make the Blood vs. Water connection in terms of who was whose sibling or spouse. Putting all new players in the mix means the show will have to work a bit harder to establish those connections for viewers. “Since it is all new people you need to find a way to bond them quickly so that the audience knows, ‘Oh, okay, that’s the father and that’s the son,’’ says Probst. “And we do have something out of the gate that will help with that a little bit. We just have to do a very good job in how we tell those stories, when you cut from one person on one beach, then cut to their significant other on the other beach. And you just slowly start pairing them together. I’m not really concerned about it. Also, looking at the group we have, I would bet that if we lined them up randomly, the average person could probably get 60 to 70 percent just based on looking at them.”

The return of the Blood vs. Water twist also means the return of Redemption Island, which Probst had previously told EW would probably only return for Blood vs. Water seasons. “Yes, Redemption Island is back,” says Probst. “And there wasn’t even a consideration to not bring it back because so much of our drama came from that explosive energy at Redemption Island when the tribes were already there and then the competitors walk in and it’s the first moment that the other tribe gets to see who was voted out and then you have a loved one going, ‘Oh, man, it was my wife! Are you kidding me? Who did that?’ And I think that was really the cornerstone for a lot of story that came from it.”

However Probst does note that there will be a change to the way the contests take place there. “We have another twist that’s going to happen regarding duels at Redemption Island, a little different from last year, so I’m curious to see how that plays out and if we can get some story from that.” (Could that mean a return back to two person duels as opposed to three person contests, or something else entirely?)

The show will be returning for seasons 29 and 30 to Nicaragua, the same location for the filming of two previous installments (Nicaragua and Redemption Island), and Probst says his team has a plan in place to combat one of the negatives from their previous experience there — a lack of suitable locations for water challenges. “That was the mandate from the moment we decided on Nicaragua,” says Probst. “The one thing I kept asking our scouting crew for was updates on how the water situation was looking, and between our art department and our challenge department, they’ve got it under control. We’re going to have a lot more water challenges and be in the water more —and really that’s the only concern we had about Nicaragua, is that it was a little dry last time.”

In general, Probst is confident that Survivor can continue its recent hot streak (the past four seasons all rank in top 10 of all-time). “We have not shot a single second of the show,” says the host, “but I feel really good going in that we have another very good group of people.”

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/05/21/su...r-jeff-probst/

[Black Dagger]

Oh I didn't know it was all newbies

I like that, I can watch it.

[starry]

I don't like Redemption Island or people having family members there really. It's a shame because this latest season and the Cochran one were good.

[Macie Lightfoot]

"the Cochran one" was one of the worst ever goodbye starry

[Black Dagger]

It had Dawn, it could being a goddess, it could never.

[DrunkerThanMoses]

Originally Posted by starry

I don't like Redemption Island or people having family members there really. It's a shame because this latest season and the Cochran one were good.

Cochran season was good? Eaisly one of the worst seasons the show has had

[Braden]

Season 29 is going to come so fast.

I'm gonna miss Cagayan, it was such an amazing series. I haven't had this feeling of absence for a reality show in a long time. Probably not since the good days of Big Brother (series 6 & 7).

I'm gonna miss the cast

[reece(:]

Originally Posted by DrunkerThanMoses

Cochran season was good? Eaisly one of the worst seasons the show has had

both Cochran seasons for a matter of fact.

[Headie]

This will start after the BBUS Finale I'm presuming? Like last year's BvW?

[DrunkerThanMoses]

Yep Winter Survivor always starts on the finale night of Big Brother.

Think the cast will be heading out in the next two weeks so we might get at first spoilers on the cast. I think some famous duo will be one of the pairs.

[Headie]

Originally Posted by DrunkerThanMoses

Yep Winter Survivor always starts on the finale night of Big Brother.

Think the cast will be heading out in the next two weeks so we might get at first spoilers on the cast. I think some famous duo will be one of the pairs.

There was rumours that they were looking specifically for twins and Natalie & Nadiya from TAR were approached (rumour).

[DrunkerThanMoses]

Yeah I heard that too, Rachel and Elissa were rumoured as well but I doubt CBS would give that much exposure to Rachel.

Maybe Danielle and Dominic might be cast?

[reece(:]

BB Finale and Survivor Premiere night is definitely the best TV night of the year.

[Josiah.]

What do you guys think 'Ancient Voices' will sound like for the new season (seeing as how Cagayan used the Micronesia theme)?

[swinearefine]

I can't tell if "San Juan del Sur" is a worse name than "South Pacific" or not. I'm looking forward to it because there are no veterans, but my god could they not do better than picking the name of a random town that no one knows?

[Marc]

Are they going to bring back that AMAZING SUPER NEW BRILLIANT idol that didn't even get used?

[SoBig]

Originally Posted by Marc

Are they going to bring back that AMAZING SUPER NEW BRILLIANT idol that didn't even get used?

On reddit Jeff Probst said they are never bringing it back.

[GypsyGoth]

Originally Posted by SoBig

On reddit Jeff Probst said they are never bringing it back.

I think it was far too powerful.

[swinearefine]

What did they honestly expect from something Tyler Perry thought up? At least now we have confirmation of his "creative" process - find a ****ty idea that's already been done and do it again but 10x ****tier.

[DrunkerThanMoses]

Apparently the cast have been on location for the last few days, probably to do promos and pictures/interviews and filming starts in the next few days.

Strangely the twins from the Amazing Race have both been inactive on twitter for a few days now.... possible cast?

[reece(:]

The fact that RI is back and no more Rites of Passage

[reece(:]

Originally Posted by DrunkerThanMoses

Apparently the cast have been on location for the last few days, probably to do promos and pictures/interviews and filming starts in the next few days.

Strangely the twins from the Amazing Race have both been inactive on twitter for a few days now.... possible cast?

pleeaaasee!

[Headie]

I think the Twinnies are on since neither of them have tweeted since May 26th and they usually tweet everyday. One of the twins tweeted something about packing a suitcase too, so I'l be surprised/disappointed if they're not on. It's like my dream to see them on TV again, Survivor would be perfect

There's 2 cast members pretty much confirmed, 2 brothers who have gone inactive on social media and all their friends and family posted saying good luck. They're called Alec & Drew Christy


And that tweet Danielle Reyes tweeted about staying off Twitter and having a meeting with Jeff Probst seems quite suspicious but I doubt she'd make it that obvious so she's probably not on.

[reece(:]

Has Matt Quinlan grew hair and got slimmer? ^