Survivor Edge of Extinction cast assessment: Reem Daly doesn’t care

Although Reem is the oldest player in Survivor: Edge of Extinction, her chill, candid manner is unlike any other female castaway over 45 that we’ve seen before.

Yesterday’s cast assessment of Victoria Baamonde revealed someone who has prepared a lot for Survivor: Edge of Extinction. The same cannot be said about Reem Daly. This 47-year-old mother from Virginia is a long time fan of Survivor, but that appears to be it in terms of preparation. Reem brings a big personality that we don’t typically expect from the oldest player of the season.

Her attitude towards the game came out clear in her interview with ET Canada. Her biggest fear and biggest strength are the same: her “big mouth”. She said she wants to make a big move but stressed that she wouldn’t be anxious to make one happen. Reem is an open person who’s not going to sugar coat everything. She believes that her candid approach will make it easier for people to trust her.

In Reem’s bio on EW, one of the players she believes she is most like is Rudy all the way back in Borneo because he doesn’t care. That attitude came out in her interview as well, as she just doesn’t care about what other people do or what they brag about. Despite her age, Reem’s personality fits more with the younger crowd, which works to her benefit since four members of her tribe are 25 or under.

However, that doesn’t mean Reem doesn’t care about the game. She mentioned several times how she a has a deep respect for Survivor. In fact, the other castaway she compared herself to was Stephenie LaGrossa, because she never gave up. She almost feels like a slightly more mature version of Alec Merlino from David vs. Goliath. Someone who on the surface doesn’t seem to care about their gameplay, but is actually a potential threat.

At this point, I don’t think Reem has the best odds at winning it all. Her dynamic personality might even cost her an early exit, and her social and strategic gameplay are polar opposites to typical winners. If she can gel with the younger crew off the bat, she definitely has the potential to ride an alliance deep into the game without being targeted as a serious threat.

For now, Reem fits more into the category of an entertaining character as opposed to a quality Survivor player, but that could change once she hits the beach.