Want to see Boston Rob and Sandra Diaz-Twine in action on the Island of the Idols? These opening minutes of the Survivor season premiere offer just that.
Though we’ve covered the Island of the Idols twist in great detail, including how the tribes will start their play and the function of mentors Boston Rob and Sandra Diaz-Twine. However, we understand that the preseason has been shorter than any other time in Survivor history, and the visual medium trumps all when it comes to a television show.
CBS has released the first opening minutes of the Survivor: Island of the Idols premiere, making sure to avoid spoilers as much as possible while showing what Boston Rob and Sandra will be doing on the island while showing the castaways heading to their beaches on the boats. Let me be clear; these are the first few minutes of the premiere, although it does not show actual gameplay or the castaways getting to know each other.
We do see, however, a group of players grouped together at Tribal Council with their backs to the screen, with this season’s Tribal Council looking like the middle of a lived-in village than we’ve seen recently. The bigger focus is on the mentors, with footage of Rob and Sandra both assembling their shelter and Jeff Probst proclaiming loudly, “They’re not competing, they won’t vote, and they cannot win the million dollars.”
What is interesting is the tease of multiple episodes’ worth of lessons from the mentors to unseen proteges, including a lesson on the art of persuasion, calculated risk, staying calm under the pressure and others. They will test the players in their lessons by dangling powers like three-tribals-long idols, while a player who failed lost their vote at their next Tribal Council.
The idea of having different powers available to different castaways as they head to the Island of the Idols seems like it has the potential for some really imbalanced moments based on luck of who goes which week, but hopefully, it’s balanced out with harder tests players will likely fail. We’re being set up for a dynamic season, so let’s pull on the lever and see what comes up each week!