Season 39 is upon us, starting next Wednesday.

"In the 39th season of the Emmy Award-winning reality series that challenges players to outwit, outplay, and outlast their opponents, Survivor is introducing a new element to the game: the Island of the Idols.

This edition features two legendary winners, "Boston" Rob Mariano and Sandra Diaz-Twine, who return to the game not to compete, but to serve as mentors to a group of 20 new players.

Combined, Boston Rob and Sandra have played over 200 days of Survivor, and now they plan to share what they've learned with the new castaways. The players will then attempt to put those learned skills to the test and chase the title of Sole Survivor—not to mention the $1 million grand prize."

https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/p...-of-the-idols-



Lairo Tribe
Front row, left to right: Dean Kowalski, Karishma Patel, Elizabeth Beisel, Chelsea Walker, Elaine Stott
Back row, left to right: Missy Byrd, Ronnie Bardah, Tom Laidlaw, Aaron Meredith, Vince Moua



Vokai Tribe
Front row, left to right: Jack Nichting, Molly Byman, Lauren Beck, Kellee Kim, Janet Carbin
Back row, left to right: Noura Salman, Dan Spilo, Jamal Shipman, Jason Linden, Tommy Sheehan

https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/216252/
Another pro poker player cast:

Ronnie Bardah
Biography

Age: 35
Hometown: Brockton, Massachusetts
Current residence: Henderson, Nevada
Occupation: Pro Poker Player

Hobbies: Kickboxing, beatboxing, and hiking.

Pet peeves: When people try to enter my elevator just as I am trying to exit! Also watching someone misplay a hidden Immunity Idol makes me nuts.

Three words to describe you: Resilient, analytical, and savvy.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Holding the world record for most consecutive cashes in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) main event. Also getting my dad out of Brockton and buying him a place in Henderson, Nevada!

Who or what is your inspiration in life?
The American soldiers who risk their lives everyday fighting for our freedom. Also those who never give up.

What's one thing we wouldn't know from seeing a photo of you?
That I am musically inclined.

Which Survivor contestant are you most like?
Jeremy Collins because he's charismatic, loyal, compassionate, and can read players so well. Strategically, my approach would be a hybrid of Devon Pinto—bluffing the dumb role sneakily well—and Boston Rob—impeccable timing of making big moves and sniffing out when people are up to something.

What's your primary motivation for being on Survivor?
To challenge myself like I never have before. I spend my life adapting to ever-changing environments. I grew up in a rough inner-city neighborhood and rose above and have been successful in one of the most competitive, cutthroat businesses on Earth. Poker is such a great challenge and competition and I want to always challenge myself to do better and better. There is no greater challenge in life than Survivor, I must conquer it.

Why do you think you'll "survive" Survivor?
Because of the life I have already survived. It was a crazy rough neighborhood I grew up in, but I made it out and I have even traveled to 30 countries since then. I am also a beast at physical challenges. I have a very strong social game and, thanks to my poker skills, I will be able to read people well and will blindside the "blindsiders." I will be able to break hearts when I need to, even my own. The relationships will be real, but the ultimate goal will always be Sole Survivor.

Ronnie is a friend of mine. Good, solid dude with a big heart. I could totally see, though, them editing him as an abrasive Boston douchey guy. Hopefully not.

I really hope that they do away with a lot of the Redemption Island and multiple idol crap, but it looks like if anything they are going the other way.

Also interested to see if Boston Rob really is invested in this and brings his A game for season 40. There has to be some kind of incentive for the two of them participating like this. Neither of them has anything to prove. Rob would be a two time winner as well if he didn't hand Amber the win during All Stars.

Laidlaw spoiled the first episode in his interview with The Athletic (he's a former NHL player). The spoilers were quickly removed, I wonder how much trouble he got in.

“I have a very strong social game” doesnt seem like something a strong social player says. I’m going to listen to his preseason interview
GL to him though. The WSOP cashes streak is very impressive.

Dman for Rangers and Kings
705 games played, 25 goals, 164 points and 717 penalty minutes. Seems like a goon

Is this the least attractive cast of all time?

they need to be more diverse for the pc crowd ... and they have both skinny and fat people in this season



I still do not understand Rob and Sandra's role this season. Will one be at each tribe to act as a camp counselor/mentor?

Just binged the australian one and holy **** does this cast look ugly compared to those other guys

Could make for an interesting season though. Hope we dont get to see too much Rob & Sandra.

Yeah those cast photos are pretty rough. Never go full PCtard.

Molly is bae

Yup

yeah huge Molly fan so far

A. This is a really ugly/slobby tribe
B. Seems like literally half this cast is lawyers and law students

Thought I saw an idol tucked in to the left side of the tribe flag in the first 5 mins or so of the episode. Will need to rewind and have another look at it.

I just watched Ronnie’s Shark Tank hand against Miss Finland for the first time. It’s pretty epic.

Chelsea could become island hot

LOL poker players

Terrible

Fairly good episode, was surprised by the outcome you don't really see the jacked dudes go first but wow has there been a profession as consistently bad at Survivor as poker players?

It might have been the edit, but Ronnie came across SO POORLY.

The listing of 15 different jobs to attempt to relate to Elaine’s hardship just came off douchey. RIP poker players

Lol DN’s poker podcast was planning a week by week chat about Survivor because of Ronnie.

sigh RIP Ronnie

what was the spoiler?