Survivor 39 premieres tonight, and this season is sure to be an interesting one. With past winners Sandra Diaz-Twine and Boston Rob Mariano acting as mentors this season (which could very well be a ploy to get them into the game, à la Big Brother 14), who knows what's going to happen? Today, we're going to be looking over the cast list to determine who we think has a chance to win it all, along with those who we think have no shot whatsoever. Let's get right on into it.
Can Win: Elizabeth Beisel
Well, this one is kind of a no-brainer. Elizabeth here is an Olympian. What? Is that an unfair advantage? Seems like a bit of an unfair advantage. Either way, an Olympic Medal holder is surely one to watch out for on Survivor. She also believes that she has a strong social game that will help carry her to the end along with her physical strength. This is one you should certainly watch out for.
No Shot: Dan Spilo
Dan Spilo says that his best qualities are going to be his helpfulness at camp, making sure that people are tended to, all the while being helpful to their own games. Hmm. Dan seems to want to play a social-heavy game, and that's not all that it takes if you want to be Sole Survivor. Dan didn't mention anything about winning competitions, so let's hope he's got a good physical game to back his social one up.
Can Win: Jack Nichting
Well, Jack here is obviously going to be the winner of Survivor 39. He's got the hair. You know, the Joe hair that somehow makes sure that you get to the end no matter what. Jack says that he has the ability to put all morals aside and play as a cutthroat competitor while wanting to stay in the background for as long as possible. It's hard to hide in Survivor, so let's see if he'll really be able to keep that energy when he finds himself on the island.
No Shot: Janet Carbin
Rooting for Janet might be a bit of a losing game when it comes to Survivor 39. Unfortunately, the game isn't always too kind to older players in a few different ways. One of the core pieces of Survivor is the social aspect, and more often than not, younger players tend to gravitate toward each other. This can make it hard for players like Janet to make strong connections that can take her far in the game. However, don't count anyone out before they've even gotten started. Janet believes she's got the athleticism it takes to compete in Survivor. Let's hope that she can rough it out with the rest of them. No one auditions for this show if they think they can't win.
Can Win: Tom Laidlaw
While it can certainly be harder for older players to make it to the end, it also isn't impossible. Tom Laidlaw might be 60 years old, but he has one crucial piece of experience on his side to help him take the win home. He's a former NHL player. Sure, while he's certainly not in the prime of his youthful days, you don't play in the NHL without coming away with something. His athleticism should be handy, and Tom thinks that he has the social side of things on lock, so let's see if he can make the best use of his skills to come out $1 million richer by the end of the season. Only time will tell.
No Shot: Dean Kowalski
Doesn't poor Dean here totally give off the vibe of the strong guy who will be useful in team challenges but will be taken out before the merge? Because that's totally the vibe that we're getting. The social side of Survivor will be crucial to Dean, as he'll need people who want to work with him if he's going to make it to finale night. Dean thinks that he has the social-awareness and leadership to take him far. Let's just be wary. Self-proclaimed leaders really aren't the ones who we see in the final three. Maybe a nice jury seat though.
Can Win: Missy Byrd
Missy is a 24-year-old Air Force Veteran from Georgia. Air Force Veteran alone is sure to make her a standout in the competition. However, she also wants to survive the game because Beyoncé wrote a song about surviving and she doesn't want to let her down. Everyone, a round of applause for Missy, please. You have our support. Best of luck out there.
No Shot: Noura Salman
Noura describes herself as being, "a nerd, jock, and model with brains, brawn, and beauty." She also claims that she has the ability to influence people to do what she wants. Doesn't that kind of seem like someone who will try to take over camp quickly and then be booted out in response? Well, Noura could surprise us, so let's not paint her as a loser too quickly. Let's take a wait and see the approach here.
Can Win: Tommy Sheehan
Tommy here knows that he has the athletics to win challenges. However, he also knows that isn't the key to winning Survivor. Tommy says that his main goal will be forming real connections with people in order to make them want to keep him around longer. Along with that, he plans to be a part of blindsides and finding idols. If Tommy can do all of this, he's going to do well in this game. Emphasis on the if though.
No Shot: Vince Moua
Vince is confident. He is confident in his social game. Cutting people off, convincing people, leading decisions. Maybe a little too confident? High confidence can be the kiss of death on Survivor. He also didn't mention anything about his athleticism (that could actually keep him low on the radar for a while), which could be worrisome. Let's see how Vince manages to do once Survivor 39 gets underway.