"Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance" kicks off tonight, and it looks like this season could be the most intense one yet. With 20 viewer-chosen contestants returning, they're coming into this game more determined than ever, as they're given what no other castaway has had before: a second chance. For some, it's been over a decade since they competed on the show, while for other's it's been less than two years, but they all have their regrets and "what ifs" permanently branded into their mind, and now is their chance to learn from their mistakes and play the game the way they should have the first time around.
"This notion of falling short of your goal and wanting a second chance, a shot at redemption," host Jeff Probst told Yahoo! TV on how the idea for "Second Chance" came about. "We knew we had a lot of people over the past 15 years who have these really interesting stories about why they fell short and things that they were working on in their life to try to redeem that. Those were the stories that were inspiring to us."
As for why they let the fans choose who would play the game for the first time ever, they wanted to say thank you. "We know our audience is with us, that's part of the reason we've been on so long," he continued to say. "They'll watch any of the twists we try, and then they'll let us know if they liked it or not. But they keep watching. So, this was, in part, a way to say thank you for the loyalty."
For those loyal fans who have been watching from the very first season, the first immunity challenge will be a special blast from the past. On Wednesday night's premiere episode, the 20 returning contestants will take part in Quest For Fire, which was the first immunity challenge in "Survivor" history, according to Parade. Flash back 15 years to this challenge where contestants jump off a platform into the water, swim to a raft, move the raft towards the shore all while lighting several tiki torches. They then carry it up a hill all while still lighting tiki torches until they reach the top, and one member must solve Jailbreak to get the key to unlock the gate they eventually burst through to light the biggest tiki torch of them all. Kelley Wiglesworth is the only contestant from the first season, so she is the only one who has completed Quest For Fire before. It'll be interesting to see if this gives her any sort of advantage, even though it has been 15 years.
The most interesting thing about season 31 is that every single challenge will be one that has been played before. There will be no new challenges, and there will most likely always be someone who has done the challenge before, making it the ultimate second chance for that player.
It seems as though the women could dominate the challenges this season and the overall game. Probst believes Ciera Eastin from season 27, who voted her own mother off, could end up winning the whole thing. "It's very hard to pick a winner," he told Parade of his choice. "And good news for you-I've never been right. There's a good 15 people here that I feel could win this game easily. I like Ciera because I think she's an underdog. I think people underestimate her, even though she just showed them what she's willing to do."
There's a lot to expect from this season, from repeat challenges, to a brutal climate, to immunity idol twists. "I really think people are going to like this season," Probst continued to tell Yahoo. "And I think they're going to see a different game. It's going to be interesting what it means for the future."
Watch the premiere episode of "Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance" tonight at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
