Survivor 2012 Philippines Premiere Recap: Blair, Baseball and a Backfire

On the season premiere of Survivor Philippines, we were introduced to three new tribes, including former baseball All Star Jeff Kent, child TV star Lisa Whelchel and three returning castaways: Russell Swan, Jonathan Prenner and Michael Skupin.

The three returning Survivor 2012 players clearly didn’t get to conceal their identities, but the baseball and TV star had no plans on offering up their pasts. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t suspicions. More on that later. The episode starts with 15 new castaways on their boat and when they meet up with Jeff it’s on. Another boat joins them and it’s the three returning players. Right away, the newbies are perturbed. Which is a common thing on any reality show when a player makes a return.

They join they’re already determined tribes: Kalabaw, Matsing and Tandang. Then Jeff tells the castaways to gather anything they can and hop on their rafts and head to the island. The frantic scrambling begins and players are grabbing tarps, wood, chickens, and anything else they can fit on their rafts along with their tribemates. I’m not sure, but it looked like a couple of chickens may have nearly drowned. Poor chickens.

Once they tribes make it to the island, they start setting up their camps and sizing each other up. Right away, Lisa is an outcast. She’s older and she’s keeping to herself. And she’s trying to not let everyone know she was Blair Warner on The Facts of Life. But it’s too late for Skupin. He already knows she’s Blair. But he’s going to hold onto that information since they’re on the same tribe.

Jeff Kent as already possibly torn his ACL, but he’s going to keep that a bigger secret than his baseball past. The other castaways are off forming alliances within their tribes and some are already discussing sending out the returning players right away since they’ve already had their shot on Survivor. It looks like everyone has a good idea of who their first targets will be if they’re unlucky enough to head to Tribal Council.

It seems Blair isn’t the only person who’s been found out. Katie (I think) used to date a guy who was really into baseball, so she recognizes Jeff. But she too is going to hold onto that information until the right time.

At the immunity challenge, there are two Idols up for grabs and the team finishing last will face Tribal Council. The Kalabaw and Tandang tribes finish first and second, respectively, so that means Blair can rest easy this week. The Matsing Tribe will head to council. Amid the chaos following the challenge, Matsing tribe memeber Zane offers himself up for elimination. At first we’re all like Whaaaaat? But then he reveals it’s a part of a plan he has. It’s a plan that doesn’t make much sense, but apparently the outcome is supposed to send Russell, the returnee, off the island.

At the vote, Zane’s plan backfires and he is the first person voted of the Survivor Philippines Island. Doh!