Calling SURVIVOR "television's greatest social experiment of all time", the host Jeff Probst reveals that this season is going in a new direction. There are eighteen contestants, forming three groups, who represent the qualities they rely on in their daily lives - beauty, brains, or brawn. Arriving by helicopter to the island first is the Brains tribe. Each member has an individual IQ of 130 or above. They use their intellect to accomplish their goals. Spencer Bledsoe, a 21-year-old college student from Chicago, IL, is an Economics major at the University of Chicago. Spencer tied for first place in the World Open chess tournament and admits, "I certainly don't look diabolical or a genius, both of which I am". David Samson is also on the Brains tribe. He is 45 years old and the President of the Miami Marlins, a major league baseball team, and lives in Plantation, FL. David says, "In baseball, there is only one winner at the end. SURVIVOR is the same. So, I've been playing this game for a long time". Next is Kassandra "Kass" McQuillen, a 41-year-old undefeated attorney from Tehachapi, CA. She feels others will assume that she will be just the mom of the tribe, but boasts, "I am more cunning and ruthless than 95% of the population". Heading to the island in a speedboat is the Beauty tribe.

Episode Viewers and Ratings

Season 28 Episode 1 of Survivor was watched by 9,400,000 viewers, resulting in a 2.40 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

Is Survivor Renewed or Cancelled for Season 29?

Survivor Season 28 Episodes...

• s28e01 - Hot Girl With a Grudge: Season 28 Premier 'Survivor: Cagayan - Brawn vs. Brains vs. Beauty' cast is introduced
• s28e02 - Cops-R-Us
• s28e03 - Our Time to Shine
• s28e04 - Odd One Out
• s28e05 - We Found Our Zombies
• s28e06 - Head of the Snake
• s28e07 - Mad Treasure Hunt
• s28e08 - Bag of Tricks
• s28e09 - Sitting in My Spy Shack
• s28e10 - Chaos Is My Friend
• s28e11 - Havoc to Wreak
• s28e12 - Straw That Broke the Camel's Back
• s28e13 - It's Do or Die
• s28e14 - Survivor: Cagayan Reunion

Survivor Show Summary

The rules of this game are simple: average Americans are abandoned in the middle of some of the most unforgiving places on earth. Divided into teams, they particiapte in challenges and every three days, the losing tribe must trek to Tribal Council to vote out one of their own. Halfway through the game, the game shifts to individual competitions when the tribes merge and become one, making the game every man for himself.

The game is simple: Outwit, Outplay, Outlast, by winning Immunity, thus not being eligible to have votes cast against yourself. However, the players must be careful about who they send packing - after the merge, a jury of seven begins to form, and each week they return to watch the Tribal Council ceremony. At the end of the game, they vote for one of the members of the final two to win One Million Dollars. Who will become the next Survivor?

Generally, each season begins with a twist - something different to surprise the new castaways. Survivor is a game of adaptation, and the final two of each season, listed below, were the players most able to adapt to their surroundings and to the people they are playing with. Survivor focuses on the people, and the social commentary that surrounds them. How can these players Outwit, Outplay, and Outlast is the question that the game revolves around.