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Episode 1 - "They'd Better Stay On My Good Side"

On the Shores of Treasure Island

Twenty Americans from different walks of life sit on outrigger canoes, paddling in towards the shore of a Samoan beach, unaware of the adventure about to unfold that will change one person's life for a million dollars. Their home for the next thirty-nine days is torn from the pages of the famous story, Treasure Island. The scenery is beautiful with massive waterfalls and clear water as far as the eye can see. A beautiful array of sealife awaits the cast in the waters beneath.

The castaways have been divided into two teams of ten, seperated on their canoes by tribe color. They have yet to speak even a single word to one another, yet already, first impressions have formed. Russell Hantz, the 36-year-old oil company owner from Dayton, Texas, sizes up his tribe "We've got two young blondes, a hippie chick, a old lady, an even older guy…these people are gonna need me a helluva lot more than I'm gonna need them, that's for sure." Meanwhile, Russell Swan, the 42-year-old attorney from Glenside, Pennsylvania, has a much more positive outlook on his tribemates "Just looking at my team…we've got a LOT of characters. This should be a fun thirty-nine days."

Let the Games Begin

The tribes pull their canoes to the shore and carry their respective tribe flags to the mats before congregating as teams. Marisa Calihan, the 26-year-old student from Cinncinati, Ohio, gives her opinion on the whole experience "I come from a big family. We're very diverse. And I think that's gonna help me here, because I've had experience with living with a large group of people, sharing food and not getting all that I want sometimes." John Fincher, the 25-year-old rocket scientist from Los Angeles, California, describes how his gameplay is going to work out "I'm a rocket scientist. I know that I'm smarter than most of these people. And I think it's gonna be hard for me to just sit back and let them make their own mistakes." Laura Morett, the 39-year-old office manager from Salem, Oregon, talks about her family life "I'm 39 years old, and I'm a mother and a grandmother. I know I'm a bit young, but my granddaughter is just a little miracle and I thank God for her, every day." Ashley Trainer, the 22-year-old spa sales rep from Maple Grove, Minnesota, talks about what Survivor means to her "I have been the biggest fan of the show since the very beginning. It's just a dream come true to make it here. I still can't believe I'm in Samoa playing Survivor."

The Power is Yours

Jeff welcomes the players as they stand, eager to begin the game. He tells them that the yellow tribe is Foa Foa and that the purple tribe is Galu. but he tells them that right off the bat, they will be making a very big decision that could impact the entire thirty-nine days. He tells the players that they will be voting to elect a tribal chief, who will make their decisions and will play a vital role in the tribe's life. He tosses a bag to each tribe containing parchment and pens, and they get to work casting their votes. Shannon Waters, the 45-year-old sales rep from Renton, Washington, discusses the twist "I'm a former marine, so yeah, I think I'd make a good leader. The question is: do I WANT to be the leader?" Jaison Robinson, the 28-year-old law student from Chicago, Illinois, expresses similar doubts "I'm thinking that these people could definitely choose me to be their leader, but I really don't want that target on my back right off the bat."

Everyone having voted, Jeff asks the players to reveal their votes, starting with Galu. Kelly Sharbaugh, the 25-year-old hairstylist from Los Angeles, California, explains her vote "When we get on the beach, there's one guy I thought to myself 'he's gonna be our leader'. I mean, he looks like a nice guy, rockin' the dreads and everything." Although Russell S. votes for Shannon, everyone else in the tribe votes for him unanimously. He comments on his election "I kinda expected that people might vote for me, and I might even get elected leader. I've got a lot of work to do if I want to live up to their expectations."

Jeff then moves over to Foa Foa. Russell H. explains his vote for Ashley "I wanted to be the leader, and this girls looks naïve and no way in hell was anyone else was gonna vote for her, so that means my vote don't even matter." Despite Russell's plan, though, he only receives three votes, from Jaison, Ben and Betsy, while the remaining six all vote for Jaison. Jaison discusses his concerns over being appointed leader "It's not a good feeling to be singled out as the leader on the first day. Like, I can't stay under-the-radar and people are always going to be waiting for me to slip up. It's a lot of pressure." Meanwhile, Russell H. expresses his irritation at being passed over for the job "I run my own oil company. I'm a multi-millionaire. If there's anyone more suited to run this tribe, I haven't seen 'em. They made a big mistake, picking a boy to do a man's work."

Reward/Immunity Challenge 1 - Do Your Part

Jeff announces the two tribes' first reward challenge. The two leaders will have to divide the group up into three groups: four strong players, two fast players, and four smart players. The strong players will start in a wide, marked section of beach, and will have to dig to find puzzle pieces. When they dig up a piece, they pass it off to the fast players, who have to run down the beach and deliver it to the puzzle solvers. The puzzle solvers will have to use the puzzle pieces to complete a puzzle and win reward. Jeff also mentions that there are several dummy pieces that do not fit in the puzzle itself, so the castaways will have to be careful. Finally, Jeff reveals that the winning tribe will gain their flint and an extra bag of rice and beans, which will benefit their tribe in the coming days.

For Galu, Russell S. chooses himself, John, Erik, and Shannon to dig, Yasmin and Brett to run, and Laura, Kelly, Dave, and Monica to solve the puzzle. For Foa Foa, Jaison chooses Russell H., Mick, Ben and Ashley to dig, himself and Natalie to run, and Marisa, Mike, Betsy and Liz to solve the puzzle. Mike Borassi, the 62-year-old personal chef from Marina del Rey, California, discusses his choice "It's kinda tough being in the puzzle group, because there's no real chance for me to shine…but I guess it's better than being the old guy trying to keep up in the physical parts."

Jeff issues the standard "Survivors ready! Go!" and the two digging groups go to town on their respective pits. Shannon and Erik in particular tear into the sand, quickly unearthing a puzzle piece and passing it off to Yasmin and Brett for the next leg of the challenge. Russell H. on Foa Foa leads the way for his team, shoveling as much dirt out of the way as possible first, so the rest of the team has less to dig to reach the pieces.

The challenge progresses and Galu has a slight lead, although it seems the hefty pieces are taking their toll on Yasmin, who winds up winded beside her tribe's pit as they search for pieces. Meanwhile, Jaison is practically powering through the entire running portion by himself. Russell and Ben begin unearthing more pieces, but they still lag behind Galu by a one piece gap.

At the puzzle portion, Dave and Laura attempt to put together the pieces they have, but several don't seem to fit quite right. Dave brings up that they might have some of the decoy pieces, but Laura insists on changing around the whole puzzle to try and work everything together. Mike takes charge of Foa Foa and his tribe seems to be working well together, finding the right pieces for the right spots and forming the right half of the puzzle with what appears to be perfection.

Galu finds their ninth piece, but it takes a Herculean effort to bring it to the puzzle-builders, as Yasmin collapses along the way, needing Brett to help her up as Jaison passes them with Foa Foa's ninth piece. Yasmin, Brett and Jaison run back to their pits as the diggers continue digging furiously. Foa Foa appears near to completion of their puzzle. Galu, in the mean time, continues to struggle, unable to distinguish real pieces versus decoys. Foa Foa runs into a snag, but Liz tosses aside a decoy piece and slides their final piece into place. Jeff announces their victory as the remaining Foa Foa tribe members run back to celebrate. Galu trudges back, defeated, and the two tribes stand on their mats for the official announcement.

Two for the Road

Jeff hands Foa Foa their flint and the extra bags of food, but announces that he has one more twist in store for the tribes. He reveals that BOTH tribes will be going to tribal council and each tribe will lose one member. Yasmin feels anxiety over the news "I didn't expect us to be going to tribal council right away, and I don't think I performed well in this challenge…and I don't want to be goin' home because of that." Jeff continues on to reveal that, in addition to both tribes attending tribal council, the two tribal chiefs will have a special role as they, for one tribal council only, will be casting the sole vote to eliminate a player from the game. Russell S. was shocked by this news "I basically control the game right now. I can send whoever home I want, for any reason. So…they'd better stay on my good side. Haha." Jeff tosses maps to both tribes so they can paddle to their new homes, and sends them on their ways.

No Rest for the Wicked

The Foa Foa tribe arrives at camp and there's a quick period of greeting, during which Mick congratulates both Jaison and Russell for performing so well during the challenge, a sentiment which is quickly echoed. When setting up the tribe's shelter, Russell quickly takes charge of the situation, directing the younger tribe members on what they need to do. Russell H. explains his abrasive attitude "If you want somethin' done right, you have to do it yourself. And in this case, I've gotta make sure these kids get this done right, 'cause I don't wanna sleep without a roof over my head tonight." Meanwhile, several of his tribemates seem irritated by his bossiness, including Marisa. She says "He thinks we need him to tell us what do do, but we're ALL adults here. We know how to work and if he keeps this up, life at this camp is going to be unbearable."

Sour Grapes

Upon arriving at their camp, the tribe does not come together to begin building their shelter, but instead begins bickering about who was most at fault for the loss. Erik points out Yasmin's panting and difficulty with the running portion, which causes Laura to chime in, in agreement. Dave, however points out that Laura's panicking and inability to listen to the other puzzle-makers, may have caused problems for the tribe. Laura responds by bringing up the fact that they couldn't solve the puzzle anyway if the digging team didn't give them all the correct pieces. Dave had grown irritated with Laura "That woman needs to learn to keep her mouth shut, because she just keeps talking and there isn't a word coming out that's even partially accurate."

Girl Power

The younger girls on the tribe have gathered on the beach and are scouring the shore for hermit crabs or and sort of possible shellfish. Marisa brings up the subject of the girls sticking together and making a pact not to vote against each other, which Liz, Natalie and Ashley agree to. Marisa feels it's necessary to her game to make this alliance "I work better with other women. I'm not saying I'm not gonna give the guys a chance, but I want to have a solid group I can count on." The girls discuss bringing in Betsy or Mike for numbers, and Ashley mentions that they both seem trustworthy. She then expresses her feelings about the new alliance "I think it's a REALLY smart idea. The guys are nice and all, but when it gets down to it, they always have it a little easier in this game, so I think it's important that we girls stick together."

A Spark Without Flint

Erik, John and Brett work shirtless on setting up their tribe's shelter while Russell S.helps to direct the work flow. Off to the side, Monica and Kelly both work on fastening together a roof made of palm fronds. Monica looks over at the guys and describes what she's thinking "I'm not gonna lie, we got some definite cuties on this tribe. John's the best though. He's someone I wouldn't mind sticking together with…for a while." John, meanwhile shares similar feelings about Monica "We got to camp and I'm thinking 'This girl is gorgeous.' It's getting toward nightfall and I'm already prepared to keep her nice and warm."

Tougher Than Expected

It's morning and Foa Foa is waking up to start the day. Mike remains in the shelter, however, feeling woozy and really not wanting to be up and about. He feels as though the first night took a lot out of him "I'm sixty-two years old and this game is kickin' my ass just one day in. I can't give up though. This is my dream." Mick, the tribe's resident physician, comments on Mike's condition "When Mike is up and about, he's a great guy, but he's the oldest person in the game and it's gonna make life difficult for him if he stays out here." However, after some time passes, Mick and Jaison help Mike out of the shelter and he joins the rest of the tribe, helping to cook their breakfast.

God's Will

The Galu tribe gathers in the center of the camp at Laura's request for a prayer circle in which she thanks God for the people on her tribe and for giving them all the chance to play Survivor. Kelly comments on the event "I don't have a problem with Laura believing what she wants to believe, but not everyone is like her, and she needs to understand that." Laura, meanwhile, discusses her beliefs "I am very religious and very spiritual, and having God in my life and knowing he's watching over me while I'm out here is very important to me, and I just want my tribe to feel the same way I do." The rest of her tribe goes along with her circle, although Dave is displeased by the whole ordeal "Gimme a break here. Laura's just ASKING for people to vote her out at this point."

Caught in the Middle

Marisa, Natalie and Ashley are chatting down at the beach and are spotted by Russell H., who shares his thoughts on what's happening "I see those girls getting' cozy with Marisa runnin' the show and it makes me uncomfortable. I mean, they ain't the kind of women that have much use for me, and I don't want to have them comin' after me down the road." Russell approaches Jaison about the upcoming vote and offers and alliance, using their common bond of strength in the challenge as a reason to work together, while pushing Marisa as a threat to rally the women together.

Marisa and Liz approach Jaison later on and target Russell, feeling him to have been bossy during the building of the shelter and believing that his personality will only serve to split the tribe up more as the game goes on. Having both sides vying for his vote, Jaison weighs his options "On the one hand, Russell's someone who's hard to trust, just because he WANTS to be the leader, and that's my job. On the other hand, I know that people could see me as a threat, and the girls could easily team up to take me out. So I'm in a tough spot right now because I don't know which side I should choose."

The Good of the Many or the Good of the One

Knowing that Russell S. will be casting the sole vote at tribal council, he is approached by several other players, including Brett, Yasmin and Dave, to vote out Laura for irritating the tribe. However, sensing danger, Laura approaches Russell for an alliance, appealing to his best interests by offering complete loyalty. She also attempts to find common ground to further her case "Russell's a dad. I'm a mom. We're the parents of this tribe and I think he can see that I have kids back home and winning this money is very important to me." She targets Dave, believing him to be a bad seed that was just as much at fault as herself during the puzzle portion of the challenge. Russell S. considers his options "A lot of people on this tribe don't like Laura. But if I keep her around, not only do I have a loyal ally who I know will have my back, but I've got a loyal ally who people will be gunning for over me. So I need to decide what the best move for MY game is right now."

Tribal Council # 1 - Foa Foa Tribe

Tribal council begins with Jeff asking about the initial vote for leader. Russell H. says that he has run businesses before, and while he has no problem with letting Jaison run things his way, he feels that he has a lot of leadership experience as well. Jaison says that he would gladly give up his position to Russell, because he doesn't like the pressure it has earned him. Jeff asks Ashley why she voted for Jaison to be leader, and she answers that he was tall and looked like a strong guy, and that's what the tribe needs in a leader for the challenges.

Jeff then moves on to asking about camp life. Marisa chimes in by saying that when it came to building the shelter or doing tasks around camp, Russell took over and gave orders without really listening to anyone else. Russell H. responds with "Things needed to get done and I got them done, didn't I?" Jeff asks Mike about what camp is like as the oldest player in the game. He answers by saying that life is tough for him and that it's harder for him to get around and get things done, but it's his dream to be on Survivor, and he fought hard during the challenge to prove that he deserves to be in the game.

Jeff then asks about alliances, and Natalie chimes in to say that she feels like it's too early in the game for people to really be considering alliances. This sets Russell H. off as he retorts that he's seen her and the other young girls going off by themselves, and that he has to wonder if that's not an alliance. Marisa talks back to him, saying that she likes talking with the other girls and maybe if he had a better attitude, she would talk more with Russell. Jeff asks Jaison about the conflict between Russell and Marisa, and he answers that it's only three days into the game and he knows that unless a tribe is united, they're going to lose.

Jeff then asks Jaison to step up and stand before his tribe, where he will announce, publically, who he is voting out. Jaison steps forward and gives a speech about his decision "I really didn't want to be in this position, but you guys elected me as your leader, and I feel like I've gotta do what's best for the tribe. There's conflict, but I think we need to work through, not try to excise the problem. This decision is one that I think benefits us as a team, even though it kills me to have to do it. I've gotta vote for you, MIKE. I know you want to be out here with the rest of us, but you're not doing well. I'm worried about you and I know the rest of the tribe is too, and we only want to make sure you hang in there. I'm really sorry, man."

Jaison having made his decision, Mike accepts defeat gracefully and stands up, bringing his torch to Jeff to be snuffed, officially making Mike Borassi the first person voted out of Survivor: Samoa. He waves goodbye to his tribe and wishes them good luck with the rest of the game. Jeff them dismisses the tribe with a caution about allowing themselves to be divided, and Foa Foa heads off into the night.

Tribal Council # 2 - Galu Tribe

Jeff begins by asking the tribe about their loss in the very first challenge of the game. Dave starts by mentioning that while they didn't have all the pieces they needed, Laura's attempts to control the puzzle did not help in any way during the challenge. Laura snaps back at him, saying that he was arguing with her just as much as she was arguing with him. Dave brings up the fact that the other tribe was united and worked together, and they won the challenge because of it. Jeff then asks Yasmin about her own failure during the challenge, to which she jokingly replies by thanking Jeff for bringing that up again, as though people hadn't completely forgotten about it, but states that the running portion of the challenge was difficult, and she just wants to look past that and move on.

Jeff asks how things have been around camp and Shannon talks about how the tribe worked well together when it came to that aspect of camp life. The guys handled the building and heavy lifting while the girls worked on the smaller things. Erik brings up the fact that Laura has begun a daily ritual of prayer at the camp that he thinks is taking things a little too far. Laura is upset by the disrespect her spirituality has been shown, and once again loops things right back to Dave. Dave says Laura's trying to pin everything on him because she knows she's going home and Laura retorts that it's Russell's decision who goes home tonight, not his.

Jeff then asks Russell S. about his leadership position, and he responds by saying that he's got a good team that can work well together, but there's definitely some conflict that needs to be stomped out. He also mentions that there are several options of who he can send home, and it's been a difficult decision for him to have to make, cutting someone's game short all by himself. Jeff asks him to step up and make his decision. Russell S. steps forward and makes his voting speech "I know that this is solely my decision, but I think a good leader needs to listen to his team and value ALL of their opinions. And that's why I'm voting out LAURA tonight."

Laura gathers up her bag and brings her torch to Jeff, where he snuffs it, leaving her to take the walk of shame with only a small, sad wave goodbye at the rest of her tribe, as she is the second person voted out of Survivor: Samoa. Jeff comments that there was a lot of conflict within the tribe, but he hopes that they've managed to remove the problem. He then gives them their flint and sends them back to camp.

Mike's Final Words:

Mike Borassi, disappointed, but still managing to remain upbeat, heads out of the game, leaving his final words of joy and happiness for simply having the opportunity to live his dream and play Survivor. He has no hard feelings towards Jaison in any way, and is happy that his tribe stuck by him through the tough experience he went through. He particularly thanks Mick, who he felt was a good friend and a great doctor, and he wishes Foa Foa and Galu all the best of luck.

Laura's Final Words:

Laura Morett cries as she gives her final words, feeling betrayed and upset to have had the whole tribe turn against her so fast. She expresses hurt at Russell having voted her out when she felt that they had truly bonded and become friends. She also offers harsh words towards both Dave and Erik, whom she felt were overly critical of her spirituality. However, she ends on a happy note, saying that there are trials in everyone's life, and she will simply have to persevere through this one.

Episode 2 - Undisclosed Title

On Galu, with Laura voted out, a new player makes themselves a target while another steps up into a power position.

On Foa Foa, the rivalry between Russell and Marisa intensifies, forcing players to pick sides.