My Cast Assessment:Okay, as I mentioned before, I don't know any of these people at all - which is the case every season for me - so I do enjoy getting to know the players as the game progresses. This allows me to be less biased in my judgements of players, which means that by the time this season is done, some of these people will love me and others will hate my guts for the things I said about them. Thankfully, we have videos with which to base our opinions on this early and I also listened to the round table for a little more insight on each player.
JACMELDerek - Derek seems to be the most well-rounded player on Jacmel at this stage. He is enthusiastic, but seems a little more grounded and level-headed than some of the other players in his tribe. I see him being the most strategic, while being able to maintain enough invisibility and likability to allow him to maneuver through this game and unite different personalities as the middle man. I think he has the best shot to do well in this game over the others.
Nikki - Nikki is awfully similar to Yap in terms of personality, but I think she may have an edge over him in terms of longevity. I see her as slightly wiser, but not overly so. I also think she may be able to socialise a bit better with older players. Overall, I am on the fence about how much I like Nikki and I would like to see a little more of her.
Yap - Yap may come across as about as sharp as a marble, but he makes up for that with his enthusiasm. I get flashes of B.K. and Gabe Cohn, with a little hint of Bailey when I watch his videos. I think Yap will do well with the younger people in the game socially, but he will be easy prey for the more seasoned and experienced ORGers in this cast. His biggest obstacle will be to learn to think just for a second longer before he rattles off at the mouth.
Ash - Usually I would be a little harsh on someone who goes by the name of a character from a cartoon, but Ash seems so sweet and endearing. I am intrigued to see how she will do in this game and will be hoping for a stellar Ryan Quanz-esque performance as that young player who becomes a huge ally of the power player/s of the season while secretly having her own brain and own agendas. Hopefully she just adds a little more entertainment value. Sadly, I do see her age and naivety getting the better of her in the game. It is just a question of how late or how early.
Jared - I am not feeling Jared at all, to be honest. He just seems like he will be too sensitive and overly emotional in this game and I can see him annoying a lot of people. Expect him to be that tantrum-y baby if things don't go his way. I think he will self-destruct if there is no twist like the rattle to save him.
Joanne - My guess is that Joanne will be catty and feisty and start fights with people who she doesn't get along with in the game. She is going to be stuck with a lot of youngsters on her tribe and I think she will just end up getting annoyed with them. I like her videos, but I don't see her being able to connect with the majority on her tribe. My hunch is that she and Jared will be on the outs of the Jacmel tribe where they will pick her off first, allowing Jared a chance to float a little.
LES CAYESAshlee - She looks a bit young to be a parent! How old is she? Anyway, I get a sense of likability to Ashlee that will help her do well in the game. Sh has more personality than most of her tribemates, so I don't see the social part of this game being a problem for her.
Kevin - He seems like a good guy, but don't expect to see fireworks here. He is just a little less interesting than most of the other level-headed, down-to-earth players so far. I think the one thing standing in his way is his undying desire to be a loyal and likable player. Ironically it is probably the one thing that will allow him to go as far as he can before some of the savvier players in his alliance send him packing. He can go far in this game if he finds himself in the right alliance, but I don't think he has what it takes to win.
Charlie - Gross. He is just the epitome of everything that is wrong with society. He doesn't work and is unashamed to leach off of his boyfriend, while placing a high priority on material possessions and partying it up and becoming a loud, obnoxious, drunken mess. He has the personal depth of a bottle cap. The sad thing is that he probably lives for these games and will probably eat some of the more placid people in this game alive. In his tribe he is a crack-addled wolf in a paddock of lambs. I see him stirring up drama, and getting away with it at least until some time during the merge.
Brandon - He seems nice, but he is sooo boring so far. I hope his confessionals will show a little more personality, because I want to like him. I also don't see him putting up much of a fight in this game. Lets hope he proves me wrong.
Chandni - Chutney, as I shall now refer to her, is in the same boat as Brandon for now. Nice, but super boooring and just comes across as super meek. People are calling her Kirin 2.0, but I don't see it. Is it because she is young and Indian? That is like comparing Tony Vlachos to Russell Hantz. Sure, both are short; stocky bald guys who play aggressive games - but they are worlds apart. One was mean, narcissistic and vindictive - while the other is super paranoid, but has a giddy love for the game and acknowledges strengths in the games of his opposition. To me, Chutney just doesn't have the same level of likability and personality that Kirin does - but it is still early and she may yet just blow me away as the game progresses. Heres hoping...
Katie - Who? No seriously. 10 seconds is not enough to form an opinion of somebody, so I wont even try.
LIBERTETaylor - I can see Taylor using his looks to charm the other players in this game. It has worked well for players before, so with Taylor it is a question of whether or not he can use his charm like Kurtis did in Mexico - or will he coast along comfortably like Jedda did in India and ultimately run out of moves. Either way, I see him doing well.
Christina - I really enjoyed Christina in her video! She seems so fun and easy-going, but there is some authenticity to her, She is lively and I think she will actively seek out people to bond with and look for their best points. She is one of my early favorites and I hope she goes deep in the game.
Vic - Vic didn't really stand out for me in terms of personality, but I think that he will fair decently enough. I see Vic as someone who will try to take charge in the game, based off of his assertive way of speaking. I think he will be the player with the big target on his back that people will try to hide behind. I dont see him winning, but I see him making a mark in the iSurv1vor series.
Amanda - She is supposedly a big deal in the facebook ORG community, but that doesn't usually translate well in iS. She seems personable enough to do well, so she has a lot of potential. The biggest concern I have for her is the fact that there are a lot more youngsters in this season than there are older players. If she is adaptable and socially able to connect with younger people, she will obviously do well, so it just a question of whether or not she CAN.
Jacob - He seems like a goofball, but that is really all I can gather from his videos. I know nothing about him and have no idea what to think. On a side note, I think it is absolutely hilarious that @joeg replaced his old friend Jacob with a new Jacob for the iSurv1vor series
Jenn - I want to root for her, but she seems a little shy and I don't see her making many deep connections. I see her as an early outsider who will be an easy boot if the tribe ever loses, so I am afraid that she won't be around too long.
(Good job though, selecting the winner based of first impressions lol)