Survivor 20 could be All Stars: Heroes vs. Villains
Apparently first season winner Richard Hatch, who's serving the last three months of his tax evasion incarceration under house arrest, petitioned the court to try and get out early so he could participate in the forthcoming ten-year anniversary cycle of Survivor. While CBS and Richard Hatch attempted to keep their efforts to get Hatch on the show private, apparently the U.S. Attorney's office wasn't so careful as Providence's NBC affiliate got their hands on the request and went public with it.
The "All-Star" seasons of Survivor have been hit or miss with me. Inevitably things get interesting toward the end, because no matter how much I hate the contestants in a season it always comes together by the end.
The big problem is that all-star incentive for being there is never as strong as the first time. The last all-star season we had multiple contestants just quit. It takes the momentum out of the series and belittles the significance of their earlier achievements. First-time contestants usually need or want the money so badly they'd never even consider walking away; and the few that do are chastised by host Jeff Probst and everyone else.
Considering what's at stake, those of us at home who aren't playing can't help but get frustrated when someone just decides to stop trying and quit. Hell, I wouldn't quit, we think to ourselves. And what about the person they cut so this loser could be on the show? So when you have your best of the best walking because they don't really care and they're only there to get more face time with a camera in front of America, we start to lose interest in the whole thing.
It's the same reason I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here was such a train wreck with Speidi quitting over and over again. The stakes aren't as high for someone who doesn't need the money in their day-to-day lives, or for someone who's just an attention whore. Survivor works when your contestants are there because they love the game and/or they desperately need that money to turn their own lives around.
While I fear an "All-Stars: Heroes vs. Villains" theme, as the rumor goes, at the same time I can't help but be intrigued. Cast correctly it could be brilliant. Bring back Jonny Fairplay (so he can quit again) and you might have the next The Amazing Race: Family Edition on your hands. But there are some amazing contestants on both sides of the proposed spectrum from all through the series run. I'm sure Coach would love another chance at a warrior alliance. And if Rudy Boesch is up for it, we'd all love to see him again. Who would you cast in a "Heroes vs. Villains" All-Star Survivor?

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