AllMovie

Survivor returns to the coast of Panama, site of the previous season's Pearl Island competition, for its eighth season on CBS. This time around, the 18 contestants have been culled from all seven past Survivor seasons: four players from the original Survivor; five from Survivor: The Australian Outback; three from Survivor: Africa; two from Survivor: Marquesas; and one each from Survivor: Thailand, Survivor: The Amazon, and Survivor: Pearl Islands. Among these were three former "sole survivors": Richard Hatch, Jenna Morasca, and Tina Wesson. Amazingly, none of the contestants are aware of the others' identities when they are initially dropped off on their island by a Panamanian military escort. However, they rapidly become acquainted (and in some instances re-acquainted) as they're divided into three tribes: the Saboga, the Mogo Mogo, and the Chapera. Given nothing but their canteens (no instructions, no fire supplies, no outside help), the 18 returnees embark upon their 39-day ordeal, replete with nostalgically recreated challenges from their earlier go-rounds. By the end of day three, one of them (ironically, one of the longest survivors from an earlier season) is voted off the island.