Survivor: Guatemala

Survivor: Guatemala - The Mayan Empire (known simply as Survivor: Guatemala) is the eleventh season of the US reality show Survivor.

Production/Casting
Applications were due January 14, 2005. Around March, 800 applicants were selected for an interview by CBS. Out of these 800, 48 semi-finalists were selected to go to Los Angeles sometime around April 2005. There, 16 of the nominees were chosen to participate on the show. Shooting began in June and ended in August.

This season also features the return of Survivor: Palau fan favorites Stephenie LaGrossa and Bobby Jon Drinkard, raising the number of contestants to 18. Other notable contestants include former beauty queen and model-turned radio announcer Danni Boatwright and ex-NFL quarterback Gary Hogeboom.

Twists/Changes

 * One returnee per tribe: Two former contestants return for another chance to win, one for each tribe.
 * Tribe Switch: On Day 8 a tribe switch occured.
 * Double Tribal Council: On one occasion, both tribes have to attend Tribal Council. They play for reward, with the winners competing for individual immunity and the opportunity to observe the losing tribe's Tribal Council, and vote for one person to receive immunity.
 * Hidden Immunity Idol: Located around the Xhakúm campsite is a small wooden totem that can be used as a form of individual immunity. Clues are given to winners of challenges. The Idol is played before the vote to detract particular voting blocs from targeting the player in question. Once the idol is played, it is discarded.

Season Summary
Sixteen players were split into two tribes named Nakúm and Yaxhá after two Mayan cities. Each tribe was joined by a contestant from Survivor: Palau, Bobby Jon Drinkard (Nakúm) and Stephenie LaGrossa (Yaxhá).

The first challenge was an 11 mile overnight trek through the jungle to the Mayan ruins, with the tribe to get there first winning additional supplies and the right to to stay at the site, while the losers have to travel to another location to establish their camp. The long trek was hard on both tribes, and continued to affect the contestants' health for the following days. The men of Nakúm were affected the most: Judd Sergeant was nauseous, Jim Lynch tore his biceps, Blake Towsley embedded needles of a poisonous plant, and Bobby Jon collapsed from dehydration and fatigue. Despite all the setbacks, Nakúm was more successful at the challenges in the first nine days, losing only one tribe member (Jim), while Yaxhá went to Tribal Council twice, where they eliminated the least productive members - Morgan McDevitt and Brianna Varela.

Meanwhile, Gary Hogeboom of the Yaxhá tribe was trying to hide his true identity. He knew that he might get voted off if the others find out he was a former NFL player. During one challenge, however, Danni Boatwright, being a sportscaster, identified him. Gary continued to deny it, and claim he was a landscaper, and that his last name is Hawkins, not Hogeboom.

A Tribe Switch occurred on Day 10, leaving Bobby Jon, Danni, Blake, and Brandon Bellinger in the majority at their new tribe - Yaxhá. The new Nakúm had four original members left, and they were joined by four Yaxhá. Immediately after the swap, Stephenie and Jamie Newton formed an alliance with Judd to take control of Nakúm. Rafe Judkins, Cindy Hall, and Lydia Morales also joined this new group. Though the two tribes performances were fairly even in wins and losses, a crucial Immunity Challenge won by Nakúm put them in a decisive 6-4 lead going into the merge. It occurred on Day 18, right after the last pre-merge Tribal Council. The merged tribe's name was Xhakúm a portmanteau of the original tribes' names. Upon merging, the new tribe was informed that a Hidden Immunity Idol was located in the jungle. The advantage Stephenie's alliance had helped them eliminate two of their rivals - Brandon and Bobby Jon - at the first post-merge Tribal Councils.

Judd received a clue to the whereabouts of the Hidden Immunity Idol after winning a Reward Challenge. It said that the Idol was hidden somewhere above the ground. To distract the other players, Judd told the other contestants the opposite of what the clue said. Gary, however, wasn't fooled. He followed Judd into the jungle, and saw where he was looking for the Idol. Gary then found it before Judd could, and used it to save himself from being eliminated. Meanwhile, Jamie was becoming increasingly paranoid, and the majority alliance decided to turn against him and spare Gary one more time. Using Judd's lie to his advantage, Gary tried to convince Stephenie's alliance to keep him in the game, but this time it didn't help, and he was the next out. Gary's words did convince the former Nakúm members that Judd could not be trusted. This, combined with his obnoxious behavior, got him blindsided at the next Tribal Council.

With five contestants remaining, Cindy was given an opportunity to gain everybody's favor at a car reward challenge. Jeff Probst reminded Cindy of the infamous "Car Curse", and offered her to give up the car she just won, and give a car to everybody else. Cindy refused and opted to keep her reward. This act angered the four other contestants, and gave them a good reason to vote her out. Lydia, the most likeable of the final four, was next to go. At the final Immunity Challenge, Stephenie was unable to beat Danni, leaving Danni to decide whether to take her to the final instead of Rafe. Danni was told by Rafe that she did not have to stay true to a deal they agreed upon earlier, according to which she would take him to the Final Two. Danni decided that she would fare better against Stephenie, and eliminated Rafe. The Jury at the Final Tribal Council was angry at Stephenie for the way she played the game and her numerous betrayals. Danni, on the other hand, drew less criticism and with six votes to one she was crowned the 11th Sole Survivor.

Trivia

 * This is the first season of Survivor to include both new players and returning players.
 * This is the first season of the "one returnee per tribe" format.
 * Guatemala is one of two seasons of this format, in which all returnees made the merge (the second one is Survivor: South Pacific).
 * This is the only season in which all the returning players improved upon their placements compared to their previous seasons.
 * This is the first season of Survivor to feature the Hidden Immunity Idol.
 * This is the first time someone found and played an Idol.
 * Wanda Shirk, Jonathan Libby, Michael Skupin, and Rodger Bingham were considered as returnees, before the decision was made to recall Stephenie and Bobby Jon.
 * This is the only season so far with no African-American contestants.
 * This is the first season where a new player defeated a returning player in the final tribal council.
 * This season and Survivor: Caramoan are the only season to have no first-time contestants return in a future season.