Survivor: Panama

Production/Casting
Applications were due on June 17, 2005. Around August 2005, 800 applicants were invited for an interview by CBS. Out of these 800, 48 of them were selected as semi-finalists and they invited to Los Angeles in September 2005. From these semi-finalists, 16 were chosen the show and filming took place in November to December 2005.

Twists/Changes

 * Exile Island: After a Reward Challenge, players may banish a player from the rival tribe to Exile Island. This island (entirely separate from the existing camps) will force to the banished player to fend for him/herself until the upcoming Immunity Challenge (unless stated otherwise). The player would not be left in despair, for he/she will be given clues for a Hidden Immunity Idol that is hidden somewhere in the island.
 * Rehashed Hidden Immunity Idol Mechanism: Unlike the previous season where the Hidden Immunity Idol is used like the Immunity Necklace, the mechanism of using the Idol was now changed. Instead of revealing the idol before voting, the owner must draw it when he/she had enough votes to eliminate him/her. The votes cast against that player will be considered spoilt, while the person that gets the second highest amount of votes will be eliminated instead. The idol is useable until the Day 36 Tribal Council.
 * Four Tribes: For the first time in the series, the castaways were divided in four tribes of four.
 * Tribe Division: These four tribes are defined according to age and gender, thus having tribes of Older Men (La Mina), Younger Men (Viveros), Younger Women (Bayoneta) and Older Women (Casaya)
 * Tribe Shuffle: In Day 4, the tribes were mixed up. Viveros and Bayoneta were disbanded, while randomly dividing the contestants into the new Casaya and La Mina tribes. But because odd numbers, the last unpicked player goes to Exile Island and was given immunity. He/she will stay there until the tribe that loses the next Immunity Challenge already finished the task of voting out one of their own. After the vote, the exiled player will join that tribe.