Survivor: Guatemala, also known as Survivor: Guatemala — The Maya Empire, is the eleventh season of the U.S. reality show Survivor.
Danni Boatwright was crowned the Sole Survivor after beating Stephenie LaGrossa in a 6-1 landslide, only losing the vote of Rafe Judkins.
Contents
Production
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 10, a tribe switch occurred.
- 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.
Castaways
| Contestant | Tribe Affiliation | Finish | Votes Against | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Tribe | Switched Tribe | Merged Tribe | ||||
|
Jim Lynch 63, Northglenn, CO Retired Fire Captain |
Nakúm | 1st Voted Out Day 3 |
8 | ||
|
Morgan McDevitt 21, Decatur, IL Magician's Assistant |
Yaxhá | 2nd Voted Out Day 6 |
8 | ||
|
Brianna Varela 21, Edmonds, WA Retail Salesperson |
Yaxhá | 3rd Voted Out Day 8 |
7 | ||
|
Brooke Struck 25, Hood River, OR Law Student |
Nakúm | Nakúm | 4th Voted Out Day 11 |
5 | |
|
Blake Towsley 24, Dallas, TX Real Estate Broker |
Nakúm | Yaxhá | 5th Voted Out Day 14 |
5 | |
|
Margaret Bobonich 43, Chardon, OH Nursing Practitioner |
Nakúm | Nakúm | 6th Voted Out Day 15 |
7 | |
|
Brian Corridan 22, New York City, NY Ivy League Student |
Yaxhá | Yaxhá | 7th Voted Out Day 15 |
7 | |
|
Amy O'Hara 39, Revere, MA Police Sargeant |
Yaxhá | Yaxhá | 8th Voted Out Day 18 |
4 | |
|
Brandon Bellinger 22, Manhattan, KS Farmer |
Nakúm | Yaxhá | Xhakúm | 9th Voted Out Day 21 |
6 |
|
Bobby Jon Drinkard 28, Los Angeles, CA Palau |
Nakúm | Yaxhá | 10th Voted Out 1st Jury Member Day 24 |
8 | |
|
Jamie Newton 24, North Hollywood, CA Water Skiing Instructor |
Yaxhá | Nakúm | 11th Voted Out 2nd Jury Member Day 27 |
10 | |
|
Gary Hogeboom 46, Grand Haven, MI Former NFL Quarterback |
Yaxhá | Yaxhá | 12th Voted Out 3rd Jury Member Day 30 |
8 | |
|
Judd Sergeant 34, Ridgefield, NJ Hotel Doorman |
Nakúm | Nakúm | 13th Voted Out 4th Jury Member Day 33 |
5 | |
|
Cindy Hall 30, Naples, FL Zookeeper |
Nakúm | Nakúm | 14th Voted Out 5th Jury Member Day 36 |
6 | |
|
Lydia Morales 42, Lakewood, WA Fishmonger |
Yaxhá | Nakúm | 15th Voted Out 6th Jury Member Day 37 |
10 | |
|
Rafe Judkins 22, Pittsburgh, PA Wilderness Guide |
Yaxhá | Nakúm | 16th Voted Out 7th Jury Member Day 38 |
2 | |
|
Stephenie LaGrossa 25, Toms River, NJ Palau |
Yaxhá | Nakúm | Runner-Up | 2 | |
|
Danni Boatwright 29, Tonganoxie, KS Sports Radio Host |
Nakúm | Yaxhá | Sole Survivor | 1 | |
Season Summary
Sixteen players were split into two tribes named Nakúm and Yaxhá after two Maya cities. Each tribe was joined by a contestant from Survivor: Palau, Bobby Jon Drinkard, who was assigned to Nakúm, and Stephenie LaGrossa, who was assigned to Yaxhá. Yaxhá had a rough start losing two of the first three Immunity Challenges.
After a tribe switch, Stephenie and Jamie Newton formed an alliance with Judd Sergeant to take control of Nakúm, prompting Judd to betray his original tribemates. However, Yaxhá went on a losing streak, and the former Nakúm members proceeded to eliminate the original Yaxhá. Thus, they entered the merge with a 6-4 deficit.
Upon merging, the new tribe was informed that a Hidden Immunity Idol was located in the jungle. Judd received a clue to the whereabouts of the Hidden Immunity Idol after winning a Reward Challenge. However, Gary Hogeboom found the idol and used it at Tribal Council prevented him from being eliminated. This made post-switch Nakúm vote out Bobby Jon, though Gary soon followed. Danni Boatwright survived this Pagonging by winning immunity on Day 33 and making a deal with Rafe Judkins. Eventually, Stephenie, Danni, and Rafe worked together and reached the Final Three. When Danni won the Final Immunity Challenge, she voted Rafe out after he released her from their prior deal.
At the Final Tribal Council, Stephenie was berated for her multiple betrayals, losing to Danni in a 6-1 decision, with the jury praising her effective, stealthy game despite being the last person standing in her alliance.
| Episode | Air date | Challenges | Eliminated (Vote) |
Finish | Viewers (in millions)[2] |
Rating/Share (18-49)[2] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reward | Immunity | |||||||
| 1 | "Big Trek, Big Trouble, Big Surprise" | September 15, 2005 | Nakúm | Yaxhá | Jim (8-1) |
1st Voted Out Day 3 |
18.41 | 6.6/19 |
| 2 | "Man Down" | September 22, 2005 | Nakúm | Nakúm | Morgan (8-1) |
2nd Voted Out Day 6 |
16.98 | 6.1/17 |
| 3 | "The Brave May Not Live Long, but the Cautious Don't Live at All" | September 29, 2005 | Nakúm | Nakúm | Brianna (7-1) |
3rd Voted Out Day 8 |
17.29 | 5.7/16 |
| 4 | "To Betray or Not to Betray" | October 6, 2005 | None | Yaxhá | Brooke (5-3) |
4th Voted Out Day 11 |
17.92 | 6.3/17 |
| 5 | "Crocs, Cowboys and City Slickers" | October 13, 2005 | Yaxhá | Nakúm | Blake (5-2) |
5th Voted Out Day 14 |
17.85 | 6.5/18 |
| 6 | "Big Ball, Big Mouth, Big Trouble" | October 20, 2005 | Nakúm | Rafe | Margaret (6-1) |
6th Voted Out Day 15 |
17.78 | 6.1/17 |
| [Gary]1 | Brian (5-1) |
7th Voted Out Day 15 | ||||||
| 7 | "Surprise Enemy Visit" | October 27, 2005 | Yaxhá | Nakúm | Amy (4-1) |
8th Voted Out Day 18 |
17.38 | 6.2/17 |
| 8 | "The Hidden Immunity Idol" | November 3, 2005 | None | Gary | Brandon (6-4) |
9th Voted Out Day 21 |
18.28 | 6.6/17 |
| 9 | "Secrets and Lies and an Idol Surprise" | November 10, 2005 | Judd [Bobby Jon, Stephenie]2 |
Jamie | Bobby Jon (6-2-1) |
10th Voted Out 1st Jury Member Day 24 |
18.98 | 6.9/19 |
| 10 | "Eating and Sleeping with the Enemy" | November 17, 2005 | Danni, Gary, Judd, Stephenie |
Rafe | Jamie (6-2) |
11th Voted Out 2nd Jury Member Day 27 |
18.82 | 6.4/17 |
| 11 | "Everything Is Personal" | November 24, 2005 | Cindy [Rafe] |
Rafe | Gary (6-1) |
12th Voted Out 3rd Jury Member Day 30 |
19.54 | 6.6/20 |
| 12 | "Price for Immunity" | December 1, 2005 | Survivor Auction |
Danni | Judd (4-2) |
13th Voted Out 4th Jury Member Day 33 |
20.21 | 7.0/N/A |
| 13 | "Big Win, Big Decision, Big Mistake?" | December 8, 2005 | Cindy [Stephenie] |
Stephenie | Cindy (4-1) |
14th Voted Out 5th Jury Member Day 36 |
19.82 | 7.1/19 |
| 14 | "Thunder Storms and Sacrifice" | December 11, 2005 | None | Rafe | Lydia (3-1) |
15th Voted Out 6th Jury Member Day 37 |
21.18 | 7.7/17 |
| Danni | Rafe (1-0) |
16th Voted Out 7th Jury Member Day 38 | ||||||
| Jury Vote | Stephenie (6-1) |
Runner-Up | ||||||
| Danni (6-1) |
Sole Survivor | |||||||
| 15 | "Reunion" | 15.21 | 5.7/14 | |||||
| Notes: | ||||||||
Voting History
| Survivor: Guatemala Voting History | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original Tribes | Switched Tribes | Merged Tribe | ||||||||||||||||||
| Episode #: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | ||||||
| Voted out: |  Jim |
 Morgan |
 Brianna |
 Brooke |
 Blake |
 Margaret |
 Brian |
 Amy |
 Brandon |
 Bobby Jon |
 Jamie |
 Gary |
 Judd |
 Cindy |
 Lydia |
 Rafe |
 Stephenie |
 Danni | ||
| Vote: | 8-1 | 8-1 | 7-1 | 5-3 | 5-2 | 6-1 | 5-1 | 4-1 | 6-4 | 6-2-1 | 6-2 | 6-1 | 4-2 | 4-1 | 3-1 | 1-01 | 6-1 | |||
| ►► | Danni | Jim | — | — | — | Blake | — | Brian | Amy | Jamie | Stephenie | Jamie | Gary | Judd | Cindy | Lydia | Rafe | Jury Vote | ||
| ►► | Stephenie | — | Morgan | Brianna | Brooke | — | Margaret | — | — | Brandon | Bobby Jon | Jamie | Gary | Judd | Cindy | Lydia | None | |||
| ►► | Rafe | — | Morgan | Brianna | Brooke | — | Margaret | — | — | Brandon | Bobby Jon | Jamie | Gary | Judd | Cindy | Lydia | None | Stephenie | ||
| ►► | Lydia | — | Morgan | Brianna | Brooke | — | Margaret | — | — | Brandon | Bobby Jon | Jamie | Gary | Judd | Cindy | Danni | Danni | |||
| ►► | Cindy | Jim | — | — | Lydia | — | Margaret | — | — | Brandon | Bobby Jon | Jamie | Gary | Lydia | Rafe | Danni | ||||
| ►► | Judd | Jim | — | — | Brooke | — | Margaret | — | — | Brandon | Bobby Jon | Gary | Gary | Lydia | Danni | |||||
| ►► | Gary | — | Morgan | Brianna | — | Blake | — | Brian | Amy | Jamie | Cindy | Jamie | Cindy | Danni | ||||||
| ►► | Jamie | — | Morgan | Brianna | Brooke | — | Margaret | — | — | Brandon | Bobby Jon | Gary | Danni | |||||||
| ►► | Bobby Jon | Jim | — | — | — | Blake | — | Brian | Amy | Jamie | Stephenie | Danni | ||||||||
| ►► | Brandon | Jim | — | — | — | Brian | — | Brian | Amy | Jamie | ||||||||||
| ► | Amy | — | Morgan | Brianna | — | Blake | — | Brian | Bobby Jon | |||||||||||
| ► | Brian | — | Morgan | Brianna | — | Blake | — | Bobby Jon | ||||||||||||
| ► | Margaret | Jim | — | — | Lydia | — | Judd | |||||||||||||
| ► | Blake | Jim | — | — | — | Brian | ||||||||||||||
| ► | Brooke | Jim | — | — | Lydia | |||||||||||||||
| Brianna | — | Morgan | Lydia | |||||||||||||||||
| Morgan | — | Lydia | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jim | Margaret | |||||||||||||||||||
| Notes:
^1 Rafe and Stephenie did not vote as they could only vote for were each other. By virtue of winning the final Immunity Challenge, only Danni voted. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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.
- This is the only season with the "one returnee per tribe" format to contain a female returnee.
- This is the first season where a new player defeated a returning player in the Final Tribal Council.
- This is the first season of the "one returnee per tribe" format.
- This is the first season of Survivor to feature the Hidden Immunity Idol.
- This is the only season thus far with no African-American contestants.
- This is the most recent season of Survivor to have a Final Two without any evacuation or quit.
- After Danni was voted out on Winners at War, all of the castaways from Guatemala have been voted out at some point.
- It is the fifth season to gain this distinction. It was preceded by Borneo, Cambodia, Heroes vs. Villains, and Game Changers.
References
| Survivor (US) Seasons |
|---|
|
Borneo • The Australian Outback • Africa • Marquesas • Thailand • The Amazon • Pearl Islands • All-Stars • Vanuatu • Palau • Guatemala • Panama • Cook Islands • Fiji • China • Micronesia • Gabon • Tocantins • Samoa • Heroes vs. Villains • Nicaragua • Redemption Island • South Pacific • One World • Philippines • Caramoan • Blood vs. Water • Cagayan • San Juan del Sur • Worlds Apart • Cambodia • Kaôh Rōng • Millennials vs. Gen X • Game Changers • Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers • Ghost Island • David vs. Goliath • Edge of Extinction • Island of the Idols • Winners at War |
