‘Survivor: Blood vs. Water’ castaway spotlight: Gervase Peterson

There are some castings that are really quite a thrill to see for “Survivor,” and Gervase Peterson is one of them. He was one of the more memorable contestants from the first season of the show and thanks to him being here on “Blood vs. Water,” he sets the record previously held by Mike Skupin for the longest time spent between seasons. While we don’t exactly think that Skupin played the best game of all time on “Survivor: Philippines,” he was very entertaining and we really just hope to see the same thing here.

But can Gervase really get some of the critique that he previously had on him off of his back? The first time around, the rub on him was that he was lazy around camp; on the flip side, he was at least well-liked, and this kept him in the game a lot longer than he may have otherwise been.

Basic details – Gervase Peterson, 43 years old from Philadelphia; here with niece Marissa

Occupation – Cigar lounge owner

Claim to fame – Being one of the most-popular castaways from the first season, and being well-known for that for years thanks to making TV history. He was the last male castaway from Pagong, and famously taped “target” all over his shirt prior to being voted out of the game.

Strengths – When he turned it on, Gervase was a solid competitor, and he could be yet again here if the right challenge comes along. He’s also matured a great deal in the decade-plus since his first go on the island, which is going to make him an extremely dangerous person to have with you for a long time since he already has that likability factor.

Weaknesses – The biggest one for Gervase is a preconceived notion of a guy who was so much younger back when he was in Borneo, and the other stumbling block he runs into here is simply being out of the “Survivor” loop somewhat. Many of these other people have played together and may be friends, while he is the odd man out on his tribe.

Prediction – The good news for Gervase is that Colton and Rupert to us are the easy targets early on, and if he can survive the first few weeks, he should be in the game for a little while. We actually think he is primed to finish around the same sort of spot as last time. He won’t be perceived as a huge threat until around the final seven or eight, and at that point some gamers will take him out, largely fearing that if he gets to the end, a bitter jury could reward him the money.

How well do you think that Gervase is going to do this season? Share in the poll below, and be sure to also click here to check out some more scoop on the other “Survivor: Blood vs. Water” castaways.

Photo: CBS