'Survivor Samoa': Season premiere recap

The 19th season of Survivor saw the latest batch of contestants arrive on the South Pacific island of Samoa hoping to test their survival skills against the elements and each other.

Without having spoken to one another, the contestants were immediately divided into two teams - Galu (purple) and Foa Foa (yellow) and asked to elect a leader to protect the interests of their tribe. Russell S was selected for Galu and Mick for Foa Foa.

For the first reward challenge, a swimmer (Jaison for Foa Foa, John for Galu) had to swim to retrieve a key from the ocean and give it to the strongest person (Russell H, Foa Foa; Erik, Galu) to unlock some heavy log bundles. These bundles had to be carried across the beach to allow the most agile tribe member (Marisa, Foa Foa; Yasmin, Galu) to climb onto a balance beam, get another key, and unlock a puzzle to be solved by the smartest person (Liz, Foa Foa; Shambo, Galu).

Foa Foa won the challenge and were awarded flint for lighting fires.

Later, while setting up camp, Russell H began to set up secret alliances with the girls in Foa Foa arousing Betsy's suspicion. In Galu John's emphasis on planning frustrated ex-marine Shambo.

Russell H spent the first night telling his tribe that he was a Hurricane Katrina survivor and fireman who had lost his pet dog and his home in the storm. He later confessed to camera that he had never lived in New Orleans, never owned a German Shepherd, and never been a firemen. He later emptied all the water out of the tribe's canteens and burned Jaison's socks in order to weed out weaker contestants, saying: "If I can control how they feel, I can control how they think."

On discovering they had no water the next morning, Foa Foa's morale dipped resulting in an argument between Ben and Marisa, much to Russell's delight.

For the immunity challenge, the teams had to race while carry ropes over a series of A-frames. On reaching the end of the course, the ropes were used to pull a heavy crate to the final platform where it was disassembled and the pieces formed a puzzle for the teams to complete.

Galu won immunity at Tribal Council and flint for lighting fires.

Back at Foa Foa's camp, Russell H reacted badly to Marisa's reluctance to trust him after seeing him talking individually to other members of the tribe. He then instructed the rest of the tribe individually to vote Marisa out at Council. Betsy voiced her distrust of Russell H to Natalie.

At Tribal, Council Ashley, who some tribe members felt was physically weakest, received three votes, while Marisa received seven votes and was eliminated.

Survivor Samoa continues next Thursday on CBS.