by David McAlpine

 

Whether you liked them or hated them, whether you thought they were good or bad, the bottom line is they're back and out for blood.

 

For Survivor's 10-year, 20th season anniversary, Mark Burnett and company pulled out all the stops to create a second installment of All-Stars billed as Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. Some of your favorite (and not so favorite) Survivors were invited back to CBS' setup in Samoa (in some cases, for a third time) to compete all over again for the title of Sole Survivor and the grand prize of $1 million.

I got the chance to catch up with some of this season's cast at CBS' 10-year reunion party in Los Angeles last month.

 

Two standout contenders for this season are past winners Parvati Shallow (Cook Islands and Micronesia) and Sandra Diaz-Twine (Pearl Islands). The pair of ladies both ended up on the Villains tribe after they ruled their respective alliances throughout the end game of each series.

 

"I'm a lunatic, I'm insane and I have mental problem," Parvati said about why she wanted to come back. "I can't turn down such an opportunity. You learn so much about your life and yourself out there, why wouldn't you want to go? Plus, I'm super competitive and I want to prove that I didn't just sit back and do nothing last time."

 

"I love getting the million dollars," Sandra said. "I loved getting it and I wanted to try and get it again."

 

Neither of them said they changed their game from previous times, either. According to Sandra, she doesn't believe in being phony.

"I was Sandra and I was going to be Sandra," she said. "I was going to play someone else, I can't do that, I don't that. I can only be Sandra out there."

 

"If you're going to be a villian, you might as well enjoy it," Parvati said about her being on the Villains tribe. "If you're going to get labeled, you go full out. It was a surprise for me at first, but I definitely embraced my tribe. I think, though, that I was the nicest villain out there."

 

Over on the Heroes tribe, some Survivors said they played the game more cautiously, like Jessica "Sugar" Kiper (Gabon), who fell under scrutiny during her season for doing poorly at the challenges.

 

"I just kept busy and gave 100% on the challenges," Sugar said. "Last season, I'll be honest, I didn't give it my all when I knew I didn't need to die for immunity, but this time I go all out-and I did much better!"

 

 

One thing all the cast members could agree on was the harshness of the weather. "I was excited to go to a tropical place," Sugar said. "Never, ever, ever again. It rains all the time, you fingers are pruny. It's not fun. You're wet and cold and hoping you don't get pneumonia."

 

"Samoa was very, very difficult," Sandra said. "It made Pearl Islands look like a honeymoon because our eyes were all big and we had a bunch of stuff-not out there."

 

"I just keep striking out with locations, I guess," Courtney Yates (China) said. "I got no love! All I did to prepare was make sure I had the best outfit I could possibly have! I looked like I was going to the North Pole because I told myself I will not be cold!"

 

Even Jerri Manthey (Australian Outback, All Stars) admitted to how hard it was to make the decision to come back.  "I was so stoked to be asked," Jerri said, "but it was not an easy decision. I mean, All Stars kicked my ass, especially with the whole finale thing in New York...it was rough. When I got the call for this, though, I got excited and Googled ‘Survivor villains,' because I knew that's what team I'd be on!"

 

Stay tuned to RealityWanted for more exclusive pictures and coverage of the 10-year Survivor reunion party as well as recaps and exclusive interviews of Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.

 

Also, be sure to watch the premiere of Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, this Thursday at 8/7c on CBS!

 

Follow David at twitter.com/davidmcalpine

 

For more Survivor links, visit SirLinksALot.net