Valley of the Banished

Twelve survivalists enter the scorching South African bush for a 40-day challenge with a new twist: banishment. If someone fails to pull their weight, their teammates can vote them out of camp.

The challenge begins with four pairs: Wes Harper and Gwen Grimes, Suzanne Zeta and Dawn Dussault, Bulent Gurcan and Makani Nalu, and Jon Bonessi and Sarah Bartell. Temperatures immediately soar to 115–120°F, with the ground reaching 125°F. Water, shade, fire and shelter become urgent priorities.

Wes and Gwen quickly work well together, even using baobab bark to make shoes for Gwen. Bulent learns that Makani, a Buddhist, does not want to kill animals or eat meat and plans to survive largely by fasting. Suzanne and Dawn struggle badly in the heat but locate a shaded boma near water. Jon and Sarah also find water, though their source is inhabited by crocodiles.

Four additional survivalists—Kate Wentworth, Joshua Bell, Ryan Eacret and Seth Reece, all of whom failed previous 21-day challenges—are inserted alone and must find their new teams. Seth joins Suzanne and Dawn, creating an awkward dynamic from the start. Kate arrives with Bulent and Makani, and neither she nor Bulent is pleased with the pairing. Joshua joins Wes and Gwen carrying a giant roll of duct tape, immediately clashing with Gwen over priorities. Ryan joins Jon and Sarah and fits in much more easily.

Joshua focuses on duct-tape projects, first making a leaking cup and then beginning a blanket, while Wes and Gwen concentrate on their boma and water supply. Overnight, nearby animals keep several teams on edge.

On Day 2, Dawn struggles with severe PTSD symptoms. Sarah and Ryan fish while Jon handles camp chores, despite crocodiles lurking nearby. Ryan catches several fish, including catfish, and Sarah eventually lands one as well. Their team eats well, but a game warden warns them to stay away from the shoreline, revealing that someone was killed by a crocodile at the same water hole the previous year.

Kate hunts with the bow while Bulent and Makani collect firewood, water and improve camp. She misses a shot at an impala and grows frustrated with what she sees as a lack of effort from her teammates. Bulent's loud snoring also becomes a source of tension.

At Wes and Gwen's camp, Joshua continues working on his duct-tape blanket and spends much of the day resting. Wes and Gwen are overwhelmed by the constant work required to gather, boil and cool water, though they eventually discover a spring that may provide a cleaner source. They become increasingly frustrated that Joshua is not helping with basic camp chores, and Wes confronts him about contributing more.

Seth spends most of the day hunting despite Suzanne warning him not to overexert himself in the extreme heat. By afternoon, with temperatures still above 110°F, he returns in rough condition.

Dawn's mental-health struggle becomes too much, and she decides to tap out.

By Day 3, tensions are escalating across several camps. Kate criticizes Bulent for sleeping through the night instead of maintaining the fire, but he doesn't care. Joshua continues to rest while Wes and Gwen handle the workload. After returning from another water run and finding him sitting down again, they begin discussing the season's banishment rule and decide they are ready to send him away.

Joshua chooses to tap out, bringing the first episode to a close.