What’s Worth Watching: ‘Survivor’ on CBS for Wednesday, December 16

Survivor
CBS
"Tiny Little Shanks to the Heart" - Kelley Wentworth, Jeremy Collins, Tasha Fox, Keith Nale, Abi-Maria Gomes, Joe Anglim, Kimmi Kappenberg and Spencer Bledsoe during the twelfth episode of SURVIVOR, Wednesday, Dec. 2 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT). The new season in Cambodia, themed "Second Chance," features 20 castaways from past editions who were voted for by fans to have another shot at being named "Sole Survivor." Photo: Screen Grab/CBS ©2015 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Survivor, “Lie, Cheat and Steal” (Wednesday, Dec. 16, 8/7c, CBS)

So much for the all-female alliance. And the alpha male alliance. And any other number of strategies during this “Second Chance” season featuring fan favorite (and love-to-hate) Survivor veterans, who’ve seen their game plans dissolve through various mergers and multiple blindsides in what has turned out to be a very entertaining season.

Six are still standing—three women, three men—as the season finale begins, and because the challenges have been so unpredictable, it’s hard to predict who will be left in the climactic Final Three tribal-council reckoning. (If firefighter Jeremy makes it to the end, my money’s on him to take the million dollars.) The cast reunion follows, and there should be just enough bad blood still circulating—especially if Abi has anything to say about it—to make it entertaining.

Also on tap for Wednesday:

With ABC’s Nashville on winter break until mid-March, the show presents its third On the Record special (10/9c), featuring cast members including Clare Bowen (Scarlett), Chris Carmack (Will), Charles Esten (Deacon), Sam Palladio (Gunnar), Aubrey Peeples (Layla) and the Stella sisters, Lennon (bratty Maddie) and Maisy (adorable Daphne), taking their show on the road, singing songs made famous on the musical soap.

One night after his latest appearance on the GOP debate  circuit, Donald Trump finally finds time to appear as a guest on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live (11:35/10:35c). Do you think his last-minute no-show back in October will come up?

And in the conclusion of Syfy’s Childhood’s End miniseries (8/7c), you might think you’re witnessing the second coming of The Whispers as Earth’s children begin to show unusual powers, but Arthur C. Clarke’s vision about the future of humanity is much more profound than that.