Cutthroat scheming and manipulation is the name of the game in cunning new reality competition The Snake
By Maxine Bass
Since the debut of Survivor a quarter-century ago, TV reality competitions have rewarded players for mastering the art of chicanery; the popularity of Traitors, in fact, proves that viewers’ hunger for watching skilled liars in action has not waned.
Fox promises to take things to whole new levels of deceit, duplicity and dishonesty with The Snake, a new series from Jersey Shore creator SallyAnn Salsano.
“SallyAnn brings her uniquely original voice to Fox with this fresh take on the strategy competition series and a universally appealing concept that will captivate audiences,” said network president Michael Thorn in a statement, adding, “Trust me — The Snake lives up to its name.”
Described as a “social survival of the fittest” competition, The Snake assembles 15 master manipulators plucked from a variety of persuasive professions — ranging from a pastor to an ex-con to a lawyer to a poker player to an OnlyFans content creator — all of whom are vying for a US$100,000 cash prize.
“Each contestant must leverage their unique skills, training and powers of persuasion as they face a multitude of challenges designed to showcase the traits needed to be successful in the game,” explains the series’ synopsis.
The winner of each of those challenges then becomes the Snake, giving that player control of the “saving ceremony,” described as “an explosive, chain reaction elimination where it’s not about who wants you gone, but who is willing to save you.”
However, The Snake is about a lot more than just winning challenges — it’s actually about the ability to win over others. “The social aspect of the game never stops — connections are everything whether you’re making friends, faking friends or sparking romantic connections,” the synopsis continues, noting that promises will be put to the test during each saving ceremony as players pull out all the stops to prevent themselves being eliminated by the Snake.
While Survivor has its familiar motto — “Outwit. Outplay. Outlast.” — so too does The Snake: “Befriend, betray or be gone.”
That’s clear in the first episode. “I don’t have a developed sense of morality,” one player says in a confessional interview. When another breaks down in tears after eliminating another player, she later confesses, “I think I deserve an Oscar for that performance.”
Hosting the festivities is comedian Jim Jefferies, who offers players some crucial advice at the get-go. “Your greatest asset isn’t what you say, it’s what others believe,” Jefferies tells the contestants.
The 15 contestants are: MacLaine Funsch, an NFL cheerleader with the Indianapolis Colts from Carmel, Indiana; Devonte Kavanaugh, a professional poker player from Los Angeles, California; Kethryn Cavender, a tech manager from New York City; Derek North, a police detective from Naperville, Illinois; Amanda Short, a lawyer from Richmond, Virginia; Bryan Sobolewski, an ex-convict from Lewisville, Texas; Jacob Buchholz, a pastor from Upland, California; Alyssa Grassie, an OnlyFans content creator from Miami, Florida; Jack Micco, a non-profit director from Austin, Texas; Mena Samara, a bounty hunter from Moore, Oklahoma; Jordan DeJesse, a human resources director from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Cody Brewer, a bull rider from Cookeville, Tennessee; Kailee Fessock, a police officer from Hollywood, Florida; Frank Lavecchia, a makeup artist from Charlotte, North Carolina; and Brett Cobalt, a boxer from Tampa, Florida.
“I’m thrilled to be hosting The Snake, a show about making friends and faking friends,” said Jefferies in a statement. “I’ve been training for this job my whole life. Growing up in Australia, and now living in Hollywood, I’ve been around plenty of snakes.”
Interestingly, Jefferies is no stranger to lies and deception — at least when it came to hooking up. “I remember I was trying to meet girls after just moving to London. At the time, I was just a comedian working behind the bar, and that didn’t sound very impressive. So at parties, I told them I worked at the zoo because I was obviously Australian and Steve Irwin was big,” Jefferies recalled in an interview with Man of Many. “So I said I was the No. 1 specialist with giraffes in the world. And this was before the internet, so I researched a few giraffe facts so I could rattle them off at parties because women love a man who’s nice with animals.”
The Snake premieres on Tuesday, June 10, on Global & Fox