Gabrielle Balassone

Dropped into the South China Sea, 12 elite survivalists try to survive 40 days on land and sea; nearby, two all-star survivalists enter the same challenge looking to survive not just 40 days but an unprecedented 60 days.

Twelve survivalists enter a punishing African location where tribes in the area live by a simple principle: banish the weak; as the 40-day challenge begins, deadly crocodiles and territorial leopards circle; a survivalist is targeted for banishment.

With resources dwindling, the survivalists venture into the shark-infested waters of the South China Sea searching for a much-needed meal; the all-female team is punished by scorching heat, brutal storms and a deadly insect.

Ambushed by tropical storms, the survivalists are pounded by torrential rain and heavy surf; survivalists are stalked by sharks after taking to the open seas; one survivalist reaches his or her breaking point due to the storms and lack of food.

A survivalist on a hunting expedition is bitten by a snake and requires an emergency medical evacuation; tensions arise between teams as hunting grounds get territorial; one group scores protein while their neighbors are on the brink of starvation.