Parvati Shallow is bringing the Black Widow back for “Deal or No Deal Island”

Survivor legend Parvati Shallow is back on the island. Only it is a different island. And a different show. On a different network. And those aren’t the only changes that will be on display when Parvati brings her reality competition skills to season 2 of Deal or No Deal Island, which premieres Jan. 7 on NBC.

But even with all the differences between old show and new, Parvati plans to reach back into her former bag of tricks — pulling different elements of her game that surfaced during her first three Survivor stints (Cook Islands, Micronesia, Heroes vs. Villains). So don’t be surprised if you see Parvati once again stirring the cauldron.

The Banker kindly allowed Entertainment Weekly onto her private island in Panama, where we spoke with Parvati to get the full lowdown on how her latest reality adventure differs from both Survivor and The Traitors.

Related: Australian Survivor champ David Genat reacts to seeing Parvati on Deal or No Deal Island

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So what kind of Parvati are players and viewers going to see on Deal or No Deal Island?

PARVATI SHALLOW: I am coming in, and I'm planning to be light, flirty, fun, playful, non-threatening in a really joyful, bubbly way. The Parv that I'm bringing into this game is circa 2006 Cook Islands, mixed with a little Black Widow, mixed with the competitive spirit and challenges that I had in Heroes vs. Villains where I would win challenges when I needed to. So I'm going to really lean into the social game with people, and then also show up in these challenges.

Unlike Survivor, your living conditions here are pretty posh, so what's it like being on an island, but having food and shelter and stuff like a shower?

A dream come true. It felt like I was pinching myself. I was like, “I have a coat!” It's a beautiful island. These dorms that we stay in are ultra glam. We have hot showers. I love an outdoor shower, and the water is hot. I was like, “This is the lap of luxury!" I was delighted.

Related: First footage of Parvati Shallow and Dr. Will Kirby on Deal or No Deal Island unveiled

Break down for me how this game is similar or different to Survivor and The Traitors.

This is similar to Survivor in that there is a social element. You need to make relationships with people, you’ve got to have people looking out for you, people that have your back. The challenges matter so much in this game, so we're making relationships on the beach, but then what really sways the game one way or the other are these excursions. So you go out to the excursion, some people are going to be on the top, some people are going to be on the bottom, the people in the middle are sitting ducks. That's a really different thing to Survivor. You can't really fly under the radar and be safe in this game. So I think that's cool.

And then, additionally, the challenges require next-level strategic thinking in a rapid-fire way, because there are twists that happen at the very end of the challenge. So, first of all, you're strategizing in the beginning of the challenge, “Where do I want to end up?” For me, I'm always going for safety over everything, but if I don't have safety, I don't want to be in the middle. I definitely want to be in the bottom.

So in my mind I'm like, “Can I win this challenge?” That's the first thing. And then second, I'm like, “Who else do I want to win this challenge and who do I want to be on the bottom?” So you're doing all this quantum computing in your mind in the beginning of this challenge, and who knows what the challenge is going to be? It could be a combination of skill, athletic ability, lying or bluffing, strategic relationships.

It is testing a player on every single level, and then at the end of the challenge we reveal the cases and now — POOF! — there pops up another surprise twist. And so you just can't plan for anything. And I really love that it requires a complete surrender — ride the waves, see what presents itself in the moment, and then make your move based on that.

Related: Deal or No Deal Island season 2 cast includes Parvati Shallow and Dr. Will Kirby (exclusive)

That’s pretty different from the challenges on The Traitors, which basically don’t mean anything.

The challenges on Traitors are pointless. I phoned it in on all the challenges on The Traitors. Sandra didn’t. She busted her head. She got a head wound, she tried so hard. Those are the only challenges Sandra’s ever tried in, the ones that don’t matter.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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