Over the course of 10 weeks, the new ABC series "Castaways" will introduce us to 12 people left to their own devices with nothing but the clothes on their backs in the middle of the South Pacific.
Las Vegas resident Matt Jaskol will be one of them. And if you think you've seen this show once before he says think again.
"That's the biggest thing I would like people to know about this show," Jaskol said. "To drop any preconceived notions you might have about reality shows. Because this was something different."
The strangers are near enough to each other to make contact, but it's up to each individual to decide whether to reach out or rely only on themselves for food, shelter, and other resources. While the circumstances may mirror other reality shows, it's not about celebrating the survival of the fittest.
"This isn't really even a survival show. It was more a show about human companionship," Jaskol said.
"There's no voting off, there's no competition involved. It was as real as you can get but without letting people die in a jungle."
As we watch Jaskol adapt to his new lifestyle, we will also see glimpses of his life in Las Vegas. Camera crews spent six weeks with him. Jaskol said his life was pretty interesting before the show, going from racing to running the family business, but doing "Castaways" took him to another level.
"It was the most difficult, the most emotional and the most amazing thing I had ever done in my entire life!"
"Castaways" premieres Aug. 7 at 10 p.m. on Channel 13 in Las Vegas.
