Quick spoilers for episode two of "Survivor" coming up just as soon as I get pixellated...Okay, they've still got me, even with an episode where, because of the Immunity Challenge results, the screen time was heavily skewed away from the veterans (who I care about to varying degrees) towards the rookies. It helped that there was a whole lotta conflict on the newbies side, as we burned through four or five different "Survivor" cliches in one episode: old vs. young split, the power couple seen as a threat, the guy who gets targeted for plotting too much(*), and the blindside. I'm not sure I've ever seen all those things combined in one episode before, and after it looked like one of the old people other than Kathy was guaranteed to go home, things got veddy, veddy interesting there at the end.
(*) While I think Joel the fireman is right to distrust Mike for being part of a couple, they were all dumb to dismiss Mike's vote-splitting plan, which is the only effective way to guard against one or even two immunity idols being in play. I also thought it was kind of funny that he got shot down for proposing it in the same episode where Cerie -- the first player in "Survivor" history to successfully orchestrate a 3-2-1 vote -- stepped to the forefront of the veterans tribe after being invisible last week.
So here's your strategery question of the week: if you're Cirie, do you go with the young couples or the older brainiacs? While I'd certainly prefer her to team up with Jonathan and Yau Man, there's an argument to be made for signing on with the beef and cheesecake. Because the show has now shifted to a final three instead of a final two arrangement, she might have a better chance latching onto a rock solid couple who need a third rather than hoping to make it to the end with an amorphous foursome where any combination could stick together. In addition, James and, especially, Ozzy, are likely better challenge shields than anyone in the other group, and Cerie will have a much easier time manipulating the young and buff than she would Jonathan or Yau Man or Ami. Maybe if Jonathan hadn't been so stupid as to try to put his eggs in the Fairplay basket last week, he would have a real agreement already and wouldn't have to worry, but the previews suggest things are in flux, and our resident leaf-phobic is the power player.
What did everybody else think? And, keeping in mind that I only saw a few episodes of China, has Amanda ever made it through an entire episode without spilling out of her clothes at some point?
11 comments:
I think Joel is going to end up being too clever for his own good at some point. He orchestrated the plan to get Mary out and then voted for Kathy, presumably so that he could tell Mike that he went along with his plan. Being that devious along with being the physical threat that he is he will have a huge target on his back unless he plays things more casually.
Amanda was censor-blurred for every single challenge her season because of the tiny shorts she used to wear.
Do they know that it's a final three and not a final two? That could play into who Cirie sides with. I suspect that she will play both sides until the next elimination forces her to choose. I think it's still a bigger risk to go with the couples right now, but the dynamics may change if she makes it to the merge. I think that Cirie will go very far this time with or without an immunity idol.
My DVR did not record this!
It is true that Amanda was blurred during almost every episode of the China series.
But what she is most known for (besides being Ms. Earth or some kind of beauty queen) is her constantly blurred derriere.
Her sister visited the locale, along with other loved ones for the other contestants for that teary family reunion episode. To the bewilderment and downright joy of the viewing party I was watching with, her sister's bottom was also blurred. Apparently it was a genetic family trait. We hoped someone would bring it up during the survivor finale reunion. Sadly it was not.
The problem with Mike's vote-splitting plan was that it was too confusing for the other dummies, mostly because he was overthinking and then overexplaining it. He had the right idea.
I hope Poor Man's Jim Morrison is out soon. Yes, Joel, you were right to break up the couple, but did you have to be so obnoxious about it?
Amanda is a pixellator's dream girl. Maybe the editors were the ones who lobbied to get her on as a "favorite" :-D
I hope Cirie sides with the older brainiacs. Not all the challenges involve brawn, and for the ones that do, she might have a better chance against Yau-Man and Jonathan than James and Ozzy. Right now, I'm rooting for a Yau-Jonathan-Cirie final three.
BTW, did Ice Cream Scooper boy hit puberty tonight? I coudd have sworn his voice was cracking. Son, soon you will be a man....
Survivor? Really? Please tell me you're required to blog about this. As far as TV critics go, I love your blog the most, but when I open your page and see a "Survivor" post, I kind of throw up in my mouth a little bit.
Survivor? Really? Please tell me you're required to blog about this.
Sorry to disappoint, but I blog about what I want to blog about. Hard as it may be to believe, but it's impossible to enjoy both "The Wire" and "Survivor," or "Mad Men" and "American Idol."
My appetites wouldn't be satisfied with a diet of nothing but highbrow scripted drama.
See, I think that Mike was over thinking things, and that if Kathy found another immunity idol, she'd be crazy to give it away already. She had to play the one on her first trip, if she found another one, why wouldn't she keep it aside for a future Tribal Council?
And I like that Alan reviews a variety of shows. I like my vegetables, but I also like my snacks.
I kind of throw up in my mouth a little bit.
They have medication for acid reflux, you know.
I kind of throw up in my mouth a little bit.
Just reading someone use that way overused phrase makes me... um, well, you know.
Late to the party, again....
Joel was right to be weary of Mikey B. Remember, this is a tribe of hardcore fans. They like to think they understand strategy, backstabbing, devious game play (if only they understood fire starting!) and if one of them is trying to go all alpha on Day 3 by dictating moves, that's a threat. Problem is, Joel auf'd the wrong tribemate.
Mary? Really?
If Joel is worried about Mikey B., take out Mikey B.! They'll never learn. Have the knife at your enemies throat? Finish it up.
Look, it was waaaaay too early to worry about immunity idols getting played and the vote rebounding to one of the "kidz". A seven person alliance cannot, has not and will never work, anyway. So the vote jumps back on your alliance? Just an early opportunity to cut the fat. Gonna need to do that anyway. Plus, both idols have been played. Just get back to bootin' the geezers next Tribal Council.
As for Cirie, you're right. She needs to stick with the two pairs and become the arbiter between them - the singleton amongst the dyads. The free floating coalition of four on the other side is nothing but trouble based upon their past game play.
I get the feeling, though, regardless of the Fan's applause at the sight of their Faves, they will do anything to keep a Fave from winning. Fans will stick together post-merge, Faves will do anything they can to put themselves in a better position.
Could get really good.
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