Spoilers for last night's "Survivor" (one of two episodes each year to get bumped to Wednesday nights because of the NCAA tournament) coming up just as soon as I pay for some tree-climbing lessons...What a weird stretch of the season. The James and Eliza-led tribe is dominating, but because of Jonathan's injury and then Kathy's incurable homesickness, they're only up by one player. And yet, without the two unplanned exits, I imagine we would have had at least one, if not two, double-eliminations by now, simply to fit one of the show's larger casts into the usual number of episodes.
(Other than maybe Jenna leaving All-Stars I to go be with her dying mom, this was probably the kindest Probst has ever been to a quitter. I guess his expectations for Kathy were so low that it didn't offend his sensibilities the way it did when, say, big beefy Osten bailed. That, and he figured she was probably going to go home later in the episode in the event of a double-elim.)
It was interesting that Kathy talked about how different it is to watch the rainstorms at home versus having to actually endure one of them, if only because it was one of the few times this season that one of the "superfans" seemed like someone who had actually watched the show. The deeper we go into the season, the more I have to believe that after Burnett nixed the idea of a proper All-Stars II, they had to scrounge up 10 civilians quickly, and this is the weird group they got. Tracy was at least playing the game -- and playing about as well as she could, given the various holes she got dropped in -- and now she's gone, and I honestly couldn't tell you which one is Natalie and which one is Alexis. (Is there even an Alexis? Or am I thinking of someone on "Top Chef"?)
The super-hot shower scene that Probst had been promising finally materialized but wasn't all that hot. Amanda gets blurred in pretty much every episode, anyway (as does, oddly, Eliza, even though they're not built remotely the same), and it was clear that these were three filthy people who cared more about getting properly cleaned up than in having a fun sexy time.
I figured there was no way Ozzy would actually go home -- it feels like this is going to be one of those things they tease before every Tribal Council, while Ozzy manages to go a very long way -- but I like that Cirie was actually able to plant a seed of doubt in Amanda's mind about the downside of having a showmance with one of the biggest challenge bad-asses of all time.
What did everybody else think?
I guess his expectations for Kathy were so low that it didn't offend his sensibilities the way it did when, say, big beefy Osten bailed.
ReplyDeleteThere was no man-crush involved, so he could afford to be kind ;-D
As the season wears on, my Ozzy-love is diminishing. His o'erweening pride is beginning to best him. If they do manage to blindside him, I might not be so upset as earlier in the season. Of course, watching him in challenges remains awe-inspiring. And watching Erik's own man-crush on Ozzy has been fun. Boy's as dumb as a box of rocks, but his crush on Ozzy is cute.
Kathy's meltdown was no surprise, except for how long it took to occur. I won't miss her.
James' meta-comment (something close to "This show is called 'Survivor'!") had me rolling. I hope he goes all the way because I lurve him.
Alexis has the pretty, wavy blond hair. Natalie has the severe eyebrows. And if you hadn't told me her name was Natalie, I wouldn't have known it. I only know Alexis' name because I picked her in one of my fantasy games, lol.
It seems that the last two tribal councils have been nearly unanimous among the players voting which has not been consistently with the editing of the scurrying for votes.
ReplyDeleteIs next week's Survivor on Wednesday? My DVR guide says the lineup is BB9, Criminal Minds and CSI:NY
ReplyDeleteI don't blame Erik for his man-crush on Ozzy since my wife teases me about having one too. He almost single-handedly won the immunity challenge for his team, building up a lead that Amanda and Cirie squandered trying to solve that puzzle. Yes, he seems pretty arrogant this season, but I remember that he was pretty cocky on his first season too. And at least he has the challenge performances to back it up! I just think the attitude is more obvious this time around because he has had to step it up and lead his tribe -- no Yul to defer to this time.
ReplyDeleteKathy, Chet and Fairplay: three people who should never have been on the show this season. It makes me mad to think they took up space that could have been filled by better players/personalities. Sometimes I just don't understand the producers.
I expected James to be dismissive of Kathy's whining, but he actually came across as the most compassionate towards her. It's probably just editing, but it made me like him a little bit more.
It doesn't matter what kind of build you have, a bikini is not meant to handle any kind of real activity. Beyond the obvious showing of skin, I have never understood why the women don't have a one piece or more sports-like swim wear for the challenges, especially when they aren't confined to the clothes on their backs.
ReplyDeleteI too am annoyed with the inclusion of Kathy and Chet as contestants. Neither contributed much of anything, and this should have been a real All Stars. The new fans have not brought much entertainment to this year's edition. I can't tell most of the "fan" women apart, and we are weeks into this game. Perhaps they should have kept the teams separate longer, and focus a bit more on them, because right now, I don't care very much, and if one of them wins, it won't have been for anything that has happened so far.
I read in spoilers that Kathy was going to lose and try to cut herself with a machete, but instead she just proved to be really whiny... I almost wish that spoiler rumour would have been true.
The "fans" have been so pathetically inept so far this season, I can't see how any of them having a chance of winning. I don't even see any of them making the final 3.
ReplyDeleteThe second recent episode in which an Airai member has departed the island whilst bawling uncontrollably. If only there were a motivational speaker on the island...oh wait...
ReplyDeleteAnyone else shocked by the cluelessness of not keeping the cave as clean as possible? I saw that shot of the cute little mice eating at the coconuts discarded in the cave where they are sleeping and couldn't believe my eyes.
ReplyDeleteAnd complaining about all the rain and in the next moment (edited that way I concede) complaining that they hadn't had water because they couldn't build a fire. Is rainwater not potable in Micronesia?
@ anonymous crying:
ReplyDeleteIt's not like Jonathan wanted to leave the game, so having him cry seems fairly reasonable.
"The second recent episode in which an Airai member has departed the island whilst bawling uncontrollably. If only there were a motivational speaker on the island...oh wait..."
ReplyDeleteHa, that's almost exactly what I said to my wife! We can blame editing I suppose, but Alexis didn't even say a single word to Kathy, as I recall.
Nicole - thing is, last season Amanda wasn't even wearing bikini bottoms, but boy shorts, and she still was blurred out in every single episode...
ReplyDeleteI can tell the two fan-girls apart, but have had the hardest time distinguishing Erik and the other girly-haired guy (until this episode when Erik set himself apart with his Ozzy-worship.)