Survivor: South Pacific - [Delayed] Final Post: Four [So-]Fierce Fighters For The Win

Albert, Coach and Sophie... still in the dark.

Ok, I know that as a blogger for a TV show, there’s a certain time frame within which you need to have your post up in order to be considered legit’, and well, in order to keep readers engaged too.

Needless to say, I am far far far beyond that time frame. 

By now, I assume most Survivor fans have already read whatever it is they were going to read after the season finale, and are counting the days until the next season of Survivor begins.

To be honest, I think I delayed writing this post because I didn’t want to admit the season was over. I started writing notes for this post right after the finale; picked up again during my winter holidays; and here I am, just two weeks before the next season starts, still writing it. 

Of course I knew there was another season around the corner... but this last season will always remain near and dear to my heart, and here's why: While it wasn’t the best, it was definitely good; it had one of my all-time favorite returning players: Ozzy; it was the first season I decided to blog (and the first blog I’ve ever kept, period); and I happened to have met a whole bunch of Survivors, past and present, who made this immersive Survivor experience very special to me.

But hey, let’s get down to what actually happened in the last couple of episodes, shall we?

1. Ozzy.

He played an incredible game, took risks, competed boldly and embraced his environment to the fullest. He dominated in challenges, took advantage of Redemption Island, and though still clearly wounded by his last experience in the game (as we saw in the Finale), he played a strong social game and made lasting connections that would have won him the million and the title had he just won that last Immunity Challenge. That loss is entirely on him, and it makes sense that it would be… The game he played was very much a solitary one after his tribe got decimated, and in all likelihood it would have unfolded quite similarly had his own tribe been the one to eventually vote him out, as they undoubtedly would have tried to do. I can't imagine how devastating it must be for Ozzy to have come so close and choke at the very end, and though I think he would have deserved the win, I also think had he pulled it off, he would have "broken" all the "rules" of the game. (N.B. words in quotation marks to be taken lightly.) 

2. Albert.

Albert dug his own grave. For someone who I thought was so smart, he acted really short-sightedly and made some very bad moves. His intentions with the Jury were completely transparent, and he succeeded in fooling absolutely nobody. His move with Brandon was pure stupidity - even more stupid than Brandon actually giving Albert the Immunity Necklace. By claiming to be completely ignorant of the tribe's (and his!) hopes to vote out Brandon, he ensured that he would not win - and not get any votes - if he made it to the Final Three. The brighter thing to do would have been to use the second chance that Redemption Island offered him, let himself get voted off, take a stand against Ozzy, and, if he made it back, earn votes to win that way. Then, maybe, he would have at least had a shot. The worst part is that the guy still thinks he should have won. 

3. Coach.

Coach was brilliant this season. He beat so many odds, and worked his tribe so deftly that I would have given him my vote had I had one. Yes, he played up the religion side, and yes, it was exceedingly annoying at times. But it was also brilliant. He had Brandon, a religious "nut" (at least on the show); Albert, a Mommy's boy who believes; and Rick, a traditional conservative. Sophie wasn't going to say anything and had the brains to just go with the flow. Edna wasn't going to say anything either, and had the coattail rider's instinct to just go with the flow. It was a perfect plan. But the true brilliance in Coach's strategy is his ability to charm in a way that despite being obvious, is impossible to resist [see: Cochran.] Coach's only mistake, and what lost him the game, is that he didn't stand up for himself and his actions at Tribal. The Jury should still have seen his brilliance and let it go, but unfortunately, they did not, and unfortunately, Coach had some stiff competition with Sophie. 

4. Sophie.

Sophie, Sophie, Sophie! So-phierce. Or So-fierce. Yes, I would have voted for Coach if I could, but I would have had a hard time choosing, no doubt. I was a fan from the start, and was time and time again impressed by Sophie's willpower, her poise, her powers of observation and reaction, and her overall mad "Survivor" [not necessarily "survivor"] skills. That said, I wasn't the biggest fan of her plea at the Final Tribal Council. I think she went a bit too far in the logical breakdown of her strategy and could have afforded to show some more of her emotional and social game too - though I know her vulnerability in the previous episode was still fresh and she wanted to counter it. But even with the lack of "warmth" in the Final, Sophie can't help but exude her clever snarkiness - that might be and has been confused for coldness and superficiality - and proved that she deserved to be there, and that she deserved to win. If Coach and Ozzy had to lose, Sophie was by far my favorite pick for winner. And well, I also had a parallel desire for a non-returning player to win. So, YAY SOPHIE! 

5. Next season.

Am I the only who’s getting a bit tired of Survivor always being filmed in Samoa?!? I love the show, I don’t think that’s in question here; but one of the things I love the most is all the exotic places the seasons take us to… Australia, Africa, the Amazon, Tocantins, China, Central America… each landscape brings new challenges and new reliefs, and the diversity really adds something to the show each season. Or it used to… The South Pacific is gorgeous, don’t get me wrong! and if I were to compete on the show, I think I’d prefer to be on a sandy beach, where it doesn’t rain all too much and there are plenty of coconuts in the trees and fish in the sea. Seasons like Africa and China seemed particularly difficult what with muddy water sources, nowhere/very few places to bathe and few sources of food other than the rice or grits that were provided for them. So yeah, maybe Samoa is a good Survivor location for the actual players, but I wish the producers would keep exploring the world.

Eh,  regardless, next season looks awesome! Looking forward to it!

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode 13 in 15 seconds

An exciting episode and evening tonight! First order of business/fun, I went to Mother's Ruin, the bar where Francesca and Eliza were hosting their fundraising event for Flying Kites Global, in preparation for their hike across Kilimanjaro this winter. All drinks were for the cause, and they were holding cool raffles throughout the evening.

If you couldn't make it, but want to contribute from afar, you can donate on Francesca's fundraising page and Eliza's fundraising page.

After that, Deeksha, who's still in town visiting from Oxford, and I watched the latest episode, and despite some volume issues which just caused us to sit quiet and listen more carefully, we quite enjoyed it!

Here are my 15 seconds post-episode, and I'll save the more detailed thoughts for my next post!




Note: When I say "crazy about Brandon," I mean, "it's crazy that Brandon gave up his Immunity Necklace," not "I'm crazy about Brandon." That needs to be specified. :) 

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode 10 in 15 seconds

What fun, what fun! My breath was held at least twice during this episode: first, when Ozzy and Keith were battling it out on Redemption Island; and second, when Whitney was this close to winning Immunity and changing the game up.

And while I wish things had been shaken up a bit this week, there's nowhere else for it to go next week... Will it be Cochran? Edna? Brandon? Or maybe Albert... who seems to be the biggest threat to Upolu unity at this point, as well as a strong physical one.

And now... my 15s reaction. I think how much I love Survivor is written all over my face. :)

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode 9 in 15 seconds

Yes, Cochran probably made the right move for his own interest. Yes, the game has shifted because of it. And yes, Savaii is screwed. But all is not lost yet! It looks like things are going to be shaken up with Albert in coming episodes, and I am impatient to see that.

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode Eight: An Out-Of-Business Double Agent

Take a wild guess as to who's got control over this situation.

My first order of business in this post is going to be a rant against spoilers. I don't like them in general, but I am especially opposed to them when it comes to Survivor. Having avoided any kind of trailers beyond the preview at the end of the previous episode, I was in blissful oblivion as to whether or not the merge was indeed going to take place. But not most other people apparently! Nope. Because the merger was all over the previews leading up to the episode. I find this to be a huge shame and would like to send my outcry of disapproval to the world.

Now, let's get to the episode!

1. Clearly, Ozzy is a terrible Thespian. But that doesn't mean he can't kick butt at a challenge.

To be honest, I thought that Ozzy's lying skills were better during the episode than they had seemed to be in the previews at the end of the last episode. But that's not saying much... He was too verbose and ultimately, too hard to buy. Pair that with Upolu being surprisingly - and awesomely - sharp, and Ozzy's master plan is half foiled. Thankfully, the rest of it played out like a smooth sail slicing the ocean air of the South Pacific: merge - check; winning the duel - check. And for just a few minutes, I reveled in seeing the Ozzy I know and love do what he does best.

2. Contrary to his belief, Cochran is the worst double agent ever. 

Having been largely under-appreciated in his tribe thus far, Cochran had the perfect opportunity to prove his worth beyond his physical inadequacies during this merge. As the token "double agent," Cochran tasted the joys of power... and I'm afraid he's lost them now forever [forever being the remainder of the 39 days on the island...].

Let's break his actions down...

Good moves: returning the Immunity Idol to Ozzy (a noble move, and the right thing to establish trust with Ozzy and with his tribe, regardless of his decision in the vote if done right); infiltrating the opposing tribe (getting allies, establishing connections which he could use to his advantage later in the game - again, regardless of his decision in the vote if done right); considering his options (flipping is not always a bad move, and in Cochran's case, could certainly bear its fruit - again, if done right).

Bad moves: letting the incredibly smart and sneaky Upolu tribe (namely Coach, Sophie and Albert) lodge its place into his heart... and mind (whatever his final decision, it should remain his and not result in manipulation - no matter how brilliant); blurt out Savaii's plan to protect Whitney at Tribal Council without any reciprocal sharing of information on Upolu's side (please, tell me how that was strategic, because I'd like to know); turn to Ozzy and Jim guilt-ridden and say "It was me; I'll explain" (if that was his idea of a disaster recovery plan, he needs to go back to watching Survivor from home).

You might notice that I do not criticize or praise his decision to flip. I certainly think it has its merits, and could very well have been the best decision for him. What I do have issues with is his lack of taking responsibility and standing up for his actions. Had he gotten Dawn to flip with him, he would have held more cards. As it stands now, he's made himself Enemy #1 in his original tribe, and the new weakling to be protected by Upolu, who already has its hands full with Edna. I don't see how this will bode well for Cochran, and I certainly don't see how this qualifies as "one of the biggest moves in Survivor history" and a bigger one than Ozzy's last week - even if that one did only partially pan out.

The silent mastermind of this South Pacific operation.
A surprise and a treat to watch. 

Again this week, two larger points, so I'll wrap it up here with one last remark about my allegiances towards the tribes and players: Oddly enough, though my favorite players this season are Coach, Sophie and Albert from Upolu, I find myself rooting for Savaii in challenges. It's rather strange and I will continue to try and put a finger on it. Don't worry, you'll be the first to know when I do.

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode Five: Playing It Smart or Playing It Safe?

We've got a cute mirroring effect happening here... 

Sorry folks, this one took me a while to get to... I guess I was just putting off having to run that disgusting pig gnawing challenge through my head again. I knew that was going to be the grossest thing ever - and it was.

As I mentioned in my last post, I'd made a few predictions for this episode that all turned out to be spot on. Unfortunately, I didn't take enough risks in my Survivor Fantasy selections, so my score still sucks (won't even dare to disclose it here - too embarrassed...). But I do take pride in being accurate anyway, even if it saddens me that this means Ozzy is now on the hot seat. [From the preview: A free agent, Ozzy?!? What game do you think you're playing?!]

1. Am I rooting for Christine on Redemption Island? Could I be...?

I didn't think that would be the case, especially given how vehemently I disliked her in the first couple of episodes, but as it turns out, I've caught myself siding with her in the duels. Now that Elyse is there though, I'm in a bind. I want Elyse to stay, if only for Ozzy's sake, as I think I'd love to see Ozzy have a great comeback - more so than just coasting through the game in fact. But the willpower and mental strength I see in Christine is subtle and seductive. In tomorrow's episode, I will most likely secretly root for Elyse while believing more in Christine.

PS. That Redemption Island challenge is one of my faves! I think it first appeared in Tocantins, in the final three Immunity Challenge. I've been wanting to try it ever since!

2. Information is key. But is it as deadly as Coach and Albert fear? 

Sure, Stacey's outbreak on Redemption Island was an immature - yet very entertaining - manifestation of rage and resentment, and of course it was meant to sabotage her previous Upolu tribe mates. But will it have as dire an impact as Coach and Albert keep whining about? I'm not sure. The merge is still far in the game and everyone knows a lot can change until then. I actually think the fact that Albert came back to Upolu and so clearly voiced his concern about the revelation of his alliance with Coach and Sophie is what may undermine my favorite trio - but in their own tribe, before the merge. They're the ones who have most to fear, not Savaii just yet.

3. Jim is smart; but is his poker mind making him paranoid? 

It looks to me like Jim is seeing things that just might not be there. I like his thinking, and mostly, I like that he IS thinking (as opposed to almost everyone on Boston Rob's tribe last season - Andrea being the only exception). But I wonder (in a very Carrie Bradshaw-like way), is he creating scenarios that are too far-fetched? His conclusions from Ozzy's comment that Coach should take out Albert are a clear case of "thinking a few steps ahead," which is of course always a good thing. That said, Ozzy really didn't seem to be thinking along those lines so unless Jim's intuition and flair sniffed something out before Ozzy even realized his own strategy, Jim's sharp mind is soon going to start playing tricks on him. However, if he is right, and he very well could be, Ozzy should take a step back and seriously reevaluate his position. Actually, Ozzy should be doing that anyway.

4. I never thought I would say this, but COACH IS SO CUTE WHEN HE GETS EXCITED!! 

Man, I am totally in love with this Coach/Albert/Sophie trio. I hope they make it far. I love that Albert found the Immunity Idol clue, and though I think he could have tried harder to find it himself, I love that he shared it with his close allies. I was impressed at Coach's nimbleness when searching for Idol, and even more impressed (and surprised!) that he elected to share his discovery with Albert and Sophie.

I just finished watching Survivor Panama: Exile Island (in my goal to catch up on all the best previous seasons) and seeing how stingy Terry was with his Immunity Idol not only rubbed me the wrong way, but was extremely poor strategy in terms of social game. The Idol is so much more than a protective object, it's power in its purest form in the game of Survivor, and if used wisely (for instance Yul's strategy in Cook Islands), can help totally change the course of the game. So I have high hopes for Coach this season, and they keep getting higher.

5. I am not even going to discuss [disgust?] that Immunity Challenge.

6. Cochran's herpes talk was an I-D-I-O-T-I-C move. 

First of all, when you're on Survivor sharing coconuts, eating utensils, water, sweat, tears and everything in between, you better be prepared for the fact that you're going to be sharing germs too. A pig 'feasting' (ha!) challenge is not going to make a bit of difference with that. So why on Earth did Cochran think it would be a good idea to mention herpes and communicable diseases to everyone and totally freak them out? For a smart and witty Harvard grad, I'm disappointed. That's not just socially awkward, it's dumb.

7. Did Whitney and Keith make the right move - or the cowardly one? 

Seeing the scrambling going on at camp was a joy! I do enjoy a good Survivor move in the making. However, I'm dubious as to whether or not Keith and Whitney played it safe or smart. Clearly, they have the potential to be in control of the tribe. Their decision is what eliminated Elyse. However, their intention, as I understand it, was to not cross anybody. But we all know what happens to contestants that play both sides and get caught... I'll reserve judgment until I see how they attempt to pick up the pieces with Ozzy and Jim respectively.


An exciting episode, no doubt. What really transpired for me was how much I enjoyed watching these folks, and how reluctant I was to see anyone leave. At this point, aside from Rick (is that his name?) and Brandon (dammit! I was trying to avoid giving him the light of day in this post...), I'm excited to see all these contestants develop and make their moves!

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode Three: Strategy Snafus

Is the Upolu tribe the one to beat? 

Like I said in my 15 second update, this episode left me with a lot to be desired. I know it's still the beginning of the season and we have yet to learn many things about our castaways, but the beginning of the season also means that whoever is the most dramatic gets the most camera action, and honestly I'm a little tired of it.

Here are the key themes/points that stood out to me this week: 

1. Brandon's potential for playing a good Survivor game has fizzled and died. 

Brandon Brandon Brandon. Baah Baah Baah. So yes, he has the biggest tantrums, and yes his life struggles between good and evil, his present and his past, his identity and his uncle's identity are all very troubling, but they're not supposed to be dealt with on Survivor. Wild cards can be entertaining in how other players deal with them strategically, but after two episodes of this, I can safely say I'm done. I was rooting for him, I was! I love Russell - mainly because he is who is he unapologetically - and I was open to liking Brandon even if his approach to the game was different, provided he was unapologetic about it too. But nope! All I see is a whiny, conflicted, unnecessarily devout kid who's stealing camera time and NOT even doing it strategically. Coach and Sophie: I don't think losing him will screw you up. Get. Him. Out. 

2. Ozzy revealing that he has the Immunity Idol to Keith was a mistake, in my opinion. 

That Ozzy needs to improve his social game in order to succeed is a fact. But that doesn't mean abiding by a list of things you should or shouldn't do on Survivor. As Ozzy put it, having a partner in crime is essential in the game. That's often true. But he can't lose sight of the situation he's in and that he's not just a regular contestant vying for the million dollars for the first time. He should know that people are eyeing him closely and that keeping the Immunity Idol to himself would have been the best decision at this time and in this situation. As Boston Rob said in his podcast with EW last week (14:56), having the idol at this stage of the game and keeping it secret serves to a) neutralize it and b) prevent people from putting a target on your back. Now Ozzy risks to gets himself booted out far earlier than necessary because people will want to flush the Idol out, and he's just given them a great excuse to get rid of one of their biggest threats in the game. Time will tell how things pan out, but I think he's just cut his lifeline rather short and he better hope Redemption Island treats him well. 

3. Savaii vs. Upolu: Is there a clear stronger tribe? 

I think Savaii did a great job at the Immunity Challenge, particularly Dawn, Elyse and Whitney. Throwing that grappling hook does not look easy and they did a great job. And Dawn was flying on that body board! Regardless, Upolu was just stronger in the challenge, and they might very well be a stronger tribe overall. Time will tell what momentum and internal friction will do... I certainly hope Savaii will even things out next episode, but whether I like to admit it or not, I think Coach actually might have struck gold and ensured his way deeper into the game. Of course, time will tell and I'm eager to find out. 

4. Papa Bear's fake Immunity Idol was a valiant but useless effort. 

Fake Immunity Idols are awesome when they work, no doubt about it. We all remember the impact of Ozzy's masterful creation once left in Jason's hands in Fans vs. Favorites. And though I appreciate the fact that Papa Bear refused to go down without a fight, I'm glad it bore no fruit as Cochran's strategy and reasoning was better: Looking for the Immunity Idol alienates the rest of your tribe - unless you can do it without being caught. Clearly Papa Bear's intention was to be caught, seeing as he wanted his tribe to think he had it and therefore play it safer by voting for Cochran. Even if that had worked, it would have been a short-term solution. As for Cochran, I think it was difficult for him to reel in his anxiety and scrambling tendency, and I think he did a great job and made some good points. I'm excited to see how he tried to shake things up this week! 

That's it for this week! My hope for the next episode(s) is that we'll get to see more of the other players that are silently strategizing and playing smart rather than the dramatic, dysfunctional ones that might make for good TV. Namely, show me more Sophie, Albert, Keith (and Whitney?) and Cochran! 

What did you all think? Did something stand out to you that I missed? How do you feel about Brandon? Should Ozzy have shared with Keith that he had the Immunity Idol? Share your comments below!