Survivor: Caramoan - Episode Five

Do we even want to know what's
going through his head?

Well, we finally saw it: Brandon Hantz's meltdown. What did you think? Was it what you expected? Better? Worse?

I should start by saying I'm relieved it wasn't worse. Yes, losing the beans and the rice in a game where you already have very little food has got to be very scary and difficult. And sure, witnessing someone's mental instability and eventual breakdown when you're isolated on an island with him must be very trying on the nerves and morale. But given some of the shots we saw in the preview last week, and considering the comparison made with Skupin's fire incident, I was actually worried that someone was going to get seriously injured. So I'm relieved that wasn't the case.

As for the meltdown itself -- I was caught between laughing in incredulity and feeling some of the dread these guys were clearly showing. For the most part, I was really impressed with how everyone handled it -- Jeff included. Most of them obviously knew -- and more importantly were able -- to brush their discomfort under the rug for as long as possible in order to calm Brandon down in his outbursts. Corinne's announcement on behalf of the tribe was very put together and controlled, while still saying it like it was, and I appreciated that, though it might bite her in her in the butt if she did that without the whole tribe's actual consent... Phillip on the other hand was absolutely egotistic and borderline idiotic in his reactions. He is the epitome of a tautologist who finds many ways to say nothing at all -- or at least nothing helpful. There is no doubt he contributed to Brandon's downward spiral, and I'm actually quite tired of watching him at this point, pink undies and all. More on that in the video.

Speaking of which, this video is slightly longer than my usual length -- but there was clearly lots to say. In it, I talk a little bit about the Russell vs. Brandon comparisons we've been hearing, the integrity of the game (and Jeff) in handling the situation and how this might affect the Faves moving forward, among other things. I also touch on Reynold finding the Idol -- again -- and whether or not there should be another Idol in play in general, and finally, the tribe mixup next week!

Looking forward to your comments -- below or straight on the YouTube page.

PS. Just saw this tweet by Russell.... Seeing how proud he is, I wonder whether I should even bother defending him! (But #enHantzed is pretty cool, I hate to say it...) (Ok, after some research, found out enHANTZed is actually a thing... View at your own risk.)

Survivor: Caramoan - Episode Two

How hilarious was it when Bikal's flag dropped?
Good thing it wasn't a bad omen for the challenge!

Another solid episode of this new season of Survivor, which still looks promising. Obviously though, there's still a lot to be learned and much still to be laid out, so I'm glad we got to see more of the Fans tribe this episode. We definitely needed to know them!

I was so glad to see the Favorites/Bikal win again! They're really so impressive when they're on their game. Erik, Brenda and Andrea killed it at that challenge! Such great teamwork! And Cochran placed himself well yet again this episode in the rope pulling section, so as to be helpful without holding the whole challenge on his shoulders. Malcolm -- taking risks yet again with the high-pressure role; SO glad he was able to pull through (with Philip's help, gotta say it like it is!). Brandon and Philip both provided as much entertainment as one could hope for. It's almost over-saturation with both of them on one season, let alone on one tribe!!! I'm game as long as they don't both stay all the way -- which I think is unlikely, so we're good.

As for the Fans/Gota, so many missteps, but also some promising moves from Sherri and Laura! (Note: Laura did get one of my Confidence Stars, just sayin'!) Shamar and Allie both get some talk time in the video below, obviously, along with Reynold, who's not quite living up to my Confidence Star in this case: alliance of four in a tribe of ten, romance on the first night, not properly hiding the Immunity Idol, calling out Shamar so obviously... need I go on?

Check out the video and let me know what stood out to you in the comments!

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 Nine: Excluded, Eroded, Evicted

Concern and helplessness shows on
remaining Savaii members' face. 

I can't say I have all that much to say about the latest Survivor episode... But for what it's worth, here's what I've got!

1. It's a bit heartbreaking to see the former Savaii tribe be picked off one-by-one.

I mentioned this in my 15 second Tout, and I'll say it again here. Cochran sealed their fate, and it's just a matter of time before Savaii is simply no more. The only chance of there being a Savaii member in the final is Redemption Island and he or she will need a lot of endurance, some good fortune, and a fighting will. Ozzy seems confident that he can do it, and despite his still very lacking social game (almost more lacking than in previous seasons I would say...), I root for him.

The hardest part about this really is seeing how well they have all been playing the game. Jim may be loud, but he's definitely got bone to back his bark; Dawn is a socially threatening player, and if not for Brandon's unpredictable outbursts of at-times-love at-times-aggression, she might have pulled it off; Whitney and Keith proved they could have been a couple to be reckoned with; and Ozzy is still the epitome of the perfect physical Survivor. All deserve to be in the game, and I would much rather see them go further over Edna or Brandon. But such is the game of Survivor, and you need these less preferred players to be at the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to the last standing tribe turning on its own.

2. Should Jim have given Ozzy his Immunity Necklace at the first Tribal Council? 

I would talk about this in more detail, but the fact of the matter is, it wouldn't have changed anything. What he shouldn't have done is promise it to Ozzy then bail at Tribal Council. But it's not like that will bear any obvious consequences given the dire outlook for the Savaii tribe. Ultimately, Jim made his plea, realized it was going to lead nowhere, and chose to give himself an extra three days and a fighting chance. I don't blame him.

3. I really dislike when contestants opt out of a challenge for food. 

I understand that they are hungry, and I understand that they may not need to participate if it's simply of choice of who to eliminate among the remaining Savaii tribe members. But even so, participating in the challenge is a matter of honoring the physical aspect of the game and showing courage in attempting to claim more control over Tribal Council decisions.

On the other hand, not participating in the challenge also has social repercussions in some shape or form, which is what makes the game of Survivor so interesting...

4. Three contestants on Redemption Island... Three strong contestants on Redemption Island. 

I've made it clear that I am rooting for Ozzy to get back into the game and beat the odds to secure a spot in the Final. That said, it's not going to be easy... Which will make it all the more earned. Jim and Keith are going to be far more challenging opponents than a tired Christine, and all three certainly are worthy. I wish I didn't have to say goodbye to two at once...


Who are you gunning for on Redemption Island? Does Savaii stand a chance to make it to the end? Is Cochran going to be everyone's new best friend because of his being the perfect Final Three partner? What has Albert got up his sleeve... Will it mess his game up completely or uproot Coach from his leadership position? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode Four: Scary Tactics

Coach is trying to be a Monkey Man, too! Not sure that's up
for grabs, but he sure is playing a better game than Ozzy... 

Here's what stood out to me in the last episode... Nothing too huge at this point, though I am prepping myself to write about Ozzy's unforgivable mistakes as he puts himself in more and more danger each week. I didn't say I was looking forward to it -- just prepping.

1. The Jim/Cochran alliance feels more like a joke right now than a real plot, but I’m ready to be surprised.

Both Cochran and Jim give me the impression that they want to play the game of Survivor more than they are actually playing the game of Survivor. The whole “let’s make a Survivor move” attitude irks me. I like Cochran, and I think Jim has the potential of making this game interesting (he’s already provided us with some high-quality quotes), but they need to play their cards right and not be too arrogant in order to make this work. I’m prepared to see Elyse/Ozzy booted if these Survivors-in-the-making do it right. Now let’s see if they can actually pull through.

2. So. Tired. Of. Brandon.

I’m so done with Brandon Hantz that I don’t even want to talk about Brandon Hantz. That said, if by some miraculous stretch, his moves are actually strategic, hat’s off. However, I highly doubt it so I’ll be holding onto that, thank you very much.

3. Dawn was my Player of the Week.

I like that although she confided in Ozzy at the start, and Ozzy was there for her, she’s not proclaiming her undying loyalty to him either. She’s vigilant, she’s clever and she’s a mental powerhouse, initial breakdown aside. When it came down to it, that challenge was all about willpower and mental stamina and she pulled through despite the odds. I mean come on, Stacey definitely looked like the stronger one and she certainly has the bigger butt to boot. I was very happy for Dawn’s victory and love how purely genuine her excitement was. She gets my POTW vote.

4. Coach is running the show and I like it.

Who would have thought that after all this, Ozzy would be the one treading (and unknowingly so) on thin ice and Coach would be the one at the helm of his tribe? Certainly not me. Coach is playing a solid game and I loved when he (unsuccessfully) attempted to snap Brandon out of his hysteria and told him to freakin’ “Stop It!” His sub-alliance with Sophie makes me hopeful that Brandon will soon be ousted and ejected.

5. Stacey is one scary lady—if I can even call her that.

I know Jeff said she could be a powerful tribe mate if she could break into the younger tribe when he introduced the cast before the premiere, but it looks to me like Stacey didn’t even try. However annoying Edna may be, she’s right in saying that Stacey is inaccessible. She claims no one came to speak to her, but she didn’t exactly make the first step either as far as I can tell, and she definitely didn’t exude any welcoming vibes. I wouldn’t want to go near that if I were on the show. She’s aggressive, confrontational, overconfident (Yeah, she did well in the challenge, but she didn’t win, and Dawn, who was clearly weaker physically, did. End of story.) – and freakin’ scary. Doesn’t she know Survivor is a social game? You simply can’t play it alone; her only ally is either going to beat her ass on Redemption Island or she’ll run her off; and if she somehow makes it back into the game, she’ll have zero allies and will be sent right back packing. If you’re looking for ways to mess up your game the best, just follow this crazy lady’s cues.

Not much more to say for now. At this point, I’m waiting to get into the thick of things. It looks like some moves might shake the game up and I’m still very much intrigued by a good number of players, so I’m excited for what’s to come!

What did you think of the last episode? Who’s shaping up to be your favorite or most exciting players this season? Let us know in the comments! 

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! 

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode 3 in 15 seconds

It's not that I'm underwhelmed by this episode, I'm just not overwhelmed with excitement either.

That said, I do have some thoughts mulling over in my mind, so definitely stay tuned for those!

In the meantime, here's my 15 second initial reaction to this week's ep:




...and: well you'll just have to wait and see.

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode Two: Immunity Idols and Idiotic Insights

Cocky or just excited? Good move or cursed find? 

Yesterday was an incredible day. Not only was I in Washington D.C. visiting two of my favorite people, but I also a) bumped into Adechike from So You Think You Can Dance in a Chinatown Starbucks [figures I’d have to leave NY to bump into someone (semi-) famous!] and b) an old friend from college texted me saying that he was hanging out with Survivor: South Pacific’s very own Sophie, and they were READING THIS BLOG!!!!! To make things even more awesome, I’m going to watch Survivor with them a week from this Wednesday. Needless to say, I’m super pumped.

So pumped even that I rewatched the second episode of the season last night with my boyfriend, his Dad, whose interest I had piqued with my unfaltering ebullience, and a good friend of ours.

So without further ado, here are my thoughts from the episode:

1. Ozzy finding the immunity idol is both really exciting and dangerous.

Impressive monkey-skills and initial excitement due to favorite contestants finding Immunity Idols aside, Ozzy getting his hands on this Immunity leaves me with mixed feelings. Not only do I find it kind of strange that the idol was placed in almost the exact same way as it was in Fans vs. Favorites when he found it on Exile Island, but I also think it wasn’t his best move overall. Ozzy’s main issue is his social game and he needs to work extra hard to make sure his fellow tribe mates want to keep him around, without him having to use the idol to stay in the game. In Cook Islands, Yul demonstrated very effectively how the Immunity Idol was most useful: to get power in the game. Keeping it for the purpose of saving yourself on one occasion, provided you play it correctly, is not very helpful on the long run. And my main concern with Ozzy is that his natural confidence – which sometimes borders on cockiness and over-confidence – will return and he’ll pay less attention to his social game, thus shooting himself in the foot once again, and failing at the whole redemption thing.

2. The whole Keith/Jim/Ozzy alliance leaves me largely underwhelmed.

Ok, so if Ozzy might border on cocky in some instances, Jim is full on obnoxious. “I’m the mastermind and the architect of this plan”? Yeah, think again. That said, Keith handled the situation very smoothly and is turning out to be a physically strong but also socially apt player – always exciting qualities to see develop – easing my initial skepticism around this season’s mighty male players along the way. I will say Jim is entertaining to watch and is coming up with some memorable quotes along the way. But his “cool kid” attitude is going to get him into trouble – and I won’t mind one bit. (I mean really Jim: “I don’t see any of us 5 flipping.” Do you even know how this game works? And do you really expect to be certain of that 4-5 days in?)

3. I miss separate reward and immunity challenges.

This week’s challenge was exciting to watch, not least because I love a good comeback (especially when Ozzy’s at the helm!) but I can’t help but be disappointed it was a join reward/immunity challenge once again. If they can’t even give us two separate challenges before the Redemption Island duels begin, then it’s not looking good for later in the season. And that makes me sad… Come on! Survivor is also about the physical aspect of the challenges, ­­and beyond that, the way people react to reward challenges and the decisions they make around them can have a large impact on the game. It’s a shame to reduce that component. I’d much rather see more of those strategic moves than searching for hidden Immunity Idols.

4. Christine dug her grave, and deserves to lie in it.

Speaking of hidden Immunity Idols, Christine made a big mistake searching for it as openly as she did. It was obvious she was going to follow in Kristina’s – her namesake from last season – footsteps. She made a handful of other important mistakes too, like shunning Coach right off the bat and making no effort to mend that relationship, and being so aggressive both at camp (though her confrontation with Edna was really entertaining and I will look forward to seeing how Edna attempts to compensate for and/or improve her social awkwardness) and at Tribal Council.

5. Brandon is train wreck waiting to happen, and I’m eating it all up.

It looks like we’ll be seeing a lot more of his downward spiral into good vs. evil in the next episode, but we got a good look at how shortsighted, naïve and impulsive Brandon is this week, unflattering editing aside. While I think that divulging his identity to Coach turned out well for him because of Coach’s honorable game playing philosophy, I also suspect it had absolutely nothing to do with strategy. He just couldn’t keep his mouth shut. His performance at Tribal Council confirms this suspicion… You can’t just declare that you were behind sabotaging someone at camp – and a completely faultless and honorable someone at that – and not explain why or at least extend an apology. I’m sure if Brandon told Mikayla he’d feel more comfortable if she wore shorts around camp, she’s be happy to oblige (which would be a good strategic move for her too). Trying to get her kicked off for entirely selfish reasons is not the right way to go about it. Everyone likes a good train wreck, but this is taking it a bit far.

6. A Tribal Council like I like them! But why must the women always be first to suffer the initial elimination?

Tribal Council was a treat this episode! At first, I thought Coach was being reckless and stupid, but somehow he managed to come out on top of his “gloves off” policy. Albert impressed me in his eloquence and strong argumentation skills. (I love smart players on Survivor!) Mikayla needs to work on more than just her physical skills if she wants a chance to get deeper into the game. And why the hell did Stacey and Christine not vote together? Throwing away a vote is no way to either protect yourself or get yourself in any solid alliance. Neither one of them is going to last long. And though I know that weakness is the main criteria of elimination in the first Tribal Councils, I find it offensive and honestly narrow-minded to so obviously target the old and the female in the tribe. Look at Palau’s season: the ‘older’ and arguably less fit tribe of Koror killed the younger and stronger Ulong tribe with their strategy and brains. It’s time to open your minds a little more kiddos!

I’m looking forward to the Redemption Island duel! Who’s your money on for the win? (I’m going to bet on Christine, though I wouldn’t be opposed to Semhar getting herself some appropriate redemption by kicking butt.) What do you think of the Immunity Idol situation? Who’s shaping up to be your favorite player this season? Leave comments below! 

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode 2 in 15 seconds

What an fantastic episode! I'm so glad the momentum hasn't been lost in the second episode, and I'm really enjoying every moment of this season so far.

Ozzy, use it right this time!!!

Brandon, get OVER yourself.

Mikayla, keep kicking butt! But ok, cover yourself up a little bit while doing it...

Jim: overconfidence never got anyone anywhere on Survivor!

Here are my 15 seconds...:

Survivor: South Pacific - Episode One: Love, Loss and How To Call It

Ozzy the Survivor-ator solving the awesome puzzle

It’s Friday night, 10:48PM, and I’m on my way to Boston for the weekend. At the moment, I’m theoretically an hour away, but effectively stuck in a traffic jam that refuses to appear on my iPhone. So I’m completely in the dark as to how long this traffic jam actually is. It is ironic how annoyed I am by this considering I keep affirming that I am not at the mercy of my currently not-so-smart phone.

BUT! Never fear. Now that I have slept and listened to music for the past almost-four hours from New York, I am fully prepared to launch into my Survivor: South Pacific – Episode 1 run-through.

As I mentioned in my last post, I decided to try a new experiment this time and really connect with fellow fans on Twitter. The fact that Jeff Probst was tweeting and posting videos FROM HIS LIVING ROOM definitely helped. Russell was also there (obvi making comments on how Brandon – and well, everyone else – should play the game); I particularly enjoyed his Tweet on how Ozzy got powned by Parvati when Russell controlled Parvati: “Ozzy does not know how to play this game. He got punked by Parvati, I controlled Parvati.” Now now Russell… I would disagree on both accounts. But let’s not get into that today.

Now onto my episode highlights!

1. These contestants actually look ready to play.

We begin with a shot of Jeff and a helicopter. Very quickly, we zoom into Coach and Ozzy as they loom over the South Pacific island of Samoa, about to field various reactions from the tribes they are about to join. One thing is certain; the contestants are skeptical and make it very clear that the All-Stars’ fate will depend on whether they can be used… or shoo’ed. One Upolu tribe member, Christine, stands out as being a plain ol’ bitter pants when she states very assertively that these guys will not stay for long. That’s not just up to you, lady… And who ends up on her tribe? Poor Coach. Ozzy got a warmer welcome as he smacked his tribe’s red paint-filled egg against his heart. Now that t-shirt will be a winner for the eBay auction.

2. The first challenge is the coolest, most challenging puzzle ever.

A face-off between Coach and Ozzy turns into a united tribe effort when Ozzy has finished showing off his climbing, digging and being sexy skills and Coach has kind of kept up. This is actually the first time I’ve seen contestants being called out on not following the rules and taking a while to figure it out. Basically, the puzzle is a pyramid sliced into horizontal pieces from the base to the tip. The pyramid is complete on one table and the goal is to move the pyramid to a third table by only moving one piece at a time and only putting smaller pieces on top of larger ones. Ozzy showed his humbler side when he gestured to his tribe to help him out and the challenge became a screaming fest of “No! Not that one! To the left! Over here!” But it worked for Savaii, and Ozzy took home the “fire in the form of flint.”

3. Coach has some work cut out for him… And does a great job.

Without a doubt, Coach got the short end of the stick on this one. Not only did he end up on bitter Christine’s tribe, he was also clearly the less welcome of the two redemption-seeking All-Stars. Somehow, he still managed to get himself an alliance of 5, including a very intriguing, smart and highly intuitive recent grad, Sophie. The only girl of the alliance, she could go far. She definitely gets a “to-be-followed” card from me. But Coach’s biggest break was clearly this: Upolu won Immunity at the first challenge. Despite not being Coach’s biggest fan, I’m impressed at how he handled himself and look forward to seeing his next moves.

4. Ozzy falls for an over-confident, too-much-boob-showing show-off. A huge downgrade from Amanda.

Ozzy's love interest?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I was never Amanda’s greatest fan… But at least the girl was super hot, smart and could stand her own at a challenge (even if she couldn’t stand up for herself at Tribal Council). Enter Semhar, an outspoken young lady with awesome afro hair and a knack for showing too much cleavage. A few words of spoken-word poetry and Ozzy’s taking the bait. Ugh… Now, I realize that my TOUT comment on this came across more angry than anything else, but really I was just frustrated that Ozzy would be so keen to start another island romance when his last once so obviously took his attention away from the game. He even stood up for Semhar when she stepped forward claiming to have great aim and a good arm and then failed miserably at the challenge, ultimately losing Immunity for Savaii. Tssk Tssk Ozzy, tssk tssk.

5. Brandon: a doomed creepster that I hope will manage to step up and surprise me.

When I learned Russell’s nephew was going to be on the show, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I suspected he wouldn’t follow his uncle’s wicked ways, but I was hoping he’d actually have some game under there too. Turns out he’s a married father – even though he looks no older than 19-20 – and he’s a G-d fearing conservative prude. I will blame much of his creepster moments on biased editing, but that doesn’t mean I was not extremely disturbed – and somewhat entertained – by his sneaking up on and trash-talking Mikayla, who seems like a strong and promising contestant that just happens to also be pretty darn fine. Apparently that’s too much for Brandon to handle.

But keeping his t-shirt on in various ridiculous ways to hide his Hantz tattoos is totally up his alley. I mean come on, how common of a last name is Hantz? And wouldn’t lying and saying he wasn’t related right off the bat be better than dooming himself to having to explain why he won’t ever take his shirt off? Personally, I don’t think he’ll be able to keep the secret, even if that is in his best interest. Having a killer player like Sophie on the tribe will make this concoction for disaster a lot of fun to watch—I hope.

6. Why the hell are people all up in Jeff’s face about how to call them all of a sudden?

It’s one thing when quirky Cochran asks Jeff to call him by his last name because previous players that have had that honor have always been more awesome for the title (Mariano, Penner, Savage…) and it’s quite another when a dubious but admittedly cuddly-looking retired police officer by the name of Mark Anthony (also dubious…) asks Jeff to call him Poppa Bear. What’s next, Ozzy asking Jeff to call him Monkey Man? Or Dolphin Boy? Or simply Survivor-ator? Surviv-inator? (Well, something like that.) It’s ludicrous, and unless it’s a pronunciation thing, Probst (cuz he’s that cool) should have the last say on how he chooses players should be called. He gives the cool factor; it’s not imposed on him.

Ultimately, this first episode was very entertaining to watch and the 90-minutes just flew by! I’m more than pumped for this season and excited about some of these players. The girls seem to be promising as well as pretty (Mikayla, Elyse, Whitney), the nerds could have a lot to offer given the chance (Cochran and one of my front-runners right now, Sophie), we‘ve got some loud but entertaining folk (Jim, Christine, who I really don’t like and hope will leave the game soon) and of course we have Ozzy, who just keeps reminding me how much I love him and why I believe in him as much as I do. The one thing I’m not seeing right now is how the muscular men will prove to be more than just that.

What did you think about the episode? Who were your favorite contestants? Are you rooting for Ozzy and/or Coach? Were you happy with the first elimination?