Survivor: Caramoan - Cast Breakdown

Oh dear lord, Phillip is wearing his pink undies again!

We're about four weeks away from the premiere of Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites (take two) and I couldn't be more excited. I've just watched all the cast interviews, taken notes, made judgements and I have my favorites for the season so far.

Of course, this could all change in a minute after the first episode; after all, it's one thing to see these people talk about themselves before the game and another to see what they'll be like when actually in the game, so I'm taking these predictions for what they are, and that's very preliminary.

Let's break it down, shall we?


The Favorites:

• Erik Reichenbach [Micronesia]: I'm so excited he's back! He looks older (well, it has been a few years) and hopefully he's a bit wiser. He was a strong contender in Micronesia if not for that massive blunder -- I mean, he was the last remaining male!! AND a fan, a.k.a. first-time player! -- and if he makes the right alliances, I think he could go far. I'm not giving him a big Star endorsement, but I've got hopes. 

• Corinne Kaplan [Gabon]: Corinne is the only returning player this season that I'm not familiar with. She definitely seems shrewd, and I can tell why she got as far as she did in Gabon, but I'm not confident she's going to do well this season. In her intro video, she says that she wouldn't change anything about how she played (when she clearly didn't win that time around) and she's going to give the audience exactly what they expect, as though she were playing for us rather than for herself in the game. That's not a winning strategy, and I think her self-stated bitchiness and illusions of power will be her demise. 

• Brenda Lowe [Nicaragua]*: Here's another one I'm pumped to see back, and another really strong contender that was a favorite for me until she lost her footing. I think she knows what she did wrong in Nicaragua and could definitely be a force to be reckoned with this season. She's getting my first Confidence Star. 

• Francesca Hogi [Redemption Island]: Franny! You're back! I bet people are wondering why she's back when she was the first voted out in her season, but I don't think it's completely outrageous. I might be biased because I've met her and know how charismatic she is in life, so I do believe she could be an amazing player if given the chance. She definitely needs to play her cards right and do everything she mentioned in her interview. If she stands out too much straight upon arrival or tries to make big moves too soon, she might suffer the same fate she did in her first season, particularly because her tribe might not take her seriously as the most 'inexperienced' returning player, as she put it. 

• Phillip Sheppard [Redemption Island]: Ha, I can't wait to see Franny's reaction when she sees her favorite Redemption Island co-contestant return this season and on her tribe. I have to say, I am glad he's back -- for entertainment purposes only. I don't think there's a chance in hell that he'll win, though he might make it to the end again because he's such a perfect person to take along.

• Andrea Boehlke [Redemption Island]: I should start by saying that I really did believe in her potential on Redemption Island. I always said it was a shame she played with the players she did, because she could have done better otherwise. That said, I'm not super confident in her after watching her video. I think she considers herself a big 'Favorite' now, and she's still got to earn her brownie points in my book. I definitely do believe she'll play that flirty card -- and it might work, but she'll have to follow up with some strong moves to get beyond the winks and cuddles.

• Brandon Hantz [South Pacific]: Ugh. That is all. Ok, fine I'll elaborate a bit more... I have very low hopes for Brandon. He's clearly over-confident (and for no good reason) and I think he'll either stay for the ride because people want to sit next to him at the end to beat him, or he'll get voted out early on because he won't have the same religious support system/bonding crew that he had in South Pacific and will just be unlikeable and stupid. 

• John Cochran [South Pacific]*: Happy Birthday Cochran! At least, it'll still be your birthday if I post this in the next 55 minutes. I'm really excited to see Cochran back. He's so charismatic, and seriously, what you see on screen is not fabricated. I'm lucky enough to have hung out with him a few times in Boston and New York, and he really is that quick and also self-deprecating. I'm hoping his self-awareness will get him as far as I think he'll go. He does have a fan-base behind him, and I'm really rooting for him. I also think it'd make a GREAT finale to have him there. To prove my confidence, I'm giving him my second Confidence Star.

• Dawn Meehan [South Pacific]: Aww, Dawn. She's so great, isn't she? I remember being so impressed by her when she knocked it out of the ballpark in challenges and exceeded my expectations all around. Let me say it to you now: you did earn your returning slot, Dawn! Now, I'm excited she's getting another shot and I think she's a good pick for a Favorite, but I don't think she'll win. She might, and she could... I just think there are stronger players right now that have a better chance. 

• Malcolm Freberg [Philippines]*: Malcolm, oh Malcolm, am I happy you're back. I'll try to keep this professional and will just write my predictions based on what I've seen and know and not how awesome it was when the camera just kept filming your abs during that balancing challenge (which you lost...). I'm giving Malcolm my Confidence Star, because he does have the whole package: strategy, strength and likeability. BUT, I'm worried that he won't make it as far because hey, he just came back. It's hard to have that endurance especially when he had a really hard time on Matsing and even throughout the whole season last season. He does have the advantage of returning immediately so having the experience without the exposure to the other contestants, who don't quite know just how much of a threat he is. I'm hoping it's his game this time around. 

The Fans:

• Eddie Fox: I'm not very confident in Eddie. He's a firefighter from Jersey, and that's great, but what ticked me off the most was how he described himself and why he was there. He basically made it sound like he was just there for the adventure and to have fun. I hope he does, but I don't think he'll win. It doesn't seem like he has the strategy, and it just makes me wonder: is he even a Fan?? 

• Allie Pohevitz: She seems cool and tough, which I like, though it took her about half her interview to get there (which is really no big deal at all). She's among the slew of new contestants who think they're "people persons" and it'll be interesting to see how social and likeable they are when they're hungry and without comfort. I did see a fighter in her, and I liked that she said this was the only opportunity you could get to have one shot in 16 (well, 20 this time) to win a million dollars. That screams logic to me, and I think if she keeps her head on straight, she could do well. 

• Hope Driskill: This one's the Miss Missouri chick. She's definitely beautiful, which might get her some points with the guys, and she's aiming to play the 'underestimated' card. I'm going to reserve full judgement on her until the first episode, but I can also see her leaving quickly. 

• Matt Bischoff: The guy with the beard and a tender loving side seems to think he has the complete package, and that "good things just happen" to him. Well that may very well be true, but in order for good things to happen to you on Survivor, you need to make them happen. I have my doubts about Matt, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. 

• Michael Snow: When I heard his name, I had high hopes -- but that may just be because I'm reading A Game Of Thrones and Jon Snow is an awesome character. Then I listened to him talk and was left unimpressed. He's not very well-spoken and he's probably my least favorite new player with Eddie. He also claims to have a "nice, well-rounded strategy" and newsflash: that never works. You've got to be flexible. 

• Laura Alexander*: Laura gets my first Fan Confidence Star because she's clearly smart and has the advantage of being experienced in politics, which I think will be a huge asset. She seems to have a good head on her shoulders too and here's one who knows you need to be flexible. It'll all depend on "the cards [she's] given." That's right! Hope you manage them well, lady! 

• Julia Landauer*: And there goes my next Confidence Star! This awesome-looking racecar driver looks super cool, and I'd even venture to say she's my early favorite on the Fans tribe. I obviously don't know how well she'll actually play, but hey, I'd like to know that chick. I like her attitude and if she is, in fact, good at turning things on and off (aggression, competition, etc.), then I think there's a great future for her this season! 

• Sherri Biethman: Is it just me or does Sherri remind you all of Sandra Bullock, too? That might be why I automatically felt warm towards her... I'm not giving her a star, but I do think that if she can pull through the first couple of votes, she could be very successful this season. She also needs to keep it together when it comes to her family, which clearly means a lot to her. I'm rooting for her. 

• Shamar Thomas: The "army brat" seems like he'll be a strong player -- but by strong I just mean physically. Yes, he'll have the survival part down, but Survivor is so much more than that! He does seem personable, so if he can avoid the 'leader' trap, he could do okay. Though someone should tell him that "destroying everybody" is not the most thought-out strategy... 

• Reynold Toepfer*: Now here's another one I really like! Between Reynold and Julia, I have high hopes for the Fan tribe. He's another one who gets that you have to be "socially adaptable" and I even wrote in my notes how likeable and strong he seemed before he said it in his interview. I'm confident he will achieve his goals of being fun and easy to connect with. He gets my last Confidence Star.

Voilà! So, who are your favorites so far? You can check out the bios for all cast members on CBS's cast bios page and I've linked each name to their respective interviews on YouTube, so you have no excuse not to comment! 

Survivor: Philippines - Finale + Reunion in 455 seconds

This is it... the end of an epic season -- and one of my new top three favorites. I'd even say it might have snuck its way up to #2, but I know that's because it just ended and it was so welcomingly amazing, so I'm going to say it's snug at #3 now, topped only by Heroes vs. Villains at #2 and Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites at #1.

But let's talk about the finale! They made us wait, oh boy... and they made us speculate going into it with a final four rather than a final five. In fact Rob Cesternino and Parvati Shallow even stumbled across an exciting prediction that there might be a tie in the final vote. But there was no such twist, and the reading of the winner went by really swiftly actually, so we just got treated to more of what went down in those final three days.

In this final video of the season are some of my thoughts, including my feelings about Malcolm (definitely one of the 'older girls' that's totally backing him!) and Denise of course, as well as some of the things that went down at the reunion (you fans all know what I'm talking about)!

One thing I didn't mention is my feelings about the winner for Fan Fave, and I was totally surprised to see Lisa sweep it from under Malcolm's feet! In fact, if anything, I thought it'd be a toss up between Penner and Malcolm, with Malcolm for the win. It sucks to be Malcolm at this point, with both the victory for sole Survivor and fan fave escaping him so closely. I certainly hope/look forward to seeing him again! [wink wink nudge nudge]

Until February fellow Survivor fans!

Survivor: Philippines - Ponderosa Recap

The Survivor: Philippines finale is impending... and in my excitement and impatience, what better to do than watch all the Ponderosa videos back to back? RC, Jeff, Artis, Pete, Penner, Carter and Abi all get put under my Survivor-fan-oscope... and the winners for favorite are by far Penner, followed by Pete. And maybe, surprisingly, Abi.

All in all, I'm confident this jury will take their voting responsibility seriously and aside from RC, who has reserved all her bitterness for people who are now out of the game anyway, they can all remove their emotions from the vote and make reasonable decisions. Bring it on, Survivor!

Favorite quote of Ponderosa: "Recognizing yourself is very powerful." -Pete

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 13 in 320 seconds

Malcolm: A Lone Survivor or The Sole Survivor?

It's the episode before the finale, and we're left with the Final Four that committed to each other: Malcolm, Denise, Skupin and Lisa. Lisa is back in it to win it; Skupin is showing his physical prowess is not to be disregarded; Denise shows she's a fighter - and a graceful one at that - and Malcolm is laying it all out just when it matters.

We've got four amazing contenders for the title, with one clear favorite in Malcolm, and there are several possible outcomes ahead, which in my mind all involve Malcolm getting voted out if he doesn't win the next Immunity Challenge(s). So what's next? There's only the finale to go and I'm still sitting on the edge of my seat...

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 12 in 280 seconds

The Immunity Idol that magically protects the
contestant most in need...

The big question at hand in this episode was: strategy or morale? It's a tough one and while as a viewer (in my most level-headed moments at least), I'm mostly voting for strategy (with a bit of heart, always!), Abi makes these polarities particularly difficult to juggle.

Now Carter is a bit of an enigma to me as a viewer. It seems people on the island connect with him quite well in person -- albeit not enough to keep him in a final alliance -- and yet he seems very simplistic about his game to me. I do believe he's a physical threat, but it doesn't seem like he's been particularly strategic throughout the game. That said, his "benevolence" during the Survivor auction and his lack of enemies do make him a social threat too. Making it to the end means he checks the "outlasting" box too. With all that laid out this way, I see why it was indeed the right move to vote him out over Abi, but I feel like the threat he poses is a fact beyond his conscious control, so that takes away from his game play for me.

Back to the vote, choosing strategy over moral here is all the more impressive when you realize how hard it was to do too, just knowing that you'll have to withstand Abi for an additional three days (though I bet she thinks they made it because of her 'brilliant' fake idol game play). Just check out this article on how listening to people complain is bad for you and can actually "make you dumb." Turns out, season 25 has become about outliving, outplaying, outlasting... and outbearing Abi's presence. So far into the game though, why not bear her a little longer and take her to the end? Now that will be the question for next episode!

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 11 in 250 seconds

A priceless screenshot of how Abi's "social skills" and
"charm" have seduced the gang.

As the season progresses, the potential outcomes begin to dwindle... but that doesn't mean this season isn't still exciting. Abi proved her worth as a perfect Survivor casting choice again this episode by kicking up her game a notch and playing hard. Her actions definitely seemed obvious from a viewer's perspective, but other contestants may not see through her the way we do and if they don't, she just bought herself another 3 days on the island. Nicely done missy!

[Fun Fact: Check out Abi's bio on the CBS Survivor page. It'll make you chuckle and scoff -- guaranteed. Hint: You'll find words like "charming," "social skills" and "motivator."]

I was definitely disappointed to see Penner go -- he must be one of my favorite all-stars and though I find his moves fall short of my expectations at times, his counter-moves are often brilliant. He's a great player and if his game were more consistent, he could definitely have made it all the way.

All that said, I'm so glad that Malcolm and Denise are still in it -- and boy are they in it to win it. I think Skupin is their biggest competition at this point, and Skupin's best option moving forward would be to get rid of them and go with Lisa and Carter to the end. He would win by a landslide. But because I'm rooting for Malcolm, I'm hoping that won't happen. I think that as long as Malcolm can make it to the Final Tribal Council, he will win.

Check out my video below, which goes into a bit more depth on these budding thoughts above, and let me know your reactions in the comments!

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 10 in 265 seconds

"That was fun!"

The outcome of this episode may not have been as scandalous as previous episodes, but what makes this season so great is that it could have been... There are so many options, potential twists and strong contestants that nothing is predictable even when the 'most predictable' outcome comes to pass.

For this video, I've broken it down by contestants, starting with Miss Abi, who I think is a true villain (I mean, Parvati, Sandra and Candice were hardly villains!) and also a true Survivor gem. As much as I dislike her behavior on a personality level, I love her completely on a Survivor level. Scoring her was casting gold and I wouldn't be surprised to see her return in future season -- though I don't think she'd do well, but hey, she could learn and actually turn out to be an incredible returning player.

Other things on my mind this week are: Penner's idiotic response to a potential Final Three with Skupin and Lisa, Malcolm's risky but rewarding move (he is the only remaining contestant with an active Idol!) and Skupin's game and why he didn't choose to eliminate Malcolm.