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!