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.

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 9 in 215 seconds

That was a SUPER hard challenge (that I would've
loved to try). Go Skupin for killing it!

Another solid episode today! I didn't hear what I expected from Jonathan and Skupin regarding their votes from last episode... Nevertheless, some interesting plays went down and ultimately, the evil trio was separated! YES!

I think Penner is at the top of his game right now (despite some questionable moves throughout the season), and I love that Pete recognized that when he wrote Penner's name down. It's refreshing to have Jeff and his tunnel-vision on returning players out and to see the game go down with decisions made because they make strategic sense rather than to fulfill some egotistic need.

I was also really excited to see a group of players that don't hold unnecessary grudges. That's going to make for one of the most interesting and fair Final Tribal Councils in a while!! Malcolm's reaction towards Lisa was on point, and well ultimately also strategic. Clearly she still needs some buttering up, but I hope she'll come around by the next episode. Penner's also played his cards right in moderate reactions -- despite several moments where I was concerned he would flip out at his alliance. And even Pete didn't overreact at Malcolm's betrayal -- though I'm sure he was disappointed. You could see it in his face last week.

So what's next now? How are the dice going to fall? Who will end up at the end with a chance of winning? All things on my mind this week... and in my video below.

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 8 in 225 seconds

Were they lined up that way intentionally...??

Holy moly, what a great episode!!! This season is just full of great moments, and this ep was among the best I've seen, no doubt. Tribal Council was ridiculous, and so many outcomes were on the table. Turns out the least exciting (but maybe that'll make for the most exciting moves next week?) happened, but the process was amazing to watch nevertheless.

It looks like this season could go any which way and there are still a great number of variables that could swing things left, right or diagonally. My biggest question mark right now is WHAT THE HELL WERE PENNER AND SKUPIN THINKING!??? Their votes are what changed everything at Tribal and I wonder where they came from. Any theories?? I'd be curious to hear them. I'm going to say they concerted with one another beforehand and orchestrated this strategically, and if that's the case, I cannot wait to hear what their end game was.

While missing out on voting Malcolm out may be several people's demise, it's not over yet -- and well I certainly can't say I'm disappointed it didn't work out. I'm definitely definitely rooting for Malcolm the most, and Denise very closely after. And though I think it's a long shot for him, if Penner can make it to the Final Three, he certainly deserves to win too.

On my mind in images this week: Lisa's move, blow opportunities and their consequences, Malcolm's move with the Idol and future alliances...

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 7 in 200 seconds

And then there were 10...

As predicted, the merge took place this week on Survivor and all hell broke loose -- making for both good TV and interesting new avenues for our lovely season 25 contestants.

At the Immunity Challenge, Denise kicked butt yet again! I certainly hope she will keep doing so and stay safe as long as possible. I think she could have probably outlasted the guys in this challenge, and I think they know it too... so let's hope that doesn't turn against her.

Given that two Kalabaw members won the Immunity Challenge though, I was even more surprised that they still turned on each other and targeted Penner. That was a very stupid move on their behalf, and though I understand that Denise and Skupin probably just went along with it, I would have hoped they had been able to talk some sense into Jeff and Carter and stick together as a reigning new 6. They would have easily taken out the Pete/Abi/Artis alliance -- which I seriously can't stand -- and anything would have been possible for Jeff, Carter, RC and Skupin... Penner on the other hand looks like he's bound to be ejected at some or other, and now it's just going to be about watching how. I'm still rooting for him, but my hopes aren't very high.

Malcolm and Denise are still keeping their cards close, despite Lisa's intrusion... Let's hope that all works out for them. We didn't see much about it this week.

What's next Dangrayne? (Possibly one of my least favorite names for a merged tribe...)

Here are my thoughts and feelings about this week's episode:

How do you feel about this episode? Will you miss RC? Does Penner still stand a chance? Let me know in the comments!

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 6 in 120 seconds

Watch as this great big ball of complexity unwinds...

My my, how times flies...! We're already at the end of Episode 6 of the season, which means.... the merge is imminent! Every decision counts! (Well, every decision always counts, but they're even more important at this point in the game.)

I can't say this episode was the most exciting of the season, but it's a solid continuation of a strong season, and in that respect, it's still very much worth watching. There are really only two main things to discuss from this episode: the deal struck between Kalabaw (read: Penner) and Tandang (read: Mike Skupin), and Penner's actions which led his name to be thrown around preceding Tribal Council.

Things I'm looking forward to are Abi (hopefully) digging herself into a hole with her actions, RC picking herself up and getting back into the game (she's grown on me, what can I say?), the merge and seeing Malcolm and Denise reunite.

And here are my thoughts in 120 seconds... Go! [Note: I talked about the "Immunity Challenge" at the top of the video when I meant the "Reward Challenge..." Oops!]

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 5 in 130 seconds

Maybe we'll see these two warriors facing off again
 at the end... *fingers crossed*

How refreshing to have such a solid season of Survivor! I'm bummed about certain series of events, but only because I'm invested -- not because they're a result of lackluster candidates or lame [or worse: no!] moves. Welcome back, Survivor!

Speaking of welcomes: welcome back Reward Challenges! I was waiting and waiting, and finally, they are here. I suppose they were delaying them in order to give more air time to the contestants (which failed in many ways... right Kalabaw?), but I'm excited to see some more of those signature Survivor challenges back in action!

On my mind this week are my disappointment at Matsing's decimation, a.k.a. the separation of Malcolm and Denise, how they've played their cards as a result, how Dawson made a huge mistake that definitely cost her the game, and how I would totally have hugged Jeff Probst had I been in her position. Also, and this isn't in the video, I'm very impressed and relieved to see that Penner has his game face on and is kicking butt as far as I can see. It was a rocky start, but somehow, he managed to make most of his bad moves in one go at the start when he had several free Tribals to buy himself time and make amends to climb his way to the top. Well done!

Without further ado... my latest video... in 130 seconds. Note at the end: first Jeff mentioned = Jeff Kent, last Jeff mentioned = Jeff Probst. Obvi.

What were your thoughts? Excited at the twist? Disappointed? How about that leap across the pit that Carter landed in the Immunity Challenge... rad, right?! Any predictions for the next episode? The preview sounded exciting... Yay Survivor!

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 4 in 70 seconds

Palau // Philippines: The Curse of the Ps?
(minus Panama...)

Survivor fans! I hope this episode was as enjoyable for you all as it was for me! Twists and turns, misleading edits, unbelievable odds, sneaky moves and lots and lots of rain... it had it all!

Wow-wow-wow, I did NOT expect Matsing to lose AGAIN! And they were doing so well! And Denise is SUCH a trooper! The editing was so well done and the hope was so inflated that it really came as a shock when Kalabaw's pots broke before Matsing's. The only positive things about this outcome are that a)  it definitely provided some heart-pumping moments, b) we got to see more of Denise and Malcolm and c) we witnessed some serious game-playing when Denise and Malcolm were working Russell to make him feel comfortable -- particularly Denise. I was sure D. and M. would stick together, but Denise sure did a hell of a job buttering Russell up! Well done, and good riddance!

As for the rest... it's all in the video. Kudos to Pete's clever move with the clue, and happy to see some (a little) more Kalabaw and Tandang action -- all in memorable Survivor-esque shots that really remind you this game is for real.

Favorite quote of the night, and possibly the season: "Can I write you my own check along with the check that you get from Survivor?" [Russell to Denise] Now, that's the only opportunity he'll get to personally reward Denise for her great gameplay.

Note: Yes, I did film this in the kitchen. What can I say, the lighting was better! 

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 3 in 150 seconds

Someone needs to tell Dawson that is not a
Survivor-appropriate bathing suit. 

It's getting harder and harder to get my videos under 90 seconds, so I might have to rethink my strategy... but there were a lot of things that made my wheels turn and overall I really enjoyed this episode as well.

First thing: the way the Hidden Immunity Idol is in plain view. That brings up a whole set of new questions about how to go about "finding" it. Do you take it and hide it like other Idols? Or do you rather hide all the clues and leave it where it is to avoid other people noticing its absence and asking unwanted questions? I feel like I would have been so excited to find it that I might not have made the right call on this -- and I don't think Penner did.

Other things on my mind: RC vs. Abi-Maria and the debate of who I dislike the most; Malcolm and Denise continuing to kick butt despite being on a losing tribe, and Angie being eliminated over Russell.

PS. I made a mistake at the top of the video and called the red tribe Tandang instead of Kalabaw, so please disregard that!

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 2 in 100 seconds

Matsing does it again... Get all the air time, that is.

Hey there Survivor fans! I'm trying something new for the blog, so let me know what you think. Instead of 15 second reactions plus a longer written blog post, I'm going to go with 90 second video commentaries, followed by a written blog post if there's something that requires more diving in to (you'll agree not all episodes have particularly noteworthy events to write about!). I went a little long with this one so it's 100 seconds rather than 90 -- and maybe I'll stick with 100, or maybe I'll tighten it to 90... It's a work-in-progress so let me know your thoughts and I'll definitely take them into account!

Things and people on my mind this episode include: Matsing (namely Malcolm and Angie's cuddle situation, Denise and of course Roxy), Jonathan Penner and Abi-Maria's outburst with RC.

People definitely not on my mind this week: Carter? Artis? Who are these people? Hell, I don't even know what tribe they're on! Let's hope air time gets shared more evenly in eps to come...

See below for the video and please, comment away!

 

Survivor: Philippines - Episode One: The Good, The Bad and The Plain Stupid

Survivor Season 25 is under way!

Survivor: Philippines has begun and I for one am very excited at having a new location this season. The opening shots were so beautiful and like I said in my last post, I'm really looking forward to seeing what some of the rewards will bring. [And this is where I appreciate again that Redemption Island is no more, and that reward challenges are actually back.]

I'm pretty optimistic about this season! It seems that the returning players aren't totally stealing the spotlight and there are some standout contestants already. For this first blog post of the season, I'm going to break my thoughts down by tribe.

1. The Blue Tribe: Matsing

This tribe is both potentially my favorite and also my least favorite.

Least favorite because it has the most annoying returning player ever: Russell Swan. Seriously, the guy is either a total idiot or just irrevocably annoying. He starts by saying that being a leader is like shooting yourself in the foot and laughs at the "dummy" who could put himself in such a position -- presumably learning from his previous mistakes -- and then promptly proceeds to do just that, and more. He acts entitled, obnoxious, pretentious and just bossy. I'm very impressed at how well the rest of the tribe is managing the situation and turning it to their advantage.

That is what makes it my favorite tribe: Malcolm and Denise's alliance is very exciting. I like them both and they both seem to have good intuition and good wits. Though Malcolm is very obviously production's attempt at getting a new Ozzy, I actually don't mind. He seems to have a better social game than Ozzy and so what if he's also an attractive and skilled jungle boy? I'm not complaining. :) I'm also impressed with Angie. I don't know how I would have taken being told what to do in that challenge when I clearly had a strength that was being ignored, and she did what she could but then still spoke up afterwards and at Tribal Council, putting pressure on Russell.

Regarding the loss and the vote, I'm also happy this tribe was the first to lose someone. Zane was a wild card and though I can't fault him for trying to make a move, I think his move was very premature and risky, and obviously didn't pay off. You can't ask people to vote you off and claim to be weak so early in the game hoping they'll still stick up for you without you asking them to just because they may find someone else annoying. That's just dumb. In the end, and at this point in the game, the tribe should still vote to remain strong, and I would have voted him out as well over Russell regardless of how nuts the guy drives me. That said... Russell may have only bought himself a few days and a tentative second chance because strength is useless if stubborness takes over strategy -- you end up losing anyway, as was demonstrated by their poor performance at the challenge.

2. The Yellow Tribe: Tandang

Let me begin by saying how impressed I am with Michael Skupin! The guy hasn't played for over 12 years and the game has changed SO MUCH since he was on the show, yet he's making some good decisions. Yes, I am constantly nervous he's going to accidentally kill himself, but I'm also in awe at how well he fits in the game after all this time. His first good decision was going along with RC's strategy. He clearly wasn't a fan of it, but he also understood that his best chance of staying in the game right now is to play dice. That said, he's also not alienating Lisa and made some sweet and helpful suggestions to her at the same time. That's what I call smartly making alliances with everyone (Zane, you taking notes?).

Lisa is obviously adorable, but she also clearly is a fan who doesn't know how to play the game. She seems to be just floating while RC is mobilizing everyone against her. I don't understand why or how people are buying into RC's BS that Lisa is not trustworthy (clearly RC's the mischievous one not-to-be trusted), but Lisa needs to get up and play the game because otherwise she'll be out before she knows it and Skupin doesn't have enough power yet to help her stay. That said, I'd be thrilled to see Lisa and Skupin band together and somehow manage to rope in a couple more to get RC out. I really don't like her.

3. The Red Tribe: Kalabaw

Jonathan Penner is definitely my favorite returning player and I really hope he won't get voted out too soon just because Baseball Jeff said so. That said, it was a really stupid move to begin looking for the Immunity Idol so soon -- and so obviously. [Note: I think the Idol IS the lid of rice. Kind of like the one in China.] He's making it too easy for his tribe to pit against him.

Also, I think it's naive of Jeff to think no one on the whole season is going to recognize him (same goes for Lisa). Sure, you have to either be of a certain generation or into a certain sport, but there's bound to be one person who's likely to recognize you -- if only because producers probably make sure of that to keep things interesting! So I'm excited that Dawson knows and is keeping it under wraps for now until she can use it. It's a card to her advantage and I hope she uses it well!

We really haven't seen much of Kalabaw yet, but it looks like that will change next episode, so I look forward to seeing what happens there.

Conclusion

I think that overall this season is looking good and has some standout contestants, both good and bad. My early favorites are: Malcolm (yes, I'm definitely falling for the Ozzy-vibe), Denise, Penner (definitely pre-game favoritism right now because I do think he needs to turn things around) and Skupin.

What are your thoughts? Do you think the returning players stand a chance this season? Where do you think the Idol is? Who are your early favorites? Let me know in the comments!

Survivor: Philippines - Episode 1 in 15 seconds

SURVIVOR'S BACK! And it's back with a bang. First of all, I love the opening shots they took of the Filipino landscape. It's stunning! I can't wait to see what gorgeous places the reward challenges will bring our new contestants.

Now, before I get into a deeper post about the new contestants and what I think of them, here's my 15 second reaction to the premiere. (Sorry about the flickering. I had a brand new camera to use and everything but wasn't home and didn't have all the cables to charge it... bummer! But yay iPhone!)

What did you think? Happy about the first elimination? Do you like the returning players? Stay tuned for more blogging to come soon... and some experimenting with format! :) 

Welcome back Survivor!

Survivor: One World - FINALE in 15 seconds

Final 5 Girls

That's it! The season's over and Kim was crowned victor and Sole Survivor. I can't say I was surprised or particularly excited, but I do think it was deserved. She owned the game, both physically and strategically, and I go to sleep feeling a bit better about the whole thing because she didn't totally blindside and backstab everyone and actually stuck to some values and alliances by choosing to go to the end with Chelsea and Sabrina. Do I think she would have still won beside Alicia and Christina? Definitely. But I wouldn't have felt as good about it.

I also think the Final Tribal Council was very self-absorbed. Any respect Alicia might have earned in last week's episode in my mind was totally stalled in her completely self-promoting and somewhat delusional speech at Tribal. There were very few poignant and enlightening questions, and as much as I love Troyzan as one of the contestants this season, his question to Kim was just weird. I don't think there's any right or wrong answer to "when Kim's strategy to take him out began," and he certainly can't be the judge of it. Anyway, the right person won this season, and that's that.

As for the Reunion Show, Colton's chance at apologizing and eventually redeeming himself was wasted, and he just comes across as an even more ignorant and socially inept person. I completely agree with Jeff's comment that he's actually a contestant people hate, versus a villain people love to hate like Russell or Fairplay. All I can say, and I hope the Survivor gods hear me, is that I never want to see or hear of Colton again. The End.

Before moving on to thoughts about the season up ahead, here are my 15s on the Finale!!



So... Do you think the right person won? What are your thoughts about the three returning players twist for next season? Who do you hope to see? Who don't you hope to see? [Hope: Jonathan Penner / Dread: Colton] Let me know your thoughts!

Love and cuddles until next season... and maybe a few posts between now and then... :)

Survivor: One World - Episode 13 in 15 seconds

That was some suspenseful editing folks! I wasn't sure which way it was going to go - and I was leaning towards believing it was Chelsea. Kim disappointed me when she decided she wouldn't support her alliance with Chelsea and eliminate her if she saw that Alicia was leaning that way. That led me to think that a) Alicia does indeed have more power than I had anticipated, and b) Kim is just about as cut-throat as they get, and though her game has been relatively flawless until now, I think that will be her downfall.

She may not have Russell's lack of bedside manner, but Kim's not going to win by screwing over her closest friend/alliance in the game. Even if it's harder to beat Chelsea than Alicia or Christina, sticking to your core alliance definitely means something in this game, and I think Kim would actually be more likely to win if she showed at least some loyalty and value to connections and promises. Particularly if Alicia keeps going on the path she's just set for herself. I wouldn't go as far as saying that she's the most powerful player in the game - or that she's proved to have immense strategy up until this point, but she certainly showed me a new light this episode and as a result, I think her chances of winning have considerably increased.

Check out my 15s reaction below, and post your thoughts in the comments! Season's almost over!!

Survivor: One World - Episode 12 in 15 seconds

Be careful what you wish for...! Yes, blindsides are exciting and cool -- if you're a spectator. Kat learned that -- and a lot of other things for that matter -- the hard way. At least it was nice to see Kim do something she didn't want to do for once! I think seeing her win the game wouldn't surprise me, but it would disappoint me in its predictability/lack of excitement.

When I say here that it's anybody's game, I would say everyone except for Christina -- which makes her an ideal Final Three contestant. I also don't think Alicia stands much of a chance. Kim put it just right when she said that the best thing about taking Alicia to the Final Three is that she thinks she's in control, but in truth she stands a very small chance of winning. So that would be my ideal Final Three if I were competing. For everyone else, it's yours for the taking if you can handle it. At this point, my personal (and invaluable) endorsement would have to go to Sabrina.

And without further ado... here are my 15s:

Survivor: One World - Episode 11 in 15 seconds

Blast!!! WHY didn't Troy prevail?!?!! I feel how happy and relieved Chelsea and Kim must have been, but I so wish Kat had done something and that the game had turned on its head a bit. It looks like the girls will be imploding starting next week, but too little too late for me...

Troy: I appreciate you, and I respect your efforts - you really did your best and played a great game. It just sucks that the odds didn't fall in your favor in terms of contestants to play with.

Here are my 15s -- I suppose my last dedicated to Troy... We had a good run. :)



PS. You can [try to] sell me an ocean-front property in Kansas any time.

Survivor: One World - Episode 10 in 15 seconds

And once again, the better plan gets thrown out the window by short-sighted players. When they're ready to make a move, it will be too late... But if Troy wants to stand a chance in winning, he needs to realize the Jury's the one making the decision in the end! Hopefully he can make it back to their hearts and put away that overly vocal frustrated and competitive guy.

Here are my 15s this week!



What was cut off....: "...or he won't get any votes!"

PS. I was also totally moved at the auction by people's reactions to their letters from loved ones... It was impressive to see their facial expressions shift from survival in the game to survivor back home with all my family!

Survivor: One World - Episode Nine: You Always Have A Choice

This episode was certainly an opportunity for the guys to turn things around, and they failed... which really disappointed me because for some inexplicable reason, I'm just not rooting for the ladies! That's not say I don't appreciate some of them and their strategy, and maybe I'm more inclined to be swayed by the dashing men on this season, but it is what it is, right?

1. I was surprised by the awareness role reversal in the episode. 

Last time, it was Troyzan who got played and Jay who was hyper-aware of what was going on around him, and this time Troyzan played it safe and Jay trusted too much. I wish they'd managed to pull a fast one on Kim -- and they certainly had the possibility to if they'd played their cards right -- but I suppose Kim is just that good and Jay just lost sight of the game and what was at stake, which clearly Troy did not do.

2. If you want to win, you need to earn it. That means you need to participate in the challenges. 

I was so surprised at the number of people who either barely participated or over-confidently dropped out of that Immunity Challenge. What is this, who can "win" the best food!? No! It's freakin' Survivor! You're not supposed to be eating like a king, you're supposed to be surviving in extreme circumstances as well as playing a heavily strategic game! If you want someone to lose an Immunity Challenge, it's not enough to just sit on the sidelines and hope he drops out. You need to win it instead. That's the way winning contestants have thought in the past, and that's what I seriously missed this episode, as well as last year during that challenge right after Cochran flipped on Savaii. Survivor casters: forget the models, pick the fighters!!

3. I'm also tired of this "I don't have a choice" attitude. 

It's nice that Chelsea has a conscience and all, but when she says things like "I don't have a choice," I get annoyed. Of course you have a choice. Your choice is either to stick with the plan Kim has laid out for you and secure your chances to be in the Final Five/Four/Three, or find a new plan of your own that overthrows the very chick that might just kick your butt at the very end. Those are all choices, and those are all scenarios you need to think about. By saying things like "I don't have a choice," you're basically saying you're willing to ride with whoever steps up to the choices he/she has and follow. That's also known as riding coattails. I don't believe that's how Chelsea actually felt, but I am seeing too much of a similar attitude this season that goes hand in hand with the lack of determination to win challenges.

4. Who has the least chance of winning? 

In an interview between Jeff Probst and Dalton Ross of Entertainment Weekly, Jeff says that the only person he believes doesn't stand a chance to win the game right now is Christina, because people don't respect her and wouldn't vote for her even if she did make it until the end. Others argue Troyzan is the one who has the least chance of winning because he no longer has his Idol and Tikiano will vote him out as soon as he loses Immunity. And as much as I love and respect Troyzan, he ain't no Ozzy! That's not to say I don't want him to win. I am absolutely rooting for him and hope he can pull something out of his hat (and his abs). It's never over until it's over on Survivor...


Who do you think doesn't stand a chance of winning - if anyone? How do you feel about the contestants' attitude towards Immunity Challanges? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Survivor: One World - Episode 9 in 15 seconds

I have to admit, I didn't know who was going home until the very last minute... I'm disappointed it was Jay in a way -- but he was the blind one this week and so he needed to pay those consequences. I'm certainly very glad Troyzan played his Idol, but now he better step it up if he wants a chance to make it to the end. KEEP FIGHTING TROY!!

And as always... here are my 15s... let me know who you're rooting for!

Survivor: One World - Episode Eight: Here Come The.. Clowns?

Now THAT was an AWESOME Reward Challenge!

Though this season has definitely had its share of ups and downs and twists and turns, this episode highlighted some stronger strategic thinking. (Sure, Colton was also strategic, but I can't say I could see his strategy working out well on the long run.) With some of these moves and reactions, I've finally started respecting some of the contestants more -- separately from whether or not I like them.

1. Kim and Jay are the strategic frontrunners, even if they're not super interesting. 

Yes, Sophie and Rob C. predicted their dominance in the game far sooner than I did... And though I never contested it, I can actually picture one of them taking the cake quite clearly now. Kim's strategy is impeccable. Sure, she's not the most exciting person to watch, and her game seems almost too perfect, but she's playing extremely well. She's got options, she's making moves, she's curbing fires when they arise... and she's controlling the game in a way that's not going to cause people to totally hate her either. Jay on the other hand is certainly not in control of the game, but he's very aware of what's happening and making moves to protect himself until he can strike back. Kind of like chess I suppose... I wouldn't rule him out at all just yet.

2. I can't believe Troyzan fell for that...


As much as I like him, I'm pretty disappointed at how quickly he fell for Kim's trap. She played him like a fiddle and he didn't even think twice about it. That just goes to show that this season is lacking strategists... and those who are strategic are either total pricks or just not that likeable. That makes me question the whole 'what are you looking for in a contestant?' issue. Are we looking for clowns that entertain, smarties that control the game, or fools to make us feel like we'd be smarter? Ideally, a combination of all or some of those qualities... and I feel like a lot of the contestants this season aren't displaying a lot of depth.

3. Are the guys screwed?

It's all going to play out in the next episode... but basically, it's in Kim's hands. She could decide to forego her girls alliance and pair up with her original Chelsea, Sabrina, Troyzan and Sab, but without her doing that, the only obvious way a guy will make it further is by winning Immunity over and over and over again. But like I said above... I wouldn't rule out Jay just yet.


What are your thoughts on strategy this season? Disappointed? Impressed? Do you find the contestants interesting in a deeper way than for pure entertainment value?

Survivor: One World - Episode 8 in 15 seconds

Things are looking up! And well, by looking up, I mean looking to be shaken up. Not that this season hasn't had its ups and downs, but I feel like strategy - the proper kind - has been scarce and limited to 2-3 players. No longer! Kim just orchestrated an amazing blindside - though almost thwarted by Chelsea - and Jay is awake and therefore very exciting to watch.

Here are my 15 seconds from tonight's episode! (No longer blog post from last week's up... I wasn't really feeling inspired aside from what I said in my Tout.)

Survivor: One World - Episode 7 in 15 seconds

Not a bad episode as far as episodes go! Definitely still rootin' for my guy Troyzan. And Tarzan proves to be as entertaining as ever, though I can't say I'd want him on my tribe... That dirt/poop situation would have driven me crazy in just about 2 seconds. That's 7.5 times in one Tout, which you can see below for the latest episode!

Survivor: One World - Episode Six: Too Soon?

...and then there were 12. And they were all alone.

Another eventful episode here on Survivor: One World. Here are my two cents!

1. There is no time on Survivor when picking on someone the way Colton and Alicia picked on Christina is a good move. 

That wasn't even strategic on their part... it was just plain mean. And clearly, with the merge upon them and Alicia without Colton's coattails (which weren't very reliable, but still) is going to suffer the consequences of her insensitivity and lack of foresight - and, well, brains. I'm glad Christina didn't let all that get her down. I'm not her biggest fan either, but her position is due more to the luck of the draw than her character. I hope she does stick it to Colton (post-elimination) and Alicia in some way.

2. I'm glad karma got Colton, but I wish the rest of the contestants had instead. 

I can't say I wasn't happy to see Colton get med'evac'd, but I do wish he'd been sent home in a more spectacular fashion... like let's say, a big kick in the metaphorical backside. Now, all we're going to hear for the end of time is how no one could touch him, how he could have won the whole thing, how he was controlling the game and everyone in it at all moments and how he's the best thing that ever hit Earth. At least that's the last I'll have to say about Colton. I pray he's not invited back on any season - though I don't see why he would be... I can't remember anyone being invited back who didn't make it to the merge. Good riddance bigot!

3. That merge came SO early, and I am NOT happy about it. 

I know they plan challenges and merges in advance and not as adjustments to the show, but this was just weird timing... Also, not cool! I wish they'd stuck to the One World idea longer, and I certainly wished they'd left more than 4 days for the new tribes to form proper alliances. At least when they mixed up the tribes, I felt like the die had already been rolled for the men/women alliances and the consequences already set up for each contestant... Here, it's like it was barely in its caterpillar phase... It'll still be interesting to see how things shape up now that it's an individual game, but I am disappointed they didn't stick to their twists a bit longer.

4. Survivor: One World; definitely a good season, but a very polarizing one at that. 

I will say this is one of the more exciting seasons I've seen in a while, but it's one I can't quite place on my list of favorites either. Favorite seasons always come with favorite contestants, and while there are some I really root/rooted for (Monica; Troyzan), there are many I feel completely indifferent about, a handful I find are making really poor choices in the game (Jonas; Leif), a good few who I really dislike (Colton; Alicia) and a majority I feel totally neutral about. And no one wants someone who they feel neutral about to win the game... So where does that leave this season? In the very very entertaining and eventful category.


What do you think about Colton's departure from the game? Will you miss him? Who do you think will be voted off first post-merge?

Survivor: One World - Episode 6 in 15 seconds

Pheweee!! This season is like watching tennis - I barely have time to look at one side that something changes and I have to look the other. I would have really liked to see some more tribe-bonding/alliance-making and overall strategizing in groups... but so far, this season has kept me on my toes, so I'll trust the game.

Here are my 15 seconds! I feel bad in advance for saying mean things about the contestants... But seriously, this season has got me loving some and really hating others, and if I were to meet Colton or Alicia, I would tell them the same things about my opinion of their actions in the game.



...and the words missing at the end of that clip is "polarized this season!"

Survivor: One World - Episode Five: Peasantries Aside

Bring in the self-titled peasants.

As I mentioned in my 15s Tout, this was certainly an entertaining episode! It's interesting to see one tribe start a positive roll while the other begins to disintegrate... and almost willingly at that. However, I was very upset that my season favorite so far got voted out. I had my doubts about her before the show started, but she really bought me over in the first few eps. Next up: Troyzan, don't let me down!

1. It's very disappointing that the Gendered Tribes and One World twists had to disappear so soon. 

I get that you need to shake up the game every now and then, but really, after just 12 days? Arguably, the gender twist has already had the effect it was going to have on the game, and redistributing the tribes will only build on that. But why take out the One World side of it? The season is called One World after all... I wish they would have stuck to it all the way to the merge - but then again, maybe the producers just know better. I'll have to have faith!

2. Greek Gods vs. Peasants?! Really?

Ok, I will admit that the tribe redistribution was slightly uneven... but honestly, throughout the game thus far, I thought all contestants were fit and/or smart and all brought certain strengths to the game. At first I thought it was to even out the tribes in terms of women and men - get the fittest women you can find and guys that will be able to compete on a mental level too. (Not that it's always defined like that - by no means!) I would have loved to just have the new Manono be confident and own it. And come on, they definitely had some strong members! Too bad they had to vote out the strongest in Monica. Talk about stupid...

3. It's just the luck of the game... And as this would have it, Kim and Chelsea are coming out on top.

Sophie was right, Kim could very well take this whole season. She was biding her time, and when things started going her way, she went after the Immunity Idol, made a thought-out and smart decision to share it with Chelsea and set herself up between two strong alliances that could take her to the end. I'll be very surprised if Kim and Chelsea aren't in the Final Five, and I'm confident at least one of them will be vying for the million dollars at the end. That's what I call forward-thinking and smart.

4. Forward-thinking and smart: two things that do not describe Mr. Colton Crumble.

I get that he's sharp; I see that he's manipulative; it's obvious he's power-hungry. Even if I'm willing to temporarily overlook the sheer short-sightedness/naïveté/idiocy of the ones who fall for his lies and obey his every demand, I can't understand why Colton would vote out Monica. I think it was Rob Cesternino that said a leader of a sinking ship goes down with the ship, and that's very true. Colton will either get blindsided (that's the hope!) or his tribe will just keep losing and once he gets to the merger his power will have evaporated. The best solution in this case - if Colton really wanted to vote out a girl - would have been to oust Alicia given that she actually has ties with the other tribe. If he'd gotten Christina and Monica on his side, he would have landed himself a much stronger alliance than the misfits + Alicia. It looks to me like Colton's just scared to partner with people his own size.

5. Don't underestimate the Tarzan. 

Yes, I hate his name. Yes, it makes him look a lot more brutish than he actually is. Yes, it's probably strategy on his part. I think Tarzan is brilliant! Whether his nominal aphasia is real, it's bloody fantastic. And though he certainly came across as a bit of a blubbering fool at Tribal Council, we've seen too many moments of clear lucidity and strategy to doubt his potential to be a frontrunner - or at the very least a fan favorite - in this game. I hope Tarzan stays around for a long, long time.


What did you think of Manono's decision to vote out Monica? Are you a Colton fan or foe - or both? How do you feel about the new direction of the game?

Survivor: One World - Episode 5 in 15 seconds

Some great moments in this episode! I keep saying this, but it's a very different season for me as a viewer this time, and though I'm not connecting as much to players just yet, I'm very much enjoying the ride and witnessing how things play out...

Standout moment: Tarzan (is he for real!?) and Jeff's clear adoration of Tarzan.

And your 15 seconds start.... now.

Survivor: One World - Episode Four: No-Tact Lesson 101

Priceless.

So usually I record my 15s Tout and write a longer blog post once I've had the time to mull over things a little bit, but I'm so outraged and fiercely entertained at the same time that I just had to type these thoughts out immediately. 

1. Colton is the most offensive, disgusting human being I can remember seeing on the show. 

I don't know what has happened to Colton, or if this is just how he is as a person, but his transformation from insecure, uncomfortable misfit to insulting, narrow-minded tyrant is very disheartening. He makes Matt look like a mildly annoying puppy. His comments about Leif being a munchkin and an oompa-lumpa were completely inappropriate, and his attitude and treatment of Bill was shocking to me - on both a human level as well as a game level. It is absolutely short-sighted and downright stupid of Colton to believe that his current position of "power" should allow him to behave that way. And I'm really "bum-puzzled" (LOVE it) that someone who is also different and must have faced adversity because of those differences could treat another human being the way Colton treated Bill. The fact that Colton is clearly educated and not, in fact, an idiot, is what makes all of this even more upsetting. All I can say now is: good casting CBS. Upsetting, but makes for some solid drama. 

2. On the other hand, I was extremely impressed by Bill's reaction to all of this. 

Bill - the stand-up comedian who's working his tail off to live his dream while sleeping on people's couches and struggling to make ends meet - turned out the be the bigger man in every way this episode. We've seen Bill, the fun guy; Bill, the guy you might not know how to take seriously; Bill, the potentially wishy-washy guy; and now Bill, the man who stands up for what he believes in without compromising his values. I hope all his dreams come true and I hope I get to tell him that in person one day. What he said after being voted out says it all: "He [Colton] judged me because of my differences and I accepted him because of his."

3. Now how about that Tribal Council, yo?! 

I could not stop laughing when I saw the guys walk into Tribal Council and Jeff's reaction to seeing them stroll in. It's true, it's a crazy crazy move, and hell, it could be a very smart one overall... but if it is, it will only benefit perhaps Troyzan, Tarzan, Jonas and Colton (unfortunately). Leif is a complete idiot (sorry Leif! but it's true...). The fact that he stayed in the game was utterly out of his control - and he was clearly surprised by it. This guy has zero chance of winning in my opinion. He'd be the perfect person to take to the Final Three. Time will tell how this will play out, but I think the Manono tribe members with the highest chance of success in my book are the ones who are going to lay close to the drama-seekers without creating any... i.e. Jay and Jonas. I hope Troyzan makes it far too. 

4. The Salani tribe is still struggling with communication, but overall - small problems!

...at least small when compared to what the men were creating for themselves. I think it was unfair to give Alicia such a hard time with the puzzle. Chelsea was just as responsible as Alicia was, and honestly, as hard or easy as a puzzle might be, if you're psyched out, it's just not going to work. [Flashback to Ozzy's final challenge last season.] I think Alicia was upset about Kat's comment before the challenge, and I think they just weren't getting it and it spiraled out of control. It looks to me like the Salani tribe has gotten it together for the most part, and is dealing with the day-to-day issues of living with each other. I'm still 100% behind Monica. 

That's all for now this week folks! No video this week because a) I look terrible today (lack of sleep + post workout look + annoying blemish = not camera ready) and b) it's not really a post-episode reaction anymore... but this post is instead! Let me know what you all think about how this episode went down! 

Survivor: One World - Episode Three: Places for Pride and Manipulation

Another super cool Survivor puzzle! 

This episode of Survivor saw me begin to feel some girl power solidarity... I'm still not super proud of my "team" so to speak, but even so, the men have fallen so deep into the chauvinistic and egomaniac stereotype that I can't help but feel defensive.

The exciting thing is: this season is inspiring many new reactions in me that previous seasons never have. That's not to say they're better or worse - but they're new, and that's saying a lot for a TV show that's been around for 24 seasons!

1. Should the girls be relying on the guys so much/at all/more?

In Richie Glanzer's blog post last week for Rob Cesternino's website, Sophie Clarke - winner of last season, and overall awesome chick who kicks ass as a representative of women anywhere - suggested that the girls weren't poaching off of the guys enough. She recommends playing the weak card and giving the men the impression that they are all-powerful... to then stab them in the back when the time is right. I have to say, my initial instinct was to wish for the women to be stronger and prove they don't need the guys; to tough it out like all the Survivor tribes before them who lost the tarp challenge and faced relentless rain had to do... But this season's set of rules should indeed breed a new set of strategies, and I think Sophie has a point. I'm still very eager to see how both tribes - and sexes - are going to continue to figure out what their best strategy might be. It's kind of like watching Season 1 all over again!

2. Shedding some light on the Manono [man?-oh-no] tribe proved they're not all d-bags. 

In previous episodes, viewers were slightly influenced to believe that all men - except for Colton - were egocentric, selfish, relentless, immoral bastards. [Flashback to them all agreeing to not continue competing in the first Immunity Challenge.] But this time, we finally got some more insight into the depth of the various tribe members. We got to see Bill through Colton's lenses (in my last post, I thought he seemed cool! as of this episode... it's hard to take him seriously), Matt through even darker scorned female lenses, and most of the members of the Misfits Alliance in redeeming lenses. My new favorite guy is Troyzan, who seems to have figured out a balance between being competitive and leveraging some power within his tribe while also being a gentleman and overall reasonable guy. Tarzan is also growing on me - aside from his ridiculous choice for a nickname. (At least Troyzan kept his original name in there...)

3. However, there's no way I could feel anything but totally thrilled that Matt got voted out. 

I don't like disliking someone on Survivor as much as I disliked Matt while watching the show. Especially now that I've met a whole crew... I know they're all really cool people playing the game the best way they know how - which let's face it, they usually don't seeing as they've mostly never played it before. [I can say I'd be an awesome player all I want, I really have no idea until I'm on that island dealing with the elements, the people I may or may not like, the challenges... That's part of the appeal!] Whatever kind of person Matt is in "real life," he handled himself extremely poorly on the show. Sure, he's strong and he was probably relying on that to be kept in the tribe. Of course, the tribe separation screwed him over in that sense and he had to find another strategy. But showing off your muscles and forming a macho-man tribe and strutting around thinking you've got all the power and being a total dick to the other tribe are certainly not appropriate strategy adjustments. If you want to hear something to help rid yourself of such strong feelings of animosity for someone you've never met, listen to his exit podcast with Rob and Nicole.

4. Is Colton a genius or a reckless drama king?

I mentioned in my last post that I felt strongly about the fact that Colton should have kept his Immunity Idol secret longer. And there he goes, flaunting it at Tribal Council like a diamond ring. But.... he doesn't use it like he says he would. Great - that maybe helps him for this Tribal Council, but how is he going to handle the rest? Does he seriously think that just because he has majority now and has made a point by helping to get Matt voted off (well, he wanted Bill off... so let's look at others for the job of puppeteer) that he's home free? If I were in his tribe, I'd stick with him, make him feel extra comfortable, and get his butt voted off as soon as I could, and the sooner the better. Colton is proving to be just as much of a power-hungry egomaniac as Matt...


I wanted to see more of the guys this ep, and my wish was granted! I'm still super pumped about this season and excited for the next episode! I think we're going to see a lot of adjusted strategies and interesting moves as the contestants get a better foothold on what their situation is... What are your thoughts and predictions? How do you feel about Matt getting voted off?

Survivor: One World - Episode 3 in 15 seconds

All I can say right now is: Good riddance Matt! If the Manono tribe was already getting on my nerves, Matt was a big part of that feeling of animosity. Hopefully his elimination will force the rest of the brawn to rethink their manly man strategy because clearly it's the wrong one.

More thoughts on the guy/girl dynamics in my upcoming blog post... and new players on my radar (Troyzan! I'm a fan.). Until then, check out my 15s Tout right here!

Survivor: One World - Episode Two: Managing Airheads

How To Make Fools and Alienate Women

I'm going to start this post with a good ol' fashioned rant:

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO GET INTO THESE CONTESTANTS' HEADS THAT OLD DOES NOT MEAN INCOMPETENT AND WORTHLESS?!??

Which takes me to my first point....:

1. There are some fierce older competitors in the ladies' tribe this season! 

Seriously, if you look at all the seasons where young and old align and neither one dismisses the other, you get much stronger tribes. Just take Savaii and Upolu from last season: one tribe rejected the older members and ended up being decimated despite having one hell of a competitor in Dawn, while the other meshed young and old to form an indestructible alliance that took them to the Final 5. Future Survivor contestants: learn from this. There are some fierce older competitors this season and they're getting very little love. Nina could have done very well had she been given a chance, and Monica is definitely an early favorite for me. I hope she has time to prove herself and get through to the stubborn ladies who seem to be calling the shots.

2. It is not OK for any challenge to go Jeff-less. 

I don't know what this DIY challenge experiment was, but I didn't like it. Jeff Probst tweeted asking fans what they thought and here are mine loud and clear: Jeff Probst needs to be at all the challenges. No exceptions. I don't know if it's the filming of his movie, the prepping for his new show or the 24 seasons of Survivor, but now's not the time to be getting tired! Not when such an amazing and intriguing season is starting to form before us... I seriously hope this doesn't happen too much this season. Because clearly our thoughts have no impact on future episodes.

3. I don't want to talk about Colton. 

I know he's drawing a lot of attention to himself, and the Jury's still out on whether he's playing a smart game or a short-sighted one... and I just don't find myself wanting to talk about him. But as an objective blogger who takes her role very seriously, I will say a few words nonetheless: It's obvious Colton is not stupid... but it's also apparent that he's making a great number of early mistakes. It's not enough to have an Idol early in the game and use it as a weapon. I think he should have kept the Idol secret for much much longer and at least acted like he had something lose with his tribe instead of behaving as if he didn't need to move a finger. My prediction: he has the potential to do well, but he's going to run out of his Joker cards too early and get eliminated before the merge.

4. There's hope for Salani yet with Chelsea and Monica, and potentially Kim. 

Back full circle to my first point... There is a handful of strong and smart women that might be able to turn things around for Salani. Chelsea was very close to voting Kat off, and it looks like she and Kim are in a solid sub-alliance. I understand the caution they exercised in not breaking their 5-way alliance so early, but I hope it's not too late for them to align with some more qualified contestants. I think the most solid alliance Salani could have right now is Monica, Sabrina, Chelsea and Kim. That's a majority alliance and it includes the tribe's cream of the crop. At least, that's the team I'd pick.


Not much talk about the guys in this blog post, but I'm sure that will come. As yet, I'm still very unimpressed with the men. I couldn't even tell you who my favorites were - at least not unless it's by process of elimination in which case they would be Leif and maybe Bill because he seems like a cool kid.

Who are your early favorites? Do you think Salani stands a chance? How long do you think we have before the tribes mash up like they have in the past?

Survivor: One World - Episode 2 in 15 seconds

Man, those girls need to wake up! (no pun intended.)

Anyway...

Here are my 15 seconds for this episode. I really enjoyed it overall despite the despair I felt towards Salani. What you can expect in this clip? Verdict on the elimination; early favorite; a word on Colton and a shout out to Jeff. Oh, and a really weird "What up?!" that I clearly didn't pull off.

Survivor: One World - Episode One: Falling Into Unwanted Roles

Arms on chest? Nope.
Land on back? What's that?!

Yes yes, I know... Way to start blogging this season - I'm already late. But, to be fair and true to my blogger nature and my Survivor love, I am writing this before actually watching Episode Two.

I feel like this post needs to happen to clarify my rather tough 15s Tout last Wednesday. While I may have expressed some outrage at the behavior displayed by the men and women of Survivor: One World, I am nevertheless very excited about this season, and I think the twist is going to bring a lot of new tactics and emotions to the fore that we might never have seen yet on Survivor.

So let's get started!

1. When did men vs. women mean you had to fall into all the stereotypes? 

Let me make this clear: I am not saying that CBS typecast their ladies and gents this season. What I am saying is I've never seen any tribe try less hard to make a fire in all the seasons I've watched of Survivor and I've never seen a group of men act that macho and self-important either. Yes, perhaps it is in part due to the editing, but let's face it - editing can't happen without the material to make it happen. Not letting the girls finish the challenge?! Seriously? How f*cked up is that!??? Stealing supplies from them in the first few minutes of the game? So low. So, so low. And girls, why d'you have to start running after the guys like that for fire? You lost all the respect and intimidation you might have earned by catching the chickens and standing your ground. Overall, I'm pretty disappointed with the character and lack of determination some of these contestants have shown. I'm trying to find excuses for them, but I just can't right now. But I do have confidence they'll all grow a backbone and start being decent human beings as opposed to shells of what they seem to think they should be.

2. Colton could either be really smart, or really short-sighted. 

It's hard for me to really be sure either way, because I don't know what I would do in his situation when you're living on the same beach as your tribe and your potential allies who don't happen to be on that tribe. I definitely think he was a little reckless in showing his affinity with the girls so overtly, but clearly his networking paid off because he got himself a sweet Immunity Idol. I'm curious to see how he's going to repay Sabrina for her generosity. (Also, I do think Sabrina made the right call strategically. If Colton gets votes and flips them to eliminate some other macho d*bag from his tribe, it'll be a major win for the Salani ladies.) Also, I'm hearing a lot of people compare Colton to Cochran, and I have to say, I entirely disagree. I'm not saying they might not resemble each other's behavior in episodes to come, but right now, there's really not much to compare them aside from the fact that they were both perceived as the weaker links from the get-go. But there's always one of those. Cochran proved he had game; we have yet to see if Colton does.

3. Pay attention! Or get out. 

Listening is key to your survival in the game. Listening to others, listening to yourself... Listening to Jeff Probst. He clearly said "keep your arms on your chest and land on your backs," and he said it multiple times. I know it's a lot to take in, and I know it's the first Immunity Challenge, but seriously, so few contestants actually paid attention to that... and it penalized Salani when Kourtney got hurt. I really liked her too. Sure, it sucks they lost Immunity the way they did, but everyone needs to start paying attention if they're going to have any hope of getting deep into the game.


Clearly, this episode and this season have got me going! I hope they won't bail on the concept too early like they have in the past (Amazon; Cook Islands) and I can't wait to see more! Episode Two, here I come.

Survivor: One World - Episode 1 in 15 seconds

Survivor: One World just premiered!!! I literally ran home to make in time and only missed the first 2 minutes... Of course I'll be watching them on CBS when the episode comes online.

Initial thoughts: Most of the guys suck. Most of the girls suck too, for different reasons. I suspect their sucking is exacerbated by the fact that they are separated by gender yet living together. Way to go deep into the roots of human behavior CBS!

Here is my first 15s Tout of the season. Enjoy!

Diana's Top 10 Hottest Guys and Girls of Survivor

My most updated list is first, but feel free to scroll down to see the evolution of my rankings!

And remember: this is totally based on personal preferences and the way they look on Survivor, without makeup or facial grooming or anything, so if I'm missing someone you just can't understand I missed or put in someone you really can't relate to, feel free to let me know, but don't be mad if I just don't agree. To each his own! ;)

May 13, 2013

After watching the rest of Survivor: Caramoan - Fans vs. Favorites, I just had to update my list again.... See below with changes in blue! Also, as requested by someone in my comments, I've linked each time to a respective picture of the person in question, so feel free to click and enjoy the eye candy.


THE GUYS

8. Tyson Apostol [Tocantins; Heroes vs. Villains]
7. Brendon Synnott [Tocantins]
6. Ethan Zohn [Africa; All-Stars]
5. Boston Rob Mariano [Marquesas; All-Stars; Heroes vs. Villains; Redemption Island]
4. Grant Mattos [Redemption Island]
3. Jay Byars [One World]
2. Ozzy Lusth [Cook Islands; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites; South Pacific]
1. Malcolm Freberg [Philippines; Caramoan: Fans vs. Favorites]

Honorable mentions: Ben "Benry" Henry [Nicaragua]; Aras Baskauskas [Panama: Exile Island]; Greg Buis [Borneo]; Colby Donaldson [Australia; All-Stars; Heroes vs. Villains]; John Fincher [Samoa]

Only change here really is Malcolm taking the #1 spot from Ozzy, and that's mostly because of his brains. A man that's athletic, outdoorsy AND smart is just beyond sexy. [sigh]


THE GIRLS

10. Chelsea Meissner [One World]
9. Jenna Morasca [Amazon]
8. Eliza Orlins [Vanuatu; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites] - even more gorgeous in person!
7. Kim Spradlin [One World]
6. Elyse Umemoto [South Pacific]
5. Parvati Shallow [Cook Islands; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites; Heroes vs. Villains]
4. Amber Brkich [Australia; All-Stars]
3. Amanda Kimmel [China; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites; Heroes vs. Villains]
2. Sydney Wheeler [Tocantins]
1. Brenda Lowe [Nicaragua; Caramoan: Fans vs. Favorites]

Honorable mentions: Kim Powers [Africa]; Elisabeth Hasselbeck/Filarski [Australia]; Tijuana Bradley [Pearl Islands]; Colleen Haskell [Borneo]

And again, only one major change here in Brenda taking the #1 spot. I find her strength and tenacity to be super attractive and well-deserving of this new ranking!

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February 23, 2013

It's about a year after I originally posted this, and I think it's time to revise my list! We've had quite the hotties join the Survivor tribe these past three seasons, and below is my amended list -- with new additions/changes in red -- one year later.


THE GUYS

8. Tyson Apostol [Tocantins; Heroes vs. Villains]
7. Brendon Synnott [Tocantins]
6. Ethan Zohn [Africa; All-Stars]
5. Malcolm Freberg [Philippines; Caramoan: Fans vs. Favorites]
4. Boston Rob Mariano [Marquesas; All-Stars; Heroes vs. Villains; Redemption Island]
3. Grant Mattos [Redemption Island]
2. Jay Byars [One World]
1. Ozzy Lusth [Cook Islands; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites; South Pacific]

Honorable mentions: Ben "Benry" Henry [Nicaragua]; Aras Baskauskas [Panama: Exile Island]; Greg Buis [Borneo]; Colby Donaldson [Australia; All-Stars; Heroes vs. Villains]; John Fincher [Samoa]

I know that when I first posted this, many people were scandalized that Colby was absent, so I feel I must give him an honorable mention for the guys. He's not my type, but if got that many comments, he deserves a spot in this post! I'd also like to add everyone's favorite rocket scientist, John Fincher, for my good friend and fellow Survivor lover Alex. As for Malcolm, he may not be the prettiest on this list, but he's one of the most charming and attractive men to have graced the screen of Survivor, so I'm thrilled to be adding him to my list!


THE GIRLS

12. Kim Powers [Africa]
11. Elisabeth Filarski/Hasselbeck [Australia] 
10. Chelsea Meissner [One World]
9. Jenna Morasca [Amazon]
8. Eliza Orlins [Vanuatu; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites] - even more gorgeous in person!
7. Kim Spradlin [One World]
6. Elyse Umemoto [South Pacific]
5. Brenda Lowe [Nicaragua; Caramoan: Fans vs. Favorites]
4. Parvati Shallow [Cook Islands; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites; Heroes vs. Villains]
3. Amber Brkich [Australia; All-Stars]
2. Amanda Kimmel [China; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites; Heroes vs. Villains]
1. Sydney Wheeler [Tocantins]

Honorable mentions: Tijuana Bradley [Pearl Islands]; Colleen Haskell [Borneo]; Angie Layton [Philippines]

Miss Kim Spradlin and Miss Chelsea Meissner -- both from Survivor: One World -- jump in here at #7 and #10 respectively, throwing Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Kim Powers out of the Top 10. This is due to their fierceness and charm, and hot looks while doing it. I can't say One World was my favorite season (not by far), but these two ladies sure represented for strong and beautiful women everywhere. As for Angie, I couldn't not include her -- she's clearly beautiful. She doesn't make the actual list as her looks didn't make up for her lack of charisma, and that's a very necessary quality for my Top Lists. 

So, what do you think? Am I missing anyone?? If so, let me know!!!



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Original List: February 4, 2012

When making this list (at a completely inappropriate time when I really should just have been going to bed...), I realized I could find the hot girls a lot easier than I could the hot guys.

The reason for that, I think, is that it's easier for me to objectively evaluate how beautiful/hot/sexy a woman is, rather than a man, who I also judge on bang-ability and old-fashioned charm.

For this reason, my Top 10 Hottest Guys list is actually a Top 6 Hottest Guys list. While there were other respectable candidates for the remaining slots, I kind of felt like I was selling out by filling them in. I just wasn't feeling it beyond these 6. But oh.... these 6!!

THE GUYS

6. Tyson Apostol [Tocantins; Heroes vs. Villains]
5. Brendon Synnott [Tocantins]
4. Ethan Zohn [Africa; All-Stars]
3. Boston Rob Mariano [Marquesas; All-Stars; Heroes vs. Villains; Redemption Island]
2. Grant Mattos [Redemption Island]
1. Ozzy Lusth [Cook Islands; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites; South Pacific]

Honorable mentions: Ben "Benry" Henry [Nicaragua]; Aras Baskauskas [Panama: Exile Island]; Greg Buis [Borneo]

One pretty boy (Brendon), four super sexy studs, and one inexplicably magnetic heartthrob... I could comment on each one, but I think I'd rather just let the list speak for itself. If you have any comments, feel free to express them below and I'll be more than happy to respond!

THE GIRLS

10. Kim Powers [Africa]
9. Elisabeth Filarski/Hasselbeck [Australia] 
8. Jenna Morasca [Amazon]
7. Eliza Orlins [Vanuatu; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites] - even more gorgeous in person!
6. Elyse Umemoto [South Pacific]
5. Brenda Lowe [Nicaragua]
4. Parvati Shallow [Cook Islands; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites; Heroes vs. Villains]
3. Amber Brkich [Australia; All-Stars]
2. Amanda Kimmel [China; Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites; Heroes vs. Villains]
1. Sydney Wheeler [Tocantins]

Honorable mention: Tijuana Bradley [Pearl Islands]; Colleen Haskell [Borneo]

This post is quite timely what with Rob Cesternino's Miss Survivor contest happening right now! Nominees, which were submitted by fans, include Parvati Shallow, Courtney Yates, Andrea Boehlke, Amanda Kimmel and Jenna Morasca. Each will be interviewed by Rob and Nicole, and then submitted to the public for another vote. Jenna and Parvati have already had their interviews, so check 'em out by clicking on their names. Others will be up shortly, and voting starts again on February 8th! Follow the whole thing on RobHasAWebsite.

So, who do you think are the most attractive Survivors? Which ones particular awaken your lady or man bits? ...Don't be shy!