Survivor: Exile Island

[Spiderman]

So... anyone watching this one? We'll see how long it takes before I get bogged down with my tapes...

Missed the first half hour so didn't see if the split into age tribes was deliberate (which it seems it was, good for them). So I haven't really formed an opinion yet. But here's the interview with Tina Scheer, the lady who got booted out last week:

Tina Scheer

 

[EricBess]

There are 4 teams, broken out by both age and gender, all intentional.

The interview sums up a lot of what happened with the older women. For some reason, they felt it was more important to vote out the largest threat first rather than voting out the person who could help them not lose challenges. I'll never understand that strategy, but it wouldn't surprise me if 3 weeks from now, we are down to 3 tribes...

It was very odd seeing the very first tribal counsel and only have 4 people there. Seems like there have only been a couple of 4-person tribal counsels in the history of the game where a jury wasn't watching in.

I thought that the bluff on the part of the Misty was fairly risky. On the one hand, she wanted people to think that a vote for her was wasted, but on the other hand, better to force the idol early rather than let them use it when you really want to get rid of them. I'm guessing that had she actually found the idol, she would have been more hush-hush about it, though I suppose it is possible...

 

[Spiderman]

Yeah, I guess we have the advantage of kinda knowing more about Misty's progress than her team, but it did seem risky...

So the age/gender team thing was a gimmick since they merged into two full tribes yesterday. Booo... I think Shane's going to annoy people with his "honesty" sooner rather than later and get booted out when the time comes... although I guess his tribe is concentrating on getting the weaker members out... him and that guy who orchestrated Mindy's ouster... he seemed to ruffle a lot of feathers.

 

[EricBess]

I kept getting interrupted last night, so I need to go back and watch the tape (fortunately, I was recording because Katherine was running errands) to see what you are talking about with Mindy.

Yeah, it looks like the gimmick was just to see if people would get to know each other a bit before putting them on tribes. Also, it's a way to make sure that they get to this point with even teams. Still, it was kind of odd that if one of the teams decided that the oriental guy was stronger than one of their current members, they could just throw the challenge to make that happen.

 

[Spiderman]

True, but I don't think they've gotten to that stage yet. Since it was their second challenge as a team, perhaps they don't know who was strong at that point.

Plus the oriental guy is fairly old AND wasn't picked, so you figure if someone thought he was strong, he would have been picked earlier (although admittedly it wasn't a team decision, just the last person picked the next person).

 

[Spiderman]

Well, I forgot to post about last week's episode since I was off Friday and Monday and was only reminded when I saw the interview today

So of course I can't remember a lot about it... I think I missed a couple of minutes also as I didn't remember Bruce being sent back to Exile Island. I guess that smoker dude is getting to be annoying for his perchant to "speak direct" and I can't really figure out why Misty got voted off, but maybe your comments will jog my memory

Misty Giles Interview

 

[EricBess]

I was a bit confused about Misty also. Both the two girls and the two older men had tried to form an aliance with the younger men. There was one of the older women that was sort of an outsider on the team. I thought they would have voted her off first and then worried about who to keep the aliance with, but apparently, they didn't see it that way.

All of the men met together to discuss who would be voted off. The older men probably didn't know about the "other aliance", but suggested that the older woman be voted off. However, one of the two younger guys (don't remember which) said something about Misty having been a weak link in the challenge. I don't remember seeing anyone as a particularly weak link in the challenge, but it was an incredibly physical challenge...I'm actually impressed no one was seriously injured.

I thought the challenge was kind of odd, though. Everyone seemed determined to stop everyone else from even looking for the bags. In the end, the final thing came down to a huge misplay of having the guy stop one woman's team while the woman took the bag and ran for it...What were they thinking (probably too involved and weren't thinking at all). Bobby just waited for Ruth Marie (the older woman on La Mina) to get close and then picked her up and strolled over to the Casaya mat...

 

[Nightstalkers]

Sorry... I've never really figured out the obsession with survivor...

But I do like Rupert, he's a pirate.

 

[Spiderman]

I think it holds fascination since it was the first "reality" game show...

I can't remember all the details about the challenge, but after the first couple of rings, it looked like each team waited until someone found the bag and then went after it; they didn't try to stop each other from looking for the bag. Although in a couple of the three-person teams, it seemed two people tried to pin down the other two and were successful, which I guess sucked to be the other team then, having two members out. I think at the last, Ruth thought she was home free but Bobby caught her at the end and just dragged her over to his square.

But it's been a week so not really sure what happened anymore

 

[Nightstalkers]

It's not much of a reality show though... Now if contestants started getting malaria and dying... then it might be a reality show.

 

[Spiderman]

I know... hence the quotes...

 

[Spiderman]

Well, I'm falling behind again... haven't had a chance to see last week's show, but here's the Interview for that person...

 

[Spiderman]

Got to see that episode last night... I've gotta say, not really "impressed" with this season's castmates... no one really stands out to talk about Everyone's happy on La Mina and there wasn't enough Casaya to really get into them, though they seem to have conflict (I guess mainly Shane telling that one girl that she doesn't do enough). But everything just seems blah so far...

 

[EricBess]

Yeah, Casaya is just in shambles. Tons of egos and competative people who can't stand taking a back seat to anyone...but dispite their problems, they keep managing to win challenges.

I will say, though, that now that they finally lost immunity and had to go to tribal counsel, it doesn't appear that their "alliance" is very strong at all. Granted, one vote was just throwaway because Shane promised Bobby he wouldn't vote for him, but if Bobby and Bruce had gotten together and voted for Aras, it could have been a very interesting tribal counsel...

 

[Spiderman]

I guess I gotta see that one before this Thursday... I gotta try better to keep ahead this time

 

[Spiderman]

Woo-hoo! All caught up now...

Yeah, I'm not sure what's up with Casaya. It looks like the women are making a "power play" while the guys are in disarray. And Bobby and Bruce really didn't endear themselves to the rest of the tribe by drinking the wine AND not really being remorseful about it. Bruce admits that he can't get along with these people(?) or people in general, I can't remember which, but if you're playing for a million dollars, you kinda have to. Otherwise, what's the point in playing?

I'm not sure who Bruce voted for in the end, but I am kinda surprised that Shane voted for Aras, even if it was a throwaway vote. I would have thought he would have voted for Danielle? the girl who's not Courtney or Cirise. But maybe he figures to send a "message" to a strong rival...

Bobby Interview

 

[EricBess]

Bruce was the vote for Courtney.

There is one thing I don't think I will ever understand about human nature...The two votes for Bruce were from Aras and Bobby. I understand Aras and why he was left out of the switched vote. I also understand why Shane voted off-group and I can only think he felt that Aras was the least likely to get enough votes for his vote to be meaningful (maybe to send a message? I'm not sure, but I think it was silly).

The one thing I'll never get is why Bobby voted for Bruce. Don't get me wrong, I understand that they told him, "we're all voting for Bruce, vote along with us", but realistically, doesn't he realize...:

1. When someone tells you that...you're next!!!
2. There are still enough people around that you could sway things. If Bobby had gotten with Cirie and Bruce, they could have picked off anyone they wanted to. Aras, Shane, Courtney...whoever. I understand the whole "don't rock the boat" mentality, but if your number is already up, then why not?

To be fair, its a lot easier to play from the sidelines, so there could be a lot we are missing. I'm just thinking that it's fairly clear where the "alliance" lies as they haven't even tried to hide it, nor have they tried to hide the fact that it's a crumbling alliance (as Cirie is always quick to point out).

 

[Spiderman]

Well, I think it was initially Bobby, but then they switched to Bruce and Shane told Bobby that he'd never vote for him. Then Courtney? had second thoughts about Bruce and wanted Bobby. When Shane didn't seem to want to switch back, she got the rest of the girls together to form a block to get Bobby out.

I thought in the outhouse Bobby & Bruce said they weren't going to vote for each other. Obviously Bobby did (and from his interview), but nothing was shown that seemed to indicate he'd change his mind... that's puzzling to me.

 

[EricBess]

I actually think it was a bit more than that. There were 4 people who decided to vote for Bruce, but Aras was leading the charge. Shane and Courtney were both leaning toward Bobby, but didn't really care. The forth member of the Alliance, Danielle, wasn't even there. Cirie was, and she just basically went along with anything at that point because she had been a target before. She's sort of like Bobby in the sense that she should realize impending doom and do something about it.

Later, Courtney went to talk to Danielle and she said that she wanted to vote off Bobby instead. Courtney wanted that in the first place, but was put down by Aras when she had previously brought it up (even though Shane had previously agreed with her). And yeah, Shane didn't want to switch to Bobby since he had promised Bobby he wouldn't vote for him. However, he really wanted Bobby gone, so he didn't let his initial vote of Bruce stand, either.

But I guess that's what happens when an alliance doesn't really have a single leader that everyone recognizes, but too many people on that alliance think they should be the leader.

 

[Spiderman]

Hmmm... that's not what I got. Shane seemed to be leading the charge for Bruce, saying "he was a loose cannon and couldn't be trusted or told what to do". Aras just seemed to be "there".

I think Cirie is playing it pretty well; she's letting the alliance fight amongst themselves and going along a bit with the ladies as to keep under the radar.