Watching Survivor

Let me count the ways.
13 pages of official forums
That’s what I read today!

That’s right, Survivor Fans, I braved the official CBS forums to see what people were talking about for the last episode (#3) and BOY were they talking! Now, keep in mind, that disgruntled people are usually more apt to complain then happy people are to talk, but all in all, folks seem to hate this season already. They just don’t seem to be digging the whole “have vs. have not” theme.

As for me, I think that it has less to do with what the tribes have to work with, and more to do with the social dynamics and how they use what they do have. Episode three started on day 6, and folks are talking like they haven’t had anything at all for those 6 days. Did we forget the coconuts they’ve had since day one - milk and meat, people! And the pineapples? Juicy nutritious goodness right there. Then, they started day 6 with Michelle’s fire, and the ability to boil water and get even more hydrated. Sure, they’re not living in the lap of luxury like Moto, but they are not in dire straights that folks are complaining about. And what tribe that hasn’t eaten in a week is going to lose an eating challenge even if it’s disgusting food? PROTEIN, ANYONE? I’d have kicked anyone’s butt who didn’t vote Anthony out for that pathetic little display, myself.

And, of course, it’s only episode three. From what I’ve seen before, the seasons don’t really start to pick up until a couple more episodes in, when the backstabbing really begins. So the nay-sayers need to hang on, just a little while longer, says I!

The challenges haven’t been overly difficult either - I think either tribe could have won. Ravu is losing not because of strength, but because they just cannot seem to work together. Maybe Moto, more then having their cake and eating it too, they are spending more time talking. More time feeling each other out. We know that Ravu, on the other hand, are so into complaining and picking at each other, they’ve done nothing with what they do have! The girls they’ve kicked off already - there’s no strategy to it. They were annoying, so off they go. They’re picking off strong players way too early in the game - they started with 19 Survivors, there could be a long time until a merge!

So what do you think? Are people complaining too much too soon? How is this have vs. have not situation setting with you? Would YOU eat pig snout if you hadn’t eaten for a week, because me, I’d be belting it back like it was pan-fried, greasy bacon, crisp and hot straight from the stove…

Survivor, Survivor: Fiji, Moto, Ravu, Challenge, CBS, Reality TV

Hidey ho, neighbors and welcome to the rekindled WatchingSurvivor blog! I’ll do my best to dig up tidbits about this season’s Survivor: Fiji! and promise full episode recaps on a weekly basis, even if I have to videotape the episodes for later watching. Yes, I’m deprived away up here in Alaska - no Tivo! But I shall prevail with my outdated old school methods JUST FOR YOU! Are ya psyched? Me too!

Nothing makes the cold Alaska night better then watching people attempt to outwit, outplay and outlast other people while getting awesome tans and sunburns! The drama, the nitwittery, the attempts to find an immunity idol RIGHT UNDER THEIR NOSES… it’s nothing short of awesome.

So, now that Sylvia’s gone, what kind of things does she have to say about her tribe-mates? Reality News Online knew we were wondering, and asked some of the questions we all wanted the answers to. We learn things that she was only “bossy” because she was female - men are labeled “leaders!” instead, and it wasn’t her intention. Had she followed her husband and son’s advice, she’d have concentrated on flying under the radar, instead.

A tidbit that we didn’t get to see during the show involved why she divided the tribes like she did:

RNO: What was your thinking in dividing the tribes?

Sylvia: I blame it all on Dreamz. The night before, he came to me and said, “There are 10 of us who formed an alliance on the beach.” I said, “What, how can you form an alliance [because you barely know each other]?” He said the two leaders were Liliana and Rocky, and he gave me their names. He said, “I’m one of the ten but I don’t think it’s right. So if you want to, I’ll come over with the nine of you who were working. But the first thing you have to do is talk to the old people because they want to vote you off first – you, Gary, Yau-Man, and Cassandra.” I said, “What, that’s awful!” He said to talk to the older people and see what happens. I did and then we got called to the challenge and I was asked to divide the tribes.

That was the only info I had. To this day I don’t know if what he told me was true or not, but I did it that way. I put the two leaders on different tribes and then I did five and five of them. That way if we split the ten up, they can’t be doing any weird alliance thing. What if I put all ten together? It would have been tough. So by splitting them apart, their power was dissipated.

I also found her insight that Earl is behind the scenes pulling strings interesting. I’ll be keeping a closer eye on him this week to see if it’s true. What do you think? Is Earl mastermind behind Ravu’s destruction? Can they pull themselves together to get a win or are they doomed to continue to lose? Are they voting off strong people too early to even hope for a chance at a challenge win? Chime in, tell me whatcha think!

(Image via SurvivorFever)

Survivor, Watching Survivor, Sylvia, Sylvia Kwan, Survivor: Fiji, Ravu, Reality TV

This weeks’ episode started with the poor have-nots, our lovely Ravu Rejects, determined to put their egos aside and put the Tribe first. There was brief talk of choosing a leader, but in the end they decided it’d be fine if they’d just talk one at a time. Aw, Kindergarten rules! But, of course, they still don’t have water. Or food. Or a win. Maybe speaking nicely to one another will help that… we can hope, right?

The Haves, of Moto, are riding high on their undefeated laurels. They even have paint, of a bright blue, that they’ve decided to pain the floor of their shelter in hopes of keeping out the ants. One tribe member gleefully gloated, “It’s not even survival! It’s ‘Thrival’!” I hope they get whupped, but I fear I shall be disappointed, once again.

Little Michelle hits on an idea, though, and back at Ravu, she waits for the Fiji sun to raise high in the sky, at which time she uses a pair of glasses to start a fire. Hurray! Only took them 6 days without water to think of that! Whatever, necessity is the mother of invention and all that rot.

They’re delighted to find at the challenge that since they made their own fire, they now get flint. Gee. Thanks!

The challenge is a giant slip and slide, where they face off, head to head, run, slide, grab their numbered balls and make a basket for a single point, with the first team to six declared the winner. The rounds went to Moto, Ravu, Moto, Moto, Ravu, Moto, Moto, Moto. Another rousing win for the haves vs. the have nots. Sylvia is returned to Exile Island, and Moto chooses another set of fishing gear over their personal items or fresh fruit.

I really want to keep rooting for the underdogs here, but man, they aren’t making it easy!

While on Exile Island, Sylvia gets clue number three and is pretty sure she knows where the idol is. She’s also sure that she’s up for the boot at Tribal Council because of her terrible performance in the challenge. While others slipped and slid, she fell and stayed, before finally getting a move on. It was classic giving up, and quite stupid on her part as she’s been on the chopping block since the first Tribal Council. She’d better hope she gets to the idol!

Meanwhile, back at Moto, Papa Smurf (Gary) is having problems breathing, and the fear ranges from heart attack, to broken rib, to exhaustion. They call in the medics, who decided he should just rest, and see how he’s doing later. Of course, the tribe is willing to sacrifice Gary for the good of the tribe if needed. How nice of them! They did continue by suggesting it would be to make sure he’s healthy. Which we, of course, believe!

At the Immunity challenge, it’s a very welcome head to head eating contest! Well, mostly welcome, as they were treated to delicious native treats: Giant Clams, Octopus, Peanut Worms, Sea Cucumbers, Fish Eyes and Pig Snouts! Yummy! Ravu dives right in, eager to get SOMETHING on their stomachs besides coconut and pineapple. It was looking good, neck and neck, as first. Ravu, Moto, Ravu, Moto, Moto were winners for each individual challenge. Needing only four to win Immunity, it came down to the pig snouts, and Papa Smurf (Gary) vs. Anthony.

Anthony couldn’t even get one bite down, and whined like a little girl about it, while Papa Smurf proved his ability to pull through for his tribe as he chowed down as if it were bacon, dripping hot from the pan. In the end, Moto remains undefeated in every. single. challenge.

Despite some covert digging, Sylvia can’t come up with the idol, and though there was a last minute pull for Anthony to be voted off for his poor performance and whiny attitude, in the end, Sylvia is voted off the island at a Tribal Council that voiced the irritation and frustration of continued losses.

No Idol, so long Sylvia! She’s none too happy either, saying “I’ve been had and I’m not happy about it!” She explains in an interview that she’d have done everything differed from the get go, and though she’d performed badly in the first challenge, everyone told her Anthony was going because of the pathetic nature of his excuses for not eating the pig snout. “Oh yeah. I was had. Yeah I was stabbed…stabbed in the back.”

Three weeks down - tune in next week to see if the Ravu Rejects can FINALLY pull it together!

PS:
Way to go, Boo! A week with no injuries! Yay!
Snake Close-up Count: TOO MANY! STOP IT! GAH!

(images from Survivor Fever)

This week’s Survivor: Fiji! opened with the have-nots, who still have no fire, and thus no way to boil drinking water, so thirsty they started licking the raindrops from the leaves of various fauna that surrounds the camp. Poor lil things! Guess they should have worked a bit harder on that there challenge last week, huh?

Meanwhile, the Moto Tribe - the Have’s, are living it up in their plush hammocks and pillows, the couch and plates, and declare this game “So vicious it’s delicious!” Of course, “Boo” and his flatulence made it a little less lovely.

The Ravu tribe was working hard, hard at attempting to start a fire rubbing sticks, but don’t have enough energy in the whole tribe to get it going. My man Yau-man worked his skinny lil butt off to fill a canteen with coconut milk. The boys, of course, started a competition to see who could chop them open the fastest. They’re so dehydrated they’re falling down, and exhausted, and poor Rocky, he’s eatin’ clams off the GROUND man, it’s CARAZY, they’s STARVIN man!

Then Moto Boo, the idiot, gets something in his eye, and then is a bigger idiot with the ax and cuts his hand and his knee. And the Hammock he’s resting on falls with a thud and dumps him on the ground. Prediction by Dreamz the Cheerleading Coach? Boo’s gonna hurt hisself outa the game! It is certainly a possibility at this point!

I do have to admit that I laughed out loud when the hammock dumped him on his ass though. Wonder if anyone untied it…

Day 5, and still no water. Ravu does get Sylvia back from exile island - and Yau-man does a quick peek to see if she has the immunity idol, by sneaking a peek in her bag. Says he was a little ‘nasty’ while giving her a hug to do so. How cute is he? She says she made fire and was all proud - until finding out they have none, and also finding out she’s too darn weak even WITH her water consumption, to crack a single coconut.

Commence plans to vote off the outsider!

Dreamz opens up and tells us his road to a cheerleading coach on Survivor started with his crackhead mama and how much the Haves got it easier then living on the streets. Aw, ain’t he cute?

Ravu finds food! They’d been looking all in the wrong places, and right in front of them was hundreds of pineapples. Go Erica! Earl loves ya, and is gonna propose since ya found him food - it’s the way to a man’s heart and all that. Pineapple! Go figure!

Dude - it’s thirty minutes in, no challenge, no tree mail? Bah Humbug! Bring on the competition! Man, I need Tivo. HD-DVR. Something!

FINALLY! A challenge! Again, there was only one, for both Immunity and reward. They were playing for Immunity, fishing gear, and for Ravu, flint. Ravu wants it really bad, and as they take off on the raft and start clipping their crates to the rope, they are ahead of the other Tribe and pulling away. Things look good, and it looks like the painted colors on Moto doesn’t seem to help their tangled cable and the mounting frustrations.

They pulled in the crates they’d clipped to the cable, all four, to the mat where they untie and open to find a 6 piece pole and flag they have to put together and raise. They hit the beach, and it all starts to fall apart for Ravu. Erica gets bossy, telling people the way it goes together, and they start ignoring her and she throws a hissy fit. They fall behind, and eventually lose, as Moto gets their act together, sniffing out the weakness of the other Tribe and busting ass. They raise their flat, and win Immunity and Reward!

They then send Earl to Exile Island and the backstabbing bitchery begins as Ravu has to figure out who’s getting the ax at Tribal Council. Though many had already agreed the exiled outsider Sylvia should be gone first, many think Erica’s freakout was way out of line. End result, Erica is voted out 5-2, and is naturally shocked! SHOCKED! After all, she found PINEAPPLE, people! PINEAPPLE!

THANK YOU, CBS, for the fewer shots of the snakes this time, though watching Earl kill one with the machete was a nice touch. *shudders* But seriously, less close-ups, ok? Only one view would have been fine! UGH! Earl spends his time muttering that the idol is back at camp, but enjoying fire and water. And the killing of snakes, I mentioned that, right? SLICE AND DICE BABY! (But please, don’t show me again!) (And he didn’t enjoy it, really. But I did! Sorta, in that “ew! EWEWEW! kinda way.)

Tune in next week, to see if Boo manages to actually sever a limb, or crack open his skull! Oh, and also, who is the next to get voted off the Island. So long to you, Erica, and to your screechy freakouts, too!

The 14th season of the powerhouse Survivor started Thursday night. As with millions of others, I was eagerly awaiting the premiere and the revealing of promised twists. After all, what Survivor would be complete without a few twists!

First things first - we started out with only 19 survivors. An odd number? But why! There was mention of a competitor bowing up before the game started, and a bit of savvy research (ok, so I knew where to look..) turned up the reasons why. Survivor Fever reveals that Melissa McNulty bailed before the actual came due to an abundance of Panic Attacks. She thought she was ready, as did her doctors, but apparently, it was too much even before they hit the beach. So the bombshell bails, and we’re left with 19. The producers decided to go for it without an alternate, and we were off.

Watching it - I was almost as surprised as the castaways to discover all the tools and supplies and of course, an architect castaway to help them build their shelters. It took me a lot less time then it took the castaways to figure out this would be short-lived, however. It’s the haves vs. the have-nots, naturally, which seems to be a reality TV theme this season. (The Apprentice is doing it too. I’ve heard. I don’t watch it. Heh.)

There’s still an exile island - but the at-home grumblings about the hidden immunity idol are quickly silenced when the first clue reveals the idol is hidden back at camp. Nice.

The bad thing about exile island? All the bloody snakes. I’m seriously phobic, so CBS - please, cut it out with all the close-ups, will you? It’s KEELING me. (reason number ONE why I’m not on a reality show!)

The challenge was cool - loved the whole chariots of fire angle was awesome. Poor Jessica Deben (fashion stylist). She sealed her fate way too early by not getting the knots undone fast enough. When everyone’s still feeling each other out, the victim of the first Tribal Council is always doomed by some little minor detail. Farewell, Jessica. We hardly knew you!

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