Survivor 15.12 "We're the meanies." and predictions

Niners Win!!! Sorry, but I don't get a lot of chances to say that ;)

The reward challenge this week said it all about Peih Gee's status as the ultimate outsider. Each player was given six arrows that would be fired from a repeating cross bow, but they had to secretly distribute their six arrows amongst the other contestants and give none to themselves. Courtney got 12, Todd got six, Amanda got 4, Denise 2 and Peih Gee gets a pity arrow from Courtney. Denise mutters something about being at "the bottom of the totem pole" but it's Denise, who's positively existential about her place in the game, refusing to act. Peih Gee just continues to get more and more bitter. Todd does remarkably well and when Jeff marvels at his shooting skill Todd quips "It's secretly a hobby of mine." But it's Courtney's misfires for Denise that make the lunchlady the winner, so she picks Courtney to go with her. When she has to pick a second person, she goes with Todd, and a tearful, bitter Peih Gee can't believe that after taking her to the Shaolin Temple, Denise would opt not to take her to two straight rewards, but Denise doesn't want Peih Gee to get any stronger. Peih Gee later regrets her meltdown, a pattern for the odd girl who can be remote and volatile at the same time. Amanda also hates being on the outside for once--hey, it's no fun being Denise, is it? Amanda takes the time she alone with Peih Gee to ask her why she doesn't like her, and Peih Gee and she clear the air and establish what seems to be a actual respect and fondness for the other. The two bond as they eat a double helping of rice and later that night, Amanda disses the passive Denise as a perpetual puppet, first for Jean Robert and James, and now for Todd and her. She tells Peih Gee's she's open to changing things up...

Elsewhere, Todd does his Flight Attendant routine for the gals and then they are blown away by the Great Wall of China, but not so much their feast, which involves heating raw meat in hot sauce. They don't like it, they don't get it. Courtney reveals to us that Todd was brought along so's not to incur his anger. That Night, Todd speculates that if Peih Gee wins Immunity, they should think about dumping Amanda, who's probably well liked by the jury. "We're the meanies," Courtney adds. She shrugingly agrees, but she also points out that they'd pretty much be plotting to dump whoever wasn't hear. Denise is troubled by how easy is is for Todd to talk about backstabbing his closest ally, but we all she's unlikely to do anything about it. WHen the gang gets home, they're irrationally miffed that the girls aren't waiting with bated breath back at camp (they went to fetch water). They wish they'd at the well when Courtney and Todd proceed to bitch about how weird the food was. They actually complain about winning a reward! Then Denise tattles on Todd--that they'd brought back sandwiches which he ate on the plane, so Amanda has to be content with some nuts and berries Denise scrounged.

The Immunity Challenge combined a bunch of past challenges--Courtney is a sport when Jeff reveals the rope cutting puzzle that left her spent and unglued early in the season. Todd is out early when he can't manage the throwing stars. Then we have the gross eating challenge, where they have to eat that chicken fetus with feathers. Peih Gee eats it with relish as Denise gags again (she choked last time). Denise quits, which irritates Probst. He's pretty sick of her "I ain't gonna do nuthin" attitude. I can't fault her for not eating that thing--I mean, I can't eat a lot of things that most people thing are delicious, let alone that horrible thing, but everything about her gameplay, if you even really want to call it that is very "I'm just along for the ride." Courtney asks Jeff is she still has to eat if Denise is quitting, and he says yes, so she does. Courntey is out on the bouncing a ball on a drum thing, and Amanda and Peih Gee slug it out hacking those ropes and building that puzzle of heavy rings and Amanda wins.

Back at camp, Denise and Amanda give Peih Gee props for how well she played, and Peih Gee's chances of surviving are bolstered a bit when Todd complains about how much rice Amanda ate while he and Denise and Courntey were eating meat on the Freakin' Great Wall of China. But Denise balks at the idea because she thinks she can beat the shifty Todd with the jury. Todd and Courtney go to get water and Todd asks if Peih Gee's lobbying. Courntey says no but then wisely adds, "Unless she's just not talking to us."

At Tribal Courntey again whines about the "bad reward food," and Peih Gee blows a great opportunity to rag on she and Todd legitimately, and making a case for her being a fighter and a more sympathetic person, by instead getting whiny herself and making the ridiculous claim that unlike them she's a "positive person." Uh...yeah, okay. She does dig at Courtney for being "carried" but, I always hate that argument, especially as Courtney has played a rather impressive social game If Peih Gee had tried to be just a little more pleasant to be around, instead of being a grouchy martyr, maybe she could have made inroads. Then Todd answers Jeff's question about who he would take into the Finals: the most deserving or the one he could beat, by proudly stating he'd go with the most beatable. Amanda grimaces, because she must know he just said "I'm taking Courtney, not Amanda." But she doesn't vote him out, and Peih Gee goes out in 5th place. Todd makes a big show of rolling his eyes and smugly smiling as Peih Gee and Amanda hug, earning a very angry look from Eric. Todd had better watch his attitude--he wants to be another Richard Hatch, but his cockiness reminds me of Boston Rob in the All-Stars, and we all know how that worked out, and Todd is unlikely to marry Courtney or Amanda and get the big check anyway.

PREDICTIONS:

Denise seems the most likely vote out at 4th place--she's being brought along for her vote and she's just outlived her usefulness. But really, I think Denise is the best person to take to the Finals--all this "She's a mother, so people will vote for her," stuff is crap (the jury is all a bunch of young singles) and the fact that she hasn't "pissed anyone off" is a direct result of her not having done much at all, game wise. People like to vote for someone who beat them, and she didn't beat anyone. But Denise will go 4th. Next will depend on who wins Immunity. I'd love to see Amanda and TOdd square off, but if they go back to a Final Two (and the promos say 3 Tribal Councils, so i looks like it), then it will be up to the Immunity winner. Todd and Amanda would both take Courtney, and Courtney will take Todd, so Amanda has to win to have a chance. I personally am hoping Amanda wins, though it'll probably be Todd, who has played a great game. I just wish he wasn't so full of himself. Oh, and no car this year? Could they not get one past customs?

Peih Gee ends up in 5th place, where Dr. Sean the idiot brain surgeon did in Borneo. The Outback's good-natured Rodger and Africa's plucky T-Bird were, like Peih Gee, outnumbered when they finished 5th and in the Marquesas we were freed of Sean's big mouth. In Thailand, Ted was blindsided by Brian and Clay and in the Amazon, the guys got rid of the odious Heidi. In the Pearl Islands the girls blindsided smarmy Burton, who left the game for the second time and Jeff's too-young girlfriend Julie was gone here in Vanuatu. Cranky Caryn was booted in 5th place in Palau and the car-curse was brought to a whole new level in Guatemala when Cindy was kicked out after opting to keep her car rather than give one to each of the remaining Finalists. Crazy Shane bought in here on Exile Island and dumb Adam was 5th in the Cook Islands. Last season we bid adieu to goofy Boo.

Peace Out!

Christine :D

Survivor 15.11 "You can almost forgive that, that's funny."

This episode began with Peih Gee rather obviously refusing to take part in a group hug, and that's her problem--she's a little too honest for the game. I kinda respect her for it, because she knows they want to get rid of her, but still, it wouldn't hurt to fake the funk a little. Then we get the tearful family reunion.reward challenge. We meet Eric's mom, Amanda's sister, Peih Gee's dad, Todd's sister, Courtney's stuffy English dad (who was rather put out to have to partake in the silliness of a challenge) and Denise's husband. When Todd asks after his pregnant sister, he learns that she suffered a miscarriage. Everyone teams up with their loved ones to win a cruise and a phone call home, and Denise and her husband git r done (Amanda and her sister make bird calls to one other during the blindfolded game, which didn't help). Has anyone notice how well Amanda's holding up? SHe hasn't seemed to have lost that much weight. I really do enjoy how Courtney keeps telling Jeff to shut up during his annoying play by play--I'm shocked it's taken 15 seasons for someone to do it. Denise gets to take two people, and she goes with the Power Brokers, Amanda and Todd, which ticks off Peih Gee, since she took Denise on her trip to the Temple.

While they do the usual "Food rules!" bit, the others question whether Todd's sister really lost her baby or if he's just pulling a Johnny Fairplay. It was refreshing to hear contestants directly reference a past cast member, I thought. Courtney's recreation of Todd's getting the news, and Jeff's role in eliciting the information was truly hilarious--Courtney really is a riot. Courtney thinks faking a dead baby is a lot lower than a dead grandmother. Todd assures us the news was real, but understands it may have come off like a play for sympathy. He and Amanda concur that Denise is a threat to win the money because she has kids, whereas they and Courtney are on fairly even terms as single, directionless 20-somethings. Denise apologizes to Peih Gee for not taking her, insisting she has to stay in their good graces to stick around, and again, Peih Gee's like "Mix it up, Denise, join me and Eric!" The Immunity Challenge is demanding, muddy and awesome--the players have crawl thru a mud pit, answer a true and false question and take a key back to the start. If they chose right, they unlock one of their three locks--if not, they have to go all the way back and get the other one. Anyone else notice we've been blissfully puzzle piece free for a couple weeks? It's a nice change of pace. Todd goes out to an early lead, but when he chooses the wrong key for his last lock, Peih Gee is once again able to swoop in on Individual Immunity--admit it, haters, Peih Gee's playing a hell of a game!

Back at camp, Eric passively fights for his life, and Denise considers flipping, but in the end, even though she knows she's fourth in her group, she sticks with it and Eric goes home. I think Denise might have flipped if it was a sure thing, but she could only force a tie, and if Todd beat Eric, she couldn't take that awkwardness and anger back at camp. Denise doesn't do emotional!

Eric is gone in 6th place, joining fellow pretty young thing Colleen, who won America's heart, did a crappy movie with Rob Schneider, and refused to do All-Stars, opening the door for Outback 6th place also-ran Amber to come in and win the dang thing. Lil' Kim shuffled out of Africa here and the General (nickname the only thing interesting about him) departed the Marquesas. In Thailand, Jake left, never understanding that he wasn't being voted out because of his work around camp, and deaf Christy got arrogant and expendable in the Amazon. In the Pearl Islands, Crista aka Big Bird flew the coop and Ami the Evil Lesbian was vanquished in Vanuatu. Smarmy Gregg got the heave-ho in Palau and mean drunk Judd threatened death by crocodile when he was blindsided in Guatemala. On Exile Island, we were put out of our misery when annoying Courtney was cut loose and in the Cook Islands, crafty Parvati couldn't flirt her way any further. Last season, mean Stacy ran out of game.

And We're caught up! Peace Out! Christine :D

Survivor 15.10 "I'm ready to make the whole freakin' pie."

Before we got to see what Jeff had planned for our intrepid Survivors at Tribal Council, we had a Thanksgiving clipshow, full of stuff like: the monks had to cover up the girls' boobs before they entered the temple, the Survivors ate worms, etc. There was a great scene where everyone was lazing about and James basically bullied Aaron into working and acting like a leader, and then Aaron wound up "abdicating" in a snit. But, you know, nothing earth-shattering.

So FINALLY, we got to see what Jeff had up his sleeve. James was terrified because he had (very arrogantly) left his Idol's at camp, but it wasn't another vote (like in the Cook Islands. It was a Reward Challenge involving Chinese Trivia, and Peih Gee wound up winning it. The reward was a trip to a Shaolin Temple, and she took her pal Eric and Denise, who she's still trying to get to flip on the Apple Dumpling Gang. She really SHOULD think about it, as the rest of the gang has a "We're the Final Four" fish fry in her absence. But this is where we get our first real surprise, as Amanda reveals to us that she wants to shake things up--she tells us she's not crazy about winding up in the finals against Todd, Courtney or James. Meanwhile, the others have a blast at the Temple, especially Denise, who's been studying the Karate for some time. They get to learn some moves from some adorable children, and Denise gets to show off some of her moves. Peih Gee vows to "keep on truckin'" no matter how dire her situation seems. When they return, it's pouring down rain, and the others are huddled in a cave, being anti-social and rude. When Denise tells Todd that Peih Gee lobbied her to flip on them, Todd got angry at her for, you know, playing the game as hard as he is.

Amanda makes her move, talking up the idea that they have to get James NOW, when he's feeling too confident to "waste" one of his Immunity Idols. Amanda puts a twist on James' apple-mantra, stating that not only is she ready to eat the apple, "I'm ready to make the whole freakin' pie." When Eric wins immunity, James is content to target Peih Gee, but Amanda tells Todd it's now or maybe never with James, but he's now reluctant. Then Peih Gee tries to sway Amanda to get rid of James, and Amanda's all, 'I'm way ahead of you, just play it cool." SO Peih Gee goes back to camp and does a good job of playing "dead" and resigned to her fate. At Tribal, Peih Gee again plays it smart, lamenting how she's been beating her head against a brick wall trying to break into the Apple Dumpling Gang, to no avail. When James talks about how his tribe are winners and they need to get rid of the vanquished, Peih Gee points out that she and Eric have won the last three Individual Immunities. Once again, there is much suspense as the votes are read, and James goes home with two unplayed Idols in his hands. It's very much like an Aesop's Fable. Greed, James. Interestingly enough, Todd beams at the jury with pride, as if he was the architect, even though it was the tearful Amanda who made it happen.

Big, beautiful James goes out in 7th place, where Gervase left us in Borneo and Nick (I swear I'm not making this guy up) left in the Outback. In Africa, we saw the last of kooky Frank and his deer horns while in the Marquesas, dull Tammy was let go. Boring and smug Penny was booted in Thailand and Alex got all drunk with power in the Amazon and got his walking papers. In the Pearl Islands we saw the last of Tijuana and in a shocking coup, Evil Ami's stooge Le Ann was taken out. In Palau, plucky Stephanie's luck ran out and in Guatemala Gary was sacked. In Exile Island, Bruce had to be evac'ed out of the game and shifty Jonathan was taken out to appease the jury in the Cook Islands. Last season, cocky Alex got served.

Peace! Christine :D

Survivor 15.9 "Just don't eat that damn apple."

This episode started with Denise once again feeling on the outs, because no one told her about the change in plan to oust Jean Robert, so she voted for Peih Gee. She seems to buy everyone's explanation that there was no time (yeah, right). Todd started to fret over Courtney's growing closeness to Frosti, and Peih Gee started to get down about having lost more challenges than anyone else. When her Reward team loses (in part because of James) she takes it out on him and rags on him for half-assing it, which really makes him mad. When she cools off and apologizes, he refuses to accept it, claiming she's just politicking (and with Peih Gee, it really is hard to tell). James starts to fret about having so many of the other tribe still hanging around, and starts his "Just don't eat the damn apple" campaign for sticking with their original five (James, Denise, Todd, Amanda and Courtney). On a reward cruise, Frosti and Courtney get very cuddly, and Eric wins over Amanda. When they get back, they lie about the food they had, claiming to have eaten Chinese and not fried chicken and mashed potatoes, so the others don't get jealous. I'm surprised more people don't do that, really, and yes Neleh, it's STILL wrong that you offered someone your half-sucked mint.

Everyone's down on Peih Gee, and determined to get rid of the off-putting outsider, but then at the Immunity competition, players can opt to not take part in the challenge and eat cheeseburgers and fries instead, and suddenly, only Peih Gee, Amanda, Frosti and Eric are playing and Peih Gee wins the Immunity she so desperately needed and Eric and Frosti are on the block. Frosti lobbies Todd to get rid of Eric because he's so likable, but Todd is more concerned with Frosti's friendship with Courtney, and asks her to vote out Frosti to, in part, prove her loyalty to the Apple Dumpling Gang. At Tribal, she tearfully votes the party line and Frosti is gone. Then Jeff tells everyone they have more business to attend to...a cliffhanger for us to contemplate over Thanksgiving...

Frosti is eliminated in 8th place, where weepy Jenna finally got it in Borneo. In the Outback, a nation was healed by the ouster of evil Jerri, while scheming Brandon was sent home in Africa. Creepy Zoe went bye bye in the Marquesas and Ken the cop was 8th place in Thailand. In the Amazon, Deena got drunk with power and turned on Alex, which angered Jenna so Deena got the axe instead. In the Pearl Islands, our beloved Rupert was felled by that horrible female Boy Scout and amputee Chad was cut loose by the many women of Vanuatu. In Palau, Jeff talked Janu into quitting (you DID Jeff) and crazy Jamie was blindsided in Guatemala. In Exile Island, sweet Sally said farewell and smug Candice was kicked out in the Cook Islands. Last season, we got rid of the unpleasant Mookie.

Peace! Christine :D

Survivor 15.8 "It's almost like a pageant!"

Since I'm a full four weeks behind, I'm just gonna throw out some quick observations and get get back on track. :D

My favorite thing that happened this week was the introduction of a new credit sequence. Same kick-ass music, same awesome cobra, but only those still in the game are shown now and each week, it shows who's still in the tribe and who's moved to the jury. Love it!

One of the key moments in the reward challenge was when Denise wound up odd person out, and her "free agent" status continues to be in play as we approach the finale. James, Todd, Amanda and Jean Robert wind up visiting a 1000 year old village, where Jean Robert is shocked to learn of the existence of an Immunity Idol. The joke is on him, since James has two of them in his possession, and it was comical to watch the "card shark" get played. Todd grew more bitter over the fact that James didn't offer to give him one of his Idol's, since it was Todd who actually found them, so he hatches a plan to blindside James while he still feels safe.

The Immunity challenge, in which they had to sit as still as possible to maintain their balance on those barrels was a lot of fun, and Courtney continued to be a hoot. When Jeff pointed out that she hadn't moved in 32 minutes, she quipped, "I am lazy," and she accepted the Immunity necklace like a beauty queen accepting a crown. Then Eric finally started playing the game, telling Jean Robert that James had both Idols. This prompted JR to confront James, who played innocent. Jean Robert refused to tell him outright that Eric told him he had the Idols, instead relying on his "I'm a poker player, oooo, I just know things about people, ooooo," bull crap, which didn't impress James one bit. Jena Robert is so hacked off at James's betrayal, he goes to Todd (who, of course, is also betraying him) and tells him they should blindside James, but Todd is so egotistical, he decides to target Jean Robert instead. See, he didn't want JR thinking he was smarter than Todd for coming up with the idea that Todd was already working, so Todd flips on Jean Robert. Now, I hate JR, so whatever, but he was a better dupe than James.

At one of the coolest Tribal Council's ever, the thing played out like a whodunit, and you didn't know who was gonna be the victim and who was gonna be the killers. Peih Gee and Eric (the only ones to bring their stuff) are aiming at James, unaware that the others are about to do in Jean Robert, and the reaction shots--the raised eyebrows, the nervous smiles, in every reaction shot--genius. This should be their Emmy episode.

Jean Robert is booted in 9th place, where we lost Greg, the coconut phone guy. In the Outback, finger-wavin' Alicia was cut down and in Africa, Kelly was targeted by her own alliance when Lex wrongfully decided she had voted against him (she hadn't). In the Marquesas, Johnny Pots and Pans was booted in a wonderful, surprising coup and in Thailand, we lost Erin, yet another unmemorable contestant in that forgettable season. In the Amazon, Dave the rocket scientist was shot down when the all-dude alliance crumbled in like, two seconds and Ryan-O was kicked out of the Pearl Islands at this spot. In Vanuatu, Sarge was stabbed in the back by Twila and Colby went crazy and talked his way out of Palau in 9th place. In Guatemala, we bade a painful second goodbye to sweet Bobby Jon and in exile Island, Austin was sent packing. In the Cook Islands, Nathan was rewarded for supporting Jonathan with a knife in his back, and last season, Edgardo was cut loose in yet another surprise-filled and awesome Tribal Council

Peace Out! Christine :D