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« Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs. Favorites
Episode Recap: A Lost Puppy Dog!
Sitting at home in our comfy chairs, feet up, remote in hand, maybe a snack and a beverage nearby we fans of Survivor are apt to forget how brutal this game can be. Even as we watch castaways plot and scheme and ultimately stab each other in the back it’s all good fun for us. But this season I’m seeing a real human element in the game that maybe I had glossed over before. Kathy’s mental collapse evoked sympathy from me (though many a reader felt that she needed to suck it up). Players bowed out of the game due to injury. Tribe members fell in love and in lust all against the framework of a million-dollar payoff.
That million dollars, however, is the problem. People will do just about anything to be the last one standing in Survivor and so tonight as I lounged in my sofa, watching a tearful player’s plea for acceptance, my emotional and rational selves were at war. There I was, an armchair member of Malakal at Tribal Council trying to decide who and what to trust: Ami or Erik? Tears or logic?
This week’s solo challenge skipped over the reward and went straight to immunity. Okay, they threw in a few pizzas and some beer for the winners, who not surprisingly, turned out to be the Airai Tribe. We thank Jeff for keeping a running, if humiliating, tally of Malakal’s four straight immunity losses.
Tracey’s ouster left Erik as the sole Fan on Malakal’s tribe and he was so obviously on the chopping block that he retaliated with the only thing he had left: tattling. Kudos to Erik for not just giving up like so many past Survivor losers have done. He went to the power people, in this case Amanda and Cirie and spilled the beans on Ami’s treacherous behavior since the tribe mix-up. Completely busted, Ami could not explain her way out of the pit she had dug for herself. Amanda even said that, “we know we can’t trust Ami.” Erik made a perfect move in playing on that alliance’s existing mistrust. In so doing he secured himself another three days as a potential winner. Mufasa would be proud.
Maybe it was his underdog status, but by this point I was rooting for Erik to stay. While Airai avoided a dinner of skewered rat, viewers had to decide whether they smelled one in Ami as she talked about her feelings of exclusion within the Favorites’ alliance. Then came her tears – heartfelt, certainly. Sincere? I’m not so sure. Regardless, Ami’s alliance turned on her and embraced the outsider.
Over at Airai, Parvati, though safe from tribal council, had not stopped playing the game. She left James to contemplate his existence on the “criminal’s island” and set up a girls alliance with Alexis and Natalie, intending to reconnect with Amanda come the merge and make it an all girl final four. Even with this potentially game-changing move, Alexis and Natalie barely had any screen time. What is the deal with that? We have gotten to know the Fan-boys, so why not the women?
Anyway, the previews show that the merge is coming next week as well as what we hope will be a satisfying exchange between Jason and Eliza concerning his “immunity” idol or what she likes to call “a stick”. Human element aside, it promises to get ugly once Jason realizes that Ozzy duped him. I cannot wait. Popcorn, anyone?
Find more Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites clips at our online video guide.
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Apr 3, 2008 10:41 PM
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I cracked up at Eliza's stick comment!  It was such a DUH! moment that I think Jason is a little slow to clue in. ROFL
Bravo to Erik for making the tribe see Ami for what she had been doing. It will be interesting to see if it comes back to bite them.
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Apr 4, 2008 12:04 AM
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This was a pretty good episode in my opinion, especially concerning the Malakal tribal council. I loved how both Ami and Erik were doing what they had to do to stay, but at the same time had this mutual respect for each other's gameplay. I'll definitely miss Ami, but I'm also glad that Erik is still playing.
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Apr 4, 2008 1:18 AM
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I swear, no matter what happens this season, Ozzy is indeed the ultimate player on Survivor.
~Another Puppy Dog
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Apr 4, 2008 1:39 AM
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I was shocked that they voted out Ami. I didn't like her last time and I didn't like her this season but I was still shocked. I love Ozzy he and James are my two favorites but Ozzy takes everything so personal. I know it must be hard but he is the STRONGEST player out there people are going to go after you. I guess that he was mad because it came from an ally. I also laughed at Eliza's comment that it is a stick. Can't wait till next week. Looks good.
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Apr 4, 2008 8:34 AM
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I thought this episode was a little slow, like they didn't have much drama, so they had to ramp it up: will it be Erik or will it be Ami? Still, pretty enjoyable 45 minutes of my life. I had a hard time watching the immunity challenge because I thought Erik was going to really hurt himself.
Ozzy: While I like watching him in swimming challenges and I think he is a good player, he is overbearing and arrogant. It seems he changed everyone's opinion to vote off Ami just because she (like everyone else) was trying to think of a way to get him off before the merge. I agree with the previous poster: why take it so personally, especially when you have immunity, the HII, and a person you can trust (Amandma)?
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Apr 4, 2008 9:06 AM
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I was so happy to see Ami go. But, she is a great actress! Those tears were awesome. The people who try to be nice while sticking it to you are the worst! When she was "Thanking" Erik for helping her out by spilling the bean, I started to fume. I was screaming for them to kick her off from that moment on. That was just rude and evil.
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Apr 4, 2008 9:17 AM
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robin553 ~ I agree ~ That was nasty when she thanked Erik. Poor guy ~ But he did the only thing he could do ~ and it paid off. Lucky for him that Ami had actually done what he said she did. I wonder if he would have tried to make something up if she had never done that.
Best part of the whole episode was Eliza saying "It's just a stick! (YOU MORON!)" Looking forward to seeing that again.
I have to say that I don't blame Ozzy for wanting Ami gone. Yes there is the possiblity that Erik will try to team up with the fans again ~ But the exact same possibilty existed with Ami too. And I would rather keep a puppy that owes me and adores me around!
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Apr 4, 2008 9:55 AM
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What, no comment about James opening beer bottles with his teeth? Or, the look he gave Jason, because he couldn't do the same?
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Apr 4, 2008 10:03 AM
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Those beers must have had a twist off cap. ~?~
Too funny if they gave them beer that they couldn't open.
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Apr 4, 2008 10:29 AM
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ZZZ,
I agree. They wouldn't give them a reward that they couldn't use. Either they would've given them a bottle opener or they were twist offs.
Arai definitely made the right choice in selecting Ozzy to go to Exile and not participate in the challenge. If it would've been Ozzy and Eric they would've blown away Malakal. It would've been nice if the "knock off" portion with the sand bags would've had more of an effect with the challenge.
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Apr 4, 2008 10:44 AM
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Ooo yeah, Tonywrice, I'd forgotten the goosebumps I got watching James use his teeth to open those beers. He must have some really strong teeth.
I was actually surprised that Ozzy was able to sway the girls to vote out Ami when they were pretty set on keeping the devil you know as opposed to the devil you don't. I guess Ozzy can talk about NOT being the leader all he wants but when it gets right down to it, he's in complete control...FOR NOW.
I actually found myself feeling sorry for Ami by the end of it. I give her credit for not just calling Erik a liar and going with a he said she said. I do think the tears were real and I didn't begrudge her making the moves she did because she was on the fringe of the favorites and if she expected to win a million she had to do something. I did really hate her thanking him for telling and giving her a place in the tribe. That was just cruel. I'm not sure she did it because she was mad at him for tattling on her or if she was so self absorbed that it never occurred to her that if she was successful he would be leaving. All in all though, I think they made the right move voting her out, Erik is not nearly the power player that she once was and could've been again.
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Apr 4, 2008 10:59 AM
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I just felt like Ami wasn't crying because she was sorry she'd tried to go against her allies and regretted it, she was sorry she got caught and outed as the two-faced player she is!
That's not sincere to me. I'm glad she's gone. You can't have your hand in too many pots and not expect to get burned eventually...
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Apr 4, 2008 11:55 AM
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I am thrilled that Eric is still in the game. He's the only fan I like. (can't help it...Leif Garrett was my teen idol and Eric reminds me of him so much!!!)For once I was truly shocked at the tribal council outcome. Ozzy made the right move, keep someone that owes you.....As for Ozzy, him and James are my favorites but I have to give him his due, he really is the ultimate survivor. He is incredible in challenges and camp life, he truly deserves to win.
Can't wait to see the whole Eliza/Jason It's a stick thing next week. That will pretty much give it away that Ozzy has it. But should be very funny!!!!!
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Apr 4, 2008 11:59 AM
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I felt like I was watching Big Brother 9 last night with all the crying that was going on. PATHETIC!!!
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Apr 4, 2008 12:50 PM
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