Survivor: Micronesia - Fans vs. Favorites

After 39 days Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites has chosen a winner and her name is Parvati Shallow. Congratulations to her as she played a good game especially against such tough competition as Amanda and Cirie.

If I’ve taken anything away from this edition, it’s the hope for an all-female final four every season. Never has the trail of torches been so entertaining. Usually, the mind wanders as the finalists reach for complimentary things to say of their former tribemates. Not this time. These ladies walked along the beach dropping one-liners like there was no tomorrow. From Cirie, “the chickens have not been the same since Chet left.” From Parvati, “Eliza, my arch rival!” They teased Amanda who praised Ozzy as an all-around competitor with, “You like him! You can carry his torch!” Just gals having fun.

Of course, this was all after they had voted out Natalie, the fourth woman in their pot-stirring crew. The first immunity challenge of the night started on a platform suspended 20 feet above the water and ended with Amanda at the top of a makeshift ladder on the beach, her arms raised in victory. Even so, Natalie, after some heart-to-heart bonding with Parvati, believed she would make the cut at tribal council. She didn’t. Afterwards the women, all favorites mind you, returned to camp and immediately went through the stages of female bonding – lovefests and cat fights.

Amanda, Parvati and Cirie’s self-congratulatory group hug quickly evolved into a spat that had a defensive Cirie explaining why she felt she was on the bottom of their three-way and Amanda crying about why Cirie shouldn’t feel that way. In the end they all got it out of their systems, but the writing was on the wall for Cirie and when she faltered at the final immunity challenge, so too did her run.

What was up with Survivor, throwing a final two curveball? All along these women were playing with a strategy based on a final three. Talk about your blindsides! Still I prefer two to three in the end, if only so that one person would not have to suffer the humiliation of not receiving any votes.

To quote Jeff Probst, it, “certainly was an interesting [final] tribal council.” Amanda and Parvati gave their opening speeches and then I believe Natalie asked Parvati out on a date. She asked something about how Parvati’s flirtatious nature translates in the bedroom. I still don’t know what that has to do with the game, but seeing as how Parvati won, I guess she gave the right answer. “It’s an old standby,” she said of her flirting, “I’m not going to lie.” You got to hand it to Parvati, socializing is definitely her thing.

As expected in this game of betrayal, there was also a fair share of hurt feelings at tribal. Erik still felt “totally burned” and was “not buying” Amanda’s apologies. Ozzy had a mouthful for Parvati that included his being, “truly hurt by what you did to me,” and “You put a price on our friendship,” followed by a command not to speak. Then Ozzy took a breath and created Survivor’s most romantic moment ever by saying that the hardest part for him was that Parvati had, “[taken] away 1 4days that I could have spent with Amanda” and then declared that he felt he was falling in love with his lady love. Way to redeem one’s lagging image bro’. Romance aside, Parvati had the best line of that council when responding to James’ request for an honest answer to her plans after she booted Ozzy, “Ha ha, I got you sucka!” She should put that on a tee shirt.

When all was said and done the jury voted (Eliza dramatically struggled with her decision, taking a lifetime to write a name on the card) and Amanda in her 78th day in the jungle received what we now know was only three votes to Parvati’s five. At least she found love.

On to the Live Reunion Show…

It’s always a shock to see the Survivors back in the real world. For some reason the women look over made-up and the men seem plump even though in reality they are all just back to normal. Amanda, having done back-to-back stints admitted to having “trust issues” upon her transition to the mainland. That’s what a game of deception and betrayal will get you. Natalie also revealed that she has some haters, but it’s all good because there are many layers to her and at least one of them is a loving, kind woman.

I felt particularly bad that Erik has had to endure the media referring to him as the dumbest Survivor ever, but he’s handling it gracefully and as he said, he realized that he does not have it in him to treat people as the game demands. He truly is a nice guy and he got a round of applause because of it.

James is still making people happy at funerals even going so far as to take the shirt off his back if it will relief a mourner’s grief. There’s just something about this guy that makes people like him and so you knew that when Jeff listed him along with Ozzy and Amanda as the top three vote-getters in the $100K giveaway that he was going to be the winner. This is his second year and his second win. No wonder he’d do the show every year if he could.

So that’s it. Survivor: Micronesia has come to an end. It was a great season, made all the better by an excellent mix new and old. Next time it’s back to Africa as Probst and 18 Americans make their way to Gabon to battle surfing hippopotami.

I for one can’t wait. Until then, it’s been great blogging for you all. Be sure to look out for my interviews with the winner and runner-up.

Check out our Online Video Guide for more Survivor clips.

Erik Reichenbach made a million-dollar blunder when he gave away the immunity that guaranteed him a spot in Survivor: Micronesia's final four. Tricked by the remaining women on his tribe, Erik believed that he would earn goodwill on the jury by saving Natalie Bolton. Unfortunately for this 22-year-old ice cream scooper from Hell, Michigan, the ladies had another idea and Erik found himself joining the same jury whose vote he had been seeking. In this season of unprecedented blindsides, TV Guide.com spoke with Erik about his exit and why he too didn’t see it coming. – Rhoda Charles

TV Guide.com: Erik, you made your mark in Survivor history when you gave away immunity. Can you talk us through your downfall?
Erik Reichanbach: I was on the island with all girls and at first I thought it was a good thing, but then slowly it turned into something completely different. I think one of the major things that happened was that I had played the game pretty passively. I was behind Joel pretty much for a third of the game and then I hid behind Ozzy for the next part of it. Then at the end it was time for me to be aggressive, time for me to step up and I just had trouble shifting gears and I started to make a lot of mistakes.

TV Guide.com: Having seen the blindsides that these women have pulled off against Ozzy and Jason, why didn't you see the play to get the immunity necklace for what it was?
Erik: You would think I would! Basically Natalie and Cirie got together and said, "What would be the most attractive thing for Erik right now? What would he definitely buy into?" and it was winning over some jury votes. One of my concerns had been making it to the end sitting next to two girls. I figured that because there would be more girls on the jury that they would vote for the women over me. I also thought that I could possibly get the guys' vote because I was a physical competitor and had won all those immunities, but that the girls wouldn't [vote for me] because I hadn't really played the game. I had floated all the way to the end.

TV Guide.com: Did you notice the jury's reactions during tribal council? Did that concern you at all?
Erik: It should have concerned me, but I didn’t because I was more concerned with making this decision [on my own and not letting] anybody else's expression change it. I didn’t look at anybody when I made that decision. I just looked down into the fire and I did it.

TV Guide.com: Had Amanda's accusations in the previous Tribal Council gotten to you?
Erik: They definitely did. Amanda played me very well. One day she was my best friend and the next day she hated my guts. When you have nobody out there — I mean you have no friends out there. Something I've never experienced before — that affected me a lot.

TV Guide.com: Do you have any hard feelings toward the women who played you?
Erik: I have a few hard feelings — mild hard feelings — Nothing that’s unresolvable. I can still love them and talk to them. We're all good friends still.

TV Guide.com: How much flack have you gotten from your friends and family over your decision to give up immunity?
Erik: Quite a bit! My Dad thinks it's unforgivable. It's pretty funny, though, we just make fun of him for it.

TV Guide.com: If you had kept the immunity necklace, we can assume that Natalie would have gone home. Who then would you have wanted to go up against in the final three?
Erik: I probably would have wanted to go up against Amanda and Parvati. I don't think so much Cirie because at the time I didn’t know that Cirie was doing so much damage. She was really good at hiding the way she acted out there, unless it was just editing, but she did very well at manipulating everybody and not letting anybody know it.

TV Guide.com: But it seems as if everybody on the jury loves Amanda. I’d be nervous going up against her.
Erik: At that time I thought Cirie was more lovable than Amanda.

TV Guide.com: You came across as one of the nicest people that has ever played Survivor. How hard was it for you to get tough and plot against the friends that you'd made on the show?
Erik: That was very tough. Early on I had no trouble with it because I didn't know the people in the first blindsides, but by the end I felt sick coming back from tribal council. I'd never really done that with anyone before and I hope I never have to. It's very rare that a "good guy" lasts that long into the game having to make those decisions.

TV Guide.com: Let's talk about your relationships with some of the other Survivors. Starting with Ozzy, you seemed to idolize him a bit.
Erik: Yeah, a bit, but we're good friends.

TV Guide.com: What about Ami?
Erik: We were really good friends out there, but then when push came to shove I got scared and it made sense to just turn her in. That one hurt a lot. There's no question, this game is hell.

TV Guide.com: How about Natalie?
Erik: We're friends, but there's still some hostility there.

TV Guide.com: Having been such a fan, what was the most surprising thing about the show?
Erik: What people are willing to do for money. That's crazy.

TV Guide.com: At the end of the show Jeff Probst made a comment about you having learned a life lesson. What have you taken away from your Survivor experience?
Erik: There's so much I can take away from this, it's just crazy. First of all, I don't travel much at all and the world is so big, there's so much awesome stuff out there and some awesome people. In terms of just learning to trust people, learning to know people sometimes you have to second-guess what people really want.

OMG! Funniest. Survivor. Ever! You are going to have to excuse me as I wipe the tears of laughter from my eyes. There are no words – none – that can truly describe the bittersweet hilarity of Erik’s monumental crash and burn. If you missed the show for any reason run – don’t walk – to your nearest internet-ready computer and watch the repeat online because in a season of blindsides, this one takes the cake.

I’m just going to say it. Erik gave up immunity! Gave. It. Up. Minutes later he was saying goodbye. That was the most boneheaded move ever in the history of Survivor! Why, Erik, would you choose to give up the immunity necklace? Nobody does that. Every week Jeff asks, “Would you like to give immunity to someone else?” and whoever’s wearing that necklace shakes their head and unconsciously touches the skillfully-crafted, yet ugly-as-sin necklace that is their protection for that vote. And then they vote and that person remains in the game for at least another three days. That’s how it’s done. You don’t give up immunity. It is to be cherished, not wasted. And definitely not used as a good-faith gesture to reassure a tribemate who is trying to escape a possible eviction from the game. Again I say, boneheaded.

I get it Erik. You were feeling guilty and guilt is a powerful emotion, especially for someone as honest and naïve as you seem to be. Why else would Erik turn on Natalie the moment Amanda reached out to him? Guilt. You have to hand it to Amanda for following up the bitch-slap she had given Erik at the previous tribal council. There was no way that Erik wasn’t going to jump at the opportunity to prove himself worthy again in her eyes. All he had to do promise to take Amanda on the reward and to send Parvati to Exile Island should he win the challenge. If that promise sounds at all familiar it was because it was the exact same thing he had promised Natalie that morning! Of course Erik, being the challenge threat that he is, won reward and left Natalie sitting on a log boo-hooing to a self-satisfied Cirie.

Then came the immunity challenge, which again, Erik blasted through earning himself that aforementioned jewelry. This is where guilt comes into play again because guilt, coupled with the opportunity for redemption, is a one-way ticket to losing this game. (Just ask Ian Rosenberger from Survivor: Palau who stepped out of the endurance challenge against Tom Westman because he didn’t want to play the villain.) It started with the four losing ladies, sitting on a log wondering whom they were going to vote out at Tribal Council. The one person they most wanted gone, the one person who had “worked us all like a cheap suit,” according to Cirie was the one person that had immunity. But what if…?

Let me tell you, a ‘what if’ in Cirie’s hands is a beautiful thing. “What if we could get him to give up the necklace?” she asked. It seems impossible, right, that anyone could even conceive of such a possibility. Who in their right mind would ever agree to give up the only thing that was keeping them in the game? Yet Cirie dared to dream and with her seemingly effortless plotting and some fantastic acting by Amanda and Natalie, Erik was hooked.

At tribal council, the ladies pressed their case. The jury watched, completely understanding what the women were up to, yet Erik was clueless. He was by blinded by that pesky guilt and swayed by Cirie’s talk of redemption and actions carrying more weight than words to answer ‘yes’ to Jeff’s inevitable question. “Would you like to give immunity to someone else?” Only when the vote came back 3-1 against Erik did the poor, “hair-brained” ice-cream scooper, realize his mistake. Or maybe it was when James shrieked, ‘I’ve lost my reign as the dumbest Survivor ever!!”

You can’t make this stuff up. It wasn’t just Erik that had some classic moments tonight. It was Parvati, sunning at Exile Island, unconcerned about hunting for the idol because she didn’t need it at all. It was Ozzy walking into tribal in his serape. It was the reward challenge featuring favorite moments from past seasons like Kathy peeing on Jonathan’s hand to relieve an urchin’s sting. It was Erik prophetically surmising that he, “might have screwed up quite a bit.”

Yes, Erik, you did screw up. Thank you for making my evening.

What did you think? Will tonight’s episode go down in Survivor history? Does Natalie have a chance against the three-favorites-alliance? And who is going to win this thing? Check out Jeff Probst's predictions for the winner here and remember the finale is this Sunday at 8 pm/ET followed by the live reunion show. Don’t forget because I have a feeling you’re not going to want to miss this one.

Find more Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites clips at our online video guide.

P.S. I apologize for the delay in posting this blog but the site was acting up last night and I could not log on. -Rhoda

I know what I’m about to say will not make sense, but I am confident that Survivor fans will understand the sentiment: I wish this show could start at the merge because, right now, I can barely remember the first half of the season. And yes, now I’m going to contradict myself by saying that the first half of the season was pretty good too with all of its drama. Still, since the merge we’ve had blindside after blindside, fake idols, unused idols and finally, thanks to Amanda, a hidden immunity idol used the way it was meant to. Well done, Amanda!

I am sad to see that Alexis was doomed by Amanda and Parvati’s ricochet votes, but these things happen. This is the problem when you ally based solely on gender – loyalty is thin. If you notice, Parvati refused to vote against Amanda because they go way back (all of 30 days). Cirie confessed that it was only circumstances that were making her vote against original her tribemate Amanda. Natalie, Alexis and that Benedict Arnold, Erik, had no problem writing Amanda’s name down. Erik, understandably voted with the fans, but Nat and Alexis were looking out for themselves. Amanda was only useful to them in the numbers game.

Besides, we all knew that Alexis, who had injured her knee in a nighttime stumble, was on her way out. Not because of her injury, but because Parvati had decided that her time had come. If you have seen Atonement, you’ll know what I mean when I say that Parvati’s delivery, when she asked if Alexis wanted them to vote her out, was nearly as sinister and cold as Briony Talis’ was when accused her sister’s lover of committing a dastardly deed.

Wow, I just likened Survivor to an Oscar winning movie. See how much I love this show?

Anyway, we’ve had idol usage, betrayal…what am I forgetting? Oh yes, James and his infected finger. Yet again, another favorite is removed from the game for medical reasons. What kind of infectious microorganisms are they growing over there? Do we need to quarantine Micronesia? As much as James did not want to admit it, you know it was bad when he wasn’t dropping any one-liners. Although his father was quick with the sotto voce comment after Alexis removed James from the reward challenge with a swipe of her hatchet. Clearly, the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree.

This reward challenge where the survivors answer questions and then guess at the consensus answer is always an interesting one. It clearly establishes the remaining pecking order (by my calculations it was Erik, Amanda and then James) and it exposes some players’ strategy. This time it did so in front of the family members who were part of the reward. The most revealing question being, “who mistakenly thinks they are in control of the game?” Answer: Parvati, although both Parvati and Alexis answered Cirie. Further proof that Cirie and Parvati are in control, however Cirie has the edge because most of them still do not realize that Cirie is in control. Kudos to Parvati for paying attention. If it comes down to these two in the end (the third finalist won’t matter), who wins?

Yet, at this point there is still no clear prediction. The women wanted an all-female finale, but if Erik, who with his keen sense of observation (“I’m the only man left!” he stated moments after James decamped) keeps winning immunity, that plan is scrapped. As it stands now, Erik will be the swing vote, but as Amanda convincingly pointed out at Tribal Council, he can’t be trusted because he takes aid, but does not give it. Ouch.

Since I already brought it up, I’ll continue with the academy award reference as Amanda was most deserving of some kind of award tonight for her eye-rolling, I’m-so-defeated, woe-is-me performance at tribal council. She immediately switched it up when she whipped out her idol and presented it to Probst and had the jury, including an IV-toting James, demonstrably excited. This was a victory for those had gone before. As Jeff said they, “have perfected the art of the blindside.” If that’s so, leaders Parvati and Cirie had better watch out.

So what did you think? Did Amanda deserve the respect she earned tonight or did she luck into it by getting sent to Exile Island? Who is actually in control of this game, Parvati or Cirie? And, if your split knuckle had swollen to the size of a lime and you had lost feeling in the sides of your finger, would you have waited for medical to pull you out of the game or would you have stepped out on your own?

Until next week, keep up with Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites using our Online Video Guide.

What do you have to do to get these people to use the idol?! They find it, they hide it, they whisper about it, caress it lovingly, some even make replicas, but they never use it. Listen up Survivors, it doesn’t need to mature. Just use it!

You would think that after Ozzy’s blindside, Jason, holder of the new idol, would pay more attention and risk playing the idol for no reason rather than sitting on it and going home. He didn’t and I have to remind myself that this is the guy who thought a poorly whittled stick was his Holy Grail. He’s the guy who bowed out of an immunity challenge because everybody said they wouldn’t vote him out. And now he’s the guy who is jury member no. three.

Jason left behind a “Black Widow Brigade” of women who are plotting to pick off the males of their species one by one. Eventually, the women will have to turn on themselves and I hope Parvati brought her venom-proof bikini because Natalie’s fangs are showing and I have a feeling she’ll be aiming for the top dog first.

Here we are 11 weeks into the show, it’s the Survivor Auction and Natalie’s first words are, “Do not hog the cake. I haven’t eaten. I’m feeling a little aggro.” This after her initial over-inflated bid won her some bat soup. I love that James, was like, “I’ll have it,” and then proceeded to explain to Jeff the proper way to eat bat. I wonder if it tastes like chicken?

But seriously, why so angry Natalie? She went off on Jason in her confessional and then described herself using some colorful language. It was a bit out there.

I can see James being peeved. The guy has finally wised up to Parvati who flat-out told him she’s looking at an all-girl final three. So where does that leave our muscular friend? He’s in the same spot as Amanda who is rather obviously out in left field. If Natalie’s cake sharing buddy choices are an indication of the new pecking order then Parv, Cirie, Alexis and Nat are the new alliance to beat. Tell me this: how does Cirie manage to always be the odd woman out in her alliance? As giggly as these ladies are right now there is no doubt in my mind that she’s at the bottom of the pecking order, yet I’m sure she’ll find a way to protect herself. Amanda I’m less sure of.

As for the men, Erik won immunity on his 22nd birthday in a close race against James. The women kindly chose not to send him home on his birthday, but come midnight Erik must realize that the target will be on his back. I hope he’s ready.

Even though Jason was voted out I must give him credit for his noteworthy moments on the show. He found the hidden immunity idol twice and, yes the first was a fake, but still he found it’s hiding space and not everyone can say that. Jason also beat Ozzy in an immunity challenge. Jason’s Achilles heel was that he wanted to belong. He might have stayed longer if he had stopped trying to work with people and just focused on winning immunity.

One thing doesn’t add up for me though, regarding Jason is why did everyone want him gone? We’ve heard that he’s annoying, but we haven’t seen it. I feel like I’ve become engrossed in a movie mid-way and have spent the last hour trying to figure out what I’ve missed. Anyone have any guesses?

Despite Jason’s not using his idol one of the most bittersweet moments of the night was seeing James watch the ladies rifle through Jason’s pack and uncover the idol. You just know he was thinking about Survivor: China and seeing Jamie and Erik searching through his own idol-laden bag. Oh the irony. Then again, that’s the game.

I’ll leave you with some of my favorite lines and surprise, surprise, most of them came from James.

-James to Parvati after realizing she had betrayed him, “Sorry’s not what you mean. ‘Ha Ha Ha’s’ what you mean!”
-James to Parvati “I said you were selfish, not stupid.”
-James to Jeff while preparing to eat the bat, “You take the skin off first. That’s the secret.”
-Jeff to Jason about the idol as he leaves for Exile Island, “This time maybe you’ll get a real one.”
-James describing Parvati at Tribal council, “The social butterflies have done their work.”
-Jeff to the tribe, “after back to back blindsides anyone who still feels safe is a fool.”

Oh and did you notice Ozzy mouth the B-word to Parvati at tribal council? Ouch!


Find more Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites clips at our online video guide.

“What the nickelodeon is going on around here?!” I’m with you on that James because from the first few moments of the show I thought I knew who was going home tonight. It never even crossed my mind that Ozzy, the all-star of Survivor All-Stars would not make it, at least, to final four. It’s not like we haven’t watched week after week as castaways plotted to take him out and then backed away from their coup. Why should this week be any different? (Because Cirie finally turned her sights on Ozzy, that’s why, but we’ll get to that later.)

So much happened tonight I’m not sure how they crammed it all in with, what must have been a good 45 minutes of the show, focused on Erik. Let’s see, Erik eats lunch in the presence of topless Micronesian women. Erik drinks some lumpy, milky beer. Erik chews beetle nuts. Erik throws up. Weren’t we all about to? Was there no one else at the reward feast? Oh, right. Ozzy was there, beaming like a proud papa as he watched “naive” Erik’s horizons broaden.

Then there was Jason and the immunity challenge. Hold you hand above your head or you’ll be splashed in paint, was it, from the bucket tethered above and eliminated. I meant to focus on Jason for a moment, but I have to gripe about Cirie and Erik bowing out after 20 minutes for a bowl of gummy worms. This is immunity people! Nevermind that half of you had just come back from a feast. I can just hear the internal monologue, “Jeff’s offering up chocolate doughnuts. I gotta get me some of that!” The hell, Ozzy?!

You know, “Ozzy’s not the only God-like person who can win in this game.” Or so says Jason who, six-and-a-half hours later, was the last man standing next to Parvati and facing an offer all crossed-fingers said he should not take: A basket full of goodies for the tribe if he bowed out and let Parvati win immunity. My Spidey Senses were screaming, “Stupid move!” but that could have been because I knew everyone was lying. At least Jason extracted a grudging promise from them that they would not vote him out and voila! Parvati was sitting pretty — or smugly, take your pick.

Parvati swears she is running the show, yet she needs to take a lesson from Cirie. Why these people let Cirie have time to herself to think on Exile Island is beyond me. She’s a planner people. Cirie came back to camp looking for an opportunity to suggest taking out Ozzy and what happened…? I rest my case. The woman is good.

In the middle of all of this we see the emergence of a subplot: Worker-bee James vs. Queen Bee Parvati. Where has the love gone? His crack o’ dawn machete wielding matched with her sunrise annoyance spelled drama down the lane. Thank goodness it wasn’t the kind that involved James hacking off a limb ‘cuz I was wee bit worried ‘bout that.

It did, however, involve Parvati stabbing James in the back. All that was missing was her spinning around and slicing off his head Highlander style. Parvati is in this to win this. She hooked up with all the women except “best friend” Amanda and sided with Jason to blindside Ozzy.

That wouldn’t have happened had Ozzy, who had earlier expounded on the reason the Favorites were, indeed, favorites, followed the established steps to lasting in this game. 1) Don’t rave about the food you devoured at your reward feast to your poor, starving tribemates back at camp. 2) Never feel secure. Ever. 3) Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line – no, wait… 3. Never not play the idol when your neck is on the line. Granted, that last one is hard to figure out, but it bears saying.

All season Ozzy’s acolytes have tried to best him. It’s fitting, then, that in this case the student became the teacher, but I sure am glad I wasn’t on the receiving end of Ozzy’s death stare. He seemed little pissed off. A blindsiding will do that to a person as will having Eliza sitting on the jury gesticulating like mad at one's demise. I worry for Jason’s safety should he be the next to fall.

To wrap this up I wish I could make James’ doughnut philosophy fit the situation. I can’t, but I must quote it anyway and maybe even tattoo it across my shoulder blades. “Just because you’ve gotten on everybody’s nerves doesn’t mean a doughnut’s going to make it better. You really can’t expect to appease everybody over a doughnut. So, if you tempt somebody with a doughnut and they say, “Hell yeah, sure!” they might just want the d-mn doughnut.”

So long Ozzy. I hope that doughnut was worth it.

Next week will the Powerpuff girls make their move and ride James’ “girl power” fears to victory? Can anyone name the creek that Amanda is up? And will Erik need therapy now that his mentor is gone?

Find more Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites clips at our online video guide.

Maybe it was the hidden immunity idol setup from last week, but tonight’s episode of Survivor: Micronesia was hilarious. It wasn’t just because of Jason’s idol reveal and Eliza’s delicious, “It can’t be the idol—it’s a stick!” response, which actually was funnier in the preview than in the show. Nearly everyone did or said something to make me chuckle tonight, but the prize has got to got to Parvati whose mannered feud with Eliza came to a head at tribal council and ended with a tiny wave to Eliza’s exiting form.

First, let’s look back at the events that lead up to the ever-entertaining presentation of a false hidden idol at tribal. As suspected, the tribes merged at the top of the hour. Coming together under the name Dabu – a Micronesian word in Erik’s mind only, meaning “good”. The ten remaining castaways feasted on some tasty morsels…and bats. Yes, bats. Now there was no indication that this was some local delicacy that everyone ought to try and honestly, I’m not sure just how hungry I’d have to be to delve into a bowl of slimy, flying rodents. They weren’t even de-winged! But who am I to judge? Maybe James was right, “How often do you get a chance to eat a bat?” I knock on wood as I say, “Never.”

Moving on, these new-tribe feasts are always interesting because everyone is obviously sizing up everyone else while pretending that they are doing no such thing. Thank goodness that Ozzy chose not to lead the group and suggest that everyone put their game playing aside until after they had digested their rodents. Nope, no leader he. I did enjoy Erik, the monkey to Ozzy’s zookeeper, coining the word ‘Dabu’ out of pure mischief. Show host, Jeff Probst, knew right away that something was up with that word. Why did no one else pick up on Erik’s BS? This group was as clueless about that word as Ozzy was about Amanda’s jealousy.

It’s just not cool, Ozzy, to spend the first 24 days on this journey canoodling with Amanda only to cozy up to Alexis the first chance you get. Poor Amanda looked to Cirie for sympathy, but Cirie was too busy being annoyed at having to share her camp with the newcomers. If I hadn’t heard that Ozmanda were still together I’d start worrying about the future of their union because it did not take Amanda long to start wondering aloud about how well she thought she knew Ozzy.

Amanda ought to wonder the same about Parvati who tra-la-la-ed back to the Malakal beach with a new alliance of ladies in tow for Amanda to accept or be on the outs with. It seems we are back on the same page with Amanda who is recognizing a threat to her position in the game much the same as she did in China with the all-powerful Todd. She will probably do nothing about it. Amanda is a smart player – dare I say she is a strategist, who clearly sees what is happening around her, but she is no soldier. She’s afraid to make the big moves that will save her trouble down the line. If she does not watch it I fear Amanda is going to be a repeat offender who loses it all once again.

As for Parvati, I admit I have given her a bit of a hard time in past blogs, but I must say that she is playing hard and smart and tonight she was the highlight of the show. First off we must note that Parvati is aligned with nearly every remaining player except for Eliza, whom she hates and Eliza’s ally Jason, who she thinks is a loser. With her ever present smile, Ms. Shallow casually and effectively dismissed Eliza, who as we could plainly see, was always lurking in the bushes listening for some tid bit that could have given her a bit of leverage. “Eliza’s staring at us,” Parvati says to Amanda. Cut to Eliza who, sure enough, is crouched on a log watching the girls from across the camp. No wonder Eliza had no allies. Her bumbling “I’m not listening,” act was almost as bad as my trying to sneak into a movie theater back in the day when I was a naughty youth. I was not subtle and neither, my friends, was Eliza.

You have to give Eliza points for trying. Even with the assurance that Jason would give her his idol she fought to win immunity and was the last female to bow out of the panic-inducing rising tide steel grate challenge. How pissed was Ozzy at losing to Jason? I secretly loved it. It’s no fun watching the king win if there’s no real threat to his reign, so thank you Jason for at least pecking away at Ozzy’s stranglehold on a win.

I suspect, however, that the roster of strong players is about to change. Suddenly at tribal council Jeff is calling first on Alexis who has suffered from weeks of minimal screen time. Not only that but Cirie pronounced Alexis to be a triple threat. Alexis, proverbial scepter in hand, then declared Eliza’s social game to be inadequate. It’s true that Eliza has expressive eyes. And Jeff can take credit for the second best line of the night when he pointed that out. “Eliza, you can’t miss your eyes when they roll.” You had to feel a little sorry for her when it was made abundantly clear that she was the least liked person on the island, but even so no one wanted to take her to the end. Even Jason, her only friend, was all smiles when Jeff threw her faux idol in the fire. I don’t know why Jason’s so happy. You’re next buddy. True to form, the scrappy Eliza made one last play by letting everyone know that Ozzy has the idol. With this news out in the open the question is what are they going to do about it?

What did you think of tonight’s show and will next week be Ozzy’s last?


Find more Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites clips at our online video guide.

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.

What is going on here? I’m crying watching Survivor. Last week we had Jonathan’s heartbreaking leave from the game and this week Kathy had me ready to bawl with her total breakdown. It was so sad to watch, but for the first time ever I think viewers got a true taste of what the Survivor experience is like. I know if I had to sleep in that cave with the rats and the bats and the creepy crawlies in order to avoid the hours-long downpour outside I would have found myself in much the same condition as Kathy. Poor thing.

It is well documented how Jeff feels about quitters on this show, but when he sat on that log next to Kathy and said that he just wanted to understand you realize again why he’s the best host on TV. Kathy replied, “I don’t want anybody to think that I’m quitting,” and I completely teared up. And so another player leaves the game without benefit of a vote or a torch snuffing. I’ll miss the wackiness that Kathy brought to the show and I hope that she’s reading this in a warm dry place.

Over at Malakal Ozzy’s dominance became a problem for his tribe though he somehow seemed unaware of this. Perhaps that is because he was basking in the glow of Erik’s admiration. Cirie described that relationship best by likening the pair to Mufasa and Simba from Disney’s The Lion King. Up at the top of a coconut tree the view was great for Ozzy. From a tiny boat in the middle of the ocean, or from Exile Island things looked very different to Cirie and Tracy, each of whom had been forced into a situation not to their liking by His Ozness. Even Amanda admitted to being turned off by Ozzy’s attitude. And yet with all of those bad feelings wafting around camp Ozzy did not even consider using his idol at tribal council. An interesting choice considering all the double-crossing that was going on.

I admit I couldn’t keep up. After the phenomenally fun-looking immunity challenge (which I’m not convinced Cirie and Amanda didn’t throw) Amanda, Cirie and Ami were going to vote out Erik. But Ami plotted with Tracy and Erik to vote out Ozzy all the while letting Ozzy believe that he, Ami, Cirie and Amanda were voting out Tracy. After all that Tracy got voted out 5-1. I was like, what? As Jeff said earlier, “I just want to understand.”

What is clear to me is that, on Malakal at least, the Favorites are picking off the Fans. I feel bad for the fans because I think they are suffering from the season’s concept. It is 19 days into the show and there are still fans that we barely know. Who is the girl with the eyebrows? Anybody know? Previews for next week hint at some airtime for the nameless faceless few who have yet to make an impression with viewers, but tick-tock, time is running out for viewers to get attached to these players enough to root for them in the end.

Speaking of…I can’t end this recap without mentioning one of the most head-scratching cultural nuggets I’ve ever seen on Survivor: the Micronesian Moneystone. Just how big are these people’s wallets?

Granite currency aside, the show is gearing up for its second half where team play is eschewed and it becomes all about individual immunity. Did Malakal miss its chance to eliminate the island’s biggest threat? Will Amanda turn on Ozzy or is she (still) all talk and no action? And is Kathy right when she says, “Never in a million years would I ever do this again!” If you were a Survivor alum would you go back for a second tour?

Find more Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites clips at our online video guide.

Hey there Survivor fans, in case you haven’t heard March Madness has claimed our Thursday slot this week so be sure to tune in tonight at 8 PM, otherwise you’ll have to rely on my recap to find out who got bounced.

It’s always a sad day on Survivor when a player gets taken out of the game due to circumstances beyond their control. Today was especially sad for this reviewer since Jonathan Penner was a particular favorite. Always interesting, always entertaining Jonathan played the game with such enthusiasm that he energized his whole team. He gave it his all yet never lost sight of the fact that in the end it was just game.

So, it just sucks that last week’s infernal game of prison-escapee tag – the same one that left others battered and bruised – resulted in this season losing one of its best players due to a potentially life-threatening infection. Jonathan’s teary farewell group hug, Kathy sobbing, “we need you! I need you!” – had me misty-eyed myself.

Now James is left on a tribe of women and one longhaired guy and he’s feeling a little vulnerable – as he should. Let’s face it James is not the most strategic player Survivor’s ever seen. He has one thing going for him and that is his strength. We saw it at the reward challenge where, supported by his tribe, he carried two players on a tiny platform across the water to victory against Malakal. There’s nothing wrong with being a physical player, but as the numbers get whittled down it’s the thinkers that make it to the end. Sure, in China James had two Hidden Immunity Idols, but one was given to him and he was told where to find the other. Nearly every strategic move James made in China was directed by Todd. I fear for him playing alone this time around.

Here in Micronesia James has not done much aside from hang with Parvati and even she was putting the moves on another man tonight. That woman will flirt with anyone who can help her get ahead in the game. Tonight it was the Micronesian man who taught them how to fish and catch coconut crab. Tomorrow it’s anybody’s guess.

But tomorrow is not promised to anyone in this game. When will people realize that? Ozzy that comment was meant for you. The cocky fall first and your days are numbered unless you come up with a better strategy than substituting the HII with a stick. Jason, who found the faux idol will figure it out soon enough, Ozzy. This guy is hungry for a win. He is almost as driven as Erik who (whining in that perfect pitch necessary to peel the paint off of walls) did his best to convince a weary Chet to use his vote to get rid of Ozzy.

A word about Chet. I cannot believe that this man, who after witnessing a limping, impaired Jonathan play as hard as he did before being medically evacuated from the island, would have the nerve to pull the health card as an excuse to bow out of the game. He had a what – a piece of coral in his foot?! It just pales in comparison. Frankly, I’m confused as to why he was cast. Is he even a fan? Could he have been that compelling in his audition video that he warranted a spot on the team as a fan – short for fanatic? His performance on the island just does not add up.

On the other hand, it is highly amusing how some of the fans hold the favorites in such awe. The faves weren’t necessarily chosen because they were the best players, but because they had audience appeal. Remember none of these favorites have taken home a million bucks yet. Here’s hoping that Erik will realize this now that Ami has defected to his side.

That’s so like Ami, isn’t it? I’m disappointed that she, Cirie and Tracy did not join up as an all-powerful trio. Even more surprising to me was the fan-bashing. I did not see that coming and if it continues I see the comfortably cocky Cirie, Ozzy and Amanda having their experience advantage pulled right out from under them. If anything they should recognize the signs from Tribal Council which was filled with much rumbling about the ‘blind-sided’ and those who ‘feel safe’.

As a viewer I was a lot less confident that the self-sacrificial Chet was going home over Ozzy, but in the end Chet’s torch was at last put out. How interesting that Jeff chose to read the votes so as not to reveal any other names. Even more interesting is the fact that it was Erik’s name and not Ozzy’s that rounded out the vote. Where does the game go from here? Your guess is as good as mine.

So what are your thoughts about tonight’s show? Can Malakal pull it together enough to win a challenge? Is James really on his own? Is Ami’s new alliance a good strategic move? Will Jason realize he has a faux Idol?

Find more Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites clips at our online video guide.

What a satisfying episode! There was a tribe mix-up, a brutal challenge, a little hero worship and a blind-sided ouster. I have to say that I am truly enjoying this season. I like that things are not following the frequent pattern of a dominant alliance calling the shots and picking off the lesser alliance one by one.

Jeff pulled the old “drop your buffs” tribe switcheroo. Isn’t it interesting how the new Airai and Malakal tribes turned out? The couples alliance was split between the two tribes yet by some strange coincidence each member of the couples ended up with their respective partner. Looking at the breakdown (Airai: Natalie, James, Alexis, Jonathan, Jason, Parvati, Kathy, Eliza. Malakal: Ozzy, Joel, Amanda, Erik, Ami, Tracy, Cirie, Chet) I have give the edge to Malakal. I see a strong alliance forming between Ami, Tracy, Cirie and Chet that could run the rest of the game. We’ll see.

How lucky is Erik to have landed on the same tribe as his idol Ozzy? Gush much Erik? “I got to meet Ozzy today!” It’s cute though. For some reason, I was terribly amused that Ozzy thought Joel’s name was “Troy”.

Tonight’s reward challenge was rather rough. Parvati came out of it with a fat lip; Jonathan literally punctured his leg (I so hope he’ll be okay). Chet, partnered with Joel, narrowly emerged with his life. There is no way anyone will convince me that the producers did not make sure that these two would be paired up. That was very cruel. Poor Chet was dragged through the course by Joel who smacked Chet into, over and under poles and pulled him through the mud. It was just ridiculously poor sportsmanship on Joel’s part and Chet did not deserve that treatment at all.

While I hate to reinforce the caveman image it is clear that Joel’s neanderthal behavior came home to roost. Some would call it karma. Whatever it was it got Joel voted off the island. This was due in part to Cirie’s wisdom that swayed Ozzy and Amanda from targeting Chet. I love how Cirie sees the whole picture. Yes, she’s acting mainly out of self-preservation but she makes good points in that Chet will be easy to control whereas Joel brings little to the table but a strength that has had no payoff in the challenges. I know not everyone likes Cirie, but you have to respect the game of a woman who has single-handedly picked off the most threatening players and made it look effortless.

I’d like to say the same for Ozzy but I can’t. Not after he made the boneheaded move to tell people that he had the idol. Why? Why? Why would you do that? It makes no sense! Make yourself a bigger target Ozzy, why don’t you? It was such a bad move. We’ll see how it plays out.

Jeff asked some very pointed questions at tribal tonight. That is not new, but did he go too far with Chet? I mean hasn’t the man been beat up enough? Did Jeff need to make him feel even less significant than Joel already had? Even so, Jeff does parse out his criticisms to whomever he feels deserves it like with this gem during the immunity challenge, “Airai, you need to stop bitching and start throwing!” It’s pretty clear that Jeff and Jonathan naturally click and their good-natured sparring adds a nice touch to the show.

One last thought: I just have to say there is no way that this was the first time the ocean put out Arai’s fire. I don’t believe it. That camp was a mess. They are so lucky to have some favorites move in and build a proper shelter – one that’s above sea level.

The previews for next week leave me anxious that Jonathan may have to bail out of the game. I’d hate to see him go and even moreso I would hate to see him suffer serious complications from his cut. What was in that challenge anyway that made it so dangerous?

I’ll leave you with this. Joel, as mean spirited as he was tonight, did make me chuckle when he called Chet “a ball of goo”. However, Joel is out and Chet remains. Raise your hand if, like me, you think this “spineless”, “wet rag” of a player will be in the game for some time?

Find more Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites clips at our online video guide.

Given the fireworks of last week’s show and the previews that promised a continuation of the Cirie/Jonathan showdown I have to say I was somewhat let down by tonight’s follow-up. It was like going to see Captain Ron, remember that movie with Martin Short and Kurt Russell? All the funny parts were in the trailer. It’s the same situation here. We saw all the fireworks between the factions at the end of last week’s show. That said, Jonathan still continues to amuse me with his penchant for busting into people’s private strategy sessions. This week he followed Parvati and Eliza as Eliza was trying to position herself in the couples’ alliance.

Lucky for Eliza, the favorites, divided as they are, certainly work well together during challenges. They won both reward and immunity and in the process earned three hens, one rooster and chicken feed. Ozzy, who was sent to Exile Island along with Kathy (on her third visit), returned to his tribe with the hidden immunity idol and no one was the wiser. Overall it was a good week for the favorites.

The Fans, however, have fallen apart so thank goodness “intuitive” Tracy is stepping up to lead this group. Seriously the last thing I expected to hear from Tracy was that she has ‘the sight’. As master schemer of her three-person alliance she masterfully played Joel and got him to vote against Mikey B. instead of Chet. Much like Cirie, Tracy managed to eliminate a strong player and keep a much weaker one. Now she’s on her way to having ‘the numbers’ and while all her younger, testosterone-driven tribe mates attempt to power their way to final tribal Tracy may just strategize herself to the same place. Let us recall that though she is not a guru, Tracy does have “feelings” about people.

Turning to Ozzy for a second: great athlete, lung capacity of a whale, team player. He worked those coconuts and led his team to victory. Taking a cue from Yau-Man he replaced the idol with a fake one. Yet somehow I’m a little disappointed that he was the one to find the idol. It’s not like he needs it. This man can take care of himself. Though he does have a point that his prowess makes him a target.

What’s up with Kathy not wanting to search for the idol? Is she daft? I almost feel like Jeff when he gets mad at players who give up. Remember Osten from Pearl Islands? The big, healthy guy who quit the show because he feared he might catch pneumonia if he went into the water. He’s permanently on talk-to-the-hand mode with Probst. If you’re not even going to make a little effort to win Kathy there are plenty of people who would love be there in your place. You might say the same of Chet who makes me wonder if he even wants to be there. He mopes around the camp. He mopes around the challenges (when he’s not sitting them out). Chet is so lucky that Tracy needs him because Jason has had it with the man.

“Please leave the island!” This is probably now one of my favorite quotes from the series, spoken with such passion by Jason as he cast his vote against Chet. Moments earlier Jason tread on Jeff’s toes and delayed the voting merely to implore his tribe mates to recognize the importance of their pending vote – meaning vote Chet out. Priceless. Jason’s efforts were in vain though as poor “you have to give trust to earn trust” Mikey’s torch was snuffed out instead. Will this turn of events cause an even bigger rift at Airai? Probably.

Here’s the big question. As it stands now, Kathy on her multiple trips to Exile Island is the only fan who is getting to know the favorites. Do you want to see this fans/favorites split last the whole game or do you want the see them mix it up? And speaking of Pearl Islands, wouldn’t you have loved to have Andrew Savage on this season as a favorite?

Find more Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites clips at our Online Video Guide.

I’m scared. My favorite favorites are squabbling and try as I might to convince myself that this was game-playing at a superior level; that these two powerhouse strategists had planned a public fight to throw everyone else off the scent; that Cirie and Jonathan are the tightest alliance on the show, I couldn’t. Quite frankly, I’m afraid that Cirie might win the battle but that the war will go to someone else.

First, I must give credit to Survivor: Micronesia for at long last casting a show where both tribes are somewhat equally matched. There have been no runs of success and no bouts of loss for Airai or Malakal. Each week the game can go either way. Tonight it went both: Favorites won reward and fans won immunity. Kathy and Ami went to Exile Island but the idol remains hidden.

This leads us to the main event of the night: The fight for Cirie. I don’t envy Cirie. It is not easy being the swing vote between two alliances. I was so happy to see that she did not cave under either group’s pressure but instead bent the couples alliance to vote as she wanted. Unlike everyone else Cirie was not dazzled by Yau-man’s good press and she singled-handedly got him voted off the island. I fear this was a smart move at the wrong time. Now Cirie has the wrath of Penner coming after her “point blank period” and no alliance at her back. You can’t win Survivor alone. While I loved Cirie calling out Penner on his placing in the show compared to hers let’s face it, she’s no Terry. I doubt she’ll be winning a slew of individual immunities to take her through to the end. What’s going to happen to our lovable, but vulnerable nurse?

And then there is Eliza who has dodged another bullet. She took a beating at the first challenge. Did anyone notice Erik deliberately bash her in the head with a bag? At camp she was again the target for eviction. Her days are numbered. She really ought to start rubbing up against somebody over there. It probably won’t help, but it might make her stay a little more pleasant. As Jeff said, Malakal is a divided tribe. I don’t see reconciliation coming any time soon.

Over at Airai, things are not much better, but one night in the freezing rain can change a group’s perspective. They were shivering and pruned going into the coconut net-ball immunity challenge, yet they managed to win. Maybe now they will get it together and build a decent shelter. Here’s a note for Malakal. Yes, James is strong, but he can’t do it all. Why not have Ozzy and Amanda hold the net along with him and Penner? Seriously, you chose Parvati and Cirie as his strength partners? You deserve to go to tribal for that bone-headed move.

Next week the showdown between Penner and Cirie continues and Joel and Mikey’s rivalry heats up. Who’s your pick? And did anyone forsee Yau-Man making it only to the third week?

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“With all due respect, I think you’re giving yourself too much credit.” I love it when Jeff gets feisty. He’s been so since episode one where he easily and repeatedly cut the dearly departed Johnny Fairplay down to size. Tonight this gentle barb was meant purely for Chet who – well, I’ll just say it – he choked during the immunity challenge and then tried to pass it off as if he were merely giving another tribe member a chance to play.

Chet better watch it. He, along with Kathy and Tracy, are already flailing about in quicksand in the eyes of the other, younger fans. I don’t recall ever seeing a tribe separate under two shelters as this one has. If Chet is any evidence, this sub-tribe of three is going to need to kick their game up a notch or the remaining seven tribe mates are going to eat them alive. Surprised as I am to say this, I would miss Kathy. It could just be that she won me over with her impersonation of Joel, but she seems like a rather funny and genuinely nice person.

See how first impressions can be wrong? Last week I found myself liking Mikey B. This week, not so much. I appreciate that he’s p-l-a-y-i-n-g the game, but he is overdoing it. I’ve replaced Mikey in my affections with Joel. How thrilled were you to see someone recognize the threat in Mikey and neutralize it? This is how the game is played! I will no longer be deceived by Joel’s passing resemblance to the mainplayers in the ABC series Cavemen. This man pulled a Cirie and single-handedly finessed the blindsided ouster of Mikey’s gal pal, Mary. Joel just may be the man to beat.

Over at the favorites camp Cirie is finally in the house and she has hooked up with Penner. Fabulous! These two ought to be entertaining to watch. I desperately hope that they make a final-two super-secret pact. Already they’