Survivor: Fiji

Bet you didn’t see that coming, did you? Me either. That pretty much sums up Survivor: Fiji — surprising. While I’m pleased with the winner, this season has been so all over the place that it’s fitting that the finale leaves you wondering what the hell just happened. Dreamz reneged, Yau-Man was booted, and Earl won a million dollars. Two of those three things I didn’t see coming. Yeah, it’s kind of easy to say that you figured Earl would take the whole thing, but to think that Yau-Man would not be sitting next to him at final tribal? No way!

It did make for good television. It was all very Dynasty, what with all the betrayal, double-crossing and courtroom grandstanding (Alex, I’m talking about you). Early on, and much to my dismay, we lost Boo. He made a good showing in the maze-challenge-from-hell that had castaways navigating dead ends and intermittent drawbridges while blindfolded. But Yau-Man won immunity again and killed any chance of Boo making it past fifth place. I’m not going to lie: Some part of me wanted to see Boo make it to the final four. I’m disappointed that he couldn’t work it out, though he did try to sway votes before and during tribal council. I think that’s the most we’d seen him speak.

Once down to the final four, it became clear to me that the show was just combing through some ancient torture manuals for these challenges. The castaways were basically hanging from their fingertips on a rack while undergoing water torture. Cassandra and Earl succumbed first, which wasn’t a shock. But I figured that Yau-Man, being the slightest of the competitors, would have no trouble “hanging in” to the end. Alas, he couldn’t outlast Dreamz, who fought hard to put himself squarely in the tight spot of his own making.

Dreamz “promised to God” that he would give up immunity at final four in exchange for a $60K truck. He took the truck and kept the necklace and tried to excuse this move as playing the game. Not cool. To my eyes, Dreamz wanted to be a man of his word. I believe he agonized over this decision. I saw the tears in his eyes, but heck, a million dollars is a lot of money. It can make people do strange things, which takes us to the final tribal council.

What happens to people in the jury? Is life in isolation so bad that it turns them into fire-breathing lunatics? How about this, Alex: ask a question and accept the supplied answer. It would have been nice if Lisi had curtailed her desire to try to make Dreamz look dumb. It was just silly and mean and it didn’t work. Ed, Mookie, are you guys still hung up on that idol thing? That was so six days ago. After all the ups and downs, this season ending with such an unpleasant tribal council was a letdown. There was way too much anger, and yet for all the bluster, not one jury member held a candle to Sue Hawk’s famous diatribe.

Even the live reunion show — which I attended — wasn’t all that exciting. Apparently, everyone has made up and is great friends. But the lack of hometown remotes and Dreamz still evading the question about his intentions makes me wonder....

Here’s to next season in China. Until then, answer me this. Would you have given Yau-Man the idol? Did Yau-Man maneuver himself out of the finals by setting up this deal?

OK, America, I officially love Boo. The man is funny. Just watching him prepare his little hidey-hole to eavesdrop on any strategy sessions near the watering hole was hilarious. Too bad it will probably go as unused as Yau-Man's fake immunity idol. I applaud their efforts, though, because once all the contrivances of the rich tribe versus the poor tribe arrangement disappeared, it was these little moments of strategic gold that have made the season fun to watch. With the numbers dwindling, these strategic moves have grown bolder by the week, and I love it!

First of all, I have to say to Yau-Man: this is how you play the game! Yau-Man made two big moves tonight. First he exacted from Dreamz a promise of immunity at the final four in exchange for a big ole' truck won at the reward challenge. (Of course, Dreamz would have to actually win immunity in order to give it up, so we'll see how that goes.) Then Yau-Man sent himself to Exile Island to get the other clue, and because of that his partner Earl was able to find the third hidden immunity idol of the game. Brilliant!

Then comes Dreamz with the counter-attack. Have I mentioned how much I've enjoyed this season's editing? Couldn't you almost see a light bulb appear onscreen above Dreamz's head when he realized that that rascally Yau-Man had basically swindled him out of a million dollars? Hence the third big move of the night: Dreamz staged a power play with Stacy and Cassandra to oust Yau-Man and release himself from his hastily agreed upon pact. Dreamz may be an unconventional castaway, but I enjoy watching him play the game with instinctual aggression rather than a wait-and-see attitude. If Yau-Man had not picked up on the "bad vibes" at camp he would surely be gone. It was Stacy's talk at tribal council of vote-splitting that convinced Yau-Man to play his idol. That move saved him from elimination. It's a safe bet that Stacy is somewhere kicking herself.

It remains to be seen if Cassandra's power play will have dire consequences. Her vote against Yau-Man validated that man's fears about the final four, but in the long run it could work to her advantage. This woman has been willing to jump ship for some time now. If she makes it to the end, her willingness to take a risk in the game may save her from the dreaded coattails derision that often rears its head at the final tribal council.

Enough with the analysis — I have many questions! If tonight's HII had been played earlier in the game, would it have been re-hidden and available to possibly use for a third time? Why hasn't anyone pulled Boo into an alliance? The man is a free agent, and with his recent winning streak he's someone you'd rather have on your side than not. And while we're on the subject, Boo wears that immunity necklace well, doesn't he? My friend Andy wonders if Boo will be this season's Kelly Wiglesworth — a seemingly clueless player whose competitors wanted her gone yet who won five immunity challenges in a row to secure a spot in the final two. It could happen.

What about that Ford truck? Will the car curse still apply to Yau-Man and tank his chances of a win even though he gave it away? The looks exchanged between the ousted horsemen have me wondering if Yau-Man's generosity might have secured him a spot in the final four but cost him votes on the jury. Then there's Earl. With an idol in his pocket and all his talk of Stacy bowing out of the game with dignity, has he developed a bit of a god complex? Am I thinking too much? Probably. All I know is that in tonight's challenges everyone wobbled on the beams, but whoever manages to keep their balance in the game will be this year's ultimate survivor.

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I've said it before, but it bears repeating: This is one flimsy alliance. These two-faced, yet strangely honest, Syndicate members are working together, but they've each got one hand in their pocket and its fingers are crossed. Everyone is out for themselves, as it should be, yet no one is willing to do anything risky, like say hook up with Alex and vote out He Who Holds the Hidden Immunity Idol. This is why Boo's nonstop chatter was the best (actually the only) gossip to come out on the show during days 31 through 33. Mark my words, after the past few weeks of whirlwind activity, tonight's show was the pre-storm calm of an alliance on the verge of collapse. What a perfect time to assess the remaining seven players.

Stacy: This girl is trouble. Right after voting out Mookie, little Miss I-want-to-make-things-right is talking up Alex. Stacy may seem weak but the look she gave Boo when he came to corral his stray teammate said otherwise.

Yau-Man: Is he starting to seem just a little selfish to anyone else? I respect the fact that he called out Cassandra's bond with Dreamz as his reason for wanting Stacy in the Core Four. Dreamz is too unpredictable a player to rely on for the final four, but give it a rest already. You have the HII so if anyone should be worried, Yau-Man, it's those in your alliance and not the other way around.

Dreamz: What is this hold that Alex has over Dreamz? Why can't he realize that in reality, there were always only three horsemen and let this weird allegiance to the so-called "Four Horsemen" go? Of all the remaining players, Dreamz is the one most playing the game on the fly, and that's because he's been torn between the two sides. What is most touching about Dreamz is the potential Cinderella story. Now that his letter from home reminded him (and us) of what a Survivor win could mean in his life, he has refocused on his goal. That's reason enough to root for him.

Earl: Mr. Chess player. Mr. "I'd rather just vote your a-- out now and take my chances." He's likable, smart and getting a little cocky. Surely Earl can't still believe that Yau-Man would ever share his HII? Does that mean that Earl has a second super-secret alliance with Boo, the man who sent him back to Exile Island? As one of two players with clues to the re-hidden HII it is quite possible that Earl has already found it; otherwise his confidence at tribal council and during Alex's attempted last-minute coup is misplaced.

Cassandra: Can anyone trust a woman who speaks without moving her lips? She's allied with e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e and so consequently with no one. Like Stacy and like Boo, Cassandra is everywhere but on the radar. Surely The Syndicate noticed that she didn't even try to dig for her steps during the immunity challenge. Why bother winning immunity when no one's gunning for you?

Alex: Playing tetherball alone is about as much fun as trying to win a pork-on-a-rope reward challenge all by your lonesome. But that's what Alex is: all alone. I give him credit for working it until his torch snuffing. He made his case and, though his exit wasn't as take-no-prisoners as I'm sure he would have liked (the vote was 6-1), he did convince Dreamz, the floater Stacy and Cassandra to switch sides… for a while.

Boo: I like him more and more. He's been marked for elimination (to steal a phrase from The Amazing Race) for a while now, but he is still here and this week he easily won both challenges. Was Boo's bumbling all an act? He didn't fall into the water while rafting, nor did he come close to getting clipped by the helicopter's rotors. We could chalk up his immunity-winning pole climb to his construction-worker background, but maybe we should consider that Boo has been playing the fool all along.

Now that Alex is gone, it's time for this loose Syndicate to implode. They all know each other's hands, though I’m not convinced that a player or two hasn't been dealing from the bottom of the deck. This should make for an interesting show next week. As Jeff said, "It's time to start sharpening the knives."

OK, I know it's just a TV show — a reality TV show at that — but I’m telling you that by 8:58 pm/ET I was on the edge of my seat and ready for next week's show. Survivor: Fiji has become pure entertainment and that's mostly because I have no clue who is going to win the million dollars! By now there's usually something to give most viewers an inkling as to who is going to win, but with no clear villain (come on, the Four Horsemen "bad guys" aren't all that bad), I'm not even sure if the Vegas oddsmakers have a clear-cut winner chosen. And that's the beauty of Fiji. It's anybody's game.

Part of what's keeping Fiji so interesting are the great challenges, and tonight's were the best mix of athleticism and brainpower that I think I've ever seen on the show. It's a nice twist that, though we're at the individual portion of the game, the castaways are still forced to work in teams as they did for this Hasbro-inspired ball-launch game that I'm almost sure Yau-Man was trying to throw. Yet again, Mookie displayed his take on sportsmanship. Seriously, what is his problem with Yau-Man? But that doesn't even matter given Boo's heroic and disturbing knee injury, complete with sound effect. Can't you still hear his whatever pop back into place? I would almost have preferred a clean ACL tear to that sound. But, hey, Boo's a trooper, and as he writhed in pain in the mud, I realized that I had somehow missed his good looks and fine physique over the course of the first half of the season. Must be those Earl-tinted glasses I've been wearing.

As for the immunity challenge, it's clear someone has been reminiscing about Minesweeper, that computer game that came bundled with some prehistoric version of Windows. It was, perhaps, the most fair immunity challenge ever. Memory, strategy and luck all came into play and made for a tense showdown between Stacy, Yau-Man and Alex. If Stacy hadn't come through last week for The Syndicate, as Earl's alliance has been dubbed, then I would not have been relieved that she won immunity this week. Funny how that works, but it just goes to show how quickly things change.

I've never seen so much true game playing, I'm talking Survivor-mantra level outwitting and outlasting. Mookie and Alex, reduced to a two-man alliance, cleverly deduced the whereabouts of the other hidden immunity idol and confirmed their suspicions when they rifled through Yau-Man's bag to "find" it. I might have appreciated their plot to blackmail Yau-Man as near-genius had I not been laughing so hard at their being overheard by Cassandra and Stacy. Talk about game-playing! Lest you forget, this unlikely pair was also hiding in the woods plotting their own route to the final two. Boo's turn at Exile Island wasn't random, either. Did you catch how quickly Earl selected Boo to go to EI? That's right, Earl, keep those HII clues in the family. Boo then, very smartly, used his exile clue to try to smoke out the twice-hidden idol without giving up any information as to its location at camp. Even Dreamz showed that he was thinking long-term by trying to get in good with future jury members. I don’t know how well Dreamz succeeded given that his explanation for betraying Alex and Mookie made no sense, but at least he tried.

What's best about Fiji is that it hasn't fallen into the pick 'em off one-by-one pattern of previous seasons. Even though there are strong and clear-cut alliances, everyone has their own contingency plan showing that there are tiny fissures in these rock-solid pacts. If Cassandra's choking Earl didn't make that clear, then Alex voting against Mookie should have. Everyone is playing this game hard, so come final tribal council I don't want to hear any "you don't deserve to be here/coattail-riding" comments. Right now, nobody is coasting.

Even Jeff is playing hardball. Tribal council ain't what it used to be. No longer is it a place that merely reveals the results of earlier game play. It is truly the third challenge and players need to work for Jeff's favor — or else he'll pull something like he did tonight with the trust question, which was little more than a reprimand for violating Yau-Man's privacy. To be fair, Jeff turned it around with a post-vote comment that rightly planted a seed in Alex's favor. A six-to-one division makes Alex the swing vote and a very powerful player indeed, should any member of The Syndicate decide to break free. All but two, Earl and Yau-Man, have reason to break rank. Will they? Who knows? That's why I can't wait to see what happens next week.

So what do you think, has Fiji turned out to be the way Survivor was meant to be played? Is it fair to say that this season has breathed new life into the franchise? And who do you think is going home next week?

Do we even need to discuss the challenges? The strategizing between the game play was where the action was tonight. OK, a few words because I do love the What We Think of Each Other Axe Wield. Basically, Stacy should have her own CW sitcom because Everybody Hates Her if being voted the person no one wants to see again after the show is any indication. It was Cassandra, dear, "uh-huh"-ing Cassandra, who won her first challenge by answering every question correctly. Girlfriend's been taking notes and may even be making a move for the final four, but Boo and Stacy are definitely on the block.

Next was the immunity challenge, which left me wondering about the minds behind this torturous device of miniscule footholds. Thankfully, Yau-Man came through to win the first individual immunity seemingly unscathed. Sadly, that sinister immunity necklace, made of what I'm going to say are wild boars' husks, was not all that flattering around his neck, though it did make for a fearsome stance at tribal council.

Before tribal, Mookie spent some time on Exile Island at Cassandra's bidding. He returned to the group with an intense dislike for her and a renewed devotion to his alliance. Even so, Mookie is a player who actually sees an 'I' in 'team' so Alex was right to worry when Mookie showed no interest in Alex's rotating-custody plan for the idol. I'm actually surprised that Mookie passed the turtle to Alex before tribal, but like a good soldier, he was working the plan.

When I say "the plan" I mean it. Both gangs had orchestrated the same bait-and-switch tactic to bring each other down. The Four Horsemen knew Earl's group was targeting Alex (thanks to Dreamz) so they gave him the idol, and planned to vote out Earl but then shifted their sights to Cassandra. Earl's group knew that Alex had the idol (thanks to Dreamz) and so targeted Mookie. Dreamz, of all people, was playing a rough-hewn Benedict Arnold, whose double-cross worked quite smoothly except for the part where he was left to cast the lone vote for his best bud Mookie. Stacy, in a move that probably bought her the most goodwill all season, suggested a surprise attack on Edgardo. Votes were cast. Alex's idol was played. Edgardo was sacrificed to the manipulations of the game.

Yes, the season has been on a slow burn, but its fire is blazing hot now. In a first for Survivor, the idol has been played, and will be re-hidden. Though the horsemen have taken a huge hit they shouldn't be counted out just yet, for who knows if Stacy and Boo can be trusted? Will they saddle up and join Alex and Mookie? And is Dreamz a better game player than anyone suspected? Does he bear watching? That remains to be seen. All I know is that tonight's show is how Survivor was meant to be played and so in tribute to a great episode, I leave you with some of the show's best moments:

— Dreamz telling Alex that Mookie was like Gollum and that the idol was his precious (my personal favorite).
— Dreamz revealing that Mookie had the idol, and Earl's faux surprise at the existence of such a thing.
— Edgardo sizing up Stacy for a baffled Alex: "It means she's not in, Dude."
— Stacy suggesting the group target Edgardo instead of Mookie. Nice strategy, and maybe the one move that changed her position in the game.
— Earl busting up Dreamz and Alex's tête-à-tête and then calling Dreamz out on playing both sides.
— Dreamz actually working a Cirie-level double-cross.
— The turtle handoff between Mookie and Alex — such a Bristow-Vaughn move(R.I.P. Alias).

So many changes, I'm not sure if my head has stopped spinning yet. I’m sure Michelle feels the same. Here was a woman who was certainly not playing for the Juror No. 3 spot, though that is now who she is. It's too bad because things were going her way up until that final twist. Beware, all future survivors, of the little note!

Before we go there, let's go to Exile Island with everyone else who was summoned to EI with instructions to bring only their personal belongings and the assumption that this was the merger and their new home. They were only half right. While Ravu and Moto were no more, their home was not to be this snake-ridden rock. Moto's camp would be the new Bula Bula's home. Oh, the rejoicing over getting to live at the luxury camp! Apparently, a luxury camp by any other name really isn't a luxury camp. All the little perks of Moto were gone — no bed, no shower — leaving only a machete, fishing gear and fire. Yes, the gods have been cruel to Mookie, the only remaining castaway to have not experienced the sweet life. Whatever, he has the idol in his pocket.

It’s always fun to watch the post-merge realignments. Everyone thinks they're being so subtle but the "Hey, let's… go swimming …get water… paint the new flag" move never fools anyone. Besides, this group has so many overlapping alliances that it's hard to keep track. Frankly, I’m not sure if anyone's safe. Alex and Edgardo have Stacy, Mookie and Dreamz, but Mookie has Dreamz and maybe Cassandra. But wait, Earl and Yau-Man have Cassandra and Michelle. Did I mention my spinning head? And yet Boo, who stands alone sporting a ginormous target, dodges a torch-snuffing!

A word to the wise: beware of a Probst bearing gifts. A merger isn't that much fun if it comes with a host carrying a bag of stones that redivides the group into teams for immunity. So Bula 1 consists of Earl, Yau-Man, Boo, Cassandra and Edgardo, leaving Bula 2 with Michelle, Dreamz, Alex, Mookie and Stacy. Bula 1, again due to Yau-Man's skill, leaps out ahead of Bula 2 and wins immunity. Bula 2 never really caught up, which is surprising given Stacy's particularly inspiring, if imperious, screeches to "ROW!" Screeching without rowing, I might add. Enter the note that sends the losers immediately to tribal council with no time to strategize.

Tell me this: Why would the show go to the trouble of wiping out the strategy session if Probst is only going to lead them through one of his own? It has to be against the rules somewhere to pretty much ask the players for whom they are going to vote and why. If not, then it ought to be. Even with this road map, I was surprised at the outcome. I thought Stacy was a goner, I mean, with all of Mookie and Dreamz' chatter about getting rid of Stacy. But what does Dreamz do? He votes for Michelle. Go figure.

One thing's for sure: The game has been turned upside down, and with so many wild-card players and idols left in the game, who can tell what will happen?

I have a dream! It's true, I want Dreamz to do well in this game. You may recall that my first impression of this always-talking, inappropriate comment-spewing man was not a glowing one. I held out little hope for him making it past the first few weeks. I can't pinpoint exactly when I started to like Dreamz. Maybe it was around the time he mentioned that being on Survivor was better than living on the streets. Maybe it was when certain tribe mates thumbed their nose at his unfamiliarity with a French coffee press. Or maybe still when he tried to understand the psychology behind Rocky's anti-social behavior. Whatever it was, every Thursday when the players discuss sending him home, I find myself hoping that Dreamz will makes it through another tribal council.

Again, I feared the worst for him this week when Ravu lost both reward and immunity challenges. For reward, tribes competed in an intense dance-off featuring the traditional Fijian Meke. Earl of Moto, looking particularly fetching in his grass skirt and face paint, commanded the stage and led his team to a victory and a bountiful feast. Just because Ravu lost doesn't mean that they did a bad job at the dance. They merely lacked a certain spark. Did you catch Probst interpreting the judge's opinion for the castaways? I'm not sure that I heard them say it all came down to the dance moves, but if that's what Jeff heard, who am I to dispute it?

The immunity challenge was much easier to judge given that Moto won in a landslide. The setup: A big old target, blow darts, spears and bows and arrows. He who comes closest to the bull's eye wins. Simple. Poor Edgardo fancied himself competent at archery. Needless to say, he's no Legolas (that would be the cute arrow-slinging elf in the Lord of the Rings). Ravu barely placed on the target in any of the categories. That doesn't mean Moto was all that great either. But Yau Man, their secret weapon, knows his strengths, and having opted out of the dancing competition, he used his powers for good and led his team to another win. To my eyes, it looked like people were finally recognizing the threat that is Yau Man. This can only mean good things for Earl, who did not even need to participate in the challenge due to Yau man's prowess. Earl, safe in his partner's shadow, doesn't even need that safeguard. Talk about your catbird seat.

Back at Ravu's camp and right before our very eyes, Lisi turned into Rocky, dissing her losing tribe as a bunch of losers and begging to go home. Now, I saw no reason not to grant Lisi her wish. This is a woman who has on several occasions voiced a desire to be done with the game. A woman who shares with her competitors the clues to the whereabouts of the hidden immunity idol and then sleeps through its discovery, yet still feels she has the upper hand in the game — because, you know, you have to get up pretty early to get one over on her. So why would Alex and Edgardo even consider keeping her in the game over Dreamz? Lisi is not an asset to them, especially since they value loyalty over strength. But then again, these guys think that Mookie having the idol puts them in a better position. I don't know what's in their coconut milk because Alex and Edgardo are not strategizing well at all.

Tribal council showed that Dreamz can manipulate the game as well as anybody else. Yes, it worried me that he didn’t pack for tribal, but it was a thing of beauty watching him call Lisi on her desire to stay in the game. Dreamz single-handedly swayed all the others. And Lisi — who had been rich and who had been poor — had now, thankfully, been exiled. With the way things are going, who cares if Mookie has the idol? Most likely, being that he is the least allied, he will be forced to use it sooner rather than later and then get booted, anyway. So for now, Dreamz is safe and I can rest easy.

Surely this isn't Survivor: Fiji that I'm watching? Talk about your quick turnaround. Tonight's Survivor was interesting, funny, entertaining, did I already say funny? At the end of the hour I was a happy armchair camper. Let me tell you why. I laughed pretty much through the whole show, including at things that weren't supposed to be funny — like the fact that the rub-you-the-wrong-way Lisi is a customer service rep. I found that funny.

Tonight's show made me happy from Yau-man's successful hunt for the immunity idol to the flamethrowers and fireballs at the reward challenge. Heck, I was just happy we had a reward challenge. I laughed at Mookie's expression after Yau-man sunk a fireball for his tribe — that same Ravu player who moments before had been laughing at Yau-man's technique.

I was happy that Ravu finally won a challenge. But I gotta tell you, I think the odds were stacked in Ravu's favor for this one. I mean, come on, this challenge was designed for a tribe of guys (and Lisi). Any guy who had ever played Lacrosse could have won it, especially with the added incentive of a day at the arcade, hot dogs and beer. Toss in a flaming pellet, and there was no way Ravu was losing that one. And did you check out the pits on Lisi? There's no way she's not one of the guys.

I'm happy that because of their win Ravu got some more food. Who among us, though, didn't see the stomach upset on the horizon?

Earl makes me happy: from his positive attitude to his alliance with Yau-man to his snake-ridden island complete with tourism bureau of one.

The amount of screen time Edgardo had tonight makes me happy.

Yau-man makes me happy with his gleeful grin and his all-around skill. This man is the man, and it's crazy to me that most of the other players don't realize the threat in their midst. The only player who does recognize Yau-man's value is in an alliance with him. But as far as The Yau goes, I'd be happy if he won purely because of his out-of-the-box strategizing. Fake immunity idol indeed. Love. It.

I’m happy that in real life I don't laugh at blind people, but on Survivor, watching blindfolded folks swing bats at hanging skulls was too much for me to suppress my giggles. Who am I kidding? I snorted watching Boo. Not only was his swiping at the skull hilarious, but so was his backwards retreat to his team. Topping off his ridiculous performance was his replacing Michelle as the caller but not being able to see. Such precious moments! Then Michelle had to go and fall off the platform. Mookie walking into an obstacle at crotch height — no wonder he didn't put up much of a fight for Rocky after this immunity challenge. He just didn't have the... um, he was not himself.

I’m happy that Moto won immunity. Like ecstatic. Earl, Yau-man, Michelle and Cassandra are safe while Lisi and Rocky are on the block. Now, it was a toss-up for me as to who should be voted out of Ravu. Wait. I'm lying, because I was disappointed that Dreamz didn't take the opportunity to force a tie by getting Mookie and Rocky to vote for Lisi. Dreamz has to know that if he lets Alex, Edgardo and Lisi vote out the original Ravu members then he's only two tribal councils away from a snuffed torch. My fingers are crossed for him to make it to the merge.

I’m happy that tribal council ended with the dismissal of one of Survivor's most colorful players. Rocky went out as he played the game: angry and screaming. I expect that his post-tribal council wail will be up on YouTube soon. However, this isn't the last we'll see of him because James (I think we can drop the Rocky moniker now) is the first member of the jury. I can't believe it's that time of the season already, but alas, we're here and it is time for the players to start courting votes.

Overall, I’m pretty satisfied with tonight's show. I guess you could say that I’m happy that I held out faith that this season would improve.

Sometimes nothing is sweeter than hearing Jeff Probst utter three delicious words. Drop your buffs. There is promise in that command and for a season like this one where — oh god, don't make me rehash it! Let's just say that realigning Moto and Ravu was the most entertaining Survivor has been since Sundra and Becky faced off over a fire-making challenge in the Cook Islands.

What would we do this season if Ravu and Moto had not mixed it up with a schoolyard pick? Now the poor-camp dwellers are Edgardo, Alex, Dreamz, Mookie, Rocky and Anthony. On the rich side of the island are Earl, Yau Man, Michelle, Cassandra, Boo and Stacy. Odd-woman out, Lisi, after a stint on Exile Island, later joined the poor camp. Ravu lucked out by having Edgardo, Alex and Dreamz join their team. All three come across as decent, open-minded guys. The kind of men who would call Rocky on his disparaging description of Anthony as effeminate and boost morale by catching fish when all previous efforts to do so had failed. They are the kind of men who would reconsider voting out the weakest member when a bully showed his true colors. Following through on that consideration would have been nice, but hey, they're not perfect.

Over at Moto, Earl, Michelle and Yau Man, the most deserving of the original Ravu members, finally got some good eats. If Cassandra's coffee offering was any indication, there'll soon be a defection that would put these three in a strong position. It's interesting how this reshuffling of players has split both tribes down the middle, adding the element of good versus bad to the haves versus the have-nots scenario. Birds of a feather will flock together and as Cassandra and Dreamz find their footing with the nice folks, Boo, Stacy, Lisi, Mookie and Rocky may find themselves caught in the spokes of a game they no longer control.

The producers were not spinning their wheels this week when they came up with an innovative challenge — a reminder of why Survivor continues to bring in the ratings. How do you describe people maneuvering a skeletal pinwheel through an obstacle course of gates? That's the best I can do. You have to see it to get it, but believe me when I say the show had new life tonight and a challenge that was almost too close to call. Ravu lost again, but they didn't get massacred as they have all season.

The promos for this episode also kept one's interest, leading viewers to think that Dreamz and Rocky were going to fight to the death as new tribe mates — not a hard sell considering one has no filter and the other has anger-management issues. The real fireworks, however, were between Rocky and Anthony, who verbally duked it out at Tribal Council. Anthony's impassioned self-defense was surprising given the astonishing amount of hand-wringing he displayed while alone at camp cooking, cleaning and tending the fire for the men. This self-proclaimed "Black Cinderella" was ready to leave the ball until he realized that Rocky's charm could be the Stallone look-alike's downfall. Without Earl to protect him, Anthony, at last, began actively playing the game. Whispering in ears about Rocky's tendency for reactionary outbursts, Anthony was on the road to saving himself. But at Tribal Council Cinderfella just could not hold his own against the loud-mouthed Rocky for whom every word from Anthony was like the dismissive yammering of a toy dog, easily nudged aside with a booted foot. And Probst, with his, "Are you just going to take that?" comments didn't help. In the end, Anthony came off as weak and for a tribe with a zero-win record, strength is the only redeeming quality.

OK, I'm going to blog live tonight. Bear with me, please, I'm tired and I need to go to bed.

So here we go: Earl and Yau-man, the only two Ravu members to have gone to Exile Island, decide to work together to find the idol. Earl, who is really quite good-looking, manages to get the whole tribe to go hunting for food, leaving Yau-man to dig at the cave. Why no one questions Yau-man's staying at the camp is beyond me, but whatever, they're hungry. Given this opportunity, it would behoove Yau-man to actually search for the idol rather than complain to the cameraman that he can't dig with only a machete. I'm just saying.

This week the teams get to choose their reward before the reward challenge. Moto chooses toiletries because, you know, they don't need any food. Jeff explains that it's a one-on-one fighting challenge and as if on cue, Rocky picks one with Dre. They tussle and Rocky loses — as if we didn't see that coming.

Oh dear, Moto leads three to one. Four to one. Boo trounces Earl, this is not good. Alex vs Mookie. Six zip. Yau-man vs Stacy and the little guy scores for Ravu! I hope everyone notices that Yau-man is Ravu's best player. He's the only one who consistently delivers. But Moto's Cassandra is no joke. She knocks Rita over like it's nothing. So again, Moto wins and sends Earl off to Exile Island.

Commercial

Back at Moto with the coffee reward, it's obvious that Dre and Cassandra are outsiders. Dre, who is clearly not a frequent Starbucks customer, doesn't know how to make coffee, and no one wants to educate him. Stacy and Lisi are being particularly witchy refusing to show Dre the java ropes. This doesn't sit well with Edgardo and Alex, who are actually playing the game and realize that freezing out two tribe mates sets the alliance up for trouble come the merge. But do their alliance mates listen? Nooooo. I can't wait for this little clique to wake up and, well, smell the coffee. After the first episode I'd never thought I'd say this, but I'm so happy to see that Dre isn't completely clueless. This is one cheerleading coach who knows how to recognize the mean girls, but as any cheerleader knows, "spirit fingers" all the way.

At Exile Island, Earl, who has become my favorite castaway this season, receives another clue and realizes that the problem lies not in finding the little sucker but in not having the tools to reach it. I guess Yau-man's complaints are validated.

After the challenge, Ravu hangs out at camp. It's amazing to me that Rocky can't take a little girl-talk. So Rita and Michelle spend the day discussing lip gloss. Is that really enough to drive him over the edge?

Commercial

Day 14: Time for the immunity challenge. And we're playing match game.

Hee hee! Lisi did a face-plant. I giggle because I am a horrible, horrible human being.

I'm particularly happy that Anthony scored for Ravu. It must be my uncontrollable urge to root for the underdog. But alas, Ravu cannot pull it together to win. At this point we can't just blame it on the lack of food; there has to be something wrong with these people. I mean, they haven't won a single challenge. This is pathetic and very, very sad. It is poetic justice, however, that Rocky is the person who could win it for Ravu and yet he can't bring it home. I mean, after last week's tantrum, you'd think he would bring it. Looks like someone can talk the talk but can't walk the walk. Moto wins, Ravu's going to tribal council

Commercial

Rocky has admitted to having a mental breakdown but to look at him, all you'd see is his physical breakdown. That man is so skinny that he's become a bobblehead of himself! This tribe needs to feed. Please, please, please win some food next week. OK, I've made my plea. Can we talk about how ridiculous people can be on this show? All the talk is about voting out Rita. Why, because she's chatty? Is talking that much of an annoyance that they'd risk a good player over a weaker one? I guess so, because just like that Rita is gone. And so am I. Good night, everyone.

Let me tell you why I like Survivor. This show is always willing to mix it up. Call it a course correction, if you will. For example, say you have the brilliant idea to have one tribe live in luxury while the other lives, well, not in luxury, in the hopes that this will make for one kick-ass season. And let's say that as time goes by the rich tribe actually does kick the poor tribe's ass. Repeatedly. You worry that maybe, just maybe, the season could be a bit of a snoozer. What do you do? You course-correct. You whip out a little green bottle with a mysterious note, and you hope for the best.

To recap, downtown Ravu has lost every challenge against uptown Moto. Every challenge. This starving tribe couldn't even win last week's food challenge for crying out loud — and let me tell you, Rocky certainly did. For a guy who can't abide whining, he's got that skill down pat. It's bad enough that Rocky morphed into Archie Bunker and started tossing the B-word around (that's "broad" for you younger viewers). But he made Anthony cry. Yes, Anthony could stand to man up a bit, but Rocky and Mookie could also lay off the guy.

As for the reward challenge, Ravu has no one to blame for its poor showing against Moto but themselves. Standing side by side on a balance beam over the ocean, tribemates had to walk past each other from one end to the other without falling into the water. Moto, with its leapfrog strategy, was basically gift-wrapping this challenge for Ravu. Lisi fell in the water how many times? And yet Ravu managed to lose again. At the immunity challenge Jeff's encouraging words, "Ravu, you're still in this!" did little to change the outcome. So thank goodness for that green bottle, which added a twist to the game — immunity versus luxury. Moto could either abandon their camp and avoid tribal council or keep their home and forfeit immunity. This was a no-brainer, right? Because all the players are in it to win it, right? Not so much. To save their king-size bed, Moto chose tribal council. While I'm perplexed by that choice, it did give Moto something more to do than dip in the ocean. As a matter of fact, it revealed an alliance of five. And with Gary pulling out of the show for health reasons, Dre now found himself alone along with Cassandra and this week's casualty, Liliana.

So there you have it. When one tribe's dominance threatens to topple ratings, you mix it up. I’m happy that Ravu got a break this week, but I wouldn't want to earn immunity this way. Hopefully, they can save themselves next week.

Little things:

— Did anyone else get a chuckle out of seeing a group of adults standing on the beach, in all seriousness, waving and saying, "Bye Papa Smurf!"?

— Before Rocky started wearing ladies' clothing, I already had questions about his style — red wife beater, Flash Dance-style headband. Not good. And was he feeling up Rita on the balance beam?

— Poor Gary…. What exactly was wrong with him?

— While I respect Rita's choice to crawl across the lily pads, who among you didn't flashback to Ozzy while watching this competition?

— And finally, I can't believe Moto gave up immunity. I just can't believe it.

OK, so we had a little action this week. And by little I mean watching Michelle make fire with her glasses. At least we had two challenges instead of the combo immuno-reward thing the show had been sporting for the past weeks. Regardless, Ravu lost both, but still it was entertaining. Perhaps because there were no puzzles to solve. The reward challenge involved grown men and women throwing themselves, face-forward, down a slick mat and then tossing a ball into a basket. Simple? Sure. Enjoyable? You bet. It's not often that you see a person actually try to swim on land and kudos to Sylvia for that brave effort. Yau-Man versus Dre at the net (thank god we're not calling him Dreamz anymore) was unexpectedly nail-biting. The Rita/Cassandra face-off was exciting, but can we please get these ladies some support? You know what I mean. Would it kill Victoria's Secret to sponsor the show and give some of these women Survivor's first underwire buffs?

On to the torturous immunity challenge. Yes, it was a food challenge. Since we've gone a few seasons without one, my initial thought was: oh nice, Ravu will get to chow down on some hot dogs and burgers.... They'll have this in the bag over Moto. Blah blah blah.

No-no.

Let me be clear, there is nothing that I hate more on Survivor than the food challenge. On the menu: raw clams, octopus tentacles, peanut worms, sea cucumbers, fish eyes and hirsute pig snouts. Granted, there have been worse selections in past seasons – some of them still writhing. Like Anthony, I would have "no spit to swallow" any of those delectables. It says a lot that the starving tribe did not win the challenge. Seriously, if I want to see that mess I’ll watch Fear Factor.

Speaking of fear, I felt some for Gary when he was having labored breathing, but when he uttered that he didn't want to die in Fiji, I almost lost it. Poor guy. But not for nothing, his pain got us another visit from the Survivor doctor though this time I was checking to see if he was high instead of if he had dimples. Is that wrong of me?

It's probably just as wrong for me to be enthralled by Rocky. It could be residuals from a childhood crush on Stallone, but it cracks me up how Rocky is ready to get into it with anybody and everybody. With this latest exchange of words between him and Boo, that makes two Moto members he's fought with. Any takers on a third?

Now tell me this, did Earl search at all for the idol? Did he even notice Sylvia digging? Two people know the idol is at camp. If you're one of them and you see the other one digging, are you not going to sniff around their hole? I'm just saying. Anyway, Sylvia bought it at tribal. I felt bad for her because let's face it, she got shafted during her weeklong stay on the show: two stints on Exile Island, her tribe hated her, and she didn't get to live in the chateau she built. She just had no luck. Maybe it was for the best that she left sooner rather than later.

Next week, we'll see if Rita's lone vote for Earl has any consequences. Until then, keep the faith. The show has got to get better, right?

Forgive me for saying this, but Survivor: Fiji is shaping up to be a little schizophrenic. On the one hand, you have this newfangled show where the living is easy for one tribe. I mean come on, when have you ever heard "I'm full" on this show before any team has won a feast? Then you have the real Survivor. Tried and true, it's the one we know and love and that keeps us watching every season. It's the one where you see a group of hungry, dehydrated people desperately rubbing sticks together to make fire. Nowadays, it's as if I’m watching one show with two different intensity levels. On one level, I felt badly for Boo — even though he is one of the 'haves' — when his hammock broke after his slew of mishaps, but not nearly as intensely as I felt for that thirsty 'have-not' tribe. So I'm a little frazzled. What am I supposed to feel and for whom?

It's so easy to root for the downtrodden that I find myself trying not to like Ravu. Who wants to fall for the blatant manipulation of the show's setup? But then it happened. Ravu started to explore the island, and I was taken back to the first Survivor and the original castaways who did more than just sit around on the beach scratching their bug bites. They tried to enjoy the experience and have some fun while figuring out the game. Remember that coconut phone of Greg's? Remember Gervase and the guys playing cards? We got a glimpse of that playful spirit in Marquesas as well, when the gang went exploring and found a waterfall for frolicking. It wasn't about the game 24/7 for them. Now, I’m not saying that Ravu is at that level of playfulness yet, but when Erica found those pineapples there was a whole different vibe at camp that was nice to watch.

But pineapples will only get you so far, as Erica was to learn. Was it fair that a little freaking out during a challenge made Mookie and Rocky flip the switch on Erica instead of Sylvia? Probably not, but that's the beauty of the game. You never know what can happen. Moto won the fishing gear and immunity. (What's with the dual-reward immunity challenges? Give me one of each!) I hoped they would choose to send Sylvia back to Exile Island just to give her a fighting chance at staying in the game. But instead, they chose Earl, whom I like. He promptly chopped a snake in half. "Snakes are misunderstood, but we have an understanding now." That was the second time he made me chuckle. The first was his exuberant response to Erica's pineapple discovery: "Me and Erica, we're getting married now!" Plus, he showed some remorse at killing an animal. What's not to like?

As long as were talking about schizophrenia, over on Moto, we saw another side of Dreamz — a decidedly less annoying side. He opened up about his difficult childhood and put things in a relatable perspective for the show. "Survivor is easier than being homeless." Picking mangoes does seem less stressful than dumpster diving for dinner. That about says it, doesn't it?

As I try to settle into the season, here's hoping Ravu can win a challenge next week and even up the playing field — and that Sylvia can find the idol, because I don't think she's as bad as her tribemates make her out to be. Until next week, who are you rooting for?

All right, I’m worried. 1) We're coming off of a great season of Survivor: Cook Islands, so Fiji has a lot to live up to, and 2) Burnett is using that whole rich man, poor man accommodations twist that's going on over at The Apprentice. I didn't like it there. I'm concerned about its use here. I mean, It's hard for me to believe that I'm already watching a new season of Survivor. Just six months ago we watched as four strategically separated tribes made their way to individual islands in what was thought to be the most controversial season of the show ever. Now here we are again, watching another diverse group of people begin a month-long journey toward a million dollars.

But already there is a difference. Survivor: Fiji, perhaps very deliberately, begins as one nameless tribe of 19. Gone is the hype of Cook Islands that got our attention but fizzled rather quickly. On Fiji, everyone spends their first day in the game building a luxury shelter and sorting themselves out. A leader, Sylvia, emerges and by day two, she is the chosen one who separates the remaining 18 castaways into tribes Ravu and Moto. For this honor, Sylvia is the first visitor to the sea snake-infested Exile Island where she learns the second twist of the game: The hidden immunity idol is somewhere back at camp. So, really the only reward to a stay on Exile Island is managing to survive the snakes. And, of course, I await some reference to last summer's campy hit Snakes on a Plane to come up at least once this season.

After Sylvia's exile, there is the challenge. A chariot race and a puzzle that Moto wins, earning not only immunity but also the big house — complete with a bush shower and a toilet seat. Ravu got a pot and a machete. Immediately I'm thinking Charlie Brown. You remember that classic Halloween special where the gang is gushing over their treats? "I got a popcorn ball," "I got a candied apple," and Charlie Brown chimes in with, "I got a rock." Ravu is pretty much Charlie Brown in this scenario.

I can understand Erica's disappointment in her tribe's new home. But in all honesty, no one goes on Survivor expecting a toilet seat, so I'm going to commiserate only so much with her. I prefer James' approach of making the best of what they have. This Stallone lookalike has taken on the Rocky nickname and the underdog attitude that — in the movies, at least — leads to success. I like that he's scrappy. Why suffer in silence, as everyone else did, when you can confront the annoying Dreams (Dre)?

I do want to have a chat with Survivor's casting director. Boo? Dreams? Where do you find people with these names? Unusual monikers, however, may work to a person's advantage on the island, for it's the Jessica's of this world who are the first evictees. I was sorry to see her go, because for the first time ever, I felt like I had gotten to know the initial castoff. But I'm not worried for her because as she said, her torch may be snuffed out on the show, but it's being lit somewhere else. I can't wait to hear that story.

So it looks like things are back to normal on Survivor. And by that, I mean they are not askew. You know, not orthogonal. Jeff is already stirring the pot. We have a few notable characters. We have a few radar evaders, and we have an interesting location. It could be that my fears were unfounded. With that I say, let the games begin.

What did you think? Will Fiji hold a candle to Cook Islands? Will hiding the immunity idol at the camp make it a more active part of the game? Is Yau-Man the new Cao Boi?