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« Survivor: Cook Islands
December 14, 2006: The True Puppet Master
For some reason I really thought Parvati would end up in the finals. Not due to any true game play on her part, but merely out of some cosmic irony. Rarely have I seen a castaway who has done as little as she. I was wrong. Even with the seismic tremors at Aitu — Becky and Sundra maneuvering to oust Ozzy — the easily influenced Yul pulled his strings and chose Adam as the Raro member most worthy of staying.
As much as Yul denies it, he is the top dog on the island, and he wears the Puppet Master title well. The thing is, even though he is the whole Survivor package — smart, strong, has ripped abs — he thinks too much and that overactive brain may just knock him out of the game.
In case you hadn't noticed because you were distracted by Yul's mud-caked torso, there will be five people in the finals! Five relatively strong competitors. Seriously, who thought Sundra would last this long? After the first merge, Flicka was in a better position than the alliance-free Sundra, and yet does anyone remember the rollergirl now?
So tonight, everybody took a mud bath at the reward challenge in hopes of winning a real shower and a massage. Ozzy somehow carried 45 pounds of mud on his person to win reward. How does one gain a skill like that? Either way, it got him the best shower of his life and a nude hot-tub experience with Yul and Parvati, who I think said she had peed in the water. Now that's a reward! Best line of the night? Sundra explaining that Parvati was napping because "she had a hard day getting her massage."
The immunity challenge was another multi-part obstacle-course puzzle that Ozzy won easily, therefore blowing Becky's plan to vote him out. Yul was the only one giving Ozzy any kind of run for the win but, again, he fell short. I’m not sure if Yul's not trying hard to win because he has the idol, or if he honestly just can't beat Ozzy.
At tribal, the jury filed in, and I couldn't help but wonder how things were going back at the hotel now that Jonathan had crossed over. (Seriously, I wish they'd show us some after-the-torch moments with the jury members.) Even showered and shaved, Jonathan was still a large part of the island game. Last tribal council, Jonathan asked to get his hat back. At this tribal, Yul obliged. In what some might call jury tampering, Probst aggressively suggested that Yul's action was more of a jury-stroking move than a friendly gesture. So now everyone thinks Yul is evil. And if you look back over the season you have to ask, who's the real puppet master in this show?
We may get our answer this Sunday when Survivor: Cook Islands airs its finale. Four represented ethnic groups, five finalists, nine jury members and a million dollars at stake. Will we see the cursed-car reward? Will we have to suffer through the somber parade of losers? I, for one, can skip the sentimental stroll down torch lane if it will get me to the reunion show faster. Remember to set your DVRs, because this finale may be a keeper.
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Dec 14, 2006 11:41 PM
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What was up with Yul basically telling Adam not to talk to Ozzy? Talk about Godfather. Give me a break! I so don't want him to win now. I was really hoping that Ozzy would wake up and join Adam and Parvati. I hate that he now has to win immunity to keep from being voted out. I want him to win, he kicks butt. 
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Dec 15, 2006 12:08 AM
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I was a Yul fan since the beginning, but now it's all about Ozzy. Can't wait for Sunday.
Everyone is reminded to tape, but also remember to look and see if any football games may be extending your taping time. I usually just set to tape from 7 to 11 CDT to make sure I get it all.
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Dec 15, 2006 12:36 AM
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I am off the Yul bandwagon too. He was a little ridiculous telling Adam he couldn't talk to Ozzy. Come on now. This is a game and these people were trying to still stay in it. Yul just thinks way too much about everything. It is driving me crazy. I don't however think he was trying to buy Jonathan's vote by giving his hat back. I truly believe that Yul was just trying to be nice. But of course he did have to overanalyze that decision as well!!??
I am definitely rooting for Ozzy. The guy just doesn't lose. And now he has a target on his back. They are going to gun for him big time. I think he will have to keep winning to stay in the game and I don't think that will happen. Even heavy favorites lose in these challenges.
I do wonder if they will try to get Yul to use the immunity idol before it expires. I don't even know when that expires. Does it expire after the next tribal council or the second tribal council?
Oh those producers at Survivor. They do love throwing in these mud challenges. I wasn't complaining. It is funny how hot and bothered the TV Guide bloggers have been this week. Paula with Joe in Medium and now Rhoda with Yul tonight. I guess there is something in the water at TV Guide headquarters.
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Dec 15, 2006 2:25 AM
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What's wrong with Yul telling Adam not to try to swing Ozzy's vote? He wanted to make sure that the three wouldn't vote one of his three out. If Adam and Parvati were trying to protect themselves from getting ousted by trying to swing Ozzy's vote, what's wrong with Yul trying to protect himself from getting ousted by preventing them from swinging Ozzy's vote.
btw... I think it was pretty clear that Yul had pre-determined that Parvati would be the next one leaving (especially with Adam's consistently poor performances in the challenges), and he only made it seem like he was appeasing Adam to win his favor for the jury.
The man is playing a game, and he's playing it well. I don't care if people here are off his "bandwagon," because when it comes down to who outplayed, outlasted, and outWITTED the rest, the jury will have to vote for Yul.
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Dec 15, 2006 4:00 AM
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The way they previewed this episode last week, I thought Ozzy would give a little more thought to switching sides. Ultimately, it was Becky who wanted to pull the trigger. Even if Ozzy wanted to switch, it wouldn't have made sense, as Parvati/Adam are a greater physical threat than Becky/Sundra.
While I understand Yul trying to protect Aitu, he had to understand that Adam was gonna do whatever it took to protect himself. Ultimately, Adam's weakened physical state from Exile Island has earned him a spot in the final 5.
Go Ozzy!
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Dec 15, 2006 4:53 AM
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I think you hit the nail on the head. Yul is so comfortable with having the Immunity Idol and everyone knowing that he has it, that maybe he doesn't have the killer instinct needed to win the immunity challenges. Plus, Ozzy is amazing. He has strength, endurance, agility and swims like a dolphin. Ozzy is a fan favorite and like Yul said, the other Survivors will respect the fact that Ozzy played his own game. Since Yul has been viewed as making alot of the decisions to oust people, although Becky has been his co-conspirator, the target will be painted on Yul's back.
It would not have been to Ozzy's advantage to flip and vote with Parvarti and Adam. As far as he knows, there's only going to be 2 people in the finals, not 3. He would have felt that Parvarti and Adam would stick together if he had lost the immunity challenge. He knows Yul has the Immunity Idol and may have given it to Becky to protect her. If he had voted to kick Sundra out of the game, it would have been a tie. If Sundra had won the tie challenge, then it would be a must for Ozzy to win all remaining immunity challenges to stay in the game.
I can't wait until Sunday. Go Ozzy.
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Dec 15, 2006 7:47 AM
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I had a similar thought during the immunity challenge: if Yul threw it when he saw Ozzy was winning.
He'd been put in a situation where his closer allies wanted Ozzy out...but I think he wants to keep him in to keep his word to him and not anger him if he's on the jury. Knowing that Ozzy would win immunity, Yul could swing the vote back the way he wanted it to go without getting either Ozzy (for voting him off) or Becky (for not agreeing with her) mad.
I've also got to say it's the first time I've seen someone get a hug from the person they've just told they were going to vote off.
If Yul makes it to the finals, I think the real negative against him is that people might not like how much he played up to everyone. The Hat may actually have been a very bad move--the eyerolling was a bit worrying.
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Dec 15, 2006 8:23 AM
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During that immunity challenge I kept wondering if Adam after seeing that Ozzy was going to win again, purposely started to throw it to look more pathetic than Pavarti. If he did it worked because they got rid of Pavarti because she's physically competitive. I think they also got rid of her because of the off chance or her and Ozzy hooking up. Although I don't think Ozzy would change his game plan because he starts to get some lovin.
Last week after Ozzy won the swimming challenge and he was getting out of the water, looking fine I might add, my husband looked at me and said he reminded him of Orlando Bloom and I said back 'Why do you think I want him to win' Go Ozzy!!!
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Dec 15, 2006 8:41 AM
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Here's how Survivor plays out:
Scenario #1: If Ozzy is in the Final 3, he wins (probably unanimously).
Scenario #2: Yul, Becky & Sundra in Final 3, Yul wins.
Scenario #3: Yul, Adam & Becky/Sundra in Final 3, Adam wins
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Dec 15, 2006 9:54 AM
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I wondered the same thing about Adam throwing the challenge. Not that he would have been able to win, but maybe once he saw that there was no hope of that, he decided to showcase how much more competent Parvati is at competitions.
Also, I found it very ironic when Adam said that Yul has been playing for the jury, considering the fact that I've been thinking that noone has been playing harder for the jury than Adam has.
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Dec 15, 2006 10:03 AM
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seems like adam will end up 5th, then at final 4 i'm guessing a tie breaker b/c yul will have the idol and ozzy will probably have immunity so probably sundra out (if its the building fire tiebreaker i think becky would take it) then a final 3 of:
Yul, Becky and Oz
Oz did play a good individual game and was dominating in the challenges but Yul was the one outwitting and outplaying, plus yul is a lawyer i believe and knows how to address a jury. Oz i can't see winning over any votes he does not already have.
It all depends on if the jury rewards the best player (Yul) or is spiteful in which case it would be Oz.
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Dec 15, 2006 10:08 AM
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Here's what really bothered me about last night's episode...since when did it become a bad thing to compete hard in everything? Becky and Sundra saying that about Ozzy really ticked me off! Their statements really reflected what to me what has been an emerging problem with some people in this country. It's just like all those people not wanting to keep score at youth sporting events! Go all the way Ozzy and take your reward for always trying to do your best!!
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Dec 15, 2006 10:08 AM
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I loved how Jeff had to blow up Yul's returning of Jonathan's hat into "Hat-Gate"! What the heck was that?
If Yul really wanted to win Jonathan over by returning the hat, he would have made a grand spectacle of handing the hat over when Jonathan and the jury were present. Instead, he simply placed the hat in Jonathan's seat BEFORE the jury members were brought in.
If Jeff hadn't opened his big mouth, how can anyone be sure that Jonathan would have just automatically assumed it was Yul who put it there.
I really wanted Yul to explain that when he was pressed about it, but of course, in typical Yul-fashion he had to give an over-analytical speech which was nearly an admission of guilt.
The whole thing was a complete non-issue, but I guess they had nothing else to talk about.
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Dec 15, 2006 10:18 AM
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I am SOOOOO glad that Parvati is gone. I got so sick of seeing that tattoo, her fakey flashy smile, her annoying voice and laugh, and her shameless flirting with anyone and everyone she could - Nate, Ozzy in the hot tub, and even nuzzling Adam at tribal council in front of Candace's face!! Nice comment about peeing in the hot tub. Remember her quote as she coyly looked at the camera, "Flirting - it's what I do best." Puhleeze! Good riddance!!
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Dec 15, 2006 10:26 AM
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