Survivors ready? It's not just any old fans ... it's SUPERfans going up against returning castaways in the latest incarnation of Survivor. Just how super are they? After all, they're calling the returning players "all-time favorites" and we're talking Jonny Fairplay and some more obscure players. But the concept itself is different and it's sure to be fresh this year with a new dynamic.
That said, tonight was a smidgen predictable and a lot odd.
As you might have been able to predict, I'm going to get into the predictable first. Okay, you've got ten hyped-up superfans determined to take down their faves. Yeah, they were all enamored and in awe when Jeff brought out the returning players. Yau-Man got a huge round of applause (well, as huge as ten people can do) and Fairplay got the stunned "what the heck is he doing with normal human beings" look.
But that didn't last long. The wheels were turning in their minds. They know the gameplay of the returning players, yet their own strategies, strengths, and weaknesses are an unknown element. Plus, the fact that they're playing against returning players has upped their determination to win as a team right now before the merge so much more than an ordinary splitting of tribes with all new players.Also predictable was the fact that the returning players definitely had it made with making a shelter on short order, gathering food, and even making fire without a flint. The latter was thanks to Yau-Man Chan, his eyeglasses, a drop of water, and some brush. While the new players struggled with shelter, the faves were spending the night dry and as comfortable as you can be given the materials available.
I'd even go out on a limb and say that the cockiness of the returning players could have been predicted, too. Hey, they've done it all before, right? Getting cocky can come right back around to bite you in the butt, though.
Then there's the odd.
Jonny Fairplay. I know, I know. We all know he's an odd snake. But I think his fight with Danny Bonaduce must have knocked his brains more ajar than they already were or something. What is with that guy? First off, tiny Yau-Man and Fairplay see the immunity idol at the same time and race for it. Big bad wrestler Fairplay hit his hand on the boat and Yau-Man got the idol. Fairplay whined and fussed about how evil Yau-Man is. Say what? By whom?
And, what exactly was going on with his strategy? Was he trying to pull a Dr. Will (Big Brother) vote me out campaign knowing that they won't vote him out because they think he's not going to play the game 100%? Was he on the level? How could he think that all of his tribe were eating out of his hand? True, they were trying to get him in on alliances, but only to use him as none of them can trust him. I recall recently reading that his baby was born, so there is a baby. But I get the feeling that he felt he was going to be shown as the snake once again and knew he wouldn't win at the end. I'd call it a quit unless he seriously thought they wouldn't vote him out. If he really thinks people love him, he's dead wrong. They scorn him. I'm glad he's gone.
Strange bedfellows. James and Parvati? Ozzy and Amanda? Gameplay, guys! Gameplay! You know better! This is definitely odd, especially with seasoned players and the fact that both guys are extremely physically strong players and both women are known schemers.
Krazy Kathy. Oh, my. "Are you a homosexual? Do you want to be called 'gay' or 'homosexual'? I've never known a homosexual before. Will you be my friend? I'd like a homosexual friend!" That was to Chet. He should have told her he wanted to be called "Chet." Then she spotted large (fake, I presume) boobs on a female tribe member. "Are those real? I've never seen ones like that before!" She makes inappropriate comments and she cries, too. I can't see her lasting long, but she'll give me reason to smile and shake my head as long as she's on the show.
There was no reward challenge tonight, also a bit odd. The two idols attached to the boats and the fact they must be played at the first tribal council attended is, if not outright odd, quirky. I understand that there have been issues with the idols not coming into play at all, but it seems like these are going to be played yet wasted.
Some random notes or observations of mine:
- The one fan Joel reminds me of The Beast from comics. No, he's not blue. But he looks like The Beast anyway.
- The word "waif" still comes to mine when I see Eliza. That was some whack to the eye she took during the immunity challenge.
- I'm reluctant to admit it, but I liked Jonny Fairplay's "I'll lie 4 food" cap.
- The immunity challenge had some similar elements to puzzles of the past, but was a bit different and certainly challenging. I want my own wok of fire.
- I find it interesting that the faves were already scheming against Parvati and Eliza, but ignoring Jonathon Penner, a schemer at heart.
- The fans only talked about removing Krazy Kathy because um ... well ... she's crazy!
- If I don't ever see Jonny Fairplay get all teary and talk about being a father again, life will be good. If I don't ever see his face again, I'm fine with that too.
- They voted him out unanimously. Heh.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-08-2008 @ 1:08AM
Cody said...
As for James and Amanda, keep in mind the fans have only seen about 6 episodes from the most recent season. So they don't know that Amanda went to the finals and that James screwed up the idol.
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2-08-2008 @ 2:08AM
Will said...
I have to say I'm stunned that Fairplay was first out. I would not have been as suprised if he had pissed off everyone else, or they just voted him out because he's not trustable, but the way it happened with him asking for it, I never thought that would happen. I'm even more stunned that he has a girlfriend and she's HAVING HIS KID!! Who IS she? That is really unbelieveable.
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2-08-2008 @ 6:23AM
Peter Hall said...
Do people still bet on Survivor? Is there someone, somewhere paying odds on when and how people are eliminated? If Fairplay had someone throw a stack of money for him on the chance that he would quit during his first tribal council...well he just made more money than he would have playing the game.
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2-08-2008 @ 7:10AM
tbc said...
I miss Ozzy's hair!
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2-08-2008 @ 8:18AM
JPN said...
Did anyone else think Kathy looked like an old version of Kathy Griffin?
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2-08-2008 @ 8:32AM
laura said...
Jonnys girlfriend was on americas next top model, she was the one who got the "flesh eating bacteria" on her face.
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2-08-2008 @ 8:55AM
Sharon said...
I thought this was a great beginning. I didn't understand why they went after Eliza right away,but Parvati was disgusting to watch and I wouldn't have been unhappy if she'd gone home first. I'd have even put up with Fairplay another week for that.
I like Joel and I think it's Jason,the gymnastics coach.And Kathy has to be the resident crazy this time. Send her home and soon! I think these fans have a very good chance of going toe to toe with the Favs. And I agree,Jackie,Eliza took a really hard whack to the eye,I'm surprised she didn't have a big ole goose egg by tribal council. I also loved Yau taking on Jonny Rotten and......winning!! Gotta love the Yau-man!!!
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2-08-2008 @ 9:06AM
LBT said...
Was I the only the one that thought this was just a horrible idea? And it looked like it was rushed together. I have a feeling we are all going to get sick of hearing "In my season......." pretty quickly. Uggg.
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2-08-2008 @ 9:08AM
Bash said...
Favorites got money for coming back. That's the explanation. Fairplay went in for 3 days and got out. The producers got fooled this time :-D
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2-08-2008 @ 10:42AM
BC said...
Before I post my comments about the show, I want to ask everyone's opinion on this idea for a Survivor:
I WOULD PREFER A SURVIVOR SEASON OF ALL THE FIRST PLAYERS VOTED OFF EACH YEAR AND THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT CONCEPT! They were all gone in 1 show, were there for only a few days, so why not cast them all out there on an island to let them battle it out? A BATTLE OF SURVIVOR LOSERS?
First off CBS has to be PO -- while Fairplay may not be a "favorite" with alot of people he was an interesting character for CBS and the show. The love him or hate him makes for ratings as you want to see what he does next, so I would guess Jeff and CBS are not to happy with him being the first one gone! Personally I figured he was using a strategy as he would never say he was "quitting" but after thinking about it since last night he wasn't the same person as before and didn't see to want to be there.
The concept is interesting to me, not great but interesting -- but in my opinion its better than another all-star show. Obviously the favs know how to build a shelter, survive, and co-exist better than the others from past experiences. But the con to this is they also kinda know each others strategies from watching, and it would make sense to me for the ones that know each other to team up (although that was not the case really).
I felt like the show was rushed and there was not enough time to really get the first show going last night. In my opinion CBS should have made it a 90 minutes or 2 hour show, especially considering the strike and both CSI/Without a Trace were repeats! CBS would have been smart to make it a 2 hour show for ratings (the would have surely had enough footage for 90 minutes). We just didn't get much camera time on the fans team. I know LOST was on ABC but at least try to steal some of the audience when you got a new show you can expand instead of a repeat show!
The fans winning has to be an upset? Not really to me. Sure CBS portrayed it as a huge upset but it was one team versus another team in a contest (anyone watch the Giants beat New England, LOL). The favs might have more experience but when it comes to the challenges any team can win most of those dumb contest things!
Why was Cirie Fields on here? She was a favorite? She didn't get much camera time either as she appears to be a bit of a loner here.
As for the fans team: the funniest line of the night was that one guy (???) giving nicknames to all the others (he had several but he called one Hulk and another queer eye for the straight guy) -- that was funny!
Couples: Ozzy and Amanda seem to have genuine interest in one another, Parvati looked like a fool chasing James around everywhere Obviously she is using him but she looks like an idiot embrassing herself like that on national TV and he is a fool if he falls for it.
Overall decent first show of it, but would have like to seen more of the fans team!
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2-08-2008 @ 11:42AM
karen said...
who did Johnny end up voting for? i couldnt read his sign at all during the credits...
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2-08-2008 @ 11:50AM
ORKMommy said...
Ok, maybe I don't know my Survivor like I thought I did but don't all of the players go to a sequester place until the whole game is played out? If this is true and all the players go home at the same time, then how did Fairplay figure he'd get back home to his girlfriend any sooner than if he had made it to the final?
Can someone help answer this please?
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2-08-2008 @ 12:28PM
Jeanette said...
Karen--I believe Johnny voted for Ozzy, but I'm not 100% on that.
ORKMommy--that was exactly my thought when he was talking about getting back to his family. Where the heck is he gonna go? Unless they only keep the jury maybe?
BC--love the idea of the first ones to be voted off to come back and compete against one another. Are you listening CBS??
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2-08-2008 @ 2:05PM
Brandon said...
I have to say I wonder why Johnny Fairplay got all that hatred from the beginning. So he lied about his grandmother. Sure it may have been in poor taste, but all people do on this show, from beginning to end, is lie, lie, lie, & lie.
After Survivor....now that's a whole other story. After Survivor, he was just another annoying reality show contestant wanting celebrity & begging for our attention.
If you feel you have to hate the guy, hate him after Survivor. If you feel the need to bash him for the way he played the game, watch the show again from beginning to end & see just how many people lied & sold their soul by the end of it.
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2-08-2008 @ 4:00PM
I miss my stars! said...
The Fairplay vote off was the least satisfying cast off ever. If he had been double crossed or they had been sneaky about it - sure - that would be good. The "vote for me - I miss my yet-to-be-born baby" was no fun AT ALL. He was in full Fairplay action the first part of the day and then suddenly changed heart and it was totally out of character. I figured he must have gotten PO'd about something the producers did off camera and decided to fall on his sword. He'll be sipping lattes and soaking up the sun on that big yacht they keep off shore until the game ends and laughing all the way to the bank. It isn't going to be as fun without the guy I love to hate gone.
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2-08-2008 @ 5:31PM
ORKMommy said...
Ok...I think I may have found the answer to my own question. From the article at http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20177009,00.html :
"Fairplay didn't walk off that tribal-council set and go straight back home to his unborn baby. He went to the so-called Losers Lounge, where contestants go after being booted, and sat around there until about the merge, at which point he was sent on another trip somewhere else until the game was over. So quitting the game did not get him home one second faster."
He's such a dork!
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2-08-2008 @ 5:51PM
slutty_whore said...
I found it very interesting that Amy and Eliza fell into their old dynamic from the Vanuatu season: Amy doing the dirty work and Eliza following like a poodle, or Amy's island girlfriend....
As far as Cirie goes, she was not a part of either foursome and in her own confessional, admitted she had no plan for this TC. I have to assume that she will play a more vital role in the next Fav "cast-off" because the two foursomes will obviously vie for her vote.
While the Fairplay vote-off was weak, it's better for people who want to be there to play the game. We all complain about the quitters, the whiners, etc. At least he left before the game warmed up.
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2-09-2008 @ 4:38AM
steve probst said...
casting Dalton was a huge mistake when there were so many others that were more worthy of a second chance.
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2-09-2008 @ 9:55AM
BabyWooly said...
BC I agree I would love to see a show with all the first people voted off, great idea. I hope the season gets better.
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2-11-2008 @ 9:46AM
Guido said...
Don't forget Fairplay is in the middle of a lawsuit with Bonaduce .. so to me this was his way of showing he was a "good" guy and not an a-hole. Maybe it will have an effect on his lawsuit.
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