(S16E10) "When you're annoying, you might not be able to appease everybody with a donut. They might just want the donut." - James
All week the promos for tonight's Survivor Micronesia episode were saying that a blunder would overtake James having two idols and not playing them to save himself in Survivor China. It's true. James is no longer the goat of stupid moves. Maybe they should rename the tag line for the season. Instead of Fans vs. Favorites, it could be When Smart Castaways Do Dumb Things. Or, When Smarter Castaways Outwit Those Not as Smart.
Read on past the jump for the full review of tonight's episode.
Argh, I don't even know where to start. You see, I've been an Ozzy fan since his season. In the game, there are some basic proven strategies. You can be like Ozzy -- very strong in physical challenges and usually astute to what's going around you so you can plan ahead. You can be like Richard Hatch -- manipulative and sneaky, but be a provider. It's rare that anyone is like Ethan Zohn, the winner of Survivor Africa. He was good in challenges, a nice guy, and basically honest throughout the game. Then there's Cirie Fields. Although sturdy and strong, she's not great at challenges. She's not a provider. But she might beat Richard Hatch in the people manipulating arena.
The game is "Outwit, Outplay, Outlast." It's beginning to look like Cirie may be the triple threat to fit that bill. She's still no physical threat to anyone as shown in tonight's reward challenge schoolyard pick. With the way she's been playing this season, I don't think it matters that she's always chosen last in those picks. She can scheme and has gotten way sneakier since her season. It's starting to look the women might be running the show soon. That is, if they can keep this rolling. Of course, if they do, they'll eventually have to kill off their own ... er ... vote each other off. 
I have to touch on the reward for a moment. I get the same feelings Ozzy said he has about Erik. I swear that kid is growing on me more each week. Last week he had the fake tribe name. This week he was like the kid in The Sixth Sense, but instead of dead people, he saw boobs. "More boobs than I've ever seen in my life!" Then he just had to go and experiment with betel nuts and Micronesian beer (not to be confused with microbrews). Between his wide-eyed wonderment at everything, his excitement for the game, his loyalty to Ozzy for saving him ... I'm really enjoying this skinny little dude. Plus, he seems to be basically nice. Nice can be good.
I'm still not getting much of a feel for either Alexis or Natalie. Other than becoming Cirie's flying monkeys, I can't say if I think they're good game players or not. Parvati is annoying me to no end. Had she voted with her alliance, Ozzy wouldn't have been voted out tonight. Had she even told her alliance, Ozzy could have played the idol and saved his butt in the game.
Jason? What about Jason? I cannot believe that, knowing he's the main target, he trusted everyone who outright lied to him promising him they wouldn't vote him out! They lied to him! Their fingers were crossed! These games are sneaky! What the hell is going on in his mind? He could have won immunity. I believe he could have outlasted Parvati. But, no ... he wants friends. Right in the beginning of the show he ticked me off when he said, "Ozzy is not the only God-like competitor to play this game." He was referring to himself. Get over yourself, kid. Cirie will eat you for a snack and spit out your bones!
So, the plan was to go back on their word to Jason. Now, I know that is kind of a mean thing to do. But if the kid is such a fan of the show, he should know that you can't trust anyone in the game. Perhaps you can trust an individual, but no way in hell can you trust an entire group! Yeah, it was a lowdown plan, but they did have their fingers crossed. That works with the IRS, right? Um ... oops, didn't mean that. Nonetheless, it was a stupid thing for him to do.
Enter Cirie, gathering her flying monkeys. Now, the flying monkeys think that Cirie has their interests in mind -- girl power and all that stuff. But, no. Cirie has her own agenda. She wants to pick off all the strong players and be in the end game. Sure, she can take an identity-less fan like Alexis or Natalie with her. Then she'd win hands down. Love her or hate her, she's playing a damn smart game this season.
I guess Ozzy got what he deserved for being stupid enough to not play that idol. He shouldn't have felt as secure. Eliza's reaction was just a bit overacted, but I felt it coming. Too bad Ozzy didn't feel it coming, eh? At least he knows that Erik (his little buddy like Gilligan was to the Skipper), James, and Amanda voted for Jason to leave. And, to the others (mainly Parvati), his closing words said it all, "Screw you."
Although I wanted Ozzy for the win, this was one of the better episodes of the season. It was definitely the biggest blindside in a season of blindsiding. At least I have folks in the show I think deserve to win for gameplay or just because I like them. That's differing from Big Brother 9 in which I don't care much for any of them. I like James, Erik, and Amanda. Hats off to Cirie for a great strategical game. I can't say I like all that's happened this season, but it's definitely entertaining me. That's all I want from the show.
Stupid Ozzy ... argh!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-17-2008 @ 11:22PM
Kalin said...
To quote Parvati... "what a little brat!" I'm sorry but Ozzy deserved to go home. He isn't even playing the nice guy act anymore, he seemed like he was almost certain he was going to win the game. He flat out lies to Jason saying I wont vote you out, but then when someone lies to him they are the backstabbers. In his interview he was acting like a little crybaby saying "screw you" to everyone. It was truly pathetic. Thank you Cirie for playing your own game. She knows Ozzy is her biggest threat and the blame will fall mostly on Parvati so good for her for not backing down and actually playing the game.
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4-18-2008 @ 9:51AM
No1Dad said...
Parvati has the worst poker face though. It's a wonder her behavior before the vote didn't tip off the rest of the alliance like when Amanda walked up on her and the other girls discussing Ozzy's fate. She couldn't even look Amanda in the eye.
p.s.
Loved it when Probst told Alexis to 'go off and be mad' after she screwed up her chance to get the milk and cookies. LOL.
4-17-2008 @ 11:34PM
Robert said...
WAHOOOOOOOO!
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4-18-2008 @ 12:15AM
Phish said...
Ozzy is awesome, but i guess he did get too confident and arrogant!!
if he played it better, he would have won hands down.
in this game, its better to be in the shadows like that creep cirie! GOD I HATE HER!!!
she does nothing, and bosses people around, she must know that she will be gone soon enough!
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4-18-2008 @ 8:51AM
BobbyBuz said...
Totally, totally agree. Last week Ami got ostracized for what is not nearly as close to the manner in which Cirie "plays the game."
I REALLY HATE HER!
4-18-2008 @ 12:25AM
Barb said...
How is Cerie staying in the shadows? She's gotten Yau-Man, Ozzy, and others voted out before her. I swear she must have read Hypnosis for Dummies before she left. She seems to be able to convince everyone to do her bidding. Cerie not a player? I don't think so!
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4-18-2008 @ 7:17AM
Jackie Schnoop said...
I find total contrasts between the way Cirie played it versus the way Parvati did. Cirie planned and executed while Parvati waffled, then wussed out more than any devious thing. Cirie never has pretended to be solely on the side of anyone but herself. Parvati, though considering Ozzy a threat, basically just backed down and went with the crowd.
4-18-2008 @ 1:38AM
Jez said...
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS! so glad that twat ozzy finally gone!
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4-18-2008 @ 3:34AM
Bach said...
They crossed their fingers. Seriously?!? What are they, 5?
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4-19-2008 @ 2:38AM
Brent McKee said...
Well remember that in Big Brother a "pinkie swear" is a binding pledge throughout the game, and worth more than swearing on your own life. So why wouldn't crossed fingers protect you from a promise in "Survivor?"
4-18-2008 @ 8:34AM
laura said...
The best reaction was Amandas face, knowing that one of thier alliance went to the dark side, and Ozzys back glance at the treachorous few, and his comments at the end. Cirie (or the predator as we call her, due to her sneaky nature and braids) is running the show, and will pick them all off unless they turn on her. I am interested to hear what james, eric and amanda will say to parvati about voting ozzy out. because they now are in the minority for votes.
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4-18-2008 @ 8:55AM
Dave said...
James cracks me up with his brutal honesty. "I thought I was the dumbest Survivor ever". Ha! Nope, Ozzy is now!
Parvati is going to get it next week. James is pissed at her for turning. Cirie will target James, Jason, Eric, and Amanda in that order. Then three useless women will make the final. Boring...
I was hoping that Amanda was going to join the party culturally and remove her top too.
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4-18-2008 @ 9:59AM
Terry in CA said...
I just couldnt make myself watch, Im so angry at Parvati for siding with Cirie and the other girls. I wish Amanda had a sniff of that to warn Ozzy, Ozzy to me is the all time Jungle Boy anddeserves to win for his skills at surviving, but he didnt outwit Cirie....bet he'll never trust a cafeteria worker again...I hope James whomps her out of the game.
4-18-2008 @ 9:40AM
lauch said...
This really made me laugh. First of all, they actually followed through with their intentions. Usually, they screw it up at Tribal Council, but even though Jeff was prodding them for information, they didn't relent. Second of all, it was a move that should have happened and actually DID. Ozzy should be target number 1....he's one of..if not THE best competitor in survivor history......vote him out when you can.
This season has been Cirie making things happen....it's the first season where people have made the moves (mainly Cirie) that have needed to happen...and I think I'm not sure exactly what to do with myself, since it's been such a weird thing.
I just hope that people realize soon enough who's running the show, because, after James, Cirie should be next.
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4-18-2008 @ 10:38AM
ORKMommy said...
I was glad to see them finally shake something up. I was an Ozzy fan up until he got all cocky and started acting like he was the Survivor God High Almighty who could tell everyone what to do. He turned into the biggest hypocrite at the end when he said "screw you" to his alliance. Didn't we just hear him talking to James about Jason...didn't he say "this game is about outsmart and outplay...and he just got outsmarted!". Well my dear Ozzy, you got outsmarted and outplayed. Buck up, be a man and realize it's just a game and you lost!
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4-18-2008 @ 10:39AM
Caroline said...
The best part about Ozzie's ouster is that James & Amanda suspected that Parvati was gonna turn on them and neither bothered to take the situation seriously enough to encourage Ozzie to use the Idol. They're all idiots (and Amanda's my fave, so that was disappointing). But Ozzie acted like a spoiled baby. He fully intended to blindside Jason, but then wasn't man enough to handle it when the group blindsided him. Oh well, him and James can cry to each other about how they're the stupidest players in the history of the show and between them they wasted 3 immunity idols. Meanwhile Cirie will be rolling in her million dollars that she flat out earned, despite what all the naysayers think.
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4-18-2008 @ 10:57AM
Eric said...
I was rooting for Ozzy this season, but he got done in by the same thing that took James out last season... Hubris. It was his excessive pride and arrogance that got him voted off. In his own mind he thought he was so safe, he quit the immunity challenge for some donuts. He was so sure he didn't have to worry that he didn't play the idol. There are multiple reasons he should have played the idol.
1. (duh) It would have kept him from being voted out, but even if he wasn't in danger he should have played it because:.....
2. It would have made certain that Jason left, his biggest physical threat.
3. Everyone knowing you have the Idol puts a huge target on you, having it gone would have lessened that target somewhat.
4. Using the idol would have made your allies feel safer because you are on equal footing again, and the game would have shifted to getting the rest of the fans out.
5. You would avoid being remembered as stupid for not using the idol.
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4-18-2008 @ 12:07PM
shannon said...
I love this game. Being a rabid fan of Survivor since day one, season one, I always wonder if I've seen it all before. This was the best episode in a long time. I loved Oz in his season and I was a bit disappointed when Yul beat him by one vote. I wish he had not come back for this season, because his true colors have come out and, wow, are they ugly. So cocky and smug. I can't even believe this is the same guy. As for Parvati, well I hated her before and I hate her again. I can't wait to see her go. I think using your body and acting like a 'sex kitten' as James called her, is the lowest tactic to use in this game. She's a whore. I believe she would turn tricks to win this game. I would like to see James and Jason go far, I'm not really impressed with the women. Cirie is playing an amazing tactical game, but I liked her a lot more on her season. As for the rest... Amanda has been letting her emotions control her moves, and she should know better than that. She was much better in China. Erik.. you have to be kidding me. It never ceases to amaze me when people who claim to be superfans have no idea how to play the game and how dirty it can get. Alexis strikes me as spoiled... I loved that Jeff told her she could 'mope and be mad.' Natalie is a virtual non-person. Jason made a scary naive move last night, but it worked out for him and he did have a point - the odds that he could keep winning immunity week after week are very slim. He took a risk by hoping to warm up some of the other players to him. I didn't think much of him at first, but he is growing on me and I always like to see the underdog win... look at Chris from Vanuatu. I like James a lot, despite the bonehead move from last season, because he is who he is and he doesn't try to pretend to be anything else. I think the target has shifted to him now that Ozzy is gone and he needs to be very careful, but I'd like to see him outlast most of the other morons and backstabbers in the game. I love it, love it, love it, that Ozzy got what was coming to him. Maybe his ego has been deflated a bit. I remember when Jonathan said he found Ozzy to be arrogant on their original season and I didn't understand why he thought that then. Now I know.
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4-19-2008 @ 12:09PM
Colette said...
I agree with everything you said and you said it so well. Can not wait till next week
4-18-2008 @ 12:13PM
GL said...
I like Ozzie, but this was a colossal failure on his part and he earned it.
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