(S16E12) Okay, I officially declare Survivor Micronesia to be one of the best, if not the best, season ever in the series. You see, the show really isn't all about surviving the elements of nature. The survival skills needed don't necessarily have to do with who might forage best in the woods or who can build a sturdy shelter. Nope, it's "Outwit, Outplay, Outlast." And, chances are ... if you outwit and outplay, you're going to outlast. Tonight's backsided blindside will make for Survivor history.
Read on past the jump for my full review of tonight's episode.
For me, it's boring when one player happens to rule the game just because he's brawny and wins challenges. That's not happening this season. It's more exciting when we have the blindsided ousters we've seen this season. Of course, I'm not always too thrilled with their choices to blindside. But, in the end, I'm in this for the entertainment value. Even though I might see it coming, the looks on their faces show they didn't see it coming. And that makes the show all that much more fun. Well, fun for me, perhaps not for them.
This season is also wracked with injuries. Tonight James was still dealing with what he called a little clamshell cut, but the medic deemed it to be a very deep wound and infected. Alas, even though the guy has the best lines of any Survivor ever on the show, he was sent home after the rewards challenge. I was hoping he'd do well this time around, but it wasn't in the cards. Alexis banged her knee falling in the dark. That's all swollen and scraped. It looks nasty and it's obviously bothering her, but she doesn't want to be sent home due to it. I give her credit for spunk. Otherwise, I'm ambivalent about her. After all, I just started distinguishing between her and Natalie a few weeks back.
I'm always amazed at the rewards challenge with the loved ones. You would think they've been kept away from each other for years. We're talking 30 days here, folks. It's not an eternity. That said, Erik made me guffaw. Yeah, I really guffawed when Erik pointed at Jeff Probst and told his brother, "It's Jeff Probst! He's right there!" Jeff's answer was perfect -- "Erik, you're a freak." Heck, I'm smiling as I typed it.
The rewards challenge was also the one which should give the castaways clues about where they stand in the tribe. It's the popular opinion that:
- James does the most for the tribe.
- Parvati never shuts up.
- Parvati mistakenly thinks she's in control of the game.
- Alexis is the most honest.
- James is the least likely to be invited to dinner. (Why? I don't know. Maybe because he likes to eat bats.)
It's also revealing who they knock out first when given chances to knock out fellow castaways. Hmm ... Parvati was out of it first. Then it went down as Cirie, James, Natalie out. Cirie seemed to draw clear lines (something she doesn't do much in public) when she chose to eliminate Amanda and allow Alexis to win. Amanda knows where she stands with her now, eh? On a side note, those non-stinging jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake were way cool. Why can't the ones around here be non-stinging?
The scheming is more important than physical prowess this season. I think that levels the playing field so much more. The girls still all want Erik out because he's the last male. It's a Gal Thing. But they need a contingency plan in case Erik wins immunity. They're right in thinking if Amanda makes it to the final two, not a one of them would win against her in the vote. She's played a good social game and she's a physical threat in competitions.
But I don't want her to go. I really didn't like or dislike her all that much in her own season, but she's grown on me throughout this season. Tonight, she played an extraordinary game. She's up another notch in my book. When Alexis sent her to Exile Island, she knew that she has a huge target on her back. She decided she had to find each clue to the newly hidden idol and find it. Did you see the depth and length of that trench she dug by hand? Ow! It makes my fingers hurt to think about it!
Then came their worst fears -- you could see it on their faces. Erik won immunity again. Heh. I'm still liking the kid, so I was happy when he got it. I personally want Parvati out before Erik. What to do? Amanda played it sneaky smart, telling them she didn't find the idol and emptying her bags brought directly back from Exile to prove it. But since the last clue led her back to camp to find it, she didn't have it as of then.
So they schemed behind her back. Both Cirie and Erik even admitted they planned on voting her out when Amanda asked them. Meanwhile, she schemed with Parvati. I should mention that Parvati, for once, is showing some loyalty. She told Nalalie that she couldn't be a part of voting out Amanda and told Amanda they were gunning for her. Now, Amanda told her about the final clue for the idol, so she was in on blindsiding either Natalie or Alexis as long as everyone else voted Amanda.
The reactions of the castaways and the jury were priceless when Amanda played the idol. The curse of the idol, unlike the curse of the car, is broken! As I said before, it was a backsided blindside. I almost jumped out of my chair yelling, "YES!" when she pulled the idol out. Played to perfection, I'm lovin' that girl's game play tonight!
One thing I'm just not getting is why Amanda and Parvati chose to vote out Alexis instead of Natalie. True, Alexis played a more social game and might do better with the jury. But her knee is so bad. She wouldn't have been winning challenges and I think it would have been a wiser move to get rid of Natalie -- she's more influential on the existing tribe members, plays a better physical game, and is more sneaky than Alexis.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-01-2008 @ 11:49PM
Darren said...
I have to agree with you - This is one of the best seasons since the first one!
Reply
5-01-2008 @ 11:51PM
Cassie said...
I absolutely loved Amanda tonight. I actually started jumping on my couch when she pulled the idol out. :) Lessened my sadness that James is out of the game.
I actually think it was a good idea to vote out Alexis. Like Amanda, she would probably get votes from the jury if she went all the way. Because lets face it, Natalie, Cirie, and Pavarti are not well liked by the jury.
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5-02-2008 @ 12:34AM
Barb said...
I am so going to miss James. His dad was just as adorable. He even had that little quip of his own on how when they get together for dinner later they're gonna talk about that girl (whoever it was that eliminated James). I was actually clapping when Amanda pulled out the idol. I liked the fact that they didn't show her finding it so we had a little bit of mystery. Well done!
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5-02-2008 @ 1:17AM
Dragulf said...
Alexis got rid of James at the reward challenge.
Why not get rid of Cirie, she is the real mastermind that got Parvati to boot Ozzy and the rest.
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5-02-2008 @ 1:48AM
Rebecca said...
We were cheering when Amanda pulled the idol out! I think your point about choosing Natalie instead is good but perhaps Amanda had it in for Alexis because of her flirting with Ozzie. If so sending her to Losers Lodge to stay with Ozzie wasn't bright. Or maybe Amanda and Parvati were concerned about Alexis' knee - but they could have left that up to the medical unit. Maybe they would have gotten rid of her without a vote the way she was limping.
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5-02-2008 @ 3:03AM
Phish said...
with james out, i want amanda to win, BADLY!!!
i'll seriously smash something if she doesnt make it to the final 2.
god i hate cirie and parvati!
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5-02-2008 @ 6:20AM
MCW said...
Everyone in my house was declaring this the best season ever. I think why is because of the way the idol was played last night, the multiple blindsides, and the focus on the outwit and outplay this year.
And I never even liked Amanda, with that serious face all the time, but wouldn't you know it - she is a GREAT actor when she has an idol in tow!
Anyone who said that Survivor was in a rut... this year, they turned the boat around, and it is on top again.
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5-02-2008 @ 6:44AM
David said...
* I think it made more sense to vote Natalie out. Alexis is injured and looks like she'd have made a medical exit soon enough, so voting Natalie out means: one less threat, keeping Alexis who isnt a threat to win physical challenges, and possibly getting a 2-for-1 via a medical exit.
* I think everyone wants to bring Cirie with them to the finals because they think she won't get any votes.
* We were all laughing as Amanda said "About that, Jeff..." as she reached for the immunity idol!
* If there's one thing I've learned watching this series, it's that being honest when you're voting someone out can go a long way to not making enemies on the jury. Erik and Cirie were honest with Amanda about why they were voting for her, and that'll pay off for them if either are in the finals and Amanda is on the jury, I think.
* For the first time all season, I think Erik can win Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites.
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5-02-2008 @ 9:54AM
Michelle said...
So, this is the first season I have even watch Survivor. I know, I am a little slow on the uptake, but I LOVE this show. It is by far the best reality game show out there.
I was rooting for Amanda all night, I didn't want to see her go. I hate Natalie, and hope she takes a walk soon. I am also a fan of Erik and Parvati. It seems like a lot of fans don't like her, but I do. (That could be because I didn't see her original season). I loved that we didn't know if Amanda had the idol or not. I thought she did and she almost had me fooled! The look on Eliza's face was awesome!
Cirie is a strong player. They should be trying to get her out, I think. She has lasted all this time, and no one on the jury (yet) knows that she was the brains behind a lot of the oustings we have seen so far, especially Ozzy.
On a final note, isn't it weird how different everyone looks in the night vision? It freaks me out!
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5-02-2008 @ 10:09AM
ranmas59 said...
Am I the only one who thinks Cirie has been playing a great game? She really is the smart one... she just plants the idea in everyone's minds and off they go to implement it! Unless all the jurors discuss every move made, I don't know if they will all put 2 & 2 together to figure out she's beind it all.
I really think Cirie could win it.
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5-02-2008 @ 10:21AM
MERVE-THE-PERVE said...
Amanda is quite the actress. The sad eyes, the droopy face. I think I even saw a tear when she was acting like she knew she was going home. She said all the right things at tribal. I bet Amanda already had the idol when she was talking to Erik & Cirie. I think she was feeling them out for the next 3 days and also confirming if she would need to use the idol. She should have gotten out Natalie because Alexis won't make it much longer on her gimpy knee. I think Cirie will be the swing vote next week. If Erik wins II next time I see Cirie going with him & Natty and going after Amanda or Parv. If anybody else wins it she may go with Amanda & Parve and go after Erik. Amanda has got to win the next 2 II's to make it to the end.
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5-02-2008 @ 10:49AM
Steve said...
I have to tell you, losing James to an injury was terrible, but the triple whammy of (a) Erik winning immunity when he absolutely had to, (b) Amanda's amazing performance at Tribal that not only fooled everyone but also managed to get some digs in on Erik's lack of loyalty for the sake of the jury, and (c) Amanda's big reveal of the idol completely overshadowed it.
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5-02-2008 @ 10:56AM
Charlie Conner said...
the more I see Cirie, the more I dislike her...I mean c'mon! She's a NURSE for God's sake and won't help ANY of her tribemates who are injured because it helps her get further in the game? If I ever go to the hospital or the doctor she works for, I'd find a new doctor or hospital...stat!
and as for Natalie...is there a word that bridges the b word and the c word? she's certainly a b word, but not yet to the c word...she's waaaay too full of herself....
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5-02-2008 @ 11:08AM
Netra said...
That's why it's a game. I mean what do you want her to do? I think Cirie is playing a much better game that her original season. I dont think she will win it all. I'm rooting for Amanda.
5-02-2008 @ 12:58PM
Bash said...
Cirie is playing a great game.
I still don't like her.
She can win the whole thing if she stays until the end if she manages to bond enough with her then former allies on the jury.
The problem isn't so much Cirie but her peers. They are the reason why her game works. They don't expect things to happen the way they do because they don't really catch on to what Cirie is doing. But as soon as they are voted out and on the Jury they find out and know what Cirie did - who she talked to and everything. And then they most likely won't vote for her. It would then all depend on the Q&A before the final vote and I really would love to see how this (expletive deleted by author) little *beep* will pull herself out on at her own hair then.
I doubt it is possible. But it IS what makes a good player, it is a superb example on an excellent way to play the game and it's really neat to watch.
5-02-2008 @ 11:01AM
GL said...
I loved this. Amanda almost had me going. I agree Merve, I swear she let a tear go.
I can't believe they sent her to the island, seeing how easily the last person found it.
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5-02-2008 @ 11:24AM
JD said...
I am really liking and hating the season. What I want is from them to be allowed to play to Idol AFTER the votes are read, like they had the first time the introduce.
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5-02-2008 @ 11:45AM
Dave said...
Awesome! I love a good blindside, and that was better than Ozzie! Finally the HII was played correctly. I wonder if any more of them will be placed. I doubt it, since Amanda played it.
Awesome that she subtly requested to go to exile. Even better that it worked. Brilliant strategy to show the contents of her bag when she returned.
I love the awkward return to camp after Tribal Council, and this one will be a doozy. Cirie will finally have to bow to Amanda and beg for forgivness for voting for her. Ananda could have avoided that without giving away the fact that she had the idol. Here's how it should have gone: Cirie pledges her loyalty to Amanda & Parvati but doesn't want a tie vote. Amanda tells Cirie to vote with her, and if there is a re-vote, Cirie can change it to what she wants. That way, Cirie stands behind the statement she made that she wanted to be final 3 with A&P, but the end result will be Amanda's departure. (Or so Cirie will think). That way, Amanda can test Cirie's loyalty and still avoid the tie vote by playing the HII.
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5-02-2008 @ 11:49AM
shari said...
Okay, I don't want to sound mean, but does anyone else think Natalie looks a little like the Grinch when she smiles?
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5-02-2008 @ 12:12PM
dt3 said...
i always thought of more of a mountain lion... but yeah i can see the grinch too
where did she even come from?? i barely remember her from the first part of the season and now its like she is one of the stars... not a fan