(S19E09) If you haven't watched this episode of Survivor, stop right now. Watch it. Oh, don't go by the expression on John's face. That's the face I had when the show started. Yet now I'm downright perky and alert. For me, this started off being a real iffy season. But, as folks really play the game, I'm all excited about it all over again. Some play it poorly, but there are a few movers and shakers this season.What can I say about Evil Russell? You know that I don't want to like him -- he's a misogynist, nasty, and evil. It makes me feel a bit tainted to be cheering him on. But, dang it... I think he's the first player since Richard Hatch (in the first season) who has seriously played the game of Survivor. He's working all angles. He's playing a mental, physical, and strategic game. He's working the crowd the best he can, thinking ahead, and scheming all the way.
When he found the third hidden immunity idol tonight (the second for him) without a clue and with no assurance that one even existed, I was floored. I saw his logic in where he was searching for it. But I don't know if I would have thought of that strategy in the search if it was me in Samoa. Hats off to the bad dude, he rules. Thankfully, he decided to use it to save his butt tonight. Even Erik on the jury and the ex-Galu people had to smile in amazement after they got over their shock. It's incredible.
Laura is definitely playing the game, too. But her approach is more winning challenges. She's a tough lady. I think, outside of Russell, she's the most dangerous person in the game. She rocks in challenges, yet her sneak factor isn't quite as advanced as Russell's is. She's not thinking ahead. But what really gets me about Laura is that, at times, in looks and the way she purses her lips, she reminds me of the Lily Tomlin "Ernestine" character -- "One ringy-dingy... oh? Russell has another idol? That's just not possible. Are you the party to whom I'm speaking?"
Had the Galu folks listened to John, they would have split the vote and rid themselves of a Foa Foa. Why pay any heed to what a rocket scientist might say? He was right. But they listened to Dave instead. Now they're down another member and they don't seem to have a clue that Shambo (who is still left out of everything) has already left them for Foa Foa. Yes, she voted with them tonight, but the Foa Foa Four didn't need her vote. I can bet it was Russell's idea to have her vote with them to keep up appearances.
I wanted to see the show even out the numbers. Right now Galu has five and Foa Foa has five if you consider the Shambo swing. Shambo is kind of a lost cause in challenges, but she's a number. I don't know if Russell can keep working his idol mojo, so the Foa Foa contingent better start winning or they'll fall. Once Russell is out of there, it's probably game over for any Foa Foa left. Tonight's show was a classic blindside of Kelly and amazing gameplay for Russell. I want more! How about you?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-13-2009 @ 1:59AM
GT said...
Love how Laura said that Russell opened up a new can or something like that. Oh so he should have just rolled over and let you vote him out?
Either way those two are definitely playing the game and that usually means one of them will get the other even before the end.
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11-13-2009 @ 2:01AM
Charles said...
For a rocket scientist, John is bad at math... I wonder if he's the one who crashed that probe with the bad imperial/metric conversion...
Even with Shambo, they could only split their vote to 4/3. Which means if the idol wasn't played, they would tie. If it was played, they'd lose 3-4. Skipping Russel and voting for one of the other Foa-Foa members was the only safe strategy if they thought an idol was in play, but that got shot down.
I'm thinking Galu is going to self-destruct next week when they realize they have lost Shambo and the numbers are even.
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11-13-2009 @ 5:26AM
Derek said...
True. In order to split votes, you need to have an *overwhelming* majority. Basically, you need to have double the # of votes, +2 more.
So, 8-4 is not enough, because a split would give a 4-4-4 tie, and canceling Foa Foa votes would ensure a 4-4 tie between 2 Galu.
At 8-3 Galu, you could split it. That would yield 4-4-3, and if they canceled one group of 4, the other 4 would stick, and its 4-3 Galu.
11-13-2009 @ 10:25AM
Kesey said...
I'm guessing they realized this, but it was edited to make us think there was the possibility of a split vote.
11-13-2009 @ 5:45AM
Sir Yuck-Yuck said...
ALL those #'s my head hurts LOL
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11-13-2009 @ 11:46PM
slutty_whore said...
Wasn't it MONICA who said they should split the votes and DAVE vetoed it, saying Russ couldn't find a second idol? Laura is a tough woman and it makes me wonder what would have happened if Liz hadn't been voted out pre-merge. She would have given Laura some competition in these past challenges, I'm sure.
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11-13-2009 @ 8:40AM
Steve said...
what's this Laura's first episode? i dont remember her from any other episode.
great job by russell tonight, but he wont get the votes to win.
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11-13-2009 @ 9:18AM
Val said...
Best tribal counsel ever! (this is my 2nd time watching survivor since the first season) Galu was so smug and full of themselves. The look on their faces was Classic!
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11-13-2009 @ 9:20AM
Sancty said...
I don't get all these theories that Galu could have split their vote and rid themselves of a Foa Foa... they would have still had to throw 5 votes Russell's way to guarantee they evaded the 4 Foa Foa votes...
They couldn't have split it in a manner where a Galu didn't go home.
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11-13-2009 @ 11:15AM
MJL said...
"I ain't done playing just yet."
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11-13-2009 @ 11:30AM
Eric said...
Russell played a good game tonight, but he made one mistake. He actually hooked the bag first in the immunity challenge, and rather then pulling it in right away, he took a moment to gloat. That gloating gave Laura the time to get her bag in first. Had he been in the challenge he could have gotten rid of her, his biggest threat.
In my opinion, Foa Foa now has what they need to turn the game. With Shambo on their side the vote is split 5-5, all they need to do is make a big show of Russell not finding the idol, so Galu votes for him, then the 4 of them plus Shambo vote for someone weak like Monica, who isn't good at making fire. Since Russell has a lot of experience making fire, he should easily win the head to head fire starting challenge.
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11-13-2009 @ 1:51PM
GL said...
The moment Russell lost his bag was hilarious. He was so smug with the competition not over yet and his hubris cost him. No telling how much better off he could be now had he just kept his head and pulled the bag in.
11-13-2009 @ 1:14PM
jaggok said...
This was a great tribal council. Since it is now 5-4, Shambo can now go to the Foa Foa side and change the whole game. Russell doesn't need to find another immunity idol.
The only thing I can say bad about Russell is that he is just trying to get rid of any female that backstabs him or their friends. The smart move would have been to get rid of one of the guys. They had the votes to do it with the immunity idol.
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11-13-2009 @ 12:30PM
Christian H. said...
I hate you Survivor! For making me root for the guy I hated most for the first eight episodes. But now, it is Russell for the win. I almost peed my pants laughing during tribal...
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11-13-2009 @ 12:57PM
Venus said...
Very, very impressed with Russell, but I could never ever root for him. He lied about Katrina, for goodness sake!!
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11-13-2009 @ 1:20PM
Stacie23 said...
Tonight definetly made me a Russell fan. I tried all along to not be but the episode definetly turned me. The guy had no idea there would be another immunity idol but he went out and found another one. I mean no one has ever found an immunity idol without a clue. Most of the times they don't find the idol with a clue.
It is interesting that "Good" or "Dreadlocks" Russell is the reason that Shambo turned to the other side. Sure she never really clicked with alot of people on her side, but him sending her over to the other side twice was a stupid decision that may cause most of his former teammates a chance to win. I feel bad that the guy had to leave the game a couple weeks back, but his decision many weeks ago has ultimatley caused the elimination of two of his former teammates.
Anyways, I am definetly rooting for Team "Evil" Russell now and we'll see what happens. This season is definetly heating up now.
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11-13-2009 @ 10:11PM
Jay said...
It was a great show and a great tribal council but I think there was a way Russell could have kept his idol. Imagine if right before the vote, Russell pulls the idol out and shows it to everyone and announces he will play it and he has 4 votes going at one of them. That doesn't give Galu enough time to come up with a new plan on who to vote for and they are essentially voting "blind" of one another. Pull Shamoo [sic] into the mix and you have five targeted votes at Galu. Galu is then forced to vote for a non-Russell player, Russell doesn't play the idol, and more than likely, a Galu member goes home unless all six can magically pick a new person without communicating.
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11-13-2009 @ 2:32PM
Gordon Werner said...
I loved whatshisname on the Jury ... he looked so pleased watching Russells' sneak attack go down
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11-13-2009 @ 3:05PM
Jana said...
You are giving John (the rocket scientist) credit for questioning about the idol and Russell - BUT it was Monica who brought it up first about splitting the vote in case Russell had the idol and John agreed with her. Everybody says she is too stupid but she thought that through and the rest were too egotistical to think that anybody could think smarther than them. Am really enjoying this year and my husband and I laughed our butts off when Russell turned in the idol. He will definetely go down in history for that! Also, did you see in the previews they are all running after Russell seeing if he finds the idol and trying to keep him from finding it! He is ruling this season! Hate Laura and want her to go next. Too smug!!!!
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11-13-2009 @ 4:28PM
Echy said...
I think that was the first time that a hidden immunity idol was played successfully. It was fantastic!. While I too didn't like Russell at the beginning of the season I am rooting for him to win. All Foa Foa has to do is make sure Shambo is on board and block vote for a poor fire maker. Great job Russell.
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