tocantins-related stories
Posted May 15th 2009 2:10AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S18E13) We're getting down to the wire for this season of
Survivor. The big three-hour finale and reunion show airs this coming Sunday. Of the five going into tonight's show, I think I would have only predicted JT be there at the beginning of the season. Stephen, the intellectual kind of nerdy guy? No way did I think he'd make it this far. Erinn was targeted early on. Taj, the best eye-roller since Eliza, is playing a delightfully sneaky game. Then there's the loon -- Coach. Sigh.
Continue reading Survivor: The Martyr Approach
Posted May 1st 2009 2:52AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S18E11) Yes, it's the Tribal Council snake from
Survivor. You see, Sue Hawk (season one) called it. Remember
her epic speech to Richard Hatch and Kelly Wiglesworth? "There are two things on this island, snakes and rats." I'm looking at the group we have left this season. I'm thinking there are more fuzzy mice than snakes and rats. I think there's a vulture or two in there, too. But this is one season I'm not rooting for the snake to eat the rat.
Continue reading Survivor: They Both Went Bananas
Posted Apr 24th 2009 1:04AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S18E10) As tonight's episode of
Survivor started, I prayed to the gods that it wouldn't be Coach-centric. Alas, there was plenty of Coach spouting his wisdom, his Warrior Alliance theories, and his general Coach-isms. After all, he is the Dragon Slayer, y'know. I so wish this Little Lord Fauntleroy Willie Nelson oddly-attired man would vanish from my television set. Maybe tonight?
Continue reading Survivor: It's Funny When People Cry
Posted Apr 17th 2009 1:18AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S18E09) No, the biggest fraud isn't JT. I think we all know the biggest fraud on
Survivor this season. He's the castaway we'd probably vote "Most Annoying." If we examine recent current events, we can see that many fraudsters are getting their just desserts. Will we be lucky enough to get Coach gone from our TV screens?
Continue reading Survivor: The Biggest Fraud in the Game
Posted Apr 10th 2009 1:07AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S18E08) I don't know. Is it just me or is this sexy librarian in a bikini look on Erinn from
Survivor just a bit unsettling? There seems to be an evil gleam in her eyes, too. Maybe she's considering some Donner Party action and Coach will be her target? Sigh. Nah, it would never happen. Mr. Lord "Willie Nelson" Fauntleroy is just too darn skinny.
The promos promised us a merge tonight. This could get interesting with secret cross-tribe alliances. Will the Exile Island Allies take over the game? Or will the numbers in Timbira squash the weaker Jalapao tribe one by one? Read on.
Continue reading Survivor: The Dragon Slayer
Posted Apr 3rd 2009 12:50AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S18E07) Phew! March Madness is over and we had a fresh episode of
Survivor on its regularly scheduled night! Although the episode title mentions Coach, I didn't want to use him in the image above. I've decided he's not Little Lord Fauntleroy -- he's Willie Nelson's odd spawn. You know ... the one they don't mention in public.
Joe (above) played a rather pivotal role in tonight's episode. he showed he's thinking ahead and he could have just flipped the whole game. Or maybe he just tried to flip the game not realizing he was flipping at all. Have I confused you yet? Read on!
Continue reading Survivor: One of Those Coach Moments
Posted Feb 27th 2009 3:30AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S18E03) Yep, yep ... that's maize in the maze on
Survivor. It looks like it's totally missing the bucket, doesn't it? Well, maybe, just maybe they weren't supposed to get it in the bucket. Perhaps it's something new and totally different. It could be they're filling their tops and holding a bucket just to make things a bit more challenging. Did you ever think of that? Or, it could be that I don't want to put any real spoilers before the jump.
Continue reading Survivor: Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This
Posted Feb 20th 2009 2:03AM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews

(S18E02) Why do I get the idea that Jeff Probst thinks the ultimate
Survivor show includes a blindside ouster of a castaway? Now, I like a good blindside as much as any show fan, but that's not what the show is all about to me. For me, the element of surprise is definitely a plus. However, it's as much about the scheming, the interaction between castaways, the challenges, and even whether I like the casting or not. Jeff was a happy camper because there was a blindside last week. I was a so-so camper about other issues. What about tonight?
Continue reading Survivor: The Poison Apple Needs to Go
Posted Feb 19th 2009 2:30PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Survivor

Possible spoiler follows, though I don't think so. But I'll still use the word "they" instead of "he" or "she."
It must be hard to go on a reality show. Besides the insults you're bound to get from viewers, critics, family, and friends (unless you win a bunch of money, of course), you have to leave your job for quite some time. Then again, if you're going on a reality show to live on an island or in a house or whatever, you're probably looking for another life for yourself anyway.
One of the contestants from
Survivor has been let go from their job. But they don't seem to care.
Continue reading Survivor contestant fired from job for going on TV
Posted Feb 12th 2009 10:07PM by Jackie Schnoop
Filed under: OpEd, Survivor, Episode Reviews
(S18E01) Yep, we're into the 18th season of
Survivor. Why, it seems like it was only yesterday that Richard Hatch was wandering about Borneo naked. Now, don't get me wrong -- I'm a big fan of the show. But what can they show us that's new and fresh after so many seasons, so many strategies? You see, I want to be entertained. I want fresh castaways, fresh locales, fresh challenges ... and even fresh monkeys! After all, no season of the show is complete without a monkey. If I had my way, every reality show would have a monkey.
Continue reading Survivor: Let's Get Rid of the Weak Players Before We Even Start (season premiere)