Despite my bold claims in my last post, Dean is somehow still in this competition. Guess I'm maybe not as good at this game as I thought... and our team's score backs that up!
Episode 6 was super interesting. I love the dynamic of the Vokai 4 starting out thusly: "We're totally going to rocks, we have no doubts at all. We're so strong. And by the way we think we're smarter than you, cooler than you, and our farts smell like roses." And then Elaine pulls out her secret advantage, and they be like:
Okay, my attempt to find Lauren actually crying on the show was a bust. But this gif from what I can only assume is from Breaking Bad is a close 2nd. Plus, the upside is that I found this gem of an article: https://ew.com/recap/survivor-season-39-episode-6/.
Except that I disagree with everything this writer says about Aaron. First, and obviously most importantly, Kevin Bacon only won in his Footloose game of chicken because of a shoelace entanglement. Not because he was brave and bold.
Second, I think Aaron should had stuck with original Vokai and screwed over his original alliance. Maybe I'm on a self-destructive kick here, but that just made more sense to me. He seemed to get along with them really well, he could assimilate during the chaos of the impending merge, and come out the other side on the majority alliance and feeling pretty comfortable.
Instead, he's back-stabbed potential alliance by bold-faced lying to them and anchored himself to a minority alliance who just got the "beyond the grave" message from Jason of "don't trust Aaron."
But I do applaud this article's deep dive into the durag incident, the history of Survivor, and any mention of Probst being a great host. Because let's all admit it, the man is a great host. One of the best in my opinion, along with this guy:
But back to social awareness: Jamal and Jack had a really important and meaningful conversation where they both came out looking like stand-up guys. When does that ever happen in reality TV? I may throw a lot of shade Survivor's way, especially ever since they introduce that horrifyingly bad fire challenge when down to 4. But this show really does have its moments.
Okay, I could go on, but quite frankly the article linked above will do it better. Plus I have a whole other episode to get to... and it's a good one too!
Keeping in theme with this post (but not, I promise, for the whole season) here's another Not-My-Recap that's totally worth reading: https://ew.com/recap/survivor-season-39-episode-7/. There's a deep dive into the "claims of women's alliances are sexist" theme of the tribal council that's super interesting. The author also really loves Kellee, and so do I. So we're clearly meant to be besties. Except that this guy's blog is so popular that Survivor pays for him to go on site and gets to test-run the challenges, so maybe this is more of a #frenemies situation. How has this blog not become internationally renowned, I ask you!?!
In any case, the talk of the town has to be Kellee's saving Dean and ousting Jack. To what end, Kellee? To what end? I'm all about the resume builder, but can she really trust Dean? And is it really a good idea to subvert your own majority alliance right before diving into a post-merge world? Am I opposed to this move just because I'm salty that Dean is still in the game? And if I keep asking questions and not blogging about the pool will you still read on?
Probably not, so let's get to it:
Power Rankings
1. Baggins - Tommy and Missy have been impressive all season, but even more importantly, Elizabeth is looking much savvier than her inaugural visit to the Island of the Idols. This team is poised to win individual challenges as well as drive many of the upcoming votes.
2. MoonBee - Another really good team, with Janet who continues to prove herself wise, crafty, and brazen.
3. Eric - Eric has Kellee and she's not on my team, which means there's hope! There's a nice mix of strategy and physicality on this team that I like. Plus Elaine is a dark horse that can't be ignored. I think this team has a shot, despite the Two Toms setback.
4. Phil - Has 5 players that made it to the merge which is huge... but 2 of them are Dean and I just can't help but feel like things aren't gonna end well because of it. Maybe it's just that this team feels like it's lacking in cleverness.
5. Michal & Ben - It feels like this season couldn't have gone worse for us, and yet we're somehow not the worst....
6. Doug & Bri - Will things turn around for this team now that we're merging? Karishma may end up earning them mad points via coattail riding. But I just don't think that will be enough to get this team a victory, and I don't see them earning a lot of points from challenges or idols either.
4 comments:
Great write up this week - the last couple episodes have felt a little more weighty than usual which I have enjoyed.
For some reason Aaron creeps me out. I get a weird feeling he would play a Survivor season to the death a la Hunger Games.
That Jeopardy moment from Monday was awesome. By the way, this week is the Tournament of Champions if anyone missed James Holzhauer's big run from earlier this year now is your chance to watch him win again.
This might be the woatliest season of Idol misplays/don't plays/give aways and we aren't even to the merge yet!
Aaron the killer cyborg is my DoW.
"One thing they’re not going to say at my funeral, as a part of a eulogy, is 'He was taken from us too soon,'" Trebek said.
I've questioned Trebek's value in the past. His derisiveness bleeds through his mediation, whereas Jeff Probst bleeds empathy. But Trebek's run-in with cancer has highlighted his unwavering professionalism. That moment of tenderness was moving because of its rarity. Perhaps Trebek won't be taken from us too soon. But he will be missed.
Baggins may run away with this. Great team.
Dan DoW. I don't believe his touchiness is sexual or nefarious. But it obviously disturbs his tribemates. They told him to stop and he hasn't.
Melissa & I love Missy and her presence on our team. But we both get the feeling she may be offed soon after the merge. She's too overtly shrewd. Survivor and Game of Thrones have taught us you have to live in the shadows to maintain power. Missy is reminiscent of Michaela, but operates with a little more cunning.
Agreed on Elizabeth, whose initial fangirlism belied impressive emotional control and precise strategy.
Janet seems like a terrific player. She's our only hope of upending Baggins.
Jamal is on my team but I have mixed feelings about him. He is conditioned to be offended by many words and actions. He was up in arms when do-rag was mentioned. Jack immediately understood and they talked it out. I had no idea there were racial feelings with that word. Was Jamal being sexist or stubborn when he brushed Kellee off while making fire.
The discussion about a women's alliance and women being offended by that term is also fascinating. When a women's alliance is mentioned I wonder why the men don't have an alliance. Why are the men so willing to assume there is a women's alliance? Is it worth getting offended over?
Uhara had it all figured out in the 23rd century when, on the show created by her former lover 50 years ago, she told Abraham Lincoln "See, in our century, we've learned not to fear words."
I know, I know, Dean was an horrible pick. He is way over-performing and I immediately felt like I repeated my previous poor decision making taking Rourk, I still don't know who she is...
Kellee is awesome, I love her and her strategic thinking, and giving my double down an idol he didn't deserve was just glorious!
I find Jamal to be very difficult to empathize with. His initial conversation with Jack about race was an excellent example of how to handle racial bias, educate and come to a new level of understanding. He turns around and seemed either exceptionally impatient or sexist towards Kellee making fire. I was surprised how the conversation escalated about an all girl alliance and how that was attached to sexism. It was funny when Noura had to own that she had not only thought about it but she had pitched it and at the same time everyone took exception to the insinuation of that alliance. I thought all the women demonstrated strength and poise in their handling of it and the discussion, one of the better messages taken from a tribal.
I had to laugh though that Jamal totally misplayed his idol, when he loses he's going to have that misstep to consider forever.
Alex Trebek is awesome and he did an interview on with Howard Stern a year or two ago that was fantastic and made me like him even more.
I hope that neither Sandra nor Rob are being considered for Probst's replacement, neither have the, "it" factor and if I have to look at Rob's facial hair anymore this season I'm going to need anti-nasuea medicine. I love the Island of the Idol concept I just haven't enjoyed the lessons or the feeling I get from our, "idols."
As always, awesome job with the blog and I fully support you being sent to field test challenges!
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