Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Redemption Island: Episode 2
Episodes like this completely redeem my faith in Survivor, especially after last season's debacle. I reveled in every minute of the show, watching people outmanuever one another as if they were playing an epic chess match.
Candidates for the LVP award for this episode were Russell & Matt, but Kristina stole the prize with her huge mis-play of her idol. In contention for the MVP battle were Ralph & Boston Rob, but they both ended up losing in a tight race to the Old Spice Man, who is back on the air! He's one of the only people I can think of that will make me stop fastforwarding a show to actually watch a commercial. That's right: Old Spice Man is more powerful than DVR.
Another thing that's exciting in the Suvivor Pool game is my neat little spreadsheet, which you can now access in the right navigation pane. Check out my line graph too which will track our scores throughout the season! And now, for my Oscar-winning acceptance speech: thanks to Kelly, whose Top Chef blog came up with this idea first; to Doug, who helped me figure out how to make my spreadsheet into a Google doc; and to the Wii Play Island board game, for teaching me how much fun line graphs can be.
The Standings
Team Evil Crushell: Courtney - 30 pts
1. Evil Russell (10 pts)
2. Sarita (10 pts)
3. Julie (10 pts)
Team Cockydoodlebug: Doug/Bri - 20 pts
1. Grant (0 pts)
2. Rooster (20 pts)
3. Andrea (0 pts)
Team Fabioesque: Dachui - 20 pts
1. Mike (10 pts)
2. Matt (0 pts)
3. Stephanie (10 pts)
Team ???: Moon - 18 pts
1. Boston Rob (0 pts)
2. David (8 pts)
3. Krista (10 pts)
Team Haterz Gonna Hate: Bag - 15 pts
1. Francesca (0 pts)
2. Kristina (5 pts)
3. Steve (10 pts)
Team Brief(s): Me - 0 pts
1. Phillip (0 pts)
2. Ashley (0 pts)
3. Natalie (0 pts)
Power Rankings
1. Team Cockydoodlebug - Doug & Bri picked Rooster for entertainment purposes, but little did we all know that they also nabbed a real gem. He's so unassuming with his accent, overalls, and man-sweater, but he's actually quite tricksy. I'm going to enjoy watching him mess with Evil Russell this season.
2. Team Fabioesque - Dachui took a hit with Matt now on RI, but he seems like a likely candidate to make it back on the show - he seems strong & smart and I like his chances. While he takes a vacation though, they still have Mike, who's probably one of the biggest threats to win the game. We'll see how it goes.
3. Team Evil Crushell - Honestly, trying to rank the top 4 teams so far is way too hard. Not enough is known about these players! Courtney is still ranked 3rd, mostly because I don't know anything about the ladies on this team. Will they be power players, coat tail riders, or possibly other loons that will keep Phillip company? Russell looks like he might be in trouble... again... but I'm not concerned yet.
4. Team ??? - I underestimated Boston Rob, though I'm happy to say I'm not the only one. Now though I think it's time to start leading his team to a win so he doesn't have to worry so much about managing his minions. Ranked 4th because Krista seems a little sketchy, David sitting out the last challenge seemed strange, and he hasn't come up with a team name yet. Although, honestly, a team name of question marks is starting to grow on me. :)
5. Team Haterz Gonna Hate - I'm starting to realize how appropriate Bag's team name is. Not only do other people hate Bag's team, but Bag will start to hate it too. I think the contestants will start to hate themselves too over time. I really liked Francesca's attitude when she arrived at RI, and I hope she keeps it up. But what I think will end up happening is that she'll become a miserable wreck who may be broken after too long in solitude, or after having to deal with Phillip again.
6. Team Brief(s) - Bag's team is in really bad shape, but he doesn't have Phillip, which means his team is still better than mine. The only saving grace for this team is that I picked Ashley, and not Andrea... I have trouble keeping the two blondes separate. On the other hand I don't think we've even seen Ashley on the show. She reminds me of Brett from Survivor Samoa. Remember that guy? Of course you don't!
Candidates for the LVP award for this episode were Russell & Matt, but Kristina stole the prize with her huge mis-play of her idol. In contention for the MVP battle were Ralph & Boston Rob, but they both ended up losing in a tight race to the Old Spice Man, who is back on the air! He's one of the only people I can think of that will make me stop fastforwarding a show to actually watch a commercial. That's right: Old Spice Man is more powerful than DVR.
Another thing that's exciting in the Suvivor Pool game is my neat little spreadsheet, which you can now access in the right navigation pane. Check out my line graph too which will track our scores throughout the season! And now, for my Oscar-winning acceptance speech: thanks to Kelly, whose Top Chef blog came up with this idea first; to Doug, who helped me figure out how to make my spreadsheet into a Google doc; and to the Wii Play Island board game, for teaching me how much fun line graphs can be.
The Standings
Team Evil Crushell: Courtney - 30 pts
1. Evil Russell (10 pts)
2. Sarita (10 pts)
3. Julie (10 pts)
Team Cockydoodlebug: Doug/Bri - 20 pts
1. Grant (0 pts)
2. Rooster (20 pts)
3. Andrea (0 pts)
Team Fabioesque: Dachui - 20 pts
1. Mike (10 pts)
2. Matt (0 pts)
3. Stephanie (10 pts)
Team ???: Moon - 18 pts
1. Boston Rob (0 pts)
2. David (8 pts)
3. Krista (10 pts)
Team Haterz Gonna Hate: Bag - 15 pts
1. Francesca (0 pts)
2. Kristina (5 pts)
3. Steve (10 pts)
Team Brief(s): Me - 0 pts
1. Phillip (0 pts)
2. Ashley (0 pts)
3. Natalie (0 pts)
Power Rankings
1. Team Cockydoodlebug - Doug & Bri picked Rooster for entertainment purposes, but little did we all know that they also nabbed a real gem. He's so unassuming with his accent, overalls, and man-sweater, but he's actually quite tricksy. I'm going to enjoy watching him mess with Evil Russell this season.
2. Team Fabioesque - Dachui took a hit with Matt now on RI, but he seems like a likely candidate to make it back on the show - he seems strong & smart and I like his chances. While he takes a vacation though, they still have Mike, who's probably one of the biggest threats to win the game. We'll see how it goes.
3. Team Evil Crushell - Honestly, trying to rank the top 4 teams so far is way too hard. Not enough is known about these players! Courtney is still ranked 3rd, mostly because I don't know anything about the ladies on this team. Will they be power players, coat tail riders, or possibly other loons that will keep Phillip company? Russell looks like he might be in trouble... again... but I'm not concerned yet.
4. Team ??? - I underestimated Boston Rob, though I'm happy to say I'm not the only one. Now though I think it's time to start leading his team to a win so he doesn't have to worry so much about managing his minions. Ranked 4th because Krista seems a little sketchy, David sitting out the last challenge seemed strange, and he hasn't come up with a team name yet. Although, honestly, a team name of question marks is starting to grow on me. :)
5. Team Haterz Gonna Hate - I'm starting to realize how appropriate Bag's team name is. Not only do other people hate Bag's team, but Bag will start to hate it too. I think the contestants will start to hate themselves too over time. I really liked Francesca's attitude when she arrived at RI, and I hope she keeps it up. But what I think will end up happening is that she'll become a miserable wreck who may be broken after too long in solitude, or after having to deal with Phillip again.
6. Team Brief(s) - Bag's team is in really bad shape, but he doesn't have Phillip, which means his team is still better than mine. The only saving grace for this team is that I picked Ashley, and not Andrea... I have trouble keeping the two blondes separate. On the other hand I don't think we've even seen Ashley on the show. She reminds me of Brett from Survivor Samoa. Remember that guy? Of course you don't!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Survivor Redemption Island: The Draft
Yay! It's that time of year again, when I clean the dust off this blog, and start making judgments on others based on little to no information.
In Phillip's case I think we have more than enough information (talking over people, claiming he can read people when he cleary cannot, his fuscia underwear) to determine that the man is a loon. But a really exciting loon! Maybe the next Coach? I hope he sticks around for a while, not just because he's my pick, but because I love how much he can piss off the other players.
Overall I'm super excited for this season. Last season was a HUGE let down, and I hope that this season will redeem the series. Already I think that the twists for the show & the contestants on the show are a vast improvement! Something else that's also been improved since last season is...
The Rules
Our rules get more refined every season, and this one is no exception. Because we now have so many different ways to earn/lose points, I've split the ways in which players can earn points into different categories:
Placement Points
1st Place: 45 (+15 for sweep)
2nd Place: 30
3rd Place: 20 (+10 if makes jury)
Jury: 10
Challenge Points
Win team reward challenge: 2
Win team immunity challenge: 3
Win individual reward challenge: 4
Win individual immunity challenge: 6
Invited to share reward challenge: 1
Sit out a challenge: -2
Hidden Immunity Idol Points
Find the hidden immunity idol: 10
Play hidden immunity idol (success v. fail): 10/-5
If you play hidden immunity idol unsuccessfully during the last tribal council you can play it: 0
If you don't play your immunity idol on the last day you can play it (whether necessary or not): -5
Plays a fake immunity idol: -10
Creator of fake immunity idol, if played: 5
Redemption Island Points
Win battle on Redemption Island: 1
Get back on the tribe from Redemption Island: 3
Miscellaneous Points
Buy bad item at auction/don't buy an item at auction: -2
Buy good item at auction: 2
Fan Favorite: 5
Quitters: -10
The Picks
Team Evil Crushell: Courtney - 15 pts
1. Evil Russell (5 pts)
2. Sarita (5 pts)
3. Julie (5 pts)
Team Haterz Gonna Hate: Bag - 15 pts
1. Francesca (0 pts) (on Redemption Island)
2. Kristina (10 pts)
3. Steve (5 pts)
Team ??: Moon - 10 pts
1. Boston Rob (0 pts)
2. David (5 pts)
3. Krista (5 pts)
Team Fabioesque: Dachui - 10 pts
1. Mike (5 pts)
2. Matt (0 pts)
3. Stephanie (5 pts)
Team ??: Doug/Bri - 5 pts
1. Grant (0 pts)
2. Rooster (5 pts)
3. Andrea (0 pts)
Team Brief(s): Me - 0 pts
1. Phillip (0 pts)
2. Ashley (0 pts)
3. Natalie (0 pts)
Power Rankings
Other Peoples' Power Rankings
I took a poll before watching the first episode to see who everyone thought had the strongest and weakest teams. Although varied and biased (some people chose themselves, others thought they couldn't choose themselves, some people voted Moon's as the worst for tradition, etc.) the general feel was that Dachui had the best team, and Courtney had the worst. After the first episode, though, I think everyone agrees that Bag & I are the bottom-dwellers this season.
The Real Power Rankings =)
1. Team Fabioesque - Dachui is coming on strong after their first win. No Superbowl Slump for them! I like they're team because it's really dynamic. They have Mike (the #1 pick overall), who seemed both determined and capable of bringing down Evil Russell. They have Stephanie, who is in Evil Russell's alliance & will likely get far if Evil Russell wins the war of Mike v. Russ.
2. Team Moon - I really like Moon's team. Again, it has a nice diversity in its players, and I don't think losing any 1 of these people would ruin his chances of winning, which is really huge. Boston Rob is a canny player, and I think he'll do really well, despite the disadvantage of being an easy target for the other players.
3. Team Evil Crushell - Courtney bet it all on Evil Russell, and if you're going to gamble with any of these players, he's the best one to do it with. All her players are on Russell's team, and if Russell does well I think Courtney will start to take a huge lead over the rest of us. It all depends on him though, and things could go downhill really fast.
4. Team Doug/Bri - I think Grant could be a contender, but will his strength work against him? He could easily be eliminated shortly after the merge just for his size alone. Rooster seems like a nice guy, but I honestly don't see him lasting too long. Really, most of Doug/Bri's team is still unknown, so we'll just have to wait and see!
5. Team Haterz Gonna Hate - Bag's team is suffering from association with my team. On the plus side, while one of his players was voted out this week, she didn't REALLY get voted out. Francesca has a chance to come back. (If she does I hope they give her immunity or something for the first week back, otherwise I'm afraid they'll just send her right back to the Island.) And I think Francesca is crafty enough that she might do well if she's allowed back in. Kristina is pretty screwed, but I love that she held on to her immunity idol. Nice move.
6. Team Brief(s) - My team is a laughingstock, and I'm not going to kid myself about it: I don't have a chance this season. But I'm happy to serve as the comic relief for a season, especially one that looks to be quite entertaining! I went into this season with a very specific game plan: get Evil Russ if I could, but not anyone else from his tribe. Russell has a knack for taking out his own, and I thought it was in my best interest to avoid him if possible. So far this plan looks dumb. As does choosing Phillip in the first round.
In Phillip's case I think we have more than enough information (talking over people, claiming he can read people when he cleary cannot, his fuscia underwear) to determine that the man is a loon. But a really exciting loon! Maybe the next Coach? I hope he sticks around for a while, not just because he's my pick, but because I love how much he can piss off the other players.
Overall I'm super excited for this season. Last season was a HUGE let down, and I hope that this season will redeem the series. Already I think that the twists for the show & the contestants on the show are a vast improvement! Something else that's also been improved since last season is...
The Rules
Our rules get more refined every season, and this one is no exception. Because we now have so many different ways to earn/lose points, I've split the ways in which players can earn points into different categories:
Placement Points
1st Place: 45 (+15 for sweep)
2nd Place: 30
3rd Place: 20 (+10 if makes jury)
Jury: 10
Challenge Points
Win team reward challenge: 2
Win team immunity challenge: 3
Win individual reward challenge: 4
Win individual immunity challenge: 6
Invited to share reward challenge: 1
Sit out a challenge: -2
Hidden Immunity Idol Points
Find the hidden immunity idol: 10
Play hidden immunity idol (success v. fail): 10/-5
If you play hidden immunity idol unsuccessfully during the last tribal council you can play it: 0
If you don't play your immunity idol on the last day you can play it (whether necessary or not): -5
Plays a fake immunity idol: -10
Creator of fake immunity idol, if played: 5
Redemption Island Points
Win battle on Redemption Island: 1
Get back on the tribe from Redemption Island: 3
Miscellaneous Points
Buy bad item at auction/don't buy an item at auction: -2
Buy good item at auction: 2
Fan Favorite: 5
Quitters: -10
The Picks
Team Evil Crushell: Courtney - 15 pts
1. Evil Russell (5 pts)
2. Sarita (5 pts)
3. Julie (5 pts)
Team Haterz Gonna Hate: Bag - 15 pts
1. Francesca (0 pts) (on Redemption Island)
2. Kristina (10 pts)
3. Steve (5 pts)
Team ??: Moon - 10 pts
1. Boston Rob (0 pts)
2. David (5 pts)
3. Krista (5 pts)
Team Fabioesque: Dachui - 10 pts
1. Mike (5 pts)
2. Matt (0 pts)
3. Stephanie (5 pts)
Team ??: Doug/Bri - 5 pts
1. Grant (0 pts)
2. Rooster (5 pts)
3. Andrea (0 pts)
Team Brief(s): Me - 0 pts
1. Phillip (0 pts)
2. Ashley (0 pts)
3. Natalie (0 pts)
Power Rankings
Other Peoples' Power Rankings
I took a poll before watching the first episode to see who everyone thought had the strongest and weakest teams. Although varied and biased (some people chose themselves, others thought they couldn't choose themselves, some people voted Moon's as the worst for tradition, etc.) the general feel was that Dachui had the best team, and Courtney had the worst. After the first episode, though, I think everyone agrees that Bag & I are the bottom-dwellers this season.
The Real Power Rankings =)
1. Team Fabioesque - Dachui is coming on strong after their first win. No Superbowl Slump for them! I like they're team because it's really dynamic. They have Mike (the #1 pick overall), who seemed both determined and capable of bringing down Evil Russell. They have Stephanie, who is in Evil Russell's alliance & will likely get far if Evil Russell wins the war of Mike v. Russ.
2. Team Moon - I really like Moon's team. Again, it has a nice diversity in its players, and I don't think losing any 1 of these people would ruin his chances of winning, which is really huge. Boston Rob is a canny player, and I think he'll do really well, despite the disadvantage of being an easy target for the other players.
3. Team Evil Crushell - Courtney bet it all on Evil Russell, and if you're going to gamble with any of these players, he's the best one to do it with. All her players are on Russell's team, and if Russell does well I think Courtney will start to take a huge lead over the rest of us. It all depends on him though, and things could go downhill really fast.
4. Team Doug/Bri - I think Grant could be a contender, but will his strength work against him? He could easily be eliminated shortly after the merge just for his size alone. Rooster seems like a nice guy, but I honestly don't see him lasting too long. Really, most of Doug/Bri's team is still unknown, so we'll just have to wait and see!
5. Team Haterz Gonna Hate - Bag's team is suffering from association with my team. On the plus side, while one of his players was voted out this week, she didn't REALLY get voted out. Francesca has a chance to come back. (If she does I hope they give her immunity or something for the first week back, otherwise I'm afraid they'll just send her right back to the Island.) And I think Francesca is crafty enough that she might do well if she's allowed back in. Kristina is pretty screwed, but I love that she held on to her immunity idol. Nice move.
6. Team Brief(s) - My team is a laughingstock, and I'm not going to kid myself about it: I don't have a chance this season. But I'm happy to serve as the comic relief for a season, especially one that looks to be quite entertaining! I went into this season with a very specific game plan: get Evil Russ if I could, but not anyone else from his tribe. Russell has a knack for taking out his own, and I thought it was in my best interest to avoid him if possible. So far this plan looks dumb. As does choosing Phillip in the first round.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Survivor Nicaragua: Episode 14
Sorry for the delay (wow, I feel like that's how most of my blog posts have started this season), but it's tough to post while enjoying a wonderful vacation. Actually, I'm not really sorry about that. As Bag mentioned in the comments from my last post, Dachui did manage a come back win, although that's not why I haven't posted. Congrats to Richey & Danielle! Getting their first Survivor Pool win must be the cherry on top of what has already been a great year, what with the wedding & Italian honeymoon.
Final Standings:
Team Blonde Bimbos: Dachui - 142 points
1. Chase (53 pts)
2. Jimmy J. (0 pts)
3. Fabio (89 pts)
Team Black Snake Widow: Me - 87 points
1. Brenda (32 pts)
2. Alina (28 pts)
3. Holly (27 pts)
Team Sanity Crushers: Courtney - 75 points
1. Jane (28 pts)
2. Benry (34 pts)
3. Kelly (13 pts)
Team Klepto: Moon - 72 points
1. Jill (11 pts)
2. Dan (19 pts)
3. NaOnka (42 pts)
Team Cactus: Doug/Bri - 44 points
1. Marty (17 pts)
2. Purple Kelly (25 pts)
3. Yve (2 pts)
Team SuccoSash: Baggins - 40 points
1. Sash (38 pts)
2. Tyrone (2 pts)
3. Jimmy T (0 pts)
The final score was actually a lot closer than it looks. If Fabio hadn't won the final immunity challenge, he certainly would have finished in 4th place. I believe that in a final 3 of Holly, Chase & Sash that Holly would have won. So let's say that Chase won the final challenge instead of Fabio - Dachui would still get that 6 points, but Fabio would have only gotten 10 points for making the jury. If Holly wins & gets the 45 points for 1st place, even if Chase still comes in 2nd, the final score would be Dachui 107 and Me 122. Pretty crazy!
Survivor: Redemption Island
Next season is season 22 - Redemption Island. They're going back to Nicaragua, and the premiere airs February 16, 2011. I'm still fuzzy on the details of how this will work, but essentially every time someone gets voted out they go into a one-on-one battle with someone else who got voted out. Whoever loses gets booted from the show permanently. I don't know if the person who wins gets to immediately re-join the other contestants, or has to stay in exile and keep battling others who show up. I'm guessing it's the former or else this wouldn't be too big of a twist.
So, if my guess is right, Survivor has basically just ripped off The Challenge (formerly known as the Real World/Road Rules Challenge). I'm pretty okay with this since I think The Challenge is a great show, but that it gets dragged down by the drunken shenanigans of the twentysomethings who all have serious emotional problems. There will probably be more of that than in a typical Survivor season, but without the booze I think it will make this season much better.
The other "surprise" is that they're bringing back Evil Russ & Boston Rob to be the captains of the different tribes. Since Evil Russ is the most entertaining player of all time and he and Rob despise each other, I think this will be awesome.
Future Rule Changes
As always, my mind turns to the future of the Survivor Pool, and what fun new twists (or minor adjustments) we can make to our own game. I've put a few of the suggestions below, but please feel free to comment with other suggestions too. If you don't write it down, I'm not going to remember it. So either write it here, remember it yourself, or hold your tongue when your brilliant idea didn't get added to the newfangled rules.
- Bonus points for having the player picked as fan favorite
- Not losing points for "mis-playing" the immunity idol at the last tribal council when you can. Possibly losing points if you don't?
- Definitely need a rule for their Battle Royale thing that's happening next season. Should the winner of the challenge earn points? Or should we just start making players lose points for getting completely voted off the show?
- Point deduction for owning a pony that quits. Possibly doing the same for Medevacs.
Final Standings:
Team Blonde Bimbos: Dachui - 142 points
1. Chase (53 pts)
2. Jimmy J. (0 pts)
3. Fabio (89 pts)
Team Black Snake Widow: Me - 87 points
1. Brenda (32 pts)
2. Alina (28 pts)
3. Holly (27 pts)
Team Sanity Crushers: Courtney - 75 points
1. Jane (28 pts)
2. Benry (34 pts)
3. Kelly (13 pts)
Team Klepto: Moon - 72 points
1. Jill (11 pts)
2. Dan (19 pts)
3. NaOnka (42 pts)
Team Cactus: Doug/Bri - 44 points
1. Marty (17 pts)
2. Purple Kelly (25 pts)
3. Yve (2 pts)
Team SuccoSash: Baggins - 40 points
1. Sash (38 pts)
2. Tyrone (2 pts)
3. Jimmy T (0 pts)
The final score was actually a lot closer than it looks. If Fabio hadn't won the final immunity challenge, he certainly would have finished in 4th place. I believe that in a final 3 of Holly, Chase & Sash that Holly would have won. So let's say that Chase won the final challenge instead of Fabio - Dachui would still get that 6 points, but Fabio would have only gotten 10 points for making the jury. If Holly wins & gets the 45 points for 1st place, even if Chase still comes in 2nd, the final score would be Dachui 107 and Me 122. Pretty crazy!
Survivor: Redemption Island
Next season is season 22 - Redemption Island. They're going back to Nicaragua, and the premiere airs February 16, 2011. I'm still fuzzy on the details of how this will work, but essentially every time someone gets voted out they go into a one-on-one battle with someone else who got voted out. Whoever loses gets booted from the show permanently. I don't know if the person who wins gets to immediately re-join the other contestants, or has to stay in exile and keep battling others who show up. I'm guessing it's the former or else this wouldn't be too big of a twist.
So, if my guess is right, Survivor has basically just ripped off The Challenge (formerly known as the Real World/Road Rules Challenge). I'm pretty okay with this since I think The Challenge is a great show, but that it gets dragged down by the drunken shenanigans of the twentysomethings who all have serious emotional problems. There will probably be more of that than in a typical Survivor season, but without the booze I think it will make this season much better.
The other "surprise" is that they're bringing back Evil Russ & Boston Rob to be the captains of the different tribes. Since Evil Russ is the most entertaining player of all time and he and Rob despise each other, I think this will be awesome.
Future Rule Changes
As always, my mind turns to the future of the Survivor Pool, and what fun new twists (or minor adjustments) we can make to our own game. I've put a few of the suggestions below, but please feel free to comment with other suggestions too. If you don't write it down, I'm not going to remember it. So either write it here, remember it yourself, or hold your tongue when your brilliant idea didn't get added to the newfangled rules.
- Bonus points for having the player picked as fan favorite
- Not losing points for "mis-playing" the immunity idol at the last tribal council when you can. Possibly losing points if you don't?
- Definitely need a rule for their Battle Royale thing that's happening next season. Should the winner of the challenge earn points? Or should we just start making players lose points for getting completely voted off the show?
- Point deduction for owning a pony that quits. Possibly doing the same for Medevacs.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Survivor Nicaragua: Episode 13
Quick update on the scores, so everyone can be on the edge of their seats during the finale:
Black Snake Swim Coach - 77 points
Sanity Crushed - 75 points
Just Dan's Arms - 62 points
Blonde Bimbos - 55 points
Sad Cactus - 44 points
SuccoSash - 20 points
I'll have more thoughts & updates after Sunday's finale!
Black Snake Swim Coach - 77 points
Sanity Crushed - 75 points
Just Dan's Arms - 62 points
Blonde Bimbos - 55 points
Sad Cactus - 44 points
SuccoSash - 20 points
I'll have more thoughts & updates after Sunday's finale!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Survivor Nicaragua: Episode 12
Sorry for the delay on the blog post. I dedicate this post to my sister, who has been bugging me to write it. Without her, this post would just be an updated score. Instead, I actually put some effort into it!
The reason for my delay is that I'm unmotivated to post now that we've all agreed that this is one of the worst seasons in Survivor history. And hey, since we're on that topic, why don't we go ahead and rank them?
Power Rankings of Survivor Seasons:
20. Season 9 Vanuatu, winner: Chris Daugherty
19. Season 21 Nicaragua, winner: ??*
18. Season 5 Thailand, winner Brian Heidik
17. Season 12 Panama (Exile Island), winner Aras Baskauskas
16. Season 3 Africa, winner Ethan Zohn
15. Season 6 The Amazon, winner Jenna Morasca
14. Season 17 Gabon, winner Bob Crowley
13. Season 11Guatemala, winner Danni Boatwright
12. Season 8 All-Stars, winner Amber Brkich
11. Season 15 China, winner Todd Herzog
10. Season 10 Palau, winner Tom Westman
9. Season 18 Tocantins, winner JT Thomas
8. Season 2 Australian Outback, winner Tina Wesson
7. Season 19 Samoa, winner Natalie White
6. Season 7 Pearl Islands, winner Sandra Diaz-Twine
5. Season 13 Cook Islands, winner Yul Kwon
4. Season 16 Fans v. Favorites, winner Parvati Shallow
3. Season 14 Fiji, winner Earl Cole
2. Season 1 Borneo, winner Richard Hatch
1. Season 20 Heroes v. Villains, winner Sandra Diaz-Twine
*This season could move up depending on how the last few episodes go, but that seems pretty unlikely.
**Season 4: Marquesas doesn't make this list. It's the only season I didn't watch, so it'd be unfair to judge it against the others.
Standings:
Team Black Snake Widow: Me - 76 points
[1. Brenda (32 pts)]
[2. Alina (28 pts)]
3. Holly (16 pts)
Team Sanity Crushers: Courtney - 65 points
1. Jane (18 pts)
[2. Benry (34 pts)]
[3. Kelly (13 pts)]
Team Klepto: Moon - 62 points
[1. Jill (11 pts)]
2. Dan (9 pts)
[3. NaOnka (42 pts)]
Team Blonde Bimbos: Dachui - 50 points
1. Chase (24 pts)
[2. Jimmy J. (0 pts)]
3. Fabio (26 pts)
Team Cactus: Doug/Bri - 44 points
[1. Marty (17 pts)]
[2. Purple Kelly (25 pts)]
[3. Yve (2 pts)]
Team SuccoSash: Baggins - 24 points
1. Sash (22 pts)
[2. Tyrone (2 pts)]
[3. Jimmy T (0 pts)]
Power Rankings:
This pool could be one of the closest we've ever had, but it's hard to get excited about a close race when it's a race between dregs. If Survivor ever did an All Stars season again, they'd be hard-pressed to find someone from this season worthy enough to make it. Brenda maybe, or Jill? Although they'd contribute a lot to a Survivor: Quitters v. Clutzes season.***
1. Sanity Crushers - Everyone says that Jane will win if she makes it to the finals, so everyone wants to vote her out. But there's a definite Colby/Tina relationship developing between Jane & Chase, and I could definitely see him giving her the win in this situation. He's all heart, no greed. I don't think that the money is nearly as important to him as maintaining good relationships, and feeling good about vastly improving someone else's life.
2. Black Snake Widow - I'm so happy I ended up with Holly instead of Nay. The dreggiest of the dregs. In the end, Nay earned herself 42 points and 0 respect. Holly's guaranteed a minimum of 26 points, and the respect of at least this Survivor fan. She's actually a pretty good balance of under-the-radar, physical threat, caring about others, but still being crafty. She's the one who made the huge move to get rid of Brenda. I suspect she's the one who initiated the ousting of Benry. She'll be the one, if any, who gets Jane eliminated from the game. I think she's has a good chance to make the finals. Then we'll see if she has Amanda Kimmel syndrome, or if she can actually talk her way to $1,000,000.
3. Blond Bimbos - Dachui is still in this game. They're the only team left with 2 players, they have the best chance of winning immunities, and Chase has an immunity idol. There's the potential for a lot of ground to be made up by this team. If Fabio wins the next immunity challenge, he could definitely make the finals. But ultimately the question is, will Chase go for the win, or for the love?
4. Klepto - I think Dan's going to make it to the finals, alliances be damned. I mean really, who among the remaining players wouldn't take him? He's contributed nothing, his alliances never really stuck together, he's rich. He has no chance of winning. Sadly, a 2nd or 3rd place finish probably isn't enough for Moon to win the pool, though.
5. SuccoSash - Believe it or not, but Bag still has a chance of winning this pool. It would involve a) winning a couple reward/immunity challenges, b) successfully playing his immunity idol, c) winning the game, and d) either sweeping the votes, or having specific players going to the final 3 with him. If he can do that, this would be the biggest upset in Survivor Pool history!
6. No More Cactus - Is a purple cactus better than no cactus at all?
***Survivor "All-Stars": Quitters v. Clutzes
Team Quitter: Obviously this team's color would have to be yellow. This would definitely be the underdog team going into the season, even though they do have a former winner in their ranks!
- Sue Hawk (All Stars)
- Osten Taylor (Pearl Islands)
- Jenna Morasca (All Stars)
- Janu Tornell (Palau)
- Kathleen Sleckman (Fans v. Faves)
- Nay (Nicaragua)
- Purple Cactus (Nicaragua).
Team Clutz, aka, Team Medevac: The team that injured themselves out of a million dollars. Probably they'd have to be given red as their color, considering that the reasons they've been evacuated have included fire, fire ants, excessive bleeding, etc. Going into the season they'd be a person short, but given the track records, they probably don't even have to win a challenge to even things up. Michael FTW in this season.
- Michael Skupin (Australia)
- Bruce Kanegai (Panama)
- Gary Stritesky (Fiji)
- Joe Dowdle (Tocantins)
- Mike Borassi (Samoa)
- Russell Swan (Samoa)
p.s. I would definitely watch this season if it was ever made. The potential for hilarity, embarrassment, and yes, even redemption, would be huge!
The reason for my delay is that I'm unmotivated to post now that we've all agreed that this is one of the worst seasons in Survivor history. And hey, since we're on that topic, why don't we go ahead and rank them?
Power Rankings of Survivor Seasons:
20. Season 9 Vanuatu, winner: Chris Daugherty
19. Season 21 Nicaragua, winner: ??*
18. Season 5 Thailand, winner Brian Heidik
17. Season 12 Panama (Exile Island), winner Aras Baskauskas
16. Season 3 Africa, winner Ethan Zohn
15. Season 6 The Amazon, winner Jenna Morasca
14. Season 17 Gabon, winner Bob Crowley
13. Season 11Guatemala, winner Danni Boatwright
12. Season 8 All-Stars, winner Amber Brkich
11. Season 15 China, winner Todd Herzog
10. Season 10 Palau, winner Tom Westman
9. Season 18 Tocantins, winner JT Thomas
8. Season 2 Australian Outback, winner Tina Wesson
7. Season 19 Samoa, winner Natalie White
6. Season 7 Pearl Islands, winner Sandra Diaz-Twine
5. Season 13 Cook Islands, winner Yul Kwon
4. Season 16 Fans v. Favorites, winner Parvati Shallow
3. Season 14 Fiji, winner Earl Cole
2. Season 1 Borneo, winner Richard Hatch
1. Season 20 Heroes v. Villains, winner Sandra Diaz-Twine
*This season could move up depending on how the last few episodes go, but that seems pretty unlikely.
**Season 4: Marquesas doesn't make this list. It's the only season I didn't watch, so it'd be unfair to judge it against the others.
Standings:
Team Black Snake Widow: Me - 76 points
[1. Brenda (32 pts)]
[2. Alina (28 pts)]
3. Holly (16 pts)
Team Sanity Crushers: Courtney - 65 points
1. Jane (18 pts)
[2. Benry (34 pts)]
[3. Kelly (13 pts)]
Team Klepto: Moon - 62 points
[1. Jill (11 pts)]
2. Dan (9 pts)
[3. NaOnka (42 pts)]
Team Blonde Bimbos: Dachui - 50 points
1. Chase (24 pts)
[2. Jimmy J. (0 pts)]
3. Fabio (26 pts)
Team Cactus: Doug/Bri - 44 points
[1. Marty (17 pts)]
[2. Purple Kelly (25 pts)]
[3. Yve (2 pts)]
Team SuccoSash: Baggins - 24 points
1. Sash (22 pts)
[2. Tyrone (2 pts)]
[3. Jimmy T (0 pts)]
Power Rankings:
This pool could be one of the closest we've ever had, but it's hard to get excited about a close race when it's a race between dregs. If Survivor ever did an All Stars season again, they'd be hard-pressed to find someone from this season worthy enough to make it. Brenda maybe, or Jill? Although they'd contribute a lot to a Survivor: Quitters v. Clutzes season.***
1. Sanity Crushers - Everyone says that Jane will win if she makes it to the finals, so everyone wants to vote her out. But there's a definite Colby/Tina relationship developing between Jane & Chase, and I could definitely see him giving her the win in this situation. He's all heart, no greed. I don't think that the money is nearly as important to him as maintaining good relationships, and feeling good about vastly improving someone else's life.
2. Black Snake Widow - I'm so happy I ended up with Holly instead of Nay. The dreggiest of the dregs. In the end, Nay earned herself 42 points and 0 respect. Holly's guaranteed a minimum of 26 points, and the respect of at least this Survivor fan. She's actually a pretty good balance of under-the-radar, physical threat, caring about others, but still being crafty. She's the one who made the huge move to get rid of Brenda. I suspect she's the one who initiated the ousting of Benry. She'll be the one, if any, who gets Jane eliminated from the game. I think she's has a good chance to make the finals. Then we'll see if she has Amanda Kimmel syndrome, or if she can actually talk her way to $1,000,000.
3. Blond Bimbos - Dachui is still in this game. They're the only team left with 2 players, they have the best chance of winning immunities, and Chase has an immunity idol. There's the potential for a lot of ground to be made up by this team. If Fabio wins the next immunity challenge, he could definitely make the finals. But ultimately the question is, will Chase go for the win, or for the love?
4. Klepto - I think Dan's going to make it to the finals, alliances be damned. I mean really, who among the remaining players wouldn't take him? He's contributed nothing, his alliances never really stuck together, he's rich. He has no chance of winning. Sadly, a 2nd or 3rd place finish probably isn't enough for Moon to win the pool, though.
5. SuccoSash - Believe it or not, but Bag still has a chance of winning this pool. It would involve a) winning a couple reward/immunity challenges, b) successfully playing his immunity idol, c) winning the game, and d) either sweeping the votes, or having specific players going to the final 3 with him. If he can do that, this would be the biggest upset in Survivor Pool history!
6. No More Cactus - Is a purple cactus better than no cactus at all?
***Survivor "All-Stars": Quitters v. Clutzes
Team Quitter: Obviously this team's color would have to be yellow. This would definitely be the underdog team going into the season, even though they do have a former winner in their ranks!
- Sue Hawk (All Stars)
- Osten Taylor (Pearl Islands)
- Jenna Morasca (All Stars)
- Janu Tornell (Palau)
- Kathleen Sleckman (Fans v. Faves)
- Nay (Nicaragua)
- Purple Cactus (Nicaragua).
Team Clutz, aka, Team Medevac: The team that injured themselves out of a million dollars. Probably they'd have to be given red as their color, considering that the reasons they've been evacuated have included fire, fire ants, excessive bleeding, etc. Going into the season they'd be a person short, but given the track records, they probably don't even have to win a challenge to even things up. Michael FTW in this season.
- Michael Skupin (Australia)
- Bruce Kanegai (Panama)
- Gary Stritesky (Fiji)
- Joe Dowdle (Tocantins)
- Mike Borassi (Samoa)
- Russell Swan (Samoa)
p.s. I would definitely watch this season if it was ever made. The potential for hilarity, embarrassment, and yes, even redemption, would be huge!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Survivor Nicaragua: Episode 11
I'm disappointed, but not overly surprised, by this episode. The whole season I felt like was a question about Nay's character. Was she a psycho bitch like she seemed, or was she actually a crazy mastermind who was making it work for her? I'd hoped she was the latter, but it turns out she was just a psycho bitch. Purple Cactus just did what she had to. Cacti don't like to have lots of rain - it's bad for them. The Cactus needed to get out or it would've drowned.
Honestly though, these two were obviously mentally weak. They both felt like they weren't in the majority &a had their backs up against the wall, and decided to quit. If they had felt like they were still in a safe position there's no way they would've quit like that. That sucks, and I have no respect for either of them, but considering who it was, it wasn't entirely unexpected.
I'm also disappointed by Jeff Probst. Usually in these sorts of situations he gives people a harder time. I hope he rips on them hardcore at the reunion show, because they don't deserve the sort of easy exit he gave them.
Top Ten Better Things Jeff Could’ve Done with Nay & Cactus’ Torches:
10. Snap them in half and throw them on the fire
9. Make them extinguish their own flames
8. Steal their torches, bury them in the woods, and then plead ignorance
7. Whack them over the heads with them
6. Extinguish them in a muddy puddle
5. Leave the Cactus’ torch with the tribe. Its presence will go unnoticed
4. Give them back to the tribe to use as firewood
3. Make them use their torches to joust – whoever wins gets to leave, the other has to spend another night out in the rain
2. Make it a race - whichever jury members grab them first get to rejoin the game
1. Use the torches as bars to lock Nay & Cactus out of Ponderosa. Quitters don’t deserve to stay. Let them find their own way home.
Standings:
Team Black Snake Widow: Me - 75 points
[1. Brenda (32 pts)]
[2. Alina (28 pts)]
3. Holly (15 pts)
Team Klepto: Moon - 62 points
[1. Jill (11 pts)]
2. Dan (9 pts)
[3. NaOnka (42 pts)]
Team Sanity Crushers: Courtney - 54 points
1. Jane (17 pts)
2. Benry (24 pts)
[3. Kelly (13 pts)]
Team Blonde Bimbos: Dachui - 46 points
1. Chase (20 pts)
[2. Jimmy J. (0 pts)]
3. Fabio (26 pts)
Team Cactus: Doug/Bri - 44 points
[1. Marty (17 pts)]
[2. Purple Kelly (25 pts)]
[3. Yve (2 pts)]
Team SuccoSash: Baggins - 18 points
1. Sash (16 pts)
[2. Tyrone (2 pts)]
[3. Jimmy T (0 pts)]
Power Rankings:
1. Sanity Crushers - Definitely the strongest team right now. Not only do the Sanity Crushers still have 2 players left in the game, but they're both doing well! They're laying pretty low, keeping an open mind to all their options, and I think one or maybe even both of them will make it to the finals.
2. Bimbos - I still don't think that Chase or Fabio can win, but there's definitely a chance that these two could win some immunity challenges. Plus, there's a big point bonus if Chase plays his gifted Immunity Idol at the right time. Although, knowing him, he'll probably panic & misplay it. But if all goes well, there's a chance they could both make the finals and pull it together at the end to eke out a win.
3. Black Snake Widow - Holly really stepped it up these past few episodes. It's nice to see her really come into her own, but at the same time that makes her an easy target. It seems like she's being too obvious in her attempts to make nice with everyone. I don't think she'll last much longer. Hopefully she'll win an immunity challenge to save her butt!
4. Klepto - Dan. That's all Moon has left. A 'roided up sextagenarian with two bum knees and no game plan whatsoever. He's not a threat, so he could go far, but he's not going to win many points in the meantime & I don't think Moon can get enough points together to compete for the title of Survivor Pool Champion.
5. SuccoSash - How did Sash somehow work his way back into a position of power? It looks like he'll get to choose the alliance of his choice, and he still has an immunity idol, so there's still a chance he could make the finals. Even if he won though, I don't think Bag will get enough points to win the pool.
6. Cactus - Our first elimination! Doug & Bri's team seemed good on paper, but as the season progressed they just couldn't get any momentum going. This was a tough season for them. Now they'll have to shift their focus & trash talking over to Top Chef: All Stars.
Honestly though, these two were obviously mentally weak. They both felt like they weren't in the majority &a had their backs up against the wall, and decided to quit. If they had felt like they were still in a safe position there's no way they would've quit like that. That sucks, and I have no respect for either of them, but considering who it was, it wasn't entirely unexpected.
I'm also disappointed by Jeff Probst. Usually in these sorts of situations he gives people a harder time. I hope he rips on them hardcore at the reunion show, because they don't deserve the sort of easy exit he gave them.
Top Ten Better Things Jeff Could’ve Done with Nay & Cactus’ Torches:
10. Snap them in half and throw them on the fire
9. Make them extinguish their own flames
8. Steal their torches, bury them in the woods, and then plead ignorance
7. Whack them over the heads with them
6. Extinguish them in a muddy puddle
5. Leave the Cactus’ torch with the tribe. Its presence will go unnoticed
4. Give them back to the tribe to use as firewood
3. Make them use their torches to joust – whoever wins gets to leave, the other has to spend another night out in the rain
2. Make it a race - whichever jury members grab them first get to rejoin the game
1. Use the torches as bars to lock Nay & Cactus out of Ponderosa. Quitters don’t deserve to stay. Let them find their own way home.
Standings:
Team Black Snake Widow: Me - 75 points
[1. Brenda (32 pts)]
[2. Alina (28 pts)]
3. Holly (15 pts)
Team Klepto: Moon - 62 points
[1. Jill (11 pts)]
2. Dan (9 pts)
[3. NaOnka (42 pts)]
Team Sanity Crushers: Courtney - 54 points
1. Jane (17 pts)
2. Benry (24 pts)
[3. Kelly (13 pts)]
Team Blonde Bimbos: Dachui - 46 points
1. Chase (20 pts)
[2. Jimmy J. (0 pts)]
3. Fabio (26 pts)
Team Cactus: Doug/Bri - 44 points
[1. Marty (17 pts)]
[2. Purple Kelly (25 pts)]
[3. Yve (2 pts)]
Team SuccoSash: Baggins - 18 points
1. Sash (16 pts)
[2. Tyrone (2 pts)]
[3. Jimmy T (0 pts)]
Power Rankings:
1. Sanity Crushers - Definitely the strongest team right now. Not only do the Sanity Crushers still have 2 players left in the game, but they're both doing well! They're laying pretty low, keeping an open mind to all their options, and I think one or maybe even both of them will make it to the finals.
2. Bimbos - I still don't think that Chase or Fabio can win, but there's definitely a chance that these two could win some immunity challenges. Plus, there's a big point bonus if Chase plays his gifted Immunity Idol at the right time. Although, knowing him, he'll probably panic & misplay it. But if all goes well, there's a chance they could both make the finals and pull it together at the end to eke out a win.
3. Black Snake Widow - Holly really stepped it up these past few episodes. It's nice to see her really come into her own, but at the same time that makes her an easy target. It seems like she's being too obvious in her attempts to make nice with everyone. I don't think she'll last much longer. Hopefully she'll win an immunity challenge to save her butt!
4. Klepto - Dan. That's all Moon has left. A 'roided up sextagenarian with two bum knees and no game plan whatsoever. He's not a threat, so he could go far, but he's not going to win many points in the meantime & I don't think Moon can get enough points together to compete for the title of Survivor Pool Champion.
5. SuccoSash - How did Sash somehow work his way back into a position of power? It looks like he'll get to choose the alliance of his choice, and he still has an immunity idol, so there's still a chance he could make the finals. Even if he won though, I don't think Bag will get enough points to win the pool.
6. Cactus - Our first elimination! Doug & Bri's team seemed good on paper, but as the season progressed they just couldn't get any momentum going. This was a tough season for them. Now they'll have to shift their focus & trash talking over to Top Chef: All Stars.
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