OK, with the Premier in the can, let me self-critique my preseason assessments. I included my own original excerpts:
>CAROLYN (White Collar) – “won’t take crap from people" "I’m not feeling any gravitational pull with Carolyn"
Well she certainly didn't take any crap from anyone. I didn't feel any gravitational pull with Carolyn...until she found the HII. In the game of Survivor possessing a HII has a way of creating enough physical force to push all kinds of bodily objects toward you.
>DAN (Blue Collar) – "A postal worker who is a self-proclaimed entire package” "I wouldn’t be surprised with an early departure here"
Let's emphasize "self-proclaimed" because I would never proclaim that. And after a most disturbing edit in his speedo, I am right (in more ways than one.) Has all the makings of an early boot.
>HALI (No Collar) – "I still think she has the makings of your quintessential coattail-rider."
Nothing in the Premier suggested otherwise.
>JENN (No Collar) – "Not that this is necessarily an ingredient for success on Survivor but her bio does suggest she’s pretty clueless about life."
I'm still thinking she's clueless about life but as stated it's not a necessary ingredient for success on Survivor. She came out of the Premier in arguably the best position of anyone.
>JOAQUIN (White Collar) – "Gotta love this guy…and I’m sure most of the females will do just that." "Biggest negative—Anti-Darwin Syndrome victim material."
Well we know one female in particular (fresh off a rebound) who loved him. If he goes pre-swap or pre-merge the ADS will have nothing to do with it. Although if he somehow makes the merge, the ADS will come into play again.
>JOE (No Collar) – “Dude looks like a lady” "We could have our token fancy pants for this season."
Not 100% sure of his sexual preference; I'm thinking he's probably straight. But Geez, put some makeup on this guy and he'd give model Sierra a run for her money.
>KELLY (Blue Collar) – "her time in the game may mirror the length of her bio"
Well her screen time in the Premier sure mirrored the length of her Bio.
>LINDSEY (Blue Collar) – "will probably treat Survivor as a 39-day vacation"
Tough to gauge from the Premier. Can't take her seriously as a significant player although not one, but two (Rodney & Sierra) approached her. Rodney with the tattoo-bonding session and Sierra to confide her paranoia/distrust with her. Perhaps I'm just over-analyzing...or perhaps not.
>MAX (White Collar) – "Teaching Survivor in a University...could be a curse if he comes off as a pushy know-it-all" "If he makes the merge I could see him bonding with the No Collars and advancing"
He didn't come off as a pushy know-in-all. To his credit quite the contrary. The Ep. 2 preview shows him baring all. No question he'd bond with the no collars. If he makes the merge we're talking F4 material.
>MIKE (Blue Collar) – "On paper he appears to have all the ingredients of a solid player" "Mike’s a castaway I could root for early on"
I still think he does. Yes, volunteering minutes into the game and the scorpion snack were errors, but being regarded as the "glue that holds the tribe together" and stepping up to save his tribe from TC are enough ingredients for me. I'll continue to cheer him on.
>NINA (No Collar) – "I’ll predict she’ll probably suck in challenges" "If they lose challenges early the only sign language she’ll be using is a wave good-bye"
Well that prediction was a slam dunk...not that it's anything to brag about. Start practicing your wave, Hun.
>RODNEY (Blue Collar) – “This guy has douchebag written all over him" "A sure-fire setup for early failure"
I'm right about the douchebag part but probably wrong about the early departure. Thanks to his female bonding session he has all but guaranteed himself advancement up to at least the tribe swap. I wouldn't be surprised to see more gameplay from this meathead.
>SHIRIN (White Collar) – "She states people will underestimate her and won’t see her as a threat”
She certainly sucked in the Premier so people will underestimate her. Although it was not planned strategy. She sucked because...well...she sucked.
>SIERRA (Blue Collar) – "Bet she has legs that don’t quit" "If she doesn’t turn into a skanky ho, I’ll be cheering her on"
Right about the legs part. I don't see her as a skanky ho, but I won't be cheering Olive Oil on. It's one thing to wrongly accuse someone as dishonest; it's becomes plain stupid to run to another and share your erroneous accusation with them.
>SO (White Collar) – "She’s not only honest, but BRUTALLY honest"(So's assessment) "her cuteness could take her far."
Well because she was anything BUT "brutally honest" we'll never know how far her cuteness could have taken her.
>TYLER (White Collar) – "historically former professional athletes have had a tough time toning it down" "Like several in the cast this season could go either way."
He did a wonderful job toning it down. As a result I'm leaning more toward Tyler advancing further in the game.
>VINCE (No Collar) – "Well if he is unable to start fire on Day One would that mean his social game will suck as well?"
Yes, and DEFINITELY yes.
"I do see him as an entertaining character, but not sole survivor material"
Yes, and DEFINITELY yes.
>WILL (No Collar) – "If he flies UTR early I actually like his chances"
I see him flying UTR and I do like his chances to advance, but not feeling Sole Survivor with this one.