After a horrible episode last week, it was followed up by arguably the best episode of this season (IMHO.) But that doesn’t mean any shortage of bashing fodder...I was hoping we would get an opening scene where the F8 would compare notes from both prior TCs and we’d all get to watch Dre (and Maryanne) wiping egg of their faces when they realize race had absolutely NOTHING to do with Rocksroy’s boot...but it was not to be.
Instead, we see Lindsay with a big bug up her cute little tush over how Jonathan won’t listen pertaining to why she was insistent to keep Maryanne in the game. PSSST...hey Lindsay...wanna bring your Pocahontas pigtails over my way and “listen” to why Jonathan may possibly be right about eliminating Maryanne? Look at the jury now (and how it may potentially look at FTC) and tell me, do you REALLY want to be sitting next to Maryanne in the Finals?? If the answer is “yes” then bring a blank check with you. I’ll write “One Million Dollars” on the Amount line, and I’ll let you write Maryanne’s name after Payable To.
Wasn’t it enough you left her the HII you inexcusably overlooked when you went out searching for the idol? As crazy as it was for Lindsay to miss it, kudos to Maryanne for at least being proactive enough to look for it.
It’s even more crazy to think back when the HII was in its infancy and finders like Terry (S12) and Yul (S13) had to darn near be Nicholas Cage in National Treasure to possess one. NOW when a player stumbles upon an idol/advantage, they proclaim themselves a power player...My, on my, how the game has changed!
With the obvious exception of Jonathan, I expected solid efforts out of Lindsay in the individual challenges. This episode did not disappoint starting with the RC. I’ll spare the play-by-play and say, not surprisingly, Jonathan opens up an early lead, but Lindsay with her clutch beanbag toss won the RC.
Even more impressive was how she used clever diplomacy to choose Omar and Mike to accompany her. She did it so well, there was no bitter-betty resentment by those who went back to camp while the three enjoyed pizza/beer and messages from home out of the harsh elements. I guess we’ll never find out how many pizzas Jonathan devoured in one sitting—a fact he would have been eager to share had he been chosen.
Production felt the NEED to also provide the viewing audience a backstory of Hai documenting his plight as a Vietnamese refugee...even though he was not on the reward. In a most predictable season, was there any doubt who would be getting the boot at this TC???
On the subject of “need,” Omar felt the NEED to be a lying sack of sh!t and shovel his crap to easily the most gullible and probably the worst poker player on earth—Mike. Granted, Omar is a challenge joke and (in an era of jokingly easy HII finds) a non-entity in that aspect of the game as well. Conversely, he’s a savvy social player with a solid Survivor IQ, so he really doesn’t have a “need” to INITIATE blatant lies. Then why does he? It all circles back to you are...who you are...who you are...
It seems like eons ago in S10-Palau when a castaway proactively initiated his own fate without being carried or having to subject oneself to being a lying dung of donkey’s dust. Long live Tom Westman...we’ll never see another like him.
Speaking of Westman dominance, let’s get to the IC. This IC involved balancing a ball on an arc while progressing down a declined narrowing beam. Thanks to Production’s casting ineptness, any question of this being a two-horse race *cough* Jonathan/Lindsay *cough* I should give props to Maryanne for hanging in as long as she did (exaggerated and animated facial expressions aside.) Was it mentioned on a previous thread that Mean Joe Green did not win a gold medal in the Olympics on the balance beam? Of course, Lindsay wins the IC completing her ”daily double” for this episode. Now THAT’S how you do it on Survivor!
Returning back to camp we watched an obnoxiously confident Hai placing more feathers in his cap than Crazy Horse, Red Cloud, and Geronimo’s headdresses combined. Conventional wisdom would dictate for the ADS to go into effect...but...did I mention how I liked this episode?
Drea regards Hai as THE manipulator who needs to go, unbeknown to her it’s really Omar who takes claim to that title...nice read. *snort*
Omar wants Hai out because he doesn’t want anyone around who’s a bigger lying dung of donkey’s dust than him.
Mike (going down the same warpath he was on when he wanted Channel out) joins the Hai hit parade with the hook (Omar deceivingly baited) still sticking out of his mouth.
Jonathan regards Hai’s lie of using an idol he doesn’t have to save him at TC so ridiculous, he doesn’t even ask Hai to see it.
Lindsay is thinking her amulet becomes more powerful with Hai out. She shares that scenario with fellow amulet-holder Drea. Drea is excited. AHHH...Drea...did it dawn on you Lindsay’s amulet becomes even MORE powerful with YOU out of the game as well?
Maryanne remains securely strapped in her “car seat.”
Romeo...wherefore art thou Romeo...at this critical stage of the game, does anyone care?
I believe I’ve covered all the players.
TC becomes a formality, but it was entertaining to watch the blindside unfold. We were subjected to yet another Hai metaphor. In the end, it was bye, bye, “Mr. Metaphor” Hai. For someone who carried on like a sissy boy on Day Three because of rice deprivation, he took his blindside in stride. One can assume a non-bitter-betty joins the Jury, but I do not believe bitterness will play a factor in determining this season’s Sole Survivor.
Next time on Survivor...
Gotta believe if Jonathan does not win immunity, his time is up. If he’s wearing the necklace, could Lindsay build her resume orchestrating a monster blindside of Drea exiting with her treasure trove of advantages while making Lindsay’s amulet an II?
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