Eating my words seems to be the theme of my week. After I declared after Ep. 3 that this was the worst season since RI, I've gained much more appreciation for how things are just falling into place for, quite possibly, the most evenly matched finale we have seen on Survivor.

I've also once said that Mike would be the "wrong" winner this season, but this episode proved me wrong on that regard as well. My rankings:

1. Michael (4, 3, 6, 12, 8, 8, 7, 6, 2)
Much like how the last week’s was Lisa’s, this one was Mike’s breakout episode. We got a lot of strategy talk from him, and a very good performance at the IC. He was also instrumental in the formation of the four-way alliance with Lisa, Malcolm, and Denise. He should be sailing through for a few more rounds unless another anti-returnee alliance forms.

2. Malcolm (5, 5, 3, 1, 1, 4, 4, 3, 5)
It was Malcolm’s idea to form the four-way alliance, but it seemed like that move benefitted Michael and Lisa more than it did him. He is still seen as the most dangerous player in the game, and that can only be bad for him given the number of smart, proactive players this season.

3. Lisa (3, 14, 10, 7, 3, 3, 3, 1, 3)
Lisa did a great job deflecting Abi and Pete’s attempts to sway her. She’s not as visible this episode as the last one, but she’s definitely still a huge presence in the game, being Malcolm’s choice for the fourth member of their alliance despite her organizing votes against him a few TCs ago.

4. Jonathan (10, 6, 5, 5, 6, 1, 1, 2, 1)
Strategic gufu for Jonathan not accepting Lisa’s F3 offer. It was an easy ride to the F3 and a potential easy win, and he missed out on that boat completely. Considering how big the target was on his back just an episode ago, it would have been wiser for him to go, it would have been the more prudent choice to accept that F3 offer. I think he’s gotten comfortable in his position in Dangrayne, and in Survivor, comfortable is almost always a bad thing to be.

5. Carter (15, 9, 14, 10, 10, 10, 6, 7, 6)
He’s sailing through because of his six-way alliance, but now that he’s won two immunity challenges, he’s running out of hiding places. If the rest clue in on his physical game, then he should be targeted soon enough.

6. Abi (6, 15, 15, 14, 11, 9, 8, 9, 8)
Surprisingly, Abi doesn’t land at the bottom of my list despite her behavior after the reward. I was actually oddly moved by her tears during the TC, mostly because I think I’m starting to understand where she’s coming from.

7. Denise (1, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4)
Denise just completely tore Abi to shreds during that TC, and that could be bad for her endgame, especially if she lands in the F3 and Abi, Pete, and Artis are in the jury. She may be in the right, but she’s starting to get a bit too negative for my taste. She could have handled Abi better.

Out:
Pete (11, 11, 8, 3, 7, 7, 5, 5, 7)
Artis (16, 10, 11, 6, 9, 11, 9, 8)
Jeff (7, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 10)
RC (2, 1, 2, 8, 4, 6)
Katie (14, 12, 13, 13, 12)
Sarah (8, 13, 12, 11)
Dana (12, 8, 7, 9)
Russell (17, 16, 9)
Angie (9, 7)
Roxanne (13)
Zane

• RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,garyc, 11:09 AM, 11-23-12
• RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,michel, 11:55 PM, 11-24-12
• RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,dabo, 12:28 PM, 11-26-12
  • RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,michel, 09:20 PM, 11-26-12
    • RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,dabo, 11:51 PM, 11-26-12
      • RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,michel, 07:31 PM, 11-27-12
        • RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,dabo, 11:37 PM, 11-27-12
          • RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,michel, 08:51 PM, 11-28-12
            • RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,dabo, 10:47 PM, 11-28-12
              • RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,fredchirsty, 08:44 AM, 11-29-12
                • RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,michel, 07:41 PM, 11-29-12
                  • RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,dabo, 02:44 AM, 11-30-12
                    • RE: S25 Philippines Episode 10 Love / Loathe List,michel, 06:08 PM, 11-30-12

so far my favorite season since heroes vs villains. with the exception of Abi (horrible player) and Carter (just haven't seen enough of him doing anything beyond performing in challenges) wouldn't mind seeing any of the other players win.

1) Mike: Agree final four agreement seems very good for him; a returning player who appears to be an afterthought, but who is competing increasingly well in challenges (hanging back early?) as well as in the middle of strategizing.

2) Malcolm: Seems very self-aware but will probably need to use his idol some time soon.

3) Jonathan: Think he has sometimes out thought or out schemed himself in the past. Doing the same thing again?

4) Denise: Glad she told Abi what she, and everyone else, though of her. Someone needed to.

5) Carter: Still in the background.

6) Lisa: Nice person and seems to be playing the game more but I'd rather have seen her be blunter with Abi.

7) Abi: Felt a little sorry for her during TC, but she did deserve the comments.

For me, a good season needs 3 ingredients: A good story, good strategy and, mostly, laughs. Very few things are worth watching if they don't make me laugh. This season isn't funny at all. Almost as bad as So Pathetic but at least it has more strategy.

1- Mike: No one knew it but this vote was all in Mike's hands. He has an alliance of 6, a Final 4 and a final 2 yet I believe he will make some sort of deal with Abi. He gave Penner a lesson on Survivor strategy.

2- Lisa: Who saw it coming that she would be the one offering Penner his best option ever?! Sort of the same turn of fortune as when Cirie got into a position to reject Terry's offers!

3- Malcolm: He took a huge risk by keeping his idol. It must have been burning in his pocket. At least, he knew he was taking a risk. His senses could now get dulled by a false feeling of security.

4- Jonathan: He made another big mistake besides the F3 rejection: Pete should have been the one to get the boot in case of a revote. The decision to eliminate Abi is probably what got Mike thinking of booting Malcolm.

5- Abi: The only real source of laughter this season. According to Artis and Pete it's part of an act to go far so that gets extra points in my book. She certainly figured out how to maximize her airtime. I wouldn't be as dumb as Probst and name her to the Villain's Hall of Fame but she is memorable.

6- Denise: If she wants to analyze Abi, I'll analyze her: She is passive-aggressive and enjoyed putting Abi down a little too much. Would she be memorable if Matsing hadn't lost all those immunity challenges? Of course not. So, up to now, she's just a loser.

7- Carter: He's starting to look a lot like Brett in Samoa: A good challenge player that is so removed from the story that we can't be sure he's actually there. He could be just a computer generated image.

Booted - Pete: He said his best moment was eliminating RC but that's what caused his own demise. At least you could laugh at Coach when his ego destroyed his Timbira tribe but Pete? Just pathetic.

Ils sont fous, ces Romains!

LAST EDITED ON 11-26-12 AT 12:31 PM (EST)

01. Michael (4). Finally kicked his game into gear, getting things under control. Dumb mistake at Reward Challenge.

02. Malcolm (2). Kept his head in the game and his HII in his pocket, clearly sees that he is in danger within his own alliance. Also loved how he shut down game talk at Reward.

03. Denise (3). Waited out crazy time, now it remains to be seen if she's savvy or turns out to be too smart for her own good.

04. Jonathan (1). Still like him a lot but he blew his golden opportunity by not throwing in with Lisa and Michael for F3.

05. Lisa (5). Made the smart decision to follow Mike instead of stick with the Tandang sinking ship of Abi and Pete. Really, though, she's still playing the same loyalty game, now it is just that her loyalty is with her new F4 alliance. Her story is getting to be a bit of a bore.

06. Carter (6). Went on reward, won II, still ended up virtually invisible in this ep's edit.

07. Abi (8). It's only cultural in that she doesn't understand the Survivor culture she's been a part of. I don't feel sorry for her. Don't hate her either. But when presented with the truth she just can't handle the truth.

Good-bye, Pete (7). Hypocrite. Which is worse? Letting Abi know she's a goat? Dragging clueless Abi to Final because she is a goat, while planning on cold-heartedly throwing her under the bus at FTC if necessary? Yeah, that's right, hypocrite.

"Dragging clueless Abi to Final because she is a goat, while planning on cold-heartedly throwing her under the bus at FTC if necessary?"

I'm sure that the $100K check would have helped Abi get over it ESPECIALLY since she is acting to be that goat. Artis called it creating a character...It's a game so Pete's blindness was much worse than any supposed hypocrisy.

That's not actually what he said. Artis

Abi's mouth is just ridiculous. I don't know if she created that character to play the game or what and she just decided she was going to be the villainess person because the episodes needed a villain and so she was going to be that person -- I don't know what was going on in her head to come out and play like that.

I know he made similar statements in other interviews as well, but the only thing that is clear here is he really didn't know what to think of her, his supposition of trying to explain her is just only a supposition.

In any event, Pete was the earliest one in the game to single her out as a goat, and he was the one who wanted to exploit it, manipulate her, and climb over her at the end for the mil.

And that's exactly how the game is set up though. Is it hypocrisy or is it Survivor? I say it's the game.

Anyway, Abi was the one that chose Pete and showed him the immunity clue. She wanted to use his abilities, climb on his back and make it to the end so I'd say they were in symbiosis rather than saying that Pete was using Abi like an hypocrite.

It was hypocritical of him to be critical of how anyone in the game dealt with Abi and her emotions when he was while in the game the one with the most callous position in regard to her.

So, because he didn't tell Abi he was using her as a goat, he isn't allowed to comment on how others treat Abi? Pretty strict.

Keeping this up, eh. That didn't work, switch up; that didn't work, switch up. He can say anything he wants even if it makes him a hypocrite. Which he is. Amusingly wondering what the next switch up will be.

Survivor is going good and all the contestants are doing good but some taking scoring extra from others..Explain why Carter's score is so high? People like more to Terry and Ozzy.

LAST EDITED ON 11-29-12 AT 07:41 PM (EST)

Hello there. I'm not sure I understand your question because we are all rating Carter pretty low. He's been so invisible that we can't score him really higher than that.

And to make Dabo smile: When I talk about hypocrits on Survivor, I think of Lex in @ss. Pete was far from reaching that level of hypocrisy and, looking at all the facebook pictures of Pete, Abi, Malcolm and Carter whooping it up in LA, Abi and the others aren't holding it against him.

Lex and his Gut, wow we're going way way back. But yeah, he was a very chaotic player and very irrational.

Nevertheless, hypocrisy is not something you evaluate on a scale, it is a binary do or do not, there is no try. So there.

As per the Carter question, I have nothing for or against the guy, he's just there. He's helium, he escapes the atmosphere, the only reason he is on the list at all is he's still sorta in the game, he has a vote. The editors haven't let us get to know him, I don't hold that against him, but it is pretty obvious that other than he has vote he is unimportant in this story.

No, the gut was in Africa. I was talking @ss Lex where he voted Ethan out saying: "Sorry, we are friends but this is business" and then pleaded with Rob: "You can't vote me out, we're friends."

Now that's hypocrisy and if you don't see a difference of intensity then consider that Lex never talked to Rob again while Pete and Abi are still close.