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VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 03-10-06, 03:20 PM (EST) "Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" As indicated, with a gentle nudge from BR the dynamics will be changing soon so a new thread is in order The link to our prior thread: http://community.realitytvworld.com/boards/DCForumID2/6259.shtml You will have to forgive my penchant for emotion. I tend to get soft at Hallmark commericals so while many of you may have found last night’s send off for Dan a bit over the top, I admit I fell for it “hook, line and sinker” This is where I salute the editors of Survivor in that they will honor an edit of someone who deserved a good showing despite there was really nothing to come from the character We know for all intents and purposes with the this episode and the prior episode’s well placed clues about “merge” that it will be happening shortly so obviously the big question is how LaMina will fare being swallowed by Casaya. About the time that a merger occurs, I tend to go back to the first episode to see what appeared unusual and/or edited. Also, quite often there are events that have a foundation being layed (Dan and Terry’s handshake for example) that we can now cross off for story purposes to make way for other groundwork that was layed. Revisiting the First Episode Exile Island/The Idol Jeff made us aware that Exile Island will play a dramatic role in this game. We know that Terry found the idol (Jeff’s comments last night at TC I found interesting) and there has been emphasis made on this idol. For the show to open announcing that it will play a “dramatic role” I would like to think they will make good on that promise. Thus, I have no doubt Terry will utilize that idol (which is practically a foregone conclusion) but I will hope that it will be used in such a fashion that it makes good (so to speak) on the promise of drama. Also, as we talked about, we knew that someone getting exiled would get their obligatory camera “due” I had discussed three situations where the camera time on the exiled person may be enhanced and in light of that we could surmise longer term players. The person who actually ends up finding the idol will obviously be highlighted in some aspect since they found it. I would hazard a guess that if the ultimate winner is exiled at some point there may be a concerted effort to focus on their stay as well. The first two items can be hard to discern because they could be the same person or two different people. Terry found the idol and Terry had longevity written all over him from the beginning. But finding and using the idol will give that character plenty of good edit without necessarily being the winner. In conjunction, the winner may never be at Exile Island. BUT now that the idol is found, if ample time is given to someone who is exiled and they do not have the idol, that may suggest a winner. Terry was bound to get plenty of time shown because he found the idol but he was also given plenty of time regardless of the idol so his longevity was established. There is one other consideration of someone who is not necessarily the winner but will still get an expanded edit on the island: I would think also that someone who ultimately precipitates a game changing moment and DIDN’T find the idol would get some extra depth to their face time on the island. Sally’s time will be discussed later and I am VERY interested in what happens when the two groups join together and how Sally is then edited as pre-merge edits and post-merge edits sometime change greatly but Sally’s time on the island was nicely expanded. Note though that literally she is the poster child for the third item - she precipitated a “game changing moment” and I would have expected no less from the editors in that regard. Cerie was heavily narrating in the first episode which has carried on through the present and this was relatively easy for us to establish that she was a long term player. I notice she still is being given slight showings of “stirring the pot” and this appears to be a key role for her. Just when one thinks Cerie is destined to be next in line, she inserts herself in a telling situation and attempts to capitulate the events into a problem for someone else. Shane was another star of the first episode and we already were well aware that he was edited as a “character” He made a point of telling us that “he didn’t fit in with the older men” and later when he joined Casaya, he was thrilled to be with younger people. There was also a measure of visual undercurrent with Bruce and Shane in that everything Shane said, Bruce was shown. They are now on the same tribe, perhaps that was what it was meant for or perhaps a Shane vs. Bruce in some aspect will come to fruition. Aras and his hand meditation was something everyone commented on. Was it necessary to show? For whatever reason the editors felt compelled to show us this aspect of Aras’ character it was not necessary but they left it in. Nick was the only member to comment it on the “grandiose idea” and we know that if a majority comments negatively it is worse for the person. However only Nick was showed commenting and he and Austin still participated which was better for Aras’ longevity. Nick also was shown to fail at the challenge and Aras helped to get them out of their predicament at the IC. Courtney and her turtle was another item that probably made good television (a large deceased turtle is an event that is not a common occurrence) yet we were meant to see Danielle and Sally’s negativity about this. This has been furthered by the oddities of Courtney and the negative feedback she has received from some others. Courtney, for all her spiritual substance has not so much substance in her edit. She is seen quite often and we did note she had “character” elements and knew she would be here for some time but there has been no real substance to her character IN THE GAME. Her first episode showing would not bode well for her as an end game player anyway. More Visuals To Perhaps Ponder Austin and Nick shown bleeding Aras being shown to say “Immunity” upon Jeff’s question Cerie “I’m trying to win; I’m trying to go as far as possible” and “I want to do more” The Wink As some of you know (who have the patience to read) manipulation of the camera and people and intriguing shots are items that I do love to assess. You will recall what appeared to be a shot of Aras looking at Courtney with Courtney supposedly winking back at him Although it would be nice to have a crystal ball to know what the intention of this camera work was, I felt at the time it was important because it did not have a place at that time especially since Austin was the one we heard discussing having women on his tribe. There was no reason for this so I am of the assumption right now the wink has relevance. I also just want to back burner a few items from the next episode as I questioned Aras picking Cerie as a bit unusual. We also had Shane’s swearing on his son and this certainly came to a head and he was “released” (which makes me feel better since I honestly believed Shane appeared to be bound by that with the emphasis placed on it so now the dynamics CAN change since he is no longer bound) There was also that undercurrent with Sally and Terry which for all intents and purposes may have reached its conclusion but one never knows what is around the corner. Naturally we knew the men’s alliance was destined to unravel and we know it is a matter of time for the ”psychotic four alliance to come to a head. Editing wise, only Bruce and Nick remain as those not fulfilling any substantial character or visual growth, the others have been consistent from the first episode as playing a relatively big part in this season. Again, unlike last season, this has been a very straightforward character development for people, I do not detect any hidden characters although there may be hidden strategies that will start to emerge. The Recap After TC, Sally last woman standing At RC, LaMina took lead ”Terry” with a nice grab Bruce really having trouble But Sally struggled Their leader once again to EI Casaya found camp under water but made the most of reward The beans were too much for Nick/Austin Nick “That stuff just wrecked me” Bruce/Bobby had quality time and paid the price Bobby “I have no hard feelings you’ve (Courtney) been deprived” LM finally broke losing streak At Casaya, the alliance of Shane, Aras, Courtney and Danielle made decision But Aras changed the plan Then Danielle changed plan again Shane irritated with the flip flopping - ”They’re like women” Night Chatter I do say that our opening shot of the Exile Island skull honed in and the clouds put on fast forward motion was ominous indeed. It certainly set the tone for the tent talk in yet another of Shane’s erratic and outspoken behavior. The main point of that night conversation was essentially to further the break down of this alliance. Of note, Cerie and Danielle sleeping with Aras which is a nice assistance to Aras originally selecting Cerie. Who else was reminded of Rob, Amber and Jenna cuddled like that Shane “We made the wrong decision tonight (shot of Bruce) Danielle! Making decisions based on your personal feelings is a bad bad thing.” ”Bruce is falling apart” (he is?) Shane “I want to get out of the alliance but I can’t unless you allow me to take my son’s name so....” “I don’t trust you guys will make the right decisions (shot of Aras) I’d rather go into the merge a lone wolf then have to deal with you and Courtney” Shane “You are such a victim (Danielle)” Danielle “I know I am” (With an extra second held on her, prophetic?) Aras and Cerie were shown quite often extremely observant of this conversation. Stirring The Pot Again Cerie has a knack of being shown to put the bug in the ear and let the events play out. Less anyone think that she is not playing this game, we most certainly know she is but much like we have seen in seasons past, full fledged narrators who are telling the story of the show tend to just fall short. Most of the time, the narrator is telling us about the people who are tied into the end of the game. If Cerie was discussed as much as she discusses, it would be different but Cerie isn’t discussed at all. Cerie is our story teller and good one at that After Cerie shares with Courtney where Courtney confirms that it is both herself and Danielle that Shane wants to rid himself of and that Shane requires them to allow him to take his son’s name back we hear: Courtney “I’d like to release him from the game” (foreshadowing?) Cerie (conf) “Courtney slept on the beach so I had to catch her up on Shane.... she has to know!” (With a giggle of glee, it is clear she enjoys being the one to assist in this new dynamic) “So Courtney decided let’s get rid of Shane” (with her imitation of “aaaamaaazing”) We then see a conversation ensue with Courtney and Danielle. Courtney “I can’t believe I talked the guy back into the game” Danielle confirms what Courtney learned from Cerie with her hand motion we saw also in the preview Danielle (conf) “He’s next, that’s the bottom line....” (this confessional continues throughout the scene) Danielle (to Courtney) “He’s such an idiot, I can’t stand him.....” (At this moment, a shot of Cerie was thrown in as a reaction shot to the conversation, this was edited in as Cerie originally had her pink shirt and buff on and this shot she was not wearing either. This shot showed her looking amused by the turn of events. Cerie’s reactions are important to the show as she is often inserted at crucial moments) Courtney “He is so getting what he deserves” Danielle (continued conf) “That’s fine, get out of alliance, you’re off anyway, who cares, bye!” Courtney (to Danielle) “This is so on the down low... stealth chop of the head... guillotine style” LaMina, Four Men And A Little Lady Aside from what has occurred till now, if there ever was an editing tip off that Dan would leave us it would be this scene. We see Dan watching the island, the sky noting “It’s another beautiful day in paradise” We then hear him speak (and curiously without a beard ) about being 200 miles of this spot many time.... The morning is beginning as we see LaMina waking up, discussing beans, Sally is rubbing her eyes and then an inserted shot of Sally not from that time frame appearing to observe the men and the beans. Sally was shown yawning in different clothing and a hat but this was thrown in 10 seconds later Sally (conf) “Rough couple of days, the four guys are kind of doing a boy’s club thing but I think it’s short sighted. These guys think they know how the game works but I’d be very surprised if the all mens club ended up lasting as long as they think it would” (Act One, final scene is coming to a close Sally, true to editing form was the rift in the men’s club regardless of the means; the editing clearly showed this would occur. Sally’s edit needs to be watched carefully upon merger since her storyline has been all about outlasting the men’s club and there has been hints of the women joining up. Sally looked good from the beginning but her story was intertwined with these events; how her edit expands upon a merger will be key in her end game status. The undercurrent with Terry that I had detected may have been resultant in her staying where Terry’s partner Dan left by default or there may be a bit more down the pike) Terry, Austin and Sally are then shown catching minnows.... Austin (voice over conf) “Been fantasizing about food. If we can get food in our stomachs, this whole game could change” (And who is shown when he says this, Terry!) (Foreshadowing) Again, Austin is the main narrator of the tribe dynamics. We know he is a huge part of LaMina. What needs to be observed carefully now (like Sally) is Austin’s edit when they merge. With Misty and Dan now gone only Nick/Austin’s pair remain and I had mentioned that Nick was on the losing end up editing with that pair We do see Terry getting a handful and Austin only one Again, more curtain calls for Dan, an admired man by his tribe and the editors. Nick (conf) “I never thought I’d meet an astronaut. He’s an incredible guy, knew that from the start” Austin (conf) “Dan Fuego is a stud” Dan (conf) “We’ve become really good friends....another way to bond” Release Me! What dramatic music heard while Shane sits on his “Thinking Seat” watching Danielle and Courtney (aj we miss your depth of discussion on the music ) Note that both Cerie and Aras were carefully inserted visually during the scene with Shane, Danielle and Courtney. Frankly I do not think they were even there, Cerie and Aras who are both integral to how this alliance plays out were “put there” for visual reactions. If their reactions and visual “thoughts” were not important to the ultimate outcome then they would probably NOT be shown. Interesting to note that Bruce was shown only walking past Shane in the background. Bruce IS a background player and this was completely solidified after his lack of showing in this episode. After all, wouldn’t you expect a confessional from Bruce how he was lucky enough to survive Tribal Council if he were meant to be an end game player? Courtney “Sunshine again!” Shane “In a normal alliance () you’d just say I wanna be out of this but I can’t because I swore on my kid’s life....” Courtney “Why are you so upset about this?” Shane “I’m not..... I wanna ask if I can take my son’s name....” Danielle “Done” Shane “Done?... Courtney?” Courtney “You’re making a mistake....” (shot of Aras) Shane “I’m not making a mistake, I’m never gonna be beholden to people who make decisions based on personal feelings Danielle “I stuck to the original plan... if you’re gonna get angry at someone for flipping get angry with Courtney....” Shane “I did get angry at Courtney...” (Cerie shown again) Shane “You guys do nothing” (Shot of Aras then looking bemused while eating) Danielle “You have these outbreaks and lash out at whoever’s next to you, don’t lash out at me again. I’m not here for that, came here to enjoy myself” (Interesting shot then of Shane appearing to observe Bruce “enjoying” himself in his Zen garden. Also, while Danielle’s long term player status has elevated over the past episodes, I never “like” when I hear someone suggest they came to play for the party as opposed to win as that might end up being all she comes away with from this game ) Courtney “I second that motion” Shane “I haven’t lashed out at you in days” Courtney “You don’t even realize how mean you are....” Aras (conf) “I’ve got to get out of this alliance because I’m in it with an idiot and I don’t want to be with Shane. I just don’t. I don’t trust he’s gonna keep his mouth shut. I don’t respect how he treats other people. I don’t want to be a part of that. If I have a choice, truth be told, it would be great if alliance was broken up because it is a paper tiger, no power to this alliance anymore” (Well that was certainly a mouthful! Aras’ confessional does well by him as game talk is usually a good sign not to mention the visuals that are placed of Aras in situations that assist in the viewer assuming he is directly part of the scene. Since we are already of the assumption this alliance will fall apart, this is just more assistance) Aras (to Shane) “I totally agree with getting out of this alliance but the way you did it made it really hard for yourself to work with the group” (Again, Aras is counseling Shane much like he did when he coaxed Shane in not quitting) Shane (to Arasw) “I lashed out hard at her. I don’t like her. I don’t like Courtney either but I did. I screwed myself bad” (Foreshadowing?) Aras (conf) “I feel like Shane just wrote his walking papers basically (shot of Danielle) and unless he is able to apologize to the girls, I feel like that guy’s gonna go home” (Obviously there was intent to place the suspicion of this in the audiences mind since we didn’t know who would win the challenge. The shot of Danielle inserted is interesting since no shot of Courtney was inserted and we know later that Shane is shown to apologize to Danielle. It would see then that perhaps Danielle would be involved later in Shane’s going home even though Courtney would be part of this plan with Danielle) The Challenge Prior to the challenge, we saw Sally and Nick retrieve the treemail and LaMina’s acknowledging this was a crucial challenge Terry (to group) “Let’s pare the numbers down today guys” Austin (conf) “It’s absolutely vital we play to win today; we need to win this to get the numbers even for potentially a merge” Terry (conf) “If we win, five on five; if we lose, Sally most likely will be gone and we’re gonna be hurting big time so we are totally stoked; this is game seven of the World Series” (Terry does indeed remind us that his tribe is his team, constant references to team by him) Of note: Dan’s reaction to Bobby being voted The crashing symbol when Nick puts down the idol upon Jeff’s request for it back Jeff “Immunity, back up for grabs” (shot of Sally) Aras again advising on who sits out Jeff “Shane and Terry out first and a collision right off the bat” (foreshadowing?) Jeff “Dan and Sally bit of a head start but making no progress” Cerie and Shane with big hugs and Shane planting kisses on her Upon learning that Casaya chooses the exiled/immune Cerie appeared to be the one directing that traffic towards Sally The Exiled One Again, let’s revisit the past contestants exiled. Misty was very obligatory (and she was the first!) Bruce was there on two occasions and merely comparing his stay to Terry’s is enough to show he has not received the merit of an end game player with the simplicity of his edit on EI. Sally’s stay, on the other hand did have substance. The issue is whether it is because her stay there precipitated a game changing event which, in fact, it did. However, that aside, we already knew Sally had received a substantive edit but they went nicely with what occurred; only upon merger is when we will know whether her story was solely tied to the “men’s club” not surviving Sally “Exile Island for me is my saving grace.... I felt like there was a pretty strong alliance between the four guys....” Assuming I don’t get dumped on for the next couple of days, this is a gift to be here. Some girl time; get away from all those boys for awhile. (Again these references with boy/girl, boy/girl, this has been done on both tribes. Also there were quite a few snake visuals during her confessional) “It’s exciting and frustrating to think there is an immunity idol out here somewhere but overwhelming” And a nice visual of Sally laying down on the top of the skull as the camera pulls away from Exile Island. The Reward As a customary tool with Survivor editing, those who are shown or heard from during a reward, family visit and so forth more than others fare better. The camera wants to invest that “human” time in them. What is MORE certain is that if someone isn’t shown or heard from, then their end game chances are relatively poor. Again, this is not a hard and fast rule but there are patterns with respect to this. Shane was a notable presence; he also had quite a “journey” like feel towards all his confessionals. At certain times, it does appear that the editing attempts to make Shane a little softer. Realistically, we did not have to hear from Shane so much about how rewarding this trip was. We heard: “We won the reward challenge, LaMina is demoralized.... in the middle of a fishing village... ....so happy to be here... “top five experience... ....touched and overwhelmed.... right when the darkness is coming, beautiful dawn....” The audience has a general impression of Shane and a majority of it is not a “warm, fuzzy feeling” In fact, his “character” is one to embellish the “psychotic” side of but Shane was given ample opportunity for a slightly softer touch which then has me ponder that perhaps his role on this show is a personal journey. We see him go back to his vice of smoking and the ill effects on him We also see his apology to Danielle whereupon he tells her about “reforming” and “real life” and naturally his “son” is ever present in his mind and words. Danielle told us it was so joyous when the child grabbed her hand and they kept feeding them and naturally the scene with her and Shane which she called him “My crazy boy” and notice that Courtney was not involved in this apology when it was already established both girls needed an apology yet if that happened, only Danielle and Shane’s apology was meant important Cerie told us how it was really nice to be around people “other than these people” and seeing those kids was special, one reminded her of family and how this was “much needed” and a nice healthy game confessional Cerie (conf) “The reward kind of brought us together but it is a double edged sword for me. Yes we won but now that gives Shane time to kind of back track.” and “Courtney and Danielle are easily persuaded by Shane’s nonsense. In a way I almost wanted to lose because I really felt that Shane was going and then hopefully Bruce but now that we won and everyone’s in love again, I don’t know. Damnit!” (Again, Cerie helps to narrate the tribe dynamics and the game which of course has been her edit from the beginning) Aras was heard from at the beginning of how “cool” it was and wanting to eat with shots of his enjoying himself and “I’m so happy right now” and a watchful eye over Shane while sitting next to Cerie I noted. Bruce received his martial arts “due” but nothing came from him about how the reward uplifted his spirits (and this is a man who created a garden for his soul) or how he was happy they won because he may have been the next to leave, etc. Bruce is sadly lacking in any depth and his edit remains flat and this event was something that it need not be. He also helped to win the challenge at the end yet Cerie was focused upon. Courtney had a few images presented to us with one exclamation but she was designated background in all aspects this episode. Courtney received no air time expressing her thoughts about what occurred earlier with Shane? Courtney received no apology from Shane? This is Courtney we are speaking about. One would think in that setting, she would be heard all over the place and she was not The Sad State Of LaMina Poor Dan needed to emote about the puzzle and I felt his frustration. An extremely smart man could not complete this task. Dan reached his crescendo with more words out of him last night than the entire season thus far. Terry (conf) “Game 7, now Sally has immunity and we got to vote off one of our guys” Austin (to Terry) “How did we lose a puzzle? We have a NASA engineer on our side. This is a young people’s game right now. We can take you a lot further in this than he can If Sally was here, obviously we’d take her but physically he’s the weakest” (Again, many of Austin’s commentary is directly involved in the outcome of events. What Austin says, happens and Terry and he have their own special bond as we often see them together discussing important occurrences.) Austin (conf) “I know this has to be incredibly difficult on Terry to even have to consider eliminating Dan but somebody has to go home and I don’t want it to be” (Interesting that he indicated he didn’t want it to be him, why not Nick? With Dan giving Austin a vote, Terry may have indicated to Austin that Dan would vote Austin if it comes down to it. Regardless, Austin has been very important to LaMina but it is important to see how important he is AFTER LaMina) Dan “Well, unless somebody’s ready to go, it’s gonna probably be 2 v. 2. You think Austin is interested in leaving?” Nick “I don’t think so....” (Dan should have asked Nick if he was interested in leaving ) Dan “I won’t vote against Terry” Nick “Yeah, I can’t vote against Austin” Nick advises Terry and Austin that Dan is pretty sure it is 2 v 2 Terry (conf) “I think that the remaining three strongest men would be me, Nick and Austin.... I feel bad but that’s the way it is” “Having to vote him off is a highly emotional decision because he is something else. Dan has the right stuff.” Terry (to Dan) “We made a pact not to lie to each other.... I’d take you to the final two... if I could.... I’m making the decision for the strength of the team” Tribal Council Again, I’m a true “sucker” for emotionalism and this Tribal Council did tug at my proverbial heartstrings aj would have been in music heaven with the dynamic music playing that was specifically designed for Dan Jeff “Welcome back to Tribal Council” (Nice shot of Terry’s eyes rolling and a smile) Austin (about Sally) “She’s a huge part of tribe. We have the boy’s club and Sally” (And this is where we need to determine if this is all that Sally has been invested in as a character) Nick “Sally would have been next” Terry “It was immediately known they were going to pick Sally. It was a smart, strategic move on their part” (Ah, so Casaya does have some smarts in the midst of all that turmoil!) Dan then shown to acknowledge he would be leaving Terry “Strategically, we weren’t going to have to do this until we got to the final four (i.e. tie vote) and now we are at the final four of this tribe and what I’m doing is making a managerial decision” (Terry’s coaching persona again noted and I did find myself interested in his remark as I never quite heard so much talk about 2 v 2 in any show ) Austin “I would never use those words (regarding Jeff’s description of the next to leave) about Dan; just somebody has to go” Jeff “Well it seems like tonight’s vote is a foregone conclusion but I’ve seen weirder things happen. Terry you’ve been to Exile Island.... immunity could come into play, you’ll let me know after the vote” (Well that was certainly an intriguing statement and since this season opened with such great fanfare of the dramatics EI would play, it will be very interesting to look back at this Tribal Council and see if there was a relevance to the one where the idol will be used and let’s not forget Terry’s words “thru” the final four) We then end with an appropriate farewell to Dan amidst the dramatic music with salutes all around. I enjoyed that tremendously We have a recap episode that sometimes has quite a few nuggets of information and no question a merge is around the corner as again we heard references to same. I do have two questions for those who wish to answer How did you feel about Terry with his decision? How do you feel about Shane after this episode, did your feelings change or are they the same? Nick still remains the last of Casaya’s pair and his edit this week did not elevate him out of that status, Bruce was barely acknowledged when there should have been so much more coming from him especially after the last Tribal Council. Cerie and Austin are still consistent narrators for their respective tribes. Terry remains good as a long term player yet again, I want to see a little more dimension but one can’t overlook how he thrives at challenges and regardless of edit he is someone who is dominant in same. Sally’s status is only as good as her edit when she is no longer the story about the men’s club not lasting though there was the well placed hints of a “girls movement” and Dan’s words to the men that Sally would not remain loyal. The “psychotic” alliance is a main feature but it will have to break soon and Cerie with her situating herself as friend to the women and apparently getting on quite well with the men may take someone’s place. Courtney is much like the pairings at LaMina. She is the lesser of her pair with Danielle and with Shane being released, this alliance will ultimately be leveled. Shane has an aura of a journey albiet a bumpy one. Danielle’s edit has picked up which we know with editing a steady increase is desirable but I did not like her comment about “enjoying herself” Aras like Cerie is clearly edited into pivotal moments as when this happens, it raises my eyebrow. Aras has had consistent bumps and drops but nothing too dramatic and he, like Terry is leading his team. It will be interesting to see how these two gentleman get along together as two male leaders make interesting dynamics and does not occur very often.   Top

Subject     Author     Message Date     ID    Cirie ivoryElephant 03-10-06 1  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... emydi 03-10-06 2  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... JazzyJax 03-10-06 3  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Flowerpower 03-10-06 4  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Whole Lotta Rosie 03-10-06 5  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Surviette 03-10-06 6  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... michel 03-10-06 7    RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Georgianna 03-10-06 9  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... mimo 03-10-06 8  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... VolcanicGlass 03-11-06 10    RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Brownroach 03-13-06 14  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... zazzy 03-11-06 11  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Velcrohead 03-11-06 12    RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... saucydiva 03-13-06 16  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... trillium 03-12-06 13  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Sonicbluebird 03-13-06 15    RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Twisted Sister 03-13-06 17        RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... architecturegirl 03-13-06 18  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... DRONES 03-14-06 19    RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... VerucaSalt 03-14-06 20  If, alliances revealed ... tribephyl 03-14-06 21    RE: If, alliances revealed ... architecturegirl 03-14-06 22    RE: If, alliances revealed ... VerucaSalt 03-14-06 25  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... michel 03-14-06 23    RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Brownroach 03-14-06 24  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Velcrohead 03-15-06 26    RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Flowerpower 03-16-06 27        RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... VerucaSalt 03-17-06 28            RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Surviette 03-21-06 29  The Merge michel 04-01-06 30    RE: The Merge Brownroach 04-03-06 31        RE: The Merge VerucaSalt 04-04-06 32            RE: The Merge dreamerbeliever 04-04-06 33            RE: The Merge DRONES 04-05-06 34            RE: The Merge architecturegirl 04-05-06 35            RE: The Merge Surviette 04-05-06 36                RE: The Merge VerucaSalt 04-06-06 37                    RE: The Merge Flowerpower 04-06-06 38                        RE: The Merge architecturegirl 04-06-06 39                            RE: The Merge Brownroach 04-06-06 40                                RE: The Merge VerucaSalt 04-06-06 41                                    RE: The Merge Brownroach 04-06-06 42                                        RE: The Merge Flowerpower 04-06-06 43                                            RE: The Merge michel 04-06-06 44                                                RE: The Merge architecturegirl 04-06-06 45                                                RE: The Merge Brownroach 04-06-06 46                                                    RE: The Merge architecturegirl 04-06-06 47                                            RE: The Merge Surviette 04-06-06 48            RE: The Merge Outfrontgirl 04-06-06 49  RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... miyagimayday 04-06-06 50    RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... emydi 04-10-06 56        RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... Brownroach 04-10-06 57            RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... emydi 04-10-06 58    RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players... DRONES 04-10-06 59  Episode #8 michel 04-08-06 51    RE: Episode #8 Outfrontgirl 04-08-06 52    RE: Episode #8 architecturegirl 04-10-06 53        RE: Episode #8 michel 04-10-06 54            RE: Episode #8 architecturegirl 04-10-06 55            RE: Episode #8 Outfrontgirl 04-11-06 60  Men vs women again? mavs_fan 04-11-06 61    RE: Men vs women again? DRONES 04-12-06 62        RE: Last episode VerucaSalt 04-12-06 63            RE: Last episode michel 04-12-06 64                RE: Last episode Surviette 04-12-06 65                    RE: Last episode VerucaSalt 04-13-06 66                        RE: Last episode VerucaSalt 04-14-06 67                            RE: Last episode Surviette 04-14-06 68                                RE: Last episode Karchita 04-14-06 69                                    RE: Last episode tikigirlie 04-14-06 70                                        RE: Last episode Karchita 04-14-06 72                            RE: Last episode Brownroach 04-18-06 76  Episode #9 michel 04-14-06 71    RE: Episode #9 Velcrohead 04-15-06 73        RE: Episode #9 VerucaSalt 04-17-06 74            RE: Episode #9 Karchita 04-17-06 75                RE: Episode #9 DRONES 04-19-06 77                    RE: Episode #9 Brownroach 04-19-06 78                        RE: Episode #9 Surviette 04-19-06 80                            On Leadership and a few Questions michel 04-19-06 81                                RE: On Leadership and a few Questio... halfpintlemon 04-19-06 82                                RE: On Leadership and a few Questio... DRONES 04-19-06 83                                    RE: On Leadership and a few Questio... Bebo 04-20-06 84                                        RE: On Leadership and a few Questio... Brownroach 04-20-06 86                                            RE: On Leadership and a few Questio... Bebo 04-20-06 87    RE: Episode #9 architecturegirl 04-19-06 79        Sally Sonicbluebird 04-20-06 85  Episode #10 michel 04-22-06 88    RE: Episode #10 KObrien_fan 04-22-06 89        RE: Episode #10 Velcrohead 04-24-06 91        RE: Episode #10 Surviette 04-24-06 92    RE: Episode #10 rickyjoe 04-24-06 93        RE: Episode #10 michel 04-24-06 94        RE: Episode #10 architecturegirl 04-25-06 96            RE: Episode #10 rickyjoe 04-26-06 98                RE: Episode #10 Brownroach 04-26-06 99                    RE: Episode #10 rickyjoe 04-26-06 100  Shane KObrien_fan 04-22-06 90    RE: Shane fallingtogether 04-25-06 95        RE: Shane halfpintlemon 04-26-06 97    RE: Shane Outfrontgirl 04-30-06 102        Cirie KObrien_fan 05-01-06 103            RE: Cirie Outfrontgirl 05-01-06 104  Episode #11 michel 04-29-06 101    RE: Episode #11 Outfrontgirl 05-01-06 105        RE: Episode #11 emydi 05-01-06 106            RE: Episode #11 Flowerpower 05-01-06 107                RE: Episode #11 Outfrontgirl 05-03-06 108                    RE: Episode #11 Brownroach 05-03-06 109

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ivoryElephant 2257 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Seventeen Magazine Model" 03-10-06, 04:14 PM (EST) 1. "Cirie" Ok, I know she goes far because she has the narrator edit and Jeff said she was one of the 5 best castaways ever. So I think she at least makes Jury BUT she had really weird editing last night. We saw A LOT of her and they showed her missing her kids. Unless it is the family reward episode, it isn't a good sign when they show you missing your kids. Case in point would be survivor 9 when Bubba aka Travis was blubbering about missing his family, he was gone within the next two episodes ( can't remember if it was the next one or the second one after) mind the gap   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 03-10-06, 04:26 PM (EST) 2. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Great stuff VS...I'll be back later to add stuff but wanted to say a couple of things After seeing Dan's scene at the beginning of the show, I knew def. he was leaving..It reminded me of Blake's scene at the beg. of the show he was voted off last season where he was sitting by the water's edge in a.m. ... How did you feel about Terry with his decision? HE DESERTED DAN....meh... How do you feel about Shane after this episode, did your feelings change or are they the same? I still like him. Maybe bc I don't really like Courtney and Danielle is just bearable. He is def. THE CHARACTER of the season and one of the best in Survivor History. The scene of him smoking the cig. to the last puff was priceless. I knew he would do it VS did you see the preview for Ep. 7 in 3 weeks??? It's your favorite challenge the COCONUT CHOP It's most likely the first individual IC...I think Terry having the hidden idol will comie into play during this challenge. Sally probably saw the fresh dirt by the Y tree and will tell the GIRLS that Terry has it...so a pureanalysis of this challenge (as YOU LOVE TO DO) may not be possible.   Top

JazzyJax 531 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 03-10-06, 04:26 PM (EST) 3. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Thanks VS, great timing, and great observations as usual! How did you feel about Terry with his decision? I know editing leaves out alot of the discussions, but I thought the editing made Terry came off a little pompous ala early Tom. Ultimately, Terry did the right thing talking to Dan about it, and keeping the two young guys as targets for the merge, but the term "managerial" just struck me wrong as the partnership he and Dan had seemed deeper than that. How do you feel about Shane after this episode, did your feelings change or are they the same? Nope, my feelings stayed the same, the editing is showing Shane as psychotic, and still demeaning (to me.) I can imagine that Courtney is indeed annoying but he lashes out continuously and filters very little that comes out of his mouth. My opinion of Danielle changed however, as her wording under the shelter at night was articulate, forceful enough, and more understanding of how to handle Shane's "fits" than I would have thought out of her.   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 03-10-06, 05:00 PM (EST) 4. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" LAST EDITED ON 03-10-06 AT 09:29 PM (EST) VS, you are just simply amazing, great assessments! I have just a few more tidbits to add. I definately think that all the snake symbology over at EI with Sally is serious foreshadowing. Sally, imo is going to jump post merge....she's going to be a snake. AJ really will enjoy this ep when it airs in Australia! I loved the dramatic musical score from I think "the Right Stuff" as Dan admitted that he failed at the challenge and he would accept the responsibility of it....then Terry noting what a great guy he was and that he indeed had the right stuff. Very dramatic "astronaut movie" music. It also played at TC when he was walking off and when he turned to salute. Great and very fitting music to a remarkable man. Then another thing I noticed was at TC when Dan was talking about how just yesterday he was feeling really good about things as he knew the merge was coming up and he knew that he had one person at least in front of him regarding boots, and then he couldn't believe how quickly the game can change on you, THEN the camara immediately pans to Terry....I personally got a bad feeling that Terry too would be in a comparable position at some point in this game. How did you feel about Terry with his decision? Personally, I thought it was the best possible choice for Terry to make at the time. I felt as though it was an extremely difficult one for him to make, but Terry also has to think about the future and the merge. If he had booted one of the young guys, I would think that the odds of the young guy remaining would greatly increase for that one to flip to side with the remaining young guy on the other tribe, Aras. This would have left Terry with only one person to allign with come merge. I also think he would feel that if he kept the 2 young guys, he could further cement the alliance that he had with the 3 younger La Minas, Austin, Nick, and Sally, therefore is more likely to enter the merge with 3 people who could watch his back rather than only one. And as some folks have noted, the younger strong men provide good targets in and of themselves, whereas Dan would be so non-threatening to win challenges, he could potentially outlast Terry once merged. I think it was truely the wisest decision, and one that he took no pleasure in making. But, alas, this is a GAME, and may the best man/woman win. How do you feel about Shane after this episode, did your feelings change or are they the same? I get vibes that he may be suffering from some bipolar type of disorder as well. He's totally lost all perspective in this game and is such a loose cannon who is often out of control. He really is quite disrespectful of everyone, he's got a huge mouth, there are no secrets with him around. He'd rather enter the merge as a lone wolf than with a strong alliance of 4 going in with the dominant tribe.....IDIOT! His damage control fell pretty short in my book as well. I'm with Cirie on this one, give him the boot! While he grabs so much of the drama, I can not see him winning or getting to F4 at all. He's got so many personal issues to deal with, this game seems as if it's just a diversion for him, is he really playing to win??? No, imo. Thanks, VS!   Top

Whole Lotta Rosie 104 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 03-10-06, 05:57 PM (EST) 5. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" LAST EDITED ON 03-10-06 AT 06:05 PM (EST) VS, you are on fire this season. Maybe we should begin calling you VS Feugo. Once again I don’t have much to add this week, but since you asked. Plus, new sheets. How did you feel about Terry with his decision? Personally I don’t think he had much of a choice. Dan’s edit last episode was so positive, his boot so amicable, that I felt bad for the male LaMina in having to let him go. If Dan had made more of a play to stay, or was shown calling Terry on his first episode promise (although if I remember correctly it was shown as more of a one way deal), I may have thought differently. How do you feel about Shane after this episode, did your feelings change or are they the same? I do feel more positive about Shane after this episode, but I also felt a twinge more positive about Shane after the last episode. It is tough with Shane because he is such an over the top character you just can help enjoy watching him. I think FP is correct, we are meant to see him as bi-polar, but I enjoy, and have come to expect, his moments of lucidity. I was, dare I say, touched at his moment with Danielle at the reward picnic. Although I can’t say I was fond of Danielle prior to that point, I think it showed well for her as well. The irony is that I am not very fond of Cerie, although I know we are supposed to be. I definitely agree with VS and FP that our first major theme of the post-merge will center on Sally. Snakes, girl-power, and Dan’s ominous warning when RM was booted, are painting a very nice premise as we move into the merge. I still think the target should be Austin, he of the plan, but I have some difficulty seeing him go before Nick. To all, great work. Edited to add a "but" because while I was agreeing that Shane is bi-polar, I was not agreeing that I saw him as a complete "butt".   Top

Surviette 124 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 03-10-06, 07:08 PM (EST) 6. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Finally, we have three weeks to read everything in this thread Terry - I think Terry made a sound, unselfish, decision for the team. He could have stayed with Dan, ensuring his alliance of two. He knows Nick & Austin are allied, so he's the third wheel there. Also, the decision was based on performance, not emotion & it was carried through with more dignity than we'll probably ever witness again. Very refreshing. Shane - I'm probably not supposed to like him, but I still do. His evening "discussion" was interesting. He wanted to talk about the game & Danielle couldn't be bothered. Shane's outbursts ARE directed at Courtney & Danielle, but honestly, they are not the most sane people either! Shane's waffling could have to do with his emotional play & a desire to move forward with "deserving" players who "do something", such as Cirie & Terry. Wonderful analysis & great questions, VS!   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 03-10-06, 07:14 PM (EST) 7. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" LAST EDITED ON 03-10-06 AT 07:24 PM (EST) Veruca, you are right, it is important to go back to that first episode. We see how the themes of leadership and boy/girl's club started. To answer your question about Terry: He could've tried to give Dan a chance, split the votes and see who wins a challenge but it wouldn't have accomplished a thing. He went with La Mina's established strategy of booting the weakest. As for the Shane question, my post should answer that. He's a great character and as long as he's only on TV, I enjoy seeing him! I think the episode could be titled Breakdown: Most of the episode revolved around Casaya eventhough La Mina went to Tribal Council. It is very indicative of the complexities in that tribe. Shane may be the key to the season. How do you analyze someone like Shane? He had proposed booting Bobby but suddenly he thinks keeping everyone awake to argue against that choice is more important than going to sleep.Saying it was a stupid move shows how volatile he is. All his anger once again was directed at Danielle. Then he says that Bruce should’ve been voted off, not even caring that he can be heard. Bruce was already dismissed in his mind as a non-factor, just like Bobby had been. I saw an actor who had gained power through his antics. Now, is it a mental breakdown? I cannot figure his purpose but I can analyze his actions. As others have mentioned, Shane’s partner is Aras. Aras was destabilized by the last vote. Already Aras was unsure of his leadership. Now, Danielle had gained some control in the tribe. Shane made certain she didn’t have time to enjoy it! We didn’t hear anything about Aras worrying about being left out of the loop or even about receiving a vote. Did Aras talk about it? It’s probable but it didn’t come into play because all the attention was on Shane. He throws away his alliance in the morning by asking Danielle and Courtney to release him from his pledge. What could breaking his alliance gain him? Being a lone wolf at merge could mean he intended on jumping ship. Aras didn't go along. Two persons gained from this outburst. Cirie who was so pleased to let us know how great she felt about the fight. The other one was Aras. Both he and Danielle were the most clinical players on this tribe. Shane’s outburts prevent Danielle from applying her game plan. He provokes too many emotions in her. It was Aras that was rational enough to say that “Shane is writing his walking papers”. Bringing him back from the precipice, he got Shane to apologize to Danielle. The words Shane used were very powerful: “I apologize, I don’t owe anyone a single thing except you.” By getting back in line with Danielle, Shane prevents an attack and the whole confrontation gave back some power to his man, Aras. Shane had decided long ago that he would stick with Aras so he cannot flip without him. How much of these exchanges were planned, how much was lashing out blindly? That isn’t the important question. What is important is the result. Danielle is off-balance and Aras is back in charge. Shane sees himself going further with Aras than Danielle. Aras, as stated, is playing a clinical game. His decisions aren’t based on emotions. He does what is needed to keep the tribe functioning and places the players where he wants them for the challenges. He is still unsure of himself but he makes most of the decisions. Danielle could’ve gained leadership of the group. She was set to strike again. It was nice to see someone acting with such determination. Courtney reinforced her statements but wasn’t going to be the executioner. Danielle still has influence. Aras was close to letting Shane’s head roll off. Her influence was demonstrated when she said Sally would be saved from TC and would go to exile island. If Shane started with his breakdown before getting back in the fold, Cirie had the opposite trajectory. As happy as she was with the fight and later with the kids in the village, the reconciliation showed her she still has work to do. Danielle giving in to Shane may be seen by Cirie as a sign of weakness. The schemer may change sides and go with Aras next time. The edit may have told us that Cirie and Bruce will not win. When survivors let their team down in a challenge but don’t get blamed, we can say that they may have longevity. Cirie and Bruce won the challenge despite a handicap at the start. They didn’t get any confessional praises. This tells me they probably won’t make the final. Bruce can’t even respond when Shane says they should’ve voted him out. All he got from the editors is a hug from Cirie after their win and nice visuals at the village. Visuals won’t be enough this season. The winner will need to get his hands dirty and will have to fight for it! Where have Courtney’s narrative confessionals gone? She has practically disappeared in the last 3 episodes and is only there in relation to Shane. Her story cannot outlast him. One of them will feel elated the other one’s gone but then may follow right after. Her diminishing importance in the narration leads me to think she goes first. La Mina had a beautiful start. Irony is an editor’s favorite toy! Dan was savouring a day in paradise. Everyone loved Dan Fuego for the first 20 minutes. He was in orbit! His story didn’t have anywhere else to go. His demise started when he noticed Bobby was gone from Casaya. The exclamation he let out was due to the realization Casaya wasn’t playing the same game as La Mina. He led his tribe to its breakdown by not performing in the challenge. If in space you die when you make a mistake, on Survivor you get your torch snuffed. Terry had to let his partner go. At the same time, he lost the last advantage he could’ve carried into merge. The old men’s tribe was still intact. Should he have tried to save Dan? All that can be said is that he doesn’t control his destiny anymore. He’ll need mistakes from other players to win. Austin was the voice of reason. Getting rid of Dan was very important if he expects to join Aras post merge. He is smart. How devious is he? Sally went from being very down to being saved by Casaya. She had no future in the men’s club. Now that the men’s club is crumbling as she forewarned, her fate may again be in Casaya’s hands or more accurately in Danielle’s hands. If they do merge, can Shane live with an additional woman? Nick made a special guest appearance and reassured us that he can add 2 + 2. Jiffy said in the pre-season that he didn’t get much of an impression of Nick. I think we all agree! Terry, Austin and Sally will need help from their original tribemates. Terry especially being a big target, shouldn’t expect many favours. Bruce and Cirie’s challenge performance was ignored which is a bad sign. Shane and Courtney could only win a jury vote going against each other. Too bad they could only get to the jury by voting the other one out! That leaves Danielle and Aras to battle it out. If Casaya is a leaderless tribe, the three significant La Mina left have a chance. If Aras and Danielle can let their battle wait a few more episodes, then they have a free path to the end game. Which one will emerge is still in doubt but they each have a perfect F2 foil as their main ally.   Top

Georgianna 514 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 03-10-06, 11:42 PM (EST) 9. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Brilliant! I would add just a note regarding Shane: the perpetuation of relevancy in the midst of a Parade of the Peculiar is no small feat ...   Top

mimo 563 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 03-10-06, 10:16 PM (EST) 8. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" I have to start this off by saying how amazing all of you guys are. The insights you give are fantastic. VS--I don't know how you do it, but you manage to keep all the little details together to see how the final outcome is manipulated. Meanwhile, I consider myself one of the manipulatees. It's so hard not to get drawn into the story!! Anyway, in answer to your questions: 1. How did I feel about Terry with his decision? Well it was pretty much what I expected. Terry seems to be very much a watered down version of Tom. He's the strong man in the team, having to perform well in every challenge (despite the presence of younger stronger men on his team) yet he somehow never manages to measure up. Despite his best efforts La Mina keeps losing. His rationale for voting out Dan, to me, was very similar to his excuse for voting Ruth. It was a managerial decision, without emotion. I know playing emotionally is not supposed to get you far in the game, but I would have liked Terry to have struggled with the decision (perhaps even pulling a Steph--go for the tie break and change your vote later.) I also get a feeling that this tribe (i.e. Terry's tribe) doesn't value women (their first three votes would have been the women, despite Sally's stronger performances at challenges than Dan.) As a woman, I guess I'm not really finding much to value at La Mina. 2. How do I feel about Shane after this episode, did my feelings change or stay the same? Well, against my better judgement, I find myself actually charmed by Shane (still). Yes, he's crazy, treats women disrespectfully (vs. the men), and can't seem to stick with a decision once he's made it. Yet despite all that (and underneath his disrespect), the women matter to him. His kissing Cerie after winning the challenge and his appology to Danielle reinforced that. He's all emotion (very much a contrast to Terry), and this seems to lie behind Casay's success at challenges. As much as his swearing on his son is irritating, it's refreshing that this oath means so much to him (again a very direct contrast to Terry.) Other things I noticed from this episode were Danielle's reasoning and eloquence (definitely a positive uptick--she even made Shane see reason, eventually); Cerie the outsider of the alliance very much inside of things (in terms of sleeping positions, celebrating the win--Shane's crazy kisses again, sharing information with Courtney, and even the seating at tribal council.) Bruce, on the other hand, was a complete non-entity. I remember towards the beginning of the show, I could never remember who Bobby was. (Every time I saw his name I kept thinking "there's a guy called Bobby in this???") Well, I remember Bruce's name, but barely!! Anyway, hope you find this useful!! Keep up the excellent analysis!!   Top

VolcanicGlass 428 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Daytime Soap Guest Star" 03-11-06, 01:47 PM (EST) 10. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" About the wink... That sequence is even more manipulative. Not so sure it's a wink in the first place. It looks more like Courtney is blinking from the sun. At any rate, the footage of Courtney is flipped. She was looking in the direction of Casaya, not Viveros at time, but by flipping it, they sure made it look as if she was flirting with Aras. ;)   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 03-13-06, 10:47 AM (EST) 14. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" LAST EDITED ON 03-13-06 AT 10:49 AM (EST) And there's Danielle on Courtney's *left* in the "wink" cap! Nice job, VG! Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

zazzy 4390 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 03-11-06, 03:07 PM (EST) 11. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Veruca, you are terrific! I enjoy this thread tremendously each season. It is a must read! Because of you I now recognize when we have a mixed edit--scenes from another time spliced into a main scene to create an impression. Your contributors are stellar as well. I am always way ahead of my Survivor watching friends due to this thread. Some observations: Sally’s exile: she was not shown building fire on exile island. Terry was shown building fire when he was there; fire = life. Terry should outlast Sally despite Sally finding the other women at the merge. Wasn’t Terry shown standing on the big skull looking out into the vast horizon? A big contrast to Sally being shown prone, sprawled out on the big skull. (As an aside, I wonder if they can get shelter inside the big skull or if that is off limits and used to hide Survivor camera equipment and supplies). Sally was shown digging near the water tank--we know that is not where the idol was found. Sally looks like she is starving and about out of gas. One editing piece I liked, though, was the shot of the bird soaring over exile island as they cut to Sally--as if to say that Sally is able to soar now that she has escaped the men’s club. Terry’s decision? I think Terry again made a bad decision. He voted off the one person left who would never ever write his name down. If he and Dan were not F2, Dan would have been a good jury member for Terry to have. Terry should have tried to keep the older men’s group intact while Austin craftily maneuvered to even the two groups. I would have done what Austin did if I saw a merge coming and the older guys getting back together, 4 older to 3 younger men, Terry should not have voted out Ruth Marie either. I think Terry’s thoughts were affected by seeing Steph go down to a one person tribe when strength was voted out too early. With that lesson fresh in his mind, it is natural to go towards preserving strength as he did. Imagine what a different game it would be with a merge approaching and Terry, Dan, and Ruth Marie find Bruce and Cirie waiting for them. Instead, Terry has played into the ‘young person’s game’. I think that comment foreshadows a “young person’s “ win. Terry could have eliminated an immunity threat by voting out Nick. He seems to have regard for Nick, as shown in the quick scene where Nick lets Terry know what Dan is thinking. Dan also had regard for Nick because Dan asks Nick if Austin would want to leave (how funny! Who is there “to leave“?). Terry and Dan’s regard for Nick is a buried story--underscoring Nick is not important to the rest of the game. Upon a merge, does Casaya stick together and see washboard abs Nick as the immunity threat when looking at Terry, Austin, Sally and Nick? Or does Aras try to protect Nick as he reunites with Nick and Austin? If so, Terry may have made himself an odd man out. Nick is also underplayed in contrast to Austin, who gets the minnow eating spotlight, the persuading Terry into voting out Dan moment and the “I am John Grisham” humor. Nick has no real story. Also, Austin’s comment to Nick: “we have nothing but time” was intriguing and probably there for future irony. I wonder how they decide who gets tree mail. Do the producers ask someone or does the tribe decide? In any event, it gave them a chance to show Nick and Sally together. Nick did get quite an editing surge in this episode, including the raft paddling with Dan (and was that shot from many days before? It looked like it from their beards in contrast to their beard lengths when they were in their shelter). Nick’s editing rise reminds me of the Survivor style of spotlighted one ep and gone the next. Bruce’s story is as though his spark has gone out. Or will he get a quick edit surge before departing? Perhaps we see more of Bruce in the recap. Cirie’s story is interesting. The edits of her being hugged by Shane, kissed by Shane, cuddled with Aras in the shelter and shaking hands with Aras at the BBQ suggest that she has moved into very good regard with each of them. When they are eating food at the BBQ, Cirie is sitting between Shane and Aras. Courtney and Danielle also assume she is with them because they openly discuss getting Shane out in front of her. The chopping motions they made are interesting--will they be echoed in the coconut chop challenge in three weeks? All in all, Cirie is doing remarkably well despite having no original teammates left. Shane. My thoughts about him are colored by something I read either on this thread or another that he is an actor/has acted in several things. I think he came to Survivor with a strategy to stand out and if he wins a million along the way, great. Otherwise, he will, at the least, be spotlighted and remembered in his two month audition. Frankly he looks like he is hungover all the time. He also reminds me of some guys I have met in the work world who have chips on their shoulders vis a vis women. I applauded when Danielle set some boundaries with him--something I wish I had known to do earlier in encounters with Shane types! From this episode on out I feel like we are being fed some of the story behind the jury’s final questions and voting decisions. Was Shane’s apology to Danielle one of those edits? I shudder to think of Shane in the F2. I hope he does not go on the “I’m the one you want sitting next to you at the end because no one would vote for me” tack.   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 03-11-06, 03:36 PM (EST) 12. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Great job as always, VS. I neglected to answer the questions you posed last time (an oversight, obviously ), so, first things first: How did you feel about Terry with his decision? I had expected Terry to be more fraught over his decision to boot Dan. It seems to me that he made up his mind straight off the bat and spent the interim trying not to second guess himself on an emotional level. You have to say that Austin and, to a lesser extent, Nick did a good job of rationalising Dan’s boot as a necessary evil and, consequently, ease what guilt Terry may have had to oust his buddy. The real regret for him is likely to be measured in more tangible terms: losing his most valued ally in the game. Nonetheless, his continued preoccupation with the tribe, “putting on my Joe Torre hat for the strength of the team”, rather than his own gameplay is a worrying trend. Granted, having the hidden immunity idol affords him the luxury of putting his own survival strategy on the backburner but this form of editing doesn’t usually equate to a victorious endgame. And can’t. Once the idol is flushed out, only a timely immunity challenge win can save him. How do you feel about Shane after this episode, did your feelings change or are they the same? I found myself ambivalent about Shane. On the one hand the episode bookends the aggravation he caused amongst the entire tribe, to the point they wanted him out, with the almost (I said almost ) contrite figure he cut at the reward. It brought to mind Jamie’s obnoxiousness from last season--equally volatile, often paranoid, occasionally stable--and how his last involvement in the game was a penitent act, moving to the bottom of the line in the food reward. In that regard we might suppose for Shane it likewise signals the beginning of the end having reached closure with Danielle. The release from swearing on his son business has also been resolved except I’m bound to argue far too much stock has been placed on it already (his son in general, not the oath specifically) for it not to have some kind of longer term connotations (maybe seeing him at the Family reward?). There is also Cerie’s observation about the reward giving Shane time to backtrack with Courtney and Danielle and the two being easily persuaded by him that it almost feels like the groundwork is being laid for exactly such an impending event. At the risk of contradicting myself, though, I think Shane reached a peak in this episode; we’ve already covered his son, his vices, the issues he clearly has with women and there was even a bout of contrition thrown in. His story needs to wind down now and the softening up of a generally distasteful character can be viewed as a typical editing goodwill gesture that we tend to see not too long before a boot. Still, I’m quite happy to entertain the opposite viewpoint so if I could throw back a question to you VS (and anyone else so inclined): If Shane is being portrayed as on a ‘journey’, what more of the tale is there left to tell? And indeed, where is the end destination? CASAYA A tribe that is a soap opera unto itself. As I opined in the previous episode, Aras’ edit is a better fit for embarking on a ‘journey’. To my mind at least, we’re seeing a young man’s passage into adulthood, how he’s becoming a leader but is struggling with the process. VS, since you raise the goings-on from the first episode, I’ll try and make a link here. The relevance to the hand meditation might be construed as a metaphor for Aras striving for an inner calm amidst the outward frustrations he has with members of his tribe and, that most importantly, by striking a happy balance, he is able to act judiciously within the game (yin and yang; order and chaos etc.). I guess you could argue it offers a pleasant contrast to Shane’s hot-headedness. A lot of psychobabble, I know, but since the practice of yoga is about mental as well as physical discipline--etymologically derived from Sanskrit meaning ‘union’--I like how it seems to fit together with the way Aras is playing the game. Another example that ties in: the confessional that basically argued he was done with Shane but still sensitive to his plight and remaining respectful in conversation with him afterwards: “I agree with you, but the way you did it makes it hard for yourself to work with the group now” (a mild reproach, having learned his lesson with Bruce?). And later at reward, in a non-confrontational, almost jovial tone, when Shane was about to light up: “I’m not happy with that, buddy.” I was a little surprised that we weren’t made privy to Aras’ thoughts about what happened at TC. It would have been interesting to know, for example, how he felt about having a vote cast against him, not to mention Danielle diluting some of his influence via her defence of Bruce. That said, I’m not so sure that Shane making himself the centre of attention in this episode necessarily deprived us the opportunity to explore the implications of a power struggle developing between those two. To my mind, there isn’t one, or at least, this felt more like a one-off. The decision to get rid of Bobby was, as Shane argued in the tent, borne out of personal feelings on Danielle and Courtney’s part. Their reasoning that Bruce was more trustworthy (than Bobby) and therefore should be kept on has been rendered meaningless, seeing as how after all the trouble they went to to instigate the boot in the first place, they have since been quite content to keep up appearances of Bruce’s status as the forgotten man. Cerie has gone from stirring the pot to someone who can’t stop stirring the pot. Courtney, as michel has noted, figures only in relation to Shane, though using Danielle as a shield may give her temporary relief. After all, Shane can’t quite decide who his greatest object of ire is; last time it was definitely Courtney, this time it was more Danielle--“She’s a meatball”. The trouble is, we are shown Shane apologising to Danielle, who seemed willing to move on—-“All right, honey. My Crazy boy”-- but not her. In what could be a Survivor first—-I stand to be corrected—-a contestant has failed to utter a single word, much less string a sentence, in an entire episode. Step forward, Bruce. As if we didn’t know it already, a blatant shot of Bruce (to begin with at least) eating away from the tribe, who are otherwise all seated together at the reward, reaffirms his detached presence from the game (there have been many scenes depicting Bruce in isolation like that throughout the season). The impression is that he seems quite content with that status quo, though I wonder in terms of tribe dynamics whether he’s an outsider because he’s a loner or vice-versa. The distinction is important because whilst one is predicated on personal behaviour, the alternative is a consequence of others. The former he can do something about by involving himself more with the tribe. If it’s the latter, then he’s already doomed. LA MINA Poor 'ol Dan. In my own little world I was still surprised to see him voted off despite everyone in this thread saying his edit suggested it. If I may clutch at one last straw it is to maintain my theory about ‘nice’ people lasting long in the game as a generality. And I do wonder if TC had been for the final five instead last night (with an unnamed other having immunity), how differently the vote may have been. I would however, invite feedback to this remark at TC, which I could make neither head nor tails of: “I’m solid with five people…I know there’s one person in front of me, for sure, that if we were to lose again…..it’s incredible how fast things turn.” Any ideas? To quote michel: ‘Nick made a special guest appearance and reassured us that he can add 2 + 2. Jiffy said in the pre-season that he didn’t get much of an impression of Nick. I think we all agree! Beautifully put, michel. He’s a nice guy and um, that’s it. Austin is also being edited as a ‘nice guy’, someone who is thoughtful and caring (kind words for Dan at TC). Each time, also, the audience are given gentle reminders that he is playing the game (notice him instigating a lot of the strategy talk, especially in one-on-one’s with Terry).and I hold out for the possibility we will see more of that side to him after the merge. As far as Sally is concerned, I reiterate that there continues to be nothing proactive from her whatsoever with regards to staying in the game. She comments that being on Exile Island is her ‘saving grace’, which is undoubtedly so, but the fixation with ‘what was’ rather than ‘what will be’ smacks of someone who, contrary to her own observations about the boy’s club thing being short-sighted, has no long term strategy of her own. If truth be told, she owes her continued participation in the game entirely to others (twice now having escaped the chop) and can’t take any credit for breaking up the four-man alliance regardless of precipitating it. I do accept there have been hints of her abandoning the remaining La Mina members post-merge and possibly teaming up with the Casaya women ; however, until Sally comes out of passive mode I’m going to have a hard time being convinced she is anything other than a mid-place finisher. And finally: I too noticed the preponderance of snakes in this episode. I’d supplement that imagery with Sally on Exile Island with Courtney’s (or Danielle, possibly) voiceover, “I can’t believe I talked this guy back into the game”, as a snake slithers on a branch and into shot (Shane wriggling free and now poised to strike again? Only this time the damage will be that much worse?) ¬¬VH¬¬   Top

saucydiva 21 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Got Milk? Spokesperson" 03-13-06, 01:16 PM (EST) 16. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" >“I’m solid with five people…I know there’s one person in front >of me, for sure, that if we were to lose again…..it’s incredible how fast things turn.” > >Any ideas? I thought he was talking about the RM boot. He used a similar phrase ("incredible how fast things turn") in the ep right after that TC. He thought it was the four guys + RM, and he figured she'd get the boot before he did. I know he said "with" five people and you might be thinking, well, who is the sixth person (five plus Dan) but I think he meant it more like "I was solid in a 5-person alliance, and I was confident that I wouldn't be the first of those 5 to get kicked out." saucydiva   Top

trillium 81 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Hollywood Squares Square" 03-12-06, 10:28 PM (EST) 13. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" you guys are all so incredibly awesome with your insights starting with Veruca Salt. I am so glad I stumbled on this thread!!! kudos to all.   Top

Sonicbluebird 60 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Hollywood Squares Square" 03-13-06, 11:51 AM (EST) 15. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Great Job VS! "How did you feel about Terry with his decision? How do you feel about Shane after this episode, did your feelings change or are they the same?" I am going to answer these in reverse. Shane is Shane - a crazy guy. He is great for editing as he never leaves them lacking in material. I don't think that he is headed for the winners circle, but I think he is safe for a few more votes. Terry was stupid. He doesn't see that he is being manipulated by Austin and Nick. Terry seems to be blind to the value of loyalty. He is now the third wheel and no longer has the power. Had he been playing the game differently, he could potentially had RM and Dan by his side. Even if they got voted off early after the merge, he could still count on their jury vote.   Top

Twisted Sister 13 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Got Milk? Spokesperson" 03-13-06, 03:26 PM (EST) 17. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" In retrospect, I realized that the edit of the Dan/Terry pairing probably pointed to its lack of longevity. Aside from the first day when they made the alliance, you never really see them really hanging together, ie, Palau's Adventures of Fireman and Dolphinboy, or even Jud/Stephanie. There seems to be more mutual respect and friendship but you really don't see a strong bond. Terry and Austin seem to be much closer. One cute little bit of editing at Casaya is during the morning after the TC council when Shane, Danielle, and Courtney are having it out, the is a brief cut to log with termites or some devoruing bug, which might mean the alliance rotting from within. So I'm assuming the friendliness/making up at the reward challenge is only temporary. I also noticed that back at La Mina when Austin and Nick were heroworshipping Dan, both Terry and Sally had a "I can't top that" expression. Perhaps Terry was actually worried if the two young men were n the jury and he and Dan were in the final two that Dan would get the sentimental vote.   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 03-13-06, 08:18 PM (EST) 18. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" VS - to answer your questions: What do I think of Terry's actions this episode? I approve. True, had he kept Ruth Marie and Dan he'd have two people for sure on the jury - but lets not forget - you have to get that far first. Strength and being of worth to the tribe is paramount at the beginning of the game, and then becomes a casualty once the merge happens. Dan was holding them back physically, but come the merge he'd be one more "weak" player, thus further highlighting Terry's physical dominance. He has much more of a chance (although still not much) of deflecting attention to other physically strong players by keeping the young guys. They also have ties at Casaya that Terry does not - Dan had the same ties that Terry did. Shane? Oh Shane, Shane, Shane. I was really thinking you were becoming more sane and more of a savvy player last week. Did I really even say that I thought you were perhaps going to get the Kathy OBrien edit??? Forget that. You are in a class all your own. We were shown great strategy and game smarts from Shane last episode, and then BOOM! This episode he goes wacko and making all of the WRONG moves a survivor could possibly make! We are definitely being shown a bi-polar personality. There's only so many times that you can cry wolf on your tribemates before it bites you in the butt. I do not believe (I just cant think she's that stupid) that he truly smoothed things over with Danielle. I think she was smart enough to "Yes" him, not make a big deal of it, but I think - god, I hope - she's smart enough to be done with him, to only keep him around as long as he's useful. I agree - Sally's pivotal episode is the merge episode. What she does to secure herself in the game will determine her longevity. If she just sits back at that point, which would just be truly stupid, she'll be gone soon. What I find interesting about this season is that the dominant in numbers tribe come merge is perhaps the tribe that (should) be the easiest to break up of any in Survivor history. A truly good player should be able to break into that group - play with their loyalties no problem. They're so easily stirred up - can you imagine Rob (C or M) having the chance to play with their heads?? Now THAT would be a great dynamic! Well, thats it for now...   Top

DRONES 615 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 03-14-06, 05:13 AM (EST) 19. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" LAST EDITED ON 03-14-06 AT 05:13 AM (EST) Without reading anyone elses response I'm going to take stab at your questions. How did you feel about Terry with his decision? The thing I found most interesting about his decision was that little was made of his promise to Dan. Dan was merely disappointed but seemed resigned to his fate at TC. The editing really softened the promise that was made. Terry came off as doing what was best for the tribe and that if Sally had been there she would have been gone which was mentioned several times.(Perhaps to hammer home the point that Terry was doing what was best for the tribe and to soften his betrayal of Dan.) How do you feel about Shane after this episode, did your feelings change or are they the same? My feelings softened on him after they won the challenge, especially while they were enjoying the reward. I would like to take special note of the visual where Shane put is arm around Danielle. I don't know about anybody else but that scene creeped me out a bit. It looked extremely awkward and Danielle looked as if she felt that way as well judging by her immediate reaction to try and remove his arm from around her neck. It was if she was trying to break lose from a choke hold by Shane. She stiffened up, put her arm on his, pushed it away and extricated herself from the situation. She turned around to face him in an almost defensive position. Like I said it was a very odd visual. This change in Shane's edit is the beginning of the end for him. I don't believe he will be the next to go but soon. It will be interesting to see what happens to his edit after the merge. If we start to see much less of him to make room for others. I don't usually get to involved in posting pre-merge but that doesn't keep me away from reading all of the posts in this thread. DRONES   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 03-14-06, 07:19 AM (EST) 20. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" I can’t begin to even say that I am notably impressed by everyone’s discussions and I am glad that the upcoming recap didn’t stop those of you from posting their insights. Please disregard the bumping of our first thread. I went to get Jeff's commentary for this thread and posted there. VG, what a wonderful videocap and perfect confirmation of editing manipulation. The sun, indeed This is just concrete evidence of the lengths the editors go to in providing visuals to manipulate the audience as that “wink” was something most of us noticed. ivoryElephant, indeed there have been many instances where a survivor shown missing their family is a definite foreshadowing to their demise shortly thereafter (you mentioned Travis and that is a perfect example) I would suggest that it is a great indicator if that person is already not suggesting longevity and/or the logistics of the game tell us that person is vulnerable as it is. Travis was booted when the tribes were reorganized and only Travis and Rory were part of a number dominant woman’s tribe. The inclusion of his missing his family rounded out his story. Since Cerie was established very early as a player with longevity and as you note, a narrator, and Casaya has more members, this may very well just supplement to a character we have gotten to know very well (not to mention perhaps a nice prerequisite to a heartfelt moment with family?) emydi, you most definitely know of my fondness for the “pecking order” challenge. Yes, Sally not finding the idol and the idea planted that she may join with a “girls club” may change some semblance of the order. We saw last season that the order was somewhat curious in light of the alliances that were shown to us as well. I think it will be potentially interesting to see how Casaya views Terry. What does a tribe do when they believe someone possesses a secret immunity idol? (Casaya gave him ample opportunity to do so) Do they even risk casting votes for him with the concern that the person LaMina (should LaMina vote together) votes for would therefore have to leave? The premise is that Exile Island makes for drama, this should be interesting. JazzyJax so glad to see you in here and thank you for responding to the questions (along with those of you who also did so) I see that generally that while Terry made to some a somewhat understandable decision. I see some responses that it did not feel emotionally invested. Perhaps, some may have felt differently about his decision if perhaps Terry’s demeanor was somewhat different? His decision, in actuality, is the crux of his edit. Everything involving Terry is about strength for the team which some of us have felt has not been expansive enough. I too would have “appreciated” a little more dimension to his having to boot off the person that he was closest with as well and this is of a concern. Regardless if a winner is somewhat more negatively received or positively received there is some semblance of a depth in that person, whether it is as simple as being likeable or temperamental or paternal or even fumbling along the way but when we view this person we tend to think we got to know the person. I have not found that yet in Terry; his characterization seems entirely built around being a coach and an able person. There is nothing wrong with that but it falls somewhat short. While some may feel that they didn’t get to know Danni either, there was no mistaking she was likeable and in the midst of Guatemala’s story, her edit was rather fitting. fp, the snake appearances were definitely at an all time high last episode and we know that the editors of this show fully enjoy attributing animal imagery as a subtle “calling card” It would certainly be of no surprise if this would relate to Sally with all the foreshadowing we have discussed thus far. It would certainly come of no surprise to me if Shane did not suffer some psychological disorder either which is only furthered by the editors intent (and most likely his as well) to showcase his erratic behavior. WLR, yes indeed we have new sheets as we did last season I see you join fp’s ranks with Terry’s decision and it did not precipitate any change in your “feelings” towards him and I see that your position on Shane over the last two episodes has turned a slight corner. How do we have such polar opposites such as Terry and Shane. If one can throw a dose of Shane’s emotionalism into Terry’s body perhaps that would help with Terry’s character (as long as it is the lucid part of Shane) Most definitely the themes you make note should start to come into play as Sally meets up with the other women but I will be keeping an eye on Sally because as already stated, her story was completely about LaMina and the men and that was accomplished. Thank you surviette for answering my “quiz” and I would never subject anyone to three weeks of this reading material You also are accepting of Terry’s decision and slightly more positive about Shane. If I had my “druthers” I should find out from each of you, your age and the certainty of your gender as there may be a correlation of those who were put off by Terry’s decision and his demeanor and those who accepted the edit of it and those who are “coming around” to Shane and those who are detested by him There may be an interesting parallel to that. michel, I see that your opinion on Terry and Shane were fairly positive as well. Indeed, Terry’s decision completely encompassed everything that Terry is edited to be and Shane is a colorful character, bringing out both good and negative opinions. Rest assured, I think we are all in agreement a character such as this is there solely to garner reaction from the viewers as opposed to winning the game Aras’ lack of discussion to the audience or to his tribe mates was interesting in that it was not shown. One would expect that Aras (he of the getting it out on the table) would have spoken about this vote yet not a word shown and this does bode well for him because it would appear that it ends up having no effect on his status. Both Danielle and Courtney changed the game on the “leader” and we were told that “he was going to be impossible to beat.” Obviously for now, this has no bearing but it may be that proverbial seed planted to cultivate later. It would have been nice to see a confessional from Danielle stating that she took Shane’s apology but she knows that he is still and “idiot” as well. We saw Danielle accepting Shane’s apology readily; I would have liked to see her tell us that she still has his number though and one can’t forget how she stated she was there to enjoy herself. Courtney received nothing with respect to the whole scenario (along with another fairly static edit) so as we discussed, her future does not merit end game. Georgianna, always nice to see you pop in and I trust you are busy compiling the data on your astrological analysis. You will have to let me know after the season if Shane has broken any astrological modes since he has broken some many other Survivor molds mimo, thank you kindly for answering my quiz as well. It does indeed seem that Terry is close but no cigar to Tom which obviously could suggest his outcome? I am looking forward to see Terry in the merger and how his leadership status and team ethic and so forth change or not change. Terry is a very clinical player and this is a positive trait but one can play clinically and not BE clinical; that is what I hope changes. zazzy, I am so glad you enjoy our discussions and hope to see more of yours as well Yes, a very interesting symbolic contrast to Terry standing tall on the skull and Sally laying down, I found both visions quite arresting. It is a shame that each of them cannot have some time on Exile Island; that would certainly assist us now wouldn’t it Thank you for answering about Terry as well. I see you are in the camp not agreeing with Terry’s decision as well. It seems that there is a fairly equal split in this opinion and Austin’s words regarding the young people may be Terry’s undoing as you noted. I do believe it was noted here that Shane was in a movie so his edit is not surprising if it holds a bit of theatrics velcrohead, nice to see your posts again and I see that Terry’s lack of emotional investment in eliminating Dan was not to your liking either and I see Shane has not garnered any favorite opinion from you. I think it is safe to safe, Shane is an exhausting person I tend to agree that for all the talk about his son there won’t be some “payoff” so to speak. At this time, I think I want to meet this son of his and it would be a perfect end to this roller coaster of an edit. In answer to your question, Shane’s journey would meet an adequate end for me editing wise if we would see him with his son and an episode comprising of his thoughts of what he learned and how to parlay it in the outside “world” I was wholly satisfied when Robb Z. was booted and how his journey peaked with the heartfelt conversations he had and what he learned. However, I would not put it past Shane to flip and go out in a blaze of insanity either. Shane is a typical “character” the audience waits with bated breath to finally leave and I’m interested in seeing who is the one responsible for it. We need to see if any softening occurs further (for as much as he can be softened) Judd went out in dramatics but a major theme of last season was lying and blindsiding; this has not been drilled into our heads as something that will be a story in it of itself so I’m not yet sold that this will be the crux of Shane’s exit. saucydiva, nice to see you again as well and looking forward to more thoughts from you. trillium, stumbling to this thread is right! It is not difficult to lose your balance with these novels, I do hope you will give us your observations also Sonicbluebird, I agree with you about Shane; crazy is as crazy does and the editors will make the most of this while he is on our screen. You are in the negative Terry camp along with others and Terry may indeed be too “sports minded” for his own good to unearth the layers of this game. Twisted Sister, I agree with your assessment readily. I had mentioned above that regardless of how we get to know the winner, we do feel a sense of some aspect of their personality. Many have deemed Terry another Tom but as you state, Tom had a fatherly aspect to his leadership especially with Ian. Regardless of an arrogance that some found from Tom (this was heavily discussed that season upon one of my “quizzes”) one could not mistake that there was a paternal aspect to his character. I saw those termites as well Twisted and they certainly were very busy devouring the wood; very appropriate symbolism of Casaya isn’t it ag, thank you for your answers and I see that you are in the camp approving of Terry’s decision. It is very interesting to see the various responses about what he did and it appears that most (not all) of you who felt negatively about his decision were more “put off” by his no nonsense attitude reflected in doing it. I would ask then if we saw Terry very affected by his decision would perhaps your opinion change? Yes ag, you summed this up quite well with Oh Shane, Shane, Shane. I do wonder how many of us are literally shaking our heads when he appears on our screens DRONES, I have wondered where you disappeared to Terry indeed could have been edited as someone with no regard whatsoever. They did tend to give him a kid glove treatment much like they glossed over Sally and the spear. Recall when Ruth Marie was leaving and how we heard from Nick and his annoyance at Terry (not Austin interestingly enough who we were shown championing for Sally) Essentially, there were no ramifications noted about the decision (not yet anyway ) and it was completely tempered with, as you said, “best for the tribe” You have a better view about Shane like some others as well and this was the intent with my question as I felt the editors did make a significant attempt to show Shane in a softer light as best as they possibly could. Shane is too emotional, impulsive, temperamental and immature for the audience to “like” him but I don’t think their intent is for him to be a villainous character. Compare him to Jonny Fairplay and one can see that difference. JFP never had a defining softening moment; he was strictly showcased as a dirty player. For all of Shane’s character issues, he certainly is passionate about his son (if not immature about the presentation with swearing on him) and he emoted a true appreciation of the reward and when he is calm and counseled (Aras and Cerie both did this) it seems to come through that he acts first and thinks later. The bottom line with Shane is that he has no self control which is evident in his outbursts and his vices but he is not a bad human being. I did not expect such incredible feedback with the recap looming and I think we have a nice idea of what needs to be looked at upon merger. One notable difference between last season and this season is the lack of emphasis on lying. In fact, there is an openness with respect to this season that is as straightforward as the edits of these players. Everything for the most part is discussed and hashed out and we heard nothing from Jeff about the ramifications of lying and backstabbing (which was drilled home to us at practically every Tribal Council) Therefore, I don’t know how much a part that will play this season (obviously some people will lie, it is inevitable in this game) but it isn’t a major theme. There is an undercurrent with male/female and styles of leadership and “teamwork” as well. We have two very different styles of playing and tribal makeup and leadership with LaMina and Casaya. In light of our recap, I thought I would “recap” Jeff’s comments to perhaps mull over now that we have seen them and perhaps realize the purpose of their edit: Shane Shane, homerun. Shane's the guy that if he walked in every season and looked different, we'd put him on every season. He opens his mouth and you go, oh what's he going to say next? This is a guy that smoked for 20 years, three packs a day and I think half the reason he came out here was he wanted to quit. And he goes cold turkey on day one, day one. Shane is going, "what the hell did I get myself into?" He's also got a neat story in that he's a single dad and he really loves his kid a lot. Terry We've got a guy kind of like Tom Westman, Terry Deitz who's a fighter pilot and reminds of Tom a lot in that he's really athletic, he's in his forties, he's a dad. He's a hero, a guy who's flown these jets. Got a big target on his back. Bruce Bruce, karate instructor and high school art teacher. Bruce is probably the most emotionally honest person that's ever played 'Survivor'. He just, he can't help himself. He's gotta tell you how he feels and he's gotta tell you how he feels about you. And he's gotta tell you what he's doing. And he's gotta tell you what it means to him while he's doing it. And it's a tricky thing because that can be enjoyable for awhile but it can be annoying if it goes on for too long. And that's going to be Bruce's dilemma is how does he stay true to himself and not bug people because he's a really nice guy. I keep saying this and you guys are going to see it later and next season you're gonna say, "you're right, this was a good group of people." But you have to monitor how much you give people of yourself. Cerie For me, one of my top 5 people ever on the show is Cirie. Cirie is, I think I said this somewhere, Cirie represents every person that watches Survivor and sits on their couch and says, "I could do that" but they never get up. Cirie got up and that's what makes me love Cirie. She is the least likely person you'd ever expect to see make it on the show. And our casting director fought for her. She said, "I'm telling you, trust me, Cirie will deliver. She'll be dynamite out there." Cirie on day one doesn't want to pick up leaves. She's like, "I'm going to but I tell ya, I know there's things in those leaves. I don't like to build the shelter because every time you tear down a branch whatever was living in there is looking to get even." She's just wonderful. Aras He's a yoga instructor. Aras is a really well-intentioned guy. He wanted to do the right thing and that's not always easy to do on 'Survivor'. It's not easy to do in your daily life. But Aras really appealed to me because I think he comes from a good family and I really liked him. I liked what he was trying to achieve. It's a nice change of pace to see so many people try to play the game with integrity, still play and play hard. But play it with some sort of honor and decency, it was so, made me feel so good about you know, vanity. Austin Austin, he's a part of the young guy group. And another very likeable guy. I think women are really going to find Austin charming. You know, he's an attractive guy. He's in good shape. And he, too, has a backbone that's built on ethics. The game is gonna prove difficult for him because of that but his goal is how far can I get and play in a way that my parents will be proud of me. And it's not boring, it's fascinating. Nick Nick, financial sales from Tempe. Nick didn't show a lot coming in. I couldn't gage him at all. He's an athletic guy. He's on the young guys tribe and he seems to be a really smart person but very reserved. I don't always know if that's a true person's nature, a person's true nature, or if they're playing the game already. People have gotten really wise to the fact that I'm a part of the game. So, they only show me certain things as well. Nick's a big question mark for me. Danielle Danielle. Danielle is one of the young girls. She's a medical sales rep from Florida. Danielle is puzzling to me because when we met her she was the cockiest, smack-talking, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do that, I'm an athlete. And she got out there and on day one, I was thinking, wow where is this person. Because she was somewhat quiet. I was really curious about the real Danielle. I was also aware that maybe Danielle was playing. And maybe what she's playing is this game of hiding in the middle somewhere which I've always felt is the best strategy if you can figure out how to do it. Danielle definitely appeared to be wanting to hide in the middle Courtney Courtney, a performance artist. Once again, this is a girl who firewalks and she is very spiritually based. And Courtney came out trying to solve some things. Courtney had some stuff to go through with herself out there. Courtney is another person who, she sees a dead fish and she's torn. Should we eat it or give it a burial? You know when you're hungry and you're Cirie, that's gonna drive you nuts. But Courtney is going to be somebody that you will definitely remember. Sally Sally Schumann is a social worker. She's 27 and she has a really appealing quiet confidence about herself. She's a smart woman for her young age and she's very composed. That's something that I think people sometimes forget about on 'Survivor'. They're so quick to react and I think Sally is one to sit back and let others act and kind of just access and not panic and know that there's always another day and if not well that's the way the game went.   Top

tribephyl 12393 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 03-14-06, 07:20 AM (EST) 21. "If, alliances revealed ..." If alliances revealed pretty much spells doom for the alliance what would be so difficult about accepting that an alliance broken could actually last? I know it's pretty far off in the scope of things (With 6 more boots and all) but is it possible that Aras / Danielle / Courtney and Shane are all destined for F4? I've seen castaways question their alliance before, as in Alex and RobC or Lex and Jerri (With some fairly typical results) but I don't think I've ever witnessed a tribe so "collectively" intent on disbanding. It leads me to believe that even though these people want to get away from eachother, it may not happen. Like when Shawna wanted to leave the game but was kept on as a vote until they didn't need her. (Or 'til she felt better.) I don't want to say for sure that Courtney/Shane/Aras/Danielle are the final four but I would bet for sure that at least they all make Final 6 (with a couple of twists thrown in).   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 03-14-06, 08:50 AM (EST) 22. "RE: If, alliances revealed ..." LAST EDITED ON 03-14-06 AT 08:52 AM (EST) An interesting insight tribephyl. I get a distinct feeling that even though this tribe should be very easily infiltrated, that somehow they'll manage to survive. As we all know - even a disfunctional family is still family. One of the great things about survivor is that you dont have to like the people you're in an alliance with, you just have to live with them. Smart players realize this, and are willing to use the people that drive them nuts until they're expendable. Aras and Danielle I think realize this. They may have been willing to take Shane out (we never got to see if they actually would have done this or not) as a tribe, but I doubt they'd be willing to come the merge unless they truly thought he was going to flip on them. I think that someone from La Mina if they played it right could break into their alliance (see my previous post commenting on if either Rob C or Rob M were playing! I'll give Rafe that credit as well actually), but in my gut I dont see it happening, at least not in a big way. What I do see happening though - is I think that Cerie over time has worked her way far up the food chain. We were quite definitively shown this with her, Aras, and Danielle cuddling in the shelter. I think you'll see those three stick together to the end (note - they're the non-dysfunctional portion of the tribe). Shane and Courtney will duke it out below them - their story and longevity rests in each other. Courtney is in Danielle's pocket, but I think once Danielle sees her as a liability she'll let her loose. I could see a La Mina working their way into the group and getting beyond Shane or Courtney, but I dont think Cerie, Aras and Danielle will be cracked. Oh, and VS - I dont mind telling, I'm a 27 year old female. Does that lend insight into my views? I agree though, age, gender, etc. are big factors in the way we come to our conclusions.   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 03-14-06, 12:41 PM (EST) 25. "RE: If, alliances revealed ..." If alliances revealed pretty much spells doom for the alliance what would be so difficult about accepting that an alliance broken could actually last? tribephyl, you propose an interesting question and an issue that doesn't occur very often on Survivor that is shown to us especially in this regard. With editing patterns (such as the editing surrounding someone missing their family as previously discussed) there is always the players themselves to take into consideration with their edit. A portion of an alliance revealed may last but in its entirety,it will fail. With that said, I am of the opinion that perhaps the same "editing" pattern may apply to this situation as well. In addition to that, if we look at those who encompass that alliance (either revealed or broken) we can determine through their edit who should be successful. With this "pyschotic alliance" Courtney and Shane would fare worse based upon their "characterization" much like we determined that Nick and Dan would probably not fare as well as Austin and Terry (again, based upon their edit) Courtney is shadowed by Danielle and Shane is the over the top player that the editors go to great lengths to "milk" until they fall. I do believe also that we only heard Danielle officially release Shane (but I will need to check that) so the alliance as it stands is not officially broken by all members that the audience knows of. That would be interesting then to see if Danielle is the catalyst that directly impacts Shane's boot since Aras and Courtney (while both having no problem ridding themselves of Shane's antics) did not release his son back to him   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 03-14-06, 09:47 AM (EST) 23. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" VS: Pointing out that we are missing Danielle's reaction after Shane's apology is a great observation. It would be key in seeing how the strategy develops. They like to keep us guessing. Your reminder of Jeff's pre-season view is quite enlightening. Bruce is the only one that doesn't fit, although I have doubts we'll see Austin continue without trying to cross-over to Casaya. Aras being well-intentioned is very accurate. Danielle wanting to hide in the middle goes back to noting that Shane prevents her from applying her game plan. He certainly knows where to find her! Was Jeff that accurate or did the edit make us see it his way? VH, your eloquent analysis is a pleasure to read. To answer the questions you pose: Understanding Bruce’s isolation may require a return to the tent scene. Bruce is a teacher by trade so usually one expects a gregarious disposition. What if he is falling apart as Shane said? When you feel poorly, the last thing you want is to have to cope with others and their problems. Spending 6 days in exile may be catching up with him. Has Shane’s journey reached its climax? I see his path as a quest for peace. Remember he wanted his own little seat away from the others. Peace with his tribe, peace away from his tribe, peace with his inner demons and maybe even with his guilt of being separated from his son. He did get some closure with Danielle although nothing is definite since they avoided TC. He needs to outlast someone from his tribe to turn that chapter. Merge may again divert attention away from him. So we may see him a while still. I think he has to outlast Courtney and as you suggested, have time with his son during family visit to complete the journey and find peace. Now, a very interesting passage in your post is when you look at Shane’s outburst from a different angle than mine. You write: “I’m not so sure that Shane making himself the centre of attention in this episode necessarily deprived us the opportunity to explore the implications of a power struggle developing between those two” (Aras and Danielle). “To my mind, there isn’t one, or at least, this felt more like a one-off.” In the previous editing thread, I had suggested Casaya was a tribe with 2 leaders. WLR made good points saying they may have no leaders. Now, you suggest that Aras is the only leader of Casaya. The distinction is crucial. If Casaya has no real leader, La Mina has a great opportunity to grab the outsiders. A tribe with 2 leaders can be so focused on its inner struggle to forget to finish off the other tribe. A tribe with 1 leader is ruthless to outsiders. Add AG's observation about the trio of cuddlers, Aras, Danielle and Cirie and you may be right. Danielle follows Aras but saw he has weaknesses and used it to boot Bobby that one time.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 03-14-06, 11:31 AM (EST) 24. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" LAST EDITED ON 03-15-06 AT 03:31 PM (EST) In the previous editing thread, I had suggested Casaya was a tribe with 2 leaders. WLR made good points saying they may have no leaders. Now, you suggest that Aras is the only leader of Casaya Regarding Aras and Danielle, the distinction may be that Aras *sees* himself as a leader ("I feel like the oldest person on this tribe even though I'm the youngest") albeit perhaps an unwilling one. Danielle I think wants to be able to influence things but without really assuming a leader persona. As VH said, their disagreement may have been a one-off, or they may disagree again in the future, but I don't see anything (yet) to suggest they will become complete antagonists in a power struggle. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 03-15-06, 06:41 PM (EST) 26. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" VS, chalk it down to poor articulation on my part but I don’t ‘dislike’ Terry, or Shane for that matter (actually, I thought I said I was ambivalent about him ). In so far as it is possible, I’ve always approached Survivor in a detached manner. Whilst it is inevitable that we gravitate to certain individuals, the fascination for me lies far more with the process than the outcome. I don’t know if you’ve ever watched Beauty and the Geek but I kind of like their premise that it isn’t a reality show so much as a ‘social experiment’ I would apply it here as well. With Terry my surprise that booting Dan wasn’t more of a burden on him is a reflection of the disparity that (suggested) his loyalty to Dan was greater than that to the tribe as a whole. Perhaps I merely interpreted it wrong but it did seem the bond the two formed would have to factor in to any decision making when it became a necessity to vote someone out from the alliance, and that it wouldn’t have been as pragmatic or reasonable as Terry ultimately made it seem. Terry called it a managerial decision, which is apt I suppose, though I don’t see how getting rid of your closest ally is a logical pathway to success, be it as a team or on an individual basis. That’s not to say Austin, Nick and perhaps even Sally aren’t people he can depend on, yet having someone who is willing to back you unquestioningly, as it seemed with the case with Dan, is as valuable a commodity as you can get in this game. It may be that Terry thinks he can line up Bruce as support upon the merge but wouldn’t doing so fly in the face of the rationale behind booting Dan? Indeed, logically—-there’s that word again—-wouldn’t Dan have added to such a power base, in terms of numbers, if nothing else? As tiresome as Shane can be, any aversion I have to him isn’t personal; rather, it is that he represents yet another of the so-called ‘character’ types so prevalent on these shows to the point of tedium. I don’t deny there is a certain perverse appeal to it all but however much people like Shane succeed in evoking strong feelings from the audience (and indeed a lot of discussion in this thread), when stripped down, it is neither especially revealing nor overly interesting given the bottom line: he can’t and won’t win because of his antics. His end justifies his means. It’s like reading a book to which you already know how it finishes--however good the plot, it can never be truly satisfying. If there is any curiosity value to Shane, it lies with the cumulative effect he has on others. Imagine, for example, what different dynamics there would have been if Shane had found himself a member of the La Mina tribe instead. Michel, thank you for the kind words. I must profess that any analysis on my part stems from playing ‘what if’ rather than any true spoiling. Still, it would be nice to be right occasionally, though my track record is pretty dire, it must be said. I’m just glad that VS has given us rambling types the opportunity to prove it. Anyway, back to the analysis. You raise a good point about Bruce’s teaching background. I presume that tolerance is also a particularly important virtue in such a profession which may help explain why he would avoid any unnecessary confrontation. That, or he’s tired of having to deal with children outside the classroom as well I do not, however, think he is falling apart. If anything, Bruce strikes me as someone who is well-disciplined, mentally strong and can handle stress well. Building a Zen garden and doing his martial arts routine are illustrations of that; they also serve as a good outlet for any frustrations he has—-and does-—with the tribe. Oddly, in discussing Aras and Danielle I hadn’t meant to purposely imply that I am of the view that he is Casaya’s leader. It was just to point out that because Shane had hogged the limelight for the episode there wasn’t any time to devote to the fallout, if any, of the previous TC between the two and whether Danielle was, in fact, making a move to diminish his status in the tribe. My contention, which BR also thinks to be the case, is that their disagreement over the Bobby or Bruce boot was just that, a disagreement, and nothing more--certainly not something that is likely to have a damaging knock-on-effect. Nevertheless, upon rereading what I wrote, I see that I was probably arguing Aras as the tribe’s leader all along. The rider I would attach to this, however, is that as a leader, Aras is a work-in-progress. Perhaps a better way of looking at it is that he has taken up the responsibilities of the tribe in a very ad-hoc manner, that he became the senior figure simply because he had a better skill set and temperament over the others (in other words he has leadership tendencies if not all the elements of one; more of a manager, maybe?). I am less sure about Casaya having two leaders--by strict definition there can only be one--but would concur that Danielle might fancy herself usurping the role for the women(if she hasn’t done so already) and use it as a stepping-stone to try and wrestle control later on in the game. Actually, this brings me back to the original point I was trying to make which is that the original alliance of four is quite possibly not as fractured as we’re being to led to believe it is, if at all. When I mentioned in my very first post that Courtney and Shane bickered like an old married couple, I’ve since come to realise (*waves to architecturegirl*) that, as an extension, Casaya are behaving like a real family might--the in-fighting, the one-upmanship, the telling-offs, the attention-seeking, the need for personal space, yet, ultimately, a togetherness that has been apparent in challenges. As AG notes above, a dysfunctional family is still a family. It would be surprising to me, therefore, if there isn’t at least a vestige of the alliance surviving. I’m thinking mostly of Aras and Danielle sticking together here but I certainly don’t discount the possibility that either Shane and/or Courtney would hold firm as well. In any event, you can be sure that Cerie would be delighted to fill a vacancy, should one happen to crop up. Or create one for herself I should also bring in tribephyl’s post at this particular juncture. If alliances revealed don’t succeed has become an editing corollary on Survivor, then as a viewing experience (especially for us hardy types), we’re all the poorer for it. The law of diminishing returns springs to mind which is why I, for one, hope that the surprise for the audience will be that the ‘broken’ alliance remains intact, if not to the final four then at least to the last five or six. And as tribephyl theorizes (and I see that you are at least prepared to entertain the notion, VS; good enough for me!), the editing may hold out hope for such an eventuality. To expand on it further, the message we are meant to receive is that Casaya is splintered at camp, unified at challenges. It’s ironical. As it is for La Mina except it’s the other way round. Yet we’ve known that for quite some time already so why labour the point? What is the agenda behind forcing it down our throats for five episodes running? I guess the answer is twofold: that the alliance at Casaya is bound to disintegrate and that Shane will be the one who lights the blue-touch paper. I emphasise, though, we can see that coming a mile off anyway so what’s the payoff exactly? Moreover, wouldn’t this contradict the principle that what is exposed doesn’t come to pass (as with alliances)? Thoughts, anyone? ¬¬VH¬¬ P.S. Thanks to saucydiva for clarifying Dan's comments at TC.   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 03-16-06, 09:44 AM (EST) 27. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Excellent thoughts VH and everyone else. I wanted to add that I also don't mean to imply that I don't "like" Shane...I found him to be very amusing and someone that I really like, I find his behavior in total perspective for one that is in "detox"...his angst is explosive and seems almost ever present, and I totally see that as "normal" for someone in withdrawel. It's just as a player, I would never trust him and never expect him to bear any secrets, therefore, in the interest of survival, I would want him OUT.... As for Terry, many saw him as disloyal....just because he had the agreement/alliance with Dan the longest doesn't mean he's a traitor, imo. I think from Terry's perspective he had given his word to all three men there, Dan's was just the longest, but his word was of equal value to all....therefore, weighing the situation, he was breaking off with one anyway, and the fact that Dan did choke in the challenge and was the weakest was indeed a rational reason to choose him to go. I thought the recap was interesting as we saw evolvement of Casaya. We saw how they lost in the beginning and they talked about why and concluded it was because of their disharmony in camp prevailed over to challenges. They recognized their weakness, addressed it, and vowed to change for the challenges. They elected Aras as their leader at challenges, and they overcame! Aras spoke of how their tribe was the most dysfunctional team he'd ever seen, then we see him addressing it, and with great results.   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 03-17-06, 04:28 PM (EST) 28. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" VelcroHead and FP, have no worries that I take your observations of the edit as a personal like or dislike of the contestant. One would have to know someone to have feelings My observation is about how you felt about the edit of the character and Terry and Shane both had defining moments in that episode (Terry in light of the handshake and Shane’s slightly softer tone we saw from the reward. My main observation with most of those who did not appear to take Terry’s decision more “favorably” seems primarily based on how Terry relayed it to the audience. The editing could have made his decision appear more emotionally vested (which would have blended nicely with how the editing invested the sentimental build up towards Dan leaving and his boot Tribal Council) but instead, the word “managerial” really struck some people. This is what I had been concerned with about Terry’s edit with respect to dimension. He is a threatening player with a huge target on his back (as stated both by Jeff and members of the show) who is also leadership and team oriented. That appears the crux of his edit. Insofar as Shane, I see that at least people didn’t say they disliked him MORE than they already had The opinions seem to view him the same and some in a slightly better regard. A slight soft touch is good for his character and as the recap is discussed, he got more of this. One can’t get away from all that is exhausting and negative to Shane but if Shane is on a “journey” these softer touches are only good for his longevity. As discussed earlier, my appropriate ending for Shane would be reuniting with this son who (for what it is worth and despite the immature way he handles things) he obviously adores. FP, I am glad to see you posted your thoughts about the recap Although the recap mainly consists of the story being fast forwarded to the "present" time, there are times a few telltale items do send some messages across. We haven't had a recap of a season in quite some time. Someone may correct me on this, but I think All Stars may have been the last one. Recaps can be misleading and sometimes helpful and I furiously remind myself not to look QUITE as deep as I do with the regular episodes though my nature some times rebels on me However, I do take recaps and what they might try to tell us with a "grain of salt" but will never assume part of the long term story is not also there. I will state that we discussed “leadership” as one of the themes during the course of the show and I recall being very taken aback how quickly we were shown the establishment of alliances as well. That is not often seen so quickly and so succinctly as this season. What we can now see is perhaps the beginning of the outcome for these up front and quickly made pacts. Interestingly enough, LaMina, for all their healthy relationships are not faring too well with the alliances that were made. Casaya, on the other hand are “hell bent” on releasing each other yet as Cerie tells us “they keep falling in love again” An interesting parallel to how each tribe is handling the early promises that were made to each other. Make no doubt that I believe this Casaya alliance of four will not last in some regard and winning the immunities is certainly preventing them from one of them going but there is an emphasis on these alliances made which may be integral to how the story pans out. Let me start with the painfully obvious observation in that Casaya was the star of the recap and LaMina a supporting player (as some of you know I sometimes tend to equate Survivor to a show or play with opening acts, various scenes and starring roles and supporting players) What is interesting to note is that LaMina lost quite a number of challenges and was so vulnerable and downtrodden with the state of the affairs yet it was practically glossed over. In reality it appeared only Sally was fleshed out some more for us with that very sad discussion with Austin (and her confessional) about her estrangement with her parents. I am not surprised about this as Sally has been a focus of LaMina and the goal that got accomplished which involved her as a player. With the lack of negativity that could have been attributed to her losing the spear, and being the reason (though not necessarily featured as the cause) for Ruth Marie and Dan going, Sally is quite a likeable person and it is fitting that Austin is the one who consoles her with respect to her family since Austin championed her to Terry and Austin is a likeable person as well generally speaking. We've also discussed that Sally's edit upon the merger is extremely important since the focus of her story thus far has been about the downfall of the men's club. However, the editing has been very kind to Sally. With not seeing her edit post merger yet, one would think how wonderful it would be for Sally to typify a wonderful underdog story to surpass Casaya. My one concern in that regard is that LaMina was sorely relegated to the back burner during this entire recap. Perhaps I would expect a drilling sent to the viewers of their unity and defeats and their major attempts and failures that would rival (if not surpass) Casaya's story of complete dysfunction (but major successes) on the "playing field" (if you will). I did, however, find that the emphasis that was placed on the young women’s tribe plays nicely into our thoughts that Sally may reunite with the “girls” and perhaps leave the LaMina men twisting in the wind as set up with the “men’s club” talk and Dan’s warning about Sally though I am of the mindset that Sally would attempt to champion Austin. What was a somewhat amusing scene was Misty’s discussion about the idol with the young women. The irony is that Misty felt that Courtney saw through her and that Courtney was “good at reading people” yet Courtney mentions that she could have the idol and Sally tells us she didn’t buy Misty’s story for a second. The obvious neglect of Nick should not be surprising since we surmised that his stay on Survivor will be ending sooner rather than later and Austin’s showing was consistent with his character thus far. While Terry was not heard from very much, the intent to show him as very effective at challenges and naturally the finding of the idol is entirely consistent with his character regardless that he was not directly prevalent in the recap. Bruce was heavily featured but make no mistake, any increase in visibility that occurred still remained flat and if you notice, the scene of Bobby and Bruce in the outhouse drinking actually reflected slightly worse for Bruce as Bobby was shown to question whether he should have taken the wine. The shot goes to Bruce who hiccups. Bruce is literally what he expressed early on; he is literally “my own tribe” We see him go off at night to do his katas, we know he is one with his Zen Garden and we see that Bruce decides what Bruce needs and wants (his hand washing with the drinking water) Bruce’s character is really not long for this game; the social strategy involved in Survivor is a key element which has to be discussed at some point by those with longevity and Bruce fails miserably in that regard. We have seen this quite often; those who are quite useful and handy in terms of the surroundings but are out of their element in the other ingredients necessary. I won’t touch on Bobby too much since he has left but Bobby was extremely visible during the recap. This did help to enhance the occurrences that went on at camp and his derision with the group of four. I was glad to see an explanation come forth from this discussion in Aras being designated as their leader prior to challenges. It explains quite a bit as he is always the tribe mate to advise Jeff who will be sitting out and so forth. Aras’ establishment of leader has propelled them in excelling at the challenges; in this group that consistently shows cracks, Aras does appear to be their cement of sorts. Interesting to note that the fact that Aras’ wishes that Bruce, not Bobby, leave were glossed over much like the episode following Bobby’s departure. Both shows (the recap and the episode after Bobby left) could have shown Aras dealing with that issue and it was not addressed. For it to also not be touched upon in the recap solidifies my thoughts that it had no ramifications for Aras although that was a pretty daring and potentially tribe shifting move. Cerie was consistent with what we have seen thus far. We are able to see the story of Casaya being told by her and I see no reason that she will not continue watching the events unfold much to her pleasure. Courtney’s exposure was probably a bit kinder (at least to the degree that we did see a bonding amongst her young women and the nice exchange with Shane) to her edit and although her snake and spirituality speech was probably regarded more with amusement they did, in fact, join in with her and Casaya has enjoyed challenge success. We also saw a nice scene between Courtney and Shane where Shane discusses his son’s birthday and Courtney lets him know he is the best father. A nice change from the usual squabble. However the scene revolved mostly about Shane which then progressed to the group singing Happy Birthday to his son. Shane also told us “This game teaches about what's important....” Perhaps we will be privy to lessons learned by Shane Danielle had quite a bit of visibility in her recap although it is interesting to note that while Jeff told us that Danielle was quite the mouse upon arriving at the island, it seems that this did not last very long. Perhaps this is not problematic for her surrounded by women but with men she is true to her own character. I did not find what showcased Danielle in the recap to be especially positive but it was escalated. I then question the items we tick off when perusing a foil at end game. Since the determination has been made that some characters will not reach end game at Casaya, it is now up to us to discern of those who could reach end will they be edited into the final two foil. Let’s not forget the utterance by Shane to his alliance as well: "If you betray me, I'll kill you. I'm serious". Very ominous words and there may be very good indication that the person who does (betray him) could be in the final two. Notable mentions as this often times are prophetic and the words are only meaningful if the person speaking those words then has some power to pay off on those words. Where else can it be done but by the name they write down to win the game. It will be fun to see if this pans out. We also can’t forget the “wink” shown yet again that VG captured wonderfully that was completely fabricated between Courtney and Aras. I do believe that is something we will all look forward to seeing if and what meaning it may have had. Cerie again “trying to win” was mentioned. A mention by Terry about the spear being lost as well. I'm sure we are all impatient for the new episode to air and if anyone else cares to deliberate over the recap, I am looking forward to other observations. FP I see you also noticed the prevalance of Casaya and some of their growth (in some areas )   Top

Surviette 124 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 03-21-06, 04:38 PM (EST) 29. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Interesting discussions, everybody! RECAP: It seems certain LAMINA will continue to dwindle, as VS notes this team is not the star of the recap ep. The members of LaMina have all been edited as kind, rational people. In the recap, Sally's calm demeaner didn't waiver. She continues to be edited in a favourable light, despite her potentially costly error of losing the spear. Austin was depicted as "the pal", lending a sympathetic ear to Sally. Austin could be edited, however, as a more cunning player. We see hints of a sneaky side to Austin, but he is basically shown as a kind, likeable person. We're all in agreement about Nick. Nothing different was shown. We're reminded that Terry is super, but nothing different was revealed. CASAYA stood out, as usual. The "milking" of Shane continues. Although I agree Shane is a character whose story is worth investment, it annoys me when an overabundance of time is spent on one player at the expense of getting to know equally fascinating people. There is no doubt the audience is now "owed" an opportunity to meet Shane Junior. We should also at some point observe a Shane who is no longer proud to behave as a 12 year old. I found it interesting to observe how Aras came to be appointed leader. He was chosen because it was necessary & so noone should hold this position against him. Not much was invested in Danielle ousting Bobby over Bruce. We maybe are supposed to forget about this, so we will be surprised if the women, secretively, form an alliance of four. So, VS, you imply Danielle might possibly assume leadership of the women & betray the men in her alliance. That certainly could cost her jury votes & put her in the position to be chosen as the F2 foil. We already know Danielle & Courtney are a pair. In the recap, we saw that Sally fit in very well with Courtney. Plus, Cirie doesn't owe anyone anything & she can sway to her advantage. We actually saw a little more of Bruce & I'm somewhat curious about the water scene. Why, if they are not boiling the water, would it matter if Bruce wanted to use some of the drinking water to wash his hands? Does anyone know how long it might take for contaminated water to invade the body of a relatively healthy person? QUESTIONS(and answers): VS, you also noted 2 v. 2 was mentioned last time, as well as how you always take notice when specific numbers are verbalized. I think Terry said he didn't expect to be in a potential tie situation at TC until F4. Also, you & Emy noticed how Terry repeated the "up to and through the final 4" regarding HII. Are you hinting these might be clues to Terry's longevity? And to answer your question way back when. I am certainly female, not male pretending to be female. And I am, as you probably guessed by my acceptance of Terry's managerial decision, almost as old as Terry and trying hard not to act as young as Shane! MERGE: I can't wait for the merge. After watching the recap, we are reminded that eventually a calm, benign group of people will be united with a potentially volatile, partially insane group of people. It's like anticipating the melding of ingredients in a science project when you're certain it will be explosive. Should be fun!   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-01-06, 05:18 PM (EST) 30. "The Merge" LAST EDITED ON 04-01-06 AT 05:27 PM (EST) It appears I'll get things started this week: First, editing isn’t only about what is shown but also what is hidden. From the insider, there are three scenes that would’ve told us a lot about Casaya that we could only guess. First Nick on Cirie: “She dishes out the meals, you get in line and you don’t talk back. She is Mama Cirie. They have a system and it works”. Nick on Aras: “I’m surprise at what a strong figure Aras has become. He shares leadership with Shane and it works.” Cirie on camplife: “We have the sleeping shuffle arrangement. No one wants to be on the ends because it is cold. So we move one spot each night. Courtney stays on the beach to talk to the birds and comes in late so she has to take what’s left.” A confessional by Danielle: “We all get along, we like each other. I think we're a lot closer than the 4 of them are. We've been through so much dramatically and emotionally. I was talking to Sally and she said, 'We didn't have one argument. Everyone was just so happy. Do you guys ever argue at all?' And we're like, 'Yeah' . We've had tons of arguments; it's just funny that we're ahead of the team that was so happy and everybody worked together, there were no problems. That's kind of surprising to me. That's pretty funny.” Casaya hasn’t been presented as an organized tribe but it is. The four La Mina were greated nicely but it didn’t take long for Casaya to make them all feel as outsiders. They weren’t as mean about it as Nakum last year but it was cold and calculated. The Outsiders Terry showed his limitations where strategy is concerned. He had to switch the numbers immediately and had set his eyes on Shane and Bruce before even seeing the tribal dynamics. He didn’t even see Casaya’s competitive desire and felt surprisingly welcomed. Shane wasn’t going anywhere. Cirie’s description of him being a dictionary salesman is quite a step down for our fighter pilot. He wanted to play like Tom, he looked more like Gary who desperately tried to make alliances. How can you propose an alliance to Shane and impose who he brings along at the same time? Austin, I thought, was a smart player but he didn’t exhibit any good strategy. He talked to Aras but never proposed anything and never got anything from him. At least he listened and understood cracking Casaya wasn’t going to happen soon. Why did he draw attention to his idea of appearing weak in the IC? The only explanation is that he could’ve been given the hidden immunity by Terry. He told us he knew Shane had led the charge to vote him out, so could it have been a miscalculation? Did he want to draw votes and boot Shane with the idol? We saw nothing about it and nothing has been revealed in interviews so we are meant to believe he had no plan but to accept his possible elimination. Nick was given his moment in the spotlight but he didn’t have any idea either to get inside an alliance. He felt welcomed with open arms immediately after we had seen Shane and Aras saying they were about to be voted out one by one. Sally was strangely silent in this episode. So was Danielle and Courtney if you don’t count her telling us about her miserable night. They did talk. Could it be that something is being hidden. Sally’s vote doesn’t support that view but then she could’ve said they didn’t need her vote against Nick. It would make her look better to Austin and Terry who she hopes would be on her jury. Inside, Outside, nowhere is home Bruce was everyone’s target and did he ever misread everything. He sees himself as the one with the most power. He looks more like Christy or Dolly or many others who didn’t know how to profit from their position. He did make the right decision however. Accepting Terry’s proposal would’ve been foolish. La Mina is a strong alliance that he could never crack. I don’t think that really entered his mind. He simply doesn’t know real strategy and got flattered by the compliments Aras and Shane gave him and sees himself as important to them. The Insiders Mama Cirie is happy with her encyclopedia collection she has at Casaya. That was a great line! Danielle and Courtney were not even discussed by Terry as possible targets for switch. They are well placed inside the alliance but we know they aren’t happy with Shane. It could’ve been worth a try. Shane was thought to be a possible target for La Mina. I loved how he let Terry know his proposal was unacceptable and how he huddled everyone on a few occasions to make sure they are on the right page. I know many saw it as arrogance. I saw it as a coach calling “time-out” to rally the troops and finish the job. Again he proposed the boot but let others decide. The tribe really showed its dynamics when everyone had a chance to pitch an idea before reaching an agreement. Shane is shrewd. We had to wait a long time before it was demonstrated. Aras set the stage for pagonging. He is continuing as narrator. He was wise to the possibilities of flipping because of Bruce’s link to Terry. He had no worries about Shane. Those two are tight. He made Bruce feel appreciated, he counseled his tribe when needed but he had them well prepared. Casaya will be tough to crack. He even explained to the outsiders why they huddled, trying to mend fences. He is the charismatic leader of this tribe and is aware of all possibilities. He is sitting very well for the end game.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-03-06, 04:27 PM (EST) 31. "RE: The Merge" Mama Cirie is happy with her encyclopedia collection she has at Casaya. That was a great line! Yeah, except Cirie does need a dictionary, so she can look up the definition of "dictionary" and "encyclopedia". One is not a smaller version of the other. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 04-04-06, 04:53 PM (EST) 32. "RE: The Merge" This episode is potentially a very important episode in terms of who makes it to the end based upon where the story is taking us thus far. As we know pre merge and post merge episode can sometimes discern whether players were being highlighted due to pre merge stories alone or if they are part of the long term story. The Recap At Casaya Shane advises again he does not trust Danielle or Courtney Shane wanted out of the alliance The Casaya WOMEN granted Shane his wish and the alliance of Shane/Courtney/Danielle and Aras was broken Danielle: "You're off anyway, see you, bye" At LaMina, Sally was alone amongst the four men and knew she was in trouble The RC had LaMina taking an early lead Dan/Sally faltered and Casaya put together the pieces to victory Casaya sends Sally to EI saving her from certain elimination Sally: "Tonight this is the safest place for me to be" At the reward we see Casaya happy with Danielle commenting on eating, Cerie about the break and Shane smoking At LaMina the boys club was about to lose a member Terry: "I feel bad but that's the way it is" At Tribal Council we heard Austin state again that nothing about Dan needs to go, somebody has to go Tribe stood respectfully for Dan In Case We Forgot Over the Break Courtney is shown at night at Casaya unable to huddle with the rest of the group. Interesting to note that Shane is cuddling with Cerie and essentially tells Courtney that Cerie is also using the cover. This small scene was really unnecessary to show ESPECIALLY in light of the fact that much later we see Casaya being extremely unified. My "guess" is that we are not to forget that there is still some measure of discord at Casaya and of note it is Courtney and Shane. Symbolic also perhaps that Cerie who was on the bottom of the totem pole perhaps moved up in ranks while Courtney perhaps moved down? Courtney "Last night was the worse night I ever had. I'm wet and alone" and "I can't trust Shane. I don't want to deal with him anymore; he had a freak out on us and said give me back my son's name so we are like Oh, goodbye, fine, we'll see you later" (Again, this was not really necessary to show considering that Casaya was not in danger in this episode. This could be seeds to further plant for an upcoming situation where there may NOT be a straight elimination of old LaMina's. There really was no point to advise us this episode that Shane wanted out of an alliance that kept intact this episode and interesting that we hear this now from Courtney instead of Danielle who was featured before about this) Bruce's Story Bruce was certainly highlighted quite a bit this episode. Primarily it was about his initial outside status to suddenly being the most popular man on the block. Bruce is interesting. I have to say again that his commentary from someone else would probably be received more negatively. We hear such constant self praise but I am more amused than put off. when I hear him do it. In any event, there was too much Bruce after all this silence for my liking. I normally see this trend when someone is reaching their pinnacle. Now Bruce was necessary to showcase because he was pivotal in a potential game changing moment but after a virtually non existent showing, this does not bode well for him especially coupled with the fact that again, his character is flat. Bruce (conf) "I know I'm still an outsider to Casaya. I just want to make the merge and hope our game is gonna change big time and I'm gonna be there standing" This was a nice confessional to show because we saw his situation change. Thereafter, the crux of his facetime was all about his necessity. Bruce (conf) "I'm the swing vote for both sides. It's such a wonderful feeling to be in this power position because I'm going to go a lot further guaranteed. I have the best options of all the nine other players and they know it. As much as I respect all of them this is a game now, outwit/oulast/outplay everybody" and "Psychologically, I want to outwork them, I want to outperform them (Austin shown) and when it comes to competition, I want to beat them all" (This last portion actually was not shown to us until after Bruce got hurt with the machete however, it was during this time frame as the setting was the same and obviously just used for later in the episode) In reality, the above confessional was essentially the entirety of Bruce's character last episode. He was an outsider, he is now valuable, he has high respect for everyone, he is a pawn and he is a "tough son of a gun" The problem with Bruce is he is also static; this elevation in character was flat as far as Bruce the character goes. Every time he IS shown it is more relative to how the OTHERS are doing (i.e. a tool to be used) and more times than not, the "crucial" swing vote is not someone who reaches the end. I'm glad to see Bruce more but this went from complete lack of anything to an escalation of TOO much of nothing. The events are occurring around the character and using the character as opposed to the character working the events. Accordingly, nothing came of it. Exile Island We saw a brief showing at Sally still at Exile Island. Much of what we heard was repetition in that it was a saving grace. It was made note that she did wonder if Terry found it and she hoped he had not and maybe she'll get lucky. This brief showing felt more to me to reaffirm the idol and Terry. The brief mention of luck may or may not be foreshadowing however it was merely a catch up to the present and to keep in Terry and the idol as part of the story branching out LaMina Says Goodbye Poor Nick. Even with his swan song episode he was still overshadowed by Terry and Austin. Austin (conf) "I'm very anxious about what's gonna happen next. Depending on when merge comes, it's gonna play a huge role on how far Terry, Nick, myself and Sally will be able to make it in this game." and "It'll be sad just to leave the tight dynamic that we have here.... but I'm ready to meet some new personalities, get in there, start bobbing and weaving... see if I can come out victorious." If there was any doubt about Nick's fate, his confessional regarding the merge sealed his fate: Nick (conf) "I couldn't be happier, ready for a new adventure…. get to know some new people that's what this is all about (Alas, that is NOT what this all about and unfortunately Nick's head wasn't true to the reality of this game) Terry (conf) "We are down to four, merge could be disastrous for us if we don't get somebody to switch over right away; we'll just get picked off. I'm gonna hit up Bruce, Shane as well. What I'm hoping for is to switch the numbers to our advantage and then we'll just pick them off" (Note that the following portion of the confessional was not part of his confessional about merger which happened at LaMina. He does not discuss his "ace in the hole" until he arrives at Casaya yet the idol is immediately mentioned early on in the episode by Sally and now Terry) "My ace in the hole is the immunity idol. I don't personally want to pull it out until the final four but if I need to use that thing strategically then I'll do it." (This hidden idol has been touted early on as a main story point this season, I've no doubt with Terry's confessionals and the previews upcoming, one of the "stars" this season is the idol and what it does to change the game) The finale of the LaMina tribe was somewhat bittersweet and melancholy with the three men sailing off to their new destination. Far be it from me to analyze the music composition such as aj does but the music was vaguely similar to the music that accompanied Dan (with a little less astronaut tone ) The Casaya Crew This episode, frankly, was more about Casaya than LaMina which is a bit disconcerting in terms of the end game. The players of LaMina were more of the factors involved in the game being played by Casaya. There were a number of confessionals out of order and instead of doing them in time sequence, I wanted to get a better sense of why the editing showed these confessionals where they were so my posting will be of a confessionals that although cut up seemed to come from one single time. We see Casaya and Courtney advise us that they are just waiting around when the LaMina boat is spotted and suddenly the Casayas are quickly eating the rice. Aras (conf) "We had a feeling merge might come. We know they were hungry and all of us just chowed the rice because we're heathens and we didn't want to share." (Shane showing gathering everyone) "We're like stay together, don't give them a thing" (At this time we see Shane telling the group of how proud he was of all of them, they have less, we have more, top 6) "We're gonna welcome them with open arms but we're gonna vote you off one by one by one, ahhh" (After this, they arrived and Sally arrives and they enjoy the merge basket) "Inside was fruit... kind of wanted to slap myself for eating all that rice before they got here" What was interesting in re-watching Aras and his confessionals was almost a sense that he was replaying what Shane was doing and telling them. When I first watched Aras, immediately I believe the intent was to portray him negatively with the words spoken. Upon watching it again, however, there was an air of regret in his tone. In addition, during these confessionals SHANE was shown doing exactly what Aras was indicating. Aras even put his fist out in describing "We're like stay together..." Note that Shane did this exact gesture. These confessionals seemed more about Aras' thoughts on what occurred and perhaps Shane's initiation of it as opposed to Aras appearing to feel that way. During this period Aras was also shown discussing his concern over Bruce but this was a different time period than the above sequence and his concern about Bruce probably was discussed later on The LaMina's arrive, interesting that Cerie was the only person that Terry was shown to hug on the Casaya tribe. Bruce is then shown again in the same time frame as his first confessional: Bruce (conf) "Terry and I respect each other and just to be with him again is such a pleasure" (After this, Sally arrives and they all sit together) Terry's Story Terry was shown very frequently throughout this episode and it really should be of no surprise. However, we have to ask ourselves a question that we all discussed with relation to the hidden idol. Is the idol the story and Terry is solely the vessel for it or is Terry the story and the idol is just part of his story? It is not easy to determine but one item we discussed about Terry from the beginning is that his "edit" does not contain a lot of dimension. He is strong, he was LaMina's leader, he is a threat AND he has an "ace in the hole" The events that occur with Terry and are highlighted are NOT events that can't go unseen. He is the target for Casaya and he has the hidden idol; one can't hide these events but they are being shown very straightforward with no manipulation to them which is still a concern for Terry's final status. However, Terry is the most featured person of LaMina there (as we saw with the earlier LaMina pairings) so that in it of itself does reflect longevity for him. Again some of Terry's confessionals were cut up during the episode so what he discussed in one time frame is being put here although events happened in between them. Terry (conf) "Very cordial gathering. I could sense there was probably a little sizing up. I was a little surprised at how well we were welcomed. I thought there may have been more of a competitive edge but I didn't see it" (The editing could have simply cut his confessional after the word "welcomed" but we were meant to see, in the MIDST of all the immediate strategies that Casaya portrayed when LaMina arrived was that Terry WAS UNABLE to see it) (After the above, we saw the shelter being built and Shane discussing events and Shane/Aras' exchange of voting out "Captain America") "Whole new ball game I'm all about getting it swung to my side and so we are just looking for two people to swing the total game our way, one to definitely make a good swing vote but two to clinch it" (Terry then is shown approaching Bruce) "We thought Bruce might be a little bit of an outsider so I instantly attempted to bring him into the LaMina fold and give him sanctuary right away" (The following is what we were supposed to have thought Terry said at LaMina but his confessionals was the same time as this sequence and it does make sense here) "My ace in the hole is the immunity idol. I don't personally want to pull it out until the final four but if I need to use that thing strategically then I'll do it." (The biggest problem we saw throughout this episode with Terry is that there seemed to be an overt attempt by the editing to make the audience want to hit Terry over the head with his maneuvers. They appeared awkward, clumsy and obviously not subtle. He appeared to be a bull in a china shop. This coupled with Terry's own confessional citing he didn't see the competitiveness of Casaya wasn't the best the editing could have shown of Terry.) Terry (to Bruce) "We thought you might be on the chopping block so if you were worried at all about what may happen the next vote, all we need is one person and we'll be even. You come over and we, we will go to the final five" (The confessional from Terry about Bruce as an outsider then shown) "I'll look you in the eye and shake your hand" Bruce (to Terry) "...and I know you are a man of your word (Terry: "That's right") and I am too" (After this is when we hear Shane discuss Bruce wanting Terry's acceptance and Aras and his strategy in keeping him close) We see a quite amusing short scene of Aras and Shane telling Bruce he is "running the show" with Bruce's reply "Before I make any decisions though, I'm gonna ask you guys all the time" and "Terry listens to me too" Shane's Emerging Role Shane was a big narrator for this new setting (the merge) and the most interesting aspect of it was the change in his portrayal with his tribe. However, it was no accident that we were meant to be reminded that he wanted out of his alliance and the WOMEN gave him his wish. Did we not see Aras stating he wanted Shane out of the alliance as well. There seems to be a "calm before the storm" element that will occur and while both Courtney and Danielle were relegated to the back burner this episode (Danielle much more so than Courtney) there is a sense that there is unfinished business. Shane's confessionals were also out of order. Shane (conf) "LaMina came over with the tarp, this shelter they are building now is gonna be amazing" (This next portion of the confessional was shot out of sequence but ran immediately after his discussion of the tarp; again, obviously the hidden idol was meant to be brought up fairly early on in the episode to keep it notable with the events later to occur. More likely, Shane's confessional probably occurred after Terry already won immunity and DURING the much later confessionals about the group meeting as the setting was the same and his words "the next time" indicate that Terry already won the first immunity) "Hard to tell but I think Terry does not have the idol so the next time he doesn't get immunity, he's out" (Obviously setting the stage for Terry's situation.) Aras "We'll let Captain America take the lead" Shane "Let Terry build it then we'll vote him off" (After this is the confessional of Terry discussing getting two people over from Casaya) Thereafter we saw the shelter building, the exchange with Aras, Terry advising us about a swing vote and Terry's discussion with Bruce Shane (conf) "If anyone would flop, I think it would be Bruce. I think Bruce is the most worried about being accepted and I think he might have some issues about wanting to be accepted by Terry. Aras' and my strategy with Bruce is to make him feel like our leader so that he won't go away, he won't fall on us" (The scene with Bruce/Aras/Shane is then shown along with Bruce's confessional telling us he is the swing vote and outwit/outlast/outplay everyone) During this confessional by Bruce that he was the swing vote for both sides an interesting shot was thrown in of a group of players in the background. The members of Casaya were shown and Sally only. Some Strategy, Some Watching, A Little Injury Terry (to Bruce) "Bruce come talk to us when you are ready, if you are ready, and we'll go to the final five; we will" (Nick and Austin are also with Terry and briefly before a shot of Sally with Aras at the fire was shown. We also know with those nasty numbers again and like we discuss so much, it then should not happen) Cerie and Danielle both not entirely featured this episode (Danielle essentially not at all, Cerie, in terms of prior narration status took a bit of a bump down but nothing out of the ordinary) were both shown watching the above exchange solidifying the mislead of the episode: Danielle "I'm just afraid about Bruce" Cerie "I know, damn" This of course was also a nice transition into Bruce getting hurt by Nick and the machete with Nick then discussing the situation and his fear that he was gone. Bruce "I'm not leaving this game" Shane (conf) "....I'm panicking about the numbers for a second for sure" We then see Terry telling Bruce: "You know what, you're out of the game today but you'll be right back" (Aras is then shown at this exchange looking concerned and then we hear Bruce's out of sequence confessional advising that he wants to beat them all) Bruce again shown telling us he wants to do well for the group with his flag decoration and we then see more investigation occurring by Austin. Austin (to Aras) "Terry thought once we'd get over here, we'd be with you and that would help his cause, cause he'd be a huge target" Aras "Yeah, he's first one out" Austin "Yeah, no question" "Who are you close to over here?" Aras "I'm good with everybody. There's no one I don't get along with; I'm good with pretty much everyone" Austin "...you're gonna get along with everyone; that's pretty much your personality" The scene was split up with Austin's confessional narrating the events above and that essentially all he learned was that this was going to be a lot harder than he had hoped to flip anyone. Sadly, Nick was also present and per custom, silent. Aras, naturally is not going to let on who he may have issue with at Casaya or if anyone would have issue with him. For what it is worth, as much as Casaya has issues, they were very clear in this episode that they will not allow anyone to infiltrate their strange "family" Terry is then shown to move on to Shane in his quest for numbers and again, his "delivery" seems extremely lacking in finesse. Terry has always demonstrated a very cut and dried approach with little emotional shaping. That is a key element missing from his edit that would otherwise have me believe he could win this game. Terry "Shane, we got a solid four pack and if you want to join our six pack bringing in Cerie?" Shane "Cerie?" Terry "Yeah, you and Cerie?" Shane "Who would it be?" Terry "You and Cerie and us four and then you wouldn't have to worry about anything for the next two weeks, think that would be cool?" Shane "...could definitely try" Terry "That's a load off of her mind for the next two weeks" (Interesting exchange in that it really made no sense for Shane or Cerie to flip. They are no better off as the audience knows and, in fact, they are in a worse position. Again, as viewers, we question Terry's strategic ability in this game. Physically, he has no problem and when an unchallenged leader, he has no problem. Terry lacks in a key area of this game which was constantly solidified in this episode) Shane (conf) "Terry approached me to say here you and Cerie, let's go right now, the six of us. Obviously it's desperation, why would we wanna join your tribe homey? We're gonna ride this out and vote you off one at a time (Cerie now being introduced visually) There's no reason to flop; he's grasping at straws (Terry shown approaching Cerie) I get it. I would be doing the same thing. "Barring any psychotic episodes from Bruce wanting to be dramatic and flop, who knows what he is capable of, we just need to get this one person off" (Note that this last portion of the confessional was shown just before Tribal Council but Shane is in the same spot as he is in the other statements and it does make sense that it is part of the sequence since Shane only says "get this one person out with no name. I would assume just prior to Tribal Council this person may have been identified) Terry "I talked to Shane already and our group of four would like to offer you and Shane the opportunity to take the burden of Tribal Council off your shoulders for the next two weeks" "If we can solidify this thing than that's eve more time of worry free life around here for the next couple of weeks" (Cerie pays some noncommital lip service) Cerie (conf) "Terry tells me.. ....it was almost laughable like he's offering me something. I don't think he is in a position to offer me anything" "It was like a dictionary salesman. I already have an encyclopedia collection and you wanna sell me a dictionary?" Terry then goes full force as his LaMina group with Cerie and Shane sit around. Terry "Are you in?" Shane "Am I in? I don't even know what you're talking about" Terry "What we talked about over there" Shane "I don't think there's any reason to be in at at this point" Terry "I know there is, wanna live the next two weeks burden free?" Shane "I just wanna relax... if you take a good look at where we are at here, we are in a really good spot if we just stay where we are (Cerie shown) You know maybe someone will flop, it's not gonna be me and I know it's not gonna be her (Cerie shown again and interestingly her head is then shown down which begs the question if Shane should be that sure of Cerie) Getting to the merge with numbers is the biggest part of the game and I just know for me I'm not flopping... Terry "It sounds like you already made your decision.." Terry (conf) "We were trying to sway Shane this morning and that's not going to happen, not at all in fact, he didn't even want to talk about it. We're not sure about Cerie and not sure about Bruce so even if we get one person and it's five on five, it could be time put out the immunity idol that they don't know about so it could be my ace in the hole for the rest of the game" (In case we forget about the idol, another reminder of its presence and how this is his "ace in the hole") Challenge Beach Nick tells us how merger was wonderful and that the game was set aside for a few days... (for only Nick it appears) The individual immunity necklace is then shown in all its glory with Cerie making a wide eyed expression and a shot of Sally, then Terry "Ooooh" The challenge of endurance is then shown with notable mention of Shane giving up after temptation is not offered by Jeff and the Casaya members dropping quickly (with Sally as well) Austin "Terry, I'm struggling man" Terry "No way, hang in there" Austin "Come on buddy, I know you got pride but let's save our energy" Jeff "This is a game, voluntarily giving up immunity is the riskiest thing you can do" Austin drops then Nick and Terry wins immunity. Our last shot is Terry and Nick's hug Another Editing Question? Those of you who are kind enough to read through my long winded narratives know I tend to raise my eyebrow at scenes that appear to be taken from perhaps another episode in order to "fill out" the episode it is in. After the challenge was over we see Terry give us a confessional. Terry is shown sitting down on a log with his black and light colored striped shirt and the immunity necklace around him. This shirt he was wearing was never worn by him once throughout this entire episode. In fact, the shirt is shown in the subsequent scene hanging up when Terry speaks with Bruce. Further, Terry did not wear this shirt to Tribal Council either. It will be interesting to see the future episode and what he wears as this would then indicate a scene shown from a future episode where Terry wins immunity. Since our previews for next week does showcase Terry revealing the idol, it begs the question if this confessional has to do with his intent in the future Terry (conf) "Possessing both the immunity necklace and the immunity idol, it's a godsend. The immunity idol will be going with me to Tribal Council tonight (pulls it out from his pocket of his shorts which are always different shorts) Hopefully, I won't have to use it unless I want to use it as a bribe down the road" (Again, for fun, I would like to see what he is wearing in the upcoming episode to see if they used this for this episode to create some sense of tension about the vote since realistically the vote was not very dramatic) The Aftermath Terry is then shown praising Bruce (with this striped shirt hanging up behind him) and Bruce reaffirms his positive feelings about LaMina and especially Terry "the number one stand up guy" and that again, he is riding the center of both tribes (some of this was done in voiceover and other portions done at the same time as his earlier confessionals which then is probably one entire sequence) Austin (conf) "We are going to Tribal Council and I'd be lying if I said I thought there would be anything that could save me" (Austin asks Bruce to pray with him) "I don't think I could have beaten Terry in the immunity challenge so I went in knowing that I was going to try to make myself look weak so I was putting on an absolute Oscar winning performance; that was a plan to show I wasn't strong but it doesn't matter what happens I'm going home, there is no question about it" Nick (conf) "Whoever gets voted out tonight is not part of the jury; that's why I was holding on for so long, one of my goals is to make the jury and now I know since Terry has immunity, the next two walking the plank are Austin and I. I really hope I make it through this one more vote....." (Again, Nick's game was never about the win, I'm sure a lot of us instantly thought of Bobby when he made that statement as well If not for the fact that Nick DID end up leaving, that would have been a nice foreshadowing of events but we did ascertain that Austin would fare better than Nick) The Casaya PowWOW Shane gathers his children (as Nick tells us ) for a pre Tribal Council session Bruce "Thanks for including me" (coming from a man that supposedly felt so powerful) Shane "It's been a very tough two days, they were all over us, very proud of us for staying together (shot of Aras) so let's....." Aras (jumps in) "So who do you guys want to go for" Courtney mentions Nick but still unsure, Danielle is still up in the air as is Aras but Cerie makes note of Nick "Nick seems like Terry number two physically" Shane "I don't know why but I feel like Austin's the call but you guys give great points for Nick" (Most interesting change in demeanor from Shane when comparing to his tirade with the girls about Bobby or Bruce) Shane (conf) "The reason we'd want to vote out Austin first is because we thought he was more of a physical threat than Nick but the I think everybody got all freaked out because Nick did do well in the immunity challenge and the bottom line is I don't care, I just want one of them gone and one of them's going." (We then see the LaMina members taking note of the meeting and their issue on it and Terry advising Aras that the display was not exactly favorable to them) "We just wanted to get together, the six of us, to figure out exactly what we are doing, communicate and be honest. I don't care if they have a problem with it, okay, they can have the biggest problem as they want, they are still going one at a time..." (What follow is then his statement about Bruce and barring any psychotic episodes which was clearly put here just to create some doubt that a LaMina was going. In actuality, this confessional actually included the part that it was "hard to tell but I think Terry does not have the idol so THE NEXT TIME he doesn't get immunity, he's out which was shown very early in the episode. This makes more sense said at this point since Terry does have immunity and he is questioning the idol as well) Tribal Council Terry sits down with the immunity necklace with a nice little change in the music as aj would describe more eloquently Courtney tells us about the tribe name. Terry "Personally I was hoping for one more immunity challenge and with that we hoped to knock them down (shot of Aras) one more peg prior to the merge (shot of Bruce and a nice change in the music getting dramatic) (Note again, he is wearing Dan's shirt and not the shirt he was shown where he was wearing the necklace and talking about winning immunity and potentially using the idol) Nick "You just stir things up best you can and try to identify the fringe players (Danielle shown) and exploit their position in their tribe (Shane) and communicate that to them in a way they can understand and are willing to come over to your side" (Bruce shown) Bruce "It's been a roller coaster ride. I always seemed like I was on the outside looking in; whoever I was teamed up with. I always tried to do my shaire and I feel they respect me and I have a huge respect for them" Nick "I'm going to be on the block without immunity (Terry shown) but the one chance I had was to hopefully show them this is how bad I want to stick around (Austin shown) and hopefully my actions spoke for me" (Bruce shown) Austin "A lot is going through my mind, I was weighing an inner struggle (Courtney) because I could be on the chopping block because I was really strong (Courtney) I was fighting whether I wanted to act like I couldn't hang (Aras, Shane) or keep hanging and try to beat Terry (Terry) but long story short (Courtney) I opted to come down and am probably going to pay the price for that (Aras) Jeff "The strategy was to appear weak?" Austin "Something along those lines" (Courtney and Danielle shown looking not so amused and Shane appears to mull over this and actually seemed a little impressed) Shane then talks about coming down from the challenge "...we are sitting in the position where we hold the cards for right now and of course I jumped down. I want to conserve my energy; we have our numbers and we are going to stick true to them" Aras "I'm not worried about our confidence in the six. The whole thing of it is, the wrench in it is the immunity idol (Terry shown) there is still an idol that could very well be in the hands of people (Sally) that just came to our beach (Austin) so that is the only thing I'm worried about" (Again that pesky idol) Jeff "Would you be knocked over if somebody flipped from your side tonight?" Aras "Stunned" Courtney "Shocked" Cerie "Flabbergasted" Jeff "Terry has the idol and I doubt he is giving that up. Several of you have been to Exile Island; if anybody has the idol and want to use it, you'll let me know after the vote" The vote takes place and Nick is eliminated but not before Jeff indicates that "Nick you have not been to Exile Island so unless somebody has given you the idol, you need to bring me your torch" Nick is shown hugging Austin Interesting to note that you can briefly see Terry stand up but we are not meant to see a hug between Terry and Nick. Danielle and Aras exchange glances with Aras nodding his head at her (which I found interesting, why not Shane and Aras? Why not Cerie and Shane. Why not Courtney and Danielle?) Nick tosses Cerie an item and Courtney is shown with her hands over face and Sally was shown this way as well. Jeff "Well as Day 18 (Shane) comes to a close, you are the final 9, seven of you will ultimately comprise our jury, two of you (Sally, Austin, Terry) will make it to the end, one will win it (Courtney, Shane, Aras and Danielle shown) with 21 days left, a lot of game left (Bruce) to be played." Sally was extremely low key this episode but she was never in contention to be booted. Again, we mentioned that Sally's edit is important after merge since her story at LaMina was all about the men's club. I don't necessarily see Sally "laying down her sword" and it is also interesting that Danielle and Courtney were also fairly back burnered and I still feel there will be an element of the women getting together in some aspect. Shane received a high visibility appearance which is nothing new but his character certainly had a different tone though again, I do not feel his issues with Casaya are quite done as evidenced by the recap and initial scene showing his desire to be out of the alliance and the tension between Courtney and Shane. Aras provided good narration and strategy and was not as overt as Shane and he was pretty consistent in how edit is fleshing out. Terry again is being portrayed as a threat and keeper of the idol and this well tease us until it finally reaches its conclusion. Again, no emotional investment is coming from Terry and Bruce while increasing significantly in visibility is still a flat character with the events surrounding him as dynamic. This sharp peak is not a good sign for characters as we normally see a major increase upon the conclusion of a character (if that character was not a good edit prior to this) Cerie received a slight bump down which is not of any concern but she was still more prevalent than her female counterparts. Austin did not change in his status and ultimately it appeared as a unit, Casaya itself is fleshing out more.   Top

dreamerbeliever 3380 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Car Show Celebrity" 04-04-06, 11:40 PM (EST) 33. "RE: The Merge" LAST EDITED ON 04-04-06 AT 11:43 PM (EST) Great thoughts as always VS! As usual, I stay on the sidelines when it comes to spoiling. Came into this thread specifically to see what your thoughts were about Courtney trying to snuggle with Shane for warmth and getting denied. From the insider clips, Cirie said that Courtney usually sleeps on the beach until she gets to cold and then comes into the shelter only to be left with the worst sleeping spot. So why were we finally shown her struggle to get warm when this may be a nightly ritual for her? To me this is a classic MB setup for the next episode boot. Sure Courtney has been shown to annoy others but has never received a bootee vote. We were also shown Courtney to gloat that when Shane gets the boot it will be an unknown guillotine chop. Could it be that Courtney gets the blindside? From this clip we may have also been shown that when the Courtney/Shane showdown does happen, Shane may have more support. Probably am wrong, but from just that little clip, I'd say that editing wise, Courtney's time remaining in the game is very limited.   Top

DRONES 615 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 04-05-06, 00:51 AM (EST) 34. "RE: The Merge" Another brilliant job VS. Bruce edit vs. Terry edit Bruce was shown completely clueless and as pawn to be used and then discarded when he is no longer necessary. As I was watching the episode I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. It's amazing that a man with his life experience has no ability to read people especially when he is the one person who has the most crossover interaction with the two tribes. Has he not been payin attention to what's been going on at his tribe? One final note about the Bruce edit. I always take note when ever a player mentions that they are a swing vote. It never bodes well for them. I was actuallly mildly surprised that he wasn't booted this episode. He is not long for this game. I give him 2 episodes at most. Terry was certainly shown as jumping the gun a bit with his maneuvering after the merge. I viewed it more as a desperation move, which was confirmed by the Shane and Cirie confessional. Still, this was the first time that showed him as being vulnerable and making an ill fated move, but what else could he have done? Maybe he should have waited and gotten a read on things first but I'm sure there was really time for that and after all the old La Mina is in a numbers crunch. When the 4 tribes became two he was shown making a shrewed strategic move, not so much this time. Unlike Bruce, Terry didn't seem at all clueless so much as desperate. I had to ask myself why Terry was shown trying to make a move and none of the others, especially Austin and Nick who were every bit as much on the chopping block as Terry. The numbers game There was a lot of talk about numbers this episode, which is usually the case at the merge. Old Casaya has a clear advantage and it was mentioned several times that they want to pick off old La Mina one at a time. This, of course, is going to fail. Another not so subtle reference to numbers was the hidden immunity idol. Terry is going to be here for at least 2 more episodes. I believe he will make it at least to the final 4, which is were he will use hidden immunity idol. There has just been to much talk by him about the final 4 and the hidden immunity idol for it to not impact the game at a critical time during the game. I'm still not getting that sense of depth in his character yet, but there are a couple of reasons that could be, first are the stronger characters that almost demand more face time. Second is that the winners edit usually doesn't start coming through until the game gets down to the final 9. We also have to remember that the winner has to be shown in a slightly negative light a few times to throw the audiance off the scent. Were are all the ladies Except for Cirie the women were practically invisible. These women all have strong personalities and they will play an important role in the breakdown of old Casaya. We always seem to get the obligitory womens alliance post merge and I don't expect to see anything different here. It always fails, but it does have an impact on the game. We are family That was how Shane described old Casaya. He said we fight and argue but we always come together. The only problem with that, is that this is a game and we are down to the individual portion of the game. Shane and Courtney have been riding an emotional roller coaster in this game. The merge made it necessary for them to come together. It's really not a matter of if they crack but when. This time they won't have the luxary of some tribe victory to mask over their problems or an IC to prevent them from going to TC. This family is headed for a messy divorce. DRONES   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 04-05-06, 02:51 PM (EST) 35. "RE: The Merge" LAST EDITED ON 04-05-06 AT 03:16 PM (EST) LAST EDITED ON 04-05-06 AT 02:58 PM (EST) Glad to hear from you VS! I was beginning to worry we might not hear from you this week, and I must admit I usually hold off on posting my own opinions and hunches until I can compare them with yours. This episode made up my mind about several things that we have had hunches about. This episode we were repeatedly - and I mean repeatedly - hit over the head with how Casaya was going to vote La Mina off one by one. It was inevitable, no way it would turn out differently. Not only were we shown this just by the million times it was told to us in the confessionals, but by Terry's bumbling inadequacy at "wooing" people. We are meant to thoroughly despair for La Mina. Obviously, this means that this is not what will happen. Never do I think have we seen SUCH an emphasis on this as we did this episode. In relation to that, the sleeping arrangement scene at the beginning of the episode was very important I believe. Past Survivors have commented that you could infer a lot about loyalties from who people sat next to at Tribal Council, and who they slept next to. People on the fringes in these situations are in trouble. Courtney not only was shown as clearly the outsider in this situation, but was shown to not be getting any sympathy about it. She was shown talking to people about it, but no one was shown comforting her, or well seeming terribly concerned. We've all known that the Shane/Courtney dynamic would be the downfall of one, if not both of them. This scene sealed the deal for me that it will be Courtney to go before Shane - and she'll be leaving sooner rather than later. I dont see logically how she would be going home the next episode, but she'll be leaving not long after that. We were shown her focusing on Shane being out of the alliance and them being willing to vote him off. I think she'll see the opposite happen in the end. This episode for me clinched that no matter what - Terry is not our winner. Nor do I think he's in the final two. His attempts to bring people over were transparent, flimsy, and well - painful. He was made to look like he had no idea how to operate in that facet of the game. We would not have been shown this if he was our winner. We might see some negative aspect of the winner to throw us off the scent - but we would not be shown that they were thoroughly inadequate in one vital aspect of the game. Terry excels physically, and he can lead a group - but he was a fish out water in this situation, and it was painfully obvious. On top of that he came off very arrogant "offering" to people that are FAR safer than he is - hidden immunity idol or not. I give Cerie and Shane credit for not laughing in his face at the "offer" he gave them. I agree VS - even if I'd had any doubt of Nick leaving that episode - it was completely erased when he said "Because that's what its all about" in reference to getting to know new people! This showed us very clearly what Nick's true Survivor downfall was. Bruce was the typical "swing vote" player who took more pride and comfort in his situation than he probably should have. This position is a double edged sword, one that should be played VERY carefully. He made the right decision for now, but I dont see him continuing to play it well. He has not been portrayed to us as a serious player. Now for the aspect of the game that I'm most intrigued by, and unsure how it will play out. Sally and the Casaya women. As I've stated before, Sally is my favorite player this season and I would love to see her go really far in spite of the uphill battle she has. Plus, we have all noticed that there will likely be an emerging female theme as the season goes on. My initial reaction after the episode was disappointment that Sally was not featured much at all, nor the women as a group. The more I thought about it though, the more I came to think that this may actually be a good thing...as we all know, alliances reavealed never succeed. Sally voted with La Mina - she really didnt have much choice, Casaya made their "6" clear, and it would have been extremely disloyal, and well silly, to vote otherwise. She would have ended up very alone in the game. What we did see though was several shots (at least one or two that I distinctly remember) with Sally in the background hanging out with Casaya members when the La Mina men were working, etc. So I think she has been smart enough to not make waves, but start forming relationships with the Casayans. Something Danni perfected last season. VS - the following is not a spoiler reference, but I am going to reference Survivor Insider videos. I'm not sure if you'd rather not have that info either, so I figured I'd warn you... On insider Sally is shown talking very dubiously about how the women approached her and told her how much they missed her, and her reaction was one of disgust, that she didnt trust them one bit. This tells us two things I believe - I think the women will pursue Sally for their own purposes when they want to turn on their own alliance, as opposed to the other way around. This may be very good for Sally. Secondly I think that where we may have thought that Sally may still have some loyalty to those women, we were likely wrong. She will likely be willing to use them to further herself in the game, but I dont think she has any loyalty to them. One last note - Shane was shown as the leader this episode, not Aras. At the very least, this shows us that of he and Courtney, he's in less danger. Edited to add: I went back and looked at how they were all sitting at Tribal Council - Nick and Austin were at the far end on the left, with Terry and Sally next to them respectively. Bruce, not surprisingly, was in the middle of the two tribes along the back row. Shane and Aras were sitting next to each other - and all of the women were sitting together in the front row (working from left to right) Sally, Cerie, Courtney, the Danielle. Very interesting. In addition in looking at the episode's pictures on CBS - the Casaya women are shown together as a group fairly often. Also interesting, we finally see Aras doing some yoga! There is a shot of Cerie doing it with him!   Top

Surviette 124 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 04-05-06, 04:20 PM (EST) 36. "RE: The Merge" Welcome back, VS and co. Observations: Courtney - I'm certain the sleeping scene is meant to remind us of the discord between Courtney and Shane. Regardless, it is possible that Courtney is "falling apart", or may be sick. Shane - He's really emerging as a strong leader. Being a K-teacher myself, I had to LOL when he told his "kids" how proud he is! He is shrewd and he knows how to be diplomatic and when to apologize. However, I don't think he realizes he's taking most of the heat off of Aras. I didn't like that he said (about Cirie) "She's not gonna flop either." Unless, of course, those two have an alliance we don't know about. Aras - He is a smart player. Austin said; "You're gonna get along with everyone." Aras is clearly trying to be fair. He's cleverly using Bruce as a "pawn" and Shane as his "mouthpiece". I wonder if he thinks he's UTR? Danielle - She was so not featured. The only thing I remember is she was huddled under a blanket with Cirie. Danielle had a dozey look on her face and Cirie was concerned about what the men were discussing. Cirie - She is in a good position. Cirie, like Aras, gets along well with everyone. I believe Cirie was shown to have some intelligent insight compared to Bruce and even Terry. Terry - Very awkward portrayal of Terry. Saying " wouldn't that be cool?" just is not cool. Being called Homey (Homer Simpson?) is not cool. The viewers were shown a complete lack of disrespect from Aras and Shane, towards both of the eldest men. Bruce - I find myself hoping he has some hidden strategy and he's just paying lip-service to the camera. Otherwise, he is incredibly naive and is being set up for a nasty fall. If nothing else, I'm hoping we see some spiritual fireworks released at the finale. Austin - I guess he's playing the game as well as he can for now. I think for him to go far, though, more would have been invested in his buddy, Nick, as their story has been linked since the beginning. Nick - It was inevitable, but it was still sad. Sally - Didn't see too much of Sally. On EI she says she hopes Terry didn't find the HII. Ironically, he might be thinking of using it to save Sally. Having the HII in the hands of the underdogs makes it possible they can save themselves. Unfortunately, I have less confidence in Terry's strategic abilities than I have in, supposedly, unstable Casaya!   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 04-06-06, 08:20 AM (EST) 37. "RE: The Merge" BR, your comment brought a smile to my face. I appreciated Cerie's comment but the technical side to my personality thought the same as you I was remiss in acknowledging michel and his observations when I posted my thoughts; my apologies and, as always, great ones. Thank you for the Insider notations because as you state, they can be very important michel, it appears quite a few of us agree that Shane's "work" was quite smart on his part. I do believe that the audience was meant to sympathize with LaMina but Shane actually showed an awareness over emotionalism which was impressive but.... surviette, glad to see you posting your thoughts on the characters and yes, Shane did indeed sound like a teacher. I was actually quite impressed with his actions considering his prior actions. However, I have always said as much as one "tries" to behave a certain way on this show, one cannot change their character; I question how long Shane can DRONES, I am very happy to see you in here and I am fully expecting more from you since we are getting into much deeper waters now, yes? Your mention of the "numbers game" is absolutely on target. This has been the talk even before merger. We have heard it constantly much like last season we heard "lying" constantly. We can only know at the end whether "numbers" is what allowed one tribe to be successful or there is irony in that statement. One item of note is that Danni was against the "numbers" for a significant period of time yet that was not quite thrown in our faces as much as the "lying" and the "blindsiding" (which ultimately happened to the majority tribe) Therefore, the "numbers" seem to be more important since we hear about it quite a bit. dreambeliever, I do agree with you that Courtney's time is slowly coming to a close. I am somewhat of the opinion that it may be a little longer however. The initial scene with Courtney and the sleeping arrangements and her confessional about Shane and the recap discussing Shane and the alliance and the WOMEN granting his wish are definitely (in my opinion) setting the stage for a Casaya issue to come. If Casaya was completely in control to the end, there really would be no need to remind us of the discord especially (as I repeat myself ) since the episode went to great lengths to showcase how they are all of the mindset to rid themselves of LaMina. Courtney was the one member that we were shown having some problem in her tribe and I found it interesting that Courtney was actually quite visible as compared to her female counterparts (Cerie is a different entity here as she has and will remain a featured character) Danielle was originally more of the mover of the Courtney and Danielle pairing and Danielle had earlier been the one to "start the ball rolling" with respect to Shane yet we did not have that carry over. Instead Courtney is continuing that storyline and we have always felt there was a measure of undercurrent with Shane and Courtney as well. Courtney's arc is starting to turn the corner with her discord shown (despite the level of Casaya harmony) and Bruce's edit was sheer explosion. As these two did not really portray end game players this editing turn on Bruce and this reminder from Courtney may signify some closure with them. architecturegirl please don't wait to post your thoughts at all. My enjoyment is reading what everyone says and I am glad when we all seem to be on the same page (which is why some of my postings may be noting similar items ) The Insider comments (as I mention above) are absolutely fine to post here, I don't consider that information an issue whatsoever and, in fact, I welcome it since these clips are interesting because they are left out and we have talked about that it is just as important to weigh the information left in AND left out as michel indicated. The information on Sally is very interesting because I was most interested in Austin and Sally's edit after merger since they had very large pre merge status. Sally took a notable dip in her editing (as opposed to Austin) so the commentary she made about the Casaya women is very interesting but what is ALSO interesting is the Casaya women approaching her which we did not see. We are meant to believe LaMina (sans Terry since he does have an "ace in the hole") is doomed. Sally was given an opening that wasn't shown. My "guess" is that we'll see some more of this WHEN the story progresses to where we NEED to see her. There ARE other targets ahead of her. I am reminded of how Sally had indicated she hoped she would "get lucky" Again, with editing sometimes this is a "nugget" and sometimes it is simply a statement. Sally's edit was too important pre merge for her to leave under a cloak of invisibility (like Nick) so I fully expect her to expand again; this may be where the Casaya women come into play as the prior storylines did give an aura of the women coming together in some aspect which helps further Dan's words about her. Although some of you did feel she would betray Austin, I tend to give their relationship the benefit of the doubt. I had felt more of an undercurrent with her and Terry which, as it appears now, I may be wrong in the TYPE of undercurrent (of betrayal) but I did feel there was an investment made there.   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-06-06, 09:03 AM (EST) 38. "RE: The Merge" Excellent, excellent observations, one and all! It's amazing how you all seem to nail each and every episode to me. I just wanted to chime in here regarding the emotional aspect of this episode to the viewer, which not many have commented on. I was thoroughly disgusted by this episode, and it evoked some strong feelings for me. It's almost to the point where it's getting completely predictable. I have little regard for any of the Casaya's, and feel overwhelmingly how it's just not fair.....all of these selfish, immature, egotistical people will pagong one tribe. I really felt that Nick's statement at the end of the show could have been a result of keeping company with such honorable people. And Bruce, give me a break, his ego know's no bounds....get a clue! I felt that Bruce or Cirie(or even Courtney) were STUPID for not changing up the game a bit. They are on the outside of the Casaya's, F6/F5, I thought if they honed in on one of the stronger Casaya's(Shane/Aras) along with the LaMina's then proceeded to flop to whichever side needed them to get the stronger players out, they'd at least have a greater chance of getting to the F4. Why not take some risks, as they wouldn't have gotten out at F10, they would indeed make the jury....Or why not gather the weaker players together to plan to oust the strong ones(Shane/Aras/Terry/Nick). I just hate that the lower people on the alliance totem pole are not willing to take risks and take chances to mix up the order. Doesn't Courtney realize there is a reason that she sleeps on the outside of the group EVERY night? I just don't see that the people on the lower end of the alliance are using their heads, they are complacent, and I just don't respect these types of players. I do agree that Terry will not win, as his character is too one dimensional, but I respect his competitive nature, and admire his very direct approach. Aras is indeed sitting pretty in the group, but I question that it's because he's surrounded by selfish, one-dimensional people... Anyway, great thoughts and remarks regarding everything!   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 04-06-06, 09:32 AM (EST) 39. "RE: The Merge" Lol! Loved this post FP! It sounds like one of my rants that I go on occasionally. Terry is the one that drove me nuts this episode personally - I felt it was just akward and almost painful to watch him totally blunder his golden opportunity - mainly with his own arrogance. And I was ticked at the rest of the La Minas for just letting him do all the wheeling and dealing, even though he was so obviously going about it in a horrible way. Humility - its something he REALLY should have exercised here. It might have made a big difference in his ability to wreak havoc on Casaya. He forgot that people are out to win this - not be on the bottom of your alliance instead of someone else's! That just drove me nuts, I felt like he took La Mina's one real shot and flushed it down the toilet. As for Cerie - I disagree with you on her status. I dont think she's on the outside at all. In fact, I think that she, danielle and Aras are in the best spots of everyone. She's played really smart. There is no reason at all for her to jump ship right now. Now Courtney - I think she's oblivious to how much danger she's in (I think Danielle has her in her pocket, but wont be as loyal as Courtney thinks she will). She should totally see the need to at least split up Aras and Shane, but she wont try it til its too late. And well Bruce - it drives me nuts too that they have people on this show every season that are so clueless...I think I actually said out loud "Are you kidding me? He fell for that???" With the whole Shane/Aras "You're the head guy" act. Please! In the end though - I think all of these reactions are just how CBS wants us to feel. Like I said in my earlier post - we're supposed to despair for La Mina and their inevitable pagonging. Because it wont happen that way.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-06-06, 11:00 AM (EST) 40. "RE: The Merge" Bruce is the most exasperating character for me. I'm not sure his surge in screen time signaled an early departure for him editing-wise; every time Bruce is highlighted, it is only to show his cluelessness, it seems to me. But I could actually see him being the non-player who manages to get to F4 and then gets dumped, simply because he's so susceptible to whatever the others say. But we will see... Of all of VS's salient points about Terry, I think the most salient is that he is really the vehicle for the story of the hidden idol, and not the other way around. It's easy to compare Terry to Tom Westman and he doesn't match up to Tom's winner edit in any respect. We heard La Mina praise Terry's skills at camp, but we never actually saw him doing anything, as we did with Tom killing the shark and making other decisions. For a fairly prominent character Terry is weirdly absent any depth or "persona" other than "strong competitor". But Nick as much as said that that is all there is to him. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 04-06-06, 12:32 PM (EST) 41. "RE: The Merge" fp the show last week did exactly what it was intended to do and your response to it was exactly the intent. I'm glad you chimed in with your thoughts on the "emotional" level. I was tempted to pose some of my "questions" as I knew this episode would elicit great reaction with Casaya's "behavior" i.e. Terry's "blunders", Austin's commentary at Tribal Council and so forth. Although LaMina is typifying that wonderful "underdog" edit the LaMina members are not being shown as being too smart in changing their status. As for those who could have been in the position of changing the game (Cerie, Bruce and Courtney) I think Cerie HAS changed up the game but within Casaya As for Bruce and Courtney, it seems clear thus far that "strategy" is not exactly their forte and those in this game who cannot strategize sufficiently are doomed to get as far as those who DO will allow them Complacency is a component of this game that is frustrating for the viewer but instinctive to those who are incapable of doing more. This is a nice contrast to someone like Terry, who, while attempting to make a change is awkward in doing so and probably because he never really had to do so. With his persona and profession, he probably never HAD many situations where he WASN'T in charge so his attempts are extremely awkward. As both you and BR noted about Bruce, there is no question he is in his own world (further evidenced by his Zen garden ) and yes, seemingly quite delusional in his opinion on how he is perceived. I don't find him quite as bothersome , I am more amused by it and he certainly (BR) could manage to be that member who is pawned back and forth and finds himself in a better position due to others' strategy. What I find troublesome in that regard is the immense increase we saw of him when he was extremely invisible prior. Also, I am of the mindset (as we have discussed in length from the beginning) that Exile Island and/or the events of it is something that is of great importance this season. We were only fortunate enough to see four players on that island and we discussed that someone who had a relevance to the game should be "promoted" if they were exiled. Misty, our first exile did not receive this and Bruce, who was a repeat visitor to Exile Island did not receive anything substantive while there either. Terry obviously received much fanfare and with good cause and Sally, while not receiving the "due" that Terry did for obvious reasons received more depth along with her character development at her tribe. I would suspect (or hope) that Bruce, if a final four candidate (which is a big accomplishment) would have received a stronger feature at Exile Island which is a big component of this season. However, editing is a learning process and one that I am constantly getting an education   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-06-06, 12:47 PM (EST) 42. "RE: The Merge" LAST EDITED ON 04-06-06 AT 02:09 PM (EST) What I find troublesome in that regard is the immense increase we saw of him when he was extremely invisible prior. I would agree, but my feeling is they are trotting Bruce out only when he has some role in the episode at hand (which won't be very often when you are in your own little world . That only occurred in the Bobby boot episode because Bruce was a potential target, and last week because Terry recruited him to flip. I expect him to become pretty much invisible again until the next whatever-it-is that he has some role in. As far as Exile Island itself being a component of the season, I feel like the editors kind of got bored with it after Terry found the idol. EI was significant for Terry (finding the II) and Sally (getting a reprieve), but it had no immediate significance to Bruce's story, so I'm not sure they would have played it up however long he lasted. That said, I don't want to give the impression I think Bruce *will* get to Final 4 -- he could leave at any time between now and then. But I absolutely don't see him going any further than that. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-06-06, 01:08 PM (EST) 43. "RE: The Merge" LAST EDITED ON 04-06-06 AT 01:09 PM (EST) Thanks everyone for the thoughts. I suppose I just miss the Rob C. characters, the wheelers and dealers and the risk takers. I also wanted to note that the editing makes me think that Cirie has indeed weaseled her way into the good graces of the powers that be in the Casaya 6 alliance, but the viewer has never heard the words stating this. In fact, the fact that Cirie balked at Terry's proposal says to me she's more in than others....if she were really on the outside, she would have considered it, imo. As for Terry, he really doesn't bother me, I did feel sorry for him with his desparate attempts to swing someone. I felt his direct approach was indeed because of his military background. I admire his tonacity at it though, while I cringe at the same time.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-06-06, 01:39 PM (EST) 44. "RE: The Merge" LAST EDITED ON 04-06-06 AT 01:41 PM (EST) There aren't many players ready to take the risks associated with flipping the game. Often the change you impose profit someone else anyway. Rob C did change the game but until Alex told him he would be gone at F4, he was happy to sunbathe and drool over Heidi. It takes something to shake players up. The coconut chop is VS' favorite challenge for a reason. That being said, I feel that more than just being ackward, Terry's proposals were detrimental to the other La Mina. Even if Austin or Sally tries to make a move right now, the others will see Terry in the background. By putting out deals for his team, Terry has handcuffed the other La Mina. Why would you go to an alliance that has an irreducible nucleus when your alliance is so volatile? Does Bruce know he is 6th in line? He may see himself as solid three with Aras and Shane. Cirie could see herself F3 with Aras and Danielle. Same as Courtney. Only Aras is probably included in each Casayan's combination of F3. Sitting well indeed!   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 04-06-06, 01:54 PM (EST) 45. "RE: The Merge" This is true, and while we all sit here well fed, well rested, with all sorts of time to analyze, and without a million dollars on the line, its easy to get frustrated - but would we have the guts to make that kind of a gamble? I would hope I would, but I cant say for sure. And I cant say I'd have an easy time making that kind of a gamble on people I didnt know at all. We have the benefit of seeing what all the players are thinking, and how they're reacting to each other - a huge advantage over the survivors. Do we all know what our co-workers REALLY think of us, how they'd act in certain situations? Same sort of thing. I think a lot of them think "Well I have this long before I'm in trouble, I've got some time. Better to do something then, than risk leaving even earlier". I completely agree with you about Terry crippling the others. He has been thoroughly established as their leader, the others are going to have a hard time making a deal without the threat of Terry hanging over it. The only one that is slightly immune to that is Sally, just because its no secret to anyone, even Casaya, that she was about to be voted off by Terry and the La Minas if Casaya hadnt saved her.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-06-06, 01:56 PM (EST) 46. "RE: The Merge" That being said, I feel that more than just being ackward, Terry's proposals were detrimental to the other La Mina. Even if Austin or Sally tries to make a move right now, the others will see Terry in the background. By putting out deals for his team, Terry has handcuffed the other La Mina. That is the opposite of Thailand when Sook Jai merged with Chuay Gahn at a 5-3 disadvantage. Jake realized that he, Ken and Penny would have to make inroads separately with the Chuay Gahns; it was each man for himself. It still didn't work, but Jake *almost* got to Helen by the time he was the only one left. It was a better idea than what Terry did. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 04-06-06, 01:58 PM (EST) 47. "RE: The Merge" Aw, Jake. He was my favorite - Ok, the only player I liked at all on Thailand. I agree with you on that one - and I'm hoping Sally realizes it too.   Top

Surviette 124 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 04-06-06, 02:38 PM (EST) 48. "RE: The Merge" FP, I echo many of your emotions. I am trying to determine some possible intentions behind Nick's edit. I'll compare with the past two seasons, as Brandon and BJ were both booted prior to making the Jury. 1. Fans were very upset with the departures of Brandon and BJ. Maybe the editors didn't want to "create" another favourite, in Nick. IOW, if we had heard more from Nick, we probably would have been even more disappointed that he did not make the Jury. 2. The editors didn't want the pre-jury boot to be obvious, so they altered the pattern by having a more invisible merge-bootee. 3. The editors preferred Austin's account of the info and so decided to use him as the pre-merge narrator for LaMina. 4. It has to do with the overall story. Much could have been invested in Brandon because he was Danni's best buddy and we were able to see her go on to win for both of them.(Using this theory, Austin doesn't stand a chance.) BJ (along with Steph) was one of the heroes of the pagonged tribe and he never stopped trying. Maybe Nick just doesn't fit in with any large story or any of the themes. Regardless, I was sad to see Nick go. I was also disappointed that we didn't get to know him better.   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-06-06, 07:38 PM (EST) 49. "RE: The Merge" hi guys, finally getting to catch up with all these great comments. I purposefully didn't let myself read this week as it was my turn to write the episode summary and I wanted to get in tough with my own direct impressions so I stayed "pure" in my own way. Because of the summary I immersed myself in this one and when I was done writing it I realized my summary style is now totally influenced by the editing thread style of watching the show. Whether that shows in the finished product I dunno but I felt the influence. Other than that I also watch for any inintentional double entendres and ways to make fun of them for that, I noticed all the same themes. Re Bruce especially, I had to make Bruce's Ego its own character, it was so prominent. Flowerpower, I sympathize with your feelings! You should try signing up to do a summary. It's a great way to vent your frustrations ... I felt purged afterwards. I really ended up liking Nick. Even though I had to make fun of him a little, he's such a standup nice guy that I pretty much gave him a pass. I liked Brandon a lot last season. Guess that's how I should predict the merge boot. I'll like him.   Top

miyagimayday 14 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Got Milk? Spokesperson" 04-06-06, 11:30 PM (EST) 50. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" LAST EDITED ON 04-07-06 AT 03:40 PM (EST) LAST EDITED ON 04-06-06 AT 11:49 PM (EST) OK!! Today's episode reveals some big time strategies! First, this is just right off of my head (no thinking involved yet). I don't believe Shane was "telling" the truth about the final four of Aras, himself, Cirie, and Courtney. I think what happened was Terry assumed that, and Shane said "you bet" or something? I have to go back and watch it again. Anyways, I think Shane was / might be screwing with Terry (La mina)'s game play. Second, I gotta give Aras props, man. He is smart as hell. BUT! I did laughed my ##### off when he was stuck in that hole! Don't really think it was an "Austin weak type of play", but he could be playing to be weaker. Not sure. But that was just too funny! I love his comment of suspecting the girls not being "protective" to him and Shane. And he is aware of the possibility of girls uniting. I can see Courtney and maybe Cirie (Since she is definilly a player) turning on the men, but I kinda doubt that Danielle will vote against Aras (?). However, regarding this episode's TC, I think Aras did panic for awhile, but not to the extent that was shown on TV (?). Gotta see what Austin has to say tomorrow on interview to look for more clues. And definilly looking forward to VS's editing anaylsis! These editings might be screwing my head too. One of the things that I find it interesting is the fact that Danielle said she trusts Aras. And during the RC, Aras was telling Danielle what to do. (I am not sure if he was saying that to Cirie and Courtney as well, I heard he calling Danielle, but he might be "telling" all three of them too). The critical thing is, they listened! Nick said on Surviver Live last week that Aras is really controlling Cirie, Courtney, and Danielle. Well, I believe it's just been proven. I think there might be a real hidden alliance final two there (Aras/Danielle). Just a thought. And Cirie is definilly right in there with the two of them. Love the way Cirie calmed Aras. And I believe Aras / Cirie bond is very solid. Even with the comment Cirie made during the TC should sound negative (How the girls actually help Aras win), the look on Cirie's face was more like mocking him. And Aras looks like "oops" in a mocking himself way too. Going to La mina now. Terry, Terry, Terry. I am really disppointed at his strategy play. I think he pulled the HII a little bit too late. He should've done that the last episode, and finding out about Bruce. Then it would've been Shane who went home. This episode, Casaya 6 doesn't really need the "6" since they are so ahead with numbers. Bruce doesn't really matter anymore; he is dispensible pawn. Pulling Danielle is probably the biggest mistake Terry made though. He didn't see through the position Danielle is seating in Casaya. This is probably why I think Shane was screwing Terry. As a viewer, I really doubt that Courtney will make it to the top 4 (We heard almost everyone complaining that Courtney is annoying...etc.) But this might be just the editing screwing my head too. Advise to Terry: don't think about having numbers anymore. Keep the idol close, and stop thinking strategy. You are not that good of a strategist (At least not as good as some other players). Just concerntrate on winning the damn II to the end. Sidenote: Aras is smart at picking Danielle over Courtney to EI. Courtney is more likely to be "sway" than Danielle. I think Aras trusts Danielle more than Courtney (my secret alliance of Aras/ Danielle again). And we all know Courtney can be very "mouthful"; she might give away information. Now, the next part contains speculations and a very minor spoiler, so don't read if you don't want to know. Start=========================================================== There is a spoiler stating that Terry doesn't get alone with "the blonde" (not sure if it is Sally or Danielle). Many people suspect that the blonde is Sally as she and Terry weren't really "bonding" at the beginning of the season. However, I suspect that the "blonde" is actually Danielle. During this episode, Terry showed and told Danielle that if she votes with La mina, then he will give the idol to her. I can see Danielle saying yes to that but actually is screwing them. By doing so, she makes sure that Austin doesn't have the idol (definilly helping Aras and Casaya 6 clearing their votes). As a result, Terry will be really mad at Danielle; She basically screwed La mina with that. This is my speculation. I think Terry said he WILL give the HII after the vote. so if Danielle said yes to Terry, and all La mina assume that Danielle and Bruce will vote with them, so Terry won't give the HII to Austin. In fact, Danielle didn't vote with them (nor did Bruce I think). But it doesn't matter after the vote now. Because what needed to be done was done (Getting Austin out of there). Even though Danielle will not get the HII from Terry (Obviously), she probably won't need it (at least for now). AND they all know that Terry has it. Just need to figure a way to let him use it sooner or later (?) So I do think Terry still has it. The reason that producers might not want to show this is because it creates suspense that Aras might go home. But of course I am just speculating. So I can be way way off. Hee. Oo, one more point, by doing this, Terry now is in a very BAD position. He revealed he has HII, and his plan didn't work. Bad Bad Bad. He has to literally win all the IC to survive to the end. After re-watching the part where Terry deals with Danielle, I find that Terry didn't say he will give the HII AFTER the vote, so my theory can be very wrong. However, what stuck me the most is the smile on Terry's face during the TC. He seems very happy (?), maybe he thought that the game will turn around? I don't know. ============================================================End Anyways, just some thoughts! Peace.   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-10-06, 01:25 PM (EST) 56. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" LAST EDITED ON 04-10-06 AT 01:30 PM (EST) Good comments everyone..sorry I've not been able to post in here lately.... I just wanted to add that in the last two eps. since the merge, Aras has been shown to be a little less than "perfect." Eating all the rice in Ep. 7 and then more so in Ep. 8... the way he compared La Mina to the snails, calling Austin a slime ball (when he has not been portrayed by editors as such) I think to get people who love Austin (of which I think they are many, including our esteemed colleague OFG to not like him as much and Cirie's little dig at Aras at TC about his strategy helped his team win. He definitely is now seen as the main Casaya threat by what is left of La Mina as they switched their votes from Shane when Nick was voted off to Aras when Austin was. In the insider, Austin says when casting his vote for Aras something like "If you play your cards right, you could win this thing, good luck" I think Austin is right and I think the editing is showing Aras as the winner moreso than anyone else. VS always says the winner is shown to have "chinks in his armor" and we are now seeing this with Aras. Danielle is my second choice as possible winner she is being shown as the "playa" esp. after Terry stupidly offered her the HI at F5. I will be focusing on Danielle and Aras' edits this next ep. I really do not think Terry is our winner based on editing...he still is talking TEAM when this is clearly Individual (he even knows it bc he didn't give up his Hidden INDIVIDUAL immunity idol) He is inept at strategy..he is being shown more like Gary and not Danni last season and he's def. not Tom in strategy dept. OFG, I really like metaphor of Terry as the serpent...just wonderful!! Danielle as Eve (2nd?), Aras as Adam (1st?) I think Terry, however, sees himself as God Almighty and not the evil serpent Sorry FloPo. I also think Ep. 8 sets us up for Courtney going sooner rather than later and at the casaya guys' doing (Aras Shane not bruce and maybe even with the help of Danielle, we now see after ep. 8 that her loyalty lies first and foremost with Aras (and not so much Courtney, she's her back up plan) The way Courtney was portrayed in Ep 8 as whiny and against the main alliance, sort of reminded me of Jamie in Guatemala...the main alliance boot before pagonging was over....will the result be the same?   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-10-06, 02:33 PM (EST) 57. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Courtney going sooner rather than later and at the casaya guys' doing (Aras Shane not bruce...) Why not Bruce? He voted for Courtney before when she was disrespectful of his rock garden. All Aras and Shane have to do is butter Bruce up and he will vote for whomever they tell him to vote for. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-10-06, 02:37 PM (EST) 58. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" LAST EDITED ON 04-10-06 AT 02:41 PM (EST) well, sure, he would, but they may not really trust Bruce (which I don't think Shane or Aras do)to not say anything about it... see my post in the Misdirection thread for my "theory"   Top

DRONES 615 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 04-10-06, 11:00 PM (EST) 59. "RE: Prelude to Merger - The Players, The Game, The Editing - Exile Island" Nice job miyagimayday. Sometimes the thoughts that we come up with initially are the best, as that is what EPMB wants us to do. When I heard Aras give his final 4 I was like huh? I didn't really make sense to me and of course we know that it won't come to fruition. Aras struggling to get out of that "hole" could certainly be looked at as metaphorical, especially considering what he thinks of his alliance. He's sort of just "stuck" with them for the time being. I really am haveing a hard time trying to figure out who is getting the winners edit. There are 4 that have a really good chance IMO and the rest not so much. Bruce, Bruce, Bruce How could anyone be as clueless as he is being portrayed. He is extremely arrogant and loves having his ego stroked. Both Shane and Aras know this, and as long as they continue to build him up he will be useful to them. He is a throw away vote, and when his usefulnes has run out he will be gone. Courtney and Shane I'm becoming more and more convinced that these two are going to have another blow up that will cause one of them to turn on the other. Niether one of them is going to leave this game quietly and I look for a big build up to this on the episode preceding their ouster, which means I think they are both safe for now. Courtney showed that she knows what's going on in this game when it was clearly her who directed the Austing boot. She also showed some serious savy by protecting Sally. She can see that there is the potential for the men to controll this game and she is having none of that. It will be interesting to see what happens if Terry wins the IC again. Will Courtney once again try to protect Sally to the detriment of one of her own. Personally I want Terry to win the IC just to see what happens. The implossion of this alliance is coming and it will be fun to watch, especially considering their personalities. Aras Aras has not looked all that good to me in the last couple of episodes. His struggles during the IC and his blowup with Courtney over the who to boot have put him in a bit of a negative light. He does not always control things on that tribe. During the Courtney, Aras blow up it was interesting that Shane was not really heard from. He is usally in the middle of these sort of things. Does anyone really believe he wouldn't have had an opinion on this matter? Danielle Of all the players in this game she is the one I'm having the hardest time reading. Shane didn't mention her as being in his final 4. Where is she at in the pecking order of this tribe. Terry had a reason for offering her the HII, yet she didn't seem to even really consider the offer...which brings me to.. Alliances within the Alliance I beleive that there are at least a couple of different alliances within the major alliance of old Casaya. Not sure what they are yet, but I think it is resonable to assume that Danielle and Courtney are one and Aras and Shane, along with Bruce on the periphery, are the other with Cirie being the swing vote for both groups...which brings me to.... Cirie I'm liking her more and more each episode. She has been getting a solid edit since this thing has begun. No negatives about her performances in challanges, despite how miserably she performs, and her comments are always funny, while being very insightful. She is far and away our story teller, which I don't view as necessarily a bad thing. And then there were two Sally and Terry are the lone remaining La Mina and things don't look good for them. As I mentioned above, I think there is something to how hard Courtney fought to save Sally. I remember one of Jeff's early comments was how the original 4 person tribes would play a role in this game, or something to that affect. I believe we are seeing that prediction coming front and center. There are still 3 of the young girls left and 3 of the older men left and only 1 older woman and 1 younger man. This could mean nothing or it could be mean something. It has been a long time since those tribes were in this game. Sally has shown herself to be a very strong competitor in this game and if it wasn't for Terry she would have won the last IC. Her edit has been very positive with very few ups and downs despite the numbers disadvanted that she had prior to the merge and now post merge. She, in a lot of ways reminds me of Dani. She works the personal angles of this game, by developing relationships. Despite having the HII, Terry is in dire dire straights. I think we can safely assume that everyone knows he has the HII now. The numbers are both for him and against him. He knows that as long as he wins the IC he will last at least two more TC's. The numbers are against him in that he is essentially flying solo(isn't that what fighter pilots do anyway) in this game. Solo players always have to try and stir the pot as best they can. Is the HII or Terry or both VS has mentioned this before and it bears repeating, because it is darn hard to tell what the real story is here. As the holder of the HII are we looking at Terry or is the HII the story. Through editing I think it is safe to assume that Terry makes the final 4 at which point he uses the HII. Now the interesting thing here is that once the HII is no longer in his hands, will he then ceace to have any relevance as a character in this game? Without the HII, Terry just doesn't seem all that interesting even though he appears to be a challange hog. The delima is that he may not be displaying that much personality because he is all about the game or he may not have the much personality to begin with. If a player like Terry were to win this game how would EPMB edit him? Possibly by changing the focus from being about him to the HII, after all this game isn't so much about the people as the editing. This shows popularity is not dictated by who they cast but by how they are presented. Dani to me didn't seem to have that much of a personality. Chris and Brian were both somewhat loathsome. Vee was simply inVeesible. Tina was boring. Tom was a NYC firefighter and Richard was a Dique. A lot of personalities there and not all of them very good save for a couple and yet. I look for the steady edits. Who has been consistently edited the same way throughout regardless. To me that is Cirie, Terry, Sally and to my own surprise Shane. Next couple of episodes should go a long ways towards clarifying some things for me. DRONES   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-08-06, 03:42 PM (EST) 51. "Episode #8" The episode made me think that "The numbers are bad" The whole episode was a numbers and guessing game. The HII has added a dimension where players have to be counting probabilities a little more. If the editors hadn’t made the mistake of showing Aras participating in a challenge yet to be seen, we would have felt the tension that was evident in the player’s demeanor. The numbers in Survivor don’t have the mystical aspect they have on “Lost” but I do want to ask: “Who is number 1?” Aras showed he can count and is the leader. He lets us know early that Austin was dangerous and that they had to keep their plans quiet. He was the one the camera showed when Jeff talked about deciding who goes to exile island. His instructions to Danielle to fill the guys’ boat with coconuts while not putting any in theirs was clever indeed. Everyone was following Aras’ lead. Jeff told us they had a good system going to unload their coconuts. Aras also had a good system to choose the exiled players. His calculation of sending Austin and Danielle was a nice move. La Mina had been trying to separate Casaya for two episodes. With quick thinking, Aras sent each La Mina to a different location and he, along with his two most trusted allies would watch over them. He didn’t give anything away to Sally. Very few leaders have stayed under cover as long as he has. First, La Mina saw Bruce as Casaya’s motivational leader. Once in Gitanos they observed Shane to be directing the meetings. Finally Aras’ role was revealed. He knew he’d been exposed and the HII has put him in a position that no majority leader has faced at this point of the game. He will need to be even more precise and convincing in his calculations. His confessional after the argument with Courtney was interesting saying “the TWO Casaya men (proving Bruce isn’t Casaya) aren’t being protected by their tribe…they don’t mind losing one of us”. We weren’t shown why he agreed to vote Austin as Courtney wanted. Letting her win that battle could also be a calculated move. Did you notice that after TC as everyone was leaving, Aras remains seated, relief evident on his face and Courtney stands in front of him. The sound is off but she must have said something like “I knew Terry would keep the idol.” Shane also was clever. At the beginning, we saw him appearing to be listening intently at the conversation between Aras, Danielle and Courtney while they were collecting snails. He looked like someone counting the votes, preparing the next move. When he talks with Terry, his face shows he is guarded and very skeptical to what Terry says. He names Cirie and Courtney as the two other members of the F4 besides Aras and himself. Why them, particularly Courtney? I agree with Miyagimayday, those were the two present at the time. They were the ones Terry could get to. He forced Terry to bide his time before making new proposals. Letting him believe Danielle was an outsider made Terry grasp at straws again. His scheming has rendered Terry’s situation so desperate that he revealed having the idol to Danielle. Shane’s expression when Jeff asked Courtney if someone was looking to move before F6 was priceless. His words afterwards were meant as a warning to anyone thinking of flipping. Bruce didn’t take a chance. This was also a chance for Danielle to make inroads. We were told by Aras that she is tough as nails. Picking her for exile tells me he trusts her more than Cirie and Courtney. Those two, he left under the watch of Shane. Danielle used the time and the miserable conditions to bond with our first jury member. She got to know him personally and envisions using him as a backup plan. We didn’t see where she stood in the team discussions about picking the boot but she stayed with Courtney who was pushing Austin. What does she plan to do now that she’s seen the HII? She was right in refusing that poisoned gift. Has she told her allies? She was in that dangerous, powerful position to transform the game. She appeared somewhat more in control of her emotions than most who have been in that situation. They have developed some mystery around her actions. That has to be a good sign. Mama Cirie played her role perfectly. She calmed down Aras during his pointless argument with Courtney and narrated the situation to us. At TC she gently scolded Aras for being so smart at the reward that his “team” play was more to insure his own win. Courtney did let us know that voting Nick instead of Austin may have been a mistake. Aras agrees with her that Austin is not to be trusted. It was the danger of the idol that caused them to disagree. She understood Terry wouldn’t give the idol in this individual game. Calling Aras stupid and saying he freaked out wasn’t very perceptive of Aras’ worries. Her insistance paid off but arguing with Aras will have consequences. Courtney is the one that will have to be voted out at some point. Now she doesn’t only sleep on the outside she is as much an outsider to Aras and Shane as Bruce is. Bruce had a nice reward for carrying the coconuts. He’s too nice for this game, even in reward he had thoughts for two friends in exile. He keeps telling us he respects Terry yet he continually votes with the alliance that we know has nothing to offer him. Maybe he sees the young ones as his students. They could admire him. Terry doesn’t need his wisdom. Terry continued to talk numbers. He is still a La Mina and he still sees hope. At least this time he sat back a little and listened before launching his errant missiles. He and Austin twice went to the girls’ boat to unload coconuts before targeting Aras. And he hoped to make an alliance with the Casaya women? He had to ask Shane why Aras picked Danielle over Courtney. He thought he had made progress when Shane named the F4, not realizing Shane was really protecting his flanks. The somersault he did crossing the finish line could be a sign of arrogance coming into play now that he has to win the challenges. He may soon find himself in Chris and Danni’s position. Showing your arrogance to your opponents isn’t a good idea in that situation. And is he opening a travel agency? What is the idea offering 2 weeks vacations? Giving a million to Terry is quite a price for a vacation. Sally saw an opportunity in the reward as soon as she heard the word “political”. She looked for an opportunity to create conflicts. Casaya never had conflicts when in came to challenges. Even on opposite teams, Aras and Danielle worked together. Going to reward she had no idea where they were going, much as in the game itself. That has been a recurring problem for the remaining La Mina! She wanted to smack Terry for having the idol that she wasted so much effort digging holes to find. She saw potential strategies for the idol before TC. Does she want to smack him now that he’s kept it? Her performance at the IC was noteworthy. Austin was more determined to be honest than to win this game. Survivor doesn’t work that way. Despite the annouced F4 of Aras, Shane, Courtney and Cirie , I don’t think there is any doubt that the core alliance is Aras, Shane and Danielle. Cirie seems to be a valued ally who knows how to get everyone to agree on a vote. It wasn’t shown but it seems that she took charge after the Courtney and Aras blowup. Her vote could decide who wins this game. I'll be looking forward to everyone's views. Sorry Veruca to post ahead of you but my schedule doesn't fit otherwise.   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-08-06, 07:59 PM (EST) 52. "RE: Episode #8" Beautifully articulated super insightful analysis, michel. That was a true pleasure to read. You brought out all the undercurrents. I agree with you that Bruce is seduced by the feeling that he contributes. As you say, to Terry and La Mina he contributes on a number and becomes less Terry's colleage than his underling. I'm also LOL at Terry selling vacations. Yeah, Terry shouldn't quit his day job to hawk timeshares as he's not very good at it. Re Courtney: while it is possible she persuaded Aras, another possibility is he knew she wasn't budging, especially if she had Danielle's agreement. On the Bobby vote, they left Aras out of the loop, so he's probably safer putting his vote with them. I'm not sure that Aras' leadership is all-powerful in that he has an absolute say as to the vote. That's the area where the women seem determined to have a say. Let him run the challenge strategy and the human potential seminar ... Your comment here was interesting: What does she plan to do now that she’s seen the HII? She was right in refusing that poisoned gift. To me that evokes the classic Garden of Eden, Serpent and Eve, temptation story. Danielle refused the apple. LOL. Not only did the episode open with a serpent, but I've been noticing shots of Terry lurking against trees with shadows falling across him in his "idol" confessionals; he is shown kind of like the Satan/the serpent hanging out on the margins looking for an opportunity. Very Paradise Lost except that no one is biting, at least not yet.   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 04-10-06, 08:39 AM (EST) 53. "RE: Episode #8" Michel, FYI - You might want to edit out the spoiler before VS posts, or at least give warning of it so she can skip over it. She doesnt want to know the spoilers...   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-10-06, 09:39 AM (EST) 54. "RE: Episode #8" AG: I'm not sure what spoiler you mean. If it's the announced F4, in the next to last paragraph, I'm refering to what Shane bet Terry. OFG thank you for the comments. Accepting Terry's offer would create so much animosity that even if the HII helped her reach F2, she'd be sure to lose. That's why I called it a poisoned gift. The snake imagery you've presented adds irony to what I wrote.   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 04-10-06, 12:14 PM (EST) 55. "RE: Episode #8" My apologies Michel, I mis-read it. Perhaps I should hold off on posting til I'm fully awake.   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-11-06, 00:26 AM (EST) 60. "RE: Episode #8" michel, glad you pointed out further what you meant by poisoned gift--I forgot to think in terms of it costing her votes, don't know why, this bunch is surely capable of holding a grudge. ftw, forgot to say, loved your post title, and I think it would be hilarious if they called a Survivor episode "The Numbers are Bad." I'd love to see someone dig up a Madonna statuette full of brown powder on Exile Island   Top

mavs_fan 299 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 04-11-06, 11:13 PM (EST) 61. "Men vs women again?" I've kind of been in denial for the last few weeks, but it seems to me this seasons theme has been the women not being respected by the men. I've been pulling for Terry to win because I like the fighter pilot angle, and think that in challenges he's been a stud. But it also has seemed to me that he didn't respect the women on his team. His logic in who to keep has simply been to keep the strong over the weak, and that means keep the men over the men. Sally has been in his alliance simply because she was on La Mina - Not because Terry respects her abilities. Likewise, Casay (specifically Shane) has been shown to not respect the women on his team even though they are in his alliance! I think the theam of this season will be that the women shouldn't be under estimated and that one of the women will win.   Top

DRONES 615 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 04-12-06, 05:59 AM (EST) 62. "RE: Men vs women again?" Every season there seems to be men vs women issues. I don't expect this season to be any different, especially considering that the women are currently at a numbers disadvantage. After further consideration of the HII This whole thing with the HII has had me perplexed. Here we have this fighter pilot in Terry, a very good athlete and competitor in this game. From the very beginning we could tell that he was going to go far. He was pegged as a leader, which is how he ended up on EI to begin with, yet I still just don't care about him. I'm not interested in whether he wins or loses. What I am very interested in is the who, what, where, when and how he is going to use the HII. Terry is only important as long as he possess the HII. The role of the HII in this game is more important than who holds it, and in this case it's Terry. The HII is the real player and not Terry. The other thing is that we have heard a lot of talk with Terry in the final 4. When ever a number is mentioned in this game my interest is really piqued. This, IMO, means that Terry makes it to the final 4 but not the final 2. ] Terry's edit, coupled with the importance placed on the HII and the final 4 references puts him in the final 4, but not as a potential winner. DRONES   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 04-12-06, 01:56 PM (EST) 63. "RE: Last episode" Much to my disappointment I have yet to watch this episode which is the first (and hopefully) the last time this occurs. I am not usually "called upon" in the evening michel, I simply began this venture here and never apologize for posting before me, this is our thread, not mine I do appreciate those who made note if they had information that I would rather not see whether it was in error or not lol With that, I read each post very carefully (almost all of them ) and I will be watching this episode and tomorrow's episode together though I won't burden anyone with an even lengthier post than I normally do, I may find some of you comatose. I did note from the posts that we again were told another set of contestants in a proposed order (i.e. final four said by Shane of Aras, Cerie, Courtney and Shane) and again, as we have found consistently over the seasons, these declarations (albiet I agree that this "final four" was sleight of hand by Shane to throw Terry off) normally do not come to fruition and two of these four were essentially not established as end game players. I see also that there was more given to us by Danielle in light of the events that occurred. Being exiled and given the opportunity to change the course of the game are notable events that I would hope and expect be highlighted. Since I have yet to watch the episode, I will be looking to see if Danielle was "promoted" BECAUSE of the events OR if her showing was enhanced DESPITE the events. This is often a situation that causes problems when one views the editing. At times I have to clarify to myself if I am seeing something because I choose to see it or because it actually is occurring. Terry is probably the best example of this and we have already surmised and probably solidified by now that Terry is the fuel for the vehicle this season as opposed to being the vehicle. However, this was not entirely clear (to me) until Dan was voted out. I also see that Courtney took on a somewhat expanded role in her dissent over the vote. It is interesting that in the pairs we have noted before, Courtney was the "lesser" pair of Danielle in terms of initiation and vocalization. This time from what I gather, Courtney took that role while Danielle did not. However, I need to watch this episode. Aras appears (from what I am reading) to expand even moreso in the leadership that we were given subtle hints about and I do go back to what seems to be a long time ago when Courtney and Danielle discussed the threat that he is. Terry, it appears, is providing quite a distraction however with his immunity capabilities The themes this season have been a bit harder to put a finger on although the editing itself seems very straightforward. We did discuss and feel there was a male/female undercurrent appearing but I'm not entirely sure this is what this season is completely encompassing. We are hearing so much about numbers and alliances and, as we discussed, the "hidden idol" has had a starring role as well and Casaya themselves seem to be a story in it of itself. Jeff told Casaya after the first (i.e. "established two tribe formation") Tribal Council that "this tribe seems all over the map and curious how it will play out" The emphasis placed on Casaya's dysfunctional functioning dynamic is certainly one that is inviting the viewers to see how, indeed, it plays out and their "antics" have been heavily invested in even when LaMina had to go to Tribal Council. I will be looking forward to "comparing notes" on this past episode that were posted and it appears I missed a very intriguing one despite Austin leaving being a logical outcome since it appears that Casaya's dysfunction seems to stop short when it needs to the most regardless that some of their members do not seem destined to last to the end.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-12-06, 02:42 PM (EST) 64. "RE: Last episode" VS: I don't think many people would say your posts render them comatose. It's going "cold turkey" for a few days without reading them that is difficult Even without watching the show you can ask very difficult questions! This one could become very important: "I will be looking to see if Danielle was "promoted" BECAUSE of the events OR if her showing was enhanced DESPITE the events" . I'll look forward to your comments once you've watched it.   Top

Surviette 124 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 04-12-06, 05:16 PM (EST) 65. "RE: Last episode" I've been asking myself the same question, only regarding Aras instead of Danielle. Aras received an unbelievable amount of face time. Aras did dictate others in RC and led his team to victory. Aras was stuck during the IC challenge AND his head was on the chopping block. So, Aras was an important part of each event and so he had to be shown. However, during the IC challenge, it was Aras's reaction shots that stood out. We saw his frustration with the first part of IC, when he was stuck and couldn't continue. First, we see him flop onto his back. Next, we view him scooping up his shirt in disgust. Then, we see his reactions at least twice more after that. Aras's reactions to the events became important. The only other reaction shots that made an impact on me, were Courtney's reaction to defeat in RC and Courtney's reaction after defeat in IC. I can understand the over-the-top face time at TC bc his name came up, but up until then, the viewers might have thought Shane's name could come up again and I think we viewed an overly suspicious amount of Aras time, despite the events. I thoroughly enjoyed your long posts, Michel and Drones. VS, can't wait to read your doubleheader!   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 04-13-06, 10:47 AM (EST) 66. "RE: Last episode" michel, thank you kindly and appreciated. I may be transferring my own catatonic state when I read back to earlier postings. I question how on earth anyone could sort through them surviette, thank you for the additional information which I will take note of when watching the prior episode with respect to Aras. Reaction shots are another aspect of editing which can be extremely important OR horribly misleading I suspect we are all very cognizant of reactionary shots and visuals in light of how they were used last season though I do feel this season's editing of the characters as a whole seem very straightforward and direct. In other words, these people are what they are which made it somewhat easier to identify the long term players en masse. I am chomping at the bit to watch these episodes and normally in between I mull over the last episode and what I am looking for in the episode following. Since I cannot do that I am revisiting items of note much like I did during the recap episode since the players are now dwindling. I am still of the mindset that the story (or stories) is/are bigger than the players and the players are the tools used in showcasing that story and then perhaps one can correlate how the final two will be broadcasted and one may want to revisit that first episode to see how the remaining players were introduced to us, how the tribes they were in were showcased, what was shown for really no reason or perhaps not shown for a reason and to review (again ) the comments we heard by Jeff which some I may have copied into a later posting. For more difficult questions (since michel enjoys them so much ), you may want to ask yourselves the following which I "try" to use as a blueprint Who left are playing: clinically under the radar head of household Also, who are meeting the general criteria of those who generally reach end game: (mind you these questions are much more useful in determining long term players from the onset of the season which is essentially my intent with analyzing the editing. The long term players are with us now. However, one may want to, again, "weed out" those left in their character dimension and what "role" on the show they appear to have been given) - Which players are being discussed by other players (this generally has helped me earlier on in the game as more often than not, it does help weed out the fringe players) - Which players are actively discussing the game with regards to themselves as advancing. (This again helps earlier on but it may help to watch how they discuss it. Are they discussing it emotionally or clinically?) - The face time of the player at this point is harder to differentiate in light of the fact there are less players to showcase but ask yourself which players appear to be INTEGRAL to how the story plays out. - Also we know that a completely invisible player with a flat edit does not bode and a dramatic spike in facetime is usually a signal that their end is near. A character with a "journey" element is usually not an end game player since the focus is more about their growth than the game. Consistency in some aspect is a good thing - Let's never forget that the end game player has to be a favorite of the audience or overwhelmingly positive or negative. We want to see (as emy states above) "chinks in the armor" and different sides to that person either within the show or told solely to us. - Whomever reaches the end game will somehow be shown as a justifiable win over the final two foil regardless if both contestants are positive, negative or both and they are tied to the story (stories) of the season. As always, looking forward to everyone's thoughts after tonight and hopefully I will not be surprised by any interruptions   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 04-14-06, 11:26 AM (EST) 67. "RE: Last episode" Well it seems that missing an episode can add to some confusion on my part as I watched last night with a very curious mind on some of these players. I was only able to skim through the episode prior to that and I could only get some dribs and drabs at what stood out or didn't. What did seem to glare at us THIS episode is obviously what we've been discussing for quite some time. The story of Casaya and the story of the hidden idol (and it's "carrier) were very apparent. Working backward: Jeff "The game seems pretty clear, six former Casayas against Terry. Terry says he'll keep winning immunity, Casaya says he won't... it will be fun to watch" I had indicated when Terry found the idol that it would be nice to see if the emphasis placed on his reading about the idol would come to fruition. He indicated twice heavily "through the final four" and with the occurrences last night, I do question if that is exactly what occurs. In "my" world of story progression it seems only fitting that Terry uses the idol exactly how he read. The Recap Terry, Sally, Austin faced discouraging odds against the 6 remaining Casayas (Danielle, Shane shown then Aras shown with Cerie rubbing his back with Courtney sitting to their right. I believe this shot was also in the preview for next week so apparently it was inserted.) There is a definite relationship between Cerie and Aras; I recall the oddity of his picking her and even after Cerie and Melinda were focused on by Aras as leaving their tribe, there has been a nice friendship with them. Cerie has developed good relationships with all of them in fact Terry "They are all happy because they got the numbers but if I can draw two of those people over (Bruce) to our side the tables could turn" This has been an ongoing summary by Terry, perhaps we will be fortunate enough to see this happen for him at some point At the reward challenge, Bruce/Aras/Sally win and forced to send two people Again, I will view this episode but again Aras is the one to make the decisions as Terry has; he obviously was being very careful in his decision although I'm not entirely sure if the reason he gave Danielle was completely forthright; something nagged at me when I watched the episode quickly Danielle and Austin suffered together Danielle "Out of all the people... glad it was Austin, little more trust built with him (Austin) .... back up plan" I was glad to see a bit more out of Danielle but I still do not know what to make of her. I need to watch the scenes on EI again and the progression of her possibly changing the game but I did not initially sense any inordinate amount of time devoted to her situations. Terry "tricked" Shane into revealing the Casaya pecking order "Final four... who do you think?" Shane "I think it will be me, Aras, Cerie and Courtney" Again, regardless of whether Shane was misleading Terry or not, announcements such as this usually don't occur so in formulation of the "final four" I would expect this group not to occur Terry "Important stuff, Danielle and Bruce next in pecking order and if I can get those guys on my side...swing game" I am still pondering if Terry had aspirations of being in the Major Leagues with all his baseball analogies and references At the immunity challenge, Terry won for the second time. Terry and Austing immediately cornered Bruce. Bruce "I'm at the bottom of Casaya pecking order, everything up for grabs" I am anxiously awaiting my favorite challenge Danielle "Hold on, let me get in the middle" I did find that comment interesting in that when watching the episode, I did not see her say that so I will say it was interesting that in the recap they have her shown saying this Austin and Terry make a bold promise to Danielle... Danielle "Tempting. I could actually transform this game into a whole new thing" Again, I am glad that we saw some more of Danielle and this was definitely an eyebrow raising comment. Nothing occurred from that comment, perhaps foreshadowing or simply a nice comment to enhance the drama though putting it in the recap is always food for thought But at Tribal Council, Danielle and Bruce stayed true to their alliance, Terry kept the hidden idol... Terry - Not Just Another Military Man A nice image of a baby monkey on the back of its mother shown as Sally, Terry, Aras, Bruce first shown then Shane appears as Terry discusses his military history. Aras specifically honed in for a reaction shot which was manipulated into the scene as seconds prior he was standing at the fire. Not far away apparently that Terry's words are heard (yet the distance seemed far enough that they wouldn't) Cerie, Danielle and Courtney are laying down the "tarp" scene is split up in between other scenes Courtney "...how can any normal.. person beat a Navy pilot..." Cerie "Maybe he'll break his arm or something, God forbid" Danielle and Courtney can't believe she said that but obviously amused regardless At this time, we go back to the fire but Terry, Shane and Aras are only there so this was a different time frame as Sally and Bruce are no longer there Terry "Alright guys, when we get down to the six, where do I fit in?" (Shane curiously was blocked out by Terry and we only see Terry and Aras featured during that question) Shane "That's not in our plan" Aras "Not part of the plan Terry" Terry "Alright then, I'll have to take you to the bank the whole time" Aras "If you do that man, hats off" Shane "I'll drive you to the bank brother" And so the gauntlet is dropped and we are officially notified of what has been brewing for some time. I'm sure some of you were intrigued by the comments here as I know "million dollar quotes" are a popular tool that some subscribe. We will know by game's end Terry (conf) "Austin went home... but prior to that big swing play. Tried to get Danielle to come over by offering the idol and she declined" We then go back to the tarp scene Danielle "I just wish Terry and Sally were gone" Courtney "And then Aras" Cerie "Mmmm, hmmmm" Terry (conf) "Sally and I are on our own so my mindset is totally motivated to kick their butts at everything that comes down the road..." (Again more set up established) We then go back to the tarp scene Courtney "But we need to get rid of the idol as soon as possible or if he doesn't have one then he's gone" Danielle "Where's his bag?" (Digging around with a shot of Terry and Sally thrown in for good measure from a different time period) "Terry hid it, not in here" Danielle (conf) "Before Austin went home, Terry showed me some sort of idol.. could be making it up and pretending but you have to be careful on who you assume has it" (shot then shown of her under the tarp twindling her fingers) Aras (at the tarp) "Had a nice long talk with Terry about the Navy, pretty cool that we are going up against that guy" Courtney "Yeah, really cool" Aras "We're gonna take him out, he flies planes.... he's not an American Gladiator you know..." (He then advises them to send him to Exile Island should he lose reward) Cerie "Sure you wanna go?" Aras "Yeah, I wanna snoop around; I want to know if T Dog has that thing" Aras (conf) "I don't know if someone found the hidden idol and I want to go figure that out for myself cause I'm absolutely a target going into these next Tribal Councils. I want to be there on that island scouring it and see what I can find" (As we indicated before, good sign when someone speaks about their vulnerability and the game. Aras certainly has developed from the beginning of the show where our first real impression of him was his mental hand exercise The Reward Challenge This was a somewhat curious scene for me as I look carefully of promotion to certain players. Mind you, this is not necessarily indicative of anything (as we recall, Danni seeing her brother was not as notable as others) but in retrospect we can always look back to see if it helped although I was mildly curious that we didn't see the conclusion to the video but perhaps that is only because we will see the actually members at some point Bruce was nicely showcased upon seeing his family Courtney had some depth about hers also Aras appeared to receive a good due as well Shane unsurprisingly was showcased in light of all the emphasis on his son Cerie also received a nice "due" with hers as well Fun challenge to watch: Jeff "Bruce, Terry and Sally trying to get Courtney turned around" Jeff "Aras, Shane and Cerie pull her (Danielle) right into the slot" I did observe a very nice camera shot upon the conclusion of the challenge of Courtney flying in the air after the ropes were let go upon their win. After being surprised at let go, she had a big smile on her face as she flew Terry "Aras will eat anything; he'll have no problem there" Shane "Enjoy your families guys" I must say that Shane has slowly and effectively grown on me. I've no doubt we will see Shane's character again but the editors are capturing him in better dimension though Cerie effectively pointed out to us that he is, indeed, "a cartoon character" Shane tells Danielle and Cerie that the "tape thing doesn't matter...if we are going to lose one, let's lose this one. The tapes would have wrecked us" The “medical emergency” was then highlighted and narrated by Cerie. Danielle was essentially a background figure during this escapade. Cerie (conf) “Shane is like a cartoon character and now like a nude cartoon character... ....but it helped me...” The Exiled One Again, our first post discussed that the island and the idol play a big role this season and that those with longevity would probably have a different spin to their edit if exiled. Aras had a nice expansion on the island. Obviously we are deeper in the game but we were let in quite nicely on his mindset with nice visuals included Aras “There are two reasons I’m happy... I get to spend time by myself, step away from the game and I get a chance to look for the idol. Immunity is very important and the hidden idol clearly is very important but I just can’t wrap my mind around these clues. Nice quickly sequenced dramatic shots of Aras looking at the ground, back to Aras then the ground People have moved rocks, I don’t know if I’m digging a hole where there’s nothing to dig, I don’t know what’s going on, sure it has lots to do with mental fatigue of being here for days. Terry’s the person I fear may have the idol, it would be a real easy move on his part to just send me out here knowing I’m his biggest physical competitor and that it might weaken me physically so his quickness to send me might suggest there’s no idol out here so no sense in me looking for it” The Return From Reward Danielle (conf) “When Sally and the other team that won came back, I didn’t want to see them. I was kind of already aggravated we lost and the last thing I want to know is how full their bellies are and how great it was to see their families” and “And then they walked back in and they had luxury items... double whammy” Courtney “You guys get to learn a fire dance” (a not so receptive crowd) “..if you want” No thought process came from Shane but a small but nice exchange with Sally Terry (conf) “After the food for the soul and the heart with the videos came luxury items... it was great...” (He then is shown discussing the background of the flag, nice little visual showing Terry (of all people!) tripping) ...flag will hang here... hopefully until day 39" (Hmmmm) Cerie (conf) “Sally brought a journal, Bruce a sketchbook, Terry has the American flag, go figure. Courtney’s was like the coolest....” We then hone in on Courtney using her luxury item in a dance. Courtney’s edit was very perplexing to me this episode. While Courtney was certainly someone we saw having longevity, I saw a palpable change although it was not too erratic. Either Courtney is building to her swan song or she is an end game player. Something is nagging me about her but I also believed Scout to be at the end as well Courtney “It’s a toy for everyone, really fun” Cerie (conf) “It’s hard when you are the loser and everybody’s like hee hee hee... (Courtney shown dancing during this; is Cerie’s imitation meant to indicate Courtney? Interestingly though, Cerie participates in being instructed in Courtney’s dancing) ...I got this. Who cares? You want to say who cares, but you can’t, it’s a game” (Again, Cerie helps narrate the events and the moods) An inserted shot is then shown of Cerie somewhat crying which was not from that time period as she has on different clothing and sitting in a different area than the brief shot of her shown under the tarp watching Courtney. Courtney again shown in a lovely visual on the beach dancing, Bruce shown sketching in his book... The Underdogs Continue To Strategize Sally “I don’t want to go yet” (Sally was a very personable lady. I missed the mark on the undercurrent with her and Terry; apparently it was as being the last two of LaMina) Terry “It’s up to you to get either Courtney, Danielle or Cerie to come over and one of us will have to win the next challenge. That way we can have the hidden idol and we would have the numbers” (Those pesky numbers again) Sally “What if we say to Courtney, or whoever, say like you or I win the next immunity challenge and we said we are going to play that thing tonight so you better jump on now” Terry “We could play the hidden idol and one of us would be immune so one of you are going home” Sally (conf) “If Terry or I win immunity today and Terry decides he wants to play the hidden idol, one of the ex Casaya members will go home tonight (Cerie) because the hidden idol can be used (Shane) after the vote is made which means we all would have to show our cards (Danielle) and then the next person who has the most votes would get kicked off and so I have a lot of hope that things could change in this game” Shane (to Terry) “What do we have to do other than beat you at immunity, can you come up with anything?” Terry “I don’t know but you better not think of anything else” Shane “How bout this, if you don’t win immunity and you don’t have that silly idol from that goofy island, you’re gone” (Cerie shown) Terry “Yeah, well you never know!” (This process should be a lot of fun for the viewers. An eccentric version of David vs. Goliath except we have Goliath vs. The Davids) The Immunity Challenge - Have We Not Learned From Guatemala? Aras arrives to clapping with noted hug from Cerie and pats with Bruce Shane “A day and a half of meditation never hurt nobody” Aras “It (EI) was surprisingly nice, I made fire in the first three minutes (Terry) I ate a lot, I hydrated myself.. and I had time to look for the idol (Terry and Danielle shown) I don’t know if I’d want to go right back” (Terry) (Potential foreshadowing?) Jeff “..guaranteed a one in seven (Danielle) shot (Terry) at a million dollars (Terry smiles) The losers (Courtney) ...and for one of you this game will come to an end (Sally) There’s a twist (Cerie) If immunity is just not that important (Aras) to you, you don’t have to take part in the challenge (Shane) instead chow down. Danielle and Shane immediately shown with their hands out. Cerie states “me” and Bruce’s hand goes up and Cerie kidding pushes it down. Aras shown looking very serious. After the reveal, Aras shown looking down the line, again, very serious Jeff “Bruce, Courtney, Cerie, Shane and Danielle are all saying I don’t need immunity, I’m gonna eat” (Aras) Courtney “Aras, it’s all you” Aras “Yep” The challenge occurs and again curiously it appeared that Courtney was featured. Jeff “Terry thinks he’s got it memorized; he’s coming back” Courtney “Oh no” Bruce “Go Sally” (Just a nice, if somewhat delusional man) Shane “Take your time guys” Courtney “I wish I could eat faster” Cerie “Aras got it” (Jeff advises he did not) Jeff “Terry thinks he’s got it” Courtney “Uh uh, uh uh” The challenge ends, humorous shot of Shane with full mouth, Sally and Terry hug and we see Terry slap Aras’ hand as Aras looks upset and goes back to look at his mistake Jeff For the other seven of you (Aras) after 24 days (Courtney) tonight this game will come to an end (Cerie) for one of you (Shane) Casaya Discussion While I am as curious as others in Shane’s “reveal” to Terry of the final four being one of deliberate misleading, I was curious as to why Danielle was not involved in this Casaya huddle. Bruce was not surprising but I was questioning where Danielle was during this important discussion Shane “You get the clue” (after a visual of a victorious Sally and Terry) Aras “Yeah, I got the clue, hard to find” Courtney “Oh really?” Aras “Two choices, either it was really easy to find and he got it right away or no one’s got it” Shane (somewhat inaudible) ...”Sally 6-0 tonight; hope to God he doesn’t have it” Courtney “Yeah” (Cerie then shown approaching) Courtney “Thanks for standing up for Casaya” Aras “I should have won it” Aras (conf) “Today’s immunity challenge, anybody who wanted to not participate could sit and have cheeseburgers. No question what I was going to do cause it is very possible I could home today if Sally ends up having the hidden idol then Sally and Terry’s vote will knock somebody out” Terry shown digging for the idol in his clothing to show Bruce, he brings it out and what threatening and “creepy” music plays which is no surprise as this idol is a main star of this season Terry “This is it, okay?” Bruce “Can I see it?” Bruce (conf) “Terry showed me the hidden idol. Until this moment, very questionable about him having it but I believe that is the hidden idol and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens tonight” Sally Attempts A Rally Sally “Tonight, if two of you said we will vote with you...” Danielle “Who do you guys want to get out?” Sally “Aras” Cerie “If two of us will vote with you guys....” Sally “The goal was to get two people so it would be Terry, myself and two others, four against four and we’d have the idol, we’d play it and what he wants to see happen is...” Danielle “Us break up?” Sally “Cause it’s gonna happen anyway (most definitely) so he’s like why don’t a couple of you want to guarantee yourself a spot in the final four” Sally (conf) “I’m giving everyone the impression that the hidden idol will be played tonight. Terry may decide it isn’t worth giving up the idol at this point but it’s the most advantageous for us to break up this strong six as soon as possible and watch them unrael (Terry and Courtney walking) then scurry a bit or otherwise I’m gone” Terry Makes Another Casaya Member Play (Shot of slithering snake. Note for sequencing purposes I put the conversation and confessionals separate although the conversation was split up with confessionals) Courtney “You’re saying that you are giving your idol to Sally?” Terry “I’m not saying I have it, just saying that it’s out there and it could be put in play tonight and what I am proposing is getting Bruce on our side and getting someone else like you to come over and make it a guaranteed four and then we’ll vote the four votes for Aras and then he’ll be gone” (Remember, being talked about is always a good sign, however this is a better tool used in the early part of the game to help discern longevity) Courtney “I can’t commit to this at this moment” Terry “Guaranteed final four” Courtney “If further down the line we can make a deal....” Terry “It’s gotta be tonight” Courtney (conf) “I would like to align with Terry because I really want to go up against him in the final two. If we do remove Aras then no one will be able to beat Terry but then on the other point, Aras is more of a threat than Terry because he’d be much harder to beat in the final two. There’s no clear cut way for me to go right now. I’m still kind of confused in my mind” (shot of Aras) This conversation was extremely nagging to me along with Courtney’s confessionals. I see that some of you (especially in light of the last episode which I missed then only briefly went through) saw a good progression of Danielle which was sensible in light of the fact she was exiled and offered a deal. Courtney was extremely expansive with respect to the same type of offer from Terry and we saw a big thought process on her part. Again, with editing, expansion is often tough to differentiate between the beginning of the conclusion of a character or the character “taking off” in earnest. Courtney’s mention to Terry “further down the line” and her analysis of Aras and Terry were very astute on her part especially of someone who has been characterized previously as somewhat “airy” and having these “pigeon holed” moments. Cerie (to Bruce) “Terry, he’s trying to win every immunity challenge and you mean to tell me you have an ace in the hold and you didn’t just hand that over because you are such a nice person to somebody else. Come on, gimme a break. I’d be surprised. He may do it and if he does, that’s gonna go down as the worst move in Survivor history because then he has to win every single challenge” (Another gauntlet shown and either Terry fulfills his own reading of the words “through” the final four or Cerie’s “suggestion” will indeed occur and what Terry possesses will ultimately be his downfall) The Show Before Tribal Council Again, Courtney featured in her spiritual mode with her fire dance Sally “No answer?” Terry “No answer... into her fire thing, she can’t make a decision and I’m like make a freaking decision” Terry (conf) “If Courtney does not sway tonight, I may or may not give the idol to Sally. If it has to come into play it will feel little bit of a risk hanging it out there but if I come away tonight with the numbers then I can sit back and don’t have to win another immunity challenge to the final three” (Again so much emphasis on Terry and immunity and the idol. Also interesting is that Aras was never again shown discussing heading towards Tribal Council since obviously his “danger status” never became an issue) We then see a rather beautiful scene of Courtney again “fire dancing” with the tribe watching her Tribal Council Jeff discusses the challenge Shane “Part of me regretted doing it.... but I also know that I don’t feel in my gut of guts that I needed to get immunity today” Sally “People who are confident in the game get to be confident (Aras) and if they are secure in that (Courtney) more power to them. I didn’t for one second consider eating that cheeseburger... Jeff asks Aras about the others opting out and being responsible Aras “Yeah that was a little bit disappointing (Danielle) If the hidden idol is played my head’s definitely one of those (on the block) but moreso than that it’s a strategy, the quicker we can get Terry’s immunity necklace and I call it Terry’s because he’s the only one who’s won it so far the quicker we can get into our strategy; we didn’t, it’s over and now the lay of the land is a lot less safer for myself but it is what it is” Jeff asks about Terry’s dominance Shane “Yes, it’s absolutely apparent but it’s gonna take him 6 immunities in a row to win (Aras nods) I don’t think it can be done (the gauntlet game continues) but if there’s anyone who can do it, it’s Terry. The guy’s a 47 year old beast (Terry) and we as a group can’t really afford to be eating cheeseburgers after today (Aras) Terry “Regardless I’m going to continue winning immunities whether they like it or not” Danielle “Here we go...” Terry “and my target isn’t going to get any bigger (Austin smiles) If I had five of these in my back pocket I’d be out there competing especially against Aras (Aras) because he’s a bad dude and I want to go out there and beat him (Aras) Danielle “He’s always talking about how he’s so competitive, he’s so great at everything (Terry) it’s all about Terry but power to him for being as confident and cocky as he is but....” Jeff then states her comment is interesting seeing the confidence and cockiness of the Casaya 6 Danielle “I don’t think we are coming off as strongly as Terry does, he’s super competitive, not knocking that, I’m very competitive as well....” (Jeff asks if that is part of the problem) “It is frustrating but there’s gonna be a challenge where Terry can’t win (Shane nods) and if he keeps winning every single one (Terry) God bless him” Jeff asks about the hidden idol Cerie “....15 stories, everyone here just wants it out (Aras shakes his head) if you have it tonight, here’s your chance...” Aras “I don’t want it played tonight. If it’s played tonight it would be me most likely walking down that corridor so let it play on a night (Terry) when I have the immunity necklace that’s my thought” (I recall that early episode when Jeff had asked the most important thing and we heard only Aras declare “immunity” That would be a nice little fulfillment) The vote commences and Sally is voted out. Again, Jeff’s words are a nice confirmation of what we discussed being main storylines this season Jeff: Game seems pretty clear, 6 former Casaya against Terry. Terry says he'll keep winning immunity, Casaya says he won't... it will be fun to watch” Again, I’m nagged by Courtney during this episode and quite impressed as well in what I saw develop from the past. While the events dictated her being prominent (Shane and Cerie; normally prominent in every episode were low key for them which suggests we have to wait longer for any conclusion on their part) much like Danielle last episode, this was either the heightened portion of a contestant beginning to conclude or it is something that is going to round out the end of this story. That episode one “wink” between Courtney and Aras which was not only manipulated but as VolcanicGlass showed was possibly/probably not even a wink has “irked” me from the beginning as it was completely unnecessary and if that “wink” was a complete form of intentional miscommunication than I will need to hunt down the editor and charge him for any migraine medicine I needed Bruce, we know was not meant to be end game and Shane is the wonderfully highlighted character that we normally see as one who the audience wonders when he is leaving and are satisfied that he does. Cerie our wonderful narrator had shown us from the beginning she would last a long time but her words at the first Tribal Council seem prophetic in nature. I can’t get any handle on Danielle and I do remind myself that I did once state if you can’t quite figure someone out that is not necessarily a bad thing but I do question how truly big of a role she was last episode though her presence was integral to two different events. Aras has certainly been progressing in quite an interesting character advancement and we had discussed that Terry and Aras (as two very different leaders of two very different tribes) would have some parallel and this is becoming extremely laid out in the open to us and one has to be intrigued to find out the intent of Terry and this idol, the outcome and ramifications and the “challenge” thrown to him to best every single Casaya yet again, I feel I am missing an important ingredient to Terry as a person. His prowess and the idol are what is commanding his time on television, not Terry although his true character may be exactly what it is and it can’t be manipulated. I then note the parallel that we saw of Aras and Courtney in their spirituality element that had been shown in the first episode and thought what an intriguing outcome should these two end up at the end with each other in light of the focus that was put on Courtney and the turtle and Aras with his hand meditative exercise which has now progressed to “coming down to earth” and playing this game (and that exasperating wink) but again I was also swayed by Scout and Chris at the first immunity challenge I am looking forward to the commentary as usual and your impressions since I look for other observations to help perhaps “bring ME down to earth”   Top

Surviette 124 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 04-14-06, 01:19 PM (EST) 68. "RE: Last episode" Survivor is always perplexing. Even though a pagonging is taking place and the boots should be obvious, it is still puzzling and intriguing to watch. I have faith in your observations, VS, that the "wink" is important. Aras - Now that I have viewed THIS EP, the reaction shots of Aras (from prev EP) appear to make more sense. One of the bigger stories seems to be "leading" us to the inevitable showdown between the two strongest leaders ie Aras & Terry. (Also, as VS puts it, we have "Goliath vs the Davids" LOL.) I must admit, I am beginning to feel for Aras's predicament. Aras, ALONE, participates to fight for immunity. I recall Shane's words "Let's just us 4 go the final 4.....done." This time, with HII looming, it's not so easily "done". Terry - He is talked about by everyone. Cirie, Danielle & Courtney all have negative comments. Shane is also negative, but he is consistently blunt, which can come across as negative when it is actually just the way it is. Aras seems intrigued by the challenge of going up against Terry & I think Aras, Bruce, & Sally all respect Terry. Terry is playing very clinically & I agree it is difficult to know whether or not he just maintains a straightforward demeanor. For now, Terry is all ALONE. Courtney - Another beautiful visual pertaining to Courtney (just add it to the puzzle ) is the sea turtle, alive and swimming freely. Maybe this is her swan song ep, maybe not. I, too was expecting to see more of the videos from home, but I suppose featuring the winners' luxury items provides conclusion to the RC. I think Courtney is the only one we hear discussing who she would prefer to take to the final two. Her smarts & strategy is coming to the surface. Danielle - I'm still expecting her to start competing. She sang her own praises in ep 1 & announced she is here to compete. Danielle's editing seems " all over the map" right now. She receives lots of face-time & consistently has dips & spikes. Sometimes she comes across as positive, or sympathetic and other times she's emotional and negative. Shane - Cirie says it in a "nut" shell. "Shane is like a cartoon character"....much of his edit might be just for comic "relief". Shane comes across as being a team player, though, and he continuously talks strategy & NUMBERS. Sometimes he seems to play clinically, in that he doesn't show his hand or show his emotions at TC. Shane CAN hold a Poker face. Cirie - I enjoy Cirie's accounts of events, although it seems a little petty for her to complain about those who discuss their reward, especially considering she is secure. We haven't heard much lately from Cirie regarding her own game strategy, but she seems close to every Casayan, except she worries about Bruce. It will be funny if Terry manages to get two to "flop". Cirie says she doesn't "need a dictionary" & she "would be flabbergasted" (if TWO flopped). It would be ironic if Cirie ended up flopping. Brucey - I agree he is just too nice for the game. I am glad he takes Terry seriously, but he needs to begin lobbying hard. Bruce is, clearly, ALONE. Sally - She received a wonderful edit. The only negativity seems to have come, mainly, through Cirie's narration. One final note. My gut reaction is that Aras threw the RC in order to go to EI. He wanted to be ALONE, which may be a subtheme, in relation to EI. (In EP 1, Tina uses the word "ALONE" to describe her own situation.) In any case, Aras has some serious strategy going on!   Top

Karchita 4483 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 04-14-06, 03:24 PM (EST) 69. "RE: Last episode" With regards to theme, I think it could be disrespect, but not limited to men vs. women, but a general, all-comers disrespect. Remember how Bruce complained of lack of respect from all of the other Casaya? Terry has not received much respect from Casaya either; in this episode Aras and Shane show some, but the women do not. I took Courtney’s remark about his cool Navy stories as sarcasm. Being a fighter pilot is not part of my personal values at all, but I sure as heck respect anyone who can acheive that high of a goal. It's almost like being an austronaut in terms of how selective and difficult it is. All the doubt about whether he is telling the truth about having the HII is also disrespectful, although he is feeding that and playing it up masterfully. Courtney’s fire dancing also wasn’t very appreciated, I thought, which is also disrespectful, but may be a case of what goes around comes around. Terry. He is getting more competitive and less clinical. His competitiveness is in his nature, but it is not helping his game. His attitude seems to be that if he can’t win any of the six over with vacation offers, etc., he’ll just pound them into submission. Not the way to play an end game, but it is his personality. He has emerged as more macho, egotistical and generally dislikeable in the last two episodes. It would seem that he has spent enough time with this group at this point to have made some friends, but the fact that this hasn’t happened tells me he is no Tom Westerman. Tom would have made friends by now. I think Terry would be better off giving up on trying to pull away the outsiders, and try to align with the power brokers at this point, and he does ask Aras and Shane where do I fit in when you are down to six, but was rebuffed. His trash talking, competitive attitude makes it easier for them to reject him with the same. What they don’t seem to realize is that since he will have immunity at the next vote for sure with the HII, he will be a swing vote to break a 3-3 tie. Who believes Terry has the HII and is smart enough to figure out how to use it to gain the upper hand at the next vote? I would love to see someone approach Terry with a deal at this point. Shane has calmed down so much with his nicotine withdrawal lessening, but he is still very much a loose cannon. I wouldn't credit him with deceiving Terry about the Final 4; it probably was just his thought at that particular moment. He is such a live-in-the-moment kind of guy. What I am wondering about is the Casaya sub-alliances and would love to hear others’ ideas about this. I think Aras has final two pacts with Danielle and possibly with Shane, Cirie and Courtney. He probably wouldn’t have pacts with all of them, but potentially could have agreements with any of them. Courtney was revealed to be thinking that far ahead and it sounds like she could have one with Aras and contemplating upgrading to one with Terry. She and Danielle could have a pact as well since they seemed to have bonded early on and seem to be on the same page while having disagreements with others. Since Courtney rubs so many the wrong way, she would be an attractive F2 partner. Cirie, on the other hand, would not.   Top

tikigirlie 112 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 04-14-06, 05:00 PM (EST) 70. "RE: Last episode" He has emerged as more macho, egotistical and generally dislikeable in the last two episodes. It would seem that he has spent enough time with this group at this point to have made some friends, but the fact that this hasn’t happened tells me he is no Tom Westerman. Tom would have made friends by now. I think Terry would be better off giving up on trying to pull away the outsiders, and try to align with the power brokers at this point, and he does ask Aras and Shane where do I fit in when you are down to six, but was rebuffed. His trash talking, competitive attitude makes it easier for them to reject him with the same. No he's no Tom, but as much as CBS wanted us to draw that comparison, I think there's a big difference. When Terry was in La Mina, he gave off that Tom feel (big man on campus), but he didn't go into the "merge" (or as merge-y as Palau could've been) with the "numbers" because he didn't have the benefit of a tribe with just enough physical prowess and much more mental strength than the weaker Ulong (oh Ulong, how I yearn for thee). Terry is trash talking and competitive because he HAS to be. He has to show Casaya that they have to be at their very, very best to beat him, because otherwise, he's just there until the pagonging ends. Even when Tom didn't win immunity (Steph/Gregg boots) and Tom's name "came up" - nothing. He never, ever received a vote against him. I'm not saying "Put Tom in Terry's place and he'd act the same way" but it's quite unfair to compare the two. Making friends after the merge doesn't guarantee you're not out. Sally made friends (Shane, Aras, Courtney, Cirie and Bruce all had nice things to say about her - it's just strategy, etc), and she was gone. From and editing point of view, I didn't see Terry in a negative light. (This is strange, because I was always rooting for crazy Casaya before the merge, and only after the merge when they were portrayed as cocky, did I actually start liking La Mina.) I think it's safe to say that many saw this as Terry's resilience. That Casaya six is pretty rock solid (lucky Bruce). He's not gonna just roll over, he's gonna play as hard as he can, and he's letting them know this. On a completely unrelated note, is anyone else sick and tired of hearing the HII referred to as an "ace in the hole"? If it's said once more, I will scream.   Top

Karchita 4483 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 04-14-06, 07:50 PM (EST) 72. "RE: Last episode" You are right to say that Terry and Tom are in very different situations, but they do have a lot of similarities and I think comparing them is as fair as comparing any two players. How about we leave Tom out of it and just say that Terry is not playing a very smart game by being antaganistic to the Casayans? My point wasn't that making friends post-merge guarantees anything, but that it does a lot more good than making enemies, which is what Terry seems to be doing at this point. Making friends does help with jury votes if he gets that far (which I don't think he will), and taking the time to get to know people has helped others win a challenge that tests players on personal information about other players. Terry would clearly lose that challenge against any of the others left. I do not see how he has to be antagonistic; there are lots of approaches he could be taking that would lead to more options for him. One very sensible approach could be to be just as competitive during challenges and a lot more modest the rest of the time. Quiet confidence is easier to be around 24/7 and, to me at least, much more intimidating than noisy brashness.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-18-06, 11:52 AM (EST) 76. "RE: Last episode" Courtney (conf) “I would like to align with Terry because I really want to go up against him in the final two. If we do remove Aras then no one will be able to beat Terry but then on the other point, Aras is more of a threat than Terry because he’d be much harder to beat in the final two. There’s no clear cut way for me to go right now. I’m still kind of confused in my mind” (shot of Aras) This conversation was extremely nagging to me along with Courtney’s confessionals...Courtney’s mention to Terry “further down the line” and her analysis of Aras and Terry were very astute on her part especially of someone who has been characterized previously as somewhat “airy” and having these “pigeon holed” moments...this was either the heightened portion of a contestant beginning to conclude or it is something that is going to round out the end of this story. FWIW, I think Courtney's editing was at least partially designed to mess with the spoiling community. There were tips floating around that Courtney was getting the boot last week. The editing was actually setting this up in a way: she was heard commenting much more than usual; she had the above analysis of her endgame choices after Terry talked to her about flipping; we saw the others watching Terry talk to her; and then there were all the superfluous shots of her doing her fire dancing on the beach. It seemed like she was getting a lot of big moments. as contestants often do in their boot episodes. Except that then she never turned into a target. I don't think the editors mess with the spoiling community as a rule, but they had to create something to focus on to make everyone think Sally might not be leaving. In reality, there probably was never any real discussion of voting out anyone other than Sally, so they couldn't make anyone else a bona fide red herring target. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-14-06, 06:56 PM (EST) 71. "Episode #9" LAST EDITED ON 04-15-06 AT 03:00 AM (EST) LAST EDITED ON 04-14-06 AT 07:08 PM (EST) Great comments VS. You had me laughing at the thought of hunting down that miserable editor and his job with the wink! We have a different view of Danielle and Courtney's chances but you make a good case which Surviette reinforces with the turtle imagery. I had a different spin on what you termed the fight between Goliath and the Davids. I hope you like! The story started a long time ago with a riddle : « Why did fate bring you here? » In true survivor tradition, the first two exiled players answered “I dunno.” Then our hero, Terry needed only seconds to solve the riddle, found IT, took IT, and forgot IT in his pocket. After an eternity…OK, 3 weeks, we find our hero and his companions having left the quiet beaches of la Mina for the ominous shores of Casaya. The Casayans are strange and evil creatures and soon eliminate the first Minian. Terry, realizing the danger, uses all his might and…asks a riddle: “When you read about IT, you can’t find IT. When you see IT, you don’t know if IT is real. When you have IT, you don’t know how to use IT. What is IT?” The Casayans answer “I dunno” and proceed to get rid of two more Minians. However, Shane has started to open his evil eye and through the fog, he senses something is wrong. He decides that it is best to finish a second cheeseburger. Aras feels the danger. He tries to alert his tribesmate to the power of: The Lord of the ITem. Sorry for the recap but this season has been edited as a story of Good versus Evil and I couldn’t resist. This episode was almost a tribute to Terry. Enough foolishness, on to serious matters: Aras had a nice time on exile island. He was shown as looking for the idol and coming to an understanding that if Terry was ready to send him to exile, it must mean that he already has the idol. He couldn’t have been happy when he saw that, as Courtney said, it was all on him for the challenge but his response was controlled. He is cool under pressure as he knew the votes were going against him. He was ready to bet his survival that Terry would keep the idol. It will be a struggle between those two. Rarely have two strong survivors fought so long after merge. The HII evens out the odds a little. Aras has to worry that his tribe may decide to sacrifice him to take the idol out of play. That’s why he contradicted Cirie so quickly at TC when she said she wanted the idol to be played. He has played this game as a clinical player. In all Casaya’s torments, he has kept his calm. We have seen different aspects of his personality but his edit is very consistent. He is a solid player and plays the game honestly, thinking of the team without forgetting the goal. His calculations about the idol have been accurate. Now that all of Terry’s allies have been eliminated, he can look for the kill. Danielle seems to have a dual edit. It could go back to what Jeff said about her in the pre-season. She was athletic and very confident but once she hit the beach, that person disappeared and was trying to play the game in the middle without attracting attention. The strong Danielle forcefully took charge and booted Bobby, threatened to make a stealth attack to get rid of Shane and was in a position to tranform the game. She wants to compete and beat Terry and is frustrated at his success and is not afraid to admit it. Now she wants Terry and Sally gone and Aras to follow. This edit is of a clinical player who understands the undercurrents of the game and wants to impact the game. Shane has often derailed that gameplan with his outbursts. She hasn’t been able to keep her emotions under control because of him. The other Danielle follows Aras and trusts him. She sits out the challenge and refuses to consider offers by the other alliance. The mystery I had imagined that was built around her was rather uncertainty. She doesn’t know if what Terry showed her is the real idol. This Danielle is more an under the radar player who hopes to go far without making waves. It is difficult to play both ways but she is doing fine. Her outcome could very well depend on making a timely decision on how to tackle the final stage of the game. How many Shanes are there? The needy Shane lets his ally down for a couple of cheeseburgers. The confidence shown by the united Casayans not bothering to compete could sap Terry’s morale but more likely will motivate him even more. He needed Cirie’s help with his problem. I hope that was the end (!) of that. This Shane is not really playing the game. The authoritarian Shane doesn’t accept dissension and gives a mean look to the subordinates every time Jeff or anyone mentions changing the game. He is the policeman that keeps Aras in power. He’s the one that tells Terry he isn’t part of the plan. This Shane is the Head of Household who keeps Casaya in order with a firm grip. This Shane is perfect F2 foil material. The Team player Shane huddles everyone and suggests the next play. He is ready for suggestions and doesn’t impose his views. This is another way to be Head of Household but is less domineering. This Shane could win the game but we haven’t seen enough of him. Shane as a father was nice to see and will probably be shown more during the visits if he gets there but he wasn’t playing the game. There still remains the Stormy Shane, the Quitter Shane, the Defiant Shane who says Terry is gone if he doesn’t have immunity. There are more I can’t remember. Certainly none of them are UTR. We seem to even get a glimpse into the Backstabbing Shane next week. There is only one million and since you can’t share it, the numerous Shanes cannot win. He Outwitted himself! Cirie is a good UTR player who has managed to infiltrate the alliance. She owes that to her personality, her smile, her intelligence and her ability to listen to others. She is appreciated by her tribe and has made herself usefull. In the power struggle that the HII keeps alive, she seems destined to make it to the end. We saw many sides to her but they don’t contradict themselves. She was shown as the mother, the nurse, the funny character and the player who, not only knows you can’t say “who cares” to her tribemates’ luxury items, but that knows giving the HII would be a stupid move. She once more has been in opposition to Aras at TC, saying she wants the idol to be played. She may need his help at the very end. She isn’t someone you would want to be seated next to in front of the jury, unless you don’t have a choice. She will need to make herself valuable in yet another way. This could be harder. Courtney has been said to have many personalities yet all of them seem to be playing under the radar. When Terry proposed to make a move she was much more tempted than Danielle appeared to be. She also seemed to struggle emotionally with the decision more. She cannot control those emotions and Aras won’t forget that she doesn’t care for his security. Antagonizing your leader is a big mistake for a follower. We had nice visuals of her artistry and she did look at peace in her world. Her edit has fluctuated throughout the season. She was the narrator inside the alliance at first but then disappeared when Cirie and Aras took over. She has made a comeback lately both in talking strategy and in visuals. Something is around the corner and since she hasn’t applied her gameplan correctly, it must mean the end. Bruce has no concept of strategy but there also has been many Bruces. The ingenious, the talkative, the absent, the industrious, the tool, the proud and the spiritual Bruce are the main ones. Lately Bruce hasn’t been doing much. That is what he was first seen has, a doer. It isn’t a good sign when a tool isn’t working. Terry had a very good episode. He may just be focused and strong enough to carry his mission to the end. The 47 year old beast is planning to Outplay every Casayan and the HII his still in his possesion. The arrogance that comes out isn’t going to help him Outlast his final opponent if he gets there. Courtney (COURTNEY ???) thinks she could beat him in front of a jury. Certainly, Casayans will outnumber Minians 5 to 2 if that is the F2. He still needs to make friends and this is where someone could find a nice deal. Danielle and Cirie could see him as a way to beat Aras before the jury and then maybe they would have the votes. Terry needs to start strategizing. His game was as Head of Household but there is no house left. He was slow in realizing La Mina was dead. Can he find new allies? He seems too antagonistic for now. Sally tried to save herself, hoped that Terry could help her but knew it wasn’t happening. She was a good competitor to the end but never was in an alliance, always just a little outside. She was a nice person and her interviews prove that. edited for spelling.   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 04-15-06, 05:28 PM (EST) 73. "RE: Episode #9" LAST EDITED ON 04-15-06 AT 05:39 PM (EST) Finally managed to catch up on the last couple of episodes after returning from my trip. As usual, the high standard of insights have been maintained. Hats off to one and all, again. This whole episode was underpinned by the alpha male battle between Terry and Aras. Under the circumstances it was rather ironic for Aras to remark that the ex-Casaya team are ‘’going to take him out’ predicated on “he flies planes, he’s not an American gladiator.” If anything, the gladiatorial metaphor is entirely apt; its nature carries the rather ominous tone of a fight to the death between the chief protagonists. If we accept the premise of the storytelling, to the victor goes the ultimate spoils, the sole survivor. In that regard, the other players almost became a sideshow. Danielle could easily have been speaking for everyone else when she discussed the need to get rid of Terry and Aras as the threats in the game (Courtney did as well, later on).The interest in the remaining episodes will be to see whether they have the means to take them out of the picture completely. The reward challenge raised an eyebrow or, rather, the focus on the losing team instead of the victorious one thereafter. The pertinent thing to ask is what the audience gains by being made privy to Shane’s chafing in a delicate area--other than the hilarity quotient, obviously --and Aras on Exile Island despite the hidden immunity idol being already found. The simple answer, I suppose, is that the dynamic between these four is end-game worthy. We shall see. A few more observations: Danielle - For some reason I was rather reassured by Danielle’s claims at TC that she was ‘very competitive as well’. On its own one could simply ascribe it to bravado in response to Jeff’s question about Terry’s IC dominance thus far but, in a wider context, it was a positive editing reminder that she should be viewed as a power player. Moreover, there is an inference that the preoccupation with Aras and Terry as the two biggest targets ought actually to include Danielle in a triumvirate instead. Michel, you talk of her having a dual edit, and I agree entirely with the assessment. It is difficult to play the passive/aggressive as she seems to be doing, though I think she’s gone about things smartly, and most importantly decisively. You also go on to mention her success possibly depending on a timely decision; I happen to think she’s picked her moments very well so far, coming to the forefront with the Bobby boot, standing up to Shane (and an apology from him in the aftermath) but taking a back seat to, say, the power struggle of Aras/Terry. Terry - Hindsight is a writer’s best friend yet it was fairly easy to predict that Terry wasn’t going to protect Sally by giving her the hidden immunity idol. For one, if he had ever seriously entertained the idea he would have used it either with Nick and Austin when, in theory anyway, they (La Mina) had more numbers to play with at better odds. Ultimately, however, it came down to self-preservation. As Shane pointed out, Terry would have to win all of the remaining immunity challenges (not strictly true, though) to get to the final two, a scenario that is unlikely if not impossible; Terry knows that too and his nature (fighter pilot ego, mayhap?) indicates that he wanted to carry the fight to Casaya single-handedly all along. Which may also explain his inability to turn a single Casaya member so far. There is a subtext here as well which is that however self-driven you may be, the game of Survivor is about getting people on your side (as much as anything else) and that if you don’t you’re doomed to failure. Terry’s failures are piling up on that front and he’s becoming desperate. I would hazard a guess that his saying that he would continue winning immunities regardless was more a means of reassuring himself than unnerving the others. Courtney was indeed prominent. With respect to you VS, I was satisfied enough that her edit wasn’t so much confusing as it was carrying a linear progression for an exit strategy. It could be unexpectedly held up next week by Bruce’s illness but the seeds have been sown. 1) You have the sleeping arrangements incident at camp which saw her pushed out to the fringes. 2) Note that whilst Danielle has been a soundboard for her grievances with Aras and Shane, they have not been reaffirmed as readily as before, if it all (I’m struggling to come up with a recent example in which Danielle has openly backed Courtney, even privately come to that.) 3) The flame-throwing scene is a typical goodwill gesture before an imminent departure. Nevertheless, what persuades me the most is her raising the topic of removing first Terry from the game and then, as mentioned in passing to Cerie, Aras, something that has been brought up before and kept on the backburner. Her conversation with Terry brings matters to a head because whilst she wouldn’t commit to switching over, the implicit meaning was ‘just not right now’. The idea that Courtney has the wherewithal to upset the applecart is admittedly an alien concept to me so I’ll latch on to a scenario that would see her ‘betrayal’ pre-empted. The editing could be viewed as encouraging of such an eventuality on two counts: a nicely inserted shot of Aras supposedly glancing knowingly at Courtney and Terry towards the end of their conversation (as if to say, “I know what's going on and what you’re plotting”), an added foreshadowing of her being the first from Casaya to flip. The other element is based on the previews with Shane’s announcement of turning the game. Since this doesn’t involve Aras--to whom the revelation was made--the history between the two would make her the likely target. The attention given to Shane, Cerie, Danielle and Aras after the reward challenge is a nod in that direction as well. Aras - My respect for Aras has increased in terms of how shrewdly he is playing/has played the game. Looking back, the pow-wow with Bruce over the building of the Zen garden was a watershed of sorts; if for no other reason it taught him to be judicious with what he said and who he said it to. Unlike Shane, he has learned to keep his counsel. The way he articulated being sent to Exile Island, ostensibly to scout if Terry had the hidden immunity idol, was quite brilliant, leaving out the equally important fact that it afforded the opportunity to obtain it for himself, acutely aware that he is a clear target in the game—-as he admitted in confessional. The guy has clearly got his thinking cap on and his rationale for the most part has been hard to disagree with (recognising Terry’s willingness to send him to Exile Island was an indication that the hidden immunity idol was already in his possession). That these processes are shared with the audience on a continual basis has to be a good thing. Cerie continues to be a colourful narrator and a welcome presence. What I would like to see more of now are confessionals that focus on gameplay and how she intends to manoeuvre herself into a winning position. She has done well in gaining a great deal of information about the strategies of others; they key to her success will lie in how well she uses it to her advantage. As for Shane, I have nothing to add other than to express my admiration at michel for coming up with this gem: There is only one million and since you can’t share it, the numerous Shanes cannot win. He Outwitted himself! Simply fantastic. VH Edited for grammar and continuity   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 04-17-06, 09:59 AM (EST) 74. "RE: Episode #9" Very nice story michel and a much better recap than the actual recap lol Insofar as my thoughts on Courtney... mind you, in my usual stubborn self, I don't normally change the course of my thought process of what I view in earlier episodes. With that in mind, Courtney was somebody that I foresaw as "character" who would certainly be highlighted but in light of what was involved, she would not be an end game player (in spite of that insufferable wink) but I did find the parallels interesting and I found her last episode interesting. Again, my opinion was either this was her "swan song" or her editing has turnabout for a very specific reason. I did not like in the first episode that her coming upon the dead sea turtle was viewed the way it was by Sally and Danielle and her discourse with members of Casaya (most especially highlighted with Shane) and Shane's commentary of the final four, i.e. Shane, Courtney, Cerie and Aras. I also am nagged by the lack of expansion on the family reward videos for those who won although the brief "snippets" shown did have a few with more seemingly branched out moments. But it would be remiss of me in viewing the editing to not point out those situations that make one curious as to the state of a character. Insofar as the support for Danielle, I have no issue in watching the first episode that she could be as supported as you both suggest, though perhaps not to the degree you view I had mentioned in the seasons where people who fail in a challenge and do not get highlighted with their failure tend to give good showing. Danielle was the cause for the loss in the first episode yet there was no repercussions for it and like Katie (who failed) and Rafe (who earlier failed team wise) neither suffered the editing wrath of same whereas others who "lost it for the team" are commented upon and usually booted for same. I will also say that in watching the episode that Austin was booted there were some "editing" feelers noted that I looked for since I didn't watch that episode as carefully as I normally do Danielle on EI "Imagine if something good came out of it" At EI it rained on them consistently but at the end of their time the last shot showing clearing skies which is a nice symbolism. Danielle also stated "I could actually transform the game into a whole new thing" which is a great commentary and has foreshadowing implications At Tribal Council, as well as throughout the shows, I will look to see visually what comments are made and who they are showing (as you poor people know I love to do) Jeff "The power begins to shift from those of you still in the game to the jury (Aras) and you are now voting people out (Terry, Shane, Sally) that you need to vote for you to win a million dollars (Danielle) Thereafter a slow moving shot of Aras (appearing to look down at Courtney) was then shown. I did also appreciate Jeff's comment at the "flying flag" challenge where he stated that Terry, Bruce and Sally were trying to "turn Courtney around" and also stated Cerie, Aras and Shane pulled her (Danielle) right into the slot (symbolic foreshadowing?) Velcrohead, I appreciate your thoughts on Courtney (as well as all the other comments ) and my opinion is exactly as I stated which you also speak. This was an episode for her as extremely expansive signaling the arc rounding out to leave. However, I take no chances with editing as these occurrences do not emphatically mean the conclusion of a character's story so I opt to give two choices hence my proverbial eyebrow raising Your comment about Danielle and her remark with reference to getting rid of Terry and Aras; I assume you are referring to the discussion under the tarp? I will state in her favor (and Aras) that I am not entirely sure that scene under the tarp was not completely manipulated as it was heavily "spliced and diced" which some of you know I look at. Bruce was shown at one point under the tarp and at another point he was not. The three women had also switched places at one point and with Aras' approach, the people under the tarp were shown differently. I am not entirely certain the conversation happened exactly as is which then makes one question if her words were accurate and therefore making the audience believe something that is not true. I won't comment on Shane (my chuckle at your comment as well michel and frankly, I am enjoying his current personality the most ) Cerie, Terry or Bruce since my opinion of their edit has long been established and would hate michel's favorable opinion of my novels to change Insofar as Aras, I have been pleasantly surprised with the expansion of his character. Like the first episode with Danielle losing the challenge, occurrences that have happened with Aras have also appeared to not have marred his progression. The post aftermath of some of his less than stellar moves (advising Cerie and Melinda of their vulnerability) the quarrel with Bruce, the initial "hand meditation for fire" ended up being non issues as opposed to catalysts for his demise. Since there also seems to be a blatant story of Terry and Aras and their competition commencing, this will be further developed as well, i.e. the two leaders with different methods now squaring off and his time on Exile Island was helpful reinforcement. The outcome of Casaya is now firmly intertwined with the hidden idol despite none of them possessing it and this is what I am finding to be the most interesting and entertaining for this season as I do love a good story   Top

Karchita 4483 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 04-17-06, 01:08 PM (EST) 75. "RE: Episode #9" I may be stating the obvious, but it sure seems to me that the focus on the bonding of Austin and Danielle on EI and Jeff's comment on the shifting of power suggests a F2 position for Danielle and a sure jury vote for her from Austin. The only person he would vote for over her would be Terry.   Top

DRONES 615 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 04-19-06, 02:59 AM (EST) 77. "RE: Episode #9" I made a gastly mistake last week by failing to record the episode. I always record Survivor while I'm watching it is a backup plan in case something comes up, well something came up and I was only able to watch it intermintently and when I went to rewatch it the on Friday I noticed that I hadn't recorded this ep. Anyhow....This is my brief synopsis based on my limited viewing. We know that the final 6 isn't go to last, and frankly I'm surprised that it has taken this long to break them up, and the the only reason this breakup will happen is because of either Terry winning another IC or him using the HII. As disfuntional as old Casaya appeared to be from early on they have stuck together. If, and that's a big if, Bruce leaves because of some medical emergency then old Casaya will have managed to avoid the inevitable for yet another week. Like VS, I tend to pay particular attention to visual images. The various shots of Courtney were very intriguing to me. The various shots of Courtney and in particular that of the Sea Turtle, which was connected to her early on, caught my eye. I just can't shake the feeling that the climax of her story is going to be dramatic and that darn wink will have an eventual payoff. Thanks to michael for that fun quote about Shane and none of his personalities winning the game. DRONES   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-19-06, 11:30 AM (EST) 78. "RE: Episode #9" LAST EDITED ON 04-19-06 AT 12:38 PM (EST) I really don't see what could be read into the phony wink at this late date, regardless of what happens now. Aras and Courtney have been on the same tribe since Episode 2, and we've seen very little interaction between them. What we have seen is Aras complaining about Courtney in an early confessional, and now we've seen them at odds with Courtney saying Aras will have to be voted out eventually. Given that the wink was evidently meant to appear flirtatious, it's had nothing to do with their behavior toward each other thus far. What could such a fleeting image possibly have been "pointing" to, 10 or 11 or 12 episodes later? I think the "wink" was merely connected to the initial separation into gender-based tribes, as a sort of counterpart to Austin's saying he had hoped there would be some women on his tribe. It was just a tease. Since they went to mixed gender tribes immediately I think it's kind of moot now. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

Surviette 124 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 04-19-06, 02:50 PM (EST) 80. "RE: Episode #9" BR, I hear what you're saying and you are probably right...again. However, at this late date we begin to ponder a possible contender for a F2 foil. If Aras is as smart as we all believe him to be, he has thought long and hard about who he would take to the end. Taking Courtney seems like a wise choice if the decision is based on popularity. This is what we have been shown regarding Courtney: Bruce has little respect for her, bc she shows little respect for him ( side note: Courtney probably thought she was showing respect by practising Yoga in his Zen garden and that he might get offended if she were to go elsewhere). Shane has not shown respect for Courtney and appears to have trouble trying "to get right with her". In confessional, Aras states he wants out of his alliance with her. Cirie is impressed with Courtney's talent, but Terry might not be. Danielle seems okay with her, but we can't forget her opinion of Courtney's wish to return the dead sea turtle to the ocean. We know Courtney thinks Austin is "a slime ball", but I don't recall his feelings about her. Anyway, the only other player, arguably, worthy of foil attributes, is Shane. There is a problem with Aras trying to keep Courtney around long enough to beat her in the end. She is trying to get Aras out, so it is risky for him to protect her. VS implies that the "wink" might have made sense as being flirtatious had it been "directed" at Austin or Nick......the two studs who were there to meet girls. It's also possible the exchange in question will be resolved at the Finale. I better stop now before I end up with a migraine. Oh, Michel, next time will you create a recap where Shane becomes Gollum, now that he looks the part?   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-19-06, 05:35 PM (EST) 81. "On Leadership and a few Questions" First, Thank you VH, VS, Drones and Surviette for paying attention to my ramblings. VS, the insight and imagery you bring to your analyses were exemplified by the answer to your very tough question about Danielle’s exile edit. To the clearing skies and the quote you noted, can I add Austin’s confessional? He told us that Danielle is strong. For me, it stood out, remembering how Gary’s remark to Rafe that Danni was strong was crucial in her win. VH, I always find the content and the style of your posts fascinating. Your explanation of the possible meaning behind the reference to gladiators made by Aras certainly fits the themes of the season. Two of those themes could be “Contrasts in leadership” and “The boys’ decide”. They have made me look back on the eliminations we have seen. In Survivor, leadership is controlling the votes. How have our leaders performed? Terry was the leader of La Mina yet, on the surface, all three La Mina TCs appeared to be decided by Austin. The editors truncated a conversation, as Veruca noted, to have Austin first mention Misty’s name. Ruth and Dan’s eliminations were strongly pushed by Austin. Even though Terry had final word, the editors have put all three names on Austin’s “scorecard”. What about Casaya? Cirie booted Tina, can be viewed as saving herself against Melinda since no one was shown to have the final word, and she assisted Danielle’s powerplay in booting Bobby. On to Gitanos: Cirie was the one saying Nick was Terry #2 even if Aras had told Austin he was going. Cirie’s assistance in calming everyone down was crucial in deciding the Austin boot. Cirie told us Terry wouldn’t save Sally. During her vote, she is the one hoping to get a bigger kill than Sally, hoping the idol would come out. That is quite a “scorecard” Cirie has forged for herself. Two kills, 3 assists, a save and a shot at the idol. We would expect that “to the victor goes the spoils” but could this mean that our Gladiators are so focused on their battle that they get outflanked? Could someone else profit from the battle? Cirie herself? Can she even get to the end? Courtney who may have new life as Veruca notes? Her nagging feelings have often been right. Danielle who should be seen as the third member of the triumvirat as VH notes? She is strong according to one jury member. Then would Cirie’s choice, a woman deciding, make the difference? It’s always interesting how editing can make all sides appear possible. We have to rely on what the story tells us. What I see is that a new style of player will emerge. That would be either Danielle who can both lead and follow on the same tribe or Aras who can lead without imposing his views. Aras has impressed me since he started to call meetings and delegate tasks. On another matter: We’ve considered how the editing of exiled players could show long term players and how the idol bearer gets a special storyline but what about the idol’s victim? Is there anything the editors could throw in for that player? Shane told Terry “If you don’t win immunity, and if you don’t have that goofy idol from that silly island, you’re gone!” Danielle saw the idol and thought it wasn’t real. Being booted because of it would prove it is real! Shane and Danielle have shown “disrespect” to the idol. Could it be a sign?   Top

halfpintlemon 91 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Hollywood Squares Square" 04-19-06, 09:27 PM (EST) 82. "RE: On Leadership and a few Questions" Hmmm...I guess I never really thought of Cirie as the leader of Casaya. If she is their leader, she is not a vocal one. She gets what she wants without having to say too much. I always considered Shane the leader of Casaya just because he calls most of the meetings... If Aras is in the final two, I can't see him getting Cirie's vote. She won't forget the way he treated her way back in episode two, and I actually think that will really come back to haunt him.   Top

DRONES 615 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 04-19-06, 09:50 PM (EST) 83. "RE: On Leadership and a few Questions" On another matter: We’ve considered how the editing of exiled players could show long term players and how the idol bearer gets a special storyline but what about the idol’s victim? Is there anything the editors could throw in for that player? Shane told Terry “If you don’t win immunity, and if you don’t have that goofy idol from that silly island, you’re gone!” Danielle saw the idol and thought it wasn’t real. Being booted because of it would prove it is real! Shane and Danielle have shown “disrespect” to the idol. Could it be a sign? You bring up an excellent point michael, one that has really bothered me. We have seen in past Survivors that when players don't respect the game, island immunity etc they tend to meet their demise because of that disrespect, or at least they are edited to look like that was their undoing Terry fully understands the power of the HII and what it can do for him. He uses it's power like a medicine man would use a similar idol. Cirie wants the idol to be used. The thought of it being out there is on her mind, as she has mentioned before at TC, and wants it used to eliminate the threat. She respects the power of the HII and wants it gone. The fact that she wants it gone does not necessarily mean that she fears it's impact on her place in the game. Aras, like Cirie, respects the power of the HII, but unlike Cirie he FEARS that it is going to be his demise. He believes, that the only way he will be safe from the power of the idol is if he wins an IC. Daniel, doesn't believe that Terry truely has the idol even though he's shown it to her. Shane, who has been very clear in his opinion about the idol and the fact that it is goofy and that EI is silly, clearly does not respect the idol or EI for that matter, which could prove very ironic since he hasn't had to spend a night there yet. We have yet to hear Courtneys' thoughts on the idol or EI. Bruce, who is such a nice and likeable man, yet clueless. He has been sent to EI twice where he choose to perform his Katas instead of looking for the HII. He is such a non factor in this game that it is hardly worth mention. So what does this all mean? My first thought about the HII is that it will likely not be the reason Courtney or Bruce is sent home or have any impact on them in the game. My second though is that Aras may be the beneficiary of winning a timely IC, at which time the HII will be used causing either Daniel, or more likely Shane and his multiple personalities to be sent packing. With all the references by Terry about NOT wanting to use it until F4, that is when I believe it will come into play. So could we have Aras winning an F4 IC, where Terry uses the Idol causing the departure of either Danielle, who doesn't believe that Terry has it or Shane who just thinks that it is goofy? DRONES   Top

Bebo 21083 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-20-06, 06:52 AM (EST) 84. "RE: On Leadership and a few Questions" Shane THINKS he's the leader of Casaya. The others let him play that role because it suits them. He acts like the idiot and offends other contestants, while people behind the scenes manipulate what actually happens. Case in point - Bob's departure. Shane had orchestrated a Bruce vote, only to be overruled by the women. He swore on his son to Bob, but when the women decided they wanted to follow a different plan, one engineered with no input from Shane, that's the one that was implemented. Shane was told about the plan when it was too late for him to do anything about it. A tip to TDT says Shane goes fifth. Given Terry's obsession with going after Aras, even when it has proven a waste of time so far, the only way that Terry wouldn't throw his vote Aras's way is if he couldn't because Aras had immunity. Terry's "strategy" has a caveman-like simplicity - go after big strong male. When big strong male #1 (Aras) isn't a possibility, he'll go for the other male around.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-20-06, 10:45 AM (EST) 86. "RE: On Leadership and a few Questions" My sense is that the looming threat of the idol has now dissolved any real alliances within Casaya -- whether they all realize that yet or not. While Aras appeared to be the glue holding them together earlier, it's clear that Courtney and Cirie, and probably Danielle, don't care if he gets voted out next. Their F4 plans are out the window now. It wouldn't surprise me to see people jumping back and forth to further themselves over the next few episodes if they can't get at Terry. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

Bebo 21083 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-20-06, 12:27 PM (EST) 87. "RE: On Leadership and a few Questions" From a social dynamic standpoint, this has been a fascinating run of Survivor. In prior seasons, we've had it shoved down our throats how tightly people bonded and how people put friendship ahead of the game. That's not happening here. Aras, Courtney, Shane, and Danielle made an alliance very early, and then had to deal with the realization that they didn't really like each other very much. But they all realized that they had made their beds, and that they could lie in them until the endgame simply based on how the numbers played out.   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 04-19-06, 02:02 PM (EST) 79. "RE: Episode #9" Well, I havent posted yet for the last episode. Guess I was too saddened by Sally's exit to post. What truly surprised me though - is that with all the emphasis we got about the six holding strong and voting them out one by one, it really seemed like someone of the six would have gone last episode instead of Sally. Because - even if they're forced to vote one of their own off until Terry no longer has immunity, or someone gets medivaced, etc. essentially, the six DID hold strong. Unless Terry doesnt get immunity and they choose not to vote for him (uh - yeah, THATS going to happen!), they will have held strong. I just dont see voting their own members off because they're forced to since Terry has immunity as them not holding tight til the six...Did the editors really throw something in our face repeatedly - that actually came to be??? I'm thinking it was so highlighted to emphasize the importance of the idol, not the breakdown of the Casaya six. I'm going to miss Sally, with her gone I dont particularly like anyone left out there except maybe Cerie. And since I dont see Cerie winning, this leads me to wonder A) are we going to see one of the players left become much more likeable, or B) are we going to have a fairly unlikeable final two as we had in Season six with Jenna/Matt? I too noticed the sea turtle shot last episode, clearly highlighting Courtney - I thought for sure at that point that it clinched that she would be going that night. Obviously, she didn't, so I'd have to say its the beginning of her swan song. Bye Sally Kneesocks   Top

Sonicbluebird 60 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Hollywood Squares Square" 04-20-06, 10:06 AM (EST) 85. "Sally" KMS - a local morning radio show interviewed her today, sorry no transcripts . A couple of things stood out. She didn't and never had an alliance with Terry. She went to everyone out there to see if there was any way she could flop. She also said why would she align herself with someone who never gave her a chance. (Doesn't sound like she is a lock in for a vote for Terry, if he makes it to the final two.) She didn't like Danielle and was emphatic when she said it. Her favorites were Ceire and Shane. She said Ceire was playing a great social game. She said that Shane was upfront with her and told her that he wasn't playing the game with her, that he already had his 6, but that he wanted to take the time to get to know her. She said he had a short fuse, but that having to deal with his other tribemates would make anyone crazy. She also said that Courtney started to warm up to her the last couple of days but that Sally figured that it was only because she(Sally)was going to the jury. KMS didn't ask about Aras or Bruce. And for those of you wondering, the rest of her tape was of her boyfriend in a speedo doing a victory dance for her. She said that she really laughed hard at that. As for her family relations, she is talking to her dad on a fairly regular basis, but her mom is still distant.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-22-06, 07:01 PM (EST) 88. "Episode #10" Alliances revealed never succeed. What happens when all the combinations get revealed?! All the combinations…well maybe all but one! The coconut chop challenge didn’t disappoint. It seems that it is human nature that even when a million dollars are on the line, you need to not only come clean but get things off your chest. Terry is still very confident that he can beat anyone in F3 because he has more mental power and strength than anyone left. The repetition of that plan seems also like something that should fail. He had a chance to observe the Casayans we have gotten to know and love ( ). He tells us it will help his strategy. Too bad he didn’t reveal what he thinks should be his next move. His best option is not to make any moves except win immunities and be as friendly as possible. Let someone come to him. Can he show patience? It’s not what fighter pilots are trained to do. Courtney showed us Bruce wasn’t the only one not having a good grasp of what others thought. She paid homage to Bruce by cleaning and decorating his Zen garden. It didn’t appear that she had a clue of the animosity Bruce felt when she “soiled” his area. Aras and Danielle have figured she has a crush on Shane. Shane sees her as the perfect F2 foil. She even says she doesn’t care about the alliances revealed in the challenge but rather how it made her feel. If being called annoying hurt her, what will happen when they get rid of her? Or vote against her if Shane has his way? The editors showed many nice visuals of her artistry last episode. Two eliminations have occurred but she remains. It seems a long time for a swan song, unless the fall is very bad. Maybe Shane was right, maybe she does destroy herself emotionally. Shane still acts like the Casaya policeman, telling Danielle that they are going to be the first tribe to stick together until the end. Those are reminders of what will happen if they don’t follow his wishes. His more direct approach was after the challenge when he threatens Courtney. During that challenge, he openly questions why Courtney hit him twice. He begs Cirie to take him and makes her feel bad even before she leaves. He says Danielle has done nothing, so doesn’t deserve to go further than him. That he and Aras have carried Cirie and it wasn’t right to take Danielle. Then he tells us in a confessional that it was all an act. That it was all calculated to get ahead of Cirie and Aras mentally and that it played exactly like he wanted to. He feels like he is in control of the threesome. Shane using his acting skills to get power, didn’t we see that somewhere before! We had said players should throw that pecking order challenge to avoid causing conflict, and other players should use the revelations to their advantage. We hadn’t figured someone could use the conflict to play the victim and then gain from it. No one has ever played the game like Shane. Doesn’t he see that HE is the perfect F2 foil? Hasn’t Cirie come a long way? Her laugh is contagious and she has a fun way to narrate the events. She simply listened to her tribe mates and slowly gained their confidence. She was first seen sleeping next to Aras. The episode revealed that she figures in probably 2 or 3 different alliances that could take her to F3. She tells us Aras had promised her from day 1 to take her on reward. Wasn’t that when he said he didn’t care if Melinda or Cirie left? Certain things had been hidden! Shane sees her with him and Aras. She must think Danielle sees the three girls together, while she probably sees herself with Aras and Danielle. For someone who was afraid of bugs crawling under leaves, she has spun a nice web! As far as my previous post, the “scorecard” I presented of her contributions to the votes wasn’t intended to mean she is the leader. Just that this tribe has such strange dynamics that even a follower has a lot of power! Aras calmed everyone down when strong emotions started erupting at the challenge. He advised his teammates to rise above it and not let the game splinter them. He knew he shouldn’t reveal his hand so it was best to throw the last answer and let Cirie take him out. He never received a chop from a Casayan until Shane’s hit in the 9th round. It had to be a form of respect for his performance in the last episode. He has observed his tribe mates and got 7 out of the first 9 answers correct. No one had more than 4. He never hit anyone twice until his 6th hit to eliminate Danielle. After, he also hit Courtney a second time to finally put her out of her misery. She had proven the game was too much for her. At the reward he tells the two girls he had fun at the challenge and laughed so much. It could’ve been intended to hide that he took notes. Now that these tribe mates are his opponents, he knows how to adapt to each. Cirie needs a smile and a friend. Shane needs someone to listen to his plans and give him security. Courtney needs her space. Bruce needed admiration. He has given each exactly what they needed. Learn what motivates someone and you can control that person. It should be very interesting to observe him play the rest of the game. What about Danielle you ask. He has exiled her because she is tough as nails. He chopped her ropes because even if he loves her, he doesn’t want her to hit him back. He always has a good reason for going against her. Was the explanation for her or for the others? VH has alluded to it before and I also think there is a connection between these two. THEY ARE THE CORE ALLIANCE. There may even be a deeper connection. Saying Courtney has a crush on Shane can also serve to get the attention off of their situation. They always get along yet they are rarely seen talking. When Shane called Danielle out on being lazy, did Aras really take Shane’s side or rather just wanted to end the fight. The way he appeases Shane makes me think he preferred to avoid the discussion and knew it was better to tell Shane he was right. Once Shane has won an argument, he usually forgets about it. More than any other episode, we have seen Aras as a clinical player. Danielle is still keeping her cards hidden. Her doll was the third to be set on fire yet she wasn’t shown as being disappointed. She only had a small smile when she was named as doing the least for the tribe. Despite lasting 7 rounds, she never had an answer right so she never hit anyone. She took all three hits without showing any reaction. Isn’t that the way we have always said this game should be played? She played it the way a clinical player would. No emotions shown, no target revealed. Could she have been calculating all this? It has been rare that an alliance has targeted itself. Could these 2 Casayans have been prepared for this? Certainly not Casayans, they are all crazy! It did seem almost rehearsed. On reward, they talk about others but she avoids asking any questions about the treatment Aras has given her. It seemed she didn’t need an explanation. Not if they have a F2 pact. Bruce proved his valor enduring that pain. He is a master that was out of touch with the game.   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-22-06, 08:44 PM (EST) 89. "RE: Episode #10" I agree with what you say about Terry not being a patient person. I liked him much more before the merge than I have liked him since. To me he is blowing the game. By being cocky and full of himself he continues to alienate the Casayan collaborative. At least when Chris was outnumbered by the ladies in Vanuatu he changed hsi game and waited for his window of opportunity. Terry doesn't seem to understand this, and so even if he were to win immunities to get all the way to the F2, he wouldn't have made any inroads to the Casaya weighted jury vote. I also agree with you on the Danielle/Aras thing as a deeper alliance then what we have been shown. This is quite possibly why she didn't flip nor give a reason to flip when Terry offered her the hidden idol. She knew she was in strong, no need to change. Concerning Cirie's edit of the upcoming episode she makes a statement to the affect of "I want to change up Shane's game and I want to change up Terry's game." Shane's game supposedly includes her as well as Aras and Courtney as "the 4". Terry's game is a lone gunman looking to just win challenges. If she is in the final 4 with 2 pyscho's (Shane and Courtney) who make perfect F2 foils, what possible advantage would it be for her to join up with Terry and turn her back on her alliance? Simply this: with Aras, Cirie, Courtney, and Shane at F4, Aras would be the most likely to win that final immunity and he would never keep Cirie as F2 (she has got to believe that he wouldn't pull a Colby) as it would be a lock win vs either Shane or Cortney. If however she flips now makes a bond with Terry whom she perceives to have the HI, she realizes that he is strong enough to battle Aras in that final immunity.   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 04-24-06, 11:03 AM (EST) 91. "RE: Episode #10" LAST EDITED ON 04-24-06 AT 11:22 AM (EST) As always, thanks to michel and VS for their feedback. This was a Cerie-centric episode. And it had more to do with her just winning the reward challenge. Far more interesting was the link that joins her to both Shane and Aras as the core alliance. Consider the editing for a moment. Cerie was the primary focus in decorating the dolls ahead of the challenge but her banter with Aras laid the foundation for what we were subsequently shown: picking him to go on the reward because--by way of explanation to Shane--she had promised to since day one. Then, after the meal, Cerie worried that, "I’m gonna be so not liked...," to which Aras responds, "I like you!" followed by what was, I swear, a wink (another one! What would Courtney make of that? ). Read between the lines and you could plausibly deduce that these two are looking to carry the partnership to the end. It certainly felt 'real', not just purely a pact of convenience that is subject to dissolve when the scrambling starts. One cautionary note, however, is how Aras has become the common denominator in supposed alliances to which you can put forward arguments for--with Courtney (the 'wink'); Shane (seemingly teaming up from the start); now Cerie (see Courtney and Shane) and; as I posited a while back, Danielle. Which is smart play, if not perhaps dangerous as well, by Aras to be able to fall back on any of those four but does throw up doubts over what his true pecking order is. By virtue of being the most recently revealed, and on top of what was outlined above, the inclination is to have Cerie heading the list were it not for the vibe I’ve had with him and Danielle for a while...... As far as handling Shane, Cerie did fine. She was able to explain away not picking him for the reward as having promised Aras and Danielle first but reaffirmed her commitment to him on the final three. Highlighting the burden of the initial decision was a nice touch, too. Overall, far from the worrying ramifications she had envisaged upon winning the reward, quite a few things came up roses for Cerie. She and Aras appear tight, Shane was appeased for the moment and she is in good standing with Danielle having taken her on the reward. Additionally, Danielle seems to share a lot of her thoughts and frustrations with her. You can also factor in the ongoing battle between Aras and Terry and Shane’s preoccupation with Danielle/Courtney as deflecting attention away from her. Oh, and the tribe trusts her with their lives. Of course, she is a nurse. There was a downturn in Danielle’s face time. We did have her moaning about Shane and dredging up the old chestnut about winning and losing as a team to Cerie. Danielle, in contrast, is a team player--"He’s so selfish." Other than that, there is the negativity you could attach to her being called out as the person ‘who does the least for the tribe’--not surprising when you go back to Shane saying she was lazy early on in the game and was readily supported by Aras and Cerie as well. Is that a bad sign for her chances, I wonder. Does bringing it up again raise concerns about a winning edit if not totally disqualifying her as a final two candidate? Probably not. As michel was kind enough to mention, I do feel a connection exists with Aras and Danielle, the strongest of any left in the game. Indeed, I should reiterated VS' view last week that when Danielle talked about needing to get rid of Terry, Sally and then Aras, in the scene under the tarp with Courtney and Cerie, it read more like a well-disguised pretense to what is the real F2 pact between her and Aras. Speaking of Aras, dude’s got game. He didn’t throw the reward challenge so much as engineer the outcome. He set the path for eliminating Terry, followed by Bruce. Going for Danielle next was a calculated risk but easily justified by “I love you but you can’t get me back now”, a gentle and respectful elimination all told. He didn’t have to concern himself with Courtney--Shane saw to that--leaving the three who are, allegedly, the core alliance. Merely coincidence or would you be willing to bet, like I am, that it was extremely clever doing on Aras’ part? Completely avoiding Shane was an endorsement of his allegiance and left Cerie to chop his final rope. Getting the last question wrong on purpose killed two birds with one stone: it released him from having to show his hand with the companions he would taken on the reward--why risk giving people extra incentive to boot you when being a big target is a compelling enough reason on it’s own--and, also, allowed him to confirm Cerie’s trustworthiness (since she had promised to take him and felt confident he didn’t need to win to enjoy the reward, accordingly). Other positive signs: - Calming people down at the RC that he correctly surmised was engineered to “splinter us” and telling them to “rise above it.” - Pointing out the immaturity of Shane and Danielle in an insightful and considered manner. How can you not like the assessment of the latter, in particular, that she "....just wants to be wanted....her psychological pattern....she loves it when Shane engages her in those arguments about her being passive/aggressive....even though she’ll walk away angry she knows there’s going to be a make-up point." Letting Shane’s rant about Cerie and looking to turn the game run it’s course. In horse racing parlance, Terry has his blinkers on, setting his sights solely on Aras that he’s forgotten that there are others who can swoop down the blindside. He seems to think that if he can remove Aras he’s set. A confident and even reasonable assumption, maybe, but, as we well know, it’s dangerous to assume anything in Survivor. And if I may, a quick rant. I don’t know what’s getting more tedious: a) Terry reminding us for the umpteenth time he is a huge target and is ready to play the hidden immunity idol and/or win every challenge, or, b) the editing that rehashes that very theme every week. Lather, rinse, repeat. If he doesn’t use the HII at final four after all the emphasis that has been placed on that magic number I swear I’m going to get abusive. And hands up if you thought declaring, “I think I’ve got it over everybody here as far as mental power and strength,” was a classic setup for a fall. Poor Courtney. When you’re perceived to be someone who is the biggest poser, the most annoying, most easily succumbs to intimidation and who never shuts up you really haven’t got much left to cling on to. Except Shane, of course, who would have made an excellent alternate in at least three of the above categories. And wasn’t it ‘just so’ that it was him she turned to for validation?. These two deserve each other in a perverse, strange bedfellows kind of a way and if I really wanted to be ridiculous right now I’d conjure up a scenario that would see each carrying the other all the way to the final two. Michel, you say that Courtney’s swan song seems a ‘long time coming’. True enough, but Bruce’s unexpected departure is an obvious consideration here. That and the fact her emotional rollercoaster with Shane has been so drawn out (some might say tiresome ), it only seems proper that her end is a winding down process allied to a spiritual journey that began with a dead sea turtle. And then there is Shane, somebody that just cannot be ignored. You almost get no middle ground with him, rather troughs and peaks instead. He isn’t 'all over the map,' he never started on it. One moment he’s laying into Courtney for taking things so personally--how incredibly rich is that after what happened at the reward challenge--and then comes across quite sincere, caring and kind with Bruce’s plight. He shows his methodical side when dealing with game strategy and his devious nature by acting like a lunatic all designed to get ahead of Cerie and Aras mentally (I’m sure there’s a joke in there somewhere). KObrien_fan, you reckon that Shane ‘so far is playing a brilliant game’ and I would agree, particularly if going nuts at predetermined intervals is all a ruse to throw people off kilter. And yet I can’t buy into it completely. Cerie, Aras and Danielle have shown themselves to be shrewd competitors in their own way (could this possibly be the smartest bunch of individuals left at this stage in the game of Survivor ever?) I’m also reminded of a quote (to whom I am unable to attribute to, unfortunately) that ‘you are who people think you are’ and, so, whilst being a jerk is a strategy that can see you through to the final two (because you know that others know you would make an ideal candidate), you run the inherent risk of such behaviour becoming so obnoxious in the interim that people simply reach the end of their tether and want you gone regardless. No doubt I’m made it sound terribly convoluted but the gist of it is that one more outburst from Shane could finally prove the straw that breaks the camel’s back. True, it may not make much sense to jettison Shane now so close to the finish if the intention was to use him as an unpopular makeweight in the last two but this game has shown time and again how emotion gets the better of people when they can least afford it to. Especially, with respect to Shane, you’ve contemplated doing so almost since day one. Aras, Danielle and Courtney (though interestingly not Cerie to my recollection) have all expressed wanting him out. And since he’s already been released from his promise we’ve come to the point in the game where there are no longer tactical considerations to be had for keeping him if we take their dislike of him at face value. His downfall is inevitable. The real question is will Shane give himself enough rope to extend to the jury vote before the noose is tightened. VH edited because I forgot to properly acknowledge people's views in this thread   Top

Surviette 124 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 04-24-06, 02:32 PM (EST) 92. "RE: Episode #10" LAST EDITED ON 04-27-06 AT 11:22 AM (EST) VS must be having a hay day with the reward challenge questions and answers. The players were instructed to reveal the name they thought would come up the most, so we can't assume the revealed answers are correct. Cirie, for example, revealed the name "Shane" when asked "Who do you trust the least to watch your back". So, does SHE trust Shane, or not? We also, as Michel and VelcroHead note, can assume Aras has done everything he can to sabotage the outcome of the pecking order challenge. Have fun, VS. Something I just loved, was the look on Shane's face when he was the answer to " Who, mistakenly, thinks they are running this game?" He said something like "I don't perceive to think I am running this game." Then, later, in confessional he revels in the fact that he thinks he is running everything. The craziness factor is so intriguing. Shane pushes everyone's buttons, on purpose. Aras strategically messes with the outcome of the challenges. Courtney, being sensitive, flies off the handle, situating herself right where the others want her. It's pretty easy for others to fly UTR, when Shane and Courtney are openly dramatic. Also, the threat of the HII has created a smokescreen for some of the players. Aside from her earlier outburst, over the division of labour, Danielle has kept fairly quiet. She probably realizes there is enough drama and so she is smart enough to stay out of it. One of her EP1 comments was that the drama is "not needed". Keeping herself out of the drama (which is Cirie's policy as well) while others go at it, is smart play. Her name came up first, as the answer to "Who does the least?" and Shane argued with Cirie that taking Danielle instead of him was wrong. He also discusses her lack of work ethic with Aras later. Shane, maybe unwittingly, kept Danielle UTR by omitting her name when announcing the F4 to Terry. Aras, OTOH, seemingly, wittingly, protected her in the pecking order challenge. I am glad we were able to witness some of Aras's strategy. I especially enjoyed his midchallenge pep talk, with the two elders needling him from the sidelines. He clearly understands the danger of the pecking order challenge and he wasn't going to risk revealing anymore than necessary. He is, without a doubt, one of the craftiest players....ever. Regarding Shane. Although I can argue he is an ideal F2 foil, I can also see reasons why he is not. First, he openly admits he is not happy when Danielle gets the reward. He says it's wrong. Can such a statement translate to: I would never let her have the million dollars because she has done nothing to deserve it? Whereas, Shane has done everything he can think of to stay in the game. Most importantly, he has played a brilliant game. I wouldn't want to sit next to him at F2. I truly think he could win. Shane works hard, he messes with people's minds, he thinks through the numbers and he actually does know when to shut up. It was nice to see Cirie lead her pack to the challenge. Earlier in the game, she was in no position to lead. She delighted in witnessing the drama unfold. She is in a profession that requires some leadership skills. Nurses need to be team players, but they should also know when to take charge. Cirie is smart and charming, but, she has planted herself smack in the middle of the drama she was trying to avoid. Also, she might do well to control some of her giggling when it's at the expense of others. I think I'd be ticked with her. Poor Terry probably has no clue as to the true alliances. He is astute enough to realize Aras throws challenges. He also must know Aras is really trying to mess with his head. With Courtney at the bottom of the pecking order, Terry may be able to sway her, but Courtney's procrastination, along with the departure of Bruce, has ruined their chances. Terry certainly isn't receiving the positive edit he began with. Aras might be just as arrogant and cocky as Terry. We witnessed this of Aras when he told Melinda and Cirie that he hadn't yet decided which one would go. One of the things that has made Terry a good F2 candidate,though, is the silly HII. Does the jury consider possession of the HII part of outwit, outplay, outlast? Or, is it just luck......and is it good luck, or bad luck? ETA: Continuity, hopefully, and a shoutout to VelcroHead.   Top

rickyjoe 6 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "American Cancer Society Spokesperson" 04-24-06, 07:40 PM (EST) 93. "RE: Episode #10" Okay, maybe I am missing something, but I don't see an alliance between Aras and Danielle other than what has been said. I do watch all the shows, however, the last three I have been forced to watch while at my son's t-ball practice so it doesn't have my full attention. Maybe you could explain, or point me to the previous posts, that show this alliance. One other thing has really been giving me some trouble. Chillone's spoilers led me to believe the next to go is the girl with blonde highlights. I know that everyone, including me, thought that Courtney would be gone as "rasta girl" in the eposide before last, and that didn't happen. However, most of the show seems to be happening according to Chillone's spoilers. Danielle is the only girl left with highlights. Courtney's hair is blonde all over and Cerie's is most definitely black. What do you think of Danielle getting the votes this week? Just wondering. Thanks for listening.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-24-06, 08:32 PM (EST) 94. "RE: Episode #10" Hello Rickyjoe, welcome to the boards. We don't discuss source spoilers in this thread as it distracts from the story the editors present. Brownroach has a ChillOne thread which must contain your answers. As far as the Danielle-Aras connection, it is more about what hasn't been shown that counts than what they've said. She didn't complain about Aras taking her out of the challenge, she doesn't worry enough to use the retreat to talk strategy, she follows his suggestion to fill Terry's boat with coconuts. Aras didn't complain about being out of the loop for Bobby's boot. In fact he forced Shane to apologize when he went on his rampage. Some previous posts, especially by VelcroHead, have good insights into their connection.   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 04-25-06, 04:33 PM (EST) 96. "RE: Episode #10" LAST EDITED ON 04-25-06 AT 04:36 PM (EST) Also RJ, some perspective on why we may appear to be reading into something that most dont see being there... Very often what is not shown is far more important that what is shown. Two instances that I can think of off the top of my head in which editors did this to hide alliances, or rather the strength of them - Danni's entire gameplay was hidden from us last season, how she worked her way up was left mostly a mystery to us. Yet in the end, she got as far as she did, and won by the relationships and trust she formed in others - we were not shown this. Colby/Tina in the Outback. We were shown by necessity that the two of them and Keith had a pact - although we were given a lot of things to make us doubt its strength. In fact, ironically enough it was Colby's wavering loyalty that was shown. BUT - what we were not shown was that he and Tina made a pact from day one, and that no matter what they were aligned to each other. That pact won Tina the game - and lost it for Colby for that matter - his loyalty to her. As we all say here, alliances revealed never succeed. We have been shown almost every possible alliance - except Danielle and Aras - yet they are in the same group of aligned people, and they have never had issues with each other per se. Thus, among other reasons why we have all be speculating about this. Of course, this is all just speculation and we certainly could be wrong. Hope I helped. Oh, and welcome! Fresh viewpoints are always welcome!   Top

rickyjoe 6 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "American Cancer Society Spokesperson" 04-26-06, 12:35 PM (EST) 98. "RE: Episode #10" Thank you for the welcome and the explaination. I guess I haven't been watching as closely as I thought I was. I do hope that you are all wrong though. I have come to dislike her. She is not fun to watch at all. Everyone else is entertaining is some way, some alot more than others, but she is just there. If she does have an alliance with Aras to go to F2 then she is also not very smart. I think that she would have a hard time winning against Aras. I think the votes would come down like this: Aras Shane Bruce(I don't think he liked any of the girls) Terry(Out of respect and Aras didn't) Sally(because she said in an afterboot interview she didn't like Danielle) Danielle Courtney Austin Cirie I also think that Terry is getting bad press. He is cocky and arrogant, however Casaya didn't give him any other choice. They were rude and overbearing as soon as La Mina walked on the beach. I don't blame Casaya for sticking with their allinance and voteing off La Mina, I would have done the same thing, this is a game with a million dollar pay off. However, Casaya shoved it down their throats every chance they got. Terry has to be cocky, what else does he got. He could be nice, however, from his point of view no one is going to allign with him, they 're all gunnin' for him. He already felt them all out on their allinance and nobody waivered. I don't know where Terry will end up, but I am rooting for him and Cirie.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-26-06, 12:46 PM (EST) 99. "RE: Episode #10" Bruce(I don't think he liked any of the girls) From Survivor Live: Caller: Who was the person you trusted the most? I know you respected Terry. Bruce: I trusted Terry and I trusted Danielle the most. Those two. JM: Danielle, you guys seem like an unlikely pair to get really close. Was it a strategical move that turned into a friendship or the other way around? Bruce: No, I appreciated and respected her. I could... JM: She's had really nice things to say about you. Bruce: Did she? Oh. <smiles> I think sometimes she was treated a little bit unfairly. Portrayed unfairly. But she is a really neat, wonderful person. She has a great future in her life, tremendous. -------------------------- I wonder if that great future includes a million dollars. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

rickyjoe 6 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "American Cancer Society Spokesperson" 04-26-06, 01:35 PM (EST) 100. "RE: Episode #10" Thanks Brownroach. I had not seen or heard about that interview. So maybe Bruce is a toss up. If Courtney goes this week, I wonder who she will blame for that? If it's Danielle, she would still be in trouble to come out on top.   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-22-06, 08:54 PM (EST) 90. "Shane" I wanted to keep the ideas about Shane and his game in a separate post so they wouldn't get lost. I think that so far Shane is playing a brilliant game. He is playing pyschotic and explodes to keep people off balance. He is creating himself as the perfect F2 foil (he said that of Courtney, but honestly if he is smart enough to figure out that she would be a perfect F2 opponent, he must also figure he is making himself out to be the perfect F2 opponent of others), he is strong in challenges yet since Casaya has had the advantage, he has not had to show or remind others of that strength at all because of the Casaya numbers advantage. He reminds me alot of Greg Buis from season 1, Greg played down his strengths and acted nuts so that others wouldn't notice him. He wasn't UTR but he was never thought of as a threat, until the merge and then Richard realized what a threat and a player he really was, Richard cut him loose early because he sensed that about Greg. Shane with the blackberry will continue to show his tribe he is nuts. He uses his tirades to get into people's heads. He is manipulating them and they don't even realize it. Aras on several occaisions has had to talk Shane down from the ledge, and Shane realizes that this is how he controls Aras. Shane is an actor and a very good one at that. We have seen flashes of the pensive, thoughtful Shane. We have seen glimpses of a logical Shane and one who understands the game of survivor. All that being said, I do think his days are numbered. Cirie has got to realize that both Shane and Courtney would make perfect F2 opponents for anybody, so if she wants a spot at the F2 (she most likely realizes there is no way she would win that final IC) she needs to make her move now to get rid of both of them.   Top

fallingtogether 85 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Hollywood Squares Square" 04-25-06, 12:25 PM (EST) 95. "RE: Shane" While I would agree, to an extent, that Shane is playing a good game, I would disagree on a few of your points. I really think Aras has been controlling Casaya and always has been. Aras is the one that keeps everyone together. He has the brians and personality to know who to keep close alliances with - most notably Cirie and Shane. Therefore, I would disagree that Shane is controlling Aras. I really think it's the other way around. I really don't think Shane is acting, its just who he is. Also, I get the feeling that Shane trusts Aras the most out of the people left, and while he might not want to take Aras to the end, he has declared that he's sticking to the final three plan, with Courtney along to take to the finals. As we know, this wouldn't work out ...   Top

halfpintlemon 91 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Hollywood Squares Square" 04-26-06, 00:21 AM (EST) 97. "RE: Shane" I don't know that Aras is in control of Casaya... Right now Cirie is running this game. At the next TC, since Terry will have immunity, she basically decides who stays and who goes. I'm not sure if it's already been discussed, but it's pretty clear that the Casaya men and Casaya women (minus Cirie) both need Cirie's vote to have the plurality. If Danielle, Courtney, Aras, and Shane wanted to make the best move they would team up to vote Cirie out much like Heidi, Rob, Matt, and Jenna did to Christy in Survivor: Amazon. That way, they won't have to be as worried going into TC.   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-30-06, 11:50 PM (EST) 102. "RE: Shane" KO, I really like these insights on Shane. I think he is able to view his past actions in a detached way as a performance. He probably noticed early on, when he was in genuine detox, that he could effect people with his outbursts and, as you say, fly a bit UTR as a serious threat due to not seeming in control of his game. I think Shane, Aras, and Cirie each partially control the group in different aspects. Aras keeps the alliance together. He keeps people level. (now indulge me please for mentioning some astrology in passing because I have not had the energy to make an astrology post, but I do see the editing bringing out some astrological traits here.) Libras are known for a tendency to be fair rather than taking sides. It's easy to follow Aras and he has everyone in Casaya feeling like he likes them and is taking care of them. You don't see people running up to Aras to reassure themselves he's on their side. They think he is supportive and that translates into a bit of trust even though they know, intellectually, that Aras isn't playing for anyone to win but Aras. Cirie controls who gets voted out by dividing and conquering. She doesn't control the group. She plants thoughts with individuals. She has been successful at convincing people to take the road of their own self-interest, which happens to be Cirie's self-interest, since episode one. Why did Melinda get voted out instead of Cirie? In addition to this hidden connection she made with Aras, Cirie got to Bobby. Bobby was not voting Cirie, so of the two women who were supposedly equal targets, Cirie made new allies and Melinda didn't. Both Aras and Shane were ineffective when it came to the Bobby vote. Danielle may have pushed against Bobby but I bet it was Cirie that clinched everyone who voted against him and left Aras out of the voting loop. That had her MO all over it. At that point of the game, Cirie was still in danger as Bob Dawg was a performer for the team. Instead we got "Bruce or Bob?" Cirie is a Cancer woman. Cancer women do what they do (or seem to) for their children and family. Cancers do not get led easily. Cancers form a nexus of people around them who either leave them alone because they are hyper-sensitive or go to them for mothering and nurturing. Danielle and Courtney -- both Geminis. Geminis hate to make decisions. This is not because they don't have opinions. They just don't like to be locked into things by making a choice, which might be a bad choice. If a bad choice is going to happen they'd prefer someone else make it. They like options and the more they defer choosing one over or another the longer they keep options open. Both Courtney and Danielle have been shown weighing those options endlessly and not committing. For Courtney, her game ended. For Danielle, she's in a great position of having the strong men seek her out instead of vice versa. Not committing has worked out well for her. Shane controls the group in one way with his passion for whatever trip he is on at the moment. Sagittarian men are great drama-queens. (I speak as someone who has father, an ex- husband, and a son of the Sag persuasian.) You live around one of the dramatic types and you get wary of pushing the trigger so you go out of your way not to upset them. That's absolutely a way for Shane to manipulate people. Sag's always make you feel like they're caught up in their own drama; it doesn't feel fake. Then they get over it suddenly and don't want to admit there ever was any drama. It's over, not a subject of discussion. Shane seems like a complete wild card yet he keeps his word and has shown them (on purpose?) that he'll ask for his promise back rather than backstab. As noted, he plays the "loose cannon" card in a manipulative way. His allies are trained to come placate him, soothe him over. Aras and Cirie are planners. Just the idea that Shane might be ready to do god knows what and they make sure they communicate with him and presto, Shane is in the loop. Or was until the Courtney boot. With all Shane's power on that tribe, he's no match for the way Cirie manipulates voting interests, nor is Aras. Shane's problem now is that he made himself too perfect a goat and he's playing with a goat-slaughter. Cirie can't play the game of pick a goat and take em along, because Cirie can't get there on her own, someone must take her. But they think she's too nice even though she's devious. She has to get rid of all the more attractive F2 players. Sag's are generally honorable people who only break their word if they are convinced someone broke trust first. Shane doesn't backstab. That's a weakness in Shane, that he can be talked down when he gets paranoid, because he should be very paranoid right now. If you're Cirie right now, you probably can't count on anyone's promise, only on self-interest. Two people seem determined not to face off at the end if they can help it -- Aras and Terry. I think Cirie has to aim for Shane first and then Danielle so she can be in the only F3 where she has a shot at being taken to F2. And I believe Danielle wants the same thing for herself. Both of them would love to face the Casaya-loaded jury against Terry. It is interesting that Danielle, Aras, and Cirie have not made a statement of who they want to go against at F2. Shane has, Courtney has. Bad omen for Shane. Terry just wants two women. Bad omen for that happening. Going by what the editing's holding back -- F2 preferences -- I'd say Cirie, Aras, and Danielle have the best shot at actually ending up in front of the jury.   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 05-01-06, 04:03 AM (EST) 103. "Cirie" I agree with your comments, especially about Cirie. We were treated to her smooth way of avoiding the vote in episode 1 vs Tina. On one hand we had a provider that the tribe really needed and on the other hand a woman afraid of leaves and seemingly useless around camp, the leaves won out. Why? Because Cirie was masterful in the way she brought out what could be considered threats to the other women. Shane no doubt is Cirie's next target as she gets rid of anybody who would be perfect F2 opponent because like you said, she knows she can't get there on her own. Also of irony and editing was when Terry made the comment "as I was leaving all my wife said was bring me back the car". With such a non-lofty goal, that is what I believe he ends up with and not the million.   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 05-01-06, 03:36 PM (EST) 104. "RE: Cirie" Terry: Honey I'm home and I brought back a car like you asked! What, you wanted a million? Who knew? Seriously, good observation, whoever expresses a limited goal usually doesn't go all the way. "I just want to make the jury." -- OK, you got it. etc.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 04-29-06, 06:03 PM (EST) 101. "Episode #11" It seems I open things up again this week. Veruca, we miss you and it certainly isn't the same without you. I hope everything is well. Last week’s episode had revealed Cirie’s position in the game. This week, she took center stage. We now understand why Jeff had declared her one of his 5 all time favorites. It wasn’t just her personality and laughter. She knows how to play this game. We saw her frown when Jeff announced the reward would be an obstacle course. She knew that wouldn’t be for her. Aras needed to help her over an obstacle but she took a hard fall. Jeff pointed out during the challenge that she and her teammates were getting all tangled up and were in a mess. They were almost giving up and needed to get moving. The rest of the episode proved she didn’t need more prodding. As soon as Shane mentioned Danielle had to go, Cirie knew he wanted to take Courtney to the jury. She couldn’t let that happen. The perfect F2 foil is good if you think you are going to decide who accompanies you to the jury. In Cirie’s case, she realizes that Courtney was more dangerous than Terry. Not very often have players had such clear thoughts on the game. She had to get rid of her as fast as possible. Before getting to the serious business, Cirie gave us one of the funniest and most memorable scene ever. Her fishing expedition was hilarious. She “caught a fish” as she exclaimed in a shrill voice. It wouldn’t be her last catch. She was quick to realize something had developed between Terry, Courtney and Danielle and inquired about the conversation she had partially heard. She took Danielle’s explanations as proof of Courtney’s danger. She doesn’t trust Danielle’s strength and thinks she has been brainwashed by Terry and Courtney. Cirie knows that would mean F4 for her and F3 for Danielle despite Terry’s promise. She admonishes Danielle that she shouldn’t let him dictate the conditions and that if she believes him then a bridge in Brooklyn is for sale. She insists that Courtney needs to go. After the IC, which wasn’t for her either, Cirie quickly gets with Courtney to discuss strategy. It is important that she sells Courtney on the idea that the three girls and Terry are voting Aras. She also has to make sure Shane doesn’t know about the plan. They’ll deal with his wrath later. She lies to Shane about voting Danielle. The plan is set and the votes are going to be split in a dangerous combination to assure Courtney goes home and neither Shane nor Terry get his way. Aras and Danielle, it should be noted, share the danger. Cirie herself isn’t a target. Wasn’t that nicely set-up! A talk with Aras and Danielle is still necessary. They need to convince Danielle that it is the best for her. Cirie tells us Danielle gets nervous and can change opinion easily. Cirie hopes she can stay calm and follow the plan. It works to perfection. She says she’s a nurse, she acted like a surgeon! Cirie had been seen as a schemer after episode #1. It didn’t seem she would prove to be this strong! Can she manage to squeeze into the F2? Her ideal F3 match-up would probably be against Terry and Aras. After such a long battle, the winning warrior would eliminate his rival and bring the friendly Cirie who otherwise would be dismissed. Can she make it or does Aras have other plans, causing her fall in the game as he did in the challenge? Shane it would seem would be her next target. She can’t afford to have him win F4 immunity and stick with Aras. Danielle was the other player whose strategy was presented. Should she have said anything when Terry wanted to exile Aras? Simply proposing Shane’s name wouldn’t have revealed anything. If she knows Courtney has a crush on Shane then a protest would’ve been in vain. Was she brainwashed by Terry and Courtney? She seemed to be listening but never committed to anything. She even questioned Terry about her standing once they do reach F3, something she has never been shown to do with Aras! She told us “He wants Aras out for his sake. I like that idea but he will have to change his strategy because I’m not going to make it so easy for him to win.” Getting a promise from Terry was a nice move but it still wasn’t enough and she had to see how Courtney would react. The negative reaction was an indication it wouldn’t go smoothly. Danielle wound up in the middle of two groups. That position holds both power and danger. How often have we complained that players don’t know how to use their newfound power? Is Danielle dumb, as some scenes have suggested? Even during Shane’s craziness with the Blackberry at the start, she is the one shown not understanding and appearing to be lacking imagination. Courtney had found it cute. If that is what the editors want us to believe, it would mean she stumbled into the perfect solution to the problem of being in the middle. Coming clean with Cirie was the best thing to do. She was exposed to all the options and even if she was still in a vulnerable position, she got out of it stronger than ever. Cirie was the one that questioned her strength and loyalty. Aras was never shown to doubt Danielle. His future was on the line, why didn’t he need more reassurance? The connection between Aras and Danielle is still present. It may be weaker than other pacts we’ve seen in the past but then neither Aras nor Danielle is in control of the situation. Terry’s performance and the idol have to keep them alert. Aras had no chance to do much during the challenge. He helped Cirie as much as he could but the tangled ropes took them out of contention. His exile was proposed by Terry. Danielle didn’t argue, leaving it up to Terry and Courtney. The fire dancer had no compunction sending Aras in exile. Was it payback for the pecking order challenge? Probably that and their previous fights, especially the one concerning Austin’s boot. His stay at the island had nice visuals of him in yoga poses and sitting on the skull. He knew the idol wasn’t to be found: “The idol is hiding in Terry’s bag. That part of the game is out of my control. It makes my stay here pretty unecessary in terms of the positives.” His IC performance wasn’t very encouraging if he expects to beat Terry down the road. The groundwork for the boot had all been laid out for him by Cirie. He was happy that she had his back. Rarely has a leader had such a hard working follower! At TC he knows he is in some danger but he looks much more confident then when the idol could’ve been floating around! He reminds his tribe that he is arguably the best chance they’ve got to beat Terry. Shane had great reception with his blackberry. He could communicate with people not on the island. Too bad his ears weren’t working. He didn’t communicate with people on the island. The F4 he had told Terry had become his best option. As soon as he told Cirie, he lost the control he thought his acting skills had earned him. His job in the alliance was to propose the boot not impose it. It took him out of the loop. Besides encouraging Courtney during the IC, telling her to hold on and that Terry is dying and that she can beat him, his role was insignificant in this episode. His look at seeing a second vote going to Courtney was as priceless as the look he gave Cirie when she got back with the fish. It was Shane’s birthday, someone must’ve cancelled the party! Terry, in a repetition of numerous prior confessional, started by telling us “Bruce’s elimination is good because it saves me from an immunity challenge to win. I have to win some more, find an ally or two…” Nothing new there except it wasn't very nice for poor Bruce. He does have a nice victory hug from Danielle and Courtney after the team win. His reaction at winning the SUV was understandable, nothing to exacerbate his opponents’ feelings. While Danielle took time off from the feast to play with a soccer ball, Terry approached Courtney who didn’t hesitate this time. Both of them then broach the subject to Danielle. Terry is happy to see that she listens and considers the offer. At camp however, she comes back on the subject, asking him if Courtney is the one he’s bringing at F2. Terry lies to her, saying he hadn’t thought of it. A later confessional tells us he had indeed wanted to bring Courtney. Seeing she wasn’t going to settle for third, he appeases Danielle by telling her the top 2 finishers in final immunity would face the jury. He lets us know that he can live with that and it’s a good situation for him. His 4th IC wins which Jeff makes sure we don’t forget, means he is in a good position and Aras is a target. We never saw his reaction when Courtney received votes, only a quick look as she left. His expression didn’t give away anything but it must be frustrating to have your first ally in a long time being dismissed so rapidly. All his allies get voted out quickly. Is it the aviator flu? Courtney was happy to be on the winning team. She called it the “dream team, a pretty good F3.” She told us she had been thinking of joining Terry for a while since it would be a good shot at the million. Her emotional reaction when Danielle said the F2 would be decided by finishing first or second in the challenge so that no one gets carried to the jury may have cost her the game. She felt Danielle insulted her by implying she didn’t earn her chance at F2 and would need to be carried. That is the part of the conversation Cirie heard and she inquired about it. Would Danielle have gone to Cirie without being questioned? Good question! We didn’t get the answer. Courtney’s performance in the IC may have opened Danielle’s eyes to her strength, furthering her decision to stay with Aras. Courtney’s exit was much quieter than expected only saying “that was a shocker” and not showing bitterness in her final words. Next week it appears Shane sees his son. It would complete his story and since he is out of the loop, it's easy to see him in danger. The main question remaining is who wins the war between Terry and Aras? It seems that for all the battles so far, the F3 as to be where it is decided. Aras needs Cirie to keep watching his back and to count on Danielle. Either women would profit from that situation.   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 05-01-06, 03:38 PM (EST) 105. "RE: Episode #11" michel, I miss Veruca too! If anyone can fill her shoes with a good opening "novel" -- you're it! I always enjoy your posts and come away the wiser.   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 05-01-06, 03:42 PM (EST) 106. "RE: Episode #11" I want my VS now DADDY!! I'm still waiting for the post coconut chop post!! But I agree, michel is a god send!!   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 05-01-06, 08:38 PM (EST) 107. "RE: Episode #11" I want to echo the thoughts of OFG and emydi, michel, you rock! And I also want to say that VS is really missed, hope she's ok and perhaps just a bit too busy with good things on her plate! As for the show, if Cirie schmoozes over Shane next ep regarding voting out Courtney and keeping him out of the loop than she's either brilliant, or Shane truly is an idiot...definately he will come full circle with seeing his son and thus can go and get snuffed. I'm sure he'll be clueless. Regardless, Cirie sees this game for what it is by identifying Courtney as the one most likely to end up in the F2 and I am quite sure that she will peg Shane as the next one up for the exact same reason. As far as Aras is concerned, I think that he's cast some sort of spell over Cirie and Danielle....sounds as though he's made a pact with both of them so the following week should be quite interesting. At this point I think Aras just wants to last as he probably thinks he could stand a good chance of winning the game against any of the remaining DAWS there. Danielle seems really into playing this game to me, yet she does seem to be considering all options almost to the extent that she is able to waffle. So far however, I have noted no regrets, I'm wondering what her long range plan is, if I were her I'd probably choose at this point to get Terry to take her to the F2, she can't possibly think she'd beat Aras in the F2, could she? And I think that Cirie would be a pretty tough opponent as well. I wonder, as well who Cirie would like to end up with in the finals, at some point I think she would want to ditch Aras. Aras could be the only one she could not beat, but I really don't know if she realizes this. She has repeatedly noted how she didn't want to end up in 4th or 5th, and I wonder if this is indeed exactly where she will end up. If you are going to take the lead, as she has, you better have a clear cut path as to the next step in line... Great job, Michel!   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 05-03-06, 00:26 AM (EST) 108. "RE: Episode #11" good thoughts, Fp, I know we have a new thread but want to respond re Cirie and Aras. In a more perfect world Cirie would want to ditch Aras but here I don't believe she can without playing for 3rd place at best. If she ended up with Terry and Danielle at F3, neither of them will take Cirie. Cirie cannot win an endurance or balance challenge. Aras and Danielle, unlikely to take Cirie. Shane the new goat - well she's going to write him off as a possibility in order to keep the target off herself. Only if she ends up with Terry and Aras is there any possibility she gets to F2, because they are bent on knocking each other out. She knows Terry wants to face a woman at the end. Aras is not going to take Terry and give him what he wants. Danielle, well it might piss off Casaya but I think she would choose Terry and gamble the Casayas wont' vote for him. Cirie needs Aras. We have been shown that Aras thinks she has his back. Yes, it would be an ironic twist if she then knifed him in the back. But another way it can play out is if she is too focused on Aras' back to mind her own. I don't know what will do Cirie in, but I do think she's in trouble at F4, just as Lydia bit the dust there, as did Helen in S5. Kim J would have been gone there if she didn't win Fallen Comrades. It's a tough spot for the mom figure to get past. Her only hope, barring Terry or Aras getting knocked out at F4, is that Aras really does have her back, but this may be where Aras finally hits an ethical dilemma as forecast by Jeff, because Aras must know he has a better shot facing Danielle than Cirie.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 05-03-06, 10:25 AM (EST) 109. "RE: Episode #11" I wanted to add something about Cirie and Aras, too -- I agree she would have preferred not to have to keep him around but now she has no choice. When she voted for Sally she said "I hope you have the idol," so at that point she didn't care if Aras left. But she's had to reevaluate her own situation since then. Bridge for sale to highest bidder. Call 1-800-BRroach.   Top

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