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VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-11-06, 02:29 PM (EST) "The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" LAST EDITED ON 09-12-06 AT 02:40 PM (EST) I hope everyone has had a wonderful summer and hoping everyone is as excited as I am who enjoy the editing process of this quite often perplexing show! It goes without saying that this season has met with a controversial start although how controversial it will end up being remains to be seen. Quite often “forced” controversy meets dull results but only time will tell. I am still attempting to get everyone’s faces, names, tribe names familiar but the premise is quite clear. Mark Burnett and company obviously want to tweak their own social experiment with “race relations” in an attempt to broaden the Survivor contestant pool by including those that have never been overly represented before. My opinion on this premise is only one of time will tell. What I think will be most interesting is not how the different races will interact once together but how the four groups will initially feel amongst each other. Some groups may not bat an eyelash, others may not quite enjoy being solely with their own race and we know in our own lives that the same race but from different areas and gender may be the issue at hand, NOT race. I won’t be as detailed as I normally try to do prior to the first episode (although to some my post would not indicate that )but I would like to state that any thoughts or opinions that are expressed are solely based upon what typical thoughts may be about the breakdown of these tribes. I understand that some may have certain opinions in light of the subject matter and there may be comments that unwittingly offend people. This is not what this thread is about nor any intention of this thread and I do not want to go off course from the main point of this thread which is to determine the longevity of these players through editing However, it would be remiss to not include how the tribes are broken down and what that might mean for their future and some stereotypes that may be attached to it. We discussed nature of playing by elders over young, by women over men and so forth so this is just another way of viewing the tribes and what may happen because of this particular split. Again, I enjoy tremendously hearing everyone’s editing opinion and far be it from me to expect spoiler information to not come into this thread. Everyone over the seasons has been so respectful of my desire to keep this thread as “clean” as it possibly can. Again, if for any reason a spoiler should come my way, I will stay fully committed to what my editing thoughts deem first as that is the way I enjoy this show more than anything. However, everyone and anyone is expected to post in this thread (I demand it!) and if spoilers are brought into the speculation, I would only ask that perhaps they are not discussed as spoilers. Enough of my blathering ..... The Game Being Exiled We now have some knowledge based upon last season on the ramifications of the exiling factor. Again, the person being exiled may provide misdirection as to their longevity because they will HAVE to be featured. Again, as stated last season, it is up to objective viewing to discern if this player promotion is merely showing the situation at hand OR building upon a longer term player. I think we were able to see some differences (though some may have been subtle) of someone like Misty being exiled as opposed to Terry. Initial Tribe Formation Briefly, we also saw last season that although the formation of the four tribes was not lengthy, quick alliances are made for future security. Human nature dictates that in a scramble for survival, we will again probably see promises made or agreements reached and so forth. Watching these early alliances and how they are edited should provide some insight on the longevity of some of these players. One also can’t fly under the radar in tribes this small so the need to form that quick bond will no doubt happen. However, viewing the individual personalities in their respective tribes may also help us decide who may stick together after the tribes are reformed and who will gravitate to towards their newly joined members. The Players Aside from race breakdown, the construction of the tribes at first is a fascinating breakdown for those of us who try to analyze how age and gender behave. Again, we've seen how older/younger, male/female personalities work on this show and being insulated among their "own" (so to speak) is always interesting to watch. In the Amazon with males and females segregated, the men immediately congratulated themselves on the advantage (which did not bode as well as they thought) and the women were intent on making sure they gave the men a "run for their money" In those tribes, there were breakdowns as well. The women (for the most part) gravitated towards those who were more like them since there were greater numbers and this occurred (for the most part) with the men as well. Though there were a few (Deena, Dave for example) who did not "stick" with their age group, for the most part there was a separation of age amongst the separation of gender. In light of this, it bears repeating that the race issue may not be as integral as the gender or age issue Pre Show Statements Sometimes what Jeff does say about a contestant pre-show is telling and sometimes it is misleading. Since I do this every season, these are the comments about past winners, which I like to note just to help encompass how Jeff discusses the characters. "I'm not sure what he's (Aras) bringing. He's bringing a lot of talk. Does he know how to play Survivor? We'll find out. That's all I've got on Aras. " "Danni is someone that I think people are probably going to get behind. She's in great shape. She's tall and she's got a competition background" "Tom is salt-of-the-earth guy. A father. A firefighter. There's no chance of this guy being a villain. You hope he lasts long enough in the game to be a hero. If he does last for a while, he's the kind of guy who could win it, because people are going to look at him and say, You know what, why not him? Everything about him is good." "If Chris is everything he reports to be, he'll do just fine in the game, that's the question. Is he putting on a really this strong "I'll tackle anything bring it on, you can't beat me kind of guy? I don't know. I think he's one of the guys that could either emerge as really strong or fade fast" Also, a guy you know will play the game like Mariano; super exciting to us....." (Recall this is coming off from All Stars) African American Tribe/Manihik Three women, two men could already establish a potential inner alliance of men vs. women. Will these women want to give up a potential majority by allowing one of their women to leave? Or, will one or two of the women feel that the necessity of a man outweighs the gender? This may be the issue at hand over any racial workings. Sekou (45) The oldest is his tribe (although not blatantly older) and a profession in the arts. Being the eldest and a male, he may initially be viewed as a leader PROVIDED that leadership quirk doesn’t fall by the wayside where he is deemed too overbearing. “I'm going to use all of my survival and experience skills...growing up in the city...I've been in some bad neighborhoods, dude.” Jeff “I think on Sekou’s tribe initially he’ll probably be one of the leaders, mainly because of age/experience” (I generally tend to agree with this assessment at this point, HOWEVER, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is positive. I would suggest IF the women do stick together, he will be their casualty) Stephannie (36) The next oldest and a nursing student. Could Stephannie be someone who may attempt to keep the women together, boot one of the men but end up falling by the wayside or lead the coup and get her wish? ”I believe we all feel the pressure to “represent” and that just means...it’s just being able to represents us, our people in the African American culture to do well in this event” and ”....sometimes you have to go through a little bull to receive the promise on the end. ....on this show, I’m gonna be successful. I’m the type of person that is very laid back. Very aggressive in terms of .... when I want something I go for it. Very determined, very strong willed. Loves to laugh and smile and have a good time but when it’s time to get down to business, my head is down. I don’t like to goof around a lot. My mother didn’t raise a fool...” (I’ll be interested to see whether the laid back person or the aggressive/strong willed person take center stage. I have a suspicion the strong willed lady will make the showing) Jeff “Stephannie’s been through a lot of military training; she’s getting her second college degree...she’s very... she really applies herself” (I do not have a wonderful feeling on her, at the outset she sounds like she may possibly be a little too strong minded in a small tribe and may be perceived as overbearing. Unfortunately, we all know that a strong woman tends to not be looked upon as favorably as a strong male. In light of the gender makeup though, she may have bought herself some time if the three women decide that sticking together is better for them) Rebecca (34) Another professional in the arts (perhaps a bonding tool amongst all these artistic types?) “It’s hard enough out here to just survive.... and to have to bring the race issue into it makes it just that much harder.” and “This is the most racially diverse group.... balance of people here, there’s not just a token Asian, token Black... balanced number” and “I do makeup for another Survivor... My strategy is to play it as cool as I possibly can, to figure out who I can trust early on and who that person is to align with because basically it’s .... at the end of the day it doesn’t boil down to who’s the most physical .... it is who you can trust, who’s not gonna vote you off, that’s gonna keep their word come the end of the day.” (Certainly knows the ideals behind the show, I tend to think someone who has had to work for celebrities would have a thicker skin and handle demanding people or am I stereotyping those in entertainment) Jeff “A woman who can hold her own is something you need out here” (General commentary, no indication of anything significant or not significant) Sundra (31) Yet another in the arts profession. “I’m bringing just myself; complete mix.... a little bit Hip Hop, little bit rock, little bit heavy metal.... I’d bring my different personalities and mix with other people. ....thing like this you have to take it day by day; can’t just go with your master plan. Have to conform to what the situation is. Right off the bat I’m gonna have to concentrate on just keeping... holding my tongue, keeping certain opinions to myself as hard as it may be..... “I saw no commentary by Jeff on Sundra; perhaps someone else did? (Those who say they need to hold their tongue usually can’t but I would suggest that if any women stands out it may be Stephannie so I don’t think Sundra should have any problems) Nathan (26) Finally our youngest member who combines music and sales as a profession. “You know I see a clash of like different walks of life.... from city to urban, from this to that to that. You know there’s going to be some definite exciting moments” and “I'll make my moves when I need to make my moves. But I'm not going to come off the bat ranting and raving like some dude.” Jeff “....just has a way about him that’s extremely likeable. I would hate to see him leave early” (Somewhat odd statement but with Jeff nothing is ever too odd. I would suggest that Nathan would not be someone who leaves at the onset. As the youngest male, physically he is probably too valuable. With only one other male, these two may attempt to keep their numbers from dwindling and if Jeff’s accounts of his likeability are true, I see no reason to believe that the women will be annoyed by him) Asian American Tribe/Puka Puka Tibe A tribe of three men and two women would suggest the men possibly alleviating themselves of a woman first. However, I’m not sure I would see this happen. First of all, women tend to have that mind set (more than men) because women generally are suspicious that they will get overtaken whereas the male mind set somewhat tends to believe they could get rid of the women anytime they want. Also, men and women need each other but I would suggest men need women in this setting just a little bit more. Call it the need for a “woman’s touch” or you may even call me stereotyping Cao Boi Bui (42) A nail salon manager and the eldest from his tribe. Obviously not a very physically imposing character may be a detriment along with being the eldest. However, (and again, this is only a social observance of this culture) elders in this culture are looked upon with the utmost of respect which may bode well for him but as with any contestant, if the demeanor does not mesh well, respect may go out the window. “You take a look at me with tattoos and long hair. The Vietnamese people automatically, look at him, he’s a cowboy; wild man” and “ I live by my honor. What I say goes; no exception” and “You know, I’m just a skinny little guy and we’ll see, yeah, there’ll be people who...personality... they won’t like me. The insecure people would not like me.... I’ll take you along and I won’t... I won’t stab ya. Biggest lessons I’ve learned in my personal life, perseverance and tolerance...” (In Survivor, THAT attitude is not served well especially when you are the oldest and not necessarily physically helpful. He seems entirely aware of his personality issues but that doesn’t mean he can prevent them from coming out. It’s all well and good that he won’t “stab ya” but if we can’t “tolerate ya” then it doesn’t mean anything) Jeff: “The only thing about Cao is, he’s a lot. He just kind of invades your space a little. He wants to tell you something. If I had to guess, would be gone early” (Not necessarily as we know by commentary but suggestive enough that if this tribe should lose, he would be a top candidate to leave. Should he be around long enough to mix with the other tribes, he may still have a problem) Jenny (36) The oldest woman but not nearly old enough to cause that to be of issue I would suspect. “I think being a realtor is gonna be a great advantage because I can assess people/personalities right off the bat. There’s a lot at stake for me. I’m out here for nearly 40 days away from husband.... my 11 year old son. Having a family was.... I sacrifice a lot and a lot of thing I do are for my family.... great opportunity to finally do something for myself and find meaning beyond my family. This will give me the opportunity to get me a better understanding of who I am” and “If I win, I think back home (Filipino community) they’ll be real proud of me. I hope I make them proud” (It will be interesting to see if her goal is the journey or the prize; those who come to this game more to gain something I tend to not give an edge to) Jeff “I would expect Jenny to be around for a long time and I would think that if she got in trouble she would fight to stay in the game” (Again, Jeff’s commentary is not necessarily indicative of anything however Jenny does give off the sense of someone we may get to know long enough to see her arrive at her journey quest) Yul (31) Yul may be the gentleman here who keeps this tribe relatively harmonious. He sits nicely in the middle age wise, should interact nicely with the men and women and may be the person who helps to keep our eldest male “in check.” “Growing up as a minority has been a huge motivating force. When I was a child I didn’t see a lot of people who looked like me; I’d like to move beyond that, I’d like to change middle America’s perception....” and “I might be too nice. I generally like working with people and being collaborative. I have a very strong sense that people.... that good people should do well. I hate to see the good guy finish last and I think for me that might complicate my game. Because I have to be strategic....” (A little remniscient of Aras’ conflict in attempting to be the one to do right but ultimately had to adapt to what this game entails. Yul will have to allow that part of him to stand to the side to a degree as we know this game does not always result in the good people winning out) Jeff “Yul could absolutely win this game; I’d be delighted if he did; a super likeable guy” and“Yul is a player. You underestimate Yul, you'll be going home before he will... He studied the show. As somebody who wants to play this game and have a shot at winning he's studied the show” (Red herring or straight forward? Time will tell with the editing and the purpose of this season’s story. What a nice ending would it not be to show the super likeable person who wants the good people winning out in a story that Mr. Burnett created to showcase potential racial divide?) Becky (29) An attorney and someone who I sense may be a woman who will not like a man who attempts to call the shots which may pave the way for some trouble with her and our eldest male on her tribe. “I’m a first child so I’m pretty... I’m a perfectionist, typical personality A.....I love that I got a temper....” I did not see any commentary by Jeff; someone may provide me with it if I missed it (Again, I see there may be some tension with Becky and whoever attempts to strong arm her; however in this small tribe for now, I would suspect that the eldest man would be the one to leave this argument first with the little information presented) Brad (29) Fashion Director. “Dealing with designers.... it’s gonna be very similar to a lot of the contestants on the island. I get along with people, get along with everyone. Honestly I really don’t have a bone to pick with anyone; roll with the punches and just a happy guy.....” (While I did not see anything definitive, is there a presumption that Brad is gay? Before anyone gets critical, with the tribe comprising of the two women and three men, this does mean something. Gay men relate very well to women and visa versa which would tend to bode better for the women being only two out of five. Also, gay men on this show do relatively okay for themselves as men do not feel the need to clash over egos and women do not feel like they are being overruled) If there is commentary about Brad by Jeff, I did not see it Hispanic American/Aitutaki Tribe Three men, two women and again we must take that into consideration with the men outnumbering the women but like my earlier opinion, we may see a male go by the wayside before a woman for reasons already discussed. Again this all matters if these tribes are with each other long enough that it would even make a difference. Bill (36) The oldest in this bunch but again not by anything to cause an age disturbance but visually does certainly set off bells that he may be a wild one . “I’m a dream chaser so I can’t help but chase dreams. So if I can do that, then that just inspired me to do more.... I’ve been a fan of the show since the first season. What took me so long, I dunno. I’m like....gonna be so under estimated. They see the guy with the spare tire.... and that I fit in with the average Joes and average Joes tend to like to gang up on all the gym rats; so that’s perfect cause they’ll never see it coming that I have championship experience...so those average Joes are not gonna see me coming” and “'ll just play human chess with these guys. Once that king goes down, it's checkmate.” (Bill typifies character thus far so however long we have him, we probably will have him highlighted. He will probably either be a lot of fun to have around or become overbearing but this remains to be seen) Jeff “....seems extremely likeable. It’d be hard to vote him out, especially early. I think he’ll be around for a while” (Another big lug of a guy a la Rupert, always possible) Cristina (35) and a police officer. This should be interesting in terms of what we see with regards to “tough cop” and whether it is beneficial or detrimental. “I was shot in my arm. I fractured both my humerus and my radius. When they fixed it and put plates and pins in they said I might not be able to get my hand back or open my hand. I decided in my mind that's not the way it's going to happen. Within a year and half I came back to work full time.” and “You get to learn a lot as an officer of people who lie to you and people who are giving you just a bunch of baloney...” and “To me the best way of handing everything is being the woman, being friendly, being caring.... at the same time, using some of the tools as a Police Officer.....” (Sound like Cristina may have found a right mix between woman and police officer) Jeff “Cristina to me seems like she has a real shot at winning this game” (Again, we take these comments with a grain of salt and only through the editing will we see what kind of story she produces but a strong female who doesn’t offend those who have issue with strong women can have a nice run on this show) J.P. (30) A professional athlete can always help certainly and facing facts unless those who are physically an asset do something horrific, they will not be the first out of their tribe. “I’m proud to be Hispanic; it gives me character and it’s helped me with my upbringing” and “I think my coaching experience is gonna help me because the leadership role and managing a team, learning how to interact with different personalities and trying to make everything work...” I did not see commentary by Jeff (He certainly sounds like an amiable guy and would probably do well come time for the integration of the tribes; truly for the young athletic men it’s all about the attitude. If he comes off like the guys that Bill shuns, problems with arise or J.P. could be those young, athletic men who is very enjoyable and helpful to have around) Cecilia (29) The “other” woman on this tribe. Again, if the three men get along well, the women will have to be concerned. “I think I definitely have the good to play this game. I’m strong and the mental part of it, that doesn’t phase me one bit. I would describe myself as a very intelligent, ambitious, strong willed person; almost stubborn in some cases.....” and “I feel like I'm going to be okay. It's just a matter of not sitting around. Hopefully we have a team that is going to do that and not sit around and wait for manna to fall from the sky” Jeff “Cecilia has no chance of winning this game, that’s what I think....but I think she’s gonna be an asset because of her attitude” (I’m not entirely sure how her attitude would be an asset with his contention she has no chance of winning unless her bravado nature serves her well in being tough out there; his words are a bit of an anomaly which tends to make me think while she is there she will give it all it is worth but I tend to lean more towards the first part of his statement for now based upon her own description of herself) Ozzy (24) Our youngest member of this tribe with that aura of the laid back California attitude “You just have so many different skills that will let me really outshine everybody if I need to; I spent my whole life running around.... doing the kind of things the Survivors do; I just have a lot of different skills” Jeff “Ozzy is another guy I actually think could win this game” (Statistically speaking, contestants like Ozzy tend to do rather well. With this original tribe makeup, he doesn’t appear to be in any initial danger) Caucasian American/Raratonga Tribe Three women and two men, again, do we have the women deciding en masse to not allow the men to drive them out or will one or more of the women decide the best route is to keep Jonathan and Adam. Certainly it is beneficial to keep the men in light of physical capabilities but in the same token, if the tribes believe they will be shortlived as four tribes, the women may take that risk. Jonathan (44) An actor who I have even had occasion to recognize and the oldest of his tribe among three women and two men. Will he be a victim of being in the minority gender and the oldest or will he be viewed as the leader and a necessity to the group. As always, much depends on the attitude of his tribe mates and his attitude. “I thought it was very gutsy; going to be very interesting but I think it’s potentially, you know, dangerous” and “I came to sports/athleticism much later in life; I was never a jock as a kid and so people don’t quite know what to make of me. I’m very loud, I can be obnoxious, I’m told. I don’t think I am but I don’t know, you tell me” and “Some of these guys are obviously like super workout psychos with muscles on the muscles. And if you have nothing but muscle on you then that's all you can lose is muscle. And it's going to be more debilitating to them than to a fat old guy like me.” (I sense another character in the making and one that better mind his store or else he will be an early casualty but will most certainly be highlighted while there) Jeff “Jonathan Penner is one of my favorites. Not necessarily likeable but I hope he lasts awhile. I think he'll create some good stories.” (I have no doubt he will) Jessica (27) “I would consider myself to be a vivacious, charismatic, kinda like outgoing, creative person that’s always looking for a new experience. I’m gonna do my best to be myself and then I’ve got like a few little mischievous things that I’m gonna keep a secret” (No doubt the references to Courtney were probably discussed by many on this board and I have a hard time not seeing a little “flame throwing” between her and Jonathan but that is just a hunch ) Jeff “If she can get some momentum she'll probably be around for awhile. But can't win the game.” (Well I probably wouldn’t have pegged her to win the game either but so nice of Jeff to inform us of this ) Adam (28) At times on many Survivors, the young men out there tend to blend into one another; my first glance at Adam was one of that I couldn’t tell him apart from many of the men cast in prior Survivors. I’m not sure if that is good or bad! “We are not winning this for the White race; that’s not our mentality in this. You know, maybe some of the other tribes are thinking that..... I like our team and I wanna win for our team and our tribe” and “It’s not my personality to stay under the radar; I’m pretty outspoken....so I gotta try to hold that back somewhat even though I know it won’t happen. But my main goal is to actually keep the communication open with all the contestants.... my motto, I don’t know if it’s really a motto but kinda be buddy buddy with everybody..” (Adam may survive his own little tribe but there is something a little sharp in his bite that may end up causing a rift with perhaps others when they are integrated. He will also either get along famously with Jonathan or there will be an ego clash between these two perhaps) Jeff “Adam...not gonna win this game. He’ll probably wanna punch me for saying that. It plays on another level that he may just not be into or may not have the skills yet, but it’s a dicey social game” (I tend to generally agree with this assessment at this time) Candice (23) A pre-med student and the youngest along with Parvati. Out of the three women on this tribe, probably appears to be one that will do fairly well integrating with both the women and the men, maybe. “I hope they think I’m a nice sweet Southern girl and ya know, I’ll take em to the bank” and “I've played sports. I love to work out. I've got outdoors experience. My parents used to always tell me when I was little, "Candice, you have to learn how to let somebody else win sometimes." Because I always wanted to be first place. I think that pisses people off sometimes.” Jeff “If I were picking people who have a shot at winning, Candice would be on that list” (Again, we take these comments as grains of salt; frankly Jeff has certainly given quite a bit of kudos to a number of people this season that it is somewhat surprising) Parvati (23) “There’s a way to connect with everyone and I’m good at it” and “I've done martial arts ever since I was little. I just like to try new things. I thought, boxing sounds fun. Then I just got involved in like training for competitive matches.” At this time, I did not see any commentary by Jeff (At this initial juncture, I really have no perception on Parvati other than she could boast that sweetheart image we come to expect on this show with an upbeat attitude) On this note (and a very long one as usual) I am excited to get started again. Since everyone usually gets a head start on me, I have no doubt I will hear your wonderful assessments in all the sleuthing and reading everyone has done and naturally your personal favorites. Looking forward to yet another great season! Edited to add Jeff's further commentary on Yul   Top

Subject     Author     Message Date     ID    RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Brownroach 09-11-06 1    RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Capn2patch 09-12-06 11  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... KObrien_fan 09-11-06 2  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Pretty_Kitty 09-11-06 3  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... michel 09-11-06 4    RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Brownroach 09-12-06 7  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... RudyRules 09-11-06 5  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... dreamerbeliever 09-11-06 6    RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... VerucaSalt 09-12-06 8        RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Flowerpower 09-12-06 9            RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Chez 09-14-06 17        RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... KObrien_fan 09-12-06 10            RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... geg6 09-14-06 12                RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Brownroach 09-14-06 13                    RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... geg6 09-14-06 15        RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Brownroach 09-14-06 14            RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... geg6 09-14-06 16  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Velcrohead 09-14-06 18    RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... VerucaSalt 09-14-06 19        RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... geg6 09-14-06 20            RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Velcrohead 09-14-06 21  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Outfrontgirl 09-14-06 22  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... PepeLePew13 09-15-06 23    RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Corvis 09-15-06 25        RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Georgianna 09-16-06 30  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Brownroach 09-15-06 24    RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... emydi 09-15-06 27  Episode 1- The music and some quote... KObrien_fan 09-15-06 26    RE: Episode 1- The music and some q... PepeLePew13 09-15-06 28        RE: Episode 1 Thoughts VerucaSalt 09-15-06 29            RE: Episode 1 Thoughts Quest 09-16-06 31            RE: Episode 1 Thoughts michel 09-16-06 32                RE: Episode 1 Thoughts Outfrontgirl 09-16-06 33  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... Velcrohead 09-16-06 34  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... KObrien_fan 09-16-06 35  Ep 1 comments emydi 09-16-06 36    RE: Ep 1 comments KObrien_fan 09-16-06 37    Visuals michel 09-17-06 38        RE: Visuals KObrien_fan 09-17-06 39            RE: Post 1 Editing VerucaSalt 09-17-06 40                RE: Post 1 Editing Brownroach 09-18-06 42                    RE: Post 1 Editing emydi 09-18-06 43        RE: Visuals emydi 09-17-06 41            RE: Visuals VerucaSalt 09-18-06 44                RE: Visuals Brownroach 09-18-06 45                    Episode One VerucaSalt 09-18-06 46  RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... architecturegirl 09-19-06 47    RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... VerucaSalt 09-19-06 48        RE: The Players, The Game, The Edit... forehead 09-19-06 49            Just an aside... Brownroach 09-19-06 50                RE: Just an aside... emydi 09-19-06 51                    RE: Just an aside... VerucaSalt 09-20-06 52                        RE: Just an aside... forehead 09-20-06 53                            RE: Just an aside... architecturegirl 09-20-06 54                                RE: Just an aside... VerucaSalt 09-20-06 55                                    RE: Episode 2 thoughts VerucaSalt 09-22-06 56                                        RE: Episode 2 thoughts Brownroach 09-22-06 57                                        RE: Episode 2 thoughts architecturegirl 09-22-06 58                                            RE: Episode 2 thoughts Outfrontgirl 09-22-06 59                                                RE: Episode 2 thoughts Brownroach 09-23-06 62                                        RE: Episode 2 thoughts Outfrontgirl 09-22-06 60                                            RE: Episode 2 thoughts Flowerpower 09-23-06 61                                                RE: Episode 2 thoughts Brownroach 09-23-06 63                                                RE: Episode 2 thoughts michel 09-23-06 64                                                    RE: Episode 2 thoughts mavs_fan 09-23-06 65                                                        RE: Episode 2 thoughts Velcrohead 09-24-06 69  The music editing of Episode 2 KObrien_fan 09-23-06 66    RE: The music editing of Episode 2 emydi 09-23-06 67  Ep2--White Birds, Hermit Crabs and ... emydi 09-23-06 68    RE: Ep2--White Birds, Hermit Crabs ... VerucaSalt 09-24-06 70        RE: Ep2--White Birds, Hermit Crabs ... Brownroach 09-25-06 71            RE: Ep2--White Birds, Hermit Crabs ... VerucaSalt 09-26-06 72                RE: Ep. 3 Thoughts VerucaSalt 09-30-06 75  Episode 3 Thoughts Velcrohead 09-30-06 73    Episode 3 Thoughts michel 09-30-06 74        Episode 3 Thoughts--Flicka I am yo... emydi 09-30-06 76            RE: Episode 3 Thoughts Velcrohead 10-01-06 78  Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bird ch... emydi 10-01-06 77    RE: Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bir... VerucaSalt 10-02-06 79        RE: Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bir... michel 10-02-06 80            RE: Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bir... emydi 10-02-06 81            RE: Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bir... VerucaSalt 10-03-06 83    RE: Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bir... architecturegirl 10-02-06 82  Episode 3 music and end game predic... KObrien_fan 10-03-06 84    RE: Episode 3 music and end game pr... phatl 10-03-06 85  Episode 3 Analysis - sorry so late architecturegirl 10-05-06 86    RE: Episode 3 Analysis - sorry so l... forehead 10-05-06 87        RE: Episode 3 Analysis - sorry so l... architecturegirl 10-05-06 88            RE: Episode 3 Analysis - sorry so l... Brownroach 10-05-06 89                RE: Episode 3 Analysis - sorry so l... architecturegirl 10-05-06 90  EP 4--Just what do little oobies ta... emydi 10-08-06 91    RE: EP 4--Just what do little oobie... Flowerpower 10-08-06 92        RE: EP 4-- Teamwork michel 10-08-06 93  Episode 4 Thoughts Velcrohead 10-08-06 94    RE: Episode 4 Thoughts michel 10-08-06 95        RE: Episode 4 Thoughts VerucaSalt 10-09-06 96            RE: Episode 4 Thoughts michel 10-09-06 97            RE: Episode 4 Thoughts Flowerpower 10-09-06 98            RE: Episode 4 Thoughts Flowerpower 10-11-06 99            RE: Episode 4 Thoughts architecturegirl 10-12-06 100                RE: Episode 4 Thoughts VerucaSalt 10-12-06 101                    RE: Episode 5 Thoughts VerucaSalt 10-13-06 102                        EP 5 EEK!! The Centipede is BACK!! emydi 10-14-06 103                            RE: EP 5 EEK!! The Centipede is BAC... Outfrontgirl 10-21-06 109                        RE: Episode 5 Thoughts VolcanicGlass 10-14-06 104                            RE: Episode 5 Thoughts Flowerpower 10-14-06 105                        RE: Episode 5 Thoughts michel 10-14-06 106                            RE: Episode 5 Thoughts VerucaSalt 10-16-06 107                                RE: Episode 6 Thoughts VerucaSalt 10-20-06 108                                    RE: Episode 6 Thoughts michel 10-21-06 110                                        RE: Episode 6 Thoughts VerucaSalt 10-22-06 111                                        RE: Episode 6 Thoughts mimo 10-23-06 112                                            RE: Episode 6 Thoughts forehead 10-23-06 113                                                RE: Episode 6 Thoughts Flowerpower 10-24-06 114  Ep 6 the animals emydi 10-24-06 115    RE: Ep 6 the animals Flowerpower 10-25-06 116    RE: Ep 6 the animals architecturegirl 10-25-06 117        RE: Ep 6 the animals VerucaSalt 10-25-06 118            RE: Ep 6 the animals Flowerpower 10-25-06 119                Ozzy's insider gems forehead 10-25-06 120                    RE: Ozzy's insider gems architecturegirl 10-25-06 121                        RE: Ozzy's insider gems tikigirlie 10-26-06 122                            RE: Ozzy's insider gems architecturegirl 10-26-06 123  How about some recap? michel 10-28-06 124

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Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-11-06, 03:10 PM (EST) 1. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" LAST EDITED ON 09-11-06 AT 03:27 PM (EST) I'm so excited to see you here, VS, that I'm just posting to say WOO HOO! GLAD YOU ARE BACK! before I even take the time to read your post. ETA: Okay, now I've read it. Excellent pre-show insights, as usual, VS. As far as the contestants that are lacking comments from Jeff -- you are right, he didn't say anything about Brad, Parvati, Sundra, Becky or J.P. in that interview. Also, re Brad being gay: True Dork Times had received a spoiler that Brad would be a contestant, in which that was stated: August 1, 2006: An anonymous tipster tells the True Dork Times about a potential contestant: Brad Virata - late 20s, gay, athletic and Filipino-American. Also alleges Brad was picked out by Mark Burnett himself, while Burnett was at a restaurant. Works for Lucky Brand jeans. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

Capn2patch 2785 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Howard Stern Show Guest" 09-12-06, 02:40 PM (EST) 11. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" gay, athletic ... picked out by Mark Burnett himself Offers an entirely new perspective on the acronym EPMB.   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-11-06, 03:58 PM (EST) 2. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" LAST EDITED ON 09-13-06 AT 08:09 AM (EST) Good to see you VS! This is going to be yet another interesting social experiment. As you stated before VS, we have seen the tribes divided by gender, by age, by pick em, and by random. How was their game play any different? We saw what happened in the Amazon when for the first time tribes were divided by gender. Girls whose game stratgey going in was flirtation, suddenly had to change their strategy. Men who going in were looking to charm the girls, also had to rethink what they needed to do. Also, the girls wanted to have a girl win the money to prove that women can do it. Now that every member of each tribe will be of the same race, will this actually give some of them a disadvantage? Heck yeah it will- depends on their game strategy, but they too will have to adapt or be voted off. The bottom line is that each and every person is different and can stick out or blend in depending on how well they play the social game. Survivor has already proven that there isn't just one recipe, one mould for a winner. Each season the strategy changes based on what everyone else brings to the table. Those that strike me as adaptable types off the bat: Ozzy, Yul, Candice, Cristina, Jonathan, and Jenny. Those that strike me as there with an agenda (not likely to adapt): Adam, Steffanie (I mistook her for Rebecca), Becky, Jessica, and Sundra   Top

Pretty_Kitty 536 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 09-11-06, 04:04 PM (EST) 3. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" YAY Yipeee Woo Hoo!!! Veruca's back which means the seasons ready to begin. I mostly lurk on the spoiler boards but I absolutley love what you all do here. Im very excited!! Pretty "Hispanic" Kitty   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-11-06, 07:40 PM (EST) 4. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" LAST EDITED ON 09-11-06 AT 07:44 PM (EST) Hello VS! So nice to read your post again. I hope you had a nice summer. Now the season can start and the story to tell this year could be very interesting. They certainly will have to thread carefully. I agree that the tribe division may not mean much at first since they most likely will be switched early on. Since 10 isn’t divisible by 4, I’m worried about the end and I hope the pagonging doesn’t go directly down racial lines. I feel it would be the proof that the social experiment failed. Your assessment of the players is very interesting. I’ll add: Yul is impressive and his experience in political circles could be very helpful. I didn’t see this quote from Jeff in your analysis so it may have come from another interview: “Yul is a player. You underestimate Yul, you'll be going home before he will... He studied the show. As somebody who wants to play this game and have a shot at winning he's studied the show” Jeff was also very high on Christina. When a journalist pointed out she had a Hollywood connection having consulted on police shows, Jeff was quick to defend her and say she was a real cop from a police family. Sekou is a jazz bassmen and one thing that jazzmen learn that can be very useful in a social game, is to listen to the others in the group. Applying that skill could be very profitable. I wouldn’t be surprised if Jonathan is a pre-merge narrator. Becky seems very intelligent and pointed out that even if a tribe were to go all the way to the end, you still need the others’ votes to win so leading a racially based elimination isn’t a smart plan. Some contestants seem to have been selected because they could fit in the mold of previous contestants. You pointed to the Jessica/Courtney similarities, both being fire dancers. This dancer was also into roller-derby, so she is even more rock n’ roll than her predecessor. Then, Billy lives in New-York and has worked the door of a bar. That, and his heavy metal background make him sound more tough than Judd, but he seems more amiable. I don’t know what to make of him. Stephannie is studying to be a nurse and is from South Carolina. The similarities with Cirie stop there when we learn she served in the army. I don’t expect the same giggles! I don’t think any of them will go as far as their counterpart did. Jeff also mentions that many of the recruited survivors hadn’t seen the show before. I hope no one gets the notion that the alphabet strategy is a brilliant move! Adam, JP, Ozzy and Candice seem to know the show. I don't expect much from Brad, Cecilia, Jessica, Nathan, Parvati and Stephannie who don't seem to know much about it. The editing will tell!   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-12-06, 10:53 AM (EST) 7. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" Jeff was also very high on Christina. When a journalist pointed out she had a Hollywood connection having consulted on police shows, Jeff was quick to defend her and say she was a real cop from a police family. I don't get the impression he was necessarily high on her. He was trying, rather lamely, imo, to deflect accusations that so many contestants have show business connections/aspirations. He also tried to convince the reporters that Billy being a metal guitarist was not "show biz" related. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

RudyRules 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-11-06, 07:52 PM (EST) 5. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" Great job bringing all of this together VS! I haven't finished reading all of it, but it is definitely on my "must read" list! "A man's soul can be judged by the way he treats his dog." - Charles Doran Rudy's Place   Top

dreamerbeliever 3380 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Car Show Celebrity" 09-11-06, 10:20 PM (EST) 6. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" Yeah! VS is back. VS is back! That is all I have to add, now what does that say about me?   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-12-06, 11:07 AM (EST) 8. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" BR, what a wonderful welcome and the same to you as well. I knew I could count on you to start things off and thank you for the information on Brad. Far be it from me to presume anything on these contestants so this confirmation helps. I see that the recruitment process was in full force KO, I fully expect your Nash perspective along with all your other wonderful observations and this season, as you say, adaptation is everything; within their own little circle and then the big picture. Race relations is just another nugget in this social game and it will be interesting to see if this has more impact when the tribes are with their own race or after they are integrated. What will be interesting is ferreting out those with the mentality of wanting their initial tribes perhaps to “prove something” or those who, in the spirit of this show, know that the ultimate goal is broadening their adaptation to get to the end. This has occurred before with gender issue involved and/or just original tribe mentality. Those stuck in that “rut” may end up on the losing side. Pretty_Kitty and dreamerbeliever - so nice to see you and I am looking forward to hearing from you this season; it is very heartwarming to know that other posters are lovers of the story telling of this show and how it all comes together. RudyRules - unfortunately my posts haven’t gotten any shorter and I have a feeling with what this season entails, they may cause a state of inertia lol michel - always a pleasure to see you and your insights. I’ve added that additional commentary about Yul to the initial post. No doubt we will see many of these contestants fit that mold that we see often in the other seasons which just confirms that the story ultimately is about the individuals and race, gender, age, etc. are only potential catalysts. The first episode may be full of some “muck” to weed through since a lot will be focused on the division of the tribes but we certainly can hone in on some clues as to the longevity of these players and naturally over the course of the show we should hopefully establish some of the clues we look for in the end game players Three dimensional vs. one dimensional (the winner is not a cookie cutter cut out, there are different facets to them even if one personality trait, etc. is magnified) The longer term players (and winner) will not only be heard from but we ultimately hear about them from others (and quite often what we hear is worry that this person may win and consequently the winner may discuss their worries about not winning) A larger than life character typically does fairly well but usually does not win The “final two foil” will at times tend to make the audience doubt the authenticity of the winner since the show does want to create some element of a climatic ending Under the radar is not necessarily someone who is just coasting along quietly; one can be UTR in the sense that the other players would not imagine that person would be a threat to win Let’s not forget how typically alliances revealed generally do not succeed en masse (there may be a subset of that alliance that will succeed but vocalization of an entire alliance usually falls by the wayside) Numbers, numbers, numbers; those pesky things! Listing of boot orders, listing of pecking orders and the like usually result in failure. What ISN’T said sometimes can be as important as what IS said. If you watch a scene and question why was something shown when it didn’t have to be, that may be helpful. In the same token, if something wasn’t shown and it was left out, this too could be helpful. Confessional and face time IS important; it is just a question of discerning what is “fluff” and what is meaningful. I will pose one pre show question to whomever wishes to respond. Again, this is not designed to cause people to be offended or defensive. As some of you who are participants in this thread know, I often pose questions and ask for gender of the person or geographical location, etc. in order to reach some conclusions on how the show is viewed. In this instance, race is often a sensitive subject but this is no different as when I have asked questions with respect to gender or age, etc. Please know that I am only looking for responses as opposed to any debates and I also ask because with a setting such as this, I cannot fathom it won’t be discussed by the contestants themselves (we certainly saw age and gender discussed in prior seasons) With respect to the initial breakdown of the tribes are there any advantages or disadvantages you see that will occur? For example, the Amazon season was broken down men vs. women. It was no surprise that many felt the women would be at a disadvantage physically in certain challenges along with general living. This too was also believed with the vast difference in the Koror and Ulong tribes with respect to the physical competitions (mind you that this observations does not take into account the sourced information as I learned post game of the magnitude of spoilers with respect to Ulong getting obliterated) and let’s not forget stereotypes associated with people like Tom from Africa based on his geographical location; I would suggest that many people didn’t feel his IQ was the same number as someone like Ethan In other words, can you conceive of any tribe lacking in any area and/or excelling based upon the makeup of the tribes and yes, the stereotypes associated? I certainly felt the Amazon women would not meet up to the physical standards of the men but also knew that the women’s mentality of showing the men they were tough may negate my automatic opinion. Would it not be interesting to end up seeing what we saw of last season’s final four; one member from each original tribe?   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-12-06, 01:36 PM (EST) 9. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" Welcome back, VS! Wonderful to see you up and at it, and sure hope you had a nice summer break! I have some comments to make first off regarding the initial assessments of the contestants and then more comments regarding your later question. In the media that has surrounded this controversial Survivor, EPMB has noted that to get the great diversity they desired, they had to recruit many of the players. I read that they found Brad in a restaurant, Jenny on Realator.com, Becky in a MySpace site, and someone else, somewhere else. This followed with Jiffy admitting that alot of them had professed never seeing the show, and so they sat them down to watch many of the previous shows/seasons. Several are very knowledgable of the game such as Rebecca and Billy. I do think throwing them into tribes by race does add an extra element that they must deal with, the issue of representing their race and stereotypes of their race. I can see how many may fixate on this, but I agree the ones that fixate on the big prize are far more likely to outlast. Pre-season I agree that Yul will be one to watch. Seems very intelligent, aware, and physical. I also like Ozzy, who seems very capable and knows that he has alot to offer challenge wise, but does he get the "social" aspect of the game. He doesn't strike me as an over-bearing personality though, so I have hopes for him. Like Jiffy, Christina, I think is impressive and has depth of character and should be pretty cognizant of the social aspects of the game. I can't wait to get to know Jonathan but as the elder and in the minority in that tribe, I am worried he may not last. Jessica may have similiarities to Courtney, but hopefully not her abrasive personality. Becky strikes me as an alpha female with a capital "A", I think she and Cowboy will clash. Rebecca seems the most Survivor-saavy on the Manihiki tribe, I suspect the women may stick together there so I'd say that Sekou is in trouble. One of the things to note that I have read in the pre-show media alot is their desire to return the show back to the basics, as was done in Season One. They will be stranding them as they did in Season One and suspect some other things as they did back then. Another thing they have hyped is that they will be including a mental part to each challenge, requiring the tribes to work together as a team and not just depend on the physically talented athletes in the tribe. With respect to the initial breakdown of the tribes are there any advantages or disadvantages you see that will occur? The biggest advantages and disadvantages that I see would be due more to age, gender, and body size/habitus/athletism rather than to race, as I KNOW that all of the stereotypes of these races are just that. AS stated above, I think the tribes that get hung up on representing their race, or perhaps worrying about promoting or negating stereotypes too much may fare the poorest. The tribes that play "too emotionally" should be more in trouble.... ...great to see you again, VS! Looking forward to a great season! Fp   Top

Chez 777 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Fitness Correspondent" 09-14-06, 12:54 PM (EST) 17. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" > >With respect to the initial breakdown >of the tribes are there >any advantages or disadvantages you >see that will occur? I have been thinking that since there are several survivors who are not very familiar with the game, it may play out at a lower level of "sophistication" than the last few times around. For example, in Survivor 1 through 3 we tended to see the physically strong members kept around and the weaker ones voted off. It wasn't until Marquesas that we saw the shocking Hunter eviction right at the start, for example. Maybe these newcomers will play with more tranparent motives. Then again since many of the contestants are in fact very familiar with the game, they will tend to connive similarly to recent contestants. What is going to happen when the two groups are together? It's fascinating to think about.   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-12-06, 02:27 PM (EST) 10. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" KO, I fully expect your Nash perspective along with all your other wonderful observations and this season, as you say, adaptation is everything; within their own little circle and then the big picture. Race relations is just another nugget in this social game and it will be interesting to see if this has more impact when the tribes are with their own race or after they are integrated. What will be interesting is ferreting out those with the mentality of wanting their initial tribes perhaps to “prove something” or those who, in the spirit of this show, know that the ultimate goal is broadening their adaptation to get to the end. This has occurred before with gender issue involved and/or just original tribe mentality. Those stuck in that “rut” may end up on the losing side. One thing that I have noticed lately especially is that it gets very difficult to use the Nash theory to select winning candidates because they don't stay in tribes long enough. With 4 tribes, all with 5 people, it won't be too long before they merge into two tribes. Twists and double boots, plus the mystery of how "Mutiny Motus" will factor in, heck even the players can't play based on Nash anymore. The keys in editing that I am looking for, early and mid game, is who has the charisma to make the kind of game changing swings when the time comes? Who is adaptable and changing their game subtly with each twist and turn? Who takes these changes in stride, who relates well with others no matter the mix? These will all become key, and if the editing of this season is like any other, we should be able to pick up on those subtleties.   Top

geg6 14941 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-14-06, 10:38 AM (EST) 12. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" You have hit it right on the head, KO. Nash is not a strategy applicable to Survivor any more. The game has changed too much. The only thing I can say is, that it may be possible that even with all the twists and tribe switches, all the talk about bringing it back to the original may mean that a student of Nash might have a chance this time. As for how you look at the editing, I do the same thing now. And for the first time ever, I'm only going to read the editing threads and no spoilers. The last few seasons have kinda been boring and I'm hoping taking myself out of the spoilers will make it more fun again.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-14-06, 11:07 AM (EST) 13. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" Fortunately, for those who don't like them, there've been no ChillOne-type spoilers about specific contestants so far. TDT's gotten a few vague tips, in the manner of so-and-so goes "fairly far", but that's about it. (I didn't include any of those in the SOTS in any case.) If things continue this way, we'll have no choice but to go by vidcap analysis and editing, which will be a lot more fun. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

geg6 14941 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-14-06, 12:16 PM (EST) 15. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" I'm glad there hasn't been much spoiling. I really have found that the last few seasons it has made it much less fun. I don't spoil TAR anymore for the same reason. Vidcaps and editing analysis are so much more fun. Less accurate at calling the winner? Probably. But much more challenging for sure.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-14-06, 11:50 AM (EST) 14. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" With respect to the initial breakdown of the tribes are there any advantages or disadvantages you see that will occur? Don't know about there being any tribal advantages, but I see a potential individual strategy that could be pursued. Theoretically, with 15 minority contestants, a white person should not be able to win this game. We've heard members of the other three tribes mention representing their cultures, worrying about stereotyping, talking about pride in their heritage. Out of 12 Survivors, only two have been won by minority contestants. Hypothetically, any of these 15 who make the jury would prefer to vote the million to either someone of their own ethnicity, or, if that is not possible, someone from one of the other minority tribes. So... If I were on any of the other three tribes, I'd eventually start thinking about bringing a white person to the Final 2. And if I were on the white tribe, I might eventually try to establish an F2 alliance with a member of another tribe by pointing out that I probably cannot win the game and therefore am an ideal F2 foil. Depending on how far they get, I can see this strategy occurring to a couple of people, based on early impressions: Rebecca, from what she said in the TES clip about having to align with whoever will get her far; also Yul; and also Jonathan. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

geg6 14941 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-14-06, 12:18 PM (EST) 16. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" I'd had the same thought. I was reading the profiles and thinking that if I was there, I'd be thinking I'd propose that to someone as a possibility for an alliance pretty quickly.   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 09-14-06, 01:59 PM (EST) 18. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" VS, a hearty welcome back! I dare say there will be much to cram into your thread this time round (more than usual, anyway ). A happy new season to everyone else, too. Just wanted to post some thoughts and see how they’ll measure up after tonight’s season premiere. It’s going to be a rush job so I beg indulgence for any typos and grammatical errors. African American Tribe/Manihik Sekou I guess Jeff’s comments might be construed as a back-handed compliment. He has the potential to be a leader albeit with the strong riders ‘initially’ and ‘because of age/experience.’ Hardly a ringing endorsement and one that, in the absence of any other thoughts from Jeff, doesn’t suggest a long-term player. Something potentially in Sekou’s favour is the fact that he’s grown up rough and so is streetwise and tough….. ..but the same as tough to beat? Stephannie VS: I’ll be interested to see whether the laid back person or the aggressive/strong willed person take center stage. I have a suspicion the strong willed lady will make the showing. I do not have a wonderful feeling on her, at the outset she sounds like she may possibly be a little too strong minded in a small tribe and may be perceived as overbearing. Unfortunately, we all know that a strong woman tends to not be looked upon as favorably as a strong male. In light of the gender makeup though, she may have bought herself some time if the three women decide that sticking together is better for them. I’m pretty much concur, VS. Perhaps, though, being a woman is less of a factor than her military training. Translation: big on obedience, discipline and authority. Imposing it on others is usually a fast track to your marching orders because, as we all know, on Survivor, nobody likes being told what to do. On that basis I’m comfortable writing off Stephannie’s chances. However, the waters are muddied by her being a nursing student, a profession that requires things that might be an asset to her in the game – patience, care and empathy. It’s a fascinating juggling act and her success, presumably, depends on how good a job she does of it. Rebecca That Rebecca seems to have the game’s dynamics down pat is a plus but they’re very generic insights, all told - we’ve heard it before and not especially substantive. My feeling is that she is someone who has a tendency to over-think things. Nathan So, in a nutshell, then, Nathan is a nice guy. Personable characters don’t usually get voted off early – I think I remarked on that last season – possibly because they engender goodwill that tribes welcome, maybe even need at the outset. That said, it tends to bring diminishing returns as the game progresses, the fear that carrying such a person to the final two would make him/her difficult to beat. My first thought was Nathan could be the Nick of last season. Asian American Tribe/Puka Puka Tibe Cao Boi Bui Jeff: “The only thing about Cao is, he’s a lot. He just kind of invades your space a little. He wants to tell you something. If I had to guess, would be gone early.” And if I had to guess, Cao will hang around, ironically, for the same reasons that Jeff thinks that he won’t. Why? Coupled with his own assessment the suggestion is that Cao is an ‘in-your-face’, annoying type who will ruffle feathers. And, therefore, represents villain potential. Since every season has a bad guy, the underlying assumption must be he has to last long enough for the tag to stick and get under the viewer’s skin. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be an issue much less one that needed to be raised in the first place by Jeff. This guy just screams ‘character’ to me. Jenny VS: It will be interesting to see if her goal is the journey or the prize; those who come to this game more to gain something I tend to not give an edge to. Again, Jeff’s commentary is not necessarily indicative of anything however Jenny does give off the sense of someone we may get to know long enough to see her arrive at her journey quest. What you said, VS. Without actually checking past results, those who participate in this game on the basis they’re doing it for others and/or altruistic reasons don’t have a great winning record, though they do last. Viewed in the cold light of day it’s probably to do with making it ‘easy’ to award a million dollars to such individuals and, consequently (perversely as well as cynically), the need to vote them off at the point it becomes too much of a risk. Jeff paints Jenny as headstrong, which is a good thing…..up to a point. An allegory to her time on Survivor, maybe? Yul That Jeff has gone out of his way more than any other contestant with Yul means at the very least we’re looking at a long story arc. Everything about him appears extremely positive; in other words, a guy we’re meant to root for. I like your suggestion, VS, with regards to the moral of a Yul win. Jeff/Mark Burnett have certainly planted the seed in our minds that a triumph for him would be the best outcome, the rising above the potential racial maelstrom the season was set up for. Becky There’s a whiff of arrogance about her (“I’m a first child so I’m pretty... I’m a perfectionist, typical personality A.....I love that I got a temper).. Not in a good way, either. Brad People who make the point they get along with everyone usually don’t. Which is fine and perfectly normal but smacks of being self-conscious. Brad is doing Survivor simply to have a good time. Again, nothing wrong with that but suggests he doesn’t care enough about winning to fight for it. Or be strategic enough to make a difference. Hispanic American/Aitutaki Tribe Bill Average Joes are relatable and initially, anyway, aren’t targets – harmless, middle of the pack, unlikely to cause a stir beyond their own ‘ordinariness.’ Cristina Damn that Jeff! He tells us Cristina is a potential winner but gives absolutely no reason why. So any validation one might wish to attach to the claim is rendered meaningless. The more I think about it, in fact, the more I think she’ll be gone early. J.P. There are those who bang on about their athleticism and others who let it speak for themselves. Those in the former usually find such self-superiority gets burned, the latter rewarded with a long stint. It depends which category J.P. falls into and if he reaches the merge, whether he can sustain an individual immunity run for long enough to keep him alive. Cecilia Jeff: “Cecilia has no chance of winning this game, that’s what I think....but I think she’s gonna be an asset because of her attitude” I don’t like definitive statements like this from Jeff. It almost makes me to want to run a highlighter pen over that contestant’s chances of winning. The bit he added on about her attitude I’m going to ignore simply because it comes across as trying to balance the overwhelming negative that he came straight out with, rather than anything probative. Ozzy Jeff: “Ozzy is another guy I actually think could win this game” A totally worthless observation by Jeff. Anyone could win the game, after all. Mind you, I have time for anybody with a cool name like Ozzy Caucasian American/Raratonga Tribe Jonathan The second ‘character’ of the season alongside Cao, or so it would seem. If his pre-game thoughts are anything to go by, Jonathan is going to be talking. A lot. Jessica Jeff: “If she can get some momentum she'll probably be around for awhile. But can't win the game.” Certainties in Survivor have a habit of failing to come to fruition. So when Jeff says Jessica can’t win the game, I immediately think, well gosh, she just might you know (especially with that momentum!) Adam Jeff: “Adam...not gonna win this game. He’ll probably wanna punch me for saying that. It plays on another level that he may just not be into or may not have the skills yet, but it’s a dicey social game” We’ve covered this already so I’ll simply add that the groundwork has already been laid for Adam to prove Jeff wrong. Candice Jeff: “If I were picking people who have a shot at winning, Candice would be on that list” VS: Again, we take these comments as grains of salt; frankly Jeff has certainly given quite a bit of kudos to a number of people this season that it is somewhat surprising In the absence of any supporting comments from Jeff, I’ll take those grains of salt. Parvati Hard to form an opinion, one way or another. Look forward to everyone’s thoughts as the season goes on. VH   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-14-06, 03:00 PM (EST) 19. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" The season is just upon us and again, I am very excited and much appreciative of everyone's initial postings and thank you kindly for the response to my "seasonal question" I expect that I may have a few more considering the story that has been thrust upon us. It would, as stated, be almost a "losing" situation in this new "twist" for a member of a minority to NOT win. I would suggest that we take a close look at how much emphasis the "racial" situation is honed in upon AS EPISODES GO BY. Recall that Exile Island and the HII was mentioned often and escalated to a ridiculous paranoia and rightfully so. While the HII was never used, it was important to last season because the keeper of this HII was feared because it was suspected he had it. It doesn't matter he never had to use it, it created a paranoia and since the HII was kept at bay throughout practically the entire show, it was able to be consistently mentioned on the premise it might be used regardless that it was not. It was, in actuality, quite the climatic question. As such, if the racial theme continues on and on in the editing, we may, in fact, see an outcome part and parcel to this story in a story. We shall see VH, so nice to see you I understand your point with respect to Stephannie and the "nursing student" side to her persona. Ironically, I immediately thought of Margaret and I had the same thoughts of Margaret as you suggest, i.e. patient, caring, etc. That apparently only worked well for Margaret when everyone was sick lol. So while that aspect may certainly instill an empathatic nature in some, there have been some nurses in my past who were a little "rough with the needle" Oh and Cao Boi shrieks "character" and I have no doubt for as long he is there, he will be memorable. Looking forward to the post show analysis everyone!   Top

geg6 14941 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-14-06, 03:44 PM (EST) 20. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" I, too, have been wondering how important the whole racial issue will really turn out to be. When it was the whole age issue, it really didn't have an impact on the game. On the other hand, the gender split did impact the game, especially as people had to adjust their gameplay. I'm not quite sure how much race will impact. I think, in some ways, it will have as little impact as splitting them up by age did. In many ways and due to the ages of the people involved, I can't imagine that race will have the same sort of impact that gender did. I can't ever remember anyone setting their strategy based on the racial makeup of the tribes. I have, however, seen the gender differences affect strategy even in seasons other than the Amazon where it was highlighted. How the whole racial thing is edited beyond the first show is going to be interesting and will reveal how important race is to these people and how they play the game.   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 09-14-06, 05:45 PM (EST) 21. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" LAST EDITED ON 09-14-06 AT 05:58 PM (EST) We'll find out soon enough, of course, but I suspect you're right in thinking the whole race issue will play itself out. It can't be completely ignored so long as the tribes remain divided so--be it in the forefront or the background--though you'd expect it to blow over sooner rather than later, nonetheless. What does interest me is whether these initial tribes feel they need to win simply as means to avoid TC or if the motivation extends beyond that to include the euphemisms of 'something to prove' and 'send a message' as representatives of their race. If I may briefly expand on the point you raise regarding the effect of tribe separation by gender and age previously vis-à-vis the race element for this season, something does gnaw at me. Without wishing to fan any flames, if you were able to rank them from most offensive to least offensive, I'd predict race would top the list almost every time. That is not to say that sexism or ageism are trivial in comparison--such social divisions are inherently unpalatable and really shouldn't be tolerated--but there is no getting away from the fact that the issue of race is that much more sensitive from whatever perspective you choose to view it from. Applying it specifically to the game using your barometer of the gender split from Survivor Amazon and that of age, the potential for a similar pattern to emerge exists (i.e. the former had an impact, the latter not so much). So, for example, when we get to the individual stage of the game, will alliances form out of tribal lines, in spite of the race subtext, as so often before (the 'Pagonging Method) or, will race be a consideration on top of that, even if it is only indirectly or on a subconscious level? VH edited for clarity   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-14-06, 05:51 PM (EST) 22. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" Hi VS and everyone! Forget race and gender -- my burning question is whether all the Virgos will support each other in a show of Critical Solidarity, or will we see Equal Opportunity Nitpicking? Will these be the neatest camps ever? *waves to my dear Virgo friend MakeItStop*   Top

PepeLePew13 26134 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-15-06, 05:28 AM (EST) 23. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" LAST EDITED ON 09-15-06 AT 06:56 AM (EST) >Yul "... I hate to see the good guy finish last >and I think for me that might complicate my game. > Because I have to be strategic....” (A little >remniscient of Aras’ conflict in attempting >to be the one to do right but ultimately had >to adapt to what this game entails. Yul will >have to allow that part of him to stand to >the side to a degree as we know this game >does not always result in the good people winning out) > >Jeff “Yul could absolutely win this >game; I’d be delighted if he did; a super likeable >guy” and“Yul is a player. You underestimate Yul, you'll be >going home before he will... He studied the show. As >somebody who wants to play this game and have a >shot at winning he's studied the show” (Red herring or >straight forward? Time will tell with the editing and the >purpose of this season’s story. What a nice ending >would it not be to show the super likeable person >who wants the good people winning out in a story >that Mr. Burnett created to showcase potential racial divide?) I'd have to go back to the tape to see if there were others, but Yul stood out to me as the only one (?) who questioned whether it was a good idea to split up into races. There had to be others who commented negatively on the split as well, but we were shown Yul's. Is this a straight forward hint of our winner as wouldn't it be ironic to have the winner be the only one to comment negatively on the racial split at the start? Parvati also said "is this kosher?" while commenting on the racial split, however I think she said this within the tribe, while Yul said his in confessional. I don't count those who brought up their own stereotypes within the tribe such as the Manihiki team saying they've got to prove they can swim or paddle a boat, etc. A Tribe siggie "Tsk, tsk. Pepe's messing with the newbies again." Spidey, 3/30/05   Top

Corvis 3130 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Car Show Celebrity" 09-15-06, 12:14 PM (EST) 25. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" "Parvati also said "is this kosher?" while commenting on the racial split, however I think she said this within the tribe, while Yul said his in confessional." Parvati's comment was done in the confessional, too. I'm getting a vibe from Parvati that she might be one to watch. For me these were the quotes that stood out, particularly Sundra's: "I could care less about ethnicity. When it comes to surviving, it's a human effort." (Ladies and Gents, the theme of the show. It's waaaay early, but I'd say she could be the winner....) Jonathan (slightly paraphrased): "Just because the groups have cultural similarities doesn't meake the more specifically cohesive. This is Survivor. Someone's going to win the million dollars and they're going to have to cut the throat of the guy next to them." Adam (very paraphrased from my notes): "Being divided by ethnicity doesn't matter to me. It matters what kind of people you have, the personalities and will they get along." Adam's quote feels more pre-merge to me because it feels like he's talking about tribal unity.   Top

Georgianna 514 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 09-16-06, 08:53 AM (EST) 30. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" LAST EDITED ON 09-16-06 AT 10:00 AM (EST) Corvis: "For me these were the quotes that stood out, particularly Sundra's: 'I could care less about ethnicity. When it comes to surviving, it's a human effort.' (Ladies and Gents, the theme of the show. It's waaaay early, but I'd say she could be the winner....)" Cook Islands' blend of personalities (most closely akin to those of Africa and of Palau) would seem to portend either a Scorpio (Candice) or Capricorn (Cecilia or Sundra) Sole Survivor. So, because hearty congratulations may soon be in order, I've bookmarked your post. G   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-15-06, 11:45 AM (EST) 24. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" LAST EDITED ON 09-15-06 AT 12:35 PM (EST) Well, it was interesting to see Manihiki immediately split into a gender divide. FWIW, Sekou said on TES that he was not put off at all by the racial division in the tribes. Other than being asked about it in confessionals, I get the feeling that Manihiki didn't talk about it much, if at all. (I do wish Sekou had been asked about picking Jonathan for exile in retribution for taking Yul's chicken, though.) Impressions after Ep 1: We are supposed to like: Yul -- all his comments were measured and thoughtful. Probably the narrator for Puka for now. Ozzy -- hard worker, sensible. Seems like a combination of Bobby Jon's work ethic and maybe an Austin type narrator. Stephannie -- a little different from the above two, in that her tribe had to go to TC, so she got more focus. I felt we were supposed to sympathize with her feeling like an outsider (as many of us predicted she would), and then be happy that she dealt with it effectively (for now anyway). Unlike with Yul and Ozzy, though, her likeability factor did not to me suggest she would necessarily go far. We are supposed to enjoy, but wonder about: Billy, Cao Boi, and Jonathan. These are the "character" types. They will probably be featured prominently as long as they are around, but all three already have some negativity associated with them: Jonathan taking Yul's chicken; Cao Boi's annoying jokes; Billy's ineptness at chopping the bamboo. We are supposed to wonder about (are they getting in trouble already?): Adam, Candice, Flica, Rebecca and Sundra. Adam and Candice are already embarking on the first of the romances, commented on by Parvati in a not-thrilled manner. Flica already cast herself as the "alternative" person (doesn't fit the mold), and was responsible for losing the chickens, which didn't sit well with Jonathan. I expect these two to butt heads again in the future, which is not a good sign for Flica, imo. Rebecca and Sundra have already been pegged as two who will not vote against each other -- the first hint of an "alliance;" although they themselves did not explicit state that, it was perceived by everyone else on their tribe, and as a result, Sundra received votes at TC. Will this duo be broken up at the next opportunity? The rest had varying degrees of visibility. Most were cast as observers (Parvati on Adam and Candice, Jenny on the ethnic backgrounds at Puka.) JP backed up Ozzy's comments about Billy; could Ozzy and JP become a sort of Austin-Nick duo? Nate we didn't learn too much about, although I expect that will change in Ep 2 following the boot of Sekou. Brad and Becky didn't have much to say on Puka, nor did Cecilia or Cristina on Aitutaki -- these four may be safe for the moment. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-15-06, 07:57 PM (EST) 27. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" could Ozzy and JP become a sort of Austin-Nick duo? I was thinking more Andrew (Jp as leader) Ryno (Ozzy as loyal lieutenant) but I hope they go farther--how about Lex/Ethan? As I said in Fanatics--JP is one I'm perplexed by. I have to go back and rewatch to see exactly what he said. Cao Boi is Shane!! Jonathan is like Sarge/Judd--My thinking he's more like Sarge- I think Billy will be safe for a while if he makes it out of the first few weeks (sort of like Lydia)   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-15-06, 05:32 PM (EST) 26. "Episode 1- The music and some quotes" LAST EDITED ON 09-15-06 AT 07:15 PM (EST) I sure miss AJ, but learned alot from the music analysis so I am going to follow the music editing to see what I can learn about this season of Survivor. I'm certainly not as "in tune" to the names of all the instruments as AJ is, so bear with me if I call something a "doohicky that rattles". One thing I do know is that music is used in the editing of the theme and the characters and during Guatemala it enabled AJ to pick up on many things including that Danni would be the eventual winner. This years musical theme reminds me alot of the one from Vanuatu, and parts of the scores in between remind me of Pearl Islands. This sort of helps in paralleling characters etc. A recap from AJ's past: Positive tones are generally made with the marimba, glockenspiel, xylophone, congas, basically tuned percussion. Negative tones are created by woodwinds, flutes, panflutes, clarinets, bottle tops etc. If a score stays the same from one scene through a confessional then it means that the persons words are not that important. If the musical score has changed just prior to a confessional and then it changes again at the confessional, this is something worth noticing. Also of note is that if the score fades to almost nothing or nothing to give the stage to a confessional or a statement, it usually is a big key. I also went back and listened to the tunes of episodes 1 and 2 of Exile Island just to get a feel for how that music was edited. Interestingly enough, whenever the young mens tribe or the young woman's tribe were shown the music was whimsical and upbeat, when the older men and older women's tribes were shown, it was more subdued and even darker. Also, during the pickem, when Aras was selected by Danielle a gong sounded noticeably. Rowing to Shore The theme music played during the marooning and gathering of supplies. After the tribes were on their rafts heading out, it dimmed a bit but remained in the background during Ozzy's first confessional about ethnicity. The music continued as Sundra made her statement "surviving is a human effort" and then crescendoed with an "ahhhh ahhhh" for emphasis at the end. The theme maintained it's even beat during Yul's confessional about stereotypes and also through Parvati's "kosher" assessment. So for some reason, Sundra was the only one that the music highlighted. The theme is still faint in the background when Adam confesses that "White or any other race it doesn't matter, it matters what kind of personality you have." Jonathan's confessional also has the theme behind him but with a steady stream of speedy drum beats to pound the point home "groups may have cultural similarities, but this is survivor and at some point someone will have to cut the throat of the others." Prior to the challenge Aitu The camera then followed Aitu and the music changed to a whimsical fun beat while Billy made his "this is backwards" speech, there was even a slight trilling pan flute right at the end. The music gets very upbeat all of a sudden and then noticeably changes and subdues itself as Cecilia makes the statement "work hard, play hard, and we'll go far". I think this is a significant statement. Now the Aitu tribe is shown at camp, the music changes to a joking almost mocking tone as JP and Ozzy each have a confessional with Billy in the background trying to chop down the tree using a piece of bamboo. (I know he was trying to cut the bamboo, but humor me ) We are supposed to think that Billy is a buffoon, this does not bode well for him. Next the music picks up and turns almost Jamaican as JP gives a confessional about Ozzy climbing the tree. The theme continues but fades a bit as Ozzy tells us "we'll stay strong as long as we are well nourished and stay happy with each other". Later on we catch up with Aitu as the three guys JP, Ozzy, and Billy go to retrieve and read treemail. It is interesting that the music during this time is a very peaceful flute which belies the laughing we see these guys do on screen. Next is Billy's confessional, the music shifts to a drum pounding with a high fervor and tension "We're going to a challenge. I'd like to see us win, but if we lose it's not the end of the world at the beginning of the game". Foreshadowing? Puka The music at Puka was considerably more tribal overtoned with more drum beats and less fun, more serious. The whole time Cao Boi was telling us how Asians stay under the radar because nobody notices them, the music is heavy percussion with strong beats, almost overshadowing him. This continues but a little softer as Jenny describes the Asians as a mixed group within the tribe. The music finally gets whimsical with melodic percussion when it shows Cao Boi sitting on the beach chopping cocnuts. An xylophone chimes in when Yul gives his confessional about Cao Boi and how he is the only one that bothers him. Then the music gets serious again as Cao Boi confesses "I don't fit in", toward the middle of this confessional the music is almost silent and at the very end it climaxes right as Cao Boi gets done. Later at camp we have the scene with Cao Boi getting rid of Brad's headache. The score was interesting as it started dark and built in tension the more Cao Boi rubbed, as soon as Cao Boi was done the music turned to whimsical as if in relief. Does this also indicate some future tension between Brad and Cao Boi? Time will tell. The tone stayed joking/whimsical as the girls arrived and laughed at Brad's red mark. Then the music goes back to the original theme with mellow drums and Yul confesses that he has changed his mind about Cao Boi and somewhere in his words there are some nuggets of information. Raro The music as they row to shore is dark like Puka's but once they reach shore it becomes very whimsical as first we see Flicka "we scored big on that boat". It continues along it's jolly way during Jonathan's retelling of getting the extra chicken. Now Flicka removes the cover from the chicken and then screams. The music is wild with a heavy drum beat, marracas shaking and lot's of tension. That tension continues through Jonathan's confessional about "I can forgive her but I don't have to because she screwed with my chickens". What happens next is a stand up and take notice moment. The tribe is standing in a circle, the musical score is still whimsical and then BAM, silence the next thing we hear is Parvati saying to the tribe "we all kicked ass today" followed by Jonathan "yeah, can we just say that". A loud flute trill tells us that moment is over and the group laughs as Courtney Flicka calls them all whitie's. The music goes back to the marracas shaking and the whimsical beat. This has got to have huge significance in the long term of the game. Flicka now describes the tribe "we have a jock, a sorority girl, a steady one, a family man, and me the alternative one", all the while the music remains the same. Later at evening it is time to go to bed and we have the "cuddle puddle" scene. Interestingly enough the music isn't romantic at all, it is light and whimsical with a bit of a whirring from a digjeridu. It continues during both Adam's and Candice's confessionals. Hiki The Manihiki tribe arrives at the beach with the whimsical fun music mix, but that quickly changes to dark and negative when Sekou has them put all their hands together "represent!". Another music shift back to whimsical with the xylophone and Stephannie's confessional "we need to represent the african american culture". The same steady music runs right through Rebecca "blacks don't just run track" confessional and Sundra's take that "we are all just city kids. The music stays upbeat and almost Jamaican while the tribe builds the shelter but then switches to sustained tension during Nate's confessional "blacks don't like to take orders". Sekou has a confessional and the same tension music presides. Later on the 3 girls find the water and are shrieking and laughing, the music is fun and whimsical. The music stays on in the background while Rebecca talks about the parasites and needing fire. It softens somewhat as Sundra talks about her chemistry with Rebecca and how great she is, at the end it gets a little louder. Next is Stephannie's confessional, the music gets darker as the drums increase "I know that Sundra and Rebecca have something going on but I am going to keep my pulse on it". The drum beats sound like the kind when a tribe is going to war. After the confessional, it goes back to being light and whimsy as the girls make their way out of the thick part of the jungle. As soon as the men join the women the music darkens and tenses up, the drum beats pick up in rythym as the scene is Sekou trying to make fire. After he goes to take a rest, the music shifts to a negative beat, dark and tense while Stephannie says "Sekou isn't focused". the music ends with a teasing noise almost as if it has stuck it's tongue out at Stephannie. I think she will be an important character in this game, but one that will cut throats and eventually have her own throat cut. A Quick Look at the Challenge Interaction At the challenge, Jeff asked Yul what happened to his chicken. The music went from challenge intro to whimsical and fun as Yul gave his explaination that it was stolen. When Jeff questioned Jonathan about the chicken, the music changed to drum beats and building tension as Jonathan basically pled ignorance. Immediately after the drum beats stopped, a pause and then the challenge music began again. This is similar to the music sequence at the challenge in exile island when Misty made out like she had the immunity idol and didn't. It doesn't bode well for Jonathan fans. Hiki after the challenge loss A few highlights of interesting note. After the challenge the music was still whimsical but more subdued, preparing for TC. Rebecca and Sundra were shown on the beach walking and Stephannie joined up with them, the music shifted to a sound I hadn't heard in the entire episode. It was a native gutteral sound, almost one of betrayal. The guys were observing the women and having their own powow. When Nate made the statement "Rebecca and Sundra are tight" the music changed and became very rythymic. It switched again when Sekou said "we need to make an alliance with Stephannie" as it got all menacing and a rattle sounded like a snakes hiss. The music builds from a long low rumbling from the didjeridu as the tribe hugged each other and Sekou tells them "there's a fire in all of us", the music then sounds like a clock ticking. That's it for now, the second and third episodes should really help flesh out the music editing quite a bit. There is so much to discover by listening to it, it is amazing! This looks like a VS post because of it's length   Top

PepeLePew13 26134 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-15-06, 08:17 PM (EST) 28. "RE: Episode 1- The music and some quotes" Music? What's that? Thanks for the breakdown, KoB! Since I have no concept of music, your analysis really helps 'paint the picture' for me with each of the main scenes that took place, and I think I'll go re-watch the first episode sometime tomorrow with your analysis in the back of my head to see if it gives me a new perspective. A Tribe siggie "Tsk, tsk. Pepe's messing with the newbies again." Spidey, 3/30/05   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-15-06, 10:41 PM (EST) 29. "RE: Episode 1 Thoughts" As always, please forgive me should any of my comments repeat what someone may say as I do write them out prior to posting. Per usual, if I do repeat what someone may say, I agree with you! The show certainly opened up with a beautiful scene of the cloudy horizon showcasing the big ship. I found Jeff’s initial commentary interesting in that it was somewhat different from the norm “This is their STORY” (perhaps the editors took a look at our thread ) Upon introduction of each tribe by Jeff Asian American – Brad shown Caucasion – Candice shown Latino – Ozzy shown African American – Stephannie shown with Nathan’s back turned Jeff: “……also a test of social skills…. It’s the impressions you make on the other castaways that determine your fate……” (again somewhat different than his usual opening. At this time, the racial theme and impressions made may be crucial to the outcome of the story) Generally speaking, I felt this was a solid opening to this season; perhaps even a little less exciting than I had maybe anticipated it to be but there were certainly players that made one take note and others relegated to the background. In the first episode, those “hidden in the shadows” does not mean anything in terms of longevity but those more highlighted are potentially end game players or those who will be highlighted until their character needs to leave relative to the story. The Opening Confessionals Ozzy “My first thought when I saw the tribes split among racial lines was Oh God, this is gonna be hard because as people who have the same ethnicity, we can kind of clash on things” Sundra “I could care less (about ethnic division)… when it comes to surviving, it’s a human effort” Yul “…stunned; on one hand it’s a great opportunity, wonderful there are more minorities. At same time, worried about stereotypes/caricatures. I don’t know. It will be interesting to see how things will turn out” Pavarti “…different ethnic groups. Is that kosher? I don’t know but it’s a cool social experiment I think” The initial commentary by a representative of each tribe is striking in how each viewed the racial division. Ozzy discusses the issue of inner tribe conflict potentially happening, Sundra pays no mind to the racial division whatsoever emphasizing the purpose of a generalized effort, Yul notes that this experiment has both positive and negative to it and reserves judgment to see what happens and Pavarti's suspicions are casual as well as her approval. Aitu Tribe I am sure everyone noted the stand outs and who was not. Again, longevity this does not make but I would hazard a guess that in this relatively extremely important first episode of a very dicey concept, someone who was completely ignored is probably not going to win this game. Billy (on the boat) “I dunno about you but I feel like this is ##### backwards. Like our parents got on a raft paddling away from an island; here I am paddling back to an island” (This essentially was just a good comment, if I was editing this show, I would have thrown it in) Billy (conf) “Thought what an advantage (being all Hispanic)… we are used to being in a tropical setting” Cecelia (conf) “This is a unique opportunity representing our community in a positive way; if we just show we work hard and play hard, I think we are gonna go pretty far” After, Billy is shown instructing the others and not appearing very adept at the same time JP (conf) “Billy said he can chop things down and make a hut… Really fired up… I didn’t want to judge him on his appearance, he was out of shape…” Ozzy (conf) “…he really didn’t know exactly what he was doing. I had to kinda take over and build the shelter… trying to guide things without trying to step into the position of being leader; I do not want that to happen” Ozzy then shown scampering up the tree to retrieve coconuts JP (conf) “…straight out of the Jungle Book. He may not be very big but he’s athletic, someone who’s gonna be pretty good at this game” Ozzy (conf) “As long as we work as a team and as long as we stay fed and happy with each other then we’ll be able to stay really strong” They cheer each other with coconut toasts The obvious missing component was Cristina who barely had any visibility in this episode. This, of course, does not mean she may not do relatively well but I am hard pressed to believe in a tribe of only five that each individual would not be shown to a degree and that concerns me for her longevity. Also notable was that Ozzy was talked ABOUT; always a good sign especially if it is within context of playing the game as JP did. Billy obviously is being established in a not so positive light within his tribe and with the upcoming preview, this was done no doubt to begin this mini episode within the story. This has absolutely no bearing though on Billy and his longevity. We have certainly seen many characters introduced as not being received positively by their tribe and also somewhat embarrassing and they do fairly well (Judd being a quick example). It is the player that doesn’t need to BE there that should be worried about their stay on this show in terms of longevity. Ironically, this Billy "set up" may, in fact, provide a nice run for Billy; perhaps we see him pull it out for his tribe or end up being received better by another tribe; he will either last longer than anyone would generally expect OR will be gone very, very soon. I found it fascinating to hear JP discuss not judging someone on their appearance in light of the context of this season’s storyline. Cecelia was given the inner tribe confessional of their tribe showcasing themselves (Billy’s commentary on their advantage being in the tropics was a throwaway comment) and representing themselves. The comment needed to be put there; every tribe needed this type of confessional. Why not Cristina? I’m sure she discussed it as well. Cecelia’s presence was definitely noted more out of the two women which is suggestive of each of their time there. Ozzy’s self awareness of the need to step up but not wanting to be seen as leader is always good to hear regarding longevity as the game context is noted and the awareness of what needs to be done. At this point, Ozzy seemingly is faring very well and probably had the most compelling narrations and I would suspect he may be our lead narrator of his tribe. JP’s commentary was sufficient but note that it was more about OTHERS than himself which then one questions if those he discussed last longer than himself and while Cecelia was briefly shown, her commentary had substance but her stay may be more about the story than the win. Billy has been shown as the potential thorn in the tribe’s side but that is not indicative of a short stay and may even suggest a healthy character. Cristina is a doubt and I would hope the next episode may help her as we know first episodes alone do not tell us anything definite. Puka We see them initially on the raft and Cowboy’s jokes are already met with derision. Cowboy (conf) “I’m a refugee…. I survived Vietnam War, I can survive this” and “The Puka tribe’s advantage..we fly under the radar. Nobody suspects these little people to see anything or to be strong enough to be anything… people always underestimate the Asians” (Ahhh, what a difference between Billy’s comment that Hispanics will do well because they are in the tropics and this meaty comment about others will underestimate his tribe. I do not subscribe to “million dollar quotes” but this was a juicy one and only time will tell should an Asian member of this show win the game) Jenny (conf about the tribe members and their background) “…our tribe is comprised of five Asians…. we are a mixed group ourselves….” (Again, like Ozzy’s commentary this may help set the tone should we see inner ethnic conflict occur and thematically that it may not be diversity of each tribe but may be broken down further to division in one’s OWN ethnicity) Yul (conf after Cowboy is shown telling his stories) “I guess for me the person I’m having most difficulty with is Cowboy, sense a little schism; some degree of generational gap” (Again it is fascinating to see how these tribes are broken down and yet even within, gender, generation and geographic differences can still cause an issue) Cowboy (conf) “My biggest concern is I’ve never been accepted by the Asian community…. I don’t fit the stereotype….very dangerous position for me to be in…..” (Cowboy does scream character naturally and there was a lot of investment put into his first episode for him to leave so soon I would imagine despite the previews for next week) At this juncture, the investment in Cowboy is obviously for a reason and he will be sliced and diced as much as it will be allowed. For the first showing of this tribe, Becky was sadly neglected and again, I am sure she was asked questions as well as everyone else. Jenny made a small but potentially important statement about the differences within her tribe, Yul had solid visual and verbal presence and Cowboy naturally was the headliner. Brad had not made any showing at the initial introduction of the tribe. Both Yul and Cowboy have good narrator status and from very different perspectives; they even may end up making great allies At this point, Yul and Cowboy sit very well in terms of future stay. Cowboy however is more about the conflict and Yul was more about observance and situational which tends to bode better for Yul whereas with Cowboy it is more about a potential journey story for him. Jenny may have some push in her but too soon to tell. Both Becky and Brad were not shown until later and Becky was sadly neglected and Brad was ONLY shown later because of the situation that occurred; it was interesting and therefore shown but it meant nothing as far as Brad the player. Hiki Let me preface this tribe with the note that the tribe that ultimately goes to Tribal Council will get a good amount of screen time so the dynamics of each character tends to be skewed because they HAVE to be shown to help set up the end of the episode. This is why face time/visibility is not necessarily a viable indicator of anything. The context of WHY they are visible and WHAT they say and perhaps why someone ELSE didn’t say it is what I attempt to look at. We see Sekou gather the group with cheers of “Represent” Stephannie (conf) “……all feel the pressure to represent” Rebecca (conf) “It makes me feel that because we are divided by race, now we have to step up to the plate and show, yes, black people swim, yes, we know how to get on a boat and paddle….. I mean we don’t just run track” (It was notable how we first hear the African American tribe vocalize the ideal of “representing” and “proving” to negate the stereotypes that are prevalent in society yet there was some contradiction to this in the happenings around the tribe) Sundra (conf) “This has nothing to do with race, we are just a bunch of city kids; it’s not that we are black, we are city slickers thrown into the bareness of life” (This confessional elicited some irony in that she was then shown stating how the machete “couldn’t cut cotton”) I’m not entirely sure if the editing was meant to show the contradiction of their individual words to us and then their group discussions as varied talk of “low income housing” “nappy hair” and so forth were left in the show. Again, time will tell but there did appear to be a greater emphasis shown in the African American tribe but it may have also been relative to the fact they lost. Nathan (conf) “Black people don’t like to be told what to do and we have a bunch of headstrong people, me being one of them” (Again, I found it interesting that there was a greater emphasis on the African American tribe essentially telling the audience of their own stereotypes, compare this to Cowboy’s commentary how the stereotypes of Asian Americans is beneficial and they are underestimated) Sekou was then shown to discuss his ability of leadership and his accomplishment of same which naturally came across as somewhat pompous in light of the audience seeing how he was failing and that most of his tribe members were not embracing it….filler for the outcome of the show At this juncture, everyone was given some camera time which is not surprising since we need to know this tribe in order to appreciate the ending. One has to determine what the ultimate objective of this season is and how the winner fits into this and how the longer term players fit as well. Ultimately the story may be that this is not about race but just one individual playing and winning the game but that does not mean the longer term players are not there to show that the racial aspect IS important in the ultimate outcome. Both Rebecca and Stephannie tell us that it IS about proving something while Sundra advises it is not; perhaps this will lead to one woman making a decision because of race and the other does not…There was some indication that Rebecca took on a narrator role to a degree; some may think Stephannie did as well but one must understand that Stephannie was integral to the outcome of the Tribal Council so much had to be made about her not quite fitting in and being saddled in the middle. In other words, the SITUATION caused her to be more prevalent in the episode; not necessarily HER as a player Raro Adam (conf) “The tribes were divided by ethnicity but it doesn’t matter to me if its all white or any other type of race; the issue is what kind of people you have, their personalities and if you get along with them” Jonathan (conf) “It is truly going to be a social experiment; fascinating to see how it plays out. I don’t believe that just because these groups have cultural similarities that that will make them more cohesive. This is Survivor (shot of Parvetti) and someone is gonna win a million dollars and they are gonna have to cut the throat of the guy next to him at some point” (Great confessional and obvious why it was put there as it is chock full of potential foreshadowing and great insight into the potential of issues within regardless of similarities. Foreshadowing of someone who will “betray” someone else of their own background in order to further themselves? This is truly one of the cruxes of this season, i.e. do the races “stick together” or will those be willing to betray that to win the game?) A tongue in check toast ensues with “To the whities” (Was anyone offended by this? If so and you would not mind stating your racial background I would be most interested) Jessica (conf) “We got a jock (Adam) sorority type (Parvetti) study type (Candice), family man (Jonathon) and then me, the alternative option” (No mention of the breakdown but mention of her assessment of their breakdown and ironically her stereotypical perception based on the short observation of her tribe mates) We then see the chicken mishap (recall the spear mishap, let’s see if this is glossed over as well) Jonathan (conf) “A one second mistake cost us the chicken… I’m not happy right now with Flicka…” (Situational confessional as it directly involved him as he acquired the chicken. Whether it is potential foreshadowing between Jessica and Jonathan will need fleshing out but as it stands it appeared to be a fluff piece and since it was never brought up again, I don’t know that this is reflective of a poor showing for Jessica) At this juncture, Jonathan provides the narrator role essentially to this tribe and while Pavarti did not play a big part, visually she was seen often enough to not be forgotton. Jessica naturally was shown in a slightly negative turn but I found the whole scene very sterile in terms of casting a heavy negativity on her. Candice was barely there and Adam was really shown solely in chasing the chickens Revisiting Hiki Rebecca and Sundra find the water and we hear from Sundra her opinion on Rebecca Sundra (conf) “Rebecca’s cool, she’s just very smart, athletic… we work really well together” (I question why we did not hear about Sundra from Rebecca, again I usually give lengthier stay to those being talked about; it was obvious they got quite close but we heard from Sundra about Rebecca as opposed to the other way around) Stephannie (conf) “Rebecca and Sundra are much closer than I could be to either of them, they go off together…. that is something I ‘m watching…” (Yet with this confessional, it is potentially possible that this relationship may at some be called into question) There were more confessionals from Stephannie involving the firemaking and Sekou clearly setting up what would occur later and not necessarily indicative of Stephannie and how she may fare in this game. Revisiting Raro We see the initiation of the “cuddle puddle” and the sleeping arrangements Candice (conf) “Sleeping next to Adam… he is the biggest guy out here… Adam is an attractive guy” Adam (conf) “It does make the island more bearable… attracted to Candice a lot” Parvetti (conf) “They are snuggling, I dunno, romance is in the air” (This little segment actually seemed to bode better for Parvetti than Adam or Candice. Candice was relatively unheard of or seen this episode except for her discussing an attraction. Adam, at least, was heard from with respect to the racial dynamic setting but Parvetti is shown being an observer and discussing camp events) Revising Puka Brad’s headache is showcased with Cowboy discussing the “bad wind” and his cure for same. The girls are laughing at the “indicator” with Brad with Cowboy narrating how the younger culture has lost touch. Yul joins Brad and the girls but only asks Brad if he is okay. Brad (conf) “I will be truthfully honest, I don’t have a headache anymore but I do have a red mark…” (We are meant more than likely to reinforce the difference of Cowboy and the younger Asian Americans with some slight tone of Cowboy being a slight butt of the joke yet, unlike Billy, Cowboy put his money where his mouth is and we hear from Yul…) Yul (conf) “Cowboy is interesting…. when I first met him, I wrote him off as a crazy kook but in between the nonsense there’s gems of nuggets that are useful” (For the record this was a confessional from a later time, at least after the immunity challenge as Yul’s nose is cut in this confessional and this cut occurred during the immunity challenge. This confessional was inserted at this time though on purpose to reinforce a positive for Cowboy and coming from Yul serves Yul well and in terms of editing should serve Cowboy well since in actuality we didn’t HAVE to see this but it was to help the audience give Cowboy credit) The segment ends with Cowboy laughingly tell Brad the red mark will go away when he is all better. The ladies were essentially invisible and Brad, although integral to the scene really was not very important. Revisiting Aitu Billy (conf) “….if we lose it’s not the end of the world, it’s the beginning of the game” (Oh this little blurb could have a world of meaning, it is also a gem of a comment; perhaps not indicative of Billy but something to start happening to and/or with the Aitu’s when they lose their first challenge…) The Challenge The challenge did not necessarily showcase anything spectacular except that the chicken was mentioned and that would probably only be because the men from Hiki chose their victim for this reason so there had to be some commentary for progression sake. Of note, or not, Yul was shown when Jeff mentions the all important “immunity” Nathan then Cecelia were shown with respect to Jeff’s comments about a twist he would reveal after the challenge. Only noteworthy was during the challenge Billy was noted by Jeff as slowing down his tribe with a close up shot of Billy appearing to trudge slowly yet if you saw the scene immediately after, Billy was right next to his tribemates and Puka still needed to climb over the small hill to catch up. Considering the previews for next week, clearly this was placed as a placement clue for the events to come Of note: Ozzy and Cecelia were puzzle assemblers as were Becky and Brad, Jonathan and Adam and Stephannie and Sekou with Nathan and Sundra ultimately taking over. Puka wins the challenge and Jeff reveals the EI twist. There was not as much “feel” to his delivery as last season so I question whether anyone even finds it this season. Of note, JP was shown twice when Jeff talks of sending someone there and if found that the information can be shared. Nathan and Sekou discuss their selection with Nathan mentioning “the dude in blue is the one that got the chickens” and Jeff notes that the men made the decision with Sundra commenting how they took control (Again, this could be mostly fluff since the end result at TC did come down to a gender vote) Nathan “Karma’s a bizzle so chicken man over here” (Foreshadowing? Will Nathan reap what he sowed?) The Exiled One As last season suggested, those who appear to have legs in this game did receive a more substantive edit at Exile Island. That is not to say that ANYONE this season will receive a substantive edit on EI especially if the idol is never found or is not important to the ultimate story. Being the first exiled this season, we need to wait to compare Jonathan’s stay with others. Jonathan had a simple edit on EI; he notes his shock over the selection due to the chicken, the clue was read and discussed, he was cold and miserable and missed his family and EI was terrible. Short and sweet with nothing of real value Hiki Goes To TC The gender division commences in earnest with Rebecca and Sundra discussing the men with Stephannie while Sekou and Nathan discuss bringing Stephannie into the fold. Rebecca (conf) “….Sekou might be the right person to vote out; had a hard time establishing leadership and no one was working in unison, we think he plays a major role in that” Nathan astutely tells Sekou that Sundra and Rebecca are tight so pulling in Stephannie is the strategy with Sekou shown approaching Stephannie. Stephannie (conf) “Sekou tried to persuade me to align with him and Nate to vote Sundra out. I know my vote is the swing vote, men on one side and women on the other side……” (Nothing from Sundra and nothing from Nathan. Again, Rebecca chosen speak, Stephannie speaking easily explainable as she was integral to the outcome. What concerns me for Sundra is that she was someone brought up as a potential boot victim yet we hear nothing from her in terms of wondering what may happen. Usually the two contenders for leaving are heard from in some aspect. This is not always the case but it does happen quite often. We did not hear from Nathan either with respect to what may happen nor did we see him part of any discussion with Stephannie (if there even was one) In all actuality, Rebecca had the best “showing” this first episode but first episodes are tricky with longevity. Tribal Council We heard Rebecca discussing Sekou stepping up as leader with Rebecca shown rolling her eyes at Sekou’s commentary on that, Nathan discussing their beautiful spirit and laughing over the division with more on representation, Sundra discussing the bonding scenarios, Stephannie discussing her “odd man” out status and Rebecca again advising the criteria she is using for her vote. Sekou leaves and Jeff states: ”If what you said is true and you just voted out your weakest link you should go back to camp stronger and a more organized tribe” (We have heard this before and the result is not usually positive) Edited to Add: KO, I am thrilled you are analyzing the music and it should serve as well, Corvis I am so happy to see you in here and your observations along with BR’s are extremely insightful. I am curious to see how the messages stated by the contestants result in the outcome. Emydi and Pepe I expect more popping in and will be revisiting this episode noting what all of YOU observed since I take others insights to help with mine. Obviously the first episode was significant in establishing this experiment, I would suggest that a minority will win this season (in terms of numbers it is sensible as well) Ozzy, Yul, Cowboy, Rebecca, Pavarti, Jonathan, possibly Cecelia and Jessica, Jenny and Billy have potential. Stephannie is inconclusive as she was integral to this particular episode. I’m concerned the bane of Adam and Candice’s existence is their romantic interlude and Jonathan, Cowboy and Billy are there for character placement (Jessica may fit this as well) There is still quite a bit of muck to weed through; next week will certainly help flesh some of this out. I am not one to guess weekly boots but recall that in a lot of instances the second boot was not even someone shown in the first episode. Kel, Jess, Patricia, Tanya, Janet, etc. were essentially background players in the first episode and only until the second episode they were shown AND the showing was the actual reason they left, i.e. beef jerky, sickness, bossiness and so forth so someone who was NOT shown this week may, in fact, be a candidate to leave THIS week; this boot does not need a prior episode introduction.   Top

Quest 16 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Got Milk? Spokesperson" 09-16-06, 09:49 AM (EST) 31. "RE: Episode 1 Thoughts" I have a feeling that the race issue may become more of a factor once the tribes merge than right now. Especially since the four tribes don't have much contact with one another right now. How long it will last this way is the real question. Last season the four tribes merged into two by the second episode.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-16-06, 03:09 PM (EST) 32. "RE: Episode 1 Thoughts" I enjoyed your comments as always VS. I took note that we both view Rebecca as having more potential than Sundra even if we arrive at this from different observations. Noting that Sundra called Rebecca strong reinforces my own view. Yul was a big presence in the middle of so many players and I am happy you noted he was shown during Jeff’s mention of immunity. It did point to Aras last time and I hadn’t noticed that shot this time. Kob, I’m impressed with your musical analysis. I’ll have to watch again with your notes and will read them again to see how it compares to other character analysis. The episode started off nicely, the scenery with the giant waves and the beautiful islands was amazing. The players were presented as chosing to be either: Doubles players, Singles players or Spectators: Because of the small tribes, the dynamics have been similar to last year’s except there hasn’t been mention of “the Numbers” yet. Since this is starting like Survivor: The International Championship, this is the day’s program: The Doubles Players -Sundra and Rebecca: The first obvious pair, those 2 women were always together during camp life, water collection and the challenge. Sundra told us Survivor “is a human effort” and Rebecca said: “Black people…don’t just run track.” They alternated practically equally their confessionals but it was Rebecca who told us Sekou wasn’t a good leader and needed to go even if Sundra was the men’s target. It could be a sign Rebecca is perceived as stronger and has more potential as a long term player. –Adam and Candice: The first of the three romances Jeff alluded to didn’t take long to form. Even Parvati commented that “romance is in the air.” He’s an athlete and will be a force in the challenges. We saw little from her except she wanted to toast to Raro rather than “Whitties”. They could complement each other well. Adam doesn’t care about the race division, knowing that how you get along with the ones on your tribe is what counts. That pair should be a target at some point but could get each other to the merge. -Becky and Jenny: We didn’t see much of this pair but they were together most of the time. Because of the opposition between the men of Puka Puka, they will decide which way the tribe will vote. Jenny presented her tribe and let us know they are a mixed group within the Asian community, coming from three different cultures. Becky wasn’t heard but she solved the puzzle with Ozzy, received the flint and the head of the idol from Jeff -Nathan and Sekou: The first pair to have been split. They were slow to get Stephannie on their side and then failed to present the proper argument to make her change her mind. Nathan seems to have the amiable personality to have some success as a singles player but he knows he can be head-strong. His reaction after the initial shock of TC was a good sign. He laughed after receiving flint, patting the girls’ shoulders...That is Rebecca and Sundra not Stephannie. He knows where the power lies. I think most of the great spirit Manihiki demonstrated left with Sekou. The Singles Players Two of those players seem to have been seeded as favorites: -Ozzy: This castaway knows the game. He first tells us that a racial division “is gonna be hard…We could clash on things.” He has had the most preparation for this show and is aware of the downfalls others have encountered. He saw Billy wasn’t doing the job so he offered his help in building the shelter, wanting to guide rather than lead. He showed athletic abilities in providing a large supply of coconuts and in reaching the boats first in the challenge. He was the player that received the most comments from others. JP and Cristina’s main confessionals were to say how impressed they were with him. Mainly he likes his team. He’s one to watch to make the semi-finals...I mean final 4! -Yul: The player that was the most worried about the ethnic split but he is ready to see how it plays out. Having ties to the political world in Washington, he does have to worry about image. Nevertheless, he seems like a very capable leader. The men of Puka Puka haven’t formed a boys’ club and I suspect Yul can convince the girls to vote on his side if the need arises. It would be a huge upset if he gets eliminated in the early rounds. The others singles players appear to be in trouble: -Cao Boi: He was the star of episode #1. His treatment of the wind was the fastest way to get rid of a headache since the guillotine! His quotes about his ancestry and his refugee status showed the pride he has in his accomplishments. Even the viewers who couldn’t pay much attention to the show will remember Cao Boi. The problem will come at TC when the rest of the tribe will also remember him. He knows he’s in danger because he sticks out but doesn’t seem to care. Could his quote about “People always underestimate the Asian” be a good omen for one member of Puka? -Flicka: She saw herself as the alternative option who didn’t quite fit in a tribe with a jock, a sorority girl, a student and a family man. Losing the chickens could end her game before it starts. I hope, for her sake, she can make it up somehow before their first TC. If that happens too soon then she is the biggest target. –Stephannie: She has pride and wants to represent. She is a hard worker but even if she doesn’t look like Dolly, weren’t those the exact same words the sheep herder used in episode #2 of Vanuatu. Either she didn’t learn or more likely didn’t see that mistake. With many players unfamiliar with the game, we can expect a repetition of some of the worst mistake. She saved herself this time but will be next I feel. Sundra and Rebecca can keep Nathan and the numerical advantage in the gender division even if Steph gets booted. Had she gone with the men, Rebecca would have been her shield for the next boot. The name, Stephannie, however it is spelled, isn’t good for Survivor. –Billy: He’s gonna be a funny character, commenting how it is backwards rafting towards an island for example! He likes the odds for the Hispanics surviving in the tropics, but before he decided to take the lead, maybe he should have realized it wasn’t his area of expertise. He was useless in camp and a handicap in the challenge. He won’t last long and if he thought losing the challenge was the beginning of the game rather than the end of the world, he should be happy they finished second. -Jonathan: The theme of the season is different but somewhat reminiscent of Pearl Island. Is it a coincidence we’ve had another theft right at the start? Jonathan seems well-liked in his tribe and should make it to the tribe switch but he has been noticed by the other players as a target. This author should also be a narrator for a while, having already given us the first title-quote about not forgiving Flicka for messing with the chicken. He also likes the social experiment but knows Survivor comes down to cutting the throat of who sits next to you. His simple edit while on Exile Island could be a sign he won’t play a role at the end. The Spectators: -Parvatti She wondered if the division was “Kosher” and observed the new romance and wanted to toast to Raro’s kickass bounty. She fits in much better than Flicka and I remember another cheerleader who went far. Her goal is to make it to the merge. If the tribes switch before Rarotonga goes to a second TC, she could make it due to the number of targets in the singles players. -Brad: He served Cao Boi’s story, not his own. He didn’t speak about anything but his headache. -JP: We heard his comments on Ozzy’s abilities and on Billy being out of shape but he didn’t do much himself. I feel he will be the Nick of this season but without the help of an Austin. Ozzy is not in the stands, he’s looking to win! -Cristina: I expect we’ll see more of this real life hero but here also she only served to make us appreciate Ozzy. The previews seem to point to a conflict but lets wait and see. One visual of note: When Jeff says about the fire building kit “if you can’t make a fire with that, you need to go home” we see Cristina laughing. Will it come to play later and will Cristina still be laughing then? -Cecilia: For a team that did well, we didn’t see much of most of their players. Cecilia wants to work hard and play hard to represent her community. The women of Aitutaki will be helped by the opposition of Ozzy and Billy. The 2 seeded singles players should make it through the first half of this game as well as at least one of each of the 3 Doubles teams. I have stronger feelings regarding Rebecca, Adam, Becky and Jenny’s prospects. At least one of the spectators will slowly get involved with Parvati and Cristina seeming ready to jump on the court. Another spectator, (Cecilia?) could slide by unoticed but it is early to tell which one with 19 contestants remaining. Nathan needs to learn how to play singles in a hurry.   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-16-06, 05:00 PM (EST) 33. "RE: Episode 1 Thoughts" Re Aitu, michel said "For a team that did well, we didn’t see much of most of their players." When people are not shown as good candidates for longevity in the first episode, and are barely seen, might that mean they will be seen sufficiently quite soon? Perhaps the Aitu tribe isn't going to do very well after its initial good showing. Ozzie looks long term (as noted above), JP seems like Mr. Merge boot, too athletic to be booted early or to be kept around at merge without a dominant alliance (Nick v. 2), and Billy is a character who got off good lines and earned an "entertainment" focus. The Aitu women were virtually ignored as has been noted, so they may be early boots who will get developed starting Ep 2. Christina could come out of nowhere to be the typical Ep 2 surprise boot. Spec -- she could go after Billy as the "obvious" person who needs to go, and her pushiness could unite the men against her. If they want a surprise boot, they may have held back on showing her aggressive qualities in the first episode. *she's a female cop in the LAPD and an Aries ... pushy? what a stretch!*   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 09-16-06, 05:54 PM (EST) 34. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" LAST EDITED ON 09-16-06 AT 06:31 PM (EST) Excellent insights as always, VS, and I pretty much am in agreement with your assessment of who the likely long-term players in the game will be based on the editing. Michel, I definitely appreciate the perspective you bring to this thread. I love the tennis analogy, by the way! I found myself thinking: Cao Boi is most certainly not a baseliner but a serve and (verbal) volley specialist. Will Billy, having ‘built’ himself up, serve a double fault at the worst time and lose the match? Does Stephannie have an ace in her locker (because she needs one to save herself)? Does Adam and Candice being the only mixed doubles partners give them any sort of an advantage? Could it be said that Jonathan is neither a player nor a spectator but the match commentator instead? Who’s the leading candidate to throw a John McEnroe tantrum? ….. KoB, many thanks for the music breakdown. It’s certainly adds to the editing weaponry, that’s for sure. Before I go on, can I just remark on a particular animal visual: that was one giant centipede! The feeling I get is that the whole issue of race, for now at least, isn’t a burning one. It was a topic of discussion but that is to be expected – an immediate reaction to an unprecedented division of tribes in the game. Nobody came across as being overly uncomfortable with or sensitive to the arrangement. Some, indeed, were quite effusive. There wasn’t any consideration given to how it may impact on long term strategy, either, beyond, perhaps, the opinions of the two men from the Raro tribe that, in fact, it isn’t the least bit relevant (Adam talked about the right people and personalities regardless of ethnicity and Jonathan mentioned that sooner or later you’re going to have to “cut somebody’s throat.” Admittedly, Yul did raise the prospect of stereotyping. Even here, though, his reservations weren’t exactly damning; he was prepared, instead, to be open-minded, adding “…..it should interesting.” Ozzy’s concern was limited to the effects within the tribe itself rather than dynamics of the game as a whole. Actually, if I was to highlight one thing from the opening episode as possibly significant it would be the perception that the greater focus was on the men - in the forefront (a greater combined air time, more confessionals), be it positively or negatively. The women, in contrast, largely took a back seat in the editing (The face time for Stepahnnie, as VS mentioned, is related to her tribe going to TC and her casting the decisive vote. As for Flicka, we can simply conclude the chicken incident had to be shown!). The question I have with this setup, are we meant to suppose the men are the controllers, the dominant forces, the power base in the game or, alternatively, it’s all just pretense and the women are the ones actually pulling the strings from amongst the shadows? For now, I’m leaning towards the final outcome being shaped by the men, if only because they’ve been portrayed as the stronger and, arguably, more notable (BR’s post is a good supporting reference) characters. I won’t tread on the same ground as VS with regards to which contestants to look out for but I’d like to pass comment on a few individuals. For me there were three standouts: Cao Boi – The most prominent person in the opening episode. There is definitely crash and burn potential here although it’s safe to assume, however long he lasts, we’ll get a lot of mileage out of him. The portents appear to be good, I’d suggest. Next week’s preview of Cowboy exasperating his tribemates suggests he may be in line for the boot if Puka ends up at TC but it also smacks of misdirection. A clue to his durability comes from Yul who was quick to revise his first impression of him as a complete screwball to someone who has “gems of nuggets that are useful”. The implication may be that Cowboy can play a role in Yul’s plans – whatever they may be – and, therefore, should not be so readily dispensed with. I would also add that Cowboy’s own observation that he has never fit in with the Asian community opens up the possibility for matchups with members from other tribes when the merge(s) occur (which could be interpreted as being beneficial to Cowboy himself and, for that matter, a means for others to lure him over to their side). Yul – Ticks the right boxes, doesn’t he? If there is a such thing, however, his whole edit was almost too positive (and I include the praise Jeff lavished on him pre-game, comments that extended to his delight if he won). He’s smart, thoughtful, articulate, has an excellent sense of awareness and can hold his own physically in challenges. So what’s the downside, I wonder? With Yul, I already find myself waiting for when, and not if, the other shoe will drop. Ozzy – Received a very well-rounded edit that bodes well for his chances. Climbing the tree to get the coconuts establishes his intrinsic value both as an individual and to his tribe. J.P.’s subsequent remarks that Ozzy is “gonna be pretty good at this game” reinforced the positive vibe we get from him but not overly so, leaving us to ask, naturally, will it be good enough. Nonetheless, Ozzy’s appearances, from confessionals to camp life to the immunity challenge, were all very measured. He was included at regular intervals to be ‘seen’ by the viewer, though never in an overtly attention-seeking way. Hard to get a handle on: Stephannie – I’m intrigued by her. On the one hand she’s the self-professed ‘odd man out,’ making her ripe for the next boot if Sundra and Rebecca feel so inclined. On the other hand, Nathan can’t be sure if her outsider status excludes an estrogen alliance and, consequently, his apparent usefulness to them as the remaining male in the tribe. It would easy to view Sekou’s elimination, for example, as a simple case of maintaining the upper hand in gender numbers. Moreover, since both are now vulnerable for their respective reasons, teaming up offers each other protection (in theory you could get a 2-2 split at TC). So Stepahnnie now finds herself in a position that is either very good or extremely detrimental. The outcome will be determined by her powers of persuasion, convincing Sundra and Rebecca that the women should stick together and that they ‘owe’ her having voted with them to kick Sekou off the tribe whilst, at the same time, point out to Nathan the danger of assuming he’s more valuable. Could we get a surprising resolution? For what it’s worth, I sense there is more to come from Nathan, Sundra, Jonathan, Billy, Jenny and Parvati. I’m ambivalent about Cecilia, Cristina, J.P., Brad, Flicka and Rebecca. Adam and Candice were too one-dimensional (nothing apart from the budding romance) albeit it brings about a possible voting bloc. And poor Becky. Has a contestant ever been so completely ignored in a season premiere of Survivor? She was so anonymous that I have a hard time believing that she is merely being saved for later to be introduced as a long term player. If she gets a healthy spike next episode we might even presume that she’s the second person to go! VH *edited to fix typos*   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-16-06, 06:40 PM (EST) 35. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" I also wanted to mention one more thing that I think has some significance. At the IC Jeff mentioned that the top tribe would also win a fire starting kit. He made the remark "If you can't start a fire with this, you don't deserve to be out here." The last time Jeff made a similar remark was in the first full reward challenge in Palau. The prize was a set of fishing gear and he said "If you can't catch fish with this, you deserve to go hungry." As it were, Ulong won that challenge and then they didn't really catch a whole lot the entire time using the gear. We all know what fate they met. Is this a reference then that Puka won't be effective in keeping their fire going? Could it also be an indicator that Puka as a tribe will have their flame snuffed? Conversely, Sekou had told his tribe before going to tribal council "There is a fire in every one of us". It would be ironic if the Hiki tribe itself is destroyed early, but that the eventual winner is an african american.   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-16-06, 09:48 PM (EST) 36. "Ep 1 comments" I wish I could put my thoughts and observations together better, so if I just ramble forgive me. I also tend to compare new survivors with old and hope that the editing stays pretty much the same.. As far as narrators for the tribes go (at least pre merge) I think the following: Raro--Jonathan and Flicka. Jonathan is our classic pre merge narrator. Even though he was singled out negatively as a chicken stealer and he went to EI for it, I think the conf. he received and how he was portrayed he is at least a make to merge player. Probably won't make it much further. I see him as a Sarge like player. Whether he has the ability to get further I don't see it I also think Flicka is the other "observer" on this tribe. She described her tribe for us with her being alternative. Despite her complete idiotic move...she did not even stop before she picked up the crate w/ the chickens, I think she has some longevity. Like VS said, this is Sally sling story over again. Jon and others could have and probably did give her "the business" but that wasn't shown. Also, when they talked about the chickens before IC (to show the reason for Jon's exile) it was VERY interesting to me that they did not show them talking about the karma of stealing the chickens because they don't have them anymore. More than once Karma was mentioned...could this be an underlying theme this year? What goes around comes around? We'll see Hiki-I actually thought Sundra was the narrator for this tribe. Maybe I just like her more than Rebecca but I think she has more potential to be a player?? Aitu-Ozzy--definitely he has long term narrator written all over him and he had the "I don't wanna be a leader" confessional as you will recall another long term survivor had...Rafe...about Gary. I think the way he was shown with the Jungle Book climb was great. Next week, Cristina says that Ozzy is thinking about "throwing the challenge" I don't think this occurs bc we all know that gets you and I think Ozzy at least what we've seen about him won't ACTUALLY do this. I think JP will be the calming mentor of Ozzy. Paku-Yul and Cao Boi--both for very different reasons. Yul will be the conscience of Survivor Cook Islands. We will see the race relations through his eyes as he was the only one really to be shown talking about in an intelligent provocative manner. The others that talked about it did it more laizze faire. I too think a minority will win this game and it would be just perfect for EPMB if the one that questioned the premise of the show did win it. Yul also reminds me of Aras so much!! Cao Boi is Shane for what it's worth. They will use him as much as they can before he goes. But from ep 1 anyway I think he stays longer than the initial eps. I think he was seen as negative at the beginning but then was rehabilitated by the headache remedy (boy I could have used him today I had a bone crusher this am!!) I think it bodes very poorly for Becky (besides the fact she was not shown much) that she was shown mocking Cao whereas Yul was the one that rehabbed Cao. Even Brad gave Cao his due. I too think an alliance will occur btw these 2 with Brad as a third less important member (shane and aras anyone?) and if the tribe goes to TC before the 4 tribes merge into 2 tribes, I think Becky (rather than Jenny who had more face time and commented on the Asian differences) will be history. What concerns me is that Cao is continually making comments and jokes about Asians to the consternation of his tribe and I think the audience too. But that could just be hiliting the character. Some general observations. At the beginning when they were leaving the ship after getting the supplies, I tried to determine who was shown in the water and who was not. I remember Sandra was not shown ever going into the water (and thus her fire never went out) but it was hard to do. I saw Jenny and Cao only on the raft. In the water was Yul but for a reason and the others shown were Nate, Flicka, Jonathan and Billy (that I saw anyway) The animals were back!! VH I loved that centipede!! it was Shown during Steph's conf after they lost IC and she knew she was the deciding vote, I also noted after reading KT's thread that a snake rattle was also heard during the centipede crawling up the stem. Hi KT!! I saw 2 creatures of the sea and then immediately Billy one was shark at the beginning when he was getting into water from ship and the other was that beautiful huge whale. I always am on the look out for the critters so I guess if KT can handle music I can be the resident critter spotter I can't get an handle on JP. I don't know if it's bc he wasn't really shown and what he was shown he was talking about the other two men of his tribe. I see him as the leader of this tribe akin to an Andrew. I feel he will probably have the same fate UNLESS.....he finds the HI....which after the first ep I think if anyone does it will be him and he uses it!! As VS mentioned...as they were talking about EI and the HI, JP was shown twice and very distinctly. When they talked about going to EI, JP was shown looking down. When Jiffy said if you find it you can tell others or keep it to yourself, they showed him again. I really think this was foreshadowing of things to come. For JP to go further than the norm for his type say going at F11-F8 he will need some help in immunity run or the HI. I find it hard to believe that the planets will align once again like last season and if its found, the person who found it won't NEED to use it. I think JP will be the one using it. I hope so, I really liked him. Another thing I noticed about JP and to a lesser extent Ozzy, they could be on the white tribe FWIW. I really don't think much of the chances of the winner being any of the "whities" and I didn't like that VS and I'm white (but I also don't like Cao Boi's asian jokes and I found it quite IRONIC that all the stereotypes that the AfrAm mentioned they unfortunately were shown actually doing (being lazy, not being good at the water challenge)). I actually don't think Adam Candice and Parvatti will have much impact on the game. Maybe parvatti can fade inot the background after the 4 merge to 2 but A and C are Jeff and Kim all over again IMHO. Only Jon and Flicka have real potential. VH I also noticed how the women were in the background in ep1. I can hardly tell the diff btw Parv/Candice and Cec/Cristina The only reason I can with Jenny/Becky is that they look very different. It was ironic that the women of Hiki controlled the TC (even tho they didn't pick the EI person) I think the initial alliance of Sundra/Rebecca will be important to this game. How far, I don't know but I think they are both safe for a while.   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-16-06, 10:57 PM (EST) 37. "RE: Ep 1 comments" LAST EDITED ON 09-16-06 AT 11:11 PM (EST) But the funny thing is that the African American tribe couldn't get their boat together. When it came to the water part, the paddling, they gained ground on the Raro's and actually did very well. If they had been able to get their boat together, it would have been the Raro's at TC.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-17-06, 03:40 AM (EST) 38. "Visuals" First: Thanks VH for enhancing my tennis analogy. If Jonathan is a commentator rather than a player, he still can't win. Cao Boi, as any good volleyer, could smash any easy lob thrown his way with a devastating but unsavory one-liner. I liked your analysis of the women in the back-ground and the visuals I noted after watching the tape may add to it. Emy, as with VH I agree with most of your observations except maybe on Becky. Here are visuals that I noted on second viewing: 1)The shark was seen twice rising from the depths, ready to attack. Each time the first person focused on was Adam. First he's paddling in the fore-front and then it happens just before his confessionals about not caring for segregated tribes. We do see Flicka acting as an out-board motor to the raft (!) in between but Adam is the first we hear. Will Adam be the shark or its victim? Since we see Adam after the shark, I tend to opt for the victim. 2) Twice someone mentioned the million. Jeff saying: "Only one will remain to claim the million..." and Jonathan saying: "This is Survivor. One is going to win the million... cut throat..." Each time Parvati was shown in a close-up, carrying the chicken on the raft and strolling on the beach. She also was always shown smiling. Danni anyone? 3)Becky solved the puzzle for Puka, intercepted the flint Jeff seemed to throw in Yul's direction and received the head of the idol after Cao Boi directed Jeff to give it to her. Add Cao Boi's comment about Asians being under-estimated and I ask: Aren't you under-estimating Becky? The one thing that has me worried is something from "The VS Book of Analysis". After Becky intercepts Yul's flint, we hear Jeff say that something is more important, immunity. Puka happily claps but no one has the flint in hand! Did Becky pocket it immediately? Isn't it possible that the clapping scene was shot before she caught it? If it was an out-of-sequence scene, then we weren't meant to notice Yul didn't catch the flint. It would be a better sign for Yul than Becky.   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-17-06, 08:31 AM (EST) 39. "RE: Visuals" I'm going to agree with you Michel. I have now watched this episode 8 times since thursday. The music editing as well as the scene editing point me to Parvati as being the person to watch. Even when she wasn't in a confessional, she was highly visible among her tribe. She was right in the middle of the cuddle puddle as opposed to Jonathan and Flicka who served as bookends. She was the person that carried the torch for Raro during the challenge and lit the cauldron at the top. She is the only one that got the respect of the music as it completely stopped so that it would highlight her saying "We kicked ass today". And as you pointed out, she was pictured every time the mention of "sole survivor" "million dollars" "one person will win". This is certainly a player we need to keep our eyes on.   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-17-06, 02:45 PM (EST) 40. "RE: Post 1 Editing" Great contributions all and really nothing to add as we all seem fairly in agreement with respect to who has potential. I am glad I am not the only one who noticed the shots on Pavarti as they were very telling and if I were inclined to believe a Caucasian is to win, she would be someone I would would consider. I do find it interesting there are some different opinions regarding Sundra (as opposed to Rebecca since there is a general feel to keep them together as michel dicusses in his tennis correlation). I would think the next episode may shed better light on them but again, I find it troublesome that a boot candidate was not even shown expressing her thoughts on the upcoming TC. A fellow poster PM'd me to let me know that the Insider reflected that the Caucasian tribe had three chickens and Candice lost one of them and Flicka the other two. As stated in prior threads, what is left OUT can be as important as what is left in. One now must decide was Candice's flub left out because "who cares" as she doesn't last long enough to help make that little fluff piece compelling OR was is left out to not stain her character? My personal editing opinion is the former. Jonathan's scene about the chicken and Flicka was really not that important but it was included, perhaps only to flesh out both Jonathan and Flicka so the audience remembers that and help to establish their character; perhaps to reflect an upcoming dispute OR alliance, etc. This scene was deemed important enought to waste five minutes and yet Candice was neglected in her part of the chicken fiasco. I would suspect that Jonathan should have been irritated by both but we only heard about Flicka. In conjunction with this, if our "theme" is integral to the ultimate outcome/winner then it is suggestive that anyone who we did not hear from in the first episode discussing THIS VERY ASPECT probably should not be the winner despite in what aspect they were shown discussing it. We don't know exactly what our theme is (whether the theme ultimately is about the races do NOT matter or that the races DO matter.) Jonathan, Pavarti, Adam were all shown (in different ways of course) dicussing the concept (I leave out Flicka as her discussion was based upon the breakdown in her group which is something we hear from players regardless) Ozzy, Billy, Ceceilia all had discussions on it as well (Remember JP discussed two individuals on his tribe and their contributions not about the racial aspect) Yul, Cowboy (I find it easier to remember the name writing it this way ) Jenny were shown discussing it (again regardless of detail on the discussion, these three had confessionals involving the "racial" aspect even if Jenny only discussed how the breakdown was in her tribe; this is still relevant like Ozzy because it could be part and parcel to racial issues even within the tribe) In Hiki, Sundra, Stephannie and Rebecca all had commentary about the actual breakdown. I don't include Nathan's confessional about black people don't like to be told what to do; this was more of generic based comment about BEHAVIOR and was more relevant to what was going on in their tribe as opposed to the potentially "generic comment" that Billy made about Hispanics having an advantage because of the tropical setting. Billy's comment (while not exactly meaty was an observation he had about HIS RACE and the ADVANTAGE they would have IN THE GAME which is different than Nathan saying black people don't like to be told what to do which in turn further led his tribe's story along; it incorporated nothing about how his race or the breakdown could impact the GAME itself. I would suggest that if Mark Burnett truly wants the outcome to culminate from the racial divide, the racial integration, the effects of that socialization, the stereotypes perceived, etc. or some semblance... then the longer term players and the winner should be somebody that commented (in some way) on the racial divide. As an aside, I noticed that centipede also VH and must say this is why I leave animal imagery to others, I find it quite distasteful lol   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-18-06, 11:08 AM (EST) 42. "RE: Post 1 Editing" An observation about Sundra (which you touched on above): She was never portrayed as being in danger in Ep 1, even though she was the men's choice to leave. They felt she was the weakest one but we never learned why. And we never saw Sundra or Rebecca wondering which one of the women the men would vote for (or Stephannie, for that matter, before she found out when Sekou tried to recruit her). The only thing that suggested Sundra might become a target were the couple of "meaningful" shots of her when they were leaving the challenge site; but even that was weird because usually those shots are directed at someone who has *already* been established in some way as potentially in danger, and Sundra had not been. This made me wonder if her getting votes at the first TC was just an insignificant blip in her story line. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-18-06, 11:31 AM (EST) 43. "RE: Post 1 Editing" I agree BR, I see Sundra as a long term player   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-17-06, 03:53 PM (EST) 41. "RE: Visuals" Isn't Becky your fave michel? I see her leaving soon...she was shown to me in a negative light with the laughing at Cao Boi's ha remedy. And Cao Boi was rehabbed by Yul a definitie long term player....whom I think will join up with him ala Aras and Shane. I'd use him as a shield if I were Yul. I think Parvati has more potential but I still could not tell her and Candice apart just from ep 1 (in stills I can but not during show) I'll make sure I keep an eye out for her. Candice I thought was not going far and after VS posted about losing a chicken...I will agree, she's gone soon. And don't worry VS, I love the animal imagery and will stay on it!! I thought that centipede was way COOOOOOL! And I love whales. Thanks m on sharks I saw Billy after one but did not note who had first conf. I think Adam is linked to shark, it's as a victim, but I think he makes it to the 2 merged tribes and then he is a victim of being white in a tribe with more minority members who vote him out. Which would be quite ironic bc his conf was he didn't care about the race issue...   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-18-06, 12:14 PM (EST) 44. "RE: Visuals" BR, yes, it is entirely possible that the potential Sundra boot was such an afterthought in terms of the larger picture and obviously time will tell and, in fact, the "glossing over" may very well be a good sign for her as we know that negative commentary kept out can often mean a lengthier stay (you will recall the past discussion we have had about taking out negatives with respect to challenge mishaps and the like) and since any weakness in her abilities was not disclosed to the audience it could have a positive associated with it in terms of staying. Considering that she did speak in terms of the overall "generic" theme of this show, I have given her the benefit of the doubt for now I won't dare repeat my last post with respect to the commentary by which contestants and how that may bode for them longevity wise since the season has only just started and would hate to chase anyone away with my "novels"   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-18-06, 12:24 PM (EST) 45. "RE: Visuals" Right, VS, it was a similar effect to me as when someone messes up in a challenge but we are not shown any negative repercussions afterward (e.g. Danielle in Ep 1 last time). Also, note that this is the exact quote about the chickens on The Insider. It was Jonathan talking on Exile Island: “We had three chickens, and none of them lasted more than an hour at the camp. I don't know who lost the first one, I think Candice lost the first one. Then Flicka lost the second and third one." So it isn't clear that Candice was actually at fault. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-18-06, 01:18 PM (EST) 46. "Episode One" Thank you again BR I was informed slightly different. Regardless I would suspect the entire chicken mishap was more about Jonathan and Flicka and the possibility that they may have some connection in some way, shape or form and/or just highlighting both these contestants to flesh them out somewhat (I would suspect most people would remember Flicka for letting out the chickens and perhaps think she is nice but a little airy but she would be remembered and Jonathan was obviously notable throughout the episode but one certainly recalls his frustration about the chicken and therefore at Flica along with his forgiving her "for now" as he stated) I still find Candice sadly neglected despite the offerings the show gave us; I would have much preferred to hear Candice tell "me" that she was attracted to Adam and she would use that also as a strategy or build upon an alliance.   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 09-19-06, 10:00 AM (EST) 47. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" Wow - Great Comments everyone, its great to be back and have a new season to analyze! I've been away on vacation until yesterday, so I haven't had a chance to watch the first episode more than one time - I dont like to really make any comments until I've at least watched a second time really closely. Not to mention this thread is pretty overwhelming to read through when you havent been around for two weeks! Having been gone, I'm pretty buried so my post this week will be pretty short - hopefully after this week's episode I can have time for a real in depth analysis, and to do a serious analysis of the opening credits, my personal little editing hobby. Hopefully this season they wont take away the opening credits on us like they did last season! For now - I agree with most people above about Parvetti - I think of the Raro tribe she's the one to watch. I really dont see much happening with the rest of them, but its a bit early to tell. Personally, Jonathan feels more like a Terry to me than any other previous player. I dont see him going anywhere near as far though. Jessica - hmm, I'm not sure about her. We'll have to wait and see. Hopefully she's less annoying than Courtney was, I'm not sure I could handle another season with a Courtney. I will say - I think they'll be then next to go to TC. Cowboy and Billy are misdirection. Hiki - I think Steph made the best move she could, and escaped the curse of being the swing vote - but I think she needs her tribe to not return to TC to survive, because I dont see the other women voting out their only remaining man this early. If she lasts until the shakeup, I think she could do well. I reserve judgement on the other women, but I find all of the Sundra comments interesting. I think Nathan will be a commentator for us, but be an early post-merge boot. Just a note from what I did notice of the opening credits - Hiki was the tribe shown alone paddling during the marooning - VERY bad sign, I dont think the winner comes from this tribe. Puka - I want to put this in about Becky - from what I do remember there were several very arresting closeups of her that lingered longer than necessary, especially during the marooning at the beginning of the show. We all remember someone else that didnt say much, but that had unnecessary camera closeups in Guatemala. I wouldnt write her off yet, I honestly remembered her more than a lot of people and was surprised to realize from comments above that she didnt really have a lot of comments or face time. From this tribe I see Brad as the most disposable one, he got airtime but it was fluff and not really about him. Cowboy I see as very similar to Bruce - doesnt fit in, but will eventually gain some respect, but it will only get him so far. Yul - he's one to watch, but he's shown swimming in the opening credits which is usually a death sentence. He had more substance in this show than most people though, he'll go far I think. Aitu - Personally I think this is the tribe that will do the best, and WOW I think Ozzy will go really far - my early pick for a winner. He had lots of substance and was shown being admired by his tribe when he took over things, great early edit. Animal imagery - right after Ozzy's opening credits sequence there is a beatiful shot of a bird mid-flight. Billy, eh I dont know - I think he'll survive for now, he's misdirection. during the marooning Jeff's commentary and the associated images was VERY interesting. As noted above - the long focus on Parvetti (with Jessica in the back ground) when saying one survivor. The preceding comments starting with "Get yourselves overboard" and the people shown with each successive comment was very interesting. I'm going to have to go back and watch to get it exactly right as to exactly what Jeff said and who was shown, but I think these will be telling though... Oh, and I think that we'll see the tribal division last a bit longer this time around - they have one extra person in each tribe so they'll be able to stretch it out longer, and they'll want to get the most out of the race theme that they can I think. Plus, last season there really wasnt enough time to truly see the initial tribes bond, I think they'll give them that time this season. Ok, so it was a little longer than I expected, but there's my early two cents. I'll write more when I've had a chance to really analyze the episode. Oh, and thanks for taking over the music commentary KO! I've really missed AJ's analysis - especially since I completely miss all of that when I watch...   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-19-06, 01:39 PM (EST) 48. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" ag: so glad that you made it to the party All contributions (early or not) are valuable as you know I will be keeping a closer eye on Becky and may revisit the first episode again to give her another try. We have often seen contestants different ways so I am not surprised that some may have found Becky lacking and others felts she was more substantial; that is the beauty of this show! I am not optimistic at her chances at end game but certainly that does not mean she doesn't stay for a bit. Corvis had brought up a potentially interesting theme to this season in Sundra's comment about this is not about race, etc. but about human effort which may very well be prevalent throughout this season. Identifying the theme is crucial (to me) because I have found, more often than not, the winner is tied to the theme. I had mentioned in my first post that I found Jeff's opening remarks very palpable; I certainly felt his comments jumped out at me especially the line "It’s the impressions you make on the other castaways that determine your fate" and do wonder if that is the "overall" message (quite often we have "subthemes") to be conveyed this season, i.e. regardless of gender, age, race this ultimately is about the impression you make. Obviously this is important for any season but Jeff's "message" enforced this (much like last season he herald EI as playing a dramatic role in that season-I would gather that if the idol was not found, his opening message may have included EI but not centered on it) With that said, we have already been introduced to impressions made and ironically Sekou did, in fact, create a strong impression with the women on his tribe. Jonathan was not entirely impressed with Jessica Ozzy and JP were not impressed with Billy There were murmurs of bad impression about Cowboy and so forth We may want to keep an eye on those being honed in on making an indelible impression (including a good one) that is manipulated and/or exaggerated (example: Jeff's voice over about Billy slowing them down at the challenge, etc.) and how that may affect their stay on the island (this would also include a potential final two foil as well)   Top

forehead 932 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Fitness Correspondent" 09-19-06, 04:44 PM (EST) 49. "RE: The Players, The Game, The Editing - Cook Islands" VS I see you keep getting even better at writing novels What is your take on the Insider? To some extent, it's an extension of the show - with some serious editing effort put in. On the other hand, it didn't actually make the show. For whatever story telling reason, the editors cut a Yul gem from the show and put it in the Insider: --- I think I've been blessed in some respects. I had a family that encouraged me to study. I think some of that could pay off in the game. I'm good at puzzles. I have a background in strategy consulting, which might help me out, but you know, I think it might give me an edge, but I think the other people here are also bright, otherwise they wouldn't be on the show. I'm also a little bit concerned people might find out about my background, they might overweight it and see me as more of a threat than I really want to be, so I'm trying to keep that a little bit discreet. --- Why leave this out? Maybe he didn't go all the way?? (Like ag, it gave me pause to see Yul swimming in the opening credits.) forehead   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-19-06, 05:02 PM (EST) 50. "Just an aside..." "...but I think the other people here are also bright, otherwise they wouldn't be on the show." BWAAAAA-HA-HA-HA-HAAAA Why leave this out? Maybe he didn't go all the way It may be premature to say this, but Yul is striking me as the classic F3 exit. Jeff Probst seems to be really high on him, but he talks about him *too* much, and he already seems too overexposed to be the winner, or even in F2, I think. My guess it that Yul is being set up as the one we are supposed to want to win the whole thing, and who looks like he really might do it, but who just falls short at the end. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-19-06, 05:51 PM (EST) 51. "RE: Just an aside..." Like most of the people that I wanted to win....Kathy, Lex, Rob C, Ian (before the bonehead move), Rafe, BUT NOT TERRY I don't know I'm getting an Aras vibe from him...we'll see, he's def. one I am concentrating on.   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-20-06, 08:55 AM (EST) 52. "RE: Just an aside..." forehead I am thrilled to see you again as there is no one else I would rather "sink or swim" with! Insider commentary can be very important and I'm glad you brought Yul's in as well. I don't normally go looking for Insider comments as they may lead me to information I don't want to know so anyone who brings it here is appreciated It is tentatively interesting that Yul's first show confessional spoke of the racial divide and his impressions on how they will be portrayed yet the editing chose to leave out his strategic point of view. I say tentatively because the first episode is really only a blueprint to help potentially forecast who will be the "characters" who seem to have no bearing on the storyline and who may be a long term player; this last part is obviously the most difficult because we have seen those fairly low key first episode go great distances and those who had a solid first showing leave relatively soon. I leave the opening credits analysis to those who are much better at it BR may be entirely correct about Yul's position which still does make him a long term player and I agree with that assessment; it is to be determined however whether Yul's entire edit is solely about showing his success in the game BARRING stereotypes. If that is the case, Yul will do very well but perhaps miss the final compoenent in winning the game in his edit. Compare Ozzy's confessional about his awareness of not wanting to be viewed as the leader... (not that I am proposing Ozzy wins this game but this is an example) Again, this is only the first episode and sometimes the story is so big that the focus is on the premise, not the players at this time. We saw hints of things to potentially develop though and these could be sub stories: Sundra and Rebecca's friendship (and whether it provides successful or fails) Jonathan and Flicka's chicken (I'm not entirely sure this has any relevance; it is conceivable this just helped to project character traits or just a nice little fluff piece that proved ironic in light of Jonathan getting exiled because of the chickens) Ozzy's confessional about his tribe will be happy as long as they are fed and so forth (potentially implying they will NOT be happy with each other which could have an immediate pay off in this episode per the previews) The set up of Candice/Adam (I sense this is relatively short term in light of the fact that neither individual was terribly highlighted and their commentary was very bland) Cowboy's outsider status within even his own ethnic background I see that again I've blathered Tomorrow night is probably more important than the first episode as those relegated to being somewhat low key may expand and those who were highlighted will be either be fleshed out more or potentially stay one dimensional thus helping to determine if they are solely "character"   Top

forehead 932 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Fitness Correspondent" 09-20-06, 11:19 AM (EST) 53. "RE: Just an aside..." I'm ready to "sink or swim" You said it above: "I am not one to guess weekly boots but recall that in a lot of instances the second boot was not even someone shown in the first episode. Kel, Jess, Patricia, Tanya, Janet, etc. were essentially background players in the first episode and only until the second episode they were shown AND the showing was the actual reason they left, i.e. beef jerky, sickness, bossiness and so forth so someone who was NOT shown this week may, in fact, be a candidate to leave THIS week; this boot does not need a prior episode introduction." Becky or Christina? Becky actually had some "visual presence", whereas Christina... And, yes, it looks like Yul wil be a long term player. Concur on the "tentative", as you can only do so much with 20 players in 40 minutes (minus challenges, minus TC prep, minus chicken fluf, minus marooning). Still, they left out his strategic background... I re-watched the episode last night, and thought it was interesting that twice Parvati was shown when somebody else was talking about "one survivor/one winner" - one time it was Jeff, one time it was another castaway... I realize a Parvati win does not match the theme. If she does go all the way, the editing needs a lot of "it's about the player, not the culture"... Wait a second, now you're making me blather... forehead   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 09-20-06, 11:50 AM (EST) 54. "RE: Just an aside..." LAST EDITED ON 09-20-06 AT 01:20 PM (EST) I did get a chance to re-watch the episode last night and I noticed that both Becky and surprisingly Cecelia had quite a bit of unnecessary "face time" even if they werent talking. Cecelia even more than Becky I think. The only player that was nearly invisible this episode was Cristina. Candice is a close second, and Brad would be right after her - if it hadnt been for the headache scene he would have been even more invisible than the other two. I have decided to 100% avoid the spoilers this season since they sort of ruined last season for me, so any predictions I make are completely un-informed spoiler-wise. That said - I think that although Cristina was most invisible, I just feel like Raro will be the next at TC and it'll be Candice going home based on visiblity, and in a tribe as small as five - creating an obvious two-some is very threatening to the others. I've had a chance to do an analysis of the opening credits too - I just havent had the time to post it yet. Some very interesting things, although I must say the action sequences are very different this season - as in most of them have zero action! Based on what I saw in the opening credits - watch out for Ozzy (VERY promising OC sequence), maybe cecelia(?), Yul shows possibility based on certain things, but the swimming shot is a big negative. I agree with above - I see him as final 4, likely 3rd, but not winning. Becky's opening credits sequence is very promising, as is Jonathan's. Thats just quick and dirty, I have yet to really put it all down. Oh - and the sequence of comments by Jeff that I found very interesting during the marooning: "Get overboard!" (Shot of Billy falling in the water) - likely bad for Billy "Your time is up!" Shot of Cecelia jumping off - VERY bad omen for Cecelia "They must learn to adapt" Shot of Adam paddling - maybe a key element of his story? "Or they'll be voted out" - Shot of Puka paddling away - do they get picked off eventually? "In the end only one will remain to claim the million dollar prize" - LONG shot of parvati on the raft with jessica paddling. Definitely good for Parvati - I think not so good for Jessica - perhaps she helps Parvati advance? Thats it for now - looking forward to tomorrow night's show!   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-20-06, 02:15 PM (EST) 55. "RE: Just an aside..." Blather away my dear You should also know to take with a (very small) grain of salt anything I say about weekly boot options as those who peruse the video caps, previews and such are incredibly astute in their selections. I consider it a fun attempt on my part but my thrill is the end game players so I take no responsibility in anything I say about a weekly boot lol. We all know that the editing can change any season and while there are patterns that we've noted, I would never put it past the editors to trick the avid viewers. ag - I noted the visuals attributed also to Jeff's commentary on the boat as well. Originally I was going to jot them down for us to discuss and opted not to do so therefore I am extremely glad you did just that The visual on Pavarti was notable moreso (to me) in that she was also shown with a similar comment by Jonathan. Trickery or not but definitely noted (alas like the dreaded wink Aras received and gave )   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-22-06, 03:05 PM (EST) 56. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" What a “unique” episode (for lack of a better word) Billy’s departure (while not a “classic” second boot of the show edit forehead) was certainly a typical FIRST boot selection of a tribe i.e. lazy, sick, bossy so I’m not entirely surprised at Billy leaving (as emy and I discussed lol) I found the Aiku dynamic very interesting and we got to see the emergence of some other contestants. At this point, the Hiki tribe’s contestants appear to not be in real contention for a winner. Long term players may be there but I did not sense that Hiki is anything other than the tribe that the editing would like us to see do well enough amongst a chorus of “good job” The depth is not really there. The fire scene may bode well for some members to last somewhat longer but I felt that Hiki’s scene was almost as if they just had to show something of them and felt the fire scene would probably bear the most fruit. If that is all the editing had to offer, I feel somewhat bleak for their chances. Recap Division of tribes Pavarti confessional shown Yul confessional shown Billy confessional shown At Aitu, Billy on the outs Ozzy shown expressing his thoughts Forcing Ozzy to step up At Puka, Cowboy shown doing traditional healing Cowboy: “I don’t fit the Asian stereotype; dangerous position to be in” At Hiki, Sekou stepped up to lead, frustrated tribe Stephannie shown expressing her thoughts At Raro, Jessica let the chickens escape Jessica: “I am so sorry!” Jonathan: “I’m not happy with Flicka, I can forgive her but I don’t have to forgive her” (Note they omitted the word “now” after Flicka) IC shown with the three victors Jeff: “No fire for you” (shot of Sundra) “Someone’s going home” (shot of Nathan) The two men chose Jonathan At EI, Jonathan searched for HII Jonathan: “EI is really terrible” Crab shown then Hiki pre TC and the men/women divided Rebecca: “The ladies and I are thinking Sekou may be the right person to vote out” Stephannie: “Sundra and Rebecca are very close, the guys are very close, swing vote” At TC, Stephannie stayed true to the women Jeff: “Good news is, you now have fire” (Flint thrown and Sundra catches it) More Tribal Interaction There is no question that the editing is showing how each ethnicity handles each other and what they need to do on the island. It appears that each tribe has their own way of dealing with each other and their responsibilities. Does this enforce the stereotypes? In many instances it does. Generally speaking, we see the Hispanic tribe working hard but not being able to be on the same page with conflict which then causes a breakdown. At Puka there may be personality clashes but they are secondary to getting the job done; they “back burner” those issues in order to be cohesive, at Hiki, they are shown out of their element in terms of dealing with their environment but trying their best, at Raro they just don’t quite reach 100% and allow distraction to come (whether it is fun, flirting, laziness, arrogance, etc.) The Hiki Tribe Again, I am somewhat concerned for any of Hiki to go the distance and I was somewhat concerned by no showing of the Tribal Council aftermath. Nathan, I’m sure, had thoughts on where he may stand now. Stephannie could have reflected on her choice, Sundra could also have reflected on why she received a vote but there was no reflection at all. Hiki was shown desperate and achieving fire. It made for a nice and uplifting scene but in the barest of terms..... “so what” A lovely orange red sky was shown introducing the Hiki tribe with Nathan and Rebecca attempting fire Nathan “We need fire so bad... we are just kinda like beat you know” The others join in.... Sundra “We are all a little disheartened. We want to represent well but we are feeling a little more pressure being the African American tribe” (I believe this may have been an earlier confessional but placed here due to the context of the situation; more likely this was from the first days out there when there was much more discussion about “representing”) Stephannie (conf) “We tried but just could not get it going; can’t understand what went wrong.... it’s just not happening” Stephannie expresses they are going to make this fire as it is “absolute desperation time” with Sundra nodding in agreement. Rebecca then tells Nathan she is going to try consoling him with a little rub on the shoulder Rebecca and Stephannie are then shown attempting to make the fire and are successful This scene was manipulated and chopped up as one moment Stephannie and Rebecca are shown alone, another scene all three women are there and Rebecca is shown in one portion with her buff and different clothing while the other portion had her with no buff and her yellow tank. What is potentially interesting is that the focus appeared on Rebecca solely as the one continuously attempting to make the fire and eventually succeeding The four are cheering over the fire. Nathan (conf) “The fire was started by Rebecca and the girls, I knew they were going to step up.... be like tough sisters; that’s what they’ve done. I’m so happy!” Nathan had some good visibility and was essentially the narrator of this portion which may bode well for him currently considering the precarious position he may be in with three women and being the only male. I don’t sense much depth out of his confessions, mostly they are relegated to the issue at hand with no manipulation to his character. Rebecca (conf) “This has been a great day for our team; we’re figuring it out and working as one... ........I couldn’t ask for anything more” (Very sweet shot of her laughing and smiling) This was not of any real relevance to the longevity of the characters other than the fire scenes exaggerating Rebecca to some degree. We were meant to focus on her and also Nathan to a degree as he was the one shown as the commentator (along with Rebecca) in the success. Sundra’s commentary about “representing” was nice but it only enforced (to me) that perhaps the MAIN story of Hiki is about perhaps negating some stereotypes of African Americans and we may see one provide a good showing in this game. Ultimately, this show is about winning the game so Hiki in their entirety may just be there to help sum up the negation of stereotypes attributed to that race The Aitu Tribe As stated before, the tribe that goes to TC will be prominently featured so many aspects of their screen time are not conducive in judging long term playing. However, there was a lot of complexity amongst some characters in that we saw more dimension which may bode well for a few of them. With respect to the tribe featured in terms of stereotypes and what not, we see what Ozzy stated is accurate in his first episode.... his concern of all his members being Hispanic may cause conflict with each other Opening shot shown of Ozzy catching fish with the others also doing their workload JP (conf) “The Aitu tribe is working really really well; this morning we all got fish together....” (Shows the four members comparing “fish” notes with a shot of Billy and subtitle of “Good teamwork” said in voiceover) JP (conf from different time) “Latinos are good workers; kind of in our blood, our heritage” (Like Sundra this may have been transplanted from an earlier time just to reinforce their storyline that Latinos are good workers contrasting with Billy not being one) We then hear Cristina tell the story of being shot with Cecelia, JP and Ozzy listening. Reactionary shots reinforce the tension that will later occur with Ozzy and Cristina as JP is duly impressed, Cecelia as well with Ozzy appearing slightly negative in facial reaction. Cecelia (conf) “Cristina is a super strong woman.... ....she’s definitely a role model (Again, I find favor when someone is talked about by someone else which would be good for Cristina. I was glad to see Cristina come out of her shell in terms of visibility but as we later see, I sense this may be more about Cristina and Ozzy coming to a head and their relationship as opposed to end game for Cristina.) The next scene is the discussion about catching the chickens with Ozzy narrating that portion but again this was more about showcasing the Cristina and Ozzy tension Ozzy (conf) “....I’m making a concerted effort not to shoot down all her ideas but a lot ideas she has is coming from a person not used to camping, hasn’t been in the outdoors a lot so they don’t make sense to me (This was a “looped” confessional; part of it came from one confessional and part from another as he is shown in two different settings which usually signifies that the editors felt it was important enough to find more footage. The chicken trap itself is not what was important but Ozzy’s thoughts on Cristina and potentially how this will pan out) Cristina (conf) “Ozzy feels like he knows everything; and he probably does but every idea has to be his idea )shown on beach with red bandana so he is getting under my skin a little bit Ozzy (conf) “Cristina and I, we don’t click very well, I think because for one thing she is a cop and also just the fact I’m ten years younger than her, I understand because if I had a 14 year old telling me what to do I’d probably get a little pissed off” (This was the same setting as the second half of his earlier confession. This was a good confessional in terms of insight from Ozzy. Like Aras last season, Ozzy at least, was shown reflecting Cristina’s point of view and while Ozzy may have appeared somewhat negative this episode, he was shown to at least understand where Cristina was coming from) The chicken net is successful. Ozzy (conf) “I feel like I have shown what I have offered to the tribe so I feel comfortable with my standing within the rest of the group” (Same confessional as the preceding one. This was probably my only issue with Ozzy this episode as expressions of confidence usually don’t bode well for winners. However, a lot seems to be thrown at us fairly early and this particular comment may have been shown solely in conjunction to create a doubt for the audience that Ozzy may get booted since he was in contention for that honor this episode. I would suggest that if we hear this from him later on in the game that it may have adverse effect on a potential win) A brief commentary by the group as to where Cristina went off to and if she was upset after showing the nice chicken being cooked. Much more broadening of the characters on this tribe; again, however, they visited TC so it goes without saying they would be featured. However, with this episode and last episode, we see that Ozzy is a central character indicating longevity. JP felt very supporting despite the increased face time that we see later on and mainly appeared as a conduit for Ozzy. In fact, Ozzy, who engineered the idea to boot Billy did not appear as “mean spirited” as JP did especially at TC which is discussed later. Cecelia was shown obviously more but I felt was bland. Her talking about Cristina came off better for Cristina and while I am still reserving judgment about Cristina due to her poor showing in the first episode, her “character” certainly was fleshed out BUT that may have more to do with Ozzy than Cristina; time will tell. Of this group, Ozzy fares the best and Cristina certainly may have legs although these “legs” may be more about a “face off” with Ozzy. The Puka Tribe The Puka tribe, once again, is showcased as a finely tuned machine which was demonstrated from the get go. Conflict is there but it takes a backseat to what is important. I’m not yet overly confident with some of these contestants as we can see that we aren’t really getting to them too well. Cowboy has given us some insight and there is a very nice parallel with Cowboy and Yul in how they perceive situations but the other three are just a little “off” to me. Bear in mind this is about end game, some of these players could do pretty well but be off the mark for the win. The chicken trap shown is successful under Yul’s guidance.... Becky (conf) “....started off on a high note because Yul caught two chickens; excited because everyone wanted something substantial. Yul’s a smart guy, very intelligent and a good person to have on your side” (Becky is shown speaking as opposed to the first episode but this confessional doesn’t hold much weight for me with Becky; it holds more weight for Yul. I do question the apparent twosome that has been established as we know how these things fare ) and later after their discussion on the beach “Yul and I are both Korean so there is a bond there and we are automatically going to set up alliances because of that..... .....Yul seems like an older brother to me Yul and Becky are now shown discussing their trust in each other (there were a notable amount of crabs shown in this episode) Yul “I trust you” (a crab was shown first then a somewhat sinister musical tone which KO of course can elaborate) Becky “...trusted you from beginning” She then mentions how she would love one of them to (do it) and that is why she wants them to stay together (which means they won’t) After Becky’s confessional of Yul being like a brother Yul “Sticking together would obviously help us in the game....” Becky “I want to stay together ... great, cool” A final shot of Yul alone in the water with his bird feathers Yul (conf) “Becky, she is a lawyer (yet another stereotype!) but she does a lot of non profit work; I respect that and I don’t think someone like that really would be in this game to make a lot money” “so I trust her” (I’m not quite sure what to make of this confessional, it was shown obviously to start commencing the pairings and alliance groupings that most times do not result in favorable outcomes and I question if this is to reflect that Yul may end up being too trusting; at this time we can only file it away but the conversation between these two has been shown to develop in some aspect. We know alliances revealed do not normally succeed but alliances shown ALWAY have a part in the story) At this juncture (although there is more to come) they are shown cohesive, organized with no real depth of character. Jenny and Brad are sorely lacking in this episode. Jenny having the one confessional last episode held some promise but with nothing this episode as with Brad, I’m not fond of their chances. Becky had expansion from her lack of visibility which is helpful and Yul and Cowboy were fairly consistent. The Raro Tribe Oh what a typical Caucasion tribe lol. They enjoy each other’s company; for the most part get along but there will be differences which ultimately slow them down. We saw last week the romantic overtures played upon and Pavarti showcasing this for next week. A hodge podge of people that are never “quite” on the same page which could cause them to “just fall short” Jonathan arrives to hugs and a “Papa Bear” designation from Pavarti and again we see him as a consistent narrator for his tribe Jonathan (conf) “I came back to my tribe and they were all really happy to see me and I’m happy to see them!” (Hat conf) “I’ve come back and these guys haven’t done anything!” “It’s the same shack they have been for three or four days, I don’t understand that” (A brief exchange in between confessionals about the idol and Jonathan looked everywhere for it and his questioning about the floor; we do hear Pavarti express it is uncomfortable and thereafter Pavarti and Candice are shown not working while Jessica is alongside Jonathan) Jessica (conf) “Jonathan and I ....... trying to get something done to make our camp better (Pavarti and Candice giggling) but Pavarti, Candice and Adam like to waste time and not really do things......” Adam is then called out by Jessica that there is quite a bit of work with a camp discussion ensuing by Adam on how elevating the floor is “dumb” This scene reflected negative on Adam no question. While Pavarti and Candice were not shown working either, Adam came off sounding extremely childish. Jonathan and Flicka had each other’s support and Pavarti agreed that the floor was uncomfortable while Candice remained silent on the issue. There have been instances where the person who is delegating work load can be construed as being overbearing but Jonathan and Flicka came out of this not appearing that way ESPECIALLY since the person objecting is a big, strong guy with physical reason to not work and he did not receive any “back up” in his argument Jonathan (conf) “Adam is cranky....he doesn’t understand that other people have other needs and I don’t need him (pause) being like that” Per what we have seen thus far, Jonathan is straight to the point and very effective in his confessionals; he remains the main narrator and his statements are pretty valid; naturally his last words may be a bit of foreshadowing for Adam Candice although again relegated to a background player astutely notices and advises Adam to watch his behavior...... Candice “You gotta be careful” Adam “Who? Me?” (I found that quite funny) Candice “Don’t make him the enemy” Adam “Oh I won’t” Candice “Or it will be rough” Adam “I won’t, I won’t” and a nice little parting shot of Jonathan......... Jonathan seems to be sitting well thus far as a solid narrator and since we did not hear from anyone expressing to us they find him overbearing he came out of this segment quite well. Adam and Candice’s exchange seemed more about setting the stage for something brewing with Jonathan OR Jonathan making someone his enemy later down the road. What I was bothered about is that we did not hear from Adam whatsoever about what occurred and this does not bode well for Adam. Ozzy and Cristina were both allowed to express their thoughts on their conflict whereas we only heard from Jonathan. Adam, in my opinion is probably gone shortly. Candice, unfortunately has had two episodes of nondescript showing and while she is shown observing and commenting I would have better regard to her chances if heard from her as an observer of the situation. I’m inclined at this time to think that Jessica, Jonathan and possibly Pavarti (in light of her first episode) will fare the best in this tribe Re-visit to Aitu I would spare anyone reading my thoughts to another lengthy commentary so simply: The stage is continuing to be set up with the four exclaiming over fish caught and a shot to Billy sleeping shown to be observed by JP. We see Billy then tell us that it is ridiculous for him to exert his energy and let them do it. Ozzy then show telling Cristina and the audience about Billy not pulling his weight which then is followed by everyone shown working diligently with Billy slowly moving around with an almost put out expression. Cecelia and Cristina are then shown reassuring Billy about his feeling left out. This scene obviously shown building upon Billy’s demise as the first scenes were about Cristina and Ozzy’s conflict; we then see how that plays out for Billy’s demise. Essentially, Ozzy’s argument about Billy is validated by the visuals nothwithstanding that Billy may have appeared slightly sympathetic with the girls. Billy’s confessional and the contrast of those working and Billy not was to send a message to the audience that Ozzy had a point in his disdain Re-visit to Puka Less we forget about Cowboy, he is shown once again administering his healing ways to Jenny this time. Too good of a character to pass up the chance to show, we are meant to see him in a scene that we already saw with Brad. It wasn’t necessary to show us again but we are not allowed to forget him and his uniqueness. Cowboy had a “cute” confessional about those who know him ultimately receive a “red mark” from him and it works for them (throwaway comment or symbolic and if so, does the red mark end up ironically not working considering it is on two people whose edit does not seem indicative of end game?) Jenny tells us it felt great and the headache is gone although, like Brad, there is a slight tone of mockery (for lack of a better word) We then seen the night time chatter with Cowboy telling his jokes which are not well received by the others (expressed by Jenny and Brad under the shelter) with Cowboy “not worrying about what other people think” and confessing to us that “...it isn’t about avoiding the joke” Yul then talks to Cowboy how these jokes evoke prejudice and Cowboy feels “a joke is a joke” while the others disagree thus leading Cowboy to begin another joke. Yul (conf) One thing about Cowboy, it’s good to have a sense of humor but if it is at the expense of a particular ethnic group, I don’t think that’s cool” (I believe this was yet another confessional from the first episode as Yul’s nose does not have the cut on it and he is in the exact spot he was in when we first heard about his opinion on Cowboy where he spoke that Cowboy was a bit crazy but had “nuggets of information” so obviously Cowboy has been doing this from the moment they came to the beach. There again is a parallel with Cowboy and Yul that we saw last episode as well. Ironically I find them both vastly different and quite similar at the same time) The Strategy? Begins The four at Aitu are shown at night with Ozzy bringing up the suggestion to throw the challenge to get rid of Billy. The women are negative but we hear JP discuss that he is glad Ozzy brought it up. Cecelia does not like how that would look as Hispanics and Ozzy wants them to look at it as strategy. (Mice were quite rampant during Aitu’s time on the screen; I recall we saw quite a lot of that at Koror as well) Cristina (conf) “Ozzy wants to throw the challenge...... ....I’m thinking this doesn’t seem right... ....I don’t think I can trust Oscar anymore” (Yet again, further broadening of the contention with Ozzy and Cristina. Compare that JP was only shown supporting Ozzy in his confessional, this is about Ozzy and Cristina. Cecelia did not even merit a confessional and earlier it was only providing support to Cristina. Ozzy and Cristina may be the two here that are suggestive of long term players) Pre Challenge Naturally Aiku is not shown reading the treemail in light of their performance. Hiki given a little more “due” for obvious reasons with Nathan advising “We’re four down, everyone else has five so we definitely don’t want to lose another member; we have to win.” Cristina and Ozzy conferring over their thoughts of throwing the challenge with Cristina again expressing her dislike of the idea JP (to Cristina) “.......he’ll take you out!” “Why isn’t is here with us reading this, right now? I know what I’m doing” (Validation again with Billy yawning) Ozzy (conf) “Billy’s dead weight.... ......we might as well cut our losses now and get on with the game” The Challenge Jenny, JP, Adam sit out. JP for obvious reasons. Billy again helps to seal the nail in his coffin to the audience by telling his tribe he is terrible with this. In other words he really isn’t making a good case for the audience despite that on paper, it seems like an illogical move. Jeff “Huge strategy move” (about Aitu reading book) Jeff “Hiki you are still in it but you are falling behind” Jeff “We’re neck and neck, Puka and Raro (twice now this has been a comment by Jeff) Jeff “Aitu is having a holiday” (just a great comment and tinged with sarcasm as Raro looks on) Yul is sent to EI being “the strongest member” which at least demonstrated good strategy (except it resulted in him finding the HII. Ironically depleting your tribe by removing its strongest member is not necessarily the wise route since the HII came along) Nice parting shots of Rebecca, Jenny and Jessica (kissing her portion of the idol) We were certainly meant to enjoy Hiki’s victory as a “group” of underdogs although I find often the underdog is the person that is meant to evoke emotion especially when they leave. Aitu’s challenge performance which was exaggerated by Ozzy was off putting with the consistent visuals of Ozzy and his arrogant behavior. We aren’t necessarily meant to like Ozzy but the end result of his plan was, again, validated by Billy’s behavior, confessional and the quite unusual Tribal Council ahead. The brief exchange between Billy and Candice needed to be put there or else the Tribal Council would have made no sense and it needed to reinforce that Billy leaving wasn’t such a bad idea since his recollection of what occurred was not entirely accurate Prelude to Tribal Council Ozzy (conf) “We lost the challenge, basically on purpose; I’m sorry to say that but it’s something we had to do; Billy dug his own hole by just not working....” (this is a continuation from an earlier confessional where he expressed that Billy was “dead weight”) JP tells Ozzy they would have had no problem winning that challenge and laughing how they were lollygagging. Cristina (conf) “Losing that challenge really bothered me... .....Oscar is really conniving and I see him trying to control everything” (Again, this is more about Ozzy and Cristina; Billy was simply the vessel to promote this) Billy tells us he is looking for a crack..... Exile Island We saw last season how those on Exile Island are edited with regards to longevity. We also knew that when Terry found the idol, we needed to discern whether his edit there was because he found it or because he was a long term player. Yul had a marvelous edit on EI right from the beginning of his approaching from the water to the shores. Obviously, he found the idol so his EI edit was more expansive than Jonathan’s edit was but it is also visuals like his sitting on top of the ship wreckage that makes one pause and consider that there may be more than just his finding the idol We see him express that he does not like EI, his misses his tribemates and hopes they miss him, he reads the clue and starts to work the clue out and finds it. Whether I have a penchant for the dramatic, I did note that Yul said to us “If there is a point where it could change the game, I will use it” Unlike Terry’s “ace in the hole” comment, I found the portion of Yul’s comment very intriguing. When Jeff first discussed the hidden idol last season and Terry as well, we noted the emphasis place on the word “thru” which was not done this season. However, I recall feeling at the time there was a slight emphasis on Jeff commenting it could be shared. I will need to review this as again, it may be my wishful thinking but would it not change the game (as Yul suggests) if he does, indeed, share his fortune with someone? Yul has been shown to be a very patient, kind and level headed man. If there was anyone who would perhaps do this, I could envision that being Yul More Doom at Aitu We are shown the continuation of Billy attempting to turn the tides and a brief exchange with Cecelia and JP Cecelia appears to be feel bad and JP “I don’t feel bad at all” (Again, we have no confessionals from either of them about the situation whatsoever; we really don’t know what they are thinking. In a situation such as this, not hearing from contestants who are playing a crucial role in the ousting of a tribemate in less than stellar circumstances does not bode well for them whereas we heard consistently from Ozzy and Cristina) Billy “Once I’m gone, you’re on the block” Cristina “Exactly” “I don’t trust Ozzy at all” Cristina (conf) “....I think Oscar has been playing everybody” Cristina “Do you have an agreement with Oscar?” Cecelia “Who? Who with Oscar?” Cristina “You” Cecelia “Me and Oscar, no!” They both agree that they are on the “same page” Cecelia (conf) “Cristina came to me; she asked me if Oscar and I had any kind of alliance or agreement; we don’t but she asked that in Spanish (I’m sure those animal analysts noted the white birds) As a police officer she has to trust her partners because her life depends on it; I can imagine how a little of that would come into play here but I hope she can trust me because I am being honest with her” They are then shown in the woods with Cecelia stating “Whatever we decide to do” (Another partnership in the making although this was very generic, it is interesting that we saw Cristina ultimately vote for Billy as did Cecelia. Naturally this was probably already decided between the two of them but for the element of anticipation the audience had to believe there was potential for Ozzy to leave. That being said, again, Cecelia talked about Cristina, we heard nothing expanded upon as far as what she thought or felt, it was only a confessional that was meant to create some anticipation) Ozzy (conf) “I knew Billy was going to try and stir things up.... .....he wants me gone; Cristina is probably going to be the most sympathetic but if they want to vote me out, go ahead and do it because I know that they are going to suffer (shot of Cristina with Cecelia and JP with Cristina doing quite well in fashioning a cup from palm fronds) really bad if they lose me” (same time period as the other Billy confessionals; creating more tension with perhaps a hint of foreshadowing for things to come for either Aiku as a tribe or pride before the fall eh Ozzy?) Billy (conf) “All my chips are on Cristina” (I do love the sound of that; this comment will be backburnered by me as I watch Cristina’s progression as well as...) “I got a weak hand but at least I got one Queen” Tribal Council Jeff “.....as long as you have fire (Ozzy) you are still in the game, if your fire’s gone (Cecelia) so are you” Billy “Ozzy emerged as the big voice” (negated by Ozzy and JP’s facial reactions) Cristina “I don’t feel he is the leader, I feel he tries to take control of things....” Ozzy “There are certain things I have specific knowledge of (JP nods) that if I don’t voice my opinion it’s going to get done wrong (Cristina smiles) but our strongest thing is that we can get things done as a team give us a lot of pride (Cecelia and JP shown) we know that if we work hard we are going to be stronger than anyone else” Billy “A lot of our loss had to do with me (again more validation that the means justify the end?) JP explains he doesn’t want to keep someone who isn’t trusting or carries their work load JP and Billy have their argument; JP probably came off a bit arrogant but Billy did not help not “giving a crap’s #####” (Notice how the outcome of everything shifted to JP as opposed to falling upon Ozzy where the edit could have solely threw the responsibility on Ozzy’s lap only) I won’t comment on the Billy discussion and his love for Candice because ultimately it means nothing. I would say that it was not necessary to even show but it makes for good television but I suspect even moreso it simply put a nail in a coffin that the audience may still debated upon. The reaction I would gather from the viewers after this Tribal Council that Billy may need some therapy despite some who still think it was not wise to throw the challenge. Regardless, it would be fair to assume that this effectively “forgave” Aitu for booting him Ozzy received a nod from Billy in his vote that he is the “best player in the Aitu tribe” and JP, Ozzy and Cristina all expressed their thoughts on Billy’s romantic inclinations; Cecelia’s apparently was not deemed relevant. Jeff “Two issues emerged tonight, work ethic and trust; sounds like you just dealt with the issue of work ethic (Ozzy) ; the question is how will you deal with the unresolved issue (Cristina) of trust” It is the impressions you make on the other castaways that determine your fate?   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-22-06, 04:07 PM (EST) 57. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" Nice observations, VS. The thing that most struck me about the Ozzy/Cristina tension was Cristina saying (twice if I remember) that "Ozzy can't be trusted." Last week JP said of Ozzy that he's "someone who’s gonna be pretty good at this game”. The positive confidence Ozzy showed last week curdled a bit toward arrogance - he basically proved that Cristina is correct that he is a control freak -- but I agree that Ozzy's wasn't quite a negative edit. It may have appeared more so in contrast to the somewhat sympathetic edit Billy got toward the end. (And, FWIW, on The Early Show Billy basically confirmed that he did absolutely nothing around camp, so it seems like they did have good reason to be annoyed with him.) But I suspect those two remarks by JP and Cristina are important harbingers of Ozzy's game to come. I don't think Ozzy and Cristina necessarily will be pitted against each other again, though it's possible, but the notion that Ozzy is "untrustworthy" and also "good at the game" will be borne out later on somehow, I think. “Becky, she is a lawyer (yet another stereotype!) but she does a lot of non profit work; I respect that and I don’t think someone like that really would be in this game to make a lot money” “so I trust her” This comment by Yul sent up a red flag about his prospects to me -- not so much about the trust issue, but because the point of the game is to win money so for what other reason *should* someone be there? It shows some sense of Yul's values, but ultimately, to paraphrase Jonathan, you have to be prepared to cut the throat of the person next to you in order to win. So it seemed to present a question mark as to whether Yul himself has what it takes. At least that's how I felt. The Hiki tribe footage didn't bother me much in terms of how well they might fare in general -- probably nothing much happened there of interest but they needed to give each tribe a minimum of coverage. With Puka, they keep circling back to Cao Boi's antics mostly, I think, because the dynamics in the tribe are otherwise fairly bland. But we can expect the tribes to be mixed up fairly soon which will create a whole new set of dynamics. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 09-22-06, 04:11 PM (EST) 58. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" LAST EDITED ON 09-22-06 AT 04:15 PM (EST) Great analysis as usual VS! I'll do my long post later on after watching a second time - but I had a few interesting observations: In watching the insider video of Nathan's views - it became clear that Hiki did not get fire until AFTER the immunity challenge. That explains a lot about their poor performance, as he comments that they were all severely dehydrated at the challenge. It also makes Stephanie's desperation comment more understandable. We were obviously manipulated on this, but why? I cant decide if it was to make them look capable with the fire getting it earlier, or if we were supposed to think they're just pathetic in challenges? I'm leaning toward the latter. Showing why they were performing poorly would have given us a reason to write it off as no big deal, instead it was reinforced by a comment made by JP later about how even trying to lose they almost beat Hiki. I agree, VS I dont see a winner coming from this tribe, but I also dont think any of them are in imminent danger based on editing. I think there are other fish to fry first. Also of note - In the opening credits the white bird (which was shown clearly in this episode as you noted VS) is directly linked to Ozzy. That is "HIS" bird. The opening credits show his sequence, then the bird mid-flight (somewhat arresting and fairly long shot), a shot of the water/islands, and then Cecelia, thus the bird cant be linked to her since the water shot breaks that bond. This alone convinced me that even though he was shown in trouble this episode there was no way he was going home. As for throwing the challenge - while this on many levels is just stupid, I could see a reasoning that I hope for his sake Ozzy had that is more intelligent than lack of work ethic - with a tribal mixup likely coming very soon, they had one member who obviously felt excluded and would very likely (ok, almost certainly) have jumped ship on them as soon as he could have. That IS a real threat, and good reason to get rid of him. You want to go into a mixup or a merge with a tight bond in your group because an alienated player not just becomes one less on your side - but one more person actually against you. The only way that Ozzy would know that Billy would have no chance to turn on him/them would be to get rid of him, and the sooner the better since they dont know when the tribes will be shuffled. We didnt see Ozzy commenting on this - although JP did mention Billy's trustworthiness in his comment at Tribal Council when giving his vote. Warning VS - I'm not sure you'll want to read this next line, but it isnt a spoiler...In an interview Billy commented that he himself chose who was going to Exile Island and he chose Yul because he thought he had the best chance of finding it. He therefore was working against his team - and Ozzy is therefore in a better position with him gone. Stupid, stupid move on Ozzy's part to alienate members of his tribe like he did this episode though. I also think that all of our feelings that Yul was an important player have been confirmed obviously, now we know why he's been highlighted. I think he'll go far, but now I have more faith in the swimming opening credits shot ruling him out as a winner. His obvious imporance and longevity edit had me wondering - but now that makes sense even if he doesnt win. I think this episode definitely reinforced his F3 candidacy. Who would want to take such a likeable, smart, good guy to the F2? Parvati this episode and in the preview has been given a bit of a ditzy shallow edit - probably not a good sign for her. She had a good first episode, but I'm unsure now. Adam's edit was horrible, we've been shown why he'll go home, and we were supposed to dislike him this episode. There was no glossing over or positive spin for him whatsoever, not a good sign. Candice on the other hand while not being shown much, was shown giving good advice and working to ease tensions in her little bit of face time. Oh, and again congrats to Michel for an accurate boot prediction! Ok, so has anyone noticed that I always say "this one will be short, I'll do my long post later" and then go on to ramble on and on? ;) I cant wait to hear what everyone thinks about this episode, I'm beginning to think that this is going to be a great season - and it'll be very interesting to see how a cast full of people who arent experienced with the game play (Something like 85% right?). Sort of like going back to the age of innocence. As for Billy's professions of love - well it was certainly entertaining! I just wondered "Oh god, what are they going to do if Candice gets voted out before the jury?!?!?!" That poor girl! He sounded much more sane on the early show thank god.   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-22-06, 07:29 PM (EST) 59. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" AG, thanks for pointing out the manipulated fire timing! One rather bland possiblility -- they bumped up the fire-making because they have segments blocked out, and after IC they only want to visit the exile, the losing tribe, and TC. Therefore any important footage from non-losing tribes needs to be shifted to an earlier part of the show. Also possible that Aitu's cocky assumption that Hiki is so inept may come back to bite Aitu? Hiki was dehydrated, but no one knew that, so at this point they are perhaps underestimated as challenge competitors.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-23-06, 01:43 PM (EST) 62. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" they bumped up the fire-making because they have segments blocked out, and after IC they only want to visit the exile, the losing tribe, and TC. That's what I thought too, OFG. If they didn't put it where they did, they'd have had to show it next week, or not at all. It didn't really matter and it did make a nice lead-in to them not losing again. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-22-06, 08:09 PM (EST) 60. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" This is all very thought-provoking! The only drawback to this thread is there are so many great observations by everyone that it would take forever to acknowledge them properly. You guys rock! Yul and Becky “Becky, she is a lawyer (yet another stereotype!) but she does a lot of non profit work; I respect that and I don’t think someone like that really would be in this game to make a lot money” “so I trust her” I agree that Yul sounds a little soft compared to say Jonathan, but actually I read this differently. Yul is sorting through potential allies to see if it's possible to trust anyone. Becky is a lawyer i.e. that could be a TRUST negative (Yul is a lawyer, he should know). BUT she is the kind of lawyer who does non-profit, therefore she isn't a typical cutthroat lawyer only concerned with #1; this balances out the negative of "lawyer" so he feels he can trust her not to stab him in the back. That's how I read this. I also thought Yul and Becky were shown allying because here we have a bond based on true ethnic commonality. They emphasized they are both Korean; this enables a "brother-sister" relationship. I think it was pointed out last time (by CB?)that "Asian" is a pretty lame tag as they come from three different nationalities that aren't at all like each other. Now we see the Koreans bonding. The two women seem to have a bond. I can't recall if Jenny and Brad have bonded. CB is the only Vietnamese and an outsider for that as well as jokes and age. Billy also was shown to be different i.e. from the Dominican Republic. Hiki, OTOH, has not stressed their differences based on origin, even though Sundra in the outside world represents Jamaica. We are also shown on Raro that they have a "minority" of their own in Flika. Point being that we should take into account "alliances revealed" may be shown to tell a story about ethnic connections and disparities and not necessarily doomed per the old formula. Re the idol: Probst said that Yul had studied the game before coming out there. Therefore Yul saw Terry's mistakes. Terry failed to employ the idol strategically and used it as a mere shield. I took Yul's remark to be reflecting on Terry, saying if he gets in a position where he can change the game he will use it. For example, had Terry used it wisely to shield Nick, Austen, and Sally, Terry could have held onto some numbers and then likely Bruce would have flipped. Terry was shortsighted. I felt this remark was shown to at least get our hopes up that Yul would play a more complex game. Obviously Yul has no way of knowing what situation may arise, but he promises to seize the day, so to speak. This reflects well on Yul no doubt but is also a good sound byte for benefit of viewers -- already no doubt saying, damn, it will be just like last season.   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-23-06, 08:46 AM (EST) 61. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" Here, here! I totally echo OFG's thoughts...you guys ALL ROCK!!! This year I am just watching the episode one time, and reporting on the events or commentary that really stood out to me. There is so much analyzing going on, I'm going to report on the emotions that are evoked in me by various players... Hiki: Totally agree, this tribe strikes me as the naive underdog tribe...all heart. I too felt that they showed them struggling but eventually getting the fire for lack of anything else to show. I felt that they were terrible in the challenge, but how their tribe solidified by 1. making the fire together and 2. not losing the challenge together. While the other tribes were shown to be dealing with conflict and destructing, this tribe seemed to be getting it together in a positive way....Sundra indeed stands out to me here. Definately feel these four will stay more aligned with each other should a tribal shuffle be imminent. Definately agree that among the daws out there, these four will not be imminent threats to anyone....at first. Puka: I see Becky wanting to align with Yul mostly because he is the strong, smart rock on that tribe, and she perhaps thinks that she could be shielded by him(if I were on their tribe I would certainly want to align with him as well!) and then secondarily because they are both lawyers and Korean. It could work for both of them as they all need support out there. The fact that it's revealed gives me pause though. Brad and Jenny are insignificant to me out there, not too threatening though, so they could fly under the radar for some time in the show. I think they will stay loyal as a tribe, to each other. Cowboy is doomed, but don't know if it will be delayed with a tribal shuffle. Interesting to note how the Asians deal with their thorn in the side. I don't see them losing when they are all together but what will happen with a shuffle... Raro: Adam is a loser, imo...he's appearing like a little spoiled child and lazy. Candice strikes me as having made a fatal error in aligning with him, it will lead to her demise. While I don't know how Jonathan will fare, I can identify with him the most...but, as we saw, Jessica/Flicka has his back, but it seemed as if it was 2 against 3...not good odds if they head to TC. Interesting as the one that Jonathan complained the most about is the one that is standing up for him. Is she trying to make it up to him as she knows he was upset with her error? I think Flicka has some good assessment skills and can read others well that could serve her well in this game. Parvati received a very positive showing in the first ep, with her appearance when they talked about the sole survivor, and then she narrated. She really wasn't seen much in this ep, BUT, she is certainly highlighted with the previews and the misdirection in a VERY POSITIVE light, imo. She is spinning a web, doing what she can do best, identifying her strong points and using it as a strategy. Last time a female did this was when Julie used her sex appeal after the merge to wrap the leader Sarge right around her little finger...and look how far she got. Parvati will survive the longest in this group, imo... Aitu: I really like Ozzy. He is the strong, knowledgable one. Cristina strikes me as the villian...he knows what he is doing in the wilderness, and he has proven that time and again to this tribe, yet she keeps trying to undermine him. She's used to being an alpha female and is having a terrible time submitting to the fact that Ozzy knows what he's doing(although she says she knows he is right, she still can't let him lead). She is too focused on becoming his nemesis and taking him down, rather than thinking ahead in the game...she will lose and I'm looking forward to it. He is shown in confessionals to be quite insightful as well, recognizing where she is coming from, showing empathy...but how could he not feel threatened by such a strong female. IMO, Cristina is polarizing this tribe...I don't like her. Cecilia doesn't strike me as the brightest bulb on the tree, while I see JP favorably. Certainly don't see a future hook up with JP and Cecilia at this point. Those that are interested in romance(but, I know, Romber???) in this show are doomed....as you all say, it's not about the short term, you have got to keep focused on the end game and how you are going to get there... Billy was way out of his league in this game....overweight, lazy, delusional with Candice...definately, I agree a threat to jump ship ASAP, which could have been a good strategy for Billy had he made it to the shuffle. I see the major players in this game as Yul, Sundra, Parvati, Ozzy, while some players that play under the radar may have a shot at end game could be: Becky, Rebecca, Flicka, JP. Thanks for the great thread, and it's so much more fun without major spoilers!   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-23-06, 01:53 PM (EST) 63. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" One thing I thought was curious was that Probst didn't jump all over Aitutaki at TC for throwing the challenge (or at least we didn't see it if he did). I'm sure he figured out they were throwing it while it was occurring, and they totally admitted it at TC. Usually he gets very harsh about that. I suspect that means it doesn't affect Aitutaki in the short term. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-23-06, 02:51 PM (EST) 64. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" Watching Survivor wouldn't be as fun if it wasn't for this thread! I loved your commentary VS. Very nice analysis of the Cristina/Ozzy conflict and the brother-sister link of our two Korean contestants. Yul is impressive as a player, isn’t he? AG, I also noted the fire starting scene at Hiki had to come after the challenge but I hadn’t made the connection you propose about Aitu almost beating them even if they were trying to lose. We have to take note that it could be a bad sign for the Hiki tribe members in future challenges. I’m impressed that FP sees Cristina as the villain and Ozzy as the good leader. I don’t think that was the intent of the editors but sometimes you need to see through the first level. With all the tension, the love at first sight, the treachery and the conflicts, this episode revealed: The Strong and the Clueless The Strong come in different types according to their game plan. Thanks to VS who described winners in three categories. Now that we’re starting to know who are the players and who are the spectators, the editors gave us glimpses into the players' game plans. The Ones in Charge: Previous winners of this type include Tom and Tina. Ozzy is very strong at survival but maybe not so much at “Survivor”. He had said he didn’t want the lead but he doesn’t seem to be able to restrain himself. We start by seeing him working with his tribe and catching fish and chicken. JP again comments on how good Ozzy is at this. Throwing a challenge is something the editors have treated very carefully in the past. He was given the best possible edit under the circumstances. Without all the corroboration from Billy himself, Ozzy’s character would have been unsalvageable. Since he won’t need complete redemption, it is a good sign. However, I feel his story is more about the adventure and living in nature. He is well equiped for that. The arrogance displayed in his confessionals is not so good for the social aspects of the game and it does come out when he speaks to his team mates. Yul had a tremendous episode. Until the challenge, everything that Ozzy did, Yul also did but in a much classier way. They both start trapping chickens but his method was completely different than Ozzy’s and every member of his tribe stood behind him. He only received approval for his capture, whereas Cristina remained upset after, complaining that Ozzy had to have things done his way. When Yul talked with Becky, we saw the mutual respect and understanding. In contrast, Cristina reached the point that she couldn’t trust Oscar anymore. Yul has an outsider in his tribe but he finds an accomodation so that the team can be the well-oiled machine VS mentioned. Ozzy used the easy way out. Even the challenge gave contrasting results, Ozzy lost dead weight as he wanted, Yul gained the idol he wasn’t expecting. I don’t know if Yul has the winning edit but right now I would say he Outlasts Ozzy. His EI edit was powerful. I loved the camera angles that showed the A formed by the masts and the island and how the Southern Island slowly vanished. We solved the clue through his eyes and we knew he was bound to find it even before he started digging. Jonathan is a fun character. He should last until the merge and continue narrating the events of whichever tribe he’s on. He didn’t antagonize Adam and I got the impression that Candice’s advice was to get the lazy one back in Papa Bear’s good side rather than to vote him out later. His main problem is that he is leading a tribe more intent on cuddling than working. His early exile also hurt him. Establishing leadership takes time. I don’t see him being able to carry his game plan to fruition. The clinical Players play calculating games and don’t let emotions interfere. Previous winners include Vecepia and Brian: Rebecca could be the player to make it out of the hood! Nathan appreciates her skills and strength while Sundra has her back. She seems friendly enough not to make ennemies in any new tribe. She hasn’t taken charge of the tribe but everything revolves around her. Granted, her story his very thin still, but she could make it a long way. Cristina couldn’t stay out of the action very long. We see her trying to play a rational game where losing numbers isn’t smart. She put herself right in the middle and opposed the leader of her tribe. It isn’t a good idea unless you have the numbers for a coup d’état. Booting Ozzy would have been folly at this time but making him aware of your reservations is also dangerous. I don’t think Aitu will return to TC in this form but if she hesitates this much again, it could cost her the game in any tribe. The need to trust someone that Cecilia explained and the emotional attachment she felt for Billy are bad for clinical players. I also took note that she was Billy’s Queen but since he’s gone, where does that leave her? Another thing I don’t know how to interpret is Cristina calling Ozzy by his given name “Oscar”. Does she actually see him as the 14 year-old he mentioned? Her edit is very complex and they chose this episode to have us hear her policewoman story. She could be getting Dan’s hero-edit. The Under the Radar Players can direct attention on someone else and improve their end game position without taking command. Sandra won this way. The first three have a chance to reap the rewards from their strategy. The other two have the wrong plan. Parvati didn’t do much in this episode except give the immunity idol a great big smile of satisfaction! Her position in Raro’s dynamics is almost ideal. She could vote with anyone and no one has a reason to want to vote against her first. She is with everyone and can be against anyone. Becky aligning with Yul was a natural bond. Cao Boi has to be target #1 and having chosen her to participate in the challenge indicates the tribe perceives her as stronger than Jenny. The alliance is key in her game plan and had to be shown so I don’t think we can conclude it will cost her. It merely means the F2 shouldn’t be Yul & Becky but one of them can still make it. Cecilia has been very quiet but she also is in a good position within the power structure at Aitu. She doesn’t have a strong bond with anyone so a switch could put her in trouble. JP was happy that Ozzy proposed to toss the challenge. Indeed, it is bad form for a player that doesn’t want to attract attention to use such drastic measures. He follows Ozzy in every decisions and doesn’t even play the challenge. The problem is that strong athletic men are always going to be viewed as targets. Picking up the fight at TC is also a sign that he can’t remain calm when it is needed. His game plan is doomed. Nathan is a strong and friendly man who should make it to the merge and then he will be defenseless. He is alone with his three strong sisters but he makes himself useful as witnessed by his leadership role in the challenge. His strength will be useful to the tribe he lands in. His strategic game seems too weak to give him a chance to Outwit. The Clueless The first five players aren’t completely clueless but the editors haven’t bothered showing their strategy yet. Their future cannot be anymore positive than the 3 really clueless ones. Flicka hasn’t found her place yet but her hard work seems to have put her back on the tribe’s good side. Jonathan seems to have forgiven her. We have seen an actor-fire dancer duo go far together before despite always fighting each other! Being an outsider prevents her from playing UTR or taking charge. She does seem to have the analytical capabilities to be a clinical player but we’ve seen she’s too emotional. Brad, Jenny, Sundra and Stephannie all seem to contribute to the work around camp but they don’t have any impact on the story. In Sundra’s case, I found it troubling that her introductory confessional was the only one left out of the recap. Candice has placed herself in a bad position. Teaming up with Adam may get her booted by association. The team can keep the muscle for challenges but boot his ally to strip his power. Adam the All-American Boy cannot last very long with what we’ve been shown so far. If it was only a question of being hungry and it wasn’t going to have impact down the road, we probably wouldn’t have heard him say building a shelter is dumb. To have that scene shown is a certain sign he doesn’t go far. Cao Boi his not helping his cause even if he seems to be able to work with the others and is good enough in challenges. He won’t fit in any tribe and probably doesn’t make the merge. I rarely comment on the booted player but in Billy’s case I can’t help but add that it is rare an episode has so little mis-direction. Roger in the Amazon had an episode dedicated solely on showing how disillusional it was to think he was safe. It must have hurt him watching it air. Billy must have hurt as he lived it because he knew he was next. Candice did say, “Love you” first to him at the end of the challenge. Billy probably chose to forget that she used the pronoun “we” in front. In conclusion, I feel the editors are telling us Ozzy, Yul, Rebecca, Parvati and Becky are going to be the long term players. The story should develop around these players.   Top

mavs_fan 299 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 09-23-06, 05:37 PM (EST) 65. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" I don't do a lot of edit analysis because I tend to see what I WANT to see. Having said that, I know there are several mentions that alliances revealed don't last. But didn't we see in SURVIVOR I the Hatch/Rudy alliance fairly early on? And hasn't Jeff said that THIS season is about getting back to the basics and what made SURVIVOR I such a hit? I guess I'm hoping/thinking that Mark Burnett is using this season to redefine what SURVIVOR is all about. A step back from flip flopping back stabbing and more about Merit and Loyalty. But the fact that I'm an early fan of Yul may very well be colouring my opinion.   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 09-24-06, 02:51 PM (EST) 69. "RE: Episode 2 thoughts" LAST EDITED ON 09-24-06 AT 05:54 PM (EST) What a pleasure it is to read everyone's excellent analysis. With the lack of spoilers this season, the editing thread is really coming into its own! Note to emydi: Don’t get me going again on THAT DARN CENTIPEDE! A plea to Outfrontgirl: I hope you'll post more of your insights. You're old-hat at this! (and a darn good one I may add) A couple of points I’ve lifted from VS’ post: Bear in mind this is about end game, some of these players could do pretty well but be off the mark for the win. Truth be told, I’m struggling to differentiate between the majority of this season’s contestants, somewhat ironic when you imagine that such ethnic diversity ought to produce a heady mix of characters, personalities and traits. Either it’s unfortunate circumstance that the assembled groups just aren’t terribly interesting or we’re dealing with a game that will be shaped and determined exclusively by the smallest number of individuals we’ve ever witnessed. I think we can all single out Yul and Ozzy as the elite. Jonathan would perhaps go into the second tier. Cowboy’s worth a mention, too (I hence see no need at this juncture to alter my previous observation that the men, notwithstanding Sekou and Billy’s boot, overall, are the more dominant players). Beyond those four it becomes fuzzy. People have mentioned Parvati and Flicka as ones to watch out for but, unless I’m missing something, their editing compared to the aforementioned is manifestly shallow. Cecelia, Becky, and Candice are even worse off in that regard. Obviously somebody has to progress to the latter stages but the growing feeling I have is they don’t fare well so much as become beneficiaries of riding in the slipstream of our select few. It is the impressions you make on the other castaways that determine your fate? Yes! In fact I would go a step further and say it’s first impressions that might prove the difference. Sekou and Billy were booted from their respective tribes largely because they were unable to change their team mates’ unfavourable impression of them in the time it took to attend TC. Worse yet, they made no concerted effort to ‘adjust.’ Note this is not the same as saying they didn’t fit in (though there is bound to be some overlap), nor is it really to do with personality clashes. Rather they were, simply, lazy and, therefore, expendable (in which case, Adam has a lot to worry about, but more on him later). So I go back to the season premiere and ask myself, who appeared to create a positive first impression in their tribe? And did the editing reinforce it leaving us to surmise that there are no layers to unravel (as, for example, what happened in this episode was exactly what we saw in last week’s previews)? It is not unreasonable to wonder, in light of the whole race platform, whether Mark Burnett is keen not to run interference this time. That is to say, the controversy is there already without the need to take further liberties with the editing so as to make it more uncomfortable than it has to be and open up accusations of bias. Message to the audience: we’re playing with a straight bat this time, what you see is what you get. And from michel: Yul had a tremendous episode. Until the challenge, everything that Ozzy did, Yul also did but in a much classier way. That’s a nice way of putting it, michel. Certainly the contrast is there. Yul is considered and calm whereas Ozzy is more aloof and impetuous. You suspect, however, that both have more similarities than differences; as you stated, it’s their methodology which is the variable. It would seem that a link has already been established between the two as our leading nominees to land the prize. Hiki Unless they’re on the backburner for reasons yet to be made apparent, what we saw of the Hiki tribe was largely irrelevant. It didn’t need to be. The absence of post-TC reflections--as VS mentioned--was disappointing, especially since the vulnerability of Nathan and Stephannie warranted addressing. It does indeed feel as if their presence is a side issue to matters lying elsewhere (that all said, maybe Nathan, Sundra, Rebecca and Stephannie are just ‘boring’ and the lack of face time wasn’t for the want of trying by the editors!). We might even argue that had they not struggled to get fire, the only reaction we would have got out of them would have been gaining immunity at IC. Which, incidentally, given their somewhat disproportionate sense of accomplishment in finishing a distant third, actually served to downplay our expectations of them instead of the positive spin it was presumably meant to impart. Aitu The Ozzy-led tribe decision to deliberately blow the challenge in order to get rid of Billy may be regarded as foolhardy but I’d submit that nothing about Ozzy strikes me as ‘stupid.’ His motives were self-serving, yes, which should be a good thing, after all, if you’re plotting long term-strategy. There was also some validity to his claim that the tribe was being needlessly weighed down by Billy. In any case, the significance for the viewer should be that the protestations of Crisitna and Cecelia did not, ultimately, prevent the challenge being thrown and, more revealing still, that the opponents to the idea ended up voting for Billy anyway. (Another parallel with Ozzy to Aras here: the capability at bringing about a preferred outcome in spite of any initial resistance.) Michel is also right to say that the editing could have played out a lot worse for Ozzy. My read on the whole incident is that Ozzy wasn’t coming from a place of callousness, more that he felt a problem, who happened to be Billy, had emerged and it needed to be dealt with. And notwithstanding the faulty logic, he did, indeed, deal with it. Conclusion? Ozzy is nothing if not decisive. If Ozzy was the instigator then J.P. was a willing supplicant. His blown up criticism of Billy at TC casts aspersions on how well he can keep focus and not run off at the mouth. Such types usually hint at expendability at some point. In J.P.’s case it will probably be tied in with his athleticism: useful to a tribe, especially in challenges, a threat when the game turns individual for the exact same reason. We can no doubt expect the Ozzy-Crisitna axis to be revisited at a later time given the investment to it from the editing. What I found quite interesting was how there was no direct confrontation - it was never heated - between the two shown, notwithstanding the fact they were clearly at odds in private. It was actually rather restrained and even TC was limited to the odd dig, albeit that JP’s outburst probably managed to prevent the possibility of any escalation between the two. I found her regaling of the time she was shot a curiosity. Was it meant to embellish her character, an identifier for a longer term player or, as VS implies, was it the relatively lukewarm response from the others in the face of her heroics that we should take away with us? Something to mull over, anyway. Cecelia was for the most part overlooked. Her discussion with Cristina was inserted solely to manufacture excitement over the possibility of an Ozzy boot for the audience. As for the issue of trust that she brought up in confessional, I tend to pay lip service to those kind of declarations since it is so often something that is said rather than meant. We didn’t hear from her at all at TC. Using michel’s tennis analogy, she is definitely a spectator. Puka You can more or less cut and paste everything from the first episode with Puka. Cowboy drives out Jenny’s bad wind as he did for Brad and continues to deliver everything at volume. Yul remains a primary focus and finding the HII makes him relevant for the foreseeable future. Becky was featured yet that was in deference to Yul and his plans. It’s worth mentioning that in confessional Yul feels he can trust Becky but doesn’t specifically mention ‘alliance,’ ’pact’ or words to that effect. If anything, the firmer commitment to the partnership, in the end, appeared to come from Becky despite the fact it was Yul who proposed it. Raro You’re likely to get short odds on Adam being the first bootee from the Raro tribe. Applying the first impressions theme it might be said he’s all flirt, all play! His questioning the merits of raising the shelter platform was, of course, a lame pretext to avoiding manual labour. You’d have thought the incentive was there to impress the women, as the alpha male, and Jonathan, for his work ethic. Instead, he’s provided everyone with a ready-made excuse. Physical strength is an asset and by not bringing it to bear, Adam’s usefulness is negated. Candice’s warning may well be too little, too late and she could find herself guilty by association. It is indeed amusing that Adam didn’t even seem to realise that he’d blundered, never mind what that says about his sense of awareness! Jonathan's criticisms of fellow tribe mates in confessionals are mounting. So far he’s remarked on Flicka letting the chickens loose, Adam averse to extending himself and the poorly state of the camp. He has, however, been generally impassive amongst the group, and, possibly, been well-received because of it (those acting skills coming in handy!). The positives are there: the group hug on his return from Exile Island; being viewed by Flicka as a patriarchal figure and; acting quietly as camp organiser. The danger could be that he won’t be able to keep his frustration/annoyance in check indefinitely. I do think he’s an outburst waiting to happen! Flicka and Parvati, disappointingly, have mostly been seen rather than heard from thus far. Perhaps one can attach some value to the visuals in terms of an UTR edit but, if so, I find it overly subtle. VH   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-23-06, 08:49 PM (EST) 66. "The music editing of Episode 2" In episode 1 I did a blow by blow accounting of the music, this time, I am going to talk about only the significant moments for each tribe and key players. Manihiki They continue to get the happy themed music, upbeat and positive, lots of cheer in the percussive stints. The only time the music really changed was during the fire making scene. When Sundra gave her confessional We are all a little disheartened. We want to represent well but we are feeling a little more pressure being the African American tribe., the music noticeably switched from the happy theme to one of more drama, not quite sinister, but definately had some light rattling like a snake. A little later when they show Stephannie and her absolute desperation time confessional, it went real quiet for emphasis while she spoke, and then got loud with the didjeridu, tribal drums, and a more dominant snake rattle. As soon as the scene shifted to Rebecca getting the fire started, it was all happy music again from there on out. Stephannie and Sundra will be at odds at some point in the future of this game. My opinion is that Stephannie will win that battle based on some of Sekou's comments and the overall editing. Whether Rebecca outlasts both of them remains to be seen. Puka Puka Their theme song is dotted with native voices not really singing but chanting ahhh, ohhh, eiyeeee etc. each time they pan to the beach at the start of the Puka clips, and this was especially true when Yul went off to EI. The beginning of the exchange between Yul and Becky did show a hermit crab crawling across the beach, the music didn't get sinister per se, but it did start low and gain in momentum almost like a jet taking off. It wasn't a decernable animal noise either, so I am not sure its impact. I do know that when Yul was saying that he trusted Becky, the music was the Puka theme music and it was too loud which means you can discount what he was saying, as opposed to when Becky said she trusted Yul, the music had dropped off and was changed up and lighter. Overall I think this alliance will favor Yul more than it will Becky. The next time we see Puka is when Cao Boi is administering a red mark to Jenny. The happy theme song played on in the background the whole while and ended with a gong, which usually is a signal of foreboding things to come. At night lying in the shelter and the whole Cao Boi ethnic joke scene. The music was menacing with a low hum from a didjeridu that built up to a rumbling growl, plenty of cricket chirping, and all kinds of animal noises. Next is Cao Boi voice over while we still see them in the shelter: They got all in my case because of my jokes. The music changes here and then it shows us Cao Boi in standard confessional: I just want them to understand that to represent your race is not about avoiding the joke. This is key because I think it is a significant part of this years overall theme, and it was certainly highlighted in the change in music. Right afterward we hear Yul's take on the whole thing, the music goes back to the same as before, the low hum/growl that builds and finally crescendo's when he finishes, followed by the snake hiss rattle. Yul will be liked, but he too has that snake quality to him. Rarotonga Not a lot of focus on them this week. The music was happy and upbeat when Jonathan returned from EI, but once he looked around and saw the state of the camp and gave his confessional about it, the xylophone started up followed by a mournful wail from a conch shell and a teasing didjeridu. It was interesting when Adam was pressing the issue of not wanting to build the floor he asked the girls their opinion, Parvati spoke and at the same time the music shifted to a rattle of the cymbals, not snakelike, but just different. The music got darker but not as loud, very dramatic and deliberate as Jonathan spoke: Adam is crabby, he hasn't eaten....he doesn’t understand that other people have other needs and I don’t need him (pause) being like that. It switched to the them percussion while Candice warned Adam not to make an enemy of Jonathan. The final parting shot of Jonathan in the distance was emphasized by drums. I still think that Jonathan and Parvati are the two to watch on this tribe. Jonathan will be around for a while but he has no shot to win this thing. Aitutaki Pretty much the whole show centered around the Aitu tribe. Theri theme is always more drums than any other tribe. The more they showed Ozzy, the more the snake rattle followed him. He is being portrayed in the musical editing just like Judd was, which leads me to think he will be a villian betrayed at some point. The music was quiet for Christina while she told her being shot story, and also while Ceclia gave her confessional that Christina is a really strong woman, emphasized by a crescendo when she finished her speech. When Ozzy made his confessional about not clicking with Christina, it was littered with flute, drums, and a "cooo cooo" sound. Billy was shown as a buffoon with mocking type music, and 3 times it ended with drums that sounded like a gun shot, highlighting him as the target. During the scene where they were discussing throwing the challenge the music was menacing, dramatic and there was the rattle of the snake noise too. It got quiet when Ozzy said I think we'll be better off with the dead weight gone. The rumbling grew during Christina's words: Ozzy wants to throw the challenge...... ....I’m thinking this doesn’t seem right... The next line is delivered as a voice over and the picture is of Ozzy fiddling with his necklace as Christina continues and the music changes to a definate snake rattle ....I don’t think I can trust Oscar anymore. Clearly there will be a showdown at some point between Ozzy and Christina. It reminds me so much of the Judd/Margaret showdown, and the music paints the same indications that Ozzy will outlast Christina. From just a pure editing point, I find it ironic Billy's statement from last week We're going to a challenge. I'd like to see us win, but if we lose it's not the end of the world at the beginning of the game. Versus Ozzy's confessional Throwing this challenge is going to help us in the short run and in the long run. Both say virtually the same thing, yet one of the speakers was the target of the IC loss.   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-23-06, 09:27 PM (EST) 67. "RE: The music editing of Episode 2" LAST EDITED ON 09-23-06 AT 10:08 PM (EST) Clearly there will be a showdown at some point between Ozzy and Christina. It reminds me so much of the Judd/Margaret showdown, and the music paints the same indications that Ozzy will outlast Christina. I was just coming here to respond to FP's post about this same thing--the Judd/Margaret comp. to Ozzy/Cristina!! I think Ozzy is being set up like Judd as a F2 Foil as the villain, will he make it there? I think he may. The F2 foil has some redeeming qualities usually so as to have some suspense. I think Ozzy could have come off as much worse, but JP actually came out looking the worst to me. Cristina is Margaret a strong woman with a career. I agree, she will not outlast Ozzy. Too bad, I like her.   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-23-06, 10:28 PM (EST) 68. "Ep2--White Birds, Hermit Crabs and Rats OH MY" It's the Animal imagery post. I like figuring this out so I think I'll do this like Kt is handling the music!! AITU First animal, etc.-BLACK and WHITE fish being Hawaiian Slinged by JP of Aitu; Cece catching crabs On beach-dark stork/heron 2 shown before Cristina tells her police arm shooting story Chickens--Billy shown (throughout ep) then to PUKA W/ Yul catching two Chickens in a TRAP ahem Then a BIG hermit crab is shown on beach before the Yul/Becky Strategy Opa big bro segment. During the talk there are two hermit crabs shown walking across beach with the bigger one (Yul) in the forefront of camera with the little (Becky)just a little bit ahead further back in the shot Then to AITU again Big heron/stork flying (not white darker like ones on beach) and a huge crab (no shell) is shown the we see JP w/ fish on the sling Again we see the big darker bird flying and then you see Cece on rocks crabbing and Ozzy in water fishing (are they the prey like the huge crab) Again we are back to AITU at nite as they are talking about throwing the challenge at Ozzy's suggestion. Two times a rat is shown while Ozzy is talking/first seen after rat. Then JP talks about trust... Ok the WHITE bird (like the darker one on AITU) is shown soaring as Yul goes to EI (which I thought was just so beautiful..I really think he has a great chance of not just coming in 3rd but winning it (he will not be F2 foil I think that is Ozzy ) As Yul is looking for EI and explaining his logic, we see a whole slew of hermit crabs with shells..After Yul finds HI, he talks about how he hopes to CHANGE the game.. Yul is def. the hermit crab...he hides but will come out and change it up... After this we are again back to AITU and we see the White bird in the trees (not soaring) while Cece and Cristina are talking about Billy/Ozzy. Right before TC we see 2 chickens framing Billy sitting on log... TC On way in we see a little rat and next shot is them all standing there by seats with Ozzy last one in and only one moving still. Ironically, Billy says to JP--I don't give a Rat's #####....hmmmmm Voting Skull is shown before Ozzy votes then we see my friend the long and windy centipede and then JP tells us he can't trust Billy. We see a little rat scampering across the floor and Cristina is shown walking up steps to vote. So as I see it-- It was weird that first shot of the WHITE and BLACK fish getting "killed" by the Hispanic tribe... Ozzy and JP--rat..I see Ozzy as the rat and maybe JP having the trust issues Cece as crab-prey Darker heron bird I am associating with Cristina Yul is that white bird soaring and the hermit crab ready to change it up with his little sister hermit crab Becky following (does she get a bit ahead of him like it was shown on the beach?) poor Billy was the chicken trapped by his tribe...will others catch the same fate? There is a lot of chicken catching/eating going on here THAT DARN CENTIPEDE--it was shown in Ep 1 when Steph was talking about her vote.. this time it was shown after Ozzy voted and before JP voted...I think this may represent someone that can weave in and out of play and may have a longer stay...that thing is LONG... Interestingly, Raro and Hiki did not get any animal imagery this week except the fish that got killed at beginning of show   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-24-06, 03:39 PM (EST) 70. "RE: Ep2--White Birds, Hermit Crabs and Rats OH MY" Bravo to everyone's contributions; I always look forward to coming back in here to see the insight and I'm never disappointed. The music and animal imagery is a treat and I have printed out those posts so I can review the show again with this in mind. One comment I want to make is with respect to the question about the editing in general; a question about alliances revealed do not succeed specifically. Also just to mention, editing changes EVERY season; there is no formula but there are indicators of END GAME players. I see that some believe because "clues" of some kind were thrown in the face of the viewers then the editing must be changing it's style instead of surprising the viewer. There are occurrences where the viewer is surprised and sometimes not but the editing has always been fairly consistent in those with longevity and this is what this thread is about. Billy was certainly never a contender for end game and that is what we are trying to determine. I should specifiy that there have been certain people in alliances that have succeed but the entirety of the alliance does not. I have memory issues but I do not believe Rudy and Rich were a spelled alliance until later on it became something, I don't personally recall it being "spelled out" With Yul and Becky, it was not really spelled out either but I do feel that the editing included this duo of trust so to show how it pans out. Most times (not ALWAYS) it is shown because we ultimately see how it ends up not succeeding (this may have nothing to do with the people aligning it could be circumstance) The point being is that there are probably many agreements made but those that need to be shown are therefore Yul and Becky's talk was told to us for a particular reason. I see some have high hopes with Pavarti's flirtation. Perhaps she may be successful in the short term but I would hazard a guess that Pavarti will not succeed with flirtation as a strategy and I would suggest that the editors are not going to have a winner (especially this season) crowned based on the prmise of flirtation as the strategy. Whether it is her demise THIS episode, I don't participate in the weekly boots but the understated impact that I did feel Pavarti may have had has now changed based upon her future intent. Again as I stated and VH nicely enhanced Jeff's commentary about the impressions you make were palpable to me when he said it. At this juncture, a reminder that the winner does not have to be a completely positive character; the winner only needs to be justified in their winner against the final two foil. I think Yul is a wonderful character, I would like to see a little dent in his armor or I am afraid he may fall into that "hero" character. Consequently Cowboy is receiving that typical "character" edit but he interests me as he really has shown more depth than the typical "characters". My one concern was that the last episode seemed to again edit occurrences out of order on purpose about Cowboy. Yul's confessional about Cowboy and his jokes was taken from earlier on; I also noticed that Jenny did NOT appear to have the red mark on her forehead (Brad may not have either) which means this all took place potentially in the first day or so and why showcase this unless it is an upcoming issue (and for who?) Ozzy is still bankable regardless of his poor showing as I still feel upon second viewing the editing validated his actions (regardless of being surrounded by arrogance) Jonathan is an interesting character but as a narrator I sometimes get concerned for his long term prospects in the end as they seem streamlined (but I still find his first episode confessional strongly prophetic even if not for himself) I don't like JP/Cecelia's chances at all; they were solely the understudies for Ozzy/Cristina and my judgement on Cristina is reserved because this episode may have been more about Ozzy than Cristina. Hiki has been sadly underdeveloped and I would be extremely surprised to see the winner come from that group and I am hard pressed that Raro would have one as well. Right now I am setting my sights on Aiku and Puka a little more THIS episode as I have been told the tribes are being rearranged in some aspect. THAT also may be why we heard and saw some items of potentially future issues since the intermixing may be an outcome.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-25-06, 12:23 PM (EST) 71. "RE: Ep2--White Birds, Hermit Crabs and Rats OH MY" LAST EDITED ON 09-25-06 AT 12:24 PM (EST) THAT also may be why we heard and saw some items of potentially future issues since the intermixing may be an outcome. VS, I won't go into this too much in advance, but the previews do show who is on what tribe this week, and I think you are correct. First, vis-a-vis your question about "alliances shown do not succeed", I consider this to refer only to alliances that are specifically stated as such (and as you said if it involves more than 2 people sometimes part of it might succeed but not all of it). In this case we haven't heard any stated alliances yet although we know certain people have bonded and we can tell other certain people are on the same page in general. But FWIW, it appears that most of those connected parties are getting split up with the tribal switch. So having shown them prior to the switch, the audience now must wonder if those parties can/will reconnect later or if the switch has undermined them completely. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-26-06, 08:24 AM (EST) 72. "RE: Ep2--White Birds, Hermit Crabs and Rats OH MY" Ah BR, thank you kindly That makes a world of sense in looking back at the episode. This upcoming episode may be the crucial time in the establishment of the edits since they are being realigned in some fashion and this is where the former edits may take a turn or build upon their existing edit and the inkling of potential conflicts between people as well as the "budding" relationships we saw (Yul/Becky, Candice/Adam and the upcoming Adam/Pavarti, Rebecca/Sundra, etc.) may bear fruit OR be compromised somehow. Those edits that were "bigger" i.e. Cowboy, Jonathan, Ozzy, Yul and the like, will be interesting to see how they are either perhaps scaled down to be integrated to the looming story or just "big" (to build the momentum for an issue to be resolved; I did get a little concerned when Jeff's words "One of you will go home" reflected Cowboy's face at the last challenge and he is the typical "character" that could easily leave which is a shame really......I find him refreshing to watch. Should he leave, his past "words" may still be integral to how the story pans out; I remind myself never to underestimate words spoken regardless if it is someone who ends up leaving the island) There are also those who were somewhat "shadowed" (Candice, Sundra, etc.) who may now receive and steady progression which is a very good sign. Then there are those that received a bump of sorts (Becky, Cristina) and whether that is indication of longevity or a building block for someone else's (Yul, Ozzy) story and this can be determined by what they say and how they are "visualized" As Michael points out from our prior discussions, Heads Of Households, Clinical Players and UTR players (of both kinds) may be more readily determined with the new tribe makeup as well. Since I do not know the breakdown yet, obviously my above thoughts are strictly generalized (and, as usual, wordy) "   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 09-30-06, 08:40 PM (EST) 75. "RE: Ep. 3 Thoughts" VH and michel– as usual forgive any of my post that may repeat anything you may have said as it was already completed. Both of your posts and your breakdowns of how you are viewing the characters were once again very insightful and I agree with many of your points. There were some people who I found myself curious about and they may either amount to something or it is possible we are being shown them some more as of now because their demise is soon to come. One also has to remember that the new Aiku went to TC and thus, visibility there was essential but some outshone others. I enjoyed this episode tremendously as I am sure many of you did as well. The "game" has now truly begun and the characters are being fleshed out more succinctly (I feel) that longevity is now being established, journey characters as well and so forth. There are some that my earlier thoughts on still prevail while some others did step up to the plate and I found myself curious about them. Recap Commenced with an amazing visual of a skull with the blazing sun in its eyes and Exile Island as background (I still maintain that the editing surrounding the idol this time (see my Episode 2 discussion on this) with the emphasis Jeff used on "sharing" is important. Unlike Terry last season with his consistent “ace in my hole” the editing on the idol this time almost begs that it be revealed and with what happened this last episode, that it is shared) Hiki finally sparked a flame (celebration shown) On Raro, priorities questioned (Flicka, Adam, Jonathan reflected) with Adam featured At Aitu, Billy wasn't pulling his weight so Ozzy suggested a bold plan (Ozzy's note of coming "back stronger than ever") to throw the challenge and oust Billy Ozzy: "Billy's dead weight; we might as well cut our losses now and get on with the game" JP was on board but Cristina the cop was skeptical Cristina: "....I don't think I can trust Oscar anymore" But at the challenge, Ozzy's plan went into action Jeff: "Aitu completely unconcerned about this challenge" (slightly different then we heard) Aitu dead last and chose Yul to go to EI Before tribes parted, Billy thought he and Candice made a connection At EI, Yul deciphered the clues and found the HII Yul "If there is an opportunity where it can change the game, I'll use it" (Noted again to be reinforced?) At TC, Billy revealed a secret (shots of JP and the women reacting to Billy's confession about Candice) But in the end, Aitu cut Billy's loose. A Brief Look Back At The Four? Tribes I'll preface this by stating the obvious; no brief check in with Hiki. I find that disturbing in terms of their tribe as a whole regardless they are no longer the Hiki tribe. They came off a very important win; this was their crowning achievement thus far and yet nary a word? No discussion of their enthusiasm or accomplishment? This lack of Hiki time may only represent one of two things. Either *they* are just relatively not that important in the development of what is to come OR their dynamic as Hiki is not relevant. In other words, these four tribes no longer exist BUT some of their prior associations, relationships, conflicts may. In Hiki's case then perhaps ultimately their relationships, associations, conflicts have no bearing in their outcome as individuals Aitu This was more interesting in what we didn't see and that would be the leader of the Billy boot, Ozzy. He did not mention a word which actually is a good in terms of his editing. Throwing challenges is not looked upon highly but based on the brief exchange at the TC, the almost accepted recap of same, i.e. "bold plan" and no TC aftermath (nothing came from Cristina’s mouth about what occurred), Ozzy came out of this relatively unscathed and we know when something negative occurs and that person is handled with “kid gloves” editing, that is very good for their outlook. Ozzy has been someone to watch longevity wise and this only adds to his favor. I also question whether this may add to Candice's edit as well (more later) Discussion with the four post TC with Cecelia expressing disbelief over Billy's confession and Cristina diplomatically discussing same (although mentions Candice may have been playing him) JP mentions Billy's actions around camp. JP (conf) "What came out of Billy's mouth tonight was just ridiculous. Words can't describe what came out about the Candice situation. If it's true, it's true but it's not true" (I'm still mulling over the reason for this confessional; it didn't need to be shown as Billy's slightly delusional crush was fairly obvious so it did not need to be reinforced. We also knew how JP felt as well. Whether this "not needed" confessional was just filler, some face time for JP for when he IS a focus of an episode and/or a push for Candice's edit remains to be seen since this was not even necessary to help parlay to the brief conversation later with Candice and Cecelia.) I’m slightly inclined to believe this is a push for JP’s presence and that would make sense if JP becomes more in our focus since he generally was an appendage for Ozzy. I sense JP is going to be a focal point soon as well as Brad (see below) Puka A brief scene shown of Brad spearing a fish (artfully placed or filler?) with Cowboy discussing a story with Jenny and Becky who the editors made sure to show they were not interested (Interesting visual of the fish floundering in the bucket as Cowboy's voice starts to speak along with close up of his mouth talking for a little emphasis) Brad (conf) "....the guy just does not shut up (shot of Cowboy's mouth again with his feelings about the war and certain people being able to avoid having to go; dependent upon your views, this may be taken negatively or not) ...in my heart of hearts he is not all there nor will ever be there unless he's medicated" (Entertaining confessional; may also be an effort to show us a bit more of Brad for future reference. Cowboy is quite the subject of his tribe as well.) Raro Parvetti reads the treemail with brief shots of the other tribe mates. Jonathan (conf) "....tribe is strong, haven't lost yet. We are one of the two tribes that hasn't lost anything. I went to EI, I came back and we won the next challenge; that really didn't weaken us, so we are okay and we are ready to rock and roll; we're doing great" (Shots of Flicka, Jonathan and Pavarti "limbering up" and brief shot of Candice drinking) Again, Jonathan makes an excellent narrator for his tribe and regardless of his length in this game, it is fairly obvious why he would be designated in a lot of game confessionals so this should not necessarily solidify how important he is to the end of the game. Great narrators help us to follow the story but a winner it does not always make. With that said, Jonathan is important to this season and what develops later gave me the sense that he may end up surprised at his demise. I don’t see him as a villain but he does appear to be someone who bit off more than he could chew and pay the price for it A Little Integration Jeff "Get your first look (Nathan) at the new Aitu tribe, Billy (Flicka) voted out at the last TC" (Candice) "We'll bring in Yul (Brad) from EI (Stephannie) Pavarti (already flirting with Jeff) Becky and a long shot of Stephannie as the idol pieces are given back (Briefly noting now that Stephannie was treated very nicely editing wise this episode; a lot of visuals that were noticeable to me at least) Jeff announces it is time to integrate with various contestant shots (Cecelia and Parvetti receiving the female touch, Stephannie and Nathan and Rebecca, Jonathan, Cowboy somewhat confused, etc.) They line up and pick their tile pieces (a "stand out" visual of Sundra appearing to look over at JP as the next shot was of JP looking over as well.) The captains are determined and now the choices with parameters of women to choose women, men choose men and not of their tribe Cecelia picks Flicka (pretty lady with dreds) Pavarti picks Jenny (cutie in peach) Jessica picks Sundra (sister on end) Jenny picks Cristina (camo) Sundra picks Becky (yellow) Cristina picks Rebecca (only points) Becky picks Candice (Candice) Note everyone is now represented at this point Rebecca tells Stephannie to "come on home" Brad picks JP (JP) Jonathan picks Yul (Yul) Jeff notes both at EI to compare notes JP picks Nate (Nate) Yul picks Ozzy (I only have one choice left; Jeff says Ozzy) Nate picks Adam (only has one choice you in blue then) Ozzy's choice has been made for him - Cowboy Becky knew Candice's name, as Brad did with JP, Jonathan with Yul, JP with Nate. Stephannie and Cowboy chosen last; the men's first three picks more important to note as they were not selections by default. Women's choices I am deferring on right now as many times women choose visually. Jeff "Two new tribes, a whole new game" (another visual on Stephannie) Parvetti smears Adam with paint Cowboy shown exuberant Stephannie shown again Yul shown giving a thumbs up sign to someone Getting To Know You I am grouping all the scenes together for each new tribe for consistency even though they were shown in different sequence. Nathan (conf) “Today is the best day ever… like they took us out of the ghetto and into Bel Air. We had been so weak and depleted… got rid of those skanky yellow buffs and now we’re a new tribe” (Nathan certainly received quite a bit of “editing love” and while a narrator at Hiki he has developed into someone narrating now as well. His character I would say is someone that I think would get a lot of positive moments in light of how some male African American contestants have fared in the past. Nathan is competitive, he is friendly, he catches octopus; Mr. Burnett will NOT allow the viewers to miss this especially in light of this season’s racial twist. Be that as it may, I get a sense that Nathan may not get deep in the game) Stephannie asks everyone how they felt about the tribe breakdown when they first arrived. A chorus of somewhat mediocre feelings with JP stating he was okay with it, whether good or bad, it brings people’s attention to it and makes them think. Stephannie (conf) “It’s all about people and who we are and what we bring to the table (Brad) You really don’t see color (Adam) you see the heart of an individual (Jenny) and what they are doing (Nathan) to make your tribe stronger and that’s what this is all about” (Again, Stephannie had a spike without question, whether it is because we need to get to know her a bit because her story will end soon OR it is taking off is difficult. Her confessional was a good one but no game talk for herself and I sense her confessional may apply to how the winner may be viewed as opposed to this being for Stephannie’s longevity) Pavarti (conf) “We are back to America; we are a melting pot and I love it! Everyone is all mixed backed together. I just think it is great” (Again, I do feel that these confessionals have ultimate importance to perhaps how this game pans out if not for the person saying it. Be that as it may, Parvetti is still on a decent edit that has been consistent and not too overtly in our faces and her confessionals thus far have held the premise of this game which is positive for her. Yes, I know, the flirting lol. I will explain….) Brad (conf) “First and foremost, it’s gonna be all smiles…. …..but in the back of your mind it’s a game and you are in it to win it for yourself and first and foremost, cold hard cash” (Great confessional in light of the lack of exposure before plus the not needed scene of his fishing and his earlier confessional about Cowboy. Brad, like JP seems to be coming into our focus now. It’s hard to discern if that is ultimately good for them for end game but it does put our attention on them now which may be because they are integral to something to come shortly. Ultimately I am not fond of Brad and JP’s chances for end game but they are sitting better than some others) We then see Parveti give her shake and “I’m so excited” with Rebecca’s little look at Pavarti. The four men carry their rocks with Parvetti and Jenny commenting on the male bonding with Jenny’s tarzan impression. Parvetti (conf) “So many men on this tribe… seems like we got all the buff guys. I’m absolutely gonna flirt with them and get them on my good side; that’s what I do best…(flirting with Adam) ….already had Adam from the beginning… I was drawn to Nate… I decided to work him just for starters (Nathan and Parvetti’s scene shown) …lure him in my web, trap him there and suck his blood” (laughing) (On the surface and at first viewing, those I spoke with were not impressed with her and felt her actions were very blatant and ridiculous much like females we have seen in school and we feel compelled to roll our eyes at their actions. Upon my asking them to watch her “tongue in cheek” and whether it was really necessary to even show this unless it has bearing the viewing the second time around was a bit more kind. The editing spent enough time on Pavarti and her strategy that it should have bearing. I found her escapades more amusing than annoying myself because she told us the purpose for what she is doing. Her methods may have been a little much but I found myself accepting them because she explained the methodology. How this pans out ultimately for Parveti? I’m not inclined to believe the winner of THIS season would be edited in this manner however, Pavarti has received a very good characterization thus far and especially compared to a couple of her other former tribe mates AND her current ones as well. In fact, the female members as a whole are much lower key than the males this season so it is suggestive that Pavarti may do fairly well in this game It did not go unnoticed Nathan’s comment to her that “she’s on top of it” may just be another nugget for her. Nathan we see finds the octopus. He calls for JP and Brad to help him with the octopus Nathan (conf) "I feel like the mack, I was like octopus what have you got now, kind of a good feeling... (goes back to water scene with the three men) ...I don't think the guys are anyone expected me to come back with something so heavy...." Adam was not shown in the scene of JP and Brad on the beach nor in the water with Nathan but he showed up later as all four with the octopus walked back to the camp Nathan tells the story (Rebecca reaction shot) with a brief introduction of Parvett implementing her "skills" on Nathan. A beautiful shot of the whale shown in the water spouting water leading us to our challenge. As a whole what seemed apparent for this tribe is that Nathan and Pavarti were highlighted. Brad received some spike in attention as did Stephannie. JP’s presence was slightly elevated due to the TC aftermath and his comments to Stephannie’s question and was present at some scenes. Stephannie in light of her mostly relegated to backburner prior did get a spike and I noticed this more visually than anything. She may be someone in danger of being booted but perhaps has a reprieve but I can’t say that she has significant longevity. Rebecca, Jenny, Cristina and Adam were neglected although I am not ready to discount Rebecca just yet The other three? I personally see no real hope for them although Cristina may have a tenuous tie to Ozzy. Cecelia shown the hostess welcoming everyone to Aitu. Cowboy (conf) “We felt Cecelia and Ozzy were very welcoming; they were just so excited… mi casa, su casa; they are Hispanic… that’s beautiful” Flicka and Cowboy then share a laugh Flicka (conf) “I’m definitely so happy about the transition in this game; feel a charge of energy here… feel a vibration that I didn’t have the same in my old tribe” Cowboy and Flicka then share a nice moment with Cowboy letting Flicka know that she’s not Asian but he loves her and visa versa. I think this may have occurred later when they were talking about the upcoming TC as Flicka’s hair was the same and I have doubt that Cowboy would be that affectionate that soon after intergrating; the intent obviously was to show their connection which helped tie into the later story and their relationship which may be needed for further story Cecelia then questions Candice about the situation that unfolded with Billy. People are around laughing about the situation and all ends well. (In terms of time for this show, they really spent an inordinate amount of time on a situation that is over and done with. The tribal council and Aitu post TC talk along with the viewers SEEING Candice did not say anything that led Billy on is enough. We don’t need anymore. Yes, perhaps the editors thought it would be nice to show Candice resolve this with an Aitu but why? It’s over, Billy’s gone. For whatever reason, I feel that despite their not being much about Candice, we are being manipulated into seeing and hearing about Candice but in the same token I don’t feel she is at the end game as there was a host of situations this episode she could have and should have commented on and she didn’t. It may ultimately be that Candice lasts deep enough that we need to know her and the editing is giving us what they can to do this but not be at end game) The dynamics of this tribe naturally had to be shown in light of their going to Tribal Council. With that said, some received a spike, some were consistent and some took a dip (which we know is not necessarily bad) Jonathan (note that our music experts can elaborate) receives very interesting music to his presence; not necessarily sinister but definitely borders this. He asks Cowboy how he is doing with Cowboy replying “I’m doing fine sir” (All the muck surrounding the conversations and such happened out of sequence and such so I attempted to at least present them in a sequential manner although they did not play out in this sequence) Becky “Would you trust Jonathan, trust him enough to come into an alliance with you?” Candice “He’s a really nice guy, very competitive, very smart and he hasn’t done anything shady (again the music) Becky “I totally trust Yul… ….he keeps his word With that they establish their “four” and they need a “fifth” Yul (conf) “Becky and I have a tight bond…. huge advantage in the game to have someone you can absolutely trust…”(Trust has been emphasized with Yul and Becky from both of them; there is something brewing on this, it is not necessarily indicative of a betrayal but this emphasis does appear to play an important role for these two) Becky “I trust Yul, I trust Candice..” Jonathan “I totally agree… no question the four of us should be….” Becky “We’re thinking about adding Flicka to make five” Jonathan “Believe me, I can get her to do whatever we need her to do…” Jonathan (conf) “I knew Becky was the person I had to get to first but she was the key; she came right to me. She said Yul and I would like to get together with you and Candice. I said I believe I have Flicka hoping she would say okay, great… (note that this confessional was the same spot as the one we saw after the IC where Jonathan was stating how he thought he had Flicka handled but she is doing her own thing) Becky and Yul talking… Becky “Candice and I were talking…. trying to figure out our fifth person so Jonathan mentioned Flicka and then we were deciding between Ozzy and Cecelia…” Yul “…. they realize they are coming into this with fewer numbers and so if we went along tribal lines then those people would be voted along with Sundra” Yul then shares with Becky the news about the HII (again our music experts will help but the music during this was very notable as it was soft and affectionate) ”If we can somehow turn the game around and get us ahead and even if you are like in a situation, to save your butt I’d do it” (Again, I’m hard pressed to NOT believe the HII won’t be used and I felt from the outset that it may be used to help someone else; until this plays out, I still have strong feelings about this happening in some fashion) Jonathan and Flicka together Jonathan “I think we can align with a couple of the Asian; strong five. If anyone else approaches you just say whatever, or I am not thinking about it” Flicka “I’m not” Jonathan “But I am thinking about it so stay with me and Candice and we’ll take these other two and the five of us will go to the merger” (With that, not all of these five should make the merger. Flicka’s confessional then shown here ) “We are strong; we’ll make it to the top five, it’s gonna be cool, alright…” Flicka “Alright” (breathes deeply) (Flicka’s second confessional then shown) Flicka (conf) “Jonathan wants me to stay in the alliance with our original tribe; I don’t necessarily feel that comfortable because I didn’t feel that comfortable in that tribe to begin with…” and “I’m just kinda playing my cards, like I am not really thinking about alliances. I am just here to make friends and see what happens and go as long as I can without feeling fake” (Flicka may, in fact, be here longer than even she intends but her commentary does not bode well for the very end. I am still mulling over Flicka but she more or less appears to be a character that will be invested in but not win. She may be dragged through this game a bit but her “aura” is one more of someone we get to know, perhaps get to really like, may even be forced to play this game some more but her edit at this time does not suggest a win) The Challenge Jeff explains the challenge with his caveat "Losers, Tribal Council, one you will be going home (Flicka, Cowboy featured) Cecelia, Sundra, Candice, Becky drop out in quick succession Stephannie drops out (JP notes "those guys are going to get weak, trust me!) (Nathan notes: "they are straight, done; they can't carry all that weight") Cristina then Jenny drop out Flicka drops out Parvetti drops out Jeff: "Rebecca is the only woman left in this challenge" Jeff: "Rebecca finally dropping out, a key player in helping Raro get a lead" Yul: "Hey guys I say we just fight them; we're not going to outrun them" Nathan: "Give it all you got, go!" Jeff "Yul gonna try and fight them off as long as he can...but Cowboy's too weak" Stephannie receives the idol, Jeff delivers the news of one more element and that person exiled will miss TC tonight (shot of Adam the shifts to Pavarti then Rebecca) We see Nathan, JP, Jenny moreso than others collectively mention Candice and Jeff mentions it is unanimous (visual honed in on Jonathan as the reaction shot) As they leave, Yul acknowledges the other tribe with Brad/Jenny featured as recipients ending with Stephannie looking down at the idol and Candice shown walking away from them and towards EI. Back with Aitu Jonathan "Can we take one second and think about why they picked Candice?" Yul "I don't believe they would perceive her as being the strongest physically so I think they are just protecting her" The group then confer together that they would protect her then to not get voted out that night. Yul (conf) ".....has a huge effect on our plans; prior to this we had an alliance going on between myself, Jonathan, Becky, Candice and we were pretty confident with pulling in another person we would have the numbers advantage... (Ahhh, numbers, numbers) now it doesn't look to be the case" Ozzy in VO (showing the fire) "Just so you know, I'm not writing your name down" Cowboy and Ozzy hug each with Cowboy telling him "we just need to win" (this really makes no sense since the challenge was already done and they lost so more than likely Ozzy and Cowboy had a discussion on what they would do SHOULD they lose) Ozzy tells Cowboy they obviously have to write someone's name down with Cowboy opting for the "weak link" Becky and instructs Ozzy to "talk to the girls" Ozzy "Cowboy said we're good, said we really like you (to Flicka) and mentions to get rid of Becky as "she is seriously plotting" Cecelia "All we need is numbers and I think with the four of us and Cowboy..." Ozzy "Nothing else to worry about" Ozzy (conf) "We're all voting for Becky; Cowboy, myself, Cecelia, Sundra and Flicka seem to have some sort of agreement; um, and we'll see if it stands" Ozzy gets wonderful enhancement to his edit so he most certainly appears to be one for long term. He also was deemed to give a confessional over the makeup of the alliance made with the girls and Cowboy when we could have heard about this from Cecelia the actual boot! Sundra could have been this designated person as well ESPECIALLY in light of the fact that she has no past relationships to count on but the editing still wants us to recognize Ozzy. His visual of watching Becky, machete in hand, whistling with that devious sounding music culminating in a nice "thwack" with the machete also reeks of foreshadowing. We may see ultimately Ozzy seal Becky's fate at some point Flicka "Jonathan, what are you doing" (in background we Sundra walking away from where they are) Jonathan "Come here, I"ll check in with you" As Flicka approaches we see shots of Sundra, Cowboy, Cecelia and Ozzy just appear out of nowhere; mind you, seconds before this no one was even there and Sundra was shown walking away from that area. The scene was manipulated to show them seeing Jonathan working on Flicka. There was one brief sentence from I believe Cecelia saying "no more talking" which I may suggest may have actually been THEIR strategy session breaking up Flicka "Just so you know, Becky's going" "I'm not going to go against that" Jonathan "Well what if I said we should vote for somebody else, would you vote with me?" Flicka "I honestly don't have a good vibe about her" (Jonathan confessional begins) Jonathan "So you're going to vote for Becky...." Jonathan (conf that we saw the beginning of when the alliances started to form) "I honestly thought I had Flicka handled! I thought she was with me but she's not; she's doing her own thing and I don't know how easy or hard it's gonna be to convince her otherwise; we got a serious problem here" Jonathan (to Yul) "Where do we stand...it's you, me, Becky and that's it. We don't know where Sundra's at, we don't know where Cowboy's at and Flicka is going to be roughly impossible to switch" Yul "Really?" (Cecelia and Flicka's scene starts) Jonathan "Just have to make it thru tonight and get Flicka or Cowboy to vote for Cecelia and it's risky because if we don't know that they are rock solid and vote our way then you and I are putting our necks way out on the line" Cecelia and Flicka then shown confirming the agreement Flicka "Jonathan is just worried because I'm not saying for sure I am part of their alliance but I don't want to be wishy washy" Cecelia "You just gotta follow your gut" Jonathan (conf) "Tried to convince Flicka and Cowboy to vote with us is the key; if not, then, all bets are off and it's gonna be a whole different kettle of fish" (this confessional continues and it is the confessional right before TC and after the many exchanges below) “There are two ways to play the game; I like you so I’m not going to vote for you (shot of Flicka) or sorry I like you but I got to vote for you (Cowboy) I want to go further in the game (Cecelia). We have two different philosophies (Becky) it’s a war….I don’t know, we’ll see how convincing I’ve been” Jonathan "All I'm concerned about is making it to the merge" Flicka "Uh huh" Jonathan "Everybody we like is going to get voted of in this game." Flicka "I know but it's not about that though, it's about having trust in the people you have a connection with" Jonathan "Alright, so, I thought you and I had a tight thing so we don't have such a tight thing, do we not trust each other, we're talking like adults" (The Cowboy/Yul conversation then starts; see below) Jonathan "If five of us vote for Cecelia tonight, okay (Flicka shown looking around and not at Jonathan) and three of you vote for Becky and all of a sudden you are on the outside; then boom you're gone" (this then moves onto Yul and Cowboy again) Flicka "so not the point though..." Jonathan "Well what is the point? I guess we're talking apples and oranges" Flicka "Yeah we are kind of" "I'm just thinking, she is the weaker link" Jonathan ‘You gotta think ahead of that" Flicka "I'm not thinking like that, I'm not..." Jonathan "This is a game, this is like a chess game... we have thirty more days ahead of us; you can't just think about tomorrow you have to put yourself in a position where you can be there in thirty days; you have to think about that now" Flicka "Mmm hmmm" Jonathan "Cause otherwise you won't be there" Flicka "Mmm hmmm" Jonathan nods Flicka "Hmmm" "I don't know, I have to think about it still" (Yul and Cowboy now shown) Yul and Cowboy Cowboy "I'm sorry, we have to let Becky go... she's the weak link Yul "She's not a weak link" Cowboy "She is, we'll lose another one...she's the princess out here, you pay attention, she's a princess out here" Yul "She's not weak... she's strong, she's been very strong and decisive in all the challenges. I think if you look at Cecelia, she hasn't been that strong, she's good at puzzles (very astute that Yul paid attention to prior challenges) but physically she hasn't been that strong" Yul "If we vote Cecelia, we'll have our numbers, we can decide later on if we need to drop Becky..." Cowboy "You, Becky..." Yul "You, Jonathan, Flicka, five; solid five" (Solid five?) They shake hands Cowboy: "You present your point and okay I listened to you" Cowboy (conf): “I don't like the scheming of man, I really don't like that at all, I feel like I've always been blessed; maybe this time I’m wrong” (Cowboy, like some other contestants makes great confessionals and it is no wonder they are shown. This adventure has become a lesson being learned to some people) Cowboy and Flicka talking and this conversation obviously occurs after Yul and Jonathan finished speaking with both Cowboy and Flicka in light of the words they speak Cowboy “No matter what they said, I’m gonna talk to Jessica first” Flicka “I have a hard time trusting Jonathan….” Cowboy “I don’t’ trust Jonathan, he’s manipulative” (Yul and Jonathan scene now shown) “But he has a point, it’s a numbers game, we have to make it to the merger so we can play the game some more” Flicka “I don’t want to be picked off” Cowboy “I know but they are playing bad; you are not part of the crowd, I’m not part of the crowd; we’re just stuck in this…” Flicka “Yeah, what do you do? I don’t know what to do” Jonathan and Yul talking Jonathan “She doesn’t like the idea of playing the game that way…..” (which then reverts back to Cowboy and Flicka) Flicka (conf) “I’m getting wrapped up in this whole drama. I realize it’s a numbers game but I have a lot of respect for Cece so I don’t know, it’s so hard…” What to make of all this above? I’m concerned that in all this, Becky nor Candicewere not shown at all discussing the outcome of their alliance; we saw Jonathan talk of it and we saw Jonathan talked about which is good for him, we saw Yul speak about the ramifications of it with Candice at EI, we saw Flicka speak and Cowboy speak about their thoughts on all this nonsense but Candice was shown only agreeing with Becky. Becky, at least was shown conferring with Jonathan and Yul AND mentioned by Ozzy that she is plotting but Becky, in danger of leaving was never shown discussing her thoughts on that which then makes me question if Yul did, in fact, give her the idol to hold onto. We would not be able to see a confessional from Becky then because it would comprise of her stating she would be safe regardless. In light of the wonders of editing though, I question whether they could have spliced something together. I do feel there is enough ahead brewing with Becky to suggest a somewhat longer stay but ultimately I feel she is more of an extension of Yul’s story. Candice was never shown discussing anything with Jonathan and not shown on EI either is a bit disturbing. Considering HOW she went there and the slight upheaval it caused on her tribe, her thoughts on why she was there and/or what will happen at the vote since her alliance was featured seems curious to leave out. Regardless the idol was found, Candice, if important to the end game should have been shown in my opinion. Recall Terry found the idol yet they showed Danielle with Austin at EI. Aras was also shown at EI and both were key to the end of last season. I won't discount her completely being there for a bit because in the same token I almost felt (as already noted) she was being “fed” to us without it even being necessary to the progression of the episode but end game, not in my opinion. Ultimately Sundra and Ozzy were not necessary to show because their position had no bearing on any element of surprise although Sundra was neglected. If anything I think it would have been important to hear her thoughts on being the ONLY person from her original tribe; if this would have occurred I would like any end game chances with her much better. This tribal breakdown was very pivotal for Sundra to discuss and it was only mentioned at TC. She is still someone who had a first episode discussion about the big themes so I won’t discount her entirely but I don’t see a win either. With all that said, Courtney and Cowboy most definitely have a "journey" style presence and I might add that I also doubt Cowboy could win with his "blue lineage" talk despite some people agreeing with it. Jonathan is definitely an investment and I sense a surprise in store for him. Becky and Yul have a major tie and I again feel the idol will be used and not necessarily to save himself. Yul actually may be too good to be true to win this game. Becky I will keep an eye on as I see some development with her and about her andOzzy's dip in edit actually gives me higher hopes for him as an end game player; he was too much in our face and in danger of being completely villianized. Sundra I am disappointed she was neglected in light of her being the only member of Hiki in her new tribe but Jeff's contention of her value may bear some fruit for her for some time but I don't see a win by her personally. Tribal Council Jeff asks if ethnicity added anything to the merger Jonathan “I don’t think so; I think the captains selected the strongest people they could….” Jeff asks about power with the vote due to no allegiances Sundra “You can say vulnerable or valuable and I don’t give credit to either… use my gut… no way to guarantee the results of playing this game” Jeff asks about the direction of the tribe Yul “Some people have different priorities in terms of what they are looking for. Some people are strategizing (Becky) and trying to make alliances to play hard and win the game (Jonathan) and others (Cowboy) came here hoping (Flicka) this is going to be a personally fulfilling experience for everyone” Jonathan “Someone who is here to just have the experiences and not play the game (Flicka) they are gonna be playing the game…. People who are here who are strategizing, they ar also dealing with the personalities and they are really in the experience (Becky) and that is what makes it interesting…….” Flicka “I’m not used to the manipulation aspect…. Are you really telling me because you are nice (Jonathan) or because you are like trying to get me on your side so you can get me to vote somebody off (Ozzy smiles) who I like (Sundra)… we are not ready to lose a member of our tribe yet.” Ozzy “I’m gonna know where people actually stand (Flicka) as to what they were saying before (Cowboy) so that’s pretty much how it’s gonna go” Cecelia leaves with barely a showing this episode with Ozzy’s sidelong glance meant to appear to be Cowboy Jeff “Well one thing is clear, this tribe is definitely not unified (Sundra, Becky and Ozzy) and only eight days into (Yul) a game this unpredictable (Jonathan shown until the end of Jeff’s speech. Potential of an unpredictable end for him?) certainly risky”   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 09-30-06, 04:52 PM (EST) 73. "Episode 3 Thoughts" VS, please forgive me for jumping the queue. If it wasn’t clear before, I think we can be fairly certain that, three episodes into the season, the wheat has well and truly been separated from the chaff. This game is ostensibly about four or five players at most now, as it was from the outset. The rest are interchangeable elements. A switch should have altered the dynamics sufficiently for new characters to unfold. One has to ask is it just coincidence then that the same individuals are being highlighted. It used to be that being low key early on was a good sign since it meant that there was time to be fleshed out. Similarly, appearance spikes were often a prelude to an imminent boot. My feeling is this time round the editing has taken a 180-degree turn. In other words, if someone has a meaningful role to play, they would be relevant already. What we have is two broad groups: The Faces Who can be further divided into: The Headliners Yul – The spotlight has been trained on him from the start. Jonathan made him his first pick. He was heavily involved in strategy discussion, extending his alliance with Becky to include Jonathan, Flicka and Candice AND the back and forth over the boot candidate post IC. (It’s definitely worth emphasising that Yul set the wheels in motion by changing Cowboy’s mind to vote for Cecelia instead of Becky who, in turn, convinced Flicka to fall in line where Jonathan had failed. Does this establish a pecking order, I wonder. What isn’t clear to me is who initiated Cecelia’s boot. Presumably it was either Jonathan or Yul but there is a possibility it was a joint decision. I’d be also be interested to know why Ozzy never factored into their thinking) TC improved upon what is already a strong positive image -- Jeff giving him the meaty topic of assessing the new tribe, his considered response, and the gentle manner used at the voting booth when explaining 'to' Cecelia his decision. Jonathan – We might say Jonathan announced himself this episode. He had virtually all the dialogue-heavy scenes. He was the only other person apart from Brad who had a confessional before the tribe split and merge. Received one of VS’ longevity markers, that of being talked about. To wit, Candice, "He’s a really nice guy, very competitive, very smart, and, you know, he hasn’t done anything that’s been shady." (one can’t escape the huge foreshadowing potential of the latter observation, in particular) Emerged with Yul as a principal strategist though the editing did make the most of his “she’ll do anything I tell her to” remarks about Flicka. Who then didn’t, of course, before Cowboy managed to talk her back round at the last moment. The nuances to Jonathan’s character are evident in the editing. He’s someone who doesn’t suffer fools gladly –- hello Flicka! – and is liberal with the criticism of other people. I talked about last time how that ‘negative’ is balanced out by virtue of his comments being mostly confined to confessionals; we’re supposed to be somewhat impressed that he is able to restrain himself around others, as tempted as he seems to want to run off at the mouth. Ozzy – Wasn’t as prominent compared to previously but don’t be fooled. Ozzy still had his moments, two of which that carried the greatest significance for me just happened to be conveyed visually rather than orally. The first was at camp following a tentative agreement he had made with Flicka and Cecelia to vote for Becky. Becky walked by and Ozzy, who was merrily whistling away for her benefit, suddenly, to the backdrop of some ominous sounding music, completely changed the mood by swiftly bringing down the machete on the palm fronds. (note the continuation of the hacking theme and creepy music with Ozzy from the second episode when he was infuriated with Billy) It was all very sinister, wasn’t it? The second instance was at TC where we got a prolonged reaction shot to Cecelia confirmed as the boot and not, as he had expected, Becky. The disapproval on Ozzy’s face bordered on menace and had added gravitas particularly if we go back to his bonding scene with Cowboy. Implicit to the whole “not writing each other’s name” thing was that they would also be sticking together and voting as a bloc. Or that was Ozzy’s likely interpretation, at any rate. The fact it panned out differently could pave the way for him to exact revenge on Cowboy for a perceived lack of loyalty at the very first hurdle, especially if he feels he’s been made a fool. Ozzy has been shown to be a bit of a control freak. Perhaps now we’re getting the calculating side to his nature – Ozzy the Schemer. A supplemental question: How much stock should we place on Ozzy’s powers of persuasion? It’s potentially noteworthy that he quickly managed to convince Flicka to vote for Becky and, by extension, diminish her allegiance to Jonathan. Then again, one could view swaying Flicka as hardly representing much of a challenge. I can’t quite decide, therefore, whether he has succeeded in smooth talking Flicka to the extent he has her in his back pocket (regardless of her changing her mind later). Put another way, if Flicka was the target of a tug-of-war between him and Jonathan, would he have the advantage now? Or does Cowboy hold the cards, instead? Cao Boi – Whilst we got the by now almost obligatory scene of Cowboy’s demeanour annoying his erstwhile Puka tribe mates (Brad this time), intriguingly, it contrasted with how he was shown to be generally well-received in the new tribe (With Ozzy and Flicka, for example. Next week’s preview suggests the goodwill doesn’t last long, though). Moreover, a hitherto unknown tactical layer to Cowboy emerged. I found it fascinating, not to mention surprising, how Ozzy gravitated towards him. Cowboy proposed Becky for elimination and Ozzy agreed almost immediately. The subsequent “talk to the girls” came across as less of a request and more of an instruction. Again, Ozzy didn’t bat an eyelid. Surely, there is something to be said about Cowboy that he can get such a headstrong figure as Ozzy to so willingly to follow his lead (and they don’t appear to have much in common on top of that). It asks questions of Ozzy, too, come to think of it. The message could be that Cowboy, for his all his boisterousness, shouldn’t be underestimated. The Supporting Acts Becky – Since her alliance with Yul was featured for the second week running, one has to assume some sort of payoff down the line. What would concern me is for what purpose was it reiterated so soon after its inception other than as a lead up to failure, and probably sooner rather than later. In the past, for any long term success to be realised, the editing tends to make the alliance known but then hold backs on it for a while to be revisited at a later stage. (and not in quick succession like here) What does seem certain is when/if the partnership is broken, Becky will be the makeweight. Her fortunes may be linked to Yul but she is also in his charge. She is part of his tale, not the other way round and cannot, accordingly, if we apply the classic principles of storytelling, outlast him. Flicka – Both flighty and indecisive, there can be no positive outcome for her. She could, in theory, come into her own on a one-off basis, much like a pawn can be useful in chess but is really the least valuable piece on the board. Alas, the frequency with which she flip-flops is a greater liability - she shifts as readily as the sands! At TC she was made to look clueless, basically admitting that the aspects of Survivor gameplay are way beyond her compass. Brad - An increase in face time. It was largely to moan about Cowboy but his confessional, along with Jonathan’s, was the only one we got pre-merge. Of greater interest was the quote-worthy confessional later on; “….all smiles....pleasure to meet you….. glad that you’re here. But in the back of your mind it’s a game and you’re in it to win it for yourself and, first and foremost, cold hard cash.” (I’ll let others comment on whether this constitutes a ‘money’ quote) Nathan - I include him here because he lucked out with the octopus and got the traditional food provider edit. He certainly enjoyed showing off his prize and Parvati made sure to hone her flirting skills! J.P. – A physical presence at IC. Lead the team and it might be worth mentioning Jeff’s comments at IC in relation to him and Ozzy, “Both tribes have strong guys at the front…to make the tackle.” Was the one who, indeed, executed the winning tackle. The Faceless Rebecca – From Jeff, again, at IC, “Rebecca the only woman left in this challenge,” and “a key player in helping Raro get the lead.” Was otherwise overlooked. Jenny – In the background again. Parvati - Plenty of flirting but it didn’t seem to go anywhere. Sundra - Some serviceable comments at TC. I liked, “You’re either vulnerable or valuable….there’s no way to guarantee the results of playing this game.” That aside, we got nothing from her at camp. She was a passive participant in strategy, seemingly happy to be part of the group with Flicka and Cecelia walking the beach as Ozzy gave his spiel. Adam - Parvati’s baby monkey! Stephannie – Brought up the race issue when the new Raro tribe sat down, in a circle, for the first time. Gauged others thoughts –- we got J.P.’s -– suggesting she’s a good listener, perhaps? A nurse’s instinct? Candice – Included but it was all ‘incident specific,’ like The Billy Affair (see what I did there? ) and being sent to Exile Island. Strategy talk with Becky was one-sided -- she basically followed Becky’s lead and agreed with what was said. Crisitna - Who? VH   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-30-06, 06:13 PM (EST) 74. " Episode 3 Thoughts" LAST EDITED ON 09-30-06 AT 06:23 PM (EST) VH: The name of Cece was first put forward by Becky and Yul who discussed that her, Ozzy and Sundra didn’t have numbers. I liked your comment about Jonathan’s acting differently with his tribe mates than in confessionals. Many winners have had that ability to tell us only what they think and keep it hidden from the game. To answer your Ozzy question, remember that with Candace’s return, the power triumvirat has a fourth vote. In a tribe of 8, they have the upper hand. Sundra will jump ship, so Ozzy could be isolated. Flicka won’t help no matter what she does. On a side note, it is interesting how your views differ from mine regarding the women particularly. Amazing how we can disagree and get along so well! The first two episodes introduced the players and started to reveal their game plans. This episode revealed which of the 17 remaining suspects have the: Means, Motive and Opportunity Jonathan was one of the stars of this episode and is a very eloquent narrator. Last week had shown us he has the means to go far when it became apparent he was playing as the leader of Rarotonga. This week strengthens his position as he picked another strong player, Yul, and quickly started working with him. This pairing seems to work well and their discussion showed mutual respect. His arrangement with Candace also came off very naturally. It wasn’t so with Flicka when he showed a paternalistic side. His motive is clear: He wants to get to the merge with numbers so that he can be part of the final 5. To him that would be cool but to us, it sounds like foreshadowing: Is that when we see one of his allies cutting his throat? His alliance gives him the opportunity to reach the end but will he fall in the 5th place he’s hoping to reach? Yul also showed he has the means, the right motivation to be there and the opportunity to make it to the end. He trusts Becky and proves it by telling her he has the idol. Yul is a straight shooter and that could be his downfall. Yul’s return from Exile Island was interesting: While everyone was clapping, Becky was clearly center stage and we saw their hug first but the scene had been cut up. Brad was closest to Yul and since he hugged even Cao Boi after, why didn’t we see him hug Brad? The big brother-little sister bond was very important in this episode. Fixing scenes like this tells me it could have more importance down the road. Could the find be more important to her future than his? Becky did a lot of the leg work to position herself well in this alliance. She worked quickly to form bonds with Candace and Jonathan, which was highlighted by Jonathan’s remark “I wanted to go to Becky first, she is the key and she came right to me: Great.” It paid off nicely when she was saved at TC. She let Yul and Jonathan do all the work to overturn the decision of the opposing quintet. Had she also gotten Yul to give her the idol? It would be within the powers of a princess! Being a non-threatening follower gives her the opportunity to go far if she can return under the radar. What is her motivation? We haven’t heard her express her goal yet. She trusts Yul “100%”. Does her plan include Outlasting him as a UTR player would? Or could she Ouwit him as a clinical player would? We’ve started to see a cold calculating side to her game as Ozzy commented on her scheming. Ozzy should know! Ozzy was isolated and put in his place. The fact that Cecilia had no confessionals in her final episode, proves her boot was more to make the viewer appreciate seeing Ozzy get his comeuppance. Last week, the editors worked hard to make Ozzy appear as well as possible despite throwing a challenge, now they prefer showing how someone’s exit affects his position. Certainly, as VH astutely noted last week, Ozzy is decisive and he has the means and the cutthroat approach needed to go far. We heard Jeff and Yul say he was the only one left during the tribal selection. Could that have hurt his ego and had something to do with the tribal divisiveness? We never heard the three guys talking to one another. His methods are once again contrasted with Yul’s. He plotted first with Cao Boi who told him Becky is weak and from there he imposed his views on his group: “Cao Boi is in an alliance with us and Becky is the target, Becky is seriously plotting.” Yul worked with individuals, alternatively talking to Becky, Jonathan and Cao Boi and coordinating his leadership role with Jonathan’s. Ozzy's villain role was highlighted when we first saw him observing Becky walking in camp and then happily whistling while chopping down hard with his machete on a palm frond. If he has the means and the motivation to win the game, he may have lost the opportunity when he told us his group had an agreement but let Flicka reveal the plan to Jonathan. Rebecca showed you can have a good episode without having center stage. Her challenge performance will earn her a lot of credit in her tribe. Jeff was sure to let us hear she was “a key player in helping Raro get a lead.” She plays a quiet, calculating game that could enable her to have her say in which way the tribe goes. It seems the options are either one of the lazy guys or Parvati and her coquettish duplicity. She did choose to boot laziness once. Cristina was left in the back ground this week after her starring role last time. She is now separated from Ozzy but their TC showed JP was the one that expressed his emotions against Billy. Cristina couldn’t like hearing that anymore than the plan to throw the challenge. There still has to be a conflict with JP and with Rebecca’s negative view of lazy players, we could have the basis of a strong women’s alliance. These two women seem to have more character than any of the 4 buff guys. They both have the means, working together could give them a good opportunity. Both have been seen to have more interest in having a united tribe than beating them all. Parvati is very ostentatious with her strategy. Can her scantly clad moves still hide a ferocious desire to defeat her suitors? That game plan has often failed but usually we hear it is used only to save the belle from elimination. VS points that the theme this season is too serious to have a winner’s strategy reduced to flirting but there could be more behind that smile. She was chosen to show reading the tree mail for tribal switch. It was also interesting how the whole tribe was depicted preparing for what they thought was a challenge. Parvati’s agility was clearly demonstrated while Jonathan and Flicka were seen stretching. Candace wasn’t even paying attention at the reading and after we only saw her sipping water. Adam couldn’t even be bothered showing up for the camera. When Parvati hands the idol back to Jeff, I can’t hear what she says: “Make sure...” The intent seemed to be that she was protective of the idol. She was first shown when Jeff mentioned “time to integrate.” To counterpoint Stephannie’s serious words she first tells everyone Adam snores and then confides: “We’re back to America…the melting pot…I’m loving it.” Will she get them all in her “web, chop some head and suck their blood”? Nathan is having a nice time on the island in fact “getting out of the ghetto…is the best day ever!” Jeff pointed out how “Nate is liking this” when he was picked by JP. He had a nice scene while catching the octopus. If his UTR game can get him to the merge, his physical abilities will put a target on him and could prevent him to advance once the game becomes individual. His motivation is to get along with the tribe. He hasn’t shown any determination to have his name on the check. His weak game plan will not give him the opportunity to win. JP also played as a follower. His outbursts at the last TC wasn’t tempered by the editors who chose him to tell us how ridiculous Billy was. Ozzy’s role in Billy’s boot was softened for a reason. JP’s role has been enhanced. It cannot be a good sign. Candace showed some game play that hadn’t been in evidence prior to this episode, too busy she was playing with Adam. Forming an alliance with the two stronger leaders of her tribe is a smart move and it could serve a UTR player well. Having been chosen to go to EI will force her to explain herself once more. She wasn’t shown on the island but it could be saved for next week. I’d rather hear her say something about hating not helping her alliance with a vote than say she was happy to be saved. Hearing nothing would be desastrous. We have yet to hear how determined she is to make it to the end and her opportunity to win will depend on her re-integration with her group. That leaves us with The Ignorant Bystanders. Has our winner snuck out of the crime scene to mingle within this bunch of clueless players? Flicka has been a source of inspiration! Her conflicts with Jonathan have inspired two of the first three titles and her ignorance of the game showed me that this episode’s story was about motivation. It gave us indications as to who is determined to go far and who likes the camplife. Flicka is the winner of the second category since she says, “I’m so excited to have fun people to hang out with.” Stephannie had a better episode but still hasn’t revealed any game plan. Despite being picked last we heard Rebecca greet her with a “Welcome Home.” She had many nice visuals and was first to ask “How did you feel when you learned how the tribes were segregated?” A nice scene unfolded as the tribe sat in a circle, exchanging views. The others talked but the camera kept going back to her until we see her in a confessional: “You don’t see color, you see the heart of the individual.” Powerful words. Brad has been much too hidden up to now. He was given a nice fishing scene. His first real confessional seemed to reinforce that he isn’t a player. It took him 7 days to arrive at the conclusion that Cao Boi could be a problem, “sort of”! He did however have interesting words after tribal integration about the game. We’ll need to hear more from him. Jenny hasn’t been given a story. She was the first one picked by Parvati and outlasted 6 women in the challenge yet we haven’t been shown anything of substance since her opening confessional. She has no impact on the story. Sundra had one moment to express herself on the show and it was to say that she didn’t know if she was valuable or vulnerable being the lone Hiki on NuAitu. She was second out of the challenge right after Cecilia. It cannot be good. Cao Boi cannot be more abrasive even expressing strong views on American politics. I was expecting to hear some politician say “I approve this message.” The close-up of his lips seemed to indicate: “The views expressed are Cao Boi’s alone and do not reflect the views of this station.” But they chose to show it anyway! The tribe’s weary looks seemed to say: “Keep it for the vote, the november vote that is!” He wants to show he is clueless and his discussion later on with Flicka, even if it was pivotal, didn’t show any determination to make his mark. It was more like appeasing Yul. Adam has spent three episodes being labeled as a tool. It isn’t good. Adam even sat out a challenge and the “Baby Monkey” has been tagged as lazy. I hear the end approaching. Cece, the hostess, was the first women out of the challenge and could’ve been considered the weakest because of that. She also had a weird reaction when Jonathan greeted her with a “come here sisters.” She was looking back, appearing to wish being on the tribe standing behind her. Clearly, if we are going to make a case against anyone of these 17 remaining suspects, Jonathan and Yul, have shown to possess Means, Motive and Opportunity. Are their motive sufficient? They don’t seem to have the killer instinct needed to pull it off. Becky, Rebecca and Cristina have the Means and the Opportunity. Will they have the motive to seize their chance? Ozzy and Parvati have the Means and the Motive. Ozzy has a huge target on his back but his abilities should help him dodge the bullets for now. Can he flip the situation? Parvati’s position is very fragile. A women’s alliance is her best hope but it has to be balanced with keeping the tribe strong. If she makes the merge, then she has an opportunity and would be the player to watch! It was interesting that during the pick’em, the men mostly knew each other’s names. The women didn’t use the name of one of their picks. VH already pointed out that the men are making the decisions, they also seem to be more into the game. But isn’t this season about Mutiny? We have four strong-willed women. One can certainly emerge.   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 09-30-06, 10:32 PM (EST) 76. " Episode 3 Thoughts--Flicka I am your Father" LAST EDITED ON 10-01-06 AT 10:09 PM (EST) I loved this episode. Lots of good stuff Narrators pre merge anyway: Jonathan and Nate they are safe until around merge time. Of all the Sarge type players, I like Jonathan the best. I would have strangled Flicka if she played the way she did...and definitely would have Dollyed her!! I agree with VS, EPMB will not let Nate slip by without hiliting how nice of a (black) guy he is. He can't win bc of his physical threat, but I hope he makes the jury at least. Jonathan I do do believe he will be blindsided. I think he is trying to set himself up to be a F2 partner one that you would like to be sitting next to bc he is not as "likable" and also white. But I don't think he makes it that far. But I do enjoy his great narration and we are playing this game thru his eyes so I don't think he has a chance to win. I think too that Yul and Becky are tied together by trust and Yul is going to use the HI to save Becky when he has to. He is playing Ethan's game (Jenna M who dates him said on Survivor Live that Ethan likes how Yul is playing but she didn't think he had a chance to win bc he's too nice...can Yul pull off an Ethan win in S13 not S3?) Becky is being set up as a villain. All of the shots of her at TC were almost evil She will not outlast her big brother. I too think Stephannie had a great ep. She had a lot of face time and she they focused on her after the tribe switch not as the "last picked" but in a positive manner. This only helps her I think. I think she may be the UTR CIndy like player of this year. One, 2 or all 3 of the Hiki women could be IMHO. Rebecca and Sundra don't have much now but I think that's bc their story comes back after merge when they reunite. Others that got bumps...Brad and JP I think Brad and JP will align and get to around merge time. They are both too physically strong and threatening to go much further. Adam and Candice are gone soon imo. They were absent from the ep. In Survivor Insider now Innertube, Candice had a 5 min conf. on EI about what it meant for her to be there..so they had the material. I think her absence from the tribe at the critical first vote will be the end of her game. Jonathan's comment about why they picked her was the nail in her coffin. It was unnecessary to the audience, so it was placed there for a reason...to hilite it for the next time they go to TC. Jenny I think just has no story and will be gone soon. Cristina I don't know, I could put her in with Jenny but I think her and Ozzy have some unfinished business. Parvati...I just don't know. She either is gone in the next few eps or makes the F4... I just can't get a handle on her...I am leaning towards the former though. Cao Boi and Flicka are our characters this season. I think it's a functional Shane/Courtney alliance They def. will be linked from here on in. I agree with Michel, CB has more game than one would expect..Flicka has abs. no game but I agree with VS she will outlast her and our expectations. KT brought to my attn the slight nod that they had right before they left for TC confirming their agreement. So for all that Jon did it was CB that convinced Flicka. Yul was instrumental in bringing CB around. I think CB probably made the right decision for himself but now he has Ozzy as an enemy I think. I don't think Ozzy will do it overtly, but he'll remember it. For the limited time that Ozzy was in Ep 3 as opposed to ep. 2, this was a GREAT ep. for him. I am back to liking him. He has angst at what he has to do. He was extremely miffed that he was Yul's ONLY choice....I think he expected to be first and didn't even get to have a say in who he chose for his tribe. He will remember this about Jon Yul and even Brad. He was shown as positive despite his Ep 2 throwing of the challenge. I hated him after the last ep. But he is being given dimensions...he will be a villain but not like JFP...one that has something to prove and assert himself. I got a def F2 foil feel from him. After watching the ep., I got a distinct Annakin Skywalker from EP III Revenge of the Sith vibe from Ozzy. Annakin struggled with going to the dark side...wanted approval wanted power etc. I think Ozzy's story will be the best of the season and I expect to love it!! And he even has his bun haired daughter on his team!! FLICKA, I am your Father Help me,Obi Wan CaoBoni]   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 10-01-06, 08:52 PM (EST) 78. "RE: Episode 3 Thoughts" michel, disagree away! The way I see it, there is a definite upside -- we get to cover even more angles of the editing. Thanks for clarifying who prompted the Cecelia boot as well even if, upon reviewing the tape, I couldn’t find the relevant scene; her name was mentioned in passing on at least a couple of occasions after the fact, though not specifically when she was first singled out. (don’t worry, just chalk it down to my addled brain ) Regardless, you raised some excellent points which has led to this, my latest round of ramblings. With regards to Ozzy, though there’s no denying he possesses a mean streak, I don’t think he’s getting a ‘typical’ villain’s edit. If anything, a concerted effort is being made to downplay it and, actually, try and spin it as a positive. (as was discussed last week with Aitu throwing the challenge, he got off lightly in the editing) My take on the scene with Becky and the machete (and previously with Billy) was that the editors were probably looking to have a bit of fun by being deliberately over-dramatic -- underscoring the incident with appropriately threatening music so to make Ozzy come across as a bit of a psychopath and drive home the message he is to be feared. I prefer to liken Ozzy to an assassin, somebody you shouldn’t even think about crossing or else the consequences will be dire. He will be your friend until you become his enemy. What’s more certain about Ozzy: he doesn’t like mess. He will deal with problems speedily and, like a professional hitman, eliminate his targets with clean precision. When he was working the three women on the walk along the shore, I wasn’t convinced that he believed that “Becky was seriously plotting.” It felt random, something said for effect to seal the deal with Flicka, Sundra and Cecelia. It’s unfortunate for him that Flicka spilt the beans with barely a hint of strong-arming from Jonathan but, to be fair, he wasn’t to know about her dithering nature. What we can safely assume is that Ozzy won’t be making that mistake again. One last thing about Ozzy, for now, is that his character is somewhat analogous to Jonathan. They both like to be in charge, (Jonathan less so, maybe) undoubtedly have issues with tribe mates and are not are slow to express them. The key difference is that whilst Jonathan is able to prevent those frustrations from manifesting in the open (though he was getting there with Flicka), Ozzy can’t help but act out on them. It will be interesting to see, on the assumption they are endgame players equally, what lies in store for us in terms of this parallel editing. Speaking of Flicka, whatever she’s got it isn’t ‘game.’ She’s here to have a good time but all the strategy is making her head spin, poor girl! VS may well be right that she’ll be dragged along anyway but I would be genuinely shocked if she reaches anywhere near the finish line. At least she has Cowboy for company in the meantime, her kooky partner in crime. About Becky, I’ll buy that she is a ‘doer’ and demonstrated enough savvy to align with Yul from the beginning. What I can’t shake is the feeling that all the strategising, encouraging as it is for her chances, is at Yul’s behest. She knows she’s in a good situation with him and has gone about her business with the sole purpose of ensuring his offer of protection is maintained. It’s not unlike in her own profession of law when the interns and paralegals stumble over one another as they go out of their way for the lead attorney or star litigator of the firm in the hope of catching the eye and be mentored. Except, of course, Becky’s advancement (in the game) is already assured by Yul (having taken her under his wing) AND the HII. Yul says he trusts her and so far she seems eager enough to repay that faith. For how much longer, though, and aren’t all lawyers not supposed to be trusted? Two-person alliances tend not to be successful on their own at the beginning of the individual stage of the game because they draw unwanted attention and usually are primed to be broken up by others as early as possible, especially if it is readily evident, as it has been made out to be here. There was also a sense of foreshadowing when Yul expressed his concerns about the numbers game after Candice, a member of their five-man alliance, was sent to EI. Nathan is easy to like, a happy-go-lucky sort who we wouldn’t mind lasting a while longer in the game. The ‘feel good’ nature of his edit in the latest episode probably helps to serve that purpose. I would also like to reference my comments about him pre-game as I feel it may be relevant: So, in a nutshell, then, Nathan is a nice guy. Personable characters don’t usually get voted off early – I think I remarked on that last season – possibly because they engender goodwill that tribes welcome, maybe even need at the outset. That said, it tends to bring diminishing returns as the game progresses, the fear that carrying such a person to the final two would make him/her difficult to beat. My first thought was Nathan could be the Nick of last season. emydi, lol at the Star Wars comparison. If you’ll indulge me, I can’t resist quoting the immortal words of Yoda as advice that Ozzy could take heed of -- “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” Anakin Skywalker couldn’t tame the beasts within him and it did, indeed, bring suffering. Is Ozzy going to leave a trail of carnage behind him in the game that ends up ruining his chances of a win? VS, am glad you posted your thoughts. I see we both lean towards discounting the chances of Parvati and Candice. (in my case, more so) I honestly don’t read much into the admittedly protracted banter of Cecelia getting the lowdown on the Billy-Candice affair. To my mind it was just too whimsical and amusing -- albeit at Billy’s expense -- not to include. After all, in stories of unrequited love, we like to see it from both sides, don't we? For Parvati, if her flirting really is a strategy and, if we can credit it, it’s actually a clever ruse for a stealthier plan, I would be disappointed that, her charm offensive and pretty visuals notwithstanding, we’re not getting suitably recompensed with her current edit as someone with that potential. It could change, of course, but, at the risk of getting hung up about this, the composition of our leading players appears to have been set and, consequently, her being featured is simply a retrospective nod to her eventual longevity and landing a respectable spot outside the major finishing places. VH   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-01-06, 12:09 PM (EST) 77. "Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bird chick" Not a lot going on this week on animals. The rats and centipede were no where to be found and neither was Ozzy. Those are definitely his animals. The chicken on Raro was seen only once and it was before Parvati read the first tree mail...the chicken was shown all through Billy's boot ep. and I think is to hilite "bad" behavior. Her flirting in this ep. I thought was shown in a negative light and I think the editors wanted to hilite how inept she was...I'll be curious to see if the Chicken follows Parvati and if it does in any one ep whether it is her boot ep. VS even mentioned the WHALE and that was amazing sequence into the challenge. I believe they showed the whale in ep 1 before they went to challenge. So I think the whale just signifies an important part of the show ie IC and not any one Survivor Hermit crabs showed up only once and it wasn't around Yul it was right before we saw the NuRaro men working by carrying rocks back...It was odd to me that Adam was shown working w/o a complaint now... Nate's octopus I think was seen as food and not anything else. If anyone has an idea on that, please share. If we see another octopus then I'll have to rethink this. The brown bird was seen only once alone I think it is in contrast to Yul's white bird which was seen a few times. WHen he and Cao Boi were talking and he was convincing CB and thus also Flicka there were white birds flying all around... The most important animal imagery I think though was in the previews for Ep 4. The White Bird chick that Cao Boi pushes out of the nest to get eggs Ozzy looks on and later is not happy about CB and Jon tries to help it after it falls Not a good sign for Becky (Yul's protectee) or CB (who went after the chick last week) imo.   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 10-02-06, 08:48 AM (EST) 79. "RE: Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bird chick" My apologies for my post being on top of VH and michel, I had wanted to post my reply after both of your wonderful analysis and went up to reply and as you can see, went to far up emydi, the white birds are something that even I have noticed lol. I noticed them with Yul but I believe they were also at Aitu's camp when the two women had their discussions as well. What it means I have no idea but I found it interesting that the white bird has been associated with more than one individual. VH, it is funny you equated Nathan to Nick as I am close to you on that one. I equated him a little more to Nick's counterpart last season since Nathan is a great narrator as was Austin which makes me question Nathan's outcome. I tend to erase past seasons and compare because we know the editing changes but Nathan has a wonderful nature and speaks about the situation as a whole but we aren't really hearing "game" speak from him. Again, I do think Mark Burnett is giving Nathan all he can because he is negating what has been sorely missed in African American male "characters" in seasons past but I find a missing component for Nathan. I suspect Nathan may be a casualty come right around both groups merging. As far as Pavarti and Candice, there is too much left ahead for any conclusive analysis on end game. I personally do not feel they will sit at the end but Candice was also someone I felt would be gone immediately and my view of last episode felt that I was being forced to remember Candice which may very be because she will be there longer than my original thoughts but there is just nothing substantive about her per se to edit her other than what we saw. With Pavarti, I can't discount anyone who is shown during a confessional by someone else discussing a million dollars as that is a manipulated scene; anyone could have been shown but Pavarti was shown. No one even had to be shown; the camera could have stayed on Jonathan but it was not so that makes me suspicious. Also, the Pavarti flirting portion was a little longer than to my liking. We heard her discuss it and we saw the scene with Adam, scenes with Nathan and the little shimmy she showed with Rebecca's glance. That's a bit of "overkill" in my editing book Mind you, I still do not believe the edit this season regarding the subject matters at hand would edit the winner as a strategic flirt but there is enough there for me to again, be suspicious that she progresses more than what would appear. Emy, I agree that Pavarti's flirting would certainly meet with derision from some viewers but I don't know that the editing's intent was to make it negative. I would think that IF we saw a confessional from someone, anyone citing Pavarti as ridiculous or if she was being completely shunned. The only indication was that look from Rebecca when Pavarti did that little shimmy but for the heavy hand that the editing did on Pavarti's flirting, I was also looking for reaction to it that reflected it wasn't being taken well and I did not see that. Becky's edit was interesting in the fact that we heard about her (which I think is good for her) but we didn't hear FROM her which has me questioning her at end game. Again, we saw her discussing the situation and we heard commentary (she is already plotting and she's a princess) that is supposed to tell the audience something about Becky that we can't see for ourselves) BUT we heard none of her insight which is somewhat disconcerting. VH, I agree with you about Ozzy. I recall mentioning in the Vanuatu season that it appeared there was some "forced" editing with respect to "villains" and had posted that in a season when there really are no "villains" (by villains I mean contestants who are really negative characters or dirty players or verbally attackful people and so forth) the editors need to create them as every story needs a villain. I sense that with Ozzy to a degree. I also sense that with Jonathan. Both seem to be shown having a "sinister" (for lack of any other word) side to their persona and I'm not convinced this is entirely true but rather enhanced so we have that type of person in this season. Even I notice the change in music and camera workings to indicate this when I'm not sure how "villainous" they really are so I sense that both are important to the story somehow. I am going to stop my meanderings now as they will easily continue with everything that occurred There seems to be several angles that are being worked on. We saw a hint of "gender" being an issue commencing when Stephannie opted to vote with the women and now the preview reflecting gender lines potentially being drawn at Raro. The racial aspect will continue to be prevalent but the question is whether what "wins out" individual play or staying together and contestants who are there to reflect a lesson for themselves and/or the audience. Some contestants I see none of this (Adam, Cristina, Jenny especially; there are others who haven't met my longevity criteria also but I'm rambling on again) I am certainly still keeping my proverbial eye upon "the impressions that they make" as I sense with this particular experimental breakdown the edited outcome should allow the naysayers to deem this "controversial" season was successful.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-02-06, 10:47 AM (EST) 80. "RE: Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bird chick" > I don't know that the editing's >intent was to make it >negative. I would think >that IF we saw a >confessional from someone, anyone citing >Pavarti as ridiculous or if >she was being completely shunned. Thank you VS, I couldn’t clarify why I think Parvati may have more success than say Misty last season with her flirting strategy. Mainly I only saw a difference in circumstances. Misty did it to save herself and infiltrate the boys’ club. Parvati is going on the attack, planning her suitor’s demise. You are right, we had heard negative comments about Misty, by one of the men saying she was “trying to play her cards” but mainly by Sally who said, “Misty is flirting and I try to be the gal pal. Hope one of us can succeed.” Of course, Sally had more success. The absence of negativity and even having Nate comment, “Parvati, you’re on top of it” solidifies somewhat a position that could be fragile. I maintain that if she makes the merge, she’s the player to watch along with Becky of course. Ozzy missed with his machete chop once. He could miss again. Villains, especially manufactured ones, don't win! Emy, I like your animal imagery although I’m not sure I could interpret it. Seeing Cao Boi go after Yul’s protégée but having everyone try and save the little chick may actually be a good sign for Becky! BTW, if you agree that Cao Boi has a layer of game play, then you agree with VH. I still see him as the “blessed” one who won’t manipulate, just enjoy being on the beach.   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-02-06, 11:16 AM (EST) 81. "RE: Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bird chick" I think Becky is okay now because Jon and even Ozzy show concern for the little chick and then she has Yul too. However, CB was the one that suggested Becky as the princess boot and then we see CB pushing her out the chick out of her comfort zone and almost ensuring her death. Short term, she will be protected, long term, I don't see Becky making it to end game. I'm just not sure when she will go, but I think CB will be a part of it. I think CB is going to be around longer than anybody expected. I think of him as this year's Shane....   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 10-03-06, 09:01 AM (EST) 83. "RE: Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bird chick" This is true michel and this would be why I am a little more positive on Pavarti's method of strategy. Misty's strategy was generic but her time of exile in the first episode was what certainly had me conjecturing she would be leaving soon rather than later. The first person exiled EVER and she was treated very casually there. Pavarti received a very good presence on the first episode and her strategy discussions were more developed (again despite the fact that I have a hard time seeing a contestant highlighted in this regard win the game in light of how this season is premised) and with this, it would be of no surprise to me if we see her "claim a victim." That naturally has me a bit concerned for Nathan (although I don't really envision him at end game anyway) since I do believe that the editors found a dream in Nathan in negating many stereotypes that have been attributed in the past towards African American males. With that said, if Pavarti's little story has merit then by all rights we should see a victim I'm not of the mindset to totally discount that Nathan may see the end sooner rather than later especially with the lovely highlighting they did of him. ag - Thank you for confirming the white bird(s) I did recall seeing them during the conversation at Aitu with Cristina and Cecelia. It will be very interesting to see when and where these white birds show themselves as they did certainly stand out to me as did the scampering mice; and we all know the animal imagery certainly may symbolize someone (screaming monkeys anyone?) so I fully expect emy to keep an eye on them. I usually equate white birds with innocence but in the world of Survivor they could have their very own special meaning   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 10-02-06, 02:36 PM (EST) 82. "RE: Ep 3 Animals and Ep 4 White bird chick" emydi, I'd like to put forward this possibility - based on the opening credits, I dont see the white bird as representing Yul, but rather Ozzy. In the opening credits the bird is shown soaring (and for quite and extended shot) right after Ozzy's sequence. After the bird there is an island shot, and then Ceceilia's sequence. Therefore, in the opening credits this bird - which has had significant focus in several episodes - is directly and only linked to Ozzy. In the scene with Yul and Cowboy the bird is shown "eavesdropping". I think that this actually represented Ozzy and that while he wasnt there, to remind us that he is hovering around the edges and will use what he's learned to make in-roads where necessary. It certainly was a stealth-like shot and that certainly fits with Ozzy's character.   Top

KObrien_fan 8360 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-03-06, 10:27 AM (EST) 84. "Episode 3 music and end game predictions" I want to talk about the 4 tribes and their music and editing prior to the merge and how I think it affects their longevity in this game. Puka and Aitu They had mostly serious music surrounding them and their confessionals. For Aitu I think there was much foreshadowing of their doom. Episode 1 Billy saying "I'd like to win this challenge but if we lose it won't be that big a deal this early in the game." Ozzy saying "We'll be the strongest tribe as long as we stay happy with each other." Jeff Probst in the challenge "Billy is holding Aitu back." In episode 2 we saw that they did not stay happy with each other and it caused Ozzy to decide on throwing the challenge to get rid of dead weight saying "It will help us in the short run and in the long run" Apparantly not since after the merge Aitu was split down the middle and Cece was the boot. I have a strong feeling that JP and Cristina are in serious trouble in the next few episodes as the hispnaic tribe with the exception of Ozzy will become extinct. Ozzy's edit is for the long term and he will make the jury. I really think that the amount of snake rattles Ozzy received in his music editing in episode 2 will have him set up as a villian and he will not have a chance to win this season, even though his edit softened in episode 3. Puka is a mixed bunch within the asian community as pointed out by Jenny in episode 1. Yul and Becky were shown to bond because of their like ethnicity and that continued stronger than ever in episode 3. Cao Boi said in episode 1 that "asians are always being underestimated, they fly under the radar so easy." I think that won't be the case as eventually each one of them will be noticed and picked off. In every season so far the eventual winner of that season has always been seen questioned at the first time they attend a tribal council. Becky and Cao Boi did not get shown to be asked a question, even though Becky was a boot target and Cao Boi was a big part of the voting story. This does not bode well for either of them as I have ruled them out as having any possibility to win this season. Hiki and Raro These two tribes were always surrounded with the happy percussive and playful type music, this bodes well and to me it says that the eventual winner of this season will come from either one of these tribes. I also have seen plenty of editing evidence that points to a woman winning rather than a man. How interesting will it be in a season segregated by race that it comes down to a gender war instead? Episode 1 was a gender battle at Hiki. Sekou had told Nate "If they boot one of us, they are stupid." After Sekou's boot Nate made the episode 2 statement "These women have turned into strong sisters, they have stepped up." (Or something to that effect) Other episode 1 tidbits: Sundra “I could care less (about ethnic division)… when it comes to surviving, it’s a human effort” Parvati “…different ethnic groups. Is that kosher? I don’t know but it’s a cool social experiment I think” Adam “The tribes were divided by ethnicity but it doesn’t matter to me if its all white or any other type of race; the issue is what kind of people you have, their personalities and if you get along with them” Jonathan “It is truly going to be a social experiment; fascinating to see how it plays out. I don’t believe that just because these groups have cultural similarities that that will make them more cohesive. This is Survivor and someone is gonna win a million dollars and they are gonna have to cut the throat of the guy next to him at some point” Now we also know that Parvati's plan is to flirt and manipulate the men. She will "bite off their head and suck their blood." As noted by VS et al, this is a very different edit than the one Misty got as Nate even makes the comment "You are on top of it girl!" Parvati's edit is also very different from Jerri's edit in S2. Jerri was edited as a black widow spider, a villianess edit. So far if anything Parvati is not getting a villianess edit despite the fact that she wants to manipulate the men, and her music edit is also very positive. Episode 4 previews indicate some more gender riffs, if only as misdirection. In any case, Parvati is very visible in each episode even if she doesn't have a whole lot to say. I get a strong feeling that a Hiki or Raro woman will win this season. Parvati is still my number one pick, followed by Sundra, and Rebecca. Sundra had a question asked of her at TC this week that was odd given that she wasn't much of the story at camp. Her reply “You can say vulnerable or valuable and I don’t give credit to either… use my gut… no way to guarantee the results of playing this game” Candice' edit has had more chance to get fleshed out and yet hasn't, like the omission of her at exile island last week. I don't think she has a shot. Stephannie is an enigma to me, at times I think she could have a shot, and at others I think she will be doomed. Jessica is also an enigma and I haven't decided what her fate will be yet. James Barber from another site made the following observations which I also agree with: The editing for this season is bizarre. According to Becky, Cecilia was seen as the leader of the Aitutaki alliance, if not it's strongest member. However, almost anything interesting about her that could have been shown wasn't shown. I'm not sure if this is yet more of Burnett's obsession with alpha males/"daddy" figures (this season Jonathan and Yul), but in every episode so far, women have been edited into the most subservient of roles - left behind in E1 while Sekou/Nathan chose who should go to Exile; in E2 the men decided to throw a challenge, with Cecilia's role kept to a minimum and Cristina shown as having futile objections, while on Raro the women were there to observe the measuring contest between Jonathan/Adam. Stephannie was shown only because she was crucial to the outcome of E1. Most of Candice's role has been based on what a man thinks of her (Adam, Billy). The biggest "star" of the women so far has been Parvati, who talks only about flirting with men; after her comes Flica, who has been a perpetual screw-up. Rebecca has been spotlighted several times for starting a fire and doing well in challenges, but she never gets any airtime of her own. The big decisions all come from men. I don't know if any season has ever had such a consistent, deliberate minimizing of women in the first three episodes. This might be setting viewers up for something - the women working together to get rid of JP, or the women banding together at the merge, the final players of the game being women. I have no idea. But it's so heavy-handed, the way the women have been edited, the only positive explanation I can think of is we're supposed to be shocked when they take over later in the game. So in the final analysis when we look back at S13 the season that separated the tribes by race, the social lines are still drawn between the genders.   Top

phatl 2 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "American Cancer Society Spokesperson" 10-03-06, 12:44 PM (EST) 85. "RE: Episode 3 music and end game predictions" Excellent analysis. Very interesting points about gender. It seems like they might be setting up Parvati as the flirt who works behind the scenes with the "tougher" women and rolls to a win. I duno but this has gotten me thinking in a whole new way. Thanks again.   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 10-05-06, 02:03 PM (EST) 86. "Episode 3 Analysis - sorry so late" LAST EDITED ON 10-05-06 AT 02:18 PM (EST) Great Comments everyone! Sorry I havent put my two cents in this week - life and work have gotten so ridiculously busy that even watching the shows and reading people's comments has been tough this week. Hopefully I'll have more time in the near future - because I know you all hang on MY every word and are lost without my comments. Just kidding. ;oP I'm WAY late - but I do want to say this. I seem to be the only one that sees Becky as the one with the upper hand in the Yul/Becky alliance. She is emerging as a force to be reckoned with. She was shown to be the one that engineered the beginning of the new Aitu alliance which came out dominant. SHE told Yul what they were going to do, she didnt act for him, she told him "This is what we're going to do" if you watch her conversation with him on the beach. I think it was actually to her benefit that she wasnt shown scrambling for her life - she wasnt shown as desperate, it was almost like she was unconcerned. And I think had she run around to Cao Boi and Flicka things may have turned out different because its hard to trust the person who's trying to make deals because their head is on the chopping block. It also shows that she has two men that worked their butts off to save her - and I'm willing to bet will do it again. Not a bad place to be. Also I think the comment Jonathan made about knowing that she was the person to go to is very important in her favor. Not Yul, but Becky was the person to go to in his mind. And the unnecessary comment by Ozzy that she's playing really hard - I think that kind of respect from Ozzy is serious kudos for her. I think we're going to see that Yul in the end will pay the price trusting a true analytical player of the game. They both go far I think, and we'll see this play out at the end of the game IMO. As for Parvati, I need more substance from her. I think that they may be setting her up to strategically flirt and have it work, but I am one of the women sitting on the couch going "Oh dear god, tell me he's not going to fall for that! GAG!" But, I felt the same way about Jenna and Heidi and look how far it got them...Survivor also got out of that pretty much their most hated winner ever too though. Would they edit things that way again? I'm not so sure... I truly have no idea how things will fall out at Raro, we got hardly any viewing of them this episode. I think this bodes very badly for them in general. I can only see a few that might make it to the jury let alone end game based on editing. I disagree with most people - I think Stephanie shows potential. She's been given face time, and while she hasnt had any great "game" comments, she has gotten an almost wise mother edit. I dont think she's end game, but I think she'll make the merge. Young people need older people - we saw that with Palau, I think they'll keep her. Nate I think will make the merge, and I think Rebecca and Parvatti have been positively highlighted. The rest of them are toast. I just dont see any real development. Adam was toast coming into this episode already with his edit in the previous episodes. Brad got a few kudos and could linger, but Jenny hasnt had any develpment and JP is being made out to be a real jerk - but he's not our villian, Ozzy is. Which means JP is not long for this world. Cristina needs development, we'll see if she gets any face time this coming episode. I dont see her making the jury, but I dont think she'll be first pickings on Raro either though. Flicka is doomed once Candice comes back I think. I have voted for Candice to go home every week, and now I think she's got some legs - she may be the Cindy of this season. Watch, now that I see hope for her she'll go home. I think Ozzy is going to worm his way in to the other alliance. Its an alliance of "players", so I think he may have a shot in that they may take him in because he's one too. For the first time in Survivior history I think we could have an alliance of people that are all players and will understand that "we work together, pick off the weak, and hey - no holds barred at the end because we all get that its each man for himself." (Except that Yul thinks he can trust Becky and this will be his downfall) We'll see, I'd love to see that sort of an alliance. Becky and Ozzy are our true mastermind players this season, and Parvatti is no slouch either. Sundra - As she said, she could be very vulnerable or very valuable. Thats up to her. She sided with the wrong people this time, we'll see how she plays her cards now. I reserve judgement on her. There are other fish to fry first at Aitu, but she needs to scramble some now to place her self long term. Somehow I think we're going to see Yul, Becky, Jonathan, Ozzy and Sundra go the farthest on this tribe. Like I said, I think Candice has some legs now, but she has too many friends over on Raro (they "saved" her), that may make her dangerous to take to the merge, and Sundra might be a better choice. We'll see. Overall, I think we're going to see a truly strategic player win this season. So thats my two cents for this week. WAY late, but better late than never?   Top

forehead 932 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Fitness Correspondent" 10-05-06, 02:32 PM (EST) 87. "RE: Episode 3 Analysis - sorry so late" "I seem to be the only one that sees Becky as the one with the upper hand in the Yul/Becky alliance." ag, you're not alone here - I see Yul going far, but Becky even farther... The Insider clearly shows her as a strategic player. In the show, she was shown starting to assemble what ended up being the majority at TC. The Yul-trusts-Becky plot is getting so thick, I expect Becky to use Yul at some point. forehead   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 10-05-06, 02:55 PM (EST) 88. "RE: Episode 3 Analysis - sorry so late" I agree forehead. I think that Yul is a classic F3 player personally. At this point it seems like he'll HAVE to use the idol to save her at some point the way they're playing it. But then does she take him to the F2? Nope, cus she couldn't win against him... I'm really liking this season so far - no matter what we have some serious players, and they're fairly likeable as well. I cant wait to see how this all plays out.   Top

Brownroach 15341 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-05-06, 03:03 PM (EST) 89. "RE: Episode 3 Analysis - sorry so late" At this point it seems like he'll HAVE to use the idol to save her at some point the way they're playing it. It's possible that issue already came and went last week, when Yul was almost put on the spot to do it. I wonder if we'll see him having second thoughts about the whole thing when they get back to camp. Blowin' the blues away, courtesy of tribephyl   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 10-05-06, 04:56 PM (EST) 90. "RE: Episode 3 Analysis - sorry so late" Hmm... thats an interesting thought, that hadn't occurred to me. We'll have to see how that handle the issue from here on out.   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-08-06, 08:16 AM (EST) 91. "EP 4--Just what do little oobies taste like?" Another episode and the same animals keep showing up...only one new animal was shown this week at the beg of the show when they first showed Raro... the lizard coming out from inside the log...guess who was shown....Jenny...before not heard from... In the first segment (Before opening credits...interesting) the rats/mice were shown again scrambling around as Aitu returned from TC. Then Ozzy was shown by himself. During this segment Ozzy also said he did not like hermit crabs...which has been shown linked to Yul (on EI) and the Raro men (shown when Raro men carrying rocks in Ep 3). A HUGE hermit crab out of his shell was shown right before the Raro guys were shown working on the boat talking about whether the women were pissed at them...and they came to the conclusion that....um what did they say....karma??? After RC there was huge waves and 2 whales were shown and then we are taken to Aitu after their win and FLicka gives us her "we're glad we won bc we were intimidated by their brawn" conf.(a good thing for Flicka imo). The whales can only mean good things for Aitu and possibly the final 2 come from NuAitu? Then its the boobie segment...Does Cece have Crabs? What do little boobies taste like? what is this??? That scene showed how vulnerable Jonathan can be. I think it was very heartfelt. It was odd to me though that the nest that they showed with the little boobie in it was a lot bigger than the actual one that was put back in the tree by Cao Boi...I don't know whether they did that to stave off Peta boycott but I'd be surprised if that little boobie survived...The mother was a white bird...and it was pissed... so if Ag may be right..the white bird signifies Ozzy not Yul. bc Ozzy was pissed off this week about the vote and ?ed whether he would get all the food for them...which he did bc he knows that he needs to do it to survive. Cao Boi could have come off as a real heel in that segment but his confessional about being humbles softened him considerably. There was talk of Humility on Raro after RC when Nate said they should be humbled by the loss. I def. think Karma and humility are themes of this season with the winner probably being a more humble low key player. During the IC the one thing that stuck out for me (Not animal related) was that Jiffy said "Ozzy with a long run in the water" two times...I think we can bank on Ozzy being around for a Long Run.. After IC they returned to Aitu wiht the RAINBOW..that too can only mean good things for Aitu. The last animal seen was a little rat/mouse as Raro was entering TC. The first person shown after that was Parvati by herself with Adam beside her at the end of the shot. Overall the animal imagery is looking good for Aitu...definitely think many of the long term players will come from this tribe   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-08-06, 09:28 AM (EST) 92. "RE: EP 4--Just what do little oobies taste like?" Just wanted to make a few comments and thank everyone for their 2 cents worth. AG, I agree that Jenny is playing Yul. All this talk from Yul in the first 3 eps regarding how wonderful it is to have someone you can trust and someone that has your back in this game....overkill. He will either come to the end at the hands of Jenny, or he will have a rude awakening and put it to her...hope he ADAPTS, and outlasts her, but I don't know. Ozzy, definately continues to be a very sharp cookie in this game, imo. He identified Becky as a serious "player" right off the bat, and with this last ep, he is totally aware of his fragile standing in the tribe. He is well aware that he must prove his worth(by providing for the tribe and being an indespensible asset, as well as being invaluable in the challenges. IMO, Ozzy single handedly won the two challenges in ep 4...) and must fly under the radar and not upset anyone socially. I think that Yul is edited as a rationale man, whereas Becky will be the cutthroat. Ozzy is well aware of this. Cowboy is a loose cannon, acts impulsively and does the wrong thing, yet is humbled by it, but yet, he can not control his impulsive nature. He is just too forward, lets his mouth fly too much and this will be his demise. We all know that Survivor is a social game, and thus he is doomed. Jonathan did show his softer side, is he getting a little too emotional? Flicka is shown to be a valuable asset in the challenges. I think she definately relates far more to Cowboy and Ozzy, which she should play down, she could polarize the group and set herself up as a casualty in an "us vs. them" scenario, as she is in the minority of the group. Yul and Becky were under the radar this week, there will be alot more of them later. I thought Becky and Candice did very well in the RC. Candice "choose" to play dumb with the questioning regarding why she was saved. Flicka again polarized herself, as did Sundra somewhat, as they seemed to "interrogate" Candice. The editing made a bigger deal regarding Raro's choosing her for the exile and thus saving her, than I thought they needed too, thus I think this will come into play somewhere down the road. Will Candice be reunited with her former tribe mates, and when she does will she stick it to the nuAitu's or recommit to the old raros? Will this lead to her demise? Sundra, other than questioning Candice in the beginning, I felt that she was under the radar...I feel like she is not going anywhere soon. From the nuAitu's I think the peeps most in danger are Cowboy and Flicka....they need to mix with the group more, yet I sense that they are on the fringe. So, it is revealed that Rebecca is the originator of the female alliance, as she was at old Hiki. She's a player, athletically/challenge wise, and now strategically. At least she has a strategy that shows she is thinking down the road. Stephanie seems to be the weak one/her little shadow, but somewhat of a narrator. She was saved by Rebecca, she will not outlast Rebecca. Parvati, to me, is the serious player over at nuRaro. She is the swing voter, and the one that Rebecca went to get on board with the JP vote. I liked the way Parv did not commit to it right away but had to think on it. She is not an impulsive player, she's thinking down the road. Very interesting how she went to Adam, and this I think reveals her original tie to him. She's been shown to play Nathan like a violin, he even told her, don't worry, I've got your back. Nathan I think felt like he was sitting pretty, in with the guys, in with his "Supremes", and in with Parv. He's playing but in a naiive way. When it's all done, I think he'll remain Parvati's minion. A very likable character though. Well, SURPRISE, Jenny is actually a Daw...a spike in air time for her. She feels close enough to Brad to bring him in on the plot to take out JP, but I felt that Brad really seemed torn. He seems like a secondary player, one that will be a pawn, perhaps he's just too nice. Could this be a spike in airtime, just before a boot perhaps, I just can not help but wonder. Christina, definately added fuel to the fire. She just seems so anti everything to me. I just don't like her edit, and I feel that she is too focused on breaking down rather than building up. I thought she would be the instigator of the female alliance on nuRaro, but she wasn't. I would think it would have been more positive for her, if she had been. I think she is going no where. I think that the power alliance in the nuRaro's will be Parvati, Adam, Nathan, Brad, and as the fringe, Jenny. I see Steph, Cristina, and Rebecca as outsiders. Parvati will swing against the girls next ep....   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-08-06, 01:33 PM (EST) 93. "RE: EP 4-- Teamwork" LAST EDITED ON 10-08-06 AT 01:54 PM (EST) KT, I enjoy your music analysis and noted your observation about Becky not having to answer a question at her first TC. Something to remember for sure. Emy, interesting idea about the lizard representing Jenny. She did just sneak up out of nowhere. FP, I see we share very similar views on most of these players, mainly I also don’t think Cristina’s edit is favorable. The scenery this season is amazing with the rolling whale, the strong waves and the beautiful sunsets. Teamwork: This episode was all about teamwork. So I’ll analyze the editing by tribe and how their players were highlighted: Aitutaki The recap ignored Cao Boi’s role in saving Becky. The credit was given to Jonathan and Yul only. As a first, the TC aftermath scene at Aitu was shown before the opening credits. To have it placed there has to mean they wanted us to remember what transpired. We were meant to notice the 2 players shown. Becky and Ozzy’s roles down the stretch should be important. Becky tells us she relied on her alliance to save her. Ozzy explaining he has no friends and doesn’t want to play the game anymore. Jeff twice mentioned the Aitu tribe was working well together and, despite Cao Boi’s initial comments of not worrying about dragging Becky leg first through the sand and Candice’s foot being caught, we did hear Jonathan tell them not to kill these girls! We never heard either of Becky or Candice complain about the rough treatment. Cao Boi and Jonathan were mainly portrayed as the guides. Once we reached the mat, Ozzy took over and gave his team a big lead. Everyone was then shown to work the puzzle together, Yul taking over the chalk from Jonathan. Two hugs were shown in slow-motion at the end: Yul and Ozzy, the opposing leaders and the Hippy and the Princess. Was it to show the rift is mended? Flicka’s confessional served to tell us how happy they are to have defeated the intimidating opponent. The scene with Ozzy fishing showed how good he is at survival. The tribe giving him the nicknames of mad fisherman, Poseidon or Neptune was a sign of respect and of acceptance. Not to let us forget is bad boy edit, we hear him say he has power and they can’t get rid of him. Despite that, the whole scene showed the tribe bonding as if they had heard Jeff’s warning about tribal division. Cao Boi led the egg hunt. I don’t know if the scene has symbolic meaning; I’ll defer to Emy for the animal imagery. For the 2 players portrayed, it showed Cao Boi again as the odd man out. His humble words afterwards almost sounded like final words of someone who knows he deserved the boot. Jonathan had to repair the mess much as he had to do with Flicka last time. To see him almost tear up makes me wonder if he’ll have the stomach to make the hard decisions regarding booting his friends. The second challenge highlighted four members. Flicka was chosen as the only woman to carry the stretcher. Her role may have been minor but extremely important to leave the “zen fire master” to tend the fire! Candice being chosen to be on the mast shows the tribe trusts her swimming abilities. The first star was definitely Ozzy again. The camera gave us a great view from well above ground level. It pressed the fact he had a big deficit to overcome and served to impress us with his "long run". He is the best swimmer out there by far. After giving his team the lead, he turned the baton to the fire building team who, with Cao Boi as the scond star, quickly got their fire going to Raro’s dismay. Jeff’s comment about him being “either the hero or very silly” made me smile. I think he is both! After the win, the feeling was that Aitu knows how to use everyone’s skills better. The tribe is working very well together and, for this episode, has put to rest the tension that originally surfaced. -Jonathan and Yul took back seats after three very full episodes. They were still involved in the events of the tribe. Jonathan was heard voicing congratulations for the good job on returning to camp and appreciating Ozzy’s fishing skills when they were out to sea. -Becky took one for the team and didn’t complain. Her original confessional and its placement tell us she is important to the story. -Ozzy will make the merge. As a matter of fact, he is so good for his tribe, he will have to start playing Survivor only when it becomes individual. I wonder if he knows that. More importantly, I wonder if he can find enough people to trust him. How will he react when he sees JP is gone? -Candice didn’t complain either at the first challenge and was more instrumental than Becky in the second. She tried too hard to play dumb. We didn’t even hear her ask about the TC. Her weak effort at deception was clearly shown, her solitary survival efforts on Exile Island were ignored. The editors intent was to make us forget what she can do but make us realize she can’t fool the others. I can’t imagine a worse sign. -Flicka was shown cross-examining her ex-Raro mate and commenting on being proud of beating the more physical tribe. She twice was shown as the only woman with the guys, being proud of Ozzy on the beach and looking at Jonathan and the baby chick. She has a very nice portrayal but no plan or reflection on the game. While she’s there, the editors will use her colorful character but it won’t take much to wrap-up her story, maybe only someone telling her “nice job”. That leaves Cao Boi and Sundra. In short: Too much Cao Boi, not enough Sundra for either to play when it counts. Cao Boi did have a very funny line: When Jonathan told everyone not to kill the girls he said, “That’s alright, we’ll give them the pillows.” Rarotonga Nathan’s quote about Parvati being “on top of it” was repeated in the recap. Was it as meaningless as it appeared? Aitutaki is first shown as a fractured tribe. The woman doing all the work while we hear the guys laughing loudly in the background. The boys, being boys, think they are indispensable. JP tells us they don’t care how the women feel and that the four man alliance can relax because the women will need the men’s strength in the challenges. To their credit Adam and Brad showed sympathy towards the women. In the challenges, we hear the two sacrificial lambs, Cristina and Jenny complaining and giving directions, highlighted by Jeff’s, “Raro does not agree on the strategy.” The tribe never had much of a chance. The scene between challenges was used to feature the dissension caused by JP and the strategy discussion between Parvati and Nathan. At camp, JP becomes an arrogant version of Billy. Nathan and Parvati find the perfect motto: “The king is sitting pretty.” (If Becky is the little crab, will she hurt Nathan again?) The second challenge started off better but they put all four men on the stretcher. There was nothing they could do about Ozzy’s dominance in the water but to have the outcome rest on Rebecca and Stephannie, two woman who had a lot of trouble getting a fire started in normal circumstances, wasn’t a good idea. Were they the best choice? Then the boot discussions were showed, revealing how this is a tribe of individuals. It never appeared as two alliances working in opposite direction, more like an on-the-spot realignment. Stephannie’s admission of weakness could’ve thrown plans out the window but it appeared no one was in charge until Rebecca finally decided to flip the game. -Rebecca was given the role of leading the charge against JP. It is surprising if she is the leader, to have seen so little of her. It seemed more of a last minute reaction than a planned out strategy. The crucial talk with Jenny had a nice montage: Strangely, they decided to walk out of camp even if Cristina was the only one there. Then, we saw the girls going into the jungle as JP sleeps contentedly. Actually, it didn’t happen quite like that because when we join the girls, Jenny is holding a coconut. Both her hands were free while passing by JP in the tent. Rebecca then says the numbers demand the women align immediately and she has a good confessional to explain it. Yet her role didn’t extend to the later discussion with Brad. Some of those talks had to be cut. -Stephannie continued to have nice visuals, six times appearing on screen, encouraging her team while she sat out. You don’t have to figure out editing tricks to know that her admission of weakness is going to cause her fall. The women could see their three strong men could handle the four Aitus but they cannot go down by 2. -Cristina was never shown encouraging her team. She was with the guys, telling them to let Stephannie know she was going out. Give her the red carpet treatment they agreed. She then conforts an almost despondant Stephannie until Jenny arrives. She then had a crucial role in the women’s discussion about booting JP. She was quick to propose the untrustworthy JP once Jenny talked about the women’s alliance. She said JP knows how to play the game too well. Later, she says she doesn’t trust Parvati who’ll talk to the guys. The questions will soon emerge: “Isn’t Cristina playing hardball also? Who can trust Cristina?” Cristina will not make the merge. -Jenny was presented as playing a central role in deciding JP’s boot. Having her discuss the boot with Rebecca was the start of the women's mutiny. Can it last? She was the one that took charge of getting the women aligned and letting Parvati know. We also saw her connection to Brad underlined by a nod. Her role was surprising considering her earlier showing. How far will her story grow? -Brad was shown to align with the women and was chosen to compete against Ozzy in one of the swimming competition. He’s valuable to his tribe and will make the merge. Contrary to Ozzy, that would help his game because of his inter-tribe alliance. -Nathan was first shown relaxing with the men then plotting with Parvati. His role in the challenges wasn’t highlighted. He trusts the cool Parvati. His confessional about “not keeping her” is a sign that his “Hiki Hood Supreme” wasn’t the men’s original choice. Was he left out of the decision or was his vote due to loyalty for a friend? That is one of the questions the editors left up in the air. -Parvati was twice chosen the spokeswoman for “Women’s rights!” She told us the guys were lazy at the start, and later, that JP’s behavior was unacceptable even imitating him. She also points out to Nathan that even if the 4 guys are tight, the decisions are made by JP. In his confessional, Nathan mentions that Parvati is cool, smart, trustworthy and is his “ace”. She then gets the promise that she won’t be swooped out of the game. If that isn’t a good editing signal for her, what is? Maybe not for Nathan however. He could be the dum-dum he says guys can be sometimes! She then has a confessional saying how JP is the last person she wants on her bad side. With him gone, does she have clear sailing from now on? What we saw of the final decision showed her in the fragile position we’ve been talking about. Was she really? She had to have spoken to the other women about booting JP before bringing it up to Nathan on day 10. Did she tell Adam to vote JP or was it the other way around. Why did she leave Nathan out of the loop? Worrying if tonight was the right time to boot one of your strongest player cannot be seen as a sign of disloyalty -Adam appeared, went to exile, came back and disappeared. How can so much volume occupy so little space? Last week, the tribal dynamics were out in the open. This week, everything was left in the dark. Who was Nathan voting for before Stephannie admitted she was the weakest link? The men were never shown discussing who they were originally targeting. Who talked to Adam to get him in line? Why the difference between the portrayal of each tribe? One reason I could see for the difference is that this tribe pays late night visits to Jeff many more times and to have shown all the discussions would have revealed too much. Comparing both tribes and how their players are aligned shows us from another angle which players have a shot down the road. Aitu has better teamwork and should get an advantage for the merge. Their central players are Yul, Becky and Jonathan. Ozzy is the one that helps them avoid TC. That role ends at the merge when everyone goes to TC. Yul seems too trusting, Jonathan not ruthless enough. That leaves Ozzy and Becky. If it comes down to those two, who will be holding the machete then? Or can someone from Raro infiltrate the alliance? Out of Raro, the players have less defined roles. Parvati and Nathan have been given the most story. Rebecca has been shown leading the votes. Brad was presented as the key to the vote’s outcome. If Aitu has the advantage at merge as it seems, only Brad and Parvati can profit from it. Maybe it was foreshadowing because Parvati and Brad were the ones shown when Jeff says he hopes they have a plan at the end of TC. Brad’s infiltration would be due to an alliance with his Asian friends. Parvati has another method of infiltration. We even heard that flirtation is only a start, a way to infiltrate the group. You have to keep an eye on her!   Top

Velcrohead 33 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Beauty Pageant Celebrity Judge" 10-08-06, 02:26 PM (EST) 94. "Episode 4 Thoughts" LAST EDITED ON 10-08-06 AT 02:39 PM (EST) *Edited to acknowledge michel's post. Please excuse the occasionally repetitive nature of my observations.* The burning question of the week: just who was the power broker in J.P.s boot? This is not an easy question to answer as it first appears. Parvati may have been the conduit between the women and the men but it is not an automatic assumption that she in turn got at least Adam to swing the vote. There were three key scenes at Raro: - Nathan strongly suggesting to Paravti in a lengthy discussion before RC and IC that he wouldn’t be averse to booting J.P. - The women, without Parvati, sitting Brad down and asking him to vote for J.P. - Jenny proposing a women’s alliance to Parvati, who said she had to “think about it.” Brad could have voted independently. Or he could have discussed things with Adam. Then again, Parvati might have convinced Adam or further worked on Brad or, indeed, both. And just because Nathan didn’t end up writing J.P.’s name down -- though it would have made no difference to the outcome -- who’s to say he wasn’t in on it. Does that in any way imply that his alliance with Parvati is up and running but they’re keeping it on the QT? How are his chances affected if it was the other way round? Raro Parvati – either she had a very good episode or a very bad one. If you’re in her camp you’d point out that the face time she received and her active involvement in strategy, be it with Nathan or effectively being responsible for J.P.’s fate, is evidence of a constructive edit. However, no less true is the dangerous position she’s put herself in by having one foot in both the men’s and the women’s camp. She cannot provide full disclosure to one side now without compromising the trust of the other. The key to her survival might lie with Nate. If he was kept out of the loop with J.P.’s boot it would be remiss of him not to question the value of ‘having her back.’ Actually, even if he was consulted, he’ll still be looking for a show of faith from Parvati with a female ouster next, quid pro quo for getting rid of one of the men this time. Nathan – his most positive episode to date which suggests an extended involvement in the game, at least up to and possibly beyond the merge. He was his tribe’s narrator but much more edit-worthy was his nighttime palaver with Paravti. The content of their discussion was as significant as the fairly extensive coverage afforded to it by the cameras; it incorporated trust, strategy, clicking on a base level outside the game, emotion and even perhaps, on Nathan’s part at least, an air of romance. It was all at once light-hearted and serious. We were made to see it as a bonding exercise and it certainly felt personal. Interpreted one way, the scene was favourable for Nathan’s edit because he was one leading the conversation (complimented with confessional) and Parvati played more of a passive role. Equally, we could say that we’re getting substance now to Parvati’s flirting strategy and that Nathan has fallen for it hard. (I’d like to know how everyone else felt since it could also be viewed in Yul/Becky terms vis-à-vis who has the upper hand in the twosome) Rebecca – I thought she faired quite well. J.P.’s boot originated with her. In fact, you could say she gained maximum results for an economy of effort. All she really did was cast the first stone but the rippling effect was impressive: from Jenny to Stephannie and Crisitina, on to Parvati and finally Adam and, possibly, Nate. Brad – An unremarkable episode; valued enough not be overlooked but well short of top billing. The rest don’t seem much longer for the game given their low levels of exposure. Jenny would head the list, I think, and would have been virtually non-existent again were it not for the need to showcase the women’s alliance for the purposes of the TC outcome. Cristina’s relative absence has carried into a second episode. Stephannie has a little more depth to her character compared the other two but seems to be on borrowed time. Adam appears extraneous in every regard. Aitu The aftermath to TC, inserted as a scene following the recap of the previous episode but prior to opening credits was striking, if not a little strange. That time was taken to single out Ozzy and Becky’s opposing reactions to Cecelia being voted off suggests a dichotomy that has future ramifications. AG makes a decent case for her as an emerging force in the game and, on that basis, there is almost an inevitability of a showdown with Ozzy, the battle of the two big schemers. My hypothesis is that one will be directly responsible for ending the other’s involvement in the game. (The wheels have already been set in motion with Ozzy having tried once to get rid of Becky and failed) Ozzy – it’s as if Ozzy and Yul are taking turns to vie for lead status on Survivor: Cook Islands. Last time he was painted as a scoundrel, this episode went out of it’s way to redress the balance. He began annoyed and threatened recalcitrance. “I just don’t feel like playing anymore,” he said. The turnaround, though, was unmistakable. We had the visuals of him diving and catching a plethora of fish. Jonathan and Yul were notably impressed, the latter adding the reverent remark, “I think we should call him Poseidon!” At RC, he easily retrieved the decryption wheel tethered to the barrel in the sea. Finally, IC, his real moment of glory; the bird’s eye view of him running through the water (or should that be ‘walking on water ) and effortlessly overtaking J.P. in mere seconds, establishing a lead for his tribe that subsequently was never relinquished. Yul - took a backseat to Ozzy but his presence would probably have been scaled down anyway so as to avoid the risk of character overload. At this juncture, we know plenty enough: his agreeable personality, his work ethic, his outlook on the game, his alliance with Becky and a level of safety afforded to him by the HII. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him withheld until the merge, accordingly. Cao Boi – Jeff Probst got it wrong at IC when he opined, “Cowboy’s either going to be a hero or very silly.” He’s actually all over the map, amusing as he is serious, ridiculous as he can be practical, flippant one moment and all business the next and consequences-be-damned to moments of contrition. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, “Cowboy is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” The boobie incident arguably reflected positively on him at the end. He made a mistake in almost unknowingly killing the hatchling but sought to make amends by returning nest and baby to its mother. We were angry with his actions but his admission of guilt and genuine remorse thereafter allowed the viewer the opportunity to respect him. Who knows, it may come to represent a parallel to Cowboy’s own story -- somebody who was annoying and misunderstood (by team mates) at the start but won them over and became appreciated. Becky – Though I happen to take a contrary view, AG and FP make good arguments about Becky having the upper hand over Yul. It’s just the editing hasn’t fully corroborated it yet in a season when the focus has been so narrow in scope, set up thus far it seems to follow the fortunes of the four ‘stars’ – Yul, Ozzy, Jonathan and Cowboy. It doesn’t mean, of course, that we should automatically assume them to be endgame players but if none turn out to be the winner, the investment in their characters, even if it serves as misdirection, is proportionally excessive. I’m also bound to say that if Yul puts such a premium on trust, the consequences for Becky cannot be good if she ends up breaking it (and if she doesn’t, how can she outlast him?) If she really is playing him then, by the same token, one must consider the reverse as a possibility, making Jeff’s comments, “You underestimate Yul, you'll be going home before he will” very apropos. Yul has driven the storyline in a way Becky has not and unless and until that changes she is always going to play second fiddle. Jonathan was dialled back in general but the emotional drama of the boobie incident as seen from his perspective was another (positive) character building block. Sundra was highlighted as not buying Candice’s feigned ignorance for being sent to Exile Island but overall came across unconvincing to the others as well. That hardly bodes well for Candice and any alliance with old Raro and Adam, in particular, may be dead in the water anyway, if, as the editing suggests, he won’t be around long enough for it to have any impact. Flicka was quiet. VH   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-08-06, 03:40 PM (EST) 95. "RE: Episode 4 Thoughts" VH, your posts are both entertaining and enriching (Being French, I keep the dictionary close!) Since you asked about Nathan and Parvati's palaver, I think Parvati wasn't being passive. She led Nathan into admitting the men's alliance then got him to consider her view of booting JP. Of course, I'm in the Becky outlasts Yul and Parvati goes far camp! As much as you want to analyze objectively, the interpretation is individual. I wonder how Veruca saw it?   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 10-09-06, 01:50 PM (EST) 96. "RE: Episode 4 Thoughts" My usual apologies for my postings that may appear to be redundant to someone else's thoughts and again, if similar, then we seem to be on "the same page" I had not meant to post something this lengthy (truly this time I did not) but I got carried away and this may also mean that I feel that there is a lot being brewed with the editing. An entertaining episode in my opinion and nice to see the emergence of some players although it doesn’t necessarily change my opinion on their longevity. Suffice it to say, I still consider those such as Adam, Brad, Cristine and Jenny to not be end game players and as for Aitu, we are certainly being treated to some very intriguing characters such as Cowboy, Flica, Jonathan and Ozzy. As to their standings, we have to remember a lot of these “characters” are meant to stir up the editing to potentially distract us from the final outcome. I still believe Candice will not reach end game; interestingly Becky may, in fact may even be a potential final two foil. Sundra I am having some issue with in terms of end game however, I cannot rule out some longevity in light of two reasons. She had a very good opening confessional in our first episode and we were made aware twice of her relationship with Rebecca (by Sundra herself and by Stephannie being aware of their relationship) so to some degree I feel this needs to be tapped into more although all three Hiki women could tie up this segue soon after a merger. The Recap I always have believed that certain items emphasized in the recap are integral to what the editors are trying to convey with their characters. The recap is obviously to highlight what occurred but often times there are nuggets there that didn’t necessarily have to be enforced. The tribes are told to drop their buffs: “It’s now time Jonathan) to integrate (Sundra) Two new tribes (Jonathan) a whole new game (Adam) At Raro Pavarti “…so many men on this tribe” Nathan “Pavarti, you are on top of it” Pavarti (conf) “I’m absolutely going to flirt with them… …it’s what I do best” At Aitu – new plans laid Becky “I trust you, I trust Candice” Jonathan “I absolutely agree” Jonathan (conf) “Becky came right to me; she said Yul and I would like to get together with you and Candice. I said I believe I have Flica” Jonathan and Flica talk shown and Yul solidified his bond with Becky Yul “I found the idol” Yul (conf) “Huge advantage to have someone you completely trust…” During the IC Jeff “Yul is gonna try to fight them off as long as he can…” Raro sent Candice to Exile Island… ..jeopardizing the Aitu alliance Ozzy “Becky is seriously plotting” Suddenly Becky was on the chopping block (Ozzy’s machete wielding shown) Flica “Jonathan, Becky’s going” Jonathan (conf) “I thought Flica was with me; we got a serious problem here” Cowboy “We have to let Becky go, she’s a princess out here” Yul “She’s not like weak, she’s strong…” Yul and Jonathanscrambled to save Becky Jonathan (to Flica) “…all of a sudden you’re the outsider” Jonathan (conf) “Trying to convince Cowboy and Flica is the key…” At TC Came down to Becky or Ceceila; in the end it was Ozzy’s former tribemate who was voted out… (I felt in this recap Pavarti’s flirting strategy was obviously enforced again which of course played out nicely with her and Nathan’s night time chat this episode but as a whole, Pavarti’s strategy in it of itself seems invested upon so at this time I’m inclined to believe that Pavarti is somewhat integral to this season’s story. The alliance of Yul, Becky, Jonathan and Candice was again highlighted and alliances that usually end up falling by the wayside get highlighted in order to showcase the failure of it. I noted that Candice was sent to Exile Island but we heard nothing from her while she was there perhaps concerned about the alliance; while Candice may be there some time I have high doubt her edit entails end game; there was absolutely no fleshing out of Candice and this was a grand opportunity to do so. Again Yul shown emphasizing his trust with Becky and the idol and I won’t repeat myself that this appears to be an issue coming down the pike and Yul may end up being on the failing side of it. The repeat “Becky is seriously plotting” was not necessary to enforce but it was. Flica appears to be someone who is an issue but not necessarily a part of the story of Cook Islands as she is highlighted as a problem to overcome but we heard nothing highlighted in the recap about her issue in the game so we may find her an issue to be dealt with. Ozzy was given an emphasis that his former tribe mate met her fate but this helped with the transition of what occurred in the beginning of the episode. Be that as it may, Ozzy is somewhat we usually feel is there even if he is not integral to the primary story on our screen and I sense the editing is taking a lot of time to showcase him “warts and all” so I have a hard time believing he is not there for quite a long time) TC Aftermath – The rats are quite prevalent (symbolism perhaps?) Yul “Oh, man that sucked” Sundra “What?” Yul “That sucked” Sundra “No matter how we sliced it, it was not going to be nice” Yul “I feel terrible” (Emphasis noted on Yul’s feelings; interestingly not Flica or Cowboy for that matter, who, by all intents and purposes, are the ones who could have saved Cecelia and were planning on getting of rid of Becky. This would actually then bode better for Yul over either of them BUT may reinforce what we have been seeing with Yul that is NOT quite as positive for his end game. Yul is a great contestant; insightful, respectful, intelligent and a little too one sided at this juncture and like many “heroes” we see on Survivor, he may fall short of claiming victory. In addition, since Yul is positively received this also may bode very well for Ozzy. Ozzy came off seemingly immature post TC but we have Yul reinforcing that it wasn’t a nice situation regardless that this was the outcome he was hoping for so it did help justify Ozzy’s demonstration regardless if he acted somewhat childish) Becky (conf) “It came very close; I received three votes… ...the alliance I feel pretty comfortable with and pretty confident. Yul for sure; Candice is at EI, she’s still in the alliance and Jonathan said he would stay in the alliance too” (How far this alliance gets remains to be seen but I am fairly certain we will not see this four at the end; I am certainly glad we saw Becky’s thoughts about the outcome of the TC; there have been hints of more to come with Becky as I stated above. If we were to not hear from her about the aftermath of this TC, I would have been concerned for her longevity and wrote her off completely) Ozzy (conf) “I feel like I am on the outside; to lose the only member of my former tribe…… If they want to vote me out they should do it soon so I don’t have to keep catching food for them. I just don’t feel like playing along anymore” (Again, Ozzy is a very intriguing character and we are seeing quite a few sides to him. Interesting how we see this confessional from him and yet later on in the show he is providing food for all and seeming quite pleased by this. I question what changed; perhaps Ozzy is feeling more secure? Why, I wonder. The Exiled Returns There have been “characters” who have lasted fairly well who have no meaning for end game; I am only concerned with those who are at end game. Candice’s lack of showing at Exile Island (and Adam for that matter) have me inclined to believe they will not be at end game. I will suggest that in light of the not necessary but shown relationship that was discussed of Candice, Adam (and Pavarti) that they probably should see each other again; how far they last after does not concern me, I do not see an end game for her but perhaps far enough to conclude the introduction of her and Adam shown when the season started and the relationship of Adam, Candice and Pavarti that allowed her to go to Exile Island in the first place Sundra “Look at her waving like Miss America” (said with laughter) Interestingly, Flica was very inquisitive about why Candice was sent to EI despite the fact that Jonathan seemed more verbally and visually affected by this last week. Flica “Why do you think they sent you?” Candice “Probably because I am the youngest” Flica “Don’t you think that it was Pavarti and Adam’s idea?” Candice “You think they did it like it was bad thing?” Flica “I can’t figure out why they would do it unless they were doing it thinking it was protecting you, like we were going to kick you off or something” (shot of Sundra) Candice “I dunno; you guys are asking good questions” (Candice confessional now shown) Sundra “The twist if that the person would be exempt from council” Candice “Um, I didn’t even think about that” Candice (conf) “I think that Adam and Pavarti told their tribe to send me to EI but I don’t want the rest of the team to think I have some special get out of jail free card from the other team. I said I don’t know; I didn’t think about that, just playing dumb” (No confessionals from anyone about this except of course Candice. Cowboy was there but asked no questions, Sundra obviously limited to be shown only once. Becky not shown asking any and Yul, Jonathan and Ozzy did not appear to be there so I wonder how very important this all is. Candice made it appear that quite a few questions were asked of her but they appeared to be thrown at her mostly by Flica. We also did not hear from Flica about this although she seemed certainly intrigued as to why Candice was sent which says more about Flica perhaps not being a long term player and/or the situation does not have any real impact for the outcome of the game) Raro The men are lounging and the women are working Pavarti (conf) “It was kind of annoying, the guys were just sitting, laying there and the girls working… ...they are starting to like rule the roost. I think they are getting very comfortable with their position in this tribe cause they know that we need them; they’re strong” (Note that this appears to be the same confessional as much later during the scene with Nathan where she discusses infiltrating this group so essentially we hear from her that her idea of infiltrating this group is necessary because “they” know “they” need them) Pavarti has been a frequent visitor to our screen and narrator of the dynamics that go on as I stated above, there does seem to be an investment made in her despite some of the frivolity surrounding her strategy. Again, in light of the dynamic made of her, Adam and Candice, that in it of itself should see her through the period where they will see each other again. I had also suggested that the observation she had made of Adam and Candice served HER better than either Candice and Adam. That coupled with her first episode observation of the theme of the show and the emphasis they have put on her strategy bodes well for her along with the fact that really, ANY of the women could have made the same confessional about the men as they all felt this way but we heard this from Pavarti. I still am not inclined to believe of a victory by her but there does seem, however, to be a concerted effort in Pavarti which serves her well in terms of her stay. We are then directed to the scene at the boat with the men; Nathan was not shown on that boat until the end, we saw him walking towards the boat and then at the end of the scene he was sitting on the boat so there was a portion of manipulation of Nathan in that scene. Adam astutely asked if the girls were annoyed and this scene really was more or less to showcase the upcoming events as it highlighted JP with his suggestion that it does not matter how the girls felt as they wouldn’t do anything anyway which was reinforced by his confessional along with how tight the men were. This scene, like the latter scenes showcasing JP was solely to help everything play out and also justify the women’s actions. The Challenge Challenges are usually straight forwarded in what they show however there can be items that most of you know that I state “of note” which I feel are placed there that need not be; visuals not entirely necessary; match ups of two people not necessary, voice overs or key words by Jeff highlighting an individual or those who are not even necessary to the outcome of the challenge who are shown because the editors do not want us to forget them (perfect example of this was Lydia who was shown to be a consistent cheerleader and there was no reason for that other than we were not meant to forget her) Naturally, we saw Cristine and JP’s reaction to Cecelia’s elimination. What I felt was MORE interesting was no manipulated exchange of glances between JP and Cristine with Ozzy. After all, they were all part of Aitu and one would expect we would have perhaps seen an “affected” glance pass between these individuals. I had considered that Cristine and Ozzy need to perhaps meet up again although I herald Cristine’s edit in Episode 2 being more about Ozzy than Cristine so I would not be surprised if Ozzy never does see Cristine as they was not even the slightest showing that Cecelia’s boot meant anything to them AS THE AITU GROUP Stephannie received an inordinate amount of visuals and encouragement showings to her tribe and I had suggested last episode that I felt she was being edited very kindly. She received two visuals of concern for her tribe along with four verbal encouragements. Stephannie “Looking good” Stephannie “Come on baby!” Stephannie “Come on guys, it’s not over, stay in it” Stephannie “Come on Raro, you’re doing it baby, you’re doing it!” We also saw (or perhaps I did) an emphasis on Cowboy’s and his challenge direction which was a nice polar opposite of Jonathan. Cowboy “Don’t worry about her; Becky you do your job!” Jonathan “We’re dong great; now go!” Cowboy “They are fine, we’ll give a pillow to them” Jonathan “Let’s not kill these girls” Jonathan “Come on baby, you’re doing great!” Cristine was shown (no doubt on purpose) as being the one? dissenting voice at the challenge: Cristine “You guys its tangled again, stop!!” and “I’m telling you guys, you have to pull up the slack!” (We then heard various commentary arguing her point and her arguing it back; in a challenge, there are many voices expressing encouragement and/or dissent, one questions why certain ones are chosen) Jeff even added to the mix: “Go Ozzy, go!” and a little bit of Flica “They’re coming” Aitu wins with a nice slow manipulated shot ending of Cowboy and Becky hugging. The ending showed Yul, Cowboy, Jonathan and Ozzy celebrate together with Cowboy on the far right to the “grabber” shot of Becky and Cowboy with Cowboy suddenly on the left. We saw Adam get selected for EI (and none too upset over the selection) with no real aura surrounding his selection and again we heard nothing from him at Exile Island. While many may believe this is because the idol was found, I tend to believe someone who is at EI and is at end game WILL get their due even if for only one minute just to flesh out their character more. Back at Aitu We see the wonderful visual of the whale preceding the visit back to Aitu Jonathan “Great job guys!” Flica (conf) “I definitely like winning the last challenge because all of us feel a little threatened by the brawn…” A great voiceover by a female that I still need to identify: “We came together when it mattered” (I have had a certain sense of an interesting scenario perhaps playing out which began with the weighted challenge where the Raro men tackled Aitu and we heard Jeff state that Yul was fighting them off as long as he could which was repeated in the recap along with the repetition of the Raro brawn and culminates with this last voice over. There is a certain vibration of Aitu perhaps falling upon some hard times with Yul (perhaps at the helm) trying his hardest to fight them off. This may of course be symbolic in general of the “strong” stripping of the “weaker” and the “weaker” fighting back (stronger and weaker not necessarily literal terms) with a perhaps unlikely victor in the process. Obviously this is only a tone I am feeling being presented and it may solely be confined to a few episodes) Ozzy’s Change of Heart? Or Change of Editing? We see Ozzy fishing and fishing like no contestant since Rupert Jonathan “He’s the fishing star for sure!. Ozzy the mad fisherman!” “Fantastic” Ozzy, Jonathan and Yul return Flica “I’m so proud of you!” Sundra is thrilled and Yul deems him Poseidon and Sundra's King Neptune and Yul's God of the Sea with yet another “proud I am of him” by Flica Ozzy (conf) “I’m happy being the sole provider. I feel I have the most power and if they lose me then they are going to be a losing a lot of strength” (Interesting words coming from a young man who we heard not long before stating he is not going to work for them any longer; what happened in between? A meeting of the minds perhaps. Suddenly, Ozzy is seen “hanging” with Yul and Jonathan, later with Jonathan, Cowboy and Flica; perhaps something is being developed where Ozzy is feeling more secure of his position. That aside, Ozzy’s edit is certainly one that is being developed by the editing quite strongly. For every negativity we receive we are also getting positive reinforcement for him much like we did when Billy was booted. I’m not quite committed to his being the victor due to the “tone” of the season thus far but I certainly see him near the end game as of now although he may leave more of a journey character than the winning character) Back To Raro Again, dynamics are different on the tribe that loses since they will be going to Tribal Council which is why we try to discern what is necessary and what is manipulated for whatever reason the editors are manipulating it. Are we being manipulated to sympathize, to dislike, to agree, to disagree? Cristine “That was so frustrating” (Pavarti and Rebecca shown) Nathan (in voiceover) “We need to be humbled, we got humbled… ...no one’s going home” JP “I just feel bad for Adam, that’s all” (Brad shown) JP (conf) “Just bummed out we lost… we took a lot of pride in winning and bummed Adam got sent to EI” JP then “shown” discussing cooking and having the others perform with Jenny, Cristine working. An interesting shot of Rebecca shown watching with an almost snake like sound. The shot was inserted as she had no buff on her head yet seconds before that she had one- hence manipulation Pavarti (conf) “JP’s very demanding and I think he does it in a sly way where if you are not very observant you wouldn’t even realize he’s being controlling but just the way he was sitting… ….and everyone’s just waiting on him….. I’m like no; that just doesn’t fly with me at all” More narration from Parvetti which bodes well enough for her at least on her existing tribe. She has been designated as the spokesperson for the women despite interestingly enough she was shown as the only woman that we were not meant to be sure whether she would vote to boot JP Pavarti and Nathan Pavarti (conf) “…that’s how I can get close to guys in the beginning, flirting with him… you just have to figure out the best way to infiltrate the little group” (Again this appeared to be the same confessional as her earlier one expressing how the men were ruling the roost so her ruminations over how to infiltrate that makes sense) Pavarti “Did you all make a serious alliance.. you guys?” Nathan “Yeah, the guys are tight… I got your back; you’re not gonna get swooped off… you gonna believe me?” Pavarti “I believe you” Nathan “I know you believe me” (Nathan’s confessional now shown) Nathan “They have no clue how tight you and I are”(Second part of his confessional shown) “They trust me” Pavarti “By the guys you mean JP? He’s the one who’s calling the shots making the decisions?” Nathan “Well he is because he knows he has me and the other guys” Pavarti “I just don’t like that he’s like completely in control right now or thinks he is” Nathan “But that’s how you let the game play; let the king think he’s all good sitting pretty” (Pavarti jokes on his motto) Nathan “It’s totally my motto… let the king sit pretty” (Parvarti’s confessional now shown) Nathan “Right now the balls in his pocket but it can easily leave” Pavarti “That’d be interesting” Nathan “It’s gonna be very interesting” Nathan (conf) “My feelings for Pavarti is that she’s a very cool girl. I can definitely trust her; she’s my ace right now” (Confessionals such as this are normally not good for the person confessing same as we normally end up seeing how their beliefs fail them) and “I think there definitely could be some sparks in the future but I don’t wanna find myself thinking like a dumb dumb and guys, sometimes just can’t control themselves" Pavarti (conf) “I do not want to upset JP right now; that would be the last person I’d want on my bad side so I’m just gonna let the king sit pretty until something happens” Blunders, Boobies and Building Edits This scene was a great scene; no question why it was shown but it was also obviously edited for Jonathan and Cowboy. There was an emotional investment made for both of them. Cowboy has been a big character and I had felt he was on a journey and this was a big day for him which may mean we may not see him very much longer. Personally I have felt Cowboy to be a wonderful character but I also do not feel that the editing would allow politically powerful statements to be voiced by a winner. Cowboy has had high highs and low lows and this last episode was quite a big one so I would not be entirely surprised should he leave fairly soon. In the same token, Jonathan was very powerful this episode also; we saw direct contrast between his encouragement during the challenge and Cowboy’s criticism; we saw a softer side of Jonathan over the bird when it was not essentially necessary. Cowboy’s actions were enough to be fool hardy with the visual of the screaming bird and the baby bird. Jonathan’s confessional and visuals were for Jonathan’s edit. I would frankly be somewhat surprised if he leaves us any time soon Note the lovely rainbow prior to the scene, a lovely visual for perhaps the culmination of an arc? Ozzy, Jonathan, Flica and Cowboy approach the nest area and discussion ensues about it having eggs in it... Cowboy (conf) “The kid in me wants to get some eggs; the kid in me wants to climb the tree; the kid in me want to go up there to see if I can do it” and “The kid in me just keep wanting to do this, do that without thinking and getting in trouble. I should know better. What am I doing stupid things for, I felt really bad, I’m really humbled” Jonathan (conf) “It couldn’t hold its head up… and it is in my hand, I wanted to cry, I felt terrible” In between the confessionals we see Cowboy knock the nest down, the bird screaming, Jonathan picking up the chick obviously sad and upset, Cowboy and Jonathan apologizing to the mother with Ozzy and Flica for the most part observing in this scene. This scene was, again, all about Cowboy and Jonathan. Interesting to note is that nowhere did we hear Jonathan state that Cowboy was a wildcard and he didn’t trust him; I question when this was uttered by Jonathan unless it was a throw away comment from the first time they went to TC; we heard it said during the preview but it was never stated by Jonathan and it was a curious comment to use for the bird scene and I had questioned whether it was stated by Jonathan on an occasion he questioned Cowboy’s vote but it WAS used for us to reflect Jonathan’s thoughts about Cowboy. With Ozzy suddenly feeling different from after TC to suddenly being cooperative in catching fish, we may have also seen a subtle replacement of Cowboy no longer needed and Ozzy taking his place. I don’t get involved with weekly eliminations but Cowboy’s arc took a big turn with this episode and it may have reached a conclusion especially in light of the words spoken. Jonathan’s felt like another avenue of his persona being shown which felt more to be of a fleshing out as opposed to an ending The IC Adam returns amongst the bells and whistles; interesting that Rebecca appears to hug him first. Cristina sits out and as compared to Stephannie, we did not hear any encouragement from the sidelines by Cristina. Jeff “Ozzy with a long run through the water!” Jonathan “Ozzy!!” Jeff “Ozzy just made up a lot of time with a long run!” Flica “Go Ozzy go!” Nathan was also shown visibly affected during the challenge. Cowboy has flame for his tribe Jonathan “Come on baby, you’re the man!” Jeff “Cowboy has his own system. Cowboy’s either gonna be a hero or very silly” We then saw the three Raro women attempt to make fire. Jenny first and cutting her hand, then Rebecca’s attempts then Stephannie’s attempts (interesting though that only Stephannie was highlighted for not getting fire when it was clear all three failed however the emphasis was more likely due to her being a boot candidate) Jeff “Becca not giving up” Aitu wins; Rebecca’s reaction shown and Nathan shown comforting the three women with a closing slow motion shot of Cowboy kissing Jonathan. IC Aftermath Stephannie (conf) “Well unfortunately since we lost our challenge today it means we are going to TC and no one’s looking forward to that but it has to be; someone has to go home tonight.” and “I feel like I’m the weakest link and I’m so angry with myself about that like I should have done better.... done something you know to make more of a difference” and “It was jut a moment of frustration, I’m not giving up. I don’t want that perception hanging over my head” The above confession was broken down into three parts but she had been sitting in the same position so essentially it all happened at one time. In between these confessions were the tribe dynamics being shown which, by the way, were “sliced and diced” in some parts Adam “Keep your head up guys, I don’t want to see any frowns” Pavarti “Too bad we went up against a Zen fire master” (Jenny shown) (Stephannie’s second portion shown) Brad “Just so you know when Cowboy was on our team he was always the one making the fire....” Nathan “That fool’s been making fire since he was like two so I’m not trippin” Stephannie “Look guys, I’m the one that caused us to lose (Jenny) this challenge (Cristine) and I’m probably the weakest link (Nathan) Nathan (conf) “Stephannie just came out and said out of the blue I’m the weakest link. She and I are real tight; we got the Hiki hood love.... and she knows I have her back.” Note the next part of his confessional is strictly voice over and it is fairly obvious it was spliced into the first part of the confessional Nathan (conf) “But then I think about it; all these people are out here trying to play a game and if someone is doubting themselves.....” The confessional is then heard out of his mouth but he changed positions in his confessional visual so the portion of his “confession” that essentially is not as supportive to Stephannie happened at a different time after situations occurred at camp Nathan (conf) “......this early and doesn’t want to be here, I’m not going to keep you here” Note also the following exchange below inserted Rebecca into the scene when she did not appear to even be there. While Jenny was caused to appear as the active mover and shaker of the women aligning; this initial manipulated visual of Rebecca made it appear she was there during the following conversation and then instigated the “ball rolling” Rebecca shown with a machete sitting on the ground working Nathan “She lost it all today and if she thinks right now is rough...” Cristine “I’ll talk to her, tell her hey this is how we feel then rather it be a surprise to her...” JP “...and be respectful that way” Cristine “Let’s give her some respect because honestly she’s given us respect and helped us out in many ways: Nathan “She leaves on a red carpet, alright?” (Note this was on voiceover with the shot on Rebecca which appeared to be inserted as Rebecca was not there only seconds before) Nathan “We give her the respect she gave us” Suddenly a shot of Rebecca appears of her chopping wood with a machete when only seconds before there was no machete in her hand and we then see the feet of JP walking away with only the voice over stating that he’ll be in the tent if they needed him. For reasons only known to the editors, this was manipulated for Rebecca and we do see she instigates the female mutiny of JP although Jenny received far more verbal showing of this Jenny “So did they tell you that’s the decision” Rebecca “Stephannie, yeah, because she wants to go” Jenny “That just makes it easier if you are gonna go volunteer yourself” Rebecca “I know, I wish she hadn’t because I feel like it makes us weaker” Jenny “You mean us girls” (Cristine in background) Rebecca nods and Jenny, looking back in the direction of Cristine asks Rebecca to go with her Rebecca “I think JP has something totally up his sleeve” Jenny “Yep” Rebecca “He thinks he has it all, all figured out” (Rebecca’s confessional shown) Rebecca “I would love to see us girls align and take out some of the guys because the guys are already starting to align together...” Jenny “Right” Rebecca “...and stick together and they are the stronger ones” Jenny”So why don’t we switch this up and have the girls align and get rid of JP?” Rebecca “That’s what I said....women should stick together” Jenny “Alright, I’m cool with that. I’m not ready to go home” Rebecca “Girl, I’m not either!” Rebecca (conf) “I know it’s important right now as a tribe to keep the strong ones so we can win more challenges but then again, it’s five women, four men so if we are gonna do any type of alliance, it needs to be done right now tonight, if any of the women really want to stay in the game” Stephannie “I just hate that I said that; I was just so angry at myself” “I’m thinking we’re family and I can share my true, honest feelings” Cristine “When you said that, they thought that was a form of weakness” Stephannie “Right.... I can’t believe I set myself up like that. I should have kept it to myself” (Stephannie’s third portion of her confessional shown regarding “perception”) Jenny comes over; interestingly Rebecca is nowhere to be found in this situation although she was a direct catalyst for this occurrence. Also interesting to note in light of the fact both came from Hiki is that Stephannie had to ask Jenny if Rebecca would be willing to do this.... “You know Stephannie, there’s a way to save you” “Us girls come together; are you up for it?” Cristine “I’d be up for it” Stephannie “Is Rebecca willing to do that?” Jenny “Yeah” Stephannie “So who will we get rid of?” Cristine “I say JP. JP knows how to play everybody right now, I really don’t trust him... but is Pavarti gonna be on board. She’s going to talk to Nathan and Nathan is going to talk to the guys, I’m telling you right now” (Jenny runs to Pavarti) Cristine “I just have a weird feeling about it; I don’t know” Stephannie “You don’t think Pavarti would vote for one of the guys?” Cristine “I think she’d stick with the guys I really do” (Potential foreshadowing?) Jenny “We are switching the game up” “We are going to vote JP out” Pavarti “Tonight? I don’t know if that’s a good idea” Jenny “We have to play our numbers; Stephannie’s all for it, she’s like you know I just had a weak moment but those two are convinced and I know Rebecca will go too. It’s all on you” Pavarti “I don’t know if that’s in our best interest” Cristine “No, huh” Jenny “She’s just hesitant” Cristine “I think Brad might fall for it” (Brad approaches and Stephannie put her head on his shoulder) Stephannie “I need you babe” (Cristine then cites they need him and Brad asks in Spanish essentially what is going on with Stephannie emphasizing she needs him) Cristine “We want to vote JP off” Brad “Wow” Jenny (conf) “I don’t completely trust Brad; I trust him to a certain degree so whatever Brad chooses to do today, I hope it’s for the good of our tribe and not just for himself” Tribal Council Rats shown scampering Jeff asks Nathan how he feels in general about the game Nathan “We’ve only been together like 3-4 days; we’re all still feeling the waters (Pavarti) I’m not breaking out of my shell yet because it could bite me in the butt (Stephannie) If you become too powerful, too assertive (JP) in the beginning the rest of them will eat you up. Jeff asks about a leader on Raro Jenny “Uh not really” “Alright, JP don’t hate me but JP likes to take a command a lot” JP “I have no problem with her saying that; I mean I don’t say you gotta go fish.... ...matter of fact there’s times I go I’m taking a nap so maybe I voice a couple more things.... Jeff asks why the three women were the fire makers Rebecca “Because we are all really comfortable in terms of making fire... ...unfortunately I just could not get the right spark” (Adam) Jeff asks about fairness in voting one of the three off Stephannie “I would say no... it could have been anyone of us up there trying to make that fire but that’s not what you want to consider; if you are going to vote someone off you should consider the big picture” JP “I’ll put myself out there, I got my butt kicked... I agree with Stephannie 100%” Brad “Trust is a foundation of everything for me at this point in time. I always like to use the term go with your gut and 95% of the time my gut is always right” Pavarti “For the most part I do trust everyone in this tribe (Brad smiles) Stephannie “No, I don’t trust everyone in the tribe (Nate) What I do feel comfortable enough to share certain things with all of our tribe mates (Cristine nods) so yes there’s a certain level of trust I have but to completely trust? This is a game and I could never do that” (Rebecca nods) Jeff about letting the vote go Rebecca “It won’t be easy but something that has to be done so that we can all move on and move forward and get stronger so (Pavarti) we don’t have to come back here again.” JP states it would be the hardest vote for him in the game. Interesting visual shown as the vote is about to proceed of a female statue positioned at the head of a boat/ship which did catch my attention. Perhaps only shown in light of the women joining forces or a visual to shown how the season plays out Jeff “You just voted out someone who appeared to be one of the strongest members of this tribe; he obviously did not see it coming (Pavarti) I’m hoping this means (Brad) you have a plan on how to get this tribe better together (Jenny, Rebecca, Nathan) and start winning come challenges” To make this just a little longer Both Adam and Cristina were neglected at Tribal Council and with all the elements thus far in the edit only solidifies to me their lack of staying power. Stephannie was extremely visual this episode regardless that she played the potential boot victim and her confessionals were much “meatier” than just concern for getting voted out; I’m not entirely convinced she is meant for end game but certainly someone we are to “pull for” and perhaps be emotional of her accomplishment in this game. I am curious about Rebecca as well as I feel she (and Stephannie) have been manipulated somewhat for the viewers; they are not overt edits but they are present nonetheless and I do feel that Sundra and Rebecca’s relationship noted in the first episode may need to be furthered as well as I don’t feel it was that necessary to make note of by Stephannie, by Nathan and by Sundra much like Adam’s relationship noted by the two of them and Pavarti. Cristine probably is worst off in the edit for any longevity and Adam may see his former tribemates but appears to be destined for a short lived stay as well. Nathan is very interesting and still consistent with his edit and I still question whether he becomes a victim of all the females surrounding him but he does refer to his tie to his Hiki past so I do think he still has some legs although his note of Pavarti being HIS ace in the hole sounds eerily prophetic that he may have better off wishing she wasn’t. Brad received some slight editing due over the last two episodes but I believe this to be primarily just so we can remember him a little bit longer but I’m fairly certain he means nothing to the end game. Curiously, Jenny was shown as the mover and shaker but in reality Rebecca appeared to be so I’m curious as to whether this was designed as a mitigating factor for Jenny to leave or to thrust Jenny further into the game. There are some complexities to the women’s dynamic at Raro on what occurred and what was shown to occur. I’m quite pleased frankly with Jonathan’s edit and the soft touch he was given although there has been a tone surrounding him that he may end up a victim of his own security. The element of trust surrounding Yul for Becky is not necessarily one of any betrayal per se but I had strong feelings from the onset that he may, in fact, save her from leaving and being sacrificed in the process; Ozzy’s note of her plotting (with it stated in the recap as well) without us seeing this directly is telling us to be wary of her in this game so I can’t ignore this. Flica is present when need be and we hear about the state of affairs but unless or until I hear something from her regarding the game itself other than her not being comfortable actually having to play the game, I tend to see a big production for her until she leaves. Candice not being shown at EI and only a brief discussion by her about “playing dumb” left her edit cold to me. She is nicely insulated but that does not make a winner. The two last episodes were a perfect opportunity to expand upon Candice, i.e. reflections from EI and what this meant for her “alliance” and so forth. Insofar as Ozzy, he certainly has made great strides in his edit and I personally have no doubt that he is a contestant of longevity but again, as I sense a certain tone this season, I am not quite willing to proclaim him victor. Yul is a wonderful and admirable and I fear he will leave the same way surrounded by a stellar and selfless edit. Cowboy’s turn of introspection contrasted nicely with his rather cutting attitude during the challenge and as stated I feel he may be reaching his arc (which saddens me if true, I enjoy him tremendously) Sundra does not appear to be fully developing yet although she was pertinent with respect the first episode discussion of the game with her confessional but I have no real sense of her which may very well be the bane of her existence i.e. to be there until she leaves. She received a deliberate visual in the questioning of Candice with her “explanation” of the EI selection to Candice’s feigned ignorance but I would prefer at this time to hear more from her or I will relegate her to someone whose presence in the game ultimately means nothing for the end game.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-09-06, 05:19 PM (EST) 97. "RE: Episode 4 Thoughts" That was a very interesting analysis. Becky, Parvati, Ozzy with Jonathan and Yul certainly feel like long term players. Stephannie's edit is difficult to define. She did get a treatment similar to Lydia; the cheerleader that is saved from a planned boot. Lydia outlasted Brian, her saviour. What will happen to Stephannie? Besides all the insightful observations there are two I hadn't even considered. First, when you write: >"Interesting to note is that nowhere did we hear Jonathan state that Cowboy was a wildcard and he didn’t trust him." I had forgotten about that comment in the previews. Since it wasn't heard this week, it could come from the vote discussions of episode #3. However, it could also suggest Jonathan's thinking when they go to the next TC. Then, with the possible reunion of Candice/Adam/Parvati and Sundra/Rebecca, only one of which we both note as having end game potential, could we see an early merge? There are things that don't add up: 11 days in and still 16 contestants, there is a major twist about to occur.   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-09-06, 05:22 PM (EST) 98. "RE: Episode 4 Thoughts" Well done, VS! Excellent and remarkable insight, as always! I love how you really get all of this stuff! I agree with most of it as well. The thing that I love about Ozzy, is that while many saw him with a bit of negative editing in the Billy boot episode, now I see him getting a more and more positive edit...this is extremely encouraging to me. I also see him in a total underdog role. Many of us have a soft spot for the underdog, and the fact that Ozzy epitomizes it is a great sign, imo. At this point I could see him as the winner, but I'll admit, perhaps it's just wishful thinking on my part. I agree that Cowboys arc could have reached it's peak. I am also pondering Jenny's spike in airtime, is it only the beginning for her, or a last hurrah?   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-11-06, 03:52 PM (EST) 99. "RE: Episode 4 Thoughts" Both Adam and Cristina were neglected at Tribal Council and with all the elements thus far in the edit only solidifies to me their lack of staying power. Stephannie was extremely visual this episode regardless that she played the potential boot victim and her confessionals were much “meatier” than just concern for getting voted out; I’m not entirely convinced she is meant for end game but certainly someone we are to “pull for” and perhaps be emotional of her accomplishment in this game. Would you say that Cristina has a story at all, VS? Or would you see her as immenent toast? I get the impression that you may see a bit more for Stephanie, although granted, neither are end game players.   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 10-12-06, 11:51 AM (EST) 100. "RE: Episode 4 Thoughts" LAST EDITED ON 10-12-06 AT 11:57 AM (EST) LAST EDITED ON 10-12-06 AT 11:51 AM (EST) Lets just expect that I'm going to be posting at the 11th hour every week now. I dont have too much to add, but what was most glaring to me about this episode was that Aitu got almost as much airtime in their first non-boot episode, whereas Raro got very, very little last week in their non-boot episode. Had there been any doubt (we all pretty much agree), this is the team to watch. There may be one or two players on the other team that might go somewhat far, but for the most part this just absolutely convinced me that probably 80-90% of our long term players are on Aitu. We saw this episode that truly Original Aitu's throwing the challenge strategy has backfired on them. From the moment they did that - they've been pretty much decimated. I think that Candice was shown as an absolute fool the way she responded to the questioning. I think her link to the other tribe was highlighted far more than necessary - and therefore I think will be the reason for her demise. Personally, I think she'll go home before the merge - she'll be seen as a threat if she joins back up with Adam and Parvatti - so they wont allow that to happen. Plus, she is pretty much the weakest one on the tribe - a valid backup reason. Either Cowboy or Flicka will go before her though. Sundra I think is our classic UTR player. She needs more airtime to be end-game though. I dont think she's going anywhere anytime soon though. My opinion really didnt change with regard to anyone else on Aitu. I agree VS - the bird incident did seem to be a wrapping of Cowboy's story arc to me. We have been shown a bit of sparring (?) between Cowboy and Jonathan. (I'm not sure if I described that right). As opposed to the beginning of a new arc for Cowboy - I think we're being introduced to the background for his boot. Over on Raro, Jenny surprised me how much she was shown involved in making the boot happen - yet we heard almost nothing of it???? Her one comment about Brad did bother me because how would voting JP be "Brad doing whats best for the team, not just himself"? I just dont get that. Voting JP was what was best for the women, and really they managed to convince Brad to do what wasnt in his best interest. To me, it turned me off to her a bit. I just dont understand the reasoning behind that comment from her... On the opposite side of the coin, we got confessionals from Rebecca, and saw her start the ball rolling - but then it was made to look like she just did nothing about the boot after that, which I highly doubt. The contrast of the two puzzles me. Personally, I think Rebecca will outlast Jenny for some reason. Is Adam even really on this show, or did we just imagine that? Somehow I dont think he goes home next, but if not - WHY are we seeing zero from him? He appears to be someone that will take a Bobby type story arc. Parvati - I just dont know what to think of her. I think she'll go far, but the editing is really turning me off to her. I cant get past her annoying smile - that cant be positive editing can it? Sounds stupid, but really - it drives me nuts. Watch, its like her lips come back in a freakish, almost inhuman way when she smiles - and she's trying to be seductive when she does it. Ok, now I'm just rambling about stupid stuff. I'm looking forward to tonight's show. I'm sticking to my guns that I think Stephanie is around for a while, no matter what everyone thinks. Her edit is too positive in many ways, and I dont see her story arc as coming to a close. I think Cristina is in trouble. Raro wont get rid of all of its brawn this early. ---Edited for horrendous grammar and spelling ---   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 10-12-06, 03:37 PM (EST) 101. "RE: Episode 4 Thoughts" The insights just are wonderful and while I may not outwardly ask any questions (for which I apologize as there have been obstacles where I have been unable to get here as much as I would like) I have digested everything that has been written in order for me to view upcoming episodes with others ideas in minds. Viewing the show every season is a different experience for all of us as it should be and this is one of the reasons why I try to stay away from making comparisons of past and present characters because one may see similarities but that doesn't mean they end up arriving at the same destination. Different players, different strategies, different tribal makeups, different mindsets, etc. all contribute to why someone stays and someone leaves. A contestant on this season may feel remniscient to contestants of seasons past but they are not on a tribe with the same people or the same circumstances so their edit may encompass the same tendencies but those tendencies may get them booted earlier or later but editing is an investment in these characters and if we see that investment made in some fashion or a manipulation of events and all the other editing tricks we have tried to hone in on then there is usually a reason for it I also had to pop in today as I received a message about all the fun in the SOTS thread which unfortunately I feel better not entering emy has been kind enough to let everyone know that I appreciate their hard work and emy my dear your post from me to your SOTS....   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 10-13-06, 09:26 PM (EST) 102. "RE: Episode 5 Thoughts" .....and here I thought I would be late to the party again I must say I am enjoying the change in format with an opening sequence to the episode prior to the themed music introduction. It has a nice feel to it. Recap At Raro, the men were secure with their position Pavarti: "It's kind of annoying..." and "They are getting very comfortable with their position in this tribe..." Back at Aitu, Ozzy brought in a big haul Ozzy: "I'm happy being the sole provider.... ....if they lose me they are going to be losing a lot of strength" At the IC, it was Ozzy's speed and Cowboy's magical spark (Rebecca glancing over) that made the difference (another reaction shot of Rebecca after Aitu announced winner) Jeff: "Who will be the stronger swimmer?" Jonathan: "Go Ozzy" Jeff: "Ozzy first to the mast" With TC looming, Stephannie broke down, Stephannie "I'm the one that caused us to lose this challenge (Jenny) and I'm probably the weakest link" (Cristina) (JP) giving the men (Nathan) an excuse to vote her out (Rebecca/Stephannie) Nathan" "If someone doesn't want to be here, I'm not going to keep you here" (This was the confessional that appeared to be from another confessional and I believe this was, in fact, from last night as we saw the continuation of it in his confessional. For those weekly boot lovers, you may wish to note confessionals spliced together as I had noted last week he had two confessionals spliced together; apparently they needed more from last night's to insert in the week before; I noticed this occurred with Cowboy this episode) But JP's bossiness(Jenny being ordered) got the girls'thinking (Rebecca) Jenny and Rebecca conversation Rebecca:"Five women, four men, if we are going to do any type of alliance it needs to be done right now" Jenny: "You know Steph, there is a way to save you" (Jenny, Stephannie, Cristina conversation shown with Cristina's: JP) JP shown voted out "blindsided" with reaction shot of Adam and group shot of Nathan, Rebecca and Jenny Irony at Raro The ladies are sleeping and the men wide awake with Nathan asking what do they do all day (the camera is on Cristina when he says this. This is amusing in lieu of what we saw last week) Nathan(conf): "Now the game really turns on because the guys will all have to watch their backs as a unit because the women can try to get us off" and "We're outnumbered, these women thinking they are so tight (Pavarti) and so headstrong; you know they think they can run the world (Rebecca) so I gotta let them know, yeah you guys do need us" We see a bevy of activity by the men Nathan "No wood means no water, no water means no life out here" (Interesting throw in comment considering we always hear of fire meaning life not water) Pavarti(conf): "It's really funny, the guys have really stepped it up... .....they are just more manly.... ....I definitely think they are trying to prove themselves to the women so the women don't overthrow all the guys" (Foreshadowing as a whole for the future?) The recap seemed to serve a subtle hint to remind the viewers of Stephannie's "moment of weakness" to set the story for progression last night, Ozzy again highlighted for his dominance of strength and the setting of men and women. I found Pavarti's confessional intriguing as narrators (which Pavarti has shown herself to be at Raro) tend to help focus on the story. Her "blurb" of the men concerned about the women overthrowing the guys was intriguing in terms of what may be the outcome of the show. Last season I had mentioned I had felt a man would win because there was a tone to the season, everything was very hard, strong, competitive; this season has a different tone to it so I would not be entirely surprised if a woman may win this season although I do see some favorable men in terms of potential end game. We also saw more visibility shots of Rebecca moreso than Jenny and Cristina although I find some intrigue in Cristina's edit and I'm not quite putting my finger on Rebecca's edit which may actually be good for her. I still feel that her relationship with Sundra should continue its progression as I did with Candice, Adam and Pavarti so I would suggest Rebecca should linger. Nathan again has provided the male narrator role which of course suggests that he should be there at least until the tribes are merged and seeing that Brad is consistently shown as a "fringe" member, I do not see Brad with any real promise. Adam has received a higher visibility but no real depth to his character but again, I feel that he needs to see Candice again; thereafter I do not see anything else for him. Cristina and Jenny seem to fade in and out but I felt a little more pull with Cristina's edit than Jenny's. Rebecca feels manipulated to me; we see her when there is no reason to see HER. She is shown at integral moments yet she is not front and center which has me curious. Pavarti has been extremely consistent and quite a bit has shown me that she seems to be the central figure of power at Raro which should serve her very well. What's A Little Armpit Among Friends? A scene that only carries weight in terms of tribe dynamics, Becky, Candice and Sundra are shown discussing their hygiene of sorts with Cowboy and Flica fishing. We are more than likely having the stage set for an upcoming Aitu Tribal Council and where the lines are drawn. Cowboy (conf) "....we have Sundra, Candice and Becky, just sitting around (Flica in water) that annoys me they don't even try...." (Candice then shown talking of relaxing) Cowboy (conf) "We will keep winning our challenges I hope but if they don't correct themselves they will be eliminated" (Note that the above confessional was two different times as he was shown in two different settings and did appear choppy in its transition. I would not be surprised if his latter confessional was after they just won this past immunity challenge as at that point they have won two immunity challenges in a row) Treemail arrives and Ozzy expressing: "We're gonna be eating good tonight" Reward Challenge JP is announced with Candice's face focused on as they arrive and after the announcement as she says "Whoa" (two items of interest… the emphasis on Candice for JP and of all people, Ozzy's face was not the FIRST shown much like no reaction shots between Ozzy with JP and Cristina when Cecelia was shown voted out. At the time I felt that the reason for this was because there would be no reason to show Ozzy "commiserating" with reaction to JP and Cecelia if nothing comes of them. With Ozzy and Cristina not exchanging glances over JP's elimination, it again appears that the bonds of Aitu may have officially been disintegrated. What we DO see is Ozzy and Flica exchanging glances which suggests more about Ozzy as an individual of the new Aitu than the group of former Aitus. That being said, my "notion" that Ozzy's security at this Aitu is more than we have potentially seen may have been a result of some assurance he possibly received) Reaction shots of the reward from the group of Aitu (mainly focused on Flica) with Rebecca and Nathan. For what it is worth, despite Flica’s “benign” teasing, it never looks good when the teasing or taunting meets with a loss. Jonathan and Yul Sundra and Candice Ozzy and Jessica with Becky and Cowboy as loaders Nathan and Adam Rebecca and Stephannie Cristina and Brad with Jenny and Pavarti as loaders Adam: "I hope they just pile it up on us cause we are just going to hold it as long as we possibly can" Nathan instructs Parvati with a little wink so they can "get that wine" Nathan featured again as he laughs at Cowboy after he gets more weight placed. Jonathan with a bit of humor "Wait a little more; it's like a bad pun Jeff" Nathan again shown reacting to Jeff's question making it clear he wants this wine. Nathan "Wine tonight" Flica "Whining" Jeff "Oooh" Pavarti "Hard core" Flica kisses at Pavarti and so it continues Pavarti heard saying they are struggling with Brad echoing the sentiment Becky giving words of encouragement to Aitu as Flica struggles a bit Cowboy "Handsome boys, make quite a pair" (Nathan begins singing Ebony and Ivory) Candice encouraging Sundra to hang on with Jonathan doing so as well but to no avail Sundra "I can't" Jeff "Sundra drops her bag, Candice disappointed" Flica "Ooh she's gonna drop it, I see it happening" Cristina "Mind over matter" Brad "She's taunting you" "She's a young one" Flica "Power of the mind is a dangerous place to wander.... The Aitu tribe then loses and Raro congratulates each other. Interesting or not, Pavarti runs and hugs Adam (just an interesting observation considering she has turned up the heat moreso with Nathan; concerted effort to keep this pair in the shadows?) Adam tells the others that they should stick with the three who have been to EI already and again interesting to note is that upon his statement he leans in towards the group but it is clear he is directing his suggestion to Pavarti. Pavarti appears to have quite a bit of power in the Raro tribe that we have been seeing over the past two episodes. Jonathan is selected (and while KOB will elaborate) the music was so distinctive that I even heard it An ominous tone that came and went. I dare say that Jonathan is treated quite well with editing in all areas. Funny how Flica just opened herself up at this challenge. Her “taunts” were by no means on the level of Jamie but it was almost a bit out of character of what we saw thus far with Flica and I question this. Again, good television? Perhaps or perhaps not but considering “mousy” Flica (i.e. the wide eyed playing the game Flica) suddenly is baiting the other tribe has me question whether her time is limited. Cowboy naturally is on borrowed time but it has become such a cycle with him that it is hard to say if this is yet another “red herring” A Little Wine, A Little Octopus A little "of note" that we did not see the celebration with respect to the wine. This may or may not mean anything however. It may very well be nothing of any significance happened to showcase the tribe or an individual that correlates with their story. Judd was shown drunk but that helped to embellish his character, Brian was shown drunk but I felt that was important more to show how he was still discussing business even while intoxicated. Tom was shown drunk but I think that helped to humanize him a bit in an otherwise "super man" aura surrounding him. So, at this time, the lack of showing any drinking and/or party may only be because there was nothing that would reinforce a character's potential for losing and/or winning Raro wakes up with Adam showing them his visitor on his leg. Brad "That's like lunch and dinner" (a needed comment in light of the controversy created; the octopus was "valuable") Cristina shown giving directions on preparing the meal then shown Jenny (conf) "I think Cristina thinks she is a valuable asset because she cooks our food but it's not that hard......" (More instruction shown then the next confessional below is shown but it is a different setting) Jenny "She points to people, can you do this.... " (this is a separate confessional from above as her clothes and setting are different) The confessional then goes back to the first setting where we hear Jenny describe how she told Cristina she was going back up. Cristina calls for help, Brad approaches, Adam goes to "assess the damage" Rebecca "Am I horrible if I ask for her to go next" (Jenny laughs) Cristina advises Brad and Adam that she "can't do it all herself" essentially laying some blame on Jenny. Adam (conf) "....Cristina dropped the bucket.... that really bothered me; I don't know what she was thinking" (in tree, buff on arm, no shirt. - blame layed solely on Cristina despite her blaming Jenny) Adam then tells Jenny (with Pavarti and Rebecca present) that Cristina thought Jenny was with her with Jenny obviously annoyed. The remainder of the first confessional already stated is then said with her citing essentially how dare Cristina blame her. Jenny then shown chopping away next to Rebecca stating you don't need two people... Jenny (voiceover) "Cristina is coming across like the new JP; she better watch herself" (A little potential showdown for Jenny and Cristina; obviously Cristina was causing issue for many of the tribe mates but this battle (Jenny and Cristina) was featured in particular perhaps for a looming Tribal Council?) Dynamics at Aitu A nice big, lone crab shown creeping along..... Flica asks Yul to go fishing who begs off and she then expresses her wish to go to the other island Ozzy(conf) "Thinking about an expedition... we are running out of resources..." Ozzy then asks Candice if she wants to go out Candice "I feel like I haven't gotten anything (when she has gone out) and like there's more stuff that I can do back here" (An inserted shot of Flica shown, her hair is different than when she and Ozzy are broaching the idea) Candice:(conf) "Ozzy, Cowboy and Jessica are setting out on an expedition...it's gonna take a lot of energy to paddle out there... so that's the reason I'm not going. I think the three of them are probably sticking together and trying to grab somebody along with them so....." Cowboy and crew then approach Sundra Sundra "The water is freaking me out" (amusing shot then of the water as clear and calm as could be) Sundra:(conf)"Cowboy, Flica and Ozzy wanted me to come with them but I wasn't trying to do that; being out there hours with them hours alone, that wasn't going to be fun cause I know that they wanna try and prod me more and it gets uncomfortable and I'd rather not be in that position" Yul:(conf) "Right now we have our solid four alliance.... Cowboy and Flica voted with us at the last TC but it's hard to be in any strategic alliance with them because you have no idea what's going to happen on a day to day basis...." (Yul then shown asking for a chat which did not occur in this time segment as suddenly Becky's attire is different) ".....we need a fifth in order to have the numbers; Sundra is someone I think everyone is kind of leaning towards because she seems to not be a manipulative person... (warning note) that if she were to commit she would be dependable.. ...she's kind of out here by herself and seems to be looking for a home" (Warning note on a descriptive like that about a player and let's not forget she still has members of Hiki over at Raro. Interesting to note that Yul was shown discussing Flica and Cowboy and then Sundra as a potential alliance member but whatever he may have said about Ozzy was not reflected. I'm glad to see something more substantial coming from Sundra; at the very least she received a confessional regarding the "game" and more presence. I still do not feel that she would reach end game at this juncture but she is sitting fairly well as a low key member in the stronger alliance with two former tribe mates from the other tribe. I'm also not wholly convinced of the complete solidarity of this alliance either but it should come into play soon. There was really no reason to show any of this as this tribe didn’t visit Tribal Council but the audience is required to know NOW what the tribal makeup consists of apparently leading me to believe we’ll see this come into play soon) Yul "We just want to lock down final five, strong alliance (shot of Becky) we want to find the people who aren't going to waver... Sundra "I'm definitely down.... have you spoke to Ozzy?" (Becky with a quick "no" no love lost there I presume) Yul "Noooo, I mean.. I like you...I think everyone else does too, Ozzy seems like an okay guy, but I don't trust him" Sundra "If we unfortunately have to go to Tribal Council, I'm definitely part of the five of us" Sundra (conf) "My position in the tribe, I don't know, I mean I got people coming to me and telling me they want me in their alliance; of course that feels good. I'm very happy I got over that hurdle of being the outsider and I genuinely feel that I'm a part of this alliance now but who knows that could change five minutes from now, I'll just have to see" (Confessional alternated from her sitting in confessional mode to laying upside down which was a slightly unique visual . Mental note she was wearing a hat with her purple bathing suit) Landing At Raro The three arrive with Ozzy discussing their finds (an intentional third finger salute to the cameras Ozzy and the "this is gold") and the eventual stumbling into Raro's camp with plenty of reaction from everyone. Rebecca "And it's the three that we can't stand" (What interesting dynamics that may end up to be upon any merger) Adam(conf) "All of a sudden, Ozzy, Jessica and Cowboy walk up which was a huge shock (Pavarti shown hugging Cowboy and Cowboy making a concerted effort to pronounce Pavarti's name - for our benefit as well?) I didn't like it at all, I didn't think they should be on our island; this is our turf, our territory...." (more scene shown) "It's kind of primal out here so when the other tribe tries to invade that, I don't like that at all" (I believe this was the same period of confessional we saw from Adam earlier about Cristina which is neither here nor there. Adam has received a notch in the visibility belt but again I see nothing of any depth to it other than the actual events going on around him so I am surmising at this time that while Adam may be able to reunite with Candice and leave shortly thereafter; we may be seeing this escalation in face time in order to at least get to know him somewhat before he leaves) Cowboy then shown chatting about Raro's supplies with visuals of Rebecca and Nathan and then Pavarti Pavarti(conf) "It was like awkward silence... crickets chirping... then Cowboy launches into this huge speech about Chinese symbology..." Stephannie emphasizes the point in her confessional that Cowboy won't stop talking... Cowboy asks to work together to get coconuts with Adam's reply "No, not OUR island; we'll go to your island to work together" Cowboy then asks to beg for spice with Rebecca's emphasized reaction shot complete with a music change with Adam "We worked hard for those spices" (Adam's confessional about the invasion is now shown) A deliberate attempt to make time appear to drag as Cowboy drones on and on much like the scene at Puka where Cowboy's mouth was emphasized; the editors are having a lot of fun with Cowboy in between the day coming to a close and Jenny's yawning. Much like the intent at Puka, this scene was not designed to be favorable for Cowboy and moreso than Flica or Ozzy as there were no actual emphasis on them being annoying or singled out in confessionals by Raro other than Rebecca telling us. As Jeff indicated, Cowboy could be hero or very silly and we are meant to see this caricature. What was also interesting to me was that Jeff didn't even broach the subject of this "invasion" at either the immunity challenge or at Tribal Council with Raro. Yes, this made for "good television" so showing it is not unusual but it had no consequences for this episode. However it established the unpopularity of Ozzy, Cowboy and Flica by the other tribe (notably Cowboy) the random selection of showing Cowboy and Pavarti practicing her name and the knowledge that some prior ties may no longer be there despite starting out together. The two tribes have now entered each other’s space and this may have consequences for one of the three who entered The Exiled One Jonathan "I wasn't shocked that they picked me to go back to EI; I thought it was stupid for them to send me if the idol hasn't been found..." (time passes) "...big sandbox, a million dollar sandbox" (time passes) "I dug for hours.... and there is no idol there. At this point I have to assume the idol's been found otherwise I am a complete moron" What we need to identify here is why Jonathan was shown. We noted that Candice and Adam were not shown and I had mentioned that I felt that regardless if the idol was found, a character being shown on Exile Island is important and even more important if the idol was found already. Danielle (and Austin) and Aras were both shown on EI after Terry found the idol. Jonathan didn't need to be shown. Both Candice and Adam easily may have had confessionals that they could not find the idol anywhere and someone may have found it. Essentially, THAT was all that Jonathan told us; we knew this. The question now is why was Jonathan the one to advise the audience of that piece of the story. We know that later Jonathan makes the comment about the idol but again, I would suspect Jeff probably asks questions to every person who was exiled; whether Jonathan's comment was more appropriate for what comes later is always possible or there may be some correlations with Jonathan and how the idol ultimately plays out The Immunity Challenge Jeff "So Jonathan, spend some time looking for the idol" Jonathan "A lot of time, dug a biiiiiigggg hole" Jeff asks if the clues are at the point where Jonathan would know where it is hidden Jonathan "I think I know where it was.. (shot of Yul with a slight rattle sound) ...but it ain't there now" (another shot of Yul with a tense aura surrounding the frame; however this was clearly manipulated as not 15 seconds later while Jeff was explaining the challenge the same exact camera shot was used to show Yul looking out at the challenge platforms when Jeff explains what they will need to do) Jeff takes back the idol; another reaction shot honed in on Rebecca after it goes back to Jeff and the challenge commences... This was a wonderful challenge; I enjoyed watching it tremendously. Interesting that Sundra lagged behind as noted by Jeff and Pavarti notes Rebecca is "not up" which in turn causes them to fall off (as Rebecca attempts to get up) yet the last shot shown is Stephannie sitting on the small platform alone, Pavarti's glance upward as if in that direction (which of course comes after Nathan's slapping of the water) Celebration ensues for Aitu with a group hug in the water; Jonathan reaches across to rub Yul's head and subtlety at its best as Jeff advises someone is going home with shots on Nathan, Brad and Cristina but only after his words are finished do they show Stephannie with Flica ending the scene splashing the water (of which we know happened after the challenge ended and not while they ended the scene on land ) Rainbows and Raro Another rainbow shown over Raro with the tribe returning. Jenny "Still going that way" (Stephannie, Rebecca, Pavarti, Nathan shown) Rebecca "What way" (the way you wanted to at the beginning Rebecca!) Jenny "Everyone's cool?" Jenny(conf) "We just came back from losing... ...a few of us were around the fire and it was a unanimous agreement to get rid of Cristina today" (this is a continuation of the spliced confessional earlier involving the octopus where we heard Jenny tell us how Cristina tells people what to do) "We're all annoyed by Cristina how she talks a big game but doesn't really perform as well around the camp" (the latter part of this confessional was in voice over and coincides with the earlier confessional how Cristina tells everyone what to do - I did indeed notice that large crawling bug again just prior to the following) Nathan "Are you cool with that move they're calling" (Obviously we needed this scene in order for us to hear her comments about the food but I was more curious as to why Nathan was questioning Stephannie privately if she was okay with the plan to boot Cristina. Did Nathan have someone else in mind to begin with and wanted to hear Stephannie's thoughts on this? Perhaps Jenny was someone that Nathan entertained to go which may also be why there was such heavy emphasis on Jenny with respect to Cristina) Stephannie "What else could it be? It's either me or her" Stephannie then comments tongue in cheek about seeing herself go home for mashed potatoes and gravy Of note again, I'm paying particular attention to dicey confessionals as last week Nathan's confessional about Stephannie was clearly two confessionals put together to appear to be in the same location of him sitting in the water. It appears that part of that confessional was, in fact, from THIS confessional which now makes more sense. We originally heard Nathan discuss how he has a bond with Stephannie then abruptly hear him say if someone wants to go home he isn't keeping them there. That part of the confessional I believe was actually part of THIS week's confessional and makes more sense to the "harshness" of it. This is why I am suspicious of the earlier confessional we see of Cowboy Nathan(conf) "Stephannie said how she just wanted to get mashed potatoes; just kinda like that hint of you know I'm kinda done with the game. I was like damn this girl's done; you know the other day she made that comment that she feels like she is the weakest link; that was just icing for the cake today" The three men shown walking... Nathan "I was just walking with her" Adam "Walking with Stephannie?" Nathan "Yeah... and Jenny had said earlier we're gonna do our plan which is Cristina and I was like whee whee and Stephannie kinda gave me this eye like are you sure and then she's like I can see myself having mashed potatoes later" Brad "She's already mentally checked out" Now Brad and Pavarti talk... Brad "She told Nate that part of me could really use some mashed potatoes tonight" Pavarti "Oh really" (Again Pavarti appears to be that "go to girl" ) Brad "And when someone says that .... they're done" (Pavarti repeats that) Brad "I think Stephannie is mentally checked out" Pavarti "Really?" "I think the other girls decided on (yawns) Brad "Cristina?" (She nods) Pavarti "Um, let me think about it" Brad "Keep it in the back of your mind" Now Pavarti and Stephannie talk... Pavarti "You wanna stay in the game?" "Because people are making comments that you want to go" (tells her about the potatoes comment) Stephannie "It's amazing how one little thing can be taken out of context" Pavarti "...if you slip up and saying something... ...they're gonna use that to their advantage; you have to really watch yourself" Stephannie then has a confessional about keeping her mouth shut and not expecting anyone to turn it into a big deal (as Nathan then shown sharpening his machete) "Yes I’d like to be here but if my efforts working for this tribe doesn’t show I want to be here, I’m not going to beg anyone; I don’t do that” Pavarti, Adam and Rebecca... Pavarti “I just talked to her; she says she still wants to be in the game” Rebecca “She told me earlier today too” Adam “I think Stephannie could be some dead weight in a challenge” Both girls asks if she is weaker than Cristina Adam “I think they’re both pretty bad” Rebecca “Cristina annoys the hell outta me” Adam “She annoys me, everything she does” Rebecca “Me too” Adam “The only reason I’d switch is because Nate said she was talking about getting some mashed potatoes or something like that” Pavarti “No; I don’t think she said that; I don’t think she wants to go, I’m voting my conscious” This above conversation appears to be taken out of sequence but I presume it was kept as the last conversation because of the “voting my conscious” line which would leave the audience wondering and waiting. Pavarti immediately tells Adam she doesn’t believe that Stephannie made that comment to Nate yet we just saw Brad tell Pavarti this and Pavarti tell Stephannie about the comments (note that it sounded plural) The conversation between Adam, Pavarti and Rebecca probably occurred first with Brad then telling Pavarti since Pavarti reacts to his comment with an “Oh really?” and “I'll think about it” Again, her last line of voting her conscious was better footage to show before they went to TC. Another interesting observation is we don’t see Nathan and Pavarti talk yet they have a close relationship. This has happened twice or so it appears. Nathan voted for Stephannie and not JP and this week Pavarti is shown talking to Brad and Adam but not Nathan. However, I am suspicious that they are just not showing them talking. This may actually be good for any alliance they may have. Another note is for all of the hoopla surrounding Cristina we heard nary a word from her except in conversation; no confessional whatsoever involving her thoughts or feelings. With the octopus fiasco that directly involved her, she was never shown to us discussing what happened yet we saw much of Jenny in that aspect. One final observation is we saw a bevy of activity discussing Stephannie but only Jenny was missing from all this talk. Frankly, I would not be surprised if Jenny were to leave prior to Cristina since we saw such a big push with Jenny and really nothing coming from Cristina even though it is evident she seems to be in immediate danger Tribal Council Jeff mentions at challenges they are not doing good Adam “We are improving though, our communication (Stephannie) is getting better, you know we were dominating today… (Cristina nods) …but I am proud of us and we’ll be alright, don’t worry about us.” (My music experts certainly will describe that cymbal type sound heard immediately after this comment) Jeff asks Brad who he gets along with best in the group (the camera, however, is on Pavarti during the question) Brad “I get along pretty much with everybody; I wish I could say I don’t get along with this person or this person rubs me the wrong way (Rebecca) that’s not the case, that really is not the case (Nathan) cause I get along pretty much with everyone evenly” Jeff asks Stephannie where she fits in the group Stephannie “I really haven’t formed any close knit bonds with anyone (Rebecca) but I get along with everyone (Cristina) I bring that nice presence and when I’m needed I’m there and when I’m not needed I’m not there; it’s just that simple” Jeff asks Nate about the harmony with JP gone and a new bossy person (Jenny shown) Nathan “I think the tribe can feel that sometimes Cristina can be a little overpowering… …it’s kind of her attitude… and being told what to do (Rebecca) sometimes rubs people the wrong way” Jeff tells Cristina about the big batch of brutal honesty (leading me to believe it wasn’t just Nathan who spoke about her and, in fact, the TC was very awkward; I imagine Cristina may have gotten an earful) Cristina “I never realized I was like that (Jenny with raised brow and Adam smiling) ….usually around police officers; I didn’t mean to offend anyone (Jenny)… glad you told me and I can take care of that” Jeff asks Adam if the tribe has been honest with each other Adam “I think we’re honest (Cristina with a small smile) I thought Cristina knew she was kinda like that way (Cristina shaking her head smiling) it’s just her personality and it can be a little nerve wracking sometimes” (Pavarti shown looking slightly uncomfortable) Jeff asks Rebecca if the tribe should be more candid with each other (Stephannie is shown) Rebecca “Honestly I’ll know better after tonight cause this is the most honest thing that came out of Council and when we go back to camp, I’ll see how it goes” (Jenny nodding) Jeff] discusses the idol and states if someone has the HII and you need to play it you will play it (whole tribe is shown) after the vote (Rebecca, Adam, Pavarti shown) you would then be safe (Cristina) and the person with the next highest number of votes would go home (Stephannie) The votes are done (with a skull shown following Pavarti’s vote) and Stephannie is voted out (and noted quite a number of visuals of Pavarti throughout the reading of the vote which is the second time I have noticed this with Pavarti) Nathan shown putting his head in his hands somewhat contradictory to his edited push to vote her out. Jeff “Maybe tonight will change things (Cristina – foreshadowing?) point this tribe in a new direction… we’ll see… (shot remained on Cristina; perhaps Cristina will get new direction?) Looking forward to everyone's insights   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-14-06, 12:36 PM (EST) 103. "EP 5 EEK!! The Centipede is BACK!!" Great great analysis VS Very interesting about Jenny v. Cristina. I haven't thought her editing shows that Jenny has potential to go far in the game but could not really express the reasons for it. I think you have for me. Well lots of animals again. What I'm really thinking now is that the animals really do not signify one person, per se, but rather symbolize something going on in the game. Whales signify something BIG is going to happen next. Sort of like the rainbow--did you notice that the rainbow was over Raro right before Stephanie's arc/story was completed--like in Ep 4 with rainbow before Aitu little boobie scene...could CB's arc be finished at the next TC--From the preview shown after Ep 5 we see that next week both tribes will be at TC. Both Steph and CB are Survivors that the editors wanted/want us to care about..hence the nice rainbow as a nice goodbye? I'll be keeping my eye out for more rainbows and see if "nicer" survivors' stories end then. The first animal shown was a brown stork like bird at the sea shore shown right before we go to Raro after they've finished the wine and most of the tribe is shown sleeping. I too think that nothing exciting happened (that warranted showing) during the wine drinking. Brown stork is pretty ordinary and that's what this scene was until the..... OCTOPUS showed up on Adam's leg. Octopus is the meat of choice this season it appears and I don't see it having any significance other than that. Then another HUGE Hermit crab is shown before Aitu when CFO ask others, the first being YUL whether they wanted to go to the other island. The Hermit crab hides so it could be shown when people want to stay within themselves and their safety nets. Both Candice and Sundra begged off (and not that eloquently) from the expedition. Yul said he wanted to catch a chicken instead. We then see Becky and Yul call Sundra over (and I noticed too that this scene was heavily edited) I found Yul very evasive when Sundra asked about Ozzy. Becky just said NO (she has no problem lying) Yul didn't really want to say no but did after Becky did and then needed to add an "explanation" of how he can't trust him. I too think Yul/Becky and probably Jon have secretly brought Ozzy into their fold. Yul just wants to have another person on board so another Becky vote does not come up..he wants to hold onto that HI. Note: I watched the Innertube Flicka interview and she said her teasing at RC was all an act like she does in Roller Derby where you have to be bold and in your face to your opponents. She said she hoped nobody took it for anything moret than that.. you then see a Cristina interview and she talks about how immature Flicka was during the RC. On the show they did not show Flicka explaining that nor Cristina's interview about it...all we saw was that Rebecca told us that CFO were the 3 they can't stand. Not a good sign imo for Flicka. She could have come across much more likable if they showed this conf. during the ep. The next animals we see are a bunch of birds flying above the water and then we see CFO on the boat paddling. These 3 seem to be the most free spirited at least C & F are hence the flying birds vs. the hermit crabs left on Aitu? Ag I think you may be right about that white bird...it showed up on Raro right before we saw Ozzy find the antiseptic plant. I have watched the intro scene again and I think that white bird is def. a good sign for Ozzy. I too noticed the "salute" Ozzy gave the camera too and read over in Bashers that the only other person to do that was Brian the winner of S5. The other animal we see is a small lizard crawling up a tree right before CFO walk in on Raro at the fire. We then see a bird flying overhead and see Jon on EI. I see Jon more as a free spirit with hermit crab tendencies. He has a great edit and the editors are showing him as a very likable and smart/witty character. He noticed Jeff's Wait/weight pun where probably everyone else just doesn't think like that. I just question whether his blabbing to everyone about the HI was his best strategy. He may have gone to Yul privately and gotten something out of it. Def. he will be involved in use of it now. Yul will have to tell him to shut him up. After the IC, we go back to Raro for Pre-TC and we see our old friend the CENTIPEDE return. I thought that this rep. Ozzy but what I think it really represents are twists/changes in strategy in the game--we always see that thing weaving and twisting. It was shown before Cece's TC when C/F turned and went with Y/B/J. This time it is shown right before Steph makes her mashed potatoes comment of death...before that the boot was Cristina (or possibly Jenny was Nate's idea of boot candidate) and everyone was on board but the end vote was 7-1. We next see another brown stork jumping/hopping at the sea shore...the first brown stark was just walking. Right after we see Brad telling Parv about the mashed potatoes comment. An ordinary player (Brad) hopping about a change in game? The last animal shown in Ep 5 is again THE CENTIPEDE crawling/twisting through the eyehole of a SKULL (death) as Raro walks into TC. Immediately after we see Rebecca and Parvati (interestingly not JENNY)...2 people who seemed to have been voting for Cristina even up to Parv's vote her conscience comment right before TC but end up TWISTING their vote to boot Steph (death). So I'll be looking out for that centipede and see if something different happens than what we have been told/shown may happen. I love that CENTIPEDE!!   Top

Outfrontgirl 6830 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-21-06, 04:23 PM (EST) 109. "RE: EP 5 EEK!! The Centipede is BACK!!" I hate centipeded! But then, these things are actually in my yard and every so often try to come in the house! Just FYI, centipedes are nocturnal, that's when they go out and hunt. As you probably figured out all the centipede shots were set up. I have never seen one just climbing a blade of grass for fun. They do climb, but into places where they hide out or hunt ... they move super fast on the ground, so again that shot you see was totally controlled by the camera people and not something they just happened to capture as they roamed the island. They probably had it encircled so it had nowhere to go.   Top

VolcanicGlass 428 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Daytime Soap Guest Star" 10-14-06, 01:26 PM (EST) 104. "RE: Episode 5 Thoughts" VS, as always, what a treat. I was especially curious this week to read your thoughts on the Aitutaki invasion of Rarotonga. You wrote: What was also interesting to me was that Jeff didn't even broach the subject of this "invasion" at either the immunity challenge or at Tribal Council with Raro. Yes, this made for "good television" so showing it is not unusual but it had no consequences for this episode. Whether the invasion was brought up at all at RC, or whether Probst even knew of it, its ommission at the RC debriefing was noteworthy. It is significant that so much time was spent on the invasion itself, as well as Rarotonga's reaction to Cao Boi. We were treated to the reaction of several Rarotonga members to Cao Boi's personality. Since it didn't factor into this episode, the question becomes what part does it play in the building blocks of the overall story?   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-14-06, 02:45 PM (EST) 105. "RE: Episode 5 Thoughts" Since it didn't factor into this episode, the question becomes what part does it play in the building blocks of the overall story? Well, the biggest thing that it did for me was enlightened me as to the feelings of the Raro tribe for their "least favorites", as reported by Rebecca. We touched on this conversation in the misdirection thread this week and I want to touch on it here as well. Jiffy in his pre-game interviews said that when we watch this series we may start out rooting for our own ethnic group favorites, but in no time we would be rooting for the underdog. Clearly, Ozzy epitomizes the underdog in and regardless of the editing. His tribe has been eliminated almost completely. He finds himself the sole original Aitu on his nu Aitu tribe. He bonded with the misfits over there and voiced that he just didn't want to play the game any more after Cece was booted. VS and friends have noted that something drastic in his demeanor changed from his reaction to Cece being eliminated and the rest of the episode. He went from despair to upbeat super-tribemate in and out of the challenges. Most likely he was approached by someone else on the tribe regarding an alliance... While BR speculated that perhaps he was just encouraged by the power 5(someone may have thrown him a bone), but I really suspect that he has found someone to watch his back over there. I just do not see him with all the editing pointing out that the power 5 in Aitu just can not "trust him", and then the other tribe confessing their distaste for those three especially. Clearly, the editing has him isolated, and how can he reach end game like this? The more I ponder this delimma the more convinced I am that he indeed has a binding alliance with one or more of the power five over in nuAitu and at this point I suspect it could be Jonathan, or perhaps even Jonathan and Yul. What I want to know is why can't they trust him, is it because he is kicking A$$ in the challenges and could be a big threat later, or is it that they see that he is a crafty player? We all saw in the last episode how no one wanted to go with Ozzy, Yul, or Flicka to explore the other island. No one in the power 5 wants to be seen with the "others". Did Yul really want to bring in another member to their alliance to ditch Cowboy and Flicka and thus choose Sundra because she was all alone and "he liked her"??? Is this a decoy to fool some others in the power 5 alliance? I believe that this original alliance, the one that we are seeing, Yul, Becky, Candice, Jonathan, Sundra is already fractured. Even if Ozzy goes on an incredible immunity run in the individual part of the game, at some point he will lose and if someone doesn't have his back, how could he make it to end game. I theorize that someone already may have his back...the question is who? I also speculate that Jonathan may be the one on nuAitu that could have approached Ozzy. Jonathan seems like a very bright guy, and knows that survivor is like a chess game. It's good to have multiple OPTIONS....perhaps Ozzy even approached him. Clearly Ozzy can be seen as an asset, someone to get you to the end. Jonathan must know that Flicka is someone that he can not count on, and I'm sure he has questions regarding the alliance of Yul/Becky, knowing that their first priority is to EACH OTHER...Also, with all this animosity toward Ozzy, might Jonathan suspect that he could make a good F2 foil? Perhaps if Ozzy/Jonathan got to the merge, they could reconnect with Parv/Adam/Nate. This is all wild speculation, I realize. Food for thought. All of this stemmed from the underdog edit of Ozzy, the wonder-survivor! Jiffy also noted in his pre-game interviews that something would happen midgame that would change the game in a beautiful way....???   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-14-06, 05:27 PM (EST) 106. "RE: Episode 5 Thoughts" Thanks for starting a party Veruca! I enjoyed your post very much. I took good note of your comments on Parvati and Ozzy. With VG and FP's good arguments, I hope to add to what could be the story of the season. Emy, your centipede being the signal of a twist was right on, I think! Eeck! but brilliant! Each season has a theme and leave it to Veruca to tell us that. I usually find small themes to each episode. What was revealed in this episode? What did the editors plan on telling us this week? When an episode starts with comparing armpits, I know I’m in trouble. I only saw disjointed scenes until I looked at one scene again. It gave me the following: Aitu’s population is suffering from depleted resources. Many revolutions and wars started for that reason. Ozzy tried to summon an army. Enlistment was very weak but soon an expedition was formed. To the exploits of Magellan and Cook, to the glory of the Spanish Invincible Armada and Britain’s Royal Navy we now must add: Aitu’s canoe! Insignificant, you snicker. Not so, because it showed we are in a Turf War Rivalries are building up, challenges are closely disputed, territories are defended and alliances are being solidified. The little victories and the hardships are what may keep the fight going after the merge. We now can see that the social experiment is in play. What could be a battle of races could be Raro vs Aitu instead. In this war, we have Planners, Warriors, simple Soldiers, civilian Victims and a Spy. Are there double agents or sleepers? The Planners: The Aitu alliance: If we get two double boots, they could be one immunity win away from a 6-4 majority at the magic number of 10. Will the merge happen then? Jonathan didn’t have much of a chance to interact with his allies this week but we did see his efforts on Exile Island. (As soon as “Exile Island” appeared on the bottom of the screen I thought “Veruca will remind us it means he is a long term player!”) Deciding to show his exchange with Jeff on the whereabouts of the idol opens up nice storylines. Did he put his ally in danger? Did he endanger himself? We saw him addressing his remarks to Raro. The three last exiles have been decided by OldRaros: Adam and Parvati first saving Candice then Jonathan weakening Adam who quickly retaliated. Could it have been a plan to get the idol in OldRaro’s hands? Jonathan’s remark would be the signal to stop sending one of their own to Exile Island. If this general in Aitu’s army plans to deal with both sides, we will be seeing that centipede often. Yul had a disappointing performance in the IC and we weren’t shown much of his efforts prior to dropping the bags. It made him look weaker than it would have, had we seen grimaces and pain. Nevertheless, he was quick to profit from the occasion afforded by the quest for new territories. He build up his troops adding Sundra who makes a more stable ally. (I guess he doesn’t want to be like Aras!) The offer was well presented as it jumps her several spots in the hierarchy. His choice was based on thinking that Sundra could be trusted. Yul is too trusting! On the positive side, having Sundra on their side gives the alliance more possibilities, as she is their only conduit to OldHiki. Becky has practically secured a position in the F6. Is it that security that afforded her relaxation time to Cao Boi’s annoyance? Players always mention that there is a lot of boring times with nothing to do. The editors don’t show too many of those times unless it is to make someone look bad. It was Aitu’s opening sequence and it wasn’t very flattering for her image although she wasn’t shown alone.This season, three players have been sent home with laziness serving as excuse. It could serve to explain a jury vote against her. Since there were three girls, it did show us the first bonding with Sundra and introduced the following alliance talks. Becky seems very calculating and is in a position to decide most boots in Aitu. We are given reasons why some players don’t appreciate her. The editors aren’t doing anything to make her popular with the audience. The Warriors: The Raro alliance: Rarotonga is one player down and the double boot won’t enable them to recover immediately. One more loss in an Immunity challenge and they should forget about having the majority at merge. Parvati was the one chosen to tell us how great the change is and how funny she finds it that the guys are working now that JP isn’t there to influence them. She has dropped the flirting strategy and is becoming central to all the tribe’s discussions. Both boots have served her game well, yet she cannot be blamed for neither. We’ve been conditioned to see hesitations as signs of weakness but all she’s done is ask to have time to think about it. As long as it doesn’t threaten the person talking to her but is done for the good of the tribe, taking time to decide has been accepted. We weren’t shown any reprimand from the women or Nathan. On the contrary, she’s been shown in private talks with almost everyone. The men on one side, Rebecca and Jenny on the other; Parvati could be writing up the orders. Nathan told us, “those women are so tight…they think they can run the world…but they need us.” This adds to the feeling a woman wins this season. His role was very important. He won the reward challenge along with Adam after we heard him strategize and wink at Parvati while laughing at Aitu. He started the talks of booting Stephannie. He got the two other men to go along and then let the idea spread. The reason all 7 voted to boot Stephannie despite talks to let Cristina go wasn’t shown but it had to be Nathan telling Parvati and Rebecca not to go against him this time. Adam was finally given some recognition. He says he wants all the weight to be piled up because they can take it. He was the provider and he got angry at Cristina for losing some of his catch. He was chosen to express his disapproval of the Aitus for invading his territory. He was also the man Parvati and Rebecca sought to get the men to change their mind. Those scenes, along with him telling Jeff that Jonathan was to return to Exile Island, could suggest that Adam decides for Raro. We’ve known Adam for the last 14 days so we can see it isn’t his role. He may stand as the flag bearer but not the idea bearer. If someone needs a majority at merge, it is him. Incoming! The Spy: Ozzy His role is so central to the season that he stands alone in this category. His bad boy image was seen in the recap, in case we’d forgotten. The expedition was his idea and he led his rag-tag alliance to “stumble” on the beaches of Raro. It certainly wasn’t D-day but it did give him a chance to meet everyone he didn’t know. We saw nothing of his interactions. Did this wise kid stay quiet all along? Cao Boy monopolized the peace talks. Was it a smoke screen? Could Ozzy have noticed weaknesses in the opposing tribe and reported back to his hidden ally in the alliance? Did he make secret deals instead? Which side is this spy playing? The Soldiers: On the Fringe Candice seems well placed in the powerful Aitu alliance but she is refusing to play. To Ozzy’s enlistment offer, she decides to stay at home. Getting to know the other side could've been a good thing. She knows how important another vote is but she differs alliance talks with Sundra to Yul. It could give him and Becky an inside edge if it comes down to that 5. (I know, it won’t, but she doesn’t know it!) Her closeness to the ennemy in Raro will cast suspicion on her and may put her out of the game. She could be a Sleeper. Either that or she puts us to sleep. Rebecca wasn’t the strongest woman this week in the challenge and didn’t put much resistance to save her friend this time. She was first to suggest booting Cristina, asking Jenny, “am I horrible if I ask for her to go next?” She played it safely and smartly because defending Stephannie would have made her stick out too much. She was forced to sacrifice an ally and there aren’t too many out there. She doesn’t seem to have a strong bond with Nathan and may depend on Parvati to link with the guys of the tribe. Sundra decided on which side she wants to enlist in. It probably wasn’t the first time she was courted by both sides because her lame excuse of being freaked out by the calm waters was revealed to be a way to avoid hours of proding. When she expressed her views on the game, being happy to have cleared the hurdle of being an outsider and feeling comfortable in the alliance, she was in a perfect confessional setting. Why did they show her with her head upside down? Were the editors telling us she plans on flipping the game upside down? I don’t know, but it almost made me dizzy! Jenny was given a role last week and doesn’t want to relinquish it. She’s the one chosen to express her feelings regarding the bossy ones. In fact, this seems to be her only mission, her only story. That is a sign she isn’t secure in her alliance or long for the game. She probably was Nathan’s target when he talked to Stephannie. If Nathan has his sights set on her, we should watch her too. Brad is reverting to his anonymity. He gives the alliance his vote but he doesn’t seem preoccupied by who goes. For now, his purpose has been served but someone else is deciding. He just fires his gun in the direction he is told. That will turn against him. The Civilian Victims: On the Outside Cristina may have felt too comfortable after JP’s removal. That security made her forget what motivated the boots of her original companions. Saying she didn’t realize how her actions affected others shows she isn’t in touch with her tribe mates. She would need to do some damage control but she seems more intent on having a confrontation. Flicka and Cao Boi were members of the Aitu expedition but they probably thought it was only to be a nice boat ride. They both are having fun, enjoying their camping trip and organized activities. Flicka went to her roller derby habits of taunting the opponents. It might be for entertainment there but they don’t play for a million dollars. Her “whining” comment made everyone laugh but they took note for sure. Cao Boi had peace talks with Raro and we were shown him first with Parvati. Is he a sleeper sent from Vietnam long ago to cause havoc in these two tribes? Nah! He’s just Cao Boi! That scene with the clouds moving on fast forward to underline his annoying talks made me laugh! If the editing is a way to make the general public react to certain players and hope to get them hooked on following their story, Yul, Parvati and Ozzy have surged well ahead of everyone on the CBS site. Besides Sundra (whose new alliance could make her the last Hiki standing), those are the three chosen to tell us about the repercussion of the racial division on day 1. Becky and Jonathan seem like the only 2 with a chance to challenge those 3. And some say that what you see is exactly what there was to see and nothing more!   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 10-16-06, 01:00 PM (EST) 107. "RE: Episode 5 Thoughts" LAST EDITED ON 10-16-06 AT 01:02 PM (EST) Sort of like the rainbow--did you notice that the rainbow was over Raro right before Stephanie's arc/story was completed--like in Ep 4 with rainbow before Aitu little boobie scene...could CB's arc be finished at the next TC emdyi, wonderful analysis of the animals. I thought of you also immediately with the rainbow. I certainly do remember the “rainbow scene” before the bird scene involving Ozzy, Jonathan, Flica and Cowboy. Immediately after this rainbow, we were shown the Raro tribe returning from the challenge with Jenny, Rebecca, Pavarti, Stephannie and Nathan shown where Jenny firmed up the boot for the night. The significance of these rainbows could certainly symbolize the ending of an arc but again, I’m having trouble with Cowboy being this never ending “red herring” I won’t repeat my thoughts on the Aitu dynamics and how I feel the wind (bad wind?) is blowing but something is “off” with Cowboy and I’m more inclined to think we have another red herring with him. The centipede is certainly a very distinctive creature this season and I love your idea that it may signify turning points in the game. I will be on the lookout for that the next time it is shown to us. It is significant that so much time was spent on the invasion itself, as well as Rarotonga's reaction to Cao Boi. We were treated to the reaction of several Rarotonga members to Cao Boi's personality. Since it didn't factor into this episode, the question becomes what part does it play in the building blocks of the overall story? VG the feeling is mutual and so glad to see you in our extremely lengthy thread With respect to your post with reference to Cowboy's invasion (and for what it IS worth, this WAS Cowboy's invasion and it was meant to be edited this way with the ridiculous amount of coverage shown about Cowboy) it was a random scene that bore no relevance to this episode nor was it even worth a mention by Jeff which naturally I called into question as you did. I liked the terminology you used with "building blocks" because the inordinate amount of time spent on this with no imediate “payoff” for that episode would have to be relevant past this episode (I believe) I indicated earlier that with Cowboy, his edit of "demise" constantly feels like a "red herring" but the interaction during this scene that took up quite a bit of time with no outcome certainly indicates to me that Cowboy should be part of what is to come involving both tribes. Obviously only an opinion on my part but why show this otherwise. Quite frankly, if not for the sensible portion of my brain (which at times, I question the size of same), I would dare go out on a limb and question Cowboy’s relevance in this game beyond the over hyping of his character. He is one of the most unique contestants I have watched in all these seasons and quite the anomaly to me. In other words, I don’t necessarily believe that anyone should write Cowboy off as potentially not being significant to this season although, again, with some other portions of his edit, I found myself arguing with myself in that regard Is this the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning? FP, absolutely on the surface it clearly established the unpopularity of these three individuals which was quite apparent as discussed with Cowboy being the main focus of it. Stephannie’s confessional, Pavarti’s confessional, Jenny’s yawn, Cowboy asking for items were an inordinate amount of time spent on Cowboy. If not for Rebecca’s sentence, I would have presumed only Cowboy to be a thorn in their side and that is certainly suspicious. Why no confessional about how they (Raro) was annoyed by Flica being there especially after the teasing she did at the RC? They featured that quite prominently. Why no expansion on WHY “they” dislike Ozzy? Why spend a ridiculous portion of time (even 10 seconds in the scheme of things is long) showing Cowboy attempting Pavarti’s name? I am interested also in what you stated that Jeff indicated something happens to change the game “in a beautiful way” Although I don’t want any elaboration (if there is any) it would be interesting to see if the premise I had entertained that Yul saves someone (I mentioned Becky) with the idol is perhaps what he indicates. michel - I always enjoy reading your weekly summations of your “mini themes” as they are equally important in the scope of the outcome. Rivalries are indeed building which begs the question how relevant are the four original tribes to the outcome? We may not know until the merge although I’m inclined (again)to believe that some prior relationships briefly touched upon (i.e. Rebecca and Sundra, Candice and Adam, perhaps Cristina’s mistrust of Ozzy) need to have some closure of sorts. Ozzy is certainly an interesting character, I agree and I tend to think as everyone else does that he will certainly be a prominent part of this season as is Jonathan in my opinion (yes, the Exile Island “tag” certainly had my pen and paper ready) Again, the aura surrounding the idol this time is quite prevalent to me and I won’t rehash why but it was even more solidified when they showed Yul’s “reaction” to Jonathan’s discussion at the challenge. Yul’s expression/camera moment (along the music) was the exact expression/camera moment he had when Jeff discussed the challenge; we are left then to believe that there is a “cliffhanger” awaiting all this when, in fact, Yul probably did not even have that reaction (the beauty of editing eh?) And some say that what you see is exactly what there was to see and nothing more! michel, if only that were true lol   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 10-20-06, 10:52 PM (EST) 108. "RE: Episode 6 Thoughts" Fun episode and I think I may start our new thread shortly if anyone would like to join in on the fun. I'm always a fan of physical challenges and I will personally miss Cowboy's antics on our screen. michel, a special note to you my dear. I was told you utilized some of my observations for your SOTS and I so appreciate your "vote of confidence" in me although a) forehead could have told you that weekly boots are not my forte; only long/short term editing so never go by me for a boot selection. Jenny I found short term; I suppose even the potential discussion of her demise looked promising for my observations and b) you certainly should be using your own observations as they are very astute! Hindsight being 20/20; this is why reactionary shots ARE important. You will recall when Cecelia and JP were voted out there were never any exchange of glances between Ozzy and his former members which is significant because it identified that the Aitu relationship essentially was severed. Much different than the reaction shot shown on Sundra when Stephannie was announced to be voted out; this has impact; it kept her identified with her former tribe. Now we did not see any "exchange" by her with Nathan or Rebecca but we still do have the relationship of Sundra and Rebecca that had been identified in the first episode. Relationships can be identified even through visuals. No relationship between JP/Cristina and Ozzy were shown to signal there was a history with them therefore no future. Recap The big crab walking... (emydi take notes!) Knowing they were outnumbered the men at Raro got to work Pavarti: "I definitely think they are trying to prove themselves to the women so the women don't overthrow the guys, I love it" At RC Nate and Adam unstoppable and Jonathan to EI where he came to a realization Jonathan: " ....have to assume the idol's been found" At Raro, Cristina testing tribes patience Jenny: "We're all annoyed by Cristina...." At the IC, Raro fell short (Flica's splash of victory) After the challenge, the tribe was united in who was next to go.... (Rebecca shown firming the selection) but Stephannie's talk of home made the tribe wonder if her head was in the game. At TC, Cristina learned she was on shaky ground (replay of Adam's talk with Jenny smiling) In the end it was Stephannie who was sent home (Nathan reaction shot) Strange that Jeff's voice over said 14 were left! (A little editing gaff?) Tribal Council Aftermath Pavarti "It was a rough TC" Rebecca "Yeah" Rebecca (conf) "When we came back from Tribal there was a lot of tension, I knew there would be and I knew Cristina was offended..... it wasn't intended, it didn't mean to come out ....(shot of Adam/Jenny sitting by the fire) unfortunately she got her feelings hurt" I won't expand too much on this scene since Cristina has been eliminated but we could see that Adam has certainly been given more of a voice this episode and during the tirade with Cristina by the fire the focus was mostly on Adam as the main naysayer of Cristina's behavior. However, Jenny was sitting right next to Adam and the shots of Adam made sure to include Jenny. Pavarti and Rebecca were both given "reactionary" shots. Brad (conf) "I heard Adam... ...thought that was a little bit of a low blow; she's used to being in control... ....and it's really showing" More post TC fall out and we are met with Cristina's confessional that did shed some sympathetic light on her; however, the elimination of Cristina was more or less justified regardless that Adam did not come off as a very positive character. Brad who was sympathetic to Adam's "low blow" still stated Cristina's characteristics were lending to the problems and later her personality was also brought up by Nathan. However this does not take away from the fact that Adam's edit did not come out of this unscathed; couple this with the old Raro dynamics and his "attitude" there, Adam should not go the distance. We established that he needed to meet up again with Candice (which appeared to be written in stone with the TC tonight) and thereafter he can leave. King Neptune Ozzy shown fishing to his heart's content with Jonathan who was exuberant over Ozzy's haul. I still maintain that Ozzy's demeanor had changed dramatically in the one episode where I questioned whether he received some degree of assurance from someone for now and I still think this may be the case. as I explain later This scene in reality was only important in what Jonathan had to say about Ozzy; the scene itself meant nothing. We are now being firmly shown where Ozzy potentially stands; Jonathan being the narrator is important to listen to as most narrators ARE actually telling us what is going on. The narrator themselves may not see end game but more times than not, the narrator is correct in their summations Ozzy (conf) ".....so I can catch 10 fish easily in an hour or so" Jonathan (conf) "....the kid is like an otter or something; he's a great fisherman and he's proven that time again. We need his strength for the group to move forward but as an individual threat he's the biggest threat. Certainly if the merge were to happen today I wouldn't want him around because Ozzy as an individual is a very very strong player" (This is a great confessional for Ozzy who we already felt had longevity. Characters talked about especially in terms of the game which would create a doubt by the viewer is actually a positive for that person. Recall Danielle and Courtney discussing Aras could win the game, discussion about Tom in Palau, etc. The irony is that quite a few players that are obviously identified as a threat and should realistically be eliminated never are when the opportunity presents itself) Flica and Yul retrieve treemail in which transitioned to talk of bringing the idol to the challenge. Cowboy "I believe we should bring it" Jonathan "I'd prefer not to have it" Cowboy then showing confessing how he would like to bring it with them at all times Jonathan "It means something else to me, it means when we bring it to a RC, we are sticking it in their face" Cowboy "Uh, I don't look at it that way" Jonathan "I know that you don't and I respect that but since we're a team let's at least..." Cowboy "Have it your way! I don't need to argue, the hell with it" (Jonathan's confessional shown) Jonathan "You understand where I'm coming from... or where most of us are coming from?" (It was a bit funny to see when he said this, everyone shown minding their business, doing some nonsensical "job" although Sundra was still standing next to Jonathan) Cowboy "....that's fair, that's the American way" (Yul's confessional shown) Jonathan (conf) "Cowboy is rubbing some people the wrong way.... nobody really spoke up but me..." (This confessional is also shown later when he discusses voting Cowboy off so he must have recounted the earlier events of the day along with what would happen at the TC) Yul (conf) "Cowboy, he's gone through a lot of things in life... at the same time he's very hard headed... he's just an unpredictable guy" (The tribe shown walking to the challenge with a former shot of the idol staying at camp) During the entire scene, various reaction shots of the tribe, Sundra shown quite a few times. Becky, oddly enough, was never shown once as a placed reaction. She was originally on a tribe with Cowboy, wasn't too fond of him also; interesting that we never saw a placed reaction shot from her; she was rather insignificant during this entire scene and while I do believe Becky "has legs" in light of her underlying "plotting" as well as sitting in an alliance that for now is a majority, something strikes me as "off" that Becky was not even worthy of a reaction in what was a scene that helped forecast someone's demise The Challenge Jeff "Aitu getting it's first look (Sundra and Jonathan) at the Raro tribe. Stephannie voted out at the last TC" (Sundra reaction shot looking concerned) Jeff explains the challenge, various visuals of many of the contestants with Jenny featured at his stating they would be feasting at TC and Yul when Jeff indicates both tribes voting someone out. Jeff "You'll then move to the jury section (Jonathan shown - prophetic?)..." Cowboy chosen to sit out mainly heard by Ozzy's discussion. Candice, Ozzy and Sundra chosen as post holders Cristina, Nathan and Jenny chosen as post holders Candice shown to be quite the fighter as noted by Jeff quite a few times Jeff "Becca yanking on Candice" "Getting very physical between Candice and Rebecca" "Candice now on top of Rebecca" "Pavarti can't pull them both" "Candice takes Pavarti down" "Candice is across, finally" Jeff "Jonathan and Yul taking on Nate" "...he is not making it easy" "Nate doing a great job fighting off two guys" "Nate making Jonathan and Yul really work" Jeff "Ozzy fighting them off as hard as he can; he's outweighed by a lot" "Adam, Ozzy and Brad worn out" Jeff "Becky showing some life!" The challenge ends and we see Yul helping Becky up then helping Flica up; Ozzy shown with scratches on his neck, Cristina rubbing her neck, Candice and Sundra exhausted with arms around each other. Jeff "Aitu will go to TC first (Cowboy) and vote somebody out (Jonathan/Candice) you will then enjoy your feast (Sundra) listening in on Raro's TC where Raro will vote somebody out (Jenny) In addition there will be one more surprise (Jonathan) with Candice featured as the last player shown. Rainbows at Aitu An inordinate amount of rainbows featured thus far, I believe this is the third one already which preceded the Boobie scene, the Raro losing challenge scene and now post Aitu victory. Discussion about the challenge on the walk "home" with Ozzy "Yeah, those guys kicked my #####" Sundra (conf) "I was so proud of the tribe today... oh my God we (Sundra/Candice shown very compatible with each other) we just worked together so beautifully; it was a physical challenge and we came together and we did it!" (This confessional came later at some point as she was wearing a different outfit than what she had on at the challenge. Interesting confessional with respect to the thematic approach of the tribes initially separated by races whereupon we heard earlier from Sundra that this is a human effort and now reinforced that they came together. I believe that this is what Mr. Burnett is striving to achieve this season) Ozzy "It came down to the girls, you guys were way more physical then them" (Another perhaps interesting insertion about the women again) Flica "I never wrestled a cop before" (Cheers for Flica) Flica (conf) "Cristina.... ....she started pulling my hair and ripping my clothes off and I thought that was a little uncalled for" (amidst of bunch of "you knows") "It was a great day but it was very hard to come back and know somebody will be going home though" Jonathan "Not used to getting their ##### kicked" "Guys we earned the feast" (Ozzy shown whoo hooing, Yul smiling. We see them happy and satisfied in the water) Plan Voodoo We see Ozzy and Candice by the fire with the tent nearby. Cowboy proceeds to tell Yul about his dream (also described in his confessional) Cowboy "I realized we got six votes and what if he has the idol?" (Jonathan) "We put three votes on each of them" (Yul's confessional shown) "At least we weaken the number one way or another" Yul "That's very interesting" Yul (conf) "Cowboy believes that Jonathan has the HII so Plan Voodoo would split our votes between Jonathan and Candice (Jonathan shown, Candice shown drinking with Flica stretching) forcing a 3-3 tie and if Jonathan has the HII it would force it to be played and so that way you accomplish two goals; one get the HII out of Jonathan's hands and two, you get one of those two people to go home... neither Jon or Candice have the idol, I have it but it's a great plan to break down Jonathan's alliance with members of their original white tribe" Cowboy "This is a good plan to take one of the strong players out" Briefly, I would not be entirely surprised if this type of plan is implemented. If you recall from the first episode, Yul, in describing Cowboy, mentioned that he did have "nuggets" of useful information. While we may not see this plan carried out to the exact degree of Cowboy's suggestion, there is a certain aura of foreshadowing that may commence in knocking down the numbers of the original majority tribe (Raro) and considering the again relationship noted between Candice and Adam that needs to be tied back together, it would be of no surprise if Adam is not a casualty; Jonathan I'm still wary about. I harbored some misgivings over Jonathan's making it to the end in light of the premise that he may fall victim to his own security and while I am very pleased with his edit, I'm not quite ready to believe he escapes unscathed. The Caucasian tribe was always "just finishing" behind the Asian tribe and I wonder then if this won't be the case come time for them all to meet; a battle amongst them perhaps Cowboy's confessional continues with "... if we merge the Caucasians...they become real strong; they have five members intact and knock us all out" (For what it is worth, Cowboy's "nuggets" have had a genuine knowledge behind them and thus, we can take his confessional as irony or foreshadowing) Cowboy then proceeds to tell the entire group that the idol will be played tonight and "somebody has it" (shot of Yul) Again, the level of discussion with the HII leaves us with the presumption we will see it played and I won't reiterate my earlier postings about that. This scene only helped to emphasis what has already been considered. The edit surrounding the idol this time is vastly different than last season; Terry constantly discussed his "ace in the hole" but the idol was mainly used as a catalyst for Terry's game solely and it was mentioned flatly; this season's editing surrounding the idol has more intrigue surrounding it creating a smoke and mirrors effect which seems to imply that the it will make its appearance Raro Nathan has become a very important person on the Raro tribe. He has been a significant narrator of events and he has certainly proven the stereotypes wrong in past seasons of Survivor. The duo of Nathan and Pavarti also was mainly kept quiet in the dynamics of the tribe itself; we were just briefly shown it and it has been "back burnered" which could be a positive especially since both these characters have received pretty consistent edits. Nathan is shown trying to get food for his tribe "We don't need lamb" Nathan (conf) "We lost the challenge today.... not only back to back but we lose a feast... it hurts.. I didn't want to talk to anyone but I can't have that attitude and I said okay I am going to get us food, we're gonna eat good tonight regardless" Quite the contrasting yet similar edits between Ozzy and Nathan this episode with their providing escapades and roles and both on two tribes that may escape the fray if the showdown between the former Puka and former Raro tribes emerge. I would like to see/hear some issue surrounding Nathan insofar as a threat to the game but there is still some time for that and I do find it positive that we see some real strategizing on his part and what the future may hold should they keep Jenny. If we see him being discussed a little more, Nathan may progress very nicely Cristina (conf): "TC tonight and I'm bummed because (Adam) I'll be the next one out my tribe (Rebecca) ....we'll see what I can do" Cristina "Would you guys give me a chance?" Brad "I would definitely give you a chance..." Cristina "Parvati?" Pavarti "I don't know who I'm voting, I really haven't even thought about it" (This seems to be a MO of Pavarti's each time a vote selection has been approached to her and so far it has worked out in the way she has voted.) She then approaches Adam who advises he would talk to the others Adam (conf) "Cristina is obviously the outsider of the tribe right now; she's gonna try to get us to go against each other (Brad) because I'm sure she's going to feel like she needs to scramble " (conversation then shown) "I think we got a game plan and I think we're gonna stick to it" "Cristina's the one that's gonna be voted off and I don't think that's changed " Jenny "She asked you for a second chance" Adam "Yeah, and I was just like okay but obviously" Jenny "You're not pulling anything on me or anything?" Adam "Nooo, don't worry about it" She then approaches Nathan to give her another chance. Nathan (conf) "Cristina's close with me; a lot of good characteristics about her, she gave it her all today (Rebecca rubbing Nathan's shoulders) and that was enough for me to say okay, maybe you could be valuable" (this was a continuation from his earlier confessional) (Rebecca and Nathan's talk now shown) "If I kept Cristina, Jenny would have to go... it's a toss up. Cristina's strong but her mouth's strong, Jenny's sweet but I don't know if I can trust her yet so they're kinda ehhhh, you know" Nathan "I know if we kept her that girl would be loyal as all hell if we gave her a chance right now" Rebecca "Adam snaps at her so bad I think she..." Nathan "You don't talk to a woman like that and disrespect her. I'm scared that Jenny may be tight with the other Asians... ...if we merge and there's three of them she could cut us up" A little parallel going on with Raro and Aitu again. It is now being brought to the "front" burner that the Asians and Caucasians could cause some trouble with their numbers. Various talks of merge also make me question if this will be happening in the near future as well as we usually get sprinkle of hints when it is coming. The "racial" aspect has still not quite left the building as we see that there is observation that both former Raro and former Puka have "controlling" numbers which begs the question as to whether there may be some form of the "others" controlling their destiny. Ironically, we may see the Asians attempt to get rid of some Caucasions but the Asians may need to look over their shoulder. There really was no reason for us to see Nathan and Rebecca talk, Nathan's confessional covered this aspect but I do think this conversation was shown specifically to include Nathan's "take" on what could happen upon merger Revisiting Plan Voodoo Flica and Yul "yin and yanging" Jonathan "Here's the thing, I know that you and Becky are concerned about making enemies of them; they're gonna get angry. I'm less concerned about that, I think he's a genuine threat (Cowboy) you know; that's my biggest concern" Jonathan (conf) "We did not lose the challenge today, we won; it's just a twist of the game that we have to vote somebody off and the consensus is that Cowboy should go because he is pissing people off, you know something as simple as I want to take the immunity idol... so he's a bit of a wildcard (ahhh the wildcard statement, I was wondering when it would take place legitimately) and it's time to vote him off" Ozzy shown cooking fish with Cowboy's voice Cowboy "Yul and Becky, we just make sure they commit to it.... Sundra, you understand; you're a J" (Flica and Sundra now included in the scene) Sundra "Yeah" Cowboy "Three J's (Jonathan) three C's (Candice) okay?" Sundra (conf) "Cowboy has this theory that the white alliance is going to take over the game so we need to get them out. Maybe it's a good idea cause I'm suspicious of Jonathan; maybe it's the way he'll say something or the way he'll look at somebody and when it smells a little fishy, you're like okay. I don't know" Sundra has most definitely increased in visibility and more importantly both her confessionals involved the game regardless that she has been fairly quiet thus far. We can't overlook the fact that she had an important confessional in the first episode relative to the game and a relationship defined that should show up again. We also were shown her reacting to Stephannie being voted out and while in an alliance, she is aware of who she may not be able to trust. We discussed character editing and know that if a character is on the back burner initially it is not necessarily conclusive of short term staying power because we need to see if they are being brought out and Sundra has been. It is the characters who are essentially invisible and show nothing (when shown) other than the facts at hand that appear to leave sooner rather than later. Compare Flica to Sundra this episode. Flica tells us that she enjoyed winning but it's a shame someone is leaving. Flica is on a minority alliance on this tribe and knows she is vulnerable in some aspect and is also an integral part of Cowboy's plan yet we hear nothing from her. Sundra, a fringe character until recently and just acquired an alliance for herself is shown discussing Cowboy's plan and also her suspicions of someone in her alliance. These are plot lines and Sundra is invested in it Becky "The girls don't trust Jonathan; he's crafty" "I don't know if you ever see him he's always trying to catch everybody's eye and make you feel some bond with him. He's always, you know, very like that. So, just keep that in mind" (He will, he trusts you Becky) Yul (conf) "I'm in a tight alliance with Becky, Jonathan, Candice and Sundra although now I'm not sure; the girls were talk like they want to vote off Jonathan. For whatever reason he inspires some level of mistrust (Becky) among everyone. They think he's playing the game very very hard and their suspicion of Jonathan is starting to rub off on me a little bit myself. Everyone holds a universal degree of suspicion about Jonathan and maybe I should too" (the scene then goes to more of Plan Voodoo going into effect and ending with Ozzy going into the tent with Becky and Yul) and "I do feel bad people have to go; I'd like to play the game with as much honesty and integrity as I can. I find it can be very very complicated (the tent scene shown) because people do trust me but as a result they think I am in alliances with them but obviously I can't be in an alliance with everyone so for me it a question of how far can you get in this game and who do I trust" Jonathan is certainly being discussed isn't he? Other than Candice's mention about trusting Jonathan in past episode, we really are not getting very much detail as to where all this is coming from though. Dynamics are occurring that we aren't being made privy to as this sudden rush of Jonathan suspicion seemed very hand to place in this episode in light of the upcoming TC. Interestingly enough, we saw nothing surrounding Candice and she was also a target of Plan Voodoo. Becky's overture to Yul is a slight but may be an important indication of Ozzy's premise that she is "seriously plotting" as we may see that Becky's "words of wisdom" to Yul cause a disruption in this alliance. I am a little concerned for Jonathan's well being as far as end game because of this sudden rush to pile on all this suspicion onto him, it felt overdone so I question whether this is a chapter that needed to hammered into us so we won't forget it any time soon although issue surrounding a player and being discussed is something that shows signs of longevity but I am highly suspicious of this onslaught. Cowboy then proceeds to announce that everybody likes the 3-3 (with everyone but Jonathan and Candice there, I did not see Sundra in the shot either) "We got 6 votes; let's knock him out" (Pesky numbers, would it not be irony if Jonathan is "knocked out" with a total of 6 votes?) "We're brothers, you gotta remember that" Cowboy "Plan Voodoo's in effect?" (This must be a different point in time as only Yul and Becky are now there and Becky is wearing different clothing than just moments before) Becky "Yeah" Then we see Cowboy "Ozzy? You got it?" Ozzy "Yeah" (Yet in this scene, Yul is now sitting somewhere else, Flica and Ozzy are there and Becky is nowhere around. Essentially this scheme has been discussed many times with different people and all over the place much like Cowboy!) Ozzy (conf) "It's hard to say if Plan Voodoo is a good idea; there is a lot of chaos in camp and people don't know who they are going to vote for sure so I'm just trying to play it all by ear as far as my gut instincts are concerned" (Good to see Ozzy heard from regarding this; it helps to escalate his edit as this is about game strategy and he is not the focus of being in danger. Again, notice how we hear nothing from Flica in all this showing her support of the plan) Yul, Ozzy and Becky now under the tent with Ozzy inserting himself in between the two (Yul's confessional shown here about trying to play with integrity) Cowboy "I think Yul, Becky and Sundra are going along with it" Flica "Why are they all whispering in there then? All of them" (Ozzy, Becky and Yul were shown in tent earlier) Cowboy "They're just discussing things. Relax, we'll be okay" (And that would have been a perfect moment for Flica to tell us of any concerns; sadly we heard no insight from Flica and this episode should have shown us this which has me not liking her chances for anything much further) Cowboy (conf) "We have Plan Voodoo in effect; I believe I can trust Becky and Yul... they are solid, solid people. I have utmost faith in them" (Yul and Flica shown with Yul patting his stomach and Candice suddenly showing up with Jonathan then shown) Yul advises his stomach hurts with Jonathan asking if he is stressed out then a very strange camera shot showing Jonathan with Yul in the background as this is happening with Jonathan suddenly glancing ahead where Ozzy is in the foreground of the camera shot chopping. My thoughts on this below Jonathan (conf) "Tonight if I get voted off I will be shocked, I don't believe that's gonna happen; I got some pretty tight partners. If I am wrong then I've been outplayed and the conspiracy is much bigger than I can picture" Conspiracy? Jonathan is aware of a conspiracy? Why would Jonathan at all believe he is potentially unsafe? The camera shot we saw of him glancing towards Ozzy when asking Yul is he was stressed along with his knowledge of a "conspiracy" leads me to believe that Ozzy may have told Jonathan of what was occurring. This may also be more confirmation that Ozzy received assurances from Jonathan in the past. Again, while I am somewhat concerned over the sudden rush poured over Jonathan, there is a sense of something perhaps between these two that we are not meant to see yet. Again, we hear nothing at all from Candice and she was potentially a boot this episode. My thoughts on this is that ultimately it meant nothing for Candice; there are no ramifications from this but with Jonathan it is quite interesting. This actually could go either way. The doubt is being created and quite a lot of it; there is a story brewing and we are meant to see the building of this for when Jonathan is the victim or the momentum is there for him (as opposed to Candice) because he is furthered in this story. Sometimes this can be a tough editing egg to crack but if something doesn't seem right then something IS going to happen involving this person Tribal Council for Aitu Jeff notes Cowboy brought the idol to which a reaction from Candice is elicited. Ozzy (about the idol) "Cowboy feels very connected to it.. some people don't care, other people are totally against it (Jonathan nodding) so it's like kind of symbolic for other issues in the tribe" Yul (about Cowboy) "...he's very loyal in his way. I can't say I full understand him (Jonathan smiling) but he has his own perspective on things" (Cowboy laughing) Cowboy (on perception) "...I'm either hated or I'm loved, it's one or the other (Jonathan smiling/nodding) ....a lot of people come to understand I mean well" Yul (Leaders/followers) "There aren't any designated leaders (Jonathan) I think Jonathan and Cowboy are the most vocal (Jonathan/Cowboy) I think Jonathan is, what I call a natural leader (Jonathan debating this description) I think he is very good about articulating his positions...." Jonathan "I appreciate him saying that but it's not like what I say goes; it's not a role that I assumed (Flica shown in disbelief) I certainly don't patronize these people or talk down to them in any way, I don't think I do" (Sundra then Candice shown) Ozzy (on his vote) "Man... ...I'm still not quite sure I've come to a conclusion (Jonathan) and I'm trying to work it out and search my heart (Cowboy) to tell me so we can all continue on" Cowboy (on his vote) "We're looking down the road to the big picture, see what's going on (Jonathan) it's like a chess game and the Queen is undefeated on the board but we'll see if we can expose the Queen, find a weakness in the Queen (Yul and Flica reaction shots shown. Found it interesting that Queen is referenced; it also just suddenly reminded me of Nathan advising Pavarti to let the "King sit pretty") Cowboy "The Queen represent immunity, individual immunity (Candice looking obviously like Cowboy is crazy; Jeff then confirms he is trying to expose HII) "Yes, basically this tribe will walk away and see a clearer picture; what we need to do is continue to play this game" Jonathan is told to vote preceded by the nice skull we see and advises he needs to get rid of a wildcard Flica expresses she lost her trust in him with a shot of Jonathan and the skull then shown again with Ozzy then voting Cowboy votes for Candice (which I may have forgotten she was even a candidate if not for that vote) One long squirming insect was shown in between Becky and Candice's vote Candice shown somewhat nervous upon hearing her vote Jonathan with no real expression with the only the one vote shown for him Flica appearing somewhat anxious as she sees what is happening Cowboy salutes with shots of Jonathan and Flica Jeff "Well the hard parts over (Candice) and now for the fun, some food (Ozzy, Sundra, Becky with Ozzy very happy) and a little eavesdropping (Jonathan) Raro then enters with various shots from Jonathan, Ozzy, Nathan then we see Adam "presumably" glancing over towards Aitu with Candice blowing a kiss at him. Adam shakes his head and smiles. We then see the food come out and Adam, Brad and Pavarti react with a shot on Candice and Flica eating and finally Nathan looking in the way only a hungry man can look. Tribal Council for Raro Adam “I don’t really like lamb or apple cider…” (laughing with Pavarti shown) “I really don’t. We have plenty of food at our camp” Nathan “Snap, that smells good over there… ….it’s all good…. “Yeah this loss was wack today; I tried to give it all but I guess it wasn’t enough as a team” Adam (on losing) “It’s extremely frustrating Jeff. But today, Candice just set the tone (Candice smiling) and not only did she get a good lead for them but she wore out Pavarti and Rebecca (Jenny) It’s frustrating but it just ended up that way” (The camera shot heard around the world, Candice looks at Adam and mouths I love you with Adam smiling. This may have been a tongue and cheek edit culminating from the Billy embarrassment but it is obviously also showing us that there is still a relationship between Adam and Candice and we were also shown that Brad noticed it as well or so it would appear) Brad (on matching up to Aitu) “They may have a stronger team pound for pound maybe (Nathan) but I think it’s not about one particular challenge (Jenny) you really should look at the bigger picture; who’s working their ##### off in camp, who’s trying to get along with everyone (Adam) who’s biting their tongue when they want to say something (Cristina smiling) Cristina (about loss after loss) “I don’t think so, sometimes you lose, you lose, you lose but that doesn’t mean you’re completely done (Jenny) I mean, we still have a chance (Brad) we just have to keep our heads up high and it’ll be our time to shine” Brad (about Cristina/criticism) “I did, I did feel badly for Cristina (Jenny none too happy) I believe everybody deserves the benefit of the doubt; sometimes things are better left unsaid (Cristina) and unfortunately it had to come up (Adam) in TC instead last night in front of everyone” Jenny (about the aftermath) “She was angry; people in our group plain out said you’re annoying (Flica looking slightly taken aback) (shot of Ozzy) you know I can understand how she felt; I know that it was embarrassing, it was a shock for her but the way the feelings were with the tribe (Nathan) how can you say something and not offend her” (Adam) Cristina “It bothered me, I thought they were my friends and I let my guard down (Rebecca) I don’t want to beat a dead horse (Adam) but it was definitely a blow and this morning we competed and I felt I gave it my all still whether whatever happened last night happened” Adam (about Cristina/challenge) “I think she did; she worked really hard at the challenge (Flica’s eyes rolling) it wasn’t if she wasn’t contributing to the tribe or anything like that (Brad) it’s more her personality just clashes with ours. She can’t change; that’s just the way she is…(Cristina then shot to Nathan) Nathan (on looking our for oneself) “Oh yeah, most def (Ozzy) it’s survival mode (Jonathan) you know. You’re always thinking like worse case scenario you know it comes down to this and that you know (Jenny) you’re playing scenarios but I think right now we’re kinda like (Rebecca) we wanna be the fourth quarter crew that comes back from behind and you know just smokes them out” (Sundra with a smirk and slight eyeroll then quick shot back to Nathan perhaps to let it seem to the audience that he noted her expression) Jeff tells about the twist of the kidnapping (Nathan shown, Candice shown, Brad shown) Flica asks Jeff to explain with more shots of Ozzy, Pavarti and another shot of Adam appearing to look at Candice with Candice looking back and Jonathan nodding when Jeff tells them it is through the next RC. We see Aitu conferring and it appears that Jonathan already knew what should be done with his prior nod and Nate is chosen as told by Ozzy (I believe this is now the second time Ozzy has been their speaker; quite a long way from being completely on the outside. Obviously Nathan appears to have been chosen in light of the fact that Jeff indicated that person would be with them “through” the next RC. Nathan seems like a solid choice so that Raro would be weakened a strong male) Yet another shot of Adam and Candice exchanging glances as if three were not enough for the audience to firmly establish there is something still looming with them. Flica pats Nathan on the back and reaction from Pavarti as Nathan eats. Cristina is ultimately voted out and Jenny is aware that someone else voted for her which I’m sure she knows as to who it was (recall her statement about not being sure she could trust him) Jeff “Well you voted out JP because you didn’t trust him (Jenny) you got rid of Steph because her heart wasn’t in it (Brad) tonight you got rid of Cristina because she just didn’t fit in (Jenny, Rebecca, Adam) Three votes, three very different reasons (Pavarti) On this note, the proverbial alliances revealed is still rearing its ugly head with the cracks starting to appear over at Aitu; I believe there is something brewing about Ozzy and I still think that Yul may shine as a wonderous player and lose in the process. Candice is leaving me unsatisfied but being manipulated too much for me not to take notice. Sundra's visibility is increasing at a nice steady rate which is a good sign considering a very low level introduction. Flica has not shown me any depth or insight so I don't feel very optimistic with her. Jonathan and Ozzy certainly feel long term but I'm somewhat put off by the almost blatant attempt to pivot Jonathan's character although if their intention is such, this could make him a potential final two foil candidate. I'm unsure how far Becky will get other than closing out this "trust" scenario with Yul. Adam, other than meeting back up with Candice should not see end game with his flat edit. Brad, sadly seems to be even in a worse state as is Jenny. Rebecca needed a little more push but I do feel she may need to meet back with Sundra. Nathan and Pavarti have very consistent edits and while Pavarti was essentially low key this episode (for her!) one episode is not of any concern; it would have been if she was in Jenny's position per se. Nathan has actually gotten a bit more favorable in my opinion as we see a strategy forming around him and I like that their relationship was handed to us but now neatly tucked away without it being forced on us; this may serve that relationship better.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-21-06, 06:14 PM (EST) 110. "RE: Episode 6 Thoughts" Thanks VS for the compliment but if people come to this thread it is because of your wonderful observations. Some of those were used in the SOTS since we practically have no long term spoilers. I took your feeling of a Jenny boot as one clue. I underestimated Burnett’s wishes to be a spoiler himself giving us another obvious boot with Cristina! Anyway, we’re here to uncover the story so the weekly boot is only for fun and games. Again your post is very insightful. Here are my observations: From the start of the season, besides Parvati, the men have attracted most of the attention. Yul, Jonathan and Nathan have been 3 of the 4 narrators. Ozzy has been given a lot of airtime for his accomplishments and Cao Boi had taken care of comedic relief. Besides punctual contributions by targeted players and Flicka’s camping stories, the other women have been confined to secondary roles. Last night was a prime example: In Aitu’s confessionals, the women were happy but Cao Boi did some heavy scheming, Yul analyzed the situation and Jonathan expressed his fears. At TC, those three and Ozzy were asked all the questions. Not a single woman spoke! At Raro, Cristina pleaded her case to Adam, Nate and Brad who were seen has being in a position of power. At TC, Cristina defended herself and Jenny attacked her but it was the men who talked about the story and the dynamics at camp. As consistent as that portrayal has been, it seems it is all a smoke screen because, if we look under the surface, we are witnessing the power of the Silent Majority The Aitu women with Candice as the first star and the assistance of Jessica and Becky were the stars of the challenge. In Raro, while Brad and Adam split their votes, Parvati and Rebecca decided whom they wanted to keep: Jenny or Cristina. It could be only a matter of time before we see a women’s mutiny to grab the spotlight and most of the men are made to walk the plank! Aitu: Women Power Candice as noted, was responsible for winning the feast and the little sit-in. Her resistance to the attacks of Parvati and Rebecca required her last once of energy as we saw her unable to get up to cheer on her teammates. It also gave an insurmountable lead that the equally spent Raro women couldn’t close. She was then seen very close to Sundra. That was surprising as it had been Becky and Yul who had brought the Hiki woman into the alliance. It could be quite a coup for the OldRaros. For all the points gained during the episode, swooning over Adam at TC could only confirm the suspicions of the rest of the tribe. Plan Voodoo may have died with its inceptor but it could return in a new form with her as its target. Sundra has not only gotten into the alliance, she’s now narrating how the team feels. The confessional after the RC win wasn’t about strategy or future plans but it showed how the team has come together. The only way to break the strong bonds made in the first 6 days is to make teams suffer together. In that sense, last night’s brutal challenge was essential to the social experiment. The walk back to camp with Sundra supporting the hurting Candice lets us ask the question: If it comes down to it, would Sundra go with Candice or Rebecca? Not as final opponent where you want someone you can beat but at a crucial vote after merge. What do you think she would do? It seems it would depend on whether Jonathan is in the picture or not, as she is another one that doesn’t trust the “leader.” Becky reacted to Jeff’s comment about listening in on the losing tribe’s tribal council with a “Oh! My goodness.” Information is precious to a clinical player. She did her strategizing with Yul. She has a calming influence on him and she may have opened his eyes to the reality of the game. Now that she made her big brother suspicious of the “leader’, has she gone further off his radar? We didn’t hear much from her but every word seemed calculated to get the result she wanted. She showed her determination during the challenge. Cristina had her hands full with Jessica, Becky relentlessly pulling her legs was too much to overcome. Jessica was happy to have wrestled a cop. The smile on her face makes me suspect she had a few run-ins with the police in what could’ve been a turbulent past! She was the only one to adhere to Plan Voodoo. Its failure demonstrates her own isolation. She voted against Jonathan and her reaction at TC when he claimed he wasn’t patronizing shows there is no love between those two. For that matter, many of her facial expressions serve as barometers to the feelings on Aitu. Now that OldRaro is the only intact tribe, she is the extra luggage and Sundra seems ready to be the new mood indicator. Jonathan is a smart player. It’s been twice now that we’ve seen him accompany “king Neptune” on his fishing expedition. What we haven’t heard are the discussions these two are sharing while paddling out to their favored spot. That time was used to hear a confessional in a voice over. In it, Jonathan recognizes Ozzy’s essential role in the tribe and he is wise enough to note that it could be better to target him just before merge, rather than after it. But when was that confessional recorded? It could’ve been done as early as the day Ozzy won the two challenges and therefore, the rivalry could have evolved into a frienship. Jonathan was also aware of the conspiracy brewing in camp and made the necessary moves to thwart Cao Boi’s plan. His performance at TC wasn’t inspired however. Yul’s comment about being a natural leader put Jonathan on the defensive and the sustained glances of his tribe showed he didn’t judge them correctly. A better response would have been to acknowledge his role but add that he shares the responsibility with Yul. Yul had an important episode for his character development. He showed he is aware of the dangers of the game but he needed the others’ help in seeing the ramifications. He was the one that neutralized Nathan while his partner did the dragging. We were led to believe that the tribe knew he had the idol but it seems he had CB and Flicka fooled. What about the ones who have a better grasp of reality, Ozzy and Sundra; were they also fooled? Ozzy seems much too comfortable in camp not to have made inroads into the alliance. He was the first to suggest to Cao Boi that he should sit in the physical challenge and he also voiced the kidnapping choice. There is no doubt that his position in the tribe has improved. Of the men, he may have had the best challenge performance. There weren’t any scenes to show his bad boy image, his confessional was limited to fishing and had no mention of his power as so many others had. Are we suppose to have forgiven him? Should we even start feeling sympathy for him because of Jonathan’s remarks? Many think he won’t make the merge, but he seems to be destined for the end game. That would mean the editors have accomplished their jobs of making him look like an underdog. Aitu: The Power of the Women’s votes Rebecca had the opening confessional and it served to set up the conflict with Cristina. She was supposed to control Candice so Parvati could drag her but these two never got their act together. She wasn’t given much to say about the decision but then she and Parvati did get their act together and booted Cristina to restore tribe harmony. Parvati has the tribe she wanted and didn’t have much to do to keep it that way. It doesn’t seem that she cared one way or the other about Jenny or Cristina but since it made Adam and Rebecca happy, she appeared to simply go along. It is amazing how she only goes along after considering her options and it always works to her advantage! Jenny won’t win any popularity contest. I believe her confessional about not trusting Brad and hoping he will think of the good of the tribe came from this episode’s time frame. Brad voting against her is a signal she is only holding on by a thread. Adam is presented as the leader of this tribe but there is no real leader in Raro. He told Cristina the harsh truth about her iritating personality after returning from TC. He took the offense for Raro during the challenge but couldn’t handle Ozzy very well. Last time, he had reassured Jeff his tribe was doing well but now he is frustrated with the results. He had promised Cristina a second chance after their exchange in camp but his confessional and his vote proved he had his mind set. Interestingly, the recap made it appear that Nathan was with Adam and Brad when Stephannie talked about going home. Do they want to make us forgive or forget he alone decided to change the vote? He took the defensive for Raro and didn’t dig in enough to recover from Jenny’s loss. His confessional showed us he is a competitor who doesn’t accept defeat easily and wants to keep the morale of his team up by getting a good meal anyway. He did seem receptive to Cristina’s attempts to save herself and even if it hadn’t mattered, I wonder who he was voting for. He told us he didn’t trust Jenny and she has to be next in line. His TC appearance was priceless. His longing looks at the feast had me laughing. He did once more try to boost morale by talking about coming back in the 4th quarter. Being kidnapped may give him a great opportunity to help his game. His friendly personality could be well received in Aitu’s cut-throat tribe. It will be his first look at players who have conflicts because of the game and not living arrangements. It could shock him. Will it help him recognize Parvati’s scheming? Brad has no influence in this tribe it seems. They show him because the others need his vote so he serves their story, not his own. Soon it will be his turn to look for votes and they will be scarce. So which story are we seeing? - Despite Billy, Adam, Raro’s decision to save her, Becky and Jonathan’s alliance offers, and Sundra’s attentions, I don’t think the story this season is “Everybody loves Candice!” -A Sundra or a Nathan win would be that of a follower who got into a minority early but worked quietly to get back into a strong alliance. -A victory by Jonathan would be that of a scheming and not very well liked older man leading his alliance. We’ve seen that one long ago and this season is about going back to the roots of Survivor. It makes me wonder! -Yul’s story would be that of a nice person, trying to play with integrity and leading by example a strange tribe that had a very talkative older Asian man. We’ve seen that story very recently. There are three scenarios that seem to show more promise: - Ozzy’s win would be that of a young man very well suited for survival that was able to adapt from leader of his tribe to a follower in a strong alliance. It would be quite a story! - Becky, from behind the scene, has the role of a cold, calculating player who seems ready to get rid of every member of her alliance. The absence of confessionals tend to make me think this will be the story of the second place finisher however. - Parvati knows how to make friends and infiltrate unsuspecting alliances. In a season where we’ve already had quite a few backstabbing, that strategy holds many promises still.   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 10-22-06, 06:22 PM (EST) 111. "RE: Episode 6 Thoughts" Thank you michel As always, wonderful insights and I do agree we see some power being yielded by the women on both tribes I should say. Now I won't go as far as saying that they will rule this season as things have a way of turning around in a heartbeat and my concern also is that few women have taken the reins and caused a mutiny of sorts in seasons past. Often when a woman does do this, they pay for it; I imagine racial stereotypes is not the only thing that rears its ugly head in society. There is a soft touch going on this season but I want to see a bit more than the "going along" attitude that has been demonstrated thus far. Rebecca, interestingly (with the help of Jenny) did attempt to stage a women's coup of sorts; the question now is how successful are they long term? I have really no hope for Jenny and Rebecca seemed somewhat solid to me for awhile but there are greater things happening not involving her so I am somewhat resigned to believe she is not long term. Those such as Pavarti, Candice and Sundra are certainly part of the long term story so it would seem as would Becky and I would imagine there are going to be some male casualities in their wake (Adam, Brad most definitely in my opinion; Jonathan, Nathan seems it could happen; Yul may at the expense of his morality; Ozzy I don't tend to believe he will though) and yes it CERTAINLY is not "Everyone Loves Candice" lol Your assessments of what each potential winner would be is a wonderful read and am taking your comments and filing them away carefully. I try not to look at that dynamic as I have found (for myself) that often times what I believe is the winner's overall "persona" is not I am MUCH better at broad strokes; some of you are very talented in the fine tuning I do plan on re-visiting Episode 1 one more time; my biggest belief is that this season is NOT about the races staying together but that is IS an individual effort. At this moment, there are only a select few that I find merit with this belief.   Top

mimo 563 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Reality Show Commentator" 10-23-06, 10:51 PM (EST) 112. "RE: Episode 6 Thoughts" Michel, while we enjoy VS's postings, you are also a very important contributor to this thread!!! I enjoy your eloquence, as well as your insight. I think you've managed to capture some of the more important themes of this season, of which "trust" seems to be a big one. How often have we heard already that people don't know if they can "trust" another competitor. Ultimately I believe that was Cao Boi's downfall. Despite any personal affinity he may have had towards Cao Boi and Flicka (and we saw this trio hanging out quite often!!), Ozzy had already decided that he could not trust either Cao Boi or Flicka after they had voted for Cecilia. Hopefully this ability of Ozzy (to put aside what he might feel for someone and coldly decide what will get him farther in the game) will allow him to suvive longer than one would naturally expect given his "outsider" status in the majority alliance. Either way, the insights you guys provide in this thread definitely add to our viewing experience!! Merci!!   Top

forehead 932 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Fitness Correspondent" 10-23-06, 11:35 PM (EST) 113. "RE: Episode 6 Thoughts" mimo, I second your sentiment! We love VS' novels , but michel is absolutely a key contributor. Yes, VS, a new thread would be very appropriate I agree that the merge is not far from us - 20 castaways, 14 episodes, the merge needs to be "somewhat in the middle". I don't have anyting to contribute to your fabulous editing take. Trust is indeed a key theme. I agree with BR's earlier observation that Yul could well be out at F3. I had hopes for Becky to become a key strategic force, but she has been quiet (in editing terms) for a long time now. Sundra, on the ohter hand, might still have a "Sandra game" in her. Editing wise, Ozzy and Sundra look the most promising. Can't wait for the merge dynamics - hopefully that will shed more light on the end game. forehead   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-24-06, 06:21 AM (EST) 114. "RE: Episode 6 Thoughts" LAST EDITED ON 10-24-06 AT 08:14 AM (EST) As VS always notes, we all have valid view points and all of our 2 cents counts...especially yours, michel! You are gifted in the area of editing as well, as many are in this thread. I love to read everyone's accounts. I also agree with the wonderful assessments this week. I wanted to notify VS that there is a very interesting read in regard to Ozzy this week on the insider, and I want to know if she wants me to bring it over here...? I also wanted to say that I think the editing is playing with us somewhat this season. I realize that each week they have to make it look as though there is real conflict between boot choices for the week. This week they edited Jonathan as one who can not be trusted by the armpit alliance, and secondarily by Yul. I think they are doing more misdirecting, and setting up misdirection for later in the show as well. I also think that we hear how tight the armpit girls are at this stage as well, but are they really that tight?   Top

emydi 13669 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-24-06, 06:14 PM (EST) 115. "Ep 6 the animals" As Raro was returning from TC at nite, we saw a little lizard and a RAT...Parvati was shown Then we see A HUGE HERMIT CRAB crawl into a hole from the perspective of the hole...I still think the hermit crab represents the men of S13...are they going to take a back seat for a while...i dunno Then we are off to Aitu and we see a LONE WHITE BIRD SOARING and who do we see, Archgirl? Why yes it's Ozzy catching his fish. Def that white lone bird is Ozzy and it's a very good sign. We see another little green lizard crawling out of a hole in a leaf and Flicka and Yul get the tree mail about the wrestling and a feast. After the challenge we see a HUGE RAINBOW over AITU again. The Rainbow I think is signs of an arc ending of a character that the editors want us to like..it was before CB's boobie incident and before Raro when Steph was booted. Again it comes on CB's boot ep. I'll keep looking out for the rainbow. Right after this rainbow, Sundra had her conf. about how they came together as a team and won it. We go over to Raro and a bunch of white birds are flying around as Cristina is scrambling to each other Raro member asking for another chance. Didn't work... Then Aitu goes to TC and my twisty little friend the centipede shows up again slithering up a leaf or something in between Becky and Candice voting...will the armpit alliance make a power move?   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-25-06, 06:37 AM (EST) 116. "RE: Ep 6 the animals" ...I still think the hermit crab represents the men of S13... I still think the hermit crab represents the men of S13, will the girls of S13 eat the men up???   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 10-25-06, 08:46 AM (EST) 117. "RE: Ep 6 the animals" I've been meaning to compliment you Emydi on the observation that the animals may represent actions or situations as opposed to belonging just to certain people. The rats I think are shown when people are "scrambling" or scurrying about. The HUGE crab I thought had a very clumsy feel to it. Is it the men's clumsy moves, or was it Cristina's clumsy attempts to win her way back into the tribe's good graces? The white bird definitely belongs to Ozzy though, but I think this may be the only animal linked specifically to one person? If so, that would be very, very good for him. I completley agree with your observations about the rainbows. Another non-animal image we've seen a LOT of this season is a shot of waves crashing. I havent figured out what to link these to though. Sorry I've been pretty silent lately - as Michel so aptly stated (on one of the threads) that pesky work keeps getting in the way of my Survivor blogging. I have a bunch of observations I wanted to make though, so I will try to do that at some point today. Great observations everyone - I think we're doing a great job this season.   Top

VerucaSalt 1580 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Peanut Festival Grand Marshall" 10-25-06, 03:53 PM (EST) 118. "RE: Ep 6 the animals" FP - By all means, bring over this Insider information. I have always felt that what ISN'T shown is just as important as what is shown and I don't consider that type of information detrimental to my wanting to view the show based on the editing itself as it does not influence my opinion but sometimes it may confirm what the editing may be trying to tell us. emydi, thank you for the indepth analysis that you are continuing to do with respect to the animal imagery and those rainbows. I am hard pressed to remember any other season where such an inordinate amount of rainbow imagery is used. ag - any contribution is of importance so even a popping in or out is valuable It seems that there are only a few who are this season so I am thankful for all of it (forehead you could pop in a little more often you know ) Since the review of the season thus far will be this Thursday, that will be a good time to start a new thread since we all like our clean sheets   Top

Flowerpower 7262 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-25-06, 04:44 PM (EST) 119. "RE: Ep 6 the animals" Thanks go to James Barber at Sucks for transcribing this and to Forehead for bringing it over here....This is just the part that concerns Ozzy, there was more related to Cristina and Cowboys final words. Cowboy is very eager for Ozzy to win it all. TRIBAL COUNCIL: AITU JONATHAN ("Cowboy"): You're a good guy, but you talk too much, and in a game where they're throwing twists at us all the time, I think I have to take any wild card out of the game that I can. Good luck to you. SUNDRA ("Cowboy"): I'm sorry, I just feel like you started telling me, telling too many lies around camp and made for a real distressing atmosphere. It's kind of hard to work with you. JESSICA (Jonathan): Sorry, but I lost my trust in you. OZZY ("Cowboy"): Sorry, man. Strategy. You sacrificed Cecilia, now I gotta sacrifice you. It's the only way I can get to Jonathan. You'll probably understand. CAO BOI ("Candace"): I hope we will all stick to this plan, this Plan Voodoo, and hopefully with it expose the queen who has the immunity idol. Let's hope it comes out. Nothing personal. YUL ("Cowboi"): Cao Boi, I'm truly sorry for sending you home. You're a fascinating guy, you've done so much with your life, and I've definitely grown to admire and respect you. For me, after you turned on Becky and tried to vote her out at the last Tribal Council, I just realized that I couldn't put my faith in you, I couldn't trust you. You're so unpredictable and I can't put my future with you. I wish you the best of luck with your family and your kids. I hope you have a wonderful life. Take care. BECKY ("Cowboy"): The fact that you flipped so quickly and basically went behind my back and tried to get the whole tribe to vote me out at the last Tribal Council - right after that I lost complete trust in you. That's why I'm voting on you. CANDICE ("Cowboy"): Cao Boi, I'm voting for you tonight for 2 reasons. One, I heard you were trying to get me out, and two, because you drive me nuts. TRIBAL COUNCIL: RARO With Aitu looking on, Raro pays yet another visit to Tribal Council to eliminate one of their own. JENNY ("Christina"): Cristina, I know you won't believe me, but I'm sorry. REBECCA ("Christina"): I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, but we decided as a group it was still going to be you. Take care, and I wish you all the best. ADAM ("Christina"): You're a nice woman, you're a great girl, but our tribe is stronger without you. PARVATI ("Christina"): Just trying to get our team back on track. BRAD (Jenny): I don't trust you. CRISTINA (Jenny): I just don't like people that are rude and manipulative. OZZY'S WORLD Ozzy revels in his tribe's success in the immunity challenge. Find out why he believes Aitu reigned supreme. "Oh man, that challenge was awesome. You can see my battle wounds right here. (points to neck) That challenge was gnarly. The most physical challenge we've had yet. It was so good to prove to that tribe that they may look like they have muscles, but we got enough muscle and enough heart to just pound it into 'em." (cut) "We're eating as much as possible, because I really do feel like that was a major factor in our win today. We are a well-fed tribe. I've been making it my duty to go out every day and catch enough fish for everyone to stay strong, and I think that showed today. I don't know, I can't think of any other reason besides being well-fed, having more heart, because we obviously don't have the muscles. Maybe their strategies didn't work out, but I think having a well-fed tribe, keeping us strong as possible, we're gonna keep hacking 'em away." (cut) "We sat down to eat, and everyone realized this was our last meal together as a tribe. Unspoken, but we all know someone's going home, someone's not eating. It's a bummer, but that's just the way goes. I'm just gonna take a step back, I'm not really worried about what's gonna happen. Yul and I have an agreement, he's gonna be honest with me and I'm gonna be honest with him. What he knows now is the girls are voting for Cao Boi and he doesn't want to be on the wrong side of the vote so he's voting for Cao Boi; I won't be surprised if Jonathan also goes for Cao Boi. I told him, "That's fine, man, I respect you for being honest, thank you very much for being honest, and I agree with the decision." I may not necessarily vote for Cao Boi, just out of respect for him. I don't want it to just be a total skunk-out bye bye Cao Boi. I want him to at least know I respect him as a person. Even if I think he should go, I'm not gonna be the one to vote for him." (cut) "The reasons for keeping Cao Boi? There's a lot. He's a great guy, he's fun to have around camp, he does all the cooking, he keeps the camp together, he's got a lot of knowledge. I feel like he's a good friend of mine. He understands where I'm coming from on a lot of issues, but there's still a lot of things I don't agree with him about. The way that he deals with people, he's not the most subtle and gentle guy. He's kind of a brash and bold guy, and people can't handle that, they don't necessarily want to handle that, and I understand that factor." (cut) "I'm just trying to stay fluid, trying to adapt to whatever comes along. As long as I can have a good relationship with everybody on the tribe, I think that people are going to want me around as long as possible, so that they can eat, because they know that food is a key factor." (cut) "Oh, I'm definitely gonna exploit every advantage I have in this game, Yul being one of them. He's a confidant. I made a move in the very beginning, after Cecilia was voted out. I made a little show, 'I'm pissed off, it should have been fair,' blah blah blah. Next morning, bright and early, I went up to Yul and Jonathan and I said that's it guys, my alliance is gone, the only alliance I had is gone. I'm a free agent now. Whoever is honest with me, then they can count on me to be the same with them. Yul understand that, and I think Yul respects honesty, and he is in turn going to...well he's going to return that. And that's a great thing to have. He's giving me an inside track into what the girls are thinking, and right now the girls are the three solid ones. I saw it coming. I thought Sundra might have been playing them, but they seem to have bonded in a way that's kind of unbreakable. I'm going to try to use that to my advantage. Gotta stay good with Sundra and Candice, because Sundra and Candice understand that if the food's going bye-bye, they might think twice about who they're voting for. It might be Yul or Jonathan that they gotta vote for when it comes to that time." (cut) "Honestly, I gotta do what I can to get as far as possible in the game. I don't wanna sound like a jerk when I say that, I wanna do it as nicely and respectfully as I can, but I'm also here to play a game. It's that whole thing, a game, so my personal integrity does have a lot to do with it, I'll try to do it as nicely as possible, without making an off myself." ...I'll be interested to see your comments, VS!   Top

forehead 932 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Fitness Correspondent" 10-25-06, 05:17 PM (EST) 120. "Ozzy's insider gems" Ok, VS Ozzy's gems at the end: "Oh, I'm definitely gonna exploit every advantage I have in this game, Yul being one of them. He's a confidant. I made a move in the very beginning, after Cecilia was voted out. I made a little show, 'I'm pissed off, it should have been fair,' blah blah blah. Next morning, bright and early, I went up to Yul and Jonathan and I said that's it guys, my alliance is gone, the only alliance I had is gone. I'm a free agent now. Whoever is honest with me, then they can count on me to be the same with them. Yul understand that, and I think Yul respects honesty, and he is in turn going to...well he's going to return that. And that's a great thing to have." The editing made it seem that Ozzy was initially ready to give up, and subsequently showcase in that same episode how Ozzy somehow turned it around and became King Neptune. It was deliberate acting by Ozzy... Why downplay such a strategic move? Did the editing crew think it was sufficient to show his actions? Or to take advantage of the opportunity to show two facets of Ozzy (whereas there was really only one - his strategic side)? "He's giving me an inside track into what the girls are thinking, and right now the girls are the three solid ones. I saw it coming. I thought Sundra might have been playing them, but they seem to have bonded in a way that's kind of unbreakable. I'm going to try to use that to my advantage." Confirmation of the armpit alliance - the three girls are the three solid ones. Cao Boi only described these three as lazy, Ozzy describes them as solid, unbreakable. Interesting that this was left out of the show. Is the editing trying to "force-fit" an underdog profile for Ozzy, whereas he is quite strategically assessing and playing the game? "Gotta stay good with Sundra and Candice, because Sundra and Candice understand that if the food's going bye-bye, they might think twice about who they're voting for. It might be Yul or Jonathan that they gotta vote for when it comes to that time." Why does Ozzy feel he has to stay good with Sundra and Candice, yet no mention of Becky here? Are Sundra and Candice more concerned about food than the game (while it's the reverse for Becky)? Or does Ozzy simply lump Becky to Yul - assuming that if he thinks it's time to vote for Yul, Becky might not be willing to go along (an erroneous assumption?) Ahh, questions, questions.... forehead   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 10-25-06, 11:47 PM (EST) 121. "RE: Ozzy's insider gems" I'm so glad this is getting analyzed and was brought over here! I saw it and said "OMG this explains everything VS was speculating about!" I had been wondering why Becky was so adamant about saying "No" when Sundra asked if they were going to talk to Ozzy when they brought her into the alliance - that makes total sense now as well. Brilliant on her and Yul's part - Becky has formed the "armpit alliance" as a sub-alliance, while Yul has brought in Ozzy on the side. So between the two of them they have pretty much everyone on the end of their string. To take a closer look at everyone's ties: Ozzy and Jonathan - shown as fishing together, but aligned? Ozzy and Yul - Yul is feeding Ozzy info and has his loyalty apparently. Yul, Jonathan, Becky, and Candice - Original alliance. With Sundra added later Becky, Candice, and Sundra - the armpit alliance Becky and Yul - The crux of all "trust" Candice and Jonathan - Original Raro aligned Flicka? Tied to Ozzy? Alone. Ozzy and Sundra? Possibly have a bond as early on outsiders. There arent too many options above that dont include at least one or the other of Yul and Becky. I know that people are starting to have doubts about Becky. I am stubbornly holding that my gut tells me she goes FAR - I think she's in the final two. I think we arent being shown much of her because - well, what we dont see is sometimes just as important as what we do see. Did anyone else notice that Jeff's comment "Becky showing some life!" Did NOT fit AT ALL with what she was actually doing in that scene? It seemed staged to me, and was THE memorable voice-over of the episode. I think that the Ozzy comments solidify everything we had all been saying about him and his position in the tribe all along. I also want to bring this up before I forget - I know that they show everyone's votes every episode now, but if Jenny was anywhere near an endgame player I cant even fathom that they would have shown her vote last night - drawing a gun shooting at Cristina's name!?!?!? With Cristina having been shot? Thats just sickening, and I have to think that they would have taken that out if Jenny was an end-game player. Well, thats all for now, its late.   Top

tikigirlie 112 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson" 10-26-06, 03:47 AM (EST) 122. "RE: Ozzy's insider gems" I also want to bring this up before I forget - I know that they show everyone's votes every episode now, but if Jenny was anywhere near an endgame player I cant even fathom that they would have shown her vote last night - drawing a gun shooting at Cristina's name!?!?!? With Cristina having been shot? Thats just sickening, and I have to think that they would have taken that out if Jenny was an end-game player. I believe it was a tribute to Cristina being shot rather than a "you're shooting yourself."   Top

architecturegirl 227 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Network TV Show Guest Star" 10-26-06, 08:58 AM (EST) 123. "RE: Ozzy's insider gems" Perhaps, but on the Early Show Cristina discussed it, and she was highly offended - to the point that she got choked up on the air. Apparently there was no love lost between them, but she hadnt expected that. You could be right though, I hadnt considered that.   Top

michel 10958 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Playboy Centerfold" 10-28-06, 06:35 PM (EST) 124. "How about some recap?" LAST EDITED ON 10-28-06 AT 08:07 PM (EST) First, Let me thank you for the nice compliments. Now that puts some pressure on next week! This week being a recap there isn’t much to learn, is there? Well maybe we can see somethings differently. Before the recap, I revisited episode #1 and one thing stood out. It was the Order of Confessionals after the first 4 We’ve already noted that those first 4 confessionals, one from each tribe, could indicate the last player standing in each original tribe. Those were Ozzy, Sundra, Yul and Parvati. Ozzy already is the last OldAitu and the other three have demonstrated to have longevity in this game. All 4 confessionals discussed the tribe division but none talked of their own tribe’s position in relation to the segregation They were theme confessionals analyzing the situation as a whole. What I noticed on looking back were the subsequent confessionals from each tribe. Aitu had Billy and Cecilia before Ozzy came back on screen. Puka had Cao Boi and Jenny alone on camera before Yul’s return. Stephannie and Rebecca talked before Sundra reappeared. Adam was first for Raro before Jonathan and Flicka had a say. Parvati never returned. Of note all the confessionals by the new players, except Adam and Jonathan, were about having an advantage because of the division or needing to represent their race. What to make of it? Billy, Cecilia, Cao Boi and Stephannie have already left the game! Everyone will agree that Jenny, Rebecca and Flicka are in dangerous positions while Adam seems like a first boot after merge. Raro’s pattern was different and could be due to the fact that none have been early boots. Old Aitu had two more boots but you couldn’t give them all confessionals at the start of episode #1. Brad could be safe for now. The Recap We had 14 new scenes, 7 of which featured the tribes after the switch. Of those, 6 came from Raro’s camp. With last season’s recap heavily favoring Casaya, it is something to consider. Is the winner on this tribe? The big players are all on Aitu but we’ve had surprises before. Of the remaining players, 5 were featured in the recap’s new scenes: Ozzy, Candice, Adam, Parvati and Nate. Yul, Jonathan, Flicka, Sundra, Jenny and Brad were almost ignored which leads me to believe we have the right idea of these players. It is the first 5 we needed more information on. The portrayals of Rebecca and Becky were different than the other 11, we got a little more on each but neither was featured. The Stars Ozzy was highlitghted and showing the new scene of the conniving Billy only served as a further excuse for throwing that challenge which Ozzy had “suggested” they do. It could have been phrased in a more forceful way such as “Ozzy had a plan” or “Ozzy convinces Aitu to throw the challenge”. After all, Rebecca and Jenny concocted the plan to boot JP. This tells me Burnett really wants us to root for Ozzy. He has been given a very complex edit. I wish they had showed that Insider scene. I really thought his agreeement was with Jonathan. Maybe keeping that link quiet is even more important. He was shown trying to create bonds with the three girls but not succeeding because the “princesses” are too lazy. Who should get the jury’s vote if it comes down to a face off between King Neptune and a princess? Parvati had a whole new scene devoted to her strategy of infiltration by flirtation. That strategy, however unpleasent it is to many, has been featured too much to lead nowhere. After all “The dating game, the game of survival, it’s all the same.” She knows the guys (and the viewers) need entertainment. She was also featured with a confessional in the “trouble at sea” scene showing concern for her friends and saying that they need the boat to survive. She also narrated the “party” scene, telling us Stephannie was cute when she got delirius. Parvati will always have allies, so, if they do vote her out, it will be a very close and emotional TC…unless she makes it all the way! Rebecca was heard commenting on her ways but her tone didn’t suggest that she took offense at the flirtation: “Parvati is a happy-go-lucky, young, adorable girl. She’s entertainment for them” Note that Parvati herself talked about how boring it is otherwise. Parvati and Rebecca probably discussed this infiltration strategy together. Rebecca sounded happy to have one of her allies inside the other side. It was very positive for Parvati’s outlook. Her most striking new footage wasn’t presented as a new scene since it lasts only one second. On looking carefully at the sequence when the girls approached Brad, Parvati was sitting right there! She may have hesitated but she was on board before Brad!! The editors didn’t want the blame of booting a strong player to rest on her shoulders! Nathan is one of the nicest characters to have played this game. He certainly isn’t “the token Brother this time” as he so aptly commented. His demeanor was probably a big reason why he was brought back to Aitu. He went from appearing to be clueless in episode #1 (especially about the outrigger! That was hilarious) to being very smart about strategy. A new scene showed he didn’t think it was smart to boot JP. Combine that with his motto of “Let the king sit pretty” which told us he did have JP as one of his targets down the line and you have a very savvy, friendly player, the most lethal of combinations. Raro is down in numbers and that will make it extremely difficult to overcome for such a physical threat. Jonathan noted he had never wrestled a guy that big. He won’t want to do it another time if he has anything to say about it. The not so great Candice and Adam were featured in a new Raro scene which explains that their bond is more than just physical attraction. That kind of danger creates strong bonds. Candice had two other new scenes but neither was flattering: She made large grids on Exile Island whereas Yul had narrowed it down to a small X with one less clue. She didn’t want to go fishing because she didn’t want to get cold. To be the one shown refusing Ozzy’s offer and then being grouped into the princess role by Cao Boi gives us a very negative feel overall. Adam was even more clueless on Exile Island, shown wandering around aimlessly, spining around, “digging wherever”. It all gave us more proof they don’t reach the end but they do have a story to show. Rebecca probably had as many confessionals in this episode as in the first 6. An important one was in the intro: “It’s a little uncomfortable for me…as if I try to change the world in 39 days. It just made the game that much harder.” Even “giving my all isn’t enough”. She has set her goals way too high, this is still only Survivor. Those confessionals weren’t about her strategy. That was only shown in repeating the plan to form the women’s alliance. Her story hasn’t really changed and the future looks bleak. Becky only had the new scene about eating but not working for it, as all “princesses” do. From the photo galleries, she is often shown cooking and tending the fire so one could suggest Cao Boi doesn’t put much value on kitchen work. Could our favorite hippy have been somewhat sexist? The tribal switch had an interesting edit for her. First we heard Brad’s confessional that it is a game and it’s cold hard cash. The camera cut to Aitu and Jeff was heard saying: “Over on Aitu, Jonathan and Becky understood THIS immediately and the game was on. Then Jonathan tells us it was Becky that came to him. It gives a new twist on old scenes. The alliance wasn’t only to advance in the game but for the cash! The fact that her strong alliance deals were shown again in the recap is a good indicator that she goes far. Her lack of confessionals suggests she falls just short. Of the remaining players Yul, Jonathan and Sundra could very well reach the end but there was nothing to add to what was already known. Yul was smart to send the HII box out to sea but we knew Yul was smart. On a funny side there is a lot of royalty on the Cook Island: JP and Ozzy are Kings in different ways, Cristina was Billy’s queen in his hopes to stay in the game and Stumpy the idol was CB’s queen. Add the three princesses and we have a royal family. Who will be the last to sit on the throne?   Top

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