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Thursday, April 28, 2011

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND UPDATED RANKINGS: BOSTON ROB STILL HOLDING TOP SPOT




We are down to six active players in the Murloni tribe with 4 others at Redemption Island. Lets take a look at how everyone currently stacks up.

1. Boston Rob: I still think Rob made a potentially game-costing move in not voting out Andrea. I dont trust her and I think she is very sneaky and a better player than she is being given credit for. I can totally see her stabbing Rob in the back as its been hinted at already through a few episodes in passing. Trust me we have been shown these clips for a reason.

2. Natalie: I still think Natalie picks up the pieces if Rob doesnt win but I cant see her stabbing him in the back. Depending on how many people come back from Redemption Island, her vote may not be needed so it will be interesting to see.

3. Grant: Grant deserves the million dollars as he has been a beast in challenges and made quick friends with Rob which helped him go far adn was smart. I still think he too will decide he is done with Rob very soon and that could get him the dough when the smoke clears.

4. Andrea: I am starting to get this nagging suspicion that Andrea could actually win the game. Her edit is picking up and she is a pivitol player for sure. I really do think she will be the one along with Matt if he gets back to dump Rob.

5. Ashley: She has been a non-entity despite going far. At least Phillip has been interesting.

6. Phillip: The most undeserving player remaining in the game but Rob is totally smart for taking him this far. Its a perfect buffer and distraction while he gets it done behind the scenes.

7. Matt: Still think Matt deserves the money if he gets back in it yet again. I mean how can you not after dealing with all he has had to deal with? Talk about long odds and fighting to stay in the game.

8. Mike: I hope Mike gets back in because he is easy to root for. It could happen and if it does than he too sees a very solid chance of winning the cash.

9. Ralph: Ralph is a big dumbass and nothing more. He has no strategic game and will not get any consideration to win it.

10. Steve: Steve had a chance to do something with the girls but they wanted none of it. Either way he was a great guy who wont factor much in the end it looks like. Good effort by an older player.

So thats how I see it. Let me know what you think.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

SURVIVOR EPISODE 11 WRAPUP AND COMMENTARY




All right we are heading down the homestretch. Wrapup first and than the commentary.

Things start off back at Murlonio as they all talk about how crazy TC was. Steve and Phillip shook hands but Phillip didnt think it was sincere. He also notes how it was a surprise that Julie was knocked out. Rob also talks about how he intends to bring Phillip to the end of the game as a sure fire opponent to defeat.

The bext day back at camp Phillip had a premonition which would lead him to his shorts. Soon he wound up finding them as he tells the rest of the camp about his discovery. Back over at Redemption Island, Julie talks to Mike and Matt about their place in the game. Mike notices how Matt seems to be depressed and at his breaking point. Mattt goes down to the beach and thinks about throwing in the towel with the tears coming out. The duel beckons as Julie sees Phillip has found his shorts. The competition is Survivor shuffle board where the first two who land all three of their pucks in the end zone stay around. Loser goes to the jury with David. As always making a long challenge short, Mike and Matt win the challenge, sending Julie on her way.

Back at camp, the Ometepe talk about Matt and his behavior during the challenge. Andrea talks about how she played him and figures out that he is mad at her. Grant and Rob talk about how they should get Andrea out first when it comes time to do it. That leads in to the immunity challenge where each member has to compete in a log roll tournament. Last person standing wins immunity and reward. Again making a long challenge short, Grant defeats Ralph in the last round to win immunity and reward. Grant picks Rob to eat the cake from the reward along with Andrea. There is also a twist that the tribe cant open and must bring to the TC that night.

Back at camp, the tribe starts to figure out what the package is. Paranoia runs rampant as they start guessing what the deal is. Ralph is hoping he gets a lifeline from the package which the others guess is a batch of cards. Rob concludes that Ralph has to go since he is still mentally in the game unlike Steve. Rob than tells Ashley and Natalie what he and Grant discussed about Andrea and also tells them its Ralph and if there is a twist where they have to knock someone else out than it would be Andrea.

We than see Steve telling the girls that he and Ralph are voting out Rob and that he says this could be their big game moment to get him out. Ashley and Natalie wind up telling Rob what was discussed. This causes Rob to think maybe he should boot Steve after all and spare Andrea. They than head over to the tribal council where the mystery will be exposed to everyone. The votes are cast as Steve continues to try and get the girls to vote their way and get rid of Rob. Ralph gets voted out however by a count of 6-2. The twist is than revealed where the remaining member have to do yet another immunity challenge right at TC and vote someone else out.

Each member is given a bunch of cards and they have to use them to repeat symbols that Probst shows them. Whoever gets the most right wins. It turns out Rob wins immunity and the vote is on without talking. Steve winds up going home as Zapatera loses their last member. The Ometepe Six make it through and will now decide things on their own.

Now for the all-important commentary.

-The Ometepe Six stuck together and you can debate that all you want. Getting rid of Ralph first was the correct move as he was a much bigger threat than Steve. However the twist was where I think they all screwed up. Rob and Grant were worried about Andrea and her feelings for Matt and I said all along they should boot her ass in order to eliminate the threat of the two of them hooking up again. Rob should have made this clear to the other Ometepe's before the went to TC so they were all prepared but he made his first mistake here. Getting rid of Steve who didnt have a leg to stand on was a bad move and he likely realized this when they all stayed true with the first vote in getting rid of Ralph and that there was no need to worry about defections. Now the real possibility exists of the girls hooking up with Grant to boot Rob out or some other combination with the Redemption Island people. Many possibilities here for Rob to get into trouble but he could have eliminated one big roadblock here but didnt for some reason. This could be the thing that he looks back on if he doesnt make it to the end of the game.
-Probst bringing up the Lex incident with Rob brought back some bad memories I had for the guy. What Rob did to Lex that season was beyond tasteless and was one of the reasons why I hated the guy so much back than. Of course my opinions have changed as Rob is a much more likable guy this time around but that was a trio down memory lane that I didnt want to take. I have to say though that Rob's answer about still being true to Amber was perfect there.
-Redemption Island is mad crowded. Have no clue what the future holds there. Two people back in? One? Lots of possibilities over there.
-Matt...what can you say? You really are witnessing something special there. What he has accomplished on Redemption Island is one of the most awesome performances I have ever seen in the history of the show. And yes he could easily win if he gets to the end as he has made big bonds with Zapatera who will make up the majority of the jury.
-Phillip finding his shorts after a premonition was something. The guy is in fact crazy but that was impressive. Unreal he is in the final six.
-Rob talking on the previews about all of his work down the drain was interesting. First before I get to that, I firmly believe Rob wins next week's immunity challenge. His reaction totally looks like someone who won and he is sitting at the top of that contraption they are doing the challenge on. So that brings me to the previews. If Rob has the idol, the other will be going after Phillip and that leads Rob to make the comment about all his work going down the drain. It makes total sense in that how does he try to convince the girls that this is the way to go? Thats my take on it.
-So what happens next with the Ometepe Six? I said weeks ago that if they were to finally make a move against Rob, it would be Grant and the girls doing it. Phillip will stick with Rob and thats that. Now you know I am rooting for Rob all the way and he deserves it but looking at things in regards to what the right move would be, its clear that they have to get Rob out or else he will sail to the end of the game. Grant is smarter than he looks and I really think he knows this already. Ashley also made an interesting comment today that the show was shown to us in that she said the plan that Steve talked about in getting rid of Rob could work if they got Andrea involved. An omen for what comes next? Very good possibility here.
-The twist was something I thought they would have done in a much earlier season. I talked about this a few years ago about how neat it would be to do a surprise TC where the tribes wouldnt have a chance to talk things through. It wasnt every dramatic tonight but there were many variables at play that could have happened.
-I miss you Julie. Great job altogether.


Thats all for now. Check back tomorrow for the rankings. Ciao.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND UPDATED RANKINGS: WHO HAS THE BEST CHANCE TO WIN AFTER JULIE GOT THE BOOT?




Julie sadly gets sent away to Redemption Island and so we are left with 8 players over on the "mainland." Lets break it down as far as who the current favorites are to take home the dough.

1. Boston Rob: I dont really have to waste your time telling you every week that Rob is dominating the game because its so obvious. He won immunity this week which was big since he didnt have to use the idol (and he wouldnt have had to use it anyway) and he continues to slide through with the others not realizing their best move is to take him out now while they have the chance. I honestly feel the others are all intimidated by him since no one seems to want to make a move yet. Great game all around Rob.

2. Natalie: I am really starting to think its either he or Rob who wins it. I cant make a case for anyone else except maybe Matt if he comes back yet again. You would have to give serious props to soemone who kept winning at that clip. Natalie can be there to pick up the pieces if there is a bitter jury but honestly is anyone who has been voted out yet that will be on the jury outside of Rob really going to not give him the money out of anger or insult? No!

3. Grant: Still waiting for the expected Grant move against Rob. I said it yesterday and I will say it again. At some point he will ask the three girls to take out Rob with him if they go to the final six and it will be up to Natalie to decide to keep her word with Rob and go for a tie or take the sure path to the final four. Me thinks she stabs him in the back.

4. Andrea: Andrea remains a small threat herself to win as she has made no enemies and could be there to benefit if things break down with Rob-Natalie-Grant.

5. Ralph: All right so Ralph is a doofus. We all know that. But if any remaining Zapatera can win it (not talking about whether Julie or Mike get back in the game), it could be Ralph since there will be lots of Zapatera on the jury.

6. Steve: Felt bad for Steve this week after being unfairly called a racist and I cant see him reaching the end. He has nothing to draw on as far as being one who deserves the money either.

7. Ashley: Ashley is annoying me lately and she amazes me with her uselessness. Nothing happening here for her.

8. Phillip: Yeah whatever. The guy is a circus act who just keeps on going. Truly a joke with this guy here.

9. Matt: Matt continues to win and he has the real chance of getting the money if he can somehow keep winning. We obviously cant count him out.

10. Mike: I am glad Mike stuck around another week as he is a class act and deserved better. If he also gets back in the game, he instantly becomes a co-favorite with Rob.

11. Julie: Sorry to see her go too but thats the game. She is tough and can hold her own with the guys so we'll see.

Thats how I see them ranked. Let me know if you disagree. Post below. Let the ddebate begin.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND EPISODE 10 WRAPUP AND COMMENTARY




All right commentary first and than the wrapup....PSYCH!....just the opposite. Lets gets to it.

Things begin at Redemption Island as Matt prays to God about how he wants out of the game but will stay if HE wants him to remain there. David than walks in to his surprise and Mike's as well. The three sit and talk about what will happen next.

The next day at Murlonio the tribe is cooking fish as Steve claims he wasnt ready to go yet. The 3 Zapatera talk about the TC the night before as they hear Phillip mumbling something while he sits by himself. Later on we see Phillip meditating and he discusses his belief in Buddhism.

Back at camp the 3 Zapatera are eating rice which ticks off Phillip. He tells the other Ometepe's about this and Phillip decides to take some rice for his tribe. The tree mail arrives as they are summoned to see the duel. They all have to go to Redemption Island soon they competitors are brought in. The challenge centers on the three having to use 150 wodden tiles to build a house of cards. The first two to reach 8 feet move on. The loser leaves and becomes first member of jury. As always making a long challenge short, the two winners are soon shown to be Mike and Matt with David out of it.

Back at camp we see the tribe eating again as they see bugs in their rice. They soon separated the magnets and realize their rice is going to sit out on a blanket asthe Zapatera's wont allow them to put their rice in their bucket. Phillip flips out over this and he and Steve start arguing. He also trheatens to hide their bucket as thigns continue to get heateed there. He soon makes it a black and white thing which offends even his own tribe. He even throws out the N-word which continues with the depths of the battle. Steve soon tells Rob the Zapatera 3 are all voting for Phillip as he tries to convince them to do the same.

Soon we have the immunity challenge where each member of the tribe has to build a puzzle wheel where they race to release a puzzle base and solve the puzzle. First six move on and go onto a second wheel puzzle. First person to complete that portion win immunity. As always making a long challenge short, Rob wins immunity.

After the challenge, the Zapatera 3 begin their search for two Ometepe's to come over to their side and boot Phillip. Julie soon hides Phillip's shorts in the process. He goes to look for them and realizes that something is up. He says he can play that game. Rob however still seems to be in on keeping Phillip around but he acknowledges there is room to vote him out. They arrive at TC and making a long session short, we see Julie get sent to Redemption Island by a count of 6-3 with Phillip getting the other votes.

Now for the commentary:

Wow where do I start. The vote is a good place and really I was shocked to see Julie go over Steve, Why Ometepe would want to keep the combustible mix of Phillip and Steve together for another few days is a shock. I was actually upset to see Julie go. You all know I touted her as my sleeper for the season and I felt bad that she needed the money since she was going through a divorce and her house was in foreclosure. She was not the right choice at all but whats done is done.
-Now for the Phillip-Steve battle. First of all we all know Phillip is a lunatic. Thats goes without saying. What he did in this episode however was purely ridiculous and offensive. The victim in all of this was Steve who he was labled a racist which was obviously not the case. Thatas one of the worst accusations you can make about someone and I felt terrible that he has to see this played out on television. Now no one will believe what Phillip had to say but to still have that out there has got to be humiliating and its not fair. Steve is as decent a guy as you can get and I have all the respect in the world for him for not clocking Phillip one after being subjected to this. It was downright pathetic and sad to see.
-While watching that whole Phillip tirade, it struck me that Survivor and Burnett himself should take a big hit here for even casting Phillip. The guy had no chance to realistically win Survivor from the very beginning and so its clear he was put on the show just for entertainment purposes. I have a big problem with his and have screamed over the years about how Survivor has moved away from casting die-hards who have an idea of what the game is all about and how to behave to selecting people based on their looks or outrageouss behavior. Clearly that is what happened with Phillip as he was put on the show just for the kind of outbursts we see every week and yeah its funny to watch.....for an episode or two. Now that we are 10 episodes in, its beyond annoying and is a major distraction to the game. It doesnt look like things will change from this repsect so whatever. It is a major drop in quality of contestants for sure. Very disappointing to see.
-The immunity challenge was horrendous. Two puzzles and thats it? I know there are budget cuts but this was stupid. Rob was destined to win that anyway with his puzzle history.
-Its clear now that Ometepe will wipe out Zapatera and than decide it on their own. And to me the only way Rob doesnt get to the final and win is if Grant doesnt align with the three girls and boot him. They obviously cant bring Phillip into any kind of alliance to oust Rob since he is so out of control which leaves this as the only option and its very realistic. Natalie would have her alliance with Rob tested but she has to know this is the correct move. I hope it doesnt happen though as Rob deserves this as he has owned the game.
-I wonder if Ralph can spell his name.
-David was a real chump in his Survivor stay and he really made zero imprint on it. He was pretty funny with his facial expression upon seeing Phillip walk by.
-Julie stealing Phillip's shorts was hysterical and I was surprised she admitted it. How stupid Phillip must have felt to use his "federal agent" schtick to say Steve did it.
-I watched a video the other day of the first Survivor and Probst was so nervous and boring back than. He is the best at what he does now and always makes the TC's interesting. Happy he stayed put here.

Thats all for now everyone. Post your thoughts below. Rankings tomorrow and more. Until than keep smiling.

Friday, April 15, 2011

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND UPDATED RANKINGS: WHO CURRENTLY HAS THE BEST CHANCE TO WIN????




We got two more who bit the dust last Wednesday and so Redemption Island is getting a bit crowded. Lets break it down as we determine who currently is the favorite to win the million bucks.

1. Boston Rob: Rob will hold the top spot until he either wins or is voted out. If he gets to end and doesnt win, it will be the biggest Survivor injustice ever. And it wouldnt be close for second. He is working his way through the Zapatera's and either friendly/physical Mike or arch-nemesis Matt will be gone next week. He also still has the hidden idol which is huge.

2. Natalie: Again Natalie is right behind Rob as she clearly is his Amber this season in a strategic sense. She confided to him about Ashley being deceitful and that earned big time trust there. Like I have discussed before, Natalie will win if Rob creates a bitter jury intent on not rewarding him.

3. Grant: Its almost a foregone conclusion that Rob will ditch Grant first when they get to the final six and surely Grant has to be realizing this. Look for a battle to soon emerge there behind the scenes with the winner likely earning the million bucks.

4. Andrea: She right now is lying in the weeds and could win by default. Her move last week to vote out Rob was big in earning trust and so she may not get attention until its too late.

5. Julie: The only Zapatera remaining in the game who could win in my mind is Julie and she has a chance to pick up the pieces after the inevitable Ometepe division. I have been her fan as a longshot all season and I am not getting off that train now.

6. Ashley: Rob is annoyed at her and thats a not a good thing. She has done nothing to deserve the million.

7. Ralph: I think Steve goes next but Ralph should soon follow. Sorry I just cant see a situation where he wins the dough.

8. Steve: He has been disappointing and sitting out the last immunity challenge tells me he has checked out mentally. He goes to battle against Phillip this week and so he likely will seal his fate there.

9. Phillip: How crazy would it be if Phillip actually won? If Rob pisses off enough people you never know. Yeah right it will never happen.

10. Matt: As per my rules, those on Redemption Island go to the back of the rankings order and Matt is the favorite of the three that are there for the fact that he cant seem to lose. If he gets back into the game again and makes the final, is it even ethical to give him the million dollars after being voted out twice? Thats a debate for the future.

11. Mike: I have a sneaky feeling that Mike and David are toast this week but if he can get back in the game, he shoots right up to the top due to all of the reasons I have noted all season.

12. David: One more week of David and thats it. He wont win at Redemption Island.

Thats how I see it. As always would love to hear what you think of this.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND EPISODE 9 WRAPUP AND COMMENTARY




Lets gets the wrapup out of the way and than hit the commentary.

Things start off back at Redemption Island as Matt talks about how naive he is in the game. He is amazed how he was blindsided twice by the same people. He goes back to hie faith and believes its all being done for a reason.

The next day back at Murlonio camp, the Zapatera talk about how smart it was about how Rob orchestrated Matt's ouster. David is especially impressed and compares it to a mob hit. Mike also congratulates him on it directly and they all realize how much in trouble they are. Julie realizes their is no breaking that group as Ralph asks Ashley and Natalie if he is on the block. He continues to try and get answers from the girls and they are not having it. Rob eventually tells the Ometepe's about how no one can talk strategy with the Zapatera's and that they wont decide on who goes until its time to figure it out. He also wants his tribe to hate Zapatera as they try to make it obvious. Later Natalie tells Rob about the convo that Ashley and Ralph had and how she wasnt going to tell Rob about it. Rob now decides that Ashley wont go to the end now because she didnt tell him this.

The tribe than goes to the immunity challenge as Phillips talks about how out of thin air a feather fell from the sky for him. Probst tells the tribe about how they will dig to retrieve a club to smash a tile. The first six move on where they have to gather water in their mouth and spit it into a tube. Top three goes onto a final puzzle where the winner gets immunity. The final three are Grant, Mike and David. It comes down to the puzzle where Grant wins immunity.

Back at camp, a storm comes in as Mike notes how close he was to immunity. He talks about how one of the Zapatera five are going. They notice that there flagpole has moved in their search for an idol. This catches the attention of Ometepe as they start digging themselves. Rob starts to worry about whether or not they got it. He than asks the others about who they should target and it seems they are debating between David or Mike. They soon go into TC where it will be decided. As always making a long TC short, Mike gets voted out by a tally of 6-5 with Phillip getting the Zapatera tallies.

Back at camp Rob tells Phillip he is on top with him and he realizes that he is the guy to take to the end of the game along with Natalie. The next day Phillip realizes what is going on but dont make much of it right now/ David meanwhile tells Ralph he wants to make a move to save themselves. They talk to Phillip and try to tell him how Rob is in control. It goes nowhere which leads to the next challenge which is for immunity and reward. Each person has to hang upside down from a pole over water and the last person hanging wins immunity. They all get a shot to decide whether they want to fight for immunity of eat cheeseburgers which Steve and Phillip are the only two to decide to sit out. Again making a long challenge short, Andrea wins immunity after Natalie and Ashley let her have it.

After the challenge, Rob is happy someone from his tribe won immunity while Ralph discovers that a batch of fish has washed up on the beach. The fish are dead to which Rob says they cant be eaten. The Zapatera eat up while the Ometepe watch, with Grant wanting to eat. Grant soon goes over to eat some and talks about how he is a big boy and can make his own decisions. Rob than concludes that its either Steve or David at the next TC. They soon all head to TC where David gets the boot by a 6-4 count with Rob getting the Zapatera tallies. So on and on it goes.

Wow an unexpected double boot tonight which was fun to watch. Lots to get to in the wrapup so lets begin here.

-Like I predicted, the Ometepe will use the hammer of being up in numbers and it was absolutely the right move to knock off Mike and than David. Its rare when a tribe actually takes advantage of the numbers but with an experienced leader like Boston Rob being there for advice, the made the correct moves there.
-The vote for Mike over the other Zapatera's was the right call first over David as he had two things that were worrisome for Rob. He was a physical threat in challenges and also a well-liked player. Now either he or Matt will go home after the Redemption Island duel which eliminates one big threat to Rob. In regards to Mike, I was a bit sad to see him go as he was a class act all the way and really could have done better but ended up on the wrong side of the numbers.
-Now as far as David was concerned, he was a jackass who needed to go. He too had a lot of potential though as a strategist and a strong brain but he too failed to make a stamp on the game.
-The Zapatera five were crying sour grapes when they referred to Boston Rob turning his tribe into a cult. The funny thing is that they all wanted him on their tribe instead of Russell and now they are criticizing him. Thats classic frustration talking here.
-Julie, Ralph, and Steve are in big trouble no doubt but they might get a reprieve next week. Let me explain. It looks like Phillip goes on one of his classic tantrums and depending on how offensive it is (and we already see its a black/white thing which is never good) the Ometepe's might just decide to pull an Ogakor and kick Phillip out since they wont lose their advantage if he is out. Remember in Australia, the Ogakor's booted Jerri Manthey under similar circumstances and still held their numbers advantage. Just saying.
-Now looking at things strategically from Boston Rob's angle, he is completely correct in wanting to take Phillip to the end with Natalie. Grant would get votes since he is a nice guy and a challenge monster so he is out and Ashley blew her trust with Rob by not wanting to tell him about her chat with Ralph. Andrea is also likable who hasnt ruffled feathers so she is out. Hence we have Natalie who he pledged to and crazy Phillip. Right call there. He would only have to worry about Natalie and thats it as far as winning.
-Another big thing is the fact that Rob still has his hidden immunity idol which is huge. I thought he was going to have to use it at the merge but he got through that fine and through two more councils. So he has the numbers and the idol. Its getting very hard to imagine that he wont make the final three with all those weapons. One word of caution though: I noticed that Rob is starting to act a bit overconfident and smug. That cost him dearly when it came to the finale of All Stars so for his sake he better make sure history doesnt repeat itself. Clearly though this is the most complete and dominant Survivor performance that I have ever seen. Not even close for second place.
-One thing that was interesting was the edit showing Grant acting defiant against Rob when it came to eating the fish. A hint at whats to come? Keep that stored away in your memory bank. I think it might have some meaning. Beward Rob.
-The only way I can see Rob getting knocked off is if the three girls convince Phillip or Grant to defect and it entirely possible it happens. Thats why its so huge that he has the idol.
-Still cant believe Steve sat out the challenge. Dont have any respect for those who dont fight to stay in the game.
-Julie my girl keep fighting.
-Imagine if Phillip wins? If he does I am going to start thinking that this 2012 crap is legit.

Thats all for now people. Check back tomorrow for rankings and such. Post your thoughts below.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND EPISODE 9 PREVIEW

We are merged and Matt was once again sent on his way to Redemption Island where he faces even longer odds of getting back into the game. With 11 people left in the merged portion, lets try and break down who is likely to be voted out tomorrow.

Ometepe Tribe: Even though we are merged, I thought it would be easier to break things down based on tribal lines which I think are in firm play this week. Despite the previews showing Grant chatting it up with the Zapatera's, he would be insane to even think about tossing away the 6-5 advantage they have over them. For a guy who seems like he is with it, I think this is just false mesages being sent by the show. So as far as I am concerned, the Ometepe six will stay together at least through this vote so they than have a 6-4 advantage and next time around have the option of cutting Phillip loose without losing their numbers. Ultimately you got to be thinking that they will focus their votes on Mike or Steve with an emphasis on the former. The tricky thing here is that the second hidden immunity idol will be put back into play for this week and so if Mike finds it and they vote for him, than Ometep could be in trouble. Ometepe cant split the votes obviously so they have to hope they pick the right person and I think they will choose to kick Mike off since David and Julie are not seen as threats yet and I dont think they take Ralph seriously with his dead brain.

Zapatera: Meanwhile at Zapatera, the only card they can play really is to grab one of the Ometepe's and force a tie but again who on Ometepe would go for that when they have a guaranteed advantage? Not going to happen. So the next best thing is to find the hidden immunity idol and play it on who they think Ometepe is aiming for. If they are correct and than throw their votes on Grant, than its a brand new game. I seriously doubt they will aim at Rob and now that they already went to Grant, dont be surprised if they go after one of the girls which Rob would never guess happening. They face a very uphill battle here but with some luck they can turn this around and change the game.

In the end I think Mike goes home followed by a close second with Steve. Ometepe will maintain their advantage and likely use it to wipe out Zapatera and fight it out amongst the six of them. As always check back here for more on this tomorrow. The full analysis and wrapup will be posted after the show.

Friday, April 8, 2011

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND UPDATED RANKINGS: THE MATT FALLOUT




So Matt gets back into the game....and than out of the game. It was a crazy episode eight of Survivor Redemption Island and the biggest result was the fact Boston Rob came out of the merge TC holding onto his hidden immunity idol. So once again he paces the field in the latest rankings with some intriguing names following behind.

1. Boston Rob: I said early last week that it was a huge vote for Boston Rob's chances to go far in the game and he came out of it unscatched and in great shape. He held onto his hidden immunity and he successfully broke up the Andrea-Matt bond by convincing her to vote for him, and ultimately got the thorn in his side Matt out of the game once again. Could you imagine if he finds the second immunity idol? If he does than just write the check.

2. Natalie: Natalie winning immunity was huge for her chances to eventually win since she now has something to put to her name when she faces a jury. Rob might want to re-think taking her to the end and instead pick Ashley if this keeps up.

3. Grant: Somewhere down the line Rob and Grant are going to have to part ways and we started seeing a glimpse of this in the previews for next week's episode. I think thats a bunch of bull since Grant would be foolish to throw away the 6-5 advantage in numbers but Rob knows he is a big contender adn must not allow him to reach the finals.

4. Mike: I think Mike is on the chopping block next but whoi knows. He clearly has a strategic mind and the likability factor is a double whammy when it comes to Rob finding who is the biggest threat at Zapatera.

5. Julie: She continues to hum along and is not in any jeopardy other than being down in numbers which I always says is overrated.

6. Andrea: She makes her way back up the rankings in ditching Matt and showing Rob she is a loyal Ometepe member.

7. David: I think David is going to make his move soon. Cant you just see Rob ditching Grant and substituting David instead? Could happen.

8. Ashley: I cant see anyone giving her the money in the end but she is in the majority alliance and there is that.

9. Ralph: Ralph gave away his idol which causes him to fall fast. His mouthy and annoying style could make him the easier choice to go over Mike.

10. Steve: Steve has his neck on the line as well and its a coin flip right now as to whether its he or Mike. Ometepe was all set to vote him out until the last minute change to Matt so they could go back to the well here next week.

11. Phillip: This guy is a piece of work. Just hanging around and being stupid as always.

12. Matt: He goes right back to the last spot in the rankings now that he is back on Redemption Island. Will take a ton for him to get back into it as I cant see him having that kind of winning streak again.

Thats how I see it. As always your opinions are welcome.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

SURVIVOR REDEMPTION ISLAND EPISODE 8 WRAPUP: MATT GETS THE BOOT PART 2




Wrapup first followed by the always lovable and cuddly commentary:

Things start off back at Zapatera as the tribe talks about how Sarita took it well when it came to eviction. David and Ralph talk about the vote and David seems all right with it. They note how desperate things are and how they need to get going in the next challenge.

We than go to Redemption Island as Sarita meets Matt. He seems happy to see her as he doesnt think she is much of a challenge. Sarita talks about the good parts about Zapatera and Matt is taking all the info for possible use later. He also starts thinking about jumping ship to the other tribe if he gets back in the game.

The next day at Ometepe the tree mail arrives as the duel beckons. The entire tribe is invited to go and they start talking about the merge which they think is imminent. Rob tells the others to bring their stuff in case. Phillip disagrees but he talks about how he feels comfortable with his tribe. Meanwhile at Zaptera the tribe also talks about the possible upcoming merge and how Mike wants to take out Rob.

Back at Redemption Island, Matt talks about how he cut his foot and that he is worried about an endurance challenge. Sarita feels confident that she can win. Both walk into the duel and are told they must in fact endure an endurance challenge to get back into the game. Winner finally gets back in. Rob notes how it could be bad if Matt gets back in and goes to the other side. The challenge is where both have to use their feet to stand up on side pegs and stay up as long as they can so they can get back to the game. During the challenge Phillip goes through a huge diatribe much to the rest of the groups annoyance. As always making a long challenge short Matt outlasts Sarita and amazingly gets back in the game. The rest of the group is also informed that they have merged. They will all got to a new beach and are told that after the next TC Redemption Island starts again.

Back at the new beach, the tribe starts to get to know each other and a feast awaits them. They also come up with a new name which is Merlonio. Rob made it up as it was an inside joke between he and Amber. Matt starts asking what happened after he was voted out as they start building a new shelter. We than see Mike try to curry favor with Matt as he tries to make a big move in the game. Mike makes a big promise to Matt and in turn Andrea and talks about how he will stick by them above the rest. He also talks about how Matt and Andrea can use the idol from Zapatera if they want.

That night Matt and Andrea start talking and he wants to take out Ometepe. He wants to knock Steve out first to throw off Ometepe and earn their trust and than kick off Phillip and Rob. Andrea is a bit concerned and is unsure of what to do here.

Early the next day, Matt starts talking about religion to the others and believes that he is back in the game for a reason. He feels some loyalty to Ometepe however and starts to question what he originally thought. Rob watches this and talks about how he is worried that some of the others are religious together. He zones in on Mike being the first to go if he doesnt win immunity.

The challenge arrives and they are instructed about what its make up is. They will all be perched on a log while balancing a ball on a wooden disk. On regular intervals they will have more balls added. If a ball falls you are out. Last person standing wins immunity. Making a long challenge short, Natalie wins immunity over Mike.

Back at camp, they all congratulate Natalie and Mike seems worried about getting sent away. Zapatera talks about who would go and Mike thinks its either he or Ralph. They also talk about getting rid of Grant since he is Rob's big ally. We soon see Rob and Matt talk and after much debate the latter decides to stay with his tribe. He tells Rob all about what he and Mike talked about as far as the idol and such. Rob is not impressed though and talks about sending him away again. He also brings in Andrea and tells Rob she was part of it. Rob than goes to Natalie and tells her Matt is a goner again. Matt sees what is going on and starts feeling paranoid. Mike uses this as an opportunity to grab him in again. He writes a note to Matt and hands it to him while Ometepe is not looking. He tells him to vote Grant and that he will take him to the final three. Rob soon grabs Andrea and tells her that Matt has to go. The setup is there as they go to TC.

After the usual Q and A's with Probst, it gets settled with the tribe voting out Matt again by a tally of 6-5-1 with the other votes for Grant (5) and Steve (1).

Now for the good old fashioned commentary:

-"This poor kid." Thats the collective thought of both Julie and across American tonight after watching Matt get booted yet again. I mean for real? It was a huge move nonetheless and what is really painful to watch regarding this is the fact this kid really gave his tribe a second chance and they ^&^*^ all over him. To make matters worse, Andrea also joined in on the onslaught and threw her beau to the curb. I guess she was jealous from all those nights he spent with Krista, Stephanie, Sarita etc. By the way with all those hot women coming into the shelter at Redemption Island during his stay there, why didnt Matt try to put the moves on and get some action? Oh well I digress. Anyway it was tough hearing him say at the end that he likes his tribe and wants them to like him. It was a real soul revelation and took you into how crushed he was. Now we get to see him at Redemption again where anything is possible. Can he do it again? You cant obviously count him out based on what we have seen. Either way Matt clearly doesnt have the mind for the game and that has revealed itself in very painful ways this season.
-Zapatera is pretty much screwed unless Phillip goes haywire which is always a possibility. You know I say it every week but I will say it again: how in the hell is Phillip still in this game? Anyway the previews show Grant possibly jumping ship but I dont buy it. Ometepe has the 6-5 advantage and it would make no sense for him to go that route. Someone from Zapateta is going next unless something huge happens here.
-Boston Rob is the man. He continues running all over these people in the game and kicking off Matt was another big move. The threat of him going to the other side was real and so he for the time being eliminated another obstacle. What was really huge about this is the fact Rob came out of the merge TC holding onto his hidden immunity idol which I thought for sure he would have to play and he eliminated one of his big worries (Matt) while neutralizing another one (Andrea who voted out Matt). Great work as always.
-Another nice Rob tidbit was him making up the new tribe name and trying to make it sound like something it wasnt. He is pretty darn funny thats for sure.
-Natalie winning the immunity challenge was big for her. She now has something to put in her Survivor portfolio as far as enhancing her chances of eventually winning. We all want Survivor winners to win some challenges and being a force at camp and at least in the first aspect, Natalie succeeded. Her stock improved with this win.
-Phillip and his speeches are making Coach look boring. What the hell was that at the immunity challenge? Funny shizz as always.
-As far as the quality of the immunity challenge, I always like those endurance battles. Always gets the adrenaline going and gives you the edge of your seat feeling that makes it great tv.
-By the way did you see the size of Julie's quads? Holy crap. One of the more fit women I have seen on the show in awhile. Still want her to do very well and I am glad those bogus spoilers were wrong that she was out early.
-Regarding Sarita and Matt in their duel, I couldnt possibly fathom Matt losing after coming this far. Sarita gave it a great fight though and earned a great deal of cred in my book for her showing. I still feel baad for her she left but she put her stamp on the game at the end there.
-Mike is a real player. He came up with some great ides such as going after Grant when the obvious one was to be to go after Rob. Word obviously got out though as Grant didnt seem surprised in the least when the votes were read. Still think Mike has the best chance to win from Zapatera but he is clearly the one to go next.
-By the way Ralph was dumb for using the idol and he put it on the wrong guy. Ugghhh this guy has fewer smarts than my 18-month old son. Also my son can speak better English than Ralph does.
-The season is getting better and better as we head into the latter stages. I thought when Russell left that it had lost some of the excitement but I was wrong. Good stuff ahead I think.

Thats all for now. New rankings and other stuff tomorrow. Ciao.