Survivor April 27, 2022

 It's one of those laughter and tears episodes tonight.

I thought the Immunity Challenge was hilarious, right out of some slapstick film.  Everyone had to stand on a narrow board on a floating triangle in very choppy seas. (The picture below isn't from the episode).

We've seen the choppy waters in a previous episode. These little floating devices were like bucking broncos. People were being pitched off of them left and right.  After not much more than a minute, only Jonathan and Lindsay were still on the platforms, and Jonathan barely won.  I laughed so much at this challenge.

The twist of the episode was that the players were divided into two teams for this challenge, and there would be two tribals and two people voted out.  Suddenly everyone was split up from their alliances and things got fractured fast.

On Jonathan's team, he wanted to control the vote, he thought his big moment had come.  He wanted to flush out Drea's idol, but he tells Maryann she'll be the split vote.  What his actual plans are, it's hard to discern, as he has a discussion with Lindsay laying it all out, but she tells him it makes no sense.

The first group to go to tribal votes out Rocksroy, despite his alliance with several of them.As edited, it looks like it's Omar's machinations at work, since he doesn't feel as if he can work with Rocksroy going forward, meaning he can't manipulate him, but he can manipulate the other target Romeo.

When the second group enters tribal and they see the jury of Rocksroy and Chanelle, Drea breaks down and says she's using her idol tonight because she's not going to be sitting on that jury full of people like herself.  It happens every time she says, the people of color just all of a sudden get voted out, boom boom boom.

Maryanne, also feeling targeted, says she will use her idol tonight too.  

The two were so emotional and sad, their feelings so raw.  Nothing but complete respect for them both.

The unusual tribal ended without the usual visits to the voting station. Jonathan had immunity, and he and Lindsay would vote for Tori, it was openly stated, so Tori went to try the Shot in the Dark. Tori was not safe, and is now the third member of the jury.

Survivor April 13, 2022

I thought that in a two hour episode, there would be two tribals, but they just sort of strung things out.

 

So there we were again with the false merge. Using the hourglass twist from last season (that this group doesn't know about), they're asked to send one person to an isolated island for two days.  

This time they're warned that person will have power in the game as a result, and are given the opportunity to go themselves if someone wants to volunteer.  Nobody wants to miss the opportunity to get to know and feel out new alliances with the other players, so Rocksroy is chosen to go.  It seemed to me that Tori, who has spiraled into a pretty unpleasant personality, had some influence there.

Rocksroy, unlike last season's Erika, really enjoyed being on the island.  He made himself a shelter!  It took him quite awhile but he had fire.  He explored the island!  He did make a snide comment about his naggy wife, but otherwise, he seemed very much at peace.

Once Jeff stopped by and explained the Hourglass twist, he appeared via the magic of editing to ponder whether he should smash the hourglass and re-set who won immunity, but it wasn't in doubt.

At the immunity challenge, Tori won immunity, so the people who could be voted for were Jonathan, Hai, Lydia, Maryanne, and Lindsay.

To me, Lindsay was the person to vote for as she just isn't a strong player.  There were moves on Maryanne but she survived once again. Go go go!  Omar is given credit for saving Maryanne through some power shuffling, but I'm sure more went on we didn't see. Plus, leave her alone! :)

I did like Lydia, but if it were between her and Maryanne, grab your torch, kiddo.

Survivor April 6, 2022

 

Another episode with hi jinks all around. Many seemed to be looking forward in their minds and game play choices to the merge they feel is imminent.  I can see why they feel that is strategic, but they are all still bound to their current teams, and should concentrate on that.

In the previews, though, there's a drop your buffs moment, but it is apparently not a merge.  So much for all that merge strategy.

At this point in the game, what I like to call the Thin Veneer of Civilization has dropped from most players.  We see exactly who they are, as much much as current day over-editing will allow.

I find I still adore Maryanne, that creature of Absolute Joy.  She may be wearing now on stalwart giant Jonathan because she's constantly (so we're shown) bubbling with conversation.

I've liked Lydia from the beginning, as she seems a down to earth, slightly nerdy girl.

Jonathan is a good guy, completely.

Omar is a master strategist, but he's also just a good person.

Drea is also a good strategist and player.  

Hai is great.  

I really liked Tori initially. You'd think as someone who helps people, she'd be nicer.  She just isn't.

I want to like Mike, who is mostly a good guy, but he chooses poor alliances that kind of take him down.

The only person who I really disliked, is Daniel, who went in Tribal after a tie vote.  

Chanelle, whom I liked, seemed kind of cruel, and even voted for Mike in the initial vote.  If she had voted for Daniel, her arch enemy, as she should, it would have been so much smarter.  

A two hour episode next week. That no merge thing going on. Two people should go home. 

Survivor March 30, 2022

 

Survivor: Knives Out Edition!  

Daniel is indeed the lowest of the low on his tribe. Good thing his group won one of the immunities.  He will have to start hoping for the merge to escape his fate.

Maryann was in no danger this week. Her tribe has dominated the last few challenges. Jonathan, nicknamed Thor by Tori, and viewed as too powerful by jealous others, did dominate physically, but he also really supported his tribe mates in other ways.

The major fighting went on at Ika where Tori was in trouble again, for blabbing confidential information around.  She was overtaken by quiet girl Swati, who somehow thought it was a good idea to go to every person and tell them they were her number one.  Once that got out...so did she.  Fifth person to leave, though she tried the Shot In The Dark, but was not safe.

I'm amazed at how popular the Shot In The Dark seems to be this season.  I suppose if you think you have no chance at all, it could appeal.  It hasn't worked for anyone yet this season.

Survivor March 23, 2022

 This weeks episode of Survivor might be subtitled "Who Wore The Weasel Suit?"

Throughout the episode, Daniel of the Vati tribe was up to no good, though he tried to mask his efforts as bumbling behavior.

First, he insists on taking Mike's idol and advantage off to read and study. He sticks these deeply into his underwear. So gross.

Then when he gives Mike the items back, it's only the wrapper, not the idol itself or the instructions.  Did they fall out? Did he keep them on purpose?  He finds he did drop the idol where he read the Advantage instructions. But the instructions themselves seemed to be deep in his underwear, but he did manage to dig them out.  Bleh.

At tribal, his team was there, and he had gone to everyone before hand saying different things.  At tribal, then, he somehow tried to put all of the decision for who would go on Chanelle, who had no vote at tribal at all.

Poor Jenny went, but I'd think Daniel is now on everyone's radar.

Survivor March 16, 2022

 

It's week 2 and the smiles are more crocodilian than happy.  Except for Maryanne, exuberant as ever.

Each tribe is in full game mode, forming sketchy alliances, plotting who should go. 

Omar of the Taku tribe quickly decided to use the lure of the Shot In The Dark to suggest to Maryanne and Marya, the two whose names were up for the vote at tribal, that they strongly consider using it.  They'd lose their vote, but would have a one in six chance of being safe from being voted out.

Marya used it, was not safe, and was unanimously voted out.

I hated to see my glorious Maryanne's name even come up.  She was entertainingly nervous at tribal, and is a strong player, and escaped.  Two of the women on her tribe were agreeing that she was too "on" all of the time and it was wearying to them.  And one is gone, and my girl lives :)

Survivor Season 42 Begins

 And we're off!  I like this crew of Survivors, even more than last season's.  They seemed so happy and thrilled to be on the beach.  Groups are always excited but not quite like these folks.

 

One of the players, Jackson, was pulled for the game on the second day. He was on medication that he only revealed at the last minute in the process, and it was one that was going to endanger him if he was allowed to play.  His tribe just sobbed when they heard, they'd bonded so quickly.  His tribe went on to win the immunity challenge, even one person short.

My personal favorite is Maryanne Oketch, who has the biggest smile in the world, an even bigger heart, and an exuberant play style which I hope takes her far.