We’ve reached that moment of the season that’s pretty tricky as it gets very predictable or even boring. In a sense it was a good idea to condense these two boots into one episode. Two episodes for them would have dragged on for too long. So sure, it was pretty much the worst episode of the season so far, but this season is so good, that even this episode was better than the good episodes of some terrible seasons.
Yet, we have to admit that not much happened at all. I even have trouble finding who to give my don’t-let-that-fool-you award to this week.
Redemption Island
Well, nothing really happened this week. Aras Baskauskas was there bored, quickly joined by Vytas. Usually I can’t care less about seeing what’s happening there, but I have to admit that it was good seeing the two brothers interact a little. We’ve all expected that since the beginning of the season, and it would have been a bit frustrating if it hadn’t happened.
Kasama
– Caleb Bankston: Still not much about him. While he seems in a pretty good position in the majority, I believe he won’t really have an impact at all (because of his edit mostly). I think he wants to be as under the radar as possible (because of Colton ?), but he’s too under the radar and I don’t think he will make any other big move until the end.
– Ciera Eastin: Not much about her this week, but it makes sense, she doesn’t really have anything to do right now, just go with the flow. Apparently it’s going to be a very different story next week.
– Gervase Peterson: Congrats to Gervase for almost winning the gross food challenge. Apart from that he didn’t have much to do this week either.
– Hayden Moss: He’s doing good right now, kinda under the radar, a little bit like Caleb. I want to believe that he could make a big move and create a surprise, but his edit tells me otherwise too.
– Katie Collins: She’s been invisible most of the season, either being in Ciera’s or Tina’s shadow, but this week she’s finally stepping up when needed. First by realizing (with her mom’s help) that she needs to start playing her own game, and then by winning an individual immunity that really saved her, first because she obviously couldn’t be voted out, but also because with this great timing, she pretty much has removed the target on her back. With the rest of her alliance and especially her mom out of the game, there is no reason to vote her out just yet, she could be a swing vote if anyone tried to take the reins of the game during the next vote. However, anyone using her this way had to keep in mind that they must not let her go to the end, as she simply could win. She’d get three automatic jury votes (Aras, Tina and Vytas) plus any other vote from jury members that’d be pissed at the two other finalists who most likely betrayed them. For winning the immunity idol, saving herself in more than one way, and because this also was a week where not much happened, she gets this week’s don’t-let-that-fool-you award.
– Laura Morett: Not much about Laura this week. She’s laying low as she should. She succeeded at being the first player returning from redemption island and managing to not have a target on her back anymore after the merge. But she should start thinking about a strategy that could send her to the end and hopefully win. Not sure she has one right now.
– Monica Culpepper: Oh Monica… At first I really liked her, but she became more and more annoying as the season went on. I do now understand why she’s been at the bottom of every alliance she’s been in so far. She really is that annoying. I mean, who wins immunity and then gets paranoid when they see scrambling? I’m not even going to mention changing her vote for no reason, especially when you’re playing with Tyson who must have told you about his terrible mistake in Heroes Vs Villains. For a moment there, during the second vote, I really believed that she was going to be voted out, and maybe it almost happened as Katie voted against her; which probably means that she did this hoping the other players do it too. The thing is that this season lacked a goat so far, and she’s quickly becoming it. Sure she’s the seventh member of the alliance, but that could make her the swing vote until the end.
– Tina Wesson sent to Redemption Island: I’ve been disappointed by Tina those past two episodes. First making this huge blunder telling Monica she was at the bottom of their alliance, then this week latching at Tyson and Monica (again) after Aras being voted out. I guess this is one of the things that she hasn’t really adapted to. When players like Gervase could adapt to the way Survivor is being played nowadays, I’m afraid Tina hasn’t adapted that well. So as long as she was in a dominant position her social game could carry her, but when trouble arises, not anymore. With that being said, I liked her attitude during her last day on this island. I was afraid she’d get more bitter and aggressive.
– Tyson Apostol: He’s not completely in control of the game. But this control is very precarious. He has to be extra careful, as the target on his back is slowing growing. Vytas and Tina (with voting against him among other things) made it clear that he’s the ringleader. While I agree with his decision to keep the idol hidden, now he must do so until the moment he uses it (if he does) or he will make some people mad. However, while he’s in control of the game right now, he could lose it at anytime really. His path to the final three and the victory is not that easy. On a side note, when Tina got mad at him after Aras’s vote, he dealt with her awesomely, reminding Tina that she and Aras had already “betrayed” him not including him in their “inner circle” and that Aras had made side deals with a lot of people.
– Vytas Baskauskas sent to Redemption Island: His behavior was very interesting. Staying cool after Aras was voted out, already trying to stick himself out of the hole he was in by smooth-talking his way through and then completely lashing out and messing with as many people as he could after he knew he was the next one out was interesting. Yes, Vytas has definitely been a more than interesting player and I really hope we see him again (who am I fooling? of course we will).
Next week on Survivor:
Wow. While I started suspecting that Ciera was going to vote her mom out, I didn’t expect it so soon. I also didn’t expect CBS to almost spoil next episode, although it’s most likely a misdirection (however, when you think of it, there hasn’t been that many misdirections in previews this season.
Next person voted out:
While Katie remains the obvious choice, we could be in it for a surprise (and have Laura M. actually be voted out?)
Winner Prediction:
If I take into account everyone’s position in the game right now, I’d say that anybody could win at this point (except maybe Monica).
If I take editing into account, Tyson will win this season.
You want to read more about Survivor? You should read those fine people’s blogs:
- Super Jude’s blog. One of the best Survivor bloggers out there.
- Rob has a website, a podcast and an amazing know-it-alls analysis.
- Jeff Pitman’s True Dork Times is a must read every week.
- Stephen Fishbach’s blog too (now with illustrations by Erik Reichenbach)
- Dalton Ross’s recap on EW is much much more than just a recap.
- Andy Dehnart at reality Blurred.
- more to come…