Thursday, February 18, 2010

Survivor Heroes and Villains - February 18, 2010

Well I have just pulled my heart out of my throat after the Canada/Swiss hockey game. As much as I love Switzerland (I have been there, its lovely, the people friendly) it has no business being that good at hockey. But I digress.

Its night 3. It's raining. Its cold. The roof is leaking. The Villains are whining. Boston Rob wonders why everyone is crying and whining instead of just fixing the shelter. He also wonders why he seems to have ended up with yet another tribe of buffoons. The next morning renovation #5 of the shelter begins. Randy who, you recall, is "saving" himself, stands back and comments that the shelter gets worse with each attempt at improvement. Boston Rob continues to get frustrated leading one of the women to comment, somewhat prophetically as it turns out, that she "hopes he doesn't drop dead". Rob eventually stalks off into the jungle, saying he is not feeling good. He mutters that he is done building and tired of being a diplomat. Suddenly, Rob goes down. Jerri comes across him lying in the jungle** and tries to wake him up. Rob mumbles that she should get help. The Aussie medics promptly arrive to take a look at Rob and decide he not as bad as he looks and that he can stay in the game. At this point Boston Rob, the king of reality television, breaks down and tearfully tells Dimples "Its getting the best of me and I love and respect this game too much to not play". He also tells us that as he was coming to, he had a moment of clarity and that he needs to stop being the good guy. He also tells us the diagnosis of his condition - the flu and crybabyitis, a viral condition endemic to the South Pacific as well as some Olympic venues. Although Russell has been noticeably irritated by Rob's dominance in the camp, he comments that he is glad Rob is staying in the game. In an moment of uncharacteristic humanity, Russell tells us that "even though I am a villain I worry a bit about stuff like that".

Over at Camp Hero (where they actually play hero-type music if you listen closely) things look like they are clicking along smoothly. They are working industriously, laying palm fronds on the roof of their shelter. However if you dig a little deeper there are some problems. Rupert has taken a dislike to Stephanie and wants to get rid of her. Stephanie feels Rupert is annoying and thinks he is taking the good guy routine a little too far. This doesn't sit well in our house since Rick has been paired with Stephanie and I, just moments before the show started, picked her to win all the marbles.

The two tribes reunite with Dimples for a combined Reward/Immunity challenge. The winning tribe will get a tarp, some nails and a rope. They will also get to avoid Tribal Council. The challenge involves pairs from each tribe running out and rolling back huge crates. Once they have gotten all 6 crates back to their home base, they must stack the crates in such a way that their tribe name appears on both sides. Once they have the crates correctly assembled they can use them as stairs to get to the top, and claim victory. Tom suggests the Heroes listen to JT as he has experience with this challenge. The strategy seems to pay off, as the heroes take an early lead in what is obviously a physically demanding challenge. But, as in the last puzzle challenge, things begin to go wrong when it comes time to assemble the crates. On the Villains side, Rob barks out orders and gets the job done, while the Heroes all have an opinion and all seem to be wrong. When the challenge is over the Heroes have lost (again) and James is mad. He focuses most of his anger on Stephanie. Back at camp James is still on about it...in fact James never said that much on an entire season of his previous Survivor appearances. Really. Who peed in this man's coconut milk? Stephanie is still his target and he wants her out. Stephanie tries to hold her tongue, as does her buddy Tom, but James is on a roll. He lobbies the tribe, telling them that Stephanie was responsible for the fall of her tribes during her other Survivor appearances. JT wonders which way to turn, knowing someone is going to be PO'd no matter what. Stephanie and Tom decide that the only way to save Stephanie's bacon is to get Cirie and Candace onside to vote out Amanda. Tom approaches Candace and Stephanie talks to Cirie.

James has brought his MAD along to Tribal Council. He yells at Stephanie, who is defended by Colby and Tom. But in spite of the support of two Survivor powerhouses, Stephanie finds her torch being snuffed just a few moments later. With Stephanie goes Rick who claims that he lost because he actually remembered to give me his money this time. I chose Stephanie to win, as did Grace so both of us can kiss the subsidiary prize goodbye.

** Is it just me or did Rob's collapse in the jungle look just a little staged? The way he was laying? The fact that he managed to fall with something under his head? The fact that no cameraman saw him go down but Jerri was conveniently nearby in the jungle to come to his rescue. Hmmmmmmm.

Just to let you know who picked who to win, here is the list.

Debbie - Boston Rob
Georgia - Boston Rob
Grace - Stephanie
Kathy - Courtney
Lisa - James
Roberta - Colby
Jack - Colby
Barb - James
Selina - Amanda
Cheryl - Boston Rob
Mitzi- JT
Rick - Sandra
Pat - Stephanie
Donna - Russell

Until next week
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast
Pat (aka Courtney who?)

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Survivor Heroes and Villains - Feb 11/10

For those of us who enjoy uncontrolled violence and unabashed nudity, this was a great way to kick off the 20th season of Survivor.

As most of you know by now, this season pulls together some of the best known Survivor contestants from past seasons and pits them against each other as heroes and villains. They are divided into two tribes named, cleverly enough, Heroes and Villains. We start off with a glimpse of each tribe as they approach their beach by helicopter. No getting thrown off a fishing trawler for this group. No they get the star treatment. We see Coach doing weird Coachy stuff on the helicopter as Sandra looks on warily. We learn that Russell, the Survivor formerly known as Evil Garden Gnome is a little starstruck by his companions. We learn that JT the good 'ole southern boy is not above kicking a little ass, and we learn that Jerri, the original Survivor bad girl feels like Mother Theresa amidst her villainous brethern. The Heroes land on the beach first, and the arrival of the Villains is heralded by appropriately foreboding music. There are some introductions led by Jeff Probst (aka Dimples) during which we learn that most of the villains feel they are really poorly cast heroes. But it doesn't take them long to ramp up the evil and get into their parts.

After the introductions we launch right into the first reward challenge and its a nasty one. Two members of each tribe run out into a little strip of sand where they locate and dig up a buried bag. The trick is to then get that bag to home base while being tackled, mauled and generally brutalized by the opposition. The first tribe to get three bags to their home base wins reward - a flint to start a fire. Danielle gets the first bag to home base for the Villains at which point there is a short stoppage in play while the medics come in to pop Stephanie's shoulder back into its socket. After a grind and a crunch the job is done and the game resumes complete with Stephanie. JT gets the next point for the Heroes (did I mention that I love JT), the Coach drags Colby (clutching a bag) onto the Villains mat. At this point Tyson comments that Colby might as well become a woman). A topless Sugar (her bikini top having been undone in the skirmish), takes a bag across for the Heroes, tying the score at 2-2. The last round pits James and Rupert vs Tyson and Boston Rob. In the end James grabs the bag and makes a run for home, winning reward for the Heroes. Rupert has broken his two in two or three pieces but the Heroes have won their first reward and have fire as well as glory.

The Villains return to camp to find that their day isn't a total wash out. Someone has left swim fins and some fishing gear in camp. The women hunker down to figure out who, along with Boston Rob will be the major player. Meanwhile Russell is wasting no time in seeking out women with whom to form alliances. He uses the "Trust me and I'll take you to the final two" line with both Danielle and Parvati. Danielle figures its worth a shot while Parvati knows Russell is playing the game but is not above making a deal with the devil. Meanwhile Russell tells us that in every sport there is someone who rises above the rest. Michael Jordon, Michael Phelps...and Russell is that guy in Survivor (at least according to Russell). He is, he tells us the best player ever to play the game.

Over at the Good Guys camp Colby is not quite wishing he was a woman but is certainly not happy with being beaten by Coach. Sugar seeks advice on the shelter from the "two oldest men in camp" Tom and Rupert. Amanda is feeling the good energy of the tribe and Rupert is feeling that it's good to be a hero. Into all this happiness wander four unsuspecting chickens. Directed by Tom, the Heroes surround the chickens and toss the fishing net over them. The next morning, JT spins the rooster to break its neck and the Heroes dine on chicken stew for breakfast. But not before Sugar keeps them all awake by trying to cuddle up to a somewhat resistant Colby. And of course, alliances are forming. JT and James decide they have a lot in common. They are both hard workers, they are both strong competitive players, and they both need subtitles when they talk. Colby and Candace are rekindling an alliance they had when they previously appeared on Survivor, as are Amanda and Cirie, and Tom and Stephanie.

Over at camp Evil the thoughts are more...well...evil. They are counting up the injuries on the Heroes team and revelling in the harm they have inflicted. But amidst all these happy thoughts it seems a little romance is blossoming between Jerri and Coach. Oh! Say it isn't so! The whole camp seems to be aware of it as Jerri giggles and flirts and Coach looks dumbstruck. Everyone seems to want to play a part in the matchmaking of the black widow and the dragonslayer. But Boston Rob is finding his team a little ADHD. They can't focus on anything for more than 10 minutes, says Rob. Rob wants to start a fire, but Randy discourages it for fear of wearing themselves out. Surely, says Randy, we will get fire sometime in the next 39days. But Rob takes over and directs a successful fire-starting operation, thus becoming the camp hero. Coach is in awe and Russell is annoyed that Rob is getting the attention Russell wants.

On day 3 tree mail arrives announcing the immunity challenge. the tribes are each to assemble a boat using 7 planks to hold the boat together. Six people must then paddle out in the boat to retrieve and light a torch. Then they paddle back, take their boat apart, assemble a puzzle, and use the planks to build a ladder to the top of a platform. The first tribe to accomplish all this wins immunity. The Heroes work well in assembling their boat and have a huge lead until they hit the shore and have to assemble the puzzle. Try as they might, the Heroes can't get the puzzle pieces to fit and the Villains end up winning immunity.

Back at Camp Good, the Heroes have to decide who to send home. Sugar seems like a natural. She was part of the team that fumbled the puzzle and she (gasp) cried after the challenge. But Tom would like to send Cirie home because she is a strong strategic player. Others would like to separate Amanda and James, while still others would like to break up Tom and Stephanie. But in the end, the first Survivor of Season 20 to be sent home is "cute as a button" Sugar, represented on our pool by Lisa. The good news, Lisa is that you don't have to send me any money. The bad news is that you are not going to win any money.

Remember that you have until 7:00 p.m. CST on Thursday February 18 to pick the Survivor that you think will win the million dollars. I have it narrowed down to a couple, but its a tough call this time.

Thank you to those who have already mailed me their money. I have received cheques (checks) from the New Hampshire Four, from Barb, Roberta, Georgia, Mitzi, Marie, Donna and Grace...oh and Rick just handed me a couple of fives and asked for a receipt. Pshaw.

Until next week
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast
Pat (aka Courtney I'm a tough little bag 'o bones Yates)

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Learn Your Identity for Survivor, Heroes and Villains

Another season of Survivor starts on Thursday February 11. This one is filmed in the South Pacific and pairs Heroes and Villains from past seasons of Survivor. Some notable Survivors won't be making an appearance - Richard Hatch (some small issues with his passport), Jenn Lyons (died of cancer), Ethan Zohn (my all time fav - battling cancer), Jonny Fairplay (who knows!). But some of the ones you both love and hate will be there. This is the 10th year of Survivor and the 20th season - no wonder my memory for some of these people is getting pretty hazy.

Lynn and I made a random draw over the phone,wine in hand, to decide who would be paired with whom. Here are the results. Remember you have to play with the hand you are dealt. You can, however vote on who you believe you will win. Who knows. You might win that nice subsidiary prize.

OK, here goes.....

Barb - You are represented by Rob Mariano (Villain). You all remember Boston Rob of the Rob and Amber duo. I have a soft spot in my heart because he masterminded a win for Amber Brkich which earned me my first ever win in our pool. You originally saw Rob on Survivor Marquesas and again on Survivor All Stars. If you are really into reality TV you also so Rob and Amber on Amazing Race. He is 33 and from Boston, Mass.

Grace - OMG Grace! You got Russell Hantz (Villain) Fresh off of Survivor Samoa and already haled as possibly the most hated Survivor of all time. Russell is the one I renamed the Evil Garden Gnome (or EGG for short cause that was way too much to type). Russell is 37 and from Dayton, Texas.

Cheryl - You will become one with Sandra Diaz-Twine (Villain)- One of our lesser known villains (translation, I can't really remember her), Sandra was the winner of Survivor Pearl Islands. She is 34 and from Stamford, Conn.

Georgia - You have drawn Parvati Shallow (Villain) - Parvati was in Survivor Cook Islands and came back to win Survivor Micronesia. She plays what one might call a "social" game. She is 27 and currently living in Los Angeles, CA.

Kathy - You will have to put up with Benjamin "Coach" Wade (villain, Dragonslayer and all around weirdo). You will remember Coach from his New Age approach to survival on Survivor Tocantins. He's 38 and from Susanville, CA.

Roberta - You have drawn Tyson Apostol (Villain). Tyson was the irreverent Mormon on Survivor Tocantins who liked to wear a loincloth and sometimes even less. He is 30 and from Lindon, Utah.

Lisa - You are Jessica (Sugar) Kiper (Hero). She was blonde, she was sweet and it turned out she was pretty smart. You saw her in Survivor Gabon. Sugar is 29 and from Baton Rouge, LA.

Lynn - to prove that the draw isn't fixed in any way, Lynn is paired with Randy Bailey (Villain), a 50 year old from Austin, Texas who appeared on Survivor Gabon.

Marie - You will be spending the next few weeks with Candace Woodcock (Hero). Candace is 27 and from Fayettville, NC. She was originally on Survivor Cook Islands. Honestly I remember nothing about this woman. Even the face isn't familiar!

Mitzie - OMG Mitzie...you got my JT. James Thomas (Hero) won me my second $150.00 on Survivor Tocantins. Not only that but I was head over heels in love with him. It is so gonna be hard to see him with another woman! JT is 25 and from Mobile, Ala.

Pam - OOOOH, Pam got James. Selina is gonna be so jealous. James Clement (Hero) appeared on Survivor China and Micronesia. YOu will remember him as the gravedigger with the six pack and the biceps to die for. James is 32 from Lafayette, LA.

Rick - You have drawn Stephanie LaGrossa (Hero) from Survivor Pulau and Survivor Guatemala. Stephanie was a fierce competitor and actually ended up in camp by herself when she was the sole survivor of her tribe. he is 29 and from Glenolden, PA.

Pat - I am going to try to work with Courtney Yates (Villain), a 28 year old from Boston, Mass. Courtney originally appeared on Survivor China. She was nearly sent home on the first day but hung on to be runner up.

Jack - You have Rupert Boneham (Hero), one of the most popular Survivors of all time. Rupert is 45 and from Indianapolis. Rupert appeared on Survivor Pearl Islands then on Survivor All Stars when he became noted for his pirate persona.

Lorelee - You have drawn Danielle DiLorenzo (Villain) from Boston Mass. Danielle is 26 and was runner up on Survivor Panaman.

Jeff - You are paired with Amanda Kimmel (Hero), a 24 year old from Kalispell, Montana who was third in Survivor China and second in Survivor Micronesia.

Debbie- You will be one with Cirie Fields (Hero)from Norwalk, Connecticut. Cirie was famous for being afraid of leaves (yes, you read that correctly) when she first appeared in Survivor Panama. By her second appearance in Survivor Micronesia she had mastered her fear of foliage.

Selina - you will be paired with Tom Westman (Hero) the 45 year old silver fox from Long Island, NY. Tom was the firefighter who won Survivor Pulau.

Jan - You have drawn Jerri Manthey (villain), a 38 year old from Los Angeles. Jerri appeared on Survivor Australia and on Survivor All-stars. She makes a good villain.

Donna - you have had the good fortune to be paired with Colby Donaldson, the 35 year old runner-up in Survivor Australia and an early toss-away in Survivor All Stars. Colby is from Christoval, Texas.

There you have it. Remember to check out the profiles at www.cbs.com to decide who you will pick to win. You have until the start of the second show to get your votes in to me.

See you Thursday at 7:00 Sask time and some some other time where you are.