1. Artis is a great Survivor character. While we have seen very little of him, tonight was the first opportunity to see his personality fleshed out a little and I was thoroughly amused. He is quite funny and while he certain reminds me a lot of Phillip, it’s interesting that he is being portrayed as simply a different and curmudgeonly version of Gabon’s Randy. With that being said, I thought he was completely in the wrong about the deal that Skupin and Penner reached at the reward challenge.
2. With regard to the rice, Mike most certainly made the right decision. In Survivor, it’s always better to take the guarantee. Since Tandang was out of rice, I don’t consider trading momentary sandwiches for permanent rice a ‘forfeit’ in any sense of the word. With that being said, my only issue with it was the fact that Mike didn’t know how much rice Kalabaw actually had. So really, he could have been trading guaranteed sandwiches with the idea that he would be getting a beanstalk and then only receiving a bean in return. In the end, I think that Tandang got the better end of the deal because they got more food and for a longer period of time than Kalabaw did. Despite winning it, however, I feel like Mike still ended up with the short end of the stick since received the blame for brokering what his tribe members considered to be a bad deal.
3. Abi Maria strategy actually reminds me a lot of Cochran’s game in South Pacific. Not in the sense that she is planning to flip (especially not now since Tandang has such a solid numerical majority) but that like her Harvard predecessor, I also feel like she is auditioning to play again. Based on the way she is acting socially and her lack of participation in the challenges, I almost feel like Abi knows she won’t win this season and instead is focusing her efforts on becoming the game’s most vicious vixen. A Jerri Manthey for the new age of Survivor fans, if you will. It’s similar to Cochran’s nonsensical flip in South Pacific, when despite his tribe holding two immunities at the merge tribal council, he still chose to swap to the other side. I believe that it wasn’t only motivated by strategy (I still don’t understand the logic of it), but because he knew that he would always be remembered. I think Abi is cut from the same cloth.
4. Malcolm had a masterful performance in the immunity challenge. It reminded me of Grant’s superiority in the same challenge back on Redemption Island. It’s almost like Malcolm is superman this season. He can do no wrong.
5. Just as I was baffled last week about Kalabaw choosing to keep Dawson over newcomer Denise, I was equally perplexed when they decided to once again stick with the sex therapist over original tribemember and former Miss Delaware, Katie Hanson. While Katie’s challenge performances left a lot to be desired, I am not sure if Penner’s desire to keep Denise is because he realizes her worth or because she is so good at selling people to keep her. Either way, both tribes are making idiotic decisions at keeping the Matsing remnants around. They don’t even suspect that either has an idol and that each extra week they are given, allows them one more chance to reconnect at the merge (probably next week) and run roughshod over everyone else considering that between them, they now know the dynamics and strategies of everyone else.
6. As soon as Katie started the episode off with her first confessional before the theme music had even started, I knew the writing was on the wall. Note to critical Survivor watchers. If a player that we haven’t heard from all season certainly starts talking and strategizing incessantly, it usually means that they are gone next. So let’s use that for when Carter starts receiving an inordinate amount of airtime.
7. Denise has been to every tribal council so far.
8. My favorite moment of the entire episode was Penner being shocked that he even received a single vote at tribal council (since he thought he had successfully hoodwinked Katie into voting for Denise). That showed that tonight’s episode was a definite blindside. One of my biggest pet peeves of the show is when every episode is referred to as a blindside. Tonight’s definitely was.
9. It’s pretty obvious that the merge is next and with a heavy Tandang majority, is a straight Pagonging of Kalabaw inevitable? I actually don’t think it is that cut and dry. RC is clearly smart enough to recognize that she is on the outs. I’d also expect Denise to do some flipping. I consider next week’s episode to be the true season premiere.
10. I don’t know what was more surprising. Carter asking Penner to his face if they should vote him or Katie out next or the fact that Jonathan didn’t seem to pick up on it.
Don’t forget to join me at 9:30 PM PST tonight for The Murtz Show, where I will be analyzing tonight’s episode with Erinn Lobdell from Survivor Tocantins. You can ask her your questions as well.
