Sunday, March 01, 2009
Survivor: Tocantins - 1803
I'll say it. Coach is gold for this season. He's making this show. Assistant Coach Tyson is also funny but with a more droll sense of humor than Coach's bombast. That guy might just talk a lot but every time he's on camera I'm ready for a sound bite. When he said at tribal "I told everyone with my eyes to get what they need to get" that just cracked me up. Tyson's analysis of "[Coach is] not always the best at what he's coaching, but he thinks he knows the most is right on". I still think he's got little chance at this one but I'm glad that he's around. He's like Shane from Panama you just don't want to miss anything. Wait until Coach breaks out his blackberry. I'm also waiting for more recreations of teammates' facial expressions - like "The Look".
Reward Challenge
I like the blindfolded challenges because it is all about communication. In this episode we really saw two ends of the spectrum. Jalapao was great, Timbira was terrible. Timbira started off with a poor choice. When you have a challenge where there is one caller, make sure that you get someone with a booming voice that won't be hoarse in two minutes. Debbie screamed herself out, partly because she was completely flustered.
On strategy in these challenges. Getting the whole team in a chain is okay but probably takes too much time initially. Then you also run into the problem of knowing how many people need to get water or corn at a time. Best to have someone who can guide 3 people. Next time there is an air traffic controller on my team you know who will be the caller. He'd guide everyone and then get a cup of coffee.
Joe performed really well in this challenge, I didn't even know he was in this game. Same thing with Sydney. My guess is since they have so little screen time they'll be around for a while. Although the preview shows the new flirty Sydney so she might be gone soon.
When Brendan and Taj went back to Exile it was a good bet they'd find the idol. They are pairing up into a strong team if they both make the merge. They could be the hidden alliance, except that everyone knows they have spent a lot of time together. I'm not sure of the best strategy on sending people to Exile. The same person every time which is normally good since you know who has the idol and can blindside them might not be advantageous if they build a good relationship with someone on the other tribe.
Immunity Challenge
The immunity challenge setup made it look pretty cool. It was certainly physical but then the final combined a mental/physcial element. Unlike most of the puzzles at the end this had the whole tribe involved so you have the potential for mass chaos. That's what we got. Jalapao put the hammer down and took another one, showing the definite swing in momentum. Jerry underperformed and actually said "I'm done". That might have put him out of it.
Strategy Analysis
Oh Jerry, Jerry. You can't lay around all day, not eat, underperform in the challenges and expect to stick around. I admire the fact that he wouldn't quite. No Osten performances here. He didn't even give the cop out "I'm not quitting but everyone vote for me" which in my mind is even worse than quitting. If you're going to quit then own it! Tyson tried to give him the pep talk to suck it up but by that point he'd already thrown in the towel and demonstrated too much weakness.
This does get back to the question that it is hard to imagine how difficult it is to actually survive out there. A lot of this game is making it through and he might have been very bad off. Same issue came up with the Reward. Winning some pillows and a tarp doesn't seem that great compared to food but I think that it's easier to imagine how hungry they are than it is to imagine how physically miserable it is.
My Prediction
Erinn. You don't cross Coach and Jerry's not too bad off. I'm off to an awesome start this year. Just bet against me in Vegas or the Caymans or wherever. I guess that I just bought into the CBS buildup.
Season total: 0-3 (.000)
Spell Check
Right: 6
Wrong: 0
Other: 1 (Pimp Daddy Jerry Sims)
Season total: 14-8-1 (.636)
Quick hit thoughts
Reward Challenge
I like the blindfolded challenges because it is all about communication. In this episode we really saw two ends of the spectrum. Jalapao was great, Timbira was terrible. Timbira started off with a poor choice. When you have a challenge where there is one caller, make sure that you get someone with a booming voice that won't be hoarse in two minutes. Debbie screamed herself out, partly because she was completely flustered.
On strategy in these challenges. Getting the whole team in a chain is okay but probably takes too much time initially. Then you also run into the problem of knowing how many people need to get water or corn at a time. Best to have someone who can guide 3 people. Next time there is an air traffic controller on my team you know who will be the caller. He'd guide everyone and then get a cup of coffee.
Joe performed really well in this challenge, I didn't even know he was in this game. Same thing with Sydney. My guess is since they have so little screen time they'll be around for a while. Although the preview shows the new flirty Sydney so she might be gone soon.
When Brendan and Taj went back to Exile it was a good bet they'd find the idol. They are pairing up into a strong team if they both make the merge. They could be the hidden alliance, except that everyone knows they have spent a lot of time together. I'm not sure of the best strategy on sending people to Exile. The same person every time which is normally good since you know who has the idol and can blindside them might not be advantageous if they build a good relationship with someone on the other tribe.
Immunity Challenge
The immunity challenge setup made it look pretty cool. It was certainly physical but then the final combined a mental/physcial element. Unlike most of the puzzles at the end this had the whole tribe involved so you have the potential for mass chaos. That's what we got. Jalapao put the hammer down and took another one, showing the definite swing in momentum. Jerry underperformed and actually said "I'm done". That might have put him out of it.
Strategy Analysis
Oh Jerry, Jerry. You can't lay around all day, not eat, underperform in the challenges and expect to stick around. I admire the fact that he wouldn't quite. No Osten performances here. He didn't even give the cop out "I'm not quitting but everyone vote for me" which in my mind is even worse than quitting. If you're going to quit then own it! Tyson tried to give him the pep talk to suck it up but by that point he'd already thrown in the towel and demonstrated too much weakness.
This does get back to the question that it is hard to imagine how difficult it is to actually survive out there. A lot of this game is making it through and he might have been very bad off. Same issue came up with the Reward. Winning some pillows and a tarp doesn't seem that great compared to food but I think that it's easier to imagine how hungry they are than it is to imagine how physically miserable it is.
My Prediction
Erinn. You don't cross Coach and Jerry's not too bad off. I'm off to an awesome start this year. Just bet against me in Vegas or the Caymans or wherever. I guess that I just bought into the CBS buildup.
Season total: 0-3 (.000)
Spell Check
Right: 6
Wrong: 0
Other: 1 (Pimp Daddy Jerry Sims)
Season total: 14-8-1 (.636)
Quick hit thoughts
- After Brendan's totally whiffing on the first clue, I'm somewhat amazed he found the immunity idol. He did hide it at camp so that's a good start. Hopefully there's no switcheroo.
- Erinn's dissing Candace after tribal was a very poor job of distancing herself.
- Coach, the first man who demands to be the leader of his tribe that much.
- For a blindfolded challenge you can do at home, balance yourself on one foot with your eyes open and then close your eyes. It's hard!
# posted by Andy Hejl @ 4:57 PM 
Comments:
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- I had forgotten that the Immunity Idol from Week 1 was only good at the first Tribal. I was getting excited that there were *several* idols floating around, and I was also confused as to why Sandy & Sierra weren't spending any time looking for the beach idols.
- Brendan and Taj have a great strategy w/ the hidden alliance. Now perhaps they should consider hiding their alliance? They looked happy to go to Exile! That will definitely ruin this great idea.
- Now that Brendan has Timbira's idol, it should be a cakewalk for Taj to get Jalapao's, right?
- I hate Coach. He is just so arrogant and petulant and full of himself. His little speech about being "so true" made me sick. And that's why it's so good to have him on Survivor! He makes for great TV.
- Quick quiz: what makes a person the leader? The ability to demand to be a leader, or the ability to make people want to follow you? Because I see Coach having the former and Brendan having the latter.
- I love Tyson - that guy is awesome.
- Jerry: harder than Afghanistan?! Damn.
- You know what I think is harder than Afghanistan? Spelling Erinn correctly. Way to go, Jerry.
- What does XXIII mean?
- Brendan and Taj have a great strategy w/ the hidden alliance. Now perhaps they should consider hiding their alliance? They looked happy to go to Exile! That will definitely ruin this great idea.
- Now that Brendan has Timbira's idol, it should be a cakewalk for Taj to get Jalapao's, right?
- I hate Coach. He is just so arrogant and petulant and full of himself. His little speech about being "so true" made me sick. And that's why it's so good to have him on Survivor! He makes for great TV.
- Quick quiz: what makes a person the leader? The ability to demand to be a leader, or the ability to make people want to follow you? Because I see Coach having the former and Brendan having the latter.
- I love Tyson - that guy is awesome.
- Jerry: harder than Afghanistan?! Damn.
- You know what I think is harder than Afghanistan? Spelling Erinn correctly. Way to go, Jerry.
- What does XXIII mean?
You're right, they do need to make sure to hide this alliance.
What do you mean with XXIII? I don't remember that. Was that on a vote? Sometimes contestants on these shows have weird catch phrases we don't know. There was a team on Amazing Race who kept saying "Who Dey?" I only found out years later that it was a Cincinnati Bengals chant!
What do you mean with XXIII? I don't remember that. Was that on a vote? Sometimes contestants on these shows have weird catch phrases we don't know. There was a team on Amazing Race who kept saying "Who Dey?" I only found out years later that it was a Cincinnati Bengals chant!
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