|
|
|
|
|
|
Guest Column:
S8 Guest Column: "A Sad Day in Bedrock"
By
3/7/2004
A review of Survivor All-Stars: Episode 6.
Susan Hawk officially quit the game after having a close encounter with a naked Richard Hatch. The Pearl Islands' own Osten Taylor has become quite the icon as his legend lives on. We'll get to Sue a little later.
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien has become the power player of the season all of a sudden. She controls the tides within Mogo Mogo between the boys and the girls. She's the ultimate swing vote and she is the one that can decide who leaves or stays. Not to shabby.
Shii Ann and Jerri question Kathy on why she decided at the last minute that the girls would vote off Rich last week. Kathy did not want to upset her good friend Lex, who was clearly on board getting Rich off. Great move on Kathy's part because she continues to balance both sides of the tribe without offending anyone.
Over at Chapera, Big Tom and new teammate Rupert have formed a friendship.This is good for both guys and hopefully they will become tighter in order to thoroughly support their stay in the game. This is really helpful for Rupert since he just arrived at the Chapera tribe. Big Tom's a smart guy, smarter than many think, and I believe he will take full advantage of it.
Rob Mariano is in the driver's seat, or so it seems. Rob is becoming more and more cocky with each episode as he continues to explain how he controls everything that goes down within the tribe, and he can easily dispose of anyone at anytime. I can't help but feel that the Robfather is being set up for a big fall.
Back over to Mogo Mogo, Shii Ann and Colby engage in quite the conversation that involves the way some people choose to play the game. Shii Ann wonders if Colby was talking about herself at the last tribal council when Colby said something to the effect of people riding coattails within the game. Of course Mr. Donaldson was talking about Shii Ann.
All Shii Ann has done in this game is attach herself to a group and not say one freaking word or voice her own opinion about who should leave.
Shii Ann says that it was a direct attack on her, well duh it was. If you can't tell, I agree with Colby in this instance. He doesn't respect people that play that kind of game and neither do I.
You're getting an undeserved free pass in the game
when you do that. Also, the game is pretty boring with those type of people lasting until the end.
As I continue my hatred of Shii Ann, I have some more beef with her. All throughout Thailand we heard her say, "Don't mess with the Shii-Devil, or you'll get the horns." I have yet to ever see these so-called horns emerge. She's full of it.
Also, in an interview, Shii Ann says that all she got from Colby was a lecture, and she wanted him to be quiet. Well guess what, Shii Ann? You're the one who asked him the question. If you don't like the response you get, then you're the one that needs to shut your mouth.
Moving on, one thing I hate about this game is the mentality people have against the winners. Numerous times it has been stated by many different contestants that the winners need to leave or they shouldn't be here.
This is one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever heard. More than anything, the winners deserve to be there. All seven of them, Rich, Tina, Ethan, Vecepia, Brian, Jenna M., and Sandra, should have been automatic invites.
These people won their games and they have proven that all of them deserved a slot in this competition. Jenna Lewis complains and complains as she continues to express her feelings about how the winners should leave.
Here's a newsflash for Jenna. You shouldn't even be there.
I would much rather one of the other female winners, like Vecepia or Sandra, take her spot, because they sure as hell deserve it more. Ethan is now the only remaining winner in the game, and just to shove it in their faces, I hope to God that he can find a way to win this thing.
Okay, now we come to Sue. I didn't even touch the topic last week, but I will now. At the immunity challenge before Rich was voted out, he had a confrontation with Sue. It was the balance beam challenge, and Sue was heading for her tribe's platform while Rich was going the other way.
Sue could have easily taken a different route, yet she made the decision to go on the beam with which Rich was navigating. She began to taunt and beret him, which she has done occasionally all season. When he reached the end of the beam, it looked as if he was rubbing up against her as he was naked.
Now, what did Sue do at the time? She said, "Oh, that's gross Richard!" and they both parted ways after Jeff stepped in. That's it. That's what happened. Was it wrong of Rich to do it? Absolutely.
Should it have happened? Not at all. Should Rich have been reprimanded and thrown out of the game? I don't think so. My opinion atleast.
Two days passed, and Sue had more and more time to think about. She cried and cried and it was fairly obvious that she had checked out of the game.
You know, just as Robfather said, either she's faking it so she can get a boatload of money out of a lawsuit, either she's using it as some kind of device to advance farther in the game, or she's serious, but either way you go, it's such a touchy subject, you can't dismiss it, and you have to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Let's venture back to Mogo Mogo where Lex is showing his true colors. The man picked up the fishing spear and showed his superior skills in the water as he brought back a huge meal of fish. Lex is playing a terrific game at this point. He didn't want to get into any competition with Rich over the fish, so he bided his time until the big guy left, and then he brought out another part of his strategy as he becomes the provider.
Lex obviously has the favor of the women moreso than the other two guys, and he's looking good right now. The ball is in his court.
A new alliance is being formed back over at Chapera. Rob and Amber approached Jenna and Rupert, the two newest members of the tribe, and asked if they would join them. Rob and Amber feel as though they will be targeted because they have made it quite clear that they are together as a pair.
Rupert and Jenna jumped at the opportunity because it increases their chances at staying in the game. This new alliance seems weird. I have a feeling that it will not hold out, it's just too obvious.
Where is Big Tom in all of this? Tom is a friend to both Rob and Rupert, so I'm not sure how he will fit into the mix.
As Mogo Mogo receives treemail, Jerri pledges her allegiance to Lex as she goes on and on about how she just adores the man completely. Mark another one on the board for Lex. Lex says he believes her, but this is a different game, and it's business this time. Wow. I thought it was business for the man last time. Lex is in it to win at all costs.
The tribes arrive for the next challenge and Sue goes on her tirade as she quits the game. Obviously there are some stunned castaways. Jeff escorts the woman away as she piles into the boat and leaves the game. I know they have had their reasons, but people quitting the game is really becoming a sad state of affairs.
I kind of felt bad for Jeff as Sue yelled at him. You could tell that the man was shocked and had no idea what to say. Poor Jeffy.
To quote Mr. Probst, "It's been an odd sixteen days." Oh yes indeed.
Jeff gave the tribes the option of going ahead with the challenge or not. They decided to play so they could, "get back to normalcy," as Lex said.
One of the funniest shots of the entire season was when Jeff said all twelve will be competing since the tribes are even.
If you watch Shii Ann you can see the shock and surprise in her face as if she's saying, "Oh my God, I actually have to do something in a challenge today!" Sorry Shii Ann, no sitting out for you.
The challenge itself is taken from Africa. This is similar to the challenge that Ethan won for immunity. One at a time, each tribemember must run to a wooden plank and stomp the crap out of it as food flys to the top and hopefully lands in a basket. Yeah, I think that sums it up.
Mogo Mogo wins reward thanks in part to Jenna Lewis' non-stomping skills. It was funny to watch the challenge because everyone was overly happy and cheery. It was like they all said, "Forget Sue, we can have a party without her!"
Mogo won all the crap that they stomped into the basket as well as some nice kabobs filled with meat.
One thing that was funny, after Shii Ann successfully got her item into the basket, she jumped into the arms of the Texas cowboy himself, Colby. What?! I guess Mr. Donaldson's charm is even too much for his enemies to avoid.
As Mogo Mogo arrived back at camp, Ethan said of the kabobs, "I wanna rub my face in it, and sleep next to it." Okay Ethan, slowly back away from the meat.
Kathy went on a rant about how she didn't respect Sue for her tirade, and my heart grows ever more fond of the woman, not Sue, but Kathy. I'm really loving Kathy this time around. I wasn't a big fan of hers in the Marquesas, but she's turned me around this time. She's playing the game extremely hard, and I love it.
At night, the six tribemembers of Chapera make a pact to stick together. Oh yeah, like that's gonna happen.
The next morning, they receive treemail which informs them that there will be no immunity challenge that day. They all give a moment of silence to Sue as they bow their heads and hold their hand to their hearts. It's ridiculously funny. Near the end of the silence, Big Tom acts like he's gagging, and my heart grows ever more fond for him as well.
Boston Rob then sings "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead," as Tom gives us a dance number. It's so wrong, but I laughed anyways. As Big Tom said, "It's a sad day in Bedrock." Indeed it is.
Alicia offers us her opinions on the dance number as she says it was very insensitive of Big Tom. My question is this: Why isn't she complaining about the people that laughed or Boston Rob, who sang the freaking song?
Alicia goes on to say how Sue's loss is a biggie. She was a huge asset to the tribe and it will hurt them. Aliia says, "Sue's like a guy." Wait a minute. You mean Sue's really a woman? Sorry, I couldn't help it.
Next week looks to be a good one as we have another twist which should be fun. Hopefully they bring in Brian Heidik for the hell of it. I know, I'm dreaming. Also, we get to witness the return of evil Jerri. Yay!
THE HIGHWAY COUNTDOWN
1. Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien - She is officially the one to beat. She has all the power.
2. Lex van den Berghe - Lex is almost even with Kathy. The man knows what he's doing.
3. Amber Brkich - "I'm gonna fly under the radar and win this game in the most boring finale and most utterly disappointing ending ever." Thanks alot Amber.
4. Tom Buchanan - Don't tangle with the intelligent hillbilly.
5. Rob Mariano - If having lots of power was measured in one's ability to not grow a full beard, then Boston Rob is looking good.
6. Rupert Boneham - Rupert is now the provider for Chapera, so he's happy.
7. Shii Ann Huang - Watch out Shii Ann, Colby's coming for you.
8. Jenna Lewis - Her new alliance is going to give her some breathing room.
9. Colby Donaldson - Oh Colby, please don't go. I love you.
10. Ethan Zohn - Win it for me Ethan.
11. Alicia Calaway - She's on the outside of alliances, but I hope she sticks around. She's nice to look at.
12. Jerri Manthey - Oh Jerri, Jerri, Jerri. If you get evil next week, then I'm afraid you don't have much time left.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
