Well the boldest or riskiest move on Survivor ever worked.

Ozzie’s move of getting himself sent to Redemption Island, beating Christine and hoping the merge occurred all occurred.

However the highlight of Redemption Island was Jeff Probst barely able to stop rolling his eyes whilst Ozzie gave a speech about how he was blindsided which had about the same level of acting skill as a scene from Bold and The Beautiful.

However once the teams Cochran was meant to be a double agent to find out what the other team was all about however he turned to the other tribe.

Coach thought he was the one who turned him giving him how victims will some how prevail, but Cochran had really done the numbers and knew he didn’t want to leave his fate on the show up to a rock draw if the votes came out even.

So the tribe was blindsided, and alpha male Keith was sent to Redemption Island.

So the geek prevailed over the jock, it must have felt good. However the tribe turned on Cochran in a major way, but he did do one right thing and gave the idol back to Ozzie before it all went down.

Here is Jeff Probst’s thoughts on the major plays in the episode, and here is an interview with Christine from Reality TV World, be wary of spoilers from other shows.

Tonight on Survivor South Pacific the reward and elimination challenge was disgusting. Each team had a pig on a spit they had to rip meat off with their mouth and fill a basket. This challenge was grosser then the time they had to eat duck embryos in an earlier series.

Coach’s team just pipped Ozzy’s so they were safe.

Speaking of Coach did anyone else think he should have handed the immunity idol he found to Albert? Or at least offered to? Albert found a clue, and then told Coach and Sophie, then Coach then found it.

Anyway back in Ozzy’s camp Declan, Jimmy and Dawn cooked up a great blindside on Elyse. Ozzy and her had a thing happening so it needed to be busted up sooner rather than later. I am not really liking Ozzy this season, he just comes across as a touch arrogant.

Finally Stacey the mortician lost at Redemption Island. Christine is still in the game. Stacey had a mini meltdown before the challenge and refused to call Coach by his nickname but by his real name Benjamin. Coach’s reaction to this when he was told was ridiculous, and also a bad play by him as he came across as aggressive.

Here is an exit interview with Stacey from Reality TV World.

Brandon Hantz, who is Russell Hantz nephew is getting the most air time on Survivor South Pacific, not because he is strategising but because he is cracking up.

Did the the former troubled teen who is now married with two kids, have a psych test before he went on? Or an IQ test? He is not that bright either.

Survivor is notorious for cracking people emotionally but normally they recover. Brandon Hantz just appears to be still unravelling.

In episode two he was dead set against Mikayla because he had the hots for her, but he made it out it was her fault. He said she was “using her seductive ways and young-girl attitude” and his rationale for wanting Mikayla punted was because  ”I’m faithful to my wife.”

Everytime is does a dumb or evil thing he begs forgiveness and says he tries to be a good christian however then goes off and says and does something stupid or untrustworthy again.

As Kellulz tweeted:

Coach appears to like him. He even gave him a Survivor masterclass saying after he tried to tell Coach their alliance was cracking up – “This game is gonna get so much crazier than this. And if you believe somebody — tell me if somebody’s sneaking up on me — if you believe somebody that is on death row like Stacey knows she is over somebody that is in our core alliance then you might as well throw in the towel right now.”

However Brandon deludes himself and tells Coach “he is good judge of character”!

At Tribal Council under the Jeff Probst who was using his Nuremberg Trial inquisitioning technique made Brandon tear up talking about how he wanted to stand by his uncle, but felt it was difficult to do. “The proof’s in the pudding. You can’t help somebody who’s done that to himself,” he said. “But what do you do?”. He also said he wanted to show a different side to the Hantz’s then what his uncle had and redeem the family name. He isn’t doing a great job so far.

It will be interesting to see how long he stays in the game. I also wonder when he talks about his troubled teens – what exactly did he do? Googled but came up with nothing.

Tonight Stacey was voted off by her tribe, and didn’t want to be hugged. Not sure why Coach thought she would want to be. Also Christine on Redemption Island beat Papa Bear so he is the second one off the island.

Here are some links:

Jeff Probst answering some questions on EW.

Interesting interviews with Papa Bear on Reality TV World, and with Semha on Reality TV World (Please note there are spoilers for The Amazing Race on the site)

Jeff Probst is Dorian Gray. He is ageless – check out these photos from 2001, 2005, and 2011.

top:2001  Bottom:2005

                                Above: 2011

Survivor South Pacific kicked off tonight with fresh faces, but also Ozzy and Coach returning for their third season each.

The highlights of the episode:

• Well a lowlight was Brandon Hantz (yes The Russell’s nephew) when he was creeping around like Gollum perving at Mikayla the Lingerie Football Player (is this a made up occupation?). Then he had the gall to say it was her fault on how she was presenting herself for stirring up these feelings of lust.
• But Ozzie was also thinking with his dick as well when he was wanting to form an alliance with Semhah the spoken word artist.
• Semhah in the immunity challenge had put herself forward to shoot the coconuts into the basket but puffed out after two shots. Jim the marijuana dispenser owner, and poker player, did not keep a straight face when he had a go at her for saying a feel “sorta bad” for losing the challenge.
• Jim is lying about his occupation and said he was a teacher as he did not want to appear too smart. He could be a interesting strategist or he could self-implode.
• Ozzie realised he should not push his view on who should be eliminated in his tribe as he wanted to fit in. He will be safe for awhile as he is so goddamn good at challenges;
• Bizarrely I want Coach to do better than Ozzie, yes his ego is huge, but he does come across as more interesting. Jeff Probst thinks both need to work on their social games;
• However my favourite player of the series thus far is Cochran the Harvard Law student. He is a Survivor fanatic, and told host Jeff Probst he wanted to be called by his last name, Cochran, as that is what the host has called all the great players.
• Dawn the english professor with six kids who also looks like she has time to go to the gym had a emotional breakdown on the first couple of days but he she pulls herself together she might play a strong game;
• Ozzie’s tribe Servaii lost the first immunity challenge and after Cochran self doubt and anxiety he managed to remain safe.
• Semhar was sent off to Redemption Island sobbing.

Again Survivor shows why it is the best reality show on TV it was a riveting hour entertainment. I think Channel 9 may have cut down the episode as it was a 90 minute opener in the US however they may have put in more advertisements.

Also here is Jeff Probst answering some questions about the episode and talking to camera straight after the filming of tribal council. He thinks Cochran can recover, and that Ozzie might take him under his wing.

Jeff also shows he can read the game here he talks about who he thinks will be first out, and also is assessment of Coach and Ozzie’s chances.

Did you like the first episode and which of the contestants do you like?

Good news for Survivor fans with news the new series Survivor South Pacific will air on start on Nine on the Tuesday 27 September at 9.30pm.

We will be two weeks behind the airing of the episodes in the US, however Nine in the past has screened double episodes to catch up. Also I believe by announcing the date it will air should stop some of the diehard viewers from downloading it from overseas sites.

The cast is

Upolo Tribe (Blue)
Albert Destrade, 26, Plantation, Fla.; baseball/dating coach
Brandon Hantz, 19, Katy, Texas; oil tanker crewman
Christine Shields Markoski, 39, Merrick, N.Y.; teacher
Edna Ma, 35, Los Angeles; anesthesiologist
Mikayla Wingle, 22, Tampa; bartender/lingerie football player
Rick Nelson, 51, Aurora, Utah; cattle rancher
Sophie Clarke, 22, Willsboro, N.Y.; medical student
Stacey Powell, 44, Grand Prairie, Texas; mortician

Savaii Tribe (Red)
Dawn Meehan, 41, South Jordan, Utah; English professor at BYU
Elyse Umemoto, 27, Las Vegas; dance team manager (Miss Washington 2007)
Jim Rice, 35, Denver; medical marijuana dispenser
John Cochran, 24, Washington, D.C.; Harvard Law School student
Keith Tollefson, 26, Edinia, Minn.; water treatment tech
Mark Caruso, 47, Forest Hills, N.Y.; retired NYPD detective
Semhar Tadesse, 24, Los Angeles; “spoken word artist” (Miss Eritrea)
Whitney Duncan, 27, Nashville; country music singer/songwriter

Brandon Hantz is evil Russel Hantz nephew which brings an interesting twist to the show. He is 19 years old and is a father of two. Clearly he missed out on going on Teen Dads. Will he keep his familial link a secret? Only problem for him is he has Hantz tattooed on his body, so when he strips which is inevitable his other tribe members might click.

Also go to TV.com to see a rundown on them and some pictures and yes there is some eye candy and I am not just talking about host Jeff Probst….

This time the series will being back old favourites Coach and Ozzy. Will the tribe members keep them around considering Boston Rob won last season? The issue is Ozzy can win challenges for his tribe, and as everyone knows you need to be the stronger tribe going into the merge.

Redemption Island will also stay as a feature of the series. This is where an eliminated tribal member will get a chance to re-enter the stage at some stage.

The Junior Masterchef contract yarn was in the SMH today and I had to laugh that Max Markson said people should sign up to it. If you missed my blog post on my thoughts on the Junior Masterchef contract go here, and also it was a small part of a segment on Masterchef Australia on A Current Affair on Friday night.

Here is a column in The Age which talks about Renae from The Amazing Race Australia and how she is an unlikely beauty pageant contestant. Also reveals she is going out with one of the most eligible men in WA. Who would that be?

More information on the death of Australian Idol judge Jay Dee Springbett in the Daily Telegraph, it is looking more likely that he took his own life.

Gary Mehigan responds to what Masterchef Australia contestant Adam Quinn has been saying about producers and the show in the Daily Telegraph.

Kyle Sandilands thinks Project Runway Australia judge Megan Gale is a phony. Not sure what triggered off this attack. (Source: News.com.au)

Kumar is not coping with his cult status. (Source: Herald Sun)

Gordon Ramsay’s film bombs. (Source: Herald Sun)

Survivor’s Johnny Fairplay has split from his reality TV wife. (Source: Celebrity News and Style)

After a Survivor season has finished people immediately start discussing the theme of the next series. The next two seasons will be filmed in Samoa with Jeff Probst again as host.

However some clever person has put together his ideas for the new season of Survivor. He calls it Survivor: The Ultimate Catastrophe Edition. Basically a series with all the “crazies” competing. However he would have to add in Special Agent Phillip now. I could not stop laughing. The series would include Naonka, Coach, and Shambo.

Also he has suggest Survivor: Super Strategists series. Please note all the women are good looking. It would bring back Parvati and Brenda, as well as Johnny Fairplay, Yul and Richard Hatch. Shout out to Sourkraut your Natalie is in there….

Is there anyone you would add in or take out?

Jeff Prosbt tweeted this  photo of Boston Rob cashing his $1.1 million cheque. I am sure he must have also received an appearance fee as well to lure him back to go on Survivor.

Here is a brilliant interview with Boston Rob on Reality TV world. He covers a lot of topics including his strategy for the game. Also it was revealed that Julie the fire fighter is 35 years of age. I thought she was about fifty!

Also I bow down to Reality Blurred on this brilliant recap of the last episode and reunion.

I could not stop laughing at this part:

Matt was on Redemption Island for 29 days, winning 10 duels, but didn’t win the (second) one he really needed to win. His attitude changed from the time when he almost quit, though he still said that “God deserves all the glory and all the credit.” Great, now shut up. Forgetting the content of what he’s saying for a second, it’s obnoxious because he just keeps repeating the same thing over and over and over again.

By the way, while he was still on the island, Phillip referenced conversations with his great great grandfather, telling us, “I learned that it’s okay to tell the world that I have a relationship with someone who’s been dead since 1870.” Matt has a relationship with someone who’s been dead for 2,011 years, so I think he wins that duel.

Also Reality Blurred has a great article where crazy special agent Phillip talks about his alleged strategy.

Reality Blurred sums it up nicely about Phillips game plan:

“I decided to create this bigger-than-life character so that Rob would have someone to point the finger at. As long as he had someone to point at and as long as I took ownership of that role, he wasn’t going to eliminate me out of the game,” Phillip told TV Guide. “The more time went on, the more critical it was that there was someone who was going to do something that was over-the-top, bigger-than-life. I think I made a brilliant move in coming up with that idea for myself and playing this guy.”

Phillip said he did that because working around camp and being helpful “wasn’t getting me anywhere being the man that I normally am in my everyday life.” While Phillip said that Rob “understood me and stayed true to me,” he avoids answering a direct question about whether Rob knew that Phillip was faking.

Ultimately, this sounds like revisionist history. I think Phillip is probably a normal guy with some issues—and who doesn’t have issues—who was affected by the physical and emotional toll of the game. Because he’s not dumb, he eventually realized that this was working in his favor, and then maybe played it up a little bit, which is probably about the time we heard him saying that he’d surprise people. The consequence of that is obvious: He can conceal his less-than-desirable behavior in the cloak of a character. But I suspect most of his actions were genuine but atypical responses to an atypical situation.

 

Two issues emerged from tonight’s episode for me. Firstly has Boston Rob gone all Jack from  Lord Of The Flies and become some sort of freaky megalomaniac? Secondly is Special Agent Phillip faking the crazy as he says he is?

Phil has now revealed he has worked for three security agencies – did he get sacked by all of them? Or was he really a civilian? Anyway he has “revealed” his strategy as acting the crazy and then at some stage he will somehow become “normal” and win jury votes. Considering the make up of the jury will be starting soon he may want to show there is some lucidity there.

I am not fully buying his strategy, as he is so insecure and just wants to be accepted by the group. For example on tonight’s episode he asked Boston Rob why the other alliance had voted for him at tribal council and Rob knew to give him the reassurance and ego massaging he required.

Speaking of Rob he realises  Phil is exactly the person you want to take to the top three with you, as at this stage he will not pull one vote.

Boston Rob appears to have turned some into a control freak dictator with his tribe, as David said he was like a prison officer. He tries to ensure there is someone with the other at all times so they cannot be nobbled.

Also a certain amount of the old Rob arrogance is emerging, he would not let his alliance eat the fish Ralph had caught on the reason that they were in rigor mortis. Hello they are still a hell of a lot fresher than the fishmongers. Zapatera thought it was like a Boston Rob cult and it did feel like it. Grant tried to show he wasn’t completely under the control of Rob by taking a bit of fish, but he wasn’t so confident to sit down for a full meal.

I thought Rob was a little unhinged tonight but then he does admit that he has idol paranoia that he will be blind sided. His aggression when they thought the idol was under the flag was just over the top.  Also there is no way he can play his idol as his tribe will be peeved he had not told them about it, and they will be making up the majority of the jury.

However he did make me laugh when trying to decide who to eliminate he said to camera ”I’ve been known to have a mercy killing in me from time to time, haven’t I” on whether they should vote for Steve who has had enough and wants to go home.

Unfortunately for Mike he was dispatched, the rationale being that he might be able to beat Matt at Redemption Island.

There was a second immunity challenge which Andrea won. Tribe members also had the ability to sit it out and eat, and only two decided to do this – the old guys, Steve and Phillip.

This time Derek was eliminated who did think at this point it might be more advantageous to have control over your own fate over at Redemption Island. But first he needs to beat Grant and Matt in a challenge, and he does not have their physicality.

Here is Jeff Probst’s blog from the episode and also here is another blog post where he answers questions. One of the interesting answers is where he admits there is editorialising and how this can effect veiwers perceptions of what is going on. This was in response to a question about why the public can’t vote on the person who should win.

The other interesting thing is the reason his shirts fit so well he gets them made for him.

The episode started off with crazy Phillip snuggling up to Boston Rob under the shelter to keep warm. Boston Rob asks “Have you got your undies on?” and Phillip responded jokingly “That does not stop me brother,”.Boston Rob was saying that Phillip slept with his leg in his back he was lucky it was only that. Seriously if you were lying beside Phillip you would be worried as those hideous pink things he wears are so loose and baggy.

But first it was the Redemption Island challenge with Matt versus Christina, but Matt won again. I would not be surprised if he is the one propelled back in as that would be a huge thorn in Boston Rob’s side.

While Boston Rob was off watching the duel. Phillip was working on Andrea to try and make an alliance, and it worked I think. But then she might have been turned off by the crazy talk. He said he is used to “throwing people under a bus”.

On the other tribe everyone was getting a bit too comfortable and relaxed now Russell had been voted out.

The immunity challenge involved blindfolds and puzzles and Boston Rob knocked one of his pieces off the table, but he must have realised at some point of the challenge and he won it for his tribe. Again the legend of Rob continues.

Stephanie who had been leading the challenge was blamed when they lost. Everyone was saying David should have done it. It always pisses me off when people say after the event that they wanted something else to occur and they said nothing at the time. Yes Steve I am looking at you.

The targets were on Krista and Stephanie. Serita and David dislike each other so they might be the weak links in their alliance.

In an uneventful tribal council Krista was eliminated.

I am unclear why they got rid of Krista ahead of Stephanie. Stephanie is a schemer and smart, I would be wanting to get rid of her.

The next episode started off with Steve having an episode at Stephanie for casting a vote for him in tribal.

On the other tribe the tribe was getting peeved at Natalie and Ashley for doing nothing.Phillip thought it would be unfair if he went before them. Well Phillip Survivor is unfair.

Stephanie was trying to work on her team mates and tried to make Sarita collateral damage.

Zapatera lost the challenge again, they now regret throwing the challenge to get rid of Russell. Any long time Survivor watcher can tell you that if you throw a challenge it usually goes pear-shaped after that. David was desperately trying to say to his alliance to vote out Sarita, and turned on her in tribal council.

However if Sarita wasn’t voted out David was going to have a huge target on his back as she will be out to get him.

Stephanie was voted off to Redemption Island. I hope she beats Matt and gets back into the game as I thought she was an interesting player. I would love to see a Survivor series where they gave the contestants who should have gone further another shot at the title of sole survivor.

Here is a link to Jeff Probst’s blog for episode five and six.