Survivor Philippines (yes, there will be spoilers) (Page 6)

Not this week.  Malcom and Russ had a sizable lead for their tribe until Denise had to run the challenge and they got passed and Malcom had to come up with something clutch like the baseball player did but didn't on the breaking pot part.  I'm not saying it's anyone's fault why they lost but Russ wasn't it this time.  He is just a different personality than I would want to hang around.  I like his enthusiasm of wanting excellence but he has to realize that if he realistically expects to win everything he's going to miserable all the time, especially in survivor.  I can't blame the other tribe for switching the food for a tarp.

Abi-Maria is an idiot unless she is playing the part of Philip the specialist.  RC has a rocking body so it would be nice to keep her around.  The guy with the red hoodie seems annoying so far.  I think this is the first episode they have showed anything about him.  He's playing like it's day 3 and trying to stir things up.  Not really smart at this point.  It might work but I don't see that happening in the merge.

Some guys don't grow much facial hair in general.  Some get a mountain man beard on the show

I got to say, I'm pretty disappointed that they did not shuffle. I thought when they threw two buffs, they were going to let Malcolm and Denise pick teams... that would have been cool... total wild card.

I'm super glad that did not go against Denise. That was way too easy for her to get the ax... that is a really crappy outcome for a team slaughtered all the way down to the last two, and then one gets it by the luck of the draw and odd man out. But she lives another day.

The reward challenge was cool... all of a sudden I was like... well then why doesn't someone just throw theirs in the air and knock the other one down and bam... Stupen does it. Cool play, not the only one.

Totally sucks to have a med evac. And she was really tough.

Malcolm is really sitting pretty. He will not get voted out anytime soon just because he is a stud. I like him. He and Denise are my favorites.

And it is really bugging me listening to Alan Alda run the tribe. I keep waiting for him to set up a still.

I definitely don't think that was a very fair way to go to two tribes...certainly not helping the producers prevent the "big alliances" that have made previous seasons so boring!  It should have been a full-on shuffle!  That being said, I was very glad Denise didn't get the axe....that tribe would have been a bunch of idiots to do that...Denise is WAY more useful than some of their weaker players.

Bummer on the med evac.  I was wondering if they were going to do an immunity challenge after the med evac but I guess they probably had a few potential for med evacs factored in.

Not much else to say I guess...I would like to see the red team win the next thing...yellow (and Abi) are totally skating through this thing.

Great call!! That is spot on.

Penner is starting to grow on me. He was very compassionate with Dana and seemed sincere.

I would like to see Pete get blindsided. That boy is getting too big for his britches.

What is up with Abi... I know she said she hurt her knee... but seriously, you get to sit out most challenges???

My guess is Pete is saying she has the idol to Malcolm, so I bet it is common knowledge to most. I think I'm pretty much convinced now that once the idol is found, nobody is willing to hit reset just because they at least know where it is. They do not want to flush it and have it reappear somewhere else against them. So it seems we will be stuck with Abi for a while because she will get a free pass for a while, yet never be in contention for the win.

Well I do like Alan Alda... I was not watching when Penner first played, but he is sort of growing on me too. I can take at face value and say he was sincere. He should be, it happened to him too. But unlike Russel, he seems to be playing a good game second time around. (IDK about his first)

Pete is playing well... but I get what you mean... he does seem to really like himself.

I've always like Penner.  Very good interviewee and seem sincere in a not scumbag way.  His voice is very Alan Alda but I don't think that is an act, but just how he sounds. 

Good to see Malcom and Denise doing well

Hummm...  I sort of don't like the deal that was made... but it is survivor and that is how they decided to resoplve it. It is a trip thought that now after the second time (first being agreeing to go to Tribal council on their own) that nobody wants to go against the group and agrees, but then complains about the decision. YOU AGREED. Move on. It was an interesting development.

I was really rooting for the looser tribe in the challenge. Just to even things out, see some drama on the other team, see if it is going to be Abi or Stupen... it is torn between two camps there with one swing. Man, it was so close. Malcolm came through again. He is going to be tough in challenges, real likable too, he has to have a big target later in the game.

And how in the world did Cater's slip not get noticed by Penner? Of course, it might have been off camera. Penner could have told them straight up he was going to play the idol and then it would be his vote. IDK. Which leads me to my last point....

I'm getting really tired of 15 minutes of tortured decisions and what ifs by the production crew only to have tribal go exactly as planned by a unanomous vote. Enough with the drama already. She was worthless. No big moves. Carter seems next. Not all that great and a complainer. I have no idea why they were not out trying to catch fish. Go find food, stop your crying.

I am starting to feel bad for the red team!  They aren't losing by much...SO close.  SO close.

More in a minute...stupid computer wants to restart on me!

Okay, I'm back.  Smart move by red not getting rid of Penner yet.  Katie really was worthless in challenges.  I know they don't want Penner to win, but they can't afford to lose any more challenges.  At least Penner was out there trying to fish...inexcusable that the rest of them were not trying!!!

I'm surprised that the challenge was such a stalemate.  The pushing a (fill in the blank) challenges usually don't end in stalemates.  I guess every now and then you just get a really even match.  Though, I would have given that first round to red...mostly because I figured Denise was more useful than Lisa.

Previews for next week make it look like they are given very short notice to vacate camp...merge or last shuffle????

Ya, I didn't get that. And I was really surprised Denise could not shake Lisa. And the stalemate... I'm sorry, I can get somebody off me. I'm not talking violence, I was just surprised that they just seemed to give up. At first I could understand, but I would find a way.

I understand that keeping Penner helps with challenges, etc,, but I think it would have been worth it to get rid of him to get rid of the idol.   That was a tough one, though.

I wish Jeff hadn't let them get to the point of stalemate and instead just changed the rules of the challenge. He could have said they couldn't physically stop each other anymore, and they just had to push the ball.  I am not surprised Denise couldn't get out from under Lisa, Lisa probably has 50 pounds on her. 

You can use his idol after the merge.  Katie was useless after the merge and would have flipped.  It's 10 left so you have to start picking the jury and merge is going to happen next based on history of Survivor.

What is up with Artis?  He went full crazy and he sat our of the challenge.  He seems to go a little crazy every time a challenge doesn't go perfect.

I am nominating Malcom for the new Ozzy.  At least Malcom doesn't come off like a holier than thou douche like Ozzy was. 

Malcom hasn't climbed up coconut trees to retreive coconuts yet...not sure he quite qualifies as an Ozzy...

Good episode.

First...merge!  Really surprised that this season didn't involve a true tribe shuffle.  I wonder if there would have been a shuffle if the teams had been more evenly matched.

Malcolm's idol:  I wonder if we'll see more people "offering to hang up the laundry" in future seasons. :D  I don't think Malcolm has much to fear from Lisa.  She may eventually use her knowledge because even if you SAY you won't tell anyone you still KNOW and knowledge is powerful...whether you spill the beans or not.  She could simply use the knowledge to warn Malcolm what night he should use his idol without telling the rest about the idol.  Lisa wouldn't be a bad choice to take the final.  I don't think she's being considered a power player or a factor to anyone else there right now...she doesn't seem like the type to win unless she gets to the final with someone that is hated.

Immunity challenge.  Wow, that didn't seem like it would be as difficult as it was.  I think the challenge team did a poor job.  A challenge that is over in less than 15 minutes isn't any test of will.  IMHO they should have started with a lower percentage of weight in the buckets and upped it every 10' or so or something.  Would have made for a more interesting challenge.  I was trying to figure out what muscles would give you an advantage here...obviously the hands of the baseball player were probably pretty strong.  I was kind of surprised that he caved to Carter.  Carter didn't seem to want to play let's make a deal.  Denise had a distinct advantage in this challenge because she was so tiny.  The Brazil chick did fairly well too, but she was also tiny.

Vote.  Rather interesting.  Really not sure why they targeted RC instead of say...Skupin.  Kind of surprised that the ball player would choose to go with the unknown (i.e. they don't know who on the yellow has the idol) rather than the known idol.  They could have played Penner's idol to blindside a yellow if they'd wanted to...I'm sure it's more complicated than that, but at least there does seem to be some mingling and interesting decision making...not just yellow wiping out red.

I am bummed that RC was ostracized from the beginning and then got sent home like this.  She wasn't that big of a threat, it was a totally petty move.  It just shows that Abi is 1) a b-word, and 2) evil and needs to go home. 

I am very surprised the way the vote went.  It would have been so much smarter for the 6 to vote Pete! (or Abi).  I am quite surprised they went with the split.

I was also surprised that Penner played the idol, I wonder if he was tipped off. 

I was sad to see RC go as well.  I think she fell into the "bum luck" category...sometimes all it takes is for one person to hate you and you end up on the outs.  I don't like Abi either...I hope she gets booted soon.

I agree that it would have been much better to get Abi or Pete.

As for Penner and the idol...sometimes I just wonder if that's the advantage you have playing more than once...that you get a much better feel for when you are on the chopping block.  Or he was tipped off.  One or the other.  We may never know.  I wish topics like that came up in interviews more.  But, either way...he would have gone home if he didn't play it, so...good on him.

Can't wait to look at the Ponderosa videos!!!  I may have to wait until I get home though.

You are right, Malcom isn't so damn arrogant and self absorbed.

Good episode last night.  Almost lights out for Penner.  Glad he played the idol.  Did he just delay the inevitable or can he find a crack next week and find a way to stay?  I'm sad to see RC go, not because she is a great player but she has a rockin' body.  I guess I will ogle Abi Maria's botay now.  Kind of a sausage fest now. 

Previews for next week seem to show Penner fed up and doing anything he can to cause trouble since has no alliance with anyone.  I was surprised to see Skupin vote Penner.  I thought they were cool or did Skupin think it's him or me?

I'm glad the merge has hit.  I hope the next out is the jerk engineering student.  Grade A douchebag... I kind of like the way Jeff Kent is taking control.  I can respect his move at this stage.