Philippines: Episode 14 "And Then There Were Three"

This is the night that Survivor fans have been waiting for.  We are down to the last individual immunity challenge, the last two tribal councils, as well as the final four of Denise, Lisa, Malcolm, and Skupin.  Who has outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted all of the rest to take home the million dollar prize as well as the title of “Sole Survivor?” 

Upon returning to camp, the final four is discussing how huge of a parasite Abi was.  She literally sucked the life out of everyone she surrounded herself with.  It was evident how disliked she was by the fact that everyone did a dance of joy after returning without her.

In what is arguably the most important reward challenge we have ever seen, Probst announces to the remaining castaways that the winner of the challenge will receive an advantage in the final individual immunity challenge.  He explains that each must race through a series of obstacles collecting bags along the way.  Once you have all three bags, you will use the enclosed pieces to construct a puzzle.  The challenge was entitled “The Dragon Slayer,” which may be a homage to fan favorite, Benjamin “Coach” Wade, who has the same nickname.

The challenge resulted in all four members of Dangrayne making it to the puzzle at almost the same time.  Skupin and Lisa fell out of the final leg of the challenge relatively early, leaving Denise and Malcolm to battle it out.  Despite the fact that I voted for Lisa to win the “Player of the Season,” and yes I did vote ten times, I found myself rooting for Denise to win the advantage.  However, she ended up losing to Malcolm by about three pieces. 

Denise knows that it is going to be her or Malcolm in the final three with Lisa and Skupin.  She convinced Lisa that she would be the wiser choice to take to the finals with them, which I definitely agree.  I’m not sure that Penner or Abi would give Denise their votes, while Malcolm really has not done anything to make people mad.  He had very polarizing physical and social games.  Despite the fact that Lisa is on board, Skupin truly believes that it might be a wiser decision to take Malcolm to the end.  I suppose it will really depend on who wins individual immunity.  It would not surprise me if Malcolm ends up winning immunity, anyway, making the final vote an easy one.

The “Fallen Comrades” portion of the show is one that I am generally not anxious about.   It just seems to drag the final episode out.  The only reason why I am interested in watching it this time is to see Angie.  I truly wish that she could have stayed in the game longer.  I couldn’t help but notice how Denise was the one who talked the most during this section of the episode.  She had a unique opportunity to get to know so many different people considering she went to every single tribal council.

We are down to the final individual immunity challenge of Survivor:  Philippines.  This final challenge is almost always a test of endurance.  The object of tonight’s challenge is to balance a metal ball on a wooden plank.  After a certain amount of time, each person must add additional length to their planks, making it much more difficult to keep the ball in balance.  The advantage that Malcolm has is that he has two chances at this challenge.  If his ball drops at any point, he gets a second try.  This advantage came into play early because Malcolm was the first one to drop his ball, thus restarting the challenge.  Not much longer after he dropped the ball the first time, Malcolm ended up dropping his ball a second time, becoming the first person out of the challenge.  I am going to make a bold prediction tonight that Lisa and Skupin will decide to send Malcolm home tonight.  Seemingly out of nowhere, Denise ended up dropping her ball and became the second person out of the challenge.  Skupin ended up outlasting Lisa in the challenge and became the winner of the final immunity challenge.

At this point, Skupin is still unsure how he wants to vote.  In his opinion, he would much rather take Malcolm to the finals because it is the more honorable thing to do, and he would prefer to beat someone that way.  On the other hand, Denise would probably be an easier win, and he does not want to go out that way.  I find it extremely ironic that he is playing the same kind of game that Colby played.  This is ironic because they participated on the same season together, the Australian Outback.  Colby chose Tina over Keith because it was the more honorable thing to do, and it cost him a million dollars.  I really hope Skupin does not make the same mistake.

The final-four tribal council was not as heated this time around, mostly because Abi was not allowed to express herself, at least not vocally, as she sat with the other jury members.  However, I could feel Malcolm’s pain when Probst asked Lisa if there was any reason why she should take Malcolm to the end.  Her response was “there’s no reason that I should take him to the end.”  You could see the utter shock, heartbreak, and defeat on his face, and it made me feel like I got punched in the stomach.  I cannot even begin to imagine how Malcolm was feeling after hearing that. Ultimately, Skupin made the right decision to not pull a Colby.  In a 3-1 vote, Malcolm became the fifteenth person voted out and became the eighth and final member of the jury.

Eliminated:  Malcolm Freberg, the 24-year-old Bartender from Hermosa Beach, California

It has been a long time since a final tribal council has given me knots like this.  It seemed to me that Denise had the most compelling opening statement.  The way she articulated her reasoning for why she believes she should be the sole survivor was simple, yet effective.  Lisa seemed to be a bit more scatter-brained, and the jury did not seem to buy it.  Skupin mentioned how he felt like he was the biggest target there because of the fact that he was a returning player. 

Overall, that will go down as one of the most memorable final tribal councils of all-time, all because of Jonathan Penner.  Of course they reserved the best for last.  Penner made a possible million dollar decision by revealing Lisa Whelchel’s past.  I am in complete shock right now that Penner exposed Lisa’s previous acting experience as a character on The Facts of Life.  Initially, even I did not want her to be in the game because of her colorful past.  However, she did deserve a final three spot.  She played a good game.  Despite her past, I would not mind seeing her win this game.

We were only able to see how three people voted.  RC voted for Lisa.  Penner voted for Denise.  Carter voted for the father-like figure of Skupin.  Live at the reunion show in Los Angeles, Probst reveals the same three votes that we already saw, followed by three consecutive votes for Denise.  Since it only takes four votes to win, Denise became the winner of Survivor:  Philippines.  I am perfectly content with Denise being the season’s winner.  She had to fight the entire way.  She is undoubtedly one of the strongest female competitors the show has ever seen.

Survivor:  Philippines is easily the best season since Heroes vs. Villains.  Due to its memorable characters, the underdog stories, and unpredictability, it will go down as one of the most intriguing seasons in recent years, and possibly of all-time.

I hope that all of you have enjoyed my episode recaps this season.  I look forward to coming back next season, so I can talk about the game that I love so very much.   I hear rumors that Caramoan is going to be an even more captivating season than this one was!  I will post my pre-season cast assessment when CBS officially releases the names of the new castaways. 

Winner:  Denise Stapley, the 41-year-old Sex Therapist from Cedar Rapids, Iowa

 Twitter:  @the_timgilmore

Philippines: Episode 13 "Gouge My Eyes Out"

We are down to the final two episodes!  Abi, Denise, Lisa, Malcolm, and Skupin have found their ways to the final five.  There are several different conversations going on at camp after Carter is ousted.  Lisa has finally figured out that she would much rather be sitting in the final three with someone she can beat, as opposed to someone like Carter who is arguably more deserving and could have possibly won the game.  Malcolm assesses Lisa’s game-play and knows exactly what kind of game she has decided to play.  Let’s see if the final four alliance sticks or if Abi will be able to cause some damage.  I truly hope that either Malcolm or Denise wins immunity tonight so both will be guaranteed a final four spot. 

I made the argument last week that no one would believe that Abi truly has a hidden immunity idol simply because if she actually had one she would have not taken any chances last week; she would have played it.  Lisa thinks that taking Abi to the finals is an easy win.  We must remember that Artis and Pete would probably give Abi their votes, so it’s not wise to assume anything when a million dollars are at stake.

The reward challenge allows the winner to choose two other tribemates to tag along.  The three of them will be enjoying a boat ride, pizza, and soft drinks.   These kinds of challenges are tricky.  If you win and choose two of your closest friends, then people often harbor ill-feelings and resentment.  I don’t see myself ever trying too hard to win a challenge such as this.  If someone else won and decided to take me, then that would be great.  I would not want to have the responsibility of choosing two people to take with me because I would not want people to resent my decision.  I recall Kim winning this challenge last season in One World.  She chose Sabrina and Chelsea to go with her on the reward, and this ended up being the final three.  I wonder if the same commitment will be made tonight.

Amidst Skupin acting like the “king of the world,” getting drunk off soda, and swimming with the “largest fish in the world,” Malcolm proposes a final three deal with him and Lisa.  Everyone knows that Denise is unbeatable simply because of how honest she has been, how physically she has played the game, and considering how she has been to every single tribal council since the beginning of the season.  She has overcome the odds to get this far in the game.  Lisa and Skupin agree to the proposition, but it seems that Lisa may have a final three deal of her own.

On day 36, Denise wakes up with fang marks on her neck.  Apparently Abi paid Edward Cullen to use his shimmery ways to try to get Denise kicked out of the game.  Despite the fact that Denise is in pain, she decides that she will try to tough it out in order to finish out the remainder of the game.  I would hate to see someone get medevac’d out of the game when they are all so close to the final three.  I truly hope that Denise’s condition is not serious.

Probst was giving Malcolm a hard time throughout the individual immunity challenge.  Does Probst forget that Malcolm really does not need individual immunity?  Malcolm already has the hidden immunity idol, so maybe it would be more beneficial if Probst berated one of the other players.  Despite the fact that Malcolm almost fell out of the challenge, he came from behind and ended up winning individual immunity anyway.  I’m assuming this is why they showed Probst giving Malcolm a hard time - - for dramatic effect.   Considering the final three talk that Malcolm and Skupin had, I’m not sure he will give immunity or his idol to Denise, although it would be amazing to see Malcolm and Denise remain together until the bitter end.

Lisa and Skupin entertain a final three deal with Abi.  Malcolm, on the other hand, is being preposterously selfish, arrogant, and spoiled because he is not willing to give Denise his hidden immunity idol.  He feels so confident that Abi is going home tonight.  Why risk it?  If you truly wanted Denise to be there with you, you would not want the hidden immunity idol as a souvenir.  It was such illogical reasoning on Malcolm’s part. 

I am about 50% sure that I understand why Abi was saying the things she was saying during tribal council.  She insulted Skupin’s intelligence on multiple occasions.  She also mentioned that she would be easy to beat in the final three, and the only way that Lisa or Skupin had any chance at winning would be if they took her to the end with them.  Well, the final four of Denise, Lisa, Malcolm, and Skupin stood strong and voted out Abi in a 4-1 vote.  I completely agree with this decision.  I could almost guarantee that more people would have voted for Abi to win the game if she was sitting in the finals.  All she would have needed were two additional votes, anyway.  There is a more level playing field with the remaining players.  I cannot even begin to speculate who the jury members are going to vote for.

The two-hour season finale will air this Sunday night.  We are left with two original Tandang members and two Matsing members.  Who would have ever guessed that two of Swan’s tribe of misfits would have prevailed and would make it to the final four?  I am still rooting for Malcolm and Denise at this point.  Although, I don’t think I would be too upset to watch Lisa win the million dollar prize, either.  Until next time . . .

Eliminated:  Abi-Maria Gomes, the 32-year-old Business Student from Los Angeles, California

Philippines: Episode 12 "Shot to Smithereens"

     I would like to reiterate that if Skupin is ever going to have an opportunity to make a big move, it will be during this week’s episode.  Malcolm has a hidden immunity idol that he must use before the final four, which means there are only two more tribal councils that he will be able to use his idol.  At this point, Malcolm is feeling extremely comfortable because he seemingly has a final four alliance with Denise, Lisa, and Skupin.  Any fan of Survivor will tell you that the best blindsides occur when people feel comfortable.  I would love to see the remaining members of Dangrayne blindside Malcolm tonight.  He is sitting comfortably.  He could potentially win the entire game if he makes it to the final three.  Skupin will finally be able to make the big move he has always dreamed of.  Simply put, blindsides are brutal and beautiful.  Let’s see if the remaining castaways have what it takes to make this game-changing move.

     The episode opens up with Lisa having an epiphany.  She has an understanding that going to the final three with Malcolm is a death sentence.  He is likable, strategic, very physical, and has battled against adversity.  I’m excited that these players are realizing why it would be brilliant to get rid of Malcolm at this point in the game.

     Tonight’s reward challenge allows us to see into the castaways’ souls, as poetic as that may sound.  It is the tear-jerking, always-emotional family visit.  Skupin is welcomed by his son, Michael.   Carter’s mom, Bianca, follows.  Then we get the meet Denise’s husband, Brad.  Lisa’s reaction to her brother, Justice, being on the island was priceless.  I have watched every season of this show, and I have never seen anything like this.  It truly was heart-wrenching to see Lisa react to her own flesh and blood in a way I have never seen before.  Abi is greeted by her mom.  There was a very interesting dynamic between the two of them considering Abi’s mom knows very little English.  Last, but certainly not least, the universe gets a glimpse at Malcolm’s home life by seeing is eccentric younger brother, Miles.  

     In my exceedingly candid opinion, the most important aspect about this part of the game is not being able to see a loved one after being away from home for 31 days, but whether or not it is smart to even win the reward.  There are two options one can take.  First, don’t try in the challenge whatsoever.  It is as simple as that.  Whomever doesn’t win does not have the responsibility to make any decisions regarding what happens next, whether it is to bring someone else on the reward with you, be selfish and keep the reward for yourself, or to look like the hero and to give the reward away - - whichever the circumstance may be.  Secondly, if you do try to win, be strategic about what decision you do make.  Talk it over with your alliance members on who you would take, that way there is no resentment involved.  I think I would be the person who wouldn’t try in the challenge.  This is a million dollar game.  I wouldn’t want someone not rewarding me a million dollars at the end of the game just because they resented me for not allowing them to see their loved one.  I would tell my loved one that I would see him/her when I got home, and there is no doubt in my mind that they would understand.  At the very least, they got a free trip to an exotic island that they’ll probably never see again.  Right?!

     Malcolm and his brother, Miles, ended up pulling out a win.  Malcolm had the obligation of choosing two couples to join him on the reward.  He sided with Lisa, Skupin, and their loved ones.  Considering how much he and Denise have been through, I am very surprised that he didn’t choose her.  I am wondering if they planned this out.  Maybe this was Malcolm and Denise’s way of solidifying a final four deal with Skupin and Lisa.  I’m not sure we will ever find out the answer to this, but I’m banking on it.

The reward allowed the family members to join the castaways back at camp.  Almost upon immediate arrival, Justice and Lisa has a very insightful, intriguing, and potentially game-changing conversation.  Lisa explains why she has been playing the game the way she has.  She informs us that it is much easier for her to say that she would like to play the game dishonestly than it is to actually play the game like this.  Justice reminds Lisa why she signed up for this life-changing opportunity in the first place and seemingly lights a fire under her.  Lisa remembers why she does not want to go to the finals with Malcolm.  She continues the same conversation with Skupin and Skupin Jr, regarding blindsiding Malcolm. 

     Immunity challenge time!  I was surprised by Denise’s performance tonight.  She did not perform as well as she normally does.  Abi’s performance was lackluster to the point that CBS was playing background music that even made the Three Stooges seem intelligent.  The final seconds left me hoping that Carter was going to pull out yet another win.  How drastically different is this from past few weeks?  I am actually rooting for Carter?! Malcolm ends up winning his first individual immunity which automatically sends him into the final four.  I am expecting Carter to get his far overdue walk to Ponderosa.  Despite the fact that Abi is one of the most obnoxious people to ever play this game, I don’t think they are going to vote against her tonight.  If she actually had an idol, then she would single-handedly decide who would be going home.  Why risk that?  The smart thing to do is to get rid of Carter tonight.

     The past few tribal councils have been incredibly unpredictable, interesting, old-school-esque, and have caused me to scream at the TV thus resulting in my neighbors thinking I am a raving lunatic, evident by the looks they give me when I pass them in the hallway (that was a mouthful).  However, the past few tribals have made the castaways sound like broken records.  There is constant talk about remaining loyal and taking the best people to the end of the game with you.  Well, Abi did not play an idol, shocker, so in a vote of 5 to 1, Carter was booted from the Dangrayne tribe.  Carter was the thirteenth person voted out and became the sixth member of the jury.  Who in their right mind would have ever predicted that the Kalabaw tribe would have become extinct before the Matsing tribe?

     I received a text message from my dad after the episode aired.  He was upset that Carter was ejected from the game because my dad viewed Carter as “nice and loyal.”  Well, in Carter’s exit interview he stated that the others started playing with their heads instead of their hearts.  I agree with this one hundred percent.  Playing with your head and not with your heart is how you win this game.  I guess it is interesting to see how radically different my dad and I would play this game.  Until next time. . .  

Eliminated:  Carter Williams, the 24-year-old Track Coach from Shawnee, Kansas.

Twitter:  @the_timgilmore

Philippines: Episode 11 "No One Else is Getting a Hug"

We have reached the point in the game when people are really rallying for jury votes.  After Pete was sent to Ponderosa, Skupin took it upon himself to do some damage control with Abi.  All he did was offer sympathy by asking her how she is holding up.  In my opinion, he was doing this to try to build an emotional bond with her.  He knows that her days are numbered, and as far as he is concerned, he is in a final four position.  I do not think that he actually cares that much about her, but was simply demonstrating some crafty jury management skills.

I'm not sure why, but the food auction is one of my favorite parts of the game.  Maybe it's because we get to see how hungry the castaways actually are?  It could be because Probst always presents them with covered trays of suspense.  Who knows?  Regardless, each castaway was given $500 to bid on whatever they so wish.  Denise spent all of her money on the very first item, which just so happened to be pancakes.  Skupin spent all of his money on the second auction, which consisted of wine.  Skupin isn't even a drinker.  How does that even make sense?  Honestly, I would try to spread my dollars as much as possible.  There were a few people who were able to buy multiple items.  The thing I liked most about this challenge is Abi used her money to buy "an advantage in the game."  I had a feeling that something would save Abi tonight and that Carter would be the one sent packing.  Let's see how accurate I am through out the duration of this episode.

Abi clued the audience in that her advantage in the game is actually advancing to the final round of the next individual immunity challenge.  Abi made the very wise decision to make it seem like she received a clue to the hidden immunity idol.  Abi made the remark that people seem to think she has been playing the game too honestly, so now it is her time to lie. She lies to Malcolm about having the hidden immunity idol.  I think this is an extremely clever way to scramble.  She knows that the members of the six-person alliance will now have to figure out who is at the bottom of the alliance.  If Skupin, Lisa, Malcolm, and Denise remain strong, it would leave Carter and Penner in the bottom two.  Carter has been very consistent in indidivual immunity challenges.  If he does not win tonight then he should be the one to go home.

The members of the Dangrayne tribe meet Jeff Probst for the individual immunity challenge.  He asks Abi to read the note in front of everyone, and she tells yet another lie by saying that the note had two parts.  The first being that of the fake hidden immunity idol and the second being about how she has automatically advanced to the final round of the challenge.  Tonight's individual immunity challenge was the most exciting one thus far.  I am expecting them to continue to be nail-biters until the finals.  Carter and Penner joined Abi in the final round of the huge maze.  Carter and Abi were neck-and-neck the entire way, but Carter simply did not have enough gas in the tank to pull out the win.  It often feels like I have a woman's intuition.  I had a feeling that Abi would pull through, and the gang would realize how dangerous Carter is.  Carter will win individual immunity all the way until the final three if they do not decide to slit his throat tonight.

I have had my ups and downs with Lisa during this entire season.  One week I dislike her, and then the next I feel like she is making one of the best moves of the season.  Then the following week I think that she has no strategic gameplay whatsoever and is just an extremely lucky individual.  Lisa flipped on her alliance, yet again, and told Penner that they were planning on voting him out of the game tonight.  Lisa informs Penner that he needs to "do the magic" that he does.  Penner decides to target Denise in order to break up her powerful alliance with Malcolm.

This was yet another tribal council this season in which I had no idea who would be going home.  Carter's name was not even brought up, so I guess I should admit that even I have flaws.  Haha.  Penner tries to throw Malcolm and Denise under the bus in order to stay on the island for three more days.  Lisa, Skupin, Denise, and Malcolm held strong and voted out Penner in a 4 to 3 vote.  I was completely shocked when Penner was voted off.  I screamed at the television and clapped like a mad man.  I thought that Penner would make it to the final three.  Now, it is literally anyone's game.

I am not sure if I am giving Lisa too much credit, but it may have been strategy to tell Penner about the alliance.  She made it very clear that she previously approached him about an alliance, but he declined.  Lisa may be one of the biggest master manipulators to ever play this game if all of the things she has made thus far has been strategic.  (Much like "accidentally" finding Malcolm's hidden immunity idol a few weeks ago).

I know I say this every week, but I am ridiculously excited to see what happens next.  Will Malcolm have an opportunity to use his hidden immunity idol or will he be blindsided before he gets a chance?  Will Abi continue to act like she has an idol in order to extend her life on the island?  When will they finally get rid of Carter?!  Oh, and did anyone notice how ridiculously good-looking Pete looked tonight?  Just saying.  Until next time. . .

Eliminated:  Jonathan Penner, the 50-year-old Writer from Los Angeles, California

Philippines: Episode 10 "Whiners are Weiners"

 

(I just wanted to mentioned that I am going to start writing articles for the website tvfishbowl.com.  These articles are going to consist of my weekly blog updates, as well as other posts regarding Survivor, American Idol, and The Real World.  I am really excited about this new endeavor!  It will give me more exposure, and I will be able to write about things that I love!  Wish me luck!  In addition, Rupert Boneham recently started following me on Twitter.  I almost shit my pants when I saw this.  Haha.  Enjoy my recap!)

    The beginning of this week's episode reminded us of what happened last week.  Skupin made the decision to flop on the Tandang tribe in order to break up the powerful alliance of Abi, Artis, and Pete by sending Artis home.  Skupin informs us that he is aware of the fact that people must make big moves in the game of Survivor in order to make it far, and this is just the first one he intends on making.  Let's see if he capitalizes on any opportunities this week.

     I understand how Lisa is is trying to play the game.  She feels the need to explain every move she makes to everyone. Clearly, she is trying to make herself out to look like a hero. She wants everything to be justified so she can be rewarded the million dollar check at the end of the game.  Lisa decided to side with a final six alliance with Penner, Denise, Skupin, Malcolm, and Carter.  These five individuals have "shown her more grace" than her previous Tandang alliance, so the new alliance makes her feel better about herself than aligning with this season's biggest villains.  I also wanted to point out that when Lisa was "breaking up" with Abi, I could not help but notice that Abi was drinking out of something that looked like a wine bottle.  Where did this even come from?  Is it water? Is it wine?  Did I miss something?!

     Honestly, the challenges this season are boring.  This week's reward challenge consisted of two teams.  The red team was Abi, Carter, Malcolm, and Pete.  The yellow team was Denise, Lisa, Penner, and Skupin.  The object of the challenge was for the teams to flip over three drums (basically tires with a cover), and the fastest team to do this the three times would win the reward.  This is the point in the game where the winners are rewarded a spa day:  showers, massages, and an afternoon lunch.  The teams were tied two and two, but the red team pulled out the win.  I know that if I ever participated in a challenge like this, the only thing I would really be worried about winning would be the food and drinks.  Jeff Probst, you had me at "cocktails."  Game on!

     Upon returning back to camp, Abi immediately started rubbing people the wrong way.  She was very adamant about informing the other castaways of every detail about spa day.  If she has ever watched the show before, she should know that gloating about reward wins is a huge Survivor no-no.  It's just common courtesy to be as humble about the experience as possible. In addition, she also mentions that since she knows that she will be leaving soon, she will not be cooking for the tribe for the remainder of her stay.  She believes that it is time for someone else to step up to the plate since she had been the personal chef for the previous 26 days.  I am not sure what kind of game Abi is trying to play.  She constantly complains about every aspect of the game.  She even picks fights with people for no apparent reason.  Is it likely that she wants to be considered one of the biggest villains of all time?  If so, then this wish is coming true.  Is her plan to be so obnoxious that she gets taken to the final three?  Honestly, if I was playing the game with her, I know that I would gladly take her to the final three with me.  She is so disliked by everyone else that she has absolutely no chance at winning the game.  If we have learned anything in seasons past, one part of the game is making it to the end, but the other part of the game is "jury management."

     I love how proactive Malcolm is being.  Malcolm proposed to Skupin a final four deal that would also include Denise and Lisa.  I think this is a huge, huge move that Skupin and Lisa should make.  They were originally at the bottom of a final six alliance.  Now, they have an opportunity to make it to the final four.  However, Lisa is skeptical about Malcolm's position in the game.  She is more interested in being in a final three alliance with Skupin and Penner.  I can see how final three sounds better than final four, but it truly depends on who you go to the finals with.  Lisa claims to be a huge fan of the game, but often times makes moves that make me question that.  Going into the finals with two veterans is almost like a death sentence.  I do not see Skupin winning this game.  However, Penner has not had to lie.  In addition, he has triumphed over adversity considering people have been trying to get rid of him from the very beginning of this game.  Lisa might not get votes from Pete, Artis, or Abi considering she broke her alliance with them.  So, in my opinion, Lisa is in way over her head if she thinks she can beat Penner in the finals.  Lisa approaches Penner about the final three alliance and Penner informs her that he doesn't want to make any promises.  She eventually decides that the final four alliance with Skupin, Denise, and Malcolm is her best best.  I completely agree with this decision.

     The individual immunity challenge allowed Denise to prove herself yet again.  I truly believe that she is one of the most dominant female competitors this game has ever seen.  Denise, Carter, and Skupin made it to the final leg of the challenge with Carter winning individual immunity.  Prior to the start of this week's episode, I had a feeling that it would be Pete or Carter going home this week.  Carter is a huge physical threat considering he has won two individual immunity challenges this season.  I definitely see him going home as soon as he does not win one.  As far as Pete's concerned, his alliance with Abi really is the thing that sealed his fate.

     If the six of Carter, Denise, Lisa, Malcolm, Penner, and Skupin wanted to get rid of Pete or Abi this week, the best move they could possibly make would be to split the votes three and three.  We all know that Abi has a hidden (or not-so-hidden) immunity idol, so why not split the votes to ensure that one of them goes home?  Abi could use the idol on herself thus ensuring Pete's fate.  Or, she may not use the idol, the votes will be tied, then they decide to vote her off - - getting rid of the biggest pain in the game, as well as flushing out the hidden immunity idol.

     Pete came up with an amazing idea this week.  He knew that the plan was to the split the votes.  Why not try to get someone from the other alliance to flop?  He approached Skupin about the idea of voting off Malcolm.  Malcolm is arguably the most charismatic guy on the show this season.  His entire tribe (with the exception of Denise) was wiped out.  He is a huge physical threat, and he has a hidden immunity idol.  It only makes sense to blindside him at this point in the game.  He is feeling secure enough at this point that he will not play his idol.  So, Pete's brilliant plan would flush out two idols and get rid of someone who no one should want to sit next to in the finals.

     Abi was completely destroyed at tribal council this week.  This was the very first time throughout the entire season that I actually felt bad for her.  Probst blamed cultural differences and unawareness on why Abi expresses herself differently than everyone else on the cast.  She says that she had no idea that no one liked her, that she was perceived as an idiot, and was not supposed to interact with others the way that she does.  Denise mentions that Abi is someone that she would not want to take the finals because she does not believe that Abi is deserving.  She believes that the absolute best players should be the ones in the finals. Honestly, I see how this can be viewed as noble, but I would play the game in order to win the million dollar prize.  Being one of the best players, in my eyes, is playing strategically enough to know who you can beat at the end. So, I completely disagree with Denise in regards to this aspect of the game.

     Abi ended up playing her hidden immunity idol.  Skupin did not flop on his alliance, so Pete was the 11th  person to get voted off this season.  I do not agree with this decision.  However, there are too many people who are too worried about how they are being perceived and too worried about "making the right decision" that they aren't willing to make the big moves.  As aforementioned, Skupin stated that he knows you have to make big moves in order to win this game.  I'm beginning to wonder when he is going to start making some big moves.  I am very interesting to see what happens from here on out, though.  I would love to see Abi win the individual immunity challenge next week so the other six would have to start eating each other.  Until next time. . .

Twitter:  the_timgilmore

Eliminated:  Pete Yurkowski, the 24-year-old Engineering Graduate from Holmdel, New Jersey

Philippines: Episode 9 "Learning Curve"

     - - I wanted to warn everyone. . YES, my blog does contain spoilers.  Someone said something to me last week about ruining the show for the west coast.  As a matter of fact, I don't say who is booted until the end of my blog, so maybe you should stop reading when you realize that I'm talking about shit that you haven't watched yet.  #Idiot.  PS:  I will continue to post pictures of Peter until he gets kicked off.  I did this two seasons ago with Keith (South Pacific) if you guys recall.  :)

     So, I decided that I'm going to go back to how I was when this season started.  I'm going to hold no reservations and speak my mind 100%.  You will find me much more entertaining...I promise!  Let's get this shit show started. . .

     I saw a tweet from RC earlier today that made me cringe.  I deemed it worthy enough to post in my blog. 

RC Saint-Amour ‏@RC_Survivor

"Q. Were you bitter about being eliminated...A. RC: I was definitely okay with it all because I got to live my dream.." http://www.o-seas.com/survivor-philippines-exclusive-interview-with-roberta-rc-saint-amour-realitywanted/ …

 

     Okay, so, was your dream to be the first member of the jury?  You played a good game when you first got there, but you tried too damn hard.  You allowed Abi to play the game for you.  What a joke.  My dream is to play the best possible game anyone has ever seen, be the most dominant gay man who has ever played the game (physically and socially), and WIN.  If your dream is to end up how you left the show, then you are selling yourself a little short, sweetheart.  Just sayin'.

 

     I think that tonight is the night that Lisa decides to break up the posse of Artis, Pete, and Abi.  Honestly, I think her best bet is to give Artis the boot.  I'm at the point where I just want to refer to him as "the black guy."  He isn't even worthy of being called by his name.  He has done absolutely nothing this entire season.  The fact that he is still in this game is a disgrace.  Pete already knows that people are gunning for him, so why not mix things up a little bit and get rid of someone who may not be expecting it?  I am not a fan of someone who just sits in the shadows the entire game and suddenly makes the final three.  I'm hoping Artis goes tonight.  Although, I would not be upset to see Carter go, either.  He is cross-eyed and wears red pants for crying out loud!  Then again, splitting the vote between Abi and Pete would be great, as well.  Making her use her idol while getting rid of that terrible twosome?  Hmm, one of those three will go home tonight (Pete, Carter, or Artis). Anyway, let's get back to reality and focus on tonight's episode. . .

 

     The episode opens up with the Dangrayne (I don't even know what color to highlight their name.  Is it black or purple??) tribe coming back from tribal.  Abi is freaking out because Penner voted for him.  I'm glad Penner was honest about voting for her.  She is a lunatic, and the fact that he voted for her will probably throw her off whatever game she is playing.  Carter is talking non-sense about something. . . I'm not sure, he looked really high.  Why did you guys not tell Penner what was going on?  You could have at least tied it up!  Anyway, Jeff went home, no loss there. 

 

     The thing that pisses me off about Lisa is that she is playing a really good game....HOWEVER, she is trying to portray herself as a honest Christian woman.  There's a reason why you played Blaire perfectly.  Have you admitted to anyone that it was your gameplay to hang everyone's clothes up to dry in order to see if they were hiding anything?  You're not fooling me, lady!

 

     The next scene opens up with Lisa and Penner talking about how insecure Lisa is.  This entire scene proves my previous point about how Lisa has been acting.  She wants to play the best possible game she can play, but she wants to be portrayed a particular way.  We all know how you feel about gay people. . . we know that you are hateful.  Don't try to be someone you're not.  The fact that she even cried about this makes me want her to leave.  It's funny how quickly I can change my mind about this game, right?  Lol.

 

     The reward challenge was not that exciting.  Abi did not participate...AGAIN.  Did you do anything while you were there other than bitch about everyone and everything?  You even had the audacity to do your toenails while the challenge was going on.  Did anyone else notice that?  Haha.  Anyway, I really liked Penner's strategy about getting the bags out for the rest of his teammates.  The person following him was cross-eyed. . . of course it was a brilliant plan.  I'm pretty sure Probst told Malcolm to take his time getting the last ball into the basket in order to make things look more interesting.  Oh well.  Malcolm, Penner, Carter, and Denise won the reward challenge.  Side note:  Pete was looking pretty hot in the mud. . . just sayin'. :)

 

     I think the reason why America loves Malcolm is because he is just a genuine person.  During the reward, he made several comments about how he needed to reexamine his life.  Pouring drinks for girls in the bar was not fulfilling enough. . . blah blah blah.  Malcolm does have a heart of gold and if he would find a seashell or a rock to shave off that wretched mustache, maybe I'd have the hots for him like I do Pete.  :)  Speaking of. . . the ONLY thing I like about Abi is the fact that she refers to Pete as "Peter."  Love that!  Lol.

 

     So, these individual immunity challenges are very anti-climatic this year.  My downstairs neighbors probably thought I lost my mind when I was laughing my ass off when Probst said:  "Obviously there will be a learning curve to this."  Was he taking a jab at Pete's intelligence?  I'm thinking 'yes.'  Who cares, though?!  Pete has pretty amazing abs AND he has a college degree in..... something? So that's A-okay in my book.

 

       I think I realized why I dislike Penner so much.  He's one of those people who thinks he is smarter than everyone else.  I've met several people like this in my life.  They just talk and talk to you like you're an idiot who is believing every word.  Well, there is a reason why Penner is good for this game - - because he is surrounded by people who believe his bullshit.  (I'm that type of person in real life, because I find people to be easily influenced) Once again, Lisa soaked up his nonsense prior to the tribe walking into tribal.

 

     I'm not even sure what to say about tonight's tribal.  Lisa made herself out to be a victim, while Abi made herself out to be immature, arrogant, over-confident. . . must I go on?  Seriously, girl, you're in your 30's and you have no idea what is going on around you.  Get your shit together.

 

     I just wanted to say. . . once again . . .that I had no idea who was going home prior to my blog post.     Apparently the people playing the game this season actually know how to play the game.  The fact that Artis left tonight was amazing.  If my neighbors didn't think I was crazy for laughing at Probst's comment about Pete, then they sure as hell thought I was crazy when it was revealed who was leaving tonight!

 

Until next time. . .

 

Twitter:  @the_timgilmore

 

 

 

Eliminated:  Artis Silvester (he doesn't even spell his last name right), the 53-year-old Computer Engineer, from Terry Town, LA.

    

 

 

 

Philippines: Episode 8 "Lisa's Law"

    The episode opens up with Penner asking the former Kalabaw members why they voted for him.  Honestly, it seemed like Jeff and Denise were just trying to cover their own asses by giving him bullshit excuses.  I thought it was clever of Penner to ask them what was up just so he could see where their heads are and hopefully have an idea of where to go from here.

     Jeff and Lisa's plan of action seems simple enough.  They intend on getting rid of the two veterans, then team up with Malcolm, Denise, and Carter to get rid of the villains of the tribe - - Artis, Pete, and Abi, which should not be hard to do considering no one can stand them.  I think it's a very solid plan, but those are only two votes.  In addition, you have to look at your end game and see who you are most likely to beat in the finals.  Russell Hantz is a perfect example of this.  It'll be interesting to see if anyone else goes along with them.
 
      In tonight's reward challenge, I thought that the blue tribe (Artis, Pete, Skupin, Abi, and Carter) were going to be the clear winners.  This was not the case whatsoever.  Denise continues to impress me with everything she does.  She completely annihilated Skupin in the water.  The yellow tribe ended up winning a nice little feast.

     From week to week, Peter either says something very moronic or he says something that actually makes sense.  Tonight, he actually said a few different things that made sense.  He thinks that the Tandang tribe should stick together in order to vote out the remaining members of Kalabaw.  I think this would be the best way for him to go.  The members of Kalabaw have been together since day one (with the exception of Denise) so they do have some sort of allegiance to one another (if you don't consider the fact that they tried to blindside Penner last week, haha).  He also mentioned that he would love to get rid of Abi's immature ass, but knows that if he's sitting next to her in the final three that she will not receive any votes.  I'm very glad that people are actually considering the end game this early on, much like Lisa is.  In so many of the recent seasons, people have been playing with the mindset of just making it to the finals or making it to the final four or five.  They haven't had the mindset of what needs to take place in order for them to receive more votes at the end of the game.  Lisa is a very intelligent woman and knows (much like Pete) that you have to consider all facets of this game.  You will not want to be sitting next to another worthy opponent - - a good guy - - when it's all said and done.

     Lisa and Pete have exactly the same idea on what needs to happen - - Tandang should stick together.  Lisa feels that she would fair better against either Pete, Abi, or Artis in the finals then almost anyone else in the tribe, which I completely agree.  She intends on targeting Malcolm due to the fact that he is a strong physical player and has a hidden immunity idol.  It would be the perfect time to blindside him and flush out the second idol.  I think it's a brilliant idea, and it'll be interesting to see if that is what happens at tonight's tribal council.  Penner is not a target this week due to him winning the individual immunity.  So, it'll be interesting to see what transpires.

     The scrambling that took place before tribal council was the biggest scramble I have ever seen in the history of this game.  Everyone thought it was a done deal that Malcolm was going home, then Pete decided to make me look like an idiot by asking Malcolm about the hidden immunity idol.  Then, things shift to Jeff, then to Pete.  It is interesting to see the dynamic of this team because everyone has such a strong mind (well, with the exception of Carter).  I cannot believe that Pete would even confront Malcolm about the idol.  If it's true that he had it then take the opportunity to blind side him.  If it's false, then a strong competitor will still go home.  It's a win-win situation.  He was never a part of the original Tandang tribe, anyway.

     Tribal was very intense.  Malcolm made the best decision he could possibly make.  He knew that his head was on the chopping block, so why not just go ahead and admit that you have the hidden immunity idol?  I thought this was amazing because at this point no one knows whether or not he's actually going to play it or not.  I knew that it was the right decision NOT to play it because he didn't need to.  Everyone else was too scared to try to cast a vote for him.  It's like rolling dice.  Malcolm escaped the vote, still has his idol, and now it's out in the open.  He could play it at any point, so blindsiding him is going to be that much more difficult.

     It was revealed that there was a second hidden immunity idol floating around, as well.  When Probst asked if anyone else had an idol, Abi revealed that she had one.  Honestly, I don't think this was the best decision she could have made.  I think she could have kept quiet about having an idol.  Her name wasn't on the block and probably will not be on the block for a very long time.  It will be interesting to see what happens next week.  I honestly think at some point people are going to split votes between Pete and Abi in order to flush the idol and get rid of the other person.  Hopefully I am right about this just to prove how bad of a decision Abi made tonight by revealing her secret.  Yeah, people will not vote for Artis, Pete, or Abi at the end of the game, but at some point you have to figure out which one or two you want to take to the end.  You will have to break up that threesome at some point or they will dominant the game all the way to the final three.

     I am very glad that Jeff got voted out tonight.  In his final interview he mentioned how he has made about 60 million dollars in MLB.  He said that he wanted this so badly despite the fact that you don't even actually get a million dollars.  He just has a really smug attitude, and I am glad that his ass is off my TV screen!

     P.S. - - what is up with Penner's lack of awareness.  Is he actually clueless as to what is going on?  Why in the world did he vote for Abi?  Haha.  Was he just throwing his vote away or was he that unaware of what was truly going on.  In closing, Lisa continues to impress me every week...and she is slowly pulling ahead of Malcolm and Denise as far as fan favorite is concerned.  Can't wait to see what she decides to pull next week.  Is it time to break up that three-person alliance?  I'm thinking yes!

Eliminated:  Jeff Kent, the 44-year-old retired Major League Baseball player, from Austin, Texas.

Until next time. . .

Twitter:  @the_timgilmore


   

Philippines: Episode 7 "Airing Out Dirty Laundry"

     Tonight's episode started out with the Kalabaw tribe coming back from tribal.  Penner had no idea that his name had been bounced around.  He states that the vote that he received at tribal was a wake up call.  He must take into consideration that other people on his tribe are lying, as well, so he will definitely have to keep his eyes open from here on out.  It'll be interesting to see how this plays out . . .

     Finally, the real game can now begin.  The two tribes are finally merged!  Once everyone gets to their new beach, they eat, drink, and be merry.  Lisa takes it upon herself to hang everyone's clothes out to dry.  Upon doing so, she discovers Malcolm's hidden immunity idol.  Honestly, I think Lisa did this on purpose.  She could have been putting up a front the entire time - - acting like she was doing something nice for the tribe, when in reality, she was actually looking to see if anyone had an idol.  Lisa comes off as an extremely sweet lady.  She could easily fool anyone into believing that it was just an accident.  If this was her plan from the very beginning, then she is brilliant.  If not, then she should say that it was her original plan anyway.  Haha.  Malcolm ends up making a final three deal with Lisa (and Denise).  Let's see how long this lasts.  :)

     The dynamic of the new tribe is something I have never seen before.  Everyone is plotting against their original tribemates.  Original tribe alliances almost seem to be no more - - with the exception of a few.  RC and Skupin think about flopping to the Kalabaw tribe because at least that way they could make it into a final six, as opposed to a final seven with Tandang.  Abi, Pete, Malcolm, Artis, and Jeff are thinking about splitting the votes between RC and Penner.  This will definitely be an interesting tribal - - and for the first time, I don't exactly have an opinion on what these people should do.  All of the ideas that are being thrown around are intelligent, logical and thought-provoking.

     I was really surprised by a lot of people in the individual immunity challenge.  Pete, Skupin, and Penner were the first three men out.  To me, it almost seemed like they eliminated themselves so they didn't appear to be huge physical threats.  If this was the case, then I think it's the stupidest thing that Skupin and Pete could have done.  You should never feel safe enough to throw a challenge.  Penner, on the other hand, already has a hidden immunity idol, so I could kind of see why he would give up so quickly.  Once again, this is just me making assumptions.  Maybe they actually sucked in this challenge. I was also impressed with Carter.  There's no way I would assume that someone would pay back what was owed to me.  Carter did the right thing by not giving the win to Jeff.  In addition, Denise continues to excel in everything she does.  I would love to see her win this game.

     Finally, tribal council is upon us.  This is the first time in Survivor history that one tribe had not been to tribal until they reached the merge.  You can tell that everyone is fighting to stay alive in this game.  Lisa really brought up some really good points about flipping.  As previous seasons have proven, just because you think making the switch to the opposing tribe is a good idea, it also shows that you lack loyalty to those you were previously aligned with.  That distrust is the perfect reason to get rid of you once you are no longer deemed valuable.  In addition, I'm surprised that RC did not fight harder.  Once again, we don't see everything that goes on at tribal, but if I were RC, I would have been like - - "Well, if I didn't dig up the clue, and you say that you didn't dig up the clue, then is there anyone else that you talked to about it?"  At least this would have made Abi reconsider everything that had been going on.  Maybe RC did pull this card - - but if she did, it was not shown on TV.

     I tried to figure out what was going to happen at tribal tonight.  If the four Kalabaw stuck with RC and Skupin, then I had a feeling that they would try to get rid of Pete.  Skupin already let it be known that Artis, Pete, and Abi were in a strong alliance with each other, so why not try to get rid of the threesome's strongest guy.  So, naturally, I had a feeling we would see Pete's name tossed around.  However, I don't think that tonight was the best time to throw Penner under the bus.  It was clear that there was a lack of communication.  It was clear that Penner was feeling uneasy about things.  If you make the decision to vote for him, yes you flush out the idol, but you also lose his loyalty.  It's called a blindside due to the fact that you make the person you are stabbing in the back feel as comfortably as completely possible, even to the point that you are "letting them decide" who is going home.  I am very disappointed in a lot of people tonight.  If they truly wanted to blindside Penner, they needed to do a better job about keeping him informed about what was going on.  A pissed off Penner is something that I would not want.  He's played this game two times already - - he knows a thing or two about "O, O, O" ing a few people.  It'll be interesting to see what kind of havoc Penner stirs up next week  In closing, I honestly felt bad for RC.  She doesn't seem like someone I would get along with in the real world, but she seemed very defeated for a very long time.  In the beginning, it almost seemed like she was playing the game a little too hard.  Maybe that is what made people distrust her so much.  However, in the end, she just seemed like her spirit was broken.  If this was the case, then it was her time to go.  You should be fighting every step of the way.

Here are the questions that I am left with after this episode:

     Why did Pete automatically assume that Denise and Malcolm no longer have an alliance?  They went through so much together prior to them being broken up.  Never assume anything.  Pete, you're an idiot.

     Why didn't Skupin vote with RC?  They could have gotten Pete out of the game if they really wanted to.  What was stopping Skupin?

     Will Penner blow up Lisa's secret?  I think it's a very big possibility.

     Was Lisa just being nice or was she actually looking for something?  My intuition tells me that Lisa knew exactly what she was doing.  She knew that if someone had a hidden idol, they probably didn't have enough time to hide it.  So why not take a chance and try to pull a fast one on the other tribemates.  She is sweet enough anyway, who wouldn't believe that she was just trying to do a good deed by hanging everyone's clothes up to dry.  (Except where did Penner  hide his?  Or did I miss that part?  Hmmm).

     What is going to happen next?  The alliances seem to go like this:  Abi, Pete, and Artis are a strong three.  Denise and Malcolm are a strong two with Lisa being a third since she found Malcolm's hidden stash.  The other players in the game are basically floaters at this point and can be used as pawns.  Will there be a six against four coming?  Will people flop from one alliance to another until only the final three remain?  This episode really did a mind-fuck on me, and goes to show that you should expect the unexpected.  The unlikely and improbable can and will happen in this game.  I can't wait to see what happens next.

Eliminated:  Roberta "RC" Saint-Amour, the 27-year-old Investment Banker from New York City.



Until next time. . .

Twitter:  @the_timgilmore

Philippines: Episode 6 "A Million Dollar Mistake"

     So, I decided to do things a little differently this week.  I am updating my blog as the show airs.  That way, it doesn't take me almost an entire week to get the damn thing updated.  Let's see how well it works out.  :) - - Tim

     First of all, I just have to say that the physical challenges like the one tonight are the kind that I would love to play the most.  I would love to have the opportunity to wrestle with people and knock their asses in the dirt.  Hopefully, CBS will give me a call, so I will have a chance to be the most brutal, physical, bad-ass gay guy Survivor has ever seen!  #TeamTim.

     Tonight's reward challenge was a first.  Never in the history of Survivor, have we witnessed two tribes negotiating a win.  I honestly believe that Tandang made the best decision that they could make.  Skupin was definitely looking long-term, and his decision reflected that.  He knew that he was already on the chopping block for eating a majority of the rice they already had - - so why not steal Kalabaw's rice in exchange for whatever the reward shall be - - in this case, sandwiches.  (Ssandwiches are not going to sustain the members of Kalabaw for very long, and as Probst exclaimed, the weather will not make for optimal fishing conditions.)  Anyway, Pete and Lisa really surprised me.  I had no idea that Lisa is as strong as she is.  She had the warhorse, Denise, at a stand still.  So, my hat goes off to her.  Pete, on the other hand, did not fair too well against Carter.  Carter weighs like a buck fifty. . . what happened in there, Pete?!  Also, when Penner started crawling through Skupin's legs, I was screaming at the TV for Skupin to sit on Penner's head - - and that is exactly what happened!  Hell yeah.  That's exactly what I would have done, except, I probably would have squashed his head with my knee, but I'm a dick like that.  I really wanted to see this challenge continue, but the Tandang tribe made the right decision.  Oh, furthermore, I have a feeling that Artis is digging his own grave.  He is being very negative toward Skupin at this point, and I know that it will come back to bite him in the ass.  Let's see how long it takes.

     When the Kalabaw crew got back to camp, they realized that the reward also included letters from home.  No offense to my family and friends who read this, but that is absolutely the last reward I'd ever want to receive.  I honestly think that it takes your mind away from the game.  You have to keep your head focused on that million dollar prize.  You can see all of those people when you get home.  You have to be gone for two months - - that is all.  I don't see most of my family members but one time a year.  I think I can go two months without seeing or talking to them - - just sayin'.

     Abi, Pete, and Artis made a huge deal about Tandang forfeiting the challenge in exchange for additional rice.  Are you fucking retarded?  Your rations were almost completely depleted.  It's not like Probst gave Kalabaw a spear and a boat.  They already had those items.  They could have been catching fish any way. . . .at least take away some of their food source.  Besides, we all know that you can not assume anything in this game - - clearly.  Hahaha, good job Skupin.  Also, I am beginning to finally respect RC.  She took all of the negativity around camp and used it to save her own ass.  All she needs to do, like she said, is fly under the radar.  This is exactly what Lisa is doing, as well, and is what will save the two of them.  Abi, Pete, and Artis will hang themselves with their own ropes.  Idiots.

     I wonder if Probst just despises Katie.  He continually throws her under the bus and calls her out in challenges.  Yes, her performance is lackluster, but at least she actually performs, unlike Abi.  Abi is the type of person who bitches about everything but constantly does nothing to better the situation.  But anyway, that's a rant for another day - - I'll save that for the episode when she gets kicked off.  After Kalabaw's loss - - basically due to the hands of Malcolm (whom I am beginning to develop a little crush on by the way.  hahaha :) )- - I believe that Katie will be the one sent packing this week.

     At this point in the game, you have to start thinking about the end-game.  There are only twelve of you left which means that the merge will happen within the next few days - - guaranteed.  That is not an assumption - - it will happen.  Due to Kalabaw's loss, you have to look at your options.  Penner is a third-time player.  People suspect that he has an idol.  The Kalabaw tribe are already down two members and are getting ready to be down a third.  It doesn't matter which person leaves this week as far as strength goes because the Tandang tribe will have the numbers going into the merge regardless of who leaves.  It's simple math.  Tonight would have been the perfect time to get rid of Penner.  He would have never seen it coming - - hell, he didn't even play his idol.  At this point in the game, strength is out the window.  Penner will only become a larger physical threat for the individual immunity - - something that Katie would not have been.  This is what infuriates me about the show.  This is what makes me want to play it so badly - - watching these idiots play it.  You guys basically just signed Penner a million dollar check.  He has the hidden immunity idol, he's a returning player, and he will be a force to be reckoned with in individual challenges.  Katie has done nothing and would have continued to do nothing.  This is the first time this season that I disagree with who got voted out - - and this was a million dollar decision.  Speaking of the merge . .. I saw a preview for next week and it does hint that it will be happening next week.  Hmmm...what did I say?  I know how this game works.  Why have I not received a phone call yet?  Geez louise.  Lol.  Have a good week guys.

Eliminated:  Katie Hanson, the 22-year-old Former Miss Delaware from ....Delaware :)

Until next time . . .

Twitter:  @the_timgilmore

Philippines: Episode 5 "School-Girl Swag"

     I just wanted to thank each and every one of you for continuing to show your support.  I have reached over 5200 pageviews since I started this blog during South Pacific!  Thanks a bunch!  - - Tim

     I do have to admit that I am ecstatic that the Matsing tribe has finally dissolved.  Now, we have an opportunity to actually meet the other contestants, and honestly, it almost feels like a different show now.  Bring it on!

     Kalabaw was originally the tribe to beat.  Up until this point, they were doing better in challenges than the other tribes.  However, due to the fact that they picked up Denise and Tandang received Malcolm, it is only a matter of time before these guys get picked off one by one.  However, I believe that we should be getting close to the merge, so as long as they just keep fighting, they may have at least an even number going in.  I suppose only time will tell.

     I cannot believe that Pete told Malcolm that he had an immunity idol.  This dude put way too much faith in someone he just met.  This is the same damn thing he did with Lisa.  He gave up way too much confidential information without first receiving some.  Malcolm is definitely sitting pretty at this point.  He was on the brink of disaster by being attached to one of the biggest failures by being on the Matsing tribe . . . and now he has an idol, as well as a second idol on his side.  I don't see Malcolm sticking with Pete and Abi very long, though.  Could there be a blindside that occurs when Pete and Abi believe they are safe?  I can definitely see this happening - - and I hope it does.  I would love to see Malcolm make it to the end of this game.

     I was originally disappointed with the fact that Dana quit. . . however, after some research, I found out that she had been sick the entire time she was out there.  Due to this, she was not able to display the type of bubbly person she considers herself to be.  This is a disappointment.  I know that it must be difficult to not be able to play the game that you love to the full extent when it is raining the entire time and you are stricken with illness.  Despite the fact, she did go out on her own.  I really wish she would have tried to sucked and tried to go deeper into the game.  At least she is better now. :)
   
     I really thought Katie was going this week.  Jeff repeatedly threw her under the bus during the challenge.  He called her out on numerous occasions when she was costing the Kalabaw tribe to fall behind.  I was surprised that Dawson was the one who got the boot.  This should not have happened.  Dawson should have fought for it.  She knew that either she or Katie were on the chopping block that night.  She should have threatened Jeff that if it was her, that his secret would get exposed.  The fact that she wasn't willing to spice up the game a little bit with some blackmail makes me glad that she got the boot.  If you're not going to play the game, then get the hell off of the island!

     P.S. - - is it just me or does Carter look cross-eyed every time the camera shows him?!  Hmmmm, pay attention next time he is shown (which is only like two seconds of every episode).

Eliminated:  Sarah Dawson, the 28-year-old, Insurance Salesperson from Silver Spring, Maryland.

Until next time. . .

Twitter:  @the_timgilmore

Philippines: Episode 4 "A Flash of Chaos"

     I am really impressed with Pete's actions this week.  Initially, I did not believe that he would know how to play this game, but he does, surprisingly.  Pete knew that Abi and RC were at odds.  He also knew that RC did not know that Abi told him about the clue to the hidden immunity idol.  I thought his plot to cause some chaos in the tribe by putting the clue in plain sight was pretty genius.  If you can get two people to fight within the tribe, then clearly you will be safe for a little while - - right?!  Hopefully it works out in his favor.  Not only is he nice to look at, but he is turning out to be a villain worth watching.  He does not to seem to be as big of a dumbass as I thought he was going to be.  Good job, sir!

     I mentioned last week how I thought that Lisa was finally in good standing within the Tandang tribe because of Abi and RC's drama.  As things progress, this seems to be more and more likely.  Lisa just sits back and listens to each of her tribemates throw each other under the bus.  I know that Lisa will use this in her favor.  It is only a matter of time before they head to tribal council, and I'm anxious to see how this entire situation unfolds.  I see Artis being the first one to go, but after that, it's anyone's game.  :)

     I am ecstatic that there was foreshadowing taking place within the Kalabaw tribe.  The Matsing tribe is near extinction, so it is time to start focusing on a different group of people.  We saw a division between the men and women.  Personally, I would love to be in an all-guy alliance.  I have watched enough of this amazing game to know that the women would vote your ass out as soon as the opportunity arose.  Carter's decision to side with Jonathan and Kent was the best decision that he could make for himself.  Until something changes, it'll be three on three, and at least the men have the idol on their side.  I know that they showed us these newly developed relationships for a reason, so let's just stay tuned so we can find out why.

     Okay, so my heart broke for the Matsing tribe last week.  We all know that Denise, Malcolm, and Angie were my three favorite players (so far).  This week, it just got to the point of embarrassment - - especially for Russell.  First of all, he mentioned how he knows that he has probably passed the idol at least a hundred times, and as soon as it happens, it'll probably 'flash' on the screen (which actually happens).  Nice job, CBS.  I thought it was wise that Malcolm and Denise looked through Russell's things in search of the idol.  It's better safe than sorry.  In addition, Malcolm and Denise's loyalty to each other really showed true when they decided that they needed to do whatever necessary to make Russell feel secure, so even if he did have the idol that he wouldn't feel the need to use it.  Honestly, I understand Russell's frustration.  I love competition, but hate losing.  I think I would have freaked the fuck out a long time ago.  I don't really understand why Probst was busting his balls so much over being pissed that they lost again.  How would you expect someone to act?  Just take it on the chin and keep going?  Deep down Russell probably knew that his time was up.  His second time back was heartbreaking, embarrassing, frustrating, and mentally exhausting - - which I'm sure he never expected.  I do feel bad for him but Denise and Malcolm made the right decision.  At this point, Malcolm and Denise are supposed to be divided up.  I would love to see them make the merge, so they could have an opportunity to work with each other again.  Considering all of the bullshit they've been through, they deserve an actual chance at this game.  #TeamMatsing for the win. . . haha, yeah right.  :)

Until next time. . .

Twitter:  @the_timgilmore

Eliminated:  Russell Swan, the 45-year-old Environmental Attorney from Glenside, PA