One World: Finale

     Well, this is it!  We are at the end of yet another season.  Before I get started with the three-hour finale, I just want to recap what I said about all of the cast members prior to the start of the show, so I can see how accurate I was about how things were going to play out.  Also, I just wanted to say that I knew that the women would stick together to vote out the men.  I accurately predicted this from the very beginning!  I think I said something along the lines of. . . in previous seasons, women are much more likely to stick together than men.  This is exactly what happened!  Tarzan was the only male to last longer than a woman after the merge.  So, kudos to that crazy, crazy, well-spoken man. 

     I currently predicted that Monica and Nina would be in an alliance.  I also knew that Nina would get targeted early due to the fact that she was the oldest woman on the tribe.  This was correct. 

     I think I didn't give Jay enough credit.  He made it further in the game than I thought he would be.  However, I did say that he would end up being a push-over, which was definitely the case.  He did whatever Colton told him to do, and eventually got taken out by the women.  He did have more fight in him than I thought he would have, so I have to give credit where credit is due. 

     I gave Christina way more credit than I should have.  I was accurate in the fact that I said she would go far in the game.  However, she made it that far because no one deemed her to be a threat.  Everyone else carried her along and used her as an extra vote - - that's all.  I'm ready for her to get the boot tonight!  No final three for you, sweety. 

     Kat made it further than I thought she would, all because she was able to get into the five-woman alliance on the first day.  If this wouldn't have happened, she would have been out fairly early.  Good job, Kat.  You made it further than I thought you would...and you were fairly entertaining, as well. 

     I really didn't have much to say about Michael.  I knew that he would be one of the least entertaining people of the season.  He was too afraid to make any big moves.  He did make it to the merge, though, so kudos to him. 

     I didn't think that Leif would make it to the merge due to the fact that he was the first "little person" the game has ever seen.  I knew that people would not want to go to the final three with him due to the sympathy vote.  Leif also did really well in the challenges, which I was not expecting.

     I made an accurate assumption about Kourtney.  I knew that she wouldn't make it far in the game (even though the reason she was taken out of the game was due to an injury).  We didn't have much of an opportunity to see what she was all about.

     I knew that Jonas was going to be the chef of the season, and he played this to his full advantage.  He stuck around until the women decided that they didn't need him anymore. 

     Bill was taken out before the merge, which is what I predicted.  He tried too hard to be the nice guy, which was his ultimate downfall.  He didn't have enough fight in him to make it far in the game.  Colton took the opportunity to vote him out of the game early on. 

     I knew that if Matt was going to make it far in the game, he would have to take a step back and not let his ego get in the way.  This did NOT happen.  Matt was too cocky in this game, which was his ultimate downfall.

     Sabrina succeeded in what she set out to do.  She said that she normally loves to talk and entertain people, but she was aware of the fact that she would need to take a step back in order to go far in the game.  She did just that!  She was the original leader of the women's tribe, which garnered her a lot of respect from the other women in her tribe.  She was also able to make a solid alliance, which got her to the end of the game.

    I accurately predicted that Chelsea and Kim would form an early bond.  This ultimate alliance is taking the two girls to the end of the game.  Her adaptability essentially got her to the end of the game.  She said that she didn't have a clear strategy prior to going in.  She just wanted to figure things out as she went along.  She did that the entire game.  She absolutely has played one of the best games I've ever seen, and I will be completely shocked if she doesn't take home the gold.

     The only two things I said about Tarzan prior to the start of the season was how weird he is, and that he would be the Phillip Sheppard of the season.  Those two statements were correct.  The only reason why he got as far as he did was because he was willing to do whatever the women wanted him to do.  He really didn't have a long-term goal in this game, in my honest opinion.

     I knew that Troyzan was going to be good in challenges.  I also predicted that Colton would see Tarzan and Troyzan as outcasts, and he would take them under his wing.  This was absolutely correct!  Amazing! :)

     I knew that Alicia would go far because of the fact that she is  bitch.  People would want to take her far in the game because she would not get alot of votes at the final council.  She really had no chance in hell at winning the game.  I also mentioned that she would be the woman who America hated this season.  I think I was accurate in this assessment. 

     Monica was unable to get into an early alliance with the women, which was her ultimate downfall.  She was seemed as too big of a physical threat, and she was too nice.  The women took her out early on due to these factors. 

     There were so many things about Colton that I was right about.  He made an alliance with the older men of the tribe, which saved his ass at the first tribal council.  He was the diva and the villain of the season.  He was not able to keep his mouth shut, whatsoever.  He was rude and crude.  I really wish that he wouldn't have gotten injured, because I would have loved to see him make it to the merge and take on the women of the other tribe.  I would love to see him come back for another season.  Heroes vs. Villains part 2? 

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     Let's get to the season finale!  They are really focusing a lot on Kim on this episode.  She is trying to play the best strategic game that will win her the money.  However, at this point in the game, I believe it is necessary to maintain a level of integrity and honesty.  Kim has been bestfriends with Chelsea from day one, and I don't think it would be wise to stab her in the back.  Right now Kim has two options, she could take Alicia and Christina to the end with her because she thinks that this would be an easy win for her.  Or, she could fight it out with Chelsea and Sabrina.  Even though she would have a better chance at winning against Alicia and Christina, I don't think she has anything to worry about.  If she turns on Sabrina and Chelsea, people could be bitter and not give her the money.  So, it's a tricky situation. 

     Kim once again won immunity.  Chelsea is expecting Kim to give the hidden immunity idol to her.  I'm not sure this is the best thing for Kim to do.  If she pulls it out, the other women might get pissed off at her because she didn't tell them that she had it.  I think it is ridiculous how confident everyone is about not going home.  There are only four people who could potentially get votes.  One of you are going home tonight.  Is this not ringing a bell? 

     In a 3 to 2 vote, Alicia was voted out!  It's been a long-time coming.  I think it's funny that she got voted out before Christina, but she'll be right behind Alicia.  FINALLY!  I probably have not liked a player less than Christina.  Completely worthless.  I couldn't help but notice the colorful remarks that Kat kept saying.  She said that she got backstabbed, just like Alicia did.  Please, girl.  You're ridiculous.  Get over yourself!  I'm hoping she votes for Kim to win the money.  It's the right thing to do!  Don't be a bitter jury member! 

Eliminated:  Alicia Rosa, the 25-year-old Special Education Teach from Chicago, Illinois

     Alicia knew that her downfall was turning on Tarzan.  Duh, should have forced a tie!  Lesson learned - - this is a game for a million dollars.  You cannot put all of your trust in one person!  You're not the only person playing the game.  You have to question everything someone tells you! 

     I've never really liked the Fallen Comrads portion of the show.  It seems scripted and fake.  You got rid of them for one reason or another.  But of course, they always act like they loved everyone.  Yeah right!

     In the final individual immunity challenge, it was neck and neck between Christina and Kim.  Kim proved yet again why she is amazing.  It was her fourth individual immunity win!  She's a beast, and now she is in the final three.  This is her game to lose!

     I thought it was completely ridiculous that Christina did not try to fight to stay in the game.  She said that she didn't want to be "blindsided."  She wanted to know if it was going to be her.  Kim told her that she would be going home.  Why the hell did you just give up?  Convince Kim that you would be the wiser decision to take to the finals than Chelsea or Sabrina!  What is wrong with you?  Yet again why I am so ready for you to go home.  Absolutely ridiculous!  Jeff even called her out.  It doesn't make sense to give up a million dollar game. 

In a 3 to 1 vote, Christina is the final jury member, and we are left with our final three of Sabrina, Chelsea, and Kim - - just as I predicted over a month ago! 

Eliminated:  Christina Cha, the 29-year-old Career Consultant from Los Angeles, California


     Now the time has come for the final tribal council.  One thing that I absolutely hate is when the jury members are bitter.  Yes, it makes for an interesting tribal, but get over it!  The people in the final three in one way or another O, O, O'ed you!  They deserve to be there more than you.  We really didn't see much hate from the jury members.  I think everyone realized that Kim was the ring-leader. She's got this game in the bag.  I do want to say that you can tell that Kat grew up alot while she was out there.  She gave an amazing speech, and the fact that Chelsea was crying really goes to show that she is an amazing woman with a huge heart. 

     Well, Kim deserved this win.  She is one of the best players to ever play this game.  I would love to see her come back.  Her game was flawless.  Congrats, Kim Spradlin!  You will undoubtedly be a member of the Survivor Hall of Fame one day! 

Sole Survivor:  Kim Spradlin, the 29-year-old Bridal Shop Owner from San Antonio, Texas.

     Lastly, congrats again to Kim for winning the Player of the Season.  America definitely got it right.  You deserved it.  You absolutely were the player of the season.  Good job, chica.

     I really hope everyone enjoyed my posts this season.  I look forward to doing it all over again next season!  We have three returning players who are getting a second chance at becoming the Sole Survivor.  I'm really looking forward to Michael Skupin playing again.  It's been about ten years since we saw him last.  Is he going to be the same person?  Is he going to play the same kind of game he played last time?  It should be interesting to see!  I'll see you guys in the fall!  You can always talk to me on Twitter or find me lurking around the Survivor Whispers Facebook group.  I intend on submitting another audition tape when the time comes.  One of these seasons, you will see me on there!  I love this game so much.

Until next time. . .

Twitter:  the_timgilmore
    

    

    

One World: Episode 13

     As much as I adore Kim and believe that she is one of the best players of all time (Yeah, I just said that) I am actually glad that we saw alot of strategizing from other people this week.  And I can suspect that we will see so much more in a few days when we're all watching the 3 hour One World finale!  Who's stoked?  I know I am! :)  Let's get to it. . .

     I definitely have to give Chelsea mad props.  She knows that she is in a tight alliance with Sabrina and Kim, so at this point in the game it is basically three versus three.  Chelsea finds the perfect opportunity to try to reel Christina into her alliance.  She is completely aware that Alicia controls everything that Christina does.  Chelsea promised Christina that if she wins the reward challenge she would take her.  She tries to empathize with her.  Neither one of them had eaten much since they started the game 30+ days ago.  After the girls discuss this, Christina runs to Alicia and Kim and has diarrhea of the mouth concerning the conversation she just had.  Okay, first of all, this just reiterates why I DESPISE Christina.  If you knew from day one that Kim and Chelsea were in a tight 5-woman alliance, why would you say this to Kim?  Are you that oblivious to what is going on around you?  Christina should have just pulled Alicia aside and explained to her what was going on.  This did not need to be something that was said to Kim.  Idiot!  Kim immediately told Chelsea what Christina had told her . . . . and game on! 

     The reward challenge involved a puzzle, and Chelsea came out on top yet again.  Is this the Kim vs. Chelsea Hour?  What's going on?  These two women are beasts in challenges!  Anyway, Chelsea had the chance to choose two people to take with her on the reward.  The line in the sand was clearly drawn when Chelsea chose Sabrina and Kim to go with her.  Of course Christina was pissed off, but she had no right to be.  She went behind Chelsea's back and started talking shit.  Get over it.  You reap what you sow!  The reward consisted of:  a beautiful yacht ride with clean clothes, a fully stocked bathroom, and a clean bed.  I think I remember seeing food and champagne, as well.  Hell yeah! 

     Back at camp, Christina and Alicia were so upset that Chelsea did not pick them that they told Tarzan that the plan was to force a tie at tribal - - forcing someone to either switch his/her vote or to pull rocks.  Tarzan stressed to Alicia how important it is that they go to the final three together.  He even went as far as to say that he would tell the jury members to vote for her to win the game.  Little did Alicia know at the time that he was also telling Kim the same exact thing.  Alicia did not solidify this plan with Tarzan.  She wanted to talk to Kim about what had been said.  Why would you do this?  You are supposed to be in a tight alliance.  Even though it's three versus three at the moment, if Tarzan gets kicked off, what makes you think you or Christina will not be the next to go?  Is it because you know that Chelsea and Sabrina are bigger threats for Kim's end-game?  Correct!  Which also means that your game throughout the entire season has been completely worthless.  Anyway, I digress. . . Once Alicia and Kim start conversing, they discover that Tarzan had been telling all of the women the exact same thing.  So, the plan is to actually get rid of Tarzan.  I believe that the Kim, Chelsea, Sabrina alliance knew that Tarzan was the bigger threat anyway.  All they needed to do was get one of the more feeble-minded women in on the plan, and it was set in stone. 

     The individual immunity challenge was one that we saw during the first Redemption Island.  I was actually surprised to see Alicia win considering it had to do with putting a puzzle together.  Wow, congrats, you just bought yourself your final three days in this game!  You better celebrate them as much as you possibly can.  I think her winning this challenge was a fluke.  If she doesn't win the next one, she will be out of this game. 

     The most interesting thing I noticed about council was how Christina had the nerve to tell Chelsea how pissed off she was for not keeping her word.  Um, are you serious?  That ranks right up there with Alicia stating how she was the "Queen" of this game...or of the island, or whatever stupid thing she said.  Ugh.  Anyway, I loved that Chelsea did not back down and told her that Christina broke her trust by revealing details about their private conversation.  Jeff prompted them to vote and in a 5-to-1 vote, Tarzan was the newest member of the jury and the last male to leave the game. 

     I made the final three prediction weeks ago!  The production crew tried to play mind games with us over the past couple weeks by making us think that one of them -- if not two - - would be getting the boot soon (Chelsea and Sabrina).  Haha, yeah, right.  I know what I'm talking about guys.  After Kat got voted off last week, we were left with five women:  Kim, Chelsea, Sabrina, Christina, and Alicia and then one man:  Tarzan.  I'm pretty sure I have stated on numerous occasions why the latter three are still around.  Christina is just a floater.  She has no chance at winning a million dollars.  She will do whatever anyone tells her to do, does not speak well at tribal, and has no mind of her own, thus she has been used as a swing vote.  Alicia is a mouthy, arrogant bitch who has done nothing in the game but piss people off.  She has no chance in hell at winning this game.  Tarzan is the only one of these three who was any kind of threat, whatsoever.  He tried to play the girls against each other, despite the fact that he failed horribly.  And even though he did side with the women to vote out the other men, if Tarzan made it to the final three, there would be five men on the jury and four women.  If the guys were bitter and decided that they did not want a female to win, they could easily hand him the game.  From a strategic standpoint, it makes absolute perfect sense to get rid of Tarzan.  He is and always has been expendable.  The women used and abused him to take out his original tribe.  They carried him until they didn't need him any longer.  There was a slight risk that he could get the majority vote at the final tribal council.  Sorry, Tarzan, but you've been an absolutely worthless person to watch on this show, and I'm glad your torch got snuffed.  It'll be interesting to see what happens in the finale.  I'm thinking that Alicia will be the next to go, just because she is a better talker than Christina.  Also, she puts up more of a fight in the individual immunity challenges.  So, as long as Alicia doesn't win immunity, she will be the first one to go....followed by Christina.  My final three prediction from back in the day will be accurate, and I will come out looking like a superstar!  See you guys at the finale!

Eliminated:  Greg (Tarzan) Smith, the 64-year-old Plastic Surgeon from Houston, Texas

Until next time. . .

Twitter:  the_timgilmore

One World: Episode 12

--This is the first time that I'm actually updating my blog at the same time I'm watching the episode.  I'm excited to see how it goes. --

     I believe that people are finally starting to look at the end-game.  What moves need to be made now in order to win a million dollars?  Who do I want to take with me in order to win?  Alicia had an epiphany after last week's episode.  She noticed how smooth Sabrina is able to talk to the jury.  However, Christina is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.  Everyone knows that she has literally done nothing to get where she is, plus if she makes it to the final three, she would get eaten alive at the final tribal council.  Alicia's downfall may be that she believes that she is in control.  Newsflash, Alicia, every single one of the girls you are with thinks she, too, is in control of the game.  Cockiness equals death in this game.  Let's see how far it takes her. 

     This week's reward challenge allowed us to meet family members of the remaining castaways.  I'm not sure what exactly goes on to make the contestants miss their friends and family so much.  Maybe it's because they don't have the option to talk to them every day, so they just crave that affection.  Or maybe it's because they are stressed the entire time they are on the island and always have to worry about whether or not the people they associate themselves with can be trusted, that as soon as the person from home arrives, they automatically feel a sense of relief and trust.  I don't see my closest friends or family members for months on end, so I don't think it would be a big deal.  The hardest thing would be staying a great length of time away from my significant other (which I do not have, so it would be a cake walk).  If I won the challenge, I would probably give the win away to someone else.  You have to schmooze people in order to win this game.  I definitely believe that Kat made the wrong decision this week.  Tarzan has had to spend the past 30+ days away from his wife, and Christina's dad recently had a kidney transplant and is only expected to live for about ten years.  Although this is a game about deceit, lying, backstabbing, etc....there is a sense of deceny that SHOULD come into play, as well.  Coming from Kat's perspective, I'm sure that she knew what she SHOULD have done, but she may have been thinking that if she didn't take the two people that she took (Kim and Alicia), that they would be bitter.  So, it's hard to assume what she was thinking at that very moment.  It'll be interesting to see if Kat will be able to recover or if she sealed her fate in this game.

     Kim is definitely thinking long-term.  You want to take the right people to the end with you - - people you believe you can beat.  Additionally, you want to figure out a way to vote out your closest allies without it looking like you had any hand in their departure (so you could essentially get their jury vote at the end).  I don't think that it is Kat's time to go at this point.  She is easily beatable in the jury, so it would be wise to get rid of Chelsea or Sabrina at this point in the game.

     There are only a few days left.  Kim is pulling out all stops to ensure that she makes it to the final three.  She still has the hidden immunity idol in her back pocket, but she has also won back-to-back immunity challenges.  She is a beast!  I am so impressed with her.  Kat displayed poor sportsmanship at the end of the individual immunity challenge.  Considering everything that happened with her in this week's episode, I would not be surprised if they get rid of her this week.  It will make everyone happy, plus there are several reasons WHY they should get rid of her.  She also proved tonight that she can be a physical threat in challenges.  She may start out as a bitter jury member, but as long as they fill her head with how big of a threat she was, I think she'll get over it.

     Tribal council was very interesting.  It was edited perfectly where you couldn't tell who was going home.  Is it Kat or Sabrina?  Kat received a lot of slack.  Although I do believe she received the initial criticism very hard.  She did seem to recover very well.  In tribal, she did say that she loves blindsides because they are "fun and exciting."  However, Kat was blindsided.  She received 6 votes and Sabrina received 1.   She is the first female jury member of the season! 

     Kat's interview was hysterical.  She thinks she will go down as the most naive person to ever play the game, and she's embarrassed that she went out before Christina and Tarzan.  I would be, too, Kat!  Hahaha, just kidding.  They thought you were some kind of threat.  You should be proud of yourself.  In my season preview, I stated that Kat would probably be one of the first people out.  I definitely underestimated her, so kudos to her!

     I'm anxious to see what happens for the remainder of the season.  People are beginning to strategize and contemplate how to get to the end and who to take with them so they can win.  Kim has this game in the bag unless somone realizes how big of a threat she is.  I really hope she doesn't win the immunity challenge next week, just to see if anyone targets her.  At this point in the game, it's hard to tell who will go next.  Sabrina is a smooth talker and trustworthy, so she may be able to get some jury votes if she makes it to the jury.  However, she has been perceived as the laziest person around camp.  Alicia honestly has no chance at winning this game, so why not bring her to the end?  Tarzan is definitely this season's Phillip.  There is no way he will win the game, so why not bring him to the finals?  Christina is completely useless and is horrible at talking at tribal, so it makes sense to take her to the finals, as well.  I would not be surprised if Chelsea and Sabrina are two of the next targets.  Let's see what happens! :) 

Eliminated this week:  Kat Edorsson, the 22-year-old Timeshare Representative from Orlando, Florida

Until next time . . .

Twitter:  the_timgilmore