Survivor: Caramoan 1x2 "Honey Badger"

Here are thoughts from the second episode, which unlike the first one (obviously) I'm watching live rather than via the CBS website.

Breaking news!  Brandon didn't like the way tribal council went.  Thus begins his downward spiral!  Picking on Dawn...apparently he needs a good influence to try and be good...which means Coach is technically a good person...Sucks that Dawn was the victim, though.  It appears he's simply concerned about his own fortunes.  Which sheds new light on uncle Russell, who probably suffers from the classic Napoleon complex...Of course, it may also be Brandon simply not wanting to take more shit from family when he gets back home, as my sister just reminded me.

Shamar is either getting the classic lazy black person edit, or that's what he's really doing with his time.

Good sign for Brandon to be talking with Cochran.  I was hoping that would happen, because Cochran is a smart cookie, even if he isn't always the smartest player.  And Phillip, naturally, is Phillip's version of Coach.  Isn't that what he was all along?  I never understood why people don't like Phillip.  He's got an unusual personality.  Still, Brandon is asserting himself about working against Phillip, calling out the Specialist's Boston Rob tendencies, which is not just because Phillip last went far in the game with the legendary (and fourth time's a charm) godfather of Survivor.

Carnival game immunity/reward challenge!  Malcolm, watch out for Reynold!  Always a good challeenge when you need to haul in tribemates and release items from underwater.  Fans apparently aren't also fans of Tolkien.  No love for rings...Favorites win immunity!  Figures, though.  With tribes like these, alternating victories will probably happen a lot.

Shamar predictably is the first target for the Fans.  We'll see how the rest of the episode plays out in that regard...

Okay, so Phillip can definitely overdo his gimmick, although it can apparently amuse people other than myself.

It's not really a Survivor argument unless someone wags a finger is someone else's face.  Hopefully Shamar can tough this rough patch out.  Sometimes when it seems obvious that someone's going, the rest of the episode will introduce an alternative to the person pegged to go home.  We'll see.

Predictably, Matt's the one who introduces an alternative to the proposed vote, simply out of numbers and alliance considerations.  The real trick is that Reynold happens to find a hidden immunity idol.  May or may not have any immediate impact, but certainly makes him that much more of a threat in the game.

Breaking news!  The alternate vote is for Allie, breaking up the alpha couples alliance.

Shamar doesn't simply suffer from laziness.  He's got the classic big man's depletion from lack of the obvious intake he was used to off the island...Also, Reynold has already blown the hidden immunity idol's main effectiveness.  So much for Reynold...Shamar has a chance at life yet!  And thanks to Reynold's blunder, Allie indeed goes home.  It's rare that the edit swerve actually pays off, but sometimes it does, and it works to my interests, so I have nothing to complain about.  I said last episode that the alphas rarely do well in this game, and these Fans have somehow not learned that.  ("Fans" may also be synonymous with the casting agent's ideas of what makes an acceptable Survivor cast.)

So much for another three days on Caramoan!  Usually the person who manages to find a hidden immunity idol without having any clues would be subject for an easy vote for player of the week, but obviously Reynold doesn't deserve the honor.

Next week, is Shamar going to undo everything he just accomplished?!?

Survivor Caramoan 1x1 "She Annoys Me Greatly"

Before we dive into the first episode of the new season, let's have a look at the Favorites returning for Survivor: Caramoan and where we last saw them:

• Francesca (Redemption Island) Apparently best known for two things: being a notable first-voted-out player and being Phillip's first nemesis from that season.  Otherwise I couldn't tell you much about her.
• Andrea (Redemption Island) Best known as an ally of Boston Rob and for having a relationship with Matt, who would have been awesome to have back (although he already did return several times in that season, so I guess it's Andrea's turn).
• Cochran (South Pacific) An automatic legend, the new Dragon Slayer, Coach's disciple, the nerd fan who made good until he blundered horribly by believing he had a shot at making it far after flipping against his original alliance, one of the best interviews ever in the history of Survivor...
• Malcolm (Philippines) Looked like he would be the new Ozzy but kind of fizzled and faded into the background.  Still hoping that was a strategy but I guess we'll see this season.
• Brandon (South Pacific) The least crazy member of the Hantz family was still pretty nuts but seemed willing to work on it.
• Corinne (Gabon) Scrambled a great deal in her season when her alliance evaporated, and was a minor note in Bob's genius fake idol shenanigans, but otherwise was not a true standout of that season.  Hopefully will redeem herself this time.
• Brenda (Nicaragua) Part of the reason this season is so hard to remember is that everyone was playing the game so hard that it was hard for anyone to stand out.  Great viewing as it plays out, but hard to remember when the dust settles.  Brenda was a part of that.
• Dawn (South Pacific) Originally a counterpoint to Cochran.  Probably will be the same this season, although she won't have evolved her game the same way he will have.
• Erik (Micronesia) The most famous fan from the original Fans vs. Favorites season will hopefully be far less naive this time around.  
• Phillip (Redemption Island) The man everyone assumed was crazy proved to be an immediate standout "regahdless" of whether or not you liked him, and that's the mark of a true Survivor legend.  Very glad to have him back.

Anyway, here are my insights, if any, for the first episode!

Love that Shamar says from the start that the Favorites don't immediately look all that impressive.  That's the summary of the dynamic in this edition of Fans vs. Favorites.  Malcolm has the advantage of already looking more impressive than any of the other Favorites.  He somehow stands out more than in Philippines.  

Perhaps predictably, the Favorites win the first challenge, though it's pretty equal for most of it.  Malcolm once again looks pretty impressive.

Matt and Shamar are the immediate Fans standouts, but neither seem to be aware that they are the prototypical dysfunctional tribemates.  They will probably be fine.

It's funny to listen to Francesca try to explain how she won't be voted out, or her continued impressions of Phillip, because she doesn't have anything to contribute other than that.  (Well, she wasn't so bad in the challenge.)  She's just not interesting, and I'm sure it's not just the viewer who thinks that when listening to her.  

Breaking news: Shamar made fire!

Breaking news: Phillip is a strategic genius!  Erik is not.

Reynold apparently didn't learn FROM ANY OTHER SEASON that making an alliance with an attractive female (in this instance, Allie), MAKES YOU A TARGET.  Neither did Eddie.  Good fans!  Both are doomed in this game.  They were cast exactly as the types to behave this way.  How do they not know this?

Cochran sunburns!  But he's the guy who gets ahead because it's so easy to underestimate him, so hard to take him seriously.  It worked the last time.  And this time he knows better (hopefully).

Michael, the other male Fan who is not a generic pseudo alpha male (more often than not, that's a bad role to play in Survivor, even for Colby, the ultimate incarnation of that type), so obviously he strikes it up with Matt.  Keep the glasses on, Michael.

Of course, as Survivor has well demonstrated, potential doesn't always lead to perfect execution.  Malcolm is in the position to get the win for the Favorites in the immunity challenge, but doesn't get the job done.  Story of his experience so far in the game.  Also likely developing an idea that Reynold is his true rival at this point.

Francesca apparently didn't realize that there's no strategic reason to get rid of Phillip.  But she pushes the idea anyway.  Brandon, who's far more sedate (so far) this time, is game for the move, and so is Erik, and that's all you need to know about those two.  Cochran, meanwhile, talks with someone who has a more concrete future, Dawn.  They knew how to play the game the first time around, and now they both know what needs to be done differently.  Still, this is once again all about Cochran.  And Phillip.  That's this whole season.  Then again, that much was obvious before a single shot was taken from the season.

Andrea is just the excuse necessary for the idiot alliance to fall apart before it goes anywhere.  Just to make that clear.  Because they're idiots.

Anyway, Francesca should hopefully learn something from going home first again.  And hopefully Survivor won't bother with her again.

Next time on Survivor!  Brandon may get his Hantz on!