Survivor: Caramoan 1x11 "Come Over to the Dark Side"

Since it's always a crapshoot when I don't get to watch live, I'm going to cheat and point this space for my thoughts over the Entertainment Weekly's Dalton Ross.  He's always worth reading, he's a superfan, and this week's recap is especially noteworthy because he talks about missing last week's episode, part of an inexplicable trend of always seeming to miss the best episodes.  Anyway, read it here.

The big news of the episode is that Malcolm was voted out.  Dalton makes a big deal about the food auction, and true to form because it's a favorite obsession of his.  He doesn't understand why these knuckleheads aren't always expecting and saving for advantages that are sure to be on the menu.  And considering some of these particular knuckleheads are supposed to be acknowledged fans, they of all knuckleheads should know to expect such things.

Anyway, Malcolm was voted out and we should all have seen that coming, maybe not exactly with this timing, but c'mon, the dude just isn't what he seems he should be.  He's not as great in the physical challenges as he should be, and he's still not much of a strategist.  He tries, but he's just not that good.  Last week saw him engineer an outrageous moment, one that fans will remember for a long time, but it didn't amount to anything.  He was still on incredibly unstable ground.  It's great to be able to find allies, but you need to know how to find the right allies.  It's not so hard.  Good players do it.  Bad players do it.  Ultimately the winners are the ones who knew how to manipulate those around them, or merely exist around the individuals who made everyone else hate them.  They made the right allies.  This is the key difference between watching and playing this game.  I've said it before, but viewers have a completely (or should have) different perspective on the game.  They have perspective.  The people playing are usually blinded by their emotions.  The best alliances are between people who hate each other.  I'll say it again: the best alliances are between people who hate each other.  There's every incentive and thus no incentive to get rid of your allies in this scenario, and thus it ends up being the player who did obviously play the game the best who wins.  That's how Rich Hatch won in the very first season.

Seriously, if I never get a chance to play, at least use me as a consultant.  I'll give you the victory.  Guaranteed.