Survivor: Better Than Lost?
Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS
So The Amazing Race is a fun for the whole family. Loads of adventure coupled with an exotic taste of international flavor. But there will be something seriously amiss if, come Emmy time, that golden CBS stalwart once again bests Survivor for Outstanding Reality Series.
In fact, I'm going to say something that's practically sacrilege in the TV world: This stellar season has been even more unpredictable and tension-filled than Lost.
I give you the May 6 episode, your honor. It was already set up for action and drama, what with two immunity challenges, one hidden immunity idol at play and two tribal councils. That said, not only did Heroes' Rupert and Colby have a target on their backs, they might as well have had "kick me" signs too.
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To recap: They were the only Heroes members left, outnumbered five to two. Their tribe mate Candice turned into Benedict Arnold. Plus, they stink at challenges, stink even more at strategizing and don’t possess a hidden immunity idol. Rupert first, then Colby. Done.
Did I mention the season's unpredictability? Up first: the fun endurance immunity challenge. I realize that it's easy to criticize from the comforts of my NYC living room, but what were these people thinking by bowing out so early? Is a plate of stale cookies really worth losing the chance at $1 million? Since when do Candice and Danielle eat carbs, anyway? More credit to Parvati for literally hanging in there.
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But wait, there’s more. Probst reveals that there’s another hidden immunity idol at play.
(One aside: Too many idols this season. Share the wealth and give some to Ryan Seacrest's TV show.) Anyhoo, Sandra finds it and keeps it to herself; Rupert, in rare proactive mode, stuffs a rock into his shorts to give the impression that he has it. The plan works, as the suspicious villains decide to split the votes. Bye-bye Candice. I'm not sure how looking good in a bikini and flip-flopping your alliance makes you heroic, but you managed to get farther than Amanda and Tom.
Ok, Rupert and Colby might have slipped by once, but come on. No way they’d both make it past another tribal council. Sure enough, Colby came in dead last in the second immunity challenge. (Second aside: There's something truly disillusioning about watching Colby getting his cowboy butt kicked in these challenges. Think Michael Jordan's run with the Washington Wizards.) Rupert also loses, a bit more valiantly. Still one of them had to go.
Miss last week's Survivor recap? Read it now
Then Evil Russell decided to get creative. Actually, that's giving him to much credit. Evil Russell let his ego get in the way of a safe, surefire vote. Ultra-paranoid about Parvati and Danielle's friendship, he decided to play them against each other in hopes of breaking their alliance. I admit this wasn't the dumbest move -- but there was no reason to play this hand when two rivals remained in the game. What’s more, Evil Russell keeps forgetting that even if he does make it to the finals, his betrayed jury members will never reward this kind of double-talking behavior.
Then he makes his biggest mistake yet: He convinces Rupert, Colby and Jerri to vote for…Danielle! Even with all his arrogance, the guy has outright admitted that Parvati has outwitted him. Yet in a choice between the savvy former champion and a wobbly follower, he chooses the follower! He had the chance to get rid of his biggest competition, and he blew it. She clearly has some sort of power over him. If I were Evil Russell's wife, I'd be mildly concerned.
Not that Danielle's Elisabeth Hasselbeck-like babbling and crying at Tribal Council did her any favors. Nor did the smug “Parvati and I are closer than you think” line. At that point, it was inevitable that the Survivor: Exile Island also-ran was a goner. But no crying from yours truly. Danielle was another disappointment this season; She didn't even have the guts to get in on a crazy girl-fight with Amanda last week in Robert Louis Stevenson's abode. Bye-bye Danielle.
Up next week? Looks like Evil Russell -- now on the outs with Jerri, Sandra and Parvati -- will align with still-standing Rupert and Colby. But mark my words: This season will not end well for Evil Russell. And to quote a dead-pan jury member Courtney at Tribal Council, boo hoo.
By Mara Reinstein for UsMagazine.com
Tell Us What You Think
14It was obvious that Russell had a crush on Parvati, esp when you watched to body language when his wife was there. Wait until he sees the series; he will be slammed back to earth quick. He made this season exciting but he is a troll, as Danielle said. And his panic when his headscarf fell off in a last challenge was hysterical. He ducked out of camera range so he could put it back on. As if we didn't know he was as bald as a cue ball. Basically good people have a hard time accepting that there are people like Russell, so that is why it's so easy to manipulate them. He learned that long ago and I'm sure is that way in his personal life; a lying, deceitful, shell of a person. The right person won. It seems the only thing he is vulnerable to is a woman who can make him think he's actually desirable, like Pavarti. Ha. I feel sorry for his wife.
@linda - um, so now the winner should be whomever is the nicest and flys under the radar?? Huh? Yea, that makes for an exciting show! let's just watch these duds lie around all day staring at the sky.
TOOTH FIXED OR NOT, LOVE ME SOME RUSSELL. HE MAKES THE GAME WORTH WATCHING. I WISH EVERYONE WOULD VOTE ACCORDING TO HOW WELL OF A PLAYER SOMEONE IS, AGAINST IF THEY HAVE MONEY ALREADY. RIGHT IS RIGHT, RUSSELL HAS ALWAYS PLAYED A DARN GOOD GAME. HE REALLY SEEMS LIKE HE LOVES THE GAME, AND PROBALLY WAS A TRUE PERSON WATCHING THE GAME. GOOD LUCK RUSSELL. I HOPE HE WINS.
"Go home russell" is right. The one who gets the most votes deserves the million bucks. Natalie was not a strong physical player but was probably nice enough to everyone and therefore they rewarded her for hanging on long enough and not pissing anyone off. That said, I appreciate Russell for the entertainment factor he brings. Still a sucker for a good ol' cowboy and am thinking Colby is purposely flying under the radar this time. Or maybe hes just old. Go, Survivor!
@go home russell - I agree, to an extent but last season was ALL about ego and out of the two Russell was clearly the winner. I can't even remember the other girl's name or anything about her. If outplaying, outwitting, outlasting just means hiding behind someone and staying under th radar then maybe I should get out there an play - I deserve a million dollars to do nothing!
hope sandra wins, and proof reader, there should be 2 o's in 'that's giving him too much credit'. russell didn't outwit if he doesn't get enough votes to win. you have to be smart enough not to burn too many bridges.
The game of Survivor is Outwit, Outlast, Outplay....all of which Russell did last season and is doing so far this season. The members of the jury should cast the $1M vote based on that not based on the fact that they are all dumb asses and pissed off because Russell Outwitted , Outlasted, and Outplayed them. I think the viewers should be the ones voting. Russell would win easily! I'd vote for him. He's awesome!!!!
He is the modern day JR Ewing! Yes, he's a little hobbitt like and does have that missing tooth thing - but hey, he's from Texas!
One question, if Russell is so rich why doesn't he buy a new tooth to fill in that gap? Gawd! He is slimy, but I really hope he makes it to the final 2, that way somebody else, ANYBODY else will win the money. It would be so nice to see the look on his face to be so close, yet so far away from yet another million dollars! Paybacks are a b!tch Russell!
I can't stand Russell b/c he said,"The women are weak." when he was on Samoa..That scum needs to go.I watch the fool last night and threw my bedroom slipper at the tv when he done Danielle like he did and then she was voted off..
I love this season, Russell is hilarious! Now I'm just waiting on Big Brother to return, I wish they'd take these reality shows off the air so I can get back to my life,, NOT REALLY,lol. anyone know when big brother is airing?
It was actually a good move by Russell, at final 5 Parvati+Danielle have the power to take Russell out since Sandra will vote with the majority. Russell and Amanda however miscalculate the jury - they assume some principle ('play hard' or 'be nice'), when it's a purely biased popularity contest, and they don't understand where they fall.
This is the best season of Survivor ever!!! Russell is by far my fave player ever and it constantly amazes me how he will boldy lie and cheat and steal to everyone's faces and they still keep him around! he's an expert at deflecting the drama from him and getting everyone to target someone else. The one person I see as a threat to him is Sandra. She is the dark horse in this race. Also, Russell will not win (again) if he gets to the final two - which would be motivation for people to keep him around. Russell said he played the "perfect game" last time, and didn't win - and he ALMOST played a perfect game except he made ONE fatal mistake. He told everyone that he was a rich oil man from Texas, instead of sticking to his orignal story of being a firefighter. And NO ONE was going to give an already rich man more money, especially one as hated as Russell.
I love Survivor! Evil Russell keeps the show entertaining..like him or not, but its true. It would be boring without him on the show. I can't wait for next weeks episode to see if Sandra tells anyone about the idol. This show gets better with each episode!