Survivor: Tocantins - Week 6-8

Yeah, I realize I haven't written one of these in a while. I really don't have a good excuse... but by the flood of emails I got wondering where they were, I thought I better get back into it.

Rather than trying to recap all three I'll just try to jump in. But too the departed Sydney and Joe... Sydney had the potential to go far because she was a loyal vote, but the tribe did right by keeping Taj, because she will be even more devoted and maybe possibly make a not-so-smart move that will help Stephen and J.T. (they are really playing her at the moment). Joe happened to have bad luck with the infected knee, but I didn't see him going very far. I don't see how a guy like him didn't get in better with J.T. and Stephen except for the fact that he really liked the pretty women, who in this game, happened not to be strong players.

Now to this past episode... I can't remember a tribe going into a merge with the numbers be so divided so early on. The old tribe of Jalapao didn't have to do anything at all. I think it's just plain crazy that Timbira turned on their own so quick. Stephen and J.T., especially lucked into it. They said that they are the power players right now, and it's true. I really wouldn't count on them being totally faithful to Coach and Tyson. They are in such a great position right now and you can't forget how pivitol Taj and Erinn may be for them down the road. I think Tyson and Coach will stay true to them, but think of this scenario... If Sierra goes next (which according the teaser seems like she will), you now have a situation where you recruit Taj and Erinn (who probably won't be huge factors in individual immunity), blindside Tyson, then pick off Coach and Debra. As strong as Tyson has been in the challenges, I don't think you will want to go against him at the end.

Going back to J.T., what is it about this guy that everybody loves? Obviously people aren't seeing how devious he can be, but he is just one of those guys that girls love and that other guys want to be. Coach obviously had a man crush on him and Brendan had one little boating adventure with him and he was ready to take him to the finals! I really liked Brendan. I really don't know why the others turned on him so quick. He came off as so likable in his interviews, was he just rude to everybody else? He was really smart, really athletic, and a natural born leader, but he got caught by the biggest snake in this game, overconfidence. Plain and simple. He should've taken advantage of J.T. and Stephen...like I hate to say... Coach.

Ok, no bones about it, this is the season of Coach. The producers know everybody hates him, therefore they are going to show him more and more. (I call it the Richard Hatch syndrom) I am really surprised he has made it this far, I would've never guessed that would've happen, but he has something where he does get strong players (Tyson, J.T.) to allign with him. I loved that one quote Tyson had, "Coach says one thing and everybody hates him, I say the same thing and everybody laughs). Coach will get burned in this game, I guarantee it, which means I am already dreading his jury speech.

I know I keep saying it, but this is a great season. I'm really enjoying it and they did a wonderful job with the casting. A lot can still happen, and at this point of the game, it's always exciting when that's the case.

So did you believe Coach's story (I can't tell you how much I rolled my eyes. I loved Brendan challenging him on it)? Are you finding Tyson as entertaining as me? Are Stephen and J.T. truly the power players right now? What do you think Brendan could've done better? And why is it you get depressed as soon as Sierra talks?

Trying to stay on track,

The Dragon Slayer

Survivor: Tocantins - Week 5

This season might officially be deemed as the season of great challenges! They have been so entertaining so far and I know I keep going on and on about this, but over the past couple of seasons I have zoned out as soon as Probst says, "Do you want to know what you are playing for?"

The spin reward challenge was hilarious but competitive, and actually had some strategy behind it. Then the net challenge, which as far as I could remember was new but similar in past styles on the season. But it cemented its legacy in Survivor history by JT's chipped tooth. Of course he had to toss it aside like it was a booger, to just add to the manly man credibility that he already established way back during his first interview when his thick Alabama accent first crawled out of his then pearly white teethed-mouth. I love Jeff Probst's improve nature of making sure they recovered the tooth, just so he could leave the challenge by saying, "All I have for you is J.T.'s tooth." Classic Probst... I honestly thought he got it to auction off on the Survivor website.

I'm interested to see what Tyson does in this game. He seems to be holding back a little back and staying in the middle, but I bet he makes a big move in a big way. The reason I say this is his keeness to notice Brendan's choice of taking Stephen to Exile Island. I wonder if Brendan is truly the next to go if Timbira looses.

The letter reward, of course, is always heartbreaking. It really makes you think about how weird it would be away from any kind of contact from your friends and family. But this one was a little different in two comments... Joe's about how his Dad hardly gives compliments and J.T. saying that his mom said "I love you" for only something like the fourth time. They tried to play it off as much as they could, but wow, it really shows what distance from your loved ones can do, on both sides.

Now I am definitely one to know that Survivor has a formula, but it seems to be getting really apparent this season about who is going to go. There was Spencer's profile piece this episode, Sandy's rant about Sydney last episode, etc. It takes the drama out a bit about who is going to win the immunity challenge and also who will be going home. I wish they were a little bit more clever on how to approach this.

Thankfully the challenge was yet again entertaining and we went back to Jalapao camp where there was a bit of a self destruction moment. They did let one slip by and I wonder how much of Taj's outburst was her personality or that she had the immunity idol. Well... scratch that, Stephen has it in his possesion for some odd reason. Like him, I wouldn't mind at all, but it's funny that Taj trusts him that much to GIVE it to him. She could have easily been voted out this episode and not have known it. Stephen will be in odd predicaments like this the rest of the game, but I bet he may not be entirely true to this secret alliance. Especially if Brendan is the next one to go if Timbira loses.

I was a little surprised by Spencer's exit. Not because he messed up the challenge (where was Sydney, Taj towards the end, etc.) but as a fan who has watched the show since day 1, I was surprised he didn't fight more. I think all it would have took was some sucking up to J.T. and Joe with an apology, but he really showed his age during that really awkard scene in the pond. He just didn't seem to be really close to anybody and although most of his tribe was young, there was still a disconnect there.

Sorry for the loss Kacey. I know how it feels to go out early, but sometimes it helps (at least for me). When I went out early last season, I wasn't quite as nervous when I watched it. I thought Spencer was a good pick because he seemed a lot smarter than Eric from Fans vs. Favorites, but I think he just got a little to self-conscious and too hard on himself after that last challenge.

So were you impressed with the tooth throw away? Did you think Spencer could have saved himself? Will the secret alliance stay intact?