SURVIVOR: COOK ISLANDS - Official Thread

My somewhat fertile brain | 24 August, 2006 | Cuz_it_aint_their_money

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

Yes FReepers and FReeperettes, its time once again for another season of Survivor.
This time they are in the Cook Islands, in the middle of the South Pacific.

I was going to start off this thread by informing you all about how Mark Burnett’s Production Company has decided to split the tribe along ethnic backgrounds. But that subject has been pretty much beaten to death on at least three different threads. So. . . .

I would like to point out that for all their talk about “minorities” not applying to the show as much as “whites” and about how they had to send their casting producers out to round up minorities, they apparently didn’t have to look too far.

Of the 20 contestants recruited for this season, no less than 13 are from California!
And of those 13, NINE are from the greater Los Angeles area!
So much for diversity!

[I Drive Too Fast]

After the double elimination next week (victims 10 and 11), they will be down to 9 members. That will make it interesting. We will see how this merge plays out.

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

Well Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s Monday so that means its time for:
A SURVIVOR RECAP

If you taped/Tivo’ed last weeks show and haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, read no further.

.

The Aitutaki Tribe – (Red Buffs):
Becky, Ozzy, Sundra, Yul

The Raratonga Tribe - (Blue Buffs):
Adam, Candice, Jenny, Jonathan, Nathan, Parvati, Rebecca

The Jury
Brad

The LOSERS!
Sekou, Billy, Cicilia, J.P. Stephannie, Coa Boi, Cristina, Jessica

OUT OF STYLE AND ON THE JURY Brad Voted Out

In an unexpected vote, Brad Virata, the 29-year-old fashion director from Los Angeles, California, gets voted out seven to one and becomes the first member of the jury. After losing his tribe's trust, Brad was blindsided at Tribal Council. In his final words, a reflective Brad states, "My experience overall has been the best, worst experience of my entire life. I didn't know I was going. I didn't know what was brewing. It's kind of a sigh of relief for me. At the same time, parting is bittersweet. Anything is possible in this game. And making the jury just proves that point."

Alliance of Five?
Aitu's confidant alliance of Yul, Becky, Sundra, Candice and Jonathan discuss strategy for their next vote off--Ozzy. The five discuss plans for the merge and anticipate that it may be coming in the next couple of days. The tight group agrees to stick together. But secretly, Candice speculates that Jonathan doesn't have any allegiance, so she would like to see him go.

At Aitu, Candice and Jonathan discuss their plans for the rest of the game. They both plan on flopping and joining their original tribe mates Parvati and Adam when the two tribes merge into one. Jonathan says that he is "determined to not be the guy who made the move too late."

Brad's Independence

The Raro tribe relaxes around a fire and discusses their plan for the merge, which they believe is forthcoming. Brad announces that the merge signifies "every man for himself." Nate is suspicious of Brad's comment, which causes him to lose his trust in Brad. Nate feels that Brad should be next to go.

Reward Challenge: Barrel of Monkeys

After the tribes arrive at the challenge ready to compete for a Reward, Jeff Probst announces a surprise twist. He offers each individual player the opportunity to "change their fate in the game" by choosing to mutiny against their current tribe and join the other tribe. Given only ten seconds, the players must decide whether to stay on the tribe they are currently on or take a chance by joining the other tribe. With three seconds remaining, Candice jumps off of her tribe mat, signifying that she is choosing to mutiny and, a second later, Jonathan follows. The two leave the stunned Aitu tribe and join their new Raro tribe.

Jeff explains the rules of the challenge. Two tribe members will squeeze into a barrel together and remain in the barrel while two other tribe members push, pull and roll the barrel through a series of obstacles in order to retrieve four buoys. Next, they must float the barrel through a final water obstacle, where they will collect four flags anchored underwater. Once the flags have been collected, the tribe must paddle back to shore, hang their flags on a flagpole, recover a buried axe and chop a rope in order to hoist their flags. The first tribe to raise their flags wins coffee, muffins, danishes and letters from home. In addition, the winning tribe will send one person from the losing tribe to Exile Island.

Ozzy and Yul start with a lead for Aitu, sending a barrel containing Becky and Sundra careening down a steep ramp. Raro's Adam and Nate follow closely with their barrel containing Candice and Jenny. The tribes are neck and neck as the barrels full of women crash over a series of logs and finally are dumped off into the water. Both tribes latch their buoys onto their barrels and begin the difficult swim. Unfortunately for Raro, they veer completely off path. Strong swimmer Ozzy leads the Aitu barrel swiftly through the course and retrieves Aitu's flags. Aitu floats the barrel back to shore where Becky and Sundra are released from their tight wooden confines. The small but mighty tribe of four raises their flags with time to spare, winning coffee, pastries and treasured letters from home. Aitu gets their revenge by sending Candice to Exile Island.

Solidified Bond

The winning Aitu tribe walks over to a deck where they are greeted with welcoming couches, dry robes and a succulent feast of coffee and pastries. Yul gushes that he is "amazingly proud" of the small tribe. Sundra cries as she and the other members of her tribe savor their hard won victory against the enormous Raro tribe. Aitu enjoys looking at pictures from home and Yul says that it helps to see the photos and to realize that they all have hopes, dreams and aspirations. Ozzy proclaims, "We're a team to the end now."

Revenge is Sweet
Alone on Exile Island again, Candice wishes she could be bonding with her new tribemates. She ponders Jonathan's decision to mutiny with her. Convinced that he is only playing the game for himself, she considers his strategy. Candice acknowledges that she now has four people in the game that are officially her enemies.

Sold Out

At Raro, Jonathan attempts to bond with his new tribe members. "I am in the danger seat now," he professes. "My game plan is to earn their trust." Nate wonders why Jonathan would think that Raro would be willing to bond with someone who just "sold out" his own tribe.

Early Bird
As the roosters crow to wake a sleepy Raro tribe, Jonathan works to prove his worth. As Jenny, Parvati, Rebecca and Brad relax and enjoy a slow and sleepy morning, Jonathan continues to tend fire and forage for food. Adam acknowledges Jonathan's hard work around camp, calling him a "workhorse." Jonathan tells Adam that he and Candice wanted to get back over to Adam and Parvati, so they could reunite with their original tribe.

Immunity Challenge: Depth Charge

Aitu and Raro arrive at the challenge ready for action, as Jeff explains the rules. The four tribe members that did not participate in the last challenge for Raro will now go head to head with the only four members of Aitu. The four tribe members have to paddle out in glass bottom boats in search of three targets on the ocean floor. They must line up the targets with cross hairs on their glass bottom boat, drop a cannonball and release two buoys. Once all six buoys have been collected the tribe must paddle back to shore. Reading a clue from one of the buoys, the tribe must use all six buoys to spell out the answer. First tribe to answer the clue correctly wins immunity.

On Jeff's shout of "go," the tribes board their respective boats and start frantically paddling to their first stations. Raro leads, lining up their first target with ease and retrieving their first set of buoys, while Aitu narrowly misses. Raro gets another set of buoys. Suddenly, Yul from the Aitu tribe figures out a trick to getting the cannonballs into the target and is successful at the first station. Aitu quickly surpasses a floundering Raro as they retrieve the remaining two sets of buoys. The Aitu tribe paddles ashore, then Yul quickly locates the clue buoy and reads it aloud: "The most famous mutiny in history occurred on this ship." The tribe members quickly spell the word "Bounty" with the buoys. Jeff declares them the winners as Raro looks on pathetically from their boat. The small tribe of four is safe from Tribal Council.

Scrambling for the Truth

Jonathan continues to work hard fishing at Raro. Reunited with her new tribe, Candice informs Parvati that she is not tight with Jonathan and wouldn't mind if he was the one to be voted out. Meanwhile, Adam and Nate discuss the game plan for voting at Tribal Council. Adam points out that Jonathan is now stuck with them, so they should vote for Brad, and keep Jonathan in as an easy vote-off later in the game. Nate decides that he must play Brad by easing his mind and confirming that the new members are the first to go.

The newly reunited Adam and Candice prepare food and discuss Jonathan. Candice lets Adam know that Jonathan is playing him and would vote him off, if given the chance. Adam is furious and immediately grabs Nate to talk about a change in plans for the vote. Nate ponders the advantages of voting Jonathan versus Brad.

When the time arrives for the vote, Adam's sudden distrust in Jonathan is not enough to turn the tide against Brad's "every man for himself" mentality. After getting voted off seven votes to one, a stunned Brad snuffs out his torch and leaves the island as the first member of the jury.

I’ll be back Thursday with my picks for the week. Until then,
Take care,

Freepmail me if you want to be added to or removed from the Survivor Ping List.

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

The Aitutaki Tribe – (Red Buffs):
Becky, Ozzy, Sundra, Yul

The Raratonga Tribe - (Blue Buffs):
Adam, Candice, Jenny, Jonathan, Nathan, Parvati, Rebecca

The Jury
Brad

The LOSERS!
Sekou, Billy, Cicilia, J.P., Stephannie, Cao Boi, Cristina, Jessica

Yes ladies and gentlemen, it’s Thursday. So that means its time once again for your:

SURVIVOR PING ! ! !

The title for tonight’s episode is "People That Like You Want to See You Suffer"

The clues from the official SeeBS website are as follows:

One survivor hopes that their efforts to provide for their tribe will protect them from elimination, despite being low on the totem pole. Jonathan is still trying to finagle his way back into the Raro tribe.

A festive prize is up for grabs at the Reward Challenge. Will on tribe’s bickering and inability to work together cost them the Reward or can they pull it together to win big? The prize is a trip to a local village where the locals treat them like royalty. Aitu wins.

Emotions run high as one survivor is betrayed by friends and unanimously banished to Exile Island. Candice is yet again sent off to Exile Island.

One tribe worries that another member has mentally checked out of the game. Will their lack of enthusiasm put them on the chopping block? Rebecca is experiencing a bout of melancholy which the rest of Raro misinterprets as wanting out of the game.

At the end of the Immunity Challenge, the losers receive a message in a bottle that’s not to be opened until Tribal Council. How will that message change the course of the game? This message will inform the tribe that they must eliminate yet another member of the tribe in a double boot Tribal Council. Since Raro cannot seem to get their act together, Aitu wins yet again.

The Reward Challenge appears to be some kind of puzzle solving test. Aitu wins and is off to be treated like royalty.

The Immunity Challenge appears to be some kind of swimming in the water to retrieve stuff type test. Aitu wins again, sending Raro off to Tribal Council with the dreaded sealed bottle.

Well, there you have it:

CUZ’S WEEKLY SURVIVOR PICKS

Reward Challenge Winner: Aitutaki
Sent to Exile Island : Candice
Immunity Challenge Winner: Aitutaki
Tribal Council Bootee(s): Jenny and Rebecca

I’ll be back Monday morning with a recap, so till than,

Take care,

[ken5050]

G'morning, Cuz....no comments since last week..everyone is still in their post-election funk..maybe this will help to snap us all out of it..

Going to to climb waaay out here on my palm tree and disagree with your choice that Candice gets sent to Exile Island yet again..Here's why..

the clue is "...one survivor is betrayed by friends.."

Candice betrayed the 'Takis, not the other way around, and now they sure aren't her friends..

BTW..what's your take on the now significantly increased jury pool?...hey, maybe they'll be a voire dire, and each of the final duo will be allowed to bump one member from the jury...

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

BTW..what's your take on the now significantly increased jury pool?...

If everyone booted from now on is part of the Jury, then we would end up with a Jury of 10. Not a good idea since there is too much chance for a tie.
However, the dreaded sealed bottle might just say that one of tonight booties will NOT become a member of the Jury, leaving us with a Jury of 9. Which I think is more likely.

[YourAdHere]

Just as an aside, I am so incredibly bored by this season. I think this is the worst one ever. Was the casting department asleep when they found all these folks? There are no interesting personalities this season.

[codercpc]

G'morning, Cuz....no comments since last week..everyone is still in their post-election funk..maybe this will help to snap us all out of it..

Not in a post election funk here....(Little bragging) my sons high school football team is going to the Wisconsin State Championship tomorrow. We will be leaving tonight, so I will be celebrating instead of watching Survivor. Looks like my Survivor pool pick, Jenny, is going tonight anyway (who is she, HA HA), so I won't be missing much.

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

Was the casting department asleep when they found all these folks?

Remember that the casting producers complained that they didn't have enough "minorities" applying for the show, so they had to go out and recruit these folks.

In fact, the spoiler websites claim that of the 20 players this season, only THREE actually sent in applications. All the rest were "hand-picked" by the casting producers and had to be talked into appearing on the show.

If anybody is to blame for a boring season, it's the casting producers.

[piperpilot]

No post-election funk here either. I will be at the Warner Theater in DC tonight to see Rush Limbaugh, so I won't be tuning in to the show tonight.

[YourAdHere]

A good point about that. When "mashed potato woman" was kicked off a few weeks ago, she said that she had been a finalist for three separate seasons, and that she had always seen a ton of minorities there. She denied CBS's claim that there weren't enough applicants from ethnic backgrounds.

[girlscout]

No election blues here either; we'll rally back in '08. I'll be taping the show tonite to watch later, I'm going to a dinner at church. I'll bet that Jonathan is kicking himself in the rear for changing teams and his new tribe must really be feeling the blues by all their losses. How long has it been since that tribe won anything?

[Tatze]

Thats why so many of them are from LA, and are listed as Actors.

[EmilyGeiger]

[luckystarmom]

Do you know which ones sent in thier applications?

[EmilyGeiger]

Hello, hello, hello.....anyone there?

[HighWheeler]

Looks like it's gettin' just a leeetle bit hot on the island!

[sockmonkey]

Hey, Emily. I'm here-rooting for Aitu!

[sockmonkey]

Hey, HighWheeler, I'm afraid I'd need mapquest for this challenge.

[NYTexan]

[sockmonkey]

Raro is loser in some language, isn't it?