Survivor is definitey a “get it while you can” environment. The dynamics change daily. Hourly.
Hey, there was a little minor drama at Tribal where I thought Amanda indicated she was upset with Erick for some reason. I’ve already erased it from my DVR – anyone remember what that was about? I recall it didn’t make a lot of sense at the time, though maybe I was missing something.
Amanda was making a big deal about how she saved Erik at some former point in the game (I’m assuming they’re talking about the Ami ouster) and had expected a reciprocation, but Erik apparently had no intention of returning the favor. It was basically the same confrontation they had previous to them going to TC, only offered as explanation rather than confrontation.
And of course, it was all for show, since she had the idol and didn’t actually NEED Erik to vote to keep her. But it really did sink Erik as far as any alliances with Amanda.
Agreed, but I think the show’s audience (the jury) got the message loud and clear. This group has not been shy about letting the jury in on all the little machinations that are occuring back at camp. Keep in mind that all three of the jury members were also in on that deal to keep Eric, so he’s basically just told the entire jury to date to fuck off (or at least that’s what Amanda is counting on).
I think she was laying groundwork for a final battle with him. “He’s a liar! Give ME the million.”
Zakalwe, beat me to that…
I distinctly remember a family challenge from another season where someone went for a hug, and Probst said, “<name>, not even asking for permission, goes and gets a hug”
Yeah, that sounds familiar now that you mention it. So I guess the answer to the question (what’s stopping Amanda from hugging her sister?) is “nothing, other than Amanda’s being cowed by the Probst-meister”. 
I think that’s a little hypocritical on Amanda’s part. She wouldn’t have been in the position she was had Alexis not acquiesced to Amanda’s request to get sent to exile and find the II (FGS, even Jason found it; how hard could it be?). No good deed goes unpunished on Survivor.
That said, Parvati, ironically, improved her situation dramatically by showing loyalty to Amanda. Very, very unlikely Amanda writes down Parvati’s name. They’re in this together now. Of course, if Natalie/Cirie/Erik vote off Amanda, Parvati’s sure to follow. It’s a matter of which side Erik & Cirie align with. If Cirie is thinking – and she usually is – she sides with Natalie and Erik because of those three Cirie wins the million (right?). Of course, Erik might fall to the Amanda camp, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
High potential for next week’s episode to be brilliant.
I still believe the biggest key to Survivor is aligning with an alliance of members THAT CAN BE TRUSTED. If you can read people and successfully predict their loyalty you improve your stock significantly. Being able to keep your sanity helps, too.
I’m in agreement about whoever posted that we didn’t really get to know Alexis. I sort of saw her as a Natalie mimmicker, but then she was identified as “most honest,” and was clearly much less harsh, maybe an interesting personality for the show. She is supposed to be a motivated speaker but the producers/editors never showed her speaking!
So now that Amanda played the Idol, that means it’ll get placed again on Exile Island. And possibly found for the fourth time! This is really getting silly. I hope they make it at least a little more difficult to find next time, or retire it altogether.
Will it get replaced? I thought Jeff made a big deal last time about it being replaced because it had never been used.
Maybe not. Other than his misstep with Amanda, Erik has played a pretty straightforward game and Cerie’s betrayal would be bigger than Erik’s in the minds of a jury that would be 5-2 Favs over Fans (IMHO, of course).
I think you’re right - it was only replaced because it hadn’t been used. I don’t think we’ll see it again.
Speaking of which, they either need to make it harder to find the hidden idols, or make a trip to Exile island the reward in the Reward Challenges. Three people in a row finding it is too much.
Yeah, I think Chet has this season in the bag.
LMAO.
Huh? I believe the only reason cirie is still around is because everyone thinks they will beat her easily in the finals.I think she will get another goose egg in the finals if she makes it there.
If you recall correctly, they were keeping him around because he was weak and unlikeable. They voted off so many stronger and popular people before him (because, of course, they were “threats”, and he wasn’t)
It was only because he got so physically weak and injured that he himself wanted to leave, and practically begged them to vote him off, that they voted him off.
In fact, even after he started feeling miserable and wanted to leave, the others wanted to keep him around and not vote him off, just to be able to use his votes to vote off the “strong” players, like Ozzy.
In my mind, in an ideal game, a player like Chet (no physical strenth, no strategizing, no popularity) should never have reached as far as he did, let alone how much further he could have reached had he not physically collapsed.
If that cow cirie wins I will never watch Survivor again. I can’t believe anyone would vote for her.
In this last shooting game she blanked again. Not even close. As usual. She is using up all the good air… Totally worthless
Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever heard James describe himself as a “gravedigger”. The Survivor web site does, but I recall early in the S:China, that someone asked him what he does, and he said “I bury people”, a description which could apply to both a gravedigger or someone involved in the graveyard business in general.
Gravedigger sounds more interesting than “sexton”. Then again, maybe not. 
By the way, it was Jonathan that didn’t bother to ask for permission to hug his wife - and I think that spirit is what caused Jonathan to be such a fan (and Probst) favorite.
Alexis had a fascinating blog for the first few episodes of the season, before CBS gave her the smackdown. She would blog the day after the episode aired about behind-the-scenes details and day-to-day life. One of the things she noted was that Jeff explains the challenges in great detail, walking the tribes through them step-by-step as many times as it takes until everybody completely understands what they’re trying to do. And apparently Kathy drove him absolutely nuts with hundreds of stupid questions, which should come as a surprise to no one. I hope she can put it back up and update it after next weekend’s finale. It was a great look at the game from an insider’s perspective, and she’s a good writer as well.
Alexis’ blog was apparently at http://iamthatgirl.wordpress.com/ – I was hoping Google or Wayback Machine had cached it, but no such luck.
You’re right, now that I think about it. I don’t know how much liberty the producers take with these descriptions, but I suspect a lot.