# "The Mole" tunnels back into our lives **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 2, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521 "2008-06-02T19:22:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/1 "2008-06-02T19:22:22Z")
Tonight brings us the return of _The Mole_ – though, alas, sans Anderson Cooper. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/2 "2008-06-02T19:58:39Z")
I’m working late this week and next. Hopefully they’ll have a streaming rerun I can watch later in the week to keep up. I guess I could take time to read the bios on the website, but I’m not excited enough to do that until I’ve watched the premiere. [http://abc.go.com/primetime/themole/index?pn=index](http://abc.go.com/primetime/themole/index?pn=index) Caution: That link loads a promotional video on the site. I couldn’t work out a non-video link. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/3 "2008-06-02T20:46:48Z")
Here’s the last thread I started about the last real Mole, which was season 2. This thread is 6 years old, so don’t post to it. [The Mole 2: Final Analysis](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=128109&highlight=mole) I never dreamed we’d have another. I’ll have it on! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/4 "2008-06-02T21:11:52Z")
I have been waiting for this thread to start. The Mole was awesome. I hope this is just as good. I was pretty excited when they were able to bring it back. I’ll definitely be watching. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/5 "2008-06-02T21:15:51Z")
[QUOTE=The Tof] I have been waiting for this thread to start. The Mole was awesome. I hope this is just as good. I was pretty excited when they were able to bring it back. I’ll definitely be watching. [/QUOTE] _sniff_ I started one last week that no one replied to. Ah well. Watched Season 2 on Fox Reality yesterday to get myself psyched up. Never watched it when it was one, but thanks to cable I am now a fan. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/6 "2008-06-02T22:25:33Z")
Great show. I’m glad it is back. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/7 "2008-06-03T02:25:13Z")
Okay, I’m already annoyed with this show. When they were opening the money bags, the host kept saying something like, “Did Marcie trust you?” This made no sense to me. Everybody went over the falls and had a chance to grab a bag. Who got the bags with money had nothing to do with any choice Marcie made. What am I missing? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/8 "2008-06-03T02:32:07Z")
[QUOTE=randwill] Okay, I’m already annoyed with this show. When they were opening the money bags, the host kept saying something like, “Did Marcie trust you?” This made no sense to me. Everybody went over the falls and had a chance to grab a bag. Who got the bags with money had nothing to do with any choice Marcie made. What am I missing? [/QUOTE] Here is one concept to remember during this show. All the non-moles are trying to look like the mole. The mole occasionally wins to throw everyone off track. It’s impossible to really figure it out. By the way, the idea was that she’d pick the best people to grab actual cash, therefore “trusting” their athletic ability. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/9 "2008-06-03T02:36:10Z")
[QUOTE=Mahaloth] By the way, the idea was that she’d pick the best people to grab actual cash, therefore “trusting” their athletic ability. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Okay, I thought ALL the players had a chance to grab for the bag, My mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/10 "2008-06-03T02:53:54Z")
[QUOTE=randwill] Okay, I thought ALL the players had a chance to grab for the bag, My mistake. [/QUOTE] Well they all had a chance; only some actually succeeded. Basically, the fat guy is unlikely to grab the bag, so select him to grab paper…unless you want to look like the Mole. Then, choose him to go for the cash. Get it? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/11 "2008-06-03T03:16:03Z")
If you could copyright being a sassy black woman, Omarosa would sue Nicole. That said, I thought her “you have to SLEEP outside” loophole was pretty clever. Do I think she’s The Mole? Other than the fact “Nicole” rhymes with “Mole,” no- if you were The Mole, you wouldn’t make yourself that obvious. Or would you? No. Yes? No? I am disappointed the original music cues (which I loved) were not used, and the touch-screen elimination isn’t as suspenseful as the original keyboard one to me, but other than that, _The Mole_ is still entertaining and deserves its place alongside such quality ABC summer fare as _American Version of Takeshi’s Castle, American Game Show About Japanese Game Show_, and _Disney’s High School Musical: Now It’s A Reality Show For Some Reason_. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/12 "2008-06-03T03:19:33Z")
[QUOTE=Mahaloth] Well they all had a chance; only some actually succeeded. Basically, the fat guy is unlikely to grab the bag, so select him to grab paper…unless you want to look like the Mole. Then, choose him to go for the cash. Get it? [/QUOTE] So the Mole would have known the order that the bags were being hung up in (cash, cash, paper, paper, paper, cash, ect.) and would have matched the players to the bags, matching un-athletic players to the money bags, if I understand it right. Anyway, the OBGYN is the Mole. She complained about sleeping outside the first night but seemed happy to camp on the beach the next night. You read it there first! Unless I’m wrong, then forget about it. I like how they used synonyms for “alliance” and “elimination” (which I can’t recall right now) so it wouldn’t remind us of “Survivor”, which it did just the opposite. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/13 "2008-06-03T03:27:38Z")
Although there are lots of contestants we haven’t gotten a good feel for yet, I’ll share my initial feelings based on what I noticed. In the scavenger hunt, Mark, the 42-year-old history teacher, was one of the evaluators and thought that a Victrola, camera, and early battery all dated to the mid-1700s, when \*Robinson Crusoe \* took place. WTF? Then he gave that literal sob story about how he and his wife had always had two jobs and maybe if he won they could [sob] spend more time with [sob] _the children_. Give me a break. He’s my first candidate for the Mole. (Or he’s doing a really good job of trying to fake us out.) Whom do you suspect? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/14 "2008-06-03T03:29:16Z")
“Coalition” and “execution.” They’ve always used those terms. Glad I’m not the only one who thinks Nicole could be The Mole. I mean, it RHYMES! Oh, and she’s crafty. Things That You Would Apparently Take To A Deserted Island In 1704: Blue jeans Sewing machine Fan Threatening message signed “The Mole” Victrola UrkelOs (they _are_ delicious, but not from 1704) ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/15 "2008-06-03T04:32:04Z")
TheKid says The Mole is Victoria. Her name flashes in the opening (she watched it at 1/16th speed), she noted that one of the castaway items is a Victrola, and I guess in one of the ads where others say “I’m not The Mole” she just says “Negative”. I don’t believe it’s Dr. Whiny or the history teacher. Ichabod Crane, the young dude who couldn’t run on the beach is a no in my mind also. I’d LIKE it to be the older lady just for giggles. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/16 "2008-06-03T05:33:35Z")
Bring back Anderson Cooper! That is all. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/17 "2008-06-03T06:49:34Z")
My vote is for Craig 1. He makes a really good attempt to get the bag but fails almost strangling himself in the process. Looks like he took one for the team. 2. As a scavenger, he could have easily passed by anything from the early 1700’s. Don’t blame the teacher or the other appraisers, they had the three items from the right time picked and they needed to grab two from somewhere to round out the 5. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/18 "2008-06-03T10:37:54Z")
What happens if the pick out the mole in the second episode or something? Is it game over? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/19 "2008-06-03T11:52:49Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] What happens if the pick out the mole in the second episode or something? Is it game over? [/QUOTE] Seeing as the goal of the elimination quiz is to answer questions about the mole’s identity, it would probably be the opposite. Obviously, someone who answered the questions correctly would last longer than someone who didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2008, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521/20 "2008-06-03T12:26:25Z")
On a semi-related note, I was surpised to discover Rear Admiral Bill McDaniel (a mole) [wrote a book](http://www.themolebook.com/) on his experiences during the show’s second season. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mole-tunnels-back-into-our-lives/451521.md?page=2)