You're just plugging him because he's your pick to win! :p

And that's wrong because . . . ? Besides, don't we always note Greek connections?

I did think his strategy of losing weight and focusing on balance and flexibility was interesting and smart -- the kind of smart I expect to see from a winner. :p

Aw, I used the :p smiley and everything. I was just playin'.

(I'm still pulling for Denise, though. Malcolm is a close second at this point. I'm hoping they both make it to the merge and take it to the end.)

I knew that. ;) I used the :p smiley, too.

I'd love to see that, too, especially since my other two picks for the Final 3 -- Angie and Dawson -- proved not to be very good picks.

I haven't watched last night's episode yet, so I can't comment on what happened.

Our CBS station was showing the UK Blue/White scrimmage game last night, and Survivor was on tape delay. It didn't come on until after Craig Ferguson!! Argh! Evidently, I'm the only one in the state of KY who would rather have seen Survivor, because no one else seems irritated that they sat down to watch a show they DVR'd, just to find that it wasn't on. (Perhaps I'm simply the only one who didn't realize that the Blue/White scrimmage was on. Very real possibility there.)

I knew when they started talking about the challenge that it would be ridiculously long & hard. I know they field test them, so how did this get past the producers? I suppose it may make a difference that the field testers aren't playing for $1M. I still don't like the deal they made, though. What a cop-out.

Sydney, does your DVR not adjust for the time? Ours records the show whenever the station says it's coming on, even if it's delayed until 1:20 in the morning because of basketball. But, you have to go into the record settings for the show and tell it to record first run episodes "Any Day, Any Time" rather than, say, a default of "8:00 p.m. Wednesdays."


Perhaps when they field tested it, they also failed to account for lack of food?

It was a stupid deal for Penner and his tribe to make. Sure their bellies were full for one afternoon, but then they were hungry again -- probably hungrier because they had stretched those stomachs out -- and then, oh look, nothing to eat. At all. Meanwhile, the other team, that didn't have enough to eat now has more. Guess what, they'll be the better fed team come the next few challenges.

Did you notice that when they were showing each tribe member voting during the credits that Carson couldn't even speak? I mean, he said more last night than he did all the previous episodes combined, but the hunger was clearly getting to him.

How'd that fishing work out for you, Penner? Maybe you can make a deal with Malcolm -- he seems pretty good at catching things. :rolleyes:

Sadly, our DVR is from the dumb-era, so no, it doesn't adjust for delays. One of these days, we'll decide to catch up with technology and get a satellite receiver/DVR combo that will allow for such delays. Until then, I get to bitch about it when things like this happen.

I finally watched the episode this afternoon...

This. Honestly, I think it was a bad deal for both sides, but Penner's tribe was the bigger loser.

Who? I'm still learning who these people are. If it's not Penner, Skupin, Blair, Denise or Malcolm, I have no idea who's who.

There's a guy named PETE this season?!?

Srsly? I hard no idea.

I forgot that prime time starts at 7 in Central time. I saw TC, but that's all I saw.

Well, Dee, if you got to see only part of last night's episode, TC was the part to watch. It was definitely a very interesting Tribal.

My thoughts:
- Abi isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, is she?
- Penner's one lucky duck for winning immunity! I'm glad he did.
- I liked Jeff more than Abi/Pete/Artis, so I was a little bummed to see him go.
- Lisa surprised me a couple of times last night. First, I was a little surprised when she told Skupin about Malcolm's HII, but I understood why she did it. I was more surprised that she told Pete. And I was even more surprised by the way she handled the conversation at TC. She's got more moxie than I thought. Those players need to keep an eye on her because her 'church-lady' facade (facade being the operative word here) is likely to get her tribemates in trouble.
-I'm still rooting for Denise. And Malcolm is still my #2. With Jeff gone now, I'm afraid those two will go home soon, too. But, they've managed to dodge other bullets, so hopefully that trend will continue.

Good episode! I think I finally know everyone's name now!

No, she's not. And Pete isn't much better.
I was too, until his comments after being voted off. I mean, I know they do that interview right after TC, so the emotions are still running high, but sheesh. He came across as an incredibly bad sport and @$$.
Exactly what I was thinking.
All in all, I think Malcolm might be able to make everyone knowing that he has the HII work for him. It makes the blindside or the attempt to flush harder, and it may give him some bargaining power. Boston Rob made it work for him.

Was Abi the one that just whipped out the HII? It's week, what 7? and I still can't name 1/3 of the people.

Yep.

They usually call her Abi, but her name is Abi-Maria, which always sounds like Ave Maria to me.

I completely agree about Lisa. I am surprised she is as tough as she is!!

Does anyone else get annoyed at Jeff's commentary during challenges? I wish he would shut up! I feel like he can sway teams against a player by pointing out over and over how much they are blowing a challenge.

If he were to shut up, how would he hear the sound of his own voice which is the only reason for him to be talking. He becomes more annoying each season.

DaffyKD

When I listen very carefully, it sounds to me like some of those comments are dubbed in afterward. Sometimes when he's making them, there is no background noise but you hear the background noise during others. Just sometimes though. Sometimes he is making them for the whole group to hear. However, I think the players are acutely aware of who is "losing" the challenge for them.

I'll admit it: I don't mind the comments at all. It's just like watching any sports event. And sometimes I think what he has to say is pretty funny.

I'm with MC on this one, although I don't just mind the comments - I actually like them! I'm probably not entirely unbiased, though. I really like Jeff and rarely find anything critical to say about him.

Last week Probst mentioned Jeff's ouster by tribal vote was perhaps the biggest blown opportunity of the game. Nothing like putting doubt and fear into the minds of those who thought they did the right thing.

Carter. Must remember the name. Keep thinking it's Connor. Resembles a young Alexis Kanner.

Bumping for tonight's show...

FINALLY found my pre-show Survivor: Philippines top four guesses (based on CBS Bios online). Only one left is Malcolm, chosen because he seemed like a younger Penner.

Angie, RC, and Jeff are gone. I'd chosen Angie since people from Utah tend to do well; RC because she's smart; Jeff because he didn't need the money.

I dislike Abi more every week.

I also dislike Abi more every week. And I like Lisa :) I liked Lisa when she was Blair. I still like Lisa. She makes mistakes and probably won't win, but she seems good hearted.

Co-sign on disliking Abi more every week. And I didn't mind seeing Artid leave.

Jeff Kent apparantly is still a jerk after being fed at Ponderosa.

And I'm really enjoying watching Lisa. She's doing much better than I thought she would -- unlike Abi and some others, she actually understands the game -- and she's not evil.

Abi is a witch, but it seems that it's a requirement that Survivor has at least one per season.

I'm afraid to start pulling for Lisa, because that has been the kiss of death lately.

Aw, Penner has them all beat at this point. It felt abit like watching the 1987 movie House Of Games last Wednesday.

Yeah, but Penner does have a touch of evil. :D

I think it's more that I expected Penner to be good. We've seen him on Survivor before. Blair Warner being good comes as more of a surprise.

BTW, Lisa announced a few days ago that she has West Nile Virus.

Abi's social skills have nothing to do with cultural differences. Non verbal cues don't have a language barrier.

Funny enough, from her bio:
SURVIVOR Contestant You Are Most Like: Parvati – she is as charming as I am.
Why You Think You’ll “Survive” SURVIVOR: I bring social skills and team work. I am a motivator. I will also bring a very positive energy.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole SURVIVOR: I will bring my “A” game! I am strategic, I am athletic and I have an ability to persuade situations to my favor.

I guess that's why she has sat out on so many challenges.

This is a small thing, but Penner gets the YELLOW instruments in most challenges. Even though Jeff Probst states it's a blind draw for spots in each challenge, does CBS allow Penner the YELLOW lane because he has visual dysfunction? And does anyone remember if Penner got YELLOW challenge lanes in his other seasons on Survivor?

That was awfully close. It seems we might be getting to the point where they decide to vote out the strong players and keep the ones that won't get jury votes. That always makes me sad.

i hope not. Clearly it would have been Abi if she hadn't town immunity. Malcolm and Denise are both strong, and they seem intent on going to the end together. I didn't think Penner would make it past the merge, frankly.

Abi sure showed her maturity when she stuck her tongue out at Denise. That girl is wacko.

DaffyKD

That always makes me sad, too. I get that strategy, and I completely see why contestants do it, but I still always hate to see it happen.

I didn't think so, either. I was pleasantly surprised by him this season - he did a good job! His gameplay has been interesting to watch.

I enjoyed watching the way he handled the scramble last night. I was worried that he had convinced Lisa & Skupin to turn to the Dark Side. Had Penner teamed up with anyone but Abi, I think Lisa might have switched.

I know, right? I'm sure we'll see her again in Survivor: Returning Wackos.

LOL! Just think of who could be in that season.

I know it was mentioned that Malcolm is a TDX. Pete is a Beta, sad to see him go.

Potential spoiler for those who consider previews spoilers...




During the 'Scenes from our next Survivor' bit:
Is there something about Malcolm that we (and his fellow Survivors) don't know yet? I was focused on who had just gotten voted out (as well as who DIDN'T leave), and wasn't paying much attention at that point. I seem to remember someone saying something that made Malcolm get a little squirmy. I think it came from Malcolm's loved one? Did anyone else catch that or am I way out in left field here? The producers have been pretty forthcoming (with the audience, at least) about Lisa's and Jeff's secret pasts - would they have been quiet about something similar in Malcolm's past on purpose?

^^^ I got the impression that Malcolm's brother runs his mouth a lot. Over at his Q&A at EW Online, Probst says "Ah the loved one visit . . . it yields big rewards for at least one Survivor and yes, Malcolm's brother is a charming treat — and a huge Survivor fan to boot!"

So my guess is either that he says something about the gameplay that Malcolm would prefer not get said, he lets everyone in on the fact that Malcolm is a bigger fan than they realized (wouldn't be that shocking, though) or that Malcolm tells him something (strategy? opinions of other survivors?) that he then blurts to everyone.

Now, watch it be none of those.