Call episode 13 the "One with the Lost Opportunities."Right off the bat it was challenge time, with the players taking part in a popularity/arrow-shooting contest. The way it worked was a clever spin on the usual "break so and so's pot to get them out of the game, with each contestant getting 5 or so arrows. But instead of taking them and shooting them, they had to distribute them into jars with the other players' names on them, not being able to give themselves any. As such, the unlikable and outnumbered PG ended up with but one arrow (from Courtney of all people), while Courtney got 12 (Lunchlady Lady received two, Amanda four and Todd six, by the way).
From there, the object was to shoot their arrows at a large checkerboard of sorts, with each players' name scattered about in a number of places. Get the most hits (yours or someone else's) and you win.
Courtney missed out on the first opportunity, hitting mostly Denise's targets with her 12 arrows, but getting Todd a few as well. Can't blame that on a lack of strength, either, as they were shooting their arrows from some sort of Chinese crossbow. In the end, Denise beat Todd 8-7 to win the reward - a trip to the Great Wall.
Denise wasted no time in losing out on another opportunity - this time to repay PG for tagging her along on a prior reward, and quite possibly to earn herself a jury vote from PG in the process. First, Denise was given the choice of one person to take, and she chose Courtney. Fair enough. Jeff then told her a third person could join the reward, with Amanda, Todd and PG all pleading their cases. Todd was the lucky one chosen.
The reward should have been up there with the Shaolin temple reward as one of the best Survivor had done, but again another lost opportunity as the producers spent just about as much time with the winners on their jet ride to their destination as they did while at the destination. What followed was the group walking towards the Wall, oohing and aahing a bit, then immediately getting served their food. The rest of the time spent centered on their food ("Eww! We have to cook in ourselves! Waaah!") and a small bit of scheming (Todd throwing out the prospect of voting off Amanda to the other ladies).
Back at camp, PG then Amanda bitched and moaned about not being taken, then moaned some more about how miserable they were, being "alone" with the other, as they mostly avoided each other for the first few hours. Eventually, Amanda kicked off a conversation and somewhat surprisingly, the two sort of hit it off, bonding while eating and talking trash about Todd. With PG most certainly on board, Amanda threw out the option to knock off Todd. When the cat's away, I suppose.
For the final Immunity Challenge prior to the final four show, the obligatory "rehash of all the other challenges" took place. I typically like these, but was just plain giddy with the fact that the final portion of it consisted of the one from way back where the contestants had to use a sword to break some ropes - in other words, the one where Sad Stick Figure Courtney could barely swing her sword...with both hands. For once, I longed for her to make the finals.
Alas, another lost opportunity, as she was knocked out in the second third round of the challenge, unable to best Amanda or PG at bouncing a ball on a drum while walking. Though she did have to eat the nasty raw baby duck appetizer for the chance to lose, and that was nice. In the end, Amanda barely bested PG, killing PG's last opportunity to stay in the game, as she was eventually taken out at Tribal Council. Once again, however, we were all losers, as the producers used their horrendous "pling light" for both the Reward and Immunity Challenges. I beg you, Survivor producers, please make it stop.
As for the final show, expect shock and disgust if either Denise or Courtney wins. Though I'll be rooting for Amanda, I won't have a problem with Todd winning, though I still maintain that he's only been the "grand schemer" on the outside, with Amanda being his confidante and the one really making the decisions, evidenced a few times during the season. Expect me to unleash hell should Courtney win. See you Sunday.
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3 people have chosen wisely: on "Survivor: China - Episode 13 Recap"
Like I said in our emails, I'm goin for Todd. There's just something about Amanda that I don't like. Amanda doesn't seem to be the biggest mastermind. I just think she's flip flopping alliances and backstabbing all her friends just to stay in the game longer. That isn't strategy, is messy panicking. Todd has never once flip flopped alliances. He's said from the start who he's staying with to the end, and he's never straight up backstabbed any of his closest alliance. The closest he came to doing that was James, but he didn't do it. Amanda did so later, and that's the only strategic move I've seen her pull that actually went through. Everything else has been Todd. And even THAT was originally Todd's idea. Also, Todd mentioned voting off Amanda in the last episode, but she did the same thing to him.
I dunno... it's just with Amanda, she snuck in under the radar with her alliance, and then randomly started to backstab everybody who got her that far. That's messed up (I mean, she about blew EVERYTHING just to hang out with PG longer, especially when she'd stand a better chance against Todd in the finals. That's not a good strategist to me.)
I think Amanda is a schemer, the problem is that not everyone on the jury will see her as such. Most of her plotting is only shown in the confessionals! Amanda would likely beat Todd not because people would be impressed with her "social game" and behind-the-scenes confering (As Becky vainly argued against Yul) but because most jurors are PO'ed with Todd and she is nice... to people's faces at least! (Ex. Choosing to play instead of eat, chatting with PG alone)
Todd would beat Courtney and Denise because they haven't shown much strategy. Denise is the worst offender, having been approached twice to swing the vote and refused. Add in the reward thing: She didn't just lose PG's vote by not inviting her to the Great Wall. Erik, aka Mr. Nice Guy, will probably be bummed that she didn't repay the Shaolin trip. Jaime and Frosti (who might have been on the fence before) are likely also irritated.
Against Todd, Denise would have James and Jean-Robert's vote. And even Poker Boy is looking iffy now!
Courtney will probably get Frosti's munchkin vote. Any other votes depend on how much James, Amanda/Denise, and the Zhan Hu Crew dislike Todd right now. She would need one helluva speech to sway all of them!
To sum: Amanda needs the next immunity, and with it she's golden. Otherwise, congrats Todd!
Good effort, PG. If I ever get a chance to meet you, I'll buy you a beer if you get me some hair-care tips! That bow was too cute! ^__^
I do agree with that about Amanda. If she's done anything, she's backstabbed without pissing too many people off (because nobody is looking at her). But at the same time, she (like Todd) has also been known to say stuff like "everybody is pissed off at us the most out of anyone." So... there might be stuff we aren't seeing on camera.
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