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Apr 24, 2008

Survivor: Micronesia Episode 11 recap

In 2034, Survivor, celebrating its 75th season, will finally be enshrined with a space in the Smithsonian. Amongst the collectible and memories will be tributes to the game's best players like Ozzy and firefighter Tom and Dick Hatch. There might be a plaque for Jeff Probst, along with vintage immunity idols and puzzle pieces. However, my favorite part will be the section devoted to the game's stupidest players of all time. Jamie from China would certainly be a first-ballot member, what with her immunity idol boner that set the stage for this Eliza's similar faux pas this season. Surely, though, the star of the Survivor Stupids would be Jason, who not only put Eliza in that precarious position earlier this season, but who has had a treasure trove's worth of idiotic moments over the past few weeks.

The hits didn't stop coming in episode 11, as Jason fell prey to a group of "black widows" and a really short term memory. Last week, we saw Poseidon himself, Ozzy, get bamboozled out of his hidden immunity idol after being attacked behind the back by Parvati, Cirie and the Invisigirls. Meanwhile, Jason's neck was cleared only due to said bamboozling and perhaps some goodwill from his decision to step down from the immunity challenge to feed his mates. Cut to this week: at an auction reward challenge, Natalie (aka Monkey Girl) wins the right to send someone to Exile Island and steal their auction cash. Persona non grata Jason immediately turns on the sprinklers, begging Natalie "Please don't send me there; I've been there too much lately blah blah blah." Natalie, not wanting to anger any of her newfound friends, quickly decides to send Jason away, despite the threat of his finding the newly re-hidden immunity idol (since Ozzy no longer has use for it). Naturally, the opportunity to find the idol and save his butt is lost on Jason.

(Quick digression: this "hidden immunity idol" on Exile Island is a joke. They ought to re-name it the "scavenger hunt idol," since that's really all it is. Jason spent a day or two on Exile and found the idol with seemingly no trouble. This was just a few weeks after he went to Exile and found the fake Ozzy had left behind, also with seemingly no trouble. These idols are not hidden. Leaving a bunch of clues that can be easily deciphered and require little more than the ability to swim does not a hidden idol make. And besides, if a nimrod like Jason can figure out the clues that easily, they must not be all that difficult. It's time for really hide the idol, like it was during Survivor: Guatemala. There, the contestants were plopped into the middle of a forest, more or less, and told that the idol was out there somewhere. That is a hidden idol. End digression.)

So, like I said, Jason found the idol in no time flat. This threw a big monkey wrench into Monkey Girl's plan, as Jason was to be ousted at the next tribal council. Quickly, the black widows (Cirie, Parvati, Alexis and Natalie) forged a plan that entailed making Jason so sure of his place in the tribe that he wouldn't feel the need to play his idol. Fast forward through an entertaining immunity challenge that saw birthday boy Erik squeak out a win over James (just what the ladies wanted, no less), and there's Natalie telling Jason post-challenge that she sent him to Exile on purpose, as she wanted him to find the idol. Desperately seeking approval, the guy of course buys it hook, line, and sinker.

Meanwhile, James and Amanda, previously seen left twisting in the wind following Ozzy's ouster, discuss their strategies for the upcoming council. Unfortunately, they have no plans, though James mentions that "Jason would be stupid not to play his idol." Well, you know what that means...

Predictably, Jason does not play his idol, allowing the chicas to vote him out in a close 4-3-1 vote (3 for James, and one for Parvati). However, as glad as I am to see a dumb player gone, I can't help but hold some contempt for the foursome of James, Amanda, Erik and Jason, who, had they realized it, were in complete control of the night's vote. With Amanda fully aware of the other ladies' plan to split their votes yet be rid of Jason, all she had to do was gather the guys together and have them agree on another lady to vote out (like, say, Natalie, who went from Invisigirl to full-on annoying bitch, basking in the glow of her brilliance. She was featured more on this show than on all the previous ones.). That's all it would have taken for Amanda and the boys to reclaim the power in the game. Instead, they wield no power, and James and Erik will be picked off in the coming weeks, assuming one of them doesn't win all of the immunity challenges and/or find the "hidden" idol again.

Boo bad players.

Survivor: Micronesia homepage at CBS.com


5 people have chosen wisely: on "Survivor: Micronesia Episode 11 recap"

Robb said...

Shoulda woulda coulda. Amanda and James have not been on their game this season. Jason is too clueless to have a game. Eric, well, I don't know his game either, but as long as he keeps making me laugh I'm ok with him. But you are right, they blew a great opportunity. Well, it would have been a great opportunity for the boys, not so sure if that would have been good for Amanda. And anyway, Jason needed to go. I'd hardly say the alliance of girls is irontight, Amanda just needs to work it. But I'll be surprised if James doesn't go home next week.

Nick said...

Yeah... what needs to happen is the hidden immunity idol being re-hidden... then Erik sent there. He finds it and has it. Then James can win the next immunity challenge. So when they go to vote for Erik, he can play the hidden idol, and it'll bounce off and hit one of the girls.

Fletch said...

@ Robb - I agree about James and Amanda. As James said last night, "I'm not a politcal player." Well, James, you best get on it if you want to win anything. As for Amanda, she keeps looking more and more pathetic when talking to the other players. If you're gonna cry, just cry, girl!

@ Nick - I like your thinking, though they ought to throw James a strength-flavored challenge so he can steamroll...

THN said...

I actually watched this last night. James is such a bad actor, like his reaction when Bret Michaels didn't play immunity. Hilarious. But now that I see what you are saying, that one team blew its chance.

Anonymous said...

Hey Jason, remember when you gloated about Ozzy not being the only "god-like" competitor after your one immunity win? Well now you got another thing in common... you both know how to not play the HII!
Cirie continues to impress. She'd been wanting to vote out Ozzy for several councils but wanted for the right moment to not take any of the blame. All of Ozzy's rage was focused on Parvati. That death-glare made for great TV... the Oz-man could probably give Ed Begley a run for his money as world's angriest juror. (way to shoehorn a movie reference, girl!)
Natalie is obnoxious. Does she not realize that those camera interviews were gonna air eventually and she has to return to family, friends, coworkers, etc. who will think she's an asshole? Not to mention the online snarkers who will latch onto that "stone cold bitch" confessional with glee
James is dumb in a makes-innapropriate-comments-everytime-he-talks way. Luckily, for him it works. I don't see him winning (barring a Terry-like Immunity Run) but he amuses me every ep, and that's good enough.
Regarding the jury Cirie is probably in the best position now, or Alexis as she hasn't garnered much hate. I don't understand why Parv or Natalie thought it in their best interest to vote off Jason. He was a total patsy-- an easily swayable vote and the "I won challenges" argument rarely hold up against the "strategy" one. That's why Yul won for his brilliant behind-the-scenes scheming over Poseidon's fishing sprees. Amanda could still win it but it's a long-shot especially given her previous season's emotional meltdown. As for Erik? I have no idea how he's still here. And they called Jason the luckiest Survivor ever? Laaame.

(Also lame-- strike tag not allowed on blogspot. Italics just don't have the same wise-ass connotation.)