Million Dollar Question
So, we've come to the end of what turned out to be a pretty interesting season of Survivor. They ran through a quick recap of the last 39 days for the Survivors and I was reminded of how boring it started out when Matsing lost challenge after challenge but it reminds us that Malcolm and Denise had an unlikely partnership right from the beginning and they have both been excellent players, physically, mentally and socially strong. We also see Lisa and Skupin's progression - her from crying about not fitting in, to making some of the boldest moves and him keeping her secret and being her strongest ally.
-We have Michael Skupin, one of Survivors biggest stars (that's debatable - though we all remember the skin hanging off his hands) and the former teen star, Lisa, with (or against) the ultimate underdogs - Denise, in a show first, has been the only person ever to go to every single tribal council and survive them all and Malcolm has been the golden boy, finding immunity and dominating in challenges - he seems to be the one to beat.
WHO WILL BE THE SOLE SURVIVOR?
Dangrayne - Night 36
-They return from Tribal Council where they voted off Abi and Michael and Denise do a happy dance. Skupin says he's never met anyone that sucked the life out of you like she did, he's not happy for her loss but he is happy for the peace.
-Malcolm is glad Abi is gone but she went out with a bang, by throwing him under the bus... again. He's tired of having to do damage control after people implode at Tribal and point out that no one can beat him (sucks to be you?)
-Malcolm touches base with Michael and he says nothing's changed - they have an agreement for the final three and Skupin is still in. Skupin tells the camera, everyone seems to think Malcolm is the runaway favourite but Michael doesn't agree, he thinks he has a better story (hmm, I have 5 kids and did this a decade ago - give me the money... I don't think so, Tim.)
Dangrayne - Day 37
-Tree mail - they find out they will have a challenge today which they weren't expecting and they don't know if it's reward or immunity. Denise is worried, they've had this solid four but it doesn't hold into three and she thinks she could be next to go so she is desperate to win it today (whatever IT is.)
REWARD CHALLENGE
They will race through a series of obstacles collecting bags along the way. Once they have all three bags they will use the puzzle pieces within to complete a dragon puzzle. First person done the puzzle will win an advantage in the final immunity challenge tomorrow (oooh! That could be huge!)
-Off they go, nimble fingers are important here as they have to untie a bunch of knots to get the bags -and Denise's diminutive stature serves her well getting through the bamboo obstacles - Malcolm falls off a balance beam again but they are staying pretty close - Skupin is the first down with all the pieces but when it comes to puzzle play, it comes down to Denise and Malcolm... and it's MALCOLM that wins the advantage in the final Immunity challenge. (Oof, like he needs it!) That was not what any of them wanted to see happen.
-Lisa is talking - all I see is double eye-brows - seriously I'm hearing Charlie Brown adults talking - so bad.
-Malcolm and Denise go to get water and he's telling the camera that Denise is his biggest threat with the jury, their stories are too similar, he feels bad but his best strategy is to go to the end with the people he knows he can beat and that's Lisa & Skupin.
-Denise tries to get him to commit to keeping her there for the final three and he pulls a Penner (ALWAYS SAY YES!) he prevaricates and won't give her an answer. This is a huge red flag to Denise, she knows how hard he's worked to have a plan for the final 6 then the final 4 so she knows he must have a plan for the final 3 and it doesn't sound like she's included... So, she knows she's got to make her own plan and she approaches Lisa and lays out her doubts about Malcolm.
-Lisa is so glad to hear Denise talking against Malcolm, she was worried they'd stick together. They agree that they need to take Malcolm out if any of them want a chance at winning.
-Lisa & Denise hug it out- but Lisa makes sure we know she didn't shake her hand or give her her word. She's not sure what Skupin's going to think.
-Denise talks to Skupin and tells him she's talked to Lisa and she (Denise) is voting for Malcolm.
-Lisa then talks to Skupin and she confirms she's really happy with this deal and Skupin is just happy that either way, he and Lisa are guaranteed final three. They aren't holding their breath that Malcolm won't have immunity, Lisa is actually pretty sure he will win it but Skupin puffs up like the silver-back he is and says he thinks Malcolm is beatable, not saying he will beat him, but he could.
He thinks the million dollar question is who he wants to sit beside in the final three.
Dangrayne - Day 38
-Lisa and Skupin are running scenarios and he says they can't let Denise win [immunity] and she's like, what do you mean? We have a better chance with her, we can't let Malcolm win. Oh, oh yeah (I think Abi had it a little right when she was so mean to Skupin at Tribal, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed.) Bottom line - they don't want either one of the other two to win - If he can get immunity, then they will control who the final three will be (there you go, that's using the ol' noggin.)
And then we are treated to the walk of the fallen comrades - where they burn them all at the end... (yeah, I get it, it's paying respect but I just want to see who wins... can't we move this along?)
FINAL IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
-Oh Man! This is crazy. They will have to pick up a piece of cylinder that has a ball resting on a groove on it's side - using just the pressure of holding handles against the ends they have to hold the piece steady for 5 minutes - lose the ball, you're out. Every 5 minutes, they will have to add two more sections of cylinder on either end... last person standing will win immunity.
-And we learn Malcolm's advantage - he will get a second chance - if he loses the ball, he gets to try again. (Oh COME ON! I would be so bitter.)
-Off they go - they all make it 5 minutes on the first piece. Malcolm has a little wobble, so does Mike and Denise a bit but Lisa is totally solid. They set it down and add the 2 more sections (oof, this would be really hard.) Malcolm drops his ball! What? But he's not out. They all get to set it down while Malcolm resets and they go again and Malcolm just loses it, his hands start shaking like he's got a neurological condition (I love Michael J Fox, but you know what I'm saying - It's like the harder you try to stop the shaking the worse it gets.) And I'm in shock, Malcolm is out of the challenge and I'm thinking, he's out of the game (wow.)
-The rest are looking pretty solid when out of nowhere, Denise drops her ball. It's down to Skupin and Lisa and Malcolm is rooting for Skupin, thinking he'll keep him in this thing and Denise is rooting for Lisa (battle of the sexes?). They go another round, they're both shaking a little... Jeff just will not stop talking... and it's Lisa that loses the ball and SKUPIN wins final immunity!
Dangrayne - Day 38
-Malcolm knew he had to win that challenge but his hands shake when he's nervous so this was the worst challenge for him to have to face - ever. Now his fate is in Lisa & Skupin's hands, and he doesn't like it.
-Skupin is strutting around like cock of the walk with his immunity necklace - everyone said Malcolm would win and it wasn't even close! (Oh yeah, you da man.)
-Malcolm is looking for reassurance from Lisa & Skupin, tells them Denise will be asking them to vote for him and Lisa says, should we just go along? Malcolm (in a hurt little voice), "Well, no." Lisa meant just say they're going along, not really do it. Then I lost what they were saying because they showed Malcolm drinking from the machete that he had wedged into a coconut - He's Tarzan MacGyver! That looked so cool, right there he deserves to win!
-Denise then comes to Skupin and Lisa and tells them she's still on board for voting out Malcolm, they don't tell her what they are doing, just confirm that she has to vote Malcolm, she has no other choice. Denise tells the camera she's kinda pissed that she and Malcolm couldn't stick together and force a tie. (My take on it would be to isolate Skupin and pitch the Tandang numbers on the Jury - if he was the only Tandang left, he'd have a better chance at those votes than he does splitting them with Lisa.. huh? Good argument? But I don't really think it'd work and it's a moot point because Malcolm had already turned his back on Denise.)
-Skupin is still thinking that he wants to take the best of the best to the end, because it's a better victory somehow. He asks Denise, "Is there any honour in that?" She says sure, there would be honour in beating him with jury votes but would it happen - or would Malcolm win? Her fear is that none of them would win with the jury against Malcolm. Skupin wants the head to head battle of the alpha males (just whip 'em out and get it over with, sheesh.)
-Denise does the emotional plea, says she feels a true friendship with Skupin & Lisa but she knows they have to do what they feel is right for them.
-Skupin wants to make his family proud and keep his word int he game... he's still leaning to keeping Malcolm (seriously?) Lisa thinks handing the title of sole survivor to Malcolm would be stupid, she's going to do whatever it takes to make sure he is not in the final three.
TRIBAL COUNCIL
The big story here is the total B*tch-face Abi gives them all (hahaha... whatever lady.)
-I'm just going to cut to the chase - the show was three hours after all - Malcolm and Denise worked together to the final 4 but that's done now. Lisa & Michael had an open relationship (I said pardon - blah, blah, blah) Malcolm did Mike a favour letting his son have the Survivor experience - Lisa says favours have no bearing, that would be a million dollar favour.
-Malcolm kinda throws Denise under the bus - points out she's been to every tribal council, she's been on every tribe, she's got a better story...
Jeff asks Lisa if there is a reason to take Malcolm to the end and Lisa says... there is not a reason for me to take Malcolm to the end. (She just cannot lie it seems, but good on her, she's being herself.)
Time to Vote:
Denise votes for Malcolm (of course) and Malcolm votes for Denise but he looks like he's ready to cry.
Tallying the votes:
Malcolm - 1
Denise - 1
Malcolm - 2, 3 - He says, "Congratulations, Denise." And he is MAD... (And this is not going how I predicted at all.)
Malcolm's final words - He says maybe he pushed too hard and leveraged too much - he showed them how to view threats in the game and they finally saw him as a threat (yeah, it was all you.) He's just pissed he's not going to be there at the end.
Dangrayne - Night 38
-They are not celebrating coming back to camp. They feel badly that Malcolm was so upset but Denise says this is the point where she can say, she outlasted him and it's the game.
-Skupin isn't happy with Malcolm's parting shot of congratulating Denise on winning. Skupin says he's going to have a lot to say about that. (Ego bruised? This guy is so not going to win.)
Dangrayne - Day 39
They get the traditional food on the final day - champagne, bacon, butter, peppers... lots of blah blah filler - final three introspection - then they burn the camp... hahaha, it always makes me laugh. They play the inspirational music, pan flutes, then MAKE IT BURN!
FINAL TRIBAL COUNCIL - Night 39
Opening statements:
Denise: She says she's not going to apologize for being in the final three, she's proud and feels she deserves to be there. She's been able to adapt and assimilate in not one or two, but three tribes, her ability to do that gave her time to build initial alliances (they show Malcolm pouty face) she was able to prove her value at camp and in challenges and she was able to make strategic moves that may have upset people but they changed the game. At the end of the day, she is the one sitting up there that has survived ever single tribal council. "I outwitted many of you, I outplayed many of you and I have outlasted all of you. I do believe I deserve the title of sole survivor." (Then she did the smug, pressing her lips together look she does - it's a little condescending but her statement was totally true.)
Lisa: I feel we all outwitted, outplayed and outlasted but we all did it in different ways. It's your decision to make which strategy deserves the title of sole survivor and the million dollars. My strategy was not pretty, it was basically run wide open and just fall down (what does that mean?)
then run some more. I did play my own game. Unfortunately, one of the mistakes I think I made was not following my heart but it wasn't until my brother came and told me to trust my gut and remember that this is a game. She was like a boxer afraid to throw a punch in case she hurt someone but she finally got it, she grew and she threw a punch that knocked out the heavyweight champ of this season (again, showing pouty Malcolm) and sat me here. I know it wasn't a pretty game, but I learned, I grew and I'm proud of the game I played to get me here in the end.
Skupin: Returning player. After watching the returning players who'd had success in the game, he was afraid he got the call too late, that everyone wanted to be there longer than the returning players. He says that's why he played with such fire - he played his guts out, had piece of mask sticking out of his face, he had to respect the core of this game: Outwit, outplay, outlast. I can't play this game any other way, I love it too much, and I know you do too.
Okay, over to the jury:
Artis: He says he cannot congratulate them for getting there, if you started a game with a holier than thou attitude and played a game contradictory to that you have to reap what you sew. Me, I made alliances and I stuck to them (And you are out of the game, hello) and the beauty of this game is, in the end, Karma's a b*tch.
Carter: S'up guys? (holy Spicoli, look it up) Lisa was seen as an easy target right away and yet she's sitting here - good job for that. Skupin, same thing, hit the beach and his name was tossed out right away but you're still here. I know there is bitterness and it's tough having it poured on you, but Skupin, we were close, what was your thought when you knew I was going home?
-I have to say I can't imagine you could have played the game harder. You were so likable and so selfless that there was no reason to keep you if the rest of us wanted to have a shot. Relationships and the game have to separate at some point and the hardest days are when we have to get rid of someone like you one day.
"Thanks man. I appreciate that, seriously." (Seriously, this dude is too mellow... what are they growing out there in the jungle?)
Pete: Lisa I feel like you are hiding behind the fact that you didn't vote for Artis or me but it's like a Judas situation, you knew...
-I did not know Artis was going home, that night she voted for Penner, she made a decision not to go with them (who? I don't remember when Artis was voted out, who cares.) but she was glad she could clear that up.
Pete moves on to Denise, I'd like to hear why your game was better than Skupin & Lisa's? Going from tribe to tribe to tribe she was forced to play a much more strategic game, the social part of the game became vital because she had to figure out a way to show she had a reason to stay in the tribe then getting to the merge, Kalabaw should have been picked off one by one but there were fractures and she worked with that.
RC: She giggles and pats herself on the back for recognizing that Lisa was a threat from day one - "I knew it" (ugh, she's annoying - next please.)
Michael, ha ha, is there something you should have told me on day 19?
-He didn't know she was going home, he thought it was Penner and that's how he voted.
Uh hehae... congratulations you guys.
Malcolm: (Oh... is he going to unleash on them?)
I didn't have questions until coming out here, Lisa told him exactly what he wanted to hear and for the first time he considered voting for her.
Denise, don't nod, I mean it, this appeasing everybody has to stop (she nods. Ha!) I want to know how you played better than them and I don't want the appeasing thing you do.
-I listened and I observed. You're right being a therapist is what I do and part of that is appeasing. There is value in playing that social piece but there is also value in just listening and observing what people say - it may seem appeasing but it's part of me that I brought to the game - and I'm sitting here and you're standing there. (Not trying to keep friends with that one - satisfied Malcolm?) She thinks she played a more strategic game.
Jeff: There is no doubt they all share a little bit of bitterness because we're here and you're there.
Skupin, I've learned there are three kinds of people, those that make things happen, those that watch things happen and those that wonder what the hell just happened - which one are you and give examples.
-I make things happen - family motto: Are you going to watch the news or make the news? My head was on the chopping block a lot, neither of these two were ever in trouble. Whenever my name came up I had to shift or create or do things and my name came up every single time until Penner left.
Lisa - give me examples of how you didn't just float along in the middle like Denise. (He saw them as floating along? Huh.)
-I can't even recall a time I floated in the middle - I was the first one to make a major move when I found out about Malcolm's [she planned with Pete to blindside him] when that fell apart she had to go with plan B - Jeff says that proves she just went along when her plan failed - she disagrees, says she plead very hard for Plan B at Tribal, that was being very vocal, not just floating by. (You go, stand up to the pedo-stache.)
Abi: (oh, will she bring the crazy?)
I was called the most unlikable person in the tribe by the three of you, my heart is broken (Give me a break lady.) Lisa, why should I vote for you?
-I believe I'm deserving of your vote because I was totally in to going to the final 4 with our alliance until it disintegrated. If things had worked out, you and me and Pete and Artis would be the final 4.
Michael - why do you think I should give you a million dollars tonight, or do you even care?
-I deserve your vote because if you look at the three principles of outwit, outplay, outlast; I don't believe anyone up here did anything even remotely close to what I did in this game (wow, legend in his own mind this guy.) She says, "but I don't believe one of the core values is out-disrespect." (When did he disrespect you? When you called him an idiot and a moron to his face? No.) He says, "I don't believe it is either."
Denise, you made very clear you did not respect my game. Being called the most unlikable person in this game demoralized me, I was made to look this little.
-Hindsight is 20/20 and while there are still many sentiments that I still stand behind, there could have been a different way to handle it. I do apologize if you were truly traumatized by that (Never apologize! But then she doesn't believe Abi was really hurt, I don't think so either.)
Penner: Let's end this thing. Congratulations, but as Jeff said there is some vestige of fury (Mm, he said bitterness, not fury, but I see where he's at and I smell the Sue Hawk award winner), how can there help but be. We've all given hearts and souls to this game and to see anyone else sitting there is painful. That said, you have my heartfelt congratulations, I know this is hard, smart people asking tough questions, and I hope to continue that tradition.
Denise, we spent a lot of time together, and I'm a little confused by some of what you've said tonight - appeasing is what happened. You once shared your biggest fear was to be seen as a b*tch and you can rest assured that you have now shown the world that side of you. (That wiped the smile off her face - she looks shocked by the sneaky, passive attack - this is great!)
Skupin, you kept going on about your name coming up and you being threatened but I don't believe your name was ever written down while I have the proud distinction of my name being written down 15 times which may be a record, so I know that you are sitting here saying there was a target on your back but eventhough you were able to flip flop, dissemble, and keep your name from being written down, you may find you have kept your record even after tonight.
Lisa, my friend, we got close out here, would you like to share with everybody or should I?
-Either one.
I wouldn't want to shame you.
-It's not a shame, go ahead.
Lisa was a television star. Spent 9 years on the TV program The Facts of Life, was America's sweetheart, may still be but you guys have the right to know that before you vote or don't vote for her. That she has kept that from all of you and I kept your secret until now.
-Can I ask you a question? Did you talk to anyone about what you were doing as a teenager, 25 yrs ago, or did you talk more about who you are now, what you are doing and what you bring to the game now.
I didn't talk about going to the bathroom 16 days ago either - do you want to hear about what I did from 12 to 21? I don't think it would make any difference in the game now.
I think that one of you has ridden the other two in here like oxen. You hear the cheering and think it's for you but you've actually been led to the slaughter. I'm done. (oh yeah, Sue Hawking it up for us - love it!)
Time to Vote:
RC voted for Lisa and again takes credit for recognizing she'd go far.
Penner votes for Denise - oh, so she's the one riding the oxen - says, Pretty flawless game.
Carter votes for Skoopin - (Scoooopin) Hopes people realize the kind of game he played out there.
Jeff gets the votes and walks all the way to LA.
Where everyone looks great - coiffed and made up
Tallying the votes:
Lisa - 1
Denise - 1
Skoopin - 1
Denise - 2, 3, 4... and the Winner is DENISE! Good for her! I would have put money on Malcolm but the way things worked out, it's not a surprise that Denise would win over Lisa & Skupin.
And with Denise taking home the million dollars, Tori K, Maddy D and Lynne B are the lucky winners of our pool. Congratulations ladies!
In the reunion - Lisa talked about God too much then she won the Sprint Player of the Game over Malcolm (that poor guy could not catch a break.) But the best part of the reunion was when Jeff was going to mention Dawson trying to kiss him and he didn't even get the word out before she launched herself from the top bleacher and landed with her lips on his - Holy crap! How did she do that? HAhahaha! Oh and they showed the Skupin injury reel, it was amazing, Jeff says the falling into the fire, as horrible as it was, it makes a little more sense to him now. Jeff also gifted him with the blown out diving mask that shattered in his face.
They also showed us the 26th season of Survivor is going to be a Fans v/s Favourites again - could be fun depending on who comes back. (Please no Hanz's, please, please, please.)
It turned out to be a pretty good season and there was a surprise winner (to me anyway - not that she didn't deserve it but I was thinking Malcolm all the way.)
Have a very Merry Christmas everyone, and I'll talk to you in the New Year.
Coleen
So, we've come to the end of what turned out to be a pretty interesting season of Survivor. They ran through a quick recap of the last 39 days for the Survivors and I was reminded of how boring it started out when Matsing lost challenge after challenge but it reminds us that Malcolm and Denise had an unlikely partnership right from the beginning and they have both been excellent players, physically, mentally and socially strong. We also see Lisa and Skupin's progression - her from crying about not fitting in, to making some of the boldest moves and him keeping her secret and being her strongest ally.
-We have Michael Skupin, one of Survivors biggest stars (that's debatable - though we all remember the skin hanging off his hands) and the former teen star, Lisa, with (or against) the ultimate underdogs - Denise, in a show first, has been the only person ever to go to every single tribal council and survive them all and Malcolm has been the golden boy, finding immunity and dominating in challenges - he seems to be the one to beat.
WHO WILL BE THE SOLE SURVIVOR?
Dangrayne - Night 36
-They return from Tribal Council where they voted off Abi and Michael and Denise do a happy dance. Skupin says he's never met anyone that sucked the life out of you like she did, he's not happy for her loss but he is happy for the peace.
-Malcolm is glad Abi is gone but she went out with a bang, by throwing him under the bus... again. He's tired of having to do damage control after people implode at Tribal and point out that no one can beat him (sucks to be you?)
-Malcolm touches base with Michael and he says nothing's changed - they have an agreement for the final three and Skupin is still in. Skupin tells the camera, everyone seems to think Malcolm is the runaway favourite but Michael doesn't agree, he thinks he has a better story (hmm, I have 5 kids and did this a decade ago - give me the money... I don't think so, Tim.)
Dangrayne - Day 37
-Tree mail - they find out they will have a challenge today which they weren't expecting and they don't know if it's reward or immunity. Denise is worried, they've had this solid four but it doesn't hold into three and she thinks she could be next to go so she is desperate to win it today (whatever IT is.)
REWARD CHALLENGE
They will race through a series of obstacles collecting bags along the way. Once they have all three bags they will use the puzzle pieces within to complete a dragon puzzle. First person done the puzzle will win an advantage in the final immunity challenge tomorrow (oooh! That could be huge!)
-Off they go, nimble fingers are important here as they have to untie a bunch of knots to get the bags -and Denise's diminutive stature serves her well getting through the bamboo obstacles - Malcolm falls off a balance beam again but they are staying pretty close - Skupin is the first down with all the pieces but when it comes to puzzle play, it comes down to Denise and Malcolm... and it's MALCOLM that wins the advantage in the final Immunity challenge. (Oof, like he needs it!) That was not what any of them wanted to see happen.
-Lisa is talking - all I see is double eye-brows - seriously I'm hearing Charlie Brown adults talking - so bad.
-Malcolm and Denise go to get water and he's telling the camera that Denise is his biggest threat with the jury, their stories are too similar, he feels bad but his best strategy is to go to the end with the people he knows he can beat and that's Lisa & Skupin.
-Denise tries to get him to commit to keeping her there for the final three and he pulls a Penner (ALWAYS SAY YES!) he prevaricates and won't give her an answer. This is a huge red flag to Denise, she knows how hard he's worked to have a plan for the final 6 then the final 4 so she knows he must have a plan for the final 3 and it doesn't sound like she's included... So, she knows she's got to make her own plan and she approaches Lisa and lays out her doubts about Malcolm.
-Lisa is so glad to hear Denise talking against Malcolm, she was worried they'd stick together. They agree that they need to take Malcolm out if any of them want a chance at winning.
-Lisa & Denise hug it out- but Lisa makes sure we know she didn't shake her hand or give her her word. She's not sure what Skupin's going to think.
-Denise talks to Skupin and tells him she's talked to Lisa and she (Denise) is voting for Malcolm.
-Lisa then talks to Skupin and she confirms she's really happy with this deal and Skupin is just happy that either way, he and Lisa are guaranteed final three. They aren't holding their breath that Malcolm won't have immunity, Lisa is actually pretty sure he will win it but Skupin puffs up like the silver-back he is and says he thinks Malcolm is beatable, not saying he will beat him, but he could.
He thinks the million dollar question is who he wants to sit beside in the final three.
Dangrayne - Day 38
-Lisa and Skupin are running scenarios and he says they can't let Denise win [immunity] and she's like, what do you mean? We have a better chance with her, we can't let Malcolm win. Oh, oh yeah (I think Abi had it a little right when she was so mean to Skupin at Tribal, he's not the sharpest tool in the shed.) Bottom line - they don't want either one of the other two to win - If he can get immunity, then they will control who the final three will be (there you go, that's using the ol' noggin.)
And then we are treated to the walk of the fallen comrades - where they burn them all at the end... (yeah, I get it, it's paying respect but I just want to see who wins... can't we move this along?)
FINAL IMMUNITY CHALLENGE
-Oh Man! This is crazy. They will have to pick up a piece of cylinder that has a ball resting on a groove on it's side - using just the pressure of holding handles against the ends they have to hold the piece steady for 5 minutes - lose the ball, you're out. Every 5 minutes, they will have to add two more sections of cylinder on either end... last person standing will win immunity.
-And we learn Malcolm's advantage - he will get a second chance - if he loses the ball, he gets to try again. (Oh COME ON! I would be so bitter.)
-Off they go - they all make it 5 minutes on the first piece. Malcolm has a little wobble, so does Mike and Denise a bit but Lisa is totally solid. They set it down and add the 2 more sections (oof, this would be really hard.) Malcolm drops his ball! What? But he's not out. They all get to set it down while Malcolm resets and they go again and Malcolm just loses it, his hands start shaking like he's got a neurological condition (I love Michael J Fox, but you know what I'm saying - It's like the harder you try to stop the shaking the worse it gets.) And I'm in shock, Malcolm is out of the challenge and I'm thinking, he's out of the game (wow.)
-The rest are looking pretty solid when out of nowhere, Denise drops her ball. It's down to Skupin and Lisa and Malcolm is rooting for Skupin, thinking he'll keep him in this thing and Denise is rooting for Lisa (battle of the sexes?). They go another round, they're both shaking a little... Jeff just will not stop talking... and it's Lisa that loses the ball and SKUPIN wins final immunity!
Dangrayne - Day 38
-Malcolm knew he had to win that challenge but his hands shake when he's nervous so this was the worst challenge for him to have to face - ever. Now his fate is in Lisa & Skupin's hands, and he doesn't like it.
-Skupin is strutting around like cock of the walk with his immunity necklace - everyone said Malcolm would win and it wasn't even close! (Oh yeah, you da man.)
-Malcolm is looking for reassurance from Lisa & Skupin, tells them Denise will be asking them to vote for him and Lisa says, should we just go along? Malcolm (in a hurt little voice), "Well, no." Lisa meant just say they're going along, not really do it. Then I lost what they were saying because they showed Malcolm drinking from the machete that he had wedged into a coconut - He's Tarzan MacGyver! That looked so cool, right there he deserves to win!
-Denise then comes to Skupin and Lisa and tells them she's still on board for voting out Malcolm, they don't tell her what they are doing, just confirm that she has to vote Malcolm, she has no other choice. Denise tells the camera she's kinda pissed that she and Malcolm couldn't stick together and force a tie. (My take on it would be to isolate Skupin and pitch the Tandang numbers on the Jury - if he was the only Tandang left, he'd have a better chance at those votes than he does splitting them with Lisa.. huh? Good argument? But I don't really think it'd work and it's a moot point because Malcolm had already turned his back on Denise.)
-Skupin is still thinking that he wants to take the best of the best to the end, because it's a better victory somehow. He asks Denise, "Is there any honour in that?" She says sure, there would be honour in beating him with jury votes but would it happen - or would Malcolm win? Her fear is that none of them would win with the jury against Malcolm. Skupin wants the head to head battle of the alpha males (just whip 'em out and get it over with, sheesh.)
-Denise does the emotional plea, says she feels a true friendship with Skupin & Lisa but she knows they have to do what they feel is right for them.
-Skupin wants to make his family proud and keep his word int he game... he's still leaning to keeping Malcolm (seriously?) Lisa thinks handing the title of sole survivor to Malcolm would be stupid, she's going to do whatever it takes to make sure he is not in the final three.
TRIBAL COUNCIL
The big story here is the total B*tch-face Abi gives them all (hahaha... whatever lady.)
-I'm just going to cut to the chase - the show was three hours after all - Malcolm and Denise worked together to the final 4 but that's done now. Lisa & Michael had an open relationship (I said pardon - blah, blah, blah) Malcolm did Mike a favour letting his son have the Survivor experience - Lisa says favours have no bearing, that would be a million dollar favour.
-Malcolm kinda throws Denise under the bus - points out she's been to every tribal council, she's been on every tribe, she's got a better story...
Jeff asks Lisa if there is a reason to take Malcolm to the end and Lisa says... there is not a reason for me to take Malcolm to the end. (She just cannot lie it seems, but good on her, she's being herself.)
Time to Vote:
Denise votes for Malcolm (of course) and Malcolm votes for Denise but he looks like he's ready to cry.
Tallying the votes:
Malcolm - 1
Denise - 1
Malcolm - 2, 3 - He says, "Congratulations, Denise." And he is MAD... (And this is not going how I predicted at all.)
Malcolm's final words - He says maybe he pushed too hard and leveraged too much - he showed them how to view threats in the game and they finally saw him as a threat (yeah, it was all you.) He's just pissed he's not going to be there at the end.
Dangrayne - Night 38
-They are not celebrating coming back to camp. They feel badly that Malcolm was so upset but Denise says this is the point where she can say, she outlasted him and it's the game.
-Skupin isn't happy with Malcolm's parting shot of congratulating Denise on winning. Skupin says he's going to have a lot to say about that. (Ego bruised? This guy is so not going to win.)
Dangrayne - Day 39
They get the traditional food on the final day - champagne, bacon, butter, peppers... lots of blah blah filler - final three introspection - then they burn the camp... hahaha, it always makes me laugh. They play the inspirational music, pan flutes, then MAKE IT BURN!
FINAL TRIBAL COUNCIL - Night 39
Opening statements:
Denise: She says she's not going to apologize for being in the final three, she's proud and feels she deserves to be there. She's been able to adapt and assimilate in not one or two, but three tribes, her ability to do that gave her time to build initial alliances (they show Malcolm pouty face) she was able to prove her value at camp and in challenges and she was able to make strategic moves that may have upset people but they changed the game. At the end of the day, she is the one sitting up there that has survived ever single tribal council. "I outwitted many of you, I outplayed many of you and I have outlasted all of you. I do believe I deserve the title of sole survivor." (Then she did the smug, pressing her lips together look she does - it's a little condescending but her statement was totally true.)
Lisa: I feel we all outwitted, outplayed and outlasted but we all did it in different ways. It's your decision to make which strategy deserves the title of sole survivor and the million dollars. My strategy was not pretty, it was basically run wide open and just fall down (what does that mean?)
then run some more. I did play my own game. Unfortunately, one of the mistakes I think I made was not following my heart but it wasn't until my brother came and told me to trust my gut and remember that this is a game. She was like a boxer afraid to throw a punch in case she hurt someone but she finally got it, she grew and she threw a punch that knocked out the heavyweight champ of this season (again, showing pouty Malcolm) and sat me here. I know it wasn't a pretty game, but I learned, I grew and I'm proud of the game I played to get me here in the end.
Skupin: Returning player. After watching the returning players who'd had success in the game, he was afraid he got the call too late, that everyone wanted to be there longer than the returning players. He says that's why he played with such fire - he played his guts out, had piece of mask sticking out of his face, he had to respect the core of this game: Outwit, outplay, outlast. I can't play this game any other way, I love it too much, and I know you do too.
Okay, over to the jury:
Artis: He says he cannot congratulate them for getting there, if you started a game with a holier than thou attitude and played a game contradictory to that you have to reap what you sew. Me, I made alliances and I stuck to them (And you are out of the game, hello) and the beauty of this game is, in the end, Karma's a b*tch.
Carter: S'up guys? (holy Spicoli, look it up) Lisa was seen as an easy target right away and yet she's sitting here - good job for that. Skupin, same thing, hit the beach and his name was tossed out right away but you're still here. I know there is bitterness and it's tough having it poured on you, but Skupin, we were close, what was your thought when you knew I was going home?
-I have to say I can't imagine you could have played the game harder. You were so likable and so selfless that there was no reason to keep you if the rest of us wanted to have a shot. Relationships and the game have to separate at some point and the hardest days are when we have to get rid of someone like you one day.
"Thanks man. I appreciate that, seriously." (Seriously, this dude is too mellow... what are they growing out there in the jungle?)
Pete: Lisa I feel like you are hiding behind the fact that you didn't vote for Artis or me but it's like a Judas situation, you knew...
-I did not know Artis was going home, that night she voted for Penner, she made a decision not to go with them (who? I don't remember when Artis was voted out, who cares.) but she was glad she could clear that up.
Pete moves on to Denise, I'd like to hear why your game was better than Skupin & Lisa's? Going from tribe to tribe to tribe she was forced to play a much more strategic game, the social part of the game became vital because she had to figure out a way to show she had a reason to stay in the tribe then getting to the merge, Kalabaw should have been picked off one by one but there were fractures and she worked with that.
RC: She giggles and pats herself on the back for recognizing that Lisa was a threat from day one - "I knew it" (ugh, she's annoying - next please.)
Michael, ha ha, is there something you should have told me on day 19?
-He didn't know she was going home, he thought it was Penner and that's how he voted.
Uh hehae... congratulations you guys.
Malcolm: (Oh... is he going to unleash on them?)
I didn't have questions until coming out here, Lisa told him exactly what he wanted to hear and for the first time he considered voting for her.
Denise, don't nod, I mean it, this appeasing everybody has to stop (she nods. Ha!) I want to know how you played better than them and I don't want the appeasing thing you do.
-I listened and I observed. You're right being a therapist is what I do and part of that is appeasing. There is value in playing that social piece but there is also value in just listening and observing what people say - it may seem appeasing but it's part of me that I brought to the game - and I'm sitting here and you're standing there. (Not trying to keep friends with that one - satisfied Malcolm?) She thinks she played a more strategic game.
Jeff: There is no doubt they all share a little bit of bitterness because we're here and you're there.
Skupin, I've learned there are three kinds of people, those that make things happen, those that watch things happen and those that wonder what the hell just happened - which one are you and give examples.
-I make things happen - family motto: Are you going to watch the news or make the news? My head was on the chopping block a lot, neither of these two were ever in trouble. Whenever my name came up I had to shift or create or do things and my name came up every single time until Penner left.
Lisa - give me examples of how you didn't just float along in the middle like Denise. (He saw them as floating along? Huh.)
-I can't even recall a time I floated in the middle - I was the first one to make a major move when I found out about Malcolm's [she planned with Pete to blindside him] when that fell apart she had to go with plan B - Jeff says that proves she just went along when her plan failed - she disagrees, says she plead very hard for Plan B at Tribal, that was being very vocal, not just floating by. (You go, stand up to the pedo-stache.)
Abi: (oh, will she bring the crazy?)
I was called the most unlikable person in the tribe by the three of you, my heart is broken (Give me a break lady.) Lisa, why should I vote for you?
-I believe I'm deserving of your vote because I was totally in to going to the final 4 with our alliance until it disintegrated. If things had worked out, you and me and Pete and Artis would be the final 4.
Michael - why do you think I should give you a million dollars tonight, or do you even care?
-I deserve your vote because if you look at the three principles of outwit, outplay, outlast; I don't believe anyone up here did anything even remotely close to what I did in this game (wow, legend in his own mind this guy.) She says, "but I don't believe one of the core values is out-disrespect." (When did he disrespect you? When you called him an idiot and a moron to his face? No.) He says, "I don't believe it is either."
Denise, you made very clear you did not respect my game. Being called the most unlikable person in this game demoralized me, I was made to look this little.
-Hindsight is 20/20 and while there are still many sentiments that I still stand behind, there could have been a different way to handle it. I do apologize if you were truly traumatized by that (Never apologize! But then she doesn't believe Abi was really hurt, I don't think so either.)
Penner: Let's end this thing. Congratulations, but as Jeff said there is some vestige of fury (Mm, he said bitterness, not fury, but I see where he's at and I smell the Sue Hawk award winner), how can there help but be. We've all given hearts and souls to this game and to see anyone else sitting there is painful. That said, you have my heartfelt congratulations, I know this is hard, smart people asking tough questions, and I hope to continue that tradition.
Denise, we spent a lot of time together, and I'm a little confused by some of what you've said tonight - appeasing is what happened. You once shared your biggest fear was to be seen as a b*tch and you can rest assured that you have now shown the world that side of you. (That wiped the smile off her face - she looks shocked by the sneaky, passive attack - this is great!)
Skupin, you kept going on about your name coming up and you being threatened but I don't believe your name was ever written down while I have the proud distinction of my name being written down 15 times which may be a record, so I know that you are sitting here saying there was a target on your back but eventhough you were able to flip flop, dissemble, and keep your name from being written down, you may find you have kept your record even after tonight.
Lisa, my friend, we got close out here, would you like to share with everybody or should I?
-Either one.
I wouldn't want to shame you.
-It's not a shame, go ahead.
Lisa was a television star. Spent 9 years on the TV program The Facts of Life, was America's sweetheart, may still be but you guys have the right to know that before you vote or don't vote for her. That she has kept that from all of you and I kept your secret until now.
-Can I ask you a question? Did you talk to anyone about what you were doing as a teenager, 25 yrs ago, or did you talk more about who you are now, what you are doing and what you bring to the game now.
I didn't talk about going to the bathroom 16 days ago either - do you want to hear about what I did from 12 to 21? I don't think it would make any difference in the game now.
I think that one of you has ridden the other two in here like oxen. You hear the cheering and think it's for you but you've actually been led to the slaughter. I'm done. (oh yeah, Sue Hawking it up for us - love it!)
Time to Vote:
RC voted for Lisa and again takes credit for recognizing she'd go far.
Penner votes for Denise - oh, so she's the one riding the oxen - says, Pretty flawless game.
Carter votes for Skoopin - (Scoooopin) Hopes people realize the kind of game he played out there.
Jeff gets the votes and walks all the way to LA.
Where everyone looks great - coiffed and made up
Tallying the votes:
Lisa - 1
Denise - 1
Skoopin - 1
Denise - 2, 3, 4... and the Winner is DENISE! Good for her! I would have put money on Malcolm but the way things worked out, it's not a surprise that Denise would win over Lisa & Skupin.
And with Denise taking home the million dollars, Tori K, Maddy D and Lynne B are the lucky winners of our pool. Congratulations ladies!
In the reunion - Lisa talked about God too much then she won the Sprint Player of the Game over Malcolm (that poor guy could not catch a break.) But the best part of the reunion was when Jeff was going to mention Dawson trying to kiss him and he didn't even get the word out before she launched herself from the top bleacher and landed with her lips on his - Holy crap! How did she do that? HAhahaha! Oh and they showed the Skupin injury reel, it was amazing, Jeff says the falling into the fire, as horrible as it was, it makes a little more sense to him now. Jeff also gifted him with the blown out diving mask that shattered in his face.
They also showed us the 26th season of Survivor is going to be a Fans v/s Favourites again - could be fun depending on who comes back. (Please no Hanz's, please, please, please.)
It turned out to be a pretty good season and there was a surprise winner (to me anyway - not that she didn't deserve it but I was thinking Malcolm all the way.)
Have a very Merry Christmas everyone, and I'll talk to you in the New Year.
Coleen
No comments:
Post a Comment