Episode 6 "What Happened on Exile Stays on Exile" Review
Tonight's episode should have been entitled "Metamorphosis" as the actual title had nothing to do with the episode.
It's a simple review of the game play:
1. Nuku wins Reward Challenge of Pizza and Soft Drinks
2. Mana wins Immunity Challenge by figuring out the 13 balls spell M-E-T-A-M-O-R-P-H-O-S-I-S
3. Jeff Varner is booted.
This episode had really little to do with Survivor game play and more to do with social consciousness. As a Survivor episode it will be talked about for years to come, but not for the right reasons.
In my pre-season analysis, I said about Varner: "His wishy-washiness will get him in trouble and he will go home somewhere in the middle of the game, close to the merge or just after it." I was right about the timing, but had no clue he could be that mean or vindictive.
Jeff spent 50 days total in three seasons on Survivor, and granted had Skupin not fallen into the fire just before the merge, he probably would have been on the Jury in Season 2, but he has fallen out twice, one vote before the jury and the third time went out a miserable fourth. My impression of him is he is not self-aware and although he seems like a nice guy, really is not a good Survivor player.
Zeke on the other hand, is a good player, semi-aggressive and as of now has spent 51 days on Survivor in two seasons, back to back, and presumably will be on for at least 53 or 54. He's likeable as well,
We know Varner was desperate, but what he did at tribal was inexcusable. The reaction of the rest of the tribe was swift and unified in disgust--rightly towards Varner. Tribal council was the last 14 minutes of the show and became a group counseling session about Varner more than about Zeke being transgender. That is unfortunate. Tribal many times reveals information about players thoughts on other players and sometimes sets up game play or a blindside. Once it was revealed however, the producers had no option (unless they decided to cut it) to have a discussion about it, but in the end to me it just makes this season more unexceptional.
Will it have an affect on the rest of the game. Will Zeke be ostracized? Will the Mana tribe be clued in at the merge? Even though I haven't been a fan of Varner, I think less of him now.
As for Zeke and the way he handled it, I like him even more. My only hope is that this is not the basis for rewarding him with a Million Dollars, like Adam or Jeremy. To be clear, Adam deserved it of the three last season, but not in a 10-0 vote. To play an entire game, and have it come down to pulling at the heartstrings, cheapens the show even more.
Survivor may survive this, but these ugly incidents seem to be getting more and more common (Colton, Brandon, Will, Varner).
I also feel bad for Andrea because she had to endure the Brandon Hantz meltdown as well as the Varner idiocy, two of the more emotional outbursts in Survivor History.
I think Sarah's response was totally genuine, and it will be interesting to see what happens with the relationships, once back at camp.
Next Time...
The merge happens at 13, and will be a two-hour episode. Sierra can use her legacy idol in the first vote.
It's a simple review of the game play:
1. Nuku wins Reward Challenge of Pizza and Soft Drinks
2. Mana wins Immunity Challenge by figuring out the 13 balls spell M-E-T-A-M-O-R-P-H-O-S-I-S
3. Jeff Varner is booted.
This episode had really little to do with Survivor game play and more to do with social consciousness. As a Survivor episode it will be talked about for years to come, but not for the right reasons.
In my pre-season analysis, I said about Varner: "His wishy-washiness will get him in trouble and he will go home somewhere in the middle of the game, close to the merge or just after it." I was right about the timing, but had no clue he could be that mean or vindictive.
Jeff spent 50 days total in three seasons on Survivor, and granted had Skupin not fallen into the fire just before the merge, he probably would have been on the Jury in Season 2, but he has fallen out twice, one vote before the jury and the third time went out a miserable fourth. My impression of him is he is not self-aware and although he seems like a nice guy, really is not a good Survivor player.
Zeke on the other hand, is a good player, semi-aggressive and as of now has spent 51 days on Survivor in two seasons, back to back, and presumably will be on for at least 53 or 54. He's likeable as well,
We know Varner was desperate, but what he did at tribal was inexcusable. The reaction of the rest of the tribe was swift and unified in disgust--rightly towards Varner. Tribal council was the last 14 minutes of the show and became a group counseling session about Varner more than about Zeke being transgender. That is unfortunate. Tribal many times reveals information about players thoughts on other players and sometimes sets up game play or a blindside. Once it was revealed however, the producers had no option (unless they decided to cut it) to have a discussion about it, but in the end to me it just makes this season more unexceptional.
Will it have an affect on the rest of the game. Will Zeke be ostracized? Will the Mana tribe be clued in at the merge? Even though I haven't been a fan of Varner, I think less of him now.
As for Zeke and the way he handled it, I like him even more. My only hope is that this is not the basis for rewarding him with a Million Dollars, like Adam or Jeremy. To be clear, Adam deserved it of the three last season, but not in a 10-0 vote. To play an entire game, and have it come down to pulling at the heartstrings, cheapens the show even more.
Survivor may survive this, but these ugly incidents seem to be getting more and more common (Colton, Brandon, Will, Varner).
I also feel bad for Andrea because she had to endure the Brandon Hantz meltdown as well as the Varner idiocy, two of the more emotional outbursts in Survivor History.
I think Sarah's response was totally genuine, and it will be interesting to see what happens with the relationships, once back at camp.
Next Time...
The merge happens at 13, and will be a two-hour episode. Sierra can use her legacy idol in the first vote.
Comments
Post a Comment