Survivor: Guatemala - The Maya Empire

[maudmac]

Time flies! It's time for a new Survivor.



Season starts Thursday, Sept. 16, 8 p.m. ET/PT.



Since cast info has been in the media for a few weeks now and the commercials are already airing, I'll assume cast information isn't spoilery. Full cast bios are at the official site, here: www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor9/





Yasur Tribe



* Julie Berry, 23, youth mentor from Gorham, Maine



* Ami Cusack, 31, barista and model from Lakewood, Colorado



* Mia Galeotalanza, 30, finance manager from Tom's River, New Jersey



* Lisa Keiffer, 44, real estate agent from New Orleans



* Scout Cloud Lee, 59, rancher/entrepreneur from Stillwater, Oklahoma



* Leann Slaby, 35, research assistant from Kansasville, Wisconsin



* Dolly Neely, 25, sheep farmer from Mercer, Pennsylvania



* Eliza Orlins, 21, pre-law student from Syracuse, New York



* Twila Tanner, 41, highway repair worker from Marshall, Missouri





Lopevi Tribe



* Chad Crittenden, 35, teacher from Oakland



* Chris Daugherty, 33, highway construction worker from South Vienna, Ohio



* Brady Finta, 33, FBI agent/ex-military from Huntington Beach, California



* Rory Freeman, 35, housing case manager from Des Moines, Iowa



* Brook Geraghty, 27, from Winthrop, Massachusetts



* John Kenney, 22, mechanical bull operator/model from Los Angeles



* Lea "Sarge" Masters, 40, drill sergeant from Columbia, South Carolina



* John Palyok, 31, Home Depot sales manager from Los Angeles



* Travis "Bubba" Sampson, 33, from Johnson City, Tennessee

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Anyone posting spoilers, please use the spoiler code to protect the unspoiled.



Spoiler code:



[ link = spoiler ] spoiler [ / link ]



(But without the spaces.)

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Unless "Crissy" and "Annie" are men, it looks like Ami and Scout are both lesbians. Check out their bios.

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today i just want someone to entertain me

[Krazy Dreamer]

This season of Survivor has started out really well so far. I really enjoyed seeing how much plotting and scheming were going on in the men’s tribe, even this early. It bodes well for an excellent season of Survivor. And poor Brook, I don’t think he even saw it coming when he was voted out, which is one of the beauties of the whole game.



I also enjoyed how they started the game by including the Survivors in a traditional Native ceremony. The women were complaining about being treated unfairly compared to the men by the natives, but I’d much rather have been in the women’s group any day. I would have been more than happy to pass on a drink that tasted like mud and caused my mouth and throat to go numb. I could also have done without having pig’s blood smeared on my face. Of course climbing a greased pole with the possibility of slipping and falling does look like fun…



I was a little disappointed that Brook was the first Survivor to be voted out, because I really would have liked to have seen more of him, and it’s not just because he looks and acts so much like Opie from the Andy Griffith Show. No, he seems like a fairly decent guy whose character probably would have added a lot to the game of Survivor, but alas we will never get the chance to see that particular outcome. I really wish they would have gotten rid of John K. instead. There’s just something about that guy that annoys the heck out of me. Maybe it’s his cockiness, I don’t know, but I just get bad vibes from him.



One of the hardest parts of watching a new season of Survivor is putting all the faces with the names, but the players so far that really stood out in this first episode of Survivor are Chris, Chad, Dolly, Scout, and Twila. I really like Chris. Any player who completely screws things up for his team by not even being able to complete a challenge, but is still able to sway his tribemates into not voting him out, gets a lot of points in my book.



Then there’s Chad. Chad stood out for me, not because of his prosthetic leg, but because of his personality and facial expressions. He just seems like a really friendly, caring, sensitive, likable guy who is also tough, and is not going to let life’s little challenges stand in his way. I really like him, in fact, I think he’s my favorite Vanauatu Survivor so far. I also really like how much he smiles, and just shows a lot of expression on his face. In fact, if he were a woman, I’d probably have a crush on him. Ok, just kidding, I’m not going to go that far, but he does seem really cool so far.



Dolly, Dolly, Dolly. How can you not notice Dolly. I’m not sure quite what to make of her just yet. She’s very entertaining to watch, and I think she has a great deal of potential in making it far in the game. Why do I feel that way? I can’t say for sure just yet. I really need to observe more of her to make a better judgment. Also, at this point in the game, I do like her, but I can easily see how that might change later. She is definitely someone to keep an eye on though.



Next we have Scout. Scout definitely has a personality on her, and I just know that she’s either going to be one of my favorite Survivors or she’s going to be one of the most annoying. I’d say she was very lucky that the women won immunity or she probably would have been the one voted out for two very obvious reasons. First, she struggled the most in the challenges, and secondly, on the first night, she wanted to stop on the beach and spend the night, rather than continuing on to find the Yasur campsite. She did however agree to continue on with the majority of the tribe, and didn’t make too big of a deal out of it, but I’d say she is going to have to really form some solid friendships and alliances to save herself from being the first woman voted off the island. And it has been done before. Think of Kathy in Survivor Marquesas, who at first totally alienated herself from her tribe, but later became one the favorites.



Twila is a no nonsense type of woman. I really like that about her. She’s also a hard worker, and should prove to be a huge asset to the women, but she’s already got a target on her back, because the “Sorority Girls” think she is making them look bad. I will not comment on them this early in the game, but what I will say is that the lazy members of the tribe do have a lot power in a game like Survivor, which has been proven in past seasons, most notably, Survivor 4 the Marquesas. I wouldn’t discount her just yet, but like Scout, she really needs to form some bonds and alliances soon.



All in all, I’d say this season of Survivor has started out very promising. I love it when they have men vs. women, although I do feel a little sorry for the guys, because they are at a slight disadvantage. Oh, who am I kidding? I’ll chime right in with the cheerleaders of the tribe and say, “I don’t know what I’ve been told, Yasur girls are gonna get the gold.”

"Some men see things as they are and say,'why?' I dream things that never were and say, 'why not?'"

- Robert F. JFK

[WillowRTaraM1]

I have to slip into this thread.. shamefully addicted to survivor here!



This new crew looks fairly interesting! Did anyone else know that Ami is gay? They're all clueless... im wondering how her tribe mates will react when and if she tells them.

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Ooo I feel just like santa except thinner and younger and female and...well Jewish- Willow

[maudmac]

I finally got caught up with the two eps that have aired so far. I really hate it when they go women vs. men, because it makes the game less interesting to me. I find myself FFing through the challenges, because all I care about is finding out whether the women win. I don't have any incentive to watch half the drama, because I don't have to try to decide which tribe I want to root for.



So I'm hoping they'll mix it up soon, so I will have something more interesting to watch.



I was surprised to see Dolly go. That Eliza...she's one to watch, I think. She's slippery. I don't care much for the Sorority Girls, so I was happy to see them so dumbfounded at TC as Dolly kept getting votes. Why you actin' so surprised? Have you never seen Survivor before? If you had, you'd know about the first rule is Do Not Assume You're Safe, No. Matter. What.



I like Twila a whole lot. She's such a straight-shooter and she tells it like it is. I respect that.



I keep watching for Scout and Ami to hint at their sexuality, but so far I haven't noticed anything. That last reward challenge, on those beams in the water, that was such a homo-erotic challenge!



On the men's tribe, I like the Bob Barker guy, I think mostly because he was saying from the beginning, "Hey, don't underestimate the women!" Rory is grating on my nerves. Shut up about the women being happy to've won the reward challenge. Go make some fire or something. I don't want to like the Sarge guy, but I find myself liking his attitude and the way he thinks about the game. Seems like a straight-shooter, too, and I can't not like that.



All in all, this Survivor is pleasing me.

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when i hear music it makes me dance

[sheila wt]

I hope Scout does well. She's from Stillwater, where the main campus of my university is (and where I go twice a week for classes) and only 60 miles from home here in Tulsa. :-)

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"She had tasted Willow on her tongue, and she had worn Willow on her skin. There wasn't a shower in the world that could have washed that away." (Terra Firma, by Tulipp)

[maudmac]

Holy shit. I don't know that I've ever seen such drama on the show before last week's ep. That Mia girl...whew...I don't even have words. My respect for Twila grew, just because she was able to refrain from swinging that machete and lopping off Mia's eye-rolling head. I have many profane words to describe Mia that I will keep to myself. Glad she's gone. And glad the Sorority Girls are (hopefully) getting picked off. I am not liking that Julie girl.



I was amused by Ami's suggestion that Twila try some hair-braiding. It was absurd and...I can't help thinking it, but it's also something that might do Twila and the whole tribe some good. I say that primarily because I just want to see that. I would pay money to see that.



The men...mostly . I do like their little dramas, though. But Yasur is ground-fuckin'-zero for the drama, so Lopevi's pales in comparison.



It's so entertaining! I love me some drama.

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when i hear music it makes me dance

[Krazy Dreamer]

I've been a little pre-occupied lately with my girlfriend and work. Still, I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted in the Survivor thread. What can I say? I'm really enjoying Survivor this season. So much action and strategy has taken place so far that I would be really hard-pressed to try and catch up, but I will just say this, Ami rocks! And it's not just because she's a 31 year-old lesbian from Colorado, (I'm originally from Colorado), nor is it the whole Rosie the Riveter thing she's got going on. No, she also has integrity, self-control, intelligence, and enough likability to take home the money. I'm rooting for Ami all the way, because not only do I think she has the best chance of winning, I think I would like her if I actually knew her in real life. Then again, maybe I do. Anyway, anybody who has read my Survivor posts in the past knows how much I liked Kathy and Rupert from past seasons of Survivor. I would have to put Ami up in the same category as these two. I just hope she has better playing skills than they did. (Of course, Rupert did win his million in the end.) Only time will tell.



Anyway, moving on, honestly, I was not looking forward to the tribes being mixed up this time, but I have to admit that the dynamics of the game have changed in a very intriquing way. It's great fun to see members of a tribe who previously were on opposite alliances being forced to come together and align with each other for the sake of survival. Although, I honestly don't care if I never see Eliza or Julie again. I was overjoyed when Mia got voted out a couple weeks ago. She was the most annoying and hateful of the "Sorority girls." She was way off base with the way she treated Twila. Not only because it was just a really bad move to verbally attack Twila in front of the others considering that Twila's alliance was stronger than hers, even if she had been able to get the reaction that she was hoping for, but she was trying to justify her lazy behavior. She was all talk, and it was time for her to go before I started throwing things at my tv. I have to admit, though, that I'm worried about Twila. Don't get me wrong, I like her, but she just seems the type who will betray her alliance, and form a new one with the guys. She, herself, has said she gets along better with men than women. I think these women intimidate and overwhelm her, and she seems more comfortable and relaxed being around the guys. Well, that's all fine and dandy, it's just that I'm rooting for Ami, so a potential traitor to Ami's alliance is not cool in my book.



I really like Leann a lot too, but the other player that I'm really rooting for is Chad. They haven't really shown too much of him lately, or at least nothing worthy of writing about at this point, but that usually is good as far as Survivor is concerned. And I really love it when the two people I'm rooting for are in different tribes and/or alliances, although you never know what can happen once the two tribes merge. I know Ami is all for "women power" and all of that, but I really would like to see her align herself in some capacity to Chad. They are both rational, intelligent, and strategic players, and I would love to see what would happen if they joined forces. On the other hand, to see them butt heads might be highly entertaining as well.



That said, I was actually sorry to see Bubba (Travis) go this week. Not because I particularly like him, although I certainly don't dislike him, but because he would have made an excellent pawn in the latter stages of the game. Well, that, and the fact that the only person left who is more annoying than Eliza is Rory. Rory is not a team player, and he causes too much dissension in the group. While this is very good for entertainment value, the consequences of keeping a player like this in the game are extremely unpredictable. I probably should add that I don't think he's going to last long anyway, so it may not matter, but you never know in a game like Survivor.

"Some men see things as they are and say,'why?' I dream things that never were and say, 'why not?'"

- Robert F. JFK

[maudmac]

Anyone watching Palau?



I'm rooting for poor Ulong, even though they were styoopid to vote off Jolanda first. I doubt they'd be in the situation they're in now if they'd kept her. Steph and Angie rock.



Koror...

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don't make me come up there - satan

[Cindipitude]

they voted out Angie!

I'm so upset... the producers are gonna have to start shaking things up or else a merge will be a mute point, koror will be the only ones left!

Go get yourself some tiny girls! Give yourself something to live for! ~ My muddled mind on six hours of Rachel

[maudmac]

The only good thing about them voting out Angie is that at least Steph is still around. I really was hoping Angie would last long enough to see Coby go home, after what he did, that bonding "I'm so glad there's another freak!" thing and then not picking her. That was mean.



Ulong getting their panties in a bunch over Ibrehem losing the challenge for them, it was like they all got amnesia and forgot about James getting clobbered twice in that other challenge.



Koror is still boring me to tears. I still don't know who some of those people are. So I'm still rooting for the pitiful Ulong. You're right, though, the producers had better do something quick or it's just going to be ridiculous. Might be interesting if they held off on the merge and redistributed everyone into two equal tribes.

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don't make me come up there - satan