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RSSGiving a hoot about balut on 'Survivor: China'
A World Series game? A Top 10 college football match-up? A gross foods eating challenge on Survivor: China? Gosh! Thursday (Oct. 25) night's TV has something for everybody.
Pre-credit sequence. It's early morning at Zhan Hu and fixers Jaime and Peih-Gee are still resting, as James putters about the camp. Peih-Gee is convinced that throwing the last immunity challenge was the right decision. Not only that, but she's ready to throw the next challenge as well. Then she figures they'll boot James and pray for a merge. Is anybody else praying that the merge doesn't happen at 10 and that Zhan Hu has to compete with their weakened team? I sure am. James, unclear on the concept of "fixing," is working extra hard so that nobody on his team can complain about being tired in their upcoming challenges.
Sharing is caring. With Jean-Robert doing his usual snoring at the shelter, Todd calls Amanda aside. He has three clues now for the hidden Immunity Idol, but he's utterly flummoxed and needs some help. Amanda is more than happy to lend a hand, or a brain. For a self-professed master of Survivor strategy, Todd isn't all that clever.
Confucius say... Where did the castaways suddenly get these snazzy coats and hats? One minute they'd been wearing the same things over and over, but last week the gals popped up in new bathing suits and this week they look ready for the hobo prom. The reward challenge requires them to run through an abandoned village -- we'd rather not get into the political reasons it was probably abandoned -- looking for clues to solve a puzzle based around a quote from Confucius. Want to know what they're playing for? A bath or shower, Western toilets, tea and a light snack. The problem with a tribe fixing one challenge is that I don't much care how they perform in subsequent challenges, whether they're trying or not. Zhan Hu loses again, but this time it's just because they're stupid. Fei Long kidnaps James.
Tea House of the Reality TV Moon. Charmin? Crest? English speaking hostesses? Nothing says authentic Chinese experience like a tea house filled with American brand names! The opportunity to bathe makes everybody pleased, even when Jean-Robert makes lewd comments about wanting to hop into the tub containing both Amanda and Courtney. Courtney calls Jean-Robert disgusting for his comments and then proceeds to whoop and whistle at James' naked rear. This is not a season of sympathetic contestants, is it?
We blew it. At the Reward Challenge, Peih-Gee and Jaime tried communicating with Frosti and Sherea. For whatever reason, their attempts weren't greeted with enough enthusiasm and suddenly the fixers are feeling like they're in a fix. Peih-Gee decides they have to win immunity. Oh my goodness.
Hidden Idol farce. Todd, really enjoying his silk robe, approaches James and tells him that if the gravedigger gives him the contents of his mystery tube, he'll save him. James agrees and, back at camp, presents Todd with the clue. A light goes off in Todd's head and he thinks he knows where the Idol is. Farce ensues. Trying to be secretive, Amanda goes to the tribe arch and tries whacking things at random. With several people watching, Todd joins her. Curious, Frosti goes and starts knocking things over, much to Todd's horror. Trying to get rid of Frosti, he accidentally pulls on the tribe plaque, exposing the Idol. "This has to be the worst way in history of getting an Immunity Idol," Amanda says, as Todd turns to Frosti and warns him, "If I can't trust you right now, I will kill you." Perfectly amenable, Frosti declares, "Frosti's in!" Then Denise finds out about the Idol and Courtney. Finally Todd explains the play to James: The big guy will take the Idol back to his camp. Then, James has to help throw the next challenge. At Tribal Council, he'd play the Idol and get Jaime eliminated, shattering that alliance. This has the potential to be bizarre.
Anything goes when it comes to balut/Cuz fixin' ain't easy. It's an eating challenge or, as Andrew Zimmern would call it, "Snack time." It's a perfect challenge for fixing, whoever wants it less. Things get off to a good start for Fei Long as Frosti dominates Peih-Gee with chicken hearts. It's Jaime and Courtney with eels. It's never a good sign when you're counting on Courtney to eat and Jaime two-hands the eels down. Erik outeats Amanda with baby turtles, leaving James to go against Denise on balut. James is trying so hard to let Denise win, but the feathery duck fetus gets the best of Denise. Forced to pick between fixing the challenge and watching his friend suffer, James wolfs the thing down. The dude's a hero. Erik wins the last heat, beating Frosti on thousand-year-old eggs. Zhan Hu wins. James looks miserable in victory.
We blew it, Part II. Fei Long is miserable, particular Denise, who knows that James badly wanted her to win. "Perfect plan, genius idea, smashed," Todd says, though he plans to get rid of one of the old Zhan Hus, specifically Sherea in an effort to win Frosti's trust. But Courtney has it in for Jean-Robert and she attempts to make an alliance with Sherea to boot the poker player. Todd, who couldn't be more spineless, begins feeling doubts after listening to Courtney and tells Amanda his gut says Jean-Robert should go. Amanda disagrees with Todd's gut.
Tribal council. Yes, it's a bit pathetic for Jean-Robert to describe himself as a bad boy and to swear that's he's made a big change, but the hostility of Courtney and Sherea seems dramatically out of proportion. Sherea is obnoxious and belligerent, but it's Courtney who manages to offend Todd with her poorly strategized ranting. I understand, incidentally, that a number of readers told me from the first episode that I was supposed to dislike Courtney and I'm only coming around to that opinion. Sorry to be late to the party. Unfortunately, that means I'm left with surprisingly few people to like. Frosti, Denise, James and maybe Amanda? That's about it.
The vote. The first two votes go for Jean-Robert, but the alliance decided they trusted Sherea less than the Bad Boy of Poker. She storms off in a huff, as Courtney rolls her eyes.
Seriously, are you rooting for anybody or mostly just rooting against people at this point? They're both reasons to watch, I guess...
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Zap2it Twitter Talk 
Good, I'm glad it wasn't just me who saw that everyone (not just the girls) got new bathing suits last week. My biggest problem this week: how dumb is it to search for an immunity idol in front of everybody?? Oh, there's an immunity idol on this beach, lets all gather round and try to find it, then get mad when others see you have it.
Fantastic episode. Todd is basically the cl***ic gay stewardess. A self sastisfied moron
When did you expect them to look for the idol? It looks like most players are usually sitting at camp. Plus, Todd's plan required that they find the idol quickly so James could take it back to Zhan Hu with him.
At this point i'm not rooting for anyone. Most of the people are not likeable and some are just dumb. Yet, I still tune in every week just to see what idiotic plan they come up and hoping that someone will stand out soon, otherwise this is one of the worst Survivor's cast ever.
gotta love James!!!!
Watching James talk always reminds me of "The Green Mile". Like he's just gonna stop what he's doing and mention his name is "John Coffey, ma'am. Like the drink, only not spelt the same." His personal sacrifice to Denise, who looks like the food must taste, just backs up the JC effect.
Sherea doomed herself. Not talking to her old teammate during the reward put into motion her own destruction. Good. Maybe now she'll SHAVE HER FRICKIN' PITS!
You got to give Todd some credit for realizing how stupid James is.
If somebody essentially gives you the immunity idol, why would you proceed to throw the next challenge just so you lose it right away?!? Why not try and win and keep the powerful immunity for yourself.
I guess the discouraged James will have to settle for the fact he now has an immunity idol.
At this point it looks like Frosti has a lot of temporary power in the game. Todd and Amanda are building a powerful aliance with a lot of not so good strategizing players, so if anybody else is going to make a serious effort to put together a competing squad, this is the time.
J.R. is sticking around because he is annoying, and perhaps obnoxious, but not belligerant like some of the girls.
After hearing Sherea's parting comments last night after she as booted, we learned that not only was Sherea lazy and selfish around camp, she is also delusional. The other's feared her in competitions so they had to vote her out? Oh yeah, they were quaking. But I have to admit, looking at her huge and dirty old beige bra was really beginning to scare me.
I still like Todd, even though he made a lot of stupid moves in this episode. Todd, James, Frosti, Denise, and . . . yeah, that's it.
They should do a whole episode where they focus on Amanda's ***...