Survivor, or Amanda gives a Master Class in how to win the game

I get so many emails from friends telling me that they like my blog even though they don't watch Survivor. The sad thing is, this season would have been such a good time to start watching. Despite the fact that three people have quit (two of them at least waiting until Tribal to do so), and now two strong players have been taken out for injuries, all of which I think is super lame, this has still been a wild and crazy and fun season. I mean, how often to people REALLY get totally blindsided at Tribal? Three weeks in a row is simply heaven.

Quickly - reward, as Amanda put it, was brutal. Not as many feelings got hurt as in seasons past, but I was a bit surprised that Parvati went before Eric or James. People often seem to use this challenge to express their real feelings instead of continuing their game face, which I always find funny. Parv is in real trouble. Also surprising that Cirie gave the reward to one of the invisible girls rather than Amanda. I mean, I'm supes glad that she did, but it was weird.

Time for someone to go to Exile, and FINALLY someone has a brain, and that someone is Amanda, who quickly and smartly asks to go. This, people, is the Amanda I fell in love with last season. I don't know where she has been hiding, but I am so. glad. to welcome her back. She finds all of her clues, working much harder than anyone else has had to do, only to find that the idol is hidden back at camp. I hate the twist, but Amanda again takes her lemons and makes lemonade, emptying her bag when she gets back to assure everyone that she does not have the idol.

Reward was fine but derivative and only fun when it looked like Natalie was going to be an unexpected threat. And what is the whole thing with using colored water this season? I like at least the illusion that the show is in the middle of nowhere, and all that food coloring is way too kiddy theme park. Actually, through the whole challenge I was praying Eric would win. Not even because I like Eric, which I do, (is it me or is he starting to look like a little-boy Rambo?) but because I love it when alliances have to turn on each other prematurely and I wanted to see the girls scramble. Wish granted, thank you fairy godmother.

So it comes down to Amanda. And she devises a master plan, and executes it perfectly. Amanda tells Parv she has the idol, which at first I thought was stupid, but then I realized that she needed her for the plan to work. She talks to Cirie, who truthfully is in a tough spot. Is her assessment of the whole colored rock thing before the final four the truth? Because I HATE the colored rock. I would love to have tie-votes all the time, and I hate that the rock discourages it. Probst, take note, the colored rock is the absolute worst mis-step Survivor has ever taken, worse even than bringing the Boy Scout Troop Leader back from the dead. And that was pretty darn bad.

But I digress from the fun. Amanda lays it on thick to Cirie, but even worse to Eric. I think Eric is fully within his rights to vote for Amanda, but she is totally evil and makes him squirm over it. At tribal she pulls out all of her acting chops and gets those big doe eyes of hers running at 110%. I *almost* question whether or not she really found the idol, but knowing what was at stake, if she didn't find it, she would deserve to go home. Even if it came down to digging openly for it, she HAD to find it. "About that idol?" she smiles as she brings it out. THIS is what the idol was made for, I love it. I didn't really care which of the invisibles went, although I'm glad it was the injured one, because if the show lost another person to injury I would have to scream. So glad that threat is eliminated.

Just to say it, I think it is terrible that James went out like that. And while people are always sort of glad when a competitor goes down, I think Parvati was honestly upset that he had to leave under those circumstances. While I think voting Ozzy out was a smart move, I think it has taken her out of the running to win, which is too bad because a move like that deserves some respect that she ain't getting. (Cracks me up that they show the Ozzy glare every week.) But I still like her. Cirie, also, I thought was surprisingly candid and honest with Amanda about why she had to vote for her. I wonder if that will save her.

From the jury reaction, I think it is safe to say that Amanda is highly likely to win if she makes it to the end. This was a brilliant move for her, and she played it to the hilt. Depending on the make up of the jury, I still think Cirie and Eric have played strong enough games to be threats to her, but it will be interesting to see what happens at this point. If Parvati is being honest and isn't ever going to vote for Amanda, then it seems Cirie will be the swing vote. But at this point, Amanda has to be seen as Threat #1. An Eric/Cirie/Parvati showdown would be an interesting final tribal to be sure, though I would be very surprised if it worked out that way. Natalie, sadly, has to make it to the final three, you don't want any more than three Fans on the jury, and Jason at least wouldn't vote for her.

There are still lots of possibilities for how this is going to end. That's why I love it.