Survivor, or the season of totally awesome blindsides

Wow.

For me, Survivor is hands down the best show on television. From the very first season I was hooked, and whatever we can argue about the various tricks, gimmicks and tweaks over the years (hidden immunity idol good, outcast survivors coming back from the dead bad), the basic formula for the show makes for compelling and fun entertainment. Along the way we meet people we love (Stephanie), people we hate (Fairplay), people we love to hate (Hatch) and even people we hate to love (Courtney). But while most seasons have their ups and downs, and though I know I've been commenting on the general strength of the last few, I think I have to say this has been the best season since the very first. Chet and Kathy perhaps overstayed their welcome, but at least Chet has the advantage over Joel, who is a bigger ass than I ever imagined. All the injuries were lame. I don't think James leaving when he did changed the game much, since if he hadn't won immunity he would have gone at the same time anyway, but had Penner stayed I think the game would have looked much different at the end.

But that aside, this was by far the most entertaining run of fun tribal councils ever. Eliza humiliating herself playing what she knew was a fake idol. Ozzy. Jason. That girl. Eric. Awesome.

I will say I didn't like the twist of having a final two. I might have liked it more had they not forshawdowed it so much, but it just got to be uncomfortable. Had it been a total surprise I might have enjoyed it, but I was too wrapped up in the misery of the choice. Besides, I WANTED Cirie to go to the end, I WANTED to hear her plea to the jury. She had a compelling case, and I wanted to see how well she could argue it for herself. So I felt a little cheated. The only thing that comforted me was when Parvati said "We've been blindsiding people for weeks, so I guess it is poetic justice that we get blindsided at this point." Guess you can't argue that.

We went into the final tribal with me expecting Amanda to walk away with it. I figured the invisible girls would vote for Parv, and everyone else for Amanda. I think Parv said it, but Amanda is a closer. She wins challenges, she had some masterful performances at tribal. But then come the tears, which clearly the jury is totally uninterested in. I'm a sucker and I fell for them, but I'm not freshly bitter like the jury is I guess.

However Amanda at least learned a few lessons from last season, and made some great arguments for herself. Parvati was more collected, in part because she was playing the calm, calculating card, but not by much. Some of the questions were stupid (what the hell was Natalie talking about? Does anyone know?), I thought Ozzy was pompous and James very likable. But other than Natalie's uncomfortable rambling (which even the jury mocked her for, heh), at least there was no "rat in the gutter" or "you have no integrity" crap.

I thought it was Amanda's, but I thought that last season too (well, at least until she crumbled at TC). Parvati winning was like the final blindside, because I really didn't expect it. I am completely satisfied with her win, her big moves were far riskier than Amanda's, and changed the game far more drastically. And for me she is just as appealing in general. But I was surprised. And guess what, I like that. :)

Most Favorites who come back seem to either lose some of their appeal (Ozzy, Fairplay) or at best tread water (James, Amanda). Few of them manage to make a better impression the second time around than they did the first, but for me this years award goes to Eliza. I didn't care for her much on her season, and while I still find her kind of annoying, this season it was in a far more enjoyable way. Sitting on the jury she had ample opportunity to make her "surprised face" over and over again, and I never got tired of it. Plus, I will forever worship her for "But its just a stick!!!"

Other favorite moments: "Jeff Probst is standing right there!!". Eric eating the cake off of Cirie's fingers. Eric seeing boobs at the native dance reward. Actually, just about anything having to do with Eric once he got close to Ozzy. "I feel stupid even just talking about this". Tracy manipulating Joel. Cirie voting off Joel. Ami "thanking" Eric with a machete. And, of course, "Stir the pot".

Now we have to wait until fall for Africa. Thank goodness I'll have SYTYCD to get me through the summer.