Survivor Through the Eyes of the Mole Winner, Episode 6: This, I Like!

Wow, hmmm, yeah.

In what has been one of the weakest seasons of Survivor in memory for me, this was one of the best episodes in the entire run of the show. It had heart, it had suspense, it had emotion, and I was transfixed.

Going into this episode, I was convinced that Russell S. was being evacuated out and Liz was being voted off. I was losing my predicted winner and we were getting another predictable episode. Imagine my surprise. I want to try to express all the things that finally came to light for me during this episode.

First, I really like Erik. I picked him to go to the jury, but from his pre-show interview and bio, I really didn’t like him. However, we are finally getting light shed on a really good competitor and a pretty thoughtful and loyal player. I like him and hope he does well.

I also wish that this episode’s Russell H. was the Russell we would have seen from the beginning. All the blustering, B.S., and “Evil Russell” crap aside, as a competitor, I agreed with absolutely everything he had to say this episode. I’ve seen people slighting Russell for halting his evil game plan all of a sudden, but what the heck is he supposed to do under these conditions? Try to make his team more miserable?

I also found it interesting that his subversion does have a subtle side as I watched him lure Jaison into the water to “warm up” but not bothering to tell him to remove his shirt first so that he wouldn’t be absolutely freezing once he got out. I’ve been polar bear swimming before. The LAST thing you do is wear loose-fitting clothes in. As soon as you emerge, you now have a frozen shroud wrapped around you that is sheer torture.

I am also finding that I really like Laura. I picked her as one of my finalists and I am glad I did. She is tough, smart, and I wish they were showing more of her because I feel that she is probably one of two competing leaders on Galu and I would have liked to have been seeing that build up since day one. She is a 39-year-old grandmother out in this abysmal climate and she is absolutely kicking ass. She has my serious admiration.

I still don’t know exactly what game Kelly or Brett is playing and still don’t like the game Shambo is playing at all. To bumble her way through the game as she has and then to have the audacity to throw at Monica that she started fire and should garner her allegiance for that fact after writing Monica’s name down could only elicit a slow and disgusted head shake from me. I fully realize that Shambo is a fan favorite this season, but as a game player, competitor, and true fan of this game I have no place for her.

I feel truly awful for Russell S. I thought he was short for the game, but not like that. He worked his butt off. He killed himself in every challenge and worked like a Trojan around camp. I don’t think he was a great player of the game of Survivor, but at the end of the day, he truly deserved to be voted out rather than carried out, and my family and I honestly felt sick for him.

I also now think John may be a smart and potentially dangerous player, although he doesn’t seem to be considering all angles. He had the intelligence to notice the bond between Laura and Monica and realize the potential danger in that as opposed to the true non-threat that is Shambo. His only short sight may be not realizing that she is most likely going to flip over to Foa Foa as soon as she is given the chance, although from the preview for next week, it looks like Laura may be preparing to do the same… finally, some intrigue!

Lastly, I think the conditions this season look like one of the toughest physical experiences that I have ever seen on this show. The constant rain and misery made me think of stories that I have read about water tortures, people experiencing solar deficiency disorder, and the effects the rain had on soldiers in Viet Nam. I really felt the frustration as Erik almost tearfully explained the true fear the players have that the rain will return and never stop. As poorly as some are playing the game, the sheer fact that they are even withstanding these elements is amazing.

I am also awfully glad Liz avoided Tribal Council this week, because she would have been gone. Perhaps only a one week reprieve, but I’ll take it! All the best!

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Mark Lambrecht is a gameaholic world history teacher and veteran reality and game show contestant. He can be reached at Mlamby1965@yahoo.com.

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