Manhunt, Episode 6: Revenge of the Maggots

The standings as we enter the final episode are as follows: JK, James, Wesley, Jesse, Joe, Lyzz, Lucas, Mandy, Karen: Eliminated; Romey, Ed: 2 marks; Nicole, Jim: 1 mark.

Hunters Island

Safe Zone Camp – Day 6
The disembodied robotic voice that substitutes for an actual host in this show announces that all remaining players have their marks erased. Ed, Romey, Jim, and Nicole, the final four contestants, wake up on the last day of competition in their luxurious tent. Their sentimental moods have altered somewhat after a good night’s sleep, except for Ed, who’s become even more mystical. "The thing that the final four have in common is sort of a strong belief in ourselves and the powers that be, that makes us strong as people and gives us a sort of positive attitude towards things, and I think that’s the strongest force to do anything. My greatest fear was that I was going out the first day and when that didn’t happen, a little voice said ‘you’re going to the very end.’" This jungle endurance test has had a positive effect on somebody.

Romey candidly admits that "I wasn’t supposed to make it this far. So I really don’t know what it’s gonna take to win the game." Nicole is very upbeat, "I’m extremely proud of myself and excited that I made it to day six. That was my main goal. I never came into this game to “win,” per se, or to walk away with the quarter mil. So, for the most part, I think that’s how all four of us feel." But Jim shows his steely core, "Thirteen individuals showed up on the island and it didn’t take too long to bond as a team. We also had a very healthy understanding that there’s only one person who wins the gold medal. May the best woman or man win."

We then see the perplexing sight of a strange, unidentified man in a bandanna, flying a helicopter over the island. Big Tim boastfully takes credit for the new action figure. "Because I’m a sportsman, (insert unrestrained laughter here) I arranged for a little training session to teach these wannabe warriors how to do battle."

In the next scene, the strange man, now identified as Hash Shaalan, a former U.S. Navy Seal, is talking to the final four in the middle of a field. (Shaalan was a producer and technical expert for the series. Watch this site for the summary of an interview he did with Peter Lance of The Stingray.) "This is very serious. I’m not saying this just to hype you up. I’ve been around firearms for the better part of my adult life. You just see things happen that you would just never, ever believe." I’m a little confused by this speech; just what is this guy bragging about? The lethalness of paint ball guns? Strange psychic encounters in Navy Seal squadrons?

The four get to discharge all their pent-up angst with their new toys – er, weapons – against some cardboard targets of the hunters. We see shot after shot splattering the likenesses of Big Tim, Koa, and Rayne. (Hunter "Rayne’s" name has a new spelling in this episode. On Manhunt’s website, she is identified as "Rain" that’s the least of the “fixes” the producers have made to this show, though.) Shaalan teaches them the fine art of running, dodging, and dropping with their "very serious" new weapons. Preacher Jim says, "I had no moral or ethical dilemmas whatsoever about hitting, bicep one, two, . . . " he counts off body parts as he splatters the target. "If I were Big Tim or Koa or Rayne, I would definitely be scared, because here comes Pastor Jim Lee."

The final course consists of a long, parched-looking, grassy plain flanked by tall ridges. Both hunters and contestants suit-up in special defensive gear – goggles with a long scarf attached to the bottom. Rayne’s gear resembles that of the final four, but Koa wears a kind of gladiator get-up with a piece of fringed leather under his goggles. Big Tim just wears the goggles, apparently to allow unhindered bellowing at his prey. The reason for wearing a scarf over the bottom half of their face is never explained. This last day is a scorcher and the scarves soon prove to be a major hindrance.

Jim is still feisty as he prepares to do battle, "I’m tired of being hunted. I’m tired of being prey and I’m ready to take on the role of hunter, definitely." Romey is a reluctant warrior, "Having the option to fight back is really appealing, but I really prefer to run and hide. I don’t know what it is, but I’m really not that aggressive."

One mile to beach and Grand Prize of $250,000.
The group heads out through the dry grassland along a dirt track through the hills. As we have noted in other episodes, the group is only given one route to their target. There is also an unspecified time limit for the group to complete the course. Both hunters and contestants are given a limited amount of paint balls, also unspecified. The lack of coherent narration in this show is a major flaw.

Dramatic music swells; what could be happening? A shot rings out. We see Big Tim taking aim at the top of a hill overlooking the track. The group crouches down looking for the hunters. Nicole spots Big Tim first, "He’s at the very end." Jim searches frantically but can’t see him, and she points again. Ed raises up for a look and Koa hits him. The disbelieving Ed explains, "I wasn’t in the habit of getting shot." Nicole insists that they move out. Jim has lost his macho persona now that they’re under fire and insists that the group save their ammo and not shoot back. Koa starts jumping out from behind his tree, grunting and waving his arms like some kind of manic gorilla. Ed uses his new training to good advantage and takes a shot at Koa, and hits him. Mark one for the group! They take off for the top of the hill. Big Tim jumps up and fires several shots after them. Ed is hit again. Big Tim leaps up bellowing, "Mark, mark!" lest no one miss his manly prowess. He orders Rain and Koa to drop back and regroup. "Bring them around into the valley and take their heads off," he orders.

Ed, Romey, Jim, and Nicole finally stop and take off their masks. "It’s so hot; I can’t breathe," says Nicole. Big Tim is concerned about Koa’s hit. "Koa, you got marked?" he frowns. Koa bobs his head and points to his armpit. "The little girl slapped hard at me," he explains in hunter-speak. They should have equipped him with some extra brain cells instead of the goofy face gear he’s wearing. "You’ll get plenty of chances for payback. Let’s go," the big guy assures him.

Preacher Jim is not impressed by Ed’s marksmanship. He fusses at the group again to conserve their ammo. Jim is acting more like a petty bureaucrat than the fearless leader of a commando squad. He asks Ed if he hit Koa. Ed nods his head slowly, his eyes glazed over. "Getting hit twice messed me up. It was almost like I was in a daze," he explains. Romey comes to his rescue, "We almost lost Ed and emotionally, he kind of bailed. He snapped out of it and realized we needed him, so he got it together again." Ed explains that it was Romey’s "way of looking" at him that did the trick. "I had these three other people I cared about and I had to look out after, so I just had to focus on and make sure that these guys were O.K. If that meant taking a shot for them, I’d take a shot for them." Ed’s transformation into a caring person instead of a peevish sniper appears to be complete.

Big Tim inflates himself for his camera interview, "Yeah, they think they got guns, they think they got marker weapons, they think it’s easy. But, lemme tell you somethin’; just because you got a weapon, doesn’t mean you’re a Big Dog! What makes you a Big Dog is the ability to use it." He throws an empty paint ball casing at the camera in a ferocious display of strength.

The group moves into a grassy field bordered by a barbed wire fence. Nicole is not optimistic. "I knew we were gonna be walking into a trap. I wish we had a choice to go in another way and a different direction, but that was the only way to go." They all hop the first fence. Big Tim is watching. "Well, well, here comes the rat pack." (He’s switched from his mathematical obsession to a more zoological focus now.) He radios to his gladiators, "I’ve got a visual; they’re headed straight for us." Golly, what a surprise. The group can only go in one direction. The hunters still carry the only binoculars and can also see the finish line. What are the odds that they could actually cut off the contestants?

Ed sets the scene, "There was one tree in the dead center of everything that we had to get to and I spotted two hunters. They were basically in between us and where we had to be." Big Tim orders Koa forward. They leap up and run towards the group. Big Tim is very excited, "I’ve got ‘em pinned right here. Let ‘em waste their ammo on me. I ain’t gonna let ‘em pass me." He moves toward the group, holding his arms out from his sides. Koa responds in his own replicant voice, "Big Tim, I am in position waiting on your command." Rayne sets off a series of smoke bombs in the field. This is the biggest pyrotechnic display yet. There is so much smoke that the hunters have as much trouble seeing as the contestants. Romey, Ed, Jim, and Nicole go to ground. Nicole spots Big Tim and quickly hits him. Mark two for the group! Big Tim is really manic now. He orders Koa to come up and make every shot count. The group moves steadily towards the next fence.

The group notices the hunters new behavior. "I don’t know that the hunters had ever been hunted before. The way that they acted was completely different. They were all hiding and keeping a fair distance," says Romey. Rayne sets off more bombs. The group run and dodge, run and dodge. The hunters stay back and try to hit them. Big Tim orders Koa to run around the group and drive them towards him. Apparently, Koa is not doing this very well. The big guy gets more and more hyper, repeatedly ordering him to "box them in." Romey suddenly turns towards him as they are running past and marks the big guy for the second time! Big Tim runs past Jim, taunting him with "Come on Preacher Man, bring it on." The group runs under a group of trees and hide in the grass. Hunters and prey have reached a stalemate. Big Tim radios Koa that he only has one round left. Jim takes his turn at running past Big Tim now, daring him to shoot. Big Tim rewards Jim with his favorite pronouncement of "maggot." "We were sandwiched between Big Tim, who was in front of us and Koa, who was somewhere behind us. We had no choice. We had to move forward." They spot Koa, and take time to lavish the hunters with their own endearments. "Oh, give me a kiss, little Tim," coos Nicole. The big guy gets more and more agitated, if that’s possible. He looks like he’s about to spontaneously combust. It’s so annoying when one’s prey just refuses to cooperate. He reverts to his more primal mathematical focus, "Only one of me, four of you," etc.

The group has finally had enough, and start for the fence. Nicole and Jim, the two feistiest members, advance towards Big Tim, who is still blocking their way. Nicole realizes that Big Tim still has one round left and yells at Jim to run back. Jim has had enough, and stays to taunt him some more. He refuses to duck, even when Koa starts firing at him. Big Tim is infuriated that Jim won’t shoot him, "Shoot, me now; shoot me, now. Don’t wait ‘til you get home. It’s fiddler crab season." I’m so sorry, wrong cartoon. I don’t know what came over me.

Jim decides to take Big Tim up on his challenge and expend some of his stock. The big guy is still standing out in the open. Jim takes cover from behind and tree and shoots at Big Tim. Unfortunately, he misses. The group runs toward the next fence, with Big Tim bellowing close behind. "You think I’m as stupid as I look, don’t cha!" Be careful what you ask for, I always say.

Ed, Nicole, and Jim have outsprinted Romey. "At one point, I realized that everyone else had taken off in different directions than I had." Big Tim and Koa run after her. Koa aims and marks her. Jim also becomes separated from the group. "I felt it was appropriate to discharge some of my markers," he explains. He slows down to look for the hunters and is hit by Koa. Nicole sprints forward like a startled deer. "I didn’t care anymore about tactics or trying to psych them out. I just kept running and running and running." Big Tim outflanks Ed for the second time. "This one’s for you rat face; you’re goin’ home bald." He presses his trigger over and over, but the gun jams.

Finish Line
In a dramatic display of the high-quality production values for which this show is known, Nicole falls over the finish line ribbon into the winner’s circle dirt pile. Nicole Gordillo, a 23-year-old live-event promoter, wins Manhunt, as I correctly predicted in last week’s story. Nicole fully deserved to win this game. She showed a lot of moxie, scoring a hit on Big Tim, and she was not afraid to stand up for herself. She also got along well with the other members of the group, a critical skill for a Reality Show contestant.

The disembodied robot declares that "Nicole has crossed the Finish Line and is officially declared the winner." That’s it folks. End of contest. No prize pile waiting to be claimed. No welcoming host. Not even a lei. Even the lowliest tourist at least gets a lei. What she does get is a big, emotional group hug. The eliminated contestants flock forward, all nine of them. We see that the finish line is located at the edge of a beautiful white beach. The natural beauty of Hawaii is Nicole’s reward. The producers pad out the rest of the show with scenes of happy young things splashing about in the ocean. "It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my entire life," gushed Ed. Nicole announces to the cheering crowd that she is going to give Uncle Sam his portion and "share the rest with my new 12 best friends." They raise her on their shoulders and carry her off for a celebratory dunking.

Lucas declares that, "I’d pay $250,000 to be in Manhunt." A relieved Romey says, "I didn’t go out there to be an extraordinary person. I went out there to enjoy my day." I’d say she fulfilled her goals. Even the first-ousted contestant J.K. says gracious and supportive things about the experience. The show concludes with shots of the group swimming and smiling. We can only hope that the show’s producers cared enough to give them all a decent meal and a plane trip back home. According to a story at The Stingray's site, none of the contestants have been paid any of the prize money won in the game. A disclaimer run at the end of the show states that "due to time constraints, most of the bonus prizes and challenges" were edited out. Whether or not Uncle Sam has gotten his share is anyone’s guess. But the hunters do get to keep their hair. They’d look a little silly wearing leis anyway.

Melinda Smith is a technical illustrator and writer with a background in graphic arts. She and her family live in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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