Survivor: China, Episode 10 As I See It – Who Knew?

With this episode, we got the Paul Harvey – you know, the “rest of the story” for which we’d waited two weeks. Some thought another person was going home and some thought a reward challenge was in the works. A reward challenge it was, and what a reward! I have to say that I thought this was one of the best rewards ever. The temple was beautiful, the martial arts demonstration intriguing – if they had only shown more of it – and I was really envious that Peih-Gee, Erik, and Denise got to go on this once-in-a-lifetime trip. I always wonder if the Survivors are so into the game that they aren’t aware of how unique some of the reward challenges really are and how lucky they are to win them.

The priceless surprise this episode was Denise. You know, Denise, the lunch lady. Denise, who was complaining and whining about being the last picked for anything in the schoolyard.

When Peih-Gee selected Erik and Denise to accompany her on the reward to the temple, I suspected, as did others, that she was trying to garner support. Little did we know that Denise – meek, mild-mannered Denise – is working on her black belt and that to go to the home of kung fu was beyond her wildest dreams. The look on Denise’s face, during the demonstration and after, was enough to make even the hardest heart smile. The woman was in heaven when she was asked to give a demonstration of her talents. I was impressed, as obviously was Erik, who said, “Who knew?” And who did know?

Previously all we’ve seen of Denise is that she had a bit of an alliance with James and that she felt like an outsider for being the last selected in a reward challenge. I frankly think she has nothing in the world to be complaining about when she has some obvious talent in the martial arts, and I admire her. Now that James is gone, perhaps we will see Denise come into her own, as she could be a swing vote. Who knows?

Courtney, although I was just starting to like her a teeny little bit, acted once again like a spoiled brat. When the returning winners approached her in her little bat cave, she started whining about how it was hers. Oh puhleeze… shades of Danielle Donato. Whine, whine, and whine.

I think Courtney and Erik both have spent some time throwing darts in bars. Their prowess during the star-throwing challenge made me think they’ve had some practice. It stands to reason that Erik would, since he is a musician and bars are his workplace. And I can see Courtney on that bar stool looking down her nose at everyone, then challenging someone to a dart game, can’t you?

Amanda is fulfilling the prophecy I made to myself that she is emerging as the true leader of the tribe. Todd may think he is in charge, but Amanda was able to persuade him and the others to vote out James, whom she saw as a true competitor. Courtney may think she and Amanda are buddies, since Amanda winked at her during Tribal Council, but I have a feeling that they won’t be BFF for long.

Erik, too, may think he is in the loop after winning immunity and going on the reward with Peih-Gee and Denise, but I would be willing to wager that his time is coming soon. He’s been so much of a non-player to date, though, that perhaps he might be overlooked as a non-threat. But I think Amanda is smarter than that.

Todd was doing his share of whining this episode also, maybe catching the whiney-bug from Courtney. I realize that being in the mud in your bathing suit for days on end is uncomfortable, even though I’ve never had the experience, but if he likes a million dollars as much as he proclaims to, perhaps he should just quit whining and suck it up. Todd also now hates Peih-Gee. Imagine that! She is playing the game so he hates her? Todd is another one that if he does it, it’s okay, but don’t dare anyone else do it.

I know that my fellow writers on Reality News Online are going to discuss and rehash what James should and should not have done to stay in the game. I am going to give him a little time, because although he was one of my favorite players, he disappointed me in his game play. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the “sense” that he thought he would have if things were amiss among his fellow tribe mates. He even interviewed that, “If I get past tonight, then I’m good.” Why have two immunity idols and still be blindsided? Even if he were not a target, and used one, he would still have been in the final five or better.

This non-action made it obvious that James really didn’t have a handle on what the others were thinking and/or doing. He was too busy proselytizing about eating the apple and frolicking naked that now he is a member of the jury. I wonder, as he did, who will hold the “fruit loops” together? And what was with this obsessive talk about apples and the Garden of Eden? I never did understand that as it pertained to Survivor, but there’s a lot I don’t understand these days.

Peace!

Eileen is an intake operator for a legal referral service in Cincinnati, Ohio by day and spends her free time with the little ones that call her the “Queen of the Grandmas” and their parents and practicing Yoga which she thought was going to be the “lazy woman’s exercise.” She got fooled. She welcomes comments and constructive criticism at ohiograndma2003@hotmail.com.