Survivor: The Amazon, Episode 11 MVP: Umm, Where’s the MVP?

So here’s the thing: I’m sort of in a predicament. I’ve been thinking all weekend, setting up different scenarios in my head, thinking about who could possibly be the MVP, and I still come up empty handed. Nobody, in my mind, stuck out all that much in order to get the award. Oh, there were plenty of people who made moves this week, but it really didn’t seem that any of them were really all that MVP-worthy. I would like to make up a new award, and that would be the Most Improved Player award. Someone was able to capture this, and it is more than overdue. Also, I will discuss why everyone else didn’t get the MVP this week.

I like to start with my favorites. I’m sure you know by now that I’m pretty much rooting for Rob to win. I like the way he has been playing the game and his strategy. Well, that is until the most recent episode. Rob decided to stick with the sure thing as usual and join back up with Jenna and Heidi. Rob, I keep telling you that eventually they are all going to turn on you and I see this happening sooner rather than later. Eventually, they are not going to let you control the game anymore and start growing brains. One person showed that this week and I now think has some power. You knew that Christy would go against the stepsisters before you so I don’t understand what you were worrying about. Anyway, you lasted another week, but I don’t think turning on Christy was really all that MVP worthy.

Christy! I could shake you. It all came down to three words with you in the end. Those words were “I guess so” when Rob asked you if you were going to vote against Heidi. Your reply should have been, “Yes I am.” Never make Rob feel like he is not in control or he will scramble to have you booted like he did to you. I felt so bad because I really thought you were a shoe-in at this point for the final four. Alas, it was not meant to be and I have to accept that. It wasn’t an MVP move to tell Rob you didn’t know how you were going to vote even if it was the truth. You are true class, Christy, and I still love you. I wish you nothing but the best in your future; you are a true role model.

Butch, I have no idea what to say. You NEVER do anything all that MVP worthy and you proved it yet again in this episode. You are so out of the loop that it is getting ridiculous. I’m hoping you step up this week and realize that you are finally in a position of power. You can take this thing if you join up with the two remaining men or women. My advice would be to go with the women because you have a better shot at beating them for immunity. I guess we will have to see. Once again though, please Butch, make a power play move!

If anyone came close to getting an honorable mention this week I would have to say it was either Matt or Jenna. I would give it to Matt because he is smart enough to let Rob do all the scheming and just hold on for the ride. Rob thinks he has Matt around his finger but like many of people have said to me, Matt is much smarter than people are giving him credit for. Yeah, he may be tad on the psychotic side, but maybe that is working to his advantage. He is not backstabbing anybody and really seems to be moving along. Nobody realizes when he does something shady because they are too busy worrying about who Rob is plotting against. Jenna would have gotten the honorable mention for finally calling Rob out on all his scheming. It was a smart move to make everyone realize that Rob was playing them. Rob was in a situation where he had to think on the spot about how his alliances were shaken up and had to deny ever telling Jenna that he wanted to be in the final two. Good for Jenna for getting the courage to call him out, however, she really had nothing to lose at that point. Looks like it turned out to be a smart decision anyway if she is still in the game even after giving up the immunity necklace.

That leaves us with Heidi. Where do I even begin? She was smart to approach Christy to find out where she stood when the voting was to be done. It was also a smart move on her part to keep approaching her and not dropping the subject by reminding her that she would be the first one gone once the men had gotten rid of Jenna and herself. I’m going to give Heidi the award for Most Improved Player (MIP) because we finally got to see her doing some scheming and plotting. When she did it, she did a good job. I have to give her some extra points for crying when she had her conversation with Rob because that made him nervous when she went to Jenna all in a huff, leading Jenna to call Rob out on everything that he had done in the game. Heidi is working it, and she is working it well. I’m not going to make her the MVP though because I’m not sure if she was doing all this on purpose, or if it was merely a coincidence or accident. Heidi just doesn’t seem that smart to me.

Even though we didn’t have an MVP this week, there were still so many decisions and alliances that had to be looked at. I couldn’t not write the article because I really wanted to give some praise to Heidi for finally breaking out and doing some plotting. It’s nice to see some classic scheming and scurrying for votes every now and then, and that is exactly what she did this episode. Hopefully next week we will get a little more action with Butch finally making the move that I had been praying he would do all the long. I guess we have to just watch in anticipation. Maybe there will be another MIP in the bunch.

Phil Kural is a junior at Temple University, and can be reached at pkural@astro.temple.edu with any MVP suggestions.

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