Maybe it was the hidden immunity idol setup from last week, but tonight’s episode of Survivor: Micronesia was hilarious. It wasn’t just because of Jason’s idol reveal and Eliza’s delicious, “It can’t be the idol—it’s a stick!” response, which actually was funnier in the preview than in the show. Nearly everyone did or said something to make me chuckle tonight, but the prize has got to got to Parvati whose mannered feud with Eliza came to a head at tribal council and ended with a tiny wave to Eliza’s exiting form.First, let’s look back at the events that lead up to the ever-entertaining presentation of a false hidden idol at tribal. As suspected, the tribes merged at the top of the hour. Coming together under the name Dabu – a Micronesian word in Erik’s mind only, meaning “good”. The ten remaining castaways feasted on some tasty morsels…and bats. Yes, bats. Now there was no indication that this was some ...
read more
Ami Cusack, Survivor: Micronesia
Ami Cusack, the most recent castoff from Survivor: Micronesia (Thursdays at 8 pm/ET, CBS), may have taken this season's setup too literally. The 35-year-old nanny from Denver, Colorado, spent her last days on the island caught between the fans and the favorites. She tried to find her place — and play both sides — but in the end the truth about her duplicity set her free from the game. With her torch snuffed, Ami told TVGuide.com just how hard it was to be the woman in the middle.
TVGuide.com: You were a strong player, but by the end you were very emotional. Were you playing the game all the way through to tribal council?
Ami Cusack: I honestly don't feel like I was playing the game until the last three hours on the beach. After Yau-Man got voted out and Cirie chose to vote with the other alliance, my game just went on pause. [Later on] after I talked
read more
Sitting at home in our comfy chairs, feet up, remote in hand, maybe a snack and a beverage nearby we fans of Survivor are apt to forget how brutal this game can be. Even as we watch castaways plot and scheme and ultimately stab each other in the back it’s all good fun for us. But this season I’m seeing a real human element in the game that maybe I had glossed over before. Kathy’s mental collapse evoked sympathy from me (though many a reader felt that she needed to suck it up). Players bowed out of the game due to injury. Tribe members fell in love and in lust all against the framework of a million-dollar payoff. That million dollars, however, is the problem. People will do just about anything to be the last one standing in Survivor and so tonight as I lounged in my sofa, watching a tearful player’s plea for acceptance, my emotional and rational selves were at war. There I was, an armchair member of Malakal at Tribal Council trying to decide who and what to tru...
read more
Tracy and Kathy, Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites
In its second twofer of the season Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites (Thursdays at 8 pm/ET on CBS) said goodbye to a pair of fans last Wednesday when Kathleen Sleckman and Tracy Hughes-Wolf saw their dreams of a million-dollar prize slip away. Although she was a tough competitor, Tracy's strong alliance with two of the show's weakest players kept her scrambling for position. Meanwhile, Kathy's fondness for the favorites never wavered, but the rigors of the game zapped her motivation, and in a move that has secured her a spot in Survivor history, she chose to quit the show. TVGuide.com caught up with both women to discuss their exits and find out just what went wrong.
TVGuide.com: Kathy, when did you start feeling that you were ready to leave?
Kathy Sleckman: That would have been when the natives took us in on the boat.
TVGuide.com: Right from the beginning, eh?
Kathy: [Laughs] Well, I can't say right from the beginn
read more
What is going on here? I’m crying watching Survivor. Last week we had Jonathan’s heartbreaking leave from the game and this week Kathy had me ready to bawl with her total breakdown. It was so sad to watch, but for the first time ever I think viewers got a true taste of what the Survivor experience is like. I know if I had to sleep in that cave with the rats and the bats and the creepy crawlies in order to avoid the hours-long downpour outside I would have found myself in much the same condition as Kathy. Poor thing.It is well documented how Jeff feels about quitters on this show, but when he sat on that log next to Kathy and said that he just wanted to understand you realize again why he’s the best host on TV. Kathy replied, “I don’t want anybody to think that I’m quitting,” and I completely teared up. And so another player leaves the game without benefit of a vote or a torch snuffing. I’ll miss the wackiness that Kathy brought to the show...
read more
It’s always a sad day on Survivor when a player gets taken out of the game due to circumstances beyond their control. Today was especially sad for this reviewer since Jonathan Penner was a particular favorite. Always interesting, always entertaining Jonathan played the game with such enthusiasm that he energized his whole team. He gave it his all yet never lost sight of the fact that in the end it was just game. So, it just sucks that last week’s infernal game of prison-escapee tag – the same one that left others battered and bruised – resulted in this season losing one of its best players due to a potentially life-threatening infection. Jonathan’s teary farewell group hug, Kathy sobbing, “we need you! I need you!” – had me misty-eyed myself. Now James is left on a tribe of women and one longhaired guy and he’s feeling a little vulnerable – as he should. Let’s face it James is not the most strategic player Survivor’s ever...
read more
What a satisfying episode! There was a tribe mix-up, a brutal challenge, a little hero worship and a blind-sided ouster. I have to say that I am truly enjoying this season. I like that things are not following the frequent pattern of a dominant alliance calling the shots and picking off the lesser alliance one by one. Jeff pulled the old “drop your buffs” tribe switcheroo. Isn’t it interesting how the new Airai and Malakal tribes turned out? The couples alliance was split between the two tribes yet by some strange coincidence each member of the couples ended up with their respective partner. Looking at the breakdown (Airai: Natalie, James, Alexis, Jonathan, Jason, Parvati, Kathy, Eliza. Malakal: Ozzy, Joel, Amanda, Erik, Ami, Tracy, Cirie, Chet) I have give the edge to Malakal. I see a strong alliance forming between Ami, Tracy, Cirie and Chet that could run the rest of the game. We’ll see.How lucky is Erik to have landed on the same tribe as his idol Ozzy? G...
read more
Given the fireworks of last week’s show and the previews that promised a continuation of the Cirie/Jonathan showdown I have to say I was somewhat let down by tonight’s follow-up. It was like going to see Captain Ron, remember that movie with Martin Short and Kurt Russell? All the funny parts were in the trailer. It’s the same situation here. We saw all the fireworks between the factions at the end of last week’s show. That said, Jonathan still continues to amuse me with his penchant for busting into people’s private strategy sessions. This week he followed Parvati and Eliza as Eliza was trying to position herself in the couples’ alliance. Lucky for Eliza, the favorites, divided as they are, certainly work well together during challenges. They won both reward and immunity and in the process earned three hens, one rooster and chicken feed. Ozzy, who was sent to Exile Island along with Kathy (on her third visit), returned to his tribe with the hidden...
read more
I’m scared. My favorite favorites are squabbling and try as I might to convince myself that this was game-playing at a superior level; that these two powerhouse strategists had planned a public fight to throw everyone else off the scent; that Cirie and Jonathan are the tightest alliance on the show, I couldn’t. Quite frankly, I’m afraid that Cirie might win the battle but that the war will go to someone else.First, I must give credit to Survivor: Micronesia for at long last casting a show where both tribes are somewhat equally matched. There have been no runs of success and no bouts of loss for Airai or Malakal. Each week the game can go either way. Tonight it went both: Favorites won reward and fans won immunity. Kathy and Ami went to Exile Island but the idol remains hidden. This leads us to the main event of the night: The fight for Cirie. I don’t envy Cirie. It is not easy being the swing vote between two alliances. I was so happy to see that she did no...
read more
There was a little bit of everybody in the show tonight Blah blah blahpolitics Boy do I wish Robert would pull out of the race but I guess thats not going to happen now that hes taken Michigan And he even did that without the governors endorsement and sporting a gay brother How do you like them apples Jason confronted Robert about his sexuality being a burden on Roberts campaign and they had an all of one minute fight over it Never fear they kissed and made up by shows end I wonder if things will go so smoothly for Saul and Milo if the implications behind a goblet of wine and good conversation shared between the absent Milos housesitter friend and Saul are any indication of a tryst in the makingSpeaking of trysts the newly divorced Sarah hit the sheets with Graham after a drunken night of karoake spent with the uptight Kevin and Scottys friends The prize for best exchange of the night goes to these two Graham attempted to rebuff a kiss from Sarah with
read more