I watched Episode 10 of Pirate Master online at my desk today, making the random note: Nessa, Kendra, Louie = weak team; Jay Christa Ben — New “triad”; Jay = snake. Stuff like that. I had to laugh at myself though, because there I was taking notes to blog a show that was no longer on the air. Why exactly was I doing this? I still don’t know. I blame it on an odd quirk of mine — that strange compulsion I have to finish something that I’ve started. So, here I am discussing that Titanic of reality shows (probably with myself). This is the task I have set before myself. Here I go.I bet that if this episode had aired, a lot of folks would have really enjoyed tonight’s show. The challenge was great. It was grueling. I don’t know if they are getting longer as the show progresses or if they just seem that way now that there are fewer players. Regardless, the challenge was great. People actually had to use some smarts to figure out the "bottle in the p...
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CBS ought to send every viewer who caught this most recent episode of Pirate Master a gold coin. After canceling this ratings disappointment, those who did follow this show now have to log on to CBS.com to catch streaming video of the remaining few new episodes. Given what could have happened — being forever left to wonder at the outcome like, say, fans of Invasion, Reunion, or Threshold — we few fans should be grateful that we can at least see the full run of the show. Watching this episode, however, I kept asking myself why? Why pull the show now when this episode involved so many tweaks to the game that it is now at its most interesting? Why do they ever let Louie do the puzzles? Why did Christa bid for the royal pardon?First off, the changes: Ben and Jay have been stripped of their officer statuses, courtesy of the host. (Coincidence that this move comes right after the ghost pirate debacle?) Now these former officers are both eligible for a black mark, but they can no...
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Grrr! Ahhhh! Ughh! That’s me trying to find a word to express the frustration I felt after tonight’s show. I was comforted, however, by the fact that our dear Pirate Master host, Cameron Daddo, was feeling much the same way — or was that merely annoyance that I heard in his voice? I can’t blame the guy, who I’m sure thought he was going to be the next Jeff Probst when he accepted this gig. (It’s Survivor on a boat — sounds like a no-brainer.) A reality show is only as good as the twists and turns it provides (and a great cast doesn’t hurt either). Tonight’s return of the “Ghost Pirates” — players who had been cut adrift — should have been great. It should have turned this show on its head. That is what it was designed to do. A win by the ghost crew would have earned them $50K, unseated a long-standing captain and given them the power to dole out black spots. Instead this twist fizzled. Why? Because as Daddo said, “...
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It’s with a heavy heart that I lift my pen to write this recap. Joe Don has been set adrift, leaving Louie and Nessa behind at Pirates Court. The Triad is still in power and captain Azmyth grows more conniving with each passing day. Of course, this all makes for an entertaining episode that leaves you anticipating next week’s show wondering: With Azmyth’s biggest threat gone, who will he campaign against?But first I have some questions because there are some things that I do not understand on this show. Why did the crew keep Louie, and more importantly, why did they cut their strongest teammate, Joe Don, loose? Why don’t the crew members on the black crew throw their challenges to oust their leader? Does Azmyth come up with a list of chores on his own or is Cameron feeding him ideas. I mean, really, checking the hull for barnacles? Yes, of course, it’s a legitimate concern, but did you see any? Me neither. Here’s another question: Why did the producers ...
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What is it about those in power that makes you want to root against them? It must be their corruptible nature. Reigning captain, Azmyth, held on to his hat after the black crew won this week’s grueling challenge. This time, however, when divvying up the $40K prize, he and his officers preferred ye old 60/40 booty split over the share-and-share-alike split that had kept Az in power. Between that and the intermittent accent, as well as the self-referential use of "Triad," I’m ready for a change of power. As is Laurel, who catapulted herself to the rank of favorite in my standings by calling Azmyth a “superfreak in a blue coat.” My second favorite is JD, who is clearly in the underdog position yet consistently keeps the show interesting with his maneuvers to stay in the game. Whether he’s ponying up $12K to buy an unnecessary pardon or making out with Nessa, JD is the perfect foil to Captain Azmyth. And let’s face it, if JD hadn’t played so hard in th...
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