Survivor Samoa: Natalie Beats Russell For The Million Bucks

I was tired last night. I quit watching Survivor after Russell outlasted Brett at holding a pole in the air. I figured it was a no-brainer, Russell would win, I'd watch the Conclusion and Reunion tomorrow.

I also figured the part where the jury gets to ask questions would be a snoozer.

Again, I was wrong.

That Shambo can really get wound up. And Eric's, well, actorly speech in support of Natalie, well, I thought that was just odd and hypocritical. By the way, Eric is an actor, not a good one, obviously, but he is an actor. Survivor should not cast actors.

I did not understand Brett's questioning. He only asked a question of Mick. And he asked what they'd do on a Bro-date. It was very odd. Probst looked like he thought it odd, as well, as did others. I had trouble understanding what Brett says sometimes, like his last sentence directed at Mick. I replayed it several times and had to give up.

I'm guessing the Galu people had made up their minds not to give the million to Russell, while holed up together, after Russell engineered their exits.

The Reunion show was entertaining too. That Jeff Probst is one good TV Host. Russell seemed sort of hurt that he didn't win. Russell was very funny. Offering Natalie what I thought was $10,000, but Probst later said $100,000 if she'd just give up the Sole Survivor title to Russell, that's all he wanted. She declined. What a dumb blonde.

The fans voted Russell $100,000 as being their pick as the best.

At the start of the season I, along with most viewers weren't liking Russell. Way too nasty and arrogant. Apparently Russell caught a lot of public flak early on. And then as the season progressed Russell received less bad flak and instead started having positive flak coming his way. I don't remember when Russell went from Villain to Hero for me. Maybe it was about the time he found the 1st Hidden Immunity Idol.

Now, Heroes & Villains brings up another subject. That being the next season of Survivor, also taking place in the South Pacific, called Survivor Redemption: Heroes vs. Villains.

Good guys and girls and Bad guys and girls from past seasons. Which side does Russell fit on? I'd say Heroes.

As for this version of another All Star type season. I don't like it. This will be the 20th season of Survivor. Thousands of people try to get on that show. It seems wrong to have people on again, who had already had the fun.

All Star Survivor ended up with Rob and Amber getting married, which led to other bad things. Like that pair being on The Amazing Race after they'd already won one reality show. But, having said that, Rob and Amber, especially Rob, were pretty good on The Amazing Race.

Survivor Gabon: Earth's Last Eden Bad Eve---Corinne

I did not get around to watching Sunday's Survivor finale until Monday. Which is sort of an indicator that Survivor is no longer the must see TV it used to be. A football game running late pushed 60 Minutes a half hour into the Survivor start time.

The DVR is smart enough to know that the series scheduled to be auto-recorded has moved to Sunday night for its finale. But the DVR apparently can not tell that 60 Minutes has not ended. The DVR recorded part 1, from 7 until 9. And then part 2, the Reunion, from 9 til 10. Because of the screwup I basically missed half the reunion. Which was fine. I usually bail before it is over anyway.

The DVR does have its benefits. As it greatly shortens 3 hours of TV viewing when you can zip through commercials and speed through boring parts. Like the tiresome walk by their fallen comrades. I always hate that part of a Survivor finale. Followed by burning the fallen comrades torches. I guess you have to have a lot of fluff to fill up 3 hours of primetime.

The biggest surprise of the evening was Susie winning the final immunity challenge by making a house of cards better than anyone else. The challenge previous to that, Susie did not do so well. It was a physically taxing run over and through mazes to find puzzle pieces. Bob easily won that one, with the overly cocky, self-described mastermind, Kenny, being sent to the jury.

Sugar finagled an ending where Bob and Matty tied, with Bob, who'd been practicing making fire all afternoon, easily torching his string, before Matty ever got a fire going, sending Matty home. Well, to the jury.

So, it was Susie, Sugar and Bob for the final three. Pretty much I didn't care who won. I probably would have liked a Sugar or Susie win better than the actual winner.

The jury assault on the final three was interesting. Kenny was embarrassing, not letting go of his "Bob lied to me" whining about giving him the immunity necklace. What a fall for a mastermind.

Marcus seemed pompous. I thought he kept it secret, he being a doctor. But he said, "As you all know I'm a physician." He then proceeded to be sort of, well, rude, particularly to Susie. I didn't get what point he was making with Susie.

Randy had some good vitriol. But he always comes across to me as being purposefully funny in a confounding to others way. He was the same way, only more so, at the reunion.

Crystal was more toned down than I would have expected.

Charlie was as flamboyant as I would have expected. He asked Bob if Bob secretly enjoyed all their intimate cuddling and spooning. To which Bob basically said "anything to keep warm."

And that brings us to Corinne. Without a doubt one of the nastiest humans ever to be on Survivor, let alone any other reality show. At the reunion Jeff Probst basically acted astounded at Corinne's attitude and asked her if she regretted her embarrassingly over the top harsh words to Sugar at the jury inquisition. The crowd loudly booed Corinne and cheered Sugar, who Probst said was the fan's favorite. Sugar looked like a version of Marilyn Monroe at the reunion. Very cute.

Corinne may have a little surface beauty, very little. Very ugly inside.

This is what Corinne said to Sugar when it became Corinne's turn to direct attention to the final three. "Sugar, you are an unemployed, uneducated leech on society and the only thing I'd vote to give you is a handful of anti-depressants so that no one else has to be subjected to your constant crying anymore. And maybe if you get some then it would seem a little more sincere when you're crying about your dead father. You don't deserve the million..."

Corinne's affect while saying the above was that of an out of control mean bitch from hell. I've known a few of those. To be avoided at all costs.

Next time Survivor goes back to Brazil. I hope it's not on that nasty Amazon River again.