(Recap) The Unpredictable Survivor Philippines: Palau

It’s been more than a week when Amanda was declared as the second Pinoy Sole Survivor. Here’s my thought.

First off, I was disappointed that the ritual of remembering-the-castaways-that-was-gone-before-them-by-gathering-one-by-one-their-snuffed-torches-and-burn-everything-after was not done by the final three. Although it was less exciting when it was done on the first season, I was still looking forward for it but it was scrapped altogether much to my dismay.

I got a mixed feeling on Amanda’s win. While I was glad that one of my two initial favorites to win the game (together with Marvin), at the same time I am not thrilled of her win because her win meant that Mika got what she wanted – she, too, won when Amanda got the another three nods from the juries.

sp2: palau (cycle thirteen) it’s “sugar” all over again

Whew! That’s got to be the one of the best tribal council in this season.

Maybe it’s just me but I think I have seen this happen in Survivor: Gabon. Sugar – the swing-voter. Sugar – the power player. Sugar – the weak player that made it to the end. Sugar – the sweet girl. And the same Sugar who got no vote from the jury on the final tribal council. In this Philippine version, Sugar’s counterpart would be Jef. And I am betting Jef suffered the same fate as that of Sugar as I don’t see any of the jury will give her the title. Not one.

So that means jury will choose only between Amanda and Justine. And my instinct says that Justine will get at least four of the votes. For sure, she will get Echo and Charles’ vote. And maybe Shaun’s, Zuki’s, Marvin’s and Tara’s. Either one may give the vote to Amanda but I doubt there will be two of them giving the vote to her. The only vote that will surely be for Amanda will be Mika.

My fearless forecast is that Justine will be the second Pinoy Sole Suvivor. 6-1-0. It may be 5-2-0. I doubt it will be 4-3-0.

And if there will be texter’s vote once again, I think it will be close call but even without it Justine will still prevail.

sp2: palau (cycle twelve) keep your “enemies” closer

MIKA was voted off! YES! YES! YES!

(got busy – so i will edit this about my thots when this cycle was shown on tv) But I am happy that Mika will not make it to the top three. Yes!

 

sp2: palau (cycle eleven) the power shift

A major let-down. WHERE IS MY OBB? For four weeks now, it’s no longer shown at the beginning of the show. Are the production too lazy to edit it?

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So Shaun’s gone. Too late to break into the looming alliance of Jef, Justine and Charles. Had it not for the quick alliance made before the cycle ten tribal council wherein the three made a pact, it would have been easier for Shaun to be in the Power 3 instead of Jef in there. Too late for him as the three already made up their plans on how the votes will go in the next three tribal councils.

It’s kind of expected but I was hoping that in the last minute, Justine and Charles (and Jef even) would change their mind and blindside Mika when they have the time to do it. That didn’t materialize which is sad for me.

sp2: palau (cycle ten) down to the last man standing

This got to be the week I have followed and taken a close look on how the alliances are formed. It was interesting.

But… to declare that I was extremely upset with result of the tribal council was an understatement. This should be the last stumbling block that would give Shaun a fighting chance to the title of show’s Sole Survivor and with the way things are going he will have a taller order to hurdle. Although the castaways have so far shown unpredictability in their choice on who should go next, it is not difficult to be aware of what the remaining castaways think and everyone seems to be not keen of facing Shaun in the immunity challenges. He was saved by the hidden immunity object but to the drawback of his closest ally, Suzuki.

If there was one person I am blaming to the end of Zuki’s run, it would have to be Charles who turns out to be the real swing vote in the said tribal council. Okay, it was Jef who decided who to be voted off next after a tiebreak but that tiebreaker would have not happened had Charles stuck to the boy’s alliance. Good for him, he was able to jump off to an alliance that could probably bring him to the finals. Bad for Shaun, he remains as the odd man in Sonsorol tribe.

Until now I am disappointed with Charles’ decision to jump ship without thinking that would bring Zuki (and Shaun) to the disadvantage. I can’t find good motive to his decision, only a selfish move.

sp2: palau (cycle nine) divided and conquered

My fear has just came true. The Koror tribe castaways that I have been rooting for has been divided and now close to being wiped out one by one. While it breaks my heart to see Echo being voted out, it was her own doing and she’s got herself to blame. She got the biggest mistake when she agreed to vote out Tara first knowing that she can use it to her advantage if Tara will be around for at least one more tribal council – whether she will align herself to either the original Koror tribe or to the perceived girls alliance. By voting off Tara, it made her weaker – thus vulnerable of voting off next. Sad.

Shaun, Jef and Mika won the reward challenge. The losers got the clue to the hidden immunity object but shared the information to the winners still. Then Suzuki won the immunity challenge, Justine second. Then Tara voted off in the tribal council making her the second jury member. In a surprise tribal council, Echo was voted off next, making her the third jury to decide who will win. On the tribal council, Paolo also announces that whoever voted off next will have the chance to have two votes on the next tribal council after that. Interesting but I am sick of this pearl crap (whatever the color maybe).

I have to admit this is one of the most anticipated tribal council for me and it’s just disappointing to see original Airai’s chances getting stronger. While I am happy with Amanda and Shaun’s chances getting bigger, it worries me that so is Jef and Mika’s chances also improves. I hope things will still change come cycle ten. Now that Echo gone, I am shifting to Shaun as my next bet. Hope he can use his chances to his advantage.

sp2: palau (cycle eight) the strongest and the best don’t always win

While I knew this coming, but I never thought it to be this soon. Now, I am losing my interest into the series but no. One of my favorites may have lost but that only proves that this batch of castaways offer better than the first one when it comes to creating strategy into the game.

Cycle eight results:

• New tribe was formed – Sonsorol
• Justine was safe in the first Sonsorol tribal council after getting the second immunity necklace attached to the immunity idol.
• Shaun won the first individual immunity challenge. Jef almost did (to my surprise).
• Marvin was voted off in the tribal council making him the first jury member.
• Marvin gave the black pearl to Mika and the white pearl to Suzuki.

I wasn’t able to see the Friday so I have no idea on how the votes are swayed against Marvin’s favor. When I learned that it was him who was voted off, I was still disappointed although I knew it coming sooner or later. It just confirmed that the strongerst and the best don’t always win. He was outwitted, and that’s part of the game.

sp2: palau (cycle seven) surprises and twists that is justine

I thought the bleeping and hissing will be gone after Louie’s departure but apparently it’s not. The venom has transferred and it seems it will still go a long way so beware!

Cycle seven results:

• Castaways looking forward for the merger and it didn’t happen.
• Koror, yet again, won both the reward challenge and the immunity challenge.
• Koror gave Tara the immunity bracelet for the first time thinking Airai will further get down with her presene.
• Cris was voted off by Airai. Surprise!
• Castoff faceoff challenge is a camp building.
• Merger finally came. New tribe is called Sonsorol
• Justine won convincingly in the challenge earning her the right to get back in the game.
• Cris became the sixth person to officially leave the game.

sp2: palau (cycle six) bleeping and hissing, no more

Getting sick with the Jef-Marvin love angle getting too much air time. Please let it rest.

Cycle six results:

• Koror won both the (massage) reward challenge and the immunity challenge (fruit bat eating).
• Koror gave Cris the immunity bracelet for the second time
• Airai (despite their losses) wins the reward after the immunity challenge a.k.a. twist, a tribal camp switch. Koror got pissed while Airai feasts.
• Louie was voted off by Airai and then losses to Justine in the faceoff making him the fifth person to officially leave the game.

I will miss the bleeps everytime he speaks and the different snakes shown before his profile is. Surely he’s one of the CAs that viewers love to hate but personally I wished he had gone to the distance. I have no complaint if he had won either. He’s a character. But the breaks of the game didn’t go to his side. Had the faceoff challenge was the one that of Troy, I think Louie have won it handily.

Everything will be all right

Late Saturday morning. I wake with the worsened condition of my colds. I wanted more sleep but I have to get up as I was about to get drenched by the rain water coming from the roof holes. The day is dark (and noisy) with the typhoon. I tried to go online but the internet is so slow (out-of-order even) that I was only able to post one update (my complaints for the day) on Twitter after an hour of trying to do so. I gave up after. And I thought this could be one of the worst days I ever had.

Then an hour later or so, reality strikes and I realized that I am much luckier that I thought. There are a lot out there that unfortunately have to suffer more than I have to come accross. I was complaining about the rainwater coming from the holes while a lot have to deal with the water coming all over the place. I was complaining of my colds, but I know it is a lot harder to be out there battling the forces of nature. I was grumbling on my internet connection, while others are doing what they can to get help and don’t know if others are responding.

At the end of the day, there is still discomfort because of the colds, I wasn’t able to sleep to my room because my bed’s got drenched, and I never got back online as the line got busted. But I am no longer complaining. I am happy to count my blessings.

But I am hoping that everyone and everything will be all right after the misfortune.