New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Bobby Mason

It's time for a closer look at new 'Survivor' castaway Bobby Mason. In reading through his bio at the CBS website, he looks like an interesting person. He's a 32 year old attorney from Los Angeles, CA.

He was brought up in the rather rough South Central L.A., but his parents did a great job with him getting him into good schools and instilling the desire to make something of himself, not to be dragged down by others in his neighborhood.

His undergraduate degree is from Amherst and his law studies were at Stanford. Very impressive indeed. While he sounds like a very smart man, successful and bright, I have some concerns regarding his chances of being the Sole Survivor this season. First, lawyers tend not to do well on the show. I don't know why they don't, but many have been on before and many have lost. Perhaps he'll be different.

Also, in his bio on the CBS site, he says he's "dominant, loyal, malleable and stubborn." Now, if you're too dominant or stubborn, that's going to go against you on the show. He's single living with his two dogs (perhaps because he's dominant and stubborn...?)

Onto his favorites at the CBS site:
I like his chosen scents -- not the typical flowers and such -- fresh cut grass, cucumber. In games, he likes Risk and Magic: The Gathering. Those could be strategic a bit in 'Survivor.' His books/author choices are intriguing -- 48 Laws of Power and The Art of Seduction (Robert Greene), A Brief History of Time (Stephen Hawking). His music choices are urban rapster, not a real favorite of mine, but not without merit. He likes beef jerky! Oh, no! Shades of Kel!

Hmm... all in all for my prediction? Well, a lot will depend on his personality. He certainly has the brights and seems to be plenty athletic enough to be a powerful player in the game. But the "dominant" and "stubborn" bit bother me. If he exhibits those traits, he could be amongst the first voted out. Contestants who try to take over or lead early in the show are out early for the most part. Tom Westman was about the only real "leader" time to really succeed. Will Bobby Mason buck the trend and make it? I just don't know. Until I see him interacting with the others, he'll be on my Mystery Finish Placement List.

Your thoughts?

'Love Monkey' Premiere - Yay Not a Nay

I like it. I think I really like it.

I'm not so impressed by "Wayne" the John-Mayer-sounding Robby-Benson-looking featured artist on the show.

So, what do I like about 'Love Monkey'?

Well, let's see...

I like Tom Cavanagh. I liked him as 'Ed' and I think I like him as 'Tom.'

I like that it's filmed at least partially (if not entirely) in NYC. It's nice to see places I know and not fake backdrops or Toronto pretending to be NY.

The premise is something a bit different from most, although there's that "L" word in there. No, not lesbian. The never ending story of seeking love. He may just find that when he stops looking, it'll smack him in the face. Or something like that. But, of course, that would ruin the premise of the show. Whoops! Pay no attention to my advice, Tom. Nothing to see here; move along.

The characters look interesting. There's a gay male and a black male not written overly exaggerated as TV tends to do -- kind of like the diversity which does exist in any metropolitan area. That's a good sign, in my opinion, that the show won't become some sort of mockery of actual life.

I must say that it's odd to see Jason Priestly looking like he's headed for middle-aged. When did he get mature?

I'll be watching this again next week. It may live up to its hype. (Unlike my expectations... er... hopes... for 'The Four Kings.')

Bloggin' the 'American Idol' Season Premiere

Okay, this is one of those guilty pleasure shows for me. I told you I'm a TV addict. This proves it.

So, this is the 5th season of 'American Idol', huh? Unlike Ryan Seacrest and some of the applicants, I personally don't consider it a rite of passage. Of course, the show is only five years old, four actually. My rites of passage predate that by just a couple of years.

I get a kick out of the bad auditions, sadistic soul that I am. Now, if I were to sing for them, I'd be the worst of the worst. Well, maybe not, when I think of some of the applicants. But my personal singing is reserved for my apartment and not used as a weapon against society at large.

Tonight's audition show starts in Chicago with a rather sour Simon, Paula and Randy. I watched them on Leno last night and they were just fine with each other. But, apparently it was a rough day or the process was taking a toll on them. If I'm being honest (line credit: Simon Cowell), Simon was even a bit worse to some than usual. Part of the fun of watching the auditions is the looks on the judges' faces and the off the cuff comments. I know. I have a mean streak.

I think the show spent entirely too much time on the contestant Derrick Duprey (sp?). He was sweaty, sang poorly and was boring. Enough all ready. He didn't deserve a second chance or an hour. He needed to be nonexistent on the show. That's what he needed.

As I'm writing this, I'm not seeing any standout Bad Idols. The kid from NY dressed as the Statue of Liberty didn't even get out the entire first line of 'New York, New York' before Simon shut him down. Lad Liberty looked shocked. Too bad he gimmicked. He may have actually had a voice.

As for some who made it through -- I was impressed by the Britnom (sp?) twins and their Motown stuff. Very nice! And a girl Mandesia made it through. In name, kind of like Fantasia. In looks and voice, a bit Frenchy Davis. Her size gave Simon the opportunity to ask if they would have a bigger stage this year. Bad Simon. Bad. I wasn't too impressed with the Suck Up To Simon Line dental assistant who made it through. Ack, I'm turned off by the sisters who just made it as I was typing. Eww!

The deputy sheriff who kept singing the "I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy" over and over (and over and over) again... sucked. Simon said another contestant reminded him of an auntie singing badly. I would have said worse.

The kid Zachary who just crooned "I'm In The Mood For Love" was decent. He's a cutie, too. He made it through. Good. He's only 17 years old. Sheesh... I would have loved a boyfriend to croon that in my direction when I was a teen. Um. Well, I still wouldn't mind it. Another cutie 17 year old boy made it through, too. David Ratcliffe did a Sinatra song which Simon loved and the others didn't. I thought he was fantastic. Paula said his package was great. (Heh.) Paula also says Simon will cut him in Hollywood. I guess we'll see.

A Britney/Paris lookin' wannabe with zilch talent just annoyed the hell out of me. I may have "bad eye makeup accompanied by yucky vocals" nightmares tonight. Thanks so much for including her on the show, guys. At least Sweats Duprey was basically just overall boring.

A girl from the Ukraine just sang the worst and weirdest version of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' that I've ever heard. Even worse than my own. (Which is over emoted and waaay off key sung to torment my two cats.) Buh-bye Ukraine Gal. (Phew!)

Now, another pair of twins made it -- the Simmons twins at 16 years old. They serenaded Paula. "Crazy Dave" is auditioning now. Eek. His eyes roll up into his head. Oh. My. God. They put him through to Hollywood. FREAK SHOW! What the...? Have Paula and Randy lost their minds? This guy squirms, runs barefoot and talks to the animals (in addition to his eyes rolling up into his head as he sings).

The end of the show was a bad salute to poor Patty LaBelle's 'Lady Marmalade' -- poor Patty didn't deserve that.
"Voulez-vous couchez avec moi ce soir?"
"Not if you sing."

So, there ya go. Another season is ON. Are you watching? Tomorrow's show is auditions in Denver. Be there or be square.

Stop Back Later Tonight!

I'll be sharing my thoughts about the premieres of 'American Idol' and 'Love Monkey' while taping 'Law and Order: SVU' as the latter is airing. I tend to like the bad auditions as much if not more than 'American Idol' after they choose the finalists. Now, I know I shouldn't sing in public... so I don't.

Please check in a bit later tonight! I'd love to hear what you think of some of the applicants, as well as the much hyped 'Love Monkey'!

Tomorrow, more 'Closer Looks...' at more 'Survivor' castaways.

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Shane Powers

It's time for a closer look at the new 'Survivor' castaway Shane Powers. According to the quick blurb on his CBS official bio, he's the 35 year old owner of an entertainment marketing company in Los Angeles.

What I found out by poking around on the web is that he's an actor who's played numerous small roles in movies and television shows. When you think of it, his name reeks of made up/made for TV/movies-ness. I suppose it could be real, but I must wonder. It's either an acting name or he's perhaps a superhero -- Shane Powers, Man of Mystique!

Back to the CBS bio:
Born and grew up in Omaha, then moved to Los Angeles. (To be a star?) Quoted from the CBS site: "In 1999, Powers and two business partners established a boutique specialty marketing company with the goal of effectively branding products. On the side, Powers makes time to coach his son's football team. Previous employment included work as a club promoter and restaurant manager." Odd, no acting mention. However, I confirmed my own findings through other websites. So, it's not just me. If he wins, he wants to buy a field and equipment for his son's football team. Awww. He also thinks he'll be a physical threat and that he can manipulate people without them resenting him. We'll see, I guess!

From his CBS Favorites:
Hmmm... these aren't striking me all that well. Under scents, "girls who get the perfume right." Attitude, I say! His favorite sports to play are "all, flag football." Huh? Wouldn't flag football be part of all? He likes playing ALL sports? He likes warm vodka. Bleh.

My predictions based soley on what I'm reading in his bio and favorites? Maybe he'll prove me wrong, but I read egotistical and a touch of arrogance. I think he could very well alienate the others and be an early boot.

What do you think?

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Austin Carty

The next 'Survivor' castaway to be peeked at in my 'A Closer Look at..." series of entries -- Austin Carty.

According to the CBS official page about him, he's a 24 year old author living in High Point, NC. So, let me see what I can find out on the web about him...

I first checked out the book a bit. It's entitled Somewhere Beyond Here and was self-published in 2003. Now, I have nothing against self-publishing or I wouldn't be blogging as that's a bit of self-publishing in and of itself. However, when you talk novels, to garner any real notice, it's still the old publisher house rejection letter mode that makes authors turn to self publishing their stories. I see his Amazon reviews on the site are mostly good with one real detractor. I also see it's all local to his own area. That said, I give the 24 year old credit for enduring the process of writing a novel. I've been there and done that and it's a lot of discipline required to finish. (I still have all my rejection letters!) Being on the show will increase the attention and I'm sure his book will be more noticed as the season goes on. But he better keep his day job.

Let's see what else his CBS bio says about him:
Well, he's written two more books and secured a NYC literary agent who's shopping them around. Kudos to him for the work! Of course, NYC is the home of literary agents, but that's beside the point. He supplements his writing income or lack thereof (it's very hard to make a full time living writing novels unless you're highlist) by modeling and has worked retail, waiter and bartending jobs. From the website: "He describes himself as charismatic, humorous and genuine. He believes his athleticism, strength and intelligence will help him become the Sole Survivor." Okaaay. We'll see.

Onto his favorites to figure Austin out:
He likes Scrabble. I like Scrabble. That probably won't help him on 'Survivor.' His favorite sports are soccer and beach volleyball -- again, not really helping him to win the show. He likes running and hiking. Those activities could help in comps. He has nice taste in junk food and has no favorite alcoholic drink.

Well. Not too much to go on after all.

What's my prediction for his exit from 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island'? Remember, I'm just going on bios and my initial impressions just by reading what's about on the web (no spoilers). I'm not getting great vibes for longevity on the show from here. I predict an early boot -- within the first four.

I could be totally wrong. Your thoughts?

Heavy Duty FOX TV Week!

Whoa, we're talking some heavy season premieres this week!

Tonight at 8 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas, it's the 2 hour start of the 4 hour season premiere of '24' on FOX. Tomorrow night has the same airing times.

FOX also has the premiere of this season's 'American Idol' on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 8 PM ET/PT.

On Wednesday at 9 PM ET/PT, FOX has the debut of 'Skating With Celebrities' -- a show I'd actually rather watch than 'Dancing With Celebrities'. Alas, it's up against LOST. I may or may not tape it. But, LOST wins the slot for me!

I will be writing a few more entries for sure today. I was interrupted in my entries last night by this.

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Terry Dietz

Tonight, in my continuing quest to explore each new castaway on the upcoming 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island', I'll be taking a closer look at Terry Deitz. Unlike the first two I profiled, Aras and Tina, there doesn't seem to be much out on the web about him. I found out that Terry Dietz is not a real obscure name, though.

So, it's to the bio on the official CBS site:
Terry was born and raised in Matawan, NJ. He was very into sports throughout his school days, playing football, baseball and wrestling. He attended the US Naval Academy where he also played baseball. Flying fighter jets for the Navy, he met and married his wife, then made the decision to leave active duty and became a commercial pilot for American Airlines. He's 46 years old and lives with his wife and children in Simsbury, CT.

Well, that's all very interesting. But will it make him a good 'Survivor' contestant? He knows how to work on a team, how to be a leader... how to fly planes and hit baseballs.

Okay, it's onto his favorites in the hopes of figuring out his psyche!
Heh. His favorite video games are flying simulators. He loves his work. Hmmm... except for liking wisteria and roses, this is looking a lot by rote -- TV shows include 'Survivor'; movies include 'Top Gun' and 'Saving Private Ryan.' Aviation Week is a favorite magazine. His food choices are mostly healthy, but he will drink alcohol, too.

I predict... I predict... that Terry will be a good family man and husband, probably a nifty pilot, too. His chances on 'Survivor'? I haven't a clue. He certainly could do well based on his background, but I'm getting very little about his personality reading this stuff. I'm going to call his finish as a mystery, not likely out first; most likely not the winner.

I just don't know. What do you think his chances of winning are...?

Last Night: 'Will and Grace', 'The Four Kings' and 'C.S.I.' (repeat)

Well, I gave 'The Four Kings' another shot last night. Yawn. It was okay, but it doesn't rock my world, so to speak. I had a couple of small giggles. What I want from a sitcom is very clever writing, good characterization, decent storylines and at least one full blown chuckle. Last night's show missed the point on the first three and only garnered a few small giggles -- not a chuckle and most certainly not a guffaw. I found the storyline a bit sophomoric. Yeah, I know sex is supposed to sell, but the approach was ho-hum and predictable. At least one giggle came from the twins getting over on the character played by Seth Green. I dunno. Am I getting old? Is this show something fresh? Am I just not getting the oh-so-witty zinging lines or what? Is anyone watching it?

I missed the first ten minutes of the live 'Will and Grace' show and I'm kicking myself over it. I'm not a huge 'W&G' fan, but I do so enjoy watching TV actors try to perform live. Alas, I missed Matt Lauer's part. Ack. I caught enough to see the cast go into giggles. Forget the Broadway dreams, guys! Can't crack up on the stage!

Oh... and I somehow missed the first showing of last night's 'C.S.I.' repeat episode. Now, I ask you... how could I miss a show focused on middle-aged men whose fetish is being babies. You know, diapers and all. Sheesh! I caught the ep on the Furries (twice, mind you), but never saw or even heard of this one the first time 'round. As always, I was entertained. I think this is a show in which the storylines are usually well-written. Odd, at times. But well-written nonetheless. It pushes the edge with episodes like this one (sex sells, even kinky), but it's not written as if an adolescent boy wrote it (see 'The Four Kings'). And, with all the kinkiness in the world, my life is so sedate and boring. I like it like that.

What did you watch last night?

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Aras Baskauskas

It's time to take a closer look at Aras Baskauskas. (Backwards, he's Sara! :::grin::: Whatever you do, please do not ask me to say his name three times fast.)

He looks like he should be another strong player in the game. He's young; he's athletic and it seems that he's smart. Ah, but will he make the grade?

He's 24, always good for competitions. In a quick Google on him, I see articles like this and this. He's 6'4" and his sport of choice was basketball. Now, I don't know that court skills themselves will work well on 'Survivor', but being part of an organized team should help a bit.

Onto his bio from the official CBS website:
He completed his undergraduate studies in three years and, in 2003, was named UC Irvine's Most Eligible Bachelor. Oh, la la! He has an MBA (ohhh!) and played professional basketball overseas. He is a yoga instructor in Santa Monica, CA and his hobbies/interests include meditation, golf and surfing. He believes he's outgoing, compassionate and genuine. But are those good traits for 'Survivor' where backstabbing, manipulation of others and sneakery are more likely to get someone into the Final 4? Yeah, I invented "sneakery." It's self-explanatory, right?

Hmmm... checking out his favorites:
UC Irvine's team is called the ANTEATERS! Heehee!
(ahem)
Parcheesi, Warcraft II... good taste in music (Miles Davis, Norah Jones, Jack Johnson)... I'm not familiar with his books/authors chosen. The book he lists may or may not play into how he plays the game -- THE WISDOM OF INSECURITY. He likes Trader Joe's granola cereal. I agree with him on that one. He doesn't seem to drink.

My overall prediction based on just what I'm seeing about him in the bio, favorites and bits on the Web (no spoilers)...? I think I want him to do well. I bet he's going to be one of the Good Guys on the cast. He seems so cleancut and boy next door and all. But those aren't necessarily what makes a 'Survivor' winner. He could come across as a physical threat to others or he could fly under the radar with goodness and light. I predict the latter part of mid-season, just shy of Final Four.

I hope I'm wrong.
Your thoughts?

Quick Thoughts on Tonight's LOST - 'The 23rd Psalm'

All right! LOST is back with new episodes! It's about time.

Now, tonight's episode was officially titled 'The 23rd Psalm.' But, I like to make my own episode names for shows based on either lines within the show or just my own impressions.

Tonight's ep will be 'Gonna Beat Me With Your Jesus Stick?' - a nod to Charlie. Ah, that's better. Isn't it?

Tonight's ep delved a bit into Eko's background. I wanted him to be a good guy. Now he's both a bad guy and a good guy (in a way). Or he's a bad guy who has changed his ways -- a true epiphany in action. Or something. He was a murdering Nigerian mobster turned dope dealer. That's bad. He got into it as a child to save his brother. That's good. He bullied his priest brother to send drugs off in the church airplane. That's bad. He wept upon finding his brother's skeleton in the Statues of Mary drug plane on the island. That's good.

So... is he a good guy or a bad guy? He acted all mystical and mysterious and wise beyond words since his introduction, thus giving him the persona of someone who can be trusted. But all he's done in the past; his life in general. I dunno. I still want him to be good, but I think we'll see some evil from him, too. What do you think?

Then there's Charlie. He has the stash of the Virgin Mary statues. Do you think he's going to break down? Now, of course, the island supply of heroin is way depleted since Eko torched the plane. But still... that's a lot of heroin.

Oh! And what about the Walt/Michael typing on the computer bit? Where do you think he is? What of the "rule" that the computer is only used to input the code to stop the world from exploding (whatever!)?

A sneaky snake of black smoke is the island's monster? Well, that's just odd. In a side note, the noise it made when confronting Eko reminded me of the Pink Floyd Echoes album. Any thoughts on that?

The 23rd Psalm reminds me of funerals. I wonder if someone else is going to die.

'Amazing Race' and 'Survivor' Applications/Casting Call Info

Applications and casting call information on both 'The Amazing Race 10' and 'Survivor 13' are up on the CBS website. Here's your chance!

The Survivor application info can be found here.
The Amazing Race application info is here.

In addition to that information, here in the NYC area there will be an open casting call for 'Survivor 13' at the Javitz Center this coming Saturday, January 14. You can get the skinny on that at the CBS 2 website.

Keep in mind that the seasons which we're about to see have already been filmed -- these would be the next ones scheduled for either over the summer or fall programming dates. As we know, 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' will premiere on February 2. The next season of 'The Amazing Race' is set to premiere February 28.

What...? You want to know if I'm applying? Heck, no! I don't want the Internet tearing me apart!

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Tina Scheer

Ohhh... looks like we've got a contender here!

Tina Scheer was originally accepted to be on last season's cast. However, the death of her only child in a car accident a week before she was to leave postponed it. She says her son would want her to follow her dreams, so she's a castaway on 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island.'

She's been into logging activities since the age of seven. I took a quick peek on the web and found tons of results for her name -- like this page. I'd daresay she may be one of the toughest women competitors ever seen on the show in the area of physical endurance. Plus, it's 'Survivor' -- tree climbing can only help!

In her bio on the CBS website, they say "In addition to touring the country, she has traveled to Australia ten times with her exhibitions. She also traveled to South Africa, Germany and New Zealand. She has been featured in CBS's Challenge of the Sexes, MTV's Real World, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated and Women's Sport & Fitness."

Okay, I'm impressed. She's comfortable in the woods and is a natural for the show on a physical level. If her people manipulative skills are as strong as her physical skills, the rest of the cast will be toast. Ah, but how are her people skills? I'm going to peek at her favorites on the CBS website to try to get a glimpse into her personality...

Favorite video game is Pacman? Well, that shows she not only lives in the past, but likes to consume others to win.

Favorite TV show is 'Law and Order' -- hmm, she should have mentioned 'Survivor' in there. But, this is a good sign anyway. She will have a sense of right and wrong.

Favorite music? Again, living in the past, but good stuff. Chaka Khan, Chaka Kahn. Motown and old R&B. Love the stuff myself, so she has good taste. ;-)

No favorite books? Well, golly... is she up in trees too much to read or what?

She has good taste in foods, for the most part. Anyone who favors anything chocolate is good people.

My overall prediction for Tina Scheer on the show? I wouldn't be surprised if she makes it to the Final Four and think she could possibly take it all. Now, this is just from poking around the web, not anything to do with possible spoilers. It's my own opinion based on her bio, background and favorites. I could be dead wrong. She may have the type of personality which makes her an automatic target to go away quickly. But, it's always interesting to look back at the end of the season to see how my predictions went. Last season I was spot on with quite a few! This season seems to have a very strong cast. I'll be peeking at each new castaway between now and the season premiere night.

What do you think? Where would you rank Tina's show finale time? What are your impressions of her?


More blogs about television.

Tonight's LOST Episode - Possible Spoilers

Yay! A new 'Lost' episode airs this evening! This has been a long time a'coming for this 'Lost' fan.

There are a few possible spoilers for tonight's episode out and about. Evangeline Lilly was on 'Regis and Kelly' and hinted that the island's monster would be shown. Regis thinks it's a dinosaur. Now, I thought it was a giant polar bear. Dang. I love this show, but I'm so confused all the time! She refused to confirm anything, so I guess we'll just watch and see.

Then, on 'Ellen', Dominic Monaghan (Charlie) was a guest today. He told Ellen that Charlie was about to fall again. He thinks the character has to have highs and lows, bring him up to bring him down again, blah blah blah. So, between that and the clip showed, it looks like the drugs get to Charlie once again.

I am so ready for tonight's show. I even bought popcorn. How about you? Do you plan to watch? Are you a 'Lost' addict, too?

Blog Tips and 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Schtuff

Welcome! I know a lot of folks followed the blog from my AOL Journals listed in the sidebar. I appreciate that. Since this blog isn't going to be show specific like the AOL ones were, I will be putting the show title I'm discussing in the entry header and you can search for the show that interests you. For example, if you just want to see the 'Survivor' entries, type 'Survivor' into the box you see on the sidebar entitled "Search this blog."

You can also subscribe to feeds from this blog in the box on the right which says Subscribe. Just enter your e-mail address and follow the instructions. They won't share your e-mail and you can also subscribe to other feeds from other sources through them. If you have a problem subscribing, please zap me a note at etvjackie@aol.com Unfortunately, with the feeds you can't segregate by topic so you'll get e-mails about all my entries, not just a specific show.

Ah, but on with the show... um, well I guess it doesn't start until February 2nd. What to do? What to do? I will be going more into the new castaways and my impressions just on the bios and favorites, but not tonight. And, of course, not all at the same time!

What I'd like to do tonight is share some 'Survivor' related links and "schtuff" you might want to bookmark, Favorite Place or even mark on your calendar:

The Survivor Sucks forum site often has valid spoilers listed if you're into spoilers. The ones there now don't seem confirmed and are probably someone acting up, though. Once the season starts, they have the best transcripts of the 'Survivor Insider' videos from the CBS website.

If you have the TV Guide Channel on cable, they will be airing a preview of the upcoming season on January 22 at 8 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas. You should check your local listings to confirm the time and date.

SurvivorFever.net is a good source for spoilers, photos and other things o' Survivor. Right now they have no actual spoilers up, but lots of links on the castaways.

Of course, the CBS official 'Survivor 12' site is a must. Of course.

I can't go a season without peeking in on what's said on Television Without Pity - Survivor.

That's all for now -- check back tomorrow as I start taking a closer look at the cast!

New 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Cast Announced

The CBS website has the new cast for 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' up for our perusal. The show's premiere is set for Thursday, February 2 (Groundhog Day!) at 8 PM ET/PT in most areas. They will begin as four tribes -- older men, older women, younger men, younger women. At least one Survivor each week will be banished to a separate island miles away from camp.

Hmmm... let's take a looksee at these folks:

Top image left to right: Aras, Austin, Bobby, Bruce, Cirie, Courtney, Dan, Danielle


Bottom image left to right: Melinda, Misty, Nick, Ruth Marie, Sally, Shane, Terry, Tina

The official site has larger photos and, if you click on the individual links listed below, you'll get close up shots. (These images are the property of CBS/Survivor and are only being used for reviewing purposes here. This blog is not affiliated with the network, nor the show.)

One by one with a bit about 'em:

Aras Baskauskas -- 24 years old, single yoga instructor from Santa Monica, CA

Austin Carty -- 24 years old, single, author from High Point, NC

Bobby Mason -- 32 years old, single, attorney from Los Angeles, CA

Bruce Kanegai -- 58 years old, married, karate instructor/high school art teacher from Simi Valley, CA

Cirie Fields -- 35 years old, married, registered nurse from Walterboro, SC originally from Jersey City, NJ

Courtney Marit -- 31 years old, single, performance artist from Los Angeles, CA

Dan Barry -- 52 years old, married, retired astronaut from S. Hadley, MA

Danielle DiLorenzo -- 24 years old, in 2 year "steady relationship", medical sales rep from Pompano Beach, FL originally from the Boston, MA area.

Melinda Hyder -- 32 years old, single, singer from Sevierville, TN

Misty Giles -- 24 years old, single, engineer from Dallas, TX

Nick Stanbury -- 25 years old, single, in financial sales from Tempe, AZ -- raised in Wyoming.

Ruth Marie Milliman -- 48 years old, mother of two (doesn't mention husband), director of retail leasing from Greenville, SC

Sally Schumann -- 27 years old, recently divorced (currently dating "best friend"), the bio says she tends bar while her profession for the show is listed as social worker, Chicago, IL

Shane Powers -- 35 years old, lives with teenage son, owner of an entertainment marketing company in Los Angeles, CA - originally from Omaha, NE (Shane! SHANE! Come home, Shane! -- had to get it out of my system.)

Terry Dietz -- 46 years old, married, airline pilot/retired navy fighter pilot originally from Matawan, NJ now in Simsbury, CT

Tina Scheer -- 45 years old, single (? - I assume, no spouse mentioned), logging/sports promoter/performer from Hayward, WI

I'll be blogging my opinions about the cast as I delve a bit more into the bios and favorites listed. Of course, I'd like to know your thoughts, too! How do you think the four team older/younger by gender will work? What about the exile bit? Tell me! :-)

'The Four Kings' Debut

Okay, so I fell for the hype. I watched 'The Four Kings' on Thursday night. A rerun of 'C.S.I.' at the 8 PM hour opened the slot for me. I have this thing for NYC based shows. I know it's nothing to do with fine production values or clever and witty writing -- I just like to see places I actually know when I watch a NYC based show.

Um... I don't think I know this place. I know no one, even folks with inherited apartments, with an apartment like that. The premise of the show is that one young guy inherits his grandmother's rent controlled apartment, his three best friends from childhood move in with him and we follow their fun adventures and frolicking. Well, perhaps not a lot of frolicking; only one character seems ambiguous enough to adequately frolic. Now, I like Josh Cooke. He was in 'Committed' -- a show I actually enjoyed the heck out of and felt never had a chance. So, I'm glad to see him as the "cute" guy in the cast. I'm also familiar with Seth Green, but the other two main cast members are unknown to me.

I'm out to the jury on this one. It didn't snag me first shot like 'How I Met Your Mother' did at the real start of the season. It didn't turn me off, either. It just kind of left me sitting there. To me, it seemed run of the mill white bread NYC based, but not the NYC I know. Due to the Josh Cooke factor, I'll give it another shot next week. I want some hilarity. Give me some hilarity, NBC.