The (TV) Show Must Go On...

Monday, March 20, 2006

'The Apprentice 5' - Ep. 4 -or- "Aw, Grape-Nuts! Only TRUE Leader Fired!"

Well, well, well ... it's about time. But, I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?

As the show opens, the candidates are worried. Tarek knows one more time in the boardroom could be his last time. Charmaine bursts into tears and climbs in bed when she's told that Trump wanted to know why she wasn't called into the boardroom. After all, it was she who secured the lewd comedian and then paid said lewd comedian the full amount. It was she who should have been fired. Oh, woe is me! Everybody's worried except "What? Me Worry?" Brent. After all, why should he worry? He's done nothing wrong.

The two teams are summoned to the Trump Tower Bar and Grill where they learn their next task will be to create a billboard touting Post cereal's new product -- Post Grape-Nuts Trail Mix Crunch. (My own advice would be that the name of the cereal is too long, but I wasn't consulted. What exactly is a "grape-nut" anyway? I don't think I want my grapes to have nuts. But, I digress.) Carolyn is absent this week and it's the posing pretty progeny Ivanka Trump along with George who'll be looking in on the teams' progress.

And, so it starts ... Tammy stepped up to be the project manager for Synergy and Brent immediately volunteered his expertise in presenting to the executives. Oy! She tried to politely tell him it was a healthy product and that she didn't think he was best suited to present it -- plus, he messes everything up and he's an embarrassment to the team. No, she didn't say the latter to him, just on camera and with the others. She made him in charge of selecting the clothes. Now, there's an important task. Brent may be batty, but he isn't stupid. He also thinks she called him "fat" when she actually didn't go that far at all. Ivanka peeked in and immediately made the Brent plan -- don't let him touch anything important to the task.

When the commercial break ended and the show intro was just a "Keep it Simple, Stupid" logo, the good ol' KISS Theory, it was a dead giveaway that one team would overdo things. Ah, but which team?

Over at Gold Rush, Charmaine took on the project manager role in hopes to redeem herself from last week's faux pas. Now, watching her, I have to say she did very well. She solicited ideas from all and decided a "less is more" approach is best as folks don't really pause to read billboards -- something should just jump out at them and make a quick impression. (See the KISS Theory.) Oh, and now it's easy to figure which team will win, isn't it? Bryce came up with the idea of someone chugging cereal because "it's just that good!" The team went off looking for a healthy All American girl for the photo shoot.

Meanwhile, Synergy is in flux. They have way too much going on! Their graphics and pictures don't line up. They decided to go with a "new generation" of cereal theme, hiring what they presumed to be an older man with someone they thought looked like a daughter. The guy was nowhere near old enough looking to be her father! Eek! And, then the graphics were all over the place.

Task completed, the teams went off to New Jersey early the next morning to meet the Post people. Well, one team went early. The other team waited for a Brent Without Pants to iron and get ready. They were a good half hour behind. Once there, both billboards actually looked pretty good, but the chugging cereal was the obvious winner -- clear, concise, exactly the right model for the shot and a quick glance would convey the idea. Synergy's next generation just had much too much going on. In the presentations, Synergy's Sean got tongue-tied and blew it. Two strikes. Gold Rush wins.

The reward for Gold Rush didn't seem all that to me, but the team seemed to enjoy it. They got a chance to go cook with Chef Jean-Georges, the world acclaimed chef at the Trump Tower. Lenny was a bit embarrassing, but it looked like they all had a good time and quite the feast. The team sang the praises of Charmaine's leadership. She is redeemed.

And it's to the Boardroom for Synergy! Woohoo!

The team so wants Brent gone. Since they didn't give him any real responsibility, they don't think it's going to happen. They think Tammy may be blamed as project manager, Sean blamed as he blew the presentation or Andrea because she was the one responsible for the too-busy graphics. Of course, Brent is confident: "Save my seat here (at hotel). I will be back stronger and more powerful than ever! Keep me out of the boardroom or you'll be sorry!" Yipes. He's reminding me of the old Twilight Zone episode with the talking doll that killed Telly Savalas and then told his wife, "If you're not nice to me, I'll kill you too!"

The Boardroom never got to its second stage. Brent proved himself a liability, an embarrassment and probably a bit of a fool. Tammy didn't have to choose to take anyone into the Boardroom at all. It never got that far. With the full team there bickering mostly about Brent, Trump hit his Brent Limit.

"Brent, you're fired. Out! Over! Go! GO!"

It's about time.

Dollar bills, y'all...

Sunday, March 19, 2006

The Best Laid Plans...

So, I worked yesterday and then into the night and through early this morning I watched the shows I had taped during the week.

And then ... I got sick. So sick. I'm not sure why unless it's a stomach bug or something. I usually don't catch those things, but it's something.

I'm sure it will be out of my system soon. It better be.

In the meantime, if you're interested, the concert review I did for Blogcritics.org can be found at Blogcritics.org: Concert Review: Ten Years After - New York City - Mar. 15,2006

Friday, March 17, 2006

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Mar. 17, 2006

Bits! Bits! Get yer bits here!

Here are the television and entertainment related newsy bits links I found out and about the web today!

I hope everyone had a great St. Patrick's Day, even if you're not Irish...

My Apologies

Oops! I went to B.B. King's Blues Club in NYC on Wednesday night and was out past my bedtime. Well, I got in after 1 AM and had to be up by 6 AM for work, anyway. I missed posting the Melissa McGhee boot from American Idol -- I have the show taped and still haven't watched it. Then, last night, after a long day at work, I closed my eyes for just a few minutes ... and ended up sleeping for over ten hours. I got up in time to go to work. Sigh. So, no TV Newsy Bits yesterday.

I'm quasi back on track today, but another long workday and the basketball shows are driving me crazy. I have some shows taped that I'll be writing about over the weekend and a few other things in the works.

I won't go out carousing on a work night again. I fear I'm too old for a quick recovery. ;-)

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

'American Idol' Stevie Wonder Night Quick Thoughts

I loved seeing Stevie Wonder on last night's show. Unlike the American Idol contestants, I grew up with his music and still have all of his older works in vinyl. Do the contestants even know what vinyl would mean in relationship to the music industry?

Here are my quick thoughts and miscellaneous ramblings which went through my mind while watching last night's show:

Although I think Chris Daughtry's fantastic and I'm liking him more each performance, I can't believe he didn't know "Higher Ground" was a Stevie Wonder hit. I would always think Stevie Wonder before the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but I guess it's my age talking. This was the performance of the night both vocally and on the entertainment level.
Taylor Hicks. My man Hicks. What a neat guy! If not for Chris, I'd name this one the performance of the night. My issues with the song was that while he looked great, that suit didn't match the atmosphere for the song. The song is gritty; the suit was um, provided by fashion consultants. He also has a bit of a misconception about the song. It's not about ANY city. It's about New York City. Excellent performance, though. I love watching him. No need to dye that hair.
Mandisa, Paris and Lisa -- all good. I didn't expect any less of them. We'll see these three well towards the final arena.
Kevin Covais cracks me up, but he's not going to win. He was cute and the performance was good in a high school talent show kind of way. That said, I enjoy watching him. He just ain't gonna make the grade.
Elliott's voice is gorgeous. If he had Ace's looks, he'd win the show hands down. Alas, in the kid oriented American Idol, the fact that there are cuter guys like Ace will play a hand. I think he'll do well outside of American Idol and should secure a record contract. That voice is golden.
Kellie Pickler - she makes me laugh when she talks. Can anybody be that ditzy and naive in this day and age or is it all an act? Of course, making me laugh at what she says doesn't mean diddly in making me like what she sings. And, this is a singing contest.
Melissa McGhee - I like her okay, but I think she can pack her bags and head on home after tonight's vote results.
Katharine McPhee is someone to watch. Until Simon mentioned it, I wasn't thinking Kelly Clarkson, but I can see it. Strong vocalist and nice performance.
Ace. What can I say about Ace? I think his looks are working for him as much as, if not more than, his voice. He's not my favorite (that goes to Taylor Hicks), but I can tell the votes will keep on coming in for him.

What did you think of last night's show?

And, Now a Word From Our Sponsor: The SPRINT Commercials

I know I'm no marketing genius. Not only do I not play one on TV, I've never been in the marketing business. However, I am a consumer and I'm an observer. I know what catches my attention and what just bores me. In my last "Word from Our Sponsor" entry, I talked about the GEICO gecko which I think is the best television commercial campaign on the tube these days. Even before the gecko takeover, GEICO has been eyecatching and creative in its commercials. Part of the latest success is tying in the gecko with GEICO. Now, perhaps a lot of folks can't help but to think GEICO when they see a small lizard. That's success in company recognition due to advertising.

Another ad campaign I think is in the same sort of campy zany vein as th

e gecko -- the SPRINT commercials. I'm not sure why they've backed off the Sprint Dude in the Trench Coat. I always found those ads humorous, clever and I didn't even have to see the Sprint Dude to connect him with their product. I know his voice and recognize it immediately. They should bring him back. I think he's recognizable as the spokesman (so to speak) for the product and the ads are catchy. The company claims he's on hiatus, but I think the Sprint/Nextel merger offed him. Bring him BACK!

Looking at two of their latest commercials, one just bugs me (not a good thing for Sprint) and one I'm lovin' -- I pause to pay attention each time it airs. The one that I find "eh" to "annoying" if I see it too much is the ventriloquist commercial. It was okay the first time I saw it, but I'm over and done with it. It's most certainly not the best I expect of the creative marketing folks at Sprint. It connects with the product okay, but just doesn't snag me in at all.

The one I'm lovin' and pause to watch? Well, the one where the two men are in the locker room each bragging about the features on the phone. One claims it's also a theft deterrent in addition to phone, videos, etc. To prove it, he tells the other to try to steal his wallet. Then he throws the phone at him, thunking him in the head. Heh. Each time I see that commercial and its ending listing the features ending in *theft deterrent, I have to smile. The only way they could improve that one is to have the trench-coated Sprint Dude appear.

As for the merge with Sprint and Nextel, you don't want to know what I think of those darn walkie-talkie things while I'm commuting on the train to work. If I could ban a product, I would. Are people reliving their childhood adventures with those or what?

Sprint ads - love 'em or hate 'em or just don't care? What say you? Should the Sprint Dude return?

'The Amazing Race 9' Episode 3 ...er... 3A ... er ... To Be Continued ARGH

Forgive me for I must rant. If you're squeamish or just plain sensitive, you may want to skip down past the next paragraph. This isn't going to be pretty.

I hate continuing sagas. When I see the words "To be continued..." I freak out. I don't watch soap operas or even continuing dramas such as 24 partly because I hate the feeling that if I miss an episode, I'm lost. As a matter of fact, Lost is one of the only continuing stories I watch and that's because I'm masochistic, I guess! (With all the repeats on that one, I must be masochistic.) Yes, I know the whole existence of the reality show genre is a continuing story and yes, I've learned to live with that idea. But I want my Amazing Race to end each week at the end of a leg. I don't care if it's a non-Philimination leg or not. I want a finishing order. I want someone winning the leg; I want results! Concrete results! Is it too much for a show fan to want? Am I micro-managing my television watching? Am I alone in wanting some sort of conclusion to the show each week? ARGH!
/rant

Now that I've got that out of my system, I'll talk about last night's episode - or partial episode or whatever...

The show opened at the Brazilian coffee plantation which was the site of the last Pit Stop. As always, the departure times went according to arrival times. BJ and Tyler were the first team to leave at 4:48 AM while Dani/Danielle were the last to leave at 7:07 AM. Quite a time span, eh? Well, it didn't really mean too much in the long run as the clue directed teams 3 miles away to take a nifty zippy zipline trip which didn't open until 7 AM. So, most of the teams just gathered awaiting the opening and even the last teams weren't so far behind. That is, unless they got lost like Lake and Michelle. (Heh.) BJ and Tyler were a hoot during the wait. They pounced upon or jumped out in front of arriving teams and had a good time of it all. I think these two are adding a lot of outright fun to the show. While they're serious and good competitors, they're thriving on the fun and adventure aspects and creating an atmosphere we don't always see with the teams -- laughter and good times. Kudos to 'em!

I would like to ride a zipline; they look like a heck of a lot of fun. But all in all, I don't think they're much of a challenge. You're harnessed in and just glide down. The first few ones were neat to watch, now they're just sort of a required once each season TAR redundancy. So, let's move along. The clue at the bottom of the zipline directed teams to the airport where they would head to Moscow, Russia. Yep, Moscow, Russia as opposed to Moscow, Idaho. I'm glad the clue specified the country, aren't you? All teams ended up on the same flight, so the scramble would be on upon landing.

Lake whined and fussed that he didn't want to go to Russia because it would be so cold. I hoped they'd dunk him in frigid waters. And, so they did! Once teams arrived in Moscow, they were directed to go to Chaika Bassein where Olympic swimmers train. Oh, no! It's a Roadblock! That, of course, is a task only one member of a team can perform. In this Roadblock, one member from each team had to "take the plunge" from a 10 meter high diving platform into a pool, swim the length of the pool and then dive down to retrieve the next clue. Most of the teams did okay with it. Yolanda balked a bit as she can't swim, but did fine in the end.

Who was annoying and set the team way back? Wanda! I was waiting for Desiree to slap her to get her out of her hysterical hissy fit. Sheesh! What is with that woman? Now, I like Desiree, but she is not her mother's mother! Sigh... instead of slapping her, Desiree teared up saying how proud she is of her Mom. Gag me. They took so long on the Roadblock that Dani/Danielle managed to make it back to retrieve their left behind belongings and go again.

That brings another thing to mind - the teams, not just BJ and Tyler, seem to have a lot more camaraderie a'goin' on this season. I know the Horned Toads (Jeremy and Eric) have a thing for the Double D's (Dani/Danielle), but to keep waiting for them? Not a real bright policy to get ahead in the race, guys. At least they let the girls go back for their stuff alone and didn't blow their lead time. All of the teams seem to be actually more friendly than past seasons. I'm trying to decide if that's a Good Thing or a Bad Thing. I don't like to watch teams fight all the time, but a bit of a spat amongst teams (not amongst team members themselves) is often the spirit of the race. If everyone likes one another it's nice, but will it dampen the competitive spirit? I guess we'll see.

From the dip in the pool, teams faced a Detour - Scrub or Scour. Yes, they sound a lot alike, but they're not. In Scrub, teams had to locate a trolley depot where they would clean a trolley car inside and out, inspected and approved before they could move on. In Scour, there was no cleaning at all. They had to scour Russian nesting dolls for a clue to the next stop. This was a classic TAR bit - the nesting dolls were in a theater with dancers and musicians creating madness as teams frantically, yet methodically, sought the elusive clues. As Ray said, "That music is playing with my head!" It's sort of like a maddening acid-induced Russian dream or something. I loved it!

For some reason, the first teams taking on the Detour had problems finding the trolley depot and ended up going for Scour. The later arriving teams seemed to find Scour okay, perhaps with some lost time. Don't ask me why. I don't know.

Jeremy and Eric were the first to get the clue to move onto the Red Square where they would meet Phil. Thinking back, it didn't say Pit Stop. And, it sure wasn't. At the Red Square, Phil handed them a clue and said, "This leg's not over." ARGH! (Go reread my first paragraph!)

I'm liking these teams. At this point, the only team that bothers me is Lake and Michelle. It frightens me that he's overbearing and a dentist. I'd like him to go away. I'm not all that thrilled with Fran's defeatist attitude. I expected more from her, didn't you? She's reminding me a bit too much of Gretchen. I think the other teams are fun to watch - even Mojo is growing on me. Perhaps they can put Lake, Wanda and Fran in seclusion and then the teams would be perfect.

And, now... this report is TO BE CONTINUED.
(Argh!)

'LOST' Repeats Again

Hopefully it will be a new episode next week. We're certainly overdue for fresh Lost. I'm going to show my age a bit here -- did you know that years ago TV series ran from September to May with all new episodes? Shocking, ain't it?

A new commenter, Lindy, (welcome!) stopped by my last Lost review asking if I knew where she might find recaps of all the episodes so far. I thought that was worth an entry to point any seeking the same to the official ABC TV Lost site. They've got a bit of everything there and it can take a few hours to explore around the island... er, site. The recaps can be found at Lost Episodes

Maybe we can all study up and use our collective Lost thinking power to get us a new episode next week!

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

'Amazing Race' East Coast Update...

To be continued...

Yep, they did it again. Jeremy and Eric were the first to reach Phil in Red Square only to be handed a clue and to be told it wasn't over.

I'll be doing the recap/review in the morning.

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Mar. 14, 2006

Bet your sweet bitty, I've got bits for you!

Here are the television and entertainment related newsy bits links I found out and about the web today:

Tonight's 'Amazing Race'

The show airs at 10 pm ET/PT. Here in the eastern edge of the country, I'll post the finish order and Philiminated (or non-Philim leg) as the show ends here.

Sometime way late or tomorrow morning, I'll post a full review/recap!

I hate the later hour. Grr.

Monday, March 13, 2006

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Mar. 13, 2006

Bunches o' Bits! Get yer bits here!

Here are the television and entertainment related newsy bits links I found on the web today:

'Apprentice 5' - Ep. 3 -or- "Chaos on the Course"

Are you ready for more Brent shenanigans? Well, I think that as long as he lasts on the show, they should be expected.

After the recap of last week's show, we see Andrea absolutely freaking out because Brent wasn't fired. Oh, not to his face. She shut herself in a room for some cry time, then announced she was okay. She decided she wanted to be the Project Manager on the next task and she will manage Brent. Will she get her wish? Will she be able to manage him? Heck, it sure gives more incentive to watch after the debacle with Brent Management (or lack thereof) last week!

Over on the Gold Rush team, much to the dismay of Lenny, both Lee and Dan leave the team to observe the Jewish holiday. Lenny claims to be Jewish himself, but wouldn't desert the team. Dan and Lee feel they have a right to go and I agree with them, although I may have stayed had it been me. But I feel religion is a personal thing and no one can really dictate to another how strongly to follow their beliefs. Lenny, however, is very judgmental and says that if the team loses the task, he will blame them because they left. Bryce, barely seen in the last two episodes, agreed with Lenny and was quite outspoken about both Dan and Lee.

I found this week's task a bit more challenging than the ones so far this season. The teams had to organize a corporate retreat and introduction of the 2007 to General Motors sales folks. It was supposed to be classy, motivational and informational. Now, you could tell something was going to have to be improvised or changed as Trump did a bit on "Plan B" - flexibility is needed or you'll never be successful. Hmmm.

Gold Rush headed to the War Room and promptly went into a cacophony of ideas with Theresa as the Project Manager. She appointed Tarek in charge of creative ideas and then promptly interrupted him every time he tried to talk. She started going on about models, comedians, golf courses and horse-drawn buggies. Yipes! As I was thinking she was all over the place and what the heck did any of those things have to do with the task, both Tarek and Lenny voiced the same concern in confessional segments.

Meanwhile, over at Synergy, the flow was unbelievable. They started talking about the Tahoe and learning about the vehicle, connecting it with both nature and class. William came up with a theme of "Nature Refined" and they worked off that. Um ... Brent said something about being naked, but they shut him down pretty quickly. Leading the task, Andrea pulled the team together on a nature inspired rock climbing, fly fishing and skeet shooting bit while promoting the Tahoe.

For Trump's side, it was Carolyn and Bill checking out the tasks as George was observing the Jewish holiday. (Clue 1 to Gold Rush: Don't trash someone for observing the holiday!) At Gold Rush, they encountered chaos -- the models who supposedly learned about the car and were to teach the GM folks knew nothing, horses (horses?), a golf course set in what looked like a dog park run, a comedian (Cory Kahaney from 'Last Comic Standing') who was lewd and inappropriate for the event and just a total disaster. The team was fighting amongst itself and it was horrid all the way around.

As for Synergy, at the last minute they found out that skeet shooting wasn't allowed in the park. Andrea substituted golf cart racing which ended up being a big hit with the GM people. Andrea even managed Brent. She gave him important tasks such as strategically setting out the trash cans. Brent had spent a good chunk of the War Room time chowing down and not being helpful, but at least he didn't really hinder the team.

When the teams were brought into the Boardroom after the tasks, there really weren't any surprises. Synergy won the task while Gold Rush couldn't have done any worse. So, it would be reward for Synergy and the Boardroom where one person would be fired for Gold Rush. Synergy's reward was a trip to Atlantis Marine World where they swam with sharks, bonded and had a grand ol' time.

Dan and Lee returned to join their team in the Boardroom. Blame got tossed at everyone except perhaps for one who really made bad choices -- Charmaine. Lenny blamed Dan and Lee because they left and Theresa for being a bad leader. Bryce blamed Lenny as he didn't get a generator (which Bryce secured without incident). Theresa's dislike of Lenny made him the scapegoat for all going wrong. It was just as much a mess as the task was. I noticed that Charmaine wasn't mentioned at all when it was she who secured and paid the comedian who so turned off the crowd. Oh ... Tarek was also blamed.

Theresa chose Tarek and Lenny to go to the Boardroom. Trump did the right thing -- "Theresa, you're fired." She led the task and, inevitably, she was responsible for its failure. Trump said she should have brought Charmaine in. I disagree. In my opinion, Theresa was the one to fire. What do you think?

Dollar bills, y'all...

Sunday, March 12, 2006

TV Newsy Bits Weekend Edition - Mar. 11-12, 2006

It's the weekend! It's the weekend! Ack! It's the almost over weekend!

Waaah!

Here are the television and entertainment related newsy bits links I found while being a desk chair potato this weekend:

'Survivor' Scheduling Heads Up!

Folks --
Thanks to blog reader John, I went looking for this week's Survivor: Panama - Exile Island scheduling. Apparently there is no show on Thursday. On Wednesday at 8 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas will be the typical filler show we see each season full of recaps of what's gone on thus far and the oh-so-special previously unseen footage. (Can you tell how thrilled I am?)

Alas, I have plans to be at B.B. King's Blues Club in Manhattan on Wednesday night reviewing a concert for Blogcritics.org. Now I'll have to make the decision between taping a recap of Survivor or Bones. I'll probably go with Survivor, but it better be darned exciting unseen footage, not Shane scratching bug bites! American Idol is down to a half hour that night starting at 9 PM and I'm actually grateful that Lost is yet another repeat.

So, I feel safe rockin', rollin' and singing the blues in the city.
Okay.
I won't sing.

Friday, March 10, 2006

'Survivor" Exile Island' - Dan Barry on 'The Early Show'

CBS has posted its 'The Early Show' interview with the latest 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' castoff, retired astronaut Dan Barry. In the website article Astronaut Blasted Off 'Survivor' - CBS News Barry mentions his feeling of being let down by his friend Terry.

I found this bit interesting -

"I loved that place. It was so beautiful," he told Smith. "Every morning it became a saying around camp. I would get up and say, 'Another beautiful day in paradise.' I saw two new species of birds every day. The iguanas would come up to the fire and you could just pet them. They hadn't seen people. It was completely back to nature."

Cool!

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Mar. 10, 2006

Better bits with cheese! Oh, wait ... I don't think I've included any bits about Ryan Seacrest here.

Here are the television and entertainment related newsy bits links I found today one the web:

Thursday, March 09, 2006

'Survivor: Exile Island' Ep. 6 - or - "Alliances, Double Whammy and One Down From the Boys' Club'

Whoa! A topsy-turvy, good alliance, bad alliance, smokin', shoot 'em to the moon (or off the show), break up to make up, karate choppin' hoe down of a show tonight. As always, I named the episode myself. It's of no consequence that the producers name each episode when I can do it myself, right? Tonight's episode is named "Alliances, Double Whammy and One Down From the Boys' Club." Yep, that's it.

11 are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

The show opened looking in on the Casaya camp. Shane is fussing and fretting. (I know ... that's nothing new.) Now he wants out of his alliance with Courtney, Danielle and Aras. Well, out of the relationship with the two girls. Since he swore on his son, he wants them to take his name off of it and rescind the swear with their permission. Or, something odd to that effect. Oy! Of course, the girls want him gone, so they're fine with it. Aras is just befuddled. He thinks Shane is crazy. Well, they all think that, I guess. I think it and I bet you might think it, too! Not one person in the alliance trusts him. After allowing him to back out of the alliance, the plan goes into effect that he'll be the next voted off. Uh-oh, he realizes it after all is said and done. Poor crazy Shane. Meanwhile, Cirie is so loving it all. If Shane goes next, then it might be Bruce before it gets around to her.

Over at the La Mina camp, the Boys' Club and Sally are struggling with leftover beans and itsy bitsy minnows they're catching at the edge of the water. Dan decided he liked everyone so much that he first told Nick about his space travels on shuttle missions. Then he told everyone. The tribe, especially the men, have bonded very well. Both Nick and Austin are in awe of Dan and can't praise him enough. (C'mon, guys ... this is Survivor! Backstab! Stop being all truthfully friendly! What's wrong with you?) Sally, but of course, is the fifth wheel.

The tree mail was a creepy spooky smiling skull doohickey. Well, well ... the Rewards Challenge will be combined with the Immunity Challenge. This is the one the tribes must give their best effort - Immunity is at stake. But one tribe won't make the grade.

Both tribes met up with Jeff in a field where an obstacle course was all set up, skulls playing a big part in the challenge. Courtney sat out for Casaya as they were one person ahead. Three members of each tribe had to go through the course, untying knots and getting puzzle pieces. Once four puzzle pieces were brought back, the remaining two tribe members had to solve the puzzle. The Reward being played for was a Panamanian barbeque, party and delivering toys to native children. Also, the winning tribe would choose one member of the losing tribe to be exiled off to Exile Island. This exile would be a bit of a reward for the person chosen as that person would be safe from Tribal Council. So, a strategic decision must be made.

Shane slowed things down a bit for Casaya, but in the end it was Dan who just couldn't get the puzzle started right for La Mina. Casaya won immunity and they wisely chose Sally to go to Exile Island. Sally would have been the boot. She knew it; we knew it. They would make a dent in the Boys' Club - the one true alliance on the show.

Casaya headed off to the barbeque where fun and frolicking was had by all - the show folks and the Panamanians. The kids loved it. Shane bartered for a cigarette. And everything was all lovey-dovey betwixt the previously battling alliance, much to Cirie's chagrin. Good times can cure all kinds of ills. I doubt Cirie has too much to worry about. Those good times aren't going to be eternal. One bad challenge and all should rightfully turn on Shane despite his apologies.

Back at La Mina, everyone is in the doldrums. The Boys' Club guys really, really like each other. Who should go? Dan is obviously the weakest member of the tribe, plus he loused up the puzzle at the challenge. Terry and Dan had agreed to never vote for each other, but Terry decides to look at things from a managerial perspective for the good of the tribe. Dan hopes it will be a tie, but knows things won't go that way. Sure enough, at Tribal Council the whole thing was discussed and Dan was ousted. He took it well and said he had a great time although he would never have voted for Terry.

And, that was that.

Will Casaya stay all lovey-dovey? How will the Boys' Club react to Sally when she returns? Isn't the merge within the next few weeks? Will Cirie be able to keep flying under the radar? I guess we'll just have to keep watching!

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Mar. 9, 2006

Big Bits! No teensy bits! Major bits, is all I'm saying. And, they're yours for the peeking!

Of course, I'm talking about the television and entertainment related newsy bits links I found on the web today!

'American Idol' East Coast Update - Booted

Voted out tonight were:
Ayla, Kinnik, Will and Gedeon.

Dang! I liked Gedeon!

'Survivor' East Coast Update - Tribal Council

Dan was voted off.

'Survivor' East Coast Update - Reward/Immunity

Reward and Immunity Challenges were combined into one. Casaya won. They chose to send Sally to Exile Island, thus keeping her safe this week. La Mina has Tribal Council a'comin' up.

Tonight's 'Survivor" Panama - Exile Island' Blogging Schedule (3/09)

Once again, as important events on the show occur (deaths, who goes to Exile Island, reward challenge, immunity challenge and the boot)... I'll be slapping up quick details here. If you're on the West Coast and like East Coast airing show night spoilers, this is the place for you.

Within moments after an entry here, blog entry links will be added to my Jackie's Survivor Blog/Web Links Reference

There isn't an immediate way to get notice of an entry, but you can check here or there during the time the show airs in the east. A hint -- sometimes the new entries don't show immediately on the main blog page, but if you hit the February archive in the sidebar, it will show.

Sometime after the show (hopefully before 11 PM ET), I'll be posting a full recap and would love to know your thoughts about the episode!

* West Coast 'American Idol' fans who want East Coast spoilers -- after I post the 'Survivor' boot, I'll check my tape and post the 'American Idol' boots.

Survivor fans ready?

'American Idol' Quickies and East Coast Blogging Results Info

Tonight, as I'll be watching Survivor and posting East Coast updates on the happenings with that as they occur, I'll be taping American Idol. After posting the Survivor boot, I'll go to my tape and get an entry up here on the four who go home from American Idol. That can be expected by 9:05 ET. So, if you're West Coast and you just can't wait to know -- check back in here around that time.

My thoughts on the 16 remaining?

Overall, I'm liking the guys better than the girls. I didn't think any of the girls did horribly, mind you. But, for the most part, they just didn't thrill me this week. Even my favorites like Lisa Tucker, Katharine McPhee and Paris let me down a bit in song choice selection, though Katharine did the best of the three. Mandisa did fine, I thought. I thought Kellie Pickler (not a favorite of mine) did a bit better this week. I loved Simon's comment to her! Heck, no offense to Carrie Underwood and she's good at what she does, but she wasn't my choice last season. I predict we'll see Kinnik Sky and Melissa McPhee go home this week.

Then the guys. Dang, I'm liking Gedeon more and more each week. I want him to sing "Dock of the Bay"! Taylor, Chris, Ace all aced it, I believe. Taylor's performance was phenomenal! Elliott's voice is so good and he got rid of the silly beard. This week I think we'll see two of these three go home: Bucky, Kevin or Will.

Any last minute predictions out there?

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Today's TV Newsy Bits - March 8, 2006

Bits? Bet yer butts I've got bits for you!

I'm talking those television and entertainment related newsy bit links I found on the web today.
Of course.
What kind of bits did you think I was talking about?

'Amazing Race' - Joni and Lisa "Frosties" on 'The Early Show'

The Sreaming Mimis... er, Glamazons, er... Frosties, appeared on this morning's 'The Early Show.' Poor Harry Smith. At the end of the segment, they sandwiched him in and called it a Harry Sandwich. He's probably going to have nightmares for months now.

An excerpt from the CBS interview:

The sisters screamed quite a bit during their time in "Race," and Smith showed a montage of various screams.

Smith, who's six-foot-three, asked Lisa and Joni to stand next to him, and they were both almost as tall as he was. One stood on each side, and Lisa cracked, "We made a Harry sandwich!"

Now a Word From the Sponser: Focus on GEICO Commercials

Holy Lizards, Batman! A gecko has taken the advertising world by storm!

Let me just mention that I've always liked the various GEICO insurance commercials. Yes, even the ones without the gecko. I think this company has some of the most consistently amusing ads on television ranging from British lizards who become Employee of the Month to sensitive cavemen. They're campy, entertaining and, most of all, creative.

Let's talk gecko, though. After all, he's the star! First off, he's British. In the most recent ads, I personally think the Brit Gecko has more of an Australian Gecko accent, but that could be just me. The animation is superb -- the gecko always has a few extras ranging from flicking something off a tree upon which he's resting to almost falling. This has got to be one of the most clever ad campaigns I've seen over the years, especially now that the gecko is actually talking! "It's like free chips and pie, except it's a website. Who could turn down free chips and pie?"

GEICO hit with a winner when they first brought out the gecko some years back. In its latest expanded focus on the gecko commercials, they will have one of those truly legendary ad campaigns that the audience will connect to their product for generations to come. I'm no youngster (sigh) and I remember the truly memorable television commercials over the years. Trust me, the GEICO Gecko will go down in the annals of "Pop, pop, fizz, fizz" and "My bologna has a first name, it's O-S-C-A-R" -- the lizard will be a classic.

I can't wait to see what he does next! After all, a bloke like him, you never know...!

'The Amazing Race 9' - Ep. 2 -or- "Hippie Power Rocks Brazil!"

I'm so happy to see The Amazing Race back at its roots -- foreign countries, challenges that are ... well, challenging.

The second leg of this season's race started in Brazil and actually ended in Brazil, too. Even with the lack of travel miles, it was jam-packed with action. After all, where else could you see a senior citizen couple rappel down a 33 story building or ascend a 90 foot waterfall? Only on The Amazing Race!

The teams started out from the Pit Stop departing in the order in which they had arrived only to face one of the infamous "bunching points" the Race tends to have. Now, I know why they do this, but it can get a bit annoying. I realize they can't have a team or two so far ahead that the competition just isn't there. So, the teams all caught up to each other when the building where they would receive the next clue wasn't to open until 8 AM. I feel compelled to mention one interesting sidenote to the teams leaving the Pit Stop -- Jeremy and Eric actually waited for BJ and Tyler before going on. I don't think I've ever seen that happen before. Perhaps by the end of the show, they'll decide hippies over cute girls? It could happen! After all, they saw prostitutes on the streets from their taxi windows and only realized said prostitutes were men in drag after shouting excited compliments.

After the building finally opened, the next clue was a Roadblock. As Phil himself would say: "A Roadblock is a task that one member of the team must perform to receive the next clue." This Roadblock was called "Fire Drill." One member of each team had to climb up one of three fire escapes on a 33-story building, then descend by rappelling down the side. Cool! It's not quite like racing up the stairs of the Empire State Building, but it certainly took its toll on the teams, or at least the one half who chose to do it. Even those in the best shape slowed down by about the 8th floor. Danielle made it all the way to the top, then realized she's terrified of heights and was scared to rappel down. If not for Fran's encouragement, she'd still be up there ordering pizzas or something.

The clue they received directed them to the bus station. Lake impetuously charged ahead and found out that there are at least two bus stations in Brazil. (Duh!) Once again, teams faced the infamous Gathering of Three Departure Times with buses, similar to the Bunching Point, but dividing teams into a few time slots not all into one. The lead bus, as I predict we'll see for a lot of the season, contained BJ/Tyler and Jeremy/Eric. Teams who were all ready behind ended up more behind. Ah, well, it will make 'em race that much harder, right?

The teams each got a rather stripped down Volkswagen Beetle -- newer models, but definitely not a fancy-schmancy model as we see here on the streets! And, no ... they didn't get to keep them. I don't think they wanted them after driving them, anyway! They used the VWs to drive to their choice on the Detour. In the Detour, they had a choice between Press It ot Climb It. In Press It, teams had to run sugar cane through a hand press and eventually make a certain amount of ethanol following a specific process and recipe. In Climb It, teams had to hike to a 90 foot waterfall and then rope climb up it using automatic ascenders. Oh, they're not so automatic, by the way. The task still involves strength and the ability to catch onto how to use the ascender properly. Oh, great -- we get to see teams shout encouragement at each other! Lake was so encouraging, to whit: "Get your ass up there!"

BJ and Tyler, not surprisingly, chose Climb It and were the first to finish the task. Huh? The next clue led to the Pit Stop? It was only halfway through the show; there must be drama ahead to fill that last half hour. Sure enough, there are lost Screaming Glamazons who can't cope with their car. Then there was Fran and Barry who struggled through Climb It only to have their car battery die. The New Version Frat Boys decided the Hippies were steering them wrong and stopped for directions thus ensuring the Hippies would arrive first. Drama, drama, thrill, frustration...

The arrival order to the Pit Stop was:
1. BJ and Tyler (Hippies)
2. Jeremy and Eric (Frat Boys 2.0, not as fun as the first)
3. Monica and Joe (self-proclaimed Team Mojo)
4. Lori and Dave (The Nerds and Darned Proud Of It)
5. Ray and Yolanda (Angry Young Man and His Cool Woman)
6. Wanda and Desiree (Antsy Mom and her Cool Daughter)
7. Lake and Michelle (Jonathon and Victoria Take Two)
8. Danielle and Dani (Gonna have to work more than femininity)
9. Fran and Barry (Older and If Not For Bad Luck Team)
10. Philiminated: Screaming Joni and Lori (Glamazons, Frosties, Whatever...)

Okay, now to the nitty gritty...
I'm liking BJ and Tyler more and more. Perhaps the hippie bit is a bit of a gimmick. Obviously, they're too young to really know a hippie is more than long hair and a bit "out there." But I love their excitement and they're proving themselves strong in every area in the race so far.

I still like Dave and Lori. I had to smile when Dave praised the spirit of Mr. Wizard after completing the ethanol process. I like Nerds, what can I say?

Ray looked very frustrated at their arrival placement. I think that if not for Yolanda, I wouldn't be liking these two much at all. If he's so disgusted at being mid-pack, what's going to happen if they're eliminated? Will he just go pout or what?

Fran and Barry need to go into a Way Back Machine and become youthful again or rub a leprechaun for good luck or something...! It's like this team has a double whammy against them between age and bad luck. Alas, she reminds me a bit of Gretchen with the whining. I have to give them credit for making it through the physical tasks, though.

I sort of kind of like Jeremy and Eric. I'm enjoying their flirting with Dani and Danielle, but thought they were so inappropriate to Phil as they arrived at the Pit Stop. "Smack me, woman!" What the hell is up with that? Phil's eyebrow arched more than usual. I wonder how their smarts would have gotten through this leg if not for BJ and Tyler following. Physically, they are probably the best team. Mentally? Heh.

I'm still a bit ambivalent about Mojo even though they did better this leg. Dani and Danielle are starting to realize the race is more than looking pretty and having men gather to help them. Lake seems to have stopped a bit of his nastiness, but I still don't like him much.

And, finally ... I'm glad the "Glams" are gone. I couldn't have taken the screaming an entire season. They were no more better prepared for being in the race than I am. Mind you, I'm still having problems from knee surgery and will be facing more surgery before long. At least I don't scream about everything and I know how to drive a VW with a standard transmission.

What do you think of this season's race and its teams? Do you miss the Family Edition? (Heehee!)

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Today's TV Newsy Bits - March 7, 2006

The best bits in town! Bits and milk to go!

Okay. No milk. Sorry 'bout that.

Here are the television and entertainment related newsy bits links I found out on the web today:

'Amazing Race' PitStop - East Coast Update - Arrival/Philimination

The teams arrived to the Pit Stop in this order:

1. BJ/Tyler - Won a trip for two to Tahiti
2. Jeremy/Eric
3. Monica/Joseph
4. Lori/Dave
5. Ray/Yolanda
6. Wanda/Desiree
7. Lake/Michelle
8. Danielle/Dani
9. Fran/Barry
10 ... and Philiminated, Joni/Lisa

I won't be posting my recap until morning. It's probably best I write it when I'm awake. ;-)

Tonight's 'Amazing Race' Blogging

I'll be posting the Philimination when the show ends here on the East Coast. Waay late (tomorrow if I'm too beat), I'll be posting my recap/review of the episode.

Dang, why did they knock the show to 10 PM?

Monday, March 06, 2006

Today's TV Newsy Bits - March 6, 2006

Newsy bits! Naughty bits! Naughty newsy bits! Okay, not so naughty at all. Newsy, though.

Here are the entertainment and television related newsy bits links I found out on the web today:

And, a special note for Dawn -- I watched Lost last week, but also had to tape American Idol for a friend, then watch that before I gave her the tape on Thursday. I took notes during the show, but between time restraints and sloppy notes, didn't blog about it. Interesting episode, though! Hopefully, timing will be better this week.

'Apprentice 5' - Ep. 2 or "I'm a Star! I Don't Get No Respect!"

So, here it is ... the second episode. Let me just say right up front that I don't know how Brent could have beat other folks out to be on the show. Or more precisely, the 15 week long interview. There had to be thousands of others more qualified than Brent. Fire the hiring manager! Oh? That would be Donald Trump? Eh. Fire him anyway. At the very least, give him a written warning and dock his pay. Brent acts like a nutcase. I can't see how he passed as a normal person during the pre-show interview process.

In the recap, I noticed that Lee said that Tarek possessed a "lack of mismanagement." Okay. How did that get by me last week? Tarek must be better than I thought he was.

This week's task was another so-so not exciting one. The teams worked with Gillette promoting the Fusion 5 blade razor. They had to come up with a keyword and get folks to text message it. Thrilling, huh? What may be thrilling for Trumpsters is that instead of Carolyn and George, it would be Ivanka Trump (Donald's daughter) and Bill Rancik (winner of the first season) involved in the show this week. Now, I've seen Bill every now and then, but I haven't seen Ivanka much. She's very pretty, but she seemed almost too poised, too polished, too Barbie-looking for reality. Give me Carolyn back.

Pepi volunteered to be the project manager for Synergy while Lee stepped up to the managerial plate for Gold Rush. And, then it all fell apart, more for one team than the other. But I think neither team really had a handle on this task. The teams were too busy self-imploding to really get their game on and a solid plan.

Lee was not a good project manager. He was wishy-washy and then became almost defiantly wishy-washy. Meanwhile, Lenny freaked out a bit too much at Lee, but at least he had a good idea - go to the TKTS line at Times Square to get people to text message the keyword they chose. Yes! A perfect location! Times Square, if you've never been there, has crowded streets even in the middle of the night, hence "the city that never sleeps." But these folks are moving along. About the only place they just stand in large quantities is at the TKTS line where Broadway play tickets and other event tickets are sold. Thankfully, Lee checked his ego just in time and realized Lenny was spot on with the location.

Oh, but over at Synergy, things were an absolute mess! Pepi had a difficult team, but he handled things almost as poorly as he could. He showed no managerial skills at all. Brent, well ... look at my opening paragraph. He needs to be gone and should never have been selected. Stacy overreacted to Brent and she really did interrupt him a lot. He had a point there. A bunch o' whackos, I say! Michael decided they would wear bathrobes. And, yes, I'm rolling my eyes just reflecting back on it all. They overslept, thus giving Gold Rush a huge lead. Brent danced in a sandwich sign while wearing a robe and declaring himself a star. "Give him a red nose and some big-ass shoes!" From what they aired tonight, the only member of Synergy who seems to have her act together is Roxanne. At least she woke up, panicked at the hour and got everyone going. They had no solid plan. Stacy, who claims to know the city, stuck them in Times Square where all is bustling, not at a location like TKTS. Sheesh, Central Park would have been better!

The results were no huge surprise. Gold Rush sold 683 text messages while Synergy sold a dismal 458. The reward for Gold Rush was to get to suit up three guys down on their luck. Now, if Trump wanted to help them, he'd give them suits and a job. Suits are nice and they might open a door, but jobs are nicer and put food on the table.

Pre-boardroom, everyone on Synergy wants Brent out, although a few mentioned both Stacy (who exaggerated her confrontation with Brent and then backed down) and Pepi (poor leadership). Brent's prediction: "Brent is not going home this evening."

Sigh. And, he didn't. Trump could see the majority of the team was a train wreck and told Pepi he could bring three into the boardroom. He would fire two people tonight. Pepi chose Michael (bathrobes), Stacy (location) and Brent (nutcase). Trump decided that the team failed due to location, BAM - Stacy was fired. He thought Michael deserved another chance as he took responsibility for his bad judgment. Then, the kicker ... "If you can't handle Brent, you can't handle a job working for me. Pepi, you're fired!" Trump pretty much told Brent he'd be gone soon enough as he's a total disaster. Brent had an almost maniacal grin pasted to his face as he got on the elevator. Eep.

We really didn't get to know much of the other candidates tonight. Perhaps a closer look at Roxanne and Michael. Too much Brent, way too much. Get him gone. What do you think?

Dollar bills, y'all...

Sunday, March 05, 2006

TV Newsy Bits Weekend Edition - March 4-5, 2006

Here they are! Bits for the soul! Or, maybe they're bits for inquiring minds who want to know!

Yep, it's the television/entertainment related newsy bits links I found over the weekend. Of course, the big story is the Oscars and I only have a wee bit on that.

Guilty Pleasure TV Viewing

C'mon, I know you have some shows that you watch when company is unexpected; shows you might not talk about at the office watercooler. After all, someone has to be watching Jerry Springer or Maury. No, those two aren't on my list, but I know they're someone's guilty pleasure. Okay, perhaps one is Connie Chung's guilty pleasure and that carries the Nielsen ranking.

What? My guilty pleasure shows? Hmmm ... I'm not sure if I'm ready to reveal my television viewing quirks to the world. Oh, okay. I'll spill the beans. Just promise not to laugh at me. Well, you can snicker at me; but no guffawing, please. I'm sensitive, y'know.

COPS: "Bad boys, bad boys. Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?" Yep, that's the first show which comes to mind when I think guilty pleasure TV viewing. Old episodes, new episodes - I'm there. I can't understand my fascination with this show other than I'm a bit of a crime/police buff at heart. In 1989 Bertram Van Munster, the same person behind The Amazing Race, was on the production staff. Heck, even the tune is catchy. Older episodes airing on Court TV have the entire song by Inner Circle at the beginning of the show. As for the people appearing on the show who aren't cops? Yikes! What is going through their minds? Not only are they out there doing stupid criminal nefarious doings and all, but they sign releases to let the show air their ne'er-do-well ways!

Leave it to Beaver: Thank the heavens for TV Land network! The Beaver was one of my favorite shows when I was a small child and, now as an adult, I know the episodes by heart. Watching them brings me back to more innocent days. No, my Mom wasn't anything like June Cleaver although, if memory serves, she did have a strand of pearls - she just didn't wear them around the house. My Dad looked a bit like Hugh Beaumont, but certainly didn't wear a tie much. Then again, my older brother had a friend reminiscent of Lumpy Rutherford and I've known a lot of Eddie Haskells over the years.

When I want blood, gore, veins in my teeth (um, wait ... that's Arlo Guthrie), I can watch a myriad of shows on the Discovery Health Channel. From Medical Incredible to the goings-on in trauma centers and emergency rooms, they have it all. They have a Medical Examiner show, as well. But that's all recreated drama. I want real blood, gore and veins in my teeth.

The People's Court: I tend to peep at the various court shows. Perhaps one day I'll write something up about the genre. But, my favorite? I'm so over Judge Judy after so many years! It's Marilyn Milian who's my choice of outspoken judge these days. I started watching this back in the days of Judge Wapner, then Koch, then Judge Judy's husband whose name is slipping my mind at the moment. Well, not really slipping it, but I'm too lazy to look up how to spell the last name. Judge Milian rocks.

On a bit of a regional level, another guilty pleasure is watching CBS2 Crew early mornings as I get ready to go to work. It's an early morning news/weather/traffic and such show out of Manhattan, NY. Yes, it will let me know if my train is running late and whether I should bring an umbrella or not. However, I watch it just as much for the smiles and the giggles as I watch Dave Price on Dance Fridays and the interaction between the crew.

A really late night guilty pleasure is watching the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Now, that show isn't anything to be embarrassed about watching, mind you. It's just the hour that it's on that's the problem. No way can I tell folks at work that I watch it when I'm often into the office by around 7 AM! I know when I hear that Cow of Time, it's way past my bedtime and I must be a crazy person to stay up that late!

So, there are a few of my guilty pleasure shows. Now it's your turn. What do you watch behind drawn curtains? And, why?

Saturday, March 04, 2006

'Survivor's' Bobby Mason on 'The Early Show'

Oh, this one is priceless! Bobby Mason spoke his mind on 'The Early Show' - you can read the whole interview at this link.

An excerpt:

Bobby didn't mince words when it came to his feelings about Courtney. "One of her personalities is cool," he said. "She's got like three or four that she tucks away and every now and then a nice one will come out and you'll make a deal with her. And then, the next day, that nice one won't wake up. She's a lunatic."

He had equally harsh words for Shane. "Shane is a smart guy," he said. "If he's going to talk about me, he better do it behind my back. He doesn't want to end up smashed somewhere in the ocean with his acid-washed jeans and that mullet."

Now, that would have been interesting. Is mullet a kind of shellfish? ;-)
(I know what it is, but it does sound like a shellfish, doesn't it?)

Thursday, March 02, 2006

'Survivor: Exile Island' Ep. 5 or "For the Love of Cod, Stack Those Skulls!"

Yeah, yeah, yeah ... I know. The Survivor folks name each episode to their liking. But I want to name the episodes myself. They called tonight's show "For Cod's Sake." Boring! Tonight's episode was "For the Love of Cod, Stack Those Skulls!" Yep, that's my title. Much better, eh?

Twelve are left. Who wll be voted out tonight?

After the inevitable lengthy recap, the show opened to Bruce and Aras squabbling about priorities, thinking of the tribe as a whole, rock garden building and on and on. Aras tells the cameras that he wishes he could get sent to Exile Island just to get away from Bruce. Well, we know what he won't find if he's sent there.

Let's just head off to the Rewards Challenge to get away from all the fussing and fighting. Playing for fish, beans, rice and wine, the tribes had to work together and depend on each other in sort of a bucket brigade challenge. Three tribemates were on marked areas in a line perhaps ten to fifteen feet away from each other. Another had to run to a boat to retrieve the items and each tossed to the next person. The last person had to chop off the head and tail of the fish and add them to the stash. The fish were the stumbling block due to size and the fact they were very slippery.

Casaya won, winning all the foodstuffs and wine. La Mina didn't go home empty-handed, though. They had their choice of rice or beans. Regretfully, they chose the beans. (Duh! Don't they know what beans do to your digestive system? @@ <-- patented Jackie eyeroll) They went home with the beans, but without Terry. Casaya once again chose to put him on Exile Island.

Day 12 and Casaya returned to a flooded camp, no fire to cook the fish they had won. Sashimi! Sushi! Cirie balked, but I saw she was eating the raw fish with everyone else. They should be happy, but of course they aren't. Bruce is ticked off at Courtney because she's doing yoga in his rock garden. Bobby and Bruce think that others have stolen their sleeping spots so they lock themselves in the outhouse and down the last bottle of wine. While in there, they bonded and promised not to vote for each other. Don't believe that saying "my word is bond." Perhaps it was the wine promising not to vote for each other. Cirie is practicing her flying; flying under the radar, that is. She's decided she'll let them all kill each other off and then she'll rise like the Phoenix from the ashes of destruction.

Over at La Mina, Austin and Nick found out what lots of beans will do to a rather empty stomach. Not pretty. We'll move right along.

So, it's the morning of Day 13. Courtney absolutely freaks out about the wine. Bruce didn't admit right away to drinking it, though caught with the empty bottle in the outhouse. Bobby confessed to the crime. He and Courtney got into a shout down and, before you knew it... it's Day 14 and the Immunity Challenge is ready to start.

The IC had the tribemates diving down in the ocean to four different coffins to retrieve skulls. (Who thinks of these things?) Once the skulls were all retrieved, they had to assemble a skull puzzle with a gold skull atop the others in a pyramid formation. Whoa! La Mina is back! They won immunity! It's about time!

Then it starts -- the scheming and backstabbing. Aras is hellbent on getting Bruce gone while Shane campaigns for Bobby's ouster. Shane is worried that Bobby will take up with Nick and Austin if he makes it to the merge. Bobby wants Courtney out. Danielle grabs the girls, then Shane, and gets the Anti-Bobby Movement going again. Cirie is just happy that no one is thinking of her even though she was told she would be next at a previous Tribal Council.

At Tribal Council itself, the voting was pretty spread out. Bobby was gone with 3 votes. Bruce had 2 votes while Courtney and Aras each had one.

"Bobby, the tribe has spoken. You must leave the Tribal Council area immediately."

So there ya go. That was the episode. Now, a few thoughts of my own (not that I haven't been a bit opinionated throughout this):

This is the most we've ever seen of Bobby and now ZAP, gone!
Dan is looking deathly skinny.
I'm liking Cirie more each week. She works and works to fly under that radar.
Terry has definitely benefited by being sent to Exile Island -- it's like paradise to get away from the others. He's the healthiest-looking guy on the show.
Courtney gets on my nerves and I'm not liking Bruce so much these days.

If I had to choose who I want to win, I'd have to go with Terry. But I think I'd like to see Cirie have a shot at it, too. No Shane. I don't want him to win even though he's getting a bit more bearable each week.

Who are you rooting for now that we're getting to know the cast?