Tonight's 'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' Blogging and Stuff

It's Thursday! As I always do, any important events on Survivor will be posted to the blog in East Coast Updates, including the boot at the end of the show. If you can't see the most recent post, refresh the page or use the October link in the Archives on the right sidebar of the main page.

I'm loving the Lost discussion and theories for that entry! Quistian, there may be a 12-Step Program for you. Heehee! Your theories sound good. No, I don't follow all the puzzles and stuff for the show.

AwesomMel - don't take the trash can on your comments personally. It's because you're signing in to comment with a Blogger account. You can delete your own comment if you want.

'Lost' Season Three Premiere

Tonight was the night - the eagerly anticipated season premiere of Lost.

And now, I think I'm more lost than I ever was before. No polar bears, no dark wisps of smoke, and a focus on only those held captive by the Others (Jack, Kate, and Sawyer) with no other folks other than the Others and flashbacks to Jack's father and wife.

The show opened in a very un-Lost-like state. It could have been Nebraska on a lazy Sunday afternoon. But, these weren't your normal Pleasant Valley Sunday friendly neighbors. No, they were the Others! They have normal homes, a normal-looking rural sort of neighborhood. A woman chose to play a CD with Petula Clark's song "Downtown." (What's it all mean?) And, they were holding a fairly normal activity -- a meeting of a book club. The book club leader, addressed as Julie by another, defended the choice saying, "This is my favorite book!" An older man thought the book literary trash. "It's by-the-numbers religious hokum-pokum."

The book in question? Stephen King's Carrie, in hardcover. I had to freeze-frame my tape, see that its title was short and began with a "C," then look for covers online as it doesn't match my own original paperback of the book from 1973. But, that's what it was, for sure... a hardcover edition released in 1974, of Carrie. What's the significance of the book? Well, I don't know. I figure it must have some meaning or they wouldn't have shown a traceable book cover. Of course, Carrie was the outcast girl who wreaked havoc on her high school.

The Others, Henry, in particular, look a lot younger than they did in previous episodes. His hair is a healthy dark brown and there aren't the deep lines in his face. Oh. And, Henry's name is Ben. The woman running the book club made a comment about being foolish enough to "pick a book Ben wouldn't like." So, Henry/Ben has some power. The book club meeting was interrupted by what looked like an earthquake, but was the magnetic forces which caused Oceanic Flight 815 to crash. All of the Others, who seem like normal ol' people, ran out and watched it split into three parts falling over the island.

Ben assigned Ethan (remember him?) to join the survivors (if any) of the fuselage crash site and to be one of them. "You were on the plane," he said. He told him to listen, learn, and not get caught; he wants lists in three days. Others were assigned to find the other two parts of the plane.

"So, I guess I'm out of the book club."

Then it cuts to "present day" and Jack, Kate, and Sawyer are each held captive in separate areas. Sawyer is in what is later revealed to be a bear cage complete with a tricky way to obtain a fish biscuit and water. An older teenaged boy is in an adjacent cage. The teen warned Sawyer not to play with a button and Sawyer being Sawyer just had to play with it... and got blown across the cage. Later, the boy would help Sawyer escape. Don't get excited, his escape didn't last long. He was tasered and brought back to the bear cage.

Kate's scene begins in a shower room similar to ones in gyms. Hey, wait! The public shower played a part in Carrie! Nope, no dirty pillows. An older man we previously knew as Zeke attended to Kate and gave her a towel, soap, shampoo, and a dress to put on afterwards. She feared he would leer, but he told her that she wasn't his type. Don't ask. I don't know what his type would be. All dressed up and no place to go? Nope, she had a date with Henry. Ben. Whatever. A breakfast by the sea, accompanied with a warning from Ben. "The next couple of weeks are going to be very unpleasant."

What's up with Jack? Well, he's in what's revealed later to be an undersea, but dry, dolphin pool. Book Club Julie, who introduces herself to Jack as Juliet, is his watchman. He tried to escape, too. Juliet told him that his dehydration will eventually cause hallucinations and we went through a series of flashbacks. Scenes of his wife with another man (no, get your minds out of the gutter) and his father ran on and off through the show. His obsession with finding out his wife's lover even took a turn at accusing his father, cracking up, getting busted, and generally going berserk. Odd.

When he attacked Juliet and tried to escape, Ben/Henry warned him that if he opened a door, they'd all die. He went ahead and opened it. Nope, they didn't die! But water rushed in and that's when he figured they were under the sea. Juliet calmed him with a file which she claimed was "his life." She told him several facts about his background and told him Sarah (his ex-wife) was happy.

Meanwhile, after breakfast Kate was put in an adjacent bear cage to Sawyer. He shared a fish biscuit with "Freckles."

Tonight's episode is on the ABC website if you missed it. But, now we have a bunch of new mysteries and no answers.

• Why was Julie/Juliet crying as she listened to "Downtown"?
• What is the significance of the Carrie novel, if any? How did they get several copies of it?
• How did they get vehicles? How come their houses are stocked with food and have electricity? Where did this stuff all come from?
• Those bear cages are pretty big. Could one have been the domicile of a certain gigantic polar bear from the first season?
• Bear cages and dolphin pools? How do they work in with DHARMA? Or the Hanso Foundation?
• How long have these people been on the island? Many are childbearing age. We know they've stolen children. Why are there no children?

The only thing I really learned tonight was that Ethan was indeed an Other and assigned to blend in with the survivors. That and the fact that Jack acted like a real jerk about his wife's marital fling. No, I'm not suggesting he just accept it, but he went over the edge.

Oh, heck. I'm Lost.

What a Good TV Night Ahead

Jericho is starting up now as I write this. I have it on and I'm taping Bones. At 9 PM, I'll be watching the Lost season premiere and taking notes for a blog entry about it. Oh. I'll also be taping it just in case I want to go back over something or not watch it notebook on lap. Then, at 10 PM, I have to catch the premiere of The Nine. I've read previews and it looks like that one's a "keeper." That'll knock my C.S.I.: NY to taping status. It will also make my Lost review/recap a bit later tonight, but my goal is to get that posted before I hit the sack.

Remember - I've set up posts for AOL/Gold Rush clue sharing, and the discussion of Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives. Feel free to share the links with friends interested in the shows and have a good time!

Now I have some serious TV-watching to attend to...

TV Newsy Bits: 'The Amazing Race' WIll Race Again For Season 11

It's amazing! Yes, it really is!

Although never a top show in the ratings arena, The Amazing Race has been chalking up the Emmy awards season after season. In this day of reality television overload, TAR shines through the pack. CBS recently announced that The Amazing Race has been renewed for an 11th season, delighting the show's many diehard fans.

The change to Sunday nights with the "Race, Case, Trace" CBS line-up - (Amazing Race, Cold Case, Without a Trace) - has improved the ratings for The Amazing Race, while perhaps not working as well on the latter two shows. Despite football games delaying its start on the East Coast, the CBS Sunday evening line-up performed well on October 1, leading with a 9.5 rating and 15 share of the audience.

What sets TAR apart from the many reality shows on television? The premise is only a bit of the distinction — each season has 10 to 12 teams of two contestants, each with an existing relationship (family, friends, dating, etc.), running a whirlwind race around the globe, with the winning team bringing home one million dollars. Viewers of the show get glimpses of various customs, cultures, and historical places, along with breathtaking scenery of wondrous countries as they watch the teams sometimes implode, but more often grow closer through the race.

I'm a fan of the show and I don't believe I've ever missed an episode. On a personal level, one of the things I love about the show is that it often inspires me to find out more about an area through which the race was run. For example, this past week, the racers were in Hanoi, Vietnam. One of the clues led them to find John McCain's flight suit at the "Hanoi Hilton." I had some recollection of this, but watching the show made me go online and learn more about it. Other episodes find me searching for more information on religious and cultural rites. The Amazing Race touches on numerous topics, and makes me think, research and learn. No other reality television show does that for me. (Okay, I'll admit that Survivor had me looking up howling monkeys last season.)

The Amazing Race is hosted by Phil Keoghan and, as a bit of the Internet seeps in, the term for when a team is eliminated has evolved to them being "Philiminated." This is done with great affection for the show's host, of course. As the teams race around the world, they have to perform both mental and physical tasks to move ahead. It can be edge-of-your-seat watching and the race to the mat can get viewers up and cheering for their favorite teams.

The Amazing Race airs every Sunday night following 60 Minutes on CBS. That would normally put it at an 8 PM ET/PT start, but football games may delay its airing on the East Coast. If you haven't watched the show, tune in and find out why it brings home the awards every season. It's exciting, interesting, and definitely entertaining -- even if you're not into the reality television genre.

TV Newsy Bits for October 2, 2006

It's Monday!

Well, I can pretend to be excited about it, can't I?

I watched the second episode of Heroes tonight. I'm not sure where that show is going, but I'm going to stick with it. I guess I'm a bit of a comic-geek wandering mind type. Of course, my favorite character on the show is Hiro. His YATA exclamation in NYC reminds me so much of BJ and Tyler last season on The Amazing Race with their TATOW!

I want to thank everyone in the comments from the day. You folks are fantastic and, did you notice? Not one commenter stood up and said, "I think you're wrong about Peter. He's a saint." Heh.

In other real TV news:

• Cecilia, the recent Survivor castoff, will be on Letterman tonight. Well, at least at the Hello Deli around the corner.
• Heroes Continue to Test Their Newfound Abilities Next Week on Heroes
• Bones Preview Clips for October 4th
• In Depth Episode (Possible Spoiler) Info for Survivor 10/05

What did you watch tonight?

'The Amazing Race 10' - Ep. 3 -or- "Fuel, Fowl and the Hanoi Hilton"

Nine teams remain. Who will be eliminated tonight?

Okay, I noticed last week that Phil did the introduction with the word "next" instead of "tonight." Is it a clue of some sort? Well, the results were the same. A team was indeed eliminated from The Amazing Race tonight. And, I might add, it wasn't a team I wanted to see leave.

Let's jump right on in with the pack at the race...

We left the teams at the last Pit Stop in Mongolia. As is standard, the teams left in the same order as they had arrived, albeit twelve hours later. Peter and Sarah were the first to get the clue and to head off on a mission to get to the Hoa Lo Prison or, as it's nicknamed, the "Hanoi Hilton" in Hanoi, Vietnam. I noticed that there was about a two hour gap between first and last. Peter/Sarah left at 6:54 AM and, in last place, Lyn/Karlyn left at 9:02 AM.

The teams started the leg with zero (as in zilch, nothing, dead-po' broke) dollars and were warned that they couldn't beg or sell anything. So, some teams were a bit better off than others with saved money from the previous two legs of the race. Sarah/Peter had $40, Dustin/Kandice had $24, but others were as low as Duke/Lauren with a paltry $11.

The money was more of an issue than departure times as the teams hit a bunching point at the airport and all teams ended up on the same flight to Hanoi.

Drama? Was there drama? Sure, there was! Tom and Terry threw a fit when they thought Dustin and Kandice cut in front of them in line. And, of course, it was all for naught.

What about physical woes? Well, of course! Mary hurt her ankle in the last leg and, in a confessional spot said, "I didn't leave my kids for nuthin" as she vowed to race on. Sarah's prosthetic leg is still leaking hydraulic fluid and, while it doesn't seem to be causing her any additional pain, the knee isn't responding as it should and not bending as well. As a result, her running is almost like a jolting hop-a-long. She might still be able to outrun Mary or Lyn/Karlyn, but she's not in her personal marathon condition.

Once in Hanoi, Duke picked up a local woman who promised to lead them to the prison, but really just wanted to use them for a ride to go see her brother a half-hour from their destination. Lauren was against it all along and I think she restrained from saying, "I told you so!" Thankfully, their cab driver accepted their $11 and didn't call the cops for fare-beating.

Lyn and Karlyn tried to get David and Mary aboard in their taxi to help them, but both teams wouldn't fit. David was completely awestruck at being in Vietnam. His Dad was a Vietnam War veteran and his thoughts sometimes clouded his judgment in this leg of the race. Of course, that makes me feel old because I'm old enough to be David's mother. Oh, say it ain't so!

The teams once again bunched up as they awaited a 9 AM opening. Their quest was to find the display containing John McCain's flightsuit within the prison museum, Maiso Centrale. Tom and Terry were the first to discover the suit and scampered off with nary a word to the other teams.

From the Hanoi Hilton, teams had to go to Hanoi's Old Quarter where they had to face this leg's Roadblock (a task which can only be completed by one member of each team). This one that seemed fun but I personally think it was a bit lame when compared to others. They had to "charm people and turn a buck" on the streets of Hanoi... selling flowers. (What's that sound? Is that the sound of rolling eyes?) The good thing is that they get to keep the money made - all of what amounts to about $5 (USD). Why Peter sold flowers while Sarah ends up with physical tasks, I don't know. (Dump him, Sarah!) Lauren was thrilled with the native womens' response to her father selling flowers.

Although Peter and Sarah were in good standing at that time, they took a wrong bus to the next destination, the town of Vac. David was still thinking of his father's days in Vietnam and Tom/Terry apparently weren't thinking at all. Earlier the show had a blurb about the teams being prohibited from riding or driving motorcycles or motorbikes in Vietnam due to safety issues. So, what does Team TT do? They ride with locals on motorbikes to the next stop, a Detour.

The teams have a choice between locally-inspired tasks in a Detour. In this one, they had to choose between Fuel or Fowl. In Fuel, the teams had to make 30 coal bricks (used as fuel) to specification. In Fowl, the teams had to make a birdcage to specification. Most of the teams chose Fuel, but that wasn't coal as we know it. As David, the coalminer says, "This ain't real coal!" And, I believe it was Mary who said, "Oh! This is just like Play-Doh!" Lauren and Duke tackled the birdcage only because they got lost searching for the Fuel site.

As the teams completed the task, it was a foot race to the Pit Stop on a rice paddy still in Vietnam. The ChoBros arrived first and, like Tyler and BJ last year, got rooked on their prize. Instead of a cool trip, they got a home entertainment system. Not one for each of them, just one. Bummer!

But, not as much of a bummer as what happened to Terry and Tom. They slid into second place only to get nicked for their riding the forbidden to ride motorbikes. They received a half-hour penalty and it was an anxious wait as the other teams arrived to the Pit Stop. At least in editing, it looks like they barely squeaked into the last spot before Philimination.

The rest of the teams arrived at the Pit Stop in this order:
2. Tyler/James
3. Rob/Kimberly
4. Dustin/Kandice
5. Peter/Sarah
6. Lyn/Karlyn
6. David/Mary
8. Tom/Terry squeak back in.
9. Last and eliminated from the race - Duke/Lauren.


Rats. I liked them. If only it could have been Rob and Kimberly, although we didn't really see a lot of them in this leg.

I think this week's challenges were a bit on the ho-hum side, but it may just be the adventurer within me. I'm liking the possibility that some teams may work together if they can. Lyn/Karlyn think David and Mary are great and are also bonding with the ChoBros and Team TT. I'm still liking the ChoBros a lot and I'm admiring David and Mary's spunk and the relationship between them more each week. We didn't see a heck of a lot of the Rehab Model Boys, and that was fine with me. I don't think they'll stay in the background too long, but it was nice to go a week without hearing how "saved" they are.

I still think that Peter's using Sarah and I can't help but think that she's realizing they're not a match made in heaven.

Dump him, Sarah!

'The Amazing Race 10' - East Coast 10/01 Show Update - Pit Stop Arrival Order

1. The ChoBros. - Also won a state of the art home entertainment center.
(2.) Tom and Terry... but, they didn't follow a safety restriction regarding prohibiting riding or driving a motorcycle or motorbike in Vietnam, a 30 minute penalty. They must wait it out.
2. Tyler/James
3. Rob/Kimberly
4. Dustin/Kandice
5. Peter/Sarah
6. Lyn/Karlyn
7. David/Mary
8. Tom and Terry back in.
9. Last and Philiminated - Duke and Lauren.

'Amazing Race 10' - Tonight's Blogging Schedule

The start of tonight's The Amazing Race 10 episode has been delayed by football.

I don't like football.

I don't like delays of shows I enjoy due to football.

You don't even want me to go there!

60 Minutes started at a bit after 7:30 PM here in the NYC area, so TAR should start a bit after 8:30 PM. As usual, I'll post important show-changing stuff here on the blog as it airs in East Coast time. Later tonight, I'll post a review/recap of the episode.

To get to the latest blog entry, it may be necessary to refresh the main blog page or hit the link for October in the Archives links on the right sidebar of the main blog page.

'Lost' - Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculations

I've done it. I've searched the web looking for all of the spoilers, rumors, and pure speculation regarding the upcoming season of Lost. The season premieres this Wednesday, October 4, at 9 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas. Check your local listings so you don't miss it!

And, if you don't want to know spoilers for Season Three, then quietly close the article and move along. There's nothing to see here, nothing at all. Ah, but if you do want to know, read on...

From Kristin at E! Online, I gathered these gems (the commentary, of course, is my own):

Executive Producer Bryan Burk said, "We're opening a whole new world for you in season three." Yikes! Have we even explored the worlds already opened onto us? He promises the show will spiral into new and unexpected directions. Hmm, now I'm a show fan, but I think I'd like to have some more answers before more spirals take place. Burk said the show will delve deeper into the Others; we'll learn more about them as the storylines focus on them.

There is also a new Brazilian "hot" male character to be introduced this season -- Rodrigo Santoro and his new friend (or is it?) Kiele Sanchez. Lots of on-screen chemistry is promised. Oh, hot and heavy stuff, eh?

Burk also said the hatch is gone, done and over with. This season will feature entirely new sets. Eep! But... but... I still have unsolved mysteries about the hatch!

Amongst the teasers Kristin shared for the show, we have the fact (rumor, speculation) that two people close to Sun die. She said they're close to her in very different ways. Hmmm... I hope it's not Jin. Or Hurley! Could it be Michael? At least we have a ray of hope with dead characters on this show. Sometimes the dead come back. No, not like in a Stephen King novel... in flashbacks.

The kiss we see in the promos isn't what it seems according to Kristin. But, there will be another kiss. Is this a Judas Kiss? I don't know. I'm just conveying the information here. Uh-oh. There will be sex in Jack's bed. Will Jack be a part of this? I'm not thinking so. Change those sheets, at least! Sawyer will be shown as a "bonafide wuss"? How could that be? Supposedly, he'll have good reason for his wussiness. I guess we'll be the judge of that!

Terry O'Quinn (John Locke character) said that he's been told that the show will reveal why he was in a wheelchair, but he can't tell when or how or anything else about it. Heck, these actors don't even really know the skinny on this show.

I found the Spoilerfix site interesting. They mention that while some spoilers are indeed spoilers, the producers and cast often put forth what they call "foilers" -- deliberate false spoilers to foil the attempts of the spoilers crowd. That could be a show on its own, it seems. But, it all goes into why I named this article with "rumors" and "speculation" in its title. I can't guarantee any of this will happen. We'll have to watch to see what's a spoiler and what's a foiler.

Here's what I gleaned from their site, foilers and spoilers, along with my reactions:

The first episode entitled "A Tale of Two Cities" will concentrate on Jack (Matthew Fox) with flashback sequences about his drinking father and possible infidelity on the part of his wife, Sarah. Desmond will turn up at the hatch naked. Wait! I thought the hatch was done and over with according to the other spoilers! Perhaps the hatch will cringe at the sight of a dirty naked Desmond and implode. Or something. And, no, that's not a spoiler. That's just my odd mind. The premiere also focuses on Jack, Sawyer, and Kate as prisoners of the Others.

The second episode is "The Glass Ballerina" and it will mainly focus on Sun and Jin. Sayid puts Sun and Jin in danger with his plan to locate the captured by the Others bunch. Henry will make a proposition to Jack that Jack may find hard to turn down. A new character named Colleen is set to appear in the third episode. She's tough and seems to have military training of some sort. She distrusts most people and is only emotional when with her "significant other." Not to be confused with her significant Other. Or maybe, I don't know. Is she herself an Other? Where did she come from? Was she on the plane? I don't know.

The third episode entitled "Further Instructions" focuses on John Locke. There is supposed to be a "trippy airport-set dream sequence" according to the TV Guide. Hurley is the flight attendant, Desmond is the pilot, and Claire and Charlie are married. But, it's all a dream. Or is it? (Cue organ music here.) In this episode, it's also predicted that a dead character will return. Boone (Ian Somerhalder) must be at his sister's side... or something. I'm sure death hasn't hurt his good looks any. Wait, this isn't a flashback or part of the dream. Supposedly, Boone hooks up with John Locke on a "kung fu"-like journey to expose an island mystery. John Locke is also supposed to revert to his previous mysterious and knowing ways, Grasshopper. Good. I like that character better. I've always predicted that Locke is the Key to the island and he could very well be if he goes back to that persona.

The episode also reveals the fate of Eko, Desmond, and Locke after the hatch's implosion. (See! I said the hatch would implode after experiencing a naked Desmond!) Oh, no... it's the new characters Nikki and Paulo who have sex in Jack's bed! Already? Some introduction to the characters, eh?

Okay, there are the spoilers for the first three episodes. Once those are digested, I'll write about more down the road. Remember, some are spoilers, some may be foilers. But, this Wednesday, we'll all be watching the season premiere!

'Grey's Anatomy' - Blog Meet Up Discussion

Are you a fan of Grey's Anatomy? Do you want to talk about the show or its characters with blog friends?

Well, here's the spot!

The show's official website is located at ABC.com Grey's Anatomy and your show talk can certainly be located right here.

Darn. I wish they didn't put this one up against C.S.I. I've only caught it a few times because it was up against something else I watched in the past. One of these days I'll catch up on the reruns. But, in the meantime, I'd love to read your thoughts about the show!

'Desperate Housewives' - Blog Meet Up Discussion

By request, here it is! A place for blog readers to discuss the show Desperate Housewives with friends.

Deal the skinny on the latest episode or rant about the characters - it's up to you.

Now, this is a show that I've tried and just can't get into, but who knows? Maybe reading your comments will get me to try it again.

The official website for the show is here.

Have fun and get talkin' "desperate"!

TV Newsy Bits and Bloggy Bits, Too

I'm in the midst of updating my blog sidebar and I should have all the links I want in there by the end of the weekend. For those of you following the AOL/Gold Rush Game, there is now a nifty handy dandy link right in the main blog sidebar.

I've also added the main network site links for Lost, Survivor, and The Amazing Race. When I get all of it done, I will also include various websites about the shows so readers can easily access them.

I also will be making entries for a few shows I don't watch and those "meet up" entries will be listed there for folks to discuss the shows. So far on my list I have Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, and I'm thinking ER. Any other discussion forum posts you want?

In other TV-related news (hence TV Newsy Bits):

• CANOE -- JAM! Television - TV Shows - Jericho: 'Jericho' is scoring with viewers
• CBS' "Amazing" Pickup - Sep 29, 2006 - E! Online News - There will be a TAR 11!
• The Victims Give Voice to Their Own Murders Next Week on CSI - This looks like it's going to be a great episode!
• Reality News Online Interview With Cecilia, Survivor Castoff

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - Ep. 3 -or- "Drop Your Buffs"

18 are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

Well, I was right. I had predicted the merge would come about three weeks in and, here we are at the third episode and it's a done deal.

So much for segregation, eh?

In my opinion, the diverse cast working together on tribes not separated by race or culture will be more interesting to watch. It's more how we have to work things in the world - thrown into a mix of folks. At least, around here, that is!

Onto the show...

Billy's ex-tribemates still can't get over his "love at first sight" with Candice of the Raro tribe. They're befuddled and confused. Obviously, so was he. On Puka, Brad is becoming increasingly annoyed by Cao-Boi's incessant talking, whether telling jokes or just droning on... and on. "This guy just doesn't shut up! I don't think he's all there!" I personally think that Cao-Boi's definitely a bit "out there." I enjoy watching him, but I might feel the same as Brad if I had to spend days and nights with him.

Tree mail made the tribes think there was going to be a morning challenge, but Jeff Probst had a different surprise in store for them. Merge time! "Drop your buffs." Cao-Boi wasn't sure what a buff is. I snickered. "It's time to integrate!" Well, yeah, the social experiment lasted two weeks. Too bad history made it stretch out so long, huh?

The men and women were lined up separately and tiles were passed to each castaway. When they revealed the tiles, four (two men, two women) had tiles with an X on them. They were deemed the captains. The captains (Cecilia, Jonathan, Brad, and Parvati) were instructed to choose the same gender, but not from their own tribe. Then the chosen chose the same gender, but of a tribe not represented. So, then there were four tribes still, this time segregated by gender. A big improvement.

But, wait! Then each of the captains were given an egg. At Jeff's direction, they squished the eggs to reveal either red or blue paint. And, the skies parted and new tribes emerged from the dust of racial separation. Or, something to that effect.

The new tribes were named Aitu and Raro; they'd be taking over those camps. Aitu's new color is red and the tribe has Jonathan, Yul, Ozzy, Cao-Boi, JessFlicka, Cecilia, Sundra, Becky, and Candice. Raro wears blue buffs and includes Parvati, Jenny, Cristina, Rebecca, Stephannie, Brad, JP, Nathan, and Adam.

Happy, happy, joy, joy was the sentiment of the tribes, for the most part. JessFlicka thinks she may finally fit in somewhere, Parvati has a new flirting target (Nathan), although she seems to want to flirt with almost all the men except for Cao-Boi and perhaps Jonathan. Cecilia asked Candice about Billy's "love at first sight" with her. Candice was, without a doubt, not in love. It took her a moment to recall that she even said "we love you" to try to make him feel better.

Over on Raro, Yul and Jonathan were instantly drawn together. They wanted to create an alliance to the final four consisting of themselves, Becky, and Candice. They want to bring in at least a fifth, possibly a sixth, as they figure numbers will be strength. Jonathan thinks he can bring JessFlicka about to their side. JessFlicka has other plans, though. Hey, girls just want to have fun! She came to have a good time, make new friends, and all this alliance talk is confusing her. [@@ - I must roll my eyes at roller-girl.] She's bonding with Cao-Boi and doesn't like Becky. After all, she can't be fake, y'know. Yul let Becky, his true ally, know that he had the hidden Immunity Idol from Exile Island. They won't tell anyone else.

Nathan is struttin' his stuff and caught a huge octopus with a spear. He's the hero of Raro and a very happy man indeed. Wait until Parvati gets her tentacles around him; he'll think the octopus was a playtoy.

The Immunity Challenge was similar to one they had last season. The tribes were tied together by tribe and each given a fifteen-pound sack of sand. They had to race an roughly rectangular course starting at opposite ends, trying to catch the other tribe. If a person dropped out, he or she had to pass their weight to another. The goal was to tackle a member of the opposing tribe. Oh. Did I mention this was about thigh-deep in water? Why, yes, it was.

The course set-up, and the tornado watch warning on CBS Channel 2, New York City in the screen cap on the right.

The women dropped out first and no man was a true Terry. Remember how much weight he lugged in the similar challenge last season? Rebecca was the last woman staggering. Once it was down to all men, Raro put the push on and, despite a heroic effort from Yul to block, they brought Cao-Boi down. Raro won Immunity.

This time, the winning tribe chose someone from the losing tribe to send to Exile Island. That person would be safe from Tribal Council. Raro unanimously chose Candice.

Once back at camp, Ozzy again wanted to run the show. Unbeknownst to him, he's going up against Yul and Jonathan when he decided Becky would be the target. Things looked iffy for a long time on this one, at least the way they edited the show. JessFlicka didn't want to commit to Jonathan as she didn't click with Becky. Becky gives her bad vibes. [@@] Cao-Boi said Becky was a "weak link" and a "princess" as Yul and Jonathan worked on him for the vote. They wanted Cecilia, Ozzy's buddy out.

And, so it went down.

At Tribal Council, despite the editing, the vote ended up being 5-3 (remember, Candice was still on Exile Island) to cast off Cecila. The votes to off Becky were Ozzy, Cecilia, and Sundra.

Ozzy isn't happy. Although he was an early favorite of mine, this week I chortled at his unhappiness. I know, I'm cruel. Too many Alpha Males on that tribe and Ozzy is probably the weakest Alpha Male link. He'd be a better Cao-Boi at this point.

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - 9/28 - East Coast Update - Tribal Council

5 votes for Cecilia, 3 votes for Becky.

Cecilia is voted off.

Ozzy not happy. Heh.

A full review/recap will be posted later tonight... weather permitting. They're still saying tornado watch until midnight (ET).

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - 9/28 - East Coast Update - Immunity

The new Raro won Immunity.

Winning team chooses to send someone from Aitu to go to Exile Island. That person will be safe from Tribal Council vote tonight. They chose Candice.

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - 9/28 - East Coast Update - Merge

Two new tribes:

Blue - Raro: Brad, JP, Nathan, Adam, Parvati, Jenny, Cristina, Rebecca, Stephannie

Red - Aitu: Jonathan, Yul, Ozzy, Cao-Boi, Cecilia, JessFlicka, Sundra, Becky, Candice

TV Newsy Bits and Tonight's 'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' Blogging Schedule

Tonight, as usual, I'll be posting important Survivor 13: Cook Island events as they air here in the East Coast. It's going to be a really big show tonight - don't miss it! To get the newest post on the blog, try refreshing the main page or using the archive link for this month's posts which you'll find in the right sidebar of the main page.

In comments, some folks wondered what shows are in ratings troubles and what can be done. You can usually find a feedback or contact us link at the main network websites. That would be the quickest way to contact them.

On "hiatus" -
Happy Hour - FOX

In ratings troubles:
Justice - FOX
Kidnapped - NBC
Men In Trees - ABC

New shows doing well:
Heroes - NBC

Most, but not all, CBS shows can be watched on Innertube which you can find linked at the CBS website. ABC does have some shows available online and you can check on their site, then through the link for the show which you want to watch. I'm not sure how many are online, but noticed that a few are available.

And, yes, I know my sidebar links are still overwhelmingly Big Brother. When I have a moment, I'll change them.

Additional note added at 7:45 ET -- They're scrolling that we're under a tornado watch until midnight here. Grr - I'm in NJ near NYC. Sheesh. Right now it's not even storming at all, but if I vanish it will be weather-related.

Blech... Pronounce it Phonetically

I've had a bit of a stomach bug since yesterday afternoon. I'm sure it's nothing serious, but it waylaid me for last night and for most of today. Sigh.

I just wanted to remind people that Lost has a new recap (if such a thing can exist) which brings us through last season. It should prep us all for next week's season debut. Yay! That's on at 9 PM ET/PT in most areas.

At 8 PM I have a dilemma. I want to watch both Bones and Jericho. Which to watch live and which to tape? And then I have my 10 PM dilemma. C.S.I.: NY or Kidnapped? Which to watch, which to tape. And when will I have the time to watch the stuff I've taped? Woe is me! Too much television and not enough time! I watched Kidnapped last week and found it intriguing, but I don't know how it'll work as a longterm show concept. What if it goes on for years? What if the kid is 42 when he's released by his captors?

I don't know.

At least I found the time to watch my David Letterman tape from last night to see the 10-year old girl "Lizard Whisperer" who hypnotizes lizards, then dresses them in doll clothes and poses them.

It's an interesting world.

TV Newsy Bits and Schtuff!

Yep, it's time for TV Newsy Bits! And, but of course, schtuff. Can't forget the schtuff!

For those of you interested in Survivor spoilers for the upcoming episode, check out this article which goes into the major shake-up as we're seeing in the TV ads.

I previously linked one Janelle chat, but came across this chat with both Will and Janelle, too.

Don't forget that folks are still talking about the clues in the 'AOL/Gold Rush' Clues Meet Up entry. I want one (or more) of the blog readers to win!

Celebrity Spider has some interesting articles up:

• Cheech Marin and Jai Rodriguez are Eliminated on Celebrity Duets
• Preview for September 27th Episode of "Kidnapped"
• Preview for September 28th Episode of The Office
• Special Two Hour Episode of The Biggest Loser Wednesday September 27th

Tonight I watched How I Met Your Mother. I liked it better when Lilly and Marshall were a couple, but Neil Patrick Harris is always a good Barney. I also watched Heroes. Now, I found that one intriguing. I may have to write about it tomorrow. Now I have on the episode I missed of Men In Trees after giving up on Studio 60 (whatever). I can't watch C.S.I.: Miami because David Caruso bugs the heck out of me. Later on I'll watch Letterman - he's going to have Billy Garcia (Survivor) standing over in the Hello Deli for the interview.

What did you watch tonight? Are there any series about which you'd like me to start an entry for commenters? For example, I don't watch Desperate Housewives, but I know some of you do. I could create a Desperate Housewives Meet Up post for you if you wish. Let me know!

'The Amazing Race 10' - Ep. 2 -or- "Knot a problem? Go for the ox!"

Ten teams are left. Who will be eliminated next?

We last left the teams atop the Great Wall of China, and two teams were Philiminated in the season premiere. Both Bilal and Sa'eed and Vipul and Arti bit the dust, but the race goes on.

Since Tyler and James had been the first to arrive at the Pit Stop, they were the first to leave. The clue they received directed them to travel 963 miles by bus and train to Outer Mongolia. Now, that sounds cool, eh?

We encountered the first quasi-bunching-point of the season as the teams arrived to the bus station. They were split up in two buses, one departing two hours earlier than the other. Five teams on each bus, the first held the teams of Tyler/James, Duke/Lauren, Sarah/Peter, Dustin/Kandice, and Rob/Kimberly. The second group bonded while awaiting for their 2 AM departure. Then it was off for the Erlian Train Station in Inner Mongolia. The train will take them to their destination.

How are the teams getting on with each other? Well, while the "slower" group is bonding some and generally having fun on the race, Tyler and James spied on "the blondies" - Dustin and Kandice. They don't trust them. Hey, guys, it's a race. Everyone is trying to win. They're allowed to make a cell phone call and try to get information for themselves. Sheesh.

Now, this week, Peter did it again. Last week I was a bit miffed with his claim that they were "going to play the Disability Card" and now this week he said, "It's good to have a physical disability. We're going to use that to our advantage." Keep in mind, it's Peter... not Sarah, the one with the disability. I'm not liking what I see here. While Sarah is an incredible athlete, disability or not, I don't like this relationship. The more I see of Peter, the more I think he's using her for his own purposes. He's starting to creep me out. Yeah, she's whiney at times, but he's devious. Dump him, Sarah!

And, if I have to hear the rehab, life is so hard, it's a new life, we're sober, blah-blah-blah from James and Tyler again so much during a one-hour show, I'll...I'll... um... I'll say bad things about their hair! So there.

The taxi rides that the teams took once they hit Ulaanbaater were wild! It makes the slow cabs of past experiences horses of a different color. They collected their clues in a temple which grouped them a bit as they could only go in every ten minutes.

The clue directed them to some deathtrap Russian Jeeps which they had to drive to Terlej. Then they had to ride horses (while wearing spiffy Mongolian hats) two and a half miles to receive the next clue.

Surprisingly, David and Mary (of all folks) picked up a local to help guide them in their Jeep. He guided them well until he guided him through mud and they got stuck. Bad, bad guide. They ended up getting a replacement car, but TAR's rules state they get no credit for the wasted time. They weren't the only team with car woes. Tyler and James got lost and then had a flat tire. Not only that, but they had a broken jack. Maybe their Russian Jeep needs rehab? Rob and Kimberly tried to give them their jack, but they couldn't get it out of the car. When other teams approached, all left the Pretty Boys in their dust. Finally a local helped them.

Off to the horses! Sarah changed for a prosthesis with an actual foot in case she had to use stirrups. Peter barely waited for her to do it. (Picture a sneer as I typed that. Did I mention the guy is creeping me out?) Kimberly is afraid of horses and asked, "Do you think they can smell fear?" Apparently, they can. She promptly got dumped while another racer (either Dustin or Kandice?) got dragged. A horse is a horse, of course. And, horses in Mongolia must smell fear. Leave it to the ChoBros to actually call out, "Rawhide!" I can't help but like those two. I hope their racing seriously improves, though.

After the horse ride, the teams were faced with a Detour. Their choices were Take It Down or Fill It Up. In Take It Down, the teams had to dismantle a traditional Mongolian nomadic camp, tie it according to specifications, and load it on a waiting camel. In Fill It Up, the teams had to guide an ox cart to the river, fill up buckets of water, bring them back and fill up a larger container to the specification of a Mongolian guide.


The knots involved in the Take It Down task presented problems for the teams choosing that one, while some of the oxen had minds of their own for the other task. Peter and Sarah first chose the Take It Down task, then flipped to the Fill It Up, got an ox with "fire in its eyes" (according to Peter) and flipped back. Sarah fussed that she didn't want to quit the first attempt and Peter did pretty much what he wanted to do. (Dump him, Sarah!) Kimberly and Rob bickered and he too barked out instructions. Dump him, Kimberly.


Although Team Barbie (Dustin and Kandice) finished their ox task first, they lost one of the Mongolian hats and had to go back to search for it. The teams had to ride the horses back to their Jeeps and had to have the spiffy hats. Mary and David gave Karlyn and Lyn their excess water they hauled in a nice gesture. They may be backwoods, but they seem genuinely nice folks.

As the teams took off for the next clue once they hit the Jeeps, a few wouldn't start. Both Lyn/Karlyn and Jamie/Kellie were stranded with dead batteries. (Others had issues, too. The ChoBros got stuck on the road and pushed to start theirs). The situation with the girls led to one of the most suggestive, yet totally innocent lines of the night - "He's got a long rod." Hey! It was a crank! The Russian Jeeps can be crank-started like a wind-up toy. Yes, I confess to a gutter-mind. But it was funny.

Once they hit the road, the next stop was a Roadblock. It was a tough one, too. One member oif each team had to shoot a flaming arrow 160 feet to light a target which was flat on the ground. Some teams did very well, but the last team to arrive worked into the darkness of night making the attempt, then finally gave up. They couldn't even see the target.

Here's the arrival order at the Hotel Mongolia, the Pit Stop for this leg of the race:
1. Peter/Sarah - Also won a trip for two to Mexico for first place.
2. Tyler/James
3. Duke/Lauren
4. Tom/Terry
5. Dustin/Kandice
6. Rob/Kimberly
7. David/Mary
8. Erwin/Godwin
9. Lyn/Karlyn
10. Kellie/Jamie - Philiminated.

At a confessional not on the mat, Sarah said she's noted some problems with Peter. Dump him, girl! He's using you!

And, that was the show. I sort of liked Kellie and Jamie and, though I hate to admit it, I'm liking Kandice and Dustin more. I'm usually the anti-beauty queen/model show watcher. Don't fear I've totally changed my ways. I still don't like James and Tyler. I wish they weren't such strong competitors.

I'd like to see Rob and Kimberly and Peter gone. Sarah can stay, maybe hook up with the ChoBros... or something.