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‘Survivor: Worlds Apart’ Episode 11 Recap – Dan’s Best Friend

April 29, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

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Last Week: Sierra felt Mike letter down, Will went on a snack attack, and Jenn got to the jury in a hurry…

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog…

Let’s take a look at the tribe as it currently stands…

The Merica Tribe (wearing purple)
Carolyn – Corporate Executive, 52
Dan – Postal Worker, 47
Mike – Oil Driller, 38
Rodney – General Contractor, 24
Shirin – Yahoo Executive, 31
Sierra – Barrel Racer, 27
Tyler – Ex-Talent Agent Assistant, 33
Will – YouTube Sensation, 41

We kick things off the morning after Tribal where Shirin is still upset over Will’s harsh comments. In particular, she brings up Will’s assertion that he wasn’t verbally assaulting her while he was LITERALLY verbally assaulting her.

Dan lets her know that he feels bad about what happened. However, he does this in the slow…insincere…Dan voice he used to “apologize” to Sierra. He follows this up by letting us know that he thinks Shirin is a two-faced liar and that it’s karma and she deserved it. Well, you said one thing to her and something else to us…so…who’s a two-faced liar?

Also, someone should just take the word “deserves” out of Dan’s vocabulary.

Reward Challenge Time: The tribes will be split into two teams of four. They’ll use four barrels, a piece of rope, and two planks to cross a stretch of land. If a player or a plank touches the ground they’ll have to start over. The first team to get to the end gets a catamaran ride complete with burgers and pie.

Mike, Shirin, Sierra, and Rodney will be the blue team. Carolyn, Tyler, Dan, and Will are red.

No fair! Sierra is a barrel racer!

Anywho, the challenge starts and it…is…awkward. The red team employs a stand-up barrel approach while Mike is using himself as a human plank.

The blues have a decent lead, when a mental lapse has them putting a plank on the ground. Probst sends them back.

Then, the blues hilariously try to individually barrel roll to the end. This does not work. Red’s slow-and-steady approach wins the race.

Dan says he feels bad that Rodney hasn’t had a reward yet. Probst offers him the opportunity to trade with him, but Rodney lets Dan off of the hook.

Back at camp, Sierra tells Rodney that Tyler is going to win if he gets to the end.  Go Sierra! Not only can she talk, but she can say sooper smart things!

Rodney isn’t very concerned though because he’s running the show and he has his three Cs. How many Cs does Tyler even have?

On the reward boat ride, Tyler, Will, Carolyn, and Dan are psyched that they don’t have to talk about the game because Mike and Shirin aren’t there. Dan says Mike is like teflon because no matter how much he screws up, he manages to fix it. That is not what teflon does.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will hold onto a handle that is supporting 25% of their body weight. The last man and woman holding onto their weight will win immunity.

Sierra is the first person out at 15 minutes. She’s followed by Tyler, Will, and Dan.

We’re down to Rodney vs. Mike and Carolyn vs. Shirin.

Shirin struggles and she can’t hold on, giving immunity to Carolyn.

Dan tries to inspire Rodney with words of wisdom, but it doesn’t help. He drops out and Mike wins it.

Sooo…time for Mike to play that idol Malcolm-style and let the final six turn on each other?

Back at camp, it’s pretty obvious that Shirin is going to be the target.

Shirin talks to Dan and tells him that they’d be dumb to get rid of her because she’s not a threat. Dan agrees with her, but he isn’t going to do anything about it.

Later, Shirin lets Sierra know that there isn’t a final six at the last Tribal. Sierra says she’d get rid of Tyler if she had the numbers.

Then, Tyler goes digging through Dan’s bag to learn about his advantage. He shares the info with Carolyn and declares the Dan/Sierra alliance to be too dangerous. How did we end up with a Dan/Sierra alliance?!

That night at Tribal, Shirin explains that her relationship with her mother is strained due to what they’ve been through. Dan says he understands because he’s adopted.

Probst asks if Dan has a history of abuse, and he responds that he was adopted. Ummm…

Shirin points out that Will hasn’t apologized yet. Will said he won’t apologize because it wouldn’t be sincere. That’s some solid jury management there, Will.

Then, Shirin says that she’s going  home and that’s a mistake because Tyler is the real threat.

Tyler claims that his alliance knows that he’s loyal to them. Yeah, but that’s not her argument, dude.

Sierra points out that she’s one vote and doesn’t have the power to do anything.

Mike knows that if he wins immunity one more time, that they’ll have to attack each other. He wants them all to vote for Tyler.

Rodney says they were a strong seven until Mike’s letter stratagem.

Before they vote, Mike takes out his idol and says he’s going to play it for Shirin. He then says Shirin is going to vote for Tyler and he’s going to vote for someone else. Malcolm-style!

Voting Time: Shirin votes for Tyler and the rest of the votes are secret.

Probst tallies and returns. He asks if someone wants to play an idol and Mike…puts his idol in his pocket.

We’ve got one vote for Tyler, one vote for Shirin, one vote for Dan, one vote for Tyler, one vote for Shirin, one vote for Dan, one vote for Shirin, and the twelfth person to be eliminated from “Survivor: Worlds Apart” and the fourth member of the jury is…Shirin.

As Shirin goes to have her torch snuffed, Mike points out that Dan got two votes.

Note: Will and Tyler voted for Dan and Mike and Shirin voted for Tyler.

Verdict: Smart move by Mike. He gets the benefit of getting the six to turn on each other without playing his idol. And now that they know he has an idol, they’ll have three days to turn on each other.

But yeah…another crazy Tribal leading to the obvious vote.

Who’s Going to Win? If I were ranking people based on their chances of winning, meaning the higher person on the listing would beat anyone below them in the listing at a final vote, I’d go…Mike, Tyler, Carolyn, Rodney, Sierra, Will, Dan.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 9 – It’s-in-the-Bag Edition

April 29, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

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The Rules: Each week our three combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the three players will earn. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Josh had Jenn in spot seven, Reed had her in spot nine, and Gordon had her in spot eight. So, the current score is Team Josh 75, Team Reed 81, Team Gordon 81.

This Week: Josh and Reed’s rankings weren’t received in time, and Gordon will be away on personal business on Wednesday. So, Gordon is going solo this week. No points will be awarded.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Worlds Apart”

Gordon’s Score = 81

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

  1. Sierra: Sierra is stealing things and hiding them under the Ladies Couch?! Why aren’t we seeing this, CBS editors?! Also, why aren’t we seeing more of this Ladies Couch?! I feel our needs aren’t being served.  2. Carolyn: Think you’re gonna catch Mama C with an idol in her pocket? No, baby.
 3. Will: I was playing “Mortal Kombat X” online the other day, and the 13-year-old I was whooping up on unleashed a racist/homophobic rant unlike anything I’d ever heard before. Who knew Johnny Cage was capable of such hatred? The good thing is I never have to hear from that punk again. I don’t have to live with him on a scorching island for at least three more days. Anywho, Will is a dream final-three partner. There’s no way he can win this thing.   4. Mike: Depending on how the rest of the season plays out, Mike’s little letter stratagem might just rank up there with Erik giving up his necklace or James being sent home with two idols. However, he still has an idol in his possession and a six-person alliance can’t last forever.
  5. Tyler: Let’s not forget the role Tyler played in Will’s meltdown last week. We saw that he was the one who told Will that Mike and Co. were doubting his story about the snacks. Now he’s digging in Dan’s bag to learn the truth about his advantage. This (expletive deleted)-stirring strategy is certainly keeping the heat off of him.
 6. Rodney: So, I went back and looked at my preseason rankings, which were terrible as usual. But, one thing caught my eye, “I think the biggest misconception people have gotten from the pregame interviews is that Rodney is a jerk. I didn’t get that impression at all. He strikes me as more of a lovable Eddie Fox-type.” And for once, I wasn’t wrong. If he can get to the end, he could have enough votes to win it.
  7. Dan: Rob Cesternino made a great point that big moves should happen during odd-numbered votes. That way, the vote takes the smallest majority possible. What Dan’s little advantage does is turn every vote into a potential odd-numbered vote. Good for Dan. Bad for Dan? Tyler and Carolyn know how dangerous he is.
  8. Shirin: Was costing Will his letter from home good gameplay? Probably not. Was it hilarious? Totally. Now, she’s got to make Sierra and Dan see that they’re on the bottom of a six-person alliance.

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Jenn – “I Tried to Steal a Taxidermy Squirrel from a Bar Last Night”

April 24, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

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Jenn Brown: Gordon! What’s up?
Gordon Holmes: I’m alright, how are you?
Brown: I think I tried to steal a taxidermy squirrel from a bar last night. But, I’m alright. (Laughs)
Holmes: (Laughs) Exactly the response I was expecting. What was the total number of whiskey bottles consumed at Ponderosa?
Brown: (Laughs) Oh God, let’s not play that game. There were seven cast members there and we had a blast.

Holmes: Let’s talk about Wednesday’s horrific, nightmare episode of “Survivor.”
Brown: Oh my God.
Holmes: We’ll start with Mike and his decision to try to trick Carolyn and Dan into buying their letters.
Brown: I thought that was smart.
Holmes: It’s clever, I don’t know how smart it was. What was the reaction at the time?
Brown: I wasn’t paying attention. (Laughs) I had my drink, I was stoked. I didn’t give a (expletive deleted) what those people were doing. Everyone else seemed to think that all hell had broken loose and that was the worst thing to happen in the history of everything. I didn’t care. I was like, “Do it, Mike! That’s great.” I would’ve done the exact same thing if I cared. And then everyone was like, “You’re a horrible person, Mike!” I think the only mistake he made was giving it back. Dude, you didn’t reap any of the benefits and you got all of the heat. That was a reason for everyone to hate Mike. I thought everyone way overreacted.
Holmes: Was that the move that caused Dan and Sierra to flip over to Rodney?
Brown: Dan said that’s why he left Mike. I don’t know if I believe him. Once Joe was gone we needed a new threat. I don’t know what happened there, honestly. We just knew that Mike was next. Shirin isn’t a challenge threat, so let’s get rid of Mike. They weren’t going to come with us ever anyway. It was fun to watch though.

Holmes: Were you working with Mike at all before the auction?
Brown: Nope. Not at all. But Mike was exiled from the group. Right when we came back from the auction, Mike outted Rodney, which I also thought was smart. He made Sierra and Dan see that they were on the bottom of that six-person alliance. So, Mike was outcast and nobody would talk to him. Shirin was already outcast for reasons unknown. I have no idea why everyone hated her. And then I outcast myself. I was like, “I don’t want to be around you awful people.”

Holmes: When Will blew up last night, why was he focused on Shirin? It seems like all three of you were having doubts about Will’s food reward.
Brown: I wasn’t there. I heard Will stomping down the beach, swearing…from like half a beach away. I was like, “I’m out.” I don’t like fighting. I bailed to the cave and found out about it twenty minutes later when Shirin came to me crying. I don’t know if I believed it at the time. I believed it happened, but I didn’t believe it was that bad until I heard it from everyone.

Holmes: Had Will shown any aggression like that before?
Brown: Will was always the sweetest person to me. He gave me extra food.  He was so nice. And to this day he’s still incredibly kind…to me. He blew up because we went looking for more food because we were bored. It was like a treasure hunt for us. But the thing that blew my mind was that he acted that way to Shirin with so much malice and hate that came from some deep, dark place and he was horrible to Mike. He yelled at Mike. And then to me he pulled me aside and was like, “Jenn, I respect you. I’m not going to blow up at you like that. I just wanted to let you know that I still love you, girl.” Then he walked away. I did the same (expletive deleted) thing that they did! What?! What?! Why?! Why didn’t he yell at me?!
Holmes: Probably because it was more socially acceptable within that group to single out Shirin.
Brown: Shirin and I got such opposite treatment for the same scenario. It made no sense to me. He was so horrible to Shirin. Even when I released the chickens…
Holmes: Wait, what?
Brown: They didn’t show it, but I released the chickens. They were my babies. And nobody got mad. They were like, “Oh, Jenn.”
Holmes: You rascal.
Brown: I was like “What the (expletive deleted) guys!” Carolyn was like, “Oh Jenn, you’re so crazy.” I just threw out your food!
Holmes: You were expecting more, “Damn it, Jenn! Chicken liberator!”
Brown: (Laughs) “Chicken liberator” is the worst thing I’ve ever been called.
Holmes: (Laughs) You had it coming.

Holmes: So, last week you wanted to win immunity so you could give it to Joe. When I talked to him, I don’t think he 100% bought that. Was that your plan?
Brown: A million percent. At that point, I was like these people are mean people. Not all of them. Some of them were just mean. They were mean to each other. I didn’t like how they were treating my friends. So, I’m going to do everything I can to mess with what they want to do. They want Joe gone? Cool, I’m going to make sure he doesn’t leave. I just wanted to see what I could get away with. I stole all the food. Me, Shirin, and Sierra? We stole everything and we buried it under the ladies couch. We’d go out and eat our dinner there.
Holmes: The ladies couch?
Brown: Oh yeah, when you saw Mike and I talking this past episode and you saw me laying on a piece of wood? That was the ladies couch. Only ladies were allowed. We allowed Mike to be there a couple of times.
Holmes: That sounds delightful.
Brown: We had a lot of bonding moments. Sierra will deny this, but since I cooked all the food…her, Shirin, and I realized, these guys are suffering so hard…the last week of the game, let’s make sure there’s no food so they will maybe die and we’ll be fine. So, I’d throw in more scoops of rice. We’d hide things just to make sure we ran out of food. It was so much fun.
Holmes: So, you might be responsible for the first “Survivor” starvation death.
Brown: Right?! When they found out they were pissed.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with…
Brown: What words will not be “expletive deleted”? I know (expletive deleted) will be “expletive deleted” and (expletive deleted).
Holmes: Yeah, those are two big ones.
Brown: But, what about “bitch”?
Holmes: We bonded in Nicaragua, so I’ll give you a pass on that one. Just stay away from those first two.
Brown: That’s so nice. Everybody plans their (expletive deleted) word associations.
Holmes: Which defeats the purpose!
Brown: I know! But we know it’s coming.
Holmes:  Alright, make me proud. Let’s start with Nina.
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Vince?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: I don’t like where this is headed. Rodney?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Mike?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Shirin?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Joe?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Max?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Dan?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Sierra?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Will?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Tyler?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Carolyn?
Brown: (Expletive deleted).
Holmes: Hali?
Brown: She loves nature.

Holmes: (Laughs) That was terrible.
Brown: That was one of the worst things I’ve ever done. I’m sorry you had to be there for it.
Holmes: Yeah, but we got through it together. We’re stronger people for it.
Brown: We are. We bonded. I feel like we have to go to counseling.
Holmes: I agree. I’d like to talk to someone about it.
Brown: We need to discuss this on a couch with a guy who has elbow patches.

Holmes: When you went down in the numbers after the merge, were there any other inroads to make with anyone or were they all locked off?
Brown: My fate was sealed. There was nothing we could have done. Shirin and I and Hali tried every route. We did literally everything we could. And even to this day, they say to us, “You did everything you could have.” You can only run into a brick wall so many times before you’re like, “(Expletive deleted) this.”

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Worlds Apart’ Episode 10 Recap – Most Uncomfortable Episode Ever?

April 22, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

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Last Week: Rodney did a solid Mike impression, Jenn suffered a bout of depression, and “Joey Amazing” proved to be just an expression…

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog…

Let’s take a look at the tribe as it currently stands…

The Merica Tribe (wearing purple)
Carolyn – Corporate Executive, 52
Dan – Postal Worker, 47
Jenn – Sailing Instructor, 22
Mike – Oil Driller, 38
Rodney – General Contractor, 24
Shirin – Yahoo Executive, 31
Sierra – Barrel Racer, 27
Tyler – Ex-Talent Agent Assistant, 33
Will – YouTube Sensation, 41

Alright…this is supposed to be an explosive one…

Things start off the morning after Tribal where Rodney is pitching getting rid of Mike to Tyler, Carolyn, and Will. Tyler thinks they should put a pin in it. So White Collar…

Unfortunately for Rodney, Mike totally overhears all of this. What, did he have his own spy shack? A driller’s den?

Reward Challenge Time: Psych, it’s the auction.

The first item is covered, Will wins it for $100. He’s worried it’ll be “grilled ass,” but it’s really a note that says he has to leave the auction and go back to camp.

Man…harsh. That’s way worse than sea slugs…or grilled ass for that matter.

The next item is fried chicken and waffles. Shirin buys it for $300. She says she wasn’t going to wait for an advantage.

Dan, Carolyn, and Mike all admit that they are waiting for the advantage.

Next up we get a montage of Rodney, Sierra, and Jenn all winning random food.

Before we get to the advantage, Probst brings out letters from home. Shirin points out that the winner usually gets to set the price for all of them. Sierra buys hers for $20. This puts the price at $20 for everyone.

Carolyn tries to talk Dan and Mike into buying their letters so the money would be even. They all agree and approach Probst to fork over their money. Poor Dan, he really misses his wife.

However, everyone realizes that Mike didn’t pick up his letter. Holy cow.

Wow, it’s been a long time since something on this show literally put my jaw on the floor…and that did it.

Dan calls Mike out on breaking their trust. Mike eventually folds and goes to pay for his letter. Did Mike just torpedo his whole game? Was it poor form to turn down a letter in front of a postal worker?

Probst brings out the advantage next. Dan, Mike, and Carolyn all bid their $480. They draw rocks to see who gets it…and Dan wins.

Back at the beach, there is a map waiting for Will. He follows the map to a stake in the ground. He digs and finds a large box of rations. He’s given the option of keeping it for himself or sharing it.

When everyone returns to camp, Will shares the food with everyone.

Later on, Mike says that the reason he didn’t go for his letter was because he knew Rodney’s alliance was targeting him. Rodney denies turning on him and is upset that Mike is ruining letter day.

Things eventually calm down and everyone is able to enjoy their letters.

Afterwards, Rodney approaches a very emotional Dan and gives him a big hug in an attempt to win him over.

A while later, Dan cracks open his advantage and learns that he’s won an extra vote at an upcoming Tribal Council. He compares it to the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket. Oh man, whoever ate the chocolate last episode is in trouble.

Thoughts on the Twist: I’m going to wait to see how this plays out. It could be a game-changer or a total dud. Say Dan plays it when they’re at final six and it tilts the scales toward his threesome? Then it’s huge. But, for someone on the bottom this early, it wouldn’t make that much of a difference.

In other news, Mike doesn’t believe Will’s story about the food. He thinks there must’ve been something else in the box. Jenn agrees with him. Tyler tells Will what’s being said about him and he does not like it.

A furious Will singles out Shirin for a pretty intense berating. He tells her that nobody likes her at the camp and that nobody at home likes her either. Yikes.

Shirin points out that it’s odd that Will claims to be a man of God, but he can speak to her in that manner.  This does not improve Will’s mood as he just keeps on going.

Shirin is really upset. She goes off with Mike and Jenn and they hug it out.

Immunity Challenge Time: Players will use tongs to pick up a pool ball. They’ll carry the pool ball over a series of balance beams, then place it in a holder. The first person to get all six of their balls into their holder wins immunity.

Before the challenge starts, Will asks if he can step out of the immunity challenge in exchange for his letter. Probst says he’s cool with it if everyone agrees to it. Probst asks if anyone objects, and…SHIRIN DOES!

Two jaw drops in one episode!

Probst says the vote had to be unanimous, so no letter for Will. Oh man…just…wow.

The challenge starts off and there isn’t much to describe except for tongin’ and ball placin’. Mike leads it pretty much the whole way and wins immunity. Jenn and Shirin are psyched for him. Everyone else is quiet.

Before we go to commercial, Will tells Probst to bring popcorn to Tribal because it’s going to be interesting. Yeah, we’ll bring the popcorn when you finally bring those sandwiches you promised on day one.

Back at camp, Mike treats us to a reprise of the happy dance.

Rodney wants to know if they should get rid of Shirin, but Will is cool torturing her for a while. He wants to target Jenn because she’s stronger in challenges.

Oh…and now it looks like Sierra and Dan are totally in Rodney’s camp.

Shirin and Jenn are pretty sure they’re going to split the vote between them. Mike’s hope is that they can get Dan on board and vote for Carolyn. Jenn is not happy that her game is in Dan’s hands.

Mike takes Dan aside and tries to win him back, but it’s not looking good.

Carolyn is starting to get nervous and is prepared to use her idol.

Later on, Tyler tells Dan that everyone is doubting his loyalty and if he flips he can’t win. Dan passionately says it’s his choice and he’ll do what he wants.

That night at Tribal…Probst brought no popcorn.

Will says that Shirin accused him of hiding food. She disagrees with his assessment.

She points out that Will said she has no friends, no soul, and is a loser. Somehow Will doesn’t think these are personal attacks.

Shirin tells Will that she doesn’t have a family due to her abusive father. Will doesn’t let up, saying  he didn’t verbally assault her and that she always plays the victim.

Remember “Livin’ on a Prayer” at the gas station? Jay Leno would be so disappointed.

Sierra says they’re “Worlds Apart” because they’re all individuals. Well done.

Dan says you can’t put emotions aside in the game because everyone is too close.

Mike calls out the Rodney, Tyler, Will, and Carolyn alliance.

Rodney erupts, saying that Mike almost made it so Carolyn and Dan couldn’t get their letters.

Dan says he’d be stupid not to listen to all of the pitches.

Voting Time: Carolyn votes for Jenn, Rodney votes for Shirin, and no other votes are shown.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol…and nobody does. Ooo…

We’ve got one vote for Jenn, one vote for Shirin, one vote for Jenn, one vote for Shirin, one vote for Jenn, one vote Carolyn, one vote for Shirin, one vote for Jenn, and the tenth person to be eliminated from “Survivor: Worlds Apart” and the third member of the jury is…Jenn.

Verdict: That…that was an all-time crazy episode. And not just crazy, but uncomfortable too. Probably the most uncomfortable episode since Philip Sheppard accused Steve Wright of being a racist in “Redemption Island.”

AND…talk about a ridiculous, bizarre path to an obvious boot. Whew…I need a nap.

Who’s Going to Win? Mike was a good pick to win, but that little letter move could have cost him a ton of jury votes. Other than that; Tyler could win, Carolyn could win…Shirin maybe…Rodney maybe…

Power Rankings Results: Josh had Jenn in spot seven, Reed had her in spot nine, and I had her in spot eight. So, the current score is Team Josh 75, Team Reed 81, Team Gordon 81.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 8 – ‘Galaxy Quest’ Edition

April 22, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart"/"Galaxy Quest" (CBS/Dreamworks)

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

[xfinity-record-button id=”7116600190773202112″ program_type=”series”]

The Rules: Each week our three combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the three players will earn. For example, if Carolyn is voted out this week, Josh and Reed will each receive one point and Gordon will receive two points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Everybody knew Joe was a goner so they all had him in spot ten. The current score is Team Josh 68, Team Reed 72, and Team Gordon 73.

Quick Aside: Why is Gordon going with a “Galaxy Quest” theme for his rankings this week? Because there’s talk of bringing the movie back as a TV series and because it’s awesome.

Another Quick Aside: What is “Galaxy Quest“? It’s a 1999 movie that is basically “The Three Amigos” in space.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Worlds Apart”

Josh’s Score = 68

Any questions for Josh? Drop him a line on Twitter: @joshuacanfield

Reed’s Score = 72

Any questions for Reed? Drop him a line on Twitter: @thereedkelly

Gordon’s Score = 73

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
 1. Carolyn: Still poised and ready for something exciting.  The other tribe mates better watch out, this one could win it all.  #MamaCisheretostay   1. Carolyn: I’m glad she’s utilizing the people around her like Rodney.  It’s always nice to have multiple ways to the end and she seems like she is doing a great job at trying to set those up.
  1. Sierra is Gwen DeMarco (Lieutenant Tawny Madison): Gwen was bummed out that all her character would do is repeat what the computer said. Well, that’s pretty much what Sierra is doing at this point. This strategy could get her to the end, but if she wants to win the whole thing, she’s going to have to shake things up.
  2. Sierra: She’s the ideal person to take to the final.  She hasn’t done much in the game, and she’s not as annoying as I suppose Dan and Will are.  #ridemycoattails
  2. Sierra: Girl seems to be nestled deep into some numbers.  It would take quite a shake-up to change this currently, which is never outside the realm of possibility on “Survivor.”
  2. Carolyn is Tommy Webber (Lieutenant Laredo): In much the same way that Sarris revealed that the actors weren’t really members of a space expedition crew, Shirin revealed that Carolyn might be the most dangerous person in this game. Now, this wasn’t as shocking to Mike as it was to Mathesar,but it’s important to have out there.  And, I’ll bring this shaky analogy full circle by saying that Carolyn could be driving this ship.
  3. Mike: Mike is likeable, strong, and has made moves.  Everyone knows this.  He’ll be a target soon, but if he makes it to FTC, he will end up with a check for 1 million.  #winnersedit?   3. Will: Is sailing along, not really making any waves (well, except for when he rolls listlessly down a slide like a dead body and splashes into the water).  Looking forward to hearing more of his thoughts via this upcoming outburst at Shirin.
  3. Dan is Guy Fleegman: Guy’s character was the “red shirt” that was sacrificed during planetary excursions to up the danger factor. That could’ve been Dan. He arguably should have been gone a long time ago. Like Guy, Dan was able to scramble and find a role for himself on the show. He’ll never be the star, but he could easily be there in the end.
  4. Dan: I’m just really done watching Dan on my TV every week.  Is that bad? Sorry.  It’s just every time he opens his mouth I cringe.  Still, there is no reason to vote him out, except for one’s sanity.  #drivemetoinsanity
   4. Dan: I’m at the point where I kind of cringe every time he starts talking.  He’s a perfect goat, if you can stand aligning with him all the way to the end.
  4. Will is Mathesar: Throughout the entire movie, Mathesar seemed like a charming, yet naïve guy. However, toward the end he flipped out and went off on Sarris. Well, if the previews are to believed, Will’s about to flip out on Shirin.
 5. Will: I’ve got nothing to say about him, because that is all we see him doing. #blank
  5. Mike: Is running his game like a boss.  It gets a little risky though when people see that too clearly.  He needs to negotiate this balance carefully, especially now that Rodney’s hackles are up.
  5. Mike is Jason Nesmith (Commander Peter Quincy Taggert): He might drive his castmates crazy, but he is the star of this show. He claims to see the threats of Rodney and Carolyn coming, but what is he going to do about them? An odd-numbered vote is usually the best time to make a big move. Could he bring Jenn and Shirin along with Dan and Sierra?
 6. Shirin: I love people who claim to be the most knowledgeable about “Survivor” while playing, it obviously means they’re not.  It’s arrogant, and if you are communicating that with other players, then you don’t know as much as you thought about this game. #Jeremy2.0
  6. Tyler: I often wonder what the other castaways think of Tyler at this point.  He always seems to be pretty in the loop and up on conversations.  Others must pick up on that.
  6. Shirin is Brandon: Nobody loves “Galaxy Quest” more than Brandon. And when he gets excited about it, other people find it annoying. In the movie, Jason eventually realizes that Brandon’s enthusiasm and knowledge are valuable and uses them to save the day. Could Shirin play a similar role for Mike?
 7. Jenn: Poor, sad, Jenn.  I really liked her pre-merge, and then she spiraled downhill.  Just because you are outside the numbers, doesn’t mean you should just give up.  We have all seen players who are on the outs, come back and make it to the end. #dontbeboring
  7. Shirin: I absolutely love how hard she is playing this game.  She’s running numbers and trying to shake things up, because she has to.  I can both completely appreciate and empathize with this.
  7. Tyler is Sir Alexander Dane (Dr. Lazarus): Dr. Lazarus was a mild mannered alien who would occasionally erupt in a fit of rage. Sure, destroying Sarris’ minions was impressive, but so was tackling Mike into the water after winning a Dove bar. However, while Dr. Lazarus was constantly in Commander Taggert’s shadow, Tyler’s challenge prowess is no longer a secret.
 8. Tyler: I just can’t see the rest of the tribe letting such a threat like Tyler stay in this game.  He’s sneaky, he has alliances, he wins immunity, if I was playing with him I’d be writing his name down. #undercovermastermind
  8. Rodney: I like that he’s trying to run sub-plots with folks.  I hope he can keep his explosive outbursts in check long enough to keep pushing forward to actualize these plans.
  8. Jenn is Fred Kwan (Tech Sergeant Chen): Fred was one on of the most reliable members of the cast, but he let his emotions get the better of him. That’s Jenn. She proved with her idol play that she has the will and brains to go a long way, but she’s letting the situation get her down.
 9. Rodney: I’m actually really enjoying him.  I’ve gone through phases with him, but now I’m really excited to see what he does.  Will he be able to complete his vendetta against Mike? #abonetopick
   9. Jenn: It’s rough and demoralizing when you’re out of the numbers and likeable people around you are slim pickings; I get it.  That being said, as a fan, it’s hard to stomach all the talk about quitting.  Many times though people want to keep a person like this around over someone who is fighting to stay (i.e. Shirin).
  9. Rodney is Sarris: Everyone else is playing characters, but Sarris is the realest dude out there. Rodney is the looming threat in this game for the dominant alliance. The question is; will Mike’s idol be the Omega 13 that saves the day? (Also, Sarris did a solid Fred impersonation at the end of the movie.)

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Joe – “Part of (Jenn) Wants to Be at Ponderosa with Hali”

April 16, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

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“Survivor” has seen chefs that cook, doctors that tend to wounds, and lawyers who make appeals to juries. I guess it was only a matter of time until we had a jeweler fashion his own immunity necklace.

Unfortunately for Joe, an immunity idol is only valid if it’s crafted by the official “Survivor” art department and has gone through Jeff Probst’s rigorous 13-step validation process.

I spoke to Joe the crafty craftsman the morning after his elimination and asked him about his art project, his level of “Survivor” fandom, and a possible side business…

Joe Anglim: Gordon, my man!
Gordon Holmes: Oh Joe…
Anglim: (Laughs)
Holmes: I know things seem dark, but I might have a ray of sunshine for you.
Anglim: Talk to me.
Holmes: You clearly have a talent for making fake idols. We should start a side business for you.
Anglim: (Laughs) Hey, if it’s in the cards. I can make idols for people all day. We can do it. Should I just recreate every idol that’s ever been made and put my own little twist on it?
Holmes: That’s a hell of an idea. We need to schedule some brainstorming time.
Anglim: I could use little things from around my house.

Holmes: Shirin and Dan are constantly going at it over who’s the bigger “Survivor” fan. Do they not appreciate what a super fan you are?
Anglim: I think everybody appreciated everybody’s fandom. I’ll say this, I’m a fan. They are super fans. They know who was in what challenge. Who was where, all the tribe names. I’ve been a fan since I was a kid, but they’ve got me beat.

Holmes: So, it looked like if Shirin proves her loyalty to Mike, you go home. And if she votes for Jenn, you stay. Based on what we know so far in the game, do you think she made the right call for her game?
Anglim: I do. I think Shirin is starting to wiggle her way in. I think it was a good move. She was on a sinking ship. People are going to start fracturing off. Look at Rodney and Carolyn and Will. They are already in their own little sub-alliance. So it was a good  move. It helped her establish some credit. It doesn’t help her to keep me in the game because I’m going to win immunity for myself and she’d go home. Tyler said this at that Tribal and it didn’t make the air, but “If you’ve got the shot, you’ve got to take it.” He was saying they had to get rid of me because they might not get that opportunity again.

Holmes: When Mike asked Shirin who she wanted to target, she said Carolyn. That was the first time we’d heard that name come up since the first Tribal. Does anyone else consider her a threat?
Anglim: She brought up Carolyn’s name several times.  I thought it was coming from a personal…angst. But Carolyn was…just kinda quiet. She hung out with everybody. You didn’t know where she was at in terms of strategy.

Holmes: Was it hard for you to make moves when it was so obvious that you were the main target?
Anglim: When I’m talking to people about strategy, I was trying to pitch as many cases as I could. Trying to form anything with these people, but I was just kind of outcasted. Because they knew if I didn’t win I was going to go home. I was trying to sway Tyler and Mama C, I took them on that reward. But, when you’re target number one it’s hard to say anything.

Holmes: I ran that first immunity challenge in Nicaragua and I did the same tree puzzle that you did. It took me about a month to complete it.
Anglim: (Laughs)
Holmes: And I stood there and watched you…I was so mad…I watched you complete that thing in about three seconds. I asked John Kirhoffer, and he said maybe one person on the crew has ever done it quicker than you. Do you think on day three, in that challenge, that you put a target on your back?
Anglim: Gordon, it’s so hard. I would go back and do it again and I’d want to win it. But in terms of gameplay that was the worst possible thing I could have done. I strategically placed myself second behind Vince on the locks. I wanted Jenn to do the puzzle. I didn’t want to play a big factor for that exact reason. It backfired. I knew going into the game I was going to have a target naturally. But I blew myself out of the water on that one.

Holmes: I was surprised to see Jenn want out of the game. Was the Hali vote the turning point for her?
Anglim: Yeah. They had a really good friendship out there. They’re very close. Once Hali was gone, Jenn lost her best friend in the game. She has nobody to talk to except Shirin and Shirin talks about “Survivor” all the time. People are getting annoyed with her. Part of her wants to be at Ponderosa with Hali. But strategically, I think she’s thinking, “I’m going to tell these people that I want out because more often than not we’ve seen those people get brought along. “ So, is it strategy or strategy and feeling? That’s how I was feeling in the moment.
Holmes: I feel like you missed a golden opportunity. If she really wanted to go home, she could’ve unleashed a Brandon Hantz-esque camp destruction meltdown.
Anglim: Hey, I was trying to fuel those fires. “Jenn, are you going to let that chicken go? Don’t do it…”
Holmes: (Laughs)
Anglim: You’d just see her eyes light up. She’s not stupid. I don’t think she really wanted to go. I think there was a part of her that…I don’t know…it’s hard to say. But she could’ve easily thrown the food in the fire.

Holmes: Why was Will so quick to jump from the No Collars?
Anglim: I think Will knew he was going over even before the merge. I don’t want to say it was because he felt he was playing with a younger crowd, I don’t know if he developed a quick relationship with Rodney. As you see with Rodney, his charisma came out. He’s making people laugh. It’s tough to say. I think Will knew he was in the bottom of our alliance and we’re tough competitors.
Holmes: Speaking of Rodney, were there any other good impressions we didn’t see? Because that Mike one was dead on.
Anglim: (Laughs) (In a solid Mike impersonation) Yo Jeff, I don’t know what’s going to happen!
Holmes: (Laughs) So good.
Anglim: We all do it now. It’s a running joke. He’s got it on lock. He does a lot of people in our cast. That’s the other side of this story is that we had a lot of fun out there.
Holmes: How about at the finale we have you and Rodney doing dueling Mikes?
Anglim: Oh yeah. It’s happening. (Laughs) Don’t tell Mike, but he’s probably going to get some voice action from the back rows.
Holmes: Don’t worry, nobody reads this.

Holmes: Word association time. Let’s start with Tyler.
Anglim: Quiet.
Holmes: Mike?
Anglim: Loud.
Holmes: Vince?
Anglim: Intense.
Holmes: Hali?
Anglim: Gorgeous.
Holmes: Jenn?
Anglim: Mmm…goofy.
Holmes: Shirin?
Anglim: Super fan.
Holmes: Dan?
Anglim: Greatest story ever told.
Holmes: Will?
Anglim: Papa bear.
Holmes:  Carolyn?
Anglim: Mama C.
Holmes: Sierra?
Anglim: Absolutely.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Rodney.
Anglim: Little (expletive deleted). (Laughs)

Holmes: I didn’t pick you to win because you seemed to have too much going for you. You’re young and fit and good looking and likable and good at challenges and good at outdoor life…
Anglim: Oh…stop.
Holmes: Outside of that first challenge, what could you have done differently?
Anglim: You know, Gordon, it’s tough to say. I guess I could downplay my skills. I should’ve tried to come off as less of a threat. But, it’s hard to do. I’m proud of the game I played. If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn’t be so aggressive in that first challenge.
Holmes: I do like people who don’t stop swinging. And that’s the impression I got from you.
Anglim: I loved this game. I still do. There’s nothing as a fan that I dislike more than a player who accepts their fate. So, as a fan I wanted to play like my life was on the line everyday. And that’s kind of what ended up happening. It was great.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Worlds Apart’ Episode 9 Recap: Slide Rules

April 15, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

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Last Week: The oil driller struck gold, the postal worker needed to work on his delivery, and the law student was asked to approach the bench.

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog…

Let’s take a look at the tribe as it currently stands…

The Merica Tribe (wearing purple)
Carolyn – Corporate Executive, 52
Dan – Postal Worker, 47
Jenn – Sailing Instructor, 22
Joe – Jewelry Designer, 25
Mike – Oil Driller, 38
Rodney – General Contractor, 24
Shirin – Yahoo Executive, 31
Sierra – Barrel Racer, 27
Tyler – Ex-Talent Agent Assistant, 33
Will – YouTube Sensation, 41

Let’s do this.

We start off after Tribal and Dan and Shirin get into it immediately. He tries to explain to her the difference between a flip and a blindside. Did either of those things really happen at Tribal?

Shirin knows she has to make big moves. She starts off by telling everyone that she’s going to vote for Mike to win. Interesting…

Rodney did not like the sound of that. He doesn’t need friends. He has plenty of friends back home. And Joaquin is his friend and Joaquin is super handsome and understands him. What he needs is more zeroes in his bank account. You’ve gotta sell a lot of Jordans to make a million dollars.

Later on, Jenn hints that she’s thinking of quitting. No you’re not. Stop with the crazy talk.

The next day, Shirin approaches Mike and Sierra about working with them. Mike’s concern is that he doesn’t know if he can trust her. He asks who she wants out, and she says Carolyn because she has so many people on her side. Interesting part deux…

Mike decides to give her a trust test by telling Shirin who he wants her to vote for and seeing if she does it.

Reward Challenge Time: The tribe will be split into two teams of five. One by one they’ll have to maneuver around a  water-based obstacle course. Once all five players have reached the end, they’ll have to use a grappling hook to retrieve life preservers. The first team to collect all five of their preservers will win a visit to the “Chocolate Cafe” where they’ll enjoy M&Ms, Snickers, and more.

Yeah, sugar is not what I want after three weeks of starving.

We have a schoolyard pick for teams and end up with Mike, Tyler, Shirin, Dan, and Sierra on the blue team, and Rodney, Joe, Will, Carolyn, and Jenn on the red team.

There’s no way Will wasn’t the last pick, right?

The challenge starts and the wipeouts…are…epic. So good. Oh man…whoever puts together an edit of this challenge to “Wacky Sax” gets a free “Survivor” Hall of Fame shot glass.

Seriously, a floating balance beam? Who pissed off challenge producer John Kirhoffer?

When I finally stopped laughing, I realized that the red team had a big lead. They start the second portion of the challenge first.

However, the blues manage to catch up and Mike grapple hooks his way to victory for his team.

After the challenge, Jenn says that people who aren’t on “Survivor” have no idea what it’s like to lose a challenge. She’s got a point. I haven’t lost one in years.

At the “Chocolate Cafe,” the winners go to town on some candy. Throw in some peanut butter and Jenna Morasca’s head would explode.

Meanwhile back at camp, Rodney wants to eat one of the No Collars’ chickens. Jenn isn’t thrilled about this because they aren’t Rodney’s chickens. Rodney brushes it off, assuming that Jenn just misses Hali and doesn’t want to lose any more friends.

After the meal, Rodney busts out a really solid Mike impersonation. Joe sees this as an opportunity to stoke the Mike vs. Rodney fires.

Before the immunity challenge, Jenn tells Joe that she’ll give him the immunity necklace if she wins because she wants to go home. Jenn, no! No, Jenn!

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will stand on a beam and use their head to press a block of wood against another beam. The last person with their block in place wins immunity.

We start off and Joe is wobbling pretty badly.

Carolyn is out first. She’s followed by Will, Shirin, and Rodney.

Joe is a wreck, but he keeps going. (Although, that man bun seems like it’s cheating.)

Dan goes next, then Sierra…then Joe!

Aww…Joe.

We’re down to Jenn, Tyler, and Mike. However, Mike doesn’t last much longer.

At the thirty-minute mark, Jen’s block falls. Tyler wins immunity.

No fair, he’s a kicker! His toes are finely tuned.

As we head off to commercial, Jenn threatens to shake up the game so she can go home tonight. Ooo…like a Brandon-Hantz-level meltdown? Maybe she just wants a massage from Probst?

Back at camp, Shirin claims to have a loophole. She thinks the Blue Collar alliance will split the vote. But, if Joe and Shirin vote for Jenn, Joe will get to stick around.

Mike kind of anticipates this, and tells Shirin to vote for Joe. So, if she sticks with Mike, Joe goes. aAnd if she sticks with the No Collars, Jenn goes. It seems like it’d be more valuable to be on Mike’s good side than to have Joe around for another round.

In other news, Joe flexes his Runaround Bob skills and makes a fake idol. Of course! He’s a jeweler! It looks good too.

Later, Joe tells Mike that he’ll give him his fake idol if they vote out Jenn. Mike says he’ll do it if he gets the idol before Tribal. Mmm…why not just play the idol? It’d serve the same purpose.

That night at Tribal, Jenn says that she doesn’t want to be there, but she does want to be there. Wah-huh?

She then tells Rodney that he cracks her up. Don’t sleep on Rodney. Jenn and Hali both like him.

Probst asks why she doesn’t just walk out. She says that’s quitting and she’s not a quitter.

Joe is worried that someone might pull her along because she won’t win in the end.

Shirin understands Jenn, but she hasn’t fully connected with Joe. Also, she’s worried that they might want to keep Jenn over her because Jenn isn’t a threat.

Before we vote, Mike tries to get Probst to verify Joe’s idol. However, Probst can’t do that until he plays it. So, idol validation is like parking validation? You can’t do it until after the transaction?

Voting Time: Tyler votes for Jenn, Rodney votes for Joe, Joe votes for Jenn, and the rest of the votes aren’t shown.

Probst asks if anyone wants to play an idol and Mike plays the phony one for Will. Probst points out that it’s a fake. Oh man, Will’s in trouble…

We’ve got one vote for Jenn, one vote for Joe, one vote for Jenn, one vote for Joe, one vote for Dan, one vote for Jenn, one vote for Joe, one vote for Jenn, one vote for Joe, and the ninth person to be eliminated from “Survivor: Worlds Apart” and the second member of the jury is…Joe.

Verdict: OK…so Shirin sided with Mike. Got it.

Well that was the craziest, most roundabout way to get to the most obvious vote I’ve ever seen. Kudos to Joe and Shirin for constantly swinging and to Mike for not becoming complacent.

Who’s Going to Win? Well, with the way Jenn was talking this episode, I can’t see her winning. Mike’s a champ, but he’s got a huge target (and a huge tattoo) on his back. It seems like Carolyn is in the best spot, but we never hear from her.

Power Rankings Results: We all knew Joe was a goner so we all had him in spot ten. The current score is Team Josh 68, Team Reed 72, and Team Gordon 73.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 7 – Jenn-eral Chaos Edition

April 14, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

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The Rules: Each week our three combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the three players will earn. For example, if Carolyn is voted out this week, Josh and Reed will each receive one point and Gordon will receive two points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Josh and Reed had Hali in seventh place while Gordon had her in eighth. The current score is Team Josh 58, Team Reed 62, and Team Gordon 63.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Worlds Apart”

Josh’s Score = 58

Any questions for Josh? Drop him a line on Twitter: @joshuacanfield

Reed’s Score = 62

Any questions for Reed? Drop him a line on Twitter: @thereedkelly

Gordon’s Score = 63

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
 1. Carolyn: I want Carolyn to do something epic, and she definitely has it in her.  She, along with Tyler, has positioned her self so well.  Hopefully she is able to maneuver her way through the Blue Collars and into the final Tribal Council.   1. Carolyn: Still feel like this lady is sitting pretty.  She rules from the middle and I love it.  I need her to keep an eye on Tyler though (he’s a cunning one) and continue to hear offers from sub-alliances to stay informed.
  1. Sierra: I’m not going to read too much into that failed female alliance. It required a bunch of people to jump and too many pieces had to fall into place. The question is; does a failed attempt like that hurt Sierra’s chances with future jurors? Sierra can make it to the end, but her resume is lacking right now.
  2. Sierra: She had a decision whether or not to go with the girls last week, but she stuck with her Blue Collars.  I think it was the right decision for her.  All the guys in Blue Collar want to keep her around.
  2. Tyler: He seems to predominantly have his finger on the pulse of the tribe and move accordingly.  His two-some with Carolyn (and her idol) is his most valuable commodity.  He needs to spend this when it is worth the most.
  2. Carolyn: There’s gotta be something up with this Rodney four-person alliance, right? If I’m Carolyn, I work to get a final five with that group and Dan. Then use my idol to take control and take Tyler and Dan to the end. That big move could help her win the whole thing.
  3. Mike: He has done a great job keeping his alliance in tact.  I still think that he is too obvious in his leadership, but in a game that changes day to day, and an idol in his pocket, he could get to final Tribal Council.   3. Sierra: Appears to have picked the right side in the Blue Collar alliance.  There are too many bros out there so I can see them really wanting to keep her around to help take one another out later.
  3. Dan: Remember when Dan was mad because Mike was telling him how to talk to women? Hilarious. Anywho, Dan’s really got a unique persona going with this “World’s Meanest Nice Guy” thing. I’m betting Dan will earn a seat at the final Tribal and receive zero jury votes.
  4. Will: Another great goat.  He has done nothing in this game.  The only reason he is here is because, well, why vote him out?
   4. Will: Is not a game-maker socially and he’s terrible in challenges.  This makes him a smaller target, unthreatening, and potentially desirable to sit next to at the end.
  4. Will:  Ah, Will. After this week’s vote you’ll be half way there…(Whoa oh!) But you don’t have a prayer.
 5. Tyler: He is lurking in the shadows and getting ready to pounce.  I can’t wait to see how he plays this.  He’s in a great position.
  5. Mike: So glad that he searched so hard and finally found that idol because it’s risky to be seen as a ringleader.  5. Rodney: Want to read something amazing? Check out my exit interview with Hali and read about how much she loves her some Rodney. Could “Boston” Rod trump “Boston” Rob by winning his first time out? Doesn’t seem so far-fetched right now.
 6. Dan: Dan would be a great goat to take to the final Tribal Council.  Everyone should want to take him along with them at this point.  He has pissed off enough people, that he wouldn’t even get one vote.
  6. Rodney: He feels like he’s too hotheaded and emotionally flailing about right now.  This is a quick way to ruin your game.  Calm down and don’t attract any more negative attention.
  6. Tyler: I think Tyler is making all the right moves. I just don’t know if he’ll be rewarded for it. He’s playing a smart, safe game. But is smart and safe enough to win a jury vote?
 7. Rodney: His vendetta against Mike may be the only thing that could save Joe and Jenn this week, if he decides to act now instead of waiting till 7.
  7. Dan: He sure has made the girls angry out there via some extremely misogynistic behavior.  If he’s not too annoying to be around, this makes him an awesome person to sit next to at final Tribal.
  7. Shirin: So many metaphors last week. Shirin was clearly the skin of the bologna, trying so hard to hang on while Rodney wanted to heartlessly rip her away. Good on her for sticking to her guns and not letting him do it. But now what? Rodney isn’t going to make his move until final seven. Shirin could be long gone by then.
 8. Shirin: What is Shirin going to do?  She isn’t a huge target, but she’s also not in the numbers.  If she keeps her mouth shut, opportunities may present themselves.
  8. Shirin: I’m not sure where to exactly put her this week.  Something tells me that her social mishaps may bother others enough to take her out before other threats, but it’s hard to say.  8. Mike: Everyone is scared to death of Joe, but Mike is the one they should be gunning for. His social game is really solid.
 9. Jenn: Unless something drastically changes, Jenn is outside the numbers and the biggest female threat.
   9. Jenn: This is when she needs to dig deep and either splinter off some votes with Joe and Shirin to orchestrate a well-crafted, split-vote blindside or start pointing at one of her own as the biggest threat to deflect that target to buy herself more time.
  9. Jenn: I’m sorry, “Survivor” editors, I just don’t buy Jenn quitting this week. Maybe I’d be convinced if there was a clip of Probst saying something like, “You’re giving up your shot at a million dollars?”  But there’s none of that. And I don’t think Jenn is a quitter.
  10. Joe: Clearly the most athletic and likable person this season, and for that, he is the biggest target, and everyone wants to see him go.
  10. Joe: It rough when you’ve been labeled at big threat and you’re down in the numbers.  Unless he keeps winning, desperate times call for desperate measures.  I hope Joe is ready to really shake things up back at camp.
  10. Joe: Winning every challenge from here to the end is not a sustainable strategy. What if the next challenge involves creative catchphrases and Carolyn wins it? I like what Joe was doing with his reward picks, but he might’ve gotten greedy. Taking one less outsider would’ve been better. Even if they didn’t flip, you could’ve sowed seeds of doubt.

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Hali – “(Dan’s) True Colors Leak in So Many Places”

April 9, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

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Man, I was loving me some Hali. She spent her days bodysurfing, she embraced her tribe’s peculiar name,and she compared “Survivor” to the Revolutionary War.

She’ll always be my Miss Merica.

I spoke to the latest castaway the morning after her elimination and asked her about the potential female alliance, the clash of the Super Fans, and Jenn’s magic idol finding skills…

Watch Every Episode of “Survivor: Worlds Apart”

Gordon Holmes: So how does this work? Do you pour the whiskey directly on the ice cream?
Hali Ford: (Laughs) We put whiskey in everything at Ponderosa.
Holmes: I can respect that.

Holmes: You seemed shocked by last night’s vote. Was that because you thought they were targeting Jenn or Shirin or because you thought the Sierra alliance was going to pan out?
Ford: I thought that we at least had someone. I had so many plans going on. I thought the odds were good that at least one of them would keep me safe. The vote before? I thought I was going home. That was the only time I choked up in the whole game. By the time the next vote came around, I thought I’d established enough relationships that someone was going to take me along. Even if I was just going to be their groupie.
Holmes: What were some of these other options you’d been working on?
Ford: I was hoping Mike was going to pull through for me. We’d gone back and forth. Definitely Sierra. I thought she was on board. Will…I thought we were going to get Will back. And I’d been talking to Tyler. I didn’t think that I personally had Tyler, but I thought he considered me someone he could eventually pull onto his side.

Holmes: Let’s start with Will. Why was he so quick to leave the No Collars?
Ford: The only information that I have is that he was ready to play with grown-ups. That’s the only reason I’ve ever heard. It was surprising because there doesn’t seem like there was a reason. It wasn’t strategic. I’ve never heard a strategic reason.

Holmes: OK, this potential Mike alliance; how did that come about?
Ford: Mike and I went out on hunting expeditions and we got along well. He said he wanted to bring me along. I don’t know who else was a part of his big plan. But I knew I was on a sinking ship and I was trying to make whatever connections I could.

Holmes: When Jenn found the idol, she claimed that she used magic to find it. Why is production glossing over the fact that Jenn can do magic?
Ford: (Laughs) I think Jenn might be magic. When she said that, I believed her.
Holmes: How did she know that she was going to get the majority of the votes?
Ford: It was a crap shoot.
Holmes: That was a lucky guess?
Ford: She told me like five minutes before we went out that she had the idol. I told her to play it for herself, that’s her idol. The rumor was that I was going home. She went with her gut and that was right.

Holmes: Shirin is having a tough time out there. What is she doing that annoys people so much?
Ford: I understand that to some extent she did talk a lot. She’s an intelligent person. She seems to lack a social mirror in certain situations. On the other hand, I had no explanation for the level of venom that she elicited from so many people on this show. It blew me away and offended me. That’s why I was so drawn to her. In my mind, it offended my sense of justice because of how people were bullying her. It wasn’t warranted. She wasn’t that bad. Shirin is an intriguing, engaging person. She’s does have a lot of feminist ideas and voices them. Maybe we just have too much chauvinism on there to handle all of that.
Holmes: It was really uncomfortable watching Dan say that someone should slap Shirin. Is that something Dan keeps for his confessionals, or would you see some of that in his game?
Ford: Did you see the conversation he had with Sierra? His apology?
Holmes: “Apology.”
Ford: Dan…I didn’t spend a lot of time with Dan one on one, but his true colors leak in so many places.

Holmes: I visited the No Collar camp on day two of the game. There was a situation where I was in the woods with you and Vince and you were apologizing for the “Nina Incident.” Do you remember what that was?
Ford: (Laughs) Yeah…I told Nina that our loyalty to Vince was questionable and he got super paranoid.

Holmes: Alright, let’s do some word association. We’ll start with Joe.
Ford:  Golden boy.
Holmes: Jenn?
Ford: Bitchin’.
Holmes: Mike?
Ford: Merica!
Holmes: Will?
Ford: Sly dog.
Holmes: Carolyn?
Ford: Mm…I have such a conflicted opinion about Carolyn. Mama C.
Holmes: Cop out. Tyler?
Ford: Shoulda, coulda, woulda.
Holmes: Nina?
Ford: Deceived.
Holmes: Rodney?
Ford: Ride or die, but not really.
Holmes: Vince?
Ford: Chill out.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Sierra.
Ford: Flippers can win.

Holmes: Let’s talk about Rodney. If you watch the show, he seems like a nightmare. But, when you meet him he’s a very personable, likable guy. What was your experience with him?
Ford: I love Rodney. Rodney is hilarious. Some of my best laughs from the whole show are from Rodney. He told stories that…I can’t believe this is real life. I also underestimated his gameplay. I thought he was dumb, but he’s not.

Holmes: As you’re watching the episodes and are privy to things you didn’t know before, what has been the biggest surprise?
Ford: I guess how much people hated Shirin. I was aware of it at the No Collar camp, but it’s inexplicable to me.
Holmes: Are you impressed that I remember her name and pronounce it correctly.
Ford: (Laughs) I am. You’re better at it than everyone in my hometown.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Worlds Apart’ Episode 8 Recap: Win or Joe Home?

April 8, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Josh Canfield and Reed Kelly. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

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Last Week: The tribe was named Merica, Joe’s challenge prowess proved to be mazing, and Kelly isn’t in the game nymore.

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog…

Let’s take a look at the tribe as it currently stands…

The Merica Tribe (wearing purple)
Carolyn – Corporate Executive, 52
Dan – Postal Worker, 47
Hali – Law Student, 25
Jenn – Sailing Instructor, 22
Joe – Jewelry Designer, 25
Mike – Oil Driller, 38
Rodney – General Contractor, 24
Shirin – Yahoo Executive, 31
Sierra – Barrel Racer, 27
Tyler – Ex-Talent Agent Assistant, 33
Will – YouTube Sensation, 41

The evening’s festivities kick off at Merica beach after Jenn’s big idol move. Rodney takes Will aside and assures him that they have Carolyn and Tyler in their alliance. The plan is to stick with Mike and Co. until the No Collars and Shirin are gone.

Meanwhile, Mike gives Jenn props for her savvy maneuver. Jenn doesn’t feel bad for sending Kelly home, in fact, she wants to annoy the Blue Collars some more. This might not be a person who’s thinking about future jurors.

The next morning, Shirin and Rodney are debating over how much of the leftover merge food they should be eating.  Rodney tells us that when he gets frustrated he goes out and punches trees. Stupid, trees!

They then get into a weird fight over peeling the skin off of salami.  So…salami with skin is like chicken parm and salami without skin is like tuna fish?

Reward Challenge Time: The players will walk across a balance beam while untying bags of puzzle pieces. The first three people to retrieve all of their bags will have a chance to complete a puzzle. First person to complete the puzzle wins a zipline trip and a pizza picnic. Probst says that sounds like fun. It certainly does.

The challenge starts and Shirin has a pretty epic wipeout. Maybe if she had more salami skin in her system it’d help her stay balanced.

To nobody’s surprise, Joe dominates the first part of the challenge. He’s the first one to advance to the final round. He’s joined by Mike and Hali.

Not much to describe in the puzzle portion except for puzzle piece arrangin’. Joe manages to win it in the end. I know, I’m shocked too.

Joe gets to take some folks with him, so he chooses Will, Carolyn, and Tyler. Smart. Take the people you need on your side. You don’t have to win over Hali and Jenn.

Probst lets Joe take a fifth person and Rodney wants it to be him. However, Joe thinks he eats enough already. Rodney is not amused by this accusation.

Dan and Shirin both think they should go because they’re super fans. In the end, Joe chooses an ecstatic Shirin.

At the picnic, Joe notices that there’s an idol clue in Carolyn’s soda. That doesn’t seem sanitary. He says he’s thirsty, and she hands him her soda without knowing. Hilarious.

Joe chugs the whole bottle and puts the clue in his mouth. This kid is a genius. However, Tyler saw what he was up to.

Back at camp, Joe shares the information with Tyler. Mike knows something is awry and follows them. Before they have a chance to start searching, Mike approaches them to break them up.

Later, Tyler tells Mike about the clue because he doesn’t want Mike to think that he’s now aligned with Joe.

Then, it’s a mad dash to find Joe before he finds the idol. Mike watches Joe for a while, but he doesn’t see him find anything. Mike wants to put a bigger target on Joe’s back. Sooooo, he congratulates Joe on finding it in front of everyone.

Next up, Dan calls Shirin out for being one of Joe’s minions and being on the short end of the numbers. She claims that Dan doesn’t appreciate what she’s trying to do.

He then tells us that he wishes someone would slap her because she’s so annoying. So, annoying people should be struck?

Dan then says that calling Shirin out was his way of being nice. Wow…his being nice is very similar to his apologies.

Quick Aside: I make a lot of jokes in these recaps, but know that this whole exchange was very disturbing.

Away from that unpleasantness, Mike is on a hardcore idol hunt. After what seems like months, he finally finds it. He celebrates with a hilarious happy dance. Hmm…that looks like the Escameca idol. I wonder if there’s a second one out there?

Immunity Challenge Time: Players will have to maneuver a puzzle piece through three different mazes. Then they’ll place the piece in a slide puzzle. The first person to complete the slide puzzle wins immunity.

Before the challenge gets underway, Shirin is very excited to have an all-puzzle challenge. She also points out that she’s a super fan.

Quick Aside: I know some of you are drinking every time Shirin mentions she’s a fan. DO NOT DO THIS.

The challenge starts and there isn’t much to describe except for Rodney being bad at the mazes.

Joe and Shirin are the first two to the slide puzzle, but Mike, Tyler, Sierra, and pretty much everyone except Rodney and Hali are right behind them.

Twice Dan thinks he has the right answer, and twice he is way off. Joe…to amazement of millions around the world…wins it to claim immunity.

Before we head off to commercial, Rodney thinks they’d be in better shape if his Bash Bro Joaquin was still here. Awww…somewhere out there…beneath the pale moonlight…someone’s thinking of me…

Back at camp, Shirin says she isn’t concerned because everyone thinks she’s weak. Oh…famous last words.

Sure enough, Shirin is the target. However Mike thinks that Shirin can’t win and they should target Hali.

Meanwhile, Sierra is interested in a ladies alliance…and she wants to target Dan Dan the Apology Man.

That night at Tribal Council, Sierra says that she can go with whichever alliance she wants. Oh, her alliance must love to hear that.

Mike knows what he’s doing tonight, and some pizza wouldn’t sway him.

Dan expects bombs to drop, he just hopes they don’t drop on him. He then says that flippers never win.

Shirin the “Survivor” Encyclopedia then cites times where flippers have won.

Hali says the colonists were flippers and they won independence. Wow, that was…wow. That might be my favoritest* thing ever said on this show.

*Totally not a word.

Voting Time: Mike votes for Hali, Shirin votes for Dan…and no other votes are shown.

JPro tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Dan, one vote for Hali, one vote for Dan, one vote for Hali, one vote for Dan, one vote for Hali, one vote for Dan, two votes for Hali, and the eighth person to be eliminated from “Survivor: Worlds Apart” and the first member of the jury is…Hali.

Verdict: Aww…Hali… You’ll always be my Miss Merica.

Well, it’s seven to three and the dominant alliance has all the idols. Here’s hoping we don’t have three episodes of obvious boots. Surely, Carolyn and Tyler will realize they need to make a move before that, right?

Who’s Going to Win? It’s looking bad for my girl Jenn. But, with an idol and a less-likable wingman, it’s looking really good for Carolyn.

Power Rankings Results: Josh and Reed had Hali in seventh place while I had her in eighth. The current score is Team Josh 58, Team Reed 62, and Team Gordon 63.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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