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‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 2 – Will He Regret It? Edition

March 11, 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 two players will earn. For example, if Tyler is voted out this week, Josh will receive one point, Reed will receive five points, and Gordon will receive eleven 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 had Vince in spot 10, Reed had him in spot 13, and Gordon had him in spot 14. So, the current score is Team Josh 10, Team Reed 13, and Team Gordon 14.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Worlds Apart”

Josh’s Score = 10

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

Reed’s Score = 13

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

Gordon’s Score = 14

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
 1. Tyler: He’s tight with Carolyn and is the only one she has told about the idol, this gives him a lot of power.  He isn’t getting naked every two seconds, but seems to be in tight with Max and Shirin.  I have to say it was hilarious watching his amazing uncomfortableness when Shirin was walking around bottomless.
   1. Hali: I like where her game is right now. She doesn’t feel like a huge threat, nor does she stick out as incapable or unsociable. Barring something crazy, I could see her being around for a while.
  1. Carolyn: She’s got an idol, she’s in the dominant alliance, and she proved she can go in challenges. Say it with me everyone, “Yeah, baby!”
  2. Hali: She is trying her best to include Nina and be strategic in her interactions with her tribe.  Vince and Nina were going after Jenn, which is great for Hali, because regardless of how her tribe ends up going, I think she will will always be in the numbers. #nakedalliance1
  2. Kelly: Again, not a ton of from Kelly on this episode, but I think it’s because she has potential to be a strong player in this game.  I’m not concerned about an impending boot for her.
  2. Max: I don’t think Max’s nudity was a big deal, but it does beg the question; would a “Survivor” strategist make a move that would potentially upset tribemates if he wasn’t in control of the game? I’m sure he’s fine.
  3. Rodney: Thought we would have seen more from Rodney by this point, but the fact that we haven’t is probably because he will be here a long time.  He’s the top guy on his tribe and won’t have any problems sailing through until there is a swap or the merge.
   3. Rodney: Appears to have found a momentary nice spot in this game.  He’s strong, currently well-liked, and in the numbers.  He needs to continue this trend and not show his slightly chauvinistic side outside of confessionals.
  3. Shirin: Again, I’m viewing the nudity as a sign of confidence in their safety. So, maybe Shirin is only half as confident as Max.

  4. Joe: It was a little scary there for a moment, He could have easily been voted out due to the absurd move to split the votes this early in the game and the vendetta Vince had against him.  Will sided with Joe and that speaks volumes.
   4. Sierra: Looks to be in a good spot within the numbers of her tribe. The way I see it, they’re are bigger threats and bigger screw-ups to point to right now. Keep pressing forward.
  4. Sierra: Sierra, buddy…if this whole “Survivor” thing doesn’t work out and you get tired of the barrel racing circuit, you should give the WNBA a call. You were draining those threes.
 5. Carolyn: She has the idol, and Tyler knows it.  The only reason she would exit the game is if Tyler blindsides her with the information by letting Max and Shirin know about it.
  5. Tyler: He seems like he’s always touching base with someone socially, whether they are in his numbers or not.  This is an integral part of this game and I like that he’s doing it.
  5. Lindsey: It looks like the power in the blue tribe is Lindsey, Sierra, Kelly, and Rodney. This may sound odd, but they might want to lose soon. Getting to a merge or a swap with two guys who are clearly on the outs could be real trouble.

 6. Sierra: She’s not going anywhere yet.  Looking forward to hearing more from her, but it seems to me that she is the top female on her tribe right now.
  6. Shirin: I’m all for being naked, but there’s a time and a place for everything.  I’m shocked that she can be so blithely unaware of Tyler’s uncomfortable body language and severely-averted gaze.  Not ideal social gameplay, but not game-ending.
  6. Hali: The No Collar Kids really dodged a bullet last week as they were definitely splitting votes. The question now is; do they think Will messed up his vote or do they realize he played them?

 7. Lindsey: I’m still guessing we are going to see a tight alliance of Lindsey, Sierra, and Rodney, with Kelly possibly as the 4th.  I like Lindsey, but can she keep her emotions (and face) in check when her tribe mates are being crazy?
  7. Lindsey: I wonder if she’s as vocal about her dislike for Mike to other tribe mates as she is in her confessionals, something tells me she is.  This likely only endears her closer to her tribe and accelerates his departure.
  7. Kelly: Heh…Blue Collar, Purple Kelly.


  8. Max: It’s a strategic move to be alone?  What?  Not sure how he got there, but I’m hoping he knows what he is doing.  I really like Max, but comparing yourself to Richard Hatch is probably not a good thing.  I don’t think his nakedness will play too much against him, but I don’t see how it helps him either. #nakedalliance2
  8. Joe: I’m glad we quickly resolved the impending Joe/Vince melodrama and that Jenn sided with Joe.  Splitting votes is risky business and it was shown as a tad too close for my comfort.  It would behoove him to make sure Will feels very included in the alliance after this vote.
  8. Jenn: That’s what I love about “Survivor.” You’re giving each other stinky, uncomfortable hugs one minute and are stabbing each other in the back the next. Anywho, Jenn’s got a solid three, so she should be safe for a while.


 9. Shirin: Shirin should still be solid in her alliance with Tyler, Carolyn, and Max.  Was her nakedness around the guys her smartest play?  No.  Will it hurt her?  No. #nakedalliance3
  9. Carolyn: Always astute and sitting on an idol. As long as Tyler doesn’t try to orchestra a blindside to flush it, I like her game currently.  Hoping she plans to keep a wary eye on Tyler moving forward.
  9. Joe: If the original plan was to bounce Nina after a tie, then JoJali should really be upset at Will. Losing Vince is going to be a big challenge problem for them.
 10. Jenn: It wasn’t good news that she was the target of the minor alliance in her tribe.  Vince and Nina had issues with her, which could be a recurring theme for her throughout this game. #nakedalliance4
   10. Jenn: I hope that her being targeted by the minority alliance isn’t indicative of deeper issues that we aren’t seeing just yet.  It would be good for her to stick with Joe and use him as a shield moving forward.
  10. Rodney: Mike wants Rodney to get firewood and doesn’t even have the decency to offer him a turkey sandwich?! If these alphas are going to start butting heads, I’m pretty sure Rodney has the upper hand.
  11. Kelly: Still don’t know much about Kelly.  I think she’s safe if her tribe goes to council, but there’s just not a lot for us to go on yet.
  11. Max: If he was using his nakedness as a cover to go idol hunting I’d be down, but as just an excuse to be alone, I don’t really see the benefit in a social game.  He’s seems well ensconced in an alliance at the moment so I’m not overly concerned.  Nice quads though.
  11. Tyler: I think Tyler deserves a break here. Nobody’s quite sure what the island etiquette is when someone you’ve just met starts running around in their birthday suit. The nudies are lucky he didn’t dress up like a hobo and scare them.
  12. Will: Did Will make the right decision by voting out Vince?  I don’t think so.  He now seems to be the 4th person in the 4 member alliance, whereas he could have voted with Nina and Vince sending Jenn home, and then he would have a solid three.  Thankfully for him in this game anything can happen and he may somehow still get to the right side of the numbers if there is a swap in the near future.
   12. Will: It’s nice to be a swing vote sometimes (just ask Jonclyn) but it can cut both ways.  He’s put himself at the bottom of a four-person alliance.  I want him to try to get in with them as best he can so he has multiple potential options of allies if/when tribes swap.
  12. Dan: Lookit Dan the Man stepping up in the immunity challenge! And with Mike drawing all the heat with his workaholic ways, Dan might be able to make a run at this.

 13. Mike: Uh-oh Mike.  This was not a good episode for you.  Is it possible that you have put yourself on the outs by demanding everyone does as much work as you? In this game you need to play games when your tribe is playing games, go swimming if your tribe is going swimming, get firewood if your tribe is getting firewood, etc. etc. etc.
   13. Dan: There are many things to overcome here right now.  He’s really alienated himself with his big opinions and now his missing manties.  Mike’s teased fight with the tribe could be the biggest boon to Dan’s game yet!
  13. Will: Credit to Will for having way more game than anyone expected. But, I’m not sure he made the best move. He went from being in a solid three to being the fourth guy in a young-person alliance. And, that threesome he’s partnered with has to wonder if he can stick with a plan. Aaaand, if he stays a challenge liability, it might be worth it to keep Nina around.
 14. Dan:  If I’m being honest, I’d probably be annoyed at Dan in my tribe, and unfortunately he doesn’t have enough to offer, even as a goat. He’s lucky the blue collars have not been to TC.  14. Nina: This environment is challenging, especially with a disability, but in order for her to be successful she needs to take initiative and include herself in things, not wait for an invitation.  This is “Survivor”, not brunch.
  14. Joaquin: Last week was kind of a best-case scenario for Joaquin. With Vince gone, I have to wonder how well our No-Collared friends are going to do in immunity challenges.
 15. Nina: Things don’t look good for Nina.  She got lucky this past treehouse tribal, but I don’t suspect that she would be so lucky again.  Jenn and Hali are not being mean to you. Stop playing the victim, and play the game of “Survivor” and insert yourself into their group.
  15. Mike: I know how frustrating it can be sometimes to just go with the tribal flow, but you have to just suck it up and shut up when people aren’t doing what you think they should; otherwise it’ll spell disaster.  Hungry castaways hate being told when to do chores!
  15. Mike: Alright, I’m going to let everyone in on a little secret. The key to not being the first person voted out of your tribe is two little words, “Be cool.” Just be cool, man. Let someone else turn themselves into the first boot. (Ahem…Dan.)

 16. Joaquin: Still see him at the bottom of the tribe.  He wasn’t focused on much in the last episode, and that may be a good thing for him.  I’d probably want to keep him around a bit longer if I was Shirin or Carolyn because he is an easy vote off later on in the game, and Max and Tyler will be harder to beat.
  16. Joaquin: Looks like he’s out of the numbers, untrusted, and I’m highly doubtful he can recover from this.  It’s hard to see him anywhere else than at the bottom of this game right now.
  16. Nina: Same for you, Nina. I’d be upset if Jenn and Hali went skinny dipping without me, but I wouldn’t make a big stink over it. And now with Vince chopping coconuts at Ponderosa, I think you’re about to join him.

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Vince – “I Wanted to…Tear Joe’s Head Off in the…Game”

March 5, 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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I’ll admit it, I didn’t expect much from Will this season. With his polite demeanor and his lack of “Survivor” knowledge, I thought he’d be “Worlds Apart’s” Edna Ma.

Last night Vince got a rude awakening when Will proved me very wrong.

I spoke with the man who coined the term “Body Karate” the morning after his elimination and asked him about his shocking blindside, his relationship with Jenn, and his competition with Joe…

Watch Every Episode of “Survivor: Worlds Apart”

Gordon Holmes: I heard there was some issue with the pregame interview. If I misheard you, I want to make sure we set the record straight.
Vince Sly: The only thing that was a little wacky was the description of the coconut, it’s a portable, spherical oasis. The “spiritual” oasis seemed like it was playing excessively into the character.
Holmes: Gotcha. I’ll make sure that gets updated in the pregame interview.

Holmes: Last night at Tribal…it took me a while to figure out what happened.
Sly: I’m going to give you a new perspective. Going into it, it was going to be a split between Joe, Jenn, and Hali and Will, Nina, and I. It felt that way all the way up until just before Tribal. On day two I set into action things like, “Hey, I think Nina is really searching for an idol.” Day three, “She’s out there a lot and nobody’s talking to her. “ On day four I said, “I’m pretty sure she found the idol.” Day five,  “She’s definitely found the idol, she just showed it to me and it’s in her bag,” so they would split the vote. The only way to break up three out of six so it’s not a tie is to get them to split the vote. The only way to get them to split the vote is if someone has an idol.
Holmes: Nice. All that work seems like it was tossed out the window when Nina let Will know that you were concerned about his challenge abilities.
Sly: I put all of this work into it. And who knows if it was Nina’s comment that broke the camel’s back or if it was a series of events. Maybe it was my own behavior. The game of “Survivor”…it’s sometimes captured in moments. The changes are contingent upon something so small. It’s a single comment, it’s how you move your body. This comment happened to be pretty big because I’m fairly sure that Joe, Jenn, and Hali realized that I was gunning for one of them. They’re going to try to convince Will that I want him out. So, maybe he was primed and ready for what Nina said.
Holmes: It feels like Will went from being in a solid three to being the fourth man on the totem pole.
Sly: I put a lot of work in with Will and there was no other way to vote from our perspective. It was like, once we do this and get one of them out, we have complete control. Keep the two strongest of them in the game so in challenges we’re good to go. And we’ve already broken them up, so we’re in control. It didn’t make any sense to go any other way. I think that that comment, unfortunately shattered his confidence in me.

Holmes: When I visited your camp on day two, you and Hali were in the woods and she apologized for the past crazy 48 hours. And, she specifically referenced a “Nina thing.” Do you remember what she was talking about?
Sly: I can’t really remember…the experience kind of blends together. But, I feel like they didn’t show any conversations between Hali and I. Hali and I were developing a deep connection. She was kind of…an innocent bystander. She was part of the alliance with Jenn and Joe. She was connected with Jenn from the very beginning, but I don’t feel like she was a strong strategist. She has a really good social game. She’s pleasant, she’s pretty. But, those first couple of conversations we had were relating that she’s not a  hardcore gamer and she doesn’t know who to trust. She doesn’t know what’s going on. In relation to Nina, I feel like she wasn’t purposefully being mean to Nina, whereas some of the comments…I wouldn’t say Jenn was purposefully being mean to Nina, but Jenn is younger. I’m not going to talk poorly about anybody. I chose not to do that on the show. These are humans who are just like me going crazy with no sleep and no food. And you have weird reactions. Were some of the reactions more juvenile than I would have hoped for? Absolutely. Did I play that to my advantage? 100%.

Holmes: It seemed like your relationship with Jenn went south when she started buddying up with Joe. Was that accurate?
Sly: It’s not because I had a crush on her or because I was jealous of Joe. What they chose to portray, from my perspective, was highly inaccurate of my character and what happened out there. What really went down was she developed a more natural connection with Joe. Right off the bat she and I were quirky and fun, and we had a willingness to express ourselves where everyone else was more reserved. I felt that initial connection. She’s the first person I had a whole conversation with. She was the only person I could tell right away was a game player. When she developed that connection to Joe…I’m not going to say she has a crazy crush on Joe, but she likes Joe, I noticed that. I noticed that was going to shift power away from me in a way that’s not going to benefit me.

Holmes: How do you feel about the term “No Collar.”
Sly: I feel like No Collar represents those who are governed by their own desires. They’re motivated, instead of by money, but that which will bring them the most amount of happiness. I feel like another aspect of No Collars is those who’ve been able to make their own careers. If it’s a jewelry designer, it’s someone who has a little jewelry empire. The most successful No Collar is probably Steve Jobs. He made one of the biggest companies in the world and he was a college dropout. That to me is No Collar. Someone who has a dream, a vision, a quest and they go for it.
Holmes: Do you believe Jeff Probst is a No Collar?
Sly: I don’t know Jeff that well, but from what I can tell? Yeah. I don’t know his history, but he’s the host and executive producer of one of the greatest TV shows ever made. He loves it. You can see that he hasn’t lost his absolute glee and appreciation for the game.

Holmes: Alright, word association time…
Sly: Oh boy…
Holmes: I know. Let’s start with Nina.
Sly: Kind…subtle…(laughs).
Holmes: There are no wrong answers here.
Sly: Word association is hard. There are things that come up like, “insecure.” Nina is insecure, however I don’t need to talk crap  about people who in the real world I really care about. In the game Nina was insecure, that’s obvious.
Holmes: Well, it doesn’t have to be negative. And I call it word association, but use all the words you need.
Sly: The gameplay characters? I wanted to (expletive deleted) tear Joe’s head off in the (expletive deleted) game. But in real life he’s like my little brother. I want to take him to festivals and introduce him  to a world where people embrace each other and truly accept each other for what they are. In game vs. out game? Are you asking about their characters in general?
Holmes: The first thing that pops into your head when you hear their name.
Sly: OK. Nina shines joy through her smile.
Holmes: Jenn?
Sly: Quirky, whimsical, doesn’t give a (expletive deleted).
Holmes: Hali?
Sly: Cute, has a mysterious depth that she only shares with those who get really close.
Holmes: Joe?
Sly: Fun, playful, talented, and immature.
Holmes: We’ll finish off with Will.
Sly: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) WILL!
Holmes: (Laughs)
Sly: I’m just kidding. (Laughs) Will is a devoted, charismatic, family man.

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

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‘Survivor: Worlds Apart’ Episode 2 Recap: Bet Your Bottom, Collar

March 4, 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: Carolyn snagged an idol, like you’d take a hat off a rack, Sierra didn’t approve of the size of Dan’s sack, and So went to Nicaragua twice and each time was sent back.

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

Let’s take a look at these tribes as they currently stand…

The Masaya Tribe (wearing yellow)
Carolyn – Corporate Executive, 52
Joaquin – Marketing Director, 27
Max – Media Consultant, 37
Shirin – Yahoo Executive, 31
Tyler – Ex-Talent Agent Assistant, 33

The Escameca Tribe (wearing blue)
Dan – Postal Worker, 47
Kelly – State Trooper, 44
Lindsey – Hair Dresser, 24
Mike – Oil Driller, 38
Rodney – General Contractor, 24
Sierra – Barrel Racer, 27

The Nagarote Tribe (wearing red)
Hali – Law Student, 25
Jenn – Sailing Instructor, 22
Joe – Jewelry Designer, 25
Nina – Hearing Advocate, 51
Vince – Coconut Vendor, 32
Will – YouTube Sensation, 41

Things kick off over at the Blue Collar Bar and Grille where Dan has somehow lost his tiny undies in the ocean. No worries though, he made a new pair out of a shirt. He’s like an underwear MacGyver.

Lindsey thinks the underwear stunt is all a ploy to get back into the tribe’s good graces. So, Dan loses his undies and it’s strategy, but when I do it I’m a creep.

Later on, the White Collars are finally able to create fire. Max takes the opportunity to relax, strip off his shorts, and go skinny dipping. He claims to be honoring Richard Hatch, but the most recent player to lose their undies is technically Dan.

Backup Joke: Now that they have fire, let’s hope he doesn’t feel the need to honor Mike Skupin.

Everyone finds this amusing, except for Shirin who finds it inspiring. She drops her undies and shows everyone her Yahoo.

Over at the No Collar Commune, Hali’s trying to make friends with Nina, but Nina is having trouble hearing her.

Later, Hali and Jenn go skinny dipping themselves and Nina is upset that she wasn’t invited. This is like the nakedest episode ever.

Nina calls them out on excluding her and things get really emotional and uncomfortable. Will tries to cheer her up, but it’s obvious to him that there’s a target on her back.

Back at Blue Collar, everyone is playing a fun basketball game they invented…everyone except for Mike. He’s annoyed because there’s work to be done. C’mon people, those scorpions aren’t going to eat themselves.

At No Collar, Vince confronts Joe about their shelter tiff from last week. Boys, you’re both pretty. It looks like the lines are breaking Vince, Nina, and Will vs. Joe, Hali, and Jenn.

Immunity Challenge Time: A player from each team will navigate a ball through a series of obstacles. Once they get to the end, the next person will transport another ball. Once all five balls have been brought to the end, they’ll shoot them into a goal basketball-style. First tribe to sink all five shots wins immunity and fishing gear. The second team wins immunity, fishing line, lures, and a spear. The third tribe wins self doubt.

Kelly will sit for Blue Collar while Nina will sit for the No Collars. Probst thinks it’s odd that Dan is going to play, but Dan promises to prove his worth to his tribe.

The Survivors are ready and they go. Impressively, Dan manages to best both Vince and Tyler in the first round. Way to be, Danny.

The rest of the relay portion is pretty even until Will gets stuck in an obstacle and costs his tribe a ton of time.

The White Collars are the first to reach the final platform and start shooting. They sink their first shot right as the Blues join them.

The No Collars finally make it to the platform, but Joaquin is on fire. He hits the shots and gives the White Collars the win. Sierra’s right behind them, racking up all five baskets in quick succession.

See Mike, and you thought camp basketball was a waste of time.

Over at the No Collar camp, Hali points out that they’re going to have to make a decision and that isn’t a No Collar trait. Just be people. Be a person. You’re not a collar. Or a lack of a collar.

My head hurts.

Anywho…Vince thinks that Will is a target because he was too exhausted during the challenge, but it might be a good chance to blindside Joe.  You know, their best challenge competitor.

Meanwhile, Jenn pitches the idea of getting rid of Vince to Joe and Will. Joe seems into it, but he’s worried about Nina being the weakest link. They decide to split the vote between Vince and Nina and then vote out Nina if nobody plays an idol.

Later, Will lets us know that he doesn’t want to get rid of Nina and the vote splitting is their opportunity to flip the game. Wow…did not expect that level of strategy from a non-fan.

Vince kinda wants to keep Joe around because of his challenge strength. So, it looks like they’re going to target Jenn.

NOOOOOOO!

Oh wait, Nina tells Will that Vince is worried about Will’s health. This upsets Will.

So many twists. Like forty in five minutes.

That night at Tribal, fire still represents life.

Nina feels left out because she’s an older person and because of her hearing disability.

Jenn thinks it’s a game and she should deal with it.

Vince thinks he’s right in the middle. He also thinks he’s the glue that keeps the tribe together. But like a really safe organic glue made from ox tears.

Joe thinks the person who needs to go home will go home. Buh…

Jenn admits that her and Hali are bros. But, winning challenges is her top priority.

Will thinks she’s talking about him because water is a “black man’s kryptonite.”

Jenn thinks she could be on the chopping block, but she’s psyched to be at Tribal Council.

Voting Time: Nina votes for Jenn, Hali votes for Vince, Joe votes for Nina, and the rest are sooper secret.

Oh boy, the kids went for the split.

JPro tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Jenn, one vote for Vince, one vote for Nina, one vote for Jenn, one vote for Vince, and the second person to be eliminated from “Survivor: Worlds Apart” is…Vince.

Whaaaaaaat?!

Verdict: Well, I certainly didn’t see that coming. When I was on location, it looked like Vince and Hali were buddying up.

As for this season…more! Bring me more!

Who’s Going to Win? Lindsey FTW.

Power Rankings Results: Josh had Vince in spot 10, Reed had him in spot 13, and I had him in spot 14. So, the current score is Team Josh 10, Team Reed 13, and Team Gordon 14. That second sentence felt really redundant.

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

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‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Round 1 – “Hey, Girl” Edition

March 3, 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 two players will earn. For example, if Tyler is voted out this week, Josh will receive two points, Reed will receive five points, and Gordon will receive thirteen points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Worlds Apart”

Josh’s Score = 0

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

Reed’s Score = 0

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

Gordon’s Score = 0

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
 1. Joe: Joe is in a great position on his tribe.  He seems to be the one the rest of the tribe looks to for the final decision.  I think we will see a lot of Joe this season.
   1. Joe: I’m still placing him up top because of all of his skills he’s shown us early on.  My continuing reservation with him however is that he may be “too good” at everything (making fire, being liked by others, solving puzzles, etc.) and that can quickly ruffle other competitors feathers… cough*Vince*cough.
  1. Max:  Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer thinks Max is an “armchair quarterback.” Well, the bearded-one didn’t go three-and-out in his first Tribal. He’s got a solid alliance and he and Shirin are apparently giving new meaning to the term “Survivor Buff.”
  2. Tyler: Possibly the one who convinced Shirin and Max to vote So.  He was the go between in the tribe, and for that I put him on top of the White Collars.
  2. Shirin: The fact that she blew the puzzle and still didn’t appear to be on the block bodes well for her social game.  Early on she took the initiative and reached out to Carolyn to form an alliance, they linked up with Max, and then in turn they pulled in Tyler, thus giving them the majority – all very good things for her right now.  2. Shirin: You know who else was going to go with the 50-piece puzzle if they had a lead? Me. So, I’m not going to go too hard on Shirin for making that call. Now she’s got numbers and her alliance has the idol. Give this woman a tarantula to eat and she’ll have a perfect setup.
  3. Jenn: I liked Jenn much more than I thought I would from pre-game.  She seems to be in the best position as far the woman go on No Collar.  Athletic, level-headed, and gets along great with the both sexes.  Joe, Jenn, and Hali for a long-term power alliance, very possible.
   3. Carolyn: I’m liking how perceptive she is.  Her head is up and she is clocking every little thing that her tribe mates are doing.  This is crucial in this game, and ultimately it led her to the hidden immunity idol.  The fact that she didn’t play it telegraphs to me that she’s feeling a high level of trust right now among her alliance.
  3. Carolyn: She found an idol while others were looking for it and used it to lock in Tyler’s vote. Yeah, baby!

  4. Max: Didn’t hear from him as much as I had hoped with White Collar going to the first Council, but he would easily be safe if in his future were back-to-back Tribals.
   4. Max: Currently it feels like he’s part of the movers and shakers on his tribe.  Getting snuggly into the numbers is something he appears to have done very nicely.  Well done, sir.
  4. Lindsey: Not many people could headbutt a bamboo pole and keep going, but Lindsey’s double tough. Seems like she’s safely in the Blue Collar’s dominant alliance, too.
 5. Carolyn: Finding an idol on “Survivor” – Awesome.  Finding an idol in the first three days – Epic.  Finding an idol without a clue based on what other tribe members are doing – Priceless.  5. Tyler: He too appears to be in the numbers and is now also armed with the information of where the hidden immunity idol is.  It will be interesting to see what he does with this combination of things.  5. Sierra: My big problem with the opening twist was that even if you picked the “Honest” option, it didn’t guarantee that your tribe would believe you. It was smart of Sierra to sow that seed of doubt.

 6. Rodney: I’m surprised at myself for putting him this high on the list, but I get the sense from his tribe’s dynamics that he’s actually in a pretty good position if he doesn’t blow it.  6. Jenn: Got some good camera time taking us through her thought process.  To me, this shows that she is considering things strategically.  However, if she isn’t a bit more careful in her dealings with the boys on her tribe, it all may come to a head in a way she may not desire.  If she doesn’t soothe Vince’s insecurities, she will likely have to pick sides very soon.  6. Jenn: There was a valuable lesson hidden in the “Survivor” premiere; base your alliance on more than hair accessories. I wouldn’t worry about Jenn too much though, it Joe and Vince do throw down, she’ll be able to work with the winner.

 7. Sierra: No reason not to like her.  I can’t imagine the guys on Blue Collar voting her out anytime soon.  7. Lindsey: We’ve been shown her growing closer to Rodney for a reason.  Also, I see good camaraderie happening with Sierra and Kelly too.  To me, she feels like she is in a good place right now.  7. Kelly: Kelly was present in the most recent episode of “Survivor.” I’m assuming she’s safer than Dan.


  8. Hali: I like Hali.  I think she is going to team up with Joe and Jenn.  I’d root for that the whole game.
  8. Rodney: Looks like a beast in challenges.  Who doesn’t want that around for a while?  Seems to be making good inroads with others on his tribe and also was shown initiating a play to potentially take out Dan if the opportunity arises.  Spot the weakest link and point it out to others – a solid move.  8. Mike: Hehehehehehehe…heh… heh…heh… All anyone at basecamp would talk about while I was at “Survivor” was Mike eating that scorpion. Good times. Here’s hoping he doesn’t regret being buddies with Dan as much as he did munching that arachnid.


 9. Shirin: The fact that Shirin wasn’t ever brought up as a potential castaway to go home after she underperformed at the challenge, says a lot about her social game.  Watch out for this one, we may see her at the FTC.  9. Sierra: Besides seeing her and Lindsey briefly involved in a set-to with Dan over the shelter, there’s not a lot to go on here.  But that moment did show us that it looks like she will be in the majority on her tribe.  9. Rodney: He made some friends and he targeted Dan, not a bad first three days for Rodney. The big question I have is; which one of Harry Potter’s grandfathers is Dan supposed to be like? Lily’s father or James’s father?
 10. Vince: I have to say I enjoyed watching him and his paranoia in the first days when his tribe wasn’t even going to see Jeff.  He may be a bit of a loose cannon this season, but for now, his tribe really needs him.
   10. Kelly: Came across slightly as the voice of reason with undertones of casual leadership during the shelter building snafu.  She’s got the maturity needed navigate the pressure of these types of situations.
  10. Hali: We didn’t see much from Hali the rule-breaking lawyer, but she doesn’t strike me as the No Collar’s first boot.
  11. Lindsey: Not much from her this episode, but I have no fear we are going to get a lot from her in the future.  At least I hope so.
  11. Mike: His positivity and happy-go-lucky attitude can go a long way in this game, so can his staring fire, solving puzzles, and winning for his tribe.  He seems on the side of the numbers, but yet still he takes a moment to comfort Dan too.  Smart.  Oh, and Mike, take it from me – a guy who tried to eat anything and everything on that island – you’ve got to cook those scorpions first.  11. Joe: Startin’ fires! Buildin’ shelters! Destroyin’ puzzles! Nobody had a better first episode than Joe. So, why is he so low in my rankings? Because I don’t think this Vince thing is over just yet.
  12. Mike: A scorpion?  Really?  I may start calling him Mindless Mike.  It didn’t even make sense why he ate it.  Bad choices.  We are going to see a lot more bad choices from this one.
   12. Hali: Too soon to tell.  Haven’t heard a ton from her and I don’t particularly have any reason to see that as a bad thing right now.  Can’t imagine her not settling into the numbers.  Keep on doing your thing, gurl.
  12. Will: I’m picturing the final Tribal Council where an angry No Collar juror tears Will apart for failing to deliver those day-one sandwiches. Poor Will.

  13. Kelly: One of the few castaways that I don’t have strong feelings about.  She could stay, she could go.
   13. Vince: Yikes. That conversation with Jenn shows the audience that Vince is ruled by his emotions.  Players like this make me nervous because they’re great when they feel loved, but super unpredictable when they feel insecure.  People tend to lash out at things that threaten their ego; in Vince’s case that threat feels like Joe.  He does has his physicality going for him right now though.
  13. Tyler: Tyler might not appreciate how close he came to being the first one out. Max, Carolyn, and Shirin wanted So to be their fourth when Tyler wasn’t ready to commit to an alliance. He’d better wake up because he’s on a tribe with some serious players.
 14. Will: I have Will this low because he is not as physically in shape as the other members of his tribe, and that could easily be a reason to cast votes his way.  14. Will: I kind of feel right now for Will that no news is good news.  14. Vince: Ah Vince, nobody blames you for falling for Jenn. She’s delightful. However, I will blame you or not being cool when Super Joe was starting fires in a single bound. Joe is a much better ally than opponent at this point.


 15. Dan: Based on what we saw this episode, Dan would be the first to go if his tribe goes to the treehouse.  He’s a great character for the show, but as far as surviving, I don’t think he has long.
  15. Nina: Spent more time on her knees in the challenge than she did moving forward.  This could be overlooked if her social game was a good one, but from the looks of the preview, that sadly seems to be on its knees too.
  15. Joaquin: Joaquin said “Survivor” is “the same (expletive deleted) over and over” and he’s right. Alliances are made on day one and people caught in lies are quickly sent home. He’s not a goner though, with the three-tribe format, he just has to make sure the White Collars don’t come in last.

 16. Nina: We saw the preview where she flips out on her tribe, a possible sign that she is at the bottom of the No Collars.
  16. Dan: When you have someone saying “he’s the one person that doesn’t belong” to the camera, you know it’s been said to other people on the tribe.  This mentality can spread like wildfire early on.  His outbursts over the shelter combined with his age difference and strong opinions could be just enough to send him to Ponderosa – that is if someone else doesn’t dig their own grave first.  16. Nina: If the trailer is to be believed, (and often it isn’t) it looks like Nina could be in some serious trouble. If there’s one thing the laid-back No Collars won’t stand for, it’s someone harshing their buzz. (Is that how you use that term? I’m old.)


  17. Joaquin: Will White Collar lose immunity for the second straight time?  I think it’s very possible.  As a member of Coyopa, I know how easy it is to fall into a losing steak during the game.  Joaquin lost the other half of the deceitful duo, and I don’t think his tribe will be happy with him still being around.
  17. Joaquin:  There is so much mistrust of him as a result of the shady business with So, in addition to his oddly surprising lack of ability to lie convincingly.  He was on the outside of the numbers for the vote and with tribes this small, there is no place to hide.  If they lose again, I think he’s a dead man Joaquin.  17. Dan: White Collars might not know how to start a fire, but they know better than to refer to other people’s ideas as “stupid.” As an older guy on a younger tribe, Dan needed to hang back. Instead he might’ve earned himself some alone time with So.

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A Sneak Peek at the Second ‘Survivor: Worlds Apart’ Immunity Challenge

March 3, 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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There were a lot of things to get excited about during my visit to the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” set in Nicaragua. There was a cast full of gamers, the return of the killer three-tribe format, and a calm cove that is perfect for water challenges.

While I was out there, I had the opportunity to check out a special test run of the season’s first water-based (and second overall)  immunity challenge.

Watch the Premiere of “Survivor: Worlds Apart”

To start, five members from each tribe will gather on platform. The first member of each tribe will dive from the first platform and swim to a second. Once they’re on the second platform, they’ll take a ball and run it along a rope. The rope twists and turns around the obstacle that is attached to the second platform. Once they’ve gotten the ball over the obstacle, they’ll climb the obstacle themselves and jump into the water.

From there, the players will have to maneuver the ball over, around, and through a floating obstacle.


Then they’ll swim the ball to the final platform. Once they’ve placed the ball in a basket, the next member of their tribe will start the course. When all five of the balls are in the basket, the tribe will have to shoot them, basketball-style into a floating goal. The first two tribes to sink all five shots wins immunity.

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

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‘Survivor’ Castaway So – “Max Is a Bit Sociopathic”

February 26, 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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After finally getting a chance to play “Survivor,” So came out swinging with a titanic lie that nobody believed.

You can either feel really bad for her, or you can think she deserved it. You can’t be neutral.

I spoke with the first castaway the morning after her elimination and asked about her and Joaquin’s first move, the tribe’s feelings toward Tyler, and her rough year…

Watch the Season Premiere of “Survivor: Worlds Apart”

Gordon Holmes:  I’ve got to lay out some ground rules first. Probst warned me that you’re some kind of vampire, she-devil ways. I will not condone any blood-sucking, back-stabbing activities during this interview.
So Kim: (Laughs) I will try my very best. I’d like to think I’m a nice person. Hopefully you’ll behave and I won’t have to bring those skills out.
Holmes: Oh, so it’s on me?!
Kim: Of course it’s on you. Never on me.
Holmes: What did you say to him to give him that impression of you?
Kim: Am I that horrible or was Jeff Probst kind of flirting with me? You were there, you tell me.
Holmes: He’s a happily married man.
Kim: (Laughs) I got to know Jeff over the course of both seasons, he met my sister, he got to know me on my own. And I’m a little bit impish. I’m self-deprecating. I can be sneaky.  I love laughing, I love having a good time. Underneath my smile, I can also flip on you. I’m willing to make huge moves in the game. I think he kind of saw it and called me out on it.

Holmes: So, last night when you made your terrible, horrible, no-good, very-bad lie…
Kim: What lie? I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Holmes: What was the immediate reaction from the tribe when you dropped that whopper?
Kim: At that point we were two minutes into the game, we barely know these people, but I realized we’d made a mistake because we were playing with some of the savviest people who have ever played this game. What they don’t show is I pulled Shirin aside and told her I had the clue and I wanted to trust her. We do try and loop a couple of people in, it just didn’t work out in my favor.

Holmes: They didn’t show a lot of this last night, but Tyler seems to almost be the White Collar tribe’s innocent. You were almost afraid to play the game in front of him. Why were people treating him that way?
Kim: Tyler came out saying he wanted us to just be a team. We can’t work as individuals. Everyone was very cautious about talking too much strategy. The minute we’d start, Tyler would be like, “No, no,no, we need to keep our tribe strong. There’s no reason to talk strategy unless we lose the first challenge.” Even when I got back from finding the clue, Carolyn and Shirin approached me right away and said, “The three of us and Max are going to be the final four.” I looked at them and said, “Why me and not Tyler?” And they said, “Tyler doesn’t want to talk strategy and we don’t trust him. So, we want to work with you.”

Holmes:Did you know at Tribal that Carolyn had the idol?
Kim: No. Tyler was the only one who knew. Carolyn played it very smart. She only shared it when she needed the fourth vote to get me out.
Holmes: Did it bother you that Joaquin voted for Cherilynn?
Kim: (Laughs) You were there…that was the one moment of levity in that whole Tribal. He was so shell-shocked. He wanted to vote for Carolyn, but he hated Shirin, so in his own subconscious way he wrote down both names.
Holmes: Why did he hate Shirin?
Kim: He had it right, she was the person we shouldn’t have trusted. He wanted to work with Carolyn and he kept saying that, but I’d already promised my loyalty to Shirin. When we got back from that challenge, the guys were thinking Shirin. I said, “No, it’s got to be Carolyn.” I wouldn’t have suspected that Shirin would get so paranoid. Her and Carolyn got together. And then Max who said he always wanted to work with two weak girls so he could save one of them or save both of them so they’d be indebted to him. Then Carolyn got Tyler with the idol.

Holmes: You knew about Max’s background.
Kim: I sure did.
Holmes: It did come up at Tribal, but nobody seemed to really care.
Kim: I think that people will start to question the fact that he knows the game. But at the time it wasn’t a factor.

Holmes: There was some issue with the water when I visited your camp on day two. They were drinking the well water without boiling it, and I think you had an issue with that.
Kim: White Collar didn’t know how to make a fire. We were the smartest people to play the game, but we all assumed someone else would be able to make a fire. By day two we were so dehydrated. I think it was Max who said there had been other seasons where people had drank the well water and hadn’t gotten sick. That’s when he convinced Shirin and Carolyn to drink with them. Then Joaq joined in. I thought they were idiots because we’d be sick for the challenge and then we’d lose. But you’re so hungry and thirsty that you kind of lose your mind.

Holmes: OK, word association time. Let’s start with Shirin.
Kim: Delusional schizophrenic…oh, that’s so awful.
Holmes: Too late. Joaquin?
Kim: Loyal to a fault.
Holmes: Carolyn?
Kim: The funniest woman I’ve ever met.
Holmes: Tyler?
Kim: A politician to the core.
Holmes: Max?
Kim: Max is a bit sociopathic.
Holmes: And let’s finish with Malcolm.
Kim: (Laughs)
Holmes: He told me to do this.
Kim: (Laughs) Malcolm is my guy. He’s great. You know what? I may have been the first one voted out. But I ultimately won because I got to meet a great guy like Malcolm.
Holmes: I told him this interview was going to be tough because I’d be so jealous of you.
Kim: (Laughs) Aww…he’s the best.

Holmes: Between your divorce, leaving your job, and not getting to play season 29, you’d had a pretty rough year. And that was before you were voted out first. Have things picked up since you returned home?
Kim: You know, life throws you challenges. I alluded to this in our first interview, it’s been a bit of a roller coaster, I’ve had some stones in my path. And, it  didn’t end well after I spoke to you. I was voted out three days later. It only added to that terrible year. But, I moved out to LA and it’s been great. I work with Billabong, I’m dating Malcolm, and I met some incredible people. I may have been voted out first, but the people I got to play with are some of the most amazing people that I’ve ever met. It’s become a family. They’ve become my best friends.
Holmes: That’s awesome. And you’d better treat Malcolm right or you’ll hear from me.
Kim: I’ll try, but  I can be a bit devilish.

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

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‘Survivor’ Host Jeff Probst Breaks Down the ‘Worlds Apart’ Premiere

February 25, 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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I didn’t give “Survivor” host Jeff Probst a second to breathe after So was sent home. I stormed the Tribal Council set to get his thoughts on the season’s hot start, So and Joaquin’s questionable lie, and what he thinks will happen next…

Gordon Holmes: How are you feeling?
Jeff Probst: I’m feeling about as good as you can feel given that my life is already pretty (expletive deleted) good.
Holmes: I have written in my notes “Happy Probst.”
Probst: Yeah, I’m pretty happy. We’re on day three and I’ve been saying this since twenty minutes into day one, I think this is going to be an incredible season. How do I know that? I have no idea. But, if the first twenty minutes, first challenge, and first Tribal are any indication, we’re in good shape.

Watch the Season Premiere of “Survivor: Worlds Apart”

Holmes: Let’s talk about that first challenge; you’ve got the free spirits getting it done, the Blue Collars following their lead, and the White Collars failing.
Probst: I was initially surprised that the White Collars picked what most people would say is the easiest puzzle. But then, I realized, that probably makes sense because the White Collars do get the knock of making conservative, safe choices. From afar, I would think you have the biggest brain power out here, why not take a chance on the five piece and see. Spend two minutes on it, then switch. I think they made a tactical error and are afraid to admit it.
Holmes: I consider myself White Collar, any my plan was if I had a lead, I’d go with the 50 because I’d have time to barrel through it. I thought it’d just be a put-the-numbers-in-order puzzle.
Probst: That’s exactly what they thought. You were right in sync with them.

Holmes: Tyler seems like he’s the conscience of this tribe. They treat him almost like he’s an innocent. Everyone seemed like they were yielding to him and trying to make him happy.
Probst: Surprised me. Not only have I never seen anything like that this soon in the game, I had Tyler completely wrong. I thought Tyler would be trying to get in with everybody else. I was completely off on him. Whatever he’s doing is working.  They see him as some kind of moral compass. Maybe that’ll last another day, another 36 days. Who knows? He’s definitely one of the surprises. And it makes me happy because I’ve wanted him to be on the show for a while. He’s been through casting many times.

Holmes: As a producer, would you ever let someone make a neutral choice like So and Joaquin dreamed up?
Probst: I didn’t know about that until tonight. So, when I heard that they added their own element, I thought it was a pretty terrible lie.
Holmes: You guys don’t have twists so people can take the middle road.
Probst: That was their mistake. They didn’t go with a lie that made sense. But, I did feel for them because I think a lot of people would choose to deceive. Like Max said, I wouldn’t hold it against you.I don’t think So got voted out for choosing to deceive. I think she was voted out because she’s a pain in the ass.
Holmes: It seemed like she was rubbing people the wrong way when we visited the tribe camp.

Holmes: A lot of people had high hopes for So going into this season.
Probst: I think So herself is extremely disappointed right now. She’s looking for somebody to blame. I was surprised how things went with So, I thought she was going to be a very sharp firecracker out here. And I think she is in life, it just brings up one of the truths about “Survivor”; you make your play and it works or it doesn’t. She might come out again and play differently. The only thing I saw from So at Tribal that concerned me was that she never changed her approach. The entire night she kept defending. I don’t think there’s enough nuance in that for her to ever have a shot.
Holmes: I think the second Max admitted that he was lying to her that she should’ve gone into hyper scramble mode.
Probst: Yeah, she was trying to say there’s more to me than meets the eye. But, there are sometimes you just can’t change the vote.

Holmes: It’s such an impressive cast, that you can’t get too upset when one of your favorites goes home.
Probst: The way I would say it is; you can’t get disappointed when somebody good goes home, because somebody good is going to go home every week. We have the luxury of having seventeen other good people out there. So, I’m not going to be disappointed at all.
Holmes: No disappointment that the obvious “So Long” vote wasn’t made?
Probst: Somebody said, “So Much Drama,” that was good.
Holmes: That was Shirin.
Probst: OK, yeah, “So Long” would’ve been a great one. But, you’re a writer. You’d be good out here…for the writing part of it. Let’s be clear.
Holmes: Yes, the looks part and the challenge part would be a disaster.
Probst:  (Laughs) I didn’t say anything about looks!
Holmes: I told you, I’m not young enough to be a young good looking guy or old enough to be an old cranky guy…
Probst:  But didn’t you kick Parvati’s ass?
Holmes: That I did. But, she’s sick of hearing about it.  I’m not sick of talking about it.
Probst: I was just saying that I was there, you faced Parvati, and you defeated her.
Holmes: She had a significant lead, too.
Probst: You kicked her ass. But, you just said you weren’t good at challenges.
Holmes: People who brag about challenges don’t last long, Jeff. You know that.
Probst: Got it. Understood.

Holmes: Alright, who’s going home next?
Probst: No prediction. I don’t even know what we’re doing tomorrow.
Holmes: Is White Collar coming back to Tribal without So?
Probst: I’m thinking what the next challenge is…
Holmes: I believe it’s the water basketball challenge.
Probst: Oh yeah. I’m going to say that White Collar is going to lose again.
Holmes: Who gets voted out?
Probst:  I think Joaquin needs to scramble fast. He’s got to work. And he’s at a disadvantage because he doesn’t know the game as well as other people. And at Tribal, he doesn’t speak so well for himself. I could barely hear him.
Holmes: He’s learning on the job.
Probst: If he can pick up the speed he’ll be OK. He’s a sharp guy. If I was him I’d go after Shirin, I’d leave Carolyn alone. But, at the end of Tribal, Max, Carolyn, and Shirin were all holding hands. So, who knows?

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

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‘Survivor: Worlds Apart’ Episode 1 Recap: Singing the Blues

February 25, 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.

Another Quick Note: I was on hand for the filming of this first episode, so be on the lookout for special Behind-the-Scenes Tidbits from my time in the Nicaragua.

And…we’re off!

The season kicks off with a trio of brightly colored trucks making their way through the Nicaraguan wilderness. The first truck, which is yellow, features a sextet of White Collar workers.

First we meet So, who claims to be the devil. Oh my goodness, Jeff Probst was calling her “vampire” and “she-devil” in all of our pregame interviews. He tried to warn us!

Then, Max’s beard tells us that he has no problem stepping on people to get what he wants. Well, good luck stepping on people without feet, Max’s beard.

Next up, we meet the hardworking Blue Collar tribe. Mike, an oil worker, says that you can’t win unless you get your hands dirty. He proves his point by showing us his dirty hands. So basically he’s already half way there.

Lindsey then claims that there is nobody on this Earth who is as mentally strong as she is. There’s a strong head/face tattoo joke in there. I’ll figure it out and get back to you.

To round out the tribe, Dan claims that we will not forget him. Well, I remember Wanda from Palau too…

Driving in last, cause they can’t be bothered to like…care…man…is the No Collar tribe.

Jenn starts off by telling us that she flies by the seat of her pants…while she’s wearing shorts! The lying already starts!

Hali is a law student, but she’s not an evil lawyer. I always thought “evil lawyer” was redundant.

And Vince says some stuff that text couldn’t do justice to. You’ve got to feel it.

Finally, a handsome guy in an orange baseball cap says something about…

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

Let’s take a look at these tribes…

The Masaya Tribe (wearing yellow)
Carolyn – Corporate Executive, 52
Joaquin – Marketing Director, 27
Max – Media Consultant, 37
Shirin – Yahoo Executive, 31
So – Retail Buyer, 31
Tyler – Ex-Talent Agent Assistant, 33

The Escameca Tribe (wearing blue)
Dan – Postal Worker, 47
Kelly – State Trooper, 44
Lindsey – Hair Dresser, 24
Mike – Oil Driller, 38
Rodney – General Contractor, 24
Sierra – Barrel Racer, 27

The Nagarote Tribe (wearing red)
Hali – Law Student, 25
Jenn – Sailing Instructor, 22
Joe – Jewelry Designer, 25
Nina – Hearing Advocate, 51
Vince – Coconut Vendor, 32
Will – YouTube Sensation, 41

The three trucks eventually pull into a clearing and everyone piles out.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: It was pouring down rain until it was time to shoot this. Mark Burnett must have some kind of evil weather machine somewhere.

Probst greets the three tribes and tells them they’ve been divided by career and approach to life. I like to think at this moment Vince thought he was surrounded by coconut vendors.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: The White Collars were very reluctant to say what they did for a living.

Dan agrees with Jeff’s assessment, saying that this country was built by Blue Collar blood, sweat, and tears. Rodney thinks he’s in the right tribe because he moves the office furniture that the White Collars sit on all day.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Will had a great line saying he works with White Collars and Blue Collars all the time because he’s a bartender and they all like alcohol.

Carolyn thinks the other tribes are giving the White Collars a bad rap. She thinks they work just as hard. Joaquin makes a good point, saying his 9-to-5 doesn’t define him.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Max didn’t like that Probst seemed to be using “White Collar” as a derogatory term.

Next up, the tribes have to pick one person to represent them. Max has seen too much “Survivor” to step forward. Joaquin, who has watched  next to no “Survivor,” is chosen.

The Blues choose Dan, while the No Collars are taking their time making the call. Max puts down his caviar to joke that a White Collar would make that decision faster.

The No Collars finally decide on Will. Jenn says they chose him because he promised them sandwiches. Probst calls him on this claim, but Will insists that he has a way to make sandwiches.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Will’s assertion that he could make sandwiches went on for a long time. At one point he claimed that he could make flour from the ocean.

For the second half of the twist, each of the chosen three will have to pick a partner. Dan picks Mike, Joaquin picks So, and Will picks Jenn.

When the tribes get to camp, the chosen pairs will have to make a decision for their tribe.

At No Collar beach, Nina tells everyone about her Cochlear implants. Nobody seems that concerned about it.

Jenn and Will head off to make their pairs decision. It turns out that they have a choice between a small bag of beans and an idol clue (Deceive) or just a big bag of beans (Honest). They decide to be honest and take the big bag.

At Blue Collar bar and grill, Dan and Mike think it’s too early to be villains and they decide to be honest too. When they return with the big bag of beans, Sierra does not buy it. She thinks they took the small bag. Well, Sierra is like 6’1”, so all bags of beans look small to her.

At White Collar Inc., they decide to hold a board meeting before getting down to work.

When So and Joaquin go to make their decision, they decide to take the clue. So comes up with the idea of telling the tribe that there were three choices, “Deceive,” “Honest,” and “Neutral.” She claims they picked “Neutral” because it seemed like the safe choice.

Carolyn doesn’t buy it. She thinks they have the clue, but she’d do the same thing.

Shirin thinks they’re lying because there’s no way the producers would give a “Neutral”  choice. Smart.

Later, Shirin and Carolyn align over a hug. Adorable. It looks like Max is in too.

Over at Blue Collar, the hard-working, salt-of-the-Earth tribe is making fire. Lindsey is also showing off her many, many tattoos. Rodney likes that because it’s something they can bond over. Rodney tells Lindsey the story about his sister passing away to get her on his side. And it seems to work.

Meanwhile, Mike decides to eat a scorpion. Yup. This makes Mike really sick. Shocking, right?

At Casa de No Collar, Jenn tells Vince that she used to wear feathers in her hair. Apparently that’s enough for the two of them to form an alliance. He’s way into it, but she seems to be leading him on a bit.

Later, Joe and Vince butt heads over how to build the shelter. Guys, butting heads is such a Collar thing to do.

Apparently shelter building is today’s hot-button issue as the Blue Collars are arguing over it too. Dan’s not super subtle with his emotions as he tells the others their building ideas are “stupid.” However, he refuses to make a decision.

Rodney’s already sick of Dan, he tells Kelly, Lindsey, and Sierra that they need to get rid of “Harry Potter’s Grandfather.” Um…did Harry Potter have a grandfather? I’d bet Malcolm knows.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: When I visited the Blue Collar camp, Dan was singing, “All by Myself” in the shelter.

Back at the No Collar tribe, Joe makes fire without flint. Jenn is very impressed by that. Me too. However, Vince is not thrilled that his feather buddy is getting so close to Joe.

Vince takes Jenn aside and asks if she’s attracted to Joe. She claims she isn’t. But does she like him, like him? When it’s all over, Vince gives her a looooong hug to show that they’re still bros. A long, smelly hug.

At White Collar Headquarters, So puts together an action plan for fixing their terrible shelter. Meanwhile, Tyler and Joaquin are failing at making a fire. Joaquin wonders who knew it was so hard to make a fire. Well, people who watch the show, for starters…

Later on, So goes on a little idol-hunting trip. Carolyn catches her doing this and manages to find it herself. Go Carolyn. Yeah baby!

Immunity Challenge Time: All three tribes will start the challenge on a high platform. They’ll run down the platform  and into a pile of hay. From there they’ll high step through an obstacle. They’ll then have to choose between unlocking or untying a ladder. They’ll use the ladder to go up, across, and down a platform. They’ll then use the ladder to retrieve a 5-piece, 10-piece, or 50-piece puzzle. First tribe to complete their puzzle wins immunity and a fire-making kit. The second place tribe wins immunity and flint. Last place tribe has a date with Probst at Tribal.

The Survivors are ready, and they go. With three tribes, it’s hard to call the action, but know that Lindsey really smacked her head on the high-step obstacle. Both tribes try the locks, but So, Joe, and Mike eventually tag in and go for the knots.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbits: The Dream Team assured me that the locks were waaaay faster than the knots.

So blows through the knots, with Joe and the No Collars right behind them. Mike is way behind. (I feel you, Mike.)

The No Collars pass the White Collars during the table maze portion. No Collar goes for the 10-piece puzzle while the White Collars go for the 50-piece.

The Blues eventually catch up and go with the 10-piece puzzle.

Jenn starts the tree-shaped puzzle, but she eventually tags out to Joe who killllls it and wins immunity for the No Collars.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: This wasn’t an editing trick, Joe destroyed that puzzle.

Shirin is having serious trouble with the 50-piece puzzle, she swaps with Max. Sierra starts for Blue Collar, but Mike tags in and flies through the puzzle and wins it.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit:  Mike was totally copying off of the No Collar puzzle. In fact, when it was over he turned to the No Collars and said, “Thanks for the help.” The White Collars were not happy about this.

When it’s all said and done, Shirin thinks she’s in big trouble…and So agrees with her.

Back at White Collar International, the politicking seems to be Carolyn vs. Shirin. So thinks Shirin blew the challenge, but at least she tried while Carolyn didn’t.

Joaquin is cool with sending Carolyn home.

Later, So and Joaquin both tell Carolyn that her name hasn’t been brought up.

Tyler tells Carolyn that she’s in trouble. He then asks her what she knows about idols. She says she knows So and Joaquin don’t have it, because she does. She wants to target So.

She takes this plan to Max and Shirin and they’re on board. They approach Tyler, but he seems to be on the fence.

That night at Tribal Council, fire totally equals life.

Shirin wastes no time calling out Soquin for their “Neutral” lie.

Max isn’t angry at them for lying. He’s annoyed that they lied so poorly.

So thinks the four of them are really strong. Probst jumps right on that.

Joaquin claims it’s him, Tyler, Max, and So.

Carolyn knows she’s a target, but she knows Max and Shirin are with her.

So tells Carolyn that she’s the weakest link and they’re voting for her.

Carolyn doesn’t think she’s the weakest because So only opened a few knots.

Tyler is worried that they’ll be weak for the next challenge.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Nobody wanted to play the game too hard in front of Tyler. At one point Max even said, “Tyler is above the game.” It was almost like he was too innocent for the politics.

Another Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: So told everyone about Max’s “Survivor” course, but nobody seemed to care.

Max is psyched to be at a rainy, dramatic, first Tribal Council.

Voting Time: Carolyn votes for So, So votes for Carolyn, and the rest of the votes are secret.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Max voted like he was giving some kind of corporate downsizing announcement. It was funny, but long.

Probst tallies and returns. Carolyn does not play her idol. We’ve got one vote for Carolyn, one vote for So, one vote for “Cherilyn,” two votes for So, and the first person voted out of “Survivor: Worlds Apart” is…So.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Probst had to stop reading the votes to get confirmation from Joaquin that his “Cherilyn” vote was for Carolyn and not Shirin.

Verdict: Man, a lot of good Tribal stuff ended on the cutting-room floor. Shirin was on fire. Booo…release a director’s cut!

Anywho, I’ve been sitting waiting for chapter two of this story for months. I can’t wait for next week.

Who’s Going to Win?: I’m sticking with Lindsey. Looks like she has a solid Blue Collar group.

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

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Official ‘Survivor: Worlds Apart’ Pre-Game Rankings

February 25, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your “Survivor: Worlds Apart” scoop! I delved deep into the Nicaraguan wilderness on a mission to bring you all kinds of stuff including behind-the-scenes tidbits, pre-game interviews with the cast, insights from “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, a look at the first Tribal Council, and much more. I’ll be cranking out this goodness daily in the weeks leading up to the premiere, so be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates on all of this season’s “Survivor” fun.

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

Remember when Michelle Chase overcame a rough beginning and went on to win “Survivor: Gabon”? Or when Tony Vlachos was the first one voted out of “Survivor: Cagayan”? Me either, but I certainly predicted those things would happen.

So, with my horrific track record in mind, I present to you the “Survivor: Worlds Apart” preseason rankings.

Note: These rankings were written after the pregame interviews, but before the game actually started.

Secondary Note: Betting on the “Survivor” Preseason Rankings is frowned upon.

 1. Lindsey: Sorry Lindsey, you’re going to be the recipient of my “Worlds Apart” preseason curse. Why?  Because I think she’s got what it takes to control the game and get to end without being viewed as a big threat. I also think she could be a sneaky-good challenge competitor.
  2. Shirin: This woman is willing to cut off her hair and set it ablaze in order to win this game. That is twenty different types of awesome. However, she’s on the most combustible tribe. I’d bet that Nina or Will is the first No Collar gone. I’d wager that Dan is the first Blue Collar sent packing. But, there are too many savvy players on the White Collar tribe to accurately guess how things are going to go down.
 3. Max: With all the strategists on the roster this season, I’m thinking there’s no way someone wins by playing under the radar. No, this jury is going to reward a big-time player who makes big-time moves. Max is a big-time player.
  4. Kelly: I like Kelly a lot. Sometimes you just click with someone. She worries me because she’s going to lie about her occupation for some reason. But, if she can make that work, she could make a serious run at it.
  5. Joe: I think in a regular season of “Survivor,” Joe would be a top contender. He’s smart, he’s athletic, he isn’t going to ruffle (or rustle) many feathers. But, there are too many strategists that are going to be afraid of this guy to let him get too far.
  6. Jenn: I love me some Jenn. She’s a ton of fun. She’s very smart. But possibly more importantly, she’s pretty good at hiding how smart she is. That might not be a bad strategy with so many big game hunters playing.
  7. Mike: The same things that are going to make Mike a big, entertaining character are probably the same things that are going to send him home shortly after the merge. He’s going to need a solid alliance if he’s going to make it to the end.
  8. So: Of the three major threats in the White Collar tribe (Shirin and Max being the other two) So is the one I see having the toughest time fitting in. But, since she’s a challenge asset, she should have time to maneuver if she isn’t able to secure an early alliance.

 9. Rodney: 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. If there’s a tight Blue Collar alliance, he could surprise all of us.
  10. Joaquin: People look at Joaquin and think he’d be better suited to be the villain in a romantic comedy. I’d argue that people like Max or So think he’s the perfect person to be sitting with at the end.
 11. Hali: Hali seems like she’s on the perfect tribe with youngsters like Jenn and Joe. But, for some reason I get the vibe that she could play too hard too fast.
  12. Tyler: Tyler’s a tough guy to get a read on. That’s not a good thing in this game. People will be wary of teaming with him. I also question his killer instinct.

 12. Will: I tried to talk myself into a Will win. That somehow in a season of players, a likable guy who doesn’t know the game that well would be the perfect foil. But in the end, I just couldn’t do it.
  14. Vince: A lot of people are going to look at Vince and think, “This guy is a goofball just like Coach.” Well, Coach wasn’t a goofball and neither is Vince.  I don’t know if he has the social game to go the distance, but anyone who underestimates him is going to be sorry.

 
 15. Sierra: Sierra’s kind of like a tall, female, mega-hot Will. They’re both very nice, very likable people. But, they’re going to be playing checkers while everyone else is playing 3-D laser chess. 
  16. Carolyn: I know it didn’t play out this way in “Cagayan,” but you’ve got to think that with six-people tribes, challenge prowess has to be important. I think if Carolyn can get to the merge, she can make some serious noise. But she’s a likely first target for the White Collars.
 17. Nina: I’m not sure where Jeff Probst gets the impression that Nina won’t be able to handle the elements, but I do agree that she’s likely the first No Collar to be sent packing. And sadly, it’s through no fault of her own. But as the oldest member on a tribe of free spirits, it’s not looking good for her.
  18. Dan: Dan really knows his “Survivor” and he’s been waiting for years to get the chance to play. But, he’s probably the least athletic Blue Collar and I worry that he’ll have trouble connecting with his tribemates. However, with my track record, it’s likely he’ll win the whole darn thing.

Don’t miss the 90-minute premiere of “Survivor: Worlds Apart” on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at 8 pm ET on CBS.

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Five Reasons to Be Excited for Tonight’s ‘Survivor: Worlds Apart’ Premiere

February 25, 2015

"Survivor: Worlds Apart" (CBS)

NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your “Survivor: Worlds Apart” scoop! I delved deep into the Nicaraguan wilderness on a mission to bring you all kinds of stuff including behind-the-scenes tidbits, pre-game interviews with the cast, insights from “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, a look at the first Tribal Council, and much more. I’ll be cranking out this goodness daily in the weeks leading up to the premiere, so be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates on all of this season’s “Survivor” fun.

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

It’s hard to believe, but tonight is the premiere of the 30th season of one of the most popular and influential reality shows of all time. I’ve been providing “Survivor” coverage for XFINITY since season seventeen (“Survivor: Gabon”) and have never felt the need to write an article like this before. That should tell you how impressed I was during the first three days of filming.

Best Original Cast Ever?
“We have, maybe the best collection of combined smarts and game savvy that we’ve ever had.” – Jeff Probst

Jeff and I don’t agree on everything, but I’d like to second that quote. As I sat to figure out the order to present my pregame interviews, I knew I wanted Shirin first and Max last. From there, I figured I’d alternate between the more interesting and least interesting interviews. But, as I started transcribing, I realized that the dull interviews were few and far between.
The First Challenge Will Have You Talking
As a way to show how the different Collars think, the first challenge was designed with several different choices. Will they unlock or untie the ladder? Which puzzle should they choose? This opens it up to a wide variety of strategies that you’re sure to be debating with your “Survivor” friends the next morning.
The Game Is Afoot
During my “Survivor” visits, we spend about an hour at each of the tribe camps. Of the eleven camp visits I’d done before “Worlds Apart,” only one of those resulted in seeing tribe members actually engaging in strategy conversations. (I watched “Coach” Wade and Sophie Clarke plotting their moves in “South Pacific.”) But this time? All three of the tribes were already heavily playing the game.
Water Challenges Are Back
Nicaragua is kind of awesome. The people are wonderful, it’s only a three-hour flight from the United States, and there’s delicious Tona beer. However, the surf tends to be too rough for Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer and his crew to host water challenges. They tried to work around this in “Survivor: Nicaragua” and “Survivor: Redemption Island” with a weird pool, but it just wasn’t the same. I’m happy to report that a pleasant little cove has been located that is perfect for their needs.

The First Tribal Is a Doozy
You only see five minutes of Tribal during an episode of “Survivor,” but the whole process usually takes about two hours. I’d seen five Tribals in person before “Worlds Apart,” and they were all pretty tame affairs where the person being sent home was never in doubt. That is not the case this time around. I’m not sure what they’ll show tonight, but if they ever decide to use a full Tribal as a DVD extra, this would be a good one to start with.

Don’t miss the 90-minute premiere of “Survivor: Worlds Apart” on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at 8 pm ET on CBS.

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