Yeah. Not so much anymore. Because that? Was gratifying. Again. And in so many ways.

I’m still not entirely sure how it is that a season of Survivor could have me so disaffected, where even at the final ten, I can still say I don’t have any particular allegiance to any individual player, yet has been able to produce two of the most satisfying episodes ever, back to back. Crazy.

And yet…

So, okay, Evil Russell is a total troll (say, as opposed to Good Garden Gnome Kevin on Top Chef) and, you know, he did find that idol under a bridge..just sayin. But man you gotta give the guy props for finding not one, but two individual immunity idols, without getting a single clue to either one. Amazing. And? He’s actually used both of them exactly how they should have been played. Sure, the first time no one voted for him, but he was in such a critical spot there, he had no other choice. It was the right move. And again last night…man was it gratifying to see the smug faces of each and every Galu member as his name kept getting read…and discarded. Vote, after vote, after vote. I even enjoyed Erik’s pleasure over the stabbing, despite the fact that Erik is a total tool who I’m happy to see out of the game. (And whose subsequent interviews proves hasn’t learned a damn thing about why he might not have been such a beloved member of his tribe. Sheesh with these people.)

Also, Natalie? I can’t kill the eensy little field mouse that has decided my house is a lot more fun than being outside in non stop rain for what feels like centuries of time now. Even starving? I don’t know that I could have done it. Much less scoop the carcass into anything and carry it. In anything. Yikes. And wow. Good on you. Perhaps if I have to root for someone, it would be her. If only she looked slightly less ridiculously awesome in her bikini…

So, it was perhaps slightly anticlimactic that it was Kelly who was sent out of the game, because stupid Russell wasted a few precious seconds gloating over getting the final bag in the immunity challenge..which was the very two seconds Laura needed to beat his smug ass. The ONE person they need to get out of there, and they most definitely do. Did you see her do that damn puzzle? Unreal. And while I might not have any super faves this season, oh, I have folks I’d like to see gone. Namely Laura, and, as much as I want to like Dave Spacey Ball, he needs to head out the door too. And Dave? Always listen to the rocket scientist. There is a reason he is one. Dave’s utter shock was as much if not more fun to watch than Laura’s scowl and Erik’s dropped jaw. Of course her, “oh, he’s just unleashed all kinds of hell now” comment regarding Russell’s play of the idol kind of cracked me up. For two reasons. 1, um, Laura…exactly what was he supposed to do? Defer to you so you can win and stop playing the game himself? What’s wrong with you? And 2, if the situations were reversed, you’d pray you were smart enough to get one idol, much less, two…and you damn well know you’d have done the same or worse given the chance. So, yeah. HA. I hope she goes next. Then it’s whoever can pull it out, as far as I’m concerned. I’d hate for Monica or Dave to be in the final, and I would have said the same for Russell, except he is playing the ultimate hell out of this game and it’s damn hard not to respect that at this point, so while he wouldn’t be my favorite finalist ever, he’d deserve to be there. Don’t think any of the sleepers should be there, although voting Kelly out removed one of them. So, we’ll see…but boy, it’s not boring any more!

And over on Top Chef? Yeah, Robin finally exits. Though, once again, she honestly didn’t have the worst dish (which is all that has saved her, time and time again. That one person did worse than she did.) In this case? It was, very gratifyingly, Eli who choked. And I’d have LOVED to have seen him go before her. Don’t get me wrong, Robin is hard to love and harder to root for - she’s not good. But the guys have been so damn condescending to her the entire time, it didn’t bother me seeing their smug behinds get booted, one at a time, while she was still in it. That said, I hope Eli goes next and Jennifer manages to rally. Not holding out much hope for the latter. And Mike V? Bite me. Wow, with the lack of respect for Kevin’s food. I hated - HATED - that he won the challenge. Bluarg. You know by now it’s going to be a Kevin-Volt Bros finale and no one else deserves to be there anyway, but it better be Kevin or Bryan standing at the end. A) because either one of them would deserve it, and B) because either of them winning would provide the most angst to Mike. Win win, really.

Now? It’s time for Free Stuff to be given away!! Yay! Our winner this week of a free book from my website bookshelf is? Carolyn W!!! Woo hoo! Just email me with a few title selections (in case I’m out of your first choice) and I will get that out in the mail to you.

Thanks everyone for playing ~ tune in next week for another round of Free Stuff Friday, some Amazing Race MAC, and general fun and frivolity! Right now? Who do you think is outta there next on Survivor? Do you have any favorites in this cast of misfits? What about Top Chef? Are you rooting for the Garden Gnome of Goodness? Or the hot Volt Bro? Enquiring minds want to know….enquiring minds want you to DISH!

Tags: Writing //