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Brett! Have you been here the whole time?
ALERT: SPOILERY SPOILERS.
I’m not sure if CBS just decided to compile every interesting thing that Brett, the here-to-fore invisible member of “Survivor”‘s original Galu tribe, has ever done into one episode, or if he’s been just lying back, calculating and biding his time, waiting for the right moment to reveal his strategy…or just remind viewers that he’s actually there.
But blandly cute Brett suddenly burst onto the scene and wound up with immunity and a place in Evil Mastermind Russell’s consciousness. That’s usually a bad thing, because if Russ thinks you’re a threat, he’s gonna try to oust you.
In fact, in the early part of what turned out to be a two-elimination episode, Russ’s smugly smugged that Brett was the big threat. This dude is a genius, because this was before they showed Brett doing anything but sitting there looking like Brett. So for Russell to recognize that this kid was a player denotes either Russell’s forethought or the CBS editors’ hamfisted, lopsided presentation that chose to ignore Brett in earlier episodes for storytelling reasons. You decide.
Anyway, there’s another Survivor making declarations based on things nobody’s seen. Jaison says that he’s been running the game in stealth mode, letting Russell do the dirty work. Really? I’ve seen a few things that Jaison’s done that other people have gotten credit for, and he’s smart, but running the game? He and Natalie have worked some Galu-infiltration that has gone unnoticed. But I think Russell really is in charge, at least until these knuckleheads decide to vote him out.
This brings me to something my sister always says, about why people get so caught up in the gameplay that they don’t band together and vote out the biggest threats, so they aren’t a problem. She says, in the voice of some random Survivor, “Gee, I can’t believe how much of a threat What’s-His-Head is! What are we gonna do? Oh, if only there were some device in this game by which we could get rid of people who are too big of threat?”
Jaison and Mick had a whole stinking conversation about why they were keeping an eye on Russell. Keeping an eye on him? You need to vote his little smug, glowering mug off the show? Of course, he has that idol, by the end of the show, he’d put it around his neck like “Alright, punks, what you gonna do about it?” I say, disarm him by appealing to his ego, which is the trigger to getting him to react irrationally. After being relatively calm and collected for a few weeks, he was back to his nasty ways last night, calling Monica “a little (bisnatch)” because she crossed him.
And I gotta tell you, by the way, how impressed I was with Miss Monica and her twisty, muscular head-twisting ways. Even though she still got bounced (Dave Ball went first), Sister was working overtime trying to plant seeds of doubt when Brett won immunity and she figured correctly that she was on the chopping block. And she kept taunting and twisting right until the end. Again, this makes me very frustrated with the editors, because we have no way of knowing if she’s been this smart the whole time and that they just chose to present her as a Laura follower for story purposes.
Anyway, the power in the game is still Russell’s, but I really hope that Mick and Jaison, who’s been a challenge monster in the last couple of weeks, are wise. The previews for next week show that Jaison and Russell are teaming up, with Natalie, Mick and the newly alive Brett forming their own thing. This leaves Shambo twisting in the wind, although she still actually thinks she’s running things herself, so whenever they boot her, it’ll be merciful because she’ll be allowed to exist in her happy little delusion for as long as possible.
So I’m looking forward to next week, because I’m hoping that the gang figures out some way to get Russell not to play that idol and then bounces him off to Juryland. Please.
Hi Leslie,
I think you’re missing a verb in the opening sentence, and have an extra ‘s in this line — Russ’s smugly smuged that Brett was the big threat. (or maybe I’m just not down with you young kids’ lingo… still, can you re-read and edit, if needed?)
I was wondering… why all the hate for Shannon? She[s pretty competitive in the challenges, and while probably not cool enough for you B-more kids, she’s a player.
And please, and aside? STOP TELLING us who you find attractive. Brett — the skinny bland boy? I’m guessing very few readers share your personal tastes, so why not cover what people actually did and said instead of what you like?
Why don’t you appreciate that people react when others are disloyal? That’s your beef against Russ being nasty? And that’s your kudos of the other lady’s smartness? But emotional reactive Russ is there, and for all her squirming smarts, your lady went down on the vote rather completely and in good time.
Perhaps if she’d reacted a bit more according to circumstances (like Russ did in being p-o’d where is was completely natural, kinda like that allegedly craaaaaaazy Elin Woods. Seems to me both were reacting perfectly naturally to events done unto them. If that’s nasty, then I wonder how much extra help and sympathy (and praise?) we give the ones who play a poor game, and the results show it.
Hi Elise!
My issue with Russ is not that he reacts to being betrayed, but that he always tells people “It’s a game, it’s a game,” and then reacts personally with such venom – venom that often seems menacing towards women (he called Monica a little b**** in a way that completely negates what he says when he makes fun of people for acting emotionally and not seeing it as a game.)
And I don’t hate Shambo. I never said I did. I just said that she very clearly is playing a game that no one else is, where she’s in charge, when really everyone else is just trying to use her until they don’t need her anymore. She takes things so personally, also, that her reactions don’t benefit her.
And as for Brett – I called him cute. I also talked about his game play. There’s nothing wrong with calling him cute. They cast attractive people on this show for a reason, and I noticed. As long as I mention what happened in the show, and what he did, I don’t see a problem with it. I didn’t go on and on about it.
You are right about Russell’s game play. I just think he’s better when he follows his criticism for other people. It’s a game. Why tell anybody, for instance, that you’re rich, even your allies, particularly because you’re poised to stab them in the back when it’s time? Keep that to yourself and you don’t have to scramble. He is a wonder, though. He has never stopped playing this game, and he’s not worried about being liked any more than is necessary for the jury to vote him the winner. And that’s admirable. Like I said, there’s just an eye flash and a edge when he interviews about anyone who dares cross him that is not only menacing, but destructive if he keeps doing that to potential jury members.
Next week’s gonna be good!
I totally want Brett to win,he’s been under the radar but it’s time to come out and play,in front of the cameras
I think Brett is the hottest guy ever on Survivor,I adore his smile,perfection.
He has never stopped playing this game, and he’s not worried about being liked any more than is necessary for the jury to vote him the winner. And that’s admirable.
Hm… care to explain why you have this view? Any evidence, weekly observations that make you think so. (To this reader, that’s more valuable than whether you find Brett cute, or Jaison. And you know, you’re reaaders maybe don’t share those opinions. Might find someone else cute, so why bother to put that in?
My take is, of course Russ wants to be liked. That’s human nature. And admirable. Why do you think he called her “bitch” when she acted like she had game (which of course, despite all that smartness and twisting you so admired, she did not. Just stirring the pot, with nothing there to back it up.)
You think he didn’t reveal himself (job, strategy) to Jaison because there was a friendly connection? I don’t think he’s “worried” about being liked, but people tend to bond. You know? WOrking together, living alongside each other. Don’t tell me he didn’t care that Jaison sold him out by blabbing out of school; you saw the reaction, and to me — that’s admirable.
Being closely observant, confronting when something smells funny, and storing away the info about who can be trusted or not.
And the “bitch” comment? She was a backstabbing woman, trying to stir things up. She acted the b, she got called out. You got a feminist problem with that? A-hole a better, not woman insult?
If you want to play hard and win, sometimes it’s not so nice. Then again, some people don’t care much about winning, and just turning in the minimal is good enough. And results — how the group overall is faring — matters little. Russ seems to be interested in winning, and both he and Shannon want to get the “doers” in there, in the final, not the free-riders.
But that Brett sure is cute and non offensive though. *dreamy sigh*
Btw, can you explain what these sentences mean please? I do like to read your stuff, but that East Coast lingo is a bit advanced for me. Break it down a bit?
“I’m not sure if CBS just decided to compile every interesting thing that Brett, the here-to-fore invisible member of “Survivor”’s original Galu tribe, into one episode…”
that Brett… DID? Is there a word missing here?
I’m not sure if CBS just decided to compile every interesting thing that Brett (independent clause) into one epidode…”
and this, ….
“Russ’s smugly smugged that Brett was the big threat.”
Russ’s what smugly smugged? His mouth? You’ve got a possessional ‘s on Russ, but then there’s not subject there. Did you mean, “Russ (noun, object) smugly (adverb) smugged (verb) …”
Or what is the missing word after the ‘s? Dying to know.
Elise:
- There was a missing phrase! (I accidentally erased it somewhere in the original editing, perhaps when putting in the picture. Whoops.) Good eye. Thanks! It’s fixed now.
- The “smuggly smugged” was written the way it was supposed to be. It’s something I made up :) Perhaps it didn’t actually make sense. I meant that he was just so…smug. Oh well. Sometimes attempts to create a new pop culture phrase don’t work. What was that line from “Mean Girls?” – “Stop trying to make ‘Fetch’ happen?’”
Thanks, you. Have a great weekend!
Hi again Leslie,
Thanks for correcting the lede sentence. I wondered about that one, that’s why I asked you in the first comment, which you must have read right over, eh?
Not sure that I have a “good eye” though. Just that I’m surprised your proofreader and other readers (and yourself when first pointed out) didn’t catch that the opening sentence made no sense…
Glad you had tiime to re-read and correct.
Yup — I get you were being clever with the “smugly smugged.” Now… take a look at the possessive on that. It’s not Russ smuggly smugged”.
It’s “Russ’s smugly smugged.” Let me see if I can replace the name, and then you can see what I’m seeing:
“In fact, in the early part of what turned out to be a two-elimination episode, Leslie’s smugly smugged that Brett was the big threat.”
Leslie’s WHAT smuggly smugged?? Either you need to cut the ‘s possessive, or else you need to add the missing word. Let me try with another subject adverb verb sentence to make it further jump out. (Learned this trick in grade school diagramming sentence,)
Leslie’s puppy happily jumped…
Leslies’s happily jumped…
Leslie happily jumped…
Do you see why one and three might be correct, but number two as written isn’t? Come on… don’t leave us hanging.
Russ’s WHAT smugly smugged??
Sometimes being too clever by half is no good when you blow the basics. And no. That’s not a Tiger Woods joke. (What’s the diff between Tiger and Santa? Tiger would have stopped at 3 Ho’s. Merry Christmas Leslie!)
Say, can you do me a favor?
Get the “file photo” tag on the Duggar story. That last baby was born a one-pounder, and your photo appears to show the family gather around the bedside to greet the new arrival.
I’m pretty sure that shot was taken from a previous birth?
gatherED
Is anyone out here a Susan Boyle fan??? Are you guys going to watch the Susan Boyle special on TV Guide Network tomorrow night? I was talking to some other Susan Boyle fans and they hadn’t heard about it so I wanted to make sure you guys knew! Make sure you tell your friends about it, because that’s the only time and place they’ll be able to see it in the US!
http://www.tvguide.com/special/susan-boyle/