'Survivor: Samoa': Two stand out among huge cast
There are 20 contestants of the new season of Survivor, but tonight, we really only got to know two of them: Russell from the Foa Foa tribe and "Shambo" from Galu.
Shambo is basically harmless. She's a former Marine who rocks a Rambo-esque headband and a mullet. She claims to only have street smarts, but she ended up solving a puzzle so fast that she almost caught her team up for the reward challenge win.and bringing home a win for her tribe in the first reward challenge. (Sorry bout that huge error -- blogging after a LONG work day has these hazards. I feel so dumb. Anyway ...) Later, though, she did a great job of alienating herself, opting to stay behind when everyone else was frollicking in the water, saying that she has to remind herself that this isn't the Marine Corps and that she's not used to being around all these kids in their mid-20s. Um, you mean like many of your fellow Marines? (My husband's in the USMC Reserves, and whenever we go to family events for his unit, we're usually among the oldest people there, and we're in our early 30s. But I digress ...) Anyway, she seems to have a good heart and an interesting personality, which probably means she's doomed in this game.
On the other hand, there is Russell. He's shown up in the promos being touted as the most evil character in Survivor history, so I was expecting him to be a jerk, but my word. He told his fellow tribemates a completely false story about being in Hurricane Katrina and losing his dog in the storm, which also featured a lie about him being a fireman. He made alliances with four different people in the first day or so, two of whom he called "dumbass girls" in interviews. Totally charming! Then when Marisa, one of his supposed alliance-mates, noticed him scheming with others and called him out on it, but in a very straight-forward, middle-of-the-road way, he went nuts and said she had "threatened" him. What she really said was that she was "worried" about him, meaning that she was concerned because of his actions that she couldn't trust him. Then he managed to turn the whole tribe against her, somehow. Oh, but let me not leave out that he dumped out everyone's canteens overnight and put Jaison's socks in the fire. (When these things were discovered the next day, he just grinned like a lunatic, but I guess it really was dark enough that everyone else couldn't see his total lack of poker face. Too bad.)
Russell also calls himself the puppetmaster and says, "My tribe will believe anything I say because they're stupid." It makes me want to kick him, but they didn't do much to prove him wrong.
Chef Mike decided that his best defense was to walk around camp talking about how clearly they needed to vote out the weakest competitor. Mike is, by quite a bit, the oldest contestant at 62 and might want to rethink that brilliant strategy.
At tribal council, Ashley got called out as the weakest physically, and she freaks out, but when she kept using the word "cardio" to defend herself, she just sounded like a gym rat with little else to offer.
Still, Russell managed to change enough minds, and when the votes came in, Marisa was out. Too bad. She seemed like the only one together enough to realize that Russell is bad news.
So far, there are far too many people to get much of a handle on in terms of game play or personality, except for Russell, who clearly wants to be the devil, and Shambo, who I fear is going to find that this experience disproves her quote from early in the episode: " People gravitate toward me, I'm a people magnet. They think, 'That chick rocks, I love her!'"
What did you think of the season premiere? Can we vote out Russell?
Comments
Does anyone out there think like I do - that Big Brother and Survivor are all scripted? I just want to know if someone else has the same feeling about these shows as I do. Sort of like the "Wag the Dog" theme????
Thanx
Posted by: Rick Brandsness | September 17, 2009 10:54 PM
Russell is a loser what up america
Posted by: Donna La | September 17, 2009 11:02 PM
Ummm.....not sure if this writer saw the same episode I saw, but in the first episode at the first challenge, Shambo and team DID NOT win the first reward challenge.
SKK: Ack, was too tired. Will fix. Thanks for the heads up.
Posted by: Kitten | September 17, 2009 11:56 PM
Russell exhibits many traits of a psychopath. I hope Survivor screens the their contestants properly.
Marisa you rocked!
Posted by: Douglas | September 18, 2009 12:08 AM
Russell on Foa Foa is an evil, lying, sneaky, rude, disrespectful jerk who must go. Makes Johnny Fairplay seem like Peter Pan!!!
Posted by: Dianne | September 18, 2009 12:22 AM
My husband & I just finished watching the show and have to say that we can't stand Russel H.! He puts the game to shame. He is not a player. We think he should be voted off NOW!! He doesn't deserve to be among all of the other players. He's just a jerk!
Posted by: Mike & Carrie | September 18, 2009 12:30 AM
Russel is sick, he reminds me of G.W. Bush, he is going down quicker than W. and many others.
If he doesn't, it's time to face the fact that we all have been hit with "stupid bomb"
I hope these women have got it together, I think so.............................
Posted by: Anthony Santamouro | September 18, 2009 12:42 AM
donna, your right on the "mark"
I had posted my remark, and still waiting to see it posted......................
I hope the ladies get it together, they should!
Posted by: Anthony Santamouro | September 18, 2009 12:54 AM
Very sad. To think that an awesome show like Survivor would put Russell on is pathetic. It's disrespectful to both the viewers and the contestants who worked hard to get a spot on the show.I guess the producers can't leave a good thing alone. I really feel for Jeff Probst, he's done such great work all this time- and now it's come to this. You can see it in his face. One positive- I think Russell is the perfect spokesperson for the oil industry in general.
Posted by: John G | September 18, 2009 6:17 AM
This looks like it's shaping up to be like a bad mystery movie. Every time one of the "good guys" figures out what' going on, they get zapped.
The policewoman seems to be onto Evil Russell. If she should leak her suspicions to either Russell or his clueless minions, she could be next on the block.
Posted by: bluzdude | September 18, 2009 9:41 AM
I actually think it will be interesting to see how Russell does. Lying to people and sabotaging things like canteens is one thing, but I think burning someone's socks is pretty brutal. He just better to remember to do something to himself or they're going to figure out really quick that he's behind it all.
I love the mullet!!!
Posted by: Chris in KS | September 18, 2009 9:45 AM
Rick, I've never seen Big Brother, so I can't comment on that, but I really don't think Survivor is scripted. For two reasons...first of all, I don't think anyone could conjure up some of the stuff that happens on that show and second of all, to play it off as well as they do, the "contestants" would have to be incredible actors. Not likely they are.
Now, on to Russell...I thought Johnny Fairplay was bad, but this guy makes Johnny look like the Pope! I do not like his game plan, but what makes is worse for me is the fact that he is already a multi-millionaire. If he was a homeless guy without a dime to his name, I might be able to look beyond his vicious deceit and possibly understand the reason behind it. But to be that way JUST BECAUSE?!? That means he just IS a venomous, coniving, hateful, heartless person. I hope the tribe wakes up and votes him out SOON.
Posted by: K Lemire | September 18, 2009 9:52 AM
Russell won't be around long. He did too much scrambling and it was only day 1 or day 2. the older police woman is already on to him and she did tell one of the blonds not to trust him.
I don't understand why the contestants considered 'weaker' don't band together and pick off one the the 'stronger' guys right off the bat. They must know even if they survive once at tribal, there name will come up next time as well. They could have blind-sided russell or that self-proclaimed hillbilly, and that could swing the balance of power.
But that doesn't happen because the 'weaker' contestants are too busy running around trying to show that they are not weak.
Posted by: thetribehasspoken | September 18, 2009 10:33 AM
That Russell H is a Texas oilman cannot be a coincidence. If you're needing a villian and you've already loaded up on (apparently) likeable lawyers, the only option left is to go to Houston, grab the first oilman you see and haul him off to Samoa.
Of course, he might be lying about being a multi-millionaire oilman, too. In which case there is a twist coming.
And I'm thinking that, since Russell The Evil-doer appears to be a midget, the twist could well be that the producers went to the Amazon and got one of that tribe of little people who kidnapped the Maestro (from last season) but let him escape in a canoe.
I'm going to miss Marisa, but at least she won the "first to be pixelled-out" bonus in our Survivor Fantasy League, before she got voted off.
SKK: Hahahahaha! Dang it, we should be doing Survivor Fantasy League on the blog. Maybe next season.
Posted by: Bucky | September 18, 2009 11:06 AM
I think that Survivor has mad a big mistake by trying to up the ratings. You know they knew he was a millioniar (if he is!) They knew he would be the way he is and personally....I will not watch this show this season because of him! I don't it gripping at all!
SKK: Casting dastardly personalities ins nothing new for Survivor, but being THIS obvious about it is. The thing is, think about how satisfying it will be when he gets his comeuppance. I'm sure that's why he's on the cast ...
Posted by: alywest | September 18, 2009 2:07 PM
Survivor has stooped low on this season to put Russell on the show. I am sure they all know he is scum. So basically it all boils down to ratings.
Posted by: KEEPSMLYN | September 18, 2009 3:03 PM
I'm so disappointed in Survivor for choosing Russell as a cast member. It's one thing to lie about something that really never happened, but to lie about something like his Katrina story using facts that actually did happen to many good people in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana is heartbreaking. I know, I lived in that wonderful Parish for 37 years and I can tell you many people really got caught in the rising water and really lost not only their beloved animals but their family members. I know Jeff doesn't approve of Russell. I love the show and am a fan, but they made a very poor casting choice who set a bad example for anyone watching, especially young people.
Posted by: JeffFan | September 18, 2009 7:13 PM
I agree with everything that has been said about Russell. He is despicable. However, there are few other castaways with such a trademark personality. Although I hate it every time he opens his mouth, it may be quite boring after he leaves.
As for Mullet Mama, I think we will find her behavior becoming more and more objectionable. She seemed quite put out when she wasn't voted the leader. Then she criticized everyone for having a little fun, musing about what she would be doing if she were in charge - kicking butt.
Interesting season so far.
Posted by: Susan | September 21, 2009 2:26 PM
Unlike everybody else I like Russell. He gives new meaning to evil. For a guy that dosent even want the million dollar prize i hope he stays to at least the final 4. Eat ur heart out Johnny Fairplay.
SKK: I don't buy that he doesn't want that prize. But we'll see.
Posted by: jason | September 22, 2009 11:13 AM
I happen to know for a fact the Survivor does not tell the cast what to say. What I can tell you is that they are compensated for the decisions they are encouraged to make. Sorry, I need to remain anonymous..
Posted by: Survivor Guy | November 21, 2009 1:47 PM