And that, my friends, is why Survivor remains the best competitive reality series on the air and is still [URL="http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/survivor_china/2007_Nov_22_survivor_survival"]a popular, top-15 show[/URL] after eight years. This season has featured many blindsides, but last night offered perhaps the biggest one ever, as Ozzy Lusth was voted out despite having the hidden immunity idol.
Afterwards, in his final words, Ozzy said, "I'm an idiot. I should have seen it coming, but I got too comfortable. I felt like I could trust the people in my alliance, and serves me right. I'm a fool. I'm a fool for thinking that, and to whoever it was in my alliance that voted the other way, right now, I pretty much hate you, so screw you, basically." The person who voted against him was Parvati, who banded together with Cirie, Alexis, Jason, and Natalie. Wide-eyed fan Erik--who spent the reward challenge ogling the "*****" of female villagers and getting trashed on their version of beer--voted with Ozzy and his alliance, as the others didn't trust him to keep the blindside a secret.
The best part was that Ozzy thought he was blindsiding Jason. Oh, the irony. At the immunity challenge, an endurance challenge that was both hysterical and dramatic all at once, Jason and Parvati were the final two left after 6.5 hours. Jeff Probst offered a bunch of food for whoever gave up, and said that all of the eliminated players would also be able to share that reward. Jason asked for everyone's guarantee that he wouldn't be voted out if he gave up, and everyone agreed--although several crossed their fingers, apparently still convinced they're in third grade.
Afterwards, Ozzy and his alliance immediately decided that Jason should go. "He should have known before," Ozzy said, calling it one of the "dumbest, most naive moves in Survivor history." But no, that honor would soon go to him.
The plan to get rid of Ozzy was Cirie's, and if she doesn't win this season, she deserves credit as its biggest mastermind. She spent time on Exile Island thinking about Ozzy's nearly unlimited power, and later said that Jason's stupidity "makes this the perfect time to get rid of Ozzy and that idol, because he'll never see it coming." Even Ozzy suspected that the others could turn on him, and even told us that he might "end up playing [the idol] just to be safe," but he did not, and he went home.
Beyond the drama associated with Jason's dumb move, the immunity challenge offered a comical, nearly slapstick sequence of events. The survivors had one arm raised over their heads, and it was attached to a bucket of dyed water with a chain; moving their arm would dump the water, eliminating them from the challenge. When Jeff Probst brought out his second treat--a chocolate chip cookie and glass of milk--Alexis pulled the chain attached to her arm and was doused with water before he even mentioned the temptation.
Probst wouldn't give her the cookie, and told her, "No chance. You got excited. You're out." Alexis was pissed, but Jeff didn't care. "You can mope and be mad. Just so we're clear, if you want this chocolate-chip cookie and milk, you have to let me know," he told the remaining players. Immediately, Natalie's bucket fell, but she'd ignored his instructions, so she didn't get the reward, either. Watching that happen, James said, "That would suck," and immediately and accidentally pulled down his bucket. This season may not be one of the best, but thanks to that challenge and Tribal Council, last night's episode is definitely one of the series' best episodes ever.
[URL="http://feeds.feedburner.com/%7Er/realityblurred/%7E3/272877945/2008_Apr_18_blindside"][ via RealityBlurred ][/URL]
