Oh that clever, clever Jeff. He pulled a fast one on both tribes and immediately sowed discomfort into the teams before they even knew each others names. I loved this twist on the format of the show. At least one time before, if not others (I’m too lazy for research) we’ve started off a season with the tribes immediately picking someone out who got sent home before the show even started.
In tonight’s premiere, Jeff did the same thing. The tribes were already selected before the game began. Then, right after the first task, which was to strip the truck of as many supplies as they could in 60 seconds, the tribes were told to pick one member from each who would not be going on this adventure with them. But, as always, there was a twist!
Of course everyone assumed this meant that the selected people were going to be thrown out of the game because that’s what’s been done before. So they picked the old lady (Sandy Burgin) and the sick girl (Sierra Reed). Makes sense. The key was in Jeff’s phrasing. This adventure proved to be the four hour trek to camp and not the game. The two ostracized tribe members were instead flown to camp and provided with a clue to a hidden immunity idol.
I like that Jalapao was able to overcome their first impressions of Sandy, considering they’d only picked on her because she was old (ageism is alive and well in American culture thenkyewveddymuch), and instead got rid of Carolina Eastwood.
It does, however, make me wonder if having big boobs is considered a liability on the show? In most seasons, it seems that the young chick with the giant knockers is getting eliminated almost right away. Maybe it’s just coincidence, maybe it’s jealousy on the part of the smaller breasted women on the tribe, or maybe everyone assumes she’ll be weaker? I might need to write a doctoral dissertation on this.
Still, good on Sandy for performing well at the challenge and not getting all bossy like Carolina did. She even survived the fact that for the four hours the rest of the tribe was coming back to camp she didn’t do dick. And then spent the next day looking for the Immunity Idol, which I’m assuming she never found.
So it was probably a mixture of guilt that they’d picked on her in the beginning and Carolina’s big boobs annoying behavior that saved Sandy’s neck. As for Sierra, it seemed like her selection was a little more arbitrary, though some probably did pick up on her strep throat. She took the time to set up camp rather than look for the idol and her tribe didn’t go to Tribal Council so she should be fine.
First impressions aside, by the time they do go it will have been at least five or six days so she’ll have had time to integrate more fully. Plus, she may yet find the Idol, we haven’t even seen if she’s looked at all for it yet. America loves to root for underdogs, and now we have two to root for. Who do you like so far on Survivor: Tocantins?
Clacked by Jason Hughes 
on Feb 14, 2009 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
Sandy and the coach are irritating to watch. As for the rest, nobody stood out for me.
I really couldn’t believe the coach didn’t give Sierra much thought after she spent her time alone building the damn shelter. Not to mention everything about him is creepy, especially the part where he isn’t aware he is.
Do you really wanted to be called coach in survivor??? It’s pretty much saying: I’m the man in charge around here. They are gonna get rid of him really soon.
Even though these contestants could not have possibly seen the previous installment in Gabon (at least not to it’s end) they would do well to get rid of Sandy early to avoid another “Ultimate Survivor Bob” situation. If she flies low and works hard now, she may last longer than she has any right to. Sandy is no Bob (how far is a pace?)but they may overlook her at tribal council if they don’t see her as an imminent threat.
…and I too want to speak out in support of women with big boobs!