OK, maybe that is a bit of a stretch, but this was the most stunning display of moronic combined with the most evil side of female connivingness (I know this is not a word, but really I think it is). I haven’t read EW’s recap yet, so definitely head there if you are a fan at all. Also, head to the Survivor website to watch this episode in its entirety.
Meet Exhibit A, Erik. He’s the Superfan and would have a restraining order as a stalker if he hadn’t actually been cast on the show. He’s also a Herculean competitor of the Ozzy mold. With Ozzy leaving a few weeks ago for being too cocky and James almost losing his finger, Erik was the last man standing with four ladies.
Erik wins the Immunity Challenge (lapped the girls; btw, they should have had the person who finished last is out as a twist–the women were horrible in the challenge). He’s like a Labrador puppy in these challenges, still sprinting at the end when the other four haven’t even made it to the last stage of the challenge.
In the interim, Erik has told different alliance stories to three of the women, who then tell each other of his promises and laugh it up, all within earshot of him. He’s a downtrodden puppy who just wants to be liked by these Survivor heroes of him, and it gets him down around camp. Back to real-time: after the Immunity Challenge, the four ladies are sitting around talking about what they will do, and then Cirie stumbles on the most ridiculous idea in the history of reality television. Cirie blurts out that Natalie should use her evil, wily ways to get Erik to give her the Immunity Necklace, playing on his pitiful emotions and need to be liked. Natalie knows she’s going home and would do anything to stay, but even she can’t come to grips with how anyone would actually fall for this. ‘Why would he fall for that?” asked Natalie. ”Ozzy, Jason, and Erik,” announced Parvati. ”He belongs in that threesome.”
More giggling ensues, then Natalie heads to find Erik and lay it out for him: Cirie will joing Erik and Natalie to vote out Amanda, but only if Cirie gives Natalie the necklace as a sign of redemption and to show that he is indeed a man of his word that everyone can trust. The jury will also like the move, she explains.
My wife was on the sofa, and as the Tribal Council rolled on, she was ambivalent. “This is ridiculous,” she said. “No one would be that stupid.”
Ahhh, she obviously overstates the size of a man’s brain. And the pure wickedness of the female species.
And you thought the male praying mantis had it bad. At least he gets a last hurrah before having his head bitten off…
UPDATE
Go to the bottom of the EW review to see the Jeff Probst interview with EW on Erik’s move.
