North of Eden

Well, now to have a say…two hours of weepy Jake was a bit much. He’s just such a sad sack. If the wind hadn’t blown out Katura’s first flame he probably would have lost that. He was always destined to be the no vote getting goat. I dub him Bad Luck Schleprock from the Pebbles and Bam Bam (not Yam Yam) cartoon. I am glad that Katura was at least self aware enough to realize not only did she “fumble the ball” as she feared having no one to blame but herself but also she ensured a Dee victory….all thanks to one incredibly nonsensical poor last minute decision. The entire outcome of the season pivoted on that moment (and cost Austin a million dollars) Jake was no prize either playing his idol for someone else? Why would you ever take such a risk that close the finish line?! Probst getting testy about Jake destroying the challenge was a thing of beauty. SURIVIVOR needs more Emily! Please find a way to bring her back. She was one of the greatest casting coups in the 23 years. (Plus we find out she seems to hate Austin and wants him nowhere near Dee’s prize money!) Speaking of casting…side eye glance to the casting director for not realizing Austin SHOULD have been a first round draft pick not an alternate who got lucky…but that was a fascinating tid bit to learn. During the final both he and Dee had moments….at one point it looked like he was talking his way out of her bed when trying to sell himself and then Emily helped expose her lying to him but hey I assume they are still going strong so none of it mattered. Kendra is, was, and always will be a goon. She was annoying competing with Jake to see who could draw the most attention to themsevles during the reunion show and suck all the air out of the show. (speaking of the reunion there was a weird fascination by the camera crew for close ups on the pizza and champagne) Lastly…as for next season….a two second clip and I already hate the guy with the guitar.

Bad typing! Meant LOL

No pun intended but it's amazing that the producers can display such brilliance and complete idiocy in the same episode. The scramble was brilliant, exciting, and shook things up. I hope it's here to stay. The idiocy is every finale insisting on having confessionals during the race when the team's demeanor always gives away at least one of the losers. From Rob and Corey's first confessional, it was clear they were toast. Congrats to the winners but I can't believe they risked it all by actually HELPING another team in the final leg! WTF with telling about the power cables? But it was also LOK every time they lifted up the amplifier. It was their "Big W" moment as fans of ITS A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD will understand. Good season overall but what comes next is the big question. The 90-minute format was a gift from the writers's strike....will they keep it forever now? Anyway, see some of you at next week's SURVIVOR finale board.

As I predicted last week the show has lost a lot of its spark without Emily. She was a fascinating character with a great arc. She didn't seem too happy on the jury and was oddly far away from the others. I hate both Drew and Julie so it's a win/win but the job is only half done....Julie must be the next one out! Dee has one hand so tightly on Austin's cajones that he probably won't even be mad next episode that she lied to him. If the situation comes up where she is the one who denies him entry into the final three it will be almost Shakespearian. Production fail: No dramatic shot of the helicopter landing on the sand spit with the castaways scrambling out like a Vietnam War movie. They couldn't have possibly made the sand spit more boring if they tried after the build-up to it. It's clear now that all the remaining players are angling to take Jake as their no vote getting goat for the final three since he wasn't even floated as a vote out. Dee or Austin has this thing sewn up....probably Dee.

It was still open as late as the episode where Frasier and fami!y went to Cliffs retirement party in a Frasier episode but the bar was not seen because Sam booked it for a red socks reunion and that explained why neither were shown in the episode.

Nope. Don't care about Roz. I never liked his Seattle supporting cast and the shrew was the worst of them. What I wanted to see was Sam, Cliff, Carla or Norma (Harrelson is too big for this now) walk through the door. Didn't matter if I got just one of them though all of them would have been lovely. You can't tell me the barflies have anything going for them on Christmas Eve that they couldn't make it. For some reason the show won't even use the word CHEERS...just saying a certain bar. Just think how better that scene with Roz would have been if he suggested they have a drink that he would take her down to a great bar in the commons called CHEERS. You wouldn't even have to have them actually make it there. The scene between the two of them could have been in a car on the way to CHEERS and they turn around and head back to his townhouse. No second season is guaranteed so if they squandered CHEERS cast cameos that will be a shame. It's kind of ridiculous he'll mention everyone from FRAISER but not a word about the CHEERS gang when he's now in BOSTON. Not even when Lilith guest-starred did it come up. Anyway, enough of that. I do hope there is a second season and I do hope they can actually stick to their guns and not do a Freddie and Eve romance. It's refreshing that two good-looking people can actually be friends without resorting to a will they or won't they romance. Been there done that.

Well, my interest in the rest of the game just dropped by 95%. I really wanted to see Emily in a final three mix. I was really rooting for her but her mistakes kept multiplying with taking the credit for Bruce and not even trying the puzzle. And what kind of dummy is Drew to think Austin would keep his mouth shut? He's a young man thinking with his anatomy and now he's blown up several games in the process. At this point, the only thing I care about is that neither nasty, smug ol' Julie or gooney Drew wins. And lastly, I would agree with anyone who thinks Katurah's Cult Leader must have somehow resembled or acted like Bruce to ignite her inexplicable, seething hatred for him.

What....the...F ?! Why in the world would anyone who is afraid of water apply for SURVIVOR and what kind of screening process is there? That was one of the most bizarre sequences ever presented on this show. Even Probst was starting to lose his patience when she was up on the slide. Man, go apply for BIG BROTHER because nobody forces you to go into that skany shoebox pool in the back yard. When she was freaking out I was please, why couldn't this be the water torture/drowning challenge.... as I have disliked Katura and her big blabbermouth and Bruce obsession. A couple quick notes: Bruce...what can I say...there is no excuse for the stupidity of not playing the idol when you have been killing yourself for three challenges in a row to stay safe and then you go home with a trinket? Emily looks way better on the island than in her real-life photo. Dee was basically a walk-on extra this episode...with a fly on her nose. Silent Kendra is the only good Kendra. How was "What carnival have you seen this at?!" not the title of the episode?! The only good thing that ever came out of covid was the end to the schmaltzy family visits. Letter okay I guess but even that was overblown....it hasn't been a month people! To end on a positive note whatever royalty money they shelled out to make the music video was well spent...that was one of the funniest and most inspired segments in years! Bravo!

Yes I know this and with the over proliferation of it this season I worry the producers may want to thwart it as best as possible.

Yes Kitty thanks....I didn't know what her name was or what era or what her distinction was like soldier, poet etc. I just like her a lot better than Alberta and her whole murder mystery/Pete infatuation subplots.

I think its great but as you said they didn't do it for the covid seasons and there probably weren't any episodes where the team to be eliminated was so clearly telegraphed which would seem like something Phil and the producers wouldn't want.

As noted defiantly has more sinister undertones than US version.It was uncomfortable watching episode 2 when they tried to drive UK Sam out.Don't like any of the ghosts but one. I actually wouldn't mind swapping out the jazz singer for her UK counterpart who I like for her good humour/nature. Who would you swap if you could?

Just wanted to add my appreciation for the GAME OF THRONES strings at the 48-minute mark when the beards got their clue. My mind was wondering how much licensing fee they had to pay but my heart was just gleeful because it would have almost been a criminal missed opportunity given the task. Sadly I think this season will be the last season we see self-navigation. I'm sure the producers are concerned it spoiled the chance for a successful conclusion on too many occasions on this race.

Please just let everybody get home and that includes the red shirts They're always leaving behind whenever they find a way home!

I'll be honest-the "core four" is really starting to torpedo the entertainment quotient of this season. It's not really fun watching a handful of people who are never in danger and loaded up with idols and advantages control everything...it just isn't. Redemption could be in the air if Katura, Emily, Jake, and Bruce buy a clue and realize it's time to put the quartet out of business before it's too late and it almost is. Ah yeah, Kellie takes the crown for the sourest juror....ever. I guess she's going to bitch face her way all the way to the finale and it was ridiculous blaming Bruce for her sitting there when he was one of the few people that didn't vote for her. I'm increasingly worried about Emily's gameplay reverting to bad. It seemed risky to float Dee's name to Drew....very risky. And it really hit home to me tonight how she's truly out there with no one having her back. Not a good position. Okay, to wrap up...every year on Thanksgiving I feel compelled to mention the now classic CBS promo from the early days when it was still on Thursday...."As you sit down to Thanksgiving dinner see what the castaways are having!" Cut to the gross food competition taking place in that episode. How I miss thee gross food comp...I want to see that over a damn puzzle, dig-in-the-dirt challenge any day.

I'm not a Bruce fan but anything that goes against Katura makes me happy so his winning immunity was great. She's a completely empty shell if you take away her Bruce obsession. Naturally, I was ecstatic when she blew the Monty Hall Let's Make a Deal and wound up with those jeepers creepers giant fish peepers. Kellie trying to blame it all on Emily was ridiculous with her "You did this!" Tough luck. No sympathy because I didn't like the way she was practicing revisionist history that Bruce has been following her around the whole time when early on they were a solid alliance despite what she was spinning. As for the auction if by some miracle Brandon was still there he would have had a completely empty basket. Props to Jeff with knifing the bag of rice...that was a creative little fun add-on. Early on I thought Emily was taking an unnecessary risk outing the Female Alliance but I guess it worked out. Kendra is just so gross...I didn't like her already but listening to her gush on about her S-Donor put me off. In my book anyway, your father is the man who put food in your mouth for 18 years, wiped your nose when you needed it, and kept a roof over your head. Side note: One of the commercials said Byron Allen presents some kind of award. Byron Allen one of the co-hosts of REAL PEOPLE 40 years ago?! So producing is where he's been this whole time. Wonder what Sarah Purcell is up to.

Ugh, just ugh...leave it to nasty Katurah to muck things up like Gilligan. Removing a major player who actually drove the narrative all season to save cannon fodder which Julie is just the same as "seafou" (hilarious) was. Can't wait for her to get bounced. Now I'm worried for Emily as her ride or die is gone and she has no one. I liked Dee but she's starting to get a little cocky.

The Pink Rickshaws aren't the only thing that is progressive when it comes to India. One of the most vivid memories I have of the race was the first visit to India. In those less sanitized times, there was a segment that played right out of a horror movie. The show came up with the most menacing footage of all female team Emily and her mom surrounded by the most rapey-looking men on a train the camera could find and being as nervous as hell. Flashforward (no pun intended) to 2023 and you would never get such un-PC editing. Now I've been wanting to say this for weeks. I really feel like Andrea on Team Pink is carrying her team. Without her as a partner, I feel like Malena wouldn't have a chance on this race. I don't think they are going to win but if they do its all on Andrea. Good natured bros. Will miss them.

Eight minutes. Eight minutes in Jay was allowed to speak and given a lot to say and immediately I was..."Welp, she's going home" Then that second revote came up and I was nearly having a heart attack when Emily's name was being floated. If Emily left my interest in the season would immediately drop by 75%-but I DO wish Emily had voted for Jay the first time and she would never be at risk. In the end though....what had Caleb really bought himself....another week? It's hard to believe they won't simply try again unless someone manages to paint a huge bullseye on their back with a neon sign pointing to it. In other news, I was really bummed by the way the teams shook out. With the exception of Austin....EVERYONE that I don't like....especially Katura wound up on blue and safe and I would have been very happy with any of them going. A lot of folks seemed to just have a general dislike/lack of connection for Jay that I never really got.

Whoever is in charge of editing this season should probably be relieved of duty for a couple of seasons to get their mojo back. Even before the challenge, it was clear Brando was going because the editor apparently doesn't think we are attuned enough to realize that a castaway who to date has been given an invisible edit suddenly has more confessionals before the IC than they've had all season isn't going to be the one going home. The the only thing missing was a giant neon arrow pointing at Brando. Also how about cutting a second of two of that Krazy Kendra segment early on so we could get both Emily AND Kaleb's reaction to being the last Lulu left standing with the Sean quit/vote out...we only got Emily's. Speaking of which she truly is one of the most interesting/refreshing castaways we've gotten in some years. Katura or whatever the heck her name is though can go any time now. She's a completely one-note character with her unhealthy Bruce obsession. Austin was preaching the gospel. The sandwiches were the way to go over picking something that is going to paint a HUGE target on your back deep in the game. I wanted him to take the sandwiches just so it would agitate Jeff and Production that the twist flopped. "You're giving me palpitations." I don't know why but that admission was hysterical. First time we've had a very special episode about....binge eating of all things. As for the faint...it didn't look like he was out long enough to even close his eyes! That was over the top. Final thing. I rarely even notice the score but during the Krazy Khendra segment, it was so overblown I was asking out loud...what the hell is this?

Boy did I call it last week when I said David was like a 1960s sitcom cartoon character brought to 2023? The way he messed up Frasier/Single Mom's plan in the classroom was right out of Gilligan's playbook. Are the writers trying to make the fans actively hate Freddie? They will if he's going to be sarcastic, disrespectful a-hole every week. Freddie and David both blow but the other three supporting players are great additions to the world of Frasier.

I say this as someone who thinks this is a fine continuation of the original series and am enjoying it. During the original some of my favorite episodes were when we got to see what was going on back at Project Quantum Leap, so I have no issues with the "back home" segments. But it is time to face reality. The ratings for the first two episodes were anemic in a time where there is a shortage of fresh programming due to the strike and I expect the ratings for this episode to be as well. In short there will be no third season so.... It's time for NBC, the producers...whoever to back up the Brinx truck to Scott Bakula's house and pay him whatever he wants to appear in a two-part series finale by plying him with the cash but more importantly....to do it for the fans who want proper closure to Sam's story which ends with him coming home and reunited with his wife and daughter. With the writing on the wall now is the time to start planning for the cancellation and to give the Quantum Leap saga the conclusion it always deserved...Sam coming home.

Jay speaks! Jay has game! Jay has a target! And then it was all for not. The hell was that at the end? Way to go casting! Now we are up to three who have wasted slots for people that really wanted to play the game (Don't tell me Brandon didn't want to get voted out after all his whining)....another freakin' quitter! That was such a bizarre turn of events that I wasn't sureif it would turn out to be an act. Sean quits and manages to throw a hand grenade into his new tribe on the way out. Bruce....acting upon his return to his original beach? Probably but I'd rather have him around than that sour Civil Right's attorney whose name I can't remember. I am convinced more than ever Bruce must remind her of an ex and she's projecting her scorn on him. Anyway on a positive note, I was worried about Emily until someone pointed out she could actually be the swing vote. I don't like Drew but appreciated his hand gesture refuting Emily when she said she didn't help as much. I do wish she hadn't been so honest to tell them she was on the outs on LuLu. I didn't see any advantage to sharing that. The producers and editors are clearly invested in Emily too featuring her reaction to not going to tribal for the first time.

Tessaray Word on everything you just wrote especially Sam and Frasier having a deeper and more genuine friendship.

Depressing analysis but I do see some truth and logic in it. Though do remember he stayed around in the Rebecca years as well though.