An "Insider" Look at Episode 9
An "Insider" Look at Survivor: Fiji, Episode 9 - “I’d Say I Hit a Stroke of Bad Luck” by Teeuwynn Woodruff -- 04/16/2007 This week the tribe’s merged and an additional twist put Michelle in a suddenly bad position, thus setting up her ouster. What does Michelle have to say about her Survivor experience? How does Alex react to the merge? And is Michelle bitter? Michelle’s Final Words Michelle starts out by saying Survivor’s been an amazing experience, but “I’d say I hit a stroke of bad luck” having the five people she could count on in the other side at the challenge. Michelle doesn’t think she pissed anyone off or “earned” the vote this week. She got a bit unlucky when her alliance mostly drew the other couple. Michelle thinks her alliance will be weaker without her. She doesn’t think they’ll be too surprised she went tonight. She thinks Boo has mentally checked out of the game as the paranoia and stress has gotten too much for him. So, she thinks he is, unfortunately, the next to go. Michelle hopes Stacy goes soon, especially since she said, after Liliana was voted off, that she was happy because she wanted to be the hottest girl on Survivor. Now that Michelle’s gone, and there’s only two girls left, she doesn’t have much competition. Michelle’s going to miss the game the most – the challenges and strategizing. Things you don’t get to do in your normal life. She feels like the game pushed her physically more than ever before. Not having water and making a fire “out of the sky” was amazing. She hasn’t been as pushed mentally as she thought she would. She learned she’s as tough as she thought. Starving wasn’t as hard as she thought – but maybe she’s ready to eat a cheeseburger now. Michelle’s excited to be on the jury because she gets to help give someone a million dollars and she’s all about picking who’s most deserving. Michelle’s interview was refreshingly upbeat and candid – especially considering she had just gotten screwed by a mini-tribe twist. She’s a smart woman, and I liked her a lot on the show, and like her even more after this interview. Michelle, the Day After Michelle starts off by saying that she doesn’t think people at home realize just how REAL Survivor is when you play. Sleeping on the ground, the hunger, the desperation for water, it’s very real. She learned that her body could take a whole lot. Michelle had no idea she had 16 pounds to lose over 24 days. You can survive with the bare minimum. The body does amazing things. Going days without water was incredibly hard; it pushed her body to the limits. Living on Ravu, she just had to keep a positive attitude. You just had to live hour by hour. You know you’re not going to die and you just have to try to stay positive. At least you know it’s only going to get better from there. Her strategy going in was pretty general – do well at challenges, be needed by her tribe. She thinks it’s important to stay open. The “outwit” part of the game came pretty easily to Michelle. It got a little hairy at some times. You develop a read on someone, but you sometimes have to take a step back to re-evaluate whether you can still trust them. Even though the numbers are decreasing, you still have to keep track of everyone, who’s who and who’s saying what. As the game goes on, everyone gets a little paranoid. You never know who’s lying to you, and talking to someone who you’re pretty sure is lying to you is tough. Michelle says that what went wrong with her strategy is not anticipating the twist that led to her final tribal council. Not that I think there was too much she could do about that. She says, we had no time to talk and weren’t allowed to speak to or look at each other while they went there. She thinks the only thing she did wrong was not stepping up more in that tribal council. When Alex called her out she should have stepped up and said, “Wait a second!” Michelle didn’t have much of a chance to build a relationship with Stacy, and Alex, and Dreamz. She hadn’t spent much time with them at all. Michelle’s right. She could have tried to sway Dreamz in the tribal council, but since they weren’t given any time to talk, she had very little information to go on in a tribe where she really didn’t know anyone save Mookie. Michelle was playing a good game, but she got blindsided by a twist. The Merge This is a clip we saw on the show of the two tribes pondering why they’re all going to Exile Island, the merge, and the tribe’s rude awakening when they discover that all of the Moto camp luxuries are gone. Mookie wails and gnashes his teeth and cries to the heavens, “Why have you forsaken me and robbed my bottom of a cushy place to rest!” Well, he was miffed anyway. Alex on the Merge Alex begins by saying that the guys thought that a merge was coming soon – and they were hoping for one. They went to Exile Island and found out they were, indeed, merging. Alex was excited. He thinks Ravu “sucks” and that it’s cursed. So, he was happy to merge and go back to a bed, toothpaste, rice, etc. Everyone was stoked. Everyone was happy heading back, but when they found out everything was gone it was “like, whoa!” Alex didn’t expect it and it was a real blow. But, after a bit, he got back into things. He was pissed and frustrated at the time. It’s like not giving a kid the present he expected and then taking some of his old stuff! Alex says that at least they had fish at Ravu. There aren’t any fish at Moto. He never expected it. The game is unpredictable. You just never know. Bula Bula Tree Mail Michelle cheerfully reads the first Bula Bula tree mail to her cohorts. Poor Michelle! Dreamz then interviews that he will finally meet Earl on the field of battle. Alex says that Boo needs immunity more than anyone right now and they can’t let him win it. Otherwise, he’s worried one of the “horsemen” will be on the chopping block. And, with that, the tribe heads off for the challenge. Reward/Immunity Challenge: River Rats This is the clip we saw on last week’s show. As soon as I saw Michelle on her new mini-tribe, I knew she’d be in trouble if they lost. Likewise, Boo would have had issues if his mini-tribe had lost. It’s clear Yao-Man plans on leading the puzzle charge for his tribe and Michelle is leading her tribe. They both have shown some prowess in puzzles, so that makes sense. The two tribes paddle like crazy. But, unfortunately for Michelle, Stacy can’t get the hang of the two-pronged tool and the slow start gives the other mini-tribe too much of an advantage – even though Michelle and Alex make good progress putting the puzzle pieces together at the end. Tribal Council Dreamz provides the key vote that sends Michelle home. It’s very unclear if this was the right thing for him to do, but who knows why Dreamz does anything? Alex votes for Michelle. “Sorry, Michelle, it’s nothing personal. Just playing the game. You’re a great person. Take care.” Stacy votes for Michelle. “Girl, I’m so sorry. I have to stay strong with my alliance and you are the sacrifice. Wish you the best.” Michelle votes for Stacy. “Your alliances have been very wishy-washy girl, and that’s a threat. Sorry.” Mookie votes for Stacy. “You were on the list of people to go.” Dreamz votes for Michelle. “Just strategy.”
An "Insider" Look at Survivor: Fiji, Episode 9 - “I’d Say I Hit a Stroke of Bad Luck” by Teeuwynn Woodruff -- 04/16/2007 This week the tribe’s merged and an additional twist put Michelle in a suddenly bad position, thus setting up her ouster. What does Michelle have to say about her Survivor experience? How does Alex react to the merge? And is Michelle bitter? Michelle’s Final Words Michelle starts out by saying Survivor’s been an amazing experience, but “I’d say I hit a stroke of bad luck” having the five people she could count on in the other side at the challenge. Michelle doesn’t think she pissed anyone off or “earned” the vote this week. She got a bit unlucky when her alliance mostly drew the other couple. Michelle thinks her alliance will be weaker without her. She doesn’t think they’ll be too surprised she went tonight. She thinks Boo has mentally checked out of the game as the paranoia and stress has gotten too much for him. So, she thinks he is, unfortunately, the next to go. Michelle hopes Stacy goes soon, especially since she said, after Liliana was voted off, that she was happy because she wanted to be the hottest girl on Survivor. Now that Michelle’s gone, and there’s only two girls left, she doesn’t have much competition. Michelle’s going to miss the game the most – the challenges and strategizing. Things you don’t get to do in your normal life. She feels like the game pushed her physically more than ever before. Not having water and making a fire “out of the sky” was amazing. She hasn’t been as pushed mentally as she thought she would. She learned she’s as tough as she thought. Starving wasn’t as hard as she thought – but maybe she’s ready to eat a cheeseburger now. Michelle’s excited to be on the jury because she gets to help give someone a million dollars and she’s all about picking who’s most deserving. Michelle’s interview was refreshingly upbeat and candid – especially considering she had just gotten screwed by a mini-tribe twist. She’s a smart woman, and I liked her a lot on the show, and like her even more after this interview. Michelle, the Day After Michelle starts off by saying that she doesn’t think people at home realize just how REAL Survivor is when you play. Sleeping on the ground, the hunger, the desperation for water, it’s very real. She learned that her body could take a whole lot. Michelle had no idea she had 16 pounds to lose over 24 days. You can survive with the bare minimum. The body does amazing things. Going days without water was incredibly hard; it pushed her body to the limits. Living on Ravu, she just had to keep a positive attitude. You just had to live hour by hour. You know you’re not going to die and you just have to try to stay positive. At least you know it’s only going to get better from there. Her strategy going in was pretty general – do well at challenges, be needed by her tribe. She thinks it’s important to stay open. The “outwit” part of the game came pretty easily to Michelle. It got a little hairy at some times. You develop a read on someone, but you sometimes have to take a step back to re-evaluate whether you can still trust them. Even though the numbers are decreasing, you still have to keep track of everyone, who’s who and who’s saying what. As the game goes on, everyone gets a little paranoid. You never know who’s lying to you, and talking to someone who you’re pretty sure is lying to you is tough. Michelle says that what went wrong with her strategy is not anticipating the twist that led to her final tribal council. Not that I think there was too much she could do about that. She says, we had no time to talk and weren’t allowed to speak to or look at each other while they went there. She thinks the only thing she did wrong was not stepping up more in that tribal council. When Alex called her out she should have stepped up and said, “Wait a second!” Michelle didn’t have much of a chance to build a relationship with Stacy, and Alex, and Dreamz. She hadn’t spent much time with them at all. Michelle’s right. She could have tried to sway Dreamz in the tribal council, but since they weren’t given any time to talk, she had very little information to go on in a tribe where she really didn’t know anyone save Mookie. Michelle was playing a good game, but she got blindsided by a twist. The Merge This is a clip we saw on the show of the two tribes pondering why they’re all going to Exile Island, the merge, and the tribe’s rude awakening when they discover that all of the Moto camp luxuries are gone. Mookie wails and gnashes his teeth and cries to the heavens, “Why have you forsaken me and robbed my bottom of a cushy place to rest!” Well, he was miffed anyway. Alex on the Merge Alex begins by saying that the guys thought that a merge was coming soon – and they were hoping for one. They went to Exile Island and found out they were, indeed, merging. Alex was excited. He thinks Ravu “sucks” and that it’s cursed. So, he was happy to merge and go back to a bed, toothpaste, rice, etc. Everyone was stoked. Everyone was happy heading back, but when they found out everything was gone it was “like, whoa!” Alex didn’t expect it and it was a real blow. But, after a bit, he got back into things. He was pissed and frustrated at the time. It’s like not giving a kid the present he expected and then taking some of his old stuff! Alex says that at least they had fish at Ravu. There aren’t any fish at Moto. He never expected it. The game is unpredictable. You just never know. Bula Bula Tree Mail Michelle cheerfully reads the first Bula Bula tree mail to her cohorts. Poor Michelle! Dreamz then interviews that he will finally meet Earl on the field of battle. Alex says that Boo needs immunity more than anyone right now and they can’t let him win it. Otherwise, he’s worried one of the “horsemen” will be on the chopping block. And, with that, the tribe heads off for the challenge. Reward/Immunity Challenge: River Rats This is the clip we saw on last week’s show. As soon as I saw Michelle on her new mini-tribe, I knew she’d be in trouble if they lost. Likewise, Boo would have had issues if his mini-tribe had lost. It’s clear Yao-Man plans on leading the puzzle charge for his tribe and Michelle is leading her tribe. They both have shown some prowess in puzzles, so that makes sense. The two tribes paddle like crazy. But, unfortunately for Michelle, Stacy can’t get the hang of the two-pronged tool and the slow start gives the other mini-tribe too much of an advantage – even though Michelle and Alex make good progress putting the puzzle pieces together at the end. Tribal Council Dreamz provides the key vote that sends Michelle home. It’s very unclear if this was the right thing for him to do, but who knows why Dreamz does anything? Alex votes for Michelle. “Sorry, Michelle, it’s nothing personal. Just playing the game. You’re a great person. Take care.” Stacy votes for Michelle. “Girl, I’m so sorry. I have to stay strong with my alliance and you are the sacrifice. Wish you the best.” Michelle votes for Stacy. “Your alliances have been very wishy-washy girl, and that’s a threat. Sorry.” Mookie votes for Stacy. “You were on the list of people to go.” Dreamz votes for Michelle. “Just strategy.”