He still only won by one vote, and that jury could have just as easily decided to reward Kelly for her challenge prowess.

Remember: Coach got eliminated from Heroes v Villains because Sandra wanted him gone (and to keep Courtney around).

I'm trying to remember how much screen time Danni Boatwright had before she made her big move in Guatemala.

It's difficult to trust five people this early in the game to keep it secret, so I'll agree.

The problem with F2s is that "drag someone loathsome/useless into F2" is too effective as a strategy.

Amazon is a much better rewatch than Marquesas, which has one big strategic move and then is marred by its endgame.

She was in control when she needed to be in control — commandeering the flip against Fairplay and Burton — and otherwise knew the cardinal rule of Survivor: as long as someone else is voted out, you're still alive.

Coach has a HII, so it better be one hell of an ambush.

Sandra won twice without ever winning an individual challenge.

I love Survivor, but I've got nothing to say about this episode. We won't know whether the potential flippers were correct until next week, and rather than showing Dawn and Whitney show up at RI I'd have rather seen Cochran and Albert explain what they were thinking.

more, via the NYT article on Been's deposition:

I don't miss the "really hungry" part, because the Africa season was boring. I want them to have enough energy to do stuff — but I do enjoy a good hunting/fishing plot.

Wasn't the problem that with the viewers voting people out, they voted out folks who they didn't "like," without realizing that they were sapping the show of drama and conflict in the process?

It's unclear how the case settled, but it did eventually end — but the producer manipulation issue is much more important, long-term, than the "eek, rats!" focus of this recap.

I don't mind Hours of Operation bunches as much if there's some kind of queueing system — first two teams to arrive can enter at 8am, next two at 8:30am, etc.

Zack keeps going for girls who are much more worldly than he is; this makes sense.

Yes, it can hurt that much.  As the episode suggested, take a look at what happened to Krystal Ball, who ran for Congress last year. (The pictures are easily accessible online.)

Zack and Marissa!  Jackie vs. a MacBook! And the cutaway shot after "and Santa's expression does NOT help" may have been the funniest moment of the season.  Okay, that and when the flash mob tutor showed up at the door.

Oh, Hours of Operation bunches, why do you continue to vex us?  Cannot imagine how newer viewers of the show would react to seeing the first few seasons, where teams could end up hours (or full days) apart based upon smart airport strategy.

This is one of the movies that Sandler's character in FUNNY PEOPLE would have felt shitty about making.