What's disconcerting about the episode from a present Survivor viewer's perspective is how much of it is about actually surviving on the island — food, bedding, pooping, etc. There's almost no talk about who's going home until just before TC, no one talking about the show as a game (or their desire to win it and the…

On one season of the Israeli version of Survivor, the "native" you got to rent was Rupert Boneham.

You are correct.

I missed a few seasons around #13-18, but I'm fairly sure this was the only subjective challenge they've ever done.

You know what could've prevented all this, don't you?

Worth noting: after having been rejected by the New York state bar on character and fitness grounds, Stephen Glass's attempt to join the State Bar of California is now being reviewed by that state's supreme court: http://throwingthings.blogs…

If Unbreakable had been ten minutes longer — had it included a final action scene confrontation ("I'm going to blow up Franklin Field, and no one will believe you when you tell them it's my fault!"), it would have been better remembered. But I loved it anyway.

The problem, I think, is that they've expanded Eli's roles so much as to render the character a bit implausible in his reach: he's a Campaign Manager! he's a Lobbyist! he's a Crisis Communications/PR guy!

100%, @avclub-03f6e9b7ae7bb683be2849f211b2d292:disqus .  This was, to me, the most disappointing episode of the season, with only that scene and the Who's Dana In Bed With? surprise-ish reveal to commend it, but Alicia v. Jackie is always fun.

I love him like a brother: David Greenglass.

Bill Carter claimed in his new book that Letterman basically never prepares anymore, never even rehearses, and only has energy for the hour he's on the air (and via a bizarre Hershey bar tower ritual), but keeps doing the show because he can't imagine being retired.  This review gives that view credence.

Vanuatu basically has one big strategic move, and other than Ami Cusack there's not a lot of interesting personalities on the island.

Next week: Survivor's first (and only, I believe) challenge graded on artistic merit and not objective criteria.

"There are lots of ways to win Survivor, and it's up to you to decide what matters most. I took the skills which I had, and they got me here. I'm not naturally strong, so I had to focus on my social game, and even though you had every reason to see me as weak and get rid of me, you didn't.  Why? Because I didn't give…

Agreed with @Craig:disqus . The point of Survivor is winning Survivor, which is a two-part game.

@avclub-7e83722522e8aeb7512b7075311316b7:disqus , here's Dan Fienberg's recap of the Coach ouster: http://www.hitfix.com/blogs…

Seriously: keep counting the "firsts."  They're all over this season.

The greatness of Rob's game is diminished a bit because he had the HII and everyone knew it (and couldn't figure out how to flush it), but enhanced by a few factors: (1) he convinced everyone that s/he was the person he wanted to take to the end, (2) he got rid of Grant when he had to, and (3) boy, was he able to…

Remember, @avclub-3e1535b374d65570d4640d32c77ad235:disqus  - she commandeered the move to oust Coach ahead of Courtney in HvV, which helped set up her gameplay at the end.  She ended up with every Hero vote on that jury. And as @avclub-141f784f9d5f94e4b73e355ee69343ee:disqus said, she never let herself be the target…

Survivor is a two-part game: get before the final jury, and then convince the people you've helped eliminate to vote for you.  Russell never figured out the second part because he assumed "I played the game better" was a self-evident proposition.