Pirate Master: Who's Looking Good after Episodes III & IV? Episodes III and IV  6/26/07

Notes by Don Hart

Who's Looking Good after Episodes III and IV?

Of the remaining women, Jupiter seems to be in the best position. Black spot veterans Joy, Kendra and Laurel are all still seen as weak, and they are prime candidates for being set adrift if weakness is the criterion. Nessa is portrayed now with lots of baggage, including being flirtatious, which irritates the gals, being outspoken with regards to Cheryl at Pirate Council and from the Episode V preview, being confrontational with fellow mate Sean. She appears to be the most vulnerable of the ladies, now that Alexis and Cheryl are gone. Christa remains a totally mystery. Aside from noting to the camera twice that Azmyth messed up in the Episode IV challenge, we haven't heard anything from Christa. Who knows why not? If she's going far in the game, she should have received a bit more airtime by now. Her bio is appealing: "A tough, single Mom" who lost 70 pounds to become Miss Hawaiian Tropic and an All-Army basketball player. Jupiter, meanwhile, is portrayed as a hard worker, likeable, especially by important ally Azmyth, and sympathetic to others, as she defended and shed tears for Cheryl.

Of the remaining men, the likeability factor favors Sean and Azmyth, with perhaps Ben not too far behind, as he tries to blend in with the crew after role as mate to Joe Don. Too much gameplay so early in the game could hurt Louie, Jay and Joe Don, although with Joe Don, his wad of money could be a big factor in buying future Royal Pardons. Jay seems to be playing a dangerous game with Joe Don and Sean. So much airtime for Jay this early may mean that his many alliance maneuverings will come back to haunt him soon. He's playing hard, and Cheryl called him, not Louie, the "mastermind" of her ouster. Louie, meanwhile, practically asked to receive a black spot when he eventually loses captainship, but his likeability could save him, as it did Azmyth. The shot of Louie with his "Sailing is a nice feeling" love of the Dominican sea experience was very positive, as was Sean's comment that "Everybody Loves Louie."

Sean especially looks as if he is in a good position. He is the cook, as has been mentioned by others already, and cooks tend to have a long-lived reality show stay. He is a helpful team player, as when he pushed the hobbling Joy along in the Episode 4 challenge. And he gravitates to a leading position easily. It was to Sean, not Louie, that Cameron Daddo directed his post-challenge Episode IV explanations. It was Sean, not Louie, who explained the Royal Pardon to the crew.

Why didn't Cheryl put up much of a fight Episode IV?

Her spirited Episode III defense fizzled for her second Black Spot moment in Episode IV. Perhaps she was tiring of the "popularity contest". But if she came to play, why not wager $8,000 or so? As a lawyer, another week of airtime could easily be worth at least $8,000 in advertising for future clients, especially if her reprieve could extend into more than one week, as it has so often for Nomination survivors on Big Brother. Her fellow pirates might have wearied of blackspotting her for a while. As with Lisi and Dreamz on Survivor Fiji, Cheryl failed to take advantage of that "15 minutes of fame". Reality show contestants could convert a positive visibility into many future post-show gold pieces. Being set adrift so early from the Picton Castle, however, Cheryl could all-too-easily be forgotten.

Who's acting?

We know that Azmyth and Christa are actor-wannabes. Yet it's Azmyth and Joe Don, assuming captain personas, who seem to be acting the most blatantly. Joe Don also appears to have robbed the rum supply. Louie comes across as a Rupert clone with a pirate laugh, but that may be how he really is. A certain amount of acting is necessary to endure in this kind of Survivor-Big Brother competition. If one is sociable, works hard and stifles any negative feelings (they can be saved for the camera interviews), one can avoid an early Black Spot and have more time to form alliances.

What's not what it seems on the Picton Castle?

Alexis mentioned in her post-adrift interview that things were not necessarily what they seemed. It has already been noted in other articles, the Pirate Crew hoists sails and swabs decks, but a real crew we cannot see must be really sailing the ship. The Pirates' Court cannot be on board, but must be on a set off the ship. At Pirates' Court there is no movement of the ship, and the waters overboard are calm, as on a pond, not the sea.

Random thoughts

Reality show writer VikingBear is correct in observing that an alliance such as Richard Hatch's foursome in Survivor Borneo could take control of the game. What's a challenge for us viewers is to predict who will step up and take that control? Joe Don and Jay have shown the requisite aggressive moves so far, especially with their ability to use their gold pieces to maneuver.

The mixing of the Black and Red Crews each week, as well as the shift in power when a new captain is selected, adds a nice element of unpredictability to the show.

It seemed strange that Jay saved Joe Don in Episode III, yet Joe Don leaned hard on Jay in Episode IV. Jay then turned around and advised Joe Don to bid for the pardon, but attempted to sabotage Joe Don with his own wager. What a pair!

One of the best lines so far: Laurel calling Azmyth a "weirdo". Isn't that the "pot calling the kettle black"?