The Best Survivor Yet?  10/25/05

by Don Hart: A view from the outside.

With four less colorful Survivors (Jim, Morgan, Brianna, Brook) voted out early in Darwinian fashion, weeks 5 & 6 on Survivor Guatemala morphed into an outwit phase where Survivors whom we knew a little (Blake, Margaret and Brian) lost.

Remaining for week 7, where 11 of the original 18 remain, a tough environment is colored by individual personalities and interpersonal alliances/conflicts that look good for future Survivor Guatemala episodes. Look at all there is!

The Cast

The villain who makes lots of mistakes: Judd: arrogant, loud-mouthed/abusive/social skill deficient (SSD, not ADD). Everyone loves a villain, and we await Judd's exit after the merge, when Darwinian strengths can quickly become liabilities, especially for the most annoying.

The alpha male leader: Gary: the Fireman Tom clone with an identity secret, who may or may not be hiding some of his athletic skills but who is clearly forming lots of bonds.

The two Palauers given a second chance: Stephanie and Bobby Jon: how do we really feel (and the remaining 9 feel) about that second chance?

The eye candy: Brandon, Bobby Jon, Jamie and Gary for the guys, Danni, Stephanie and Cindy for the gals. It's easier to keep the B's, Brandon and Bobby Jon, straight now that Brianna, Brook, Blake and Brian are gone.

The strong: Judd (brute strength), Brandon (Red America skills with a heart), Amy (lots of spunk, spiced with a sense of humor), Bobby Jon (gung-ho testosterone), Danni (athletic and apparently a good strategist as well), and, finally, Jamie and Stephanie, who prefer brute strength at least for the moment. Note: Jamie remains a curious enigma, since he first befriended Brian and Lydia and bad-mouthed his current ally Stephanie.

The early weak ones who survive on personality: Amy (gutsy fervor to counterbalance that ankle), Lydia (endearing and hard-working to make up for physical weakness), and Rafe (affable and under-the-radar to hide his early physical ineptitude). All three could be in excellent shape after the merge, where physical strength, not weakness, is often targeted.

The Game:

The tribes: An early mix has blurred tribal loyalties and reduced predictable Pagonging.

Conflict: Judd vs. everyone but Jamie and Stephanie: lots of possibilities could lie ahead for confrontations with Judd. Bobby Jon vs. Jamie: do Alabamans and Georgians really not get along?

What lies ahead for Survivor Guatemala episode 7 and beyond? There are lots of promising possibilities for gamesmanship. The Rob Cesternino maneuvering is seemingly gone with Brian, but the door is wide open for most of the remaining 11 to shine at outwitting, outplaying and outlasting.