By: Mary Cavaliere

Survivor is back and in its 16th Season.  I actually stopped watching Survivor after Season 13, Cook Islands, because I was not thrilled with the show being centered around four different ethnic tribes.  In a world where unity is so desperately needed, I thought that season was done in poor taste.

In any event, I’m back and ready to blog to my hearts content. Season 16 takes place in Micronesia, which is located next to Palau in the South Pacific.  This season’s theme is “Fans vs. Favorites”.   What does that mean exactly?  It means that 10 fans of Survivor are playing against 10 former Survivor contestants.  The interesting part is that going into this, the fans have no idea that they will be playing against a tribe who have already played this game before.  Now, as for the former Survivor contestants being “favorites”, I don’t know about that.  Other than maybe Ozzy, I didn’t see anyone in the line-up that were any of my favorites during the past 15 seasons.  But here they are nonetheless:

From Survivor: Cook Islands – Jonathon, Parvati, and Ozzy

From Survivor: Pearl Islands – Johnny (Fairplay)

From Survivor: Fiji – Yau Man

From Survivor: Panama-Exile Island - Cirie

From Survivor: China – James and Amanda

From Survivor: Vanuatu – Eliza and Ami

The Fans make up the AIRAI Tribe and the Favorites make up the Malakal Tribe.  The Fans think they have the advantage because they know something about the Favorites because they’ve watched previous shows, but the Favorites don’t know anything about the Fans who are new to the game.  However, the Favorites think they have the advantage because they have previous experience at the game and can hit the ground running.  This ought to prove interesting.

It’s only the first episode and romantic couples have been formed already.  James and Pavarti have hooked up and so have Ozzy and Amanda.  We all know how Pavarti plays this game.  She uses her feminine wiles to manipulate the men in the game, and James is falling for it hook, line, and sinker.  James, you’re absolutely gorgeous, but you are showing all of us just how stupid men can be when it comes to women.  Use your other brain, will you?  And Ozzy, I’m surprised at you.  I thought you were smarter than that.

Someone please tell me, where did they get this girl Kathy from?  I mean, what PLANET does she live on?  She admitted on national television that she has never been friends with a gay person before and didn’t even know how to verbally reference Chett’s sexual lifestyle.  Hello!?!!  Later in the show it was raining and she was crying  because “it sucks”.  She calls herself a fan?  Has she ever watched the darn show before?  Duh!!!  Someone please – do us all a favorite and vote her off first!

The first challenge was for immunity and experienced or not, the Fans won which meant the Favorites found themselves at Tribal Council.  Evil-doer Johnny Fairplay is back, although he admitted that because he has a girlfriend at home with a baby on the way, his head is just not in the game.  Jeff Probst alluded to the fact that maybe because they lost the first challenge Johnny was quitting.  Others felt he was genuine about feeling like a changed person. Being a parent myself I can certainly understand how that can be true.  Children DO change you.  They help you to get outside of yourself and be less selfish, and that in my eyes would be a good thing for the egotistical and conceited Johnny Fairplay who thinks so highly of himself.  I was happy that the vote was unanimous.  Johnny Fairplay is heading home!

You can read more of Mary’s television blogs at www.myspace.com/italiangirl57