[Celirra]

Season 1, Episode 2: The Generation Gap

Richard’s comment on how, if Rudy knew he were gay it’d be difficult, is interesting. I think it’s interesting that the whole homosexuality talk in this episode went the way it did, in such a comfortingly calm way. It was a nice change of pace from [insert modern politics], and shedding such a positive light on it is really sweet to me. I really respect how Rudy came around so well on his… not necessarily intolerance, but lack of experience maybe…?... in regards to it, and ended up seeing Richard as more than that. Also, such a good Rudy quote:

“Me and Richard got to be pretty good friends… not in a homosexual way, that’s for sure”

I think Rudy is such a sweetie, and how he doesn’t care about how being friends with… someone so taboo within his social circle is a great trait.

I really wonder how the Ramona story would’ve changed if not for her sickness and such, and also wonder what the producers’ intended purpose for her was.

Man, this Greg first confessional, even if not comedic in nature, is so great. It seems so damn forced and stereotypical, as if he’s just reading off a script. Funny guy. If not for the whole pagong’ing element and such of Borneo, I could see him having the charisma to win S1 or other old seasons. “It causes a bit of friction; a bit of chaffing, if you want to put it in island terms.”

As an aside, there’s more mature humour in this season than I remember and than I’m used to in Survivor. I dig it, I like the largely uncut nature.

On another note, I wonder if BB really evolved from E1 to E2, or if it was just convenient editing. It seems like he’s just… much more negative in E2 than E1. It makes sense for the plotline and such and explains well why he got voted home (editing magic!), but I do wish there wasn’t such a drastic shift from positive to OTT NN.

Ramona: “Oh I’ll swallow everything.” will ya now

BB’s intentional losing strategy, whether or not it was for strategic purposes, is the most potentially strategic decision he made I think. Too bad that he’s candidate numero uno to get voted; imagine if someone more well liked proposed it (eg. to get rid of BB). Imagine how they’d be heralded as such a strategist! Truly the Richard Hatch of Borneo. As much as I dislike the whole tonal shift of BB, his ending positive lean is really nice and more well fleshed out than some… “villains” so to speak of newer seasons, in which it’s a case of once negative, always negative. Complex Personality is always good.

I don’t mind the BB vote-off, he probably would’ve gotten on my nerves later on. I feel like Gervaise would’ve gone home if BB didn’t come off as obnoxious and rude(I doubt Ramona would’ve gone home seeing as people excused her poor work ethic by her well-being, bunch of softies!), and I think Gervaise is maybe.. Lucky he was so under the radar, considering he effectively lost the challenge for Pagong (even if it was largely Stacey’s proficiency at swallowing that was a win for Tagi vs a loss for Pagong), which was pretty important for a lot of them, just barely less important than quality of camp life. I like Gervaise though, so no real complaints anyways.