Survivor: Gabon is my perfect TV show, I think. Survivor has always been my favorite reality show, though from season to season the show can be inconsistent. Some settings are better than others. One of my favorite TV events of the last few years was, without a doubt, Planet Earth. Our house has it on Blu-Ray, and often times we find ourselves re-watching episodes. It’s an amazing show. Survivor: Gabon, being the first season of the series to be filmed in HD, is almost like a Planet Earth-Survivor hybrid. The setting of Gabon, Africa is perfect for Survivor’s first foray into Hi-Def – the landscapes are vast, the wildlife spectacular, and CBS is taking full advantage of the surroundings, peppering the first two episodes with extended, beautiful establishing shots. Just find an HDTV and watch Survivor. It won’t disappoint. As we approach tonight’s third installment of the season, I thought I’d go out on a limb and pick my horses.
It might be a little early to choose your favorites and solidify your rooting interests, but what the hell? It will be all the more satisfying if one or more of my horses makes if deep in the game.
Favorite #1 – Bob
The similarities to Yau-Man have popped up recently when discussing Bob. I’m not sure if those are fair. Yau was a master strategist, an outside-the-box thinker. However, he wasn’t a physical threat at all. Bob is nimble and exceptionally agile for a man of his advanced age. And, while he doesn’t possess the strategic mastery that Yau-Man did, Bob is a man who knows how to get things done. He is crafty. Also, he’s unassuming and a plain old nice guy.
Favorite #1 – Paloma
She received little screen time in the first two episodes, but the moment that endeared me to her is when she laughed at Ace’s ridiculous Yoga session. She is happy, personable and laid-back. I watched her interview at CBS.com recently, and while she might not become a mastermind of any kind, I think Paloma can play an under-the-radar game. She might even align with Bob, making my rooting interests conflict-free.
Villain #1 – Ace
Ace is smarmy, arrogant, and he wears what appear to be orange women’s underwear. If I can see your butt cheeks, then you are not wearing acceptable male underwear. Sorry. I have a feeling that Ace will attempt to become a leader of whatever alliance he joins into, and that this will annoy me to no end.
