Super Bowl Update

As the official 2011-2012 TV season comes to a close, I realize that I continue to watch a lot of Reality Competition Shows and these shows keep crowning winners. So let's take some time this May to review! I'll start with the most recent victor first and work my way backwards (and then forwards) from there.

Sunday night concluded the 24th edition of Survivor. It was a battle of the sexes called Survivor: One World. That meant it was two different tribes in one camp. It also meant that every time someone said "One World" I immediately thought of the racial tolerance song from California Dreams which has been in the back of my mind for roughly 20 years. Thanks to the many blessings of youtube, you can witness what I'm referring to for yourselves.

Wasn't that amazing? If only the tribe dynamics in this season of Survivor were that entertaining. Unfortunately this was kind of a ho hum season. I mean, Samoa AGAIN? Is this not like the 5th time in like 6 seasons they've been in Samoa? The show could use a change of scenery. I'm very much looking forward to the Philippines next year. I think that's gonna be a beautiful backdrop for the competition. Still, this season there were a few interesting twists and turns. The women were terrible at the beginning, but somehow they got it together and the men totally imploded. Calling the shots through the whole thing was Kim Spradlin, a 29 year old bridal shop owner from Texas who dominated all her competitors - in the nicest way possible! The Survivor mantra is Outwit, Outplay, Outlast and Kim was a pro at all of these things. Everyone trusted everything she said, she called the shots strategically, and she won 4 individual immunity competitions so that the others could never take the opportunity to get her out. She even had a hidden immunity idol she never needed to use. I was consistently impressed with her composure and her not being nasty, self-centered or entitled.

She had a good plan, a warm presence and a lot of conviction. She didn't betray her core alliance even though she could've ditched them right at the end for less formidable players heading into the final tribal council. Her solid thinking and cool head didn't make her the flashiest player, perhaps, but her winning the season was incredibly satisfying. Plus, she was popular enough with the masses that she won Fan Favorite as well, so she got $1,100,000 for all her efforts. Well played, Kim! You're a survivor. You went and made it!