Episode Report Card Sara M: D | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Off To A Bad Start
By Sara M | Season 19 | Episode 1 | Aired on 09.17.2009
As for Foa Foa, the first vote goes to Mick. He is also wearing a suit jacket, so you can guess where this is going. Ben, some blonde girl, and actor Jeffrey Tambor (I guess those Arrested Development paychecks aren't cutting it) also vote for Mick, giving him the "win," while Tough as Nails votes for Marisa and her silly headband flower thing; Mick, another blonde girl, and the police officer vote for Jaison (with only the police officer mentioning his race in her vote although she precedes it with "tall, nicely dressed, Yale type"); Jaison votes for "Asian," a.k.a. Liz; and Marisa votes for Tough as Nails, who says his name is also Russell. Hmm. Hopefully one of the Russells will be voted off quickly so I don't have to deal with the confusion that will no doubt arise because two people have the same name. Ben interviews that even though Mick was voted the leader, he'd actually be the best leader because he's a "country boy" who shoots a lot of animals. Well, you don't have a gun on Survivor, so that skill is kind of useless, isn't it? Ben goes on to assume that most of his tribe consists of "candyasses." Meanwhile, he's a big, tough bar manager who lives in rough-and-tumble Los Angeles and was probably recruited to be on this show anyway, so whatever, Ben.
Probst tells Mick and Russell what being the leader means for them: first of all, they get necklaces. Oh yes. The position comes with jewelry! Also, they get to decide who on their tribe will participate in the first challenge, which is happening right now! These selections must also be made on first impressions, starting with who the leaders think is the "best swimmer" on the tribe. Mick goes for Jaison, much to everyone's surprise. Jaison explains that everyone assumes that black people can't swim, so he really didn't think he would be chosen for this. I think it's more like everyone assumes that black people who are cast on this show can't swim. Because they almost never can. Because the casting people don't just buy into the stereotypes -- they help create them! As it turns out, though, Jaison is a very good swimmer and was a college water polo player and on the National team, so he is the best choice Mick could have made. He's also one of the only choices. I mean, was Mick going to choose Jeffrey Tambor or short fat Russell? No. And the fastest female swimmer would probably be too slow. So it really was between Jaison and Ben. On Galu, Russell chooses "the young Brazilian-looking guy," also known as John. Next, the leaders must choose the strongest person on their tribes. Mick goes for Li'l Russell, who does look like a bruiser. A tiny little bruiser, but still. Russell picks Erik. Not Shampoo? Bad choice. For most agile, Mick goes for Marisa. Not, not "Marissa." It's pronounced "Marr-eee-ssa." No one else will get it right this episode no matter how many times she corrects them, but I just felt like it needed to be said anyway. Russell picks Yasmin, and Probst just has to point out that she is wearing "nice heels." Well, that's not her fault. The producers probably told her to wear them. Finally, the leaders must choose the smartest person on the tribe. Can Mick pick himself? I guess not, since he picks Liz, who interviews that she's sure Mick picked her because she's Asian and everyone assumes that Asians are smart. And that's fine with her, because she's cool with racial stereotypes when they're positive, although not so much when they're negative. Well, that shouldn't be a problem unless they have a challenge that involves driving. I wonder if Mick's decision was based not on the fact that Liz is Asian, but because his only other choices were one of the two blonde girls who are probably actress/models posing as pharmaceutical reps, the police officer lady, Ben, or Jeffrey Tambor. Liz was really the only possible choice there. Or he could have made a completely insane choice, like Russell does when he picks Shampoo. Galu is like "we just lost the challenge. Thanks, Russell." Shampoo says that she's "smart in the ways of life" but not so much when it comes to the ways of books. Especially if those books are about attractive modern hairstyles for the older woman.