Episode One: Bonus Content

I watched the repeat last night (and again today...sad I know, but I do it for you, dear reader). I'm going to post some observations on a few of the other marthanóirí, and examine some of the main events in more detail. You can tag along, if you like. I don't mind.

Anthony: Anthony got a lot of screen time this episode, but I'm still not sure what kind of player he's going to be. He seems like a nice guy, but could he be too nice? Sometimes, you need to be ruthless in this game. Maybe he should grow his fringe long and start wearing eyeliner; that means you're a bad ass, right Hollywood?

Mookie: ...seems like a strong, logical and pragmatic player. He could be one to watch.

Michelle:...seems like a bit of a ditz.

Erica: Yep, Erica is also going to be a strong contender; she had better be careful not to make it too obvious in these early days. Now that her alliance with Jessica has been scuppered, she needs to maneuver herself quickly into a secure position. Aligning with Rocky is a good way of getting there, if they can pull in one or two of the stronger players (or even a couple of the 'filler' players, one of the ones you never really notice till around episode 5, when they serendipitously become the fulcrum about which a vote-result turns).

Rita: Rita looks like that chick that made Nate's head explode in Six Feet Under. Talks like her too.

Earl: Earl is described as an ad exec, but I think he might be a cop. Check out the way he interrogates Mookie over the decision to bump off Jessica: "Could the third one have been harder? Was it harder?...They're all kinda the same (repeating Mookie's response)...I mean, that's a valid response."

He'd make a Good Cop though, not a Bad Cop.

Lisi: Lisi scares me a little, in the same way that Rosie O'Donnell does.

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Like Tom Hanks in 'BIG': For a brief moment, I wanted to recant my former Dreamz-bashing, because I thought I'd figured him out. Basically, I theorised, he's a child in a man's body. It all made sense: the lack of social skills, the wild attention seeking, the wide-eyed naiveté and optimism. Then he started speaking in tongues again, and I just wanted to belt him with an oar.

The Proto-alliance: It was probably the shortest alliance in the history of the game. Jessica and Erica hook up (not in that way, gentlemen; control yourselves), they get Rocky to join in, so to speak, and before long, glances and promises are being exchanged. But, alas, it was all for nought.

Jessica didn't really deserve to go, but then, who did? We've seen it all before; if you're not willing to be part of the voting majority, at least in these early stages, then there's a good chance you'll be part of the highly exclusive voted minority. Erica and Boston Rok definitely have to get some more people on their side. I wonder if Erica even likes him, or if it was Jess' decision to get him on board.

Bring me my Spear; O clouds unfold!: Whether Ravu could have avoided this outcome in the first place, and gained the Fiji Hilton in the process, is a moot point. But it wouldn't have hurt to put Yau Man on the chariot, and thence the puzzle, during the challenge. The guy weighs about 60lbs, most of which is brain: he was custom-made for that challenge!

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Quote of the week: There were a lot of good ones to choose from, but I'm going to leave you with these two beauts:

From Jessica: My torch may have been snuffed here, but I'm sure it's being lit somewhere else."

Um, ok...I'm not entirely sure what that means...wait, no, I get it now. Wow! that's actually really profound.

Then there's this crackling exchange, my personal favourite:

Boo: Hey...what's your name?
Yau Man: Yau Man. Y-A-U M-A-N.
Boo: Yau Man. I'm Boo. B-O-O.