Cochran – A Piece of the Sky

Sangmin (상민) Oppa (오빠) and Hongchul (홍철) Oppa swore revenge on Doohee (두희), since Episode 2, when Doohee betrayed their alliance, in the Wang (King) Game. They let Jiwon (지원) and Yuyoon (유영) take hold of and hold on to Doohee’s ID plate token (sinbunjeung). I find it hard to believe that Jiwon and Yuyoon didn’t know that Doohee’s ID tag wasn’t the hidden immunity item – taken out of the safe, behind the James Dean Blvd. sign.

The hunt for the hidden immunity item was so all-consuming and the hidden immunity item was so overpowered – spring-boarding Yohwan into the Semifinals, and then Finals – that The Genius never used such an in-game mechanism ever again.

Sangmin Oppa was on the periphery of the Season 2 majority alliance (that’s why he was working with Jiwon, Yohwan (요환) and Yunseon (윤선) Eonni (언니), during the Blackout episode). The hidden immunity item was his only path to the win.

The Episode 6 Main Match was completely obscured by the desperate hunt for the hidden immunity item. Production probably didn’t like that, even if it made for an exciting edit, at the time. Jinho (진호) Oppa was always in the majority alliance. He was the one to beat, just like in Season 1. But the hidden immunity item gave that win to Sangmin Oppa.

Jeonghyun-ssi (정현-씨) led the charge, for justice for Doohee, but he was only one person, with limited social capital, in the young people’s game, himself. Earlier, in the season, Jeonghyun-ssi gave Sangmin Oppa the part of his die, with six pips on it, without even thinking about how valuable it was, or could be. Sangmin Oppa went on to win the die roll Main Match, of Episode 7.

It’s like when Esau sold his birthright, to his twin brother, Jacob, for a pot of stew. What’s ironic is that Jeonghyun-ssi was following Sangmin Oppa and Yohwan around, looking for an advantage, with the die. He knew so little about his own die, that Sangmin Oppa was able to easily relieve Jeonghyun-ssi of his one, actual advantage.

Sangmin Oppa acted like Doohee’s savior – but then he just lied to Doohee, and gave him a fake hidden immunity item. Doohee was hurt all over again. Insult to injury. No one was on Doohee’s side. And then he was simply evicted. I was so happy when Sangmin Oppa went to save Doohee, with his hidden immunity item. Turns out it was just the immunity item’s case – not the item itself.

Doohee, thought he was immune – so, he blew up his game, and targeted an actual ally, Jinho Oppa, for the Death Match. Doohee, was a Cochran; he played both sides, but Sangmin Oppa really played him – after the group already played him – completely destroying the poor guy. During the Blackout Death Match, Jiwon lies to Doohee, getting him eliminated. Three people told three major lies to him, in one episode. They all really ganged up on him.

Jiwon was such a bad liar too. But Doohee wanted to believe, needed to believe. His life, in the game, was on the line. This was the worst one reality TV game episode, for an individual, ever. It is a historic The Genius episode.

Tyler is trying to mimic Russell Hantz, with Russell and his “Dumb Girl Alliance.”

I am generally not predisposed to showmances. Swayleigh – gone. Faleigh – on the way to both being gone. Tangela includes two players that are talented enough to survive a showmance, but the making out dulls some of their strategic sharpness.

Tyler actually told Angela and Brett to leave mean GBMs – and they believed him! Meanwhile, Tyler left kind and reassuring GBMs. Like Cochran, a winning player has to make the individuals on the jury still feel valid and valuable to the game, like each of their games mattered – and on the jury, that their games continue to matter. You don’t want to make the people in the jury feel dumb. Angela and Brett’s games are done.

One of the 48 Laws of Power is to have others do the work and take all the credit. This season, we may see the jury give the $500K to someone who the audience knows has done seemingly little work or the least work: like Sam or Kaycee.

In games like Survivor and BB, you have to walk a fine line between taking credit for all the great moves, in the end and not getting blood on your hands or hurting people’s feelings during the game. You must be the good guy, with a light touch, during the game and then somehow be the bloodthirsty mastermind, at the end of the game: Tyler’s dilemma.

People tend to vote with their hearts, not their heads. Actions and outcomes convince people more than even the most rationally constructed arguments. These are just my thoughts on trying to understand the phenomenon of a “bitter jury.”

The Hive + Jury = The Jive

Unless JC wins the HOH, next week, he’s going to go home in the double eviction. His goose is cooked. JC has to win HOH, to enact his will. And JC is just not good at winning comps. JC’s social game is also faltering. He’s still telling Tyler that Angela needs to go! Big mistake. Yes, JC needs to plot against Angela – but he should never tell Tyler about it!

JC did Tyler’s dirty work and got rid of all the misfit toys, who could have worked with him, to take out Tyler – like Fessy, Kaitlyn and even Scottie, before the battle-back. JC’s love of Tyler completely blinded him.

Now, there are too few people left and JC doesn’t have a paddle. The bromance of JC and Brett is cooler than JC and Fessy or Brett and Winston. However, I never bought into Brett. Jump ship, before you hit the rapids, JC.

Level 6/production keeps postponing the Level 6 civil war, to the point where it might never happen.

Why is Sam so calm? Of course, Level 6 & Co. is telling Sam she’s the pawn, Hay! What else would they tell her?? That Sam’s the target?? C’mon, Hay! Hay’s game is pretty much cancelled, this season.

I really, truly liked Sam, but it’s impossible to root for her, at this point. I don’t hate her, but like Scottie, I just feel incredibly sad for her.

Here’s a Typical Sam Meat Shield Convo:

Kaycee: “You’re good this week.”

Sam: “What does that mean, Kaycee??”

Kaycee: ????

What else could “You’re good this week” mean, Sam?!?!

Kaycee won another veto. Tyler’s toast, if he doesn’t take Angela.

Kaycee won this veto in two minutes, seventeen seconds – the comics competition. Hay took almost nineteen minutes. Kaycee has won five competitions, in five weeks. She has also won three out of the four competitions, she has even played in.

Kaycee has always been in my Final Five. She may still win the whole thing. She just needs to start playing the game for herself, not just for Level 6. Kaycee needs to have the killer instinct.