While watching this week’s episode of Survivor I wrote down two very poignant phrases in my notes.:

1. They’re all dumb.
2. One of the worst casts ever.

Neither thought is particularly earth shattering.  A number of other writers have commented on how this season’s cast is weak.  Even beyond the natural hangover we would expect after the amazing Survivor: All-Stars season. 

In fact, it took me until the ridiculous tattle tale moments on the beach with Brenda prior to tribal council to finally come to grips with both facts.  I couldn’t stand all of these idiots running around to each other telling their plans.  How do they not know who talks to who by now?  I had finally had it with these guys.

They’re all dumb.

Things only got worse at tribal council.  Brenda hit the nail on the head with NaOnka’s betrayal and her defense was horrible and essentially non-existent.  What’s particularly confusing after the fact is why she didn’t just come clean.  Everyone but the galatically clueless Kelly S was voting for Brenda, what did NaOnka care? 

Everything was capped off with Brenda’s horrible attempt to stay in the game by essentially bullying her fellow survivors with arrogance.  She believed that by staying strong she would intimidate the others from leaving her.  Her arrogance went as far as telling Jeff that she was above scrambling

Jeff: What is it about the word scrambling, are you just too proud of that word?
Brenda: I think so.

One of the worst casts ever.

Honestly, who’s left to root for out there to win this thing?  First, I’m going to stop all of you about to shout out Jane’s name right now.  She’s admirable and impressive, but annoying.  I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again: loose the chip on your shoulder.  We all get it, you’re strong.  Now act your age. 

Jud and Kelly S are clueless.  I wasn’t sure if Dan quit this episode or not.  Holly’s an air head.  NaOnka is obnoxious and mean.  Chase’s flip-flopping impersonation of John Kerry (and I’m from Massachusetts) is painful.

That leaves Sash and Benry.  I can respect Sash’s game up until this point.  In fact, I applaud him for recognizing the folly in giving Brenda the idol and holding on to it himself.  But, his arrogance level is only slightly below Brenda.  Hopefully his cockiness is toned down a bit with his queen gone.

So, Benry, that’s who we’re rooting for?  Ugh.  He hasn’t done much to annoy me, but he hasn’t really done much to win me over either.  The only thing I can point to is that he’s a serious challenge competitor.  While that’s true, he’s lost to Jane twice in endurance challenges, so how impressive can he really be.

One interesting and good thing to come out of this episode was the realization that we despise Brenda’s arrogance more than NaOnka’s moodiness and obnoxiousness.  You know it’s a tough cast when most of us were rooting for NaOnka instead of Brenda.  That’s how grating her arrogance was.

As always, to clarify, I’m not hating on Survivor.  In fact, as far as the game of Survivor goes, this is one of the most interesting ever.  Who’s going to win?  Is there any favorite at this point?  It’s truly up in the air and that’s a great thing.  There’s just no one I particularly want to win.

More observations from this week:

• Has anyone figured out why the yellow team at tribal council couldn’t copy the blue team once they saw what they were doing?  I hope the only reason they didn’t was because they figured they were behind and copying the blue team wouldn’t allow them to catch up, just stay the same distance behind.
• Banner episode for Jeff.  His hilarious quips at the yellow team at the reward challenge.  His coaching of everyone - particularly Jane – at the immunity challenge.  Finally his hilarious exchange with Kelly S at tribal council.
• There’s getting the Survivor: Samoa Brett edit and then there’s openly admitting you don’t say much: Chase: You never talk, really.  Kelly: I know, it’s kind of funny, really.
• Marty’s “oh man, we have to sit with Brenda on the jury for two weeks” face was the highlight of the episode.