Survivor Tocantins Has Personality!

Last week I lamented the fact that there was a definite lack of personality on this season’s Survivor. After watching tonight’s episode, the complaining is over! Not only is there a major personality emerging but there is also an underlying theme developing as well.

In my recap last week I mentioned that Coach used his “Svengali-like power” to persuade Sierra and Erinn to vote Candace off. Tonight he oozed Svengali power! He has become Coach Svengali. He has wicked eerie powers.

After his Timbira tribe lost the Reward Challenge and a prize package that would have made Monty Hall blush, Coach Svengali let out a primal scream. Back at camp he pulled Tyson aside and decided to make him his assistant.

Tyson was giddy about being named assistant coach. He said that someday, under Coach Svengali’s tutelage, he would make “Coach”. He said that if he was ever separated from Coach Svengali and put on a new tribe, he would demand to be called coach on his new tribe.

I told you that Coach Svengali had wicked eerie powers.

You have to have some freaky mojo to say things like, “I am so true that existing around people that smile evilly when somebody else is on their knees kills me! I cannot exist around someone like that.”

Who says stuff like that? Coach Svengali, that’s who!

His crowning moment was at Tribal Council when Jeff Probst questioned him about being a leader during the Immunity Challenge. He said he was leading by making eye contact with everyone and telling them what to do using only his eyes. Creepy, huh?

Coach Svengali’s wizardry is so powerful that it is also connected to the underlying theme that has developed.

If you recall last week that hunky country-boy J.T. was showing the demure city-boy Stephen the fine art of fishing. Afterwards, Stephen commented dreamily that he thinks he might be smitten with J.T.

Now this week, after his pow-wow with Coach Svengali, Tyson gushed how wonderfully dynamic Coach Svengali was and declared, “He has a little school boy crush on me. He loves me.”

These two moments highlight the underlying theme that is blossoming that I like to call Brokeback Survivor. Love, exciting and new. As Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza once said, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that!”

I would be remiss if I did not mention one other outstanding quote from tonight’s episode. It came from Sandy the 53-year-old bus driver from Kentucky. Please keep in mind that this woman has probably chewed more tobacco then the New York Mets.

After a good night’s rest in Jalapao’s newly refurbished camp, Sandy, running her fingers through her nappy, bug-infested hair said, “I know I am a sex kitten this morning.” Nice.

In the end Brendan finds the Hidden Immunity Idol in Timbira’s camp and U.S. Army sergeant Jerry is ousted by Coach Svengali and his cohorts.

We finally have a major personality, plus an underlying theme! Until next week…from Tocantins.