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Survivor 27.8, “Skin of My Teeth”: Time to overthrow the king!

In one of the most telegraphed blindsides in Survivor history, this week’s vote flips the game on its head and pushes the once-confident leaders to the brink. Rarely have the editors spent this much time setting up a pivotal blindside. Unlike nervous players like Monica and Laura Morett, Aras doesn’t have a past failure to make him worry. He’s confident that the game will work out and doesn’t recognize the danger of standing in front. The key mistake is trusting that Gervase and Tyson will let the couples run the show. And that’s hardly the only miscalculation. Tina makes a ridiculous gaffe and tells Monica she’s fifth on the totem pole. The amazing part is that she sells it like a benefit. It takes some convincing from Tyson, but Tina’s comment sends Monica scurrying for the exits from a sinking ship. This foolish reveal from such a normally wise player shows that complacency can ruin anyone in this game.

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Survivor 27.7, “Swoop in for the Kill” sets the stage for post-merge chaos

Survivor Review, Season 27, Episode 7 “Swoop in for the Kill” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Survivor: Blood vs. Water has been filled with personal stories and conflicts that have made it one of the most consistent seasons of recent years. Even an arrogant goofball like Brad Culpepper offered plenty of entertainment with …

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Survivor 27.6, “One-Man Wrecking Ball” showcases an old-school player’s greatness

In the pre-merge game of Survivor, it’s easy to think too far ahead and step into the muck. During her first appearance in One World, Kat believed in her alliance and felt betrayed when they kicked her out. She was a fun character who talked constantly and didn’t really understand the game. Kat’s goofy personality drew a return invitation, and she has spent this season under the radar. Of course, this week reminds us that changing your limited game isn’t so easy.

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Survivor 27.5, “The Dead Can Still Talk” reveals yet another layer to voting strategy

Survivor Review, Season 27, Episode 5 “The Dead Can Still Talk” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Considering all the twists in Survivor: Blood vs. Water, the old-school vibe has been a refreshing surprise. The family connections are forcing the editors to show the personalities of more than just a few star players. Laura Morett …

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Survivor 27.4, “One Armed Dude and Three Moms” shows the value of simplicity

Survivor Review, Season 27, Episode 4 “One Armed Dude and Three Moms” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Brilliant. In a season filled with twists, it’s the simple moves that can change the game. After watching his fiancé quit last week, Caleb steps out of the shadows and executes a stunning move at Tribal Council. …

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The Amazing Race, Ep. 23.01, “We’re Not in Oklahoma No More”

The Amazing Race, Season 23, Episode 1: “We’re Not in Oklahoma No More” Aired Sundays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Phil Keoghan appears and tells us it is high noon, and that we are in an old western movie ranch. This is merely an excuse for fun music as nothing is really accomplished here, even …

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Breaking Bad Finale Recap and Reaction: That’s All, Folks!

Breaking Bad is finally over. It’s been a long, emotional six (or for contractual reasons, five) seasons, from a goofy-looking guy driving an RV through the desert in his tighty-whiteys to tonight, but here we are. *Deep breath* Okay guys, let’s do this thing. We start inside the car Walt steals in New Hampsire, actually …

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Survivor 27.2, “Rule in Chaos” reveals a new side effect of this season’s formula

Survivor Review, Season 27, Episode 2 “Rule in Chaos” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS During the early stages of Survivor, luck plays a huge role in determining players’ fates. The votes can knock out people who barely get a chance to compete. An alliance forms and starts taking out the others, and it’s a …

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Breaking Bad Recap and Reaction: S05E15, “Granite State”: Americone Dream for Everyone!

Only one more after tonight. Let’s do this. “Granite State” picks up seemingly where “Ozymandias” left off, with the red minivan pulling into a vacuum warehouse. It’s not Walt who gets out, though, but Saul (how did we not see that coming last week?). His guy, played by Robert Forster, starts processing Saul, setting him …

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Breaking Bad Recap and Reaction: S05E14, “Ozymandias”: Breakfast will not fix this

Holy. Crap. We thought last week’s episode was intense, but “Ozymandias” takes us gently by the hand, pats us on the back, and patiently gives a masterclass in intensity. *Deep breath* On to the recap. After last week’s climactic final moments, and given the season’s habit of opening with unrelated scenes, it’s not surprising when …

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Breaking Bad Recap and Reaction: S05E13, “To’hajiilee”: Walt’s weakness is discovered

The episode begins with four masked individuals peering over a fresh batch of meth. As Jack takes off his mask, he asks Todd to check the batch’s purity. Upon discovering that it’s 76%, most of the group reacts with joy, save for Lydia, who expresses concern over the batch’s colour, a light yellow rather than …

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Breaking Bad Recap and Reaction: S05E12, “Rabid Dog”: It’s Old Yeller time

We pick up not long after last week’s dramatic cliffhanger. Walt pulls up to his street and sees Jesse’s car parked in his driveway with the door open and his front door kicked in. With his .38 snubnosed revolver in his hand, Walt comes through his back hedge, cautiously enters the house, sees the gas …

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Breaking Bad Recap and Reaction, S05E11, “Confessions”: The truth will out

We open with Todd, who’s leaving a message for Walt very faintly outlining the events of last week’s shootout. He goes into a diner and recounts his train-related exploits with Mr. White to his uncle Jack and Jack’s cohort, Kenny. Jack’s various swastika tattoos are clearly visible as he ogles the waitress who brings their …

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Breaking Bad Recap and Reaction, S05E10, “Buried”: The Ladies take Center Stage

We pick up this week with Jesse, rather than where we might expect after last week’s explosive conclusion. The cold open features one of the patented Breaking Bad scenes: a slow, patient, seemingly unrelated scene leading to a character moment. An elderly gentleman leaves his home and slowly walks to his car. When he turns …

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Breaking Bad Recap and Reaction, S05E09, “Blood Money”: And we’re back

The ever erudite Simon Howell will have a review of the midseason premiere of Breaking Bad later tonight, but until then, here’s a quick look at the most anticipated return of the year. From the opening shots of a seeming skateboard ramp to the closing ones with Walt and Hank, “Blood Money” is fully aware …

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Survivor 26.14, “Last Push”: A messy season ends with a clean winner

Despite the unpredictable second half of Survivor: Caramoan, a sense of inevitability dominates the finale. Cochran has avoided the vote throughout the game, and his victory feels secure after he wins the final immunity challenge. The only question is whether Dawn or Sherri will receive any votes, and the bitter jury makes it clear neither has much chance to crack the scoreboard. While Jeff Probst makes a huge deal about Cochran being unconventional, it’s not a surprise to see him win the million

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Survivor 26.13, “Don’t Say Anything About My Mom”: Another blindside reduces a strong player to tears

Survivor Review, Season 26, Episode 13 “Don’t Say Anything About My Mom” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS An interesting characteristic of this season’s returning players has been the goal to change the perceptions about their original games. Dawn wants to avoid following someone else and getting stuck in a minority alliance. Andrea tried …

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The Amazing Race 22.11, “Beacon of Hope” is an entertaining finish despite the predictable outcome

When evaluating the cast of each Amazing Race season, it’s easy to look at two strong guys and expect them to blow through the race. When this pair includes professional athletes, that chance seems even greater. The interesting part is that physical competitors frequently go out early. They could be poor navigators, struggle with intricate tasks, or just hit a run of bad luck.

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Survivor 26.12, “The Beginning of the End”: Two contenders exit, and one’s a big surprise

In the very first episode of Survivor: Caramoan, Andrea faced serious danger by playing way too hard. She went after Francesca and received four votes from the minority group. The favorites’ dominance kept her off the radar for a while, but she’s survived a few close calls. Andrea’s chosen a risky game all season, and she faces the music this week. Once the other favorites learn that she’s targeting Brenda, they turn the tables and blindside her in the episode’s second Tribal Council.

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The Amazing Race Ep. 22.10, “Working Our Barrels Off”: Complacency is a dangerous thing

This week’s Amazing Race splits the five remaining teams into two separate groups and forces one to scramble to avoid elimination. The interesting part is how they end up divided by several hours during the jaunt through Scotland. The leg begins with the warning that a U-Turn will be ahead, but that plays only a minor role in the ultimate outcome. Instead, it’s the lack of diligence from Joey and Meghan and the roller derby moms that pushes them to the back of the pack.

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Survivor 26.11, “Come Over to the Dark Side”: A fan favorite bites the dust

Survivor Review, Season 26, Episode 11 “Come Over to the Dark Side” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS Survivor fans love players who make big moves and don’t coast to the end. They’d much rather see a strategist like Rob Cesternino jumping alliances and shaking up the game then watch a dominator like Kim Spradlin. It …

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The Amazing Race Ep. 22.9, “The Ultimate Fun House”: Front-runners struggle in an action-packed leg

The Amazing Race Review, Season 22, Episode 9 “The Ultimate Fun House” Airs Sundays at 8pm (ET) on CBS This week’s action-packed episode of The Amazing Race reveals the best and worst aspects of the current incarnation of this long-running show. After 22 seasons, it’s impressive to see challenges that still feel creative and exciting for …

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Survivor: Caramoan 26.10, “Zipping Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” brings an incredible comeuppance

Survivor: Caramoan Review, Season 26, Episode 10 “Zipping Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Airs Wednesdays at 8pm (ET) on CBS This week’s Survivor episode is thrilling for so many reasons. It forces players to make decisions on the spot at Tribal Council, which rarely happens. The dominant alliance loses one of its members and can’t take the …

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