We are now reminded in blue and white Rehash-O-Vision of James's rather random victory at the HoH competition. Mike tells us that it's three HoHs in a row for S6 (good counting!) and says he's happy to "give credit where credit is due." Howie hollers in the DR that everybody who doesn't want to see him celebrate loudly when they win HoH can kiss his ass, and how they've all been gunning for his group, which has been picking them all off. So Howie has really learned his lesson as far as not being overconfident. I wonder whether he realizes that "Season 6" is not going to win the money. Three of the four of them aren't going to win, even assuming as I now do that they may very well be the final four. They came in with an advantage so huge that other people haven't been able to overcome it, but it doesn't allow all four of them to win.

And how about that advantage, too? I mean, as was pointed out on the boards this week, it's not just that they put in four out of fourteen people from the same season; they put four out of fourteen people from the same alliance within that season. I think in terms of drama, it's just more of an advantage than anyone should have had. They avoided this on Survivor: All-Stars by mixing up the numbers and keeping people on separate tribes, but in this case, it's just math. Four people came in with a pre-existing alliance, and they didn't have to do any work to figure out a plan other than to stick with what they did last year, and they were already in power. It's not unfair, exactly; it's just boring, because it feels like they're now all playing out what they had when they came in. Unfortunately, they're not likable enough for it to be very satisfying -- at best, they're the least objectionable in a house full of the unpleasant -- so it just feels like the boring Pagonging part of any Survivor season where you just want it to start being interesting again so you don't constantly know what's going to happen. So to sum up, either somebody needs to shift the power, or somebody needs to do battle with a large wild animal. I know which one I'm voting for.