boston rob

(S20E03) How's that for a look of determination on Colby? Last week we saw the 'Survivor' heroes down two challenges. We also have seen some non-heroic behavior in their camp while Boston Rob has been quite heroic in the villains' camp. This season, although it's definitely grabbing my attention, has gone beyond the realm of heroes and villains. It's more like a bunch of power-players, wheeler dealers, schemers, lunatics, and a few decent folks gone a tad off their rockers thrown into the mix. It's All-Stars on energy drinks. It's brutal. But it's entertaining. That's all I need.

If you're a 'Survivor' (Thu., 8PM ET on CBS) fan, you already know about Rob Mariano passing out and needing medical attention. And he was really out of it!

"The funny thing about being unconscious is you don't remember anything," said the guy known as "Boston Rob." "I remember I was feeling really sick, and I thought I had to sit down. And the next thing I remember is there was a doctor or somebody talking, and I heard Jeff Probst talking."

Then he mumbled something to Probst about loving and respecting the game too much not to play. "I'm gonna win this game, dude. Watch this." Hey, they don't call it 'Survivor' for nothing!

Watch the video after the jump.

(S20E02) Well, well, well. It seems that Black Widow Jerri Manthey actually does have a tender side on tonight's 'Survivor.' No, she isn't coming on to Boston Rob. Nor has she murdered him, if that might be your concern. As seen on the promos all week, Rob had a bit of a rough time, thus giving the episode its title for the week. And, might I add, so dramatically said that one might think he'll be up for an acting Emmy. Was it an act? Is he still there or gone? Read on.

I am loving the latest season of 'Survivor'.

For one thing, every time I think about it, I get 'Heroes and Villains', the Brian Wilson song, in my head. For the uninitiated, have a listen. Now you can sing that in your head (or out loud if you're really talented) when the tribes march in for the next challenge.

For another, I love Boston Rob. Not in a 'TV crush' kind of way. My love for Rob is on a different plane from mere physical affection. It's the love that comes from watching countless hours of reality television and finding the characters grotesquely human - they change their minds, are inconsistent, or give up midway through a task because they are tired or hungry. Rob suffers from none of these problems. He behaves the way a written character would, God bless him. He even managed that most difficult of storylines, the unattainable girl, with aplomb.

(S20E01) We've already had epic hype for an epic season of 'Survivor.' More intense than a typical 'All-Stars' version, this season pits the (supposedly) best of good and evil in a battle to be the sole survivor. It's kind of like the Stephen King novel, 'The Stand.' Forces for good and evil, perhaps with a few shades of gray in-between, ready to duke it out for the win. Well, I could see Evil Russell being Randall Flagg, can't you? The casting is right for both sides. I would have liked to see Richard Hatch and Yau-Man Chan in there, but it wasn't my decision to make. I'm just a witness to the chaos.

Whetting our appetites for next week's 'Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains' season premiere, this evening's 'Surviving Survivor' was definitely an hour worth watching for any true fan of the show. So often clips shows tend to tread the trodden path, but not so much with this one. The focus wasn't merely on the castaways we'll see in the upcoming season, but a look back at the show's history and a peek at what's happening in the lives of some of our favorite 'Survivors' over the years.

I've watched since the first season, and it brought back memories of the phenomenon that was 'Survivor: Borneo.' Fifty-two million viewers, extreme watercooler chat, and the start of the reality competition genre.

Sometimes, even the auditions for reality shows can get controversial.

Survivor / Amazing Race contestant Rob Mariano ("Boston Rob") has been holding auditions for a new reality show he's producing called Tontine, and things got a little physical at a recent audtion in San Diego. Seems there was some sort of heckler at the audition who started saying things to Boston Rob. They got in each other's face, and a crew member tries to break up the two, but then all of a sudden Rob punches the guy, and the people filming it "oooo" and "ahhhh." Video after the jump (and check out the comments on YouTube, including a comment from the guy who stepped in the middle of the two and another guy who was auditioning at the time).

You never see this happen at the auditions for American Idol.