Reflections on Survivor - Why I Still Watch After a Decade

I don't watch Survivor as much as I used to. Back during the second season (I didn't see any of the first), Survivor was appointment television, and I joined a group of my friends around the television set every week to watch, and to talk about what we all thought would happen next week.

(Spoiler alert for the final episode of the season follows! You have been warned!)

The twenty-second season ended last night, and although I was pretty deliberate about watching the last half of the season finale, whereby Rob Mariano won the game, and the million dollars, after three previous failed attempts on the show (Well, I say "failed," but he did finish second-place on his second attempt—and then married the winner!), my viewing this whole season has been pretty sporadic. It's been that way for several years now.

I've always found these shows (that is, "reality" shows with non-celebrity players—although it's obvious that players hope to reach celebrity status by coming on, and Rob's certainly not the only player who can legitimately say that they've succeeded in this attempt) to be simultaneously fascinating and disturbing. Fascinating because the ways that human nature is played out in the relationships developed on the show, and disturbing for much the same reason.

That's not because Survivor displays only "secular" people—self-professed Christians have played, too, visibly wearing their faith on their sleeve, for as long as I've watched. I'd be lying if I suggested that wasn't uncomfortable with the faith that such Christians have demonstrated, but more charitably, I can definitely concede that Christians remain human beings, with all the failings that being human implies. And Survivor seems to be designed to draw those failings out into the open.

It has been said that the true test of a person's character is how that person acts when all comforts have been stripped away. Placed in such harsh conditions for nearly a full month, it's worth noting that it's not like all the contestants on Survivor throughout the years have been disagreeable. The fact that the producers were able to put together a season of "Heroes vs. Villains" (season twenty) is testimony enough to the fact that at least a significant number of players have demonstrated positive traits. It is how these traits come out, even in the midst of messy, fallen human beings, that keeps me coming back after more than a decade of this show. I don't think that one can truly find a nice, clear dividing line between "Heroes" and "Villains" (the producer-chosen tribal designations not withstanding). Most of us have aspects of both. I think it's good to remember that, and Survivor is a consistent reminder of just how complex human nature can be. That's why I continue to watch... if admittedly not as frequently as I used to.

Transformers Feature: BotCon 2010 Sky-Byte

Predacon Sky-Byte
Exclusively at BotCon
Do you envy me?

I mentioned last week that despite the fact that BotCon 2010 was nominally a Generation Two-themed event, the exclusives were actually a bit of a hodge-podge.  No exclusive that year came more from out of left field than Sky-Byte.

BotCon Sky-Byte is a remold of the 2004 Energon Sharkticon figure (with a new head), but bears a rather remarkable resemblance to the original Robots in Disguise character.  Sky-Byte is easily one of the most memorable characters to have been created in the first part of the 21st century.  The entire Robots in Disguise cartoon has a wacky flavor to it that sets it apart from other iterations of the Transformers franchise, but Sky-Byte’s character, with his penchant for breaking into haiku in moments of self-congratulatory arrogance, is rather unique.

Sky-Byte is evil
Yet has a gentle side, too.
Like his poetry?

Of course, BotCon Sky-Byte isn’t supposed to be the same Sky-Byte as the Robots in Disguise version, but rather his doppelganger from the “Wings” universe (that’s Fun Publications' designation for the cartoon-like continuity in which the BotCon 2010 comic takes place, named for the BotCon 2009 story “Wings of Honor,” which takes place in the same universe).  Although this Sky-Byte is distinctive in having a so-far unexplored connection to the G1 cartoon bad guys known as the Quintessons, and leads a group of Sharkticons (similar but not identical to the better known Sharkticons of old), he otherwise retains many of the characteristics of the Robots in Disguise version that made the Sky-Byte concept popular in the first place.  I hope he shows up again in either BotCon- or Transformers Club-related fiction.  Such a fun character simply shouldn’t be allowed to go to waste!

Looking for Sky-Byte?
Write to Fun Publications
Tell them you want more!

Transformers Feature: BotCon 2010 Clench

It's hard to believe that BotCon 2011 is less than a month away!  This seems like a good time to write about some of last year's exclusives (Shouldn't be too hard, as I've only managed to work in G2 Breakdown so far).  The theme for the 2010 BotCon set was, officially, "Generation 2: Redux," but that's mostly because saying "Late Generation 1/European Exclusives/Generation 2/and-a-smattering-of-Robots-in-Disguise: Redux" really doesn't flow very smoothly.

At least part of the reason for the hodgepodge is represented in Clench, here.  The original Clench was released in the European market before the "Generation 2" name was yet being used on Transformers packaging.  However, the distinctive G2 faction symbols were already in place.  Yet, the original Clench toy is in a very real sense a "true" Generation Two toy.  Or, at least, a toy physically identical to Clench in every way was released the following year under the Generation Two banner, but with the name "Colossus."

Although BotCon Clench is--like all BotCon toys--a repaint of a previously existing toy (Universe Onslaught in this case), the original is homaged in several obvious ways.  The new head is unmistakable, as is the color scheme.  The folks who wrote the Tech Specs that came with the toy really went the extra mile, though, in giving Clench weapons called "Colossus Cannons."

While we're still in the pre-convention speculation period that precedes every BotCon, whereby fans try to figure out what toys will be used for which characters at the next convention, it's worth noting a joke that the people at Fun Publications pulled on the Transformers fanbase shortly before Clench's identity as an Onslaught repaint was officially announced.  Recognizing that some fans had figured out how to guess at the URLs that led directly to the image files for some toys before the links had been officially announced, the Fun Publications team uploaded this image to the URL that would have applied to Onslaught, suggesting that Clench was to be a repaint of the similarly-recent "Tankor" figure (better known as Octane).  It wasn't long before the joke was revealed for what it was, but fans still had plenty of time to throw a fit that the Tankor figure (believed by many to one of the worst figures to come out that year) would be used for this exclusive.

Transformers Hall of Fame 2011 - Vote for Action Master Thundercracker

Well, since Ratchet is ineligible for support for the Hall of Fame (the non-Marvel-ness of the Ratchet likely to actually be honored notwithstanding), let's have some fun.  Vote for this guy instead!

And, for those who've missed it, you can have more fun with Action Master Thundercracker here, and read my efforts to get a toy produced here and here.

Transformers Hall of Fame 2011 - Vote for G1 Marvel Ratchet

Because it's that time of year again.  (Actually, I'm told that Ratchet is already being inducted this year, without the need for a vote, but I have doubts that they recognize that the Marvel version isn't the same as, say the current version seen in Transformers: Prime, let alone the old cartoon version)

Transformers Feature: Kabaya Ultra Magnus (2010)

A couple of weeks ago, the folks at Fun Publications finally unveiled MCAX.com.  This site has been promised to members of the official Transformers club (and others) for several years now, so it's good to finally see the promise become a reality.  Basically, MCAX.com is intended to be an alternative to eBay.  Members are able to post items for sale without having to worry about those annoying fees that eBay charges (unless you choose to utilize certain special features).  I have doubts that MCAX.com can ever develop a sufficiently large userbase to be of much value to most fans.  If there aren't a lot of people selling, there's not a whole lot to buy.  To their credit, the site is free to everyone (not just club members) until Labor Day, so head on over there to see if something interests you.

My first purchase from MCAX.com was a model kit of Generation One Ultra Magnus produced by a company named Kabaya.  I've been reading about these things for several years now, but I've never actually bought one before.  Basically, they're little model kits sold with a piece of chewing gum (that's the packet to the left) so they can be sold in grocery stores.  The Asian grocery stores here in Southern California often have lots of these kits from Kabaya, from all sorts of different franchises, although I've never seen a Transformers kit "in the wild," but only through online vendors.  My model-making skills are decidedly rusty (the last time I put them to use being at the BotCon 2009 Customizing Class), but strangely enough, none of the reviews of these figures (and there are actually quite a few of them out there over the past 25+ years) seem to go into any detail about the construction of the models, so I'll do what I can here.

In a nicely efficient use of space, the assembly instructions are printed on the inside of the box itself (which itself has a perforation along one side to ensure you open it correctly).  Although the instructions are in Japanese, the images are reasonably clear, and the numbers are the same Arabic numerals we westerners are familiar with, so I didn't really have much trouble following along.  The instructions do suggest putting the stickers in place while you assemble the figure, but I held off on that at first.  I'll explain why in a bit.

As with any model kit, you put the pieces together in sections.  Here's a somewhat fuzzy (sorry!) picture of the legs.  The arms and torso were each their own individual sections, as well. The set doesn't really require any glue, and in fact I would recommend against using any.  This model is, in fact, a transforming toy much like the "real" Transformers.  Think of it as a smaller-scale and simplified version of the original, and you're not too far off from the idea.  To use glue on the wrong piece would be disaster!

In the case of this Ultra Magnus model (Kabaya did another one back in the mid-80's), the assembled figure is almost entirely blue (the only exceptions are for the black rifle and small smokestacks, and the white arms and missile launchers).  This is why the stickers were provided, but I can't tell you how tempted I was to just paint it up instead, despite my previously stated lack of painting skills.  I hate stickers that much!  Here's a shot of the unstickered-vehicle mode.

Ultimately, the need to go ahead with the original intention won out, and so here's Ultra Magnus with the absurd number of stickers applied.  This is really pretty ridiculous.  While I grant that one shouldn't expect all the pieces to be molded in all the colors of the original, part of the problem here is that the stickers are going over sections that have molded detail on them.  If I was putting those big white stickers over smooth legs, for example, it wouldn't be nearly as much of a problem as what we have here.  I'll truly be shocked if that sticker on Ultra Magnus' face stays on for more than a few months, and just look at the cab in the picture below!

Even so, this was a fun little afternoon project, and worth the money I paid to get it.  I doubt I'd ever do a lot of these (unless they do start showing up in grocery stores that I can actually go to here in Southern California, at which point I don't have to pay for shipping), but it makes for a somewhat unique addition to the collection.  And even the chewing gum wasn't at all bad!

I'm Not Really Irish

While chatting with my sister online, we got to talking about yesterday's St. Patrick's Day holiday.  The love of all things Irish commonly associated with that day got us to thinking about one of our favorite movies from our childhood, The Happiest Millionaire.  As I said when I mentioned that movie a few years back, we really like the stuff featuring Tommy Steele, and can actually skip most of the actual plot that pads the middle of the movie.  But an early song featuring Steele from the movie, "I'll Always Be Irish," seemed especially appropriate.  You can find lyrics to the actual song here, but we decided to go in a different direction.  The parody that follows was written as a collaboration between the two of us.

I'm Not Really Irish
by Mark Baker-Wright and Ruth Wright

One night last week I pined away, at places far and near
All the sights I've never seen and never will, I fear.
I know I'll never see the place, and yet I dream to see,
that land of magic wonderment, that calls so much to me.

I'll always be Irish! Well, actually, I lie!
I'm NOT really Irish, you can poke me in the eye!
Although I can sing Danny Boy, and even sing it well,
If I try an Irish accent it will make you want to yell!

I’m not really Irish, I guess that’s plain to see,
I’m not really Irish, though I’d give the world to be!
I love to eat potatoes, and I’m not real fond of snakes,
But the closest I can get to green is baking minty cakes!

I’m not really Irish, I’ve known this for awhile,
I’m not really Irish, ‘though I love the Emerald Isle
I'd love to kiss the Blarney stone, and have the gift of gab,
but I fear that my inanity would make it rather drab

I wish I were Irish, and had that lovely hair.
I wish I were Irish with the passion that lives there!
But since I'm an American, I've gotten used to that,
and I guess I'll have to settle for this t-shirt and a hat.