User blog:StrangerAtaru/Up The Creek - Where Cody Scores...Sort Of

-The beginning of this episode intentionally seemed to be a set-up for the next several episodes...and an unfortunate elimination...all thanks to one stupid aspect: Beth going to the bathroom during the explanation of the canoe trip. If she wasn't in there, or if Chris at least gave a slight hint to her when she left about the cursed artifacts on that island, then we wouldn't have the stupid Tiki Idol Curse that befalls the Gophers from here. Honestly, the Gophers did need a bit of a period of a fall after being successful for so long (two eliminations compared to 4 for the Bass), but to do so with that nonsense of a curse...let's just say if it weren't for Beth getting massive redemption in TDA, I would have just hated this episode just for that.

-The choices in canoe partners were just peculiar considering who ended up going with whom. The obvious ones we saw were for the most part plot related: Cody finally getting some time with Gwen while Trent was stuck with Lindsay and Beth, while Bridgette chooses Courtney (which is a lesser-spoken-about partnership) while Geoff ends up with DJ. But strangely there was also Heather with Owen (wait...why? What about the alliance: shouldn't Heather just be manipulating Lindsay and Beth...or is she just going with Owen due to his power) and then there was...Duncan with Harold and Sadie. Just...Duncan with Harold and Sadie (I know it isn't the real crux of the rivalry between them but Harold really should have nothing to do with Duncan even now if his life depended on it!)...something tells me the writer of this episode just had no idea and threw characters together at random.

-Cody's player attitude just got annoying on me. I know a lot of people are like Sierra and love him and I get an occasional chuckle from those moments, but it just gets annoying...to the point that I can understand why Gwen can't stand him. There are much better aspects regarding Cody in this episode, including his selflessness in knowing who belongs where and just his ingenuity on thinking on his feet and his brains on the moment. Sometimes I wished those aspects were shown more than his phony, pushy side.

-Probably the real character who grew the most thanks to this episode was DJ. Sure we know what we have seen before and what's coming later this season and the next two, but this is probably one of the few episodes that shows there is more to him than just the softy animal-and-mama lover. The way he interacted with Geoff was a highlight to his character, even though you have to wonder why he would equate falling in love with...bunnies. Though...the water phobia bit somehow made me think this was an afterschool special.

-And speaking of afterschool specials...I get Geoff was used here to probably try and further his sub-plot with Bridgette and the weird macaroni object but did we really need the stupid bit with the leg? It just further made it seem like one of those "triumph over adversity" moments.

-And then there was Izzy...we saw how weird she was prior to this episode, but this was for the most part the sealer. I think it was strange she was paired with Leshawna and that the two of them seemed to be a really uneasy alliance the whole time, but considering there was no one else left I guess she had no choice. Though...you sometimes do have to wonder what was real and what isn't about Izzy considering how screwed up she is.

-You have to love all the super-evolved monsters that are based on the Canadian symbols that are thrown onto Boney Island. Giant wooly beavers...huge Canada Geese...yeah, it's those things that remind us that this show is Canada, not some generic stupidville like a lot of American shows do. And of course, only Chris would know the full story of all those things...

-I honestly think that the writer intentionally had a need to write Harold OOC in this episode, first being to row via Duncan (though that could have just been bullying), and then the stupid oars bit...um, what about getting back to the mainland? I guess this could be more "fuel" for the war between the two of them if...you know, Harold had lines in this episode!

-The reason why the Gophers lost was two-fold: the stupid curse and the stupid afterschool special nature of the episode where Geoff and DJ use adversity and turn it into victory. Then again...the cheese was so ridiculous on the latter that Beth didn't even need that idol to sabotage the team!

-Who deserved to go after this episode really was hard to say considering the Gopher's situation. Most of the main Gophers actually did their job in surviving the challenge, including Izzy. (as explosive as her fire-starter was) Honestly, the weakest duo in this episode were Heather and Lindsay: the former really just let Owen do all the work for her (again: you could say she was playing the game but she had no real use for her alliance this time like the writer forgot it or just didn't explain why she would make Owen do all that), while Lindsay just mostly sunbathed and got stuck in quicksand. As much as I hate to say it, Lindsay was the weakest...but luckily the RCMP showed up when it did. Izzy's first "unexpected exit" is just as epic as was!

-And in the end...well, Bridgette and Geoff are closer, Gwen and Trent are closer, and Cody gets less errands...for one more episode. (and meanwhile, in an unknown part of Canada, an insane girl is watching this episode again and again not realizing that most of it was stupid and just witnessing all the Cody scenes...)