User blog:StrangerAtaru/Not So Happy Campers 2 - Where The Show Takes the Plunge

-Sort of feel sorry for Chef being a "temp intern" with the dive at the start. No, he doesn't get paid enough to do this silly show.

-Picking up where the first episode left off, we see the aforementioned cliff where the castmates end up being forced to take the dive or wear the infamous "chicken hats". Somehow I really liked that Bridgette, the surfer girl she is, went first with the challenge for the Bass, considering she's probably used to just as if not more dangerous waves based on her BG. The other dives reflect the characters personalities, from Tyler's pretender jock nature to...well, Ezekiel's over-enthusiasm. DJ and Courtney not taking the dive sort of makes sense with their characters: DJ because...well, he just couldn't do it, and Courtney not just because of physical fear...but more or less because it was a calculated risk. She took a gamble thinking the Gophers were going to fail at sending down more than they did...and while she ultimately loses, she already shows that she does show intelligence to at least try to play the game.

-Izzy seems to draw the line between "sane" and "insane": the sanity comes in the form of her switching with Katie so the dynamic duo could work together...the insane...well, liking opening boxes with her teeth. Speaking of Katie and Sadie...it does seem like their care for one another is just seen as a potential problem for later on, even if it's just peeing in the woods.

-The Gopher's dives begins with probably one of the most infamous conflicts of the season: LeShawna/Heather. The way Leshawna literally throws Heather just to get it started definitely reflects the bad times to come for both of them. Strangely, though, the interaction between Heather, Lindsay and Beth has already started to gel even with the cliff dive scenario and...well, we get the hyped moments (Owen's dive, which was mostly just the decider and thus why it was so hyped) and...well, Justin creeps me out. (yeah, the sharks)

-One of the main focuses of the episode seems to highlight one of the main factors of the first half: the camaraderie of the Screaming Gophers vs. the utter chaos of the Killer Bass. Strangely I have this weird feeling that all of the characters the series wanted to promote were put on the Gophers (rounded out with Izzy this time), then all the weirdoes they sort of still needed to work or figure out were made Bass...and then they'd figure it out from there. In fact, while the Gophers never even needed a leader, you have Bridgette, Eva, Courtney and even Duncan placing their bets for who the one who would lead them throughout the episode.

-The speech Heather made to Lindsay about "friends" seems scary considering all they go through this season. Lindsay should have realized she was being played...but hey, she's the dumb blond so of course she'd need time to figure that out sadly.

-Regarding the vote...well, honestly prior to Ezekiel's words that ends up getting him kicked off, I honestly would have probably gone with DJ. I know DJ is a great character and all, but honestly I really didn't believe in Duncan's little idea of him being an asset with his physicality. They had Tyler and Eva, plus Courtney's C.I.T. training and attempt at leadership (yeah...attempt...the whole group was already falling apart and she was stuck with a chicken hat and a bug bite, it isn't her fault that she was seen as the weak link so early) at least proved that she was still an asset. And...yeah, Lindsay really didn't want Taylor to go already, huh? Ezekiel seemed like he was kicked off mostly to just explain the concept...and mostly because he was such an oddball that the show figured "if we have to sacrifice someone first...why not him?" Sadly this doesn't help Zeke out storywise with later seasons and I sort of get why they did it but...the kid needs a bit more respect.

-Strangely this episode seemed to already set up the concept of the two "driven to win" the most: one being Heather with her knowledge of these types of shows, and the other being Courtney...mostly because of the embarrassment of this time and the other being her A-Type instincts starting to kick in after her humiliation on this first day. Well that...and just all the aggrevation of a team collapsing around her and some punk boy pissing her off.

Yeah...this probably is going to be the regular pattern and not as long as the first but I needed to get those first impressions across. I hope you like this and I sort of hope I get through the whole series.