Let go, in life as in war. Jean-Junior and Christophe, Survivor Quebec’s cosmic twins, have dominated the game since the (first) day they wrapped Tiyaga’s yellow scarf around their scorched heads – from the sun, of course.
Posted 1:05 am Updated 6:00 am
Not really. It is guru Jean-Junior Morin, 41, an aluminum smelter operator, who pulls the strings and directs the voting in each of the tribal councils. Christophe, a 40-year-old worker, follows his master and adopts an odd, supposedly comical accent as he confesses to the camera.
As a viewer, it’s frustrating to see how all the competitors, save the lucid Joël, who multiplies the warning shouts to his peers, succumb to the sectarian charm of Messmer JJ, who mesmerizes them with his Ti-Guy sword, a piece of wood, JJ refuses himself to lend money to his comrades. Don’t touch my toy, fine. It’s so ridiculous.
Former member of Kalooban, ultra-determined karate instructor Karine, 37, was charmed in two and a quarter seconds by the unbreakable duo JJ-Christophe. Karine downed her Kool-Aid in one gulp and even betrayed 23-year-old Marika, who was trying to separate the two brothers from the Philippine jungle.
The feminist rebellion that would have taken reality TV in an entirely different direction was thus stifled by Karine, probably under the yoke of Christophe’s awful asymmetric sleeve sweater.
It was borderline pathetic at Monday night’s council as Karine, in extreme panic, begged JJ: what do I do with my immunity, do I take it out, play it? Like a teenager who wants to keep his place in the cool squad at all costs.
PHOTO FROM THE SHOW’S FACEBOOK PAGE
Karine and Sandrine
We never leave the schoolyard of our high school, we have to believe.
Good Karine will never win Survivor against JJ and Chris. We need to quickly break up this couple who form an overwhelming alliance analogous to that of the after-party in Big Brother Celebrities. A situation of hegemony that always leads to predictable episodes.
After the (expected) evictions of Sylvain and Nicolas, Preacher JJ delivered a hockey locker room speech such as “The gang is the gang, we’re not letting go, we’re still here, true to the post, ready to fight”.
JJ’s followers worship him and accept their retribution by forming the bottom of the pyramid, which means a scheduled elimination in the days to come.
Naïve Justine, 25, the equivalent of Jemmy Echaquan Dubé on Big Brother Celebrities, truly believes she belongs in the majority group. Poor Justine, with her car coupled to a locomotive that won’t get her anywhere. Does she know she’ll be out soon? That the bite that’s preparing will pinch a little more than that of a centipede?
PHOTO FROM THE SHOW’S FACEBOOK PAGE
Kimberly
And why are JJ and Christophe working so hard to protect Kimberly, 25, a very average competitor who is almost absent from the episodes? Sango, 28, even squandered his immunity on Kimberly as the unified tribe’s votes went for superfan Joel, 29, who also flaunted a protective shield.
Sunday night, JJ showered Joel with compliments, telling him he was Survivor’s toughest player, blah, blah, blah. The tone was anything but sincere and heartfelt, bordering on intimidating. At 6ft 3in, JJ sat over little Joel, whose position in the adventure was always precarious.
And from the top of his pulpit, JJ does not tolerate dissent. As soon as one of his followers steps out of line, JJ lectures him: What have you done to him or her, you no longer play with us?
Maryse, 27, disappointed many fans by not pushing hard to save Sylvain, 41, her first ally at Kalooban. Sylvain was expelled a second time and again used a lifeline that landed him on the Isle of Salvation. Two resurrections for a single player, it’s unfair to those who didn’t even have the right to try to redeem themselves.
In the United States, Redemption Island was introduced in the 22nd season of Survivor in the winter of 2011. This “twist” was dropped three years later.
The week following Pierre-Alexandre’s nebulous fall was the least exciting of this season of Survivor Quebec. A few days before the merger, the two tribes twiddled their thumbs before being reunited under a sky-blue headband.
Yes, JJ sure has his heart in the right place and if one of his own takes a shot, he’ll be the first to hit the ice. And Christophe will defend his mate, in life and in war, because that’s what mates are made for.
Still, there are limits to letting your brother be in two irons, no, wait, there are limits to letting the two brothers do you, that’s it.