'Survivor: Micronesia' goes out with a bang - REALITY TV- msnbc.com By Andy Dehnart

What started out as a boring season ended as possibly the best ever

From its beginning to its conclusion, "Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites" was a season of surprises, both to its players and to viewers. The second all-star season limped into existence, a not-so-all-star collection of returning "favorites" and unimpressive "fans."

But it followed an exponential curve, transforming into a season worthy of the designation of "best season ever," at least in terms of game play, but also because it repeatedly offered shocking turns of events.

At its best, "Survivor" is a human game of chess, and this season the strategy and game play was thrilling to watch as pawns repeatedly and unexpectedly bumped off more powerful pieces, and other pieces fell off in startling ways.

During the 39 days, there were a record number of total blindsides at Tribal Council and the first-ever all-female final four — an alliance formed on the very first day that splintered only when it was forced to break apart.

That alliance took down the most powerful players in the game — men who were both physically and mentally strong — and nearly unbeatable because each of them held immunity. Still, never expecting it, they fell one by one (Ozzy, Jason and Erik — and Alexis, too, although for somewhat different reasons).

Keeping things interesting
Despite all of those strategic moves, both Cirie and Amanda ironically found themselves in nearly identical positions at the end of the game as where they were during their original seasons.

Both times, Cirie left the game just before the final Tribal Council, although in Panama, it was not due to a vote, but because she lost a tie-breaking challenge.

And Amanda found herself sitting next to two of the more overt schemers on "Survivor: China." And despite having a friendlier disposition, she lost to them, just as she lost to Parvati.

Those familiar moments were outnumbered by plenty of the unexpected to keep things interesting, like a record number of injuries and people to be forced out of the game for medical reasons, never mind the two people who quit (although one, Jonny Fairplay, asked his tribe to vote him out).

Even the final vote itself was a surprise because the jury members had just two choices. For the first time since "Survivor: Cook Islands," the game concluded with two players sitting next to one another at the end, not three.

Yet after all that, we're left with a winner who didn't make a whole lot of sense, at least not based upon what viewers saw.

Andy Dehnart is a writer who publishes reality blurred, a daily digest of reality TV news and analysis.

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