I disagree with some of you saying the season is boring. For me, it comes down to how entertaining and memorable the cast is, and it's certainly the best since Pearl Islands. Honestly, how many people left an impression/made for good television in the last few seasons?
Vanuatu: Chris/Twila (sorta)/Eliza/Ami
Palau: Bobby Jon/Stephenie/Ian/Katie/Tom (This season had the least talkative 4th, 5th and 6th place finishers in the show's history in fact)
Guatemala: Brian/Amy/Bobby Jon/Jamie/Gary/Rafe/Stephenie/Danni (only because she won)
Of the four people booted already, three of them left a strong impression (Tina/Melinda/Misty) which is in direct contrast to the rest of the recent seasons where we don't even learn anything about the first few that are sent packing. We're off to a strong start in deed.
Lastly, since I'm a strategic buff (I really could care less about the reward challenge, for example, because as Richard Hatch said in All Stars, it really doesn't make a difference), here's my thoughts on the players and where they stand:
Aras: As seen in the last episode, he has a very positive attitude, a huge challenge/camp help and is extremely well liked. His one downfall of late was outright telling Cirie/Melinda that they would be the ones going home (a la Lex) and taking a side in the Shane/Danielle debacle.
Austin/Nick : These two goofed up horribly when they booted Misty. If they had went along with Dan/Terry's original plan and booted Ruth Marie in Episode 3, they would still have had the option of choosing between Misty/Sally and Dan/Terry without anyone in the tribe feeling alienated. Instead, they made Sally feel like an outcast by booting Misty. Keeping Sally over Ruth Marie in the last episode was an even worse move as she's likely to turn against her tribemates in either an upcoming tribe twist or the merge, whereas Ruth Marie would've felt a part of things and stuck with the guys.
Bobby: Needs to shut his trap and help around the camp. Since Casaya has the numbers, I think they'll have no problem booting him next as they already have a two person lead right now.
Bruce : Pulling his weight and is well liked, but he's not part of Casaya's four person power group. He might need to think about switching sides after a tribe switch (or possibly the merge).
Cirie: Playing the game as best she can and letting everyone else quarrel and lose their place in the pecking order. Smart woman.
Dan: Voting for 'Sally' may have been a horrid move, particularly if he didn't tell Austin/Nick/Terry about it beforehand. Also, he's a physical liability of sorts, and if La Mina loses another immunity challenge, he may be sent home.
Courtney/Danielle/Shane : All in the same boat really. They're in a power alliance in a dominating tribe and assumably will be the Final Four. They just need to stop the fighting.
Sally : Definitely should think of switching sides when the opportunity arrives. Her tribe is likely to be pagonged if they lose another immunity challenge, so it would be best to buddy up with the enemy and they might let her into key alliances as she doesn't look like an individual immunity threat.
Terry: Doing everything right, but he has a big dillemma concerning the hidden immunity idol, either:
A) Tell everyone about it - This only makes sense if he's in a power spot or in a weak position at the merge in terms of numbers. By telling the folks in power that he has the idol, they might not vote for him for a TC, and then figure out a way to vote for him in the next one and send someone else home. In other words, it can prevent him from having to use it right away if he knows he's the target.
B) Keep It A Secret - This strategy works best if he wants to help out his La Mina tribemates. For example, let's say the merge happens at Final 10, and there's only 4 La Mina members compared to 6 from Casaya. Since Terry would likely be the first target of the opposing alliance, he would receive the majority of the votes, but thanks to the idol, the person with the second most votes would be sent home. In other words, La Mina could knock down a Casaya and make it 4 against 5. Also, If La Mina can win the next two ICs and reach the merge with 5, they could theoretically take control if the other tribe was idiotic enough to vote for someone who was at Exile Island.
Anyone else have their thoughts/opinions on how the game will play out? Right now, I'd say that three of the following four (Aras/Courtney/Danielle/Shane) will make it to the final four, while the other member will be eliminated due to Terry's immunity head. Aras seems to be the big threat to win it as he's very well liked and his yoga would surely help him in the final endurance challenge.
Vote him off before he goes postal!
I'm still around U2girlie, thanks so much so now I know for sure it's on!
That's a lot of fanship following right there. Wow. Thanks for sharing all of that. I've not been bored with the show, it's a different season and I like the Exile Island idea. I don't want Shane to win tho. It'll be interesting! 
