Immunity saves 'Pirate Master'

Cheryl Kosewicz

You knew Immunity was coming sooner or later. With only one reoccurring dramatic storyline to play with week to week, the producers of "Pirate Master" did everything they could last night to save their series when Louie Frase was elected Captain. Without the rivalry between the Rupert Boneham clone Louie and Captain Blye himself - Joe Don "J.D." Morton - "Pirate Master" would not even be treading water right about now.

As soon as Louie's team won the Treasure Hunt Challenge a new twist was coincidentally introduced by Mark Burnett and his brain trust: the Royal Pardon. Auctioned off to the highest bidder, the Pardon provided Immunity to the purchaser at Pirates' Court. As it so happens, nobody could outbid Joe Don "J.D." as he had pocketed most of the booty thus far on the voyage.

With the series baddie conveniently safe, Cheryl Kosewicz, one of J.D.'s officers during his reign of terror, was judged guilty by association and cut adrift by the crew. The plan worked out perfectly and to the producers' relief Louie and J.D. live on to fight another day.

Ye ole pirates at the start of the broadcast were:

1. Azmyth Kaminski.
2. Ben Fagan.
3. Cheryl Kosewicz.
4. Christa DeAngelo .
5. Jay Hatkow.
6. Joe Don "J.D." Morton .
7. "Joy" McElveen.
8. Jupiter Mendoza.
9. Kendra Guffey.
10. Laurel Schmidt.
11. Louie Frase.
12. Nessa Nemir.
13. Sean Twomey.

Ship Happenings

Cheryl finally figures out that "Pirate Master", like most reality shows, boils down to nothing more than a primitive popularity contest. Duh.

Jay wants rid of Cheryl. Sean gave his word to vote against her and he didn't.

Sean apologizes to Jay for lying to him. Sean: I couldn't go with it. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Jay: I have a saying...Screw me once, shame on you. Screw me twice, shame on me. Sean is dead to me now.

One wonders how dirty a ship's deck must get as the faux pirates are swabbing it...once again. Nessa has a water fight and flirts with J.D. Christa and Joy look on and gag. Nessa: I am not above using my charms on the men. Joy: The men are outnumbered on this ship. If Nessa's gonna be sucking up to anyone, it should be the women.

To pass the time, some of the 'pirates' race some crabs on the deck. Ben whines that when J.D. was in charge, the crew didn't act like this. Waaah! Somebody call the whambulance. Ben doesn't like people having fun. Party pooper. Laurel cannot understand a word Azmyth says. She thinks he is a "weirdo".

Rupert 2.0 loves sailing. Thanks for the news flash, buddy.

Treasure Hunt - Expedition

Tell me if you have seen this before...in two row boats, the Black and Red teams paddle to shore and then hike into the jungle to find a clue. With the clue, they will find the treasure chest.

Reward

The booty to divide up and the power to elect or keep a captain.

Result

The Black Team storms into the lead. Alone, Azmyth puts a puzzle piece over a map. A beam of sunlight reveals where the treasure should be. Azmyth thinks the burial sport is just a few yards away from the gigantic anchor on the beach. The Red Team is sure the "X" is right beside the anchor. After digging and finding nothing, the Black Team runs back into the jungle to decipher the clue again. Shortly after they arrive back on the beach, the Red Team unearths their chest.

Winners: The Red Team.

Plunder Meeting

Seems as if the producers are getting cheap. There is only $5,000 to divvy up...but the Royal Pardon is found. Host Daddo reveals that he will be accepting bids. Louie is elected Captain. He picks Nessa and Jay as his officers.

J.D. explains to Jay that he expects him to cover his back. If he gets a black spot, their alliance is over. An irate Jay says he doesn't like being threatened and he cannot guarantee J.D. will be spared. Jay: Our deal is over. Jay proceeds to grumble to the crew about how J.D. leaned on him. Nominations

Rupert 2.0 commands that the booty must be divided fairly amongst the crew. Rupert 2.0 tells Nessa and Jay that he feels that a captain should always be accountable for their actions, therefore, he will give Azmyth one of the black spots. Yeah, that makes sense. Go ahead, dude. Make enemies just for the heck of it.

Result: J.D., Azmyth and Cheryl are nominated.

Pre-Pirates' Council Happenings

Jay is gonna spend some dough to buy the Royal Pardon. J.D. ponders how much he will fork over.

Pirates' Court Happenings

Rupert 2.0 clarifies that he nominated Azmyth as he thinks all of the captains should be held responsible, Cheryl because she is J.D.'s ally and J.D. because he has a grudge against him. Azmyth says the experience and friendships they made are worth more than the treasure. Aw, how nice. Sniffle. Sniffle. Cheryl thinks she is being judged unfairly. J.D. doesn't see the crew as all smiles and cheers under Louie. He says he sees Louie as a friend. He doesn't understand the hatred. Where is the love? Where is the love?

The vote is four to three. Daddo announces J.D. put in the highest bid of $7,000 for the Pardon but he didn't need it as he received no votes at all. J.D. must now auction off the Royal Pardon before the next Pirates' Court.

Pirates' Court Victim: Cheryl Kosewicz.

Final Words: "I didn't bid for the Pardon. I just felt that if they don't want me here then I am going to go. To say that I didn't succumb to the backstabbing and the lying makes me a better person." - Cheryl Kosewicz.

On the next "Pirate Master": Television Nessa calls Sean "two-faced". Nessa: You said you were going to vote one way and you changed it. Sean: Nessa is conniving and I think with my sway, I can get her gone. J.D. loans Nessa $2,500.

Powell's Thoughts

Okay. What difference does it make if you boot the weak expedition players or not? They have just as much a chance as being on your team or the opposition. It is not like they are divided onto static tribes. Like any game, shouldn't the players be getting rid of who they believe is the greatest threat to them?

I appreciate that the producers are trying to crank up the drama after the nominations are made but they are neglecting the first half of the show which is dominated by tedious expeditions and weak life-at-sea footage.

The series is getting way too formulaic. It is not that the same events are happening week to week. It is that each episode is almost a rerun of the last in what footage is shown and in what order. Mix it up a little, people. Yawn.

Something to make you go...hmmmm. Azmyth, the wannabe actor, figures out the clue with nobody else around to observe the answer he arrives at. He then leads his team on a wild goose chase that costs them the challenge and sets up the whole Louie versus J.D. scenario.

It seems as though that the players who are cut adrift may return as a "Ghost Crew" to compete against the remaining players.