FIRST KOTA SCENE:
Bob: Well I bet Marcus didn't see that coming.
KEN: The next one to go is Bob, so Bob should be worried right now.
Bob: I'm sure I'm toast if we lose another one.
BOB: If I'm to last, I'm assuming that I need to be in a merge. If we're not in a merge, I think I'm history (comical sound) even though I teach science. That was a little joke.
Here we have Bob aware that he's on the chopping block next, so he does show some self-awareness, and then he makes a joke about it, complete with the comical sound after "history" to emphasize the humor.
REWARD CHALLENGE:
Bob gets sent to Exile Island.
Corinne: I just know he could find the idol and I wish him the best of luck in doing that.
The idol begins the main part of Bob's story in this episode, and we know from his earlier confessional that he needs to find it or he'll go home, so I think the audience was meant to agree with Corinne on this statement.
EXILE
(Reading the clue)
BOB: I just arrived at Exile, and my choice is not to take comfort. I choose to go for the clue and that's a real clear choice for me because I am in deep doodoo back at camp.
OTT criteria = no "evil" strategizing if P - only focusing on loyalty or saving one's own skin
Bob was focusing only on self-preservation here.
(More clues and searching for the idol)
Bob: This is a perfect location, but I don't see it.
BOB: The first three clues came boom, boom, boom, and this one got me completely perplexed. I can't think of a leaf that I've left unturned. I have been more than frustrated. Sugar could have found the idol; I'm not exactly sure, but I've gotta do something.
Here he does show a bit of thought about the game in realizing that Sugar could have the idol, and he has to do something, but...
My plan is to make something that looks like an idol. I found something that looks like a skull, so I took the resin from the trees and glued the front of it with resin, and I've taken knick knacks that I found. Here's my new fake idol. I potentially have an idol that could threaten somebody else in the tribe. It's like when you're holding up a bank. You don't necessarily need a gun; if they think you've got a gun, they might leave you alone.
...even though he comes up with the fake idol strategy, why does he do this?
OTT criteria = no "evil" strategizing if P - only focusing on loyalty or saving one's own skin
Again, it's all about self-preservation and it links back directly to his earlier confessionals. We know that he's in trouble and he needs something to save his skin, so considering the positive tone that he has, the audience is supposed to be cheering for Bob that he comes up with this idol to save himself.
THE MERGE
BOB: The merge is a new lease on life for me. I knew my days are numbered. I'm the luckiest guy in Gabon.
Reinforcing Bob's vulnerability and ending with the line "I'm the luckiest guy in Gabon" to make the viewer happy that Bob should be safe.
So let's go over our possibilities?
UTR? Certainly not, this is probably the strongest episode he's had so far in terms of content.
CP? There's no doubt that we get a few insights from him, but he's still not a well-developed personality. Just recognizing that he's next doesn't consitute significant thought about the game and the strategy is not explained with any complex thought.
So that leaves either MOR or OTT, which the close call was between. My vote was OTT, and I have to admit that I was tempted to go with MOR because I felt bad for keeping my own rating. That's really not what I'm trying to do here. I have considered the points for MOR, but if I changed it just to change it, then I wouldn't feel right about that because I do believe that OTT is best in this case.
1) OTT means a character that is being characterized or simplified. In story terms, they are the villains and heroes, the ones we love to love or hate. A consistently OTT character is presented as a distraction to the other players.
I feel like Bob was simplified as, I guess if you want to say "hero" that would work, but he was the guy who we knew was vulnerable and needed to do something to save himself and then he goes to Exile, toughs it out with the clues and comes up with this great fake idol. "The luckiest guy in Gabon." He saves himself. That's the impression we're supposed to get, I think.
2) OTT players are generally always edited in a Positive or Negative light.
Definitely a positive intent, I don't think anyone disputed that.
4) Usually lacking in strategy, or strategy not expressed with much internal conflict - but they can have lots and lots of conflict with other people; no remorse if N and no "evil" strategizing if P - only focusing on loyalty or saving one's own skin
Now for the point that most convinced me of OTT. He has some strategy with the fake idol, but look at how it's presented. It's done because he needs it to save himself. No internal conflict about it. No remorse about potentially tricking anyone. It's self-preservation. It could have potentially been crafted into a complex situation, but it wasn't. Even the music during that scene was somewhat comical.
So my decision on Bob is OTT.
ETA: If necessary, I can go through the MOR criteria and explain why I don't think it fits.













