Now my only thoughts against Craig being the Mole are... is it too obvious? I mean... Nicole! Paul! At least try to pretend there was another player taking that quiz with you!!!!! That entire episode I had this mental picture of a camera guy/producer in a confessional with, I dunno, Paul, rubbing his temples in worry, saying, "Okay, Paul. You know it's Craig, I know it's Craig, Nicole knows it's Craig, Mark knows it's Craig, we all know it's Craig. But... can you pretend Mark did something suspicious today? Please please please?"
I'm a bit worried about Mark, because there could decidedly be clues for him (could a mission not involve soccer/writing on chalkboards? But, as someone pointed out, there are multiple clues for Craig, and there was a gold rush mission too. Yay Cali.), but once again, if Mark's the Mole: Worst. Mole. EVER!
I also think Craig should be the Mole because it would actually buck the three stereotypes that the Mole almost always is, even in foreign versions, two of which are represented in the finals:
1. the sly, crafty, 29-to-35-year-old woman (Kathryn, Nicole this year)
2. the hottest woman there (all the models from Celebrity Mole)
3. the old guy (Bill, Mark this year - okay, Mark's not old, but he's the oldest guy there)
Two things that further tipped me off that Craig's the Mole and Nicole's not:
1. Nicole's behavior and reaction at the execution. I don't like to read into behavior too much, because everyone seems genuine at times and everyone seems totally fake at times, but that girl was shitting herself and Paul was no better. Craig, on the other hand, was like "laaaa deee daaaa, 'tev." If it was acting, it was really great acting. Yes, the "it's me, it's me" seemed a little fake, but her voice cracked in nervousness a few times, in a way that seems hard to fake.
2. Craig's conversation with Mark about how he didn't want to be left in the final three with Nicole and Paul. If Craig wasn't the Mole, he should have formed a coalition with Mark right then and there, even if he did suspect Mark (because then, at worst, he'd be eliminated and not be in the final 3 with those crazies, which apparently he didn't want). I'm not quite articulating this right, but I think you can follow me here. If Craig had immediately jumped to be cell #4, this would be even more suspicious...
I guess the people who don't think Craig is the Mole are like "oh, well, Paul suspected him and he's gone! Craig isn't the Mole!" This is, well, wrong. If this was the first episode, it would be a pretty big tipoff, but it's not now. In both civilian F4s, everyone knew who the Mole was because they were all bright people or had good instincts (you could make the case that Al didn't in S2, but from his confessionals and such, I think Al really did know it was Bill, he just couldn't bring himself to admit it). It came down to a matter of information. Paul is a lot like Charlie from S1. He's a total jerk who had great instincts and was able to pick out the Mole from day 1, the very first one to do so, but lost in the F4 because he just didn't have the information or memory. I think Paul may have been answering straight Craig through the quizzes this entire time, which kept him safe all season long, but when it's down to him and one other player who also knows who the Mole is, and that other player is far smarter and more observant than he is (sorry, Paul; you've got the better instinct if that's what counts), he's gonna mess up a question here or there and lose.
Likewise, in the Charlie elimination episode of S1, Steven got the total "he is the team's HERO who DESERVES this exemption" edit. He ended up winning the game. Guess who got that edit this time? (God, please let Mark win. I love Nicole and all, but Mark will cry and destroy things if he doesn't. Nicole will just snark "well, I did beat Paul" and then go be a doctor.) I watch too much of this show...
Notice Paul was on the end of the line at the execution, and the only person next to him was Craig? Yeah, go back and watch Bobby, Kristen, and Alex's executions too (and notice who's behind Marcie, Liz, Victoria, and Clay). Oh God, I'm turning into one of those crazy people who sees clues everywhere. Also, loved loved loved Paul's snarky "you going first? Yeah, yeah, I didn't think so" or whatever it was to Craig. He knows Craig's name hasn't ever been called during an execution!
Paul. Paulie, Paulie, Paul. I can't say I'm going to miss you. You were like Boston Rob, devoid of 95% of the charm, humor, and intelligence. You were, by all appearances, sexist, homophobic, possibly racist, and unable to deal with those more intelligent or taller than you. But the last two episodes, you won me over, just a little. Your daughter's so freaking adorable, you were really funny when you were touching Jon Kelley's head ("DO NOT TOUCH THE HOST!!!!"), and I loved your sort of reconciliation with Nicole. Also, you were clearly a fantastic judge of character when you said that Mark was one of the greatest men you've ever met. :D!!! Then again, you had that whiny "I don't know why there's an exemption in the final four" speech, and according to the producers' blog, YOU MADE MY MARK WEEP. NO. NO YOU DO NOT. Bye Paul. If I go to Yonkers to visit family, I will gladly babysit Alexa.
Speaking of the Nicole/Paul reconciliation, when Mark and Craig left the table, I automatically started cringing. But then, I realized, "whaaaa? They're having a civil conversation?" And then later... another one? And then later... yet another one? And then... they toasted? What the heck? That was a dead giveaway one of them was leaving, and... well... I'm glad it was the person who did.
As much as I want Mark to win (because, like I said, he'll cry if he doesn't, and then I will probably cry), I think Nicole's edit or whatever has been fantastic. At the beginning, you didn't even "love to hate" her, to steal a phrase from Paul. You just hated her, like when she started uncontrollably cursing after Marcie assigned her to sleep outside. That's not the Nicole we know now. Then, she stayed bitchy but got smart and became beyond entertaining ("I'ma kill you while you sleep!"). Now, she's a scrappy never-say-die player (even when she wants to say die, like last week) with spunk and smarts. Love that she was sort of sad to see Paul go. I get where she's coming from. Was it just me, or did she look very Carrie Bradshaw at the execution?
Quick stuff after the ridiculously long paragraphs above:
Jon Kelley was, dare I say it, Anderson Cooper-esque in that episode. I loved so much about the things he chose to be in the camera challenge. He's such a great host.
I was bewildered last week when Craig didn't almost die. I'm glad we're back to normal (I kept cringing when that board was bending down).
I thought the last part of the blindfolded/video mission was virtually impossible, so I was super impressed when Mark and Paul actually accomplished it. Oh, and if Mark was the Mole, he literally would have had to waste one second. Once again: Worst. Mole. EVER!
Nicole: "Sweet, gentle Mark with three kids doesn't have a killer instinct!" Um, was she around for the journal burn and All for One?!
Loved all Paul's comments during the word puzzle part of Cell Out. So, so funny. I'm quite sure he had no idea how that worked.
I'm sad there are no "trapped in a crazy hotel room" tests based on next week's promo. The "Tiny Bubbles" challenge was the best of Season 2, and the EPIC Three Rooms challenge is probably the best Mole challenge of all time.
This game is getting in my brain, because when I saw the multiple shots of that guy with the dog, I was like "OMG WHAT CONTESTANT HAS A DOG?!" Damn you, Mole!
Paul: "I nailed one of these guys on day 1." Was I the only one that regressed to third grade and giggled?
Oh, one last thing, because this post is long enough already and... did I mention this yet? PAUL FREE!!!! IN EPISODE EIGHT!!!!!
I'm a bit worried about Mark, because there could decidedly be clues for him (could a mission not involve soccer/writing on chalkboards? But, as someone pointed out, there are multiple clues for Craig, and there was a gold rush mission too. Yay Cali.), but once again, if Mark's the Mole: Worst. Mole. EVER!
I also think Craig should be the Mole because it would actually buck the three stereotypes that the Mole almost always is, even in foreign versions, two of which are represented in the finals:
1. the sly, crafty, 29-to-35-year-old woman (Kathryn, Nicole this year)
2. the hottest woman there (all the models from Celebrity Mole)
3. the old guy (Bill, Mark this year - okay, Mark's not old, but he's the oldest guy there)
Two things that further tipped me off that Craig's the Mole and Nicole's not:
1. Nicole's behavior and reaction at the execution. I don't like to read into behavior too much, because everyone seems genuine at times and everyone seems totally fake at times, but that girl was shitting herself and Paul was no better. Craig, on the other hand, was like "laaaa deee daaaa, 'tev." If it was acting, it was really great acting. Yes, the "it's me, it's me" seemed a little fake, but her voice cracked in nervousness a few times, in a way that seems hard to fake.
2. Craig's conversation with Mark about how he didn't want to be left in the final three with Nicole and Paul. If Craig wasn't the Mole, he should have formed a coalition with Mark right then and there, even if he did suspect Mark (because then, at worst, he'd be eliminated and not be in the final 3 with those crazies, which apparently he didn't want). I'm not quite articulating this right, but I think you can follow me here. If Craig had immediately jumped to be cell #4, this would be even more suspicious...
I guess the people who don't think Craig is the Mole are like "oh, well, Paul suspected him and he's gone! Craig isn't the Mole!" This is, well, wrong. If this was the first episode, it would be a pretty big tipoff, but it's not now. In both civilian F4s, everyone knew who the Mole was because they were all bright people or had good instincts (you could make the case that Al didn't in S2, but from his confessionals and such, I think Al really did know it was Bill, he just couldn't bring himself to admit it). It came down to a matter of information. Paul is a lot like Charlie from S1. He's a total jerk who had great instincts and was able to pick out the Mole from day 1, the very first one to do so, but lost in the F4 because he just didn't have the information or memory. I think Paul may have been answering straight Craig through the quizzes this entire time, which kept him safe all season long, but when it's down to him and one other player who also knows who the Mole is, and that other player is far smarter and more observant than he is (sorry, Paul; you've got the better instinct if that's what counts), he's gonna mess up a question here or there and lose.
Likewise, in the Charlie elimination episode of S1, Steven got the total "he is the team's HERO who DESERVES this exemption" edit. He ended up winning the game. Guess who got that edit this time? (God, please let Mark win. I love Nicole and all, but Mark will cry and destroy things if he doesn't. Nicole will just snark "well, I did beat Paul" and then go be a doctor.) I watch too much of this show...
Notice Paul was on the end of the line at the execution, and the only person next to him was Craig? Yeah, go back and watch Bobby, Kristen, and Alex's executions too (and notice who's behind Marcie, Liz, Victoria, and Clay). Oh God, I'm turning into one of those crazy people who sees clues everywhere. Also, loved loved loved Paul's snarky "you going first? Yeah, yeah, I didn't think so" or whatever it was to Craig. He knows Craig's name hasn't ever been called during an execution!
Paul. Paulie, Paulie, Paul. I can't say I'm going to miss you. You were like Boston Rob, devoid of 95% of the charm, humor, and intelligence. You were, by all appearances, sexist, homophobic, possibly racist, and unable to deal with those more intelligent or taller than you. But the last two episodes, you won me over, just a little. Your daughter's so freaking adorable, you were really funny when you were touching Jon Kelley's head ("DO NOT TOUCH THE HOST!!!!"), and I loved your sort of reconciliation with Nicole. Also, you were clearly a fantastic judge of character when you said that Mark was one of the greatest men you've ever met. :D!!! Then again, you had that whiny "I don't know why there's an exemption in the final four" speech, and according to the producers' blog, YOU MADE MY MARK WEEP. NO. NO YOU DO NOT. Bye Paul. If I go to Yonkers to visit family, I will gladly babysit Alexa.
Speaking of the Nicole/Paul reconciliation, when Mark and Craig left the table, I automatically started cringing. But then, I realized, "whaaaa? They're having a civil conversation?" And then later... another one? And then later... yet another one? And then... they toasted? What the heck? That was a dead giveaway one of them was leaving, and... well... I'm glad it was the person who did.
As much as I want Mark to win (because, like I said, he'll cry if he doesn't, and then I will probably cry), I think Nicole's edit or whatever has been fantastic. At the beginning, you didn't even "love to hate" her, to steal a phrase from Paul. You just hated her, like when she started uncontrollably cursing after Marcie assigned her to sleep outside. That's not the Nicole we know now. Then, she stayed bitchy but got smart and became beyond entertaining ("I'ma kill you while you sleep!"). Now, she's a scrappy never-say-die player (even when she wants to say die, like last week) with spunk and smarts. Love that she was sort of sad to see Paul go. I get where she's coming from. Was it just me, or did she look very Carrie Bradshaw at the execution?
Quick stuff after the ridiculously long paragraphs above:
Jon Kelley was, dare I say it, Anderson Cooper-esque in that episode. I loved so much about the things he chose to be in the camera challenge. He's such a great host.
I was bewildered last week when Craig didn't almost die. I'm glad we're back to normal (I kept cringing when that board was bending down).
I thought the last part of the blindfolded/video mission was virtually impossible, so I was super impressed when Mark and Paul actually accomplished it. Oh, and if Mark was the Mole, he literally would have had to waste one second. Once again: Worst. Mole. EVER!
Nicole: "Sweet, gentle Mark with three kids doesn't have a killer instinct!" Um, was she around for the journal burn and All for One?!
Loved all Paul's comments during the word puzzle part of Cell Out. So, so funny. I'm quite sure he had no idea how that worked.
I'm sad there are no "trapped in a crazy hotel room" tests based on next week's promo. The "Tiny Bubbles" challenge was the best of Season 2, and the EPIC Three Rooms challenge is probably the best Mole challenge of all time.
This game is getting in my brain, because when I saw the multiple shots of that guy with the dog, I was like "OMG WHAT CONTESTANT HAS A DOG?!" Damn you, Mole!
Paul: "I nailed one of these guys on day 1." Was I the only one that regressed to third grade and giggled?
Oh, one last thing, because this post is long enough already and... did I mention this yet? PAUL FREE!!!! IN EPISODE EIGHT!!!!!
