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Optimism for Maine Survivor's chances

BY ZACH DIONNE

BY ZACH DIONNE

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Ashley Underwood, originally of Benton, second from left, sits with fellow Ometepe tribe members (from left) Kristina Kell, Grant Mattos, Matt Elrod and Andrea Boehlke during the second episode of “Survivor: Redemption Island.”

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Benton native Ashley Underwood is set to move past the warm and fuzzy "Survivor" welcome phase and into the thick of the game tonight. Yes, assuming our Maine representative will go far is a show of optimism.

But is it blind optimism? Absolutely not.

Central Mainers opting to donate their Wednesday evenings to CBS purely for the hometown angle should plan on sticking around a while.

"Survivor" gamesmanship can turn on a dime. Some of the strongest, safest players have been in great standing at the beginning of an episode, only to find their torch snuffed at the end of the hour. But blindsiding and backstabbing tend not to factor into the game until alliances and strategies have taken definitive shape, which should benefit 26-year-old Ashley for this season.

I'd be shocked to find the former Miss Maine USA/Cony and UMaine basketball star/registered nurse nixed any earlier than episode six, if not much later in the season, which should run for 14 or 15 weeks.

That estimate ignores Ashley's impending strategies and how strong a foothold she can gain, however. The website AVclub.com lumped Ashley into a batch of "semi-invisible" players after last week's inaugural episode.

What seems like a jab related to Ashley's brief screen presence thus far could just as easily read as a sign of strong gameplay -- Ashley didn't make any enemies in her first three days, either.

Another player from "Survivor" history who rode the Semi-Invisible Express to victory was Sandra Diaz-Twine, the only contestant to conquer the game twice.

In an interview at the "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains" finale in New York City last May, just moments after winning her second $1 million prize by outwitting, outplaying, and outlasting her opponents, Diaz-Twine acknowledged the simple approach of not ruffline feathers can be the perfect start: "This time I felt invisible the first couple episodes," Sandra told me.

Last week, Ashley gave her all in a tribal immunity challenge where her small frame suffered against a strength-based test. She hollered in frustration at her team, and then didn't appear to contribute much to a final puzzle component in a contest that was all but lost. Past players have been voted out for similar noncontributions to lost challenges; the weak link du jour becomes an easy target for a defeated "Survivor" tribe.

"I feel like we let Rob (Boston Rob Mariano, returning "Survivor" legend) down. It's weird, but you want to please your leader, I guess," a deflated Ashley told the camera after the challenge. "But it sucks we have to go to tribal council tonight."

One reason Ashley's head was never close to the chopping block was her budding potential alliance with Boston Rob. The pair's interactions rang surprisingly normal and fluid for a first-time Mainer interacting with a veritable "Survivor" celebrity.

Rob also seems to like Ashley--they shared some good banter. The morning after a presumably rocky night of sleep in Ometepe's shelter, Ashley told Boston Rob his bed-frazzled hair looked like "greased lightning." He grinned.

So Ashley may find herself aligned with Boston Rob soon enough. That could be dangerous, but only if she gets on his bad side. Regardless that this is Rob's fourth time on "Survivor," he can't succeed without alliances.

Though we didn't see much more of Ashley's style or social strategy in the "Redemption Island" premiere, she did comment on the famous reality TV staple "I'm not here to make friends" in a conversation prior to the show.

"That's like the famous line, isn't it? It's hard to go into a game like that and think I'm going to come out with a new best friend," Ashley said. "I just wanted to go into it with an open mind and play the game for a million dollars. Whatever happens along the way happens along the way. 'Survivor' is a game where you have to back-stab people."

In the next episode, look for Ashley -- and her entire Ometepe tribe -- to continue dealing with psychopath Phillip, the bad, bald, alleged ex-federal agent. And tonight and beyond, keep your fingers crossed for a spider.

"I'm so scared of spiders I could die if I see one," Ashley told me of her biggest fear entering the game. "I would have dreams of giant spiders. It sounds so trivial when you're going to play a game like 'Survivor,' but really it was a big deal to me. I feel like such a baby when I say that."

But the self-described tomboy was quick to clear up: "I'm not scared of snakes or other things."

Zach Dionne is an entertainment editor at AOL's PopEater.com in New York City. He is a graduate of Messalonskee High School in Oakland and the University of Maine. This column will run Wednesdays and Thursdays for the duration of Ashley Underwood's time on "Survivor: Redemption Island," which airs on CBS Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Follow Ashley's progress (through Zach) on Twitter @mainesurvivor.