The Mole Revealed

My pick for the Mole (Mark) ended up winning the $420,000 prize. I was convinced he was the Mole. Mark played a good game and I'm glad to see he won the cash. He was surprisingly close to being executed many weeks while Paul, the guy who pegged Craig as the Mole earlier than anyone, got whacked at the final four.

This season was a big improvement over season #2 and those disasters known as Celebrity Mole. The game was better balanced and Jon did a credible job as the show's new host. We're looking forward to the next season.

Craig played a great game as Mole. He played up his weaknesses, got on everyone's good side and had them all rooting for him as a fellow player. Brilliant.

Now back to the Olympics...

The Mole - Final 4

Clay was executed on last night's show and now we're down to the final 4 players. Correction...final 3 players and the Mole. Is Paul, Craig, Mark or Nicole the Mole?

It's Mark. Mark's the Mole. He was my top pick for the Mole after episode 1 and I'm sticking with him. In last night's episode, he was the only player who didn't obviously try to sabotage a mission...he even stopped Clay from using his wacky lawyer math to mess up the "Smart" team. Every other player was trying to make themselves look like the Mole.

Up until then Mark was usually the one stubbornly refusing to complete a mission or was playing the hyper-paranoid card. Now he's Mr. Mission Success...at a point in the game when every player is trying to get people thinking they're the Mole. Coincidence? I think not.

What about Nicole or Paul? Everyone's favorite obnoxious couple. Neither is the Mole. Although Nicole was making some odd faces when she survived the execution ceremony...she never intended to leave the game. That exchange between her and her mom about hiding dead bodies was funny...I laughed when her mom called Nicole "Omarosa". I like Nicole's mom.

What about Craig? He could be the Mole. He's played a good low key game so far and is my #2 pick as Mole.

I'm happy to say that this season has been good. Jon Kelley is getting better every week as host and isn't doing the cheesy announcer voice so much. The exemptions have been much better blended into the missions than they were in Season 2 and most of the tasks have been fun to watch.

Looking forward to the remaining episodes...

Mole Episode1: Crowd Favorite Gets Executed

The new season of The Mole debuted last night with a twist. Marcie, voted at the start of the show to most likely be the Mole by the other players, was executed. She was my first choice to be the Mole when they were doing the introductions. Why? Because, as I told my wife, "stay at home moms are sneaky." According to ABC's Behind the Scenes blog, the show's crew thought she was the Mole, too! So I wasn't alone in my first impression...still wrong though.

Jon Kelley, the new host, looked more nervous at the start of the show than the players did and his delivery of the intro was cheesy. He was much better when he turned the announcer voice off and talked normally. It seems like he's able to develop good rapport with the players so I expect he'll get better as the season progresses and he gets more comfortable with the job.

The show itself was good...up until they announced the exemption. I'm not a fan of exemptions, they make the show distracting for viewers. I want to watch players complete the tasks and try to figure out who the Mole is...not scheme to win an exemption. The introduction of exemptions spoiled the 2nd season. This one was a surprise reward which makes it more acceptable since it doesn't waste as much show time. It sounds like players will know when it's up for grabs next week from the preview.

It's only the 1st episode but here are my top 3 picks for the Mole this week:

1. Mark - He's a history teacher...he should have known during the Selkirk scavenger hunt that batteries and blue jeans weren't around in 1704. That sob story during his interview may be legit but the delivery was a scam. I believe he does need the money...the money he'll win as Mole.
   
2. Liz - She seems very confident and crafty...like she's got an inside joke. Her occupation is listed as "Retired". Retired what? Undercover cop or secret agent perhaps? She was also one of the appraisers...but she did get the bag over the falls...but she also knew it probably wouldn't have money in it. Keep an eye on this one, she's up to something.
   
3. Paul & Bobby - Hey, it's the first episode and my #1 choice got executed so I'm calling a tie for the #3 spot. It won't happen again. Both of these guys were slackers in the scavenger hunt. Paul is over dramatic and is trying to get people to think he's the Mole...maybe too much. Bobby (aka Walking Skeleton...that dude is thin) was huffing and puffing from a collapsed lung while walking on the beach. Not sure if that's an act or not yet...from next week's preview it looks like he'll be doing more of it. He spends a lot of time hanging back and observing, letting others talk...good strategy for a player and the Mole.

Of course, the real Mole is probably someone who got little air time on this first episode. We'll learn more next week...

The Return of the Mole

Less than two weeks before the new season of The Mole starts! My wife and I are cautiously optimistic for the show. We loved the first season back in 2001. It had intrigue, exotic locations around the world and cool tasks to complete. It was the kind of show I'd like to go on.

In season 2 the show went down hill...the producers got exemption happy. Instead of players trying to complete tasks and identify who the Mole was, they were too busy competing for exemptions from the execution. The show lost focus and wasn't as fun to watch. ABC pulled it after only a few episodes.

Then the worst thing possible happened...Celebrity Mole. We saw maybe 5 nauseating minutes of it and never watched again. The show was dead to us.

Flash forward 4 or 5 years and a new non-celebrity season is about to start. The previews for this new season look good. It's got a new host...Anderson Cooper hosted the first two seasons but decided a serious journalism career was more important. Too bad, he had a great rapport with the contestants (to his credit, he didn't host the celebrity version) that added to the fun of the show. The new guy is a former sports reporter so maybe he'll do some cool stuff with the players, too. And maybe, hopefully, they'll go back to the original rules without all the exemptions.

We'll know on June 2. Stay tuned...