Originally aired on Thursday, 06/28/2007

Episode Rating: * (1 stars out of 5)

Episode Overview: Pirate Master continues its high seas journey, with another challenge and another Pirate Court.

Episode Highlights:

• Tensions are starting to build between the pirates as alliances solidify.
• It's another close call that loses one team the challenge.
• The captain and his officers switch things up when it comes time to hand out the black spot.

While it turned out on the last episode of Pirate Master that Joe Don Norton did not need the pardon he paid for, he's still glad he has it, thinking it's a useful thing to have in his pocket.

Meanwhile Nessa Nemir and Ben Fagan are getting cozy and Sean Twomey is annoyed.  He doesn't like how she is flirting with all the guys and using her femininity.  He thinks that she needs to go.

Nessa, in return, is not too thrilled Sean, and the two bicker later.  Jupiter Mendoza puts her two cents in, calling Nessa a "bitch" right to her face.

Meanwhile, beyond that fracas, Louie Frase is starting to see dollar signs during his time as captain.  Azmyth Kaminski may have lost the power (and his on-again, off-again British accent), but he's glad to still be there.

Christa DeAngelo hasn't thus far really distinguished herself physically, but this day she overcomes her fears and climbs up the mast to help with sailing.  She talks later about her daughter and gets teary over her desire to win for her.

Cameron Daddo arrives and it's the usual drill: chest, key, contrived story about treasure (the gimmick this time is playing cards), dividing teams.  Pirate Master seriously needs to switch up the format.

Black team is, of course, Captain Louie and his officers, Nessa and Sean.  Joining them are Joe Don, Christa and Joy McElveen.  The red team is Azmyth, Jupiter, Sean, Ben, Jay Hatkow, Kendra Guffey and Laurel Schmidt.

The lack of ingenuity on this show continues with the format of this challenge.  It's more of the same: rowing to an island, running around on the island (although this time it's an unexpected booby trap that hits the black team unexpectedly instead of a sabotage they can use against the other team), finding clues, etc. 

The black team maintains a lead solidly throughout the entire challenge, even after encountering a setback: the spyglass they need to use to scan the horizon gets wet and cannot be used. However, as Christa points out with irritation, there is only one other island on the horizon they are supposed to be scanning, so why not head in its direction and wait until they can see the clue with their own eyes.  So they do, and continue to lead, with the red team trailing behind until they are digging for treasure, and the red team catches up.

Then a critical error: Christa begins digging a hole but abandons it.  Jay continues digging in that spot and pulls out a small sack of treasure.  The red team wins and Christa is devastated.

Back on the ship, the treasure is counted ($40,000) and Azmyth is once again named captain for his fairness.  He names Ben and Jay his officers and once again distributes the wealth.  Laurel is thrilled for her first win.

Meanwhile, Louie's happy to be back as a regular pirate and buries the hatchet with Joe Don.  Nessa's feeling threatened and with good reason, as she later eavesdrops on Jupiter and Sean conspiring to get rid of her.  She decides to bid on the pardon, and Joe Don, who seems to be a little taken with Nessa, gives her some money to help with it. Since he receives the winnings, it seems surprising that he doesn't offer her more than the $2500 he does. 

Laurel might feel good about her win, but she is getting some unwelcome attention from Jay.  Jay is uncomfortable with her neutral lack of allegiance and tries to sway her vote.  She just finds this annoying, thinking that Jay is "two-faced."

Azmyth and his officers discuss the black spots.  Nessa has made it clear she knows she's in the hot seat, so they wonder if they even need to nominate her?  Whereas keeping her around might increase the dissent and make the group less cohesive, which might be good for those in power.  They decide they can switch things up and not nominate her.  Instead, it's Louie for sure - after all, he asked for it last episode - and Laurel for being neither here nor there.  And Jay sticks it to Sean, getting him a black spot for his going back on his word previously.

The black spots are handed out, and everyone is surprised it's Sean and not Nessa.  Scrambling for votes begins.  Sean talks to Kendra who wants Laurel out.  Christa might be gunning for Louie, thinking he is a liability in challenges.  Jupiter refuses to vote for Sean.

At Pirate Court, Azmyth delivers his rationales for selection.  His comments that Laurel hasn't taken sides gives her ammunition for her defense, and when she presses him on why she should take sides, he stammers for a while and eventually backtracks.  Sean delivers an impassioned plea to keep himself in the game.  Is it enough?

After the votes, Daddo informs Azmyth he's safe from mutiny, and Laurel is safe from being cut adrift: neither received any votes.  But Louie and Sean both have...and Sean has the most.  Was his bid for the pardon enough?  Nope, Nessa offered up the most, so Sean is cut adrift.

So far, only five of the sixteen pirates have been eliminated, yet already Pirate Master feels like it's dragging.  The challenges have become extremely repetitive, and while the pirates certainly have their manipulations and alliances, they feels nowhere near as meaty or interesting as Survivor, the show it was touted as being similar to.  Will the show pick up steam as the numbers get smaller?  Will there be an energizing twist?  Or are you feeling entertained enough just as things are?  Leave your opinions about the show in the comments below!

- Leslie Seaton BuddyTV Staff Columnist