[Anguirel]

I was about to defend Galadriel.

Then I remembered that in this perverse game, if you defend someone they get evicted within a couple of days.

Sooo...

We return to the elementary question; what makes the best Reality Telly?

((This post-modern approach is so ironic. Half us probably haven't seen a single episode of Big Brother, Survivor, or that ilk...I must confess to having watched the former once. I was disgusted to see them picking on an unfortunate, ah, lass called Kitten))

First, we have Merry and Pippin. Their chirpy humour went down well at first, but really it's running thin now, especially as the tabloids have exposed Pippin's faked university CV and Merry's past as a pot-dealer. Pippin is a whining child of privilege and Merry is just so flipping responsible, while being self-effacing and lost-looking. Depressing showing. Voters' favourites to go.

Then we have Hama. Unpopular beaverish beard hides chummy, matey behaviour and dogged loyalty, but not much else. Aragorn's gone so he can't deyfy anyone, and Eomer's gone so he can't obey anyone. He's a rebel/doorkeeper without a cause.

Then Gimli. Actually makes pretty funny jokes, and is a most efficient worker, but is getting disillusioned, crabby, violent and whenever possible drunk. Still definitely worth keeping around.

And Galadriel. A gift to the screen. A gift to the viewers. Makes interaction electric. All the boys are dying to serve her. Throw her off and they'll be listless and purposeless. Keep her on...and the duels and excitement will continue.

Remember people said evicting Grishnakh would stop arguments and take down ratings? Well, Galadriel is a much more powerful version of this situation. Come on, people. Killing Orcs is one thing, straightforward military bragging, like some interminable game of rugby in the Welsh drizzle. But really captivating arguments are the ones that rend the side of good, whether it be the Elves over the Silmarils, the Free Peoples over the rings, or the Elves, Lakemen and Dwarves over Smaug's hoard. This gets even better when Romance is involved. Love triangles. Daeron-Luthien-Beren. Arwen-Aragorn-Eowyn. Aragorn-Eowyn-Faramir.

And Galadriel has had many lovers, all in vain. Feanor, Celebrimbor, Gimli.

Gimli who is still here.

Give that up, and you're really not a judge of good television.