The Survivor Thread

[gmillerdrake]

I think he's burned too many bridges to win even if he gets to the end unless they buy his "I played the game and eliminated the threats as I had too" schtick he will try to sell.

I think there is some validity to that POV, but he is just too much of an asshole in going about it.  He isn't quite as much of a villain as Russell was, but it will end up the same - for him to get to the end, he will have pissed off everyone else.

Yeah, that's about how I see it. There is a more tactful and "gentle" approach you have to take to use that reasoning in the end. Ala Boston Rob.

[BlobVanDam]

A bit of a crazy episode for things falling apart. I was hoping Trish would go, so that was a good result. I'd be fine to see any of the remaining people win at this point.

[gmillerdrake]

I'm pulling for Spencer, and I think if he can get to that final group he will win unanimously. Tony can make a strong case about the way he's played bu if Spencer's there I think he can make a stronger one. Woo's been along for the ride but he's likable and well, Kass IMO wouldn't get one vote from the jury.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

As irritated as I have been at Tony, I'm now even more irritated at Kass.  I'm actually now okay with Tony winning.  It isn't like he hasn't really earned it.  Not to say that the others haven't, but he definitely seems to have busted butt to make all the right moves so far.  And he's been pretty good at keeping others from making moves against him.  If he doesn't win immunity next week, I think he's out.  Kass going to final three will be nauseating.

[gmillerdrake]

As irritated as I have been at Tony, I'm now even more irritated at Kass.  I'm actually now okay with Tony winning.  It isn't like he hasn't really earned it.  Not to say that the others haven't, but he definitely seems to have busted butt to make all the right moves so far.  And he's been pretty good at keeping others from making moves against him.  If he doesn't win immunity next week, I think he's out.  Kass going to final three will be nauseating.

Well you know she's going so have a bucket with you to hurl in when you're watching....you'd be dumb not to want her there. It'd essentially give you a 50/50 shot at a million bucks because I really can't see her getting a single vote.

Yeah, I wouldn't be bummed if Tony won it. Like you said, he's been working the hardest in this game to get that money for his family. And despite the couple blind sides and his tactics....it's not like he's been overly ignorant or annoying about it. He's actually been pretty straight forward. Blind sides have to happen in order to win the game and he's been on the good end of them. I think if he makes it to the end he should be able to craft a good speech and presentation on why he should win.

But I also think that if Spencer is there with him that Spencer would have a better chance of getting the votes because if he did it right....he could have an even better presentation of why he should win. And for as nice and likable as Woo is I just don't see him being able to back up any sort of justification for him to be awarded a million bucks....he's just 'been there', done really nothing.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

I should have ammended that to indicate that Kass going to the final three in lieu of Tony would be nauseating. 

[gmillerdrake]

I should have ammended that to indicate that Kass going to the final three in lieu of Tony would be nauseating. 

Yep...at this point it'd almost seem like cruel and unusual punishment if Tony didn't make the final three. He's worked so hard at it. But you can bet that if he doesn't win immunity that there's a very good chance he'd be voted out. Unelss they buy the whole "this special idol can be played still" schtick.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

And if they DO buy it, then they all deserve to lose.  He has a very strategic mind.  No doubt time spent being a cop has instilled in him a healthy dose of paranoia and distrust of others, so he's always trying to look at all the angles.

I'd be curious who Tony would vote for, if he did end up on the jury.  I would have to assume Woo, just out of loyalty, but who knows?  He could very well vote for Spencer for pulling out the wins when he needed to.

[BlobVanDam]

I should have ammended that to indicate that Kass going to the final three in lieu of Tony would be nauseating. 

Yep...at this point it'd almost seem like cruel and unusual punishment if Tony didn't make the final three. He's worked so hard at it. But you can bet that if he doesn't win immunity that there's a very good chance he'd be voted out. Unelss they buy the whole "this special idol can be played still" schtick.

They often doubt his bold claims of idols etc, but they also never seem to call his bluff on it. Maybe they will this time, because I think they'll want him out, regardless of any strategy of thinking they'll win votes against him. This could be the time he really needs to win immunity.

I don't think Kass would get any votes, and she's the only one I wouldn't want to win. Even though Woo hasn't pissed off anyone, he's a wishy washy player who has mostly stuck to Tony and hasn't had any real strategy, so I can't see him winning.
It has to be Spencer or Tony, depending on who makes it to the final 3. Tony has played harder, but Spencer has probably played the better all around game when you factor in the social aspect, and he's still done well in challenges too.

[Arry]

I would love to see a spin off show of the jury. Put the jury in a house, shoot it like a reality show. Be cool to hear the conversations around the way the votes going down...

[gmillerdrake]

I would love to see a spin off show of the jury. Put the jury in a house, shoot it like a reality show. Be cool to hear the conversations around the way the votes going down...

They do have the 'Ponderosa' episodes online that show them at the resort they're staying at in the meantime. Shows them arrive and a lot of the banter back and forth.

[Arry]

I did not know that...

[gmillerdrake]

I did not know that...

They are pretty neat. Although I doubt any will beat the All Star season when Coach and a bunch of the younger players formed a 'band' while playing 'Rock Band'....it was pretty funny.

Most of it is them going on local excursions and eating a TON of fantastic looking food. You should check them out.

[Arry]

Sweet. Ill check them out...

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

I did not know that...

They are pretty neat. Although I doubt any will beat the All Star season when Coach and a bunch of the younger players formed a 'band' while playing 'Rock Band'....it was pretty funny.

Most of it is them going on local excursions and eating a TON of fantastic looking food. You should check them out.

Oh hell, now that, I gotta see.

[gmillerdrake]

I did not know that...

They are pretty neat. Although I doubt any will beat the All Star season when Coach and a bunch of the younger players formed a 'band' while playing 'Rock Band'....it was pretty funny.

Most of it is them going on local excursions and eating a TON of fantastic looking food. You should check them out.

Oh hell, now that, I gotta see.

Compared to years past....this years Ponderosa episodes are rather tame and straight forward. Prior seasons seemed to have more interesting content. Not that this seasons is bad....but there have been more entertaining seasons.

[hefdaddy42]

I did not know that...

[BlobVanDam]

Very happy with the outcome. I would have loved to see Spencer win it, but after he got voted out, I was going for Tony all the way.
I was absolutely shocked that Woo voted out Kass. He didn't deserve to win after that move. In the final tribal council, his answers seemed very surface level, and not really winning over the jury. It was only Tony's game to lose at that point, not Woo's to win.

I wonder if they'll stick to a final 2 from now on. It's always a two horse race at best anyway, and this way gives them an extra chance to win their way to the final two via a challenge.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Haven't had a final 2 since Tocantins.  Quite pleased with how it played out.  For a long time, Tony irritated me.  In the last few weeks, I couldn't help but want him to win.  The dude earned it, big time.  And Even more amazing is the ridiculous toll it takes on your body.  The filming for Cagayn ended in August 2013.  Tony said he's STILL having trouble putting on muscle at the gym.  Also, and I believe I'd read this somewhere before, it has to be difficult going back to real life afterwards.  When you spend that long looking over your shoulder every second and mistrusting every person and every word said to you, and spending so much time just playing every single possible scenario in your head, it has to make it difficult to trust people or relax once you get home.

The next two seasons will be in Nicaragua and will feature all new contestants:

https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/survivor_30/2014_May_21_probst-cast-new-players

[BlobVanDam]

I was wondering if it was going to be all new players, since it's the Blood vs Water format again. I'll be glad for them to continue using new players for a while, and then when they finally bring back some returning players for a season, they'll have plenty to choose from.
And I loved the dynamics of having a family member on the opposing tribe, so I'll enjoy seeing that concept again with new players. It had a lot of interesting repercussions that weren't instantly obvious.

There seemed to be a few notable differences this season. Aside from returning to a final 2, I didn't notice an audience voted favourite player, they didn't do the ritual of going through past players (although I'm not sure they did that the last season or two either), and they brought in the player's families later on, and didn't do a family challenge with the scumbag family visit reward. Maybe they realized how cheap it was.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Yeah, I was real happy to NOT see the usual douchebag family visit bit they pull.  It's always so cruel and awful.  This, I liked.  Also, yeah, I was surprised at no America's Favorite also.  Strange.

I was SHOCKED that Kass came back from THAT far behind and won that next to last immunity challenge.  Absolutely could not believe it.

[BlobVanDam]

Yeah, I was real happy to NOT see the usual douchebag family visit bit they pull.  It's always so cruel and awful.  This, I liked.  Also, yeah, I was surprised at no America's Favorite also.  Strange.

I was SHOCKED that Kass came back from THAT far behind and won that next to last immunity challenge.  Absolutely could not believe it.

Even though Woo and Tony weren't strong puzzle players, she was so far behind that I believed she had zero chance of catching up at that point, but then she did it. She was only a second away from winning the final one too. She was always good at the puzzles.
I liked Kass' comment about the one player who hasn't made a decision the entire game was now deciding her fate. And for both of their sakes, he made the wrong decision.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Though I was pleased with his rational.  Go against the best.  There's more honor in losing against the best than potentially being beaten by someone who's not worthy.  Though he would have won against Kass.

Honor schmonor.  Gimme the money.

[BlobVanDam]

Though I was pleased with his rational.  Go against the best.  There's more honor in losing against the best than potentially being beaten by someone who's not worthy.  Though he would have won against Kass.

Honor schmonor.  Gimme the money.

It seems to be a common theme that people choose the person they'd rather lose to, rather than the person they'd definitely beat, but regardless wouldn't want to win.
Maybe a month in the sun without food rots their brains or something, because I'd go with the safe bet too. Honor Shmonor!

[senecadawg2]

Did I hear somewhere that there was going to be an all-winners season coming up eventually? I know there was speculation of that on this thread at some point, but somehow I thought there had been confirmation too.

I like the return to the final two contestants. I'd been wondering why they changed that to three in the first place.

[BlobVanDam]

Did I hear somewhere that there was going to be an all-winners season coming up eventually? I know there was speculation of that on this thread at some point, but somehow I thought there had been confirmation too.

I like the return to the final two contestants. I'd been wondering why they changed that to three in the first place.

Other than season 1, I haven't seen any of the seasons that had a final 2, but maybe they thought it was too obvious having a clear winner with only two? Then they might have realized that having 3 people didn't actually make it any less obvious much of the time. A complete guess though.

On one hand, a season of all winners would be interesting, because all of them have proven skills at their gameplay style to get to the end. On the other hand, a season of exclusively people who have already won a million dollars might not go down as well. It wouldn't bother me, but it seems like something people could bitch about.

[senecadawg2]

I always forget about the million dollar prize.

[gmillerdrake]

I really wanted Spencer to win but like has been mentioned....once he didn't win immunity everyone there knew if he went to the final he'd win so he was a goner.

I "understand" Woo's reasoning on taking Tony but he made the classic mistake of intertwining 'real life' with that game. When you are selected to go on that game you have to abandon everything you'd "normally" do....like Tony did.....and say and do anything to win. His whole 'honor' deal has no place in Survivor becasue that Game simply does not reward those type of players.

Tony deserved the 'W' for the way he played...he fought tough for it.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Andy, from Reality Blurred, had this to say about Woo's defense of his gameplay:

He argued that he was an “inconspicuous” and “instrumental part” of all of Tony’s big moves, but that’s like saying a cup holder is an instrumental part of a car.

https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/survivor_cagayan/2014_May_22_finale-tony-woo-kass-spencer

[hefdaddy42]

It was a fun season, and I was glad to see Redemption Island gone and a return to a final two.

I was rooting for Spencer, but I can't deny the game that Tony played.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Don't get comfy regarding RI. It's coming back for BvW.

[hefdaddy42]

That's fine.  But I was glad to be without it for a season.

[BlobVanDam]

It makes sense that they're bringing back RI for BVW2, because it added drama with the ability to trade places with your family member, and added a lot of interesting little dynamics within the game. I wouldn't be surprised if they ditch it again after BVW, because it's a special case where it adds to the game.

There are aspects of RI I like, and aspects I don't like, so I'm fine either way.
I like the finality of being voted off and that's it, but I also like it when a player I like has a second chance and has to fight each week to stay in the game. It also cuts into the time for the regular tribe stuff, so you get more combined immunity/reward challenges, which I didn't like.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

BOOM, no RI.  It's back to Exile Island for BvW2.

https://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2014/08/survivor-exile-island-returns/

Of note, the intensely annoying Natalie and Nadiya (The Twinnies) from Amazing Race are going to be on Survivor this time around.  Please kill me now.

[BlobVanDam]

Oh hell yeah. They're going to be awesome!