CaptainCurmudgeon

Thanks for the work, Mediocrates. And good thoughts to the vet who made the suggestion. And thanks to whoever decided Ca$h was a stupid name and changed it to Meredith.

We all know damn well, that despite all their denials, the producers read these forums. Sometime someone will be smart enough to harness the awful snark power that we embody and the faithful recappers (love you all) may make a few bucks. (Look for me where the snark is heavy on the ground and may be cut with a knife.)

Zahdii, you are a saint to continue with this. Much thanks for all that you've done. I intend to steer clear of all of the Topes. Really only have to worry about Josh (and that he might be related to all the other Johnsons I know). (I omit the usual Johnson jokes.)

That was my first clue that the whole thing was kablooie: I went to the site to vote and I couldn't. Think the web people may have been laid off a little before the Topes. Frustrating not to be able to vote for one of Aaron, Cal, (tied: Kristen & Taylor).

He might do well to see if he can stay in the compound the whole year while things cool off.

Obviously came as a suprise to the producers as well: look at all the recent sand -- the new plants, the paint, the beds, the glass works, etc. -- pounded down this noxious rathole. Thanks to all here -- easily the best part of the whole deal. And extra thanks to our brave recappers. Without your work there would have been nothing to snark at. When I first came here, I think I posted about how I came just to see how bad this show could get. I was not disappointed.

Too true. I think Ernesto is the only unsullied person left.

What a great set up this show is for the producers. They have a fantastic laboratory going to find out how reality shows really work. Low ratings? That's actually good. You can make changes to the show and they will be reflected in upticks that would be lost in the noise of higher ratings. As Koll explained, since there's no prize, they can change rules to their hearts' content since "contestants" can't be suing them later, claiming some arbitrary rule change cost them the prize. No prize, no harm, no successful lawsuit. No one really seems to know what the contracts with the players contain. But they will probably appear in law schools later as example masterpieces, the most significant and one-sided contracts since schools started giving athletic "scholarships." Precisely measured focus groups. Everyone who votes has to have a "passport" and vote on the site. So, they know when someone votes if they've been watching the feeds or not and how much and what they've posted on the site as well. If they want to bother, they can easily link posters on independent sites like previously.tv to passport holders via IP addresses. Might have to send or hire a mole but forum software tends to put the IP addresses in the database along with the postings. Cancelled by FOX? Move to cable, where this show would shine like cubic zirconium in a junkyard of broken glass. If you want to see cheesy "reality" shows, that's the place to go. And periodically, they can cook up a controlled experiment in the form of two "Newtopians" to spring on the Topes and the audience. Think it's not happening? This show is testing every known ratings booster: nudity, sex, cute animals, wedding, birth, birth of cute animals. Death? I hope they're not going to be killing off Topes to see what that does, although the frequent opportunities to get rid of them serves much the same purpose. And they're keeping the return of Mike in their pocket to see how that plays at some later date. (I mean it writes itself: bring in the beekeeper and he and Dede hook up; enter Mike.)

Here's a trend: get your conjugal visit (Red, Rob), get "voted" out very next time.

So, it's Rob that goes? Is that because Aaron has his medical excuse (ear) further along? ETA: the game has now become getting the hell out but retaining the stipend. Only people who did NOT get the stipend so far? Dave and Bri. Everyone else has gone out with a *good* excuse. One guy (Red) with two.

Hate to see so many of the rats turning back! Go, Rob; go Cal; go, Rob. You said you would (too bad that we all know what liars you are). Geez, man up and take a hint from Bri.

Too much of a good thing? Bri, Mike (maybe), Cal (maybe) and one or both of Aaron and Rob? And just in time for the re-launch, 31 October! (If I were Kristen or Taylor I'd be pitching some deal to Production.) (Or hoping for my friends or relations to be calling in with an emergency.) IMHO, I think it's more likely an attempt to re-tool and save some viewers rather than a gradual shutdown. Possible indicator: how soon they send in replacements for those who left without being voted out. Remember how soon Taylor showed up? (ETA. Was going to use the semi-nautical line about "A bunch of rats leaving a sinking ship" except I'm pretty sure that some (if not all) of the leavers think it's "A ship leaving a bunch of sinking rats.")

From the Fox site: "We may not have seen the last of Hairly Legal; time will tell." So they may let him back him after the family "emergency." They probably don't know themselves.

I hate when that happens. Happens to me way too often. Hang in, Zahdii! We rely on you.

I think it's clear by now that they're making it up as they go along. People call in, people call out, productions calls people to talk to, people are *always* going to production to complain. Strange people on set all of the time. Even though the "pioneers" said Hex, then Bri, production has decided Hex, then Bella. o Because Bella is thinking of bailing? o Because Bri is planning to blow the whole thing up once she gets in charge? I have to wonder if this whole show isn't revenge for the show runner's having had to spend ten years of his youth at a hippie commune. Get to get 50 Million to help you give the finger to your parents!