LadyChatts

I was disappointed in Jenn tonight, but I will give her a break if she rebounds next week. I'm sad that Joe is gone, but hopefully with him out of the way, Jenn and Shirin can make some moves and wiggle into the group a little more. I hate anyone that quits, and I am glad the rule is in place now that quitters have to potentially forfeit prize money and a spot on the jury. Since I didn't want to hate Jenn, I am glad she didn't quit. I mean, asking to get voted out is the same thing, but it didn't happen, so I'll give her this one pass. I figured with all the hype surrounding her attitude, the quit was going to be a red herring. However, once she was willing to give up immunity for Joe and was fine with getting voted off I wondered if maybe it wasn't such a bluff after all. Jenn had a lot of promise and the makings of Parvati 2.0 early in the season. I can't blame her for wanting to throw in the towel. The writing's on the wall and it doesn't seem like anyone back at camp is making it less obvious. It's unfortunate that she got dealt the low end of numbers at the merge. It's how many have ended up however. Since my favorites are getting picked off, I hope it come back to bite those that don't flip. I am hopeful that she gets new life breathed into her. I am confused about Shirin's vote: she voted for Joe, but was she supposed to vote for Jenn? But then she was talking to Mike, and I missed that conversation. Did she flip because of what Mike said? To paraphrase what Tyler and Rodney said, I had no idea what was going on.

There never used to be, but during Survivor Nicaragua, 2 contestants quit after the merge in the same episode. There was a lot of uproar that they were still allowed their prize money and to cast their votes for winner (which ultimately decided the winner that season). So during the reunion show that season, Jeff said a new policy was in place that if anyone willingly quit the game TPTB had the right to decide whether to allow them to be on the jury and collect anything they had coming to them. So it would be up to their discretion as to whether Jenn could have been on the jury or not. TBH, I didn't think the reward was that big of a deal. They've had better rewards this season than that. If Shirin were to return, I would hope she could be on a season where people were nicer to her. Even if she talks a lot, I don't see that as being any reason for the vitriol she's getting. Especially from the people it's coming from! And, since she is unlikable to some of her cast, it would be fitting that she got asked back or voted back in by fans over some of them. I like her. I was impressed with her tonight. I hope she outlasts Carolyn, Will, and Dan especially. I wonder if Carolyn is just too pig headed to want to work with her.

I was actually impressed Probst didn't practically carry Jenn out of TC himself, at the first mention of her wanting to quit, since he knew it would cost Joe. But maybe his bigger man crush really is Mike. I really don't get this season. Or why TPTB would call it a great cast. We've got a mixture of bullies, assholes, whiners, hot heads, invisible's, and a guy named Tyler that I don't know what to make of. My love for Shirin and Jenn is fading, but I'm blaming that on the craptastic season. Even that camp looks gloomy. Never liked their camp, wish they could have merged at the old Nagarote.

If fairness, I think the 3 left that were in Joe's alliance tried to get people to flip. And tried. Last week they thought they had flippers. Obviously everyone in the other 7 must think they are floating to the final 3. Which is one small consolations when 4 of them realize that maybe they should have flipped earlier when they had the chance.

I had to refresh it for this week's prediction to come up. Either way, they were wrong again. I have a feeling Jenn's boot is probably on the horizon, however. Since they were off a week with Joaquin and Kelly's boots, I thought maybe they would be with Jenn's since she was predicted to go last week. Judging from the preview next week: I don't know what prompted the conversation of Rodney flipping on Mike, unless it was made known to him that Rodney had a final 4 set up with Will/Tyler/Carolyn. So given Jeff's voice over about Mike blowing up the game, Rodney going off on Mike, and Mike's stupid smirk on his face with his lap dog Dan at his side, I'm guessing it could be that Rodney may attempt to blindside Mike but is the one getting blindsided. Are Carolyn and Sierra really doing nothing behind the scenes or is it just the love affair with the men this season that keeps them off screen? ETA: When is this twist happening? I would think something like that would be used in the promos, but nothing next week.

Something exciting has to happen next week. It seriously has to. I hope Jeff's speech at TC about taking out threats implies Mike gets his blindside that is desperately coming next week. Once Mike is gone, maybe that can be the real game changer. Dan and Sierra, what will they do? I think we have far more wastes of space in terms of game players than I can remember. I feel like clueless Keith had more going on for him last season than this group has. Right now, I'm pegging a final 3 of Mike/Shirin/Tyler. Something exciting has to happen next week. It seriously has to. I hope Jeff's speech at TC about taking out threats implies Mike gets his blindside that is desperately coming next week. Once Mike is gone, maybe that can be the real game changer. Dan and Sierra, what will they do? I think we have far more wastes of space in terms of game players than I can remember. I feel like clueless Keith had more going on for him last season than this group has. Right now, I'm pegging a final 3 of Mike/Shirin/Tyler.

Yeah I never would have shown Mike the idol before TC. Still, it wouldn't have done any good, because Mike still voted for Joe, and would have taken the chance. Jenn still would have gone home if it was real and Joe played it. Joe is the 2nd jury member, 9 people left, and I'd wager a bet he's far more popular than anyone left, let alone whoever the eventual winner is. And there are more people left that I'm rooting against than for.

Me too. Seriously, where did that come from? Since we don't see much of voting discussion, did she throw that in there just to cause a tie, or what? Also, if Jenn hadn't voted for Joe, she would have gone home, right? I wonder if Shirin hit the nail on the head with Jenn's talk about quitting. ETA: I thought it was Sierra, too. I guess I'm in shock still over losing the boy wonder that I wasn't paying attention. Too bad, I though maybe Sierra was finally going to do something in this game.

So was this considered a game changer because Joe got voted out? That's it? I wish Rodney could slug that look off Mike's face next week. Seriously, that's an arrogant smirk of a guy who thinks he's alpha dog. Do they really think he'd make a likable winner? I see Will is taking lessons from Dan on how to treat Shirin.

I freaking loved the TC voting confessionals from Tyler and Rodney: "I have no idea what is going on" Where did Tyler come from? MIA all season and now he's suddenly front and center. Well that was a boring episode. And predictable. I hate that smug look on Mike's face. Kudos to Joe, that was an impressive and realistic looking idol. I can't say I care much for Jenn after this episode. I want the funny, sarcastic, witty, quirky Jenn from the first half of the season back. I wish she had quit, because Joe wanted to be there, and no one could seem to play the game because they obsessed over him. So next week, same old, same old with the red herrings thrown in to make it look like the obvious isn't happening? I'll miss you and your locks Joe. Glad you at least made it to the jury.

Dan is an ass. Perfect day for an article to come out with him doing damage control, only for him to be made to look like an even bigger ass tonight. Will he top himself next week? Probably. Keep digging that hole Dan. Hopefully Shirin is the one to fill it up. Rodney is my #3 right now. He's getting a better edit, which is making me really nervous. I can't possibly see him winning, but maybe the final 3. They may not want a bunch of anti-fan favorites sitting in the potential winner's circle. Besides, it is really hard to look bad anymore on a season with Dan. His impersonations of all his tribe mates were spot on. Now I see what Joaquin and Hali were talking about.

FWIW, Survivor Fever has predicted that Jenn is voted off this week. Joe wins immunity, and the team of Dan/Mike/Tyler/Shirin/Sierra win reward. Poor Shirin. And poor Jenn. Maybe there's truth in the promos to her actually quitting, but asks to get voted off so she's not be first casuality of the Na'onka and Purple Kelly jury rule. Either way, boring episode if that happens. I don't see what is a game changer about this, unless Joe or Shirin flips. Maybe everyone will realize that they need to focus less on what Joe is doing and pay attention to the goings on around them. Keep on winning Joe, assuming Jenn gets booted tonight, you and Shirin are all I have left. Jenn getting booted would explain Hali's reaction in that photo.

Woah, he's that young?! I never looked it up, but dang, I would have totally guessed he was in his 60s. So he's been trying to get on this show since he was in his early 30s then. I used to wonder what it was that made them pass on Dan over and over again, but now it makes sense.

The problem with Dan is he didn't seem to think he was in the wrong or care to apologize until two days after the episode aired. At that point, Hali's interview with the DV comment about Shirin had come out and Dan must have really been feeling the backlash then. Until then, he was still being an ass and passing himself off as some funny sarcastic twit. Again, for a "super fan", doesn't he realize how this works? Hasn't he read and talked with the hundreds of contestants who claim they got a bad rap solely because of editing? Did he not watch the original AS finale when Jerri walked out after getting booed because fans were down on her from her Outback days still? So we know he'll get airtime at the reunion for this. I wonder if he's working on some big apology to save face. I almost can't wait to hear what he has to say next. If I've got to put up with him, at least I can watch him have to dig his hole a little deeper each time. Fair trade. Still hoping he gets voted off however.

Good lord I forgot how reprehensible Colton was. I remembered the maid comment, but forgot just how horrible he was to Christina. To me, that is not playing any sort of character or villain. That is ones true colors coming through. That is exactly how I feel about Dan. He can say he wanted to play a character and be remembered all he wants, but I don't buy for one second that this isn't who he really is in his every day life. Since they actually brought Colton back, I guess there is a sad chance Dan may make a return in the future. I'd be willing to agree with you Nutmeg in that he may be overemphasizing his actions a little for camera purposes, but the real Dan is in there. I fully believe how he acted to both Sierra and Shirin was the real deal.

Double Post

I would like to think it is a BC blindside, but Hali almost looks sad in that photo. So it could be Joe's plan works for him, but costs Jenn. However, I'm thinking Dan is more ego crazed than ever and goes off at TC on Shirin. Jeff hinted we haven't heard the last of his big mouth. Either that, or since Shirin is on Dan's team for the RC, he makes it miserable for her and she recounts what he did. Hali didn't like Dan out there and admitted she was protective of Shirin because of what he said. I'm hoping I'm wrong and it is a BC blindside though. However, I don't believe I will be that lucky.

Sierra's own logic of taking undesirable people to the end may be the very thing that winds up getting her booted. She wants to take unlikable people to the end and argue she was not only loyal to them, but nicer than they were to the jury (I don't know what other argument she will have, although we'll see in the coming weeks). But what if she is booted for being deemed too nice and likable? I can't fault her for being dealt the cards she was, and if she believes that's her best chance at the million, then who am I to judge. Even if it makes for a boring season and her a forgettable follower, ultimately she may be laughing all the way to the bank, not caring how she won it. Hey, it is a million bucks after all. However, assuming Jenn/Shirin do get voted off and she doesn't flip, I'll be curious where that leaves her. Carolyn was apparently playing mom to Will and Rodney, and was close to them. Would she flip on them, especially if they seemed the perfect final 3 partners? Will doesn't seem like he would flip on Rodney at least, and Tyler appears to remain loyal to Carolyn at this juncture. Assuming Rodney's plan to blindside Mike's alliance worked, that would leave her in the minority and probably no chance to recover other than to win immunity. It's all about risks, but if Hali was being sincere about taking out Joe and wanting to work with the girls (and possibly Mike), Sierra might have been better off flipping. Right now I don't think there's anything sly or sneaky about her strategy. Nor do I think she ever would have flipped on her blues before, despite what some of her confessionals said. That was probably all a red herring on her/the editors end. Perhaps it is part of a winner's angle, to make her seem like she was playing both sides and being sneaky, when in reality she was doing no such thing. I'm still saying Mike has the best chance of winning this if he makes it to the end. That could be why so much is being left out about the bonds he's formed out there outside of his alliance, to make it less obvious.

Episode 10 is titled "Bring the Popcorn". So if tomorrow night is the game changer that Jeff mentioned, and it is just Joe getting booted, I will be disappointed for numerous reasons. Partly because I'll be left with a feeling of 'that's it?'. But I don't know why I was expecting something more than a huge threat being voted out shaking things up. I'm thinking the quote could be Rodney, and maybe he intends to blindside Mike so he says that before TC. There could be fall out from Joe's boot, with Jenn and Shirin now being comfortable swing votes or someone making a move while those two are still in the game. I'd like to think it's some turning point where the girls remaining secretly band together and start voting out the guys, but I know that isn't the reality this season, at least with Sierra and Carolyn.

Honestly, that's what I'm believing. They haven't even shown the fake idol or hyped it in promos other than these written teases online. Joe is such an obvious boot if he loses immunity, and while I absolutely hate the thought of losing him and his lovely locks, they are idiots to keep him around. So they have to try and hype this episode up. It's already an unlikable group dominating, so losing Joe isn't going to make them more likable. It'll stay the same for me, except one less person to root for. I hope it can allow Jenn and Shirin to stick around for awhile. I really want to see Dan go sooner rather than later, but I have a feeling once Joe leaves, Mike will take control of the game. Given what Hali said about bonding with him and forming a potential alliance, I can see Jenn/Shirin joining his side over Rodney's. I wonder if Mike will have to make Dan apologize to Shirin like he did Sierra to make sure she's on their side.

So tomorrow is this big game changing move that turns the game on its head, according to the pre-season hype with Probst? That's the first time I've heard that mentioned all week. I figured it was just a boring predictable episode with a bunch of red herrings thrown in, making it seem like something was going to happen. I figure Joe's profession was what they were talking about in regards to crafting a fake idol. Could that actually work? Since I'm all about Team Joe/Jenn/Shirin, I would love nothing more than for something to get pulled over on the BC/WC alliances this week. I'll believe it when I see it. Since the tribe swap happened, this season has been on the downhill for me. A lot of hype and nothing to back it up. Since Mike has an idol, he may call Joe's bluff and ruin the plan. Of course Rodney doesn't trust Mike (I think, with this season it's hard to know what is going on) so maybe he believes Joe has an idol, maybe all the alliances vote different ways, and someone gets caught in the cross hairs. They seem to be making it obvious Joe loses immunity. I guess they need to grasp at straws and make it seem like an exciting episode if that does happen. I'm thinking Joe loses immunity, crafts a fake idol, no one buys it and he gets booted, and that will be the game changer. ETA: for the RC, it looks like the teams are divided up as Will/Jenn/Joe/Carolyn/Rodney and Mike/Dan/Tyler/Sierra/Shirin. Poor Shirin, being stuck on a team with Dan. Looking at the slideshow for this week, I wonder what gives Hali this look: http://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/photos/1003873/one-survivor-castaway-s-fake-out-could-change-the-entire-game/80420/hali-s-reaction/

I had to go back and re-read those interviews numerous times to make sure the twist was not the whole 3-tribe collar dymanic, or picking the leaders and having them choose honest/deceive. Which has all been done in some way before. We're going into episode 9 this week and still nothing on the horizon. Will episode 10 be where it happens? If Joe or Jenn is voted off this week (especially Joe), I can maybe see the big game changer move that's been hinted at by Probst. I don't think it will be much, but I guess he needs to something. 30 seasons in, how original can people really be? I've seen various theories as to what the twist is, and I even went looking into international versions to see what they've done that we haven't. There's one twist that I could believe would qualify as 'Shakespearean', and another one that more people are betting on that I don't know would qualify as that. But Jeff is full of a lot of hot air when it comes to hype anyway. At this point, something needed to be done earlier because this season is tanking fast. After this week there will be 4 episodes until we reach the finale. I wonder if the season got so predictable, they needed to throw something in there just to keep it interesting. I'm still betting on it helping someone that Probst & co thought the audience would want to see stick around and root for. I said before that this season has me to the point of rooting for Rodney of all people to win once Joe/Jenn/Shirin are gone (if they are picked off), but I also realize that is has me thinking Will is the only other smart person out there playing. Maybe they didn't leave as much on the editing room floor as we thought. Maybe the castaways really are just making up different scenarios in their heads that they think really happened. Given the hostility to Shirin out there, I almost hope the poor girl doesn't make the final 3, just so they can't eat her alive. If they do, I hope she gives them the bird and stands up for herself. But there seems to be no real game play being shown with anyone else. I question if Sierra really is a little puppy following Mike around, and thinking her blues are so unpopular she can ride coattails to the final 3 and win. Dan is a minion of Mike. Where exactly are Tyler and Carolyn, besides just being in an alliance and following orders? I think I'm more disappointed in Carolyn, as I thought she would really be a much stronger player, strategically.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdjVAphRoFk Here's a sneak peek at this week's IC. For everyone talking about missing endurance challenges, we got another one this season. Joe seems to be struggling early on. Honestly, if he's going to get dethroned from his challenge-run (and ultimately booted, because they are making that obvious enough) I hope someone decent dethrones him. I cringed at the thought of Dan winning the IC last week, and being the one to brag about beating Joe. And Jeff appears to give away who wins the RC. He says Joe is 3 for 3 in the individual challenges. The RC this week looks to be teams, so I'm assuming Joe and his crew don't win it.

Something else the editors decided to leave on the cutting room floor Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/the-fien-print/interview-hali-ford-talks-survivor-worlds-apart#J594Ak0YlsOEResC.99 I just wonder, why do they seem to be leaving out all these game making decisions and relationships forming. I don't really get the editing this season, and while I can see why Jeff liked this cast so much, I don't think they are that great. Either they all thought things were a certain way out there when they were playing, or for whatever reason they are deciding to leave a lot out because it doesn't ultimately deal with the outcome.

I never thought I'd say this about a Rodney plan not working, but I have to agree, unfortunately. I believe they are setting Rodney up for a fail. He was the one talking about being in control, having the numbers, waiting until it got down to the 7 to take out Mike, and believing that looking for the idol was a waste of time. Whether it is Mike's idol that keeps him in, this twist that hasn't come yet, or someone in his own alliance flipping, I don't see Rodney's final 4 of his misfits working out. I would give Rodney credit for trying, but Mike seems to be networking with everyone out there. And everyone else is getting their hands dirty while Mike sits on top. Probably wouldn't rank anywhere near a good winner, but he's doing something right. I posted an interview with Hali in his thread, but she was even ready to jump ship over to that side. They really wanted Joe out, and she was trying to convince Jenn to join her. Yet another reason I'm calling him as the winner. And why I wish they'd just have the finale this week and call it a season, because it is taking a lot to keep my interest. At least last season, the TC were more unpredictable.