violet and green

She was one my top favorites until I saw that scene, and now I can't unsee it.

It is this season, lol!

Yes, it was Q. He did it with a shell-shocked look straight at camera.

YES! I shuddered. So disappointing.

It's like Survivor, the Insane Asylum Edition. I'm starting to think Hunter just hallucinated that full-ride to medical school, and the mighty Liz is probably a pan-handler. Q turning on Tiff last week, then turning on himself. Bhanu, Jelinsky, seeming like the more stable residents who graduated from the nuthouse. There's just full-blown delusions of grandeur from all these bitty Nanu members every single tribal - who cares who orchestrated some ealry game blindside (that whittled down their numbers, and rid them of an ally), or some more or less unanimous vote! Mermaid-Dragon turning on her ally. Jeff getting spicy... Charlie and Maria seem kind of reasonable - maybe they are medical staff, blending in. But I saw a secret scene last week where Maria spoke with such contempt to Ben and badgered him, so sure he was the one with the idol, never imagining it was Jess who went home with it. So, I guess, that leaves me rooting for Charlie and Ben, who are so midrange it is hard to believe it has come to this! This does not rock.

It certainly was a fast edit. At the start they kept lingering on some guy who looked familiar. (I kept thinking, is that Bradley Cooper?? No... Then I remembered who it was - Nico Tortellini! I thought. Tortorella, rather.) I had to stop and rewind many times as there where things that flashed by so fast. Amanda, who really needs someone to step in and remove the burgundy shades from her lipstick collection, and who is still one of my favorites of the season had a really passionate reaction to one lipsync, but I can no longer remember whose it was. There were so many moments I thought, did I see that? Was Saphira actually wearing vampire teeth in the final number? And where did it go? She could have done a whole vampire reveal. Didn't even notice any absence of Plain Jane after she got the heave-ho, but $25K (same as the runner up) is nice, I would think. But I saw her in a white sparkly bodysuit outfit, sitting with the rest of the queens, and snapping her fingers in appreciation in time with the beat all through the final lipsync, so she can't have left the building. I'm quite pleased Nymphia won the season and was awarded for her fashion sense and versatility, and vulnerability, in the end. I thought Saphira had it in the bag, as Ru seemed so transfixed with her, and her opening number with the opera start was amazing (maybe that's when Amanda went off). So many young women in the audience. It's a real switch in demographic for a finale. A very odd season. I hope to see Amanda again, with a glow-up, and considerably less harsh makeup. Am guessing the number of Amanda reaction shots in this finale was production taking notice of the viewing public's appreciation for her; ditto, a Nymphia win, which was really heartwarming. In short, Amanda!

What in the hell was that tribal? I enjoyed the voting confessionals, and Ben saying "This does not rock", and Tevin echoing it on the way out. But I have no idea what Q was doing - having a tantie? - or where any of it was leading. Tevin had his moments, but most of them annoyed me deeply. Even Jeff looked a bit annoyed as Tevin threw his head back and did that giant laugh before he had his torch snuffed out. This is the oddest season and cast I can remember. Casting brief: Cast big! Cast egos the size of Jupiter! Cast delusional! Cast obnoxious! Cast loud! Cast histrionic! Cast clueless! Cast those who speak about themselves in the third person and those who believe they will be Survivor Legends! There's usually one or maybe two of these in a normal season, but they've packed them in like sardines this time. The difficulty is picking out those who are just playing the game with the cards dealt them in the moment. It's exhausting.

I loved Amanda doing well and beating Dawn. She really does make herself up like some crazy drunk aunt at a NYE party. So good to see a bit more of Mirage. I was also surprised when Morphine won over Mirage in round 2. A real shame to stuff Plasma in with Mhi'ya and Xunami - I thought it was arguable who won that lipsync. I would've given it to Plasma. But then they had to have Mhi'ya in the final rounds... It was fun seeing how steaming mad she got at losing! Really nice to see Megami doing so well. I was kind of sad Morphine won the whole thing and the 50K, after all that, especially if she really is planning to spend it on more stupid and dangerous cosmetic surgery.

Yes, as I said, it speaks to his character. But they are not binary decisions. The host of Australian Survivor, Jonathan LaPaglia has a medical degree, but he decided to focus on acting, and then hosting Survivor, and he's a top host.

I liked him in the first episode, I think it was, when he pulled a pained face and retreated into his body during Soda's camp singalong thing. He said a few things where I related to him, and he was more of an introvert and self-amuser and off doing stuff, like building a bed. Then I found out he turned down a "full-ride" of medical school, to go back to live in his home town and be a teacher and build cool things with his students, (and I went all "Get off my lawn! You can do your hobbies in your spare time, and be a philanthropist and youth-worker once you get your degree, young fella."); which speaks to his character. Of this cast, he stands out as one of the more likable ones.

Now I've warmed to Kenzie (quel surprise!), which gives me someone else to root for. So glad Hunter and the three voted together and that he saved his idol, and that they targeted Tim and not Ben. So now I have three or four to get behind. Venus is insufferable, but enjoyable to watch in action. The sea was such a lovely pale blue when they were doing that challenge!

You're right. Alisha said "land and sea" so many times, I missed the bit where it was Kaleena who veto'd "land and water"...

I was hoping, the way Alisha and Kaleena were front and centre of the edit so early on, that they were taking their time and going to come up with a really cohesive and creative interpretation of the challenge. And then it boiled down to Land and Sea - even after Kaleena pointed out it was a lake, not the sea... That was so disappointing. The only thing in that episode that gave a bit of the architecture they'd visited were the batons of the winning chefs. It was great to see all those sites and learn a little of the history.

I have warmed somewhat to Plane. And I loved her body shape once she stripped off. What an excellent breastplate! And lovely body-contouring.

It's hard to get worked up about a player leaving, who we barley got to know. Plus the way it was obvious from the edit once the rocks were drawn that the orange team would lose, as the people featured earlier on so heavily just happened to be on the orange team, and then, lo! the vote came down to the two of them. It's making me miss Jelinsky. Those were the days.