LaurelleJ

I was really hoping it was going to be Cara vs. Michele for the elimination, but Tori losing was a surprise. I wanted Tori to win the elimination, glad she did. I think the best and most entertaining final on the women's side would have been Rachel, Jenny, Cara, and Tori. I don't expect much from Michele in the final but maybe I will be surprised. Tori is at a disadvantage having done that tough challenge and then tiring elimination right before the final. I wonder why TJ told them to put on their challenge gear for the elimination. I was expecting him to say that the final started right after the elimination. My prediction is Jordan, Kyland, bananas, Derek; Tori, Rachel, Jenny, Michele.

Sad to see Cory go, I think he was having a great season. I do think that Derek is having a good season too though so at least someone I like won the elimination. I thought the conversation with Bananas and Kyland about the final was interesting, good strategy. Try to psych him out before they get there. I don't think Kyland is going for it though. Wish Derek picked Michele as a target instead of Cara because I'm still not a Michele fan. No more challenge for the rest of the year? Now I'm sad.

This season is dragging, I feel like it's been on forever. I am sad to see Aviv go, just for throwback purposes because she won a challenge with my fav Darrell and then we never saw her again. I wish the elimination had been Aviv vs. Michele, a much better matchup and I wish Michele would have lost. The good news is that this is shaping up to be a pretty stacked final. The daily looked good but also terrifying. I listened to the challenge podcast and agree with Devyn and Davonne, I would have hated to be Tori going first and waking up all the creatures in the tunnel. The double sided puzzle pieces was genius, and I cracked up watching TJ laugh at Bananas. Will the season go into the new year? It's been a good season just loooooong.

Finally had the opportunity to watch live just to see it's a repeat of last week's episode. Cool. Glad that Josh was eliminated. I just can't get into him. The cast says that he is a cool guy and that outside of the show he's friends with everyone, but I just can't get behind him. More and more I'm rooting for Cory. It was interesting that someone upthread said that Jordan may have lost on purpose to not get his hands dirty. Maybe the first time he went through the daily he was on autopilot, but when it came down to the face-off he's thinking I'll just sit this one out. Interesting strategy. Laurel has become insufferable on social media. I think she needs to take a time out. I'm interested to see how the reunion went after her antics during the filmed season.

The only thing that makes me think that Michele was exaggerating about the Johnny Aviv thing is that she was in her talking head saying she knew she was pushing. If true, it's unfortunate that Michele let Aviv catch a stray for her feud with Johnny. Is that Devin was talking about online before the episode aired? I didn't think I cared whether Olivia or Michele lost, until Michele won and I was disappointed. Not that I like Olivia a lot, I just dislike Michele more. Shaping up to be a tough battle on the women's side. For the men, I think it would be Johnny vs. Jordan, but I think that Kyland is a dark horse.

Gotta love the mini final. It looked exhausting and disgusting. The fact that TJ did not rip into Laurel makes me think that they knew the last female had crossed the finish line and maayyyybbeee the producers "encouraged" her to act a fool, or maybe she was so embarrassed and exhausted from the heat that she just did that and didn't think it through. What an appropriate way for her to go out on this challenge. Her own doing. Won't miss you. They are making Johnny work on this season of the challenge, I love it! Activated Johnny makes for a better challenge, love him or hate him. He's been just sailing along for so long that he hasn't had to work on the challenge for a while. I'm enjoying the Tori/Johnny war. I'm looking forward to watching Michele squirm. I can only hope that Johnny wins the next challenge so that he will be safe from being made a target. What was up with Laurel giving Johnny a 1? That was surprising. Hater energy through and through. Won't really miss Nehemiah, so not very sad about that. Don't dislike him but he's pretty ho hum for me on the challenge. I think I would have been more sad to lose Corey. These mini finals are a good indication of who will perform well on the final though and I want to watch a good final. I was expecting more than 2 people to be purged, it's a tiny let down but I guess longer season so whatever. The last few episodes of the challenge have been very enjoyable for me.

I usually watch minimum the next day on the Verizon app, but the episode wasn't listed in the full episode lineup. I only just discovered that the episode is there, just not listed properly. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. Something about the daily challenge, the antics of bananas, strategy, seeds of doubt planted, the episode felt very vintage, very nostalgic. Finally some action. The editing of Aviv saying hopefully the next challenge won't involve running, then cutting to the mini final was sad and hilarious. Preview for next episode looks great, can't wait.

Right, I also don't see anyone Johnny's alliance picking Jordan, especially not his #1 Laurel. Picking Jordan would have to be accompanied with a deal of some sort for one of the women.

This was a weird episode. I didn't get much entertainment out of it, and at some point was just thinking well I guess I have to watch it to follow the story. I guess bananas knows how to play the game and what is needed for the show, you have to show that you are upset about the decision. The moment when he made Tori repeat that she was doing it because that's what Devin would have wanted and then turned to look into the camera was the best part of the drama for me. Jordan is right though, bananas trying to threaten Jordan does him no good since the women pick the male targets. Bananas target picks made sense. At least Rachel isn't a target, thank goodness. Will just wait for next week.

It feels like saving Kaycee would have been at the expense of herself because Laurel would have been a much tougher draw. Why does everyone want to save Kaycee so much?

This was a great episode. I was hoping that Rachel could pull out a solo win but didn't think she would, so when she did I was so happy. At the very least I was hoping Era 2 would win and give Rachel a break. It was so great to see Rachel at the head of the table alone. So great. Kaycee getting mad that Josh didn't save her was rich. You hid behind your era for weeks and now that it's your turn to get called down to the carpet you are upset? When Jenny is a target every other week? Bye Kaycee. Jumping on Josh was so weird, blaming him for Kaycee going in because he couldn't convince Rachel. I never thought for a second that Rachel was going to hang Ryan out to dry, and from a game standpoint, it's better to have Laurel on your side vs. Tori or Kaycee. The right choice was made. It just sucks that it had to be Devin vs. Kyland because I really like both in the game. I wouldn't even know which one to pick. I think another reason why Devin was hot with Josh is that he would have much rather gone against Ryan, even if that leaves his bff Tori with Laurel. In the end, everyone for themselves I guess. I was surprised that Kyland picked Jenny AGAIN. Even though the eras are splitting, people will still try to ride for their eras so picking someone who might have had your back was weird. Even though Johnny is a target, he's in there with Ryan and Derek so the odds look good for him. Jenny might give Rachel trouble, she would have a better shot at Aviv. The mid season trailer looks good. I just hate that all of era 1 except Rachel are gone.

I really didn't think about the fact that if Rachel gets last place in the challenge, they might not have a male elimination. Thinking about it quickly, they might switch to last place team and then last 2nd to last place for the male to keep the numbers correct. I hope that the next challenge Rachel doesn't get last place and another team gets sent directly to elimination. It would be great if the challenge were something like a mini final where a single person could thrive and Rachel beats all the teams. I would love to see her sitting at the head of the table alone and watching the other eras squirm for once. Seeing era 1 go out like this is so sad. Corey was doing the most for no reason in my opinion. Relax.

I was surprised to see Ashley and Wendy greet each other somewhat warmly. I thought there would be residual tension from the reunion.

They will get another viewership credit from me because I was barely paying attention and couldn't say what happened. I'll try to keep up but it was a pretty hum drum premiere.

Era 1 is on life support. I wish there was a way to swap out Derrick for Darrell since Derrick is clearly hurt. What if that causes him an elimination and Rachel is a team of 1? I was super sad to see Darrell go, even though I like Kyland. I do feel bad for Jenny that she keeps being the target, and I am only reminded that Kaycee is there because everyone keeps saying that she avoids being a target. It's funny watching Johnny stomp because someone is getting the treatment that he always enjoys, since Ryan and Derek are never nominated. Bananas' last words at the end of the episode gives me hope that we might see some discord between eras 3 and 4 soon. That would be great.