[S18.04: The Ultimate Upcycle]

I was rooting for Tyler to pull out a surprise top three, because of the "helpful"/sarcasm advice he was getting. (And also because he seemed like Tyler was genuinely helpful to others when he could be)

I had absolutely no idea about Karlie's personal life, so when Tyler made his remark I had a WTF moment on several levels. TBH, the only time I care is when it's directly related to a challenge (as in last season's Nina's story about wanting to get into fashion while she was still in Colombia) and even that's a bit of a stretch (don't remember the other judges). I agree that it was a desperate attempt of Tyler's to be bitchy-cute-bonding but it only shows a total lack of situational awareness. 

Christian said to him pointblank that Tyler kept ignoring his advice, so it was surprising (and sad) that Tyler expected to be the Siriano Save. The editors had some fun with that, drawing out the suspense as to whether Christian would blow his save on someone who's been clearly out of sync with the judges expectations.

I like Nancy, and I flove the fact that she graduated design school in her sixties and has been rocking it ever since. It was smart of her to avail herself of Carla's expertise, but I think she may have come off like she did last episode, when she was hammering away at the ornaments, unconcerned with how it was driving everyone else around her batty. I thought of the stylist's eyeroll to the camera as a response to that, and not that Carla had an attitude.

(I did appreciate that the stylist's suit was perfectly tailored for her)

There's a reason why I avoid Goodwill in NYC and only shop in the Goodwills in other states. Maybe the other Goodwills also have a sign that says "curated" like this one did, but the prices for clothing are actually kind of ridonk, sometimes twice as much as it is outside of NYC. Plus, anything with a recognizable label (better material) is either specially priced even higher, or already purchased by people who specifically haunt thrift shops for vintage or branded items for resale. At least they were given 45 minutes to shop.

The whole thing about designing on the car ride over--aside from the motion sickness thing (which I also share) --is what led to the multiple re-constructed jacket garments. Finding blazers/men's suits is about the one thing that one can count on --or jeans.

I hated the all denim outfit for this challenge. This to represent American design in Paris?  (The top was cute, though) Love her eyewear, praying that's the only design sensibility she shares with Miss Sunshine.

I did laugh that the representative of American design that won came from one of the most recently American designers.

[S45.E10: Eddie Murphy/Lizzo]

Eddie Murphy and Lizzo was the best Christmas present SNL could have given us this year! To all the tinga nadies--

[S45.E10: Eddie Murphy/Lizzo]

1 hour ago, Pete Martell said:

Final Thoughts: It's not the same of course, but in the goodnights I couldn't help thinking of last season when Adam Sandler hosted. The stage nearly buckled from the sheer history, with the cast in tears at a legend returning, and Chris Farley being honored. This time around, another legend returned, and we were allowed a moment of sheer joy. 35 years had passed, and somehow, for any stumbles or anxieties on the night, Eddie Murphy had come back and had found the live performer in him again. You could see the exhilaration on his face at finding that man again, and that he'd made it through the night. And it felt like we were there with him, in his triumph. It was one of those moments where the show's 40 years were a blessing rather than a burden, and it made me glad that I watched. 

 

The show has its share of problems, but when that spark is there, suddenly everything matters so much less. Eddie brought the spark, and Scarlett's episode also had a real life and warmth to it. As a result these two episodes, and David Harbour's, have been my favorites of the season. If SNL can keep the heart its regained the last few weeks, then it will go a long way toward putting the show in a good place as it begins a new decade.  

This x 1000. It's been a while since I was laughing so hard and so consistently throughout an episode. Even the cold open seemed to benefit from having all these legends in the house. I loved Maya/Kamala crashing the debate. I didn't recognize "Tulsi" at first -- Cecily's just so good as Melania, and then later on, as Judge Jeanine.

I also totally agree about Colin being so much looser, and as a result, WU being that much livelier. I like the jabs that Che takes at him, and then in this WU with Gumby giving it to Che. (Poor Pokey, though!)

I was howling at Mr. Robinson's neighborhood. A big shoutout to the director/camera people for that segment. Mr. Robinson's turning his face beatifically to the camera always cracks me up, especially when followed by his bellowing at the door.

@OpalNightstream, your post had me doubled over. I think the rest of this week will have me singing that and the other songs.

Lizzo was the perfect guest for this episode. I loved that she had dancers with a wide range of body types, and she just filled the stage with joy.

Haha I even laughed at the closed captioning, which quickly changed Eddie's line to "We can win this thing!" If I can find those busted teeth party favors, I may be making some Sonic the Hedgehog cupcakes.....

[S17.E27: Live Finale, Part 2]

On 12/18/2019 at 3:26 PM, MoreCoffeePlease said:

Didn't even watch this season but still wanted to check out the comments. This is it? Does anyone watch the show anymore? Does anyone care?

This is the first season I started fast forwarding through after the blinds. I don't feel like the show gives contestants time enough to develop and grow with the help of their coaches as they used to, and that used to make the show special to me (after the blinds, of course). Part of the fun was seeing reports posted here about how well songs/artists were doing on the iTunes charts, but that went away and in its place was the massive culling before I even got to know who the artists were. You know what else I miss? Early seasons, when they would have all four coaches perform together. That seemed to set the tone for interesting arrangements of familiar songs for the competition. 

I did like the fact that they brought back many?all? of the top twelve to perform. What did everyone think of JHud's performance of "Memories"? I'm not a Cats fan, but it sounded like she was straining.

As @realdancemom said, the minute Jake Hoot was the only country singer left in the top twelve, it was a foregone conclusion who the winner would be. He was perfectly fine, although Ricky would have been the more interesting winner. I didn't think Rose had a chance, having been an instant save, and I wasn't a fan of Katie's, although I hope she, Rose, and Ricky end up being the JHuds of this season.

[S39.E14: Island of the Idols Reunion]

I did enjoy seeing Elaine and Janet's reactions to receiving the Sia money -- they were bright spots in an otherwise dismal season.

I did wonder how much of the last episode Sia got to see, and whether she was influenced at all by social media.

Sandra's comment about Tommy always being named by visitors to the IotI as their ride or die, or some variant of that, seemed to come out of nowhere. Because the way Tommy was edited, we didn't see that social game, so to get it after the fact was....odd. Like, even the show is still trying to make sense of his win.

That being said, Tommy did answer really well at FTC (how many times did he work in that he's a 4th grade teacher?) especially to the question about lines, and his slam about how he wasn't "chillin" -- (heh, I really didn't want smarmy Dean to win). About the only people not related to or depending on Tommy for a grade who were happy about his win were the people who predicted it based on how he was edited, far far away from anything to do with Dan. (Not even his moment defending Janet at that tribal, which I wonder was what he was referring to about bullying)

[S01.E02: Less Is More]

On 12/16/2019 at 7:37 PM, greekmom said:

 When did Shane become so good with kids?

I was thrilled, because I liked Shane with her half-brother Shay from OG L Word. That made sense to me that Shane would be so good, while Alice was kind of hopeless (goodbye Crockpot!)

Love, love, LOVE Bette. That talk with the LGBTQ+ kids had me legit reaching for the tissue box. I hope that Angie is given more nuance moving forward, and we find out more about what happened with Tina. (Although I'm ok with not seeing Tina as a recurring character. )

Getting used to the new characters --already MUCH happier with how they're dealing with trans characters -- except for one glaring exception. I can't stand Findley.

[Survivor In The Media]

https://ew.com/tv/2019/12/17/survivor-inappropriate-touching-cbs-statement/?utm_content=link&utm_term=AA1E0448-2142-11EA-B24D-9FEA4744363C&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_ew

Survivor and CBS announce new oversight after inappropriate touching incidents....

finally.

[Survivor In The Media]

17 minutes ago, Koalagirl said:

In case anyone was wondering, this confirms Dan will not be on the finale.

https://people.com/tv/survivor-incident-that-got-dan-spilo-ejected-from-show-was-just-the-final-straw-source-says/

It also identifies Janet as the cast member who witnessed Dan touching the crew member's leg.

Also--apparently the mess isn't squarely on production. CBS execs seem to have hampered production's ability to do something about Dan earlier. hen again, this is according to unidentified sources in production.

[S39: Dan Spilo]

2 hours ago, DEL901 said:

On the other hand, the show was filmed a long time ago (season 40 was already filmed before season 39 began airing.  Maybe he was under the impression that Survivor would protect the brand and thus protect him too?  Maybe sweep things under the rug and just say he "went home" for unspecified reasons.  Must have been quite the shock when it began airing and even episode 1 featured him and his grabbiness.

That tracks with some of the posters here reporting that he took down his Twitter account after the season had started airing.

[S45.E09: Scarlett Johansson/Niall Horan]

8 hours ago, peeayebee said:

On 12/15/2019 at 12:37 AM, Frisky Wig said:

Is it me or does Bowen Yang play pretty much the same character in every skit on every episode?

I agree, but I still find him funny. He's got great comic timing.

7 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I think Bowen is fantastic.  Such a pleasant surprise this season.  I love him.

I'm thrilled whenever Bowen shows up in a skit, and the fact that he's been given so much screentime. He got to be the Heimlich half to the guest host--that's really awesome for someone who's not a full cast member!

As for his seemingly playing the same character, Bowen's more like Kenan to me--reliable, perfect delivery of lines and non-verbal reactions. Kenan's also pretty much Kenan in every character he's played, and I can't imagine anyone else in the cast pulling off characters like the one he played in the Firing sketch. (And the interaction between Bowen and Kenan in that skit made me LOL, mainly because it was right there on the razor's edge of going too far)

Pete Davidson was the guest cameo in the monologue. I appreciated the meta-joke with Kenan, but I hope it doesn't become an ongoing joke throughout the season.

The Hallmark skit was hysterical. I might be guilty of chaining Hallmark christmas movies this time of year, and laughing (self-consciously) about all the tropes that come up, like "Prince of Caucasia" and the dry kiss in the gazebo. Aidy was pitch-perfect as the game show host.

I'm pretty neutral about Scarjo, but I had to give her props for  doing her best in that painful last sketch with the cute pug.

Interesting that Scarjo didn't come off the way JLo did in her monologue. it was sweet that she called out Colin as the love of her life, and acknowledged that she met him on a previous stint as host of SNL. Her delivery of the line about his paycheck made me laugh.

I always like it when the musical guest shows up in a skit or two.

[Survivor In The Media]

Andy Dehnart of Reality Blurred's piece in Vulture.com lays out the timeline and what we know to date, with useful links.

Highlights:

• The interview where Kellee was asked by a producer to speak up IF there was an issue comes in three weeks after she talks to Dan (first episode). The "If" is unconscionable, the "three weeks after the fact" for me only reinforces why Kellee answered the way she did to a question that she should never have been asked in the first place.

• Castaways not directly involved (e.g., inappropriately touched by Dan) were unaware of the true extent of the situation. The scene we were shown of castaways laughing about it only helped reinforce the idea that it wasn't serious at all to the people Dan didn't touch.

• The talk producers had with each castaway did not link the reason for the talk to Dan in any way, nor did it even make clear that complaints had already been made about inappropriate touching. 

• Probst had tried to quit Survivor after Gabon. He became more of a showrunner and --more tellingly-- a "storyteller" afterwards.  The inference is that continuing conditions for high drama/conflict is more important to Peachy than risking a safe and possibly "boring" season.

I was especially intrigued by this last point, so I went to the link provided for the New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/01/business/media/survivor-defies-gravity-to-hang-on-as-cbs-ratings-stalwart.html

"Years later, though, the show was drifting, Mr. Probst said; he said the low point was Gabon, which was broadcast in 2008. He said he felt burned out and was also a little self-conscious about being known as the “Survivor” guy.

“My Achilles’ heel for a lot of my life was that nobody saw me as a storyteller, that they saw me as a white guy with dark hair who was just a game show host,” Mr. Probst said. “And that in terms of my own self-image was the thing that could gut me. It was like a kidney punch.”

The frustration and exhaustion were enough that in 2009, Mr. Probst went to Mr. Moonves and quit, he said.

Mr. Moonves told him to take a break, and Mr. Probst took a few months off, returning to the show re-energized. Some changes were made to the production team, he said, and then he focused squarely on the show’s success formula: serving the loyal audience and not worrying about doing more than that."

Both pieces add that Survivor was and has consistently been one of CBS's reliable workhorses, costing much less than other shows, and with one of (if not the most) sizeable audiences.

Given that, it sort of explains (for me, anyway) why they went ahead and put this season on air and edited it the way they did, with Peachy clinging to this season as proof of Survivor's cultural relevance in the #metoo and #woke era. It also explains why they seemed completely surprised at the backlash but still remained silent, forcing us to endure THs with Dan and treating him as if he were likely to end up as a Final 3 up until the last few minutes of the penultimate episode.

[Survivor In The Media]

20 hours ago, Rt66vintage said:

A Tinfoil Thought: What if production willfully chose/hired Dan, an important Hollywood talent playa, with a whiff of Howard Weinstein. His criminal trial has just been concluded, essentially in his favor. Survivor TPTB knew all the Dan brouhaha months ago, and now, for ratings, did they decide to highlight their own woke Me Too? I can't wait to find out more of what happened with Dan. And the girls. 

It's been reported that they tried to cast Dan at least twice prior to this season. (He was postponed when they got Mike White, and then had to postpone again due to a broken foot or other injury)

I think if anything, they were hoping his presence would be Emmy-bait. But that would give another motive on their part to keep him in the game for as long as they did. (Not an excuse, but possible reason for why they collected all this footage yet did nothing.)

Your thought did make me wonder: If it weren't an industry bigwig, but an applicant from the middle of nowhere, would production have been so slow to intervene?

[S39.E12: Just Go For It]

I really appreciated Elaine as a player. She was unapologetically herself, was self-deprecating, and even leveraged being underestimated as much as she could.

I was really surprised to hear that she was a glass half-empty person, since she seemed to always be positive and warm in her interactions with others. I hope that Lauren gained a lot more respect for Elaine after her dismissive TH earlier in the season.

I wish I could hear more behind Tommy describing Dean as being previously perceived as a goat -- did Dean tell him the circumstances behind his idol play?

[Survivor In The Media]

Ugh.

From the Daily Mail. First sightings of Dan since the episode aired. "I already apologized on the show."

[S39.E12: Just Go For It]

29 minutes ago, Tryangle said:

It's bewildering. People trying to be the Robin to Tommy's Batman or something. And it's not like Tommy has shown himself to be a master strategist even within his alliance.

His comment to Lauren about how she was sounding like a jealous girlfriend didn't sit well with me.

Agree with the Ringer article that it was a really bad look for Tommy and production, to have a  "sucks for me!" TH response immediately following Dan's removal. I mean, I get why he'd be in total game mode with what he was aware of, but timing of that edit didn't do him any favors. (And giving him a benefit of a doubt, we don't know what else he said in the TH, or if that was a response to a specific prompt by the producers)

How I miss seasons where Noura hiding Dean's shoes would be the controversial moment of the episode!

[S39.E12: Just Go For It]

Quote

At one point, Spilo allegedly touched the female crew member’s leg. According to multiple sources, he insisted that the contact was inadvertent and accidental as he lost his balance while trying to get into the boat.

...he then proceeded to demonstrate how inadvertent and accidental the contact was by using both his palms on every other female present.

Fixed it for you, People magazine.

[S39.E11: A Very Simple Plan]

Janet is such a badass, taking that hard tumble and bleeding but is all "I'm ok, carry on." So far she and Elaine are the only ones I can root for.

Yes, Dan is reprehensible--it's almost unbearable to see him still there -- but by mending the bridge with him, Janet's survived the last few tribals and is no longer the obvious first choice to vote out.   

I feel bad for the Dan's son--I'm sure he's hearing from his friends about how Dan is, and that's gotta suck especially with this episode airing.

Lauren....every time I want to like you, you say something arrogant and unnecessarily condescending about the other castaways in your confessional. Still hoping that Elaine outlasts her.

Whoever upthread branded Tommy's response every time he's told his name comes up as "serial killer eyes" ---brilliant! I cannot unsee!

Lol, I thought my DVR had cut off the beginning of Survivor. It was worth it.

Dean....angling to take Lauren's position as Tommy's ride-or-die. It'll be satisfying to see his smug face taken out.

But yeah, BR is right. They're idiots to have taken out Karishma instead of Tommy.

[S39.E10: Bring on the Bacon]

Oh Noura. I was all set to forgive your redrum eyes, multiple challenge wins, and wild laugh. And then you had to go and drag Kharishma's bag a distance away without her knowing, just so you could rifle through it. I know you're barking with laughter right now, but all your Noura-isms just fade away once you enlisted the help of another castaway to go through Kharishma's bag.

Oh Kharishma. You're annoying AF, but you did play your idol correctly AND you took out Elizabeth. You're already less of a goat than Dean.

Speaking of....that Dean confessional about the Goat Army was a cringeworthy moment. I felt embarrassed for him! And what was THAT with the magically appearing art supplies (it's not a pencil....) It just seemed really convoluted, although it was amusing to see how pleased Dean was with himself, not to mention his superinflated anti-goat self-image.

Oh Lauren. At least you have the best island outfit. But even if you make it to the end, you'll be seen as riding Tommy's coattails. Is he the first this season to use on-camera the dreaded "good for my resume" phrase?

At least Janet lives to fight another day! Hope she finds the newly planted idol.

[S01.E07: The Tale of the Fallen Sea Queen]

I'm all in for George, Victoria and now Ted with her pet ouija dragon.

I like NedNick even more now that he's called it quits with Nancy. The actress is fine, but the character is really self-absorbed and sanctimonious. As written, she's the least interesting character when she should be the most compelling. She seems to exist only because the show's called Nancy Drew. Ned's response to the gold coins melting was extremely believable, with just as believable fallout. The breakup scene was really well-done.

In contrast to the fallout to every supernatural event. At least they show Victoria having to drink because she constantly sees them. Nancy &co. (I reject "Drew Crew") usually shrug off the really scary things that happen past the initial reaction. 

Is George still in the shadow of the dead-within-one-year spilled blood prophecy, or did her possession take care of that?

[S17.E20: Live Top 11 Eliminations]

Holy cow, was Eve in a cryogenic chamber or something? She looked and sounded exactly as she did when the song first came out. I loved her jumpsuit, her dramatic reveal onstage, her fierce energy.

It was almost enough to distract me from the two parachutes Gwen was wearing. I kinda liked Kelly's Goth Dorothy Gale dress, and I'm enjoying the fun the show's designer is having with Hello Sunday's stagewear. All in all the clothing choices this year have been pretty good.

Myracle should have stayed, but she wasn't long for this competition.

[S17.E19: Live Top 11 Performances]

I wish I enjoyed Katie Kadan as much as the show wants me to. At any rate, her fan club takes the prize for best tee shirt graphic. I'm shallow enough to want that tee shirt! And I do envy her collection of eyeglass frames.

Kat Hammock was probably the best choice to follow Katie, since she's got the total opposite type of voice, and always gives a lowkey performance. Kind of like a palate cleanser, so I was perhaps a lot more receptive than I otherwise would have been.

Will is someone who I do like solely based on his performances, even though show never misses an opportunity to remind me that he's diagnosed with Asperger's. (BTW did you know that he's been diagnosed with Asperger's?)

I'm not completely a monster though--I did feel my little grinch heart grow a size when they showed his fan mail from people who were inspired by him.

I laughed at Blake's "Dylan" comment, and then his (and John's) over-the-top praise : having industry professionals already asking about Ricky (Blake) and how Ricky should be one of the coaches (John). I wonder how many people were dissuaded from voting for him because of that.

Was he good? Sure, but it wasn't as memorable as some of his earlier performances. TBF, It was also in the pimp spot, so my expectations were automatically higher.

I was totally distracted by what Gwen was wearing during her mentoring. Who IS her homeboy, lol?

[S39.E09: Two for the Price of One]

Missy a few weeks ago, months after what we saw took place:

Does she get it now?

[S39.E09: Two for the Price of One]

A rat in the mouth....nope, nope, nope.

Aaron and Missy out....dope, dope, dope.

[S39.E08: We Made it to the Merge!]

Jamal on whether producers should have intervened--and the TC comment by Missy that wasn't shown. See full article here.
 

Quote

There are so many different angles when it comes to all the inappropriate touching talk that happened in the episode, but I am curious to hear your perspective on production intervening and talking to you all about that. What was that like, and what’s your take on how much or little producers did in terms of this whole situation?

This was such a messy, messy situation. There are so many ways in which the real world and Survivor collide with each other, and this particular way has got to be the ugliest. Missy made a very astute comment during that tribal council that we didn’t see. She explained that once we step foot on that beach on day one, there is no stopping the game. For 39 days, three players will have been locked into a game that has no pause button or reset button — no save points or checkpoints. So, honestly, I think it’s unfair to put it on the players to decide if production should intervene.

The consequences for a player asking for production to get involved are monumental. Moreover, at this point in the game, with so many people thinking about who they can win against at the end, certain players start to sound like mighty good options for everyone. Therefore, I think it is a judgement call that only the producers can make. They are monitoring the camp 24/7. They need to be the ones to decide when to prioritize the safety of the players. They should recognize that we are in a situation where we cannot advocate for ourselves without the fear of compromising our endgame.

[S39.E08: We Made it to the Merge!]

31 minutes ago, CountryGirl said:

First, I am very sorry for your experience as that is awful and I'm glad you felt you were in a position that you could and did speak up about it.

Where I differ is that it is not always so simple, so "black and white," to say "all women should speak up." And even setting that broadswee generalization aside for a moment, Kellee DID speak up, several times, to Dan, and to others, including the producers as the cameras were rolling the entire time. If that isn't taking action, what is?

And I absolutely cannot with your "not all women have the strength" comment because no.

You do not understand.

AT ALL.

There are many women and men who are harassed and, for any number of reasons that they do not and should never have to defend, remain silent.  Women and men who are abused and keep silent. And instead of feeling compassion, they're feeling judged for how they did or didn't act, what they said or didn't say. 

But to say they lack strength? 

I cannot fathom how anyone could look at what the survivors of harassment and abuse have been through and say, with a straight face, that they are anything but the epitome of strength.

Ask me how I know.

THIS x 1000. I am grateful that this discussion is taking place, because while it saddens me that while certain attitudes are still in place about how "recipients of sexual harassment" should behave, as if they owe the viewing public or society in general anything, there's been a very real possibility that something positive will come out of it.

Kellee has been handling this with every bit of grace and yes, strength, that has been healing for me personally. Janet gives me faith that there are decent human beings out there, who are still appreciated as such (given the public groundswell of support). And the fact that this is still being discussed a full week later gives me a sense of solidarity that I'm not the only one who had old wounds open up, but now am hopeful for a greater chance of healing with this changed climate.

1 minute ago, Ellee said:

This is so true!

Additionally this situation was televised!  Most are not.  Others spoke up about how this had ramifications on Dan's life.   What I would like to know is what about the ramifications on Kellee's life?  She is a young, articulate, intelligent woman.  A bright future ahead.  Survivor is just a brief episode in her life. 

She's had to walk a very, very fine line on a tv show that she has absolutely no control over.   I don't know her but I can absolutely say that I'm proud of her.  Very proud of her.   She spoke when she needed to, she measured her words when she needed to and has carried herself with dignity.  

And, on a sidenote, everyone should have a Janet in their life.

The other thing about being the target of harassment is the high risk of being defined as such from that moment on. I view what Kellee said to the producer (who definitely dropped the ball by making it her choice) as her choosing to be defined as a player and not as Dan's victim. I never saw it as her minimizing his actions, but that perception is what allows people like Dan to feel their actions are ok.

And now that there's that fact coming to light that Janet spoke with Dan specificially about his touching younger women being inappropriate --  within days of Kellee clearly telling him NO -- confirms it for me that the repeated comparisons to Harvey Weinstein are sadly apt.