S40.E03: Out for Blood

[Guest]

47 minutes ago, fishcakes said:

Also, I wonder if Natalie knew that she wasn't selling the Steal-a-Vote itself, but only the chance to try to retrieve it from the other camp. If she knew it involved having to sneak away from your own tribe and then sneak into the unknown camp, she might have thought that Jeremy wouldn't risk it since he already had one advantage, and getting this one was going to be iffy.

Ah, that's a good point. Another potential reason why she didn't offer a second advantage to Jeremy. Maybe she picked Sarah because she kind of hoped she WOULD be caught? Or because Sarah (as a cop, don't y'know) would be better at being stealthy? I need some DVD commentary stat.

This is another issue with Edge of Extinction; we don't get exit interviews throughout the season that shed some light on stuff like this.

Edited February 28, 2020 by tracyscott76
To add some bitching about EoE

[cheetahchirps]

53 minutes ago, tracyscott76 said:

Rob's only "admittedly blown" one challenge (the one last week where he stopped to sort the pieces). This latest one, he and Michele were starting the puzzle well behind and actually closed the gap and only had one piece left when 

They were behind because Rob wasted too much time trying to throw the leash up to catch on the slot so they could climb up. He should have been pushed out of the way much earlier, partly the team’s fault, and I know someone was standing in his way when he was trying to put the last piece in, so also not entirely his fault, but still not a good look. In the past, he would have completed. 

1 hour ago, tracyscott76 said:

1 hour ago, tracyscott76 said:

1 hour ago, tracyscott76 said:

1 hour ago, tracyscott76 said:

Finally, maybe Rob was never "the brightest" but he was no fool, certainly not from All-Stars on, and didn't need physicality and intimidation to make up for any lack of smarts. He never would have done as well as he has if he was just some muscle-head.

 

I didn’t mean to imply any of that, he’s the Tony Soprano of Survivor, shrewd and savvy, and I love the guy, with a native intelligence that isn’t always readily apparent. He does seem to be realizing the truth about Sandra. I just think he needs someone to light a fire under his butt because his game’s been lazy this season. I’d love to see the Sandra/Rob stand-off at the end that they seem to  be implying will happen  (which means it won’t) but he has a long way to go.

 

[Guest]

18 minutes ago, cheetahchirps said:

They were behind because Rob wasted too much time trying to throw the leash up to catch on the slot so they could climb up. He should have been pushed out of the way much earlier, partly the team’s fault, and I know someone was standing in his way when he was trying to put the last piece in, so also not entirely his fault, but still not a good look. In the past, he would have completed.

Ah, fair enough, I forgot about the grappling hook (grappling ball?) part. Perhaps because all I could remember about that stage was poor Ben seemingly having it attack him on his first attempt.

18 minutes ago, cheetahchirps said:

I just think he needs someone to light a fire under his butt because his game’s been lazy this season.

I guess I don't see Rob's game as being lazy this time out...maybe his usual impulses are being stifled by this group of fellow sharks and he can't find his footing as well. But he seems to be working pretty hard to me...almost too hard at times. Either way, I'm worried about him, though!

Edited February 28, 2020 by tracyscott76
To clarify who I'm talking about

[meep.meep]

The grappling hook:  So Wendell threw it successfully for the other team, then he couldn't compete in the puzzle phase.  But Rob could do the puzzle for his team, because he wasn't successful with throwing the hook?

 

[fishcakes]

15 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

The grappling hook:  So Wendell threw it successfully for the other team, then he couldn't compete in the puzzle phase.  But Rob could do the puzzle for his team, because he wasn't successful with throwing the hook?

I think Wendell could have done the puzzle phase anyway, but chose not to for some reason. In some challenges, they divide up who has to do what, with designated people to run the obstacle, someone else grabbing the pieces, and then another pair to do the puzzle. But since everyone had to run the first part of the course, I think this was one of the challenges where anyone can do anything, which is why Ben was able to swap out with Rob on the grappling hook.

[cheetahchirps]

31 minutes ago, tracyscott76 said:

Ah, fair enough, I forgot about the grappling hook (grappling ball?) part. Perhaps because all I could remember about that stage was poor Ben seemingly having it attack him on his first attempt.

I guess I don't see Rob's game as being lazy this time out...maybe his usual impulses are being stifled by this group of fellow sharks and he can't find his footing as well. But he seems to be working pretty hard to me...almost too hard at times. Either way, I'm worried about him, though!

I didn’t know what to call it, lol. Very funny about Ben. What I remember about the puzzle part was Sandra on the sidelines, being a cheerleader, as per usual. She shouldn’t be able to skip the challenges, as pointed out by another poster. Someone else made the point about Rob and Sandra probably being weary from the previous season, and that could explain the lethargy. I’m worried about Rob too, and so is Rob C., but then he seemed to worry about everyone.

[Rachel RSL]

4 minutes ago, fishcakes said:

I think Wendell could have done the puzzle phase anyway, but chose not to for some reason.

I wondered about that.  I remember that, towards the end of the challenge, he looked like he was about to lose his mind, telling them where the pieces were supposed to go.  It looked like it was killing him to not just jump in and do it. 

[ProfCrash]

2 minutes ago, cheetahchirps said:

I didn’t know what to call it, lol. Very funny about Ben. What I remember about the puzzle part was Sandra on the sidelines, being a cheerleader, as per usual. She shouldn’t be able to skip the challenges, as pointed out by another poster. Someone else made the point about Rob and Sandra probably being weary from the previous season, and that could explain the lethargy. I’m worried about Rob too, and so is Rob C., but then he seemed to worry about everyone.

Why would they be tired after Island of the Idols? They sat around and did nothing. There is no way that they were living off the land or roughing it. Anything that we saw them doing was with stuff provided by the Producers. If Rob built that structure it was because he was bored stiff and wanted something to do and not because he had to for Survival sake. Neither one of them lost weight. They were not tired from playing the game. They hung out on the beach and napped. Hell, I would be shocked if they didn't have their iPads the entire time.

[SuburbanHangSuite]

Regarding the Grappling Hook portion of the IC:

I thought Jeremy should've done the actual throwing.  Firefighters have to wrangle those hoses and lines and I felt like he would've handled that part effortlessly.  But then he ran up the ladder like it was nothing, so maybe they saved him for that portion?  Like you guys, I'd like to know if there were "rules" about how much of that challenge could be completed by any one individual.  

I swear, I used to think I could compete on Survivor but those puzzles would be the death of me.

[Wanda]

I’ve been stockpiling these on dvr and just binged them today. This season is dead to me now. 

[Nashville]

Personally, I think Adam simply fell victim to a case of BMF - and in so doing, severely (and possibly irrevocably) shot his game in the foot:

1. Collectively, the new-schoolers had a virtual lock on the next vote - “virtual” solely because the only possible attenuating factor was the chance of Rob receiving some kind of Amber-gifted degree of immunity from EoE.  Which still leaves both Ethan and Parvati as low-hanging fruit, swinging in the breeze and begging to be picked/evicted on a 5-3 vote.
2. Adam, though gets twitchy; here we are, THREE WHOLE EVICTIONS into the season, and he has yet to make a BAM.  Adam must, simply must, make a game-changing move before Eviction #4!!!
3. So what is Adam’s earth-shaking Move, destined to forever change the way Survivor is played?  Why, Adam’s going to play both sides (Note: insert descending-note “wah wah wah wahhhh” trumpet sound here).
4. So Adam scurries over like a good little chicken to Rob and downloads the entire evict-Parvati plan, expecting Rob to (a) be grateful for the heads-up (engendering feelings of loyalty, maybe?) and (b) keep it to himself.  Now, why did Adam think this was stellar gameplay?  You’ll have to ask another chicken.
5. In any event, Adam’s “master plan” blows up in his face.  Rob is royally pissed off that Adam expects Rob to take this lying down, Rob exposes Adam’s exposure to everybody else on the tribe (old- and new-schoolers alike), and the vote accurately represents the extent to which Adam’s double-dealing has imploded upon him; the old-schoolers all vote to evict Adam, the other new-schoolers all vote to evict Ethan, and Adam and his lone Parvati vote are left standing with a cake out in the rain.

So in one fell swoop Adam has gone from being with the majority and playing all sides, to being on the outs and playing with nobody.  Guess who’s likely to be the low-hanging fruit for the next eviction...?  
At this point, Adam better pray for a tribe swap - he’s burned all bridges with his current tribe.

 

[Eolivet]

Adam has this weird "truth is power" thing that works maybe 50% of the time. He thinks, perhaps correctly, that Rob (and Ethan) would prefer to know a Parvati blindside is coming, rather than be left out of it. Adam also thinks, perhaps correctly, that Rob and Ethan like him as a person (which I do think is true).

However, Adam assumes these are common denominators you can add, like "prefer to be kept in the loop + likes you personally = will accept this as being a good game move." It's bizarre how quickly Adam makes personal connections, and how easily he converts them into chess pieces, while thinking he can use his personal connections to smooth over those relationships.

It's shockingly similar to what happened with Taylor at the mvgx merge, and I can only assume it happens when Adam has too many options: he starts dramatically overthinking and losing perspective. In looking for a Plan B, he burns Plan A to the ground.

1 hour ago, Nashville said:

At this point, Adam better pray for a tribe swap - he’s burned all bridges with his current tribe.

I don't think a tribe swap can save him. If anything, I think he's better off as an uneasy number for the Sele newschoolers. The second there's a swap, he may be sacrificed like the chess piece he is, and probably by members of his own tribe.

[violet and green]

35 minutes ago, Eolivet said:

Adam has this weird "truth is power" thing that works maybe 50% of the time.

He's such a whiny little mansplainer. I hope he gets whacked next!

[simplyme]

21 hours ago, tracyscott76 said:

Made the others in that tribe look kind of grim in comparison, especially when you also throw in the breadfruit-harvesting/shark-wrestling antics going on at the other tribe.

One thing that might explain the old schoolers looking like they're having more fun is that Rob, Parvati, and Ethan have known each other a loooong time. The others? Not so much. So those three are going to be much more relaxed with each other than anyone else in the tribe.

One other thing I keep in mind when one tribe looks like the "fun" tribe (or occasionally describes itself that way *wince*) is that usually that happens when a tribe is winning. It's hard to be cheerful when you have to keep plotting who of your tribemates you should axe.

[Nashville]

11 hours ago, Eolivet said:

I don't think a tribe swap can save him. If anything, I think he's better off as an uneasy number for the Sele newschoolers. The second there's a swap, he may be sacrificed like the chess piece he is, and probably by members of his own tribe.

Hence my earlier “possibly irrevocably” statement.  On Sele Rob and Parvati won’t trust Adam because Adam targeted Parvati, while Ben/Denise/Jeremy/Michele won’t trust Adam because he blew up their plan to score personal brownie points with Rob.  And at this point in time I fail to see how anybody on Dakal would consider Adam as anything more than a Kleenex - possibly useful in the short term, but disposable at the first opportunity.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, simplyme said:

One other thing I keep in mind when one tribe looks like the "fun" tribe (or occasionally describes itself that way *wince*) is that usually that happens when a tribe is winning. It's hard to be cheerful when you have to keep plotting who of your tribemates you should axe.

Oh sure, absolutely. I don't necessarily mean that the other tribe is made up of inherently more fun people, just that they're coming across as more fun at the moment, hence making the Jeremy/Michele/Ben/Adam/Denise group look more grim.

[Never Again]

I’m so over Rob and Parvati but had to root for Blue Team because my man Ethan was on it.  I hate to see him go and I hope he gets back on the island, but with the sharp way Natalie is playing it doesn’t seem likely.  My heart breaks for Ethan, this meant more to him than for the rest of them put together because it made him feel like he was back in the land of the living.  That’s huge. The rest are only playing for money and glory.  Sucks that he is gone, but it made me happy about Edge of Extinction for the first time ever.  Rooting for the Red Team now 

[Rachel RSL]

Ethan got married a few years ago. I’d like to think that made him feel like he was back in the land of the living.

[Never Again]

2 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

Ethan got married a few years ago. I’d like to think that made him feel like he was back in the land of the living.

Well of course getting married is vital and heartwarming and great to be happy and in love and have a life partner!  But I was speaking in the sense of physicality, vitality and competitiveness, as he was saying in the first episode, that being back on survivor is really living...

[Rachel RSL]

I don’t think it means more to him than all the rest of them put together. Saying that is basically discounting everyone else’s life.  Everybody has a story that could break your heart. Everybody has a reason for being there.  

[EllenB]

Some people sure make it hard for people who have had cancer to get past being a permanent CANCER PATIENT.  Ethan's been cancer-free since 2013.  That's seven years.  I'm sure he just LOVES the constant pity parties from so-called fans. 🙄

[Asha124]

On 2/28/2020 at 2:28 PM, Lamb18 said:

I finally got a good look at the tribal immunity idol. It looks like a warped Mr. Potato Head.

Speaking of the tribal immunity - does anybody think that the fire tokens in it's eyes could be taken out by a player? It's kinda weird that they are right there...

[Guest]

9 hours ago, EllenB said:

Some people sure make it hard for people who have had cancer to get past being a permanent CANCER PATIENT.  Ethan's been cancer-free since 2013.  That's seven years.  I'm sure he just LOVES the constant pity parties from so-called fans. 🙄

Not to assume I can read minds, but I'm guessing the comments here generally stem from Ethan's own comments in the first episode, about how even after the cancer treatments he was in fear of the cancer returning, and he said that being out there playing Survivor was very enjoyable for him ("THIS is living!"). I'm sure he doesn't want a pity party, but I think people are allowed to feel some disappointment on his behalf that his game was cut short (EoE aside), based on what he himself said.

[Never Again]

1 hour ago, tracyscott76 said:

Not to assume I can read minds, but I'm guessing the comments here generally stem from Ethan's own comments in the first episode, about how even after the cancer treatments he was in fear of the cancer returning, and he said that being out there playing Survivor was very enjoyable for him ("THIS is living!"). I'm sure he doesn't want a pity party, but I think people are allowed to feel some disappointment on his behalf that his game was cut short (EoE aside), based on what he himself said.

Exactly what I meant, thank you @tracyscott76! 

11 hours ago, EllenB said:

Some people sure make it hard for people who have had cancer to get past being a permanent CANCER PATIENT.  Ethan's been cancer-free since 2013.  That's seven years.  I'm sure he just LOVES the constant pity parties from so-called fans. 🙄

Ethan said this on the first episode.  It’s not a pity party. It’s hearing what he said and understanding exactly what he meant. Unless you’re a survivor you might not get it. No need to roll your eyes though 

[SVNBob]

6 hours ago, Asha124 said:

Speaking of the tribal immunity - does anybody think that the fire tokens in it's eyes could be taken out by a player? It's kinda weird that they are right there...

Nick tweeted right after the premiere that he and/or other members of his tribe noticed that after winning the first IC and tried to remove them.  Obviously, they didn't come out.

[Asha124]

8 minutes ago, SVNBob said:

Nick tweeted right after the premiere that he and/or other members of his tribe noticed that after winning the first IC and tried to remove them.  Obviously, they didn't come out.

Thanks 🙂

[RedbirdNelly]

On 2/26/2020 at 8:17 PM, tracyscott76 said:

 

Are we going to see Tony on a ladder every episode now? Because that would be alright.

I thought to myself that turns out Tony has been training for this challenge. . .

and I wanted Tony to ask to take the ladder back to camp with them.

[lasu]

In Joe R's recap, he equates putting ash on Sarah's face to blackface.  I absolutely do not want to be insensitive, but...this isn't blackface.  They tried to darken her skin to make her less visible during her nighttime raid.  There are no racial overtones to that.  

[Lantern7]

38 minutes ago, lasu said:

In Joe R's recap, he equates putting ash on Sarah's face to blackface.  I absolutely do not want to be insensitive, but...this isn't blackface.  They tried to darken her skin to make her less visible during her nighttime raid.  There are no racial overtones to that.  

I was thinking about that at the time, but I figured things would be better if I didn’t directly point it out on the live and episode threads. Ditto for the mere thought of the production staff’s collective butthole puckering up. I mean, they just got through the ordeal of Feely Dan, and now this?!? 😜😜😜

Edited March 2, 2020 by Lantern7

[Rachel RSL]

Using paint, charcoal, or mud to camouflage one's face is a standard military technique and has absolutely nothing to do with blackface.  There's so much racist crap in this world, it's disheartening when people try to find racism even when there clearly isn't any.

[EllenB]

7 hours ago, Rbonnie said:

Exactly what I meant, thank you @tracyscott76! 

Ethan said this on the first episode.  It’s not a pity party. It’s hearing what he said and understanding exactly what he meant. Unless you’re a survivor you might not get it. No need to roll your eyes though 

Been there (three times!), done that, got the scars.  Just because he's talked about having had cancer and that he's happy to have the chance to play again, doesn't mean he wants the "pity the poor  widdle man who had cancer" crap.

[Never Again]

3 hours ago, EllenB said:

Been there (three times!), done that, got the scars.  Just because he's talked about having had cancer and that he's happy to have the chance to play again, doesn't mean he wants the "pity the poor  widdle man who had cancer" crap.

I’m a survivor as well, but three times is rough, I give you credit bc I’m sure it wasn’t easy. That is not pity, just acknowledging the difficulty.  I get a little wriggly myself when people start praising my “courage” and my “fight” and my “will” as though those who didn’t make it didn’t want it as much.  That said, I don’t believe Ethan was looking for pity either, nor for special treatment.  Just saying that he said how great it was to be there and it made him feel like he was truly alive, this is what his dream was.  And that’s why I was disappointed he got voted off so soon.  Yes, probably everyone there has a heartbreaking story if you scratch deep enough, but Ethan's is well known and for me it touches close to home

i wish you continued good health. 

 

[EllenB]

1 minute ago, Rbonnie said:

I’m a survivor as well, but three times is rough, I give you credit bc I’m sure it wasn’t easy. That is not pity, just acknowledging the difficulty.  I get a little wriggly myself when people start praising my “courage” and my “fight” and my “will” as though those who didn’t make it didn’t want it as much.  That said, I don’t believe Ethan was looking for pity either, nor for special treatment.  Just saying that he said how great it was to be there and it made him feel like he was truly alive, this is what his dream was.  And that’s why I was disappointed he got voted off so soon.  Yes, probably everyone there has a heartbreaking story if you scratch deep enough, but Ethan's is well known and for me it touches close to home

i wish you continued good health. 

 

I like Ethan and have no problem with him.  It's his so-called fans who keep pulling the cancer card on his behalf that I find highly annoying.

[SVNBob]

In the episode's Live Chat thread, @LadyChatts asked

Quote

I'm also confused about the idol rules-why did Denise have to give half her idol away, only for the person to give that half back to her?

She had to give away half before sunset after finding it for the idol to have any power; same with Kim.  The note with the idol stated so.  That separation is what empowered those idols.  Otherwise, they'd just be costume jewelry.

But you still need two halves to make a complete idol.  Adam returned the half Denise gave him, because in his words in the flashback, it "was [her] idol."  He was simply helping out his ally.  They followed all the rules to make a full and functional idol.

Over on Dakal, we don't know as much about that idol.  Kim followed the rule about giving half away before sunset with Sophie.  But we don't know if Sophie has returned her half to make that idol complete, or is still holding it to not give Kim a complete advantage yet.

The closest analog for these idols are the ones given to the EoE returnees from that season.  Those also came in two halves and one had to be given away.  The difference was that the time limit was the next TC and not the next sunset, and both holders had to survive that TC for the idol halves to be empowered.  But they still had to be reunited to be a full idol.