S40.E06: Quick on the Draw

[eskimo]

11 hours ago, GaT said:

Great play on Denise's part, but I have no idea why she wasted an idol on Jeremy.

I'm thinking that she played the idol on Jeremy only because she was voting for Sandra and was afraid if one person voted for Jeremy her vote for Sandra would have made it a tie.  The tie would have likely been broken in Sandra's favor and Denise would have to go back with a pissed off Sandra who would be lazer focused on getting rid of her.  So less to save Jeremy and more to ensure her shot at Sandra didn't miss.  I'm not sure it was the best move to burn her idol like that, but we'll see.  Probably working on her 'resume'. 

 

[eskimo]

9 hours ago, Eolivet said:

 Parvati I can see it being top of mind, as she just received two tokens, but since when does Sandra care about them?

 

Didn't Sandra get her idol by buying it with a fire token?  I think Natalie sent her the opportunity.  So she knows there's more to them than pizza and peanut butter. 

[Lukeysboat]

9 hours ago, Eolivet said:

I missed the first 10 minutes, but who put a bug in these people's ear about fire tokens? First, they were only being used on Edge of Extinction, then to buy advantages, now suddenly they're being swapped for votes? 

Some players still in the game know that they can buy advantages offered to them by those on EOE. 

[Rachel RSL]

41 minutes ago, DallasGypsy said:

Sandra's idol wasn't valid past this tribal council.  She couldn't play it for herself because no one was actively targeting her and playing it would be really suspicious.

It wouldn't have been suspicious at all.  Many times over the years people have stood up at TC and announced they were using an idol simply because it was the last chance for them to use it so why not?  I feel like the old Sandra would have stuck to her "anybody but me" plan and played the idol for herself just to be on the safe side....I think it's the lure of these dumb fire tokens that is messing with how people play the game and I don't like it.  I don't want this to become a permanent thing and future seasons will be all about people buying/selling tokens.

[eskimo]

If someone who is voted out has more than one fire token can they split them up, or do they have to all go to one person.  I know so far none have been split, but is that a rule?

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, truthaboutluv said:

For all those who felt jipped out of not seeing the Rob and Amber reunion at EoE.  Here you go. Figured they'd put it up as a secret scene online.

Rob cracks me up - "he's just taking some time to hang out with his wife and his friends before winning the game". Don't see that happening but at least he was in good spirits. 

 

How bummed is this crew going to be when they see Parvati and Sandra walk in next? Natalie is looking like more and more of an aberration, and she has to be wondering "why the heck was I the only new-schooler to be targeted?"

[iMonrey]

I don't think the fire tokens are really adding anything of substance to the game. Certainly not as yet, anyway, and we are six episodes in. So far the only thing they've gotten anyone is peanut butter. BFD. Yeah maybe down the line they'll play some huge role in the game but I'm kind of sick of hearing about them without knowing how they ultimately will or won't be a major factor in who wins. 

It's sort of like Edge of Extinction on top of Edge of Extinction. Both concepts suck. We're going to wind up with about fourteen people sitting around on EoE and only one gets back into the game. I don't care how many fire tokens they have or how they've used them, it's still a crummy concept all around IMO.

Quote

I thought Wendell was an asshole in Ghost Island so I'm having fun with people sorta turning on him now. Just as I wanted someone to knock that stupid toothpick out of his mouth in GI, I really want someone to do that this season.

I don't even remember Ghost Island. But I agree with the PrimeTimer recap that Wendell is alternately surly and cocky. He's the one I dislike the most now that Rob is gone. 

And yeah, the toothpick, or weed, or whatever is hanging out of his mouth at tribal council? Is a particular pet peeve of mine. I detest when guys do that. They seem to think it makes them look cool I guess. You're never going to see a woman doing that.

[Guest]

Just now, iMonrey said:

I don't think the fire tokens are really adding anything of substance to the game. Certainly not as yet, anyway, and we are six episodes in. So far the only thing they've gotten anyone is peanut butter. BFD. Yeah maybe down the line they'll play some huge role in the game but I'm kind of sick of hearing about them without knowing how they ultimately will or won't be a major factor in who wins.

The fire tokens led directly to Sandra being voted out this episode. She used her token to buy the idol from Natalie, the very idol that she then gave to Denise in exchange for tokens, the very idol that Denise played which nullified all the votes against her and kept her in the game, and led to her Sandra vote being the only one that counted.

Sandra wouldn't have had that idol without tokens, and would never have offered it to Denise without the promise of tokens. Jeremy and Sarah also have as-yet-unused advantages that they bought with tokens.

So I'd say they're adding some substance to the game. They've definitely gotten someone a lot more than peanut butter.

[laurakaye]

2 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

And yeah, the toothpick, or weed, or whatever is hanging out of his mouth at tribal council? Is a particular pet peeve of mine. I detest when guys do that. They seem to think it makes them look cool I guess. You're never going to see a woman doing that.

See also: Mike Holloway.

Fave scene:  Sandra and Denise talking about exchanging tokens for an idol as long as Denise doesn't put any votes on Sandra or Kim....enter Kim.....Sandra's all "cookies and cream" and Denise is like "cupcakes!" and Kim's just "whatever, you guys."

[iMonrey]

Quote

The fire tokens led directly to Sandra being voted out this episode. She used her token to buy the idol from Natalie, the very idol that she then gave to Denise in exchange for tokens, the very idol that Denise played which nullified all the votes against her and kept her in the game, and led to her Sandra vote being the only one that counted.

Sandra wouldn't have had that idol without tokens, and would never have offered it to Denise without the promise of tokens. Jeremy and Sarah also have as-yet-unused advantages that they bought with tokens.

So I'd say they're adding some substance to the game. They've definitely gotten someone a lot more than peanut butter.

All of that could have happened without fire tokens though. Their currency is still unknown. Sure, people are bargaining and trading for tokens but they still don't know their ultimate value, nor do we. You can trade a promise or make a deal for an idol just as easily as you can trade a token for one. That's what I mean by saying they aren't adding anything of substance. It's just another gimmick on a show that has become overrun with them.

[fishcakes]

I ate breakfast, but you guys were talking so much about Tyson and the peanut butter that I had to go make a peanut butter sandwich to eat while reading this thread.

As much as Sandra wanted to take Rob out because he "lied" to her, I think she was unnerved to see him gone and it threw her off her game. Everyone was set on Denise -- even Jeremy -- and keeping Denise does not benefit Sandra at all. I don't think she would have traded guaranteed safety for herself and her allies for two fire tokens if her head was really in it. But it was a good move for Denise and it will give her something to claim if she gets to FTC. I do think she wasted her second idol though. Voting Sandra out with Sandra's own idol would have been enough of a power move, and it's not like Jeremy has her back anyway.

Adam's "I think I made a big mistake!" face while watching Ben, Sophie, and Sarah in the ocean was everything. But Ben stabbing those bags of rice to death with a knife was terrifying.

Wendell is coming across as pretty dickish this time around. I get that he has issues with Michele and maybe that's more on her than on him (which is what I thought last week, but now I'm not so sure). But he was being unnecessarily nasty to Parvati as well. So superior and dismissive. That said, people harassing him (and Nick) on social media is some bullshit.

[simplyme]

58 minutes ago, tracyscott76 said:

How bummed is this crew going to be when they see Parvati and Sandra walk in next? Natalie is looking like more and more of an aberration, and she has to be wondering "why the heck was I the only new-schooler to be targeted?"

I think new school vs old school is kind of a false narrative. Honestly, it's the same way it always was in later returnee seasons: They target based on perceived threat status. Sometimes they'll opt to take out an ally of a threat instead of the bigger threat him/herself, so you end up with Ethan going before Rob and Parv.

Simply because they've been around forever (or played in the game's infancy), the old schoolers have a bit more lustre than recent winners, imo. I'd also add that the more focus a winner got during their season(s), the more they appear to be seen as a threat. So the biggest personalities seem to end up with that label first.

Tony? Biggest character his season. Spencer and Kass were his only real competitors, but you could not miss Tony. By comparison, Sophie won on a season with Ozzy, Cochran, Coach, and Brandon Hantz. There's a reason no one remembers her. They were too busy showing the Melodrama. Denise won on a season with Malcolm, Abi-Maria, Penner, Skupin, Lisa Whelchel, and former baseball star Jeff Kent. Again, while I thought they did a good job showing her game, she isn't who gets seared into your memory. 😛

[Guest]

Just now, simplyme said:

I think new school vs old school is kind of a false narrative. Honestly, it's the same way it always was in later returnee seasons: They target based on perceived threat status. Sometimes they'll opt to take out an ally of a threat instead of the bigger threat him/herself, so you end up with Ethan going before Rob and Parv.

I think new school vs. old school is kind of a silly narrative, and it may be a false one, but it is one that the players themselves kept harping on. And the fact is, that out of everyone we started with, there's only one player who first played prior to Season 20 still in the game (Yul), and there's only one player who first played after Season 20 who's been voted out (Natalie). So it could be a coincidence or tied in more to their reputations/threat status, but in terms of basic optics, I could still see Natalie wondering what was so special about her - the kind of special you don't really want to be XD

[GaT]

2 hours ago, eskimo said:

I'm thinking that she played the idol on Jeremy only because she was voting for Sandra and was afraid if one person voted for Jeremy her vote for Sandra would have made it a tie.  The tie would have likely been broken in Sandra's favor and Denise would have to go back with a pissed off Sandra who would be lazer focused on getting rid of her.  So less to save Jeremy and more to ensure her shot at Sandra didn't miss.  I'm not sure it was the best move to burn her idol like that, but we'll see.  Probably working on her 'resume'. 

 

Good guess, & possibly correct.

[LizBug]

This time around, players aren't given a choice of going to EoE or to some variety of Ponderosa.  They're all told to gather their torch and go to EoE.

That being said ... I wonder what some of these players would have decided if they had been given the choice.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

All of that could have happened without fire tokens though. Their currency is still unknown. Sure, people are bargaining and trading for tokens but they still don't know their ultimate value, nor do we. You can trade a promise or make a deal for an idol just as easily as you can trade a token for one. That's what I mean by saying they aren't adding anything of substance. It's just another gimmick on a show that has become overrun with them.

I find it hard to believe that Sandra would have given her idol away without the promise of tokens in return. That's part of the substance they are bringing to the game - not just the nature of the advantages they can buy, but that they might cause people to do things they ordinarily wouldn't. They also complicate potential deals: Wendell offered his vote to Parvati for her tokens in advance, but she wouldn't do it because she didn't want to risk losing her tokens for no reason if he didn't follow through. She wouldn't have them to use if she stayed, nor would she be able to control who got them if she was voted out.

I mean, yes, the tokens are another gimmick and no one has to like them, but I think they're a very different kind of gimmick from any we've seen before and are tweaking things in a way I find interesting.

[Bryce Lynch]

I haven't watched at all this season.  Has any actually been eliminated from the game or is everyone still on EOE?

[Haleth]

1 hour ago, DallasGypsy said:

This time around, players aren't given a choice of going to EoE or to some variety of Ponderosa.  They're all told to gather their torch and go to EoE.

That being said ... I wonder what some of these players would have decided if they had been given the choice.

I wonder what their accommodations and meals are like. I have a feeling they’re not really on “ the edge of extinction” out there. Certainly not like last season. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Denise won on a season with Malcolm, Abi-Maria, Penner, Skupin, Lisa Whelchel

Oh God, I forgot all about Abi-Maria. Selective memory can be a wonderful thing.

Denise was my favorite during her original season and she is quickly vaulting herself to being my favorite this season again. That said, it's slim pickin's. There are far more players I dislike than not.

[SoWindsor]

Why couldn’t Parvati use her advantage to nullify votes against her?

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, SoWindsor said:

Why couldn’t Parvati use her advantage to nullify votes against her?

I believe it was an idol nullifier, not a vote nullifier. She must have figured no one was likely to play an idol in that situation, so she didn't bother using it.

[kassandra8286]

5 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

For all those who felt jipped out of not seeing the Rob and Amber reunion at EoE.  Here you go. Figured they'd put it up as a secret scene online.

Rob cracks me up - "he's just taking some time to hang out with his wife and his friends before winning the game". Don't see that happening but at least he was in good spirits. 

 

Awww, thanks for posting that. Blame it on social isolation but I actually got a little teary-eyed at R&A's reunion.

Favorite bit:

Quote

 

Rob: Ha ha, I have my wife here, and you guys don't.

Natalie: Amber *was* my wife until you got here!

 

I'm enjoying some of these secret scenes more than the show!

[MissEwa]

6 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

Denise's move was pretty awesome though. Although, it really felt like she played her other idol just to really drive home how awesome her move was and to really fuck over Sandra and I think she'll regret that. It would be pretty funny if that tribe lost next week and Jeremy just voted her out/took himself out of TC with his advantage.

 

4 hours ago, eskimo said:

I'm thinking that she played the idol on Jeremy only because she was voting for Sandra and was afraid if one person voted for Jeremy her vote for Sandra would have made it a tie.  The tie would have likely been broken in Sandra's favor and Denise would have to go back with a pissed off Sandra who would be lazer focused on getting rid of her.  So less to save Jeremy and more to ensure her shot at Sandra didn't miss.  I'm not sure it was the best move to burn her idol like that, but we'll see.  Probably working on her 'resume'. 

I think playing the second idol was a smart play. As I think Denise said, Sandra's offer felt too easy - if I were her I would 100% be thinking that it was a ploy to get her to play an idol while they targeted her closest ally (whether by splitting votes or outright). 

Was it also for show? Definitely. Sandra approached her thinking she was desperate and probably resigned to going out, and playing the second idol was a beautiful way of demonstrating that she could take care of herself. 

The fact that Jeremy voted for her makes the second idol play look a little bit more foolish, but I think it served its purpose, and with the merge likely around the corner, I think she's seeing opportunities down the track. Although I am a Denise fan so maybe I'm just hopeful. 

 

[Eolivet]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

I wonder what their accommodations and meals are like. I have a feeling they’re not really on “ the edge of extinction” out there. Certainly not like last season. 

It does give me pause that Edge of Extinction confessionals are filmed close-up. I know it was that way in 38, and it's likely to distinguish them from the medium long shot confessionals of people still in the game. But this time, I feel like they're all secretly living in Rob's giant house he built on 39 (with ample room and fruit and a swing outside), and they don't want to give away their location before they send them to the Edge of Extinction "set."

[willco]

2 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I haven't watched at all this season.  Has any actually been eliminated from the game or is everyone still on EOE?

No one has been eliminated yet-- everyone voted out has gone to Extinction. Counting last night's votes, I think ( if I've counted right) there will be 7 players there now ! I would think they will do something with them soon ??

[simplyme]

1 hour ago, MissEwa said:

The fact that Jeremy voted for her makes the second idol play look a little bit more foolish, but I think it served its purpose, and with the merge likely around the corner, I think she's seeing opportunities down the track. Although I am a Denise fan so maybe I'm just hopeful. 

 

Maybe, maybe not. It's one of those things that I think could go either way. Denise's specific problem was that Jeremy (and Kim and Tony) undervalued her. Jeremy didn't really want to vote against Denise, but given that it was her or him, he pragmatically saved himself and didn't feel real bothered about it. It's not like they were close.

By playing an idol for Jeremy, Denise may (or may not) have increased Jeremy's attachment to her. He may be a bit more willing to fight for her and less willing to lose her since she has gone to bat for him.  And Denise definitely raised her threat profile with that move, which most of the time I think is a bad thing but in this specific case may help her out with Jeremy. She's no longer the obviously disposable one in the tribe.

Denise doesn't really seem to have anyone. If she can start to get Jeremy to see her as his non-EoE Natalie this season, then she's gained an ally. That (probably) puts her in a better position.

2 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I haven't watched at all this season.  Has any actually been eliminated from the game or is everyone still on EOE?

I know!  I thought you fell off the Earth or got trampled in a Walmart somewhere or something.  Glad to know you're still kicking. 🙂

[Etta Place]

8 minutes ago, simplyme said:

Maybe, maybe not. It's one of those things that I think could go either way. Denise's specific problem was that Jeremy (and Kim and Tony) undervalued her. Jeremy didn't really want to vote against Denise, but given that it was her or him, he pragmatically saved himself and didn't feel real bothered about it. It's not like they were close.

By playing an idol for Jeremy, Denise may (or may not) have increased Jeremy's attachment to her. He may be a bit more willing to fight for her and less willing to lose her since she has gone to bat for him.  And Denise definitely raised her threat profile with that move, which most of the time I think is a bad thing but in this specific case may help her out with Jeremy. She's no longer the obviously disposable one in the tribe.

I agree, I figure it's also the ultimate "no hard feelings, I knew you'd have to vote for me" gesture from Denise. As always, it remains to be seen how it plays out but I don't think the idol was wasted in being played on Jeremy for a variety of reasons.

[Guest]

34 minutes ago, willco said:

No one has been eliminated yet-- everyone voted out has gone to Extinction. Counting last night's votes, I think ( if I've counted right) there will be 7 players there now ! I would think they will do something with them soon ??

Eight, actually. Maybe they're waiting until it's 10 and 10? Maybe they're waiting until all the players I like are on EoE and then they'll declare that EoE is the real game, and everyone else is eliminated? Maybe?

[Hera]

ETA: Sorry for the post length, everyone. There were just so many good posts I wanted to respond to now that I've finally seen the episode.

18 hours ago, Steph Sometimes said:

I love Sandra so this was painful even as I knew it was coming the second she gave it to Denise. Good for you. Denise!

Same. I would have been happy to see Sandra win a third time, but I knew it was very unlikely. I like this ending for her, though—bounced by her own idol when she had the majority. I wonder if Sandra still would have been Denise's target without trying to strike the deal to sell the hidden immunity idol. Part of me thinks Sandra may have revealed a little too much to Denise about how many side-deals she had going. On the other hand, Sandra's always dangerous. But as Probst pointed out in this episode, on an all-winner season, shouldn't everyone be considered a threat?

I'm also really impressed with Kim, who appears to be hiding in plain sight. Despite being at the bottom of her first tribe on Day 1 and then the swing vote after the swap, Kim now appears to be back in the position of being nobody's target. Sandra even attempted to negotiate safety for Kim in her deal with Denise.

16 hours ago, Eolivet said:

I missed the first 10 minutes, but who put a bug in these people's ear about fire tokens? First, they were only being used on Edge of Extinction, then to buy advantages, now suddenly they're being swapped for votes? It was like a producer said, "hey guys, remember fire tokens exist. They're our big new thing this season, don't forget." Parvati I can see it being top of mind, as she just received two tokens, but since when does Sandra care about them?

I wondered about that as well. After having them be a non-factor for the players still in the game, all of a sudden in this episode, people couldn't get enough of them. I can kind of see it with Sandra—she knew more advantages might be being sold from Edge of Extinction and she'd need more fire tokens to buy them, but where did Wendell get the idea to start trying to collect them?

15 hours ago, simplyme said:

Could someone please explain to me why Tony is considered such a threat that he's a shield?

…

I do recognize that Tony is fun to have around (if unpredictable) and in his first season displayed an ability to read some people as well as intimidate and manipulate others.

I agree. I think Tony is a good shield because—like Boston Rob—he's always visible and doesn't seem to know how to/want to make himself less visible. As long as Tony's around, there is always going to be someone considering voting him out because you can't ignore him and it's easier to imagine that some of his antics are bound to be getting in the way of your own game.

11 hours ago, sigmaforce86 said:

I can't decide about Tyson and the peanut butter…I at least don't mind having him on my screen like I thought I would.

Same here. Zeus hasn't seen any of Tyson's previous seasons and thinks he's hilarious on this one, and it's hard to argue with that perspective on him right now.

6 hours ago, DallasGypsy said:

Sandra's idol wasn't valid past this tribal council.  She couldn't play it for herself because no one was actively targeting her and playing it would be really suspicious.

So, she did the next best thing ... bargained it away for two fire tokens (even though she only got the one up front).   It made sense from her point of view ... the idol wasn't wasted and she was "buying" a potential ally in Denise.

Too bad it backfired on her.

My husband reckoned that if Sandra had been successful, it would have significantly increased her chances of winning. It doesn't seem like she wanted to keep working with Tony, and this would have been a way to get him out while keeping her own hands clean, while also opening up a side-alliance with Denise. Unfortunately for her, Denise decided that going along with this would be much better for Sandra than it would be for Denise and made her own move.

4 hours ago, simplyme said:

Simply because they've been around forever (or played in the game's infancy), the old schoolers have a bit more lustre than recent winners, imo. I'd also add that the more focus a winner got during their season(s), the more they appear to be seen as a threat. So the biggest personalities seem to end up with that label first.

I think there's something to this. I would also add that being an old school winner means you've had longer and more opportunities to form friendships with each other outside the game, and I think it shows in-game. Certainly, if I were someone like Michele or Jeremy, I'd think I had a better chance trying to work with Denise or Ben than to try to get in with a group of people who have been friends in real life for over a decade, and who are making no effort to hide their attachments to each other. I think the fact that the last "old schooler" remaining is Yul bears this out, since he's been much less involved in the Survivor community and events than the others.

25 minutes ago, simplyme said:

Denise doesn't really seem to have anyone. If she can start to get Jeremy to see her as his non-EoE Natalie this season, then she's gained an ally. That (probably) puts her in a better position.

I think she already does have Jeremy—I saw his vote for her being him not wanting to stick his neck out for someone he thought was a goner anyway. I think he would have been open to voting for someone else if he and Denise could have gotten Kim, Sandra, or Tony to flip. On the original Sele, I think Denise was actually in a strong position. She and Adam seemed to be close (at least initially), and then Ben teamed up with her and showed her how to find an idol. She and Ben voted together every time that tribe went to Tribal Council (and always for the person who ended up leaving). It's not enough to win, but she has people she can join up with at the merge. Additionally, she might get Kim out of this move, since Kim was the swing vote between Sandra/Tony and Denise/Jeremy on Dakal 2. I get the sense that Sandra was the link between Kim and Tony, and now that she's gone, Kim might be willing to throw in with Denise, which would give Denise some cover with the people from Dakal 1 who make the merge.

Edited March 19, 2020 by Hera
Apologizing for the length of my post.

[AUJulia]

6 hours ago, eskimo said:

If someone who is voted out has more than one fire token can they split them up, or do they have to all go to one person.  I know so far none have been split, but is that a rule?

 

I was wondering that and assume the answer is no, since the little sign says “give your fire tokens to A PLAYER still in the game.”

[Haleth]

6 minutes ago, AUJulia said:

I was wondering that and assume the answer is no, since the little sign says “give your fire tokens to A PLAYER still in the game.”

I read a quote from Probst somewhere (sorry, I’ll never be able to find the source now) that they can spread the wealth however they want.

Edited March 19, 2020 by Haleth

[violet and green]

10 hours ago, Wouldofshouldof said:

The menu showed he could buy a return challenge advantage for 1 token. I would have taken that. Maybe he thought he doesn't need one?

It's four for a return advantage, I think. (Nah, ignore that, it is one.)

5 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I haven't watched at all this season.  Has any actually been eliminated from the game or is everyone still on EOE?

Come back, Bryce! For the love of all that's holy, come back! I promise I won't argue!

4 hours ago, kassandra8286 said:

I'm enjoying some of these secret scenes more than the show!

Or just watch the secret scenes, Bryce. They are better than most of the show, so far.

Speaking of the show, this week on Mopey Exes on the Beach... Jeez Louise, did they need to suck up so much airtime with those sulky, whiny adolescents? They showed all that boring drivel, and omitted....entirely omitted!.... to show Boston Rob's arrival on Extinction! Enjoyed that secret scene.

Seriously, the secret scenes should be the show.

But what a fun end to the episode. Haven't been pleased to see anyone sent off to the island of the long name this season, except for Sandra... and that way! Excellent. Probably a waste of an idol, maybe, maybe not, but well worth it for the fireworks. I shook my hands in the air like a loon and cheered. 

 

 

Edited March 20, 2020 by violet and green
clarity

[iMonrey]

Quote

Maybe they're waiting until it's 10 and 10? Maybe they're waiting until all the players I like are on EoE and then they'll declare that EoE is the real game, and everyone else is eliminated? Maybe?

I believe in season 38 they waited until it was down to six players left before EoE competed to get back in. Maybe five? I don't know what possessed them to regurgitate this awful idea, since a lot of people felt ripped off that the winner that season was someone who spent the bulk of his time sitting around on EoE. 

Quote

They showed all that boring drivel, and omitted....entirely omitted!.... to show Boston Rob's arrival on Extinction! Enjoyed that secret scene.

I for one am grateful that the double tribal councils left no time to devote to Rob and Amber's reunion. The less of them the better AFAIC.

[endure]

I like Sandra but was so impressed with how her departure played out, she was pretty sure of herself when she approached Denise offering up her soon to expire idol for tokens, it’s unfortunate she didn’t think to protect herself, who did she think would be going home when she knew everyone was voting for Denise?  Not well thought out at all.

Edited March 19, 2020 by endure

[Wandering Snark]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Oh God, I forgot all about Abi-Maria. Selective memory can be a wonderful thing.

I got a pit in my stomach just reading her name here as things came flooding back, I guess I still have Abi-Maria PTSD!

I know that I'd have gone with the six pack of beer and we'd have just sat around a campfire drinkin beer and conversating. Would have made "Exile" not so bad for one night...

[ByaNose]

I did like the secret scene of Rob & Ethan though. Ethan even seems happy on EoE. It was funny when Rob told him he was voted out to weaken Rob and Ethan was like all are you sure? Meanwhile, they are both laughing about it. Amber looked really pretty in her confessional with just a fire pit for lighting. It’s amazing how young she looks. I’ve watched Survivor since Season 1 and I recall her very well on Outback. She and Elisabeth were my Survivor crushes on Season 2. 

[Guest]

42 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I believe in season 38 they waited until it was down to six players left before EoE competed to get back in. Maybe five? I don't know what possessed them to regurgitate this awful idea, since a lot of people felt ripped off that the winner that season was someone who spent the bulk of his time sitting around on EoE.

They actually had two return challenges on Season 38. The first was after about six people were sent to EoE (that was the one where Rick got back in and promptly began being a total jackass, which he continued for the rest of the season). The second was, as you say, when six players were left in the game, during the finale.

So they're overdue to have one this season, but I guess they're going a different way.

[Fake Jan Brady]

7 hours ago, eskimo said:

If someone who is voted out has more than one fire token can they split them up, or do they have to all go to one person.  I know so far none have been split, but is that a rule?

 

 

1 hour ago, AUJulia said:

I was wondering that and assume the answer is no, since the little sign says “give your fire tokens to A PLAYER still in the game.”

 

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

I read a quote from Probst somewhere (sorry, I’ll never be able to find the source now) that they can spread the wealth however they want.

 

Yes, Probst says they can spread the wealth in this Dalton Ross interview  [but I agree the wording on the sign is confusing].

Edited March 20, 2020 by Fake Jan Brady

[MrsR]

I wish Parvati had put a BOUNTY on Wendell's head in exchange for her tokens.

That's how you use those tokens.

[tvfanatic13]

8 hours ago, DallasGypsy said:

Sandra's idol wasn't valid past this tribal council.  She couldn't play it for herself because no one was actively targeting her and playing it would be really suspicious.

So, she did the next best thing ... bargained it away for two fire tokens (even though she only got the one up front).   It made sense from her point of view ... the idol wasn't wasted and she was "buying" a potential ally in Denise.

Too bad it backfired on her.

Why would it have been suspicious? I don’t think so and agree with this:

8 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

It wouldn't have been suspicious at all.  Many times over the years people have stood up at TC and announced they were using an idol simply because it was the last chance for them to use it so why not?  I feel like the old Sandra would have stuck to her "anybody but me" plan and played the idol for herself just to be on the safe side....I think it's the lure of these dumb fire tokens that is messing with how people play the game and I don't like it.  I don't want this to become a permanent thing and future seasons will be all about people buying/selling tokens.

I don’t like Tyson but his fake-pee, especially the fake-shake, was funny. 

[ByaNose]

I saw a great interview with Sandra and her thought process about Denise and the idol. She almost wants to cry and but she gave Denise props. I like Sandra but I don’t love her. She’s not one of my favorite winners but I did like her in this interview. Even many months later you can tell she has re-lived it everyday since then and totally regrets it. It’s why I still love this show. One wrong/right move changes the course of your game. 

[BK1978]

Parvati and Sandra gone in the same episode?  It looks like Christmas came early for me this year.  Though I have to admit I have soften to Sandra since her first season, but I still do not like her.  Really I am pretty happy with everyone who has been voted off thus far with the exception of Ethan, Danni, and Amber (Amber does not offend me and I do not dislike her, she is just there.).  I strongly dislike Tyson, Natalie, Sandra, Parvati, and slightly dislike Rob.

The only one who is left in the game that I dislike is Sarah.  Adam has been annoying me but not enough to move him into the dislike area yet.  The way Sophie is playing is making me a fan of her though.  The rest I either do not have a strong opinion on (Wendell, Michelle, Ben, Sophie, Adam), I like (Nick, Tony), or I really like (Kim, Yul, Jeremy, and Denise).

4 hours ago, ByaNose said:

I did like the secret scene of Rob & Ethan though. Ethan even seems happy on EoE. It was funny when Rob told him he was voted out to weaken Rob and Ethan was like all are you sure? Meanwhile, they are both laughing about it. Amber looked really pretty in her confessional with just a fire pit for lighting. It’s amazing how young she looks. I’ve watched Survivor since Season 1 and I recall her very well on Outback. She and Elisabeth were my Survivor crushes on Season 2. 

Yeah Amber is the female version of Dick Clark.  She just does not age.

[Tdoc72]

5 hours ago, Hera said:

 

I agree. I think Tony is a good shield because—like Boston Rob—he's always visible and doesn't seem to know how to/want to make himself less visible. As long as Tony's around, there is always going to be someone considering voting him out because you can't ignore him and it's easier to imagine that some of his antics are bound to be getting in the way of your own game.

And even when he wants to be invisible (like last night when he was hiding in his SpyShack3.0), he was still visible b/c everyone wondered where he was and Sandra’s spidey sense was tingling. 

[SVNBob]

On 3/18/2020 at 8:06 PM, Daisy said:

First of all. 
Denise - that was an amazing move. and if Sandra's on the jury, she's not a bitter betty, so I honestly think she'd give you her vote for that, so double yay.

With that being said.
Sandra usually goes for the safer play so i don't know why she gave it up. I would have saved myself (regardless) and let someone else get whacked.

We don't know that.  Sandra's never been on the jury before.  She's only ever faced it, or been voted out just before it started.

 

On 3/18/2020 at 8:15 PM, healthnut said:

Sandra did that to herself, she got too cute.

Actually she didn't get cute enough.

What Sandra was trying to do is what Kellee did last season; have an idol played to turn a threat into an ally, eliminate another threat in the process, and get away clean by being "blindsided" along with the rest of the majority.  Remember, Sandra was at that TC (in the hotbox with Rob) when that happened.  So she saw it go down live, and it looks like she filed it away for later use. 

But Sandra forgot one portion of the process; having another vote for an alternate target in play, just in case the idol player votes for you instead.  Without that backup vote in play, what happened here is even more likely.  Kellee got Noura to vote for Jack for this reason, and that was the one step cuter that Sandra failed to do.

 

On 3/18/2020 at 8:30 PM, Lady Calypso said:

Denise playing her second idol was something I didn't want her to do, and it felt unnecessary. Unless she truly thought they were going to split the votes, she should have saved her idol. But I guess that was Denise's way of ensuring that Sandra couldn't screw her over by forcing a tie.

Precisely.  Denise, without having seen it, figured out the Kellee play Sandra was trying to pull, and also figured out how to counter the full play by negating any votes on the most likely secondary target in Jeremy.

 

14 hours ago, eskimo said:

I'm thinking that she played the idol on Jeremy only because she was voting for Sandra and was afraid if one person voted for Jeremy her vote for Sandra would have made it a tie.  The tie would have likely been broken in Sandra's favor and Denise would have to go back with a pissed off Sandra who would be lazer focused on getting rid of her.  So less to save Jeremy and more to ensure her shot at Sandra didn't miss.

Also a good reason.  When plotting regicide, you either need to be sure you succeed, or have a way to avoid revenge.

 

One other aspect of this play that no-one seems to be giving Denise enough credit for (except maybe Malcolm; he's been a cheerleader for her on Twitter all season thus far) is that she played the idol she bought from Sandra first.  That meant if Sandra had been trying to pull a fast one with a fake/expired idol, Denise would still have had her real one to save herself.

Edited March 20, 2020 by SVNBob

[30 Helens]

There’s too much actual bad stuff happening in the world to be upset about the votes in a game show, but damn it, Nick! Couldn’t you have worked with Parvati for just a little while? Just to make me happy?

Oh, well. I do agree that Loser Island is looking more and more interesting. I vote they expand the show to 90 minutes and devote at least 1/3 of that to EoE shenanigans. 

Although there is still plenty of interesting stuff happening on the main island. Tony and his ridiculous Spy Shacks will never not crack me up. How do they not see the palm fronds rustling over his swiveling bald head?

And Denise... I respected her before, but now I’m kind of in awe. That was a baller move. Queen Who?

This post brought to you by Skippy peanut butter.

 

[EllenB]

I keep imagining fire tokens on one of the seasons Cirie played.  "Just come over here for a little chat, okay? And bring any tokens you have with you." Then she'd smile that dazzling Cirie smile and she'd have all the tokens by the end of the day.  But then she'd use them incorrectly and get booted.

It'll be interesting to see if Sandra is actually mad at Rob or if it was just a one-time use of hyperbole when she talked about him lying.

I lived in an unfinished apartment in my sister's house years ago, and ate a LOT of peanut butter while I waited for the stove and refrigerator to arrive.  Mixed with honey and spread on graham crackers, it's delicious and shelf-stable for a long time.

[Morrissey]

I feel like I'm missing something, because I might be the only one who thought that Denise made a huge mistake. I get it, it's a flashy move. But she not only wasted a second idol on a guy, who voted for her, but blind sided Sandra - the one person, who said "yes, we are voting you out, but I'm willing to make a deal with you".

Yes, there was an ulterior motive but still. Now Denise is stuck on an island with people, who ALL wanted her gone. 

[Sweet-tea]

On 3/19/2020 at 12:01 AM, candall said:

     Well, I don't understand. 

     There's a player who contributes nothing to help her team win any of the challenges.  One time she looked at the layout and said, "Oh.  Yeah, I can't do that" before heading over to the bench.  Nobody blinks twice that she sits out every challenge and the sideline bench is now named in her honor.   

     I don't notice her doing anything special helping out around camp to take up some of the slack. ***

     She refers to herself "The Queen" and beams at anyone else who calls her that as well.

     She's already won twice, for $2M, and the bookies gave her pretty good odds of winning again.

     Can someone please tell me why it took six episodes and a big strategic blindside to oust this player?  The rest of the people all want that $2M prize and Sandra was a pretty big threat to any one of them winning it, even though she didn't contribute anything, teamwork-wise.

***I forgot she caught that shark!  That was excellent.

I agree. I don’t understand Sandra’s popularity. She sat out most of the challenges and came across as arrogant to me. I was glad to see her go. The shock on her face was priceless. But I didn’t watch her seasons so maybe I missed something. Perhaps she came across better on those seasons. 

I also didn’t understand why Denise used her second immunity idol. Wasted move. Did she really think Jeremy would be picked or was she trying to make a splashy show of loyalty to him for the future?

Tony looked like a wimp hiding in the bushes. 

Edited March 20, 2020 by Sweet-tea

[jumper sage]

20 hours ago, fishcakes said:

As much as Sandra wanted to take Rob out because he "lied" to her,

I still don't get her point on this.  Did she tell him she was going to be on the show?  First rule of Survivor - Don't give shit up.

[Jextella]

Malcom went to F3 with Denise during Denise's season and he is her biggest fan - as both a player and a person.  

I love their relationship.