S43.E03: I'll Sign the Divorce Papers

[Whimsy]

Quote

The Beware Advantage returns and castaways must decide if they want to risk losing their vote. Also, the trust in one tribe shifts after a castaway finds out that a few tribemates have been snooping through bags around camp.

original airdate 10/5/22

[Carey]

No big moves.  Great news for Noelle.  Not for someone else though!

[LadyChatts]

I panicked a little when Noelle didn’t play her steal a vote.  But assuming Dwight doesn’t blab or she doesn’t get swayed easily, she’s in a good spot going into the next tribal.  However, if she feels she has Jesse and Dwight, she might get blindsided if she doesn’t use her steal a vote.  
 

Voting off Nneka was the right choice.  She was pretty bad in challenges.  I hope Ellie and Jeanine hang in there at Baka, because they are in a bad place and don’t even realize it.  It’s embarrassing how out of the loop they are.

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

I hope Ellie and Jeanine hang in there at Baka, because they are in a bad place and don’t even realize it.  It’s embarrassing how out of the loop they are.

Partly because Sami got his feelings hurt that HE didn't get to be the one to trick Gabler. So he outed Elie and Jeanine's attempt to trick him instead. Kind of got Kass vibes there honestly.

Best part of the episode: Geo: "Just checking"

[LadyChatts]

1 minute ago, tracyscott76 said:

Partly because Sami got his feelings hurt that HE didn't get to be the one to trick Gabler. So he outed Elie and Jeanine's attempt to trick him instead. Kind of got Kass vibes there honestly.

Best part of the episode: Geo: "Just checking"

Yeah Sami just looks like a mean kid.  I don’t know what it is, but his facial expressions just always look like he’s being sneaky, conniving, and mean.  
 

Probably a good thing he’s not 22 because he doesn’t even have the maturity of a 19 year old.

[vb68]

I came away from this episode really liking and rooting for Noelle. She's incredibly sympathetic. and sneaky! I love how she hid her advantage! It also didn't hurt that both Cody and Jesse were very arrogant.  A little bit of Cody in particular goes a long way.

Karla seems like the lowkey star of the season so far. She gets a lot of narrative and insight into what she's thinking.

I was a little surprised that Owen wasn't more tempted to risk his vote. He seems like a hardcore gamer.

Oh yeah, Ellie talks and even looks a bit like Cecily Strong playing a character. 

Edited October 6, 2022 by vb68

[Grizzly]

I thought Cody looked very attractive at tribal. I almost didn't recognize him. Not sure if he was downcast because he was voting out an ally. But he's appealing when he's not being goofy.

[KaveDweller]

55 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

Probably a good thing he’s not 22 because he doesn’t even have the maturity of a 19 year old.

I think it's funny that he thinks pretending to be 22 makes him seem old. But maybe that just means I am old.

[knitorpurl]

Got nervous when Noelle got featured before tribal council. Thought it might portend her exit. Nneka seems like an amazing, kind.person, but sadly not a puzzle master. While Jesse was lamenting about voting for her would be like voting for his mom I was telling g him through the TV that isn't how Survivor works.

Ryan did a great job during the challenge. He's still one of my favorites, even though we really haven't seen much of him. I thought he'd be the lone hold out for Karla's quest for the beads. His bead was really unique and he wanted it for his girlfriend so I thought he might not trade that easily. She pulled it off well so another idol is in play.

[North of Eden]

There is a Cassidy playing. Who knew?

Amazing feat: Jeanine manages to be the ONLY likeable person on the entire tribe. Sammi not to mince words is a dick the way he ran and narked to "I'm Mister Medical" and crazy eyes Eli is a dope. Why would Gabler not realize his idol was still potent. There was nothing to base that hypothesis on and Owen knew about the bag search and said nothing making him slippery.

I can't help it...I always suspect producer manipulation. In a vast jungle Carla happens to be standing under the tree with the bead/vote thing? No little nudge, nudge by a camera man? Even more suspect...back from commercial break Carla suddenly has a change of heart and goes for it? No peer pressure from who ever does the interviewing in the confessionals? My thinking is Probst probably freaked out it wasn't going to get used and the next thing you know....also getting the beads seemed to easy both episodes. Need something better next time.

Appreciated the guy checking under the bench for any hidden clue.

Neka was toast the minute they showed her video "package" of her charity work. They weren't going to waste the effort of blurring out the children's faces and then never running the clip. Had to get it into tonight's show after all.

Codyfest took a rest this week. Thank you. You could see being a betrayer didn't sit well with him. I think I'll like him better when he's not doing schtick and playing a character.

Well since the LOVE BOAT commercials ran during the show fair game for an OT rant: How dare they demote TAR to the 10pm deathslot and give this junk the prime-post SURVIVOR slot? Treating TAR as a redheaded step child has been CBS's playbook since 2001.

Edited October 6, 2022 by North of Eden

[Sarahsmile416]

7 minutes ago, knitorpurl said:

Got nervous when Noelle got featured before tribal council. Thought it might portend her exit. Nneka seems like an amazing, kind.person, but sadly not a puzzle master. While Jesse was lamenting about voting for her would be like voting for his mom I was telling g him through the TV that isn't how Survivor works.

Ryan did a great job during the challenge. He's still one of my favorites, even though we really haven't seen much of him. I thought he'd be the lone hold out for Karla's quest for the beads. His bead was really unique and he wanted it for his girlfriend so I thought he might not trade that easily. She pulled it off well so another idol is in play.

Ciera is sitting at home saying to herself, “it’s not that hard to vote out your mom…”

[BusyOctober]

Haven’t finished it yet, but if Owen keeps reminding us that he’s nineteen EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. he does a TH, I will have to quit watching til he’s voted out.  

[Tango64]

It’s kind of cute how Mormon guy thinks his subterfuge about his age is so meaningful. “They think I’m 22, but I’m really only 19!” 
Bless his heart. 

[30 Helens]

It irritates me no end when the candidates for elimination are automatically the women. Cody and Jesse were looking to preserve tribe strength, so it makes sense that they would consider Nneka. She’s been consistently terrible in challenges. But why was Noelle the only other option? What about tonight’s performance made her a weaker player than Dwight? 

Despite arguing last week that it made no sense to keep Nneka, I think that since Cody and Jesse committed to that threesome, they should have played it out. In for a penny, in for a pound. I suspect there’s a tribe reshuffle coming very soon, and that loyalty could have paid off.

Not really sure how I feel about Gabler, but I love how he is not having it with all of the young’uns underestimating him. Of course they think he’s addlebrained; he’s over 40! Go on, Gabler— chase those kids off your lawn.

[LadyChatts]

1 hour ago, 30 Helens said:

It irritates me no end when the candidates for elimination are automatically the women. Cody and Jesse were looking to preserve tribe strength, so it makes sense that they would consider Nneka. She’s been consistently terrible in challenges. But why was Noelle the only other option? What about tonight’s performance made her a weaker player than Dwight? 

I agree, this has always been a huge pet peeve of mine (and I know a lot of others) when it comes to Survivor.  In this case, Nneka really was the weak link, but it did annoy me that they automatically said keeping the tribe strong meant getting rid of her or Noelle.  Sometimes the women, even if they weren't the weak links in the challenge, just automatically know it'll be one of them, and that's sad.  I thought it was a power move on Noelle's part to compete without her prosthetic leg and then make a point about it at TC, to say that's how bad she wants it that she will compete without her leg.  I hope she can hang in there.  I worry if Vesi loses another TC she'll feel too comfortable and get voted off.  It doesn't seem like her or Dwight realize how tight Cody and Jesse are.

Edited October 6, 2022 by LadyChatts

[TVFan1]

Voting out Nneka was the right decision by Vesi. That's what they should have done last week. I'm still not a fan of anyone from Vesi, but I am impressed by Noelle's gameplay. I thought she would have played her advantage, kind of surprised she hung on to it. Glad she survived the vote at tribal council. Noelle is the only likable one on Vesi.

[Lantern7]

Meh episode. Thinking about it, we've been watching 4.5 hours (270 minutes) and there have only been three boots. I know there have only been three episodes, but the runtime makes things feel longer.

I was hoping Karla would pass on the Beware Advantage. That is probably my second biggest hope watching this show* . . . . someone sees the Advantage, passes on it, then gets someone else to open it and either enable or stall the activation of the twist. To her credit, Karla manages to finely finesse in bartering for beads. All it cost her were her earrings. Didn't Sandra get supplies for a few bits of jewelry in the opening of Pearl Islands?

Geo checking the sit-out bench for an idol was funny.

Disappointed by the Nneka boot mostly because I figured Noelle would play her advantage immediately. Since Nneka slipped off the hook last time, I figured maybe luck would still be with her, and Cody would be the one voted out. I mean, he seems like a nice guy, but he looks exhausting.

* My biggest hope is that a hidden idol would be put in the tribal idol. They got two idols? Put two halves of a solo idol in there. Imagine someone with half an idol throwing a challenge in order to get the second-place tribal idol.

Edited October 6, 2022 by Lantern7

[rr2911]

I was glad that Nneka was voted out.  When they showed her work with the children, I thought we had the winner of S43 already.  Nneka was looking like someone that would be forgotten until it was too late, sitting in the final 3!  

Liking this season more than S41 and S42.  I know it's still early, but there isn't any of the "drama" from those past seasons.

[violet and green]

I feel a lot this season I must be watching a different show. I still really like Sami, still really like Cody, and for that matter Jesse. Really bummed they felt they had to turf Nneka. Can't stand Noelle, so I was hoping she'd used her steal a vote and still get voted off. It was a dull ep, though.

[SummerDreams]

I cared that Nneka lost more than she did. Great casting choice producers.

[violet and green]

55 minutes ago, SummerDreams said:

I cared that Nneka lost more than she did. Great casting choice producers.

I think she cared. She wanted to win to use the money for the good of others who sorely need it. But I think she had a good attitude, grateful to have played the game at all, and appreciative to have experienced being blindsided.

[SummerDreams]

1 hour ago, violet and green said:

I think she cared. She wanted to win to use the money for the good of others who sorely need it. But I think she had a good attitude, grateful to have played the game at all, and appreciative to have experienced being blindsided.

I just want to have players in the game who REALLY want to win, not be there for the experience. To have their blood boil when they are voted out from the anger and disappointment, not be like, oh well it's okay I don't mind.

[KeithJ]

So glad Noelle didn't have to use her advantage but how is she going to explain that to James and Owen if they make it to the merge?  They may feel like she played them a bit.  Or I guess just lie since the steal a vote is usually a secret advantage that nobody really knows who played it.

[Libby]

I think that Ellie and Jeanine were very arrogant to think that Gabler was too stupid to read his parchment and know that his idol was still active.

Their hubris is going to come back to bite them. They made an enemy that they didn't need to make. Nobody likes to be treated like they are stupid. They weren't even going to tribal council. There was no reason to make that stupid move.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, SummerDreams said:

I just want to have players in the game who REALLY want to win, not be there for the experience. To have their blood boil when they are voted out from the anger and disappointment, not be like, oh well it's okay I don't mind.

While someone going out angry and fuming can sometimes be entertaining, I wouldn't want everyone, or even most people going out that way. I feel like that would get exhausting and demoralizing after a while. I don't think there's anything wrong with some people being like "well, they got me! But I had fun." And Nneka had no real justification to leave with her blood boiling anyway, since she knew her puzzle performances had hurt her chances.

And I don't think it's accurate to say that Nneka didn't REALLY want to win and was only there for the experience. She spoke pretty earnestly about wanting the million dollars to help her humanitarian efforts. Just because someone doesn't rage their way out doesn't mean they didn't want to do well.

[sunbum51]

13 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

Yeah Sami just looks like a mean kid.  I don’t know what it is, but his facial expressions just always look like he’s being sneaky, conniving, and mean.  
 

Probably a good thing he’s not 22 because he doesn’t even have the maturity of a 19 year old.

Sami reminds me of Randy from the Pee Wee Herman show (lol) 

[iMonrey]

I don't get the bead thing. Each Survivor has their own personal bag, which has a string of decorative beads on it. I assume production gave them these bags, since it would be a monumental coincidence for all 16 of them to show up with the same bag. But has Survivor always given the players these bags? Maybe so, but given the plethora of idols and advantages and other gimmicks, I'd think twice about it if someone started asking everyone for beads off of their bags. That seems awfully suspicious to me and I'm amazed nobody seemed to catch on that something hinky was going down.

[Lady Calypso]

Karla's strategy is exactly how I hoped the Beware Advantage: Beads Edition would go. I know her and Cody had different strategies for their different circumstances, but the one thing that bothers me about Cody's strategy is the peer pressure tactic. You get people in a group to get their beads, of course they're not going to say no. It's the fear of being targeted, especially right before Tribal, that allows this strategy to be successful. It's a strategy, yes, and the one that worked for Cody, but I personally didn't like it.

Whereas Karla's strategy was sneakier and one that I appreciate more. It's more personal, more one-on-one, and Karla offered things in return to get those beads. It utilizes the social strategy to the highest degree with Karla using personal info to gain the beads, and she gave things up in return to get them. That strategy appeals to me WAY more. 

Elie and Jeanine are idiots, point blank. They first got rid of Morriah for Gabler, and they think Gabler is such an idiot that they could play him. Meanwhile, the teenage Pet Cremator one upped them, as predicted, and now Elie or Jeanine are DEFINITELY going next. 

Oh, and Elie mentioned the beads, which may mean she has the Beware Advantage, or it's just a really huge coincidence. 

Vesi is a whole ass mess still, but I appreciated more Noelle. She really grew on me with how she got Owen/James to give her the advantage AND how she still didn't need to use it (though that seems to be on Dwight, who gave her the reassurance to not play it). Cody seems to also recognize that Nneka was a liability so loyalty wouldn't mean much if they kept losing. But I also think Cody/Jesse made a bad choice anyway, Jesse potentially moreso than Cody, since Noelle playing her steal-a-vote would trigger Cody's idol. So Jesse better be hoping they don't go to Tribal again, or else he's in danger. Although, if Noelle/Dwight guess wrong and put the votes on Cody and Cody uses his idol, it backfires on Dwight/Noelle.

Either way, Cody and Noelle's advantages make for a fun Tribal if they go back before merge.

[gesundheit]

13 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

I think it's funny that he thinks pretending to be 22 makes him seem old. But maybe that just means I am old.

Seriously. And it's not that magical for a 19-year-old to successfully deceive a 22-year-old. Are we meant to develop sharper deception skills as we age? Bummer for me, I blinked a lot less when I lied at 19 than I do now!

2 hours ago, violet and green said:

I think she cared. She wanted to win to use the money for the good of others who sorely need it. But I think she had a good attitude, grateful to have played the game at all, and appreciative to have experienced being blindsided.

Exactly -- she wept when she thought she'd ruined her chances, but had a rational reaction (that she was surprised by!) to the boot.

55 minutes ago, Libby said:

I think that Ellie and Jeanine were very arrogant to think that Gabler was too stupid to read his parchment and know that his idol was still active.

Their hubris is going to come back to bite them. They made an enemy that they didn't need to make. Nobody likes to be treated like they are stupid. They weren't even going to tribal council. There was no reason to make that stupid move.

Yes! Especially after the "let's have a fake-idol-making party!" ruse... I thought the point of that was to see if he'd give it up, and if he wouldn't it would signal to them that he knows his idol is still active. But he wouldn't give it up, and to them that only indicated that he's clueless? Huh??

37 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I don't get the bead thing. Each Survivor has their own personal bag, which has a string of decorative beads on it. I assume production gave them these bags, since it would be a monumental coincidence for all 16 of them to show up with the same bag. But has Survivor always given the players these bags? Maybe so, but given the plethora of idols and advantages and other gimmicks, I'd think twice about it if someone started asking everyone for beads off of their bags. That seems awfully suspicious to me and I'm amazed nobody seemed to catch on that something hinky was going down.

I thought the same thing but I also wondered if it was really about how bored they are -- in ways we never see. Like oh, someone's trying to do arts & crafts again? Sure, here's a bead. Maybe it happens more than we think, but we just don't see it when it's irrelevant to the plot.

[sugarbaker design]

1 hour ago, Libby said:

I think that Ellie and Jeanine were very arrogant to think that Gabler was too stupid to read his parchment and know that his idol was still active.

Their hubris is going to come back to bite them. They made an enemy that they didn't need to make. Nobody likes to be treated like they are stupid. They weren't even going to tribal council. There was no reason to make that stupid move.

I can't wait to see that come back and bite their collective asses.  

[tvfanatic13]

14 hours ago, North of Eden said:

There is a Cassidy playing. Who knew?

Amazing feat: Jeanine manages to be the ONLY likeable person on the entire tribe. Sammi not to mince words is a dick the way he ran and narked to "I'm Mister Medical" and crazy eyes Eli is a dope. Why would Gabler not realize his idol was still potent. There was nothing to base that hypothesis on and Owen knew about the bag search and said nothing making him slippery.

I can't help it...I always suspect producer manipulation. In a vast jungle Carla happens to be standing under the tree with the bead/vote thing? No little nudge, nudge by a camera man? Even more suspect...back from commercial break Carla suddenly has a change of heart and goes for it? No peer pressure from who ever does the interviewing in the confessionals? My thinking is Probst probably freaked out it wasn't going to get used and the next thing you know....also getting the beads seemed to easy both episodes. Need something better next time.

Appreciated the guy checking under the bench for any hidden clue.

Neka was toast the minute they showed her video "package" of her charity work. They weren't going to waste the effort of blurring out the children's faces and then never running the clip. Had to get it into tonight's show after all.

Codyfest took a rest this week. Thank you. You could see being a betrayer didn't sit well with him. I think I'll like him better when he's not doing schtick and playing a character.

Well since the LOVE BOAT commercials ran during the show fair game for an OT rant: How dare they demote TAR to the 10pm deathslot and give this junk the prime-post SURVIVOR slot? Treating TAR as a redheaded step child has been CBS's playbook since 2001.

I said the exact same thing North!

[kav]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I don't get the bead thing. Each Survivor has their own personal bag, which has a string of decorative beads on it. I assume production gave them these bags, since it would be a monumental coincidence for all 16 of them to show up with the same bag. But has Survivor always given the players these bags? Maybe so, but given the plethora of idols and advantages and other gimmicks, I'd think twice about it if someone started asking everyone for beads off of their bags. That seems awfully suspicious to me and I'm amazed nobody seemed to catch on that something hinky was going down.

They have always gotten personal bags.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, gesundheit said:

Yes! Especially after the "let's have a fake-idol-making party!" ruse... I thought the point of that was to see if he'd give it up, and if he wouldn't it would signal to them that he knows his idol is still active. But he wouldn't give it up, and to them that only indicated that he's clueless? Huh??

I believe the main point wasn't to see if Gabler would give up the idol or not, but just to see if he would contradict them when they said "now that it's no good anymore...", and that would be the indicator of whether or not he knew. I'm sure, however, if he had handed it over, they would have accepted it gladly.

I'm sure people will say I'm giving Elie and Jeanine too much credit (since Elie in particular seems to be this season's designated hate-magnet) but I think part of the reason they were speculating on whether or not he knew, and were trying to get it out of him, wasn't that they think he's generally a dim bulb, but that he has been wandering around in a daze and spending a lot of time sacking out because he hasn't been feeling well. And as it was shown, the reason their plan didn't work wasn't because Gabler was too smart for them -- it was because Sami gave Gabler advance warning that they were going to try it. And as I mentioned earlier, Sami didn't do that out of any loyalty to Gabler, it was because Elie and Jeanine didn't let him try to trick Gabler himself. For all we know, if Sami had kept his mouth shut, Elie and Jeanine's plan would have worked.

I don't blame Elie and Jeanine for trying, I don't blame Gabler for taking offense at them trying to fool him, and I don't blame Owen for playing along with both sides. I guess I should say I also don't blame Sami for mixing things up, but I don't really care for how he's coming across.

[HurricaneVal]

I have to say I cracked up at the one guy who was sitting out the challenge taking a quick inspection of the sit-out bench, juuuuuuust in case.  I've spent how many times now yelling at the screen "CHECK THE BENCH!!!!  CHECK THE BENCH!!!!"?  That shows he really is a fan and not a recruit.

I did not think Carla had the charisma to sweet talk beads out of her tribemates.  Either there's more to Carla than we've been shown, or those folks are deadly bored enough that watching someone else do arts and crafts is the highlight of their day.

[30 Helens]

5 hours ago, gesundheit said:

I thought the same thing but I also wondered if it was really about how bored they are -- in ways we never see. Like oh, someone's trying to do arts & crafts again? Sure, here's a bead. Maybe it happens more than we think, but we just don't see it when it's irrelevant to the plot.

They spend a lot of time sitting around bored, looking for things to do. Weaving plant fibers, braiding each other’s hair, whatever. There’s a lot of time to kill in between challenges, confessionals and tribal councils. We saw that one of the guys had already used his beads to make something for his girlfriend. So this seems like a great way to make them work a little more for the idol (which I like), in a way that’s a little risky but still very doable if they use the right approach. I also like that they need a particular bead, which adds a little complexity to it.

I think this is so much better than the previous recite-a-stupid-phrase process, which not only exposed the person to their own tribe, it allowed everyone on all tribes to know exactly what they were doing, as soon as they said their portion of the phrase more than once. (And some of the lines didn’t even need a repeat, they were so ridiculously awkward.)

I’m not a fan of most of the new twists Survivor keeps throwing in to keep the game “fresh”, but this is a good one, IMO. 

[knitorpurl]

Really liked Dwight's hair after Nneka got done with it. Really looked good. 

I agree with those saying Ellie and Jeanine made an unnecessary enemy of Gabler. And by extension Sami (can you believe he's only 19 not 22?!). There was no basis for their superiority. If you really think these guys aren't that bright then play them with the subtlety that your superior intellect should afford you.

Edited October 7, 2022 by knitorpurl
Her name is not Ellis

[peachmangosteen]

6 minutes ago, 30 Helens said:

I also like that they need a particular bead, which adds a little complexity to it.

I like that too, which is why I was annoyed they let Cody get away with just getting the entire bracelet from everyone.

[Maverick]

 Ellie must be a shit therapist.  She has compared all the men on her tribe to children and relates to each of them in terms of how she has to "manage" her kids.  Is this the lens she views all her relationships with me through?   Including her patients?   It's just as bad as men who infantilize women just because their women.  

[SVNBob]

On 10/5/2022 at 9:24 PM, North of Eden said:

1) There is a Cassidy playing. Who knew?

2) Why would Gabler not realize his idol was still potent. There was nothing to base that hypothesis on and

3) Owen knew about the bag search and said nothing making him slippery.

1. That's a cue for me to promote the Tribe Tracker thread if ever I've seen one...
2. The women apparently only heard the "first two TCs" part about the idol when Gabler first explained it.  So they seem to have believed that he didn't read/comprehend the time limit because they didn't hear him say one word.  Hence the bag search and note-check in the first place.   And since Gabler does appear to be a little out of his faculties sometimes (due to the usual Survivor stresses they're all experiencing of lacking food, water, rest, and trust.  He's just showing it more due to his age and lower BMI.), there is reason to think he might have misread and/or misunderstood the note.
3. Owen said in a TH that he was trying to play the middleman between the Gabler/Sami pair and the Elie/Jeanie pair. 

9 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I like that too, which is why I was annoyed they let Cody get away with just getting the entire bracelet from everyone.

TBF, getting the entire string of beads does mean you get the "special" bead you need, and it looks less suspicious than just asking for the unique bead.  Karla managed to play that off well though.  Props to her.

15 hours ago, gesundheit said:

I thought the same thing but I also wondered if it was really about how bored they are -- in ways we never see. Like oh, someone's trying to do arts & crafts again? Sure, here's a bead. Maybe it happens more than we think, but we just don't see it when it's irrelevant to the plot.

We actually saw an example of them doing this exact thing with the bracelet they made for James' birthday present.  Which helped Karla in her Bead Quest.

[peachmangosteen]

6 hours ago, SVNBob said:

TBF, getting the entire string of beads does mean you get the "special" bead you need, and it looks less suspicious than just asking for the unique bead. 

Yea, to me that's clearly circumventing what they were actually supposed to do but he technically did get the special bead so it's within the rules. It's just way easier and not as fun that way lol.

[watch2much]

Was yelling at TV when Cody talked about maybe it was a mistake keeping neka.  of course it was.  she was a lovely person but totally unable to do anything at the challenges.  I liked Justine and wish she was still on. and how could they not know that Noelle was more than capable?  if they spent anytime talking to her at all they would have learned about her wins.  plus, she looks athletic. 

Edited October 7, 2022 by watch2much
+

[Nashville]

I liked Nneka, but she pretty much dug her own grave this season:

1. Nneka is an intelligent and empathetic woman who, not doubt, would have been a valuable asset in the season‘s strategy-centric midgame; but to be that person, though, first you have to get to the midgame.
2. Nneka had apparently sized up her tribe and surmised (correctly) she could not contribute much in the way of relative physicality in the ICs.  Nneka’s apparent solution to this issue was to put herself forward as a puzzle whiz, which is great - providing, of course, one actually IS a puzzle whiz.
3. Nneka was most certainly not a puzzle whiz, unfortunately, but it took losing two successive ICs before this was indisputably clear to the rest of her tribe - at which point the tribe’s ability to make it to merge still existing as a discrete entity is already seriously imperiled.

With Vesi down to 4 against the 6 on both Baka and Coco each, it may very well already be too late for Vesi.  Challenge parity can now only be achieved if Baka and Coco both sit out 2 players each, and I’m not sure how wild Production will be about comps with 25% of the players riding the bench; they may simply split Vesi’s four players between Baka and Coco, and go forward with only two tribes.  If Vesi still has any kind of chance, though, it will have to be going forward without a comp liability like Nneka.

[SummerDreams]

1 hour ago, Nashville said:

With Vesi down to 4 against the 6 on both Baka and Coco each, it may very well already be too late for Vesi.

Baka has only 5 people. Morriah got voted out.

[Nashville]

On 10/7/2022 at 6:25 PM, SummerDreams said:

Baka has only 5 people. Morriah got voted out.

Thanks for the correction; that odd number across all three tribes might be Vesi’s only saving grace.

[Kitty Redstone]

So I haven't watched Survivor in a long while and am having trouble keeping these people straight.  CBS.com still has last year's contestants up as the cast.  I wonder what's up with that? 

[SVNBob]

3 hours ago, Kitty Redstone said:

So I haven't watched Survivor in a long while and am having trouble keeping these people straight.  CBS.com still has last year's contestants up as the cast.  I wonder what's up with that? 

The CBS.com interns have never really done well with the Survivor pages.  /semi-sarcasm

However, this is another cue for me to promote the Tribe Tracker thread.  (See link above)

[Diana Berry]

On 10/5/2022 at 10:19 PM, KaveDweller said:

I think it's funny that he thinks pretending to be 22 makes him seem old. But maybe that just means I am old.

I know it cracks me up, too.  For him 22= college graduate= maturity.  He has a lot to learn but curious how far he gets. 

[blackwing]

I know that Nneka was the right choice to vote out, but she and Cody were tight.  I like Cody so I do feel like he should have stuck with his alliance of three rather than dumping her.  I don't think Jesse is as loyal to Cody as Cody thinks.  Jesse was tight with Dwight and could easily go back and join with Dwight and Noelle and vote out Cody.  Why wasn't Dwight an option to vote out?

I very much dislike Sami, who isn't nearly as bright as he thinks he is.  And I'm still disliking Gabler.  He seems to be pretty useless around camp, he keeps using the excuse that he's old and tired to help out.  And the others are giving him a pass.  This is why they should have voted him out when he said he wasn't going to use his idol.  Now they are stuck with him for at least two more rounds.

On 10/5/2022 at 9:24 PM, North of Eden said:

There is a Cassidy playing. Who knew?

There's a whole bunch of people that I swear just joined the game in Episode 3.  There were quite a number of "who's that?!?!" from me when I watched this episode.

On 10/6/2022 at 9:40 AM, KeithJ said:

So glad Noelle didn't have to use her advantage but how is she going to explain that to James and Owen if they make it to the merge?  They may feel like she played them a bit.  Or I guess just lie since the steal a vote is usually a secret advantage that nobody really knows who played it.

Could be very easy... "Thanks for giving me the advantage, it really helped give me the security I needed.  I was going to use it but Cody and Jesse knew I had an advantage so they voted with me to vote out Nneka, so I didn't need to use it."

[SummerDreams]

If I ever play Survivor (in another universe) I will always choose the loyal ally rather than tribe strength. Cody should one million percent (:P) keep Nneka for many reasons. First and foremost, she would always be loyal to him and a vote for him if he made it to the final tribal council. Second, Nneka would obviously be the best goat to take to the end with zero chances to get any vote. Third, you just betrayed Noelle last tribal and then you go ahead and save her. Don't you see she will never be an ally for you and she wants revenge? Don't you clearly see that she will flip the second there is a swap or a merge? Fourth, there are only 15 people left. The merge is near. If your tribe loses again and Noelle has left, you still have Dwight to vote out who is also your enemy!

Jesse should have thought of these things if he is a superfan. Cody is there for the entertainment, ok.

[Nashville]

6 hours ago, SummerDreams said:

If I ever play Survivor (in another universe) I will always choose the loyal ally rather than tribe strength.

Why does the decision have to be “either-or”?  Personally, I don’t think you can survive the current-day game unless the answer is “both”: a F2 relationship into which you heavily invest, AND a network of lesser-but-still-significant relationships with your original tribemates.

I see several problems with putting 100% of your energy into a single relationship, but they all pretty much boil down to the old “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” adage.  Multiple relationships give your game increased resilience, with accompanying potential for longevity.  Some examples:

1. Tribal swaps: what happens if you put all your time and resources into that one relationship, only to be split up from your buddy when Jiffy decides it’s time for an exciting game of buff-buff-boof which lands you in a new tribe where your OG tribe is now the minority?  You and the rest of the Vesi are now suddenly targets, and you have no real relationships with them - so when the Baka (or Coco) majority starts headhunting, whose name do you think will be served up on that silver platter?
2. Same deal with the Merge: what happens if your ride-or-die is voted out right before you have to immediately dive into the post-Merge mixmaster?  Answer: you’re screwed - other tribes/alliances will be looking for low-hanging fruit to pick off for their own self-preservation, and you just made it easy for them by becoming an island unto yourself.

Survivor (and pretty much every other unreality show with an actual history) has matured and evolved well beyond the point of one relationship and/or alliance carrying a player across the breadth of an entire season - so if you want to land in one of the F2 chairs, your strategy has to likewise evolve accordingly.