S01.E09: Cold Hard Cash

[jenrising]

Available 10/21

[Meedis]

Omg...I can't believe I doubted for a minute Joi would make final 3.    I was wrong about the handsome midwestern fireman Jacob but my top suspect still lives.   Kami-Kasi indeed.    I was sorry to see Avori go.    She definitely played a great game.

That mission was tough.   The sabotage was real with Kasi that game.   Playing it off like she wants to throw suspicion her way.  And then that last minute switching of cases with Avori to try and "throw more suspicion" and take some money (however little it was) from the pot, knowing damn well she's the Mole...so I think...*LOL*. 

Ok I'm rooting for Joi to win at this point.   

Edited October 21, 2022 by Meedis

[Lady Calypso]

Damn, Jacob's gone. He was definitely one of two I had suspicions of from the start, and I AM glad he made it this far. Which leaves me certain about Kesi as the Mole, so I'm glad that has finally been answered for me. It's just so obvious Kesi is the Mole for me. They've done well with also adding in Jacob as a high possibility.

I do love that this show has given us a lot of variety of Australia. Now they're in snow? That's another pro for this show, getting to see such beautiful areas of Australia I haven't really seen from other shows.

Kesi did a good job sabotaging. I did laugh at her confessionals FINALLY talking about her throwing things, but it's obviously a little too late for that talk. She got lucky pairing with Navigator-Less Joi. And I laughed when Kesi kept taking the blocks off the sled and Joi had zero idea. 

The briefcase mission was fun. It was such a risk for Kesi to switch it last second. But, hell, they're at the end, and at least Kesi knows she can throw suspicion onto Joi and it would be believable.

Shame about Avori going. I was hoping she would beat out Will for F3 (I just don't like him, although I guess he's played a good game). I don't like Will because of his attitude toward certain players. I don't love how he's treated some players when he's gotten stressed out. Game-wise, he's the best person to win since he's added the most to the pot. Personal-wise, I'd rather he didn't. I don't love Joi making F3 after her disastrous first half of a game, but at least she's entertaining and I appreciate her playing her own game, as bad as it's been. I'd rather Joi win over William, and she probably will. Joi has been convinced Kesi's the Mole, and William seems like he'd choose Joi as the Mole. Though, he still is here so he's doing something right. 

[SourK]

I'm honestly not sure if it's Kesi or Joi, and I love that. Even though I wrote Joi off because of the $25k, I rewatched some of the early episodes in preparation for this, and she does act super suspicious. I ultimately still think Kesi is the mole, but we'll see!

I thought Avori would make it to the finals, and I was rooting for her, so I'm sad to see her go. If Will and Joi are really the last two contestants, then the two people with the biggest chips on their shoulders made it to the end, which is kind of a bummer. I like Kesi a lot, though, so I'm still happy if she's the mole.

[Meedis]

39 minutes ago, SourK said:

I'm honestly not sure if it's Kesi or Joi, and I love that. Even though I wrote Joi off because of the $25k, I rewatched some of the early episodes in preparation for this, and she does act super suspicious. I ultimately still think Kesi is the mole, but we'll see!

I thought Avori would make it to the finals, and I was rooting for her, so I'm sad to see her go. If Will and Joi are really the last two contestants, then the two people with the biggest chips on their shoulders made it to the end, which is kind of a bummer. I like Kesi a lot, though, so I'm still happy if she's the mole.

That's the beauty of this show.   Any one of the 3 very well could be the Mole.   I'm like 98% on the Kasi Mole train and have 1% each for the remaining 2...*LOL*.    I definitely would've preferred Avori over Will in the final 3.   I'll watch the final episode sometime this weekend.

[Irlandesa]

5 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

I do love that this show has given us a lot of variety of Australia. Now they're in snow? That's another pro for this show, getting to see such beautiful areas of Australia I haven't really seen from other shows.

I agree.  That was beautiful and a hard challenge. 

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Kesi did a good job sabotaging. I did laugh at her confessionals FINALLY talking about her throwing things, but it's obviously a little too late for that talk. She got lucky pairing with Navigator-Less Joi. And I laughed when Kesi kept taking the blocks off the sled and Joi had zero idea. 

Ooo.  I thought Joi did this but I didn't realize they had switched.  I thought it would be a pretty clever way to test if someone would be the mole because how could they not feel an empty sled?

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I don't like Will because of his attitude toward certain players. I don't love how he's treated some players when he's gotten stressed out. Game-wise, he's the best person to win since he's added the most to the pot.

I liked him in the beginning but I wish he didn't turn into such a pill during the talking heads.  He didn't just play the best physical game, I think he played the best perception game.  He's the one who recognized Jacob as sweet but kind of dim and not the mole.  He clocks Avori as smart but playing too hard to throw suspicion on herself which makes her almost as dangerous as the mole but not the mole. I think he sees Kesi as a good competitor which is why he suspects her of being the mole because he doesn't trust her "mistakes."

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Joi has been convinced Kesi's the Mole, and William seems like he'd choose Joi as the Mole. Though, he still is here so he's doing something right. 

Has she been convinced?  She announced she was voting for Kesi at the table but I don't think she has ever voted the way she has announced she would be.  In fact, her strategy took down Greg by pointing out Jacob which she admitted she didn't believe. And oddly, it took down Avori.  The mole has no reason to try to deflect attention from them.  There's nothing to win by having someone realize you're the mole. During the quiz, we heard who they voted for (assuming no editing shenanigans).   William was the only one to choose Kesi.  Joi choose William. And Avori and Kesi chose Joi. 

I think Kesi is the mole but both her and Joi's talking heads feel very actor-like.

Absolute props to the title of the episode, though.

Edited October 21, 2022 by Irlandesa

[PurpleTentacle]

So Jacob and Avori are out. I guess I'm going back to my original gut feeling, where in the talking heads, before they even did anything, I thought Joi was the Mole.

Of course Joi and Kesi are both very, very suspicious. The only guy who hasn't been shown as suspicious and instead trying hard to win money is Will. But are the other contestants just so horrible at this game that he can afford to make them money? He was the one who "found the note" in the plane in the first episode and doubled the teams money. A great move for the mole to cast off suspicion early.

That price pot is a joke. If this gets a second season they need to do something, like cast people who are smart and not just hot. Because if everybody is trying to be as suspicious as possible and throwing away all the money in the process, that just gets annoying.

[LakeGal]

Jacob is out.  I knew then it was definitely Kesi.  I had suspected her since episode 2 when she was typing neon with an e on the end for the password.  Then on episode 3 she missed the dinghy just like Avori.  She stayed a strong contender for me with Jacob also acting so oddly.  I was surprised when Avori was eliminated.  I knew she was not the mole.  She was way too obvious.  But I guess once Jacob (her prime suspect) left she floundered a bit and went after the wrong person.  I still was surprised that Joi made it through.  She was so determined it was Will who I never suspected.  Will wanted the money more than anyone. 

In the ice challenge Kesi could not have been more molish.  I can't figure out how Joi didn't notice the sled was getting easier to pull as Kesi was throwing the ice blocks off.  But Joi again was all mixed up with her directions.  I would never fly with her.  She always seemed to get lost. 

I am not sure if Avori was acting molish or just lazy.  Will did all the work.  He carried the ice blocks and pulled the sled.  Then when he rested Avori thought he was acting molish.  This coming from Avori who was always just sitting around.  I think he was truly exhausted. 

The suitcase challenge was interesting. Will had the right idea to sit back and watch what the others would do.  But he still couldn't stop himself from jumping in and claiming the $3K suitcase.  Kesi was determined to get the zero case so she would cost them money.  At least she only got Avori's $1K.  Joi of course had to do her usual "listen to me" announcement at the table.  She never accused Will because she was so sure he was the mole she was trying to put the targets on others.  Most of them saw through her crazy actions.   

[blackwing]

I liked Jacob, so I was disappointed he was out.  I did think he could possibly be the Mole.  Between Kesi or Joi, I could see either of them being the Mole but I think Kesi is more suspicious.

I didn't like Avori, mainly because she tried too hard to make it look like she was the Mole.

The challenge with the ice blocks seemed physically grueling but just wasn't all that interesting to watch.

[aradia22]

INSANITY. Surely, they must be operating by game show rules right? This isn't like a dating show that production can manipulate as much as they want to. If Joi really does think it's Will, HOW IS SHE IN THE FINAL THREE? Also, how did this show manage to get all the smarter players eliminated? Were they just being too clever and splitting their votes? Do people really suck at answering questions on the quiz (even if they have a good guess of who the Mole is). I am truly baffled that we're left with The Mole (Kesi), Will, and JOI. 

I felt bad for Will after the ice blocks. He was purple. Amazed that he didn't get frostbite. Why was he not wearing gloves. I do think challenge design has been good for the most part. There have been some tough physical challenges. They get them moving with fair but reasonably challenging time limits. The mental games and exemptions are a little Big Brother/Survivor but I don't think it's been too detrimental. I do wonder what the hell the plan was if they were only left with physically weaker players for some of the challenges. 

Kesi was BLATANT this episode. You could maybe forgive throwing out some of the $1000 blocks (maybe) but her attempt to throw out the one $6000 block feet from the finish? Come on. COME ON. She's a terrible Mole.

[aradia22]

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I liked him in the beginning but I wish he didn't turn into such a pill during the talking heads.  He didn't just play the best physical game, I think he played the best perception game.  He's the one who recognized Jacob as sweet but kind of dim and not the mole.  He clocks Avori as smart but playing too hard to throw suspicion on herself which makes her almost as dangerous as the mole but not the mole. I think he sees Kesi as a good competitor which is why he suspects her of being the mole because he doesn't trust her "mistakes."

I love competence. With Pranav, Greg, etc. gone I'm all in for Will. Joi says she wants this but I will never forget her throwing away $25,000. That's a full prize pot in other games. He hasn't been so unlikable that I've started rooting for anyone else. If Joi wins this, I will throw something.

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That price pot is a joke. If this gets a second season they need to do something, like cast people who are smart and not just hot. Because if everybody is trying to be as suspicious as possible and throwing away all the money in the process, that just gets annoying.

I feel like they could also have more partial wins. I think it's very easy to manipulate the size of the prize pot by the values you assign to each component of the challenge. Like, after a rough challenge, you could make the individual prizes on something like the train challenge worth more so they can pick up a lot by getting at least some of the pieces. But I'm also not convinced that Netflix isn't cheap and fine with this as long as people keep signing up for the show. That, or they need to keep it to easier challenges because people are not going to sign up for 90 minute runs and other grueling physical tasks and sleeping in the freezing cold for weeks for such small sums. 

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 I still was surprised that Joi made it through.  She was so determined it was Will who I never suspected.  Will wanted the money more than anyone. 

I wonder if we're being manipulated by the talking heads and Joi is splitting her vote more than she lets on. Otherwise, I am baffled. What do Will and Kesi possibly have in common?

[Guest]

 

On 3/16/2023 at 1:35 PM, aradia22 said:

Also, how did this show manage to get all the smarter players eliminated? Were they just being too clever and splitting their votes? Do people really suck at answering questions on the quiz (even if they have a good guess of who the Mole is).

I think that’s just the nature of the quiz. Specifically who you think is the mole is only one question and the questions cover a wide range of things. Some answers are going to point to more than one person and some questions are so nitpicky that guessing is probably a big factor. A person could have the right final guess and still miss a lot of questions because they don’t exact details.