S43.E07: Bull in a China Shop

[bunnyface]

Most every aspect of this game would kill me, which is why my couch and I watch together.  But that net?  I would have lost.  my.  shit.   Nuh-uh.  Nyet.  Never.  

[Lady Calypso]

So, I've taken some time to sleep on this episode and really think about it, and I came out...hating it more than I did when watching it last night.

What a piss poor episode, probably my least favourite of the last two seasons, maybe even my least favourite of this new era. Who in the world edited this episode this badly? And we had that male-centric episode earlier this season that I disliked.

First off, we gotta talk about that half-an-episode immunity challenge that was not just boring as shit, but borderline offensive. Now, I get it's a game and all that, and so far, Noelle's been kicking ass at all the challenges. However, it's made very clear that the show did not bother to attempt to make any challenges more accessible to her. Yes, she's been doing well thus far, but the mud-rope portion was very clearly not something she could do. It was either her prosthetic getting stuck in the rope or in the mud.  And with that portion, using your legs is extremely important, and something she clearly couldn't do. Factor in her size, and I can see why she wasn't able to finish. Survivor should have recognized the accessibility issue and dealt with it pre-season. 

Then, we get the inspirational porn speech on how Noelle is SO BRAVE for trying. I feel like, although it was an interesting challenge, it should have been altered or scrapped. There's a difference between someone not being able to do it because of their size and someone not being able to do it because of their disability.

Yes, Jeanine got stuck too, which is why I think size played a major factor (once they got stuck in the mud, it was nearly impossible to get out). But also, Jeanine didn't get a shout-out for being SO BRAVE, which is why it was clear it was ONLY because of Noelle's disability in a challenge that was directly inaccessible.

Then, we get five minutes of Gabler shouting out his friend, and his cousin and his hairdresser's wife's dog or whatever. No wonder Cody dropped; he didn't want to hear any more of Gabler either.

Then we get back to camp and we should get the discussion on targets, right? No, we get two minutes of Gabler shouting out his cause. Then we start to get a discussion on targets but, whoops, now we gotta focus on this KiP advantage that James found! Which led to five MORE minutes of bullshit.

And then we get a couple of minutes on Dwight being a target for...reasons (I guess because Cody doesn't like Dwight but, since we haven't seen that since episode three, we don't get a reminder on WHY) and then boom, straight to Tribal.

Just a poorly edited episode all around. And it didn't endear me to anyone new. I still only like Karla and Noelle. Everyone else either annoys me, pisses me off, or is invisible.

I actually liked Dwight the most out of any of the men, so now we're stuck with seven annoying to insufferable men and the women who probably won't get that much farther.

[Midwestern Lady]

 I would have liked more info on why Dwight got the votes.   I can't even remember some people's names which is how uninteresting this season is.   I know Cody, Noelle, Sami, Gabler and Ryan.   

[DEL901]

3 hours ago, nlkm9 said:

I was totally confused that he didnt give her thr idol back--did she know it would become null and void if he didnt use it? that stinks. it also is problematic as the players come in the season knowing how to "trip up" the advantage rules. so stupid.

The idol didn’t become null and void.  Once Probst asked if anyone had an idol or advantage and no one spoke up, they were frozen and could not be given to someone else, even the original owner, until after tribal.  By then Dwight was gone along with the idol.  Probst confirmed this to EW.  If Dwight had survived tribal, he could have returned it and it would still be usable.  

Edited November 3, 2022 by DEL901

[iMonrey]

I'm just fed up with these brutally physical obstacle course challenges. This isn't American Ninja Warrior. Maybe this is why they never cast anyone over 50 anymore.

I'm also sick of the way the show keeps trying to screw with everyone just for kicks. Just like the "turn back time" twist, there was no practical reason to make them compete in pairs except to screw with them. If they voluntarily chose a preferred partner they had to show their hand, so to speak, and if they left it to random draw they risked getting saddled with someone who might drag them down. It was a lose-lose proposition.

Quote

Either the editing is terrible, or there are just too many twists and turns but at this point of the game I should know who everyone is, and I don't. 

It's both. The show has become too focused on all these twists, advantages and gimmicks. As Lady Calypso points out above:

Quote

Then we start to get a discussion on targets but, whoops, now we gotta focus on this KiP advantage that James found! Which led to five MORE minutes of bullshit.

I don't know why they had to throw in yet another twist so late in the episode when we should have been hearing more about voting strategy. 

I also think the show has developed a habit of focusing on the biggest personalities, regardless of who makes it to the end, which is why I'm still left wondering who Dwight and Cassidy are. No joke, I literally forgot there was someone named Dwight. And I think this is more of an editing failure than a casting failure, and probably why I haven't found anyone to root for at this point. The show is more investing in featuring the "big characters" - which are usually the most obnoxious ones.

[KittyMom4]

12 hours ago, Maya said:

I am claustrophobic and that net challenge gave me extreme anxiety. Almost couldn’t watch it. 

Me too, it was very difficult for me to watch and if it were me I would have been screaming for someone to cut me out. 

I thought the best way to make it through would have been to begin rolling as soon as I could before it got too narrow. I also think either Jeannine or Noelle rolled the wrong way, I couldn't tell them apart with all the mud.

4 hours ago, nlkm9 said:

my understanding was Noelle did not want any changes due to her disability, she wanted to be treated as if she does not have a disability. I think being treated differently would put a big target on her back.

I was wondering why she didn't take her prosthetic off prior to crawling in the net and throw it to Sammi to hold. I would have thought she'd have better leverage without it. 

[TVbitch]

Probst loves the love, y'all: "Sami, I just need to stop right here and acknowledge that you were the first one to go right over to Noelle and let her know she isn't a total piece of shit for getting her prosthetic leg caught in a rope net!" Yes Jeff, it's what Jesus, Gandhi and Mother Theresa rolled into one giant rope net would do. 

Probst also loves Gabbler, so I predict more Gabbling.

[rr2911]

14 hours ago, susannot said:

All three black guys.  Of course.

That is one of the things I appreciate about this season.  Three guy were targeted who happen to be black and there wasn't some prepared speech about it.  I think Survivor showed their "hand" in seasons 41 and 42 and what needed to be said has been said.  Survivor has moved on.  

[nlkm9]

2 hours ago, DEL901 said:

The idol didn’t become null and void.  Once Probst asked if anyone had an idol or advantage and no one spoke up, they were frozen and could not be given to someone else, even the original owner, until after tribal.  By then Dwight was gone along with the idol.  Probst confirmed this to EW.  If Dwight had survived tribal, he could have returned it and it would still be usable.  

so did she realize that by giving him the idol, if he dodnt ise it, she wouldnt get it back? My impression was she thought it was something she would get back after tribal. ok, I get it, he was voted out whoch screwed everything up. oy.

[tvfanatic13]

19 minutes ago, nlkm9 said:

so did she realize that by giving him the idol, if he dodnt ise it, she wouldnt get it back? My impression was she thought it was something she would get back after tribal. ok, I get it, he was voted out whoch screwed everything up. oy.

It wasn't that he didn't use the idol, it is that he left with it in his pocket. If he hadn't been voted out, he would have (presumably) given it back to her.

Meh season so far. And that is being generous. 

[RedbirdNelly]

they need fewer advantages/idols, etc. I can't keep up with them, which takes away from playing along at home and trying to figure out the best move. I'm not motivated either to put in a lot of work to try to keep up with all of them

[seacliffsal]

The producers are so married to the idea that the KIP advantage is fabulous that they will do whatever they have to do to have someone play it.  IMO it should have been dead when it walked out of tribal with whomever it was that previously held it.  The survivors are clearly showing that the "advantages" can be played around-such as when they found out James had the KIP and they all switched around who held what.  And, just like that, Jeanine, trying to outplay the advantage, lost her immunity (or steal a vote or whatever).  

Although I didn't know much about him, I liked Dwight so was sorry to see him go.  I think Cody and Jesse's biggest concern was that they were playing someone else's game (from what I recall), so they wanted to break up an alliance.  

Jeff should have just moved the challenge along rather than stop to have a very special episode with Noelle and Sami.  Jeff is trying to insert too many "moments" as if he is trying to resurrect his long-dead talk show.  Oh, and I don't need players talking about "who/why" they are playing.  They are on survivor-that should be enough.  So, just be quiet Gabler.  I do think Gabler is working too hard to be a 'beloved' character.  He got brand new tattoos, grew a weird beard, and has a million people for whom he is playing.  It's like he has taken all of the worst traits of former "characters" and rolled them into one package in order to be memorable and perhaps a repeat player.

[Guest]

38 minutes ago, seacliffsal said:

Jeff should have just moved the challenge along rather than stop to have a very special episode with Noelle and Sami.  Jeff is trying to insert too many "moments" as if he is trying to resurrect his long-dead talk show.  Oh, and I don't need players talking about "who/why" they are playing.  They are on survivor-that should be enough.  So, just be quiet Gabler.  I do think Gabler is working too hard to be a 'beloved' character.  He got brand new tattoos, grew a weird beard, and has a million people for whom he is playing.  It's like he has taken all of the worst traits of former "characters" and rolled them into one package in order to be memorable and perhaps a repeat player.

Relating to this, I was amused when the immunity challenge was down to Gabler, Cody and Owen, and Jeff asked them what their motivation was for staying in it. Gabler, of course, gave the first of several inspirational shout-outs, Cody talked about looking for redemption for a past failure that has haunted him ever since...and Owen was just like "I've dreamed of wearing the immunity necklace since I was little 😃" Always nice when someone isn't too invested in the "Survivor is Life" bit.

[HurricaneVal]

You guys....we came so close last night to a fantasy come true!  Somebody (I forgot who, maybe Cody?) bumped hard into Probst as he was stalking and grandstanding and generally getting in the way through the midst of the competition.  Unfortunately, like a Weeble, Jeff wobbled but didn't fall down....into the mud pit.  I was holding my breath, prepared to "squeeeee!!!" if it happened, but....alas.

I agree, the comp lasted too long and took up too much time in the episode.  Remember when there used to be two challenges per episode and still plenty of time for scheming, hut building, wave bobbing, fishing, chatting, foraging, deal-making, idol hunting, etc?  Now we just get endless marathon challenges, scenes of advantage finding, production interviews regarding said advantage, and...oops, gotta take care of some business...quick and inexplicable votes.

Even as much as I'd like it to, I realize we can't go back to ye olde OG Survivor, but at some point this madness has got to stop!

Oh....and get off my lawn!

Edited November 3, 2022 by HurricaneVal
Forgot to shake a curmudgeonly fist and shout at the sky.

[Nashville]

5 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

I was kinda hoping James would go because hearing him talk makes my throat hurt.

Agreed.  Is James doing some kind of second-vocal-chord throatspeaking thing?  At this latest TC, James’s voice sounded like a badly tuned radio.

[SummerDreams]

8 minutes ago, Nashville said:

Agreed.  Is James doing some kind of second-vocal-chord throatspeaking thing?  At this latest TC, James’s voice sounded like a badly tuned radio.

And they were saying that James' social game is good. If I were there with him and this voice, I would NOT be social with him at all. In fact I'd avoid him and his voice.

Edited November 3, 2022 by SummerDreams

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, HurricaneVal said:

You guys....we came so close last night to a fantasy come true!  Somebody (I forgot who, maybe Cody?) bumped hard into Probst as he was stalking and grandstanding and generally getting in the way through the midst of the competition.  Unfortunately, like a Weeble, Jeff wobbled but didn't fall down....into the mud pit.  I was holding my breath, prepared to "squeeeee!!!" if it happened, but....alas.

Speaking of the mud pit, I referred earlier to Cassidy flying through the net faster than anyone, but apparently she did it so fast that she barely got any mud on her. When they would pan over everyone during the last phase of the challenge, everyone else was virtually solid dark brown/grey, and there was Cassidy with just a few dabs on her. She was like Venkman at the end of Ghostbusters after the Marshmallow Man exploded.

Edited November 3, 2022 by tracyscott76

[PhoneCop]

34 minutes ago, HurricaneVal said:

I agree, the comp lasted too long and took up too much time in the episode.  Remember when there used to be two challenges per episode and still plenty of time for scheming, hut building, wave bobbing, fishing, chatting, foraging, deal-making, idol hunting, etc?  Now we just get endless marathon challenges, scenes of advantage finding, production interviews regarding said advantage, and...oops, gotta take care of some business...quick and inexplicable votes.

Endless marathon challenges that just recycle the same features, at that. How many of us tune out the challenges altogether now because they're just repetitive loops of swimming, digging, dragging, climbing, and puzzling? 

11 hours ago, Nashville said:

“And I dedicate Minute Number 37 to… my proctologist’s cat!  
Stay strong, Fluffy - stay strong!”

"And I dedicate Minute 38 to...my cat's proctologist! God bless you, Dr. Matorin, for the, uh, the removal."

[LadyChatts]

5 hours ago, Lady Calypso said:

So, I've taken some time to sleep on this episode and really think about it, and I came out...hating it more than I did when watching it last night.

What a piss poor episode, probably my least favourite of the last two seasons, maybe even my least favourite of this new era. Who in the world edited this episode this badly? And we had that male-centric episode earlier this season that I disliked.

First off, we gotta talk about that half-an-episode immunity challenge that was not just boring as shit, but borderline offensive. Now, I get it's a game and all that, and so far, Noelle's been kicking ass at all the challenges. However, it's made very clear that the show did not bother to attempt to make any challenges more accessible to her. Yes, she's been doing well thus far, but the mud-rope portion was very clearly not something she could do. It was either her prosthetic getting stuck in the rope or in the mud.  And with that portion, using your legs is extremely important, and something she clearly couldn't do. Factor in her size, and I can see why she wasn't able to finish. Survivor should have recognized the accessibility issue and dealt with it pre-season. 

Then, we get the inspirational porn speech on how Noelle is SO BRAVE for trying. I feel like, although it was an interesting challenge, it should have been altered or scrapped. There's a difference between someone not being able to do it because of their size and someone not being able to do it because of their disability.

Yes, Jeanine got stuck too, which is why I think size played a major factor (once they got stuck in the mud, it was nearly impossible to get out). But also, Jeanine didn't get a shout-out for being SO BRAVE, which is why it was clear it was ONLY because of Noelle's disability in a challenge that was directly inaccessible.

Then, we get five minutes of Gabler shouting out his friend, and his cousin and his hairdresser's wife's dog or whatever. No wonder Cody dropped; he didn't want to hear any more of Gabler either.

Then we get back to camp and we should get the discussion on targets, right? No, we get two minutes of Gabler shouting out his cause. Then we start to get a discussion on targets but, whoops, now we gotta focus on this KiP advantage that James found! Which led to five MORE minutes of bullshit.

And then we get a couple of minutes on Dwight being a target for...reasons (I guess because Cody doesn't like Dwight but, since we haven't seen that since episode three, we don't get a reminder on WHY) and then boom, straight to Tribal.

Just a poorly edited episode all around. And it didn't endear me to anyone new. I still only like Karla and Noelle. Everyone else either annoys me, pisses me off, or is invisible.

I actually liked Dwight the most out of any of the men, so now we're stuck with seven annoying to insufferable men and the women who probably won't get that much farther.

I agree about the editing.  It was very weird.  I have no idea why they needed that challenge to take up half the episode.  I was half expecting medical to get called in for something, or that the episode was going to surprise us and do a 'to be continued' and we'd find out who got voted off next week.  That would have made more sense than for that long ass challenge being run in pairs (which made no sense since only one person could end up winning) and then just to hear Gabler shout out to his cousin's plumber's babysitter's nephew's gerbil.  And considering that James didn't even use the KIP last night, couldn't they have just shown it in a flashback scene in a future episode?  There was all this rushed build up and it went nowhere, except we know Jeanine's idol left the game with Dwight.  But they could have explained that in a future episode, too.

So Dwight shed some light in his exit interview, and it goes back to when he took his trek to that island and came back risking his vote (and ending up with no vote).  Apparently Cody didn't believe his story of what went down there, despite it being the truth, and said he was told by Jesse that Cody was telling everyone he was a strategist.  Dwight also said that Cody pretty much ignored him, Noelle, and Justine in the beginning of Vesi.  I think Cody must have felt threatened that he thought someone might actually be strategizing better than him, even though he was wrong. 

Going back to the challenge, I'll start with Jeanine and Jesse.  Jesse actually took a long time to get through that net (Probst even made a point of saying Jeanine was the last one entering the net) but they made it seem like she was the one who needed to be sorry.  And as for Noelle, I also hated the pandering she got after struggling in the net.  When she came out covered in mud like that I realized how hard it was for her in there.  And them acting like 'well at least she tried'-yeah, she kind of has to.  That's the point.  What do they think, she's going to just sit challenges out?  I also agree about them not making the challenges accommodating for people with disabilities like her.

At this point, my favorites are Noelle, Karla (I just wish she wasn't tied so tight to Coco), Jeanine, and Owen.  I feel like I'm rooting for Owen partly by default because I'm running out of people I like.  I really hope the alliance of Coco and Jesse/Cody/Sami doesn't run the next few votes.  I'd be fine losing Gabler, but hope Owen, Jeanine, and Noelle can hang in there.

[Guest]

44 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

And considering that James didn't even use the KIP last night, couldn't they have just shown it in a flashback scene in a future episode?  There was all this rushed build up and it went nowhere, except we know Jeanine's idol left the game with Dwight.  But they could have explained that in a future episode, too.

I was fine with them showing James getting the KIP, because it partially explained why people settled on him as the target, and it led to everyone shuffling around their idols/advantages to each other. Trying to explain both James getting the KIP AND Jeanine not having her idol anymore in flashbacks next episode could have been confusing. I agree that the main culprit for this odd episode was the excess warm fuzzies at the challenge featuring Gabler and Noelle, with special guest Sami ("Sami, I'm fascinated by you showing basic human compassion! Where does that come from?")

47 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

So Dwight shed some light in his exit interview, and it goes back to when he took his trek to that island and came back risking his vote (and ending up with no vote).  Apparently Cody didn't believe his story of what went down there, despite it being the truth, and said he was told by Jesse that Cody was telling everyone he was a strategist.  Dwight also said that Cody pretty much ignored him, Noelle, and Justine in the beginning of Vesi.  I think Cody must have felt threatened that he thought someone might actually be strategizing better than him, even though he was wrong. 

Omg...was Dwight in...SALES??!!! That wily bastard! No wonder he was targeted!

[mythoughtis]

I didn’t pay enough attention to know what James’ Advantage was.  I did pay attention to how paranoid everyone got about it.    Serves Jeanine  right to have her idol disappear due to her own game play.  

I like Gabler, but I got tired of him talking during the challenge. On the other hand, Jeff was quieter than usual for a change. 

I like Noelle but it wasn’t good game play to tell everyone about James finding  the advantage- but then 3 other people knew about it from the beginning. 
 

[peachmangosteen]

After reading the comments, I've never been more happy that I just fast forward the challenges.

[Andyourlittledog2]

11 hours ago, nlkm9 said:

YOUR OBSERVATION seems to suggest there is a racial component. black people, white people, asian people, people of all shapes sizes and colors and sexes are voted out. the more people of a certain group are there (women, people of color, etc) the more chance they will be voted out. I saw nothing but gameplay last nite. whatever.

I agree that it was just gameplay and not necessarily a racial thing. But it still made me sad that it was happening. It's so recent that blacks have been cast in any kind of numbers on this show that it just hurts to see them targeted for early ouster, especially one after another like this.  It just feels wrong whether it is or not for game reasons.  I can't explain it any other way.

[nlkm9]

8 minutes ago, Andyourlittledog2 said:

I agree that it was just gameplay and not necessarily a racial thing. But it still made me sad that it was happening. It's so recent that blacks have been cast in any kind of numbers on this show that it just hurts to see them targeted for early ouster, especially one after another like this.  It just feels wrong whether it is or not for game reasons.  I can't explain it any other way.

We can agree to disagree. We want more diversity, yet we complain when people are voted out . The more women, asians, people of color , etc are in the game, the more will be voted . Im done on this subject.  And i am what would be considered a diverse person .

[Fretful]

I find this interesting.  When Christian (who was well-liked here) carried on for 2 hours about string theory in order to distract himself from the challenge at hand, people thought it was charming and adorable.  When Gabler (who is not popular here) gives a list of names to do the same, he is considered pompous and boring.  I am no Gabler fan, but I think what he did was quite smart- he took that challenge one minute at a time.

I was also SO SURE That Cassidy and Karla were going to be the weakest pair, but they were among the fastest on the first two sections until Karla (with her hand cut from the last challenge) fell.   So ---shows what I know.    I'm not sure how well they would have done on the final section, but I suspect at least one of them would have outlasted Dwight.

[tvfanatic13]

If Jeanine didn’t tell anyone that she gave Dwight her advantage then no one will know to look for the rehidden one and possibly she could get it back if she finds it. 

[albinerhawk]

GFVGFG

[Whimsy]

10 hours ago, albinerhawk said:

GFVGFG

lol, what?  

[Midwestern Lady]

I miss the good old  Survivor auction and the Eat Something Gross Challenge.    Tired of same old puzzles and digging.  

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Whimsy said:

15 hours ago, albinerhawk said:

GFVGFG

lol, what?  

Wasn't that Dan Foley's answer in that slide puzzle he kept screwing up in Worlds Apart?

[laurakaye]

On 11/3/2022 at 12:17 AM, 30 Helens said:

I haven’t been commenting much this season because try as I might, I can’t find much to get excited about. My biggest problem is one that’s echoed in my watching of this year’s Amazing Race— I either have no connection to most of the players or, even worse, don’t know who they are. (There’s a Cassidy?)

On 11/3/2022 at 8:22 AM, weaver said:

Either the editing is terrible, or there are just too many twists and turns but at this point of the game I should know who everyone is, and I don't. 

If they'd just bring back the show's 30-second introduction with the players' faces, names, and tribes, I swear I would know who these people are by now.  Glad I'm not the only one who looks at a player and wonders who they are, and if they've been playing this whole time.

Gabler gives me vibes of Coach mixed with a little Dan Foley.  And hopefully James doesn't go full-on Mike Holloway with his voice.  

I had no idea why Jeannine was so stunned at Tribal until I read it here.  With all the advantage swapping, I had zero clue who was holding what.  

[nlkm9]

On 11/3/2022 at 1:04 PM, RedbirdNelly said:

they need fewer advantages/idols, etc. I can't keep up with them, which takes away from playing along at home and trying to figure out the best move. I'm not motivated either to put in a lot of work to try to keep up with all of them

Plus you know as someone is at their last straw, an idol will maagically appear!! hate them all.

[Scatterbrained]

Well, it looks like the divorce papers have been signed, sealed, and delivered!

[Cthulhudrew]

On 11/3/2022 at 12:05 PM, Nashville said:

Agreed.  Is James doing some kind of second-vocal-chord throatspeaking thing?  At this latest TC, James’s voice sounded like a badly tuned radio.

Ha! I thought it was just the sound editing, but whatever it was really grated on me too.

[jsm1125]

I’m annoyed that we have very little sense of what the dynamics are at camp. Like, is Sami secretly working mostly with Cody and Jesse? Mostly with Coco? Both groups? Does Jesse really think that his best move is to go towards the end with Karla? Was he ever actually in an alliance with Dwight?

[Skooma]

On 11/3/2022 at 8:51 PM, Fretful said:

I find this interesting.  When Christian (who was well-liked here) carried on for 2 hours about string theory in order to distract himself from the challenge at hand, people thought it was charming and adorable.  When Gabler (who is not popular here) gives a list of names to do the same, he is considered pompous and boring

Why?  String theory = funny.  Corny "inspirational" self-promoting me as a wonderful, amazing, great guy pronouncements = bad.

On 11/3/2022 at 9:08 PM, tvfanatic13 said:

If Jeanine didn’t tell anyone that she gave Dwight her advantage then no one will know to look for the rehidden one and possibly she could get it back if she finds it. 

Didn't someone tell Jeanine that James has the take away someone's idol advantage and suggest she give hers to someone else to hold since people knew she had an idol?  Did I remember that wrong?  And poor Jeanine had no idea whats-his-name suddenly became a target either.  Jeanine has had two blindsides in a row now.  Can we hope for a third?  Can that be her lasting contribution to Survivor lore?  The woman that got blindsided at every tribal, hah.

On 11/4/2022 at 2:23 PM, laurakaye said:

If they'd just bring back the show's 30-second introduction with the players' faces, names, and tribes, I swear I would know who these people are by now.

Wow you are so right! 

Not just on Survivor but The Amazing Race too.  Cutting out the intro of the players/teams and the great little themes both shows have has made it next to impossible to remember the names of any of these people. 

And the theme music always got me a bit pumped up at the start of these two shows too.  Like it sucked me into the shows right off and made me pay more attention.  Music is a very powerful thing and mood is important, dammit!

And what have they gain cutting out the intro/theme?  An added half minute of useless filler material we could clearly do without.

Edited November 5, 2022 by Skooma

[SummerDreams]

1 hour ago, Skooma said:

Jeanine has had two blindsides in a row now.  Can we hope for a third?  Can that be her lasting contribution to Survivor lore?  The woman that got blindsided at every tribal, hah.

Maybe her hurting her jaw on the first episode was foreshadowing for her being the woman who had her jaw dropped every tribal council. 😛

[Lantern7]

I watched on DVR and retained little. One thing that stuck with me that I don't think has been mentioned: the players making brown streaks on the slides. Apparently, I am seven years old.

You think Probst gets horny for eccentric older men the way he does with the young bucks? Then he must love him some Gabler. And yeah, he was shouting out everyone short of Randy's dog at that final immunity challenge.

On 11/3/2022 at 11:47 AM, TVbitch said:

Probst loves the love, y'all: "Sami, I just need to stop right here and acknowledge that you were the first one to go right over to Noelle and let her know she isn't a total piece of shit for getting her prosthetic leg caught in a rope net!" Yes Jeff, it's what Jesus, Gandhi and Mother Theresa rolled into one giant rope net would do.

I wear glasses and my laptop screen is dirty. I did not that I was reading the words as "rope net." And yeah, those nets looked bad to get stuck in. It's funny . . . the night this episode aired, The Amazing Race broke out a few French games that looked like they were borrowed from Survivor . . . including the "use ropes to lift a ball to the top without making it fall in the numerous holes" game. Better than someone with a prosthetic leg getting trapped in a net.

I watched this episode on Thursday morning. For the sake of getting to work on time, I'll be doing that when I get home . . . that's if I can't watch on the bus ride to and from work. I walk a fine line, and I don't think I should be dismissed because of Survivor.

Here is Erik's take on the episode. The sad thing is that he isn't too far off.

Edited November 6, 2022 by Lantern7

[Valerie]

Gabler is SO MESSY but he is one of the only entertaining characters this season.

[blackwing]

I've read the reasoning for why Dwight, but I still don't get it.  I don't think Dwight was a threat.  I think James would have been my #1 pick, especially after many knew he had an advantage.  Or get rid of big strong Ryan, who has pretty much sucked at challenges but is still big and strong, so you never know.

On 11/3/2022 at 1:53 PM, HurricaneVal said:

You guys....we came so close last night to a fantasy come true!  Somebody (I forgot who, maybe Cody?) bumped hard into Probst as he was stalking and grandstanding and generally getting in the way through the midst of the competition.  Unfortunately, like a Weeble, Jeff wobbled but didn't fall down....into the mud pit.  I was holding my breath, prepared to "squeeeee!!!" if it happened, but....alas.

Yes.  I loathe Jeffy and have loathed him for years.  I particularly dislike how he's always wandering around the battlefield and making his blustery observations about how so-and-so is WAY BEHIND.  I would have loved seeing him fall into the mud.  I would love one day to see a challenge where after it's over, the entire group of contestants picks Jeffy up and throws him into the water or mud.