S45.E08: Following a Dead Horse to Water

[paramitch]

This season has been a lot of fun so far. I don't even hate anyone (much), although I admit since I tuned out for several years that the constant "I love yous" (on DAY TWO, people! DAY TWO!) have definitely had me rolling my eyes. I mean, OH MY GOD.

This episode was so much fun. I really like Jake, so I was worried for him and happy he survived. He's very smart and played that really well. It didn't hurt that I was irritated by Kellie tying herself constantly to Bruce (who is such an arrogant doofus, bless his heart). The funny thing is, Bruce is so handsome, but then he speaks and I just start rolling my eyes. But he may go far because everyone wants him next to him for final 2.

As far as Bruce, I think he is one of those people who is probably a decent guy  in real life—maybe a little egotistical or annoying in small doses, but also probably fairly kind and lovable (I love the geeky goofy side of him, that adds points for me, darn it) But on a shallow note, damn that guy is handsome.

I like Katurah, I just wish she would chill out a little—she's clumsy at the social side of the game. It's interesting because she is kind of like Emily but hasn't really corrected how she presents herself, whereas Emily INSTANTLY realized, "Oh, wait, I'm overplaying Survivor in my head and need to fix this ASAP." But—I laugh my ass off every time they cut to her bitching about Bruce. That's great TV.

In terms of the worries about Jake medically -- I want to throw into the mix that I am genuinely worried that he is having microseizures. I have experience with family and pet seizure disorders (I get that this is funny, but I'm serious) and what happened with Jake never looked to me like fainting, but like he blipped out in a more neurological way. He shook his hands and body visibly every time, then sort of lost consciousness for seconds, then blipped back, with no idea of what happened. Even the (real, not acted) moment of blankness/stuttering at Tribal could have been a microseizure and part of that. I was genuinely scared for him. I definitely want him to go home and get a total physical for his brain and heart!

Meanwhile, it's a fun season. I'm rooting for Emily and cannot wait for Kendra and Austen to go (she is just nails on a chalkboard to me -- every expression she has, verbal or visible, is ITALICS AND ALL-CAPS. She's exhausting (and, um, not smart, from how she has presented herself). I like people just being smart players. The ones who can still learn from the game and even still be decent people are even better.

I love Emily because she's so smart. Loved watching her learn from her initial mistakes (not to mention her horrified expression at camp when Kendra and the other women were cheerfully agreeing that the pyramids were "batteries," and beacons for aliens, etc.! 

Next week should be fun. One of the things that's fun about this game is that last week's outcast is next week's swing vote.

[jabRI]

On 11/16/2023 at 5:43 PM, HurricaneVal said:

Jeff was extra mean last night, eh?  First of all making everyone who got something at the auction abandon their plates when the auction abruptly ended.  Only the chocolate cake people got a deadline.  I don't recall Jeff saying at the outset that when the auction was over, they had to leave everything behind.  I'm not sure Kellie even had a bite of sandwich ... she was sipping the margarita and nibbling on chips.  I wonder if they thought they could bring stuff back to camp with them?  Emily might have been thinking she could have the salami for a couple of days, maybe even doling it out for favors.  That was a lot of charcuterie for one person!

That was kind of bizarre.  For as much as they were starving there was a lot of food and drinks left over.

[SummerDreams]

4 hours ago, jabRI said:

That was kind of bizarre.  For as much as they were starving there was a lot of food and drinks left over.

Right but one should be careful with eating a lot and fast after eating nearly nothing for 2 weeks.

[Lantern7]

Erik’s comic, “Ricochet and Take Your Aim”:

Edited November 21, 2023 by Lantern7

[PaperTree]

1 hour ago, SummerDreams said:

5 hours ago, jabRI said:

That was kind of bizarre.  For as much as they were starving there was a lot of food and drinks left over.

Right but one should be careful with eating a lot and fast after eating nearly nothing for 2 weeks.

That made it especially cruel, for no good reason.  Let them finish at their speed, or take it back to camp to finish it more slowly.

And the toothbrush item.  Hmmm.  They all look like they brush regularly and have glowing white teeth.

[Chicago Redshirt]

21 hours ago, Shermie said:

Maybe it’s an Emily/Bruce final two. I don’t watch much anymore - is it final two or final three now? He seems to be getting a lot of screen time and a lot of commentary about him from others.

Emily vs Bruce, I can see why she wins because she played herself to the end. Bruce just seemed to annoy many of them.

It seems like they have been a F3 for most of the recent seasons of Survivor. There is an immunity challenge at 4, and the winner guarantees one person to make it to the F3, and the other two have a race to build fire to get to the F3.

I suppose nothing would stop them from changing things up and doing a F5-F2.  But in a vacuum, no reason to think that they will switch it up.

On 11/20/2023 at 12:50 AM, SVNBob said:

She did have the quote in a TH in the first episode saying that she'd either be the first out or the winner.  (I remember this because I quipped at the time that I then wanted her to be the last out before the jury, as that would probably hurt the most.)  And since she wasn't the first out....

I think her quote was she'd prefer to be either first out or the winner, rather than a prediction that she'd be one of the two. Since that was back when I thought she was a terrible person, I too was hoping that she makes it to the F3 and goes voteless. Now that I've warmed up to her some, I would be fine with her winning. I'd also be fine with her becoming a super bitter juror too. 

 

On 11/19/2023 at 5:01 PM, PaperTree said:

Me too!  Mr. 27 Advantages is getting a good edit too. I just don't feel the Austin love.  Too much smarmy smugness.

Is Bruce getting the goat edit, or does he somehow win?

It's interesting...it seems to me that there are very few entries so far on anyone's Survivor resumes in general. Dee and Bruce have an immunity win apiece, Bruce has an idol, Austin has two idols...not sure if anyone else has anything.

Emily has the "I'm an underdog" story she can tell. Started off on a tribe that was full of losers and went to tribal council more than anyone remaining in the game. Despite having no connections originally with Reba or Belo, and despite her only fellow Lulu getting kicked off just after the merge, if she manages to survive to the end, that could be an appealing story.

Bruce has the "I came back from the heartbreak of being medavaced last season to compete this one, and I showed my stuff and kept the tribe's spirits high with dad jokes and good advice" argument.

Drew and Austin have the "We are very strategic players who maximized all the advantages we earned" argument.

Jake now has the "I convinced you to get rid of Kellie instead of me, and I survived despite medical issues" argument.

Aside from the "I won an immunity with my freakish feet," I am not sure what Dee has.

I'm not sure what Julie, Katurah or Kendra have to say for themselves. 

[Tango64]

8 hours ago, PaperTree said:

And the toothbrush item.  Hmmm.  They all look like they brush regularly and have glowing white teeth.

I thought the same thing. At this point I’m convinced they each have a dressing room trailer off camera where every morning they shower, brush their teeth, shave, use the toilet, take any maintenance meds, and pick out a couple outfits for the day. Then it’s back to set to try to ‘survive.’