Season 01

[MarylandGirl]

I generally liked both Therron and Amy before. This ep changed my opinion on both of them, for different reasons. Therron, because he was an idiot to get rid of Dusty, when Amy was the obvious choice. If he wanted to make more of a gameplay decision, BeckyLee could have been a good choice, as she seems close with many players and competent (but isn't helping them the same way Dusty was). Plus, his logic is flawed in another way--he thinks Dusty is a threat due to being the leader. Well, if Therron steps up and becomes the leader, won't he then become a threat and a target?

With Amy, as others mentioned, it was her whining about how she deserved to go to the summit and claimed she wasn't slowing them down. When, maybe aside from the glacier climb, she *was* slowing them down all episode, even when just walking through the snow (I won't be critical of the panic attack crawling through the tight space, as I'd have likely been panicking then, too). Yes, they've still gotten to the checkpoint each time, but she made them closer to not making it.

I suppose I'm now Team Punkin and Jeannie, as they're the least annoying ones left! And I actually like both of them, too.

[Tango64]

I think I heard the safety officer’s real explanation: “There’s a big storm coming and that might make this show interesting to watch. We can’t have that. No way, not at all. So pack your stuff.”

[BradandJanet]

I'm still watching because I'm trying to figure out what's really going on. 

The obstacles, especially the later ones, are suspiciously easy for the contestants, although they are filmed to look horrifying. I'm watching the editing to see if the shots make sense. For example, the cave had a small entrance because snow was packed around it  but it appeared to be open on the sides. While the contestants were climbing under a rock for a short time, they shouldn't have felt completely trapped. The ice-pick vertical climb must have been shorter than it looked since everyone got up pretty quickly and easily, even whiny Amy. I was looking to see if shots from a different part of the mountain had been edited in for effect.

Why is BeckyLee wearing pearl earrings and lipstick to traverse a glacier and scale a mountain? Why is no one dehydrated and headachy from the altitude? Why are there no chapped lips or sunburned/windburned faces? Do these people get airlifted out at night to the Ponderosa for dinner, a warm bath, and a night's sleep, and sent to hair and makeup in the morning before being flown back to the mountain? (Just joking. Sort of.)

Of course, the voting itself is even more of a mystery. Right, Therron? I'm not cheering for anyone to get to the summit except maybe Punkin, but I suspect the Mountainskeeper will make sure BeckyLee, at least, who is showing no signs of fatigue, hunger, illness, or inconvenience from this experience, will find her way there. 

Edited 23 hours ago by BradandJanet

[KeithJ]

46 minutes ago, Tango64 said:

I think I heard the safety officer’s real explanation: “There’s a big storm coming and that might make this show interesting to watch. We can’t have that. No way, not at all. So pack your stuff.”

I was kinda hoping he was also going to say "there is only room for four of you on the chopper"

[seacliffsal]

The whole mountain has to be more accessible than they are showing.  Camps are set up, equipment is brought in for each of the challenges and the challenges themselves are set up.  Additionally, there is always space for the mountainkeepers' helicopter to fly in and the evacuation helicopters to land.  Even the 'glacier' didn't look that dangerous where they were actually walking (there were only a couple of big holes that were quite obvious where they were going).  Additionally, we have seen a few glimpses of the production staff so there are plenty of people around.  So, I think BradandJanet has a really good point that this whole show is probably edited to seem more challenging than it actually is.  It would also explain why the contestants are so willing to vote out competent climbers who actually are willing to help others.  Oh, and why the incompetent contestants really think they have a shot at making it to the summit.  

[Skooma]

2 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

The whole mountain has to be more accessible than they are showing.  Camps are set up, equipment is brought in for each of the challenges and the challenges themselves are set up.  Additionally, there is always space for the mountainkeepers' helicopter to fly in and the evacuation helicopters to land.  Even the 'glacier' didn't look that dangerous where they were actually walking (there were only a couple of big holes that were quite obvious where they were going).  Additionally, we have seen a few glimpses of the production staff so there are plenty of people around.  So, I think BradandJanet has a really good point that this whole show is probably edited to seem more challenging than it actually is.  It would also explain why the contestants are so willing to vote out competent climbers who actually are willing to help others.  Oh, and why the incompetent contestants really think they have a shot at making it to the summit.  

Yeah that was pretty clear from episode 1 it was all a very safe and easy set-up for a reality show and probably a popular park area in New Zealand normally.

And yes the ice cliff segment looked to be very VERY short despite the camera angles used to make it look longer.

[Tango64]

I was hoping Amy would pull out a Hidden Immunity Idol. Or at least play her Shot in the Dark. Geez, doesn't she know how to play this game?

[seltzer3]

12 hours ago, Notabug said:

For someone who thought she was perfectly capable of making it to the summit because she is just that tough minded; Amy sure did spend a lot of time bringing up the rear moaning and groaning about how hard it was while allowing someone else to carry her pack for her.  For her to not acknowledge that she was, in fact, the slowest and that this was unlikely to change which made her the weakest link in the push to get to the summit was just dumb.

As for Therron eliminating Dusty because, at some point, several eliminations from now, Therron might be the slowest and get eliminated made no sense at all either.  Maybe the lack of oxygen in the thin mountain air caused a brain cramp.  As long as there are people who are slower, there's no reason for Therron to have thought he'd be the next to go.  Except, of course, these people are all dopes who seemingly do not understand the nature of the game.

I actually kind of get Therron's point and why some of the weaker people would vote out the strong.  Because if Therron gets rid of Amy, at the next elimination its probably going to be between him and Jeannie (when it comes to strength).  So in terms of strength wise he is already in the hot seat.  And granted the summit they have 0 idea how many people are supposed to make it, and how many more "vote offs" there will be Therron would definitely get voted off soon.

I kind of blame production, in that it seems like they have 0 idea what they want this show to be.  Do they want this to be purely survival, or do they actually want Survivor?  Like they claim that its "hypothetically" winners?  earn a million dollars.  But their format kind of contradicts that.    So if they have a bunch of mandatory vote offs.  Like if they did a "succeed a challenge, no one gets voted off", that would be different.  But since they have a bunch of mandatory vote offs,  it doesn't surprise me people like Becky will play the way they do.   LIke if you are middle of the road person, and only the top 2/3 people make it to the end, why would you keep voting off the weak, noting that you are probably going to get the axe by all the strong people?

[HappyDancex2]

32 minutes ago, Tango64 said:

I was hoping Amy would pull out a Hidden Immunity Idol. Or at least play her Shot in the Dark. Geez, doesn't she know how to play this game?

I was shocked when Dusty didn’t at least play his shot in the Dark but then I forgot he lost it in the challenge where the whole tribe wanted rice.  Wait…

[HappyDancex2]

Perhaps Amy could use her logic of “deserving” to get to the summit for her Never Give Up Attitude if we knew that was the criteria.  If there was a bonus for making it to a checkpoint early, she (and other slows) would get picked off.  But if production wants out of shape people to be able to compete for this prize then speed can’t be the only criteria.  The men would have stayed around longer had they have to build camp once they got there because Amy and Trader Joe’s would not have the stamina to then build food and shelter, even if it was a tent.  Nothing like getting to camp and already having a fire and concrete block stove set up with some soup already bubbling.  If they were truly starving they wouldn’t have left those peppers and crackers for the birds.

[lilysmom]

I can hardly wait for next season when they have to build their shelters out of bamboo sticks and zingbot appears at one of the eliminations to zing everyone in that annoying zingy voice!

 

[blackwing]

I've struggled to maintain interest in this show.  On the whole it's not that interesting, we know that production isn't going to actually let anyone die.

I get that on a show like Survivor, strong people like Dusty usually get cut after the merge.  But on this show, there does need to be some sort of group dynamic to work together to get/retain money.  So they do need strong people that help the team.

Instead, Therron says "he's too strong" and cuts.

Without Dusty, I've lost interest.  I hope an avalanche takes away all of their money and belongings.

[HappyDancex2]

1 hour ago, blackwing said:

I've struggled to maintain interest in this show.  On the whole it's not that interesting, we know that production isn't going to actually let anyone die.

I get that on a show like Survivor, strong people like Dusty usually get cut after the merge.  But on this show, there does need to be some sort of group dynamic to work together to get/retain money.  So they do need strong people that help the team.

Instead, Therron says "he's too strong" and cuts.

Without Dusty, I've lost interest.  I hope an avalanche takes away all of their money and belongings.

Do they?  The challenges are just a time thing.  The only threat here is a twisted ankle or MCL sprain.  Or plot twist by the bearded slow talker that no one can predict.  We’ve had how many weeks of people with heights issues screaming they can’t do it….and do it.  And weeks of slow Amy and that other lady whose name I already forgot bringing up the rear with no real consequences other than one food penalty.  It feels like it will be an arbitrary decision on whether they get to the summit or not.  Whatever is best for production?

I’m missed the first few episodes but I assumed that only one person will win the money.  Why else have eliminations?  Is it possible for 1 or 2 people to split the money?

[Red Bridey]

This is a stupid, stupid, STUPID show. 

[Netfoot]

1 hour ago, HappyDancex2 said:

I’m missed the first few episodes but I assumed that only one person will win the money.  Why else have eliminations?  Is it possible for 1 or 2 people to split the money?

Multiple climbers can win and the remaining prize money will be equally divided between them. (Except they all carry an equal share of the remaining prize money so technically, the prize will already have been divided between them the night before at the last checkpoint.)

All climbers who set out from the last checkpoint must make it to the summit or nobody will win anything. Obviously, Production will want winners to make for better television. After the final eviction at the final checkpoint the night before the ascent to the summit, you will know that all remaining climbers will make it to the top and the will each get to keep what ever prize money they are already carrying. So there will be no need to watch the final episode because the outcome will be known at the end of the penultimate episode, one week before.

[MarylandGirl]

43 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

Multiple climbers can win and the remaining prize money will be equally divided between them. (Except they all carry an equal share of the remaining prize money so technically, the prize will already have been divided between them the night before at the last checkpoint.)

All climbers who set out from the last checkpoint must make it to the summit or nobody will win anything. Obviously, Production will want winners to make for better television. After the final eviction at the final checkpoint the night before the ascent to the summit, you will know that all remaining climbers will make it to the top and the will each get to keep what ever prize money they are already carrying. So there will be no need to watch the final episode because the outcome will be known at the end of the penultimate episode, one week before.

Could there be some other "Mountain's Keeper" twist in that last leg where someone else gets eliminated (and their share of the money along with them), I wonder? Or some other kind of twist?

[Netfoot]

34 minutes ago, MarylandGirl said:

Could there be some other "Mountain's Keeper" twist in that last leg where someone else gets eliminated (and their share of the money along with them), I wonder? Or some other kind of twist?

Sure. the Mountain's Keeper could in theory make up any crazy twist they want in an effort to spice up the show, but obviously, we can only speculate as to what any such twist(s) might be.

[iMonrey]

I've only seen four episodes of this show and I don't get it. The only criteria for who should be voted out should be who is slowing down the group. Nobody gets any money if they don't make it to the summit. So why do they keep talking about alliances and who's trustworthy and who's loyal and who's lying and voting out the strongest people? It makes zero sense. They seem to think they're on Survivor. What am I missing here?

Are they under the impression that there will eventually only be three people left and everyone will vote for a winner, or that there will be a final challenge for the final three and that's why they keep voting out strong people? Because that's not my understanding of how this works. Do they not know how it works? Or don't I?

Also, I call shenanigans on a lot of these challenges. There is no way some of these people could really complete them as they are presented to us. I've noticed on at least one occasion that they only show them traversing one specific spot in a challenge area, which makes me think they are only required to complete a part of it to make it. Which would also explain why they are comfortable voting out strong people. 

[Notabug]

4 hours ago, HappyDancex2 said:

Do they?  The challenges are just a time thing.  The only threat here is a twisted ankle or MCL sprain.  Or plot twist by the bearded slow talker that no one can predict.  We’ve had how many weeks of people with heights issues screaming they can’t do it….and do it.  And weeks of slow Amy and that other lady whose name I already forgot bringing up the rear with no real consequences other than one food penalty.  It feels like it will be an arbitrary decision on whether they get to the summit or not.  Whatever is best for production?

I’m missed the first few episodes but I assumed that only one person will win the money.  Why else have eliminations?  Is it possible for 1 or 2 people to split the money?

The premise is that everyone who makes it to the summit will share in the prize money.  There have been 2 seasons of the Australian version of the show and

Spoiler

In both seasons, the money was not divided equally.  In one season, an eliminated competitor got to decide how much each of the 3 or 4 finishers received.  It was fairly even.  In the next season, 3 people made it to the top and one of them got to decide how to divvy up the $600,000 or so prize.  Unsurprisingly, she decided that she deserved about $400,000 while the other two each got around $100,000.

 

[Meowwww]

Show has jumped the shark. They have ample food, laughter, clothing, in no real rush, no real danger. They get up in the morning and hang out, wander around eat.  No sense of urgency. The challenges seem to be presented as way bigger than they really are.  I’m over the crouching and posing of the host guy and the helicopter that only sometimes has wind that affects the surface.

And half the players are smugly acting like they are playing Survivor…BeckyLou I am looking at you here.  This is no survivor. 

Edited Yest. at 03:25 AM by Meowwww

[SVNBob]

16 hours ago, BradandJanet said:

Why are there no chapped lips or sunburned/windburned faces?

Nick looked like he had some chapping around his mouth during his closeups while looking at the ice climb before they all did it.

And Jennye's face looked fairly burned when she was voted out as compared to Day 1.

[gibasi]

I just want it to be over!! and Notabug's spoiler above just makes me angry about the potential end. That is not the way it is supposed to work.

[cowgirlwen]

8 hours ago, Meowwww said:

They get up in the morning and hang out, wander around eat.  No sense of urgency.

THIS!!!  Every week I've wondered why they're not packing up and hitting the trail at the crack of dawn.  If this was truly a race, and making the next pit stop was a real concern, they wouldn't be wasting time around camp every morning.

I also loved how when they first arrived at camp, Becky Lee was complaining about how freezing it was... as she was sitting there in a light blue sweater.  No coat, no hat, no gloves.  Just a sweater.  I don't think she quite grasps the concept of "freezing"! 

 

[tv echo]

I hope none of these people make it to the summit within the 14 days. I don't think I like anyone who's left. I think some of them are as bad as, if not worse than, Dennis. After rejoicing about eliminating Dennis for his lying and deceit, many of the remaining contestants start engaging in lying and deceit (or have been doing so all along). So you can add hypocrisy on top. Dennis was more open about his villainy. But all of these people lied to other people and are working for their own self-interest.

If Therron was determined to make the stupid decision to eliminate Dusty, he should have just told him so, instead of doing a blindside. I think Dusty was more hurt by the blindside than the decision. Also, the promo for this episode spoiled Therron's decision by showing Amy crying and stuck in place in the ice cave. So as soon as Therron narrowed his choices down to Dusty and Amy, I knew Dusty was out.

But more significantly for the game, their decisions make no sense (see article that I just posted in the media thread). This show is just terrible. The challenges are repetitive and not death-defying at all. When they were crawling through that ice cave, the space had to be bigger than it was edited to be - because they had a camera guy in there shooting the people! So when they were whining about the cave possibly collapsing on top of them, just look to the camera guy!

Finally, I just posted a spoiler about the season finale in the media thread, which is two episodes from now. That's the only reason I'm going to watch to the end of this season.

Spoiler

Evidently, the eliminated people will all return for the finale and play a part "in the final outcome."

Edited 22 hours ago by tv echo

[Skooma]

1 hour ago, cowgirlwen said:

THIS!!!  Every week I've wondered why they're not packing up and hitting the trail at the crack of dawn.  If this was truly a race, and making the next pit stop was a real concern, they wouldn't be wasting time around camp every morning.

I'm sure production keeps them there until the allotted time to start for that day comes for them to leave.  Everything is production micro-managed on this silly show.

I can't believe the show has lasted 2 seasons in Australia.  I thought those guys had better tastes.

Well the show is NOT playing well here in the US and CBS would be insane to pick it up for a second season.  There is a 50% drop-off in audience from the golden lead-in they get from Survivor to this show.  Only us "completests" are left now which means I would never ever watch another episode ever if there was a season 2.

Make this stupid show go away forever.  My anal complestest personality is the bane of my existence at this point.  Stop this madness!

[Auntie Anxiety]

On 11/17/2024 at 7:45 PM, lgprimes said:

? That they should try to get everybody possible up the mountain

 

On 11/21/2024 at 8:08 AM, seacliffsal said:

  Then, there was a LOT of talk about 'final threes' from almost all of the players. 

I’ve been “watching” (background noise really) and I wondered where The Final Three rule came from. My understanding was that whoever made it to the top would split the money amongst themselves. This show sucks.

[Notabug]

34 minutes ago, Auntie Anxiety said:

 

I’ve been “watching” (background noise really) and I wondered where The Final Three rule came from. My understanding was that whoever made it to the top would split the money amongst themselves. This show sucks.

I suppose that if they know how many legs are left and that one person will be eliminated at each one, it wouldn't be hard to figure out how many will probably left at the end to reach the summit.

[KeithJ]

2 hours ago, gibasi said:

I just want it to be over!! and Notabug's spoiler above just makes me angry about the potential end. That is not the way it is supposed to work.

58 minutes ago, tv echo said:

Finally, I just posted a spoiler about the season finale in the media thread, which is two episodes from now. That's the only reason I'm going to watch to the end of this season.

This just pisses me off to no end.  I thought I may actually hate watch this next season (if it gets one) but now I don't even think I'll be able to do that.

[SVNBob]

2 hours ago, tv echo said:

When they were crawling through that ice cave, the space had to be bigger than it was edited to be - because they had a camera guy in there shooting the people! So when they were whining about the cave possibly collapsing on top of them, just look to the camera guy!

Two words: Go.  Pro.

It makes more sense to me that a small, unmanned* camera would be mounted inside that ice cave than them taking up space with and potentially putting at risk another person.

*Not totally unmanned.  Camera angle did move, so it was likely on a remote-controlled mount.  Operator was probably outside the "exit" of the cave and had the double duty of pointing this brain trust in the right direction afterwards.

[meep.meep]

Or two cameras.

I had assumed all along that everyone who got to the top would share the money equally since they have been splitting it equally all along.  So all the strategery didn't make any sense.

I still want my participation trophy if I make it to the end of this.

[lilysmom]

I've thought all along that the climbers think they are playing Survivor, just like so many of you. However, I think they crossed into Big Brother territory this past week when one of the climbers (Don't know his name, but not Therron) said he was instrumental in convincing Therron to vote out Dusty and was so glad he got rid of him without "getting any blood on his hands!"

[Tango64]

17 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Also, I call shenanigans on a lot of these challenges. There is no way some of these people could really complete them as they are presented to us. I've noticed on at least one occasion that they only show them traversing one specific spot in a challenge area, which makes me think they are only required to complete a part of it to make it. Which would also explain why they are comfortable voting out strong people. 

I will second your shenanigans with a claim of devilry and mischief. On the first episode, it seemed obvious that a good number of these people would not be able to accomplish the required tasks simply because they were not physically up to the challenge. The contestants seemed to think so, too. But they keep showing tasks that should defeat them -- or any non-athletic, non-trained couch potato -- and they breeze through it after a bit of dramatic whining and whimpering.

The ice axe climb and the long ladder climb come to mind. If you are not in great shape, those will kick your ass really quick. But they show them climbing a few rungs or a few steps while saying they can't do it, and then suddenly they're at the top. When the most out of shape, older players are still in the game and succeeding at every physically demanding task, something is afoot.

[Madding crowd]

Therron also seemed perfectly fine on the ice climb although he was crying and shaking on every other height challenge. I have wondered since the beginning why they sit around in the morning and why they don’t line up so the next person can start as soon as one reaches across but they are always sitting around watching.

[Auntie Anxiety]

The vertical that they had to use the ice picks to climb looked like it was about 6 feet in total. There was a shot of Amy standing next to it, her feet firmly planted on the ground, and the top of the wall was maybe 12 inches taller than she was. They filmed it so that it looked daunting. It can’t be said enough—this show sucks.