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 transverse 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. 

[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.