S47.E08: He's All That

[Rodney]

The classic Survivor auction is back with a twist!  One castaway bites into a little more than food, which leads to a game-changing opportunity. Then, another wild Tribal Council results in the first member of the jury.

This is the episode's actual discussion thread for after the episode airs.

[Rodney]

Well, once Sam talked about how easy it'd be for the Gatas and Lavos to team up and eliminate the Tukus, I knew that he wouldn't be getting his way.  Seemed too easy.

Loved seeing the auction back.  Kudos to Rachel getting the idol clue and later the idol from it!

Sue won immunity!  Bad-ass to win that kind of challenge at her age!

Was glad to see that the Lavos teamed up with the Tukus instead of the Gatas.  And Andy went with them!

Well, the show hinted early on that the Gatas would regret keeping Andy at the first Tribal Council, and it looks like it finally came to fruition.  Was hoping that Sam would be the target, but it was Sierra.  Can't understand why she went instead of the obviously stronger one of the two.

Good episode.

[LadyChatts]

Honestly, this season might go down as my favorite of the new era.  If there's anything I can give it, it's that the TC haven't been dull.  Blindside after blindside and many bitter/emotional exits.  And maybe a bitter jury on top of it!

Andy isn't my favorite but I was rooting for him to get Sam/Sierra first.  They really dismissed him and made a crucial mistake in doing so.  Sierra didn't even include him in sharing her second food item at the auction.  They overestimated having the numbers locked in.  I don't even think it mattered that Rachel and Sam lost their votes tonight. 

I loved seeing the auction back again but hate the new era version of it.  I wish it was just a traditional Survivor auction like we had in the old days.  And how oblivious is this cast that they didn't see or hear Rachel cutting through the tarp and finding the HII? 

Overall, another great episode.  Kyle is so getting voted off the first time he loses immunity (just a hunch and even he seems to recognize that threat), and I was happy to see Sue take one for the old gals.

Edited November 7 by LadyChatts

[susannot]

100% agree that I was rooting for Andy to get rid of Sam and especially Sierra.  Her little speech to the camera about how Andy was an expendable toy or plaything made me hate her.  She was like one of the cool kids in high school who picked on the unpopular kids.  Good riddance.

 

Otherwise, well played Rachel and Sue.  Rachel for playing her cards close to her vest.  Sue for her awesome performance in the immunity challenge.  She has a strong yoga background, I am sure.  I don't like her plastic surgery but I like her.

[KeithJ]

Rachel playing her shot in the dark was a little strange.  If she really thought she was the target, she would have just played her idol.  I really hope they have her explain her reasoning next week.

[dancingdreamer]

I love Survivor  auction.  It's  just everyday  food, but the way they  drool over it. Poor Gabe, spent all his money on a coconut  filled with water..lol. Teeny could hardly  get through her bowl of mac and cheese
Sue won immunity out of the women,  Kyle ( again) out of the men. I really  didn't  know who was going at TC, Sierra the expendable went.  First member  of the jury. Another  good blindside. 

[cdnalor]

Sue really had the advantage in that IC, being the smallest woman as well as appearing to be quite fit.  Her pre-game weight had to be one of the lowest of the women, along with some fairly muscular arms giving her a favorable strength-to-weight ratio.  From what I could see, she didn't give an inch in that challenge.

Those slo-mo shots of Andy were a bit much.  So far, he's all talk and not much gameplay.  The show must be desperate for a "villain" to build him up that way.

[North of Eden]

The cameo by the gross food challenge was the first thing that brought a genuine ear to ear smile from me this season. Who doesn't love seeing castaways eating live larva....for nothing!

Second smile was from "oldster" Sue besting so many "youngsters"....rooting for her and Sol to go the distance.

Sierra was good eye candy but that was pretty much it. Nice to see Sam on his heels. But sorry trying to make Andy look like Clark Kent becoming Superman by taking off his glasses didn't work.

[DEL901]

Oh Andy.  A little safety has gone to his head.   He is no strategic mastermind.  And no one considers him a threat.  

[susannot]

Sue was also very flexible.  That deep squat is difficult.

[mojoween]

Double elim taking out Andy and Genevieve and their smug faces would be a-ok.

[susannot]

Damn!  They are my two favorite players.

[bunnyface]

2 hours ago, Rodney said:

 

Sue won immunity!  Bad-ass to win that kind of challenge at her age!

Whatever do you mean?  She's only forty several.  Plus 2.  Although I noticed her hands and forearms look very much like my grandmother's and I'm already older than Sue is claiming to be.  So.  How none of them have noticed that is beyond me.  

But it was a good episode. Kept me interested.

[TVFan1]

Glad that Sierra went out, although I was hoping Sam would. Still can't stand him. I loved seeing Sam and Sierra's faces when their names kept being read during the vote. Even though I don't like Andy much, good on him for not becoming "just a number" for Sam, Sierra, and Rachel. I hope to see the rest of Gata being picked off.

 

 

[Tdoc72]

2 hours ago, KeithJ said:

Rachel playing her shot in the dark was a little strange.  If she really thought she was the target, she would have just played her idol.  I really hope they have her explain her reasoning next week.

My two cents—She played her SITD and (at least according to the editing) watched their reactions. If some of them had appeared happy or smiled now that she wasn’t safe, I bet she would’ve played her idol. This way she only loses her SITD and if the majority was coming after her anyway, her one vote probably wouldn’t have made a difference. Now she still has her idol. I actually thought it was pretty smart the way she played it (if that was her intent).  She seems pretty observant and intuitive to me. 

[choclatechip45]

Great episode. It's hard not to root for Rachel. 

[OutOfTheQuestion]

3 hours ago, Rodney said:

Was hoping that Sam would be the target, but it was Sierra.  Can't understand why she went instead of the obviously stronger one of the two.

My guess is they think Sam has the better chance of beating Kyle in a challenge, since they need someone to stop Kyle from possibly running the table.

[Guigoaoshi]

5 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

Honestly, this season might go down as my favorite of the new era.  If there's anything I can give it, it's that the TC haven't been dull.  Blindside after blindside and many bitter/emotional exits.  And maybe a bitter jury on top of it!

Andy isn't my favorite but I was rooting for him to get Sam/Sierra first.  They really dismissed him and made a crucial mistake in doing so.  Sierra didn't even include him in sharing her second food item at the auction.  They overestimated having the numbers locked in.  I don't even think it mattered that Rachel and Sam lost their votes tonight. 

 

Agree on both. Huge mistake by Sam and Sierra to dismiss a easy ally to keep. Lavo tho, should take the credit for it and seems they got to decide who to vote. I guess they ended on Sierra by see her a brain and Sam as follower but they kinda got It wrong since Sam guided Sierra. Anyway,  she made some bad decisions. Once they learned that other tribes members saw them as a couple/duo and she had the girls as a option, she should had worked with them and vote Sam out. Than the Andy dismiss....                           And on the feeling about this my become the best season from the new era I see...Its had the best pre merge and now we have a top 10 with alot good players and potential winners and they keep popping out. Genevive first, now we see quiet Sol trying to recruit his agents, Rachel that was on the outs two times using her shot in the dark and looking at people reactions to see If she should or not play her Idol (or faking that she is insecure). And even Andy, that still dont think is the mastermind he think hes becoming but is a good character to see taking advantage of people that sees him as too weak.. 

Edited November 7 by Guigoaoshi

[Lantern7]

A lot of the episode has faded in my mind. "Andy is still a dumbass" does stick out. The bits where he passed by the canisters were brutal to watch. Funny, but brutal.

The auction needs to be retooled. Basically, you get to a point where players aren't bidding on items so much as trying to retain their vote. Where's the challenge in that? A clue in the fries was a nice bit, though I wonder what would have happened if someone got bored, looked at the tarp and saw a lump.

Also: why aren't the hidden idols . . . well . . . more idol-like? It's basically string and beads. Make those look good.

[Skooma]

8 hours ago, cdnalor said:

Those slo-mo shots of Andy were a bit much.  So far, he's all talk and not much gameplay.  The show must be desperate for a "villain" to build him up that way.

Well he didn't get a villain edit tonight.  He got the underdog revenge of the nerd edit.

Also a bit of a comic edit all season including tonight's "Andy Can't Find the Bright, Purple-Ribboned Bamboo" segment.  The guy kept staring far in the distance when searching and never looked right around where he was especially not looking down.  Did he think the bamboo money tubes would be levitating up in the air way down the path somewhere?

Edited November 7 by Skooma

[violet and green]

Fun edit. I loved that slow mo walking footage with the hair coming out!

Also the shot of the underwater plant shaped like a palm tree, followed by a shot of a palm tree leaning to the left at the same angle.

Enjoyable auction. It went on long enough for everyone who got food to eat their food. Sad to see that untouched block of white chocolate topped dairy milk, though.

Sierra, gorn! Great that red teamed up with blue, plus Andy.

[LadyChatts]

6 hours ago, TVFan1 said:

Glad that Sierra went out, although I was hoping Sam would. Still can't stand him. I loved seeing Sam and Sierra's faces when their names kept being read during the vote. Even though I don't like Andy much, good on him for not becoming "just a number" for Sam, Sierra, and Rachel. I hope to see the rest of Gata being picked off.

 

 

I would have preferred Sam over Sierra too but I’m just glad one of them went.  I laugh at Rachel and Sierra saying they sometimes forget Andy is there-maybe they should have tried remembering a little harder.  But in a way, the consolation of them keeping Sam over Sierra means they think she’s a bigger threat than he is.  I’m sure he assumed it would be the other way around.

[Haleth]

Alright, after complaining all season how dull this group is I’m finally starting to get into it. I kind of like Rachel and her recent run of luck with advantages. (Don’t tell anyone about your idol, girl!). Playing her low odds SITD was strange though, rather than her 100% safety idol.  (Using it to gauge the reaction of everyone else is an interesting thought.  I’d like her even more if that was the case.)

I'm also kind of liking Sol for being smart and Kyle for being a sweet thoughtful guy.

Andy is going to win, isn’t he?  The one everyone dismisses as no threat until he is standing alone and everyone wonders how that happened. 

[JudyObscure]

10 hours ago, susannot said:

Sue was also very flexible.  That deep squat is difficult.

I could do that easily I just would never get back up.  I think that squat was what did it for her, she had her full weight holding the bucket while the rest were just using their arms.

I was ready to give Sue grudging respect for the win, but then she immediately went into one of her huge bragathons.  She seems to think she's now the nation's prime role model for her awesome performance.

[Scatterbrained]

I wonder if Sol clued Rachel in that t was going to be Sam or Sierra.  Instead of voting, she used her shot in the dark to abstain, and she used it to judge reactions of others when she used it in order to make sure Sol wasn’t lying to her to gain her trust while they voted her out.

i think Andy hates women, especially when they don’t give him the supply of adulation and pandering he thinks he deserves.  
 

Teeny always seems to know what’s going on.  

[bunnyface]

6 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Also: why aren't the hidden idols . . . well . . . more idol-like? It's basically string and beads. Make those look good.

Yes, this.  The idols and the clues are so small people can tuck them away without even leaving a bulge in their underwear.  I wouldn't mind seeing one a bit more difficult to hide.  Maybe one even so big you can barely drag it back to camp without everyone saying "wha..."  I guess that defeats the "hidden" part of the deal, but would still be fun to see.

[SummerDreams]

A typical 45 years old woman

[LadyChatts]

8 hours ago, choclatechip45 said:

Great episode. It's hard not to root for Rachel. 

I love the women this season.  All of them pretty much have something going for them that would have been overshadowed in the past by an alpha male.  Sue can hold her own in challenges despite her actual age.  Teeny has rebounded from seeming wishy washy to having more strategy and a role on the game.  Genevieve isn’t afraid to make moves and look out for her best interests, and recognizes threats.  Rachel is quiet but sneaky and I think is finding her way in the game.  I think Caroline is perceptive and loyal but that might ultimately be her undoing if she doesn’t make a big move or sticks with Sue and Gabe even if it’s not in her best interest.  

[SummerDreams]

9 hours ago, choclatechip45 said:

Great episode. It's hard not to root for Rachel. 

Well we can't say she is a good player. She was surely leaving last week and had 1 out of 3 chances to leave this week.

[NaughtyKitty]

I hope Kyle didn't get sick from eating the chicken after 6 years of no meat.

 

[iMonrey]

3 hours ago, Haleth said:

Andy is going to win, isn’t he?  The one everyone dismisses as no threat until he is standing alone and everyone wonders how that happened. 

I don't think anyone would vote for him if he makes it to the final three. Nobody seems to like him or respect him. He's got "goat" written all over him.

I know it's supposed to be "random" but this is the second week in a row where it looks like the producers stepped in to deliberately help Rachel in the game. Even if it's just coincidence, the optics aren't great.

Also, does Rachel wear her bra around her ass? Because in her narration she described discreetly hiding the clue in her bra but what we saw was her tucking it into the back of her pants.

[Ellee]

23 minutes ago, NaughtyKitty said:

I hope Kyle didn't get sick from eating the chicken after 6 years of no meat.

 

Me, too. I thought that was kind of crappy.  It’s not as if shows don’t make exceptions for things. They should have had an appropriate dish for when he ‘won’ his bid.   

[Rodney]

7 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I don't think anyone would vote for him if he makes it to the final three. Nobody seems to like him or respect him. He's got "goat" written all over him.

Genevieve said just last week that she likes him.  But yeah, nobody respects him other than she.

[bunnyface]

24 minutes ago, Ellee said:

Me, too. I thought that was kind of crappy.  It’s not as if shows don’t make exceptions for things. They should have had an appropriate dish for when he ‘won’ his bid.   

I don't know.  He made his decision.  There were celery and carrots involved, and a good amount of each, he could have chosen to only eat those.  He could have chosen to bid on something he could see and know exactly what he was getting.  He could have chosen not to bid at all.  He could have chosen not to go on a show where food is a factor, like the lady last year who was "allergic" to everything but thin air.  The auction is not like a feast where they  know there will be someone underage, or know there will be a vegan and they can make arrangements.  This was a game of chance and surprise is half the fun.  If they make a substitution for him, I'm pretty sure it's against every belief I have to eat a fish eye or a grub, so they better make an exception for me too.  Where does it end?

[SummerDreams]

4 hours ago, Haleth said:

Andy is going to win, isn’t he?  

Yeah! my winner pick without seeing anyone else! Lets hope! 😍

[SummerDreams]

53 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I don't think anyone would vote for him if he makes it to the final three. Nobody seems to like him or respect him. He's got "goat" written all over him.

This is the edit we are getting, not the reality. Remember Gabler we laughed at and he ended up winning?

[Tango64]

9 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

A clue in the fries was a nice bit, though I wonder what would have happened if someone got bored, looked at the tarp and saw a lump.

No chance of that happening with this bunch. You have to slap them in the face with the idol as they're laying around camp, while screaming "This is a hidden immunity idol! Take it! Take it!"

[blackwing]

I liked Sierra and I like Sam and I am greatly disliking The Andy Show.  Andy is a legend in his own mind, sitting there all cocky and interviewing about all his great plans and flipping his hair.  He doesn't seem to remember that he was absolutely awful in the challenges, and yet both times that Gata went to tribal, Sam was the driving force behind the decision to keep Andy.  So yes Andy, you DO owe Sam.

15 hours ago, cdnalor said:

Those slo-mo shots of Andy were a bit much.  So far, he's all talk and not much gameplay.  The show must be desperate for a "villain" to build him up that way.

15 hours ago, North of Eden said:

Sierra was good eye candy but that was pretty much it. Nice to see Sam on his heels. But sorry trying to make Andy look like Clark Kent becoming Superman by taking off his glasses didn't work.

15 hours ago, DEL901 said:

Oh Andy.  A little safety has gone to his head.   He is no strategic mastermind.  And no one considers him a threat.  

The slow motion of taking off his glasses and shaking out his hair... embarrassing.  He thinks he's fantastic and playing a great game now hahahah.  He had ZERO dollars for the auction.  He's hapless.

5 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I was ready to give Sue grudging respect for the win, but then she immediately went into one of her huge bragathons.  She seems to think she's now the nation's prime role model for her awesome performance.

"I want to represent my generation" except she's pretending she's 15 years younger than she actually is.  "Get off your couch, get off [sic] your bed and be like me.  Just don't get plastic surgery in your lips and forehead and cheeks and everywhere else like me, because you will look awful."

4 hours ago, bunnyface said:

Yes, this.  The idols and the clues are so small people can tuck them away without even leaving a bulge in their underwear.  I wouldn't mind seeing one a bit more difficult to hide.  Maybe one even so big you can barely drag it back to camp without everyone saying "wha..."  I guess that defeats the "hidden" part of the deal, but would still be fun to see.

I don't understand how the idols look so close to the bead necklaces that Sam and others are wearing.  Sam's idol expired and now he's wearing a bead necklace... I wonder if that necklace actually IS his idol?

I think in at least one season (maybe China, when James went out with two idols) wasn't the huge square ceramic/linoleum tile hanging on the tribal sign an idol?

2 hours ago, Ellee said:

Me, too. I thought that was kind of crappy.  It’s not as if shows don’t make exceptions for things. They should have had an appropriate dish for when he ‘won’ his bid.   

I don't agree.  Being vegetarian is a choice.  Going on a game show while being vegetarian is a choice.  The show doesn't have any obligation to make accomodations for him.  He bid on and won a plate of food.  If he didn't like the food then he didn't have to eat it.  It's the same as if someone who hates bananas had gotten a plate of bananas, or Caroline with her (raw?) fish eyes.  She didn't have to eat the eyes if she didn't want to.

[Tachi Rocinante]

The auction was cool yet dumb at the same time.  A whole pie? A dozen cupcakes/cookies/truffles?  Who the fuck can eat all that by themselves?  I'm not saying they should share, but make the portions more logical. Induction of gastric distress should not be a reward.

And what if somebody wolfing down the fries chokes on the clue?

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Also, does Rachel wear her bra around her ass? Because in her narration she described discreetly hiding the clue in her bra but what we saw was her tucking it into the back of her pants.

I think she had it in her fingers and her wrist was bent straight up. It was a weird edit/shot.
 

11 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Also: why aren't the hidden idols . . . well . . . more idol-like? It's basically string and beads. Make those look good.

Easier to hide/camouflage?

[princelina]

7 hours ago, Skooma said:

Also a bit of a comic edit all season including tonight's "Andy Can't Find the Bright, Purple-Ribboned Bamboo" segment.  The guy kept staring far in the distance when searching and never looked right around where he was especially not looking down.  Did he think the bamboo money tubes would be levitating up in the air way down the path somewhere?

I still despise him, but I must admit that I never found an Easter egg in my entire childhood, so I probably would have done as poorly 😂

6 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

I would have preferred Sam over Sierra too but I’m just glad one of them went.  I laugh at Rachel and Sierra saying they sometimes forget Andy is there-maybe they should have tried remembering a little harder.  But in a way, the consolation of them keeping Sam over Sierra means they think she’s a bigger threat than he is.  I’m sure he assumed it would be the other way around.

And he'd be right - if I remember correctly it's his fault that Andy is still there.  Sierra wanted Andy and caved to Sam.

Edited November 7 by princelina

[Ellee]

What was up with Sol’s and Rachel’s faces when they went out on the immunity challenge?  Both looked surprised.

[HurricaneVal]

Sam was really grating on my nerves last night.  He thinks he's such a golden boy that nobody would even think of targeting because of his  inherent awesomeness that he didn't bother to ask around about the vote?  I mean it all comes down to editing, and maybe he spent the pre-TC hours moving from group to group, listening to opinions, and trying to sway things in his direction, but all we saw was him swaying in the hammock without a care in the world.  I mean, if nobody is talking to you about the vote, doesn't that make you worry that you are the vote?

I actually did like the twist on the auction, where they had to go on a treasure hunt--or for Andy a skygazing stroll through the woods and along the beach--for the funds.  I also like that there was a random amount in each tube, so everyone had a fair shot.  Except for Andy, who is apparently blind.  I mean, maybe he was looking for giant bamboo tubes like they used to build their shelter, but a glance at the table with everyone's filling trays, or seeing what was in their hands when they were running back to fill their tray should have clued him in.  Yet...no.

They've done the "this auction will end at any time" warning, but I liked how Probst teased it, he was clearly having fun.  I also liked that they tied losing your vote to the amount of money you had left.  That encouraged an all-in mentality, though the results of who got what was extremely predictable, since it matched whoever has the most money.  It also prevented people from saving their money to the end in hopes of a letter from home.  That's what made Survivor auctions in the past so boring, because nobody bid on anything. 

I'm not so bugged by the portion sizes, most everyone was only going to get the one thing (Sol being quick off the block with the chips and soda notwithstanding) because they were going to be all-in, so a big portion was fine by me.  I mean, those were even some big ass fish eyes!

I got worried at the TC when Carolyn or maybe it was Sue, noted Rachel furtively fussing with her backpack and putting something in her pocket.  I was all "Oh noes, girl!  I get you being nervous and wanting your idol, but even if you don't use it, you just signaled you have an advantage."  You could have knocked me over with a feather when she said she used her SITD.  That was some pretty good strategizing, using that SITD as a tool to gauge if she really needed to use the idol.  Her tribemates are noticing that she's a threat.  I hope her nascent alliance with Sol will be beneficial to both of them, and long lived.

[PhoneCop]

17 hours ago, KeithJ said:

Rachel playing her shot in the dark was a little strange.  If she really thought she was the target, she would have just played her idol.  I really hope they have her explain her reasoning next week.

She basically bluffed with the SITD. If the others had had big reactions, she would've known she was the target and presumably played the idol. Since everybody's response was more muted, she figured she was likely safe. 

The other thing—and IDK if she was thinking this far ahead or it's just a corollary benefit—is that by removing herself from the voting pool, she didn't get the blood of a fellow Gata on her hands. Tidy little jury move.

[Jeanclaudvanbuns]

Is Andy on the spectrum?  Why was it so arduous for him to find any money? Bruce didn't find any money either, but he just didn't make an effort to.  Too bad Rachel didn't get an Applebee's bacon bourbon burger. 

I really like Sol, Kyle and Rachel and hope any of them will win.  I have a little crush on Genevieve.  I can't stand to look at Sue's weird lips and cheeks.  She seems so stuck up and mean in real life. 

[Rodney]

25 minutes ago, Jeanclaudvanbuns said:

Is Andy on the spectrum?  Why was it so arduous for him to find any money? Bruce didn't find any money either, but he just didn't make an effort to.

Bruce actually found one bamboo shoot with eighty dollars in it.  He just didn't manage to bid on anything and lost his vote because of it.

[astrohip]

5 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I know it's supposed to be "random" but this is the second week in a row where it looks like the producers stepped in to deliberately help Rachel in the game. Even if it's just coincidence, the optics aren't great.

The food was set out by Jeff (under a cover) before anyone started bidding. They had no way to know who was going to win it.

No optics at all.

[bankerchick]

6 hours ago, SummerDreams said:

Well we can't say she is a good player. She was surely leaving last week and had 1 out of 3 chances to leave this week.

Her possibly leaving last week had nothing to do with being a good player, she was odd-man out on a team where everyone else was on the same tribe.  She was easy and had it not been for the advantage, she would have been gone through no fault of her own.  As far as this week is concerned, I yelled at the tv when she first played her SITD, but as many here have said, I think she did that to gauge whether or not she needed to play her idol, which was pretty smart of her.

5 hours ago, Ellee said:

Me, too. I thought that was kind of crappy.  It’s not as if shows don’t make exceptions for things. They should have had an appropriate dish for when he ‘won’ his bid.   

Nope.  For the same reasons everyone else has stated.  I think when you go on a show like this, you need to have a 'what happens in Vegas' attitude.  Nobody walks around at home in their underwear in front of other people, picking at their teeth with a stick.  Most people would never dream of lying to or betraying a friend, but on this show it's often necessary.   Eat the chicken wings, use the protein, then decide if you want to go back to vegetarianism when you get home.

[blackwing]

14 minutes ago, bankerchick said:

Nope.  For the same reasons everyone else has stated.  I think when you go on a show like this, you need to have a 'what happens in Vegas' attitude.  Nobody walks around at home in their underwear in front of other people, picking at their teeth with a stick.  Most people would never dream of lying to or betraying a friend, but on this show it's often necessary.   Eat the chicken wings, use the protein, then decide if you want to go back to vegetarianism when you get home.

Yep.  It's about choices.  On "The Amazing Race", there was a team of two doctors (Kat and Nat) where one of them was vegetarian, and she ate her share of a sheep's head in order to get a Fast Forward.    And in the early days, there was a team of two models (Brandon and Nicole) that would have to shave their heads to get a Fast Forward, and they refused.

No one is forcing anyone to go on a reality show, and no one is forcing anyone to eat anything.  

I do wonder what would have happened if someone with a peanut allergy got a plate of peanuts, or if Liz from last season (she of the "that EXACT BURGER" infamy) with her many dietary restrictions (gluten, or whatever it was) would have gotten something she couldn't eat.

I don't know what would happen, but I would think they shouldn't have anything life threatening to anyone in the auction (what if someone got the peanuts and was sitting next to a peanut-allergic and the person had a reaction from the peanut dust).  But for gluten-allergic people, I wonder if there would be an option to swap out for a gluten-free version.  Or would it be treated like the fish eyes?

Who else wanted one of the mystery items to be an entire bowl of grubs?  I miss the gross food wheel of fortune competitions.  Why don't they do this anymore?

[bankerchick]

4 minutes ago, blackwing said:

Who else wanted one of the mystery items to be an entire bowl of grubs?  I miss the gross food wheel of fortune competitions.  Why don't they do this anymore?

Didn't they decide it was cultural appropriation or making fun of other cultures or something?

[Chicago Redshirt]

19 hours ago, SummerDreams said:

Well we can't say she is a good player. She was surely leaving last week and had 1 out of 3 chances to leave this week.

Rachel was put in a situation where she escaped a near-certain boot through one unearned advantage and got yet another clue leading her to an idol. Suspecting producer intervention doesn't exactly suggest you need a tin foil hat.

That said, her potential to have been booted doesn't say anything about how good or bad a player she is. And how good or bad a player she is (for some at least) is a separate issue from how likeable she might be.

Some of the greatest players to win or go far in the game are (at least for me) pretty unlikeable. See Russell Hantz, two-time winner Tony, and probably more. I dare say I consider the revered Boston Rob kind of an insufferable jackass who only got his W because they put him among a cast of noobs who were in awe of him.

And some of the most likeable players just aren't that good at the game. People's mileage will vary on who falls in that category. But from a season or two ago, Sean was pretty sympathetic but he was atrocious as a player. 

I don't know if Rachel is playing 4D chess or if it is just a coincidence. But the benefit of her playing her Shot in the Dark this Tribal is that she may draw a lot of votes her way for next Tribal she is in a minority and BECAUSE she very publicly does not have a SITD.

So if she is setting things up to play her idol to blindside someone AND she keeps the fact that she has an idol secret until it's time to deploy it, she will move up in my estimation.

If Kyle loses individual immunity, I would think that the votes would have to go his way. Not only would a streak of 4 individual immunities be a pretty impressive resume line, but also getting rid of him means a greater chance for the rest to win individual immunities on a week-to-week basis.

Edited November 8 by Chicago Redshirt