S02.E10: Deal or No Deal Island: Money to Burn

[AntFTW]

Quote

Under the threat of a double elimination, the remaining five players must choose between money and power; one will walk away richer while another will gain a strategic advantage.

Air date: March 11, 2025

[Thalia]

For this to be the penultimate episode, it didn't feel like a lot happened.  I don't find any of the Final Five all that likable so it was hard to root for (or against) anyone during the excursion.   And, I admit, I wasn't paying attention to Joe's intro to the task, so I wasn't really sure what the point was anyhow.  

Goodbye, Philip.  For someone who has such a compelling backstory, I don't ever want to see you on my TV again.  He came across as such an angry victim in the last few episodes, but I hope he enjoys his $75K.

I am truly surprised at how much I missed the banker competition.  If you had asked me three hours ago I would have said that that part of the show was kind of boring.  But I guess I like the back and forth between the player and the others, along with watching the hot models smile or frown as the case amount warrants.  

Next season they just need to name Boston Rob as Player in Residence.   Pavarti and Dr. Will just haven't created the kind of Evil Obi-Wan energy that Will had.  YMMV. 

[30 Helens]

@Thalia I guess we’re the last two rats on this sinking ship, lol! 

1 hour ago, Thalia said:

I don't find any of the Final Five all that likable

I agree with you about Philip, CK and Lete. Philip is a whiny baby who is probably at home right now putting pins in voodoo dolls of David and Parvati because as he said, he doesn’t forget. Which sums up his whole problem in this game. He took every move personally and forgot it was just a game. Lete has an attitude of moral superiority that I find insufferable. CK is unlikeable for reasons I can’t articulate, she just is.

I still like Parv, although I found her very unlikeable tonight. Whatever intimidation moves she was pulling on CK, which she described gleefully as making CK crumble, just came across as mean-girl talk. That wouldn’t have made me crumble, it would have made me angry. (Which is the effect it seemed to have on CK.) Parvati was also out of line for getting so mad at CK at the challenge. They both had equal rights to that briefcase, and I think both should have waited to come to an agreement before dropping their bags. That was Parvati’s sense of privilege showing. 

At this point, I’m rooting for David, although I think it was in his best interest to send Parvati home tonight. But I guess he didn’t trust anyone else to take out Lete. 

1 hour ago, Thalia said:

Next season they just need to name Boston Rob as Player in Residence. 

I cannot co-sign this, even as a Boston Rob fan. Between last season and this season’s Traitors, I think I’m all Robbed out for awhile. Besides, he has his after-show gig. I just watched the one with Dickson, and am not sure which I enjoyed more: Rob’s utter delight at hearing about the “kiss” with Lete (if you can call it that), or him schooling Dickson on all the ways his strategy sucked.

[mertensia]

My god David whined a lot making his decision.

They need to do something to make everyone less perpetually angry and bitter.

[TVbitch]

I gave up on this show, but still read here to see if David wins. His seasons of Australian Survivor were epic and so entertaining. For those who enjoy Survivor, his seasons (6 and 7) can be watched for free on SouthHemiTV.

https://southhemitv.com/2019/07/24/au-s-s6/

[seacliffsal]

David isn't a good strategist IMO (don't know about his Survivor seasons, have only seen him here).  He should have immediately sent Pavrati home IMO as she would cut him in and instant if it bettered her game.  

It seemed like Phillip was playing to advance David.  He should have dropped the same time as David to ensure that David would be in the bottom two and that Lete would make the decisions, most likely protecting Phillip and sending either Pavrati or David home immediately and having the other play the banker.  I guess the guaranteed $75,000 was more than he could resist.

I think Pavrati misplayed CK.  By threatening her, I think she incentized her to sent Pavrati home should she win against the banker.

Oh well.  I don't really care who wins as the others should not have ever let David and Pavrati get this far.  And I have really grown to hate this 'the family, my son' stuff.  Just stop.

[susannot]

2 hours ago, TVbitch said:

I gave up on this show, but still read here to see if David wins. His seasons of Australian Survivor were epic and so entertaining. For those who enjoy Survivor, his seasons (6 and 7) can be watched for free on SouthHemiTV.

https://southhemitv.com/2019/07/24/au-s-s6/

Thanks for providing that link! It works better than any of the other links for Australian Survivor.  David's All-Star season, Season 7, is the best season of Survivor I have ever seen, period.  And yet, his winnings totaled only $315000 in Australian dollars.  So he has got to be very excited about the pot in Deal or No Deal Island, which now stands at close to $10 million.

[AntFTW]

I just don't want Parvati to go home. I think she should play the banker though.

13 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

I cannot co-sign this, even as a Boston Rob fan. Between last season and this season’s Traitors, I think I’m all Robbed out for awhile. Besides, he has his after-show gig.

For the pure cinema he brought to both DONDI and The Traitors, he has done all he could for these shows. People going after Rob for being Rob is exhausting.

He made season 1 of DONDI good. Rob being public enemy #1 was fun. There's only so many times that can be entertaining though. I'd entertain Rob coming back if it's nothing but heavy-hitter reality TV people, and that way he just fits in.

Edited March 12 by AntFTW

[30 Helens]

One thing I’ve wondered about David this season is what he has told the others about where he lives and works. If they know he lives in Australia, don’t they find it suspicious that some random Aussie guy flew to America just to compete on this piece of crap show? I mean, it’s not like it’s Survivor or something…

Edited March 12 by 30 Helens
My original draft was changed to remove swearing? That was even abbreviated? When did this start?

[TAG42481]

13 hours ago, mertensia said:

My god David whined a lot making his decision.

I think this was an editing/pacing issue.  Normally the last 20 minutes of the episode would be playing a game of Deal or No Deal.  But the editors decided for whatever reason not to put that game on last night's episode.  So they had to fill those last 20 minutes with something.  They seemed to decide to fill it with David making his decision.

I don't think Phillip has done much in the game, so I was fine with David dropping him.  I actually thought he would drop C.K., who has pretty much managed to piss everybody off at some point.  Perhaps David considered Phillip a bigger physical threat and wanted him gone?  I think David will choose Parv to play the Banker - they've been Ride or Die since Day 1, and I think he'll let her control her own destiny rather than leave it in C.K.'s hands.

[LakeGal]

David should have sent Parv home.  I thought he was a better gamer than that.  Parv is the one that could beat him.  What was he thinking?  I have never seen him play Survivor.  But I expected more from him.  Parv is playing him.  She would have sent him home in that situation.  I also thought Philip was dumb for believing David.  He should have went for the last suitcase with David.  They would have both had to split it.  Philip would have been safe with Lete in power.  Sometimes this game is just frustrating to watch.

[Michichick]

3 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

One thing I’ve wondered about David this season is what he has told the others about where he lives and works. If they know he lives in Australia, don’t they find it suspicious that some random Aussie guy flew to America just to compete on this piece of crap show? I mean, it’s not like it’s Survivor or something…

I’m not sure that he does live in Australia, at least not full time. Back during his Survivor seasons, I think I read that he lives in the U.S. half the time.

Well, never mind. I just read that David moved back to Australia after winning Survivor, so he could spend more time with his sons. But he did live in the U.S. for a long time, so I’m sure he could believably lie to the other contestants if he wanted to.

Edited March 12 by Michichick

[susannot]

In his two seasons of Survivor, David was notably loyal to his alliance.  In Season 7, he brought his alliance of 4 to the end.  I believe he is doing the same with Parvati but I also think he will cut her loose due to the lure of the 10 million.  As she will to him and whoever else is in the Final 3.  Lete, I think.

[Ilovepie]

On 3/11/2025 at 8:58 PM, Thalia said:

Goodbye, Philip.  For someone who has such a compelling backstory, I don't ever want to see you on my TV again.  He came across as such an angry victim in the last few episodes, but I hope he enjoys his $75K.

Totally agree. He sure like to ride his high horse, doesn't he? I don't love Parvati, but I do think she truly felt bad when he confronted her and her apology was sincere. Refusing to forgive her makes him look almost as bad to me. Bitter much, Philip?

I really wish they had condensed all of the deal making on the beach since everyone is bullshitting each other and they all know it. I think it was a mistake to send Philip home unless David's just concerned about him being the strongest player left. Otherwise, it should have been CK. I absolutely don't think he should have sent Parvati - she is the only ally he has left. I don't think Parv will turn on him. I think if he's trying to protect Parvati, he has to choose her play the banker. 

I am loving Rob's after show. When he was telling Phillip how he should have dropped the rope when David did but slightly after and what that would look like, he shows how good he is at these games. His problem now is that he's just too well known and every type of show he goes on his reputation proceeds him. Still, I love him!

[Writing Wrongs]

Do Survivor winners just blow through all their money or are they just greedy? I am so sick of seeing the same "reality stars" on every show. Let regular people have a shot.

[jabRI]

The thing about this game unlike Survivor is that the ultimate game (playing the banker) is not about strategy or alliances.  You use that to get tot the ultimate game, but once there it's just a game of chance.  You pick a number and hope for the best, you can 't change it once you pick it.  Based on the odds you try to determine the best outcome, but ultimately your fate is sealed from the beginning.

[ljenkins782]

On 3/12/2025 at 3:19 PM, TAG42481 said:

I think this was an editing/pacing issue.  Normally the last 20 minutes of the episode would be playing a game of Deal or No Deal.  But the editors decided for whatever reason not to put that game on last night's episode.  So they had to fill those last 20 minutes with something.  They seemed to decide to fill it with David making his decision.

I don't think Phillip has done much in the game, so I was fine with David dropping him.  I actually thought he would drop C.K., who has pretty much managed to piss everybody off at some point.  Perhaps David considered Phillip a bigger physical threat and wanted him gone?  I think David will choose Parv to play the Banker - they've been Ride or Die since Day 1, and I think he'll let her control her own destiny rather than leave it in C.K.'s hands.

I find it hard to consider Phillip a physical threat simply because he’s such a whiner. Parvati is physically strong for her size, but more importantly, she’s mentally strong. Not matter your body type, if you don’t have the mentality to outlast other people, you’re always going to lose.

Phillip was just way to involved in his own story and trying to present some type of “it gets better” role model that he wound up actually telling the opposite story.

David’s social game is top notch, I feel like he could sell winter coats in the Sahara. Parvati has some of that magic too, under the right circumstances, but people are more wary of her because of the black widow thing. Ironically, she used her same old tricks to reel David in and that’s been a clear path to the end. I’m very curious how it ends with those two.

CK is a wildcard that they should have eliminated awhile ago, the pickle that Parvati is in now wouldn’t have happened with any other player. CK is all reaction all the time.