S30.E09: Living On The Edge

[Primetimer]

The Merica tribe tries to boost morale with chocolate, chicken, mimicry, and arts and crafts.

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[ghoulina]

Best part.  Tyler saying on his vote for Jen, "I don't know what is going on."  I am in love.

 

I think someone else said that as well. Rodney? It was kind of hilarious. 

[NutMeg]

Meh episode to me, so moving on.

Regarding Mike: objectively, the guy is playing a good, solid game. So it got me thinking about why I'm not excited about it, and I came to the conclusion that the guy just has no charisma and, if editing is to be believed, wouldn't know fun if it hit him on the head. Same strategy executed by other past or (a very, very small number of) current contestants, and I'll be all yeah!!!!, go XXX!!!!. With him, it's more like, yeah, yeah, go Mike, zzzz.... When Rodney (for goodness sake) is more fun to watch than the guy with a solid strategy, it starts becoming bizarro world for me.

And talking about Rodney... He's the one Joe should have secretly shown his idol to, and told he was going to play it. The outcome might have been more interesting... Although, once again, Mike played that beautifully, so I guess yeah, yeah, Mike.

Also, on a shallow note, when Joe's on the jury, I hope he doesn't shave, because to me he's become more and more gorgeous as his facial pillosity has grown - I never knew it could grow like that!? Whenever in real life I've seen this kind of goatee, for lack of a better world, I thought the guys with them were poseurs, but they might just be plain(er) Joes. On him it just works.

Come to think of it, doesn't Dan also just have a goatee even now? (On him, it looks poseurish, dirty, garden gnomish and just plain wrong, he!)

[ferretrick]

Wow, that was one of the worst Survivor episodes I've ever seen. The only thing that livened it up even a little was Joe's fake idol, which did look great.

I must say I'm kind of done with Jenn. That whole "that's quitting" nonsense she told Jeff really irked me. You ARE quitting, loser. If you are openly saying you want to be voted off, saying you'll win immunity but give it away, aren't at least trying to stay in the game, then you have, for all intents and purposes, QUIT. Just because you haven't officially walked out doesn't make you "not a quitter." Actually, I'd have MORE respect for someone who did that, then someone who keeps taking up space on my TV NOT playing the game. Nothing is more boring than watching someone try to lose a contest of any kind, or worse, talking about trying to lose. Just quit if that's what you want, and get off my TV!

And I usually don't mind the product placement, but it was so over the top tonight. I'm so sure people talk about "nutty goodness" etc. in real life, and they weren't told to say those things at all. Completely convincing, Survivor producers! You sure gave Mars, Co. their money's worth! I'm going to run out and buy a Snickers right now!

[ProfCrash]

Mike lost me as a possible fan when he and Dan were discussing how to apologize to Sierra and they both had equally paternalistic comments about how to speak to women. I looked at that and remembered Lindsey's comment that Mike expected to be thanked for hi hard work but never thanked the women for their hard work. She listed all the things that the women had done that day in the camp, Mike agreed that they did all that work, and Lindsey wanted to know why Mike wanted his work acknowledged but would not acknowledge the work the women were doing.

 

So Mike is not even close to Rodney and Dan's level of women hating but he is not exactly high on the scale of respecting and acknowledging women for the role they play in the game and in life in general.

 

So, yeah, that early take on Mike killed him for me. Since then, he seems to be respectful to everyone and is clearly playing a good game. I can respect how he is playing and will be fine if he wins but I can't root for him.

 

The problem is, there really is no one I want to root for.

 

Carolyn found an idol and seems to have disappeared since then. I am fine with under the radar play but her speech to Shirin when Max was voted out and her overall vitriol towards Shirin in her talking heads is over the top. She gives a general appearance of being smug. I don't like her.

 

Wiil and Tyler have been working their position pretty well but has disappeared over the last few episodes. I can't root for invisible. Maybe they are doing something in the background but I doubt it. I suspect that Rodney's plan will fail and that Carolyn, Tyler, and Will are going to leave the game.

 

Rodney is playing well but he is at best an ignorant twit who holds out dated views on women and how they should behave. He is welcome to hold those views but I cannot respect someone who has said the crap he has said.

 

Sierra has been on and off the radar. I have no idea what her game play is. If it comes out later that she was waiting to vote out the paternalistic assholes of the season but was able to set aside her negative feelings so that she was in a good game position to do that, I'll be cool with it. I can't see that happening only because we have barely seen her discuss such a move. There have been a few hints but no action. Maybe we will see her get together with Jen and Shirin now and the three will take it to the end but I think that is my desperately trying to find an end game to this that is not Mike or Rodney winning.

 

Shirin is the underdog who has to have been uber annoying out there. People are not saying nice things about her in exit interviews or the game. So either all of the folks voted out have been strongly in the anti-Shirin camp and we will hear something different from Sierra, Mike, Joe, and Jenn but I doubt that. We know that Carolyn and Dan are looking forwarding to going after Shirin in her interview, well maybe not Dan after the aftermath of last weeks episode. Which means that Shirin has fialed miserably at the social element of this game. I want to root for her but she has not played a good game.

 

I really don't hae to explain my strong dislike of Dan....

[NutMeg]

I must say I'm kind of done with Jenn. That whole "that's quitting" nonsense she told Jeff really irked me. You ARE quitting, loser. If you are openly saying you want to be voted off, saying you'll win immunity but give it away, aren't at least trying to stay in the game, then you have, for all intents and purposes, QUIT. Just because you haven't officially walked out doesn't make you "not a quitter." Actually, I'd have MORE respect for someone who did that, then someone who keeps taking up space on my TV NOT playing the game. Nothing is more boring than watching someone try to lose a contest of any kind, or worse, talking about trying to lose. Just quit if that's what you want, and get off my TV!

 

 

See, IF (and I know it is a big if), it was all a strategy to advance herself in the game, given that almost everyone left wanted her out two episodes ago, and at the same time a plot to reassure Joe so he maybe doesn't give his all in the IC, I'd say that strategy was brilliant. And even more so if it was done in tandem with Shirin, who told Mike that she'd rather keep Jenn whose head was not in the game any more rather than Joe, who was much more dangerous.

 

I might be fantasy, but my scenario sure beats what we saw :-) and wouldn't be out of bounds for a superfan (I know, we'd have seen a confessional...) 

[Guest]

I still don't understand why Joe wasn't looking for the real idol.

I assume he was and we weren't shown it, along with the other 99.9% of their game we don't see.  We didn't even get to see Mike talk him into turning over his fake, why would they spend air time on a fruitless idol search?

 

I just don't know now.  Hali and Joe are gone and Jenn's practically a quitter.  Who to root for...Tyler, I guess?  

[cooksdelight]

I don't think any of these people are capable of coming up with a brilliant strategy. For the most part, it's been dumb luck. Like Kramer always falling backasswards into money.

[ProfCrash]

Mike and Rodney have been playing pretty strategic games.

[Jersey Guy 87]

I just don't know now.  Hali and Joe are gone and Jenn's practically a quitter.  Who to root for...Tyler, I guess?  

 

I can't root for Tyler - he's been completely passive, he basically handed Mike an idol and he appears to have no game plan of his own.  Jenn lost me last night with her apathy/quitting/whatever attitude.  Dan and Rodney are vile, Sierra seems to fade into the woodwork, I'm not really sure if Will is still on the show or not and Carolyn hasn't done anything either. Shirin has no shot of getting any votes.  So, that leaves Mike?  At least he's made some moves, he seems to be the power player but he's boring and obnoxious.  My hope is that Jenn bounces back somehow and gets her head back into the game because otherwise I've got nothing to look forward to.

[Guest]

Maybe Tyler or Sierra or even Will will make some moves or do something to garner viewer support.  It doesn't take much.  Even Rodney is less reviled after one funny clip.  

 

I just can't get behind Mike.  I don't think they can turn him around for me.  Maybe he'll be like Sugar in Gabon and he'll have so much blood on his hands, whoever goes to the end with him will win by not being him.  

[hyukx3]

Shirin will win Survivor. I feel it.

[peachmangosteen]

I should've known that when Probst said it was a great season, I would personally hate it.

 

I knew when Probst was hyping this season that I would hate it, but I let myself get excited anyway. Sigh. Big mistake.

 

She didn't just quit, even when Jeff almost encouraged her to do so (and since when does Jeff ever do that?)

 

When an athletic male is in danger of being voted out.

 

Well, Joe isn't very bright so he probably didn't think about looking for the idol. Plus Mike is playing a good game and is following Joe.

 

For the first 20 days Mike didn't bother to look for the idol and/or somehow could not find it, so Mike doesn't have much on Joe there. It still boggles my mind that Mike didn't look for the HII or that he couldn't find it. He is playing pretty solidly (not great though) so it's just so strange to me.

 

Mike lost me as a possible fan when he and Dan were discussing how to apologize to Sierra and they both had equally paternalistic comments about how to speak to women . . . So Mike is not even close to Rodney and Dan's level of women hating but he is not exactly high on the scale of respecting and acknowledging women for the role they play in the game and in life in general.

 

This. This is really the main reason why I can't root for Mike. 

 

Mike is for sure getting the winner's edit and there's literally no doubt in my mind that he will win, but still the edit, even for him, sucks. Why show his comment about women? Why show him having no respect for Lindsey/Sierra? And why not show more of his gameplay? Like as it is now looks like the only reason Mike is going to win is because everyone else is just stupid, but based on some exit interviews and whatnot obviously Mike is playing the social game pretty well now and it'd be nice to see that out of the winner instead of being left thinking Mike won because the others were too stupid/scared to make any moves. 

 

When the F3 is Dan/Rodney/Mike, I'm gonna root for Rodney to be honest. First of all, he's hilarious. His impressions were so perfect in this ep. Also, at least he actually realizes no one can beat Mike and has actively tried to strategize against him. He actually has some good game instincts, they just haven't panned out yet because Mike has done better so far. At this point, I'm rooting for his plan to blindside Mike to work out.

 

I still feel like the edit might be leading to a Shirin win. I don't know how it could possibly happen though. Maybe her edit is just a 'plucky underdog who deserves a second chance' type edit.

 

I loved that Shirin, being a superfan, didn't really care that Jenn was giving up. Usually people make such a big deal over someone quitting and it was so refreshing to see Shirin be like 'meh' since that's my reaction to quitting.

 

I have gone back and forth on Jenn all season. Pre-show I hated her. Her twitter did not do her any favors. She can either be very vicious and awful or she can be very funny and bright. I understand her feelings now. I too would probably get real tired of being around a bunch of assholes with no chance of winning. I hope she gets back into wanting to fight now though because I am still rooting for her and Shirin to somehow turn this game around.

Edited April 16, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[BigRedCheese]

It wasn't just Probst saying this was an amazing season, even pre-merge boots were saying there was awesome crazy stuff coming up. I think it's a solid season, but I think all the hype hurt it, it's just not living up to that.

[blackwing]

I have gone back and forth on Jenn all season. Pre-show I hated her. Her twitter did not do her any favors. She can either be very vicious and awful or she can be very funny and bright. I understand her feelings now. I too would probably get real tired of being around a bunch of assholes with no chance of winning. I hope she gets back into wanting to fight now though because I am still rooting for her and Shirin to somehow turn this game around.

I still can't stand her.  I understand her not wanting to quit and be labelled a quitter like Osten, Colton, hairdresser Lindsay from the BBB season, etc.  But she pretty much has given up.  And then here we have Joe, who desperately wants to be there.  She could have at least appealed to some on the BC alliance to vote her out, and give Joe another chance at three more days.

 

What I don't understand is why Shirin, Joe and Jenn didn't make any appeals to Will.  Or Tyler.  When Mike was on the reward, why didn't Joe try and talk with Will or Rodney?  Seems like they just accepted their date.  All they needed to do was to patch things with Will and explain to him that he was clearly on the bottom and he'd be better off with them.  Then just sway one more (perhaps Rodney, who appears to intensely dislike Mike) and they have a chance.

[peachmangosteen]

It wasn't just Probst saying this was an amazing season, even pre-merge boots were saying there was awesome crazy stuff coming up.

 

Exactly! All the booted contestants have claimed this season is amazing and the spoiler people pre-show were hyping this season to the high heavens. It's all so strange. Unless somehow in these 5 eps some crazy awesome shit goes down, I don't know what everyone is talking about.

 

What I don't understand is why Shirin, Joe and Jenn didn't make any appeals to Will.  Or Tyler.  When Mike was on the reward, why didn't Joe try and talk with Will or Rodney?  Seems like they just accepted their date.  All they needed to do was to patch things with Will and explain to him that he was clearly on the bottom and he'd be better off with them.  Then just sway one more (perhaps Rodney, who appears to intensely dislike Mike) and they have a chance.

 

Well, Joe/Jenn/Hali believed up until (and possibly even after) the Hali vote that Will was actually voting with them, so they had no reason to think they had to appeal to him. And we've been shown Hali and Shirin trying to work on Sierra and Tyler. Based on the promo pics from the 8th ep, Joe also talked with Tyler. Based on Hali's exit interviews, they tried to get Carolyn, too. I think at this point they kinda just realized Mike was running the game and that Sierra/Tyler/Carolyn/Will/Rodney/Dan were all content to let him for now, so Shirin and Joe wisely decided to try to hitch themselves to him too. I suspect Shirin will bide her time for a little while now until she sees an opportunity to go at Mike. And then she'll fail and Mike will win.

Edited April 16, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[MadeInCanada]

I feel like they overemphasized Jenn's desire to quit. Her actions and her words definitely didn't line up. If she had really checked out, there's no way she would have been fighting so hard at that challenge. Obvs armchair: but it seems more like she just doesn't like losing. With her options looking bleak I think she was adopting an attitude of *well I don't care if you vote me out, I don't want to be here anyways* as a cover. I just like her and hope she just needed a day or two to get back in the game. If she can make it past next week, I think there's a real chance she can get back in contention    

[Special K]

Various people were reading my mind in this episode:

 

Tyler:  I have no idea what's going on.

 

Jenn:  This would suck less if these people sucked less.

 

Mike:  It's Snickers' nutty goodness and nougatty center that has made 'Merica so great.  (Oh, wait, he didn't actually say that?!?)

[Alapaki]

Joe's elimination reiterates how contestants who have great potential to win can be screwed from Day 1 based on what Tribe they end up on, which is something completely out of their control.

 

And Dan, once again demonstrating his genius for the game, apparently can't comprehend that "flipping" and "backstabbing" are not mutually exclusive.

 

As far as "major twists", I'm cautiously optimistic for the remaining 5 episodes because I think the sub-alliances might get extremely unstable from this point out.

 

Assuming Carolyn and Tyler are as tight as the edit has suggested, they're still faced with 4 original BCs.  

 

Jenn, Will and Shirin are somewhat wildcards, in that they're no longer tethered to their original "Collar" Tribes.  

 

And the BC 4 includes 3 alpha (in their own minds) males who are probably looking to get rid of at least one of the others.  

 

I think the remaining TC boots from here on out are going to be extremely unpredictable.

[Special K]

Oh, I forgot another choice quote:

 

Dan:  Shirin, how can you be such a moron!  I can't believe you don't know that flipping and blindsides are two different things!?!

 

Man, I hope and pray that was foreshadowing.

[cooksdelight]

Exactly! All the booted contestants have claimed this season is amazing and the spoiler people pre-show were hyping this season to the high heavens. It's all so strange. Unless somehow in these 5 eps some crazy awesome shit goes down

Or the editors have truly screwed up and left all the good stuff on the cutting room floor. I'm just not seeing amazing or "best season ever" in the show I'm watching each Wednesday night.

[blackwing]

Joe's elimination reiterates how contestants who have great potential to win can be screwed from Day 1 based on what Tribe they end up on, which is something completely out of their control.

I thoroughly disagree.  There is a tribal aspect to the show of course, but there's absolutely no reason why a good social player wouldn't be able to forge bonds with people from other tribes.  Especially after the merge.  Joe is a terrible social player.  He's not particularly bright.  I wouldn't say he's Woo-like levels in terms of dim bulb-ness, but on the intelligence and strategy level he appears to be pretty far down the ladder.  From what we have seen, he made very little efforts to try and make any inroads with the others.

 

Will was on the same tribe as Joe and now seems to be firmly in the Blue Collar alliance, even if he's at the bottom.  Carolyn and Tyler were also saddled with a terrible tribe.  They had egotistical WAHK, egotistical and crazy Max, and egotistical and crazy and irritating Shirin.  Yet somehow they were able to make an alliance with the Blue Collar members.  Or look at Shirin herself.  She was on the White Collar tribe, ditched them and threw in with the No Collars.

 

I think it's unfair to blame Joe's poor performance in this game by his tribe placement.  His poor performance in this game is completely a result of his poor social game.  As well as being too strong in challenges.  He suffered the same fate as Colby in Season 2 and other people who have been threats at challenges.  Once it got down to individual immunity, he should have stepped back a bit, especially on the reward challenges which are less important to his standing in the game.

[ProfCrash]

The bonus clips actually provide a ton of info that really should be in the episode. A lot of information. There are some great game interviews with Mike, Rodney, Shirin, Tyler, and Joe. I don't get why they are cutting what they are cutting but those clips are gold. Skip the 5 or 6 on the chocolate and how yummy it was. Those are useless. And it means you don't have to listen to Carolyn or Sierra.

[Latverian Diplomat]

I would have liked to see Jenn win immunity and give it to Joe, just to f*ck with the smug blue collar alliance. The one time nonentity Tyler does something, and it has to be winning this immunity challenge.

 

Rodney's Mike impression was pretty damn good.

 

Mike's an idiot. You've got it covered already with the split vote. If Joe's immunity idol is real, let him burn it this time. But Mike benefited from the fact that Joe spent much more time and skill crafting the fake idol than figuring out how to make it work for him.

 

The shenanigans with having Jeff check it out by using it,  just made it look like Mike was double dealing his alliance for no gain, he had already voted at that point.

[peachmangosteen]

I wouldn't say he's Woo-like levels in terms of dim bulb-ness, but on the intelligence and strategy level he appears to be pretty far down the ladder.  From what we have seen, he made very little efforts to try and make any inroads with the others.

 

I tend to agree, but at the same time some comments from exit interviews and extra vids have me thinking Joe actually did try to work on other people and maybe even so much so that he ended up alienating Jenn/Hali.

 

I feel like it's just really hard to get a concrete idea of what really went down this season. The editing is really bad and the booted contestants all seem to have differing opinions on what was happening. Very odd. 

 

Thanks for the info on the extra vids from this week, ProfCrash. I'm looking forward to checking them out. We got so little actual info in the ep.

Edited April 16, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[needschocolate]

If fairness, I think the 3 left that were in Joe's alliance tried to get people to flip.  And tried.  Last week they thought they had flippers.  Obviously everyone in the other 7 must think they are floating to the final 3.  Which is one small consolations when 4 of them realize that maybe they should have flipped earlier when they had the chance.

 

I think everyone in the other seven realized the would have a much better chance of making it to the final three if Joe wasn't there to keep winning immunity.  Based on the first three individual challenges, there was a good chance that Joe would keep winning and there was no way Joe would take any of them to the final tribal.  

 

Joe's better strategy would have been to tell Mike that none of their votes would count so he was going to get his alliance to vote against him.

 

Almost any strategy would have been better than the one Joe went with.  But, in fairness to Joe, I think Mike surprised him and he came up with the strategy on the spot (I know he is not the brightest bulb, but I hope he isn't so dim that his offer to Mike was the move he was planning all along.  

 

He should have made the fake idol earlier, so that they would  think that he might give it to someone else in his alliance, while he had the idol from the immunity challenge - thus throwing a monkey wrench into plans to split the vote.  

 

If he had to wait until now to make the fake, he should have approached someone else in Mike's alliance, like Will (or anyone except Tyler, who ran to Mike with the clue last time) in hopes of pulling a Yul and using it to lure someone over to his side.  

 

Some have suggested that Joe should have put the necklace on and strolled into camp.  But I don't think that would have changed anything.  They still would have split the votes the way they did and, if the idol had been real, they wouldn't have all voted for Jenn on the re-vote. Since it wasn't real, and Joe knew that, of course, wearing it around his neck would have just meant he was going home.   

 

I feel like they overemphasized Jenn's desire to quit. Her actions and her words definitely didn't line up. If she had really checked out, there's no way she would have been fighting so hard at that challenge. Obvs armchair: but it seems more like she just doesn't like losing. With her options looking bleak I think she was adopting an attitude of *well I don't care if you vote me out, I don't want to be here anyways* as a cover. I just like her and hope she just needed a day or two to get back in the game. If she can make it past next week, I think there's a real chance she can get back in contention    

 

I think that Jenn just really wanted to stick it to the people she doesn't like and foil their plan and their opportunity to get out the person most likely to win immunity every challenge.  

Rodney proves that you can be obnoxious and offensive and still be funny.  He and Michael Richards should go on tour together.  

[Alapaki]

I thoroughly disagree.  There is a tribal aspect to the show of course, but there's absolutely no reason why a good social player wouldn't be able to forge bonds with people from other tribes.  Especially after the merge.  Joe is a terrible social player.  He's not particularly bright.  I wouldn't say he's Woo-like levels in terms of dim bulb-ness, but on the intelligence and strategy level he appears to be pretty far down the ladder.  From what we have seen, he made very little efforts to try and make any inroads with the others.

 

 

Not if that player is perceived as an Individual Immunity threat.

 

I think Will is the counterfactual that makes my original point.  Will has very little chance of winning this game. And I think he had very little chance of winning from Day One.  Will is there because no one has any good reason to vote him out.  

 

Are there scenarios in which Joe could've survived longer?  Sure.  I didn't say that original Tribal selection is all-determining.  Only that it has the potential to kill the games of some players (who might otherwise win) right from the start.

 

If Mike and Joe were on opposite Tribes from the beginning (setting aside the "collar" nonsense), I think Mike would've ended up in the same situation as Joe.  

 

I think the only thing Joe (and all of NC for that matter) could have done better would be to work harder to keep Will on their side.  But I'm at a loss for what Will is thinking, so that may not have been possible anyway.

[fishcakes]

If I were running Mars Candy, the first thing I'd do this morning is fire whoever was responsible for the product placement that resulted in America watching four assholes and Shirin gorge themselves on Snickers and Twix. Dbags rhapsodizing about nougat ≠ good advertising.

[peachmangosteen]

I didn't say that original Tribal selection is all-determining.  Only that it has the potential to kill the games of some players (who might otherwise win) right from the start.

 

I agree but I also think that what tribe you're on can be a big factor in you winning as well. Tribe selection is the biggest reason why IMO luck makes up more than half of every winner's win.

[Alapaki]

Some have suggested that Joe should have put the necklace on and strolled into camp.  But I don't think that would have changed anything.  They still would have split the votes the way they did and, if the idol had been real, they wouldn't have all voted for Jenn on the re-vote.

 

 

That reminds me.  I wasn't paying 100% attention and didn't bother rewinding, but I couldn't completely follow Shirin's logic in her pre-TC talking head.  She correctly anticipated that the BC/WC 7 would split their votes between Joe and Jenn.  But assuming there would have been a tie-breaker vote, I don't see how Shirin thought her vote would change the outcome.  

 

They were obviously going to split their votes with 4 going to Joe and 3 to Jenn because Joe was their ultimate target.  If Shirin got Joe and Jenn to vote for each other and then cast her vote for Jenn there would be a tie.  If Joe did have a HII and played it, Jenn would then go.  But that would happen even if there wasn't a tie.  If Joe didn't have a HII to play, on the tie-break vote the BC/WC 7 would simply cast all of their votes for Joe.  Likewise, if BC/WC split their votes 4-3 (as above) and Joe/Jenn/Shirin cast 3 for one of the 7 BC/WC, even if Joe played a HII creating a tie between Jenn and a BC/WC, the result of that tie break vote would be 6-2 against Jenn.

 

So, ultimately, the only scenario in which Jenn would've gotten her wish to be voted out would be if Joe had and played a HII, and there was nothing that Shirin could do about it one way or the other.

 

Am I missing something?

Edited April 16, 2015 by Alapaki

[hyukx3]

Will was just being dragged along by the NC. He can't win if he went to the final with the NC. When Rodney promised final 4, it's a better deal for him. Who knows if he'll ever make a move to claim as his own, plus playing the possum all the way to the final. That's the only argument he has if he makes it to the final.

 

Anyway, Shirin seems to have dialed down on her yapping, so I don't know why Will would be going off at her. Maybe b/c she's playing harder now at the game, talking to a lot of people and ruffled Will's comfortable feathers. And I hope something crazy happens next time, since Rodney and Mike are at odds again over some flipping accusations. It's gonna be good, I hope.

 

It's 7 votes from the BC. Plus 1 vote from Joe for Jenn. That's 8 votes, split even. Jenn's not gonna vote for Joe, so Shirin's the swing vote. If it's 5-4 between Joe and Jenn, Shirin's vote left, it's still a swing vote since she could force a tie, so it's kinda a moot point. But I'm pretty sure they knew Jenn's not gonna vote for Joe.

Edited April 16, 2015 by hyukx3

[Waldo13]

I was actually impressed Probst didn't practically carry Jenn out of TC himself, at the first mention of her wanting to quit, since he knew it would cost Joe. But maybe his bigger man crush really is Mike. I really don't get this season. Or why TPTB would call it a great cast. We've got a mixture of bullies, assholes, whiners, hot heads, invisible's, and a guy named Tyler that I don't know what to make of. My love for Shirin and Jenn is fading, but I'm blaming that on the craptastic season. Even that camp looks gloomy. Never liked their camp, wish they could have merged at the old Nagarote.

I don't blame Jenn for wanting to go because of the aforementioned description of the people she is playing with. I actually have respect for Jenn because she actually tried to save Joe. In the end, Jenn doesn't want to be there but she is not a quitter, unlike Colton who quit twice. Jenn also gained my respect for that. IMO Dan, the total ass hole, and Sierra, the chirper. are vying for final 3 via the most useless unlikeable factor. Will is also in that category. For the moment, I liked Rodney for aping Mike for Mike is becoming the leading ass hole.

[Guest]

I don't understand the "Joe is not that bright" comments, based on "we didn't see him do ____".  We don't see virtually anything.  It doesn't mean it didn't happen.  He clearly scrambled so it's probably safer to assume he also did all the other 'normal' things someone who watches the show would do-- tried to make inroads, hunted for idols, etc.  

[ProfCrash]

Yup. And We saw that Mike had an eye on Joe at all times last week. This week, Mike is distressed to find that Joe is not in eye sight. Joe probably couldn't easily get away to look for the idol.

[hyukx3]

Just let them see you find the idol then. It doesn't matter at that point, if you have people tailing you. It's still a plus that you have the idol, so you can't just give up the search.

[scowl]

But Joe in the last episode that he didn't find the idol (gave up) but people think he has it anyone, and that's as good as having an idol. Nope.

[BigRedCheese]

At that point it doesn't matter if Mike sees him looking for the Idol, or even if he sees him find it, it will still save him for one more vote if he locates it.

[hyukx3]

Just go find the idol and proudly wear it openly. So butthurt over people watching you, jeez.

[iMonrey]

 

I don't get the hate for Mike.

 

Mike was the asshole on the Blue Collar tribe who wanted to boss everyone around. I'll admit that between the Texas thing, the religious tattoo thing and the whole "Merica" thing I'm pre-disposed to disliking him, but it seems to me that after the first couple of episodes the show has bent over backwards to give him a favorable edit by throwing Rodney and Dan under the bus to make Mike look good in comparison.

 

So Jenn wants everyone to vote her out and even said she'd give the immunity idol to Joe if she won it but won't just outright quite. That seemed like splitting hairs to me until someone here explained she gets no money if she officially "quits." Makes more sense now.

 

Every week Rodney tells us he has A PLAN and is going to FLIP when the TIME IS RIGHT. Okay then - can we just skip to that part then? I'm getting awfully tired of these filler episodes.

 

I mean, clearly that's the game plan for Tyler, Caroline and Will, to have Rodney vote with them once they get to seven and vote out Mike, Dan and Sierra. And explains why Tyler and Caroline decided to throw their lot in with Blue Collar. But given the disproportionate screen time Dan, Rodney and Mike are getting, it doesn't look like it's going to go down that way. Heck Tyler won the immunity idol this episode and I couldn't swear he even got one single talking head segment. Caroline sure didn't and neither did will. This has been the Dan, Mike and Rodney show for weeks now. Probst and Burnett might think that makes good TV, but I sure don't.

[ElleryAnne]

What I don't understand is why Shirin, Joe and Jenn didn't make any appeals to Will.  Or Tyler.

 

 

Maybe they forgot they were there.  The cameramen and editors certainly seem to. ( I'm beginning to think Will, Tyler, Carolyn and Sierra spend most of their time hidden behind Doctor Who-like perception filters.  If they're noticed at all, it's only in a vague way, and then they're immediately forgotten again.)

 

 

Mike:  It's Snickers' nutty goodness and nougatty center that has made 'Merica so great.  (Oh, wait, he didn't actually say that?!?)

 

 

He didn't?  It sounds just like him.  You do an even better Mike imitation than Rodney did.

 

 

Come to think of it, doesn't Dan also just have a goatee even now? (On him, it looks poseurish, dirty, garden gnomish and just plain wrong, he!)

 

 

Garden gnome is both the best description of Dan and an insult to garden gnomes everywhere.  

[ProfCrash]

Yeah that is Rodney's plan but Mike seems pretty well versed in Survivor. He tested Shirin with her Joe vote tonight and she passed his test. He told her the same thing he told Will, he needs to see an action before he trusts her. Mike is savy enough to know that people are going to turn on him. That is why he wanted the idol so badly. That is why he is talking to Shirin. He seems to be aware that he could be the target and that he might be the target before they get to seven.

 

I think that Joe's departure will change the game. Jenn and Shirin are both seen as goats by folks now. Shirin has been for a while and Jenn's comments about quitting by being voted out are not winning her votes. I don't think people will be worried about them. Next week is a great week for Rodney to try and catch Mike off guard. The seven can sit pretty until they get to seven but that is not going to be good for three of their games and there are enough fans of this game to know that. Tyler, Mike, Will, Rodney, and Dan are not going to let it get to the seven before some throats are slit.

[himela]

(Commenting while watching the episode)

 

I still don't get how come the NC tribe haven't realized yet that Will is not voting with them. I mean, don't they talk all these hours there?

I was pleasantly surprised to see some strategy from Shirin and Rodney. Maybe these players HAVE watched Survivor before after all. Shirin going to Mike asking to join their alliance andouting the biggest (imo) threat in this game (Carolyn) made me just adore her even more. I'm wondering if whatever crazy stuff she was doing in the beginning was just to show she is there to have fun not being a threat to anyone. I'd LOVE to see Shirin making it further than stupid Dan and even Rodney. Maybe this is the Shakespearean thing that Jeff said happens; the most annoying person who was walking butt naked gets to the final three or something. Lets make a soap opera with this theme!

 

How could Sierra say she loved everyone in her team that won the reward? Wasn't she resentful of these guys like 10 days ago? What have we missed?

 

You know you are low when Rodney makes fun of you, Mike... It was hillarious though.

 

Was Joe acting to Jenn and Shirin as if he had a HII? I find it weird to be honest.

 

This immunity challenge was made for Jow to win it. If he had put his hair on the top of his head, it'd be easier to keep this wood with it. I think that's why Tyler won, he has a lot of curly hair, so does Jen.

 

Smart move by Joe to give the fake HII to Mike seconds before the tribal, this way he wouldn't have the chance to compare it with the one he found and Joe suspected he did. But didn't Mike know how the real HII was since he had found it? I mean, how hard can it be to study it for a bit before you go to tribal since you expect Joe to give you a HII? If Mike knew the game better, he would know Jeff would not verify or not verify whether this was a real HII. Jeff never replies to this types of questions that may influence the game.

 

I felt sorry for Joe who loved the game so much and he was such a strong player. If only he could have created his own alliance, it would be amazing.

 

Overall not a really boring episode but still predictable. The only thing that gives me hope is that Shirin may move further to the game. Lets just hope.

 

I'm still really disattisfied with the editing. I feel I don't watch how people interact, how they are thinking etc, expect from Mike and maybe Rodney. I haven't heard Tyler, Carolyn, Sierra or Will's voices for a long time now. If all this means Mike is gonna win, I vote this the worst season ever.

[meep.meep]

I would a million times rather see Mike's method of verifying that someone is really with him (vote this way so I know you're real) vs. the Survivor-classic method of making someone swear on something that they won't ever vote for you.  Which always ends in bitter jury recriminations and accusations of lying.  So, 2 points Mike.

 

Rodney's impressions were hilarious.  2 points Rodney.

 

Does Tyler have a brain?  I figured his head was solid and that's why he won the IC.

[scowl]

How could Sierra say she loved everyone in her team that won the reward? Wasn't she resentful of these guys like 10 days ago? What have we missed?

I'm assuming she was under the influence of a sugar high, like Colleen was in the first season which made her act even goofier.

[ljenkins782]

If Shirin were to return, I would hope she could be on a season where people were nicer to her.  Even if she talks a lot, I don't see that as being any reason for the vitriol she's getting.  Especially from the people it's coming from!  And, since she is unlikable to some of her cast, it would be fitting that she got asked back or voted back in by fans over some of them.  I like her.  I was impressed with her tonight.

 

I don't think Shirin would fare a whole lot better in a return appearance, she reminds me very much of Shii Ann, who was about as equally disliked by most in All-Stars.

 

They're both obviously smart and accomplished in their real lives, but personality is a real problem. If they had any social game at all, they'd both be threatening players but your plans can only work out if you can get others on board.

 

And talking about Rodney... He's the one Joe should have secretly shown his idol to, and told he was going to play it. The outcome might have been more interesting... Although, once again, Mike played that beautifully, so I guess yeah, yeah, Mike.

 

That actually would have been a good move. I can't fault Joe for not knowing that he was showing his fake idol to the person who had actually found the real one and Mike apparently the go-to person for trying to break into the BC alliance, but Rodney would have been an inspired choice. He  doesn't have the idol/doesn't know Mike has it, he's a reactor who can't help but jump to action when he thinks he has a plan, and he might actually have some sway over the people in the alliance. In my dreams, they could have blindsided Mike with that idol in his pocket.

 

I laughed when Joe 100% correctly chose Dan as the person to help him sneak off for fake idol-making time. I feel like the last 2 episodes have been Mike desperately trying to keep a tail on Joe and Dan falling down on the job of watching him. 

 

After last week's red herring-fest where I dared hope that Dan was gone, I gave up hope on Joe pretty early in this one. I kept a glimmer alive when the editors played that "ding" noise over a shot of Joe/Jenn listening to Rodney mocking Mike. I was hoping that might signal a crack that they were going to be able to exploit, but I guess not in time for Joe. 

 

I'm back and forth on Jenn, she was petulant and obnoxious about "her" chickens, but I can't pretend I wouldn't be the same way, especially under miserable conditions/being outnumbered/losing my best friend and ally in the prior vote. She's obviously moody but I still like kinda like her and if nothing else, I'd like her to be the spoiler in the BC alliance march to the finals. She's not Joe, but she's way up there on the scale of challenge performers.

 

Rodney's impressions were my hands-down favorite part of the episode, they were brilliant. And Jenn has a great laugh. It actually made Rodney likable for 2 minutes, his inability to stop laughing at himself mid-impersonation was endearing. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I thought she did just the right thing.  Her only mistake was talking at TC about how much she loves to strategize.

 

I agree, Shirin is too transparent.

 

They're both obviously smart and accomplished in their real lives, but personality is a real problem. If they had any social game at all, they'd both be threatening players but your plans can only work out if you can get others on board.

 

I just feel if Shirin was so intelligent I think she'd understand what a social game is and how to fake a social game for the purposes of Survivor.  Like, let's say you're not a great liar but you understand you have to lie to win poker, so you learn to adopt that skill.  People might think it's hard but for an intelligent person it shouldn't be so hard to try and develop a skill.  Step 1: Know that a great social game is often required for getting far in Survivor.  Step 2:  Learn how to adapt a better social game to get far.  Shirin is not even at Step 1 yet.  That's so frustrating.  It's frustrating for me because if I got to be on Survivor that's the major thing I'd work on.  I'd work extremely hard at making my social game better and being smoother at lying, being more diplomatic, being easy to be around, etc.

 

In the same vein I don't know why it's taken for granted that Woo is stupid and Joe is smarter than him.  Why?  Yes, Woo acts ditzy and put his (some will say wacky) code of honour before winning the game or taking his partner Tony out.  These are dumb moves to people who prize money over everything but Woo does not.  I don't want to rehash the whole Cagayan debates again, but why is Joe supposedly soooo intelligent compared to Woo.  If we're talking basic Survivor smarts then Joe clearly fails compared to Woo.

 

Based on what we have seen, I think the winner has to be Mike, Dan, Rodney or Shirin. They are the only people we are actually see play the game.

 

How is Dan playing the game?  By aligning himself with Mike?  I hate those kind of players, and so do FTC voters (in most cases).

 

I don't blame Jenn for wanting to go because of the aforementioned description of the people she is playing with. I actually have respect for Jenn because she actually tried to save Joe. In the end, Jenn doesn't want to be there but she is not a quitter, unlike Colton who quit twice. Jenn also gained my respect for that.

 

So she gets to have it both ways.  She gets praised for wanting to quit, and she gets praised for not being a quitter.  It's like Curb Your Enthusiasm where Ted Danson donates a wing to a charity and has it labelled "Donated by: Anonymous" and then tells everyone he's the one who donated it.  He gets to have it both ways, he's praised for not wanting recognition, but that's not right because he's the one asking for the recognition. 

 

Is it really true that you get zero money if you quit the game before you're voted out?  What if you declare "I'm quitting, please vote me out" and get voted naturally out at TC?  (a la Osten?)  But if you quit between Tribal Councils then you get zero dollars?  Can someone confirm?  

 

The reason that Jenn is making people like me uncomfortable is because it's very passive aggressive.  "I want to be voted out but I won't do anything to actually quit."  She didn't save Joe at all, she just made vague promises to!

Edited April 16, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[Calamity Jane]

I would have liked to see Jenn win immunity and give it to Joe, just to f*ck with the smug blue collar alliance. The one time nonentity Tyler does something, and it has to be winning this immunity challenge.

 

Rodney's Mike impression was pretty damn good.

 

Mike's an idiot. You've got it covered already with the split vote. If Joe's immunity idol is real, let him burn it this time. But Mike benefited from the fact that Joe spent much more time and skill crafting the fake idol than figuring out how to make it work for him.

 

The shenanigans with having Jeff check it out by using it,  just made it look like Mike was double dealing his alliance for no gain, he had already voted at that point.

That totally baffled me, too.  What on earth was the point? 

[Calamity Jane]

I did not realize until the end last night that I no longer care who wins.  Making me almost like Rodney was NOT okay, show.  And by the way, where was his strong, strong Boston accent most of the time?  Is he just acting a part when he puts that on?  The others interest me almost not at all.  Unless Carolyn or Tyler comes back to life at some point, or somebody else shows some unexpected depth, I'll just be speeding through the episodes to see the result.  

 

Meanwhile, I'm rooting for the last poor chicken, the crabs, the monkeys, the sloth.  

[Special K]

Meanwhile, I'm rooting for the last poor chicken, the crabs, the monkeys, the sloth.  

 

That sloth!!!

[ghoulina]

That sloth!!!

 

Oh my gosh, that sloth gave me life! Can we trade him for Dan?