S31: Spencer Bledsoe

[Zuleikha]

At the beginning of the episode he was clearly buttering Jeremy up for a jury vote, but once the reward c picks revealed he was at the bottom of that alliance, he had no choice but to go back to Jeremy.

Of course he had a choice. If he felt shaky in his relationship with Kelley because she didn't pick him for reward, he could talk to her about it and work on the relationship. Just like he felt shaky in his relationship with Jeremy after the Stephen boot and worked to ensure he still had trust with Tasha and Jeremy. 

 

Also again, factually, the reward picks did not reveal anything about Kelley's choice of alliance partners. She brought Joe, who she planned to vote out. She brought Keith, whom she was not formally aligned with and with whom she may or may not try to be aligned. She left behind Tasha, who if Kelley really is hoping for the woman's alliance to pan out, IS someone Kelley plans to align with. If Spencer made a choice simply because Kelley didn't bring him along, that's a pure emotional play.

 

Personally, I don't think Spencer's choices were affected by the reward challenge at all, though. I think Spencer has been wanting to work with Jeremy since he was tribe swapped to Bayon and only seemed to flip because he was threatened by Stephen's closeness with Jeremy. Spencer has never seriously tried to work with anyone else with the exception of the Stephen boot. 

Edited December 6, 2015 by Zuleikha

[violet and green]

Spencer has never seriously tried to work with anyone else with the exception of the Stephen boot. 

 

Why would he want to try to work with them when they wanted to vote him out the second the two tribes merged? It was only a spot of luck and Monica getting onto Kimmi's hitlist that saved Spencer that time, then he made a cosy little bed for himself under Jeremy, by deliberately setting out to build a relationship with him, talking about his girlfriend and appealing to Jeremy as a guy trying to find a way to learn how to express his feelings, and also working his way in with Stephen to a degree.

 

Who he'll align with to save his skin in the next few votes will be interesting.

[Zuleikha]

Why would he want to try to work with them when they wanted to vote him out the second the two tribes merged? It was only a spot of luck and Monica getting onto Kimmi's hitlist that saved Spencer that time,

What are you talking about? Spencer was not a target at merge, and he was certainly never a target of Ciera's, Abi's, or Kelley's. Ciera and Abi are the two who (along with Kass) saved him at the second tribe swap when Spencer was cluelessly marching to a Savage-driven blindside. 

 

Spencer was not a target at Bayon. The boot was between Monica or Wigles. Spencer was never being considered. Also, if Stephen/Kimmi/Jeremy had been more interested in winning the immunity challenge, who knows whether Bayon would even have headed to a Tribal Council.

 

The reason why Spencer should want to work with some combination of Kelley, Abi, Keith, and Kimmi is that he has a good chance at beating any of them. Keith and Kimmi are presumed to be pawns whereas Spencer seems to be presumed smart and strategic. Abi is Abi. Kelley is the toughest competition for him (and IMHO should beat him), but at least he knows there are people on the jury who disliked her for daring to not roll over and get voted out when they expected her to. The only reason for wanting to work with people at this stage of the game is because you think you can beat them at final Tribal Council or because you have no alternate path to get to Tribal Council.

[violet and green]

What are you talking about? Spencer was not a target at merge.

 

 

He wasn't? Tell you what, when I have the time and the energy, I'll go through my recordings and present a transcript. He most certainly was named as the one they had to get out. Then they forgot about him.

[KimberStormer]

That's the funny thing about reward picks....I know there is an alternative theory about this, but I'm pretty sure Spencer was criticizing Stephen for taking his top allies on reward.  But when he's not taken on reward, he thinks OMG I'm not their top ally!!  And I suppose that's natural.  But it would be more consistent (or something?) for Spencer to say to himself, 'OK, Kelley must trust me, she didn't take me on reward.'

 

(Actually though I agree with Zuleika and I don't think the reward figured in Spencer's plans at all, only in the depths of his pining heart, wherein the figure of his love is written with a pen of fire.)

Edited December 6, 2015 by KimberStormer

[violet and green]

Right. I see I did write the word merge, but I was talking about when the first tribe swap occurred - Monica being long gone before the actual merge, of course.

 

When the old Bayon and Ta Keo were reshuffled into three tribes, Spencer and Monica had a conversation by the water well, mostly about how Wigglesworth had a ton of people on her side, and that he didn't trust her one little bit. Afterwards, Monica says to camera that she thinks he's sneaky and the women need to stick together  - 'and so, once a challenge is lost, Spencer needs to go first.'

 

Jeremy and Stephen discuss who was to go, Spencer or Wigglesworth, and decide that Spencer 'needs us more'. Spencer, meanwhile, knowing he's on the chopping block works his arse off socially, bonding with Jeremy fishing, and agreeing meekly with Stephen; he mentions to camera that it sucks, but he has to play this role.

 

They lose the challenge and Monica is keen for Spencer to go over Wigglesworth, saying to Kimmi what if we want to have a women's alliance down the track... Kimmi spins it, and Jeremy and Stephen agree reluctantly to vote out Monica instead.

 

Back on old Ta Keo, Spencer was on the chopping block along with Shirin very early on, but Abi's hysterics and targeting of others who greatly offended her kept saving him. My feeling was if they hadn't done the tribe swap when they did, Spencer would have gone long ago. I never had any sense on Ta Keo that Kelley was supportive of Spencer in any way, nor was Abi.

 

Why would he turn around and trust any of these people now? He doesn't even trust Jeremy especially, he just needs him for the moment. Spencer is playing his own game, and using the opportunities that come along to tuck himself away from the firing line. I think that is a worthwhile reading of his situation that he has made, and it has so far served him better than e.g. shouting at other people to play the game and thereby making himself more of a target, and/or aligning with the shiftier members of the remaining cast.

[Oscirus]

Of course he had a choice. If he felt shaky in his relationship with Kelley because she didn't pick him for reward, he could talk to her about it and work on the relationship. Just like he felt shaky in his relationship with Jeremy after the Stephen boot and worked to ensure he still had trust with Tasha and Jeremy. 

 

Also again, factually, the reward picks did not reveal anything about Kelley's choice of alliance partners. She brought Joe, who she planned to vote out. She brought Keith, whom she was not formally aligned with and with whom she may or may not try to be aligned. She left behind Tasha, who if Kelley really is hoping for the woman's alliance to pan out, IS someone Kelley plans to align with. If Spencer made a choice simply because Kelley didn't bring him along, that's a pure emotional play.

 

Personally, I don't think Spencer's choices were affected by the reward challenge at all, though. I think Spencer has been wanting to work with Jeremy since he was tribe swapped to Bayon and only seemed to flip because he was threatened by Stephen's closeness with Jeremy. Spencer has never seriously tried to work with anyone else with the exception of the Stephen boot. 

If you have to go to somebody after they just wronged you by not picking you for a reward challenge, that's probably a pretty big hint that said person doesn't give a damn about your contributions to their alliance anymore.

 

Considering that Spencer was the only member of Kelley's fake alliance that wasn't picked, I'd say Kelley revealed a lot more then she meant to reveal. Kelley could tell Tasha that she wasn't picked because she was trying to hide the women's alliance but what could Kelley possibly tell Spencer that would justify his omission?

 

It probably didn't help that Jeremy (and probably Tasha as well) was more then willing to rub it in once the other five were at reward.

 

That's the funny thing about reward picks....I know there is an alternative theory about this, but I'm pretty sure Spencer was criticizing Stephen for taking his top allies on reward.  But when he's not taken on reward, he thinks OMG I'm not their top ally!!  And I suppose that's natural.  But it would be more consistent (or something?) for Spencer to say to himself, 'OK, Kelley must trust me, she didn't take me on reward.'

 

Isn't that following the same reasoning though? By picking out four other people before Spencer, didn't she make Stephen at best look like an outsider?

[KimberStormer]

Oscirus, on 06 Dec 2015 - 02:03 AM, said:

If you have to go to somebody after they just wronged you by not picking you for a reward challenge, that's probably a pretty big hint that said person doesn't give a damn about your contributions to their alliance anymore.

 

Considering that Spencer was the only member of Kelley's fake alliance that wasn't picked, I'd say Kelley revealed a lot more then she meant to reveal. Kelley could tell Tasha that she wasn't picked because she was trying to hide the women's alliance but what could Kelley possibly tell Spencer that would justify his omission?

 

Isn't that following the same reasoning though? By picking out four other people before Spencer, didn't she make Stephen at best look like an outsider?

 

What I mean is, it's an impossible paradox for the picker.  "Don't take your close allies on reward, but if you don't take someone on reward, that means they're not your ally anymore."  If taking your close ally is wrong, then not being picked should be a sign of the closeness of your alliance, right?  You can't say that people shouldn't reveal their alliance structure through their picks and then also whine that you've been "wronged" by not being taken along.

 

I don't know what fake alliance you mean but certainly, as Zuleikha said, Kelley was planning to vote out Joe, so her reward picks can't possibly have revealed anything about who she was aligning with. 

[Zuleikha]

Why would he turn around and trust any of these people now?

Because what you quoted is ancient history in Survivor terms. Who cares that he was on the chopping block at original Ta Keo? Literally every single person involved in that choice except for Abi is out of the game now. At new Bayon, Monica was the only person trying to get Spencer out, and even she didn't vote for him at the actual Tribal Council. 

 

Keith, Kelley, and Kimmi have never tried to get Spencer out of the game. Abi only was part of a group on Ta Keo that was targeting Spencer and Shirin because Varner--who is long gone--wanted to. So Spencer has no reason to mistrust them. Also, as I said before, at this point in the game trust should have very little to do with it. It's mutual need. Spencer can trust Jeremy; Jeremy's proven to be very loyal and helpful. But what good does that trust do when Spencer almost certainly can't beat Jeremy at the end?

 

If you have to go to somebody after they just wronged you by not picking you for a reward challenge, that's probably a pretty big hint that said person doesn't give a damn about your contributions to their alliance anymore.

First, Kelley didn't wrong Spencer by not picking him for the reward challenge. She couldn't pick everyone. Some people were going to be left behind, and it's not like Spencer was Kelley's bestest, closest alliance mate who's been working tightly with her for ages.

 

Second, it is common sense and strategy that you make sure at least one person with whom you think you can work is left behind to monitor the situation at camp, so Kelley's leaving behind Spencer could just as logically be read as a statement of trust and importance rather than not giving a damn.

 

Third, Spencer ran back to Jeremy way before the reward challenge and even if Spencer meant it to be a buttering up for votes, what is Kelley supposed to think about Spencer pow wowing with Jeremy again? It's not like there's a lot of built up game trust between the two of them? Spencer should be capable of understanding that Kelley is going to be--and should be--working all of her angles, too, and it's as much his responsibility as hers to keep trust between them if he wants to get Jeremy out of the game (which he should).

[violet and green]

He has said last ep he doesn't want to be sitting next to Jeremy at the end. Ergo, he does want to get him out of the game.

 

That's a lot of shoulds. Spencer is playing his own game. He's not there to advance hers. Kelley is shady. If there's any shoulds about what he should do, in the past when this was shot, he should work to get her out asap.

[Oscirus]

I don't know what fake alliance you mean but certainly, as Zuleikha said, Kelley was planning to vote out Joe, so her reward picks can't possibly have revealed anything about who she was aligning with.

 

I'm talking about the five he booted the previous week.  Joe should've never been picked in the first place. She had the numbers, what damage could've possibly been done by leaving Joe behind with Jeremy and Tasha? By picking Joe with that last pick, she started raising  Spencer's antenna the same way that Stephen did last week when he made his reward picks.

 

First, Kelley didn't wrong Spencer by not picking him for the reward challenge. She couldn't pick everyone. Some people were going to be left behind, and it's not like Spencer was Kelley's bestest, closest alliance mate who's been working tightly with her for ages.

 

Spencer felt wronged enough to go elsewhere for an alliance. Kelley can do whatever she wants, she won but by making her picks, the onus fell on Kelley to make Spencer feel safe enough to stick with her, not with Spencer who did what strategic people do when they feel threatened. Why even pick someone you plan on booting anyway? That's just sloppy.

 

Second, it is common sense and strategy that you make sure at least one person with whom you think you can work is left behind to monitor the situation at camp, so Kelley's leaving behind Spencer could just as logically be read as a statement of trust and importance rather than not giving a damn.

 

It makes sense if you have a large group back at camp, but three people? What situation are you monitoring? the Minority is talking shit about the group in power? Big deal.  Besides  even if I did agree with that argument, she already left Tasha back at camp so why did she need two spies?

 

Spencer should be capable of understanding that Kelley is going to be--and should be--working all of her angles, too, and it's as much his responsibility as hers to keep trust between them if he wants to get Jeremy out of the game (which he should).

 

His first responsibility is keeping himself safe and getting himself to the final two. If he feels that he's in danger in the next two tribals or the next tribal if Jeremy wins immunity, why should he go along with the status quo?  Yea, Jeremy is a jury threat but what good is it getting rid of him if you're sitting next to him in three days?

[peachmangosteen]

Did Spencer have a confessional about feeling wronged by Kelley? I'm genuinely asking because I just can't recall it. I love Spencer, but I tend to zone out after the 3rd or so time he drones on about the same thing.

[Oscirus]

Don't remember the exact quote but he said something to the effect that each Kelley pick felt like tiny little shanks to the heart.

[Zuleikha]

...the onus fell on Kelley to make Spencer feel safe enough to stick with her, not with Spencer who did what strategic people do when they feel threatened.

IMHO, no, that's not what strategic people do. That's what emotional players do. Strategic players weigh out their odds on what they want to happen and figure out how to make it happen.

 

For example, look at the difference between Jeremy and Spencer. Spencer gave Jeremy plenty of reason to mistrust him and to feel wronged by him; Spencer orchestrated a blindside of one of their solid alliance mates. But Jeremy is still working with Spencer because--for whatever reason--Jeremy feels his end game is better with Spencer than without. IMHO, that's what a strategic player does.

 

Did Spencer have a confessional about feeling wronged by Kelley?

No, he didn't. All he said was that each of her picks was like a shank to the heart. That's disappointment, for sure, but everyone's disappointed when they don't get picked for the loved ones reward. IMHO, it's a leap to go from him being disappointed in her picks to assuming that he felt personally wronged and like she was far too untrustworthy to ally with, especially since we saw him already working to mend relationships with Jeremy at the start of the episode. Spencer didn't flip on Stephen because of Stephen's reward picks, and I doubt he flipped on Kelley because of Kelley's reward picks. 

[Vicky8675309]

why do people try to win individual reward challenges? (rhetorical question)

Unless it is for a clue or advantage (and you need it) then those are the challenges to lose (don't have to piss people off plus you don't seem like a threat)

Edited December 7, 2015 by Vicky8675309

[ByaNose]

In theory, you never want to win reward. Supposedly, they are so hungry & competitive they go ape crazy & can't help themselves.

[LadyChatts]

I'm surprised they don't have more individual reward challenges anymore.  Look at the drama and dilemma it can cause!  Especially when you do send someone back to camp to be a spy and they fail miserably at it. 

[Oscirus]

The fact is this it's in Kelly's best interest to boot Jeremy then Spencer, meaning that contrary to popular belief, it's in Spencer's best interest to work with Jeremy. So regardless of what the reason was for Spencer's defection, it was in Kelley's best interest to make sure that Spencer had no reaction to his omission from the reward and that he thought that the fake alliance was still a thing. Picking Joe over Spencer was a huge mistake on her part and if she didn't bother making sure everything was alright between her and Spencer then that was an even bigger error.

 

That being said, this is probably all going to be academic since at the moment, Keith appears to be leaning towards siding with Kelley meaning that her side has the numbers anyway.

[peachmangosteen]

Don't remember the exact quote but he said something to the effect that each Kelley pick felt like tiny little shanks to the heart.

 

LOL how could I forget that!

 

But I'm with Zuleikha, I don't think that necessarily means he feels wronged by Kelley. And really, even if he does, I don't think he'll let that keep him from working with her if he thinks it's better for him in the long run.

 

I actually think there's a pretty good chance Spencer will try to team back up with Kelley because he did in fact say that he believes Jeremy is his biggest competition. And I believe he's right about that.

Edited December 7, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[Nashville]

But I'm with Zuleikha, I don't think that necessarily means he feels wronged by Kelley.

Agreed. Spence's shank soliloquy came across as more an expression of internal disappointment than externally perceived malice.

[Miss Scarlet]

Why hasn't Spencer been targeted more? I find it a bit weird that many of the reasons for Stephen being targeted also apply to Spencer (student of the game, smart, etc.), but people seem to trust Spencer much more. Yes, Stephen had the advantage, but he was targeted way before that and Spencer also dove in for the advantage, which seemed like it would have aroused some suspicion. They seem to be equally respectful and pleasant to other players. I know Stephen can be pretty socially inept and neurotic, but Spencer (self-admittedly) has elements of that too. So why are people more trusting of Spencer? Is it because he's played a more passive game and been less vocal about making "big moves"? The difference in reaction to both of them seems weird to me.

[princelina]

Why hasn't Spencer been targeted more? I find it a bit weird that many of the reasons for Stephen being targeted also apply to Spencer (student of the game, smart, etc.), but people seem to trust Spencer much more. Yes, Stephen had the advantage, but he was targeted way before that and Spencer also dove in for the advantage, which seemed like it would have aroused some suspicion. They seem to be equally respectful and pleasant to other players. I know Stephen can be pretty socially inept and neurotic, but Spencer (self-admittedly) has elements of that too. So why are people more trusting of Spencer? Is it because he's played a more passive game and been less vocal about making "big moves"? The difference in reaction to both of them seems weird to me.

My guess?  Is that Spencer is much less annoying than Stephen when you are around them for a long period of time :)

[Jextella]

I have a cougar crush on Spencer.  

 

There. I said it.

[Oscirus]

Probably because Spencer doesn't do stupid shit like targeting people before immunity's even played or accusing others of looking idols after blatantly doing it himself.

[Stinamaia]

Why hasn't Spencer been targeted more? I find it a bit weird that many of the reasons for Stephen being targeted also apply to Spencer (student of the game, smart, etc.), but people seem to trust Spencer much more. Yes, Stephen had the advantage, but he was targeted way before that and Spencer also dove in for the advantage, which seemed like it would have aroused some suspicion. They seem to be equally respectful and pleasant to other players. I know Stephen can be pretty socially inept and neurotic, but Spencer (self-admittedly) has elements of that too. So why are people more trusting of Spencer? Is it because he's played a more passive game and been less vocal about making "big moves"? The difference in reaction to both of them seems weird to me.

The women are targeting him now. Didn't they name him as the man to go next?

[KimberStormer]

Probably horrible of me, but I've always had a thing for skinny boys, and Spencer was looking pretty good to me today.  I know, I'm awful!

[peachmangosteen]

Probably horrible of me, but I've always had a thing for skinny boys, and Spencer was looking pretty good to me today.  I know, I'm awful!

 

No I feel you!

 

But also Spencer looked like he could barely walk properly, so that was kind of disturbing to me.

 

If Spencer doesn't try to get Jeremy out next then I really have no idea what he's doing. I'm starting to think maybe he knows about Jeremy's idol.

Edited December 10, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[Special K]

I just loved the look of awe and wonder in his face watching those Cambodian dancers!
 

[LadyChatts]

No I feel you!

 

But also Spencer looked like he could barely walk properly, so that was kind of disturbing to me.

 

If Spencer doesn't try to get Jeremy out next then I really have no idea what he's doing. I'm starting to think maybe he knows about Jeremy's idol.

 

In the secret scene vid it showed Spencer getting sick.  That came after the RC, but given what Joe said about a bug going around camp and Spencer being sick with it, maybe he wasn't completely over it.  I don't really care if a guy is skinny or not, but I do think Spencer is attractive.  I'll be curious what his weight loss total is, because he looked like he lost a lot compared to when the game started.  Jeremy's also looking pretty slim, too.

 

I will say, after watching last night, I do think Spencer is buying into his own hype pretty hard.  Maybe with Stephen and Joe out of the way he thinks he'll be king?  I question if he really thinks he can win against Jeremy.  The comment about not letting goats to the end made me think that they were well aware they'd be being judged back home and wanted to get the Probst and fan seal of approval of game play.  I don't know, I don't want to say it felt scripted, but something threw me off from that remark.

 

I think it's impressive he memorized that puzzle, although in most returnee seasons, challenges are repeated.  So I don't know if I should be too impressed that he took a chance it would be used.  But hey, it did give him the victory.

Edited December 10, 2015 by LadyChatts

[Vicky8675309]

Spencer, total cutie, is frighteningly skinny. I like skinny guys but he is looking emaciated. He looks like he has lost the most weight especially since he was slender to start with. Keith and Tasha don't look emaciated. Kelley is skinny but still looking good. I'm sure Jeremy has lost a lot of weight but he was so muscular/bulky to start with that it isn't as dramatic as with Spencer. I worry about Spencer's health but he seems to be holding up well (ah, to be his age once again).

[LadyChatts]

Spencer, zero chance of winning.  That's what I was saying all during the finale.  I don't know if he choked or got over confident or what but what a downfall.  He had an opportunity to turn this game on its head and take control, but he didn't.  He kept the one person around that he shouldn't have.  And he tanked his social game in front of the jury by trying to come across as the Survivor expert-superfan to end all experts-superfans.  I don't believe Jeremy being a father of 2 (soon to be 3) earned his win that much.  

 

When Wentworth got voted off all I could do was watch Tasha and Jeremy who were seeing the votes float away from him.  Spencer also seemed out of it at the reunion.  Glad he and his girlfriend are still together, hope if he comes back for a third time he'll actually learn the social game part (and not have pre-alliances with the wrong people and get out the threats early on), and I hope if he and Kass do have a beer together they post a pic because that seems unbelievable to me.

[Zuleikha]

I just don't think Spencer's that great at Survivor strategy. Abi-Maria recognized what Spencer couldn't: that in order to play to win, you have to be willing to risk your chance at getting to Final Tribal Council in order to increase the odds of getting there with people you can beat. Spencer wasn't willing to take that risk, and so he took the safe path to runner up/goat status. 

 

What I will (sort of) credit him with is that I don't think he would have fared any better going to FTC with Kelley Wentworth than he did with Jeremy. He needed to be able to work with some combination of Abi, Kimmi, Keith, and Tasha to get to the end and have a chance at a win, and I don't think he was ever going to be capable of that.

[ForeverAlone]

Yeah, up until the last few tribals, I was all in support of Spencer winning, but then he went and tanked his own game by the words coming out of his mouth. Yeah, I get that he was just trying to stay in the game, but after seeing him basically blackmail Jeremy into not voting him out, if I had been on the jury, I would have never been willing to vote for Spencer after that. 

[Skeeter22]

Based on the jury reaction to Keith being voted out, I don't think Spencer could have beaten him either. Spencer was a goat by the end. Even Kass and Abi would have gotten some votes. He didn't have any friends on the jury. His only friends were Jeremy and Tasha.

[LadyChatts]

I just love that after the talk about goats last week, Spencer and Tasha turned out to be the two biggest goats this season.  I think Keith was right about them voting Abi off.  I think Spencer would have possibly pulled off a win.  I just think his ego, this second chance, and the game ran away from him.  He was looking for things to get credit on, he wanted to make moves, he wanted to simply be strategic.  He wasn't thinking of the bigger picture.  I also believe he thought he could beat Jeremy, at least until the FTC.

[Skeeter22]

Wentworth seemed really amused when Spencer told her he had a good shot of winning. Jeremy probably didn't even need immunity as long as Kelley lost. I think Spencer really believed his own hype and it did him in. He really committed to his Pinocchio storyline at FTC, even after several jurors called him out for bad social play. He may have finally become a real boy, but no one said he was a likeable one.

[ForeverAlone]

What was funny is that Tasha and Spencer SHOULD have realized that, after the tribal Kelley was voted out of, that they were brought along, because they could not win. I mean, the entire repartee of that tribal was that you should vote out whoever you think you can't beat. Which of course in this case was Kelley. The fact that nobody was talking about voting Tasha out was not because she was controlling anything; it's because everyone knew she was a total goat and no threat to win. I have no clue if Jeremy was every REALLY thinking of taking Kelley over Spencer, but if he did, that likely went away after Spencer's "threat" to poison the jury against him if he voted him out, because he figured that Spencer wouldn't get many, if any, votes. Basically, Spencer turned himself into a goat in that tribal, but I don't think he realized it at that point. 

Edited December 17, 2015 by ForeverAlone

[LadyChatts]

I don't believe Jeremy was planning on voting out Spencer.  I think he entertained the idea, maybe to give Kelley hope, but Spencer gave him a way out of it.  Spencer had already blown is social game up at the Kimmi boot, imo, if it wasn't blow up already.  But I believe, if Spencer had any votes coming, he put the final nail in his coffin when he went off on Jeremy about voting out him and keeping Kelley.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Spencer vastly underestimated Jeremy, or did not even estimate Jeremy, throughout this entire game.  Did he only figure this out at Final immunity challenge, when Jeremy started breaking down emotionally?  He looked a bit taken aback.  Or perhaps even Final tribal council, when Jeremy announced Val's pregnancy?  Again, he looked completely out of his league.  It was like this episode he was finally taking notice of who had been there all along.  I wish Jeff touched on this more, but Jeff is a moron.

 

I forget what happened these past few episodes.  Did Spencer vaguely talk about Jeremy being a threat?  I believe so once or twice.  I have to admit I *ALWAYS* admire loyalty (yes, even the Woo to Tony kind.  Yes, even the Jeremy to Spencer and vice versa kind) so I thought it was really sweet when Spencer, Tasha, and even Jeremy remained loyal to the other parts to the very end.  But I don't remember if Spencer ever really saw the forest for the trees.  At the reunion, his regret about the season kind of painted the story like he thought he had it all locked up until he saw the show.

 

I had always seen the major threat to Jeremy's win being Kelley, not Spencer.  What I never really knew were Spencer's, Jeremy's, or Kelley's thoughts to that.  That's why it was very amusing when Spencer said he had a great chance of winning and Kelley was like "............. You do...?  Huh."  

 

He needed to be able to work with some combination of Abi, Kimmi, Keith, and Tasha to get to the end and have a chance at a win, and I don't think he was ever going to be capable of that.

 

He absolutely could have at several points of the game, right?  He kept winning immunity post-Joe, it feels like?  But he kept his loyalty to Jeremy.  He just seemed to see no negatives to that.    I'm not saying Jeremy's perfect.  I give major credit to Spencer and Tasha for seeing right through Kimmie's ploy, which led to a HILARIOUS scene of Spencer being extremely fake to Kimmie in order to get her to buy what Spencer and Tasha were selling her.  But Spencer's downfall all along was never seeing Jeremy for the player and the threat he is.  Jeremy's strength was manufacturing this magic loyalty in people like Spencer, Stephen, sometimes Tasha, and sometimes Kimmie.

Edited December 17, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[LadyChatts]

I'm curious if Spencer and Tasha got so caught up in staying loyal to Jeremy and sticking with their final 3 that they weren't looking at the bigger picture, or if they really believe Jeremy was beatable.  At least Spencer, one of the castoffs (can't remember who) said Tasha seemed fine losing to Jeremy if it meant staying loyal.  I don't think Spencer will be having much fun in the interview round.  Also, I know that their clothes are picked for them at the reunion, but curious why they put Spencer in that outfit.

[slowpoked]

Basically, Spencer turned himself into a goat in that tribal, but I don't think he realized it at that point.

He highly overestimated his "big moves" the last two tribals - the arrogance of daring to go to rocks when he was safe, declaring Tasha safe no matter what, and then the bullying of Jeremy the final tribal. I think he thought it would look like great, big moves to the jury, but they saw through it and saw the opposite. When Andrew called it arrogant, and for him to do that right in front of the jury, I think by then he knew he lost. Then Kimmi doubling down on calling him a bully, he probably realized then he's not getting any votes.

He castigated Woo for not doing the "right" thing at Cagayan, but he essentially did the same thing here, minus the drama of him winning final IC and then proceeding to take Jeremy. He voted out Abi the goat and then became a goat himself.

[Eolivet]

I could miss my guess and be completely wrong, but with what little time they spent on him tonight at the reunion, I wonder if Spencer is just done with Survivor and won't be back. The fact that he stopped watching in the middle of the season, the look on his face at final tribal council -- I mean, he was so proud of his growth and his vulnerability, and it ended with the same result. I don't see how he goes back and tops it. He got to final tribal council...and lost. On his second try. I mean, where does he go from here?

 

I don't know -- he seemed pretty over it by the end. I hope he goes on to have a great life with his girlfriend (or whoever) and realizes there's more to life than winning Survivor.

[LadyChatts]

I believe there are two types of categories of Survivor players: the 'life goes on' group and the 'Survivor defines us' group.  Someone like Keith, he goes on Survivor, has a grand old time, makes the most of the opportunity, but at the end of the day, he goes back home to his family, job, and life, and continues on like normal.  For someone like Spencer, life will go on for him, but I think he falls into the latter category because he was a super fan, because he fancied himself a player, because he got the ultimate seal of approval from Probst, who admitted he was wrong about something, and he came off a very popular season as one of the most popular players to date.  Everyone joked that he and Joe had probably 99% of the votes locked up for this season, and everyone else got .01%  I believe he came on with high expectations for himself and expecting his second chance to go an entirely different way.  And Spencer is like Joe, in the sense that he was such a huge, huge fan of the show, and that the experience and getting to the final 3 or the merge/jury wasn't enough.  You have to win.  You want to be considered one of the greats.  The fact that he couldn't even watch to see himself tank his own game and be humiliated about is why I think he's someone where Survivor is more than just a game or experience to him, it is more like a part of your life that you want to control and succeed at but can't.

 

His game started off on the wrong foot, and being aligned with Shirin didn't help.  Then he got a series of lucky breaks and coasted along.  His one big move that he can crow about was blindsiding Stephen.  He had opportunities to make others before that, and after, but he didn't.  He got played in a game that he tried to come out and be the ultimate Survivor mastermind genius.  He got played by the guy who is now a million dollars richer, the guy he was warned about winning, and he completely tanked his social game in those last few TC.  I think for Spencer, it means more to him than just the average player.  This is a guy who said he studied a puzzle from a previous season in case it wound up on here.  And this wasn't a case where Spencer lost by a vote or two, or even came in second.  He tied for second.  He can't even have that honor to himself.  He talked last week about goats, and he became one.  I don't know if we will see him again or not.  Unless he examines what he did wrong this time, I don't know that he will do so well.  He was almost a pre-merger if that first tribe swap didn't save him.  And in the second tribe swap, he was about to be blindsided had Kass not let him in on what Andrew was planning. 

 

I wish him well.  He is young, but he seems to have a good head on his shoulders.  I liked him up until night, but he let that arrogance of being in a solid alliance get to him.  If he comes back, hopefully he waits about five years, and I think it'll make the world of difference.

Edited December 17, 2015 by LadyChatts

[slowpoked]

I mean, he was so proud of his growth and his vulnerability, and it ended with the same result.

I think he was stumped that the others didn't see his "growth" the way he saw it. Edited December 17, 2015 by slowpoked

[pamplemousse]

I hope against hope he is over Survivor and doesn't play again. I think I'd rather see Tempestt Bledsoe on Survivor than Spencer Bledsoe a third time.

[Oscirus]

Spencer's problem was ultimately that there were always bigger targets then Jeremy. First it was Joe, then it was the amigas, then it was Stephen, then back to Joe.  While he was busy going after all these targets, Jeremy  was advancing in the game right with him, hiding in plain sight. Any chance that he had of winning instantly vanished once he tried to bully his way into the final 3 in front of the jury.  If you're going to threaten Jeremy, pull him to the side.

 

I think Spencer knows that this was his best chance of winning the game, so he's probably done with it.

[pennben]

So, I'm watching Spencer on Rob has a Periscope.  Good for him for admitting he underestimated Jeremy and overestimated himself.  Double good on him for recognizing and saying he knew he had lost even before Jeremy brought up his unborn son.  That's a good sport.  I'm still not convinced he's a real boy yet....:)!

[LadyChatts]

I'm surprised Jeff didn't say 'he doesn't have the million but at least Spencer's got a girlfriend'.

I don't know if Spencer is someone who couldn't win, but for now this probably was his best chance. At least he can admit where he went wrong. Seems like he and Stephen have a lot in common in terms of ignoring the obvious game threats. It's all fresh and raw right now, but given another chance a few years down the road, I won't be surprised if he said yes. He is just starting out in life, though, so I can see where he'd want to put Survivor on the back burner for awhile. Some of the Survivors seemed out of it, I wonder if they all realize either this was their last chance or at the very least the best they are likely to do.

I really need to get more into periscope. Seems all the Survivors do it.

Edited December 17, 2015 by LadyChatts

[KimberStormer]

Eolivet, on 16 Dec 2015 - 11:06 PM, said:

I could miss my guess and be completely wrong, but with what little time they spent on him tonight at the reunion, I wonder if Spencer is just done with Survivor and won't be back.

 

I got that feeling too.  It's funny, they gave him such a positive edit, based entirely around the narrative that he was spinning for them (the cameras even more than the jury!) about his growth and making relationships (by the end of that FTC the word "relationships" lost all meaning to me) blah blah.  No doubt to make him seem a credible threat at the end, which I like, because there's nothing worse than an ending where you know for sure who's not winning because they don't have the edit.  But also, now that it's over, it almost feels like...a parting gift?  Like trying to make him happy and not hate them?  But he's just not into it anymore. 

 

And you know, I understand it.  It hurt him.  He was thoroughly outplayed and didn't even know it.  Better to get out of that scene than to rant and rave about how you were robbed, or whatever.

[Ms Blue Jay]

Hahaha... Tempestt Bledsoe....