S31.E01: Second Chance

[peachmangosteen]

Taking someone's stuff is a big no-no ...

 

Is it? It sure doesn't seem to be. Russell took and burned someone's socks, Sandra took and burned Russell's hat. I'm sure there are other examples.

 

I really enjoyed this first ep. Kelley Wentworth got an amazing edit. I liked her last time, so I'm excited about her. She seems so hated online though and I haven't been able to figure out why.

 

I despised Vytas last time, so I was really pleased to see him go. And to see Terry, who I also despise, blindsided.

Edited September 24, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[Cricketoo]

I thought the word for Vytas was smarmy, but I have seen a lot of swarmy out there.  Swarmy as in gnats or yellowjackets, or smarmy as in oily, nasty goo?  Either way, not so good for Vytas.

[Daisy]

I would pretty much define "Old School Survivor" from anything seasons one through twelve ."     

I would say  Cook  Islnds-Fiji - China was sort of a transition and Micronesia on ward is all "new school"

And while I think it could get tedious -  I do think it is a hard adjustment.15 years ago people played for the adventure (like Jeff Said). you would bond by surviving and building things, and knowing together (hence why things like the Sue vs.Kelly thing stands out. Sue was prepared to lose to Kelly, so they could stomp out Rich).  There's no way stuff like that would happen now - and I would think no matter how long you've been watching/a fan etc, that it just switches on to be all "alliance r us" now,

 

With that being said. I was so scared for Varner. (I need him to at least be on the Jury please) because he kept emphasising this fact. I kept saying "shut up! stop telling everyone how lost you are, they'll use it against you!" but I could still see some Varner-ess especially near the end.

 

re: BraceletGate - Abi, you could have addressed this so many ways. Why she was gong through Peigh-Gee's bag anyway.Honestly especially because Peigh Gee is a jewellery designer , i just feel she was  telling the truth.

 

Shirin:  Please make me like you. Be more calm. Honestly, I think she does have a resource - knowing the game like the back of her hand., she just needs to use it smartly, and not be alll verbal diarrhoea-esque with it.

 

Kimmie: so smart. keeping quiet.   Please make it to the jury.

 

Stephen....hooo booyyy.LOL. He was so amazingly awkward. basically breaking every single thing he talks about in Know-It-Alls.  

 

Kelley Wentworth. Hell yeah!  ♥♥♥   Your Daddy totally held you back. And she has an idol NO ONE knows about. Play it like Caroline (just don't tell anyone). I like this. make the clues easy to find, make the idol a bitch to find. And the fact that she kept looking at it, staring at  it, and then ... just waited for the right moment. and Jeff didn't even notice. As long as she  plays a clean game, she could get super far.                                          

Re; Vytas - makes sense to me. (I mean Abi easily could have gone), but Vytas does have the ties - you eliminate someone you can't trust (he can link up with Ciera  should they end up on a tribe swap), there is the Terry Link, and that the fact he is creepy and entitled. I don't think removing him 'weakens' the tribe. Abi did relatively well, with a torn ACL. I'm pretty sure she can carry her own, when healthy.                                                                                              

I really enjoyed this episode. but I am always excited when Survivor starts up.                   

Edited September 24, 2015 by Daisy

[TheFinalRose]

Aww, I enjoyed Vytas on his season. His "namaste bitches" closing line cracked me up back then. Problem is he went too deep back into his smarmy charmy strategy that kept him alive for a few extra tribals last time, when the occasion didn't warrant it. And his panties didn't help...ugh.  Oh well.  Guess I cursed him since he was one of my favs. I am officially one of those fans that is let down because the player I liked is out.  

 

I am sorry that Wigglesworth is a Survivor favorite, but I didn't like her much on season one and I'm not a fan now. She did something to her face.

 

Blonde Kelly is so cute, she's what Gwyneth Paltrow thinks she sees when she looks in the mirror. Shirin is going to drive everyone nuts again.  Guess I'll just root for Keith and Woo because there is no way Joe survives. Anyway, so glad to have my favorite show back again.

 

 

[ChicksDigScars]

If Jeff refers to Kelly Wiglesworth as "Wiglesworth" one more time, I'm going to cut a bitch.

LOL. Bitches beware! Since there's a Kelly W and a Kelley W, I imagine it's going to happen A LOT until one of them goes home.

The Probst Stamp of Eternal Admiration and Acceptance (usually reserved for men). The calling out of the last name.

[cooksdelight]

 

Or did Australia not see the first season before they started?

 

 

If I remember correctly, they were filming Australia while the Borneo was airing, so the 2nd team didn't see the first. Or that guy who smuggled beef jerky would have known he'd get busted.

 

Regarding going through other people's bags, didn't we see that last season? I don't think there's a rule against looking, but you cannot remove anything you find unless it's your property. Unless your last name is Hantz.

[laurakaye]

Oh, Varner!  He was the news anchor for the local station in Kalamazoo, MI, which is near my town, and I enjoyed seeing his lovely smile in the morning.  He's just the cutest.  I hope he makes it really far this time.  I also loved how he talked about turning 50 and that this second chance was the first chapter in this phase of his life.

 

I loved the idol twist, putting it smack in the middle of a challenge.  This could get interesting, because now Kelley will be on the lookout to see if anyone from the other tribe does what she did, thereby giving her some important knowledge about the other tribe going forward.

 

Vytas...yeah, your reverse backbends in the middle of the shelter...probably not the best way to make people comfortable, hon.

 

Did Probst get a tad too much Botox?  

Edited September 24, 2015 by laurakaye

[ljenkins782]

Joe just looks like a bIg chinned guy in a lady's hairdo to me, so after about the third time the show was telling me how he was the dreamiest dreamboat of every girl's dreamy dreams, I was getting nauseated.  Andrew seems pretty smitten, though.

I can objectively see that Joe is a good-looking guy, but his particular look is not my bag so I get tired of hearing about it.

 

20 minutes into the show and I was sharply reminded how annoying I found Joe until he was the underdog (can't help rooting for an underdog, same thing happened with Mike by the end of Season 30.) The golden boy/tribe hero thing was laid on way thick. 

 

Not at all surprised that Andrew loves him, it's Burton all over again. On that note:

 

Fishbach, don't advertise your insecurities. Just try to get to know people, make a couple of friends.

 

Ugh, of ALL PEOPLE to advertise your insecurities to, Savage is the worst possible choice. He is not at all shy about his feelings toward "weak" men (see Skinny Ryan in Pearl Islands). 

 

I'm with Shirin on Vytas, he's just so smarmy, I think it works well on older women that are flattered that he's paying attention to them.

 

From what I remember about him on BvW, Vytas was successful in integrating himself with the women (though I believe they were older women, which does make the dynamic a little different. Like, if I'm early 20-whatever Kelley W. and this late 30s man I just met is overly touchy and overly attentive, I'm going to find that inappropriate.) But he also just WAY overdid it. Much as he protests it, I think he just has an innate manipulative streak, maybe left over from his drug addict days, and it comes off smarmy when he goes too hard with it. 

 

Still don't like Shirin...and thought Jeff's assessment of her was right on.

 

Shirin may be dialing it back, but she's still overplaying. Her lecturing Spencer and Jeff on Vytas' ties (which I'm betting Spencer was already aware of) sounded just like overeager Shirin of last season. 

 

I love Jeff Varner and I'm hoping he can play a similar undercover shit-stirring role as he did in Australia, but with better results. He's a good talker and bond-builder, but he made me nervous talking so much at TC about how much harder he's playing this time. 

 

I'm liking Kelley W. this go-around after her invisible edit last time.  It's always nice to see a pretty young girl not falling back on the "pretty young girl" thing and playing the flirt game. Maybe it was just editing, but it looked like she perfectly timed her idol grab to the moment of huge tension with the key grab, so good for her. 

 

That's already not easy, but when you consider the cameramen, it's even harder. If the action is up front and some camera guy is randomly filming Kelley W hanging around in the back, that would easily tip someone off. I'm guessing that will be a bigger issue once everyone else finds out that the idols are at challenges, her advantage was that she was the only one who knew so far. 

 

PG said something along the lines of there was a bag that didn't have a label on it, so she took it and put it in her bag.  Which made no sense, and I believe only Abi's bracelet was in there.  PG seemed to be trying to come up with a story that even she had a hard time believing.  Of course this could be something concocted by PG to bring up this same thing happening to Abi during Philippines, an that maybe Abi was trying to set her up or screw someone over.  PG, though, seemed rattled.  I'm still calling a set up.  I fully expected Varner or Vytas to own up to it.

 

The way I heard it, there were empty bags there for all of them and once they took one, they put their name tag on it. Abi's bag had nothing in it but a bracelet AND had no name tag, so PG thought it was an unclaimed bag and took it for an empty unclaimed bag that she could use. 

 

Honestly, it didn't sound far-fetched at all to me. The idea that she would have bothered to steal a cheap, ugly bracelet on Day 1 is far more far-fetched, as is the set-up idea (unless someone found the bracelet after Abi's endless bitching and stuck it in PG's bag, which again, seems likely a silly and risky move on Day 1.) Abi will blow up plenty in the days to come, no need to make a move so soon. 

 

I actually think it's kind of sad that some of these people can't get over their first try at survivor.  Kelly thinks about it every day? For 15years?  Too bad they can't take the experience for what it was and let go of the disappointment of not doing well.

 

I can't really blame some of them on that, especially those who came in 2nd (like Woo, who had a slam dunk million dollars and made the wrong choice.) That would haunt me too. Those who came in like 9th or whatever, I understand it less. There were too many things in the way, you couldn't say that you would have had it in the bag from that far back. 

 

The one that really irked me was Savage, whose speech was something like "The only bad thing in my life is my Survivor experience..." In other words, he's a millionaire executive, handsome, white, privileged guy with a lot to be grateful for, but is instead choosing to focus on this one time things didn't go his way. Hoping he gets a satisfying blindside NOT tied to any sort of game twist, so he can't cry foul about his exit. 

[Guest]

I was so glad when I realized it was going to be Abi or Vytas going home. I would have preferred Abi, but Vytas was also a good choice.  

 

I was surprised to hear that Aras and Terry are close now. They didn't seem like they had much in common when they played together.  I always liked Terry, so I'm glad he's back.

 

I am going to rewatch the episode at some point because I still don't have all the names straight, but overall, a solid start!

[ShadowSixx]

In regards to Joe it was so annoying and heavy handed how they were playing up how hot he is. Him doing yoga and the guy talking about his 15 and 17 year old staring off into space and drooling. Yes, Joe is a very attractive man, but he's not the hottest guy to ever be on Survivor. 

[cooksdelight]

 

the guy talking about his 15 and 17 year old staring off into space and drooling

 

That is why I don't like Savage. He will throw his own daughters under the bus, so to speak, to sound "cool."

[ProfCrash]

I thought the word for Vytas was smarmy, but I have seen a lot of swarmy out there.  Swarmy as in gnats or yellowjackets, or smarmy as in oily, nasty goo?  Either way, not so good for Vytas.

 

I struggle to distinguish between sounds, the M/N/W thing can be tricky for me. I hear swarmy but smarmy makes more sense.

If I remember correctly, they were filming Australia while the Borneo was airing, so the 2nd team didn't see the first. Or that guy who smuggled beef jerky would have known he'd get busted.

 

Regarding going through other people's bags, didn't we see that last season? I don't think there's a rule against looking, but you cannot remove anything you find unless it's your property. Unless your last name is Hantz.

I thought that there was no beef jerky and that it was a fabricated bit of BS. Jerry claimed she saw Kel checing some but there was none found. And there was nothing that I remember in season 1 that would have told Kel that he would not have been able to sneak anything on. And keep in mind that Rich snuck a lighter into All Stars, so I think it is possible to sneak stuff on.

[ghoulina]

I like Shirin.  Always did.  She's awkward and a little desperate, but I just enjoy her.  I'd probably like her in real life.

 

Same here. I think we would have fun talking to the animals and being generally goofy together. I really hope she is more well-liked this time around. 

 

 

 

I really hope though that production didn't engineer this bracelet thing to stir things up, figuring that the target of Abi-Maria's ire is someone boring and expendable.

 

Am I the only one who thought for a split second that Abi planted the bracelet herself? In order to make someone else the "bad guy" right off the bat? I mean, I guess that isn't really what happened - but I thought it kind of odd that the bag Abi happened to look in was the exact one the bracelet was in. 

Edited September 24, 2015 by ghoulina

[seasick]

Why all the Terry-hate?  I need to go back and see his season.  Know his face but not his game.

 

I want to like K-Wigs and my utmost respect ,but I sense a pass-agress stubbornness in her that i think will be her demise, (and bitterness too)   I actually liked her better with her old face although admittedly she is "prettier" I suppose .She looks like an impostor to me tho. I can't find her in that face.    

 

I don't know what she does now, but the outdoorsy river-rafting guide persona never seemed to fit her either. Losing the challenge in Borneo and   she's not very outgoing.  She's a Total enigma to me now esp. with the new plastiky face.

 

My Direct TV /CBS kept pixellating so I missed alot of details.  Very upsetting.  thru BB too.  No rain either. idk.  

[peachmangosteen]

This could get interesting, because now Kelley will be on the lookout to see if anyone from the other tribe does what she did, thereby giving her some important knowledge about the other tribe going forward.

 

I didn't even think of this. That will be very interesting. I really like the 'idol hidden in challenges' twist.

 

Why all the Terry-hate?  I need to go back and see his season.  Know his face but not his game.

 

I hate him because I find him to be an entitled, arrogant dick. And him acting like someone's mother is not as important as someone's wife still annoys me to this day.

Edited September 24, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[ghoulina]

That is why I don't like Savage. He will throw his own daughters under the bus, so to speak, to sound "cool."

 

That conversation actually kind of creeped me out. It was almost like he was trying to set up a date between Joe and his daughters. Joe is a good decade older than the youngest one, so no. I don't know, I'm probably reading too much into it. But I thought even Joe looked uncomfortable, not flattered. 

 

I thought that there was no beef jerky and that it was a fabricated bit of BS. Jerry claimed she saw Kel checing some but there was none found.

 

That's how I remember it as well. And, frankly, I'm surprised, because I can't remember to buy tomatoes at the store. Damnit, now I want to try and watch season 2 again, because it's the one that got me really hooked. 

[Bad Example]

Am I the only one who thought for a split second that Abi planted the bracelet herself? In order to make someone else the "bad guy" right off the bat? I mean, I guess that isn't really what happened - but I thought it kind of odd that the bag Abi happened to look in was the exact one the bracelet was in. 

 

No.  I was right with you... probably because I already dislike her so much. 

Also- did I miss something?  Why wasn't this the question after Abi's "I found my bracelet": "WHY DID YOU THINK YOU COULD GO THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE'S THINGS?"

Ooops... JudyObscure already asked that.  I had a little loading problem and missed half a page.  Sorry!  

Edited September 24, 2015 by Bad Example

[ghoulina]

My Direct TV /CBS kept pixellating so I missed alot of details.  Very upsetting.  thru BB too.  No rain either. idk.

 

Weird. Because we WERE having horrible storms and my satellite actually cut out when Kelley was searching the woods for an idol, and came back towards the end of the IC. I was so pissed. I didn't see her find the clue or anything. 

[laurakaye]

....the heiress to the the great Brazilian cheap bracelet empire.

 

 

It was an ugly bracelet, too.

Joe just looks like a bIg chinned guy in a lady's hairdo to me, so after about the third time the show was telling me how he was the dreamiest dreamboat of every girl's dreamy dreams, I was getting nauseated.  

But....but he IS the dreamiest!  I mean, I'd totally prefer Ozzy or Malcolm, but okay, Joe is totally the THIRD dreamiest!

 

I loved the story Savage told about his daughters thinking Joe was perfect.  That was cute.

[Daisy]

If I remember correctly, they were filming Australia while the Borneo was airing, so the 2nd team didn't see the first. Or that guy who smuggled beef jerky would have known he'd get busted.

      

Regarding going through other people's bags, didn't we see that last season? I don't think there's a rule against looking, but you cannot remove anything you find unless it's your property. Unless your last name is Hantz.

 

If you listen to the Australia dvd commentary, Tina and her  group talked about this, and she firmly believes that Kal had some (including that Kal was caught with Jerky at the airport). so i guess we'll never know  for sure.

For me personally, i feel scuzzy at the idea of people going through people's property. It is funny.The lying, the betrayal, that's all good, but the bag searching.... eh                              

 

I didn't even think of this. That will be very interesting. I really like the 'idol hidden in challenges' twist.

 

 

I hate him because I find him to be an entitled, arrogant dick. And him acting like someone's mother is not as important as someone's wife still annoys me to this day.

 

that is the #1 reason why I hate him. that, and , his whole "hey. you two work with me, don't worry about the next two tribals...." (because then my La Mina Tribe will vote you two out. - which always went unsaid.)  .                                                     

[NutMeg]

Nice first episode. I've been waiting for it with so much anticipation :-)

 

I like that so far no one has been featured so much that I'm already sick of him (I say him because it's almost never a her, even if she's the best player of the season and/or ends up winning).

 

I like that I don't have to tax my memory remembering who's who. Of those that I had not seen before, I knew of Kelly W. from season 1, I'm getting to form an opinion on Jeff and at some stage I may form one on Kimmi.

 

Despite what they say, some people don't change, I mean Abi Maria hasn't (unfortunately). Didn't know how Survivor works in her first season and still doesn't. If indeed she is different in real life, I suspect it's because she surrounds herself only with people who like her. She seems to expect people to adjust to her, but would never think that SHE could adjust to make someone else comfy. And don't get me started on her everlasting talk about her fugly "magic powers" bracelet, and her making the round to everyone *except* PG to tell them how PG might have stolen her bracelet, but really no big deal, and she doesn't want to make a fuss about it, no big deal. Are you freaking kidding me? Does she think this is still middle-school? She's Russell light, without even a hundrendth of his end game (and I don't like Russell and am of the school that he could never win). I was very disappointed she wasn't voted out right off the bat, because I'm already tired of her self-centred self

 

and also because I find Vytas a much more complex person. When I saw him touching everyone, it got me thinking of an article I read recently about how lightly touching people make them more positive about you [paraphrasing]. Vytas to me comes as someone awkward socially, who has both intellectually a high opinion of what he can achieve in life (probably deserved) but also a low opinion of himself as a person, if that makes sense, and I can see him reading books about how to relate better to people and awkwardly applying what he's read. And because he's socially awkward, it sounds off, phony, smarmy. Joe naturally doing the same - you're all warm and fuzzy. If Stephen was giving it a try: wrong and phony. JT Tocantins: warm and fuzzy. Johnny Fairplay: wrong, phony, creepy. Aras: wonderful, warm, fuzzy.

 

So I'd have prefer Vytas staying over Abi Maria, bacause more potential as a person, as a character in the game and as gameplay. Well, that ship has sailed, now I'm just hoping to see and hear as little as possible of Abi Maria until she is voted off.

 

Now Kelley (I think that's how it's spelled), what great TV she gave us! not only with the idol, which has already been talked about a lot here much better that I could, but also in her confessionals, facial expressions, overall constant thinking of the game while pretending she was not. I was very impressed that she thought of gathering fruit she found during her search for the idol, so as to explain her being away from the tribe. Contrast that with Stephen, and, well, one has more instinct for the game than the other :-)

 

I'm actually starting to think that knowing the game well can be detrimental to your game. Because you are so convinced you know all there is to know that you stop looking at what's around you, which is the worst mistake you can make in Survivor. Let's see if the likes of Shirin and Stephen can learn from their mistakes or if they are all theory and no game.

 

And yeah for all the monkeys, and special yeah for the cute wrinkled baby monkey!

[Guest]

Am I the only one who thought for a split second that Abi planted the bracelet herself? In order to make someone else the "bad guy" right off the bat? I mean, I guess that isn't really what happened - but I thought it kind of odd that the bag Abi happened to look in was the exact one the bracelet was in. 

I think she went through everyone's bags.  Very impolite, but hey, what do you do when you NEED your accessories?  

 

And she could well have planted it and lied.  She claims she was lying about being broken up with Pete in her media interviews at the start of the season.  Why she would lie about that to the press I have no idea.   I don't care, either, but she's either lying to the public or to the PTV mod she's friends with, neither of which really endears her to me.  

[marys1000]

I wish they would have all the sort of people who socialize/strategize on one tribe so we can watch them braid their hair, do yoga, swim and then sleep in the dirt with no shelter and starve.  It is so annoying when people just basically use others to provide them food shelter fire while they prance off and blah blah blah.  I never root for them. 

 

I was listening to an NPR thing this morning on how success breeds success.  It was totally stupid to vote of Vytas vs. Abi this early just in terms of challenges.  Wait till the other side has lost a few.  And its not like Abi isn't as equally as annoying. 

Different groups could have discussed what if scenarios before going to the challenge.  So the fact that it was split is somewhat indicative of who is talking to who.  Since Shirin was shown dissing Vytas and looking smug at Tribal I guess we are to assume that she engineered that.    I  wonder if those that suck at challenges and are New Survivors who concentrate on alliances,  tend to undervalue challenges vs. alliances.  Based on voting if the vote out Vytas group were to continue to lose every challenge they do have more people and could take out the other group.  I'm not sure when the merge is, how does the math favor the Abi/Shirin/PG/Spencer/Wentworth/Varner group in terms of numbers left at the merge if they lose every challenge?  I think Shirin may have figured that out and doesn't care if they win any.  I'm not a fan but I can see her looking that far out.  She better be able to hold Abi and PG together though if this is the case.  

 

Smart of Kelly? to have a little made up excuse for being out to look for the idol. Loved how that played out.   Contrast to Fishbach.  He needs to find an alliance he can mastermind  fast. 

 

A lot of people I don't know since I haven't watched all seasons.  Some I did know and barely recognize. 

 

I thought Probst maybe had a chemical peel or something.

 

Joe is nice looking but I think its personality that brings that to the fore.  Woo is actually prettier to me.

Edited September 24, 2015 by marys1000

[fishcakes]

Pretty good first episode, although considering it was 90 minutes, there was no reason some people were invisible. I would have liked to hear at least a little from Kimmi and Ciera.

 

I have almost no memory of Kelley Wentworth from San Juan Del Sur and I still don't get why she was voted back on, but she was great last night and I'm so glad she got the idol. I don't know if she's playing differently or just getting a better edit, but I'm impressed. Also, anyone who's going to crack on Vytas can sit by me. So far, I'm loving her and Varner and ... that might be it. I thought I'd be more disposed towards Kelly Wiglesworth, but she doesn't even seem like the same person. It's not just her face but her voice is different too.

 

Vytas was horribly inept in a hilarious way. Trying to massage someone who's walking away from him, thrusting his groin all over the shelter, and my personal favorite, telling Peih Gee that she looks exactly like his Chinese friend. Yes, Asian people love it when you say they look exactly like other Asian people. Nothing problematic about that at all!

 

I'm worried for Stephen. He's been aced out of the He-Man alliance and he's being so passive that I can't see him organizing a counter-alliance. With Andrew on his tribe (and Andrew thinking he played perfectly the first time but just got screwed by a game twist), I think Stephen's going to get the Skinny Ryan treatment and get voted out early.

 

My take on the epic saga of Abi's Hideous Bracelet is that she misplaced it, found it, lied about finding it in Peih Gee's bag (and is too dumb to realize that this would indicate to everyone that she was rooting around in their bags). If you read her pre-show interview with Gordon Holmes, she already seems to have it in for Peih Gee, saying she has a bitchface and looks like a frog and is annoying, and this is before the game had even begun. I wouldn't be surprised if she was taking a page from her boyfriend Pete's gamebook, when he planted the HII clue in RC's bag, which is what put RC out of her own alliance. It's possible that it happened the way Peih Gee thinks it happened and she claimed a bag that she mistakenly thought was empty, but I think it's more likely that this was Abi's hamfisted attempt at strategy, much like her lie in the Philippines where she claimed to have a clue to the HII and then dramatically tore it up in front of everyone. I didn't like Abi in her original season, but I liked her a lot at the reunion and when she was on Probst's talk show because she owned up to her bad behavior. I thought she learned something from watching herself and was going to play differently this time, but she's exactly the same, a paranoid drama queen who thinks people care when she declares them dead to her.

Edited September 24, 2015 by fishcakes

[ProfCrash]

"Holmes: Speaking of bracelets, I heard that Peih-Gee had somehow tried to smuggle flint into the game on a piece of jewelry.
Baskauskas: As part of her wardrobe, she’s a  jewelry designer, she had worked flint into a piece of clothing. It was like a decorative adornment. Production didn’t catch it. So, when we hit the beach, she was like, “Hey guys, I have a flint. Let’s make a fire.” Production was like, “Um…nope. You’re not allowed to have that.”
Holmes: She should’ve worked a spear-gun into her outfit so you could have caught some fish or something.
Baskauskas: Or a cheeseburger."

 

From The Gordon Holmes interview. That is kind of brilliant. PG worked some flint into her clothing. hehehehehe

 

"Holmes: Did you guys have any idea that Kelley had found the idol?
Baskauskas: No clue. She did a good job of hiding it. She did tell a pretty good lie about why she had to wear her shorts to the challenge. Most of us were wearing our underwear. I thought it was a cool twist.
Holmes: I heard her explanation for wearing the shorts, we don’t have to explore it further, but it was veryclever.
Baskauskas: (Laughs) We don’t need to say anything more about that. Totally something I didn’t think twice about."

 

The other interesting bit. I am guessing that Kelly told them she had her period so she needed to wear shorts. Which is freaking brilliant and something that I so wish they showed because that is some astute freaking game play. She knew she needed a reason to wear shorts and not just her swim suit. Finally, menstaution is handy.

 

I don't doubt that Tina thinks that he did but I suspect that it would have been an easy seed to plant. Jerry picks something that Kal had eaten before and suggests it. I don't rewatch seasons and Australia was a long time ago so I don't remember exactly how it went down. There has never been any confirmation that Kal had anything and I tend to believe that he didn't because I don't tend to give the benefit of the doubt until someone can provide some evidence. The fact that the cast and crew are talking about Woo gives me some reason to believe that he got away with breaking the rules. Tina's believing it to be true is not even close enough to proof to make me think it happened.

Edited September 24, 2015 by ProfCrash

[CletusMusashi]

They were all wearing what they were wearing at the last Survivor reunion finale, when they were in the audience and picked to get on the bus. And whatever they had in their bags they had with them.

Good god. So Vytas actually chose to wear that? I'd just assumed that somebody in costuming hated him as much as me.

[laurakaye]

While I'm certain Probst knows about the idols being located at the immunity challenges, I wonder if he's going to ever comment on someone looking for it during a challenge?  Would he ever pause during his play-by-plays and say, "Hey, whatcha doing back there, anyway?"  Would that ruin the whole element, or would it make for good television, since perhaps then the players would be forced to divide their attention between winning a challenge and trying to scope out the idol?

 

I have watched this show since Borneo Episode One.  I love the new idol twist.  LOVE.

[nutty1]

I still love this crazy show and will be excited when every Wednesday rolls around!

 

Who the heck voted for Abi to be on?? I guess it gives us something to talk about.

I am still rooting for Spencer.....he was my favorite on his season and I still really like him.

Though I watched every season except the first one, I do not remember Jeff Varner. I am really liking him too.

And young Kelly....she is a sweetie and could turn to to be a good player.

I think Joe will be a challenge beast again.

[Gummo]

Survivor is back!  That means fall is officially here and all is right with the world.

 

Normally, I hate 'returning players' seasons but the way they've set up this one -- all are returning players who've played exactly once -- puts everyone on an even playing field.  All are hungry for redemption and there's no 'recruits' wandering around who have no idea how the game is played and are just worrying about getting screen time.

 

Too bad the first elimination couldn't have been a double, then we could have gotten rid of sleazy Vytas AND psycho Abi.  I was surprised, but not disappointed, that sleazy Vytas went first.  He must have been even more objectionable than what we saw, and what we saw was objectionable enough!

 

The 'second-unit' photography is more beautiful than ever.  Half of the pleasure in this show is the establishing shots.

 

Generally pleased with the cast, though I could easily do without psycho Abi, sociopath Kass, clueless Wu, and 'poor pitiful me' Steven.  But it's early yet, and there's a lot of deadwood to get rid of before the game hits high gear.  On the other hand, I'm really glad Shirin's back -- she may be crazy annoying IRL but I love watching her play Survivor.

 

A couple of neat new twists in the very first episode, both of which added, rather than detracted, from the game -- the idol placement smack in the middle of a challenge, and holding tribal right afterwards.  Simpler and more interesting than some of the convoluted crap they've tried and discarded in previous seasons.  Now if only they're smart enough not to run the new gimmicks into the ground....

[laurakaye]

Normally, I hate 'returning players' seasons but the way they've set up this one -- all are returning players who've played exactly once -- puts everyone on an even playing field.  All are hungry for redemption and there's no 'recruits' wandering around who have no idea how the game is played and are just worrying about getting screen time.

And there's not one player whose last name is "Hantz."

[Special K]

Nice to be back here with all y'all!

 

Abi should be ashamed, making such an unholy stink over such a tacky piece of junk. 

 

I'm loving Jeff Varner.  Among the things I loved about him last night was seeing him in a shirt in which he has obviously hacked the sleeves off in order to be cool in the heat. And then in another scene, seeing him with the cut-off sleeves pulled up on his arms.  I don't know why I found that so endearing, but I did. I hope he goes far -- jury at least.  I'm calling it that he's going to be this season's "narrator."  With Spencer as the narrator understudy. (Or maybe Shirin?  A girl can hope...)

 

I am afraid for Original Recipe Kelly.  I so want her to do well and I love her moxie, but I'm not sure she's playing it right.  She's trying to hard.

 

Extra Crispy Kelley, OTOH, is playing brilliantly so far!  She handled that idol caper (from start to finish) perfectly.  And I love the idol twist.  It still rewards the ones willing to search blindly in the woods, but makes them work for it.

 

Vytas.  Sigh.  Your underpants say it all.  Especially when up-thrust into women's faces.

 

I have high hopes for Spencer.  Fishbach seems to be emulating Cochran.  Woo is adorable.  Kimmi seems so happy to be there.  Savage seems like a tool.

 

I still do not know who Monica is and, judging by last night's editing, I may not need to learn.

 

I found all the meta conversations about people's reputations/legendary status preceding them, watching each other on TV, etc., a pretty interesting aspect of this particular game.  Pretty soon real, in-game events/relationship will eclipse all that, but for now, it's interesting to see and interesting to think how it might affect gameplay.  For instance, how long will Kelly Wigs be able to ride on respect?

[barbedwire]

Why 2 Kellys on the same team?  I have trouble enough keeping names straight.  Though I am so glad Wigglesworth is back.  She got burned on Season 1 but, yes, cut out the botox.

 

Abi - why so up about a stupid cheap bracelet?!  And it looks like from the previews of next week, girl is still running her mouth.

 

Not liking this immunity idol at the challenge, though Kelly was great at being able to sneak it.

 

Kimmie - lose the 2 pony tails. 

[Jersey Guy 87]

If I remember correctly, they were filming Australia while the Borneo was airing, so the 2nd team didn't see the first. Or that guy who smuggled beef jerky would have known he'd get busted.

 

Regarding going through other people's bags, didn't we see that last season? I don't think there's a rule against looking, but you cannot remove anything you find unless it's your property. Unless your last name is Hantz.

 

Australia was filmed after Borneo aired - they had no idea Survivor would be so popular, it was originally intended to be a summer-only series.  When it started getting great ratings they decided to make it a mid-season replacement.  There was no plan to have two seasons of Survivor  every year.  And players in Australia talked about whether or not  alliances were okay or not.

 

Going through bags has been okay for quite a while, taking stuff is not allowed.  The whole bracelet incident played out very weird, although it was classic Abi to tell everyone "I'm not going to make a big deal of this" making sure everyone knew about it.  I would have been happy with either Abi or Vytas going.

 

I thought Terry was playing Spencer a bit with his whole "my kid said alliance with Spencer!" routine.  If so, good for him learning a little between his seasons.

[truthaboutluv]

That conversation actually kind of creeped me out. It was almost like he was trying to set up a date between Joe and his daughters. Joe is a good decade older than the youngest one, so no. I don't know, I'm probably reading too much into it. But I thought even Joe looked uncomfortable, not flattered.

 

 

It's the way he shared it. The minute he mentioned his daughters, you knew where it was going and it was clear Joe and Jeremy did too but he just dragged it on for dramatic effect and has this slow, whispery way of talking that I don't know if he thinks it makes him sound deep or something and so the moment just came across as kind of creepy. On the flipside, when Varner spoke to Spencer, he just easily and casually went "my kids looked at the list and said dad you have to align with Spencer because he's awesome" and it actually came across kind of cute. There was no long drawn out pauses for dramatic effect. 

[cooksdelight]

Thank you, Jersey Guy for remembering everything better than me. :)

[ProfCrash]

I love the immunity idol at the challenge. We saw two people go look for idols, I have to believe that they were not the only ones, because that is now the normnal play. Idols can be very powerful so why not make them really think about whether it is worth finding the silly things. How much does an idol help you if everyone knows you have it? So the idol is nw harder to find and forces a change in strategy. I love it

[cooksdelight]

Me too, it's about time they found a way to make an idol hunt interesting. The Tyler Perry fail almost made me wish they'd never have them at all.

[illini1959]

 Just for starters  how long must we start every season now with everyone in their underwear?

 

 

Thank you.

 

This seems to be a fairly new thing. In years past they wore bathing suits, it can be done. Not a fan of watching everyone run around in underwear.

 

Woo might be a bit clueless, but I like him :)

 

Abi-Maria can go anytime.

[Special K]

 

This seems to be a fairly new thing. In years past they wore bathing suits, it can be done. Not a fan of watching everyone run around in underwear.

 

And not to be superficial, but some of these women need a bra fitting.  Mostly the older women, I mean (and I say that as an older woman.)  I mean, I understand if the bra doesn't fit by the end once they've lost weight, but there's no excuse now.  Kelly Wigs seems to be in a sports bra.  Isn't that what you'd bring? I would.

[ShadowSixx]

That conversation actually kind of creeped me out. It was almost like he was trying to set up a date between Joe and his daughters. Joe is a good decade older than the youngest one, so no. I don't know, I'm probably reading too much into it. But I thought even Joe looked uncomfortable, not flattered. . 

 

Not only that but it could also paint a big target on Joe's back with all that praising Savage was doing towards Joe. Not like Joe doesn't have a big target on his back already from being a challenge threat from his season and being friendly and teaching yoga class to everyone that causes Tasha to drool. If the other tribe are willing to vote off one of their muscle in Vytas, then no telling how his tribe might vote. With rancid ass Kass on his tribe, he might wanna be careful because she's threatened by everything under the sun. Still find it hard to believe Kass is in her 40s, she looks like she's in her 50s. 

[FormerMod-a1]

Normally, I hate 'returning players' seasons but the way they've set up this one -- all are returning players who've played exactly once -- puts everyone on an even playing field.  All are hungry for redemption and there's no 'recruits' wandering around who have no idea how the game is played and are just worrying about getting screen time.

 

I agree.  I like this set up for returning players.  And I actually remember quite a few of these players.  I have quite the short term Survivor memory, so unless someone really bugged me or returned many times I tend not to remember their names.  Granted, I don't remember all these people, but I also skipped a few seasons in the middle.  Anyway, I am enjoying this so far.

[Gentian root]

After all that, did we ever see Sili-Bitch WEAR the damn bracelet?

[ProfCrash]

She put it on as soon as she found it.

 

And her name is Abi.

[henripootel]

In that, Bertram Van Munster says it's a criminal offense.

I can't quite tell if you're winding us up here so I'm gonna presume you're not.  I would caution against taking legal advice from a show-biz guy whose paycheck rests on you believing 'of course it's all real', especially when the 'proof' is that 'if it wasn't, we'd be in jail!'  The truth is, not surprisingly, a bit more complicated.

I thought Probst maybe had a chemical peel or something.

He did look a bit ... stiff.  But he has before and I just assumed he'd overdone it with the botox a bit.  Don't know if we got a good look at his hair yet but it didn't seem to be the weird inky black that it was.  His people might be using a different hair dye.  Overall he looks pretty good, better than some of the contestants I actually recognized from previous seasons, many of whom seem to have ... swelled.  

[phlebas]

And there's not one player whose last name is "Hantz."

 

Yes, or answers to "Coach"

[Neerbeena]

 

Andrew Savage has really let himself go. I thought most guys shaved their chests so their muscle definition is more easily visible. Doesn't work when there's just flab. Jeff Varner also put on lots of weight. Granted, it's been 12 and 14 years, but I guess they didn't have time to get into shape.

 

Both Savage and Jeff V. were two of my Survivor crushes (the others being Dave the rocket scientist in the Amazons and Brendan in Ticontins) so I'm happy they're back and hope they go far.

 

I hope Stephen gets it together soon - he was getting the outsider edit and I was worried he would be the first boot.

[Alapaki]

I've watched every season of this since the Australia (because I apparently thought the first season was going to be a gimmick "fluke", durrrrrrrr).

 

And I swear I don't remember Jeff Varner, or peanut-butter-gate.  Is it just me?

 

Because he seems to have gotten a disproportionate amount of airtime last night relative to his actual impact on the episode.  I wonder if that editing is saying something.

 

Otherwise, I thought it was a solid first episode.  But I just don't find myself really rooting for any of these contestants.  I still find Keith amusing (in a "funny-but-walking-the-line-uncle-at-Thanksgiving-dinner sort of way).  And I still fucking loathe Kasshole and her ongoing lack of self-awareness.  But other than that, I really just don't care about any of this cast.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I'm so happy to read so much positivity towards Aras here!  I absolutely adore that guy.   I guess that's the effect Vytas seems to have on people.  Vytas was really disgusting you guys.  Even reading the descriptions here are creeping me out all over again.  It was so great watching Aras's season because the guy I liked best through the entire season actually won, which seemed so unbelievable.

 

I'm sorry to read so much negativity towards Woo though.  I'll be here in my Woo love.  He always coasts along without having a clue, that's his game plan and somehow it almost worked out for him last time.  Though I do miss Tony.  I'd really like a season with Tony, Mike and other winners.  I'm sure I'm echoing an idea said many times before.  Why doesn't anyone want to align with Woo?  He's so easy to control.  

 

But....but he IS the dreamiest!  I mean, I'd totally prefer Ozzy or Malcolm, but okay, Joe is totally the THIRD dreamiest!

 

That is correct.  That is the order we have all decided on.   I forgot to say that I loved Tasha's interview about distractingly hot Joe is.  Something to easily relate to!  

 

Abi is making me look extremely stupid for voting for her.

 

Still sad about Shane Powers, though he seems kind of stupid on Twitter.  But that doesn't really matter does it because he'd be amazing on the island.  Substitute Shane for Shirin and you have the most amazing show on earth.  Though I will hold myself before negatively commenting; she hasn't bugged me this season yet, and neither has #KHAOSKASS.

 

I believe in PG, whether she stole the bracelet or not.  LOL honestly who cares.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Ms Blue Jay

[cooksdelight]

My sister loved Woo too, until reading his thread here. Wow... just wow....

[Guest]

 

 

And I swear I don't remember Jeff Varner, or peanut-butter-gate.  Is it just me?

 

He was on Season 2 which feels like a lifetime ago (I mean, it was about 14 years ago).  "Peanut butter gate" was an immunity challenge when Jeff tried bribing the contestants down with various food items.  He quit in exchange for some peanut butter. Australia was one of the hardest seasons in terms of food, but really?  Anyway, he ended up being voted out that night, due in part to Kimmy (also on Survivor Second Chance) and her big mouth.