S22: Redemption Island

[Whimsy]

Here is your Survivor S22 topic.

[Zima]

I'm watching this season for the first time right now. Yay, crazy ass Phillip is in it, and Andrea!  And wow, I usually don't take to religious types, but Matt sure is easy on the eyes! 

ETA: I just googled him. He now goes by Wyatt Nash, and is an actor! Most recently, he was in the Netflix show "Dear White People" as Kurt Fletcher. Wow, crazy! He was also "Hot Naked Guy" in some TV series, so I wonder how deep that Christian faith still runs...

Edited May 9, 2017 by Zima

[cherrypj]

I've not seen this season yet, but I'm already tired of the comments that they let

Spoiler

Boston Rob

win. I feel like anyone who says that doesn't know what they're talking about. You can't "just win" Survivor. Who knows, maybe that will change once I finally watch.

(Spoiler tags for @Zima!)

[enlightenedbum]

Andrea herself says something like that and acknowledges it's an awful season.

[fishcakes]

3 hours ago, cherrypj said:

You can't "just win" Survivor.

Yeah, he most definitely earned his win. Literally, all but two people on his tribe (Grant and Natalie) were gunning for him. Francesca, Kristina, Phil, Matt, Andrea, and Ashley had all plotted to vote him out but couldn't pull it off. In response, he either turned them into allies or orchestrated the vote that got them out. He constantly had to have his thumb on every other player in order to make things go his way. The idea that he was just handed his win is not supported by anything we saw on the show or any of the players' interviews afterward, but every time his name comes up, someone says it (and then someone else will bring up how wrong it is that Amber "shared" her winnings with him instead of, I don't know, making him live in his car in the driveway after they got married), so it's not even worth debating any more because people's minds are made up.

Edited May 9, 2017 by fishcakes

[simplyme]

I would have to rewatch the season to make an accurate judgment, but my opinion at the time was that Rob was an extremely experienced player with a bunch of newbies who were amazingly stupid and sheeplike. Whether that was due to casting or because Rob was a masterful manipulator can be debated, I'm sure. At the time, I felt like they cast idiots, but I admit that could have been frustration at how boring I found the season.

(I'm slowly rewatching the seasons with SimplyMom, so we should get there eventually. We just started Gabon tonight.)

[Zima]

I just finished the episode where Matt comes back from redemption island...only to get voted to go back! LOL! It could have been avoided had he not gone back to his original tribe and told Rob all about his plans with the other team. He's cute, but not too bright.  Ughh. Everyone is just letting Rob control the game; it's so annoying. 

[enlightenedbum]

That was the moment I first respected Andrea as more than an athlete.  Recognizing the necessity of voting him out (again).

[Zima]

11 minutes ago, enlightenedbum said:

That was the moment I first respected Andrea as more than an athlete.  Recognizing the necessity of voting him out (again).

I felt so bad for her when Matt threw her under the bus by telling Rob about their plan. 

Rob is scaring me. I wonder if he treats his friends and family back home in this controlling manner. 

[Oholibamah]

On 2017-05-11 at 1:58 AM, Zima said:

I felt so bad for her when Matt threw her under the bus by telling Rob about their plan. 

Rob is scaring me. I wonder if he treats his friends and family back home in this controlling manner. 

I suspect that Rob played Redemption Island as a correction to HvV where Russell got into Tyson's head and then his alliance crumbled when he lost Jerri and Coach to hidden deals being made. 

As unsettling as it comes across, and as boring as it made the season, I don't think Rob could have won without the Buddy System. People have to play relative to how threatened other players are by them, so the extremity of this strategy was reasonable given the size of the target on his back. 

Because I do believe he had a target on his back, and I don't think this season was full of Idiots/Rob's Zombies/Sheeple like everybody says. Andrea and Ashley played solid games, Grant operated under a reasonable expectation of loyalty, Matt/Kristina/Francesca made defensible attempts against Rob, and David/Mike/Steve/Julie/Ralph (as much as I detest him) played from the minority in a way that could have turned the game had there been Reward Challenges. 

My biggest issue with this season was how it was edited. It was presented as the Coronation of Boston Rob with Russell Hantz as his failed foil. So no wonder viewers found it boring/predictable/rigged.

I wish they had it edited as a battle between Rob and Ashley for Natalie's loyalty, because that's really what the game came down to: had Ashley won the final Immunity or Natalie forced a tie against Phillip, we'd be remembering this season very differently. 

As it stands, the season had a number of interesting storylines that were overshadowed by a fan-service edit. 

[cherrypj]

Outstanding, @Oholibamah. It goes without saying that I agree with you (and I haven't even watched this one yet!). 

[enlightenedbum]

Rob HAS to play for absolute control, he's too transparent a threat athletically and strategically otherwise.  They're not at all alike otherwise, but Andrea might have the same problem.

[MissEwa]

I haven't seen this season since it aired and while I don't think Survivor gave him the win, I think there were a couple of things about this season that made it easier. They had RI as a back-up in case he got voted out, but RI also meant hardly any (no?) reward challenges so less opportunity for people in Rob's alliance to get away from camp and plot without him being right there. I'm torn on the fourth-timer vs newbies thing - yes, he's got all that experience but OTOH he had a massive target on him. Much like it's a testament to Sandra's game that she wasn't first out of Game Changers, it's a credit to Rob's that he made it anywhere near the final at all. 

[NutMeg]

I don't think he was "given the win", because he could very well have been voted out very early. Maybe TPTB were counting on a Rob/Russell showdown on Redemption Island, hence the concept?

However, the difference in that Rob is actually useful for a tribe in the initial phase. He knows how to build a good shelter, for starters, and he contributes to team wins, which keep them from going to TC.

The other difference between Rob and Russell is that the former is actually pleasant to have around, and gets to build strong connections with each person. So that when to time comes to vote him out, each player thinks they have an in with him. Andrea explained it beautifully at the RI reunion, it's something we also saw in All Stars. He really is the male Parvati.

However, the season lacked reward challenges, reshuffles and other things that could have thrown a wrench in his plan, so I get why it is not very well liked (I'm not a huge fan either) and seem to be a walk in the park for him. He made it seem so easy that his win is taken with an asterisk (I've read people feeling the same about Kim's win, though I think she's one of the best winner ever.) The editing that season was also subpar, for instance it's only in post season interviews that I learned that Ashley (and Natalie?) had known for a while about Rob's idol, which better explains why they (or at least Ashley) didn't try anything against him when Andrea suggested it. So, gimmicks + no reshuffle + hidden information/lacking edit = no wonder this season is not in the top anything. 

I still think Rob did a good job there (if boring to watch), because the buddy approach is something we had never seen before and have never seen since. Now, how and why everyone was ok with it, that I would like to have see more of. 

[Shades of Scarlet]

I thoroughly enjoyed this season (and generally detest what reward challenges have become, so RI was a great development for my money).  Anyone who says "Rob was handed the win" might be forgetting the massive stairs challenge, requiring almost 20 trips I believe, in which he nearly killed himself to win against a former NFL player and a young, super-athletic Andrea as well as another strong athlete in Ashley.  Rob was not the favorite to win that challenge, one of the most difficult in the history of the show, and he did anyway.  That made him deserving of the win right there.    

[Daisy]

I can't remember where I saw it, but I never thought Redemption Island was a "keep Rob/Russell" safe move. (more because  - as it was shown with Russell - it didn't guarantee anything.) You could be voted out, you could miss-step, and out you go. no more Survivor. (I think Jeff said it as sort of like a play-in like they have in some sport that had brackets. i dunno.). 

Also - Russell's tribe was having none of Russell. While there was some kind of "ooh look it's Rob" as Oholibamah pointed out - people were always gunning for him.  They just couldn't pull it off. and I think just like Kim, Rob got himself into a position where he could also be dictated enough and people were scared enough to follow through) (vs Kim, who people were all in love with Kim and felt comforted) it's still a skill and a damned good one. and he was physical enough to win rewards/immunities when needed (Like Kim. and Parv) 

I think if you eliminated Redemption Island, and focused on a lot of camp vs. The Story of Rob, it does have a good story inmo. but I am also biased - I like Rob. I like Rob all 4 versions of him so I was happy that he won, and how he never takes this game super seriously. (and I think that's pretty much leftover from All Stars  where everyone was basically screw you Rob, and Rob's like whatevah I have Ambuh. 

[simplyme]

Well, the Simply family has now finished watching this season. SimplyDad has now inadvertantly been sucked into the Survivor viewings, so this was a first watch for him and SimplyMom and a rewatch for me.

The consensus was that while Rob played an amazing game, it was a difficult win for any of us to stomach because OMG, he had a sweet set up tribe-wise with people who had no grasp of strategy. He started on a tribe of four men and five women, and Kristina, Phillip, and Francesca managed to immediately put themselves at odds with everyone else. (Mostly Phillip by being Phillip, Kristina by obviously hunting for the idol, and Francesca by being allied with them.) From then on Rob just solidified his control over people too stupid to think ahead, count, or work with people they disliked temporarily. Andrea had a lot of potential but the two Matt votes screwed her. They essentially meant she had to be extra cautious and kiss ass. By the time anyone else (hi, Ashley) starting thinking about getting rid of Rob, it was too late. They hadn't flushed his idol, and I'm not sure Natalie would have done it. My God, Natalie was dumb. Dumb. DUMB. She spent most of those 39 days smiling vacantly into space and doing whatever Rob or Ashley said.

By the end, I would have voted for Rob. SimplyDad would have voted for Phillip just to piss Rob off. SimplyMom would have voted for Rob with much angst. I'll note that my mom really liked Rob before this season. (I still think he's funny as hell and good at reading people. I just find this win so frustrating to watch.)

Rob clearly worked for the win. I just found Natalie as annoying to watch as JT in HvV, just in a much less active sense.

Edited June 29, 2017 by simplyme

[Lamb18]

I'm watching the first episode of this season. I actually watched part of it when it first aired - the first Survivor season I ever watched. But I didn't watch the whole season - #25 was the first entire season I watched. I watched this season because a guy was on it who grew up in a city 10 miles from me so I was curious to see how he did. From what I recall, he was part of the anti-Rob brigade.  Fun memory - Russell bursting into tears when he was voted out.

I recognize Andrea. There is a lady who reminds me a lot of T-Bird. I don't know who she is. And I recognize Francesca. And Phillip.

Wow these guys already have a bunch of tools to build the shelter. Can't believe they have actual hammers and nails. Here's Phillip, taking charge.  He's not Special Agent Phillip yet. Andrea makes me nervous with her hatchet, coming kind of close to her foot. Now's the big reveal!! Special Agent Phillip! Super powers of character analysis!! The way he talks - reminds me of Coach: convincingly delusional. I like the sloth sitting on the branch watching everybody: "Get these people off my lawn!"

I have to say, these people really know this game. They know Russell and Rob and how they work. The anti-Russell alliance is forming.

[Lamb18]

Wanted to add I really like Francesca and am sorry she's voted out first.

[cherrypj]

Am watching this one too. I'll say this: I'm a total Rob fanboy, and I enjoy watching him work. But after this season, I think I've had enough. I'm glad he hasn't come back to this or any other show (that I know of!).

I definitely agree with you, @Lamb18, the non-Rob/Russell players know what they're doing. Which, to me, makes Rob's control quite amazing. How is he dragging Phil? He must be playing everyone against the other; we just never get to see that. 

Julie does look like T-Bird with muscles.

[Lamb18]

I also noticed that Russell has a new hat.

[Lamb18]

Ha ha ha, just watched Russell lose on Redemption Island. Ha ha ha ha. Gripes about how he got stuck on a tribe that didn't want to play. Russell, they wanted to play, they just didn't want to play with you. Calls himself a professional quarterback with a bunch of Peewee Leaguers. All he did was lie around at camp, hanging out with a couple of gullible girls.

This was the first episode of Survivor I ever watched. I remember watching the Redemption Island duel and thinking that this challenge is lame compared to what they do on The Amazing Race. I knew who Boston Rob was because I bought Amazing Race Season 7, so I saw him on that. I think I watched up to the time when they guy who used to live in the city 10 miles from me (Steve) got eliminated. I also saw the finale, I think it came on right after The Amazing Race.

I just saw the cutest little frog!! A bunch of different colors!

Next episode: Phillip complains because he can't make an impression on the girls. Well he is making an impression with his nasty pink underwear, but it's not the kind he's looking for. He says the girls remind him of crabs.

Edited November 3, 2017 by Lamb18

[SVNBob]

Quote

I also noticed that Russell has a new hat.

Of course he had a new hat.  The Queen made sure he needed one.  In more ways than one.

 

3 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

All he did was lie around at camp, hanging out with a couple of gullible girls.

In other words...his usual game.

Edited November 3, 2017 by SVNBob

[Lamb18]

I watched the finale yesterday. I remember watching it when it originally aired. I'd forgotten about the lame proposal, but there it was! By David! Who, by the way, did a Spencereque speech to the jury on why they should vote for Rob to win. Spencer must have studied that scene hard.

That proposal didn't go anywhere, did it? The woman seemed surprised but not particularly thrilled. But David had to have his glory moment, kind of like people who do marriage proposals on the Jumbotron at a football game. Or maybe he wanted to be more like Rob.

[ljenkins782]

On 11/7/2017 at 8:44 AM, Lamb18 said:

I watched the finale yesterday. I remember watching it when it originally aired. I'd forgotten about the lame proposal, but there it was! By David! Who, by the way, did a Spencereque speech to the jury on why they should vote for Rob to win. Spencer must have studied that scene hard.

That proposal didn't go anywhere, did it? The woman seemed surprised but not particularly thrilled. But David had to have his glory moment, kind of like people who do marriage proposals on the Jumbotron at a football game. Or maybe he wanted to be more like Rob.

Ugh, that proposal was so incredibly awkward and yes, the woman seemed less than thrilled. I believe they either did marry and quickly divorce or the wedding never happened.

His speech at the jury was also extremely awkward, IIRC. This is one of those seasons that I binge watched after the fact and remember almost nothing about, but that guy sticks in my memory as someone who probably practiced his speech in the mirror a hundred times and pictured himself as making a far bigger impression in the Survivor history books than he actually. 

Edited November 9, 2017 by ljenkins782

[cherrypj]

If Wikipedia is to be believed, we have:

Quote

David then proposes to his girlfriend, Survivor: Tocantins contestant Carolina Eastwood in the crowd, and she accepts, where they would break off the engagement in 2012 due to a cheating incident involving future Survivor: One World contestant Alicia Rosa.

Well then. I always try to avoid the reunion eps.

I finished this season today (and skipped the reunion of course). I'm glad Rob won: it was eye-popping watching Phil and Natalie fall over themselves explaining why the jury should vote for Rob. I do believe him when he says he draws the line between the game and his life. 

[healthnut]

Just finished this season for the first time, the pre merge was actually fun but the post merge definitely drags down the season. Rob’s zombies were totally useless. It would’ve been interesting had Rob and Russell pulled different buffs, no way Zapaterra would’ve let Rob run their tribe, whereas Ometepe probably lets Russell run things. Russell might’ve won. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

This movie just recently aired on Hallmark.  It was pretty cute, and not just for a Hallmark movie.  Matt Elrod, who now goes by Wyatt Nash as his stage name, played a main character.

https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/love-strikes-twice

Edited October 5, 2021 by Ms Blue Jay