S32.E01: I'm A Mental Giant

[Tara Ariano]

Eighteen castaways arrive on the island of Kaôh Rong in Cambodia and are divided into three tribes according to brains, brawn and beauty. Later, one player deals with excruciating pain when a bug gets stuck in their ear.

[peachmangosteen]

Later, one player deals with excruciating pain when a bug gets stuck in their ear.

 

This is horrifying.

Edited February 16, 2016 by peachmangosteen

[Lamb18]

At first I thought the title said "I'm a Metal Giant."

[piequinn35]

I am intrigued with who is the mental giant??

 

I read metal at first too Lamb18 :))

Edited February 16, 2016 by piequinn35

[Daisy]

This is horrifying.

 

 

agreed. I would quit. that day. 

- i also saw metal giant and went - that's odd...

[susannot]

agreed. I would quit. that day. 

- i also saw metal giant and went - that's odd...

Reminds me of the horrific Twilight Zone episode where an earwig burrows into the character's brain..and lays eggs.

[wallflower75]

Reminds me of the horrific Twilight Zone episode where an earwig burrows into the character's brain..and lays eggs.

 

My mind went to those creepy larvae from Star Trek II...*shudders*

[LanceM]

So the "mental giant" tried to write with the cap still on the pen. lol

[Daisy]

Annnnnd we're back! I forgot it was a Brains/Beauty/Brawns season. And I have to say this is already much better than the first one. (episode, anyway). 

Tai - that nonsense would have made me slap someone. I respect it and all, but you're on a game show, based on survival.. Y'all need to be chopping down some trees. Also - the obvy search from him and how he handled it - not good. 

 

I want Jennifer (aka: bug lady) to win. Simply because she had a bug in her ear. I was surprised no one said "hey, let's call medical." I'm sure they could have washed it out with some fluid and flushed that bugger (no pun intended). 

 

the Daddy on brawn... kinda bugs me. 
Alicia was stupid "maybe I have an Idol, maybe I don't?" Child, the answer is "No. I don't have one." (I don't know if I like Mr NBA player). 

Darnell makes sense - I don't think this team wanted to deal with a weepy pants. 

 

i don't really have a big read on everyone - but so glad it's back. Missed my show. 

[susannot]

They should have voted for the useless blond ditz.

[Daisy]

My mind went to those creepy larvae from Star Trek II...*shudders*

 

*shudder* RIGHT?!

Seti eels! biggest fear.

[LadyChatts]

First episode of the season and people are already getting naked!  Didn't really known who to root for.  Not my favorite premiere, but I'm hoping the season picks up.  Even some of my pre-show faves fell off the radar for me.  I have forever hated the concept of 'characters' and people intentionally trying to be the villain for camera time.  I know Nick is trying to be the villain but I can't tell if Debbie is being for real or really trying to channel her inner Coach (since she said that's who she wanted to play like).  

 

First tie of the season!  Has that ever happened in the first ep?  I thought tribal started earlier tonight so I figured something was happening.  Alecia got a lot of confessionals, said the episode quote, and dug her own grave by not shutting up (and trying to write with the cap on?  I guess she earned her nickname).  At least Darnell owned his mistakes.  But it seemed obvious it was going to be one of them once the Brawns lost.  I was shocked it wasn't Alecia.  Is she being kept as an easy vote the next time the Brawns lose?  Can't stand her and was hoping Darnell would live to another week. 

 

I remember when Colleen from Borneo's gross cuts were horrible to look at.  I'd take a clip of that every 5 minutes to erase the image of the bug in Jen's ear.  Just another reason why I would never, ever be a good fit for Survivor.

 

Thank you for reminding us why you aren't on the Brain tribe, Caleb.

[ForeverAlone]

I'm actually really surprised they kept Alecia over Darnell. I wonder what their reasoning was. 

 

But it was nice to see this Brains tribe actually do well, unlike Cagayan. :) 

[susannot]

I never watch Big Brother but I am disturbed to say that I find Caleb hot.

[Superpole2000]

Tai respects all living beings and can't watch someone carving a notch into a tree, but he has no problems ripping young trees out of the ground to haphazardly search for an idol that no one even knows exists. Nice hypocrisy!

 

This episode was okay. The challenge was fantastic, but I'm not sold on the cast just yet. I see a lot of ink and a lot of large breasts, but I also see a couple of personalities I don't enjoy (the chemist, for example). I hope the FBI guy lasts a while.

[vb68]

That felt pretty low key for a premiere.  Really not feeling the cast yet.

 

I laughed out loud at "The Mental Giant" not knowing to take the lid off the marker.

 

And likewise on Tai, I guess it's ok to kill trees if you are looking for an idol

 

Caleb surprisingly didn't annoy me here.  But there's plenty of time.

Edited February 18, 2016 by vb68

[PaperTree]

The "Brawn" team demonstrates why they are not the Brains team.

 

Dumb jock and dumber "Dawg" wannabe think they will now rule the harem and win all challenges.  lol.

[LadyChatts]

I'm actually really surprised they kept Alecia over Darnell. I wonder what their reasoning was. 

 

But it was nice to see this Brains tribe actually do well, unlike Cagayan. :) 

 

Me too.  Seemed like there were some gaps there to explain the reasoning (unless it is, like I said, because Alecia will be an easy vote the next time the Brawns lose.  If they lose again).  Really can't stand her, though, and do not understand why she is on the brawn tribe in the first place.  Darnell seemed like a weird fit over there, too, but I think he would have been a better asset.

[susannot]

Also like the FBI guy, Mr.Old in this cast.  For an older guy, he is really in shape and looks great.

[vb68]

 

I'm actually really surprised they kept Alecia over Darnell. I wonder what their reasoning was.

Who switched on the second vote?   I was surprised it was him that left too.

[thehepburn]

I guess Darnell took the Dump of Death. 

[Straycat80]

I would have voted Blondie off just because she was stupid enough to hint she may or may not have an idol.

I did not watch or read any of the previews for this season. Not happy it's BBB again but I hope it will be a good season. So far I'm not rooting for anyone. I was impressed by bug in ear girl, I would have been screaming for a medic because I saw that episode of Twilight Zone someone mentioned above *shudder*!

[PaperTree]

I'm actually really surprised they kept Alecia over Darnell. I wonder what their reasoning was. 

 

But it was nice to see this Brains tribe actually do well, unlike Cagayan. :) 

My guess is the pretty blue eyes, among other things.

 

Yeah, go Brains. 

[mojoween]

That was bullshit. Darnell lost the goggles, but they were in first place when surprise surprise Alecia had to tap out of the puzzle and they lost.

Oh Caleb. Never change. Well don't fixate on one of the ladies so that she becomes uncomfortable and fucks over her own game, but otherwise, stay who you are.

I feel Alecia should have been on beauty and Tai on brawn because it feels like that is all Alecia has going on upstairs and I bet Tai can do shit. You have to, to be a gardener.

Aubry's ordeal was odd. I could in no way ever be a nurse because I lack empathy and my invisible eye rolls would have hurt my brain.

God I love this show.

[Haleth]

I can't figure out why Tai is on Beauty and Alecia is on Brawn. Not the first word that would come to mind looking at either of them.

No one really stands out yet as someone I want to root for. They all seem kind of dumb and/or annoying. Can I root for the worm?

Edited February 18, 2016 by Haleth

[NYGirl]

Welcome back show!  I too cannot understand why they kept they blonde and why she's on the Brawn tribe.  I think they made a mistake voting out Darnell because she seems to be kind of useless.

 

I like Tai and I wonder if he is going to go far in the game.  Beast Mode was pretty low key tonight too..shocking.

 

Yikes the worm in the ear.  Why did her teammate just point to it and say ewww and not just pick it out?  Luckily it came out again and Scott got it.  That left me shaking my head.

 

Usually when they show somebody looking for the idol they find it... I was surprised when Tai didn't find it. 

Edited February 18, 2016 by NYGirl

[susannot]

I guess Darnell took the Dump of Death. 

Yes, when that happened I called out to my son (who could not have been less interested)  "he's going home." Really, go much farther away to poop.

[jsm1125]

I don't think Jennifer and Aubry received confessionals that didn't center around their ear bug and their dehydration, respectively. I don't imagine this bodes well for either of their chances to win.

 

I won't be surprised if Caleb's mentioning of Tai being Asian in his confusion of his inclusion on the Beauty tribe will piss off a lot of people.

[LanceM]

Good premiere.

 

I am hoping the 3 women on the Beauty tribe Anna, Michele and Julia stick together.

 

I am liking Jenny a lot too.

 

Jason hasn't annoyed me yet but there is the potential for that.

 

I think Liz on the Brains tribe is being set up for a fall.

 

I am still trying to figure out how Alecia survived that vote.

[LadyChatts]

I can't figure out why Tai is on Beauty and Alicia is on Brawn. Not the first word that would come to mind looking at either of them.

No one really stands out yet as someone I want to root for. They all seem kind of dumb and/or annoying. Can I root for the worm?

 

Inner beauty because you love all living things?

 

I don't understand why Alecia is on the brawn tribe, though, simply because her father was in boxing.

[jsm1125]

Who switched on the second vote?   I was surprised it was him that left too.

My guess is that both Cydney and Kyle both switched their vote to Darnell on the revote. Otherwise, I feel like we would have seen any votes for Alecia on the revote.

[mojoween]

OH oh oh when Nick said life is easy for him because he is so good-looking I had to look again to see if someone else was talking because I find him fug as hell.

[shelley1234]

I never watch Big Brother but I am disturbed to say that I find Caleb hot.

 

Not a surprising reaction on first read....but give it time.  The more you are exposed to Caleb.,..the more unattractive he gets.  Beast Mode Cowboy gets on one's nerve real damn quick.

[susannot]

Only 2 people that I like so far:  ER doc who looks like Pres.Obama on Brains tribe.  Champion female bodybuilder on Brawn tribe.

[Daisy]

Wait? Darnell Dump?
(I missed a few minutes, clearly). 'splain, please?

[susannot]

Darnell went out into the ocean within full view of his tribe and apparently took a dump.  At least, that is what we were meant to infer as the tribe hooted and yelled about a "brown turtle" and such.

[Trixie Belden]

Honest to God, Beast Mode Cowboy was almost likeable tonight.  

 

My husband and I have a theory that each team has a "wrong" member. Tai should be on brains or brawn and that trainwreck of trash Alicia should be on beauty. If we're right, somehow this "twist" is going to show up later in the season.  But, we're usually wrong.

 

The way Blondie and the NBA player threw looks at each other through the episode was weird.  I think they have mutual crushes.

[PaperTree]

Wait? Darnell Dump?

(I missed a few minutes, clearly). 'splain, please?

He announced to everybody that he needed to take a dump and proceeded into the ocean to do it.  Very high on my list of the grossest things ever shown on Survivor .

[riverheightsnancy]

Yeah, I am SHOCKED that they sent home Darnell. Normally the penises stick together, "to keep the tribe physically strong". There must be more to this. He admitted his mistake and they caught up. The puzzle put them behind at that point. The other girl had to yell at blondie to help. There must be another reason.  I like Tai, but he is too naive and will probably get booted early. I really like body builder girl too. 

[ElleryAnne]

OH oh oh when Nick said life is easy for him because he is so good-looking I had to look again to see if someone else was talking because I find him fug as hell.

 

 

This.  He said he's better looking than most people, but I don't think he's even better looking than most of the cast.  I spent the whole episode expecting a twist in which they reveal that he's really supposed to be on brawn (since he's a personal trainer) and Alecia is supposed to be on beauty.  (Not sure who on the brains team would have been swapped in that case, though.)

 

Did they explain why Jennifer didn't have a medic look at her?  When someone is curled into a fetal position and screaming in pain for any length of time, a medic isn't unwarranted.

 

I dislike most of the Brains team.  I especially dislike people who decide that the old folks trying to build a shelter are useless.  And I had no sympathy for Aubry and her requests for people to help her out by bringing her fruit and water.  

[Daisy]

Darnell went out into the ocean within full view of his tribe and apparently took a dump.  At least, that is what we were meant to infer as the tribe hooted and yelled about a "brown turtle" and such.

 

 

He announced to everybody that he needed to take a dump and proceeded into the ocean to do it.  Very high on my list of the grossest things ever shown on Survivor .

 

 

that is gross. v. glad i've missed it. thanks for the More You Know moment though

[NYCFree]

Tai respects all living beings and can't watch someone carving a notch into a tree, but he has no problems ripping young trees out of the ground to haphazardly search for an idol that no one even knows exists. Nice hypocrisy!

 

Tai mentioned that the trees were dead. That's why he looked under them, because they had been uprooted and "replanted" all together. He thought the idol would be under one of them, my guess is that it was in the center. If they were young and living trees, I don't think he could have just tugged them out of the soil like that.

My other guess is that he has some great survival skills, he said they lived in a refugee camp right near where they currently are for the show.

Finally, I wonder if there is an upcoming reveal that one member of each tribe "belongs" on another. Alicia on beauty and Tai on brains for example. I can't figure out who is the mismatched one on brains though. Not that I don't have candidates, but I can't figure out who should go on brawn or beauty from that tribe.

[Trixie Belden]

Yeah, I am SHOCKED that they sent home Darnell. Normally the penises stick together, "to keep the tribe physically strong". There must be more to this. He admitted his mistake and they caught up. The puzzle put them behind at that point. The other girl had to yell at blondie to help. There must be another reason.  I like Tai, but he is too naive and will probably get booted early. I really like body builder girl too. 

 

Blondie and NBA guy are smitten with each other and I don't think the bounty hunter cared much either way, so he just went with the only other guy he felt was on the same level physically.  I would imagine that now the body builder girl and the woman who kicked ass even after having a bug in her ear are out for Blondie.  She grabbed onto the 2 big guys and is going to try to ride them all the way to the end.

[Mreid]

My overall thoughts of the premiere: I really enjoyed it. Im so happy that the Brains tribe won immunity because so far all of my favorite players are on that tribe for sure  I had high hopes for Debbie but after watching the premiere she worries me now because she seems like the outcast of the group. This has been said many times but man That Peter guy really does look like Obama like seriously its kinda scary how much he looks like the president . As far as the Beauty tribe goes the 3 girls seem like they are in a tight alliance and I dont see them turning on each other any time soon, I think Tai might be in some trouble though. He already put a target on his back by getting caught looking for an idol and not finding it, and he says it bothers him when people cut down trees??? And yet he dig up several small trees to look for the idol what the heck . The girls could still bring him into their alliance and have a 4 some there but the problem is they would be getting rid of Nick and Caleb who are their strongest physical players so Im not sure if thats smart either. Now the Brawn tribe. It seems like Kyle Jason and Scot are running things for now. Jennifer man I felt soooo bad for her that bug in her ear seriously was NOT cool at all. Im glad she is ok though! That would have sucked to lose her to a medievac in the premiere. I was really shocked to see the Brawn tribe at tribal tonight though. Like I was not expecting that at all. I thought for sure they would have won the IC. A tied vote in the premiere was a nice surprise that like never happens this early. At first I was like vote Darnell out he dropped the goggles vote him out but then I got to thinking he would still be more of an asset than Alecia and then when they got to tribal and Darnell started crying I started to feel bad for him and was hoping he would get a second shot but it just didnt happen. I think Survivor was just too overwhelming for him. Cydney seems very physically fit, but she seems to have an attitude she rolled her eyes a lot at that tribal, although she is upset that Darnell is gone shes gonna have to fake it and just move along. Otherwise I worry about her social game. If Brawn loses again, they have to get rid of Alecia if they dont they will lose every tribal pre merge. Overall it was a pretty good premiere though and I look forward to next week

[howiveaddict]

At first I thought the bug had already laid eggs that hatch when that tiny larvae thing came out of her ear.  Wonder why she didn't call for a medic?  They probably need to irrigate the heck out of her ear and give her antibiotic ear drops to clean any left over bug debrie and kill any infection that occurs;

[Trixie Belden]

Tai made the comment "you never see 3 dead trees together like that", so he thought that was sort of "X marks the spot".  He wasn't pulling up live trees (maybe he was, but he didn't think so at the time), so it wasn't a big deal to him.  Unfortunately, he was wrong and it's going to cost him.  I like him though, he's one of my early favorites.

[hoosiermom]

Caleb is engaged to a very nice and pretty girl.

[SnarkKitty]

Huh. So Bug Ear voted for Darnell; guess those strings didn't tug hard enough.

 

Drops the mask, but rows the boat and pushes it into second place vs taps out of the puzzle and does nothing at camp ... yeah, I hate a stupid first vote, therefore I now hope Brawn loses and the bodybuilder survives to the merge.

 

Aww, disappointed we didn't get to see girlie show us how she gets those puzzles to lay down for her like a lover. :/

[Pepper the Cat]

Agree with the theory that there is one mismatched person on each tribe,

Tai on beauty

Alicia on brawn

Debbie on brains.

[allboys]

I wonder if bug lady tried putting her head in the water and drowning that thing out.