S32.E02: Kindergarten Camp

[laurakaye]

I think Peter's got exactly the right idea regarding Debbie, she's a great pawn (not sure she's a goat in the sense that I think she'll drive people too insane to keep to the bitter end, but Phillip got there, so who knows?). She's the easiest type of person to manipulate, just make her believe that you're in complete and utter awe of her many talents and that she's the one leading you and her vote is in the bag. 

 

I couldn't help wondering if he overthought it and it wasn't nearly as high as he thought (unless they showed him seeing it, which I missed). It just seems unlikely that anything would be hidden in an   essentially unscalable tree (straight up and down without much in the way of footholds.) 

 

I agree, I thought Joe was unnecessarily harsh, but something about Liz's breakdown rubbed me the wrong way too. Kind of hard to articulate why since I do agree that boiling the water is a good idea and with a massive fire-making kit, boiling water should not have been a problem, but her whimpering had a tinge of spoiled child to it that put me off. 

 

I was absolutely sure that she was going to accomplish nothing but stripping the flint bare, so I was pleasantly surprised that she actually got somewhere at long last. That said, it seemed like her initial "embryo" went out and it was Jason who got it going in the end. It appeared that without her initiative to TRY, he wouldn't have gotten off his fat ass, but without him, I don't think that fire would have been started and I suspect the tribe won't be giving her much credit for that. 

 

 

Anyone who can pretend to be in awe of Debbie's multitude of accomplishments for 39 days absolutely deserves to be the sole Survivor.  And also an Oscar winner.

 

As for the idol, I know I was getting tired of idols being hidden in plain sight and thus far too easy to find, but this multi-step process of clues, keys, and having to scale a tree seems like a wee bit of overkill.  I would've loved to have seen another season of hiding the idols at challenges.  Since last season was filmed after this one but televised first, this cast would've been the first to try and retrieve idols from challenges.  I'm not sure too many on this season would've been able to pull it off quite so skillfully as Wentworth and Jeremy last season.

 

I can sympathize with Liz.  She was probably feeling bad and knew that some water would help, yet Joe seemed to want to stand in her way of getting any and basically called her a baby for wanting clean water to drink.  I liked Joe on the first episode.  Now, not so much.

 

And if Alecia has worked on that fire for 5 hours, worn down the flint and not gotten anywhere, can you imagine the glee Bounty would've had coming up with new words for "dumb" and "blonde?"  Can't stand that jerk.

Edited February 25, 2016 by laurakaye

[KimberStormer]

green, on 25 Feb 2016 - 10:58 AM, said:

 

But still that MIT young woman does overthink everything and gets upset over every little thing.  Between the need to cry all the time and the panic attacks is she long for Survivor?  Because to play Survivor you have to be able to "survive" Survivor.  She could use a little of the "suck it up" attitude.

 

 

I think you're conflating Aubry (sun-stroke/anxiety attack last ep) and Liz (crying about boiling water this ep).  I know I am in the minority in that crying doesn't bother me; but in any case I think both of these ladies deserve credit, not disdain.  I've said it before, but from my observation, first week is always the hardest, when you're getting used to the conditions--a little struggle early does not make you some kind of weak useless loser.  Aubry got too much sun, and it is scary when your thought processes are not working as they normally do; when she got hydrated she got over it and dominated the first challenge (and from what I could see was totally powering through this one too--Aubry for Kaoh Rong Challenge Beast 2016).  Liz's justifiable concerns were being dismissed by a jerky alpha male and a lunatic who thinks she can see if water is safe with her bare eyes, and she too was feeling dehydrated and anxious but did she cry in front of people and make a scene?  No.  She went off by herself to meditate in the ocean or whatever and get her act together and was accosted by the camera crew to explain the tears.  She went along with the group despite her personal feelings, which she dealt with on her own, which to me is the exact definition of "suck it up attitude"--not, like, never feeling bad at all, which is an impossible standard. 

[Special K]

Why is it that no one this season can start a fire with flint?  It seems like Brains didn't even try after their matches got wet and their kerosene was wasted.  Honest question, I really don't know how hard it is.  It seems that in past seasons, the hard task was starting a fire without flint. 

 

Also, pet peeve of mine:  I can't stand how they say "got fire." 

[LanceM]

Why is it that no one this season can start a fire with flint?  It seems like Brains didn't even try after their matches got wet and their kerosene was wasted.  Honest question, I really don't know how hard it is.  It seems that in past seasons, the hard task was starting a fire without flint. 

 

Also, pet peeve of mine:  I can't stand how they say "got fire." 

 

Well the Beauty tribe didn't have any issues doing it.

[needschocolate]

It's called high time preference - since they had hens and not roosters there was the possibility that, if cared for properly, in a couple days eggs could be forthcoming.  Eggs that would then provide some much needed fat and protein for several days.  But instead the thought process was basically Me Hungry/Got Fire/Eat Chicken.  Unless there's is a reshuffling soon I expect to see these chowderheads remove themselves from the game through a a series of bad decisions and complete lack of strategic thinking.

 

If I were ship wrecked on a deserted island and found a couple of chickens, I would certainly treat them well and hope they lay some eggs to help keep me alive.  I would also be hoping for a rooster to wander by so that maybe I could become a chicken farmer.  However, if I were on Survivor, I would probably eat the chickens (one at a time).  I don't know much about chickens, but I would think that they may not lay eggs if they are under stress and the game probably won't last long enough for them to get used to the situation. And there could be a tribe shuffle at any time.  If thec hickens do lay eggs, they would only lay one every 1 or 2 days.  If my tribe has 2 chickens, the best we could hope for is 2 eggs a day.  One large egg has 71 calories and 6 grams of protein.  If we were lucky enough to get two eggs a day, that is less than 30 calories and about 2 grams of protein per person.  On the other hand, one chicken breast has almost 200 calories and 30 grams of protein.    

Edited February 25, 2016 by needschocolate

[blackwing]

As a public service to those that are having trouble telling the Beauty women apart I will help you out.

 

This is Julia

 

http://insidesurvivor.com/wp-content/gallery/kaoh-rong-episode-3/106308_D08932b-1.jpg

 

This is Anna

 

http://insidesurvivor.com/wp-content/gallery/kaoh-rong-episode-3/106308_D09100b-1.jpg

 

This is Michele

 

http://insidesurvivor.com/wp-content/gallery/kaoh-rong-episode-1/106307_D03416b.jpg

 

You're welcome.

Unfortunately that helps me very little.  I think I recognise the blonde one as the one who sat out the challenge.  But I swear the other two aren't even on this show, or they look too similar to some of the other dark haired women on the other tribes.

 

I have heard it said many a time that production dresses the contestants.  But I thought it was more that they bring a suitcase full of clothes and production goes through and tells them what outfit they can wear.  I didn't think any of the clothes were supplied by production.  I guess I am perhaps old and out of touch with fashion choices.  I'm talking about the bright neon blue underwear of Neil and bright t orange underwear of Nick.  Why choose that?  Underwear to me should be functional, I guess I don't understand the desire to impress the viewing public with their "hip"  choices.

 

Does Caleb not wear underwear?  Given the multiple times the contestants have talked about how hot it is, I am curious as to why he thought wearing jeans in a tropical climate was a good choice.  I guess it's to go with his BMC Cowboy persona, but still.  They were doing a challenge that involved water.  Jeans in water strikes me as an odd choice.  He had his pant legs rolled up to his knees instead of just taking them off.

 

I know some seasons seem to do swimsuits as a reward, some seasons they never get them,  and others just let them have them from the beginning.  I guess this one is an underwear season.

[slowpoked]

It looks like there's no love lost between Darnell and the meathed alliance. He called them hypocritical on twitter with the hashtag deadweight. I guess it's because of them calling him a deadweight that lost the challenge when they were just napping all day. 

[Special K]

I have heard it said many a time that production dresses the contestants.  But I thought it was more that they bring a suitcase full of clothes and production goes through and tells them what outfit they can wear. 

 

I'm sure Production didn't supply Neal's ice cream cone pants.

[Jobiska]

As Joe was complaining about "Kindergarten Camp" and Liz' "wacky" ideas, as he rattled them off there was a montage of her doing these things.  One was something about "ant dust" and she was pouring a substance into the postholes for the shelter.  There was also something about making a water filter (with charcoal?  I dunno).  

I have to say, I'd much rather see footage of Liz channeling The Professor from Gilligan's Island and coming up with (and explaining)  various inventions than hear Joe complain or Debbie be Debbie or Peter be condescending about Debbie.  I mean, why not, as long as basic camp needs are either being taken care of or being ruined by Joe (messing up the kerosene and the matches, but you know he wouldn't let her in to try herself).  

I'm with Kimberstormer on this:  
 

I know I am in the minority in that crying doesn't bother me; but in any case I think both of these ladies deserve credit, not disdain.  I've said it before, but from my observation, first week is always the hardest, when you're getting used to the conditions--a little struggle early does not make you some kind of weak useless loser.  Aubry got too much sun, and it is scary when your thought processes are not working as they normally do; when she got hydrated she got over it and dominated the first challenge (and from what I could see was totally powering through this one too--Aubry for Kaoh Rong Challenge Beast 2016).  Liz's justifiable concerns were being dismissed by a jerky alpha male and a lunatic who thinks she can see if water is safe with her bare eyes, and she too was feeling dehydrated and anxious but did she cry in front of people and make a scene?  No.  She went off by herself to meditate in the ocean or whatever and get her act together and was accosted by the camera crew to explain the tears.

 

Edited February 25, 2016 by Jobiska

[How Bout That]

I think it's true that most of the time people give up on the boiling and just drink the water and it's fine (Fishbach or someone admitted this in an interview, I think)

 

 

And didn't Fishbach have extreme intestinal distress just before being voted out?

[ghoulina]

As Joe was complaining about "Kindergarten Camp" and Liz' "wacky" ideas, as he rattled them off there was a montage of her doing these things.  One was something about "ant dust" and she was pouring a substance into the postholes for the shelter.  There was also something about making a water filter (with charcoal?  I dunno). 

I have to say, I'd much rather see footage of Liz channeling The Professor from Gilligan's Island and coming up with (and explaining)  various inventions than hear Joe complain or Debbie be Debbie or Peter be condescending about Debbie.  I mean, why not, as long as basic camp needs are either being taken care of or being ruined by Joe (messing up the kerosene and the matches, but you know he wouldn't let her in to try herself).

 

Thank you! It went by so quickly, but I was watching and thinking, "Ooooh, what is she doing?" It was like mixing in Dual Survival, or another one of those shows. It definitely could have been entertaining. And hey, at least she's trying to help and not laying around all day. 

[How Bout That]

As for the idol, I know I was getting tired of idols being hidden in plain sight and thus far too easy to find, but this multi-step process of clues, keys, and having to scale a tree seems like a wee bit of overkill.  I would've loved to have seen another season of hiding the idols at challenges.  Since last season was filmed after this one but televised first, this cast would've been the first to try and retrieve idols from challenges.  I'm not sure too many on this season would've been able to pull it off quite so skillfully as Wentworth and Jeremy last season.

 

I'm pretty sure the point is that it will take at least two people to retrieve the idol and also that the retrieval will be easy to be see from hundreds of yards around.

 

Last season they wanted people to be brazen enough to retrieve the idol in plain view at an IC, this season they want to be damn sure everybody knows you have one.

[Special K]

Seriously, if Liz has an idea to keep ants from crawling over my body while I sleep, I'm all for trying it!
 

[Wandering Snark]

 

Maybe it's time for Survivor to do only Second chances (or third, or fourth...) seasons only. Now that would be unfair for new players but how entertaining for us.

 

Oh deer gahd no... that wouldn't be Survivor that would be an MTV Challenge.

[blackwing]

I'm pretty sure the point is that it will take at least two people to retrieve the idol and also that the retrieval will be easy to be see from hundreds of yards around.

 

Last season they wanted people to be brazen enough to retrieve the idol in plain view at an IC, this season they want to be damn sure everybody knows you have one.

Hmm... since they actually filmed "this season" before "last season", I wonder if that is any indicator about the idols.  In the Second Chance season some of the idols were hidden in plain view at challenges.  Anyone who is observant would have noticed that rectangular box/package hanging from that tall tree.  So far we have only seen one real attempt at finding the idol, but if they continue to be clues that will make it obvious to everyone that you are looking, I wonder if that backfired.  Either nobody ever got one, or everyone knew they had it, which greatly affected strategy.  In other words, something that reduced their much-loved "#BLINDSIDE".  And thus they changed the strategy of hiding idols for Second Chance to increase the odds that people would get them.

[slowpoked]

Seriously, if Liz has an idea to keep ants from crawling over my body while I sleep, I'm all for trying it!

 

It seems like there's really a divide in the thinking. Joe/Debbie, being the older (andself-proclaimed wiser) people are obviously old-school, thinking that camp life is supposed to be tough, so suck it up and drink untreated water, let ants infest your body, etc. I can see them thinking, "you didn't think this would be hotel vacation for you sweetie, did you?!" While Liz, being new school (and a millenial, I think), thinks that hey, if there's a way I could make things comfortable and better for myself while having very limited resources, then why not?! So she did all of those "life hacks" that she did, which old-school Joe easily poo-poohs on. 

[dustoffmom]

I guess I either read it wrong or am, as usual, just confused.  But I keep reading about Alecia working on the fire for 5 hours.  I saw it as 3 hours.  The first time they showed an update as some sort of .....two hours elapsed....and then again it said......3 hours elapsed.....I understand that it seems most people are adding the two together to get 5.  I saw it as a timeline, as in 1 hour elapsed, 2 hours elapsed, 3 hours elapsed.  So 3 hours total.   Can anyone explain this to me?  Not that 3 or 5 is not an impressive number regardless but I hate the admiration she is getting over it.  (nope, she is not anyone I particularly like this season.)

[Bryce Lynch]

I was really hoping to see Tai find the idol, but I still feared for him. He had no place to hide it. Those little undies.....

Also, Jason's tattoos look like an advertisement for Mr. Sketch markers.

Caleb to Tai: "Is that an idol in your undies or are you just happy to see me?"

[RedheadZombie]

Lots of (well-deserved) hate for the Brawn males and their treatment of Alecia, but it seemed to me that the two females laid around and mocked Alecia as well.  All of them were pretty unlikable.  It's pretty tempting to like Cydney, but I think it's mostly due to the fact that she doesn't speak much.  She immediately ruled out a female alliance and aligned with the males.  She was hating on Alecia last episode.

 

I liked Caleb on Big Brother and I like him here. He tells Coach-style tall stories, but he's  awesome in challenges, good natured and incredibly handsome.  He did do a lot of mooning over Amber, but he never crawled in bed with her asking to cuddle or snuck up and kissed her while she was eating.

 

I didn't witness it with my own eyes, but BB feed watchers reported that Caleb snuck in and kissed Amber while she was sleeping.

[blackwing]

I guess I either read it wrong or am, as usual, just confused.  But I keep reading about Alecia working on the fire for 5 hours.  I saw it as 3 hours.  The first time they showed an update as some sort of .....two hours elapsed....and then again it said......3 hours elapsed.....I understand that it seems most people are adding the two together to get 5.  I saw it as a timeline, as in 1 hour elapsed, 2 hours elapsed, 3 hours elapsed.  So 3 hours total.   Can anyone explain this to me?  Not that 3 or 5 is not an impressive number regardless but I hate the admiration she is getting over it.  (nope, she is not anyone I particularly like this season.)

Because it actually, in fact, said "5 hours elapsed".  See this screen shot:  http://prntscr.com/a7xuis

 

Not sure why that is deserving of hate.  Would someone else have been able to make a fire in less than 5 hours?  Perhaps.  But I didn't see anyone stepping up.  I saw Jen complaining about them being down because they had no fire.  I saw Scot and Jason sleeping and making fun of her.  She did clearly know she was on the chopping block, and instead of slinking away and crying, she decided to try and show that she is at least good for something.  She made a fire when none of the others could or even bothered to try.  She kept at something for five hours when others decided to sleep.  I myself think it is very admirable that she was persistent and stayed at something for five hours.  Of course, she could have taken long breaks or walks in the jungle or swam sometime in between, but still, she started at something and didn't give up.  Her tribemates certainly didn't seem all that appreciative.

[JudyObscure]

Well okay then, Redhead Zombie.  I never watch the feeds so my view of him is less accurate.

 

Dustoffmom, the screen said, 2 hours, 3 hours, 5 hours very quickly.  But I agree with you 100%.  By all accounts, not just Jason's, she did absolutely nothing but get in the way until her day with the flint and even then she seemed to be working harder not smarter as the time passed and she repeated  the very same thing, never even thinking of getting some sticks ready in case she "got embryo."   On one hand she worked on the fire for five hours, but on the other hand, it took her five hours to make fire. 

She made a fire when none of the others could or even bothered to try.

We saw Jenny trying while Alecia put her head in the way, before Alecia gave it a try.  I thought her teammates were very appreciative. 

Edited February 25, 2016 by JudyObscure

[lilabennet]

Joe was being a jerk, but Liz is no prize either.  Maybe instead of whining about how much you need Joe to make a fire so that you can boil water, you should try to make the fire yourself.  What did she expect would happen if she just quietly gathered the materials needed and worked on it herself?  It is not like Joe was going to grab the tools from her and push her down to make her stop.  The most that would happen would be Joe and Debbie nagging her about how it isn't necessary, and then Liz could just say that she does think it is necessary and it is no skin off their nose if Liz put in her own effort to do it.  Joe's reaction did seem a little over the top, so it made me wonder how long Liz was nagging him to make the fire before he snapped.

[liqidclark]

Seriously, if Liz has an idea to keep ants from crawling over my body while I sleep, I'm all for trying it!

 

 

Oh, now there's ants there. ANTS MY BUTT.

 

Maybe instead of whining about how much you need Joe to make a fire so that you can boil water, you should try to make the fire yourself. [...] It is not like Joe was going to grab the tools from her and push her down to make her stop.

 

I think she would have done it herself if Joe hadn't wasted the kerosene and the matches. She also suggested a method of getting the fire started and Joe was like, "I'm taking care of it, LIZ." Then we saw him complaining in a confessional that Liz was a silly know-it-all. He was so irritated that all her ideas were "kindergarten", since of course all of his ideas are great. Projection.

 

I guess she could've just said "JOE MY BUTT" and tried to start the fire despite him being a control freak, but I doubt that would've lessened the conflict between them. The dude seemed like his ego was wounded because he fucked up the fire supplies. If Liz had busted out a fire right then, Joe would've hated on her even harder for showing him up. I think Liz was smart to go off on her own and vent. Let the guy keep thinking he knows everything, let him piss everyone else off, too.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Liqidclark

[picklesprite]

My jaw is still hanging open from the hilarious shock of that tribal. I don't think I've ever seen Jeff look as flummoxed. It was great.

 

Omg, Debbi is a crook and a heartless one, to boot? I would love to see the Brain faces when they get back home and Google her.

 

I loved last season so much that I feared this one had to suffer by comparison, but so far it's fun.

[lilabennet]

Oh, now there's ants there. ANTS MY BUTT.

 

 

I think she would have done it herself if Joe hadn't wasted the kerosene and the matches. She also suggested a method of getting the fire started and Joe was like, "I'm taking care of it, LIZ." Then we saw him complaining in a confessional that Liz was a silly know-it-all. He was so irritated that all her ideas were "kindergarten", since of course all of his ideas are great. Projection.

 

I guess she could've just said "JOE MY BUTT" and tried to start the fire despite him being a control freak, but I doubt that would've lessened the conflict between them. The dude seemed like his ego was wounded because he fucked up the fire supplies. If Liz had busted out a fire right then, Joe would've hated on her even harder for showing him up. I think Liz was smart to go off on her own and vent. Let the guy keep thinking he knows everything, let him piss everyone else off, too.

Who cares about his ego?  As far as Liz and her 4 person alliance are concerned, Joe will be out soon anyway.  My point is that in a situation in which you have two people, one of whom wants a fire and the other does not, then it should be on the person who wants the fire to make it.  Liz was entitlement personified from where I was sitting.  It reminded me strongly of my sisters duking it out over getting up to turn the TV up whenever they lost the remote.  One always ordered the other to get up and turn the volume up, the other always said that she could hear just fine the way it was, then the first always pitched a fit about how lazy the second was instead of getting up to turn it up herself, even though she was the only one that wanted the volume to be higher anyway.  Their excuse was that they were 6 and 8 at the time, what is Liz's?  If she is incapable of making fire herself, then I have zero sympathy for her anyway.

[peachmangosteen]

Nick is reminding me of Tyler Durden. Have we seen anyone interact with him?

 

LOL I love this. I wanna refer to him as Tyler Durden from now on!

 

I would LOVE for Alecia to find the idol.  LOVE.

 

Me too. Kyle Jason Whatever, Scot, and Cydney would lose their minds. It'd be hilarious.

 

Lots of (well-deserved) hate for the Brawn males and their treatment of Alecia, but it seemed to me that the two females laid around and mocked Alecia as well.  All of them were pretty unlikable.  It's pretty tempting to like Cydney, but I think it's mostly due to the fact that she doesn't speak much.  She immediately ruled out a female alliance and aligned with the males.  She was hating on Alecia last episode.

 

I agree with this. I don't like anyone on Brawn besides Alecia. I don't forget Cydney saying she wanted to take out all the women. Such an idiotic thing to want to do.

 

Joe was being a jerk, but Liz is no prize either.  Maybe instead of whining about how much you need Joe to make a fire so that you can boil water, you should try to make the fire yourself. 

 

That was my thought as well and why she came off a bit spoiled in her breakdown. Although, Joe did react to her in such an OTT rude way that maybe he's treating her very badly and then I could maybe understand her reaction more. But still, if she wants a fire, she should try to make one. But at the same time, editing, so maybe she did in fact try and just couldn't get it done.

 

I want to like Liz because she reminds me of an actress that I really like (Madison Davenport) and because I have her in my fantasy team, but there's just something about her that's annoying me.

Edited February 25, 2016 by peachmangosteen

[violet and green]

I liked Debbie even more this episode. There was a great preview scene of her ranting and she looked just like the now older Patti Smith. I like a shamelessly ranting older woman! Especially if she's annoying pompous asses like Peter and Neal. Are they casting for misogyny now? It's so thick in this season.

 

Beauty tribe is a welcome diversion from the moral ugliness. Plus some really nice monkey shots thrown in the mix.

[peachmangosteen]

Are they casting for misogyny now?

 

I think they always have been tbh.

[azshadowwalker]

1) I am just hoping we get to see someone spot Tai's tree and the copious smears of blood all over it and wonder WTF happened there.

 

I couldn't watch that. It was worse than the ear bug last week. I kept wondering how he was going to get in the water or run in the challenge with all those wounds.

[Kromm]

I could feel Jeff's frustration when the tribal council started being sure that Alecia would be voted out. He must know back then this season would never stand after Second Chances.

Not without a Time Machine in his back pocket. This was filmed before Second Chances.

[thehepburn]

 

That was my thought as well and why she came off a bit spoiled in her breakdown. Although, Joe did react to her in such an OTT rude way that maybe he's treating her very badly and then I could maybe understand her reaction more. But still, if she wants a fire, she should try to make one. But at the same time, editing, so maybe she did in fact try and just couldn't get it done.

 

Neither came off well but the impression I got was that Joe thought that he was the only one qualified to make fire and probably didnt let anyone else attempt it. 

 

It was mindboggling to me that Joe didnt get more crap for LOSING 90% of the kerosene and letting the matches get wet.

[Wandering Snark]

I mean do you realize you're on Survivor for crying out loud and you had a pack of freakin' matches!!! and you ruined them?? And don't even get me started on the ridiculousness that was the wasting/poor care of the kerosene! Kerosene people!!! Stick one small twig in and light the soaked end of it with a match, and poof, fire! Never before has anyone had it that easy! You could have lit fires for the whole damned game and yet you poured it direct on the fire pit?!? Sheesh man...

 

And I do believe thehepburn is right, Liz was so rattled because she knew until he decided there would be a fire there would be no fire, and thus no water. That has to be a helpless feeling as you feel yourself dehydrating and the "people in charge" are just drinking the non-boiled water because the water whisperer has deemed it okay to drink so they are in no hurry. I'd be shaking too.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Wandering Snark

[BetyBee]

I think they are actually trying to kill these people.  The idol high in the tree --straight up, try not to fall guys!; the three hundred pound log; the extreme heat... Who the hell set this season up?  No wonder they're having multiple med-evacs.

 

Watching that TC was like watching someone's mind unravel right before our eyes. Jenny lost her damn mind.

I was angry at the show for putting the idol up so high and making it impossible to reach without getting hurt.  That was Tai's blood on the trunk, wasn't it?  It's like they want people to get hurt, to get medevaced.  I'm glad I didn't shut it off though, because that tribal was something!  

 

Also?  Kyle Jason is a misogynistic pig.   

[Alapaki]

If there is a Survivor God, before they're booted we'll get a scene of Joe and Debbie contracting a wicked case of the trots.

[Nite Ryder]

Usually I hate the annoying people, for the first time I find Debbie hysterical.

 

 I had to watch her talk about drinking that water straight out of the well a few times.  That cracked me up along with the sound effect as she manically talked about it.  

 

Caleb is very fun on Survivor. Now, since I watched BB I know it's 100% because editing has decided to only show his good side, but still.

 

He isn't fooling me either.  Caleb has gone on record just a few months ago (I believe) that he doesn't care for the "homosexual lifestyle" at all. CBS is doing a great job of portraying him as this open-minded, lovable, straight man when in actuality he's a conservative, ultra-religious moron.  I pass and I'm going to need Tai to love himself.  

[Jobiska]

Speaking of ants, Tai could have used some of Liz's magic powder when he pulled up that third dead tree and leapt about yelling "Red ants red ants red ants red ants!"  

[Kromm]

I had to watch her talk about drinking that water straight out of the well a few times.  That cracked me up along with the sound effect as she manically talked about it.

 

Usually I hate the annoying people, for the first time I find Debbie hysterical.

This is really case though where the real world interferes. I mean it's a bit harder to continue finding her antics funny when you find out the reality behind her though. You see the nightmare people in Flint, Michigan are going through with a corrupt system controlling their water, and it really highlights where an abuse of that kind of thing can lead in a worst case. I mean yeah, that was an extreme case and Debbie's was probably more like landlords bribing her to not replace old lead pipes and businesses not meeting code, but even so...

Clearly she wasn't convicted though. So that's something.

[millennium]

Alicia didn't do a very good job of defending herself at tribal.   When Jeff asked her if she was feeling the heat, she should have said, "Feel the heat?  Jeff, I brought the heat -- I made fire for my tribe and made it possible for us to drink pure water and cook the chicken."

 

And when Jenny lied and blamed her for proposing the all-girl alliance, Alicia should have shot back, "It wasn't me who put the bug in her ear." 

 

Heh heh.

 

 

Edited February 26, 2016 by millennium

[LanceM]

 

This is really case though where the real world interferes. I mean it's a bit harder to continue finding her antics funny when you find out the reality behind her though. You see the nightmare people in Flint, Michigan are going through with a corrupt system controlling their water, and it really highlights where an abuse of that kind of thing can lead in a worst case. I mean yeah, that was an extreme case and Debbie's was probably more like landlords bribing her to not replace old lead pipes and businesses not meeting code, but even so...

Clearly she wasn't convicted though. So that's something.

 

Actually she plead guilty on 3 counts of the indictment and received probation.

[Kromm]

Actually she plead guilty on 3 counts of the indictment and received probation.

Okay the earlier articles say this could have resulted in a six year sentence. That reduced to probation? Geez.

Has the show always casually allowed ex-cons in the cast? Anyone know? Hers was a non-violent crime admittedly--although it certainly was NOT victimless if she left poisoned or not up to EPA code water installations in place whenever someone slipped her some cash.

And it doesn't really look like the usual media suspects are talking about this. Although I haven't been listening to Rob Has A Podcast, so I can't say if that has been or not. But a google News story search doesn't find any recent stories linking her name to this conviction--only that fortunate find of that old story that was posted mentions it at all (and of course since it was written in 2011 doesn't link it to the show at all).

By the way is it weird to anyone else that Debbie's also apparently a "model"? (choke): http://www.modelmayhem.com/2850516

Okay, not really. But she's delusional enough to post a Model Profile for herself on this site.

Edited February 26, 2016 by Kromm

[LanceM]

Okay the earlier articles say this could have resulted in a six year sentence. That reduced to probation? Geez.

 

 

Her boss recieved jail time which makes me wonder if they cut a deal with her in order to convict him.

[riley702]

I'm wondering whether we loved Second Chances season so much because the strategizing and the game in general was great or because we know these people and we like them or like to hate them. I'm asking myself whether I'd like these two episodes from this season more if the players were the ones from last season and I do believe the answer would be yes. I'm used to seeing familiar faces in the game so I'm getting annoyed trying to get to know these people and know their names, their ages, the way they think or play, while in Second Chances I liked most of them from the get go, I estimated who would align with whom, I was familiar with their way of thinking. All in all I think that it's not the people I don't like in this season, it's the fact that they are strangers to me and I was really spoiled last season not having to remember all the names and being familiar with the contestants from the beginning. Maybe it's time for Survivor to do only Second chances (or third, or fourth...) seasons only. Now that would be unfair for new players but how entertaining for us.

IMNSHO, all of these repeat players are what have ruined the game. Especially when they're upfront about making alliances before the damned game even starts. Blech.

 

On another note, did Alecia call Scot & Jason the basketball player and the hitman? Does she really think he is a hit man as a career? Or does she think that's what a bail bondsman/bounty hunter does, kill people?

 

Some do. I can remember several in recent years. We've got one under arrest now for killing two teenagers last Christmas - in the news again because they just found one body. Before now, all they had were the kids' bloody clothes with bits of blood, bone, and brain scattered all over his yard.

Edited February 26, 2016 by riley702

[Superpole2000]

Season 32, and my level of interest is now down to a 2 out of 10. Another 40 minutes of ugly personalities might turn me off the show for good. I would love to see some more "Aww!" moments. The "bromance" stuff was more awkward than friendly (and the kiss part was creepy), so that doesn't cut it for me. I guess the one nice moment was when "Blondie" made the fire, but her tribemates still spent the entire episode talking crap about her (and calling her Blondie), so that just made me long for something more positive.

 

I guess I just want to like someone (preferably multiple people). I'm pulling for LIz for now and hoping Joe softens up on her.

[azshadowwalker]

Has the show always casually allowed ex-cons in the cast? Anyone know?

Wasn't Christa(?), the third of the Rupert-Sandra triad, arrested for meth before she was on Pearl Islands? I'm pretty sure she was arrested afterwards, but I thought she was before, too. Not sure if Vytas was ever arrested, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

[escatefromny]

 

Jenny, OTOH, may not be a slouch herself, but her strategy is shite. She was a hot mess. Left, right, all over the place. It seems, to me, that she felt bad for Alecia and actually liked her, and was getting sick of Jason. (Cant' say I blame her.) So she had this impulsive moment of wanting to make Alecia happy and possibly turn the game around. Okay....but she handled it all wrong. She should have talked to Cydney first. Make sure she was on board. THEN approach Alecia. Then once you make a plan, stick to it. She was wavering and back tracking and flat out lying. And she's a horrible liar. I don't blame her tribemates at all for sending her home. She totally wrote her own ticket at tribal.

All of this plus, I'm wondering if she is just a fame whore and drama queen. She was awfully dramatic a standing on her log, arms out stretched like Evita on her balcony. Jeff didn't really prod her but maybe the attention was like catnip and she just couldn't resist "good TV".

[Bryce Lynch]

This is really case though where the real world interferes. I mean it's a bit harder to continue finding her antics funny when you find out the reality behind her though. You see the nightmare people in Flint, Michigan are going through with a corrupt system controlling their water, and it really highlights where an abuse of that kind of thing can lead in a worst case. I mean yeah, that was an extreme case and Debbie's was probably more like landlords bribing her to not replace old lead pipes and businesses not meeting code, but even so...

Clearly she wasn't convicted though. So that's something.

Debbie plead guilty to 3 Federal felonies for falsifying water tests after Katrina. She was sentenced to only 1 year of probation.

I don't think bribes were involved. It was more like she took on contacts to do the testing, knowing her company lacked the necessary equipment and then she produced false reports without doing proper testing.

I wonder if she thought she was committing fraud and endangering people, or if in her twisted, crazy cat lady mind, she really believed she didn't need any equipment and could tell if the water was safe by looking at it.

[Bryce Lynch]

Season 32, and my level of interest is now down to a 2 out of 10. Another 40 minutes of ugly personalities might turn me off the show for good. I would love to see some more "Aww!" moments. The "bromance" stuff was more awkward than friendly (and the kiss part was creepy), so that doesn't cut it for me. I guess the one nice moment was when "Blondie" made the fire, but her tribemates still spent the entire episode talking crap about her (and calling her Blondie), so that just made me long for something more positive.

I guess I just want to like someone (preferably multiple people). I'm pulling for LIz for now and hoping Joe softens up on her.

I also dislike most of the castaways, but many are so stupid and obnoxious (I am talking to you Jason, Debbie and Joe), that I greatly enjoy rooting against them.

I am also pulling for Liz right now. She obviously did a lot of research on survival and Survivor only to be dismissed and mocked by a couple of obnoxious know it alls, who despite their backgrounds, seem to lack the basic survival skills of a first year cub scouts.

I kind of like Fauxbama (much better than the real one). It isn't ageism when the 2 most arrogant and useless people in your tribe happen to also be the oldest.

[himela]

I don't forget Cydney saying she wanted to take out all the women. Such an idiotic thing to want to do.

 

I disagree. Cydney is playing like Tasha last season. She wants to get rid of the "weaker" players that can easily be interpreted as goats (aka the women in her point of view) and keep the strong and loud men until the merge. After the merge she knows the others will try to take care of these men while she will be safe cause she will be perceived as a goat as well. After all strong and loud men will be gone, she will try to show her social and/or physical game until the final tribal council. In my eyes Cydney is playing the best game at least in the Brawn tribe; she is mpstly mute, goes with the flow (she tried to save Darnell last week but not so much), seems loyal to the guys while entertaining a woman's alliance and I'm sure she knows when exactly to show her strength in challenges. I have the feeling that this kind of game is the best for me and ticks every rule there is to win Survivor. I wouldn't be surprised if Cydney won the game tbh. She is a stronger Sandra so to tell in my opinion.

[NutMeg]

Didn't post last week because I watched the first episode almost a week late, but I've been a fan of Alecia's since day one [for those of you who may be familiar with the awesome Total Drama, isn't she Lindsay come alive? How often does that happen?].

 

If I were her, I wouldn't even mind about the Blondie nickname. Let people call you whatever they want and underestimate you along the way. There once was a guy named Jud, who everyone thought dumb and decided to call "Fabio", and he laughed all the way to the bank with a million dollars in his pocket.

 

The Tai/Caleb bonding, while having one awkward moment, could evolve into one of these unexpected bondings that I like a lot in Survivor - à la JT/Steven, or Sandra/Courtney. I would love to see that.

 

I like that the way to find idols changes from season to season and I hope this trend lasts. The idols clues etc. are interesting this season, because once you know where it is, there are multiple scenarios: you can do it Ozzy-style, climb the tree and get it, or (hopefully almost) die trying getting it that way because you see no other way, not succeed and grow increasingly frustrated; you can work it as a long term task, build a pole in your free time and use the loop you got with the clue to get the idol; you can recruit one, two or three teammates and get it by stepping onto their shoulders, pyramid style, like cheerleaders or gymnasts do; in a worst case scenario, if you know it's you that night and you have nothing to lose, you could make a pole and then get the idol in full view of everyone (what? they cannot wrestle you for it, can they?). And if that's just what I thought of in a couple of minutes, I'm sure there are many more possibilities!

 

So yeah, despite having started watching a tad late and with misgivings, I'm in, and so far quite happy with this season :)  

[himela]

Not without a Time Machine in his back pocket. This was filmed before Second Chances.

Oh come on, I think everyone can assume that Second Chances season would be way better than a normal one. Jeff especially who knows way more things than we do would bet his life on it.