S32.E07: It's Merge Time

[ForeverAlone]

His first name is Kyle, last name is Jason. I call him Kyle, because apparently he would rather be called Jason, but I dislike him so much, I won't grant him the status of referring to him by his last name. 

[grumpypanda]

His first name is Kyle, last name is Jason. I call him Kyle, because apparently he would rather be called Jason, but I dislike him so much, I won't grant him the status of referring to him by his last name.

Thanks. It never occurred to me that Jason was his last name. I still think ogre fits him better.

[Rockfish]

Often, my husband and I eat some a late supper while watching Survivor. Suffice it to say that I was beyond grateful that we ate at a normal hour before watching.

The most uncomfortable part for me, though, was seeing Debbie's and Tai's conversation. It was so, so obvious from his body language and monosyllabic answers that he was uncomfortable and just agreed to anything she asked just to get her to leave him alone. Her obliviousness was cringe worthy.

Many people are saying that this is the worst season ever, but for me it's not. It's bad, and there are many people I heartily dislike, but I hated the one with Dan and 'Merica so much more (even though I liked Joe and the cool kids). And the last time Coach and Ozzy were on (Edna won, and I did like her) was another season I disliked more, probably because that wacko Hantz kid was on for almost the entirety and I. cannot. take. him.

[Rockfish]

You mean Sophie won?

I think this season is dull but I'll take it over the seasons where we saw a ton of Russell, Brandon, Phillip and (weird, I know but) Lisa.

Thanks for the correction! You're right--Sophie is her name. I guess she looks like an Edna to me.

[Cynna]

Very interesting that Nick said he would rather hang out with Aubrey than any of the other women. They could create an alliance and take out the brawn. It seems to be setting up some interesting scenarios.

This actually made me blink and rewind at the time. I believe he said that IRL, of all the girls there, that Aubrey is the only one he'd want to know and in fact he'd probably hang out with. That says a lot to me about him - that he'd rather hang with the brainy, average-looking girl than the beauties.

 

Could someone tell us here what he said (since some of us don't want to look in the spoiler thread)?

 

Neal's Ponderosa video is up.

Oh, come on CBS, please make these visible to Canadians this time!  Such a bummer that we miss out on these. :(

 

That was the absolute highlight of the show for me...drunk Debbie flirting with her crazy stare and Nick laughing it off, but secretly thinking "OMG NO!!"  

 

Here's what needs to happen: Debbie wins a reward challenge that involves an overnight stay on a private boat with lots of wine and she can bring only one other person with her.  Please, Probst - tell me this is in the can, waiting to be aired!

Oh this made me laugh!!!  I'd pay to see this episode - in fact, I'd watch round-the-clock video footage of it!

[Ms Blue Jay]

Edna Krabappel?  ; )

 

Oh, come on CBS, please make these visible to Canadians this time!  Such a bummer that we miss out on these. :(

 

Anytime someone is kicked off of Survivor, just go to Youtube and type "(Person's Name) Ponderosa".  It will be there.  

 

[himela]

Oh, come on CBS, please make these visible to Canadians this time!  Such a bummer that we miss out on these. :(

 

Youtube is your friend:

[marys1000]

What Nick said about Aubry - what does that say about Michelle and Julia and Cyndy?  I also wondered if Nick is another victim of the BB&B theme and is really smart or something.  Read his bio.  Yow.  He's a Survivor Superfan that used to blog for Rob has a Podcast.  And yet another example of how you get on Survivor by knowing someone which I think is bs.

 

As for Neal not giving up the idol.  True that he has broken some rule by not giving it to her, he didn't have to, he wasn't obligated, he didn't owe her anything. 

But I think it displays a deep pettiness - I'm going to take my marbles and go home.  You'all get to stay, life is so unfair.  Wah Wah Wah. 

 

It also says to me - you aren't as big a fan of Survivor as you think you are. I can't imagine not wanting to play the game to the last minute.  If you don't have anything to cast a last twist with it is what it is.  But if have something that would be a big move?  HELL YA.  Survivor is about moves and if I had one you can bet I'd play it even as I was leaving.  Make a big exit!  Change the game!  You'd be watching as jury to see how your little bomb worked out.  Its play the game! 

A real player would take that opportunity.  That's a player.  Not some petty little boy its all about me, someone said something mean to me.  Its a game. 

I hope he doesn't come back. 

[Lamb18]

Responding to a post about why Scot seems to be shutting out Cydney from the alliance in favor of Nick:

 

Easy: Nick is a man and Cydney isn't. What's more Nick is a "real" man (in Scot's eyes); after all, he really challenged Scot at basketball and earned Scot's manly man respect. Tai is not a "manly man" but he's still a man and willing to be cute and subordinate, like Cupcake's Care Bear. Also, Scot and Cupcake probably take it for granted that Cydney will go along with them so there's no need to pay her any attention? After all, why would she want to ally with the loser girls instead of the manly men?

[peachmangosteen]

But I think it displays a deep pettiness - I'm going to take my marbles and go home.  You'all get to stay, life is so unfair.  Wah Wah Wah. 

 

I don't think Neal kept the idol out of pettiness, I think it was just selfishness. He wanted the idol as a souvenir of his experience. There was maybe a little arrogance there too in wanting to keep it to prove he found one.

 

What Nick said about Aubry - what does that say about Michelle and Julia and Cyndy? 

 

For me it says nothing because I don't really care about Nick's opinions! It just says that he has more in common with Aubry, which I don't find surprising at all based on what we've seen from all of them.

 

Also, can I just say, I think Aubry is actually one of the most beautiful of the women this season. They're all quite pretty, but the girls on the Beauty tribe (plus Alecia) are more generic, I guess, while Cydney, Aubry, and Liz are more interesting beauties to me.

 

And then the men, for the most part, are not attractive at all to me. Which, rude, casting department! Maybe throw a bone to the straight ladies and gay men!

[ljenkins782]

As for Neal not giving up the idol.  True that he has broken some rule by not giving it to her, he didn't have to, he wasn't obligated, he didn't owe her anything. 

But I think it displays a deep pettiness - I'm going to take my marbles and go home.  You'all get to stay, life is so unfair.  Wah Wah Wah. 

 

It also says to me - you aren't as big a fan of Survivor as you think you are. I can't imagine not wanting to play the game to the last minute.  If you don't have anything to cast a last twist with it is what it is.  But if have something that would be a big move?  HELL YA.  Survivor is about moves and if I had one you can bet I'd play it even as I was leaving.  Make a big exit!  Change the game!  You'd be watching as jury to see how your little bomb worked out.  Its play the game! 

A real player would take that opportunity.  That's a player.  Not some petty little boy its all about me, someone said something mean to me.  Its a game. 

I hope he doesn't come back. 

Based on the limited insight we got into Neal, I think I have to agree on the pettiness (and selfishness) point. Something about him was a bit aloof and removed when it came to personal relationships. His alliance with Aubry was purely about his game and his plans and once he no longer had the chance to play, that relationship was all over. 

 

Also agreed on the chance at making an imprint on the game even after he's gone. If he really hated the "bullies" of the Brawn tribe that much, why not throw up a posthumous roadblock for them? 

 

I don't think Neal kept the idol out of pettiness, I think it was just selfishness. He wanted the idol as a souvenir of his experience. There was maybe a little arrogance there too in wanting to keep it to prove he found one.

 

Well, he does have the televised evidence that he found one, so that seems like a silly reason to keep something that's now valueless to him, but potentially worth $1 million to someone else. I guess the "souvenir" aspect of it just seems a little superfluous when you've probably got other stuff plus the TV show to watch anytime you want to reflect on your experience. But then again, I'm not much for souvenirs anyway, so it might just be me. ;) 

 

This actually made me blink and rewind at the time. I believe he said that IRL, of all the girls there, that Aubrey is the only one he'd want to know and in fact he'd probably hang out with. That says a lot to me about him - that he'd rather hang with the brainy, average-looking girl than the beauties.

 

The part that I'm more interested in is whether or not the reverse is true, if Aubry had her pick of any of the guys*, would Nick be her top choice? He doesn't strike me as someone that would be all that interesting to talk to (possibly stereotyping here based on his comments about "being better looking than most people" and his career as a personal trainer, plus his "must fake emotions" robot brain).

 

*Though this scenario is flawed from the start given the disproportionately large segment of d-bags amongs the males in this cast...

[peachmangosteen]

Based on the limited insight we got into Neal, I think I have to agree on the pettiness (and selfishness) point. Something about him was a bit aloof and removed when it came to personal relationships. His alliance with Aubry was purely about his game and his plans and once he no longer had the chance to play, that relationship was all over. 

 

I definitely agree with this. It wouldn't surprise me if it didn't even occur to Neal to give his idol to Aubry. They honestly didn't come off all that close to me based on the edit, certainly not like they were actual friends or anything, so I can imagine Neal just didn't even think about giving her his idol. And he didn't really strike me as someone who would have thought about making an impact on the game's future in that moment either.

[marys1000]

In Neals thread it was brought up that apparently Jeff even discussed leaving the idol with Neal.  So doubling down on his weak lie about it just all happened so fast.  Triple down since he said he had his bag packs to go before the immunity challenge.  He was pretty sure he was going for some time.  He had plenty of time and even discussion about whether to leave the idol.  Ultimately he made the selfish, petty, childish choice with plenty of thought.  I think that's a sore loser and a bad Survivor.

[ljenkins782]

I don't think it's necessarily valueless.  You could sell it online for something significant, I bet.  

 

I still think it's not unreasonable to assume if you left with an idol, the show might re-hide one in its place, like they do when someone gets voted out with one in their pocket often.  I would rather let the most resourceful player find "my" (replacement) idol than hand it over to someone I didn't even really trust.  

 

You probably could get something for it on eBay, but considering Neal is a co-founder and CEO of what is apparently an expensive ice cream company, I can't imagine that hocking Survivor items would really add much to his bank account. 

 

They may well hide another one, but it may fall into the hands of likes of Jason or Scot. In-game Neal wouldn't want that to happen, but out-of-game Neal doesn't seem to care who wins now that he can't. 

 

I am rooting for Aubry/the women in general so I wish he would have given her the idol, but again, it doesn't surprise me that he didn't. 

[Lamb18]

The part that I'm more interested in is whether or not the reverse is true, if Aubry had her pick of any of the guys*, would Nick be her top choice? He doesn't strike me as someone that would be all that interesting to talk to (possibly stereotyping here based on his comments about "being better looking than most people" and his career as a personal trainer, plus his "must fake emotions" robot brain).

Regarding the guys, I think Nick is really the only choice out of a bad lot of guys to choose from. I don't think she has a secret crush on Cupcake.

 

Regarding Neal and the idol, I think he just wanted it to keep it as a trophy. How many people get to take home an idol? If being on Survivor is your life-long dream and you aren't going to win, at least you have an idol.

[Jersey Guy 87]

Regarding Neal and the idol, I think he just wanted it to keep it as a trophy. How many people get to take home an idol? If being on Survivor is your life-long dream and you aren't going to win, at least you have an idol.

 

Well, James took home two that one time...

[needschocolate]

I have a shelf in my house where I put souvenirs from trips (it is not a big shelf, as I don't travel much).  If I was on Survivor, a show that I have never missed an episode of, and I found an idol, and then I was medivac'd,  I would keep the idol unless I was really close to to another player (assuming I could give it to them without putting a target on their back). I got the impression Neal and Aubry had an alliance out of necessity only, not that there was a strong bond between them.  I would rather keep my idol than give to someone and then find out that they were planning to vote me out.  

 

The other option for a souvenir would be the buff but since there was just a merge, Neal had only had that buff for 2-3 days (they turn in their old ones, right?).  Of course, the souvenir I would want the most would be a copy of a million dollar check made out to me.  

[blackwing]

I'm wondering why Neal just couldn't get antibiotics like Aubry did.  Is it because his whatever thing popped?  If there's a difference in treatment post-pop and pre-pop, other than bandages to minimise the oozing, then that would make sense I guess.

 

And I do find it a bit unfair that there was still a tribal post-Caleb but there wasn't one post-Neal.  If the explanation is that they wouldn't have enough shows to fill the season, well, that's weak.  They could always do a "random returning player" twist.  I know it probably wasn't in the original playbook when they planned the season, but neither was two people getting medivacced.

[peachmangosteen]

I'm wondering why Neal just couldn't get antibiotics like Aubry did.

I think I read that they had given Neal antibiotics eariler and it wasn't working, which is a big part of why he got medevaced. His wound wasn't getting any better.

And I do find it a bit unfair that there was still a tribal post-Caleb but there wasn't one post-Neal.

Me too. Someone earlier said that it was because Caleb left pre-IC, which does make some sense, but I still find it suspect.

[ForeverAlone]

It's pretty  much standard procedure that if a player quits or is medevaced before an immunity challenge, they still have a Tribal Council, but when a player quits or is medevaced after an immunity challenge, they don't have a tribal council. The way production treated the Caleb medevac and the Neal medevac is completely in keeping with how this show conducts business. 

 

Here are some examples (I know there are more out there):

 

Medevac/quit before immunity challenge, so there is a tribal council:

 

Penner medevaced/Chet voted out (Micronesia)

Kathy quits/Tracy voted out (Micronesia)

James medevaced/Alexs voted out (Micronesia)

Colton quits/John voted out (BvW)

Lindsay quit/Alexis voted out (Cagayan)

 

 

Medevac/quit after immunity challenge, so there is no tribal council:

 

Joe medevaced (Tocantins)

Julie quits (SJDS)

Colton leaves (One World)

Russell Swan medevaced (Samoa)

Bruce medevaced (Panama)

Edited April 4, 2016 by ForeverAlone

[Nashville]

I would rather let the most resourceful player find "my" (replacement) idol than hand it over to someone I didn't even really trust.  

This x10,000.

[needschocolate]

I'm wondering why Neal just couldn't get antibiotics like Aubry did.  Is it because his whatever thing popped?  If there's a difference in treatment post-pop and pre-pop, other than bandages to minimise the oozing, then that would make sense I guess.

 

I think part of it had to do with where the infection was.  Neal's was near his knee and if the infection spread into a joint it might damage that joint permanently.  Also, based on his interviews, his was really deep.  And, like others have said, they had tried antibiotics and they didn't work as well.  

[KimberStormer]

needschocolate, on 04 Apr 2016 - 12:43 PM, said:

 Neal had only had that buff for 2-3 days (they turn in their old ones, right?).  

 

Nah dude, they throw 'em down!  THROW DOWN YR BUFFS, BECAUSE WE ARE MERGED