S32.E07: It's Merge Time

[PerfidiousAmber]

Debbie is really tap dancing on my damn last nerves. She really needs to go if she keeps it up and sick of her saying she's playing offense. No girl you're playing fast and loose now with being everywhere and trying so desperately to get the numbers. Calm your ass down some. While the medic was there he should have slipped Debbie some Ritalin.

I just about spit out a mouthful of beer on the keyboard at the Ritalin comment! I agree, I was a big Debbie fan, but she was just going in hyperdrive tonight and destroying all of the work she'd previously done. She was like an old fashioned record player playing at too fast a speed.

 

In contrast, I found Nick's play style as a fellow "mastermind" to be more considered and strategically neutral or defensive. I don't necessarily like Nick any more than I did but I found him to be far more interesting this episode.

 

Edited: now that I think about it, I think Nick just seemed more defensive next to Deb's frenzy.

Edited March 31, 2016 by PerfidiousAmber

[sadiegirl1999]

I honestly thought Nick was getting voted out b/c he got so much air time!

[ForeverAlone]

Me too. I figured Nick or Debbie were goners this episode, so I was surprised to see Neal was medevaced instead. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Do you guys think that Nick is a fan of Fresh Prince 'cuz I do

[LanceM]

Oh, Michele. Where you see goats no one will vote for, the jury will see strong men making the argument that they were "playing the game," and you were a coat tail rider/hanger on. Jason will then cry crocodile tears about his daughters and the casual sexism of Survivor will make the rest of his argument for him.

 

Sandra Diaz-Twine you are not.

 

I don't see this happening especially with Jason as his edit has been absolutely horrible and probably not with Scot either. If they are both sitting in the FTC with any of the women this season than I see that woman winning. Right now my top choice is Michele but Cydney and Aubry are definltely possibilities as well.

[Wandering Snark]

Hmm... what if that actually wasn't the idol in his shorts and he didn't have the idol on him to give away?

[LanceM]

So you are saying he was just happy to see them.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I loved Michele pointing out that nobody would throw votes towards Jason because he's pissed off too many people, and Scot apparently because he's too rich.  I swear I mentioned this last week and I was told that there's no way the jury thinks that Scot/Jason are assholes like we do.  Huzzah!

 

Both Nick and Michelle have devastatingly beautiful eyes.  I kind of hate admitting it, because all of the "beauty goes with jocks" talk was making me want to vom, but whatever.  The worst offender was Jason and I don't even want to repeat his comments.  Nick talking about being the prettiest girl at the dance with a choice to go with either the quarterback or the valedictorian, smiling winningly the whole time, I actually found hilarious.

 

Tai is doing that, "Nobody is targeting him/Jeremy" game.  Tai's weapon seems to be that nobody remembers he's a Beauty?  Or even there?  Aubry talked about how she NEEDS Julia and Nick but no mention of Tai.  I think it was Jason talking about getting rid of Brains too.  Nobody talks about getting rid of Tai.

 

I really enjoyed the storyline about Debbie coming on way too strong to both

1)  Tai, who seems to trust nobody, EXCEPT SCOT?????????

and 2)  Nick, who was absolutely turned off.

With Nick, it's a nice gender reversal of what I'm used to.  I really like seeing the other side.  I don't mean I ENJOY his discomfort with her, I just think it's a very interesting story to tell.

 

Debbie:  I'm one of the few people here who plays offence.

Neal, talking about how he'll just have to reach for the family jewels, and then reaching between his legs and smiling while doing it?  Crazy

 

What was more gross, Jason talking about how cheerleaders want to fuck him while he stuffs nerds in lockers?  Or the thing on Neal's back?  I think that I blacked out when I saw Neal's back.

 

I wish this show was more like Project Runway, because then they'd bring back Peter just for the DRAMA.  (Oh, ok, an earlier post said he had horrible infections also?  This is not BODING well for Cambodia Survivors hahaha.)

 

and what does Nick have that makes everyone want to bring him in to their alliance over others.

 

I don't think it's as complicated as all that.  Scot and Jason are misogynists, they like Real Men.   Also, Debbie went HARD after Tai so it's not like Nick was the only courted one.  Also Debbie went after Michele.

 

I truly enjoy Nick, but ShadowSixx's discussion of his robot simulation of human emotions never gets old for me.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Ms Blue Jay

[Wings]

He was really upset about getting pulled, he may have just not have thought to give her the idol. Or not wanted to do it in front of everyone.

 

I was annoyed because  I wanted Aubrey to get the idol, but I don't necessarily think Neal's a douche for it.

 

There is a tweet in the spoiler thread where he says why he did not give it to her.  

[PerfidiousAmber]

I felt very badly for Neal, whom I kind of liked and disliked equally, but who seemed much more human tonight. As far as his idol goes, I, as well, was shocked that he didn't give his idol to Aubrey, but isn't being officially medically pulled from the game the same thing as being voted out as far as game play goes? Meaning that his goodbyes to the tribe were purposefully shown to create drama about whether or not he can/will give the idol to Aubrey, when in fact he actually can't.

[Trick Question]

I was really turned off by how Nick talked to Michele in their conversation.  She was giving reasons why she was leaning towards aligning with Brawn over Beauty, and he just interrupts and says "WE are going with Brawn".  No reasoning, no checking it over with her.  Like it was solely his decision and any reservations she might have don't matter.  It was unbecoming.

 

While Nick is generally a douche and his comments last week about leading Michele around were eye-rolling, I didn't think this scene was really any of that.  It looked like the two of them were legitimately on the same page.  Like, she was giving her reasons for siding with the Brawns and he was just said, "ok, sounds good, let's go with Brawn."

[PerfidiousAmber]

I loved Michele pointing out that nobody would throw votes towards Jason because he's pissed off too many people, and Scot apparently because he's too rich.  I swear I mentioned this last week and I was told that there's no way the jury thinks that Scot/Jason are assholes like we do.  Huzzah!

 

Both Nick and Michelle have devastatingly beautiful eyes.  I kind of hate admitting it, because all of the "beauty goes with jocks" talk was making me want to vom, but whatever.  The worst offender was Jason and I don't even want to repeat his comments.  Nick talking about being the prettiest girl at the dance with a choice to go with either the quarterback or the valedictorian, smiling winningly the whole time, I actually found hilarious.

 

Tai is doing that, "Nobody is targeting him/Jeremy" game.  Tai's weapon seems to be that nobody remembers he's a Beauty?  Or even there?  Aubry talked about how she NEEDS Julia and Nick but no mention of Tai.  I think it was Jason talking about getting rid of Brains too.  Nobody talks about getting rid of Tai.

 

I really enjoyed the storyline about Debbie coming on way too strong to both

1)  Tai, who seems to trust nobody, EXCEPT SCOT?????????

and 2)  Nick, who was absolutely turned off.

With Nick, it's a nice gender reversal of what I'm used to.  I really like seeing the other side.  I don't mean I ENJOY his discomfort with her, I just think it's a very interesting story to tell.

 

Debbie:  I'm one of the few people here who plays offence.

Neal, talking about how he'll just have to reach for the family jewels, and then reaching between his legs and smiling while doing it?  Crazy

 

What was more gross, Jason talking about how cheerleaders want to fuck him while he stuffs nerds in lockers?  Or the thing on Neal's back?  I think that I blacked out when I saw Neal's back.

 

I wish this show was more like Project Runway, because then they'd bring back Peter just for the DRAMA.  (Oh, ok, an earlier post said he had horrible infections also?  This is not BODING well for Cambodia Survivors hahaha.)

 

 

I don't think it's as complicated as all that.  Scot and Jason are misogynists, they like Real Men.   Also, Debbie went HARD after Tai so it's not like Nick was the only courted one.  Also Debbie went after Michele.

 

I truly enjoy Nick, but ShadowSixx's discussion of his robot simulation of human emotions never gets old for me.

 

Ms Blue Jay, I just love your entire damned post ;)

[azshadowwalker]

Scott and Jason are awfully arrogant, and what does Nick have that makes everyone want to bring him in to their alliance over others. Did not like the way Scott talked to Aubry and Joe. 

 

Nick is not tied to either side. That's why he's valuable. The Brains make themselves unapproachable by looking too solid in this situation.

 

Aubry and Joe didn't have to put their game in Scot's hands. Aubry chose to do so. I wasn't bothered with Scot in that case. 

 

I was surprised medical didn't do anything about Aubry's huge infected lump. Looked to me like it should have been lanced. But I'm not a doctor nor do I play one on TV so...

 

When an infection is closed like that, it can be better to get it under control with antibiotics before doing any surgery to open it. That's especially true in unsanitary conditions like the beach.

 

Debbie is such an annoying drunk.

Damn you Scot just when I started to like you you had to blab about something that was not yours to talk about.

 

Debbie's just annoying. I don't think drunk has anything to do with it.

 

As soon as Tai was dumb enough to tell about the idol, he placed his destiny in Scot's hands. It's Scot's right to use whatever information he has to further his own game. I don't like Scot, but it is absolutely his to talk about. It's just not his to play.

 

Debbie is really tap dancing on my damn last nerves. She really needs to go if she keeps it up and sick of her saying she's playing offense. No girl you're playing fast and loose now with being everywhere and trying so desperately to get the numbers. Calm your ass down some. While the medic was there he should have slipped Debbie some Ritalin.

 

She's gone beyond that point for me. I've been done with her for weeks. This was exactly why most of her tribe found her annoying from the get-go.

 

I was annoyed because  I wanted Aubrey to get the idol, but I don't necessarily think Neal's a douche for it.

 

I am also not annoyed because Aubry made the bed she has to lie in. She decided to go along and weaken her own alliance last TC. It's not really up to Neal to save her from her dumb moves. In fact, when she was whining before the merge, I just laughed. Last week, I argued that she had screwed both herself and Joe if there was no merge. And Scot made it obvious that she had done just that at the beginning of the episode. Aubry is responsible for Aubry's position.

 

Tai is doing that, "Nobody is targeting him/Jeremy" game.  Tai's weapon seems to be that nobody remembers he's a Beauty?  Or even there?  Aubry talked about how she NEEDS Julia and Nick but no mention of Tai.  I think it was Jason talking about getting rid of Brains too.  Nobody talks about getting rid of Tai.

 

I don't think Kyle is talking about getting rid of Tai because Tai is obviously in Scot's jock. Why would they talk about getting rid of the person who could be manipulated into making the super idol, and makes his attachment to Scot very public?

 

While Nick is generally a douche and his comments last week about leading Michele around were eye-rolling, I didn't think this scene was really any of that.  It looked like the two of them were legitimately on the same page.  Like, she was giving her reasons for siding with the Brawns and he was just said, "ok, sounds good, let's go with Brawn."

 

There was give and take throughout that conversation, so I absolutely agree. 

[Ms Blue Jay]

I don't think Kyle is talking about getting rid of Tai because Tai is obviously in Scot's jock. Why would they talk about getting rid of the person who could be manipulated into making the super idol, and makes his attachment to Scot very public?

 

Yeah, people never vote off other players who trust them!  What was I thinking.  To me, it's funny that they attach themselves directly to Tai for having an Idol, yet decide that they must get rid of Neal for the exact same reason.  Also, it was 100% Scot who wants to keep Tai around.  Jason never mentioned doing that this episode.  I'm going to reserve my own judgement on how Jason feels about Tai until I see evidence.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Ms Blue Jay

[GaT]

As for Dr Rupert being there, and as for their sudden concern, I put theh dots together that with Peter being voted off 3 days earlier and needing to be taken to the states for surgery thanks to his nasty staph/MRSA boils, and the EXACT SAME THING happened to Liz Markham early in the game, Dr. Joe was probably with Peter in the hospital or something and therefore sent Dr. Rupert, specifically to assess the cast as they were starting to get concerned about the rampant staph/mrsa on the brains beach, which could rapidly spread to the rest of the cast if they didn't take care of it right then and there. staph / mrsa/ cellulilitis is very serious.

This is the first I've heard about Peter, but I agree. People have had nasty things before on Survivor without the doctor making a house call, they must have been really concerned to do it. There are going to be as many people eliminated for medical as being voted out.

Edited March 31, 2016 by GaT

[Wandering Snark]

 

Tai is obviously in Scot's jock.

I'd prefer that actually, as it would lend more coverage than what we're currently subjected to.

[azshadowwalker]

It would totally make sense to boot someone loyal to your alliance who has the ability to further your advantage via the combination of idols. Kyle is an asshole, but he isn't stupid. He specifically mentioned the super idol tonight. It actually came out of his mouth.

Edited March 31, 2016 by azshadowwalker

[PerfidiousAmber]

General comments on the episode:

 

Joe: He was originally shown to be a fit and smart older guy, but in this episode he seemed almost comatose - he just seemed so stunned at the beginning by Aubrey's vote, he went into a tailspin and didn't seem to know what he was doing.

 

 

Debbie: OMG Debbie. Talk about self-imploding. No other words needed.

 

Julia: I keep forgetting she is only 18! She is handling herself very well for being so young in such a grueling challenge. Is she even collaborating with her former Beauty members?

 

Nick: Definitely set up as the classic Disney villain - doesn't he look and sound like one ;)  Was displaying some entertaining gameplay tonight.

 

Jason: Nothing much changed, except I hate him times infinity for the geeks in a locker comment. Times infinity. Because.

 

Michelle: Her extremely cautious approach in the last few episodes is continuing - she seemed to be on board with Nick's rather abrupt orders that they would be joining Brawn, although she didn't appear to be his puppet exactly, she had already had reservations about Brain.

 

Tai: I honestly don't know what's happening with him. I just hope he can juggle everything to his advantage.

 

Cydney: Absolutely nothing this ep, although the preview proved interesting.

 

Scot: Back to being obnoxious asshole, I guess. Overconfident prick.

 

Neal: See my comments in an earlier post, actually wouldn't mind to see him back.

 

Aubrey: I abhorred her wishy-washiness  in the last tribal council, which she admitted to being to what would have been her downfall had the tribe continued, but she seems to be an increasingly very savvy player, and I really admire her for keeping her focus when she knows she's outnumbered. I know she is the next target, just hoping for a twist or something to save her.

 

 

[LadyChatts]

I don't see this happening especially with Jason as his edit has been absolutely horrible and probably not with Scot either. If they are both sitting in the FTC with any of the women this season than I see that woman winning. Right now my top choice is Michele but Cydney and Aubry are definltely possibilities as well.

 

Completely agree.  With the edit those two have received so far (and no one else really coming close), I just don't see how they could win.  Sure, there's a few weeks left until the finale, but unlike, say, Mike, who was just kind of a jerk, he was at least getting a better edit merge time.  And his wasn't as bad as these two.  I think a woman is definitely winning this season.  Tai's the only man left who would be a satisfying choice on the men's side.  I don't think Debbie would win, but for the rest of them, they could easily pull it off.  

[Wandering Snark]

 

Joe: He was originally shown to be a fit and smart older guy

Agreed, he made it about 5 seconds in the immunity challenge too casting more doubt on his game.

[KimberStormer]

This season.  "Oh it's picking up finally," I said.  "Seems like a lot of people are playing, thinking for themselves too.  Should be an interesting trib---never mind."  I can't fault it, but what a drag.  I always feel bad for the person in Nick's situation here--he won immunity, but it meant nothing. 

 

Lamima, on 30 Mar 2016 - 8:08 PM, said:

I was excited at the beginning of the episode thinking we were finally seeing some game play...but then they all opened their mouths.way.too.much. They are so full of themselves that they think they 'got this' and they just blah blah blah, flap those lips.

 

Bad game play is still game play.  It's better than nothing!  I sort of enjoy it when people are sort of clumsily doing the things you do in Survivor; certainly more than people who just sit on their butt and vote with their alliance and get voted off at F5.  Like, I loved Kimmi's attempt to flip the game towards the very end of last season, even though it wasn't skillfully done--it was something!  Too bad it all ended with the world's most anticlimactic medivac, of a guy feeling fine.  I mean, I support them not letting him lose his leg or whatever (that's worth more than a million dollars) but it wasn't much of a visual.  Not like Penner dragging his useless leg behind him in that bust-through-the-tunnel-of-bamboo challenge before getting pulled in Micronesia, which was sort of theatrically/cinematically satisfying, you know what I'm saying?

 

Anyway it seems like Debbie couldn't come up with anything at all to bond with Tai over, the way she talked with Cydney about being smart and working out, and Michele about a woman winning; that "I like you, be in my alliance" was prrrrrretty weak stuff.  And then saying, out loud, in Tai's presence, "He's in.  We got him"?  Like how obvious can you make it that he's just a number to you? 

 

Ms Blue Jay, on 30 Mar 2016 - 8:57 PM, said:

Tai is doing that, "Nobody is targeting him/Jeremy" game.  Tai's weapon seems to be that nobody remembers he's a Beauty?  Or even there?  Aubry talked about how she NEEDS Julia and Nick but no mention of Tai.  I think it was Jason talking about getting rid of Brains too.  Nobody talks about getting rid of Tai.

 

That's not Jeremy's game, omg.  Tai by his own admission has nobody except maybe Scot.  Jeremy had, like, everyone, and (softly, subtly) controlled their votes most of the time.  Sandra's game, maybe.  Not Jeremy's game.

 

Actually Debbie was talking about Michele and Nick.  I think Julia's the one everyone really forgot existed.  I don't think we heard anyone talk about her at all, or how she would fit into the vote.  She seemed quite logical and perceptive when talking with Cupcake in the shelter about which Brain to vote out, so I'm a bit befuddled by that.

 

I understand Aubry's frustration I guess but I think she was too harsh.  I wonder how she would feel if, in the middle of the goodbyes, Neal had turned to Jeff and said, "WAIT, JEFF.  BEFORE I GO, MAY I GIVE THIS HIDDEN IMMUNITY IDOL TO MY GOOD FRIEND, AUBRY?"  I presume she would be fuming about him putting a huge target on her back.  But what else could he have done?

 

Annnyway I could probably think of more stuff to talk about but, like a lance draining a giant gross boil on Aubry's leg, the medivac drained my interest.  Time for bed.

[Calamity Jane]

Well, I certainly hope TPTB have scratched this particular venue off their list of possibilities for future seasons of the show. First several players toppled over from heat stroke, now we have this.  Holy moly, what horrible skin lesions!  They are not something to be taken lightly at all.  My uncle got some sort of skin disorder he called rot in the South Pacific in World War II, and it plagued him the rest of his life and in fact shortened his years.  I cannot remember anything approaching this level of awful, and I've been watching since 2000.    

[Euriph]

I would've rather seen an actually elimination than someone being pulled out of the game this episode. That's two people this season being pulled out....yeah. (we might have seen an immunity shock with Aubry)

 

I think Michele comment was horrible. I would definitely not vote Michele if Kyle/Scott were together with her. They may be disliked but at least they played the game if they make it to the final three (or two....don't always assume). They also stuck together with their alliance unlike Michele....who would of flipped and flopped just to stay alive. I would pick someone like Joe at the moment for being someone for empty votes. I haven't seen game with him the whole time. Really, this comment was only good for forging stronger alliance or manipulating Nick.

 

I'm not really surprised by Debbie. She plays all over the place from the beginning. Pride seems to be her weakness but most of the cast suffer from it too.

 

Aubry choice in vote from last week was a ok vote. If I was Peter, I would of left brains with Neal leaving. How would keeping him help you in votes now? I may of left during merge.

[loki567]

I get what people are saying about this not being a likable cast, but I'm almost enjoying that fact. Like I'm not rooting for anybody and I'm also not dreading that my favorite's about to be evicted. I'm enjoying the episodes.

 

I don't think it'll be a standard Pagonging. I almost think it's good for Neal to go (not that I enjoy anybody getting pulled from the game) but just it'll make the brains look a lot weaker and the other tribes more willing to work with them. 

 

Agree on the, "Cydney looks great," comments. I mean wow, has she even lost any muscle tone? 

 

 

I am convinced Michele is winning after this episode. She even got tot tell us how which is essentially to sit next to either a goat (Jason) or the millionaire (Scot) at FTC since nobody will give them the million.

 

I'm with you there. Hope to God she doesn't actually go to the end with Jason and Scot and they get well-deserved humiliating blindsides, but Michele's been getting a lot of, "this is how I win confessionals," which is a staple of Survivor editing. 

[Richness]

I was liking this episode until the doctor showed up. The drunk "fighting" over Tai at the merge, the giggling at Jeff's multiple ball innuendos, the prospect of a fairly wild tribal council vote. But nope. The balloon kept filling and filling, but sprung a leak and slowly deflated in an anticlimactic mess instead of exploding like the grossly infected sores on the survivors.

 

The usual dislike for the douchbro jock alliance remains, and intensified despite their Tai banter. Not feeling any enthusiasm for anyone to win though. Debbie continues to bring the crazy. Still don't like Aubry, but I give her all the house points for the Oregon Trail reference. Hate that Neal didn't/couldn't pass her the idol though. The one "balls banging against each other" reference should have been the episode title.

[yamashinaryu]

Every new episode is trying to "outbore" the previous one. How can we survive the finale? 

[Wandering Snark]

 

The one "balls banging against each other" reference should have been the episode title

So true... as was the rest of his statement when he added that having your balls banging together is "never good". I'd almost forgot that with all the gaping sores still burning into my mind.

[candall]

I wasn't yarked out by the fester and ooze (animal rescue) but that jackass spraying people with his half-chewed food twisted my stomach right enough.

 

I LOL'ed when Aubry announced "Neal and I have an idol!"  Boy, that was a short-term delusion.

    

Debbie was so smart when she said that people like to be pulled in because everyone feels insecure.  Then Debbie rolled in like a Sherman tank and detonated her whole game.  Easy, grrrl--the nurturing mother thing was working better.  And for heaven's sake, stop sexting Nick.  That's just unbecoming.

 

Note:  So clearly Alecia COULD have been spared by making Caleb's evac a TC substitute.  And Jeff was just being Captain Crocodile Tears about her ouster. 

Edited March 31, 2016 by candall

[Trick Question]

I don't think it'll be a standard Pagonging. I almost think it's good for Neal to go (not that I enjoy anybody getting pulled from the game) but just it'll make the brains look a lot weaker and the other tribes more willing to work with them. 

 

Right now the divisions are the three Brawns, Tai and Julia (who both seem aligned with Scot), Nick/Michele, and Aubry/Debbie/Joe.  If the Brawns/Tai/Julia group is solid, then this game might be over; that group has two idols between them, if Nick/Michele went with the Brains now it would be 5-5 at best.  It'll depend if Cydney or Julia wanted to flip, which is still a possibility since they both have to feel they're not on the top of that alliance. 

I am also not annoyed because Aubry made the bed she has to lie in. She decided to go along and weaken her own alliance last TC. It's not really up to Neal to save her from her dumb moves. In fact, when she was whining before the merge, I just laughed. Last week, I argued that she had screwed both herself and Joe if there was no merge. And Scot made it obvious that she had done just that at the beginning of the episode. Aubry is responsible for Aubry's position.

While Aubry is responsible for her position, I don't think she necessarily made a bad move in voting out Peter.  Remember, Peter wasn't really in the brains alliance.  he would've 100 percent been a free agent come the merge.  Aubry/Joe would've been in rough shape had there not been a merge but, c'mon, with 11 people left I think it's fair to say Aubry was confident a merge was coming.

[Haleth]

There is a tweet in the spoiler thread where he says why he did not give it to her.  

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.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Haleth

[fuzzed]

I appreciated Tai telling why he's been walking around in only his underwear. It seemed that if he had shorts he'd wear them, so hearing his explanation answered that question.

[ghoulina]

Well, I feel kind of robbed of a TC tonight. I get it, and I think it was the right thing to do. These people have been dropping like flies and it would feel really unfair to have to lose another person so soon. But I was just really curious to see where Nick and Michelle were going to end up landing. 

 

Last week I guessed that Beauty and Brawn would team up to take down Brains. But it wasn't as simple as all that, as there were a few that could have gone either way. It's quite clear that Tai and Julie are sticking with Scot, therefore they've been basically absorbed into Brawn. Scot definitely made some good connections during the pre-merge tribe swap. That's why I kept castigating Aubry and Joe for just sitting alone and isolating themselves. It never really looked like they were talking game with anyone else unless they absolutely had to, and now it may hurt them. 

 

I think Nick-the-Sociopath ("I'm ready to slice some people open!") is playing a pretty decent game. He's in the swing vote position, which isn't a bad position, depending on how you utilize it, but he also is apparently so trustworthy that he's got people dropping Idol bombs to him. It did seem like he and Michelle were leaning towards going with Brawn, which I don't necessarily think is a bad way to go. He supposes that Scot and Jason are so unlikable, they might be good to take to the end. Or at least hand with for awhile. Scot I'd be more worried about. He has come across as an ass to us at home, but I don't know that I've seen anyone other than Alecia bothered by him. Jason is probably more unlikable. 

 

Speaking of, I wanted to shove his ugly weasel face into the ocean last night when he made his "shoving geeks in lockers" comment. Beauty always follows brawn, my ass! There are plenty of beautiful women out there who are attracted to much more than muscles. And Jason comparing himself to a jock is really laughable. He might be in decent physical shape, but I guarantee he was no jock in high school. With his tattoos and long hair, he would likely be just as much of an outcast as the chess nerds were. I don't really picture him as a quarterback who took the cheerleader to prom. Obviously all of that is so stereotypical, but I'm just working with what he gave me. He sucks so hard. 

 

Anyhow, back to the game. I was just hoping that Neal and Aubry could have used that Idol to somehow damage the Brawn side. But with the stupid Super Idol, I'm not sure how well their plan would have worked. As it is, it doesn't matter anyhow, since Neal's Idol left when he did. My memory is not the best, but I cannot recall - has any exiting contestant ever passed off their Idol to another player? Is that allowed? I imagine it would be pretty hard to discreetly. So then you have to ask yourself, is it better to have an Idol everyone knows about? Or no Idol at all? 

 

I just felt terrible for Neal when he was pulled. The way he was trying to hold back his tears just killed me. I always feel awful when someone basically feels fine and is pulled. I get why. An infection that close to the bone is nothing to mess with, and there's definitely a precedent for removing someone in that condition. But it just doesn't FEEL as dire compared to someone like Skupin or Caleb. I know it's a lot harder for the contestant to swallow. 

 

All of those boils, wounds, infections looked awful. That thing on Neal's back scared me the most, but it seems it wasn't as big of a worry. 

 

Yea, so I currently think the best players right now are Nick, Scot, and to a lesser degree Aubry. Debbie was doing decent until the merge, now she's falling like a sledgehammer on people and it's not going over well. I don't necessarily like any of those three, but they're at least strategizing and trying to move their game ahead. Okay, well, I actually find something likable and relatable about Aubry. I'm not sure what it is. Her Oregan Trail speech cracked me up! I think she just needs to try and be a little more social, but she clearly has a mind for the game. 

 

Nick really surprised me in the IC as well. When I saw it was going to be a balance challenge, I would have placed money on Tai, Debbie, Michelle, or Cydney. Generally bigger people don't fare as well. But he held his own. And that had to be really hard, stifling laughs at Jeff's constant ball comments - "His balls are really dancing around!" "His balls are banging together!" I may be 10, but that shit never gets old. 

[BusyOctober]

The tropical environment is not wound friendly, but I think their lack of vitamins contribute to the horrible infections too. 

 

I'm glad Neal is gone.  I found him to be a smug as Peter.  He kept talking about how the Brawn tribe were bullies.  Scot & Jason might be loud mouths and physically larger, but I don't recall seeing any intimidation or bullying going on. And if he was so worried about them, why did he target Aubrey to go before them?  Wouldn't it make sense to get rid of one of them since they could potentially win more IC's? 

 

Please tell me crazypants Debbie isn't being groomed as the unlikeable goat to take to the end?  I can't take much more of her TH's about what a "balls to the wall" strategist she is. 

[Lamb18]

show of likes...who thought the sore on Neal's BACK would be the one that got him medevac'd?

It was the sore below his knee that got him pulled. The doctor wasn't as concerned about the back one. I felt bad for him. Maybe he felt OK, but he didn't look that great, pale and kind of drawn.

 

I started liking Nick a little this episode when he was talking about his strategy. But he does look like a Disney villain, maybe someone from Aladdin. Toward the beginning of the show I heard someone say that Julia was going with Brawn because Scot saved her, so I think that's why no one really approached her about an alliance. Debbie was trying too hard; she reminded me of Shirin last season. Cupcake has lost some weight. I was looking more at his tattoos tonight, boy are they ugly! Scot's look like a 4-year old drawing with crayons on the wall (like I did). Maybe his daughters drew on him with markers and he made the drawings into tattoos.

 

Regarding Cupcake's geeks/jocks talk, I agree, he never was either. He was the guy with the long hair and jean jacket who snuck a smoke in the bathroom or huddled with other smokers outside in an obscure corner of the school yard.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Lamb18

[laurakaye]

Neal said that in 2000 his life was empty and he had nothing, "like you, Jeff" and that this game gave him something to shoot for. I'd like to know more of his story. And Jeff's.

Same here, that was an interesting comment by Neal, and Jeff's smile seemed to indicate that Neal was spot-on...like they understood each other.

 

I was surprised they evacuated Neal. I thought the doctor might recommend it but leave it up to him. It almost seemed like Probst made the decision and Dr. Rupert rubber stamped it.

Didn't this same thing happen to Penner?  He also had a wound that was close to the knee joint, making it too dangerous to leave untreated.  But I was completely grossed out by the up-close and personal wound coverage.  It's frustrating to watch and listen to the strategy talk, only to have it come to nothing because cast members keep getting evac'd.  

 

Shut the show off 10 minutes into it - and I've never done that before - but it is obvious where it is going. I think I'm out for the season. I've been a viewer since midway into season one and I have never left before. I've stuck around with players I've hated and losing favorite players but until now, I always hung on. But this season sucks beyond anything I've ever seen before. Goodbye Survivor. Hope you are better in the fall.

I am not loving this season by any means, but I simply cannot walk away.  I maintain that bad Survivor is still better than no Survivor.

 

As for Debbie and her game-play...imagine you're Tai, and Debbie plops herself right down next to you, stares unblinkingly into your soul, and tells you that she really likes you and wants you on her team and you have to decide RIGHT NOW because everyone else is listening.  I mean, I felt bad for the guy.  I'd have said anything just to make her go away.  She has little to no self-awareness, and she came across in that scene as both threatening and a bit crazy.

 

I don't think I care who wins anymore, but if Cydney manages to blow up Bounty/Bench's game, I will root for her to win it all.

 

EDIT: has Aubrey smiled one time during this entire game?

Edited March 31, 2016 by laurakaye

[slowpoked]

I think I'm done for this season. No need to stress myself out from watching unlikeable people on TV. I may tune back in for the finale, or when the douches finally get off my screen. No wonder Jeff and TPTB weren't too happy with this season and are already leaking details to their press members to start to hype up S33 and S34 even before merge time.

That, and how at the Second Chances finale, the tease to this season is MEDEVACS. If Medevacs are the highlight of this season indeed, I can't blame them for trying to rush through this season as if it never happened.

Edited March 31, 2016 by slowpoked

[sadiegirl1999]

There is a tweet in the spoiler thread where he says why he did not give it to her. 

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

 

 

Neal tweeted that the night before the medevac Aubrey said she wanted to slit his throat

[laurakaye]

Debbie was so smart when she said that people like to be pulled in because everyone feels insecure.  Then Debbie rolled in like a Sherman tank and detonated her whole game.  Easy, grrrl--the nurturing mother thing was working better.  And for heaven's sake, stop sexting Nick.  That's just unbecoming.

 

 

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!

[liqidclark]

So this is what happens when they fuck up the entire show for a season, eh? I don't think it's worth watching the rest, if after spending extra time to edit, they're still resorting to grotesque celebrations of assholery and injuries. The story this season is basically about how the show fell apart due to bad casting and production design. It's disappointing and gross, and I'm out.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Liqidclark

[laurakaye]

Neal tweeted that the night before the medevac Aubrey said she wanted to slit his throat

And here I thought Debbie was the scary one...yikes.

[sadiegirl1999]

show of likes...who thought the sore on Neal's BACK would be the one that got him medevac'd?

It was the sore below his knee that got him pulled. The doctor wasn't as concerned about the back one. I felt bad for him. Maybe he felt OK, but he didn't look that great, pale and kind of drawn.

 

 

I realize that...I was saying in my original post that his back sore looked MUCH worse...it was BLACK for heaven's sake!...and the knee one had already "popped".

 

Is it leaking into spoiler territory to say that Liz and Peter both had to have surgery for their infections? So it was good that Neal was pulled, even though I hated it.

[Special K]

I had an infection on my hand once and despite being otherwise healthy, I was in the hospital for five days, to get round-the-clock IV antibiotics.  I felt completely fine and healthy, but the doctors were freaking out and eventually after hovering over me for several days while the infection didn't get too much better, the hand surgeons did a surgical drainage.  They said that if the infection took hold in the tendons and bones, I might lose function of my hand or, worse, lose my actual hand! 

 

So the relative grossness of the sore isn't really the issue, but more the location.  Actually when I walked into the ER, having been sent there by my GP, they stamped "URGENT"  on my form and I was hurried in before any of the other people waiting.  So, yeah, these kinds of things can run rampant very quickly.  If the docs knew from Liz and Peter how bad the infections on that beach are, they wouldn't want to take any chances.

[Apocalypso]

What a beyond boring episode title!

 

At first I was surprised CBS didn't air a warning for graphic images (did they and I missed it?), but then I realized that TV procedurals like CSI and NCIS routinely air in this time slot featuring minutely observed goriness.  Of course, the death wounds in those shows are fictional and manufactured and for that reason, this real-life parade of infections was more shocking and fascinating.  I wasn't particularly disturbed though.  But it was a little baffling that out of 4 or 5 people, one got antibiotics and one got evacuated.  Why not antibiotics for all the infected folks just to be safe?  Maybe they just didn't show it or I misunderstood.

 

I was thrilled to see that footage of Jason spraying his food.  He can't possibly be the winner.  They wouldn't show that for a winner.  The rest of his edit has not been great but that clinched it.  I'm so happy.

 

This was Nick's hour and I found it really enjoyable.  I thought many of his observations were astute.  His "pretty girl" speech charmed me.  He hasn't been a favorite but there's more to him than I thought.

[Boilergal]

Do they have enough people that have been medi-vac'd over the years to have a season of just them?  Maybe if they add the pulled for family emergencies also.

[laurakaye]

Speaking of families...I wonder if they're going to have the loved ones visit like they normally do?  If I'm a player this season, I would seriously hesitate to have a loved one come out and risk taking an infection back home to the rest of the family.  I'd rather plow through minus a visitor from home.

Edited March 31, 2016 by laurakaye

[peachmangosteen]

And wouldn't it have been better for this season to be S31, as opposed to airing Second Chances first?

 

Not imo. Two seasons back-to-back full of horrible people that are almost impossible to root for would not have been a good idea.

 

I get what people are saying about this not being a likable cast, but I'm almost enjoying that fact. Like I'm not rooting for anybody and I'm also not dreading that my favorite's about to be evicted. I'm enjoying the episodes.

This is where I am as well, but this episode was pretty boring if only because it was such an anticlimactic ending.

[Jersey Guy 87]

I really dislike Scott and Jason more every episode.  Stuffing geeks in lockers - that quits being amusing the day after high school graduation,

 

It really isn't amusing before high school graduation either.  Kyle is an idiot and a bully.

 

I felt bad for Neal - he wasn't given a choice so the infection must have been pretty bad.  Especially considering basically everyone seemed to have some sort of infected sore.  I don't think he had a chance to offer the idol to Aubrey that wouldn't have put a target on her back anyway.

 

After almost warming up to the idea that Debbie might have a clue how to play behind her bizarre personality she proves she has no idea at all last night.  She alienated Nick and Tai pretty quickly when I think they would both have been open to working together (especially Nick).  Nice job.

[Special K]

I was thrilled to see that footage of Jason spraying his food.  He can't possibly be the winner.  They wouldn't show that for a winner.  The rest of his edit has not been great but that clinched it.  I'm so happy.

You said it!

[LanceM]

The medevacs have definitely been a drag but despite that I am still enjoying this season. I find this group of players to be quite the fascinating group.  So, I am enthusiastically here until the end of the season.

 

A couple of notes from Jeff Probst's weekly interview with Dalton Ross:

 

Neal would have been allowed to give his idol away prior to leaving and after the Caleb evacuation the doctors have been checking in on the players every day.

 

http://www.ew.com/article/2016/03/31/survivor-jeff-probst-kaoh-rong-medical-evacuation

[JudyObscure]

I feel  sorry for Aubry, first she doesn't make the Beauty tribe, which has to kind of hurt a young girl, and then she has to show the whole world her gigantic thigh boil.   None of the skin lesions grossed me out that much, though.  Not like Jason's ears or Scot's back, anyway.  Every time Scot turns around, for one quick second I think,   "Oh no!  He's been burnt!  And he's bleeding in a couple of places!"

 

I agree it's not the best season, but  I don't miss having someone to root for as much as I miss having someone to hate.  Can't someone call someone else "soulless," or something?

 

 

 

What a beyond boring episode title!

 

I know! "I feel like the prettiest girl at the prom," would have been so much better.  We all would have been thinking Debbie said it.

Edited March 31, 2016 by JudyObscure