S32.E11: It's A 'Me' Game, Not A 'We' Game

[Dobian]

Oh Scot, your expression and body language were the highlight of the episode for me.  While I watched you sitting there glowering, I could see you mentally composing your Sue Hawk speech.  You are this season's Bitter Juror.  Don't let me down, bro!

[riverheightsnancy]

9 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I don't recall if it was in confessional or to Julia but Scot said he couldn't go to FTC with Tai and I believed him.   Maybe because they've pretty much all said that.  But it kind of doesn't matter.  They let him feel left out so he flipped.  Whether they meant to take him to the end or not, they fucked up their own game by not making him feel equal.  

Yeah, that is what I was getting at too in my original post. 

Sorry, I cannot get rid of that other box up top. 

Edited April 29, 2016 by Drogo
Formatting.

[Nashville]

17 hours ago, Alapaki said:

Unless Joe pulls off a mask, Scooby-Doo Style, and reveals himself to be Boston Rob in disguise, he is the goatiest goat who ever goated his way into the FTC.

Hey, #2 money ain't nothing to sneeze at.  If you don't have a chance in hell of winning the million, go for the $100K.  That's always been one of MYguiding rules in life, anyway.

16 hours ago, calico said:

That was awesome.  As was the shot of Mark being all "WTF!" after Jason and Julie launched their evil plot to eat him if Tai got the boot.  

OH yeah.  Mark with head up and eyes and mouth wide open - anybody else besides me hear a loud "DA-DAAAAAAA!!!" in the back of their head?  Editors missed a golden opportunity there.

Only in Survivor would a chicken not be at the bottom of the pecking order.  ;>

[Etta Place]

6 minutes ago, Nashville said:

17 hours ago, Alapaki said:

Unless Joe pulls off a mask, Scooby-Doo Style, and reveals himself to be Boston Rob in disguise, he is the goatiest goat who ever goated his way into the FTC.

Hey, #2 money ain't nothing to sneeze at.  If you don't have a chance in hell of winning the million, go for the $100K.  That's always been one of MYguiding rules in life, anyway.

Yeah. I was thinking that normally the thing to do is to vote out the weaker of the strong 2 to destabilize the leader and put him/her in a position to negotiate with until you can get rid of him/her. But in this case, there's absolutely no point in going after Joe - you have to go directly for Aubry.

[How Bout That]

Quote

Joe truly is useless.  He doesn't strategise at all, he just does whatever Aubry says   Plenty of people have made it far in the game like that (see Woo to Tony and Gervase to Tyson as recent examples) but I can't respect a game like that.

I agree but Sandra Diaz had a similar strategy. She just popped in once a week and asked "who you wan me vote," and spent the rest of the time FUTR. Worked for her (twice) and some people actually liked her.

[piequinn35]

what's FUTR?

[Drogo]

Flying under the radar.

[ProfCrash]

Sandra did more then fly under the radar. She had alliances that she never broke from in her first season. She was liked by her cast mates and knew how to read people. I don't remember that season as well as Hero's vs Villain's.

In her second season she flat out told the Hero's what Russell and Parvati were planning and doing but JT and Rupert were too stupid to listen to her. Russell even knew what Sandra was doing and tried to keep someone with her 24/7 so that she couldn't talk to Rupert alone and Sandra passed on information. Sandra won that season because she could flat out tell all of the Hero's that they were voted out because they didn't listen to her and it was their own damned fault. Not only could they dislike Russell's bullying and Parvati's support of Russell, they could see that Sandra had told them the truth time after time and they didn't listen to her. Not to mention convincing Russell to take her to the final three when she knew that she was going to win if she made it there. Russell had been that awful, Parvati was contaminated by being too close to Russell, and Sandra had been actively working against the two.

I don't see Joe playing a Woo style game. Joe was actively working with Debbie and had a good deal more influence in the early part of the game. Once the merge hit and it was a larger group, Joe lost some of his control. When he lost Debbie he lost his only real strategic partner. That said, we saw Joe stand up to Scot after we saw Scot put out the fire. We do see Joe doing work around camp but he is not someone that people are looking to work with. He is too tight with Aubry, who is not really seeking to share power. Kyle, Julia and Michelle didn't even think about approaching Joe to look for his vote.

Woo never made an attempt to play the game. He wanted ot do well in challenges but he had no clue about strategy or the backbone to stab anyone in the back. I can see Joe being far more comfortable stabbing an ally in the back at the right time but he is never going to be in that position.

[Silo]

Lol if Joe wins he deserves it considering he hasn't won one challenge.

Edited April 29, 2016 by Silo

[FlyingEgret]

16 hours ago, NurseGiGi said:

Joe looks like he's about one step away from total collapse.  I know he's in good shape for a 72 year old but he is still a 72 year old and Survivor is hard enough on a 20 something.  I think it will be very hard for him to bounce back after this.

Please don't eat Mark the Chicken!

Jeff's constant yammering through that memory challenge made me want to scream Shut up!  Shut up!  Shut up!.  I was hoping one of the contestants would say just that.

I predict Jason makes F3 because he's so obnoxious and would make a great goat.  I like Aubrey for the win which means I've just doomed her by typing that.

I actually DID yell at Probst to Shut up while they were showing it and thought there was no way the contestants could memorize anything with all his yammering in the background; but then I took a look at the course - they were pretty far away and Jeff was still on shore, so perhaps they couldn't hear him?  I know sound travels over the water, but surely he was speaking directly into his mic with the intention of annoying the audience most of all???

[azshadowwalker]

How much of Jeff's narration is live and how much is dubbed? I have no clue, but it would make a big difference. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Jeff's constant yammering through that memory challenge made me want to scream Shut up!  Shut up!  Shut up!.  I was hoping one of the contestants would say just that.

There must be a rule that they're not allowed to say "Shut up, Jeff," because surely it happens at least once in awhile. Surely. Or maybe they always edit it out when someone does. It's not just memory challenges when it would drive me crazy, it's all the yelling about focusing and concentrating and I'd have to yell "Then shut the hell up and let me focus, you asshole!" if it were me. 

[shelley1234]

I am basically just rooting for Mark The Chicken at this point.  

I also enjoyed seeing bitter bully Scot on the bench.  Boom.  Sorry buddy, but you weren't as in control as you and your bully buddy thought.  Neener.  

[LanceM]

I seem to recall Jonathon Penner frequently telling Jeff to shut up or words to that effect during challenges back in Micronesia.

[Ms Blue Jay]

1 hour ago, ProfCrash said:

Woo never made an attempt to play the game. He wanted ot do well in challenges but he had no clue about strategy or the backbone to stab anyone in the back. I can see Joe being far more comfortable stabbing an ally in the back at the right time but he is never going to be in that position.

Can't agree at all.  Woo won ICs.  Woo also stole Spencer's idol clue - how is that not strategy or stabbing someone.  Let's see if Joe ever wins an IC.

Quote

There must be a rule that they're not allowed to say "Shut up, Jeff," because surely it happens at least once in awhile. Surely. Or maybe they always edit it out when someone does.  

Jonathan Penner did that.

Jeff:  Penner, getting frustrated by this challenge.

Penner:  Oh please Jeff

Jeff:  Penner, getting frustrated by ME!

Don't know why this has to be double spaced but ok.  I'm getting frustrated by the formatting

Edited April 29, 2016 by Ms Blue Jay

[ProfCrash]

Woo was in it for the competition and was in good shape to win challenges. When asked to participate in any type of strategy,, Woo fell apart. He did not have the mental capacity to participate in the strategic element of the game. He got flustered with any type of argument, tripped up by the simplest of lies and was rarely consulted in any type of strategic talk. He was a lesser version of Ozzy. Excellent physical shape and good at challenges but awful at the social game and the strategic game. Ozzy at least understood that there was a strategic game, he was just bad at it.

Joe is not going to win challenges. He was 71 when he was playing. He was not going to be able to stay in it with the 20-30 year olds. I don't have a problem with that. Joe understands the strategic game and played it when he was in the spot to do so. Right now he is not in a place to really participate in the strategic game. Aubry is in the drivers seat and working most closely with Cydney.

I don't think Joe has a chance of winning but he understands that the game is more then competitions. He has played as best he can given his age and circumstances. He is a nice enough guy but doesn't stand a chance of winning.

[gunderda]

On 4/28/2016 at 9:09 AM, riverheightsnancy said:

Hubris...thy name is Bounty!  Gee, I love the lack of insight. Bounty would never admit to Tai that he and Lurch were TOTALLY planning on booting Tai next and Tai's gut feeling WAS correct. I would still love Tai to win, but I doubt it will happen. Joe is so invisible. He must have really pissed someone off. 

He's essentially sitting out nearly every single challenge.  At least the Immunity ones.  He's probably a huge bummer for casting.  He came in looking like this super beefed up old guy who could do anything and he's pretty much withered away since day 1.

On 4/28/2016 at 10:00 AM, blackwing said:

Joe truly is useless.  He doesn't strategise at all, he just does whatever Aubry says  

Not all the time... there were a few times where Aubry wanted to change their vote and Joe refused. 

On 4/28/2016 at 0:09 PM, laurakaye said:

Wow, that's a great description of what Aubry's got going on.  She is really playing a masterful game.  Funny how in the beginning, I thought she was this unhappy, whiny girl, really out of her element.  Now I hope she wins the whole thing.

I was just thinking last night how she has changed so much since the first couple of episodes.  She almost went home the first day due to dehydration and freaking out and now she's RUNNING this game.  I love her.

On 4/28/2016 at 0:17 PM, ProfCrash said:

A boring episode but a good one.

I don't understand why people who knew they didn't have the right animals and numbers didn't just move the wheel randomly, untie a key, and try the box then go right back out. That way they could remove one option and get back to the massive wheel more quickly. At least use the brain fart or exhaustion to your benefit and maybe get lucky or remove one option.

I wondered this also.. why not just randomly guess a spot?  someone else said they maybe weren't allowed, but how hard is it to act like you're trying to figure out out and just guess on one?

[azshadowwalker]

12 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I don't recall if it was in confessional or to Julia but Scot said he couldn't go to FTC with Tai and I believed him.   Maybe because they've pretty much all said that.  But it kind of doesn't matter.  They let him feel left out so he flipped.  Whether they meant to take him to the end or not, they fucked up their own game by not making him feel equal.  

No one is arguing why he flipped or whether he should have. (I was glad he did at the time.) The discussion is over the claim that Kyle and Scot were going to vote Tai out next, and they're liars who won't admit it. When I was challenged to go watch the episode, I did. Every time Scot spoke. The only time he says this is when he, Kyle and Julia are lying in the shelter together. Julia repeats it in a confessional, saying that this is good for her because everyone hates the two guys. The guys discuss their own final three plans while sitting together on the beach. Both of the third wheels believe what they are told. 

I am not sure what influence the opinions of the opposing alliance have on the truthfulness of Scot and Kyle, either. It could just as well be that Scot uses this to reassure Julia because he knows she's heard it from Cydney and Michele. They're the two who have discussed not letting Tai get to the end, including in this episode.  During the conversation in the shelter, Scot speaks about how Julia is playing both sides and he is fine  with that. He knows what she is hearing from the other side. And, at that point, neither he nor Kyle know that Tai is high on Aubry's "energy". The bonding and handing back of the idol, the final three promise, the appearance of trust all indicate that Tai is their actual choice because they believe he's solid with them, and they know Julia is playing both sides. Add in Scot's explicit statement after the game  that he was always going to stick with Tai, and there's more evidence that Julia would be the one who got cut loose. I still wouldn't say that with 100% confidence, though, because I don't know where Kyle's head was. 

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

Survivor Clucks Up

In the aftermath of a mega-blindside, two Survivors talk about mounting a counter-offensive, but they're upstaged by a criminally cute chicken.

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, azshadowwalker said:

No one is arguing why he flipped or whether he should have. (I was glad he did at the time.) The discussion is over the claim that Kyle and Scot were going to vote Tai out next, and they're liars who won't admit it. When I was challenged to go watch the episode, I did. Every time Scot spoke. The only time he says this is when he, Kyle and Julia are lying in the shelter together. Julia repeats it in a confessional, saying that this is good for her because everyone hates the two guys. The guys discuss their own final three plans while sitting together on the beach. Both of the third wheels believe what they are told. 

I am not sure what influence the opinions of the opposing alliance have on the truthfulness of Scot and Kyle, either. It could just as well be that Scot uses this to reassure Julia because he knows she's heard it from Cydney and Michele. They're the two who have discussed not letting Tai get to the end, including in this episode.  During the conversation in the shelter, Scot speaks about how Julia is playing both sides and he is fine  with that. He knows what she is hearing from the other side. And, at that point, neither he nor Kyle know that Tai is high on Aubry's "energy". The bonding and handing back of the idol, the final three promise, the appearance of trust all indicate that Tai is their actual choice because they believe he's solid with them, and they know Julia is playing both sides. Add in Scot's explicit statement after the game  that he was always going to stick with Tai, and there's more evidence that Julia would be the one who got cut loose. I still wouldn't say that with 100% confidence, though, because I don't know where Kyle's head was. 

You could well be right.  I didn't watch anything back.  I didn't get the impression Tai was NEXT up, for sure. I think if they could've dumped eventually for say Joe, that'd be smart.  

[Haleth]

Quote

I was just thinking last night how she has changed so much since the first couple of episodes.  She almost went home the first day due to dehydration and freaking out and now she's RUNNING this game.  I love her.

Wow, I'd completely forgotten about that!  Good thing she got over it.

[Lamima]

On 4/28/2016 at 0:14 PM, wings707 said:

Quoting myself here.  I just went back and looked.  The numbers were not in order.  So that is NOT how they did it!  

You can still memorize the animals in order even though they weren't in order on that wheel. 

I am rooting for the 3 ladies though I think they would all like to bring goat Jason or goat Joe with them and I get the feeling that Aubry is loyal to Tai now. Interesting to watch the rest of the season and see. 

[Alapaki]

I think Aubry has put together a strong resume for FTC.  But most of the remaining players seem to think that Tai also is a strong FTC threat (and they've said so in confessionals where they have no reason to lie).  

And given that Tai still has his two "power-ups", with only 3 (or possibly 4 if it's a F2) TCs left, I'm not sure I see a good strategy for Aubry getting Tai out.

Quote

You can still memorize the animals in order even though they weren't in order on that wheel. 

I think what would've made it hard for me was that there were numbers missing (i.e. I think one of the animals was 17, and there were less than 17 animals).  It probably would've been a little easier if every number between 1-10 or 1-12 or however many there were had been represented.

[shelley1234]

The fact that Tai hasn't told a soul what his advantage is....and everyone knows he has one...lets me know he is better at playing this game than it seems.  He wants to look like someone who just wants to fit in and get along, but he is playing masterfully IMO.  If Tai had thought for any chance he would be out, he would have used the idol or the vote to make sure he survived....so he knew he was safe.  The other members need to try to shake him more and they didn't.  

Edited April 29, 2016 by shelley1005

[Nashville]

4 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Can't agree at all.  Woo won ICs.  Woo also stole Spencer's idol clue - how is that not strategy or stabbing someone.  Let's see if Joe ever wins an IC.

Jonathan Penner did that.

Jeff:  Penner, getting frustrated by this challenge.

Penner:  Oh please Jeff

Jeff:  Penner, getting frustrated by ME!

That's right, Peachy - kick that Fourth Wall right in its tiny little nads.

 

Quote

Don't know why this has to be double spaced but ok.  I'm getting frustrated by the formatting

Shift-Enter is supposed to do single-spaced - except it doesn't.  

Not on my iPad, anyway.

 

3 hours ago, Haleth said:

Wow, I'd completely forgotten about that!  Good thing she got over it.

One of the reasons I tend to be back-and-forth about Aubry:

• Aubry started out sick the first couple of days, then came back STRONG; she ended up becoming her tribe's go-to girl for water challenges.  And I liked that a lot...
• ...but then, in the middle of Neal's game crashing to its death on a knee-high pile of rocks, Aubry gets the Evil Edit™ of acting all butthurty because Neal didn't take time from dealing with his own emotionally devastating crisis to consider what was important to Aubry's game, the selfish prick - and I didn't care much for THAT portrayal of her...
• ...but now Aubry appears to be playing with the greatest degree of positive strategic control in the game**, and I like that.

So right now Aubry's on a positive swing of her pendulum in my regard - but that could change next week.  YMMV

 

** Cyd's playing a pretty good strategic game as well; considering who-all has been kicked to Jury and how, however...?  Against Aubry, I suspect Cyd would be playing for 2nd place.  Against anybody else, Cyd would probably have a lock on the win.

[Haleth]

I really liked how Aubry approached Tai after Tribal Council.  She looked him straight in the eye and said several times how happy she was for him, not for them.  She played to his ego (intentionally or not) by congratulating him on his big play, she wasn't gloating that their alliance was now in charge.  (Well, until later, privately.)

.

Edited April 29, 2016 by Haleth

[needschocolate]

The Brawn Tribe lost the most challenges.  Michelle and Julia, former Beauty Tribe members, were the only ones who got the animals right on the first try.  Aubry, former Brain Tribe member, has amazing social skills.  So much for stereotypes! Wonder if the producers will decide they shouldn't label people.  

[ForeverAlone]

I'm still betting Tai gets completely blindsided with an idol and/or advantage in his pocket. 

[simplyme]

6 hours ago, azshadowwalker said:

I still wouldn't say that with 100% confidence, though, because I don't know where Kyle's head was. 

If we go by his social skills, much of the time it's up his *cough*.

[Lantern7]

Just saw the latest credits. I usually tune out because the show doesn't do 'em like they used to. I'm thinking Mark is getting a spot there because he's gonna be dinner soon. If Tai gets voted off and Jason survives to Day 39, I would totally expect Fat Ogre to wear Mark's head on a makeshift necklace.

[Ms Blue Jay]

5 hours ago, needschocolate said:

The Brawn Tribe lost the most challenges.  Michelle and Julia, former Beauty Tribe members, were the only ones who got the animals right on the first try.  Aubry, former Brain Tribe member, has amazing social skills.  So much for stereotypes! Wonder if the producers will decide they shouldn't label people.  

I didn't mean to laugh at the bolded part, and yet, I did!

Am I the only one who loves the simplistic stereotypes of B/B/B simply BECAUSE they get demolished by this show?  I think that's the fun of it.

However, I shouldn't speak so soon, because that Collars season was a total nightmare.

[KimberStormer]

On ‎4‎/‎28‎/‎2016 at 8:49 AM, fishcakes said:

All of the players talking about how Tai is a threat and they can't let him get to F3 reminds me so much of the conversation about Lil in Pearl Islands. There's this underlying resentment about Tai, just as there was with Lil, so even though they're all saying things like, "he's a lock to win because everyone loves him" you can see that they really want to roll their eyes after saying it.

I think this is a brilliant analogy!  I am convinced Tai doesn't have a chance in hell, and for just the same reasons, as you say, that Lil had no chance.

8 hours ago, Haleth said:

I really liked how Aubry approached Tai after Tribal Council.  She looked him straight in the eye and said several times how happy she was for him, not for them.  She played to his ego (intentionally or not) by congratulating him on his big play, she wasn't gloating that their alliance was now in charge.  (Well, until later, privately.)

.

I found this incredibly creepy and it really skeeved me out.  I basically like Aubry.  But she can be super-offputting to me too--like with this, or when going off on Julia or Neal, or when she flipped the fuck out just because Julia (someone with every incentive to lie at that point) told her Peter had mentioned her name.  Like people have found Tai and/or Debbie unsettling with their intense one-sided connections to people, but this to me was on a whole 'nother level of over-the-top latching-on.  Even though I know it was pure gameplay.  If anyone came at me with that "I'm so proud of you KimberStormer, I'm so happy for you for doing that" stuff when I was playing Survivor, I'd burn my own idols just to get rid of them!  Fuck you you're proud and happy for me, this is a game and I'm trying to beat you, dude!  Get away from me!

Anyway.  Boring episode.  I didn't mind when the forum was down after it.  Nothing to discuss.  Obviously they were going to vote off Julia.  I did think Cupcake did a not-bad job with the nothing he had.  Suggest the plan to Cydney, say "hey, we're voting this way, so you can make a move if you want to make a move" and let it go at that...good scrambling.  Was happy to see Julia was only saying they would eat Mark when Tai was voted out not the moment he turned his back or went on reward or whatever.  I've been a vegetarian for 7 years, I don't like seeing animals die, but I guess I don't see any reason to be more sentimental about Mark than about any of the other chickens killed over the years.  So I have no extra problem with killing Mark once Tai is out; but killing him while Tai was still around would just be petty revenge or heinous psychological intimidation.  So I thought I might finally join the anti-Julia train this ep, but no, she was just hungry, and was saying they wouldn't kill Mark as long as Tai was around...

Anyone who gets to the end with Joe and Tai will win, I think, but I don't see how anyone but Aubry could possibly pull that off.  Nice to see Michele in it now--she kicked butt at that challenge (Julia too), she's playing, and her hair is fabulous--but the difficulty of her current position was made very clear.  She is clearly, obviously, beyond doubt on the bottom of that "alliance", so of anyone, she's the one who really needed to make a move there...but she didn't have the numbers to do it alone, and nobody else really has the motivation.  And anyway if the move was against Tai, not Aubry (that's who Michele really needs to oust) it wasn't much of a move in the first place.  So of course she has to go with Cydney and do nothing.  Aubry has things pretty well set up for herself!

Edited April 30, 2016 by KimberStormer

[BlueJayFan]

Hi, all. I'm new to Survivor and have a couple of questions (well, 3, actually). Do the remaining contestants learn how everyone voted?

Does Jeff deliberately try to throw the contestants off by constantly yammering during the contests?

I'd like to go back and watch previous seasons, which one is best? I know everyone will not agree, just looking for a consensus.

Thanks!

eta Sorry, one more. If Mark the chicken replaced Joe, would anyone notice? And could he win?

Edited April 30, 2016 by BlueJayFan

[Guest]

1 hour ago, BlueJayFan said:

Hi, all. I'm new to Survivor and have a couple of questions (well, 3, actually). Do the remaining contestants learn how everyone voted?

Does Jeff deliberately try to throw the contestants off by constantly yammering during the contests?

I'd like to go back and watch previous seasons, which one is best? I know everyone will not agree, just looking for a consensus.

Thanks!

eta Sorry, one more. If Mark the chicken replaced Joe, would anyone notice? And could he win?

Welcome!   

1- They usually can figure it out.  The show doesn't tell them.

2- Yes, probably, but mostly I think he's just narrating/commentating for our benefit

3- I liked Cook Islands a lot, and several of the all-stars seasons. Though save those for once you've seen the people play once.  Really about all of them are good.  One World isn't too popular.  Or Thailand.  I would watch the HD ones and then go back to the pre-HD era seasons after, if you prefer HD.  

[Lantern7]

BlueJayFan . . . there's a topic on the forum that covers past seasons in general. If you want to pick some brains, that would be the place. Also, if Mark wound up surviving this season and Second Chances and came to the Reunion, he would get more time from Probst than Joe.

[Superpole2000]

On 4/28/2016 at 10:19 AM, ghoulina said:

I love all the strong girls we have this season.

I agree they are better than usual, although anyone would look good playing with this horrible crop of men. Just imagine how sad it would be if these three men became the final three. Disaster!

I don't think Aubry's wishy-washy idol advice to Tai was good gameplay. It was a huge missed opportunity. A simple, "I would." would have been a good response that could have been justified/defended very easily if Tai had a problem with it.

[kikaha]

3 hours ago, BlueJayFan said:

If Mark the chicken replaced Joe... could he win?

If Tai is on the jury, Mark has one sure vote. 

If it's F2, and Mark is up against Tai, I think it's Mark in a landslide. 

Mark vs Jason... hard to call.  Could go either way.  It all might ride on Mark's FTC appearance.  e.g. if he pulls an Amanda, it's curtains for him.  On the other hand, suppose he impresses the jury like, say, Sophie did.  Jason doesn't stand a chance then. 

[meep.meep]

I don't see Mark winning this.  He's sat out most, no all, of the challenges.  He's always trying to get something to eat instead of talking strategy.  Plus the producers think so little of him that they've never shown a single of his confessionals.

But he is a lock for All Stars!

[KimberStormer]

OMG I can't believe you guys are falling for the editors with Mark.  They might not be showing him, but everyone has had nice things to say about him in their exit interviews.  Clearly his social game is a lot better than we're being shown.  He's gotten in a tight two with Tai, and yet a) nobody is making a move to break them up and b) Tai is clearly taking all the heat for their moves.  We've also seen him scratching about in the grass constantly hunting for the idol, so we know he's playing hard, and while he hasn't been a factor in the challenges so far, I think he could do very well in a hold-your-head-steady balance challenge.

So why haven't we seen any of this amazing play, you ask?  I think it's obvious: Mark is the final, nighttime medevac.  He's getting the Erik-in-Caramoan edit, that's all.

6 hours ago, BlueJayFan said:

I'd like to go back and watch previous seasons, which one is best? I know everyone will not agree, just looking for a consensus.Thanks!

Giving my answers in the Past Seasons thread.

[Haleth]

I  think Mark could win.  He's plucky.

[needschocolate]

Mark is the JT of this season.  

[Guest]

14 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

BlueJayFan . . . there's a topic on the forum that covers past seasons in general. If you want to pick some brains, that would be the place. 

I would avoid the past seasons threads if you don't want spoiled on who wins, though.  (Though I just noticed there is one broad "past seasons" thread in this forum and the latest page doesn't seem to spoil winners, from what I glanced at.)  

I think the season DVD case covers as shown on Amazon (even for streaming) tend to spoil the winner, too.  I watched season 1 'live' then didn't watch again until season 17 then went back and filled in the ones I'd missed.  It was hard between TWOP and Amazon to keep track of which I had seen and hadn't, without getting spoiled.  

Edited May 1, 2016 by Guest

[BlueJayFan]

3 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

I would avoid the past seasons threads if you don't want spoiled on who wins, though.  (Though I just noticed there is one broad "past seasons" thread in this forum and the latest page doesn't seem to spoil winners, from what I glanced at.)  

I think the season DVD case covers as shown on Amazon (even for streaming) tend to spoil the winner, too.  I watched season 1 'live' then didn't watch again until season 17 then went back and filled in the ones I'd missed.  It was hard between TWOP and Amazon to keep track of which I had seen and hadn't, without getting spoiled.  

Thanks, that was my fear. I went back to a couple of seasons, and it would seem I'd be spoiled by reading them. Maybe I'll just start at the beginning and work my way up. See you in a couple of years!

18 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

Welcome!   

1- They usually can figure it out.  The show doesn't tell them.

2- Yes, probably, but mostly I think he's just narrating/commentating for our benefit

3- I liked Cook Islands a lot, and several of the all-stars seasons. Though save those for once you've seen the people play once.  Really about all of them are good.  One World isn't too popular.  Or Thailand.  I would watch the HD ones and then go back to the pre-HD era seasons after, if you prefer HD.  

Thanks for the advice, and go Mark!

[Lantern7]

8 hours ago, needschocolate said:

Mark is the JT of this season.  

So he's gonna give Russell Hantz an idol in a few years? And how is he going to write an accompanying letter? It'll come out looking like chicken-scratch.

[meep.meep]

18 hours ago, KimberStormer said:

OMG I can't believe you guys are falling for the editors with Mark.  They might not be showing him, but everyone has had nice things to say about him in their exit interviews.  Clearly his social game is a lot better than we're being shown.  He's gotten in a tight two with Tai, and yet a) nobody is making a move to break them up and b) Tai is clearly taking all the heat for their moves.  We've also seen him scratching about in the grass constantly hunting for the idol, so we know he's playing hard, and while he hasn't been a factor in the challenges so far, I think he could do very well in a hold-your-head-steady balance challenge.

I think he would have trouble in a challenge like that.  He is always jerking his head around.

I don't seem much evidence of a great social game.  Despite what they've said in exit interviews, at least two jury members, as well as some current players, have threatened to eat Mark.  If that's not a threat, I don't know what is.  It is a Survivor first.....

He may have a tight F2 alliance with Tai, but that seems as far as it goes.

Edited May 1, 2016 by meep.meep

[himela]

Is anyone seeing a winner's edit for Michele? In fact I haven't seen her doing anything extraordinary and I don't know why Fishbach loves her so much. If anything Michele was never on the bottom pole like Aubry was, she always had options like Cydney did while Aubry had no options but to survive herself after Neal left. At this point I think Aubry deserves the win most cause she had a meltdown the first day, she managed to overcome it, she was the next to be booted after Neal left and she managed to become the center of a strong alliance. Surely she had nothing easy for her and that's admirable. The only reason Michele could win is if she wins competitions till the end and she chooses to take Joe or Jason with her.

[Ms Blue Jay]

The thing with Michelle's edit is that it's barely there, so there's almost no negativity with her edit. I think it makes it easy to like her and assign all of these positive qualities to her, which is maybe what Stephen is doing.  We see a LOT of Aubry, so we see her as human, as imperfect, but as someone to root for and to overcome the tough parts of her journey.

Now I just can't wait to read the snarking parody of this post in the next joke post about Mark's edit.  I just caaaaaaaaaaaan't wait.

Quote

I'd like to go back and watch previous seasons, which one is best? I know everyone will not agree, just looking for a consensus

Everyone has very differing opinions on this, but my favourites are Borneo (1), Cook (13), Fiji (14), Samoa (19), and Cagayan (28).  Last season, Second Chances, was quite amazing too.  I feel like the most popular season listed here is "Heroes vs Villains" (20) but to see that you will get spoiled on a bunch of older seasons - same with Second Chances.

My advice is to avoid Wikipedia like the plague.  Spoilers abound. I don't blame you for not wanting to check the old forums to avoid spoilers.

Edited May 2, 2016 by Ms Blue Jay

[Whimsy]

Moved several posts to the Past Seasons thread as they were off topic for this episode thread.