S32.E14: Not Going Down Without A Fight / S32.E15: Reunion

[Tara Ariano]

Quote

The final castaways battle for a game-changing reward to help determine their fate. Later, they face the jury and plead their case before the jury members vote for a winner.

Quote

The winner is revealed as the castaways reunite to discuss the season.

[spiderpig]

Team Mark.  That is all.

[LadyChatts]

1 hour ago, spiderpig said:

Team Mark.  That is all.

Yep.

But in the event that Jeff won't let them vote for a chicken, Tai or Aubry for the win.  Thinking it'll be between Aubry and Michele,though.

More excited to see what next seasons theme will be.  Not so excited to see Jason and Scot, and hope they get limited screen time.  Maybe Jeff will use the time to pimp out The Price Is Right special next week.

[candall]

I'm old enough to be aware my days are not infinite, but on Tuesday I still wanted it to hurry up and be Wednesday.  You did your job well, stupid Survivor!

I so hope Jeff doesn't ruin the reunion with kid interviews, Boston Rob & Ambuh, neglecting three-quarters of the cast or Price Is Right promotion.

[Haleth]

What is the Price is Right special?

[Daisy]

Team Aubrey right here. I know this won't make a difference but my wishes:
1: Opening Arguments.
2: Closing Arguments. 
3: No live audience cuts. 

Man I miss when Finale Day was Sunday. I'm still not used to it. 
Can't wait to live chat this with y'all at 8 :)

[peachmangosteen]

32 minutes ago, Haleth said:

What is the Price is Right special?

http://www.cbs.com/shows/the_price_is_right/news/1005169/big-brother-the-amazing-race-and-survivor-stars-to-play-the-price-is-right/

[laurakaye]

Aw, even when I'm not crazy about the season, I'm always a little melancholy when Survivor comes to an end.

This is the first time in ages that I have not strongly backed a winner.  I'm okay with Aubrey, Tai, Michelle or Cydney.  They each played smart in very different ways.  I'm just thrilled that Bounty and Scot have no shot of winning, and hopefully no shot of opening their mouths at the reunion to tell us that they are really sweet and tender-hearted guys, and the show chose to edit them as jerks.  And I'd better not see Dan Foley in the studio audience.

Edited May 18, 2016 by laurakaye

[Special K]

13 minutes ago, laurakaye said:

Aw, even when I'm not crazy about the season, I'm always a little melancholy when Survivor comes to an end.

This is the first time in ages that I have not strongly backed a winner.  I'm okay with Aubrey, Tai, Michelle or Cydney.  They each played smart in very different ways.  I'm just thrilled that Bounty and Scot have no shot of winning, and hopefully no shot of opening their mouths at the reunion to tell us that they are really sweet and tender-hearted guys, and the show chose to edit them as jerks.  And I'd better not see Dan Foley in the studio audience.

Just when I was looking forward to tonight... ;) 

[laurakaye]

21 minutes ago, Special K said:

Just when I was looking forward to tonight... ;) 

I just have this image in my mind of Probst interviewing the Tattoo Twins, listening to them whine about how they were so misunderstood, and Probst saying, "Well, we know another former Survivor who also felt cheated by his edit!"  Camera cuts to Foley, and I throw my remote control at my television.  I know the divisive players are the popular ones to interview at the reunion, but jerks like Scot and Bounty don't deserve to take airtime away from anyone else, and Probst tends to dwell on the "villains" far longer than necessary.

Edited May 18, 2016 by laurakaye

[thehepburn]

Since it's a chat thread anyway, can the LIVE CHAT thread be opened earlier? Kthx.

[candall]

1 hour ago, thehepburn said:

Since it's a chat thread anyway, can the LIVE CHAT thread be opened earlier? Kthx.

I didn't even know there would BE a Live Chat!

Hubba-hubba!!!

Edited May 18, 2016 by candall
Future tense

[dkb]

Well congrats to Michelle, although I was really hoping for Aubry. I think Aubry could have had a better final speech, she didn't mention that Neal and Joe, big parts of her alliance were pulled  and she was going to be as well, but she turned it around all the way.

Edited May 20, 2016 by dkb
Not voted out but medical reasons

[truthaboutluv]

I have almost more respect for the player who fights and scrabbles to stay in and wins, than I do the one who was making the decisions about who stays and who goes. 

And both of these scenarios describe Aubry's season. How many times did Aubry's plans fall apart, two of her closest allies got med-vac, she was in trouble with numbers multiple times in her original tribe, the swap and merge. Aubry turned shit around for herself and put herself in a winning position. As even Julia the idiot said it, all Michelle did was play dutiful soldier so she wouldn't be voted out and then win immunity when she was in danger of being booted. That was it. Michelle did not outplay, she sure as hell did not outsmart. But hey, she outlasted so kudos to her. 

[sadiegirl1999]

Based on the live chat thread, I am SUPER glad I didn't watch.

Ugh Michelle. No wonder Probst hated this season!

[thejuicer]

Most undeserving winner ever. 

[simplyme]

Aubry both fought and scrabbled to stay in and made decisions about who went.  Michelle wasn't a target as often, and I mostly recall her wanting to get rid of Tai (fail) then Aubry (also fail).  So yes, Aubry came off as the more overt player to jurors because she was effective and Michelle did not seem to be.  Bitter jury.

[sadiegirl1999]

No surprise it's a bitter jury with those 2 knuckleheads on it

[dkb]

The editors should have  focused more on Michelle instead of Julia then, because the way Michelle was explaining it she was actually a part of an alliance with Scot, Jason, Julia, Tai? But it never came off that way.

I do like Michelle but I really thought that Aubry played the better game and that it was really obvious. But maybe only to us watching and not the jury.

[Eolivet]

I had a feeling Michelle was going to win. When sexist tools on the jury have to vote for someone, and it can't be a dude's dude, I believe they're going to vote for the prettiest, the least offensive and the one who most closely fits their idea of "woman." They will never admit they were outplayed by a gay man and an assertive woman. Scot's argument said it all: the guy betrayed me and the other woman was playing a good game until she went against me. I have no problem with women...as long as they don't go against me.

I knew Aubry would be utterly screwed with this jury. For her to win, I feel they'd have to admit she played a better game, and they would never, because: sexist tools.

[Callaphera]

When Caleb said that his mom/family had never seen him in a true medical emergency situation like he was in on this season of Survivor, all I could think was "Beast Mode! You lied to us! What happened to the story of when you were four and couldn't walk and the doctors couldn't do anything but this magical mystery man walked into your hospital room and laid his hands on you and you could walk again?" 

That said, I hope he'll be back on another season. I love me some BMC. Next season looks pretty bad, though. Can we just stop with the stupid themes and gimmicks?

[Daisy]

I want Aubrey back on the show. but i feel if she does she's so gone. 

[Lantern7]

Meh end to a meh season. For God's sake, the domesticated chicken had more fans than most of these people. And I don't think I typed "Michele" once. Or "Michelle." Interesting twist with the voting out of a jury member, and most of the challenges were good. I just feel that nobody will remember this season by the time S34 rolls around. "Gen X vs. Millennials"? Seriously, Burnett?!? Why not do "Collars" again? Everybody knows Tai was probably a "No Collar" substitute.

"Bye, Mark." That was funny.

[riverheightsnancy]

15 minutes ago, Eolivet said:

I had a feeling Michelle was going to win. When sexist tools on the jury have to vote for someone, and it can't be a dude's dude, I believe they're going to vote for the prettiest, the least offensive and the one who most closely fits their idea of "woman." They will never admit they were outplayed by a gay man and an assertive woman. Scot's argument said it all: the guy betrayed me and the other woman was playing a good game until she went against me. I have no problem with women...as long as they don't go against me.

I knew Aubry would be utterly screwed with this jury. For her to win, I feel they'd have to admit she played a better game, and they would never, because: sexist tools.

So much word. In their minds, a vote for Tai would be worse than voting for a woman. 

[ratgirlagogo]

  I'm ride or die Survivor but damn that was horrible.  What a shit winner.

[MKL122788]

Feeling very strongly that Michelle was going to win ever since, right before the Nick boot, she had that confessional about wanting to be seen as earning it, I had convinced myself I would be okay with it.

Right until the end.

She did almost nothing. Julia, her best friend there, basically admitted as much and still voted for her. In the end, she got 5 votes. She got votes for friendship, votes for being attractive, and a vote from Scott, but I will get to that later.

This has to be one of the worst juries ever. Scott was still bitter at Tai and then Aubry as well despite the fact that she was the one he voted for when he went home. He claimed she was getting weaker, but she performed better at most challenges than Michelle. Michelle had a good last few days and that was it. Cydney all but admitted in her exit interview that Aubry was along with her in all the big moves and that's why they were targeting her too.

Essentially, all it took was the chauvinism of the three main obnoxious males to vote for the woman who they could put in a box as behaving like a subservient loyal woman. And that is why White Collar wasn't right before this. After all the animosity towards Dan/Will/Rodney, they didn't want another trio who, in the end, had the influence on the end result that made it so unsatisfactory.

I like Michelle, but this isn't Natalie and Russell in Samoa. Aubry controlled the game, competed hard, and was actually likeable. To me, she played a superior game and would've been the better winner. That being said, Michelle is far from the worst winner ever. Vecepia will forever hold that title. I cannot imagine any scenario where a winner could be less deserving than Vecepia.

[SnarkKitty]

Interesting how Aubrey said she and Cydney worked together and made all the decisions all along the way, and how Cydney was credited with many of the blindsides. Yet it was the Aubrey show. I guess it IS all about the editing. They tell the story they want you to know.

[SnideAsides]

That is the absolute worst idea for a reality TV season I've ever heard, and we literally just got through The Amazing Race: Social Media Edition LAST WEEK.

[Straycat80]

I thought this season started out slow and I hated everybody but once the beasty boys and fakeobama got the boot I started to enjoy the play and blindsides and started to like Aubry, Cyd, Tai and (sometimes)  Joe. 

I was disappointed Michelle won. They had a chauvinist, bitter jury which sucked.

The reunion sucked too, Jeff didn't even talk to Cyd. 

Next season doesn't look too good, but of course I'll watch. At least it doesn't appear they are bringing back past player which is a pet peeve of mine. 

[Callaphera]

1 minute ago, SnideAsides said:

That is the absolute worst idea for a reality TV season I've ever heard, and we literally just got through The Amazing Race: Social Media Edition LAST WEEK.

What, you didn't like the Hipster Dude bitching about how much he hates Twitter even though he uses it and probably sits on it for 10+ hours a day? Nice 'stache, bro.

[Hanahope]

I do think if Neal had stayed on the jury, he might have been able to sway a couple jurors, and if so, he was the best choice by Michele, so good for her. Joe was the easy, but ineffective choice. Michele did come through at the end. Tai had a strong early game, Aubrey a strong mid game and Michele a strong end game.

another useless reunion, no one spoke very well.  Jeff needed to stop asking Tai questions. I think the overall quality of Survivors contestants has gone downhill, or at least they are picking people who "bring the drama" more so than people who can articulate a coherent thought.

[awaken]

Disappointed. I like Michelle as a person but not as winner of this game.  I didn't even know who she was, her alliances, or gameplay until about 3 weeks ago. Aubry, I recall from day one and throughout the game. 

[Lantern7]

Thought: if Survivor was still "water cooler television," hundreds of people would be in a hospital for alcohol poisoning because they had a drinking game where they chugged anytime Tai got subtitles. I'm guessing English wasn't his first language, but I can't recall anybody else getting that treatment so often.

[Irritable]

No offense to Sia, but when Jeff said there would be a special guest at the reunion I was hoping they had flown in Mark the rooster.  Anyone other than that and I was guaranteed to be disappointed.

[me5671]

I'm happy for Michelle, but Aubry was more deserving.  Screw Scot and his jury comments.  I thought it was hilarious how he asked Aubry why he should vote for her, expecting that she wouldn't be able to answer it.  Aubry then gives a superb answer about how although they may have had different strategies and been on different sides, she thinks he can respect her competitiveness.  Cut to Scot with that dumb vacant look on his face, struggling to rub his two brain cells together, before turning and babbling about how Michelle was clearly the winner.  The whole thing encapsulated how truly awful Scot is, not just at Survivor but as a human being.

Regarding the reunion show... WTF are Sia and Drew Carey doing here?!  The vote reveal cut about 10 mins into the reunion show as it is... we do not have time for this nonsense!

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

Second comment of the season, I am happy for Michelle. She truly was on her after the merge, wheres the more well spoken Aubry had several people who had her back. Michelle ironically realized this and wanted her gone.

Michelle's social game is also underrated IMO. She would have gone home when Tia was having his idolitits had it not been for her bondage with Cyd. She also made a good case standing up for herself at that tribal.

Finally, she won the last challenge which she needed to win, further earned Cyd's loyalty but being firmly in her corner, rightfully pushing for a real threat Aubry to go. She won another challenge and made the right call in cutting Neil from the jury. Nasty one, that Neil. Makes me all the more happier that Michelle won.

[Wandering Snark]

Again Tai proved he can bend his "love for all things" any time he wants, as he freaking tamed and then adandoned poor Mark to the wilds... maybe he can go to where Tai tore up the trees trying to find the idol.

Then there was Sia fawning all over him and speaking of gimmicks hers is almost as bad as Gen X vs Millenials. Who gives a flying fuck about that "social experiment"??

Overall this was a letdown end to a letdown season.

Edited May 19, 2016 by Wandering Snark

[vb68]

Quote

The editors should have  focused more on Michelle instead of Julia then, because the way Michelle was explaining it she was actually a part of an alliance with Scot, Jason, Julia, Tai? But it never came off that way.

i wonder if part of the reason they held the season was to figure out what they were going to do with Michelle in editing.  Heh.  But even if that is even a tiny bit true, it was still an epic fail.  Michelle may not have given them much to work with, but we could have gotten a better look at her game.

Edited May 19, 2016 by vb68

[Mabdul Doobakus]

This season was ok, but that jury vote damages it significantly.  Aubry was unquestionably the hand that controlled this game the most.  She probably had the most impressive journey from the start of the game to the finish.  She seemed very likable the whole way through.  She overcame two huge blows when her two biggest allies were evacuated.  

Michelle played fine.  She hung on.  But you cannot argue she played anywhere near as well as Aubry.  I hope none of the folks who voted for Michelle are ever invited back.  Respect the game.

[LanceM]

1 minute ago, Mabdul Doobakus said:

This season was ok, but that jury vote damages it significantly.  Aubry was unquestionably the hand that controlled this game the most.  She probably had the most impressive journey from the start of the game to the finish.  She seemed very likable the whole way through.  She overcame two huge blows when her two biggest allies were evacuated.  

Michelle played fine.  She hung on.  But you cannot argue she played anywhere near as well as Aubry.  I hope none of the folks who voted for Michelle are ever invited back.  Respect the game.

No she didn't. The only reason she remained in the game was because Neal got medavaced. Had he not she was going home that night. 

[thehepburn]

Just heard on RHAP that Cydny is not doing interviews tomorrow bc she will be on a plane. Coughcough.

[Miss Scarlet]

28 minutes ago, riverheightsnancy said:

I had a feeling Michelle was going to win. When sexist tools on the jury have to vote for someone, and it can't be a dude's dude, I believe they're going to vote for the prettiest, the least offensive and the one who most closely fits their idea of "woman." They will never admit they were outplayed by a gay man and an assertive woman. Scot's argument said it all: the guy betrayed me and the other woman was playing a good game until she went against me. I have no problem with women...as long as they don't go against me.

I knew Aubry would be utterly screwed with this jury. For her to win, I feel they'd have to admit she played a better game, and they would never, because: sexist tools.

I think this too, but it makes me wonder how Natalie A. won San Juan Del Sur. Based on this idea, it seemed like Jaclyn would have won. I remember a post in that finale on the AV club (I think) that talked about how the men wanted to vote for the most dude like woman, which was Natalie, because they thought that voting for a mom (Missy) or an attractive women (Jaclyn) was diminishing to them because it meant they gotten beaten by those "types" of women. I wonder what the difference is between the two juries then.

29 minutes ago, MKL122788 said:

She did almost nothing. Julia, her best friend there, basically admitted as much and still voted for her. In the end, she got 5 votes. She got votes for friendship, votes for being attractive, and a vote from Scott, but I will get to that later.

I wonder if this is almost amplified in these Beauty vs Brawn vs Brain seasons. Of course Survivor casts superficial people and mactors every season, but it seems like with this theme they purposely tried to get a bunch of superficial duds for the Brawn tribe and then the Beauties seem to emphasize a theme of being underestimated and having to overcome that. So it seems like the season it set up to favour a Beauty or Brawn if they make it to the end, maybe more so than in a regular season and definitely more so than if they had a more "Brains" heavy jury.

[Mabdul Doobakus]

1 minute ago, LanceM said:

No she didn't. The only reason she remained in the game was because Neal got medavaced. Had he not she was going home that night. 

You're asking me to remember things more than one week old.  Unfair.

[Daisy]

1 minute ago, LanceM said:

No she didn't. The only reason she remained in the game was because Neal got medavaced. Had he not she was going home that night. 

to which she would have probably have been given the idol. so it's not very evident if she would have or not. 

[LanceM]

2 minutes ago, Daisy said:

to which she would have probably have been given the idol. so it's not very evident if she would have or not. 

No way Neal was giving her that idol.

Edited May 19, 2016 by LanceM

[ChicksDigScars]

48 minutes ago, Eolivet said:

I had a feeling Michelle was going to win. When sexist tools on the jury have to vote for someone, and it can't be a dude's dude, I believe they're going to vote for the prettiest, the least offensive and the one who most closely fits their idea of "woman." They will never admit they were outplayed by a gay man and an assertive woman. Scot's argument said it all: the guy betrayed me and the other woman was playing a good game until she went against me. I have no problem with women...as long as they don't go against me.

I knew Aubry would be utterly screwed with this jury. For her to win, I feel they'd have to admit she played a better game, and they would never, because: sexist tools.

Word. Totally intimidated by the smart girl who didn't cry in front of the jury, and didn't run around in a bikini for 39 days.  I'm so fucking pissed. And then that Sia person barges onto the stage at the reunion, sucks up air time and Cydney doesn't even get to answer a question? And then Sia gives 50 grand the the guy who finished THIRD? I'm okay with the money to the animal charity, but Aubry got screwed by sexist tools on the jury that voted for pretty over actual game play, and then the guy that Aubry DID beat in the finale, gets an extra 50 grand for petting a chicken? 

Speaking of Mark, they domesticated him, made him dependent on humans, and then "set him free." Poor Mark was probably dinner for wildlife shortly thereafter. At least they could have said that they'd give him to a local farmer. 

[Mabdul Doobakus]

Just now, LanceM said:

No way Neal was given her that idol.

FWIW, editing could have made it seem that way because it made for a good story.  I honestly don't remember that episode all that well.  

[Daisy]

Honestly, I don't think I have really sat here completely and totally stunned at a winner for a very very long time. I know I was mad when Dawn didn't win (or even got a vote), Still mad that Bob Crawley won. but I am seriously stunned that Michele won. Like I know after a few weeks or something (or a re-watch... yeah who am I fooling), I can see it - but really this is seriously the buried edit. 

And I know that sometimes the Social Game card works, but that usually works in a Russel situation where you loathe the person. Like I seriously can't remember a person articulating everything they've done - question what the player next to them did in regards to big moves, completely explained each and every single move they did in regards to the game... and then lose. 

That's what's throwing me off. There have been some bad jury performances and the winner still wins (ie: Tony, Bob, Fabio). But Michele flat out said she didn't do anything until Julia. and she just voted with them. This isn't under the radar - this isn't stealth bombing. this is just.. I have zero idea realy what it is. 

[princelina]

1 hour ago, thejuicer said:

Most undeserving winner ever. 

 

41 minutes ago, MKL122788 said:

Michelle is far from the worst winner ever. Vecepia will forever hold that title. I cannot imagine any scenario where a winner could be less deserving than Vecepia.

My vote for Worst Winner Ever is still Amber :)

 

39 minutes ago, SnarkKitty said:

Interesting how Aubrey said she and Cydney worked together and made all the decisions all along the way, and how Cydney was credited with many of the blindsides. Yet it was the Aubrey show. I guess it IS all about the editing. They tell the story they want you to know.

I think Cyd gets credit because she'd get pissed at someone and want them OUT that night!  and Aubrey went along with some of those even if the person wasn't her first choice, because neither was it messing up her game.

[MissEwa]

I came into this episode thinking I'd be happy whoever won. Then I decided I'd be happy if anyone but Tai won. Then by how tense I was at the fire-making challenge I knew I was on Team Aubrey, but I still thought a Michele win would be fine. Then I wanted to kick the TV when it happened. How utterly unsatisfying.