S33: Ken McNickle

[Michel]

Hi.  I want to play like Ozzy.

Sounds like he's only going to focus on the challenge aspect of the game, which isn't exactly the best way to win.

[LanceM]

Pre-game interview with Josh Wigler:

http://parade.com/501956/joshwigler/survivor-millennials-vs-gen-x-ken-mcnickle/

[LadyChatts]

I like the story about him finding out he had a daughter, and tried to make up for lost time.

Not sure what to make of him otherwise.  

[PreBabylonia]

Very nice to look at, and I am intrigued as to how well living off the grid has prepared him for the hardships. One of my favourite men - also rooting for the lawyer and the cop at this point. Based on nothing more than seeing them on the first episode.

[KimberStormer]

I like Ken, neo-LJ is less boring than original LJ.  We'll see how long it lasts, but it's hard not to root for the pretty man who's shy and on the bottom.

[LadyChatts]

My hope is that Ken and David seem like the ultimate underdogs and outcasts, that maybe they are headed deep and that will be their story line.  I don't have a lot of hope for Sunday if she's aligned with Bret/Chris/Paul to flip on them.  Jessica, CeCe, and Lucy would be the only chances of taking out the meatheads if they aligned with Ken/David (which would be in their better interest).  

Ken actually surprised me last night.

[piequinn35]

Ken is shy? okay I read he had speech therapy before, that's why. I like him, he provides for the tribe, I think he goes to the merge, it will be stupid for the tribe to vote him out early, they will vote out the girls first.

[LadyChatts]

1 hour ago, piequinn35 said:

Ken is shy? okay I read he had speech therapy before, that's why. I like him, he provides for the tribe, I think he goes to the merge, it will be stupid for the tribe to vote him out early, they will vote out the girls first.

The thing is, the likes of Bret/Chris/Paul might be threatened by Ken.  He already provided for his tribe, he helped win that challenge for his tribe, and he's friendly with the other outsider David (who also provided for the tribe by making fire).  Ken also seems friendly and easy to like, and not one to necessarily take orders.  I've felt all along Ken's on the wrong tribe because he's borderline Millennial in terms of age.  I just think he's going to be the odd man out.  Unfortunately, I don't have a ton of faith people will rally to his side, even if it benefits them to get Chris/Bret/Paul out.

[cuphead]

Ken is my future husband.

[legaleagle53]

If he doesn't win, I can still easily see him being voted Fan Favorite.  I wouldn't mind seeing the Rupert Prize being renamed the Ken Prize, would you?

[LadyChatts]

I will say that the GenX tribe sure keeps things interesting.  I don't know if it's smart play, but I've enjoyed their treks to TC.  I loved Ken's stone faced "yeah" response to Jessica when she asked him if she's supposed to trust him when he tells her stuff.  I hope Ken can find himself in good standing soon.  I don't know what the aftermath will be of the Lucy vote.  He voted for Jess, but had she not pissed him off, I don't know if he would have.

I don't know if I'd want to be a part of the so called majority alliance at GenX anyway.  The minority numbers seem to be finding a way to dig in.  

[azshadowwalker]

I am convinced that he is not long for the game. Way too emotional. I can't say that bothers me. He's just there, and I will quickly forget him when he's no longer there. 

[Guest]

I'm enjoying someone playing with some emotion for a change.  I know that the better strategy is to take the goatiest goats to the end but, man, I hate watching it season after season.  I'd much rather watch the underdogs pick off the bossy assholes each week.  

[azshadowwalker]

Nothing really new about being emotional. Not much new about losing because you are an emotional mess, either. We saw it just last season. Tai was an emotional mess. Debbie was an emotional mess. Neither had a chance in hell of winning, kind of like Ken. I also couldn't stand them, and was more than happy to see their poor play bite them in the ass when all was said and done. I won't be sorry or surprised  when it does the same this time. 

[Nashville]

I like Ken as a person - which surprises the heck out of me - but I don't expect him to be long for this game.  Too little capacity for subterfuge.

[LadyChatts]

Between David and Jessica, at least on GenX, Ken seems to have possibly dropped a few pegs down the totem pole.  I don't know if, when a swap happens, he'll be in better standing and be able to take a step back, or trying to stay afloat.  

[simplyme]

I like David's brand of emotion moreso than Ken's. It's all in how I interpret the editing, but little things about Ken have rubbed me the wrong way. I'm still half-heartedly cheering for him, but I'm wary of what has come off to me as an undercurrent of bitterness. 

That said, I'm usually a sucker for the underdog unless they really, really suck. So so far, I've been enjoying watching Ken help upset the apple cart, even if I'm not yet ready to issue him shining armor.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, azshadowwalker said:

Nothing really new about being emotional. Not much new about losing because you are an emotional mess, either. We saw it just last season. Tai was an emotional mess. Debbie was an emotional mess. Neither had a chance in hell of winning, kind of like Ken. I also couldn't stand them, and was more than happy to see their poor play bite them in the ass when all was said and done. I won't be sorry or surprised  when it does the same this time. 

I enjoyed watching Tai and Debbie play, too.  

[LadyChatts]

Thank god Ken lives to see another week!  That said, hopefully he sticks to being a camp provider, looking pretty, and talking about how much this win would mean to his daughter.  I thought he was going to blow it just talking one on one to Will.  My heart sunk when he approached Jay of all people.  I hate saying it would have served him right had Will flipped back.

It was painful seeing him plead for the family visit.  I didn't expect Ken to be such a sentimental softie pre-show.  Also, can we get him and his brother back for BvsW 3 if they ever do it?

Edited December 1, 2016 by LadyChatts

[Rachel RSL]

I got a kick out of Hannah and Zeke ogling the 2 brothers.

[huahaha]

Thinking things through from Ken's point of view, what would have been his ideal outcome from telling Jay what Will said? I can't figure it out.

[weightyghost]

That they'd turn on Will? I thought that's where this episode may be heading

[huahaha]

That's a pretty long shot, considering all of the possibilities.

[Rachel RSL]

I see literally no positive outcome by going to Jay. Unless there was some editing that left out some massive footage, Ken was one big WTF for me this episode.

[LadyChatts]

Ken said something about not trusting Will, and baiting him to see if he was telling him the truth.  Of course Jay and co denied that they ever decided to vote for Ken, and Ken seemed to believe them.  It was his own alliance that had to point out his idiotic move.  I don't feel like Ken "got it" until then.  So I don't think the motive was having the vote turn on Will (of course, I could be wrong).  Hopefully this gets touched on in interviews, because I am curious.

[pamplemousse]

When Ken ran to Jay for confirmation of what Will said, it made a weird kind of sense to me because he was panicked that his name was brought up since I think he thought that he was still under the radar and it was David on the chopping block (he's been really playing that type of game for a long time now, and he's said so in his unaired bonus talking heads). He went to Jay despite knowing that Jay is with Zeke because he believed, and this is dumb because this is Jay we're talking about, that he and Jay had a relationship that was separate and maybe even superseded Jay's allegiance to Zeke & co. I remember Ken saying a few episodes ago that he really liked and felt like he could trust Jay and it showed them bonding while in the ocean IIRC. If anything, it's a testament to how good Jay is at making everybody like him. I guess I need to be around the guy in person, but he just seems so slick and untrustworthy to me as a viewer that I can't imagine doing what Ken did, but yeah, I really think Ken felt as though he and Jay had a connection apart from the whole David's crew vs. Zeke's crew thing.

I also perceived Ken just walking away looking frustrated and defeated as him withdrawing and feeling let down when he saw that Jay went right to Zeke and told him everything.

[ljenkins782]

11 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

I see literally no positive outcome by going to Jay. Unless there was some editing that left out some massive footage, Ken was one big WTF for me this episode.

I can't spin this one as anything but stupidity and maybe a bit of rigidity and self righteousness. Ken definitely does not have the strategic chops for this game. I think Dave may be dragging him along as a vote and possibly as someone to sit next to at the end, because Ken is not a good speaker and seems to have a grumpy, off-putting way. 

If not for his stunning looks, I think he would have been a largely ignored entity. 

I happened to click on Rob C's podcast about this episode and both he and Stephen Fishbach do a fairly accurate, hilarious Ken impression. 

ETA:

Further in the podcast, Stephen says Ken is in "the bubble" (a gag from 30 Rock where Jon Hamm's character is terrible at every single thing he does, but everyone overlooks it because he's so handsome.) I think that's pretty spot on. 

Edited December 1, 2016 by ljenkins782

[SlackerInc]

44 minutes ago, ljenkins782 said:

I can't spin this one as anything but stupidity and maybe a bit of rigidity and self righteousness. Ken definitely does not have the strategic chops for this game. I think Dave may be dragging him along as a vote and possibly as someone to sit next to at the end, because Ken is not a good speaker and seems to have a grumpy, off-putting way. 

If not for his stunning looks, I think he would have been a largely ignored entity. 

I happened to click on Rob C's podcast about this episode and both he and Stephen Fishbach do a fairly accurate, hilarious Ken impression. 

ETA:

Further in the podcast, Stephen says Ken is in "the bubble" (a gag from 30 Rock where Jon Hamm's character is terrible at every single thing he does, but everyone overlooks it because he's so handsome.) I think that's pretty spot on. 

Can you give a timestamp as to where in that podcast they do the impression?

I was one of those defending Ken against the charge that he was stupid and/or a poor player.  I never thought he was a Survivor mastermind by any means, but I thought he was decent, middling.  I now can no longer defend him whatsoever.  Jesus, what a fucking dolt.

[ljenkins782]

6 minutes ago, SlackerInc said:

Can you give a timestamp as to where in that podcast they do the impression?

I was one of those defending Ken against the charge that he was stupid and/or a poor player.  I never thought he was a Survivor mastermind by any means, but I thought he was decent, middling.  I now can no longer defend him whatsoever.  Jesus, what a fucking dolt.

It's within the first few minutes, Rob starts talking about voting with your soul. 

[huahaha]

1 hour ago, ljenkins782 said:

Further in the podcast, Stephen says Ken is in "the bubble" (a gag from 30 Rock where Jon Hamm's character is terrible at every single thing he does, but everyone overlooks it because he's so handsome.) I think that's pretty spot on. 

That's it! The bubble! People in the bubble are genuinely shocked and hurt when they aren't treated better than everyone else. Ken seems to think his combination of looks, physicality, and wanting to provide for his daughter gives him a form of immunity. Obviously, it doesn't.

[MrsR]

Well they did switch their vote off of Ken and on to Hannah. So he did accomplish something even if it was short term. 

[huahaha]

1 hour ago, SlackerInc said:

Can you give a timestamp as to where in that podcast they do the impression?

0:33

ETA: Sorry, that's "the bubble" talk.

Edited December 1, 2016 by huahaha

[waving feather]

I still think Ken is a nice man but someone who I would not want to spend any extended time with. He seems like someone who is more than willing to dole out "life lessons" whether people want to hear it or not. The way he talked to Will when he was looking for clams is quite condescending. No wonder Will was pissed.

[Sarahsmile416]

3 hours ago, waving feather said:

I still think Ken is a nice man but someone who I would not want to spend any extended time with. He seems like someone who is more than willing to dole out "life lessons" whether people want to hear it or not. The way he talked to Will when he was looking for clams is quite condescending. No wonder Will was pissed.

 

Maybe so, though honestly Will strikes me as someone who gets pissed when someone accidentally breathes in his direction.

A few weeks ago, all he could talk about was how much he hated Adam and wanted him out ASAP.

[pamplemousse]

Will is immature and histrionic about everything -- totally overdramatic and prone to tantrums. I wouldn't say like most teenagers because a lot of teenagers today are actually really well-adjusted and remarkably mature. So I'll just say like most spoiled teenagers. He's only cool with Jay because Jay realizes that (he may not be far removed from it himself) and caters to the big overgrown baby. And because he seems to idolize Jay. I take what Will says about anyone with a huge grain of salt, imo he's a bad judge of people.

Edited December 2, 2016 by pamplemousse

[violet and green]

I wonder if they have to fly him to a different island to do his confessionals, he speaks so loud when he's emoting!

[Rachel RSL]

Well, he may not be like that at all, but he sure kinda acted like it this past episode. You can't walk around whining that nobody respects your game play when you haven't actually done anything. Maybe somebody can refresh my memory but has he ever come up with a great plan that his alliance discounted? Because if not, I don't know how he can be upset about it.

Oh, I just realized we're actually in the Ken thread. Pretty, pretty Ken. 

Edited December 2, 2016 by Rachel RSL

[scorp01]

Oh Ken (sigh).  You're so pretty and I thought there could have been some under-the-radar gameplay going on in previous episodes.  Sadly I think I was mistaken.

[Rachel RSL]

Round of applause for the return of Ken's tight blue briefs!

It was nice to see him win a puzzle challenge. He does seem intelligent (in a deep thinker kind of way) so maybe last week's bonehead move was just an anomaly.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Rachel RSL

[piequinn35]

 

That's why he is still in the game folks :))

[LadyChatts]

I know Ken hasn't done much of anything in this game (and what little he did do almost cost him and his alliance), but I'm really happy he's still in the game.  I don't think he really deserves to win, but I wouldn't object.  I expected to go into this season not liking him, but he's become one of my favorites.  It'd be interesting to see him play again, and if he'd actually play.  Equally, being a provider aside, it was a nice change not to have the young fit guys automatically be targeted because they were considered challenge threats and were all around nice.  This season has been kind of a backward-Survivor season in terms of what's gone down.

[piequinn35]

He's my bet since day 1, my bet never wins, and I think he will not win if he is sitting beside David or Jay.

[Ms Blue Jay]

He's so beautiful. Every time the camera lingers, I am like Wow.  

[Special K]

14 minutes ago, piequinn35 said:

 

That's why he is still in the game folks :))

It seems like anytime they show a scene at camp, Ken is working on something, usually preparing food.  :)

[kakiphony]

Maybe Ken can write a Survivor cookbook...

[weightyghost]

1 hour ago, LadyChatts said:

I know Ken hasn't done much of anything in this game (and what little he did do almost cost him and his alliance), but I'm really happy he's still in the game.

I think he worked a bit in the beginning - him and Dave were on the outs at the Gen X tribe (which always surprised me because he seems stereotypical as one of those 30 year old men who automatically fits in) and he managed to turn it around on Paul and Lucy (whether that was more Dave's work, who knows). He also managed to flip Adam (though it seemed an obvious choice) against Figgy and Taylor. So he's done some work, just not much since the merge where the battle of the cool kids went into battle of the nerds and is now where it is. 

His name has often come up, but somehow it always flips to Hannah or someone else entirely. The fact that he is the slightly older version of Jay, it's surprising that no one has really talked about him being a challenge threat (though looking back he didn't do exceptionally well during the challenges - coming up short during the three tribes challenges and being competent enough to not lose it terribly). 

[waving feather]

Ken always provides unintentional humor to the show. I love it.

- chopping coconuts and preparing meals like the hunky househusband that he is.

- when he won immunity: "I'm only good at easy puzzles, not the sliding ones."

- (in a secret scene) how he's going to write everyone a "letter" (not an email or a text but a letter) after he's out of the game, telling them how useless they are around camp.

Oh, Ken. Never ever change.

[Ms Blue Jay]

3 hours ago, kakiphony said:

Maybe Ken can write a Survivor cookbook...

Now we're cooking with gas.

I want him there every year, in the background.  You KNOW somebody on the camera team loves him.  Including the cameras.  Hey those Survivors need to eat and so do my eyes!  We know he makes a great home!

Edited December 9, 2016 by Ms Blue Jay

[pamplemousse]

He's making the rest of us blokes look bad, both physically and with his culinary skills.

[piequinn35]

I'd thought I would find another one...