S33: Previews and Speculation

[JaggedLilPill]

If only there was an advantage that allowed you to eject Probst from the final TC. Oops, did I say that? ;-)

[LadyChatts]

Maybe you're allowed an extra vote on the jury for the winner?  And if you make the final 3, you get an automatic extra vote?  Though when I hear legacy, I would think it's supposed to be something that'll make you be remembered and have a legacy.  So it probably is just something like removing a juror, except worded differently or has some new twist so they can say it's new and different.

[NutMeg]

I could see the "eliminate someone from the jury" be interesting if it happens before the final 3 are known. Say the final 4 are A, B, C, and D.  A has the right to expel someone from the jury, and could choose X who was never voting A for the win. Then A is voted off and really wants B to win, but that's not happening because X was the biggest advocate for B to win, and with X gone, votes are split between C and D. It's far fetched, and could make viewers unhappy with the result, but it is a possibility TBTB have thought of. (I know it's weak, but just going with this idea as being the advantage rather than skip first step in the challenge...)  

[treeofdreams]

My guess:  One tribal council, two people leaving.  The first vote, the person who has won immunity is safe.  The second vote, the LA holder has immunity.

[thehepburn]

The new commercial says - 2ICs, 2 TCs.

[peachmangosteen]

The promo that @thehepburn just mentioned:

[waving feather]

I've been reading some of exit interviews and it appears that a large majority of those on the jury think David is playing the best game. Could that be a hint that David has won or at least that those people voted for him? Unlikely that they would give credit for playing the best game to someone they didn't vote for in the final tribal, right?

And yes, it's a given to me now that David will be in the finale.

[Rachel RSL]

David has played an excellent game. Who would have guessed that the guy who was basically afraid of his own shadow would be the leader of an alliance, well-liked by everyone, and a front-runner to win it all. I wonder if maybe the others are praising David's game so much in interviews, not necessarily because they voted for him to win, but because they didn't realize how good he was playing until they watched the show?

[cherrypj]

David = male Cirie. 

[ljenkins782]

On 12/3/2016 at 1:25 AM, LadyChatts said:

Maybe you're allowed an extra vote on the jury for the winner?  And if you make the final 3, you get an automatic extra vote?  Though when I hear legacy, I would think it's supposed to be something that'll make you be remembered and have a legacy.  So it probably is just something like removing a juror, except worded differently or has some new twist so they can say it's new and different.

I don't put a lot of stock in the name, I assume that legacy in this context refers to the willing of the advantage from one player to another.

[KimberStormer]

8 hours ago, cherrypj said:

David = male Cirie. 

They may have a similar learning-to-live-outdoors kind of thing going on but I can't see Cirie using the idol on Jessica or voting out CeCe or going to rocks when she wasn't immune.

I think this season proves that it can be entertaining when everyone's playing hard, at equal skill levels, even if that level is extremely bad.  There's not a soul on that island who hasn't made a profoundly foolish move or five.  But they're actively making mistakes, instead of passively making them, so that's cool.

[hincandenza]

On 12/4/2016 at 9:37 PM, KimberStormer said:

I think this season proves that it can be entertaining when everyone's playing hard, at equal skill levels, even if that level is extremely bad.  There's not a soul on that island who hasn't made a profoundly foolish move or five.  But they're actively making mistakes, instead of passively making them, so that's cool.

This is a good point; it's boring when some players are just incompetent/passive to the point of almost insulting the countless people who'd want to be on the show, but just as boring (or frustrating) when people overplay, such as Adam earlier this season, or the Fishbachs and other "Survivor Nerds".  It's that sweet spot when everyone is playing hard, but not out of control, subtle enough to smile and laugh with the people they're about to stab in the back yet obvious enough that confessionals detail when so-and-so knew such-and-such was lying about an alliance... that's when the show/game becomes the most fun to watch.  That, and the dramatic irony of us the audience knowing (mostly) everyone's secrets at once, and chuckling at the unwarranted hubris or blindsides.

[Special K]

Maybe the Legacy Advantage is an advantage in the last Immunity Challenge -- like that time Keith got the chance to practice that intricate puzzle thingy.  Also, I think Mike won the chance to check out an IC maze in advance, too, right?  Before having to run it blindfolded.  Both times the one with the advantage won, if I recall correctly.

And maybe this time it doesn't end up making a difference.

[peachmangosteen]

Press photos

IC sneak peek:

[waving feather]

Yay, finally a non endurance or balance challenge! Those are so boring.

[thehepburn]

Still. it's an obstacle course with a carnival game at the end. I find those boring too!

[hincandenza]

From that preview, looks like this is when David finally starts his epic immunity run! ;)

[KimberStormer]

5 hours ago, NYGirl said:

I am enjoying this season so much that I don't want it to end!!  

 

5 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

This may be my favourite season ever.

 

5 hours ago, sadiegirl1999 said:

I really feel like this has been the best season in quite some time.

 

3 hours ago, candall said:

It HAS been that kind of season!  And for me, the best season ever. 

 

1 hour ago, green said:

For me it is in the top 2 or 3.  I see nothing bad about it at all. 

You guys are blowing my mind right now.  All this for an episode where they double-eliminate two bores?  Amazing.  I wish I could share your enthusiasm but even when I was watching, to my mind, there was exactly one good episode.

But the real thing that amazes me is: Cambodia was TWO SEASONS AGO.  Cambodia!  There's been plenty of garbage around it, but it really boggles my mind if people think this season is better than Cambodia.

I don't want to change your minds -- I'm really happy to see this.  But I don't get it!  (Sorry for being OT somewhat but there's no general "this season" discussion thread)

[LadyChatts]

1 hour ago, KimberStormer said:

 

 

 

 

You guys are blowing my mind right now.  All this for an episode where they double-eliminate two bores?  Amazing.  I wish I could share your enthusiasm but even when I was watching, to my mind, there was exactly one good episode.

But the real thing that amazes me is: Cambodia was TWO SEASONS AGO.  Cambodia!  There's been plenty of garbage around it, but it really boggles my mind if people think this season is better than Cambodia.

I don't want to change your minds -- I'm really happy to see this.  But I don't get it!  (Sorry for being OT somewhat but there's no general "this season" discussion thread)

Agreed.  Cambodia has definitely been the best recent season, and definitely a top 10.  This season (for me) is better than the likes of Nicaragua, SJDS, KR, WA, Caramoan, RI, One World, Gabon....but I wouldn't rank it anywhere near Cambodia, Cagayan, Cook Islands, Amazon, Marquesas, HvsV, Micronesia (and probably some others I'm forgetting).  It's a middle tier season for me.  I've loved the game play, but it took until the merge for me to really get into the season.  And even then, it was kind of slow going.  I do think there's those playing the game, and those trying to leave a legacy or big moves and a character to be remembered.

ETA: also, have they ever replanted idols post merge?  I was surprised to see Adam looking for one, unless he was going to go through everyone's belongings to see if someone has one.  Glad we're finally going to know what the legacy advantage is all about!

Edited December 8, 2016 by LadyChatts

[candall]

1 hour ago, KimberStormer said:

You guys are blowing my mind right now.  All this for an episode where they double-eliminate two bores?  Amazing.  I wish I could share your enthusiasm but even when I was watching, to my mind, there was exactly one good episode.

But the real thing that amazes me is: Cambodia was TWO SEASONS AGO.  Cambodia!  There's been plenty of garbage around it, but it really boggles my mind if people think this season is better than Cambodia.

I don't want to change your minds -- I'm really happy to see this.  But I don't get it!  (Sorry for being OT somewhat but there's no general "this season" discussion thread)

It was exactly the two boring elims that sealed the deal for me that I love this season.  After 33 seasons, Survivor can't help but be predictable.  How many episodes have we sat through where the editors killed themselves trying to drum up drama through editing and in the end it turned out the person aufed was the foregone conclusion all along?  Dozens, scores.  Did we have to sit through two hours of engineered red herring blah-blah-blahs ending with the 'irony' of fate spitting in the eye of newly power-mad Will or the sad trombone of Sunday's departure?  Nope.  Two relatively low-key eliminations, one episode: challenge/council/challenge/council, boom, they're gone, moving on to the finale.  Good job, show.  I wasn't expecting that, any more than I was expecting the second hour of the two-hour episode would be even more suspenseful than the first hour, in which I was completely surprised.  Hmm.  Survivor surprises me?  Haven't seen that for . . . ?

On some seasons, someone will play an idol on behalf of another player--this season, three times.  Unexpected.

Would anyone have bet money that the guy who shrieked at creepy crawlies in the first episode would be going into the finale as a ring leader?  No way.  The goofy girl with the anxiety attacks and the impulsive word spills is guaranteed cannon fodder--but not this time.  Did you think the chubby guy with the Hawaiian shirt and the premature midlife crisis mustache had a snowball's chance of making it to the second half?

In a regular season, those four PYTs in the first episode would have had the nerdier ones cozying up, competing to be at the bottom of the power pyramid, and being used to pick off their fellow misfits one after another; inoffensive non-participant Sunday would have assumed her designated goat position at the last campfire.  Surprise!

Instead of one or two jaw-dropping blindsides, I think this season might have had more TCs with that particular ending than without.  (Rocks?!  For Zeke and Hannah??  A bona fide WTF?)

Otherwise, as I said in my original post, no assholes, bullies, heroes, villains, victims.  I'm guessing you miss the intensity of those dynamics, but not me.  I'd rather tune in wondering "What are any of these people going to do tonight?" than tune in to see if that jerk finally gets his due or whether the sympathetic guy finds a way to scrape through one more time.  (Or hypervigilant that any second someone's going to walk over and rip the head off his pet chicken, so take that, Cambodia.)

For the grandfather of reality shows, I don't think there can be much higher achievement than "unpredictability."

But that's just me.  : )

[sadiegirl1999]

^^^^Thank you for speaking my mind.

You summed it up perfectly.

I can't remember who said it, as it was a few weeks ago (so I don't remember the thread) but this season could/should be the one that wins them an Emmy for Best Reality Show.

[RescueMom]

I've read a lot of speculation that Ken's advantage could be booting someone out of the game. Has that ever happened before, where one player simply gets to basically throw someone out of the game? (I didn't start watching until the first FvF season.) I just can't see them giving that kind of power to someone. I suspect the advantage is similar to the advantages people have won in the Survivor auctions, especially since they didn't do an auction this season. Something to help them at the final immunity challenge.

[laurakaye]

I'm wondering if the advantage will be like Keith Nale's advantage of a few seasons ago, where he received some extended time to practice for the upcoming immunity challenge and won the challenge.

Or maybe, because this season has been so completely awesome, TPTB invented something we'd never see coming.

As much as I hate to see this season end (and then the long, dark winter of no Survivor), I cannot wait to see how it all goes down.

[thehepburn]

Considering the timing of the Legacy (F6), it has to be a vote doubler or vote stealer. IC advantage usually happens later or when offered at auction.

[peachmangosteen]

5 hours ago, candall said:

Otherwise, as I said in my original post, no assholes, bullies, heroes, villains, victims.  I'm guessing you miss the intensity of those dynamics, but not me.  I'd rather tune in wondering "What are any of these people going to do tonight?" than tune in to see if that jerk finally gets his due or whether the sympathetic guy finds a way to scrape through one more time. 

THIS!

1 hour ago, RescueMom said:

I've read a lot of speculation that Ken's advantage could be booting someone out of the game.

For some reason this was what I was thinking while watching last night. I also thought since they seemed to crib last's night's second IC from Big Brother that maybe they'll take another cue from them and the LA will be safety for you and a person of your choice. I feel like it's gonna be something different than they've done before, so I really don't see it being any of the other things that have been specced. But then I also think it could end up being super lame and really just being something tired and boring.

I still think Jay's winning this thing. I'm like 99% sure. And then the 1% remaining is pretty evenly split between David and Adam, with Hannah taking up a small portion of it. But maybe that's all just because the person I want to win the most very rarely does, so I'm preparing myself for that to happen again.

Edited December 8, 2016 by peachmangosteen

[Rachel RSL]

6 hours ago, candall said:

But that's just me.  : )

And me! It wasn't because of an episode where they double-eliminate two bores, it's because of the entire season.  And the fact that 2 bores didn't get dragged to the final TC as designated goats just makes it that much better for me.

That was me who made the Emmy comment and I stand by it. Great season! 

Edited December 8, 2016 by Rachel RSL

[NYGirl]

11 hours ago, KimberStormer said:

 

 

 

You guys are blowing my mind right now.  All this for an episode where they double-eliminate two bores?  Amazing.  I wish I could share your enthusiasm but even when I was watching, to my mind, there was exactly one good episode.

But the real thing that amazes me is: Cambodia was TWO SEASONS AGO.  Cambodia!  There's been plenty of garbage around it, but it really boggles my mind if people think this season is better than Cambodia.

I don't want to change your minds -- I'm really happy to see this.  But I don't get it!  (Sorry for being OT somewhat but there's no general "this season" discussion thread)

I am loving this season not that it's my favorite season ever.  I LOVED Cambodia too.  My reason is because I actually like the people playing and the reason it's like Cambodia is that everybody is actually PLAYING.  The past couple of seasons I was hard pressed to find somebody to even root for and it was not enjoyable to me.

[piequinn35]

I am just curious if Adam, Jay, David are the f3 who would you think the jury will vote?

Jay, David, Ken, I am 90% sure that Jay will win because all the millennials will vote for him.

[Rachel RSL]

If Jay gets anywhere near the finals, he's winning. Taylor, Michelle, Will and probably Sunday are guaranteed votes for him.

[LadyChatts]

If it's a Jay/David/Adam final 3: David likely gets Ken and Jessica, Jay Taylor and probably Michelle (she's kind of a wild card for me).  I'm really up in the air with everyone else.  Sunday/Chris/Bret, and later Zeke, were on the opposite side of things with David and his crew.  So will they respect him making the final 3 and think he played a better game than the other 2, or a grudge.  Adam might have been seen as too neurotic during the game, but I think he did play a decent game.  I'm hoping he doesn't win, however. 

I think Adam could win in a different final 3 combo, but against David and Jay, he's likely finishing 3rd.

[kakiphony]

53 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

If it's a Jay/David/Adam final 3: David likely gets Ken and Jessica, Jay Taylor and probably Michelle (she's kind of a wild card for me).  I'm really up in the air with everyone else.  Sunday/Chris/Bret, and later Zeke, were on the opposite side of things with David and his crew.  So will they respect him making the final 3 and think he played a better game than the other 2, or a grudge.  Adam might have been seen as too neurotic during the game, but I think he did play a decent game.  I'm hoping he doesn't win, however. 

I think Adam could win in a different final 3 combo, but against David and Jay, he's likely finishing 3rd.

My bets for that final three are:

David - Ken, Jessica, Zeke, Hannah ?)

Jay - Michelle, Taylor, Will

I am honestly not sure how Bret and Sunday would vote, even after reading Sunday's exit interviews. I lean Jay with her, but she clearly respects David as a player. Hannah, I suspect votes David, but could surprise me and vote Adam.

[peachmangosteen]

4 hours ago, piequinn35 said:

I am just curious if Adam, Jay, David are the f3 who would you think the jury will vote?

I don't really think there's a chance in hell of this happening. One of Jay or David with make F3 (and then win), but not both. They'll take each other out before that. 

3 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

If Jay gets anywhere near the finals, he's winning. 

Bingo!

Edited December 8, 2016 by peachmangosteen

[KimberStormer]

20 hours ago, candall said:

Otherwise, as I said in my original post, no assholes, bullies, heroes, villains, victims.  I'm guessing you miss the intensity of those dynamics, but not me.

(Dr. Johnson voice) Slander, sir!  I must protest these scurrilous charges!

I hate the bullies and assholes as much as anyone.  The last season I quit midway was Worlds Apart; I didn't even stick around to see my fave Jen go out because I didn't want to even see the Will/Shirin scene everyone was talking about.  I nearly quit last season too with Scot & Jason's antics.  I was here defending the current cast as being asshole-free in the first episodes.  Their lack has nothing to do with what I don't like about the season.

There is some other kind of cast member which is conspicuously lacking in this season's post-merge, but I won't mention it as there are already several threads full of people "Well actually"ing why it's illegitimate to care that they're so rare and I don't want to get into it.  It is however the #1 reason I'm not loving it.  I am quite predictable and anyone who sees like five posts of mine knows exactly what kind of Survivor player I like.

Quote

It was exactly the two boring elims that sealed the deal for me that I love this season.  After 33 seasons, Survivor can't help but be predictable.  How many episodes have we sat through where the editors killed themselves trying to drum up drama through editing and in the end it turned out the person aufed was the foregone conclusion all along?  Dozens, scores.  Did we have to sit through two hours of engineered red herring blah-blah-blahs ending with the 'irony' of fate spitting in the eye of newly power-mad Will or the sad trombone of Sunday's departure?  Nope.  Two relatively low-key eliminations, one episode: challenge/council/challenge/council, boom, they're gone, moving on to the finale.  Good job, show.  I wasn't expecting that,

Well, they've done it plenty of times before, and it's usually the sign of a poor season, like South Pacific which is my gold standard for tedious Survivor nothingness.

Quote

In a regular season, those four PYTs in the first episode would have had the nerdier ones cozying up, competing to be at the bottom of the power pyramid, and being used to pick off their fellow misfits one after another; inoffensive non-participant Sunday would have assumed her designated goat position at the last campfire.  Surprise!

I can't really think of any season like this.  Whereas several seasons, from Vanuatu with the Fat Five to Cook Islands with the Aitus routing the Raro jocks to Gabon where the Onions were utterly destroyed by Susie and Sugar to Caramoan with poor Hope and Alli taking the fall at the hands of Sherri and Shamar, have the tedious Revenge of the Nerds storyline.  Mostly, people do not form alliances based on coolness, so this has nothing to do with anything.  What's a good example of a "regular season" that this unprecedented dynamic has defied?

Quote

Would anyone have bet money that the guy who shrieked at creepy crawlies in the first episode would be going into the finale as a ring leader?  No way.  The goofy girl with the anxiety attacks and the impulsive word spills is guaranteed cannon fodder--but not this time.  Did you think the chubby guy with the Hawaiian shirt and the premature midlife crisis mustache had a snowball's chance of making it to the second half?

I thought all of these things.  In the first episode thread I said if David got his legs under him he'd take over and they were fools not to get rid of him first of all.  I've always been in Hannah's corner (if she wins I will go back and watch the episodes I've missed, as I have told people in PMs.)  And as soon as I saw the swap split it was obvious Zeke had no chance of being eliminated anytime soon.  The only real surprise is that all of these people are so terrible at the game.  I am spoiled I guess having been able to watch the likes of Kim, Cirie, Parvati, and so on; I expect better than silly flailing.  Speaking of predictable seasons, I quite liked One World once it was Colton-free (I didn't watch BvW at all because they brought him back) because I would rather watch someone completely dominating by playing really well than people playing poorly, even if it's surprising.  Best of course is something like HvV or Cambodia where there are lots of people who are really, really good.

Quote

(Or hypervigilant that any second someone's going to walk over and rip the head off his pet chicken, so take that, Cambodia.)

No pet chickens in Cambodia.  And that's really what surprised me to make my post in the first place, not that people like it, but that people seem to have forgotten Cambodia, which I would think would be a top 5 season for just about anyone!  Maybe y'all hate Abi more than I realized?

ANNNYWAY to keep this slightly on topic my predictions, based on not seeing the show for several eps but reading the board: Adam goes home to mom and comes back within five seasons, Jay goes out Malcolm-style at F4, David-Hannah-Ken F3, David wins.  Jeff Probst goes on and on about how this proves anyone can win Survivor, lots of time on the unprecedented plethora of loveable characters like Zeke and Ken, doesn't talk to a single woman at the reunion, unless to rub Figgy's face in the pregnancy.

But that's just me :)

Edited December 9, 2016 by KimberStormer

[Fostersmom]

I'm going to wildly speculate here that Jay wins this season because of another CBS show. Does anyone watch Life in Pieces? Tonight's episode had 2 characters making a crazy Survivor audition tape and one scene had Probst and a woman, I'm guessing casting or a producer, watching the tape in an office. Right behind Probst's head was a framed picture of Jay. There was no mention of any particular players ever, but Jay's face was clear as day if you watch this season. They got a funny little bit in, the 2 characters were older men, James Brolin and his doctor son in law, and while they were making the video they got a shot of the SIL's teenage son's girlfriend just laying by a pool in a bikini. Probst and the woman have a little back and forth about each knowing the obvious answer of which person needs to be cast…. and of course they zoom in on the part of the tape of the random girl. It would be funny if CBS managed to spoil their own show on another one of their shows. 

[peachmangosteen]

7 hours ago, Fostersmom said:

I'm going to wildly speculate here that Jay wins this season because of another CBS show. Does anyone watch Life in Pieces? Tonight's episode had 2 characters making a crazy Survivor audition tape and one scene had Probst and a woman, I'm guessing casting or a producer, watching the tape in an office. Right behind Probst's head was a framed picture of Jay. There was no mention of any particular players ever, but Jay's face was clear as day if you watch this season. 

Well damn. That's a bit much!

8 hours ago, KimberStormer said:

ANNNYWAY to keep this slightly on topic my predictions, based on not seeing the show for several eps but reading the board: Adam goes home to mom and comes back within five seasons, Jay goes out Malcolm-style at F4, David-Hannah-Ken F3, David wins.  Jeff Probst goes on and on about how this proves anyone can win Survivor, lots of time on the unprecedented plethora of loveable characters like Zeke and Ken, doesn't talk to a single woman at the reunion, unless to rub Figgy's face in the pregnancy.

I can easily see all this. I think you're 100% right with your reunion spec. I still think Jay is the winner though!

Edited December 9, 2016 by peachmangosteen

[Wandering Snark]

Re: This week's preview in which we see David fashioning his own idol:

Maybe there really isn't one out there to find? But I think it's a smart move as the idols so far this year have been so... rustic? They do like they've been made on the island. Easy to imitate, unlike some years when they were more elaborate. A shell and some beads on a rope and there you go... the key will be how it's used.

Even a convincing fake idol can't do anything for you once you're at tribal so it's 'power' is to shift a vote or put an idea in someone's head. Maybe a quick 'Check this out' quick look of a half of a fake idol in a cloth could be enough to do something but time is ticking once you reveal it.

[hincandenza]

39 minutes ago, Wandering Snark said:

Re: This week's preview in which we see David fashioning his own idol:

Maybe there really isn't one out there to find? But I think it's a smart move as the idols so far this year have been so... rustic? They do like they've been made on the island. Easy to imitate, unlike some years when they were more elaborate. A shell and some beads on a rope and there you go... the key will be how it's used.

Even a convincing fake idol can't do anything for you once you're at tribal so it's 'power' is to shift a vote or put an idea in someone's head. Maybe a quick 'Check this out' quick look of a half of a fake idol in a cloth could be enough to do something but time is ticking once you reveal it.

As you say, the only way it can be used is to convince people you have an idol, but that's as likely to make them try to "flush" it on the next vote and send you home anyway.  By top 6 there might simply be too few people left to move the target off your back with a FHII.  If Hannah or, god forbid, Ken are ready to flip against David on the next vote, then I don't know how a FHII could keep the votes off his back at that point.

I love the fake idol trick in theory but I'm not recalling off the top of my head when it ever worked to save the person wielding it (even when some looked convincingly real), so this preview makes me think David is in real danger of going to the jury at the next tribal.  I'm sure the Survivor historians will correct me on the record , but while it's been simply ignored or played by someone who was tricked (or knew better but had to play it just in case) into thinking they'd been given an idol, it's never been used to redirect a vote and save someone who made their own FHII.

I'd love to see it happen, if say he lets the fake idol "accidentally" be seen by Jay or Brett they might scramble to target Ken instead.  If David can successfully pull off a FHII gambit to save him in a vote, then he deserves to win.

[JaggedLilPill]

25 minutes ago, hincandenza said:

As you say, the only way it can be used is to convince people you have an idol, but that's as likely to make them try to "flush" it on the next vote and send you home anyway.  By top 6 there might simply be too few people left to move the target off your back with a FHII.  If Hannah or, god forbid, Ken are ready to flip against David on the next vote, then I don't know how a FHII could keep the votes off his back at that point.

I love the fake idol trick in theory but I'm not recalling off the top of my head when it ever worked to save the person wielding it (even when some looked convincingly real), so this preview makes me think David is in real danger of going to the jury at the next tribal.  I'm sure the Survivor historians will correct me on the record , but while it's been simply ignored or played by someone who was tricked (or knew better but had to play it just in case) into thinking they'd been given an idol, it's never been used to redirect a vote and save someone who made their own FHII.

I'd love to see it happen, if say he lets the fake idol "accidentally" be seen by Jay or Brett they might scramble to target Ken instead.  If David can successfully pull off a FHII gambit to save him in a vote, then he deserves to win.

I can't recall a fake idol working for the person wielding it either. But Tony managed to fake people out with a useless idol since it had expired so technically it was "fake"...in the sense that it no longer had saving power. Then again, that was at F4, not F6.

[ljenkins782]

On 12/8/2016 at 2:57 AM, KimberStormer said:

You guys are blowing my mind right now.  All this for an episode where they double-eliminate two bores?  Amazing.  I wish I could share your enthusiasm but even when I was watching, to my mind, there was exactly one good episode.

But the real thing that amazes me is: Cambodia was TWO SEASONS AGO.  Cambodia!  There's been plenty of garbage around it, but it really boggles my mind if people think this season is better than Cambodia.

I don't want to change your minds -- I'm really happy to see this.  But I don't get it!  (Sorry for being OT somewhat but there's no general "this season" discussion thread)

There is an unpopular opinions thread where this sentiment would seem appropriate, but I'm a little baffled how someone can make judgments on a season they admit to not watching. Or would need to share their wonderment that anyone could be enjoying it by quoting a lot of people who clearly are enjoying it. 

As for the fake idol, the preview makes it sound like Adam is still concerned about idols, so David might be able to fake him out.

[KimberStormer]

2 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

There is an unpopular opinions thread where this sentiment would seem appropriate

Yes agreed, I thought of it too late.  Could mods move it?

[kikaha]

10 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

There is an unpopular opinions thread where this sentiment would seem appropriate, but I'm a little baffled how someone can make judgments on a season they admit to not watching. Or would need to share their wonderment that anyone could be enjoying it by quoting a lot of people who clearly are enjoying it.

I gave Kimberstormer's post a like because, even if she didn't view the episode, she captured pretty well my reaction to it.  Same with her comments about Cambodia, which is one of my three favorite seasons.  (HvV and Philippines are the others.) 

Overall I'm enjoying this season, but feel the level of play is way below second chances.

[Lamb18]

Weren't the two previous seasons in Cambodia? Same exact location?

[KimberStormer]

Yes. but by Survivor convention, 31 is called Cambodia and 32 is called Kaoh Rong, sort of like how 10 is Palau and 16 is Micronesia though they were filmed in the exact same place.

[peachmangosteen]

New preview for the finale:

[susannot]

Re:  fake idols. Didn't Bob make one in Gabon?  And he won that season,so it must have helped him.

[LadyChatts]

I'm hoping that means David loses the IC and is desperate, because that's one less person I have to worry about winning over Jay.  Though I'm resigned to the fact that Jay probably isn't winning this thing.  I think Hannah, whether she thinks she's a goat or not, is going to be taken the final 3 for that reason, because she's deemed beatable.  My feeling is the final 3 will be David/Hannah, and anyone of Adam/Bret/Ken, with David winning (unless Adam goes for the sympathy card).

Edited December 11, 2016 by LadyChatts

[Lamima]

 I feel like Hannah will be next out. I suspect it will be Ken, Bret and one of Dave/Jay/Adam in F3...with Jay or Dave being most likely. Just my gut says Jay, Bret and Ken with Jay winning. second possibility is Dave, Bret and Ken with Dave winning. I want it to be Adam, Jay and Dave, personally. I am also worried that Adam gets pulled out to go home. Though some folks have mentioned he didn't make it home in time... do we know that is, for sure, true??

I watched the first several season and then the last three... missing many in between. I want to go back and binge a few... any suggestions which ones I should watch?

Edited December 11, 2016 by Lamima

[waving feather]

My speculation from that preview:

Dave was scrambling for a fake HII at night so most likely this is after they come back from one of the tribals, not after an immunity challenge.

How they framed that preview seems to hint that Adam and Hannah are in FTC, along with David.

Even though I wish to be wrong, I don't think Jay gets past F5. Hope he gets to play again in the future.

[LadyChatts]

1 hour ago, Lamima said:

 I feel like Hannah will be next out. I suspect it will be Ken, Bret and one of Dave/Jay/Adam in F3...with Jay or Dave being most likely. Just my gut says Jay, Bret and Ken with Jay winning. second possibility is Dave, Bret and Ken with Dave winning. I want it to be Adam, Jay and Dave, personally. I am also worried that Adam gets pulled out to go home. Though some folks have mentioned he didn't make it home in time... do we know that is, for sure, true??

I watched the first several season and then the last three... missing many in between. I want to go back and binge a few... any suggestions which ones I should watch?

I do think there's a chance Hannah could get voted out, especially since she wanted to keep David in because she liked him (and maybe she did think of him as a threat, so keep him as a shield).  I'll think it even more if she says anything about liking David, or saying he's a bigger threat, and that was why she got rid of Sunday, in one of the first confessionals of the episode.  It could be setting her up to get blindsided.  If Jay loses that first IC, I can't see him surviving, sadly.  Adam seems to want him gone at this point, which makes me wonder if Adam plans on playing the sympathy card at the FTC.  Could be he planted the seed with Jay, hoping he'll go back to Ponderosa and tell everyone. 

If Jay does go in 6th, that would leave Ken/Bret/Hannah/David/Adam.  From there, it'll be interesting.  I will be shocked, and a little peeved, at the editors if David or Jay end up losing, but I can't see that happening.  Adam's the only one I think could ruin that.

[thehepburn]

1 hour ago, Lamima said:

 

I watched the first several season and then the last three... missing many in between. I want to go back and binge a few... any suggestions which ones I should watch?

Pearl Islands = almost a perfect season with great theme and great characters

Palau = great location and production values, also features interesting tribe diam all on 1 tribe

China = I am not as big a fan as most ppl but has a little bit of everything

Heroes vs Villains = all star season that will be more enjoyable if u know the history of all the players but features a lot of iconic moves

Phillipines = considered the beginning of Survivor's revival. interesting characters and good gameplay.

Cagayan = considered by many including myself to be the best post S20 season.