S34.E11: Reinventing How This Game Is Played

[Tara Ariano]

Quote

One castaway's alliance reacts after one of their own admits to flipping; a player must decide if they should reveal their secret advantage in the game to a trusted ally.

[Daisy]

Zeke once again overplayed his hand. 
Michalea - don't cry because Zeke would have had zero problems slitting your throat. 
Cirie caught herself in regards to saying she'll talk people into it, vs. She + Andrea can. 
Sarah is dumb. admitting you flipped hurts you long game I think. 

It was kinda of a meh episode

[Haleth]

I kept thinking that it was a good point that only being one up was not a good idea, that it would be better to hang on to Zeke, but then it occured to me that Zeke is most likely to flip. I wonder if Andrea's group could persuade Tai to flip now that the rest of his alliance was throwing him under the bus.

[vb68]

Oh Michaela, Zeke is not worth crying over!

[Lamb18]

Here we go! Now why Sarah say she flipped? That was her, wasn't it?  Time for the catch phrase: "That was a game changer." It is nice to see Sierra, Brad, Troyzan and Tai sitting there grumping.

Time for the reward. There's those puzzle tables picked up at the rummage sale and the climbing nets from the thrift store. And the mats from Home Depot. Sierra's nails catch the sun and the glint blinds Jeff. Another schoolyard pick?? Well, Michaela should be playing this time. Didn't they do this challenge last year? It looks familiar. They ripped off the scaffolding from a construction site. The swinging benches were filched from someone's front porch. Brad has the rope hooked in his shorts. I wonder if there will be a wardrobe malfunction.  Jeff said a big word, "cognitive." Must have been his word of the day. Now it's time for the catchword "evolve." And he uses "metaphor!" Now where is Hali when you need her to unscramble big words?

Sarah sure is narrating a lot. Orange juice quickly purchased from the local McDonalds! That food does look good. Now has Zeke ever been to a resort at all? And he is now edifying the viewers with his pearls of wisdom about the game. Andrea and Aubry are getting suspicious of Zeke. Brad is making quite a fashion statement - straw hat, lei and striped shorts!

Troyzan looks rugged in a bad way. Black socks and a swimsuit, nice combo. The look like the black socks my dad used to wear with his work shoes and Bermudas while mowing the lawn. Now why do Aubry's clothes look clean? Is there a dry cleaner around the corner? Go Cirie! Play your mind games! Nice bat, is that symbolizing Zeke so far? Zeke, the flipper. Maybe that's what the bat meant, Zeke floundering around in the Survivor shrubbery.

Look! It looks like a graduation platform at the Immunity challenge!  Now this looks like a new type of challenge. Is it already Day 29? 10 days to go! Sarah's look too far apart. Oops, too bad, Brad! Michaela's look a little too far apart, too. Oh, oh, Andrea.  All right, Andrea! Good job!  Nice chameleon - symbolic of Sarah? Changing colors as she switches sides?

There's our chief juror? Did you know she was jurist at the OJ Simpson trial?? She convinced the jury to let him go! Troyzan looks like a beat up troll with long dark hair. Andrea, the key phrase is "trust clusters" - that's what you're trying to say. Michaela isn't that relaxed tonight. Hali looks nice. This will be an interesting vote. Hah - the group is turning on each other. What if Tai went home with two idols? Oh oh, where's an idol when you need it?  It is Zeke after all! So who were the five? Andrea, Cirie, Aubry, Brad and Troy? Or did Sarah turn on him after all? And Michaela, too, even though she was crying.

[Straycat80]

I was surprised to see Tai's name. They edited it where they didn't show anyone talking about voting him out. 

Hali: game changers

Debbie: idiots

I can tell there is going to be a bitter jury this season too. 

[susannot]

I like 4 women:  Andrea, Cirie, Michaela, and Sarah.  I am happy if any of them win.

1 minute ago, Straycat80 said:

I was surprised to see Tai's name. They edited it where they didn't show anyone talking about voting him out. 

Hali: game changers

Debbie: idiots

I can tell there is going to be a bitter jury this season too. 

I can already tell that Debbie's question is going to be:  Why did you idiots and losers vote MEEE out?

[LadyChatts]

As long as it wasn't Andrea, Cirie, Michaela, or Aubry, I'm good with the vote.  I'm surprised it was Zeke, since he seemed to be the main focus of who everyone wanted out.  I figured it was a red herring, and that Sarah and/or Michaela might flip.  That was certainly an interesting TC.  Really had no idea who was going home, but was leaning towards Sierra until I saw her write Tai's name down.  Brad and Troy voted for him too.  Were those just throwaway votes?  Sierra looked shocked.  I'm surprised Tai didn't play at least one of his idols.  Anyway, Zeke needs a new Survivor skill set.  He just plays too hard, too fast.  I'm sure he'll get a third chance down the road, though, so we'll see if he's learned anything.    

Way to keep it classy Debbie, especially since you admitted in interviews Sarah was the 6th in your alliance, and wasn't getting past that unless she won immunity.  I guess we know who the bitter betty juror will be.

So glad Michaela got to finally show off her challenge beast, and thrilled Andrea also did so well.  I'm happy that Andrea got to go on the reward and supervise what was going on.  One bonding session and suddenly Zeke thinks he's golden with Brad?  I didn't really like the editing tonight.  I guess Tai was supposed to be the fake blindside vote, which is why we never saw his name come up among discussions.  But what did Brad accomplish other than not being the vote tonight?  He didn't get anyone not already with him on his side.  But he was glad to have the people with him on that reward for his game.  I don't know why, because we didn't see anything going on besides him and Zeke bonding.  The people back at camp certainly said a mouth full when they said that everyone who went on the reward gained weight.  It's probably true! 

Also, another puzzle challenge where Jeff had to basically gave away what the answer was.

Edited May 4, 2017 by LadyChatts

[vb68]

Genuinely a little surprised that Tai didn't play an idol if he really felt he was on the bottom.

[Daisy]

don't forget @LadyChatts. Debbie was the bitter jury member in her season too. 
zeke made the most sense because out of all of them Zeke was the most to flip. Andrea + Cirie were most in danger because of this. Sarah could "flip" if she wants but i think A+C and M stick together (final 3), try to pull Sierra for a 5 with Aubry, and play the "female alliance" card. 

[Haleth]

During the reward challenge if anyone had been paying attention to Probst's blathering, he was pretty much telling them the answer to the puzzle. Obviously it was just background noise to the players. 

[dkb]

"lifesyles of the rich and famous" lol Aubry

I think Sarah owning up to it was the smart thing to do.

Sierra really messed up by being to secure in her alliance and not making connections with others. Brad and Troyzan should be on the chopping block but people want to work with them so their safe.

Debbie is bitter I see.

I think I'm with Sarah and Michaela on this, get rid of one of the minority alliance first, but I can see Sarah seeing that Zeke is too tight with Brad and might not stay loyal to her. Plus he's always going on about "playing the game" which translates to bad things for people he's supposed to be loyal to, see Andrea.

Glad to see Michalea working on a relationship with Zeke and Sarah. 

Also why did the minority throw their votes on each other, isn't it smarter to vote for someone else, never know whats happening at tribal.

Agreed @vb68 I thought for sure Tai was busting out one of his idols tonight.

Edited May 4, 2017 by dkb

[LadyChatts]

I wonder how Tai will react, since he asked Troy to please tell him if his name came up, and yet Troy voted for him.

[KaveDweller]

Normally I would agree about not turning on your own alliance before you have to, but Zeke was actually planning to turn on them in the next vote, so it was the right call. Or at least it was the right call for all of them except Sarah, who was planning to turn on the others as well.

Sarah has been planning a pretty good game this time, but she shouldn't have told Cirie about her vote steal.

[enlightenedbum]

I remember in the long distant past on TWOP talking about how one of the three cute girls on Ometepe was secretly a challenge badass like just before the merge.  I feel so validated.

I think she was actually in a kind of bad spot here because she and Cirie had to push Sarah and Michaela so hard.  She clearly had to get Zeke because he was going to come after her soon, as he admitted.  But pushing reluctant allies creates bad feelings and could lead to sad times for the two of them.  A necessary tactical victory but strategically it puts them in a tough spot.

Michaela not super cut out for Survivor based on that reaction.  Sarah is so muddled and boring she bothers me so much.

Want individual reward challenges and not these dumb team ones.

[vb68]

1 minute ago, Haleth said:

During the reward challenge if anyone had been paying attention to Probst's blathering, he was pretty much telling them the answer to the puzzle. Obviously it was just background noise to the players. 

Can't blame them too much there. Heaven knows I would try to tune him out too.

[Mindthinkr]

Funny how Tai always looks around to see if anyone is going to play an idol when he's sitting there with 2 in his pocket. I don't think he'd be good at reading tells. 

[Sarahsmile416]

So, in the end, Sierra is playing just the same way as she played in her first season. Sticking with her alliance even though it's clear that switching would probably benefit her...

Yes, she's a game changer that one ?

[Mindthinkr]

1 minute ago, enlightenedbum said:

Want individual reward challenges and not these dumb team ones.

Me too. 

[LanceM]

Yeah big surprise Debbie is going to be one grumpy bitter juror. lol.  

Also it wouldn't have taken Hali an hour to figure out that puzzle.

Edited May 4, 2017 by LanceM

[colorbars]

There were pros and cons for going for either Zeke or Sierra tonight. I think it made the most sense for Andrea, for sure, and to a lesser extent Cirie, since those were the names he kept focusing on. I think it made less sense for Michaela, Aubry and especially Sarah, because of what Michaela pointed out - a smaller margin makes it easier for someone to flip. But as others have mentioned, Zeke was the most likely to flip (with Sarah not that far behind), so it's a wash.

I didn't really care either way between Zeke or Sierra, so tonight was a win either way for me.

Andrea continues to dominate challenges. I think she was even the one to finally get the puzzle answer, even if it took clues from Jeff to finally get it.

Edited May 4, 2017 by colorbars

[NYGirl]

It's like they cut some parts out.  First when they were on the reward and we hardly saw anything..next thing I look up and they are back at camp.

Then the Tai voting.  I was like whaaaa??  when his name came up.

[Haleth]

I wonder if Brad, Troy, and Sierra were told the vote would be Tai and they chose the "anyone but me" route. 

Who did Tai vote for?

[ShadowSixx]

Debbie is just ugh. Flipping someone off while in the jury is so stupid. Stupid as Dan rolling his eyes at Mike.

IDK why when they have an opportunity to get rid of Sierra, they never pull the damn trigger on getting rid of her. Why??? They could have gotten Zeke later because he plays too hard anyway. They could have dragged him on for a few more votes. It's just annoying when players vote emotionally over strategically. Like Michaela said vote off the alliance who is now low in numbers, but then again since they're low in numbers, you're more than likely can get one of them to switch over to your side. 

It's a waste though because the person they bring over knows that they're in the bottom of the new alliance. Lose-lose for whoever switches.

Michaela saying turn the heart off which she did when voting for Zeke but turned it back on the minute he was eliminated. She wasn't eating or drinking so you know it's not gonna go so well.

Sarah's time might be coming to an end too because like Zeke she likes to flip flop which isn't going to work for her in the end if/when others catch wind of it.

[LadyChatts]

3 minutes ago, Haleth said:

I wonder if Brad, Troy, and Sierra were told the vote would be Tai and they chose the "anyone but me" route. 

Who did Tai vote for?

Sierra.  Zeke did tell Brad and Troy that it wasn't them, so maybe he did tell them Tai to throw them off, and that's why Sierra voted that way.  I thought she was working with the girls, though.  So confused about how everything went down tonight.

Why exactly did Sarah want to keep Zeke around?  Because he was a vote she could control or hide behind?  I can see why Andrea and Cirie wanted to get rid of Zeke.  It works more to their benefit than it does to Michaela, Sarah, and Aubry (for now), but I don't think Brad had any use to do a final 5 with Zeke, either.  He was coming after them, so might as well get him now before he voted for them.  I'm curious to read his interviews tomorrow, which I hope aren't completely dominated by the Varner incident.  He's made some bad game decisions I'd like to hear his take on, but I'm also curious about the beef with Andrea.

Edited May 4, 2017 by LadyChatts

[ShadowSixx]

2 minutes ago, Haleth said:

I wonder if Brad, Troy, and Sierra were told the vote would be Tai and they chose the "anyone but me" route. 

Who did Tai vote for?

Tai voted for Sierra.

[Haleth]

So that Super 6 with the line in concrete from last week has completely fallen apart.

[enlightenedbum]

3 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

He's made some bad game decisions I'd like to hear his take on, but I'm also curious about the beef with Andrea.

Pretty sure it's a game thing.  I'm 99% sure on her side it's entirely because he made a dumb game move to betray her which made her think he was both dumb and a jerk.

[mojoween]

Stay classy, Debbie!

"I have to put my foot down."  No, Andrea, please don't talk like that.  It's gross.  Yes, it's an individual game with one winner, but there are a lot of moves before you get to that point and the first time you aren't safe you will be gone.

Michaela's legs are a work of art.

No do you see what you did!  You made Sierra make that smug face that makes me want to smack something!

[enlightenedbum]

Courtney (Yates) making an excellent point: the minority alliance has four people and three idols.  Maybe do something?

[NeverLate]

Well,Zeke wouldn't have been my first choice( yet)  I think Sarah is playing a good game,( I think she could win this) . Andrea, as soon as she doesn't have immunity vote her out, she's good at challenges , she can talk people around. She's a threat.!
What a damned hard puzzle! Your brains foggy, and they give you a huge puzzle to solve, nice reward though 
Again, lots going on behind the scenes. ( nice to see a softer side to Michaela)

 

Isn't delusional Debbie wonderful ?smh

[Lantern7]

Another episode. It's been fun, but aside from Sandra's ouster and the revelation about Zeke, I don't think this season will be remembered. Big moves, sure, but no real heroes or villains . . . not even Brad.

As much as I like the puzzles, maybe the players should get an alternative to trying to draw power out of exhausted brain cells. Or maybe Probst should force teams to swap out puzzle solvers every ten minutes.

Why was Michaela crying? Didn't she vote for Zeke? Might be a guilt thing.

[Haleth]

2 minutes ago, enlightenedbum said:

Courtney (Yates) making an excellent point: the minority alliance has four people and three idols.  Maybe do something?

But are they allied anymore?  They just turned on each other. 

[colorbars]

Just now, Haleth said:

But are they allied anymore?  They just turned on each other. 

Have either Tai or Troyzan even told anyone about their idols?

[sally-can-wait]

2 minutes ago, enlightenedbum said:

Courtney (Yates) making an excellent point: the minority alliance has four people and three idols.  Maybe do something?

I was just trying to think about all the idols and advantages still out there. I know Tai and Troyzan each have an idol, Sarah has an extra vote, Sierra has a secret advantage (or something?), is there anything else? That already seems like a ton of stuff that could swing the game. 

[enlightenedbum]

Tai has two idols, not one.

[mojoween]

Brad did not vote for Tai.  He voted for Tia because Brad exists on this earth to irritate the fuck out of me.

[vb68]

7 minutes ago, F. M. said:

Isn't delusional Debbie wonderful ?smh

I was thinking more par for the course.

7 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

As much as I like the puzzles, maybe the players should get an alternative to trying to draw power out of exhausted brain cells. Or maybe Probst should force teams to swap out puzzle solvers every ten minutes.

I'm so tired of the puzzles. I wish they could think of something else.

[LanceM]

10 minutes ago, enlightenedbum said:

Courtney (Yates) making an excellent point: the minority alliance has four people and three idols.  Maybe do something?

It is still an individual game though and clearly Tai wants to hold on to his idols until the last possible moment. If he knows he is not the target than I can understand him not playing them.

[LadyChatts]

10 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

Another episode. It's been fun, but aside from Sandra's ouster and the revelation about Zeke, I don't think this season will be remembered. Big moves, sure, but no real heroes or villains . . . not even Brad.

As much as I like the puzzles, maybe the players should get an alternative to trying to draw power out of exhausted brain cells. Or maybe Probst should force teams to swap out puzzle solvers every ten minutes.

Why was Michaela crying? Didn't she vote for Zeke? Might be a guilt thing.

She didn't want to vote Zeke, but didn't really have a choice.

I don't even know if there are many moves I'd consider big this season.  Of course, two moves that would probably qualify ended up ousting two of my favorites, so maybe that's why I'm blocking those from memory.  Overall, this season is meh.  Unless we get a final 5 of Michaela, Cirie, Andrea, Sarah, and Aubry, it's going down as one of the worst.  Sierra and Brad keep slipping by, and that worries me that they might actually get to the end and win.  Especially if there's discontent with Andrea and Cirie.  Of course, neither has gotten a spectacular edit, but there's still time.

I'm surprised they didn't swap out the puzzle players, but maybe they weren't allowed.  I am glad that there was no endurance challenge this ep, though these challenges are starting to blur together for me.  I thought for sure they had already done the RC this season.

Edited May 4, 2017 by LadyChatts

[susannot]

37 minutes ago, enlightenedbum said:

"I remember in the long distant past on TWOP talking about how one of the three cute girls on Ometepe was secretly a challenge badass like just before the merge.  I feel so validated."

I remember that the three girls hung upside down, clasping their legs, on a line or log or something.  Rob and Grant admired their athleticism and flexibility. Andrea was their ringleader. As a person who practices yoga, I can assure everyone that is extremely difficult to do.  Legs would cramp.

Edited May 4, 2017 by susannot

[enlightenedbum]

Hey we're at nine and I would enjoy three (Andrea, Cirie, Aubry) of the players left as winners.  I feel like that ratio is higher than usual.  And only Sierra I would find truly objectionable.  Tai or Troy would be baffling and Michaela seems literally impossible.  I didn't watch Brad's first season, this season he mostly seems kind of dull and boring but not awful.  Sarah is completely uninteresting so that would be unfortunate but not the worst.

[Nalan]

That's what you get, Zeke!  You still haven't learned a damn thing!  Later!

I'll offer up more once I actually see the episode.  But for now, I'm just glad that Zeke's gone.

Edited May 4, 2017 by Nalan

[enlightenedbum]

3 minutes ago, susannot said:

I remember that the three girls hung upside down, clasping their legs, on a line or log or something.  Rob and Grant admired their athleticism and flexibility. Andrea was their ringleader. As a person who practices yoga, I can assure everyone that is extremely difficult to do.  Legs would cramp.

And Andrea won that challenge! 

[susannot]

Just now, enlightenedbum said:

And Andrea won that challenge! 

Still a badass.  And now a strategist.

[truthaboutluv]

51 minutes ago, Haleth said:

During the reward challenge if anyone had been paying attention to Probst's blathering, he was pretty much telling them the answer to the puzzle. Obviously it was just background noise to the players. 

It was hilariously blatant and made even more hilarious by the fact that they still weren't getting it. But I think the players learn to just tune out Probst's blabbering during the challenges so they probably weren't even paying attention. 

[Primetimer]

On the heels of another big blindside, contestants’ alliances reshuffle and everyone ponders executing yet another one.

View the full article

[North of Eden]

I've been a Michaela fan from last season and tonight made me love her even more with the honest emotion and regret at having voted Zeke out. Plus she got to demostrate her athleticism in both challenges...nearly winning the individual immunity. In the long run though I think maybe she and Sarah should have stuck to their guns about Zeke. There is an inherent danger in keeping Culpepper and Sierra around.

Can't wait to see how Tai feels about his buddy Culpepper throwing votes at him...bottom of the pecking order anyone.

Aubrey is the equivalent of a background extra....this deep into the game and there is not one memorable thing she has done to justify bringing her back. (I have this insane hope that someday Flicka will be brought back...I know...wishful thinking but...whenever I see a wasted space like Aubrey I can't help it!)

Don't worry Zeke fans....everything about Zeke screams he will be one of those players Probst will keep bringing back until they win or die trying.

[NeverLate]

22 minutes ago, truthaboutluv said:

It was hilariously blatant and made even more hilarious by the fact that they still weren't getting it. But I think the players learn to just tune out Probst's blabbering during the challenges so they probably weren't even paying attention. 

See I think the opposite, somewhere in their minds, they heard him giving them a clue, or clues. It was subtle, but I'm betting Zeke ( a sharp mind) caught it...

32 minutes ago, enlightenedbum said:

And Andrea won that challenge! 

I hope she's next to go! Join her Buddy Zeke.lol

49 minutes ago, enlightenedbum said:

Tai has two idols, not one.

I'm so hoping he goes home with them both ( floater/goat)

[enlightenedbum]

6 minutes ago, F. M. said:

See I think the opposite, somewhere in their minds, they heard him giving them a clue, or clues. It was subtle, but I'm betting Zeke ( a sharp mind) caught it...

They showed Andrea getting the important word ("Reinventing") and from there it was easy to get "game" and "played."

Edited May 4, 2017 by enlightenedbum