S35: Spoilers & Rumors

[peachmangosteen]

Inside Survivor has the theme and some of the cast.

Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers. Are you fucking kidding me? Dammit, Probst!

[SVNBob]

While the subtitle sounds stupid, there might be some actual thought and philosophy behind the theme.  I saw a post on reddit that says that this might go back to pre-Socratic Greek philosophy.

According to the post, according to the Greeks, there are 3 big motivators for people to find happiness: glory, money, and health.  So each of these three tribes is motivated by one of these happiness precepts.

• Heroes by glory
• Healers by health
• Hustlers by money

And in the "tradition" of the social experiment that is Survivor, we will bear witness to which one is the most powerful...this time.

Expect Probst's VO during the promo during the reunion to say something very similar.  Probably won't mention Greek philosophy, but he will espouse similar ideas.

[LadyChatts]

By episode 3 or 4 this theme won't matter anyway, unless they don't do a tribe swap for some reason.  I mainly hate the contestants who have it as a requirement to bring it up in every freaking TH.

That said, the cast looks promising.  I'm ready for some newbies again!

Edited May 21, 2017 by LadyChatts

[cooksdelight]

Amen to the newbies!

I wonder if Miss Virginia USA will tell anyone she's a former beauty pageant winner?

[peachmangosteen]

The sheer fact that it's newbies makes me somewhat willing to overlook the horrible theme.

[LadyChatts]

The official title for this season was Survivor: Game Changers-Mamanuca Islands.  Why not just skip the theme for S35 and call it Mamanuca Islands?  I'm assuming there's going to be something else to the title, because I can't see Jeff saying "7th person voted out of Survivor Heroes vs Healers vs Hustlers".  He gave up saying "voted out of Survivor White Collar vs Blue Collar vs No Collar" by episode 3.  And even BBB 2.0 was Kaoh Rong.  I think we're going to be in Fiji for the foreseeable future, but since they don't mind recycling themes, why not just called it Fiji 5.0.  And we know at least one person on each tribe will not fit the dynamic and probably be an outsider.

[LanceM]

As long as the cast is great I really could care less what stupid theme name they came up with though I will say this one is by far the lamest.  Though hopefully by episode four or so the stupid theme won't matter much at all though I suspect Probst will still try to incorporate into his tribal council questions like he did with MvGX.

Edited May 21, 2017 by LanceM

[peachmangosteen]

Once we have the full cast we should try to guess which player will be the one to really latch onto the theme like say Zeke did in MvGX.

[LadyChatts]

I'm already going for Roark.  I'm waiting for the person who totally doesn't fit their tribe theme and Jeff's explanation for why they are there (which translates to: we didn't know where else to put them and that tribe was one person short).

So how do we think the tribes will be divided?

Hustlers: Patrick, Cole, Ali

Heroes: John, Ashley

Healers: Desi, Jessica, Katrina

Not sure about Cole, Roark or Simone.  Lauren is rumored to work on a fishing boat.  Not sure what Joe does.

Edited May 22, 2017 by LadyChatts

[SVNBob]

14 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

Once we have the full cast we should try to guess which player will be the one to really latch onto the theme like say Zeke did in MvGX.

No need.  Given his "occupation", it'll be Devon.  He's already got that mindset.

And he'll probably be on the Hustler tribe.

[marys1000]

On 5/21/2017 at 5:35 PM, peachmangosteen said:

The sheer fact that it's newbies makes me somewhat willing to overlook the horrible theme.

But are the newbies real people or mactors and reality star wannabe's?  

[peachmangosteen]

9 hours ago, SVNBob said:

No need.  Given his "occupation", it'll be Devon.  He's already got that mindset.

Based solely on his picture Devon kinda reminds me of Jay and I guess Jay did his fair share of playing up the theme himself so you might be onto something.

4 hours ago, marys1000 said:

But are the newbies real people or mactors and reality star wannabe's?  

Probably a little bit of both like usual in newbie seasons.

I just noticed that the red haired guy is from Auburn. LOL.

[cooksdelight]

7 hours ago, marys1000 said:

But are the newbies real people or mactors and reality star wannabe's?  

Since every person on Survivor is recruited by production, and not by audition tapes as it used to be, I'd say they are all wannabes.

[LadyChatts]

57 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

Since every person on Survivor is recruited by production, and not by audition tapes as it used to be, I'd say they are all wannabes.

Are they really all recruits?  I thought it was somewhat of a mix.  Also, do you know how influential former cast members can be at getting people on?  I see this season Roark is a friend of Max and Corinne, and we had Hannah last year that was a student of Max's.

I recall Redmond saying that they were initially having trouble casting this season, though if they are going for theme that could be the issue.

[cooksdelight]

Yes, for quite a few years now. They needed a hothead, they called John Rocker (who hates the show). They found Phillip The Specialist bicycling in Venice, CA. I know several others who were recruited but out of respect for their privacy I won't say how. If you know someone who's been on the show, they can indeed help you out and give you info on how to answer questions, etc.

[303420]

Certainly some if not many are recruited. But not all. A friend of mine got a callback for Season 35 based on her audition video. She didn't get cast, but she didn't get tossed into the circular file either.

[peachmangosteen]

2 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

I see this season Roark is a friend of Max and Corinne ...

Ew. I hate her already.

[LanceM]

Not every player is recruited. People still do get cast from sending in audition tapes. Even those that are recruited though still need to send in audition tapes, except of course for the stunt casting like a Rocker, JImmy Johnson or  Lisa Whelchel who I am guessing don't need to send  in anything at all.

[cooksdelight]

What I'm hearing from people who have been there, there is little tape auditions being considered. 303420, if your friend got a call back, her tape must have been really noteworthy. Several that I know personally were actually looked for by production, they didn't seek out being on the show. 

[LadyChatts]

Redmond's confirmed another contestant.  Chrissy Hofbeck, 46, from NJ.  Says her occupation is actuary.  Some posters at Sucks noticed Ashley started following her on SM, then unfollowed her (maybe due to production?). 

Well, if this is a season full of mostly recruits, I like it so far.  Hopefully they live up to what's on paper ;)  It usually takes until the merge for a season to get good for me anymore, but hopefully this is a season with good gameplay, fewer advantages, no Survivor TC telephone, and less idols falling from the sky.

Edited May 24, 2017 by LadyChatts

[LadyChatts]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/survivor-season-35-castaways-preview-1007465?utm_source=twitter

Here's a look at the 6 contestants featured in the preview.

Bellhop Ryan is a super fan who wore a turtleneck out there.  He already reminds me of Skinny Ryan from PI.

[PhoneCop]

So the preview brings us up to 17 of the 18. Maybe somebody with a sharper eye can identify some of the women for sure.

Hustlers: Ali, Ryan, Patrick, Devin, Simone, Lauren (I think)

Healers: Mike, Desi, Cole, Joe, Jessica, Roark

Heroes: Ben, Ashley, John, Chrissy, Katrina (I think), the unidentified guy

Google says Roark's working toward a master's in social work; Chrissy is an insurance VP who specializes in data analytics and predictive modeling. Huh.

[Fish Pie]

Exclusive image from episode 1 below:

[cooksdelight]

Katrina, the former Olympic swimmer and now therapist?

[Wings]

Recruiting someone who hates Survivor.  hmmmmm  Truth or tall tale?     Makes no sense unless there was a cash incentive. 

Of course Jeff will beat this theme into the ground, even after the merge.  I am going in expecting this and hope to be successful at ignoring it. 

On 5/21/2017 at 0:41 PM, cooksdelight said:

Amen to the newbies!

I wonder if Miss Virginia USA will tell anyone she's a former beauty pageant winner?

I don't see how she can escape it.  She has to explain why she is on the hustlers team and I expect Jeff to mention it during a challenge.  I can hear it now.   groan  

[cooksdelight]

Wings, from John's mouth to my ears, he hated being there. His girlfriend Julie is a huge fan of the show so he did it for her. He said they couldn't drag him back there for any amount of money.

[Wings]

1 hour ago, cooksdelight said:

Wings, from John's mouth to my ears, he hated being there. His girlfriend Julie is a huge fan of the show so he did it for her. He said they couldn't drag him back there for any amount of money.

So you are talking about John Rocker, I assume. 

Who is the castaway on season 35 who hates Survivor?  It could be a very different story. 

[Fish Pie]

Just in - top secret image from episode 2:

[LadyChatts]

So two of the oldest women voted out first (it's weird to say that 35 is one of the oldest, but the rest are in their 20s).  And there is one more woman over 40.  Redmond confirmed the missing male as football player Alan Ball.

Edited May 25, 2017 by LadyChatts

[cooksdelight]

39 minutes ago, wings707 said:

So you are talking about John Rocker, I assume. 

Who is the castaway on season 35 who hates Survivor?  It could be a very different story. 

Oops, sorry, I have no idea about the upcoming season's game-hater.

[Fish Pie]

It's a shame, but not really surprising considering the makeup of the cast - the majority of them are attractive, college educated 20-somethings. They'll probably all just align with each other and fling the "misfits" out one by one pre-merge.

[LadyChatts]

Well, we've been saying it, but I guess it's finally official.  Survivor has finally turned into Big Brother.

[Wings]

16 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

So two of the oldest women voted out first (it's weird to say that 35 is one of the oldest, but the rest are in their 20s).  And there is one more woman over 40.  Redmond confirmed the missing male as football player Alan Ball.

That doesn't surprise me.  The first vote the easiest to make and the poorest performer in the challenge is usually the first to go.  I am guessing this happens. 

[LadyChatts]

1 minute ago, wings707 said:

That doesn't surprise me.  The first vote the easiest to make and the poorest performer in the challenge is usually the first to go.  I am guessing this happens. 

And this is why I hate the 3 tribe format.  With 2 tribes of 10 people, there's more options to look at, and more people to make blunders before the vote.  I agree that in a 6 person tribe at least, they usually go for whoever is perceived weaker.

[Wings]

2 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

And this is why I hate the 3 tribe format.  With 2 tribes of 10 people, there's more options to look at, and more people to make blunders before the vote.  I agree that in a 6 person tribe at least, they usually go for whoever is perceived weaker.

I agree.  I would like to see this go back to 2 tribes and 16 players (is that number correct?)  

So many shows need to refresh and tweak but not this one.  They have tweaked themselves out of their original vision.  

[azshadowwalker]

On 5/25/2017 at 0:11 AM, LadyChatts said:

 

Bellhop Ryan is a super fan who wore a turtleneck out there.  He already reminds me of Skinny Ryan from PI.

Too bad Usenet drug groups aren't so much of a thing anymore. Skinny Ryan got more play there than on the show. 

As for voting out "older" women, I still call bullshit on that. Someone like Rudy or David can stick around, but a woman in her late 30s is a physical liability? Fuck that noise. 

[Hanahope]

On 5/25/2017 at 6:32 AM, PhoneCop said:

Chrissy is an insurance VP who specializes in data analytics and predictive modeling. Huh.

Not sure how anyone that works for an insurance company can be called a 'hero'.  their job is to sell policies and deny claims.

What team is an NFL player on?  Hustler?

[LadyChatts]

Katrina is also a former Olympic swimmer.  So I'm wondering what would be the logic in voting out someone clearly athletic in a season that will likely have water challenges.  Do the big burly men decide because she's old she's no good despite her background?  Intimidated?  Or does she over strategize?

The NFL player is on the Heroes tribe.  To me, I would think he'd be more of a hustler, but what do I know.

[cooksdelight]

Katrina may not have told them about her Olympic background. That's the only logic for her outster that I've got at this point.

[azshadowwalker]

Woman. Older than they are. Assholism. There are some strong possibilities for their votes. 

[PhoneCop]

4 hours ago, Hanahope said:

Not sure how anyone that works for an insurance company can be called a 'hero'.  their job is to sell policies and deny claims.

You got me. Ben's currently a warehouse worker but they're upselling his Marine experience, so I thought Chrissy might also have a military background. I don't think she does, though.

Again, it's possible I misidentified—like, a third of this cast is blond-ish women—but I'm fairly sure that's her on the blue tribe. Maybe she runs a huge no-kill shelter on the side or something...

[Wings]

6 hours ago, azshadowwalker said:

Too bad Usenet drug groups aren't so much of a thing anymore. Skinny Ryan got more play there than on the show. 

As for voting out "older" women, I still call bullshit on that. Someone like Rudy or David can stick around, but a woman in her late 30s is a physical liability? Fuck that noise. 

Things have changed.  Now with 3 teams, two trips to TC can decimate your tribe so it is logical to boot the weakest.  Entering the merge with fewer alliance members compromises your longevity.  Challenges are mostly physical now.  The puzzle is at the end of a course that takes some athletic prowess most often.   This is a major flaw in how this show has progressed.  Bigger/Better has become more strenuous.  The mental/memory challenges are long gone.  Eating gross creatures, gone.  Those whose brains are their best asset have a handicap. 

Edited May 27, 2017 by wings707

[azshadowwalker]

5 hours ago, wings707 said:

Things have changed.  

Not really. "Older" women have always been targeted. 

[Wings]

3 minutes ago, azshadowwalker said:

Not really. "Older" women have always been targeted. 

Tina won Season two. 

[Nalan]

4 hours ago, wings707 said:

Tina won Season two. 

And Denise won Philippines.

[azshadowwalker]

Yeah, two seasons out of 34. Not really sure what the point of that is. Do we need to go through all 34 seasons and talk about how older women are treated? I mean, clinging to exceptions doesn't disprove the rule of how they are viewed and targeted. 

The rule is that older women will be targeted in the first few votes. Hell, even Tina was voted out first in a season, so she's not even been a perfect exception to the rule. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Survivor_(U.S._TV_series)_contestants

Edited May 28, 2017 by azshadowwalker

[Lamb18]

Well, Kim made it to final 2 in season 3 and she was 57. Kathy in season 4 made it to final 3 and she was 47, while Vecepia won at age 36. Jan made it to final 3 in season 5 at age 53.

Now I'm confused. I was looking at the list linked in the previous post and saw the Lil from Pearl Islands is in final 2 with Sandra. I'm watching that season right now and saw Lil voted out in the third episode. Am I hallucinating or what??

[cherrypj]

4 minutes ago, Lamb18 said:

Now I'm confused. I was looking at the list linked in the previous post and saw the Lil from Pearl Islands is in final 2 with Sandra. I'm watching that season right now and saw Lil voted out in the third episode. Am I hallucinating or what??

Keep watching. ?

[Lamb18]

Hmmm... maybe there's a returnee challenge of voted out contestants similar to Top Chef or some other competition. That's all I can think of.

[Nahimserious]

On 5/25/2017 at 0:34 PM, wings707 said:

Recruiting someone who hates Survivor.  hmmmmm  Truth or tall tale?     Makes no sense unless there was a cash incentive. 

Of course Jeff will beat this theme into the ground, even after the merge.  I am going in expecting this and hope to be successful at ignoring it. 

I don't see how she can escape it.  She has to explain why she is on the hustlers team and I expect Jeff to mention it during a challenge.  I can hear it now.   groan  

Miss Virginia is Desi Williams, Physical Therapist/Assistant Professor/Author.

My guess is unless Jeff mentions it, it doesn't come up since she'll be on the healers.