S35: Previews and Speculations

[Whimsy]

This is where you can talk about the previews shown at the end of the episodes and your speculations for the season.  

[Charlesman]

I saw in the E01 thread a mention of a "super idol". I wonder if this is the same Super Idol that just made a double-upset two weeks ago on Australian Survivor.

[LadyChatts]

1 hour ago, Charlesman said:

I saw in the E01 thread a mention of a "super idol". I wonder if this is the same Super Idol that just made a double-upset two weeks ago on Australian Survivor.

I don't watch the Australian one.  What did that one do?

I saw on my guide that it mentioned a tribe getting an advantage-wonder if it's an extra reward, or something else.

[Charlesman]

53 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

I don't watch the Australian one.  What did that one do?

I saw on my guide that it mentioned a tribe getting an advantage-wonder if it's an extra reward, or something else.

 

The tribe on Australian Survivor had to pick "one of their members they trust" to go on a solo reward challenge. The prize that took her all night to win was the Super Idol. Not sure why it was a tribal decision since it's a personal prize. It was up to her to tell them if she won, and what the prize was. She made up some fake thing instead of telling them what the Super Idol really does.

 

Anyway, the Australian Super Idol is:

Spoiler

 a 2-part idol. #1: A regular HII, for the winner, and #2: an idol that can be played to cancel anyone else's HII after it is played. So if Andy has a regular HII, and Betty has a Super Idol, after Andy plays his HII at tribal council to negate the votes against him, Betty can pull out the Super Idol and undo it, making Andy vulnerable again.

Edited September 26, 2017 by Charlesman

[LadyChatts]

50 minutes ago, Charlesman said:

 

The tribe on Australian Survivor had to pick "one of their members they trust" to go on a solo reward challenge. The prize that took her all night to win was the Super Idol. Not sure why it was a tribal decision since it's a personal prize. It was up to her to tell them if she won, and what the prize was. She made up some fake thing instead of telling them what the Super Idol really does.

 

Anyway, the Australian Super Idol is:

  Hide contents

 a 2-part idol. #1: A regular HII, for the winner, and #2: an idol that can be played to cancel anyone else's HII after it is played. So if Andy has a regular HII, and Betty has a Super Idol, after Andy plays his HII at tribal council to negate the votes against him, Betty can pull out the Super Idol and undo it, making Andy vulnerable again.

Thanks!  That's kind of cool.  I'm surprised the show hasn't thought of that before.

[azshadowwalker]

I would love that. I hated the last "super idol" in the US version. 

[marys1000]

where do you watch Australian survivor?

[marys1000]

I hate not being able to discuss previews in the main episode.  Its part of the episode! 

As to why Chrissy didnt use the super idol....in the previews it shows Chrissy approaching Ben? to make an alliance.  Episode speculation is that she didny play the udol becayse she had already agreed to vote Katrina out and made alliance inroads pre tribal.  Would they edit that in ad a edpisode 2 happening?  I think they might. 

[LadyChatts]

Also, she can hang onto the Idol even though it’s useless.  Which means if her tribe loses again, she can whip it out to Alan and Ben and scare them into voting for Ashley or JP.  So I think her voting Katrina off might have been better strategically for her game.  Of course if she does go that route with that Idol and tricks her tribe, they may not be so forgiving, so she may need a miracle after that.  

[Wings]

4 hours ago, marys1000 said:

I hate not being able to discuss previews in the main episode.  Its part of the episode! 

As to why Chrissy didnt use the super idol....in the previews it shows Chrissy approaching Ben? to make an alliance.  Episode speculation is that she didny play the udol becayse she had already agreed to vote Katrina out and made alliance inroads pre tribal.  Would they edit that in ad a edpisode 2 happening?  I think they might. 

I agree with all of this.   

[Hanahope]

So far, based on the edits and talking heads, I'd guess that Chrissy, Ryan and Ali go far.  Chrissy got to explain her strategy, and both Ryan and Ali have given good narratives.  But for Joe finding the idol, I'm not sure we would have gotten much of the healers.  It seemed very introductory.

[LadyChatts]

Tribe swap next week!  I will be very disappointed if the editors aren't leading up to a Joe blindside.  I can't imagine that arrogant big mouth making it far.  They have to be setting him up.  I'm sure no matter what tribe he winds up on he'll end up pissing them off.  I'm glad Cole told Roark and Desi about his idol, and Jessica may be happy, too.

[djlynch]

Just once, I want Jeff to say "Drop your Buffs," count to 20 in his head, then tell everyone to pick them back up. Or give everyone a fresh one of the same color that they already had. Mixing up the tribes pre-merge is so expected by now that the more interesting thing would be to not do it.

[Lamb18]

Well there was the time they dropped their buffs but they still were two tribes. I forgot which season that was.

[LanceM]

The question I have is whether they are keeping the status quo of three tribes or are they doing tribes of 7 with the odd person out going to exile and rejoining the losing tribe

[TVFan1]

Already they are doing a tribe swap. Just once, can't this show keep the same tribes the same until the merge? Players should now be well aware that there is going to be a tribe swap somewhere  not very long into starting this game. They have been doing "Drop your buffs" for so many seasons that I can't remember the last season that they actually kept the tribes the same until the merge. If I was a player, I wouldn't be so surprised to hear it about switching tribes. Are the players acting surprised when Jeff says that? 

[LadyChatts]

Well, considering Ryan and Devon kept talking merge, maybe they'll be surprised.  But I agree, this show does need to change things up.  Assuming I ever went on this show and by some miraculous miracle lasted past the first vote, I'd be counting down the days, knowing about when the swap would happen.

[azshadowwalker]

1 hour ago, LadyChatts said:

Tribe swap next week!  I will be very disappointed if the editors aren't leading up to a Joe blindside.  I can't imagine that arrogant big mouth making it far.  They have to be setting him up.  I'm sure no matter what tribe he winds up on he'll end up pissing them off.  I'm glad Cole told Roark and Desi about his idol, and Jessica may be happy, too.

I actually think it might come back to haunt Cole that he ran his mouth before there was a need. Joe might not even be on the same tribe going forward. 

[KimberStormer]

It does seem really early.  I think with 3-tribe seasons, it would be better not to swap, but whatever.  We have some couples who could end up together, which would make them strong, or apart, which would make them vulnerable: Ryan and Devon, Ben and Chrissy, JP and Ashley, Cole and Jessica.  Interesting to note, Ali seems close to the rest of her tribe but not especially closer to one or another.  Let's see what happens.

Hoping to God we don't have a Tai situation with Joe, running around getting five idols thanks to swaps.

[OutOfTheQuestion]

8 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

Tribe swap next week!  I will be very disappointed if the editors aren't leading up to a Joe blindside.  I can't imagine that arrogant big mouth making it far.  They have to be setting him up.  I'm sure no matter what tribe he winds up on he'll end up pissing them off.  I'm glad Cole told Roark and Desi about his idol, and Jessica may be happy, too.

Cole's blabbing may actually pay off, since now Desi and Roark could be on board with Plan No-Joe if they're separated in the swap.  Or, if Roark or Desi end up as the only Healer with Joe on a new tribe and they spill the beans to him, Joe'd be more likely to play his idol on himself out of paranoia since now his secret's out.

If it's a move into two tribes next week (with the odd person out getting exiled and joining the loser), I suspect they'd go onto the Heroes and Hustlers beaches, since those two idols are presumably still there to be found.  I'd guess Ryan's first-vote-only idol doesn't negate the presence of a normal HII on Hustler Beach.

[Hanahope]

10 hours ago, azshadowwalker said:

I actually think it might come back to haunt Cole that he ran his mouth before there was a need. Joe might not even be on the same tribe going forward.

I think it might work out because surely one healer will end up on a new tribe with Joe, and that person can tell the others to do the 'easy vote' and vote out Joe with an idol in his pocket.

[KimberStormer]

But why would any Healer want to vote out their only ally on a new tribe?  They might dislike Joe as much as we do but "vote out Joe" is not the goal of the game.

[LadyChatts]

12 minutes ago, KimberStormer said:

But why would any Healer want to vote out their only ally on a new tribe?  They might dislike Joe as much as we do but "vote out Joe" is not the goal of the game.

If they were the only two Healers, they could still use it to their advantage and hopefully flush Joe's idol.  Joe's kind of a good shield right now that would make an easy vote off later on.  I don't know want that to happen, as I want him gone sooner rather than later.  If he winds up in a majority on his new tribe, I could see him getting voted off with the idol.  Especially if he and Mike are together., and he tries to pin the idol on him, and he's got one or two of Cole/Jessica/Roark/Desi on his new tribe. 

[KimberStormer]

One thing I was gonna say in the episode thread but deleted because preview spoiler:  Jeff was really pounding the "NOW YOU'VE COME TOGETHER AS A TRIBE, RIGHT GUYS??  RIGHT??  TRIBAL COUPLES THERAPY HAS REALLY BROUGHT YOU TOGETHER, AS A TRIBE.  WOULD YOU SAY, ALI, THAT THIS IS REALLY WORKING TO GET YOU TOGETHER AS A TRIBE?" thing.  He could not have been more clearly telling them "Swap coming up tomorrow!"  Something feels off about Jeff this season, he seems impatient? over it? going through the motions? to some degree.

[Hanahope]

So with 15, either they will reshuffle into 3 tribes of 5, or they will do 2 tribes of 7, with the odd one out going to an "exile island" (which could be deserted, or another luxury boat with a vet mentor) and taking the place of the person booted on the tribe that goes to tribal council.

[LadyChatts]

1 hour ago, KimberStormer said:

One thing I was gonna say in the episode thread but deleted because preview spoiler:  Jeff was really pounding the "NOW YOU'VE COME TOGETHER AS A TRIBE, RIGHT GUYS??  RIGHT??  TRIBAL COUPLES THERAPY HAS REALLY BROUGHT YOU TOGETHER, AS A TRIBE.  WOULD YOU SAY, ALI, THAT THIS IS REALLY WORKING TO GET YOU TOGETHER AS A TRIBE?" thing.  He could not have been more clearly telling them "Swap coming up tomorrow!"  Something feels off about Jeff this season, he seems impatient? over it? going through the motions? to some degree.

The enthusiasm isn't there.  I don't think he's tired of the show, but I'm getting the sense he didn't care for this season.  But this season has been a bore so far.  I've made it through the Australian Survivor, and I can't get over how much better it seems.  Editing, challenges, twists.  Episodes are longer, but I've enjoyed the pace.

Edited October 12, 2017 by LadyChatts

[Rachel RSL]

16 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

Well there was the time they dropped their buffs but they still were two tribes. I forgot which season that was.

It was Thailand. Poor Shii-Ann tried to switch sides but got voted out unanimously when they were told it wasn't actually a merge.

[HurricaneVal]

Shii-Ann got screwed.

 

Tribe swap already?  Can they just drop these hackneyed and overwrought and overworked "theme" seasons?  Because they were tribes of Heroes, Healers, and Hustlers for exactly three episodes.  Three.  Now the title theme will be more meaningless than it already was.

[Lamb18]

I have a theory about why Jeff seems "off" this season. Maybe he's tired of being in the same location. In watching past seasons, the one thing that always stands out is how much Jeff loves being host of this show. He probably doesn't have any say in where the seasons are filmed, but I bet he likes going to new places, or at least returning to a place they've only been once, learning about the cultures, etc. Maybe it's getting too repetitious for him with the same location, same challenges, etc.

[cooksdelight]

Jeff has a say in a lot of things, as executive producer, I’d think. But I agree, he seems bored. I’m guessing they are doing this for financial reasons, it’s cheaper to stay in one place all the time, rather than have to get permits, hire new people, etc.

[azshadowwalker]

I wouldn't be surprised if Jeff is not a big proponent of the same location all the time. He's part of the crew, too, which has it much cushier when they are at one location for a long time. 

I am not seeing anything off about him, and he hyped the season the same as always. I might have been bored the first couple of episodes, but I don't think he was. 

[Nashville]

I seem to recall reading an article or two which stated Probst was one of the biggest proponents pushing the stay-in-Fiji agenda....

Edited October 14, 2017 by Nashville

[AZChristian]

I think he just seems "off" because the massive amount of botox in his face this year is keeping him from looking interested.

[Wings]

I don't see Jeff being off as much us bored with Fiji as we watch Jeff settle into the mediocrity this show has become.   Jeff works closely with Mark and they are both getting older.  The shine of new venues has worn off for them.  It is all about the money they are saving and comfort of Fiji and it shows.   The spark and excitement are gone.  I am in this to the end though. 

Excuse me as I beat a dead horse.  The challenges are all the same and they suck.  

Edited October 14, 2017 by wings707

[Guest]

Jeff seems fine to me.   If it were me I'd much rather stick to Fiji, and own a home there and put down some roots.  

I also don't mind early swaps.   Especially f the alternative is more red tribe Pagonging and more of Chrissy and Ben secretly acting confident, etc.   Shake things up.

 I was thinking last ep maybe they should cut Jeff's scripts we all know by heart in order to get more camp life in.  I don't need to hear "the decision is final and the player voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately" and all the other boilerplate every week.  

The challenges do seem a bit dull.  They used to be my favorite part.   Now my attention wanders.   I guess the predictable ones now still beat the ones from seasons when they were mostly overly safe grade school games like cornhole, coconut bowling and Connect Four.   

[peachmangosteen]

38 minutes ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

... and more of Chrissy and Ben secretly acting confident, etc.   Shake things up.

Personally I hope that somehow all the pairs (Chrissy/Ben, Jessica/Cole, Ashley/JP, Ryan/Devon) are split up. That'd be interesting.

Quote

I guess the predictable ones now still beat the ones from seasons when they were mostly overly safe grade school games like cornhole, coconut bowling and Connect Four.   

Honestly at this point I would welcome some Connect 4.

Edited October 15, 2017 by peachmangosteen

[legaleagle53]

10 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

 I was thinking last ep maybe they should cut Jeff's scripts we all know by heart in order to get more camp life in.  I don't need to hear "the decision is final and the player voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately" and all the other boilerplate every week.    

I get what you're saying, but believe it or not, there may be new viewers who have never seen the show before and who therefore know nothing about how the game works and what the rules are.  Hence the weekly expositions at tribal council and elsewhere. It's for the new viewers, not the ones who've been watching for 35 seasons.

[Guest]

True.  But there are a lot of rules we don't hear, and I think new viewers would get the message that 'voted out' means voted out, now, no appeals, see ya. 

But I think the show knows people like the predictable ritual of it all.  Which I'm guessing is why they don't even change Jeff's shirt, much less his script.  

[LadyChatts]

To quote Katie from Palau "we can't have an all girls alliance because Caryn  Chrissy sucks".  I hope she gets blindsided next week.  Since Roark's "gotta go" according to JP, I'm guessing it'll be anyone but her, since the obvious targets haven't been going home yet.

Looks like a neat challenge next week at least.

Edited October 19, 2017 by LadyChatts

[TVFan1]

The previews are usually misleading, so I hope that Roark will still be safe next week. When Chrissy told JP that Roark wants to have an all girls alliance and then JP said that she has to go, I thought "please no".

[Giesela]

So that's....4 left on the tribe that was at TC tonight.  How many are on the others?  5 or 6?  So that's 15 people left?  Merge usually happens with 11 +/- so 4 more people have to go before the merge, 4 more weeks/episodes.

Usually no episode before Thanksgiving so merge before or after Thanksgiving?

[LadyChatts]

They merged at 14 before (that was with 20 contestants I believe).  I know there's not going to be a merge next week, but I'm thinking they will at 12 or 13.  It might depend whether the merge boot is pre-jury or not.  They don't have an even numbered jury very often.  So maybe they won't do another tribe swap, just a merge, unless one tribe begins to decimate.

Or they're desperate to save some character.  I don't trust this show to not meddle.

Quote

The previews are usually misleading, so I hope that Roark will still be safe next week. When Chrissy told JP that Roark wants to have an all girls alliance and then JP said that she has to go, I thought "please no".

My only hope is that her target is going to be JP, and she's only telling him that maybe to save Ryan.  So let him get his guard down, and take out a potentially strong threat.  JP does nothing for me, so he can go.  This season, the only obvious boot was Katrina.  Simone, Patrick, and Alan were surprising.  I get Simone and Patrick, but still didn't expect them to go when they did.  I'm thinking Roark is a red herring.  

Edited October 19, 2017 by LadyChatts

[Star Aristille]

1 hour ago, LadyChatts said:

They merged at 14 before (that was with 20 contestants I believe).

Never done it at fourteen.  The highest number that's been left is thirteen (in Cambodia, Millennials vs. Gen-X, and Game Changers).  I don't think it'll be at thirteen this season, though, since that would be too soon.

[KimberStormer]

And with that, any regard I might have had for Chrissy is instantly annihilated.

[Star Aristille]

2 minutes ago, KimberStormer said:

And with that, any regard I might have had for Chrissy is instantly annihilated.

Yeah, I pegged Chrissy as the catty type who hates other women from the moment she let Katrina get voted out (and Katrina's own post-show interviews went and made that impression worse), and she went and proved it with that preview.

[LadyChatts]

I’ll give Chrissy the benefit of the doubt where Katrina’s concerned.  As some others pointed out, had Chrissy saved Katrina, it might not have mattered in the long run.  Had the Heroes lost the next IC, she might have shifted the target to herself.  But I haven’t liked her attitude since.  Suddenly she thinks she’s running the show and in a power position, when a minute ago she was a target to go home.  

I’m hoping the preview is misleading and there’s more to it than Chrissy ratting out the girls alliance to save a buff alpha male for her to lean on.

Edited October 19, 2017 by LadyChatts

[simplyme]

3 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

I’m hoping the preview is misleading and there’s more to it than Chrissy ratting out the girls alliance to save a buff alpha male for her to lean on.

We have no idea what the context of Chrissy telling JP is.

Also, Chrissy has a pre-existing relationship with JP (her fellow Hero) but not one with Roark. In the episode we just saw, Chrissy and Ryan appeared to make a connection based on Ryan confessing he'd sent the idol to Chrissy for the first TC. So I'm not going to assume that Chrissy is a horrible person based on 5 seconds of a preview that may indicate that Chrissy outs a possible plan of her as-of-this-writing non-ally Roark. Especially if that plan is "Hey, join the two people you have no connection to and vote out the people you may have a connection to!" As things stand at the end of episode 4 (which could very well change), I could certainly see extremely good strategic reasons for Chrissy to not go along with Roark's idea. They have nothing to do with gender and everything to do with not shooting herself in the foot. 

In summary: foot bullet bad. :)

[KimberStormer]

All true but I'm rooting for Roark!

[Wings]

@simplyme. I agree. 

[peachmangosteen]

7 hours ago, simplyme said:

Chrissy has a pre-existing relationship with JP (her fellow Hero) ...

I literally forgot about that lol. JP is a complete non-entity to me.

Anyway, I can easily see why Chrissy wouldn't be down for Roark's all-girl thing in this particular instance, but I still get a "I get along better with guys" vibe from her and I can't bring myself to like her at all.

I'm almost glad that the promo made Roark seem like a target since now I feel pretty good that she won't actually be. But watch this be the first time the promo isn't misleading.