S35.E13: The Survivor Devil

[Destiny74]

I would love for the twist next season to be that there weren’t any hidden immunity idols.  Watching people dig up every inch of the island to find an idol that never existed would be GOLD for me as a viewer.  The HII has become a joke, saving people who should go home.

the only immunity in play should be the individual immunity that is battled for in a challenge.

i would love to see this.

[AZChristian]

16 minutes ago, Destiny74 said:

I would love for the twist next season to be that there weren’t any hidden immunity idols.  Watching people dig up every inch of the island to find an idol that never existed would be GOLD for me as a viewer.  The HII has become a joke, saving people who should go home.

the only immunity in play should be the individual immunity that is battled for in a challenge.

i would love to see this.

Awesome idea . . . lots of clues, leading to another clue, but no idol!!!!

[ProfCrash]

On ‎12‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 10:30 PM, Blissfool said:

I might be the only person watching this that dislikes Devon, his deluded mind, and his wishy-washy ways.

I don't like Devon. He thinks very highly of himself and his game when I have not seen a whole heck of a lot out of him. Yes, he suggested the double agent thing but I am not sure that it was really needed or that it really helped. If anything it gives Ben a great talking point at the final.  Outside of that, what has Devon done? He has voted with the majority and piggy backed on other peoples play. First with Ryan, then with Lauren and now with Ryan and Chrissy. He has taken a fair amount of game play pretty personally (You betrayed me, you lied to me, I can never trust you and will not talk to you).  He is more laid back but I don't think that he is a good player or that he has all that great of a social game.

[cooksdelight]

4 hours ago, Destiny74 said:

I would love for the twist next season to be that there weren’t any hidden immunity idols.  Watching people dig up every inch of the island to find an idol that never existed would be GOLD for me as a viewer.  The HII has become a joke, saving people who should go home.

the only immunity in play should be the individual immunity that is battled for in a challenge.

i would love to see this.

I mentioned that once, and the more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea. Write to CBS/Survivor’s producers, I have.

[Nashville]

46 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

I don't like Devon. He thinks very highly of himself and his game when I have not seen a whole heck of a lot out of him. Yes, he suggested the double agent thing but I am not sure that it was really needed or that it really helped. If anything it gives Ben a great talking point at the final.  Outside of that, what has Devon done? He has voted with the majority and piggy backed on other peoples play. First with Ryan, then with Lauren and now with Ryan and Chrissy. He has taken a fair amount of game play pretty personally (You betrayed me, you lied to me, I can never trust you and will not talk to you).  He is more laid back but I don't think that he is a good player or that he has all that great of a social game.

I don’t have a major problem with Devon - he’d probably be an entertaining guy to hang out and have a few drinks with - but game-wise, I don’t think he’s all that and a bag of chips either.  Ben hit the mark square when he started questioning Devon’s game resume.  No, of course Devon didn’t have to discuss his resume with Ben - but Devon had better think about it, because IMHO it’s pretty dern slim.  

Devon did demonstrate what could possibly be qualified as a stroke of minor genius in conceptualizing the “Secret Agent Ben” plan, but (a) it was hardly a solo effort - the entire alliance worked to sell it, (b) Ben can take at least as much credit for its successful execution, and (c) what else has Devon done to demonstrate that “stroke of genius” was anything other than a singular fluke?  Other than that I’m not sure what Devon’s FTC selling points would be, other than he has quite possibly personally offended the fewest number of Jurors - and THAT isn’t necessarily a given after the Ashley vote.  Ashley might forgive Devon, true; if Devon starts making the “I never crossed any of you” pitch at FTC, however, the other Jurors are liable to disqualify his argument based on his betrayal of Ashley, regardless of her personal feelings on the subject.

In summation: better get working on that resume, Devon - right now you could list a dozen references and still keep it on a single page.  :)

[survivinmt]

I thought Ben was smart to play the idol this week this way. The remaining were surely going to throw a vote to Ashley or Mike anyway. This way he could and did try to convince others to vote with him to help him NEXT TIME. By simply pulling out the idol after the votes, while saving him, does exactly nothing for the next TC.

I am not sure in a Chrissy/Devon/Ryan final 3 that Chrissy wins. I only see MAYBE JP and Desi voting for her. She might do better with Mike but that's doubtful because he was a Healer. She might do better with Ben next to her.

I know a lot of men like Ben - I live in Montana, they are kind of everywhere. He doesn't seem that bad in my opinion. He is playing hard and excited that he is still there making moves. So I don't begrudge him his ebullience. I like Devon too and think he is pretty savvy for how young he is. Mostly it comes through in his ability to not fly off the handle at TC. Yeah, he snapped back at Ben, but he was right - he doesn't have to tell Ben what he's done or doing. Other times, for instance, his "You made a mistake in not getting rid of me . . . " I feel are completely joking.

[ByaNose]

I know everyone says that if Ben makes the finals he outright will win. In theory, he’s played a strong game but no he may have annoyed a lot of the jury in the process. I don’t think they would be necessarily bitter but they might look at the other two people besides him and think about their options. We are seeing (as we always are) what the editors want to show us for a good story. I’m pretty there won’t be a blowout this time around. I don’t see anyone getting all 8 votes, right?

[piequinn35]

I want to see a 3-3-2 votes for once.

[Maverick]

5 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

I mentioned that once, and the more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea. Write to CBS/Survivor’s producers, I have.

Get Tyler Perry to submit it.  Probst will be all over it.

[Guest]

Watching fruitless digging sounds like the definition of hell to me.  

[KimberStormer]

Seriously, I don't know exactly what's supposed to be fun about "well, we split the votes in case x had an idol, but they didn't, so that's cool" followed by five episodes of Pagonging.  Like maybe some of you would enjoy going "HAHAHA!  KEEP LOOKIN', SUCKERRRRS!" for the premiere...but would you enjoy it for 13 episodes? 

[MissEwa]

1 hour ago, KimberStormer said:

Seriously, I don't know exactly what's supposed to be fun about "well, we split the votes in case x had an idol, but they didn't, so that's cool" followed by five episodes of Pagonging.  Like maybe some of you would enjoy going "HAHAHA!  KEEP LOOKIN', SUCKERRRRS!" for the premiere...but would you enjoy it for 13 episodes? 

I was on Team That-would-be-fun but this has made me completely reconsider. Maybe if they just didn't have any until the merge? Or... something? Just to pull it back. 

The other thing I've thought about is that this could break idols longer-term, in the same way that the auction is broken now. They could only do it once properly - maaaaybe twice, depending on filming cycles - and then either they stop having idols and everyone knows, or they bring them back and risk having nobody look for them. 

IMO where they've gone wrong is less with the idols and more with throwing so many damn advantages into the mix. This season and last it's felt like there's something to find every. single. episode. I wonder how it would play out if, say, there were no idols but instead there was an extra vote (or a vote denial) buried at each camp that got re-buried after it was used. 

[KimberStormer]

I definitely agree there's too many idols and especially advantages -- has any advantage actually been entertaining so far?  -- going around, but I'm just not sold on the idea of the season where We've Replaced Your Idols with Folgers Crystals.

[ProfCrash]

The only plus to many of the advantages this season was that they were use right away kind so people could not store them. The way the idols were hidden this season was ridiculous. I am sure it took a good amount of searching to find the clues but it seemed to be a bit too easy.

15 hours ago, Nashville said:

No, of course Devon didn’t have to discuss his resume with Ben - but Devon had better think about it, because IMHO it’s pretty dern slim.

Devon thinks he has a massive resume. He has a series of bonus clips discussing how he is running the game, several before Lauren's creation of the alliance of four.

[Guest]

The inevitable 3+ eps of Pagonging was the show's worst feature before idols.  So I'm good with idols.  Though I liked the 'hidden at a challenge' idols the best.  These ones that are just lying around the jungle near a landmark or marked in purple signage aren't that interesting to me. 

I wouldn't mind clues that were TOUGH, so maybe multiple players all found the clue but they all spent a week trying to figure it out before the smartest one did and retrieved the idol.  Maybe even ones that require finding multiple clues to find it.  Didn't the Sugar Shack in Gabon have some like that?  The way it is now it relies too much on luck, or appears to.  

[ByaNose]

I saw this nice picture on Jessica’s instagram. Everyone has landed in California for the Survivor Finale. I’m guessing they’re doing a little shopping on CBS dime. At least, I think they get some wardrobe per diem. Anyway, it’s some random guy,  Desi, Jessica, Ashley, Roark & Ali. I guess Chrissy’s invitation got lost in the mail. LOL!!!

[mishap]

I didn't realize it is finale time already!  Well, that's fine.  The only bummer is there is no hope for a Chrissy-free Wednesday.  Well, I know she had gotten voted out, she would be on the jury, but they don't get to talk, until that final questioning.  Oh well -- there has been way too much Chrissy for my tastes, but I know she has her fans too.  There really isn't anyone I am actively rooting for at this point anyway.  

And no matter who wins, or how it plays out, I always enjoy Survivor and will be back for the next round!  

I am also tired of all the hidden immunity idols.  To me, it sure seems like the person who really needs it is the one who miraculously finds it, or finds the clue, or whatever.  I really don't like thinking that my favorite show could be a set up, but some things make me suspicious.  I don't hate everything about a hidden immunity idol, but there are too many of them.  If it was a one-time wrench, someone could throw into the best laid plans, at a tribal council, that is fun, to me.  I guess a couple of them per season, might make it interesting, but as it is now, there is way too much focus on them.  

But like I said, no matter what, I will always tune it.  I don't begrudge them trying to things and trying to keep it interesting, but they need to recognize when something is played out.  

[TVFan1]

Sorry if this was already mentioned, but there should be a season where they plant real idols and fake idols, and nobody knows if it is real or not until it is played at Tribal Council. When the idol, real or fake is played, rebury it again. That would be interesting to see what would happen and how the season would play out.

[amazingracefan]

15 hours ago, mishap said:

I didn't realize it is finale time already!  Well, that's fine.  The only bummer is there is no hope for a Chrissy-free Wednesday.  Well, I know she had gotten voted out, she would be on the jury, but they don't get to talk, until that final questioning.  Oh well -- there has been way too much Chrissy for my tastes, but I know she has her fans too.  There really isn't anyone I am actively rooting for at this point anyway.  

And no matter who wins, or how it plays out, I always enjoy Survivor and will be back for the next round!  

I am also tired of all the hidden immunity idols.  To me, it sure seems like the person who really needs it is the one who miraculously finds it, or finds the clue, or whatever.  I really don't like thinking that my favorite show could be a set up, but some things make me suspicious.  I don't hate everything about a hidden immunity idol, but there are too many of them.  If it was a one-time wrench, someone could throw into the best laid plans, at a tribal council, that is fun, to me.  I guess a couple of them per season, might make it interesting, but as it is now, there is way too much focus on them.  

But like I said, no matter what, I will always tune it.  I don't begrudge them trying to things and trying to keep it interesting, but they need to recognize when something is played out.  

The storylines are edited so the idol find is made just in time, just like how much someone is in danger may be hyped up just as they get an immunity win, that doesn't mean immunity challenges are fixed either.

One thing I mentioned before was that I don't think an immunity idol should be put in the equivalent location at different tribe camps, it makes it too easy when there's some kind of merge or swap for someone to find another.

13 hours ago, TVFan1 said:

Sorry if this was already mentioned, but there should be a season where they plant real idols and fake idols, and nobody knows if it is real or not until it is played at Tribal Council. When the idol, real or fake is played, rebury it again. That would be interesting to see what would happen and how the season would play out.

I don't like the completely random/luck element of that.  If they were told there was a way to find out whether it was real/fake, that would be more interesting than total luck.

Edited December 20, 2017 by amazingracefan

[peachmangosteen]

2 hours ago, amazingracefan said:

One thing I mentioned before was that I don't think an immunity idol should be put in the equivalent location at different tribe camps, it makes it too easy when there's some kind of merge or swap for someone to find another.

I think my biggest problem with the idols currently is that the same person usually finds several, so I agree with this.

[himela]

What I felt this three tribe season gave us was the flaw that the tribe that managed to go intact to the merge (which otherwise would be considered a victory) became the target after merge. I find it weird.

[amazingracefan]

9 minutes ago, himela said:

What I felt this three tribe season gave us was the flaw that the tribe that managed to go intact to the merge (which otherwise would be considered a victory) became the target after merge. I find it weird.

I think I prefer a two tribe initial split, 3 tribes may hamper new alliances forming for longer.

[riley702]

Two tribes until the merge, but shuffled every other week.

[Daisy]

On 12/19/2017 at 9:21 AM, Winston9-DT3 said:

The inevitable 3+ eps of Pagonging was the show's worst feature before idols.  So I'm good with idols.  Though I liked the 'hidden at a challenge' idols the best.  These ones that are just lying around the jungle near a landmark or marked in purple signage aren't that interesting to me. 

I wouldn't mind clues that were TOUGH, so maybe multiple players all found the clue but they all spent a week trying to figure it out before the smartest one did and retrieved the idol.  Maybe even ones that require finding multiple clues to find it.  Didn't the Sugar Shack in Gabon have some like that?  The way it is now it relies too much on luck, or appears to.  

 

I am not against Pagononging as much as people are, because I always figure - it doesn't matter. 
there is always some sort of cannon fodder. and I don't think for the most part it changes it, it just means that Bobby goes home before Sally that day. 
It might not be Pagononging as we know it but there is always a "bottom" of the alliance. I don't think the Idols have changed this, just that  (even with a lot of tribe swaps) people aren't so committed to be along tribe lines. lI think we have to remember that for a really good chunk of time, not being loyal to your original tribe was something dirty. (and even in the teen/twenties of survivor. you always had that dialogue of "oh well i had my OG tribe, but now i was swapped and I like THESE people." 

 

now you have people finding like minded people for every vote for the most part. but there is always a set of people who are earmarked to go

[ljenkins782]

On 12/19/2017 at 6:31 AM, KimberStormer said:

I definitely agree there's too many idols and especially advantages -- has any advantage actually been entertaining so far?  -- going around, but I'm just not sold on the idea of the season where We've Replaced Your Idols with Folgers Crystals.

It's weird how cursed the advantages have mostly been. Aside from eventual-winner Sarah using the legacy advantage to save herself at the tribal where only Cirie didn't have any kind of idol/advantage, have any of these new advantages ever really helped anyone? 

[Lamb18]

It helped Michelle win her season because her advantage let her cancel Jason's vote at final tribal. In fact, I don't think he could even speak and he was definitely a pro-Aubry person.

[ljenkins782]

1 hour ago, Lamb18 said:

It helped Michelle win her season because her advantage let her cancel Jason's vote at final tribal. In fact, I don't think he could even speak and he was definitely a pro-Aubry person.

Totally forgot about that one. It was Neil's vote she cancelled, not Jason's. 

So it seems like it either gets the holder bounced from the game or they win, no in-between, lol. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Daisy said:

 

I am not against Pagononging as much as people are, because I always figure - it doesn't matter. 
there is always some sort of cannon fodder. and I don't think for the most part it changes it, it just means that Bobby goes home before Sally that day. 
It might not be Pagononging as we know it but there is always a "bottom" of the alliance. I don't think the Idols have changed this, just that  (even with a lot of tribe swaps) people aren't so committed to be along tribe lines. lI think we have to remember that for a really good chunk of time, not being loyal to your original tribe was something dirty. (and even in the teen/twenties of survivor. you always had that dialogue of "oh well i had my OG tribe, but now i was swapped and I like THESE people." 

 

now you have people finding like minded people for every vote for the most part. but there is always a set of people who are earmarked to go

What I didn’t like about the Pagonging was the lack of suspense.   I don’t mind that someone goes home every episode, I just don’t want to be able to tell who is going home for the next three episodes, before they even air.   

[Oholibamah]

2 hours ago, Lamb18 said:

It helped Michelle win her season because her advantage let her cancel Jason's vote at final tribal. In fact, I don't think he could even speak and he was definitely a pro-Aubry person.

I didn't mind that one existing because it was obviously a last minute twist to account for Joe's medevac, and it was treated as a Reward Challenge that Michele won and had equal odds of doing so (versus "oh look, I saw this underneath Michaela's feet"). 

I think the Advantages and Idols all need to have shorter expiry dates. That will keep the game interesting AND prevent another Cirie elimination. It's a win-win.

Ashley was the last person who I didn't hate, so I'll probably wait to see who wins and then fast forward through the filler.

[henripootel]

1 hour ago, Oholibamah said:

I think the Advantages and Idols all need to have shorter expiry dates.

Ding ding ding.  I'd prefer they kept the idols to a slow trickle but letting them persist too long allows them to be a substitute for having a strategy.  That they should not be.  

[Lamb18]

4 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

Totally forgot about that one. It was Neil's vote she cancelled, not Jason's. 

That's right, it was Neil's. I remembered the right person but got his name wrong. I wish she had cancelled Jason's vote.

[ketchuplover]

No finale and Reunion topics?

[marys1000]

on my phone no current thread very weird says Im in Survivor Past Seasons

 

Anyway way is Ryans stool so far forward on stage?

Do devon and mike and Ryan really think they have a shot vs Chrissy?  

Edited December 21, 2017 by marys1000

[SVNBob]

On 12/20/2017 at 0:06 PM, ljenkins782 said:

It's weird how cursed the advantages have mostly been.

Funny you should say that...

[ljenkins782]

1 hour ago, SVNBob said:

Quote

It's weird how cursed the advantages have mostly been.

Funny you should say that...

Ha! I think Chrissy would agree that advantages are a curse, but Ben would not. 

[SVNBob]

1 hour ago, ljenkins782 said:

Ha! I think Chrissy would agree that advantages are a curse, but Ben would not. 

True...but I was thinking beyond this season.