Castaways - General Discussion

[AZChristian]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

They haven't even given us a fictional scenario of why or how these people wound up where they are. 

According to the voice-over at the beginning of each episode, they were "plucked" from their everyday lives.  I just hope that if I'm ever "plucked" for participation in a reality show, it's one which shows how middle-class people deal with life in luxury resorts.

[candall]

On ‎9‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 3:39 PM, Token said:

It's incredible to me how many of these people can't handle being alone. ...

No kidding.  There have been times I've chosen not to see or talk to anyone (except the dogs) for a week or more.  Apparently I'm some kind of freak.

18 hours ago, PaperTree said:

I've been alone for 35 years and have loved every minute of it.

This!  Solitude can be a rare luxury.  It's weird to promote being alone for a while as the ultimate challenge. 

The people on the first season of the "Alone" show anticipated freezing their butts off in their little pine bough huts for six months or so.  Okay, so that's not an experience anyone would relish, but I am fully enjoying Terry bobbing around in the crystal water, having a stay-kay on her little nook of the island.  May your coconuts be ripe and abundant, Terry.

***********

One time when Krichelle was examining her wound, there was a pump bottle of something clear and pinkish sitting on the shelf behind her.  My tv has about six pixels and I couldn't tell what it was, but I'd really like to know.  Hand sanitizer would have been a big help with her coral scrape.  What could it have been?  Dish soap?  Shampoo?

I'm strangely tickled by the extensive list of items planted by the producers and explained as flotsam and jetsam that "washed ashore."  I got a good look at the microphone wire from the pack concealed in Tim's shorts--did that wash up on the beach, too?  Heeeeeee

[iMonrey]

Actually the word they use is "torn." Yeah they make it sound as if they were kidnapped. I take issue with the utter lack of premise though. I mean there have been all sorts of nature and survival types of reality shows but we usually understand exactly how the participants wind up where they are and why. If I'm expected to care about any of them I need to understand their plight a bit better. If it's "the producers dropped me off on this island" I'm not sure how much I care. That's . . . not really compelling.

Edited September 13, 2018 by iMonrey

[candall]

I think the "torn from our regular lives" mythos is the reason Tim faltered when he said, "About two days before we were supposed to leave . . ." (he'd received the letter from his daughter.)

 

This is just one weird funky little show.  I wouldn't be devoted to it and follow it for fourteen seasons, but there are undeniably quirky touches that make me smile.  I like it when someone decides to leave and the very next shot is an empty tatami mat--like the moment they expressed the thought, they were raptured out of there.

[pezgirl7]

7 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I'd like to know how Terry is managing to thrive all by herself when everyone else seems to be dying. Was she lucky enough to land on Grocery Store island or something? I don't know . . . I suspect the producers are actually giving these people some rations and Terry just happens to be subsisting on them better than everyone else.

Terry found Matt's bag that had a lot of food. Matt even made a comment that there was someone out there thriving with his stuff. I can't believe that it would be enough for twenty days though.

[GoGamecox]

I was bummed out that Tim left. I was developing a crush on him. (*Sad trombone sound here*)

Did we find out how they're being compensated? Do you think they get a certain amount of $ for each day they stay, and incentives if they are able to wait to be rescued? 

[ichbin]

On 8/10/2018 at 3:10 PM, pezgirl7 said:

I'm curious to know where they are getting fresh water from. I wonder if they built wells on the island, like they have on Survivor.

I'm just catching up on back episodes.  In the 4th episode, when Robbie and the singer went to the other camp the singer had explored earlier there was one shot of Robbie standing in front of a large yellow tank. I am guessing that there are tanks of fresh water provided for them.  I haven't caught a glimpse of any other tanks, but one was definitely at that site.  

I think there are a lot of creative camera shots.  A few times when they show someone looking into the distance I have clearly seen other cast mates across the water in the same shot. It's pretty obvious some of the campsites are not very far apart and even within view of each other.  One time was when Matt was in the water shack and there were two other people in the water within view of him.  

I really wish the show was more about how they make do on the island and less about their personal lives.  I realize this isn't like Naked and Afraid, but how were some of these people even chosen for a show of this nature?!?!  I'm only about four episodes in and I'm debating whether or not to continue. I know most shows of this nature are producer led to varying degrees, but this one seems to really stretch credulity.

[ichbin]

6 hours ago, candall said:

I like it when someone decides to leave and the very next shot is an empty tatami mat--like the moment they expressed the thought, they were raptured out of there.

They seriously don't spend any time at all on the departures!  It's pretty funny.

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

Did I doze off or something, as I have yet to see any off island clips on Sawyer- what is up with that

[ichbin]

Not sure why I have stuck with this tedious nonsense.  There's only one episode left so I'll probably wind up watching, but I have no hope of any improvement.  I have to wonder how anyone ever greenlit this show.

[PaperTree]

6 hours ago, ichbin said:

Not sure why I have stuck with this tedious nonsense.  There's only one episode left so I'll probably wind up watching, but I have no hope of any improvement.  I have to wonder how anyone ever greenlit this show.

I find it fascinating and infuriating at the same time. 

[econ07]

6 hours ago, ichbin said:

Not sure why I have stuck with this tedious nonsense.  There's only one episode left so I'll probably wind up watching, but I have no hope of any improvement.  I have to wonder how anyone ever greenlit this show.

I love this show.  It took a few episodes to see where they were going, but this is a great study of human nature.

[GoGamecox]

I'm guessing the ratings must be crappy, because it seems like they're just trying to push through the episodes and get it over with.

[iMonrey]

The fact that these two episodes were burned off against the Emmys really speaks to the fact that ABC knew they had a real stinker on their hands. There's nothing on their Tuesday schedule that would have prevented them from running these in their normal time slot. 

Granted, there was potential, but who the hell really wanted to spend five minutes watching Terry cry about her mother? 

Also, as it turns out, Matt really is something of a lazy sponge after all, so I have been overly critical of Sawyer and Richard simply because the show hasn't gotten around to giving us the Matt flashbacks until now. 

They could have eliminated 75% of these backstory flashbacks and focused more on the struggles these people are having on the island and it would have been a better show. As it is? Total fail.

(Strangely enough, this latest pair of episodes earned fairly decent ratings, the highest since the show's debut in August. Go figure.)

Edited September 18, 2018 by iMonrey

[seacliffsal]

I dropped out of watching this quite a while ago, but did watch most of the episodes that were running against the Emmys.  Kind of sad that I'm admitting that I found this more entertaining than the Emmys...  I still don't like the backstories (that's when I switched over to the Emmys again), but I loved watching Robbie build that game for them to play.  A positive attitude really helps overcome some obstacles.

[2727]

Maggot noodle ramen. I couldn't watch Kenzi eat that.

There are no "winners" but I'm curious to see if anyone else leaves in the last episode before the copters come, and what Sawyer and Richard will think of Terry when they meet. Will they be respectful of her remaining rations the way they expected Matt to be of theirs? Although I'm sure she'll share freely.

I pretty much dislike what we've seen of every one of them at home. So many existential crises, jeez.

[candall]

Kind of makes you respect that Survivor has managed to churn out 147 seasons, doesn't it?  People keep trying to cash in on a variation, but it's always a bust.

I watch them all, though!  As I said earlier, I'm fascinated by the Lord of the Flies streak that invariably pops out.   It's frightening how quickly people abandon basic social norms, like "sharing."  Does not bode well for my survival in the zombie apocalypse.

[What was that funky "island survival" show a couple of years ago where they had to agree on the food/supplies requested and they had to cooperate on moving the equipment from spot to spot?  For the players in the minority group, it was brutal.  Nothing for you, nerd; eat dirt, sleep on the ground.]

[rmontro]

On 9/13/2018 at 6:06 PM, candall said:

No kidding.  There have been times I've chosen not to see or talk to anyone (except the dogs) for a week or more.  Apparently I'm some kind of freak.

This!  Solitude can be a rare luxury.  It's weird to promote being alone for a while as the ultimate challenge. 

I suppose that people who want to be on TV tend to be extroverts, so they find it harder to be alone.

[Token]

Matt really is annoying as hell, but then so are the other two dudes (whose names I haven't bothered to learn), so I don't have a lot of sympathy.  I get a sense that Matt wanted to come out for some kind of tropical beach vacation and it was something of a shock for him to not be waited on hand and foot.  The two idiots with him seem to think they're experts on the outdoors and survival, but they seem kind of useless in reality.

Sawyer's mom annoyed the shit out of me with all her complaining about how her other son turned out to be such a loser and how she doesn't know how it happened.  Well, you raised/enabled him into that, so look in the mirror, honey.  You've raised one loser and one asshole.  Congrats!

[PaperTree]

Maybe the producers had a little talk with them.  Showed them some clips.

Gee Sawyer, good thing you didn’t happen upon a tribe full of people like you.

I’m not buying this redemption crap for a second.

[2727]

Tremendous weight loss, Robbie! Amazing!

I wonder if the planned end point of the show always was when all the people finally came together. And played Go Fish.

It was really nice that Robbie and Kenzi had the tradition of walking out to the pier and watching the sunset every day.

41 minutes ago, PaperTree said:

I’m not buying this redemption crap for a second.

Me neither. How much of Terry's leftover stash did Sawyer and Richard eat before they joined the others? 

Can't wait until next season! [sarcasm]

[ichbin]

We kept waiting for the others to join with Terry, then the rescue boat came and there was no mention of her.  So I rewound and discovered I had zoned out during her droning on scenes and completely missed that she had quit. 

1 hour ago, 2727 said:

Can't wait until next season! [sarcasm]

You and me both!

[ProfCrash]

The show is on too late for me, I wake up at 5 for work, so I am an episode behind.

Matt, Sawyer and Richard was a weird dynamic all along. Richard and Sawyer bonded right away and had no interest in adding another person to their group. Matt was not super motivated to help but he made something of an effort. Instead of encouraging Matt when he went out to fish or do something, Matt and Sawyer focused on the fact that he didn't catch a fish. Sawyer and Richard would have been better off if they had simply said, if you like the folks you find, feel free to stay there. Matt knew he was the third wheel and things were not going to get better.

I was surprised at hostile Robbie and Kenzie were when Matt returned. It was like they felt betrayed that Matt had not come back right away. They felt rejected or something. I suspect the lack of food and other issues played a role in their mind set. I am glad that they figured it out and things returned to their more positive, happy camp. I am a bit worried about Robbie.

Terry is still dealing pretty well with everything. Watching her absorb and deal with her Mom's deteriorating mental health was heart breaking.

I like the show better when they just deal with the island life and what is happening there. I don't mind the people discussing their families and reasons for being out there, I just don't need the uber cheesy re-enactments. Terry's are the only ones that did not feel like a total BS set up and that is probably because her Mom is sick and those scenes were less generic. But all the heart felt conversations about weight, drugs, exercise, marriage and all that crap is completely stupid.

Sawyer apparently did the drinking and drugs and partying thing. He choose to stop and turn his life around and is now a sober, very in shape, moralistic asshole. If you want to go on TV and air your shit that is fine. I have no clue why his brother would allow it. I know why his Mom was all for it, she is clearly Sawyer's role model.

[AZChristian]

Interesting article about Robbie.  Hold onto your hat when you see the picture at the end of the article.

[ProfCrash]

2 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Interesting article about Robbie.  Hold onto your hat when you see the picture at the end of the article.

Cool. He looks great. I hope the long period of reflection and isolation helped him to address some of his issues and he is able to maintain a healthy weight.

[iMonrey]

Holy crap, when they showed Robbie at the end credits and how he looks now I didn't even recognize him. He looks like a completely different person. Clearly this is why the show chose to focus on him so much from the very beginning - it looks like the experience affected him more than anyone else.

For a show that spent so much time on character study, I know next to nothing about two of the five that managed to stay until the end. I don't think we got any backstory on Richard whatsoever that I can recall, and they only showed flashbacks of Sawyer in the second to last episode. Furthermore, if you put both of them in a lineup I couldn't tell you which was which, either. 

I got a clear sense of who Robbie was, and who Kenzie was, and learned enough about Terry, Tim and Krichelle, but I feel like I even got to know more about Angel and the homeless girl than I ever did about Richard. So even based on the concept this show chose to mold itself around it was a failure.

Somewhere in this mess was a glimmer of potential but the execution was terrible. I really don't understand why everyone sat around for 39 days until they finally decided to get up off their butts and find other people. That seems suspicious from a production standpoint. 

[2727]

I agree that the lack of flashbacks for Richard and Sawyer was odd. They were pretty much ciphers for most of the show and all I saw on the island was a couple of mean girls. When they were getting all introspective and regretful about their behavior towards Matt, I hope they also included the cold way they treated Eric when he came to their camp.

Matt going back to race car driving? Pfft. For one thing, he made it sound like his body was completely broken down, not to mention how much we heard about his guilt for putting his parents in financial jeopardy. Were we supposed to be uplifted and applaud him for continuing his "dream"?

[GoGamecox]

Agree! I found Sawyer and Richard to be very similar looking and had a difficult time telling them apart. Initially, I confused them with Matt a few times, but later I could recognize Matt more easily. 

My beau and I were sad that the other people who weren't rescued got no updates/camera love at the end. It seemed it all ended very abruptly. 

Also do we know how much those who were rescued got for their cash payout? 

[iMonrey]

Quote

When they were getting all introspective and regretful about their behavior towards Matt, I hope they also included the cold way they treated Eric when he came to their camp.

To be fair it was Tim and Krichelle who gave Eric the cold shoulder, not Richard and Sawyer.

I honestly do not remember Terry ever saying she was going to quit. When Richard and Sawyer started packing up all her stuff I worried she would come back from wherever she was and find all her stuff gone!

Edited September 19, 2018 by iMonrey

[AZChristian]

40 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I honestly do not remember Terry ever saying she was going to quit. 

Terry's voice-over (of what she was writing in her journal) said, "I want to give thanks to the land and the sea for giving me safe passage here, for tomorrow a new journey begins.  My experience here is complete, a test of will and strength, and so much more."   And she neatly left all of the other journals and personal belongings she had accumulated from others so that anyone who came after her could find them.

[2727]

54 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

To be fair it was Tim and Krichelle who gave Eric the cold shoulder, not Richard and Sawyer.

Ah, thanks. Shame on me for fake news!  ;-)

[ProfCrash]

I think Robbie was the focus because he was the positive force that helped Kenzie and later Matt and later Richard and Sawyer stay. Tim’s comment to Robbie about being a leader was spot on. Robbie had a great attitude and worked hard to stay focused, motivated and positive. He helped eeryone else out there develop and maintian a similar attitude.

I am bummed that Terry was not able to stay the entire time. She was out there by herself most of the time. She probably had it easiest in terms of resources but the hardest mentally because she was solo for so much of the expierence.

We saw a few clips of Richard. He was the one who was fishing with his Dad, and then the wedding, and then the home life with his wife and (at the time) step-kids. There wasn’t much there mainly because his big issue was marrying a woman with two kids. Sawyers back story wasn’t all that exciting. He had issues with drugs and alcohols and partying, got fat and decided to change. That sounds totally flippant... It is hard to break bad habits, like dirnking, doing recreational drugs, and partying which lead you to being fat but it is not exactly earth shattering life story wise. His issue with his brother are a shame but something a lot of folks deal with. 

Let’s face it, none of their back stories were all that abnormal, with the exception of Angel and Rochelle (sp) maybe. Angel  dealing with immigration and the guilt of leaving family behind in awful situations. Rochelle and the homelessness is pretty hard to relate to. But Robbie’s story of abandonment and the problems that came from it and Matt and Kenzie dealing with their struggles to pursue their dreams are not anything that most of us have not encountered. 

I think the show would have been more enjoyable if it had stayed away from the back stories, especially the re-enactments, and let the people tell their stories in their conversations. The day to day drama and the survival story was compelling. The location was gorgeous. The attempt to add some degree of relatability through the re-enactments was unnecessary and took away from what really was interesting. 

Good on Robbie for the weight loss and motivation to live a heathier life. Good luck to Kenzie and Matt. At the very least, they know that they tried their hardest. As corny as that sounds, it really does matter. I failed in one career and made room for myself in another. It wasn’t easy to fail or rebuild but it is doable and very rewarding in its own right. I hope that Richard and Sawyer learned something and remember some of the humility, and humanity, that they gained out there. 

[Subrookie]

6 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

I think the show would have been more enjoyable if it had stayed away from the back stories, especially the re-enactments, and let the people tell their stories in their conversations.

There were times when I was watching this series I swore the same people that produce NBCs Olympics content were involved with this. 50% of the show was backstories and reenactments. 

I was really disappointed with the last episode. The entire trip by Sawyer and Richard to Terry's camp seemed so contrived by the producers. The talk of "we can't let someone be alone" after they did all they could to push Matt away also fell flat. IMO they knew she was gone because the producers told them to go over there. 

Pushing the narrative that everyone should be surviving together didn't didn't sell well with me. I'm sure there are a lot of people, that could thrive and maybe even find it peaceful. Like Terry. 

This show could have been really good. It's too bad the ratings were so low that I'm doubtful they'll get a second season. 

I am really happy for Robbie. The photo in that link above is amazing. 

Edited September 20, 2018 by Subrookie

[Auntie Velvet]

I was hooked from the show early on and really liked it. Matt was an interesting character -- he seemed to be evasive about things for no good reason, but on the other hand, he was much more likable with Robbie and Kenzie.

Does it drive anyone crazy that we don't know exactly how much the rescued folks made? You get attached to the extent that you'd like to think it would make a real difference in their lives.

I would be down for a second season. 

[rmontro]

14 hours ago, Subrookie said:

I was really disappointed with the last episode. The entire trip by Sawyer and Richard to Terry's camp seemed so contrived by the producers. The talk of "we can't let someone be alone" after they did all they could to push Matt away also fell flat. IMO they knew she was gone because the producers told them to go over there. 

I'm also suspicious about producer involvement in the way things ended, and it also crossed my mind that Richard and Sawyer were encouraged to go check out Terry's camp.  But it's not like it was a contest, so oh well whatever, we got a an ending, and a happy one.  What else is on?  I thought the show was all right, not sure if I would watch a second season.

You can see now why they focused on Robbie so much at the beginning.  Turns out he and Kenzie came off as the nicest people of the bunch (not that they were necessarily, but they came off that way).  They had their moments of being human (they were also suspicious of the Rich and Sawyer story), but that's okay.  Robbie also makes a nice poster boy for the show because he made such a dramatic weight change afterward, and the show was a catalyst for him turning his life around.  

I liked Kenzie's funny line toward the end:  "I spy with my starving eye...".

[ProfCrash]

I agree, Richard and Sawyer were sent to Terry's location after she left. They might have been sent sooner if Terry actually acted like she wanted to get together with other people. That way they had an easy way to gather all of the diaries and Matt's stuff. I also suspect that they sent Richard and Sawyer to the other camp so that it would be easier for the Indonesian Coast Guard to "rescue" them all. I am not sure how long they entire group was together, maybe a few days.

I would watch another season if they got rid of the stupid re-enactments. I am fine if the people out there want to tell their story but I don't need the production enhanced stories.

I have no problem with the premise or the stocked shelters or the luggage drifting to people conveniently. I think the more interesting part of the story is who chooses to find others and who chooses to work with others and how those interactions play out. Like, I think Robbie stayed where he was because moving was difficult for him. I wonder if Terry would have stayed solo if she hadn't found all of Matt's food but I liked watching her solo adventure.

I really don't have that much of a problem with Richard and Sawyer except that I think they should have simply told Matt that they were cool with him staying over on the other side if he found people and food. Richard and Sawyer were find broing it up, so bro it up. I did not like how they treated Matt, they could have handled that better and had chances to send Matt off in a not dickish manner. Hell, Matt could have gotten back, said he found Kenzie and Robbie and they could have said why don't you bring Kenzie her stuff and stay over there. Why wait two weeks?

No one came off as total assholes, Richard and Sawyer came closest. Matt was kind of indifferent. Robbie and Kenzie were welcoming but had their moments of being, well, human. Krishelle was probably the person who came off as the biggest jerk with her cold shoulder towards Eric. Tim and Eric both picked up on that so Eric left and Tim didn't do much to change Eric's mind.

Ditch the stupid back stories and I would be in for another season.

[pezgirl7]

I really enjoyed the last couple of episodes, and I didn't mind the back stories or flashbacks at all. It helped make me care about the people and help to understand why some of them were the way they were. I was happy that they all came together in the end. I'm sure production put those rafts there just for the two guys to find, but I don't really care. It would have been a boring show if no one tried to find each other, and with them being on different islands, swimming wasn't really an option for all of them. 

I went on Robbie's instagram page and he looks great! And there are recent pics of him with Kenzie and Matt, so I'm glad they've kept in touch. I'm curious to know if Terry and Matt ever met. Also, on Matt's IG, he said they had to make video journals every day. 

[rmontro]

I meant to bring this up earlier, I hope I have the names right.  Did anyone else find it suspicious that Reshanna read Tracee's journal about how she had headaches and had to quit.  And then right after that Reshanna developed a bad headache and had to quit?  It made me wonder if Reshanna had a highly suggestive form of hypochondria or else she wanted out and seized on that idea as an excuse?

It was nice to see Terry enjoying her solitude.  Compare that to the TV show Alone, where it seems like everybody they sign up complains about being alone.  One difference is they have to film themselves on Alone so they actually are alone.  Here, the camera crew is around, even if they aren't supposed to interact with them.  A subtle difference, but most likely a big one.

[Jeanne222]

On 9/10/2018 at 2:49 PM, iMonrey said:

It was Eric who was less-than-welcomed by Tim and Krichelle. Matt is the one who is currently bothering Richard and Sawyer because he's an extra mouth to feed and they discussed the option of telling him to take a hike. (I don't blame anyone for not remember these people's names . . . just trying to help out!)

I thought Tim ad Krichelle were most welcoming.  Didn't they share a meal with him?  Maybe I'm mixed up.

As far as Richard and Sawyer I think they aren't going to enable Matt like everybody else does.  They are tired of him.  He has nothing to offer and gets angry and defensive when his situation is even mentioned.  I have two in my life who enable their sons and it's debilitating.

[ProfCrash]

Krichelle talked about hiding the food they had at camp and did not want Eric to join them because she was worried about Tim and Eric broing it up. Eric actuay came to them with coconuts. 

I didn’t find Matt entitled. He helped with fishing and coconut gathering.  He might not have been all abut going out and working every minute but he did work. Robbie and Kenzie did not seem to have any problems with Matt and his work ethic. 

[HurricaneVal]

I have to say I started this show sick to death of "Robbie-Robbie-Robbie" all the time.  Then I realized, after the finale, they focused so much on Robbie because his was really the most compelling story, on the island, out of them all.  His backstory was manufactured melodrama though.  Being adopted and the emotional consequences of that isn't all that unusual.  What was interesting about his backstory was his compulsive overeating, and how that was affecting his family.  That ended up being pretty much his whole story arc on the island.

Terry's on-island story was also really interesting, but by definition was pretty introspective, and therefore not very compelling TV.  Her backstory was also pretty relevant to her island experience.  This is where her story worked for this premise.

Tim's on-island relationship with Krichelle, and her relationship with him, and then Tim's subsequent relationship with Robbie (and Kenzi to some extent) were also big highlights for me.  I'd like to learn more about Tim's backstory.  Human trafficking and those who work to combat it is a very important issue that we should all be more aware of.

Krichelle's angst about always being relegated to fade into the background and wanting to break free of that was fleetingly interesting, but when she elected to go back to the bosom of her family, where she could fade away again, disappointed me.  Break out if you want to break out and be your own person!  Just doooooo eeeeeeeet.

I wish Reshanna and Angel could have stuck it out longer.  I think their backstories would have informed their on-island stories very well.  Those would have been some compelling story arcs, for sure, if there had been the time for them to play out.

As for the rest of them?  Eric, with the white wife; Kenzi, selfish, struggling musician (though I did end up liking her at the end); Matt, spoiled race car hobbiest; Sawyer, with the deadbeat brother and ineffectual mother; Rich, the new stepdad; and Tracee....whoever.....  I don't care.   Their backstories were uninteresting, and their island story was boring.  I literally could not tell the difference between Sawyer and Rich.

[rmontro]

13 minutes ago, HurricaneVal said:

What was interesting about his backstory was his compulsive overeating, and how that was affecting his family. 

It's kind of surprising that Robbie was a coach, teaching kids to have self discipline and work hard, when apparently he lacked that self discipline when it came to diet.  I have to give him kudos though, because he did eventually find it within himself somewhere.  And he didn't appear to be a slacker on the island either, he pulled his share.

[ProfCrash]

18 hours ago, rmontro said:

It's kind of surprising that Robbie was a coach, teaching kids to have self discipline and work hard, when apparently he lacked that self discipline when it came to diet.  I have to give him kudos though, because he did eventually find it within himself somewhere.  And he didn't appear to be a slacker on the island either, he pulled his share.

Overweight coaches are not exactly rare. They are pretty common actually. I don’t understand it myself but such is life. 

[rmontro]

15 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

Overweight coaches are not exactly rare. They are pretty common actually. I don’t understand it myself but such is life. 

Do as I say, not as I do, I guess.  Or "Those who cannot do, teach".

But in this case, Robbie turned it around.  Maybe eating sensibly was a breeze compared to starving on the island.

[Subrookie]

On 9/20/2018 at 5:31 PM, ProfCrash said:

I didn’t find Matt entitled. He helped with fishing and coconut gathering.  He might not have been all abut going out and working every minute but he did work.

I didn't find him entitled either. He obviously wasn't someone who'd ever spent a night in a tent but I don't see what Sawyer and Richard did with all their efforts other than getting a few stingrays that was much more productive than what Matt did. 

Not a fan of this fat shaming of Robbie here. He's a great role model and if you take the time to look at his Instagram it's amazing the transformation he's gone through. He seems like a great man. 

[Token]

I didn't see anyone fat shaming Robbie.  He was, by his own admission, a very large man who had emotional issues.  He appears to be working very hard to overcome those issues.  I've only seen people being supportive of his efforts.

[Subrookie]

6 hours ago, rmontro said:

Do as I say, not as I do, I guess. 

That is fat shaming. I don't care how round he is, even if he hadn't lost weight he appears to be a great role model. 

[rmontro]

33 minutes ago, Subrookie said:

That is fat shaming. I don't care how round he is, even if he hadn't lost weight he appears to be a great role model. 

I don't think that is fat shaming.  I said that in response to a comment that there were a lot of overweight coaches, which was in response to my comment that it was funny how people can teach self discipline but struggle with it themselves.

In any case, I agree Robbie turned out to be a great role model.  Like Tim said, he is that man who is the leader.

[ProfCrash]

29 minutes ago, Subrookie said:

That is fat shaming. I don't care how round he is, even if he hadn't lost weight he appears to be a great role model. 

To each their own. I don’t see it as fat shaming. I have difficulty understanding how coaches who are obese can demand that their players be these very active, fit players. There is something contradictory there. That does not mean that he cannot be an excellent coach who knows how to play the game and teach the game. And god knows I am not going to say to him “You shouldn’t be coaching” but suggesting that there is something contradictory about a coach who is obese is not shaming someone.

Robbie seemed to be someone who is able to motivate people. He had a great attitude and was able to care for others. Those are important traits in a coach. He knew he has an issue with his weight and that it was not a healthy for him. He knew he was not modeling a healthy life style. He appears to have been able to motivate himself and start to live a healthier life style. Good for him.  More liekly then not, it will make him a better coach. He can be more active on the field and with his players. 

I didn’t see anyone on the show tell him that he was an awful person. I saw Tim, Kenzie, and Matt all comment on how great he is and how he is helping others. If anything, their verbalizing his more positive traits helped him realize that he was worth being happy. Lets face it, Robbie’s bandonment issues led him to doubt himself and contributed to his eating. Robbie said so himself. The fact that he realized that people saw the positive in him probably helped him see himself in a better light. 

Robbie is a good person who needed an outside push to confront a serious health issue. He got that. Good for him.

[Token]

Agreed.  That is not even close to fat shaming.