Past Seasons Talk: The Tribe Has Spoken

[peachmangosteen]

11 hours ago, Steph Sometimes said:

Jeff completely understands this and reacts with his usual sensitivity. "Lydia, you have to dig deep!" "Lydia causing her team to fall behind!" "This team was ahead but now aren't all because of Lydia!" "Come on Lydia!"

Ah, classic Jeff!

[kstar821]

Doing a rewatch of Samoa currently.  I've only ever seen this season when it aired originally, so much of it is new to me.

I remember Shambo and that hair - but let's talk about her best line ever.  Early on, everyone was given their swim gear and someone yelled over to Shambo to come get hers.

Sambo's response?  "I got my jogger bra on; I'm good"  😂😄

 

[BK1978]

On 6/28/2020 at 1:58 PM, kstar821 said:

Doing a rewatch of Samoa currently.  I've only ever seen this season when it aired originally, so much of it is new to me.

I remember Shambo and that hair - but let's talk about her best line ever.  Early on, everyone was given their swim gear and someone yelled over to Shambo to come get hers.

Sambo's response?  "I got my jogger bra on; I'm good"  😂😄

 

I wish she wanted to come back.  She was awesome.

[kstar821]

9 hours ago, BK1978 said:

I wish she wanted to come back.  She was awesome.

Oh, me too!  She makes my top list of Survivors I want to see again.

[peachmangosteen]

Dalton Ross did a Marquesas rewatch. I don't feel like rewatching the whole thing so I appreciate the clips lol.

 

[LadyChatts]

I loved Marquesas, mainly for the over throwing of the overconfident Rotu 4 alliance (thanks to their own stupidity).  There were a lot of people I liked that season, too.  I wish more than just Rob and Kathy had gotten a second chance.

[fishcakes]

10 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

Dalton Ross did a Marquesas rewatch. I don't feel like rewatching the whole thing so I appreciate the clips lol.

I can't believe he included all those Sean clips and omitted the greatest Sean quote of all about shitting in the jungle. New Rotu had just lost a reward and John was being all sour grapes about it and saying they didn't want all those "high gas" foods anyway. Cut to a confessional of Sean saying, "he said they would crap their pants. But what else we got out here but time [looks around at the wilderness] and opportunity?"

Edited July 1, 2020 by fishcakes

[Ms Blue Jay]

FIRST EPISODE of S38 Edge of Extinction

Tribal council

Jeff to Reem:  You seem annoyed, already.

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH

(yes, that's how desperate I am in my great rewatch.  I'm watching seasons like this.  S38 is still preferable over S39 or S30.)

I'm putting Edge of Extinction, and the first Blood versus Water (S27) in my "surprisingly okay" seasons.  I'm really enjoying them, even though I wasn't sure I thought I did the first time or would again.

Edited July 2, 2020 by Ms Blue Jay

[Steph Sometimes]

Just finished my Guatemala rewatch, The cast was very white (and not just Rafe). Hulu was missing a few episodes which annoyed me, but I liked the season itself. I liked the variety of challenges and that it wasn't just swim/puzzle or balance. It also had auctions and storytelling and basketball games and chop your tribemates' names challenges. I wish a contestant or two had been brought back - Amy, Judd, Brian, Cindy, Rafe, Gary... all of them more interesting to me than Amber or Danielle.

Speaking of Danielle, I've just started Panama/Cirie Island or whatever that season is called. Shane's already a wreck. 

One last note about Guatemala, Steph was such a bossy, entitled queen bee... and yet, I don't hate her. Maybe because it's because it's such the opposite of nerdy, bookish me (the player I identified with the most is KR Aubry and I rooted for her as well), but I often find myself rooting for confident, athletic women who just don't give a damn like Steph or Natalie A or even Chrissy.

[LadyChatts]

4 hours ago, Steph Sometimes said:

Just finished my Guatemala rewatch, The cast was very white (and not just Rafe). Hulu was missing a few episodes which annoyed me, but I liked the season itself. I liked the variety of challenges and that it wasn't just swim/puzzle or balance. It also had auctions and storytelling and basketball games and chop your tribemates' names challenges. I wish a contestant or two had been brought back - Amy, Judd, Brian, Cindy, Rafe, Gary... all of them more interesting to me than Amber or Danielle.

Speaking of Danielle, I've just started Panama/Cirie Island or whatever that season is called. Shane's already a wreck. 

One last note about Guatemala, Steph was such a bossy, entitled queen bee... and yet, I don't hate her. Maybe because it's because it's such the opposite of nerdy, bookish me (the player I identified with the most is KR Aubry and I rooted for her as well), but I often find myself rooting for confident, athletic women who just don't give a damn like Steph or Natalie A or even Chrissy.

I’ve never understood how no one from Guatemala has been brought back, except for Danni (and that only took how many years/seasons?). I happen to love that season and think it has one of the best casts ever, in terms of personalities.

Also, I like “Cirie Island”.  I’m currently re watching that season as well, and while as a whole I dislike it, Cirie is awesome.  I said it before, but I still don’t understand how Danielle was asked back.  Especially for HvsV.  

[SVNBob]

47 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

I’ve never understood how no one from Guatemala has been brought back, except for Danni

Well, technically there was one other person brought back from Guatemala: Stephanie in HvV.  But since she was a returnee in Guatemala already, she sort of doesn't count.

[Lamb18]

I'm watching Millennials vs GenX. I just realized that Adam talks like Dan Foley when saying to Taylor, "I lied to you and I screwed you", but in an Adam tone of voice.

 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Watching Amazon.  It's so weird seeing Heidi and Jenna do talking heads TOGETHER!!!  Did they have production wrapped around their fingers or what?  Does that happen in any other season?  It's like when Oscar and Pam suddenly had a talking head together on The Office.

Also Rob.  What can I possibly say.  There's so much to say I don't even think I need to say anything.  It's so weird to see a guy on this show that I imagine has probably been reading books by pick-up artists his whole life.

Edited July 7, 2020 by Ms Blue Jay

[AncientNewbie]

There is a lot of cringey stuff by Rob in that season...maybe it was playing up for the camera but he struck me as someone that went off to college for a few extra years of high school and hadn’t matured much. 

[BK1978]

15 hours ago, AncientNewbie said:

There is a lot of cringey stuff by Rob in that season...maybe it was playing up for the camera but he struck me as someone that went off to college for a few extra years of high school and hadn’t matured much. 

This, at first I found him funny but then I came to realize he was pretty corny and I am never big on people who always have to be "on". 

[Ms Blue Jay]

Rob had this big crush on Heidi, but then said she was looking really bad in the jungle AND THE EDITORS EVEN PLAYED ALONG by showing her clips looking "hot" in episode 1 and then supposedly looking grungy in episode 7 or whatever.  It was so mean!

The way he talked about the women was just so gross.  Talking about constantly wanting them to be naked, to see them naked, to be around them, "If they take their clothes off then I'll keep them around forever", etc. etc.  It was just so.... frat boy.

I can't believe this is the guy that everyone talks about because he has a famous podcast.  He's just........ ugh.  

Heidi and Jenna were in like the top 7 or something and then were talking about how they had a handicap (By the way , Chrissy was still there) because they were so good-looking and no one took them seriously like they did ugly women.  THEN HOW WERE THEY THE LAST TWO WOMEN STANDING.  And Rob EXPLICITLY SAID he'd keep them around because they were so hot!!  Ugh!

I'm complaining, but I am really enjoying the season.  I liken every Survivor season to something (Australia is a sitcom, Africa is a nature documentary) but Amazon is definitely one of those dating reality shows.

Edited July 12, 2020 by Ms Blue Jay

[fishcakes]

38 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

Rob had this big crush on Heidi, but then said she was looking really bad in the jungle AND THE EDITORS EVEN PLAYED ALONG by showing her clips looking "hot" in episode 1 and then supposedly looking grungy in episode 7 or whatever.  It was so mean!

The editors were really mean to Heidi, but she was such a conceited ass, I was fine with it. They'd do close-ups of her speaking while wearing her night guard (or Invisalign or whatever it was), where she'd be drooling while she talked about how hot she was. And I mean, eye of the beholder and all that, but I thought Heidi was one of the least attractive of the women out there and her implants were so bad, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that Tarzan was her surgeon. Jenna was gorgeous, Shawna was super cute, and Christie had kind of an Elizabeth Moss thing going for her. Heidi's attractiveness was just that she was thin and blonde and would say things like, "oh, I would definitely kiss another girl if a guy asked me too. Wouldn't you, Jenna?"

[Ms Blue Jay]

44 minutes ago, fishcakes said:

Jenna was gorgeous, Shawna was super cute, and Christie had kind of an Elizabeth Moss thing going for her. 

Agree.  Shawna was really pretty and I totally forgot about her until I rewatched this.  Lots of good looking people on this season.  

[Lantern7]

Funny115: Mario salutes master impressionist Rodney. The scary thing is I just checked on the site and found the new entry. Didn’t need a heads-up on Facebook.

Edited July 16, 2020 by Lantern7

[BK1978]

On 7/11/2020 at 9:40 PM, fishcakes said:

The editors were really mean to Heidi, but she was such a conceited ass, I was fine with it. They'd do close-ups of her speaking while wearing her night guard (or Invisalign or whatever it was), where she'd be drooling while she talked about how hot she was. And I mean, eye of the beholder and all that, but I thought Heidi was one of the least attractive of the women out there and her implants were so bad, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that Tarzan was her surgeon. Jenna was gorgeous, Shawna was super cute, and Christie had kind of an Elizabeth Moss thing going for her. Heidi's attractiveness was just that she was thin and blonde and would say things like, "oh, I would definitely kiss another girl if a guy asked me too. Wouldn't you, Jenna?"

Yeah Shawna was really cute.  This was the first season I saw all the way through and yeah Shawna was my first crush, for lack of a better term, on the show.  Jenna was really good looking as well, but she was a little too conceited as well.  Heidi never did anything for me, even when she had more weight on her and makeup. I just never found her to be all that attractive.

[Steph Sometimes]

Finished my rewatch of Exile Island last night. I'm assuming Final 3s started because of the horrible injustice of Terry getting voted out. I think it was a solid season. I found Terry pretty insufferable toward the end (Whambulance indeed!), but Cirie is such a damn delight she basically counteracts him. Every scene where Terry or Shane or Courtney is screaming about something and Cirie's just there giggling to the side cracked me up too. Aras is fine (in both senses -- a decent but not exceptional winner/and also, to be shallow, good looking especially once he has facial hair). I like how Aras who mostly is this very young, granola yoga guy also occasionally brings out the very disappointed dad voice.

I know this season started out divided by age, but it's funny how often people bring up each other's ages throughout the season, "As a 24-year-old..." "You're talking to her, a 35-year-old..." 'For a 46-year-old, he...." "Nick, for a 24-year-old, was so mature...." 

And since last few posts have talked about pretty, I have to add that I thought Sally was really pretty. She kind of went really makeup heavy once she was on the jury, but a lot of them do that.

Edited July 18, 2020 by Steph Sometimes

[Ms Blue Jay]

2 hours ago, Steph Sometimes said:

 Aras is fine (in both senses -- a decent but not exceptional winner/and also, to be shallow, good looking especially once he has facial hair).

He was just sooooooooooo beautiful.  So easy to look at!

[AncientNewbie]

(South Pacific (s23) spoilers)

Apologies if I've ranted on this before, but it's one of those things that keeps pushing my buttons...

Coach, had he owned up to his game, might very well have won SoPa. 

But tribal wasn't going to be everyone files in, Coach stands up and says "hey, I fooled you..." and a giant check drops from the rafters.

Did Ozzy lob a softball that Coach whiffed? Yeah. But even if Coach knocks that off the set, there's no certainty that the one event seals the deal. It wasn't like Coach's performance at that tribal was strong in any way. Saying he needed to approach it differently doesn't hold up when this is the only approach he's ever had. Even if he "owns his game" as the vague expression goes, does he alienate or upset someone else doing it? Sophie, with her canteen of champagne, would have had some reply. Albert (Baseball/Dating Coach), often forgotten as he is, would have weighed in. Neither of them was going to sit back and say "oh, yeah, he's the mastermind and we're puppets." This isn't s22, after all.

[Steph Sometimes]

Just started Vanuatu. It has a very intense opening.

Also, there are like 4 guys on the tribe who look alike. And then there are another 2 or 3 other guys who look alike. This was some weird casting for the men's tribe.

After reading some of the recent pieces about Survivor and race, I wondered when a few of the guys called out Rory for not fitting in and giving his opinion on things.

Looking forward to seeing if I notice Jeff treat Julie any different than the others.

[Lamb18]

On 7/16/2020 at 4:05 PM, Lantern7 said:

Funny115: Mario salutes master impressionist Rodney. The scary thing is I just checked on the site and found the new entry. Didn’t need a heads-up on Facebook.

I watched season 30 recently and I kept thinking of Funny 115 while watching it, especially during the puzzle challenge where they had to spell Outwit, Outplay, Outlast and Dan kept getting it wrong. Actually I enjoyed the rewatch a lot more than I thought I would. But Will's episode with Shirin was so horrible that it cast a huge black shadow over the season and my memory of it. I think CBS does some editing to its All Access episodes because I swear they left out the Will saying Shirin has no soul from the scene, although she referred to it at tribal.

In khao Rong (?) I liked Jason better than Scott. Jason had a little sensitivity because of his daughter, but Scott was just a big creep and jerk.

[Lantern7]

Funny115: The fall of Drew Christy. Apparently, Mario never wanted to do a “fall of” essay, but enough people convinced him that Drew deserved it.

[Guest]

On 7/22/2020 at 8:24 AM, Lamb18 said:

In khao Rong (?) I liked Jason better than Scott. Jason had a little sensitivity because of his daughter, but Scott was just a big creep and jerk.

It's funny, because I recall Jason being worse than Scot at first, but that had flipped by the end. I'm just glad he only spells it with one "t", so I don't have to have my only namesake on the show be that guy.

[Runningwild]

Has anyone watched Survivor Australia? I’ve found full episodes on YouTube. 

[peachmangosteen]

14 hours ago, Runningwild said:

Has anyone watched Survivor Australia? I’ve found full episodes on YouTube. 

There's a thread on this board for it: Survivor in Other Countries.

[Lantern7]

Funny115: Eddie Fox: A Man With A Dream. 🍺 🐶 

[peachmangosteen]

Eddie was adorable! Bring Eddie back, show!

[Steph Sometimes]

I like to think of myself as having a sophisticated sense of humor, but sometimes the inner 10-year-old comes out.

I'm currently rewatching Vanuatu, and there's an episode where Scout talks to Chris. Chris is holding some firewood and Scout is telling him that she wants to work with him and Chad to vote out Eliza. Scout and Chris share a nice hug, and then Chris says, "I'm going to head back with my wood."

I laughed. Beavis and Butthead would be proud.

[Guest]

17 hours ago, Steph Sometimes said:

I like to think of myself as having a sophisticated sense of humor, but sometimes the inner 10-year-old comes out.

I'm currently rewatching Vanuatu, and there's an episode where Scout talks to Chris. Chris is holding some firewood and Scout is telling him that she wants to work with him and Chad to vote out Eliza. Scout and Chris share a nice hug, and then Chris says, "I'm going to head back with my wood."

I laughed. Beavis and Butthead would be proud.

You can be sure when that moment aired back in the day, there was a lot of guffawing and backslapping and "dude!"ing at Chris' house.

[KimberStormer]

On 8/1/2020 at 7:16 AM, peachmangosteen said:

Eddie was adorable! Bring Eddie back, show!

I think I have said before that I think Eddie is very possibly the worst Survivor player of all time and that I love Eddie and would love to see him anytime.  I'd go to his dog bar.

[LadyChatts]

On 8/1/2020 at 10:16 AM, peachmangosteen said:

Eddie was adorable! Bring Eddie back, show!

I loved Eddie!  I would love to see Reynolds back from that season, too.  When I watched Caramoan again, I actually didn’t hate it as much on re-watch (of course it helped that I knew Cochran was winning, so that helped soften the blow).  Corinne always believed that she was purposely left off the jury because she would have rallied everyone to vote against Cochran (and believes she would have been successful).  

[fishcakes]

2 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

I loved Eddie!  I would love to see Reynolds back from that season, too.  When I watched Caramoan again, I actually didn’t hate it as much on re-watch (of course it helped that I knew Cochran was winning, so that helped soften the blow).  Corinne always believed that she was purposely left off the jury because she would have rallied everyone to vote against Cochran (and believes she would have been successful).  

I ended up liking Reynold too. I think he and Eddie got a bit of a bad rap in the beginning because being allied with the other young women, it looked like either a cool kids club or a double showmance or something to the exclusion of the older group on their tribe, but as it turned out Shamar really should not have been out there for his own sake and Sherri was not the mastermind she thought she was. Once they merged, she did what she had to do to get to the end, which was basically be a barnacle, but it wasn't impressive.

The first person voted off after the merge usually doesn't make the jury so I doubt that Corinne was deliberately kept off. And she's mistaken about her level of influence and powers of persuasion. Did she think she was going to rally everyone to vote for Dawn? No one liked Dawn, and I doubt anyone liked Corinne. If Corinne had made the jury, the only difference would have been that the vote would have been 8-1-0 instead of 8-0-0.

[LadyChatts]

9 hours ago, fishcakes said:

I ended up liking Reynold too. I think he and Eddie got a bit of a bad rap in the beginning because being allied with the other young women, it looked like either a cool kids club or a double showmance or something to the exclusion of the older group on their tribe, but as it turned out Shamar really should not have been out there for his own sake and Sherri was not the mastermind she thought she was. Once they merged, she did what she had to do to get to the end, which was basically be a barnacle, but it wasn't impressive.

The first person voted off after the merge usually doesn't make the jury so I doubt that Corinne was deliberately kept off. And she's mistaken about her level of influence and powers of persuasion. Did she think she was going to rally everyone to vote for Dawn? No one liked Dawn, and I doubt anyone liked Corinne. If Corinne had made the jury, the only difference would have been that the vote would have been 8-1-0 instead of 8-0-0.

In previous seasons, typically the first merge boot was on the jury (I think that started during the mega numbered seasons of Cook Islands and Fiji-and in those cases, some of the first jurors didn't even make the merge).  Gabon, too, with Marcus-he didn't make the merge and was a juror.  However, before Cook Islands the merge boot was always the last pre-juror.  Which always had me curious if that one person might have ended up changing the eventual outcome of a season.  But maybe Shamar being medevaced and Brandon quitting had something to do with her not being on the jury?  Like numbers wise?  That said, I agree.  The alternatives were Dawn and Sherri, and if I'm remembering correctly, Sherri ended up screwing up some plan Malcolm/Eddie/Reynold/Erik had to overthrow Cochran and the favorites.  She pretty much was roasted as being a goat who made no moves of her own.  Although to be fair, I think her excuse for not siding with the one group was either they had ignored her up until that point, or she was at the bottom of that plan.  And Dawn-'nuff said.  So yeah, I really don't think Corinne would have foiled a Cochran win.  I think her strategy was she wanted to just get everyone worked up about Cochran being a producer favorite and that they wanted him to win.  She claimed she had some of the jurors in her pocket. 

Also in agreement about Reynold and Eddie.  Looking back, I feel the same way about Allie and Hope.  It wasn't the smartest decision for the four of them to go off together first thing, but the counter alliance made some poor decisions voting off Allie and Hope early on.  If Shamar hadn't been medevaced, it would have been insane for them to keep him around.        

Corinne actually uses the Gabon jury as an example of her influence, because she takes credit for Sugar losing.  I can't remember if it was a podcast she did or where I heard her say it, but she said the night she got voted off, she warned everyone that she had people on the jury that would vote how she told them, and openly asked Marcus, Randy, and Charlie to raise their hands if they agreed (and then got yelled at by Jeff for acknowledging the jurors).  However, I think that's giving herself way too much credit.  Randy sure as hell wasn't voting for Sugar, and I don't think Marcus or Charlie would have, either.  And Susie still got 3 votes from Ken, Matty, and Crystle.  Sugar may have gotten a popular, sympathetic edit, but I think that's what it was-an edit.  I really don't think she was winning regardless of what influence Corinne claimed to have.

Edited August 5, 2020 by LadyChatts

[Steph Sometimes]

Finished the Vanuatu rewatch last night. It was decent, but it just seemed kind of mean. Is it weird to think that some seasons are just less fun and more mean? Thailand was mean. Samoa was mean. Worlds Apart was mean. Does that make any sense?

I'm thinking of Palau next although I may need to subscribe to CBS All-Access for a month or so since so many episodes are missing on Hulu (including the premiere). I hate that so many episodes are missing.

[fishcakes]

1 hour ago, Steph Sometimes said:

Finished the Vanuatu rewatch last night. It was decent, but it just seemed kind of mean. Is it weird to think that some seasons are just less fun and more mean? Thailand was mean. Samoa was mean. Worlds Apart was mean. Does that make any sense?

Vanuatu was so mean. That jury was insufferably self-righteous and I hate the way they tore into Twila. I thought she should have won -- Chris would have been long gone without her telling him what he needed to do to save himself -- and she's someone I'd like to see play again, but I think she was too traumatized by the way the jury treated her to want to do it again.

[Steph Sometimes]

1 hour ago, fishcakes said:

Vanuatu was so mean. That jury was insufferably self-righteous and I hate the way they tore into Twila. I thought she should have won -- Chris would have been long gone without her telling him what he needed to do to save himself -- and she's someone I'd like to see play again, but I think she was too traumatized by the way the jury treated her to want to do it again.

That jury was terrible. I can understand being upset she voted you out after you were aligned (Sarge, Leanne and Ami, etc.), but the whole "how could you ever swear on your son's name you horrible, horrible person?!" was so over-the-top. I don't remember who I rooted for when it first aired, but Twila had some really good strategic moves, and I am surprised that she hasn't been back.

That being said, I found Twila to be on the mean and unpleasant side as well. But pretty much everyone was. I don't think I'd want to hang out with any of them. Maybe Chad was ok? And I guess Julie wasn't as bad as some of the others. Must be why Jeff liked her so much.

Also, this is the dumbest thing, but I remember a book I read as a kid about a girl named Ami and her best friend Mia. And there was a thing about how their names had the same letters. The season reminded me of that because there was an Ami and a Mia on the season.

Palau next? I can enjoy some nice Tom and Ian (until the finale of course) and plucky (rather than entitled) Stephanie.

Edited August 7, 2020 by Steph Sometimes

[Lantern7]

Funny115 #4: Matt’s Sad Redemption Island Story

[AncientNewbie]

I know Mario plays it up for humor but I see a lot said in other forums (fora?) about the quality of cast on RI. What's the feeling around here?

I'm not an acolyte of Pensacola Robert, but I don't think this was intended to be a cast of sheep. I think Rob did make plays that cut out threats and controlled allies until there was no legitimate winner left on the table.

[Hera]

2 hours ago, AncientNewbie said:

I know Mario plays it up for humor but I see a lot said in other forums (fora?) about the quality of cast on RI. What's the feeling around here?

I'm not an acolyte of Pensacola Robert, but I don't think this was intended to be a cast of sheep. I think Rob did make plays that cut out threats and controlled allies until there was no legitimate winner left on the table.

I think Rob has only himself to blame for the perception (whether it was true or not) that the Redemption Island cast were all sheep. All season long, during his confessionals, he made fun of his castmates and laughed about how stupid and gullible they were. He can't get mad that the audience took his word for it.

As for the cast itself, I agree that what happened was that Rob was effective at getting rid of anyone on his tribe who might pose a threat to him early on. He also lucked out that his tribe was up 7-5 (+1 the Redemption Island returnee) when they hit the merge. I don't say that to discredit his victory since I think luck is a component of everyone's win, and plenty of other winners have had that same advantage. What I mean is that if he had needed to navigate through a post-merge game where his alliance was initially down in numbers, his win might have been harder for him to pull off, and therefore more satisfying for viewers.

But this is just one person's opinion. I know there are plenty on this forum who love Boston Rob.

[ljenkins782]

On 6/30/2020 at 11:04 AM, peachmangosteen said:

Dalton Ross did a Marquesas rewatch. I don't feel like rewatching the whole thing so I appreciate the clips lol.

 

I have another Marquesas-related project for Dalton Ross should quarantine boredom persist, a collage of all the times Kathy had a completely disproportionate response to something.  at 0:18 in the clip of Jeff calling the wrong team the winners, Kathy loses her mind hilariously. Also, this one at around 0:27 where Paschal and Neleh are waiting to greet her and she tears up onto the beach like a bat out of hell, screeching that they only have 5 minutes to gather their stuff.

I mean, I've been known to get a bit intense in game situations, even just in board games, but she takes it to a nuclear level. 

[Steph Sometimes]

I'm on Palau right now, and I'm enjoying it. Steph just got absorbed into Koror so I'm about halfway.  I wish they would've brought Angie back. She started out feeling like an outcast because she didn't look like the other women, but then she went on a absolute tear during challenges. I remember loving Tom (until the questionable final challenge), but this time around, I like him a little less. He's bossy as hell. I can kind of see why Coby hated him so much (and still hates him -- if his recent EW.com interview is any indication). 

I still love Steph. But I also didn't mind Guatemala Steph the way many others did.

I love Ian too. He seems so sweet, and I do enjoy the further in the season, the more he started sounding like Tom.

And in the challenge I just watched, they're all balancing and Jeff starts bringing out the temptations. Ian jokes, "I'll get naked for some peanut butter." Jeff quipped back, "No one wants to see that."

[ljenkins782]

9 hours ago, Steph Sometimes said:

I'm on Palau right now, and I'm enjoying it. Steph just got absorbed into Koror so I'm about halfway.  I wish they would've brought Angie back. She started out feeling like an outcast because she didn't look like the other women, but then she went on a absolute tear during challenges. I remember loving Tom (until the questionable final challenge), but this time around, I like him a little less. He's bossy as hell. I can kind of see why Coby hated him so much (and still hates him -- if his recent EW.com interview is any indication). 

I still love Steph. But I also didn't mind Guatemala Steph the way many others did.

I love Ian too. He seems so sweet, and I do enjoy the further in the season, the more he started sounding like Tom.

And in the challenge I just watched, they're all balancing and Jeff starts bringing out the temptations. Ian jokes, "I'll get naked for some peanut butter." Jeff quipped back, "No one wants to see that."

That was just hilarious. I watched this season all in one shot on dvd years after the fact and I remember actually putting episode 1 back on just to confirm that Ian did NOT have a thick NY accent at the start. And he might have been one of the most genuinely good people the show has ever cast, he truly seems like the nicest guy. 

Regarding Tom, I can see both sides of him. He's that guy who's great if you're in his circle and not so much if you're not. He's handsome and charismatic and clearly used to being in the in-crowd and in control, which is probably why Coby wouldn't be inclined to like him, given his own life experiences with bullies/dropping out of school because of them.

So I liked him on my tv screen, but I'm not sure I would have liked him as much had I been out there with them. But again, from a distant vantage point, I really liked the relationships that Koror had and their episode commentary on the DVDs is among my all-time favorites of any season. They are all funny (including Katie, who is DEFINITELY on my list of people I can only enjoy from a distance, she had a sharp wit) except for Caryn and their tolerance of her presence is amusing.

[OutOfTheQuestion]

On 6/23/2020 at 4:45 PM, LadyChatts said:

Probst didn't like BvsW 2 to being with, and probably was just pissy that they took control of the challenge in that way.  I was honestly surprised he didn't give them more of a scolding or just said 'forget it' about the reward and sent them all back to camp.  I thought it was pretty crappy how they just openly stood there and made it obvious, which was no doubt their intention to show they were aligned and in control.  

But seriously, without the chopping challenges, we never would have had the downfall of the Rotu 4, and never would have had a possible flip during Exile Island.  I still think there's a chance Shane and Courtney would have voted with Terry and Bruce had Bruce not been medevaced.  But no, let's just do more of those exciting dig in the sand for puzzle pieces and then knock them down with balls, or endurance challenges where they don't even get tempted to come down or try anymore.   

The problem with the chop challenge is that players now realize it's a social trap, and know how to manage it.  So it makes for a completely drama-free challenge, whereas at least with the digging-in-sand type challenges (which I agree are played out) there isn't an obvious way to game it.

[sara416]

I'm rewatching HvV right now. I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I thought Russel played a brilliant game on his first season and I don't hate him. If he and Rob would have put their damn egos away for this season, they could have run this show.

Also, I keep finding myself going "Who the hell is Danielle?" every time her name is mentioned. I don't remember her at all from previous play, and she's practically invisible this season. 

 

[SnideAsides]

14 hours ago, OutOfTheQuestion said:

The problem with the chop challenge is that players now realize it's a social trap, and know how to manage it.  So it makes for a completely drama-free challenge, whereas at least with the digging-in-sand type challenges (which I agree are played out) there isn't an obvious way to game it.

I think the problem is it's so obvious that "reveal the pecking order" is the goal of the challenge and using the "who needs therapy?" questions for it makes it too easy for the majority to work together. It'd work much better if it was an actual quiz about local culture or survival skills like it used to be, because then you've still got to earn a win rather than just being the majority alliance member everyone agrees is least sucky.

But even if they won't do that, there's other challenges they used to do that had the same end result in more subtle ways. There's no reason we couldn't get the "flip over the spaces on the giant game board" challenge again, or a new variation on "use the projectile to smash everyone else's tiles" like they used to trot out every season in the early years of this show.

[Lamb18]

I'm watching S38 ep. 9 and just saw Wardog defeated by a butterfly in the Immunity challenge.