Past Seasons Talk: The Tribe Has Spoken

[LadyChatts]

That's interesting about Fiji.  I thought it was the third worst season (at the time, Thailand and Panama were below it) but not bad enough that Survivor was worth cancelling over.  Even the cast wasn't that horrible, and it had a satisfying ending.  Survivor hit rough patches (still does) but usually the following season makes up for whatever lackluster one came before it.  I agree that Fiji coming in between Cook Islands and China, two of the better seasons of the series, probably didn't help matters.  It was one of the reasons it remained in my bottom 10 for so many years, is that I compared what I watched before and after it.  I also feel for the contestants being on a season deemed the worst, and I often wonder if just being associated with that season screws their chances of being asked back.  Fiji is underrepresented in having returnees come back, and I think more than just Yau-Man are deserving of another shot.  I know people bring up Michelle and how she was screwed by that TC, but they could do a whole season of people screwed over by twists.  I like her and felt bad for her, but there are others that got screwed by twists that I'd rather see back over her (Silas and Aaron, both screwed by tribe swaps and being on the low end of numbers, for starters).

 

Thailand still ranks in my bottom 10.  Usually the passage of time will often move a season out of there, so it's interesting for me that all these years and seasons later and I still find that one unbearable to watch.  I don't know what it was about it, other than finding it completely boring at the time.  It didn't have the most likable and rootable cast either.  Before the (fake) merge, I pretty much saw Brian winning because no one else out there had a clue.  Shii-Ann seemed to be the only one willing to get her hands dirty and had her head in the game, but again, the whole fake merge thing.  Although I don't think she really redeemed herself during AS, despite having a high placement.  From a game stand point, I thought she was better in Thailand.  I remember the whole school yard pick the very first episode, and how I knew then Jan was going to be the crazy.  She didn't seem to have any sort of strategy in picking her tribe.  I felt bad for Tanya being stuck on that side.  Much like Fiji, I think being part of a lackluster season screwed over some people being brought back.  Despite an unlikable cast, I always wanted to see Jake, Penny, Helen, Jan, Erin, and even Robb with 2 b's return.  The whole Clay vs Ted incident always intrigued me, because I believed that Helen either outright lied or exaggerated what Clay might have said.  With those two being the last 2 boots before the final 3, I felt Ted probably believed what Helen was selling him.  Emotions were likely raw, and I could see Helen playing up some stereotype of Clay being a southern racist redneck.  If CBS was going to air the whole Ghandia/Ted grinding incident, I can't believe they would have left out Clay making racial remarks.  Especially since it would further justify him losing.  Helen was bitter even at the reunion.  When Jan said Helen never approached her about going to the end together and voting together at the final 4, Helen claimed she did try and talk to Jan but Jan wouldn't flip.  I liked Helen, but I often wondered if she had this scenario in her mind that made her think it was the truth.  I know she got in a bit of trouble for a column she wrote for her local paper, where she divulged things about production and behind the scenes on the show.  I never read the column, but that's what I heard.  I always figured that was likely the final nail in her coffin for ever being asked back.

[BigRedCheese]

I've never actually re-watched a season of Survivor, but my memory of Fiji is not liking the theme, but really liking Yau Man and Earl, and of the car drama with Dreamz, I really can't remember anyone else. With Thailand, I hated the fake tribe merge, and I really didn't like the people that got to the end, much less the winner, but for me, I think even bad Survivor is good Survivor.

[choclatechip45]

 

I tried looking it up, and the closest thing I found was a 15th anniversary article Dalton published in EW on May 31, 2015.  In the article, Dalton is interviewing Mark Burnett:

 

Q: There was a time right after Season 12, the Exile Island season in Panama, where Jeff Probst was pretty close to leaving Survivor. Do you think the show could have continued without him?

 

A: I’m so grateful he didn’t leave. I’ve never really thought that through. Jeff is Survivor. He’s the face of Survivor and the executive producer and the showrunner, which in itself is unusual. It’s very unusual to have the star of the show also be the showrunner. But he’s done a brilliant job with it. I’m just really glad Jeff didn’t decide it was too tiring for him and too much, because I cant imagine Survivor with Jeff. Jeff is Survivor.

 

(Note, I'm sure Mark meant he can't imagine Survivor without Jeff.)

 

Maybe this is not the article?   I feel it's important to  pin down the facts.

Here is the article http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2008/02/survivor-micronesia-almost_cancelled/

[ratgirlagogo]

Dalton Ross really hates Fiji - it's always close to the bottom every season when he does his Survivor season ranks.  I've said before, I really like Earl as a winner, really like Yau-Man and Michelle.

 

Save for the totally random twist that took out Michelle, the merge was wonderful, especially the Edgardo blindside.

I  loved Michelle and I wish they'd bring her back for a second try. The thing is the whole concept of the season (haves/havenots) was totally shitty in exactly the way that anyone could have predicted.  On the other hand I think we really ended up with a bumper crop of incredibly hateable villains - significantly NONE of them have ever been asked back.  This made their eventual downfall one of the greatest things ever in the history of the show for me.  My only regret is that one of the worst villains was Rocky, with his stomach-turning bullying of Anthony - he should have been called out and blindsided and it didn't happen.  Although, and I know I repeat myself, as with all the villains from this season he was never asked back.  

[vb68]

I love that Jeff said in the article that it's over after 20 seasons!  That's it!  Hee.

 

And that tells you right there why only Yau returned as a second timer.  Production hated that season as much as I did.  I do think they have tried to forget it as much as possible.

Edited June 18, 2015 by vb68

[choclatechip45]

Re Helen

From what I remember her article included a bit that said Things you don't see on Survivor were she talked about Ponderosa and what happens after you get voted out. CBS became really pissed because at that time contestants needed permision to write the columns and Helen didn't get that permission. Google Helen All-Stars Article and you will see some forums pop up about the story.

 

Edited June 18, 2015 by choclatechip45

[vb68]

And if her accusations about Clay really did have no validity to them, I can't believe that helped her status with production either.

[BigRedCheese]

 

I'm curious about who else is on it

 

I guess John Carroll is on the no return list, he was on Survivor OZ for the World's Apart finale, and they asked him why he's never been asked back, and he said that there was some dispute over a hotel bill, he refused to pay for some of the charges, and he was doing something for charity, and wanted to use the Survivor logo, and the show refused, which he got indignant about. He said he has since realized he was wrong, and has apologized and hopes he will be considered for another season.

[choclatechip45]

Who really knows people said for years that Skupin and Varner were on it and both have returned.

[Trick Question]

On the other hand I think we really ended up with a bumper crop of incredibly hateable villains - significantly NONE of them have ever been asked back.  This made their eventual downfall one of the greatest things ever in the history of the show for me.

This is a strong point.  Fiji ended up being like kind of a traditional hero narrative --- the good guys (Earl, Yau Man, Michelle) face all kinds of obstacles in the early going, culminating in the low point of Michelle getting eliminated on a very unfair twist.  But just when things seem darkest, however, the heroes rally back and take out the villains with Earl eventually winning.  Lisi and Rocky getting unceremoniously booted was great, and of course the epic episode where things turn on the Horsemen is arguably the single funniest Tribal Council of all time.  (Even if poor Edgardo, who actually seemed like an okay guy, was the victim.)  A satisfying and likeable winner does a lot for me in making a season worthwhile, so Earl winning definitely made up for a lot of the early-season ills (the rich/poor twist, Rocky's bullying Anthony, Lisi's general awfulness, etc.)

 

Counter that to Thailand, for instance, when we had both an unlikable winner and a pretty boring season.  Probably the biggest issue was that it had a tough act to follow with the Marquesas year --- when you have a game-changing event like the bottom of an alliance flipping on a majority, having the next season be another old-fashioned Pagonging couldn't help but feel kind of dull in comparison.

[fishcakes]

Apropos of nothing, here's Season 2's Nick Brown at a press conference today; he's chief counsel for Washington's Governor Jay Inslee now. I always liked Nick and take a sort of perverse pleasure in the fact that while he's doing actual important shit with his life, Jeff Varner, who hung the "lazy" label on Nick, is ... still playing Survivor. And I like Varner, but this kind of thing makes me feel marginally better about the universe.

 

[Lantern7]

Don't forget . . . if Nick doesn't win immunity, the Colby/Keith/Tina troika wouldn't think of bypassing Elisabeth and Rodger by voting out Jerri.

[fishcakes]

Yeah, that was the vote that made me think Tina had something on the ball, strategically. As much as she and Colby talked about how they had the secret alliance from day one, I think he was trying to hedge his bets and she knew it. If Kucha was Pagonged then Colby was going to be a swing vote between her/Keith and Jerri/Amber, so she wanted to get Jerri out before all of Kucha was gone in order to cut off his other options. That TC was her best opportunity because Keith pretty much followed her (and owed her for giving up immunity to him earlier), but even if Keith hadn't gone along with her, at worst it would have been a tie between Jerri and Elisabeth, they were still doing tie-breakers then with prior votes, Jerri had several previous votes, and Elisabeth had none. Tina letting it be known that she was voting for Jerri that TC meant Jerri was going home no matter what, so I think Keith and Colby voted with her in order to avoid alienating Elisabeth, Rodger, and Nick, who they were still planning to put on the jury.

[Oholibamah]

Apropos of nothing, here's Season 2's Nick Brown at a press conference today; he's chief counsel for Washington's Governor Jay Inslee now. I always liked Nick and take a sort of perverse pleasure in the fact that while he's doing actual important shit with his life, Jeff Varner, who hung the "lazy" label on Nick, is ... still playing Survivor. And I like Varner, but this kind of thing makes me feel marginally better about the universe.

 

 

Despite not being a huge character, Nick's always been one of my favorites and always seems to sneak a spot in my Top 30-or-so players. Glad to see he's done so well for himself!

[choclatechip45]

 

Apropos of nothing, here's Season 2's Nick Brown at a press conference today; he's chief counsel for Washington's Governor Jay Inslee now. I always liked Nick and take a sort of perverse pleasure in the fact that while he's doing actual important shit with his life, Jeff Varner, who hung the "lazy" label on Nick, is ... still playing Survivor. And I like Varner, but this kind of thing makes me feel marginally better about the universe.

I remember reading a few years ago Nick was a military lawyer in Iraq so no surprise he is still doing important stuff with his life. I remember his bio being pretty interesting. No way would someone like him ever be on the show today.

Edited June 19, 2015 by choclatechip45

[Trick Question]

Just wrote this over in the "unpopular opinions about Survivor" thread but figured I'd repost it here since it relates to an opinion on a past season...

 

On the flip side of players being punished or looked down on for crying, I think Sophie's crying about being perceived as cold may have clinched her the game.  It showed the jury her more human side and created a bit more sympathy for her, otherwise the "she's a jerk" narrative would've taken over.  (Of course, it's also very possible that she had the game clinched anyway going up against the completely non-respected Albert and the living joke that is Coach.)

[jsm1125]

Amanda Kimmel is getting married this August:

 

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/members/kimmel-cooper/article_4f34dc9e-c857-11e4-9707-fffaafcc3632.html

[henripootel]

So Amanda "attended the Las Vegas School of Colon Hydrotherapy" and owns a spa in Montana.  This sound a bit California for Bozeman?

[ratgirlagogo]

 

This sound a bit California for Bozeman?

Yes. but maybe she's in Missoula?

[kikaha]

 I think Sophie's crying about being perceived as cold may have clinched her the game.  It showed the jury her more human side and created a bit more sympathy for her, otherwise the "she's a jerk" narrative would've taken over.  (Of course, it's also very possible that she had the game clinched anyway going up against the completely non-respected Albert and the living joke that is Coach.)

 

I think it helped her for sure.  Dawn, for one, was melting as she saw Sophie's tears (which were crocodile in nature I felt).

 

I don't think that clinched anything for Sophie though.  Actually, this is more a case where someone else lost the season.  That 'someone' being Coach.  He had the victory in the bag.  All he had to do was honestly answer Ozzie and Brandon at FTC.  He didn't.  So instead of voting for him, their friend and ally, as they said later they would have, they voted for Sophie. 

 

Those two votes gave Sophie the win.  It's the final reason I cannot consider her more than an average winner, at best. 

[Trick Question]

I don't think that clinched anything for Sophie though.  Actually, this is more a case where someone else lost the season.  That 'someone' being Coach.  He had the victory in the bag.  All he had to do was honestly answer Ozzie and Brandon at FTC.  He didn't.  So instead of voting for him, their friend and ally, as they said later they would have, they voted for Sophie. 

 

Those two votes gave Sophie the win.  It's the final reason I cannot consider her more than an average winner, at best. 

 

I dunno about that.  If we're going by everything we're seeing on camera, then yes, it seemed like Coach kind of blew the season.  That said, we have two previous seasons of the show that tell us Coach makes a lot of really bad Survivor decisions.  Not that people can't improve on their third try (i.e. Tyson), but I'm more inclined to believe Sophie's jury speech point that Coach was really HER goat since at the end of the day, b) by letting him "lead" the alliance, she let Coach take all the heat for breaking promises along the way.

 

However, taking the season on its own and assuming that Coach actually did semi-grow a brain, he lost the season by a) making all those unnecessary promises and b) due to the stupid Redemption Island format.  Coach was in an alliance full of goats (the crazy Brandon, the non-entity Rick, widely disliked Edna and Albert) and yet he went to the end with the ONE person in his alliance that could beat him.  I can't blame Coach for it, however, since he had no choice to keep Sophie since she was the only one of them who had a shot at beating Ozzy in a challenge.  Had it not been for the lame 'Redemption' gimmick and the looming threat of Ozzy re-entering the game, perhaps Coach tries to make a move on Sophie earlier.  (Or, Coach pulled a Russell and thought Sophie was a 'girl who didn't do anything' goat that he could easily beat at the final vote.) 

[choclatechip45]

 

However, taking the season on its own and assuming that Coach actually did semi-grow a brain, he lost the season by a) making all those unnecessary promises and b) due to the stupid Redemption Island format.  Coach was in an alliance full of goats (the crazy Brandon, the non-entity Rick, widely disliked Edna and Albert) and yet he went to the end with the ONE person in his alliance that could beat him.  I can't blame Coach for it, however, since he had no choice to keep Sophie since she was the only one of them who had a shot at beating Ozzy in a challenge.  Had it not been for the lame 'Redemption' gimmick and the looming threat of Ozzy re-entering the game, perhaps Coach tries to make a move on Sophie earlier.  (Or, Coach pulled a Russell and thought Sophie was a 'girl who didn't do anything' goat that he could easily beat at the final vote.)

Sophie has said over the years Brandon would have beaten her, Coach, and Albert. Jim confirmed it in his AMA. They've said they didn't really see his crazy side on the island. Most of the contestants saw him as a young adult who was trying to make a better a life for his family.

[BigRedCheese]

 

Sophie has said over the years Brandon would have beaten her, Coach, and Albert. Jim confirmed it in his AMA.

 

I've heard them say that, but I think if Brandon made it to the final tribal, he would blow it there, I think his crazy would come out when someone questioned him about something. We'll never know of course, maybe I just don't want to live in a world where Brandon Hantz is a Sole Survivor, lol.

[choclatechip45]

I've heard them say that, but I think if Brandon made it to the final tribal, he would blow it there, I think his crazy would come out when someone questioned him about something. We'll never know of course, maybe I just don't want to live in a world where Brandon Hantz is a Sole Survivor, lol.

Oh I agree! I just think it's interesting how good he was at hiding that side of him to the other players.

[fishcakes]

Coach was in an alliance full of goats (the crazy Brandon, the non-entity Rick, widely disliked Edna and Albert) and yet he went to the end with the ONE person in his alliance that could beat him.

 

Sophie was also a goat though. She was more disliked than Edna and maybe even more than Albert, but I think she got a little more respect than Albert because he was seen as smarmy and phony. I don't buy her version of events where she's running things and Coach is merely a figurehead; I can't stand Coach, but he clearly ran that season. Oddly enough, I think Sophie won precisely because she was a do-nothing. Coach was the one who put the jurors out of the game, Albert tried to make side-deals and thus got tagged as untrustworthy, and Sophie's main thing was rolling her eyes and sneering at people. She was unpleasant, but strategically she was a non-entity. She was good in the challenges, but so were Coach and Rick; her main contribution was that she beat Ozzy at precisely the right time. I agree with @kikaha that the jury wanted to give it to Coach based on the way he played, but when he wouldn't own it at FTC, they held their noses and voted for Sophie.

Edited June 25, 2015 by fishcakes

[Hera]

Speaking of that season, I never understood why Edna was as disliked as she was. I remember she was on the outside of the main alliance (Coach, Sophie, Albert, and Brandon—was Rick in it too?), but I don't remember her being mean or annoying.

[choclatechip45]

Speaking of that season, I never understood why Edna was as disliked as she was. I remember she was on the outside of the main alliance (Coach, Sophie, Albert, and Brandon—was Rick in it too?), but I don't remember her being mean or annoying.

McKayla mentioned in her second chances interview that Edna was desperate to be liked/accepted by everyone (she said it in a much nicer context). I personally would find that pretty annoying to be around if she was like that. I dont think she really fit in with the whole family vibe.

[kikaha]

I dunno about that.  If we're going by everything we're seeing on camera, then yes, it seemed like Coach kind of blew the season.  That said, we have two previous seasons of the show that tell us Coach makes a lot of really bad Survivor decisions.  Not that people can't improve on their third try (i.e. Tyson), but I'm more inclined to believe Sophie's jury speech point that Coach was really HER goat since at the end of the day, b) by letting him "lead" the alliance, she let Coach take all the heat for breaking promises along the way.

 

However, taking the season on its own and assuming that Coach actually did semi-grow a brain, he lost the season by a) making all those unnecessary promises and b) due to the stupid Redemption Island format.  Coach was in an alliance full of goats (the crazy Brandon, the non-entity Rick, widely disliked Edna and Albert) and yet he went to the end with the ONE person in his alliance that could beat him.  I can't blame Coach for it, however, since he had no choice to keep Sophie since she was the only one of them who had a shot at beating Ozzy in a challenge.  Had it not been for the lame 'Redemption' gimmick and the looming threat of Ozzy re-entering the game, perhaps Coach tries to make a move on Sophie earlier.  (Or, Coach pulled a Russell and thought Sophie was a 'girl who didn't do anything' goat that he could easily beat at the final vote.) 

 

Brandon and Ozzie both said Coach had their votes, but they changed their minds after he couldn't give them an  honest answer at FTC about screwing them.  That would have been enough for Coach to win. 

[henripootel]

This sound a bit California for Bozeman?

Yes. but maybe she's in Missoula

Nope, actual Bozeman.

[Jersey Guy 87]

Speaking of that season, I never understood why Edna was as disliked as she was. I remember she was on the outside of the main alliance (Coach, Sophie, Albert, and Brandon—was Rick in it too?), but I don't remember her being mean or annoying.

 

I think Rick was in the alliance, but Rick was mainly noted for not getting any talking heads and an invisible edit until the very end of his season.  What's interesting is I remember who Rick was (because he was the guy in the cowboy hat who kept showing up at tribal council despite not doing anything all episode long) but I really don't remember who Edna was.

[ljenkins782]

So I bit the bullet and paid for the full month of CBS all access and have been Survivor bingeing for a couple weeks. Watched Caramoan, Cagayan, both Blood Vs Waters and am just diving into Season 21 (not actually sure what this one is called.) Main thing I've learned is that even when Survivor's bad, I still get completely sucked in. Clearly. 

 

Also, while I'm not bitching about spoilers for seasons that have LONG passed, I do hate the CBS site's structure that forces you to jump through hoops to get to the next episode and the photos in the thumbnails give away future episodes (while I typically know who won, I don't always know who was top 3 or who went deep and if I could just stream the episodes back to back, I could be remarkably unspoiled.) 

 

Anyway, I have to say the Blood Vs Water concept was one of the few "themes" that I really thought was a fresh twist. I LOVED the dynamics of the Aras/Vytas relationship (and in fact, went back and revisited Exile Island and saw Aras in a new light) and Ciera's run was fascinating (Mom voting, sudden alliance switching and rock drawing!!)

 

I wasn't a huge Hayden fan at first, but I appreciated how hard he fought. Also, it bugged me the entire time that he reminded me of someone and my discovery of who it is truly shamed me and exposed my deep reality TV addiction (for any fans of the long ago MTV show Sorority Life, season 1, it was crunchy-haired, eye makeup queen Jordan's douchey boyfriend. A completely minor character in a completely forgotten show...my capacity for remembering utterly useless shit is astounding. In my defense, I have that show on dvd and have rewatched it in recent years.) Just had to get that off my chest! 

 

In the 2nd BvW, I wasn't a huge fan of Jon/Jaclyn, but I loved the fact that a boyfriend/girlfriend fight went down right around a tribal and possibly affected a pivotal outcome. Plus, that was a hilariously familiar sort of fight, it was a total misunderstanding that just blew up into chaos. I couldn't stand Baylor and was so happy to see her finally go. 

 

Seeing that season, which directly preceded this past season, I finally sort of understood Rodney's expectation that someone would trade rewards with him at some point, people were switching places all over the place in that season!! 

 

As for switching places for rewards, the family visit reward in Caramoan might have been the meanest twist ever. Not only did Brenda lose out by actually winning, she had to screw Dawn over too in order to make the others happy AND they had that picnic out in the water right in front of camp. WTF is the point of winning if that's the outcome? It's doubly sucky that they instantly voted her out too. 

 

I can't say I'm a fan of those in-camp rewards, the Natalie/Jon/Jaclyn "bed in the middle of camp" reward was also stupidly awkward. 

[Hera]

As for switching places for rewards, the family visit reward in Caramoan might have been the meanest twist ever. Not only did Brenda lose out by actually winning, she had to screw Dawn over too in order to make the others happy AND they had that picnic out in the water right in front of camp. WTF is the point of winning if that's the outcome? It's doubly sucky that they instantly voted her out too.

That was one of the most brutal dilemmas, especially since she chose Dawn because of how much Dawn wanted to spend time with her husband. And then for her trouble, she was stuck with a fuming Dawn, watching everyone else enjoy the reward she gave them, only to have those same people blindside her at the next vote. Stuff like that makes me realize how terrible I would be at Survivor because while I understand intellectually that you have to get rid of threats when you can, I would have a really hard time writing someone's name down immediately after they did me a favor like that. I remember watching and thinking, "Aw, come on guys—you can't just give her a bye in this vote?" The truth is, no they probably couldn't, since there were only three days left in the game at that point and Brenda hadn't pissed anyone off in the game. But still, ouch.

 

I had a similar reaction in All Stars, watching Rob engineer Lex's boot. I get that Rob would probably have to get Lex and Kathy out eventually, but did he really need to do it immediately after they had saved Amber, at his request? He couldn't have gotten rid of Shii Ann first? I can just about see a rationale for it (though I can also poke holes in that same rationale), but it seemed pretty harsh and was ultimately bad jury management on Rob's part, even if Kathy ultimately voted for Rob to win in the end.

[choclatechip45]

 

I had a similar reaction in All Stars, watching Rob engineer Lex's boot. I get that Rob would probably have to get Lex and Kathy out eventually, but did he really need to do it immediately after they had saved Amber, at his request? He couldn't have gotten rid of Shii Ann first? I can just about see a rationale for it (though I can also poke holes in that same rationale), but it seemed pretty harsh and was ultimately bad jury management on Rob's part, even if Kathy ultimately voted for Rob to win in the end.

I can understand getting rid of Lex right away. He is very popular among Survivor Players plus he is an immunity threat. I think Kathy could have flipped some of the players if she was given a couple more days. So I always thought that was a smart move by Rob. Shi Ann isn't as good as a player as Lex and Kathy plus she isn't very likeable.  Besides Amber no one in her two seasons liked her.

[ByaNose]

Even, Rob C. said Shi Ann was useless. She kept saying everyone was stupid but she didn't do anything herself. I didn't mind Rob's game but he really went out of his way to be mean. I understand all business but the mean part was pretty brutal.

[Special K]

Nope, actual Bozeman.

 

Amanda is "a second generation certified colon hydrotherapist."  OMG.  You can't make this stuff up.

[henripootel]

Amanda is "a second generation certified colon hydrotherapist."  OMG.  You can't make this stuff up.

 

Yep, her folks passed the wand to her.  Power-washing your pooper takes more than one lifetime to learn, like the assassins in The Scorpion King.

 

I also like the Legal Disclaimer: "The information on this site is not intended to treat, diagnose, prescribe, cure, or prevent disease."

 

So, 'recreational diarrhea' then.

[Lantern7]

Aw, I like Shii Ann. I was happy that Amber gave her the $100,000 prize at the Reunion, because she was the only person who voted for her (as opposed to voting against Rob). And Miss Alli be damned, I enjoyed her victory celebration when she won immunity in S8

[BigRedCheese]

 

Aw, I like Shii Ann. I was happy that Amber gave her the $100,000 prize at the Reunion, because she was the only person who voted for her (as opposed to voting against Rob). And Miss Alli be damned, I enjoyed her victory celebration when she won immunity in S8

 

Me too, to all of this.

Edited June 26, 2015 by BigRedCheese

[ljenkins782]

I had a similar reaction in All Stars, watching Rob engineer Lex's boot. I get that Rob would probably have to get Lex and Kathy out eventually, but did he really need to do it immediately after they had saved Amber, at his request? He couldn't have gotten rid of Shii Ann first? I can just about see a rationale for it (though I can also poke holes in that same rationale), but it seemed pretty harsh and was ultimately bad jury management on Rob's part, even if Kathy ultimately voted for Rob to win in the end.

 

That one didn't bother me because it was Lex, who had come right out and told friends (such as Ethan) that he was playing his own game and nothing personal, and because he wasn't required by Jeff to make that move. He could easily have pleaded "no one would work with me" to Rob later, but he was counting his chickens before they hatched. (Also, I can't stand Lex, so that schadenfreude was kind of delicious! ) 

What I forgot to ask in my prior post is how much time passed between the Caramoan season and the reunion? How the hell was Brenda so hugely pregnant unless she was already pregnant while starving/competing on the show? 

 

ETA: Shii-Ann...argh. I can't argue with anyone who says she was useless in the game. I do think she's probably incredibly smart in real life, but she was sorely lacking in social intelligence, so even if she figured the strategy portion of the game out, she would never be able to win because she can't motivate anyone to work with her. She could get dragged along as a vote in an alliance maybe, but she could never lead one

Edited June 27, 2015 by ljenkins782

[BigRedCheese]

 

even if she figured the strategy portion of the game out, she would never be able to win because she can't motivate anyone to work with her. She could get dragged along as a vote in an alliance maybe, but she could never lead one

 

Maybe that's true, I don't know, but I do know that I like her and enjoyed her on the show. Out of all the people that play Survivor, very few will actually go on to win, so that could describe the majority of Survivor players, I watch the show to be entertained, and for me at least, she was entertaining.

[phlebas]

So Amanda "attended the Las Vegas School of Colon Hydrotherapy" and owns a spa in Montana.  This sound a bit California for Bozeman?

I'm going to be driving through Bozeman in about a month.  Amanda's one of my favorites. 

I don't actually want anyone to stick a hose up the ol' pooper, not even someone as attractive as Amanda.  But her center is just a couple miles off the interstate.  Might as well take a 15 minute pilgrimage.

[henripootel]

I don't actually want anyone to stick a hose up the ol' pooper, not even someone as attractive as Amanda.  But her center is just a couple miles off the interstate.  Might as well take a 15 minute pilgrimage.

Don't think I'd take one in the can for anyone but they do 'Ionic Foot Spas' for 45 bucks.  Which means you'll get foot bath while they shock you with low-amp current.    Sounds like quackery but at the least you'll have clean feet.  Make sure to report back - we're counting on you, phlebas.

 

ETA: ooh, even better - for 70 bucks she (or someone from there) will go to the grocery store with you and give you advice about what to eat.  Doesn't look like they have a very big staff so it may well be her.  It'll be like a date with a bossy girlfriend, and nobody has to irrigate anything.

Edited June 28, 2015 by henripootel

[phlebas]

ETA: ooh, even better - for 70 bucks she (or someone from there) will go to the grocery store with you and give you advice about what to eat.  Doesn't look like they have a very big staff so it may well be her.  It'll be like a date with a bossy girlfriend, and nobody has to irrigate anything.

You are a genius.  70 bucks to get Amanda Kimmel to come with me to a Whole Foods and buy enough carrot sticks and broccoli crowns to last me until I can drive to the next Wendy's? Awesome.  (I may pitch it differently to her.)

I'll be there four days before her wedding.  I'll make ready a contingency plan in case she whispers "I am about to be trapped in a loveless marriage -- you are my last hope of escape."

 

[henripootel]

I'll be there four days before her wedding.  I'll make ready a contingency plan in case she whispers "I am about to be trapped in a loveless marriage -- you are my last hope of escape."

Good plan but fair warning: she comes from long line of colonic enthusiasts.  Three guesses what your bachelor party will be like.  

Edited June 29, 2015 by henripootel

[phlebas]

I'll need to be wearing at least five pairs of bike shorts in case I'm ambushed.

I will report back either from Boseman or our undisclosed location rescue honeymoon.

[Maverick]

You people aint right.

[henripootel]

You people aint right.

For the record, I read this in my head in Hank Hill's voice.

[BigRedCheese]

Speaking of Amanda, I've been listening to Rob's Micronesia Evolution of Strategy chapter, and he and Wigler decide that Eric didn't do the dumbest Survivor move ever by giving away his immunity necklace so the girls would be his friends, they think Woo beat him by bringing Tony to the end. But I'm dubious, that tribal was like a car crash, cringe inducing to watch, but I couldn't look away. What do you guys think?

[Hera]

Woo taking Tony instead of Kass was dumb, but I think it's much harder to tell who should go and who should stay when you're in the game than it is when you're watching it. Woo may genuinely not have known how hated Kass was by at least a third of the jury. He might have thought it was safer to stick to the guy who he had voted with for every post-merge vote. Tony made deals with everyone, so Woo may have thought people would be angry about that, or he may have felt that while the jury might be equally angry at the two of them, but would have to vote for one of them to win.

 

I maintain the dumbest move was Tyson effectively voting himself out in Heroes vs. Villains. He should have been safe, but by changing his vote, he ended up leaving due to idol bounce-back. And the vote he changed was part of a plan to split the vote between Russell and Parvati in order to get one of them out and avoid idol bounce-back. For all the talk of how well Parvati played that season, and for all of Russell's bluster about how he is the greatest, they both would have been out pre-merge if Tyson hadn't decided he knew better than a split vote strategy.

[BK1978]

I sort of look like the guy that Amanda is going to be marrying.  So that means theoretically a schlub like me could have had a chance with Amanda?  Now I am going to curse the fact that I do not live in Montana...