S38.E07: There’s Always a Twist

[MisterBluxom]

8 hours ago, mojoween said:

But for cod’s sack these people were VOTED OUT.  Can they just be gone already?  I mean I can’t miss you if you don’t GO.  Thank goodness two of them bailed.

Agreed. Worst twist ever. Your getting really stupid Probst.

[dstann]

6 hours ago, knitorpurl said:

Should rename this season The Edge of Eternity because no one ever leaves!  The only way out is to remove yourself from the game. Thankfully Keith and Wendy opted out.

So Ponderosa is going to be weird this season.  You would expect most people to go to EoE when they are voted off.  A couple may quit instead but that will be weird just having a couple of people at Ponderosa.

[ProfCrash]

The Jury is the Jury so I think that anyone who goes to EoE is on the Jury. So we will hear Jeff say “For the first time in Surivir histoy, the first player voted out is going to cast a vote for the winner.” Or something similarly stupid.

[violet and green]

3 hours ago, MsTree said:

For the first time I noticed something (a sound) about Wendy. What are her health issues?

She has Tourette's, or Tourette Syndrome - she explained it to her tribe on the first episode, and Reem took her under her wing. When stressed she makes involuntary noises and twitches, etc.

Edited March 28, 2019 by violet and green
typo

[cooksdelight]

5 hours ago, GaT said:

So it wasn''t just me, I couldn't figure out how I missed Wendy & Keith saying they were leaving. Why would they leave something like that out of the show?

I guess I must have been out of the room when two people surrendered, WTF? Wendy has the blue hair, and Keith is sorta cute with a beard? I have no idea who any of these people are and it’s feeling like this season is never going to end. Why do the outcasts get to sit on the jury? Or are they just there for the hell of it?

[Bryce Lynch]

I really don't get what passes for strategy with these players.

Wentworth should have been thrilled, not upset, that Rick won the challenge.  He was reluctantly voted out, after all the weeping and gnashing of teeth at the kumbaya TC.  He would be the most likely EOE person to work with Manu. 

It seems obvious that the Manu 5 should have stuck together and tried to bring Joe and Aurora (who were on the outs with Kama) into the fold.  That would have created a 7-6 majority.

I was greatly impressed by Julie (who I can now tell apart from Aurora) winning the immunity challenge.  But, her saying it would be immoral to vote out Rick and that it was too early to vote out Joe was foolish.  Once you get to the merge, it is NEVER too early to vote out Joe, as long as your tribe still has the numbers.

Keith and Wendy never need to be on Survivor again.  They shouldn't even be allowed to watch it any more.  Keith didn't care enough about the game and Wendy doesn't respect the game.

I almost wonder if Wendy threw the back in game challenge.  She had a big lead and was moving the ball up the maze so slowly and methodically, and then suddenly starred having numerous tics (which we have rarely seen since episode 1) and dropped the ball right at the top.  I suspect she may have either consciously or unconsciously  not wanted to win and stay in the game.

[ByaNose]

At first, I thought it was Keith & Reem who raised the mast but then saw Reem with Chris & Aubry. I was soooooo confused. They cut out a lot from the challenge to them raising the white flag. They either had way too many other things to show or TPTB were pissed off that they "quit". Either way, I don't think they would have gotten back in the game. Although, Wendy almost had it and so did Aubry. My money is on Joe getting back in the game. That's EOI was invented. LOL!!!!

[Ms Blue Jay]

The editing WAS horrible at EoE island.  It went from Keith and Wendy being overjoyed to stay to 1 second later Chris/Reem/Aubry staring at Keith and Wendy raising the mast, also just as overjoyed.  Then a split second explanation of Chris saying something like "They had Buyer's Remorse".  (I had to rewind it 3 times and then finally turn the captions on.)  Incredibly strange.

[Haleth]

Does David have an idol?  I've lost track.  If so, he, Rick, Kelley, and Lauren all have idols now.  (Sucks to be Wardog I guess.)  That could be a pretty powerful alliance if they could get over their mutual dislike.

By process of elimination I think I know who Aurora is.

I guess the EoE exiles are on the jury until they raise the mast and shuffle off to Ponderosa.  There has to be a point where the losers of the head to head EoE people are finally out.  No more chances to get back into the game.  There can't be a jury with 13 or 14 people, can there?

7 hours ago, Subrookie said:

If this, as Peaches said, was supposed to be some iconic Survivor moment, why did they spoil it a couple days ago when I was watching something totally unrelated like CBS This Morning?! 

The spoiled it with the previews from last week!

[ByaNose]

17 minutes ago, Haleth said:

Does David have an idol?  I've lost track.  If so, he, Rick, Kelley, and Lauren all have idols now.  (Sucks to be Wardog I guess.)  That could be a pretty powerful alliance if they could get over their mutual dislike.

By process of elimination I think I know who Aurora is.

I guess the EoE exiles are on the jury until they raise the mast and shuffle off to Ponderosa.  There has to be a point where the losers of the head to head EoE people are finally out.  No more chances to get back into the game.  There can't be a jury with 13 or 14 people, can there?

The spoiled it with the previews from last week!

Probst said in EW that they have set designers and can make the jury as big as needed. Baiscally, 13 or 14 might be the on the jury. I'm assuming there won't be any Ponderosa videos this year either. I'll miss that.

[marys1000]

10 hours ago, truthaboutluv said:

And that actually brings me to Wentworth and company's play here. Admittedly this season hasn't grabbed me as much as last season, so maybe my strategic thinking is off but I don't understand why Wentworth, Lauren and Wardog's play here was to cannibalize their own, while they're already down in the numbers, with a tribe that seems very loyal to each other, with the exception of one - Joe, a returning player. Which should let Wentworth know that means they're likely going to come for her and David the first chance they get. 

So I don't understand why she didn't think to ,mobilize herself, Wardog, Lauren, David, Rick and Joe who knew he was at the bottom and then play an idol to send one of the other Kama home, making the numbers a little closer. Not to mention that it may have sent enough panic and fear into the Kama group who would realize they weren't as safe as they thought and make them less smug. Instead, she went right to destroying each other in the minority while Kama continues to feel smug and superior. Awesome. 

From the beginning I've thought - any returnees should band together, esp after the merge.  Everybody is going to tgt you first why not?  You can split once you've whittled down the numbers to some other secret alliance and start blindsiding.  Of course I don't understand how 3 even made the merge in some respects but I don't understand why Joe and Aubry, Kelley and David didn't try to pull some others in with them instead of splitting up.  It was like never even on the table.  
Almost like they were told they couldn't by production? 

But had Joe, Kelley, David, Lauren, Mom Bod guy, maybe Wardog, Julie...they would be competing for numbers.  (Wait there is a Julie?  And that other blond woman I've not noticed before!?!)

Generally these guys don't seem to have much strategy, or somehow editing isn't catching it.  

Agree with the EoE guys on the jury.  Sure...let them come and watch tribals.  Be on the official Jury?  No.  

Honestly I thought Jeffie's stiffie was going to poke my eye out when he was introducing the EoE twist.  I think these stupid ideas all come back to him.

Edited March 28, 2019 by marys1000

[Eolivet]

17 minutes ago, Haleth said:

I guess the EoE exiles are on the jury until they raise the mast and shuffle off to Ponderosa.  There has to be a point where the losers of the head to head EoE people are finally out.  No more chances to get back into the game.  There can't be a jury with 13 or 14 people, can there?

My guess is -- and this would be the only fair way to do it -- after the final "Buy-back Edge of Extinction EXTRAVAGANZA!" the pre-merge boots will go home, and the post-merge boots will go to Ponderosa and sit on the jury.

That doesn't address the patently unfair fact that the one winner of the BBEOEE will have insight into tribal dynamics, despite not even being part of the game, but.

(Which reminds me: with the buy-back comp and someone on Twitter saying Julie was acting like HoH in Big Brother with her immunity win [i.e., "you need to vote for who I say"], maybe the buy-back comp will be puzzles of themselves they'll have to complete.

Joe will lose when he can't get the lustrous waves in his hair to match exactly.)

[Bryce Lynch]

In past jailbreak challenges, did they have the notches at the end of the poles to snag the key rings?

It seemed a lot easier than in past seasons.  Some of the poles looked like wet noodles, but they were still able to get the keys back to them.

[marys1000]

1 hour ago, Bryce Lynch said:

Wentworth should have been thrilled, not upset, that Rick won the challenge.  He was reluctantly voted out, after all the weeping and gnashing of teeth at the kumbaya TC.  He would be the most likely EOE person to work with Manu. 

It seems obvious that the Manu 5 should have stuck together and tried to bring Joe and Aurora (who were on the outs with Kama) into the fold.  That would have created a 7-6 majority.

I was greatly impressed by Julie (who I can now tell apart from Aurora) winning the immunity challenge.  But, her saying it would be immoral to vote out Rick and that it was too early to vote out Joe was foolish.  Once you get to the merge, it is NEVER too early to vote out Joe, as long as your tribe still has the numbers.

Keith and Wendy never need to be on Survivor again.  They shouldn't even be allowed to watch it any more.  Keith didn't care enough about the game and Wendy doesn't respect the game.

I almost wonder if Wendy threw the back in game challenge.  She had a big lead and was moving the ball up the maze so slowly and methodically, and then suddenly starred having numerous tics (which we have rarely seen since episode 1) and dropped the ball right at the top.  I suspect she may have either consciously or unconsciously  not wanted to win and stay in the game.

I know Kelley said having Rick back was the worst for her in her talking head but I distinctly remember her jumping up and down like a crazy women when he won.   I think she is getting a weird edit.  I don't really remember her from previous seasons (poor memory in general) so all the Kelley love/hate is not there for me.  I know people have been saying she seems really bitter this season so I've been watching.  I think the editors are purposefully editing in clips of her looking mad or sour with clips that are probably from some other time period.  Like that is the character they've given her this season.  

Yea, the so obvious alliance vs. Kama not happening really makes me wonder wtf is going on.  Production tampering?
Not sure about Wendy throwing a challenge, that seems a bit much.  She just doesn't seem that....thoughtful?    Now Joe throwing his challenge......I thought his fall looked a little fake.  Either he thought "not being so great" at challenges was a last ditch effort to not seem like such a threat or Production wanted him to go to EoE

Just put this here for everyone althought it doesn't say much

https://www.goldderby.com/article/2019/joe-anglim-survivor-38-exit-interview-blindside-merge/

Edited March 28, 2019 by marys1000

[seacliffsal]

I was surprised what a big deal Jeff made of the EoE losers having the potential to come back into the game.  It's one thing to state that there's always a twist.  It's another thing to talk about iconic moments and how this twist might be an instant iconic moment.  So much confidence and glee for a huge fail of an idea (IMO).  

And, I agree with others that once Joe learned about EoE he didn't care about trying to stay in the real game.  On EoE nobody has to have any strategy as it's a competition to get back into the game.  So, much like Ozzy with Redemption Island, I think Joe figured why not just take a chance on EoE.  Although it's hard on EoE at least they don't have to worry about Tribal Councils and being voted out.  Joe can just fish, swim, and hang out until the next competition (which Jeff announced [that there would be another chance for someone to re-enter the game]).

I really dislike Kelly-she always seems bitter and I have no idea why.  Normally I enjoy snarky comments, but her comment when she saw Chris enter with the other EoEers just hit me wrong.  Oh well.

Guess I'm rooting for Rick, David, and Julie.  Maybe the players don't really care anymore about strategy as they have the chance to come back in with EoE.  At least on Redemption Island people were finally eliminated.  I don't like everyone staying around for the whole game.  It just seems...wrong.

[nutty1]

2 hours ago, violet and green said:

She has Tourette's, or Tourette Syndrome - she explained it to her tribe on the first episode, and Reem took her under her wing. When stressed she makes involuntary noises and twitches, etc.

She seems so childlike. I certainly feel bad for her having Tourette’s, but I really could not stand watching her. Hope she enjoyed lots of cheeseburgers. 

[SuburbanHangSuite]

I really like Joe but what was he thinking?  Maybe it was editing but his random cloth painting while people were plotting his departure?  Pure laziness.  Or arrogance.  Actually both.

Ugh, Wentworth is such a cockroach.  I really thought she'd be gone this week. I'm sick of Aubry and her overly dramatic self too.

The wily chickens are the best part of this stupid season.

[Nashville]

12 hours ago, mojoween said:

But for cod’s sack these people were VOTED OUT.  Can they just be gone already?  I mean I can’t miss you if you don’t GO.  

Swear to god, they just won’t go away - they’re like the Houseguests From Hell, or the Worst Ex-Girlfriend Ever.

11 hours ago, vb68 said:

I really do think Joe kinda chose to give up and just take his chances on the Extinction challenge. He's better than even money to win it.

Personally I thought this was one of the best things which could have happened to Joe; he’s now in an eviction-free zone where he can coast all the way into F4 (or whenever EoE’s last re-entry shot is) and win his way back in without having to play any of the strategic or social facets of the game, which are the parts he really sucks at.

11 hours ago, Caseysgirl said:

Joe looked like a good looking Pirate of the Caribbean with his thick mane of hair and the red bandana.

Only thing Joe was missing was the eyeliner.  😄

[ProfCrash]

2 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I really don't get what passes for strategy with these players.

Wentworth should have been thrilled, not upset, that Rick won the challenge.  He was reluctantly voted out, after all the weeping and gnashing of teeth at the kumbaya TC.  He would be the most likely EOE person to work with Manu. 

It seems obvious that the Manu 5 should have stuck together and tried to bring Joe and Aurora (who were on the outs with Kama) into the fold.  That would have created a 7-6 majority.

I was greatly impressed by Julie (who I can now tell apart from Aurora) winning the immunity challenge.  But, her saying it would be immoral to vote out Rick and that it was too early to vote out Joe was foolish.  Once you get to the merge, it is NEVER too early to vote out Joe, as long as your tribe still has the numbers.

Keith and Wendy never need to be on Survivor again.  They shouldn't even be allowed to watch it any more.  Keith didn't care enough about the game and Wendy doesn't respect the game.

I almost wonder if Wendy threw the back in game challenge.  She had a big lead and was moving the ball up the maze so slowly and methodically, and then suddenly starred having numerous tics (which we have rarely seen since episode 1) and dropped the ball right at the top.  I suspect she may have either consciously or unconsciously  not wanted to win and stay in the game.

Rick knows that Kelly choose Lauren over him. That tells Rick and David where they stand in the tribe pecking order and it is at the bottom. With their original tribe being so decimated, it makes sense that Rick and David would look to work with Kama. Honestly, the only EoE person Kelly, Dan, and Lauren should have been happy with would have been Aubrey. The three of them were responsible for the others on EoE and some in not the nicest of manners. Chris was totally blindside by Dan. Reem was called out for being annoying. Wendy was unstable, well she was and she had already sold them out. Keith was blindsided, he thought it was Kelly going home. Rick's departure might have been sad and we don't want to do this but it still told him he was at the bottom of his original tribe.

Manu knew they couldn't stay together as a voting block, they had already revealed that David and Rick were on the bottom and David and Rick are not going to accept that. They might have if Kelly and Lauren had pulled everyone together and said, OK, we need to vote out the Kama folks. Kelly and David pull over Joe and we use the immunity idols to vote out a Kama member. So as soon as they knew Joe was the target, tell Joe. Play idol on Joe, send home Ron. Now Manu has their five, plus Joe for 6. Better numbers and a good reason to stick together. Kama has 5 or 6? Either way, Kama doesn't have the number to split the vote and Manu has two idols now (Rick and Lauren). Joe wins immunity. Manu tries to find out who the target is, uses an idol.

The sharing of idols and advantages worked last season, I know they had not seen last season, because the players were smart enough to figure it out. No such brilliant play this season. instead the minority tribe decides to eat its own.

Idiots

2 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

The editing WAS horrible at EoE island.  It went from Keith and Wendy being overjoyed to stay to 1 second later Chris/Reem/Aubry staring at Keith and Wendy raising the mast, also just as overjoyed.  Then a split second explanation of Chris saying something like "They had Buyer's Remorse".  (I had to rewind it 3 times and then finally turn the captions on.)  Incredibly strange.

I suspect that there was not much to Reem and Keiths decision. I suspect that there was initial excitement that they were in the game still. And on the trip back to EoE there was time to think about their chances to win their way back in and the two of them decided they were done. Wendy was almost chipper when she was voted out last time. Keith has sucked at every challenge they have had. Both were able to leave the game saying that they had tried, stuck it out, and were good. Not exactly exciting TV. I don't think the decision was all that angsty or hard so the confessionals would have been dry and boring.

[blackwing]

Here is an interview from Wendy in which she insists that in fact she actually did not quit the game.

https://ew.com/tv/2019/03/28/survivor-wendy-diaz-edge-of-extinction/

So odd.  As the article states, one second she was cheering the fact that she would get another chance to get back in, the next we see her and Keith raising the sail.  There's still no actual explanation.  I guess she claims she "gave it her all" and never gave up on EoE.  I don't buy that she didn't think she could compete against the others.  She was mere seconds away from winning the challenge.

Now Keith on the other hand, is a lost cause.  He is a delicate flower and the game should have swiped left on him ages ago.  I am still irritated at him for making Chris lose.

[EllipticalAddicted]

2 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I almost wonder if Wendy threw the back in game challenge.  She had a big lead and was moving the ball up the maze so slowly and methodically, and then suddenly starred having numerous tics (which we have rarely seen since episode 1) and dropped the ball right at the top.  I suspect she may have either consciously or unconsciously  not wanted to win and stay in the game.

 Perhaps her symptoms come out during stressful events?   Or perhaps editing chose not to focus on her symptoms as much during her regular episodes.    I thought she was going to win and it was going to be a tearful Probst talking about everything she had to conquer to win her way back into the game.    

Today I learned that Devin is the same person as Rick, is that correct?  

I miss Christian.

[watch2much]

58 minutes ago, Nashville said:

Personally I thought this was one of the best things which could have happened to Joe; he’s now in an eviction-free zone where he can coast all the way into F4 (or whenever EoE’s last re-entry shot is) and win his way back in without having to play any of the strategic or social facets of the game, which are the parts he really sucks at.

This was my thought as well.  If he had remained, he'd have to win individual immunity every time to guarantee his safety.  If he comes back later in the game, there will be less challenges he'll have to do that.  his biggest competition on EOE is Chris but Joe has experience on his side.

I know Reem isn't likable, but I have to give her credit for choosing to stay in the game.  She has to know her chances of winning a spot back are limited, yet she still wants to compete.

[Special K]

With such a bad cast, I'm actually liking the idea of Reem becoming a kind of sour Greek chorus commenting on the whole affair.  "Oh, for God's Sake!"  "Lame!"  She is becoming us.  🙂

Also, Julie, who won the challenge, and Reem are the same age.  Just something to think about.  Subsisting on pure bile will age you, people.

[EllipticalAddicted]

Did I miss something about Reem and Chris?   Why does she seem to hate him so much?   Last week was tense.

[ByaNose]

3 minutes ago, EllipticalAddicted said:

 Perhaps her symptoms come out during stressful events?   Or perhaps editing chose not to focus on her symptoms as much during her regular episodes.    I thought she was going to win and it was going to be a tearful Probst talking about everything she had to conquer to win her way back into the game.    

Today I learned that Devin is the same person as Rick, is that correct?  

I miss Christian.

Yes, Devin and Rick are the one and same. Apprently, Rick asked Jeff to call him by his last name and Jeff said yes. Wendy also asked Jeff to call her Big Wendy and he said no. LOL!!!

[Nashville]

4 hours ago, EllipticalAddicted said:

 Perhaps her symptoms come out during stressful events?

IIRC in Episode 1, Wendy specifically stated her Tourette symptoms were aggravated/amplified by stress.

ETA: Found it; Wendy’s Tourette symptoms manifest most strongly when she’s excited, or attempting to strongly focus/concentrate on a task - both of which might apply to a high-stress situation.

https://youtu.be/gzKYSxdE5Zs

Edited March 28, 2019 by Nashville

[ProfCrash]

I don't know if leaving EoE is quitting. She was voted out and lost the competition to return to the game. Would it have been a quit if she had not returned to EoE but stayed on the beach? Is it a quit if they choose not to go to EoE? I think it is something totally different. She went out, she played her game, she was voted out, she almost got back in, she left the game. (shrugs)

I think quitting is leaving the main game for anything other then being voted out or medical. Evaluating your chances of getting back in and then your chances of making it to the FTC and then your chances of winning at FTC and weighing that against a nice bed and a cheeseburger and some time to relax on someone elses dime is legit.

I can see a Chris or a Rick potentially winning if they get back in the game. Chris was a legit blindside because he was making strategic moves and winning challenges. He was a threat. He misread his alliance with Dan, that was his downfall, but Chris was a threat. Rick was voted out because someone had to be voted out. That is all. It wans't done with malice but because someone had to go and Dan decided that Rick was a bigger threat then Lauren. Reem might be able to make the case because of how long she stayed on EoE. She lived in harsh conditions, played the game and earned her way in. Hopefully she chills out now and gets along with Chris now that the first chance has passed. Reem could figure out that she needs to get along better with Kama members who are voted off and figure out how to patch things up with the Manu folks as they are voted off. It is more of a stretch but if Reem chills out, she could earn a ton of respect from the Jury and win at FTC.

But there was no chance for Keith or Wendy. Keith was never winning his way back on and Wendy was too far out there. I don't think she could have done anything to repair her reputation and I don't think she cared enough to repair the damage. She had fun playing and was done.

[laurakaye]

11 hours ago, willco said:

I am kind of glad Keith gave up & left ( sorry if that's mean) but I just never liked him-- too sneaky and that thing he pulled with Reem & the clue ( even though I don't care for her either), didn't set well with me.

I stopped liking him when he stood at the signposts for two hours after being voted out, trying to decide which way to go.  I personally wouldn't last three days on Survivor, but if you're lucky enough to be cast, you'd better really want it - otherwise back out and give someone else a chance.

11 hours ago, cooksdelight said:

I’d give anything for a season with no idols, no dramatic music, no funky twists. Just sit them all out there with a bag of rice and one chicken.

THIS.  Except skip the chicken.  I am hoping against hope that Season 40 blows our minds with bringing back a simple, straightforward game with less random twists.  I don't even need immunity idols!

8 hours ago, KimberStormer said:

I don't think it was that there was too much going on.  It's that the editing is garbage.  I swear they spent fifteen minutes with the EDGE challenge losers bawling and being interviewed, one by one, by Jeff, boringly, pointlessly, making me want to raise the sail myself to escape from them.

And THIS TOO.  Geez, we had to watch each EOE member tell their life stories, watch Aubrey sob to the point of making me uncomfortable, only to hear Probst say - "Hahaha!  Gotcha!  Now get back to that bleak, bug-infested, climb the mountain for one spoonful of rice, random advantage-having island, you rascals!"  Talk about LAME.  

3 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

Keith and Wendy never need to be on Survivor again.  They shouldn't even be allowed to watch it any more.  Keith didn't care enough about the game and Wendy doesn't respect the game.

Keith I understood because he can't make a decision to save his life, and never should've been cast in the first place (see rant above).  Wendy, on the other hand, had been on EOE for a shorter time and seemed to be having no real issues - in fact, she seemed oddly jovial and thrilled to be waving good-bye to Survivor.  It made no sense to me, especially - as others have pointed out - there was zero lead-up to them leaving.  

2 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

In past jailbreak challenges, did they have the notches at the end of the poles to snag the key rings?

It seemed a lot easier than in past seasons.  Some of the poles looked like wet noodles, but they were still able to get the keys back to them.

I am 99.9% sure that there have never been notches before.  And everyone constructed their poles with the notch at the correct end, which - unless they were given a heads-up by Probst - seems like a reach when you're trying to get that thing put together as fast as you can.

I guess I am rooting for Wentworth to win?  Even though she's extra salty this season?  I don't know, I either don't like/can't identify/hate the gameplay of everyone else.

[blackwing]

20 minutes ago, EllipticalAddicted said:

Did I miss something about Reem and Chris?   Why does she seem to hate him so much?   Last week was tense.

I believe it started because she knows he voted her out.  And then he voted Keith out despite the fact that he and Keith seemed like they were allies.  When he showed up to EoE she acted like he had committed this horrible sin by voting for her.  Even though she tried to get Kelley out and that voting someone out is part of the game.  The ultimate reason I think, however, is that she is a bitter woman.  And once they found out they were competing against each other for advantages and to get back in the game, I think she is generally jealous of him.  He's younger, stronger, athletic and she probably thinks it is unfair.

She is a very opinionated woman and she doesn't care that she rubs people the wrong way.  I really think she has absolutely no idea how she comes across.

[DannyRugg]

I wish Probst would bring back Natalie Napalm from last year to "supervise" the inhabitants of Loser Island. Dude, watching Reem deal with her would be EPIC, dude. NOT lame! Additionally I am also glad that the annoying and useless Keith departed--he and Reem both appear obsessed with ragging on Chris, who seems like an amiable enough fellow. Natalie could also use her napalm to take Warthog down a few notches if and when he shows up on EofE . I would love for him to be followed quickly by Pippi Longstocking and the annoying raised eyebrow dude (Rob?). If Natalie isn't available, maybe supermodel/water expert/professor/daytrader/beautician Debbie!

[Nashville]

IMHO both Keith and Wendy DORed because for all intents and purposes, they thought their opportunities for impact in the game were finished.  

Everybody in the post-Rick EoE group was initially thrilled when Probst told them there was another chance to re-enter the game, sure - but upon reflection, I suspect both (Keith, especially) took one look at Joe and Chris and said, “There’s no way on earth I’m beating these two in a challenge - so why am I wasting my time here on this godforsaken sand spit, when I could be chowing down on cheeseburgers and sleeping in a REAL bed at Ponderosa?”  

Wendy’s appraisal may have been a bit different - she did very well in the first EoE Challenge, after all - but I suspect she knew even if she DID win her way back into the game that (a) she had antagonized so many people that she’d be dumped again at the first opportunity, and (b) there was no way in hell she had a shot at garnering enough votes to win the main prize.  Compared to that, a Fiji staycation at Ponderosa sure doesn’t suck.

Lastly: given Peachy’s penchant for the dramatic, I doubt any of the EoEers knew they were Jury until the boat pulled up on the beach to ferry them to TC - so when Keith and Wendy decided to raise the sail, neither knew they were passing up on continued opportunity to impact the game.  Maybe if they’d waited a full day or more after returning...?

[threebluestars]

I think a good "twist" would be a throw back season. You get no idols. No advantages. No islands. Nothing. Just rice and a machete. That's all. Like the early seasons.

[Etta Place]

One other thing I meant to say after the show last night but instead got absorbed in wondering who these people were (and this morning reading through the thread I just realized I have no idea who Eric is ...googling... Oh! Hebrew tattoo guy):

I think voting out Joe right away might have been a poor decision because it gives him the maximum amount of time out there on EoE to find whatever advantages may be offered. 

[Special K]

1 minute ago, threebluestars said:

I think a good "twist" would be a throw back season. You get no idols. No advantages. No islands. Nothing. Just rice and a machete. That's all. Like the early seasons.

The best part of this would be the mind games it would play on the contestants, constantly looking for/expecting twists and idols.

[RedbirdNelly]

9 hours ago, 30 Helens said:

When Wendy was playing, I was extremely impressed by how well she was doing despite struggling to overcome her tics, while at the same time feeling ashamed of myself for hoping she wouldn’t win. Because she was sooo annoying, but... damn, girl. Respect.

I had  the same exact reaction. I wanted her to lose--did not want her to come back especially since it appears she was at EoE for about 5 minutes--but she was impressive. If she wasn't annoying I would have been loudly cheering for her.

I watched the episode but I guess I fastforwarded past Keith and Wendy quitting. I only realized they did quit from reading it here. I guess I need to lay off the fast forward button.

Did they make it clear the EOE crew are on the jury versus just allowed to see the deliberations so they have some clue?

I was pleased that the EOE continues--solely because if it didn't, the whole thing was not new at all and the claims this was some big deal were even flatter than I expected. We've previously had people with a 2nd shot compete so that one came back in--if that was it, the only twist would be the others not knowing (and not sure of the real twist from the Lil season). So at least this is different.

that being said--I'd prefer not to have the EOE situation at all---but if we're stuck with it, I'm glad it continues just so we at least have something different to consider.

Ron/tie dude whose name I just learned will hopefully fall flat on his face first. I wonder if he doesn't understand that the confessional is shown to TV viewers and not others in the game--because otherwise his confessional about how Joe did the wrong thing and gave him vague answers. We're not idiots. You were going for Joe for obvious reasons--what he said or didn't say had no bearing on that. Ron: you may have been trying to trick Joe into thinking you were on his team and taking his lead but the viewers at home know that is not true--so stop pretending Joe's words to you drove any part of your decision.

I echo others who marvel at Joe's hair. It is truly stunning. I have horrible bed head/need a shower every day for my hair to look decent and I'm certain if I was on the show there would be a trending hashtag #whatiswrongwithherhair

and people here would be discussing how amazingly awful my hair was.

[preeya]

Survivor: Edge of Extinction’s merge episode was a hot mess.

Read it here:  https://goo.gl/AocC7X

[Special K]

2 minutes ago, RedbirdNelly said:

I echo others who marvel at Joe's hair. It is truly stunning. I have horrible bed head/need a shower every day for my hair to look decent and I'm certain if I was on the show there would be a trending hashtag #whatiswrongwithherhair

and people here would be discussing how amazingly awful my hair was.

LOL!  Actually most hair does better without shampooing, especially curly/coarse hair like Joe's.

[Lamima]

3 hours ago, marys1000 said:

From the beginning I've thought - any returnees should band together, esp after the merge.  Everybody is going to tgt you first why not?  You can split once you've whittled down the numbers to some other secret alliance and start blindsiding.  Of course I don't understand how 3 even made the merge in some respects but I don't understand why Joe and Aubry, Kelley and David didn't try to pull some others in with them instead of splitting up.  It was like never even on the table.  
Almost like they were told they couldn't by production? 

But had Joe, Kelley, David, Lauren, Mom Bod guy, maybe Wardog, Julie...they would be competing for numbers.  (Wait there is a Julie?  And that other blond woman I've not noticed before!?!)

Generally these guys don't seem to have much strategy, or somehow editing isn't catching it.  

Agree with the EoE guys on the jury.  Sure...let them come and watch tribals.  Be on the official Jury?  No.  

Honestly I thought Jeffie's stiffie was going to poke my eye out when he was introducing the EoE twist.  I think these stupid ideas all come back to him.

I think Jeffie has been hanging out with Kirkman, Gimple and Kang.

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, EllipticalAddicted said:

Did I miss something about Reem and Chris?   Why does she seem to hate him so much?   Last week was tense.

Reem hates Chris because he was one of the 7 people (including her buddy Keith) who were part of the plan to vote her out first.  Wendy was the only one who didn't vote her her or for Wendy are the backup plan in case of an idol.   But, she hate Chris the most for some reason.  

[JudyObscure]

For all her selective vegetarianism and lack of serious gameplay, I have so much respect for Wendy for just being out there in that hungry, sleep deprived environment with all her tics blazing.  I've heard people with tourettes say it's like fighting an urge to scratch all day, and kids come home from school and just let their tics fly for about an hour before they can rest.  I expect she was more relaxed about it on EoE, but even so, I think being exhausted would have made her so much twitchier and then the twitching itself is tiring.

Chris said something to the effect that EoE was unique because everyone dropped their game-persona and were just their raw selves.  That may be why I love it.  I wouldn't want it every season, but just this once, I'm finding it fascinating and wish we spent more time there.

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, blackwing said:

Here is an interview from Wendy in which she insists that in fact she actually did not quit the game.

https://ew.com/tv/2019/03/28/survivor-wendy-diaz-edge-of-extinction/

So odd.  As the article states, one second she was cheering the fact that she would get another chance to get back in, the next we see her and Keith raising the sail.  There's still no actual explanation.  I guess she claims she "gave it her all" and never gave up on EoE.  I don't buy that she didn't think she could compete against the others.  She was mere seconds away from winning the challenge.

Now Keith on the other hand, is a lost cause.  He is a delicate flower and the game should have swiped left on him ages ago.  I am still irritated at him for making Chris lose.

Li'l Wendy is a piece of work.  She was given a 3rd chance in the game and she, instead, chose to quit and go to Ponderosa and eat cheeseburgers while her old tribemates tried to catch the chickens she stole and set free.  

If she had gotten back in the game, I think she would have had a decent shot at making FTC as a goat.  

I lost pretty much all respect for him for raising the sail as well.  I like Chris, but I don't blame Keith for giving him the knots.  That was a smart game play decision.  

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, EllipticalAddicted said:

 Perhaps her symptoms come out during stressful events?   Or perhaps editing chose not to focus on her symptoms as much during her regular episodes.    I thought she was going to win and it was going to be a tearful Probst talking about everything she had to conquer to win her way back into the game.    

Today I learned that Devin is the same person as Rick, is that correct?  

I miss Christian.

It could have been the stress.  But, she didn't seem to have those sort of tics in other challenges, though this was probably the most stressful one.

I think it is also possible that her subconscious ambivalence about continuing in the game brought on her symptoms and/or caused her to fail right at the end of the maze, when she had been doing so well.  The fact that she bailed almost as soon as she got back to EOE strongly suggests her heart was not really in it anymore.  

[RedbirdNelly]

28 minutes ago, Special K said:

LOL!  Actually most hair does better without shampooing, especially curly/coarse hair like Joe's.

I submit I'm the opposite and feel reasonably sure--due to the 2010 flood when we were asked to cut our water use in half and I did my part, skipping my usual routine. Just yuck. :)

[TVbitch]

... ...there's a Ron? 

... ...there's an Eric?!

... ...there's an Aurora?!!

This twist has not allowed us to settle in and get to know the players. Thus, it is hard to care. 

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, ProfCrash said:

Rick knows that Kelly choose Lauren over him. That tells Rick and David where they stand in the tribe pecking order and it is at the bottom. With their original tribe being so decimated, it makes sense that Rick and David would look to work with Kama. Honestly, the only EoE person Kelly, Dan, and Lauren should have been happy with would have been Aubrey. The three of them were responsible for the others on EoE and some in not the nicest of manners. Chris was totally blindside by Dan. Reem was called out for being annoying. Wendy was unstable, well she was and she had already sold them out. Keith was blindsided, he thought it was Kelly going home. Rick's departure might have been sad and we don't want to do this but it still told him he was at the bottom of his original tribe.

Manu knew they couldn't stay together as a voting block, they had already revealed that David and Rick were on the bottom and David and Rick are not going to accept that. They might have if Kelly and Lauren had pulled everyone together and said, OK, we need to vote out the Kama folks. Kelly and David pull over Joe and we use the immunity idols to vote out a Kama member. So as soon as they knew Joe was the target, tell Joe. Play idol on Joe, send home Ron. Now Manu has their five, plus Joe for 6. Better numbers and a good reason to stick together. Kama has 5 or 6? Either way, Kama doesn't have the number to split the vote and Manu has two idols now (Rick and Lauren). Joe wins immunity. Manu tries to find out who the target is, uses an idol.

The sharing of idols and advantages worked last season, I know they had not seen last season, because the players were smart enough to figure it out. No such brilliant play this season. instead the minority tribe decides to eat its own.

Idiots

I suspect that there was not much to Reem and Keiths decision. I suspect that there was initial excitement that they were in the game still. And on the trip back to EoE there was time to think about their chances to win their way back in and the two of them decided they were done. Wendy was almost chipper when she was voted out last time. Keith has sucked at every challenge they have had. Both were able to leave the game saying that they had tried, stuck it out, and were good. Not exactly exciting TV. I don't think the decision was all that angsty or hard so the confessionals would have been dry and boring.

But, none of the Manu/Lesu Browns really had any better options than than sticking together and pulling in Joe and Aurora.    

And who says Rick and David would have to stay at the bottom?  Kelley and Lauren were getting fed up with The Warthog, so they might have put Rick and David ahead of him.  Plus, they would be adding at least 2 Kama members to the new alliance (probably Joe and Aurora), so if David and Rick got in good with the 2 from Kama, they could have taken over the alliance.

A Lesu, plus Joe and Aurora would have given them a 7-6 numbers advantage (7-5 after TC) and would have provided a lot of potential upward mobility for all 7 members, as there was no strong 4 person bloc, not even a rock solid 3 person bloc, given how L&K and soured on Warthog.   Spots in the alliance hierarchy would have been totally up for grabs.

Now, Joe is on EOE (with Reem), Aurora is isolated, and the Lesu Browns are down 7-4-1 and seem on their way to being Pagonged.      

[Dawn16]

17 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

It could have been the stress.  But, she didn't seem to have those sort of tics in other challenges, though this was probably the most stressful one.

I think it is also possible that her subconscious ambivalence about continuing in the game brought on her symptoms and/or caused her to fail right at the end of the maze, when she had been doing so well.  The fact that she bailed almost as soon as she got back to EOE strongly suggests her heart was not really in it anymore.  

I have a kid with Tourette's.  We were very sympathetic watching her tic in the competition.   One thing about tics is that they are often worse when you really don't want to tic.  We noticed her tics often during other episodes, but they were definitely more noticeable during the competition.  As someone said, it's incredibly exhausting and stressful to suppress tics.   And, the tics are also physically exhausting and sometimes painful.  It's also not that unusual to (1) have impulse control problems with TS that go beyond tics; and (2) either embrace quirkiness and stop caring what people think of you, or become bitter because people (especially other kids) can be very cruel.  That said, my kid was cheering against Wendy because of the chickens.  

[Ms Blue Jay]

2 hours ago, ProfCrash said:

I suspect that there was not much to Reem and Keiths decision. I suspect that there was initial excitement that they were in the game still. And on the trip back to EoE there was time to think about their chances to win their way back in and the two of them decided they were done. Wendy was almost chipper when she was voted out last time. Keith has sucked at every challenge they have had. Both were able to leave the game saying that they had tried, stuck it out, and were good. Not exactly exciting TV. I don't think the decision was all that angsty or hard so the confessionals would have been dry and boring.

To me it's very exciting and interesting as I've never had a season of Survivor with this theme so yeah, I'd like to see the decision process.  And it was a huge switch of emotion in seemingly the blink of an eye. So focus on more of that please.

Edited March 28, 2019 by Ms Blue Jay

[Special K]

9 minutes ago, Dawn16 said:

I have a kid with Tourette's.  We were very sympathetic watching her tic in the competition.   One thing about tics is that they are often worse when you really don't want to tic.  We noticed her tics often during other episodes, but they were definitely more noticeable during the competition.  As someone said, it's incredibly exhausting and stressful to suppress tics.   And, the tics are also physically exhausting and sometimes painful.  It's also not that unusual to (1) have impulse control problems with TS that go beyond tics; and (2) either embrace quirkiness and stop caring what people think of you, or become bitter because people (especially other kids) can be very cruel.  That said, my kid was cheering against Wendy because of the chickens.  

This is off-topic, but here in NYC our Public Advocate, Jumaane Williams, who narrowly lost the race for State Attorney General last year, has Tourette's.  It is barely ever mentioned or made a big deal of since he has been in public life here for years, but you do see his tics, etc., when he's being interviewed, etc. 

[iMonrey]

I agree with the general consensus that "Edge of Extinction" lowers the stakes in this game considerably. I'd say the chances that Joe won't win the next challenge to re-enter the game are very low given the nature of these things. 

I also don't understand why Wendy and Keith said "yes" to returning to EoE then promptly raised the mast upon doing so. Seemed very staged to me. I think they probably said "no" initially and then the producers told them to go make it symbolic for a camera shot because they feared nobody would ever raise the damn mast. 

So, is Joe a pirate now? With the handlebar mustache, permed hair and bandanna? He definitely looks like one of the Pirates of the Caribbean. I think he thinks he does too. He probably wishes they would have let him wear guyliner.

Can someone explain what the hell Wentworth ever did to become such a "fan favorite" she's been back twice? I never saw her original season, that I can recall - was there some memorable gameplay on her part I'm unaware of? She just seems kind of bitter and useless to me. I don't get why she keeps coming back. 

Quote

Bye Wendy...hope CBS replants you to BIG BROTHER...that would be exquisite seeing you drive the other houseguests crazy

The weirdo girl with the tinted hair is almost always the first person evicted on Big Brother.

[meep.meep]

15 hours ago, Haleth said:

Now I regret complaining that we hadn't seen some of these people. Ron and Victoria are smug and unpleasant. Hope their plans implode and they get voted out before the former hapless loser team. 

There's an Eric?

Eric is the dark haired guy on Kama.  The one who doesn't have a southern accent.  

12 hours ago, Etta Place said:

Did we (me) miss a reward challenge last episode where Joe got a shower, shave and mustache wax? He looked seriously cleaned up this episode. 

Also, I’m with everyone else who doesn’t know half these players. I didn’t know Gavin’s name, and I was surprised to learn there was both a Julie and a Julia... then I came to the forum and thought “Ron? Where was there a Ron?”

The only time it's been easy to tell people apart is when they did the seasons with four initial tribes, based on easily discernable characteristics.  There was one done by race, and one done by sex/age.  There was lots of outcry about doing that, so it hasn't come back.

Why didn't Rick/Devins try to use his split idol to get in good with someone on the Kama side, rather than with his old buddy David?  He was a likely boot out - why not go to Joe or Aurora or Julie and make a new friend?