S38.E13: Idol or Bust

[Tsunami1981]

I didn't like Rick in the beginning, but I don't mind him now. I guess it's the lesser of many evils, except for Lauren & Gavin, I don't mind them either. Wise move by Rick to show his idol and bluff, sending Aurora to Extinction. 

Edge of Extinction looks like a homeless encampment; low spirits & low morale...pretty sad scene.

BTW, Survivor went Hollywood and flew Jack Sparrow in to sit on the jury.

Edited May 9, 2019 by Ike Mana

[North of Eden]

 

 

1

29 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

At least it's almost over. At least Edge of Exinction will more than likely become extinct. And at least the EoE decisions have pre-empted Probst's "And That's One To Grow On" thoughts after Tribal.

I miss your individual breakdowns you use to do of each player. They were fun. Just sayin'

[ljenkins782]

57 minutes ago, vb68 said:

It's interesting, though. I don't think Aurora is liked enough to be an actual threat. I haven't actually understood it. Sure she's abrasive, but substantially more than anybody else? But for whatever reason, she's never going to gather enough vores. Julie probably has Ron, and she will turn on the waterworks and say she loves everyone blah blah blah. I don't think she'll win either, but she could steal a couple of votes. Aurora would be lucky to get one vote.

I have no faith in Aurora being able to put forth a compelling FTC performance even if she were to get back in and make it to the end. She seems to have foot-in-mouth syndrome and isn't great at making people come on board with her ideas. 

She also seems like she locked in a bit too hard in her determination to get rid of Rick. She, who's been perpetually on the outs, steadfastly refused to work with another person on the outs for even a vote or two. Just a smidgen more flexibility in her options in the votes leading up to this one might have saved her.

Quote

I am not so sure about that. Rick talked about how if he gave Julie the immunity idol that Victoria-Gavin-Lauren alliance would get paranoid and start turning on each other.  This didn't happen. None of them looked panic at tribal council. We didn't see any talking amongst themselves after Rick reveled his bluff. No one got up to talk to each other like they have done too many times before. I am sure the jury noticed this too.  

Could be, but Aurora is also a pretty safe bet as a backup plan. She's been floating forever with no solid allies and her name is nearly always an option when she doesn't have immunity. It's not a huge stretch to assume that other three just decided not to take the chance of getting bounced and went with the next most obvious choice.

Quote

Edge of Extinction looks like a homeless encampment; low spirits & low morale...pretty sad scene.

David always comes to tribal council looking like he just worked all day in a coal mine. I don't know why he's substantially filthier than the others at EOE, but he looks rough.

[GenerationX]

Random thoughts on episode 13 "CBS Mailbag"

• Letter #1 comes to us from one of the Losers:  "Dear Loser, you are amazing!" signed "Loser".  Loser: (tearing up) It's so poignant to read the drivel I wrote to myself!
• Letter #2 comes to us from Aurora:  "Dear Probst, I hate letter puzzles, Devins, not being included on rewards, and Devins.  But mostly Devins."
• Letter #3 comes to us from Devins:  "Dear Viewers, you think I'm insufferable now, wait 'til you see me if I make it to final tribal."

Let's close up the CBS Mailbag and hope that no one (especially Newsman Gloaty) from EoE wins this thing.  This season has been bad enough as it is; I can't take someone from the loser's bracket actually winning.

[Artymouse]

5 minutes ago, ljenkins782 said:

David always comes to tribal council looking like he just worked all day in a coal mine. I don't know why he's substantially filthier than the others at EOE, but he looks rough.

True! And Aurora looked like she'd just been to Hawaii, with the flower in her prettily styled hair. I think that's the first time I've seen her when she didn't look like wild animals had been nesting in her hair. She's an attractive woman, but she's rarely had a chance to show it. Did she find a hidden immunity hairbrush?

[ProfCrash]

 I will only be happy if Reem wins it all. That would be only outcome this season deserves. The first person voted out wins the game. It would highlight how horrible this season has been. And then Reem can come back and play i a season of people voted out first. 

[TaraS1]

38 seasons. 38 seasons and I have never missed a single episode or fast-forwarded through a single moment. But that’s what this horrible season made me do tonight with the reading of those stupid letters to themselves. What a bunch of boring, desperate filler. 

And I loathe Devens. Hated him when he wore a cowboy hat and his name was Ben, hate him now. Thank god this disaster is over next week. Praying we get our awesome show back in the fall!

[Lantern7]

34 minutes ago, North of Eden said:

I miss your individual breakdowns you use to do of each player. They were fun. Just sayin'

I think you're mistaking me with someone else. I honestly can't remember doing individual breakdowns.

12 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

 I will only be happy if Reem wins it all. That would be only outcome this season deserves. The first person voted out wins the game. It would highlight how horrible this season has been. And then Reem can come back and play i a season of people voted out first. 

Basically, like Lorenzo Lamas in the third and final Joe Schmo, only it wouldn't be a prank. I can dig it.

57 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

 Is this season done yet?

They can't all be David vs. Goliath.

1 hour ago, Eolivet said:

Just when you think the Edge of Extinction couldn't get any more useless ...

Letters to themselves.

"Dear self, you're awesome. Love, self." Somehow, that sums the Edge of Extinction up perfectly.

Good thing I wasn't there. "Hi! You're still in the game?!? Wow. How many people had to die to make that happen?"

51 minutes ago, EllenB said:

I want my last several Wednesdays back.

At least there's still The Amazing Race. Just sayin'.

[azshadowwalker]

2 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

 And now they know he has an idol.

What difference does it make? He can only play it either next TC or the one after (depending on when the actual "final five" is). He's at least getting to final five, even if he doesn't win immunity. And he's in a much better situation as far as possibly getting a majority with the EoE returnee. He played that in the most advantageous way possible considering his situation.

It's not like Aurora was going to do anything to better her situation, despite knowing she was on the bottom. Everyone else was sure they were Final 3 and didn't need a different alliance. So, what else was he going to do? 

Edited May 9, 2019 by azshadowwalker

[jay741982]

1 hour ago, MerBearHou said:

I think Devens is fun and bright.  I think Aurora is not as smart as she wants everyone to think she is.  Her arrogance is why she isn’t well-liked IMO.  Totally agree with the frequent Lauren eye-rolls and the hypocrisy of her calling Devens a liar — shes lying too and come on, not being truthful is part and parcel of Survivor.  

LOL Rick is more arrogant then shes been 

[TVFan1]

Well, another exciting episode of Survivor: The Rick Devins Hour. I am beyond sick of him! He's an arrogant, cocky man that after finding his idol, continues to mess with his fellow castaways. What an ass wipe. It's pretty clear he is going to win just like Ben a couple seasons ago. Lauren for the win, but there won't be a chance for anyone as long as Rick is there. 

Thank God the finale is next week. Then I hope I never see or hear from Rick again. Oh yeah, I loved Victoria's "I'm playing too Jeff" during the immunity challenge.

Edited May 9, 2019 by TVFan1

[ramble]

Odd woman out here - I don’t mind Rick. I find everyone else boring and in this boring season I’m looking for something that keeps me from dozing off. His running around and hiding made me laugh as the little clique of four tried to keep tabs on him. 

The loser letters were like a poorly drawn up SNL skit. How much navel gazing are they doing on Jury Island? I miss Ponderosa. 

[millennium]

Hold on, I'm reading a letter I wrote to myself before the season began:

WHY AM I HERE?

I am hoping that after so many seasons of the same old stale, reheated bullshit, where one obnoxious player finds all the hidden immunity idols and always wins immunity when it seems certain he's going home, this season will finally be different.

 I am hoping the cast won't consist of just one so-so player versus a platoon of strictly morons content to sit around the fire and wonder what the mediocre player is doing in the jungle all day.    Maybe there will be five or six -- or even ten! --  clever, hardcore players who keep us all guessing rather than having us know how the whole episode's going to play out after just the first five minutes. 

This season, I am hoping that the show won't appear to go out of its way to tilt the odds in favor of just one player -- you know, like Jeff dropping a pivotal clue when it seems the favorite player needs a nudge to win immunity.

Call me a cock-eyed optimist, but I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised this season, and not find myself coming off the penultimate episode feeling bitter and having to admit that I have wasted another whole season of Wednesday evenings. 

Oh my God, I'm crying over my own letter ...

Edited May 9, 2019 by millennium

[Barton88]

So what happened? Did they forget to pay the rent at Poderosa and lose their lease forcing everyone eliminated to sit around in the dirt all day doing nothing? At least the people still in have challenges, and can talk strategy, or collect firewood or whatever to pass the time, but what do the rejects do all day? I thought they would be having more challenges among the losers to cut down the numbers, but they're all still hanging around. How is it Survivor if they're all still there?

[llongori]

13 minutes ago, ramble said:

Odd woman out here - I don’t mind Rick. I find everyone else boring and in this boring season I’m looking for something that keeps me from dozing off. His running around and hiding made me laugh as the little clique of four tried to keep tabs on him. 

The loser letters were like a poorly drawn up SNL skit. How much navel gazing are they doing on Jury Island? I miss Ponderosa. 

You may indeed be odd, but you're not alone.  Where everyone else is seeing arrogant and cocky, I'm seeing someone enjoying the crap out of his time on Survivor.  We haven't seen hours of him whining about being hungry or cold or sick or whatever.  He just seems to be having fun, something you can't say about many of the cast.

Having said that, I really don't care who wins.  However, I'd rather watch Devins running around and laughing than Aurora 24/7 with that "I-smell-someone's-dirty-socks" look on her face, whining that no one wants to be in an alliance with me. 

Edited May 9, 2019 by llongori
grammar

[txvoodoo]

2 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

I wasn’t for Devens at one time but now  I want him to win, he’s playing the hell out of this game. He’s looking for idols while the rest of them are sitting around doing nothing. And he’s playing the mind game to the hilt too.

This is where I am too. Yeah, too many HII but dayum, he's playing the game the way it's set up. Why didn't anyone else get up early to look? he did. They just bitched.

And he mind-played them at tribal. Their own danged fault for falling for it - Aurora, though a cranky annoying person, was right about that.

[LanceM]

Just now, txvoodoo said:

This is where I am too. Yeah, too many HII but dayum, he's playing the game the way it's set up. Why didn't anyone else get up early to look? he did. They just bitched.

And he mind-played them at tribal. Their own danged fault for falling for it - Aurora, though a cranky annoying person, was right about that.

They didn't fall for it. They were voting for Aurora the whole time that is why you didn't see any of them try to scramble when Rick threatened to give the idol to Julie. The only one who was duped was Aurora herself.

[txvoodoo]

8 minutes ago, llongori said:

Where everyone else is seeing arrogant and cocky

Yup. You're not being arrogant if you're actually achieving things. 

[preeya]

I hate this season and I hate RD even more.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I found a woman that Julie looks like!  Cathy Ladman

https://www.google.com/search?q=cathy+ladman&rlz=1C5CHFA_enCA838CA838&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwir0Zv3yI3iAhUo1VkKHbXeD6QQ_AUIDigB&cshid=1557374727499339&biw=920&bih=637

[Rachel RSL]

2 hours ago, dbell1 said:

If I had to write a letter to myself, it would be snarky and full of jokes about Jeff's blue shirts, love of macho guys, and bug hatred. 

No lie, my letter to inspire myself would have been nothing but a list of my bills. “Dear Self: MasterCard, Visa, other Visa, student loan, dentist....”  That whole segment was ridiculous.

[Steph Sometimes]

1 hour ago, TaraS1 said:

And I loathe Devens. Hated him when he wore a cowboy hat and his name was Ben, hate him now. Thank god this disaster is over next week. Praying we get our awesome show back in the fall!

I don't hate Devens as much as I hated Ben, but if he wins, I'll feel the kind of disappointment I did when Ben won. Between EOE and so many idols and advantages ... it seems too much, but at the same time I just felt that so many people on Ben's season played better (particularly Devon and Chrissy and that last minute (to us anyway) twist was ridiculous. 

I liked Devens until about a few episodes ago and the cockiness is getting unbearable especially when it's at the expense of screen time of the others. There are very few players who are cocky and still fun to watch, but I don't think Devens is one of them.

I don't know who I want to come back from EOE. Reem would be fun, I still love Aubry, but part of me hopes it's Aurora. 

I'm hoping Rick is out at 4 because I'm assuming he's winning if finals (esp if he's with Julie and, say, Lauren). I'm rooting for Victoria of Green Gables.

Please never do this again Survivor. And please get rid of the final 4 challenge crap.

[blackwing]

Rick is clearly going to win.  The producers love him, the editors love him, he eats the show.  It’s Ben the Marine all over again.

Those five minutes that were spent watching Edgers cry over letters they wrote to themselves a month ago?  Such an incredible waste of time.

[millennium]

29 minutes ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

I found a woman that Julie looks like!

Julie?  You mean Cuddy?

[mythoughtis]

33 minutes ago, Steph Sometimes said:

I liked Devens until about a few episodes ago and the cockiness is getting unbearable especially when it's at the expense of screen time of the others. There are very few players who are cocky and still fun to watch, but I don't think Devens is one of them.

I quit liking him when he started being a sore loser. He spent a lot of time being angry over game strategy and loudly whining about it. Now he is being a sore winner and bullying the other players.  

No, he’s not whining about camp conditions, food, etc.  he’s whining because the other players don’t want to have an alliance with him.  Yet a few episodes ago, when some of them did want to, he went off on them because he hadn’t been kept in the loop the day before. It’s like a 5 year old  whining because his  older sibling won the game of Candyland.

[GaT]

Finally! Why did it take so long to get rid of Aurora? I can't believe next week is the finale already.

[green]

On 5/8/2019 at 9:00 PM, LadyChatts said:

So sorry Ricky boy, but you aren't original.

This is Season 38.  Nobody CAN be original any more.

On 5/8/2019 at 9:16 PM, dbell1 said:

That said, a bad season of Survivor is still better than a good season of any other reality show.

I'll take The Amazing Race most any time less the stupid blind date and internet celeb seasons.  And this season with Racers from all three of CBS's reality shows including Survivor has been great so far.

On 5/8/2019 at 9:27 PM, Marmiarmo said:

 I agree with you on enjoying the Devens show.  Unpopular opinion, but I wouldn’t mind him winning.

I don't think it is an unpopular opinion.  Everyone I know is rooting for him too.

On 5/8/2019 at 9:32 PM, mythoughtis said:

When was the last time the finale was 2 hours?  It’s been 2.3 for years now.  Then they add the preview for the next season. We barely see the cast at the reunion. 

And this season that would be bad why?  😉

22 hours ago, llongori said:

[me: This comment was about Rick]  ... You may indeed be odd, but you're not alone.  Where everyone else is seeing arrogant and cocky, I'm seeing someone enjoying the crap out of his time on Survivor.  We haven't seen hours of him whining about being hungry or cold or sick or whatever.  He just seems to be having fun, something you can't say about many of the cast.

I agree.  I LOVED the wild idol chase.   Rick is having the fun time of his life and is ENJOYING playing the game despite having to fight for his Survivor life every tribal.   The confessionals are great too and done with a good sense of humor and tongue in cheek.  So refreshing compared to the other serious/sour puss types.

And he is playing the hell out of the game especially given that he was behind the eight ball from the beginning.  He has always had to play as the outsider everyone has in their sites to take down.  And yet he is still there ... and laughing at it as well.   He is like Bugs Bunny surviving a bunch of dummy Elmer Fudds.

22 hours ago, LanceM said:

They didn't fall for it. They were voting for Aurora the whole time that is why you didn't see any of them try to scramble when Rick threatened to give the idol to Julie. The only one who was duped was Aurora herself.

Unless you have hard evidence like interviews etc I am not buying it because I noticed there were a LOT of sideways glances going on with Gavin, Lauren and Victoria so yeah I think Rick pushed them over to their Plan B on the spot.

And if you are right then he still gets credit for working Julie to work Lauren to target Aurora instead.  So win-win for him either way.

Edited May 10, 2019 by green

[KimberStormer]

I turned it off after ten minutes when Rick "found" another idol.  I don't need this in my life right now.  I'll get spoiled after the finale and watch if he loses; otherwise, I'm only sorry I bothered to watch this far.

[mertensia]

There was a truly beautiful shot during the letter segment of one of the guys reading his letter on a big boulder in the water. 

I don't mind Rick. He's having fun and I was amused to see him go from skipping merrily post idol find to trying to look unsuccessful.

[Bryce Lynch]

8 hours ago, LadyChatts said:

Tonight, on the Rick Devins show:

Everyone not named Aurora is an idiot.  Of course, Lauren wanted her out and Gavin wanted to side with her, so this can be an excuse to get the deed done.  But for real, they can not call themselves super fans, because if they were, they would have known that Mike Holloway pulled this same move during WA when he pretended he was going to save Shirin (in that case, she did end up going home).  So sorry Ricky boy, but you aren't original.  You're a Ben/Mike mash up.  I wonder if Julie realizes she’s only there because she’s absolutely useless and is the only one left that has zero chance to win.  Oh, and real super fans know that advantages, twists, and idols aren't done until TPTB say they are done (which is when their favorite is safe in the final 3).

I have no one left I’m rooting for.  I guess whoever comes back from EOE (yes, even Wardog or Ron).

I think the idiots made the right move.  They were ambivalent about whether to vote out Julie or Aurora, anyway.  So why take the risk that Devens wasn't bluffing and maybe get yourself voted out?

[Bryce Lynch]

8 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

I wasn’t for Devens at one time but now  I want him to win, he’s playing the hell out of this game. He’s looking for idols while the rest of them are sitting around doing nothing. And he’s playing the mind game to the hilt too.

I hate that they are bringing back someone from EOE next week. What if all those EOE people vote for that person, that’s not fair. 

I don't love Rick and all the idols and immunities are getting monotonous.  But, he has earned it and I'd be OK with him winning.

I loved how all the others sat around camp making breakfast, talking about how the couldn't afford to let Devens find another idol and needed to have someone follow him, while they let him find the idol, unsupervised.

I guess they still don't know for sure whether his idol is real or not.

[Bryce Lynch]

It's a shame we didn't get to see The Warthog in the reward challenge. Julie tripping on the ropes over and over was funny enough. The Warthog would have been hilarious.

5 hours ago, txvoodoo said:

Yup. You're not being arrogant if you're actually achieving things. 

I think a lot of Devens' cockiness is sort of a playful, faux cockiness.  

[LizBug]

Count me among those who are enjoying the Rick Devens show.  He's playing a heck of a game and enjoying himself ... and, I think, the jury is lapping it up.  

I keep wondering about Lauren and her idol.  Has she forgotten that she has one?  

[blackwing]

46 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I think a lot of Devens' cockiness is sort of a playful, faux cockiness.  

I would agree... IF he had been this way from the beginning.  But earlier in the game when he was out of the loop and getting blindsided, he was far from playful.  He’s only “having the time of [his] life” and acting like a little kid solely because he’s finding idols and feeling invincible.  

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he wins, but I’m really hoping that any of the others and pretty much anyone from EoE except for Warthog and Reem would win over this arrogant ass.   

[Ellee]

Put me in the group that is enjoying Rick. The guy is working hard and enjoying himself despite being on the outs. 

Does anyone wonder if Aurora knew there was a good chance she was going?  I don’t remember her ‘dressing up’ for tribal before. And it couldn’t have been because she believed Rick was going.  

[OutOfTheQuestion]

8 hours ago, ljenkins782 said:

I don’t think it was bad for him at all. The jury doesn’t know that the others were contemplating voting Aurora anyway, so it looks like another big move for Rick.

No huge deal that they know about the idol (if they believe it’s real, Aurora didn’t think it was). They’re going to have to either cannibalize themselves or ditch Julie, who really is a prime goat. 

The sobbing over the prospect of letters they wrote to themselves was one of the funniest, most ridiculous things I’ve seen on this show. They know what they said a mere 35 days ago, it’s not like a letter from your younger self or something.

At least one of the letters wasn't from J.T. Thomas offering to form an alliance.

[JudyObscure]

7 hours ago, ramble said:

The loser letters were like a poorly drawn up SNL skit

It reminded me of Stuart Smalley,  "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me!"

[violet and green]

Why aren't those bozos targeting Lauren, for god's sake? Oh, yeah, because she's in with the in crowd.  Anyway, good times! I was so happy I clapped when Rick won immunity so he didn't have to use up his idol. 

Am not seeing arrogance, cockiness, or anything else negative. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder - and that camera crew really need to stay off Lauren's purple-pants and pudenda. Jeez, my eyes!

I enjoyed the bit on Edge when Reem had a bit of a 'growth' moment. It would be incredibly funny and interesting if Reem made it back in...

So long as any of those droopy, eye-rolling cool kids don't get a whiff of the win, I'll be happy. It's just been one big cool kids clique after another. I want a happy dork who is playing hard, or a hardened woman who has dug deep and stuck it out to win this season.

[ProfCrash]

Rick is doing what he needs to do but I have difficulty with people who decide that their entire play is to fuck with other peoples minds. I mean, I get it, but the whole hide and seek was silly and unnecessary. And it consumes energy. Rick knows that the others want him out so he needs to look for the idol. I get that. The entire after bullshit is just that. He is out running around and being an ass. All that does is piss off people who he is going to vote out who are going to be voting for the winner.

He was an ass on Manu. He was in the majority alliance and happy to play that role until he was in the minority and then decided to be pissy that he was on the bottom. Especially when he had a number of occasions to change that fate by working with Chris and David to get out Kelly. Instead he choose to work with Dan and Kelly.

Then he is voted out and throws a temper tantrum when he gets back into the game. What the hell? You know that there is a group of three, that you actively kept intact, and you are pissed at that group of three for doing exactly what a group of three does?

And now he is suppose to be the scrappy underdog? Who gets idols and advantages from people who should have been voted out of the game but are still in the game? And has essentially adopted Wendy's game of being erratic and annoying because he is on the bottom so why not?

Except that Wendy annoyed people but Rick is just enjoying the game from an under dog position.

Sure

Rick is playing to the jury and they seem to be eating it up. But the reality is that he has had little to do with what has been happening. The Ron and Aurora votes were back up plans from Lauren, Gavin, and Victoria. They had nothing to do with Rick.

And I normally don't buy into conspiracy theories with the idols but the way Russell, Mike, Ben and Rick seem to find them is just hard to fathom. Why the hell is Rick allowed out on his own? Why the hell do the others suck at following Rick, even when being obvious about it.

I don't buy Rick as an underdog. He is a mediocre player who was on an awful tribe that made terrible decisions about who to vote out and cut their own throat. He got lucky to be on a season that is allowing players back in. He remains a mediocre player in an awful season filled with crap players. Kama feel apart as soon as they had to go to tribal. Julie is erratic as all hell and gone. Wendy might have been erratic at camp but you knew how she was going to vote and why. Julie and Rick have not been in on a vote for how long?

Gavin and Victoria seem to be playing a decent game but I have no real idea because it's ALL RICK ALL THE TIME AND ISN"T HE SCRAPPY!!! Lauren remains pretty much useless. The only thing that she has done well is to not tell anyone about her idol. But she is such a non-threat that she hasn't even thought about having to use it.

Awful season.  Awful concept. Awful players.

And now, to top it off, we have a finale that is going to cram a return of a player, two people voted out, a fire making challenge, and final tribal.

ugh

[dstann]

16 minutes ago, violet and green said:

I enjoyed the bit on Edge when Reem had a bit of a 'growth' moment. It would be incredibly funny and interesting if Reem made it back in...

Rick is creating quite the survivor resume for himself, at the expense of everyone else as their resumes are looking very bare.  If Rick gets voted out and a nobody returns from EoE it will pretty much be an even playing field.

[NutMeg]

I don't usually zone out when watching Survivor, but I did a few times this episode, first during the multiple and repetitive Rick confessionals, later during The Reading of the Letters to Self. The editing is just bad this season. 

[violet and green]

20 minutes ago, ProfCrash said:

Especially when he had a number of occasions to change that fate by working with Chris and David to get out Kelly. Instead he choose to work with Dan and Kelly.

No, he didn't! Chris wasn't trying to get out Kelley - Chris was accidentally foiling David and Devens' plan to vote out Kelley, by insisting on telling ole Warthog that they were considering voting out Kelley (only he stupidly said he was thinking of it), causing Warty to turn and get Chris voted out instead. They told him not to bring the Warthog into it, but Chris felt his loyalty lay with Warty. I think Devens and David sensibly stayed schtum at that point, after Warthog raced off to tell Kelly what a dastard Chris was for wanting to target her next vote, re it actually being their idea, to save their skin.

Edited May 9, 2019 by violet and green
typo

[BusyOctober]

I have used the FF'd button on the remote more this season than any other.  I FF'd through most of the challenges, the letter reading, all things to do with the loved ones, all things to do with Loser Camp  EOE...I am down to watching the "Previously on Survivor" intro, a bit of the TC aftermath chatter, who wins the reward or immunity and most of TC.  Ultimately I watch 12-15 min of this show....while answering email, doing a crossword puzzle and texting...so "watch" is really more "TV is on in the background".

[Special K]

I wonder how many times they had to shoot the reaction shot to opening the box at EOE and seeing just those lame, empowerment-style self-letters?  I mean, don't you think everyone's first thought upon seeing the box was:  Oh thank gods, this is when we have a chance to get back in the game!  To finally have something meaningful to do!  To end this endless misery!  To get away from Reem!!

I actually am enjoying Rick at this point.  He is playing the other players, not to mention the jury like a fiddle.  He is controlling completely how he comes across at TC, even if it's not factually true (ie -- the Ron vote-out last week, which he wasn't actually responsible for but I think the jury thought he was). Most of the jury are ripe for the picking when it comes to the scrappy underdog, outcast narrative.  Plus, to me, he seems like he doesn't have anything to lose, so is just enjoying himself.  I hate it when everyone so openly gangs up on one single castaway, but he is smart enough to realize that by stressing that fact over and over at TC, it is to his great advantage with the jury.  If the others would just stop villifying/glorifying him and just quietly vote him out, he would not be a threat to win at all.  Plus, whatever makes David happy makes me happy.  🙂

Also:  Rick should keep the weight off.  He's actually not bad looking.

Edited May 9, 2019 by Special K

[Haleth]

I both hate and love the suggestion that the jury will reward whoever came from EoE island with the win should he/she make it to FTC; hate it because it's contrary to the spirit of the game, but love it because it's a big ol' FU to TPTB for this horrible concept.

8 hours ago, ramble said:

Odd woman out here - I don’t mind Rick. I find everyone else boring and in this boring season I’m looking for something that keeps me from dozing off. His running around and hiding made me laugh as the little clique of four tried to keep tabs on him. 

I'm with you.  (And I didn't mind Ben either.)  I prefer the winner to be someone who scrambles for most of the game.  It's called "survivor," not "find a comfy alliance and sit pretty for the whole game."  My only objection to Rick is that he was voted out, fair and square.  Thank goodness this season is almost over.

[sigmaforce86]

11 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

I wasn’t for Devens at one time but now  I want him to win, he’s playing the hell out of this game. He’s looking for idols while the rest of them are sitting around doing nothing. And he’s playing the mind game to the hilt too.

I hate that they are bringing back someone from EOE next week. What if all those EOE people vote for that person, that’s not fair. 

10 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

Kill me if you must, but I like this season and I'm  enjoying the Devins show.  He's playing so hard and having so much fun!

I'm on the Deven's train too.  If he doesn't win I'd be OK with Victoria or Gavin but right now it's Rick all the way.   That thing about the idols though - I've never understood why players make looking for an idol a bad thing.  They sit and bitch and moan that so and so is looking and say things like so and so is "sneaking around searching for it" and never make a move to go find one themselves.  It's an advantage, the same as winning reward and getting extra food or winning a pillow and blanket so you're more rested.  Except it's bigger than either of those but it's still just part of the game.  Why do we seem to see players season after season who make it sound dirty and negative to even think about looking for one.  And, worse, your primary target is looking for it, if he finds it he stays in the game and you.........sit around the fire and complain about it.  Know what works really well?  Get off your ass and look yourself so you find it before he does!  I just don't get it.

The only problem I had with Rick messing with them when they finally did decide to go into the jungle was the waste of energy.  It was sort of funny and if I could offer another reason or defense for Rick doing that; it probably relieved some boredom (what is there to pass time at camp but sleep, water, rice repeat).  But with an immunity challenge coming up it doesn't seem like the best use of the energy you have especially on short food rations is to tire yourself out running all over the island.    

Aurora was right that the rest just fell right into Rick's plan with his idol for Julia speech, on the other hand I'm glad to see her go.  Again, Rick was the only one searching for that idol, out of all of them Aurora should have been right out there hustling for it, there's no way she didn't know she'd be at the bottom of that four person alliance.  I guess it boils down to Rick may be over confident, it may bite him in the end but he is definitely playing an "outlast" game with his immunity and idol hustle and an "outplay" game the way he's schmoozing the jury every chance he gets (which they're eating up by the way).  Heck even Aurora made the case for him last night at tribal, she hates him, wants him out, wants to beat him and still basically said he deserves to win!  It was like she was making his final council speech for him in advance!

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, NutMeg said:

I don't usually zone out when watching Survivor, but I did a few times this episode, first during the multiple and repetitive Rick confessionals, later during The Reading of the Letters to Self. The editing is just bad this season. 

I fast forwarded through the EOEers reading the letters they wrote to themselves.  Other than that, I didn't find anything in this episode boring.  

[Bryce Lynch]

28 minutes ago, sigmaforce86 said:

I'm on the Deven's train too.  If he doesn't win I'd be OK with Victoria or Gavin but right now it's Rick all the way.   That thing about the idols though - I've never understood why players make looking for an idol a bad thing.  They sit and bitch and moan that so and so is looking and say things like so and so is "sneaking around searching for it" and never make a move to go find one themselves.  It's an advantage, the same as winning reward and getting extra food or winning a pillow and blanket so you're more rested.  Except it's bigger than either of those but it's still just part of the game.  Why do we seem to see players season after season who make it sound dirty and negative to even think about looking for one.  And, worse, your primary target is looking for it, if he finds it he stays in the game and you.........sit around the fire and complain about it.  Know what works really well?  Get off your ass and look yourself so you find it before he does!  I just don't get it.

The only problem I had with Rick messing with them when they finally did decide to go into the jungle was the waste of energy.  It was sort of funny and if I could offer another reason or defense for Rick doing that; it probably relieved some boredom (what is there to pass time at camp but sleep, water, rice repeat).  But with an immunity challenge coming up it doesn't seem like the best use of the energy you have especially on short food rations is to tire yourself out running all over the island.    

Aurora was right that the rest just fell right into Rick's plan with his idol for Julia speech, on the other hand I'm glad to see her go.  Again, Rick was the only one searching for that idol, out of all of them Aurora should have been right out there hustling for it, there's no way she didn't know she'd be at the bottom of that four person alliance.  I guess it boils down to Rick may be over confident, it may bite him in the end but he is definitely playing an "outlast" game with his immunity and idol hustle and an "outplay" game the way he's schmoozing the jury every chance he gets (which they're eating up by the way).  Heck even Aurora made the case for him last night at tribal, she hates him, wants him out, wants to beat him and still basically said he deserves to win!  It was like she was making his final council speech for him in advance!

I think Rick probably wore out the others more than himself.  It seemed like he would do a little sprint and then find a spot to hide.  He probably spent most of his time in the hiding spots, while the others were moving around more trying to find him.  He won the immunity challenge, so I guess he wasn't too worn out..

[Gummo]

It's reached a point where I imagine a production guy, just off camera, beckoning Rick forward and then dropping an idol right in his path, then saying, "Oops! Dearie me, did I drop that hidden immunity idol in the crotch of this tree? Why, yes, I surely did Well, I certainly hope there's no players following me ... oh my, Rick is only 2 steps behind me! What a silly production assistant I am! Tee hee!"  Could they be any more obvious about who's the producers' favorite this year? 

The EoE 'letters' were ridiculous. ANY time spent showing EoE is a waste of time, I couldn't possibly care less about those people, most of whom I shouldn't have had to look at again until the finale. If Probst & Burnette want to create a new game show featuring EoE, that's their business, but it sure as hell ain't Survivor. The concept is wrong in so many ways, it's no wonder Probst loves it. He's never understood the appeal of the show, or trusted it, so he's all about stupid gimmicks and twists. 

So glad this season is ending.

[laurakaye]

11 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

I hate that they are bringing back someone from EOE next week. What if all those EOE people vote for that person, that’s not fair. 

This x 1,000.  Assuming all of the EOE folks actually get to vote, I don't see why they wouldn't do exactly this.  We have one episode left and I still don't understand the function or reasons for the existence of Edge of Extinction Island.  It's just a bunch of people whose names I'm still not clear on, hanging out under a punishing sun, occasionally getting a random clue for a prize that they then have to sign away to someone who is still actually in the game.  Oh, and the reading of letters that they wrote to themselves a month ago.  Woot.

11 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

I’m thinking the reason they had EOE this season was to save money. Stick the losers on an island and save money on all the perks they would have gotten at Ponderosa.  

Except Ponderosa already exists...it's not like they're moving locations anymore and have to re-build Ponderosa somewhere else.  Obviously they have some bills to pay to keep it running, but damn - are they at least getting fed on EOE?  We saw a segment early on that had a few of them climbing a giant hill for a scoop of rice.  They can't still be doing that every day, can they?  Of course we really don't know since EOE only pops up once in a great while, to the point that I don't know or care who's there.

3 hours ago, Bryce Lynch said:

It's a shame we didn't get to see The Warthog in the reward challenge.

He literally would've strangled himself on those ropes and medics would've been called to chop him out of there.

At Tribal Council, I'm wondering if the remaining players could've done an even better job of selling Devin's greatness to the jury.  Maybe they could've painted "Vote for Devins!" on their foreheads or something?  I found it ridiculous how Aurora, Gavin and Victoria all proclaimed quite loudly to the jury how fantastic Devins was playing the game, how hard he was working, how impossible it's been to get him out, etc.  Meanwhile, the jury is staring at Devins, gobsmacked with love and astonishment.  Congrats, Rick.  Here's your check.