Survivor - Fans vs. Favorites

[Ekim23]

i'm also rewatching Heroes Vs Villains and the really need to do a HVsV 2.0.

I think HVsV , Fans Vs Fav 1 & 2 are really satsifying seasons for me problly the best.
I have a special bond with tocantins too for mysterious reasons

 

[slipintothefog]

I really liked HvV too despite all of the bullshit symptomatic of present-day Survivor (immunity idols, non-stop strategy, Russell). But for the most part the cast that they picked for that season was really good and they all managed to shine, even though some of them got lackluster edits or disappointing placements (Cirie ). Also, the villain women were all amazing.

Of the top of my head I'd say my top 10 seasons are Borneo, Marquesas, Amazon, Pearl Islands (BEST!), Exile Island, China, Micronesia, Gabon, HvV and Nicaragua or Phillippines. And the bottom five would be All-Stars, Cook Islands, Fiji, Redemption Island (WORST EVER OMG) and South Pacific. The pre-merge of Caramoan was really awful but the post-merge has pulled it up to a more middling position on the list.

 

[gaystorm]

Fiji was so bad.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

I don't dislike Fiji like a lot of people do. I agree a lot of the characters weren't very dynamic, but I enjoyed Yau Man, Dreamz was crazy without being malicious, Lisi and Alex were assholes who got their comeuppance, and the strategy geek in me was thrilled to no end by the way this all went down:



Redemption Island on the other hand was just the absolute WORST. I like Boston Rob and good for him for finally winning but the fact that the Redemption twist essentially placed more emphasis on winning challenges -- easily the most uninteresting part of the game for me -- just made the whole season something to endure, not enjoy. However I may rank the other seasons is arbitrary but this will always be at the very bottom of my list.

By the way, I'd long heard a rumor that a castaway intended for Fiji bailed at the last minute but I've always wondered, were they planning on doing another season along race lines? Because there were equal numbers from each race again (minus the one who bailed) and it was the season right after Cook Islands so it seemed too much of a coincidence? Anyone know?

 

[slipintothefog]

Fiji was intended to have equal numbers of each race in a futile effort to prove that Cook Islands splitting the tribes by race wasn't just a publicity stunt... which of course is laughable because they went back to one or two token minorities in the seasons after Fiji. But they were always meant to be integrated among two tribes and Melissa quitting before day one didn't change that.

I mostly hated Fiji because the pre-merge was one of the worst ever and the season barely recovered from it, which is a lot like this season IMO. I admit that I need to rewatch it with fresh eyes.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

Thanks slip. I knew you would know.

And yeah I love how once that experiment was done, they were like, OK we can just go back to casting one or two token minorities now.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

I know it was a good move for the others but Brenda's elimination tonight is the moment when this season went back downhill for me.

 

[slipintothefog]

While it was nice to have the races represented equally, the casting of those two seasons was just SO atrocious. Out of all of the bloated casts we've had over the years, those seasons had the biggest ratio of dull, inert people didn't even apply and who (moreso in CI than in Fiji) were all on their best behavior to avoid stereotypes, drama, anything.

 

[Spiff]

Dawn is a real cunt; I wonder why I never saw that in her previous season. Yeah sure, she is playing for the big prize. But there is no way in hell the jury will give it to her. She didn't really win that challenge, Brenda didn't really try that hard. She just got sick of Dawn whining. That's not a respectable way of winning. And after finding Dawn's teeth for her when she was having a nervous breakdown without them, Brenda still was betrayed. I really can't imagine the jury would think Dawn played the better game compared to whoever goes to the final with her. All she really did all season was whine, cry, and backstab.

 

[BreakTheIce]

Why Candice was called for Heroes vs Villain is a mystery for me. I mean really? You couldn't think of anyone else? =/? I was kinda hoping Natalie (Samoa) would come back for Heroes vs Villains or something.

 

[gaystorm]

I am so pissed after that episode. That was the worst twist ever on the show. There was no way to get past that without being voted out of the game. We should not think so harshly of Dawn. I am a huge fan of her and I think this is the worst move she has ever made as far as hurting someone, but she has made good moves with people to try to win. Did you say the same about Parvati and Cirie when they took out Ozzy and would have went after James? Why does Cochran make the plan, but Dawn has to have the backlash for it when she is actually trying to play the game with the person who she alligned with first? Brenda was plotting to take out Cochran. Perhaps that weighed out in her mind. Trust me, Brenda is in the line of my favorites too, but which Brenda would you really like to see win? Anyway, what I was saying, that twist was not fair at all. To take something away from the winner is one thing, but to take it away from the first pick too is another. Poor attempt to raise ratings

 

[gaystorm]

There is no way Natalie could have done a back to back season like that.

 

[slipintothefog]

Why Candice was called for Heroes vs Villain is a mystery for me. I mean really? You couldn't think of anyone else? =/? I was kinda hoping Natalie (Samoa) would come back for Heroes vs Villains or something.

Production really likes Candice. She was supposed to be on Micronesia instead of Parvati, but she was going to med school at the time. But clearly they kept her in mind and used her at the next possible opportunity, even though in most people's minds she should have been a Villain for mutinying from the Aitu alliance.

 

[Spiff]

The latest buzz on the next location which starts filming for seasons 27/28 this month is . . .

The Philippines . . . again. This time in its northern province called Cagayan on Paulaui Island (not to be confused with Palau).

I hope this is false informaton, I'm getting pretty sick of Survivor in the Philippines. But the news is fairly fresh.http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/survivor_27/2013_May_08_cagayan-seasons-27-28

I guess we'll find out officially Sunday.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

While I try to get over Brenda being voted out AND crying (OMG...I can't even) I'm just going to read NPR's Linda Holmes poking fun at Jeff Probst to cheer myself up.

 

[BreakTheIce]

Production really likes Candice. She was supposed to be on Micronesia instead of Parvati, but she was going to med school at the time. But clearly they kept her in mind and used her at the next possible opportunity, even though in most people's minds she should have been a Villain for mutinying from the Aitu alliance.

In most people's minds they probably didnt even know who she was. It took me so long to remember her

 

[CoolBlue71]

I agree with your entire assessment of Chase, slip. Early on we got a glimpse that he wasn't a tool when he easily ditched that asshole Shannon for Brenda and her alliance. And I DO remember him coming on wonderfully strong at the Final Tribal Council -- so much so that Alina credited him and gave him her vote accordingly -- and I especially loved that he wouldn't play Marty's stupid, sore-loser game (really Marty, you're gonna call Chase dumb while praising FABIO?).

Also apropos of nothing, I just remembered Nicaragua featured this withered sea-hag.

And yet, Chase pissed away the million by pissing on Marty at the Final Tribal Council of Survivor: Nicaragua. A smart player, one committed to winning the game, doesn't do that. That was also demonstrated with Sugar in Gabon.

It's great if you can navigate the game. Not enough if you don't actually get the votes.

Chase didn't get the vote from Naonka or Kelly, two who would've been more inclined to back him over Fabio. (And Naonka gave Chase the Immunity Idol. Sash blackmailed Marty for his. They used theirs at No. 6. Fabio mentioned to the jury that he, unlike the other two, didn't get free passes of Immunity Idols. He actually fought his way to the end.)

Part of what allowed Fabio to win was his Immunity run beginning with the No. 6 spot (Jane), to No. 5 (Dan), and to No. 4 (Holly). He was the nightmare for Chase and Sash.

Sash, who was a sleaze in his game, garnered zero votes. Chase received the vote from the bitter Jane, who made excuses based on questioning Fabio's maturity, despite the fact that Chase was more responsible for making her lose out. Holly, Brenda, and Alina also backed Chase.

Marty and Dan both found Chase to be a weasel. (Marty's explanation about what a blast it was that Fabio made it against the odds revealed a vote of pleasure.) They, along with Naonka, Kelly, and Benry, backed Fabio for his win. (By one vote. More reason why Chase handled himself foolishly in Final Tribal Council with pissing on Marty.)

Part of the misunderstanding is this: Viewers who think someone is dazzling at playing the game doesn't mean enough if that person can't get the votes. That was the case with Boston Rob in All-Stars and Russell Hantz in his first two games. If one can be shrewd and, yet, handle everything, including oneself, in a way that actually gets juror members to want to vote for that person … there you have it! It's a big reason why Kim Spradlin won One World. And I think it's why Cochran will win, come this Sunday night (CBS, 8 p.m. ET), Caramoan.

Fabio was a surprise and a great win in Nicaragua.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

And yet, Chase pissed away the million by pissing on Marty at the Final Tribal Council of Survivor: Nicaragua. A smart player, one committed to winning the game, doesn't do that.

Marty made it very clear that Chase wasn't getting his vote. That wasn't a serious question. That was a lame attempt to appear funny and superior at Chase's expense and Chase at least had the ability to recognize Marty was an ass who wasn't going to vote for him anyway, and so he refused to play that game.

Viewers who think someone is dazzling at playing the game doesn't mean enough if that person can't get the votes. That was the case with Boston Rob in All-Stars and Russell Hantz in his first two games.

Absolutely. I've been saying this for years in various threads on this board for both Survivor and Big Brother. The difference though between Boston Rob and Russell is that Boston Rob actually won one of his seasons and Russell never did. Also, notice that when Rob got to the end on All-Stars and lost, he was one vote away from winning but Russell never got that close. That's the difference between "came close to winning" and "never really could win."

 

[That70sJoe]

Fiji was intended to have equal numbers of each race in a futile effort to prove that Cook Islands splitting the tribes by race wasn't just a publicity stunt... which of course is laughable because they went back to one or two token minorities in the seasons after Fiji. But they were always meant to be integrated among two tribes and Melissa quitting before day one didn't change that.

I enjoyed seeing a lot of minorities for a change and always hoped that they'd continue with another social experiment: 3 tribes. 1 gay, 1 straight, 1 bi OR 4 tribes 1 of str8 males, 1 of str8 females, 1 of lesbians, 1 of gays.

Yep, Fiji was pretty dismal but I really liked Earl's commanding game.

 

[slipintothefog]

Russell's legions of fantards to help Brenda score fan favorite, please. Amazingly, Twitter and Facebook are spewing venom at Cochran and Dawn for betraying Brenda tonight so it might happen (in my dreams)!!