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Survivor 49 Discussion Thread
- Thread starter PUSH
- Start date
I feel like this merge could have been an all-timer, but we barely got to see anything that led to the vote. We had a huge blindside, but there wasn't a lot of build up to it. I think part of the reasoning is that we spent the majority of the episode on a scavenger hunt for keys, then a very long immunity challenge, then a scavenger hunt for another key and MC finding an idol. It left very little time to actually discuss what would happen. And the split merge feast means nobody can really start strategizing until everyone is back. I'm glad the ditched the "earn the merge" crap. You all know I'm the biggest hater of that, but the merge still missed the mark. Production is out of touch with the fanbase.
I also don't like how we saw the season 50 talk. I don't really care that Jeff said it, but we are starting to get too far into the weeds with some things. Did we need to see that? I feel like we're breaking the fourth wall far too often these days. I don't think we need to go back to the single digit seasons, where players weren't even allowed to talk about past seasons, but we need to scale it back. Like during Kaoh Rong, the fourth wall was only broken because of necessity. They didn't show up the behind the scenes "just because". Also... you're trying to not make 49 the filler until 50... then you mention 50 is the reason you should be playing hard. I don't know... it just felt like too much.
As for the vote, I'm glad it didn't become tribal lines. It keeps it fresh. It'll be interesting to see where it goes from here, but also knowing who is on 50 leads my brain in a certain direction as to how the season is going to go. I don't love that, but there's no real way to avoid it.
So I guess my summary is... production once again got in its own way. This could've been a great episode with a huge blindside. Instead, they chose to insert lots of events that had nothing to do with gameplay. Just let the players play. We want to see them interact and scheme and plot.
As for the actual vote, I'm sad we lost Nate. He was one of my favorites.
I also hate that we are calling Sophi by "Soph" now. Yellow Sophie and Blue Sophi would have been so much better.
Update: Sophi has stated, "For the record I didn't want Soph"
I also don't like how we saw the season 50 talk. I don't really care that Jeff said it, but we are starting to get too far into the weeds with some things. Did we need to see that? I feel like we're breaking the fourth wall far too often these days. I don't think we need to go back to the single digit seasons, where players weren't even allowed to talk about past seasons, but we need to scale it back. Like during Kaoh Rong, the fourth wall was only broken because of necessity. They didn't show up the behind the scenes "just because". Also... you're trying to not make 49 the filler until 50... then you mention 50 is the reason you should be playing hard. I don't know... it just felt like too much.
As for the vote, I'm glad it didn't become tribal lines. It keeps it fresh. It'll be interesting to see where it goes from here, but also knowing who is on 50 leads my brain in a certain direction as to how the season is going to go. I don't love that, but there's no real way to avoid it.
So I guess my summary is... production once again got in its own way. This could've been a great episode with a huge blindside. Instead, they chose to insert lots of events that had nothing to do with gameplay. Just let the players play. We want to see them interact and scheme and plot.
As for the actual vote, I'm sad we lost Nate. He was one of my favorites.
I also hate that we are calling Sophi by "Soph" now. Yellow Sophie and Blue Sophi would have been so much better.
Update: Sophi has stated, "For the record I didn't want Soph"
artvandelay
Well-Known Member
They went to tribal around 9:15 and I was thinking that it doesn’t leave a lot of room for discussion.
Producers had the opportunity to ditch the “earn the merge meal” and they didn’t.
Producers had the opportunity to ditch the “earn the merge meal” and they didn’t.
artvandelay
Well-Known Member
I’ve also noticed that the producers are doing something that happens in Big Brother. The players will read the directions for something (eg. looking for keys to open a box) and then they will immediately cut to a confessional of a player, or multiple players, saying exactly the same thing. It’s annoying on Big Brother and now it’s infected Survivor. Maybe it’s to help fill 90 minutes of air time?
I have wondered if 90 minutes is truly the best format. But I worry that if we would ever go back to 60 minutes, that they'd keep the gimmicky stuff and cut the camp life and strategizing, much like they did in the late 30s and first half of the 40s.
90 minutes is a long episode if there's nothing going on, but it's great if there's interesting content. I also think that filling 90 minutes with such little time in a 26 day season can be a challenge. In a 39 day season, they had three days worth of content to air. That typically followed a reward challenge day, an off day, and an immunity challenge/tribal council day. Now it might simply be one day worth of content they have to fill 90 minutes.
I just feel like production has lost the plot in the new era. Some seasons have been good, but none have truly been great. And I think the good seasons could have been great, had it not been for production choices. I'm hoping 50 will bring back some of what we loved from the old era. I think the real merge is a step in the right direction, but we're still not fully there.
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
A lot of early episodes this season felt overly long with the 90 minutes. So many tribes weren't going to Tribal so it felt like we were wasting time seeing them strategize.
However, it did pay off last week when that blindside between former tribemates happened, because they built to it.
This episode was weird. The entire merged tribe goes to Tribal Council and only one person is immune? They've completely changed the format of Survivor!
However, it did pay off last week when that blindside between former tribemates happened, because they built to it.
This episode was weird. The entire merged tribe goes to Tribal Council and only one person is immune? They've completely changed the format of Survivor!
dmw
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
The challenge was fun to watch.
Still too many alliances based on the original tribes. The players keep saying the real game starts now... yet we've really not seen any significant moves.
It was good to finally see a true merge and everyone (except one) on the block for elimination.
Some interesting playing and not playing of idols...
I'm still waiting for it to get good, as Jeff said it would.
Still too many alliances based on the original tribes. The players keep saying the real game starts now... yet we've really not seen any significant moves.
It was good to finally see a true merge and everyone (except one) on the block for elimination.
Some interesting playing and not playing of idols...
I'm still waiting for it to get good, as Jeff said it would.
This was the best episode of the season, but I'm also torn because it was so manufactured. I really hate when they split the tribe right after they merge. I'm not sure why they're so afraid of large group voting. Normally this results in players getting screwed. Tonight, players were targeted because of their own bad decisions. So it worked out, but 9/10 times it just makes me mad.
Taking all that out of the equation, this was a very interesting group to have together. Rizo was the clear target, but he had an idol. That really makes it impossible to vote for him. There was nobody else to split with, so Sophie made an insane choice to offer herself up as the backup vote. What?! But then she wisely decided to throw a vote on Jawann. So she made a good decision, after her bad decision. Then she made another bad decision to tell MC. Just keep it to yourself! MC then made the bad decision to tell Jawann, thinking he would keep it to himself?? Obviously Jawann tells his closest ally in Sage. Sage then tells Sophie. Like... none of you are tight enough allies to keep this a secret. How do you not know this? Is it because some of them have barely voted together before, so they have the illusion that they're close, when they've never actually proven it?
But bad gameplay is entertaining. Good gameplay is often boring.
I'm all on board the Savannah/Rizo/Soph train. I think they have a chance now, especially since Sophie seemed so frantic and untrustworthy. I think there are fractures that can be worked with.
Since we're into the merge, I will now create my winner power rankings. They're based on how I think they would do if they get to the final tribal council. Not factoring in whether it's likely if they'll make it or not.
The Favorites
1. Savannah - The obvious biggest threat left.
2. Soph - Has played an amazing social game.
3. Steven - Is the leader of the yellow alliance, seems like he has a good social game.
Good Chance
4. Rizo - Hasn't done too much yet, but has a good social game and obvious knack for the game.
5. Jawan - Has played hard, but might be lacking in certain relationships.
6. Sage - Has played really well and maneuvered herself into a great spot, but might be viewed as a non-entity.
Off Chance
7. Alex - He hasn't done anything wrong, but he hasn't really done anything significant yet.
8. Sophie - Plays hard, but doesn't seem to have any real alliance or strong relationships.
No Chance
9. Kristina - Well liked, but has been riding coattails.
Taking all that out of the equation, this was a very interesting group to have together. Rizo was the clear target, but he had an idol. That really makes it impossible to vote for him. There was nobody else to split with, so Sophie made an insane choice to offer herself up as the backup vote. What?! But then she wisely decided to throw a vote on Jawann. So she made a good decision, after her bad decision. Then she made another bad decision to tell MC. Just keep it to yourself! MC then made the bad decision to tell Jawann, thinking he would keep it to himself?? Obviously Jawann tells his closest ally in Sage. Sage then tells Sophie. Like... none of you are tight enough allies to keep this a secret. How do you not know this? Is it because some of them have barely voted together before, so they have the illusion that they're close, when they've never actually proven it?
But bad gameplay is entertaining. Good gameplay is often boring.
I'm all on board the Savannah/Rizo/Soph train. I think they have a chance now, especially since Sophie seemed so frantic and untrustworthy. I think there are fractures that can be worked with.
Since we're into the merge, I will now create my winner power rankings. They're based on how I think they would do if they get to the final tribal council. Not factoring in whether it's likely if they'll make it or not.
The Favorites
1. Savannah - The obvious biggest threat left.
2. Soph - Has played an amazing social game.
3. Steven - Is the leader of the yellow alliance, seems like he has a good social game.
Good Chance
4. Rizo - Hasn't done too much yet, but has a good social game and obvious knack for the game.
5. Jawan - Has played hard, but might be lacking in certain relationships.
6. Sage - Has played really well and maneuvered herself into a great spot, but might be viewed as a non-entity.
Off Chance
7. Alex - He hasn't done anything wrong, but he hasn't really done anything significant yet.
8. Sophie - Plays hard, but doesn't seem to have any real alliance or strong relationships.
No Chance
9. Kristina - Well liked, but has been riding coattails.
dmw
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
I'm still waiting for the "Wow, I did not see that coming!" type of move.
I also do not like the tribe split into two teams, and then the small group votes. It defeats the purpose of the merge.
And so much information sharing hoping someone can keep a secret... this group does not know how to keep secrets.
I also do not like the tribe split into two teams, and then the small group votes. It defeats the purpose of the merge.
And so much information sharing hoping someone can keep a secret... this group does not know how to keep secrets.
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
Ditto for me. Good episode but the show continues to shun its' own basic format.
Fear of a pagonging or otherwise being "boring" means too many episodes must be set up in a way to be "tight" and/or "interesting".
MC never jumped out as a character for me either. She didn't have to make decisions pre-merge so her story seemed to just be that she played an idol a week early. That's an effect of the disaster tribe that has plagued so many seasons.
Fear of a pagonging or otherwise being "boring" means too many episodes must be set up in a way to be "tight" and/or "interesting".
MC never jumped out as a character for me either. She didn't have to make decisions pre-merge so her story seemed to just be that she played an idol a week early. That's an effect of the disaster tribe that has plagued so many seasons.
artvandelay
Well-Known Member
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/MC-survivor-49-111125-1-56921a91cf95462081801aa92531302a.jpg)
MC turned on ally because she did not want first two 'Survivor 49' jurors to be Black
'Survivor 49' star Michelle 'MC' Chukwujekwu reveals that she told Jawan about Sophie's secret vote because she did not want the first two jurors to be Black.