4. Karishma is not a good player. She is playing the "I'm different" card to get sympathy. I totally agree her tribe mates should have comforted her when she sliced her hand open. However, she continued to play the "poor me" card instead of take her game into her own hands. The only reason she's still there is because Vince went to the IoI.
This episode really highlights an issue with Island of the Idols, in that it's an element where the show dictates the game, instead of the players.
IoI paints a huge target on anyone going there, but the players have no say in who goes. It's basically a random draw to decide who is about to potentially get screwed.
Since IoI puts a target on players, it negates the strategy of whether or not to take on the challenge. It's pretty much a no brainer that you need to play for the idol and you need to play it immediately.
Yeah, Vince could have done a lot of things differently, but there's still a feeling that the show caused him to get voted out.
This episode really highlights an issue with Island of the Idols, in that it's an element where the show dictates the game, instead of the players.
IoI paints a huge target on anyone going there, but the players have no say in who goes. It's basically a random draw to decide who is about to potentially get screwed.
Since IoI puts a target on players, it negates the strategy of whether or not to take on the challenge. It's pretty much a no brainer that you need to play for the idol and you need to play it immediately.
Yeah, Vince could have done a lot of things differently, but there's still a feeling that the show caused him to get voted out.
Going forward they are supposed to have different ways of choosing who goes to IoI. The previews for next week showed that they will need to choose who among their tribe will go. That could be pretty interesting.
The upside to IoI is that reward challenges are tied in with immunity challenges. Reward challenges are one of the most boring parts of Survivor when they are done as a single entity. Especially premerge.
I think this is similar again to Chris going out in Ghost Island. If you have idol and think there's even a small chance you're gone, just play it. I suspect the others just did a good job convincing Vince is was either Tom or Karishma.
I'm enjoying this season because the cast is great, but the pacing does seem a bit off with one challenge and ioi. They often just do one challenge in the early going and then move to 2 later. I wonder if that's going to happen this season.
I think this is similar again to Chris going out in Ghost Island. If you have idol and think there's even a small chance you're gone, just play it. I suspect the others just did a good job convincing Vince is was either Tom or Karishma.
I'm enjoying this season because the cast is great, but the pacing does seem a bit off with one challenge and ioi. They often just do one challenge in the early going and then move to 2 later. I wonder if that's going to happen this season.
I am enjoying this pace. I'm with Rob C that they don't need to show the reward challenge unless something exciting happens that's important to the story (injury, strategic move, social interactions, etc.). I have not been upset with IoI so far because that has taken the place of reward challenges. If they start doing reward challenges separately, there's not enough time in a 42 minute episode for all three, plus tribe life/strategy.
1. I am actually loving the IoI. It's not classic Survivor at all, but it is hilarious. This season has to be one of the funniest seasons we've had in a while. I am a hardcore lover of classic Survivor gameplay, but I am finding the joy in the silly moments this season.
2. Noura is an amazing character. She's a more authentic Debbie. I felt Debbie often put on a show, but Noura is 100% herself out there. You can tell. So many priceless moments with her tonight. Rob and Sandra telling her to think about it, and her just saying she'll do it. The awful lie she made up (which I actually thought was clever, but then she added a few weak details in and messed everything up). Her reaction when Lauren said Noura will sit out. That was one of the single greatest moments of Survivor ever. Especially after they spent so much screen time on Noura practicing the role and not understanding how to do the role.
3. Not sure what Missy is doing. She's trying to control the game, but she's voting out her own alliance for questionable reasons. Dean and Chelsea were not a power couple. They weren't a showmance. They slept next to each other and talked to each other. Not everyone who sleeps next to each other is in a showmance on Survivor.
4. With that being said, Missy is clearly very intelligent. She can talk her way around Tribal Council like few others this season. And she can call out Karishma like that and not take heat for it. Bold. And I kind of like it.
5. Aaron somehow is sneaking by. He should have been voted out by now. He has no alliance. Nobody trusts him. He's throwing peoples' names out. And his name hasn't come up. He seems like an obvious boot because he's shady and will easily flip if he gets a chance.
6. I enjoyed the flashbacks to old seasons.
And there was no ulterior motive for showing all those past winners.
6. Again, this season has been amazing so far. Possibly one of the best starts we've ever had to a season.
I swear last night I saw people I had barely seen before...
I find it funny sandra and rob are so down on people for not holding out for better deals when offered their idol deal... they think these are like one time opportunities, they have no idea bargining is part of things..
And Noura's plan for lying about her advantage was pretty poorly executed. She could have simply said "I took an offer to get our tribe an advantage, but to avoid punishment, I have to be the certain role... So for all of us to do better, you have to put me as X'. She didn't have to complicate it more... the tribe would want the advantage and would not have been out to punish one of their own.
The advantage was always about the tribe.. she should have played that up.
Not sure what Missy is doing. She's trying to control the game, but she's voting out her own alliance for questionable reasons. Dean and Chelsea were not a power couple. They weren't a showmance. They slept next to each other and talked to each other. Not everyone who sleeps next to each other is in a showmance on Survivor.
1. I am so happy they swapped into two tribes instead of three. I liked 3 when they first started doing it in Cambodia, but now it's stale. I think 2 tribes with larger people is beneficial for many reasons. First, more air time for all the players since they don't have to split it between three tribes. Second, the more players on a tribe, the more possibilities there are to make moves and change fates.
2. The tribe breakdown was interesting. I like how Vokai is split evenly. Lairo had some interesting connections with Kellee and Dean, and Tom and Janet.
3. Tonight's episode showed that the IoI is taking away from these fantastic characters. It's a great cast. The IoI provides funny moments like last week, but I think it's better for the season and the show as a whole if they focus on the cast. Tonight's episode had great character development, which we wouldn't have gotten with a cutaway to IoI.
4. Noura laughing literally uncontrollably is always a gem.
5. I thought it would be Tom or Dean, but I leaned toward Dean.
6. I think Missy is getting to be arrogant. She said Dean shouldn't bite off the hand that feeds him... the day after she blindsided him by voting out his closest ally. She seemed POed and insulted that he would question her and be upset about it. Not a good look for Missy.
7. Again, loving this season! I hope it continues on into the merge. Since Ghost Island, I have been skeptical with strong pre-merges.
Could that be a top 5 pre-merge episode we've ever had? I think it may. I think it's definitely the best episode we've had since DvG. Here are more thoughts...
1. Aaron has to be in a terrible position now. I think he would have been no matter how he voted. Either he upsets Elizabeth and Elaine, or he upsets Tommy, Lauren, and Dan who then go to Elaine and Elizabeth and rat him out. Before he considered flipping he was in a solid 4. Now he's at the bottom of his own group for sure... if he even has a group anymore.
2. They fit two challenges and an IoI trip in this episode, and it didn't feel rushed. It helped that the IoI challenge was during the immunity challenge, but still.
3. Noura is a legendary Survivor character, but honestly her plan to start the episode was not really that crazy. It was probably bad timing, as she should have kept that to herself until they lost immunity, but it is a pretty good plan. I'm surprised she's self-aware enough to realize she's on the bottom of an alliance.
4. Jamal and Jack's conversation was fantastic. One of the best, authentic moments we've seen from Survivor in quite some time. Jamal has such a great way with words. He started the season looking like the napping villain, but he has quickly turned into an intelligent, kind player. I see winner upside in Jamal. Don't forget he has an idol.
5. Was Elaine's advantage hunt really that hard? Even if she wasn't able to get it without anyone knowing... who cares? She either gets the advantage and has a chance, or she loses her vote and gets herself or someone from her alliance voted out. Even if the others saw, you get that advantage. But it helped that they put it in the part of the challenge where everyone was focused on untying. It really wasn't that difficult to do it secretly. Nobody is going to stop and check to see that Elaine is just standing by waiting. Production definitely made that easier than it sounds, and it was intentional.
6. I continue to enjoy this season. I am skeptical about where the IoI will take us when we get further along, but I am really liking the season so far.
