Survivor Philippines (Season 25)

[Jenny]

Watched it again tonight. Can't believe that Lisa bid against Carrter not once, but twice after he gave up his potato (admittedly no real loss) to give the tribe rice and beans. She should have let him have the next one -- or at least not bid against him for the final one!

Indeed! That really surprised me.

Interestingly enough, both RC and Abi and I think a couple of the others tweeted that they had no idea that Lisa was a child star until they saw the first episode.

But Jonathan didn't know, either, until Denise told him. He acted like he recognized Lisa all along once he knew, but he had no idea.

Interesting! And yet we've seen pretty much zero interaction between Denise and Lisa, and you'd think with all Lisa's issues Denise would have been working her in a big way. Perhaps Denise is a tad starstruck??

And if Penner didn't figure it out on his own, perhaps that's why we never got the big reveal/payoff I was bemoaning earlier in the season. Once he knew, he realized oh yeah that's her, and just started talking to her about it.

[genevieve]

Watched it again tonight. Can't believe that Lisa bid against Carrter not once, but twice after he gave up his potato (admittedly no real loss) to give the tribe rice and beans. She should have let him have the next one -- or at least not bid against him for the final one!

what surprised me more is that the tribe didn't give her any feedback about it as she was bidding - I expected at least someone to say, let's let him buy something for $20.

But Jonathan didn't know, either, until Denise told him. He acted like he recognized Lisa all along once he knew, but he had no idea.

Have we see Denise talk about having known who Denise is? I don't remember seeing anything about it.

Interesting! And yet we've seen pretty much zero interaction between Denise and Lisa, and you'd think with all Lisa's issues Denise would have been working her in a big way. Perhaps Denise is a tad starstruck??

I doubt it - I think she's probably just playing strategically. Denise is definitely a behind-the-scenes string puller (not unlike Tina!), although we got to see far more of Tina's machinations in S2...the fact that editing hasn't revealed things that we find out Denise said or directed makes me think she doesn't make it to the final

[Myskate]

According to another thread I follow, Carter won another auction that wasn't shown on the telecast. Something about chicken parts: feet, heads, etc. He got to eat that and said it was delicious. Obviously, not everything taped is shown on the show. Production must not have thought it was necessary to show his personal win but it certainly did make Lisa look bad to the audience. I'm sure production must have known how it would look. My question is: Why?

[Jenny]

That's absurd - not that I don't believe you, but that the editors did that. The auction had no gross food, and chicken parts would have fit the bill - watching the others gross out, and showing Carter enjoying it. And it would have explained Lisa's odd choice and the fact that no one seemed disturbed by it.

[genevieve]

It was odd that there were no gross items under the baskets - that's what used to make the auctions so interesting - sometimes someone would blow all their cash on gruel that they'd been eating all along, or some local "delicacy" that is considered very unsavory to our western palettes.

[Myskate]

Ok, here are a couple of Lisa's twitters about the food auction:
Lisa Whelchel ‏@LisaWhelchel

Would like to clear up something...Carter won & ate meat before the last item. I'm not THAT greedy. It just didn't make the edited cut.

Lisa Whelchel ‏@LisaWhelchel

Albeit, the plate of food he won had the feet and eyes still on it but he said it was "delicious." I just think we were hungry!

[Jenny]

That's bizarre. I have been enjoying this season very much, but this selective editing is annoying. There are key things being cut out that either leave us or are downright misleading, as in this case.

[Myskate]

I love the gross-out food item when it is won. The contestants usually will eat anything by that time. I was very surprised during the auction that nobody got a bad item. Remember when they would win a glass of water? For all we know, someone who saved a little money might have gotten a steak dinner or something. Didn't Penner have 400$ left over? He must have bought more too but they didn't edit that in.

[Prancer]

I love the gross-out food item when it is won. The contestants usually will eat anything by that time. I was very surprised during the auction that nobody got a bad item. Remember when they would win a glass of water? For all we know, someone who saved a little money might have gotten a steak dinner or something. Didn't Penner have 400$ left over? He must have bought more too but they didn't edit that in.

Penner said that he won something else besides the chicken, but I can't remember what it was right now (an ice cream sundae, maybe?). But they've always edited the auctions. I remember people talking about steak dinners and such in previous years, both in terms of food wins and things like swamp water, that haven't been shown.

[my little pony]

it was an ice cream sundae

[snoopysnake]

Hey, look everybody! It's Carter! (The mouth! The mouth!)
http://cuteoverload.com/2012/11/30/f...booped-before/

[Cherub721]

Penner said that he won something else besides the chicken, but I can't remember what it was right now (an ice cream sundae, maybe?). But they've always edited the auctions. I remember people talking about steak dinners and such in previous years, both in terms of food wins and things like swamp water, that haven't been shown.

Random but all the talk of food made me remember that challenge they used to have where the winner got to select everyone's meals, from the steak dinner all the way down to just a glass of water. They did that on the first all stars. It would be really perfect for this season since there are so many sub-alliances and it would force some people to reveal where their true loyalties lie.

[snoopysnake]

Random but all the talk of food made me remember that challenge they used to have where the winner got to select everyone's meals, from the steak dinner all the way down to just a glass of water. They did that on the first all stars. It would be really perfect for this season since there are so many sub-alliances and it would force some people to reveal where their true loyalties lie.

I remember that was Rupert. He had steak and wine and gave Boston Rob a cheeseburger and beer, Amber a sandwich and soda, Alicia salad and bottled water, Shii Ann rice and "Survivor" water. I forget who got just water. Rupert was not in an alliance with Rob but wanted Rob to think Rupert was being nice to him.

[smurfy]

After tonights episode, and with comments here: Denise is so not winning
and either Malcolm or Lisa are winning. The editing is so obvious
So much time spent on Lisa with her brother and her finally realizing to vote out Malcolm and then he wins immunity. Seems like filler.
They didn't even spend any time showing Malcolm and Denise talking about his choices for the reward. They have not shown them much anymore, and I believe they probably are still close and talking.

Carter - he had a good comment about the others talking about people deserving to be there and then it being between him and Abi.
Carter is a young kid, maybe much brighter than we saw, if I was in power, I would bring him back in a few years. Let him mature, learn from this season, he could come back and be underestimated by folks and do much better.

Abi - still annoying. She never listens to another person. But she is the only unpredictable thing left.
I am really missing Penner!

[Kasey]

I felt bad for Carter, but they were voting smart. I'm terrified that Abi will win immunity next week; ugh, what a completely clueless, unpleasant human being. It is interesting though, to think of what the power of the final four really is; I think Skupin, as opposed to Lisa is on the bottom, with Lisa being third. But if any combination of Malcolm, Denise and/or Lisa make it to the final, it should be interesting to see who wins.

[genevieve]

Sadly, I agree that there is no way Denise is winning. And BTW - she's straight?!? that was unexpected

I normally loathe the family visit episodes, but even cynical me was moved by Lisa's outright need to see her brother. even if I'd assumed from the previews that it was her son . And OMG Carter's mom is teensy weensy! She might be shorter than Denise!

AAARGH, Abi is so awful, but of course they kept her. It's not just about the likeability factor (in fact I think she is now a threat in the finals just as an alternative to the strategists who've pissed the jury off, aka the Vecepia factor), but keeping Carter would have increased the odds of having one of the core 4 alliance go out at 5 by a lot.

I was really hoping that Lisa's renewed interest in strategy would pay off, but of course Malcolm won immunity, sigh.

Now that Penner's gone, no more alliance shifting

I think I'm rooting for Skupin

[MarieM]

Noooooooo I want Denise to win !!! please !!! Not Lisa !!!

[Jenny]

AAARGH, Abi is so awful, but of course they kept her. It's not just about the likeability factor (in fact I think she is now a threat in the finals just as an alternative to the strategists who've pissed the jury off, aka the Vecepia factor), but keeping Carter would have increased the odds of having one of the core 4 alliance go out at 5 by a lot.

The difference is though that Vecepia got to the end and won by default - her "strategy" was to avoid drama in a cast that had a lot of dramatics, so she won. Abi OTOH, loathesome as she is, is actually playing the game. Her social game completely sucks, but she's scrappy and ballsy and frankly deserves to be there IMO.

Voting off Carter was definitely hypocritical, and that could come back to bite one or more of them. They touted the high ground, and now I'm sure at least one jury member will call them on it, and it could buy Abi a vote in the end. Pete and Artis are already on her side, and I wouldn't be surprised if Jeff is now too, and Carter.

I was really hoping that Lisa's renewed interest in strategy would pay off, but of course Malcolm won immunity, sigh.

But I was yelling at the tv - so vote out Denise you idiots!!!

I don't understand why they are only focused on Malcolm, when part of Malcolm's power quite obviously comes from Denise, who also just happens to be nice, smart, physically gifted and oh yes, A THREAT TO WIN IT ALL. Sheesh. I know I was complaining that they were ignoring Carter, but I think they still were - they didn't vote him out because he was a threat, they actually voted to keep Abi.

Now, among many dangers such as her winning a challenge (there's always an endurance near the end, and she's determined), she's also now the wedge vote who has zero loyalties except to herself. Handy if you need her to help you with a blindside, not so good if that blindside is you.

As for that reward, again . Lisa makes sense - solidifies her loyalty, the kind of thing Penner should have done. But Skupin?? There was no need to solidify his loyalty with Lisa already taken care of. Instead, on the assumption that Carter and Abi were not going to make it to the end, he should have picked one of them to buy their jury vote, and that of their friends. Abi maybe not as the rest of the tribe wouldn't have forgiven him, but Carter could have been a great choice. Or, of course Denise. Everyone already knows you're aligned so no big reveal, and you need to reward her for her loyalty almost more than Lisa and Skupin. Remember Grant and Boston Rob? Could happen again, because these two are going to have to turn on each other at some point.

In other words, anyone but Skupin would have been a better choice

[genevieve]

I think I sad last week - and I meant to say it last night - that Abi is no longer a smart choice to take to the finals. Artis and Pete are in her alliance and will likely vote for her (based on Ponderosa vids Pete might have voted for Penner, and still might vote for Malcolm, but not if Abi gets to keep playing ostracized victim in TC). Jeff is so pissed about being had that he would likely vote for Abi precisely because the better players voted him out (i.e. the Rotu 4 Bittah Vote). The longer Abi stays, the longer she gets to look like an underdog who stayed despite all odds, and gets to play that she has been "too honest" throughout the game (even though she hasn't been), while the rest of them have flipped alliances and said this was about good people vs game play and then they voted out Carter. RC is the only person who can really be counted on to vote against Abi at this point.

But I was yelling at the tv - so vote out Denise you idiots!!!

I know, right?!?! The only thing I can think is that people felt that Malcolm might give her his HII. I can't believe her name NEVER came up, so I with we'd seen some discussion to know how things moved away from her.

I know I was complaining that they were ignoring Carter, but I think they still were - they didn't vote him out because he was a threat, they actually voted to keep Abi.

mmm, I totally saw it as them fearing his immunity potential. And maybe a little uncertainty about whether Abi really does have the HII or not - wish they'd split their votes to give Abi 4 votes (including Carter's vote) and Carter 1, so that if she did have an HII Carter would have gone home. The frustrating thing is that Carter - while making a physical threat surge late in the game - has done NOTHING strategically and would have been the absolute best person to be in the finals with

As for that reward, again . Lisa makes sense - solidifies her loyalty, the kind of thing Penner should have done. But Skupin?? There was no need to solidify his loyalty with Lisa already taken care of.

Totally should have picked Denise as his second person. Not only would it make sense/offend the least people (because their alliance is well known), but it would have prevented the so called "god bonding" which then motivated Lisa to get back in the game. Again, Malcolm won immunity so it worked out ok, but way to give a strategic advantage to the other firm 2 person alliance in the game

BTW, Lisa may be the only person* in the history of Survivor or other competitive reality shows who is shown talking about her faith in a way that is not irritating. Her beliefs clearly run strong and deep, but her faith isn't about what god can do for her, it's about what she can do with god. It's refreshing. She is fascinating.


*Actually, Kaysar from BB6 was also non irritating in talking about his faith and the way it impacted his game

[snoopysnake]

They really tricked me with the promo for last night's show the week before. I thought Malcolm's brother was making fun of Carter, as opposed to Malcolm, and that little brother's comments were going to turn Carter off Malcolm. I felt bad for Abi's mom who can't catch (I am even worse.) I could imagine millions of viewers laughing at her for something she can't help. Abi must go next, if she does not win immunity.