Survivor S39: Island of the Idols

[tony]

I had a feeling Noura was going to the end a long time ago (in the weeks when I was convinced Karishma would also be there ). I just wish she hadn’t been so wild because I really did love her. Once Dean had that nullifier, I knew they were never going to see the light of getting rid of him, probably because he was also giving off the same dumb vibe to the others that he was getting in his edit.

I was torn between Tommy and Janet as the other finalist after Dan got booted. I knew it was too good to be true to have Janet against those two (in which I think she would’ve gotten every vote) but I still wanted it to happen and in my head that was what I was still rooting for. Lauren, much like Devens, was being set up as the strongest player and the one to win for a while so that kind of edit seems destined for 4th place now. Her final placement was probably the one most foreshadowed/predictable IMO. The one thing that surprised me is after all of the edits we got of Lauren and Tommy saying they need to go after each other is that they didn’t, and they weren’t put next to each other in fire making.

And of course, at one point I believe it was 8 women and 3 men left and then 2 men finish in the top two spots

 

[Jenny]

Kinda sad that we have to spend so much time analyzing the edit rather than gameplay. I vaguely recall that the first season, maybe a few others, started airing while it was still being played, and that was one good thing (there are few) about Big Brother - no time to shape the story to justify the eventual winner, or to make it seem like it was more complicated than it was by giving us red herrings and misleading edits.

I realize it's mathematically impossible to air it anywhere close to live, but I do wish TPTB would quit micromanaging this thing and just let us watch them play, especially in a season like this where there were a lot of very good players.

 

[tony]

Kinda sad that we have to spend so much time analyzing the edit rather than gameplay. I vaguely recall that the first season, maybe a few others, started airing while it was still being played, and that was one good thing (there are few) about Big Brother - no time to shape the story to justify the eventual winner, or to make it seem like it was more complicated than it was by giving us red herrings and misleading edits.

I realize it's mathematically impossible to air it anywhere close to live, but I do wish TPTB would quit micromanaging this thing and just let us watch them play, especially in a season like this where there were a lot of very good players.

But that’s the interesting thing. In Survivor, you would think with all of this material pre-recorded that you could actually make decent story arcs still.. but this year especially things were just all over the place. I think we started discussing it with Jamal’s attitude going back and forth and then it never really led to anything. And that was the first of many stories that never really went anywhere or were thrown together.

With Big Brother, they sometimes early-on focus on players making the big moves and we don’t really see that other contestants exist (unless you watch the live feeds). In 2018, for the first half of the season, the winner and the fourth-place finisher were NEVER on our TV screens. It happens every once in a while with Survivor, but those players don’t typically go far.

 

[love skating]

I was worried Dean was going to win cause it seemed like the jury was going his way but I guess that was probably a lot of editing too. I didn't want Dean to win so I'm okay with Tommy winning. This whole season though was a dumpster fire and it started off pretty well but of course went downhill quickly in the middle. The reunion has been getting shorter and shorter which annoys me. I guess I see why they didn't want a long one this year though! And I don't like the Sia prize. If she wants to give them her own money that's fine, but don't have it part of the show. It just feels uncomfortable to me and makes me wonder if some just try to get a "Sia-friendly" edit to win some of that "Sia money". Oh well, on to the winner's season - hope it's not a big disappointment!

 

[Jenny]

Agree the Sia thing is out of place and kinda weird.

 

[Jenny]

Just read in an article that final TC was about 4-5 hours long. And we saw what? 10 minutes?

 

[sk8pics]

I am glad Tommy won; out of the final 3 I liked him the best. Dean was driving me crazy the last few weeks, and especially the way he would stick his tongue out all the time. Noura was so crazy, I would laugh at her at first but then it got kind of old.

The reunion show was disappointing, for understandable reasons. I felt bad for Kellee, who seemed at a loss as to what to say. I thought Jeff did his best to help her while still trying to give her her space.

I am looking forward to next season. How crazy that Rob and Amber are both playing! Will be interesting to see what twists they come up with.

 

[Susan1]

The reunion show was disappointing, for understandable reasons. I felt bad for Kellee, who seemed at a loss as to what to say. I thought Jeff did his best to help her while still trying to give her her space.

It wasn't live. Why didn't she have remarks prepared? She kept saying the same canned thing over and over.

 

[Sparks]

Poor Kellee. She was put in a terrible position. Those were her prepared remarks.
Read her interview

Kellee Kim of 'Survivor' speaks out: 'I hope change is going to happen'

'Survivor: Island of the Idols' contestant Kellee Kim responds to Jeff Probst's on-air apology in the finale.

ew.com

 

[Prancer]

Poor Kellee. She was put in a terrible position.

She agreed to be on the show only if she were allowed to say her piece, so I think she wanted that position.

 

[smurfy]

Wow. Anticlimatic in some ways.
something about Dean - I just do not like him.
Final TC - so odd how Tommy was blah and Dean ?. But so true about the edit - Noura?
we missed out on stuff for sure.
I actually was thinking before we saw the vote results that Noura might get a vote or 2.
In some way I think I will forget about this season pretty quickly. It started promisingly.
And the guy on the left side of our screen - first juror - I swear I do not remember him.

Lots of mistakes made in this show by producers etc. And we got a poorly edited season.
Too many cooks and lawyers involved I would guess.
I think what bugs me is that it could have been shown differently and well and it was not. What could have been.

Sia thing is just so odd.

And yes - Sandra with a tiara - best thing!

I just hope next season is good.

 

[genevieve]

Just read in an article that final TC was about 4-5 hours long. And we saw what? 10 minutes?

I thought that was the case for all FTCs - maybe not 4-5 hours, but at least 2. Aren't all TCs really at least an hour long?

That final episode was such a slog. The first 10 minutes was more ridiiculous pimping of Saint Rob (with begruding acknowledgment of Sandra's accomplishments).

I have to hand it to Noura for showing up for that last immunity - not such a surprise, given her ability to have laser-like focus in physical challenges - and even her decision-making around who to make build a fire (when did they start that, anyway? Yuck), but as expected, she did not talk about her game well AT ALL in FTC. She could have made a good case for her ability to react and adjust - especially coming back from getting caught out in a lie when Dean blew up the plan - and played up her ability to get immunity when needed. She could have highlighted her unpredictability as a way to navigate the social structure. Instead she let two bros talk over her and take over the whole TC.

I thought Dean was going to win based on the FTC edit we got. He made some big mistakes and got called out in a lie but from what I saw he made a stronger case than Tommy did, especially to end the FTC. But he fumbled badly on the "no lines to cross" question - I think a different jury and a different season would have overlooked that.

Good for Tommy, I guess? I just don't care.

I didn't bother watching the reunion past announcing the winner.