Going into last night, my preferred order was Jesse, Karla gap Owen big gap Gabler huge gap Cassidy. But from the start of the ep I thought Jesse seemed deflated. At several points I thought his words were slurring, like he was just that tired and emotionally drained. No zip in him for the challenges, including making fire. Trying to get Cassidy to do the fire challenge was smart - she might have actually fallen for it if she hadn't already thought she proved herself with her strategic acumen (as if) and winning The Biggest Challenge Of The Game. So not sure what happened with him, maybe taking Cody out was more difficult than they let us know, I don't know, because it did seem clear that had he been sitting there the jury would have given it to him hands down.
Karla is a great player. In another season she could have won, not in others, but I'd count her among the best. We saw Jesse losing steam, Gabler must've talked about it at least 4 times in his confessionals ("nothing left in the tank") but Karla despite injuries was keeping up with the youngsters physically, she's a warrior.
As
@tony said, Owen just was there, and while he made for some good "journey" tv that the producers seem to love, the fact that he got zero votes despite winning three challenges should tell casting that what fans and fellow players really want to see is strategic play.
Cassidy Cassidy Cassidy. Going to sound like an old person here but how many times have we seen some entitled young thing think she's all that and more. When she started TC with how she won The Biggest Challenge Of The Game and she's so proud of herself I thought you are laying it on way too thick with the grownups, and it went down from there.
Gabler won the TC, no question. Not to get too personal but for many, many years I have advised senior executives in preparing for interviews and presentations and such and Gabler simply nailed it. Had his story straight, got his key points out there, repeated them deftly, connected with his audience, was confident but also respectful of the jury of his peers. If I hadn't seen the whole season I would have thought it made total sense.
Because here's where it doesn't. I think the editors were hiding him somewhat - a few of us have noticed that he would say something, or start to say something, or there would be a next time on, and we wouldn't see it play out. But maybe it did, we just didn't see it. Obviously any jury worth their buffs was never going to give it to Cassidy, but I would have thought Owen would get a couple of votes for perseverance, winning when he had to, somehow being the guy who got saved twice with other people's idols, hanging in there, surviving. But Gabler got all but one of the jury, and Owen got nothing.
I really liked going straight into the after show while they were still there. Is that new? I can't recall that ever happening since the very first season. Cassidy was in a remarkably good mood, assuming they gave them a little break to wash up and get it together, but it was fun also seeing some of the crew and the set, everyone joining in the fun. Also, sorry but glad not to waste time talking to the early voteouts who I don't even remember any more.
Fun season, fun talking it through with you all!
