Survivor: Winners at War

[Jenny]

I thought it was a big mistake for Denise to tell the story of how she got Sandra out. The time for that story was final TC, especially with Sandra not there to counter any of it. And then she was so fierce on the pole challenge - yup, you're a big target now.

Tony is playing it down, but let us remember that in the "who's the best" survey, several of them said Tony. They're watching him. I'd be happy if he won too - probably my third fave. I also like Sarah and Sophie, and was rooting for Denise but she's starting to make mistakes.

At the end, we need either some really flashy moves on the resume, or perhaps someone who might have played a perfect game. That might speak well to the jury, who are all huge fans of the game and maybe like the idea of together defining what is the perfect game.

I LOVE that the entire cast is on the jury - finally a jury that is actually qualified for this!

And a random thought - along with the multi-season players, there are quite a few who only played once, and now for the first time ever find themselves voted out, fighting to get back in, and sitting on a jury.

 

[tony]

One thing I can hope for, with a group of 16 winners in jury (granted no one else leaves) is that they DO NOT hand the win to someone who gets back in the game with 5 or 6 people left like season 38. You know the person coming back will most likely get the opportunity to buy an idol (remember Chris was given an advantage in 38) and then it almost assures they will sit in the final.

Sophie and Sarah seem locked together. Sarah has her thing with Tony that’s been on the DL from what I can see. Kim and Denise want to work together, and Denise has Adam still probably. Michele and Nick are the two left in the dark from this week, but I don’t think anyone is eager to go after them now. Ben and Jeremy- who knows where they will go. Siding with Michele and Nick isn’t going to do anything numbers-wise without other help. And like I posted before, Tyson will probably just join whichever side needs his help for a while, but I could see him working with Sophie/Sarah/Tony.

 

[Sparks]

I could tell from Tyson's social media that he would get back in the game.

 

[tony]

This was one of the best episodes in such a long time. Too bad it fizzled out with that vote. Had that been an idol on the podium, it would’ve been one of the biggest moves ever and that’s really something with 20 winners.

Ben and Nick are just filler for me at this point. They, along with Adam, are so paranoid and it’s starting to get annoying- even with the few glimpses we see.

Michele continues to get an amazing edit, but with the way all of them continue to shift their plans, who knows at this point. I do keep remembering back to the confessional that she gave early in the season, saying something to the extent of most people didn’t think she deserved to win and she started to believe that..

Kim is starting to get back into her leadership role, and I think if another guy goes next week we might see her really start to take charge. Denise escaped being the target last week to not even being mentioned amongst the 5 or 6 possibilities this week.

ETA- I’m in the Survivor superfan group for sure, but wow Parvati remembering where the clue was hidden two seasons ago.

 

[ross_hy]

I'm glad [spoiler-free] was voted out. That speech at tribal council was annoying and really paranoid. That being said, the leadup to tribal council and all the whispering right before the vote was really intense, I loved it.

 

[Jenny]

Well I'm glad Adam's finally gone. He was getting so much airplay I was beginning to worry the whiny little worm would win this thing. I did however think that his idol attempt was a smart move - it would make sense that in this winner's season there might be something as crazy as an idol at TC, and he was observant enough to notice it was similar to an actual idol he'd seen, even if it did just turn out to be a design element

And yes this is the Kim I remember as being the first, maybe one of the only in either Survivor or BB, to successfully take a women's alliance to the end. A season also memorable to me for featuring the cutest Survivor evah

We must be missing a lot though, because now it's clear Tyson's name did come up last week after all, and surely there is something going on with Denise because why didn't anyone pick her for the challenge when she's clearly very strong?

Opinions on Sarah's move to give Nick her reward? I thought it was dumb in terms of giving up a chance to find an idol as so often happens at rewards, and obviously she hasn't bought any favour with Nick either.

 

[tony]

We must be missing a lot though, because now it's clear Tyson's name did come up last week after all, and surely there is something going on with Denise because why didn't anyone pick her for the challenge when she's clearly very strong?

Opinions on Sarah's move to give Nick her reward? I thought it was dumb in terms of giving up a chance to find an idol as so often happens at rewards, and obviously she hasn't bought any favour with Nick either.

I think there’s less drama to the Denise story. I noticed when Jeff announced the reward, Denise’s face was kinda like... Oh. Yay. Chinese food. Weren’t she and Kim talking about working together, too? So maybe she just suggested she wouldn’t want it or maybe Kim didn’t want to show her cards by picking her after she probably would’ve been booted last week. Either way, I still want those two at the end so it’s fine if they ignore her now

I also want Sarah at the end and don’t think the move was wise, but if she and Tony stick together and he keeps getting his way with the (whatever he calls them) leaving, things will end up pretty good for her.

 

[Rogue]

Kudos to Nick for starting all the drama and deflecting the blame on Adam. It saved him for another week since he was the original target with Adam being the secondary split-the-vote target. Also, I don't think Tyson's name seriously came up last week. That was just Nick trying to place the target on someone else this week - make Tyson think he is low-man to get him on board with targeting someone else (in this case, Sarah).

 

[Jenny]

I am loving Tony's game right now, he's nailing it.

 

[tony]

I am loving Tony's game right now, he's nailing it.

He is laying low and pretty much getting what he wants without having to be obviously in charge. Although part of me thinks it would be delightful if Sarah screwed him over somewhere down the line to get back at him.

 

[BaileyCatts]

That would have been so hysterical if that little emblem thingy would have turned out to be an Idol. The producers totally missed a good moment with that one. But who would ever thought of something so crazy, but I woulda loved the reaction shots it would have generated.

 

[smurfy]

Crazy episode! So glad Adam was gone.
Nick did a good job of deflecting to Adam.
I am rooting for an all female alliance led by Kim. I really liked her in her season - the subtleness!
I was wondering about Denise too? With Adam gone - will many think she has no allies and forget about her for a bit.?
Yes - about Parvarti! One thing I feel they have done a good job with her edit this year - showing how smart and how she gets along with people, makes allies and not this obvious Black Widow.
Michelle is gettings screen time - but not as positive as earlier. Maybe time is due to importance of future event and not win?
I really wish each episode was 30 min or 60 min longer. As much as I am enjoying this season, I feel there is a lot more going on that would entertain us.

 

[Kasey]

Gotta share something here.

So, I follow some of the survivors on social media, just because they seemed like decent folks on the show. A few days ago, I posted a plea for folks staying at home, stating that I'm a critical care nurse, and I don't want to spend my birthday this month taking care of you in MY unit (and you don't want that either!). Later that same day, I got a long message from Wendell, thanking me for my work, asking questions about my job, and saying that if I send him my address, he'd send me something for my birthday. So I responded, and shared my UPS store address (not home, of course!), and thanked him for his generous words. Yesterday, there is a package in my mail, with the initials "WH" in the return address! I have no idea what it is since I'm not going to open it till my birthday. But I wanted folks to know that Wendell may be dickish on the show, but seems like a really nice dude in real life!

 

[BaileyCatts]

^^^ Don't forget to come back and tell us what it was when you open it!

 

[Jenny]

That's so nice @Kasey! Suddenly I don't dislike him as much

 

[tony]

So Sarah was smart in playing her steal a vote, but I'm curious to know how the votes fell exactly.

Had she not played it and someone on the other side had an idol (as Kim did), the vote potentially would've been 5-4 with all 5 of the votes going away granted they guessed right. By using the steal, it became 6-3 in their favor. My question becomes why they didn't split it 3-3 for Denise and Tyson. Had Kim guessed right, Tyson would've been nullified and Denise's 2 votes wouldn't have overcome the (assumed) 3 for Sophie.

And in the event there was a 3-3-3 tie and the idol was used on one of those 3 (Denise), do they revote with just the remaining two as options? I don't think that situation has ever happened.

Then again, one vote wasn't read and while we all are assuming it was another for Sophie, maybe one of the four on the outside switched or is playing both sides. It can't be Denise and I doubt it was Kim... so?

A lot of build-up once again this week to send basically a non-factor out of the game again.

BTW- that immunity challenge is one of my favorites. So intense!

 

[tony]

Wikipedia has been updated to show that both of Sarah’s votes went to Denise, while Michele sided with the majority and voted Tyson out. Kim and Tyson were the only votes for Sophie.

 

[Jenny]

Well I've always been a Tyson fan but he really didn't step up here, even with his second chance, so I'm OK with him gone. I think there's still one opportunity to get back in the game, no?

For once I really enjoyed the family visits - so fun to see the entire families, and so glad the exiled also got to see their families.

Go Tony!!

 

[BaileyCatts]

Like I didn't hate the 'loved ones' visit enough already, now they gotta bring in their kids? Some of those kids were a little too young to be there to me. They already don't understand where mommy/daddy has been for weeks now (because they also go thru like a boot camp before the show even starts, don't they?), now they see them for a few hours and then leave again without them? I can image there might have been some hysterical 'I wanna stay with mommy/daddy' crying fits going on with some of those little ones who don't quite understand what is going on.

Was that baby Natalie's baby or was it her sisters baby?

Still not sure who I want to win yet but I'm leaning towards Tony now. Or Natalie if she gets back in the game. Sarah would be okay too.

I think Jeremy done wrote his ticket outta the game with that move. I mean yeah, you did save yourself, but you also betrayed your alliance. If I was one of his alliance, I would be pissed and be on board to vote him out next because no matter what happens they don't have the numbers anymore. I would never vote him to win either just because of that, but I'm petty that way.

 

[Kasey]

I like Jeremy ok, but I think he punched his ticket out of the game with that move. Of course, with the steal-a-vote, the other side would have had the advantage anyway, but no one knew that was going to happen.

Sophie seems to quietly be in a leader position, which is cool with me, since I like her, and Sarah.

Will be interesting to see who comes back from the Edge, and when.

 

[tony]

Jeremy might be the perfect person to pull to the end now, though, because you know the cast of winners isn't going to respect his move-- regardless of Sarah's advantage.

I hope the Edge play-back happens before the final 5 or 6 this time.

Still feeling Michele and Sarah for the end, but I think we got a glimpse enough into next week to see that the 'power' group of 5 is going to implode.

 

[Habs]

The jury hugging Jeff at the end was the feel good content I didn't know I needed this week.

 

[Prancer]

If I had been Jeremy, I would have done the same thing. All that whispering going on and not one person talked to him? And when he left, Sophie (or Sarah) said "Well, what are we gonna do now?"

So clearly, it was Jeremy, and that was obvious to all. This is not a team game. I find it hard to believe that any of those people (all of whom stabbed people in the back to win and not one of whom would have agreed to be voted out to take one for the team) is going to hold it against him and I think it would be really unreasonable of them to do so (which does not mean that they won't).

 

[Sparks]

It was also the last time he could use the advantage.

 

[Habs]

If I had been Jeremy, I would have done the same thing.

Me too. He knew it was going to be him. What else could/should he have done?
It's kind of like using a U-Turn in the Amazing Race. People might not like it, but it's part of the game. He had an advantage and knew he was going home. He would have been foolish to not use it in that situation.

 

[Kasey]

It was also the last time he could use the advantage.

I lost track; that makes more sense then!

 

[smurfy]

Interesting episode.
So many cute kids. And I think I heard "Auntie Nat" with the twins and baby.
I wonder what they would have done if Rob and Amber were apart. That could have confused the kids with 2 visits?
I did love the the Jeff hug - such a genuine moment.

Jeremy was in a no win situation - but he is still in the game. And if the 5 implode and the others - Jeremy could be a swing vote, or a goat to drag to the end as already said.

As I keep saying, I am enjoying the season, but so much more is going on - longer episodes please!

 

[Prancer]

I lost track; that makes more sense then!

How would it have made sense for him to not play it even if he could have used it later?

He was going to be voted out. He knew it. Everyone knew it.

Seriously, do people really think Jeremy was wrong to not let himself get voted out of the game so he could help some other people make it farther? How would this help his game?

 

[Jenny]

I wonder what they would have done if Rob and Amber were apart. That could have confused the kids with 2 visits?

I wondered that too, but I think the kids would have been fine - they have literally grown up with this show, I'm sure they get it

 

[BaileyCatts]

It was also the last time he could use the advantage.

D'oh. Didn't realize that. But I still would probably vote against him next time, even if it was the right thing for him to do for himself, because again I'm petty that way. I could never play this game.