SURVIVOR

#101

I'm going to be blogging Survivor from next season.

I'll post more closer to the time, but it would be neat if those of you who are Survivor fans came along and read my ramblings

#102

Golden wrote:I'm going to be blogging Survivor from next season.

I'll post more closer to the time, but it would be neat if those of you who are Survivor fans came along and read my ramblings

Ready for the Sierra/Troyzan power couple to take over the island?

#103

insertnamehere wrote:
Golden wrote:I'm going to be blogging Survivor from next season.

I'll post more closer to the time, but it would be neat if those of you who are Survivor fans came along and read my ramblings
Ready for the Sierra/Troyzan power couple to take over the island?

I can't wait to see how a season like this plays out. It looks remarkably lopsided on paper.

#104

GAME CHANGERS

ok how did Sierra change the game? She voted off her Mom? So what? I accidentally left my mom at a gas station on a vacation and you don't see me getting any medals.

But seriously am excited about seeing some familiar faces next season. Looks to be a pretty cutthroat one.

Ozzy should be voted out first, if they're smart.

#105

Scotty wrote:GAME CHANGERS

ok how did Sierra change the game? She voted off her Mom? So what? I accidentally left my mom at a gas station on a vacation and you don't see me getting any medals.

But seriously am excited about seeing some familiar faces next season. Looks to be a pretty cutthroat one.

Ozzy should be voted out first, if they're smart.

Sierra Dawn Thomas and Ciera Eastin are both on the next season. Ciera's the one who VOTED OUT HER MOM according to Probst.

Sierra was in Worlds Apart and did literally nothing. Waste of a space.

#106

Scotty wrote:GAME CHANGERS

ok how did Sierra change the game? She voted off her Mom? So what? I accidentally left my mom at a gas station on a vacation and you don't see me getting any medals.

But seriously am excited about seeing some familiar faces next season. Looks to be a pretty cutthroat one.

Ozzy should be voted out first, if they're smart.

You're thinking of ciera. Sierra did much less.

#107

insertnamehere wrote:

post millenials vs. gen x bump

Spoilers from this past season:

Spoiler: show

Linki; ohhhh right. I don't even remember that Sierra lol.

What has anyone with the homophone of Sierra done in this game worth noting?

#108

Scotty wrote:
insertnamehere wrote:

post millenials vs. gen x bump
Spoilers from this past season:
Spoiler: show
Jess's rock draw pissed me off. What a shitty way to go. I was rooting for her.

As for last season, what a heart wrenching story from Adam. During that last 2 episode arc it was clear he was being set up for a win from the edits, and I was being really put off by his sob story. But to hear that it was all true and his mother actually dying at that time is awful, and I'm glad he won. 100%. What a great gesture to give a quarter of his winnings to cancer research as well. I thoroughly enjoyed that season for the most part, even if Hannah existed and made some boneheaded decisions that impacted/blindsighted some of my favorite players.
Linki; ohhhh right. I don't even remember that Sierra lol.

What has anyone with the homophone of Sierra done in this game worth noting?

Ciera (the mom voting one) pulled a pretty amazing blindside on Andrew Savage in Second Chances.

#109

insertnamehere wrote:Ciera (the mom voting one) pulled a pretty amazing blindside on Andrew Savage in Second Chances.

I think Ciera's done a number of good things:

She did a lot of work to get Caleb to turn on Brad
She got Katie to admit she didn't have an idol through a shrewd piece of play
She recognised the need to go to rocks (sure, it was an episode too late)
She played both the Woo and Savage votes well in Second Chances, and was unlucky not to successfully dispatch of Fishbach too - it took an idol to get her out.

Listening to Jeff, you can see the season should be called 'Big Moves', because what he basically said is all of the players tried to do big things and play hard, even if it didn't work for them (this is still not true of Sierra...)

#110

Golden wrote:
insertnamehere wrote:Ciera (the mom voting one) pulled a pretty amazing blindside on Andrew Savage in Second Chances.
I think Ciera's done a number of good things:

She did a lot of work to get Caleb to turn on Brad
She got Katie to admit she didn't have an idol through a shrewd piece of play
She recognised the need to go to rocks (sure, it was an episode too late)
She played both the Woo and Savage votes well in Second Chances, and was unlucky not to successfully dispatch of Fishbach too - it took an idol to get her out.

Listening to Jeff, you can see the season should be called 'Big Moves', because what he basically said is all of the players tried to do big things and play hard, even if it didn't work for them (this is still not true of Sierra...)

That one must not have had an impression on me. I know it just happened but I don't even remember the winner of that season.

It's that early onset dimentia striking again

#111

So it begins:

http://www.truedorktimes.com/s34/martell/

I'm offically blogging Survivor, guys. Hope some of you who are Survivor fans will come along and read from time to time.

#112

Golden wrote:So it begins:

http://www.truedorktimes.com/s34/martell/

I'm offically blogging Survivor, guys. Hope some of you who are Survivor fans will come along and read from time to time.

Congrats on hitting the TrueDorkTimes big leagues!

I'm definitely gonna try and read it every week. I can't get enough of online Survivor coverage.

If any of you all don't already know about it, Mario Lanza's Funny 115 website about Survivor is a goddamn masterpiece, and he's releasing his third iteration about seasons 21-30 right now.

http://www.funny115.com/

Definitely a must-read for Survivor fans, along with the Golden Ticket.

(I also love the hatch door map banner.)

#113

Golden wrote:So it begins:

http://www.truedorktimes.com/s34/martell/

I'm offically blogging Survivor, guys. Hope some of you who are Survivor fans will come along and read from time to time.

Awesome work man! I will read that during the show today.
I especially like from my initial perusal how you spell the word "analyze"

#114

Scotty wrote:
Golden wrote:So it begins:

http://www.truedorktimes.com/s34/martell/

I'm offically blogging Survivor, guys. Hope some of you who are Survivor fans will come along and read from time to time.
Awesome work man! I will read that during the show today.
I especially like from my initial perusal how you spell the word "analyze"

Not colour?

#115

My cast assessment is up. Warning, it's long!

http://www.truedorktimes.com/s34/martell/cast.htm

#116

Golden wrote:My cast assessment is up. Warning, it's long!

http://www.truedorktimes.com/s34/martell/cast.htm

Holy shit dude. Your thoughts and mine are almost the same!!
After looking at the lineup, I figured Sandra would be a huge pull for votes right around merge and would probably be the first voted out of the merged tribe. And then you said ~10th! Right on!

I really want Malcolm to win. I do love the makeup of the Malu tribe and would be willing to bet that if a majority of them make it to merge with numbers, one of them will win it all.

I'm supes excited about this season. Good gameplay > loud personalities > pretty people

#117

I'm excited too. I just hope we don't lose superstar after superstar before the merge, that would be bad news.

#118

Golden wrote:I'm excited too. I just hope we don't lose superstar after superstar before the merge, that would be bad news.

If I were on a tribe with a winner and 2-time winner, you best know I wouldn't ally with them nor would I want them on my team. But man would it be cool for one of them to go all the way again.

#119

My Sandra avatar accurately describes the amount of days until Game Changers.

#120

insertnamehere wrote:My Sandra avatar accurately describes the amount of days until Game Changers.

True dat. And no spoilers in thread until at least Thursday please! I won't get to watch until then.

I'll be sure and post my final 3 predictions after I watch the first episode tho

#121

All talk spoiler tagged, is a good policy. I probably can't watch until your Thursday either.

I have to start my next blog tonight... I've seen the first 7 minutes of the episode and thought about the new twist (the one that's been publicly announced) so that's enough to get going.

#122

Golden wrote:All talk spoiler tagged, is a good policy. I probably can't watch until your Thursday either.

I have to start my next blog tonight... I've seen the first 7 minutes of the episode and thought about the new twist (the one that's been publicly announced) so that's enough to get going.

Agreed. Until at least we're several weeks in.

We should all put out our top 3's and whoever wins wins a win

#123

Is this your final 3, or top 3 guesses for who wins?

My top three guesses for who wins are:

Spoiler: show

The third one is me giving the end to the terrible season of terribleness, but I think they could beat some others they would get to the end with in that scenario.

#124

My top three guesses for who wins:

Spoiler: show

#125

But seriously...

Spoiler: show

#126

Ok! I done caught up I tells ya.

Did a fancy little draft with some friends, and here are my picks for final 3:

Spoiler: show

insertnamehere wrote:But seriously...

Spoiler: show
Varner
Michaela
Sandra

Really?

Spoiler: show

#127

Also hilarious is that it is pure coincidence that I named a tribe in my game 'Mamana' when a tribe of similar colors in this season is called 'Mana'

#128

http://www.truedorktimes.com/s34/martell/e1.htm

Here's my blog, guys.

#129

This week's Survivor blog is here:

http://truedorktimes.com/s34/martell/e3.htm

#130

Ok, sell me on one Survivor season.

One.

You can collaborate at will on this one.

And not the first one, I've seen that one back in the day. I actually still strongly remember Richard for how much of a vile, yet laudable ass he was. Dammit, I even vividly remember the last 3 challenge, that Rudy lost after, what, nine hours or something? I think my parents were heartbroken by it or something. Damn you brain, why you choose to keep these memories, of all things!!

#131

It's funny looking back now and watching season one... Richard doesn't seem at all vile any more.

Before there is any pitching - from your one season only perspective, what do you like about the idea of Survivor, and what do you not like about it?

#132

The Last-Person-Standing-like challenge, competition and spectacle would interest me the most, by some distance. I attribute the challenges more towards the episodic nature of the series, so with exceptions that are gripping or truly interesting (like the Rudy stuff I mentioned, stuck in my brain webs), this will probably not attract me as most. Further down the rainbow, I don't see myself either perceptive enough or downright interested in the (actual) survivor skills on display throughout the tournament.

#133

Do you likely to be more or less interested in social dynamics forcing strategy (say, conflict in real life views) or in pure gamesmanship defining strategy? What's your tolerance for strategic jerkiness?

#134

I'd be tolerant to watching mostly anything unfold, methinks. But that's as far as I can understand your question. It would not be the same as saying I also condone what veers on edgy and dirty or that I'd intentionally ask for big drama to go with my popcorn. Then again, I've watched enough Weakest Link to know gamesmanship and strategy don't always match.

#135

Ricochet wrote:I'd be tolerant to watching mostly anything unfold, methinks. But that's as far as I can understand your question. It would not be the same as saying I also condone what veers on edgy and dirty or that I'd intentionally ask for big drama to go with my popcorn. Then again, I've watched enough Weakest Link to know gamesmanship and strategy don't always match.

Aha, how true! But a big part of the appeal of Survivor (in my opinion) is figuring out who is playing well, and who is not (the worst seasons, however, are the ones where a bunch of people aren't playing at all).

My pitch to you is:

Pearl Islands, season 7.

Here's a few reasons why this season would be a good season for you to watch.

1) The season has a number of surprises and also a number of evidently good and bad decisions. In terms of watching the battle to be the last man standing, it's a pretty good watch. Power plays and attempted power plays abound. It's a formative season for what good Survivor strategy looks like.

2) The cast is diverse. It includes a number of Survivor's most recognisable faces playing for the first time. There's a good mix of the one dimensional, but plenty of two dimensional characters as well (and the one dimensional characters are still very compelling TV). There is douchiness but not to an obnoxious level that affects enjoyment of the season.

3) There is a certain evolution to Survivor, that I think makes the show more compelling if you watch a couple of earlier seasons first. Pearl Islands predates the invention of many of the twists the show has thrown at us, and while many of those twists have been fantastic and added strategic options for good players, I think it's best to get a compass of what 'good play' looks like while the game is still relatively raw. I'd give you a short list of seasons to watch to get a crash course in the evolution of the game, but since the rule is one season, this is probably the best.

4) In a recent poll of fans, Pearl Islands managed to come in second to top in terms of 'what is the best season'. It's popularity hasn't waned for a reason.

#136

PEARL ISLANDS = BEST SEASON

#137

Now that's what I call collaboration!

#138

Well, since this seems a thread of three lately, I say that'll be enough and that the tribe has spoken.

#139

I look forward to your review

#140

I'll be interested in seeing your blog about this week's show Golden.

#141

juliets wrote:I'll be interested in seeing your blog about this week's show Golden.

No kidding! As I was watching it play out I was thinking 'how do I even begin to make sense of this'. I'll do my best!

#142

Golden wrote:
juliets wrote:I'll be interested in seeing your blog about this week's show Golden.
No kidding! As I was watching it play out I was thinking 'how do I even begin to make sense of this'. I'll do my best!

Spoiler alert:

Spoiler: show

#143

Spoiler: show

#144

Ugh, and I told myself I wouldn't do this. #shutthisreviewingfactorydown #shut.it.down

Pearl Harbour ep1

Spoiler: show

See, even an introductory, low stakes episode such as this highlights what draws skepticism and cynicism from me in regards to these highly-televised, highly-monitored, heavy on post-production reality shows. It was impossible for me not to think that a narrative was threaded, making it all look like "Morgan Tribe shits the bed - The Episode" - granted, with that group having a very poor, scattered challenge and bonding performance, overall. But compared to it, nitpicking into Drake issues was like, what -- "oh, Jon turns into a drunktard jokester?" Riveting.

That being said, I nearly anticipated a karma bitch moment of Morgan winning the immunity challenge overall and it ALMOST happened. Not that I could make much sense of that high-pace editing. Drake seemed dead stuck, then suddenly no steam left for Morgan? Shouldn't they have been a mile ahead by the time Drake finally pulled on the better sand route? No idea how Morgan blew it, tbh. And that's considerate, given that their opening strategy was "let's carry each component of this cannon separately", good grief

.

One thing I didn't understand or even disliked during the imm challenge was the rocks clearing phase. It seemed like Drake did all the clearing, while Morgan just recovered and waited in the back? How was this fairly set out for a dual confrontation?

Rupert's lootin' kinda earned mad respect from me, lul. He ain't wrong about being cheeky whilst also focused on the prize. Even more serious cred for all that fishin', especially after [two macho men, whomever those personality-less chaps were] barely farted one catch. Sandra being a genuine trump card for this team during the trades was also notabl hey hold up isn't this the lady in INH's avatar??. These two seem jury material, at least, easily. I think Jonster the Jokester will be fine for a while, too, even if he was the only thing the rest of Drake could grimace at. Has a bit of edge that I think will keep him afloat.

Over on These-Poor-Folks' side, the only thing I noted was Lillian's doing her scout stuff when appropriate and at this point I wouldn't say I can fault Andrew for what he attempts or speaks out as a leader. Very surprised human bulk Osten got away easy during Throwing Under the Bus phase; literally no mention or beef. He must have been aligned with the other two powerhorse macho figured and left alone. I honestly didn't see the bit about Ryan S. not pulling his weight during the challenge because MALE NAKED BUTTS PULLING AND PUSHING STUFF. As soon as Nicole went trying to hook people into eliminating [Tijuana? Tijuanda?], I sensed she went too tryhard into this scheme and it would backfire. Good choice, I suppose, but nothing too thrilling about this, per se. Both Ryan S. as a challenge fail scapegoat and Nicole as "cash me ousside howba dah" drama seemed fairly routine elimination routes.

#145

Survivor's production values are higher than most - while there's no doubt that they craft a narrative for their 42-minute synopsis of three days of real life, most contestants say it always broadly reflects what actually happened (and those that don't are usually blowhards who came off looking like jerks because they are jerks). The one exception being that they will almost always endeavour to make you believe there is more than one name on the table going in to tribal council to allow for suspense, even if the vote was actually straightforward.

I've sat amongst people who are in the prediction game for a long while and... some seasons they get it right, some they get it badly wrong. Survivor editors are notable for deliberately toying with your expectations of the edit. But they're still bound to ensure that even the most casual of viewer can feel like they can understand what happened.

#146

Didn't plan on watching a new episode for at least one or two days, but I didn't pick a movie for this evening, so I said to myself, whatevs

Pearl Harbour ep 2

Spoiler: show

#147

You have no idea how relevant that simile is going to be...

#148

That what?

#149

Ricochet wrote:That what?

The simile you used in your last sentence!

#150

Ricochet wrote:That what?

A simile is like a metaphor