The Survivor Thread

[sahyder1]

I know we have a few Survivor fans on here. I've been tossing this idea to GoGo in the Heroes vs Villains thread but he is watching them at a much faster pace then I am. Anyone up for watching from Season 1 on?

[GoGo Yubari]

Even if nobody else wants to, I will totally use this thread to discuss the old Survivors with you. How far are you into Africa? I love how Samburu basically exists as a bizarre funhouse mirror version of Ogakor from The Outback. Especially with Theresa and Tina; I swear T-Bird was cast because the producers really liked Tina and wanted to bring in someone exactly like her, right down to playing an Under the Radar But Still Strategic style.

[bill_da_bill]

I've seen the first few. Than I stopped, and other than random seasons here and there I am really just now starting back up.

I am currently watching the 6th season I believe it is. The one with Johnny Fairplay in it, only seen the first episode.

I'd be up for this, but it'd take me forever cause my free time to watch shows is limited and keeping up with the ongoing season and The Ultimate Fighter is my priority.

[sahyder1]

Even if nobody else wants to, I will totally use this thread to discuss the old Survivors with you. How far are you into Africa? I love how Samburu basically exists as a bizarre funhouse mirror version of Ogakor from The Outback. Especially with Theresa and Tina; I swear T-Bird was cast because the producers really liked Tina and wanted to bring in someone exactly like her, right down to playing an Under the Radar But Still Strategic style.

I've watched Africa once already. Just watching it again because I decided to watch everything again in order. Was there another seasons where they faced conditions as bad as this? I mean limited water supply. The lions being close by and scaring the crap out of them at night. Of the seasons I've watched I don't know if I ever hated a tribe as much as I hated Samburu. I agree, they definitely cast Teresa in the hopes that ended up like Tina but Tina was a far more strategic player. If I didn't hate the younger members of Samburu, Linda would have annoyed me a lot more too with her whole "mother Africa" routine.

I've seen the first few. Than I stopped, and other than random seasons here and there I am really just now starting back up.

I am currently watching the 6th season I believe it is. The one with Johnny Fairplay in it, only seen the first episode.

I'd be up for this, but it'd take me forever cause my free time to watch shows is limited and keeping up with the ongoing season and The Ultimate Fighter is my priority.

Yeah, I don't necessarily see a need to go at a certain pace. I'm sure people will jump in and out of the thread.

[naiwf]

Colby throwing the million dollars to Tina really soured me on this show. If you didn't want the money then don't go on a run of winning immunity and eliminating people who were trying to win. If that guy hadn't fallen into the fire, I think this season would have been so much better and I probably would have kept up with the show.

Boston Rob throwing the million dollars to Amber during the 1st AS season didn't help much either. I guess what I'm saying is that the Amber seasons really sucked

[sahyder1]

Colby throwing the million dollars to Tina really soured me on this show. If you didn't want the money then don't go on a run of winning immunity and eliminating people who were trying to win. If that guy hadn't fallen into the fire, I think this season would have been so much better and I probably would have kept up with the show.

Boston Rob throwing the million dollars to Amber during the 1st AS season didn't help much either. I guess what I'm saying is that the Amber seasons really sucked

Like I mentioned in the other thread, I liked Colby a lot more because of the way he played. He had one set plan. He was loyal to Tina from fairly early.

I didn't have a problem with Rob taking Amber to the end either. He dominated that season and by ending up married to Amber he ended up with the million anyways.

[GoGo Yubari]

but Tina was a far more strategic player.

I disagree. Tina would have gone exactly the same way as T-Bird had her alliance not worked out. Theresa was a very clever, cunning player who couldn't overcome Boran's alliance because Brandon was a total idiot. Her final Hail Mary play to try and exploit Lex's obsessive paranoia and make him turn on Big Tom the way he turned on Kelly was pretty solid`

And Linda should have been unbearable, but her final episode was fucking hilarious because her response to dealing with the insufferable brats of Samburu was to treat them like preschoolers. What a way to go out.

[naiwf]

Colby throwing the million dollars to Tina really soured me on this show. If you didn't want the money then don't go on a run of winning immunity and eliminating people who were trying to win. If that guy hadn't fallen into the fire, I think this season would have been so much better and I probably would have kept up with the show.

Boston Rob throwing the million dollars to Amber during the 1st AS season didn't help much either. I guess what I'm saying is that the Amber seasons really sucked

Like I mentioned in the other thread, I liked Colby a lot more because of the way he played. He had one set plan. He was loyal to Tina from fairly early.

I didn't have a problem with Rob taking Amber to the end either. He dominated that season and by ending up married to Amber he ended up with the million anyways.

Taking someone to the end and handing them a million dollars are two different things. I don't have a problem with the former, but hate the latter. The only way those seasons could have been worse would have been if Colby or Rob would have actually quit at the final tribal council and completely shitted on the spirit of the game. I wasn't a fan of whichever season gave Jenna the money because her mom had cancer, but at least the guy she went up against (I want to say a restaurant owner named Matt or something like that) tried to fight for the money in the face of a guaranteed loss.

[sahyder1]

Colby throwing the million dollars to Tina really soured me on this show. If you didn't want the money then don't go on a run of winning immunity and eliminating people who were trying to win. If that guy hadn't fallen into the fire, I think this season would have been so much better and I probably would have kept up with the show.

Boston Rob throwing the million dollars to Amber during the 1st AS season didn't help much either. I guess what I'm saying is that the Amber seasons really sucked

Like I mentioned in the other thread, I liked Colby a lot more because of the way he played. He had one set plan. He was loyal to Tina from fairly early.

I didn't have a problem with Rob taking Amber to the end either. He dominated that season and by ending up married to Amber he ended up with the million anyways.

Taking someone to the end and handing them a million dollars are two different things. I don't have a problem with the former, but hate the latter. The only way those seasons could have been worse would have been if Colby or Rob would have actually quit at the final tribal council and completely shitted on the spirit of the game. I wasn't a fan of whichever season gave Jenna the money because her mom had cancer, but at least the guy she went up against (I want to say a restaurant owner named Matt or something like that) tried to fight for the money in the face of a guaranteed loss.

I'll comment on Jenna winning Amazon once I'm done watching it.

That's the beauty of Survivor though. The best player doesn't always win. I don't know if there is much I would have done differently if I was Boston Rob or Colby. The "spirit of the game" argument gets tossed around a lot but shouldn't the juries have given Rob and Colby the prize based on that?

[naiwf]

I'll comment on Jenna winning Amazon once I'm done watching it.

That's the beauty of Survivor though. The best player doesn't always win. I don't know if there is much I would have done differently if I was Boston Rob or Colby. The "spirit of the game" argument gets tossed around a lot but shouldn't the juries have given Rob and Colby the prize based on that?

IIRC both guys basically asked the jury to give the win to the other contestant. It's not like the Russell seasons where he CLEARLY wanted the money, may have deserved it and the juries said no to him. These guys basically campaigned for someone else to win the money. That's not what Survivor is supposed to be about. The closest analogy I could make would be for two teams to run The Amazing Race all the way through to the finale, one team to solve the final puzzle, stop and wait for the other team to show up, give that team the answer and then step aside before they got to the final mat. If someone goes in front of a Survivor jury and says they don't want/deserve the money they're not going to get it even if that other person sucks. Who is going to "force" a million dollars on someone who doesn't want it?

[sahyder1]

I'll comment on Jenna winning Amazon once I'm done watching it.

That's the beauty of Survivor though. The best player doesn't always win. I don't know if there is much I would have done differently if I was Boston Rob or Colby. The "spirit of the game" argument gets tossed around a lot but shouldn't the juries have given Rob and Colby the prize based on that?

IIRC both guys basically asked the jury to give the win to the other contestant. It's not like the Russell seasons where he CLEARLY wanted the money, may have deserved it and the juries said no to him. These guys basically campaigned for someone else to win the money. That's not what Survivor is supposed to be about. The closest analogy I could make would be for two teams to run The Amazing Race all the way through to the finale, one team to solve the final puzzle, stop and wait for the other team to show up, give that team the answer and then step aside before they got to the final mat. If someone goes in front of a Survivor jury and says they don't want/deserve the money they're not going to get it even if that other person sucks. Who is going to "force" a million dollars on someone who doesn't want it?

I think you need to watch those seasons again. That's clearly not how it played out. Boston Rob definitely wanted the win. Colby did too. But they also took into account who shouldn't get the money.

All-Stars spoiler

Boston Rob was definitely going for the win. Remember the last immunity challenge? Neither Rob or Amber would step off despite Jenna having been eliminated.

[RPS]

Even if nobody else wants to, I will totally use this thread to discuss the old Survivors with you. How far are you into Africa? I love how Samburu basically exists as a bizarre funhouse mirror version of Ogakor from The Outback. Especially with Theresa and Tina; I swear T-Bird was cast because the producers really liked Tina and wanted to bring in someone exactly like her, right down to playing an Under the Radar But Still Strategic style.

I'm not a huge fan of Africa, but it's got some characters. Lex was great the first time around, Ethan was a more than likable and competent winner, Tom was great for comedic value, and it was a unique locale that will be hard to recreate (though they tried and failed in Gabon).

Colby throwing the million dollars to Tina really soured me on this show. If you didn't want the money then don't go on a run of winning immunity and eliminating people who were trying to win. If that guy hadn't fallen into the fire, I think this season would have been so much better and I probably would have kept up with the show.

Boston Rob throwing the million dollars to Amber during the 1st AS season didn't help much either. I guess what I'm saying is that the Amber seasons really sucked

I agree with Australia. Too me, it just seemed like an epic fail compared to Borneo. It was never going to be as good, but I'd like it more if Jerri didn't get voted out, boring characters like Amber/Elizabeth/Rodger didn't make it so far and if Colby didn't make such a huge, glaring mistake.

For those wondering about the must-see Seasons, in my opinion:

China (15)

Exile Island (12)

Amazon (6)

Pearl Island (7)

Borneo (1)

All-Stars (8), Fans vs. Favorites (16) and Heroes vs. Villians (20) (they are always great, because you get to see returning super stars)

The one's I avoid, because to my mind they aren't very good.

Australia (2)

Thailand (4)

Cook Island (13)

Fiji (14)

Edited April 12, 2011 by RockPaperScissors

[Blehschmidt]

I've seen every season as it aired, and rewatched Borneo and All Stars on DVD. So while I can't remember specifics, I can say that Marquesas was my least favorite season due to my hatred of Vecepia. While either Borneo or Pearl Islands is my favorite season.

While we are discussing these things, who are everybodies favorite and least favorite players?

My all time favorite is Parvati, with Rudy, Jenna Morasca, Richard Hatch, and Rupert rounding out the top 5.

Least favorite is Vecepia, followed closely by Cirie and Aras

[GoGo Yubari]

I honestly didn't have the problem with Vecepia that a lot of people had except for the Final Jury stretch where she became unbearably holier than thou. She played a strong under-the-radar game and while throwing Kathy under the bus was pretty cold, Richard Hatch did something very similar in Borneo where he basically betrayed Rudy in a really low-key fashion in the endurance challenge.

She and Neleh did make for an incredibly boring final two, though, especially since Neleh didn't deserve to be there in the slightest.

[naiwf]

I think you need to watch those seasons again. That's clearly not how it played out. Boston Rob definitely wanted the win. Colby did too. But they also took into account who shouldn't get the money.

All-Stars spoiler

Boston Rob was definitely going for the win. Remember the last immunity challenge? Neither Rob or Amber would step off despite Jenna having been eliminated.

Rob wanted to win immunity, but he played the game for Amber to win the million dollars. Colby went on a run of like 4 or 5 immunity wins at the end and then rolled over in front of the jury. They both played hard to make sure their chosen person won. That's not how Survivor should be played. Richard Hatch didn't bust his ass to get to the finale and then give the win to someone like Rudy or Sue Hawk for instance and that's why that season was awesome and the two I've referenced weren't. The only other show that I watched that gave me that same feeling was the season of Big Brother where Jeff was basically guaranteed the win when he inexplicably blew up his own alliance to align with people who hated him, quickly voted him out as soon as he was vulnerable, and basically handed the victory to the thoroughly useless Jordan.

[RPS]

My all time favorite is Parvati, with Rudy, Jenna Morasca, Richard Hatch, and Rupert rounding out the top 5.

Least favorite is Vecepia, followed closely by Cirie and Aras

Favorites: Richard Hatch (Borneo & All Stars), Rob C (Amazon), Sandra (Pearl Islands), Ami (Vanuatu), Shane (Exile Island), Todd (China), Courtney (China), Cirie (Micronesia), Tyson (Toncantins).

Least favorites: Russell (Samoa and HvV), Denise (China), the whole cast of Thailand & Fiji, John (Marquesas), Tom (Palau)

[bill_da_bill]

Watching Pearl Islands. Can I request if something big about the show is mentioned that it be put in spoilers. This is one of the seasons I actually don't know much about as far as who wins and swerves and the like.

Not to be a pain. I just wanna be able to read this thread without worrying.

[The Quasi Juice]

I assume you guys are watching this online. Would very much appreciate a link I've seen most seasons though, except for Thailand, who I've been told to avoid (and GoGo reaffirmed it) and Africa, which doesn't appeal to me at all. I prefer later strategic Survivor seasons to early "wtf, we need some wood guys, we need to survive!" seasons. This is also the reason why my two fav seasons are Micronesia and Heroes vs. Villains.

Hmm, I might rewatch Micronesia.

[GoGo Yubari]

I'm using YouTube. Much of the seasons are up as "$(season number) e(episode number)," so to start on Amazon today I entered $6 e1.

[RPS]

For those who have watched previous seasons: http://www.funny115.com/

There is Seasons 1-11 and 12-20 respectively. Great site.