The Survivor Thread

[GoGo Yubari]

Eh. Who knows how many years they'll be able to do it before Survivor ends.

Amanda deserves it from an achievement standpoint. She's got some massive deficiencies in her game, but so do Russell and Ozzy and for whatever reason both are in.

[GoGo Yubari]

UPDATE: The Survivor Hall of Fame class of 2012 is Amanda Kimmel, Rob Cesternino, and Ethan Zohn. I'm not really convinced Ethan deserves it based on the merits of Survivor play, but this is what you're going to get when they let the players who get inducted vote. Ozzy's ballot in particular was full-on "I'm voting for you because you're my friends."

[RPS]

I was totally going to come in here and post about Survivor Oz. They have gotten a shit load of people - obscure and not - to come on the show and do podcasts. Fan-freaking-tastic. It is fun to here from old Survivors about their experiences and sheds light on the show. The guy does a great job of doing research too.

Also to the Hall of Fame. Meh. I think others deserve to go in, who are more entertaining and more vital to the show, but these guys were going to get in eventually.

Edited December 18, 2012 by RockPaperScissors

[GoGo Yubari]

I think Cesternino is pretty unassailable. There's a shortlist of players who changed the way people played Survivor, and he's on it. Kimmel deserves some credit too, because I think her non-Final Jury play is generally strong, but god does she ever bottle it at Final.

[RPS]

I think Cesternino is pretty unassailable. There's a shortlist of players who changed the way people played Survivor, and he's on it. Kimmel deserves some credit too, because I think her non-Final Jury play is generally strong, but god does she ever bottle it at Final.

Chatter is that Cesternino might be a lock for a return in the future. I think he'll always have his All Stars performance held against him, which is unfortunate so would love to see him come back for 27 or 28. Ditto for Ethan, although he was the winner the show was probably hoping for in the first two seasons - attractive, fit, nice guy who is extremely likeable. Amanda, as I've stated multiple times, is a not a very good player and I never found her to be to be entertaining whatsoever. I was pretty sick of her by Heroes and Villains to be honest. I don't know who I would have voted for. Probably Rob C (for the strategy), Jerri (for the character and great story arc over 3 seasons) and somebody like Sue or Fairplay or Jenna from Amazon.

Edited December 18, 2012 by RockPaperScissors

[GoGo Yubari]

It's hard to tell how well Rob would do on a third try. The problem he has isn't even strategic reputation now, it's that everyone knows him and has spoken to him because of his podcast. People would likely find that kind of social game really, really dangerous, and he's not a must have pre-merge.

[Pleatherface]

Cesternino in an All-Stars is frightening.

He's got alot to prove, is certainly atleast a tiny bit bitter about his last performance, and has had to watch some less than stellar players waltz through the game. He's been watching. He knows the evolution from when he last played, and is likeable enough beyond the friendships he's already cultivated that I have no doubt if given time he could work up a pretty powerful alliance.

And let's face it, Amazon isn't happening again. People aren't going to tell him they're going to vote him out so he scrambles and plays circles around them.

I'm on an All-Stars with Cesternino? I'm going at him with serious tunnel vision like I'm Joel from Micronesia and this is a spirited game of crush the nerd.

Why take the chance with a guy like him? Sure tribal make-up would effect the decisions, but I'm definitely seeing him as a first boot if you're smart.

[GoGo Yubari]

All that being said, you could have said the something pretty similar about Cirie in HvV and it took a Hidden Immunity Idol to take her down. She had a pretty favorable tribe makeup, though.

[Pleatherface]

IF YOU'RE SMART.

JT being the brains there STILL puzzles me.

[DYSI]

Someone find me Survivor episodes on YouTube like RPS did for me a couple months back!

[GoGo Yubari]

IF YOU'RE SMART.

JT being the brains there STILL puzzles me.

I thought it was Tom who was the brains there.

[RPS]

IF YOU'RE SMART.

JT being the brains there STILL puzzles me.

I thought it was Tom who was the brains there.

Yeah, I always got the impression JT really lucked out on being super likeable and charismatic. JT seemss to be able to inspire trust and loyalty with his charm and personality, but never came across as entirely a threat with his strategic moves. If anything, his performance in HvV proved that without a nerd like Stephen around, JT was prone to making horrible, game ruining mistakes. Tom was the brains of the operation and it's a shame he was targeted in HvV, because he actually probably could have led the Heroes towards a much more favorable result.

Edited December 18, 2012 by RockPaperScissors

[RPS]

Didn't want to post this in the current season thread, because it's season 27 speculation but...

Apparently it's going to be favorites versus their families. A few names are being tossed around, but nothing seems to be set in stone yet.

[GoGo Yubari]

I will only like that premise if it means Nicole Cesternino gets on the show. She's hilarious. Otherwise, ew.

[RPS]

I will only like that premise if it means Nicole Cesternino gets on the show. She's hilarious. Otherwise, ew.

Names being tossed around are VERY interesting. Sandra, Aras, Terry, Kat, one of the many Stephanies and ... eye roll... RC

[The Quasi Juice]

Ah fuck it, let's just not spoiler it anymore, we all know it anyway and it's not like we're discussing boot order or something.

I wonder if this Loved Ones season is really going to happen and how. I guess the best thing to do is make sure the loved ones aren't in the same tribe at the start. Instead of returnees vs. their family members, they could also do a mix like Russell Hantz on a tribe with Lisa W's brother etc. But I'm not sure I like the concept, because you run into the risk that it'll be lame as fuck. Every family couple will form an alliance once they are on each other's tribe, simple as that, and that eliminates possible blindsides and shit. And say Sandra's husband makes it to the jury and Sandra to the end, you really think he'll vote for someone other than Sandra?

[GoGo Yubari]

I don't know it, actually. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, so I'm not looking at anything beyond the first two sentences of your post and am really irritated at you depending on what you said in the post itself.

[RPS]

The cast, speculated or not, haven't even flown out since it happens 3-4 days after the finale. Once they do, I'll put my blinders on and avoid spoilers.

I think speculating about who will win or lose or bootlist is always hard during returnee seasons. Pre-existing alliances will exist no doubt. But in each season with a huge chunk of Survivors, pre-existing alliances have not fared well. Lex and Kathy got booted by Rob, and Rupert made it to the end. Parvati turned on Ozzy / James. Andrea's friendship with Franny had no impact on the game and Cochran ended up stabbing her in the back. That's part of what is love / hate about returnee season. Pre-existing relationships lead to way more heated and intense emotions. It can be good viewing or bad viewing. Some of the stuff was good this season (Andrea's boot was fantastic), but some was a bit awkward (Brandon's melt down)

I think injecting the family element into it will only make it worse. While you can tell your brother / sister / wife to make friends with your allies family members... it may not happen. You may get on the island and realize "oh shit, this person is going to get me voted off". When merge time comes, family members are going to have the tension between "do I help my relative out and make a new alliance or take this ride to the end of the game". I think next season will be a very heated season, for sure. Especially if there is no swap pre-merge.

[The Quasi Juice]

I don't know it, actually. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, so I'm not looking at anything beyond the first two sentences of your post and am really irritated at you depending on what you said in the post itself.

Eh, you are the one that gave us the theme for the season so nothing in my post is new to you. I'm using examples of people that I think could be in the season but I have no clue, there is no list yet nor is there a boot list obviously. So reading my post spoils absolutely nothing for you. They haven't even started filming. I HATE spoilers that ruin the season. HvV was almost ruined for me because I accidentally read Sandra was going to win and I hated it. I will never post that shit.

@Rock, you're right, a Loved Ones themed season has the potential to be very dramatic. I'm just worried relatives will stick together if the situation arises they are on the same tribe and that's just boring. I just can't see a wife blindsiding her husband for example. As for pre-existing relationships, there are definitely some cases that it didn't help at all but if you look at Boston Rob, he was friends with most guys when he went into All Stars and he used it to get far. Cochran apparently is one of those guys that goes to all fan events and has made many Survivor friends, thus going into this season people generally liked him already. I think it did help him this season.

Edited May 12, 2013 by The Quasi Juice

[RPS]

For those wanting the confirmed list of those returning...

• Tyson Apostol, Tocantins, Heroes vs. Villains
• Aras Baskauskas, Panama
• Rupert Boneham, Pearl Islands, All-Stars, Heroes vs. Villains
• Monica Culpepper, One World
• Colton Cumbie, One World
• Kat Edorsson, One World
• Laura Morett, Samoa
• Gervase Peterson, Borneo
• RC Saint-Amour, Philippines
• Tina Wesson, Australia, All-Stars

Kat's boyfriend, some dude named Hayden from Big Brother, and Monica's husband, who is a former NFL player, have been spoiled.

Terry, Rob C, Natalie Bolton and Stephanie V were dropped for Rupert (ugh), Colton (UGH), Monica (UGHHHH!) and Laure (...meh?)