Survivor: Game Changers **SPOILERS***

[Azazel]

Just watched episode 4... what a ridiculous tribal council.  The idol russian roulette was amazing, Culpepper straight up taking a huge chance to give it to Sierra was great.  I legit have no idea why people don't like Culpepper, I didn't watch BvW that long ago and at no point was he ever really an asshole to anybody... people were bigger assholes to him and he didn't lash back at them for it.

[Azazel]

Debbie is a fucking lunatic... but I appreciate the editing showing how insane she is.... it's another case of "Fuck you Brad Culpepper" when he isn't doing anything wrong...

she even thinks she got across Thebes beam with ease and Hali failed repeatedly... which is just wrong 

[Benjamin]

I love Debbie. Her constant change in occupation during Kaoh Rong is legitimately one of the funniest edits I've seen in a reality show ever. Sad to see her go.

I really hate how Zeke is playing, as a person that's been watching the show for a long time and now wants to do all the cool stuff he saw people on TV doing. It's no fun because there's no reason for him to do it, other than "big moves". I hate that term, and that style of play, because it's just blindsiding for the sake of blindsiding, which actually makes the post-merge part of Survivor absolutely no fun for me anymore.

[Alex.]

Production has pushed this narrative of big moves, hell even Jeff has done it, and now that is what the show is based on and its a direction I actually hate

[Azazel]

Do I need to spoil things despite being weeks behind?

Why the hell is Cochran there?  I seriously don't understand the issue with Brad Culpepper.  Even shitty Cochran is saying in BvW he was a guy that got really made and blew up at people.... which never happened, he was nice to everybody all the time.  Am I the crazy one here?  Culpepper seems like one of the actual nicest people ever cast but people seem to think he is this giant villain but I cannot recall ever seeing him do anything.  I don't get it.

[RPS]

No need to spoiler.

Perception is reality. Probst says for years Parvati is a flirt, uses her charms but she only did that her first season. But you say it enough people start to believe it.

[Azazel]

Someone has to sacrifice the feast, Culpepper immediately volunteers... what a bastard!  I think my favorite subplot in Survivor might Brad Culpepper, the nice guy everyone hates.

[RPS]

Did you read the Funny 115 article about him? 

[GhostMachine]

Culpepper was a bit of a cocky dick the first time around. Hence why I said that I wasn't happy he was returning once they announced the people returning for this season. I don;t hate him, though, and I'm now actually glad he came back. But I don't see him winning or even making the final three unless he wins a lot of immunity challenges and/or finds idols. 

Debbie is batshit nuts, and while she's entertaining as hell, I was glad to see her go.

Completely agree with what Benji said about Zeke. I kind of want him gone now, even though I like him. 

 

[Azazel]

Of the people who are left, I am hoping either Culpepper, Troyzan or Andrea win and that Michaela goes out next since I see zero redeeming qualities in her.  The dumb shit she does at Tribal to try and get giffed is terrible and she is only still around because Cirie is using her as a goat.  The "Secret Advantage" thing was hilarious though.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

You're like legit caught up. That is wild.

[RPS]

I'm not even caught up. I watched the Hali boot yesterday. I thought it was one of the strangest boots. Like we knew Hali was the target but never was it really explained why.

[Benjamin]

BECAUSE REASONSSSS.

That's why I feel people do a lot of things. We have talking heads saying "this guy is a big threat!" and it's not really explained why they think so or how come everyone so readily agrees with them. At least when they vote out Sandra or Ozzy there seems to be a logical reason.

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

Hali went out in the same spot in Worlds Apart and its a bit baffling. But I think with the merge including so many players nowadays that the strategy has shifted a bit. In Cambodia, it was also someone who just a bit on the outs with everybody (Kass) instead of a big physical threat.

I feel like the next few weeks are going to be quite the clusterfuck with the amount of advantages and idols in play.

[Alex.]

It WILL be a clusterfuck because I feel like production is going too out of its way to make the season messy with "twists" and "BIG MOVEZ." I hate the direction the show has taken and being centered around big moves. I actually miss the survival aspect of the show. Think about it, did they even show building the shelter this season? 

[Azazel]

I would love to see them do a season where they just go back to simplicity where no big twists come (which would be a twist since everyone would be expecting them).  Hidden idol clues that lead to absolutely no idols, no tribe swaps or anything crazy, just one old school season to see how it matches up.  Or even just tell everyone there are no idols and no swaps so that it really does become about keeping the tribes strong.

[RPS]

1 hour ago, Ms. Canadian Destroyer said:

Hali went out in the same spot in Worlds Apart and its a bit baffling. But I think with the merge including so many players nowadays that the strategy has shifted a bit. In Cambodia, it was also someone who just a bit on the outs with everybody (Kass) instead of a big physical threat.

I feel like the next few weeks are going to be quite the clusterfuck with the amount of advantages and idols in play.

I think the last few seasons have shifted  completely from narrative to focusing almost entirely on strategy. Take the Hali boot for example. I knew the two people who were going to be eliminated were Michaela and Hali. And I knew why Michaela was being targeted and why Cirie tried to save her. But it was never really explicitly stated why Hali was on the outs. It was just presented as either Michaela or Hali and Hali went home and outside of the vague "she was on the outs", but it was never explained why Hali was targeted. 

The problem with too many swaps and twists is that it makes things so convoluted. That is where the show is at now and it kind of stinks. I have always never really cared too much for the strategy aspect of the game and I have always been interested in narrative, but, with the exception of Kaoh Rong, we have not really  had compelling narratives in the last few seasons. 

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

I would totally agree. I like strategy when it revolves around interesting social interactions. Take Cirie saving Michaela for example. That was fun strategy to watch because there was a compelling dynamic between Cirie and Michaela at play. 

[RPS]

1 minute ago, Ms. Canadian Destroyer said:

I would totally agree. I like strategy when it revolves around interesting social interactions. Take Cirie saving Michaela for example. That was fun strategy to watch because there was a compelling dynamic between Cirie and Michaela at play. 

Absolutely. Debbie's meltdown, for example, was all about feeling jealous about the attention and bonds that some of her tribe members felt towards Hali. None of that was explained or shown on TV. It was just a way to show "CRAZY DEBBIE!" I kind of dislike the state of the show and have been not following it as much. I did not even finish MvGX and probably never will. 

So much of the pre-merge was sent building up the people that went home and the merge being so early, I am not invested in any character (minus Cirie and Tai). Even Cirie it is a stretch. When we hit the merge, it's basically Andrea/Cirie/Zeke versus Brad/SDT/Troyzan. When did this happen? Why could they not have explained this pre-merge? Where did this suddenly come from? 

[Azazel]

I think the issue is that they want to surprise the viewers because #blindside is cool.  I like knowing who is on what side and why and then potentially seeing it work or fall apart.  Turning every tribal council into a big unknown can be a bad thing.  Hell, some of the best episodes are the ones where you know from minute 1 who is going him, like Randy in Gabon or Roger in Amazon.  You know what is going to happen and the focus can be on pretty much everything else and its still a very entertaining episode.