Survivor and beyond (Reality TV)

[Cohen]

the only thing I like about the new era is the return of the auction. And I actually like that they have to look for money themselves, instead of each getting an even pot. I also like that there’s a mystery to how many items there may be, and the person with the highest amount at the end could lose their vote. It takes care of the issue of saving for a possible advantage. I also like that literally any item could have an idol or advantage. Hiding it in the fries was genius.

I still don’t know anyone’s names, but I liked the auction! Lol

 

[Stake fodder]

I cannot believe they did not take the opportunity to vote out Kyle! They looked around at who were threats and thought, "Sue"?? I didn't think Sol was much of a threat, either, and sad to see him go.

I continue to wish they could not leave their seats and whisper at tribal.

I liked the complex levels of the challenge. I thought it was funny, though, that the losers had to take a boat ride, walk a ways, and then... play a game that they could have played as easily at the challenge area.

I figured she used the shot in the dark to gauge the reaction. I can see how it would have appeared too straight forward a vote to her, and she was the aim last vote before being saved. So if they had reacted, she could have then used her idol.

You called it. I thought Rachel wouldn't be allowed to use her idol after that, but that was her exact thinking!

 

[November]

I got spoiled by X 🙁 so I am only catching up now. I know who goes going into it unfortunately 😭


Andy is the gif that keeps on giving. Jeff has no patience for him and I'm here for it lol.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1856872878828130625

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I always wondered with these pain challenges if they can dissociate. If its strength based, its tougher, but pain can be blocked until the muscles give out. I actually cant believe Gabe won that! Didnt guess that. I hate that so many are losing their vote. Thats too many to lose a vote. Lets see how this journey goes ...

Watching Sol eat was sexy until the burping... Ew. Far less sexy now.

Oh good, only one loses the vote in the end, that is much more reasonable.

I hate the whispers too. Absolute morons for not voting Kyle. Totally agree @Stake fodder . He must be playing a great social game.

Bye bye fave 🙁

 

[November]

Teeny ya still a snake! But I hope you do avenge Sol. I feel like she hasn't known what's been going on until tribal a fair few times.
Genevive is definitely a villain! I wonder if we will see her as a return player. I'm surprised Sam is still there too. So many threats still left.

Andy, you are a swing vote, a number - not a player, you silly little boy. I'd like to see him leave in hilarious fashion, or get to the end for no win votes.

Those restraints are a little bit sexy haha. I like Caroline now. Shes fun to watch, happy to be there. Gabe added his own gag to the ensemble lol. Thats a new challenge for ya @Stake fodder ! That was fun to watch. And these mini teams do force a different dynamic. This win is recharging some of the strongest players. Kyle is locked on to Gabe cos he beat him in an endurance challenge. Although they have been gunning for each other from the very start. I think Racheal has the right idea here, Genevive is more socially dangerous. Gabes gameplay is easy to predict at this point. Genevive is going to move the players around, where as Gabe is likely to stick with his alliance. Sue is clued in too, Kyle needs to go or he will win his way to the end.

Booooooriing. Move on, bring on another challenge or something more interesting. Useless filler.

Ooof Jeff harsh negotiator! This is cool actually, I never really liked the shot in the dark, and it means no one can wiggle out at the last second. I am worried for Gabe at this point. Showdown Sue! That should be her name.

No Sam, I dont like your alliance. Uhoh, Gabe said the magic words.... Off to tribal.

 

[Stake fodder]

I agree that Genevieve is villainous. It's good advice not to play too emotionally, but treating others too much like pawns on a chessboard is bad, too. No one trusts her anymore.

I felt like people cheated on the reward challenge. Jeff said use your head, but Kyle's team, and Gabe after he watched them, all used their shoulders, and they all went faster with that strategy.

Ooof Jeff harsh negotiator! This is cool actually, I never really liked the shot in the dark, and it means no one can wiggle out at the last second.

Jeff clearly thought they made a bad bargain, but I've never thought the Shot in the Dark was a good tool. Almost no one has used it since its introduction, and only once did someone win safety. The 1-in-6 odds, and losing your vote to boot, are just too bad for anyone not absolutely sure they're going home. I'm with the players that they gave up something virtually valueless.

I like Kyle, but I dislike it when someone wins at the end by mostly powering through physically. He doesn't show much strategy otherwise, taking the lead in voting people out, and so I don't think he deserves to win. They may have given up their only chance to get him out last time.

 

[November]

Sue gunning for Kyle is hilarious.
Boo hoo sob story, these make me zone out. Must be the adhd.

You're a number Andy, yes good position, but he's not driving. Hes great entertainment. His gifs are the best. But he is not a good player.
Ooh Racheal playing with fire going on the journey, but sound reasoning to take the chance. A barge in the middle of the ocean is scary! Fun way to time it, exciting to watch. Great advantage too. I rekon everyone is gona know who though haha.
Does sue wear the dirt because she cant wear make up?

I like this challenge, a regular on AU. GO you good thing! Its tough to have to step up on to a platform vs stepping back to a mat.

Sam, Sue is a bigger challenge threat than you. Get Kyle OUT! they've already fumbled it once. I do agree Geneive is the biggest strategic threat now.

I want a Sol fashion show.

 

[Stake fodder]

I give Kyle credit for a well-thought-out argument for why they should keep him. He's not a good strategic player! But too many jurors vote for strength instead of strategy, so get him out while you can.

Andy is indeed deluded about his strategic skills. But he has lasted better than I thought he would after the early mental struggles. His line about Kyle only having a 6.25% chance reminded me of the top-two finalist several seasons ago who thought he had a 50% chance of winning. 🙄 You can't use stats like that when you talking about individuals!

They've had that challenge before, and it's a good if frustrating one. I felt like Jeff was jinxing it - every time he named a person, down went their tower!

Does sue wear the dirt because she cant wear make up?

I think it's bad sunburn. I thought I saw signs of peeling around her eyes. I always thought they gave them sunscreen, but guess not.

 

[Stake fodder]

I briefly felt sorry for Andy, his alliance ready to throw him under the bus yet again... and then he betrayed them. Not sure if it's a wise move for Andy, or if he will just end up on the bottom of the new trio, but "Operation Italy" was definitely a mastermind move.

Sam once again shows he has no strategy with his choice of reward companions, and yet it worked out for him.

Sue's decision not to give Caroline her idol may have been fatal to their alliance. It will be interesting to see how it plays out now.

 

[Stake fodder]

I don't think anyone else is participating in this thread now, but since the season's almost over, I'll add some more comments.

I was confused by the drama over Genevieve's fake idol. Wasn't it supposed to be commonly known that she had it, and that's why they avoided voting her last time? Also, I dislike that the producers have made the idols so basic that people can easily fake one.

How I love to see an idol played right, as Rachel did! And she made the right choice in Andy. I don't understand why everyone thinks Sam is such a threat, when he has not won challenges and he hasn't strategized much.

One thing I really like about this season is people don't tend to take things personally. They may cry when voted out, but they seem to know it's a game and that's how it's played. I don't know if it's the younger generation, or if the producers are checking players' psychology better.

 

[November]

@Stake fodder I had to come back and celebrate an awesome season with you! Survivor is back to true form. I really enjoyed this season, and the winner played one of my favourite games of the whole series. Including AU, SA , UK and NZ.

It was slightly anticlimactic, two double episodes slowed the pace too much to the end and the winner became obvious, but having such a deserving winner is really a thrill. Rachel played such an excellent game, using all of her advantages to the full. Her idol play was up there with the best, letting them argue her winning case for her! She didnt even have to explain her brilliance with the shot in the dark to win.

That fire challenge! Wow. Teeny had it DONE and then the survivor gods came through for Sam. What a race! I missed the Teeny rant but I am very likely to rewatch this season again down the track. I had to go get icecream and there were no adbreaks!

I liked the final challenge as a fun challenge to watch, but sometimes I do miss the hardcore endurance challenges. I can see why they cut them back, Sue would have won anything like that anyway. Sue is a real sweetie and one of the few who can say she played a loyal game through and through. I cant imagine many players could ever say that. No hope of winning but to run the whole race, especially like that, is still an achievement.

What do you think about having the reunion right after the winners pick? I think we spoke of this last time. I think this season I would have liked to have seen them all cleaned up with some perspective. I'd also like to have seen how Andy coped with all of the internet memes haha.

Im starting to wonder if Jeff will retire the show after s50. I liked him again this season. His commentary was great during the challenges. He accepted them giving up the shot in the dark. I was glad he didnt fawn over Andy as he did with that other pathetic dude. Tribals were good. If anyone had dropped out of the fandom, I'd definitely use this season to get them back into it. It was just a satisfying season of Survivor.

 

[Stake fodder]

Rachel played such an excellent game, using all of her advantages to the full.

It would have been a travesty if Rachel didn't win! But I worried for a bit, because the jury seemed so rah-rah for Sam. Sure, it's something to make it through as a targeted underdog, but what did he really do? Never won an immunity, wasn't the leader of any schemes. The way he acted in the final tribal, all entitled and arrogant, really disgusted me. I'm glad the jury didn't buy it!

Teeny had no chance, either, but I wish she would have won in the fire challenge. I knew exactly what she meant about watching guys like Sam get all the advantages in life, and once again, fate smiled on him. Boo.

What do you think about having the reunion right after the winners pick?

I like that it includes only the jury and finalists. But I agree that the perspective of several months later is interesting, too. Also, they keep cutting it too short.

I always disliked having the studio audience, with Jeff running into the crowd to ask kids what they like about Survivor, talk to relatives, or catch up with Boston Rob.🙄 I hope they never go back to that.

Im starting to wonder if Jeff will retire the show after s50.

I recall rumors several years ago that he would leave, and then it never happened. It's got to take a toll on him, though.

In the end, this was a pretty satisfying season. It's rare that the person I'm rooting for actually wins!

 

[Cohen]

I'm not going back and reading right now, but we just watched "Operation: Italy" and I seriously did not think it was going to work. And it did. And I am floored. That was an iconic move. I just wish that Jeff and producers didn't have them comment on how epic this is and would be while it's happening. I hate the "meta" commentary. I just want them to play. When they did the expansion to 90 minutes, I was looking for more views of camplife, not an extra 20 minutes of exposition. I don't need them to explain to me why their moves are so good. I just need to see them. This is my constant complaint of the *shudders* "new era". It's all about being meta and commenting on gameplay instead of just being players. This is what I think Australian Survivor does well. It blends the gameplay and the development of the mini community without trying to be meta as it goes.

 

[November]

I always disliked having the studio audience, with Jeff running into the crowd to ask kids what they like about Survivor, talk to relatives, or catch up with Boston Rob.🙄 I hope they never go back to that.

I have never heard it more accurately described 😂 Yes, you are right, I don't miss the random audience bits. Its a different time now and I am sure there are (or will be) plenty of aftershow podcasts if I bothered to go looking for them.

jury seemed so rah-rah

Yes, I agree with this whole paragraph. He was putting up a fight, and I was hoping it was coming across as a fight and not a right to win to the jury, but by that point I was pretty sure Rachel had the respect for playing such a great game. There was a bit of misdirection in the lead up to the final jury, giving Sam screentime and players reflecting on why he was a good guy. Whoever did the edit this year did a wonderful job, much, much better than the last few years. I couldn't have picked this winner from the beginning.

When they did the expansion to 90 minutes, I was looking for more views of camplife, not an extra 20 minutes of exposition. I don't need them to explain to me why their moves are so good. I just need to see them. This is my constant complaint of the *shudders* "new era". It's all about being meta and commenting on gameplay instead of just being players. This is what I think Australian Survivor does well. It blends the gameplay and the development of the mini community without trying to be meta as it goes.

Yeah I totally agree. The community part is just as fun as the game part to me. But I wonder how much comes down to the contestants giving the producers enough from the beach to use. Last year we had a list of taylor swift songs and a whole lot of begging from bahnu. It was not entertaining. The AU contestants wait for the cameras to roll before goofing off, and we have had some really charismatic people who bring a lot to the camplife.

I think the difference in the camps has a lot to do with it too. The Aussies, legally, cant be starved and get rations every morning - that's when the cameras are rolling. They have more energy to muck around and piss each other off. Since the US cast has had food and fire restrictions, we are just watching the life drain out of them. And then when they get food rewards, its not as much a strategy party vibe as it is a "stuff ya face and pass out in a food coma" vibe. Operation Italy was so good because they actually did more than eat there and got away with it!

We havent had a real US asshole for a while or truly brutal moves - I think back to Blood vs Water AU when Samantha conned Jesse into giving her the idol and then voting him out. Thats such great social gameplay without the kumbaya camp vibes.

 

[Cohen]

You bring up great points. Maybe I’m just bias against it now that they’ve gone 7 seasons in this new format and I miss the original format where there were just a couple immunity items and they weren’t talking about their experience every week of their experience. Or maybe they always did, but I just notice it more now because we’re 47 seasons in so I’ve heard it so often over time? Maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe it’s maybelline.

 

[Stake fodder]

I see that the next season is also going to be 90-minute episodes, sigh. @Cohen doesn't like the meta commentary, whereas I have come to hate the tribals. It used to be that that's where the viewer would get some of the players' inner thinking, but now they have wised up to revealing as little as possible. So it's just a tedious bob and weave between Jeff trying to get them to talk, and players trying their best to say something while saying nothing. More than once I have shouted at the screen, "Just vote already!" It probably was trending toward this before the new format, but giving so much more time to tribals now makes it so much more obvious, and tiresome.

 

[Cohen]

I see that the next season is also going to be 90-minute episodes, sigh. @Cohen doesn't like the meta commentary, whereas I have come to hate the tribals. It used to be that that's where the viewer would get some of the players' inner thinking, but now they have wised up to revealing as little as possible. So it's just a tedious bob and weave between Jeff trying to get them to talk, and players trying their best to say something while saying nothing. More than once I have shouted at the screen, "Just vote already!" It probably was trending toward this before the new format, but giving so much more time to tribals now makes it so much more obvious, and tiresome.

Jeff's tribal hosting is pressing for the meta commentary, which has already been covered in the camplife scenes, so it becomes redundant, as well. I feel you on this. It just needs to be a quick "what's gone on since the challenge?" and then vote.

 

[November]

Yeah I agree with you both. Tribal doesnt have to be a repeat of the beach. And the beach doesn't always have to be a misdirect for tribal, but a little bit of that does keep it interesting. After nearly 50 seasons, the format is sealed, I accept it for what it is. We dont need 90 minutes just drawn out, but we do want 90 minutes of proper content.

A million dollars isnt really a life changing amount for most of the people who play now days. They are playing for the game instead of the prize, that changes things too. A dude like Andy is probably making that in a few years at his job. Kyle was the only one there that said he really needed it this season, that was his drive. Kenzie planned to use it to fund her business last season, she didnt need it for a home etc. This will start to be a problem in the Australian version too. The winner used to be able to buy a house with that prize money and be set up for life. Now that money isnt going to be enough to buy a house hahaha.

The players who go back to a nice easy life on the outside, see survivor as a fun experience, the ones who are playing for the money are naturally going to play harder. AU players like Shonee and George basically use the show as their job now - but they also give better entertainment than those who use it as a summer adventure holiday.

Sandra (US) has set it up as a generational job with her daughter Nina playing twice now on AU. If its still going when Boston Robs kids come of age, I wont be surprised if they do it too!


The promos for the next AU season have begun. All new cast, looks very Aussie.
Oh I am so happy to see so much eye candy once again lol. Yes I am a perv, spank me.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1870997999972737281

 

[Cohen]

@Stake fodder I had to come back and celebrate an awesome season with you! Survivor is back to true form. I really enjoyed this season, and the winner played one of my favourite games of the whole series. Including AU, SA , UK and NZ.

It was slightly anticlimactic, two double episodes slowed the pace too much to the end and the winner became obvious, but having such a deserving winner is really a thrill. Rachel played such an excellent game, using all of her advantages to the full. Her idol play was up there with the best, letting them argue her winning case for her! She didnt even have to explain her brilliance with the shot in the dark to win.

That fire challenge! Wow. Teeny had it DONE and then the survivor gods came through for Sam. What a race! I missed the Teeny rant but I am very likely to rewatch this season again down the track. I had to go get icecream and there were no adbreaks!

I liked the final challenge as a fun challenge to watch, but sometimes I do miss the hardcore endurance challenges. I can see why they cut them back, Sue would have won anything like that anyway. Sue is a real sweetie and one of the few who can say she played a loyal game through and through. I cant imagine many players could ever say that. No hope of winning but to run the whole race, especially like that, is still an achievement.

What do you think about having the reunion right after the winners pick? I think we spoke of this last time. I think this season I would have liked to have seen them all cleaned up with some perspective. I'd also like to have seen how Andy coped with all of the internet memes haha.

Im starting to wonder if Jeff will retire the show after s50. I liked him again this season. His commentary was great during the challenges. He accepted them giving up the shot in the dark. I was glad he didnt fawn over Andy as he did with that other pathetic dude. Tribals were good. If anyone had dropped out of the fandom, I'd definitely use this season to get them back into it. It was just a satisfying season of Survivor.

I finished. I’ll have to say the last 3 episodes were the best of the last couple years. I truly didn’t know who would win but I would have been happy with any of them.

 

[Cohen]

That Brain v Brawn teaser looks epic! I can’t wait!!!

 

[November]

That Brain v Brawn teaser looks epic! I can’t wait!!!

I'm hoping it lives up to the hype. Each year, I dont think it could top the last. It will depend on the cast! Some of the women seem like firecrackers. JLP looks so hot again haha. Cant wait for his commentary.