Survivor and beyond (Reality TV)

[November]

And they know exactly how to bring the drama

Absolutely! They knew the soundbites that the audience want to see. I would have loved to see Parvati with her Kirby dragon hahaha. Enough misdirection to keep us watching too. Return players must be so much easier for production too.

Cirie was along for the ride, and she definitely supported Parvati and her plans. But this was Parvati's season

Yeah I rekon if David hadn't been voted out before merge, Parv would have linked up with him instead, like she did in DONDI and have those two dominate the game. As it was, she didn't even need him.

at least JLP went out with a bang,

We can take solace in that😍

 

[November]

The original host of Big Brother AU, Gretel is on The Amazing race this season. I love her hair! So far so good, shes made it two episodes and the relationship with her daughter is really sweet.

Former Big Brother host Gretel Killeen confirms return to reality TV

Gretel Killeen became a household name hosting Big Brother Australia from 2001 until 2007. Meet her children, and read about her divorce here.

www.newidea.com.au

 

[November]

Survivor 49 anyone?

I love that they are swimming in the first challenge, I love it when they use the whole beach. And this looks like a physical challenge - although same old formula @Stake fodder - muscles then puzzles. Thats a pretty high jump on to sand at the end! My knees would cry.

Like the cast, didnt find the intro to them all as tedious as some other 40's. I think I know whos going first...

 

[Stake fodder]

Is it just me, or did this group seem rather arrogant in their opening comments and self-evaluations? For instance, Savannah saying that this will be the "easiest million" she's ever earned. Oh, how I hope she gets kicked off soon! I don't understand why she feels the need to hide that she is a former news reporter, unless it was for some controversial channel? She reminds me of Parvati in her appearance and the way she talks.

And "Riz-god." It's great that he's the first college graduate in his family, but that's not some uncommon accomplishment!

I wish they wouldn't have challenges involving mud in the first few episodes, when I can't keep them straight even not covered in mud.

I don't know if Savannah (or whoever it was) invented the term "meat shield," but it seems a perfect description of that kind of muscular man, if not very polite!

I suspect they kicked Nicole off first just because she was overweight. I think she would have been much more of a team player than Annie will be, and more likeable. So now I'm down on that tribe.

 

[Cohen]

The stripper annoys me.

I suspect they kicked Nicole off first just because she was overweight. I think she would have been much more of a team player than Annie will be, and more likeable. So now I'm down on that tribe.

So I get why they voted her off. If they’ve seen any of the last few seasons, they should know losing first immunity puts their tribe at a severe disadvantage. They have to keep the tribe strong with able bodied players, if they’ve seen any don’t want to go right back to tribal. I believe it was 5 out of the last 8 seasons that the first tribe to lose went to tribal most times pre-merge. So they need to keep the tribe strong to keep them from going into merge at a lower count

 

[November]

s it just me, or did this group seem rather arrogant in their opening comments and self-evaluations? For instance, Savannah saying that this will be the "easiest million" she's ever earned. Oh, how I hope she gets kicked off soon! I don't understand why she feels the need to hide that she is a former news reporter, unless it was for some controversial channel? She reminds me of Parvati in her appearance and the way she talks.

And "Riz-god." It's great that he's the first college graduate in his family, but that's not some uncommon accomplishment!

Absolutely! And it was hilarious. I love seeing the big talking arrogant players humbled. I felt like we got to see quite a lot of the players and not much of the initial camo building survival stuff. The gay undertones with the two big boys was funny and I was surprised they got away with that edit haha. I havent picked a winner yet, so I like that!

Rizz god was a laugh riot! Cheated all the way to his win and was SO proud of it! He may be the best representation of that generation so far lol, they know now, cheaters get ahead.

Nicole was the obvious boot from the get go. I picked that early. All the confidence and none of the skill, she wanted to take the lead in challenges but didnt live up to it. The spitting on the other guys face was revolting. I hope we dont get the usual one tribe decimation, we probably will, but I still hope. I think if they are playing strategically those "weaker" players are an asset, but when strength matters to begin with, they are a liability.

 

[Stake fodder]

Rizz god was a laugh riot! Cheated all the way to his win and was SO proud of it! He may be the best representation of that generation so far lol, they know now, cheaters get ahead.

Nicole was the obvious boot from the get go. I picked that early. All the confidence and none of the skill, she wanted to take the lead in challenges but didnt live up to it. The spitting on the other guys face was revolting.

Rizo was growing on me a bit at the end, with his gleeful shameless cheating!

I missed the spitting!

 

[Cohen]

I missed the spitting too! When did it happen?

 

[November]

I missed the spitting!

I missed the spitting too! When did it happen?

They were all covered in mud, so easy to miss.

 

[Cohen]

They were all covered in mud, so easy to miss.

Yeah she definitely deserved the boot. Who does that?!

 

[Stake fodder]

They were all covered in mud, so easy to miss.

Now I remember! But as I recall, whoever it is on the left complained of being unable to get mud out of his eyes. I thought Nicole was trying to help with that.

 

[November]

Reaction post

Spoiler: SPOILERS

I didn't mind the journey today. Reminded me a bit of the South African season. I thought that was a better twist than losing a vote.

Feels a bit old school with the scuba gear prize yay. Cooking the crab was a funny little oldstyle survivor beach bit. I like the immunity idols.

I really liked this challenge. Jake is a dick, but they actually had strategy for this. Being the boost on his hands and knees got them off to the best start. Those ropes would have hurt. I like the need for teamwork with the ladder. Red doing worse than the team with the disadvantage. Oooh I hope Blue doesn't die on the puzzle. Are they throwing it? They must be!! Why did Jake try so hard when they knew they were going to throw it? I really thought that disadvantage would take Yellow out.

It wasnt thrown???? Oh I do not like Sophi... future Villian tribe material. Annie looks dead in the shelter haha.

Tribal - yeah this does show how bad no food affects people, even only after a few days. I sorta like that they are showing the truth of it. But also hoping they do get food, I rekon they should get rations at least. Annie has no weight to lose! I knew all the idol talk was a misdirect 🙁 bye bye Annie.

 

[Stake fodder]

Reaction post

Spoiler: SPOILERS

I didn't mind the journey today. Reminded me a bit of the South African season. I thought that was a better twist than losing a vote.

Feels a bit old school with the scuba gear prize yay. Cooking the crab was a funny little oldstyle survivor beach bit. I like the immunity idols.

I really liked this challenge. Jake is a dick, but they actually had strategy for this. Being the boost on his hands and knees got them off to the best start. Those ropes would have hurt. I like the need for teamwork with the ladder. Red doing worse than the team with the disadvantage. Oooh I hope Blue doesn't die on the puzzle. Are they throwing it? They must be!! Why did Jake try so hard when they knew they were going to throw it? I really thought that disadvantage would take Yellow out.

It wasnt thrown???? Oh I do not like Sophi... future Villian tribe material. Annie looks dead in the shelter haha.

Tribal - yeah this does show how bad no food affects people, even only after a few days. I sorta like that they are showing the truth of it. But also hoping they do get food, I rekon they should get rations at least. Annie has no weight to lose! I knew all the idol talk was a misdirect 🙁 bye bye Annie.

I liked the journey twist, too. I'm amazed that Yellow still won despite the disadvantages. But it irks me that Blue is clearly suffering from lack of food. I feel like tribes shouldn't get to that point. They should at least be given rice.

I can't remember which tribe got the crab, but I was impressed they could successfully cook it. You'd have to cook it live, wouldn't you? Not easy without a pot lid! Not to mention it would seem kind of terrible to watch it suffer, though I suppose they'd be hardened to that by their hunger.

Does it seem weird to anyone else that the idols look like Greek gods this time?

 

[November]

Does it seem weird to anyone else that the idols look like Greek gods this time?

Yes! I thought they were an odd choice for survivor, usually they are much more random than that.
I find the edit different this season too so I'm wondering if they have some new blood on the production team.

 

[Cohen]

Jawan made the best decision with the advantage, supporting his tribe. I still can’t believe yellow won despite the advantage, though. I feel bad that Blue continues to suffer. This is what I hate about new era survivor. It puts the losing tribe at a severe disadvantage. Even when another tribe has a disadvantage, their lack of nutrition keeps them from winning because they’re in a brain fog. It’s awful!

Annie was the right call to go, but if they lose again, I don’t know who will be targeted. I like all of the remaining 4 on blue, so I’m hoping they pull out a W next week!

I like this cast so far!

 

[Stake fodder]

Jawan made the best decision with the advantage, supporting his tribe. I still can’t believe yellow won despite the advantage, though. I feel bad that Blue continues to suffer. This is what I hate about new era survivor. It puts the losing tribe at a severe disadvantage. Even when another tribe has a disadvantage, their lack of nutrition keeps them from winning because they’re in a brain fog. It’s awful!

Annie was the right call to go, but if they lose again, I don’t know who will be targeted. I like all of the remaining 4 on blue, so I’m hoping they pull out a W next week!

I like this cast so far!

I really hate the way one tribe tends to go continually downhill. Lack of nutrition and smaller numbers on each tribe, I think. The producers are always mixing things up to make them more equitable, like making it harder to obtain an immunity idol. They really need to do something about the "one tribe keeps losing" problem.

 

[November]

When I saw last weeks teaser about the snake bite, I was worried. We have sea snakes like that and they are soooo dangerous. But I was always told they have little fangs and are unlikely to break the skin, unless they bite a really sensitive area. I have seen a few and now I will be even more wary!

I'm glad they have those manuals! Cool to see. Definitely better than the early days when they ate bats. Im surprised they didnt have a first aid kit there to wrap it straight away but maybe sea snake bites dont get wrapped like land snakes. They do say now for dogs not to bother wrapping and just get them straight to the vet, no delay, so I guess thats what this team did. I'll be looking out for Jakes take on this later.

Phew for dry bite, they need to be checked out anyway. I understand why they pulled him, but surprised they added the psychological aspect. Are they worried about heart attack or something? I wonder if they gave him the antivenom as a precaution? Because I know those sorts of things can knock you around. Although looks like they were monitoring him and knew quickly he didnt have venom in his system. I hope he gets another shot on the show, I suspect they may have made that an option for him. What a freak event!

Spoiler: Reaction spoilers

Jason does have amazing hair!
Oh boo hoo, kid had no friends at school, thats barely a sob story.

They sure are swimming fast in the water now 😂 😂 Blue ahead early again, I hope Sophi doesnt muck it up again! Oh boo for Blue. I really hope the 50's learn from this! Should the other teams have thrown that? I duno, I think not, but they could have if they really were that upset for them.

Yeah Alex play the idol dont risk it here. Checked out a bit for tribal and it seems they are too. Its hard for 3 to carry a tribal council this early in. Good Boy Alex, yes safe over sorry in this game.

PS I saw an interview a little while ago on Instagram with JLP who said he has breakfast with Jeff, maybe he will take over for him!

 

[Stake fodder]

Jake's snake bite made it all scary and real. I thought they might pull him just because he had been given fluids, which the others didn't get. I also wondered if he wasn't about to become a father, if they would have let him stay in. And then Jeff talking about the unforgiving situation Jake was in, as if Jeff and the producers haven't caused it! They could give them a little rice, yeesh.

I didn't understand about the fluids, because I thought the point of having that fake well was so they can have fresh water without having to boil it. I can't believe that Blue has had no water for 6-7 days - you would die! So that didn't quite make sense.

The other thing I noticed while Jake was being treated is that Jeff looks like he's had a facelift! They don't show him in close-up very often, but here he was, and in harsh light.

Looks like they will merge next time, so the two last Blues will get a second chance. But it shouldn't have come to that.

 

[November]

Spoiler: Spoiler

The other thing I noticed while Jake was being treated is that Jeff looks like he's had a facelift! They don't show him in close-up very often, but here he was, and in harsh light.

Spoiler: Spoiler

Yeah, hes had quite lot of work done. He's a super handsome guy naturally from s1 so Im guessing that's the TV pressure to stay looking... young. They always end up looking sorta plastic when they have surgery like that. I like the rugged JLP look - suits the Survivor brand. Nico on Survivor SA is a looker too.


I had wondered if the true reason for pulling Jake was because he needed to be monitored. And they cant do that properly on a beach. With snake bites here sometimes symptoms dont show up straight away, it can take 24-48 hours for it to show. But they also have blood tests now to know very quickly if a bite has occurred, even for dogs. I found it strange that they brought up the psychological so much when Jake himself was remarkably calm about it all. And I think the bite would hurt even without venom - I have some mates who keep snakes and they are wary of being bitten even knowing there is no danger from their own snakes, because it hurts!

I saw some on social media suggesting that Jake must have tormented the snake for it to bite him, but I dont agree with that. We were told in nippers that sea snakes are more aggressive in the shallows/surf than any other time they are seen. They show Jake dangling his feet in the waves, the snake could easily be pushed into him and panic bite.

They could give them a little rice, yeesh.

I didn't understand about the fluids, because I thought the point of having that fake well was so they can have fresh water without having to boil it. I can't believe that Blue has had no water for 6-7 days - you would die! So that didn't quite make sense.

Some contestants were shown eating fruit, when they said they have had no food, so I guess the fruit they pick doesnt count, maybe they think the same for water! Rations are just a better way to go all round. Doesnt have to be heaps but an individual portion per day should be allowed. Plus having rations has always added to the drama! Individual portions, like the little bag of beans we see on early AU would stop any squabbling.

 

[Stake fodder]

With snake bites here sometimes symptoms dont show up straight away, it can take 24-48 hours for it to show. But they also have blood tests now to know very quickly if a bite has occurred, even for dogs.

Interesting about the delayed snake bite reaction! I think they just wanted an excuse to take Jake out, so they kept circling back to - "Don't you want to be home for your baby's birth?" That's another thing that's different: they used to have to wait for the season to end to go home, I think, so no one would know how early they got kicked off.

Some contestants were shown eating fruit, when they said they have had no food, so I guess the fruit they pick doesnt count, maybe they think the same for water!

True, they definitely have coconuts! But I guess that doesn't give you much protein? But then, neither would rice.