Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains

[Marx]

Probst is usually spot on with his assessments.

 

[Matt]

But what does "Best game" even mean on Survivor?! There's no one set way to play Survivor. How can someone who lost be a better player than the winner? Winning essentially means that you played the best out of all your opponents.

How was Russell's way of making it to the Final Three any better than the way Natalie made it to the Final Three? They made the same alliance on day one, they lost as many challenges as each other, they went to the same amount of Tribal Councils, they even received the same amount of votes at the end of the game as each other.

Her game was just as impressive, moreso since she actually won, than his. She was the last woman standing from Foa Foa after they were all picked off, she convinced the Galu girls to turn on one of their own, she kept true to the same alliance from the first day, she voted out the exact same people as Russell at every Tribal Council yet they still liked her at the end. That is impressive.

I was reading Courtney's post show interviews and she made a great statement about Russell when asked if he ever talked to her. She said something to the effect that if you're not valuable to Russell's game he simply ignores you.

If that's doesn't explain why he didn't win last season or why he probably won't ever win, I don't know what will.

In my opinion, there is a huge difference between making it to the final two and owning a game. The players who own the game are the better players in my book.

Russell, Brian, Richard, Rob C., Amanda, Parvati, even Rob M. (though his has an asterisk as he pretty much exploited stupid players and had no business being in All-Stars to begin with) own the game. Same with Colby, Terry, Tom, Ozzy, etc who own the game on a different level (a physical one). They own the game. The game is played from start to finish on their terms.They control every aspect of it. Of course it pisses some people off, but none-the-less. That in my opinion, is playing a good game.

Meanwhile, players who are carried and just drift along, as not good players as much as they are lucky ones. The likes of Vercepia, Amber, Sugar, etc. They do not win by their own merit. They win by charity of the mastermind they cling to who makes the decisions or wins the challenges.

Unfortunately, when you're playing for a million bucks, jurors do not focus on who plays the best game. They focus on who took the million away from them.

 

[SuperT]

What mastermind did Vecepia cling too all game? She had no other allies except for Sean Rector and he got the boot at the F5 Tribal Council so she was absolutely on her own at the endgame. She was the first true minority winner (and I'm not talking about her race, although that's true too lol). She was the first person to ever go into the merge down in numbers and alliances and go on to win the game at the end.

I do agree with you that Terry, Colby, Ozzy owned the game physically, but the physical portion is just such a minor aspect in the game that I can't even hold them up as great players. All three severely lacked in the strategic part, Ozzy especially during Fans vs. Faves. I think Tom is the only winner that has successfully combined a strategic and physical game to bring home the win.

I think the difference between all those players you listed that "ran the game" and Russell is that all those winners still treated their fellow players as equals and respected them. Russell treats no one as his equal and does not respect anyone else other then himself, so if he treats people like crap and doesn't respect them how can he, or anyone else, expect people to want to vote for him to win?

If I had been on the Samoa jury, I probably would have voted for Natalie too. Although not because Russell was just an absolute jerk, but probably because Natalie's play of working over the Galu girls was THE play of the game to me and the turning point for the entire season.

Oh, and you forgot you mention Todd, my second fave winner ever. He ran the game way more than Amanda ever did. I actually wouldn't even say Amanda ever ran the game. In China she was Todds tagalong, and she was most certainly moreso a tagalong to me in Micronesia by capitalizing on the moves orchestrated by Parvati and Cirie.

 

[Matt]

I disagree about Amanda simply capitalizing as in many ways she was the face of the alliance and swung several key players to their side. Sure, Parvati was just as crucial in that regard, which is why I'd say they're equals.

As for Russell, I agree with you, which is exactly my point. Russell's ego prevents him from seeing other players as his equal and it is absolutely his achilles heel.

As for Vercepia, she just got lucky that no one took her seriously and the Paschal got screwed over by the purple rock. That game was his to lose and I maintain that if Kathy or Neleh went home, Vercepia would've been next and Paschal would've won.

 

[RAMORE]

Bottom line is our interpretation of game is colored by watching 3rd person and editing. The players lived it and were effected by it so why I view Russell as being Robbed last year they deemed his a loser and voted accordingly.

 

[SuperT]

Russell, you are no longer in charge here you may now exit stage right you are no longer needed.

Excellent play by Parvati tonight, I never once second guessed that she was the true leader of her alliance and not Russell. She got lucky though that Amanda was such an AWFUL liar. Anyone with half a brain could tell she was lying about the Heroes voting for either Parvati or Sandra.

But Parvati does need to be careful and not let herself be sucked down into Russell pit of "large ego" or let him take her eyes off the prize. Looks like next week Russell is all butt hurt because she didn't clue him in on her plans at tonight's Tribal Council. Boo hoo! LOL

Based on the previews for next week, looks like the supposed "King" and "Queen" start their bickering and breakdown next week. All the while they won't have any idea that Sandra is turning the tides against them right under their noses. Sandra is gonna align with those Heroes right quick and make those jury connections

Sandra made an excellent play in going up to Rupert and telling him the truth about what was exactly going on at the Villains camp. This gives her the "I told you so" card if she were to make to the Final TC.

Great episode!

 

[Iron_Stark]

dammit!

Spoiler

Sandra is still there!

 

[SuperT]

Oh, and who would have thought Rupert would be the voice of reason for the Heroes?!? That was so weird to watch, and yet so stupid that the Heroes didn't listen to him.

 

[Marx]

It's official...JT is a moron.

 

[Siby]

What a great tribal council. Now we know, for a fact, that Stephen was the real mastermind and JT only got as far as he did because somebody else was left to do the thinking for him. lol Man, it was hilarious how wrong JT was in reading Russell and what was going around him.

I agree that is was strange to see Rupert be the voice of caution but it's easy for us to say as observers. Who knows what else they talked about in the other hours of the day.

I just want that filth bag Sandra to go home. I can't stand her!

 

[SuperT]

Filth bag? Really?

 

[POWdER-man]

I wouldn't used those words exactly but I definitely hope she gets her bags packed and sent home soon. At this point I wouldn't mind seeing almost anyone but her win.

 

[Marx]

Last night's tribal council was a jaw dropper! I was shocked when Parvati pulled out BOTH immunity idols and started passing them out!

Also, the first post has been updated for the merge.

 

[LEX]

What craziness. T.C. tonight damn well knocked off Tyson's outing as the best blindside of this season. The sense of utter defeat roiling off the Heroes was practically tangible and sweet to behold. How fitting that J.T. was undone by the very idol he most unwisely gave away.

Great move by Parvati that covered the asses of everyone on her tribe. Handed Danielle the win, check. Gave Sandra and Jerri the idols, check. Russell totally safe as the Heroes were testing him, check. And herself totally safe, thanks to Amanda's painful obviousness, CHECK! Much impressive. Can I has her babies?

Next week will come her true test, reining in Russell and Sandra, though I'm not much bothered on that front. The preview was a mite too insistent with the chosen scenes. I've learned by now to go with the opposite, or near to it, of what the previews would have us believe.

And as much as I loathe Sandra, "filth bag" is a bit much. That said, I hope to see the back of her very soon. I do not want to have to subject my television to a glassy death on account of her godsdamn smugness.

 

[Marx]

According to TMZ, Russell Hantz was arrested for battery at some kind of street festival in Louisiana today.

I can't say this surprises me...

 

[Matt]

Oh brother.

Still, what an episode, eh?

 

[SuperT]

How the heck is Sandra smug?! Also, Courtney on the Jury = Yessssssss! Her facial expressions will be just as amazing as Eliza's were during Microneisa.

Anyhoo, I'm surprised no one has commented on JT's final words and saying "Never trust women." Uuuuuuuuuuh, what?!?

What a moron.

 

[Sawyer]

Well.... never trust those women. But mainly he shouldn't trust himself, because he's an idiot.

 

[SuperT]

The thing was, it wasn't the women he trusted or who screwed him over, in fact, he actually said outright he didn't trust Parvati or Sandra.

It was Russell that screwed him over which made his finally words make absolutely no sense at all.

 

[joke]

"Well done"? What the ****, you dumb hillbilly ******?! Russell didn't do ****, he just sat there scratching his beard while you made wild assumptions and then decided to trust him, a VILLAIN, with an idol. Jesus ****ing christ..

 

[SuperT]

One more thing I want to know is why is the editing team hiding the alliance Parvati/Sandra clearly have with each other. It's evident from watching the Insider clips that they are aligned with each other and have been so for a while.

Watch Sandra's voting confessional from last night on the Insider. She and Parvati went up to JT to try and work with him, I'm assuming to form a winners alliance, but JT denied it and instead went after them and wanted Parvati out first and Sandra out after her.

What an idiot. I bet he regrets it now.

 

[Marx]

One more thing I want to know is why is the editing team hiding the alliance Parvati/Sandra clearly have with each other. It's evident from watching the Insider clips that they are aligned with each other and have been so for a while.

Watch Sandra's voting confessional from last night on the Insider. She and Parvati went up to JT to try and work with him, I'm assuming to form a winners alliance, but JT denied it and instead went after them and wanted Parvati out first and Sandra out after her.

What an idiot. I bet he regrets it now.

I've always wondered how the edits are decided...

 

[SuperT]

On another note, the battery charge against Russell - Apparently he shoved an 18-year-old girl to the ground!

Ick! What a sleezeball!

 

[Ipodman]

Ok... Now Im rooting for Candice....haha.

She was the last hero hanging on the pole anyway, she could beat JT in individual challenges too

 

[Shifty]

On another note, the battery charge against Russell - Apparently he shoved an 18-year-old girl to the ground!

Ick! What a sleezeball!

Apparently it never happened.
http://www.tmz.com/2010/04/23/russell-hantz-survivor-legal-action-cops-misunderstanding/