Survivor: Redemption Island

[Marx]

It makes me laugh every time Krista or Stephanie say that the rest of Zapatera 'isn't playing the game'.

 

[Matt]

In all fairness, they aren't. Taking out Russell was smart, but Krista and Stephanie could be valuable assets. Someone like David or Grant should really be reaching out to them. Even if Zapatera makes it through the merge with a majority and votes out every Omatepe player without incident, having Stephanie and Krista on your side as an ace in the hole could be incredibly useful. Plus, what if there is a tribe mix up or early merge? Not even attempting to reach out to them gives them incentive to flip. Zapatera is convinced that because they have a majority, they'll be safe....but none of them are planning for the unexpected or even for the best case scenario, when they have to turn on each other.

For example, if David were playing the game and weren't so lost in his own ego ("I SHOULD'VE DONE THE PUZZLE DAMNIT!!"), he would've gone to Krista and Stephanie and offered to bail their asses out and then convinced his tribe to either flush the idol and vote out Ralph (whose screaming during the challenge cost the tribe valuable time) or take out Julie as the weak link. If David could go into the merge with the tribe on his side but Krista and Stephanie as aces in the hole, he'd be unstoppable. Any member of the Zapatera alliance could use them in a similiar way. The fact that none of them see that and are just obsessed with this notion of them being tainted by Russell shows how poor their games are.

 

[steintym]

Overall, kind of a boring episode. Oh well, there are going to be those shows.

I don't think anyone on that tribe is really "playing the game", Krista and Stephanie included. Unless stuff was edited out, they made no effort at all, no scrambling whatsoever. I've seen players in worse situation at least make an attempt.

 

[Matt]

Agreed. They rolled over and died. Though by the way things are editted, their complete hopelessness....I think its because the rest of Zapatera made their thoughts clear and basically shut them down before they could even try.

 

[Iron_Stark]

What a boring ang predictable episode. Zapatera tribe are still a bunch of dumbasses. They may have still lost but Hillbilly Jim or whatever his name cost them valuable time by not knowing what to do and where to go.

I hope none of those idiots make it to the final four or have a chance to win.

 

[bullets]

In all fairness, they aren't. Taking out Russell was smart, but Krista and Stephanie could be valuable assets. Someone like David or Grant should really be reaching out to them. Even if Zapatera makes it through the merge with a majority and votes out every Omatepe player without incident, having Stephanie and Krista on your side as an ace in the hole could be incredibly useful. Plus, what if there is a tribe mix up or early merge? Not even attempting to reach out to them gives them incentive to flip. Zapatera is convinced that because they have a majority, they'll be safe....but none of them are planning for the unexpected or even for the best case scenario, when they have to turn on each other.

For example, if David were playing the game and weren't so lost in his own ego ("I SHOULD'VE DONE THE PUZZLE DAMNIT!!"), he would've gone to Krista and Stephanie and offered to bail their asses out and then convinced his tribe to either flush the idol and vote out Ralph (whose screaming during the challenge cost the tribe valuable time) or take out Julie as the weak link. If David could go into the merge with the tribe on his side but Krista and Stephanie as aces in the hole, he'd be unstoppable. Any member of the Zapatera alliance could use them in a similiar way. The fact that none of them see that and are just obsessed with this notion of them being tainted by Russell shows how poor their games are.

That would of been a good scenario for David and it seems like none of them are really playing on that tribe . I think Krista and Stephanie felt too defeated to try anything but maybe that tribal was an eye opener .

 

[Harry_Lime02]

I should be a little more interesting to see if the over confident Zapatera crumbles though

It will. Whoever makes it to the merge, it's going to be Zap6 vs everyone else. How do they not realize this?

I know I complained about the challenge favoring Ralph last week, but we've now had 5 challenges and 3 of them have had puzzles. Is there a bias towards Boston Rob here? Surely not!

 

[Matt]

And Probst, in his blog, explains perfectly the problem with Zapatera's attitude and why Stephanie and Krista were dead-on about them not playing the game:

Julie really showed how little she understands the game when she said that “Krista and Stephanie” are just pawns in this game and are not a threat any longer. Anybody that is in the game is a threat and anybody who is low on the totem pole within a tribe is a MAJOR threat What if we have a tribe switch coming up? Or an early merge?

I’m not foreshadowing anything (or am I?) but I am making the point that you can NEVER let your guard down in this game. The moment you lay your sword against the tree while you go take a leak, is the moment your sword ends up in your back mid-stream.

http://www.jeffprobst.com/2011/03/17/survivor-redemption-island-episode-5-31611/

 

[steintym]

Good stuff - Gotta love Probst

 

[Marx]

I do Jeff Probst.

 

[bullets]

I love reading Jeff's blog an partly because he points out what was cut from the episode. I watched a challenge preview earlier and they were talking about how hot it was. I sort of forgot that watching Matt and Kristina's duel. Hopefully he doesn't get taken out by Krista.

 

[Marx]

Another thing about the duels...I'm really liking that the tribes have 'representatives' that always get to watch the duel. (And interact if they want.)

 

[Wyrminarrd]

I wonder if Jeff realized that he practically contradicted himself in the blog, first he points out how valuable Krista and Stephanie could be to Rob and then he criticizes Julie for saying that getting rid of one of them was a good thing. It's easily possible that Julie knows that those two will flip the first chance they get so from that stand point getting rid of them really is a good thing.

Based on my read of the game I'd say that Zapatera was practically playing with 6 players + two from the other side so win or lose they could get rid of an opposing player.

 

[SuperT]

I kinda hope Krista beats Matt at Redemption Island and comes back into the game, because she seemed way more knowledgable about the game and what's going on.

If she comes back, I could see her being silent but deadly and causing some major damage if Stephanie is still in the game too.

Oh and the Zapetera 6 will crumble. I bet David or Julie will flip as soon as the merge comes around.

 

[Wyrminarrd]

I actually found her insights into gameplay to be laughable, it seemed like she thought that if players weren't playing with her then they weren't playing strategically A person who knowingly enters into a three person alliance against six other players clearly doesn't have a clue how to play this game imo.

 

[bullets]

I actually found her insights into gameplay to be laughable, it seemed like she thought that if players weren't playing with her then they weren't playing strategically A person who knowingly enters into a three person alliance against six other players clearly doesn't have a clue how to play this game imo.

I think there's some resentment in her statements but being outside a six person alliance can be terrifying in terms of survival.

Oh and the Zapetera 6 will crumble. I bet David or Julie will flip as soon as the merge comes around.

I'm looking forward to it. I think David will be the first to move but Julie might wind up being a player.

 

[steintym]

Another thing about the duels...I'm really liking that the tribes have 'representatives' that always get to watch the duel. (And interact if they want.)

I'm still not sure if I like the whole Redemption Island thing, but this is definitely one of the positives of having it. Kind of like the interaction, secret spilling, etc.

 

[Matt]

Oy, Zapatera continues to play ridiculously.

 

[bullets]

I think I was just starting to like her oddly. Matt has a great streak going on the island.

 

[steintym]

Still making dumb moves. The editing tried to add a little suspense, but ...

 

[Marx]

I cannot believe that Zapatera went that direction...

 

[Matt]

I think I was just starting to like her oddly. Matt has a great streak going on the island.

I've been rooting for Matt, but at this point I say "Go Stephanie!" She's the more interesting of the two.

 

[Harry_Lime02]

So Phillip has called his alliance "Stealth". The Coach comparisons continue to pile up.

Bad tribal tonight, loved Stephanie. Sarita sucks. I was hoping she'd get tooth rot and have to quit.

 

[Marx]

Philip is certifiable.

 

[Matt]

I loved the music when he talked about the gorilla and the lion being crossed by Rob and Grant.

"The gorilla," BOOOOONG "And the lion," BOOOOONG.

Also, Grant is in a very good position in this game. He could do some major damage. He is in a strong strategic position and could definitely make a run on immunity challenges late in the game.