Survivor: Redemption Island

[steintym]

I have a feeling Mike is set to make a run in these duels. I'd get a kick out of him running the table, re-enter the game and make another run with the immunity challenges.

 

[Sakuraba]

Phillip has definitely saved this season, whether you like him or not. This has been a fairly boring season even with his highlights.

How sickening was it to watch Rob call to the others for water after the challenge? I almost puked when he then requested they help him to his feet. I know he has his fans (my wife loves the guy), but I can't stand him.

I'm really, really hoping there's a blindside coming for Rob. I think it would be beautiful if it was pulled off by Phil.

Yeah, it was funny watching Phillip laugh at Rob's horrible acting. Phillip knows amateur work when he sees it.

On Probst's latest blog he didn't even mention Phillip's moments from last night. I mean, he was more or less revealed to be a method actor, and all Probst can talk about is Mike's decision. Let's face it, Mike's choice didn't really matter. If he's in the finals he's winning regardless of who got to see their relative, or in Ralph's case, "buddy."

But Probst's avoidance of commenting on Phillip leads me to believe that this guy is just flat-out putting on a performance and we should get a full reveal very soon.

 

[Sakuraba]

To me, I now have to see Phillip make finals. If he doesn't, this season is a waste. I need to see him put the crown jewel on his performance.

I think Phillip has a chance of winning. He's not like other goats that backstabbed and lied to people. Phillip just pissed people off with his self-righteousness and grating personality. I think he can fix that.

Guys like Russell will go before the jury and say, "I was just playing the game," all they want, but ultimately you spoiled the juror's chance at million dollars and humiliated them. Phillip isn't seen as the mastermind behind the votes. I think the only person on Zapatera that wouldn't vote him would be Steve, and maybe Julie. As far as the three Ometepe jury votes go, he's sitting pretty there. Even though he's hated, he will not have backstabbed any of them. Case in point was Andrea last night, he was the only one that said he was writting her name down and brilliantly let Rob blindside her like an idiot. That's a genius move.

He'll need a good performance at the last tribal council. Going by the "serious" Phillip confessionals last night, the guy can talk without being animated or stuttering. I think he'll go up there and say something like, "I'm not a federal agent, I don't stutter, I don't wear pink underwear in real life, I don't think Steve's a racist, I know Andrea can chop bambo without my input, I know Francesquewah's name is Francesca, etc. I played a character to gain Rob's trust so he would foolishly bring me here instead of his core alliance members."

I really think it could work, and he'll be considered one of the all-time great players. But he can't afford to have Matt or Mike make finals.

 

[Matt]

The fact that Rob got himself to the F2 back in All-Stars and failed to convince the jury to vote for him or against his opponent. He literally faked tears after all his trash-talk in front of the jury to get a reaction. That alone shows he's not the best player in Survivor nor is he even a top contender considering how many times he's played now and still (STILL!) hasn't been smart enough to nab a F2 goat.

Brian Heidik will always be the best player in my never-so-humble opinion. But they'll never acknowledge him because how badly he played everyone (including Burnett and Probst - funny they don't like being toyed with after all the people they've done it to!)

I agree entirely. Hatch designed the concept of a Survivor alliance but Brian perfected it. Brian manipulated and controlled every aspect of the game, even as you mentioned, the production staff. He played a perfect game of Survivor.

 

[Matt]

To me, I now have to see Phillip make finals. If he doesn't, this season is a waste. I need to see him put the crown jewel on his performance.

I think Phillip has a chance of winning. He's not like other goats that backstabbed and lied to people. Phillip just pissed people off with his self-righteousness and grating personality. I think he can fix that.

Guys like Russell will go before the jury and say, "I was just playing the game," all they want, but ultimately you spoiled the juror's chance at million dollars and humiliated them. Phillip isn't seen as the mastermind behind the votes. I think the only person on Zapatera that wouldn't vote him would be Steve, and maybe Julie. As far as the three Ometepe jury votes go, he's sitting pretty there. Even though he's hated, he will not have backstabbed any of them. Case in point was Andrea last night, he was the only one that said he was writting her name down and brilliantly let Rob blindside her like an idiot. That's a genius move.

He'll need a good performance at the last tribal council. Going by the "serious" Phillip confessionals last night, the guy can talk without being animated or stuttering. I think he'll go up there and say something like, "I'm not a federal agent, I don't stutter, I don't wear pink underwear in real life, I don't think Steve's a racist, I know Andrea can chop bambo without my input, I know Francesquewah's name is Francesca, etc. I played a character to gain Rob's trust so he would foolishly bring me here instead of his core alliance members."

I really think it could work, and he'll be considered one of the all-time great players. But he can't afford to have Matt or Mike make finals.

IF you're right, its the most brilliant move of all time, but didn't everyone expect Coach to do the same thing at his reunion show? I just don't think it'll happen. I think Phillip is more self-aware than he lets on, I think that he is intentionally alienating people, but I think some of that egotistical, self-righteousness is real. I think that he was a former federal agent but probably did background checks or something else irrelevant, he wasn't counter-terrorism as he seems to enjoy having people think. I just don't think it is all an act. Have you ever applied to Survivor? The background check that they do on their cast members is fairly intensive. The production team (including Probst) would know if he is lying. Though I suppose Probst would not say that he is until the reunion. But yeah, I don't think that it is an act.


As for Matt and Mike, I think even Ralph will win if he makes i t. I personally think its unfair. You have a place where players get to interact with the jurors, has no involvement in voting them out and can just sit around, badmouth Rob, and make their case.

As for the poll, I want to vote Mike, but I think that Andrea is going to pull one off. That said, this whole notion of the four person duel is silly. No one is playing for first, they are playing not to lose. It takes away the suspense. I'd like for someone to rejoin the game already, not that it matters unless they can make a nonstop immunity run and I don't see it happening.

 

[FilmNerdJamie]

If you've had to play the game more than once and you win during your subsequent game(s), then guess what? You're still not a great a player; I wouldn't even call you "good" frankly. Which is why I can't take any of the praise for people like Rob, Rupert, especially Parvati (Yeah, getting the inside track from your BFF the casting director and the crew doesn't mean you have skill) seriously.

It's laughable. Yeah...they weren't good enough to win on their own accord the very first time with a bunch of strangers (You know like 80% of the other winners). But they're like totally amazing and Masterminds when they get to play again...and again...and again, in some cases. Hell by that idiot logic from the producers, Sandra is the greatest player of all-time. Played the game twice, and won both times.

 

[Sakuraba]

IF you're right, its the most brilliant move of all time, but didn't everyone expect Coach to do the same thing at his reunion show? I just don't think it'll happen. I think Phillip is more self-aware than he lets on, I think that he is intentionally alienating people, but I think some of that egotistical, self-righteousness is real. I think that he was a former federal agent but probably did background checks or something else irrelevant, he wasn't counter-terrorism as he seems to enjoy having people think. I just don't think it is all an act. Have you ever applied to Survivor? The background check that they do on their cast members is fairly intensive. The production team (including Probst) would know if he is lying. Though I suppose Probst would not say that he is until the reunion. But yeah, I don't think that it is an act.

I've been on the whole "extension of his personality" bandwagon since day one, but I don't know. I'm sure he's egotistical but he's not a goofy spaz about it. In those confessionals he seemed totally serious and in control. I imagine the editors have been playing the true nature of Phillip close to the vest all season and editing out all of his legit confessionals.

Then again, maybe I'm reading too much into it. It gave me great hope to see him talk about a strategy never seen before. It'd seem unnecessary for that to be thrown in there unless it had some merit. When he said, dominate, dominate, DOMINATE!" it was like he was going back into character like a smarta**. We'll see in ten days.

 

[Iron_Stark]

If you've had to play the game more than once and you win during your subsequent game(s), then guess what? You're still not a great a player; I wouldn't even call you "good" frankly. Which is why I can't take any of the praise for people like Rob, Rupert, especially Parvati (Yeah, getting the inside track from your BFF the casting director and the crew doesn't mean you have skill) seriously.

It's laughable. Yeah...they weren't good enough to win on their own accord the very first time with a bunch of strangers (You know like 80% of the other winners). But they're like totally amazing and Masterminds when they get to play again...and again...and again, in some cases. Hell by that idiot logic from the producers, Sandra is the greatest player of all-time. Played the game twice, and won both times.

She's hardly the greatest player of all time.

That's like saying Trent Dilfer is greater than Dan Marino, Fran Tarketon or Jim Kelley because he won a Superbowl and they didn't.

The only reason she won the last one was cuz the jury didn't hate her as much as Russell or Parvatti. She was absolutly useless in all the challenges and never even won an individual challenge byherself. Completly undeserving to be called sole survivor when in reality if she was out there byherself she wouldn't last a day.

 

[Sakuraba]

Okay, so it appears we have yet another Phillip outburst episode, with a little bit of Ashley going home vibe, and Ashley trying to rally Natalie against Rob. That's on the surface.

It would seem that tonight should be the duel finale, with one going back in the game. So that could throw a wrench in Rob's plan to slowly and quietly backstabbing each Ometepe. Even if there is no returning player, the title of the episode is Too Close For Comfort, so maybe that has something to do with Ashley approaching Phillip about voting out Rob. Which I don't think Phillip would dismiss out of hand like the girls did to poor ol' Steve.

Grant is likely talking about Ashley when he says "it's a snake, dude." to Rob M. Which is funny considering he was basically the Serpentor behind Andrea's blindside ouster last week. It's all a game until someone throws your name around.

I'm also thinking that Rob's alliances will be exposed. The preview on the home site has him reaffirming his final 3 position with everyone, and I think back to what he told his sister last week about all they have to do is talk to one another. That probably gets played out tonight.

 

[bullets]

" You become a member of the jury.... that blows" - Jeff



bye ralph.

 

[Matt]

Glad to see Ralph's stupidity get the better of him at last.There was no way that he should have lost with the head start that he had, but I was glad to see it happen. Ralph wasn't a likable idiot like Rupert or Big Tom. He was mean and spiteful and it was fitting that Andrea put the final nail in his coffin after his refusal to let her sleep in the shelter.

 

[Sakuraba]

Ralph had his finest moment with his treatment of Andrea and then he goes home.

His makes, what, three 1st place finishes for Mike?

 

[Matt]

Phillip gets indignant after having his words twisted and being called sexist. Irony.

 

[Sakuraba]

"She's a snake, boo hoo, even though I'm doing the same thing to her, boo hoo."

 

[Sakuraba]

Rob just listed every reason why he shouldn't take Natalie to finals.

 

[Matt]

Rob just listed every reason why he shouldn't take Natalie to finals.

Yep. Russell wanted to do the same thing. Take innocent and likable girls to the finals. Its amazing that after playing 4 times he still hasn't realized how stupid that strategy is. When has it ever worked for anyone?

 

[bullets]

So who goes now. I'm thinking Natalie seems likely.

 

[Sakuraba]

This is where Rob might consider giving Phillip the immunity idol to help with jury management.

 

[Matt]

So who goes now. I'm thinking Natalie seems likely.

If Rob were the brilliant player that Probst likes to talk him up to be, Natalie would be the smartest choice. She has very little chance of getting back in so you limit RI blowback. Grant on the other hand could very easily win on RI, come back and rally against Rob with relative ease. If Rob were smart he'd take out Grant when he has no chance of coming back. Then again, if Rob were smart, Grant would sit next to him and Phillip in the final three rather than Natalie. Grant is basically mini-Rob. He's tied to every decision Rob made, Rob was better at challenges. He is easier to beat.

 

[Sakuraba]

So will Ashley try to make a move on Rob given her current position of power or is it still Grant?

 

[Matt]

This is where Rob might consider giving Phillip the immunity idol to help with jury management.

Phillip would turn it on him.

 

[Matt]

So will Ashley try to make a move on Rob given her current position of power or is it still Grant?

Why would she? Rob is a guaranteed beat in the final two. Everyone hates him.

 

[bullets]

If Robe were the brilliant player that Probst likes to talk him up to be, Natalie would be the smartest choice. She has very little chance of getting back in so you limit RI blowback. Grant on the other hand could very easily win on RI, come back and rally against Rob with relative ease. If Rob were smart he'd take out Grant when he has no chance of coming back. Then again, if Rob were smart, Grant would sit next to him and Phillip in the final three rather than Natalie. Grant is basically mini-Rob. He's tied to every decision Rob made, Rob was better at challenges. He is easier to beat.

Sounds like Rob will come to his senses.

 

[Marx]

Have I mentioned that I really hate 'the rob show'..?

 

[Sakuraba]

Why is Rob doing these stupid, unnecessary blindsides?