Survivor...It's war, game on

[easyrider]

Did anyone else get a bit choked up at the loved ones visit? Great twist this time. I read somewhere that Tyson had a lot to do with it. Part of his deal in coming back was that his daughter be allowed to visit him while he was there.

Still don't have a favorite. They are all so good in their own ways and I keep changing my mind on who I'd like to see win for the second time.

Yup, a little bit. The family reunion is a tear jerker for us. It was cool to see all the families. I didn't realize how many couples met playing Survivor. I was a bit bummed when Tyson was voted out.

All in all this has been a decent game to watch. We dvr the show and actually look forward to watching it. Survivor is one of the few shows my wife and I watch together.

Bill

 

[Luanne]

Yup, a little bit. The family reunion is a tear jerker for us. It was cool to see all the families. I didn't realize how many couples met playing Survivor. I was a bit bummed when Tyson was voted out.

All in all this has been a decent game to watch. We dvr the show and actually look forward to watching it. Survivor is one of the few shows my wife and I watch together.

Bill

I think among this group there were only two couples that met as a result of Survivor. Rob and Amber, and Parvarti and her husband (who I didn't remember at all). There have been several of the loved ones who did play with their partners/spouses in the past. Tyson played with his wife, Jeremy and his wife, and Natalie and her sister.

 

[b2bailey]

I've just watched this episode -- have to wait until next day because I watch on Hulu. Wow. Yes, tears were shed during family visit. Figured they allowed all to stay because it would have been too difficult for the children to travel all that way for a miniscule visit with parent. Also, did you notice they spared us by not showing the emotional departure. The suspense of tribal council was the most I can ever remember.

 

[DaveNV]

The suspense of tribal council was the most I can ever remember.

That was probably the best one ever. I had no idea who was going till the votes were revealed. But I'd wager Jeremy was the one who was going to be voted out initially. Like Denise, he had best watch his back. His days are numbered, I think.

Dave

 

[Luanne]

That was probably the best one ever. I had no idea who was going till the votes were revealed. But I'd wager Jeremy was the one who was going to be voted out initially. Like Denise, he had best watch his back. His days are numbered, I think.

Dave

I think you're right about Jeremy. If he hadn't been there number one pick there wouldn't have been the scrambling that went on after he left.

 

[clifffaith]

I'd fallen asleep, as I often do, between 7:45 & 8pm. Except I didn't wake up until 8:02 so I was confused why there were children there on loved ones day. Had to get the Kleenex out. Glad I didn't have to change channels to Modern Family which would have made me miss the end where they all hugged Jeff.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Interesting tribal. Two advantages and an Idol played and wasted. Want to see more of these fire token and their impact over the next few tribals.

 

[DaveNV]

Interesting tribal. Two advantages and an Idol played and wasted. Want to see more of these fire token and their impact over the next few tribals.

I think as they get closer to the end they'll come more into play. It's an interesting twist on things.

Dave

 

[JanT]

I think I'm becoming jaded by everything going on right now. That long, drug out scene of the first set of family visits drove me nuts - I kept saying, "Oh for crying out loud, get on with the game," and thinking that was what the whole show was going to be that night. I did get a little tear in my eye when the loved ones got a brief visit with those on Extinction though. I think it's because I really like the old timers and not so much the new players of the game.

During this pandemic, we've been watching all the seasons of Survivor in reverse. We had missed some seasons because we lived in Fiji for 2 years where we didn't have TV and then my life became somewhat of a sh--storm when we returned and I fell into such a deep depression I just didn't care about watching it. But, it's been great fun watching the seasons we had missed and then just watching all the old seasons - especially in reverse. Wow! Talk about the game evolving. It has changed so much and honestly, I think it's gotten a lot easier. Some of those earlier seasons, the conditions were just brutal. I had forgotten just how brutal until we started watching them and comparing them to later seasons.

It's going to be interesting to see how this current season plays out. Interesting twist with the fire tokens. I'm still shaking my head over Sandra giving her idol to Denise!! What happened to the Queen's common sense? LoL

 

[DaveNV]

I'm still shaking my head over Sandra giving her idol to Denise!! What happened to the Queen's common sense? LoL

I think Sandra underestimated Denise, and was trying to make a move to protect her own game. She didn't count on Denise being a very shrewd player in her own right, and she ended up going home. If you remember, she had just spent all that time on Island of the Idols from last season, so may have been a bit tired of it all. This season she had "sat out" every challenge she could have, to the point of Jeff Probst naming the "sit out bench" after her. She'd won the game twice before, and after her vote out this time, she dropped by Extinction Island to check it out, and then opted to leave the game. I think her heart just wasn't in it this season. She's too smart to be done with Survivor, I think, and I doubt we've seen the last of her.

Dave

 

[Luanne]

I think Sandra underestimated Denise, and was trying to make a move to protect her own game. She didn't count on Denise being a very shrewd player in her own right, and she ended up going home. If you remember, she had just spent all that time on Island of the Idols from last season, so may have been a bit tired of it all. This season she had "sat out" every challenge she could have, to the point of Jeff Probst naming the "sit out bench" after her. She'd won the game twice before, and after her vote out this time, she dropped by Extinction Island to check it out, and then opted to leave the game. I think her heart just wasn't in it this season. She's too smart to be done with Survivor, I think, and I doubt we've seen the last of her.

Dave

I thought it was one of the other players who first came up with the "Sandra sit out" bench name and then Jeff just picked up on it. I could, of course, be wrong. I have watched Survivor ever since it first came on air. I remember that first season was at the same time as my daughters were on swim team and many Wednesdays we rushed home from practice, or a meet, in order to watch it. I've always been fascinated by the psychology of the game. I've forgotten many of the players, and winners, over the years but I don't think I'll ever forget the first season.

P.S. I thought I read an interview with Sandra where she said she was retiring from Survivor. However, as we know things can always change.

https://www.eonline.com/news/113463...-twine-announces-her-retirement-from-the-game

 

[DaveNV]

I thought it was one of the other players who first came up with the "Sandra sit out" bench name and then Jeff just picked up on it. I could, of course, be wrong. I have watched Survivor ever since it first came on air. I remember that first season was at the same time as my daughters were on swim team and many Wednesdays we rushed home from practice, or a meet, in order to watch it. I've always been fascinated by the psychology of the game. I've forgotten many of the players, and winners, over the years but I don't think I'll ever forget the first season.

P.S. I thought I read an interview with Sandra where she said she was retiring from Survivor. However, as we know things can always change.

https://www.eonline.com/news/113463...-twine-announces-her-retirement-from-the-game

It's been a fun series to follow. I haven't watched them all, and I'm sure I've missed some episodes of the seasons I have watched. @JanT said she's binge-watching previous seasons. I may have to try that, if only to see what I missed.

As to Sandra, I hadn't heard she was officially retiring from the game. But even with that, I expect she'll be there at the Season Finale shows and such. As she said when leaving, she'll still be the queen.

Dave

 

[Luanne]

It's been a fun series to follow. I haven't watched them all, and I'm sure I've missed some episodes of the seasons I have watched. @JanT said she's binge-watching previous seasons. I may have to try that, if only to see what I missed.

As to Sandra, I hadn't heard she was officially retiring from the game. But even with that, I expect she'll be there at the Season Finale shows and such. As she said when leaving, she'll still be the queen.

Dave

I don't know if I'd want to bing watch the entire series, but I would love to see Season One again. In that season no one knew anything. As I recall one person just voted people off alphabetically.

 

[DaveNV]

I don't know if I'd want to bing watch the entire series, but I would love to see Season One again. In that season no one knew anything. As I recall one person just voted people off alphabetically.

I didn't discover Survivor till the very end of the first season. I've heard all these years about Richard Hatch and Sue and Rudy and "the snake" and whatever. But I only have a peripheral understanding about how the game went. I'd watch that one, for sure.

Dave

 

[clifffaith]

I like Tony a lot, but would have voted for Natalie. Michelle winning the challenge with the cylinders that had to be stacked up so they were all the same height blew me away. She came from way behind, arrived at the puzzle long after the other players and just aced it. Jeff said she'd won that puzzle on her season too. Wonder what she does for work or a hobby that gives her the eye to almost instantly be able to knock that puzzle out when the rest of them were totally flummoxed.

 

[Luanne]

I like Tony a lot, but would have voted for Natalie. Michelle winning the challenge with the cylinders that had to be stacked up so they were all the same height blew me away. She came from way behind, arrived at the puzzle long after the other players and just aced it. Jeff said she'd one that puzzle on her season too. Wonder what she does for work or a hobby that gives her the eye to almost instantly be able to knock that puzzle out when the rest of them were totally flummoxed.

Okay, Tony played a good game, he was very entertaining, and probably deserved to win. But I was pulling for Natalie. I've liked her ever since she and her sister were on Amazing Race.

 

[DaveNV]

I agree that I'd also have voted for Natalie. She absolutely rocked her time on Extinction, and when she listed all the advantages she'd won, it was quite a list. To get voted out on Day Two, before things really even got started, then come back in at the end, and to do what she did was impressive, to say the least.

Michelle was too much of a floater. I liked her, but felt she didn't do enough to justify being there. The final puzzle work was impressive. It was a bit of "too little, too late." I notice she got zero votes at the end, which says what the other players thought.

I'm sure there is more to him, but I didn't care for Tony. I found his methods to be arrogant and deceitful, two human traits I particularly dislike. Despite all the tears and such at the end, I wonder if Sarah will ever fully see how she was strung along by him from the beginning, and how he used her. Boston Rob's snotty comment about "I told you what to do - you should have gotten rid of him" when he wrote down Tony's name, was just as arrogant; easily said for someone who wasn't there to play it. That Natalie was able to get rid of Ben was accomplishment enough, particularly in light of how loyal the Sarah-Ben-Tony alliance had been. I thought it was fitting that Natalie won the final immunity.

All in, a good season. And now that I see how the fire tokens thing fits in, I'm sure that will be back. We'll see.

Dave

 

[Luanne]

@DaveNW that sums up how I feel about Tony. I have never cared for him in either of his seasons. I'm not a Boston Rob fan either.

 

[Luanne]

Wonder what she does for work or a hobby that gives her the eye to almost instantly be able to knock that puzzle out when the rest of them were totally flummoxed.

She is a cross fit trainer.

 

[easyrider]

It was a pretty good finally, imo. I was rooting for #1. Natalie #2. Michele. I thought Tony would win Survivor if he was in the final 3. It's too bad Sarah's fire went out. I wondered why she didn't blow into her flame.

I really didn't like the covid 19 precautions on air. It kind of took away from the show but I get why they did it the way they did.

Bill

 

[clifffaith]

It was a pretty good finally, imo. I was rooting for #1. Natalie #2. Michele. I thought Tony would win Survivor if he was in the final 3. It's too bad Sarah's fire went out. I wondered why she didn't blow into her flame.

I really didn't like the covid 19 precautions on air. It kind of took away from the show but I get why they did it the way they did.

Bill

I don't ever recall seeing the string glowing with embers, then suddenly the fire dies down. I thought she had it wrapped up when her string started glowing.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I think if someone would have beat Tony at the fire challenge, Natalie would have had a clear shot. As Rob said, her game was perfect, EXCEPT she did not take the fire challenge. They certainly made it look like Tony couldn't get a fire started while practicing. I personally think that I would have sent Michelle to the fire challenge.

Overall it was interesting season. The fire tokens were an new twist.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Okay, Tony played a good game, he was very entertaining, and probably deserved to win. But I was pulling for Natalie. I've liked her ever since she and her sister were on Amazing Race.

I also wanted Natalie to win, I felt that she worked her butt off and got back in and played a great game

 

[Luanne]

A thought. Tony is now being called "the king" (maybe) because he is the second two time winner. Since this season was all previous winners whoever won would have been the second two time winner. When Sandra won for the second time she was playing against players who had not won before. To me, that is a bigger achievement. She will always be the Queen.

 

[DaveNV]

A thought. Tony is now being called "the king" (maybe) because he is the second two time winner. Since this season was all previous winners whoever won would have been the second two time winner. When Sandra won for the second time she was playing against players who had not won before. To me, that is a bigger achievement. She will always be the Queen.

I think the difference is that yes, Sandra did win twice against non-winners, as you say. But more important is she won the second time against non-winners AFTER having already won the first time. The second group of non-winners knew going in that she was a previous winner. If they had been on top of their game, they'd have voted her out to prevent her winning a second time. Tony doesn't get the same kudos, because the stakes were different this season. Him winning this time was against only previous winners, so somebody this season was going to be a previous winner who won a second time - against previous winners. He can claim to be a "winner among winners." Not the same as what Sandra did.

She will always be queen, and Tony will always be, er... Number two. LOL!

Dave