"Survivor" spoilers coming up just as soon as I go to a spa...I suppose I should be giddy about yet another ridiculous blindside at Tribal Council, but I'm actually starting to get numb to it. Virtually every major development of this game post-merge has come as the result of someone being colossally stupid: Jason for thinking his stick wasn't just a stick; Ozzy for not even bringing the idol to Tribal, much less playing it; Jason for taking Natalie's word and not playing his idol (and Natalie for being stupid enough to send him to Exile in the first place); Alexis being dumb enough to send Amanda to Exile; and now Erik letting the women guilt and bamboozle him into giving up his necklace to Natalie.
It's fun once or twice, but after a certain point, all these mistakes start to seem less a reflection of the brilliance of Parvati, Cirie and company and more a sign that there are a lot of stupid, stupid people playing the game this season. (If Penner or Yau-Man were still here, ain't neither of them going to be fooled by any of this.)
Erik deserved his fate, but this wasn't like Yul's band of four triumphing over the young idiots; it wasn't any kind of good vs. evil parable. Erik wasn't bad; he was just a dumb, star-struck kid. And as for the people who conned him, I find Natalie and Parvati repugnant, keep waxing and waning on Cirie and have no real opinion of Amanda whatsoever.
It's weird: I've been enjoying the season most of the way through, but we've come to the end and I could care less who wins at this point, and I wouldn't be surprised if any of them do. Yes, even Parvati. "Survivor" juries are crazy; who the hell would have thought Jenna Morasca could beat anyone in a vote in her season (or that she'd get Christy's vote)?
What did everybody else think?
That ending was painful. I was disgusted by Erik's stupidity, and have very little interest in the finale.
ReplyDeleteWell that truly was the dumbest move ever. Why would Erik believe for a second that he wouldn't be voted out as soon as he gave up the idol? He might not have won the show, but there was nothing in the past few tribal councils that demonstrated any of the women were trustworthy. What an embarrassing "super fan".
ReplyDeleteI don't really care who wins this, as long as it's not Natalie. She's has a very high opinion of herself based on very little.
Who cares? They're all irritating. Three-quarters of those grinning, gloating jerkwads aren't going to win either. What James and Ozzy have to gloat about, I do not understand. Unlike Eliza a few weeks ago, just responding with fan-like excitement, those guys are actually gloating as if they've accomplished something. I can't stand any of these people. There's not one person on the jury or playing the game who I really care about or have any affection for, and I can't remember the last time that was the case.
ReplyDeleteWas I watching the same show? That was the funniest thing I've ever seen on Survivor. Amanda couldn't even find words to describe the stupidity when revealing her vote. She's the only one I like at this point, but I'm loving the ridiculous manipulation that happened. Yes, it was stupid, but the unpredictability made it great reality TV. This is not the show I watch to see genius in action.
ReplyDeleteAlan -- c'mon...that was just GREAT! Really...it was...just to hear James reaction "I no longer have the title of Dumbest Survivor ever!"
ReplyDeleteI loved that they showed all the vote confessionals, b/c each one was funnier than the next. That must be a Survivor first.
And hello??? Of course super fan Erik would know all the answers to the past Survivor questions. Too bad for him he still doesn't know how to play the game...LOL.
You gotta hand it to Cirie...she has orchestrated some crazy schemes. I'd actually love for her to win -- she's good TV. LOL
Why did Erik think his chances with the jury were so bad anyway?
ReplyDeleteIf he keeps winning immunity, he can tell the jury he earned the title by winning when he had no alliance to carry him ( edge over Cirie & Amanda, hell everyone else).
Has he ever duped anyone, contrary to Amanda's overwrought opinion last week, which was just for effect anyway? (edge over Parvati & Cirie)
Has anyone ever disliked him, other than for show? He's so dumb as to be completely inoffensive ( edge over natalie).
Even if Natalie goes (his best bet to beat), he's left with Parv, Cirie, Amanda. Seems everyone thinks Amanda would be nearly unbeatable at jury so it should theoretically be easy at that point to convince Parv and Cirie to vote her out. He at least has a shot vs. Parvati and Cirie right? Parvati has no chance, giving Erik 50-50; Cirie probably wins because of "outwit" but really? He gives up immunity because he doesn't see many "friendly faces" on the jury?
Colby still has the single dumbest move, (because it directly involved the million) but at least he was acting on principle and not stupidity.
Was I watching the same show? That was the funniest thing I've ever seen on Survivor.
ReplyDeleteITA. I was laughing my ass off at Erik's stupidity. And marveling at a women's alliance that stuck together for a change. But mostly laughing at Erik's spectacular display of stupidity. I mean, if nothing else, the reactions of the jury as he started giving away his immunity should have told him something. DUHHHHH.
I'd be happy with an Amanda or Cirie win. Natalie and Parvati are simply odious.
Rule #1: Never, ever, ever willingly put yourself in a postion to be eliminated from the game.
ReplyDeleteThose who break Rule #1 will be victims of their own idiocy.
This rule applies to any and all shows.
Erik was unbelievably stupid to the point that I thought the fix was in. Unreal.
I'm with you Alan. Erik's move was incredibly dumb, but what was the big accomplishment by the women? If one person outwits four, that's entertaining...watching four outwit one (who isn't a bad guy and doesn't deserve the hostility---he wasn't trying to manipulate anyone, just going along with what anyone proposed) wasn't anything spectacular. If Erik was such a weak player with no friends, they should have wanted him in the final three, not tricked him into being voted off, so they were just doing it for...fun I guess?
ReplyDeleteErik's gullibility was another stupid move in a long line of stupid moves this season. And you know, even the people who have been stupid and didn't use their idols were usually outnumbered 5 or 6 or 7 to 1 and would have been voted off the next episode anyway. It's not as if it takes some great genius to beat someone you have a huge majority over.
I will grant that James's line was funny, but I thought the whole thing was pretty painful in an unentertaining way. This season has not lived up to expectations---lots of pretty people to look at but that's about it. It's main goal has been to take people I've liked in the past and make me not like them.
As far as the winner, for weeks it's looked like Parvati and I'll stay with that.
The entire reason it was such an entirely stupid thing to do is that there was no earthly reason to do it. Because the gloaty, smug women gave him no earthly reason to do it. If they had come up with some moderately coherent reason why he should do that, then it might have been satisfying or entertaining or their gloating might have made some sense. But they didn't even do anything smart. It's the equivalent of being like, "Maybe he'll vote himself out if we ask him." And then he does. Hard to believe doesn't always amount to entertaining, as far as I'm concerned.
ReplyDeleteThey wanted to get rid of Erik so he didn't win immunity again and force his way into final three.
ReplyDeleteI thought last night was the best episode of the season. And I have said that the past four episodes. I don't think it took much brilliance to pull one over on poor Erik, but I do think the remaining women have played a decent game....they have been varying degrees of arrogant, but they have played the game. When men do the same thing they are called strategic.
But last night was just pure entertainment.
I thought it was hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI'm mystified by why Cirie and Parvati aren't targeting Amanda, who (as others have pointed out) is the most dangerous person to face the jury with.
Cirie's been the mastermind all along, and everything that happened this week was orchestrated by her; I was impressed watching her assign each person to say exactly the right thing to dupe poor, retarded Erik. Amanda's smart, and Parvati is too in her own gross way, but Cirie is kindof a genius.
(And I won't lie - it's awfully fun to watch a random nurse from CT socially dominate a bunch of people who plan to get agents the second this is over.)
I thought it was terrific.
I enjoyed watching it as well, although I too am mystified as to why Cirie and Natalie didn't want to go to the end with Erik. Cirie would be an easy winner in that trio, and Natalie has to now suspect she's next on the chopping block, seeing as how she was hung out to dry with the Alexis boot.
ReplyDeleteErik's thought process mystified me. Leaving aside the number of surprise eliminations we've had lately--a couple of which would have been Erik had he not won immunity--I wonder why he fell for the whole "you need to redeem yourself" argument. He's the one player in the game who hasn't actually done a single strategic thing so far, and thus has no need for redemption, even in the sense of having to mollify an angry juror or two. And yet it worked. Erik must have given away a mint's worth of lunch money in his schoolboy days.
I do think the remaining women have played a decent game....they have been varying degrees of arrogant, but they have played the game. When men do the same thing they are called strategic.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, I find that behavior distasteful no matter who does it. The fact that they're women has nothing to do with it.
I don't care how dumb Eric was tonight, that was just plain hilarious. Maybe it helped that my friend spoiled me on the outcome when I got home last night, but I couldn't stop laughing for twenty minutes.
ReplyDeleteSure, it's divided between love/hate right now, but I love it so much more than Erik keeping immunity and everyone voting Natalie (or maybe Amanda because Erik and his house of LIES was the big focus of the episode). It feels strange to have a massively entertaining penultimate episode of a Survivor season.
Alan, I'm right with you on everything you had to say. This will go down as the dumbest season in Survivor history and it has completely ruined the finale.
ReplyDeleteI watch this show to see great strategy, good vs. evil and strong competitors at the challenges and we're left with this pathetic final four? I could care less who wins, none of them are deserving.
The silver lining however is it will probably be the first reunion ever that spends more time talking to the losers rather than the top 3.
Just got around to watching this episode moments ago. Sorry, but if you don't like what is going on this season, you're probably done with Survivor. To see a purely social game like Cerie force these dumb, unimaginable mistakes is magical.
ReplyDeleteI've finally got my rooting interest - Cerie can't win anything physical, is so-so on puzzles, but a friggin GIANT on the behind-the-scenes game. I hope she gets the credit she deserves if she makes Final Council.
I've just glossed over most of the comments, but I'm shocked at how negative most of them are. This has been the most unpredictable season of Survivor in quite some time. I'm actually glad to see Challenge Weaklings dominating the game, to show that there really is a deeper level of gameplay.
I've written why I think Jason and Ozzy NOT playing the HI was not so dumb, given the meta situations they were in. I hate calling contestants 'dumb' when we get to see all the confessionals and not really feel what it was like in game-time conditions. But if anyone deserves to be called dumb, well....
Erik said it himself, there was no reason he couldn't keep I.I. and still vote Amanda or Parv with Nat and Cerie. I really feel bad for him, this is on par with that Dolphin Kid who gave up the last Immunity Challenge just so Fireman Tom would "like" him as a person (something tells me they haven't spoken in years...)
Cerie deserves to win this, she really has engineered a lot of power moves this game.