Survivor: Redemption Island

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Except that before that chat with Matt, Rob was talking about getting rid of Mike.

I could very well have missed something - I only remember Rob talking to Matt about getting rid of Mike. I was under the impression that was lip service, which is why I thought Rob had already decided Matt needed to go next. But, I didn't dvr it, and missed chunks due to various family crises, so my perception of what happened last night could be way off. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to hulu the entire episode before next week's.

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Meanwhile, in my fantasy, someone from Zapatera realizes what's going on or at least what might be happening and Ralph plays his HII, offering it to a surprised Matt instead of Mike. That move saves Matt and probably gains his loyalty, while old Ometepe is now lower in numbers and without one of it's strongest competitors.

I can dream.

*like*

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SydneyK

I could very well have missed something - I only remember Rob talking to Matt about getting rid of Mike. I was under the impression that was lip service, which is why I thought Rob had already decided Matt needed to go next. But, I didn't dvr it, and missed chunks due to various family crises, so my perception of what happened last night could be way off. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to hulu the entire episode before next week's.

Before the challenge, Rob watched while Matt, Mike and Andrea had a discussion about the Gospel of Matthew. Rob commented to the camera that he never likes to see people with a common interest bond unless he's in the group, that it's dangerous. He said he wanted the group broken up, and that if Mike didn't win individual immunity he wanted Mike out of the game. Then we got to see Mike at the immunity challenge.

[AlphaFrog]

I knew that comment from Grant wasn't about him plotting against Rob as the previews showed. It is kinda funny (in a sad way) though HOW under his thumb Rob has them all.

No surprises the whole episode, except one of the asides where Phillip seemed to drop the crazy for a minute and explain that he's acting the way he's acting on purpose. It makes me think that he is all an act and that he's really more like the guy we saw in that interview. He was very entertaining the whole episode - you never knew what the heck was going to come out of his mouth. AND I DON'T THINK WE SAW PINK PANTIES ONCE! YAY! I'm actually kinda starting to root for Phillip.

One element of this version of the show that I'm really missing are the reward challenges. I know with the RI concept there's not much time for them, but they add another layer of strategy to the game. Do I go for the win, or do I let so-and-so win? If I do win, who do I take/share with? Since this episode was so lacking in highlights that they threw two episodes together, I actually would have preferred a reward challenge to two immunity challenges.

[AGDee]

I don't miss the reward challenges at all! I prefer this format.

I think the ones following Rob are playing a smart game in some ways. He knows what he is doing. It will get interesting when they are down to just them though. At that point, Rob better win some immunity challenges. I believe he's holding back on individual immunity challenges right now though, to not seem like as big a threat. He just gave up on the hanging upside down one too fast in this episode. Yet, he didn't look as cocky as Phillip by eating instead of doing the challenge.

I was reading one of Jeff's blogs last season about how they have had to build in extra players at the beginning of the season because of people quitting or having to leave the game for medical reasons more frequently. Since that hasn't happened this season, I think they had to squeeze in an extra tribal council. Additionally, since they brought Matt back at one point, that's like adding an extra person. At some point, if they don't make the game longer, they have to have an additional tribal council to deal with that.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I knew that comment from Grant wasn't about him plotting against Rob as the previews showed. It is kinda funny (in a sad way) though HOW under his thumb Rob has them all.

It's amazing, actually. Ometepe is such a bunch of sheep. On the whole, it made for a very boring episode in my opinion, though it is fascinating to watch Rob at work. He needs to be careful of getting over-confident, though.

No surprises the whole episode, except one of the asides where Phillip seemed to drop the crazy for a minute and explain that he's acting the way he's acting on purpose. It makes me think that he is all an act and that he's really more like the guy we saw in that interview. He was very entertaining the whole episode - you never knew what the heck was going to come out of his mouth. AND I DON'T THINK WE SAW PINK PANTIES ONCE! YAY! I'm actually kinda starting to root for Phillip.

It may be partially an act, but it's not a complete act, I don't think. He's been doing the same thing to the cameras when no one else was around (presumably) -- he did a camera-talk about that whole Stealth-R-Us thing three weeks ago.

I don't see his endgame. Even if he makes it to the end with Rob, why should he get the votes?

Meanwhile, I think Matt's gone next week.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Meanwhile, I think Matt's gone next week.

Crucified with one on his left and one on his right?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Crucified with one on his left and one on his right?

Well, he did do sort of an "Into your hands I commend my spirit" thing last night.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Well, he did do sort of an "Into your hands I commend my spirit" thing last night.

That was one of my favorite parts of this episode. I chuckled when he said something about God using his (Matt's) stupidity for His (God's) glory.

Another favorite line was at tribal, when Phillip said, "It takes courage, determination*, and knowing when to hold your tongue... to get a feather." I haven't yet decided how much of Phillip's quirkiness is an act. I don't think I want to know.

Regarding General Rob, I wonder when he plans to change his General/soldiers strategy - it won't be effective much longer.

[ASTalumna06]

I just watched last week’s episode, and it really does amaze me how much they follow Rob. But it’s also a catch 22 – You stick with him, and no one stands up and works against him, you know you’re making it a little farther, but you pretty much guarantee he’s going to the Final 3, taking one of the spots.. and possibly leaving you in the dust. But even if you want to turn against him, you can’t (unless you’re so awesome that you get everyone in your alliance to work with you).. Then he’ll kick you out once all of Zapatera is gone.

Let’s face it, the Ometepes don’t even have to do anything major to "set him off." Look at girl-with-a-name-that-I-still-can’t-remember telling Rob about blonde-girl-whose-name-I-also-can’t-remember having a conversation with Ralph. Even if blondie had no intention of doing anything against Rob/Ometepe, just the fact that she didn’t tell Rob about the conversation means that she’s now at the bottom of the barrel. If anyone on Ometepe wanted to make a big move, I think the best opportunity they had was last week when Matt came back. Now that they passed that up, they’re guaranteed to stay a few more weeks as long as they stick by Rob’s side.

The next opportunity for a blindside might be when they’re left with the Ometepe 6. But again, you run into the problem I mentioned in paragraph one.

I’m not going to say at this point that Rob’s strategy won’t work, but I also don’t think that denying his tribe food was the best idea. Zapatera is now getting a huge glimpse into how much control Rob actually has. Showing his cards like that was probably his first major mistake.

Anyway, I find it fascinating that Rob owns this game in the way that Russell always wished he could.

[MysticCat]

Here's Rob's problem: Assuming a final three, at least three, maybe four (depending on what happens on Redemption Island), members of the jury will be former Zapatera. At least two members of the jury will be Ometepe who thought they were tight with Rob (Grant, I'm talking to you in particular) who will find out the hard way they aren't. The remaining members of the jury will be a mix of former Ometepe and Zapatera and/or Matt.

I think it's an open question whether anyone from Zapatera would vote for Rob. Same with Ometepe folks voted off who thought they would go to the end with Rob. Do they respect his play or hold it against him? Then there's Matt, who got blindsided by Rob twice.

I'm just not sure how it would shake out for Rob.

Meanwhile, I wonder when the RI winner comes back in. I'm contemplating the implications of it being at the final 3 -- a final 2 plus the RI winner. Hmmm.

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Here's Rob's problem: Assuming a final three, at least three, maybe four (depending on what happens on Redemption Island), members of the jury will be former Zapatera. At least two members of the jury will be Ometepe who thought they were tight with Rob (Grant, I'm talking to you in particular) who will find out the hard way they aren't. The remaining members of the jury will be a mix of former Ometepe and Zapatera and/or Matt.

I think it's an open question whether anyone from Zapatera would vote for Rob. Same with Ometepe folks voted off who thought they would go to the end with Rob. Do they respect his play or hold it against him? Then there's Matt, who got blindsided by Rob twice.

I'm just not sure how it would shake out for Rob.

Meanwhile, I wonder when the RI winner comes back in. I'm contemplating the implications of it being at the final 3 -- a final 2 plus the RI winner. Hmmm.

IMO, if Rob makes it to the Final 3 - assuming it is actually a Final 3 - (and he takes out Grant before that), he'll win the whole damn thing.

There's a difference between what Natalie (who beat Russell the first time he played) did - stuck with him and somewhat strategized, while also riding his coattails in a huge way.. and what most of Ometepe is doing now - acting like zombies, doing whatever Rob tells them to do. I mean, they have a buddy system, for God sakes! He won't let them do any thinking of their own and/or talk to members of the other tribe without him knowing about it. Hell, he won't even let them eat! And they all obey him without question. Not one of them, besides maybe Grant, deserves to win AT ALL ... and even Grant only has a few immunity challenge wins under his belt to brag about.

Nothing's a guarantee, and someone else could win if Rob made it that far, but I would lose all respect for the members of Zapatera if they voted for one of the weak girls who can't think for themselves to win the million dollars over Rob.

(Honestly, I almost think that Rob could win Matt's vote if he explained to him at the final tribal council that he saw Matt and Andrea to be just like him and Amber. Sometimes throwing some of that, "I was afraid you'd be too good" stuff in someone's face can do a lot for you. But again, ya never know..)

[AGDee]

The coat tail rider DOES win a lot of the time. Amber, Sandra, Tina, there's a pretty long list, I just don't remember names right now. While we don't like it, it actually is a valid (and often successful) strategy. I don't respect that and would like to think that if I were on a jury, I'd vote for the one who truly outwitted, outplayed and outlasted through hard work and strategy. Sour grapes can really turn that around though. There are members of the other tribe who openly praised Rob's strategy, so I would hope they'd go that direction. I do think his own tribe might end up turning on him when the numbers get down. Those girls are GOOD at endurance challenges.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

IMO, if Rob makes it to the Final 3 - assuming it is actually a Final 3 - (and he takes out Grant before that), he'll win the whole damn thing.

Maybe. Given how things have gone, I'm not so sure, and I think it would depend on who was there with him. Would they vote for the guy who told his alliance what they could and couldn't eat? We'd have to see. And maybe on of the hangers on still has a rat to kill before the Final 2/3.

Consider this purely speculative option: Matt continues his reign over Redemption Island and ends up in the Final 3 with Rob. Who would you vote for, the mastermind of all the strategy in the game who got you out of the game or the guy who faced every single person voted out and beat them in a one-on-one (usually) challenge, leading to two returns to the game? I can see Matt looking like an attractive choice to enough folks on the jury if it came out that way.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Consider this purely speculative option: Matt continues his reign over Redemption Island and ends up in the Final 3 with Rob. Who would you vote for, the mastermind of all the strategy in the game who got you out of the game or the guy who faced every single person voted out and beat them in a one-on-one (usually) challenge, leading to two returns to the game? I can see Matt looking like an attractive choice to enough folks on the jury if it came out that way.

Plus, he really doesn't have any enemies since he hasn't ever been in the game long enough to truly piss anyone off. Imagine if the finals were Rob, Phillip, and Matt - that would be awkward and interesting. I couldn't even speculate that outcome.

[AlphaFrog]

Ok, so only one out of the three duelers leaves. Interesting. I'm not sure I see where they're going with that. Are they going to let two people back in the game, or at one point are two going to be eliminated from a duel?


Oh, Philip...you went there. You. Went. There. You are crazy. And by crazy, I mean mentally unsound having nothing to do with the color of your skin. That kind of crazy.